Cooked Computer

Hi friends,
I am popping in (on borrowed time from someone else's computer) to let you know that my poor computer crashed several days ago and I am without. As soon as the hard-drive is replaced, I will be back posting. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying early fall and nearly September! Blessings!

Sunshine Hill

At the beginning of summer I planned to use my other blog, 'Sunshine Hill', as a place to show and tell about different projects I was doing with my grandchildren while they were here for day care each day. We were off to a good start, but the days got busy for them and it seemed I rarely had them all here at the same time. That, along with school being just around the corner, I have decided to use 'Sunshine Hill' in a different way.

I have always looked on the bright side of life and dearly love words of inspiration from daily calendars I have, stacks of books on my shelves, and any other sources I can find. I would love to share words of encouragement with you, thus the new idea for 'Sunshine Hill'!

I will post a little thought nearly every day and hope you will feel welcome (in a sunny warm way) to come by for a visit any time!

Blessings,
Janice

Early Fall

Here are a few photos showing signs of early fall around our property. The two top pictures are of some flowers I recently added in to my wildlife garden (these attract butterflies). The next pictures are of a turning Sweet Gum leaf, and a Virginia Creeper vine soon to host all red leaves. The last two are of slightly darkening concord grapes and the now ripe sweet seedless green grapes. How are things looking in your garden?

Inspirational Blogger Award

I am so amazed! Sue, at Country Pleasures, has included me as one of five to receive the 'Inspirational Blogger Award' from her. Thank you, Sue! I feel so honored! These awards are new to me and to receive two of them in just a few days is such a surprise!

The last award I received (Nice Matters) went to everyone on my list of favorites. You are all SO very nice! I also feel each of you are an inspiration to me! This time, however, I will try to play by the rules (giggle) and choose five bloggers who are especially inspirational in my life. Here are the ones I've chosen:

Sandra at Ravenhill Cottage:
Sandra's blog is amazing! She shares thoughts of living a simple, but rich and full life surrounded by beauty. Many of her blog entries are of a Victorian nature. Reading her blog always feels like a breath of fresh air to me and I leave feeling refreshed and excited with new ideas on keeping my home and life lovely in every way possible. Thank you, Sandra!

Heidi at Celebrate The Seasons:
I very much enjoy Heidi's photos of nature, often with poetry and meaningful thoughts included. I enjoy her recipes and reading about projects going on in home and garden. When I see her photos, I quite often feel like she has the same 'eye' for seeing things that I do, and that our thoughts often go in the same direction on topics she presents, therefore I feel a 'kindredspiritship' with her! Thank you, Heidi!

Possum at My Little Corner Of The World:
Gardening is the word here! It's a pleasure to visit Possum's garden, learn about flowers, be a part of her various projects, see the variety of wild birds on her feeder (and maybe a squirrel or two) and get to know her cats! If you stay long enough, you may just get some education about possums, too! :o) Thank you, Possum!

Dot at Strolling Through Georgia:
Dot's blog is enjoyable and very educational, all in one! I may never get to travel through Georgia in person, but I may know more about that wonderful state than most people who do drive through it will. :o) Her blog is down to earth and friendly, giving me a very good impression of the wonderful folks who live there. Thank you, Dot, for letting me stroll through Georgia at your side!

Merle at Third Try:
Merle's blog is one-of-a-kind, and you won't leave there without a big smile on your face! She shares about her family and those important in her life, and always includes many short stories and light-hearted jokes to uplift your day. Most of her quips and quotes are humorous, and many pack quite a punch of meaning!
Thank you, Merle, for giving me smiles and much to think about!

These are the five I have chosen as inspirational bloggers in my life. Thank you each for the enjoyment I have in visiting your little parts of the world! If you would like to continue passing this award along, please post about it on your blog and choose five people you would like to have receive it.

With that said, I want to let ALL of my blogger friends, that ALL of you are an inspiration to me in more ways than you will ever know, and I thank you for that!

Blessings,
Janice

Friday Chit Chat

Good Morning, Friends!

I hope you are all doing very well! I'm getting behind on my blog-visiting, but hope to stop by to see each of you soon!

For those of you who have asked about my daughter and new granddaughter, they are both doing very well, thank you! Baby has gained 4 oz. and turned 2 weeks old yesterday. She's starting to look around wide-eyed when we talk to her and is really taking notice of her surroundings. So sweet!

