Sunday Favorite

​

Fun Saturday

​

So, I bit the bullet and paid for the blog app…so here I go using it for photo and the blog for the first time. I do like typing on this…the old way was iffy at best.  This is like typing with Word on my laptop or Pages on my iPad. So much easier. I'm sure it will be worth the small pittance that I had to pay.

Today was very pretty after the rain stopped and the clouds cleared out.  It is getting cooler…dropping down into the upper 20s overnight. So once again we will be shivering!  We have been spoiled by the pretty weather.  But what we have had is a promise of what is to come! We are looking forward to Spring.  My miniature jonquils and crocus are also starting to bloom giving their promises of what is to come. It's so pretty to see the yellow and purple blooms peeking up through the ground.

Melany and Wade came today and raked the large garden that parallels the driveway…clearing the way for the irises to come up.  I fixed our lunch while they worked.  We ate lunch and then planned some excursions for our cruise. I think we are pretty much set except…my passport being in my hand…a rather important detail!  The good news on that is that the government has cashed that check so I know the application has been received…learned that two days ago.  Then today I received an email from the government saying what day the application was received and that it will be in my hands from 4-6 weeks from that date.  So sounds like I will have it in hand in plenty of time.  

I have gotten the kitchen cleaned up from the mess I made making lunch so now I am ready to sit down and relax, watch the Olympics, and paint my nails!  

To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

New Fodder!

​

We found barns!  Perfect timing as I was running out of photos from my Bahamas cruise. 😁 It was a beautiful day for a barn trip.  We wanted to go out before all the leaves come back on the trees.  We really didn't go far…it was pretty much "just down the road from my neighborhood." Found a variety of barns and quite a few animals.  I spent time this afternoon putting the photos that I took today onto my iPad…one of the reasons that I removed a lot of photos last night.  I am very pleased with the ones that I have looked at so far.  I will be sharing them with over the next weeks.  Took quite a few pictures!

Before Marie and Carolyn picked me up, I made a quick trip to Kroger…mainly to get a couple of things for the meal I have planned for Melany and Wade tomorrow.  I managed to get what I needed and got them home and put away before I headed off for a couple of hours. When I got home, I made a new recipe for something that I had never made before…chutney, mango chutney…tastes pretty good.  It was suggested that mango chutney be served on the side with the Tahine-style chicken that I'm making for our lunch.  This is a recipe that I made several weeks ago and liked it and think that Melany and Wade will too.  This is a Mediterranean recipe…something totally different than what I usually make.

I have two things that I forgot to mention yesterday.  I was pleased to see the government check clear my account…that means that my paperwork for my passport got to the right place…now to wait for the passport and my original birth certificate to get to me!  

The other exciting thing is that Joy didn't forget how to juggle due to her concussion.  She hadn't been interested in trying up until yesterday and she and Nathan passed clubs together and she even did some extra tricks.  Definitely a good sign.  I think that was something that her daddy was really pleased that she could still do!  Joy is so much better…pretty much back to doing most things she did before.  But she still isn't over it completely.  She still has headaches…but is so much better…she is enjoying life once again!  

Note I can now write the blog in paragraphs…a much easier screen to type in…but still have to post the blog and then open it in my phone and add the photo.  I have come to the reality that that is the way I will have to do it until I break down and pay to upgrade the blog app.  I will…one of these days…but until then, if you see that the blog is published and there is no photo that I just haven't gotten a photo transferred over to my phone…like tonight…I found the one I plan to use…BUT…forgot that I needed to transfer it to my phone…so it will take a little longer to get the photo added.  

To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

I just subscribed to the Blogger App…hopefully no more hassles!

Here's a bonus photo!

Thursday Doings

​

Well, all my doings today have been at home. Doing lots of this and very little of that!  I used tonight's photo as my profile picture on Facebook.  Cheryl doesn't do Facebook so I texted the photo to her.  She said it needed to be a photo for the blog…so I am minding my sister and here it is!  I'm guessing that I was in 7th or 8th grade when this was taken.  My dad took it…maybe I was taking one of him?!? We were on vacation in the White Mountains in AZ staying with friends at their cabin in Pinetop.  I'm sitting in front of their big fireplace.  We had so much fun when we went on vacation here…good memories!  

