Winter Blahs

Christmas Eve Chrissy and I went for a drive down along the coastline of Puget Sound.  I needed my saltwater fix.  I miss the smell.  This lighthouse is at Mukelteo. 

Bob and I both came home sick, he way worse than I.  I want it to leave.  NOW.  I am better this afternoon and he says he is but doesn't act like it so I am not believing him.

More snow falling outside and the roads are bad according to the news, glad we are staying in.  I will miss church though.

Blessings,

The beginning of our holiday

 The day before we left I looked out and there were about 15 quail down on the stack of wood by the round pen.  They are so pretty.

 This was out drive over the Thursday before Christmas Day.  It was snowing hard but the roads were mostly clear.  A little slush here and there.  It was very pretty.  We said to each other, if the truck load of hay was having trouble, he could go back and take it to our place.

This happy guy was on Chrissy's wall as you walk into her apartment it was a good welcome.

It was a long drive, always is, snow when we left but by Moses Lake there was no more until we got to Snoqualamie Pass.  We really prefer Stevens, it is 25 miles closer but it was closed off and on and our luck would have had it closed. 

We did have fun and it was good to fall into bed that night knowing we were with, or close to our girls and their families.

Blessings,

Home and a Wonderful Christmas

These two pictures go together.  The bottom was was because I was stocking footed and we have about l8" of snow.  So it kind of got hidden.  Now the story. 

Several months ago Bob got a phone call from Nikki asking for dimensions for the front of the barn and and ask no questions.  She called back and Bob's cousin Tim talked to him.  No answered questions.  Tim is not only Bobs second or so cousin but a really good friend of Nikki's.  He does construction.  After visiting the mid west a  couple of summers ago, Nikki got the idea of put a quilt square on our barn like so many have back there.

She told Tim the size she wanted and he helped her lay it out and gave her the paint.  It came from what was left when he did a house on the outside.  In other words its outside paint.  They did it in two halves. 

She was going to ask Bob to drive the pickup over but Tim had a better idea and Friday when we were regrouping from the drive Thursday, she said she was working for Tim that day and it would be a long day.   Instead, they drove from Marysville to our place and put it in place in the barn.  She had text Katie and told her not to be alarmed should a big blue truck be in the yard and to not tell me.  I did not know Katie could keep secrets but she did. 

When I unwrapped the picture in the top picture, I thought, and Bob thought that she had photo shopped that picture on the front of the barn.  It was very nice, and then she told me that was the front of the barn, they had come over and put it up.  I was flabbergasted.  It is so beautiful.  I will take a better picture when its not getting dark and I have boots on.

Last year, she blew me away with the quilt, I didn't think she could ever top that but she did.  She is very proud of herself and so am I and thankful to Tim for helping.  I will write him a note tomorrow thanking him.  That was a long day to drive 300 miles over here and 300 miles back in one day.

We had a wonderful visit with our girls, grand kids and great grand kids too.  Bob was sick most of the time and I hate that but this crud is going around.

More pictures later.  I just wanted to show you this one.

Blessings,

Angels We Have Heard On High

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o'er the plains

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria in excelsis Deo

Gloria in excelsis Deo

Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?

What the gladsome tidings be

Which inspire your heavenly song?

Come to Bethlehem and see

Him whose birth the angels sing;

Come adore on bended Knee,

Christ the Lord, the newborn King

See Him in a manger laid, Whom the choirs of angels praise;

Mary Joseph lend your aid While our hearts in love we raise.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo

Gloria, in excelsis Deo

Sage went out quietly this morning despite the 50 mph winds that were blowing.  She had her head up a little but she wasn't jumping around like Rosie did.  In fact, she knocked Bob down.  He didn't get hurt but it startled him.  Not like her at all.  Ditto didn't want to go out so she didn't have to.

The other picture is of one of my cowboy boot birdhouses.  My sister bought that for me at  Bell  Buckle, TN several years ago.

Love it.  Have a brown one too that Katie got me for my birthday a couple of years ago.

