Happy New Year!



Stationery found at A Holiday Haven


Take care and God Bless!

XoXoXo

Merry Christmas to All!

I want to wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas!  I really appreciate you all, especially your prayers for my Dad.  He is getting better each day!

Thank you and "God Bless Us, Every One!"

XoXoXo

Prayer Request

I just found out my Dad was taken to the hospital today (from the nursing home) with pneumonia.  The doctor told my brother on a scale of 1-5, 5 being the worst, Dad's was a 5. 



James Hensley Logan, taken ca 1928.

Please pray for my Dad, that if it be God's will to take him now, that he has an easy passage!  This has hit me harder than when Mom died about 6 weeks ago.  Dad was my friend, he taught me how to drive, we went to the library together, researched our family together, went to cemeteries together searching for our ancestors' final resting places.  We have the same, some say "warped," sense of humor. :)  My niece has it, also.



Dad on his 50th birthday 1977

 I know Dad's given up since Mom died.  They lived for each other, and without her, he has no purpose.



Mom and Dad at Grandma's in Pennsylvania 1968

Thank you all!

Take care and God Bless!



XoXoXo

Celebrating Flowers and Rebirth

Springtime brings a renewal and rebirth to all that had faded or died during the long, cold winter months.  We have some gorgeous creeping purple phlox that reappears each Spring, even though the plants look like they have withered up and died.

This photo was taken last April. 

I added Kim Klassen's look up and warm sun textures, increased the vibrancy, and softened the overall effect.

Sharing with:
Earth Wonders Photo Challenge - FLOWERS


Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday - LET'S CELEBRATE


Take care and God Bless!

XoXoXo

English Muffin Bread

You won't believe how super EASY this English Muffin Bread recipe is to make!  It's delicious, too!  April at Angel Foods Kitchen had posted this Monday and I made a loaf that night.  It was so simple, I couldn't believe it.  It really tastes like English muffins as well! 

I had watched Alton Brown last year on his Good Eats program on the Food Network make English muffins.  It was so involved and time consumming!  Even though I love 'em, I'm not going to go to all that trouble to make 'em!

Head on over to April's to get the recipe.  You'll enjoy them as much as we did, I'm sure! 

I just took pictures of the end result.  It took one mixing bowl, a 2 cup measuring cup, measuring spoons, and, of course, the loaf pan/dish.  Not much clean up (big PLUS!).

Sharing this with Bunny Jean's Wednesday Bunny Hop party.




Take care and God Bless!

XoXoXo

Earth Wonders - FIRE

FIRE is Ana's Earth Wonders photo challenge this week.

Click here...

I wish I had some photos of real fires - but, I had to make do with what I had.  Here's a photo of our gas stove heating some water for tea.  I really like the reflection of the flame on the enamel of the stove top.

You can join in, too!  Add your photos to flickr, then add to the linky party.  Check out all the details over at Ana's Wonderland blog.  You can either add your interpretation of this week's challenge there or here.  Everyone can vote on their favorite photo, starting Sunday December 4th.  You can't vote on your own, but your friends can! Spread the word!

Last week's winner was "Life in Pictures." Congratulations on a wonderful entry!


Take care and God Bless!
XoXoXo

Earth Wonders Photo Challenge - LANDSCAPE

This week's Earth Wonders challenge is "LANDSCAPE."







I took this photo as we were coming down the mountain from Mt Rushmore, going back toward Rapid City, South Dakota.

Check out the photos added to Earth Wonders flickr group, too!





Come back Sunday and vote for your favorite photo, ok?! :) Last week's winner was Libby H! Congratulations, Libby!!!

Take care and God Bless!

xoxo

Earth Wonders Challenge-BRIGHT and Bunny Hop Wednesday

Hi Everyone!  Hope you're having a great day/evening.

I've been gone for a few weeks, if you hadn't noticed.  The first week was due to health reasons. 

These last two weeks were because my Mom passed away on Halloween morning. 


