Is This New Year's Eve Material?

Dear Ones,
Living on the lonesome prairie one does not lead a normal life, when you're married to The Highway Man. "Mr. Ed" is the supervisor of the night~shift for K. D.O.T. in a large metropolitan area,  which means when he isn't working 12~14 hour shifts during our inclement winter weather, he's sleeping. Before this career, he was 24~7~12 career man with the U.S. Army. So~o~o . . .I have no clue what normal people do on New Year's Eve! ! !

What you're about to read is last year's e~mail to a very dear friend. Only the name of my friend has been changed to protect her identity.


IS THIS NEW YEAR'S EVE MATERIAL? ? ?              

Thursday, December 31, 2009 4:28 PM

Dear Friend,

Since "Mr. Ed" and I don't know what a 'normal' New Year's Eve is.

I'm wondering. . .

Is this New Year's Eve material? ? ?

I went to Wal~Mart to pick up my DH some Alka Seltzer Cold Plus,

per his request! ! !

While I was there, I thought I'd do some shopping for New Year's Eve.

Here's what I bought:

*Stacy's Pita Chips (I've been looking for these for a month!)

*Canada Dry Ginger Ale (We'll drink it straight, not mixed)

*Two cans of Pringles Potato Chips (Regular and Sour Cream)

*Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (to go with your dessert in a cup)

*Four candy bars (Two Snickers & Two Three Musketeers)

*Quaker Rice Cakes (Caramel flavor). . .and. . .

*A Romantic Homes Magazine (February Edition)

Again, I'm not sure what the two of us will do this evening. ..

but. . .

I'm afraid if we eat all of this in one evening. . .

we will BOTH need to take the Alka~Seltzer

and go to bed early. . .

witha stomach~ache. . .

BUT. . .

then we'd miss the whole thing. . .

SO. . .

I'm thinking. . .

We'll eat the T.V. dinners instead

(oops! forgot to tell you I bought Maria Calendar's Beef Tips)

make your dessert in a cup. . .

have it with the ice cream!

later. . .

maybe a few Pita chips and a glass of ginger ale. . .

to welcome in the NEW YEAR 2010!

I'll let you know how this whole New Year's Eve thing pans out!

See you soon!

Love,

Pat

P.S. Oops! Almost forgot. . .Have a Happy New Year. . .

        from Our House to Your House! ! !

Present day. . .
I do hope this brought a chuckle and a smile to your face! "Mr. Ed" and I had a wonderful New Year's Eve in 2009 and hope to do the same for 2010! This year we'll be viewing his birthday gift movie ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS.


I'm sure there's a scheduled Checker's Tournament Match. . . 

provided, that is. . .

if it doesn't snow!

From On Crooked Creek . . .

                     . . . to all of you in blog land

Happy New Year 2011!

Until next time. . .

A Time For Relection. . .

Dear Ones, On Crooked Creek will be joining Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday with A Time For Reflection. . . Still time to find inspiration for your Holiday celebration. Take some 'stolen moments' to view all that the blog land ladies have prepared for your viewing pleasure.

www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

A Time For Reflection. . .

Being an "early riser" possibly began in my childhood. My dad worked at the Fairfax Plant for General Motors in Kansas City during my youth. Many are the mornings I would hear the coffee percolator 'perking' his coffee. If I waited quietly in bed, listening carefully, I could hear him pour coffee into his thermos. Then ever so quietly down the hall I'd slip past my parents bedroom where my mother lie sleeping, and whisper softly, "I love you daddy." at the kitchen doorway. He'd turn, smile and await his pajamaed kiss ~ then off to work in his uniform grays or blues. I'd watch him close the door ~ black metal lunch pail in one hand, green Stanley thermos in the other. . .car keys dangling. . .then he was gone.

As a teenager,I slept in an upstairs bedroom in our small rural town where we had moved to be closer to my beloved, aging grandmother. Same scenario. I'd always bring a textbook down the stairs and stay up to study. Mother, upon rising, would usually find me reading and note taking by the dim kitchen light and would wryly smile.



As the wife of a military career man, again, same scenario. If I didn't have those 'stolen moments' in the morning ~ too many times ~ I may not see "Mr. Ed" until long after the children were asleep.

This morning, it is to give thanks that all the preparation leading up to the holiday is complete. I, now, can sit here and let the true meaning of Christ birth flood over my soul and fill me with His love. His peace consuming the innermost of my core and let His joy flow outwardly to those around me.

Dear ones, may God richly and abundantly bless you with His goodness at Christmas and in the New Year. As the plate on my coffee table states. . .

God Bless Us Everyone!

Charles Dickens

Until next time. . . 

Tidings Of Great Joy!

On Crooked Creek is joining our hostess Marty@ A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday. In these final days before the celebration of our Savior's birth, I want to share with you this special Christmas display which is held in our hearts all year through. It is my wish that you will be blessed by your visit with us today!

Tidings of Great Joy!

9) "Then the angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

10) But the angel said to them,

Do not be afraid; for see - - - I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:

11) to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord."

       Luke 2: 9-11

9) "When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at it's rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was.

10) When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy."

        Matthew 2:9

13) "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors."

       Luke 2:13

May God richly and abundantly bless you and all those whom you love during this blessed Christmas. In keeping with giving thanks for my many blessings On Crooked Creek, I count all of you who read this post. . . 

from "Mr. Ed" and I. . .have a Merry Christmas!

Until next time. . .

Santa Came Early !

On Crooked Creek will be joining our hostess Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday. Be sure to see all the inspiring make-over ideas compliments of our blog land ladies for your viewing pleasure!

http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

On Crooked Creek is also joining Tam @ The Gypsy's Corner for my very first Three or More Tuesday. You must go view her first grandson . . .her early Christmas present! Congratulations, Grandma Tam!

www.thegypsyscorner.com

Dear Ones, Santa Came Early On Crooked Creek this year! ! !

