For Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
NOBEMBER 3RD, 2009


It's TUESDAY…

Well now…I did survive another grueling Monday so that is a miracle in itself. Just when I am beginning to think I might be 2 steps ahead I find I am 3 steps backwards…

The good Lord likes to keep me humble for sure!

THINKING

The Almighty God
O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and I praise you . . . .

Psalm 89:8


NEW IN THE KITCHEN

RITZ CRACKER TURKEYS

For each turkey you make you will need
1 caramel square 1 Ritz cracker 1 Hershey’s Kiss A small mixture of Royal Icing Candy corn
Unwrap the Hershey’s Kiss and lightly dab the flat part in Royal Icing. Place the Kiss toward the bottom of the Ritz cracker. Dab the backside of the candy corn in icing and place above the Kiss on the cracker for the feathers

You can put a dab of icing on the caramel square and use it for a base for the turkey to stand on if you wish but they do well just lying flat on a plate too!



ATTIRE FOR TODAY

It certainly won’t be shorts like DS#6 and his wife have on there…No, it is cold and down in the 30’s this morning. We’ll only have a high in the 40’s so it is a winter coat day for sure.


PLACES TO GO

I finally read the Sunday church bulletin and found out that our Bible Study was cancelled this week so for now all my evenings after work will be spent at home. That’s fine with me as I have lots to do.



PRAYERS

For strength to live life with the knowledge you provide, I give you thanks O God. Help me to remember that you are walking along beside me

Amen


Please pray for God's protection of
our troops and HIS wisdom for their
commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in
your loving hands.
Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the
selfless acts they perform for us
in our time of need. I ask this in the
name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

GOD BLESS YOU!




TO DO

I managed to get 3 bags of rubbish put out Monday night. Things that should have been pitched awhile ago. So I’m doing good at cleaning up around here. Now I’ll see if I can get rid of 3 more bags for next week. I’m a saver and often wonder why I keep some things, but I’m learning.



COUNTING THE DAYS

48 DAYS UNTIL WINTER !

52 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

AND

164 DAYS UNTIL CAMPING SEASON BEGINS


Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

Love,
ma

For Monday, November 2nd, 2009

a pictorial journal

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
NOVEMBER 2ND, 2009


It's MONDAY…

BACK TO WORK

The weekend was a busy one but I feel good that I got so much done. I even added the leaf to my dining room table to make more room for those that will be here on Thanksgiving.

I had a surprise visit from my youngest sister and her husband Sunday afternoon and it was great to see them both.

I’m wondering whether or not it will really be anymore daylight on my way to work this morning… The time change is good for me because now I’m waking up on my own at the correct time and not an hour early. The body alarm goes off and I’m up. That is nice.

The evenings will be longer but the weather makes it so there is more inside time anyway, so I’ll just light some candles and snuggle in.




THINKING

This month of November is a month of THANKSGIVING. Each day now I’ll be inserting a little verse here in PRAISE of the ONE that gives us all things.

God the Creator
Creator God, I praise you because you made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you

Nehemiah 9:6

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

kids will go nutty for these clever fall treats, which look like acorns but taste a whole lot sweeter

Chocolate Frosting or Peanut Butter
Donut holes
Crumbled Toffee
Pretzel

Frost a third or so of a plain or glazed doughnut hole with chocolate frosting or peanut butter

Roll the frosted top in crumbled toffee (look for it in the baking section of grocery stores), then add a small piece of a pretzel for the stem



ATTIRE FOR TODAY

Last night it went down in the 30’s and we’ll have a high of 55 they say. I think I’ll put my winter coat on. It’s still very chilly out there this morning.


PEOPLE

Updates were provided by phone calls from DD and DS#1 yesterday. They are both well and not too much new at their houses. DS#4 is still traveling so I’m still praying for safe travels for him.


PLACES

On the calendar this week there is my Thursday evening Bible Study at church. Other than that it is very quiet at my house.

