Little Things I Do for ME!

Pamper Yourself!

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Often it's just "the little things" that can make a big difference in how we feel about ourselves and our day. Lately, I've done a few things just for me---but I believe it also helps those that I interact with as well ; ) 

For instance, I was getting dressed the other day, and noticed that my undergarments were all wrinkly. I took just a few minutes to iron them, and the silky soft results were definitely worth the time. They felt much smoother on and made me feel beautiful "underneath" all day!

On my  way in from chores the other day, I happened to notice my camillas managed to bloom through the frosts that we'd had lately...So I chose a few to bring inside to create a "floating arrangement" in an antique dish that I have in my collection. This beauty lasted for days on our dining table for me and all to enjoy as a splash of intense color during the cold, gray snap!

For my daughter's 14th birthday, I tried an award-winning New York Style cheesecake recipe...It came out amazingly well---No cracks this time, thanks to some commenters' suggestions! I later served it with a blueberry sauce which I made from our own blueberries. It was a hit : ) The extra effort was rewarding...

Found this post online....Who doesn't need a little encouragement? I like to save little reminders like this and use them as wallpaper on my phone or in a folder to look at when I need a lift!

Sometimes just taking the time to slow down and appreciate something amazing from nature helps to calm our souls and helps us to regain perspective...Our little beta fish. He just silently lives on a shelf.

I walked around the property and gathered some fresh evergreen boughs and used them and some old jingle bells to spiffy-up our dining room chandelier for some added winter wonderland pizzaz! I also framed the opening between our dining and living rooms with greens and tiny white lights...You can't see it in the picture, but I also sprayed a light dusting of "snow" on the greens to give them that "new fallen snow" effect!

These are just a few of the things that I have done recently to boost the mood around here. Life gets real serious sometimes, and I find it challenging and satisfying to do what I can to inject beauty and positive energy into the mix. 

I hope that I've inspired you to take a little time and make a little effort to add a dash of beauty or encouragement to your life. If you've got ideas of your own, please share them with the rest of us in the comments below!

Until next time...hope you find BEAUTY FOR LIVING!

Life in the USA-Southeast Style!

A Mosey Down the Road...

As I mentioned in a past post, "I Start Walking Tomorrow!" (See the side margin for link : ), I've been walking with my wonderful daughter-in-law 3 mornings a week. Each morning we discover new beauties along our way....

Large boulders keep falling from this "cliff" on the roadside of our property as erosion continues. We are trying to slow the process by depositing our trimmings, etc over the top to try and encourage a buildup of compost-thus helping plants to  grow.  

This creek used to be the border of our property. The flood of 1995 re-routed  it a bit.

Lichens are abundant around our property...Here they found a happy home on my neighbor's wooden mailbox!

Nature decorates like no other...We woke up to a "spider web wonderland" as the dense fog lifted with the sunrise.

This clever creature creates a tunnel for a trap!

This web was only about 2 inches across...

The tiny hunters were set up all along the roadside-as far as we could see!

Sunrise just about to break out of treeline

...and spill out onto our path!



Hope that you enjoyed our little stroll today.  My daughter-in-
law's app said that we walked 2mi! 

Except for pausing to take photos, we managed to get a little workout. It makes me feel good just to be disciplining myself to get out and get going! I even made myself a fantastic salad for lunch!

...gotta share the beauty! 

Until next time,

Lisa

Oh, and I finally DID get those "Painted Paisley" Jamberry wraps! Here they are on me:

*****  Please comment on and share this post if you enjoyed our time together : )  *****

 A Seasonal Day Down on the "Farm"

Here are some more shots from around the place the last couple of days...Just wanted to share a peek from our little corner of the world...

"Poppie" and granddaughter cleaning the goat barn in preparation for the new kids

A view of the full-to-the-brim pond

This old house gets a new window!

Canna garden...come back again to see it in the summer!

