To Decorate Or Not...

There are times each year I basically have to talk myself into decorating for Christmas. Living alone and always invited over family members for the holiday I sometimes feel like it's a lot of work especially since I can't move around like I used to. But then comes a day in late November or the first week of December seeing Christmas lights and homes decorated by others, I will suddenly get back in the mood to decorate. Do you ever feel that way?
Here are photos of my 4 ft. tree and Nativity I took at 10:00 AM this morning after decorating at 4:00 AM. The photos were taken with my cellphone which I wasn't happy with but I thought I'd post them anyway. The Nativity figures are 8 inches tall. You can click on them if you care to see them full view
I usually post my poems on my poetry site but decided to add one here.

Trimming The Tree

It's that time again
Time to trim the tree
Boxes of many decorations
Means a lot of work for me

Tree is up with colored lights
Ready for the decorations
Make it pretty and inviting
For my friends and relations

And to celebrate Christ's birth
Beneath the tree the nativity
With angels hanging high above
The season's reason for you see

Light the candles in the window
Hang a wreath upon the door
Then stand back and look around
As the lights and candles glow

Now work is done and boxes empty
Put away until the new year
Just sit back and relax
Enjoy a glass of eggnog cheer

Toni Taddeo © ~ 11-4-2015
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Well dear friends, until next time, have a day of blessings.

Senses And Wishes

Here is an old meme I had spotted on an online friend's blog a few years ago. Skimming through my old entries on my flashdrive I thought I would post it again. Besides the senses I thought I'd include 14 wishes for you.

5 Delights for Each Sense

I love the taste of…
Freshly Made Coffee
Lemon Meringue Pie
A Good Pizza
New York Cheesecake
Fresh Warm Italian Bread

I love the sight of…
Children Playing
Sailboats on a Lake
Autumn in New York
Soft Rain Against my Window
Our Family Get Together's

I love the feel of…
A Newborn Baby in my Arms
A Soft Breeze
Hugs From My Kids & Grand Kids
Silk Sheets & Pillows
The Shore & Sand Under my Toes

I love the smell of…
Fresh Coffee Brewing
Warm Cookies Out of The Oven
New Blossoms in Early Spring
The Air After a Soft Rain
Wood Buring in a Fireplace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~My Wishes For You

I wish for you the warmth of the sun
I wish for you peace when day is done
I wish for you the joys of life
I wish for you freedom from strife
I wish for you twinkling stars at night
I wish for you they always shine bright
I wish for you no ailing days
I wish for you no moody ways
I wish for you a childlike curiosity
I wish for you through their eyes to see
I wish for you true friends galore
I wish for you to always meet more
I wish for you a close family's love
I wish for you a faith from above

These are my wishes for you my friend
And of course I wish they'll never end.

Poem By Toni Taddeo ©

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I hope you enjoyed my senses and wishes as much as I've enjoyed sharing them with you. So, dear friends until the next time, be blessed.

Friday Foto Friends #55

Hope your Thanksgiving was a blessed one. Mine was filled with loving family and lots of good food. Being it's Friday I thought I would post a photo taken on November 20th when a lot of the northeast experienced snow. But not in my part of the valley. It was all around us. The photo was taken just down the road at a local horse farm with a view of the Catskill Mountains where there was plenty of snow. Conrad Hanson a neighbor in our town who snapped the photo did a great job, as it almost looks like a painting. Please note it's copyrighted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If you're interested in joining the Friday Foto Friends you can visit Debbie by clicking on her name. Until next time dear friends have a lovely and blessed weekend.

Thanksgiving Blessings

My Thanksgiving Card to you Dear Friends.

11 Things I'm Thankful For

In honor of the coming Thanksgiving day this coming Thursday, I thought I'd name some things I am thankful for in my life. Feel free to write on your blog the 11 things you are thankful for.

Psalm of Thanksgiving: "Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples".
1 Chronicles 16:8

1. My Whole Family i.e; Children, Grandchildren, Great-Grandchildren, Siblings, etc...
2. The Roof Over My Head.
3. The Food In My Pantry.
4. The Clothes On My Back.
5. The Beautiful Land Around Me.
6. The Online Friends I've Made.
7. The Freedom We Enjoy.
8. My Independence.
9. Memories I Can Fall Back On.
10. To Wake Every Morning To A New Day.
11. But Most Of All, Our Lord Who Makes All The Above Possible.

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I think I'll make myself pancakes with pumpkin spices for breakfast this morning as I woke up a little hungry and I haven't had them in a couple of weeks.. With nothing else more exciting to talk about, I wish you all a lovely and blessed day ahead.

