Sunshine

The sun is streaming through the windows in my studio this morning.

It's cold outside.

But warm inside.

I love the sunshine on a cold day!

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

Today is Thursday, the day when I take a few minutes and write down a few things I am thankful for. 

As I was thinking about what to write today  an old song by Bing Crosby came to mind:

"When I'm worried and I can't sleep

I count my blessings instead of sheep

And I fall asleep counting my blessings."

So as I count my blessings today, I am thankful for

the wonderful blog posts about our grandkids that their mom in Texas writes

the daily phone call from our daughter as she is on her way home from work each day

the adorable photo of our newest grandson in Boston that his mom sent us today

the used Lexus R300 in mint condition that were able to pay cash for to replace the car that was totaled

our oven only needed a minor repair

our weedeater broke and I found one the next day at Goodwill for only $5

my husband's cold is FINALLY going away.

spring weather this past weekend

food, clothing, shelter, which I just take for granted.

These are # 861 -869 in my quest toward One Thousand Gifts.

I love this painitng of a little girl giving thanks before she eats her meal.  I feel like that little girl giving thanks to God for all the things he has blessed me with.  I wonder... if someone doesn't believe in God, then if they are thankful for something, who are they thankful to?  You can't just say "thank you" to no one.....just a thought...

So I ask you the same question I ask every Thursday. What are you thankful  for today?

Rhondi xo

To join in today please use the thankful Thursday button, and then publish your post.   Then sign in with mr linky.  Please leave me a comment telling me you are participating.  Thanks for joining us today!

Thankful Thursday

I had stopped having a link for thankful Thursday, but several people has asked if they can join me in again so I will have the link back up tomorrow for anyone who wants to join.

Rhondi xo

Brownies and Tea

Hi

I was hoping you'd stop by today because I wanted to share an idea with you.  Come on in the kitchen.  I have just started to  make  something yummy to have with tea.  Please say you have time to stay for a cup of tea....

I am making my Mom's recipe for butterscotch brownies.  Here is my old well used recipe card.

My recipes all live in this little house my talented sister painted many years ago.

Isn't it cute?

A few of the things I need.

The ingredients go in my KitchenAid mixer. Did I ever tell you that I got it at a yard sale a long time ago for only $15? That was a deal!

Mix them all up.

Put them in a greased pan and pop it in the oven for 25 minutes.

They come out looking golden and just a little bit brown around the edges.

While we are waiting for them to cool a little bit I'll get out the tray for tea.  I thought we'd use mugs today and the blue willow teapot and creamer I got at a consignment shop that Fifi told me about when I was  in Florida this past year.

I have this little plate with our initial on it, which I think is probably restaurant or hotel ware.  I'll put the brownies on it.

Let's sit at the table by the window in my studio.  I'm still very happy that I painted it white.

Everything is ready!

I'll pour you a cup.

Oh I should have asked you if you take milk!  I just automatically put the milk in first just like my English aunt taught me :)

Please take a brownie while they are still warm.  They are so good.  I used to make these all the time and forgot how good they are and how easy to whip up in a hurry.

Now here is what I wanted to talk to you about.  You know how much I like to drink tea and serve tea whenever you come to visit.  Well I am going to have a tea party every Tuesday and I want you to be the first one to know about it. You are my special honored guest. 

Every Tuesday I will have tea ready, and you are invited.  Also I'd love it some of  you would have tea parties too and link up with mine.  Please spread the word.

I've made this button for you to copy and use and I'll put it on my sidebar.

Thanks for stopping by. You brought some sunshine into a very dreary day here in North Carolina.   I wish you really were here  to eat some of these brownies.  I'm eating too many of them!!

Rhondi xo

PS For those of you who prefer coffee, I'll make sure I also have coffee for you next Tuesday!!

Blue Mosaic Monday

We had the most beautiful weekend.  People were out walking their dogs. kids were riding bikes, joggers were running through the woods, and we were able to eat our lunch outside.  It was wonderful!

Today I decided to have some fun making collages with some of my blue things, and participate in Mosaic Monday at Mary's Little Red House and Blue Monday with Sal at Smiling Sally.

