Adopt, Don't Shop

Hi Friends!!

Thank you sincerely, as always, for your visits and your many sweet comments - every single one is cherished and I do try to answer them all! 

My daughter wrote a very touching heartfelt post on her blog today. 

When I read it, I knew I had to share it here with all of my warm and wonderful readers just in case we may be able to help even one furry little baby. 

Meet Shannon, my youngest daughter!

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Adopt, don’t shop

Via

I saw this on facebook today and had my heart broken.

This poor little baby is considered “code red” because he still has not been adopted.

The staff and volunteers put this green Christmas sweater on him (two months ago) in hopes of having him swept away by a loving family. But he hasn’t been- the saddest part to me while reading it is that staff and volunteers say that he sits in his cage with his head down all day.

I felt such a pull and compelled to share. My blog is small, just getting started. But maybe one person in Miami will see this and tell a friend, who will pick him up. Or if that does not happen, maybe someone in another state will see this and adopt instead of going to the pet store, like they had originally planned.

  

Why does this happen?

Do you think people walk by and see him sad, not happy, jumpy, and enthusiastic like the other pups there and overlook him? Because if I saw a dog this sad while looking around, I would just want to scoop him up, bring him home, and make him happy again.

I wish there was a grant out there for people who want to own pets but simply can’t afford it.

Is there?  I don’t have knowledge on this, but maybe someone else may know.

I think this may be a big part of the problem- that people may see him, want him, but are just unable to afford it- or he may have special needs, like perhaps cannot be in a home with children, and the family who wants him has children.

 Bobby baby

 A few months ago, my mom was following this 8 year old Jack Russell named Minnie Pearl:

We saw her on the news and felt drawn to her- but as you may or may not already know, we have 2 Jacks at home already. [ Struggles of a Jack Russell post ]

We simply couldn’t take on another doggy, but my mom basically said that if she was not adopted in a few weeks, we would look into it.  But we are so happy to see she has been adopted! 

I just felt compelled to share my feelings. This struck me so hard this morning and I feel so passionately about helping these little babies that even if I reach one person, that is a win to me.

Via

*UPDATE - after I published this post, I visited the Miami Dade Animal Services Facebook Page and learned that Bobby was adopted!  The article about Bobby in his Christmas sweater must have gotten a lot of people’s attention. There was a line out the door at the society of people wanting him. Yay!

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Thanks, Shannon!!

I love a happy ending! There are many more pets out there that need our help. I also went on the shelter's Facebook page and apparently they are a high kill shelter as they get so many animals in need of a loving home. The good news is that they will deliver a pet - they have volunteers that drive  1 1/2 hour legs of a journey, relay style, to deliver pets to their new homes. 

There may be a little furry baby out there looking for you right now!

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Visit Shannon on her blog, TheGoodThingsComin

Forcing Holiday Cheer

It can be so tough to get in the holiday spirit some years, am I right? Just because the calendar says it's Christmas time doesn't mean it feels like it....so what's a person to do?

We're one week from Christmas and I'm not ready.

I'M NOT READY!!

I haven't wrapped a single gift. For that matter - I still have gifts to buy. 

The weather has been unseasonably warm, there's not a snowflake to be seen. It doesn't feel one bit like Christmas. 

I don't even know what I'm making for Christmas dinner.

I haven't baked even one cookie. Not one. 

Via

The weeks just fly by, there aren't enough hours in the day, and I can't catch up. 

Can anyone say STRESSED??

This weekend I need to catch up so I can enjoy the remainder of the holiday season. What's left of it. 

I'm pulling out all the stops right now. The big guns. It's time.

Here's my plan. 

Saturday morning I'll make my usual weekend morning cappuccino....with a good sprinkle of cinnamon. 

And a hearty weekend breakfast. 

And I'll get to work. 

My favorite Christmas CD will go on. 

Sarah McLachlan - Wintersong

My most loved song on the whole cd? Right here. Song For a Winter's Night. It gives me chills, every time. I turn it up real loud and sing right along with Sarah. 

And it's not Christmas without James Stewart and Donna Reed. Not even close. My daughter took me to see a 1940's radio version of this at a local theater last weekend, which was incredible - we had such a terrific day! However, the original movie still needs to be watched. Without a doubt. 

Via

I'll light some beautiful holiday scented candles - I'm super excited about a new one I just got in the mail and it's unpacked, in place on the sideboard, and ready to go - just waiting for me to strike the match. 