Yesterday we had quite a snowfall and I intended to go get some nice snow pictures this morning.  However, the temperature went up and the wind blew.  Boy did it blow.  Gusts up to 60 mph.  And between that and warmer weather.........well no more snow to speak of.  But lots of sloppy stuff. 

Found out I don't have Justin this week after all.  I really appreciate that because I still have a bit to do before we leave on Thursday.  I do just have one package to finish wrapping and then I can put that stuff away. 

Blessings

Away In A Manger

Away In a manger, no crib for a bed

The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.

The stars in the sky looked down where He lay

The Little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing the Baby awakes

But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes

I love Thee Lord Jesus, look down from the sky

And stay by my cradle till morning is night.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever, and love me I pray,

Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care

A fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.

My picture did not turn out like I wanted.  The camera focused on the snow and the branch but Sage is in the background.  I took some others but the white spots look odd, they are snowflakes.

When we went in to the party last night the roads were all clear.  I had worried about that but we had much more snow than they did in Deer Park.  WELL, when we came out it had been snowing for a while and there was about 3 inches of soft fluffy snow on the cars, the roads, the sidewalk and everywhere.  It was not so fun driving home.  It was the kind of snow that blows everywhere.  Bob is a cautious driver and there are those who don't think slowing down is such a good idea and when they passed us snow blew everywhere.  It is always worse to drive in it at night. 

We didn't go to church this morning because we had l8" drifts and it took a long time to do the chores and the road had not been plowed.  Miss it when we don't get there.  Haven't seen Katie today either.  I think she and the baby must have hibernated.  He gets his first shots tomorrow. 

Sage looks so pretty out in the snow.  She is so so shiny black in the winter time.  She wanted me to come out today when I was taking pictures.  I just took the pictures and came in.  The wind is blowing hard and its cold.  The computer says 32 but with the wind chill it feels much colder.  Not that 32 is warm mind you but with the wind I shivered even in my warm coat.

Blessings



Joy To The World

Joy to the world, the Lord is come

Let earth receiver her King

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and Heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth the Savior reigns

Let men their songs employ

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found

Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace

Ame makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness

And wonders of His love, 

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders of His love.

I know today is not much better than yesterday but I believe, don't know what you all believe, but I believe that the Lord's love and mercy are upon us.    His Love and Mercy and Peace are with the parents of those little ones.   Just keep praying for those families.

We are on our way to a Christmas Party, seems a little hard but that's where we are going.  These are primarily farmers and ranchers, horse people and they have all experienced bad things.  So we are going to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Saviour of the world.

The angel is an ornament that has hung on our tree since our little girl died in l970.  Days like this week seems like yesterday

Blessings



Silent Night

Silent Night, Holy Night

All is calm all is bright

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mile

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent Night, Holy night

Shepherds quake at the sight

Glories stream from heaven afar

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia

Christ the Saviour is born

Christ the Saviour is born.

Silent Night, Holy Night

Son of God, loves pure light

Radiant beams from they Holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

This day saddens me beyond what I can express.  Having lost 2 children, neither by violent means, my heart of breaking for the parents of those 20 children that were shot down in a senseless act of violence and rage.   Why?  Who knows.  Crazy, of course, a sane thinking person would not do such a thing, but I daresay he probably knew right from wrong.  WRONG.  In this day of craziness all over the place, love your family, hug them, don't count on tomorrow.  

I am not writing about trivial things today, my heart is too heavy.

Love you all my friends, even if I have never met you in person.  Consider yourself hugged.

Bless you each and every one. 

Mary Did You Know?

Mary, did you know

That your baby boy

Would someday walk on water?

Mary did you know that your baby boy Will save our sons and daughters?

Did you know That your baby boy

Has come to make you new?

This child will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know that your baby boy

Will give sight to a blind man?

Mary did you know that your baby boy

Will calm the storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy

Has walked where angels trod?

When you kiss your little baby

You've kissed the face of God.

The blind will see the deaf will hear

The lame will leap the dumb will speak

The praises of the Lamb.

Mary did you know that your baby boy

Is Lord of all creation?

