This and that

So, we were on a quest for flag shots yesterday.

We actually saw quite a few more flags, but were unable to get shots of them for one reason or another

This one was cool, granddaughter spotted it on a wall at Goodwill.

I think it is a good place for it. Gets seen quite a bit.

Found a tea set wanted to share. Isn't it pretty?

I cannot believe National Hot Tea Month is almost over. I have really enjoyed the ladies posts about tea this month. Loved Miss Janice with her advice about tea parties and Gracious Hospitality and all the pictures and info about the tea ladies.

Pinkie and Blue Boy

I found these little plaques while out at the resale stores yesterday.

Pinkie and Blue Boy. I saw the actual paintings at the Huntington Museum in California as a child. (We spent about 7 years in southern California while I was growing up.) They have always been favorites of mine since that time. I had a good childhood, different than a lot of kids but with parents that loved me, and I cherish those memories.

On a lighter note....

Nothing too out of the ordinary right?

Ha,

Evidently I did not take into consideration where the hot air was blowing from the heater vent or how it would effect my candles. I watched it get to this point with some amusement and then had to take the poor thing out. It looked like it had severe January depression setting in!

Thank you CeeKay!!!!

Twas a bleak and dreary winter day in North Dakota, when suddenly there was a knock at the back door...

Twas a package for me from ARIZONA and my new friend CeeKay from over at Thinkin of Home, you see I had won her 200th blog give away!!!

(At this point I had to run get granddaughter from school and wait, drat!)

Upon returning home, we got to open our package!!!

Very nicely packaged !

First we came upon the ornament placecard holders. Just adorable.

Magnets, tissue and

candy, a photo album and frame, and vanilla lotion, all staying with the black and white theme.

A magnetic list pad

and twisted notepad.

We had so much fun and will very much enjoy everything. Thank you so very much CeeKay!

Suffrage, just a few facts...

Did you know that the 15th ammendment allowing all men the right to vote regardless of race was ratified in 1870?

Did you know that the 19th ammendment allowing women the right to vote was ratified in 1920?

In 1866, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony form the American Equal Rights Association, an organization for white and black women and men dedicated to the goal of universal suffrage.

In 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment enfranchises black men. NWSA refuses to work for its ratification, arguing, instead, that it be "scrapped" in favor of a Sixteenth Amendment providing universal suffrage. Frederick Douglass breaks with Stanton and Anthony over NWSA's position.

Now I ask you, which would have shown more courage on the part of America this year, to put another man in the white house, or a woman? I submit that no matter what race, women are still the unrecognized minority in America. Obama is in the white house, maybe another 50 years or so and one of his daughters or her friends can be there, not just because she's wearing a ring, or because of color, or gender. Change, whatever!

Loving my country and the changes we can make! (Oh, and definitely not a feminist, about as conservative as you can get!)
Valerie

Perler Beads and other interesting stuff

I had the pleasure of having my granddaughter over for a few days recently and one of the new things we tried out were Perler Beads. You start with a form and put these little tiny plastic beads on them and then fuse them together by ironing them under what looks to be parchment paper. Granddaughter went to town on them. She just really loves it. It takes quite awhile to do one and she did many and never really tired of it. I'm thinking if you put some kind of a backing on them they would make great iced tea coasters.

Isn't she an angel, nothing but perfect the WHOLE time her mommy was gone!!!












I had picked these things up while we were out and about and so we hung them up. I was thinking about painting them white and going with the shabby chic thing, but in this house they look pretty good the way they are. I was really tired of looking at white walls, even though I know I won't be here all that long. They were ridiculously inexpensive. I just love the picture of the little girl with the dog, so cute!

And, of course a snow update. I believe this is the end of the snow for a little while. It just amazes me. That is the cake table. I should do a progression of that. Oh, and did you know that if you don't clear the snow off your roof it can build up what they call an ice dam. Then what happens is the water leaks down into the siding and can basically ruin your house. It also can glue your back door shut so that you cannot get out it. Even if you manage to get it open, it glues shut immediately again upon shutting if the temperature is cold enough (like 20 to 30 degrees below 0) because of the cold water running down the side of the house. Ha, well it warmed up enough that the door is now open and working again! Hurray!!!

