Happy New Year!

I will be ringing in the new year while reading these. Can you believe the cake on Victoria? get me a fork.

Also at the library I got this. These books are crazy silly and make me laugh very high on my list right now.

And just what would the last post of the year be with out a picture of a dump find?

I found this cutie when I went to the dump for work. It is painted a very pale yellow I just cleaned it up

and it is good to go, solid as a rock. I am thinking it may look great with a nice dark red with some sanding so the yellow shows through a little bit of French country.

We have been watching the Marx Brothers marathon on Tuner Classic Movies.

One movie is enough for me but it makes David laugh and the sound of him laughing is such sweet music.

This has been a hard year but we have had many blessing along the way.

I prefer to think of those blessings as we go into the new year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning.

Ivy Barker Priest

I'm Melting

Ok ok I had to have a thrift store fix I admit it.  It has been so long and my house is so stripped it feels like I am living in someone elses house.  Sooo for 1.00 I got this lovely book oh how I love books.

and with pages like this I will pour over it for hours.

I also found the vintage table cloth , a zinc covered canning jar, and some of the pottery I collect and the sweetest child's mug.

 the mug is bone china but no markings it says "the little mother" she is serving her mom tea.

I was thinking Miss Baby would love to have tea from this cup.

Now on to the melting. this is the temp in our house. Yes that's right and it hit 79 before I took this picture.

and this is how husband dresses for inside the house. Yes that is a fleece lined hooded jacket that has a t-shirt and a long sleeve shirt under it. He is comfy and cozy, me well I am thinking a bathing suit would be comfy. Lord knows you do not want to see that. I subject my sweet friends to that when we go to Florida and they still invite us back now that is friendship. 

Tomorrow Miss Baby will be ONE can you believe it?

Happy Birthday to one sweet little girl XOXO

Be Glad, Be Good, Be Brave...Eleanor Hodgman Porter

Grousing

We had a white Christmas not a lot but enough to make everything white and pretty.

We didn't get a partridge in a pear tree but we got a grouse in a crab apple tree.

Our big excitement for the day.

 The only company we had was my friend Priscilla,she called and then came over for tea.

This year was very different we skyped the family all together which in my heart made it worse.

I know we have many blessing in our life David is doing so well. We have a home, food and warmth

Still being kept away from the family was very hard. And to top it off Miss Baby took her first step on Christmas day. So time for the pity party to be over and look forward to the new year.

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

                      Joseph Campbell

Oh Baby It's Icy Out There

It is raining and freezing as it hits. We are snuggled in with the lights on and the fireplace crackling, listening to Christmas music hoping we don't lose power.                                                                                                                                       

A couple of days ago I got a few magazines and what else but a Christmas movie at the library.

So since we have no where to go I am copying recipes I may want to try and enjoying being home.

                                                                                                                                         

Today we were suppose to be in Boston very early again for an appointment, the office called and needed to reschedule us for tomorrow. This morning there were roll overs and highway shut downs right at the time we would have been there. I do believe we have a higher power looking out for us and I am counting my blessings.

I  ask that you keep a very little child in your prayers that was so abused that they are not sure if they will survive. My daughter has a very close friend that is in child services, they called her for this case. This strong young woman asked to be taken off as the abuse was so bad and she has a child just months difference in age from this child, she could not handle the details. While I am not a vindictive person I feel that the abuse you give a child should be given to you as the punishment, jail is to kind.

Sorry on a lighter note I hope you are all enjoying the last days before Christmas and celebrating  the winter solstice that means we start gaining a bit of light each day now that makes me very happy. The worse part of winter for me is the darkness.

Live each season as it passes; breathe air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each. Let them be your only diet drink and botanical medicines.

     Henry David Thoreau

Oh Nuts...

Look who showed up for breakfast with us this morning! This is a very fuzzy picture but he ate at our feeder that is near the window. Every time I moved to take a picture he would fly down to the post on the deck.                                                                                                                                             

 I am linking up with house in the Roses to show off what I have been busy making.