Mary did you know that your baby boy

Will one day rule the nations?

Did you know that your baby boy

Is heavens perfect Lamb?

This sleeping child you're holding

Is the Great I Am.

That is one of my very favorite Christmas songs.

Today was my quilting day.  We, what they called Throwing the Quilt, put the squares in order.  I had them what I thought was good but now its wonderful and each row is in a plastic bag numbered 1 to 10 and the order that they will be in the rows.  Now to put them all together.  I am anxious to get it going good. 

Back to watching the NFR tonight.  I really would love to be there especially for Saturday night's championship.  Instead I will be at another Christmas party.  Its a potluck.  I made a Apple Spice cake and used instead of raisins, dried cranberries reconstituted in orange juice.  I frosted it with an old Penuche Fudge icing.  Actually I doubled the recipe and we have one too.  Bob cut the one I made for us and it passed his inspection. 

I am kind of worrying about getting things ready for the Mustang Club Christmas get together here tomorrow night.  I have not got the kitchen cleaned good.  I have Justin tomorrow and then I will hit there.  I guess they aren't coming to inspect my house any way.

Blessings



All Twelves

Its all 12's today.

Today, the last of my little holiday fun is 12 gifts all wrapped and ready.  I have a few to wrap yet but not too many. So on the 12th. day of Christmas I bring you 12 Gifts.

Skeeter went for a haircut today.  He looks so much better.  His body was not bad but his face gets so straggly looking.  I wish I knew how to do it myself.  I used to pay 15.00 when I had Torey but now its 30.00. 

Bob lost his cell phone AGAIN today.  We went looking ringing mine.  He had just about given up and we found it.  I have told him not to carry it in his shirt pocket, but what do I know.  Oh well, it just drives me batty.

Sage and I had a hug fest this morning when I put her out.  She misses me when I don't get down to let her out and Bob does it.  She likes him but she is MY horse and she knows it.

Tomorrow is my quilting day.  I will lay me blocks out for the girls to see and will start attaching them together then.  That excites me.  I love getting together with those ladies every other week.  Even though they are all experienced quilters and I am not, they just encourage me. 

It was a snow day here today.  The road out to the highway was pretty slick but the main roads were OK.  It was a wet snow that didn't add up much.

Blessings,

Day 10 and the Pipster

 Day 11 of our 12 Days of Christmas.  11 of my CD's.  Not the Christmas music, that is in the car.  Love music.  All different kinds.

Miss Piper.  Can you see the devils dancing in her eyes.  She is a character.

I had Justin today and he did not sleep but about 10 minutes all morning.  He was kind of fussy too.  This is the first day that has been the least bit difficult.  He usually sleeps all morning but not today.

I got bawled out at little this evening.  He asked me if I gave Sage a treat when I went to put her in.  I had to admit that sometimes I do.  Sage has been bumping Bob around with her nose looking for one.  He doesn't like her to do that.  But she is my princess and I do once in a while.

We have been predicted to have snow tonight.  I don't know, its raining right now.

Blessings

Hands

 The tenth day of Christmas I have 10 fingers of a hard working man.  Bob thought I was nutty taking pictures of his hands but for day 10 they have been on my mind.  One year when the girls were younger, they sang to their Daddy on Fathers Day the country song "Daddy's Hands".  They both had such good singing voices and I sure wish we could have recorded it.

Kiyanna May Williams

Scott would be so proud of Robby's little girls.  I will have to post the picture of Kiki's sister Piper tomorrow.  It would not load.  Kiki will be four in February.  She is a sweet lovable little girl, however a little bossy. 

Today I just worked on the house most of the day and went and rescued Bob.  He ran out of gas.  That is a regular event in his life it seems.  He prefers to run on the bottom 1/4 of a tank and it catches him once in a while.  LOL.  It drives me nuts.

No more snow today but it was pretty cold. 

Blessings

Nine Days and Great grandbabies

                                                                                                 

And

On the Ninth Day of Christmas I show you nine of the 70 blocks for my quilt.  I have them all done and will start putting them together later this week. 

