Tuesday

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27 degrees this morning and though it wasn't snowing at the time I walked

we did get more snow at times throughout the day.

After missing yesterdays walk I was determined to get out there today.

Had to wear my snow boots with the ice grippers on them.

Under the snow along the side roads it was pretty icy as you can see.

Walked around town up and down the side roads trying to avoid the snow plows.

Walked around one of the cemeteries but the snow was pretty deep and

it was hard to walk and the other cemetery was the same way.

It is slower going wearing snow boots and I miss being able to just

wear my regular walking shoes.

Didn't see anyone else out walking.

Schools were delayed a couple of hours so didn't even see the buses.

Didn't quite get in a full 6 miles but I did get in

5 1/2 miles.

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We skipped bowling today.  

Thanks for all the anniversary wishes from yesterday. 

Picked up a book from the library that I had on hold.

It's the first book that Chevy Stevens wrote.

She is the author of the book I liked so much that I just read.

Still Missing is a page turner too and it shouldn't be long before

I finish it.

Took the puzzle apart and started the next one. (14)

Talked on the phone to a few people today,

 Vickie

Chris

Mary Jo

Bernice

Wish I could have given them good news and not the news that I had to.

A happy day to you and a smile from me to you.

happyone 🎈

"A mom's hug lasts long after she lets go."

Unknown

Update on my Mom

My mom has fallen three times in the last couple of weeks in the nursing home 

and yesterday she fell again and broke her right hip.  You may remember

two years ago come March she fell and broke her left hip. 

Her heart is just too bad for an operation so there is not much they can do.  

Just keep her on pain medication.

The doctor believes her heart will just give out.

We know she is in God's hands and He will take her home in His time.

Barn Collective and quilt square 23

Linking up again with Tom for the Barn Collective Series.

This is the barn that goes along with the house that is for sale next door.

The Quilt Square on this building isn't on a barn but a store at 

Deep Creek Lavender Farm

located between McHenry and Accident on Doerr Road.

The design is Celtic Twist.

Pictures were taken back in late spring.

 🌾     🌾     🌾

It was 20 degrees this morning when I woke up and snowing like crazy.

Too deep to wear my snow sneakers and didn't feel like walking in my snow

boots so I decided to skip my morning walk.

Thought I might go in the afternoon but it was still snowing

so just got my steps walking inside today.

Here's looking out my window.

 We finished puzzle number 13.

This was a nice one and fun to do and we were sorry to find it had a piece missing,

right in the middle.

I made a new recipe taken from The Taste of Home magazine this eveningfor supper and it was very good.  We both liked it and I'll be making
it again.  Later this evening or tomorrow I'll be putting the recipe
up on Karen's Kitchen blog.
Remember in the summer all that zucchini I got out of my garden?
Well this recipe would have been a good use for some of that zucchini.

  Zucchini Pizza Casserole

 Having the usual nice evening at home.

Some Netflix, reading, making a few weave-its and of course ice cream.

A happy day to you and a smile from me to you.

happyone 🎈

"Our wedding was many years ago.  

The celebration continues to this day."

~ Gene Perret

"Happiness and pain and sorrow

Were our portions through the years

That we two have lived together;

But love helped do dry all tears.

And my heart gives me this message,

Knowing all that I know now,

If the clock could be turned backward,

I'd still take that holy vow."

~ Gertrude Buckingham 

Today is our anniversary.

45 years.

💗     💑     💗

I've got a mansion

This is one of the hymns we sang at church this morning.

I've Got A Mansion

~Ira Stanphill

1.  I'm satisfied with just a cottage below,

A little silver and a little gold;

But in that city where the ransomed will shine,

I want a gold one that's silver lined.

Chorus 

I've got a mansion just over the hilltop,

In that bright land where we'll never grow old;

And some day yonder we will never more wander

But walk the streets that are purest gold.

2.  Tho' often tempted, tormented and tested,

And like the prophet my pillow a stone;

And tho' I find here no permanent dwelling,

I know He'll give me a mansion my own.

