Easter at Home.

Like all holidays in the last year, for Easter 2021, we'll once again gather together and alone. We'll set our dining room table for just the five of us in the cottage but truly wish we were putting the leaves in the middle and gathering chairs to ensure all have a comfy spot to eat. We'll engage with other family members by text, by email and by video link. It will be fun but some of it will feel lonely too. And then there will be people out there who don't think this is as serious as it is, those who will travel, though we are told to stay home, those who will continue to not wear masks, though it shows to helps stop the spread. For those who do not think of others but only themselves, I wish they could, for a moment, step in to an ICU and see how real it all is. If everyone did their part, maybe we'd be back to normal all ready. For now, we all do our part and keep safe, at home, until we've been vaccinated and we can be out freely again. I can't wait ....

A few photos from around the cottage for Easter at Home. The sweet bunny pillow we found last year for 1/2 price and love the pretty colors. The photo under that one is the tiny oval frame we found at the Antique Mall one day. I loved the picture and the opening in the back for dried flowers. I've placed some Hydrangea buds from last Summer. The third photo is the Easter bauble someone gifted to us. It hangs on our writing secretary, for now, then is tucked away until next Spring. The fourth photo is the pillow we found at the AM again, on another visit one rainy day a few years ago. As a gramma, it makes me smile. The fifth photo is a lamp from that same visit to the AM. Small with a china lamp shade, provides just enough light when I write at night. And finally, the sixth photo is a china lamb that we found at a charity shop in our region. With pink eyes and a lovely garland around its neck, the perfect symbol for this season. 

All for now. Wishing you and your

beautiful family a memorable Easter.

~ Chy

My House in August Photo Challenge.

The second photo challenge that I'm going to do

is this one ~ #myhouseinaugust. I love the whole

concept and look forward to participating. With a

new home, there are so many things I can share.

Have you participated in any photo challenges?

Would you be willing to try this one out?

April 2015 Photo Challenge ~ Day One.

After much thought, I chose the April 2015 Photo

Challenge from Susannah Conway's blog. Truly

looking forward to working through each of these

prompts for the next month. Should be a great time!

The first prompt is "My Morning View".

Here's my first shot for the challenge. A dark, misty 

morning with new snow falling gently from the sky.

A perfect time to snuggle back into the warmth.

Have you ever participated in a Photo Challenge?

Or any other type of Blogging Challenge?

Spring Choices.

I really enjoyed participating in the "Capture December" Photo Challenge. So it was easy to decide it was time to get out my camera & capture Spring with a new challenge.

I found 2 different challenges to choose from.

Now it's just to decide which one! I may have to, in the end, flip a coin to decide as they are both great.

Are you taking part in any blogging challenges this year?

Capture December: Day Twenty-Seven.

Hi everyone!

I was a bit stumped with today's Capture December Photo Challenge with the prompt "Night Time." But then remembered these three pictures I took of our B spreading the Reindeer food he made at school for Santa's faithful drivers. Perfect shots and thankfully, at night!

Did Reindeer visit your home this year?

Capture December: Day Twenty-Five.

Hello again!

"Morning" was the theme for the Capture December Photo Challenge for the Twenty-Fifth Day. We have a ton of pictures to sift through for this year, well over three hundred. But my favorite is this one with our sweet B walking into the living room after we had breakfast in the kitchen, then opened our stockings in the family room. He was asleep when we placed the gifts around the tree on Christmas Eve. This was his first reaction. A bit confused at first. I'm sure he was thinking "what the heck happened!!"

Then the smile crept in and he became giggly.

It was a great morning. 

More pictures to follow!

Do you have a favorite morning photo this year?

Capture December: Day Thirteen.

Hi everyone!

One of my favorite words in the English language is "family" and that's the prompt for the Capture December Photo Challenge for the thirteenth day of the month. It was fun to find pics. Here's a small collection of my family photos:

With my "baby" brother.

He was two, I was six.

Last year, all grown up!!

My lovey and I on our Wedding Day.

And our family, twenty four years later.

Our eldest daughter's marriage ended.

The five of us live together, 

helping to raise our grandson B.

Gramma and grampa!

And "the boy!!"

Our oldest son and my mom.

Mother's Day 2014.

Younger son, with his wife

and our second grandbaby L.

