5 Minute Friday--

Try...The prompt.  Written in 5 min.
Start. . .
Do you ever feel like you just try so had and no matter what you do it's just not enough.  I think if we
were totally honest that we would have those feelings more than not.
At least I do.
I try to be what others want/expect/need.
I try to be what The Cowboy needs.
I try to be The Child of God that is expected.

But the truth is I am a Child of God.  I am what God wants and needs and hopefully expects.

Does God expect us to 'be' a certain way.  Without getting all theological with you.  I think he does.
I mean our nature is what it is.

I naturally try.

I try to please.

I try to help.

Sometimes I fail.  Many times I fail.  But, I try.

Linking with 5 Minute Friday 

My Cowboy--My Hero

Today I want to share my Thankfulness.  A Prayer reguest.  And a little about  My Cowboy-My Hero
                                         
I shared this photo yesterday with just a few words.
 God gave me a rainbow and said every so softly. "It's all taken care of stop worrying."

I claimed that rainbow as my own. But today I share it with you in case you need something to make you smile or to remember that it is all taken care of.  

                                                                          Because God is in control and he cares.

I took this photo a few years ago.  And I truly believe that God gave me this rainbow.  We were going through a really, really rocky time.   

The interesting thing was we were exactly where God wanted us to be.  

After 25 years My Cowboy left the cooperate world and answered God's calling on 'his' life. 

I went along for the ride.  And there were times we really did feel like God was moving and working 

and we were just along for the ride!  

                                     

Ours is a long story.  For 10 years we managed a non profit.  We began sharing the gospel with at-risk 

teenagers.   

                                                                                                    

And then, God seemed to just disappear.   We lost all the funding.  We lost our house.  

We were homeless for  6 weeks.  The 4 of us.  The Cowboy, me, Daisy ( my dog) and Rascal (the cat) lived

in a Motel 6 for 6 weeks.  Interesting huh...6 weeks in a Motel 6.    

A friend helped The Cowboy get a job in a garage in the middle of the summer.    He lost a lot of weight that summer.  

                                                        

He never gave up on God.  He stayed in  prayer  because he knew that God had called him.                                                      

                                           

And then he was called to Pastor at a Boys Prison unit.  That is where we serve now.   A lot happened between the Motel 6 and where we are today.  

He teaches Drivers Ed. and preaches on Sunday.  

I think he is closer to God than ever before.   He is so faithful.  He trusts God.  

The other day he had to go to the doctor because he needs a knee replacement.   He had to go to a G.P. for a referral.  He found out he was waaaaay over weight and his blood pressure was really high!

In a way this has been an answer to my prayers.  Because The Cowboy isn't a healthy eater. 

But God got his attention.  This is thankful part of this post.  He is eating healthy.  He bout edaname tonight.   He is eating fruits and veggies.  And salad.  And whole grain breads.    I am actually shocked. 

I think God really got his attention and for this I am thankful.  I knew that he needed to change his lifestyle.   But he wouldn't listen to me.  Thankfully God answered my prayer. 

Oh and one more thing.  He is riding his bicycle everyday before work.  

                            My Cowboy is My Hero

Would you mind saying a prayer for him.  For us?  

Linking with The Loft a Christian Bloggers linky.  
Linkinging with Grace a Truth.

  

My Rainbow--Wit/Wisdom

Joining Linda Kay for Wit and Wisdom

                                          
God gave me a rainbow and said every so softly. "It's all taken care of stop worrying."

I claimed that rainbow as my own. But today I share it with you in case you need something to make you smile or to remember that is its all taken care of. Because God is in control and he cares.

Linking with Wit and Wisdom.

Daisy

Thought I would play around with a few photos of Daisy . . .

  My sweet girl in Sepia . . .  This is what she is looking at . . .

 These shots were taken at our city Christmas parade . . .

 She is smiling.  Looking over a hedge at all the excitement.  She is wearing a glow stick the fireman came over and gave to her . . This shot I played with the Sepia and added a frosty edge.

