Tuesday 4 ~ Bath Time!

 Bath Time

Hello! It is nice to have you back again for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.
Our hostess Annie says: "There is something lovely about a nice hot bath on a cold autumn night after a busy day isn't there?
Growing up our home had an old claw foot tub and I loved to fill it to the brim and sit there until my toes were like prunes."

Can we discuss the secrets of the bath?

1.Do you take baths or showers? Is there a reason you prefer one to the other?

Yes, I prefer showers. Why? Well, at my age, getting in and out of a bathtub can be very treacherous and dangerous to my health!  I don't have one of those fancy bathtubs for senior citizens.  But I do have a "garden" bathtub that sits unused and collecting dust. Why do they call it a "garden bathtub", I've often wondered.  It's not something I would think of putting in the garden... but here it is all ready for our pretend bath tonight:

Yes, it is lovely, and I wish I could get in and out of it safely and sit there and soak. But another reason is we have to pay for our water here, and it takes a lot of water to fill this tub, plus it doesn't stay hot long enough so I have to keep adding more hot water to it. But it is tempting, seeing it all lit up with candles, and I have some delightful smelling lavender bubble bath just waiting to be used.  It's a wonderful thought...but I still prefer to take a shower...much safer, hotter, and I can rinse off easier than in a tub. (Now if it was a jacuzzi tub with jets, I might be really tempted to get in.  My aching joints and muscles could really appreciate a nice hot jacuzzi bath!)

2. Once a day shower or bath or do you have a different schedule?

I am a once a day shower person, and I prefer to shower at night before going to bed. I don't like the idea of going to bed dirty or hot and sweaty (we live in Florida), so night time has always been my preferred time to shower.

3. What is your favorite soap and shampoo?

My favorite soap is a lavender goats milk soap, which is home-made by a friend of ours, who lives in the town where we lived before moving here.  We used to sell her soaps in Dixie Cottage when we owned the store (our kids owned it), but now I don't believe the new owner carries it, and we have to contact the soap maker lady privately and order it.  Which reminds me, I am about out of it and need to get some more!  I also prefer lavender scented liquid hand soaps, and will buy those wherever I can find them.

Shampoo: I use Pantene volume shampoo and conditioner.

4. Back in the day many loved Jean Nate spray after a bath. My mom enjoyed Avon's Skin so Soft.. what do you like in the way of skin creams, oils or sprays?

I prefer to use this Aveeno Daily moisturizing lotion on my face and body. It is fragrance free, which I prefer.  I don't like strongly scented lotions or soaps as they give me a headache. Lavender is really about the only fragrance I can tolerate.

Here is a Lavender lotion and soap that I bought while on our trip to the mountains of Georgia.  I have had this lotion before when Rose bought it for me, and I needed some more as I especially like to use it during the winter months on my hands.  I haven't tried that soap yet, but it smells good...a mixture of evergreen and lavender is rather nice and kind of woodsy.

Rose and Benton had visited this place one time when they were traveling without us, and she especially wanted to go back there this time.  And so we did...

They grow their own lavender there and make their own soaps and lotions and all kinds of lovely items.

This is their home too! They live AND work here!

They grow these lovely dahlias also! What beautiful flowers!

It was fun to see their little lavender farm!

And speaking of flowers:

I picked the rosebud from the Memorial Garden today. (Monday). It is starting to open up, and I was afraid something would mess it up outside like last time, so I picked it and brought it in and put it in my mother's pretty green vase.  I've shared many times that this rosebush is in the memorial garden for our son Matthew, and that in the past it has frequently only bloomed around special days.  However, it hasn't bloomed in the past year or more until now.  This week is our daughter in law Nicole's 50th birthday. Nicole is Matthew's wife (widow).  It should be opened up nicely for her special day. I will take a picture and send it to her on her birthday.  I'm not sure how she will feel about that...she's not the sentimental type, but I think it's pretty special and I hope she will appreciate it. Oh, and it smells so sweet...a perfect rose scent! 