Melany and Wade are coming on Saturday so today I got my grocery list ready to go get the few things that I need for our lunch.  I even got the ingredients out…all ready for me to put the recipe together Saturday before lunch.  I plan to get up early in the morning and head out to Kroger.  I need to do it early as I have plans with friends mid morning.

I needed to clean up the photos on my iPad…just too many on it and it was starting to be a problem when I try to download photos from my camera after taking a bunch…like on the cruise.  So I backed them up on a thumb drive and on Amazon photos and then ruthlessly deleted them from my iPad.  I did save some of my favorites.  I formatted the memory cards on my cameras…so cameras for the moment are totally empty of photos.  I think that will change tomorrow!  

After I worked with my photos, I turned back to looking at excursions for the cruise.  We plan to make choices for excursions on Saturday.  So I have been cruising in my mind for a while this afternoon.

Now I am watching Olympics and going to finish up with my cameras and then may stitch a while.  I did finish another Christmas ornament last night.  

To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Serendipitous Day!

​Today started out with a task that I wasn't all that thrilled about having to do.  I had to go to the Credit Union to get my card reactivated.  Last night I noticed that I had a charge that I hadn’t made on my card.  It was a very small amount, but I know that that is how people get scammed…just small amounts that aren’t noticed.  I made a call and had a stop put on my card.  So this morning I needed to go and get a new card issued.  It was a fairly quick fix…except their machine that prints the cards was broken.  I was just going to wait till it was fixed…but I had two purchases that were going to be affected by shutting down my card.  So I drove over to the Credit Union branch in Manchester.  

The first serendipity happened just before I was leaving the Credit Union.  I spotted a friend who I hadn't seen in a long time,  So we got to talk for a few minutes and catch up a bit.  Upon getting back into Tullahoma from my Manchester trip, I headed to my pharmacy to pick up a couple of prescriptions.  They have gift items at the pharmacy so before I left I decided to check out what they had that was new since the last time I was there.  I made a turn around a shelf and there standing in front of me was another longtime friend who I hadn’t seen in a long, long time.  we enjoyed catching up with each other, too.  Those unexpected visits just made my day!  It made it sort of sparkling like the water in tonight's photo! 

I’ve just gotten home from Bible study and, once again, it is time to blog and then settle in for the evening…watching Olympics and stitching. I have another ornament about half-way finished…maybe I will finish it this evening. To be continued!  Be safe!  Be well! Be cautious!

Quiet Day At Home

​

Donna and I decided to declare Presidents' Day a day late and take the day off from the library.  I stayed fairly busy. I did get the Hummels and antique books back on the little bookcase in the living room.  Elijah carried the bookcase downstairs for me when they took care of getting the Christmas tree upstairs.  I just hadn't found the time and energy to get the books carried back downstairs.  That was what I tackled this morning.  Then the rest of the day I just did a little of this and a little of that.  I did finish stitching another Christmas ornament…so that is three stitched and two others underway.  I read some today, too.  And, started listening to a new book today.  I did have more energy today than yesterday…but definitely didn’t overdo today!!  I’ve done a little more planning for Alaska.  I mainly accomplished easy tasks today!  I’m going to do some more stitching this evening…might finish another ornament.  To be continued! be safe! Be well! Be cautious! 

Monday…Again!

