It's that Merry Time of Year Again!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The holiday season is upon us and I want to share some of the special memories I have of  years gone by as I hang the decorations upon my Christmas Tree this year.

My newest Ornament. my daughter Elizabeth sent it to me for my 1st Christmas in Tennessee so I could remember what a REAL winter looks like. LOL like I could ever forget. I love it! it has a opening in the back that I can put a light thru. I choose a blue light and I think it does it justice. — @ My New home in East Tennessee

This little Santa hat is an Ornament a  made by my son Raymond Jr. when he was in kindergarten. It originally topped a baby food jar that had Santa's face painted on it. The Jar broke long ago but the hat has survived. I have replaced the white cotton on the hat over the years and it looks that it needs to be replaced again.

This is one of my oldest Ornaments. A filigree Star that was purchased in the early 1960's at Gimbles in downtown NYC were my husband and I bought our 1st Artificial Tree there. It was in a set of 3 or more, the star, a box, and elongated Ornament that has lost half of itself.. ( you can see it by the Santa Hat in the Picture above.)

This Angel was given to me as a gift for mother's day from my daughter Nancy, Over the years her hands broke off and I did keep them but they seem to get misplaced, (one day I do plan to glue them back on the angel but I haven't found them yet!) Eventually the Angel became an ornament on my Christmas tree.

The Ballerina was bought in Minnesota at the Minneapolis Theater when I took the kids to see the "Nutcracker Ballet", the Blown Glass Ornament I bought at the Glass Factory downtown Hudson WI the Christmas after I had moved there and the White Angel is another of my older Ornaments from the Gimbles Era.  I love seeing these on my tree.  

the Royal Dalton Ceramic Santa I bought at an outlet mall in Florida when I spent a week there with my friend Deb in 2010  It is one of 3 Ornaments I have that matches my China

Earl gave me this Carved Santa with Toys the year he moved back up to Minnesota from Iowa.  I reminds me of my father who loved this time of year and spent his retirement playing Santa at Playtogs in Middletown NY and for the Mall in St Paul MN when he moved there to live with us... 

A Most Unusual Year!

Friends at my Bag of Love Group

The Brides, Rikki & Nancy

Grandma Marie with Caden

Amelia turned 2 

Family - Wanda, Bro Ed, Me, SIL Patty, Br Bobby, BIL Chris

Lisa, Javiar & Baby Cayden

Mr & Mrs McLaughlin

Mr & Mrs Swett

Winter in Tennessee mid February 

My Beloved Brother Bobby

Plants on my Porch

My Daughter Anna and Family

I enjoy crafts of all types and this year my goal was to make a few dolls, something I haven't done in a very long time.  The Year started out lazily for me - I was enjoying my 1st winter here in East Tennessee, as a transplant last May, May 11th 2014 from Hudson Wisconsin the milder weather here was a pleasant change from the winter of 2013-2014 I had experienced back in the upper mid west.  I was enjoying the warmer temps, little ice and snow and the ability to come and go without the worry the harsh winter weather of Wisconsin/Minnesota.

Reality came crashing in with a shock, My youngest brother Bobbie died on Jan 30th after a short illness and I needed to go back to upstate NY to be with family.  The weather was cold and harsh, more like MN-WI weather then NY,  there were storms all up and down the east coast so I took a flight out of Knoxville TN.   I was there two weeks and returned to winter down here in the south.

I was home only 6 weeks when I received a call from my Children that my oldest daughter's husband died on April 1st suddenly.  I drove back to be with my family for two weeks in Feb feeling deeply saddened and overwhelmed.

life returned to some bit of Normality before the Summer when I planned to travel back to Wisconsin/Minnesota to spend some time with my children and enjoy 2 weddings. My youngest son Earl and my daughter Nancy were getting married within a week of each other.  One in Iowa and one in Wisconsin.  It was a fun vacation and I got to see most of the children and grandchildren during my 4 week stay.

I returned home mid July and enjoyed the rest of the summer watching my garden flowers grow and enjoying the warmer climate.  I kept a busy schedule but I was never able to get back to my goal for dollmaking or do much in the way of quilting, sewing and making jewelry.  Ive had several more additions to my large and expanding family this year as well!  I feel so Blessed.

