Author: Lisa -Southern Patches

Hello everyone, my name is Lisa I am a southern girl born and raised in East Tennessee. I love discovering new places and things to do. I have a lot of favorites, shopping, traveling, knitting and photography are all at the top of my list. I am married with my fur babies my only children. This blog is actually named after my beloved basset hound Patches. She passed away a few years ago but will always have a huge part of my heart. Come with me and we will explore some wonderful places and discover some really fun things. Are you ready?

Hello Monday

Hello Monday and hello December. I can’t believe Christmas is just a few weeks away!!!! Or that the end of this year is a few weeks away.

I have been a little out of pocket this past week. I had a sinus, stuffy head, coughing, scratchy throat, thing going on. A common cold I guess. One day I felt better and then the next I would feel worse. This went on for over a week. I left work early Friday because I felt so yucky. I went home and pretty much stayed there until this morning. I am feeling much better.

Mark and I had to go to Vanderbillt Medical Center in Nashville last Tuesday for a four month check up for Mark. Everything was good and he got a great report. As I have mentioned before. We leave out at around 5:00 AM and it takes almost four hours to get to Nashville. Our appointment went quick. After we see the Doctor Mark gets blood work and I run to the cafeteria to get us coffee. We later stop and eat breakfast on the way home. Usually once we are back home we take a nap. It is such a tiring drive for one day. But totally worth the peace of mind when he gets a good report.

The hospital courtyard was decorated for Christmas and it was so pretty.

It was actually a quiet morning. We were there very early around 8:30.

Iced Carmel Macchiato for me. Mark likes just plain coffee with a couple of extra shots of espresso.

Wednesday was my little mother in law’s 89th Birthday. I went to see her and I took her some cupcakes. She has really declined in the last few months and it is so hard to see her this way. So many things she enjoyed before she doesn’t now. She doesn’t even like long visits anymore so we just do shorter and more frequent visits. Just being with her and sitting with her is all she seems to need. Isn’t she a cutie. She can get with you when she wants something her way but she always goes back to that little smile.

I stayed in most of the weekend. It was rainy and cool. I read and did a lot of catch up work on the temperature blanket. Then I ran out of a critical color of the yarn that I have to have before I can continue. So I will have to make a trip to Hobby Lobby this weekend. In the meantime I will work on weaving in the billions of yarn ends. I also watched a couple of Christmas movies.

Saturday night Mark and I watched A Charlie Brown Christmas. Because of my nasty cold I missed out on several things going on in the area including our town’s Christmas Parade. But watching A Charlie Brown Christmas with hubs and the fur babies was still pretty special.

A Charlie Brown Christmas turns 52 this year and this scene was almost completely cut out, but Charles Schultz insisted that this scene remain and it has for 52 years. I think it says it all.

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the Angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the Angel said unto them, ’Fear not:”

“for behold,I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, ‘ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, Good will toward men.”

By Sunday I was starting to feel a little stir crazy. I decided to make a Christmas wreath. I bought all the materials a couple of weeks ago. so I cut all the mesh, and tied the mesh onto the metal wreath form and then added those two white bells and put it on the door. I like it. I was wanting sort of a red and white candy cane sort of look and I think that’s what I got.

On Sunday night I brought out the Santa collection. I have been collecting these Santas for years. I have about forty small ones and several larger ones that I just place around the house. This old Singer sewing machine belonged to my husband’s grandmother. She gave it to us several years ago. It still works.

And back to work this morning and as soon as I got out on the road I saw this guy. It was very foggy and he (she) and a buddy were crossing the road. I always creep down our road because I see deer almost every morning.

I hope you have a wonderful fun filled week!!!!

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!!

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!!!!!