Memories of a Snow Girl

Hi everyone! Hope you had a happy and joyous Thanksgiving. Guess what? I think I have discovered who wrote the starfish story. My friend, Glynis Smy, thinks it is by Lauren Eisley. A friend of hers had read it in a magazine and written it down. I am glad to find out who is responsible and wanted to share it with you. You may have seen it elsewhere as I have many times, but no author was ever given. I believe a big round of applause goes to Lauren Eisley for writing something so moving!!
Please drop by Glynis' blog, New Scribbles by Glynis. She conveys such a wonderful positive attitude on life and I know you will enjoy her writings.
It snowed a tiny bit today, just enough to tease us a little. Once Mike, one of my boys, made a snow "girl"! He named her Crystal and poured water over his creation so it would freeze solid and not melt so fast. He wrapped a red scarf around her neck and took such great pains to make her beautiful. He would come in from the cold and look longingly out at Crystal until he was warm enough to brave the weather once more. He thought she was the most beautiful snow girl in the world. I am sure she was because she was probably the only snow girl in the world!! I took a picture of him with his arm around her, smiling from ear to ear. I love that picture, seeing his little face beaming with happiness. I believe we almost went into mourning when poor Crystal began to go the way of all snow people. She slowly became a little puddle with a red scarf lying on top and buttons at the bottom. I am happy that we have immortalized her with that picture!! Be sweet and be good!!

The story of the Starfish

I have read this little story many times, always with no credit to anyone, so I have no idea who wrote it or when. I know for sure it is one I will always remember and so today I wanted to share it with you. I know you will enjoy it just as I always have.

Early one morning, a young man walked along a beach upon which many starfish had washed ashore during the night. In the distance he could see an old man walking toward him. The old man paused often and bent down to pick up a starfish and toss it into the sea. When they finally met, the young man asked the old, "Why do you waste your time? There are hundreds of starfish stranded on the beach, and you cannot possibly save them all. What does it matter if you save one here and one there?" In answer, the old man bent again and lifted a starfish and threw it into the sea. "It matters to that one." he said.

My Grandson Eric, Stacey and Their Family

Such a sweet little family. Baby Carlee has it made with two big brothers to watch out for her!!

Happiness is..............

.....being content with what one has. Give thanks, not just today, but every day.

Family Scrapbook, etc.

I have been working on scrapbooks for my family for quite some time. I absolutely love editing their pictures and arranging them on scrapbook pages. I keep getting sidetracked and go the the pictures of my great grandchildren. It is such fun just looking at them. I tell them that I play with them in my computer, since they don't live close. I even put a picture of Anna in a computer frame. I sometimes play with the three of them for hours, putting photos of them in flower beds, the sky or whatever I choose. I fear I will never finish the scrapbooks and I want them all to know where they came from, their heritage. A few years ago I thought a mouse was something you caught in a trap! I have gradually learned on my own how to half way use it and am so thankful I did, now that I have had to retire. I have learned digital scrapbooking and this is a page I did of Keith and me at Kristi's wedding. Keith is my first born. I believe his daddy had to buy a bigger hat when his first son was born!!

Great Grandmother

This is a picture of my great grandmother. She was my maternal grandfather's mother and a full blooded Indian from Oklahoma. She delivered my mom when she was born. Of course in those days, when there was a lot of undeveloped land, everything was spread out and you either walked or rode a horse. When Grandma's labor pains started, my grandpa immediately saddled his horse and set off to bring the doctor! Darkness had fallen on the little log home before he managed to fetch the doctor and all they saw as they galloped up was the soft glow of a kerosene lamp through the half open door. Imagine his surprise when he entered, with the doctor close behind, to hear my grandma crooning a lullaby to a tiny newborn, already wrapped warmly in soft flannel, with a fluff of black hair sticking out at the top! My grandma loved to tell this story, only with much more detail, and I loved listening to it.
This picture was made from an old tintype. A tintype is actually metal and I wager a lot of folks have never had the pleasure of seeing one. It is the only one that exists in our family. I hope you enjoyed the post today. Be sweet and be good.

Calling All Chocolate Lovers

There are a ton of chocolate lovers in the world and we are certainly no exception. There were lots of homemade desserts when my kids were little, most of them containing chocolate in one form or another. I made the Fudge Pudding often as it was a favorite and so easy to throw together. After all these years, I am still asked to please make the "upside down chocolate cake" as it was sometimes called. Enjoy!

Download here.

My Grandaughter, Brooke and her Husband, Jackie

Such a pair---she is so beautiful and Jackie, so handsome!!

For Anna and Carlee

Free Holiday Candy Recipes

Candies are that little something extra to please our sweet tooth and homemade ones are always the best. Holiday times and homemade goodies just seem to go together. I hope these give pleasure to you and yours during this season of THANKS!!

