Good morning friends.
As you can see I've added a picture to my title banner. This is where I start my day. Isn't it a beautiful spot? Every morning I make a cup of tea and sit in my chaise lounge with my bible and my journal. I get some inspiration and encouragement for the day, write down some of my thoughts and get ready to face the day. In the winter I cuddle under the quilt. I can watch the sunrise and listen to the birds in the woods. It is a wonderful way to start each day.
I don't know about you but every year as soon as Christmas is over I just want to get all the Christmas stuff away and get my home in order. I clean out closets, sort drawers and get bags and boxes of things to take to Goodwill. It is such a good feeling to be in control. At this time of year I want to declutter my home. This declutter mode doesn't last too long as I am a born collector and so bit by bit the temporarily bare surfaces get things arranged on them again. I am sure many of you can identify with me! But I do get my home more organized and get rid of the stuff I know I don't need. Of course you know how that goes. As soon as I throw it out I will find a need for it next week!
Before Christmas I had begun to redo our kitchen. It is the original kitchen from the 1960's. I am on a very limited budget so all I can afford is paint, new hardware and maybe some tiles for the backslpash. Right now it is all white with beige laminate on the counters and butcher block laminate on the island. I am going to keep the cabinets white , the trim white and the walls lime green, and try to paint the laminate counters. We had lime green with white trim in the dining room in a previous house and it looked great with all my blue and white china, so I am trying it again. So that is my project for January.
Do you make new year's resolutions? I don't do new year's resolutions, but I often reflect on the past year. We watch too much TV in the evening and I want to try to read a little more instead of watching TV. I don't like sex or bad language or violence in books. One of my favorite authors is Rosamunde Pilcher. I like books that are inspiring, autobiographies, good fiction, true stories. Any good books you could recommend?
Well back to the great clean up. Hope that you have a wonderful day and that whatever you do brings you a sense of joy or fulfillment.
Rhondi
Hi Rhondi! Your morning spot is absolutely beautiful! What a lovely picture! And I can't wait to see how your kitchen project goes. ALthough, I have to tell you, I have painted laminate countertops before and I really don't recommend it. I did a really good job (sanding, high-end primer, 2 coats paint, 3 coats poly), but it just would get stained and wouldn't come clean. I struggled with it for 4 years and regretted every moment. Not that you asked for my advice or opinion! But I'd recommend you try to work with the countertops and choose paint and hardware that compliment them.
ReplyDelete~Angela :-)
I love the scene in your banner. Blue and white, not surprised! What a perfect spot. I will check back to see your kitchen progress.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing your kitchen renovation. Your little spot looks so comfortable and beautiful too!
ReplyDeleteHi, Rhondi! What a great morning spot for devotions, beautiful! I also can't wait to see your kitchen project, since I adore lime green so much. I have it in several spots in my house & love it to pieces. It's a very uplifting color.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the decluttering, organizing & cleaning. I'm feeling it coming on too & that's what I'll be doing in the next few weeks. I'm taking down the Christmas decos starting Sat. & can't wait to get it all back to normal again.
Happy New Year! So glad I met you this year.
Rhoda
Hi Rhondi,
ReplyDeleteI love your corner!! I wish I had a place like that. I am going to look around my house to see if I can find someplace to make my own. Thanks for the inspiration.
Speaking of books, have you read the Mitford Series of books by Jan Karon? They are marvelous! She is started a second serious now called the Father Tim Series.
Penny
This is the best spot for devotions! Thank you for posting the scripture on the top R. of your blog, that particular one was one I needed to be reminded of today.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
xo Lidy
Such a cozy warm inviting place you hace created for yourself. Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi, Rhondi, thanks for stopping by my site and leaving a sweet message.
ReplyDeleteYour blue and white spot is just breathtaking! I LOVE it. ok...now I want one!! :)
I am with you on getting my house back in order after the wild run of Christmas. And, as you say, I enjoy the bareness of it....for just a tiny while. Then, i want to add this and that and the items I just bought at the thrift and here I am, sitting amoung my CONTROLLED CLUTTER, as I like to call it. The more on my tables, hutches, walls, the better I like it! Just a born collector!
Show us some more of your pretty house!!
hugs, bj
Hi Rhonda,your banner is very nice.
ReplyDeleteYour corner is very ,very great,I love it.I love the same books.By this
time I read that book Winter Sun of
Rosamunde Pilcher,it's fantastic.
Here in Germany we take away our Christmas decoration first after the
sixth January.
