Word to the Wise: Proverbs

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight.

Thankful Thursday: Special People

A Thanksgiving Story
by Mrs. Magpie





This little friend and I have been excitedly waiting for Thanksgiving to get here. All week long, we had to wait and wait and wait until Thankful Thursday arrived so we could tell a special thank-you story. [I'm telling the first part, and he can pick up where I leave off at a later date!]

For you see, a few weeks ago, someone I didn’t know at all did something very nice for me, something for which I am truly thankful. It all started as a giveaway on Helen’s blog, Nana's Place , and the story continues here on my blog as a special thank you to her. So without any further adieu, the story...

Once upon a time, I was merrily blogging away, just minding my own business [well, sorta kinda], when suddenly I heard a sound. Not just any sound, but a very distinct...

Ding Dong!

“Hmmmm... now who on earth could that be? Oh, wait just a minute… it’s a package!” [an opened package because someone couldn't wait until after the picture was made to open it]



“And look who’s inside the package! Why -- it’s none other than Autumn Annie who’s come all the way from Alabama with her apple on her knee!” ;-)



“Climb on out of there, Annie, before you suffocate -- [you know better than to put a plastic bag over your head, girl!] -- and welcome to your new home in Florida!”



On that note, Annie sprang from the box as quick as a wink and hasn’t stopped moving since.

Here she is luxuriating in the fall flora of Florida… [color-coordinated, of course, to match her outfit]...



And here she is admiring some Pyracantha Berries [that just happen to match her fiery orange locks and nose]…



And here's the beauty herself posing with some Beauty Berries we found around the neighborhood [conveniently located for our photographic journal]…



And here she is admiring the Plumbago in Mr. McGregor's garden. All this running around and traveling from place to place has made her hungry. Why not have an apple? "Thanks, I believe I will!" [Fortuitously, Mr. McGregor was not at home]


Oh, and here she is escaping the Florida sun, lounging in the shade of an old oak tree. And what is that I spy? Why it's a little Annie-size chair! Look, she can sit and prop her feet up! Aside from all of this running around, she's been in the kitchen, whipping up a Thanksgiving meal for some new friends she's already met. She comes by that cooking ability naturally as her Aunt Helen made sure and sewed that into Annie's head. ;-)



And here's Annie just chillin' by a fence. She was kind of bored. ;-)



Till what to her wandering eye did appear, but a rusty red sleigh without the reindeer. A sleigh whose usability belies its advanced age. [You can't kill an old Volvo with a sledge hammer!] A sleigh with which Mr. Magpie refuses to be parted. Yes! It's the MagpieMobile! Oh happy day! And doesn't Annie look like a little Mari-ette Andretti in training???...

Uh-oh!

Annie just looked at the clock and realized she's late! She's been invited over to a friend's house for Thanksgiving, and she's supposed to bring the food! So we'll have to draw this part of the story to a close for now. Annie really wants her Auntie Helen to see all of the goodies that she prepared for Thanksgiving dinner, but Annie will have to share that at some future date lest she be late to her own Thanksgiving welcome party!

So for now, Autumn Annie says, "Adios! Au Revoir! Auf Wiedersehn! Good Night!" [Note to self: Has she been watching someone's Lawrence Welk DVD's???]

THE END [for now]

The night cannot close and Thanksgiving dawn without me saying a sincere, "Thank you!" to Helen for this very fun surprise. I absolutely love Annie! She is terrific, and so are you for being so generous to offer her in a drawing for some fortunate blogger who in this case was yours truly. And I truly appreciate it and you. I also appreciate your sister Miss Dot of Picket's Place for directing me over to your blog for the drawing. She's also a sweetheart, and I want to give her a shout-out and say how much I enjoy her blog as well. Here is Dot's address at Picket's Place http://picketsplace.blogspot.com/ and here is Helen's at Nana's Place http://nannastreasures.blogspot.com/ Thank you both for all you do to make people feel welcome and loved! {{{hugs}}}