Here it is this morning, Tuesday. And it still smells SO good!

I read this in a little devotional calendar yesterday, and so appropriate for these days:

Good thoughts for this time..."With God, ALL things are possible!"

Let us be praying for our nation at this all important time.

For more bath time stories, check out these older posts:

Link to another bath time!

And here's another link to a bath story

This is a WILD BATH TIME post... read on to get the whole story...from our previous home in the forest...Yes, that is a REAL Bear taking a bath!

Good Night dear friends.  I wrote this on Monday night...BUT NOW it is Tuesday morning as I am posting it! If you haven't already, please go out and VOTE!  

Sunday Thoughts

 Today is the first Sunday of November! We didn't make it to church today, due to both still feeling a bit under the weather...coughing especially, (and I don't think anyone wants to hear us coughing in church. I know it always makes me cringe when I hear people coughing in such a close area), and we didn't sleep very well last night either.   Time change always effects me negatively, no matter which way you turn the clocks! It takes about a week to get back into the rhythm of things again.  But we actually woke up early,(according to the time change) had our morning devotions and coffee/tea, and breakfast...(hubby wanted a good breakfast today), so we had sausage links and French Toast. I had purchased a loaf of uncut Italian Bread at Walmart for $1.00...they've been doing that lately, and it's fresh baked from the bakery, and so good...so I cut thick pieces of that and made French Toast.  I don't usually like sweet stuff in the morning, but I must say that was good.  I should've taken a picture!  But then we went back to bed and slept for another hour or so. Oh, I also put a half ham in the oven to cook, so it baked while we slept.  It smelled so good.  When we got up it was getting close to lunch time already.  When the ham was done I cut off pieces of nice hot ham and made hot ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch. That was really good too. Benton and Rose stopped by briefly after church to bring us some milk (I had texted Rose when they got out of church and asked if they would mind doing that...the Dollar General is about a block from our house). I let her cut off a big chunk of the ham to take home with them for their lunch.  If we hadn't have been sick we would've had the kids here for lunch after church, but since that wasn't really reasonable, (thankfully they haven't been sick even after spending all that time with us in the mountains, etc., and we don't want them to catch this bug) it was just better to let them take some ham home for themselves.

So, that's how our morning went!  

We could've watched the church sermon on YouTube, (see below) but didn't get around to it yet. However I did watch the choir singing, "In Christ Alone". You will notice that I'm not in the choir, because they record these songs at choir practice during the week, and I wasn't there.  I hope to make it this week, even though this cold has affected my voice and I really still can't sing, but we are practicing for our Christmas Cantata now and I need to at least hear it and learn it even if I can't sing.

Here are the lyrics to the song, if you'd like to sing along:

"In Christ alone, my hope is found

He is my light, my strength, my song

This Cornerstone, this solid ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease

My Comforter, my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

'Til on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand"

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Traditional / Keith Getty / Stuart Townend

In Christ Alone (My Hope Is Found) lyrics © Thankyou Music Ltd., Thankyou Music, Thank You Music Ltd.

This afternoon I went outside and sat in the swing in the Secret/Memorial Garden. It was so pleasant, and it felt good to get outside for a while.  Here's a few pictures while I was sitting in my little outdoor "sanctuary":

I enjoyed a cup of Pumpkin Spice tea while I sat there listening to the birds and soaking in the fresh air and warmth of the sun.

Oh! My Memorial Rose bush has another bud on it! I sure hope it makes it to full opening this time and not fall off like it did last time! You can read more about THAT disappointment HERE.

I will be sure to go check it tomorrow morning, and pray that it is ready to open and enjoy.

I later took a little walkabout the yard just as the sun was setting...look how bright red these holly berries are!  I hope the Cedar Waxwings and Robins will come and enjoy them again like they did a few years ago...

Here's some pretty little wildflowers beside Still Waters Pond:

I was happy to see that my Firespike bush is finally blooming:

I've also been noticing that Phragmites are blooming all around the pond:

Can you see them out there on the island...and notice the sunset in the background!  That's the only photo I got of it tonight, as it kind of fizzled out right after that:

Oh, and these sweet little wild Sky Blue Aster flowers are blooming in our yard too.  I love them...and I understand that the blue aster is the flower for my birthmonth, September.  It may be a little late, but it's nice that it showed up here in my yard!

While I was out wandering around, I went over next door to the new house and checked out its new skirting:

It's looking good!  They still have some more land cleaning up to do, but they are close to putting a for sale sign in the yard to hopefully attract a GOOD NEIGHBOR for us!  Please keep praying!!

A couple more things before we go for the night...if you remember from my last post HERE I posted a picture of this calendar that showed the girl holding a "naked turkey", and I said I didn't think I could stand to look at that all month long...well, I found a solution. I had some stickers with different kinds of teapots on them (a gift from a blogging friend!), and I found one that would cover the naked turkey just fine: 

It may look a bit too big and out of proportion for the girl holding it, but it still looks much better than that naked turkey with its head cut off! LOL.

Oh, look who showed up in the yard yesterday afternoon?...Yes, that's Blackie the neighborhood Cat, who hasn't been hanging around our house much lately, but there he was, hiding behind that little plant, trying to stay out of the sight of the Sand Hill Crane Family.  They weren't fooled...all three of them were in the yard, and they kept a wary eye on Blackie, until he kind of slinked away and got out of harm's way without incident.  

One more thing, I mentioned that the wedding we attended last weekend was serving a Vegan Menu for their reception dinner...the dinner we missed because it started raining and we had to leave early, etc., https://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2024/10/vacation-part-two-visiting-friends-and.html (click on that link for the whole story), but here is a copy of the menu . As you can see, it was very interesting and quite detailed, even with codes to explain what categories each item fell into.  I was sorry that I didn't get to taste any of this dinner, but I heard that it was very good.

And so, I think I will close on that note, but here are some pictures of our sunset from last night, which was very beautiful:

(first verse to "In Christ Alone")

"In Christ alone, my hope is found

He is my light, my strength, my song

This Cornerstone, this solid ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease

My Comforter, my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand"

(verses 2-3 of "In Christ Alone")

In Christ alone, who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

'Til on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

(last verse of "In Christ Alone")

"No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand"

Amen.

It's November!

Time for the Calendar Roll Call!  John Sloane's Country Seasons is up first above and below:

Don't you just love those wild turkeys in the corn field? I think that's a corn field, with the corn shucks all stacked up like that. It doesn't look like hay, so I'm thinking corn. Anyone who is more agrarian than I am may know better...But I love the picture either way!  Those turkeys just don't know how popular they will be this month! Gobble Gobble Gobble!  Fly away quick!!

Next in line is the Thomas Kincade calendar for November...I love this painting...do you see the deer in the field next to the stream?  Reminds me of where we just came from last week in the mountains, although our mountains weren't quite that rocky or steep, but it sure was beautiful!

And yes, I love this verse...no matter what we do or say,  do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, and give Him thanks and praise...and leave the outcome to Him.  

That's how I felt last night as I handed out our Halloween treats with the little Scripture "prayer cards" inside the bag.  I committed them to the Lord and prayed that whoever received them would be blessed and drawn closer to the Lord by seeing His Word.

Each baggie had a prayer card and at least 5 pieces of a variety of candies. I know I passed out about 60 of them!  The children may not have understood them, but I hope the parents will read the verse to the child and think about what it says. We can certainly pray that way. The rest is left up to God.

Aren't they adorable?

These two children were the first two of our trick or treaters! Aren't they sweet?  We had many more, and a lot of older kids this year, like middle school age. Lots of parents too. 

One sweet little girl of about 3-4 years old just came up close to me and looked into my face and then she reached out and hugged me! I was so overcome by that. I pray she saw Jesus in my face. That is what I was hoping for.

We didn't go all out with decorations...just this funny scarecrow and the wooden pumpkin and ghost...

And Mr. Jack O Lantern was smiling at everyone:

Oh, and Lily Grace, with her dog Bailey the Wonder Dog, was dressed up as a Hippie Rock Star...

And they had a really good time entertaining the kiddos...

As it got darker, the outdoor lights came on and the house and yard were aglow with a welcoming light.

One teenage boy, as he was actually thanking me for the candy, said, "Oh, your house looks awesome!"

I was flabbergasted!  I know many people do much more elaborate displays and spooky themes, and ours was just simple stuff.  But he turned back around as he was walking away to thank me and tell me that!  Reminds me of the story of the Ten Lepers whom Jesus healed, and as they went away only one returned to thank Jesus...(Luke 17:11-19).   Now, I'm not saying that no one else thanked me during the evening, because actually many did. Especially the little children...they turned back and waved and said "thank you", and one little one said "Be safe!"  Apparently she had heard that spoken to her several times and thought it was something important to tell me! I loved it.   Reminds me again of another Bible Story, found in Matthew 19:13-15, where Jesus blesses little children:

"13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there."

Please don't misunderstand me, because I am not trying to equate Halloween Trick or Treating with Jesus  blessing the little children, except that again, we are Christ's ambassadors to the world. We are the Light of Christ here on earth.  If our intention is to bless the children and show them love, and we are committing our works to the glory of God, then yes,  we are to be as "Christ" to them...and let God take care of the rest of it.  We are planting seeds of Christ's love by faith.  I am still praying for them today.

I guess I kind of got side-tracked there.  Moving right along and back to the calendars for November:

This one certainly reminds me of where we just were on our vacation in the mountains of North Georgia! So beautiful!!

Happy Teapot Calendar! I love this photo with the fire in the fireplace, delicious cookies ready to be eaten, an open book, fresh flowers, and a very lovely teapot and cup of tea...what a cozy and comforting setting...I could certainly appreciate that, couldn't you?

Apparently the teapot is made by Royal Doulton, and this tells more about it:

Here's a quote from Jane Austin, for all you Jane Austin Fans:

Now, this Susan Branch calendar comes up with some "interesting" pictures, to say the least. LOL.  This is so funny...but I'm not sure if I am going to like looking at that poor naked turkey body for the whole month of November! LOL.  It makes me think of what my mother said once, that she hated to handle a whole plucked turkey or chicken because they reminded her too much of a baby! So...now I can't unsee that and may have to cover up this picture. LOL.  

I do like this quote below, however, and I think it actually comes from a Christmas song, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas...", but I can see where it also applies to Thanksgiving...where we have "faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us, once more..."

November is a big month: We turn our clocks back this weekend, We must VOTE on Tuesday if you haven't already (we have!), There's Veteran's Day on the 11th, which also happens to be Benton and Rose's anniversary!  Then there's Thanksgiving on the 28th! Really late this year! I may have to start my Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving this year! LOL. 

 

Speaking of Thanksgiving, do you already know where you will spend it? Are you hosting or traveling elsewhere?  We really haven't made any definite plans yet. I'm waiting to hear what all the rest of the family is doing...whether they want to come here or have us go there, but we really aren't crazy about traveling on Thanksgiving (or Christmas either), so we shall see what develops. The main thing is, wherever we go, we need to make sure that it is a day of Thanks-giving. Not just a lot of turkey and dressing and good food and pies, but a day to celebrate the blessings that God has given us, and to share that joy and blessing with others, whether it be family or friends, or maybe even strangers that you don't know that well yet...Share the love, share the hope, share the joy, and give thanks to God with a grateful heart!

Internet photo

Internet photo

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"Oh Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever..." Psalm 136:1

(My photo)

So from our house to yours,

Have a blessed and beautiful November and Thanksgiving season! 

Good Night!