Best wishes from Germany
Regina
Hi Rhondi, your morning spot is just beautiful, I could sit there all day! Thanks for stopping by, just wanted to say if you get a chance to go to the BBC Iplayer website, the Ballet Shoes programme has only 1 day left on the site, you'll find it listed on BBC1 on Wednesday 26th. If you get a chance to download or watch it, it's quite delightful. Have a very happy New Year,
ReplyDeletebest wishes,
Lucy
Hello Rhondi! I am so glad to meet you through your visit to my blog. Thanks for stopping by and taking time to stay and chat. I must admit I am really glad you did as I see by looking through your blog that we have so very much in common! I too quilt as well as stitch and make bobbin lace. I love your morning spot and cannot imagine ever having a bad day if you can start it each morning with such beauty as you have created there!
ReplyDeleteOh there is so much I want to say but it would maybe overwhelm you. I love your home and your Christmas trees are pure beauty! I too love Rosamunde Pilcher and can recommend Marcia Willet who is similar to her style. I love the book A Week In Winter.
I will look forward to visiting you often in the future.
~~ Heidi ~~
I do hope, if you get some pieces of M-C's, that they will bring you as much pleasure as mine have for me. I just adore them!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Betty Jean and I've been called bj for as long as I can remember, too. This is what my hubby has always called me. A lot of my friends call me Jean and my mother and dad always called me Jeanie...never went by Betty, much.
See ya later, bj
Hi Rhondi,
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful spot! Even though I don't have it in my home,(I inherited a lot of red things) I LOVE blue and white! I can imagine how wonderful your special spot is in the quiet of the morning -- lovely!
As for books, have you tried any Mary Stewart? Or how about Dick Francis? He writes very intelligent mysteries set in the world of horse racing. Mary Stewart writes beautiful love stories. Some of her books may not be in print, but you can find them in the library, or on Alibris.com. Also, try Georgette Heyer -- she writes Regency romance novels.
Hope that helps you find something you like. I wish you and your family a very bright and happy new year!
xoxo,
Mary
Hi Rhondi, we have wanted to say hi for some time now! You have a lovely Blog, a lovely place to visit :) The music is lovely as well. Your morning spot is beautiful, what a delightful place to start the day! Happy New Year! Jenn and Jacqui from Australia :)
ReplyDeleteHi Rhondi, that's a beautiful place to start your day! It looks like a picture out of a magazine!
ReplyDeleteI always declutter and "spring" clean in January & Feb. In spring I'm busy outdoors and it just seems like a good way to start the year with things clean and tidy!
No New Year's Resolutions for me. I do have some projects I want to work on. But generally the resolutions "thing" never worked fo me!
Have a healthy & blessed New Year!
Manuela
Hello Rhondi,
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog and leaving a kind comment. It was a pleasure to have you and I hope you will visit often.
Happiest New Year to you and yours!
xo
Mary
Wow, that banner picture belongs in a magazine. How perfect and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays!
That spot would be my morning, noon and night spot! Just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'm so ready to get rid of the Christmas stuff: the trees are crispy and wilty and I'm ready for CLEAN. But my husband likes to keep the stuff up through Jan. 1 so I have another couple of days with it.
I haven't made any resolutions but I do like thinking about goals or aspirations for the year. Less TV noise, more Bible study. More digging in my flower bed. Read the books already sitting by my bedside....
Wow, that spot not only looks comfy but right out of a magazine page that inspires us. I used to have lots of blue and white and now I remember why. Rhondi that is so pretty! Thank you for the inspiration! LOve your blog,
ReplyDeleteMary Lou
HAPPY NEW YEAR and thanks so much for the warm birthday wishes.....
ReplyDeletehugs, bj
Aloha - I came to thank you for your visit during the Christmas Home Tour :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Happy new year sister-in-law ! I am reading an author you might love. She is Mary Alice Monroe and her novels are lovely. Alena is reading one called The Beach House now. I am reading the follow-up book called Swimming Lessons. Miss you guys a lot. I got this laptop for xmas and am not really too great on it yet. Say hi to Barb and dAVID
ReplyDeleteHi Rhondi -
ReplyDeleteWanted to tell you how much I enjoy your blog. It is just lovely and such an inspiration. Thank you for sharing so much with your readers.
And thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving such nice comments.
Love and Blessings - Ellen
ellenguerrant.blogspot.com
Hello I thought you had pinched your banner pic from a magazine its beautiful. If you like Rosamunde Pilcher - have you tried her son Robins books - I love 'Oceans Apart' one. Try him, I see someone else has recommended Marcia Willet and I agree Week in Winter is lovely. You might also like Erica James especially Love and Devotion. Have you seen the Ros P films? The coming home version is not following the book like it should but they (and Nancherrow) are good English films in themselves. hope you caught Ballet Shoes it was delightful.
ReplyDelete