Special Gift

One of my birthday gifts from my sister is this painting by Judy Hertzi.  I worked for Judy's husband, Joe, at the Canton Art Institute when I was a young girl.  Judy and Joe were both artists.  I also babysat their two little girls for a number of years.  I am thrilled to have this painting, "Thistles".

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Jonathan !!

You must be feeling all grown up ~ being 12 is a big deal!!  Sending wishes for a fun day filled with gifts, cake, and all that goes along with a birthday celebration.  Happy Birthday, great-nephew!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Constanza !!

My dear sweet California friend, I send wishes that will bring you joy deep down into your soul.  Your beautiful self, your beautiful nature, your ability to find beauty in simple stitches, your kindness, and your friendly heart, all make you SO very special to many.  I find happiness in knowing I have such a friend on the other side of this country.

Happy Day!!   ♥

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mita !!

Remembering those good old days when blogging was popular and the comments flew back and forth almost every day.  Those were fun times, Mita.  I hope that life is being good to you, that you are very happy, and that art is still your passion and has taken you on a wonderful journey.

♥

R.I.P.

Mary Tyler Moore

1936 ~ 2017

Valentine Boppers

I put a few Valentine decorations out ~ we could all use a little extra love.  I find comfort in the little "click" sound that these solar boppers make.  It sounds like a ticking clock, only faster.

45th President of USA

Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States of America

God, please help this man lead our country to the best of his ability.  Give him the strength he will need to lead us down the right path to make our country the great land that it can be, the great land that other countries can look up to, the great land that will help all mankind in their time of need both here at home and all over the world.  Please help this man keep peace.

God Bless America

A Lovely Birthday

 My birthday yesterday was made extra special by Casey surprising me and flying here to join us for lunch.  With Mr. Magic, Sister, Brother-in-law, and Casey ~ a fun meal was enjoyed at one of my favorite restaurants.  Then to the airport to see Casey fly off back to South Carolina.

When we arrived home from lunch, my sister and brother-in-law had the table set with gifts and a beautiful cake that they had special ordered and brought all the way from Ohio.  They are great!!  It was a fun and special birthday.

I am grateful to have had another year on this earth and I pray I will have many more.  There is still so much to see and do, new friendships to make and old ones to nurture.  Life is wonderful!

Consignment Booths

 Monday and Tuesday, my sister and I spent 1/2 days in my consignment booths cleaning, rearranging, and adding new.  We were beat.  It is going to take us a few days to recover from all the work, but the booths look good.  In May, I will celebrate being at Buy The Season for 7 years.     

Oh Sweet Baby!!

View out my back window on Thursday evening.  SO beautiful.  The sky out back often gives me gifts of beauty.

Weather

Crazy weather ~ 70* outside today!  

I had a dentist appointment this morning and errands to run.  What a pleasure to wear no coat and be able to have the car window down.  I'm sure it won't last, but I'm enjoying it while I can.

January 2017 Full Moon

Here she is!!  The Full Wolf Moon ~ she's a beauty!!

Moon

Moon last evening, soon to be the Full Wolf Moon or the Old Moon.

~Photo by Audrey

New Sweater

We found a sweater that fits Jake.  He doesn't like the sweater and he doesn't like the snow.  He runs out ~ does his thing quickly ~ and runs right back in.

I guess it's understandable.  He is SO little and his body is SO close to the ground.  Maybe it's just because the temperature is SO cold right now.

My friend Lulu's Son

I recently sent a package to my Canadian friend, Lulu.  There was a gift in it for her, but I also sent some books for her son who is studying to be a watchmaker.  Both of us having only one child (a son), I can relate with Lulu's great love for him.  Besides all of her wonderful posts on facebook, I enjoy her stories about him.  He reminds me so much of Casey.

This is what she posted on facebook this evening.  Her words made my heart swell.