 Can you guess what it is?

Now do you know? Yep it is a walnut I gold leafed. I got the gold leaf at the dump and a few weeks later I got the glue brand new that goes with it. Ahh good dump picking days.( Not much at all the past few weeks.)

You open it up and look inside and find a token of friendship. I love that it is golden on the outside but rustic and natural inside. I found the directions in one of Martha Stewart's Christmas books. I am warming up my glue gun I used tacky glue but it didn't hold that great. 

We stayed in Sat and watched Christmas movies again. I knitted a little it was nice and relaxing.

I found the turner classic movie channel again (they moved the channels around) and found Holiday with Katherine Hepburn that came on very late but I just had to stay up and watch, so glad I did. I loove old movies and Katherine Hepburn is one of my favorites.

Miss Baby had to go to the hospital last night she has croup, poor Miss Baby we skyped before bed last night and she seemed fine, it came on during the night.

Today we went for a ride and found places with the most amazing views. It was nice to get out of the house for a little while.I have to say I find this holiday the most relaxing ever. We are enjoying the lights, and the movies. A little shopping on line. We do miss the parties but we will be taking a page from this Christmas for Christmas's to come, joy comes in being still.

Earth's crammed with heaven....Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Being Crafty

I got a chance to to go to Micheal's today I went in for one thing and came out with 5 of these. Oh how I wish I would have bought more. I have been having fun all afternoon.

They started out looking like this,the tops were to shiny for me so I painted them brown so they looked all nice and rusty. I follow okiob designs she uses shredded sheet music a lot so I thought why not.

As I have said before I have a big secret. I have all the cards we have received our whole married life. The box is getting very big and very heavy. I am using them for lots of crafts and tags on presents.

when I can use the whole front I put my favorite holiday recipes on the back. This is a card cut down with the tag being another card. shredded sheet music and a bit of glitter. The longest part was painting the tops which was only minutes.

I have a box of vintage Christmas stickers. I thought they looked cute. The tag is a card cut down and I sewed a button on.

And since this is Miss Baby's first Christmas I made her one for her tree.

  I am linking up to funky junk interiors handmade ornaments.

I usually don't get into brands I like or use but I found this last night when I picked up a few things and it is love. Thomas English muffins are our favorites but with cranberries they are amazing. I am not getting anything for this, I just ate one and loved it. I had a tuna sandwich on one this afternoon oh it was so good.

David hasn't been feeling well at all the past few days. We had a Dr appointment today and he said "You know you are not out of the woods yet but you are doing well. There is a lot going on in your body.I expect you will have times when you feel awful." He got some fluids and is feeling better.

Discover the blessings you already have....Cherie Carter-scott Ph.D

Busy Weekend

It has been a busy weekend already at acorn hollow. We had our first visitors, David's brother aka the doner. They brought along this gift. I think the saying is very true don't you?                                     

Last night we went to a local fund raiser to see the holiday lights. We could drive around to see the lights. This is my favorite kind of holiday cheer:0)

two  life size moose or mooses?

and a holiday serpent

is this santa's castle?

So tonight we are in watching more movies and enjoying being home.

with the wood stove going, oh baby it's cold outside.

Do something just for fun pleasure is one of life's essential nutrients.... Cheryl Richardson

Reindeer Games

Since David is going nuts being cooped up in the house we went to the attic and dug out the doll house that was going to be my daughters but it never was finished. She was probably Miss Baby's age when we got it for her. David built it and never went any further. So now he has a project..........                              

 I dusted and cleaned out some old carpet we had put in years ago now he has a blank slate to have some fun.

We traveled to Boston for his weekly appointment today. It was a good appointment he has gained a little weight, they are very happy with his progress. It was a rainy foggy day so when we got home I lit the fireplace.

