Happy Friday

It's officially the weekend.

Chose one.

Hugs From My Heart

LOVE how a good book can do this...

What are you reading this winter?

I'd LOVE to know.

Share with me on Face Book...

https://www.facebook.com/lisa.curriegurney

Hugs From My Heart

IT'S AWFULLY TEMPTING!!!

This young couple look smart to me...

I don't know their story, and these photos are not my own, but boy... these pictures say a lot don't they?

Let me tell you what they say to me...

Resourceful
Creative
Economical

Simple

Peaceful
Tranquil
Content

Just plain smart.

With the economy the way it is going...more and more taxes being taken from the working people...

These two could be on to something.

Besides, they can travel allll over the country if they chose.

Hugs From My Heart

Wednesday Stuff

I know I have probably mentioned this book a time or two, but I think of it daily, and so I mention it again here, encouraging you to get a copy, read it, and let me know what you think.

I got mine, (actually two copies), at GW... Goodwill.

;)

It is already January 9th.

What. The. Heck!!!

As of late, this "girl" (our 4th child after 3 boys), has taught me a few things...

At 17 going on 25, she is still who she always was...
     Kind.
     Helpful.
     Genuine.
     Sincere.
     Hardworking
     Forgiving.
     Creative.
     Insightful.
     Wise.

This was her, Christmas Eve, on the island, of our kitchen.  I post this picture because it is her.

 Katelyn.

I often miss the little girl she was. Only because she was so wrapped up in loving and enjoying her mum, dad, and brothers...and now she is growing up, and her brothers, Dad and I , are no longer her world.
But I have come to appreciate, look forward too, and know, that the woman she is growing to be, is just, well, someone her Dad and I are so very proud of. Even when we go through difficult seasons.  She is my Baby Girl, and I so love her.

This guy, Fred, was an old soul.  We got him at the Humane Society last year, and his time has come and gone.  I named him after my dad, (who I loved deeply, and died when I was 14).

I am not, and never have been, the sort to let an animal live through debilitation. I think it is disrespectful  and selfish.

I was brought up in a world/house where you deal with what your given, and go on.

Period.

I am a practical girl.

Black or White.

A lot of people don't agree with me.

Sometimes, I don't agree with myself.  (if that even makes sense).

But a friend of mine said to me, ( not to long ago),

"Don't second guess yourself  Lisa"

She was referring to my photography.  Which, is something I needed to hear.  But realized that I needed to apply that to everything in my life.

Thank you Deb. P...  Not a day goes by that I don't remember what you said.  I so needed to hear, digest, and live that.  :)

Fred is missed by Rita... (cat on the right)

Who was named after my mother, and adopted the very same day Fred was.  Rita cleaned, loved on, and brought out the best in old Fred.

Since Fred has gone, she hangs out with me more, and is sitting in a basket, beside my laptop, cleaning herself obsessively, even as I type.

 :)

She is a sweet cat.

_____________________________

Today, Wednesday, has been such a good day.

I mean, REAL good.

A day when I so feel God's presence in every step I take, every person I see.

My heart is overwhelmed with gratefulness to Him.

I so use to not like change.

It scared me.

No, really scared me.

But now, since I have accepted it, gone with it, and learned to enjoy and look forward to it...

I look forward to each morning with so much GRATEFULNESS in my heart...

For all God has for me.

All He has planned for me.

Knowing that He, is with me, every single step of the way.

Hugs From My Grateful Heart  <3

This is Rita... quiet, peaceful, and content.

Grateful for today.

Even without Fred.

<3

Let It Snowwwww, Snowwww, Snowwww !!!

This is what it looks like today, outside our kitchen window...

Did I ever mention we live in Maine?

Which means, it's just not right.  :(

However, I could/should be sweeping this...

But I'm still here in my p.j.'s smelling the beautiful aroma of this...

And I feel pretty accomplished having already put together this... (washed one bathroom, put in a load of laundry, and I'm sure I've done something else in between.)

