RESTING IN PEACE

Hi Everyone,

In case you have not been following my blog too closely here is an update:

I have been sick the past month with an acute sinus infection. I am still not 100 %. The doctor told me to rest. I am trying to do that but it is very hard for me to sit any length of time. I see things that have to be done and I have to do them! I can't help it! Well, I think I have conquered that in the past three days.

It has been so hot and humid here in good old Texas, that I have spent the afternoons sitting by the pool. We didn't get this wonderful weather in Buffalo, NY.  So, I decided to make the most of it and have a snack outside.

Just a very simple snack with a Memorial Day flair! Since moving to Texas, I love sweetened tea. I paired it with fresh strawberries and cantaloupe in an old fashioned sundae dish. The candle has three fragrances: macintosh apple, aromate de vanilla and blueberries & cream. It smells heavenly!

I couldn't decide where I wanted my tray so I put it on the table and then on the footrest. I think I like it in on the footrest. What about you?

The tablecloth was made by my mother-in-law and given to me years ago. The plate was bought at HomeGoods. I bought four of them so I can use them when my daughter comes for the Fourth of July!

I thought I'd show you what I am looking at while I am eating my snack.

We have lived here since December 23, 2010, so we haven't done anything to the outside other than clean it up. We have lots of huge trees and they are always dropping something. This garden has roses in it. A few other things are growing but I haven't got a clue what they are called.

I love the lantern in a pot. I planted coleus around it! The lanterns are solar and some were not lighting at night so I decided to see how a pot with a lantern it it would look. What do you think?

I think next time, I would plant a showy flower for a more dramatic effect.

This is one of the roses....

A last look at my tablescape....

Thank you to Susan at BNOTP for hosting this fun event! Please make sure you visit as many tablescapes as you can.

I love all the ideas!

Thank you for your prayers and stopping by.....

I hope you have a great Memorial Day.

Remember our troops and all those who have served.

Blessings My Friend,

A special request....Please pray for us...my husband was laid off in April and is looking for a job.

Thank you....

A Cup of Tea for Grandma Muriel & Me

This week I am going to share something very special to me.........
 A few years back my dad had given me two pieces of material that my grandmother Muriel Draisey had pieced together with some fancy embroidery. I never could figure out what to do with the two pieces.....I had several ideas and even asked some of my friends that quilted, what to do with them. None of the ideas thrilled me!


About a month ago, I took them out again and looked at them wishing I could use them somehow. I thought of sewing them together to make a runner. After all I do set lots of tables!  


I had been skyping with my friend Donna and showed her them.  I guess somehow we had realized Grandma probably was going to make pillows out of them. To tell you the truth, I didn't want the fabric to get dirty or ruined, so I  was just going to wrap them up again and put them away. Donna suggested I frame them! I was so delighted by the suggestion....

Michael's was having  70% off on framing so I took them there. I want to tell you, Michael's was so great with me. They put on gloves even before touching them. The gentleman helped me pick out everything until I was thrilled with the results. It took time because I wanted everything to match perfectly. Should I tell you some of the material is over 100 years old. Michael's locked the material in a vault!
The results are amazing......just a few side points. I never met my Grandmother. I got to know her through several of the scrapbooks she had made, her Bibles and her fabric. You see my Grandmother was 42 when she died of  breast cancer. My father was 17 and my Aunt Elaine was 13. A terrible tragedy for her children.

I guess my post today is to make sure you leave a piece of yourself for your future generations. I got to  know my grandmother through her treasures.

No one knew she was a Christian until I discovered her sinners prayer in her Bible, all underlined. What a blessing it was to me, to know my grandmother prayed for us and she didn't even know us! Talk about being blown away! I am convinced that through her prayers we became Christians.

I have no pictures of her at this time but what I do have is the love she put into her fabric and her wrinkled Bible pages. For these things, I am grateful!

For tablescape Thursday......a cup of tea for Grandma Muriel & Me!

I am not sure what my grandmother would have liked but I do know she was English so what better way to honor her but to use my "Old Country Roses."

I made Chocolate Chip cookies for the celebration.

I love seeing the china in the silver pitcher.

I am sure my grandmother is smiling right about now.....to think that a granddaughter that she never met but prayed for, is having tea in her honor!

Thank you for visiting me today and listening to my story.  It makes me smile that one day I will meet Grandma Muriel and have tea on a cloud with her! Is there someone you are going to have tea with in heaven? I hope so. I can't imagine not having tea in heaven with someone you love!

Thank you to Susan at BNOTP for hosting this wonderful event! Please visit and leave a comment to our wonderful blogger friends. I am sure they appreciate it.



Blessings My Friend,

Home Alone......

Someone out there has to be like me......
Yes, I know its late...6:00pm to be exact and here I am......


My husband went off on a job interview in Ohio and here I sit wondering what to eat for dinner! Cereal, PB & J, crackers & cheese, a hard boiled egg?????? No way!!!


This time I am making something good to eat and sit down like a human and eat it....Usually I eat standing over the sink. Anyone out there like me???????


What is it that the family does something and MOM just makes due?? What's up with that! Don't I deserve to eat a nice meal??? At least part of one I figure......I feed my dogs chicken every night yet not myself!
Tonight I am going to be selfish! Yes!




Anyway I made myself a bean salad...Not a BIG accomplishment BUT one, none the less. I DID IT!
I even made myself a pretty PINK tray! YUP!! Imagine that! MOM!!! making herself a pretty tray......


Thought I'd share the tray and recipe with all the LADIES out there like me.

