Thankkful Give-Away for Followers

THANK YOU!

Dave would, in great excitement, call out to me, "You've got another Follower!" That tickled him, and me, so much; thank you for that gift, that great memory. He would click on your names, visit your blogs...never leave a comment though -smile-...and tell me, "you have the nicest followers!" Very rarely did he leave a comment on my blog and mostly as "Mr. Stumbles".

Yes, there is a give-away...just keep reading!

He was right. You are the nicest folks and, a lot of times, leave the nicest comments. You've tucked me into prayer, commiserated with me when things were going not so well, blogged about me, stood in the gap for Dave and I, written Sabbath Keeping when I was unable, sent me cards with actual stamps, e-cards, gifts, poems. Truly, you have blessed me greatly and there have been dark days when I would go back over each and every comment just to feel love and loved; to know I wasn't alone in my miserable grief. When I was unable to pray, you prayed; when I was unable to post an entry, you said, "it's your blog, post when

you're able"; when I felt so absolutely bereft of life's longing, what kept me going was knowing someone was standing in the gap for me. Bless Ezekiel's heart, he found no one but God sent me you! If you're not a Christian, you can't understand what it's like...knowing someone, somewhere is taking your name to the throne of God and beseeching Him, the creator of the Universe, on your behalf. I'm telling you, it makes me want to have church...right now!

Mercy Father, please bless us each and every one!

Thank you for your prayers, your comments, your outpouring of love. 

As Robert Frost wrote:

"Where had I heard this wind before
Change like this to a deeper roar?
What would it take my standing there for,
Holding open a restive door,
Looking down hill to a frothy shore?
Summer was past and the day was past.
Sombre clouds in the west were massed.
Out on the porch's sagging floor,
Leaves got up in a coil and hissed,
Blindly struck at my knee and missed.
Something sinister in the tone
Told me my secret must be known:
Word I was in the house alone
Somehow must have gotten abroad,
Word I was in my life alone,
 Word I had no one left but God."

So, for the giftie...a beautiful china cup and saucer with a ten bag packet of green tea and a beloved book, The Mercy Seller. I enjoyed this book, greatly, and hope you will also. I'll ship all of it to anyone, anywhere because you only have to be a follower; this is my way of saying you're the best and I thank God for you!

The rules...

~open to TCF followers world-wide  

~comment on this post for your chance to win

~leave a way for me to contact you...sorry, but no searching for e-mail

~comments taken until Sunday, February 5 at midnight

~when your name is drawn, Monday, February 6 at 9:00 a.m. and then you're notified, you have 24 hours to send me your snail mail address...at Tuesday, 9:00 a.m., if necessary, I'll do a random drawing again

Blessings ~ followers, each and every one ~

Simple Things

 ~ cautious, cautious ~

 Do simple things give you much pleasure? If so, we've a lot in common. This week, I'm trying to lay low, take it easy, stay in the studio or kitchen and tend to hearth and home. This month, there have been three funerals and two of those, necessitated a trip out of state. It always catches me by surprise when my energy level flags once I've returned home. I suppose it's the adrenalin that keeps everyone on their feet, doing what needs to be done whether that's assisting with the funeral, helping the family or just being a shoulder to lean upon. Once over, my energy collapses and I find even the simplest of responsibilities too much. When Dave's mother passed away, we tended to the wake and burial decisions with the last being hosting a luncheon at the farm for anyone and everyone who wanted to come. I'm grateful to my family for coming, helping and staying the weekend but after they left, Dave and I fell into chairs and just stared at each other. Then we took naps followed by chair sitting followed by eating followed by sleep followed by naps...you get the drift. That went on for about two weeks before we pulled out of it and "it" still catches us by surprise at the oddest moments.

All that nattering to say, it's been a month! The deer was photographed while nibbling fallen apples and gave me such pleasure to watch.

 ~ hidden by thistle ~

At first glimpse, this is what I saw and believe the deer was, slowing, going towards the stand of apple trees. The thistles in this field are so tall, it's difficult to see the deer but God gave me an eye to see what's not supposed to be there...or so Dave tells me. I thought everyone could see what's not supposed to be there but no. Dave tells me I have the ability to see the king is wearing no clothes and laughing at us in the bargain. Sigh. Those with eyes to see and ears to hear...

~ hay! ~

Bless God, we have fifty-seven and a half 4x4 round bales of hay and, as we put them up on shares, that means we now have twenty-nine bales of hay waiting for winter feeding! The other folks got the half bale and we got the full bale because we moved all their hay off our pasture. Trust me, it's fair.

 ~ electric kettle ~

 One Very English thing I like is electric kettles and now I've my very own...hurrah! I know it probably doesn't make any difference but I don't like water heated in a microwave. I just don't but, now, Sunbeam has brought the electric kettle to the US and I've got my very own. Works like a charm too.

~ tea, at the ready...almost ~

 Why this pleases me, I just don't know. It's not like I don't have tea pots that are cute, pretty, functional but this little number is just fine as elderberry wine. The jacket, on left, is to keep the tea hot while the strainer will hold either tea bags or loose tea and screws into the lid for safety. More importantly...there!, I finally remembered...is the way it can be used, sans strainer for presentation tea. When Dave and I were in London, we bought presentation tea from Harrods and I've been searching, ever since, for a clear tea pot. Yes, I could have sought out a glass tea pot on the i-net but this was more fun and certainly more serendipitous. Next thing you know, I'll be searching out a presentation tea chest.
Not.

  ~ tea for one ~

I'm working on a series of giveaways and this will be one...a delightful cup, saucer and box of Twinings Earl Grey tea. Forgive me for harping but, while in London, Dave and I also went to Twinings shop just because. We didn't buy anything but it was so cute; been in the same location for a couple of three hundred years, or thereabouts, and smelled delicious! So, this is one giveaway, coming next week. I'm thinking each day I'll give something away; hope you like it all.

As you know, we live in an area called the Cove and about a year ago, some Cove folks asked if I'd start a blog. Cove Community Virginia was born and the reasoning was, we'd all contribute. Well, that's not happened but I'd still like your opinion on the blog. Please visit and let me know, okay?

Speaking of blogs, you're probably dizzy with all the changes on this one. I'm trying to doozy it up a bit but not with cutsey stuff; I don't do cute. I want calm, peaceful, serene; a place you can visit, take a deep breath and simply relax. Does this do it for you?

~ my monkeys ~

Nothing earth shattering, there's far too much of that in this ole world already. "Fatigue makes cowards of us all" and that's certainly true. This quote has been attributed to Vince Lombardi but before him, it was said by George S. Patton. When I find I'm overwhelmed, anxious, fretful that's when I find I'm fatigued, weary, tired and in need of sustenance of the spiritual and physical sort. I need to stay close to home and focus on those things that bring me full circle - a good meal, Scripture, studio time, just holding down porch furniture, drinking a cold drink and chatting with Dave.

Simple things.


Blessings ~ folks who lived ready so they were ready to go ~ hay ~ deer ~ dogs ~ tea ~ Dave ~

Dei Gratia,
Sandra

New to me teapot

This is the aforementioned, new to me, teapot. Isn't it adorable? I enjoy a pot of tea, as well as a pot of coffee, but tea settles me more, makes me slow down and take stock in a way that coffee does not.

I mentioned it in the post where I had trouble entering photos, thought I'd catch up a bit.






Blessings ~ tea ~ new to me teapot ~ lovely cups ~ friends to share ~ thrift stores ~