Thankful Thursday

The last day of the year.  This year just seemed to fly by! So many things to be thankful for,

The best thing that happened this year was our newest grandson, born November 14.

What else am I thankful for this Thursday?  As some of you may know I have been keeping count, heading toward a goal of one thousand things I am thankful for. Today I am thankful for sweet comments of blogging friends, long distance chat with an old friend, memories of good times past, chicken pot pie in oven, warm house on a cold day, 400th blog, choices, no deadlines, warm clothes, strong body, sister chats, John reading books, Christopher's laugh on phone, encouragement from God's word, occasional wisdom, food in the pantry, gas in the cars, birds at the feeder, no snow # 432-450.

A big thank you to all of you who followed me this year and stopped by to say hello.

 If you'd like to link and do a thankful Thursday post, just sign in below and make sure you link to the exact post, not your general blog URL.  Please feel free to use the daisy button too.

What are you thankful for today?

Rhondi xo

Early Morning

I love mornings, getting up before the sun rises.

Everything is still.

The only sound is the hum of the furnace and the quiet ticking of the clock.

I write in my journal, read my bible,sip my mug of hot tea, and talk to the Creator.

It's my chance to think about the day ahead, count the things I'm grateful for and watch the sun as it  rises through  the silhouette of the trees in the woods.  I wonder if it will be pink today......Oh my goodness, I was just about to click the "publish" button when I noticed the sun was beginning to rise. 

If I had slept in or had the curtains closed I would have missed it.  I'm glad I'm a morning person, especially today!

I love mornings!  Are you a morning person?

Rhondi xo

Hearts

Last year I started a tradition of making a heart for each of our children and grandchildren for Christmas to hang on the Christmas tree.  Hopefully  they'll each have at least 20 before my eyesight starts to fail!  I plan to do a different pattern each year.  Last year it was this nine patch.

This year I made the log cabin pattern.  On the back I embroider their name and the year.  A gift from my heart.

I think the hearts just get packed away with the other Christmas decorations at their homes, but I like to look at mine all year so they sit in a bowl.   I just love hearts.  I'd like to have a whole lot more!

Don't forget about my giveaway.  You have until Thursday night to enter.

Rhondi xo 

400th Post Giveaway

Good morning my dear friends
Did you have a good Christmas?  Ours was quiet and very relaxing.  Now Monday morning it's back to normal and I'm ready to take all the decorations down.

Saturday was sunny and mild and I washed some of the windows.  As the song says, "I can see clearly now"!  What a difference clean windows make.

The sun sparkles through the clean glass.

It's hard to believe that in just  a little over 2 years, I am at my 400th post!  This calls for a giveaway.

Are you wondering what it could be?

These photos are all a part of it.

I am giving away a set of 4 luncheon plates and a copy of one of my favorite books, A Gift From The Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

Just leave a comment before midnight Dec 31 EST and I will pick a winner on New Year's Day.

Thank you for making it possible to reach 400 posts. I wouldn't have made it without your faithfulness in leaving comments! It has been an exciting journey.

Rhondi xo

Someone Is Causing Trouble

Due to someone leaving comments on 20 posts at a time in Chinese I have to activate the word verification for a little while.  I know it's a nuisance but I don't know how else to get rid of this person!
Sorry for the inconvenience.  Hopefully it will only be temporary.
Rhondi xo

Merry Christmas

 I cut some holly from the garden today.

And arranged it around my favorite rooster and set it on the kitchen island.

I got out the Christmas tree napkin rings and my red napkins.

Set the table with my large Dollar Tree plates and small GW Christmas plates.

I  put some of the holly in a pitcher on the kitchen counter beside our little clock that chimes a different Christmas carol every hour.

I turned out the lights and the little candle in the cardinal makes a golden glow in the kitchen.

There is still lots to do and I'm not ready for Christmas, so I 'm going to take a little blog break.

Merry Christmas dear friends.

Rhondi xo

Let's Go For a Bike Ride

Would you like to come for a bike ride.  I'm going in search of peacocks!

Where we are vacationing in Florida there is a  neighborhood where many peacocks just wander

about freely. 

 

There are lots of cute little houses there too.

With white picket fences.

Here is a peacock preening himself.

Some cottages have porches.

This porch is wonderful.

