Pink Saturday..............

I am linking up for Pink Saturday. I like the idea of meeting new people and maybe making new friends who have the same interests as I do.

I don't have anything prepared and so this will be a feeble attempt at making something pretty just to have fun. So please bare with me.


I didn't used to like pink, when I was young there was nothing pretty about pink. Pepto Bismal was the usual shade. It was the same with reds, horrible colours. Now we have such wonderful colours and dyes. I tend to love the very pale icy pinks but now I also like the hot or shocking pinks.

I especially love pink roses. I like pink for , especially tee-shirts. I think it's a flattering colour for most women and it looks great with so many other colours. I love pink for china and especially for tea sets and for glass.





I would NEVER do this to my poodle girls. But isn't this poodle pretty?



Anyway, this is fun and I hope this is not too boring of an offering for you. I will try to do better next time


You will find a button on the right to take you back to the original blog. Thank you for visiting me

Happy Birthday Reina............

Reina is now 6, its hard to believe that six years have passed since the surprise arrived.




We had lots of goodies to eat and her cake had 6 candles. Tristen wanted to blow them out but was a good sport and let Reina do it.







We were rather full by the time it came to cut the cake.........



Granddad was ready for cake.......he is always ready for cake......





She enjoyed reading her Birthday cards.



...And opening gifts, with help from Tristen. She was very happy with what she recieved.



They enjoyed playing and getting into mischief. That's what those two do when they get together.



Robert and Raylene sharing a Dad and Daughter moment


Robert, Tristen and Raylene looking at pictures on the computer, they were not sure they were liking what they were seeing.



Gabby.........a sneaky picture by me



Evie wearing the birthday crown......



We had cake and snacks and shared with the poodles.



Dan and Debbie with Lauren, Emily and Cameron stopped in for snacks and cake



Reina fell asleep on the way home. She really enjoyed her party and was a very tired little girl when she left. She things she is very mature now she is 6.

Kid in a box.........

What to do on a rainy day? Give a kid a box and watch them entertain themselves.


They will play all day in a box



Better than any new toy and its free.

Christmas Cards......

I do so love Christmas cards. I enjoy sending them and love getting them. It seems that every year is a rush. They will be late this year. I have got things under control when it comes to decorating and have set Thanksgiving weekend as Christmas decorating weekend. Gives me chance to clean house and be prepared. Well I need to do that with the cards too. Maybe the weekend prior to that?
I love the glittery cards that I get from England, especially snow scenes and the English Robins and post boxes.







I used to keep all my cards, it was only last year that I decided to get rid of the bulk of them. I did keep some after going through them all and reading cards from back in the 1970s. I love to get the notes from people that I may only hear from once a year. Now most people have email and send electronic cards, I sure hope it never replaces the real thing. Its lovely to get that card in the mail. To sit and open a few every day right up to Christmas Eve. Some people put in a newsy letter and tell about their year. Most people seem to have a far more interesting life than I do. Maybe that's why they do Christmas letters and I don't.
Every year I hope to make my own cards, but something always comes up and so far that has not happened. Maybe 2012 will be the year?

The Beauty of Christmas.......

I love the Christmas season for many reasons. Memories of Christmas past but also all the beauty that surrounds the Season. The glitter, the candles, the tree. The way the towns put up fairy lights in the trees and the town tree glittering in the square or main street. I love the way the shops are decorated and just everything about it. Its a time of good cheer and friends and family. I realize that it is not really Jesus birthday, but it is a day that we honour His birth. As such it is Christmas and not Xmas. If the stores want to make a profit from the Christmas season then do us the honour of recognizing it as such. Not everyone is a Christian and not everyone celebrates, but if you do then please don't say "Happy Holiday" A lot of folks do not have a holiday so that is meaningless. If it's Hanukkah then say to our Jewish friends Happy Hanukkah not Happy Holidays. We all have our own traditions, the Muslims celebrate Ramadan and we don't say Happy Holidays. "Stand for what you believe even if you stand alone" is a favourite quote of mine.


We all have our traditions too, some watch movies like "It's a wonderful Life" and some watch more current ones that are cute and funny. We send out Christmas cards and catch up with old friends. Family comes home for Christmas. It is a time to celebrate with family, to show love and help others. A time to remember what Christmas is all about. The birth of a baby who changed the world. The son of God. Who came into the world for one reason............to die. To die that we may live forever.


We idealize this birth like in this cute picture but the reality was that the baby was born into a world where it was harsh, there was no room for Him and the angels did not seek out the Kings of the earth but the lowly shepherds in the fields. He was surrounded by the Shepherds and animals when Mary presented her baby to the world. He was accepted and loved by the lowly beings and rejected by the mighty. Yes three wise men did come to worship him but they were the exception. They had been waiting for Him and brought Him gifts that would be used when He died.We follow this tradition by giving gifts to each other, but somehow the reasons have been lost in the commercialism. We need to try to get back to the "reason for the season"



He came to earth from heaven to take away the sins of the world. So please don't reduce the celebration of His birth to a Happy Holiday or worse Xmas.

An Old Fashioned Christmas...................

