"How Many Kings"

HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Christmas Eve

Christmas decos finally done

___________________________

The beginning of it all.

  CHAOS!

___________________________

                                             Serenity

 This ornament
 was purchased
 at an antique shop
 in Littleton, Colorado

And to think

 I almost did not

 decorate for Christmas

 this year

 because of

 my marital issues.

  Sheeeesh!

I love this mantel and fireplace.

(can you see Paige's little head in the mirror)

--Front porch day and night.--

Christmas Blessings

Ahhhhh, I am finally done.

  I will enjoy this set up way past

New Years day. 

 Will probably leave it up

 two to three weeks into

 January 2012. 

Goodbye November 2011

Boy, November has gone by quickly.  It was only yesterday (actually Saturday) I had a house full of people for the "After Thanksgiving Leftover Dinner."  I also had a birthday this past Sunday.  I was too tired to do anything, it was a very mellow day; or is it my age.  I have my totes ready to put my beautiful Fall decorations away.  I love having Autumn decorations up, as you well know it is my favorite time of year. Oh well.

I don't have much to say but "goodbye November."

 

My son loves his monkey hat

This monkey hat sure did get passed around

My neighbors
 on Halloween 

Beautiful friend

Purchased this turkey in Taos, New Mexico. 

 Isn't it beautiful?!

A little too much there pal.

 

Lovely friends

There's that hat again

Hands

I am a bit of a collector of just about anything unusual.  I collect turkeys for display during the Fall season; I collect glass bottles and other fun trinkets; but my favorite collection are hands which are usually made out of wood, plaster or plastic.  I have always been fascinated with beautiful hands; NO I do not have a hand fetish, but I do appreciate beautiful hands on women and strong muscular hands on men.  My mother had beautiful Victorian hands, and so does my older sister.  I on the other hand (no pun intended) inherited my father's work hands, there is nothing feminine about them, they are strong but not gentil. 

Tonight my son will be dismantling the box spring from my bed.  I will be getting a new bed set tomorrow morning and since my house has narrow stairs, a queen box spring cannot fit on the stairwell, so we had to special order queen box springs.  Nathaniel who has very strong hands and is good for dismantling, throwing, hammering and breaking things apart will be helping with breaking old box spring.  You could say he has destructive hands, but they do come in handy (no pun intended)

Anyways, if you every get a chance to really look at your hands.  Think about all that they have accomplished; who they nourished, loved, touched, caressed, what they created, defended and how we can lift our hands up to the Creator of all in total surrender.  What an awesome thought.

Well now that I have shared my fascination with hands I will let Nathaniel get to the getting and break down the box spring.  I will probably have a breakdown, hands down.
      




                                                                             

Grasshoppers

This picture was taken last month, it was one of my last pictures on my Canon camera, because right after this photo was taken my camera died.  My son is intently photographing something in my dead daisies.  When I questioned what he was photographing, he would say, "nothing".  I took this picture of my son because of his concentration of subject matter.  Upon closer inspection he was photographing two grasshoppers mating.  What did I do?  Well, I might have made some snide remark and rolled my eyes to the back of head; usual response to unusual behavior.

  Have a great weekend!



Taos, New Mexico

I had the opportunity to get away this past weekend.  A couple of friends and I packed our bags and drove out on Friday to Taos, NM.  What a great weekend.  I needed a recharge in my life.  The people of Taos were just wonderful; shops were awesome and landmarks are beautiful!

 

I will most definitely go back to visit

Taos, New Mexico.  Maybe, the Lord will move me

 to New Mexico in the near future.  Who knows.

Background music

A couple of weeks ago my friend Betty and her little girl Delaney came over for breakfast.  Before their arrival I decided to have my playlist on as background music; it is the same playlist I have on this blog.  As Delaney walked into my home she was quiet for a moment then started crying.  Betty and I could not figure out what was going on, so Betty asked her daughter what was the matter.  Delaney answered between sobs, "the music is so sad"  Well if a four year old grasps the sadness on my taste in music, then there is a definite problem.  I have always been melancholy, but I am basically a joyful, sarcastic, funny person.  I logged off the playlist and gave Delaney some chalk and had her go outside and draw on the sidewalk to bring some fun into her little heart, (I also instructed her not to graffiti my house)  The rest of the day turned out quite lovely, but I realized that I have to get some more upbeat music.  So I decided to create a new playlist for background music when friends come over, especially friends whose babies have sensitive hearts like mine.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p14-lNyBovM

The First of Autumn

Today is the first of Autumn.  I love this time of year, always have.  I miss the colors of the East Coast, but the golden colors of Colorado will have to suffice.  There was a road I would drive through in Cape May Court House, NJ.  There were trees on either side, and during the Autumn the firey colors of red, orange, yellow and green were amazing.  I would like to go back next year and visit Cape May, especially in the Fall.  I just might do that.  I need a break from my surroundings for a bit.  It will be.