And baked some cookies, David found the recipe in the  Old Farmers Almanac. They are very much like short bread cookies. Poppy seed raspberry filled  cookies.

 We are expecting some snow tonight 3-5 inches, booo I do not want to deal with snow this year.

My Christmas memory, I was 5 or 6 and was all tucked in bed on Christmas eve. Outside of my bedroom window was a porch roof. The wind was blowing and the moon was shining on the snow. All of a sudden there was a loud bang and I could see the out line of antlers in my window moving yikes. I was so scared Santa had landed on the porch roof by accident! and he was going to see me awake and LEAVE! I went under the covers and at some point fell asleep under there.( A tree fell in the yard and branches landed on the roof and were blowing back and forth so it looked like antlers shadows in the curtains and the scratching of the branch on the window and roof sounded like reindeer hooves. esp to a little girls imagination. And of course I didn't put it all together until I was much older)

We are watching old Christmas movies every night, tonight is The Preachers Wife with Loretta Young, David Niven and Carry Grant. If you haven't seen it you need to, such a sweet movie.

Santa Clause has the right idea: Visit people once a year...Victor Borge(1909-2000)

Believe

I had some time after doing 10 loads of laundry this weekend to make this little tree. I got the directions from Martha Stewart's site. I found the tinsel pipe cleaners at a yard sale a few years ago. It really is cuter than it looks here so this will be my tree this year.                                                                                           

The weather was cool but good this weekend. On one of my walks around the yard I found this. Can you believe it 2 snow storms and lots of frost. It was 26 degrees last night and still it blooms.

On Friday night I had a wonderful chance to go out with a couple of friends to a church sale and dinner. A glass of wine and lots of laughs was just what the Dr ordered.

I have had some time to look through some of my books and found this Nast drawing.

While religion is the reason for the season. The magic that goes with Santa Clause is what makes the season so exciting for children. I am sad that Children seem to find out much to young now days. I think I was 10 when I got the bad news from a friend at school.

No Santa Clause! Thank God!he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virgina, nay ten times ten thousand years from now he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

                  Francis church..9/21/1897

I have a fun Santa story I will tell next post but I would love to hear your Santa stories from when you believed.

Keeping Busy

I have been knitting the one thing that I know how to knit and have been knitting these since I was in middle school. I never progressed beyond these. OK I did knit 2 needle mittens a few times but these are my staple.I pick up good yarn at the thrift store when I see it for my Christmas slippers. And this pair is for a very small girl who will be walking very soon! 11months old yesterday.                                                                  

Since David's appetite hasn't really returned yet I have been baking for him. I made his favorite choc chip cookies, I threw in a some craisins very yummy.

I really couldn't have Christmas and no decorations, so this is the table in the family room that faces the fire place. I used the large rug I hooked under it and an old quilt top, with a handmade snowman and a wire reindeer. I can't do much more because of dust etc for David........

and speaking of David we made another trip to Boston, numbers are great, and everything is going well. The first test was done to see how many of his brothers cells have taken over. It will take 2 weeks to get it back. When this is done David and his brother will have the same DNA amazing right?

The weather here is warm and wonderful. The best part is all the snow from last week is gone!

I have not shopped for one thing I think it will be cash or gift certificates. Really we are a very blessed family so no one needs much. Thank you for all of your wonderful comments and to the reason the cat can not be on David is scratches. Of course he shouldn't breath in gobs of hair either but it is the scratch they are most concerned with and she likes to kneed before she sits in your lap.OUCH

So in closing I will leave you with some words from the late great John Wayne......

Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean.

It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.

Snow and Fun Stuff

The day before Thanksgiving it snowed a lot....                                                                   

We drove to Boston in the snow for David's first Dr's appointment after being discharged on Sunday.

We were pretty late but they took us right in. The Dr said you are not doing good.......you're doing great! 