So as we wind down Thanksgiving Eve and prepare for Thanksgiving itself, I'm reminded of so many blessings in life. I'm especially grateful for all of the people whose blog doors have been open to me for the last several months and who have kindly come by my very new blog nest to visit in return. I'm also grateful for all bloggers old and new, and I welcome you to always feel free to comment here. And last but certainly not least, I'm grateful to Rhondi for hosting Thankful Thursday so that we can take time out to count our blessings, something which I could stand to do more frequently. Be sure to drop by Rhondi's Rose Colored Glasses to see what a whole host of other people are thanking God for this week. http://rhondisrosecoloredglasses.blogspot.com/ Something tells me you might just be joining us next week with your list. You'll be glad you did!




From our hearts to yours, Happy Thanksgiving! :-)

Quintessentially thankful,


Mrs. Magpie (Sheila)

Wednesday's Child is Going to Lunch at The Beach

I am preparing to play hooky today! I had promised a special blue post, but I've decided to save it until Blue Monday. Being, however, a bird of my word, I'm going to leave you with a blue image or two or three...

In the first image, there's a slogan that I tell myself when I've lingered too lovingly over the computer keyboard or after wiling away my time, daydreaming of all of the latest recipes or shoes or baubles with which I find myself tempted on a daily, and sometimes hourly, basis. Just like some other birds I know. Not naming names. ;-) Maybe you can use this same excuse...





The second image is a little web-footed friend who is waiting somewhat impatiently for Thursday to arrive. A very important friend is coming to visit and sit for a while with him in the blue check chair. He's not the only one who's grateful for the arrival of said friend, and I will explain more about that on Thankful Thursday.





Hope your Wednesday is full of joy as you go about preparing for Thanksgiving. As for me and my house, we aren't doing the cooking this year. And I am blessing the hands that are cooking, along with the hands that are preparing your meal, be they yours or someone else's. :-)

Hope you enjoy this little bouquet of Beauty Berries I picked for very beautiful YOU! xoxoxo

Quintessentially yours,


Mrs. Magpie (Sheila)... who thinks the blue in this post might just suffice after all! :-)

Trash To Treasure Tuesday -- One Thing Leads To Another (Part I)

This is my trash can.




This is my trash can after a long, hard day of me running around like the Mad Hatter in training.



Look familiar to any other bloggers out there??? Yep, thought so! Sometimes you just feel the burning need to dive head first into the nearest container of goodness. And no, I didn't polish off both containers of ice cream all by my lonesome. Only the chocolate one. Mr. Magpie helped himself to the black walnut. You want to know what else? It was really, really good! And there's no need for you to feel deprived because I ate enough for you, too! ;-)

Now that that's settled, I'll move right along to the business at hand. My friend Diane at A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words is hosting another wonderful Trash to Treasure Tuesday. Please be sure to check out her blog for links to all sorts of treasures. You can even join in the fun if you wish. The more the merrier! :-) Here's a link to Diane's blog... http://diane1876.blogspot.com/2008/11/trash-to-treasure-new-use-for-old.html#links



Unlike my last week's Trash to Treasure offering, a free trash pick pilfered by the fastidious Mr. Magpie himself, this little treasure was not free. But it was less than $5. Let's try $4 which I think is a good price for something this high on my own personal Richter Scale of Cuteness. This definitely qualified as a shiny object for this little magpie, and one man's junk was definitely my treasure. :-)

This first shot is taken on fabric I got from the Scottish Weaver and a Scottish gentleman named Peter who has got to be the nicest Scotsman alive. The fabric is in the McLeod tartan for any Scottish buffs out there. I thought my plaid pillow made a nice backdrop for these little school children. When we were little, my mother always dressed us in plaid in the fall.