Mother's Day 2014.

L is sweet but I wish she wasn't so far away!!

Brother and sister,

with our respective spouses.

Known in our family as "the mama and the papa!"

At a local art show for our Arts Council.

Winter 2014.

Our little family is our world. Nothing else matters. Nothing else is sweeter. So thankful for this wonderful group of beings who keep us laughing, make us worry, give us so much gratitude and keep us entertained! My family, my life.

Who are your family members?

New House Update: Part Three.

Hi again!

I'm relaxing on the couch with our little guy, after a busy week. Dh and oldest dd are at the hockey game, younger dd is upstairs and here we are, one snoring boy and one vegging gramma! We're too tired to do much else.

Here's Part Three of my New House Update. Upper left hand corner is a shot of our kitchen nook, with lovely sun streaming through the windows. In time, there will be a window seat there. Second pic on the right is the wall where our kitchen cabinets and sink will go. Next pic shows the fireplace in the great room with both bookcase nooks. And the final picture in the lower right hand corner is the full shot of the kitchen nook. You can see the door leading out to the back porch on the right. It is a french door for the light.

On to the next photos. Upper left is again another shot but the reason I took this one was to capture the small stub wall they had to create to hide a pipe. I kind of like it now but at first I was not crazy about it. It's kind of dark to see but it's on the right side of the picture. Right side picture is the door leading to our butler's pantry and then the dining room. Third picture, bottom left, is a bit of an extension of that shot, with the oven and fridge along with cabinets set for this wall. And the final picture is the door leading out to our "locker room" aka the back hallway. The smaller door to the right is the laundry room/potting room for gardening. And dd was trying to decide which locker would be hers!

Next will be Part Four!

Capture December: Day Seven.

Hi everyone!

The prompt today for the Capture December Photo Challenge is "Bright." I chose to feature the beautiful flowers that my youngest dd bought for me today, for now reason. Love them! The best flowers are always surprises!!

Very bright and colorful!

Muted but lovely.

Under the Christmas Tree!

A collection of colors to brighten our snowy, winter day.

What is "Bright" in your world today?

Capture December: Day Four.

Hi everyone!

For the fourth day of the Capture December Photo Challenge, I'm sharing a picture that I took at my office today that shows something that has made my life "Joyous." I've nurtured this plants back to a healthy state, from an almost dead situation. And I'm so excited to come into work to see how nicely they've continued to grow, with a bit of sun and fresh water. Aren't they beautiful? So happy!!

What was joyous in your life today?

Capturing December: Day One.

Hi everyone!

I'm starting a day late with the "Capturing December" photo challenge. I'll post day two in a bit. Here's the first capture I created titled "Your View for Today." This was our new house in the country. The weather has been bitter but yesterday it got a bit warmer and today, the sun shone bright and some snow melted, as you can see by the icicles that formed on the west side of the house. I'm sure they'll melt right off tomorrow as it's going to be another sunny day, warmer than this one was. I'm glad I could capture these beauties!

Aren't they pretty?

December Photo Challenge.

Hi everyone!

Hope your second day of December was as lovely as the first. I was back at work today, after many days of being snowed in. We are so fortunate to be able to work from home, so getting behind was not even a concern. But I missed seeing my co~workers. It was nice to hear the tea kettle going and the conversations and laughter again. I was last there on Wednesday, but it felt like weeks!

Borrowed this little ditty from Carla at Half Dozen Daily. I've never participated in a challenge before, so I'm quite excited to be diving in. Here's the chart I'll be following: 

Will you join in?

Our Christmas Card!

Without the graphics added,

this is our Christmas Card for 2013.

Love this time of year when our mailbox

is overflowing with cards from family and friends. 

In our family, we all send a picture to each

other. A tradition I love! I'm always so excited to 

see how my nephews and my cousins kids have

grown each year, especially the ones 

who don't live close to us.

Do you send Christmas Cards?

Do you enjoy receiving them?

Do you send a letter or photos?

Do you keep the cards?

Our Hallow'd Night!

What Halloween looked like at

our cozy house last night!

Soon we'll start our decorating inside

for our favorite season: Christmas!

Yes, for our family, a season, not a day.

Outside is done but inside is next. 

Have a great weekend!