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Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Tuesday 4 - Do You Want To Build A Snowman?

It's Tuesday and it's time for Tuesday 4! Here are Annie's questions for Week 4 of 2020...

Photo Credit

1. Have you built snowmen, women or even entire families of snow people like little sister Tootie did in Meet Me in St. Louis? Did you use a carrot for the nose? Tell us all about how it.

Ahhhhh! I love snowmen , I love Meet Me in St. Louis! (it's one of my all-time favorites!) 💗 and I love Tootie's snow-family! ⛄⛄⛄ (That is until she starts knocking them all down!) 😲

Tootie's Snow Family in Meet Me In St. Louis
Yes! As a child I built a snowman, snowwoman, or entire snow-family every chance I got! (Made a lot of snow ice cream, too!) I used carrots for noses, raisins for eyes and to make the mouth, sticks for arms, and whatever embelishments I could find...old hats, gloves, scarves, etc. I usually added a string of popcorn, raisins, cranberries...whatever we had...draped over the snowman's arms as an extra treat for the birds.

Snowman That Our Youngest Daughter
(in her 30s) Built Just Last Week 
I love snowmen and use them a lot in decorating and craft ideas. Here are a couple of examples that I have shared with others in the past...


Chocolate Pretzel Snowman Craft
2. Are you hoping for snowmen to melt soon in hotter weather?  Tell us about your favorite time of year and please let us know why you love it. List some ingredient of that season that make it special for you.

Not necessarily. I prefer winter over summer for sure, but fall is, without a doubt, my favorite season...warm days under brilliant blue skies, cool, crisp nights, rustling leaves dressed in fiery reds, deep yellows, and varying shades of browns, golds, and purples, orange pumpkins, geese honking overhead, autumn bonfires, and more! I love it all...the sights, sounds, and smells! In fact, a few years ago, I did a 31-Day series on The Joys of Autumn. Anyone who is interested in reading more about why I love autumn is welcome to go there and check it out

3.Remember bundling up as a child? It took so long to do then you had to go potty and all those layers had to come off again! Is dressing up something you enjoy doing?  Why?


Yes, I do remember bundling up (BEING BUNDLED UP) as a child and I hated it!!! Under all those layers I'd get so hot and sweaty that I was almost claustraphobic. As an adult, I would still rather be underdressed and a bit chilly before being over-bundled and hot in cold weather. I like to layer my clothes so I can peel and un-peel as necessary. 😆

4. In Frozen, the little girl desperately wants to reconnect with her sister and reminds her of the happy times of building snowmen.  Are you disconnected from anyone you'd love to reunite with? What happy times with friends and siblings brings you fond memories and smiles to you?


I can't really say that I'm "disconnected" from anyone (I'm really good about looking people up...even decades later...7th grade art teacher 25 years later...an old friend...an artist...who lives in Paris and spends her summers on a yacht in the Mediterranean after something...like...30 years...yes), BUT...my best friend? Who lives half way across town...less than a mile away? We hardly ever see each other these days, so, yes, if there is anyone that I "feel" disconnected with, it is her. I need to contact her today.

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My BFFF and I and Our Two A. Nicoles
(Me on the Left; Carla on the Right)
(My daughter, Amber, standing behind me; her daughter, Ashley, standing behind her)

I don't have siblings, but what happy times I've shared with family and friends over the years! Some of my most favorite memories have been made over a cup of tea (while sharing a slice of blueberry pie) or going on some wild adventure together! If I was going to "build a snowman" it would be with these folks right here! In fact, I think I HAVE made a snowman with most, if not all of them!!! 

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My more-like-a-sister-than-a-friend friend, Dorothy.
We've been together since 5th grade and are still very close.
Dorothy, did we ever build a snowman together? ⛄

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My friend and used-to-be next-door-neighbor, Robin
(She passed away in 2012 and oh! How I miss her!)
I know that Robin and I built a snowman together. ⛄

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My oldest daughter, Amber, and my Dad
(Dad passed away in 2016 - Miss him so much!)
And of course my dad built a snowman with me when I was a child and I did the same with my children. ⛄

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My youngest daughter, Amanda, and I @ Spring Training 2016
(We both work for Missouri State Parks)
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Me and My Two Aunts, Geneva and Bev
@ Missouri Town 1855 - 2019
And my two crazy aunts??? They were always there to build a snowman with me when I was a child! 💗⛄💗


I loved this week's 'do you want to build a snowman' theme! Didn't you? To join right in, visit Tuesday 4 and share your own answers to these questions! 

