Merry Christmas

**

**************************************************************************************

SoTA Sisters traveled to a friends house last week...Above are three of her trees...Stunning....By the pictures Rhona took...it looks like they went to a beautiful winter wonderland...I will be sharing those pictures after Christmas...I just wanted to take time this morning to wish all... A Merry Christmas from the SoTA Sisters...The Ol' Blogger

Believe in Santa just beclaus

***************************************************************************************

Sorry I have been to busy to post....Christmas is coming quickly....I did get this wall hanging completed for Harold to give as a present for the school nurse.....She cried and gave him two big hugs...Home made gifts always brings kindheartedness....A satisfying feeling when someone enjoys what you make...I am working on two more for gifts. I am not waiting till the last minute next year I am starting on Dec. 26 this year....DEFINITELY... I have some sensational pictures to share on an excursion the SoTA Sisters took to Helen's home....thanks to Rhona...I wasn't able to go :0(...Will get to these as soon as possible....The Ol' Blogger,

100 postings

**************************************************************************************

This will be our 100th posting...How appropriate it should be about this ravishing bracelet our own precious Kathy made. I love it when I can use their narrative....Here we go..."The bracelet started as a plain brass cuff. I made a template to fit the cuff from Lacey’s Stiff Stuff to do my beading on. I used old zippers (you cut off the fabric part and just use the string of teeth) and stitched them on in the design I liked, then just filled in with assorted beads. I glued this onto the cuff, and glued a piece of ultra suede on the underside of the cuff. The edged of the Stiff Stuff and ultra suede were then stitched together with a beaded trim."

Kathy you have designed a hand-crafted beaded bracelets women would love to wear and wear with love. The Ol' Blogger

Winter slump/ magical season

***************************************************************************************

We can get into a winter slump ...or we can see it as magical season the choice is ours...

It is a time of the softness of flannel and fleece, the enticing warmth of comforters and throws, for those lucky ones the glow of the fireplace. The scents of warm chocolate or coffee, crock-pot dinners, marshmallows for cocoa, hot chili soup. A time for family and friends gathered close inside the warmth of homes.

Although aching muscles may keep us from building snowmen and snow forts to throw snowballs from.. as we once did. We can still appreciate the soft landscape it has left us. A cover of snow makes the grubby bright again. How thrilling snowflakes twirling like ballerinas as they whisk back and forth in the wind....

Just as the picture I took before we left ...gave us a Thank You for visiting...We can Thank Winter for visiting... At just the right time it will leave just as we did :<)

This will be the last posting on our outing to Stream Cliff Farm...Hope you found something to brighten your day...The Ol' Blogger

Sleeping Beauty

**
Sleeping Beauty
*************************************************************************************
Stream Cliff Herb Farm is owned by Betty & Gerald Manning.The farm has a long history in Betty's family. Betty's Great-grandfather lived on the farm and it has been passed down through the generations since that time. The gardens, which are done in quilt designs, are dedicated to Betty's grandmother, Luella Tate Artz. She was a quilter and gardener and lived for more than fifty years on the farm. The farm was raided during the Civil War by Morgan's Raiders and has been in the family for more that 100 years. .

Stream Cliff Herb Farm consists of: four shops filled with handmade, traditional crafts and garden related items, Twigs & Sprigs Tearoom, Grandmother's Keeping Room: A Nature and Traditional Craft Learning Center, several display gardens with water features, lectures & workshops, and an extensive line of herbs, perennial flowers, old-fashioned roses, wildflowers, hosta, vines and climbers.

If you will go to their web site www.streamclifffarm.com there are beautiful pictures of the farm with everything in bloom. We have been there at this time of year it is breath taking.
We have enjoyed each trip and the food has always been scrumptious. Check it out...The Ol' Blogger

Friends

* *

************************************************************************************

Friends like these are a special gift worth more than finest gold.

They are always there with a comforting hand to hold.

We share our hopes and fears.

Our smiles and tears.

Always there with a hand to lend.

We are happy to call each a friend.

A few of our friends weren't able to make the trip of Stream Cliff...but they are included in the words above..The Ol' Blogger

We loved the Snow

***

***************************************************************************************

One of the most outstanding characteristics of the winter environments is the presence of snow...Without it winter would be ever so drab...There was nothing drab on this outing..If you click on the pictures above you will see the snow falling around "The Elder" and Rhona...

Wish I could play The Christmas Song for you as you read....I will settle for second best...read the words and I am sure you will be singing and feeling the joy we did on our outing to Stream Cliff...
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Jack Frost nipping at your nose

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir

And folks dressed up like Eskimos
Everybody knows a turkey and some

Mistletoe help to make the season bright

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow

Will find it hard to sleep tonight
They know that Santa's on his way

He's loaded lots of toys and goodies

On his sleigh

And ev'ry mother's

Child is gonna spy to see if

Reindeer really know how to fly
And so, I'm offering this

Simple phrase to kids from'

One to ninety-two

Altho' it's been said many times

Many ways; "Merry Christmas to you"
Merry Christmas...The Ol' Blogger

Grandmother's Keeping Room

***

***************************************************************************************

With a very light dusting outside,a beautiful full golden moon and freezing temperatures tonight....And many trips out with Presley (our dog) to do his business... Leaves me thinking...Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour...Right now I have a desire to do just that...

Lets start with a sentimental journey... our trip to Stream Cliff... Laughter, conversation on the ride to and from was sheer merriment...along with the singing "Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas".

Golden moments....the meal was delicious. Green salad with a homemade mayonnaise, lemon, sugar, dill dressing...Pork loin drizzled in a sweet sauce, creamy mash potatoes, carrots with just the right amount of sweetness, and green beans....A bread pudding that took one back to Grandma's kitchen.

Walking in the snow carefully.. :0).. touring the Ol' Farm House...

The excitement of finding "Free" wall paper books along the road...the wondering about how long those had been there before we snatched them up...discussions of what we will do with all the beautiful paper....

Hope you take time this winter to gather your golden moments, go on a sentimental journey and enjoy every idle hour ....The Ol' Blogger

Friends having fun

****

***
*************************************************************************************
These are the last of the pictures from Thurs Dec. 6... Although I took pictures of all some of them didn't turn out...Sorry...."In the beginning it was fun. In the end, it was all for fun. And in between is where it tickles most....Thank you for this day of fun...The Ol' Blogger

Royalty

****

***************************************************************************************

You would think royalty was dinning here...The table was beautiful embellish for our "Sip Of Champagne"... food was delicious as always...

But not a candle could it hold to the friendship JB has extended to the SoTA Sisters. What a compliment to the SoTA Sisters for her to open her home and introduce us to her friends.

"Friends are the siblings God forgot to give us" With this group that old saying seems to ring true....The Ol' Blogger