The Party is over Santa

I've been so preoccupied grieving all the loved ones I've missed and having the "holiday is over" blues that I didn't even remember the very first day of January was when I started my blog last year. So---Sorry that I don't have a "give -away" to offer. The Christmas tree is outside, the snow babies are tucked in their drawer, each and every Santa is packed away until next December. The pixies and nutcrackers, angels and my favorite of all... the Nativity are all packed up. I feel like the Grinch as I undecorate Christmas.
I will leave you with some faces from my collection that are now back into hiding again.

Yo - Ho - Ho!

Happy New Year

It's the year 2009 and you and I are still alive! I know that's a weird thing to say but I do think about these things. Alright so I'm a weirdo. Maybe I think about dying more than what is probably healthy but if it weren't for death I wouldn't be so thankful to be alive. I look at life the way an artist paints a picture, with life being light and darkness death. The darkness is very important, because without darkness we wouldn't even see the light. So maybe death isn't a topic you want to read about as you skip merrily about from blog to blog. But the truth be told ..it's always haunting me. Not a day goes by that I don't miss the ones I've lost to death. Now a new year rings in and it's so full of promises and hope and renewal but I can't help but think that it will also bring it's share of heartaches, disasters, darkness and death. One thing that always keeps me plugging along is hope. If I were to lose everything I own, I hope that I would not lose hope. If I lost everybody I love, I hope I would not lose hope. If I were down as low as a worm ...I just hope that I would not lose hope. Even if it seems as if the only thing that changed today were the hands on the clock or the page on the calendar or that day turned into night... I still hope. I hope against hope. That means that even if I don't really believe that anything good will happen to me today...I still hope something will.

I'm not here to talk politics because that causes arguments and I sure don't want to push my religious beliefs on anyone, I don't want to divide. I would be the first to admit I don't have any prophetic answers about life and I spend ridiculously many hours pondering my own destiny and wondering if I even have one.

But thank-you for visiting me because I put myself out there and it's good to know that somebody cares enough to read what I write. Happy New Year...I hope.

A holiday video

Right before Christmas we got snow. I think all snow is pretty, but especially this kind. It was heavy snow that stayed where it fell, like a blanket rather than the blowing, drifting and sugary kind. By the time the storm moved over, it dropped at least 6 to 8 inches. But then ... as what usually happens here on the Cape it was soon all gone. Christmas Eve brought hard rain and strong warm winds. By the time we woke up on Christmas morning about the only snow left was the mound at the end of the driveway left by the plow trucks. But ...hey....I'm not complaining!

A Christmas Card

For unto us a son is born,

to us a child is given...

Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)

hi, I haven't been documenting all the wonderful things happening lately.
But, this lovely Christmas card arrived today from the pastor of our church.
I feel like sharing it to the world.
Thank-you Father Mark.
_____________________________________________
The unique face of this card comes from an original oil painting from Zaki Baboun. A native of Beit Jala in Bethlehem. Zaki uses Biblical themes and local landscapes, his own faith and love for the Lord, as inspiration for much of his art.

All proceeds from the sale of this card, benefit the works of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, in the Holy Land.

This card is designed and printed in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Artwork by Zaki Baboun
Designed and printed by:Nour design & print Co.,www.nourdp.ps

Thanksgiving Day

xox~Elaine

Tom is 21

Tom loves little stuffed mushroom caps, crunchy chicken wings, marbled fudge cake (if there's no carrot cake available) and a girl named Theresa. Look at how he dreams up a good wish. I hope it comes true Love. Happy Birthday. It was yesterday but the glow still lingers.

For The Record

Halloween come and go without at least a mention? Nooooooo.... for let the record show that this lone little Power Ranger dragged in more Halloween treats than I have ever seen walk through these doors! Tom and Theresa guided the little super hero through our generous neighboorhood and taught him the most efficient way to zip from lit house to lit house without any needless dilly dallying in between. To a kid, trickatreating is like a job, if you're gonna do it then you might as well do it well.

The weather was mild. The moon was large and it wasn't windy. Xavier wore his long johns under his costume and was comfortable. When he got home and took off the costume he was all ready for bed.

