About The River

Monday, December 29, 2014

Favorite Christmas Tree Decorations


 Do you have favorite Christmas tree decorations?
I have to share this story about this sweet girl. She was tossed out to go to the garbage.
Just as she was going to be dumped into the trash, the previous owner asked me if I wanted to look at her Christmas stuff she was going to toss.

  
Of course I took her home. With a few other things too.
My sweet husband was not as excited about this sweet girl as I was. He thought she was ugly!!
 

Each year that I bring her out to hang on the tree,  I always call my sweetheart and say "Look who wishes you a Merry Christmas!" 
Hee Hee


Another favorite of mine, I made when I was a child.
Stain glass melting kits, I think that is what they were called? They were so fun. 
My mom always did special crafts with us. A wonderful memory.

  
While cleaning my Grandma's apartment, I found this Santa. I thought he would go well with my Sweet Girl. My husband rolled his eyes when I brought this guy home as well!!

Maybe it has something to do with the sequins?


 My husband gave me this ballerina the year we went to see the Nutcracker.
 ♥


 I love fish and sea. So my family has given me several fish, starfish, fishermen and other nautical ornaments.


 One more peek at my Sweet Girl!
 

My mom gave me this one last year. She found a bunch of old keys at a sale. 

Do you have some fun stories about ornaments? Or ones that bring back memories?

Christmas is a special time of the year to remember and to make new memories.

 
 

Saturday, December 27, 2014

I am glad you are home...

My suitcase after returning from Chicago.

"A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not."
 Ernest Hemingway
 

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas

  
My birthday present from my sister was a trip to Chicago.
Chicago was beautifully decorated for Christmas.
It was so fun to walk the busy sidewalks and take in all the lights, music, hustle and bustle.

  
Macy's window displays were a hit to the young and the old. I just loved how the children would go right up to the glass to get a good peek at the display.


 Letters to Santa


The Miracle on 34th Street is playing on the T.V. This was one of my favorites. Again, I just loved how the kids lined up to look so close at the window display.

Wishing all of you a Happy Christmas

Recipe 
for a 
Happy Christmas

Fill a house with equal parts of Love, Hope, and Peace.
Add the Joy of children, the Strength of older people, and the Spirit of Christ.
Spread over all the Blessings of Contentment.
Season with the music of Laughter and some Mistletoe Kisses
Warm before a crackling fire.
Serve with Great Welcome and Much Cheer.
Susan Branch
  
 

Monday, December 22, 2014

Fun News

Hello Friends,
I am back. I enjoyed a wonderful birthday trip with my sister. I will be posting all about our trip together in the coming weeks.
I also have enjoyed celebrating Christmas. It is a fun, busy time of the year. Toss in a birthday trip and things can get really busy!
Thank you to all for the birthday and Christmas wishes.

Fun News

 

 My photo was published in the following calendar! 
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation's 2015 Calendar.


 My photo was selected for the month of June.

This was a complete surprise for me, because I was not notified that my photo was selected. Thursday night at our Sportsman's meeting we bought the calendar. My son, Sam was paging along with me. We got to the month of June and I stopped. What a fun surprise to see my photo!!

Have you ever had a fun surprise?

Wishing you all a great week!

Monday, December 8, 2014

Hello December

December brings glad Christmas cheer, 
May joy be yours around the year.
Tasha Tudor


Hello Friends,
I will be taking a blog break for the next week and few days.

I have a big birthday on Friday, December 12th! I will be 40! My sister is treating me to a weekend out on the town! I will share our grand adventure with you when I get back.

I also will be busy with Christmas fun, friends and family.
 
Wishing all of you a wonderful week.

Happy December

 

Carla

Friday, December 5, 2014

On the Road Friday ~ Wisconsin State Fair .... there is so much to see


 We are on the road today. We are heading back to the Wisconsin State Fair. So many fun things to do at the fair. One of my favorite animals to look at are the chickens.


 I thought this was interesting. This lady is sitting and doing a water color of one of the many beautiful pigeons.


Racing Animals
This is so fun. You get to pick out your favorite pig, duck or goat to win the race!
 

 We got to meet Alice in Dairyland.


Zoey Brooks is Alice in Dairyland. She is blessed with this auto to drive all around Wisconsin.
She was very nice. It was fun to meet her.
 


 Back to the racing!


 Go little pig! Go!


 "Oh No, Blue is catching up to me! Run goat, run!


I love looking at the flowers, vegetables, art work and photography.


 Fairy garden galore!

  
Me and my sweetheart!


