Carnivor

Twice now someone brought this wine to the house.

Admittedly I didn't try it the first time.

I'm not a huge red wine fan but when it came by the second time 

Someone was trying to get my attention

I knew I needed to try it.

?My reaction?

Splendid 

Not sharp

Not acidic

&

I currently have multiple bottles at my disposal.

Kickin' Back in Nassau

I love this picture.

I love this picture because it’s my son in the hammock

I love that he is home from a 9-month deployment and he and his family took a cruise that stopped one day in Nassau

I love that he looks so relaxed

  I’m so happy he is back safe and sound.

 I love my son

Winter 2017

I wrote this on my chalkboard last week
I am over winter!
Next season please.

And look what happened!
Windows & doors were open!

Next week is in the 30's again 

but this is what gets me through til Spring!

Projects

In the process of cleaning up and out in my sewing room I have unearthed many projects.

Some started

 Some put off

Some I really didn’t want to do

But after finding room to put things away 

and finding the top of my cutting table 

I am trying to clear them away. 

I WILL start with the one I don’t want to do and continue to move forward, 

albeit at a snails pace, 

but move forward I will because at the end is the beginning of a new quilt.

 There is a method to my madness!

Soooo cute.

DIL wants me to make a top with an adorable polka dot collar.

I just don't enjoy sewing clothes 

I can do it tho so I said yes

This will be the current final project. 

Vintage quilt pieces for another quilt.

New Year Gratitude

As the New Year begin I, like many people, have fresh dreams and plans for a wonderful coming year.

My gratitude  for 2016 is always there in my mind as it brought me much happiness and thankfully life lessons that I can learn and grow from. 

So here is to the beginning of 2017 as a year of dreams coming true and contentment in our lives. 

I am forever grateful for what I have been blessed with in life.

Vintage Skates

Child vintage double-runner skates. 

What a find! 

Lemon Tree--Update

This is why I save plants from being thrown out!

The Rewards are wonderful!

Lemon Tree Very Pretty

I have a serious weakness for plants. I just can't stand to see them discarded. 

I have certainly bought my share of plants but I "inherit" alot of them. 

 I can't say no! I just can't.

So my latest treasure is a lemon tree with 5 lemons on it! 

Unripe green lemons.. but it's so pretty.

 It has even started to bloom again for me. 

I'm so glad I rescued her...

German Christmas Pyramid

I purchased my pyramid at Marshall Fields while on a "girls day out "
shopping trip to Chicago many many years ago.

This Christmas treasure is my favorite. 
I always look forward to putting it together 
and remembering back to the day I purchased it.

My children always loved to see it put out each year & see it spin around

and now my grandchildren are enjoying it.

Tho not as much as I do!

Christmas Cactus

I have a lovely Christmas Cactus that is  probably over 10 years old. 

It started off as a tiny plant and turned into a monster.

However, it never blooms at Christmas! Only around Halloween and again at Easter!

And only if I put it outside for the summer.....
if not, 
it grudgingly gives me only a few blooms.
What a brat, right?
but what a lovely brat.

Sandhill Cranes

Illinois is a migratory path for Sandhill Cranes and I saw them for the first time this month.

They were in a baseball field of all places on a road I cut down to get home occasionally.

 I have lived here for many many years and just when I think I have seen 

everything there is to see in my neck of the woods I am proved wrong.

I happened to be in the right place at the right time….

Front Porch Gift

Dear Kindle DIL showed up with this a couple weeks ago. What a treat to walk up to my front door everyday and be greeted by something so beautiful and Autumn-ish!

Cast Iron Bench

I was almost home from work one day and I glanced at my neighbors house and she was putting out her trash for the next morning. She had put out this fabulous vintage cast iron bench frame. Needless to say I made a quick turn and staked my claim on it. She was baffled why I wanted it since it was just the frame. 

Really????? 

Dear husband can basically fix, repair spruce up most things. 

And all I needed was wood put on. The bolts were still attached tho he opted for new ones. 

Anyway below is the finished product. 

I painted it, correction he painted it but I picked out the  color, 
which of course is the most important part, right?? 
A wonderful roof tile red.....

Before

Da! Ta 

I love it!

Trader Joe's ~Speculoos Chocolate Bar~

Run to Trader Joe's!

They are near the checkout counters!

You can wait til tomorrow if you really have to......

YUM!

This one belongs to me. 

Notice the crunchy end of the wrapper? 

I must have been holding on too tight!

I have to say I didn't share any of it.......

It's not very big and it's so good....

TRIPLE YUM!!!

Sunrise

This picture made me pause

It took my breath away

It amazed me that friend Susie captured this at the perfect moment

She's an early riser and obviously awake enough to be observant!.

So now I get to share it will all of you.

Unfortunately, what it didn’t do is make me want to get up earlier than I already do. 

I just don’t think I will ever be a “morning person”.