Taken Stock in My Life

April 2nd is my birthday and every year I think back to the year before, not long because I can't change it but just to see how I did with that years changes. Not the nations but mine, my personal decision to be a better person. This is my first year writing it down, maybe good, could really be bad. A few years ago, my Mother died, her journey was also mine. I found that at the end material goods are irrelevant, it is either God and me, or just me. I prefer to think it as God and me.

Last year it was tolerance, sometimes I really wanted to deck someone that hurt my feeling but than thought it over, you know that count to ten backwards stress relieving process. But I think just the thought of decking someone might have not been any better. Oh well, but as a human I find the challenge a continuing hill to climb.

So today I took out my moral compass and sat down to do a little soul searching. In a moment of pure silence it came to me. I have pulled out this soap box so often that people knew it was coming and ran. I love this word...RESPECT.

I realize respect covers all things. Think Green, respect for our planet that God gave us, respect family and friends and they will be kinder to you, and respect what I have, not to replace because I am tired of it but because it is truly wore out.

Come back next year to see how I did. You may say this is a high standard to set my goal at, but as I see it, if I try and fail, at least I tried but if I succeed, wow, I will than influence others to try the same.

Happy Birthday to ME.

Timber Has a Sleep Over...

needless to say it wasn't her idea. Eli belongs to my husbands daughter. We usually tell her that Eli is coming. Timbers view of the red head is, she really doesn't have one. He is a puppy, she's the senior and she rules. Her belief is that one beautiful, talented bird dog is enough for her humans.

She finds her work load doubled because she has to be more attentive. This is surely going to take away from here hunting duties. Even though she doesn't chase the critters as much as she used to she must keep them aware of her superiority.

This morning after the second night of Eli's visit she took a walk around the room to view the damages. Yes, there it was again. Her favorite toy with holes in it. It doesn't matter that she had destroyed the squeaker, it was that Eli tore more holes in it. This yellow plastic toy was now trash. She glanced at it and walked around the room checking each toy. The last stop was here red bed were he'd been last. No longer would she call it home. Not until it was washed.

Then it happened, the redhead and her humans headed for the door, it was a new day and she had secured the one thing that was everything to her. Her little piece of earth and the two humans she was in charge of. It was not only a great achievement but now a nap was in order.

Once again she had saved us. Sigh.

What I Have Learned in Bloggerville

What I learned is simple.

1) There are people that think you are interesting and you don't have to buy them coffee.

2) People who write blogs are interesting and addicting I rush to read their new entries.

3) They add to your writing by giving you their thoughts on your subject.

4) They are simply interesting because they share their thoughts with you and give you, in return something to think about.

Thanks to all of my followers and all who care to visit for a while.

God Bless you and yours

Do I Smell Peeps?

Oh yes, they do smell wonderful especially when you are four weeks into lent. If you are Catholic you know what that means to give up candy. If you're not Catholic then lent maybe confusing. Short form explanation is as follows. Jesus spent 40 days in the desert with the devil and no food. Yiks, and I am complaining about no candy...oh well, we like to honor Jesus by giving up something we love for those forty days.

This has been going on a long time, even older than me. When I was young I tried to give up things like, making my bed, helping in the kitchen. Mom told me more than once it had to be something that meant a lot to me. I tried everything, giving up soft drinks, that was easy, even not talking a lot, that is truly a force of nature it didn't take me long to fail at that. So back to candy I went. Forty days without candy it may sound easy but it's not.

The hardest part is in the grocery store. At the end of the isle that's where the candy for any holiday is displayed. I find myself running my hand over the bright colors of the Peeps, yellow and pink. I think to myself, Carol step away from the Peeps. As my hands slide off the Peeps and my fingers ease off the pressure that usually take the product and places it in my cart I feel great. I do have to take one more trip past those sugar wonders. Once again I have made it to the cashier, pay my bill and head out of the door. I however, look back and wink, I will be back for the Peeps after Easter.

For today, Jesus would be proud of me but alas will I make it tomorrow, for it is another day and another trip to the grocery store.

