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,