Reflections on the Thanksgiving Weekend and Blessings Counted

Hello And Welcome To All Who Stop In For A Visit! So very glad you came by. Hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday! We did. Lots of good food and family visits! Missed our one daughter and her family though. They were unable to make the 200-mile trip. I was sad about that, but talked with them on the phone and did get to see the other two daughters with their families. Now I'm sitting here on the Monday morning after, drinking a cup of coffee and reflecting on my life and counting my blessings. All family and friends are safe and happy. We have wonderful and loving daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren. Hubby and I are happy and healthy, except for the normal aches and pains of getting older. The love just keeps growing for us. I never wanted to be rich (and God has answered that prayer!), but always just wanted to have enough to pay the bills with a little left over and we have that blessing. Our home is sound and warm. There is always good food on the table everyday. Hubby loves his job as a teacher and I'm blessed with a great crafting workshop where I can work and create to my heart's content. God is always here with us. And when adversity strikes (and every life has it's share of adversity), God never deserts us. He is there by our sides helping us through. We live in a blessed country of Freedom and Laws. And, there is coffee! All the basics of good living are covered in my life ~ God, Love, Family, Friends, Health, Food, Shelter, Liberty. For me, these are the most important blessings of life. To have these is enough. Everything else is just icing on the cake for me. The icing can be removed (and it is from time to time) and I still have the cake. I don't live in Pollyanna land, it's just that the wisdom of age and the experiences of joy, hardship and pain have taught me what is really important. That is a great blessing too. I just wanted to share my reflections on life and a good cup of coffee with you this Monday morning. And I pray for these blessings in your life too! I hope you will stop by for a visit again soon. It is always a great pleasure to see you. Kat S.

Look What I Got From Sugar Creek Hollow!

I knew from Kim's pictures in her Etsy shop, Sugar Creek Hollow, that she does beautiful needlework. But, I was blown away when I received this in the mail recently. Kim's work is exquisite! The pictures just can't do them justice. This is her Christmas Ring of Roses doily and I just had to share it with everyone! I can crochet, but not like this. I must admit, I'm envious of her skill and would love to learn this fine detail work myself.

I also took advantage of a recent sale she had on her smaller scented soy candle jars. I ordered three as gifts for my daughters. Asked them for their honest opinions and they raved. Said they not only loved the look of them, but the scent was wonderful. I ordered Cinnamon Sticks, Eggnog and Toasted Marshmallow.

Just wanted to pass this on to those who might be looking for good Christmas gift ideas. I'm sure anyone on your gift list would love them as much as me and my girls.

May your homes be cozy and happy! Kat S.

JOY TO YOU Whimsical Snowman Christmas Decorator Plate

Perfect for your Holiday decorating!

This painted whimsical snowman Christmas wooden decorator plate measures 10" square. Use a coordinating plate stand for display or just lean it in your shelf display. Don't forget it will make a great gift too!

I've finally gotten back to almost full recovery from my recent back injury and am able to do so much more the last few days. Thank God for the blessing of good health! I'll not take my back for granted again, I can tell you that. Now that I'm back in action, I've started adding to my Shop at Cozy Country Home Fixins and would love to have you stop by to browse. These are a couple of the new items I've just added. The cute-as-can-be square plate is priced at $14.95 and the wooden plate stand is $4.95. You can find all the details for these items and much more at the shop. I hope to see you there soon. In the meantime, thanks so much for stopping by!

Recent Back Injury Slowed Me Down

Am getting over a back injury (pinched nerve causing extreme pain and loss of mobility) has kept me sidelined for almost 3 weeks now. So haven't been able to post. Plan to remedy that over the next week and catch up on all the blogs I follow too. Start physical therapy later this week and hope that helps improve my strength and stability. I feel very blessed to have finally found a doctor who correctly diagnosed the problem immediately and got me started on treatment with a sterioid shot into the ruptured disk that was pressing a nerve! He has been fantastic. Went for a followup with him yesterday and he was pleased with progress (though still may need 1-2 more shots to get fully back in shape). He joked yesterday that when he first saw me I was so bent over (90 degrees at the waist - couldn't stand up straight), I looked like I was searching the floor for dropped coins! Life is very good! Thanks for visiting and come back soon! Kat S.

New Creation ~ What Do You Think?

I recently finished this shelf sitter sign as a combination of paper, paint, wood and decorative embellishments. I will list it soon in one of my shops, but am not sure if it is totally done yet. I like the look and especially like the phrase! It is from a collection of "Momisms" I have and think there may be more signs of this type in my future!

