Rainbows and Resolutions

It seems that in which ever place I am spending the seasons...at home in the warmth of summer or at our home away from home in Fl during the chilly winter months, I have a special spot I seem to pick out as a cozy place to meditate, reflect, doze, pray ...in general... a veg-out place.  Here, it is the corner of my comfy couch in the Fl room porch where I have a fountain that bubbles away, sounding like a small stream running gently over smooth rocks on its way to the river.  At home in VT it is one of two places, the big papa san chair on the porch in nice warm weather or in a big "eat ya up" chair near the double windows where I can watch the birds at the feeder.  And in the afternoon,  the floating rainbows of color cast about the room by the little crystal hummingbird hung in the window there.

As I was reading my daily devotional book this morning, the lady who wrote today's bit of encouragement,  spoke of watching how a lovely crystal only reflects the bright lights of the sun which cause it to refract these rays into all those tiny dancing rainbows.
When things look bleak and I feel down and sad, I need to let God's light in by hanging His promises in the window of my soul, so when His light shins through it will remind me that He truly is watching over me, loving me and always there to give me  hope and courage...every day.  Thanks, Alma, for your 'crystal example' today !
As it is nearly the end of 2011, should I make some New Year's Resolutions...or not?  Some of the definitions of the verb to resolve are ... to decide...to determine..and to intend.  I like the order here!  To decide is of course the first step!  To determine, now that is a pretty forceful order to one's self ! BUT to intend, now that has loop holes...it means to TRY, which is good, but allows me a bit of room for failure there (: !

I don't usually resolve too much as I feel it is more of a promise to myself which I don't like to think I might break!  So I usually just promise myself to 'intend' or to TRY !

So what shall I try to do or be better with this new year?  Maybe to be more kind or to listen better...(oh, oh, does that indicate talking less ??)  Now comes the magic work   INTEND!  Oh well, I'll form a short list of things I intend to improve upon!

Whether or not you Resolve or Intend to do anything.....I wish you all a Very Happy and Healthy New Year and remember to look for Rainbows!!

A Red Scarf and a Snowy Night

Several years ago, before we spent our whole winter in FL, I used to like to take a little walk after supper on a snowy night.  Now that I am here in the sunny south for most of the coldest part of winter, I sometimes reminisce about those times, and snow, the crispy air and bundling up to go outside.  These thoughts brought to mind an unforgettable little happening back home in the hills.

I pull on my boots...the warm ones with the fuzzy insides...  don my warm red scarf and cap and set off for a walk in the snow.  It is fresh snow, with more still falling.  The soft fluffy kind, my favorite variety...not that wet, sticky stuff that breaks tree branches and snaps power wires.  It is getting deep and I seem to be the only one in all this whole white, silent world.  The old road is like a brand new thoroughfare, all smooth and even.  I left the lamppost lit and it throws long shadows along my way until I reach the bend in the road,  It's darker here until I pass my neighbor's house and her lighted windows spread some light on my path. Then the corner and on to the Village Green, lit by a nearby street lamp and at the head of the Park, the Church, with a light in each window that sparkles in the night.

It's here in the Park on a cold park bench that I dust off a place to sit.  No cars are out tonight, all is so still. Did you ever listen, to hear a snowflake fall?  The birds are all quiet, tucked away for the night in their cozy spots in the evergreens.  All is calm, all is white, except for a red scarf and cap on this snowy white night.
Soon I begin to feel a chill and think about home and the old wood stove's warmth.  As I turn to go...there come along the road...deer...three or four of them, just sauntering along, headed my way!  I hold my breath.  I'm perfectly still.  They cross the road at the end of the Park and do a playful little prance before heading on up through the pasture and into the woods.

I'm SO glad I ventured out and sat a spell.  I'm sure they didn't see me...or did they...that spot of color, the red scarf, on a night so snowy and white.

Quiet Moments At Christmas Time

In quiet moments at Christmas time

I pause to just take in

Simple pleasures of the senses,

Sight and sound, tastes and scents,

They're everywhere!

A lighted tree,

With balls of cobalt blue,

And silver bells;

Pure white wings

On wispy little Angel things.

Tinsel all a-twinkle

Like icicles hanging from the eaves.

And tucked away

Among evergreen boughs, here and there,

Blooms of white Poinsettia serene and fair.

I love to lie among the sofa cushions

And 'watch' the Christmas tree.

Oh Yes, there is something here to see;

Tiny white lights aglow,

 Twinkle like starlight after it snows;

 The way the tinsel dances 

in the firelight's flickering glow.

I hear the sound of the old clock

On the mantle...tic-tock tic-tock,

Counting out the passing time.

Or the sound of logs in the fireplace

As they sputter and snap, crackle and sing

Of the gift of warmth they bring.

Then, there's that divine aroma

Of fresh baked Christmas bread,

The spiciness of gingerbread men

And steaming herbal tea in my favorite cup.

These moments are precious,

Gifts in themselves,

Mostly found in

Quiet moments at Christmas time.

                       

                                                                  

I hope you have found some quiet moments in your busy days this Christmas Season.  

There is a Christmas eve service here with wonderful music and a candle lighting time.  On Christmas day, we will have dinner here with all our Snowbird friends.  I am cooking a turkey and a veggie dish, honeyed carrots.  There will be lots to choose from and so many great cooks around here!  It is supposed to be  in the 80's so may go for a swim.  Better not eat too much...don't want to sink to the bottom!