I'm sure of it.  :)

Since she is getting ready for work, (17going on 25 year old), and Blue Eyes is out doing the shooting thing with our boys... (which ALWAYS makes my mothers heart smile)

And even though there are only 3 of these left...

I think I'm going to start another pot of this...

My peeps think they made this blend especially for me.

Funny, only to them.

Wait, did you just chuckle?  :)

It happens to be my favorite.  Go figure

  :)



I will stay beside these, and in front of this, and enjoy listening to Christmas music in an empty house while I can...

Because it won't be long before our house is filled with peeps galore, and the quiet is gone.

But, I'm good with it.  Really.

And on another note, if you or one of your loved ones is hanging on to an annoying cough, go to the health food store and by this.  It is amazing, and I can't tell you enough how much it helped 17, going on 25 year old get rid of a cough that just wasn't going anywhere.

(that's her in the background taking her daily dose. She said it tastes awful, but is so worth it.)

And on the last Saturday before Christmas, I leave you, in the quietness of my house with this...

Hugs From My Grateful Heart

Rosewood Wreath

Just found this great, easy, and so doable rosewood wreath at Under the Table and Dreaming by, Stephanie Lynn.

The instructions look easy enough, just a little time consuming...

Click onto her link here. Looks like a great rainy day project in the quiet of my house with hot tea and an old Christmas movie... Hugs From My Heart

Sad Desk Salad

I recently read the book, Sad Desk Salad, written by Jessica Grose.  The book was offered to bloggers as a read with the understanding that we would "review" it when we finished.

The Blogger, Mandy, of The Well Read Wife, (try saying that five times fast), who is a well read wife, sent me a copy last week.  

At first I wasn't sure what the envelope had in it, or who it was from, but squealed like a pig with joy when I realized she took the time to send me a copy, and I could participate.

Mandy, (the well read wife), has Mandy's Blogger Book Club, and 

I'm in!

At least for this book.  ;)

I'm not a writer, or a professional reviewer, and I'm pretty sure there is a "right way" to review a book.  I'm going to review it my way, since that's all I know, and hope for the best.

The book is about a young, popular, mean blog writer named Alex, who spends 12 hours a day in her stinky muu-muu, going from her unmade bed, to her old food stained couch, not even having time to brush her teeth. 

But she does have time to grab a good cup of coffee.  

(Yeah, I like her)

Even though she has a loving, hard working, professional live in boyfriend, she has no time for him or to even shower for that matter.  The book follows a week in her life and how our world is changing so much now that everything and our mail, is online.

She finds herself in a place of feeling stressed, disconnected, and in a moral dilemma, after she has published a video that could potentially ruin a young girls life.  She is also feeling pressured with a threat of being in the same place she has recently put this girl in, by an anonymous blogger who claims to have "dirt" on her, during her college years,  if she doesn't take the video down, pronto.

I finished the book last night realizing how much the world I was brought up in has changed, and how much it is really, the same... just more intense.

I guess what I mean is that it hit me that when we were younger, being brought up to do the right thing, and make the right choices, we had a normal amount of awareness/pressure to do just that.  

The right thing.

We didn't have the reality people now face, that our bad choices can, and probably will be recorded, and broadcast for the world to see.  We only had to worry if Uncle Dave or the neighbor, would get wind of it, and maybe tell our parents, who would then ground us.  End of story.

That is the difference.

The unfortunate thing is, young people are still young people.  And until they are 25, the frontal lobe of their brain is not fully developed.  That, is the reason and logic portion.  

That part is the same.

So I wonder if the reality of their bad choices having the potential of being recorded and broadcast for the whole world to see, (not just your neighbors to hear about it at the corner store), is a good pressure or  not.

Probably not.

Sad Desk Salad was a good read.  I felt like I knew Alex, and was really concerned for her well being. I kept saying to the book, 

 "just take a shower and brush your teeth, you'll feel better sweetie!!!"

It was worth the few days it took to read it because it got me to thinking about this world of internet we live in, and all it is.  

How things have changed so much from when I was a young girl...

and how much they have stayed the same.

Thank you Mandy for taking the time to send me a copy of this book, and allowing me to participate. 

Hugs From My Heart