Arrived

 

2023 has arrived.  The new year in our part of the world has been unseasonably warm.  Today we were close to 60 degrees.

Quite a change from two weeks ago when we had a blizzard and wind chills of 28 degrees below zero.

Whew how the weather keeps us on our toes!!

  How many of you have made your list of goals for the coming year?  Yes I have written down a few.  One being to do a weekly sketch page.

Another is to read more.  A quiet afternoon browsing the local library shelves last week gave me quite an armful of books.  Looks like this may be a good start.

Kathy at Hummingbird Studio just sent me this lovely New Year's card.  She is always creating something special.  Thinking making a few handmade cards might be one of those things that needs added to my to do list for 2023.

 Last but not least - training Kelsey to be a good companion.  She is still a work in progress but so am I.

Well dear friends praying all of you are having a great start to the New Year.

Would love to hear what plans you are making for 2023.

Hugs

Debbie

 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) 

Cozy Chat

Pull up a comfy chair, grab something hot to drink and lets have a cozy chat about this and that!

I am enjoying Paul Newman's delicious sweet cinnamon spice tea.  No caffeine and no sugar...a perfect drink for a bed time beverage.  My brother gave me a box to sample.  Glad he did.  It is now a favorite of mine.

Hubby caught this lovely pink sky the other morning.  There is something special about sunrise this time of the year.  As the days shorten seeing the day's first light makes one want to savor those sweet early moments.

That butternut squash I shared in a previous post ended up in a moist quick bread. What a good treat and healthy too!😉 

Zinnias and blue forget- me- not flowers continue to bloom into the first days of November.  Ah it is hard to believe there is only two months of 2022 remaining.  

Little Kelsey did very well with her first lesson.  She is already beginning to show better behavior.

 Well friends thank you so much for taking time to stop and chat.  Hope everyone has a cozy start to November.

Hugs

Debbie

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

"Listen"

It has been six months since I chose "listen" as my perfect word.   

It is challenging at times to slow down and take time to focus on being quiet and allow the silence to speak.

Also I have to ask myself am I a good listener of others.  So often in the rush to share thoughts or happenings one misses the words of a friend or a loved one.  

Listening is a skill to be honed.  For myself and perhaps others it is not always easily achieved.

It takes hard work and a true desire to want to hear the heart of another soul. 

As I revisit my perfect word of 2022 am hopeful that in some small way I will have learned to "listen" just a bit better than when the year began.

Schindler

For all of you who chose a "perfect word", how are you seeing it manifesting in your life?

Take care dear friends and have a lovely week.

Hugs 

Debbie

P.S. Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers regarding Shelby.  She is still with us and we are grateful.       

   

 "Let the wise listen and add to their learning..." Prov. 1:5 (NIV)

  

Sweet Shelby

Our sweet Shelby has been diagnosed with kidney failure.  She has been losing weight and not her usual perky self. 

Our vet thought she might be diabetic and did blood work.

Unfortunately it is her kidneys and there is nothing that can be done.

This is quite common in aging German Shepherds.

God brought Shelby to us in the winter of 2013.  You can read about her arrival under the archive Feb. 20 of that year.

As she grew so did our love.  Nine years of  this dog's constant presence through life's happenings seems too short.

How long she will be here is not known.  For now she takes daily walks, sleeps with us and barks at Schindler when he gets too close to her food.

Every day we have her companionship is a gift.  

Thank you friends for allowing me to share what is on my heart today.

God Bless

Debbie

"Give thanks in all circumstances."  1 Thess. 5:18 (NIV) 

10 Years

Today I am celebrating 10 years of blogging.  My first post from Harmony Hills was published February 12, 2012.  (To those of you who are new here - that post can be found under Archives on the left).

Essentially this blog was to share art and make friends.  Who could have guessed then where this blog would take me.

With all of you I have had the privilege of traveling the world.  Each person who has stopped by and visited me in the past decade has left a wonderful imprint on my life.

Some have closed their blogs and moved on.  They are missed!  Others though have continued to share their creativity, thoughts, and their lives.  I cannot adequately express how grateful I am for each of you.

As we all so well know life happens and in those happenings we hit bumps along our path.   When we look back though we know that those who come along side of us during those difficult times enriches and encourages our journeys.  Today I give thanks for all of you who have been there with me.  

May we all celebrate the wonderful gift of blogging and friendship.  "Hats off"  my dear friends!

Hugs!

Debbie

"A friend loves at all times..." Proverbs 17:17 a

Perfect Time

With 8-12 inches of snow in the forecast this makes the perfect time to settle in with something hot to drink and a good book.

