Let’s Get Christmas Started

Hello friends, happy Monday!!! how was your Thanksgiving? As I mentioned mine was very quiet. I cooked only for me and hubs. Although we did take food to a friend in town. It was very nice. My husband said I was cooking too much and too many different things. I told him that just because it was us two we still deserved to have a nice food filled Thanksgiving.

Even though I put my Christmas tree up a couple of weeks ago, I alway think the official “Kick off for Christmas” is the day after Thanksgiving. My sister and I usually stay out all day on Black Friday and shop. However we haven’t done that in a few years. Because of Covid and some other things the last couple of years and my sister having the flu this year it was pretty quiet once again.

I did do a little shopping on Friday in nearby Athens. I had heard that Home Depot had orchids for $5.00. WHAT??? Now I don’t have anywhere to put another orchid and I am not sure how Delphine, Ophelia, Saffron, Zsa Zsa, Oliver and Olivia would feel about another orchid sibling but I just can’t help myself. We don’t have a Home Depot near us but in Athens there is a Lowe’s. That is actually where I bought one of my first orchids, Olivia I think it was. But no such luck the orchids there were a staggering $30.00. No Way!!!

I did stop at the Berks store in Athens and Hobby Lobby and Dollar Tree. At Dollar Tree I picked up the supplies to make my Christmas wreath. I can’t wait to work on that. But overall it was a pretty quiet trip.

On Saturday I decided to shop local as everyone in town was being encouraged to do. I knew there was a Christmas Craft Sale going on in nearby Tellico Plains. It was being held at Riverbend Farms. This farm is a venue for weddings and other events and it is beautiful!!! I did find a few things there. The barn where the crafters were set up was a bit crowded but there were lots of good things. I just love attending things like this at Christmas. It puts me in such a festive holiday mood. And it was just what I needed this week.

I bought a few ornaments. Some of these were handmade from the lady who first rescued our big orange kitty Gus. She, Heather, has a booth at a local antique mall and she is so talented. And of course I am so grateful for her connection to getting us our precious Gus.

This is my bird tree that I keep up in my kitchen all year long. I collect bird ornaments from different places that I go and add them to my tree. I have them from lots of special places and each one has a story.

I just had to have this Cardinal for my bird tree. There is a saying that the sighting of a Cardinal brings a message from a loved one who may be far away. This is the way it goes:

When Cardinals
appear, you will know
that I am near.

Though we may be apart,
you need to know that you are
always in my heart.

The Cardinals presence is reassurance that your loved one is always with you when you need them…all that you need to do is look for them.

After leaving Riverbend I ventured into Tellico Plains and stopped at one of the gift shops my niece and I had been to a couple of weeks before. This gray jacket caught my eye last time and I decided to go back and get it. It’s reversible and from Simply Southern. I love this brand it is always so cozy.

I then picked up groceries and headed home. Sunday was also quiet. How was your weekend and Thanksgiving? Did you have a huge gathering or just a few people? Are you getting in the Christmas Spirit yet?

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!!

Thanksgiving Eve

And just like that is is Thanksgiving Eve. Do you have a big dinner to go to? Do you cook? I will be cooking for Thanksgiving but probably only for my husband and I and maybe a couple of other people. So it will be a very quiet low key Thanksgiving. I can’t help but be a little sad thinking about past Thanksgivings. I remember as a young kid and even a young adult I loved going to my mama’s house for Thanksgiving. All of my brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews would gather there and have a huge feast. It wasn’t about the food as much as the love of family being together and laughing and sharing memories and making new memories. But I don’t think we can live in the past and we just have to go forward and make new memories while we cherish the old ones. And making new and precious memories are fun too. I am so thankful for everything and everyone in my life. I have wonderful family and friends and that means the world to me.

Over the weekend I decided to clear some things out of my closet. I worked for several hours I took six large garbage bags to our local Goodwill. I am embarrassed and a bit ashamed of having so many things that I didn’t need and yet I continued buying more. And I know that more than likely I will continue to do that. Although, I have cut down on buying clothes and “things” and try to ask myself if I really need it, or do I already have something similar that I can use.

Other than the clothes clearing it was a pretty quiet weekend. I put chili in the crockpot and we have been eating on that all week. The weather here was extremely cold last week with temps only reaching 40 degrees F. It has warmed up a little in the last couple of days. Look at this beautiful frost we had last week. It almost looks like snow.

On my way into work Monday I spotted this frost flower. I love them. They’re so delicate. I used to see them all the time when I had to walk the dogs early in the mornings. They are formed when thin layers of ice are pushed out of long stemmed plants that have split open during autumn and early winter. So there’s not a lot of time to enjoy these beauties. As soon as the temperature warms or the sun hits them they are gone. Some beautiful designs are formed from the crystals.