Now that winter is here and christmas is around the corner my projects have taken a more focused gift oriented view. I have a large family and I love to make them things so they know I am thinking about them.  Well off I go to work on my projects.  I'll post them after christmas as projects that I've completed for this year.

Gourd Painting with my friends

Baby Hugh

 

My Niece Kim and her little Vinnie

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

All in all it was a very blessed year

My Tennessee Home

Back at my Tennessee home after my 4 week visit to Wisconsin/Minnesota to visit with my kids,

Back at my Tennessee home after my 4 week visit to Wisconsin/Minnesota to visit with my kids, 

 I awoke at 7am, that is late for me, usually i'm awake at 6 am.  I like to spend the next 30 - 45 min lying in bed, after my morning meds and potty break, reading my emails, texts, and Facebook.  This allows time for my meds to kick in and I don't feel like a 90 year old Auntie Acid; moving about all bent over and achy, instead I get up feeling like a Grateful Granny! or GG - as I call myself.  By the time im up and dressed an hour has gone by.  Its Sunny and warm outside and I grab my yogurt, a small Pecan pie and my water and head out to my porch to write in my Creative Lady's Enthusiastic Thoughts journal book.  I love this time of the morning, the birds are singing away, the sun is up and has warmed my pillow I have on the chair and I sink into it with a sigh, what comfort... the sky above is blue with some wispy clouds in it and the sun warms my legs.  I am enjoying my morning time out on my porch with my breakfast, the birds and my plants.  I look about and my Newer plants are blooming and stretching.  My Crown of thorns has grown since I left for vacation 6 weeks ago.  Then it had only one branch with little coral flowers on it, now almost every branch has a cluster or two of the salmon colored flowers on it.  It seems to like it's spot on the top shelf of my Bakers rack standing against the brick wall that separates my neighbors porch from mine.  Yesterday I spent the morning outside cleaning my porch and organizing my plant Babies.

My Angel Wing Begonia Plant

My Aloe and Hen N Chick plants thriving on my porch

My Oregano, Parsley, Thyme,Sage and Spider Plants 

My Oregano

 My Oregano plant is growing great! It loves its pot and the spot it has on my porch.
My Geranium is givng me a second show of plants and my Snake Plant is also loving it's place on my porch.  Oh notice the spider plant.  My Neighbor placed it in the pot with my garden herbs pot of Thyme, Oregano, Basil, and Parsley - before I left for vacation just to give it a place to be till I got back and could plant it in it's own pot.  Well it loves it's spot too and already is sending out a spider baby shoot.  Lol  Got to say Thanks to my neighbor for taking care of my plants while I was away and watering them for me.

My Germanium

My Grandmothers Tongue or Snake Plant

  I did take in my Christmas Cactus inside because it was looking a little dehydrated from all the heat.  I'm sure after a week inside she will be her old shiny proud self.

It's a beautiful Morning!

What a lovely morning outside.  The birds are chirping loudly, the rain has stopped for a while and it is cool outside.  I took my yogurt and banana outside and sat by my little table to eat.  I love watching the birds flit from feeder to feeder and sing.  two Robin Red Breast came this morning to check out the feeder.  a beautiful pair of Bluebirds have been here for a week or so, the pigions and the large black birds and the Cardnial families are flying from tree to tree.  I look over towards the field and there is Cally the Cat sitting on the fence under the Martin's bird house staring up listening to the baby birds.  Mamma bird is at the opening warning Cally away but she is unfazed and just wanting to see the baby birds. Yum, she is thinking...
It's still cool and the sun is hiding behind the rain clouds so I decide to pull some weeds and plant my rooted Angel Begonia leaf in a pot to sit upon my Bakers rack... Ive got several more leaves to root today.  It promises to be a steamy day out later on but I so enjoy sitting here at my computer with my front door open letting the cool morning breeze in and listening to the birds..So Relaxing! I can see the sun trying to peak out from behind the clouds already.  I love springtime in the Smokies.  Well back to reality, my housework is calling... 