Some of my blue and white teapots.

Now make sure you take time to visit Mary and Sal to see lots of other mosiacs and blue things.  

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for the beauty of God's creation and that I got to enjoy it at the beach one weekend recently.  As we sat in the rocking chairs on the deck, the view was spectacular.

The Atlantic Ocean spread out before us.

The sun making millions of diamonds sparkling on the surface.

The sky puting on it's own performance, dark and menacing, with rays of sunlight breaking through.

Every time I am lucky enough to spend time at the ocean it always makes me think of God.  The ocean is so vast and beautiful, it couldn't have just happened.  There had to be some divine plan that created it.  I  often wonder how someone can look at the ocean and not believe there is a God.   I'd like to know.

So today I am thankful that I got to spend the weekend at the beach and I am thankful for the beauty of the ocean and for the God who created it.

What are you thankful for today?

Rhondi xo

Encouraging Words

We all have the means to bestow on others the most lavish gifts:

love

joy

peace 

hope 

kindness

acceptance 

laughter

encouragement

forgiveness

time. 

There is not enough money to buy them and not too little money to give them.  The more you spend, the wealthier you become." 

Eden Eliot

Be encouraged today.  The days are getting longer.  Spring will be here soon.  The gardens will bloom again.  The earth will wake up from its winter slumber.  Not too much longer.

Rhondi xo

Early Morning, My Favorite Time of Day

I like to get up early in the morning while it is still dark, wander into my kitchen, turn on the lamp on the kitchen counter, get my "Bonjour" teapot and make some tea. 

Then I gather a warm quilt and sit in my chaise lounge,

and watch the sun come up through the trees.  Some mornings it is breathtaking shades of pink.  This morning it looked like this.

Then I get my mug of tea, my journal, my gratitude journal, my bible, my Streams In The Desert and spend some time reading, thinking, praying, being encouraged, and inspired, and planning my day.

Then I'm ready to begin my day and today it began with talking to you!  I hope you enjoy this day .

On this Valentines Day don't forget to say "I love you" to the ones you love.  We can never hear those three words often enough.

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

There are so many things to be thankful for all the time.  Sometimes they are major, sometimes they are little seemingly insignificant things.  I am thankful for them all.

Today I am thankful for:

786. sunshine on a cold day

787. car lent by a friend until we can find another one

788. lessons from the birds at our feeders

789.encouragement from fellow bloggers

790. nice long chat with daughter in law in Texas

791. lots of projects to work on

792. daffodils getting ready to bloom at my back door

793. all the wonderful people I've met at church

794. weekend with my sister

795. tea from Canada

I'm getting closer to that one thousand gifts goal!

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something

For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations

Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge

Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary

Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are

also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles

and they can become your blessings.

Author Unknown

 

What are you thankful for today?  Come sit and have a cup of tea and tell me all about it.  I'd love to know.

Rhondi xo

Wednesday Whites 3

A couple of weeks ago I decided to do a post each Wednesday featuring all white.  I mentioned that it was my way to "indulge my yearning for white without redoing my whole house."   Well after only 3 white posts I realize that my love of color is just too strong to be denied.  When I used only white with this table and chairs it looked lovely but I miss the color that I usually have on it!   So this will be my final Wednesday  Whites post.   Kathleen at Faded Charm is hosting one too and she's been doing it it for along time, so it seems rather redundant for me to do it also. I know she would be happy to have you join her there. 

I set the table for lunch today.

I'll fill the tureen with some nice hot soup for a cold day

By the way some of you commented on the rain in a previous photo of this table.  It's not raining.  The seal on the window is broken so on a sunny day there is moisture between the two sheets of glass.

I'll make a nice crisp green salad.

We'll have to take turns having the soup if I want to keep to the white because I only have one of these white bowls!

Some fake flowers.  Shh...don't tell the decorating gurus about that!  It's a no no.

The sun is shining.  It's a perfect day for lunch with a friend.  Will you join me?

So good bye white, you're a great color and I love you, but you just look too lonely all by yourself.

Click here if you have a white post and want to participate in Kathleen's White Wednesday.

Rhondi xo