I want to wish you all a most Blessed, Happy Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year. 

Christmas Party for 'Our Kids'

Finally the day arrives.  The day of the party we all plan for 'our kids', the ones we adopt each year through the local daycare.  The shopping is done, the wrapping is finished, we've sent an invitation to Santa to come and be our guest too.  The presents are under the tree and the ladies have baked cookies and decorated the hall.  A couple of big quilts have been spread near the tree for the little ones and the 'Elves' are ready to help Santa.  Folks gather to watch the happy event.  And here come the kids!

I'm dashing around with my camera hoping to capture all aspects of the day.  The pictures tell the story so I'll let them 'talk' !  Except to say that it was nice to hear Santa tell those little ones the Real Christmas story !

                                  Santa with a Musical Manger tells the Real story of Christmas

                                                                     Some or our Elves

     

    The Tree and presents

                    Pure joy                                                             

       Opening gifts 

                                                                     

A Happy Girl

                                                                     

Kids sing songs for us                                                                                           

Hope you enjoyed seeing our party.  We all come away knowing how true the old saying is " It's more blessed to give than to receive".  Merry Christmas Everyone!

                                                               

Another "Christmas Past" Recollection

The decorations were all in place... the tree was trimmed and it was again time for a family favorite... The Candle Dipping Time.  This was something we did for some of the years our children were teens.  We'd invite friends and a neighbor or two and put on the Christmas carols.  The dinning room table would be all ready, with goodies for after the dipping.

The poem I wrote about the occasion probably says it all.  I am so glad the time is remembered by those who enjoyed the event with us.  It was sort of a magical time...another of those times when you could just 'feel the Love'.

I always love to hear of the wonderful little traditions my friends adopt in their own lives.  These are the makings of wonderful memories, family memories to take out of your treasure chest, dust off and savor over and over again.   Be sure you younger people make some of these memories with your families.

Candle Dipping

It's late December now.

We're busy with preparations,

Our homes to decorate

As Christmas we anticipate.

We've gathered boughs of evergreen'

Made garlands and wreaths, you know,

And hung the mistletoe.

And now it is time for candle dipping

And wassail sipping.

So we gather... friends and neighbors 

And family dear.

The wax is melting in the big black pot

On back of the old wood stove.

As sweetly, carols play, a room away.

Our wicks are all tethered,

We are ready to go !

So, round the chopping block we move

Till it's our turn to dip our wicks

Into the molten wax;

In and out, up and down, then skip along.

Round and round we go

As each completes the task.

Soon the candles take shape, begin to grow.

Smooth and round and even

They taper ever so gracefully.

What a sight to see !
All hanging there in rows of three
'Tween the tall, old chair backs
We're using as drying racks.

We won't forget these jolly times!
Our gathering together
By the fireside;
In from the frosty weather
At candle dipping time.
                                                               Dottie Ann Richardson

                                                                                                                        

Beauty to Share

                              Tiffany Chapel, on left, and above it a lovely stained glass window



Yesterday I was invited to take a day trip to Winter Park with my friend Wanda.  We left early in the morning as Winter Park is quite a jaunt from  here and we gathered up our friends Sue, Betty Lou and Sharron at their places along the way.

Our destination was the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art on Park Ave. there.  Charles Morse was born in VT.  It was his granddaughter, Jeannette Genius McKean, who founded the museum in 1942 and named it after her industrious grandfather, Charles.

The Morse houses the world's most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany 1848-1933.  Jewelry, painting, art glass, leaded glass windows and lamps and  the interior of his chapel that was at the 1893 World's Exposition in Chicago.  Also, art from Tiffany's estate on Long Island is on display. He wanted everyone to be surrounded with beauty and to enjoy fine art.
We thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the beautiful stained glass windows and the chapel was absolutely awesome!
Park Avenue and this area has brick streets and many wonderful boutiques and shops as well as many sidewalk cafes. With all the Christmas decorations and music it was truly lovely.  Strolling along on a warm, 75 degree afternoon made me wonder if this was what Paris would be like.  Especially as we chose to have lunch...a late lunch, at the Paris Cafe.  There were fountains and pools with bright colored fish, Koi, I believe, some were over a foot long, swimming around.  We were seated beneath a good sized tree and enjoyed a really good lunch.

It was a most delightful little adventure and I arrived home pleasantly weary.
 Here are some pictures from the Morse Museum's web site.  No cameras were allowed inside.

Our Local Christmas Parade

I thought I'd just say that we have a wonderful Christmas parade here in this little village.  They call it the City of Webster but it is far from what I think of as a 'City' !   Except for maybe on Monday when the really big flea market is going on.  Then it is a busy place!

All the local organizations, churches, schools, mobile home parks etc. participate in our parade.  There is a band or two, horses ( completely lit up with twinkling lights that are battery powered) and riders all aglow too.  MANY golf carts decked out in anything that looks like Christmas and winking and blinking to the rhythm of either carols of seasonal songs on board.  Our Park had a float, a good big one, with music and lights drawn by our new tractor all lit up too.  The 'elves' on board were passing out stuffed animals to the children that lined the parade route.  And of course, candy.  It is always nice to watch the parade and be warm while doing so !  All this happens at 6 PM so it is dark already and all the lights really show up.
I'll include a few pictures as I'm sure some of the participants will check out the blog today and be looking for a picture.  Can't take pictures when you are on the float now can you?  I'll include the daylight version as I don't do so well at nighttime versions of anything !