This guy in the photo was shedding his skin...his tail and I think his head was still in the process...that if we had stuck around for a while, he might have been brighter all over. Today has been a catch-up day...catch up on rest. I guess last week working on getting the Christmas down, mixed in with traching Sunday School and visiting with Melany, Wade, and Erin and planning a cruise all caught up with me. And, today I just wasn't worth much...I had no energy...so I did a lot of sitting. I did do some stitching...underway with another Christmas ornament. I did some planning for the cruise. I worked on the homework that Melany and Wade gave me...try to figure out what I want to see/do when we are at Alaskan and Canadian ports. Trying to figure out things that I might need that I don't have...like a knit hat. Melany says that it can get pretty chilly when sitting on the balcony of a cabin...I'm hoping for lots of photo ops from my balcony...especially when we are in Glacier Bay. I have done a little reading. I didn't go out my door till it was time to go to prayer meeting. I am home from that and settling in to do more nothing! I hope that my energy comes back tomorrow...hopefully all the resting I have done today will help to get my energy back! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! (Lots of flu going around here!) Be cautious!

Sunday Favorites

Happy Valentine’s Day 2026

​I thought that you would enjoy this photo of Esther and Patrick on their wedding day…such a sweet couple. Ahhhhhh! Young love! This is one of their wedding photos that I got my hands on earlier this week.  Melany, Wade, and Erin graced me with their presence today.  We had a really nice visit.  It was good to see Erin feeling better and wanting to join us.  We had quite the day…planning…and, Melany, Wade, and I are booked for one and even have our airline tickets to fly to and from Seattle.  This trip will add two states (Washington and Alaska) and another country, Canada, to my list of places I've never been before.  I never dreamed that I would ever get to Alaska but it looks like it may happen…the good Lord willing!  And, of course, up to a month ago, I never dreamed that I would ever go on a cruise.  I am so glad that I went on that one with Nathan and family, as that showed me that I didn't get seasick and really enjoyed myself.  I have always loved to travel and Woody and I saw a lot of the United States and I had been wishing that I could do a little traveling…and here I am doing a some big time traveling!  This is a 10 day cruise.  I'm really looking forward to photographing our 49th state and all it grandeur!  Now to practice even more with my cameras and research how best to capture Alaska in photos. My tree brigade did show up after the ballet and made short work of getting the tree into its box in the Christmas closet.  They also took up all the ornament boxes…boxes still have to be packed into the closet…another day when Nathan has a few spare moments!  It is good to have things back to normal in the downstairs.  To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! 

Another Good Day!

I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep so started putting the Sunday School lesson "on paper." On paper in this instance means type it up on the iPad to later put it on paper via the printer. I fell back to sleep...but woke up with the iPad one of the helps on my lap...so I just continued with the lesson and came close to having it finished before I got up for the first time. Later I went over it again and had it pretty much finalized by noon. After lunch, I went back in and added bold print and italics where I wanted and took out some unnecessary spaces. Then hit print. I will read over it tomorrow and make sure that it makes sense! I did quite a lot of cutting and pasting...so there is always a chance that I pasted something in the wrong place! After I got that done, then I started straightening up the downstairs after my undecorating...getting it back to everyday. I also waited on Nathan and a crew to come, but so far that hasn't happened. They are at a ballet tonight at a local church. I think someone will stop by after it is over. I just need them to take branches upstairs and get them in the tree box and take up the Christmas ornament boxes that are stacked in the living room, move a chair back into pre Christmas position and bring downstairs a small book shelf. The packing of the closet can happen another day...just trying to get the downstairs back to pre Christmas and able for Melany, Wade, and Erin have places to sit in the living room tomorrow. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Goals Met

​

Today I closed the last box on the ornaments and took down the tree and have all the branches and boxes ready for my tree brigade.  Nathan said that he and a couple of kids will stop by and help me get the ornament boxes upstairs as well as the tree branches,  My other goal was to finish the reading for Sunday's Sunday School lesson…got that done, too.  I just need to put down some words in the outline that I made earlier in the week.  I talked with Cheryl…we talked a little about her trip here sometime in the next few months.  Then later, I called Melany and we talked plans for them to pay me a visit on Saturday plus started planning our Alaska cruise.  Trips and more trips! My head should be spinning.  But truthfully today I am just glad to have closed up the last of the Christmas boxes…even have the Christmas items packed away that were in Melany's room.  The drier did just quit and that has some Christmas towels that I will add to the Christmas things to put away. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! 

