Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Sunsets, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Brunch, Cabin Fever, Playoff Sunday, Playoffs, SAD, Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), Snow Pics, spring fever, Spring is Coming, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Titans, TN, Zen Feeling
I don’t know what to call it, but I seem to really be suffering from… something? Seasonal Affected Disorder (S.A.D.)? cabin fever?? Spring fever??? Call it what you want, but I know the feeling well and it always follows the holidays and precedes Spring.
But, to stay positive, I have gotten a lot done in the office! And 2022 is looking good business wise… And, we are trying to eat healthier 🍲 I recently found out that quiche ain’t all that bad!
Another good note – The Titans won! 🏈 #1 seed! Bye week and home-field advantage!💥 The playoffs are about to begin! I guess I can make it a few more weeks! But from here on out my call will be “Spring is Coming”!
“The sun came out,
And the snowman cried.
His tears ran down
on every side.
His tears ran down
Till the spot was cleared.
He cried so hard
That he disappeared.”
~ Margaret Hillert
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: A New Year, Breakfast, Brunch, Day Off, Early Snow, Eggs, Family, Family Fun, Family Pictures, Family time, Family Traditions, Food, Ham, Happy New Year!, I Love My Family, New Years Dinner, New Years Quotes, New Years Resolutions, New Years Traditions, Pancakes, Ringing In The New Year, Snow, Snow Day, Snow Falling, Snow Pics, Snowed In, Snowy waterfall, Spring is Coming, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday with Family, Sundays
Well the new year is off and running 🏃♀️ It went from 75 degrees with a south wind yesterday to 23 degrees, high wind and snow today… But, thats life in West TN 😊 We got a LOT done in the house today. All the Holiday deco put away for the year and the house looks ready for Spring. We had a great late morning brunch…
Followed by one of my wife’s favorites for dinner 🍲
Not a bad start to the year if you ask me 💥
“January is here, with eyes that keenly glow,
A frost-mailed warrior
striding a shadowy steed of snow.”
~ Edgar Fawcett
Happy New Year!
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi Ponds, Love, music, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: A New Year, Christmas is Over, Christmas Season, Christmas Spirit, Christmas with Family, Closed for the Holiday, Family time, Holiday Season, Home For The Holidays, I Love My Family, I Love My Mother, Love, Love and Meaning, Love Thy Neighbor, Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself, New Years is Coming!, New Years Resolutions, New Years Traditions, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Poem, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Songs, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Weekend Off
The morning after Christmas has now come and gone… Why does it always feel like Christmas is so far away, then you blink and its gone for another year? Hard to grasp… But we had a good family get together and dinner, saw some beautiful lights and decorations, and tried to remember and stay true to the real meaning of Christmas.
Now we have to take all the decorations down, clean everything up and get ready for a new year… Ready or not, here comes 2022!
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.
~ Howard Thurman
Have a great last evening of Christmas weekend! 🎄🎅🏻❤️🙏🏻
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Love, music, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: Charlie Brown, Christmas, Christmas Gifts, Christmas is Coming, Christmas Love, Christmas Magic, Christmas Season, Christmas Songs, Christmas Spirit, Christmas with Family, Christmas Zen, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas Y'all, Short Days, Shortest day of the year, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday Gardening, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Songs, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays, The Longest Night, What is Christmas All About, Winter Is Coming, Winter Solstice
I got up a little late this morning… We were up late watching Christmas movies 🎅🏻 Just a few more days till Christmas 🎄 Only 2 days till the Winter Solstice, which make me happy as well! After Tuesday the days start getting longer again 🙏🏻 Come on Spring! Don’t let me get ahead of myself… The real next stop is Sunday brunch!
So much to do this week! Cooking, shopping, wrapping, cleaning, work work work… Sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down, and focus on what this season is really all about – Who its all about 🙏🏻
This has and always will be one of my favorIte Christmas shows ❤️ Its as relevant and meaningful as the day it was released in 1965.
Have a great day and a VERY Merry Christmas!
“Probably the reason we all go so haywire at Christmas time with the endless unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is that we don’t quite know how to put our love into words.”
~ Harlan Miller
Peace,
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Love, Sunday Reflections | Tags: After the Storm, Blessings, Help, Prayers, Prayers for the family, Prayers for those affected, Red Cross, Storm Damage, Stormy Weather, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Reflections, The Calm After The Storm, Tornado, Tragedy
Crazy weekend! 75 degrees Friday gave way to 28 degrees the next day. Tornado weather! We have all seen the news of what happened across Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Illinois 😥🙏🏻 We have picked up around our place and counted our blessings that we were mostly spared. Prayers🙏🏻for all those effected🙏🏻 Many lost everything, including their lives. Tragedy doesn’t care if its almost Christmas…
Heres one way that ’You & I’ can help. Here’s a copy paste from The American Red Cross –
“Help people affected by the tornadoes by visiting redcross.org or calling 800-RED-CROSS. Donations directed toward tornado victims enable the Red Cross to respond to and help people recover from this disaster. This includes providing food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support and other assistance.”
Prayers for all those affected 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, Pondless Waterfalls, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Bill Way, Christmas, Christmas is Coming, Christmas Love, Christmas Magic, Christmas Music, Christmas Season, Christmas Spirit, Christmas with Family, Christmas Zen, Family time, Garden Chores, Leaf Stripper, Shortest day of the year, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Gardening, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Poem, Sunday Reflections, Sunday with Family, Sundays, The Longest Night, Winter Solstice
What a day! it started early and is just now slowing down… I spent some time working in my gardens today. Beautiful, mild, late Fall day❤️ So nice out. That is changing now with the approaching cold front. Powerful storms, wind and rain coming. This will be the last of the ”Leaf Strippers” as Bill Way used to call em’. We are now really entering into a Winter look, bare trees will be awaiting Spring… Heres a few last pics of my Landscape color to enjoy…
We are only 16 days from the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. From now until that day, our daylight time shortens by 1 1/2 minutes each day 😳 BUT, after the 21st., the days start to grow longer again! That is when we are officially on the road to Spring! 👏🏻 Bring it says I!
