Potpourri

It's Friday.

Another week has flown by.

My Christmas trees are still up, but the outdoor decorations are put away.

I spent a lot of time making sure outdoor pipes were ready for our hard freeze.

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Now that the temps are on the rise, the rain is here and a drip has arrived, too.
This one is in the fireplace.
I have a call in to the roofer.

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I LOVE mail-call.

Information for the Liberate Your Art Swap for 2014 is up.
I participated last year and I'm going to do so again this year.
Last year I handmade my postcards.
They were all different images.
In theory we should hear from those who receive our cards.
I only heard from two.
So, this year I made my postcards at Moo -- they did a wonderful job.
And, only one image.
I'm ready to go as soon as the postcard rates change and the stamps are available.

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Another reproduction vintage postcard featuring a snowman.
I'm getting the idea that the postcard theme for the month is Snowmen! 

The artist is unknown as is the publishing date.

I really like this one.

You think the little girl and the birds are looking forward to spring?

Thanks to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday each week.

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For all you purple lovers.

Did you know the Pantone color of the year for 2014 is Radiant Orchid?

Thanks to Nancy for hosting.

Wishing you well and much joy!

What a pair!

There's nothing like being comfy and cozy.

I have small feet -- which can be a blessing and a curse.

I found these cute slipper socks 

(the ones with the little bumps on the bottom to keep you from slipping)

at Tuesday Morning. They are kids socks and they fit perfectly.

It really is the little things that bring such pleasure and smiles!

Comfy and cozy -- what a pair!

Thank you to Kim for hosting Little Things Thursdays.

Wishing you well and much joy!

It's Monday!

It's Monday and What Are You Reading?

I finished two books that really went well together.

One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit that the older I get the more interested I seem to be in history. ONE SUMMER, AMERICA 1927 was interesting and entertaining. Easy to read until the last several chapters that seemed to drag a bit. 1927 was very busy -- Lindberg's flight probably the most exciting event. There were massive floods along the Mississippi and Hoover was put in charge of arranging help for the victims. He was quite a guy, not very likable, but great at organization (as long as he got the rewards). In Bryson's words "Hoover was also extremely intolerant of anything that seemed likely to diminish his eminence." There was Alvin Kelly who was a well known flag sitter -- an occupation that was sure to incite the onlookers. Radio broadcasting. Newspapers and tabloids. The very beginnings of television. Talking movies. Buildings that got taller and taller and cities got larger as the workers poured in. Babe Ruth hits 60 homeruns. The bombing of an elementary school. A secret meeting held at a Long Island estate that would lead to lowering of interest rates and the crash of 1929. Mount Rushmore. .Sacco and Vanzetti. Prohibition. Al Capone. Henry Ford (what a crackpot). And on and on. What a ride!



The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I finished Bill Bryson's ONE SUMMER: AMERICA, 1927, I was left with a desire to read more about the Lindbergs. I knew of Lindberg's flight, alone, across the Atlantic and Anne's success as a writer before reading Bryson's book, but very little else. When I found THE AVIATOR'S WIFE at Half-Price books, I grabbed it and continued my journey with the Lindbergs. I thought the two books were quite complimentary. Author Benjamin is careful to state in her afterwords where she took liberties and she took very few. The historical facts are all there. Benjamin added the emotion. Shy, thoughtful, Anne finds out just how strong a woman she is by marrying the American hero, Charles Lindberg. From learning to fly and setting a few records on her own, to flying with him, the kidnapping, the constant interference in their lives by the media -- what an interesting ride. I don't give 5 stars to books as I don't think anything is perfect, but I came close with this one. A very very enjoyable read.

View all my reviews

What are you reading?

Wishing you well and much joy.

Happy New Year!

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If you like postcard swaps --
it's time to sign-up over at June's ... A Creative Dreamer.

It's warmer in Anchorage, Alaska than it is in Houston, Texas.
Who would have thought????!!!!!

Chasing Sun Puddles

Sunlit Sunday is back for its third season.
The link-up was started in 2011 to help add a little sunshine to what can be
a rather grey period from January through March.

Today Teddy and Mina are chasing sun puddles.

Wishing you well and much joy.

Stay warm!

Potpourri

Happy New Year!

I'm still trying to figure out where 2013 went.

Yes, my Christmas tree(s) is still up and will be until at least January 6.


It's so nice to have Nancy back with Random Five.

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One of the things I look forward to over the holidays is lunch.

Lunch, you ask?!!

Yep, I have lunch with my friends --
 folks that this year I will make an effort to see more often.

(Resolution Number One and maybe my only one.)

One never knows what will happen at lunch.

It can become an adventure.

Like firetrucks and ambulances and driving down and around streets

 I had never heard of to get out of the traffic jam.

Pulling into someone's driveway to call my pal
 and say "Guess what -- the restaurant is closed".

We did get our lunch.

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This was the year that I rediscovered watercolor.
What fun!
Here are a couple of my favorites.

This is Hastings. I made him up. Perhaps I'm looking for him in the real world!

This doesn't have a title. I did frame it for myself.

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Last year, after discovering a box of crafty goodies that were my Mother's,

I said I was going to "get these things made instead of buying new projects".

The box is still on my list of things to do and I bought new projects.

I'm not good at resolutions.

I read something in an AARP email that made a lot of sense to me.

Rather than resolving to change myself, 

why not embrace myself.

Embrace my age, love my shape, my looks, everything about the way I am now.

The essence of positive aging.

And yes, I'll try to live healthier.

Perhaps I now have a word for the year: Embrace! 

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To all my friends who are living with snow and ice (UGH),

here's a vintage reproduction postcard for you.

The original artist is unknown, 

but it is believed the card was published around 1912.

I'd like to believe these young fellows are wishing us a happy start to the young new year.

Thank you to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

Wishing you well and much joy!