DECKING THE HALLS — NOV. 29

Are you getting into the Christmas spirit?

I usually have my decorations up the weekend after Thanksgiving, but for some reason, I couldn’t make myself go there…yet.

But today I woke up, ready to pull the bins out of the garage and start dressing the house for the holidays.

I decided not to bring out as many things as I usually do, since putting everything back afterwards has turned into a real drudge-fest.

But I may add a few more things later.

Here’s some of what I did:

A TREE FILLED WITH FAMILY PHOTOS

You can’t really see the photos in this shot…but I did bring out the cute bears to stand guard; and added some Christmas lights.

SANTA AND SOME ELVES

 

The Santa in his sleigh is one I’ve had since my kids were small, back in the early eighties.  The elves are a fairly recent addition.

 

MICKEY, A BIRD CAGE, & SOME NUTCRACKERS

 

And on the far left, another Christmas bear.

 

I have some more miniature trees that I haven’t brought out…yet.  I might let them stay in the garage this year.

What are you doing to “deck the halls”?

 

I CAN HEAR THE CHRISTMAS BELLS — NOV. 27

Good morning, and welcome to another season in our lives!

Yes, with Thanksgiving behind us, it’s time to turn up those Christmas songs and bring out the decorations.

I haven’t actually decorated yet, but my blog header today showcases last year’s decor.

What do you love best about the Christmas season?  What special traditions do you enjoy?

I think of snowy cabins in the woods, fires in the fireplace, and lots of hot, spicy drinks.

You may have noticed that my URL reflects winter…”rainysnowday.”  It’s also a play on my name.

SATURDAY POTPOURRI — NOV. 26

Fiona's Artsy Renditions

Good morning, and welcome to another quirky spotlight.  Today I’m showcasing granddaughter Fiona’s artsy renditions of the people in her life.

In the photo above, you’ll see how she has captured her mother at work (on the right), and two teen super-heroes (Fiona and her cousin Aubrey?).

I decided to add this one to my blog header today, too.

What do you enjoy spotlighting?  For photos, check out our Saturday Snapshot feature and join in.

Or come by here and link up to some favorites.

THURSDAY POTPOURRI — HAPPY THANKSGIVING! — NOV. 24

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

For those who celebrate this holiday, I hope you have a wonderful day with family, friends, or doing whatever you like to do on holidays.

This morning, I’ll be reading for awhile before heading over to family.

Here’s the book I’m loving right now:

And here’s one on Sparky, my Kindle, that’s waiting patiently:

 

And here are a couple of photos of my office stacked with book choices:

NEW TBRS

 

MORE NEW TBRS

 

Whenever I look around at the clutter, I am thankful, because the mess means that there are still many books to read!

 

What are you thankful for today?  What gives you that wonderful feeling of joy?

 

HUMP DAY POTPOURRI — CELEBRATING LITTLE TREASURES — NOV. 23

 

Do you ever see something that takes you right back to memorable moments in time?  And when you go there, do all the associated images and nostalgic thoughts flood into your head?

That happened for me recently when I was perusing one of my favorite magazines of flea market treasures.

I saw these colorful tumblers that catapulted me backwards.

 

It was summertime, and I can recall my mom bringing the groceries in, and instead of the usual cottage cheese cartons, she had these colorful tumblers.  After we ate the cottage cheese, she washed the containers and used them as drinkware.

Over time, she collected a nice set of them in all colors.

Now, for this story to really be a vintage treasure tale, I would be able to tell you that I somehow acquired those tumblers from my childhood.  But no, that didn’t happen.  I have no idea where those original tumblers went—and believe me, I don’t think my mom ever threw anything away!—but somehow, they did disappear.

Perhaps she gave them away.  But that’s a story whose ending I will never know.

But when I saw these charming little tumblers, I decided to check out Amazon to see if they had any.  And voila!  There they were.

Of course, they’re new and not the actual vintage ones.  But they do look very cute in my country cupboard.  They arrived yesterday!

Originally, I wrote a little story about them at Story Corner.

Do you ever have any treasures from your childhood that suddenly crop up…maybe when you’re looking through stores with collectibles?  Okay, I know that the only ones who probably do find such things are oldies, like me.

Like finding my Desert Rose Franciscan dishes in an antique store.  Now I bought mine in the 1960s, and at that time, they’d been on the market for around twenty-five years.  But an antique store?

Way to go…knowing just how to make me feel old!  lol

It’s fun, though, and I love remembering the sentimental tales that surround these little treasures.  How about you?  Anything that rings a bell?

 

TUESDAY POTPOURRI — BOOKISH THOUGHTS & COMMEMORATIVE MOMENTS – NOV. 22

As I sit here with my third cup of coffee today, I am pondering the season.  I’m also thinking about moments from the past, like the forty-eighth anniversary of JFK’s assassination.  If you were around, where were you?

I wrote a post over at Story Corner, about where I was, along with excerpts from my book Chasing Stardust and a blurb from Stephen King’s new book.

 

I’m also still pondering a book I finished last night, You Are My Only.  Click the title for my review.  Do you reflect about events and books long after they are over?

 

This one was emotional, sad, and satisfying.  Now I’m reading something lighter.