Unplug Soy Candles

These Unplug Soy Candles are poured into old wine bottles and they smell AMAZING!!  This one is a Christmas scent and I am so excited to light it up!! I read about it first at Thrifty Decor Chick's blog and she absolutely raved about it....of course, since I'm a total candle junkie I had to reach out to Jennifer and place an order. I'm so glad I did!!

Via

Once the scene is set I'm going to make myself an eggnog, get out the wrapping paper, and go to town. 

Via

How do you get yourself in the holiday spirit when you're just not feeling it?

What's your secret?

Girly Girl with Power Tools

It's a dangerous combination, don't you think?

A girly girl with power tools and a can-do attitude? 

My mom always said I was like a bull in a china shop. And as stubborn as the day is long. 

That may be the case, but it has served me well in life. 

When something needs to be done I will try to tackle it on my own whenever possible. 

Unless it involves a power saw of any type. That's not happening. I'm even more afraid of power saws than I am of ladders, if you can believe it. 

Anyway, this was another busy, busy weekend. Aren't they all? Not enough hours in the day, I say. 

The temps were in the 50's so I wanted to work out in the garden.  However, after spending two hours on the phone with Verizon trying to repair the issue with my internet (don't get me started!!) I headed out to the garden only to find.....it was drizzling. 

Oh well. 

Back inside to tackle a few projects that were bugging me. 

See this? This is my wall hung jewelry cabinet that 1. Does not close. At all. Not a chance. 

And 2. Always has a pile of scarves hanging over the door, for lack of a better place to put them. 

Which is not why it doesn't close, believe it or not. 

There were also scarves sticking out of various fabric bins in my walk in closet. 

Did I mention how much I love, love, LOVE my walk in closet? 

Oh, no? 

Well, I do. Almost as much as I love cheese. 

Anyway. I decided I had to do something about it. I knew what I wanted to do....just not where. 

And then one night in the wee hours when I couldn't sleep I figured it out. 

This is where it had to happen. Right on these dividers between the hanging space and the shelves. 

Drapery hooks! The perfect thing for holding scarves!! I picked up two of these at Lowes....and there was one more that looked similar that I was in the house when I bought it. 

About 15 minutes with my handy dandy Black & Decker drill & screwgun and I was a happy camper!

Check this out - perfect!! Now, don't even think for one second that this is my entire scarf collection....no siree, Bob!!

However, at least it takes care of the ones I use most often, or that have just been worn and need a place to hang out (ha ha, yes pun intended) until they get put away. 

The third hook got used to take some of the pressure off the poor Jewelry cabinet. 

Seriously, look at that door - not a chance it's going to ever close unless I remove a bunch of the bulkier items out of there! It's not even close. 

Well, after pulling out about a million of my costume jewelry necklaces and hanging them on the new drapery hook the door can close again - hooray!  That hasn't happened in years....well, with the exception of when it was empty on moving day. 

I love the way it looks now when I look into my closet - not only is the chandelier sparkling but the light catches the necklaces also!

Such a girly girl I am!

While I had my tools out, I took care of a little problem my daughter had in her room. 

This was her hook rack in her bedroom. It was here when we moved in....but it had four hooks, not just one. 

I guess they weren't that strong.....they snapped off one by one. 

A little while later she was back in business. 

All it needs is  a little touch up paint and we're golden. Easy peasy. 

It makes me feel good to not only be able to do these little projects myself but also to teach my daughters how to do them at the same time. 

I hope you also did something this weekend that makes you proud!

Happy Monday, Friends!

The Thankful Home

A few days ago I told you about a 7 day thankfulness challenge my daughter wrote about on her blog.

Her sweet words stuck with me as reminder to look around and appreciate the little things we take for granted on any given day. 

This morning I walked out of my bedroom bright and early....the dogs were squeaking to get out and it's Monday morning and I didn't sleep well.....but the sun was shining through the front windows and the house was cozy and warm and all was well with my world. 

And I started thinking about how lucky I am. 

Although things can get a little overwhelming when I don't have enough time off work I'm thankful that I have a job that I like and a boss I adore. 

The firewood tower is almost empty which means I need to bring in wood before work....but I'm so thankful for my beautiful fireplace that keeps my house lovely and warm. 

And strong legs and arms to carry loads of wood up a flight of stairs. I'm grateful for the exercise. 

The laundry that's piled up in my master closet right now means I have plenty of warm clothes to wear. 

And the pantry that I organized yesterday means I have lots of food to prepare for the people I love. 

The linen closet I also worked on yesterday is stocked with paper goods, toiletries, table linens, and fluffy clean towels all of which make my home cozy and efficient. It's the simple everyday things such as this that make me feel at peace in my life. 

