Good Morning!

Good Morning!  Yay! Moving the computer from my basement into my husband's home office is awesome and so much more convenient! There was a beautiful sunrise this morning and I just decided to snap a photo out one of my windows cause I loved the effect on my little country corner. I get up REALLY early. Even when I don't have to. Its my internal clock I guess. That and menopause!!! And menopause has been kicking my butt lately too but whatever...I 've been doing my dusting and cleaning; I try to get a lot done before Mom wakes up and then I have to devote time for her care so I'm glad I can function early. And everyone is up and out by 6:45am

I was rearranging a few things and decided to put some of my mouse collection in this shelf I bought from Kings Kountry Corner in Lancaster. I bought it on my last trip. I have heard others on the country decorating pages saying that "hearts"are a thing of the past but as I always say "I like what I like." And who could resist such a cute shelf!

I'm excited to see that prim country blue is making a return! When I got married in 1988 the color called Federal blue was the most popular. Blue is such an amazing color and I love blue bedrooms and bathrooms. I have blue in one of my bathrooms now. I am seeing more and more furniture pieces and fabrics with blue and that's awesome. Blue fits in well with even the country décor you have now. try it and you'll see. Even with black and tan and burgundy color scheme, I will definitely be adding in some blue. When I go to Lancaster I will see how much of an impact that color is having on what they are selling. Maybe I'm nuts, but its exciting to me!

I've been cooking a lot earlier in the day lately. I like long evenings and I enjoy having the meals ready for when my husband and son come in at the different times they do. And the clean up is done too. I had such desire for tater tot casserole last night so that is what's on the menu tonight! I haven't made it in about two years. I kinda forgot about it until I saw it on a recipe blog.

I have started this book like three times! Now I am finally all the way in! Every time I would start it, I would have to put it down for days cause I was busy. Its very good. For six years I read and reviewed Amish fiction for two companies and they would send me free books, I would read them and review them. Post my review and my payment was that I could keep the book. I have amassed a very huge collection. Unfortunately, they now want to continue their relationship with me but only send me the books in E format :(    That's just not me. I like to hold my book! I guess all good things must come to an end.

I hope you have a great day!

January Happenings

I love the cozy feeling of Winter. I know many people don't but I do and always did! Its my nesting time. My nesting actually starts after Labor Day. How about you? And it runs through Spring! By March, I am planning my vegetable garden, our flower choices for planting and of course, the beginning of Chick Days. Chick Days is like a chicken bonanza! Its when you plan your flock, purchase your chicks, think of your coop and and the plans you have for it. Its exciting; at least to me and my husband! We visit several spots for all the festivities which are filled with the showcasing of new chicks, giveaways from feed companies...like a Chicken Carnival.  Its how I emerge from Fall/Winter Maggie to Spring/Summer Maggie! LOL I'm not planning on adding to the group this year. We have reached a good place where everyone gets along; everyone knows the pecking order. They all get along and there is peace.

Did it take you longer to get your house together after the Christmas décor was down? It took me longer and I'm still tweaking and changing.  And that's fun. Except for when I realize I really have too much and need to giveaway more. But I'm looking forward to my next trip to Lancaster County to see what's new for country décor there. I always find they start the "new" trend. I'm thinking back to the 90's when I used to buy the "fake food". There was an Amish business that made gorgeous artificial flower arrangements called Flower Patch. She also made artificial but amazingly real looking food. I had a loaf of bread, a pie...(I have fake food now but its made with insulation foam! And its awesome)  Every store featured the angel made from grapevine. Did you have one? I still do! Every store featured them. There were also the magnetic mailbox covers and flags, toile, and then came the barn stars! Several other items as well but Lancaster County does seem to be a trend setting spot for country decorating! I have much of my things I've bought from there since I'm married and its so funny because now I am living the old saying "what was once old is new again!" and I mean that with the return of the color blue! I keep seeing blue items popping up and I'm so happy because I always loved blue! Country blue! YAY!

I made this Bisquick chicken broccoli casserole the other day for lunch! Really good! If you go on the Bisquick website, they have lots of great recipes. Especially ones you can use with leftovers!

January happenings...that was the name of this post. I also got to celebrate the 50th birthday of a good friend! We went to a beautiful restaurant for her surprise party and really had a great night with awesome Italian food. I left there with a recipe for a pasta made with red peppers and onions that I will be making this week.

Time to get the day started! Have a great one!

2020 I Am Ready For Ya~

Happy New Year! I have a lot of catching up to do! I am greeting 2020 with hope and happiness and a big dash of relief! Lots going on!  To turn the page back a bit, up above is my Christmas tree! We loved our Christmas tree a lot this year. The best smelling tree we have ever had and it lasted a long time! It was a special tree, called a spruce fir, and we ordered it special! It cost a lot more than the average tree but it was worth it. Only  two nurseries here carried them and they only get a few so we reserved one. My husband had heard such great things about them and their longevity and they were all true. We put her up on Thanksgiving weekend and she was fresh as a daisy till I took her down the other day!

So my husband was in the hospital for a few days with a back injury and praise God he is recovering! He came home Christmas Eve and we were so grateful that his injury will heal. He's a hard working man and time catches up to you but nothing keeps him down! He is now doing physical therapy and it is helping. But the craziness that this happened the week before Christmas had us all in a tailspin! Plus I take care of Mom who needs 24 hour supervision as she will be 90 in June. By Christmas Day, we were all together and happy and ready to end 2019 on a high note! My parents' Christmas candle was lit for Christmas yet again and we had a great holiday!

