2016 Ending

Love this shade of green and design on paper, wish it was a piece of fabric.
A gift bag and paper wrapped around an unusual candle, called a Creative Energy Candle
Scent Rosemary and Lavender, two of my favorite scents.

Instructions say that after you burn the candle to take the warm wax and place a small amount\into
the palm of your hand and gently massage into hands or feet.

Have not burned this candle as of yet and
will wait until some long rainy day, sit and read, burn the candle and try it out.

Thank you Beth
you always find such unusual items for your mama :)

Last night at dusk

Continuing to heal from bad fall, therapy for a few weeks, nurse last week told me something I know
"your mind and body are in a different place"  early morning for the second time
on mat, difficult and only 15 minutes but will continue.   Moving slower is what I should do
and will just continue on doing all I can.

Chili made the other day and chef granddaughter told me she always adds a can of corn and so
I did.


Today cooking black eyed peas, turnip greens, cornbread and a piece of salmon.  Meal for today
and tomorrow..

WISHING EVERYONE AND MYSELF A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR.

Warm Weather

New header image

shows what warm weather is like

on the day after Christmas.

Young granddaughter walking on rocks

at the park...

Christmas

My youngest daughter takes images while visiting this cottage
and I take the same images
but next to mine
she is a professional photographer.
She shares what I once thought of, this cottage would make a wonderful Bed and Breakfast
Not now,,,,,,it is my special retreat for family and friends...

youngest
granddaughter on the left
with a friend
are quite the young entaphaners
they are making body scrub and doing well
with their sales :)

Wonderful family time at Christmas (many missed) but  now mama &; grandma is continuing to heal
and ever thankful no broken bones and for my wonderful children, grandchildren and friends..
If there was no pain and balance problem life would be perfect.

CHECKING IN

Doing fine
a lot of body soreness
and balance not too good
this is normal
after fall like I had.

Moving slow
but for the busy one
it is difficult.

Ever Thankful
did not break something.

Look like I have been in a car wreck
and that is alright
bruises go away
eventually.

Looking forward to local family on Sunday
and Jamie and girls coming tomorrow
to help assemble
my simple meal...

Thankful for wonderful Carrot cake and Pumpkin cake
made for me..

Thank you to everyone
for caring comments.

Now I hear
Maybe you need to move
and I say
I am not going anywhere...

Thankful
for a good mind
and I will know if that is ever to happen

Thankful for some help
and transportation.
Major is wonderful
and will be  needed for a few weeks


Thankful for so much
and constantly repeating
words of thankfulness
for so much,...

Because

Because you are all so close to me

will share yesterday and now today

something I do not want to share
just no lengthy responses
have some help taking me where I need to go
miss family
but no one near
and Christmas in a few days
will see them at that time

trying to stay more quiet
and difficult for me with my routine of busyness

and maybe I should not share
but will

Putting my boots on Sunday night to shut screen door porch
which I keep open in the day for Callie

I fell
flat on my face

Waiting for test results
no pain
thankful
nothing broken
just feel like someone picked me up and dropped me

results, nothing unusual
just huge knot on head
now draining

trying to stay quiet and almost impossible:)

A New Day and Small Gifts Along The Way...

Rum cake is cooling

love my stay at home days
it is so cold outside.

Yesterday, so cold, much bagged trash in garage and needed mail from box way down the drive.
Took off and sometimes a kind person will help me unload bags my car, man in vehicle behind me stepped forward and said I"ll take care of that for you :)
 I gave him a small box of King Leo peppermint sticks and he smiled.  New practice of keeping
small items and sometimes a plastic bag of several fresh baked cookies to hand out to strangers
who help me.

Not accustomed to this
as this independent one
never needed help.
So thankful for Angels that appear along the way.

Yesterday such a small check received, like 3 cents and letter from Lowe's where I recently
purchased a few items for yard and bird seed.   Letter stated they appreciated my business
and I made an over payment of 3 cents which they were returning to me :)

A number of chores inside and late to do stretches and seems no time to read lately.
Time goes by too quickly and day has ended..

