Introducing...

Gosh…so much has been going on lately.

First I would like to present to you a new blogger site which

I am proud to be a part of

~Lens Us Together~

It’s a photography blog, born just this week, which will prove to be an adventure to say the least….walking the course of 52 weeks in a year with the story shown through our photography.

We are women that want to do a year of weekly challenges depicting our lives one week at a time.

Go on over and visit with us, and join us as a follower so you can keep up with us if you can! You will discover new places, new ideas, and some awesome creative photos. Women are storming the world…even in photography.

I promise you will be pleased.

PS...you will find some of my work there! Enjoy!

Lots of busy days this week and it’s not over yet…..BIG plans for tonight, will fill you all in later…..Enjoy your weekend and have a safe and blessed one too.

Something to think about…

I was shocked, confused, and bewildered, as I entered Heaven's door, not by the beauty of it all, nor the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven who made me sputter and gasp--The thieves, the liars, the sinners, the alcoholics and the trash. There stood the kid from seventh grade who swiped my lunch money twice…next to him was my old neighbor, who never said anything nice, and old Joe, who I always thought was rotting away in hell, was sitting pretty on cloud nine, looking incredibly well..

I nudged Jesus, "What's the deal? I would love to hear Your take. How'd all these sinners get up here? God you must've made a mistake. And why's everyone so quiet, so somber - give me a clue."

"Hush, child," He said, "they're all in shock. No one thought they'd be seeing you here."

JUDGE NOT.

Remember...Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car. And God never makes mistakes.

Every saint has a PAST....

Every sinner has a FUTURE!


No judgment here…

Back Up and Rewind

~ The highest wisdom is loving kindness. ~Talmud
A long day yesterday, of what seemed like a whirl wind at times at the VA clinic with my daddy, finally turned out to be a quiet evening at the grill for some burgers and grilled potatoes. …..Or so it seemed like it was going to be quiet. Stop.…wait….back up to the clinic….Vets are some of the nicest people you can meet, it’s like they are all in one big boat. Everyone is friendly and kind, even the staff at the clinic…they were ALL nice, patience and all smiley every time you talked to them. Not entirely true, we did find one clerk that looked rather grumpy, like maybe he’d sleep wrong or something...shhhhh…it was a man, . There were enough nice ones that they cancel him out! Now, on with the story…No matter the problem the veteran has, he seems to make the most of it; he just wants his fair shake. To my daddy, they said, "OK Mr. M. we are going to fix you right up with your request, based on the eval, for that electric scooter."

He can’t even walk around in Wal-Mart without giving out of breathe, long story short! "

…and we need to get you some hearing aids too." they said.

"What?" says my daddy cupping his ear….

"WE-NEED-TO-GET-YOU-SOME- HEARING-AIDS!"

No run around, nothing. Nice goes a long way!

*Squealing tires* Stop again….back up and rewind…..Back to the quite evening….Ha….We were putting the freshly patted out hamburgers and the cut-n-half potatoes on the grill when we hear car tires squealing on the road and a loud POP! Remember I did mention squealing tires. Our little road is a cul-de-sac…..this was out on the other road…the road which has the BIG bad downhill curve or up-hill depending if you are coming or going! And you know me….I had to go see, go help was more like it. After all, I have worked in a dentist office before so I was qualified, right? So off I go, leaving hubby with the burgers….Jump in car, go down drive way, turn left, stop at end of our road and see the wreck. OK…now here’s something disturbing….Several cars had went by with only one man on a motorcycle stopping to help the poor little fellow. So here I go. First I tell the man to let’s get the giant garbage can out of the road before someone else comes around and down the curve and has another wreck on top of this one. Why he had not already done this, was beyond me! Must be a man thing. The young fellow appeared to be fine and was calling 911 himself. Another disturbing thing….the dispatcher said to him "Well you sound OK, are you sure we need to send anyone?" ............….Hello!!!!!!!!! This poor little fellow had just rolled his small car 3-4 times before it stopped on its side, finally falling back on all fours in the ditch. Looked like a total loss to me. Bless his heart, by this time he is crying a little, trying to be tough, so I gave him a big hug and told him it was going to be OK. Of all things he apologized to me for being upset and crying. Details: Junior in high school, lives down the road, his dad is a doctor, he calls dad, dad comes, checks him over…He’s OK other than a bad bruise/scrape from the seatbelt. So we talk a little and I finally tell him I’m going on home and get out of the way. Even though he lived near, I did not know him but it didn’t matter.

