Mountain Musings

Small Business Saturday ~ Pleasant View Soaps & Granny's Basket Shop

Today is Small Business Saturday, and there's a special going on over at Pleasant View Soaps.

Now available....Limited edition 2+ oz. gift-size bars, in 2 scents for the holiday season: Bayberry or Sugar Plum, with goat's milk.

For every $15 spent on orders from now until midnight, Monday, December 2, a small bar of one of the holiday scents will be included free with your order!

Check out the regular size bars and all the available scents over at Pleasant View Soaps. Support small business owners by frequenting their shops!Thank you for your support!

~Hannah

Also, celebrating Small Business Saturday, Granny's Basket shop has many handmade heirloom baskets for sale; they make unique gifts for your friends for Christmas.

Check out Granny's Etsy shop for your holiday shopping needs!

Thank you for your business!

 ~ Granny

Happy Thanksgiving ~ 2013

We're very thankful today for our faithful blog readers! That's YOU!

Thank you all for reading our musings these many years and for leaving such enjoyable comments. We hope you have a wonderful turkey day!

Count your blessings!

~Deb

Unique Gift for a Friend

Last week I went antiquing...all by my lonesome. Both girls were busy getting ready for market, and Granny isn't here now to go on all the usual outings with me.

I was on the lookout for a gift for a friend, and it turned out to be a fun excursion! There were so many aisles to look down, so much stuff to peruse...but not what I had in mind. Right when I was about to give up and go home thinking there was nothing that really worked, I finally spotted it.

"It" was an antique sewing machine drawer just sitting there waiting for me! What could I do with this drawer? Hmmm...would my friend enjoy this antique as much as I would? I decided to take a chance and left with this treasure in my hand and a smile on my face.

After Hannah and I brainstormed what items we could include, here's the drawer after we filled it with some goodies:
First, the drawer was lined with an antique doily, and the goodies selected were Cranberry Butter and mini-loaves of Carrot-Coconut Bread (Hannah substituted finely chopped cranberries for the coconut in case our recipient doesn't favor coconut as we do).

Also, I included the recipes written on printable recipe cards, and the printable jar canning label was a nice touch.

Next, a bundle of quilting lovelies of Moda Candy mini-charm packs, fat quarters of fabric, and a quilt pattern tied with a red bow and candy cane ornament. And don't forget the chocolate kisses sprinkled among everything!

Here's a photo of the front of the drawer. I love the patina on the drawer knob: Here's a different angle. I'd love to receive this gift myself!I think my quilting friend liked her sewing machine drawer goodies:Tom and I met our long-time friends, Fred and Chris, in Richmond last week for lunch, fellowship, and an early opening of gifts.

Whole Foods Grocery was a great place to meet our friends again (as we did a couple of years ago--I wrote about that get-together here): And here's a photo of Tom and me enjoying our time together:This Thanksgiving season I'm so very thankful for friendships that encourage and last through the years!

By the way...here's something helpful when thinking about gifts--check out Brenda's post over at Coffee, Tea, Books and Me about giving gifts from your pantry.

Now the search is on for a gift for another friend who will be coming to visit for a couple of days in early December. Should be fun!

~Deb

Sunday Scripture ~ Shine!

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. ~ Philippians 2:14,15

On Friday morning Tom and I were on the road headed towards Richmond for a fun day out with friends. The truck you see in the photo below was passing us when I looked up and caught a glimpse of an encouraging witness on the road.

Oh, boy, was I ever scrambling for my camera to take a picture. I love seeing scripture on billboards or on trucks like this whenever we travel. I didn't quite snap the photo soon enough for a closer picture or steady enough for a clearer one...but you get the idea.On the back of the truck a bright yellow half-sun with a red cross and the word Shine were printed in big bold letters. The scripture reference Philippians 2:15 was written inside the yellow sun.

Neither of us could think right away what the exact reference said, so I looked it up on Tom's phone, and it's the verse you see highlighted in yellow at the top of this post.