They Arrived

Later this year
because of all the rain
but late this afternoon
the crew of 4 arrived with heavy blowers
to clean leaves from around this cottage and also on roof cleaning gutters.

A new practice of 3 years, before that I was on the mower daily and used my small blower.
Things change, but with much checking it is less expensive for me to live here then in a condo.
Maintenance fee's of $400 a month and up year round.  Until 3 years ago Nashville was an option but
not any more as prices have probably doubled for living arrangements and homes of any kind.

My small home in Nashville sold 7 years ago has doubled in price, but so happy I escaped
to the woods.  But a surprise that I can no longer do the outside work I loved to do.
Silly me, I thought I could do it forever.

Today a Surprise

Day begins with rain

and I plan on being home all day in old clothes

a lot of chores inside

and want to tackle big pile of ironing on the loft.

Ironing board has been move by big window

will be a delight to look at the country view.

Well did not turn out this way

at 9:00 phone rings and someone special

tells me she is pulling in my drive.

Now I like this

but this morning still in pajamas, a lot of clutter

and like home neater for one who has never made a visit before to this cottage by the woods.

Oh, if it was summer and all the flowers blooming would look lovely

but there are leaves everywhere, bare trees and landscape looks kind of barren.

She comes in the door, arms full, a pumpkin cake for me and homemade candy

she hugs me and goes on and on about special things in this home.

Love this young woman, she did Jamie's hair for her wedding and I now go every few weeks

for her to make my trimming look good, as I am continually chopping on my hair and she does

not scold me, tells me I do a good job:)  She is a dear and think of her like a daughter.

So, Cindy, thank you special girl, here it is your day off and you arrive looking so happy

and made my day....

Then another visitor pulls in right behind her with a wonderful Carrot cake, the best I have ever tasted that I ordered for Christmas, seems a lot of sweets in this home.  Everyone watching their diet

but mama as she never gains weight :)

At the moment still in pajamas, no breakfast but tea and a piece of her cake and at 1:00

my vegetable soup, cheese and crackers, another piece of cake and do not know when I ever did this and feels so good.

No ironing was done,  just sitting out a few more decorations, straightening drawers  just doing odds and ends  and thinking of my simple menu

for Christmas lunch, making grocery list and just a good day....

small table I am eating at - while I prepare big table for Christmas.

Life is Good

Cold Morning

13 degrees this early morning by the woods.

I wonder
what would I do without a computer at this time of life?
It seems to be main form of communication with my children and grandchildren.

Son in far away land emails several times a week and almost feel like I have made a
a visit to Thailand.  My first born Laurie was asked to model at a fund raiser in Tampa
and mom is so impressed with images she sent.

Jamie, my youngest with 2 youngest granddaughter's goes nonstop and I remember
those long ago days so well.  Guess that is one of the reasons I enjoy this late in life
time in this cottage the woods.

Middle daughter, the nurse is busy with planning for my chef granddaughter who is
finishing a season in Nantucket, her arrival soon and so pleased she will be among family
sitting at the long table at our Christmas lunch.

I smile as I view my orchids now showing 20 buds and buds are just beginning to show.

Busy days continue
plan on baking fresh Apple cake and Sour cream, Chocolate chip and Cranberry cookies
this week.  They look so festive, so good and I wonder why do I not make them more often.

Leaf removers with strong blowers have not arrived and seems this year the leaves do not bother
me that surround this home.

So life continues at a fast pace for my family and a delightful pace for this one traveling through her
80's.   I will end with....Life is Good....


80>s 80

Holiday Busyness

Not as much done as times in the past
but still busy here by the woods.

After errands yesterday, home through heavy traffic and thoughts of what do I make for
late lunch.

So on a bed of mixed greens a slice of wonderful bread warmed and covered with cheese
topped with cooked bacon, egg and tomato from vine in pot.  A side of artichoke dip with
black bean chips and the last slice of my pumpkin pie - made it complete and enjoyed more and probably healthier then any food I picked up on the way home.   Lately it seems I like
my food better.
  The tomato's picked green and have been
in utility room and finally ripened and so good.