I found that little piece at one of the local antique malls. This particular mall has several booths with great deals on what in dealer jargon is referred to as "smalls." This small just jumped right off the shelf and into my hand. I simply had no other choice but to take it home with me. You know how that goes. ;-)

And for all of you crafty folks out there, I took several pictures of my find in case you want to make something similar. Up next, I have it displayed on a simple blue and white cotton check (had to slip some blue in there somewhere). While I'm not that talented with crafts, I can certainly appreciate it when someone else is. To that end, the front is covered in blackboard paint to which is adhered these six school children, six buttons, and something that says "remember." Then the red number six appears to be stenciled on there. I love the wooden rulers around the side of the piece.



And here's a shot of the back.



I tried to get a good shot of how the rulers were joined on the sides, but Mr. Magpie wasn't here to assist. So, the blurry camera shot was the best I could do trying to hold the piece and photograph it, too.



Now, here's a shot of the little chalkboard displayed on a piece of fabric I got from the shop of a local designer. He was getting rid of some of his remnants, this piece was actually a sample, and it was marked $1.00. Considering that this is a high end fabric by Clarence House, I felt like I scored well on that. The fabric is cotton and is made in France. The name of the pattern is Nemours, and the color is rouge or red, if my pigeon French serves me correctly. ;-)



So for about five dollars, I got a cute little artsy-craftsy piece and a nice fabric remnant that's both suitable for upholstery and from a fine fabric house. I felt like it was a good shopping day, and it didn't break the bank. I still have some pennies left in my piggy bank for another fun excursion.

One thing's for certain, that fabric can't just hang around all day as a back drop for my blog pictures. It seems that one little thing always leads to another just as this Trash to Treasure Tuesday leads to the next. Stay tuned to see where my little fabric remnant is headed next. And thanks for stopping by! I look forward to visiting your nest soon. :-)

Quintessentially yours,


Mrs. Magpie (Sheila)

Blue Monday -- Casting Off In Our Little Blue Boat

This is my first Blue Monday, and I'm so excited to have found this fun day! It's hosted by Smiling Sally on her blog of the same name. Please go there to read Sally's post and to link to all of the other Blue Ones who are participating in today's festivities. If you'd like to play, feel free to join in the fun. :-) Here's a link for Sally... http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/



Blue is my very favorite color! It's the color of so many wonderful things... the blue bird of happiness, the sea, the sky, robin's eggs, chambray shirts, lapiz lazuli, Chinese porcelain, Naval uniforms, blueberries, plumbago, Paul Newman's eyes, sapphires, baby boys, little Alice blue gowns, bluebells, boxes from Tiffany's, and much, much more.

Today, I'd like to share a few blue nautical scenes with you. Boats are happy things to me and to my hero Popeye who was slated to greet you musically but was a tad too raucous for a supposededly soothing nautical post. Probably a little too much spinach. ;-) If you are just dying to hear about him, click down a litte further on my player where you can hear all about Popeye, Bluto, Wimpy, and Olive's shenanigans and take a cruise on the Love Boat as well. But that's getting sidetracked. So without further adieu, let's cast off together...

Blue and white boat moored in the light of a pale blue New England morning sky, reflected in the blue water below. According to the sign, we can even go watch for whales...



St. Augustine boat with blue dinghy onboard, drifting under the overcast blue of a spring afternoon...



Blue and white striped chair and blue pond yacht (trust me, it's blue; the leaning lamp is blocking it) in the window at blue dusk...

The light in the above picture was phenomenal. When it was taken several years ago, I had turned to look out the window from this chair where I was reading, and the sky looked like it was straight out of a Maxfield Parrish painting. Everything was bathed in a wash of inky blue light. I happened to have a camera nearby when I took this shot, and the color of the sky deepened as the sun set completely. Unfortunately, that shot is a mere memory. Sometimes I don't think a sky can be any more beautiful. Then I turn around and am amazed all over again.