 

Where are your thoughts taking you on this day with a significant history to it?  And just a few days before Thanksgiving?

THURSDAY POTPOURRI — HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FIRSTBORN — NOV. 17

Good morning, Blog World.  Today brings memories from another Thursday, a day in 1966.  On that day, my firstborn (Craig, now a talented photographer) arrived on this earth, and it’s hard to believe that so many years have gone by.

But those years are filled with memories!

On that day in 1966, the date November 17 was also a Thursday and a week before Thanksgiving.  The hospital in Sacramento, CA, was my first hospitalization…except for a tonsillectomy when I was five.

When I left the hospital a few days later (yes, they kept us several days in those years!), I could not believe that I was actually going to be responsible for everything about this new little person’s life.

Here are some of the pictorial moments in our lives.

On the right: Craig, age three; and his brother Brett, one

1973: Craig, age eight, on the right

By the way, Craig and his brother Brett (left) really hate looking at those seventies clothes!

Craig (left) with three siblings and mother (moi!) - 1982

1987: Craig and sister Heather

1990: A Christmas to Remember

A Family Portrait -- Taken by Craig (with timer) - 1990

Present Day: Craig living in Berlin and Enjoying his Elvis Impersonation

When I look at the moments in his life through photographs, it seems completely appropriate that he became a photographer.  He received his first camera at age eleven, and hasn’t put it down since.

His website showcases some of his work,

http://berlinphotographer.net/default.aspx

SATURDAY POTPOURRI — NOV. 12

Potpourri -- Random Thoughts

 

 

The day is almost over, and with evening hovering nearby, I am reflecting on the day…and on the past week.

It has been cool, yet sunny today, and while I spent most of the morning doing a little blogging, watching a recording from my DVR, and contemplating the hours ahead, I left the house near morning’s end to get the mail and head off to lunch at one of my favorite places.

In the mailbox, I was delighted to find my preordered copy of 11/22/63, by Stephen King; and while I knew it would be a huge chunkster, I wasn’t completely prepared for its heft.

I wonder how long I will be reading it?  I recall the last really thick book I read only at night, and how often the heaviness weighed me down, tiring my arms…despite the wonderful words and thoughts inside.

Am I a coward now?  Years ago, I read 1000-page books greedily and easily.  Perhaps the muscles in my arms were heftier!  LOL

It should be an interesting test of my stamina.

Meanwhile, today I’m fiercely reading When She Woke (on Sparky, my Kindle), and the emotions aroused in me were unexpected.  I knew I would likely feel a lot of what I felt when I read The Handmaid’s Tale, for example.  But this current read has tapped into a place inside and reminds me (again!) that these kinds of events can happen.

What are your thoughts on either book?  Has anyone read the King book yet…and if you’ve read When She Woke, did it evoke emotions you weren’t expecting?

 

FRIDAY POTPOURRI — BOOK BEGINNINGS & FRIDAY 56 — NOV. 11

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Veteran’s Day…and don’t you love writing the date 11-11-11?  Welcome to another Friday Potpourri event, celebrating Book Beginnings, hosted by A Few More Pages; and The Friday 56, led by Freda’s Voice.

Today I’m excited to feature a book on next week’s list that has been calling to me ever since I discovered it.  The Strangers on Montagu Street, by Karen White, is the third book in the Tradd Street series.

 

Blurb:  Psychic realtor Melanie Middleton returns-only to be greeted by a house full of lost souls.

Psychic realtor Melanie Middleton is still restoring her Charleston house and doesn’t expect to have a new houseguest, a teen girl named Nola. But the girl didn’t come alone, and the spirits that accompanied Nola don’t seem willing to leave…

***

Beginning:  The phone rang out in the night-shrouded house, shrill and insistent, bringing me abruptly out of an odd dream that somehow involved me, Jack, a shovel, and something dark and undulating buried beneath the black earth.

 

Wow!  Don’t you love it? Now I’m there, in that moment, breathless and wondering what will happen next.

***

P. 56:  My words were cut off by a muffled scream from inside the house.  Before I could tell my mother I’d call her back, Jack was already inside and sprinting up the stairs.  I reached Nola’s room right behind him and had to stop for a moment to register what I was seeing.

***

So now I really, really want to keep reading.  What are you discovering today?  Please share….

HUMP DAY POTPOURRI — CHOCOLATE & MIMOSAS — NOV. 9

On a Hump Day, we often think about beginnings and endings, and that spot in the middle…Wednesdays.

But today has been more about reflecting on Monday and Tuesday.  Yesterday I was feeling creative after my shredding/cleaning frenzy here on Monday.

Thoughts of quirky, guilty pleasures had me creating another blog (I know, I said I wouldn’t!); and from those feelings emerged Chocolate & Mimosas.

This new site isn’t just about chocolate, or even about mimosas per se:  it’s really about splurging and enjoying my quirky favorite things, including cozy mysteries.  I have chosen to enter my first challenge of 2012, and will document my progress on this site.  Cruisin’ with the Cozies.  Check it out!

Lovin’ the delicious feeling right about now!  What guilty pleasures do you enjoy?  What are your favorite indulgences?