A Haven for Vee

Monday, September 30, 2013

Foliage Report

Since I so often mention how rotten the weather is, I think it is time for me to say that the weather has been glorious — glorious! It makes me feel like singing. 

We decided to take a Sunday afternoon drive around the block. I took a lot of photos. While editing them, I realized that they'd be pretty much the same old, same old, well except for the attack of the killer chickens. So I tossed the photos into a collage for future Note Card Party retrieval or header consideration. 


~Typical Scene These Days~



The Farm Stand was having a closing sale. The white mum was less than half price. Can't beat that! Ice cream was, too, so John upgraded to a banana-less banana split. More on that later.



This is called the Hannibal Hamlin home. Mr. Hamlin was Abraham Lincoln's first vice-president. (*I've talked about it before.*) It has beautiful views of the White Mountains of New Hampshire.



Oh I see that this might be where the seed was planted to have a white mum! And I thought it was my idea.


A glimpse of their view. The home is privately owned.


And there's John enjoying that not quite a banana split. He says that he used to ride a dump rake in his childhood haying days back on the farm.

Back to our humble abode with no mountain views, but plenty of autumn all the same. We are wrapped up in autumn these days.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Autumn Up!





~Twine pumpkin as seen *here.*


What's not to love about bittersweet, jack be little pumpkins or a pumpkin of another sort?

Joining Mary at *Little Red House* for Mosaic Monday.

Closing comments so that you may scoot and enjoy your Sunday. 

As always, thank you so much for stopping by!

A Letter

Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father...


Many blessings to you this week as you open The Word. It's better than anything you could receive in the mailbox. 

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Disguises and Close-ups


Flowers often look fine in close-ups. Take the humble kalanchoe that actually has far more presence/oomph in a close-up.



Usually, I am trying to disguise the less than pleasant around here. However, I've never minded showing the view out this window, though I most certainly have avoided the close-up in the opposite direction.




This was taken after the siding was finished, but before the window fix. (I'm not sure that I should say "siding" anymore. I was visiting a blog recently where the blogger described all siding as "ugh." ♪We are old; we are poor; we don't want to paint anymore♪)



A lonely lily... Yesterday afternoon, I played carpenter's helper and spent a lot of time trotting back and forth. 

Have you ever helped your husband with a project? Seems mine had a few minor complaints and wished to tell me about them. Seems he thought I should be able to figure out exactly what he wanted and when. Finally, I told him that I was busy with many things besides being his helper. I was taking photos, looking for squirrels, wondering where all the acorns went, checking the light, shooing turkey vultures off. Right. I had a lot to do!



In the end, he finished it up. And now I've only thought of one more thing to add to our list. We really need to get that mold off our shingles! 


Thanks, John! It looks great! You worked hard and have paid a price in aches and pains. I can probably handle that roof if you show me how. ;>


No need for clever disguises...well, I am NOT showing you that garden!


How about a close-up of a geranium? 

Enjoy this final weekend of September! Where did it go?

Friday, September 27, 2013

Wisdom

What the world could really use are some humble men who solve problems rather than egotistical men who cause problems. ~Donna


I don't have a Twitter account, but I'd like to think that, if I did, I'd sound a little like Donna. She has posted her Twitter account in her sidebar as so many bloggers have. If you're a bit of a snoop, like me, you can check it out *here.*
Not sure what is going on with my browser (Google Chrome) or with Blogger this morning, but something. I'll try to be brief.


John (also known as a humble man trying to fix a problem) is working on insulating the bay window and replacing the basement window below, which had a baseball sail through it a few years ago. (Not my darlings; some neighborhood teens.) Then we'll get started on the garage. I'd show you that horror show, but we're nowhere near Halloween. I must not only protect the innocent, I must not embarrass myself. 

And my job, of course, is to document the fading blooms of summer...


A fine day to you and a happy weekend!


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

A Cruz


I don't have much energy for blogging today. C-SPAN 2 has been on through the night and until noon today. Thank you, C-SPAN! 

