The Morning After

  Visit Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for   the  party...
First of all,  my  heart, thoughts, and prayers  go out to all the  millions  who  awakened to loss and devastation  this morning across   the Northeast. usaving just traveled there,  I am  heart sick about  the beauty  and  the  hit  it took,   and the   wonderful   families whom we met    who   certainly  are  suffering in some   way this morning.  And for those who are  grieving, you are in  our prayers!
...we  are  still feeling the  affects of Sandy, here in SW Virginia...   we  are   right on the  cusp of   the snowline....   as   our  elevation here isnt     quite   high  enough,,, but the   brutal winds   still  pummel us...     We were very thankful   to wake up this morning    with power  and a  warm dry home...there wasnt even  a bit of  tree  debris  in the yard  except for  the many  leaves  we  would  ordinarily have this time of year.   The mighty oaks   held on  tight  to their  newly colored leaves, amazingly ! However,  a   glance out the back door   showed  we didnt  have just a bit of   damage....  the  roof of our  garage   had become  compromised  just  a bit...and with the  forecast for   a lot of residual rain today,  Lynn  was   quick to   get out the ladder and   take care of business.  Even  at  sustained winds of  24 miles per hour,  Lynn  was  on  his   ladder  fixing the   heat vent on the   roof...between the intermittent showers  this morning.   

The view form  upstairs   brought  him more into focus as  he anchored the vent  secured  back into place.    

 Looking up  at him from the ground,,  I  was   getting a  tad  anxious hoping  he would soon be done!

For the wind  was   back in  full force  as seen  by  the  garden flag  almost  parallel   to the  ground  in its  flight!
Meanwhile,   I was  busily  preparing a hearty  breakfast for my man- whom I  knew  would   appreciate a warm up   for the   wind chill   was  about  18 degrees!

My  original plan for  this morning was to create  a dainty  tabletop ,  but now  I was thinking  he-man!!!

A Stroll Around the House

Kathy of   The Delightsome Life  hosts this  beautiful theme each week.
Friday night  I  hosted  a  Pray for our Nation  event in our  home which necessarily meant   tidying up the place a bit...  then as I took a stroll about the   house  making  that final inspection  of the  seating along   with a bit of  white glove   action...     I  was relatively pleased....

 

except I do   think   we  have too much furniture,,,  but   however does one ever   choose   the  piece to  send to   goodwill  or  whatever... too many memories!!

Choosing the   right  lighting that  sets  that  cosy,  comfy   attitude of home ....   is often on  my   mind

 My  "Secret  Place"  where I   love to  go to meet with    the Father,  is  that  far corner

 seems   uncommonly crowded   here   with  extra seating   crowding in  and   the  boom box  there  to  aid us  in   our   praise time!  But I  can hardly think of a  better  reason   to     bring the uncommon  into play   as  when  my dearest friends gather in my home   for prayer!

I  loved how the autumn  afternoon light   filtered into  the sunroom   and yes,  and uncommon   paste board box of  canning   jars  for  my  dear friend Lois  who   is so faithful    with her   garden  produce!

So often    my photos  are focused on just  a  vignette here or arrangement there....   today,  the  whole  is   demonstrated to be   a very eclectic  assortment that comes together to make  our house our home!

Reading on a Dark and Stormy Night!

  The  Little Red House   hosts  this   party every week.   Just  like   me ,   Mary, is     writing   about  this Frankenstorm....     everyone  is     concerned about  weather  today,  as  they should be   according to the  weather advisories...   For us here in   our  part of Virginia ,  we are   hoping that perhaps we will   miss the brunt of   the  storm... and perhaps not lose our   power this time...we just  dont  know what  we  have in  store for us do we....   But  again as I posted   before,   as long as we have the Lord  we   have nothing  really to fear....   He is in control of  all things   for  His own purposes!

I took this photo  yesterday   as  the   storm  clouds  gathered  from the outer bands of Sandy  over our region!

And  I   am   completely   excited  that   when the   winds  begin to howl tonight  and the  rain peppers  against the pane...  I will be content  with  my  favored  pastimes!

  I have plenty of  Bible Study   for  my Community Bible Study   class  in Ephesians,  or   I   can   enjoy  my  Kathleen Morgan's  books  I checked out from the   church library....   Im  set!!