Travel in your Dreams

Christmas Nostalgia

The best Christmas I ever had was long ago, but whenever I go there in my thoughts and dreams it becomes as real as what is happening in the in the here and now. As the days become colder with the threat of snow I become again the excited little girl gazing through the window watching the snowflakes fall and never letting on that I knew it was Dad trudging up the walk, dressed as Santa. This year I was compelled to write this Christmas poem, so my children, grandchildren, greats and so on would have those memories to keep with them and hold in their hearts forever. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Christmas Dream

I travel often in my dreams
to that Christmas so long ago
when my gaze swept through the morning light
and saw the first flakes of snow.

When garlands of cranberries and popcorn
graced the branches of our tree
highlighted by sequined ornaments
that were made by Mom and me.

Almost covering the red felt skirt
and adorned with homemade tags
bright red ribbon tied each present
wrapped neatly in paper bags.

The magical aroma of Christmas
gave our house a special glow
as, clad in a Santa suit,
Dad emerged out in the snow.

Every holiday has its memories
but when cold winds begin to blow
my travels take me in my dreams
to that Christmas so long ago.

copyright Polly Little 2008

Heartstrings

Thought you would all enjoy this photo as much as I do---the wrinkled hands and the soft skin of a baby speaks volumes to us about the marvelous thing we call LIFE!!!

Quick and Easy Candy Recipes

How I remember those yummy smells swirling in the air during the holidays!! Seemed they were unusually taste tempting during the winter months, perhaps because of the closed windows and shut doors. These are three of the quick candy recipes (or receipts, as my grandma called them):

CHURCH WINDOWS

1 stick margarine
1 cup chopped nuts
1 12-oz. pkg. semi-sweet
chocolate chips
1 small pkg. colored marshmallows


Melt margarine, add chocolate chips, melt and cool. Add chopped
nuts and marshmallows. Wrap in waxed paper and roll into small
loaves or rolls. Chill over night. Slice and serve. Easy, pretty and good!!

STRAWBERRY CANDY

1 sm. box strawberry jello,
1 cup chopped pecans
1cup coconut
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
red and green sugar

Mix first 4 ingredients. Chill for 4 hours. Shape to
look like strawberries. Roll in red sugar, then dip
the largest end in green sugar.

TURTLES

1 can sweetened condensed milk
pecan halves
milk chocolate chips
1 cup white corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

Arrange pecans on a buttered surface like a cookie sheet. make clusters
of 3 or 4. Mix condensed milk and syrup and cook over low heat, stirring.
Cook until thick or soft ball stage--takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Drop by
spoonfuls on each pecan cluster. Melt chocolate in microwave or double
boiler and spread over caramel. Easy and simple.

Later on, friends! Be sweet and be good!!!

Till Tomorrow

Goodness! Three posts in one day---this will not be the norm. I'm just making up for the time I lost. Tomorrow I will have some melt in your mouth, easy holiday candy recipes. Can hardly believe it is that time again. The most exciting time of the year!! Till tomorrow you be sweet and good.

Grandaughter Kristi and her husband, Heath

A Mouse in the House

My kids were all so funny when they were little----matter of fact, they still are! It was funniest when they were not trying to be funny. Our family lived in the country on a gravel road with rice fields and soybean fields surrounding our yard on three sides so, of course, snakes were everywhere in the summer and mice came in from the fields to keep warm in the winter. Our house was new but I will tell you those mice could stretch out and come in through a nail hole! Though we had moved into a house, we had made it into a home and I never knew how many extra kids would be there when I woke up each morning. I was counting mouths I had to feed one morning and overheard my oldest daughter say to her little friend, "Guess what we have? Betcha' can't guess, betcha' can't!! We have little tiny puppies running really fast in our house--so fast we can't even catch one." I remembered a few days before when a mouse ran along the wall, she was so excited and screeched loudly, "I saw a little bitty puppy running real hard!" How sweet it was. I loved it to pieces. Be sweet and be good. Later.

How Could I Forget?

Later, Dude---Be sweet and be good!!!

Hello World!

Well, it lasted long enough but I do believe the pity party is over!! I hope that doesn't happen again soon. I truly love life and all its joys but sometimes the sorrows just seem too much to bear. I may get down but I will not stay there because I believe we all have choices, just took me longer to come to that understanding than usual. Maybe it had something to do with the cardiac arrest I suffered ---don't know. I do know that I thought for the longest period of time that when they had to shock me back to life two different times a part of me didn't come back. It seemed as if the me that was always laughing and happy was not here any more, just an empty shell with no emotion or feeling. Nothing much mattered. I had never watched TV, never had time and I found myself sitting in front of it for hours, not even sure what I was seeing. I lost track of time and it seemed I did not remember what I was supposed to do. I had not known the meaning of boredom but suddenly it became my close companion. What in the heck was there to do and how did I go about doing it even if I knew? I still am not sure I have an answer, but I am commited to find one. I know for sure it lies within me----maybe deep within but I KNOW it is there!!!