I had a picture here of Jaxson but it disappeared.  I will have to put it here tomorrow.  He is darling and soooooooooo tiny.  We had his sisters all afternoon.  It was a good day.

Nothing much else today.  Snow off and on all day.  As the song says "its beginning to look a lot like Christmas".

Blessings 

8th Day

Eight pairs of shes for the eighth day of Christmas.  You might recognize that I like pink? LOL

I am just a little late for yesterday was the eighth.  But its still early and had a good excuse.  For one thing we had our Back Country Horsemen Christmas party in Couer D'Alene and while we were there, we got a call that Tabby and Robby had  Jaxson Lee, 5 pounds 15 oz and l8" long.  We will see him today.  That is 8 great grandchildren. 

I will be back later

Blessings

Two pictures that would not load yesterday.

These are my two sweet great granddaughters.  Kiki is the top picture. Piper in the lower picture.  Their mama was who the shower was for and they will have a baby brother before evening.  She is in the hospital. 

Blessing especially to Tabby and to Robby today.  I will be back later with my project. 



Ponies

 Seven stuffed ponies sitting in row on my bed.  I have so many of them and have decided to start giving them away .  My collections got out of hand a little bit.

Tazzy in the Christmas tree.  Not much more than lights on the tree because I knew she would do this.  It was teetering all over the place this evening.  I probably should spank her out of the tree but we have such fun laughing at her.

Earlier this evening I went to a baby shower for Tabby.  Our grandson Robby's fiance.  They have two little girls - Kiyanna who is better known as Kiki who 3.  And Piper who is two.  Kiki loves me and loves to sit on my lap and sing me songs she makes up as she goes.  Piper is not too contented to sit on any one's lap.  I am going to get them after church for the day Sunday.  Tabby is expecting a little boy any day, or hour it seems.  He will be Jaxson.  I love our little great grandchildren that love to sit and be snuggled. 

I had Justin today and he was so happy.  He is smiling and talking to us more and more.  I had to leave before Cameron got here to pick him up and Bob watched him which was shocking but he just sat and talked with him and bounced him in his bouncer chair.  Justin is growing so fast. 

We woke up to snow on the ground but it warmed up and then it was just rain rain and wind today.  Its get cold though so I imagine snow is not so far off.

Blessings

Santa

On the 6th day of Christmas I have 6 of my Santa collection.  I have about 50 I think.  I add one every year.  None are expensive but fun to look at.

I don't know why this picture would not load with Justin's picture.  It took me a while a loss of a lot of patience getting Santa pictures on. 

Bob helped Katie and Cam get a floor in their dog kennel today so Callie can't dig out.  We hope anyway.  We did find one of the hens we thought she killed but didn't.  She is minus some feathers and was roughed up but alive.  Lane calls her the Road Runner chicken.  We had two small hens and Callie ate the other one.  She did get our pretty rooster yesterday and 2 others.  I feel bad for Katie, she loves her dog but it can't happen again.

Bob is getting happier and happier with Sage.  He says she goes in and out  like the lady that she is.  I must get out and spend time with her.  He gets so mad at Ditto.  She is old (almost 32) and is queen of the pasture.  She would tell you that if she could talk.  She comes in how she wants to and into whatever stall she wants because she gets extra grain that way.  He threatened her with a pitchfork tonight and she just rolled her eyes at him and strolled down the alley way into her stall.  She really does know where she belongs. 

Last night I finished reading a cute book.  The Christmas Pearl. By Dorothea Benton Frank.  Its an easy read about the family of a 93 year old lady in the south who is telling the story.  Also there is a collection of southern holiday recipes.  Its a book I will keep and maybe read again.  Not all believable but fun.  Its an older book but I have not seen it before.  Love the author and have read other things but this was especially nice.

Blessings,

Then Came Santa

Hasn't he grown.  Seven weeks yesterday.  He loves his bouncy.

Now back to try to get my Christmas picture to load.

Five little....................

On the 5th. day of Christmas

I give to you 5 little toes. 

