Everyday Images on a July Monday

Trying something a little different today and linking with Kym (A Fresh Cup of Coffee) and her Everyday Images blog hop. She posts a list of photo prompts every two weeks and leaves the party open until the next link rolls around. 

I'm also joining Holly and Sarah for their Hello Monday hop since today's photos are a reflection of my weekend activity. 

I want to take more pictures...better pictures. I have a crummy phone camera, and think I want a 'real' camera for my birthday this year. About fifteen years ago my hubs bought me a nice Canon. He bought it from our local camera shop and the owner of the shop gave me several lessons in how to use it. So helpful. The Canon needs a repair that is costly so buying a new camera makes more sense. My birthday isn't until September, so for now a phone camera it is. 

I looked at the most recent prompts Kym posted, and tried this weekend to snap some pictures when one of the words came to mind. Here are the most recent prompts-

doorway • on my plate • on the road • glowing • hills • community 

Doorway-

Hubs and I made a drive to pick peaches at a country orchard on Saturday morning.

Besides the fruit trees there's also a cute shop...

...a cafe with patio seating, a distillery, wedding reception space, and a view that literally takes your breath away-

The doorway pictured above takes you to the covered patio dining space. When you cross the patio you'll see the orchard which is where these beauties can be found-

on my plate: After the peach picking we drove a couple of miles up the road to a well known, but very much off the beaten path, pizza restaurant. It's a hot spot for hikers and kayakers coming off the nearby trails and river. We arrived close to noon and it wasn't busy, but I know it gets really busy as the day goes on. 

Hubs and I shared what they call their Chattooga White Pizza which is named for the river, and is made with a pesto base, spinach, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, and feta. Hubs is normally not a big fan of feta, but the guy behind the counter said it was his favorite pizza so that's what we ordered. The feta was not overwhelming at all and the pizza was delicious and perfectly cooked. Hubs loved it too. 

In keeping with the prompt we went next door and walked through this bright yellow entrance for ice cream... 

We sat outside and shared one scoop of peach and one of banana, both were yummy. 

on the road: my favorite summertime drive-

glowing: Sunday morning sunshine sets the lake aglow-

hills-technically they're mountains but close enough. More specifically The Blue Ridge and the farm we visited on Saturday offers you a 270-degree view. Didn't measure it myself but I trust their website. 

community: we went to church Sunday morning which is community of the best kind, but no photo. After church we changed clothes and took the boat to meet up with friends for a float in a nearby cove. It was a scorcher of a day so the water felt wonderful. I didn't capture the whole group, but I was trying not to break my other ankle lol. 

Lake people are also our people. 

This little photo challenge was fun. The prompts helped make me mindful of what I was seeing all around me and that's one reason I love blogging. If you'd like to participate visit Kym's blog (A Fresh Cup of Coffee) for the prompts, which are updated every two weeks. 

And if you want to chat about your weekend visit Holly and Sarah and add your recap there. Happy Monday everyone! 

Questions for the Wednesday Hodgepodge-Vol 58

I've more or less dropped the ball on the photo challenge but will hopefully get back in gear later this week. And I was going to post my Christmas card photo over at Kimberly's Korner yesterday, but my computer ran out of black ink just before we left town so I wasn't able to scan the card.

Left town?

Yes indeed we did go out of town the weekend before Christmas. You're not really surprised are you? What that means is I now (still?) have loads of catching up to do both here and in real life, but especially in real life so for now I'm going to post this week's questions and move along. Come back tomorrow to link answers with all of Santa's helpers-

1. Are you cooking Christmas dinner? How many will be round your table this year? What are we having?

2. What is one must-have Christmas cookie in your house?

3. Santa likes a glass of milk with his cookies. Do you? What kind of milk is on tap at your house-skim? almond? soy? full fat (Gasp!)

4. Time magazine recently named their 'Person of the Year' for 2011. This is the person the editors believe had the greatest impact, for better or worse, in the past year. This year they chose 'The Protester'. Your thoughts? Who would you name Person of the Year for 2011?

5. December 21st is National Flashlight Day... when was the last time you needed a flashlight and did you know right where to find one?

6. candy canes...yum or yuck?

7. What Christmas carol lyric means the most to you?

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Ring the Bells

I'm happy I joined in the December photo challenge over at Susan's blog. My brain is swimming these days and the photo prompt gives me a jumping off place for a blog post. Today's prompt is 'silver bells' and instead of a photograph I'm sharing a video. If you've never heard Casting Crowns version of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day then you've missed something beautiful.

