Today is Frog Jumping Day

Hello Everyone.
Bet you just can't believe it - but - today really is Frog jumping day.

The above picture is the back of one of Sir Knights sweatshirts. Cute Huh?

Frog Jumping Day can be traced back to Missouri author Mark Twain, and his first short story, “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog.”

They say that frogs make great pocket pets, so maybe you'll want to celebrate by going out and getting yourself a frog; Or maybe not.

On a personal note - I kissed a whole lot of toads before I found the handsome prince - will that count as having had a pocket frog? LOL

Hugs,
Penny

If this post doesn't make any sense please forgive me, this cold, rainy weather we are having, has got my fibromyalgia acting up big time and my brain is really, really froggy errr I mean foggy.

Victorian Tea Party

"Tea is drunk to forget the din of the world." - T’ien Yiheng

"Though I cannot flee from the world…
I can prepare tea with water from a mountain stream and put my heart to rest." -Ueda Akinari

"Enjoy life, sip by sip, not gulp by gulp." - The Minister of Leaves

Hello Everyone,
Do come in, out of the cold and make yourself comfortable. Welcome to my Victorian Tea Party.

Full tea is being served in the Main Parlor so lets head in there, and indulge in the pleasures of tea.


Ah, here we are. Let us light the lamps and bring the room to life. An old tea drinkers saying is "to make a tea stronger than usual indicates a new friendship” I noticed I brewed this pot a bit strong, hopefully to signify all the new friends who will be stopping by today.

I saved this seat for you.

Won’t you please be seated.

"The mere chink of cups and saucers tunes the mind to happy repose." - George Gissing

I will sit here - so that we may engage in pleasant conversation - of absent friends and lovers.

"Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea" - Henry Fielding, Love in Several Masques


We have for your culinary delight:
Feta Cheese & Chives Scones,
Cucumber Sandwiches and
Sir Knights world renown Crab salad..
Italian Cream cake will be served at the last remove for desert.
Please don’t be shy, help yourself, I guarantee it is all delicious

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour rededicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." - Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady


"Each cup of Tea represent an imaginary voyage" - Catherine Douzel

Thank you so much for coming on this imaginary voyage to my blog and my home.

Hugs,
Penny

Mothers Day

To My Grown Up Son

My hands were busy through the day,

I didn’t have much time to play

The little games you asked me to.

I didn’t have much time for you.

I’d wash your clothes, I’d sew and cook

And when you’d bring you picture book,

And ask me please to share your fun,

I’d say “a little later son”.

I’d tuck you in all safe at night

And hear your prayers, turn out the light,

Then tiptoe softly to the door…

I wish I’d stayed a minute more.

For life is short, the years rush past…

A little boy grows up so fast.

No longer is he at your side,

His precious secrets to confide.

The picture books are put away,

There are no longer games to play.

No good-night kiss, no prayers to hear…

They all belong to yesteryear.

My hands, once busy, now are still

The days are long and hard to fill.

I wish I could go back & do

The little things you asked me to.
Author Unknown

Hello Everyone,

I was divorced shortly after my son turned one and remained that way till 11 years ago when I met and married Sir Knight.

Raising a child, as a single parent was hard work. I worked a full time job, Then came home and crafted so I could do the craft show circuit on the weekends. Then I decided to go back to school to be a Nurse, worked a full time job and crafted. Through it all my son was pretty amazing, oh he had his share of discipline problems, but nothing really out of the ordinary. He'd help me study, he'd help pack crafts and make sure we were ready to head to whatever show we were headed.
I came across this poem many years ago and in a newspaper and saved it, so I could add it to the scrapbook I knew I would put together for him when I had more time. Well that more time is here and for the last couple years, I have been working on putting his life in picture order. To that end, I am having some problems because there were years I couldn't even afford to buy a camera or if we had the camera, pay for the processing of the film; but we both survived, hopefully the stronger for all our adversities

Forgive me, my intent was not to bum everyone out this Mothers Day but rather to give all young mothers a little heads up to enjoy your blessings more while you have them.

