Oh, my bloggy friends......Merry Christmas to you!

I wish I had that time and the energy to visit each and every 

blog that I cherish....

there are so many of you!

I am honored to have found many women 

who seem to see the world in ways 

that I admire and concur....

So many of you take wonderful images....

I have to admit,

by the time I get around to 

posting or reading blogs

I am weary of my camera.

I have found the iPhone to be the most wonderful of tools.....

This image quickly snapped with said iPhone....

as well as this one.....

When you go to a party and find the food is worth the 

trouble of taking a photo!

don't you love these cute little ornament place card holders?

you simply cannot allow me to sit this close to the cheese.....as you can plainly see....

Oh yes, 

I have friends.....

friends that cook!

and I mean COOK!

I am stuffed better than the turkey this year.

Gratitude.

much gratitude.....

I celebrated a 20 year anniversary this year that reminds me

I am fortunate beyond words....

Thank you all for your words...

I feel privileged to have shared your moments of joy

of fear....

of angst...

of creativity...

of concern...

of patriotism...

and 

most 

importantly,

Love.

of course the greatest of these is love....

thank you.

smiles.

The happiest time of the year.....

well,

Those are easy words to say....

and even, to write...

But along with the decorations,

the tree,

the holly, garland and lights,

there are those who are suffering 

with 

feelings of loneliness,

fear,

isolation,

and 

grief.

I know

of a family who recently lost the dad,

and just this past week,

their house burned completely to the ground.

So,

there is a mother and two small children

suffering.

People are helping to get them on their feet...

But the feelings are there...

and overwhelm....

So,

as you celebrate with family and friends,

remember those who are not feeling the 

"spirit of the season" 

and 

be 

grateful.....

smiles.

SO looking forward to Thanksgiving....

truly....

I have realized that I love Thanksgiving more than 

any other holiday.....

Presidents' Day, 

Veterans Day,

Memorial Day,

Forth of July,

they all choke me up...

Valentines Day

speaks for itself,

also,

it was the day 

that I had my very first "date" with my sweetie....

Easter,

Christmas,

all religious holidays

make me feel 

blessed....

BUT,

Thanksgiving,

whose only purpose is to 

give us an opportunity 

to show 

GRATITUDE!!!

Now that's my sort of holiday.....

Eat lots of turkey,

get stuffed,

sit back watch football with the family....

Who couldn't be grateful for that?

Also,

while fixing all the goodies,

I think about how very blessed we are in the

United States of America.

Thank Goodness for those
brave souls that
fought to hold us together as a country.

Men and women that established
towns, churches, fellowships,
communities...

Men and women that explored the west....

All people who put the greater good in front of their own needs,
or opinions....

Freedom

no,

make

that 

FREEDOM

Freedom to

love,

disagree,

travel,

work,

play,

create,

repair,

we are truly a fortunate people.

I am no "pie-in-the-sky" optimist,

no,
I tend more toward the cynical point of view.

But Thanksgiving that's a no brainer!
Good food,
Good Company,
Good times,
smiles!

Emotional Hangover.....

Bruised...

Battered...

Beaten....

along with,

tired 

cranky

irritated

resentful

and 

worst 

of 

all

isolated.....

That's how this campaign seems to have affected

our country.

Not "that" country over there....

Not "their" country.....

Not even, "that parties" country....

OUR COUNTRY!!!

for Pete's sake....

We are a country of unlikely brothers and sisters....

We can ALL trace our family to another shore....

Truth be shown,

(sorry)

none of us are from 

so-called "original inhabitants".

Go back far enough and most historians will 

validate the theory that all humans on the 

North American continent

can trace their lineage 

to another part 

of 

the 

planet.

So, this begs the question,

who amongst us is 

"legitimate".

Perhaps the answer to all this 

Emotional Hangover biz can be summed up 

with one word......

GRATITUDE.

Thanksgiving is not far away...

Perhaps, if we all committed to being 

Grateful,

then this malaise

would pass....

I, for one, and going to try it....

TGIF!!

smiles.

This, I believe....

with apologies to "Edward R. Murrow"...

This is a day of drawing upon our resources.....

Our resources of manners.

I was impressed last night at the 

grace of the defeated....

and the compassion of a winner.

I cannot express how weary I have become of this election process.

BAD MANNERS~

Letitia Baldridge died last week.

Some might attribute her advanced age,

I, on the other hand, suspect other factors......

BAD MANNERS~

I love "social media" and the new-found ability to communicate with others....

however,

I have also seen the dark side of this medium....

I have found it necessary to "un-friend" family members,

who, for lack of another explanation, seem

 to

 have

 lost

 their

 mind

and

their

manners....

Exclusionary opinion does not stand the test of time.

I love the United States of America.

I am so very grateful to be a citizen of this country.

My belief is that travel reinforces this belief.

I have studied the history of this land,

(and let me be very clear here)

no one person can save us,

and no one person can bring us down...

We are so much stronger.....

Good manners are the privilege of the free....

Good manners are the duty of the brave....

What a mess....

I'm sure you have seen the images...

the unbelievable destruction...

flooding....

Piers and docks torn apart..

Boats and ships sitting in neighborhoods....

Homes burned to the ground.

It is hard to look at....really.

But look we must.

As Americans we know.....

that New Yorkers (and their neighbors)

are resilient.

More than resilient, 

they are "hardcore".

They will rebuild,

they will be hopeful,

they will not let this thing called Sandy

defeat them.

In a strange way,

we all look up to them.

Look what they did after 9/11!

We can help in many ways,

but this is what I suggest.

Contribute what you can to the 

RED CROSS

(I've linked it so you can go directly to the site!)

It is easy, fast and so very worthwhile.

And there is an added benefit,

you feel like a hero once you've helped.

The next thing I would suggest 

is that we ALL get ready for the next 

disaster.

Here's what I mean;

We all live where something can happen beyond our control.

Maybe you live far from the coast, you could have a tornado.

Maybe you live high on a mountain, you could have a fire.

And don't get me started on earthquakes and volcanoes......

So, let's be proactive.

Let's get ready for what may lay ahead.

FEMA

has an online check list to help you prepare your family and home.

You can go directly to their website and copy it to your computer.

You can find it HERE!

Confession time....

I have been "thinking" about preparing our home for a disaster

for months.

How lame is that?

See the images on the morning news has convinced me that 

if I want to really count myself as a responsible adult,

I must do this.

How about you?....

Hopeful smiles...

Camellias

Yeah,

I know.....

I threw in a couple of late roses....

I simply could not help myself...

smiles...

finally feelin' Fall!

NOthing beats homemade bread!

Meatloaf, risotto and peas......and bread....

Did I mention bread?

Yeah, I'm a little obsessive...

Sweet Tea is a part of my favorite dinner meal anytime of year....

AND

Fall always make me think of 

Mary Jo's in Gastonia, NC.....

What fun strolling down the seemingly endless aisles of 

Fabulous Fabrics!

Photos of Fall....

Unidentified moth...

Lots of Scrabble....

enjoying flowers from Whole Foods....

Attended a Bridal Shower...

CHECK out those tires on the Caddie....

Sweet Wedding cake!

Lovely weather for an outside reception...

indeed....

peace...and quiet......smiles!