Friday Foto Friends #54

I fell in love with these photos instantly when I saw them. The first one was taken yesterday in Council Bluffs, IA. a great vivid sunset. The second one taken on November 10th in Swansea, MA another beautiful sunset. I'm only jealous that I didn't take them. LOL! aren't they great shots! I spotted them on the weather channel site and just knew they should be FFF pictures.

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I also want to wish my kid brother  (he would get a kick out of that)  a happy birthday today. He lives in San Jose, California with his wife Josie whom I love dearly and his son Antonio, My sisters and I miss them all very much. The last time we saw them was in 2014. So! Happy Birthday Joseph! May your special day be blessed and very special. Love you!

If you're interested in joining the Friday Foto Friends you can visit Debbie by clicking on her name. Until next time dear friends have a lovely weekend.

Tuesday 4 Meme #10 Plus!

Here's this week's Tuesday 4 Meme. This meme will always have just 4 questions each week. I hope you enjoy doing this one along with me and you can always answer in comments or copy and paste and answer on your own blog.

My Personal Preferences

1.  Quiet evening at home or Out on the town?: Quiet evening at home most of the time but when I have the chance or ways and means, I enjoy being out on the town. To me "out on the town" means going out to dinner, seeing a movie, or anywhere away from home.

2.  Watch a movie or read a good book?: Both, depending on my mood and sometimes both at the same time. I average 1-2 books a week and many more in the movie category.

3.  Order a meal or cooking one yourself?: Again, depending on my mood I like either. I like to cook and I like to "be served" my dinner in a good restaurant.

4.  Going for a walk or taking a ride in the car?: When I was able to, I loved to go for long walks and hikes, today out of necessity and bad knees it would be a ride in the car driven by others as I don't drive anymore because of my bad knees.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NOTE:  Painting by William Kay Blacklock (1872-1922) British Painter. titled "A Quiet Read".

Early this morning I happened to look out my bedroom window and spotted the super moon through the clouds and haze. Grabbed my cellphone and got this photo. Not the best but at least I saw the moon big and bright. Did I mention I'm not crazy about cellphone photos? LOL!
That's all she wrote :) Until the next time dear friends, have a day of blessings.

Unconscious Mutterings #7 And More!

Here's this week's Unconscious Mutterings meme. It's fun and all you do is answer with the first thought that comes to your mind for each question. Usually one word answers will do. Most of the time I answer tongue in cheek. :-)


I say ... and you think ...?

1. Judges ~ Harshly
2. Notification ~ By Letter
3. Proof ~ Of Ownership
4. Charming ~ Pleasing
5. Candle ~ Light
6. Salad ~ For Lunch
7. Savings ~ And Loan
8. Ten minutes ~ More, Please!
9. Concern ~ Apprehension
10. Service ~ Center

Now you try either on your own blog or answer here in comments.

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If you look up at the moon in the next day or two, you might notice it looks bigger and brighter than usual. The biggest in 70 years. Bigger in fact, than it has appeared at any point in the last 68 years, NASA scientists say. We won't see another supermoon likes this until 2034, so make sure you get a look. If you stare at it long enought it almost looks like it's growing larger and coming closer...LOL!!

Card night with my sisters tonight. I always look forward to it. So until next time dear friends, have a day/night of blessings.

Honoring Those Who Served

A special Friday Foto Friends #53 entry In honor of all those who served our country. God bless all Veterans on this special day who gave their all. The wounded, deceased and living. My heartfelt and deepest thanks.

The Homecoming

Watching nervously down the road
They stare and anxiously await
It's been a year and lonely time
Hoping the bus will not be late

The wife is dressed in Sunday best
The children shine from head to toe
Nothing coming yet, no bus in sight
And time to her seems moving slow

Then in the distance now they see
The bus is coming toward them all
No more waiting or lonely times
He stands before them proud and tall

His wife and children kept him going
From horrors he has seen that year
Now here they are lovingly before him
Their tears of joy and love so clear

The hero soldier has now come home
To wife and children home to stay
Much hugging, crying, laughter too
A lonely year of waiting gone away.

Toni Taddeo © ~ 4-8-2016
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To my daughter who served in the Army, I wish a Happy Veteran's Day and to all veterans who served. The photo was taken in 1982.

If you're interested in joining the Friday Foto Friends you can visit Debbie by clicking on her name. Until next time dear friends have a lovely weekend.

Another Featured Painting

Today I'm featuring a painting of one of my favorite artists Mark Shasha. He is an American artist and also an author, illustrator and educator. His subjects are often familiar and are usually inspired by the textures and light found along the New England coast where he lives and works. This is one of the oil paintings from his site titled, "A Day In June ©". Beautiful isn't it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Thank goodness we don't have to see political posters, ads, TV commercials, etc.., anymore! I hope the candidate you voted for won. No need to reply to that. There is one thing I never do and that is get into a political discussion. That's all there is my friends. Until the next time have a day of blessings.