One Thousand Gifts (265-274)

      

                 Visit  Ann Voskamp for more   praises and blessings!
265.   Even as the storm   builds  outside  the door of the  homes of my  loved ones,  I am  assured of their   safety and  loving care  and provision  of the Lord!
266.  Answered  prayers      offered  for  so many   family and friends!   God's love  and   mercy is   awesome!
267.    I was able to find    the very last   ac-dc radio   to be found in  SW county   this morning....   what a comfort to be able to have information!
268.  We were able to  get our new furnace    delivered and installed   just  in the nick of time  before this  shift in the temperatures!
269.    Last night  my favorite  bird, the white throated sparrow   sang  its  beautiful song to me  from   the persimmon tree as  I was  entering  our  home....it was as it  he sang a message   just for me  that  everything  would be   well with us!Note:  these  birds  a re  rare  in this   latitude   at this time of year!)
270.  The love and support of  all of  my   Christian   sisters and brothers   during  this season   of  life in this  very   upside down world!
271.  The   guidance of the Holy Spirit in    dealing  with  my  parents   respective  situations  and   having them safe and  relatively happy.  
272.  The peaceful lull in the  afternoon  before the   fury that is  expected   at evening fall!
273.  Amanda's sweet voice on the other  end of the line  just  an hour ago  saying  she was safe and sound at  home  and that  Joshua w as on his  way home, as well!
274.  Seeing my dad   feeling  well, and satisfied  yesterday was   a rare treat!

Happy Homemaker Monday

Let's join Sandra , author of the Diary of the Stay at Home Mom,, living Simply and loving God..I love to use her whole blog title... it says so much!!!

The Weather:::

Right now it is much colder and very windy as hurricane Sandy barrels ever closer to our east coast.. Earlier today the "eye" of the storm seemed to have our nation's capitol right in the center of the bull's eye.... come to think of it... that isnt so very surprising!

Right now I am: 

I am so very thankful to know that even though Amanda, our dear daughter, who had to take the train into Boston for work today to attend an important meeting, is now leaving in the safety of her coworker's car on her way home... 

Thinking:

I am hoping that those who live in harm's way will be wise and evacuate if told to and not be a hazard to others in any rescue efforts.... 

On my reading pile:::

I am enjoying the works of Kathleen Morgan... just read Child of the Mist and am reading Wings of the Morning... both books are part of the These Highland Hills series... I also have Morgans' short story One Perfect Gift, from the Culdee Creek Christmas series. All books are perfect reads for this dreary windy days and nights.... just as if I were actually living on the moors of the highlands!

On my tv:::

Funny to say, I really got caught up in the Oxygen network over the weekend.. and watched Pride and Prejudice at least 3 times.... Jane Austen over Halloween stories anyday!!! Otherwise, it's Cooking or Home channels for me! Sometimes, an occasional old film on TMC

On the menu for this week:::

Well, since we are looking at the probability of power outage, Im not planning anything at this time!  Update...  my  sweetheart is   busily   making   homemade chili  to  have   for dinner tonight  to stave off the  cold!!!!!!

On my to do list:::

Shopping for storm supplies... thankfully, we found a new Sony acdc radio and thankfully, it is wonderfully strong and has a fabulous sound , as well, we stocked up on batteries, easy to eat food, fruit and snacks!!
Laundry
Cleaning the kitchen well, straightening the houseGetting candles, oil lamps, and flashlights ready 

       What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

gathering items for creating my Christmas planners

Looking around the house:::

Lynn, my dear sweetie has taken the mail to the post office, the kitchen is tidy, the dishes are drying in the drainer, there is a bit of mess to contend with on the dining room table from our morning excursion, the den is all tidy and ready for afternoon enjoyment if the power stays on. I dont wish to look too closely in my studio where I am sitting... it could use a bit of organizing... not bad but getting a bit out of hand!!!

                                      From my camera:

I took this photo as we left our driveway Saturday.. the trees making such a lovely canopy over the street.... wont look that way much longer with this wind!!! The trees are already nearly bare!!

                                        On my prayer list:::

I join with Sandra as my prayers are concentrated on the East Coast, on all those in the path of this horrible storm. May the Lord watch over and protect them. This includes many friends and family members... praying for their safety and the safety of their property! I also have friends who have been touched by this fungal meningitis outbreak, for their healing and against the complications that arise form this horrible infection!

                                   Bible verse, Devotional:::

Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16. 23-24. We are to ask as Jesus would ask... according to His precious character and his awesome power, by His name , not tacking on the words, "In Jesus name" to the end of our prayers.... by His unfailing love, mercy, and desire to heal, restore, and provide!!!

Falling Leaves Inside and Out

                                               
Sherry  at  The Charm of Home is  hosting this   blog party today!  While vacationing   at  The Bufflehead Cove  Inn I  loved how the   owners  used  their   chargers   around the top of their   hutches... I thought, "What a great way to store  these large items  yet  decorative, as well!"  I only  have space for  3 of mine,  but  I  do love them  on the top of my hutch!

