The Mini-Cooper that grew....Happy New Year to you. in 2009.....

Mini-Coopers have always caught my eye...not too many seen in the south.......

Hmm, I wonder if I added this miniature toy Mini-Cooper to water if it would expand into a real one......worth a try...... Gosh, it worked..........well, not really...thanks to Jim and Peggy who surprised me with the toy version and own the real one......
Happy New Year to all the wonderful bloggers and non-bloggers who drop by to visit with me from time to time.....each visit and comment is appreciated and treasured......I wish you all a healthy, happy, prosperous and a closer walk with our Savior, Jesus Christ, in the year of our Lord 2009......

From us to you.....MERRY CHRISTMAS.....

Merry Christmas to you as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.................Betty and Edward

Thank you to all my blogging friends.......

This is an email that I totally agree with....you have enriched my life immensely........I do wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS......Betty Where did the year go? Suddenly it is December ......again - and we realize that with giant strides we started in January and within a blink of an eye, 2008 is on its back! A big "Thank You" to each and everyone of you, for the huge impact you had on my life this year. Especially for all the support and e-mails I received.......without you, I'm sure that 2008 would have been extremely boring. From my side I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas Season filled with Loving Wishes and Beautiful Thoughts. May 2009 mark the beginning of a Tidal Wave of Love, Happiness and Bright Futures. And to those who need someone special, may you find that true love. To those who need money, may your finances overflow To those who need caring, may you find a good heart To those who need friends, I am still here for you . To those who need spiritual strength, our God is able to supply... Thanks for being my friend!! Christmas Blessings

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Merry Christmas........ not Happy Holiday.......

This is an email I received and I agree one hundred per cent... when checking out, I say, "Merry Christmas" and so far everyone in return has said, "Merry Christmas"....if they don't want to that's up to them.....but with me it's "Merry Christmas" and not Happy Holiday.......I don't celebrate the birth of a holiday......




YOU CAN'T STEAL MY **CHRISTMAS*

Poem by Sharon Steege


I don't know who they are
Saying I can't greet the crowd
The way that I want to
Can't say **CHRISTMAS** out loud.


I walk into a business place
See things that I rather not see
But dare I not say **CHRISTMAS**
And ask for a 'holiday' tree.


What happened to freedom of speech
And living in the land of the free
How can they take my **CHRISTMAS** money
But can't say **MERRY CHRISTMAS** to me.


Men and women have given their lives
So we could still go free
I wonder how they would feel
At saying HOLIDAY TREE.


Come on AMERICA let's wake up
Don't let our freedom escape
If they get by with doing this
What else will they take.


This is starting to get out of hand,
And I've begun to keep track
Well I've just about had enough
I'M TAKING CHRISTMAS BACK.*


So MERRY CHRISTMAS AMERICA **
I hope this gets all over the net
If we all stand united and take freedom back
'Twill be our best CHRISTMAS YET!

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus!

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Weeweechu.........

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A Christmas card to you.................

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Subject: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It's a romantic full moon, when Pedro said,"Hey, mamacita, let's do Weeweechu." Oh no, not now, let's look at the moon!" said Rosita. Oh, c'mon baby, let's you and I do Weeweechu. I love you and it's the perfect time," Pedro begged. "But I wanna just hold your hand and watch the moon." replied Rosita. Please, corazoncito, just once, do Weeweechu with me." Rosita looked at Pedro and said, "OK, one time, we'll do Weeweechu." Pedro grabbed his guitar and they both sang..... "Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year." MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

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Kelli's Show and Tell and Happy Anniversary to Marion and John......

It's Friday and that means 'Show and Tell' over at Kelli's home....do drop in and check out all the great blogs participating in Show and Tell..........

Our daughter, Melinda, brought me a gift that she had made, when she and her family came for Thanksgiving.....I was thrilled when I opened the gift bag......





Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus made out of miniature clay flower pots.....
I think they are precious.....
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Edward and I wish Marion and John a wonderful wedding anniversary today....December 5th......I believe this is 27 years....

You are a very special couple and we are so thankful our paths have crossed....you are a blessing to us....Happy Anniversary!As the inscription on the bench states...'Keep Coming Back'!!!!

Marion and John....made while visiting us in May...location...Amelia Island, Florida...............
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU.........

My prayer for you this Thanksgiving Day is that you are surrounded by those you hold dear.....family and friends...that you have a sink full of dirty dishes showing you had plenty of food to eat.....a warm home......love flowing one to the other...and that you've thanked our Heavenly Father for all your blessings today and every day.......

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU.................

The Rest of the Story.......

To begin with....please pop over Amy's blog and read the account of 4 year old John pulling the fire alarm in Savannah at Five Guys Burger and Fries.....




Arlington National Cemetery.................

When Amy was a young child we made a visit up the east coast through TN, VA and into Washington D.C. We visited the capitol, the senate buildings, Smithsonian Museum, the presidential monuments.....

We looked forward to visiting Arlington National Cemetery where so many of our brave men and women are buried....it was a gorgeous afternoon and as we strolled through the beautiful grounds I noticed Amy kept eyeing bright red iron contraptions throughout......it wasn't long until Amy lagged a short distance behind....all of a sudden the irrigation system came on....people began gasping.....Amy shouted "Mama! Mama!" Of course I did what any loving Mother would do.....I walked on like I didn't know who the child was! I knew Edward was near and would take care of the problem.....he did immediately......

I believe that was the same day we had lunch at the Richard B. Russell Senate Building and Amy flipped the light switch in the ladies' restroom causing more than a few 'heys'......and then the cartwheels down the Kennedy Center corridor......now, Amy, what were you saying about John?

Show and Tell over at Kelli's.........

Today is Show and Tell over at Kelli's blog....please do drop by and see many interesting presentations......

