I Belong To Coal! :)

Hi! People call me Cow, and I ...
Belong To Coal! :)
I was given to him for Christmas by a very nice Lady! :)
This is Coal and he's a soft mouthed English Lab! :)
This is important to me because Coal is a very active individual!
If he's not asleep he's looking for action and wanting to play! :)
My once gleaming white and black fur is now well soiled!
He's snatches me up and packs me around all the time!
I never know what position he's going to leave me in. It's anyone's guess!

I'm in good company, though. Coal was also given Snowman for Christmas, and he ...
gets the same treatment!
I can't get over how much love and attention he gives us, and even Snowman has noticed that Coal tends to spend more time with me and treats me extra special! I feel very loved and want to thank Diane for finding me a home and tell her how happy I am that ... I belong to Coal! :)

Flashback! :)

As we near a new year, I can't help looking back at this one! :)
Over all, it's been good! :)
One of the biggest changes has been our going from having no cats to having Five! It's been an easy transition that has been bringing a lot of joy! :) If you look very closely, you'll see the image of one of the kitties in the ornamental cherry tree! They have been growing up to the sound of the shutter, and the occasional flash from my Canon, and seem just as at home with my black camera in front of my face as they are with my face, itself! :)
It's also been the first year I can ever recall actually getting my fill of gardening! I didn't think this was even possible! I think it's due to having put so much of myself into this year's veggie garden, starting seeds late winter and never completely putting the garden to bed, as we still have a few veggies growing out there! :)
Even so, I'm already feeling an itch to get out my seeds and start planning this coming year's garden! :)
It's been another year of cherishing my Eternal Hearthrob, and wanting to plan more fun outings with him in the coming year! Time keeps racing faster and faster, and since we can't slow it down, I at least want us to fill it with more - beach get-aways; road trips; laughter; dates; and moments of just being together in conversation & comfortable silence at home! :)
This year has been one of making some noticable improvements and I have a great desire to continue working at organizing our home and property in the coming year! I'm grateful for what we've accomplished so far, and for the dreams we have of continuing to make useful improvements! :)
In shy of two weeks we'll welcome in 2012! :)
In order to make meaningful strides forward, it's necessary to take a moment to "flashback", to take stock of how we're doing and set our sights on what we wish to capture in the next leg of our journey! :) ...
I'm excited about all the possibilities! :) ...

A Loving Work Of Art! :)

For me, decorating our Christmas tree is a loving work of art! This year it's taken me 3 sessions of creativity to finish it, but it's now done! :)

As I hung an ornament of Rud and I on our wedding day, it brought back memories of our first Christmases together! Our trees were scantily clad, then, with a couple new strings of light, and only a few small boxes of ornaments! It was an exciting venture, as I knew through the years our selection of ornaments would grow, - as it has! :)

In fact one year, I decided to splurge on some new ornaments to try my hand at decorating a tree the way you'd expect to see it decked out at the mall! It turned out beautifully, but Rud felt it was lacking, and I agreed with him! Our tree needed the familiar faces of dear ones, and the ornaments that have special meaning to us as a family! :) So ever since, we've stayed with what we know and love! To me, it has the look of a country tree, which is us to a t'! :)



Our angel always tops our tree! :)
The wise men seeking the Christ child, is just one of many ornaments that we enjoy! :)
A child, with her pup, looking through the candy store window! :)
This partridge is especially special to me because it was given to me by one of my most dearest friends, -Jan! :)
One of our oldest ornaments! :)
The girl dressed as an angel, telling the first part of the true Christmas story! :)
The boy dressed as a shepherd, telling the last half of the story! [Such sweet voices!] :)
Ice cream snowman, giving big hugs to all! :)
The gift for Jesus, that's always the first present under the tree and last gift to be put away, that simply says "Seek Him"! It is filled with those things in our hearts that we wish to give Him this coming year! :)
This is Coal's first Christmas and we didn't know how he would act around the tree! I had visions of a tree with ornaments just at the top, this year, but, like our dear dogs before, he loves the tree! He likes to lay facing it, and drift to sleep watching the twinkling lights! :)

So the tree suits him, too, I guess! :)

I think it's time to get serious about making some new ornaments! We need more family faces on the tree! :)

When I make some of our grandsons, That will be a True loving work of art! :)

Wow! 5,000 Viewings! :)

We hit a new history record of 5,000 viewings for this blog, over the weekend! :)
Many thanks to those of you who view my blog! :)

As long as there is an interest, I'll keep it going! :)

Something Old, Something New! :)

This blog post is being written with Sheana in mind, so she can see the new 'fridge that I've been telling her about, to keep her in the loop of what's going on here at home! :)

It's also for anyone who may be interested! :)

Our old 'fridge has been faithfully serving us for 20 yrs., and is still giving it's all for us. I feel like that kind of loyalty deserves loyalty in return, so have been feeling a little guilty about longing for a new one and secretly wishing for our old 'fridge's demise! :) When I admitted I was wishing for a new one, my honey said our old 'fridge would be useful to him in the shop! "REALLY!!!!?" So that led to my studying, searching, and shopping for this new one, ... which was delivered today!! :)

I love how it's designed to make it easy to find what you're looking for! :)
And the lighting is great!! :)
I've always dreamed of one day having a 'fridge like this! :)
And the freezer even has different compartments to make it easier to locate what you want! :)
It even has a place for pizzas! This door lifts up to insert pizzas and hold them in place! :)

I took a photo of the pantry in an open position! I love stuff like this! :)
The pantry has different setting options, too! :)
The old 'fridge has now found a place of continued service in the shop, and a new place in my heart! :)

They just don't make them like they used to, so it's highly doubtful the new one will still be working 20 years from now, like the old one is!

Now instead of secretly wishing for it's demise, I'm cheering it on, and hoping it will live as long as possible! I have high admiration for any appliance with this kind of staying power!! :)

There's a song from the movie "Fiddler On The Roof" that says, "A blessing on your head, ..." I found myself singing it as I inserted the last of the perishables from the house, within her walls, for safe keeping last night! I couldn't resist giving a little pat on her door as I walked away! :)

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas! :)

Dec. 1st is typically the day when I decorate our home for Christmas, my most favorite holiday of all! This year I started decorating a couple days early but today, true to tradition, I brought out more decorations! :)
This is a new one on the front deck, that stands in one of the flower pots, and lights up! :)
I love snow people and have collected a lot of them over the years, and still add to my collection when I see special ones that touch my heart! :)


A new Shooting Star Hydrangea that will be planted in the yard come spring! It reminds me of snowflakes, and of the star that led the wise men to Bethlehem! :)




This is the wall hanging that combines my love of snowmen with my love of our Savior! :)

Our new fragrant Yankee wall plug in! It's currently making our home smell like balsam and cedar! Yum! :)
"For unto us a child is born!" :)
Just one of my many beloved Yankee candles! They not only add wonderful aroma to our home, - they are decorative too! :)
M.E. calendar! This year Dec.'s says "All the happiness you can handle!" ... That's what I'm wishing you and your's this Christmas season! :)

Welcome December! I love that it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! :)