The Life of Mrs. Miles

KEEPING TOASTY ELEMENTS

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It was our town's 'light up' last night. We live in a very small community, so our lightup is rather tame, really. I do have to say that I'm so impressed with the businesses here because they stay open until late and they all jump in on the celebratative atmosphere by providing hot chocolate, hotdogs, candy canes, cheerful music and shopping specials. This year seemed especially quiet, but we did have have snow!

THE GRINCH COMES TO OSOYOOS

See, we live in Canada's only pocket desert (DESERT CENTER) so our weather is usually mild. It's mild enough that we get 'snowbirders' who come and stay for the winter. I suppose to someone who lives in Northeren BC our weather seems practically balmy, while some folks who live here go south to the lower USA and snowbird to get away from anything cold. Our town actually counts on the snowbirders to put a boost into the local economy! Probably the biggest, most impressive float in our parade is one put together by the snowbirders.

I stayed in my jammies till noon yesterday. I had not one, but two dear friends just 'drop by' unexpectedly. I did not even contemplate getting dressed or cleaning house because these are the type of friends Rose and Alison are.

They love me for me... not how I look or how the house looks. What a precious time to share together. While visiting, Rose claimed my ceramic 'computer mouse' (in case you did not read in a previous blog - it was a sweet little vintage mouse I bought at a yard sale last summer) Soon as Rose laid eyes upon it, soon as she realized it was made at a place she spent some time in the past... I knew the mouse belonged to her. Such is my transient thrift store collection... Later on, Miles brought home a beautiful set of chrystal candle sticks FROM Rose, for us, to match the tall one she saw on my counter. What goes around, comes around.

I had a lovely email from my dear friend Gina today too... Gina and I usually talk daily on Hello... but for some very strange reason, we can only seem to send and recieve half of what we say and nothing of pictures. So, Gina, even though she is run off her feet preparing for her annual tea ministry(FOR OVER 100 PEOPLE - NOW THATS TEA!) took time out this morning to touch base with me via email. Thanks G, and God Bless your preperations. We look forward, with anticipation to seeing how it all turns out.

THE BLESSINGS OF FRIENDSHIP

There are friends who are to us like a great rock in a weary land. We flee to them in the heat of parching days and rest in their shadow. A friend in whom we can confide without fear of disappointment; who, we are sure, will never fail us, will never stint his love in serving us, who always has healing tenderness of the hurt of our heart, comfort for our sorrow, and cheer for our discouragement, such a friend is not only a rock of shelter to us in time of danger, but is also as rivers of water in a thirsty land, when our hearts cry out for life and love.

- J.R. Miller

Happy is the house that shelters a friend

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

For none of us lives

to himself alone

and none of us dies

to himself alone

- Romans 14:7

LAYOUT BY READER BARB FROM AUSTRALIA

(childhood photo from New York)

Thanks Barb - love publishing reader's layhouts, hint hint!

Today, instead of the oxymorons, I am going to give you some of the festive decorating ideas I am coming across in books and magazines I am reading.

For a 'natural' centerpiece, fill a basket or white ceramic bowl with fat red and green peppers.

Fill a glass apothecary jar with cherry tomatoes and sprigs of mint or basil.

Dress up plain white napkins with large white buttons stitched to one corner with red thread. A green or red button is attractive too.

If you don't have a Christmas tree, fill a large basket with lots of tall evergreen branches and place it where you would put a tree. The scent will add a great deal to the spirit of things. You can decorate them if you wish.

Hang family photos around, surrounding them with green or red tinsel... this is the time of year people like to look at family photographs.

BARB'S HANDY TIP #142

Great Photo Tutorials

An acquaintance recently purchased a good digital slr camera, and being new to the higher end of things, I foresaw she might want to know the ins and outs of how it all works and how to wring the very best out of her new toy. I got out my 'board' and 'surfed' the net till I found a good set of pdf tutorials which explain it all. There's something here for everyone:

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY TUTORIALS