Pass on the Love, Joy and Peace of Christmas !

Getting ready to leave the Park

These guys love a parade !

A Story of a Christmas Past

                                                                       LOVE

At Christmas time it seems as if one can feel the Love in the air!  Folks seem a little bit kinder, the greetings a bit more jovial and the music of Christmas is everywhere!

Today at church, the children's choir, made up of 6-9 year olds, played hand bells accompanied by softly playing background music of familiar carols.  They were soooo good!!  

As a mature person now (sounds better than 'older person' or 'senior citizen' etc.) I have many good recollections of Christmas seasons past.

One always comes to mind.  Our children had learned that there were families with kids their ages who just couldn't afford some of the things of Christmas and this bothered them. We discussed how we might help to make their Christmas brighter...  We heard of a group collecting toys to wrap and give to these kids.  All agreed that this was a great idea, as they had plenty of toys and really wanted these kids to be happy on Christmas morning. Each one picked out a toy that they felt they should give  Our middle child, Matthew chose to give his "Casper the friendly Ghost" who talked when you pulled his cord.  We all knew it was his special friend and asked him repeatedly if this was really his choice.  He said he was real sure so it was what he gave.  I noticed a few weeks later how he seemed to be missing Casper and he finally admitted to missing him a whole lot. He finally got over the loss of his friend and we didn't think much of it except to remember that he felt so good about the giving.  Several years later when he had just gone through a really rough time and was back at home for awhile... it was Christmas time.  Angel, aka 'Sissy', found a new small version, of all things, the old toy, Casper the Ghost!  It was complete with the voice when the cord was pulled.  She bought it, remembering how Matt had given up his 'friend' to make a poor child happy.  It really cheered him up and put a smile on his face!  We all could feel the Love!

Today I went on line and found offered there, on e bay, a vintage Casper the Friendly Ghost !  He looked pretty good considering his age!  Casper would be 47 years old !!

                                                          Casper The Friendly Ghost !

May we always remember that Christmas is really all about LOVE and God's Love as He gave to us, His greatest Gift !  His own Son!

Cake Auction and Christmas Music

                           

                                                                                                                         

The Annual Sunshine Cake Auction was a roaring success this year !   The auctioneer was in great form and his elves were all gathered to help.  So many people made cakes and goodies of the Christmasy kind.  Two long tables groaned under the weight of the results of all the baking efforts. A sight to behold, especially for dessert lovers.

This cake auction is our big fund raiser to gather the funds for the little ones in our community who are not likely to have much of a Christmas at all.  Our special shopping elves, with the proceeds from this auction, select clothing and toys to fit the needs of the little ones, there are 37 of them this year. A box with the makings for a complete Christmas dinner is given to each family. We invite them to a party here just for them with a Christmas tree, the gifts, and goodies to munch on.

The auction is much looked forward to and is very well attended by folks who have saved up to support the project with their generous, very generous bids.  One especially magnificent cake appeared again this year.  It brought in $110,  another, a Diet dessert (actually a pretty paper plate all wrapped in clear wrap and a bow..MINUS the dessert) truly a no calorie dessert here, sold for $100.  The only Pinnapple Upside-down caked this year, sold to the highest bid of $75.  Other lovely cakes, desserts and platters of Christmas goodies were sold for prices ranging from $10 to $50. Fancy little packages of Chocolate Bark were really popular.  In all the food brought in $758.  Plus the donation jar was found to have $150 in it.  All of this plus earlier donations all added up to the grand sum of $1500.

We all experience the wonderful truth of how it is "More blessed to give than to receive". Although we all agree that we DO receive so much joy and love in the giving and especially in seeing the amazement and joy on those little faces. When our special shopping elves finish their work we will have a Gift Wrapping Party !

Tonight we were treated to an hour or so of great Christmas music from The Fruit Pickers Band, a group of musicians from the First Baptist Church in Bushnell.  They came to our Park and sang for us and with us.  They had some new words for the old song "The Twelve Days of Christmas".  I liked this version and thought to share it with you.  The song starts off ...   "On the 1st. day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me..."
I'll list here the 12 gifts.
1st day... Salvation Full and Free
2nd day...Everlasting Life
3rd. day..Peace in my heart
4th day...Love for all men
             5th day...Joy  in  my  soul
                        6th day... Power from on high
                        7th day... A body glorified
                        8th day... A robe and a crown
                        9th day... Mansions above
                       10th day..Streets of pure gold
                       11th day..A thousand tongues to sing
                       12th day..Eternity to Praise

It's been a full day and a nice one. Dennis has found a good Christmas movie for us to watch.  I'll see if I can stay awake for the whole thing! 
                       

The God Cafe

Main Street in Leesburg FL, the old 'downtown' area is a favorite pace for browsing quaint little shops of all kinds.  A couple of my favorite ones are the Thrift Shop and the Consignment Boutique.  At this Christmas season, the Christmas House is a wonderful shop filled with hand crafted ornaments, decorations and all sorts of gifts and things for Christmas.  The local artisans and craft folk in the community fill the shelves and walls with their talent for creating pretty things.

The Thrift Shop is part of the FIrst Baptist Church's outreach and has only really nice things at very reasonable prices.  The Boutique features name brand items for ladies on consignment from people who must get a new complete wardrobe every season!  Some terrific buys on quality clothing can be found here.

