Family And Friends=Joy

I am slowly but surely getting my Christmas put out.

A small feather tree we put up in the family room.

Friday I got out of work a couple of hours early to go see my Sweet B dance at the festival of trees. The cute one in the glasses.

It was a small affair and just wonderful!

I slept over and Sweet B read me a Christmas book before she went to bed,I had't seen them since Halloween. They did just get back from Florida ,I asked B what was her favorite. "Hands down Harry Potter world!" She showed me her wand and told me all about it. So glad they got to go. 

Bright and early I tipped toed out of their house and headed for Maine! To my sweet friend's beautiful beach house. For some time to celebrate the Christmas season. 

We went to Christmas in Kennebunkport they have a Christmas Prelude every year. It is like walking into a Dickens village.

We even got some snowflakes! Just to make it all the more festive. 

 

Everything was decorated including the boats. The restaurant letters say LOVE KBP and yes we do. 

The tunnel of lights was fun ,it is a walkway that they decorated. 

 Then coming out of Perkins Cove we see this. We could not be any further from a palm trees but it make a very fun display.

We went to a couple of church sales and found wonderful things for pretty cheap. The acorn earrings really spoke to me, and the hot pad is made from pine spills. I love handmade things. 

I found a Susan Branch christmas book and a cookie stamp (more on that later) 

I found to much to go on and on with. Today when I left my friend to go home I was filled with lots of Christmas spirit! It felt like the old days. We did all the things we use to. 

So here is to a holiday season that fills you with the spirit of joy, peace and contentment. 

Wishes

I found a wishbone from another turkey we had a while ago and I took it to husband and said "make a wish". He was completely blank. He said I have nothing to wish for! Really nothing?? Well finally he came up with something and we broke it, the top went flying and our sides were basically the same. So maybe we wished for the same thing? But I found it very interesting that he had to think long and hard for a wish.

Thanksgiving was very quiet for us. We made the decision to stay home. Our daughter was having a big crowd and we thought better of it. So I took a nice long walk in the morning. It is always pretty quiet but that day it was almost soundless! I met no one and not one car. I heard no barking from the neighbors dogs or even the wind in the trees. It was a true meditation. 

We have gotten pretty chilly here, the woodstove and the fireplace are doing their job. So thankful for both.

It is a family joke about The Griswolds Christmas. My daughter sent us our first Christmas card so fun. My husband has been called Clark on certain Christmas' (his name is David lol) The spirit just get to him and he goes a little over the top. I love it!

I put up my christmas village. I know I show this every year but I just love seeing it appear every year!

You never know you may catch Santa kissing Mrs Clause. Or an elf bringing in the tree.

A funky church with amazing trees, oh it all makes my heart sing.

Because the price of everything has gone up including electricity I was going to skip putting the candles in the windows. Clark aka husband thought I had lost my mind! So as you can see they are in the windows. they are all dusk to dawn candles. Automatic off and on. 

We got out first snow, really a dusting but it rained first and so it was pretty slick driving to work the next day. Not sure what happened to our road crew? (not enough people?) it could be a long winter. 

***

I got the yarn I was missing so I am at the finish off point for my shawl. And my hooking is slow but steady. But I am loving it. 

I did order a couple of things on line black friday but really it was on the deals and steals thing so not much. I feel like I am done I just want to get a couple of gift cards and that is it. 

I need to sit down and do Christmas cards, I still like to do cards I know they are expensive too. 

I hope you all had a wonderful time and are filled with good food and good visits. Have a great week.

 

No Reason To Rush

The sun rises have been pretty spectacular lately. With most of the leaves off we have a bit better view. 

The temps have been weird we were in the 40s and thur we were almost 70 then back to the 40s. We saw some snow fly just a little reminder of what is coming. 

I still walk as much as I can. I walk by this yoga barn each time. It is on the little dirt road I walk on and tucked in the woods. Very peaceful but walking even in the cold makes my spirit happy. I love to get back to the house with cold cheeks and tired. So I think I will skip yoga for now. 

Covid is rampant here so we are sticking pretty close to home. 

Lots of family members have had it thankfully we have not seen them since Oct. We have been invited to 2 different Thanksgivings but we have decided to just stay home, have some steak tips and maybe pull out some Christmas decorations. 

Christmas will be busy enough. 

 

I am getting to the last section to my shall. (don't look to closely lots of customizing took place lol.) But I ran out of a yarn! I called the place I bought it from in the first place and lo and behold they had one left! They are putting it in the mail and I should get it this week. I have enjoyed working on this but not sure knitting is my thing. I can not keep my mind on it! ugg

I finished my woodpecker on my rug. I am now working on the trees and the snow. I still have a squirrel that does not want to look right so I have given up for now.  I am working with a much small cut for the woodpecker so it is very different hooking for me. 

 

I am getting ready to decorate the store window where I work. 

Since we are a little used book store I try to do something with recycled book pages. I save books with broken bindings. I saw these stars in magazine and thought they looked perfect for what I wanted to do. 

And speaking of magazines I am also making a few trees from them. for the window. 

