Happy, Happy Birthday Sistah!

It's my sister's birthday and she, sister Joni and I all got together here for lunch and a good time!We had chicken roasted with herbs, onions, carrots, and red potatoes from our garden, coleslaw, broccoli.., and lately served biscuits. My sisters did not know I could leap off my seat at the table so fast ! We were almost done with lunch and Joni said, "didn't you have biscuits in the oven?" Oh my, I did, and they were STILL in the oven baking away. I rescued them and they weren't burnt...that's as much as I have to say about them. Silly me. ( above: Karen is holding a special birthday goblet given to her from Sister Joni. )

We posed together for pictures, and our thoughts were for our 4th and baby sister who lives in New York and was unable to be with us. Joni on the left, Karen on the right.

I am the oldest sister~shortest, AND oldest.

My sister Karen brought me a gift for HER birthday lunch. She made me this quilt and it is perfect in our bedroom, what is even better about the quilt is that she made it out of fabrics that have special memories attached.

Here is the backing laid over the front. I love everything about this quilt, most special of all that she made it for me and made it with colors and fabric she knows I love.

We had a birthday toast "to sisters!" and included a glass of champagne for our sister Tricia.

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter , and sharing of pleasures." Kahlil Gibran Thank-you sisters for this friendship, a true blessing not taken for granted!

Spot of Perspective

This is a musical snow globe I placed near the miniature log cabin our children made years ago. The log cabin is a year round fixture in our home, but I do like to add seasonal touches to it. I am almost done decorating , now that I have put away all the stuff that I had out for the last bazaar and kind of organized the craft room again( a perpetual project). Oh, and let's not forget the continual hauling of pitchers and watering cans of hot water out to the livestock and poultry because the temps are way below freezing around here!Do you know what hard work that is? I am just thankful we have running water and a hot water heater to provide this modern miracle...so I reflect on that when I am tempted to grumble about hauling so much water outside in single digit temperatures....and you need to know ...ducks require, use,and waste huge amounts of water! This year I am determined to keep the decorating simple. We have a vast miniature village, but since we are not hosting any big events this month we decided to edit our traditional decorating. No lights outlining the outside of our home, just wreaths and greens on the porch. Inside I put out a few miniature village houses and vignettes, the ones I like the best. I decided I really do appreciate the traditional Scandinavian colors of various hues of blue and white with wood, natural greens, and accents of red. My eyes rest when I view clean lines and cool colors and my mind seems able to focus more on what's important while taking in with joy very simple things. Above is our buffet with the big platter we serve all kinds of good food on, and by the lamps are two vignettes that hold meaning for us. I left room on the buffet for FOOD! You might notice the tree is not decorated yet, that is for tonight. Every year I reflect on how much I like the tree with just lights...no decorations at all. I toy with the idea of leaving the tree this way but I know we cannot resist adding the many decorations we have collected over the years and I will be happy to add them. But for this past evening my husband and I enjoyed the tree as it is here..a quiet evening together , watching a T.V. show we enjoyed , while 4 of our dogs and the 3 cats slept by the fire. A nice night.

The village church on the buffet.

Singing round the Christmas tree on the buffet.

I found this quote from the December 23, 1894 New York Tribune : "The modern expansion of the custom of giving Christmas presents has done more than anything else to rob Christmas of it's traditional joyousness... Most people are nowadays so fagged out, physically and emotionally , by the time Christmas Day arrives that they are in no condition to enjoy it...as soon as the Thanksgiving turkey is eaten, the great question of buying Christmas presents begins to take the terrifying shape it has come to assume in recent years." There really is nothing new under the sun, is there?

"But Godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment.For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content." I Timothy 6:6-8

Tribute To Lakewood Police Officers

Four flag-draped caskets containing the earthly remains of four police officers senselessly gunned down in a local coffee shop where they had met over coffee to begin their day's work, serving our community.

There really aren't adequate words, are there?

Four police officers , 3 men and 1 woman who had families. They each were of outstanding moral character and contributed much to their families and community in many, many ways..now dead. For what reason were they killed...because they wore police uniforms.

The Tacoma Dome was a sea of police officers from pretty much every state, and Canada. Thousands of men and women who serve on police forces united to pay tribute to 4 officers slain senselessly.

The service started late because the line of police and emergency vehicles from all over our state and many surrounding states was 20 miles long. Before they began the trip from Lakewood to the Tacoma dome they were parked 30 cars wide by 1/4 mile long and it took over 4 hours for them all to get to their destination, the Tacoma Dome, for the Memorial service.

People stood silently alongside the entire route, some holding flags, some holding their hands to their hearts, some saluting.

Lakewood is a community that also shows honor and appreciation for the many men and women in our military. Lakewood is surrounded by Ft. Lewis Army and McChord Air Force. Our area has lost many men and women during the war in Iraq and Afghanistan too. It seems to me we have lost too many men and women of valor these past few years, and senseless evil seems to rear it's ugly head way too often. What is left behind is the legacy a fallen member of the services ( armed , police, emergency) that shows very often the character that attracted them to their chosen path in life in the first place. The noble idea of service to our communities and our country. Where would any of us be without such men and women? Praise God for them! As you can tell, I took these pictures from my T.V. as I watched this service most of the day. Our local television broadcasted this without any commercial interruptions and often you could tell by the reporter's voices that they were crying. Our state lost another officer just last month in Seattle where he was gunned down in his squad car while writing up reports. As I listened to the families and friends of these officers I was struck by how their character ( and their families character ) and their contribution for the better to so many, contrasted the character of the killer and his family...the killer's family KNEW he was going to do this and aided and abetted him before and after the murders. The killer's family and friends all have children, some of them too must have been aware of some aspects of this intent because the killer discussed his plans over THANKSGIVING meal. I find this chilling...what will those children become?

