In The Craft Room-Prayer Pocket Reveal

Hello and Welcome

Today I am beginning something new.

I am sharing from my Crafting Room.

I am  beginning today with some mail I received.

I received a package from a FB friend that makes Prayer Pockets for nursing homes and Hospice.  

She sent me one to Bless me because of my husbands illness. 

She simply wrapped it all up in this pretty Butterfly paper.  I'll be using some of it in a Flower Theme Junk Journal that I am working on. 

This pic shows the back of the pocket on the left and one of the tags that was inside.  

A close up of the tag.  See the dangle charm at the top hanging from the lace.  It pocket includes lots of scripture. 

This is the front of pocket 2.  I loved the sentiment.  This one was filled to the brim and overflowing.  

The marker printed the books of the Bible on card stock and then embellished them with Lace at the top making a lovely book mark.

Two more tags with Faith word sentiments.  The one on the left has another charm.  I love the charms

I hope to take a much better photo.  This is a simple scripture card but so pretty.  I plan to also try coping on my printer so I can make some prayer pockets or journals filled with scripture. 

Another tag with a Faith sentiment.  This one was so pretty. 

The flowers are layered sticking up from the surface.  

Another one I will try and print more.  The Lord's prayer. 

Sorry for the sideways shot.  This is a prayer card.  It is a tri-fold it opens up to this . . . 

Lot's of writing space for Prayers or Journaling. 

The back of the empty Prayer Pocket.

Front of filled pocket.

This one was filled with printed scripture cards with gorgeous colors and flowers. 

Lot's of space for writing.  Not embellishments but just as pretty. 

Tags come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and mediums.  

It's always fun to receive Happy Mail.  I hope you've enjoyed sharing this moment with me.  

Now I am off to play with glue and paper and make something Beautiful to Bless someone.  

What are you doing today? 

Wednesday Filled With Words-The Story Behind The Photo

Good Morning everyone. 

 Welcome to a Happy Sunshine filled day here in Texas

Today I am sharing with you the story behind a special photo that I shared on Saturday in my Happy Homemaker in Texas post.  If you missed it you can go here to read my post.  

Let's get on with the special photo and the story!

The story actually began many years ago when my son was 18.  

He is know 40.  In the photo if you look very close you can see my grandson's denim clad legs (who is now 18) watching his dad.

The horse is a 2 year old names Vincent.  He has a much longer fancier name but the call him Vince or Vincent.  After the painter not the country/gospel music singer. ( I always think of Vince Gill)

This photo was taken by my D.I.L. from the kitchen window with her cell phone.  She is a photographer by trade and I know she was just spittin' fire that she wasn't invited along for this momentous moment!

My son trains Reining Horses.  

Vincent was bred to be a reining horse.  

Thomas also teaches beginning riding to children and adults and coaches a few riders in the arena. 

  

 To many professional trainers and riders the horse is a vehicle a means to an end.  Not to this family.  Our horses are all apart of the family.  

That is why Speck's 'Welcome Home' 5 years ago was such a special day.  

Speck is pregnant now and with God's grace will deliver mid April. 

I hope you'll come back to read the rest of the story.  There will be several posts over the next little while including . . .

• Speck's homecoming
• Vince's baby pics
• About Reining and Speck's futurity
• The new baby!

Happy Trails

Visiting Character from Sleuth On Safari by A. R. Kennedy

                                                

Dr. Higgins

           

            After placing my designer leather duffle bag by the front door, I consulted my notebook. I checked off another item on my to do list. The previous page had already been completed. Checkmarks were next to each required item I had placed in my bag.

            I returned to my bedroom and placed my carryon on my bedside reading chair. I placed my passport, travel paperwork, and notebook in it and zipped it closed.

            I hoped this vacation’s lodgings would be more accommodating to my requests. My last vacation, to England, was disappointing. The hotel did little to meet my requests for a firmer pillow, for soy milk for my coffee or for the hotel guests to be quiet in the hallways.

            The last time I was on a safari, several years ago, the lodge was first class. Every request satisfied. Every meal met my dietary restrictions. My favorite red wine was waiting for me in my room. I’m sure my mentioning it to the travel agent, several times, did the trick. I did it this trip to. I expected the same level of service on this safari as I had experienced on the last.        