3.  Don't think me poor or deserted or lonely,

I'm not discouraged, I'm heaven bound;

I'm just a pilgrim in search of a city,

I want a mansion, a harp and a crown.

I find it a blessing to sing these old hymns and I am so glad my

church has kept all the old ones.

Click HERE to hear Elvis singing it.

 

John 14:2

In my Father's house are many mansions;

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

A blessed Sunday to you all my friends.

Jesus loves you.

happyone 🎈

More snow today and I had another snowy walk.

 Comment replies:

John - If you click on WALK just under the header you can read all about my walk.

Funny,  you ask if Ken is going to put more videos of his trains up on YouTube.  He just did a couple of days ago.   Here's the LINK.

Sun in LaVale

Another morning walk with falling snow. 

24 degrees this morning with wind gusts every so often.

Didn't see anyone else out, just me and the snow plows.

Walked behind my house, through town and up and down the side streets in town.

The ball park loop is just a quarter of a mile and walked around there 4 times.

Then walked around both of the cemeteries.  

Always enjoy my walk.

Walked 6 miles

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We left to go down to LaVale this morning at 10:00.  It was 25 degrees 

and snowing with slushy roads.

30 miles down the mountain at LaVale it was 35 degrees, NO sign of any snow

and the sun was shining.

Hard to believe just 30 miles makes such a difference.

We went in quite a few stores.

One store was a new store advertised as Primitives.  Last time we went it was

closed but today it was open and we went in for a look around.

I thought it was going to be 'old' primitives but it was all new stuff.

It was more a country collectible/craft store.  

Though I do like looking around at all that kind of stuff, I prefer

old things.

Stopped in at the Super Shoe store too because I need a new pair of

walking shoes but there was nothing that I liked for walking.

Also checked out Dunham's but no good shoes there for me either.

All my usual walking shoe brands just aren't the same anymore.

It was nice being out in the sun for a while.  😊

Back home it wasn't snowing but it was cloudy and 25 degrees.

We worked on the latest puzzle that is spread out on our dining room table.

It's a 1000 piece one and a good challenge.

This evening I plan on reading,
making some weave-it squares,
watching Netflix (We've been watching Blue Bloods)
and eating a bowl of ice cream.

A happy day to you and a smile from me to you.

happyone 🎈

 "Your day will go the way the corners of your mouth turn."

Unknown

Comment Replies:

Debby - Yes, I have read the Shack and thought it was good.

Robin - No, the house isn't listed with a realtor, sign says for sale by owner. 

Friday

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25 degrees this morning and windy at times with snow flurries.

Lots of icy places which makes me very glad I have those ice grippers.

They are walk 'savers.' 😊 Without them I wouldn't be walking

on mornings like these.

School must have been delayed a couple of hours because I didn't see

any buses around.  No people out walking either.

Stopped for a little chat with George who was getting out of his car by the garage in town where he works.

His wife Joyce is one of the women who takes the balance ball class with me.

I walked behind my house and around the ball park loop a few times and then

up and down some streets in town.

After walking 4 miles I went back home for a pit stop.

Then headed back outside to finish my walk.  As what usually happens

when I stop home, I walked a little farther than usual.  When I leave the house

again I  don't realize how far I walk.

The second time out I walked up the main road through town

and around both cemeteries a couple of times.

Ended up walking 7.2 miles

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Thought you might like to see what the back of the house next door to me

for sale looks like.

 I finished my book last night.  Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens.

Eleven years ago, Lindsey escaped her house with her young daughter from an abusive relationship. Her ex-husband was sent to jail and she started a new life. Now, Lindsey is older and wiser, with a teenage daughter. When her ex-husband is released, Lindsey believes all ties are cut. But she gets the sense that someone is watching her.

I thought the book was very good and a real page turner and kept me guessing.

She has written a few other books too and I plan on reading them all.

Finished up some housework for the week.
Worked on the current puzzle and did some reading.
Stopped by the window every so often just to watch the snow come down.
It's been snowing all day but it's been blowing around a lot so it doesn't
seem to be adding any inches.

So that's been my day so far.

