Looking Forward and Looking Up

I'm not making any resolutions for the New Year.

Not posting any goals or things I want to change.

Don't have any plans different for the new year than I did for the old. I have finally reached the time in my life that I am just living my day to day and enjoying life in a small town in Upstate New York. I have asked my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to take control of my life so all I have to do is obey and follow his lead.

I think He's got some cool stuff for me coming up in 2015 though!!

I like the routine of the every day so I just plan on spending my days and life in 2015 with some special people that I couldn't do it all without.....

My husband Frank and son Michael, who aren't afraid to indulge with me in some high tea.

 

Grandson Baby JC, 3 months, and Granddaughter Chloe, 3 years. They are too cute, I am too blessed!

 

Jena, my youngest daughter, who is SO much like me, and the cute children's Mom.

Granddaughter Cassidy, 9, with the Christmas toys I buy her every year. You know, the annoying ones that sing and dance? I think she is up to six of them now, much to the dismay of her parents!

Candice, my oldest daughter, Cassidy's Mom. Hair stylist extraordinaire. The compliments I get on my hair boost my confidence on a daily basis!

Ah, the girls, my Mercy Sisters. We get together and eat and laugh. From the left is sweet Lora, funny Colleen, feisty Tree, big-hearted Kim, the. best. hugger. Irene, and me.

 

Bonnie, who is so much like me it is scary, except, obviously, our looks!! Even everything we do for our looks, we do the same!

There are many others I will enjoy spending 2015 with, I just don't have pictures of them!!!



In 2015 I will be eating some of my favorite foods.....in moderation....

Almond Joy Cake (recipe)

HUGE donuts from a local grocery store bakery

 

My Homemade Lasagna (recipe)

 

Rhubarb Crisp (recipe)

Seafood Boil (recipe)

 

And, so you don't think I am a junk food junkie...

Beet Greens, Walnuts and Goat Cheese Salad (Recipe)

After a full day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. of doing and doing, weeknights you will find me on the couch watching some of my favorite TV shows:

Downton Abbey
Once Upon a Time
Resurrection
The Voice
Survivor
Shark Tank

Anyone else watch any of those? I'm kinda hooked.

And finally, I will be doing some of my favorite things......

Gardening in the summer

Baking in the Fall....

      hibernating at home  in the winter.....

and in the Spring......thrifting and garage sale-ing and picking and hunting for the best old stuff I can find.

 

 You can find me here on my blog musing about this and that or in front of the computer working on my Etsy shop when I am not thrifting, or going out to lunch with the girls or spending time with my grandchildren.

 

It's where I am supposed to be in the big picture of things.....looking forward and looking up.

 

And that's just how I like it.

 

 

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up with these great blog parties:

Roses of Inspiration
Show and Share
A Return to Lovliness
A Little R & R Linky Party
Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop
Share Your Cup Thursday
The Weekend Missional Link Up Party
Flashback Friday
Coffee and Conversation Link Party

A Good Life

This is my daughters' Grandpa (my former father-in-law), Itch, or Grandpa Itch as his many grand and great-grandchildren call him. He lived to the grand old age of 89 and passed from this world Sunday night December 16th, just 6 months short of his 90th birthday.

 

The nickname Itch actually came from a dog he had named Itch...not sure how that all played out but it stuck and that is how I have known him for the past 35 years.

 

His lovely wife Peg and I share the same birthday and I have always loved that special bond we have.  

He lived a good life. He touched many people with his constant smile and way of making you feel welcome. When the cancer was found he chose not to have chemotherapy and to go into hospice at home. With seven sons and one daughter, almost all with a spouse and a couple kids, his family is huge and he was the center of it. They were all drawn back home to be with him at this time in his life and they all wanted to be there.

My daughters Candice and Jena have had a wonderful example of a Grandpa in their lives and I am so thankful for that. Although their children, Cassidy, 7 and Chloe, 16 months, may not remember Great-Grandpa Itch, he was always at their birthday parties, having traveled almost 2 hours to be there.

His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren traveled from Kentucky and Macedon and Palmyra and other towns in NY to be there with him and their Mom/Grandma these past couple weeks. The house was full all the time. They cooked and there was lots of food dropped off by family and friends. They kept busy installing a new shower in the bathroom to make it easier for him to get in and out of. They stayed as long as needed and now they will stay a little longer to say their goodbyes.

He was a tough old bird. His last rites were read to him almost two weeks ago in the hospital and he held on, not ready to leave yet, as he would say, some thinking he wanted to see as much of his family again before he left this earth.

I think he got his wish.

Rest in peace, Itch. We will miss you.


AnnMarie



 

Garlic and Grapes in the Finger Lakes

If you have lived in Upstate New York all your life, or more specifically in the Finger Lakes area like I have, did you know that the Finger Lakes are known for their garlic as well as their wine? I must admit that I did not!

Drive along any of the Finger Lakes....Keuka, Canandaigua, Seneca, Cayuga..... and there is that familiar sight of grape vineyards rolling down the hillsides.....dotted with a barn and fences. The grapes are clustered on the vine, almost ready to pick.

It is quite beautiful.

But where is the garlic grown? I never knew until two years ago when I came upon The Garlic Festival, held every year in August at Fox Run Vineyards on Seneca Lake. I thought it would be a nice drive down Rt. 14 S along the lake to see what it was all about. We were pleasantly surprised to see the abundance of garlic, garlic scapes and garlic products that were set up in tents to taste and buy. We have gone back twice since then and it seems to grow every year.....

It seems that the climate is ideal for Northern European varieties of hard neck garlic. Just as Vitas vinifera grapes thrive here, so do these specialty garlic varieties. There are many garlic farms dotted throughout the Finger Lakes taking advantage of the perfect conditions of water and air and sun to grow their special garlic. They make their garlic into butters, salts, braids and wreaths to buy.....

There were tents set up for festival vendors such as homemade soap, jewelry and flowers. There were cooking demostrations by area chefs and a flameworker from the Corning Museum of Glass. There was a tent full of any spice you could dream up to use in cooking or baking.

I couldn't resist buying a handmade silver ring made out of an old fork.

And I got the last bunch of silver dollars from a flower vendor....I could have sold them 3 times over to others that were sorry they missed out! That's me, my husband Frank and son Michael.

My daughter Jena, her husband Britt and baby Chloe joined us for the day.



Lake breezes, sun, garlic slices on crackers, gourmet food, family and entertainment. A very nice way to spend a 90+ degree day!



How have you been spending these hot, hot days of summer?

AnnMarie :)

 

Linking up with this great blog party!

Tuesday Trivia