A simple lunch buffet for family on Christmas at noon
and thoughts kept coming about something I purchased over 50 years ago that was in the
storage room.   So much given away
but for some reason kept this container and it will contain some kind of soup for Christmas
lunch.
Thinking I would feel more comfortable using this one
neither of these used for almost 40 years.

December Beginning

Busy time after Thanksgiving  trip to dentist and then onward to Nashville to have tooth pulled.
Visit to doctor and waiting for blood work results, on antibiotic for infection,

An all day rain and I like it, we need it  and much tackled inside, a healthy dinner and tomorrow
hopefully desk full of papers and ironing.

Love the pictures that arrive from family
My first granddaughter with her dad

Awesome hair on one of my youngest granddaughter's
Going to a Christmas party and remember those days well

Today second visit from plumber and I cooked a healthy meal, black eyed peas, fresh turnip greens,
 mashed potato's, cornbread and even made a pumpkin pie.

White Bean Chili

Posted this
November, 27th,  2010

So good

Check it out.....

if you have a lot of turkey
left over.

Now I can have chili
for several days :)

End Of The Day

Wonderful family time
will share a few images taken
probably deleted a dozen
but these make me smile

Callie, received so much attention
girls were so good with cleanup
but will take me several days to finish clean up.

Love family visits, these little girls
are growing up so fast
but will always remember when building and moving to this country cottage
their visits.

Enough shared
going to bed
very weary.

Calls from all of family
they are all missed
and days like this are priceless to me...

Busy In The Kitchen and Thankful For So Many Blessings...

Really to busy to be on computer
but for some reason I find sharing relaxing and love to write.

Today
cornbread for dressing will be baked and mixed with container of biscuits and day old bread,
onions and celery chopped
butternut and acorn squash sliced and rice, mushroom and onion mix prepared
and put in fridge
turkey out of its wrap and checked
and might add to make it possible for turkey to be taken out of freezer and put in fridge
put it is a Whole Foods shopping bag and brought it up one stair at a time
then slid across floor, put on step stool and into fridge - oh my did it.
Would have been easier with help but they are in Florida.
Trying to a little each day and put all together Thursday morning and begin cooking.
I love cooking and over the last year with health issues did not know if I could do this
once again, so thankful I can.

Continue going through old things and have not used this afghan on the end of my bed
for many years.  It is really heavy.  Was told when I purchased from a special person that only 2 were made and the other Bobby Goldsboro bought,
Only if you are of a certain age would you remember this singer.  I have done some
crocheting in the past (now forgotten how) and can hardly imagine someone handling thread this thick

Tomorrow will make pumpkin pie, and fresh apple cake delivered to me and hope as
good as the one I have made for over 50 years.

an idea I put in my file, will do stuffing small peppers but no egg on top...

another recipe put in my file for the future - Pumpkin Cheese cake..

A new bread found at the market yesterday, Cranberry bread with Walnuts and so good.
Would not have drove into the traffic filled small town yesterday but first time ran out of dog food.
It was a long and tiring day.

I do not know what it would be like to eat Thanksgiving at another home, years past my mother
and father joined us, sometimes special friends and just have always done it, very tired when over
but always recover,  Offers of bringing food but easier for me to do - but do need cleanup help
when meal is over.   These memories are a gift I can give my children and grandchildren.

Looking forward to Family on Thanksgiving day......
So aware many are not here and they are missed so very much..

This afternoon hope I can relax and look at new magazine that arrived

a gift subscription from my Laurie..

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone
if I do not check in again until later.

Sunday is Cold

It is way past time for this cold weather to arrive.  Think it has arrived.

Saturday made Chili cooked and will be so good for the next several days.
I make it different then most people.
A good friend now gone over 15  years made it this way,
adding  chopped celery, carrots and the usual onions ground beef, red pinto beans
and chopped tomato's, along with Chili Powder, I do not use much hot seasoning,
tears up my stomach.   Now my son would use a lot of not sauce, does on everything
but not is mama.

Clarice this is the way you made your chili and now I do it this way,
seems I am receiving a few more vegetables.

When a small amount is left I add some pasta and top with cheese.
Cooked in mother's iron dutch oven she gave me.   Anything you cook in this
dutch oven turns out wonderful.... A roast falls apart.

