credits:
Kristin Cronin-Barrow's - Gone Camping Kit

This is a layout of my Sister Nina's one-eyed cat Vogue on a recent camping trip. Think she'll catch a fish? Perhaps she's gone away to avoid the earthquake that happened at home (just a tiny one) or maybe even she's embarrassed of Nina's sharing all her most intimate details that have been shared on my sister's blog. At any rate, here's Vogue where a cat is most happy, out of doors!

Nina had shared a photo of her cat in this little camouflage tent and I could not resist to make it into a layout.

Make sure you're ready to have a laugh if you visit Nina's blog as she reveals all Vogue's (funny name, right?) personal info! Nina, you have a gift to journal too, it appears! You have me entralled.

I made another layout for my friend Betty too, of her daughter, but forgot to ask permission to publish. Is it OK, Betty? If so, look for it coming next post!

First Skate!

It DID happen.

Ok, I can forgive all the miserable weather we've been having for at least now its COLD enough that the lake has frozen into a fun state of skate-able-ness. Oh, there are still swirlie patches of snow about, but I am able to navigate around the worst of them to be able to go along the shoreline. I was so HOPING this time would come - and its generally a brief few weeks window in the year.

My first skate was on Monday - it was sunny and I took my camera along. These are some of the photos I took in the magical frozen land of ice:

I'm thinking of someone today - someone who is hurting and perhaps lonely, afraid or angry. Someone who feels like there's NO hope. There is, my friend.

One who is there to intercede,
One who helps you in your need;
One who has a soothing power,
Calming you in your darkest hour.
One who shares your grief and pain,
And when rebuffed, comes back again;
One who knows your every mood,
Does not condemn, does not intrude.
One who shares your happiness
As well as sorrow and distress.
One who's with you to the end.
Won't you let Him be your friend?

I've been working out ever since the 'holidays' passed - a promise to get whipped into shape for my husband in time for our anniversary, coming up soon. I'm averaging anywhere from 60 - 90 mins of aroebic exersize a day, 5 days a week, and beginning to see results. Oh, I'm still a long ways from where I'd like to be, but its coming.

Some days are easier than others, but I'm always glad I put in the effort. I was talking about exersize with a friend the other day, and we were talking about the effort it takes, the dedication and the time factor. It occured to me that a perception people sometimes have is that it is EASIER for people who work out regularly than for beginners. Well, thats not entirely true, at least for me.

What IS true, is that once you've established a routine and wrassled your mind over body to accept that you ARE going to work out, like it or not, for a certain portion of your days - then you waste less time fighting with yourself, and it helps to just KNOW its part of your day. And then too, as you get STRONGER, and you realize you CAN do it, then you are simply more ABLE. You're not spending time just trying to convince yourself to go ahead.

But, there are NO shortcuts to a workout. They never not 'hurt' - if you are doing it correctly. If you don't sweat or push yourself or feel some sort of pull on your body then you are not truly getting a benefit to your system. Actually there's a reward in 'feeling it' - if there were not, then every single person would be walking around fit as a fiddle! Seems that most good things in life take a dedication and a working towards. Its the gift you recieve for being obedient and caring for this amazing human body God blessed us with!

Not only this, it allows you to be more energetic - to enjoy life, a longer life to be with those we love!

On my worst days - days when I have to talk myself into it - I realize there are people who CANNOT work out, that are physically unable to walk, run, work out. That in itself is a reason I should work out this body to be its best.

That, and the fact that my husband wants to take me to some place with a hot tub and wear a swimsuit for our anniversary. *wink*

And lastly I'll mention something about the time factor - its a huge chunk of valuable time out of already packed days - well, I put it to good use. I DO enjoy a bit of reading while I work out (using and elliptical trainer mostly) but I've put aside a portion of this time to read my bible and Praise the Lord. If you were outside my house during this time you might here me cry out and sing at the top of my lungs. Best I'm at home for I'd probably scare them all away at the gym!

Sweet Birthday Wishes Add On
Personal Use Only

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Buhahahhahahahaa!

IT IS TODAY!!!! hahahhaha! Ok, I'm going for a looonnnng walk here, to clear my mind... I'll still leave the post I'd put up this a.m. (to show you WHY I need to go clear my head.) I shall repeat 100 times in my head ... IT IS the 28th it IS the 28th It is the 28th...


