Tannenbaum

Oh Christmas Tree,

Oh Christmas Tree,

How lovely are thy branches...

Are you like us and have

the annual argument of 

Real or Fake?

Every year I argue for my 

perfectly shaped and 

(yes, I'll admit) unrealistically 

tall and skinny (like a run-way model)

artificial (made-in-china) Christmas tree.

HE argues for the first  

poor excuse for a Christmas tree

he can find from the cheapest place in town...

yes, I married Charlie Brown!

Oh, it's not much of an argument...

more like a fun contest....

after Thanksgiving, the first one to present

their tree to the front door

is the winner.

This year Sall won with his 

REAL tree.

Now, don't get me wrong, I do love 

a real tree and that wonderful balsam scent...

I just want to live in the mountains

where I can go cut my own tree!!

If I lived in Wisconsin I'd head for

St.Croix Valley Trees (where I found this next image)

doesn't it remind you of 

something you'd see on a Christmas card?

Mmmm, I can smell the pine from here....

I would just love to bundle up

and go to Uncle Vern's for a tree...

hitch up the wagon,

let's find us a tree Pa!

We are about 300 miles from the forest

and that's a long way to drag a Christmas tree....

Sall opted for the store bought kind.

And I don't know how he managed it, 

but he actually picked out a very nice Douglas fir!

I think the conversation at the check out counter

lasted longer than the tree inspection,

but what can I say?

Our tree is lovely, adorned with

multi-colored lights and ornaments of red and gold...

So, what kind of tree do you have this year?

Do you have to piece it together,

or do you hunt one down

and haul it to the house

on a sleigh?

Boxed or Fresh-cut,

I'd love to hear about

your Christmas tree!

Hope you're enjoying a wonderful

Holiday Season!

Thanks for stopping by,

Lisa

We Believe

What a busy time of year

this is for Santa Claus!

Right about now he's staying up

all night checking his list

and checking it twice....

I hope I'm on his list??

I hope he sees the sign in my kitchen

that says we believe in Santa Claus....

This year I hung it up high and put

a light on it so he can see it at night time too!

Hint,Hint, it's in the kitchen where the cookies will be!

He doesnt' have to leave anything big or expensive....

Just so he stops by to leave a surprise!

And seeing my collection of Santas 

would give him some pride!

Our chimney is open dear Santa.

Rest up, and safe travels this year!!!

Please stop by Common Ground today,

you'll find 100's of great vintage blogspots

for Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday

then hop over to LaurieAnna's Vintage Home

for Farmhouse Friday

lose yourself in some fun for awhile!!

       Lisa

A Winter Birthday

It was a chilly,

Frosty,

icy day outside....

preparations for a birthday 

party were underway,

and the guest of honor was too chicken

to go anywhere!!

Food was ready, house clean,

decorations are up...

"OH, WHAT TO DO?"

 I put on my chauffeur hat 

and drove to town to pick 

up the birthday girl.

(I cancelled last year's party on this day,

I wasn't about to let it happen again this year!)

At 1:30 the girls

were gathered and the

birthday lunch went on!

There were flowers for the table...

our local florist put this together 

for me while I rushed to town.

This special occasion deserved flowers,

and Baker's Designs came through beautifully!

Grandma Bertha's china came out of the cupboard,

and Grandma Erden's silverware and ruby red goblets too!

I switched out tables for the holidays...

this round table (a gift from Joyce K.) gives 

our Christmas tree a little more room...

and it gives me a chance to use the linen and crocheted 

tablecloth I've been saving forever in a cedar chest.

                                                   A special touch here...

                                             A special touch there....

All to honor one 

Special Lady...

That's MY MOM!

For almost 60 years, December 13th (mom's birthday)

has been THE day to put up the Christmas tree and 

start decorating for the holidays....

I'm glad that tradition

was lost a long time ago!

Celebrating Mom's birthday with all the trimmings

is one tradition that will stay forever!!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Lisa

P.S.  Sharing this post with some linky parties...

please check out:

Marty's Tabletop Tuesday

Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday

Elna Sudden for Wednesday Show Off

The Charm of Home's Home Sweet Home

Common Ground's Vintage Inspiration Friday

It's Getting Nippy Here

Jack Frost 

is

Nipping

at

my 

Silo....

Our halls are decked 

with mid-century Christmas decor,

the boughs of holly

are actually 

artificial greens made in China...

for every strand of lights that worked

I threw out two!

My Christmas decorations

could use some up-dating

but, 

they still make the

house comforting,

joyful,

and 

Christmasy!

Hope your Halls are Decked

with Peace, Love, and Joy

this Christmas and all through the year!!!

Lisa

Something

Something New...

Something Old...

Something Borrowed....

and Something Cold....

A NEW mosaic for Mary 

at Little Red House.