And one more with a dark edge added.  Very cool shots.  I love playing around with PicMonkey.

Linking with Dory.
Linking with Camera Critters.

Tweekin' The Thrifty Tablescape

On Saturday I pulled toghether a new 'scape' for my counter.  I knew I would end up 'Tweakin' it.

Here's the 'Tweeked' version . . .

My favorite part is the little bunny I added . . .

The succulents I moved inside Saturday and repotted them into these cute little glass container
They weren't thriving outside.  I hope they will do better in doors . . .

I added the candles.  I thought the square candles worked well with the square bowls.  Then the little
votive to mimic the cut glass plates.

                                                     This is a very frugal table setting.
The white dinner plates were bought at our local grocery store.
The cut glass plates are vintage family heirlooms with no markings.
The square white bowls probably cost more than any thing in the entire vignette  from Pottery Barn
I loved the elements.  But something was missing.
                  I went into my closet and found the perfect item to pull the whole thing together.

Back to the closet.  This caught my eye.  I loved the texture that the stitchery added.
                                                       Can you guess what it is?
                                                      You guessed it!  A curtain.
                                                          Looks good here too!

Linking with the Tuesday parties . . .
Coastal Charm Show and Share
Tuesdays at House
LouGirl
Turn It Up Tuesday
Linking with the Wednesday parties . . .
A Little R and R
Wake Up Wednesday
Linking with the Thursday parties . . .
Hope In Every Season
It's A Party
Share My Style
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Home And Garden Thursday
Share Your Cup
How Sweet The Sound
Linking with the Friday parties . . .
The Pinterest Game


                                                          Happy Trails
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

                     

My Love/Hate Relationship

updated:Blogger or Wordpress ... Where do you blog? 
Yes. I do have a Love/Hate relationship...
                               
and it is with Blogger and Google.   Yep.  They drive me nuts.  I'm wondering if all this annoyance
is what causes Bloggers to change to Wordpress.
                               
                              This isn't my typical post.  And, it might not fit into your wonderful linky parties and I hope you don't mind but I am linking at all the parties I can find!  Because I need your help.
                                    
                                
I seriously am not in the mood to deal with learning something new.  And I seriously love my blog.
                                                             

But I am  frustrated and totally annoyed.   The newest issue is for some reason every time I try to
post a photo from my computer I get an error message.  I end up having to completely exit out of  blogger.
And then re-enter.  So far since I 'save' alot I haven't lost anything.  But this is annoying.


                               
Also besides annoying I can't use Picmonkey or Picaso which are my sources for cropping, adding text and
making Mosaics.
                                                              
                               
                               And I found out this morning when I tried to link it won't let me link.                                                                  
                                                                        So
Here are my questions .  . .
1. Does anyone know how to fix the error message? (is this happening to anyone else?)

2. What is so fabulous about Wordpress?

3.  Should I change?  

4.  Is it worth all the 'learning curves"?  

5.  Will my Friends still follow?

So that's it.  Can you help me?          I hope you have a wonderful day.

Linking with Anything Goes
Linking with Blue Monday   
Linking with Create Joy   for Inspire Me Monday
 Linking with Busy Monday at A Pinch of Joy Create Joy

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Favorite Pins

Welcome again to my Favorite Pins post.  I thought I would do this weekly but got a little carried away with other things.  Opps.
Oh well here's a few decorating ideas, ideas to Tweak my mantle, ideas for Christmas and more.
First up Blue Mason Jars . . .

                                                           Source
I found this one over at Tidbits and Twine a delightful blog.  She had done a post all about Mason Jars.
Love the jars and the lovely collection of flatware.

This one was just sweet.  I've always enjoyed this blogger.  Great wisdom flows through her blog . . .
                                                                                                                                         Source    
This sweet post started with these words . . . "I remember a time in my life when my biggest prayer request was simply that God would give me a friend. "
Great post. The sweet Rachel included a printable. Check it out!