The words to this old hymn were originally a poem written by Longfellow following a serious injury to his son and the tragic death of his wife. As the story goes, the Civil War had started and that, combined with his personal tragedies, made him wonder if he'd ever know peace again. On Christmas Eve, 1863 he sat down to write a poem. As he listened to the bells ringing over and over again he recognized that God isn't dead, that as long as there is Christmas there is the promise of new life. You can read more about the history of the carol here.

I love the old hymns and in general don't like them messed with but this is one I think has been made better by a haunting melody and Casting Crowns beautiful clear sound.

Dashing thru the Wednesday Hodgepodge-Volume 57

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge...so glad you took the time to play along today. Be sure to add your link at the bottom of my post and in the spirit of Christmas go visit your neighbors and leave some comment love. Here are my answers-

1. Do you put Christmas decorations in every room of your house? If not, what rooms do you decorate?

We have some sort of decoration in most rooms of our house but I keep things pretty simple. The family room, dining room, kitchen, and sunroom are the main rooms decorated, and since I have a lot of house guests in December I usually add small touches to the bedrooms and bathrooms too.

2. If you could visit one of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) which one would you choose and why?

All of the above. Okay, I know that's not a choice but these are all countries I want to visit. Hubs has been to all of them but Iceland and even went ice diving inside the Arctic circle on a trip to Finland. I stayed at home and prayed he didn't have a heart attack because someone had to.

You sit in a steamy sauna then walk out to the ice in your birthday suit and then drop down into frigid water through a hole cut into the ice.

I guess if I must choose I'm going with Sweden because we have friends who live there. Or Norway for its stunning scenery.

3. What does the word faith mean to you?

I think all of us exercise faith in a multitude of ways on a daily basis and have been doing so pretty much since the day we were born. I could insert examples such as air travel, the brakes on my car, or the surgeon preparing to operate. For me though, the heart of faith is best summed up by one verse in the book of Hebrews (1:11)

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

It's been a tough few months around here as we have watched my niece battle cancer. I cannot imagine walking that road without faith. Faith is what allows us to find joy amid life's trials. To know peace when there is suffering. To feel hope for tomorrow.

4. You can go back to your childhood for one day...what day and age would you choose?

I'm going to pick a day that my siblings and I all remember. I was in the fourth grade and my dad had come home that fall after spending a year+ in Vietnam. Sometime later in that school year my sisters and brother and I were picked up early from class (which never happened) and my parents took us to Philadelphia to see the Ringling Brothers circus.

I guess in today's world that doesn't sound like such a big deal but in 1969 it was huge. My dad didn't throw money around and one of the things that stands out to all of us about that day is the way my dad seemed to love buying us anything we wanted. Snow cones, popcorn, cotton candy...these were all big treats to us and he just kept them coming. I think we all remember this day though, not for what we got, but for how we felt. My dad was a Marine and kept his emotions close to the vest most of the time. On this day he wore his heart on his sleeve.

5. When did you last have 'punch'? If its not too much trouble share your favorite punch recipe.

Probably last Christmas although there was a punch served at the party we attended on Friday. I'm not sure what was in it but it had cranberries floating as a garnish and they were so pretty. We always have punch on Christmas afternoon while we're snacking on appetizers. It's so simple and delicious:

one large can of pineapple juice

one jar of cranberry juice

one 2-liter bottle of 7-up

Combine and serve. I usually make an ice ring to keep it cold but regular ole ice cubes work too.

I saw a recipe on Pinterest for something called Grinch punch that I want to try on Christmas Eve...it looks so pretty and is the color of the Grinch. Click here to find the recipe.

6. Do you fill stockings at your house? Are stockings opened before or after the bigger gifts?

Everyone in my family would agree that stockings are our favorite part of Christmas morning. We fill them to overflowing and a few gifts always spill over into your chair too. There is always a tangerine (clementine) in the toe because there just is. Up until about 15 years ago my mom still filled stockings for her four grown married children and their spouses but in more recent years we each buy a stocking stuffer for our siblings and then the four siblings fill my mom's stocking.

As far as when they are opened, in our house it's definitely before the bigger gifts. We have our Christmas morning routine down pat and we do not deviate from that routine. Ever. I hope my future sons in law are reading this.

7. What takes your breath away?

When my daughters say something deep and wise, when they see a need and act on that need. I feel a rush of pride and amazement, not that they are smart and compassionate, but just that they are so grown up and thoughtful and see the world in a way that I admire.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm using this space today to post my picture for the December photo challenge. Today's prompt is 'decked hall'...

Fa la la la la.

Dasher and Dancer and Hodgepodge Questions-Vol 57

I'm going to be clever and incorporate my picture for today's photo challenge into this week's Hodgepodge questions. Today's prompt is 'reindeer' and I had to search high and low to find one around here.

This pretty little Villeroy and Boch ceramic box was a hostess gift from a friend in the UK. At Christmas time I set it beside the sink in Daughter2's bathroom because its proportions fit there and its coloring matches my paint.

