My Favorite Color Day

It's a grey Saturday, a bit between mist and light rain. 65 degrees. Had an early morning appt. with the furnace/air conditoner man, just to make sure the system is working. Our weather this time of year is use the heater one day, the A/C the next. A lot of people complain about grey days, but I rather like them. Hubby was out of town all week, and I have still been sorting and re-organizing. This a.m. we went out for breakfast and a few errands, then he headed for the golf course. I have the rest of the day to play, create, or continue organizing. Or a little of each. We'll meet back up later for dinner and a movie. I think it's a fine way to spend a Saturday.

Look at my Crape Myrtle, known as the Lilac of the South. In February we are advised to trim them back, since they only bloom on new growth. Some folks do, some don't. I like the way Hubby trimmed this one. There was a little nest that he didn't want to disturb, so he didn't trim those two branches. I always thought most birds didn't return to re-use a nest the following year. I have seen a bird perched on top of that tree every day the past week. It does appear the nest is getting smaller, so maybe she's is just going for re-cyled building material, and building her nest somewhere else.


I enjoy the bare branch trees so much because you can better see the birds perched in them.

It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas

Even though I love decorating for Christmas, it seems like I do less and less each year. I still enjoy getting out all the decorations and looking at them and remembering where and when we got them, etc. The whole memory lane thing. I just don't seem to have the energy to decorate the entire house like I used to. When there's only the two of us living here, and not a lot of entertaining, I do as little as I can get away with. Hubby wants to haul it ALL out and really deck the halls for just the two of us, so he does a lot of the work. Especially this year, with my shoulder surgery and continued rehab. After getting the tree up, I do feel more like getting into the spirit, so will probably still be putting stuff up for the next week or so.

Trees are really hard to photograph. I think my tree is much more beautiful in person. Using a flash totally washes it out, without flash it's blurry. I had to settle...just couldn't get it right. Hopefully I can get some better photos later.

Papier Mache' deer are about 30 years old.

Hubby and I buy at least one new ornament each year. We like acorns. Some years we buy a pear, some years a bird. The acorn is in the upper left corner, kind of hard to see. It is pretty large though.


Dear Sweet Hubby played golf all day yesterday, with the promise he would hang lights today. Of course it was cold both days, so here he is, getting started, 38 degrees and windy. He did the front yard today and will work on the back yard tomorrow.


I spent a big part of today making these Tim Holtz rosettes. They are NOT as easy as he makes them look. One needs 3 hands to hold and glue them. The perforations that you fold on are very easily torn apart. I am glad I don't have to make a living assembling these little things. Also, glad I have decided I won't be making enough for a garland! If I were, I'd have had to start in July!


We had a great Sunday, just hanging out together, doing stuff, went out for coffee and a newspaper. Weather forecast says we will get into the low 30's tonight.

Little Silver Circle

I bought a dozen of these at an after Christmas sale several years ago. I had never used them because I had planned to change the red ribbon out for some other color. I would get them out every year and look at them, but never quite get around to altering them. This year when I decided to only get a few boxes of decorations out and only put up one tree, I found them again. This time I took the time to exchange the ribbon for moss green ones, and I hung them on the tree. Now, if you look closely you will see that they are all the same bare branch picture. It's a photo I like, but I think next year I might take the time to cover the words "Restoration Hardware"... LOL It is the photo that came with the frame!! So you've never done this before??? Well, I really hadn't. A few days ago I ran into a friend in the store and we were discussing how hard it is to do "everything" for the holidays. I told her what I had done, and she started laughing so hard she was crying. She then told me about the year she had bought a bunch of picture frame ornaments and had plans to put B&W photos of all the family members in them, but never got it done. Around time to do the tree, she was so tired, she just hung them all on the tree. She said she forgot about it, until some of the family members were looking at them, trying to figure out who the people were in the photos, because they sure didn't look like anyone in the family. She said she has used them every year since, just like that, and they all get a laugh out of the "faux" relatives.

I'm feeling more like Christmas

I have recovered from my little meltdown of last week-end. I ran away for a few days and it seemed to help. Of course a day or two in a nice hotel, drinking lots of creamy coffee and eating chocolate for breakfast will remedy lots of ailments, I'm sure. Add to that a great pal who delivered a big box of books and magazines to the hotel before I even arrived. I definitely had a respite from real life! I'm facing life a little more focused right now. Taking one day at a time instead of letting 3 or 4 attack me all at once. Everything is done around here that is going to get done. I swear I am not going to do one more thing.

This morning I woke up at 4, made tea, and spent a long time sitting snuggled up in a blanket, admiring my Christmas tree. It looked ugly to me last week, but this week it is beautiful, and it didn't have to do a thing, but sit there and wait for me to look again!! I love sitting in a dark room with only the twinkle of the tree lights on. I went out later to World Market for a few food items and a quick stop by Michaels, for a couple of Tim Holtz items to play with later. No pressure, just play.

Notice the round silver frame in this photo? Look at it closely. I will tell you a funny story about it tomorrow.


Close up of clip-on bird


I love these white paper ornaments from Hallmark from I don't even recall how many years ago.




This year I used gold,silver, white and turquoise

I wish I had a river I could skate away on.....

If you listen to the Joni Mitchell song "The River", that describes my Christmas spirit. I swear every year that I will ward off the blues, but my nature, being what it is...well.... I used to be Martha Stewart, with a tree in every room, all perfectly themed and color matched. Tons of baking and entertaining and the whole package. Some years I was so tired on Christmas day that all I wanted to do was crawl under the tree and take a nap while everyone enjoyed the fruits of my labors.

Circumstances change, years pass, we are far away from family. That makes a huge difference. Hubby and I have developed many new and different traditions, so we don't buy into the commercialism, not that we ever did much. As far as gift-giving is concerned, we keep that real simple. Some gift cards, food items, and charity.

I am just really blue this year. Part of it has to do with medication problems that I am working on, so I can't blame it all on the season. Anyhow, since I last posted, I have been moving slowly, dragging my feet, sleeping a lot. This week-end, I finally got the ONE tree decorated. It took me all week. Hung the wreath on the door, and I think I will call it done. And I think I will run away from home. Oh wait, the bird-feeders need filling. Better do that first. Oh, and I should probably tell hubby I am leaving.

Lime and Turquoise, my signature colors


Close up of wreath