 My hutch top   seems  change weekly!   I am always  trying new  arrangements  here...  This is one place I love to use the  farm items I   love   but that  dont usually  do    anywhere else in my  home!!!

 Or course,  the  harvest theme  is  predominant in every room....   the  living room  and  mantel,

 as well as, the   sunroom       where  falling leaves  find a  home just  about anywhere!

Both inside and out!!

 

Sky over Maine

Check out Skyley for more wonderful photos!

The gorgeous Kenne Bunk River in  Maine!

Autumn Woodlands in the Parlor

   Let's   join Sandi a t  Rose Chintz Cottage  for   her Home party!

 As you   approach my  front porch ,    my  happy   gold and orange   colors greet  you!!!!

 Once  you're inside   you   will  recognize  right  off,  my  style is Olde World!!!  Gold and  orange  resounds   about the room!

 This time I am focusing on  my   wall arrangement!

  The metal  container  reminded me of a  knight's  quiver....  I   like to   find  seasonal  woodland  sprays ,   much  that  would have been used  in  days  of yore....

 This season I have a dded    the   ginkgo leaves... their  golden yellow charmed  me   at  Crate and Barrel!

 This  container  is  such a  fun  item to  decorate   by the seasons!!!!  Just  a   bit longer   then it  all comes out and   Christmas   will   be      shine forth!!!....   Sandi reminded me today  that  we only  have 61 more days!!!

Butternut Squash Soup

  IM  joining the   party  at   Rooted in Thyme   and   sharing something  that   was  amazingly simple and  simply divine as well!
   I  was  captivated  by the most lovely  butternut squash this week at the  market   so I   thought I'd   try my hand at   some butternut squash soup...

 Peeling and     cubing  it  weren't exactly   that  simple   but  was   short  shrift  with my new Cutco  knives  Lynn got for my  birthday!!! 

Recipe - Ingredients!

6 tablespoons chopped onion
4 tablespoons butter
6 c peeled cubed butternut squash3 cups of water
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayene pepper1- 6oz tub of cream cheese

Directions
In a large saucepan, saute onions in
butter until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, , black
pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20
minutes or until squash is tender. I dipped the veggies
out of the pan into the blender with a large spoon
with a bit of the liquid but not all.
Puree squash and cream cheese in a blender or food
processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan,
and heat through. Do not allow to boil.

Autumn Critters in the House

Today I am  sharing on  Favorite Things 
Thursday..
Some of my favorite things are   from the collections  I  love to  accumulate around the house...  for example.  I am a push over for  sheep....   probably  because I   am such an anglophile and  a pastoral   scene    speaks peace to  me...   plus,   as   Christ is   my Shepherd,  I am His sheep..... I love that!
Thus,  my   favorite  chinaware   is the Herdsman, by  Royal Stafford,

   I  fell in love at first sight with this  painting

IN gift  shops I am drawn to   all types of   sheep..

And I love to  find   photographs of sheep ....

   but, not only sheep....  I ,also, love

A Return to Loveliness... planning my Sweetie's Birthday dinner

Kathy of   The Delightsome Life  hosts this  beautiful theme each week.
I was   checking the calendar... man, October is flying by! Being out of town for 2 weeks     gives one a  feeling that time  stands  still,  but it doesnt,  that's for sure!

What   took me   most  by surprise is  just how soon Lynn's  birthday  will be here.... next weekend!  So  I   took advantage of a bit of free time I  carved out this morning to    do a bit of planning.

Lynn and I both   are watching our carbs.....   drat  the   crazy   things....   everything good to eat is laded with them!!!

    But if one is very  careful,   a  wonderful menu  will   make itself  evident....
The Food Network   offered   a  great   selection  I particularly loved  this recipe  of  Key West  Crab Cakes!
This site ,

Hosting a Low Carb Dinner Party

offered   many  great   ideas....

Those  Sesame Chicken  Kebobs  look  fabulous!!!


Asian Asparagus 
  Of course,  pumpkin pie can be   made   low carb stype   by substituting     various  ingredients....  
Looks like    a  choices   to be found online are limitless if one  takes the time  to  seek!!
   Glad I have my     coffee and  a bit of time to    plan out a nice   birthday   dinner for my sweetie!!!  
BY the way,  don't you love my   new mug....   I collect  mugs from  the b and b's we  visit!   This one   will   be   a new favorite....  HEHEHEHEH, I have so many favs!

This may not be    a true teacup,  but   it makes me just as happy  to   drink from it, because of the memories   it  evokes!   
 I am also   posting on 
 Teacup Tuesday