Look what I got! Guess where daughter went?

Bible verse

Colossians 3:16-18 (King James Version)

16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Very cool verses to choose to remember when the job gets tough. I like to tuck a song away in my heart to lighten the load!

Take a short walk with me

Snow update






They have closed "the Wal-Mart" until further notice because they have to shovel the snow off the roof.



People really don't know where to put the snow any more.















This is our little cake table on the patio.



The big news.... we are expecting 5 to 8 more inches tonight. All I can say is..... way to get the whole North Dakota experience!!!!! Oh ya!

Last post

Okay, after some chocolate and thought, I just wanted to mention that I do know the difference between whooping and whopping, and is it just me or did I use the word luckily twice within the space of about 20 words?

whooping
intransitive verb1: to utter a whoop in expression of eagerness, enthusiasm, or enjoyment : shout2: to utter the cry of an owl : hoot3: to make the characteristic whoop of whooping cough4 a: to go or pass with a loud noise b: to be rushed through by acclamation or with noisy support transitive verb1 a: to utter or express with a whoop.

whop·ping
Pronunciation: \ˈhwä-piŋ, ˈwä-\
Function: adjective
Date: circa 1625
: extremely large ; also : extraordinary , incredible

So, although Flynnie (my dog) does occasionally whoop, like when I come in the door, I really was being a tad bit sarcastic and meant to use the word whopping (like he is really big).

I do give you permission to give it a hardy guffaw ( a loud or boisterous burst of laughter) as I did when re-reading it.

So long Steve...

Remember this guy? Yes, Steve.

Dropped him off at the Minot "International" Airport this morning.

There he goes. Bye Steve. (Yes, I cried)

He's off to Oklahoma Christian University to be with his pals.

Life just got a little more interesting. Hum.

This will be the first time I have really lived by myself.... ever. Wow, that's weird. Forty-nine years. Course I'm not really alone, alone. I have my pet pooch. A whooping 7 pound 3 ounce yo-chon (yorkie, bichon mix) tuff guy. He's a little over a year old now. And of course daughter's family here in town. But it is all a little strange. I felt just a little like Scarlett at the end of Gone With The Wind this morning. What SHALL I do, where SHALL I go....

But really, I have my 40 hour a week job, Flynn (dog), watch granddaughter before and after school and plenty of....

• Luckily, this happens to be the year North Dakota is setting record snowfall amounts. That means I will be able to really get in shape by spring. Oh ya, life is definitely interesting!
• Steve got to Oklahoma just fine. Dad picked him up at the airport about 1 o'clock this afternoon. (House still has not sold.) Okay, so don't think bad of me but I am very much hoping for an early spring!!
• Luckily, my daughter got me a present...Cinnamon Orange Spice Tea from SpecialTeas. It is WONDERFUL. Always nice to be able to sit back, relax a little with a great tasting tea during tea month with your pocket pooch, listen to some LPs, and think happy thoughts about spring!

How I spent my New Year's Day Vacation...

Well, worked until midnight New Year's Eve.

Decided not to take up drinking and carousing THIS year, so spent it very quietly.

According to Miss Janice we were to open the door and let the old year out and the new year in. Did do that. That was a little strange, it was so very quiet.

I did have Thursday night off, so I fixed a pot of tea in my Crate and Barrel teapot. I had just received some tea I had never tried before, peach and ginger. It is a rich black tea with big chunks of dried ginger and dried peaches (I get my tea from The Tea Table). I tucked the teapot in that cozy I made and headed up to my room. It smelled so good. Oh my.... it was wonderful, it tasted so good!!! I kicked back, put my feet up, read a little Emily Dickenson (interesting character), and finished by watching the Wedding Planner while sipping the wonderful brew out of my Bernardaud Limoges teacup. How fun was that???? It was very nice. Good start to 2009!