Don't Egg Me On

One thing I enjoy about Easter is the colors. After a long winter of lots of white and grays color becomes the thing to add to your life. Maybe pink, purple, light blue and of course bright yellow. So starting to design my Easter cards is a delight. I love the colors and the textures of paper, and artwork is so abundant. Jelly bean, colored eggs, candy peeps, oh don't get me started on peeps.

Lets just talk cards. This year I started my collection with a light hearted card to kick of my creative juices into gear. The outside reads, this is easy, Happy Easter but the inside is as always my favorite so far, well it is my first for the year so that makes it my favorite. The inside reads, may your Easter happiness outlast your jelly beans. Ha, that easy in my life, because I breath in jelly beans.

The whole secret to a saying in a greeting card is feeling it. Putting your heart and drawing from your soul. That's why it is hard to pick favorites when ask about my cards. Every card I design is a part of me. It makes me smile in hopes to make others smile. But I cannot rest, I have more to do and more smiles to create. I hope you enjoyed a brief visit into my design world.

The World According to Timber

One of the family I have not introduced, other than by name is our English Setter named Timber. She came to us over 10 years ago with the main objective to train us in. It didn't take long for her to achieve her goal. She never goes on furniture, only barks when it fits her needs and basically does everything right. Yes I said right.

I know it seems impossible for a dog to second guess her humans. But Timber does that on a regular basis. In the winter she will consider a cuddle with me, but when spring comes she has little time for us. Often when she is laying on the rug and John and I call to her she looks annoyed. I think she is saying to herself....it sure takes a lot of work to keep these two happy.

But one thing we know is that she loves us. Otherwise she would get tired of the hugs, and all the attention we demand. Her agility is slipping and she gets off the floor a little slower, she sleeps harder these days not unlike here humans.

Her favorite thing in the world is a riding. She would rather be in her vehicle than anywhere else. I know if you could ask her what she loves. We would come in second after a good road trip. It is good to come home to a wag of the tail, and a smile, yes a smile. She has unconditional love even when she feels she has better things to do.

Winter Wonder Land

I often wonder why I can complain one day and love the next. Today the temps are in the high thirties. So I zipped up my coat, grabbed a cup of coffee and enjoyed the rocker on the front porch. The sun was shining so bright I had to close my eyes. And I pondered the garden with sprigs of green growth pushing their way through the ground.

No it was not going to happen this afternoon or even in a week but it would happen as it does every year. The ground would get warm, and God would bless us with life. I am always in ah of Him. What would life be like not believing? I really don't care what others say, I just think life is so much more valuable with that belief.

So, here I sit, with the sun melting my fears and pains. Dreaming of the coming season. Remembering how in September I would stand on the porch and proclaim without shame, "die plants die". Boy does that sound cruel. But that is what is nice about Minnesota. You move from hot summer days, lots of work in the garden, to fall where you enjoy the outdoors without having to tend to grass and weeds. Winter, sweat pants, shirts and light jackets are the call. You enjoy a blanket and a book by the fireplace. Then spring, wow, God goes to work again and your life becomes full of color and wonder. So, in closing, from my thoughts from the garden, life in Minnesota is once again in balance. Until the next storm. Smile.

God Bless all who wonder into my blog.

Carol

What about those First Born Sons

I am the baby of eight, you wonder what I know about the first born....really not much. But I have lots of first born nephews and I know their plight. Being the baby in the family means everything comes to easily, mostly because the parents are wore out and have seen everything, so nothing is a surprise. Babies do carry their own challenges, maybe a story for the future.

Back to my brother and others who are the first born male. I am sure that the first born is surprised they are sane. This child is the one that will set the stage for all that follow, that's what parents think, but we all know that as years go by parents change views and procedures. Often what they did was kind a crazy and maybe confusing. This child lived through it and so did the parents. Now the parents looks at the child and says, what a great kid, even with everything we did to him.

I designed a card that give the first born a little notification that the parents know how hard it was. Now some of those children have children themselves and will understand the card and the thought even more. I hope you like it.

Just a little more grumbling.....