All in All…a Good Day

I had my Passport appointment at our Post Office this morning. And, my application and birth certificate should be winging it's way to wherever passport applications are sent. It didn't take too long...though several more questions did come up. Hopefully we addressed them all and in a month or two I will have a passport in hand. I wasn't expecting to have to send off the actual birth certificate...which meant that I wouldn't have the original to go apply for my star drivers license. But the Post Office employee who was helping me with my passport application, told me that since I would have a passport that I wouldn't have to have the star on my driver's license as the Passport would be a legal ID. So I took him at his word and came home and applied for my drivers license renewal online. So I got that taken care of before next week when it expired. Two needed accomplishments for the day, But I took it one step farther and came home and got the rest of the ornaments off the tree and all ornaments are now packed up in boxes...to rest till I decorate in November. My goal is Christmas down by, at least Valentine's Day! And that is sort of met...just don't have the tree back in its box...may wait for a tree brigade! Also need some muscle power to get some of the boxes upstairs. But I am happy to be at this point! I also did some reading for Sunday's Sunday School lesson. I went to Bible study this evening and am home and settling in for the night. Olympics and stitching are on the agenda for tonight. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

I Can Prove I Was Born

I have been successful in several things today...but my main goal was not met. I have just managed to add a photo the same way I used to...and...managed it without having to pay for the premium blog app. Yay! My birth certificate was handed to me by the UPS man...the first time a delivery person has knocked on my door since before Covid. So my certified birth certificate with my parents names on it is now in my hands. I thought it was interesting that Mother's maiden name is spelled wrong. I will NOT be pointing that out! As soon as I had my certificate in hand, I began the process of making an appointment with the Post Office. I had no problems when I made the appointment a couple of weeks ago. But today it was not as easy...took me forever...getting hung up over and over. I finally moved to my laptop...my second try I was successful and have an appointment tomorrow morning. Hoping that I can report tomorrow night that my passport application has been submitted. Next I will concentrate on my star driver's license...have to get that done before a week from Friday. One of my goals was to have all the ornaments off the tree...but...didn't meet that goal. But LOTS more are off the tree and another box is filled...so full that I don't dare lift it on my own...just put another box on top of that one and have it about filled. I brought some of the small boxes, that breakable ornaments are stored in, out to the family room to pack up the ornaments while I watch the Olympics. The tree is very much barer...but still probably more than I realize on it. There are a lot of ornaments! I finally had to stop an hour or so ago as my back was saying it was time to sit and stitch for a while. And, that is what I plan to do this evening. I got a special treat for myself...a cross stitch order. Before I got into my new things, I did some organizing of my current cross stitch projects...then added the new one to those projects...and, then started a new sampler, a Quaker Sampler...just two colors of silk. I got some pretty linen for it, too. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

I Think I Have Blog Posting Straightened Out

​ I'm not sure…but maybe I can once again write the blog and post photos from the same device!  I discovered that the blog now is an app…I had always entered through Foxfire search and opened up my blog.  Yesterday I had a thought about seeing if either Foxfire or Blogspot had an updated app.  But I am finding that I may have to pay for the blog if I want to add photos.  So today I will return to writing and posting photos from my phone…can't seem to win for losing!  We'll see if that strategy still works since I still haven't updated my phone.  It has been a delightful day…sunny and warm.  It got to 68° today…a heatwave compared with the temps that we have been having. I worked more on the tree and at this point in the day you can actually tell that ornaments are off the tree.  Still quite a few left to take off and box up, but definitely heading in the right direction.  Nathan, Isaac, and Joseph stopped by this afternoon and ridded my chimney flue of my unwanted visitor (not Santa!).  Let's just say one less squirrel left in my neighborhood.  I am going to teach Sunday School again this Sunday so got underway with studying for it yesterday and today.  My birth certificate was supposed to arrive today…but I got notified that it had been delayed and to expect it tomorrow. I’m ready to get my passport applied for so I can then renew my driver's license and get a star on it…my license has a deadline as its expiration date is fast approaching…next week.  I can't apply for a passport without permanent license…they won't accept a temporary one…so passport first and the …driver's license!  I went to prayer meeting and am now home.  I'm planning to watch the Olympics and stitch tonight.  I got sad news today.  Midmorning, I got a call from my eye doctor's office needing to reschedule my next week's appointment…and, the reason I would have never guessed!  My eye doctor died unexpectedly last night.  Living in a small town is so different than in a large city…here our physicians are often long time friends.  So news like that hits hard.  To be continued! be safe! be well! be cautious!  

