Smitten

 

The amaryllis bloomed again in time for the new year. I am totally smitten by this gorgeous plant. Next year, if there is a next year, I'll pick up a waxed one so that I don't have to fret so over watering or not watering. Above is the new flower blooming. Below the final photo on the bottom right shows the first flower and, if you look closely, you can see the second stalk growing up beside the first stalk...just a wee thing. 

So, if I believed in signs (I don't), I'd take this as a good one for the new year.ッ

A blessed 2022 to you!

NoThanks!

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First Post of 2019

I tell you what: that is some inspired title right there! Sometimes, all that I need to snap out of a blogging slump is to come up with a great title. This one...oh well!

The other thing that helps me snap out of a blogging slump is a great photo. I do have a photo that I love. I took very few photos on Christmas Day. I was trying to capture the grandsons...it just isn't working these days. They do not want their photos taken. Goodness knows if I will ever be able to share them again!

I don't think that my son wanted his photo taken either, but he's nicer about saying no, please put the camera down, no thank you...really, just no.

This year is the first year in a long time that I have had candles at the windows. They are still burning as I type because winter is so long in Maine that I think it will help my spirits and perhaps others' spirits as well. I know that some people keep their candles up all year long, but mine may only stay up until the first day of spring.

On foul weather days, I keep some candles on so that there is some warmth and cheer.

Today was a foul weather day...lots of rain after snow and now there is lots of ice. I understand that a bunch of us are in for foul weather in the next few days.

So that's the extent of it from my corner. I certainly hope that there is more to share next time because you are doing great chatting about interesting things. 

Christmas in Review

When I read the following quote, I thought how very true it has proved for me. For you, too? I tend to think of Christmas as the high day of the year and the years are archived in my mind by Christmas memories.  This year was the one where the weather was so mild that we could play baseball wearing light jackets on a lawn with no snow. 

Of course, we had our more Christmasy moments... 

a special visit from my New York niece and my sister. This is Kea the gal who helped create those store windows mentioned back along.

 Long-legged grandson discusses a baseball board game with his mom. 

The not so usual moments when one grand became a present and my son did some... sword swallowing?

This book title was definitely news to John and me!
Monday, my grands made a date with us and, when they learned that their Auntie was coming by, they talked us into another baseball game. Their logic was spot on. "It will be the last time we can play baseball until spring comes!" (Tuesday we "welcomed" six inches of snow and ice so they were right!) 

What a fine team of three!

An exciting game it was, too!
 I would have done a Year in Review if I had posted more in 2015.  Must remember this for future reference.
 See you in the New Year!



P.S. I have not forgotten Who really holds everything together. Colossians 1: 16–20

2012 in First Lines

Some have done this meme in the final days of 2012. I read  *A Year in First Lines* yesterday and thought I'd try it myself. Mine is not nearly as well organized and I hope that no one can read anything into these fractured sentences totally out of sequence. =D

Just after Thanksgiving, I heard a report on Black Friday Shopping. Snowflakes...lovely things...do you believe that no two are alike? What is it about March that, even though the calendar says that the new season won't arrive until the 20th, we feel that spring arrives on the 1st? Barely, get it? A few days ago, I was searching Google for an appropriate image to use for this Palm Sunday, I found one showing Christ entering Jerusalem on the back of an ass's colt. Late last evening, I asked John of his plans for this day...the one sunny day in the middle of ten rainy ones. There are times when being a citizen of any country is a challenge. Higher prices — I so remember my grandparents whining (at least, it sounded like whining to my young ears). Since Ashokan Farewell was so popular, let's enjoy another by the same composer: ♫Lover's Waltz♫ Yes, Day Four of rain though there may be a slight brightening. I've been waiting for you a long, long time. Here it is December already!

Saturday evening, we fell asleep to Christmas lights and woke to snow and Christmas lights.

Some of us slept better than others.

He read a book, too. He really did!

Ahhhh, a sunset at day's end. A real sunset! The joy of bare branches and new snow that allow such a scene.

(John and I are currently out for breakfast with Jake. We can't let Sam have all the fun and Jake likes some special time, too. The plan is breakfast out and then play time until he (Jake not John) is ready to go home. I'll keep him as long as he's a happy camper. I'm really hoping that he'll surprise me and stick around awhile.)

Have a terrific New Year's Eve! Have any plans?

2012 in Review~Mosaic Monday

~January 2012~

~February 2012~

~March 2012~

~April 2012~

~May 2012~

~June 2012~

~July 2012~

~August 2012~

~September 2012~

~October 2012~

~November 2012~

~December 2012~

Thank you for indulging me ~ Thank you for visiting me through the year ~ A Very Happy New Year to you!

Linking to Mary's Mosaic Monday at Little Red House.

Christmas or New Days?

I have enjoyed this NOEL sign fresh from The Christmas Tree Shop for a mere $2.99. Perhaps it could stay out for a while. It looks so much like a New England winter.

Some say that Noel has nothing to do with the Nativity of Christ, that it rather comes from the Gaelic meaning "New Days." In that case, I could use it this winter without any qualms whatsoever. Yet, don't you know that every time I see it, I will think Thank you, Lord, for coming to this earth to be one of us. 

It's incredible to think that Jesus existed before he was born in human form. He didn't need to be born to come into existence as the rest of us did. Why was He willing to become the only baby ever born whose soul mission on earth was to die? Love. Pure love. We need a Savior. He is the Savior. That's the truth—straight up.

So "nativity" or "new days" it's all good with me. He's going to go with us into this new year and that's the best news ever.

...It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end. ~Deuteronomy 11:12 NIV

Happy New Year~2012!

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Happy New Year

Meet Frosty the Cheeseball.



...with a lumpy frame and catnip arms and two eyes made out of peppercorns. Happy New Year!!!~in an email from my creative nieces.

And just to keep it real, they also sent me the death of Frosty the Cheeseball.



In a completely off-the-topic segue, do you think we can begin to say "twenty-ten" or must we continue with the "two thousand ten bit"? What do you think?

Okay then, I'm off to find a cheeseball dead or alive. Happy New Year, Dear Ones!

Edited to Add: Thought I'd drop in the latest creation by these gals...a tribute to Raymond Briggs of The Snowman fame. It was a two-day project working with precious little but a shovel and a cheese grater. They amaze me!