I know you have better things to do then read my rantings. But really better me than you, don't you think? Unless you live in Minnesota, than I sure feel bad for you too. We know that there will be snow in March, often melts fast, but this morning it was 23 below. So, shout it out loud and clear, so Mother Nature can here it. "Let Spring Begin".

Boy does that feel good. Well, that is all I have to say. Now as most of you, I have to go to work. Wish I had a good picture to add to this but you probably wouldn't appreciate my facial expressions this morning.

Carol
God Bless my readers.

Enough Already...

This was not funny, you say to yourself, what is she talking about, it is Minnesota and winter to boot. I know you are right but this is never easy when you live in denial. Yesterday they talked about a snowstorm. So, I decided that they were most likely wrong and it would go either north or south of us.

But no....it started to snow, and yet here I was still denying it. Let me tell you, it not only snowed, it snow stormed and the temps dropped. Got up to five below, and at least 10 inches of snow. Here is a picture of our steps going up to our deck, they are right outside my drawing room and I don't like the looks.

The weather will stay the same for two days, they say warm weather is coming. Yah right...it sure doesn't look like it. My mind doesn't think think this way, snow up to your nose and melting tomorrow. Fine, I will put a blog up when 10 more inches of snow melt. I just want sun, tulips, and buds on the trees. The spring shell come. Ok, this is enough bad news for the day. I am so cranky today.

Carol
God Bless to my readers.

Card to Love

Back on the drawing board. No... not exactly on but I actually placed my head down in honor of the days lost by going on vacation. No, I loved vacation but I love my art room and missed it. Here is my latest and greatest card. I believe all my creations are wonderful. Don't worry you don't have too..Smile.

This was really fun, I started out with a piece of artwork with notes. I knew it was for a birthday card. And I had hoped that no one would know it didn't sing birthday. But I loved it. I cut the front of the card short. Nice, than what, what do you do with that sliver of paper ? More notes, than what. Since it was a card for a gal, I decided hearts would be the accent. Yahoo. I used a stencil and a paint brush and chalk. What do you think?

The whole card was fun to do. I hope you enjoyed the process it took to get this gem complete.

I find it fun to see where I can go and how I get there. I had an article below that talked about luck or talent. Only time will tell if in years I can still create new and interesting cards. I think I am up for the challenge.

God Bless to my readers

Carol

Horse to the Barn

That's what we were like coming back from South Carolina, for those who don't know what it means, this is a short explanation. When riding a horse and the horse knows when it's heading back to the barn, it's at that point he darts to the barn and there is no stopping it.

John and I are like the horse, once we decide to head home we see nothing but shortest way and all eyes are on the road. What were we thinking...telling a family member we would meet them as they traveled south for five weeks. We had to go out of our way to spend a night with them.

I have to say it was wonderful to see them, funny thing was they were in a hurry to get to warmer weather and we were in a hurry to get home. Leaving both couples not willing to sit back and drink coffee and talk for hours. But once and a while we all do things special for special people I hope they felt the same.

Snow in Foothills of South Carolina

If you have been reading my blog you know that we have been vacationing in South Carolina, to be exact the foothills, Anderson, Greenville, Travelers Rest. Great places and fun also.

John and I had four days of wonderful weather and spring fever crept in. It would have to be April for these temperatures to occur in Minnesota. We knew they needed rain and figured, we wouldn't complain if rain came in. And guess what? It all started on Friday with overcast skies and a few sprinkles. Timber kept her head out the window of the truck, and we wore a light jacket. Saturday it poured, Again Timber with here head out the window taking in the scents of the area she did not complain, however we started to feel like ducks. What was fun was pulling those little promo sheets from the yards with sale sign on them. Wet, yiks, they got lots of rain.

But than on Sunday we heard of snow coming, snow, oh no... so when the flakes started we settled into our hotel room to watch the races, NASCAR for those who don't know our love for the tracks. Anyway, the race started and the signal was lost. John watched the blank television for some time. He was in shock, even in Minnesota we have never lost a signal longer than five minutes. To make a story short, it never came back, tower went down due to snow and ice.

Monday we woke up to this. Only to find out that the state had shut down and thats when it happened. John looked at me and we both said we are out of here. Off we went.