Tuesday 4 Meme #9

Here's this week's Tuesday 4 Meme. This meme will always have just 4 questions each week. I hope you enjoy doing this one along with me and you can always answer in comments or copy and paste and answer on your own blog.

Holiday Viewing Habits & Memories
1.  Favorite Holiday Movie/s?: A Charlie Brown Christmas and A Christmas Carol.

2.  Holiday Parades or Football?: Definitely Parades. My favorite is the Thanksgiving Macy's Parade. I never miss it.

3.  Fan of old Holiday classics or new movies?: I love all of the old classics and some new heartwarming ones.

4.  Favorite Holiday memory?: I have two: Spending Easter with my Italian mom when she was here. She loved having all her children and their families with her. Before the meal she would bless us all with holy water using palms we received in church the Sunday before Easter and she would give an extra dose to ones she thought needed it the most. How we all would laugh over it. I miss her and memories with her especially on the holidays. Another was making dough ornaments for my Christmas tree with my children when they were young and stringing popcorn. The ornaments and popcorn string lasted for over 20 years before I had to finally get rid of them.

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Today is Election Day. I voted last week. If you haven't yet and you live in the USA, please make yourself count by getting out there and voting. No matter what or who, every vote counts. In the meantime dear friends, have a day of blessings.

Unconscious Mutterings #6

Here's this week's Unconscious Mutterings meme. It's fun and all you do is answer with the first thought that comes to your mind for each question. Usually one word answers will do.

I say ... and you think ...?

1. Referral ~ Slip
2. Stressed ~ Out
3. Apply ~ Yourself
4. Inched ~ Out
5. Zipper ~ Up
6. Plaid ~ Skirt
7. Issues ~ And Answers
8. Orange ~ Juice
9. Cream ~ Cheese
10. Finish ~ Your Dinner!


Now you try either on your own blog or answer here in comments.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This one was too easy for me :) I can't wait to see your answers. Not much more to add today and so until the next time dear friends, have a day of blessings.

It's That Time Again

While the adoption of Daylight Saving Time is almost always rife with controversy, most of the world (except for countries around the Equator) has implemented DST at one point or another. This map depicts countries that currently have DST, that previously had DST, and that never had DST. Today, approximately 70 countries utilize Daylight Saving Time in at least a portion of the country. Japan, India, and China are the only major industrialized countries that do not observe some form of daylight saving.

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Here's a little poem I wrote about the time change. Thought you might get a kick out of it. :)

An Hour Gained

Listen to the tick and tock
And the chimes of the clock

It's giving us back some time
An hour more the clock does chime

Sunrise smiles on us today
More time to work or play

Now I can sleep an hour more
Then up to dress and out the door

An hour gained again is here
Five more months of the year

Ah yes, sunrise smiles on us today
An hour more to work or play

Toni Taddeo © ~ 10/19/2015
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>Now don't forget to change your clocks tonight. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep and until the next time, have a weekend of blessings.

Friday Foto Friends #52

How bare the trees are in my area in November. I miss the warm full colors of October. Here are November photos from past Autumns in November years taken from my collection. The middle one is the Hudson River with the Catskills in the background. I don't remember which park the first is from but the last was taken around the neighborhood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Happy 1st Anniversary to Friday Foto Friends and Debbie. Hope it continues for many more years. If you're interested in joining the Friday Foto Friends you can visit Debbie by clicking on her name. Until next time dear friends have a lovely weekend.

Apple Yam Casserole

Sweet potatoes layered with Granny Smith apples and topped with a mixture of brown sugar and raisins make this a great side dish for the Fall and Thanksgiving.

Apple Yam CasseroleIngredients

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 slices lemon, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish. In the casserole dish, alternately layer the sweet potatoes and apples. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix together brown sugar, 1/3 cup water, cinnamon, raisins, butter and salt. Cook 5 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together remaining water and flour. Combine with the brown sugar mixture. Pour over the sweet potatoes and apples. Place the lemon slices on top. Bake covered in the preheated oven 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes and apples are tender.

Note Makes 8 servings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Today I'm off to an early Senior Citizen group meeting and Thanksgiving dinner with my sister Phyllis. As much as I love the Thanksgiving holiday I'm really not liking the food putting weight on my body this month. I've been so careful and have lost over 10 pounds. I will watch myself for sure. :) .Until next time my friends have a day of blessings.