Friday Faves...favorite things around the house

We are in the middle of making decisions for our next big house project.  When we moved in we did some major changes in our new to us home.  We put in hardwood floors throughout all of the main areas of the house.  We turned the family room into a large dining room which included relocating the gas fireplace.  We now utilize the formal living and dining room as one large room.  We replaced light fixtures and faucets.  We replaced all the old appliances in the kitchen with stainless steel and plumbed natural gas into the kitchen for a gas range.  We had all of the off white doors and trim in the house painted a true white.  We are finally getting ready for our next project...new countertops and painting the cabinets in the kitchen.  We are still in the decision making stage of choosing the countertops.

Meanwhile, I thought I'd show you some of the little changes and favorite things around my house.  First up is this virtually carefree new plant that I've placed in the antique olive bucket in my living room.  I've struggled to find a plant that thrives in the relatively low light of that corner and isn't fussy when it comes to watering.  This sanserviera fits that bill.  It doesn't need a lot of light and only requires 1 cup of water every two weeks!  

Not much has changed on the fireplace mantel, but I still haven't tired of it.

I love the little touches of copper on the wooden vase and the tiny bird.

I love the simple black and white "faith can move mountains" print that I made.

On the shelves that are on the living room wall near my hub's favorite chair,

I recently added these two inexpensive blue and white vases found at Michael's.

Our living room is decorated with blue and white with red accents.

I think the vases add a fun touch of whimsy to the more formal items on the shelves.

My new favorite candles are made from Vineyard Hill.

I prefer the clean burning of soy candles.

This cedar and wild fern scent is amazing.

Another of my favorites is this macrame table runner from World Market.

I love it!

Perhaps my most favorite thing is simply bringing spring blooms indoors.

While I do love store bought bouquets, 

branches and flowers gathered from nature are even more lovely in my opinion.

Well, it's almost Friday, friends!

Have a HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and

a safe and BLESSED weekend!

             

Spring Blooms...

We've had a lot of rainy weather and gray skies lately.

While it may be spring on the calendar, the weather hasn't been cooperating.

Yesterday, I donned my rubber raincoat and went on my walk in spite of the downpour.

I was rewarded by the beauty of the trees in our neighborhood beginning to bloom.

Today I returned to a vacant lot and foraged a handful of branches so I could enjoy them in my home

 and photograph them.

Aren't they so lovely?

Even if it is gray and rainy, here's the proof that spring really is here!

(all photos edited with Kim Klassen's flow texture)

still following,

songography at "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out"

image-in-ing:Variations

life-n-reflection

buckaroo mama

peabea

Count your blessings...

This will age me, but I remember when I was growing up singing the song, "Count Your Blessings", out of the old red covered hymnal while sitting on the church pew and swinging my patent leather shoed feet.   While this song may be unknown to the current generation, its truths are timeless.

Count Your Blessings-by Johnson Oatman, Jr.

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
   When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
   Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
   And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
   • Refrain:
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     Count your blessings, see what God has done!
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     *Count your many blessings, see what God has done.
     [*And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.]
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
   Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
   Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
   And you will keep singing as the days go by.
   
   
   Refrain:

   Count your blessings, name them one by one,
   Count your blessings, see what God has done!
   Count your blessings, name them one by one,
   *Count your many blessings, see what God has done.
   [*And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.]
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
   Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
   Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy [*wealth can never buy]
   Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
   
   
   Refrain:

   Count your blessings, name them one by one,

   Count your blessings, see what God has done!

   Count your blessings, name them one by one,

   *Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

   [*And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.]
4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
   Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
   Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
   Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
   
   
   *alternate text
   
   
   In all of life's circumstances, counting my blessings has helped me to see what God has done.  What a blessing this practice has been to me.
   
   
   ****************

   Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

    I continue to count my thanks

   piling up gratitude day by day

   in my journal.

   (and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

   #9607-#9631

   
   

   3-20-17-

   -the first day of spring!

