it was a frosty, foggy, snowy morning a year ago

A year ago today I went for a drive to take photos of the morning frost and snow down by the river.

There was a hoar frost that morning but down by the river there was a beautiful fog lifting.  I wanted to share these photos with you again as at that time, being a relatively new blogger, I only had a few followers and most of you didn't get to see these then. 

We had  quite a snowfall a few days before that and a couple weeks or so after I took these photos we got 100 mm of rain in one day which caused serious flooding and millions of dollars in damage to roads, homes and properties.  It was quite devastating for those affected.

However, nature can be beautiful as well as terrible.  These photos show her beauty.  I hope you enjoy them.

I haven't edited these photos in any way.  This is what I saw through my camera lens.

There was a skim of ice on the water in the marina.  By January the river is about 18 inches thick. 

 Thick enough for snowmobiles to drive on it.

Canada geese swimming across the water to the other side. Can you see it through

the fog at the top?

Along the shoreline.

The snowmobile trail up through the woods from the river.

Today, November 30, 2011, the temperature will go up to about 15 C (58F)

and it is raining.   A far cry from the same date last year.

I'm joining Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for

Outdoor Wednesday

I am also joining, for the first time,

Sweet Shot Tuesday

Have a wonderful day!

Blessings,

Pamela

teatime with friends

It's time for Tea Time Tuesday at Sandi's blog Rose Chintz Cottage.

I mentioned last week that I was having a couple of friends over for afternoon tea last Friday.  We had a wonderful visit and enjoyed tea and cookies and lots of talk getting caught up on our families, Christmas and decorating.

These Christmas plaid dishes came from Sears several years ago.

The cups and saucers and the dinner plates are a burgundy plaid and white,

while the soup bowls and bread plates have a dark green band around a white center.

They are all edged in gold.

The paper napkins have Christmas teacups on them.

This cream and sugar set is vintage and the white table runner is very old

with a pretty crocheted edge.

That morning I baked 2 kinds of cookies and squares. Yummy.

I enjoy setting my table for tea time with friends at anytime.

I hope you will join Sandi for Tea Time Tuesday. 

Blessings,

Pamela

a vintage Christmas

I love vintage decor from the 40's and 50's with a little modern sparkle thrown in.

This is my china cupboard.

There is a mix of antiques, vintage and new displayed here and it all

mixes quite well.  I went with a white and silver theme with a bit of

colour and sparkle thrown in.

The centerpiece for the dining table.  We use our table every day so I can't

have anything too large and fancy as it has to be moved for mealtime.  So, I

keep it simple with a candle in a glass hurricane holder, silver balls (Winner's),

a silver and pale blue wreath (English Butler) and a vintage silver tray.  It is all

on a vintage white dresser scarf.  That's it.  Simple and movable!

This is the bookshelf half wall by the front entry.  This is the biggest change

this year.  I usually put garland with beads and white mini lights along here but,

I wanted something simpler this year.  I chose this Santa sitting on an antique platter.

I surrounded the base with pine and fir cones and pearly clusters.

The vintage glass candle holders anchor each side.

The top of the drop leaf table.

I like this feather tree with the vintage glass balls.

The Nativity set is important to me as it focuses on the reason that

we celebrate Christmas - the birth of Jesus Christ.

This set is ceramic and was given to us by my mother about 30 years ago.

The gold angel is from the 1960's, given to my sister and I.  It plays "Silent Night".

I showed you this shelf the other day with the antique lithgraph from 1877 above it.

I've started collecting Putz houses and I have one here in the center along with

some vintage bottle brush trees, reindeer and santa and sleigh.

I have yet to put the tree up as I am hoping to replace our 25 year old one.

I would like one that is a bit slimmer to fit in better and that is thicker than the old one.

Or, I may go with a smaller tree on a table which would be much easier to decorate

but might look too small.  I can't decide.

What style do you decorate with for Christmas?  Are you traditional, modern,

country, primitive, shabby chic or vintage?  Or are you a combination?

Perhaps you use a different theme for different rooms.  Do you decorate every

room in your home including the bathroom?

I hope you'll share with me.

I'll be back Tuesday with a post for Embrace the Season Christmas Tea

at Sandi's Tea Time Tuesday.  See you then!

Blessings,

Pamela

in the pink

                       It's been a while since I participated in Pink Saturday over at Beverly's blog
                                                               How Sweet the Sound.



             I realized I have a few pinks in my Christmas decorating this year so here are a few photos
                                                                              for Pink Saturday,

This is a miniature tree in the dining room. The pink and silver garland

is from the 50's.

Pink in the vintage balls.

I have 2 of these deep rosey bottle brush trees.

I had a lovely tea time with my friends today and even baked 2 kinds of cookies

and made a pan of squares and I cleaned the house!  I work really well under pressure!

Maybe that's the secret to my Christmas shopping too!  Do it under pressure

at the last minute!

I hope you have a nice weekend.

Blessings,

Pamela

feeling uninspired

We had a little snowstorm here yesterday with about 17 cm. of new white snow.  It won't last long though as the temperatures will be warming up in the next few days.  For now, it looks like a Christmas card.

         This photo was taken last November 28 and this is what it looked like here this morning too.

The view from the bedroom window.