Have been so busy lately being creative. What fun! Am working on a shelf unit for my own home. Have another in process for a customer. Recently finished and sent off a vertical Prim Country WELCOME sign from my Fixins store for a customer. Am working on developing a series of chunky block shelf sitter signs in a shabby chic design for a store owner in Georgia. Am finishing up a group of Halloween themed items for a store owner in California. Also working on a reproduction coffee grinder that is so cool. It actually works (made one for us and we use it all the time!) Think this will go into both shops and will probably include some freshly roasted coffee beans (we roast our own you know). Have so many more projects in various states of development. The biggest thing is to take the time to get pictures and list the items. That is the hardest part for me. But it feels so good when it is done and my creation has made its way out into the "world". I am so personally and emotionally invested in each and every thing I make! I'm not sure if that is good or bad, but it is a fact for sure. Well, back to my projects. So nice to visit with you again. It has been awhile. From my cozy country home to yours, come back again! Kat S.

Grain Harvest Progressing in Idaho

The grain harvest in Idaho has begun! I love it and hate it at the same time! I love watching the behemoth combines as they rumble past my back yard, cutting great swaths of grain. They cut and cut for 4 days, from early morning often till midnight. The great clouds of harvest debris are the hateful part. For days, we keep the windows closed and still we hack and sneeze. Ugh!! They finished up yesterday, hauling away many large grain trucks filled to the brim. The birds love to follow the trucks that often drop small piles of wheat here and there ~ a bird feast to be sure! But it doesn't end there. The farmer is already back in his stubble field, scrapping the ground to get ready for planting his winter wheat. I do love watching the process! What a blessing to have such a bounty. The potato harvest begins soon now too! Love that as well! Will post a pic of that when it begins in about a month. From my cozy country home to yours, Kat S.

A New Creation Just Added To The Fixins Store

I just added this creation to the shop inventory at Cozy Country Home Fixins. It's one of my assemblage art pieces using a small pre-made "Primitives" wreath affixed to one of my handpainted wooden shelf sitter frames. It sells for $16.00 plus shipping. A very unique and interesting decorative piece to add to your bookshelf or give as a gift. Be sure to stop in and take a look at this and all the other things I have in the Fixins store. From my Cozy Country Home to Yours, thanks for stopping by and do come again! Kat S.

JUST WATCHING THE GARDEN GROW SUNDAY

What a pleasant relaxing Sunday we are having just watching the garden grow. This very large backyard garden plot of ours is a sea of green growing fun and satisfaction, as well as delicious produce. The raspberry patch at the far end is a favorite of the kids when they come for a Sunday visit. My 3-year-old granddaughter is particularly fond of picking and eating them as fast as she can. There are onions, eggplant, green beans, peas, green pepper, lettuce, carrots, radishes, potatoes, butternut and acorn squash. And one of our favorite things ~ a pumpkin patch for the kids to choose their Halloween pumpkins. They love that part of the garden and I love seeing them make their choices.

At the back of the garden is a row of giant Sunflowers! They grow so fast. I swear you literally could almost see them grow right before your eyes during the course of the day. Most of them are over 6 feet tall now and are working on their giant flower heads!

The funny thing is that this garden is not big enough! This fall when Hubby tills it all under, he will add about 10-15 more feet of space for me. The problem is the pumpkin patch and squash plants take up so much room with their spreading vines. And, I'd like to add a strawberry patch too! I love gardening! And I love sittin' on the patio with Hubby watching it all grow before our eyes!

Must go now. Kids just called and are on the way over. It will be a race to see who gets the most raspberries today! Love it! Life is Good! From my Cozy Country Home to Yours ~~ Kat S.

Jack The Cat ~~ Saga Of His Life And Times

Poor ole Jack the Cat, he's been wounded on the lip in a territorial displute with his neighbor. Wish these two could get along. But alas, it seems they both aspire to alpha male dominance. Jack is about 1-1/2 years old and is beginning to really bulk up and gain experience, so he doesn't back down any more when the neighbor cat comes into our yard. Which I'm kind of glad about. Before he was always wounded on the tail from running away. The wound would get infected and Jack would be very uncomfortable and unpleasant for awhile till it healed. Now we are making progress because the wounds are on the other end of his body! And no infection in this one. I'm no cat expert, but I suspect it is because it was an open scratch instead of a bite that festers under the skin until it opens. Right now Jack the Cat is safe and sound in the house taking one of his many afternoon naps. He mostly eats and sleeps all day long and then gets fiesty in the evenings. He's a good ole country livin' cat and I think I'll keep him. After all, he's part of our cozy country home family. From my home at the foot of the mountains, take good care of yourself and come back soon. I love having visitors! Kat S.