The other day on Ladies Day Out from here in Sunshine, we strolled the length of Main Street, shopping and enjoying the music that is piped into speakers at intervals all along the street in the grassy, tree lined area along the sidewalks. Benches are available for a rest if you need one.  We were headed for the God Cafe, a very delightfully different little eatery with the most excellent offerings for lunch.  There were seven of us that day and we were taken to a fairly small room with a long table set for eight.  Peaceful paintings adorned the walls and a really stunning folding screen that someone had lovingly painted stood against the short wall of the room.

The menu featured great lunch choices, a couple specials, and a list of seven exotic sounding cheesecakes! On this menu there were NO prices listed.  The front of the menu reads:

GOD CAFE

Come rest in the Lord

This is a Holy Spirit filled Cafe.

We accept donations for the food.

We also accept and appreciate donations

over and above the cost of food

for help with the ministries we support.

Gary Hagen

Friend of God

"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple."   Psalm 27:4

I ordered the quiche of the day, a veggie quiche with the homemade soup.  I could choose the soup or a garden salad. It had been a cool morning and soup, being a favorite of mine at lunchtime, seemed like an excellent choice.  It was !  Both the quiche and the soup were superb.

After our tasty lunches we ordered the 'Holy Cheesecake!' of our liking.  White Chocolate Turtle was my choice..way, way too good !!  I ate the WHOLE thing! (Dr. Barb, hope you aren't reading this!) The others chose French Apple with Cinnamon, Peaches and Cream and Blueberry Parfait.  Are you drooling yet ?? Gary does all the cooking here and he is GOOD!!

The wait staff are efficient, loving and friendly.  A sign invites patrons to leave a prayer request if one would like the staff to pray for your need. On the back of the menu:

God Bless You!

"And the Lord make you to increase and

grow in love one toward another and

toward all men, even as we do toward you".

I Thessalonians  3:12

Feeling happy, full and blessed, we decide this was the perfect way to usher in this blessed Christmas Season.  

Remember to keep Christ in Christmas !!  

Look Back, Look Up and Look Ahead

Another lovely sunset this evening !

Today would be our youngest son, Matthew's birthday.  We are missing him so much and looking back with remembering and loving memories on all the good times and family times we had as our children grew up.  I thank GOD always for giving us children to love and care for, the wonder of grandchildren, and the blessing of sweet little great grand babies!

I am also blessed with wonderful family and many friends who remember us on this day with phone calls and emails.  We feel their love across the miles.  Years ago, we always started to put up our Christmas lights on Matt's birthday.  He so looked forward  to that!


 We put up a few decorations for the Christmas season today.  I tried to get a picture of the really BIG star that Dennis always erects high above our home each December.  I will include it but will continue to 'fiddle' with the settings on my camera until I get a better night time one.  As folks come into Sunshine Village, if they happen to glance to their left, they will see this star, seemingly floating in the dark eastern sky.                                        

                                                           
                                                           The Star against the night sky.

         
          The Star in daylight

Here in Florida there are so many lights everywhere!  Dennis works around the park...he's 'Mr. Fix-It' wherever he goes! This year he built a good sized manger which lights up for us all in the Park to enjoy.

So many Christmas events to choose from in our area too.  Sunday there is a concert in Bushnell, 8 miles away that I plan to go to and later , a play in Leesburg which I probably won't go to this year.
We have a full agenda here at Sunshine too.  Sunday is our Cake Auction.  A really rousing fun time where the guys make cakes to be auctioned off...the proceeds to go toward our "Christmas for Kids' project.  I'll get a picture to share of the pretty cakes.  The bidding is fast and furious as we try to get the most money to buy gifts and put on a nice party for 'our kids'.  And there is the Webster Christmas Parade, an annual event in which we have a float and our residents decorate up their golf carts and enter the parade.  They use converters to power up the lights on their buggies.
The times of posting aren't always accurate on here I've noticed.

 Stay warm and well.

"This Little Light Of Mine..."

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.  If you were fortunate, you had loved ones to be with. We were among those blessed to be with wonderful friends on Thursday for a great traditional Turkey dinner.  On Saturday it was so good to have our daughter in-law, Joanne  and the grandchildren, Mikayla and Nick with us.  A bonus blessing was having our step-grandson, Chrys and his sweet wife, Julie here too from California.  The weather was cooperative and we could go for a swim after lunch.

We are having some cooler weather today and for a few days to follow the weatherman tells us.  Last night we were in the dark for 3 hours after a rain storm, although not a bad storm, something went wrong somewhere around 7:15 PM , plunging us all into darkness.  Looking out the window we could see that we were not the only house without power.  All our neighbors up the street were also in the dark.  The only light around was from some small solar lights folks use in their yards.  Den lit us up with his trusty little pocket flashlight until I could round up and light three candles.  Now what a cozy atmosphere these wavering little flickers of brightness made in this very dark night! A really peaceful quietness surrounded us.  No mechanical, electrical or technology related noises!  Even the refrigerator was silent.  Now if we were in Vermont we would make some popcorn on the old wood stove in our kitchen but here we would have to go out on the patio and fire up the grill to do that as we don't even have a gas stove here!

I thought about  the folks who lived before electricity and even before the use of kerosene lamps became a source of light.  How really dim it is on a dark night with only the candle glow!  A big fire in a fireplace would give off a lot of light but on a really warm night would not be so good. I guess there would have been spinning to do but most sewing needs good light.  How long their winter nights must have been!  But I'll bet there were lots of good story tellers in those days!