The dog hair that I'm constantly vacuuming up means I have two wonderful little furbabies that I love sharing my life and home. And my furniture, which apparently is theirs. 

What about those puppy toys that I pick up ten times a day and throw back in the toy basket? I'm so thankful for those little furry brats - they wake me up at the crack of dawn because they just want Mommy to be able to enjoy a glorious sunrise!

The mess my daughters made downstairs over the weekend reminds me how thankful I am to be able to spend quality time with my two beautiful daughters on a regular basis. Someday I'll be an empty nester and I'll miss their silliness and their busy lives and their messes. 

I won't miss them waking me up in the wee hours when they come home, though. Nope. Mommy needs her sleep!

I am so very thankful for the sweet man that came into my life when I was going through a painful divorce and kept me sane and gave me strength. His strong shoulders supported me through many challenging times over the past 5 years and although we don't live together we do have a committed relationship and I consider him my partner.

My sister will be hosting Thanksgiving once again this year and my other sister will travel from Boston with her little family to join us. The only thing missing will be my parents, who are in Florida for the winter and no longer travel back for the holidays. I am eternally grateful for my wonderful family - we are so blessed.

And I am ever so thankful for the many people who have been stopping by my humble little blog. I feel as if I have a bunch of wonderful new friends and I love reading every one of your comments! They inspire me to keep sharing my thoughts and my simple little life with the folks in Blogland.

I am a truly lucky woman. 

Giving Thanks....and a Thankgsiving Recipe

My younger daughter posted a beautiful reminder last night about taking time each day to be grateful for the little things in your life. She's a sweet and gentle soul and her post made me think about the many, many blessings we have in each day....blessings that are found in the simplest moments. 

I'm writing this post while I have my lunch....leftovers from a wonderful meal last night - roast chicken with mashed potatoes, carrots and green beans that I grew in my veggie garden, and cranberry sauce I made last Thanksgiving and froze in tiny containers to enjoy all throughout the year. 

It's such a little thing but I am so grateful for the good food on my plate and the sunshine outside my office window on this glorious day. 

And I'm sharing my all time favorite Cranberry Sauce recipe with you. 

Because I am grateful for you, my friends in Blogland, and your visits and sweet comments each day. 

Thank you. 

(Note: This photo was taken in my rental house last Thanksgiving, prior to moving to my new home. Excuse the iPhone quality.)

I made this on Thanksgiving morning while I was also making breakfast for my family. This is soooooo easy to make....and miles ahead of any cranberry sauce you will EVER buy in a store. Seriously. 

Even if you aren't hosting Thanksgiving dinner you can make this and enjoy it all year with roast chicken, turkey sandwiches, etc. Or bring it to Thanksgiving dinner....like I do! It also freezes beautifully - I freeze it in these tiny disposable Glad Mini Round containers and then stuff them all into a large ziploc bag, and pull one out in the morning to thaw before dinner. 

Via

Here we go:

Bourbon Vanilla Cranberry Sauce

1 bag of fresh cranberries from the produce section in your supermarket

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of water 

2 tbs of bourbon (I use cherry bourbon)

1 tbs of vanilla extract (not the cheap imitation stuff - use the real thing)

Mix all together in a saucepan and simmer on low for about a half hour until the cranberries have burst and are starting to break down. Remove from heat and let cool before placing into containers to freeze. 

Sauce will thicken significantly as it cools. 

Another easy-peasy recipe!!

Enjoy, my friends. 

And have a happy weekend!

Back to Reality

We had a fabulous getaway weekend in Burlington, VT with my daughters - but now it's Monday and it's back to reality. 

Almost.

I took a vacation day today so I could get some things done around the house before I get back to work. I'm puttering today. I love puttering.

My sweetie and I shopping on Church Street

And I love Burlington - what a great town! There's so much to see and do - amazing restaurants, the lake is gorgeous, and the shopping is such a treat! 

We don't have shopping in our little mountain top town. 

I might go a little crazy every time I visit there. 

Just a little bit.

This is what my dining room table looked like last night when I unloaded The Haul.

Yikes!!

But how could I resist some of these items? I mean, I'm only human.

These Christmas Cards? With the little squirrel? Just perfect for me and my little mountain house with all the wildlife.  They were calling out my name when I was browsing around in Homeport - one of my all time favorite stores on Church Street.

These pretty little bottles were so inexpensive and I knew I wanted to add some more colorful bottles to my window, just like Brenda has at Cozy Little House.  I just love how the colored glass looks in the window - it's like a little row of happiness!

And of course I can never walk by a Williams Sonoma...because I am a major foodie. And they were having their Friends and Family sale - 20% off  EVERYTHING!! Even sale items!