Mom's 20th High School Class Reunion and how
I believe she appears in Heaven!

It's hit me harder than I thought it would.  I guess you're never really ready for it to happen.  She was 83 and was in poor health for the past decade or so.  She and Dad were in the same nursing home when she passed, and he keeps blaming himself for "not taking good enough care of her," which isn't true!  If you would, please keep him in your prayers.


Scrapbook page my sister made for Mom and Dad

The only thing that has made this bearable is knowing Mom is in Heaven with Jesus!  I don't know how anyone can make it through losing a parent (or anyone, for that matter) and not know whether or not they were saved.  I'm sure there has been a "grand" reunion with all Mom's family welcoming her home! ("Grand" was one of her favorite expressions.)

Ana's Earth Wonders Challenge this week is - BRIGHT.  This photo is one I took on our way home from Seattle last year.  I know, you're probably getting tired of all the Seattle trip pictures! LOL!  I don't get out much! 

Click Here

Anyway, the sun was coming up as we got closer to the Iowa - Illinois state lines.  I cropped the original, but the brilliance of the sun is all its own! No further enhancement was required.

Ana has set up a Flickr group to post our photos to, also! Take a gander!

Also sharing with Bunny Jean's Bunny Hop Wednesday.


Click Here

 Take care and God Bless!

xoxo

Earth Wonders - Rain

Hi Everyone! 

Hope your day is going well!  It's still raining, which was providential for this week's Earth Wonders challenge - "Rain."  However, it's such a soft rain it's difficult to catch when photographing it.  At least, it is for me. 


Click Here to visit Ana's Wonderland

My photos really just show the results of the rain we got yesterday. We're still getting the rain today, but it's reminiscent of the Seattle rains we experienced while living there.  Not hard enough to use an umbrella, but you'll know it if you step in a puddle! :)

The night shot shows our wonderful Maple tree highlighted by our security light in back of the house.  The light just barely captures the rain as it gently falls to Earth.  I thought it would be neat to do the day shots in a light sepia tone.  The first one is between the porch steps and the boxwood to the left of the porch, then the puddle that always forms on the sidewalk in front of the house, and then the rain overflowing the gutters in back that will probably be replace next spring.

Why not join the party and add your own rain photos here.  Dear Ana has generously provided the blog hop code for us to use on our own blogs, so you can add your post either here, or on the master at Earth Wonders.  I would suggest checking out all the information on Ana's Wonderland blog, though.

I have to say a super big "thank you" to Ana, too, for allowing me to pick a favorite photo from last week's challenge! Thank You, Ana!



Take care and God Bless!

XoXoXo

Harvest Moon and Jupiter Oct 14, 2011

Last Friday we had a Harvest Moon. Nothing really odd about that, right?  Well, this Harvest Moon also had a little friend in the sky - the planet Jupiter!

I took this picture a little before 5 AM.  This straight out of the camera (except for a little cropping, but that was just black sky).

See the little bitty dot below the moon, near the bottom of the photo, just left of center?  THAT'S Jupiter!

In this version, I added one of Kim Klassen's textures, "autumn burst" over the moon, just for giggles and grins.  Well, isn't a harvest moon supposed to be orange??? :)

Sharing this with Bunny Jean's Bunny Hop Party.  Why not "jump to it" and join in?!


Click HERE to visit Bunny Jean!


Also sharing with Traci's Sepia Saturday at Poetry Without Words.
 



Take care and God Bless!

XoXoXo

"I Put a Spell on You" - Halloween

This week for Natasha's Pinning and Singing Weekend Party I've chosen Bette Midler, the Divine Miss M, to sing her song "I've Put a Spell on You" from Hocus-Pocus!

Here are some really cool Halloween pins from Pinterest, too!

Source: craftpassion.com via Joy on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Joy on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Joy on Pinterest

Source: None via Joy on Pinterest

Source: designsponge.com via Joy on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Joy on Pinterest



Click Here to join the Party!

