Begin A New Year

They say that life is a highway

and its mile-stones are the years,

and now and then there's a toll-gate

where you buy your way with tears.

It's a rough road and a steep road,

and it stretches broad and far,

but at last it leads to a golden Town

where golden Houses are.

JOYCE KELMNER

We are spending what time we can outdoors today ...the weather is just so beautiful.  We started with a walk along the lake shoreline to get geared up for what was to follow ...taking down the Christmas decorations.  We got it all done and put away in storage.  Although I love to have all that festive holiday stuff out ...this year I started decorating early, so we were all pretty much ready to put it away.  Of course I had a hidden agenda ...I get to redecorate.

I set up a table on the courtyard for tea.  It is a warm day so we are having ice tea with lots of lemon.
I'm also introducing my newest Garden Fairy to all of you.  Isn't she beautiful?
~~~
May your heart be filled with hope as we begin anew this day

Sharing at

The House In The Roses for Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Highlights of December 2011

Picking up the pace with decorating for Christmas.

Adding our traditional mini-Christmas tree is the very first thing we do every year.

I added a white Christmas tree this year and lots and lots of white feather trees as well throughout the house.

Even though we had no snow ... we still had a white Christmas inside.

And last but not least ... a gift of flowers on Christmas.

~~~
May you consider the days of past as a special gift given from above.

Lifting my spirits

After Christmas there seems to be an ever-so slight dip in my mood ...a sort of lull in my level of motivation as I scramble to pick myself up to get back into the swing of things.  Do you feel the same?

Could be the thought of having to take down and pack away all those Christmas decorations ... not sure.

Anyway, I got myself distracted from putting away Christmas (not hard to do) long enough to get something done just for me ... I cleaned the desk in my office.

I started removing the stuff from the top of my desk, which was covered with papers, books, camera gear, pens, etc.  I knew it needed to be done but was having trouble getting motivated.  I'm starting a new business in 2012 and thought I needed to get prepared.  The best possible way to get started, I thought, was to begin by decluttering my work surface.

I began by removing everything ...everything except computers, phone, and lamps.  Then I gave the desk a good dusting.  WOW ...that alone made me feel better ... all those dust bunnies.  Then I brought in these.

The flowers I received at Christmas.

These flowers made me smile ... and then I thought, I have procrastinated enough!

What a powerful force flowers can be for me.

~~~

Long experience has taught me that whereas people

will take advice about love, and about money, and

about nearly all the problems which beset us in life,

they will scarecely ever take advice about their gardens.

Well ... it may not really matter much, so long as

they love them.

BEVERLY NICHOLS,

from Garden Open Tomorrow

~~~

I do hope that you too will find a source of inspiration today ...and I also hope that you will come back and join me for tea soon and cookies soon!

New Year's Brunch 2012

Menu:

Mimosas

Cucumber & Salmon Minies

Layered Salad

Crock Pot Roast

Black-eyed peas

Jalapeno Mexican Corn Bread

Raspberry Tea

Sherbet Cake & Coffee

~~~

Find joy in simplicity, self-respect, and indifference

to what lies between virtue and vice.

Love the human race.

Follow the divine.

MARCUS AURELLIUS

P.S.  With the table all set up in the Sun Room, all that's left to do now is the shopping, cooking, and baking ...Have a glorious New Year!

~~~

Joining:

A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday
Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesdays
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday
My Romantic Home for Show And Tell Friday
Where Women Blog

Awe how very peaceful on the balcony

It is so so very peaceful up here on the balcony, the day after Christmas.

Just a light lunch with a great bottle of wine.