He didn't want to hold his foot still.  I still could not get his whole foot in the picture but I guarantee he has five little toes.

I put the horses out this morning and Sage was so glad to see me.  It made me feel bad because I have not been spending much time with her.  She was so good. 

Another dead chicken and Katie and Cam have got to do something with her.  Not only does she like chickens, she likes to dig too.

I am getting things wrapped and wish I had a couple of boxes.  One to mail and one to just put stuff in to take to Marysville/Everett with us.   I got the mess off our bed so I can crawl in in a while and watch the Gonzaga/WSU basketball game.  I don't know who to root for. 

Snow is predicted for this weekend.  We will see.  I really don't mind it too much.  We had a beautiful sunset this evening and usually that means a good day tomorrow.  I hope the old wives tale holds true.

Blessings to you all.

5 little.........................

On the 4th. day.................

On the 4th. day of Christmas I have 4 book I have already read. 

Of course there are many more but those are quite recent.  I am not reading quite as much since I have been quilting. 

Rainy and grey again today and it was 50 degrees.  Really unusual for this time of the year.  Snow is predicted for this weekend.  At least it will cover the mud.  I don't mind the rain so much but the grey days are hard on me.

Have started wrapping gifts.  Have you ever tried to wrap gifts with a very active kitty "helping"?  I finally gave up until she went to sleep somewhere.  I want to get the box off to my sister by Friday.  And we are going over to Chrissy and Nikki's on the 20th so have to have things done so we can load them up along with suitcases and 2 dogs. 

Blessings

Bunnies

On the 3rd. Day of Christmas I have three bunnies. 

I  have my bathroom decorated with bunnies.  These 3 are part of my bunnie collection.

Just about finished my shopping today.  I think one more store and I will have it done.  Now to get it wrapped and my sisters package in the mail.  They are going away for Christmas and I want them to have the box to take with them.  They have rented a large cabin in the mountains for the entire family.  Its a difficult year for them and this sounds like a wonderful alternative.

Rain and wind, wind and rain - that is what we have had recently.  Last night was bad.  Bob went out right after dark for something and one of the steers met him face to face in the yard.  Whoops, all 9 of them were out.  We got them corner and penned up.  The gate to where they belonged was open so we just left them.  Herding cattle after dark in the wind and rain isn't fun at all.  This morning the bad boys were all back where they belonged and looked at Bob like, WHAT? 

Have Justin a little while tomorrow.  I have missed my baby. 

Blessings

RIP dear sweet Ezra

12-2-12

Sometime during the night Ezra hurt himself and he was humanely put down.  He was suffering really bad.  We did the best we could for him  since we helped rescue him.  He had been treated badly but we loved  him to health.  We will miss your sweet hee haw to greet us every time we went to the barn.

2nd. Day

On the second day of Christmas I have 2 Christmas Cactus blossoms.  There are many more but two was the number for today.  It rarely blooms at Christmas so I was surprised.

Yesterday as a good day.  Got everyone checked in and we ate a good dinner of roasted pork loin or chicken.  And of course all the other stuff that goes with it.  AND cheesecake for desert.  Those that won prizes and awards were thrilled.  Particularly the lead liners.  They are so cute.

So today we are off to church and then our quilting group is having a Christmas party and our own little quilt show.  I, of course, don't have a quilt just the pillow I made.  Next year I will have a quilt.

So blessings to all of you this rainy Sunday morning. 

On The First Day of Christmas...................

On the first day of Christmas, I have one black and white horse.

Every year I have this thing I do with the first 12 days of December.  I know the song refers to other days of the holidays but this is just something I like to do.  I kind of gets me going into the season.

I have a very busy weekend so this is getting done early today.  Love the things going on though.  Today is the Northeast Zone of Washington State Horseman awards banquet.  I have been in charge of reservations so have to be there early to get set up for people to start coming. 

Believe it or not the sun is shining.  Could hardly believe it when I opened the curtains.  Black clouds all around however.  I need to go put the horses out and get stuff into the car. 

Blessings to you all this first day of December.