I liked the reminder to shine and to be a witness for the Lord wherever we are in our everyday lives. Good idea and kudos to Shine Transportation Inc. out of Strasburg, Virginia!

~Deb

Happy 15th Birthday, Pepper!

It's been two years since I wrote a birthday post for Pepper, and now she's 15! That's getting up there for spaniels!

Earlier this year, she wasn't doing too well, and we thought she may not make it to this birthday. She pulled through, and although she has gotten quite skinny, she seems to feel okay these days.

She's such a sweet dog, and she's going to get some extra treats today to celebrate!

~Sarah

Tis the Season of Christmas Open Houses

Tis the season, for sure! And I love it!

This past Saturday I traveled to The Shoppes of Mauzy (pronounced Mo-zee) Christmas Open House in Broadway. It's one of my favorite stops this time of year.

This building is one of the out-buildings beside the main house and is where the hot apple cider, cookies, and frog jam is located. I found out frog jam = fig, raspberry, orange, and ginger jam. This combination = very tasty!Big wooden bins of apples were for sale on the porch in back of the General Store. I didn't get any because we're going to Fitzgerald's Orchard in Tyro today to pick up some Pink Ladies for Sarah's Caramel Apples for market.Then I walked to the main house adjacent to this building. You can see the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. The open house brought in lots of visitors: Here's the primitive country-style decorated Christmas door that greeted me as I arrived at the shop:The rooms were chock full of items, but my favorite was this Hoosier cabinet....Love it and everything about it, except that broken drawer handle. And if Granny had been with me, I'm pretty sure she would have snapped up a potato masher I found in the top drawer:Here's the old kitchen on the property that was full of antique kitchen items: I can't mention what came home with me from this building because someone that reads this post might be opening that gift. Another item I liked in this building was this antique cabinet below.

I took a photo on my phone to send to Tom to get his opinion but couldn't figure out how to email it! The idea has been nixed anyway--there's no place to put it!All in all, it was a very enjoyable Saturday morning outing!

I arrived back home after the girls returned from Farmers' Market, and Sarah and I jumped back in the car and headed out to Cross-Stitch Station, our local cross-stitch shop, for their fun annual Christmas Open House.

(forgot my camera, so the photo is an old one from the archives)

The tree just inside the shop was loaded with all cross-stitched ornaments, and it's my favorite thing about the open house (well, except for the hot apple cider)...it really inspires me to drag out my Aida and DMC again!

And this weekend...another open house at Country Treasures--sounds right up my alley. I always enjoy browsing there!

Hope your weekend is loaded with fun, too! Any Christmas Open Houses on your docket?

~Deb

An Unexpected Gift

Last week I received an email from Jonathan at work (unusual) which said he was bringing home a gift for me (quite unusual).

A gift? Really? Why? He wrote back that it was a "just-because-he-liked-me" gift (awwww!), and I would have to wait until he got home to find out (awwww!).

I am such a nosy sort!  I really tried all day to figure out what his gift could be. There was no occasion for a gift, and where had he gone during work to buy something?

Well, now, ain't it purty, folks? It turns out that a guy at work makes dried flower wreaths and someone had ordered this one and decided not to buy it. He offered it to Jonathan, and Jonathan could see M-O-M written all over it.

So he purchased it, and now this beautiful fall wreath hangs over the front door decorating our foyer. I love it! But even more than that...I love that Jonathan gave it to me. Is that a good feel-good story for a Thursday morning? :)

~Deb

Stella, Bella, & Lucy's ~ A Lunch Date

Veteran's Day was a holiday at Tom's work...so when he asked if I'd like to go out to lunch with him, how long do you think it took me to say yes? Haha, you're right...no time at all!

We traveled to a nearby town and picked a little cafe on Main Street that we'd never been to before called Stella, Bella, & Lucy's.

