Dawn Collins on closing of 2013

Dawn Collins on closing of 2013

Good morning beautiful people! Here we are on the threshold of a brand new year. It’s a little sad for me when one year ends and another begins. It’s like getting holes in the best pair of shoes you’ve had since you can remember. The shoes you wore when you met Mr. Right, the shoes you were wearing when you got that good news you were hoping for, the shoes that fit perfectly and you’re use to and now you’ve got to break in a new pair and that could mean months of breaking them in. I don’t know, for me it just a bit sad. I’ve decided to pamper myself today in honor of my tender emotions. I’m dressed super comfy in soft yoga pants and a long down to my knees purple sweater and my converse high tops. If my kids need to go anywhere today I’m going dressed just like this! I’m going to drink coffee all day long and have a glass of wine or two tonight and reflect on the year I just lived here in hippie country land with my family. This year I ate ice cream cake and drank wine for dinner on a few occasions, I practiced yoga, we recycled a pool and deck and loved using it! I got two pieces of art in Lesley Riley’s book Quotes Illustrated which went to Amazon’s #1 best selling list!! Yay!! And has now been picked up by Northlight Publishing so it’s going even bigger! Way to go Lesley!! I blogged for Lucy Pearce’s new book the Rainbow Way which was a huge honor. I illustrated the Doll Within Me book by Sara Craddock, I began drawing coloring books and I really feel like I found my niche there. I wrote a bunch of zines I sell in my etsy shop with art and the coloring books. I played board games with my kids, baked cookies, made bread, rearranged furniture, laughed, cried, and experienced the emotions in between. I made new memories and enjoyed old ones. I drank a million pots of coffee, I made a lot of art, I blogged a lot, I wrote some silly poems, I played with our pets, we planted and harvested a great garden, I watched the sun rise and set daily. I made new friends and found some old ones. I discovered a yeti living in our woods (I think, not totally sure). We hiked and fed wild deer from our hands! We saved turtles from impending doom by helping them cross the street. We began recycling the building that is in the process of becoming a room addition to be my art studio!! I’ve cooked three meals a day just about every day! I have discovered a huge love of cooking, it’s like meditation now, done to music and finding peace in the process. I was asked to make a mandala for a nonprofit sending care packages to kids in need and I’m so excited to help, I’m donating the art!! I love kids!! We went to Booger Holler and Gravity Hill and got our car pushed by a ghost. I took Sky to the midnight release of Call of Duty Ghost. I planted sunflowers and watched the birds eat the seeds I was going to harvest lol. I filled my home with music, John Lennon, George Harrison, Dylan, The Stones, The Zombies. We remodeled our kitchen the two of us in five days! I knitted and crocheted hats and scarves that people are wearing this winter, I daydreamed and made plans and broke them. There’s probably more but I can’t think of them right now. My son records the most important thing from his day on the calendar hanging on his wall before he goes to bed every night. I think that’s so cool. I wish I could be as on top of things as that. Tonight he’ll take down his old calendar and hang his new one. He’ll bring his old calendar in and read to us his year in review. I look forward to it. Then he’ll pick out what he feels was the very best thing of the whole year. For me, I think one of the most beneficial things I did this year was find Peace and now it goes with me into the next year which will be much muchier than even this year was! It’ll be filled with Peace, Love, Art, Happiness, Family and Abundance! So, I’ll welcome 2014 with open arms giving it a warm embrace and face it head on with enthusiasm! Happy New Year Y’all!! ~Peace…see you tomorrow

2013 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

A Big Congratulation to all our contributors, readers and helpers! This is a great year in review.  Let’s start 2014 out with a renewed Hope! Happy New Year!

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 8,500 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

APPLE POUND CAKE/great

APPLE POUND CAKE  by___Frances Pardue

1 & ½ c. Corn Oil                                  1 tsp. salt
2c. sugar                                                ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
3 eggs                                                     ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. vanilla extract                             2 c. finely chopped apple
3 c. all-purpose flour                            1 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. soda                                              1/3 c. golden raisins

Beat oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture, beting well.  Stir in apples, nuts & raisins.  Spoon into greased and floured 10 in. tube pan.  Bake @ 315 degrees for 1 hour, 15 min.

Let cake cook in pan 10 minutes before removing from pan.

ADVENT-Week 4-LOVE

ADVENT-Week 4-LOVE

Love has been borne in us. It is our beginning and our never
ending…Look for the Star! Find the Star! Worship The Star! Sing of His Names, tell of His Glory, Give of His Love and show to all The Light that lights The World.

Let us Worship in Song;
“Lord, You are more precious than silver;
Lord, You are more costly than gold;
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds;
And nothing I desire compares with You.
Lord, Your life is divine, eternal.
Lord, Your life regenerated me….”

Merry Christmas!

Week 3 of Advent-JOY!

Week 3 of Advent-JOY!

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10 NIV

Let’s glance into the word “Advent” which literally means “coming toward” and embraces both the Child-King, born in a manger and the Sovereign Lord who will usher in history’s end and the new creation’s beginning. ”

Yes, let us break forth into JOY for we are almost there!

Snow in my Morn!

There are many in a lonely place and not a warm hand to hold or a pat on the back? We that have it all and reach out and touch seem to have more and again reach out and touch.

Image

It’s snowing at my home, again. So beautiful as the purity of white fall gently on my trees while I watch from my upstairs window and wonder, where are my little birds? The quiet of the morn on a snowy morn awaken senses one never knew they had. Love pursues and fears disappear like lighting in the sky. Family and friends are joy when hands unite and become a branch that holds the gently, yet heavy at times, blanket of beauty, that stretch beyond the eye. Magical it is because the miracle of love has been born! Peace and love to your day, One and All! A very Merry Christmas

PS A favorite scripture of mine; ”

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. Isaiah 1:18 NLT

Poinsettias for Sale

Poinsettias for Sale

Deborah Chaves, Teacher, says;
What would Christmas be without a beautiful poinsettia plant? So many colors and varieties are available today to choose from but red is still the favorite. There’s something almost magical about poinsettias. Taking care of a greenhouse full of them at Monroe Technology Center in Leesburg, Virginia beginning in August, I am always in awe of the transformation they go through. They start as a tender green plant and then get brutally cutback in early September, leaving an ugly stump and a few leaves behind wondering how to possibly recover from this set back. But within weeks the plants are growing new leaves and by the end of October those green leaves (now called bracts) are undergoing a color change. Red is slowly creeping in and by Thanks giving I am feeling very thankful that almost 50% of the plant is now red and a small yellow flower is starting to burst forth in the center. Yes, Christmas is on the way! Those red bracts remind me that the blood of Christ was shed for all the sins of the whole world and the yellow flower assures me that He truly is the Light of the world. The poinsettia has done its work to symbolize this amazing Truth as plant by plant they leave the greenhouse and make their way into homes, offices, events and churches.
At this year’s Monroe Technology Center Christmas Plant Sale there will be other plant reminders of the gift of Christmas. To me, fresh evergreens and garland speak of the promise of eternal life we have with God the Father through Jesus Christ. Wreaths can symbolize unbroken fellowship with Him and with His family. Bows decorate and adorn, speaking of the beauty of the season, along with other blooming plants. And on and on the symbols go…
If you are in the Leesburg area, I invite you to visit Monroe Technology Center and purchase many items, taking lovely reminders of Christmas with you.
December 4: 10-6pm, December 5: 10-5pm, December 5: 10-4pm