Clarice I miss you...

She has been gone about 14 years.   Her hair was always black until aneurysm surgery
and then turned snow white after it grew back in.
I remember this Fall day so well, her daughter took her and I and another friend
to a park with an old bridge and Chris her daughter made a wonderful picnic lunch.
Spread a blanket on the ground and enjoyed this Fall afternoon,
Miss so many old friends so very much and most are all gone and guess they are all gone.
You do not meet many new special friends after 75, true for me but maybe not for others.

A special friend came by this morning and had tea and blueberry bread with me, I talked so
much more then usual.  She helped me put the contoured sheet on my bed and saw how
difficult it is :)   Polly, thank you so much for the visit and please come again...


I keep a well stocked pantry
just in case not up to shopping
and for some reason Callie's dry food almost gone
so need to make another to market.

Needed to anyway as thinking of adding Butternut Squash or Acorn Squash to
Thanksgiving dinner.   Always make a topping of rice, onions and may add something else.

Beautiful Day

Sun is shining, breezy and hopefully many leaves blow away.
30's this early morning
but tired of 80 degrees in November.

Many errands
do not feel like leaving my home
and will make a trip next week.

Turkey is thawing
memories of past dinners.
and some not available at this dinner...

Christmas Cactus's are beginning to bloom on the loft
would love to bring them downstairs
but no room :)

Saturday
continues....

Missing Someone

Pienosole  I am missing you.
Always your encouraging words
once a week - were so needed.
Hopefully you are fine, checked your site
but no email...
Just a note to let you know
I am thinking of you....

Last day for Arthur the Therapist
and hopefully I will see him in January...

My day continues
and hoping to do some baking,
fresh eggs from a friend
arrive this morning.

Another special friend has arrived home
after time on boat living.
So pleased she contacted me
just feel
more comfortable
when I know she is near
even though we do not see each other often :)

Oh
rain is needed in these dry woods,

It Seems

It seems I become so upset when my computer has a problem.

The problem last night I could not write new entry for my journal.
Did all I know, nothing successful, kept me awake in the night and now
this morning seemed to be able to correct or it did it on its own.

So day begins and picture just sent by my son far over the ocean in Thailand
from a friends balcony.
A reality and a blessing
the farthest away of my children
and he always immediately responds to me.....
His location 13 hours ahead, so evening there and he knows I am up before anyone else.

Soon will be hearing from
daughters, one just returned from quick trip with family, getting children to school
and going to work.  Everyone busy, but remember that time with 5 children in the home..

A new day begins
last visit of therapist until next year and he will be missed.

Why Am I On The Computer

A frosty morning
now sun is shining and prediction of afternoon 60 degrees.

Picked last night, love fresh herbs, not the little envelopes of dried herbs at the market,
sorry I put none in the freezer this summer.
Basil, Dill, Cilantro used frequently and need my Sage for Thanksgiving corn bread dressing.

Cooked a favorite meal yesterday
so have for my 2:00 meal today.
Salmon Croquette's, mashed potatoes, black eyed peas and corn bread..
Is it too proud to say that I like my food better then restaurant food.  Last pick up
after being at the market did not agree with me.   I love to cook and bake, always have
and the last year with health issues baking was rare.  Still heath issues but I am forcing myself
to bake.  Takes me longer but I put every thing out the night before and bake the next early morning
but do not like the cleanup as it takes longer at this time.

My Jamie offered lodging for writing about Gatlinburg, Tennessee, oh my beautiful
cabin - looks like more then a cabin to her mama.

So welcome is this weekend home by myself and much to do.
Many books week after week I say I am going to organize - need to do it.
My son recently sent me more book marks and need to pull many special ones
out of books that are sitting everywhere.

Received an Email from a university wanting to know if I would be interested in reading
my blog to vision impaired.  Checking on it and thinking...

I just wanted to check in
and day is rapidly going by
and this one has much to do and also New York Times and local paper by my special chair.

Do dread leaving for an appointment soon to have crown replaced.   For 70 years never any tooth
problems and seems from then on at the dentist frequently.

