Slowly it rose this morning.

A new day was dawning.



What will this day hold?  What is in store for this week?  Certainly, it has a gorgeous beginning and offers me a fresh, clean slate.

"I went to the theatre

With the author of a successful play.

He insisted on explaining everything.

Told me what to watch,

The details of direction,

The errors of the property man,

The foibles of the star.

He anticipated all my surprises

And ruined the evening.

Never again!-And mark you,

The greatest Author of all

Made no such mistake!

~from the book, "Recapture The Wonder", Ravi Zacharias

A new week.  A new day.  Thank you God for these special gifts.

Hi.

My big sister and I spent this past Friday at our favorite home-away-from-home: MaMaw's house.

We just discovered that she has a closet full of fun and fashionable things.

To surprise her, we each slipped into a pair of her shoes and came out in the kitchen.

Like we suspected, she thought we looked pretty foxy and went for her camera.

I will admit, it was a challenge at times to keep my satchel properly perched on my shoulder.

As long as I kept my hands raised, I was able to keep it together and continue looking fabulous.

I would write more, but I've got places to go, people to see
(with a smashing pair of heels to take me there).

I hope you enjoyed this special 'guest writer' edition of 'Just A Little Something For You'.

Late last evening here in my part of the world. Quiet, peaceful, and beautifully the snow came. It was truly a winter wonderland and I thought I would like to share it with you.

It covered every branch and twig down to the tiniest one.

And it kept coming.

It was midnight when I took the above picture.

And early this morning when I took these.

The beauty was undescribable even through the screen on my porch.




The sun was starting to rise casting a soft blue shade over everything.

Thankful to this handsome guy who cleared the driveway and sidewalks.

Thank you for stopping by to share in my joy today.

Valentine's Day will soon be here and these little ones love their newest little cousin. This week when they were at our home, they spoke often of their cousin. They always want to see pictures of her on our computer, which gave me an idea that might help them.

I told them I was going to make copies of her picture for them. Immediately, they ran to the copier to wait. For some reason they are so intriqued by this machine. I love seeing their anticipation over something so simple as watching the copied pictures coming out of the machine.

Three copies of this little one's picture...one for each of them to have for their very own.

Simple pleasures can bring such joy. This small happening is proof of that.

Tonight we are in the midst of yet another snowstorm. It is beautiful!

I picked the small book up at the grocery store book display. The title caught my attention.
"If Only I Knew" title got my curiosity, because my personality is always wanting to know, and I wanted to see what this (book) was about. Here is what I read in the first few paragraphs;

~"Someone once said that "life is short, so keep short accounts with God." That is wise advice, but I'd like to add that one should keep short accounts with every person who is in the circle of our lives. We never know when life will be dramatically changed...sometimes permanently.

Think about it. Don't allow the regrets of "if only I knew" to be the final marker of your life. Be swift to love. Hurry to be kind. Take the time to make someone feel special. Freely give hugs and kisses, and may "I love you" be often on your lips."




A few pages later, "If Only I Knew...

that I was powerless to change other people,

I would stop trying

and been free to love them

for who they were,

flaws and all."

And as I read through more pages, I came to this, "If Only I Knew...

God gives us a lifetime

to become the person

He wants us to be.

I would have been more patient

with myself...

and others."

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Powerful little book filled with thought provoking words. It provided me with a new prayer for my life after reading it. Life is filled with many unforeseen happenings, and our relationships are some of the most important. I want to live celebrating my family and friends, letting them know just how special they are to me.

If you need a small gift, you might want to chose this book;

"If Only I Knew" by Lance Wubbels

Years ago, I was strolling the aisles of our local Ollie's store and I came upon a small paper back book titled "Guests Without Grief". The title caught my eye since that was becoming my policy in having people over. I purchased the book for a few dollars and I've learned some fun things from it. Today, I will share a few of the pointers and facts that I have found useful over the years.

To begin with, I liked this quote found in it's pages, "It's not so much what's on the table that matters as what's on the chairs." ~W.S. Gilbert

The section on "Customize It" and the section titled "Elevate The Ordinary", I found the ideas are clever and think they add the needed touch to simple foods;

~"Serve take-out chili from a bowl nestled in a napkin-lined basket. Surround it with earthenware bowls of chopped avocado, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, chili peppers, sour cream, and shredded cheese."(this is a great idea for serving chili and works if you use a basket with a big flat surface. You can carry it all over to the table with one trip.)

~"Remove frozen lasagna from its disposable aluminum pan and place it it an attractive, ovenproof glass or ceramic dish before baking. Top it with a few slices of tomatos the last five minutes of baking, so they barely melt into the cheese. Crown it with a healthy sprig of basil or oregano just before serving."