He thanked me for being there, talking to him, and giving him a big hug!

My heart melted.

Ooooooh the simply random acts of kindness

that makes your heart zing with joy.
Comfort…..and then comes the Joy.

PS….the big loud POP came from hitting the giant empty garbage can sitting beside the road……..today was our pick-up day! Thank God for seat belts and the smarts to wear them. Remember to buckle up; you may just save a life…..Yours!

PSS….The burgers were great along with the melted hoop cheese, toasted buns, grilled potatoes with citrus pepper and butter. Yum….

Here’s how to do the grilled potatoes:

2 small to medium sized baking potatoes, scrubbed well
Pam spray
Seasoning of choice….mine is citrus pepper and salt

Bake potatoes in the microwave, after poking a few holes in them with a knife, for 4 ½ minutes. Slice them in half length wise with a sharp knife. As you will see they are nearly done at this point. But don’t stop there since you already got the grill going! Spray each half with Pam, all over, bottom and tops. Sprinkle cut side with the seasonings and place face down on the grill. Grill for approximately 8 minutes, watching carefully for burning. Serve them up with butter!

PSSS…I’m still trying to figure out what the man on the motorcycle was doing to help?!? Maybe just his presence was enough….after all he was the first and only one to stop before I got there with my hugs.

Leaving you to soak this up for now….
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?'"he asked.

"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.

"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins.

"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty ice cream dish, were two nickels and five pennies..

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

Saying My ABC's Series of photos
Kindness if for "K"

~ No act of kindness is wasted.~

William Purkey

The Pursuit of Happiness

Happiness is what makes you smile….it’s like getting your peanut butter mixed with your chocolate! Finding a dollar on the sidewalk….anything that makes you giddy….

"An effort made for the happiness of others lifts us above ourselves."
~Lydia M. Child


Saying My ABC’s
Happiness is for “H”
Smiling Annie is Happy and she has no life!



Seems as though we are always in the pursuit of what can make us happy. Just what is the true meaning of happiness? This is the ultimate question with everyone’s different opinion. Does having wealth, tons of material things, everything your heart desires, winning the lottery, (Time Traveler trick!) make you happy….sure it does....a type of happy. But when does it end? Where do you go from there? How happy can a person be once he has everything he could possible have in the world? Or is happiness more than that? Sure it is. There are more happy people with very little than people with all things material. Now don’t get me wrong…it is nice to have enough of the things you need and to live without a constant struggle in life. “Happiness is not having what you want; it's wanting what you have.” Happiness can be found right in front of you. Open your eyes and see….look around you, feel the happiness in the greatest treasures of life….life itself. We are privileged to have experienced life in general. Make the most of what you have, where you are at, and know that you are exactly where you are meant to be in this world. …and choose to be happy!

My list of happy:
A warm snuggle
A tight hug
Knowing Jesus
A baby’s smile
A child’s giggle
Peace
A soft rain
Rollicking in the snow
Making someone’s day
Giving
Being the correct weight for my height…. (sorry, I’d be happy if this was true)
Sharing “Happiness is like a kiss...you must share it to enjoy it.”
Living life full
Contentment
Being Loved and loving others
Smiling
Lemonade
Thrifting

Happy is as happy does. Find your happy place and enjoy it….share it, bottle it up inside of you until you want to burst wide open and let it sing out! Put on a happy face and get happy! "Happiness comes in the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed." ~ Strom Jameson

What makes you happy?

Oooo Wait…What’s this……?

Do I detect a nip of fall in the air…in the slightly cooler breeze......? Ahhhhhh…it’s such a good feeling. It has been nice enough lately that we could open the windows in the evenings, cut off the AC and let in some fresh air. Simply refreshing. Makes you look forward…...forward to the upcoming change of the seasons, when the air is filled with the smell of peanuts, freshly plowed in the fields, the start of high school football games, even though I don’t know a thing about football, and Pumpkins!

I love pumpkins!!! I love the real ones with their odd personality traits, the fake ones with their happy faces, and pumpkin pies! Anything pumpkin!

