Christmas Hospitality

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, 

for by so doing some people 

have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 

                             Hebrews 13:2 NIV

One of our Christmas traditions

is to visit my hometown cemetery.
We try to visit prior to the ushering in
of each new year. One year,
we arrived just before midnight
and jumped the gate with flashlights.

Old cemeteries are beautiful.
Our loved ones are laid to rest in a
beautiful peaceful place.

There is only joy in our visits.

Aileen, my friend of over 40 years, walks down the hill with
me to visit  Mrs. Dale, another friend's mother's resting place.

After visiting, our tradition, includes a drive up and down
the U-shaped cemetery road before leaving.

Here's the top:

Descending. Look close, we have visitors.

Turkey hens, out for a December walk in the cemetery sunshine. 

The Painting of Ornaments

This past week, I finally felt well
enough to focus on creating.


Creative minds have always been
known to survive any kind of bad training.

                                            Anna Freud


A canvas found.

Heart to Heart

Sweet are the uses of
adversity;
Which, like the toad,
ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel
in his head....
                             William Shakespeare

Ah, Happy Birthday to the
most precious jewel.
My best friend and
partner.

All our experiences,
we do not regret, my love,
because they have brought
us to this moment.

Feliz Natal:Merry Christmas

Let there be Peace on Earth.

RARE by Goodwill

The new dimension of Goodwill.
This store is located in Anaheim.

Notice the lights at the top.
Upcycled televisions.

I am partial to the sofa Holly is
sitting on but it's too big.
The fabric is velvet with a light
lime green base.  The circle
rag rug was lovely.  It was
much brighter than the colors in the photo.



I am getting better.

The Heart of Christmas

By simply listening with calm and understanding,
we can ease the suffering of another person.

                                       Thich Nhat Hanh

Accept, Acknowledge and Proceed

A mistake is simply another way of
doing things.

                               Katherine Graham

My heart is full in this little cottage.
Surrounded by the people, kitties, and things
I adore.

I had a text from work today asking if I was
bored.  I could never get bored, right
now I am not physically or mentally able to do
all that I want to do.  My body and is recuperating,
and even though much of my chronic hip pain is
gone, I feel sore.  Sore like the flu, but I don't have
the flu.

I only read today in Where Women Create,
issue Nov/Dec/Jan 2016, an article
on Carol Darilek, describing her bout
with breast cancer where she says, "For
a while, my creativity disappeared as 
I concentrated on healing emotionally and physically."

Please, don't misunderstand, I am not comparing my
condition with cancer but a light bulb did go on.
It took over 3 years of pushing my very human
hip to its limit before I acknowledged something had
to be done.  I didn't before, but I am validating my
old pain and exhaustion.

For the Love of Aprons

I will never cut the apron strings
of my mother.

                         David Casias - Apron Chronicles
                                                A Patchwork of American Recollections

Seriously, this boy and his dad love
to lay on the ground.  It looks uncomfortable
even to Rose kitty, who will have none of it.
She does rule over all she surveys, though.

The little chair Rose is sitting on?
Jacob and I painted two, this one with
the black seat is his, while I was on maternity
leave after having Holly.  It was one of our
projects, one of the lasting memories
we visit every day.  Nothing fancy,
painted with the glorious energy of a little
boy.  What was important was to simply
do and have fun.  Perfection was not required.

These little chairs have survived nearly
nine years of kid chaos.  Mr. Lee, at well
over 300 pounds, has used these little
treasures as stepping stools for all kinds
of  handiness.

Useful things are among my favorites.
Aprons and chairs, of all sizes, are
collected here at the Pumpkin Cottage.

An Artist Among Us

Recuperating can lead to cabin fever.
To cure my cabin fever,the family
when for a little walk through
Treasures N Junk.

Girl remembered to bring her camera.
See some of her photos below.

She has learned to develop compositions.

She placed these two squirrels together.

White boots, girl loves shoes.  What girl doesn't?

A handsome snowman.

An angel.

Simple pleasures, talented children. Isn't life
grand?

Recuperating in Prayer

So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
            Psalm 90:12

During this holy season, I am trying to stay
focused on recuperating in prayer.
Nights are still hard, I can't seem
to stay asleep. My mind isn't racing,
I just wake up from a sound sleep. 
I'd like to busy my hands but apparently
enough pharmaceuticals
have not been flushed from my system.  

It's so hard to stay optimist in a
world so cold.


As part of my personal effort to be
a light of compassion, one of the gifts
I collected to give our daughter is
Pollyanna, the Glad Book by 
Eleanor Porter.

The little book's premise is to
find gladness in all circumstances. 
For me,  this means leaning into
discomfort. To give of my time
and resources, to exhibit
courage and open my heart.

Happy Happy December

When I met Christ,
I felt that I had swallowed sunshine.

                          E. Stanley Jones

Pumpkin Cottage before she gets
her Christmas dress on.       

Our little family loves the Advent
season and crafting.  You may
play along over at Taheerah Atchia blog.
Click on the little door each day for crafting
and prize winning opportunities.

Welcome Cozy December

The secret to change is to focus all
your energy not on fightig the old,
but on building the new.

                                            Socrates


Rose is cuddling in every box she finds.

Tiny paws.

 

Keeping Tranditions - Handprints

For years, we have celebrated
the every day by
making stepping stones
for the garden. 

Each stepping stone is embellished
with hand or foot prints, names and
dates.

In Thanksgiving

Colossians 3:17
 
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, 
do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 
giving thanks to God the Father through him.

To our extended family and friends
our deepest gratitude for all you've done
to support our little family. 
 

Spreading Sunshine SMILE

Every time you smile at someone,
it is an action of love, a gift
to that person, a beautiful thing.

                           Mother Teresa

Before Surgery

We have come a long way in recuperating.
The worse part of the total hip replacement
was leaving my children for the unknown.
In recuperating, the relentless nausea has
has riddled me with discomfort.
Seriously, it does not let up.
Headaches have joined the arena
of  hideous ailments.

I have been praying on cancer
warriors who have suffered so
much more than I can imagine.

Visit Night of Surgery

Sadly, a medicated brain has deemed
me, gaga, and does not allow
for any kind of concentration for
handicraft, magazine
perusing, or attending of seasonal
craft shows.  My companion is
the TV watching me.  I like to fill
the background with familiar voices:
Lucy and the kids from Friends.

Walking the Day After Surgery

 

Mr. Lee returned to work at the end
of last week.  Life is immeasurably
better because he is in it.

Going Home.  After Two Night Stay.

For the outpouring of
well wishes, our hearts overflow
with gratitude.  This
season of Thanksgiving is made
more meaningful by our family
and friends' continuing loving support.


Thank you.