The rose pattern is "Desert Rose" by Haviland
The blue is hand painted made in Japan
The cup & saucer have no name on them.

The dishes were all bought at Goodwill in Buffalo, NY.

The napkin is a handkerchief I have saved.

The swan is from Avon, a Goodwill Houston purchase.

A simple tray but fun to pretend I am a princess!

The Original Recipe........

4- Bean Relish

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup scallions, sliced

3/4 cup red onions, diced

1/4 cup red peppers, diced

3 tablespoons honey

1-12oz.can white beans, drained

1-12oz. can chick peas, drained

1-12 oz. can pinto beans, drained

1-12oz. can black beans, drained

Mix all ingredients together and let sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour for the flavors to blend. Mix throughly before serving.

What I do.................................................

I use 15 Bean Soup...."Hurst's Ham Beans"(Walmart). I throw out the soup packet...soak the beans overnight and cook them the next morning until soft. Then follow the directions above. I also add black olives and I cut them into rings.

I sometimes serve this as a dip and use "scoops"!

Everyone loves this salad.

You can add or subtract according to your tastes. I happen to love this salad and serve it a lot of different ways. I love it over field greens for lunch and as a side for dinner.

Let me know if you make it and how your family liked it!

Thank you for stopping by......

Thank you to Susan for hosting BNOTP!

Blessings My Friends,

Hi Everyone!


Sorry for not posting but I have been very sick......
I finally went to the ER Wednesday morning. Once they plugged me in and filled me with steroids, I felt like the incredible HULK!  It will take a a week but at least I am up and walking. I was dehydrated to boot! I know you are suppose to rest and drink plenty of fluids.....I thought I was!  I have an acute sinus infection. The thing that scared me was I wasn't getting any better and when I woke up Wednesday morning my eye was blood red. The doctor said "The infection was taking over"! The good news is that the infection did not get into my bloodstream!


Anyway this brings to the reason for my post. I was watching Dr. Oz on Wednesday and he had a very interesting show......I am going to share it with you because I think it's something we can all do......


Dr. Oz's Top 10 Daily Essentials

Dr. Oz boils down what he considers the top ten most essentials habits you need to carry out on a daily basis for optimal health.

#10. Eat a hard boiled egg everyday to fight frailty. Eggs are rich in choline, they also reduce inflammation in the brain, which has been linked to Alzheimer’s. You can cook up a week’s worth in advance and take them with you on the go. If you’re not a fan of hard-boiled eggs, eat one a day scrambled, poached or any other way you like it.

#9. Check your poop....not necessarily my favorite but I guess its important! It should never be white. ALL righty then....How many poops should we have? What ever is normal for you! Thank God!
OK..enough of this .... Let's hurry and move on...

# 8. When looking at a plate full of food it should be half full of veggies. I love this! It is so simple to remember.....no measuring and I like that you can teach this to kids too! Big Husbands??? I am still working on this one!

#7. You should take half of your multi-vitamin in the morning and the other half at night. Your body can't absorb the nutrients all at once so to get maximum absorption take it twice a day. This makes  sense to me.....but I don't take vitamins! Read on....ladies!

#6.  To protect your bones, a multivitamin is not enough. You need a bone-boosting cocktail ....
Vitamin D3 1000 IU
Calcium 600 mg
Magnesium 400 mg

Now, this is not really me. I have a hard time with doctors telling me to take supplements. I thought if you eat right why do we need all this extra stuff? And IF I have to take all this extra stuff why am I eating food ???? Shouldn't we cut out food and just pop pills? What do you think? I think I would be thin?????



# 5. Get at least 7 hours of sleep. If you aren't rested you can't do your best  the next day.
So that's why I can't function!
My bladder calls at 4am, Peanut is barking in the entry hallway because it echoes and she likes to hear herself at 5am, Caesar wants us to get up at 5am to go in the Living Room with him because Peanut has started the ball rolling and Chloe just growls at everyone and goes back to sleep! I can't tell you the last time I got 7 full hours of sleep! Before I had my daughter...maybe????

#4. Have Sex!
Remember this is everyday...????
I'm not sure of this one..... everyday? Do I even have the time & strentgh? I am only on #4 and I'm already tired! Maybe this is why I need vitamins??? Hmmmmm......

#3. Breathe & Stretch for 5 minutes.
 It creates a stress buster and can add years to your life. It's simple just touch your toes and relax your body as you do so...walk around a bit and repeat!

#2. Eliminate Simple Sugars.
If its white or processed get rid of it! This one I have been working on for years...I cut down on buying anything in a package. I make my own cookies, cakes, mac n cheese and even bread. I have tried over the years to eliminate as much as I can but there are always exceptions. I do buy tuna, jams, dressings, ketchup, mayo, cakes mixes for last minute occasions, cereal and crackers.  There just are some things that are going to be hard to eliminate! I figure what ever you can do without is great! It took me one year to get my husband to drink 2 percent milk! And two years to get rid of the Twinkies!!! The way I see it, I'll be dead before I can eliminate everything!

#1. Sit Less & Move More!
My favorite...I do have to keep reminding myself to get moving! I am not an exerciser. I do have a treadmill but it is effort for me to get started. Like everyone else, life happens. I have to admit it is sitting in the corner of our family room just the way the movers left it. I haven't even dusted it!

Not sure how much of this I will do but I am going to try....let me know if you are willing to change some habits and which ones. I am eager to hear what you think so leave me a comment good or bad. I love to hear from you.

If you want more information you can go to:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-ozs-top-10-daily-essentials?page=3#copy&fbc_channel=1



Blessings My Friend,