I have the decorating all done but haven't put the tree up as yet. I am hoping to purchase

a new tree as ours is 25 years old and is looking kind of sad.

Shelf in the front entry. The print says 'lithograph copywrite 1877'.

I can't seem to get my shopping going.  Is anyone else having that problem?

It's really getting me down and since Christmas is just a month away....

well, you know....it's panic time!

Tomorrow a couple of girlfriends are coming for tea and I will take photos for

a post for Tea Time Tuesday.

Sandi at My Yellow Door hosts this lovely party every week but Tuesday's is

a special Christmas one ~ Embrace the Season Christmas Tea.  

Maybe you'll consider joining in too.

So, I've got to clean the house (vacuum, dust, tidy, clean the bathroom)

and bake something to go with the tea  and take photos ~ all tomorrow morning!

Are you feeling inspired or is all the hustle and bustle getting you down?

I won't push the panic button yet.  I do have almost a month don't I?

That's 4 weeks or about 30 days. 

I'll see you again soon. I'll be busy baking and maybe shopping.

Blessings,

Pamela

a hay filled barn

This barn has seen much better days and I think the only thing holding it up

is the bales of hay inside!

I love the old doors just hanging open.  The old boards are so weathered.

I wonder how many critters live in there?  I don't think I'd want to find out.

I like the contrast of the white church and the gray barn against the blue sky don't you?

I am joining Mary for

Mosaic Monday

And Tricia for

Barn Charm

Come along and join the party.

Blessings,

Pamela

of roots and rocks

At the side of a field rocks have been thrown aside and trees have grown up amongst them,

their roots pushing the rocks upward.

The powerful force of nature.

I hope you are having a beautiful weekend.

Blessings,

Pamela

beautiful November

I noticed these berries growing beside an old shingled garage while walking

on a beautiful November day.

As I've mentioned before, this month and most of the fall has been fantastic for us.

After we had the nice snow storm in October, the weather became fallish again.

Just look at the texture of those old shingles!

This is a Hawthorn tree with its fruit.  The Hawthorn or thornapple tree

is a part of the rose family.  It has beautiful blossoms in the spring and it's

bright red fruit is very tart and resembles crabapples.

The ground under this old apple tree growing by the ditch was littered with yellow apples.

They looks so bright in the drab leaves.

Motorcyclists are still taking advantage of the great weather.

My pansies are still blooming.

It is colder today and I think we may be at the end of our nice fall weather.

The prairies are very cold and there is a lot of snow for parts of Alberta

as well as other areas of the country.  I guess it has to come at some point.

I'm baking a black forest cake for a dessert theatre our choir is hosting

tomorrow night.  I wish I could have a slice when it's done.

Have a lovely evening my friends.

Blessings,

Pamela

snowflakes of a different kind

I've been decorating a bit each day when I get the chance but I needed

a little break on Monday afternoon for a cup of tea and a cookie.

the plate rim and mug  base are lacy cutouts

These pretty snowflake cookies were purchased at a craft/bake sale on the

weekend.  They were so delicious and light.  I only ate one even though

there are 2 on the plate.

This is a wreath I put together and hung in the kitchen window. 

The twiggy wreath was originally gold so I sprayed it with Heirloom White.

I added a white snowflake ribbon bow and the letter banner that says

"SNOWFLAKE".

here it is in daytime

We have had such beautiful weather here in the Maritimes for November

and today is no different. ~ sunny and 13 degrees celsius!

David Phillips, the Canadian weather prognosticator, says New Brunswick

will have a white Christmas this year. 

Last year it was very green in our part of the province.  We'll see.

Maybe the only snowflakes around will be artificial ones. :)

I'm a day late but I'm joining Sandi for

Tea Time Tuesday

Sandi will soon be hosting a blog party

Embrace the Season Christmas Tea

to be held on December 5, 2011.

I hope you will join her for that special occasion!

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Blessings,

Pamela

a little bit of Christmas

Today is a cold and gray day and I decided it was a good day to cut some

pine, fir and cedar to put in the old milk can by the front door.

I also added some red dogwood sticks that I had cut the other day.

I did up my planter with greenery too but it will stay in the garage where it's

colder for another week.  We are going to have some warmer days again.

This is an old enamalware teapot that I put a foam oasis in and added some

real greenery and faux berries.

I have some friends that already have their Christmas trees up!

I think I'll wait another couple weeks to do that.

However, I hope to start decorating the living and dining rooms next week.

I absolutely love the scent of this candle!  Even hubby and son noticed it

and commented on the nice Christmas smell in the house.

Have you started to add a little bit of Christmas to your home yet?

Did you notice I changed my blog header?  I hope it's not too early to

put up a seasonal Christmas one.  I do love celebrating this beautiful season!

Thank you to all of you who follow me and leave a comment.

I have enjoyed getting to know so many of you and I love

and appreciate each one of you!

Blessings to you,

Pamela

Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa

Parliament Hill, Ottawa Ont. and the National War Memorial

I watched the Remembrance Day ceremony in our nation's capital on tv this morning.

The clock on the Peace Tower.

I thought I'd share a couple of collages of photos taken from the tv.

Faces of veterans.

We will remember them.

Blessings,

Pamela