We had blown out all our candles except one and gone off to bed by the time the problem was fixed and the lights came on again.  It is pretty scary just how dependent on electricity and its gadgets we are.  If we are prepared for being without the electric, we don't seem so  deprived.  Like our summer visits to Darling Hill in our little camper where there is no electric. Something else to be thankful for in this season of pondering all the many things we sometimes take so for granted.

As we prepare for Christmas, the season to celebrate the greatest gift mankind will ever receive, the birth of our Lord Jesus, the Light of the World, let us be most thankful !

Thanksgiving Thoughts

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

Thanksgiving Day was always a favorite day when I was growing up.  We'd go to Grammie's house and enjoy a wonderful meal and all my favorite people around the long table in her huge old fashioned kitchen. (It even had a pantry!).  Coming in from the crispy Nov. day, the mouth watering aroma of the turkey roasting in the oven is still one of my favorite memories. There was always mince pie for dessert,  my very favorite, warm and with vanilla ice cream .   My Aunt Ethel always made sure that my dad and I had some left-over goodies to take home with us.

My family loved to play games, card games and boardgames.  My cousin and I were the only children there and we were included early on in some of the games even though they weren't geared to little kids. We also loved to hear stories from the oldest members of our family.  Really good stories of happenings in the old days.  We'd beg for these stories over and over again.  If you've ever been treated to good stories that kept you on the edge of your chairs, by good storytellers in the dim light of a late fall afternoon, then you know just how great it can be.  This, of course, before television!  Later, when we were a bit older, out oldest cousin and her husband had a TV and would have Thanksgiving dinner at their house.  It was pretty amazing to watch a parade or a football game on that little, funny shaped screen...black and white and sometimes quite snowy but still really cool!
I'm so thankful for the joy found in good memories.  The simplest things that were so eagerly looked forward to.

Remembering good things is kind of like opening a mason jar of blushing, sun-ripened peaches on a blustery winter day when the snow is drifted up to the window sills... and as the cover comes off... the aroma of late summer days wafts out  as you taste those peaches.  These memories are a real treasure.
So when I am feeling a bit wistful, I just close my eyes and open one of my mason jars labeled 'home canned memories'  and as that lid comes off, out will come the warm, sweet memories, put up long ago with that best of all secret ingredient... LOVE!  

Let's give thanks for all our many blessings and good memories!  Happy Thanksgiving to you all !
  PS  And "Please pass the Love..."

Harvesting The Crop

We are so glad that someone planted this Red Navel orange tree!  Someone before we came here to enjoy the sun and warmth of 'Southern Living'.  Our basket holds the 18 oranges we picked today.

It was also yard sale day here in our Park yesterday. Anyone wishing to sell things simply set up shop in front of their place and the rest of us ran around shopping for bargains.  This was our year to do that as last year we had a super sale of our own after selling our little place and moving into our newer bigger one.  Amazing what we collect, save and just plain hoard!

The Bible urges us to 'store up treasures in heaven, where there is no erosion, corruption, moths etc. 

God has truly supplied all our needs and so many of our 'greeds' as well.  Our Heavenly Father so delights in giving us good gifts.  As parents, we can relate... it is a joy to give good things to our children and grandchildren too.  I will try, with His help, to be more generous and compassionate and use these good gifts wisely, sharing and being aware of the needs of those around me.

Words, Words, Words

" Words are of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind"
                                                                         Rudyard Kipling

I came across this quote the other day.  I've been thinking about it for awhile.  Sometimes I am at a loss for words. Now, my good husband would look puzzled at this and immediately ask..."And just when was that...!"  He thinks I have way too many words!  Chatter, chatter, chatter!  I guess he is right, somewhat, as I do like to yak it up with my friends and sometimes thoughts and ideas just bubble up and overflow into...words!  Other times, when trying to write something, I am word deprived.  Sometimes the thoughts and ideas just dance around in my mind with other thoughts and ideas to completely different music and won't fall into place in any sensible, orderly manner.

My pen has been still for a bit. I haven't had words to write here for awhile.  Maybe I haven't sorted out the dancing ideas... or maybe its writer's block.  My winter months are spent in a different environment than my summer months in the hills of VT.  I do love to be with my Snowbird friends and enjoy doing activities with them.

We had a 'Ladies Day Out' last week.  this time it was a trip to Leesburg, the nearest big town.  You've heard of how quilters go on 'Shop Hops', well, we had a 'Thrift Shop Hop'.  Here in our area there are many nice thrift stores.  It seems that folks around here like to donate their nice things to churches and helping hands organizations that operate these shops.  Just about any item you are looking for can be found here. Some shops are like boutiques  with the merchandise arranged  in an attractive manner and some shops where things aren't displayed so nicely. Available is anything from a cast iron skillet to a wedding gown or a silk flower arrangement to a complete bedroom suite, and everything imaginable in between.

There were eleven ladies in two mini vans on this trip.  We still had room in the way-back for all our loot. All this shop hopping gives us a good appetite .  So many good places here to have our lunch.  How do we choose?  Today Ruby Tuesday's gets the bid.  A coupon for 25% off cinched the decision .  One coupon provided the discount for the whole table of eleven! This and the fact that we can all be seated together in a pretty room.  The choice of entrees here is to our liking too.  Small portions for a noontime meal is another plus here, not to mention the wonderful cheesy biscuits served while we await our meal!