I messed up big-time everyone... haha, its ALL MY FAULT! Cicero, you needn't worry that your dear OLD Mither might not recall a happening from 50 years ago, for I'm so scatter-brained at my age (only 1/2 of hers!) that her memory seems BRILLIANT compared to mine these days. I'm talking about... being a certain little "bird" who hopped about letting folks know that its our dear friend Valinda's birthday ... TODAY.

Well, its actually TOMORROW. Ayeah.... (ducking at the shoes being thrown from South Africa and USA...) Well hay, folks, there's two GOOD things about this, perhaps three...

1. We did not forget Valinda's special day
2. We DEFINATELY surprised her
3. We can breath a sigh of satisfaction that its DONE!

You know what's funny? I chatted with my SIL Judy last night and we were TALKING about this and it did not "click" in my mind that the 28th was not TODAY till about 4 a.m. when I woke up with a big "OOPS" going on in my brain.

So... without further ado, I'm going to Join my dear friends to celebrate not only Valinda's birthday, but my daughter's and friend Bonnie's too! Happy Birthday TOMORROW to all of you!

credits:
All KimB Stuffs

Happy Birthday Dezrae!

It's your birthday, but we got the gift...
a gentle, sweet, beautiful daughter
who is always a pleasure to be with.
You glow with sensitivity and compassion
generated from the depths
of your warm heart and and kind soul.
A loving mom, a peacemaker,
a woman full of the joy of life,
that's you.
Anyone who spends time with you
is privileged to know
such an extraordinary person.
You are a great joy in our lives.
We love you and cherish you and treasure you
and wish that every one of your birthdays
will be the happiest yet.

By Joanna Fuchs

Dezrae, we wish you lived closer so we could celebrate with you, but you will be thought of. Hope you get royally spoiled (not Royale-ly cause if you read my last post you'll know what I mean) Have a fabulous day!

credits:
Kristin CB - flowers
sorry, can't remember the other kit?

Birthday Blessings

Instead of counting candles,
Or tallying the years,
Contemplate your blessings,
As your birthday nears. Consider special people
Who love you, and who care,
And others who’ve enriched your life
Just by being there. Think about the memories
Passing years can never mar,
Experiences great and small
That have made you who you are. Another year is a happy gift,
So cut your cake, and say,
"Instead of counting birthdays,
I count blessings every day!"

By Joanna Fuchs

Bonnie, this is a wonderful opportunity to tell you how dear you are to me. I hope this year is one of being creative and discovering new talents and realizing your hopes and dreams. I'm so glad we DO live close enough that I can actually give you a real Birthday Hug ... tomorrow!

credits:
KristinCB - Beauty kit
(may be a mix of your other kits too)

Bright Joy

On your birthday,
I’m thinking about how much light and sparkle
you freely dispense wherever you go,
how your sunny smile lights up any gathering.
Every birthday marks another year
of you radiating positive, happy energy,
contagious happiness
that infects all who come in contact with you.
May your next birthday find you the same--
glowing from within,
beaming bright joy on everyone you meet.
I feel blessed to know you.

By Joanna Fuchs

Valinda... YOU are the first person to visit and leave love at so many of our blogs. You ALWAYS have an encouraging word, you bring sunshine into all our lives. Its been a rare day when I would find myself AHEAD of you in a strip of comments on a blog. I count on you and have come to cherish and value each one! I'm looking forward to getting to know you more this year, to fellowship with you too.

I KNOW your family and Jim will spoil you, girl!

SOOOOOO.....

Even though I've been 'retired' from designing for a while now, I set aside a day to create a kit to give away to honour each of you. I hope you enjoy!

Personal Use Only

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Cut the Thing!

It is our Pastor's Jim and Elaine's birthdays this month - so we 'baked' them a cake. Being as they are trying to watch their waists...

Yes, Royale as in Royal Toilet Tissue? *titter* Well see, we hosted a Birthday Breakfast beforehand, and who would want CAKE cake on top of all the pancakes and stuff, right?



And if that was not fun enough first thing on a Sunday morning, we all 'colored' during our morning service. We had all 64 crayons happening at once for a while there. A good time was had by all!

7 a.m.

8 a.m.

10 a.m.

Oh me of little faith (shaking finger at self!)

Ok, Weather People you are redeemed

*beam*

illustration credit:
KimB's HeartyTarty Craft Paper & Staple

There is not always a 'thaw' in January, nor do all spring-like days come in winter come in January. As the old-fashioned almanacs would put it, scattering the words down the page for January:

About - this – time – expect – several – warm – days.