As with the cannas, this camellia was simply loaded with blossoms! Unfortunately I didn't take a picture before the frost got them...They made it further than they usually do though. We live in an odd sort of place on the back side of a large hill where the sun doesn't reach until later than the surrounding land, so the temps drop lower and stay lower longer making for early and late frosts.

The "Secret Garden"...in Winter's trance.

Cold and dozey goldfish dreaming of warmer days.

No apple! Don't blossom yet!

Hope you enjoyed this little tour. As I walked the place, I did notice the beauty of the blue sky and sunshine---and the crisp, clean air was invigorating as well! I'm thankful for the peace that we enjoy here, and the freedom to have our hobby farm lifestyle.  I do not take these blessings for granted. I am aware that there are many who are not experiencing them right now. I pray for them (you?) every day....Please feel free to comment below and share this blog with your friends and family! I would love to hear from you...Where are you from? What is your world like? I will continue to post updates and seasonal "tours" periodically if you all are interested.

Where's YOUR Beauty for Living?

Lisa

Good morning blogger world !

 It is another beautiful day in the rolling countryside of Southeast USA :-)

We had a freeze last night, so there was a lovely covering of frost on everything this morning for my 8 a.m. walk with my dear daughter in law.

Now I'm sitting in the sunny crispness on my front porch swing with my cup of fresh, hot Colombian, awaiting the Farrier...

Lady, (a registered Tennessee Walker), and Splashmanian Devil, (a registered American Paint Horse), are both in their senior years enjoying a lot of free time-but they are still pleasant and ridable. Lady sports an especially thick coat of winter hair! I like to chase them around the pasture for our exercise time together some days. I don't have a round pen, so they like to try and hide in the corners and behind the trees, but I always "find" them, lol " )  They've gotten used to our little game, and keep looking at me to give them the signal to come in to the center with me for a horse treat and a good scratch! 

My New Skincare Update:

This is the line that I am trying out now...

So far, I'm really liking it. I DO see and feel a difference in my skin! I will say though, that it only takes a tiny bit of the Day Cream to do the job. It is a richer feeling cream than the Night Cream, (Counter to what you would expect), but I think it is because it contains SPF. I have found that gently "patting" it on using your fingertips all around your face and neck works well. 

AVON has a complete line of skincare for ALL types of skin---from teens on up. They also have a Naturals line! 

Just click on an image to connect with the AVON estore!

You can curl up with your mug of hot drink in your PJ's and shop 24/7....But you already knew that ; ) My AVON lady, Barbara Hardison has been great, and I'd like to support her business! Please fill her name in on the Representative Search and shop her store, won't you?

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By the way, I see that AVON has a FREE SHIPPING offer right now! AND the skincare is on sale!

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Click HERE to learn how AVON is a world leader!

Well folks, I'd better go get the meat out of the freezer for dinner. I could sit here and chat with you for hours; there are SO many things we could talk about and share! SO many ways to add touches of beauty to our little world of influence. Don't forget to take time out for beauty today-observe it in your surroundings-surely there's something! If not,.....create some!! One of my absolute favorite sayings of late is:

"BE the change you want to see in the world..."

Go and Beautify!

(Then please come back and share how you did that where YOU are " )

Until next time, 

Lisa

PS- I have LOTS to learn about this computerland, but I'm loving it!-If you have trouble with the elements in this blog, feel free to tell me .

PLAN "B"...

OK, so it's raining on your New Year's walking-for-fitness plan for today. What to do? Well...

...I just happen to have saved a plan to my phone that was created by a ballerina determined to return to condition after an injury some time ago. This plan looks like it would work for just about anyone who has been out of the fitness "loop" for awhile, and prefers a slow, stepwise, REALISTIC approach to getting back into the swing of things! I'm actually planning to do this each day before walking. There is a series of charts so that you can progress with your conditioning!