Lots of presents under the tree! My husband bought me a diamond cross that I love.

What else is going on....waiting on the first big snowfall! Tried some new recipes including fried artichokes that were so delicious! That's them below....

Got a new comforter for my bed. It's the Amish wedding ring pattern. Its not Amish made though but I sure love it. 

I made lots of cookies for Christmas with my daughter and Mom. I know there's so much more but I really can't remember it all! Plus I'm sure we all did a lot of the same things! I wish all of you a wonderful 2020 and I thank you for following me! I appreciate you all so much!

November Days

Good Morning! October sure flew by! Like a witch on a broom past the Halloween moon! I don't remember an October going by so quickly but then again we have been really busy. I did make lots of pumpkin desserts though. I tried several I had bookmarked for a long time! Do you ever find you do that? You have all kinds of recipes or crafts pinned or saved only to have them just stay PINNED OR SAVED!! I'm trying so hard to finish up loose ends and recipes I have saved is one of them Also getting caught up on my reading. I read and review Amish fiction books for several Amish fiction authors and I receive the book, read it and then have to submit my review and lately I was accumulating a back log of them! Now I'm up to date (almost) and it feels good! Reading the Amish fiction books that are Thanksgiving or Chrismas themed are so special.

All the Thanksgiving boxes are down and I'm just about done decorating. Are you having the holiday? I am ! I love cooking for Thanksgiving. Its so fun when the supermarkets start to get us ready with all the baking displays and all that! It really gets you in the mood to cook!

My husband and I went to Tractor Supply last week and they sure have some good Christmas items! I saw this sign and said this is the TRUTH!!!That's my goal for 2020! And its amazing that 2019 will be over shortly! I mean, here we are on Election Day already! But back to Tractor Supply~~we loaded the back of our pickup with all the supplies I need for the chickens and it was so fun cause the day was cold and I felt like I was storing up for the long winter!! I was feeling like a pioneer girl :)

Have a great day!

October

Good afternoon! It's a cold and rainy afternoon here! Lots of leaves are falling off the trees. We are a little behind getting some of our outdoor Fall décor done, but it's coming along! The corn stalks are up and I have some mums and planters. I just want it up all year!!! I love it so!
Here is my Amish tool carrier:

I see so many great ideas from websites and all the Facebook groups I belong to. I was thinking how it used to be before social media discovering new decorating and craft ideas. I depended so much on all the different country decorating magazines that were out and taking tons of photos when I would visit Lancaster of all the store displays of country items. Do you remember all the different Country magazines? Country Collectibles, Country Decorating Ideas, to name a few. I still subscribe to Country Sampler. Most of the others aren't published anymore and there are new ones but they are are expensive! I am a huge fan of Country Sampler, and I can't imagine cancelling it! I look forward to it so much and now more than a few of my acquaintances have been featured. I know social media can be a hazard to our lives in many ways but I think its also a blessing for communication and learning. I learned to knit watching you tube! And most of all I learned from what I saw on people's Facebook, craft or selling pages. And all the great friends I have made that are like extended family!

Back to the pumpkins, I thought this gourd looked like a chicken so I bought it for that reason! Added the googly eyes and its supposed to go near my chicken coop  I don't want to put it outside!

And not related to my chickens, who I love with all my heart and don't eat (except for the eggs they lay), I made a big pot chicken soup and a big chicken stew over the last weekend! So good!

Wish there was some leftover because this is a good day for soup!I hope you have a greatr afternoon!

October Eve

My favorite month of the year is October. Not just because I love Halloween, but to me it just introduces a whole season of months that make "home" the centerpiece. The "Ber" months as they are now called, are all my favorites. I never quite accomplish all that I wish to but  each year I'm getting better at it. 

Started to get my mums and ornamental cabbages. Next weekend we will get the bulk of them and in the weekends that follow and we do some of our Fall activities, we will add to it. I'm partial to the dark rusts. Just about finished my decorating for Halloween and Fall. I have added quite a bit to my Thanksgiving collection since last year too.

If you have followed me in the past you know that every year for over 25 years I have a Halloween party~~this year we will host another but it is more Fall/Harvest/Halloween than just Halloween. My daughter and her friends are into the rustic farmhouse harvest look so that's what we have decided to go with. My daughter is very crafty and creates some beautiful things so I know she will be making some nice things.

Fall Decorating

Good Afternoon! How awesome is it to have some cooler temps? I am so happy! Got a bunch of my boxes down for some decorating although I'll be scaling it back this year due to my duties with Mom. Then again, my idea of scaling it back is still way more than most people do in general so no one will probably even notice! I think you know this is my favorite time of year! Moo already has taken over her favorite blanket in the livingroom! I never saw a cat that loved comfort the way she does! Its hard to get her to give up any blanket and pillow or even move over on the couch!

One by one, I'm taking my favorite things out of their boxes. Don't forget that the Freeform Channel will be showing Hocus Pocus like a hundred times during their 31 nights of Halloween! 

Have you started your decorating? 

I'm planning to make some fabric indian corn and some stuffed pumpkins. It just isn't Fall if I don't create something!