~A POST CHRISTMAS POST`

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas.  We sure did.  Many of us were missing but sometimes that cannot be helped.  There were 25 of us and the little cousins were together and a new little cousin was added.  

We missed the ones that could not make it.

Above is a picture of the Mission Inn at Christmas.  It is just a few miles from us.  It's where my grandparents were married many years ago.  Over the years is has undergone upgrades but always kept as a thing of pride in our small city.  

We are a sister city to San Bernadino, also not far away.  We have had fear and tragedy but we have also had joy...as is the way of life.  

This is one of the outside walls..  You can see our San Bernadino Mountains in the distance.

Yes, the sad tragedy happened at the foot of those mountains.  

In those mountains is Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead.  A lovely place to visit.  We are waiting for our snowpack.  So far..nothing.

View of the inside court yard.

...so you can see the crowds that gather for the lighting...  It was so cold that we didn't go this year.

Our downtown Riverside is not a very big place and finding a place to park can be very challenging.

A view from the one of the balcony's.  My children sent my second husband, Frank, and I here for our anniversary and it was just beautiful.   I lost Frank to liver cancer in February 2007..  We were married on New Years Eve 2002.  

Straight ahead you can see the clock tower.  Just beneath the clock you can see a figure.  When the clock moves so does the figures..and they are amazing works of art.  

Off in the distance you can see one of our office buildings..I'm not sure which one it is.  

The Mission Inn and the surrounding shops, museums, library etc, is a favorite place of mine to wander in and shop and just sight see.  After my first husband's death, I came here often to just wander and think.  Sometimes with friends..sometimes alone.  

I have loved living in Riverside for all these years.  Lots of sadness but lots of joy too.

I've taken some of my blogging friends to visit here..

More photo's tomorrow..  

I hope you enjoyed these..

Peace and love,

Mona

~CHRISTMAS CLUTTER ~

I took a few pictures in the kitchen..not the most interesting place..but it's cozy..there are little red stools to sit on, all painted with cherries on the seats..which you have probably seen if you have visited me very often.  

This is the little island in my kitchen..right across from the stove.  HANDY!

Not a big kitchen but looked much bigger before I put in the island.

I think I put candy canes in about every container that would hold them..

This is my jam jar but since I have two ..well..more candy canes!

This is the bottom of my kitchen lamp over the sink...and... my GIANT candy canes.

There is just something about candy canes..isn't there?

What?  The stripes?  What?!  WHAT??!

My favorite little coffee pot...No clue where I got this ..but I've had it ...forever..

I know..I know...clutter, clutter...

Makes me feel..good.  Probably something deep in my childhood.  :)

No end to the clutter in our household..but it's sort of organized clutter.  Does that count??  

Well...does it?  (be nice :)

Today I finished the outside Christmas tree...to the big pine cones I added berries from the back yard, AND all those interesting branches I've been saving in a container on the patio..

Looks cute..at least it does to me..but probably just more clutter to some.

WAIT!!!

I've got the answer...it's in my DNA!!  I probably have a cluttered DNA!

:)

Peace and love~

Mona

~SENTIMENTAL ME...

Hi agian..

A couple of people asked me to post some pictures of my decorations...so here are a few.  I have hundreds..some from back when I got married in 1954.  Some are from later years..

But it's over 60 years of collecting and some have gotten broken from babies..kitties, accidents and from moves..but many have survived.

Below are a few.

Figgy pudding?  :)

 A choo choo..

A sleigh full of toys..

Grandfather clock..  

Rocking horsie!

 and Saint Nicholas too!!  

 A little raccoon and a car car!  Just like the one my grandpa used to own.  It even had little glass vases in holders on each side of the back seat for flowers.  We cranked it to get it started..had a choke..yep, and a throttle..all the wonderful things that all car car's should have!  

 Grandpa's pocket watch made of GOLD...well..not this one..

 ...and of course a coo coo clock!

Wonder what kind of bird this is...shaking his tail feathers!!

I have some that are so old and cracked and faded...

much like 

my memories of those Christmas' of years gone by.  

I find myself drifting off and reliving some of those days.  I guess that's what happens as you age.

Sentimental me...

Guess I'll always be

So in love with you,

No one else will do

Sentimental me...

:)

Peace!

Mona

~GOOD MORNING, SUNSHINE..~

 The early morning sun in our living room.  

This room is only bright in the morning.  It's beautiful and only lasts for a very few moments..but there is something so special about it.

Sitting on the sofa watching the sun rise in the East ...a wonderful way to start my day.

Lamps in the late afternoon make this room so cozy and welcoming, but there is nothing like the mornings..

Just touches of Christmas is all this room needs..

...like a bit of evergreen here and there..holly added to the bouquet of roses..

 ....a pair of childrens ice skates made into a sweet Christmas decoration...

 Some pine and evergreen, with the word  "JOY" in delicate glass letters is all my cup shelf needs...

I will probably add a bit more..but...then again..maybe not.  

 Evergreen and roses, my favorite combination..