A happy day to you my friends.
happyone 🎈

"The imagination is a palette of bright colors.
You can use it to touch up memories
or you can use it to paint dreams."
~ Robert Brault

Comment replies:

Debbie H - In answer to your question do I get cold.  I wear many layers which keep me nice and warm.  No, I don't get cold in these temperatures.  It is cold when it gets in the single digits and on those days I don't USUALLY walk.  No, my feet don't get cold.  Remember I'm walking at a good pace, not just standing around, so that keeps me warm too.  It is a bit funny in that walking in the cold is the part of the day that I'm the warmest. It's the other times of the day that I'm cold!!!

The New Cutter

37  degrees this morning when I walked.  

Started out calm but the wind kicked up while walking.

It was wet but no rain coming down.  

 Later in the day the temperature dropped it's began snowing.

Typical walk behind my house, up and down the streets in town,

the ball park loop and both cemeteries.

Nice that the bad weather held off so I could walk.

Didn't see anyone else out. 

Walked 6.2 miles

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Right after breakfast we left for church for a work day doing Fingerprints.

Most of you know that our Church has a Fingerprints Ministry where

we put together the book of Romans in another language and then they are given

to missionaries to pass out.  These we are doing now are in Spanish and

are going to Mexico.

So far we have been folding the covers, stuffing the content in the

covers and then stapling them. 

After that they need to be cut into neat little books.

We didn't have a cutter so couldn't do this last part and they would

have to be given back to the Beacon of Truth for them to be cut.

BUT today that changed.  A generous person from church has purchased

a cutter for us so now we can cut the books and package them ourselves.

It is a used one and this kind is no longer made.

Here's our cutter.

On the left is what the books look like before getting cut and on the

right side after cutting, all nice and tidy.

Ken did most of the cutting but trained Pastor and Derek on the cutter too.

I did a little bit of everything today. Folding, stuffing and stapling.

The cutter cuts 7 books at a time and I also counted the books into piles

of 7 and put them on the table ready for cutting.

 Here is Ken working the cutter.

Then they get put into a box and sealed up, ready for shipping.

There were 11 of us working today and we were excited to be able to

get the whole process done.

So that's been my day.  

What a blessing it is to be part of the wonderful ministry.

A happy day to you and a smile from me to you.

happyone 🎈

"God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supplies."

~ Hudson Taylor

House For Sale

This morning it was 35 degrees and got warmer throughout the day 

until it was 55 degrees.

It was cloudy when I walked but eventually the sun came out and it was

a really nice day.

I walked behind my house, around town, and both cemeteries.

Kathy was out walking.  Haven't seen her that many times this year.

I ended up not taking any pictures on my walk today.

Nothing caught my eye and before I knew it I was back home.

 Walked 6.2 miles

🎈     🎈     🎈

At 10:25 I headed out the door again.

This time over to the fitness center and had another balance ball class.

We did different exercises than last week and it was another good workout.

 There were only 7 of u this week.  3 less than last week.  

Next door to us is a big old white house with a wonderful wrap around porch 

and a big barn in back on 2+ acres of land.

Harold and EvaJean have moved to a smaller home and their house is 

now for sale.  I think it a good buy at $250,000.

I am tempted to buy it and move next door but no, the house is much too big

for us and I don't want to move again.  But it does make you think about it.

I haven't done much around the house today.  Just the things that

I HAD to do and then I read my book.

After supper we will be heading out to church as usual

and will be staying after the service to set up for Fingerprints

which we will be doing tomorrow.  We just get everything ready so

in the morning we can start right in on working.

We have a new step to add to our process and we are excited about it.  

Will have pictures and tell you about it tomorrow.

As you can see from the picture that our snow is gone from yesterday already.

Hope your day was a happy one.

A smile from me to you.

happyone 🎈

Comment Replies:

BettyC -  The book is an advanced copy given to our library.  They must get some every month because each month at the book club we all put our names in a hat and a name is drawn for a book.  Another woman won this book and brought it back for others to read as well.

A walk in the snow

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I enjoyed walking in the snow this morning.