Even if the 'about this time' were the last of February, the country people would regard it as 'our January that, only about a month late this year!'

The first of these warm days is often cloudy, and so misty and cloudy that the ground seems to steam. The snow that may have fallen two or three weeks ago is nearly melted. Then how slushy it is! - how 'disagreeable getting about' the older folks would say.

From St. Nicholas magazine, January 1904

Ohhh SO gray, gray - GRAY! I'm trying so hard to not let it get to me, but two weeks of THIS. Its bordering on ridiculous. I've always loved having SEASONS but I'm beginning to feel like a mushroom, I swear my skin is turning into paste! I still make myself get outside. I heard a broadcaster on CBC radio the other day and he was saying (not that I entirely agree with him) that great art is only made in anything other than happiness... so this depression SHOULD make me really artistically inclined. Well, it DID inspire me to write the following poem after yesterday's dreary walk:

grungey, brackish dirt exposed from beneath white scabs of retreating snow -

the soil giving off a sharp acrid reek, like a complaint

dull gray clouds pressing down petulantly into the valley

to meet the cold steely gray of ice on the lake

cold, scratching fingers of bare tree limbs standing forlorn

the air, sluggish and stubborn pushes to keep one indoors

outside, small birds feast furiously on whatever they might forage

hawks wait, there's a bird-eat-bird meaness in these half-dark days

a lone plane growls through the duskiness – like an insect trying to migrate to sunshine

day morphs into evening and then to night with very little discernment

dawn and dusk a mere shade darker than the day

longing for sunshine

This is what the weathermen/women say. But I know who's REALLY in control, so I'm taking it to the Lord in prayer...

God is mighty! He is able to deliver;

Faith can victor be in every trying hour;

Fear and care and sin and sorrow defeated

By our faith in God's almighty, conquering power.

Have faith in God, the sun will shine,

Though dark the clouds may be today;

His heart has planned your path and mine,

Have faith in God, have faith alway.

~ Author Unknown

♥♥♥♥♥

And so, to brighten up YOUR day, I've created a second version of the Wreath Frame - Enjoy!

(and send SUN, please *wink*)

Personal Use

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“They” said, yesterday on the news, that yesterday is considered the 'most depressing' day of the year. I hear ya! The sun has not graced us with it's presence for several weeks now. I'm sure I'll need sunglasses the first time it chooses to shine on us. I keep begging my sister, Nina to send me some – from Victoria, no less. Now that seems so strange, as they are on the coast where its usually rainy. To date, nothings arrived.

I woke this morning from a dream that Mr. Miles and I were at some social gathering, very casual, and that Michelle Obama gave me a hug. We were talking about her children. Weird. Very strange – we don't even live in the USA. Perhaps it had something to do with my plan to watch the inauguration today. The inauguration was a moving thing to hear – I say hear because I only watched the swearing in on tv, but heard the rest of the ceremonies on CBC radio while I worked out.

Our Melanie ♥

Layout Credits: KimB's HeartyTarty Kit
Barb Derksen's WreathFrame - white

Our daughter came home for a visit this past weekend and it was a wonderful time together. I'm sure you're hoping for a photo, but I left it late and she made me promise NO photos – she was not feeling photogenic. Oh, I've had those days too, so respected her wishes. I did though, ask her to send me some of her own cell phone photos, and thats the one I used in this layout which I made mostly with KimB's HeartyTarty Kit. What a FABULOUS kit!

Next time Melanie visits I'll have to take care of that taking pictures thing, first thing. She brought her boyfriend with her – our first time to meet him. He's very nice!

Our weekend was all about baking. I promised to show her the Artisan Bread recipe. Melanie has always loved to bake. We mixed up batches of dough and made buns, flatbreads and pizza. On Saturday night, the kids made us dessert, rich fattening dessert. Flakey fruit and chocolate filled puff-pastry turnovers served with ice cream. Of COURSE she went home with a bucket of dough which was nicely risen by the time they got there.

I did not mention that last week I went 'across the line' at the invitation from my friend Angie to do some grocery shopping. We live RIGHT on the USA/Canada border and so have the luxury to hop over whenever the urge hits. With our dollar down, its not so much of a deal as it has been at past times, but there is always something different to buy. Cheese always works out less, for sure. My favorite place to stop is a little gas station/grocery which is supplied by deli's which are only stateside so I always find some unique things. These are some of the items I bought to play with this trip:

This spaghetti, which is sold in the USA at a Trader Joes store, is looooong! I'm hankering to go to one of those stores, now. Have any of you been to one?

