Monday

~ In the nick of time ...

 Welcome to November!
A new month, and the month of Thanks Giving.
We live in a high mountain valley, and we get snow every winter.
Trying to beat the snow, I had lots of "to~do" things on my list.
Winterizing things... organizing things...... etc..
Just a few things that I finished up this last weekend ~~~ just in the nick of time:
 ~* Hang new curtains and install new curtain rods in the living room
~* Move stained glass stars from transom window, to windows flanking fireplace.
Southern exposure windows.
Now the sun sparkles and shines through the stained glass stars.
~*Take down all the Halloween décor, and store.
~* Put out all of the Thanksgiving décor, and fluff up the house for Thanksgiving.
 Outside, the clouds gathered, and it began to rain.
While inside, we were busy bees.
 Working to get things organized.
 The deer grazing in the meadow.
Temperatures falling.
 The mountain tops covered in clouds.
I was pretty sure that it was snowing on the mountain tops, but with the cloud cover, I couldn't see the mountain tops.
 My sweet husband took down the hanging ferns and brought them in the house for me.
I went out to the garage and brought in my great~great Grandpa's chair.
 He built it and covered the straw seat with a piece of leather.
 The chair it far too fragile to use as a chair, but it makes a charming stand for one of our giant ferns.
This is the first winter I have ever tried to save ferns.

 I would LOVE any hints or tips you all might have for overwintering ferns!
 I took a little time out from cleaning and organizing, to do a little bit of journaling.
Our son, Spencer, made this absolutely gorgeous pen for me!
I am grinning from ear to ear.. I love it so much!
I have been a journaler for years and years, and this pen makes every page I write, just that much more special to me.
 Organizing the storage room, before the major holidays, was high on my 'to~do' list.
Thanks to my amazing and sweet husband, we got the storage room completely cleaned and organized.
    {I'm adding this little 'before' picture above. It just shows a bit of the room in disarray. I didn't want to look at it, let alone think anyone else would want to look at it, so this is just a glimpse.. but you get the gist.}
 After: Love the shelving, and all the totes are labeled and stacked nicely.
What I love most about this storage room, is that I can "shop" our storage room, and decorate our entire home. I can change out vignettes, decorate for seasons, or holidays etc.
I really love this room!
 {p.s.  on the wall, you might notice an old fashioned style fireman's hat. That hat belonged to my dad. He was a 'fireman' on an old steam powered locomotive.  He tended the coal hopper and shoveled coal into the fire! I am so glad that I have that hat!  He was a fireman when he was very young, and years before I was born. Really is a special treasure to me}
 ~ One of my most favorite features that we added to the storage room : Long curtain rod to hang all of my baskets, and buckets, and containers on. When ever I need one, I can simple chose the one I want and take it off the hook.
 Sure enough.
While we cleaned and organized, it was snowing on the tops of the mountains.

Looking over the meadow and the mountains through the windows above the sink, I feel like we accomplished so much.
We are organized and everything is clean and ready for the holidays.
Just in the nick of time.

~ Attitude of gratitude
~ I'm so grateful for a hard working and loving husband. He is my very best friend, and if something is important to me, then it's important to him. He came up with the best ideas to get our storage room organized. He also helped me completely rearrange the guest room, and hung up an extremely heavy and ornate gold framed mirror in the guest room. Of course, he did mention that the mirror is so heavy, that if it falls off the wall, it will bring the entire wall with it... *giggle**.
~Thankful for 'Stevens' hot chocolate mix. Nothing warms me like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold and blustery day. Loving the flavors this year : Mexican Hot Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Truffle, Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate Raspberry, White Chocolate, No Sugar Added Milk Chocolate.. etc..
                   
It's a swell time for a mug of hot cocoa, and snuggling up with a great book!
    ~ I think I might hear the faint sounds of jingle bells.....

14 comments:

  1. Hey mom. It's Spencer (using your login). I do have to say that I am quite proud of that pen. It turned out perfectly.

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  2. What a beautiful pen you have there - it beautiful.
    A great idea to have shelves for your storage items. So much nicer than just in boxes or totes. You can actually see what you have.

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  3. That pen is beautiful, and a very special gift!
    Your views are so pretty. I love your storage room too.

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  4. FIRST . . . the pen is gorgeous, more so. . . made by your son!
    FERNS . . . I find misting rather than watering has worked best . . .
    STORE ROOM . . . great idea, an organized room . . . I must get busy!
    GRATITUDE . . . "yours" makes me take pause for Grateful . . .
    Happy Snow Watching In The Mountains . . .

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  5. It's beautiful there where you live, Kerin.
    It sounds like you are very organized so I have no doubt that you will get those projects done PDQ!

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  6. What a gorgeous fern! I used to save my ferns before we moved here 11 years ago. They always did fairly well. Had to water & mist regularly. One year I noticed some movement, a little tree frog was hidden among the frons.

    Smiles,
    Carol

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  7. Your view is so beautiful! Love the mountains.

    Love your organization. It makes the rest of the holidays so much easier.

    I don't have any growing green things in the house. It's best for all.

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  8. Hi Kerin, Love all your pictures. Especially the hanging baskets and buckets. And as always I am going to miss the Utah winter and all the snow. Enjoy it for me k? :)

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. Take care, Janet W

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  9. Kerin, you are amazing. I just hate you!! NOT!! Your storage room is amazing also, either you have a huge big room or you don't have very much stuff!! It is beautifully organized and love the solution for baskets and such. Wow, Spencer is so talented. How does one go about making a pen? That is absolutely beautiful. Is that the view you see out your kitchen window? I'd never get anything done, except maybe dishes..Happy Thursday..Judy

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  10. So nice to get everything caught up and finished... You sure do have a lovely view, dear girl... Take care..xo

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  11. Good Morn Kerin, It feels wonderful to get organized and prepared for the busy holiday season. I love your storage room. Your dad's hat and Spencer's pen are both special treasures. The flavored hot choc sounds delicious - enjoy on these blustery days while you journal.

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  12. Kerin... I'm tired from just reading your to do list LOL Glad you were able to get it all done though. It must be a big relief.

    Love your dad's fireman's hat. That's truly special :)

    xoxo,
    rue

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  13. Hi Kerin, So happy to visit your blog again! Trying to get back into the swing of things since treatment. I hear ya on getting ready for Winter. Ken and I are doing the same. Working like crazy around here! Your views are breathtaking, regardless of the season. The one tip I can give you about wintering ferns (since I had several from my porch at the farmhouse)....don't put them too close to heat vents/registers...it will dry them out quickly and die. A cooler place near a window with direct light always worked for me...not harsh hot sunlight but some direct light. Keep them moist! You can/will lose leaves but that's ok.....I kinda looked at it like a dog shedding or cat shedding some....but do feed them, that helps a lot! Your chair you have the fern in is perfect! Blessings and have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Roxie

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