We are now going into a very busy time of year and I try to remind myself to take time to enjoy it. It will be so nice to be with family this year we didn't see anyone last year. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Blustry

We have had some winds and rain. 

The colors are muted browns. No shortage of turkeys. On my walk I saw these turkeys about 15 to 18 of them in one flock. I guess they know they are safe here. 

Our mornings have been chilly and foggy. The deer comes most mornings magically appearing out of the fog and then disappearing the same way.

I have a few thanksgiving decorations. I know most people don't bother but I found these vintage candles and couldn't resist

They remind me of Thanksgivings in Maine with my grandparents and extended family. Such wonderful memories.

I have two native american candles and the feet are melted so they don't stand up on their own. I have them lean, I do not want to give them up. 

I have been working on my rug a bit each night.

I am so pleased with how it is coming out. 

I am still working on my knitting, but I have made quite a few mistakes or as one of my customers told me I am customizing it lol.

I made some pumpkin yeast rolls this week and I had 4 left over so I cut them up and made pumpkin bread pudding. I added about a half a cup of pumpkin puree to the mix! ohhhhhh it was so good!!!!

I have put up my winter curtains. When it is dark and cold at night it just feel cozy somehow to have these curtains pulled closed. 

****

While cleaning out yet again I found a gift certificate from my work for a local florist from last year. It may be just enough to get me a wreath for my door this year. Good find worth cleaning I guess lol.

***

Another blog I follow had this question. I am so interested in everyone's answer I will ask it here. 

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?

What I Did With MY Extra Hour

I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends. 4 of us gathered 

at a friend's home in Maine on a lovely lake. 

(sunrise)

 

The 4 of us have not been together in several years.

But the laughter and the conversation picked right up where we left off it seems. We all said that even though we have missed each other, when we come together we are as close and comfortable as always. I love that so much.  We drank wine and ate great food. And we slept in down covered beds. 

The next morning we headed out antiquing and met up with the rest of our women's group. 

Where we shopped and lunched just a perfect day. 

We have all known each other for many years. Our kids were in school together. of course they are all grown and on their own now. 

I bought a crystal to make the light dance in the kitchen.

and a hand made broom. It has become kind of a collection of mine and they are very reasonable to collect. 

It truly was sweet sorrow when we parted. No one wants that kind of fun to end. But I am sure we will do it again very soon. 

I made mini pumpkin breads for breakfast to take with me and left my husband some for his breakfast.

So what I did with my extra hour this morning? I cleaned the frig out, bleached and wiped it all down. PHEW! It was worse than I thought. 

I found a couple of 1/2 apples and a pear so I made a tart with puff pastry. It is sparse but good. I also made a cheesy broccoli soup for tonight. 

This has been a very busy week. Monday I went to out to lunch with a friend who I use to work with and again have not seen in some time. she has been making these gourds, It lights up! I just love it and so me!

***

I have taken quite a few vacation days off the past month. So it is back to the grind. LOL really it is not that bad it is just the working thing cuts into my fun things. 

Have a wonderful week and if you have a friend who you have not heard from in some time, Pick up the phone or send a note.

Friends are so important.

Have a great week.

The last Goodbye

Our beautiful fall has fallen away. We had our first frost 

and the nights are cold and the days just don't warm up as much. 

It was a beautiful fall, great color and lovely warm days. 

I will remember them when the snow finally flies here.

Halloween is a family affair ever since Sweet B was small.

Her other grandparents invited us over for a pre-trick or treat dinner. and off we went.

On the last leg of the tour around town the two grandfathers were done in. Yes that is my husband as a jar of salsa. 

PS he hates salsa lol.

and after the trick or treating there were drinks and dessert at my son in law's grandmother's, just a fun night.

And the riding lessons go on. She was invited to work a few hours at the farm which she leaped at. It will do her good to see the work and time that goes into the care of these animals.

I am still working on my large scarf. I have watched you tube videos until I am crossed eyed. I was working on it at work and a lovely woman came in and started talking to me about it. I told her I was just a beginner and it had a few mistakes, She said " That is just how you customize it" I told her I was stealing that saying. So this is very customized! 

I also have two rugs going at once which is so not like me at all!

I have the background for my fish rug and then I started this one. I am really enjoying working on this rug so far. 

And today we said goodbye to my dear sweet aunt.

It hurts my heart every time I think about it.

She is my mother's oldest sister (my mother passed 13 years ago) she was 97 years 9 months 11 days old. She was pretty self sufficient until she got break through covid and that did her in. 

She was very important in my life. We didn't have much when I was  growing up and she filled in the gaps for me. She took me to art classes and bought my first barbie for starters and I could go on and on and on. 

They had graveside services and the minister remarked that usually when he did a funeral for someone 97 you get a handful of people but today there were many many people at her grave side saying their last goodbyes. I was so blessed to have her in my life for so long. I will miss her so much. 

****

I am off on Friday for a very fun overnight with girl friends.

There will be five of us gathering at my friend's lake home where we will eat, drink, and laugh until all hours of the night.

It is a grown up sleepover just the best kind.

then the next day we are antiquing, and shopping  until the day is done. It has been a few years since we have done this, we are all looking forward to it so much. 

Have a wonderful week!