Prairie Blue


...............at my front door spinning...................just some simple thoughts & happenings of an ordinary woman.....

Saturday, December 31, 2011

simple beauty...

this barn amazes me....................i love to find beauty in the simple things (although this isn't so simple)....................what is it about an old abandoned house or barn that draws me in........................the architecture....................the solemness..........................the story it could tell.........................................may the new year find you amazed by those tiny things, almost missed ............. take joy in the little things that go un -noticed on an ordinary day ............................. may you be blessed with joy of simple beauty my friends......................................... .............................................. i am blessed!


Wednesday, December 28, 2011

ordinary moment......

it is just an ordinary moment.........one where you walk through a room........................think to yourself.......................................this is beautiful......................................just an ordinary thing............. ............................................. i am blessed !

Monday, December 26, 2011

the day is done.......

well .............................. the house is quiet ............................... the unwrapping and laughter has ceased ................ the house is quiet again ......... another year of great anticipation, over too soon .............................. but oh my the memories created .......................... from a new little face around the tree ....... to one almost too big for grammy to hold (i am glad he will still allow me) ....... to one with new understanding ........................... and one that just plain did not feel well ............................... another year of being over way too fast .................................. ................................................ i am blessed !

Sunday, December 25, 2011

listen...............

i could not say it any better than our church bulletin this morning....................................
Mary and Joseph had choices .................... they could listen to the angels or ignore them as nothing but the wind ........... they put their faith in the unseen so they could see God's glory revealed before them ........ as you go thru life ...... stop ....... listen to the voice of God talking to you ...... make the choice to believe ..... and see God's glory revealed in your life..............................


Merry Christmas my friends ...................................................... be blessed !


................................................................. i certainly am a blessed one !

Saturday, December 24, 2011

abiding over the flock....

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them." Luke 2: 8~9 ............................................................ blessed to be one of HIS flock ! ............................

Thursday, December 22, 2011

overwhelmed...........

no .............................. not why you think ............................ (i did make that last minute run to pick up forgotten things for our family Christmas tomorrow morning) .................................. but it is one of those days of feeling overwhelmed with blessings .................. listening to the lady "sing" as she rang the salvation army bell ....................... a conversation with one of our daughter's childhood classmates ................... the music on the radio ....................... walking into a warm home...a fire in the woodstove....preheating the oven for red velvet cake...............looking around...taking it all in.......................and.........................realizing i am so blessed..................some days i just feel it more than others, and this is one of those most amazing ................. significant ...................... overwhelming days ......................................................... oh my goodness ....................... thank you LORD ..... for ...... ....................................... i am blessed!


Tuesday, December 20, 2011

may your heart be filled.....

sometimes..................................we just need to slow down..............................stop for a minute and remember the IMPORTANT things..................................may your heart be filled my friends ! ............................................................ i am blessed !

Monday, December 19, 2011

my heart is full...............

sometimes all we need................................is a little time with a friend, to make our heart full................................love you more Vicki! ...................................... i am blessed !

Saturday, December 17, 2011

i do believe.........

oh my goodness............................i do believe..................................and ......................i believe he left his boots!.......................................................... oh wait a minute.............those are MY new red boots!

.................................................................. i am blessed !

Friday, December 16, 2011

Santa on his way......

well Santa is on his way........................or should i say...................they are on their way...................well.......anyway, these were orders i finished last week and delivered................my two fine friends (Bev & Vicki) said they would patiently wait till after Christmas.....whew.....that gave me a little time to finish my shopping and recover from that nasty sore throat thing again!......................................so.......................bring on the snow..........pack the sleigh........these guys are ready..................................! ............................................................ i am blessed!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

just outside......

just outside the window.............................with cold breezes blowing, and Christmas fast approaching is a little touch of sunshine for my soul.................................mr. prairie blue made this garden feature for me this summer...........................................i kept intending to post a picture ........... one of those things i wanted done for a long time ............................... suddenly ...................one day, it ... just .... happened .............................. and ......................... i love it!........thank you mr. prairie blue ~ i love you! yep............................................... i am blessed!


Friday, December 9, 2011

the birds nest tree.....

once a year the nest collection leaves the trencher they share and decorate the birds nest tree.......i have no idea why or how i started this one, but it has been a joy.......................taking each nest out..................looking over the intricate woven patterns of each one.......................i have two favorites................the one that belonged to my mom, that seems to have woven blonde hair around the outside...............and the other, one picked up by mr. prairie blue from the yard, with woven ...torn....blue plastic tarp............................... this clay bird is actually a whistle that was made by a local woman, years ago.................she was set up at a craft fair i was doing........................all busyness stopped when she would take one in her hands....raise it to her lips....and share the most beautiful tune for all to enjoy................by the way, this is mom's birds nest with the hair....................... this is a necklace she made as well.....................................





and this is a small clay bird ............made by our daughter in grade school..........................




do you ever just take the time to look at a nest.................or watch as a bird works till everything is in place............................................just like us..........................we weave and weave ....keep going to make everything just perfect................a warm place to rest......................to snuggle in with our little ones...................................to make sure that everything is "just right"......................................well..........................i for one am blessed!