If Ted Cruz was willing to speak up on behalf of his constituents and the *nearly 75%* of all Americans who now realize that 0bamacare has no hope of working and will, in fact, destroy us — is in fact, now destroying us — if he was willing to do that, then the least I could do is stand with him in my simple way. 

We had spent the day yesterday calling our various Senators and Representatives. We've written letters, added our names to polls, done all that we know how to do. It won't change the fact that four out of seven adults in our immediate family are without work. I only hope that I am not bearing witness to the bitter end of this great country. 

My new way of handing political commentary is to close comments and tell you to send me an email if you'd like to chat.

 I'll get back to you after my nap. ☺

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

My Fairy Blog Mother

 

As you can see, I had a Fairy Blog Mother busily working away since I was last here. She has done such a lot of tidying up and getting things back to working order. Her name is Linda and she blogs at *Life and Linda.* It's a beautiful blog as you might imagine. I have seen a number of blogs around Blogdom of late that she has worked with and was most impressed, yet it was visiting her own blog that cinched it for me. If you ever need help, tell her I sent you!

So autumn has arrived while I was fussing over less lovely things... 

~farmstand on Sunday afternoon last~

 ~china cabinet top decor built around *Catherine Holman* print~


My grandmother's tea pot with the sweet little house. (I broke the lid while visiting her one day.) 
A beautiful day to you...thank you for putting up with me!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

The Basement is A Mess

You can check it out for yourself on your way by. Just keep scrolling down, down, down. (I'm talking about the mess in the blog basement.) I've actually been making some improvements and I hope, over time, to get it whittled down to something manageable. Just as in real basements, sheds, garages, attics, trunks, and closets, there's everything from soup to nuts! Have you ever added the labels gadget? 

So if I'm missing for a few days, it's because I'm in the basement, garage, attic or somewhere.

Everything is in autumn mode around here. The flowers have had to be covered against frost and freeze warnings several times. It's only a matter of time before they look so tired anyway that I'll just let them go. In the meantime, I'm doing puttery autumnal things around the house...an acorn here, a bouquet there, repotting a cactus here, binning an old poinsettia there. How about you?


Thank you for another fun Note Card Party! You're the best group of gals that ever was! And I just know that you'll be using those cameras from now to the next party October 16 and posting some. How did the new rule work for you? I didn't take any new photos, but I used photos that I had not used before. 

Oh one last thing! So many mentioned what a fun idea it is to exchange a tea cup or coffee mug. Stephanie's at it again and you can find out more by clicking on the button in my sidebar. I signed up for the mug exchange this time. Perhaps you'd enjoy participating, too. I'm sure that Stephanie would say, "The more the merrier!"

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Monarch~September Note Card Party


To A Butterfly

I've watched you now a full half-hour,
Self-poised upon that yellow {purple} flower;
And, little Butterfly! indeed
I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless!— not frozen seas
More motionless! — and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls you forth again!


This plot of orchard-ground is ours:
My trees they are, my Sister's flowers;
Here rest your wing when they are weary;
Her lodge as in a sanctuary!
Come often to us, fear no wrong;
Sit near us on the bough!
We'll talk of sunshine and of song,
And summer days, when we are young;
Sweet childish days, that were as long
As twenty days are now.


~William Wordsworth





 


Some photos first appeared *here.* This was kind of fun to use the same photo in each card (and one that I had previously used) and fill in around it with odd and sundry photos. Some I had used and others that were just sitting waiting in my folder. I do love my Lacie (exterior hard drive).

So off we go! Let's have us some fun...

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Monday, September 16, 2013

Around and Round

That morning glory must love all the rain (it's raining again today) because it has never had so many blooms. While I was trying to take photos of them, John, bless his heart, was counting them. 


He said 27, 28, 29 or maybe even 30!


*~*

Can you believe that it is already time for the Note Card Party? I'm very excited about the new rule. If you don't know about that, please click on the date in my sidebar or on the Note Card Party button. Either will take you to the information you need. I'm going to be a stickler this time! 

Mr. Linky will be up between two and two thirty Eastern Standard Time Tuesday afternoon (tomorrow). It will remain up all day Wednesday and close Thursday morning around 10. 

