Proverbs

 Do you have personal proverbs that guide your life? (Or perhaps there are adages that irritate you?) My dad constantly told me, as well as my brother and sister, (and probably my mom) that we should always be doing something constructive...and that we must finish what we start.

These sayings certainly have shaped my life. But, maybe not always in a good way! If/when I don't finish something, I shoulder a bundle of guilt and carry it around until I get that project that is nagging me completed. 

As a quilter and crafter, I have many UFO's - unfinished objects. See the two stacks of  bins on the bottom of my shelves? Those are just some of my projects-in-waiting! There are more projects scattered elsewhere in different stages of completion... as well as pictures with ideas for projects on my phone, and my head is full of ideas as well!

For some twisted reason, in my mind, I have decided that my dad would feel that sitting and reading a book is not constructive use of my time. Therefore, I find it extremely difficult to enjoy reading during the day! Well, it's not just the constructive thing weighing in, I also just see so many things around me that I want to do! Just yesterday I was raking up some leaves and cleaning up my back garden. As I swept the pea gravel off the stepping stones I realized that the large stone was begging to be made into a compass rose! Bam! Another constructive thing to add to my list!

I could paint something like this on that stepping stone...dontcha think?!

Sweet Memories

I had a conversation with Mom today. I unpacked Christmas bins and memories came flooding back. Mom gave me these candles as a Christmas gift...some time around the turn of the century! When I chatted with her today I told her how pretty they still are, and how I wish she was here to enjoy them.  Christmas was her favorite time of the year - I inherited that from her! 

They have always been too pretty to burn!

I'll find a way to gently heat them and correct their candle scoliosis!

Maybe this year I'll actually light their wicks.

Maybe not!

Love you, Mom and Dad 💕

You are here this Christmas,

...in my heart.

BING-NO

We belong to the Civic Association, which runs a monthly dinner and BINGO.  Neither of us are huge BINGO aficionados, but it gets us out to see other folks and have an inexpensive evening of fun(?)!

Dinner and BINGO cost the princely sum of $11 each.

This month's dinner was 2 hot dogs, a bowl of beans, chips and ice cream for dessert.

You can't argue with that price!  

After dinner our certified BINGO caller steps up to the mic, and things get serious...

well, maybe not!

Daubers are at the ready.

I silently appeal to the BINGO Gods to announce a number I can use.

It rarely works. 

Another month /year of not being able to call out "BINGO"!

For me, it was definitely BING-NO!

 

Horse Show

 Our community Equestrian Association had a fun-time horse show on Saturday.  It began with a costume parade that was fun to watch. 

This sweet pony was very fuzzy.

This stocky horse seemed to have a marvelously calm disposition.

This was another calm horse, and he seemed to like showing off is decorations

The donkey was my favorite equine.

The horse behind the donkey later decided he wanted to roll in the sand, and plopped down before the rider really knew what he was doing. Luckily, she got him back up before he flopped on his side.

Santa came to visit as well. He was a grateful, jovial guy, just like a Santa should be.

But, not everyone wanted a picture taken with the big, red elf! 

I did not stay to see any of the other competitions, but it looked like they had a fun line-up of classes that would appeal to beginners as well as advanced riders, as well as both English and Western riders.

A Perfect Day Gardening

 Although we had a chilly (for central Florida) start to the day on Friday, it warmed up and we enjoyed a beautiful sunny day.  I did a little work in the garden. 

It's a bit of a challenge trying not to grip anything with my right hand!  I did manage to transplant three walking Iris. I planted them in a shady area of the garden last year, then we had trees removed and the area became too sunny for the Iris. They were quite unhappy.

The Mister, after having dug up an area for the Iris, planted a Leyland cypress we had purchased quite some time ago.  I added a few baubles for the season.

As I puttered around the yard I came across some prettiness I had to share:

Gerbera Daisy

Tractor Seat Plant

Azalea

Our first Camellia bloom of the season

All of the blooms were on plants we planted over the past year.

Holiday Preparations

 I have slowly been preparing for Christmas. 

Very slowly!

I did climb up to the attic to hand down some bins and boxes of Christmas doo-dads to the Mister, who stood below waiting to grab things. I always find it fun to rediscover Christmas! This year I'm finding that I'm missing things. Hmmm, did we give it away? Throw it away? Bring it here, but it is still hiding in a box somewhere?

I have jettisoned many Christmas items from the past, and occasionally I do miss them, but we just didn't/don't have the space. 

I did find our fake tree, and found a corner where it will work. I have more ornaments to add. Frequently I grab one and hang it as I go by the tree. I want to get tinsel. It can make a huge mess, but I love the way it sparkles. Do you fondly recall tinsel of old...like the leaded tinsel that we carefully saved each year?! (Or wadded up into balls to toss at siblings!)

Our stockings are hung....

we don't have a fireplace.

For now they are on this display cabinet.

Later I may put them under the TV, and access one of the online fireplace displays,

complete with cracking log sounds!

I threw this hanging together once we moved up here. 

I quilted it on my embroidery machine.

I'm glad I have a long arm quilting machine 

because using the embroidery machine for this purpose is a PITA!

Here and there I have a few other seasonal items I've hung onto.

We put up some lights outside, and I have a few wreaths to hang on the front and side doors.

I'm sure we will put up a few more Christmas items before the day.

But, the big deal is that we decided to continue our long-standing tradition of having our neighbors and friends come to our home for breakfast on Christmas morning.  

I sent out invitations earlier this week. 

(If y'all are in the area, come on by!)

It started over 30 years ago. Both sets of parents were living within 15 miles of us. My mother and father always celebrated on Christmas Eve. My in-laws always celebrated with a huge Christmas dinner. What was I to do?  Why, of course, the only meal left: Christmas breakfast! 

Then one year a friend and her family had no one visiting. So we invited them to our breakfast. The next year we expanded, and invited a few more friends without family. and our family for breakfast.  Following that, we invited our neighbors, friends, and family. 

We have only briefly met folks in our neighborhood. We decided to continue our tradition, and perhaps get to know our neighbors a bit better. We could have 4 extra folks in, or we could have 24...either way, it will be fun to have folks here to celebrate the day. 

Do you have special holiday traditions?

Do you host a special meal over the holidays?

What is your favorite dish?

Saddle Up Your Horses...What Horse??!!

The Mister and I attended the Pine Ridge Equestrian Association Christmas party last night. 

They had a DJ and a barbecue dinner. Additionally, there was a silent auction as a fund raiser for two local horse rescue organizations.

Showing some Christmas spirit:

My favorite thing at the party was watching Smores and Butterscotch (Hasbro 'ponies' from 2006) react to the music. They were a hoot to watch. 

The Mister and Dan chat at the table to the left. Dan happened to have a Nichols School cap on.  My dad went to Nichols.  It turns out that Dan's dad was also a student there, and our fathers probably were in the same class! It is such a small world!

The silent auction had over 100 items - most were horse-related, and were donated by members. Some items were new, others were well loved. 

The saddle on the bottom of the rack, covered by the other, was a Passier saddle from Germany.  I used to have a Passier saddle. Out of nostalgia I kept looking at that saddle. I don't have a horse.  But no one has bid on it. Even if I had a horse I probably wouldn't ride it.  But it is only $3.00. I'll put a bid on it and then someone will overbid me. The saddle is in great condition..it is an all-purpose saddle, so it would even be good for trail riding...if I had a horse...and if I chose to ride.  

I now own a saddle!

What will happen next??