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin….

God picks you from the patch, brings you in,

and washes all the dirt off of you (baptism).

Then he cuts off the top (opens our heart)

and scoops out all the yucky stuff (sin).

He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc., and

then He carves you a new (born again) smiling face and

puts His light (love) inside of you to shine for the entire world to see."

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

~Matthew 5:14-16

But will this little "cool spell" last….or is it just teasing us? I’m afraid it won’t last, sadly....our summers have been known to last well into the end of Sept. and sometimes the first of October. But alas....., I’m going to enjoy it while it’s here for a short stay or an early fall, which ever course it decides to take. I’ve got a roast in the crock…put it on this morning before church, just added the carrots, onion and celery (yuk) and will add the potatoes in a little while. Boy does it smell good…….gosh I‘ve got to get that "smell-a-vision" button on here! Well now that I’ve got your taste buds reeling for some home cooking, sorry, I’ll leave you with good thoughts of fall and all its smells, pumpkins, and Jesus!

Let your little light shine!

Blessings to you!

Awakened To The Smell of Biscuits...

…sitting in the sun…
empty and alone, no family here.

The word gratitude comes to mind. Gratitude is being thankful and appreciating everything we have. Grateful for the sunshine, a peaceful home, a loving family, and the list can go on and on….

Saying My ABC’s
Gratitude is for “G”

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul."
~Henry Ward Beecher~

I am thankful that I was able to get up this morning, hearing the birds chirp outside my window and the smell of …............................my husband was in the kitchen cooking!

Yes, he was cooking homemade buttermilk biscuits to take for the guys he works with, they love his biscuits. Sometimes he takes my homemade strawberry jam and other times one of the other guys will bring some sausage. He always leaves me one or two of them, but too bad this morning I did not get any because I had to go for my 6 months fasting blood work…
Yep, it was time to go get poked. Fun, fun.

I’m also thankful for being able to:
drive myself to my appointment,
to breathe without an oxygen tank,
and to have a few dollars in my pocket.

Appreciation for the small things in life,

the overlooked and taken-for-granted things are so important.

Don’t ever forget where you came from, good or bad…

be grateful for the way you turned out in the end.
If you are not proud of yourself…do something about it!
And don’t forget to thank Jesus for all your many blessings. We don’t hesitate to pray for the things we need and want in our lives, but we must remember to thank Him too.
Gratitude is not being grateful without saying “Thank-You” to Him!

"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive

- to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love...."

~Marcus Aurelius~

Gratefully Yours,

Faith Matters

faith

1. confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, an idea, or a thing.
2. belief which does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.
3. loyalty or allegiance to a person or thing; especially, holding to a promise.
4. the theological virtue defined as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will.

Hebrews 11:6 describes the meaning and the practical role of faith: "Without faith it is impossible to please [God], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." KJV

“…if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” ~1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV

A preacher was caught in a horrific flood, and a man in a canoe offered to evacuate him. "No, I put my faith in the Lord to save me," he said. After being forced to the roof of his porch, another man in a speedboat offered assistance. "No, I put my faith in the Lord to save me," he again responded. Eventually forced to the highest point of his chimney, a Coast Guard helicopter attempted rescue but was turned away in the same manner. The preacher drowned and went before the Lord. "Why didn't you honor my faith and save me?” he asked. "What do you mean, I didn't?" the Lord replied. "I sent you two boats and a helicopter!!"
Moral of the story~"through faith we will know when God is speaking to us".

Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast." NIV

Have a little faith, it can go a long way!

Saying My ABC's

Faith is for "F"