When I discovered Blue Monday, I had already planned to talk about the color blue in a special post that's slated for Wednesday. So if you are a blue lover, feel free to drop back by for a double scoop of blue. Thanks so much for dropping by my birdhouse today. I look forward to visiting with you at yours. There's just never enough blue in the world for me. Apparently, you and the Lord agree! :-)

Quintessentially yours,



Mrs. Magpie (Sheila)

Psalm Sunday

I will praise you, O LORD, among the peoples,

And I will sing praises to you among the nations.

For Your mercy is great above the heavens,

And Your truth reaches to the clouds.

Psalm 18:3-4

Saturday Shopping

Saturday Shopping... it seems remote today with so much going on and me riding in the caboose in terms of getting this posted. I did, however, take time out to shop around the blogsphere to see what I could see. The talent and generosity of bloggers never ceases to amaze me!

I had actually spied a special giveaway earlier in the week, and I'm going to attempt to hook you up. This giveaway is Melissa Wertz's way of celebrating her 100th post on her blog called Little Things in Life. You must understand that sharing this with you is very generous on my part because I love Christmas china and would selfishly like to horde, I mean have this set for Mr. Magpie and me. ;-) However, in the spirit of Christmas and as my special Christmas gift to you, I'm letting you in on this secret for a chance to win! She's got other goodies riding in the sleigh with this china set, too!

I haven't had my blog tutorial yet (a fellow blogger has kindly volunteered!), so I'm going to just leave the link here, and hook it up later with the little thingy Melissa sent me. But don't forget to come back because I've got something else fun to show you!


http://missy-thingsinlife.blogspot.com/2008/11/give-way.html

In the knowledge that we can't all win that cute snack set and the wonderful goodies that go with, I have this present for you. Another blogger I read has shared the most delightful ideas for what she does with her children at Christmas. And if you don't have little munchkins at home, you might want to read her post anyway because it will inspire you to think outside the box and be creative for friends, family or neighbors. You might even want to volunteer to be the Santa who rings the bell and runs!

Curious? I'm speaking here of Sandy Toes and her blog, Shell in My Pocket. As I mentioned in the above paragraph, I haven't had my blog tutorial yet, so I'm going to just leave the link here, and hook it up with her cute pajama picture from her blog later!


http://shellinyourpocket.blogspot.com/2008/11/was-that-doorbell.html

Sandy Toes has got another fun idea about making memories with simple things. See this ticket?


Yep, that one. The one I "borrowed" from her blog to link back to this (when I have my tutorial).

This is Sandy Toe's very own ticket to a world of fun for you and the special people in your life. Single? Don't have kids? Well, you can give it to your friends or family! See what she does with it here...

http://shellinyourpocket.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-11-18T00%3A01%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=5

She has got to be one of the most creative people in Blogdom. And her blog is fun, too! This is possibly one of the best free Christmas gifts you can give yourself because she always has something nifty going on over there.

Oh, and Happy Shopping!


Quintessentially,



Mrs. Magpie (Sheila)

Yes, Virginia, That Snowball Is Dancing

This post isn't about just any old Snowball, or else Patrick and Sponge Bob wouldn't be that excited. In case you haven't been formally introduced, the Snowball in the following video is a bird. And he's not just any old bird, mind you, but a bird who loves to dance!

Someone sent me a link to a video last summer with Snowball dancing to the Backstreet Boys (he's picky about his music, but fortunately his taste has matured;-), and now they have a video of him dancing to Christmas music! You can tell that he really loves "Sleigh Ride," "Joy to the World" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." What he does with his forelock/comb/bangs in one of those numbers is priceless! ;-)

What is even more special about Snowball is that he is a rescue bird, and as such, he's living proof that rescue animals are gems. When he arrived in rescue, the people who brought him in, also brought his favorite CD's, and when the rescue personnel saw what he did when they played his music for him, they were happily stunned. Now, apparently, millions of people are happily stunned right along with them. As a consequence of his dancing ability, Snowball has become a celebrity on television shows and at other functions, and he has also become, in effect, the poster boy for bird rescue.