Thursday, December 8, 2011

in HIS presence...

just recieved word..................Nikki is now in the presence of God.................made whole...............as the email said........................"completely healed".......................

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

all i ask today................

all i ask today............................please keep this young lady (Nikki Summerset) and her family in your prayers today...............................Nikki is a friend of our daughter's....................i have never met her or her family........................................but................................this young lady has touched so many lives with her strong faith as she is battling cancer..........................my goodness, if we could all be so strong in such circumstances....................................please say a prayer and lift this family up today.....................................................you know................ EVERYDAY IS A BLESSING! .............................................................. i am blessed!

Monday, December 5, 2011

a cup of tea....

"if you could have some time...how wonderful it would be...if we could have a little chat and share a cup of Christmas Tea".......from Christmas Tea ~ Tom Hegg it was a week of frenzy.....emotions running high..........................trying to ready the house for Christmas.........an order of seven Santas............and .................my annual Christmas Tea...( setting aside the first Saturday in December.....a thank you for my customers, and getting the house decorated....i can never get it all done for openhouse, so this is how it all began about five years ago)..........................i love it............................it is my time to mingle with those i have gotten aquainted with over the years........learned to love.........look forward to their visits, giggles, hugs, stories...............................it is relaxing and enjoyable for me.......once i am underway, it is great.........................................................this year, i was stressed....not happy with decisions i was making...........and.............................swearing..............."i am NOT doing this again next year"......................................................................well..................here it is two days out and i am thinking of next year...........i would miss it so..........................and...............................even thinking of a valentine tea........................OH MY........commit me now!
...........................................................................i am blessed!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

lighting the way......

the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.....For unto us a child is born. Isaiah 9: 2, 6.................................................................. i am blessed !

Sunday, November 27, 2011

shall we begin.....

this is one of the shots from the "Country Sampler" shoot.............................i love it that Mom's butcher block is front and center.............seems it puts her right in the middle of it...................oh my goodness, she would have been so excited for the whole process and it actually happening.......(this was actually shot in January of this year, so, seems like it just happened!)............................................so here it is again..........................time to pull out all the trees...............the lights...............the tinsel & baubles.....................the Santa collection.................and along the way..............................................................remembering EXACTLY WHY WE CELEBRATE!......................................... and.....................i am blessed because of it!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

praise............

"go through His open gates with great thanksgiving, enter His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and bless His name." Psalms 100:4 Happy Thanksgiving my dear friends....... giving thankfulness & praise for all my blessings......................................i am blessed !


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

a little Granny story.....

a week of thankfulness...................................(should be every week shouldn't it?).....................anyway, in Gran's photos was this one of "Tom".............(knowing nothing about turkeys i am just repeating the story).....Mom told the story of the only time she saw Granny cry, was during a rain storm, trying to save her turkeys ......(i have been told that a turkey will stand in the rain and drown....!................................)...................thinking of Granny alot this week......missing her more everyday..............wishing i had taken the time to stop in more often....................wishing for her hugs & kisses..................................you know......just wishing.............but.......................then stopping, remembering all those wonderful moments, and treasuring them forever...................................................... yes, treasured memories...........................................i am blessed !


since this post, i recieved a call from my cousin ..................Granny was raising these turkeys for Christmas shopping money....................definitely explains the tears and probably the impact it had on the family memory ......i am sure my Mom must have seen Gran cry at other times.....but this is the one time my Mom could not forget......................thanks Patti Grace for the rest of the story!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

i so wish.......

i so wish i had sheep.................................you know, the REAL ones............................ mr. prairie blue says....NO...............................................a girl can wish can't she.....................................

.................................................................... i am blessed!

sharing another friend....

i wanted to share a very special lady............................i am sure alot of you already know Vicki........this was her openhouse yesterday.........................................so glad i got to stop in and visit for awhile........seems those times are few&far between lately..............but i still love her so..................................stop by for a visit on her blog, then go to her picturetrail from there...... wwwoutmywindow.blogspot.com you will be so glad you did ........................................................ i am blessed!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

sharing a friend...

i just recieved my January issue of Country Sampler................................and wanted to quickly share a friend with you.....................................i am sure alot of you already stop in to visit her daily on her blog......... www.picturetrail.com/earlygoodsantiques but if you haven't, now is the time to get acquainted.........................................this gal has more energy than anyone i know and can get more done..........................whew.........................wears me out..............................her home is amazing and constantly changing.......................................and.................................always is wonderful................just wanted to share a friend....................................congrats Brenda & Loren!







