Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
I am looking forward to seeing you again after the Holidays!

Michelle

The Ocean

I love the ocean.

I love taking parts of it home with me, seashells, sea glass or rounded stones.  They are reminders of family time, carefree days of just being together hunting for ‘treasures’.  We may find the perfect piece, or none at all, it doesn’t matter.  The fun is in the hunt.  Walking up and down the beach, toes at the edge, eyes on the beauty in and above the ocean, and hands juggling finds or ready to snatch up something pretty in the water.

A day spent with salty kisses and sandy toes is a good day.  My little bowls of shells here and there throughout my house transport me back to those days and puts a smile on my face.  

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Texture Tuesday and the class BeStill 52.  The assignment in the Be Still class was something tallish with a printable in the background.  My images were tweaked in Lightroom and textured in PS Elements with Kim’s texture tuesday.  

Thank you for stopping by!!

Have a great week!!

Michelle

 

Kindness

My computer has a virus.

The day my computer was given the virus I went to Trader Joe, I had to get out of the house.  I got my favorite marinated mozzarella and an evergreen wreath.  The cashier made the mistake of asking how my day was going.  I let it all out, the short version, and then apologized for complaining.  He told me it was ok, to go ahead and vent if I needed to.  I told him thank you, it did help to let it out.  I made it almost to my car when I heard behind me someone yell, “Excuse me, ma’am.”   I turn around and the cashier was holding a bouquet of flowers.  He handed them to me and told me he hoped my day got better.  I cried. 

   

I guess there really are good people still out there.  

I am still keeping my Winter Gratitude List (check out this post if you would like to know more about my list).  It is helping me find reasons to like winter a little better.  For the sake of brevity I am going to share my five gratitude favorites from the past two weeks: 

Black coats – when snowflakes land on them you can see the individuality of each and every snowflake.

Icicles – I just really like icicles.

Winter Berries – they brighten up my home.

Quiet – the snow seems to act as a natural sound buffer absorbing noise and creating a quieter world.

Holiday Gatherings – reconnecting with family and friends.

Why are you grateful for winter?

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Friday Finds and also the class Be Still 52.  My images were textured with Kim’s texture wednesday.  The class assignment was – square, from above and two sides.  My Finds this week were kindness and a beautiful bouquet at Trader Joe, the rose above was part of that bouquet.

Thank you so much for stopping by!!

Have a great weekend!!

Michelle

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

‘If the only prayer you said in your whole life was ‘thank you’, that would suffice.’  

 -  Meister Eckhart

The first Thanksgiving was in 1621.  The Pilgrims were having a feast to celebrate their successful first corn harvest.  Remembering the hardships of the first pilgrims in America helps me to be even more thankful for all I have today. 

There were a lot of courageous people who founded America.  I can’t even imagine all they went through, the bravery and tenacity they must have had.  Oh how I would love to sit down, with my daughter beside me, and talk to a pilgrim, hear first hand how they lived their life.  We have so many conveniences today that would be ‘hard to live without’, but the pilgrims made a life without them all.  I take so much for granted…

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for all the people who made America a country, the soldiers, pilgrims, political pioneers and the early citizens.  I am also thankful for clean water that flows out my faucet, fresh fruits and vegetables in the winter, a furnace to heat my house and my car, things the early pioneers could only dream of.  

My thankful list would not be complete without being thankful for my family.  I love you all, each and every one of you.  

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Texture Tuesday.  I used Kim’s Lightroom preset lightly2 and her textures gift and wednesday on my winter berries.

I am also grateful for you.  Thank you for stopping by and saying hello. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!!

Michelle

 

An Uninvited Visitor

 ‘All seasons are beautiful for the person who carries happiness within.’  -  Horace Friess

He was early.  A visitor who appears regularly whether invited or not.  A visitor I hope comes late and leaves early.  A visitor who’s stay is as welcome as a tax auditor, yet not quite as dreaded as the neighborhood skunk.  Yes, old man winter has arrived.

Winter is my least favorite season.   

I found a quote this week that made me stop and think about my relationship with old man winter.  

“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.’  -  George Santayana

I have been hopelessly in love with spring, as well as summer, and have fallen out of love with old man winter some time ago.  I find him cold and somewhat harsh.  But George (whoever he is) has a point.  Being grumpy all winter because it isn’t spring, or summer, is silly.  I need to find the good qualities of winter and celebrate those, be grateful for each season as it comes.  The seasons will change every year whether I like it or not.  If I find beauty and gratitude in each winter day it may just help me… dare I say… fall back in love with old man winter.