It's Beginning To Feel A Lot Like Christmas!

Now I know the stores have had Christmas items on their shelves since October, and that I have participated in Christmas bazaars since November, and that I have seen Christmas ads in the paper and on T.V. for as long too. But now, just this week I have noticed that in my home and in my heart it is just now beginning to look and feel like Christmas! (sugar & creamer made by me the first year of my marriage)

I can't help but get in the Christmas spirit and mood when I hear Bing Crosby sing...my happy childhood Christmas memories come flooding back and I am ready for all the joys the holiday brings!

Lacamas Christmas Bazaar ~

I told you Santa and I are good friends. Santa came to our local Christmas Bazaar at my request. I know he is so very busy this time of year and it was a very BIG favor to ask, but he and I are very, VERY good friends..so he paid a little visit today.

Some of the children were happy to see Santa, even though they were a little shy.

A few of the grown-ups were happy to sit a spell with Santa too.

Here is just one of many wonderful booths at the Christmas Bazaar held here every year at Lacamas Community Center in Roy, Washington. Joyce has so many interesting things for sale and her booth takes awhile to peruse. She usually has something for everyone. ( she did NOT pay me to say this either)

Santa let me sit on his lap! You know though, Santa had a few other ladies sit on his lap too ~ I'm not so sure I will ask Santa to help out next year! ( just kidding, I am sitting in my booth very close to Santa you know)

The fearless volunteers of Lacamas Community Center manning the kitchen where they sell and serve breakfast , lunch, and yummy snacks to the Christmas shoppers and vendors. Ken Wilson ( far right) fries the eggs and burgers to suit the requests of customers, his wife Pam ( far left) is also here as all around person in charge of the kitchen and many, many other volunteer activities that make Lacamas Community Center a hub-bub of activity year round. If you're in the area come on out to Lacamas today and see the many wonderful items for sale from people in our community. Have breakfast or lunch, have your picture taken with Santa and buy a $1.00 raffle ticket for a chance to win a handmade quilt crafted and sewn by women in our community.Visit with me too, I'd love to meet you.

"Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart." Washington Irving "There has only been one Christmas- the rest are anniversaries." W.J. Cameron "When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?" G.K. Chesterton

FREE Frugal Farm-Girl Gift Wrap~

This gift is wrapped in free, yes , FREE gift wrap. Well, not entirely free because I did have to buy feed for my livestock and poultry to obtain it. The teasel embellishment grew near our pond and was cut and preserved by me. The tag is a very old tag I found in the antique secretary my husband inherited from his Great-Aunt Marion Lowery. I added a dried leaf I found on our front lawn , dabbed it in black pigment ink, drenched it in silver embossing powder and heat-embossed. The ribbon is from a gift I received ....so this gift wrap cost me nothing but my time because I would have bought the feed anyway...the chickens do have to eat to produce eggs ya know! ( see, keeping chickens gives me joy, eggs, and gift wrap!) "Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons." Ruth Ann Schabacker

To get a LOT of paper for gift wrap, or for you home-schooling Moms, it makes wonderful art paper ...I take my feed bags...

..cut off the ends and and then cut from top to bottom to open out the sacks. There are usually at least 4 layers of paper in feed bags and all can be used. Sometimes the inner layer can be a bit messy or smelly , depending on the type of feed the bag contained. Most livestock feeds smell at worst, like molasses. A lot of feed sacks are so well done and colorful that the top layer, or feed bag cover, is very colorful and "farmy" making it a good gift wrap for children's and mens' presents. If the paper is too wrinkly for you it can always be ironed. I have used feed bag paper for wrapping presents for years and it gives me a bit more money to spend on the GIFT..and knowing that as the gift wrap is ripped open and tossed aside....well, I don't see dollar signs going into the re-cycling bin along with it. Besides, recycling is very popular now , even patriotic! I call it thrifty and frugal..and FREE! "Love is, above all, the gift of yourself." Jean Anouilh

~Gifts wrapped in my Frugal Farm-Girl Gift Wrap~

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."

William A. Ward

"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadows." James 1:17

Santa's Special Visit & Substitute Reindeer

Our oldest son was tucking his 4 daughters into bed in the guest room. They were exhausted after a very happy and busy day with family. Two of the little girls fell asleep watching Thumbelina while cuddling with Daddy and Grandma and they had to be carried upstairs to bed. Little did they know I had asked Santa to make a special visit to our home just to see them!( Santa and I are dear friends)

Santa came into their room with a "Ho ho ho!"

Two little granddaughters were wide awake now, and happy to see Santa!

Santa handed them fancy candy boxes with candy inside!

The other two granddaughters were so tired and sound asleep they could not wake up, Santa tried! He left their candy near them as they slept on.

Unfortunately, the Flying Reindeer Union ( FRU) rules and regulations do not allow the reindeer to fly except on Christmas Eve and also, to avoid any conflicts with the Thanksgiving Turkey Union ( TTU) Santa was unable to use his reindeer for a special visit in November, even though I am his personal friend and DO put out a lot of carrots and apples for them.....so Santa had to make do with Hawk...but Hawk could not seem to keep his antlers straight.

What's a dog to do?

Being the great and friendly dog he is though, he tried his best and the granddaughters have another Thanksgiving with an appearance from Santa to add to their memories of celebrating with us. Thanks Santa! I'll put out extra cookies and cranberry juice for you this year.