And our last stop for the day. Milkhouse! .25¢ Milk!!
They serve up a variety of flavors, birthday cake, rootbeer and good old chocolate!

Looking forward to visiting again in 2015!

Thank you for coming along today to the Wisconsin State Fair!


Skyglider! The relaxing birds-eye view of the fair!
We all enjoyed touring the fair from way up high!


Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

While back home visiting my parents for Thanksgiving, our family took a walk down to the river.  Thanksgiving day was cold in Wisconsin. We had a low of -7 degrees when we woke. The blessings of family, friends, God's creation and sunshine made the day warm.


"I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields...It covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says,"Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again." Lewis Carrol
The river is not letting Old Man Winter freeze her solid. She is moving fast and keeping the ice from settling.
Our wood pile, waiting for us to come camping in the Summer.
"Tis merry, merry in the Spring, And merry in the Summer time, And merry when the great winds sing through Autumn's woodlands brown ~ And in the Winter, wild and cold, Tis merry, merry too." William Howitt 

"With pomp, power and glory the world beckons vainly, in chase of such vanities why should I roam?
While peace and content bless my little thatched cottage, and warm my own hearth with the treasures of Home"
Beatrix Potter

Monday, December 1, 2014

Cape Cod Cranberry Pie

Cape Cod Cranberry Pie

Cape Cod Cranberry Pie is an easy pie to make and it is so yummy. 

Cape Cod Cranberry Pie
  2 cups Cranberries
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
4 Tablespoons oil
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla


Spray 9" deep dish pie plate 
Add cranberries, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of sugar and walnuts. 
Mix ingredients and pour over cranberries.
Bake 325 degrees for 45 minutes



Enjoy!


Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving and Table Decorations

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving.
I wanted to share the table decorations I came up with for this year. Each year I design and create our place settings. 
I wanted to use all nature this year. 
My husband cut out birch for me.
I used calligraphy ink and pen to write the names on the birch.
I used hot glue to add a few twigs and a feather.
 


My husband sanded the birch disks for me, so they were very easy to do calligraphy on. I am sure it would be a bit harder to do on a rough wood.


Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and just celebrate the living.
Amanda Bradley


Click here to see my post for last years table decorations.

I will be taking the next few days off.
Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.

I am thankful for all of my readers and friends.
Blogging is a special time and I have met so many wonderful people.
God Bless You.

♥ 
Carla
 
 

Monday, November 24, 2014

Gobble - Gobble

Happy Thanksgiving
A fun paper craft to do this week with your kids, grandchildren and your friends.
Gobble ~ Gobble

Gather:
Egg Carton
Card Stock
Construction Paper
Feathers
Glue
Scissors

Using the card stock as your bottom paper, cut a body shape of a turkey out and glue on card stock. Cut two of the egg carton out and shape into eyes. Cut out small pieces of paper to highlight the inside of your eyes.
Cut out of construction paper all the other parts of the turkey. The feathers, the feet, the waddle and the beak. 
Glue and create your turkey as you like.
 

 

I created this idea to do with our Sunday School class this week. We teach 2nd and 3rd grade. They loved it.
Another idea, is to add some thankful thoughts to your feathers.


Gobble ~ Gobble
You would not want to eat me.  I am too cute.
Happy Thanksgiving!


Friday, November 21, 2014

On The Road Friday ~ Blue Hills, Wisconsin

We are on the road today. We are off for our first ski trip of the 2014 - 2015 ski season!

I know many of you do not like Winter. No worries, grab a cup of tea and enjoy this ski inside.

Off we go.


 My ski buddy!
We all have orange hats on because it is hunting season here in Wisconsin.
This is the first time we have ever had enough snow to ski in November. I keep a ski journal, so it was exciting to write a 2014 November entry.



 The ski trail was getting a lot of use!
We skied in the Blue Hills, in Rusk County. They have a beautiful trail system and it is well maintained. They have a log cabin warming house for all to stop in and warm up. 


 November sunshine! I will take it! I have read that November is Wisconsin's cloudiest month.


 My favorite Winter shoes!


It is good to be out. Working those muscles.


 My skiing hubby!

"We skied in November!"

We enjoyed a great day of snow, sun and skiing.

And so did you.  

Enjoy your weekend.
 ♥
Carla
 
 

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Autumn Craft

An easy Autumn craft to do over the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Gather:
Card stock
Crayons,  makers or colored pencils
Puzzle pieces
Glue
 
Draw a tree and fill in the area of the tree with the puzzle pieces to look like an Autumn tree.

This is a great way to use a puzzle that is missing a few pieces.
 
Have Fun!