Do not like  leaving this cottage....

So

So
it is 3:00 on Tuesday afternoon and wonder who will be the winner of this horrible election.

Cooler weather has finally arrived and so have the mountain of leaves and a lot more to fall.

Beth's birthday lunch on Sunday was so good and was happy she wanted it here in this
cottage, I truly do not like going out anymore.

The best healer arrived yesterday and the ultra sound machine worked its miracle.
Always successful pain relief for 3 or 4 hours and then the arthritis pain returns and I am still
complaining about it, do not like the cane but do not know what I would do without it
and realize if this is all that happens in these last years - how very fortunate I am.
Arthur will never know how thankful I am for him.
An image taken so my children can put a face to the person I talk about a lot.

Therapy stops next week and hopefully resumes after the first of next year,

"you will never know how strong you are
  until being strong is your only choice"

"some people feel the rain
  and others just get wet"               "Bob Marley"

Now I need to work on the paper work piled on my desk for weeks.
Organize my many books
and write my son
thanking him for all the unusual book marks from Thailand.

Wishes for safe time in Mexico for my Chef Granddaughter.

Quick trip to market
with no baking for months
and now returned to this enjoyment
so many spices out of date
and purchased many this morning,...

Wonderful Cool Arriving and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BETH

Here it is November and I am tired of weather in the 80's.
Cooler and a little rain expected this afternoon.

Fortunate to have several day's of help cleaning the woods.
Goal to go back 50 to 60 feet, picking up limbs, trimming and cutting down some very small tree's.

A memory going back 8 years of this one daily walking in the woods, picking up limbs,
clippers in hand trimming as I walked, making paths and using blower to clear the way.
Oh, how I enjoyed doing this and wrote about it many times in the past.
Now with several years of not doing this the woods are a tangle of branches and my paths
can hardly be seen.

The new look as work continues

I loved do this and miss it tremendously.  When someone here working and near by I will
venture slowly into the woods but smart enough to know I cannot do it alone as I cannot
stumble and fall.


Today I must tackle paper work on desk and do not like the many hours on phone yesterday
with Verizon.   In the past always received an email warning me of over usage used.
Decided to call and way over time and large bill, they told me they had been contacting me
and I said nothing was received, seems they had been texting me and I do not text.....
So more phone calls when bill received.

My Beth's birthday is today
and I send her my love.    She is coming on Saturday and I was taking her out to eat in
this small local town and asked if she would like me to cook for us and she replied "oh yes."
So her favorite, a roast and veggies, corn bread, sweet tea and will plan desert,   Have
requested a fresh Apple Cake from young woman near by that bakes and hope it arrives
but always have something I bake on hand,

A favorite picture of my girl, she always loved horses, growing up her sister Laurie
and her would go to local riding club behind our farm where they grew up.
It was an entirely different lifestyle then when we moved to big city of Nashville
and large home was remodeled, featured in Southern Living Magazine and her, sister
Laurie and brother Jimmy went to private school.   My youngest Jamie does not
remember that as she was a toddler and all soon ended and her, Jimmy and mom moved
to the old farm house, Laurie and Beth in college and the real me came to life,  a different lifestyle and the happiest of memories continue with me
in a cottage on this property.
So many wonderful memories...

Enough shared this early morning as day begins.

Summer Weather

Unusual weather for end of October.
It has been over 80 degrees for over a week.
End of week prediction of rain and cooler and hoping so.

Fall  color is just beginning in my woods.

A year ago a friend shared 3 Iris bulbs,  each a different color that bloom several times a year
and this is the first with a second bloom in almost November. Three more big buds to open soon.

Time for second meal
and do not feel like eating anything.   While herbs are still hardy
thinking of tomato basil soup with a toasted cheese sandwich with a side
of some black bean chips I discovered and spinach artichoke dip.

Hearty breakfast with an addition of Bok Choy and Portobello Mushrooms to my
scrambled egg and slice of bacon.

Wish my arthritis did not cause such pain and difficulty in walking at this moment.
But then up 8 hours
but need to keep moving and hopefully never fall again.