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Psalm 66: 8–9


Let everyone bless God and sing His praises, for He holds our lives in His hands. And He holds our feet to the path. ~Psalm 66: 8–9


Let everything that, 
everything that 
Everything that 
has breath praise the Lord

Let everything that, 
everything that 
Everything that 
has breath praise the Lord

Praise You in the morning 
Praise You in the evening 
Praise You when I'm young 
and when I'm old

Praise You when I'm laughing 
Praise You when I'm grieving 
Praise You every 
season of the soul

If we could see 
how much You're worth 
Your power, 
Your might, 
Your endless love 
Then surely we would 
never cease to praise

Praise You in the heavens 
Join with the angels 
Praising You forever and a day

Praise You on the earth now 
Join with creation 
Calling all the nations to Your praise

If they could see 
how much You're worth 
Your power, 
Your might, 
Your endless love 
Then surely they would 
never cease to praise

I will worship, 
I will worship 
I will worship 
You with every breath

I will worship, 
I will worship 
I will worship 
You with every breath

Prayer changes things and Praise will take you into His presence! Have a blessed day and a blessed week...

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Windows No Doors


~Little Red Shed in October~

Little Red Shed is a photo that I dusted off. It was first featured *here.* There's just something about those windows... (ISO 100, exposure 1/250, aperture 2.8 — information taken from Picasa Web Album) 

~atmospheric~

I love my own windows. This has been my view for the last few days: rain, rain, rain. (The setting was A (aperture priority, yet I do not know the aperture as Picasa was no help this time), ISO 100, shutter speed 1/125, and I used the tripod.) It's a pretty accurate representation of the day so I put a frame on it and called it good enough. I had hoped to go out somewhere looking for doors and windows again, weather permitting. It didn't. (The door photo in my header was a practice shot. Nondescript practice shot.) 

Linking with Donna at A Personal Photo Challenge. This month's theme is Windows and Doors. Maybe you have some in your files that you'd like to share with us. 

Thanks to Donna for hosting at this busy and intense time for Jim and herself. (I'm kind of hoping that she won't be seeing this one. ☺)

Friday, September 13, 2013

Happy


So I was reading the final chapters of the book I mentioned yesterday when I began to wonder what John might look like if he were a member of the Duck Dynasty. More on that in a bit.

Two unlikely gals introduced Duck Dynasty to me: Debbie of Words on Wheels and Auntie of Auntie Sezzzzz (Found it!) Oddly enough, both of these wonderful bloggers have pulled a disappearing act. Anyone seen either of them lately? They may be hanging out in Louisiana — groupies!





This is the book I was talking about. I did not expect to like it. John picked up the book that I was hoping to read so, having nothing to read, I went with this one. And I loved it. LOVED it. It is a powerful testimony. At one point, I was reading aloud to John about the part when Phil decided that he would repent. I glanced up to see John's eyes glistening a bit. John had been there once upon a time you see. Neither Phil's story nor John's is mine to tell so you'll just have to read it for yourself!

Now back to that earlier question. What would John look like as a Duck Dynasty dude...



Pretty good if I do say so myself except that he has dimples under there. He shouldn't cover them up!



P.S. Duck Dynasty airs Wednesday nights on A&E at 10 EST. We watch via an A&E app on the iPad.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Puttery Day

Whew-ie...those were some kind of impressive thunderstorms last night! Since I would be challenged to properly describe a storm, I'll urge you to read *Vicki's post* for its vibrant description. Mercifully, our storms did not have quite the intensity of hers.



Who would ever dream that September 11 would be the warmest day of the summer?  It was 92°F in the shade with only the slightest of breezes and terrifically humid. Weird, weird weather. I certainly was not planning any time out of doors.  

Instead, I did what any normal gal would do. I cleaned my kitchen cupboards. 

~my favorite cleaner~

If you read here, you know that I've been planning to paint my kitchen cupboards for approximately six years. Right. I do so hate painting; I'll do almost anything to avoid it. I scrubbed instead and then I decided that since I'd not be painting, I'd cover up a mess with Susan Branch calendar pages.