            I could only hope I was traveling with a better class of people than I had last time. The middle America dullards I had to share a vehicle with was the only negative on that trip. At least I could dine alone on the sumptuous cuisine.

            Some people found a safari life changing. Hogwash. It was a vacation. It was an opportunity to discover a new locale, to get some time away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and to check another country off my list.

            I set the condo’s security alarm, a necessity in the city which seemed to be more crime ridden every day. Just last week, a few blocks north, a colleague was a victim of a robbery. I reminded him he should have had a sophisticated security system like my own.

            I turned my sound machine on and set it to the white noise option. One more night and I would be far away from the city’s nonsense.

            No security alarms were needed in the safety of the luxury, remote lodge I was headed for.

About the book 

A bargain deal on a safari + one dead body = An adventure no one could plan for.

Naomi and her estranged sister are off on a trip of a lifetime—an African safari, a bucket list trip for Naomi on which she got a last-minute deal. Naomi thinks traveling with her sister will be the worst part of her African safari until she finds one of their fellow travelers, the unlikable Dr. Higgins, dead. She gets more adventure than she bargained for when she starts investigating what she thinks is murder but the luxury lodge says was a tragic accident. She only has a few vacation days, and a few game drives, to find the killer.

Buy the book 

  Amazon 

Menu Monday

Good Morning.  Welcome to a new week. I plan to have a great one. 

You?

It's Spring Break here in Texas so I have week off.  I hope to do lots of cooking.

And so let's talk

I love planning a menu for our meals. 

 Are you a menu planner? 

I am in a new season in my life as a wife and homemaker and so my idea of menu planning has changed abruptly.

My Cowboy is ill and has new diet restrictions.  He also feels so bad some days he just can't eat dinner.

And so planning a menu for our dinner has gone by the wayside for now.

Now I suggest a couple of choices early in the day so I can thaw meat and have it ready to prepare.

Some days even though we plan early in the day he just des not feel like eating.

I have always been a big soup person.  I just like soup.  The Cowboy has never been a fan of soups as a main course of a meal. Soup and stew is becoming a new staple in our house.  It is yummy and cozy.  And it fills you up and warms you up.  My Cowboy is always cold.  Soup is a good choice for many meals.

And so this new season does not include menu's but  I still plan our meals around what we have ready to cook.

Here are our choices this week

• A big ole yummy pot  roast
• We have ground beef so we could make Tacos, Spaghetti or Goulash, my version of Hamburger Helper Stroganoff.  I like batch cooking so if we do thaw ground beef I will plan to make Hamburger Soup.
• We have lots of Sea Food in the freezer so we could have Fried Cat Fish, a pan seared Flounder Filet, Shrimp ( oh the possibilities
• We have pork tenderloin so maybe oven roasting it with stuffing

There are lot's possibilities.  And it's Spring Break no work this week so I might jusy get creative.

So what are your dinner plans this week?

Simple Sunday

Happy Homemaker In Texas

The weather
Today it was sunny but windy. It was super nice on Friday I got the front yard done.
I am glad it was really too cool to be out. I needed a days rest to work on the back yard.

Outside my window
Freshly mowed grass. I spent yesterday working in the front yard.

How I am feeling this morning
Tired but I feel Blessed. I am happy the Cowboy seems a little better.  He helped outside pit the line back on the weed eayter and then blew the driveway.  That was a magor accomplishment.

On my To Do List
Craft projects to finish for SWAPs
Mow back yard
Ready the beds for planting
Get the seeds I  already have planted

My Ta Da moments
I prepped a bed for green beans and corn
Weeded and prepped the cucumber and sunflower beds
I prepped the herb garden I hope to plant Swis Chard and Dill next
I have almost completed my craft room redo.  Got  all the shelves out and replaced. Moved the last one out today. Now I just need to finish putting everthing away.

Thought for the dayhing

On the breakfast plate
Today I made breakfast burrito's with patty sausage and cheese.
I am not good at making them. But I wanted to make a few (I made 2)  for
the freezer for an easy breakfast for the Cowboy when I am not home.

A blog I like

I really enjoy visiting Patsy she inspired me to and be a better wife and mother by providing for my family in many ways.  From cooking, to gardening, shopping and much more.  Go by for a visit you will love getting to know her.


I'm reading

On my reading pile
I was super excited to get on this tour. I hope they are good great so I can
give to my grand daughter

I got the chance to read and review the series.     my books came today!