It's been a while since my last post

A lot has happened since my last post.  I spent the last 2 weeks of January recouping from the stomach flu.  Oh boy did that sap my strength.  Then on Jan 31st my youngest brother passed away after a short illness.  I flew back to upstate NY to be with my older brother and the family and spent two weeks there.  The weather for the month of February was very uncooperative and winter came there with extreme cold weather for the eastern coast with storms blowing thru leaving much snow and cold Minnesota weather the full two weeks I was there.  On my return home another storm hit the central states bringing Icy, Cold & wet weather with lots of snow...  I had flight cancellations both going and coming home and even had to spend a night at my friend Sally's house before I left and on my way home I spent a night in DC due to the Weather. When I finally was able to fly into Knoxville I was met with a frozen landscape, the trees heavy laden with Ice, and the roads treacherous.

A Wintry Scene of  Icy Trees &  A Snow covered Fireplace

I spent the night at Sally's house again and with the threat of frigid weather and frozen pipes I was able to make it down her hill and get home the next day before more snow came... the Temps went very low that night and I was fearful about possible frozen pipes.  I let my faucets drip thru the night and most of the next day and did not have a problem but my neighbor wasn't as lucky.

I arrived home to my humble abode greeted by my bare Christmas tree and 3 boxes of ornaments yet to be packed away, 3 wreaths sitting on the floor in front of my desk and my kitchen table piled high with paperwork needing to be sorted and put away!  Just like I had left it... Oh well. The next week was followed by more Cold and Snow.

The past few days have been a bust for me.

This past weekend was very nice, Sunday was pleasant and monday I attended BOL (Bags of Love is a group were we make quilts for children in need)  and enjoyed the companionship of my friends.  I had a lot of plans for the day but decided to go home after the meeting feeling a bit tired.  Arriving home I started to take the ornaments off my little tree and pack them away. put in a load of laundry and got ready to watch the new episode of the Bachelor.  Feeling hungry I prepared a frozen dinner and ate it with gusto... Well it was all down hill from there like a train going down a mountain without brakes... I began to feel terrible! my stomach was rumbling and I needed to be in the bathroom more than I could say.... I spent the rest of my evening in misery  - it progressed rapidly to full blown stomach, cramps, diarrhea, and later vomiting.... I was in the throws of food poisoning or a very bad reaction to MSG!  Tuesday and Wednesday went by in a blur between bed and bathroom by Thursday I began feeling better and I read the ingredient label on the box of my frozen dinner.  No hidden msg there... Food Poisoning!  Oh am I mad... When I am feeling up to venturing out I plan on taking the remaining boxes of frozen food back to Walmart and demand a refund or store credit... and you won't see me buying any frozen entree's from them again... Today I am going to Call Marie Callender's and let them know about what happened to me after eating their Sweet and Sour Chicken.  I am very picky about my frozen foods and use a cooler for transport between store and home so I know that my foods did not defrost while in transit from my store to home.  It had to have happened somewhere between the plant and the store...  

I have missed some very crucial days in my Studio unable to work on planned spring projects that have a deadline... feeling much better today, will continue cleanup and freshen my bathroom and bedroom... I've got to get down my winter quilt anyway and it's time for my flannel sheet's.  The weather here in East Tennessee has been COLD!  It is 14 degrees out right now and on Wed eve it did go below freezing.  I did leave my faucets open a crack to prevent freezing since my pipes are not that well protected from the low temps.  Brrrrrrr I can view the cattle in the field behind my home grazing on the frost covered grass as the sun slowly rises over the mountains in the Front of my home.... looking forward to a great day....  

Happy New Year!

2014 is almost over and 2015 looms on the Horizon, in just three more days it will be New Year's Day.  New Year's will be here before we know it and a new year will be beginning.  What a wonderful time of year.  I love the start of the new year.  January is the month I like to take time to reorganize things around me.  I enjoy my Christmas Decorations and usually leave them up for a week or two more.  My move to East Tennessee has brought a wonder about all things Tennessee.  I am really enjoying my New Home.  I enjoy meeting new friends and getting to know what this area has to offer me.  At this time of the year I do miss my family back in Wisconsin and Minnesota and across the country, I sent them my Love.  I am so glad for Social Media such as Facebook because it gives me a way to enjoy seeing my family as they grow and do special things with each other.  I just recently discovered Skype.. Oh' what a Joy.  I was able to talk with my family face to face in real time on Christmas Day.  I was so excited Christmas Morn to talk to my Daughter Nancy, she and I had set it up to use Skype on Christmas Day.  Oh' what a great gift I felt I had given myself by putting it on my computer and phone.  It was wonderful.  I felt like a delighted child opening my bestest Christmas Present.  I could not contain my Joy! I have to laugh at myself but that's OK, at my age of 70+ a bit of Joy is welcome.  lol

Happy Thanksgiving!

