ABC Wednesday ~ B~ is for . . .

 ~ Bone China ~

First let me say that I am dish-aholic ... yes ... it is sad, but very true. Over Christmas I pulled out some 8in., purple, glass plates that I bought several years ago. My husband commented that he thought he knew of every dish in our home. Why burst his bubble?

Anyway, I will say ... I do not have any fancy china place settings. I did not "register" a china pattern when we got married. Most of the dishes I have would probably be considered "pottery", not china.

However, I do have "bone china" and I'm sure most of you do too.  I have a few plates, but most of my "bone china" is in the form of TEA CUPS, which I collect.

What exactly is "Bone China"?  It is a soft-paste porcelain that is made of bone ash, feldspathic material, and kaolin (laymen's terms, soft rock minerals). Bone China has at least 30% bone ash, which is derived from animal (usually cattle) bone. It is know for it's whiteness, translucency, and despite it's fragile appearance,  strength and chip resistance.

Generally, Bone China is registered and it's trademark and pattern can be found under each piece. Over time these can become difficult to read. An easy way to see if it is an authentic piece, hold the piece up to a light. Place your hand behind it. You should be able to see your fingers through it.

Thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt and her team for this wonderful meme.
To find more post on the letter "B".
check out ABC WEDNESDAY

Project 365

Jan.15, 2012

 Jan.16, 2012

 Jan17,2012

 Jan.18,2012

Jan.19,2012

 Jan.20, 2012

 Jan21, 2012

ABC WEDNESDAY ~ A is for ....

ABANDON~to cast away, leave, or desert, 
as property or a child.

I am so glad I got out and got these photos yesterday. Today we are having a winter storm. 

 I have no idea what this structure was. It is small, but looks like at one time it could have been someone's home. You can see the fire stack at the far end. It is across from a large farm. Perhaps it was a home for migrant workers.

There is new buildings going up around this farm. Even though the house looks to be well kept, the barns behind need lots of work. What you can't see is there is a padlock on the door.

This is a large factory or warehouse along a railroad track. Perhaps at one time it was some sort of granary. You can see that many of the windows are boarded up.

I love ABC Wednesday! Thanks to Mrs.Nesbitt and her team for hosting it.

To see more posts for "A"

Click on over to ABC WEDNESDAY

Project 365

~Jan.8,2012 ~

~Jan. 9,2012- Lettuce growing~

~Jan.10,2012~

~Jan.11,2012- new growth on Ornamental Cabbage plants

~Jan.12,2012-Winter has arrived~

~Jan. 13,2012~

~Jan.14,2012~

Coffee Klatch Friday

WELCOME!
Come ... sit. The coffee is ready and I baked some cookies to share . This recipe is my Mom's recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies. I substituted M&M's for the chocolate chips.
These cookies are just perfect for dunking! They are crispy and crunchy, not soft and chewy. So. if you want a glass of milk instead ... I totally understand.

This week for Coffee Klatch Friday I have chosen to have a discussion. This came about after reading several blogs. Now I know that we cannot have a real discussion, but I hope you will share your insight on the subject.

THE SUBJECT:
How do you take care of yourself? What do you do to re-energize yourself, to be the best you can be for your family and friends? What do you do for your "me time"?

You know, as mother's, wives, best friend's, and big sister's, we feel that we need to make everything okay for everyone in our lives. But worrying and stressing over what other people should do or what we need to do to help them is not good for us. We need to step back and take time for ourselves. 

How do I do that? 

Mostly in little ways. 

When I work long hours, I come home, have a lite dinner, take a hot bath, and go to bed early. I don't do the dishes or worry about laundry. They will still be there. (When my children were in Jr. High and High School they were required to fix dinner once a week, including clean up. On Saturday morning they would decide what they wanted to make and on what day they would make it. When I went grocery shopping  whatever was needed was bought. At first it was more of a hassle than a help, but it taught then several things ( how to follow a recipe, planning out meals, using your time wisely)  and eventually freed up some time for me.) I have come to realize that dinner doesn't have to be a huge production. It's ok to have soup and a grilled cheese sandwich or French Toast for dinner. A large salad and baked potato  is a great meal, quick, easy, and not heavy. I have also come to realize that most things don't need to be done "right now".

Yes, we do need to keep things neat and tidy, but not to the point that it stresses us out.

My "me time" also involves , at least once a month, going to Antique shops. I'm not necessarily going to buy something, but just to look. It is time that I spend by myself, enjoying something, without someone trying to get my attention. I think it's important to get away from your normal routine, to be away from things that can barge in and steal away the time I have chosen for me. I think the most important thing is, the time does not have to be long, but you do need to make "the time", to do something you enjoy.