31 degrees and snowing.

Wore my snow sneakers and put the ice grippers on them.

Probably didn't need them though because the snow was slushy.

Shoes were great and kept my feet dry.

Stayed on the side streets and then walked around the ball park loop,

and the cemeteries a few times.

Tried to stay away from the snow plows.

Didn't see anyone else out walking.

Took lots of pictures because everywhere I looked was so pretty.

Here's a sampling from my walk.

Walked 6 miles

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Tuesday means bowling day so off we went for a day of bowling.

There were six of us today and Ken and I played the usual three games.
The others stayed for another game.
Three games is my limit, don't seem to enjoy it after that.

Before we left I got supper started in the slow cooker so it would be
ready when we got home.
By the way we ended up staying home last night for supper,
but didn't have spaghetti after all.  Ken made us cheese nachos.

Started another book and this one is really good.
Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens
It is another hard one to put down and I've already read half of it.

Will be reading more of my book later tonight.
I'll be enjoying some ice cream later also. 
What flavor you ask?  Chocolaty Chippity.

Hope your day has been a happy one.
happyone  🎈

 "I cannot imagine how the clockwork of the universe can exist
without a clockmaker."
~ Voltaire

Barn Collective

Linking up with Tom for the Barn Collective series today.

This is the old barn down by the Drane house where I walk. Took the pictures

a couple of weeks ago.

This is another Quilt Square but it isn't on a barn but on Friend's Store

in McHenry, Md in Garrett County

 The quilt square is the Flying Geese pattern. 

I took these picture months ago.

🌻     🌻     🌻

41 degrees this morning and back to walking in the rain.

It was windy out and some big gusts came along once in a while.

Since it was warm and I didn't have to wear a lot of layers I wore my rain slicker.

It is not big enough to wear over layers.

Walked all over town up and down all the streets.

Went around the ball park loop a few times and one of the 

cemeteries.  

Didn't see anyone else out this morning.

It rained the whole time.

Never did take my camera out of my pocket.

Walked 6.2 miles

🌻     🌻     🌻

Last night I finished reading The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens.

Once I started reading it, it was hard to put down. 

Wolf Truly takes a cable car 8,000 feet up a mountain  

with the intention of taking his own life.

Through a series of mishaps he gets lost and is stranded

among the forested cliffs with three women.

Four go up the mountain but only four come down. 

I thought the book was very good.

📖     📖     📖

Got some cleaning done today.

Then enjoyed a bit of coloring.

 The temperature dropped and the rain coming down turned into snow.
I'd rather have the snow than the rain.
Brightens things up a bit with all that white and makes everything pretty.

Haven't made up my mind about supper yet.
I'm hoping to go to Brenda's for half price pizza,
but we might just stay home and have spaghetti.

A happy day to you.
Pass your smile around. 😊
happyone  🎈

"If you have time to whine and complain about something
then you have the time to do something about it."
~ Anthony J D'Angelo

A beautiful world

Taken yesterday morning

Genesis 1:1 

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Psalms 19:1

The heavens declare the glory of God;

and the firmament sheweth His handiwork.

Psalms 104:24, 31, 32, 33

O Lord, how manifold are thy works in wisdom

hast thou made them all;

the earth is full of thy riches. 

The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever;

the Lord shall rejoice in His works.

He looketh on the earth,

and it trembleth;

He toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

A blessed Sunday to you all.

Jesus loves you.

happyone 🎈

Sunshine

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Wow it was beautiful outside this morning.  34 degrees and very still.

Low hanging clouds this morning and so nice to walk through them.

Made a stop at the laundromat to hang up a poster and then

walked up the hills behind my house.

 Then through town and to the cemeteries and walked around both of them.  

Then I walked a little ways up Sale Barn Road

and down toward Happy Trails before turning around and heading back home.

 After I took the above picture I crossed the street and took 

this picture through the trees.

You can hardly see the cows in the cloud.

No one about this morning.  Couldn't help but think of this beautiful

morning they were all missing.

