One Word A Week Wednesday...

52/52

Await

***

For last years words

belong to last years language

and next years words

await

another voice

and to make an end

is to make

a beginning

~T.S. Eliot~

***

Hard to believe this is the last O.W.A.W.W.

Here is a re-cap of 52 words a week Wednesday ~

1/52 anticipation

2/52 simplify

3/52 sentiment

4/52 reach

5/52 play

6/52 protect

7/52 shelter

8/52 question

9/52 hidden

10/52 walk

11/52 luck

12/52 breathe

13/52 attention

14/52 create

15/52 clarity

16/52 aspire

17/52 faith

18/52 home

19/52 persuasive

20/52 friendship

21/52 solitude

22/52 dream

23/52 bloom

24/52 shine

25/52 joy

26/52 focus

27/52 magical

28/52 thought

29/52 wisdom

30/52 embrace

31/52 gift

32/52 taste

33/52 art

34/52 fragrance

35/52 remember

36/52 dwell

37/52 eternity

38/52 quietly

39/52 perceived

40/52 happiness

41/52 belong

42/52 heart

43/52 kind

44/52 prevail

45/52 enthusiasm

46/52 beauty

47/52 talk

48/52 essential

49/52 peace

50/52 grateful

51/52 memories

52/52 await

Happy New Year ♥ May you have Health, Happiness & Peace

And may all your Wishes for 2011 come true!

~d~

Thankful {things I love} Thursday...

At Christmas

all roads

lead

Home

~Marjorie Holmes~

With Abundant Wishes

for a Very Merry, Magical Christmas!

~d~

♥

One Word A Week Wednesday...

51/52

Memories

***

God gave us memories

that we might have roses

in December

~J.M. Barrie~

Ernie's "Gotcha" Day...

Today, we celebrate our 1 year Anniversary with Ernie ♥

My blog friend Kit @ dog daze used the phrase "gotcha" day when speaking of her Lab and I fell in love with this sweet term of endearment :-)
Sweet Ernie, you have been an absolute joy and left paw prints all over our hearts xo
We are so happy we "Gotcha"!!
***
An old dog
even more
than an old spouse
always feels like doing
what you feel like doing
~Robert Brault~

Each day ...

Grant me the ability

to be alone

May it be my custom

to go outdoors

each day

among the trees and grasses

among all growing things

And there

may I be alone

and enter into prayer

to talk with

the one

that I belong to

~Rabbi Nachman~

Thankful {things I love} Thursday...

I've had a real urge to purge this year :-)

If something hasn't been worn, or used within the previous year, it has been donated.

This is a real switch for me as I have been referred to as "the squirrel" in the past by more than one friend. I have always been someone who saved every little thing from ribbon & tags on presents, drying flowers from bouquets, and that was even before having children. That started an entirely new collection - every little scribble and school artwork piece, etc...etc...

This year, I crafted & created with items I had on hand in Sparrow Studio, before purchasing anything new, and I can see a huge improvement in the organization of my storage cupboard (although I am a bit sad to see only a few pieces of vintage lace left in a box that was spilling out before). It's amazing how once things get tidied, you realize just how many duplicates of items you have!!

Tastes change, and some items I once loved, I am now ready to part with.
My hope chest also had a big tidy up ... although I think I spent most of the afternoon reading through all my cards . I save them all and that won't change :-) My hope chest is the perfect spot to keep them, tied in ribbons, safe and sound.

There are some things, however, that I am so thankful to have held on to.

Lots of memories ...
And each year, I think they become just a little more special ♥

Memory

is a way of holding onto the things

you love,

the things

you are,

the things

you never want to lose

~From the television show 'The Wonder Years'~

One Word A Week Wednesday...

50/52

Grateful

***

No longer forward

nor behind

I look for hope

or fear

but

Grateful

take the good I find

The best

is now

and

here

~John Greenleaf Whittier~

Garden Glimpses ...

Ernie patiently waiting for me to put on my boots, hat, coat, scarf , mitts etc etc ... :-)

It is C....O....L...D today!

I tossed some bread out for the birds and peanuts in their shell for the squirrels
A little pop of colour from the berries in the garden
snow capped hydrangea
my sweet little Shadow watching my every move
garden urns with all the bells and baubles covered up in a blanket of snow :-)
and little lanterns ...

♥ A Winter Blessing ♥

May Blessings be upon your house

your roof

your hearth and walls

May there be lights

to welcome you

when evening's shadow falls

~Myrtle Reed~

We Have Snow ...

The first fall of snow
is not only an event,
it is a magical event.

You go to bed in one kind of world

and wake up in another

quite different,

and if this is not enchantment

then where is it

to be found ?

~John Boynton Priestley~

We have snow ...

lots of snow ...

and someone is

VERY happy :-)

Snowmen ...

I ♥ love ♥ Snowmen.

These little battery operated flickering tea candles are perfect. I use to keep a regular tea candle in this holder but now, I can turn on the light and enjoy it all through the evening without worry :-) He's tucked into a book shelf I have in the kitchen.

Each year, we all get a new ornament for the Christmas tree ...

I have lots of little snowmen.

I painted this folk art picture on a chalk board years ago.

Snowmen just hangin' around everywhere ...

Part of my Dicken's collection ...

Blown glass snowmen ...

tucked in amongst the needlepoint pillows ...
I made the Nutcracker needlepoint pillow about 20 years ago.

Snowmen on the kitchen table...

More in the Christmas tree...

I love their happy faces ...

and wide open arms ...

but mostly, I love all the special memories each holds ♥

May no gift be too small

to give

nor too simple to receive

which is wrapped

in thoughtfulness

and tied with love

~L .O. Baird~

Thankful {things I love} Thursday...

Trish from sister act catering had stopped by and dropped off the sweetest parcel.

The smell of fresh lavender was amazing.
I placed the soap on a small glass dish for our downstairs bathroom.
And I plan on using both the tote and wine bottle holder on the table next week when I host a Christmas tea and scone afternoon.
I have a small artificial tree that I think will fit nicely inside the gift bag ...

Our home is decorated in a Country Christmas theme and the burlap will be perfect.
Thank you Trish for your generosity!

~d~

One Word A Week Wednesday ...

49/52

Peace

***

May

Peace

be your gift

at Christmas

and

your Blessing

all

year

through

An Early Christmas Gift ...

I promise to love you forever ~

every single day

of forever ♥

~Stephanie Mayer~

Thankful {things I love} Thursday ...

The little sprinkling of snow we had soon disappeared.

It did however, bring lots of birds and squirrels to Sparrow Garden.
I love sitting by the window watching as they all find a feeder, knowing that they will be well taken care of at our home.
I noticed that the Sparrows were finding shelter under our deck
crawling through the lattice.
We have feeders filled with an assortment of seeds,
suet baskets
peanuts
coconut halves filled with suet and raisins
orange halves

and then of course
we have our "resident" squirrels
who have a peek in the kitchen window
waiting for their peanut butter sandwich :-)

Later in the day we had some shopping to pick up.

We took a drive along familiar country roads.

I had my camera (of course)

and these sweet horses are becoming a regular to take photos of.

I think this one even recognized us :-)

When snow falls

nature listens

~Antoinette Vankleeff~