What does that have to do with this week's Hodgepodge? See question #1. And then answer question # 1 and all the rest of them too and don't forget to come back tomorrow so we can all link up for a holiday Hodgepodge party.

1. Do you put Christmas decorations in every room of your house? If not every room, what rooms do you decorate?

2. If you could visit one of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) which one would you choose and why?

3. What does the word faith mean to you?

4. You can go back to your childhood for one day...what day and age would you choose?

5. When did you last have 'punch'? If it's not too much trouble share your favorite punch recipe.

6. Do you fill stockings at your house? Are stockings opened before or after the bigger gifts?

7. What takes your breath away?

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Away in a Manger

For the past several Decembers I've traveled with a group of friends to Christmas markets in one charming German city after another.

The market stalls are loaded with vendors selling amazing food, jewelry, scarves and, my personal favorite, beautiful handcrafted Christmas decorations. There are so many choices it's hard to know what to buy. Occasionally our decisions were based on luggage space which is sad but true.

I have brightly colored nutcrackers, delicate glass ornaments, a small hand carved nativity and, one of my very favorite souvenirs, a German pyramid. The pyramids come in several different sizes but mine is four-tiered with six candles around the bottom tier. When you light the candles the paddles on top of the pyramid slowly turn.

I chose this pyramid because it held all the pieces of the nativity story. In the center of the bottom tier you'll find Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus in the manger. All around this scene are the intricately carved camels and kings.

The two middle tiers feature shepherds and their teeny tiny sheep...

And on top of it all is where you'll see the sweet choir of angels...

I can almost hear them singing.

"And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." Luke 2:7 (NIV)

This post is linked to the December photo challenge hosted by Susan...today's prompt-Away in a Manger.

Grandma Got Run Over by the Hodgepodge-Volume 56

Gosh Wednesdays roll around quicker and more often in December don't they? If you are ducking some holiday chore like baking or wrapping or cleaning then welcome! And if you're one of those super organized, plan ahead, never procrastinate, have Christmas shopping done in September types, well I guess you're welcome too. Actually everyone is welcome in the Wednesday Hodgepodge...here are my answers to this week's questions-

1. Will you be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December? Does that thought make you happy or crazy? Do you do anything special to make your house guests feel welcome? How long should a guest stay?

Will I be hosting any house guests? Do you know us? We pretty much have a steady stream of house guests around here and for the most part that makes me happy. We enjoy having company and most of our visitors are not here for more than an overnight or a weekend. Hubs brother and sister in law were here last night on their journey south and on Friday night we have three or maybe four or possibly six of hubs co-workers spending the night. We're all attending a Christmas party in our neck of the woods which, as the hubs likes to say, is just south of Canada, and since these co-workers all live closer to the big city it makes sense for them to spend the night here. We're hosting my side of the family for Christmas this year so thirteen relatives of various ages, sizes, and temperaments will be here for two, three, or four days beginning December 24th.

As far as making things special...I like to put a little gift bag in their room or at least water and a snack. I make one nice big breakfast and we usually get bagels from The Best Bagel Shop in NJ (literally!)...

Mostly I try to relax so my guests feel like they can do the same.

How long should they stay? I think I'll plead the 5th since potential house guests read my blog and I don't want anyone to feel like they're not welcome to stay as long as they like. They're not but I like them to feel like they are.

2. Walter Elias Disney was born this week back in (Dec 5) 1905...what's your all time favorite Disney movie? Here's a list in case you're struggling...and yes, you have to pick one.

Y'all know I'm not good with the whole 'one' thing, right?

I'm going with The Parent Trap.

3. What's the last thing you purchased that you realized was a mistake after the fact?

I had trouble with this one. I'm not really an impulse shopper and I think buyers remorse is usually associated with impulse shopping. Four houses ago we purchased a couch and love seat that was just eh once we got it in the house. We lived with them for several years anyway.

4. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online?

Hmmm...more than 50% but less than 90%...math was never my thing.

5. Amaryllis...snowdrop...poinsettia...your favorite winter blossom?

Snowdrops...we had the sweetest little bed of snowdrops off the patio in our UK house...the weather could be a bit dreary there in the winter and these precious little flowers would bloom wildly in spite of that. Seeing the snowdrops pop open meant spring was not so far away. I don't have a photo but you can click here if you've never seen a snowdrop.

6. What is one thing on your personal wish list this year? I think we all want peace on earth so let's make this an actual item.

I want a new ski jacket but hubs informed me that was no fun and I should just go buy one for myself and he'll come up with his own surprise. I would love a fancy camera. Not too fancy because we all know technology isn't really my friend, but one that allows me to zoom without the picture going all blurry would be nice.

