Whatever happened to real femininity?

We were watching some very old home movies the other day. When my MIL passed away they found some old 8mm movies and put them on DVD for us to watch. They started back in the 1950's and it was a joy to see the ladies in their white gloves, hats and summer dresses. I wish we still wore pretty hats and white gloves. I looked today, out of curiosity, on the internet, just to see if I could even FIND white dress gloves anywhere. All I could find were leather gloves, golf gloves, tuxedo gloves...but no pretty white dress gloves. Hats, surprisingly I think hats are starting to see a revival! I visited a sweet gift shop in a nearby town and they were selling the most beautiful hats. When I asked about them the proprietor told me that many women are once again buying and wearing hats! I was happy to hear that and plan on going back one day when I have a lot of time to try on a few of her over 200 hat offerings.

I do have one pretty hat in my closet....maybe I'll wear it on Sunday.

Wanted: Gopher Wood

In the book of Genesis, Chapter 6 verse 14, God told Noah to build an ark out of gopher wood in which to escape the flood he was going to send. We've had about 10 inches of rain here in Gainesville Florida and too much more and we're going to start floating! Seriously, we're very thankful for the rain as we were in drought conditions. Our grass is green again and our trees have stopped losing leaves, in addition my lone tomato plant has decided that it will now produce more tomatoes.

I also wanted to mention today a lovely give-away on Deena's "Can I Be Pretty in Pink" in honor of her 400th post! You go girl!! She's giving away this beautiful print. It would sure look beautiful in my pink bathroom, Deena! If you click on the picture it will take you to Deena's blog where you too can sign up to win this gorgeous thing.

Blessed Beyond Measure

Yesterday was the day we stop to recognize our Mothers. It was a truly wonderful day for me. Not only did I hear from both my sons, as well as my ex-daughter-in-law, but I am most blessed beyond measure because I have a truly wonderful and Godly mother. I was also blessed by having a very special mother-in-law. For the first time in twelve years we did not spend Mother's Day with her, she left us on April 19th to be with the Lord and our lives were a little sadder yesterday.

My sweet husband is mourning the passing of his mother, but he still took time to make my day a special one. He made me breakfast yesterday, pancakes and sausage, which was delicious, and even cleaned up the kitchen!

I also wanted to mention a truly special blessing I received from one of our fellow bloggers, Joleen at The Primitive Bucket. Joleen is a very talented and creative gal, and I love the things she sells on Ebay. (If you've never stopped by her blog or Ebay store...do so! Hmm maybe I shouldn't have shared that secret!! LOL) I'd purchased a couple of items from her and in the box she enclosed a very special gift....a lamp she made for me. Thank you so much, Joleen. It's beautiful and it really made my Mother's Day special.

I hope your Mother's Day was a truly special day and that you too were blessed beyond measure.

In Loving Memory

Yesterday afternoon at 3:15PM we bid a tearful farewell to my precious mother-in-law. If I had been able to special order someone to be my husband's mother I don't think I could have thought of all the special qualities this precious lady had.
Beyond her gentleness, kindness and loving heart she had a quality which enabled her to see a need before you realized you had it. She was ever faithful, praying for those she loved and those in need.
Heaven is surely rejoicing at the homecoming of my mother in law. One day we will meet again, she'll be waiting for us by the river where we will never again be parted. We sing a song in church quite often, "I'll Be Waiting At The River For You." The words will hold so much more meaning for us as we sing them.
My husband, her oldest son, said this morning in an email, as he shared some photos of her, "I can't remember ever feeling a greater lost, these are some of the pictures that bring joy to my heart. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful and loving mother. Only God could of created such a blessing, and now he has taken her home. I believe that she is now smiling down on us through the windows of heaven. I will always remember that smile. "

No changies, No take-backs!

Just when you think things are going along smoothly...changes. When you think you've found peace...changes. I was watching the television program "Bones" the other night and Bones and Booth kept saying "No changies, no take-backs" and it made me laugh, remembering back to those warm summer nights when we'd play in the yard until dark completely overtook us, then we'd chase lightning bugs and put them into canning jars with holes poked in the top. Games like statue-maker and Red Rover were staples in those days. As I watch my grandchildren sit on the couch and absorb the idiocy of Sponge Bob Square Pants and turn their brains into mush playing Wii and PlayStation I feel a sadness inside for them. They'll never know the joy of chasing a lightning bug. They live in apartments in the city, it's never dark enough for them to even SEE a lightning bug much less catch one, and it's certainly not safe enough for them to be outside after dark.

Our world has progressed to where we can e-mail, Instant Message, text, twitter and whatever else we can think of. We can watch television and surf the internet on our cell phones, email on our Blackberry and stay busy 24 hours a day. My husband and I were driving to town the other day and a couple passed us in another car. They were both on their cell phones. I turned to my husband and asked him, "Do you suppose they're talking to one another?" I enjoy watching "Secret Life of the American Teen-ager" on ABC Family and the other night it showed two teenagers, sitting next to one another, computers in their laps, Instant Messaging....EACH OTHER! Their friend asked them why, and they said it was easier to talk in Instant Message than out loud. It made me stop and think about how we're losing the art of conversation in our world.

It's sad that these changes have also brought about a loss to our world. A loss of laughing children's voices as they yell, "Red Rover, Red Rover send Judy right over!" A loss of innocence as children play violent video games, a loss of being able to converse.....sometimes I think change isn't such a good thing.

Wonderful Experience

I admit it, I have a weakness for vintage enamel coffee pots. I don't know why, I don't drink coffee but I can't help myself when I see a great vintage enamel coffee pot...I just HAVE to add it to my collection.

A couple of weeks ago I was reading blogs and found where someone had received a gift from Red Stripe Vintage and so wandered over to her Etsy store and lo and behold, there was a beautiful white vintage enamel coffee pot. I quickly purchased it and this morning my sweet mail lady delivered a box. Inside was not what one normally receives when you purchase something from an online seller. Inside the box was a soft, linen bag tied with a red and white striped ribbon. Inside the bag was each piece of the coffee pot, carefully wrapped in tissue and tied with a red and white striped ribbon. Also inside the box was a little gift...5 beautiful handmade gift tags!!

I hope you all will hop over to her Etsy shop and take a close look. She has some truly awesome items, and she is a wonderful lady.

I'm a Great-Aunt!!!

My niece, Katie, had her baby yesterday morning by C-Section. Owen Glen Huse was born at 8:25AM and weighed in at a whopping 10lbs 13 ozs and was 22 inches long. Isn't he precious!!