Waitin on the mail man

Author Linda O. Johnson was hosting a giveaway the other day to promote her new book.  It was super easy just leave comments on her promo posts on FB.  I was super excited to win a print copy!

On the menu
No real daily plans anymore. It seems to be better for now to give the Cowboy some choices and then prepare.
This week we will have these options
Mexican Pot Roast
Ground Beef--Goulash, Meat Loaf, Sphaghetti, Tacos
Sea Food--Fried Cat Fish, Seafood Boil (Shrimp, Mussels, Flounder Filet)
From Chicken Breasts--Flauta's, Tortilla Soup, Chicken Dumplings, Chicken Pot Pie
Maybe smoke a Salmon if he feels like it

In the crafting space
Just finished a project for a SWAP.  We were to make 2 scripture cards tags.

Here is 1 on I made.  I ay I'll chose to use a scripture card I purchased then I dwcorated the tag which I made from a mini manilafile which I dyedpink with an avacado peel.

On Tuesday I will be sharing more photos from this project.

A blessing to share
Since my husband has been ill it has been a struggle for me to manage the house, the finances, working and his care. I normally feed our dogs chicken, rice and green beans or peas and carrots.  I make the food myself.  I mentioned on facebook I was worried because I have been giving the dogs dry food I got at a pantry and that Domino seemed to not handle it well.  She has been on the homemade food for 4 years.  My friend was super sweet and made me about a 2 weeks supple of food for the dogs.
I was Blessed that she saw a need she could filled and stepped up and helped us out.

From the camera

An awesome image.  Come back on Wednesday for the story behind this one.  You don't want to miss it!

Happy Trails

I will be linking with Sandra at  Diary Of A Stay At Home Mome for . . .

Character Guest post Feat. Paws for Murder by Scarlett English Great Escapes Tour and Giveaway

Interview with the Character

Veterinarian Dr. Petronella Knight

As a veterinarian, what would you say is the best kind of pet to have? A cat or a dog?

Oh, my goodness, how could I choose? I have two pets myself. A dog named Sherlock and a cat named Pawdry Hepburn. They’re both incredibly sweet and I have to say, pretty cute! Sherlock is a big love, and Pawdry sleeps with me most nights, unless she goes home with our receptionist, Katie. It’s really totally up to Pawdry.

What would you say is the biggest difference between dogs and cats as pets?

The standard answer is to say that cats are more stand-offish, but Pawdry is very affectionate and often follows me from room to room. Cats also like to sleep a bit more—like up to sixteen hours a day. But then again, Sherlock loves a good snooze in front of the fire too. I think cats are more independent, but it definitely depends on the cat. It would be difficult for me to choose between them, because I love them both.

Is it true you have a duck as a pet?

Technically, George is not a pet—he’s a working duck. And he belongs to my best friend Maisie, but does like to spend some time at Lily’s house.

Would you recommend them as pets?

This is harder to answer. First of all, not every community allows people to keep ducks as pets. If yours does, and you should totally check the laws. If yours allows it, then they are little, fluffy bundles of personality, though a great deal of work. This is one reason Garrett objects to Lily duck-sitting so much. George, our little guard duck, has tons of personality, and we call him a guard duck because he always lets us know when someone is on the property. Of course, this can be a passing car or even a fly-by by a bird, but George is ever-diligent and on the job.

So, what are some reasons why you might consider having your own guard duck? Ducks are feathered balls of personality! Each one is different, and it is really fun getting to know them as individuals. But there are definitely things to keep in mind. I like making lists, so here is a short one of things to keep in mind before you think about having your own:

• Females lay eggs, and are more regular about it than chickens.
• They are relatively long-lived pets—it’s possible for them to live 10-15 years when well cared for.
• They produce LOTS of manure. So, they are great pets if you have a garden. They are also less damaging on your yard and landscaping than chickens are. And, they consume lots of insects in the process! But again—the manure!
• Ducks are pretty high maintenance compared to chickens. They need lots of fresh water, which they soil frequently—so that will need to be cleaned quite regularly.
• Did I mention the clean-up? There is a lot of cleanup to be done with ducks.
• Since pet ducks usually are unable to fly, they are a big target when it comes to local wildlife predators. That means that you will need to provide them with hawk covers, which should be placed over their pens. When outside, your pet ducks will also need to be supervised and protected from potential attacks from predators.