These noodles are hollow - like very long kraft dinner noodles, though I am sure they are better quality, being made from hard durum seminola!

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos - my camera does not do well in low light. This orzo should be a colorful addition to soups - organic to boot!


And some buckwheat. I've never really cooked with it before. Any suggestions?

This Sap Sago cheese is VERY interesting. It's produced only one place in the world. I love the story, the shape and the very bold and distinctive flavor. I've already found several ways to use it. You can read an article about it HERE at Wikipedia.

Then, as I was surfing around on the internet to find more recipes for it, I came across this incredible recipe site. I think you will agree that the photography is just stunning – and the recipes extremely innovative and interesting! My friend Gina and I spent an afternoon drooling over our screens together. And I did make the Scandinavian Sour Cream Apple Pie, only I did not put a crust on it at all, and I substituted vanilla yogurt for the sour cream. Mr. Miles gave it thumbs up.

Layout by Judy

Credits: KimB and Bunny Cates items!

Did you see this lovely LOVELY poem and layout my sister-in-law Judy posted for me on her blog over the weekend? Well, in case you didn't, here's her layout with it in. I was so moved! Judy has a post up today of the thoughtful and sweet parcel she recieved from KimB in South Africa. That Kim, she's got it all tied up in the giving department. I do believe her middle name is generosity! Judy also has some pretty photos of dragonflies she took this past summer. Oh * groan * don't say summer, please, unless you send sunshine.

Layout by Victoria
Credits:
Barb Derksen - Photo of Osoyoos Lake
Kris Myers Frosty Days Digital Kit

And here's a pretty layout made by my friend Victoria, who lives in Florida. She asked if she might use one of my frosty photos for a layout, seeing as she does not have such a thing down there. I think your layout is lovely and thanks for sharing!

Treasure Box fit for a queen

I recieved a gift at Church this past Sunday – a beeeee-youuuuu-teeee-ful treasure. I'd no more seated myself when I was approached by my little 6 year old friend Asia who was bearing a wrapped gift for me. She insisted I open it right then and there – to reveal this hand-decorated treasure box. Ohhh, so pretty! I've got some special things which shall be stored in here! Don't you just love little presents crafted by little hands? Priceless, I say!

♥♥♥♥♥

A few posts ago I bragged on my friend Penny Buhr Johnson, on the release of her second CD. Unfortunately her CD was not quite set up at CD baby for sale just yet, but it is now. You can visit Penny's website by clicking HERE and follow the links which will allow you to hear cuts of her new album as well as purchase it too!

Our good blogger friend Valinda is home after a week away - and she's got a gift for you on her website I won't spoil the surprize, but go on over and welcome her home, won't you? Just click HERE.

Here's an entertaining time-waster of a website for you. Don't blame me if you don't get your housework done today, ok? Its called Drawminos!

And finally, I decided to make a 'little sumfing' for YOU. I had this small wreath thing laying about. It used to be around the base of a candle, but the candle got used up. Before sending this to the thrift shop or trash... I decided it would make a neat photo frame. I think it worked quite well. I'll post another version in a day or two. I'd love to see how you use this – just send me a jpg of your layout and I'll post it.

Ohhhh and as I'm wrapping this up - this loooong long post, I recall Shirley emailing me to say she's awarded me .... I'll have to slip on over to her place and see whats in store for me. THANK YOU Shirley, in advance.

Personal Use

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Osoyoos Lake looks like a big slice of Swiss cheese, with the black 'holes' of ice showing through the snow. And it occurred to me, it now looks similar to another local lake, Spotted lake. Spotted lake gets its appearance from the mineral pockets though. Our lake changes every day - as does the weather.

Spotted Lake

This all makes me think of a poem I just found, about the ever changing weather, though the poem was made about the weather in England.

I wake to a day that is cloudy and grey,

So I put on my hat and my mac.

I walk down the street with my boots on my feet,

and the crafty old sun's creeping back.

I run to the house as fast as a mouse,

And quickly change into a dress,

But before I can go I hear thunder and so,

I'm getting confused I confess.

I creep out the door and slip on the floor

When I find there is snow on the ground.

I walk into a tree, its not easy to see

When the fog is so thick all around.

It just seems to me, and I'm sure you'll agree,

Tha our crazy old weather's unique.

Where else would you find, snow, rain, sun and wind -

Not yearly, but all in one week.

Jean Forrest

What's your weather like?