   -a lovely walk

   -a fun dinner with my brother, nephew and his family, and youngest daughter and her husband

   -God working in my loved ones

   -more encouragement from my sister telling me what God is doing in her son

   
   

   3-21-17-

   -a beautiful day-totally unexpected sunshine

   -a writing project completed

   -a fun refinishing project

   -God at work in our lives

   
   

   3-22-17-

   -Nana school with my sweet grandgirlie

   

   -reaching my daily step goal in spite of the rain cutting my walk with my granddaughter short

   -golden sunset and puffy clouds

   

   3-23-17-

   -a sweet time of prayer

   -lunch with a friend that I haven't seen in too long

   -sweet worship and prayer night at church

   
   

   3-24-17-

   -Friday date day

   -my favorite tomato basil soup

   -watching a favorite movie together

   -my hubs surprising our oldest granddaughter with the new converse shoes she wanted

   
   

   3-25-17-

   -a productive morning

   -a fun evening watching the two youngest grands

   -our youngest granddaughter helping me decorate her mama's birthday cake

   
   

   3-26-17-

   -our oldest daughter's birthday-how we thank God for her!

   -God's work in our church

   -family dinner to celebrate our daughter's birthday

   

   
   

   still following,

   

   
   

   
   

Pursued..

In the heart of every woman there is a desire to be pursued by her lover.  This universal desire has been reflected for years in fairy tales.  For example, in the story of Cinderella the handsome prince searches high and low all over his kingdom for the mysterious owner of the glass slipper, for the one who captivated his heart at the ball. Whether you are still in the dating stage of a relationship or you've been married for fifty years,  I surmise that you would love to know that your "prince" would likewise give their all to pursue and woo you.   (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, March 26th, at Woman to Woman Ministries where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with the lovely

Susan B. Mead
and

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Friday Faves...Refinished antique for the spare room AND a watercolor giveaway winner!

Some of you long time readers of my blog may remember that in our spare room I used to have an antique rocker that a friend and I did a makeover on quite some years ago.  I loved it, but truth be told it was a bit big for the spare room and no one really sat on it.  When my youngest daughter asked if she could have it for our soon to be born grandson's nursery, I negotiated a trade.

You see, she had the antique nightstand that goes with the antique dresser I refinished last fall.  So, she happily traded me the rocker for the nightstand, which she wasn't currently using anyway.  A win for both of us!  The nightstand was in pretty good shape except for some water damage on the top. Nothing that some sanding and a couple of applications of natural color danish oil couldn't cure! I'm loving it!

The winner of last Friday's giveaway for a watercolor painting of their favorite cup is Gramma Grits. Simply click the envelope icon on the sidebar of my blog and email me your contact information and a closeup photo of your favorite cup!

Have a safe and blessed weekend everyone!

             

A "Nana field trip" to Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge...

On Wednesdays I help my oldest daughter by homeschooling my granddaughter.  This gives my daughter a break and my granddaughter a nice mid-week change of pace.  If all goes well and we get our schoolwork done before too late in the day, then we have some fun.  We may bake something, do an art or craft project, go on a walk to the park, or go on a field trip.  On a recent rainy Wednesday, we were both tired of being indoors but couldn't think of anything to do in the wet weather.  Suddenly, I recalled a drive through wildlife refuge that a friend had told me about. Since it was only a twenty minute drive from my house, my granddaughter and I decided to check it out.

My granddaughter loves the outdoors and nature as do I. Though we were inside of the car we rolled down the windows to see what we could see.  At first we just saw an abundance of geese and ducks, but then we spied some deer.

 There were dozens of white swans as well.

We saw two bald eagles perched in a tree.  Next time we will bring some binoculars to get a better view and I will bring my zoom lens for my camera.

 At several spots I saw ferns growing right out of a tree.

 And more deer...

 And more swans...

 We saw a beaver splish splashing around his home.  Like I said, next time I will bring my zoom lens.

We loved our rainy day field trip to the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge and will be going again.  In the summer there is also a part of the refuge that you can walk through, so we look forward to doing that.

still following,

Don't forget to pop over to this post and leave a comment for a chance to win a watercolor of your favorite cup!

songography at "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out"

image-in-ing:Variations

life-n-reflection

buckaroo mama

peabea