.................................................................................. i am blessed!






another little corner....

this is a corner in the room we now call the buttery...............................before the remodel it was my laundry room.......(my favorite room)...............................................plans change in life and things don't always stay the same.......................................................anyway, when we first remodeled, we had this as our dining room, so Daddy could wheel his wheelchair to the dining table...................(someday i will go into the whole story of the remodel etc.).....................this is an old cupboard i found farely reasonable ..................................alot of my old canned goods were gifted to me from church friends .................................................. ........................................................................... i am blessed!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

just a little thing....

you know..........sometimes, it is just the little things that make us smile...............................like saving, and framing this tiny piece of antique blue calico................................................... .............................................................................. i am blessed!

Monday, November 14, 2011

three days......

three days.............of making new friends...........greeting the familiar faces of years of visits......lots of laughing, giggles..........stories.........stories of people lost and laughing because of it........spice tea.......popcorn.....................................oh how my heart has been touched once again................................now...............................time to pick up the unorganized pieces left behind and move on to the Christmas Tea.........................................

............................................................... i am blessed!

Friday, November 11, 2011

thank you....

thank you................................................

..................................................................... we are blessed!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

just breathe....

welllllllll.............................. the shop is finished..................... on to cleaning the house today.......................................i am a little more calm .......just trying to wrap up loose ends at this point........................................ and........................... just breathe...............................here are a few green bean, cranberrie garlands........... got the idea from Lori Triplett......love these! ..................................................................... i am blessed!


Sunday, November 6, 2011

as we speak......

well.............................i am feeling a little overwhelmed..........trying to get things finished up for the openhouse...........never enough time it seems..................never get things all done that i want.............never get to the great ideas in my head that just don't get there........................so as we speak, emotions are running high................................i am feeling a little blue, and would rather go to bed and pull the covers over my head...................................but instead, i will head back to the shop to clean and rearrange.........................even as we speak.........................i know.............. ............................................... i am blessed

Thursday, November 3, 2011

winding things up....?

well.........................i have three working days left before readying the shop & house for next weeks open house................................................i have been awake since 3 a.m. and decided at 4 to give in.............i am wound up................finishing up some projects...........i hope i am starting to wind things up around here............................................ ................................................................... i am blessed!


Wednesday, November 2, 2011

thank you.....

thank you Lord for another new........................beautiful day.............................................may i not waste it and accomplish much........................................................it is a gift........................... .................................................................................. i am blessed!


Tuesday, November 1, 2011

remembering today......

today would have been mom & daddy's wedding anniversary.........................i never forget...........i do forget alot of things, but for some reason this date, always stays with me........................just like their memory.......................................love you mom & daddy...................and miss you so much! ..................................................................... i am certainly blessed!

Friday, October 28, 2011

another corner.......

looking for something to share real quick today..........................(need to keep stuffing those Santa's you know)...............................................................anyway........................34 yrs ago when we bought our house.....our neighbors that previously lived here, built a new home up the road from us..................about four yrs ago they decided to move to town.................and were having a yard sale..........................he was a former postman, and had bought this yrs ago when the post office in town moved..........................................well, long story short..................i fell in love with it......$25...WOW!...................only catch, it is all one piece, can't be moved much (way too heavy).....................and would only fit in the french doors that have a double open door..........one corner or the other..........................that is it for this piece, but i love it........................ ...................................................................... i am blessed!


Thursday, October 27, 2011

queen............!



in moving a few images around yesterday, i ran across this one i have saved for my "Queen for a Day" classes i have occasionally................................................................it took me back to a time of being a little girl and watching "Queen for a Day" on t.v. with my Mom..............................in my little girl mind....i imagined.....thinking to myself...................it had to be the most wonderful thing, to be crowned......with the velvet robe & crown and all the prizes that came with the title.........................................oh how things have changed....in life...and on t.v..................where has the innocence gone ......of childhood......on the screen.......in life.............................................maybe it is time to realize i am a queen after all....................................................................... i really am......................because..........................................i am blessed!




Monday, October 24, 2011

a morning greeting.....

out my window..........barely sun up this morning........................one single cow in view...............as if he is giving me a morning greeting...................................................i think he is saying......."get to that sewing machine".........................................moooooooooooooove it girl !...................... ............................................................................. i am blessed !