Did you notice the paw print on the sign in the photo below? The restaurant was opened by three ladies and named after their three dogs: Here's a picture of all three dogs on the wall that we captured with Tom's phone: The decor was elegant and antique-y, and most of the items on display were for sale. Here's a shot of the inside of the cafe. You can spot Tom near the back paying for our meal: Do you like to take pictures of food in restaurants? I like to document our meals out, but I try not to be too obvious and make a scene. Here's Tom's sandwich and fruit...absolutely love the plate they served the food on and also love the antique embroidered tablecloth: Here's my lunch, Western quiche and fruit: What an enjoyable time out! The food was good, atmosphere delightful, fresh flowers on all the tables added a nice touch, and the company just perfect!

~Deb

Worship of God Conference ~ Workshops and Hymns Day 3

Continuing with Day 3...Saturday was a beautiful fall day at the conference, and we enjoyed walking around Ridgecrest and seeing the gorgeous leaves on campus. Here are Sarah and Hannah between sessions:The workshop I selected for Saturday morning was (3) Reading the Word of God as Worship by Pastor Marcus Serven. Our whole family attended this session, and we really enjoyed hearing this presentation. Pastor Serven talked about the Who? What? Why? Where? When? How? of scripture: Here I am below with Cheryl Serven after the session as we caught up on each other's lives. We have fond memories of the Servens stopping by our home several years ago: And lastly, the 4th workshop I selected was Men and Women in Worship by Kevin Swanson. Everyone had been in attendance at his keynote session the night before and flooded the small conference room for this workshop to hear him speak again--it was a standing-room only crowd (sorry, no photos taken).

The music during the weekend before each of the keynotes began was majestic and beautiful as the many voices in the auditorium lifted in song.

One of the hymns we especially liked was Psalm 148 sung to the tune of Come Thou Almighty King. I wish we had the words that were projected on the screen so we could sing it here at home: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
The King of creation
O my soul, praise Him
For He is thy health and salvation
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near
Praise Him in glad adoration

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him
All that hath life and breath
Come now with praises before Him
Let the 'amen' sound from His people again
Gladly for aye we adore Him

~~~~  ~~~~  ~~~~

After the conference had ended late Saturday afternoon, we learned there would be the much-anticipated unoffical hymn sing that evening which draws folks for fellowship who haven't left for home already. We searched around the conference rooms until we heard music!

One conference room boasted lots of young people with folk instruments playing a mixture of blue-grass and folk songs. This room was full of cheerful loudness!

Then...we got word that just down the hall was the hymn singing. So we decided to go and join that group instead. We don't know these girls, but they added their musical talent to the singing: We do know these smiling girls below at the piano. Hi, Meg and Chloe! Most of the young folks were up front around the piano singing hymn after hymn while the adults were mostly in groups talking quietly in the back of the room....the guys: And some of the ladies: How did it get to be 11 p.m. so quickly?? Another late night of enjoyable fellowship with old and new friends!

Sunday morning we left Asheville quite early headed to....

Well, check back on Monday and see where we headed before we came home!

~Deb

 

Worship of God Conference ~ Workshops & Fellowship Day 2

Continuing with Day 2...Friday was a full day at the Worship of God Conference with Breakout Sessions and Keynote Addresses and, of course, mealtime fellowship. Of the 32 workshops offered, we each could pick only four--two on Friday and two on Saturday. Only four??

There were many good titles in the lineup, but here were the two I chose on Friday: (1) Keeping Worship in Family Worship by Jason Dohm. Tom and I can be seen sitting in this workshop (left of center of the photo) : And here's part of the family talking to Mr. Dohm between sessions: The second workshop I selected was (2) Worship and Spiritual Warfare by Don Hart emphasizing Ephesians 6 and the armor of God.

Meal breaks were great times to get together with families we knew and also to meet new people. Here are some mealtime photos with the Hammond family, and you can read about when we visited them back in the spring here: More conversation:Between sessions--Hannah talking with the color-coordinated Neely girls: Joel Beeke giving one of the keynote addresses: As you can see, these days have been very full....getting back to our room close to 11 p.m. each night. But we were thankful for the fellowship and times of refreshing.

Stay tuned for Day 3 ~ Hymn Singing.

~Deb