I'm already looking ahead to Christmas Morning with Spiced Caramel Apple waffles and a Cappuccino with Skinny Salted Caramel syrup.

And some Peppermint Bark as a palate changer after Christmas dinner. Yumzers!!

Of course while I was in Williams Sonoma I had to pick up a few tools. Their red silicone spoonulas and spatulas are my absolute go-to's in the kitchen - first utensils I reach for when I'm cooking.

I needed to replace a couple of my broken cutting boards and this little teak board was a fantastic deal at just around $12.

I also had to stop for a minute - ok an hour - in Kiss the Cook where I picked up this veggie brush to help with cleaning my giant veggie harvests. 

I also grabbed this wooden utensil with the flat edge - I have another one and they are absolutely the best for deglazing a pan. You can use them to scrape up all the little brown bits while deglazing and they are safe for nonstick coatings. This would be my #2 go-to utensil, when the silicone spatula is not firm enough.  It's always good to have extras of your go-to's so that when one is in the dishwasher you have another.

While in Kiss the Cook I grabbed this LeCrueset Kettle I've been drooling over for years. It was the last one they had in this color and I snatched it up real quick! I was so glad to be able to pick it up and examine it closely. I've been looking at it online for such a long time but something always held me back. When I picked it up and examined the quality it was a no brainer. It's replacing the cheap tea kettle I've had for years that has all the chips in the enamel. Done. 

It's going to make friends with my new best friend. I can already see them becoming very close.

My sweetie is already looking forward to Spring and grilling season once again....he bought me this griddle for when I do grilled veggies. He's always picking me up little gadgets for the kitchen - I have a sneaking suspicion he wants me to keep cooking for him!

There's another fabulous store in Burlington called April Cornell - I have never seen it anywhere else and I always make it a point to take a walk down to the waterfront to browse around the store. Apparently the Burlington store is their flagship store, the largest they have. My favorite place is the bargain basement - they have an entire level of sale items - I can get lost down there for hours!! 

I picked up these 2 great runners with matching napkins plus 4 placements with coordinating napkins. 

I really, really love nice table linens!

Perhaps a little too much. I may or may not be a table linen addict. 

This sweet little dishtowel came home with me as well - looking ahead to Valentine's day with this one of course! 

I also may have a small dishtowel fetish. I'm not saying. 

Just take  a look at this adorable tin box - it's almost like this was made just for me!! Roosters AND polka dots? I just can't. 

I have no idea where it's going to live but I knew it had to come home with me. 

Kim from Exquisitely Unremarkable - I know you're eyeballing it and yes, you're right - it would look great in your gorgeous kitchen or dining room - for sure! 

But this one's staying right here on the mountain top. Sowwwyyy!!

I tell you, April Cornell has some lovely linens and accessories - I'm always surprised at what I find in there! 

I think Sheila from My Kentucky Living would be right at home in that shop also with all those beautiful table linens!

There were a few more items that made their way home with me - these pillow covers from Pottery Barn as well as this gorgeous Sleigh Bell Velvet Runner - they will be absolutely gorgeous for Christmas! 

The bottles you see are all Vermont made spirits - from front to back:

Metcalfe's Vermont Maple Cream Liqueur  

Vermont Ice Apple Cream Liqueur 

Sapling Maple Rye 

Silo Elderberry Flavored Vodka

May I just say - YUMMMMMMMM!!!!

And yes, Rue from An Old Fashioned World - I know your tongue is hanging out right now.....wish you were here to sample these with  me!

We're going to have lots of visitors over the holiday period - these will be a nice treat when entertaining!

Speaking of cocktails.....

At the end of our shopping day we were POOPED!! Time to head back to our lake view room at the Hotel Vermont and have a cocktail. 

It was a lovely trip, as always, and it goes by far too quickly. 

Today we're back home on the mountain top and I'm puttering around putting away all my goodies. 

My little bottles are so happy in my kitchen window - they are sharing the windowsill with a couple of little turkey votive holders for Thanksgiving. 

It's the little things that make a home, isn't it? 

My new kettle looks wonderful in my colorful kitchen. And my new cutting board looks happy there with all of his friends. 

The place mats with their coordinating napkins from April Cornell are a nice addition to the fall table. 

And my new Christmas Ornament from Homeport is just waiting for Thanksgiving to pass so it can make it's way to the front of the Christmas Tree. 

Right in a prime location. 

Welcome home. 

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Update: My youngest daughter wrote about our trip to Burlington also - pop over and say hi to her at TheGoodThingsComin