Hugs,
Penny

Garage Sale Goodies and my May Challenge entry

Hello Everyone,
No Genghis, you may not mail yourself out to Jan's Funny Farm along with their treats. That would be more than they bargained for when they joined your giveaway.

Yep all that cold nasty rain moved in on us like they said it would and tonight we have freeze warning. But Dedicated Garage Sale'er that I am, I never let a little cold weather come between me and a bargain. Didn't find to much out there - but I found enough to satisfy my compulsion

This weekends treasures include a couple of craft books,a historical romance, some fabric, a place mat and a couple empty boxes. Ooops, almost missed my pretty little crystal salt and peppers, they are so cute.

Here is Sir Knight's treasures. A couple scroll saw books, sanding disks, and a New for us Cookbook. Yummm hope it has something tasty in it.

This is the picture Gail gave us, the word prompt was courage.

Sir Knight, in an attempt to help me improve the quality of my blog pictures; bought me a new photo software for Mother's Day and of course I had to sit right down and experiment. And in case your wondering; - no I let my male side show and didn't read all the directions first. This program is suppose to do lots and lots of good stuff -and the instructions though not extremely technical fills a 377 page book, so it may take me awhile to get it all processed.

This little digital piece I did for Mind Wide Open, therefore, may be my only piece for quite some time.

This is what I made with it.

Check out all the great artwork over on Gail's Blog tomorrow. Mind Wide Open is the place to go. Vote for the piece that speaks to your soul and give all us struggling artist a boost.

Hugs,
Penny

What's planned for the future?

My pretty little Dwarf Lilac Bush

Hello everyone,
It was a rather balmy day here in the Midwest - but they tell us we are due for heavy rain and cold temperatures, maybe even a good freeze.
It's ok with us- we haven't put our garden in yet. The weather here has been so unpredictable the last couple years - it's hard to decide what to do. Last year we put our garden in early and everything got waterlogged from to much rain -and the year before that a late frost killed our veggies and we had to replant. So this year we waited and it seamed like we waited way too long - but now I'm glad we did.
Just hope we don't get any of the snow - they are predicting for the Dakota's and Minnesota. The frost would be hard enough on my pretty Lilacs and my soon to bloom Peony bushes but snow would absolutely destroy them.

Planning for the future certainly gets trickier - at my age - no use doing any long range planning; and besides according to all the worry warts, who have it on good authority, the world will end in 2012. I don't know if the Aztecs were right or wrong - but I figure I best not commit myself too far in advance, just in case.
Where is this post leading you ask? Well, I really don't know. I started out just wanting to tell you about a few things I signed up for around blogland - where the other stuff came from is a mystery to me too.

Victorian Tea Party

Sir Knight, who usually takes me out for Mother's Day has so gallantly agreed to forgo the fancy restaurant - and make me a yummy spread of tea party treats; so that I can join in on this Victorian Tea Party. Crab salad, cucumber sandwiches and whatever else he is willing to whip up - sounds extra yummy to me. He is the best cook around.

I am so blessed- He likes to cook and I love to eat. A match made in heaven LOL

Where Bloggers Create

I will have to put in some serious cleaning and organizing time to get ready for this event, hopefully I'll even have the annex cleaned up and ready to show off as well. I know Genghis doesn't think it will happen - but I am a lady on a mission. Failure is not an option.

Help me, I think I'm going MAD. And right on time if I do say so myself.

The Mad Tea Party

Ohhhhh! I am so looking forward to this one. I joined last year but a family emergency came up and I had to have Vanessa remove me from the party list. What a bummer. So hopefully we can make it happen this year and get totally MAD .. At least I still have all my decorations that I planned on using last year.

If you haven't decided that I am way to MAD - do come and join us. The more the merrier.

At least that's what they say. Isn't it?????

Hugs,
Penny