You see, I've been wanting new chairs in the Family Room for "Mr. Ed" and I since I purchased the oversize checkers and chess set for his Christmas a few years back. Some of you may have seen it in a past Pottery Barn catalog.

Long before our Annual Trout Fishing Trip in September, I began the logistics of this year's upcoming Christmas On Crooked Creek. Camera in hand, I photographed our Family Room. It seemed our Family Room had become a furniture cemetery. Even the odd pieces of furniture were lined up in a row . . .like tombstones.

THE BEFORE. . .

"Mr. Ed" and I began discussing a possible room re~arrangement. Usually agreeable, what I got from him was, "I'll move that furniture ONE time. . .so you'd better be sure where you want to put it!"

I use a computer on~line program from Better Homes and Gardens called Arrange~A~Room. A~M~A~Z~I~N~G! Let's you see on your computer screen what the final outcome will look like. I love using the mouse to swing that furniture into place! Saves your back and possibly your marriage!

https://secure.bhg.com/common/profile/regStep1.jsp?regSource=1049&returnURL=http://arrangearoom.bhg.com/arrangearoom/index.php

Once the main pieces of furniture were in place, I began eliminating all the excess pieces from garage sales and estate sales that weren't needed. We had so many furniture off casts that we held a TAG $ALE. I advertised on my Face Book page and on Craigslist. Fortunately we made enough from all the sales combined to pay cash for the new chairs!

YES! It's time for the Happy Dance On Crooked Creek! The Family Room is dressed in her finest apparel, the gifts are under the tree, the fireplace is glowing, our chldren are coming and we have been richly and abundantly blessed with His goodness.

. . . THE AFTER!

From all of us On Crooked Creek. . .

                                             . . . to all of you in blog land,

 Merry Christmas!

Until next time. . .

Pheasant Feathers and Deer Sheds?

Dear Ones, do pheasant feathers and deer sheds a Christmas table make? On Crooked Creek they have made their way into our Family Room and on to our table, quite nicely. "Mr. Ed" is grins from ear ~ to ~ear!

Today, On Crooked Creek is joining our sweet hostess Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to go over and visit all the lovely tables set just for your viewing pleasure. You're sure to find many all decked out in their holiday finery!

http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

As many of you have already read, "Mr. Ed" is an avid Trout Fly Fisherman. . . his other outdoor sports include deer hunting. Now. . .my dilemma has been to figure out how to incorporate those things he pursues into home decor. . .while keeping us both pleased with the resulting outcome.

Our main meal at Christmas is always served in the Dining Room on the upper level. . .however; our gift exchange and desserts are served in the Family Room on the lower level On Crooked Creek.

This lovely divided tray was a gift from my daughter~in~law several years ago and will hold our white chocolate covered pretzels, colby~jack cheese cubes  and spicy pecans! On the two~tier rack will be one pie and a plate of holiday cookies.

Our drinks usually consist of raspberry flavored tea, water or Dr. Pepper. . . for us old timers, we prefer coffee with our desserts!

Following our dessert, we'll gather around the coffee table seated on the couch and chairs throughout and open our gifts.

Our Lodge Tree stays up all year; however it becomes glorious with decoration for the festivities On Crooked Creek!

The tree is loaded with wooden ball garland, bronze and gold ornaments, amber icicles, pheasant feathers and twigs! Over 300 white, bright lights illuminate the whole corner with a warm golden glow!

Afterwards, we'll leisurely enjoy one another's company and the warmth of the candles burning brightly in the open fireplace.

I must take a moment to thank the following blog land ladies for their encouragement and inspiration with my pheasant feathers and deer sheds:
Yvonne @ Stone Gable; Pat @ Back Porch Musings; and Delores @ Vignette Designs. Without their past posts, I know we'd still be discussing how to make this decor work for our Christmas On Crooked Creek.


Until next time. . .

Santa Claus Lane. . .

Here comes Santa Claus right down Santa Claus Lane. . .

 We made a Santa Claus Lane in our entry hall On Crooked Creek. Totally in keeping of the whimsy of the Season and as a compliment our Gingerbread Invasion.

A welcoming Father Christmas is our dear sweet "Nicky Bear"! Being gifted and named for a former student employee from my library years (Nicky) not Saint Nicholas!

This side of the vignette holds my Woodlawn Santa Music Box sweetly playing Talk with the Animals.

Santa riding on his favorite reindeer for a change!

A miniature tea set featuring my favorite traditional  Santa complete with teapot, cream, sugar, and mugs!

Brocade and green and red velvet ribbons stripe the handmade Santa ornament with pearl and ruby glass beaded embellishments.

"Mr. Ed's" childhood sleigh . . .at the ready for Santa's annual ride! Lively embellished with Holly and Ivy!

Neither lack of reindeer or sleigh will keep this Santa from his designated visits. . .

he'll take the Santa Carousel!

Red glass stars from an Estate Sale enhance my French Country Market Baskets filled with seasonal Holly and Ivy.

This photo of Santa and I is a precious memory. . .

my dad hosted all the children at the daycare where I worked in the 90's!

Amazingly enough, parents reported that every child received the gift they had asked from Santa! That's my dad. . .the true Santa!

Nicky Bear reminds us to. . .

Hang your stockings and say your prayers, cause Santa Claus comes tonight!

Until next time. . .

On Crooked Creek is joining our gracious hostess Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday! Be sure to visit all the ladies tabletops and pick up a few inspiring ideas for use in your own home.