~"Buy jumbo packs of frozen meatballs from a warehouse market and bake them in a homemade or home-d0ctored sauce." ( I make a sauce of sour cream mixed with dry beef bouillion)

~"Personalize a French restaurant's boeuf bourguignon(or I use beef stew), with a cookie cutter cutout of frozen puff pastry. The author of this book, Paula Jhung, said that her favorite restaurant tops theirs with a cow cutout. She uses hearts, stars, or closest holiday symbol."

~"Impart a delicate sheen on a loaf of frozen bread dough by brushing it with equal parts of white vinegar and water before baking."

~"Slice roasted deli chicken into a salad, soup, or sandwiches. Give a prepared chicken salad an international flavor by adding defrosted but uncooked petite peas, a sprinkling of toasted almonds(and I add craisins or chopped grapes)."

~"Add texture and color to a take-out potato salad with diced celery, snipped fresh parsley, and chopped hard-cooked egg."

~"Doctor a sweet bottled dressing with a pinch of poppy seeds and some finely diced fruit. Fresh mango or peaches are especially good."

~"Pour a little orange or pineapple juice over cut fruit to keep it from browning."(my mother always adds orange juice to her lucious big bowls of fresh fruit that she serves).

~"Mound and serve fruit in a scooped-out seedless watermelon, cantaloupe, or honeydew melon."

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Now my friends, if you happen to be one that makes each and every dish you serve to others, that is just fine. I would love to be invited to your home for a meal. I am not that person. Often my time allotment does not allow me to do that, so instead of ruling out having others over because I can't make everything from scratch, these few ideas worked for me.

Thanks for stopping by today. I leave you with one more quote from the above mentioned book; "To sit down with family and friends to a good meal is nourishing, not only to the body but to the spirit." ~Laurie Colwin, MORE HOME COOKING

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Don't we all need our spirits lifted? Happy Monday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our beautiful daughter! Wishing you all the joy that you blessed us with over the years.

Happy Birthday to a very special guy and a few of his little admirers, helping him celebrate his birthday last evening!  I was proud of the delicious, warm apple pie she made and served, thanks to her aunt's recipe., especially in light of the business of her day.

 This post fits perfectly in the "simple pleasures" category of everyday life.

The card with the cow on the barn roof, was the request of the little guy for his older brother to draw on a card.  He just knew Pawpaw would find that so funny:)  Just love the fun, enthusiasm, and imaginations of little ones and birthday celebrations.

This post ties in with the one I posted last evening.  Rare happening for me...two posts in two days.

No matter how I set my table, no matter if it is my dining room or kitchen table, no matter what time of the day it is, I always think it looks much better...

...with people around it.  Much better!  It does not matter who those people are, whether they are family, friends, newly found friends...it just always looks better.  I think back over the last years of my life and I can tell you, anytime I sat at a friend's table for meals or for coffee, the memories are there.  I read in a hospitality book, that "the greatest compliment you can give to someone, is to invite them into your home."  I certainly am not talking about entertaining.  There is a time and place for that, although it does not happen often in my home.  I am talking about hospitality.  Opening up your heart and home to others.  It is one of my favorite ways to spend time, whether the invitation is to our home, or to us to visit in someone else's home.  There is just something so special about sitting around a table and sharing with others.

 This evening, we took dinner to our daughter and son-in-law's home to help celebrate my husband's 59th birthday.  Yes, it was quite busy and noisy throughout the dinner.  The soft background music and candles were replaced with the six children seated around the table, but we had a wonderful time.  The hot apple pie pulled from the oven, was the "birthday cake" of choice.  We talked, and laughed, and sang "Happy Birthday" with this special family.  It will be another treasured memory for this grandma.  You see, I find hospitality uplifting, encouraging, and can make one feel so cared for, in my book.  I feel so strongly about this, that throughout the next months, I will be sharing some shortcuts I have learned in regards to having others into your home.  Perhaps, it may prompt you to practice some hospitality with others.  Or, perhaps you are some of the ones who practice this art freely and have in turn prompted and encouraged me to do the same.  I'd like to share some helpful advice that I learned from my mother, one of the most hospitable ladies I know, and some hints from some of my favorite books on hospitatity.

 In closing, I will tell you that the group of people pictured around our kitchen table, were the groom's family and their close lifelong friends(who we met for the first time that evening).  Just looking at the picture reminds me of the wonderful people they were and the fun we had together two evening before our the wedding.

Tomorrow is a special birthday and I have work to do before the morning.

Saturday morning of the wedding day, they arrived at our home...time - 7:30am.  They, these two beautiful, professional hair stylists.  Their mission on this Saturday morning was to perform miracles on the hair of the bridal party.  Their salon for the morning was the upstair's bathroom. 

They had many heads of long, thick hair to curl and style.  Here the bride is having magic done on her hair.  At the request of the bride, each girl wore their hair down and curled.

Hairspray and curling irons were the tools of their trade.  Here the bride's beautiful cousin takes her turn.