Have a wonderful Autumn season.  Time to decorate my home with the colors of Fall. 

Goodnight.

Lilia

Prayer and Grace

 Last night before going to bed I decided to give the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" another go.  A year ago my sister, Sylvia and a friend, Jane went to see this movie; at that time I just didn't get it.  I love Julia Roberts as an actress, but I just didn't get the movie.  Well, circumstances of my life have changed and I got the movie last night.  Prayer has always been a very important part of my life, and coming to the Lord with my brokenness, tears, anger, joy, gratitude is the relationship I am grateful to have with my Father, my King.  There are several scenes in this movie where I could not stop crying; the scene where Julie Roberts character is praying in such desperation is one of them.  I was brought to my knees over a month ago on a situation in my life, and a decision that I had to make.  I have had great support from my son, my sister and countless friends who were there when I went through this kind of turmoil eight years ago.  I would not have ever believed I would be going through such a knee jerker to my heart again.  God in his infinite wisdom and faithfulness is holding me up and giving me strength to go on and continue to live my life to its fullest.  And I am grateful.

God is very generous with His grace. I am taking my time with changes in my life, especially positive changes.  I am taking God's grace for healing, growing, loving, laughing and just being me again.  I am accepting His grace.


Thank You Father!

 

Praying scene from "Eat, Pray, Love"

 

 

Happy 4th of July!

Lilia

"Impending Darkness"

22 x 22

Watercolors and Pastels

Harold & Maude

If you have never seen the movie, "Harold & Maude", I would recommend it.  It is not a movie for kids and it deals with some should I say dark comedy/drama. 

My favorite scene in this movie is when Harold is driving with Maude to plant a tree that they took from the city; they are stopped by a motorcycle police officer.  No disrespect to police authority, but it is funny.

Hope you all are having a great weekend.  Enjoy the clip.

 

Police Scene, "Harold and Maude"

 

 

Just keep Swimming

I don't know what is going on with me, but I have been feeling pretty blue lately.  I tried to figure out what is causing such depression, and a friend said it is just all the stuff that we have all been through the last decade, not years, but a freakin decade.   I think trying to be strong has its limits, especially when trying to keep it together while the rest of the family is hurting.  I believe it is my season of just being for the first time, and not being on emotional high alert, it has been taking its toll.  I still remember asking  God to give me the heart and mindset of 100 righteous men.  People take advantage of women, but when women think like men it scares them out of their pants.  I finally had to ask the Lord to take my request back sometime last year.  Especially, the mindset of a man, dealing with people who would take advantage of a hurting family is detestable to me, and a mans mindset sure came in handy.   

There has been a lot of good stuff too.  Nathaniel just graduated high school and is slowly doing his own thing; which I think is great!  I've returned back to school to study art.  Geez, I feel a lot better even writing about this stuff.  When Nathaniel was small he used to say, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming" from the movie, "Finding Nemo".  Unfortunately, I am not a good swimmer, so I'll just dog paddle my way out of this blue stage.  Boy, I miss thinking like a man.  Just keep swimming, just keep swimming . . .

 

 

Just Keep Swimming from "Finding Nemo"

Estate Sales

My family loves Estate Sales.  It is a past time of ours that started in New Jersey.  Yard sales, and flea markets were something my husband and I grew up with; dumpster diving well that is more my husband's thing.

On June 16th, Nathaniel and I attended an estate sale held by Rebecca Nohes.  The sale was held in a store front apartment in Manitou Springs, CO.  Once we walked into the apartment where the estate sale was held, I could not believe my eyes.  The apartment was HUGE!  I LOVE old architecture.  After checking out the rooms in the apartment, the shopping started.  I purchased several items, not high priced, but things I know I would use at home; like a cowbell. 

A lot of the furniture was not over priced and by the end of the first day stuff was being reduced.  By the third day, which Cal and Nathaniel attended they were down to 75% off the small stuff and over 45% off the furniture.  My son said the place was almost picked clean.  Unfortunately, I did not get information on the family that lived there, that is my favorite part of estate sales; who the people were.   

This couple was walking their llamas with their little dog as we were coming into Manitou.   

                                         Can you find Waldo?

 

I found this vase by artist Lynn Loftus

 sitting on the edge of staircase

  

Amber handblown glasses. 

Cowbell

This bottle still had lid. Check out phone number

   

Taking a breather after estate sale

(Thank God Nathaniel is not a dumpster diver. PHEW!!)