So, lets enjoy our short Christmas season we have left, and be ready for an early Spring! 💥
“From December to March, there are for many of us three gardens –
the garden outdoors,
the garden of pots and bowls in the house,
and the garden of the mind’s eye.”
~ Katherine S. White
Have a great evening!
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Love, music, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: Family, Family time, Family Traditions, Food, Good food, Ham, Happy Thanksgiving, Menu, Pecan Pie, Pecan Trees, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Songs, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato Bar, Thanks, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Decorations, Thanksgiving is Coming
It’s Thanksgiving week! 🦃 And Thanksgiving Dinner is at my house! I’ve been thinking about all the work I have to do this week to prepare… Making a list… But, at least the menu is set… I got ham again
I also got the sweet potatoes 🍠 But I’m putting a different spin on it this year … Instead of the regular ”Sweet Potato Casserole” you may expect… I’m Doing a Sweet Potato Bar instead! You get a whole, baked Sweet Potato & you top it yourself! Brown sugar, butter, marsh-mellows, candied pecans, fresh cinnamon, whipped cream, etc!
And I always fix several pecan pies from my MiMi’s recipe…
Everyone else is bringing something as well, can you say Feast! There will be Family and friends and LOTS of good food! I have a LOT to be Thankful for! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I am also very aware of the men and women who serve our country 🇺🇸 and will be unable to return home for the holidays. We owe them a very special Thank you and prayer ❤️🙏🏻
And there are so many around that don’t have as much to be thankful for… Many that even dread the holidays. I know I need to do my part to help others as well…
Well, with all that being said, I better get started…
Have a Thankful week 🙏🏻
“Give me the end of the year an’ its fun
When most of the plannin’ an’ toilin’ is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin’ with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An’ I’ll put soul in my Thanksgivin’ prayers.”
~ Edgar A. Guest
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Love, music, Sunday Reflections, Waterfalls | Tags: Chicken & Sausage Gumbo, Decorations, God Bless, God Bless America, Gumbo, Happy Holidays, Holiday Season, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Thanks, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Decorations, Thanksgiving is Coming, USA
We had a beautiful week of nice Fall temps, enjoyed the peak of Fall color and got quite a bit of work done to boot… Today was a nice family day of preparing for the Holiday Season that is upon us 🦃🎄 We decorated a bit, went thru all the menu for Thanksgiving to take inventory and be ahead of the game. We also cooked up a big pan of Chicken and sausage gumbo 🥣
Even the dogs helped in the kitchen…
We are only a week and a half away from Thanksgiving😮 This season is just flying by 🌬
Im starting early this year! Im already in the Holiday Season 🎅🏻
Thanksgiving is Coming!
“An attitude of gratitude is a never-ending prayer.”
~William Arthur Ward,
Have a great night!
Mark C
Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: Autumn Color, Autumn Leaves Falling on Water, Beautiful Day, Beautiful Sunset, Colorful Foliage, Fall Beauty, Fall Color, Fall Gardening, Family time, Family Traditions, I Love My Family, Indian Summer, Kentucky Lake, Lake, Love, Private Areas, River, River Life, Rivers, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday on the River, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Sunrises, Sunsets, Tennessee River
This has been a beautiful Fall day… It started with a cold heavy fog 🌫 needing a long sleeved shirt and coat & ended with a light sunburn in short sleeves 👕 A wonderful Autumn Day 🍁
So Beautiful ❤️
It looks like a beautiful week ahead. I hope you can get out and enjoy this little “Indian Summer” we are about to experience this week. Sunny 😎 with highs in the mid and upper 70’s.
“There’s a crispness in the air that greets the morning sun, a feeling of anticipation, a new day has begun.
Harvest days are ending, winter is drawing near, yet in between is surely the most special time of year.
They call it Indian Summer, and it seems to fit the bill, for it’s as if the Lord took a feathered brush and painted all the hills.
Now as I sit contented, atop of one of these, a book in hand to pass the time, the sound of a gentle breeze,
I can almost imagine an Indian child upon this mountaintop, looking down at the land of her forefathers, lost within her thoughts
For in every persons lifetime some heartache may occur, but on these hills in quiet solitude, God helps us to endure.
So I say that the eyes are a window, beauty is found within the soul, and upon the hills of Autumn, that are strewn with red and gold.”
~ Julie L. O’Connor
Have a good night 🌙
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: Autumn, Autumn Color, Autumn Leaves Falling on Water, Autumn Poem, Autumnal Equinox, Breakfast, Burning Leaves, Colorful Foliage, Fall Color, Family, Family Fun, Family History, Family Pictures, Family time, Family Traditions, Leaves, October, Pancakes, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday Gardening, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Songs, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays
What a beautiful morning! A quick, early walk this morning was perfect! Leaves are really showing color now 🍁 and many are falling in good number… Its about time for a good early Fall clean-up and burn 🔥 It really helps clear the way for later in the season.
Then its back in the house for breakfast 🥞 🍳 No brunch today! Too much to do and see outside on this gorgeous Fall Day! 🍁🍁🍁
Only 1 week from today is Halloween 🎃… Get out and look around before the show is over!
“October is the month for painted leaves. Their rich glow now flashes round the world. As fruits and leaves and the day itself acquire a bright tint just before they fall so the year near its setting. October is its sunset sky; November the later twilight.”
~ Henry David Thoreau
Mark C.
Carter's Water Garden 