Saturday, October 22, 2011

today's work....

today is work at the sewing machine.........................................this one is much more inviting than mine.............................................but it soothes my soul to look at this and stitch away.....................oh how these two openhouses have ran together............................anyway........ thank you Lord, that i have a sewing machine......want to sew........and time today to do so.............i am blessed!

Friday, October 21, 2011

with these hands.................

don't you just love that saying............................................................it is one of my favorites.............and love this Maggie Bonanomi book........love ALL her books..................but going through things today to trace, cut, sew...................................i was reminded of these words....................what a gift it is to be able to create........."with these hands".................... thank you Lord........................................... i am blessed!


Thursday, October 20, 2011

snow is coming.......

wellllllllll maybe not really snow........................................but snowmen are on their way to the shop......................................always a little tricky getting the "first" of anything tweaked the right way........................................i think he is ready for his final "tweaking" or maybe i should say "frosting"....................................let it snow.....let it snow....let it snow.............................not the real stuff! ............................................. i am blessed!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

little things....

yes......................................................................... ...................................................... i am blessed!


Sunday, October 16, 2011

a make~do....

i have been away, visiting our daughter & family......& attending my first grandparents day with our Carter..(kindergarten)........what a joy it was watching a little fella learning songs & sharing his artwork & special booklet for Grammy & Grandpa......................needless to say, i am very proud & honored to be his Grammy.........................................................................so since returning home, i just grabbed one of my favorite cabinets to show .........................and it is definitely a make~do.......................bought two seperate places at two seperate times.....................i love the bottom with a touch of red paint, and meal bin............this little shelf was perfect for the top..................on top are three blue stoneware crocks that i got at a yardsale for $5 ea..........they have multiple cracks from a bad ebay deal she said.........but i care not..................everything i have has a crack.........a tear...........a wobble...............................well, you get the picture............................................................ ..................................................................... i am blessed!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

chambray........

one of my all time favorite things to wear is chambray..............................i have heard it is back in style.................................um' shall i admit, that i never knew it went out..................................i love the feel..........................the color..........................the comfort of a great chambray shirt...........................oh yeah, i even bought a pair of skinny jeans...............................................shall i put my "chambray" on with my "skinny"...............................or is that just a little too much.......! ................................................ i am blessed!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

an ordinary autumn day.....

remember the "branch" ........................this is back at the top of the hill in Granny & Grandad's backyard...............................just a typical autumn day...................Granny grabbed a camera and captured one of our family's most precious memories of Grandad...................carrying the scraps out to the chickens with all the kitties along for the stroll.................................how can one photo capture everything you feel about one person...............................it makes me smile and cry at the same time........................................................recently my cousin & i visited the homeplace, where a couple has transformed this property with such dignity & vision for being true to the property....and operate a large animal veterinary clinic.....(Gran was so pleased!)..........................as we toured the house and i looked out the upstairs window into this very yard.....................the tears came.............................. oh.....so many wonderful memories given, and shared from two wonderful grandparents............................so proud.................and.............. ..........................................i am so blessed!

Friday, October 7, 2011

reminders in the corner........

remember there is not much space in my craft room.....and the only wall space is this little section of wonderful reminders.........................first off a silver tray that i won for best booth space at "old settler's days" in 1983................the plaque is for overall best booth exhibit at the Monroe Co. Fair in 1986...............................but my most prized possessions.......four samplers.......three made by dear friends for me......................................and the most precious made by my Marah is the mustard seed verse.............................they all give me strength and remind me every day...... give thanks with a grateful heart...............you will not stumble while on your knees..............and..............if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible..................................................i am blessed !

Thursday, October 6, 2011

the gravy bowl......

nothing sounded good to eat today.................................so i made popcorn...........................and i grabbed the fried potato-gravy bowl that was used weekly growing up...................................fried foods were a given at our house and this was always the bowl that Mom used...................we either had fried potatoes with something........................................ or biscuits & gravy..........................................Mom did not like to cook very much....(she would rather be sewing)....or anything else............................................But she made the best white cream gravy & fried chicken ..............................................oh i can taste it now...............................can't make it like her at all........................but the memory.................................precious ................................................................... i am blessed!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

flee...fly...flu....

yep............you guessed it........................................it is flu season.......................................good day to just lay around and watch one of my favorites........................................love that movie................
i met a young lady over the weekend, this movie came up...........................she didn't know it........i started to explain the actresses and realized, this was going nowhere...................i'm old.....and this wonderful movie that i have watched over & over............that is my joy.......................will probably never be seen by this young lady............................oh i wish she knew the joy...............and hope she doesn't get the flu! .........................................................sniff, sniff........ahhhhhhchoo............................ i am blessed!