Girls Night Out

Ahhh….the fresh aroma of popcorn, movie theater popcorn with extra butter that is. I wish I had one of those little buttons on here where you could “scratch-n-sniff” to get the smell in your head. I would call it a “smell-a-vision” button. Three of my friends and I went to see the movie “The Time Traveler’s Wife” this past weekend. It’s about a Chicago librarian, Henry, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder that sends him hurtling through time whenever he is under extreme duress....wooo! Despite the fact that he seems to “vapor” away at inordinately frequent and lengthy intervals, he attempts to build a stable future with Clare. Clare has been in love with Henry her entire life. You see, she was only six and Henry was a grown man, when they first met in the meadow. She believes they are destined to be together, even though she never knows when they will be separated. His time traveling causes him to live his life on a shifting timeline, skipping back and forth through his lifespan with no control. Talk about a man out-of-control. Despite the fact that Henry's travels force them apart with no warning ( humorous at times), Clare desperately tries to build a life with her one true love.
Now having revealed the story line…..the movie gets a little confusing at times…time traveling? Being here or there; or two places at one time. I'm sorry but this just doesn't happen, if it did everyone would know the winning lotto ticket numbers before they were ever drawn. You could pop into the future, see the numbers and come back and buy your ticket! Instant Winner! Come on now… Overall if you do not dwell too much on the technicalities and just focus on the humor and sweet romantic love story in this fantasy…it’s a good movie! Rachel McAdams (Clare), plays a great role….no real-life woman would be that understanding of her husband disappearing at any given moment and Lord only knows when he is going to return much less where he had been! And traveling without clothes…..well you’ll just have to see the movie for that tidbit!




Remember I said there was humor and don’t forget to buy that expensive bag of popcorn and a Coke! Treat yourself, you deserve it!

It's Worth The Effort...

"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort." ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
It takes great effort to achieve anything, without the effort of trying; it would not come to be so meaningful. Make an effort daily to encourage, to love, to nurture, to live… it takes very little effort to smile and the reward is usually infectious.

Saying My ABC’s
Effort is for E

Something Very Unique......

There’s something quite unique in Ozark, Al. A small quaint place tucked neatly into the back of a home owned hardware store. Once you make your way past all the great hardware things, and yes women like to go to the hardware store too, you’ll find yourself among some of the most beautiful fabrics and laces and rickrack! And who doesn’t love rickrack? Skinny rickrack and fat rickrack….its all so awesome! Yay for rickrack!! Met Paula Carroll, owner and super wonder woman of Simply Unique, a Sewing and Gift Shoppe, located in the rear of Bill’s Hardware Store. This grand place is right here in my home town. You can buy a sewing machine, learn how to sew, smock, sew on a button and even use rickrack! Paula loves what she does and it shows in her smile and her friendly spirit. She is a true example of what southern hospitality is all about!

So, if you are looking for beautiful fabric, heirloom laces and smocking materials or even a single button, yes she will sell you just one button, go to Ozark, and find Paula busy as a bee in the back of Bill’s Hardware Store in her own shoppe…Simply Unique!

And don’t forget the rickrack!

HEIRLOOM SMOCKING

AHHHH.....THE TOUCH THE FEEL OF COTTON!

Paula will have her new website up and running soon……I’ll let you know when it is ready, for now you can contact her at 334~445~0851. Happy sewing!
Bill, by the way, is Paula’s husband! You can buy a single cork or screw or even a ladder from him!
Psst.......All the photos were taken by yours truly! :)

Special Times

There are times spent together and then there are special times spent together. A time spent with a daughter is special…from doing nothing to shopping, acting silly; cooking and eating…even to sewing together and making new things. After the empty nest syndrome seemed to have vanished, I can now appreciate Holly for who she really is….an adult, a fun adult to be around, who has the same interests and talents that I possess. What a joy and a blessing! Traveling miles and miles to Louisiana to visit her is well worth the trip, driving through the traffic of maniacs, distracted cell phone blabbers, and people who love to cut you off! Anyway….once you arrive it is a relaxed time of fun. (Only to drive home again through the…blah, blah blahs... try not to dwell on it). This is a project that Holly and I came up with; without using a pattern….We had to make our own! I was so pleased with myself after studying and trying to figure out how to put this thing together. The end result was great. Here are our Cute Clothes Pin Bags~ For those of you who like to hang fresh laundry outside! The bags are completely lined and they are for sale!! :)

Footnotes~ Holly did not get all her talents from me...she got her athletic nature from her daddy!....and no matter how much of an adult she has become, she is still my sweet baby girl!

Busy...busy

I've been busy lately.....did a photo shoot yesterday in a local store here in Ozark, "Simply Unique". It is a sewing and gift shoppe. Paula Carroll, the owner, is starting a web site and I was privileged enough to be the one who is taking the photos for it! I will share more later about this fantastic place....from right here in my hometown!