Golden Trees and Firey hedges on my drive along 25/70  Dandridge TN Nov 2014

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Family & Friends, May your day be blessed with love and warmth and may your home be surrounded by the enticing aromas of the season. To all of you who are traveling may the Angels be with you and keep you safe in your travels.

I smell the aroma of Pumpkin Pie being made in my kitchen, how about yours. You all are in my Heart, Thoughts and Prayers as we go thru this Blessed Holiday Season 

Memories of  a Snowy Winter Morn in Wisconsin - a familiar drive from N Hudson Wisconsin toward  downtown Hudson on 35South/6th St.

Today I will spend Thanksgiving with my New Friends and Neighbors Here in Newport TN.  I am thankful for this beautiful area of the country I now call home.  Even tho I am far from my family geographically I am close in my Love for them all.  The weather her right now is 42 degrees with the promise of being in the 50's tomorrow.  The sun set early last night on a golden world of almost de-leafed trees.  The Autumn here has been lovely and very pleasant, with the countryside displaying hues of golden to soft orange leaves to bright and beautiful bushes with brilliant red leaves & the warm browns of the grasses that grow in the fields.  The mountains continue thier colorful display.  

The three trees standing in my front yard have slowly turned from green to a muted purple and the Birds that are at my feeders are the Cardinals and the songbirds.  I enjoy the brilliant red feathers of the Male Cardinals.  Occasionally a flock of blackbirds will come thru lighting en-mase on my front lawn to pick at it, flitting back and forth to my neighbors yard and mine. 

I received a package from my youngest girl with a card and an ornament to remind me of what the Holiday Season looks like back in Wisconsin & Minnesota with the snow softly surrounding the landscape and on the rooftops.  

   

- Love to all - MOMO

My World Has Turned Golden

A Golden Sunset on my Tennessean Home

Driving into Dandridge Tennessee Nov. 6th 2014

My world has turned golden, autumn has come to the valley here in eastern Tennessee.  To my delight I hadn't missed Autumn here in Tennessee at all.  After returning home from a visit with my children in Minnesota and Wisconsin I thought I had missed my 1st autumn here in my new home.  I had spent the the last 2 1/2 weeks of October in Western Wisconsin, Eastern Minnesota were the autumn colors were in full bloom when I had arrived.   The trees and bushes displayed their autumn colors of bright golds, rich reds and dark tans.  The homes were all decorated too.  I enjoyed seeing the trees in bloom with colors the 1st week I was there and saddened by the sudden loss of all this spectacular color as the leaves descended to the ground leaving the tree trunks a bare stony brown.  I had taken a picture of the tree in front of my daughter's house in full autumn regalea Saturday (October 18th) only to wake up the next day to a nearly bare tree because it had Hiccuped all its leaves onto the ground leaving a large pile of leaves under the almost bare tree.    

A Golden Autumn in Tennessee

Saturday night "Farkle" with my friends, Sunday Church and a Party!

I enjoyed spending Saturday morning with my daughter Nan and going to IKEA was a bonus for me. Then my 2 Sons, Mike & Raymond came over for a short visit.  That evening I went over to play a game of "Farkle" with my Friends, Phyllis, her Husband sonny, Bunny, Traci & Gayle, I missed not seeing Wendy or Deb but both of them could not make it.   I came home a bit late (about 1:30) to find my grandson Johnny up and waiting for me to make sure I got back safe.  He and I sat up till after 2:30 talking.  It was a nice end to a very nice day.

Sunday I went to my "home" church - 1st Baptist in Hudson WI.  I enjoyed seeing all my old friends and getting a lot of warm hugs from them.  I made me realize how much I did miss them... Sunday afternoon was spent in the company of friends at a Wine and appetizer party - it was fun catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.  Bert and Sue and Nan's friends. a very nice evening.