As you can tell, it really does need some paint, but for now these sweet graphics are going to work. That they are both recipes rather pleases me. And I adore that vintage mixer!

I really wanted to go with the current calendar page...


That wouldn't have been too smart, however.  It is the first time I noticed Susan's message to us for September 11, which I found sweet and dear. No other calendar in my home marks the date with any sort of notation. This was Susan's:


Did you see the turkey plate? Do you think it's too soon? Probably, but as you can tell, a gal must work within her limits and with what she has.


Then I moved on to other puttery things before landing on the sofa reading another new book. I nearly finished it, too. I didn't want to like it, but I loved it. Tell you about that tomorrow perhaps.


This area gets featured a lot since it is my home's "mantel." Funny story: My sister was visiting recently when she saw that vintage photo. Sis wondered who in the family the photo might be. I explained that she was a flea market ancestor. My sister was completely exasperated by that. She now wants me to label all such "ancestors" with this notation: no relation. ☺

~cutest cousins~

Next time she comes, I hope that she recognizes our cousins here. I put them out especially for her.

Better put a bow on it and call it "the end." Thanks for reading!



Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Remembering



~Flag (Photo taken 9-8-2013)~

If you live in the U.S., have you noticed an abundance of flags flying in the past twelve years? We have. In fact, both John and I first purchased flags to display that year. The entire town is covered in flags — one on every street post, and most homes display a flag. This became a way to show unity after the tragedy atrocity of September 11, 2001. 


There's something very special to me about seeing a flag fluttering in the breeze. There are still many reasons to be concerned about world events today; there are still many reasons to be concerned about the country today. The world is not a nicer, safer place since 9-11. Someday it will be again. Until then, we put our hope in The Lord and trust in His Word.

~~~

Thank you for all the cookie suggestions. Some have made me really want to try your recipes...chocolate pudding chocolate chip cookies? Oh yum! I had no idea that there were so many Snickerdoodle lovers among my friends. ☺ 

Lisa suggested Pumpkin Molasses Cookies from Mennonite Girls Can Cook. So now we have some in the can! I doubt that they'll be staying there for long.(Thank you, Lisa!)


I need to take lessons in photography from Betty! With photographs like mine, the Mennonite Girls will not be thanking me. Just take my word for it: These are exceptionally delicious.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Feels Like Autumn


                                      


The air is chilly. It's going to rain. It will not be a perfect autumn day out of doors, but it will be as perfect as I can create indoors.

This little photo to the left represents hours spent at Pinterest perusing other gals' Autumn or Fall Boards. I was going to provide a link to each of them and then realized that these are the sorts of things we did before Pinterest, but not so much now. Instead, I created an Autumn Board of my own using so many of my friends' pins. What delights you have been gathering! There's enough inspiration there to last for years.




Some weeks ago now, I promised John a batch of cookies. I don't know about you, but I do not like baking cookies. They take so long to bake with all those 10–12 minute interruptions. ☺ He doubtingly asked when. I said that it would have to get much colder.  Now he's been watching for frost warnings like crazy. Just last night, as I was reading the final pages of *A Fine Romance, he said, "It's going to be 28° tonight."

I slapped my book shut and started up from the chair. Those were action words and I had some gathering of plant covers to do. He started to laugh and then had to confess that he was lying just to get some cookies. What a scamp! I think he wanted to know if I could still move. I've had my nose in one book or another for days.

*Speaking of A Fine Romance, I linked to two blogs at the end of my post on Branch and Hedgerows where the blessed gals went to book signings, if you'd be interested. Both gals had their photos taken with Susan and one even found Joe in the parking lot in that beautiful van of theirs. He seems like such a good sport!

I'd just like to add that finishing the book may have given me the same sort of feeling that Susan and Joe had about leaving England behind. I'll be leaving it handy by so that I can dip back in again and enjoy whatever page I land on. It's that kind of a book.




Now if I were to bake John some cookies today, what would you suggest?