Find the rest of this series here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=back+on+point+the+starter%27s+workout+plan&espv=2&biw=931&bih=463&tbm=isch&imgil=8CMJT7-hBehCJM%253A%253BIEK7ngYxPL-gUM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.pinterest.com%25252Fpin%25252F409616528588611684%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=8CMJT7-hBehCJM%253A%252CIEK7ngYxPL-gUM%252C_&usg=__l8EW5otuRR2tEY5rE3DanKwBVQw%3D&ved=0ahUKEwi0kN-d_6vKAhVB6iYKHUwdCZsQyjcIZw&ei=m_2YVvTWBcHUmwHMuqTYCQ#imgdii=8CMJT7-hBehCJM%3A%3B8CMJT7-hBehCJM%3A%3BAXrnZP7yaphzdM%3A&imgrc=8CMJT7-hBehCJM%3A&usg=__l8EW5otuRR2tEY5rE3DanKwBVQw%3D

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Well, off I go to check on and feed the animals!...(Our goat does are due any day with their kids!!) I've already made black eye peas with peppers, onions, and turkey for dinner. I'll start the rice and get a loaf of bread in the machine a bit later. The laundry is humming away, my oldest daughter (27) is getting ready to head off to work (after just showing me her fabric finds and gifting me with this!):

Hmmm....What shall I make?

 My youngest daughter (soon to be 14!) is getting chores done and will be ready for one-on-one school time with me soon...Youngest son (20) is laboring away at a mill that he manages, and Dear Hubby is doing his Safety Professional thingy " )

Live Long...and Keep Reaching!
There is Beauty for Living " )

If you liked this post please share it and feel free to comment below to add your 2cents to the mix!

Lisa

Must-Haves for Vintage Beauty!!

Come to My 24/7 Online Party Through Jan. 24th and choose from endless designs...

(Sorry, USA only)

https://nails911.jamberry.com/us/en/shop/party/home/8cc1d4dd-5f6e-45a4-a098-fd7466a15fd3

OK, I'm excited!...I've been growing my nails for several weeks now, and have been keeping my eye on the up-and-coming company, Jamberry Nails. Well I was doing quite nicely, thank you, resisting the temptation to take a closer look at their (really cool and amazing variety of) designs, when my sister-in-law, Becky, posts THESE vintage beauties!!

As if that weren't enough, Jamberry even offers the option for you to upload your own images to create a totally custom and unique set of wraps for yourself or as a gift!

Come on over and see what deals Becky has to offer us-Invite friends too to accumulate entries into a great drawing for a FREE gift card!

Today's beauty word:  "Beauty is a great set of nail wraps from Jamberry Nails!"

Not into football....BUT  " )

Happy Shopping!

https://nails911.jamberry.com/us/en/shop/party/home/8cc1d4dd-5f6e-45a4-a098-fd7466a15fd3

Lisa 

 

I Start Walking Tomorrow!

How are Y'all doing on your New Year's Resolutions? Well, honestly, mine got postponed a tiny bit because our Holidays didn't really end until my sweet Sis left to travel home to Ohio the other day. 



Then it was the weekend, and, well....Might as well begin the new schedule on Monday! ; )

                                                                                     

Today's goal is to complete this post and then get the remainder of the Christmas stuff back up into the attic...(Slight "Ugh"...)

           

Finally, I will make a draft of this week's schedule. I've learned to give myself "permission" to have an alterable schedule. Once upon a time, long, long ago, this wasn't so...and it also wasn't pretty! I tend to be a very controlling, perfectionistic, visionary. 

Of course I never live up to the standard myself. So, to make life around here more tolerable (and even GOOD!) for everyone concerned, I've decided to try to be more realistic. 

 

This realism is based on many years of experience, trial and error, and failures---with a few successes thrown in for good measure. Now I actually believe we'd be considered to be just.....

So here's to the beginning of your beautiful New Year! Hope that you can experience some of the dreams and goals come true that you have imagined. Please share this post if you liked it, and comment below with any contributions : )

Attic, here I come!
Lisa