Andrée Chevrier

57 mins · 

 

When a FB friend that I have NEVER met in person sends me a GIFT in the mail, it makes me feel VERY special ... And it reinforces my STRONG belief that human kindness is still around and INDESTRUCTIBLE ... That connection between strangers CAN happen even though the distance between them is GRAND ! And YOU know what a BIG sucker I am for SURPRISES ! But when I receive a BOX of treats from a FB friend and half-of-it is stuffed with old WATCH books and magazines especially purchased for my SPAWN, it literally BLOWS my mind ! That someone you have NEVER hugged in your arms or seen FACE to FACE cares about MY family and its PASSIONS ... coats my HEART with honey then sends it to the ALMOST-full-MOON and back ... Audrey Gallagher Fish Pfeifer, thanks a MILLION for the GOODIES ! I just ADORE the CHICKEN print you sent me ... and my SON ... well, NO words needed HERE ! Look at HIS smile ! YOU made HIS day ! Merci, merci et merci !!! On HIS behalf and mine ! YOU are THE best !

Our First Snow of 2017

Friday night.

Saturday morning.

"Blessed Mother"

Print on wood ~ "Blessed Mother" ~ by Flor Larios, arrived in the mail today.  It is SO beautiful.

Camouflage

This afternoon, I spotted these little ones in the woods along the side of the road near my home, as I was driving by.  I was watching for them or I would have never seen them.  They blend in SO well.

Epiphany

January 6 ~ The Epiphany

The ancient Christian feast day is significant as a celebration of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.

The Twelfth Night (Epiphany) also marks a visit to the baby Jesus by the Magi (The Three Kings or Wise Men).  According to the Gospel of Matthew, the three kings found baby Jesus by following a star across the desert to Bethlehem.

The three kings ~ Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar ~ followed the star of Bethlehem to meet the baby Jesus.  According to Matthew 2:11, they offered symbolic gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The gifts were symbolic of the importance of Jesus' birth: GOLD representing his royal standing, FRANKINCENSE his divine birth, and MYRRH his mortality.

During the medieval period, Christmas was celebrated from the twelve days starting Christmas Eve (December 24) until the Epiphany.  Even up until the 19th century, January 6 was as big a celebration as Christmas Day.

Sunshine

All those grey clouds moved out and the sun did shine in a clear blue sky!  It made for a beautiful January day.

2017 Sky

The New Year has brought dreary grey misty weather to the Valley.  We haven't seen the sun since 2016.  It looks hopeful out there behind the mountains.  Perhaps today will bring sunshine.  If not, I will make my own.  No time for sulking!!

May the blessing...

Photo by Audrey

May the blessing of light be on you, light without and light within.  May the blessed sunlight shine on you like a great peat fire, so that stranger and friend may come and warm himself at it.  And may light shine out of the two eyes of you, like a candle set in the window of a house, bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.  And may the blessing of the rain be on you, may it beat upon your Spirit and wash it fair and clean, and leave there a shining pool where the blue of Heaven shines, and sometimes a star.  And may the blessing of the earth be on you, soft under your feet as you pass along the roads, soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the end of the day; and may it rest easy over you when, at last, you lie out  under it.  May it rest so lightly over you that your soul may be out from under it quickly; up and off and on its way to God.  And now may the Lord bless you, and bless you kindly.

~Scottish Blessing Prayer

Two crows with nothing much to do on this dreary grey day, making travel plans for 2017!

2017

Jake

Looking forward to the next 365 days of adventure with this little guy.  He brings such joy to my life.  Happy New Year, Jake!

Tarot

Yesterday afternoon, friends Wally and Therry had a New Year's Eve Tarot Reading Party.  Saw some friends I hadn't seen in a while and met some new.  It was a fun afternoon.  Wally did my first ever tarot card reading (cards I pulled in photo).  I was pleased.  Photos are of their delightful Christmas tree in house and Wally's ladder tree on porch.  It looks neat in the dark.

Solemnity of Mary

Today we celebrate the feast day ~ The Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God ~ it is the celebration of Mary's motherhood of Jesus.

Hail Mary, Holy Mother of God!

2017

May 2017 be kind to each and every one of you, my friends and family.

♥