Today we had some rain in the morning and the humidity is gone now, a gentle breeze is blowing and it is cooler.  One can be as busy as she wants to around here! Last year we published a cookbook.   Tomorrow we will have a meeting to plan for our annual Christmas Party for needy kids.  Each year we adopt kids at two local day care centers who we call "Our Kids".  We plan a nice party here in the Park for them with food, a gift under a pretty Christmas tree for each one, a toy, some clothing and a goodie bag to take home to share with their families.  Our very own Santa stops in and passes out the gifts and eats with us. He is already practicing his HO HO HO !   This year we hope to raise enough money to provide each family with a box containing the makings of a Christmas Dinner. Our fundraiser is a really a fun time for us.  I will be sure to include a picture or two of that event later.

I am hoping to see family sometime during Thanksgiving week.  Two of our grandchildren live near by and their older brother and his wife are expected from Calif. next week.

Happy preparation time for Thanksgiving Day to you all.  We do truly have so much to be thankful for!

Chasing Illusive Butterflies

The other day a whole flock ( is that what one calls a large group of butterflies?) visited us here on their way elsewhere.  They were here feeding on any flowers they could find and were gone the next day.
They were really gobbling up the nectar from the flowers and moving so quickly from one blossom to another.  They sort of reminded me of people at the Golden Coral !  This is a great place to visit for a really huge buffet...just what we all don't need...huge platters of food!  We haven't succumbed  to this temptation yet... there are months yet to go !
I went for my camera and chased a couple of these illusive bright yellow lovelies around for awhile.They seemed to either be just the other side of a fence and gone by the time I made it around to their side or in a flower bed right under some one's window, and I really didn't want to be thought of as a peeping Tom-asina!  I finally caught up with one who seemed to really like blue flowers, up near the pool.  I asked her real nice to slow down and really enjoy a bite from each of these blooms before moving on.  While she pondered my plea, I got a pretty good shot of her and then...Zip...off she went.  Moving on!

I guess we might learn from these flighty ones.  Keep moving on.  Set our sights heavenward...keep moving on...run a good race.  When one door closed, God opens another for us to go through.  Each day brings something new.

The Pastor on Sun. asked us to remember and think upon three things:  God's Promises, God's Presence, and God's Power.

He will always go with us whereever in life He takes us.  Mark 4: 35-41 is the story of how Jesus and the disciples got into a boat to 'go to the other side'.  A great storm arose, nearly filling the boat with water and Jesus was asleep, His head on a pillow in the back of the boat!  The disciples woke him, and said, "Master, do you not care that we parish?"  He arose and spoke to the sea..."Peace, be still", and the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

He Promises  to be with us and when storms arise in our lives.   His Presence in our lives will carry us through the storms  and His Power  will calm the storms.   I know this to be true.  True to His Promise, He has carried me through storms with His Presence and quieted them with His Power.

May you have a great day and be sure to look for that little something special that, though it may seem as illusive as the little yellow butterfly, will surely let you glimpse it and chase it a bit and find joy in it...each day!

A New Recipe

I clipped a recipe from the paper the other day that sounded easy to make and with ingredients that one most always has in the pantry.  Except for the apples, this was the case today.  So after going to the open air market today, like I do most Mondays, and having purchased some gala apples, I stirred it up.

The recipe promised to tast like apple pie...thus its name...Apple Pie Cake.  It was baking in the oven when a friend popped in to see if I had time to trim her hair a bit.  That apple pie cake filled my  kitchen with such a great aroma of apples and cinnamon, she wanted the recipe!  Sometimes when we try something new it just doesn't come out as good and doesn't taste as good as it smells while baking. Well, not so this time.  As soon as it had cooled a bit, Den came in and we decided it had to be sampled...now.  It tasted as good as its aroma promised. So I share it with you.  Only wish you could come in and sit a spell and have a cup of coffee or tea to go with it !

                                                         Apple Pie Cake
1 C. Sugar                      1 C. Flour                          2 1/2 C. apples, cored but not peeled
1/2 C. Butter                   1/4 tsp. salt                        1/2 C. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 Egg                              1 tsp. baking soda             2 Tbsp. hot water
                                        1 tsp. cinnamon
                                       1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In large bowl, cream together sugar and butter.  Beat in egg. Sift together dry ingredients and add to batter.  Add apples and nuts, then stir in hot water.
Grease a 9 inch pie plate. Pour batter into it. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near middle comes out clean.  Serve warm with whipped cream or rum sauce. or just plain.  We had whipped cream on ours.
Rum Sauce:   In sauce pan combine 1/2 C. brown sugar and 1/2 C. whipping cream. Bring to boil and add rum and stir until blended. Serve immediately over warm cake.

The only thing missing in all this feast of aroma... apples, cinnamon etc. was the faint smell of wood smoke emitted by the old black cookstove  in our VT kitchen.  I do so miss cooking on the woodstove on a crispy late fall day!  In the early morning, nothing tastes better than a scone or a left over biscuit  toasted slowly on a special- for - making - toast round- thingy with holes in it that sits atop the stove and makes 'just right' toasted bread or whatever you want to toast.  The old stove looks quite like this one, minus the water resevoir.
Happy Cooking to you as you try this one !