The real ornaments of any home are the people who live there, and if they're really blessed, the pets who live with them. Snowball is no exception in that case.

So do yourselves a favor and click on the following link for Snowball dancing to Christmas Music. The one below that is Snowball dancing to the Backstreet Boys. It looks like he has an actual routine in that one. Plus it has close to two million hits on You-Tube. Watch one, watch them both, but whatever you pick, ENJOY!

Oh, and please come back and let me know what you think. Thanks! :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4E6HOPtU90
(Christmas Songs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7IZmRnAo6s
(Backstreet Boys)

Joyfully,


Mrs. Magpie (Sheila)... who loves Snowball and all sorts of birds!

Thankful Thursday

What a wonderful idea to take a day out of each week to give thanks for our blessings! This is my first time to post on Thankful Thursday (mainly because this is my first Thursday with a blog!), but I have a lot for which I'm thankful. The list is endless. So I'll start with a few things that come immediately to mind. Mr. Magpie, my DH, is grateful for these same blessings.

I am grateful that, for the last ten years, I've been able to walk out the door and see scenes like this...

And like this....



And like this...




And like this...



But mostly, I'm grateful that the Lord has allowed me to live in a country where I am free to glorify Him...



And to enjoy Him each and every day of my life...




Long may this blessing wave!





If you have blessings that you'd like to share, or even if you'd just like to read about why others feel thankful, please click on this link for Rhondi's Rose Colored Glasses and go visit. http://rhondisrosecoloredglasses.blogspot.com/ I'd also like to know about your blessings. Speaking from personal experience: when you count them, you're always glad you did! ;-)

Quintessentially yours,


Mrs. Magpie (Sheila)

God, The Decorator

Over the past several months, I've stared in amazement at some of the beautiful fall scenes pictured on blogs across the Internet. God, the decorator, has been busy.

There is very little I love more than a tree dressed in its crimson robe or colorful leaves blanketing the ground. Both make my heart smile.

But we live in Florida, where there are only subtle changes in the seasons. It’s not that we don’t have a fall; you just have to know where to look.

Sometimes, a person can be too distracted by the beauty of the sunrise on the water to see fall’s arrival in Florida. We have a lot of water down here… rivers, lakes, creeks, oceans, gulfs, marshes, springs, underground caverns, swimming pools, and bays.



But observe closely. First, there’s the slightest hint of cool in the air and a softening of the light that’s almost imperceptible .



And when you look up into a perfectly blue Florida sky and see the Golden Rain Tree silhouetted there, you know for a fact that fall has arrived.



And when you look down, you see a wonderful gift. That same tree has laid a carpet of yellow petals at its feet, just for you.



Another hint that fall has arrived is the change in the vines that grow in abundance here in our very own Garden of Eden. Vines are very social creatures. They wrap their arms around their friends.





And sometimes come calling with orange flowers.



And strange and wonderful bean-like pods.



The Virginia Creeper changes its standard green uniform to that of a vibrant rust hue.



It’s sometimes joined by the purple blush of Beauty Berries in their finery.



One definite sign of fall is the flash of orange and blue if Gators are to your liking.



Or the glory of gold accented by garnet if you prefer the infinitely superior Seminoles. ;-)



When all is said and done...



I love Florida and its own unique fall with all my heart.



And I wouldn’t trade God’s décor for anything. After all, the best things in life are free. :-)







The two ocean photos are courtesy of our nephew Phillip and his girlfriend Leigh. The cross is near the site of what is believed to be the founding of St. Augustine and the first mass celebrated by Pedro Menendez and his company on September 8, 1565. St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the continental United States.


The photo of the FSU Helmet is courtesy of the Official Online FSU Seminole Shop, and various size helmets are available online at http://fsu.teamfanshop.com/Default.aspx


The photo of the Gator Helmet is courtesy of the Gator Shop. The helmet is available online at http://www.gatorshop.com/

Quintessentially yours,


Mrs. Magpie (Sheila)