 A Cup of Christmas Tea~

If you have never read the book...please do.  It will touch your heart...

 Miss Priss...all dressed for the season...

You see, I decorate with toys...I always have.  

My children's toys as they grew out of them were the perfect look I wanted.

For many, many years that was all I had to decorate with..and things that others didn't want anymore and it became a sort of style for me.  I used to call it "Early Goodwill."

Everything in this picture..everything was someone else's once.  Except the birdcage..which was a birthday gift from one of my daughters.  I will always keep it until one day she takes it back.

 And last of all is one of the dearest things I own.  My piano where I spend a bit of every day of my life.  It belonged to a dear friend's husband who passed away...even the music books once belonged to someone special who is now gone. 

Everything but the photograph's were once owned by someone else.  That is why my home is so special to me.  It is filled with things that were treasures to someone else once..and now I am entrusted to care for them.  For now.

:)

Peace,

Mona

~NO SNOW...~

Do you? 

It's cold and dry here...but the weather is not what we are celebrating...

A dear old man in Temecula California made this shelf for me..the two don't go together but it doesn't matter.  I love both pieces..so...they do go together.  

You know?

 The family room is full to the brim now with Christmas.  

T'was fun!

 The Brambly Hedge tea set was a gift from my daughter Mary.  She gave me a little at a time.

She was working her first job at the time..and worked hard.  They mean a lot to me.

Guess who's name is on the bottom?  :)

What they gave me will go back to them.

The tea cup tree.

Pay NO attention to the tree.. was still working on it..took me forever to get all the decorations on it.

60 years of collecting..bulbs from the 1950's.  I seldom throw anything away.  (You probably already guessed that :)   I pass them on.

My collection of eggs are finally gone.  The girls have them.  We used to get together the on Easter and decorate eggs for Christmas.. all year we collected old jewelry, cut out figures of old Christmas cards..it was fun.

We don't do that anymore.  

We keep saying we are going to, but we never do.  

One of those things that pass with time.   

You know how it is, don't you?  

I do.

Peace~

Mona

~IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE...

CHRISTMAS!!

I procrastinated a bit this year and didn't get started decorating until about five days ago.  Not sure why I did that except for a lack of energy, but once started..once crates were down and opened..I smiled and began unwrapping things remembered..some from many years ago.  

I had fun.  

I'm still tweaking here and there...

 I am a terrible photographer!  Probably using my camera wrong, plus the light in our family room is  BRIGHT!

The chairs turn out looking purple..and they are not.  Strange.

No matter..you can get the idea..and..I've already changed things a bit....I always do that..

*sigh* DAILY!!

 It looks cluttered I know..but my brain is cluttered..so...

Grief!  It's the lighting...I need lessons or something..(I do not read directions ..so never mind that!)

:)  

The carpet is SAGE GREEN, for pete's sakes!  LOL

That's one half of the room.  It's a big room.  Sorry for the blur..shoot!!!  

I'm still loving my new beam..  I didn't take pictures..but the opposite side of the beam has plaid bows in each corner. 

See you tomorrow..

Peace!

Mona

~MAKING MEMORIES AND REMEMBERING LOVED ONES..

The Christmas decorating is done.  Just finished the little tree in the livingroom this evening.

Our company, bless her heart, is home now.  Howard's daughter flew out from Colorado and stayed a few days.  She is just the best house guest!  

Thanksgiving was lovely..and now we are headed for Christmas.  I DO SO love this time of year.  

This is me at my daughter's home.  Granddaughter, Rachel, is seen in the background.  She is the one that is carrying my ninth great grandchild.  A little girl.  I am SO happy.  I won't live to see these little ones grow up..but I am so proud and happy I've lived to see them at least.  She is due to join our family in March.

Next Christmas the new little ones will be old enough to join in the festivities.  

 The main dessert buffet~

Would you believe how the men chipped in to help?

  

I had to smile.  In the background are my daughter in law, Cheryl on the left and daughter, Erin, on the right.

...and then I got involved in the business of enjoying my family..  son Daniel is getting a snack..husband PH has his back to us...and my sweet "grunge" son Patrick who entertains us with his guitar playing and singing is to the right of PH.  He makes me smile

The handsome man on the far left is my son in law, Jimmy, Erin's husband.  The rest of the family had not yet arrived.

Each year when I see my daughter, Erin, with her brother Daniel..and know she gave him the gift of life by donating one of her kidneys so he could live..and I grateful.

I am grateful for the power of love that holds our family together.

PH has been the dearest step-father to my children and all the grands and greats.  They all love him so much and have welcomed him into our family with open arms.

Today I finished my Christmas decorating and tomorrow I will take a few pictures...

Nothing to shout about..but I had fun this year.  I want to enjoy every single year of getting ready for Christmas..every day, every hour and every minute.

It's getting more difficult and I admit it..but I won't give up.  Not yet.

Not yet..

Love and peace,

Mona 

*Today, nineteen years ago I lost my Patrick to cancer.  He would be pleased that I have gone on and am still decorating and living my life.  He is waiting for me behind the moon.  :)