Have a wonderful summer day!
......Give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth forever. ~1 Chronicles 16:41

In The Kitchen Again!

Well it seems as though I cannot stay out of the kitchen these days, from putting up (freezing) vegetables, to trying new things. The vegetable garden is doing great, although the battle between us and the worms ended in defeat for us. They ate and conquered all the corn before it could even break a tassel in the top. So much for the corn! So we pulled up what was left, it was sad, and burned it. Now we have collards planted where the corn once grew. Oh the joys of gardening! I’m sure the worms are sitting back laughing at us, thinking “Oh boy, can’t wait for those collards to come up and grow some tender young leaves. Yum, yum!”

Here’s what for supper tonight:

Chicken Marsala and Yeast Rolls with Creamy Lemon Cheesecake Pie! Can’t wait!
The Chicken Marsala recipe is from my dear friend Libby, who loves to cook and has hundreds of recipe books! She reads them like reading a good novel. She was kind enough to share this one with me back in 2007. It is so good.

Chicken Marsala
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 (6 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups sliced mushrooms
Cooking spray
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup Marsala wine

1. Place flour in a shallow dish, and dredge chicken in flour.
2. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan, keep warm.
3. Add mushrooms to pan; coat mushrooms lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add Marsala, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes or until chicken is done and wine is slightly reduced. Serve mushroom mixture over chicken. Can also be served over your favorite pasta.

Making the Cheesecake Pie!

Creamy Lemon Cheesecake Pie

2 pkg. (8oz ea) of cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 eggs
1 ready made graham cracker pie crust 6 oz.

1. Preheat oven 375F
2. Beat cream cheese in electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.
3. Add sugar; beat until well blended
4. Add sour cream, lemon juice and zest, mixing well.
5. Add eggs, one at a time mixing on low speed after each addition, just until blended.
6. Pour in ready made pie shell.
7. Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack.
Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.


I can really make a mess when I'm in the kitchen! So my Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl comes in very handy and useful! Love it!!






A view of the pre-cooked cheesecake pie! Looks like pudding!















Love my KitchenAid! (sigh)





A Dollar Tree kitchen must-have!
These little spatulas are great for scooping out your measuring cups...etc.










...and finally the finished product! Hot out of the oven...it has not even settled yet! Now for the cooling and chilling....it will be so worth it!






All so easy and even better tasting. So much for trying to loose a pound or fifty! Enjoy.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ~Romans 10:13

Crabmeat au Gratin~Yum yum!

I bought fresh crabmeat before leaving Holly's house in Louisiana and this what I cooked with it! So so good.......Wish I had a picture to share but that thought escaped me when the timer went off and this was ready to eat! Yum! Have fun and enjoy making this dish as well as eating it.....just remember to pick through your crabmeat for pieces of shells to avoid the dentist!

Crabmeat au Gratin

1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 12 oz cans low-fat evaporated milk
2 egg yolks, beaten
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 pound fresh crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease an 11x7 inch baking dish
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add flour and stir until well blended. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Add a ladle of milk mixture to beaten egg yokes; stir well. Pour egg mixture into milk mixture in pan, stirring as you do so. Add salt, cayenne and black pepper; cook, stirring until thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Place crabmeat in a medium bowl. Add sauce and mix gently, to avoid breaking down the crabmeat, but blend thoroughly. Spoon into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes, or until cheese melts and begins to lightly brown.
Serves 8 family and friends~Great with a tossed green salad and crusty bread!

"I've learned that all a person has in life is family and friends. If you lose those, you have nothing, so friends are to be treasured more than anything else in the world."~Trey Parker and Matt Stone

Dreams

Dreams and visions of a more beautiful time.
Saying my ABC’s
Dreams are for the letter “D”
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

The Graugnard House faces the mighty Mississippi River, however the view is now blocked by a giant levy to protect the house from rising flood waters. State Hwy 44 separates the house and the levy. Behind the house sits a modern day factory or refinery of some sort. In my review the scenery is not what used to be by any means. I can picture in my minds eye the mighty Mississippi rolling past with great fields of cotton and sugar cane growing all around this house and children running barefoot while playing and laughing. Giant live oaks may have once provided masses of shade and lots of beautiful flowers. Can’t you just see it?
See more here and here.