Have I posted this one before.  Probably.  I just love it.  I so want to make one!
                 
       Source

Don't you think I need one?

You know I'm always thinking about Christmas. BTW my Holiday Linky Party starts next week!

                                                         Source
I neeeed these! The are available at West Elm.  Great place for inspiration.  These lights were only $5.00-$27.00.   I think I'll just look for some pretty glass and get me a can of spray paint.  The Cowboy knows how to spray paint!  Woo Hoo!

Quilts always speak to me.  This one was very deserving of a Blue Ribbon . . .


                                     Source
Breathtaking. I just love Pinterest.  Being able to see things I'd never be able too just awes me.

Call me goofy for including this one.  But it brought to mind some sweet memories . . .

     
Like I said I am goofy but it reminded me of Minecraft.  My grandson love it!

I've been planning a beachy theme for my mantle . . .
  
                                                                      Source
                                  Love, love, love it.  I'm going to build a sail boat.  See you soon!

Linking with Sally at Blue Monday http://www.smilingsally.blogspot.com
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Mini Kitchen Tour

Here I am on Saturday enjoying my day off and playing around trying to get the tablescape I posted about
here completed and posted.

I had written about going to pinterest for inspiration and I found some great ideas. From all the inspiration I
chose this one to recreate.

My plan was to recreate a similar tablescape using two simple items to create a fun simple tables for two

From the ideas I had a plan to use simple white dinner plates something like these from Williams-Sonoma Source         Source

I had some great inspiration and was working on a plan using items I already owned.  I was still kicking around how to pull it all together.

Then I saw this pin . . .
                                                                   Source
Found at one of my favorite places to visit for inspiration the site of Joanna from HGtv's Fixer Upper.
Seeing the terriarium style planters got my juices flowing and I was off and running around the house in serch of containers.

After washing a few dishes.  And popping the last of a candle and washing another container this is what I
came up with.

Needs a little tweaking but a good start.  Here's a few more shots . . .
                                             
                            
And the little mini kitchen tour . . .

Love my pedestal.  I've used it many different ways and move it around some but my favorite is on the counter holding the things we cook with.  The spode tea cup was a gift.  It normally holds garlic.

The little lamp shows my eclectic style.  I wanted a lamp for the counter and this is all I have been able to come up with.  It was originally in our daughters 'girly' bedroom.

                            
A shot of the side of my refrigerator.  This is one of the views I have while I'm cooking.  I love clean and uncluttered.  I love the little magnets.  They make me smile.
Do notice the Country Living sign which by the way was dumpster find.  It is hanging on a piece of foam core that is just leaning against the wine rack.  I just taped the sign.  I covered the space so I could hang the sign.  I don't have any wall space in my kitchen.  Covering it gave me a little more storage too!
                     
 Did I say clean and uncluttered.  Well I try to be.  Living in a small space I have to find unique ways to store my things.  I recently got the enamel tins at my mothers.  They were on the 'give away' table at her apartment community room.  I had been wanting something to put these utensils in so I could use the drawer for another purpose.

I know the top of the fridge probably looks cluttered but I love to display my cookbooks.  This is really the only space I have.
                            
I shared this shot because I wanted to show you my clay pots.  I heart them.  The Cowboy bought them
years ago from the Sundance catalogue.  (that was waaaaay back in the day when we had a few $$ to spend) I always find a place for them in my kitchen.

And one last shot to show you the top of my cabinets.



  I found an idea for what I want to do with them for Christmas.  There is very little space between the ceiling and the top of the cabinets. Last year I did green garland and it was ok.

 I think this idea will be better!

                                                                                  Source
I love this super simple idea.  A perfect way to display my mason jars.
I know your probably rolling your eyes because I am already thinking about Christmas.  Actually I never really stop!
                                                       
                         Are you thinking about Christmas?
I hope you've enjoyed my mini kitchen tour!  I'll be sharing my photo's of my tablescape when I finishing tweaking!
                                                        Happy Trails