Until next time...
Rebecca

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Monday, January 27, 2020

Happy Homemaking Monday - January 27, 2020

Greetings, Dear Ones! Happy Monday! 💗

I hope that your week and weekend were good and that this last Monday of January finds you happy, healthy, and ready to start the week with gusto! Our week here was quiet, but good! 

Monday and Tuesday were spent working around the house and running errands. 

Winter Weather Last Week
The Creek @ Prairie State Park

Due to bad weather (on her end and ours), our youngest daughter was unable to make it down as planned, so Wednesday and Thursday were spent puttering around the house, going through totes, doing a bit of purging and organizing, and I started a couple of new crochet projects...tea cozies and treasure bags.


Tea Cozy and Treasure Bag
I worked Friday...ended up deep-cleaning certain areas there...purging and organizing, too.

Saturday was Burns Night and my cousin, Dave's, birthday, so he came over that evening and we had our traditional version of the Burns Night supper followed by an online reading of Address To A Haggis and a round or two of Auld Lang Syne. Our oldest daughter and her family joined us and an evening of fun was enjoyed by all. The Burns Night supper doesn't make for a colorful plate, but the food is quite tasty! 😋


Not A Very Colorful Plate, But Quite Tasty
Crockpot Haggis, Tatties (without the neeps this year), and Oat Cakes

Yesterday we had church in the morning with a fellowship dinner following and, afterwards, a quiet afternoon and evening at home. 

Enough about last week. Let's take a look at the week ahead now, shall we?


Please join me as I link up with Sandra of Diary of a
Stay At Home Mom
 and all the other lovely ladies that gather
there on this week's 
Happy Homemaker Monday! 💗
The weather...

Right now it's a chilly 32 degrees and foggy, but it's supposed to warm up with a high near 50 today. That's not bad for the last week of January, and the first few days of February promise to be even better! 💗



How I am feeling this morning...

... Good! And ready to get started! I want to get this post, my household chores, and laundry done before taking off for the day.

On my mind...

... The day and week ahead as it promises to be quite busy on every front

On the breakfast plate...

... Toast with jam, yogurt, grapes, and hot tea

On my reading pile...

... Greater Health God's Way by Stormie Omartian and The Great North American Prairie: A Literary Field Guide (Stories From Where We Live) by Sara St. Antione (Editor)
On my tv computer...

Little Men (Canadian TV Series 1998-1999)

Image result for little men tv series"
Little Men TV Series on Amazon Prime

On the menu this week...

Monday - Breakfast for supper
Tuesday - Pizza dippin' sticks, sauce, and salad
Wednesday - Ham, beans, and cornbread
Thursday - Oven roasted chicken breasts, brown rice, and salad
Friday - Broiled salmon, baked sweet potatoes, and cheesy cauliflower
Saturday - Dh's night to cook
Sunday - Leftovers

From the camera...


It's About Time!
(Ladies' Group Theme Last Week)
Looking around the house...

... I managed to keep up with things over the weekend, so it's not too bad. There is a bit of straightening to do and a few dishes in the sink. but, other than that, I just need to do a general wiping down and dusting of surfaces, sweep, and run the vacuum.

Chore I'm not looking forward to today or this week...

... this category is so hard for me. I can't think of anything that I'm NOT looking forward to, so I will tell you what I'm MOST looking forward to, and that is going to the Amish and Mennonite stores. Daughter Amber and I are both out of several things (whole grains, baking supplies, spices) so we plan on going together later this week.


To relax this week, I will...

... enjoy a cup of hot tea, read, crochet, walk, and listen to Lamplighter Theatre 

On my prayer list...

- President Trump, Vice-President Pence, and every other official in this country at every level - that they would seek God and His wisdom, and that their eyes and ears would be open to the truth of God's Holy Word.
- For a spiritual awakening in America and beyond
- Friends, family members, and others who are fighting battles this morning...illness, hospitalization, loneliness, financial strain, and more. 
May God's perfect will be done in every circumstance and may His peace settle over all...in Jesus' name.