What a wonderful visit I had with my friends and family

Zuri & Little James outside of Applebee's 

well Halloween is here! it's the 31st of October and the last day here in Hudson Wisconsin.  I had an enjoyable visit with my friends and family.  I arrived here Thursday the 16th about 5pm and have been running full blast till yesterday the 30th!  I drove into town about 5pm - stopped at Kwik Trip, filled the tank with gas and washed the bugs off my car, then over to North Hudson to my daughter Nan's home.  We went out to Applebees for supper with Nan, Zuri, Thomas and my Grandson Johnny and his little one James...  Here is a picture of my Grandaughter Zuri and her little cousin James playing around the statues outside of Applebee's in Woodbury.

I was amazed at the beautiful and colorful autumn display in all it's glory and was greeted with this beautiful display of autumn flowers by my daughters front door.  I had to touch them, thinking they were silk flowers and to my surprize they were real1    Friday I stayed in just recuping from my long drive here.  Saturday I went with Nancy in the morning to Ikea in Bloomington - Bonus shopping day! but I did curb my spending getting a nice wall clock for my kitchen for $1.99 and a waste basket for my bathroom.  On the way back home from Ikea I could not ressist taking pictures of the brilliant colors of the autumn trees.    

A Sunny and Crisp Fall Day!

This morning I awoke to my alarm at 7:30am.  I looked out my bedroom window and the ground outside and in the fields behind my home were covered with Frost.  I'ts the 1st of the season here and it was a crisp 38 degrees out then.  Now it's a plaeasant 58 degrees with sunny blue skys dotted with white fluffy clouds.  Autumn has come to my new Tennesean home here in Newport TN, (just and hour east of Knoxville), the trees are turning from green to brown, some have lost thier leaves and others are displaying some bright orange, red leaves.  It is peaceful here on Lou Ellen St. with the birds outsde chirping in he trees and flitting to and from the feeders.  I will go outside and finish trimming the hedges by my porch, cleaning my lopers to store for the spring and sweeping the cutting off the porch and into a bag for the city to pick up.

I'm thinking of supper today and feel like making chicken soup, Mmmmm!  a nice way to warm up after spending a day outside.  I'll post some pictures later after I finish cleaning up around the porch.
well ttyl all.  off to do some garden work here.  :)

Wow I can't Belive It!

It's been almost 4 weeks since my last post, and 4 weeks since my computer guru cleaned up my computer.  He brought my computer home yesterday.  It is so nice to have my "Purple Passion Flower" computer back home.  Yesterday I found my programs and this morning I found my pictures  Yeah!  Memories! Here are a few to TBT (through back Thursday).

Chicken N Dumplins at Nan's 2008

Barbque at Beth's House 

Christmas cookie baking at Grandmas

A Baby Calf on the Loose!

The Barns and pasture behind my home were the Cattle and Horses Roam,
(all four Horses, a Foal, 1 Bull, 3 Momma Cows and 3 Calves+ 2 Roosters.)

the pasture as vied from my Bedroom window

Well we sure get out bit of excitement down here at my home-base in Tennessee.  Tonight my neighbor Valoriea Runs in and hurriedly shouts to me, "I need you out here",  as I run out of the house she lets me know one of the baby calves has gotten out and is in our back yard and might run into the street and she needed me to stand guard on the side of the house to keep him confined in the back yard till the farmer got here.  "He will be here in 10 minuets.  He's in church just down the street."  So 20 minuets later the farmer and a friend arrive to relive us of guard duty and shoo's his calf back to the other side of the fence while mama cow "MOO's" at us. Well you must know that there is more than 300 feet between my house and the next and if that baby bull calf had decided to bolt there would be no way I could get to him fast enough.  I was very thankful he was as wary of us as we were of him.  Now that the situation is well in hand I can sit here and relax at my computer and write about this exciting evening.  Now it is nearly 9:30pm and I'm wide awake.... too much excitement!  I will try and read a book and then go to sleep.  Nite all!  Till the next exciting thing happens around here.  LOL

Deer in the Pasture outside my Tennessee Home.

Here are some pictures I want to share with you.  Tonight I got a call from my neighbor to come outside to see the deer in the pasture besides out town home.  I grabbed my camera and went over to the fence and indeed there were 2 deer at the other side of the pasture by the barns.  They heard us talking and just stood and stared at us for a long while then continued to eat the grass walking across the field very slowly ignoring

the 3 legged deer

us.  One of the female deer was hopping on 3 legs as she grazed.  Our Neighbor Pat sad that the deer has been coming to the pasture for the past 3 years.  I took some pictures with my red camera but am disappointed in the clarity of my pictures. 