When I think back on childhood and what the best memories were it was never about the gifts but about the family and friends. First of all because no one had a whole lot the emphasis was never on the gifts, even though as a child it was still exciting for me. I tried to believe in Santa but it was rather difficult when I always found my Mums hiding places for the gifts. I was an only child and can not say that I got a whole lot of material things. I was very happy with a book from my aunt and uncle and probably one from my Nan and Granddad and probably a couple of gifts from mum and dad I thought that was a lot. I remember that I would keep looking at them all day long. What I did enjoy most was the tree with real candles on it. We would light those Christmas morning. With the coal fire glowing and the candles twinkling it was just pure magic. Then the fact that my Dad's brothers stopped in for a Sherry. Later on my aunt and uncle would come over for the day and my Nan and Granddad would come too. We would have Christmas crackers and sit with silly hats on at dinner. Lots of laughing and jokes and stories and neighbours popping in and out all day long. When I was older I went with my Dad to visit his aunt and his Father. Mum would never go, she did not like my Granddad Burt. I went with Dad though and it was a further bond between us. I also got to go with the men down to the pub when I was old enough and I loved that. I remember one Christmas that it snowed, we had walked down to the Crown a pub in the village. The walk home was particularly merry and I can still see my Uncle Alan with rosy cheeks and a scarf around his neck as we threw snowballs at each other and pretended we were Yogi and BooBoo. Silly I know but well, as I said we were quite merry.
Mum always seemed to be in a snit because she had dinner ready most often 1/2 hour before the men got home from the pub. One would think she could have adjusted things but she never did and every year was the same. I think Dad just got used to it, the men would sit and snore the afternoon away until time for the Christmas cake or Christmas pudding.
I do remember looking out my bedroom window watching for Santa. The windows would be frosty and the room as cold as outdoors but sit there I would. I must have always fell asleep and now I think back I can say that my parents must have tried several ways to keep me in bed Christmas morning. One year they left my gifts on the end of the bed. Must have taken me five minutes to open them before running in to declare Santa had been. That one backfired. When the gifts were left under the tree I would go in wanting them to get up..............there is no way a parent can win on Christmas morning. I understand that now.


I am linking up with Savvy Southern Style for Wow us Wednesday

Ornaments.............

One of the fun things I used to do every Christmas season was to make ornaments. When I was working I made one for everyone in the office, I did it for quite a few years. Most of the ones I did for myself I have given to my daughter Laura. Some of them though were done many years ago in ceramics class. I have not put all of them on the tree this year because I will be giving some to my granddaughter. That makes room for me to make more. The glass balls I did several years ago, I gave the best ones as gifts. I remember a cardinal was on one and a Chickadee on another. I don't have pictures, maybe I can get around to doing some more.



Some have been purchased. The dog "Bo" is for the Obama dog but it looks just exactly like our sweet Bodi when she was a youngster. Different breed but you would never know. Now I will look for special ornaments that mean something to me. I will also, with luck make more.
Meanwhile I have been collecting snowmen and santa's



Some of the Snowmen and santa's





These are just close ups of pretty things.



I don't know what these little bears have been doing through the night but look at the little beggars.



I also have a collection of angels, the plate is one of the things I did in ceramics all those years ago. I must say they all lasted very well. I will take pictures of the ones I am giving away to my Granddaughter. When I have enough blog followers I may do a giveaway of some of them too.

O Holy Night ............

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!




If I were to choose one song that has touched my heart like no other, this would be the one.
It has such emotion, such feeling and is so Holy. It brings all mankind down to one level the King and the slave are one in Gods love. The angels did not visit the Kings of that time they came and told the Shepherds in the fields, as Christ came to be our shepherd. We are His flock, He knows our name. He knew us before we were born and He knows who we are. He loved us first before we could know Him,and while we are yet sinners...... we owe Him everything. We belong to Him heart and soul for eternity. He just awaits for us to accept His love.

Winter..........

A watery sun in a sullen sky
grey mists swirl and drift on by
Small birds huddle against the cold
As old man winter takes his hold
Soon Jack Frost will paint window panes
Hoar frosts will glitter along the lanes
Sleep now till the sun regains his powers
Sleep now till Spring brings back the flowers.
Long winter evenings all frosty and bright
with stars gleaming in the the dark of the night
Clear crystal skys and crisp cold air
Trees like skeletons all sad and bare.
Church bells ring out to bring in the morn
clear sunrises herald the dawn
Sure as day will follow the night
All will awaken all fresh and bright.
A new year begins as the old fades away
Spingtime will come in with a bright new day
JKS Dec 2011

Mail online pic

Boots........

Our crafty cat (Boots) has taken a liking to the outdoors. She sneaks out whenever she can. I have had our bathroom window open a lot while I try to take pictures of the local bird population. Before coming to live with us Boots was a stray, at least we thought so because she was living under our deck. Was skinny and looked deprived, she was also pregnant. Well we took care of her and took her to the vets, because we have 4 small dogs and had no idea yet of her temper we had her declawed. Only at the front. From past experience I know this makes little difference to their hunting ability as all the cats we have had we declawed and yet they caught mice. Our vet is also proficient in the declawing in as much as there was never enough pain for the cats to know anything was up. As they were all spayed at the same time it kept them from jumping on furniture and by the time they healed they didn't know any different. Anyway, I digress. Boots is still fascinated by birds. One of the reasons we took her in, she had been hunting and killing birds and the neighbours had it in for her. She was content to watch from the windows until one day she got out. Ever since its her life's goal to get outside.
The first time I was worried, then I saw her sitting in the shrubs by the bird feeders. Trouble is the shrubs are thick and there is no way that I can see of her surprising the birds who were ignoring her. She would not come back inside. Well, by dark she was in the shrubs out front and I coaxed her to come to me and got her inside. Was not long and she was off again. This time she was NOT happy as it rained that evening. She was very happy to come in. After that she started to get out as often and as sneaky as she could. I would have to hunt her down and coax her inside but enough of that. Its getting colder at night and will soon snow. If she knows what's good for her she will tow the line a bit. I cant believe she will want to be out in the snow. Well last night after a day on the loose, no sign of Boots. I was worried but didn't go looking for her, I called her several times to no avail. I tried one more time around 11.00pm as I was about to go to bed and she came sauntering in.............bloody cheek. Well, one day I won't be remembering and I think she will be sorry. It wont be so pleasant staying out all night when the temps go down and down and it snows. Ungrateful wretch.