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gfreiherr
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Recent Entries to this Blog Reflections on a Wedding
Posted: 02 Nov 2010
It's almost here!
Posted: 30 Sep 2010
I'm ready and waiting
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The Wedding Planners
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Spring fling in New Jersey
Posted: 31 Mar 2010

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Gail's Garden Blog




The dawn of a new year

Category: Holidays | Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 9:44 pm


The dawn of a New Year ...2010 ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )



New Year's Eve 2009 ended with a blue moon. I was not sure what a blue moon was, so I googled it. A blue moon is a full moon that is not timed to the regular monthly pattern. Most years have twelve full moons which occur approximately monthly, but in addition to those twelve full lunar cycles, each solar calendar year contains an excess of roughly eleven days compared to the lunar year. The extra days accumulate, so every two or three years there is an extra full moon. The extra moon is called a "blue moon." Different definitions place the "extra" moon at different times.

We could not see the moon because of the cloud cover but it was still visible as the New Year dawned.

I'm not a great believer in New Year Resolutions. If you want to make a change in your life, why wait until the new year to do it? Life is a constant process of trial and error, evaluation and adjustment.

I do find it is a good time for reflection and change. I get get better organized and complete some projects on my to do list. It usually lasts until the end of February and then the weather is warmer and my thoughts return to the garaden and everything else gets put on hold until next year.

Listed below are 10 good thoughts to remember. They are not my thoughts...they came to me in an email and I copied it from my saved emails. (Because I need a refresher at least once in a blue moon.

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. " An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is God & ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

I hope that 2010 will be a great year for you.






This blog entry has been viewed 299 times


Christmas Vacation road trip

Category: Holidays | Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 12:59 am

We are back from our trip to NJ. We had a wonderful time celebrating the holidays with family. The weather was good for our 24 hours of driving (round trip). The scenery was beautiful in the mountains & valleys with the 20+ inches of snow covering the mountains & fields. We have made the trip many times in the spring, summer & fall but this was our first winter trip.

Taking photos was challenging at 70 miles per hour. Watching out for trucks, cars, signs, trees & then judging the distance. Digital cameras are great..you just delete all your mistakes.
I put some of the photos in the smile box link below.


http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d544d354e4467774f54633d0d0a&blogview=true

This blog entry has been viewed 392 times


Gail's blog closing for the Christmas holidays

Category: Holidays | Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 1:55 pm

Merry Christmas to all of my Garden Stew Friends.

We are heading out early tomorrow for our 12 hour drive to NJ. We have not gone home to NJ for Christmas since we moved to Tennessee 9 years ago.

I am the oldest of 6 children so there is always a big crowd on Christmas eve.

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." ~Burton Hillis


Merry Christmas to All ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )

We will be gone for a week so I won't be posting but I will check in if I have a chance. I just wanted to say how much I enjoy this garden community and all the friends I have made here.

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,
The gladness of Christmas give you hope,
The warmth of Christmas grant you love.
~Author Unknown



Last edited: Tue Dec 22, 2009 1:57 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 571 times


Snowmen collection

Category: Holidays | Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:12 pm

There is nothing like a snowman
To make a person smile.
His eyes of coal, his carrot nose,
His pipe with so much style.
We all have special memories
Of fun in the snow and slush
And this will be renewed
With a little help from us!
unknown source

I collected snowmen since my girls were little. I don't actively collect them anymore but if I see a really cute one... I still can not resist.




Snowmen collection ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )







snowmen collection ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )






snowmen collection ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )






snowmen collection ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )






snowmen collection ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )







( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )





This blog entry has been viewed 368 times


Flowers for Christmas

Category: Holidays | Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 1:53 pm

My favorite gift to give or receive is flowers. I love creating flower arrangements, especially for Christmas. Here are a few of the arrangements I made this year.


( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )






( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )






( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )






( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )






( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )


Now the fun part...delivering them to friends and family.



This blog entry has been viewed 317 times


It's beginning to look a "bit" like Christmas

Category: Holidays | Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 1:36 pm

Since we will be with our family in New Jersey for Christmas, I was just going to put up our tree and decorate the mantle to have a little Christmas spirt.
However...Yesterday I went to a Christmas luncheon and was inspired by my friends decorations or maybe it was the Jack Daniels lemonade. So when I came home I dragged out some more boxes to make things a little more festive. This is my friends dining table.


My friend's dining room ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )
She belongs to the "Red Hat" group and had a luncheon for them the day before so she decorated in their purple and red colors.
Back to my house. I am attaching some photos of my decorations.






2009 Tree ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )






Mantle 2009 ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )











dining room ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )






Violets and pointsettias ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )

I still have a few more boxes of snowmen to put out but it's still 12 days before we drive to NJ so I will get to enjoy some holiday spirit in TN.





This blog entry has been viewed 329 times


Smilebox...fun in the snow

Category: Holidays | Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:30 pm

We have lived in the Knoxville, TN area for 9 years and I think we have used our snow shovel twice. So when it snows, even an inch, we enjoy it. Today we got our inch, just enough to make it pretty. By late afternoon, it all melted. I'm not sure our golden retriever Molly enjoyed it but if you click on the link below, you can see for yourself.

http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d5449334e7a67784d7a453d0d0a&blogview=true

If you have never used smilebox, you may want to check it out. Its free and a fun way to share you photos.

This blog entry has been viewed 446 times


Join in the Christmas Spirit

Category: Holidays | Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:48 pm

I just elfed my family. Its free, fun and easy to do if you have never tried it. Just click on the link below to see what I "created".

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/8VKVwZbzucQN6bBxCWEx

To elf your family and friends, here is the link:
http://www.elfyourself.com/

This blog entry has been viewed 429 times


Traveling for Thanksgiving

Category: Holidays | Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 2:59 pm

"For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!"
-Ralph Waldo Emerson


We will be leaving for Atlanta tomorrow. We are going to look for wedding & bridesmaid dresse...fun!
On Tuesday we will drive to Tampa, FL to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family. When we reflect on our blessings, it is family that tops the list.



My family...Kindra, Steve, Gail, Christine ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )


and our beloved Molly will be coming too.



Molly ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )

From our family to yours Happy Thanksgiving.





Last edited: Sun Nov 22, 2009 4:27 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 323 times




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