I’m missing being so close to my favorite Cheese store and my Camping ‘babes’ too


PRAYERS

God, you are deserving of my praise, even when I don’t give it. Help me to break the bonds of my selfishness as I put you first this week. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Amen


If the people we love are taken from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them.
Buildings burn, people die but real love is forever

Author Unknown
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
May perpetual light shine on them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen

Please pray for God's protection of
our troops and HIS wisdom for their
commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in
your loving hands.
Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the
selfless acts they perform for us
in our time of need. I ask this in the
name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

GOD BLESS YOU!


AROUND HOME

Tonight we will see the Beaver Moon, so-called by the New England and Great Lakes Native Americans because it's time for beavers (and us too) to get serious about preparing for the coming winter.



TO DO

I’m still working on my craft room. Didn’t get much done there as I started sorting through old papers to get rid of. Unlike our Star shown in the picture above, I get my exercise running up and down the stairs.


FAMILY ALBUM

This is every ones’ favorite place to go for lunch or supper when they come home. I’m thinking I may order up some burgers for lunch soon. They sure do sound good. I know that some of my babes will be here most of the day of our Thanksgiving feast (Saturday the 21st.) so maybe then would be a good time to have them…Turkey won’t be ready til much later in the day.



COUNTING THE DAYS

48 DAYS UNTIL WINTER !

52 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

AND

164 DAYS UNTIL CAMPING SEASON BEGINS


Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

Love,
ma

For Sunday, November 1st, 2009

a pictorial journal

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
NOVEMBER 1ST, 2009

It's SUNDAY…

I hope you all remembered to turn your clocks back one hour last night before you went to bed. I did and got that extra hour of sleep I’ve been missing.

Today as always is my day of R&R. I will be off to church later this morning, but meanwhile it’s a great morning to enjoy my good cup of coffee and take things slow and easy.


THINKING

I’ve got lots to do to get ready for our Thanksgiving Feast this year.


DS#1’s apple butter that he makes every year

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

The expression ‘going bananas’ is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!! This is interesting. After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier. PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke

Brain Power: 200 students at a school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert. Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system. Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try e ating a banana for soothing relief

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness. Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation. Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies have found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady. Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack. Strokes: According to research, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%! Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe it is time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, A banana a day keeps the doctor away

Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!

I will add one here; my leg cramps stop if I eat a banana every day

Amazing fruit


ATTIRE FOR TODAY

It’s supposed to be a sunny 50 degrees today so a jacket will be in order for sure



PEOPLE

My family at Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. I love having them all together. DS#2 and his family were missing that year. Everyone else is present.

PLACES

A view of the Black River as it runs through the park in our town


PRAYERS

Please pray for God's protection of
our troops and HIS wisdom for their
commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in
your loving hands.
Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the
selfless acts they perform for us
in our time of need. I ask this in the
name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

G0D BLESS YOU ALL!


AROUND HOME

DD has her Christmas sweater on here, but it really was at Thanksgiving time that she was wearing it…a reminder that I’ve plenty to do for Christmas time too



TO DO

I’ve got to find out where everyone wants to go the day after Thanksgiving this year. We usually go to a craft festival and shop at some quaint small town shops. We try to stay away from the mobs trying to get the sales at the mall.


FAMILY ALBUM

These are the 3 of my children that usually go along with me each year when we do our Day After Thanksgiving shopping.



COUNTING THE DAYS

50 DAYS UNTIL WINTER !

54 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

AND

166 DAYS UNTIL CAMPING SEASON BEGINS

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

Love,
ma

For Saturday, October 31st, 2009

a pictorial journal

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
October 31ST, 2009

It's SATURDAY…

HAPPY ALL HALLOWS EVE!

Tomorrow is Fall Back day, the end of daylight saving time, a day to reset clocks to standard time. Might as well do it tonight; huh?
Back one hour…

This is the last and final warning !

THINKING

It would be a grand ‘beach’ day, but instead I’m working away trying to sort things out here at home. I have cleaning and laundry and lots of trips up and down the stairs to make.

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

Some tips today:

COFFEE FILTERS

Coffee filters ..who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing.

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.

2. Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect China Separate your good dishes by putting a coffee filter between each dish.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust. 6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.

8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.

12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters.

13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. Soaks out all the grease.

14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great razor nick fixers.

OH YEAH THEY ARE GREAT TO USE IN YOUR COFFEE MAKERS

ATTIRE FOR TODAY

It’s supposed to start out cloudy and much cooler here. It was above 70 degrees when I got home from work yesterday! It looks like our Indian Summer weather has come to an end.

PEOPLE

DD and her hubby are visiting relatives this weekend so we’ll be praying for safe travels for them.

PLACES

In case you haven’t had your fill of leaves, I thought this picture would show you what the trees will soon look like. This was taken in December a few years ago when DS#2 and his children were here.

PRAYERS

Jesus, to the humble You show kindness. May I bow humbly before You every day of my life

Lord, hold our troops in
your loving hands.
Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the
selfless acts they perform for us
in our time of need. I ask this in the
name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

AROUND HOME

It looks like a great evening for some popcorn and a movie but my favorite channel is showing Halloween movies tonight. I’m not so sure if I’m up to that or not.

TO DO

At the end of every month I try and change my furnace filter. When I had pets at home it really needed it by then. I still do it anyway. They say it helps keep your furnace efficient.

FAMILY ALBUM

This is DD and I at their campground a few years ago before I started camping again.

COUNTING THE DAYS

51 DAYS UNTIL WINTER !

55 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

AND

167 DAYS UNTIL CAMPING SEASON BEGINS


Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

Love,
ma



Pictures taken by ‘ma’ and or one of my ‘babes’ and courtesy of the camera provided by my them

For Friday, October 30th, 2009

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
October 30th, 2009

A Pictorial Journal

It's FINALLY FRIDAY!

This is my favorite day of the week for sure. I’ll be off to work as usual but then as soon as I leave there today, the weekend will be here.

I’m having fun looking through my files and deciding on which picture to put in my newsletter each day. Some of these I haven’t looked at for a long long time.

I need to back them up on disks and remove some from the computer though as I’m really accumulating a lot. As I don’t get to see my babes very often, they keep me supplied with new ones all the time.




THINKING

Everything we have is a gift from God. The only thing that is truly ours that we have to give to him is our sins

Something DS#3 heard in church last Sunday

Isn’t it true. We really don’t own anything or anyone. Everything we have has been given to us.



NEW IN THE KITCHEN

I really don’t need any more dishes but I did find a few cereal/ soup bowls really cheap at the Goodwill store yesterday.

I didn’t have any shopping to do after I did the errands for work so I stopped in there to browse around. It’s amazing sometimes what you can find there.

A while back I threw out a lot of my old ones because they had become chipped. These don’t really match my set, but they are the same color.


ATTIRE FOR TODAY

It’s a day to carry the umbrella here. It’s supposed to rain today and all through the weekend.



PEOPLE

I had fun with Trick or Treat last night. We didn’t have too many but the weather was nice for us to sit outside


PLACES

I miss my campfire evenings. I often wish there was a fireplace here, but I have central heating and nothing else.


PRAYERS

Please join me in praying for DDIL#3 today. She has the flu and is also expecting their new baby very soon. May our dear Lord bless her with healing and a speedy recovery.

Please pray for God's protection of
our troops and HIS wisdom for their
commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in
your loving hands.
Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the
selfless acts they perform for us
in our time of need. I ask this in the
name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AMEN



AROUND HOME

As it is Friday I’ll enjoy being home now for the weekend. There is nothing much planned other than blessing the house with a little TLC and of course my R & R on Sunday



TO DO

Today I need to pick up just a few things so I think I’ll stop at the farmers market to get some food for the weekend. I need some oranges of course and maybe some of their good maple nut rolls


FAMILY ALBUM

It is a beach day…This was DS#1 and Our Prince Charming a few years back at one of their campouts.



COUNTING THE DAYS

52 DAYS UNTIL WINTER !

56 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

AND

168 DAYS UNTIL CAMPING SEASON BEGINS



Love,
ma