So, I think everyone should have a pet animal of some kind. Or more than one! They provide us with so much love and laughter, and who doesn’t need that in their life? Please consider adopting a rescue pet. There are so many who need a good home.

Visit the tour 

To read reviews, guest posts, interviews and recipe posts click here.  

You can enter the giveaway there tour

Lavender Blue Murder by Laura Childs-Great Escapes Tour-Review/Giveaway

About the book 

21th in Series
Publisher: Berkley (March 3, 2020)
Hardcover: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 0451489667
ISBN-13: 978-0451489661
Digital ASIN: B07SSQ1X4R

Tea-Maven Theodosia Browning brews up trouble in the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs.

Tea maven Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier Drayton Conneley are guests at a bird hunt styled in the precise manner of an English shooting party. Which means elevenses (sloe gin fizzes), gun loaders, the drawing of pegs, fine looking bird dogs, and shooting costumes of tweed, herringbone, and suede.

But as gunshots explode like a riff of Black Cat firecrackers, another shot sounds too close for comfort to Theodosia and Drayton. Intrigued but worried, Theodosia wanders into the neighbor’s lavender field where she discovers their host, Reginald Doyle, bleeding to death.

His wife, Meredith, is beside herself with grief and begs Theodosia and Drayton to stay the night. But Theodosia awakens at 2:00A.M. to find smoke in her room and the house on fire. As the fire department screams in and the investigating sheriff returns, Meredith again pleads with Theodosia for help.

As Theodosia investigates, fingers are pointed, secrets are uncovered, Reginald’s daughter-in-law goes missing presumed drowned, and Meredith is determined to find answers via a séance. All the while Theodosia worries if she’s made a mistake in inviting a prime suspect to her upscale Lavender Lady Tea.

And I thought 
Grab a cup of tea and settle in for a great cozy read.  I
read every Laura Childs mystery I can get my hands on and I am never dissapointed.
The Shop Mystery series gives the reader some great characters that are apart of the series and some great characters that join the crowd in each new book. 
Lavender Blue Murder is my favorite so far.
But I could say that about each  one they are so good.
And they keep getting better!
Lavender Blue Muder had me turning the pages and it was hard to put down.
I always love Theodosia (what a name) and Drayton the make the story and keeps me interested.

I can't wait for the next book in the series.

I received a comand plimentary copy.
My review will appear on retail sites Good Reads.
The book and my review will be featured on Social Media.

Buy the book 

Amazon   B&N  Kobo  

 Google Play  IndieBound

Visit the tour

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday Filled With Words-Waiting

Welcome to Wednesday.  Today I am sharing a repost.  I have a lot of new followers and maybe one or two regulars that haven't seen this story/post . . . 
 
                                                                      Waiting
                                        

Momma said when I'm bigger I get to ride in a show.  

            So I'm waiting.   And waiting. And waiting. 

                           Someday I'll be bigger. 

I'll get to ride on that paint horse waaaaaaaaaaay over there. 
Well I already get to ride him with a real Cowboy hat. 
But I'm not big enough to ride in a show. 
I sit real tall in the saddle just like momma says.  And I click my mouth to make him go.  
But today I have to stand by this fence and watch everyone else ride.  I counted 10 horses.  And there are alot people.  Like maybe a thousand!  
After the show when everyone is done riding they are going to cook hot dogs on a fire.  I'm waiting for that too.
             Boy a boy sure has to do a lot of waiting around here!

Happy Trails

Tuesday 4 a Blog MeMe Party

Joining a new party today.   

Head over to Tuesday's Place for the questions and to visit everyone's answers!

1.  You're having a lovely dinner party for friends and family.  What will you serve for appetizers, main course and dessert?

Hmm.  Lovely.  What comes to mind is not so much lovely but kind of festive, fun and easily prepared for the cook.  I'll be making a Seafood Boil Crawfish, Mussels, Crab Claws

Shimp/Avacado Salad for our appitizer and let's just run over to CheeseCake Factory and get a ymmy chocolate CheeseCake...this is fantasy isn't it?

 2. Snow storm!    You've got house guests and you're all stuck inside for the night. What do you prepare for dinner.  Will you  watch a movie? Which?

A big 'ole pot of chili(not beans we're in Texas) crackers and grated cheese. 

