Love This Sign!

My daughter found this sign at a recent bizarre and gave it to me for Christmas!  She knows  I love sitting on my front porch in the summertime and it is going to look great hanging over my wicker chaise.  Now that the holidays are over, I'm looking forward to spring flowers, warm days and visits on the porch.  I wish you all could join me for a glass of iced tea.  Wouldn't that be fun?

Sarah-Jane Down the Lane

Please take time to visit this blog if you haven't already.  This lady lives in England and writes about the most fascinating things.   She's a talented photographer also and her pictures are beautiful!  Be sure to go back to some her summer posts of her flowers.

To me, the expression "it's a small world" really does apply to the world of blogging.  I can visit so many countries in my pajamas with a cup of hot tea!

Safe Haven

  

I haven't been reading much during the holidays so yesterday I decided to start the latest Nicholas Sparks novel.  I've always enjoyed his books but find them slightly predictable and haven't read one that I just couldn't put down.  Well, Safe Haven is the one! I started reading around 10:00 a.m. and finished around 11:30 p.m.  Of course, I stopped long enough to eat, let the dogs out, let the cat in, answer the phone and all the usual things that go on  at my house.  The book is  suspenseful  and has a few very surprising twists.   I'd recommend it!

Snowing on the James River

My friend took these lovely pictures of some of the waterfowl on the James River yesterday during the snow.

Click on picture to enlarge

Just look at his beautiful blue eye!

I think Mr. Mallard has cold feet!

They all look so peaceful!  I hope you'll take time today to appreciate the beauty of nature.

Perfect Christmas Day!

I can't think of anything that makes me happier than spending time with my family!  Yesterday we had a wonderful dinner together. One of my daughters made cornbread and a yummy dessert from her Pampered Chef recipes.  My other daughter made stuffing with crab meat and a sweet potato casserole.  A friend made roast asparagus with pine nuts.  I  fixed the turkey breast and gravy.  Everything was delicious!

We opened gifts after eating.  Of course, the corgi girls were excited and all over the boxes and wrapping paper.  They love my granddaughters and get so excited when they come to visit!

It started snowing around 5:00.  By early evening everything was glistening with snow flakes.  A perfect ending to a perfect Christmas day!

Merry Christmas!

Remember my daughter's cat, Owen, in the lobster costume for Halloween?  Well, here he is with Santa!  He's such a clown.

This is Miss Kitty (my other daughter rescued her from the Wal Mart garden shop) and Buddy under the Christmas tree.  I suppose they're waiting for Santa.

Cowboy and Priya, our corgi friends from Massachusetts, sent us this cute pic yesterday.  Their smiles are priceless!

I hope everyone has a joyous day with family and friends!  Many blessings to you and your furchildren.

Squashapenny Junction Antique Shop

If you are traveling on I95 between Richmond, VA, and Fredericksburg, be sure to take the Doswell exit and visit this wonderful country store/antique shop.   I feel very comfortable saying that anything you can think of or remember from years gone by can be found here.  Suzanne is the owner and very knowledgeable about antiques.

My Friend's Dollhouse

This house is so unique!  The exterior is a faux stone finish.  It was originally owned by a lady in Maryland who had it custom built.  Unfortunately, the owner was unable to provide much information about the history of the house but it reminds of me of some of the  homes I saw Savannah, GA, this summer.  I helped her put lace valances on the windows and arrange her furniture last week.   I wish she had before and after pictures.  You would not believe what this house looked like when we picked it up in Maryland,  compared to how beautiful it is now.

Botanical Gardens

 I had lunch with a friend at the Botanical Gardens yesterday and wanted to share some of my pictures with you.

The glass sculpture is part of a special display going on at the garden.

The large flowers in the background are glass.

The houses below are part of the working train display.  The train runs through a village of houses made from natural materials and small live flowers. 

click on pictures to enlarge

Verde Farm

This week I discovered Verde Farm blog (by way of West Virginia Treasures) and it is one of my favorite blogs!  I love the pictures of her chickens, the story of her "flying pig" and all her  critters.   I would love to visit her West Virginia farm someday. 

If you haven't explored the world of blogs, you don't know what you're missing.  There are so many beautiful ones!

Draft Horses

When I visited my friend last week to help her with her dollhouse, we took pictures at her neighbor's farm of her draft horses.  Draft horses are known for there tall stature and extremely muscular build.  They are bred to be work horses.  All of them were so beautiful and didn't seem to mind having their pictures taken.

This is Soldier and he is part Clydesdale.

Dixie is a shire from England

Just Add Snow

For quite a while now, I have been working on a miniature snow shop.  This shop is a boutique where the snow family shops for replacement parts. 

There are limbs for arms, coal for eyes, carrots for noses, top hats, pipes and wool scarves for sale.

The attic is storage for extra inventory.

 This snowman is peeking out of the attic window to see if there are costumers in the distance.

The shop mailbox is a Hallmark ornament from a few years back.