Thinking Autumn Already?

We have just returned   from Boston   seeing  our   kids.....can   one ever see your  kids enough....  this time  I  went to  share in  Amanda's   wonderful  baby shower....  She is so blessed by such marvelous friends  both at  work and at  church,as  well,   as  friends  as   close as  family who   just   simply  love her  .....     Just  a few  are  shown here with   our darling   Amanda.  

So on this visit Lynn and I took  Amtrak   on this  12 hour  trip .. our  first  Amtrak experience together....  so   I was   very limited in  what I could purchase  on this trip...but   what can I say...when  Amanda   says, "Wanna go to 

?'
We dont have   one      anywhere nearby so...  I told her, "only if I can  rent  a part of her closet     just until  we  visit again if Isee  something I can't live without!"  And I did... actually,  Amanda found  it for me...
  I  didnt take a photo...  they were  wrapped up so   well,   but   she found  exactly 6  of these!

  I actually   bought  6  soup bowls.....  regular  price  at Replacements,  16.00  each.   At HG  there were 2.99  each. In other words,  all  six  for  just over the price  of 1.....  I call that a bargain!I   dont   have this pattern,  but I do have   these.

  The Herdsman... 
which  I   think  are  just perfect for  autumn settings  like this one....so Im sure   my  herdsman  lives in the country and   harvests the hay  for his  beautiful sheep....   and I  can already   begin   thinking about     a  new   setting  ....   we will be  returning to   Amanda   in a  few weeks  after the baby   comes....when they  decide  they are ready to   ask us to   come....or become  desperate to have us   what ever comes first!
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
Favorite Things Thursday at Katherine’s Corner
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home on Thursday

Wendy at The Shabby Nest for Frugal Friday

Sweet and Simple Friday   at Rooted in Thyme

Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday

Debra at Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday

Kate at Chic On A Shoestring Decorating for Flaunt It Friday

Gleaning the Vendors

  Today   after the sun  came out and  melted and  dried up the snow,   I  felt  I needed  a    bit of consignment shopping  .. I just  felt  there was something   out there with my name on it....    and I  wasnt  disappointed... I  love  exploring all the vendors, gleaning   the   offerings  for  just the right treasures....

 My favrite   shop is  Buy the Season!
 This is the  back room....    barely heated   but always worth a  stroll through!!!!  I  bought my  favorite cloche  in there...

 .

I found   this   beautiful  Wood and Son's  English  pottery   plate  for  $3.50.

 As you  may glimpse over on the wall  I love to collect  various    transferware patterns and mix and match  on  table scapes....  I have a red, blue, and black collection. I  have  very  few serving pieces in blue and  I   loved this  Mason   Ironstone  Blue and White  by  Crabtree Evelyn of London for  $6.25.

   I  have been looking for  a  blue and  white  planter for some time...   I  dont know the maker of this   but for  9 dollars  I was   ecstatic!

 On one of the  clearance tables I found this   fabulous  Villeroy Boch  plate...  Made in Luxenbourg...   I thought it    would  be gorgoeus  as a  wall plate  when  I am serving  my black and whites!!!

 with  and without a flash...   I love castles and this one   is magnificent!

 I paid $8   but   I  couldnt find   a comparable price online....

  Last, but certainly not least, I found this   wonderful   springy cup and saucer....

 Staffordshire Bouquet by Johnson  Brothers... of  England...   I  thought  Id  enjoy my springtime   morning  coffee and tea  in this spritely  cup, especially at only $5.00 for the  pair.

Altogether I spent $31.50   but I daresay I saved  an equal amount  if Id  purchased  these treasures   in any other  way!

Wendy at The Shabby Nest for Frugal Friday

Sweet and Simple Fridays   at Rooted in Thyme

Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday

Debra at Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday

Kate at Chic On A Shoestring Decorating for Flaunt It Friday

Jane at Finding Fabulous for Frugalicious Friday

Lunch and a Bargain!

Yesterday  I    enjoyed  lunch out with the  girls...    and  we   couldnt have picked a better   restaurant....we  ate  at Montano's,  and I  had   the most  fabulous sandwich.   I  am     a huge  fan of  fried  green tomotoes!

Montano’s Southern Style Fried Green Tomato BLT … $8.25

On sliced sourdough with applewood smoked bacon and roasted aoli.

But the  best part of      the   excursion  was   to  stop in at the Discovery Shop, just a couple of doors down...  a  wonderful   second hand shop  whereby all the proceeds go to cancer research....     and  I found a  fabulous bargain

  

I already    had  one of these...   I collect  blue, red, and black  transferware....   and this  gorgeous pattern is Wedgewood, Countryside   made in Staffordshire, England...  I paid   $12.00  for  my first  plate,   but I paid  $5 dollars yesterday   for   this one... and   it is  in perfect condition....   I  am thrilled....   I  love to find  pieces to  add to mye ver growing collection and I get  particularly   excited when    it matches  soemthing I  had   purchased before and  when I get it  for  such a wonderful price!  

Wendy at The Shabby Nest for Frugal Friday

Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday

Debra at Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday

Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Kate at Chic On A Shoestring Decorating for Flaunt It Friday

Jane at Finding Fabulous for Frugalicious Friday

So Let's Get Started

I have already been sharing   a bit this week of some of my   hopes for   2013....  I  really  intend to read through the  Bible... I am using   this site   to keep me on track..  This time  I am  reading  it chronologically, something Ive never done before...

My prayer Sista's and I  have a new  initiative going ...     about every 6 weeks  we are   holding    community non denominational prayer events  for our  nation,  our  declining  social issues....   in this endeavor  we  are   pressing in personally for more of God, building up our   own relationships with Him....  We  are  reading  My Utmost for His Highest   this month to   set my minds and hearts  on   fulfilling  our   most heart felt  objective!

With all this   about  the fiscal cliff  our nation is   teetering on  of course I am  concerned  about our family's   situation,..  both of us retired living on    modest incomes...   We were  both civil servants and didnt make huge incomes in our   service...  comparatively  to,   say our children,  who started out at double what  I was making when I retired...

One very important initiative I have for this coming year is to  strive to  live better on less!.

I realize this is going tot ake some   education on my part,  but  it is   something  I shall enjoy...   My mother  was  a whiz at   this and I   must  learn  to  dig   into my pioneer roots!

I  wrote  about Ann  Voskamp this week  and her    Joy Dare..   living the  "eucharisteo" life of thankgiving  for the Joy in our lives....  I  am on  journal entry 322...  since  I started this last   spring.I   hope to   get to a thousand this year!

One of the  items I  took from her site  is a daily  to- do list.. I love checking things off a list  so  I  am  trying this for the month of   January.  It  includes the Daily Definities of Bible reading, study, journal ing,keeping a food log,   walking,  chores and even the number of glasses of water  I drink..... Please pray for me to get my life   in order...    yesterday I  accomplished   cleaning out 2 drawers I had been putting off for some time....  I see this all as a very good thing for me!!!

Wendy at The Shabby Nest for Frugal Friday

Richella at Imparting Grace for Grace at Home

Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday 

Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday

Debra at Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday

Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Kate at Chic On A Shoestring Decorating for Flaunt It Friday

Jane at Finding Fabulous for Frugalicious Friday

Becca at Home Is Where My Story Begins for Home and Family Friday

Remodelaholic for Home Sweet Home on a Budget