                                                           

                                       

Of A Cousin And A Grammie

My friend Cyndy was talking about cousins yesterday.  I know about cousins... or one in particular.  A second cousin to be exact.  We were both the 'only child' in our households, this we had in common.  My Mama died when I was but 3 1/2 years old.  How I wish I had more memories of her.  I was raised by my Daddy with help now and then by his Mom, my Grammie.  My cousin, Mick, was a victum of a broken home which left his Mom to raise him as best she could. Again with his Great Grammie (my Grammie) to help.  We two were not the first younguns my Grammie had helped to raise.  After raising her own two boys with her husband, she took on the rearing of their eldest son's two little girls who were left motherless thanks to the Spanish flu in 1918.  One was only a baby and her sister just two or so. It was the baby, grown now, who was my second cousin Mick's Mom.  We lived almost next door to them, my Dad and I.  And Grammie's house was home to four generations.  At our house it was just Dad and me. (Now this topic is fodder for yet another story, or two!)
We always had holiday meals with them all at Grammie's house.  Her kitchen was huge with an old fashioned pantry off in the north corner.  Mick and I were always together and we were quite like sibblings.  We had our little spats and rivalries .  I was almost 3 years older than he.  But he was the adventurous one.  We managed to get into trouble often and give the older folks a hard time.  we were little imps and many times Grammie would tell us she'd be taking the shallalie to us.  She was an Irish woman and we took this to be some kind of a whip.  We knew there was one of those out in the shed!
As we grew up I always watched over this fearless and daring cousin who could never say "No" to a bad idea!
I have many memories of the things we did as kids.  Once we built a cabin out by the garden out of slab wood which he talked his Grandpa into buying for this purpose.  It was a great place!  We even had a porch on the front.  What a pioneer cabin that was.  From somewhere we procured a deer head, a 10 point buck, that someone had looked at long enough on their wall...we sure liked it on our wall !  His Grandpa was my Uncle and his Gram, my Aunt.  Beteween Auntie and Grammie we always had pleanty of goodies for our cabin.
We had a friend, Charlie, who was more Mick's age than mine.  He was a real pill and wouldn't mind his Gram, who took care of him everyday.  She would call him to come home which was next door to Mick's, for lunch and he never would go home.  She always had to come and drag him off.  Her house and my Grammie's house were side by side along the high bank above the Black River at the falls.  Just below these falls were many rocks and an old ladder had come over the dam and was wedged between a couple of the bigger rocks, sticking up out of the waterl  Charlie's Gram told him that the 'Riverman' lived down that ladder and under the falls and that he ate bad little boys for supper.  Charlie believed this to be a fact.  One day she had to come fetch the disobedient Charlie home to lunch...again.  She was MAD!!  She went to the edge of the bank and yelled down to the Riverman to come right up and he could have yummie bad boy,Charlie for his supper! Well Charlie was some scared and headed home fast, promising to forever heed the call to come home when called the first time.  We never let on to Charlie that we knew there was no Riverman.
I unearthed a couple photos of 'the cousins'.  You will see how we looked in our everyday duds and how really good we cleaned up on Sunday.  Love those patten leather shoes, kept shinny and crack free with Grammie's vasoline petrolem jelly. 
As for my Grammie, she was truly super woman and lived her whole life, she lived to be nearly 90,devoted to taking care of her family. She may have coined the phrase " Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without".  My children were her great grandchildren and she would hunt around her house and find a piece of fabric and the next thing I knew she had fashioned a little shirt or a pair of pants for one of my children. No pattern needed, just a measurement or two.  A truly amazing woman.



In our play clothes

We cleaned up pretty good, huh?  Note the patten leather shoes.

An earlier photo of the cousins.

Thoughts for Sunday and Monday

Sunday was a quiet day here.  I rode over to church with my friend Angie.  The little Baptist Church (really not so little) is just up the street from the Methodist Church.  There are at least two other churches in this small community,  Each church has an overflow of cars parked around it.  It is so good to see so many people in church on the Lord's day.

At the Baptist church the music was lively and good , the pews were full and the folks we met so friendly.  The message was good and the children impressed us with their recitation of Bible verses they had learned.
 I always miss my wonderful church family in VT but it is really nice to gather anywhere and feel welcome as part of God's family.

After getting home and finishing fixing and eating our chicken dinner, I am enjoying a peaceful time, again curled into my corner of the couch on the porch, listening to the soothing sounds of our new little fountain...so like a bubbling brook.  A gift from some of our FL friends who came by with it the other night after we had supper together at the restaurant with the great ribs.  Den is getting his siesta and I have a good book I am nearly finished with, an Amish story.  Then we will go for a walk and see what is going on around here.  It is quite breezy today and the wind chimes are getting a good shaking!  It was
quite cool at 50 degrees this morning and is just pleasantly in the 70's now... no urge to go swimming today.

We have green grass on our little lawn !  Wow!  Only 5 days since we planted it and it is up ! I guess the warmth and the moisture and probably some real dirt instead of sand helped.  Will include a picture in a day or so.  Can only send one at a time lately with this S L O W internet !

Now it is Monday.  It was really rainy early today so we didn't go to the market until around 11 AM when the sun came out.  Did a quick trip around just to get the fresh veggies etc.  We are having a party at the Sunrise Pavilion, an outdoor area where we can hold gatherings.  Hamburgers and Hot dogs are provided and the ladies bring a dish to pass.  We have a lot of good cooks here so it is always a feast.
It is Hallowe'en and some dress for the occasion.

