My very first award on my blog..........

It's from Tammy at T's Daily Treasures and actually it's more of a questionaire but how fun and what a great way to get to know each other better on these blogs.  Thanks, Tammy!  So, here I go.............

1. Favorite animal:  This is a toughie because I love so many.  I love my dogs and cats both past and present but horses have always had an almost spiritual connection with me.  When I ride it's like I'm in another world and the horse and I are one.  Unfortunately, I no longer have my horses and I no longer ride but I do dream about riding sometimes and I love that!

2.  Favorite number:  7 as it has shown up in my life numerous times and is supposedly a spiritual number.

3.  Favorite non-alcoholic drink:  Coffee.........nectar of the gods!

4.  Facebook or Twitter:  It would have to be Facebook because I've never been on Twitter.

5.  My passion:  To not take anything or anyone (especially MOI) too seriously and pepper that with gobs of gratitude for what is and not for what I wish it was.

6. Getting or giving:  Giving but with one caveat........I have learned to give to myself first else I have nothing to pass on and also to give to myself what I  don't receive from others.  We're not talking material things here but we could be....like fabric and yarn etc.  Oh, I'm sorry...I got off message there.

7.  Favorite pattern:  There's an afghan I made years ago...my first really big project in crocheting and to this day it is my favorite.  I will share it someday on my blog if I can find it.  It was not boring but you could do it and watch t.v. plus it looked like squares but it was all done in one piece.  

8.  Favorite day of the week:  Friday....silly as I'm retired now but Friday's are still exciting around here as "the girls" and I plan our weekends.

9.  Favorite flower:  it used to be carnations as I loved the way they smelled and they lasted forever but over the years roses have become very meaningful to me.  I planted a memorial garden in honor of my folks back on my farm with roses named in honor of WWII such as Peace and Victory etc.  Both my parents served in  WWII.  SInce I've moved here,  I've been trying to restore my Mother's rose garden and have grown to love them. I've discovered they are not the prissy, fussy flower everyone makes then out to be.  Not if I can grow them! 

10.  Favorite country:  the universe is my country...we have used flags, borders, religions, race and sex to divide us from each other in the name of God, patriotism etc.   We all  come from the same source just a like all water comes from the ocean originally.....we need to stop creating more ways to divide us from each other and come up with ways to unite us....like Mother Teresa once said...."I won't march against war but I will march for peace".  We are all the same.....no one is more special than another and yet we are all miraculous!

Thank you Tammy for this opportunity and I loved getting to know you better and now I am passing the baton on to these next wonderful blogging friends.........

Always Fixin' Never Sittin'
Aunt Nubby's Kitchen
Camp and Cottage Living
Creating With The J's
Down Our Country Road
Nancy Jo
Sunny Simple Life
Town and Country Living
Retired in Alaska
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

I hope you enjoy these bloggers and what they have to say for themselves! LOL!  Have whatever kind of day you want!  Happy Thursday!

Yippee! I finished another block..............

I finished the block I was working on.  I have been getting loads done around here lately and more to do today! 

I need to prep for the next block now.  I'll show you that tomorrow.........
Have a great Wednesday and I hope your weather is as nice as ours is today....GORGEOUS and low humidity!  A miracle!  Thanks for stopping....I'm off to visit you now!

Went to Wal-Mart.......................

I picked up this magazine and it is the premier issue.  I figured it was 5 or 6 dollars as it was just like the other magazines but "lo and behold" when I got home I discovered it was $9.95!  What is this world coming to?  Magazines cost more than books nowadays!  I haven't looked at it yet but all I can say is it better be good! LOL!
I also bought the second cookbook from Ree Drummond.  Her first one was fantastic!  In fact, I'm sure she's to blame for these extra pounds I'm carrying!  But I'm a glutton for punishment....the delicious kind!  I'll be posting on what I make from it.  

For those of you, Kerin, who asked where I found those Praeventia cookies last week, they were in the snacks and crackers aisle at Wal-Mart.  This week I went and there was only one box of the chocolate and that was it!  I am hoping that they are so popular that they were all sold out and not that they aren't carrying them anymore.  Many times the little companies get bought out by the big ones just to put them out of business so they won't compete with the big ones.  Below is an example but Nabisco kept making them.  They are called breakfast biscuits but I use them as a snack as they also are individually packaged with 4 to a package.  It helps me to be conscious of what and how much I am eating.  I've had these before and they are yummy!  They also come in several different flavors and one plain.

Look at these pretty notebooks I picked up!  They are bigger than the black ones I got for my crochet and knitting etc instructions PLUS.....these have a place on the spine I can actually slide my labels that I made in!  Taa Daa!!!!  I can use the smaller black ones for something else.  I have always have a use for notebooks.

So............that wraps up another shopping adventure with Sam!  Stay tuned to see what other treasures she unearths at sales, stores and on the World Wide Web! Oh my!  Have a great day everyone and PTL we got a "gully washer" of a rain here yesterday!  I hope you all get what you want/need in your area of the world!  Thank you so much for your comments as they are like presents in and of themselves.   