So, how do you spend time on yourself? What are some of the things that you have come to realize you need to do to keep your life less stressful? Many people will say they don't have stress. Day to day life is stress ... it's how you handle it. 

Looking forward to what you have to share.
Please remember to LINK up!
~Vicki~

Project 365

I think this is kind of a cool idea. Post 1 picture a day of something in your life. Ok ... posting 1 picture everyday ... not really cool, at least for me. BUT ... I will take 1 (yeah right, more like 10) picture a day and post 7 each week. Here is this week's photos.
                                                           Jan. 1, 2012~ Our house guest~

Jan. 2, 2012 ~ Just before dusk~

Jan. 3,2012 ~ Frost on window after coldest night so far for this year.       

 Jan. 4,2012 ~Hockey practice~

Jan. 5, 2012 ~ Our house from the woods~

 Jan. 6,2012 ~Full Moon on cloudy night~

 Jan. 7,2012 ~ Walk along the river~

Coffee Klatch Friday

Here are the questions:

1. What was 1 of the memorable events in your life last year?
2. What do you look forward to regarding your blog for this year?
Here are the answers:1. I'd have to say my youngest, my baby, moving out on her own. Yes, we have an empty nest now.In saying that, I know for some people it is a hard adjustment. For me, it hasn't been to bad. The reasons are#1. daughter #2 was working 2 jobs and going to school. She was, pretty much only home to study and sleep, eat, and do laundry. She already was kind of on her own, without actually being on her own.#2. I am one of those people who doesn't mind being alone. I enjoy the quiet when I am watching tv or on the computer (in fact, when I am on the computer, the sound is usually off). I have never been one to go out and party or have to be with someone so I'm not I'm bored. 2. Ahhhh ... for blogging, I want to get back into some meme's that I have done in the past. I especially enjoy ABC WEDNESDAY and am going to try my hand at Project 365(6). Project 365 is where you take a picture a day and post it. Now .... I'm sure you're thinking ... hmmmmm ... I haven't seen any pictures. You are right! I have never been one of those people who post daily on my blog. I have decided that I will post 7 pictures on Sundays. They won't be perfect, they probably won't be memorable or of any significance ... I lead a pretty mundane life ... but it will be something that will have been part of my day.I will also be posting (at least trying to) everyday things, like recipes (I know, some of you don't cook   and that's ok), crafts, garden stuff, etc. So please come back often and leave a comment or 2 ... or 3... or 4. Feedback is a great encouragement!

So, what are you waiting for?

Coffee Klatch Friday

Happy 1st. Friday of 2012!

Grab your cup and get a comfy seat! Did you get a good night's sleep? Me? No, too many things were running through my head.First, I want to thank those who left comments about this meme. I guess we will just have to wait and see what the days ahead bring. At least for now, we'll march ahead ... hoping more will join in.Today is just a little impromptu post. I wanted to do something different, but that didn't pan out. Oh well, there's plenty of time ahead. Today there are just a couple quick questions.
1. What was 1 of the memorable events in your life last year?
2. What do you look forward to regarding your blog for this year?
I'm going to post this now so you can get started. Look for my post later today.

COFFEE KLATCH FRIDAY

Are you ready?

I know it's been awhile ... and in all honesty I was going to chalk it up as a failure. I have enjoyed getting to know the one's who have posted and I am glad that they have been willing to share themselves. I had hoped that more would post and not just drop by and read. So, here's your chance. Does the Coffee Kolatch go or stay? What are some ideas that you want to share? What are things you enjoy or want to know more about? I guess, what I should be asking is  ... What would you comment on?

Getting back in the GROOVE

Happy 2012!

I don't know about you ( well, I kinda do. I have visited several blogs), but this Holiday Season has thrown me a little off kilter. It just seems (to me) that today should be Wednesday or Thursday, not Tuesday.
I guess, once I really get back in the swing of things, everything will fall back into place.

Part of the reason I feel this way is because, several days over the past week we were dog sitting. We had our older daughter's 4 year old, chocolate Lab, Indy, as a house guess. She is a good dog, but one that is use to being at home, alone during the day. This meant (to her), if there was movement ... there was something to investigate. As, a consequence, I watched a lot of TV and read. Hubby sleeps days, he works nights and was not too excited when 2 dogs were romping and barking around the house.

All is good though. I never take Christmas down right away. I enjoy the evenings, sitting in the warm, soft glow of Christmas lights, reading or on my laptop enjoying a hot cup of tea. By the end of this coming week-end it should be all down and the house will be back to normal.
Looking forward to a great year of blogging ... for me ... and you!
~Vicki~