In rememberance of all that have passed due to Breast Cancer, and a prayer that a cure will soon be found!



Take care and God Bless!

XoXoXo

Oktoberfest

Our little "city", Seymour, celebrates Oktoberfest the first weekend in October every year.  It runs from Thursday noon thru Saturday evening.  This year October 1st was a Saturday, so the party started Thursday, September 29th.  If my calculations are correct, next year Oktoberfest will start October 4-6.

The city actually changes the street signs at Second and Chestnut and Second and Walnut to the German equivalent.  We didn't make it to Second and Walnut for me to take photos.



Second Street

Chestnut Street

I was lucky enough to have my sister, niece, nephew-in-law, and great-nephew join me this year!

Kathy with her camera at the ready!

 

Daddy Mark, Gage (11 months old), and Mommy Krysta

We walked uptown, even though neither Kathy nor I felt like it.  We both have fibromyalgia, which feels like you have the worst possible case of the flu all the time.  But we went as the kids were really looking forward to visiting the craft booths, food vendors, flea market at the First United Methodist Church parking lot, and the kiddie carnival.

We got to see so many craft booths with such a large variety of items.  You could spend all day there and not see everything.  In fact, we didn't get to go down three of the streets.

There were lots and lots of Autumn decorations in front of the booths.  Wish I had some of these at home!

It was still daylight when we left, but by the time we met up with Hubby, the sun was starting to set and it was really getting chilly!



Uncle Doug says, "Gimme Five!" Gage says, "Huh???" pulling his hand back!



Krysta, Joy (that's me wearing Doug's Oktoberfest shirt), and Doug

Lots of people were bundled up!  About 3-4 years ago, Kathy came to stay with us during Oktoberfest, and the temperature got to 108 degrees!  We were both dying by the time we got to the flea market!  I've also seen it snow during the three day festival. 

Our daughter and grandson Garrett showed up, both with chicken and dumplings noodle soup (I stand corrected).  Grandpa had mentioned he wanted some before the evening was over.  Garrett came up to him and said, "here Grandpa, this is for you!" I think Grandpa gave it back to him, after a couple of bites.  I believe Grandpa's heart was swelling with pride and love right then!

Garrett, Tiff, and Grandpa Doug

Then SIL Nate and grand-daughter Kaylee appeared. 


Nate, Kaylee, Garrett, and Tiff

Get a load of this cheesy grin!  

Kaylee - she knows how to pose for the camera!

 We decided to get something to eat from what seemed like a hundred or so different food vendors.  Lots to choose from, and we didn't see all of them this year!

By this time, Kathy and I were pooped.  We rested for a bit, before trying to make it home.  The kids decided to look around some more.  The moon was making its presence known.  It looked so spooky, playing peek-a-boo in the clouds every now and then.  Kathy took a great picture of it, but all the town lights distracted from the eerieness (is that a word? doesn't look right!). Then she tried one closer to home, but the lights and lines were still a distraction.


Near Post Office at 4th and Chestnut



Near 4th and Walnut

I took a picture of it as we got home, into the backyard, trying to avoid lights and all the phone, cable, electrical lines that snake their way thru the skyline.  Kathy was too worn out to try to mess with any more.

The kids got home almost right after we did.  They decided to forego the joys of the kiddie carnival.  There's still plenty of time for Gage to enjoy the rides when he gets a little older.

Well, that's my 2011 Oktoberfest story for this year!  We had a good time, but we were ready to hit the hay.

Sharing this with Bunny Jean's Bunny Hop Party.  Why not hop on over and see what brewing?  There are so many lovely posts, with lots of decorating ideas!

Click HERE for some fun!

Take care and God Bless!

XoXoXo

P.S.  The reason I put "city" in quotes at the beginning of this post:  Seymour is the SMALL TOWN in which John Mellencamp was born (Doug's cousin on his mother's side, something like 3rd cousin).