Devotional/Bible verse...

Image result for kjv bible verse not ashamed"

Well, Ladies, that's it for this week! I pray that each and every one of you have a lovely, productive, and great week ahead!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

Tuesday 4 - Hobby Girls

Happy Homemaker Monday - January 20, 2020

Tuesday 4: Wayfaring


Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Tuesday 4 - Hobby Girls

It's Tuesday and it's time for Tuesday 4! Here are Annie's questions for Week 3 of 2020...

1. Do you have a hobby or a special interest?  Do you quilt, crochet, cook, sew, collect things, sing, play an instrument, love dolls, politics, learning, reading, biking, hiking, camping, swimming, flower arranging, watching TV? Do you love to entertain, set a beautiful table or just take a walk? Share it with us won't you? Why do you enjoy it? Can you tell us how you became interested or what particularly interests you about your hobby.
Would you share some photos or pictures of your hobbies or interests or lovely things you've seen along the way?

Unfortunately, I have too many interests to do any of them justice, I'm afraid. I enjoy reading, writing, traveling, visiting new places (including historical sites, museums, and art galleries), camping, hiking, spending time in nature, cooking, baking, visiting with family and friends, and more. The truth is, I enjoy just about every new experience and generally view life as one big adventure! 

As for collections...

Over the years I've enjoyed collecting many things...postcards, teapots, teacups and saucers, hearts, rocks, seashells, patches, stickers, buttons...but my favorite thing to collect is memories...and every one of the things that I've collected over the years takes me back to a specific place and time that leads to wonderful memories that have taken up permanent residence in my heart and mind. The things I collect are always tied to a specific person, place, or event in my life. These pictures aren't very good (they were taken with my old Ipod), but here are a few of my favorite collections...


Teacups and saucers...

Every single one of these pieces (and these are just part of my collection) go back to a specific person in my life with whom wonderful memories have been shared...





My grandmother's button jars...

I have added a few buttons to the jars to finish filling them up, but most of them are the originals that Grandma had in them when I was little. I loved looking through these jars as a child; when my grandmother passed away, my aunt let me have them. What a blessed treasure!


And this...


My friend, Bev Cooper, of Wooden Mosaic Treasures put this (and several others) together for me after my dad passed away in 2016. I had a couple of boxes of old jewelry that belonged to my mother, her mother, her grandmother, and her aunt, plus a few pieces that had belonged to my dad. Many of the pieces were broken, some were missing settings, etc., so I sent the whole collection to Bev and she turned the old jewelry into beautiful initialed wall-hangings...one for us, one for each of our six children and their families, and one for each of my mother's sisters. What a beautiful treasure to remind each of us of the generations that have gone before!




2.  Gardening is a hobby for some.
Do you garden or grow house plants? What do you like about it? What are your favorite plants inside or out? Pictures? We'd love to see  photos of your house or garden plants or hear about ideas you have for growing things or creating beauty with plants around the house.


My husband is the vegetable gardener here and I do have a few houseplants, but my favorite thing is my flowers...crocuses, irises, and purple-headed coneflowers being my top choices.

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Lavender Irises
(These are my favorites! They smell just like grape Kool-Aid!)
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Purple-headed Coneflower 
3. If you could design a dream garden or park, how would you do it? What would it contain? Maybe include a picture from the net of one you think closely fits your dream garden.

My dream garden would contain my favorite old-fashioned flowers and bushes (lilacs, roses, and irises) mixed with native wildflowers and grasses. It would look something like a typical English garden (house and all)...like this...

Image result for english garden"
Photo Credit

4. Do you like being outdoors? If so, what attracts you to the great outdoors and, if not, what keeps you inside?
Do you walk in the rain? Are there parks near you that you like to visit?


Yes...I do like being outdoors. I love being out in, and studying, God's magnificent creation! What keeps me in, though, is excessive heat and TICKS! (This is also why summer is my LEAST favorite season!) I love walking in the rain and YES! There is a park near me that I love to visit! It is Prairie State Park and it just happens to be where I work as a naturalist! 😁 I enjoy visiting state, city, and national parks and...that reminds me! Two more things that I am currently collecting are Missouri State Parks and hiking trails! My goal is to eventually visit every park within the state system and to hike as many of their trails as possible. 