7. If you could only use one word today what would it be?

Hope...that word has become our theme song around here since August.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Using the random space today for my Day 7 photo challenge picture...today's prompt is 'wreath with a red bow'...

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register." Luke 2:1-3 (NIV)

Candy canes, cocoa, and questions of course

Before I post the questions for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge (because who has nothing else to do besides hang out online??) I'm going to share a fun little gift idea I found guess where? Ha! Pinterest of course, home to a gillion great ideas.

I have overnight house guests arriving tonite and even though we're family (or maybe especially because we're family) I wanted to make a little gift bag filled with Christmas cheer. We won't see this particular branch of the family tree over Christmas so I put a couple of little goodies into a bag and also added a couple of homemade items.

One is a cute Snowman canister full of granola. You'll find the recipe here and I'm seriously addicted. It is di-vine! The other homemade item is a container of peppermint cocoa mix. So cute if I do say so myself and really simple to put together. You layer the ingredients in a 1-quart clear container, add the directions for serving, and voila-a yummy comforting chocolate treat.

You'll find the recipe here but the layers are powdered milk, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, mini chocolate chips and...get ready for it...today's Photo Challenge Prompt...'a candy cane or five'.

Actually this recipe called for 1/2 cup of crushed peppermint and I had about 20 of the mini candy canes in my pantry so I used those. I put them in a baggie and enthusiastically pounded them with the back of a spoon. Pretty and therapeutic!

Now on to this week's questions...I know everyone is busy but you need a break from the shopping and the wrapping and the baking, right? Here ya go...be sure to come back tomorrow and link answers with all of Santa's elves.

1. Will you be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December? Does that thought make you happy or crazy? Do you do anything special for your guests to make them feel at home? How long should a house guest stay?

2. Walter Elias Disney was born this week (December 5) back in 1905 ...what's your all time favorite Disney movie? Here's a list in case you're struggling...and yes, you have to pick one.

3. What was the last thing you purchased that you realized was a mistake after the fact?

4. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online?

5. Amaryllis-snowdrop-poinsettia...your favorite winter blossom?

6. What is one thing on your personal Christmas wish list? I think we all want peace on earth so let's make this answer an actual item.

7. If you could only use one word today what would it be?

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Sit a Spell

I don't know what it was like at your house this weekend but our place was hoppin'! We seem to be decorating in fits and spurts this year and even though we decorated two trees the weekend after Thanksgiving, the main tree was minus its top until today.

During the month of December I'm participating in Susan's Christmas photo challenge. Yesterday's prompt was 'the Christmas tree' and today's prompt is 'presents wrapped under the tree' which, let me tell you, was a bit of an incentive to get it all together! Okay, maybe not all together but at least the tree bit. I'm still going to cheat a little though, and post a two for one deal because a. there are only so many hours in the day and b. Christmas will be here in three weeks. Three weeks? Wait, it's December?? What happened to November?

Is your tree up? Decorated? Real or artificially beautiful? Glitter and bling or homespun happiness? I think the soft quiet light of a Christmas tree at night would make my list of favorite things.

"You will conceive and give birth to a son and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end."

Luke 1: 31-33 (NIV)

You want lists I got lists...

I'm participating in Susan's December photo challenge which you can read about here. The idea is to take one photo a day between now and Christmas that goes along with each day's word prompt. There are many wonderful photographers out there in the blogosphere, but sadly I am not one of them. I love pictures and I take lots of them, but I'm not a skilled photographer and I don't have a fancy camera. Today's prompt is 'a list'.

I might have a list or ten around here. Lists of menus for the many meals I'll be preparing over the holidays, grocery lists to go with the menu lists, lists of gift ideas, lists of gifts bought, lists of cookies to be baked, a Christmas card list...there's more. I do love me a good list. That being said, when you consider my lame photography skills I don't think taking a picture of all those lists would be very exciting for my readership. Ha.

As opposed to all these words I've written explaining myself. ahem

So here's my list.

In photo form-

I have a luncheon to attend today and I'm bringing a starter. There will be about 50 people at the luncheon and not a lot of oven space so I opted for something cold. These are the ingredients you'll need to prepare mustard-dill tortellini skewers.

Adorable German Baker Smoker is optional.

He needed to be in the picture I think.

Now I could put the actual list of ingredients and the steps to follow written in list form on my blog today but it's easier to direct you to the source-Southern Living. You'll find the recipe here.

I've made this recipe once before in the summertime and it's delicious. I think with its red, white, and green color scheme it works for a Christmas party too.

Hope you check many things off your list(s) this weekend! It's not too late to join the photo challenge... hop over to Susan's blog and add your link.

"But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God." Luke 1:30 (NIV)