Our 17 year old kitty is having the hardest time with all of this because she can not be near David. so she is being kept in the basement (it has windows and a wood stove) but she is still very sad and breaks our heart crying to be with us. This am Sadie and I got up very early sat on the sofa in the kitchen and watched the sun rise. She was so happy purring in my lap while I drank coffee.

We watched a jet climb the cold, clear sky(the spots are water on the window) Until David got up. She didn't mind going in the basement that much, she got her morning time.

For all of you women living the single life, I have a very deep respect for you! I am exhausted doing all the things that David can't do and my stuff too. The Laundry is always piled as high as an elephant's eye.

Everything has to be washed everyday and our clothes can not co mingle.

Now on to the very fun stuff. Ta Da Dump!

I got these two books they are all wiped down and on the porch until I am ready to look at them.

This very country platter is soaking in soapy bleach water and then it will go in the dish washer, can you see it filled with cookies? There were a few things I left that I would have picked up another time, simplify simplify..

Today I went out to run errands. I got to the grocery store, came out and my car was as dead as dead could be. I was just around the corner from the garage we use. They gave me a jump I followed the wrecker to the garage and got a new battery. For this I am thankful because if we had been in a parking garage in Boston it would have been so much more expensive(they didn't charge us for the call) and scary with David still healing. Being thankful comes in all forms.

We are wiser than we know....Ralph Waldo Emerson

Home

David came home today. This picture is of him taking his first big breath of country air. You can see the gloves and mask in his hands.                                                                                                                 

We have 100 days from transplant that he is to stay out of public places,no visiting and we are very careful with his food and drinks. But if he does as well as he did with the transplant he will be fine.

Thank you so much for all of your amazing prayers they are working.

On Sat my daughter and her husband had come to put the last of the wood in, when all of a sudden our friends started showing up to finish the raking and cutting back the gardens. Ashley said it was amazing they all showed up with rakes etc went to work and was gone in a hour and a half.

We have many blessings to be thankful for.

Life is like an echo.What you send out -you get back. What you give-you get.....Anonymous

Friends, Mice, and Leaves

The news is good, David is still doing very well and keeping the nurses entertained.

For myself, I am boring I go between work,Boston, and scrubbing every little corner of the house.

I head to Boston midweek and spend my days with David. Then come home on Sunday.

When I got home this week friends had raked the yard. Daughter and her husband brought in most of our firewood, and I had a plant from my sweet friend who babysits my cat sadie.

and speaking of Sadie she left a gift for my friend! There was a dead mouse stretched out where she would be sure to see it when she came in to care for her. Poor friend she had to deal with a dead mouse on top of everything else. and she is the one who left the beautiful plant for me. Now that's a friend! In have been keeping up with everyone reading your blogs.Thank you for all of your wonderful comments and prayers they are working for sure.  We are skyping Miss Baby now and then, she is at the point she can not sit still. So it is a bit like sykping a worm. It makes us a bit sea sick my daughter tries to follow her with the computer.

I hope you are all well and enjoying the last of fall.

Scenes Of Boston

When David was sleeping I would take walks in the area. this was a telephone and telegraph building that is now verizion office.These are over each window. I believe the style is art deco.

The fan window is just beautiful.

 The detail work on this building is amazing.

This sundial was on the hospital grounds. It is huge and keeps good time.

This is the view from David's hospital window. We see the colleges practice crew on the Charles river.There are also lots of duck boats that come and go.

And this out of focus picture is sun set from my hotel.

I am home for a few days, Sadie my kitty was so happy to see me she circled me and cried. She now is sleeping near by so she can open her eye and make sure I am still there. I was a way for 10 days and she was well cared for by friends and neighbors.

David's appetite is getting better and he felt pretty good today, as the nurses say one day at a time.
I am going back to Boston mid week. Thank you so much for all of your amazing up lifting comments.
All human wisdom is summed up in two words-wait and hope...Alexandre Dumas
Have a great week.