Awe ...how very peaceful indeed.
And I had another Fairy siting today ...buzzed past my right ear while sipping my glass of wine it did.

~~~

We stand once more at the end of the year

with mixed emotions of hope and fear.

Hope for the peace we  long have sought,

fear that our hopes will come to naught.

Oh, Father, grant once more to men

a simple childlike faith again ...

forgetting color, race, and creed

seeing only the heart's deep need.

HELEN STEINER RICE

Merry Christmas 2011

Merry Christmas from me to you!

The priceless gift of life is love,'for with the help of God above

love can change the human race

and make this world a better place.

For love dissolves all hate and fear

and makes our vision bright and clear.

So we can see and rise above

our pettiness on "wings of love."

HELEN STEINER RICE

He can hardly wait

No, it isn't just the kiddos that are anxious to open their presents this Christmas.

I just had to keep saying ...no... Christmas is only a few days away ...you have to learn to wait.

And I finally got a smile when I threw in some candy.

Just a little humor I added to a table in my Sun Room today 'cause my grandson is coming over to spend the night.

~~~

May you find humor in your heart no matter what you are waiting for this Christmas!

Joining

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

The Charm of Home for Home for Sweet Home

My Romantic Home for Show And Tell

Special Moments in time

Pictured in the mosaic photo above is the first tree I put up ...every year ...always.  If I decide not to/can't do anymore decorating for Christmas ...this one little tree still goes up.  I guess I would say that it has become a tradition in our family.

It all started a few years ago when I purchased three of these little trees.  I gave one to each of my grandsons when they were just babies.  I wanted them to have their very own Christmas tree.  I also wanted my grandsons to see this very same tree when they were visiting us at Christmas...you know, seeing something familiar.

I remember when the little guys came tugging at my apron one Christmas with wide eyes and smiles announcing to me that I had the same tree that I had given to them.  I told them the reason why and received even bigger smiles in return.

Special moments in time.

I love how the tree looks so at-home with the mercury glass candle stick holders and lamps.

~~~

Tis the season to be jolly ...and bright!

Joining
A House In The Roses for Show Off Your Cottage Monday
A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday
Little Red House for Mosaic Monday
Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesdays

Christmas Fairy Appearance

Sometimes one has to be very, very patient ...and very, very still.

And they will eventually make an appearance.

Remember, I had mentioned here that I had sent out an invitation for a Christmas Fairy.

Well, she finally arrived and she brought a few friends.

Oh I do hope she is staying for the holidays ...humor me plz ...I'm ready for a good laugh.

Anyway ...how's that saying go ...Smile and the world smiles with you?

But about the Christmas Fairy ...anyone that knows anything about them ...knows that the only way to keep track of one is to place them under glass.

For it has been rumored that Christmas Fairies left to their own devices ...are capable of terrorizing  small villages.  Imagine what they can do with a Christmas tree and presents.

May you be blessed this holiday season with laughter and good cheer!

Participating at:
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

Christmas Tablescape 2011

This has been a fun year for all of us ...busy, but fun.

I've already started quite a list of things to do around here for next year and the number one thing on that list is to get better organized with my list.  My husband has started to sweat ...and grumble.

Today I would like to share a few photos I took of my dinning room.  I hope you enjoy!

I consider Christmas to be a time of rejoicying ...a time to celebrate and the one time of year that color is spread about our house everywhere you look.

I love sitting down to a meal where a beautiful table has been prepared.  It just makes the meal seem so much more festive ...special.  Do you feel that way?

The centerpiece will stay out thru Christmas.  If this was the only area I had to decorate in my home for the holidays ...I'd be happy.  I pass by this table several times throughout the day so it is always a fun place to decorate for any event.

Of course I'll add a bit more layering (with the dishes) for the actual Christmas dinner meal.  For the photos today though ...I wanted the colors to show as much as possible.

For my tablescape today, I brought out the crystal candlestick holders, white candles, white poinsettias, and added green apples to help spread the color green that I used to decorate with this year.

I had an opportunity to use several of my bottles for the flowers.

As always, keep peace in your heart.

Oh and ...if you are looking for holiday decorating inspiration...

go take a gander at Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday

and

at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday.

Joy to the world

We are having a white Christmas at our house this year ...this guy even put on a white shirt for the event.

Imagine my surprise though ...I had invited a Christmas Fairy.

Keep joy in your heart!

UPDATE:  Oh by the way ...the Christmas Fairy did appear here!