It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas!

"Sweet Hunter" usually puts the tree up
 but me & "Trouble" decided to do it for him.
I do all the decorating though. 
Thanks "Trouble" for helping me!

 Special ornaments made by a friend for my children  in 1982.
Our son was 8 years old.

Trouble was 6 years old.

May May was the baby and was almost 1 year old.

Big sis was 2 years old.

I love it when the house is all ready
 for "Sweet Hunter" to come home and enjoy!
Supper is done.
House is clean.
Fire is going.



There is one thing missing......Gifts!!!
Actually you will not see many gifts under our tree.
I don't shop unless I need something.
I don't even shop for Christmas!
That is what I have daughters for!!!!

A Little Big Store

This is a little store out in the middle of no where in Blairsville Ga.
When you see this store you could never ever imagine how big it is on the inside.
I have not even shown you the clothing area or the hunting area.
Just thought that you would enjoy seeing what I go and look at when
"Sweet Hunter" is in the hunting area. 
This Elvis picture is especially for my daughter Big Sis.
She wasn't even born when he was alive but she loves Elvis so much!

Alexanders Store
Blairsville, Ga.

This store is way out in the country. I don't know how you hear about it except
word of mouth.  That is how we found it.  This is what you see from their parking lot.

This is the pasture across the road. 
It is such an interesting store and has a lot of everything.
There is one huge warehouse area that just has recliners.
Hundreds of recliners.  I have never seen a store like it.
They have everything from jewelry, handbags, clothes & shoes
to furniture, quilts, appliances, guns, & gun safes. 
If you are ever in this little town of Blairsville Ga. it will be worth your trip
just to see it.

Peace On Earth December Challenge

I found this challenge several days ago and am just now putting it on my blog.

It has blessed my heart at a time when my heart needs blessing.

Please join Courtney along with me and many others in this challenge.
If you have a minute listen to her video below.  She has inspired me and I hope that she will inspire you. That is why I am sharing this.  

Challenge:

Today: Write at the top of your December calendar page - I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." This will be a reminder every time you look at your calendar and feel anxious about all you have to get done - to pray. God cares for you. Release your worries to him and rest in him.



Also, go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home in the month of December. I will be starting mine in the morning! But you can start yours at dinner time. I will be placing mine in the kitchen - the main hub of my home. Each time the candle catches your eye, say a prayer for peace in your home.

Okra Ornaments?

Remember this okra?
This is the okra out of my garden drying.

Well I picked up the Grands one afternoon and
 decided that I would let them help me work on our Okra Craft!
It started out great with popcorn, coke, and the okras to paint.

Then it changed when I told the girls about making the flowers out of gift tissue paper.
Look at "Angel" working so hard.

They caught on so quick.  They loved making flowers.
I think they forgot about the okra painting.
Didn't they do such a good job?

Then they decided that they wanted to go outside
 and find some more things to work with like pinecones and other stuff.
"Sweet Teen" found this flower and I could see her mind working.

The next thing I saw is "Sweet Teen" painting a flower like she picked.

Look at this when she got through!!!

Isn't it beautiful?

Now "Brother" was over here still using the paint
but he had found some more goodies outside that he wanted to use.
You may notice that his shirt is off......when he gets serious about something
he always takes his shirt off for some reason. He is hilarious.
He is telling Paw Paw what all he is doing.

"Sweet Teen" just couldn't get enough of flower making.

By now" Brother" had got bored with painting
and the next thing we knew he was on the floor
with the tissue paper making robots!!!
Just like a boy!!!

Then "Sweet Teen" found origami on the internet
and she made this butterfly.  She amazes me.

Wasn't this post about Okra?  Oh yes.
The Grands kind of forgot about painting the okra but they
accomplished a lot.  They love craft time at Gran's house.

When I went to see my BFF, Vicki the other day
she gave me a plastic bag full of painted okra
from years ago when we had done this.
I haven't got those done but I can't wait to work on them.
Thanks Vicki Lou!

Here are some of the finished okra.  My "Sweet Hunter" has a very
gifted artistic aunt and she showed me how to make these years ago.
She made me a block of wood with holes in it for the okra to stand in and dry
after painting them.  She even painted the wood red for me.
I haven't saw Aunt J in a long time but I would love for her to know that
I will always remember that she taught me how to do this.
It is now a tradition for me.
Okra is good for more than just eating.  Once you dry them they make the best
Santa Claus Ornaments for your tree and they last forever.

Beautiful Imperfections

This video is not to make us sad, but to make us stop and think.

 I don't want to ever take the small things for granted.

More Sparta Hilton Fun

There is nothing like a wood fire. 
 The smell.
The heat.
And of course the mess!
But it is so worth it.

The right time for a fire outside is anytime this time of year!!!

Of course having a wood fire is a lot of work for the "Sweet Hunter". 
But he loves it too. I can tell.

He knows there is always a good breakfast waiting on him.
Bacon.

Pancakes.

There is just something about the Sparta Hilton that makes us cook a lot.

Hunting works up an appetite.  Yummy!

This is what I look like while sitting in my blind.
Now if you were a deer would you see me?
I look camouflaged pretty good don't you think?

One day I got to thinking about hunting. 
 I thought when I sit in my blind that is more like waiting, not hunting.
So I took my gun and my back pack and went walking and looking.
I didn't see a deer but I found these mushrooms. 
I thought they were so pretty.

I also found this shooting house that former hunters had built.
We actually knew it was here but we didn't think it was in this good of shape.
I climbed up in it and tore the rotten roof off of it and cleaned it up.
I feel very safe up there.

It is as high up as the ladder stands that "Sweet Hunter" sits in but I could climb up in here
because the ladder is slanted.  I tried to climb a ladder stand and I just could not do it.

I believe this shooting house is made just for me.
It has a shelf for all of my goodies built right in.
My SIL Lane is going to put a roof back on it for me.
I also have got to find a good stool to sit on too.
I claimed this as my own!!!

Look real close at this picture.
This is off of my trail camera.
A fox.

Looky Looky Looky!!!

And a little one!

But look at this!  I might change from a deer hunter to a bob cat hunter!
Oh I guarantee you that if I saw this coming at me I would shoot him. 
A good warm fire, good food, hunting, movies, rest...
what more do you need?