I had some company drop in over the weekend........................

Every Spring I get a herd of turtles coming through my yard to bury their eggs.  This gal was a good size one and I love the beautiful markings on her shell.  This picture made me realize how little grass I have anymore....it is so dry here but hopefully we have a 60% chance of rain today!  I better go out and do my rain dance to ensure it! LOL!

  I "harvested" more rocks to outline my "sidewalk" and placed them.  Rocks grow wild here and are extremely plentiful except they are "wild" and you have to pull and push and drag to get them to come with you but once they're put in place they pretty much stay put.  They know when they've got it good!

I have a lot to learn and caulking and grouting are just a few!  But thanks to the internet and blogs and Ehow and YouTube etc.....even I can learn how to do things.  It took me 45 minutes just to figure out how to load the darn caulk gun!  Plus,  they always assume you know what you're doing! Ha! Ha!  I may not have made much progress but I learned a few things and now I'm "on my way".....you'll probably see me on This Old House before long! LOL!

Not too bad for an amateur..............it  certainly isn't any worse than this which was done by a supposed "professional"..............this is what I am trying to remove and replace and there's lots of it too!  Dang!

 

Made some bread dough too....Whoa Nellie!  Stand back, I think this babies getting ready to blow!  At least there's one thing the heat and humidity are good for!

so before that happened I made some bread...........

 and baked it, of course.........

A couple of wings and some antennae and this loaf would look just like a bumble bee! Ha! Ha!  These are the kinds of random thoughts one has when one lives alone....it may be crazy but it's fun!

And then.....the end to a perfect day............some sun tea in my horse glass to watch the Belmont Stakes 

and my new Mollie Makes magazine that came all the way from England!  Jolly Good I'd say!!!!

Do you see those darling red flower buttons that came with it?  OMG!!!!  What a great day it was!

I hope you had things that made you happy over the weekend too!  

Sunday spin out in the country................

First we'll stop to visit with Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen

 Do you see why I wanted to stop here first?  Yum!  Homemade cinnamon rolls but that's not all as this woman is multi-talented and gets around town you might say.  Anita also lives in Arkansas and recently was invited to visit P. Allen Smith's garden home near Little Rock.  I adore P. Allen and his farm and his gardens and his books and he's not a bad cook himself.   Here's a few pictures she shared of her visit.

 

What' not to love about this house?  I think from other pictures I've seen it overlooks the Arkansas River but don't quote me on that.  Trust me though, there is a beautiful view from this house. 

And here's the man himself......oh , Anita.....you lucky gal!!!  

Anita recently went to a cooking class in Tennesee given by Viking.  I told you this gal gets around!  It was a bread making class and she shares the recipes.  Plus, the chef's name was Sandra.....with a name like that it had to be good! LOL!

Anita is one multi-talented lady and in her spare time she gives tips on products, organizing and even throws in a few crafts now and then.......look at her organized spice drawers.  Now why didn't I think of that?

Thank you Anita for letting us visit with you and thanks for all the great dinners and desserts you've made happen at my table!

Speaking of organizing, Jen over at I Heart Organizing has some fabulous ideas and solutions for just about any clutter you  might have.  This is her very own closet...the closet of my dreams!  Oh, to have everything in its place and place for all of it!  I know...I need to scale down some first....and I'm working on that!

And look at this nifty idea for storing cords...............I love it!

Jen even has a "snack basket".......now we're talking!  She divides up larger products into healthy portions and has them ready for her family whenever they need one.  Now that's not just being organized...that's being smart too!

She also has a whole series on meal planning.....

This young gal really does have her act together....literally!  Thanks Jen!   You know I'll be by often!

Last but not least by any means is an amazing, young Mom of 5 and a military wife that manages so much it makes your head spin!  And she does it all with style!  Meet Katie at Creatively Living

What a genius!  I've carried around insulators like that for years and not once did I ever come up with a great idea for them like this one.  Way to go Katie!

Here's her back entry of her house that she just finished.....darling!  And she made or redid everything you see!
 This next one just blows my mind.................this is a before of a rug she had.............

 Katie did her magic and worked hard to come up with this beautiful transformation......

Yes...that is the same rug!  Do you believe it?  She is simply amazing, talented, hardworking to say the least, and a really nice person.
  What's amazing is she does all this while taking care of 5 little children and her husband serving in the military.  I have the deepest admiration for you and your family and the sacrifices you all make for the rest of us.

 This picture was a few years ago before the they had the other 2 children but this is what the American family looks like today.  I wish I lived next door to be of help to them and I certainly hope that the people who do live near them give them the support, encouragement and applause they all deserve.  What a beautiful family. Thank you to your entire family from the bottom of my heart!
Have a great Sunday everyone and keep all our military and their families in your prayers.