We might watch Home Alone #1 or a good 'ole Rambo flick.  Or maybe play a few rounds of our new favorite Millionaire Monopoly

3. We are going into New York City for the weekend. Where do you want to go?

Isn't Bobby Flay in NYC?  Dinner with Bobby

4. You are going to night school.  They offer courses in writing short stories, painting,   piano  or guitar lessons,simple home repairs,baking, and gardening.
Which do you pick  ( or make up one of your own)  and why?

Piano.  I always wanted to play!

Click here to go over and join the party!

Menu Monday

Don't you just hare when you schedule a post 

for a certain day and you look at calendar wrong!

Menu Monday 

on Wednesday backdated.

Menu plans for our week.  I am trying to stay on track with menu's and with cooking what I have planned.  It's a challenge.  But here are this weeks  Menu plans and prep for batch cooking.

Monday

Pot Roast with Potatoe's and Carrots, Green Beans

while I peel the potatos' I am planning and prepping extra's and boiling for Mashed Potato's.

Tuesday

Tacos 

Prepping ground beef for Sphaghetti

Wednesday

Fried Catfish, French Fries, Cole Slaw

Thursday

Sphaghetti, Salad, Garlic Bread

Friday

A cup of Gumbo made over the weekend and frozen in batches,

Mixed Seafood Grill, Mashed Potatoes, Cole Slaw

It's gonna be a yummy week!  Do you have Yummy plans?

Simple Sunday

Happy Homemaker In Texas

Hello! Welcome to the blog.  Today is the day I share a few plans for my week and highlights from last week.  

I am joining Sandra for Happy Homemaker

Sandra provides the prompts.  I add some of my own.

The weather

Winter finds it's way to Texas.  We have had some consistantly cold (for us) days.  And rain.  We have felt we need a boat.  

Outside my window

I have a new flower bed.  A dandelion garden.  I have given up trying to get rid of them. The bumble bee's love them. 

Something fun to share (my prompt)

I joined a new FB group and I am talking to the administrator about helping with events.  I am excited to plan fun SWAP's for my new peeps. 

A new shopping place

I have 'fallin In Love' with Tuesday Morning.  Yesterday I bought

my new muffin pan there.  I looked at all they had on the shelf and picked the least expensive one.  And then went to check out clearance and what did I find.  The bigger better for a bit less than the cheap one I had in the basket!

On the breakfast plate

It's Saturday.  Brunch day for us.  Scrambled eggs, bacon and blueberry muffins.  I bought a new muffin pan yesterday and I am excited to use it

My Ta Da moment

I managed to clean out the file cabinet in my craft room and put everything on shelves I brought in from my green house.  

I also cleaned out one other wood shelf in the room that just didn't function for me.  I was planning on putting both of them and another shelf at the curb after the trash pick up.  We have lots of traffic and people always pick up things.

But my daughter thinks they can use them at my grandson's school.

A few plans for the week

Packing to move. Cleaning.  Cutting and playing with glue in my craft room.  I signed up for a couple new easy SWAPs.  I'll be working on today 

On the menu 

With my husbands illness it is hard to cook these days it seems. 

This week I plan to cook. 

Rotisierre Chicken (I have legs/thighs I bought on sale that had some barbque seasoning on them.  I'll add more and make them super yummy

Seafood Gumbo we bought some fish a piece of Andoullion and some Venison Sausage.  We will add some of the chicken that I am planning on cooking and some soft shell crab we found on sale and some shrimp.

Pot Roast we wound a super buy.  I have 4 for the freezer.  They are all big so I will cook one for this week and put half in the freezer.

Salad and Veggies  I am planning on making some individual salads in mason jars for the fridge for the Cowboy to take out and have for a snack.  I need to buy some verggies to cook.  Greens are good for him.  So I'll try to get some Mustard Greens today.

In the craft space

A huge mess right now.  I am packing up what I am not using daily to move and get rid of the shelf units I am not planning on taking. 

What I am working on 

I am finishing a few Altered Paper Clips for a SWAP.  

Some stamped images for a SWAP and I will be starting some 

Junk Journal Embellishments for another SWAP.

From the camera

My desk at Christmas time making cards

Scipture/Devo

Thanks for coming by. Please visit Sandra for the party on Monday

Wordless Wednesday