I can't believe Amanda's shower will soon be upon us.... time is flying.... and there is so much to be done... So far Ive been gathering all the "birdie" items I can find and some Ive recently purchsed and am playing with them in various vignettes... This is not nearly a complete assortment.. in fact, I just got up from the painting table where I have painted 3 bird houses... so cute... I just love this bird theme!I love it so much it inspired me to create a bit "o" birdie theme on the mantel ..
Actually, gathering all these items onto the mantel helped me to sort through all the crafty items I still need to be working on.... oh, my, so much to do,,, so little time!!!! What a blessed work, it is!
Your messages mean so much to me..... they are a real encouragement to me!
What began as a misty cool day has opened up to a lovely sunny, warm one!
Right now I am....
recuperating from all the morning errands.... ah, it is good to be home!
Thinking....
There is much to be done prior to the end of the month... which will be Amanda's shower and very short visit with us.... but oh how wonderful it will be to see her and Joshua!
On my reading pile....
Daily Bible reading...Psalms
Daily devotional.. My Utmost for His Highest
Spiritual Warfare by Derek Prince Random Harvest by James Hilton
On my TV.....
Foyle's War, a BBC series from a few years back.... HGTV
Blog hopping (newly discovered blog).... I just discovered Curlew Country
When Im hungry for a taste of Britain I love to read the charming posts of Steph, a lass from the moors
who writes the most delightful accounts of life with her family in the UK! She is living my dream life!!
On my to do list....
working on shower activities
laundry knitting class
errands
clean house (this list never changes)
mid week services
Bible study Class
In the craft basket....
knitting projects
Looking forward to this week....
just some days with not too much written on the calendar....maybe I can actually tackle a few things on the to do list!
Looking around the house....
The guest room needs pretty much of an overhaul.... looks too wintry...time to get it ship shape!
From the camera:
last week I got lost in organizing old ohotos making a scrpabook of my own little Miss to illustrate waht little girls are made of to be shown at the shower....
I was so glad that I found this one in mom's collection of boxes of photos... of Amanda happy with her discovery of bite of chocolate cake! My own little baby doll, Amanda!
Don't you just love that gaspy little laugh in a toddler when they are so escited they giggle with a bit of a gasp! So Sweet!
On my prayer list.....
Our family, parents, daughter , Little Birdie*, son-in law,
Our church, and church family
our nation, leaders,
Israel and the Middle East
Bible verse, Devotional:
Because I love this ministry so much and there is so much blue in this video I am also posting below.... mainly because Id love to share this ministry with as many people as I can!
506. The blessing of the awesome Venetian chicken dish with all its savory and luscious spices, fruits and juices.. . SOURCE
507. That I found Amanda's Certificate of Dedication just in time for her baby shower....
508. How God has worked in my mom this week to give her a much more contented spirit and a stronger will to live well!
509. The daily love offering my sweet husband serves me every morning.. A dish of fruited yogurt and a cup of restorative coffee!
510. The wonderful idea God gave me to create a scrapbook depicting photos of Amanda that illustrate What are Little Girls Made of....for example... "baby doll faces"
511. Lynn and I have weekly dates around the tv watching BBC dvd's like Downton Abbey or Foyle's War and enjoying tasty bowls of pop corn and each other!
512. The gift of Christ to redeem and change me more each day into his likeness!
513. Christ's gift to show his never-ending love of provision of exactly what I need in his perfect timing.
514. Christ's gift of opening my eyes and the open door through which I find more of him!
515. So thankful that we were able to paint and carpet the stairs! This is a huge improvement!
516. Thankful for the replenishing rain that has built up the lawn and our landscape.
517. We have been able to clean and create a restful space on our porch...I so look forwrd to this each spring!
518. I am thankful for the spirit of loosening my grip on stuff and therefore my closet is showing the evidence of order and freedom of so much clutter
519. The wonders of a late night thunderstorm.. I love them!
520. The early dawn singing of the birds that herald the day!
521. The cooing of a neighboring dove...
522. The morning aroma of savory sausage frying to a tasty crispy essence!...
A day trip from our daughter's near Boston to Newport is a thrilling excursion for a landlubber like me....even a long bridge will just about do me in..... but, in 2011 the kids took me on a day I'll never forget and enjoyed so very much!
From Providence we took Rt138 and crossed the Claiborne Newport toll bridge....
and I was totally fine.... I only gasped a couple of times! But I knew my son-in-law was a marvelous driver and it was truly an amazing day!
The kids told me the only way to see Newport, known for its fabulous summer mansions of the rich and famous was by sea... so we were soon on board our boat and ready to set out!
It was exhilarating!
The harbor was a never ending maze of every kind of vessel, from fishing boat to awesome yacht...
every size and shape imaginable.... and it was such a glorious day the slips were writhing with activity...
The bay w as dotted with sailing masts... and there in the distance you can see an awesome triple mast of the largest sailing vessel ever built... the Maltese Falcon ....
as our vessel slipped past her it was evident just how very huge she is....
I cant imagine how majestic she would be asea under full sail
I borrowed this photo here to just show her beauty
Looking back at the harbor shows just as was explained how lovely Newport is....
but now for the coastal vistas... I give you the Newport mansions...
with names like The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer, The Elms, Marble House, Rosecliff, Green Animals & Kingscote owned by such powerhouses, as Vanderbilt,Oelrichs, Gallatin, and Bouvier.. to name just a few
(Jackie's childhood home) next time around I want to take the inside tours..... awesome! Back ashore we had so many fine restaurants from which to choose...
The Mooring really took our fancy... a lovely dockside setting as the sun begins to set.....
We couldnt resist the bag of doughnuts. ...Lobster, crab & shrimp fritters with chipotle-maple aioli 12 fabulous... we each wished we'd had own own bag.....
I opted for the Fish N Chips...
Fried Atlantic blue cod, Guinness batter, spiced fries, red pepper slaw, Mooring tartar sauce 19 Eating dockside with the lapping of the water was the perfect end of an awesome day on the water for me!
Actually, gathering all these items onto the mantel helped me to sort through all the crafty items I still need to be working on.... oh, my, so much to do,,, so little time!!!! What a blessed work, it is! 