Yesterday our oldest daughter, Season, turned 32. We had a full house for dinner last night, with the menu being: Grilled hamburgers with all the trimmings, oven fries, cantelope, fresh strawberry pie and peanut butter pie. The peanut butter pie is a no-bake and one of those quick and easy treats that tastes like you've really been busy in the kitchen. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup milk
1 container (16 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 9-inch prepared graham cracker pie shells

Beat together cream cheese and confectioners sugar. Mix in peanut butter and milk. Beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into pie shells; cover and freeze until firm. Enjoy!

For gifts, we gave our daughter season #2 of one of her favorite British T.V. series (Dr. Who), a red purse (she's addicted to purses), a wooden desk top secretary to keep her writing supplies in, and a note from me to take her out to see the movie 'Becoming Jane', which is coming soon in theatres. We are both looking forward to this story of Jane Austen's life.

We got a new refrigerator yesterday. It's a Whirlpool stainless steel with fridge on top and pull-out drawer freezer on the bottom. I thought we would never get it! It was supposed to be delivered last Saturday, the 4th. We got a call that very morning saying the truck was on it's way, stopped by a weigh station, the load was too heavy and due to unloading etc...it could not be delivered that day. We were assured it would be down to the store on Monday and delivered to our house on Tuesday. It didn't arrive Tuesday so I called the store and was told that the person who told us Tuesday made a mistake and it would be here Wednesday. It didn't happen on Wednesday morning, so I called and the manager said it would be there in the afternoon. It did not come! By this time my dh was getting quite upset and ready to cancel the order. He called them himself and found out our fridge had not been loaded on the truck and said it would be Thursday (yesterday) for sure. Finally it arrived late morning yesterday. What an ordeal! And this was from a very well known home improvement store! Obviously there are some problems in the appliance management area of this store. Anyway, I love my new toy and have had fun filling it up!

The mornings are getting quite crispy and cold. I had to shut the windows this morning, put a long-sleeved shirt on and even socks on my feet....brrrrr! Fall is here already. I LOVE it!

We decided to move our fish (we have a few koi) down closer to the house so we can enjoy them on the patio. We dug out a pond site where a small tree was growing (the tree got moved) and where we had some rocks stacked. It's going to be an unusual shape and quite beautiful when my dh uses his creative talents on designing it. Hopefully within a week or two we will be finished. At that time I will share some 'before and after' photos.

I have cut back my caregiving for the elderly man I work for, to three mornings a week, instead of five. I just need a little more time at home. It seems if I'm not home in the mornings getting things done, I have a hard time getting at projects in the afternoon. Is anyone else like that?

Speaking of Bill....I need to leave for his house in about 40 minutes, so will end this chit chat for now.

Blessings to each of you for a wonderful weekend!

Nice Matters

I just found out that Heidi, from 'Celebrate the Seasons', chose me as one of seven friends to receive the NICE MATTERS blog award. I am so touched and honored by this...it was a real surprise to me! Thank you, Heidi! Your blog has been a real blessing and inspiration to me and I am so glad we met!

While the tradition of this is for me to now pick seven friends to receive this award, I am going to graciously do things a little differently. Instead, I choose each of you on my blog list of 'Lovely Places to Visit'. Consider yourselves hand-picked for this award. Thank you each for providing a place of inspiration for me to visit often, and being a dear friend.

Many Blessings!

Janice

Thank you!

Thank you, my friends, for all the good wishes and sweet words about the birth of my new granddaughter. She is doing very well, and somehow getting more beautiful with each day! Babies are such a blessing from God!

Poppy's mommy (our middle daughter) had complications on Monday and ended up in the hospital for two days, so of course baby had to go stay there too, to be with her. She didn't seem to mind a bit that she had a little hospital adventure. They are back home now and our daughter is doing better and gaining strength slowly. I've been helping out as much as I can, which means I'm holding baby a lot! (smile)

Again, thank you sharing in our excitement! Blessings to each of you!

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady - August

Fairest of months! ripe Summer's Queen

The hey-day of the year

With robes that gleam with sunny sheen,

Sweet August doth appear!

(R. Combe Miller)

The moor-cock springs on whirring wings

Among the blooming heather,

Come, let us stray our gladsome way

And view the charms of Nature,

The rustling corn; the fruited thorn

And every happy creature.
(Burns)