Walked 6.6 miles

 ⛅     ⛅     ⛅

Finished the puzzle (12) last night.  We though this one was kind of blah

and was one of the hardest ones we've done.

Don't think we'll be doing this one again.

Though it did cloud up in the afternoon, this morning it was bright sunshine for
a while and 55 degrees.  We actually sat out on the front porch before
lunch in the sunshine.  Sure hard to believe it is January.
Nice to have a spring day this time of year.  😊

I had a rug in the kitchen under the table which I use as an island.

Got tired of looking at it so I took it away and put in downstairs in the basement.
Now it looks like this.

I made a Lemon Meringue Pie this afternoon.
I'm not happy with how it looks so I'll not post it on my Karen's Kitchen blog
yet.  The crust shrunk away from the pie plate and the meringue could be
higher.  It called for 3 egg whites but next time I'll use 4.
I've only made it one time before and that was years ago.
Ken is so nice and says it looks great.
We will be eating it tonight for our snack instead of ice cream.
(Not the whole pie, just a piece) 😊

A happy day to you and a smile from me to you.

happyone 🎈

"What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity.

These are not trifles, to be sure;

but scattered along life's pathway,

the good they do is inconceivable."

~ Joseph Addison

A sunflower

Getting tired of posting dreary day pictures 

so here's one to make you smile that I took in the summer.

🌻     🌻     🌻

Another rainy morning, late getting up, and late starting on my walk.

It was 35 degrees with hardly any wind at all.

 Walked around behind my house and around town here and there.

After 4 miles I was getting warm so walked back home and took off a layer

of clothes and then left again.

Lisa was out running in the rain and the man who walks his big white dog

was out walking too. 

Walked around town, the ball park loop, and the cemeteries.

Hadn't looked at my pedometer for a while and when I thought it was

time to head home and looked, saw I had already walked 6 miles already. 

 So I walked a little farther today.

Walked 7.2 miles

Found a penny

🌻     🌻     🌻

  I've been home today just enjoying the day.

 A good day for puzzling, reading and not much of anything.

A happy day to you and a smile from me to you.

happyone 🎈

Reading the Readers Digest I came across this and

it made me smile so I though I'd share it with you.

Idioms for the indecisive

• Out of sight, out of mind ... but absence makes the heart grow stronger.
• The pen is mightier than the sword ... but actions speak louder than words.
• What you see is what you get ... but don't judge a book by its cover.
• Birds of a feather flock together ... but opposites attract.
• Many hands make light work ... but too many cooks spoil the broth.

Thursday

🐞     🐞     🐞

Another morning that I got up late so got a late start walking.  

That's happening a lot lately.

I think it is because every morning it's just so dreary and hard to get out of bed.

But once I'm up and outside I perk right up.

This morning it was 34 degrees, foggy and very still.

Walked over to the Dollar General and put up a flyer for a church event

on the bulletin board. Had to take along some scotch tape because this

bulletin board has no push pins.

Since I was out that way I walked around the industrial park.

Then headed back towards home and walked the hills behind my house.

Dropped the scotch tape off as I passed by the house.

Next stop was the post office to mail drop a letter down the slot.

Continued my walked around both cemeteries and then

back home.

Didn't see anyone else out walking.

Walked 6.6 miles

Found a dime

🐞     🐞     🐞

Baked the last batch of chocolate chippers for the kids for this Sunday.

There are some left over for us too and I put them in the freezer so

we wouldn't eat them yet.  

Been working on the latest puzzle every so often.  Taking a while to get

this one done.  It's a pretty hard one.  

We got to see the sun for a little while this afternoon.

Nice to know it is still up there.

Today was Baby Blanket day but didn't go this time.

By the time I got home from walking it was the time I should have been leaving.

Each month at the my book we put our names in a bowl and the name that
is drawn wins a book.
The last time I won the book, The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens.
I'm about a quarter of the way done with it and like it a lot so far.
Looking forward to getting back to reading it in a little while.

A happy day to you and a smile from me to you.

happyone 🎈

"Life moves pretty fast.

If you don't stop to look around once in a while you could miss it."

~ From the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off