Sunday Favorite

February Saturday

Today has been a stay-at-home day. I have stitched, worked on the Sunday School lesson, talked on the phone, and started taking Christmas ornaments off the tree. I didn't get finished with the lesson as soon as I had hoped...but enjoyed talking to Cheryl, Melany, and Connie. I have the lesson all printed off so that usally means that I am through with the lesson till Sunday School in the morning. So at that point, I watched a little of the Olympics until the daytime airing ended. That was a good resting time so, then, I headed to the living room to start boxing up ornaments. I started with the handstitched ornaments and have one box filled with the ones I have found so far. At least it is a start! I am through with the Christmas tree for today...more tomorrow! I am going to stitch and watch Olympics tonight. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

How Many Do You Spot?

Tonight's blog title refers to the photo that I hopefully will be able to post after I publish the blog's words. Look closely...there are several pairs of eyes looking back at you! It's been a very nice day. The morning was taken up with preparing a grocery list and then going to the grocery store and coming home to out them away. After lunch, I got back to preparing the lesson for Sunday school. I made good progress, but still have some more studying to do. When I took a break from Sunday's lesson, I was too tired to start on the tree...maybe tomorrow I will be able to divide time between lesson, Christmas tree, and other things that need to be done...maybe! The tree still looks pretty and I enjoyed looking at it with the sun shining on it this morning. I have done a little stitching. I started a project with a Valentine theme...felt like doing something that wasn't a Christmas ornament. After stitching on it for a while late this afternoon, I'm not sure that I will procede with it. At the moment I am watching the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. I look forward to watching various events over the next couple of weeks. I have always enjoyed the Olympics,,,Winter or Summer...probably because they do what there is no way Incouoe have ever done...athletic activities are so not me! But I admire those who can and who have dedicated so much of their lives to excelling at their special event. Ice skating is my favorite. To be continued! Today has been quite a pleasant day weather wise. The sun shining in the windows always makes the day pleasant! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Coming Right Along

I can say that I am pleased with where I am in the undecorating. At this moment, I can say that I have met a major goal...all decorations from downstairs, except for the Christmas tree, and ornaments are boxed and upstairs in the guest room! So "things" are progressing. I worked on the Sunday School lesson. A load of clothes even managed to get done today. All in all a pretty good day...pretty chilly, but I stayed inside. Going to stitch some more this evening. I am well under way with the next Christmas ornament. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Cold Day

The day started out foggy...and, it never got very warm today...or at it didn't ever seem warm to me. And, when I went out to get the mail and bring in the garbage can, I thought that I was going to freeze. It is supposed to get down into the lower 20s tonight. I made some more progress on the undecorating...mainly thanks to Nathan. He and Joseph stopped by to use my printer and I got them to take a couple of heavy boxes upstairs to join the growing number of boxes in Nathan's old room...aka the guest room. Joseph didn't know which room to take the box to, when I told Nathan his old room. I heard Nathan telling Joseph about his water bed...which Joseph also had never heard of! I also got Nathan to put away the oil lamp and a candle in a globe holder which I had gotten out when we had the threat of the ice storm. They were in cabinet over the refrigerator waaaaaaay to the back. I struggled when I got them out so took advantage of Nathan while he was here! I put a few angels back in their boxes and took them upstairs and had Nathan bring down another box that I store angels in. I got more boxes down that Christmas ornaments go in...so prepared to get more put away. I couldn't do as much today as I spent time on the Sunday School lesson for this Sunday. I went to Bible study this evening...and, yes, it was cold. I'm settling in for the night. I plan to read and stitch for most of the rest of the evening. I did finish my first ornament for 2026 and started two more! I also am close to finished with the ornament that I started on Joy's and my balcony while docked in Nassau. So Christmas stitching is well underway! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Always a Good Day!