Take a good look at that mountain of sugar because except for a couple of jaw breakers and dum dums it's just about all gone now. I don't police the candy. Well...ok I take that back. I do put restraints just a little. I put the pumpkin out of reach close to meals, at bedtime and before school. When it's candy time I want him to eat so much candy that he turns green and that's pretty much what happens. After a few hours of playing with the pumpkin Xavier doesn't want to see candy for a long time. Besides he throws most of it away after the taste test. He thinks Butterfingers are too crunchy, 3 Musketeers are too soft, Whoppers are gross. etc. etc. waste waste.... I happen to love them all and UGH I'm green myself thinking of all the ones I ate trying to save him. An interesting point of information: Although Power Rangers may possess super human strengths, they falter under the weight of chocolate bars and milk duds.

God Bless America

Fricken Fracken!!!

Go ahead and look all cute

A Meme

The word meme is foreign to me but a meme this is.
The idea is that "you" finish the first part of the sentence.
Thank-you Kitty for passing on this bloggy bit.

I am: what I yam. (Popeye the sailor man)
I think: therefore I am (Descartes)
I know: that so far...all I have written are quotes.
I have: a mind of my own and I'll answer best as I can.
I wish: that I would never feel NEED.
I hate: --- I hate thinking of things I might hate.
I miss: my family as they die off
I fear: not having enough time
I hear: a quiet inner voice safely guiding me
I smell: the lotion Nora gave me (Neroli Chamomile)
I crave: playing fast games of Scrabble almost everyday online
I search: for matching socks
I wonder: who cares that I'm writing this
I regret: not finding a way to get down to Florida to see Marjie when she was alive.
I love: LOVE
I ache: in my heart for the ones I miss
I am not: a go getter
I believe: in God
I dance: even when I'm sitting down
I sing: the songs my mother sang to me to my kids
I cry: easily
I fight: cavities
I win: if my children argue with me
I lose: money when I buy lottery tickets
I never: spend more than $2 on a ticket
I always: have to rush to the bathroom when I get in my house from working.
I confuse: my needle felting needles up all the time. I guess I should color code them.
I listen: to talk radio even if I can't stand the guy talking.
I can usually be found: at home during the day and at work at night
I am scared: to sell anything more on ebay because they have gotten so power happy.
I need: to have more faith that all my needs will be met.
I am happy about: being able to help
I imagine: what things will be like in the future.

Thanks for reading my blog. That's really nice of you ~xo~Elaine

Dolls

Sarah and Shirley

Faces from my childhood rest from years of play.

Reminding me to keep young at heart,

in the coming years of gray.

Drawers

Drawers in my home

I have an affinity for drawers.

Large or small....

I surround myself with them.

They are everywhere you look in my house.


There are even more than I have pictured...

While most of my drawers are used often.
There are some that are seldom ever used.

Some drawers hold fun things.

Some drawers hold important things .
Some drawers hold junk.

This drawer holds my poptart crumbs!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Drawers not in my home but that I like

I've seen stair treads made into drawers but I prefer this style.

The Shakers really knew how to utilize drawers.



There can never be too many drawers available.

A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With A Single Step

"Archie"
Confucius say: "A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With A Single Step" ....
and so did my Dad always find an opportunity to tell me this.

The last post was in memory of my Mother so I feel it only fitting to give my Father's memory a place on my blog as well.

I miss them both everyday of my life.

Happy Birthday Dad.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention...

"Kitty"

Mama was so clever and creative. Her motto chimes in my head like a mantra everytime I need a better way of doing things. Mama would say---

"Necessity is the Mother of Invention." I remember this little phrase when I need it and before long I'm brainstorming solutions to problems and inventing ways to make living on here on earth a little better. It works try it.
Problem - Everytime I put the seed into this coconut shell bird feeder, the larger birds knock it out in one fell swoop.

Solution- Take a knee -high nylon stocking and slip it over the half shell. Then with the extra stocking left hanging....reverse and double up. Poke a hole in the stocking and stretch it wide open. I filled mine with sunflower hearts.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention...

Make the hanging string long enough to deter the squirrels from hanging by their toes to reach it. My feeder has been out there 3 days so far and the squirrels haven't been able to get it yet. Although it's comical watching them try.

*******

This is an edit to the above post.

It is now May 15th

I think I should tell you that not too long after this post, the squirrels had their way with the coconut bird feeder. They ripped the stocking to shreds, chewed up the edges of the coconut and and yanked it completely down from the tree.

They must lay in their little beds at night scheming in their dreams.

*******

White Weeds

"A weed is just a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Spider-Man is Back in Black

Shooting webs

Displaying muscular strength

Charming my heart.

Little Things That Mean A Lot...to me

We use this little lamp when the power goes out.

This is what I was looking at while doing the dishes last night.

While I got my camera, this caught my eye too.

Now it's daylight.... I love such simple things.