Check out my Diva Christmas tree I put up a few years ago. I found this picture and I think I may have to do another one. I named her Marilyn. For Marilyn Monroe of course.

I am currently making cornbread for my dressing tomorrow and watching Charlie Brown Thanksgiving with the hubs. Definitely a quieter time from years past and that is o.k.

I hope you and your family and loved ones have a wonderful and yummy Thanksgiving.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!!

Friday Favorites

Hello and happy Friday!!! How was your week? My week was really good but a bit hectic. I think I say that almost every week. I have a few favorites to share with you and some not so favorites that I will put a spin on and make them a good thing.

Last weekend my niece, Michelle, and I went to nearby Tellico Plains to a little gift shop, Timeless Treasures. They sell the Judy Blue Jeans that everyone is raving about. I will have to say they are very comfy. I tried on a couple of pairs but decided I didn’t need any. Michelle bought a pair. They do have some nice things in this shop. They have a great selection of the Simply Southern Sherpa lined shackets. I will definitely go back and do some Christmas shopping.

We also went next door to the Charles Hall Museum Marketplace. This is a shop with several booths of lots of different things. You may find a booth with antiques, local made crafts, photography, and lots of other things. There is a lady who brings in fresh flowers on Saturday. She has dried ones in the fall and winter. I bought a bunch of dried ones. I also bought these ceramic cats. I thought at first they were McCoy because there was an Mc marking on the bottom but I think it could have been someone’s initials. But that is ok I love them.

I forgot to show you this Santa that I bought a few weeks ago when I was in Dahlonega GA. We had some time to run into a few antique stores on the town square and I bought this cool guy. I am adding him to my Santa collection. I definitely don’t have one like him. The artist is Greg Guedel. This Santa is actually carved from wood. I think he will make a nice addition to my Santa family. Check out Greg Guedel if you get a chance he is a fantastic artist.

O.K. I don’t know how I am so late to the game. I saw someone on TikTok eating from a tub of Cheesecake No Bake Filling. I didn’t even know this was a thing. I went to Walmart and sure enough you can buy a whole tub of just the filling!!! How did I not know this? You can eat it with animal crackers, graham crackers, or just with a spoon. Or you can put it in a crust and make it into an actual cheesecake. I had to buy a tub. I haven’t opened mine yet. I will admit it is a little costly about $5.00 a tub. But I am sure it will last a long time HA!!!!

I think I may have mentioned these candles to you before. Someone gave me a large one as a gift last year and it is now the only candles we burn in our house. I love this scent. I always get mine at Walmart. The large size, 16 OZ. are about $15.00 but right now you can find the smaller ones like this 12 OZ for only $6.00. I am going to stock up on these.

The other night for dinner I made my own little Charcuterie board, or plate I should say, It made the perfect dinner snack. I haven’t done a large Charcuterie board but I may have to try my hand at that through the holidays.

So a few things this week that were not too pleasant. Our heat and air system finally bit the dust. It is twenty three years old and we have had it since we built the house so I guess it served us well. We noticed a few weeks ago when it got warmer that the air didn’t seem to be working correctly. Then the heat wouldn’t come on when it got cold. We called the man who has worked on it for years. He checked it out and declared the official time of death. It took a few days but today we finally got the new unit installed. A costly but necessary project. and the best part to me is we have wonderful heat. And the new thermostats are pretty.

I had to be in Knoxville on Monday morning at 8:00 AM. Knoxville is about an hour from me so I had to leave out very early. I had a follow up Doctor’s appointment. Good news there everything was fine. I had a high potassium level reading back in May but my doctor assured me that all of my other blood work was fine and he didn’t think it was anything to worry about. Too late for that. But I was glad to get the news when I did.

I had to have a yucky colonoscopy on Tuesday so another early morning appointment in Knoxville. The prep for these are much worse than the actual test. I had to do the prep on Monday so I was starving by Tuesday afternoon. My husband took excellent care of me and treated me like a big baby. All was good with my colon and I don’t have to follow up for another five years. So that is a bit of fantastic news. My sister had colon cancer at the very young age of 35 so me and my brothers and sisters have had to have colonoscopies on a regular basis for many years. I am happy to say that my sister is a 35 year cancer survivor. Catching this early and getting it taken care of is the key.

So some things that were not extra nice to have happen but turned out to be fine overall. I just have to leave you with this picture of two adorable Christmas presents that I found under the Christmas tree.