In Memory of Toni Taddeo
That's it for this week!

Until next time,
~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might be interested in reading...


Happy Homemaker Monday - January 20, 2020


Monday, January 20, 2020

Happy Homemaker Monday - January 20, 2020

Greetings, Dear Ones!

I hope your week and weekend were good and that your week is off to a great start! Happy Monday! 💗

Photo Credit
Things are going well here. We were without hot water for a total of 22 days, but the hot water tank arrived on Tuesday and was installed on Thursday. We are so thankful! It was a lesson in patience for sure, and hot water is not something that we will take for granted any time soon! 

The yarn that I was waiting for arrived on Tuesday and I completed the last row of the 2019 Temperature Afghan on Thursday. I started adding fringe to the sides and will continue to work on that as I get time. The afghan is not very wide, but it's long. It works nicely as a warm cover-up when I'm in my recliner.

2019 Temperature Afghan
Each of the 365 rows represents the high temperature for each day of 2019. The color chart that I used is one that I found online.There were only three days of rose (22 degrees or below) and not a single day of cranberry (99 degrees or above), both of which are very unsual for southwest Missouri. 

Enough about last week. Let's take a look at the week ahead, shall we?
Please join me as I link up with Sandra of Diary of a
Stay At Home Mom
 and all the other lovely ladies that gather
there on this week's 
Happy Homemaker Monday! 💗
The weather...

Cold! 19 degrees with a windchill of 14 at the moment, but warming up to near freezing this afternoon. The rest of the week doesn't look too bad.


How I am feeling this morning...

... anxious to get going. I've got a lot to do today and, thus far, I'm not making much progress.

On my mind...

... praying over prayer requests that have come in this morning, planning the week ahead, making a grocery list, and getting ready to head to town.

On the breakfast plate...

Eggs, toast, and hot tea

On my reading pile...

... I finished Healing Wellness by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, but am still reading Greater Health God's Way by Stormie Omartian. I am also reading The Great North American Prairie: A Literary Field Guide (Stories From Where We Live) by Sara St. Antione (Editor).


Greater Health God's Way: 7 Steps to Inner and Outer Beauty  -     By: Stormie Omartian
Greater Health God's Way by Stormie Omartian
The Great North American Prairie: A Literary Field Guide
(Stories From Where We Live)

by Sara St. Antione (Editor)
On my tv computer...

... Sarah, Plain and Tall, Skylark, and Winter's End with Christopher Walken and Glenn Close

Image result for sarah plain and tall movie"
Sarah, Plain and Tall
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Skylark
Image result for sarah plain and tall winter's end"
Winter's End
On the menu this week...

Monday - Leftovers that we didn't get to over the weekend
Tuesday - Chicken ranch salad
Wednesday - Supper at dd and sil's
Thursday - Turkey Italian sausage with roasted potatoes and fried cabbage
Friday - Broiled salmon, mashed sweet potatoes, and steamed broccoli 
Saturday - Dh's night to cook
Sunday - Leftovers

From the camera...

Saturday Night Date Night
Dh fixed tortellini, sauce, and salad; I had
made French bread earlier in the week.
Looking around the house...

... It looks good (as good as 'good' gets around here anyway). I did my weekly 'home blessing' and laundry yesterday afternoon, so today could be free to go shopping and run errands. I do need to straighten the living room a bit and get the Van Gogh room ready for company a little later in the week, but that can wait until tomorrow.

Chore I'm not looking forward to today or this week...

... this category is really hard for me. I can't think of anything.


To relax this week, I will...

... read, drink tea, take a walk, enjoy a visit with our youngest daughter.

On my prayer list...

- President Trump, Vice-President Pence, and all elected officials and their families in every city, state, and county
- For a spiritual awakening in America and beyond
- Friends, family members, and others who are fighting battles on every front; may God's perfect will be done in every circumstance and may His peace settle over all...in Jesus' name.

Devotional/Bible verse...

Image result for philippians 4:7 kjv"

Well, Ladies, that's it for this week! I pray that each and every one of you have a lovely, productive, and great week ahead!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...


Tuesday 4: Wayfaring

Happy Homemaker Monday - January 13, 2020