The Deer are listening to us as we whisper our delight at seeing them.

This world we live in is so breathtakingly Beautiful!

Just sitting here at my computer talking to my grandson Christopher and looking at my Facebook page -  I just have to share this video with you all...  This world we live in is so breathtakingly Beautiful!  -  Diane

DON''T book a room @ the Baymont Inn & Suites in downtown Houston Texas!

I know its only the second week in July but it already has been a busy summer for me.  I moved to Tennessee mid May and was just getting settled in when Family Vacation Time hit... Galveston Island Texas, our destination - Beach House was ready for us... I left on the 20th of June and drove down to meet up with my kids at the Beach House we were renting.  I enjoyed the ride through the states, South Tennessee, the tip of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, till I got to Louisiana.  I had stopped in a Mc D's for an break and an ice cream cone in Mississippi only 6 miles from the Louisianan border.  Rested I proceeded to drive into Louisiana Planning to stop in New Orleans then on to Baton Rouge and on to Texas.  Well I had to cancel that thought pretty quickly!  As soon as I got into LA it started to Rain, a big downpour, I couldn't even see out my windshield and had to pull over to stop several times because the heavy downpour made driving impossible.  So I headed toward Baton Rouge, slowly and finally the rain stopped just before I got to my chosen stop for the night, a small town about 3/4 of the way thru the state.  I resumed my trip in the morning and headed towards Houston Tx were I planned to meet my daughter Nancy at a hotel.  That turned out to be a farce.  She had booked a room at the Baymont Inn & Suites in downtown Houston.  I arrived, got my room key and off the the room I went.  When I opened the door the odor of cleaning agents was VERY strong.  That should have been my hint to turn around and get out but I was to meet my daughter there!  So I gingerly went in and looked around all seemed ok at first glance.  I decided to turn on the TV and it wouldn't work so I looked for the phone to call the desk! no Phone!  I had to walk back out in the 96 degree heat to the desk and ask for help.  The attendant tried but could not get the TV to work but I did by plugging in a HDMI cable that was hooked in.  I started to settle in and get my CPAP plugged in and moved the little nightstand away from the wall to plug my machine in and what to my horror! I saw a large 1 1/2" Dead Roach lying on the floor by the bed.  Ewwwwww! that freaked me out the I took a closer look and saw an empty, torn candy wrapper under the bed.  I then looked more closely at the bathroom too.  there were dead bugs behind the toilet and a large long black hair stuck to the tile under the sink.  I called Nan to let her know about the room, fearing that she would be pulling into this hotel at midnight with the kids and baby Amelia.  I packed up my car and scooped up the dead bug a napkin and brought it to the desk and checked out!!!!! I was so mortified by the uncleanliness of the place I just wanted to throw up!  So if you are ever in Houston DON'T stay at the Baymont Inn & Suites in downtown Houston.

After spending the night in a cleaner hotel in Houston I met up with Nancy and we made our way into galveston which was only an hour away.  She showed us around town a bit, we took a ferry ride across the bay and then made our way to the beach house.... The week was perfect despite the rain, we were at the beach.  I enjoyed my weeks stay at the Beach House, did a little sight seeing and a lot of just hanging out on the deck or in the house relaxing while the kids did their own thing... the week went fast and before you knew it - it was time to head home.

The drive home was uneventful, I had decided to take the coastal route instead of going back up toward Houston and  except for the ferry ride.  I waited almost an hour to get on the busy ferry and when on the ferry broke down so all the cars, including me, had to back off and wait for another ferry taking another hour of waiting.  finally I was on my way.  the skies were clear with no hint of rain the entire trip home.  I ddn't make a lot of stops along the way because of the heat.  it was around 96 degrees out all the way home.  It took me two overnight stays before I arrived home in Newport TN around 10pm on Wed eve.  So glad to be home and the bonus was 78 degrees out.  how nice!  It was and adventure and I enjoyed it immense, so now back to the real world....  and a whole lot of summer fun to share with you.