Jack The Cat ~~ Saga Of His Life And Times

I was not a cat person until I married Hubby almost 6 years ago. Our country home is surrounded by wheat and potato fields, which means mice in the winter. Unless, you have a cat! We've since had several cats who I never let into the house. Put a cat door in the garage so they would be warm and protected in winter, but NEVER in the house. Until Jack The Cat that is. Somehow he has wormed his way into my heart and comes and goes as he pleases, even into the house. I can't believe I've let a cat into my heart or my house. But I am smitten I must say. Jack loves exploring the rather weedy garden, chasing birds, bugs or anything else he chooses.

This is part of our backyard ~ or I should say, Jack's backyard. This photo was spring, so not much volume to the veggie garden yet. Jack likes to wander into the adjacent wheat field, stalking mice and pheasant. He catches mice, but never can catch those wiley pheasant (thank goodness).

Jack is very fond of the back patio area too. He hides behind this little fence to keep away from the grandkids who love to play chase him. The kids aren't allowed behind the fence and Jack has

learned this is a safety zone for him!

That viney stuff is Hops. Love to have it traveling about haphazardly! Hubby designed and made the patio. Love it so!

Stay tuned for more of the Life and Times of Jack The Cat. He's part of the Fixins of my Cozy Country Home.

From My Home To Yours, Kat S.

Monday Afternoon Website Walkabout ~ The Quilting World

I've been exploring the quilting world a little today and am amazed by the beautiful work. Not only are quilts an artistic expression, they have a very long history and are functional too! I love that. If you haven't already discovered it, Quilting Bloggers is part of a website that consolidates some of the quilting world into one central location. You can connect with other quilters and quilt bloggers, find resources and fabric, quilt shop locations, free projects and tips, as well as advertise.

Another cool website, Moda Bake Shop, is a division of Moda Fabrics and is filled with project ideas and tutorials. It will link you to designers and shops that Moda has featured, providing a huge web of links. Even though I haven't taken up quilting myself, I love fabrics and Moda makes some beautiful fabric designs. I drop by my local quilting center just to look and admire!

For a very comprehensize History of Quilting, try WomenFolk.com. You'll find a huge archive of quilting history, including the history behind the patterns.

If you've been thinking about trying your hand at quilting, these seem very good places to start your exploration and training. You'll find there are many free projects and tutorials in the quilting world, perfect to get you started or inspire if you are an old hand.

I love exploring links! I find out so much when I go on a Website Walkabout. (Of course, it is important that you trust the site that is linking you so you can avoid as much as possible any unpleasantness or bugs.) I think I'll try to pick a topic each week or so and go on a Walkabout, sharing with you what I find. If you have appropriate topic suggestions, please let me know so I can explore for you. From my Cozy Country Home to Yours, Kat S.

Blueberry Pie ~~ Yummy!

What better way to kick off my new blog than with a great recipe ~~ a perfectly delicious Blueberry Pie! This absolutely yummy, mouthwatering pie is a favorite for me. Here in Idaho right now, fresh blueberries (at really reasonable prices) are all over the groceries. And I've been taking advantage of that too. (Tonight after dinner I served up cantalope halves with plump sweet blueberries heaped in the scooped out cavity. Wow!! So good and makes a visually dramatic appearance also.) Anyhow, this pie recipe comes from a site I really like and trust ~~ Simply Recipes . They have a very good and extensive recipe collection for just about anything you might like. And another great thing about this site is that it is fast and simple to get around in. (I like Food Network, but it is very slow and cumbersome for me.) Sometimes I get in a rut with my meal planning and just can't think of anything new to make (don't you get like that too?). I can always find something tasty and simple here. I sound like an advertisement, but I really like these recipes and have always had success with everything I've tried. Just wanted to share a good thing with everyone! From my Cozy Country Home to Yours ~~ Kat S.

Welcome!

I'm so pleased you took the time to stop by this new blog. Thank you so much. Throughout the next week I will be creating the content and posting, so please stop back to see what is going on in my Cozy Country Home. Kat S.