 Curls, curls, and more curls.

In another bathroom of our home, our oldest daughter styles our middle daughter's hair.  Over the years she has styled many  heads of hair too.  I always found it interesting how effortlessly she created the updos and down styles for perms and weddings.

What artistic skill and talent the two stylists displayed, in everyone of the hairstyles they completed.

 Each style complimented each bridesmaid.  Here another one of the bride's cousins shares her completed style.  So pretty!

After the hair came the make up for those who wanted it done.  The groom's sister completed makeover was captured by the photographer's camera.  Isn't she adorable?  By the way, the photography was skillfully captured by my dear sister-in-law.  What fun it is to have pictures to share with you on my blog, thanks to her skill and time she spent taking them.

My job for the morning while all this was taking place, was to hold and love my precious little granddaughter.  No greater joy could be found for me than this.  Here she is after getting a bath and having her hair washed.  After all, she wanted to be just like the older girls. 

I know this is old news.  The wedding was over a week ago, but I thought maybe you all would enjoy seeing the magic transformations made in the early hours before the wedding.  Thanks for stopping by this evening.  And thanks to the gifted stylists who added to the outside beauty of a very special group of girls in our lives.

His new favorite snack, or sometimes lunch...a banana(or apple slices), dip consisting of equal parts of caramel sundae syrup and peanut butter whipped together, and some chopped peanuts.  Put banana in dip and then in peanuts...so delicious.  We never tires of this healthy, satisfying snack.
                    

And neither do we tire of the breathtaking sunsets that have been gracing our skies quite often lately.  Last evening was no exception.   A peaceful scene.  More snow is on the way tonight.

Tenderly...

Thoughtfully...





Lovingly...she took time with her baby doll.

Reflecting today and in that reflecting, I was reminded of just how meaningful little gestures can be. 

An unexpected smile.

A note or card in the mailbox.

An encouraging phone call.

A hug.

Emails waiting for you on your computer's inbox.

Blog comments...

Small happenings can make a big difference in an ordinary day's events of my life.  Would you agree?

"It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can."  ~Sydney Smith

I am a fan of the winter season.  I am one of a rare minority.  I like the snow and the cold.

This week was an opportunity for me to experience it all...the cold, the snow, and the wind.

There was a brilliant winter sunrise after the overnight snow.  My uncle was out with his camera and he captured the above picture. 

Miles up the road I was on my back porch capturing the same exquisite sunrise.  Quiet, still, very cold, the morning began.  I wanted the moments to last.

As we drove that morning, every branch and twig was covered with snow.  The sun added more beauty causing it all to look like it was sprinkled with glitter.  Of course, you know I like glitter too.

Funny thing though, the older I get, the more unsure I am becoming of the fact that I am a fan of winter.  It seems like I just can not get warm lately.  But, my friends...

...it is now a week since my daughter and new son-in-law got married on a cold, snowy winter evening.  As we stood at the door saying good bye to them that evening, we were so cold we could hardly talk...

...but tonight they sent me this from their Jeep thermometer, at their home now in the upper mid western United States.  They know now, what the real cold of winter is.  What a way to start their married lives together:)

I do hope you are staying warm wherever it is you find yourself this Saturday evening. 

The last of the wedding pictures will be shared today.  The above 6 foot trees were put together a few years ago by a creative friend of mine.  She used tree branches and placed in a bucket with cement.  She asked if I wanted to use her trees for our wedding since it went the theme of our wedding.  We were thrilled that she shared them.  She had tiny white lights intertwined on the white branches.  She cut out snowflakes, hooked them to the branches with ornament hooks,  and used them as placecards for the reception seating.

It was an elegantly beautiful display that greeted the guests as they entered the reception area of the facility.

She had also created a larger snowflake that was placed on each table with a pinecone and evergreen, displaying the number of each table.  Her creativity was a gift to us via this clever way to seat everyone.

The father - daughter dance was danced to the group Heartland's song, "I Loved Her First".  Emotionally, the words got to me as I sat there watching them dance together.

They chose cupcakes to use as their "wedding cake".  Chocolate and raspberry cream with white roses and edible glitter.

They were served with vanilla ice cream from a local dairy.

Here the bride and groom are pictured with the bride's cousin and the girl he recently announced his engagement to.  Just amazes me that they are at this stage of their lives already.  Seems like yesterday they were racing around the playground together.  The engaged couple is getting married in July.  Another fun wedding to look forward to.

Like all good things...the end of the evening was upon us.  Saying goodbye was so difficult as she joined her new husband in the limo and headed for a life together.  Difficult and yet so happy...I'm sure you know what I mean.
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Your interest in the wedding and your response to the pictures helped me realize again, just how good it is to have others care in what you experience.  I enjoy when you all share your lives via blog, and certainly now more than ever.  Thank you!