I like this blue one and the yellow shutters are cute.

Here is a male and female.

 I love this little blue cottage with the yellow door hidden behind the foliage.

These folks are definitely into the Christmas spirit.  It looks like they're ready for Christmas!

Here are two more sunning themselves on someone's lawn.

I think this last one was used to posing for photographs, don't you?  He is beautiful!

On the way we pass by this huge contemporary home right on the beach.  I wonder what kind of a person would want to live in a home like this.  I sure wouldn't.  Would you?

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

Did you know that being thankful or grateful can actually be good for you?

riding a bike

birds

tea with Fifi

beautiful homes

phone chat with oldest son

creative ideas

dinner on patio

lunch by the bay

all day with nothing to do but relax

open doors and fresh air

another beautiful day

warm salt air

hot soft sand

lunch by the water

relaxing

blogging connections

no stress about Christmas

time with God before sunrise

no schedule

no "to do" list

kindness of others

These are a few of the things I am thankful for today,  gifts #268 -288 on the One Thousand Gifts challenge.

What are you thankful for today?

Rhondi xo

If you'd like to join in and do a Thankful Thursday post please feel free tocopy the daisy and link in below.  Make sure you link to the spcific thankful post not just your blog URL.

My TO DO List

This is such a busy time of year and every year at this time we go on vacation for a week in Florida.  Every morning we walk on the beach and watch the birds.  There is a lot to be learned from them.  This one looked like it was scolding the other one who was paying no attention.  Seemed like he was wasting a lot of energy to no avail!  Do I do that?

These two were just relaxing enjoying the scenery and keeping each other company.  I need to do more of that!

While the one continues to scold the others paid no attention.  In the midst of everything one was asleep.  Do I have enough sense to relax when I need to even though others around me don't need to?

So while most of you are busy this week with shopping and baking and decorating and entertaining I am relaxing.

Here is my TO DO list:
walk on beach
swim in pool
read
watch sunset

Gee I sure hope I hope I can get it all done!!

Even though you can't walk the beach or swim in the pool or even find the time to read a book, maybe you can take 5 minutes at the end of the day to look to the sky, relax for a few minutes and watch the sun as it sets for the day.

By the way, the other day Giorgina from Decor Medley asked if she could interview me for her website. I was very honored and the interview is up there now.


Rhondi xo

A Day Full of Sunshine

Today was filled with sunshine in so many ways. Part of that sunshine was the delightful visit with someone many of you know.  Her back porch is lined with rubber boots in wonderful pastel colors.

Little vases of flowers and a welcome sign greet you.

I enjoyed a cup of tea with Lily....

while Lucy tried to knock over a few things on the tabletops.   Daisy was a little camera shy.

I'm sure you guesssed I had a visit with Fifi at her wonderfully inviting  home.  It is filled with all kinds of   beautiful things.  She is just as I imagined she would be,  gracious,  down to earth,  creative and delightful to be with.    I was too busy enjoying her company to take many photos, but you can see lots on her blog.  She is also a very talented lady and the editor of Romantic Country magazine.


Her home is charming and so is she.

Thank you Fifi for a lovely afternoon visit.

Rhondi xo

For a Friend With Love

I love quilts.  They are so cosy and comforting.  On a cold winter day there is nothing better than to wrap up in a snuggly quilt with a hot cup of tea and a good book.

This pile of quilts on the chair is what I've been working on for the past while.  I have a dear friend whose husband died of cancer and she commissioned me to make quilts from his shirts, one quilt for each of their three adult children and one for her.

Her husband Larry, was a great guy, a fine Christian man, full of life, a good sense of humor and always thinking of others first.  As I worked on the quilts, I felt like he was watching over my shoulder, in a good way, cheering me on and enjoying the entire process.

The quilts for their sons were made with the more masculine looking fabrics.

I used some of the lighter colors for their daughter.

 I used what was left over for the quilt for my sweet friend Linda. We as parents often give our children the best and take what is leftover for ourselves, so I thought that seemed very appropriate.  I quilted their favorite bible verses from Isaiah 61 instead of quilting a traditional design.  If you click on the photo it will enlarge it and you can see it better.

When I delivered the quilts we both cried.  Sleep well my dear friend.
 
Rhondi xo