And, the day that is always a good day is...hair cut day! I got my hair cut this morning. Had fun telling Jody about my cruise. I came home and took care of some business over the phone. By thwt time it was lunch and then time to go to church to work in the library with Donna...another reason it was a good day! We always enjoy getting together. We did maintenance and then visited and got to show her some of my photos and tell her about my cruise. I have managed to get all the angels down from "on high." They are now patiently waiting on the dining room table for me to get them boxed up. Each time I was upstairs today, I brought down some boxes that Christmas ornaments are stored in...so preparing for the next phase of undecorating. I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, but still lots to do before the Christmas closet doors get closed until this coming November I just can't keep "at it" the way I used to be able to...my back protests lots sooner than it used to! A funny thing happened just a few minutes ago...today I have been taking care of some of the charitable gifts that I am going to give this year. One was to my college, Cottey. The phone rang about the time that I was heading to get my iPad so I could blog, and the caller ID stated that it was Cottey College. They were calling to ask for a donation. I told them "done and done" as of this morning! Easy call for her! These calls from the school are always very nice, as the students are the callers and they are interested in Cottey back when! We had a nice short chat. She is a freshman from France and enjoying Cottey. So that was a fun part of the day...especially since I had already made my decision and done my donation. Another, not so nice, part of this day is that another squirrel has fallen down my chimney...that's the second one this year! (insert eye roll!) Nathan removed the last one in a body bag shortly after we returned from the cruise. I wish that squirrels would stop visiting my chimney! I'll bet they regret visiting it after they fall in and find no way to escape! I feel bad...but...I'm settling in for the night. I am planning to take the last few stitches in the Christmas ornament I'm working on...soon to be the first ornament finished for gifting in 2026! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Ground Hog Day 2026

I have no idea if the ground hog saw his shadow or not today. I do know that the extreme cold temperatures left us today and it "almost" felt warm! It actually got to 48° this afternoon and tonight is only supposed to get into the upper 20s overnight. Compared to the last couple of weeks it almost seems like a heat wave! (Not really, but...) Tonight's photo is a glimpse of the highlight for some in our family of our cruise…the spotting of a sea turtle. I did manage to get a photo of it sticking it's head out of the water. Kathy got a really good video of it with her phone. I've had a pretty good day today...stayed busy. I did manage to get all the snowmen and trees packed away in boxes. Now I have to get the angels down from "on high." "On high" meaning on top of the china cabinet. I have gotten angels and a nativity scene out of the china cabinet. These items are taking the place of the trees and snowmen on the dining room table. I hope that perhaps by tomorrow I will have all of Christmas that is downstairs, except for the big tree, all boxed up and upstairs. I took Christmas serving pieces upstairs a while back. They are on the bed in Melany's former room, and, I still have to get them into boxes. That can wait a bit. I will feel better once the downstairs is cleared of Christmas...then I can concentrate on the tree. I still haven't found all the everyday decorations…so more boxes to go through. I managed to get all trees and snowmen into three boxes…so they will be together when I decorate with them next. I'm hoping to use less boxes this year. This morning I also did some cooking. I made Sweet 'n Sour Pork and enjoyed it for a late lunch. I stayed in till this evening when I went to The Furnace Room Prayer meeting. I'm home and ready to settle in for the night. I think that I feel like doing some stitching. I'm closing in on finishing my first stitched Christmas ornament for this year. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite