~ A New Year's Prayer ~

Dear Lord, please give me…

A few friends who understand me and remain my friends;

A work to do which has real value,

without which the world would be the poorer;

A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed;

An understanding heart;

A sense of humor;

Time for quiet, silent meditation;

A feeling of the presence of God;

The patience to wait for the coming of these things,

With the wisdom to recognize them when they come. Amen.

Author Unknown

~ Wordless Wednesday ~

For more Wordless Wednesday....click here!

" On the lighter side...."

Dan was a single guy living at home with his father and
working in the family business. When he found out he was
going to inherit a fortune when his father died, he decided he
needed a wife with which to share his fortune.

One evening at an investment meeting he spotted the
most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
Her natural beauty took his breath away. 'I may look
like just an ordinary man,' he said to her, but in just a
few years, my father will die, and I'll inherit £20 million.'

Impressed, the woman obtained his business card and three
days later, she became his stepmother.

Women are so much better at financial planning than men.

~A Day After Thanksgiving Poem~

When I was a young turkey, new to the coop,
My big brother Mike took me out on the stoop,
Then he sat me down, and he spoke real slow,
And he told me there was something that I had to know;
His look and his tone I will always remember,
When he told me of the horrors of..... Black November;
"Come about August, now listen to me,
Each day you'll get six meals instead of just three.
"And soon you'll be thick, where once you were thin,
and you'll grow a big rubbery thing under your chin;
"And then one morning, when you're warm in your bed,
In'll burst the farmer's wife, and hack off your head;
"Then she'll pluck out all your feathers so you're bald 'n pink,
And scoop out all your insides and leave ya lyin' in the sink;
"And then comes the worst part" he said not bluffing,
"She'll spread your cheeks and pack your rear with stuffing."
Well, the rest of his words were too grim to repeat,
I sat on the stoop like a winged piece of meat,
And decided on the spot that to avoid being cooked,
I'd have to lay low and remain overlooked;
I began a new diet of nuts and granola,
High-roughage salads, juice and diet cola;
And as they ate pastries, chocolates and crepes,
I stayed in my room doing Jane Fonda tapes;
I maintained my weight of two pounds and a half,
And tried not to notice when the bigger birds laughed;
But 'twas I who was laughing, under my breath,
As they chomped and they chewed, ever closer to death;
And sure enough when Black November rolled around,
I was the last turkey left in the entire compound;
So now I'm a pet in the farmer's wife's lap;
I haven't a worry, so I eat and I nap;
She held me today, while sewing and humming,
And smiled at me and said "Christmas is coming..."

~ Happy Thanksgiving ~

A wife invited some people to Thanksgiving dinner.
At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter
 and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?"

"I wouldn't know what to say," the girl replied.
"Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered.

The daughter bowed her head and said.......
 "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!!!!
Suzy

~ Wordless Wednesday ~

Visitors expected.....

For more Wordless Wednesday.....click here!

On the lighter side.......

Things you DON'T want to hear at a tattoo parlour....

- "Eagle? I thought you said BEAGLE."

- "We're all out of red, so I used pink."

- "Anything else you want to say? You've got
plenty of room back here."

- "Mother" does have two T's in it, doesn't it?"

- "I bet you can't tell I've never done this before."

- "You know, hardly anyone gets blood poisoning
from these."

- "The flag's all done and, you know, the folds of fat
make a nice waving effect."

- "Ooooooops!"

Have a good week!

~ Pumpkin house ~

Every Halloween, this house at

748 Beech Street in Kenova, West Virginia

 is transformed into the Great Pumpkin House. 

This guy, along with a gaggle of volunteers, carves over 3,000 pumpkins
 to display in and around his house every Halloween.

According to the website he has "carved over 25,000 pumpkins since 1978."
The pumpkins will be on display between October 28th - November 4th.

~ Trick or Treat ???

Q: What does a vampire fear most?
A: Tooth decay.

Q: How do you make a milkshake?
A: You sneak up behind a glass of milk and yell "Boo!"

Q: Why wasn't there any food left after the monster party?
A: Because everyone was a goblin!

Have a happy Halloween!!!!!
Suzy

~ Wordless Wednesday ....

For more Wordless Wednesday....click here!

~ On the lighter side.....

An elderly woman walked into the local country church. A friendly usher greeted her at the door and helped her up the flight of steps.

"Where would you like to sit?" he asked.

"The front row please," she answered.

"You really don't want to do that," the usher said. "The pastor is really boring."

"Do you happen to know who I am?" asked the woman.

"No," said the usher.

"I'm the pastor's mother," she replied indignantly.

"Do you know who I am?" the usher asked.

"No," she said.

"Good."

—Van Morris, Mt. Washington, Kentucky

~ Wordless Wednesday ~

For more W.W. fun, ....click here!

Where ya been....?

Sorry that I've not been around much lately...I've been taking care of my 90 year old mom and having a very stressful time at work. When you're mind is so pre-occupied with other things, it's not easy to blog.
But I do miss all of you and hope to be back on track soon!
On the lighter side...
Top Ten Ways to Know You're Too Fat
It's just a joke everybody!! :) Speaking from one who's a tad (ahem!...) overweight herself...

10. When you get to the bottom of a stairway, your tummy takes one more step.
9. You go to the zoo and the elephants throw you peanuts.
8. You put mayonnaise on aspirin.
7. Your blood type is Ragu.
6. You learn you were born with a silver shovel in your mouth.
5. You ran away and they had to use all 4 sides of the milk carton for your picture.
4. You could sell shade.
3. Your driver's license says, 'Picture continued on other side.'
2. You are diagnosed with the flesh-eating virus, and the doctor gives you 22 more years to live.

AND THE NUMBER ONE WAY YOU KNOW YOU'RE TOO FAT?

1. You dance and it makes the band skip.

Have a wonderful day !!!

~ Things that make me smile !!! ~

~ Indian corn and raffia ~

~ homemade soup ~ 

~ plump orange pumpkins ~

~ wood-burning fireplaces ~

~ bonfires and hayrides ~

~ piles of raked leaves ~

~ homemade crusty bread ~

~ tattered scarecrows ~

~ baskets of apples ~

~ bountiful harvest ~

~ geese heading south ~

~ crisp fall days ~

~ warm spiced cider ~

~ squirrels gathering acorns ~

~ canning jars of vegetables ~

~ warm bulky sweaters ~

~ And…vibrant autumn colors !!

~ ODDS AND ENDS ~

A minister was making a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine. As he was pounding away, he noticed that a little boy was watching him. The youngster didn't say a word, so the preacher kept on working, thinking the lad would leave. But he didn't. Pleased at the thought that his work was being admired, the pastor finally said, "Well, son, trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?" "No," he replied. "I'm just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer."

~ Odds and ends ~

Have a good weekend!!

Suzy

"Bloomin' Tuesday"

For view more entries....click here!

Crazy squirrel....

We've got this crazy squirrel in our back yard...

He loves to eat the berries that grow on a tree near the flowerbed,

Look how he stands on his back legs to reach them,

Then he takes off, like lightning, jumping from tree to tree as fast as he can go!

One of these days he's gonna miss a branch when he leaps......
I think he's nuts.

~ Saturday photo Hunt ~

This week's theme is "colorful "......

To view more entries, click here...

~ Wordless Wednesday ~

For more W.W. photos....click here!

~ Bloomin' Tuesday ~

What's blooming ???
Pretty pink portulaca...

Orange and gold blanket flower...

Hens and chickens...

Cream-colored hollyhocks...

Butterfly weed...

To view other "Bloomin' Tuesday"entries...

click the link list over at ~Ms Green Thumb Jeans~
And enjoy summer while you can!

Taco Casserole

Taco Casserole
1lb ground beef
1 medium onion,chopped
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
16 oz tomato sauce
16 oz whole kernel corn
2 cups shredded Cheddar
2 cups Original Bisquick®
1 cup milk
2 eggs
Sour cream, chopped tomato and shredded lettuce, if desired.

Heat oven to 325ºF.
Grease rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.
Cook ground beef and onion in 10-inch skillet, stirring frequently,
until beef is brown; drain.
Stir in dry seasoning mix, tomato sauce and corn.
Spoon into pan; sprinkle with cheese.
Mix Bisquick, milk and eggs
until smooth. Pour over beef mixture.
Bake about 35 minutes or until
knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes before cutting.
Serve with remaining ingredients and salsa on the side!

"The love of God is like the Amazon river flowing down to water one daisy." ~~Unknown

Take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.
***

Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.

See it Sunday...

This week's theme is "car"...
and I thought this one was fitting for See it "SUNDAY".

For more entries, click here.

~ Photo featured......

Today, one of my photos is being featured at the "Looking Into " photo site! If you get chance, I'd appreciate it if you could stop over and take a look!
Thanks...and have a great day.

" There will be times when you will be in the field without a camera. And, you will see the most glorious sunset or the most beautiful scene that you have ever witnessed. Don't be bitter because you can't record it. Sit down, drink it in, and enjoy it for what it is! " ~DeGriff

Golden years...

Old Mothers
They draw me to them: women who have grown…
Wise with wisdom that right living brings.
Old mothers that have suffered and have known…
A triumph over many conquered things,

Who have grown gentle, trusting day by day,
Who have grown patient, serving through the years;
Who have prayed much, have learned how to pray,
And weeping - learned how futile were their tears.

They wear such certainty within their eyes:
A sureness that no question can shake;
All is so clear to them - they are so wise,
The way was made so plain that they should take.

If one should come to them...his faith grown dim,
Their faith would light the fires anew in him.

Happy 90th birthday, Mom !

~ We love you ~

On the funny side...

**************************************

When the power mower was broken and wouldn't run, a lady kept hinting to her husband that he should get it fixed. But, somehow the message never sank in. Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point. When her husband arrived home one day, he found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. He watched silently for a short time and then went into the house.

He was gone only a few moments. When he came out again. He handed her a toothbrush. "When you finish cutting the grass," he said, "you might as well sweep the sidewalks."

The doctors say he will probably walk again, but he will always have a limp.

Hope you find some humor in your day!!!!!

Check out my Slide Show!

~ Wordless Wednesday ~

Ready for every holiday...365 days a year!

For more W.W. entries ...click here!

~ Bloomin' Tuesday ~

I need your help........

This week I have two plants that are blooming in my flowerbed.....
and I have no idea what they are!

This first one was behind a tall plant and I didn't discover it until it bloomed. I probably would have thought it was a weed and pulled it out by now. (maybe it's a bloomin' weed?)

This second plant has scalloped leaves and smells like lemon when touched.
If anyone has any ideas, please let me know!

To view other Bloomin' Tuesday entries, click the link list at MsGreenThumb's site.

~ Bloomin' Tuesday ~

Here's what's bloomin' this week:
This is the Mimosa tree, with huge fern-like leaves that sway in the breeze...

This year it's just covered with blooms (pictured above)..aren't they unique!

This flower is called "spotted bellflower" I bought this perennial last year, and I love the two inch lavender bells.

I have a large container of Zinnias on the patio. They are no work at all and continually bloom all summer...

To view other "Bloomin' Tuesday"entries,

click the link list over at MsGreenThumbJeans place!

~ Independence Day ~

Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.
~Dwight D. Eisenhower~

Freedom is not something that anybody can be given. Freedom is something people take, and people are as free as they want to be.
~ James Baldwin ~
Celebrate your independence!