Today, I'm showing two very welcomed gifts.....feathers......First, peacock feathers....friends, Phyllis and Joseph, raise peacocks and shared these beautiful feathers.....




I like to use peacock feathers in the top of the pencil Christmas tree in the den along with glass bird ornaments.....
I like pheasant feathers but they are sooo expensive...just one can be as much as $13.95......we have a friend, Ralph, who goes out west pheasant hunting.....
As we were talking one day I asked his wife, Carol, if he ever brought the feathers home......"yes", said she.
"If ever he has any extra, I'd certainly like to have some." Several weeks later I had a call that he had brought a box of feathers home......by the time several other people decided they would like to have some also, the box finally made it to me.....

I plan to use mine this Christmas accentuating wreaths, trees, etc.....

These were two of my favorite gifts......feathers..........

Honoring Our Heroes---Our Veterans......Best Friends Forever Award.....

Note: This is a reprint of a salute to our Veterans from last year......I do not know how to delete the comments from last year so they are included as well........
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Today, Tuesday, we honor our heroes, our veterans, to whom we owe more than we can every repay for the bravery shown to us and our country through the years........giving so unselfishly of themselves......putting us and our country ahead of their families, their desires and ambitions, because it was the right thing to do.......

The words inscribed on the bench says it all............click to enlarge..................

This prize winning photograph was taken by my sixteen year old granddaughter, Erin, a few weeks ago. The top photo made as it is.......the second one with the American flag super-imposed.........

Thank the veterans you know for their service to our country.....

THANK YOU VETERANS AND GOD'S RICHES BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS................................................

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A few weeks ago a dear blogging friend, Barbara, Ramblings From An English Garden, awarded me the BFF Gold Card....BLOGGING FRIENDS FOREVER......

The idea behind this award is that you send it to three bloggers who have regularly commented on your blog and also to one new blogging friend.

The 3 people that I have chosen to pass this award on to are bloggers that have visited and commented from the beginning......

Some of my friends choose not to participate and I understand.....so my three friends that I'm passing it along to are Susie, Cathy, Connie and my new blogging friend Manuela.........

All my blogging friends are special to me and I treasure each friendship made through blogging....and just to think three years ago I didn't know what a blogger was and NOW I AM ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fasting and Praying For Our Nation......

FASTING AND PRAYING FOR OUR NATION....PLEASE LORD HAVE MERCY ON AMERICA.......

IN JESUS NAME.......BETTY

all good things come to an end..................

It was a dream come true, an answered prayer, a wish granted.....our visit with dear friends, Marion and John, from Wales....I read Marion's gardening blog many months ago but at that time, I didn't have a blog. I wouldn't dare leave a comment.

On their 25th wedding anniversary Marion wrote a tribute to John about the wonderful husband he is.....I did leave a brief comment and just signed it 'Mam'....the name my grandchildren call me.....

Marion's email address was included on her blog....I bravely wrote telling her how much I enjoyed her blog, etc. I debated a long time before pressing the send button. To email someone in Wales that I didn't know was so daresome for me. I thought that was the end of it. However, the next morning (Wales is 5 hours ahead of us) I had a long, newsy email.....I was thrilled beyond words....We emailed several times a week and the following Easter I received an unexpected phone call....from Marion. We often talked about how we would like to meet each other.....I never in my wildest dreams thought we ever could....Our Lord is so gracious......perhaps He knew we each had something to give each other that would enrich our lives tremendously....

From there our friendship has grown by leaps and bounds. After several months, we extended and invitation for them to come for a visit and they accepted. For 12 glorious days we enjoyed them immensely......but sadly, the time came to carry them back to the airport in Atlanta.....



John and John.........


The morning of departure our daughter, Amy, and grandchildren came to bid them bye......
Marion had mentioned she liked to see the Union Jack flying so we flew it while she and John were here.......

Curbside at the airport......
Trying to think of everything we hadn't said that we wanted to say.......
Holding back tears that I shed later.......

A picture that is burned in my memory................when we returned home, I traced their flight on the computer until they arrived back in England....then they had a 3 hour drive home....I didn't sleep that night.....Marion called me once they were safely back home......was it real or was it a dream...their visit.....no, the evidence is here.......Marion dropped a shopping bag that she had tied with a knot (a safety precaution) by a wall and .......I've left it there. Every time I see it.....I know they really were here......we don't say goodbye in our family....when our twin granddaughters were born we lived next door to each other but my husband as well as our son-in-law are ministers and the time came when we each had to move. They were so heartbroken each time we left each other. They would turn their heads and not look at us when they left. We agreed to just say, "Fare thee well." So that was our parting words to Marion and John.....until we meet again.........

Happy Fall To Ya'll.................

Hello everyone....it's Friday and time for Show and Tell over at Kelli's house.....hurry on over to participate and see all the neat blogs listed.....

I don't do Halloween but I do celebrate the beautiful autumnal colors of fall and harvest time.......
This is our front door with a fall wreath and swag above the door....
A pot of silk mums by the door on a pedestal......
A fall flag..................
A terracotta pumpkin and a thrift store ceramic one.......
Mr. Dog on the doorstep gets a fall bow......
The window box on the master bedroom with pumpkins, mums and a garland of faux gourds and squash.....
More mums...................
The window box on the family room windows...mums, apples, fall leaves....
Birdbath pumpkins...............
Leaves on the patio.....
Swag on the carport door.....
Wreath on the backporch door......
Window box on my kitchen window....a birdhouse with other fall items such as.....
a printed garden sign........
an iron bird......
a wire bird's nest with blue eggs and gourds.....
a cast iron rabbit sprinkles.....
a garland of wooden fall leaves and silk leaves......thanks for visiting with me.....God Bless.....Betty