I have decided I will not complain about winter this year (my husband is laughing so hard he just fell off his chair while reading this).  I am challenging myself to find at least one thing each day to be grateful for about winter.  I will post my findings every Friday through winter (minus a few days because of holidays).

I would love it if you joined me and told me why you are grateful for winter in the comment section below.  No need to think of seven items (unless you have seven you would like to share), just one will do.   Together we can be happy about winter.  If you are already happy about winter, maybe your enthusiasm can rub off on those of us who aren't feeling love for old man winter.

My Winter Gratitude List #1

I am grateful for:

#1  Not having to mow the grass.

#2  The way the snow glistens when the sun hits it just right, it looks like someone sprinkled glitter everywhere. 

#3  Wearing my favorite sweaters.

#4  The sound of snow crunching under my feet.

#5  Sitting by a warm fire inside or out.     

#6  How the snow reflects the sunlight bringing more light into the house.

#7  How beautiful the trees look when the wet snow is clinging to their branches.

Maybe it won’t be as hard as I think…

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Friday Finds.  All my images today were taken with my iphone.  My leaf image was textured with Kim’s texture benjamin.  This week I found winter beauty in my backyard and 7 reasons to be grateful for winter.  

Why are you grateful for winter?  

Thank you for stopping by!!

Have a great weekend!!

Stay warm and grateful!!

Michelle

 

Butter And Eggs

‘Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it’.

-  Julia Child

 ‘This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook – try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun.’  -  Julia Child

‘…no one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.’  -  Julia Child

‘The only real stumbling block is fear of failure.  In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-heck attitude.’  -  Julia Child

I was searching for baking quotes and came across a number of quotes from Julia Child.  I remember watching her show when I was little.  Hearing her voice now brings back good memories and puts a smile on my face.  She was more than a great cook, she had plenty of good advise to take to heart.  Her advise wasn't just about cooking, it applied to life too.   

I don’t bake much anymore.  I use to, but now time, calories, and the mess deter me.  I do enjoy a good pecan pie now and again.  Maybe in Julia Child’s honor I will make one today… or go pick one up and savor each bite.

The assignment for my class Be Still 52 was to create an image with butter and an egg.  I used my bright Fiesta dishes and a Lemon Crunch Loaf bought from my local grocery store.  (The crunch part is the large sugar crystals sprinkled on top.)  

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Texture Tuesday and Be Still 52.  My image was textured with Kim’s textures waterfront 7 magic and gift.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Have a great week!!

Michelle

 

Little Moments

‘Enjoy the little things in life… for one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.'

-  Kurt Vonnegut

‘Remember… life is short.  Each moment you have is precious.  Treasure every second...’

-  Meg Cabot

‘Be happy in the moment, that’s enough.  Each moment is all we need, not more.'

 -  Mother Teresa

 ‘There is no such thing as an ordinary day… each moment is extraordinary.’

-  Kris Carr

I have had a busy week or so.  My daughter, Megan, and I took a road trip to meet the newest member of our family, my brother and sister in law's new baby, Ryan.  It truly is a time to cherish.  I forgot how tiny newborns are.  Everything is precious, little toes, coos and actually anything he does is precious.  We held him, kissed him, and of course took pictures.

After that little adventure, my husband, daughter and I took a road trip to Tennessee to visit some of my husband’s relatives.  His mom made an early Thanksgiving feast, it was delicious.  We spent a lot of time outside.  There is nothing better than a bonfire in the fall, the crackling, popping, and conversation around the fire.  Why is it so much fun to throw rocks in a lake?

I found some interesting little flowers at Trader Joe, they were in a mixed bouquet.  The flower guy had no idea what kind of flower it was, he even looked it up in his book.  I call them cute. 

We managed to escape the snow in our part of Ohio, we just have cold temperatures.  I can do without snow for a few more weeks.  My heart goes out to everyone having to dig out of deep snow this week.  The stuff is pretty, but can be inconvenient.

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Friday Finds.  My images were textured with simple and touch of 1.  My Find is remembering to cherish the seemingly small things, because those small things add up to create my big wonderful life.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Have a great weekend!!

Michelle