My very first Santa I painted...

very OLD.

I BORROWED this image from

a new site I just found:

 Mitzi's Miscellany

check it out for some fun vintage crafting ideas!!

and Finally....

We've been enjoying some 

unseasonably warm weather,

but the sparrows in the barn

have been busy gathering 

and nesting for those COLD winter nights!

"Poor little birds, hanging on for survival

on the South Dakota prairie!,

The least they deserve is top

billing on our blog for awhile!!

Stay warm friends!

Lisa

Thank you to Andrea at Everyday Beauty

for a vintage ornament image used in my collage

http://velvetstrawberries.typepad.com/andreasingarella/

another lovely site to check out in your free time!

A Thankful Revue Of Fall

For having such beautiful weather this fall,

I am thankful...

For having such bad luck this fall,

I am not!

It seemed like it was always something bad happening

and we just couldn't shake it...

hence my "Fall Funk"

I had an eerie feeling when all those hawks 

were gathered together early October....

It's rare you see so many hawks bunched up like this,

we didn't know what to make of it???

They were everywhere we looked

in a half mile stretch....

It was very creepy

and 

I didn't stand outside the truck very long

to get these photos!

The weather stayed gorgeous all month....

windy, but gorgeous!

The wind cleared the leaves from the trees

a little quicker this year,

but the green and golds stayed

evident well into November....

Only a few days had passed after the massive hawk flock sighting

when I got a call from my mother telling me she had fallen!

"I'm all right now" she tells. "The police were driving by and 

heard me hollering for help"

OMG!

She was lucky with

only a bruised face a twisted pinky,

and broken glasses!

I'm thankful it wasn't worse!!

With new glasses ordered and Mom on the mend...

a few days later and my hubby storms

in the house ordering to call the sheriff!

"Huh?" I utter...

He tells me his truck is toast and it needs

to be reported....

I look out the door and to my dismay

this is what I see...

Sure enough...the truck is toast!

He briefly tells me the summarized version

of what happened and we're off to see the sheriff.

He was hit from behind on the gravel road

and both drivers managed to walk away...

(which to me looked like a miracle!)

After the shock of the accident wore off

we were both grateful for the outcome

for 

once again....

It could've been worse!

These are the main incidents 

why I've not been blogging these days...

Sall will be fine, but the recuperation

process has been long and rather depressing.

Meanwhile hunting season is passing us by,

and even Max is depressed

with nobody to retrieve for!

At least we have all been able to enjoy

some good walks around the yard and time together...

Life is just full of surprises

and I guess if you're not prepared for them

you better expect to (at best) roll with them

or you'll go down...

Now, after some down time,

I'm ready to greet the holiday season

standing tall and full of cheer.

No more bad luck here!

I'm armed with mistletoe and 

spiked egg nog!

Andy Williams is on my record player

singing "It's the Most Wonderful Time of  the Year"

and

(as soon as I'm over this cold)

I'll be singing too! 

"You cannot do a kindness too soon

because you never know how soon it will be too late"

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Some people are always grumbling

because roses have thorns;

I am thankful

that thorns have roses."

                                    --Alphonse Karr

May your spirits be uplifted as your presence

uplifts mine...

I've missed you!

Lisa.

A Very Special Tribute

I knew it on my second date...

{it was ten years ago when my now husband took me

to visit his mom}

 "this was one special lady!!"

She gave me a warm hug and I fell in love with 

both, her and her son!

They've always shared a special bond...

that day I noticed it right away!

Both are gracious and kind,

friendly and spirited...

their conversations went from old times 

to the current state of affairs. Yes, the conversation might 

get a little spirited, politics and religion (they covered it all)

 but, never an unkind word!

They would laugh and share like they were old friends

and I could sit and watch it for hours...

It warmed my heart to see a mother and son

get along so well!

This was some kinda woman....

after all of life's cruelties (divorce, deaths, and poverty)

she raised her children with integrity!

Her will and spirit drove her...

her faith guided her....

Now her life has ended 

and those that she touched (myself especially) feel so BLESSED!

The last time she was at our house...

her mind was deteriorating slowly but, her long term memory was ALL there...

She loved going through the old pictures and 

reminiscing!! 

I wish I could've known her longer...

I so enjoyed her stay with us shortly before

she moved to the nursing home!

One of my proudest moments was seeing

that twinkle in her eyes after a few rounds of UNO!

Teaching UNO to an avid bridge player is no easy task,

I'll have you know!

"I ONLY play bridge", she would tell me!  

Then after a few rounds of stomping me, she

admitted it was a fun game.

It was a real honor knowing you, Erden!

May God and all of Heaven's Angels welcome

you with open arms, just as you did me 10 years ago!

I will miss you dearly sweet lady!

In honor of the best Mother-in-law

a girl could ever ask for!

Love,

Lisa.