Just finished "Rewired"- a true story about a raccoon, a woman and a doctor of great faith.

In fact Dr. Seth was a physician I seen several years ago before this book was written.

If you get a chance you can google this remarkable tale.  It took place in North Canton, Ohio.

The book was given to me from a family member who had just been to see him.  He had sent this signed copy with her.  (It can be purchased on Amazon.)  

The above stack of novels should keep me busy for several weeks.  I had been figuring that there just might be a need for some reading material with the weather forecaster warning that storm "Izzy" would be hitting us in a short time.  

Read a few pages of "The Orphan House".   It looks like it will be a page turner. 

Speaking of turning the page hope you will visit my blogging friend Sharon Wilfong at Gently Mad.  She is now on Word Press but you can follow the link on my side bar.  She shared last week four chapters of her new mystery.  Am looking forward to reading the entire book.  I have been following her for several years.  Her book reviews are always excellent and she is quite entertaining...an artist, a writer and a musician.   I am sure you will enjoy visiting her.

 

Well dear friends hope you have found something good to read this coming week whether you have snow or not.

Have a blessed week.

Hugs

Debbie

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."  Eccl. 3:1 (NIV)

Laughs

Sometimes I wonder if God laughs when he sees our feeble attempt to control time.

In this part of the country this weekend  Day Light Savings Time ended for the year.

This setting the clocks backward or forward every autumn and spring makes me stop and scratch my head.  There is only as much daylight available for whatever season we are in.

Many years ago the organist at my childhood church got confused about changing the time.  It just happened Day light Savings began that year on Easter Sunday.  When she didn't arrive we assumed she had forgotten to "spring forward" and she would be an hour late. 

No she was two hours late and the services were over.  

To her chagrin she had remembered the time change but instead of setting her clock forward she set it backward.

It made for a great laugh among the congregation.

Wonder how many times this scenario has happened to others??

I realize that this playing with the clocks doesn't occur everywhere in the country or for that matter the world; but for those of us who live in the land of silly let us laugh with God!

Have a blessed week! 

Hugs

Debbie

"The One enthroned in heaven laughs; Psalm 2:4a  (NIV)

   

Rainy Sunday Afternoon

I enjoy a rainy Sunday afternoon.

This Sunday was one of those.

Before the rain arrived (yeah for rain) the shepherds and I walked around savoring what was growing.

The Day lilies are in full swing this month.

There are pink and magenta...

peach...

and warm buttery yellow.

Looks like there is going to be a great crop of green beans coming our way as well as tomatoes.  

Can hardly wait till the first one ripens. 

The much needed moisture is a welcome blessing.  

It also gave me extra time to spend in the studio.

Maybe some of you will share what you do on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Have a great week.

Hugs,

Debbie

"Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land."  1 Kings 17:7 (NIV)

 

Busiest Month

 May is the busiest month of the year for me.

There is work indoors and outdoors.  Never seems to be enough time in the day to get things done.  Is anyone else finding the same situation?

If so come away with me for a moment and rest in the beauty of a peony blooming...

  or watch a hummingbird drink a bit of nectar...

take a break and just rest ...

and finally look up and see the sun beginning to set  at the end of the day.

Hope your visit here helped you to pause and relax a bit.  

Hugs

Debbie

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest."  Matt: 11:28 (NIV)

 

Give Thanks

As November comes to a close taking a moment to give thanks.
 

 For an early sunrise...

Fall's final leaves...

a sunny afternoon walk...

the years we had this beloved pet....(Scooter you are missed).

and last but not least  for each of you who bless me with your lovely visits.  

God Bless!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."  Psalm 107:1 (NIV)

Good Ending

I love a good ending.   How about you?

It can be found in the last page of a book ...a final scene of a movie or the finish of a challenging project.  

Thought I would share a few of my good endings with you today.

The peaches will soon be ripe.

When they are - there will be pie.   That should be a good ending😋!  

 These lilies always arrive late in the summer season but they make the garden's end a delight.

   

Long shadows ...

and a neighbors harvest all say it was a good day's end. 

Hope all of you discover a few good endings this week.

God Bless!

Debbie 

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning..."  Eccl.7:8a 

Time

If you are like me there are moments when you would like time to stand still.

Summer days are some of those moments.
 
Green fields...
                     
                           flowers blooming...

raspberries ripening...

make me want to hit the pause button of time.

Like this little fellow may we all be still and savor moments that bring us joy.











Have a blessed week. 

Hugs!

Debbie

"But I trust in you, O Lord; I say "You are my God."  My times are in your hands;"  Psalm 31:14 - 15a (NIV)