I have such good memories of times gone by of how excited our kids would be, so eager to get into the costumes we'd made and make the rounds of the village with their trick or treat bags.  It wasn't just the candy that they liked.  They knew everybody in town and were so thrilled when folks couldn't guess who they were.  Of course they loved it when they had to be told and show their happy faces under their masks.
All this takes place after supper and birthday cake and presents for our son Chip, who was born on Hallowe'en.  I always told him I went to the hospital to trick or treat and he's what I got. He always loved to celebrate his birthday !

 I am missing him so today!  It was at his birthday party three years ago that I last saw him.  He was celebrating his birthday by hosting a party with his good friends all gathered around. I treasure the memory of all the warm, loving hugs we shared that evening. We left for FL the next day and on Nov. 9th he was gone from this world and from us.  For now.  Each memory I have is a treasure now.  I thank God for each day we had with him.  He was a wonderful, good, loving son.

Beautyberry and the Beasts

Beautyberry is a vine- like shrub native to Fl.  This lovely grows along the fence line across the road from our place. I asked around but nobody seemed to know what it was called so I checked out a book on Native Florida Plants at our little library over in the village and there it was!  Beautyberry ..  And a beauty it is.  The book says it blooms all summer long.  I have seen it here before but I didn't discover it until later in the year, like maybe late Nov. and its 's leaves had all fallen away, leaving just the ball of berries and they were a darker shade of purple at that stage.  So pretty anyway and so different from what I have seen in VT. It says that the birds like it and that it can start from seed or cutting.  So I will try rooting a shoot or two in some water and Lord willing may have some growing right near our birdbath.

I like to come over to this pasture often as I am buddies with a couple girlfriends who live here...or at least graze here.  We first met them one evening at dusk as we were walking and stopped to pick up some trash someone had dropped alongside our road.  Dennis went to the fence line to retrieve the litterbug's scatterings and we heard what sounded like a large animal charging across the field straight toward us.  That brought my heart up into my throat for a few seconds until we realized it was just a couple of hopeful heifers  thinking to be fed !  There ARE bears, deer and even a few panthers in Florida. The heifers stopped their charge just short of the fence and proceeded with extreme caution, coming closer to check us out.  We told them that we would be back another time soon with some goodies for them.  Now and again we take these friendly gals a piece of fruit or a bit of a veggie.

I 've been having a bad time with my internet server, a WiFi setup available to us here in the Park. Uploading photos or downloading anything but words takes FOREVER, just like the old dial-up. Hopefully with so many using it and so many complaints and reports they will fix it soon.  I guess the Lord is trying to create in me a bit of patience!  

This was a rainy morning here, a gentle rain good for my newly seeded front lawn.

Market Day

Monday is market day... a very large market here in this otherwise sleepy little town.  NOT sleepy on Monday.  Wide awake and visited by many, many folks from all over the place.  Just a bit over a mile from our place, down a quiet country road that passes by our Sunshine Village, it makes a great walk in the fall sunshine.  We don't leave early like in the busier season after all the Snowbirds get here.  Today there are 4 of us.  Two of us are pushing or dragging, which ever suits our fancy, our market carts.  These handy gadgets sort of fold together when empty and roll along on two wheels.  Later, after much shopping, and they have cargo, they open out and roll along on all four wheels, much like a stroller. So off we go, trudging down the road enjoying the day and each other's company. The journey seems shorter if we can talk and laugh together. We decide to take a short cut across a grassy field alongside a vegetable garden.  It takes us over to a state road that we cross right into the market place, after getting across the street, which can be a bit tricky.
The veggie rows are on the other side of the market so we travel through the covered vending sheds looking at all the things people are selling.  There are MANY vendors here even this early in the season.
I find a little clip-on-your-belt or waistband cell phone holder to buy.  I left mine at home!  Onward we go, someone stops to buy a small crockpot from folks selling kitchen things.
The veggie rows are real busy today as always.  Such a selection of everything from homemade cheese to collard greens.  The prices are unbeatable!  Many items are a dollar a bunch or basket or bundle.  I buy a large bag, heavy too, of big navel oranges which we are invited to have a yummy sample of, for only $2.
Nice big red-ripe tomatoes, corn on the cob, baskets of pears, bananas, grapes, bunches of radishes and you name it.  We all pick out our favorites for this week and talk about what we will try next week.
 I am not often out without my camera. My little one that fits so nicely into a pocket, is without it's charging cord as I forgot that too. My good camera was too big to pack along. Thus, I am not able today to take pictures of this vegetarian paradise. :(    I will remedy that soon, I'll confiscate Dennis' camera!!
After we get all our veggies for the week and load our carts up we do a little more looking about as we head back to the trail home.  Crossing the grassy field is a bit more difficult with these heavy laden carts!
Thank goodness for Cheryl who is pushing my cart now !
The noonday sun is VERY warm beating down upon us.  As we trudge along, I think about the women of the Bible days, in their sandals and mantles over their heads to ward off the sun's rays. I always picture those roads as dusty and dry and envision the women with heavy water jugs atop their heads. Or the disciples going from place to place following Jesus.  My feet are HOT in my Reeboks and I am thinking of a swim in the pool. I scrounge around in the cart for my light weight plastic water bottle. The water is quite warm.  It is a long way home.
We finally arrive and divide up our purchases.  Dennis is home now for lunch, which I left for him in case I wasn't back in time.  He enjoys the radishes with his sandwich and soup.  I have a salad I'd made earlier, so thankful to sit down and eat something cool.   I find I am too tired to go swimming !  Now that is BAD, huh? Could it be that I am just a bit out of shape??  I park on the porch couch and think about what I'll tell you all about our adventure today.