It Starting to Look Like Christmas

I just love blog land this time of the year!

There are so many wonderfully decorated homes.

I could sit for hours and gaze at all of the details.

The recipes for holiday appetizers, cookies and goodies!

My pinterest pages are full!

I finally got some decorations up at our house.

The first Christmas in our new home.

Actually the first time I have decorated in 2 years!

Many items came from antique shops near Arthur, Il. when we were pipelining there during Christmas season two years ago.

My first Santa collection!

The putz house was a lucky find on the bottom shelf in a back corner.

All of the bulbs and angel came from an auction dollar box.

My angel tree has lots of vintage finds.

But the best thing under my tree is this guy!

There is nothing better than viewing the season through the eyes of a child.

Thanks to all of you that share your holiday posts!

Liz

My Christmas Cactus

My Christmas cactus is starting to bloom!

I really don't mind if its a few weeks early.

It just brings me great amounts of joy everytime a bud begins to form.

This Christmas cactus is extra special to me because it belonged to my grandmother.

She passed over 24 years ago!

Grandma followed all of the rules for making her cactus 

"bloom filled" for Christmas.

It was the center of attention on its own special stand during

the Christmas season.

When my grandma passed I took on the responsibility 

of caring for her prized cactus.

My treasured cactus has endured 5 moves, 3 kids picking at its leaves, one dog knocking it over and many forgotten watering's.

Today it is not as grand as it once was many years ago.

But every time it comes into blooms

 I can feel the extra special presence of my grandma.

I hope I can keep grandmas Christmas cactus blooming for

seasons to come!

Liz

Giving Hand Made or Homemade

This Christmas I have decided all the presents I give

will be home made or hand made.

If not made by me, 

then made by people who really care about their product.

Today I received a box of goodies from a lady that really produces a great product!

I

Staci of Life At Cobble Hill Farm

not only has a wonderful blog, 

but also has a wonderful line of products.

cobblehillfarmapothecary.

Believe me when I say I picked up each bar of soap and gave them a big sniff!

Oh the fragrances make my nose so happy!

I really think I am going to have a hard time giving them away!

After a HUGE mix up on my part with our mailing address,

I was afraid the soaps would be lost somewhere between post offices,

but they finally arrived!

Staci was even willing to reship all of my soaps at no charge, and even send me more for gifts!

Now thats one special lady to me!

I know that her and her husband are busy making products to fill all of their orders right now.

So please check back often at their store if they are out of something.

My sniffer finally decided this bar is going to be mine!

Merry Christmas to me!

Liz

Oodles of Noodles

I have been up to my eyeballs in noodles!

Today was one of the bigger craft shows I am a vendor at selling my home made egg noodles.

This past week has been CRAZY trying to get enough made.

The local chickens were behind in producing eggs thanks to the recent cold snap.

It is hard to make egg noodles with no eggs!

But I did manage to get enough to keep production rolling.

Everytime I looked at the counter my bags of noodle dough seemed to multiply!

My poor pasta machine started to squeak by Friday.

My house is full of flour!

But I got them all bagged and ready to go!

Out of 39 bags, 

I only came home with 3!

I will give the pasta machine a week to rest up, 

(the chickens too!)

then its time to get ready for the next craft show!

Liz

Christmas in the Country Gift Exchange

Christmas in the country bloggers gift exchange

Another fellow blogger had this on her post today.

She was joining in and encouraged others to do the same.

I was in a Christmas exchange like this a few years ago and it was a blast!

I think I will join in!

Hope to see some of you there as well!

Liz

For my chicken loving friends

I just had to share this with all of my fellow chicken lovers out there.

While my little town was trying to fight a silica sand transfer facility,

another small town nearby was fighting chickens!

A few people wanted to be able to raise their own hens in town.

No roosters, just laying hens.

The war was on!

People had signs posted in their yards either for chickens or not.

These ran in the local paper.

They put it on the ballot for the town to vote.

This is a small town with less than 500 hundred people.

The chickens lost!

What is this world coming to?

Make a difference

Time for me to get back into the blogging world again!

The fight against a silica sand transfer facility coming to my community ended last Wednesday night.

(This fight has consumed my life for the last month and half!)

Many,many phone calls.

Long hours of research.

Hosting public discussions on the subject of silica sand.

Walking door to door getting petitions signed.

Sadly our local city council voted it in 6-0

It was very defeating to sit through a public hearing that lasted until 1:15 a.m.

with the City Council members seated with their backs to the general public.

Most citizens were strongly opposed!

Only 2 council members even bothered to ask any questions.

One battle lost, but not the war!

I have gained a lot of in site through the battle.

Met a lot of wonderful people who care about our environment and want to protect it.

And hopefully educated a lot of people on the dangers of silica sand to our health.

Lots and lots of petitions were signed.

Much media coverage.

Even made the front page!

I just want to remind everyone who thinks they can't make a difference on something you are passionate about,

YES YOU CAN!

Liz