PEACE, LOVE & HOPE FOR A NEW YEAR!

I do not make New Year's Resolutions but I do have New Year's Hope.

I hope for universal Peace. I hope that the world leader's are elected for their knowledge and commitment to try to save our green earth.

I hope that more people will realize that the little ones are not the only pets that need forever homes. They have so much love to give. I urge you to please visit a shelter and help an older pet, the fullfilment and joy you will have will fill your heart everyday. I cannot put into words the feeling you get when you look into the eyes of an animal whose life you have saved.

Most of all, I have hope that we help the ones who cannot verbalize for our help. Stop taking away their homes. Stop hunting them. Stop using them for testing when it is no longer a neccessity. Be their voice.

This is what I want for the New Year. It is what I want every New Year. If I keep wishing for Hope I know it will happen. I will never give up my Hope.



My Love For Animals

by Katherine James

Animals are loyal,
loving and obedient.
Caring and affectionate,
Gorgeous as can be!

Animals are friends,
Best friends to me.
Always standing by you,
As willing as can be.

Always underestimated,
But still they exist.
Nothing will ever hurt them more,
Than hatred and mistrust.

Always there to talk to,
Although they don't reply.
You see it in their eyes,
And know that they'll stand by.

They save life's,
And help the blind.
But still we do not see,
That animals weren't made as slaves,
But as friends for you and me!!!

MY LOVE FOR ANYTHING SCANDINAVIAN!

As you know I am of Norwegian heritage. I feel this affects my life in many ways. My farmhouse is 235 years old so I left the older parts in the traditional farmhouse style but the newer rooms are very Scandinavian influenced. When we built my studio I wanted it to be like a typical Norwegian home so it is very white, blue and coffee tones.

I have been blogging for about a year now and discovered so many beautiful blogs. I stumbled upon a Swedish blog one day and could not believe how gorgeous the home was. Now I follow many, many Scandinavian blogs and I want to share some with you. I am not very good at connecting the blog names so you can click and go directly to the blog, so please take the time to visit the by putting the http:// in yourself. You will not be sorry.

First, and one of my favourites, is Helena at "The Swenglish House" blog. She is from Sweden but lives in a gorgeous house in England. Her photographs of her wonderfully decorated home are breathtaking.

Anna at "My Lovely Things" has a beautiful home she has been redoing for a while now. Her photos of her home are truly amazing each one more lovely than the one before.

Susanne at "Me and Alice" blog is a photographer who also puts photos of interior design on her blog. Her home is so bright and airy, I just love it.

Mia of "Lilla Blanka" blog has the most incredible photos of her home. Lovely floors, white furnishings, absolutely fabulous.

Eija of "Norrfrid" blog is a wonderful woman who moved to a gorgeous farm a few years ago with her family. They left a hectic life in the city to raise sheep. This is an amazing home.

Last but not least is Goa of "Hvitur Lakkris" blog. Very Scandinavian style in this incredible home. Her photos are so lovely you feel like you are right in her livingroom.

All of the blogs are on blogspot and all of the photos in this post are credited to each of these very talented lovely ladies. I hope you stop by, all of the blog translate to English. You will enjoy these blog immensely.

http://mylovelythings.blogspot.com/

http://theswenglishhome.blogspot.com/

http://meandalice.blogspot.com/

http://lillablanka.blogspot.com/

http://hviturlakkris.blogspot.com/

http://norrfrid.blogspot.com/

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!

I live in Canada and I know I should be used to the cold but we have been a little spoiled this winter. The temperature has been more fall-like but last night it dipped to -10c. My husband went to work this morning and I cuddled up in my big chair and looked outside.

Layla quite enjoyed the little birds that sat on the trees outside our window. I remember my grandfather telling me that when you get a lot of birds early in the morning at the feeder colder weather was coming. I also remember my grandmother hating the winter months. She loved the warm weather. I always liked all of the seasons but as I get older I too do not look forward to the cold. I do not think it is just me, very rarely do I see kids playing outside in the winter. When I was little you could not get me to come in. Between building snowmen, snow forts and skating I practically lived outside in the winter.

It is such a cold day that I decided to catch up on my films. This morning I watched The King's Speech. I just loved this film. Colin Firth deserved his oscar and Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter were brilliant. Being part British, my heart swelled with pride at the end of this film. The rich heritage of the British Empire is so wonderful. This is a film worth watching.

I would like to share the very last Christmas pictures of the year today. I have so enjoyed this holiday season. Decorating my home and having this wonderful blog to share with my blogging friends. I will really miss my Christmas blog background when I change in the New Year.

I wanted to show how pretty it was under the tree before I had to take every single present to our sons house Christmas morning. Luca decided he was our gift this year. One last thing today. Carmen at Primcats is going in for emergency appendectomy surgery today, what a way to spend New Years. All the best to you Carmen and I hope you have a speedy recovery.

A BRAND NEW YEAR?

I have never been a fan of New Year's Eve. I don't like crowds, I am not much of a drinker and frankly, unless it has been an unusually bad year, I don't like to say goodbye to the old one.

We usually watch a couple of movies, pick up chinese food and most times do not realize that it has passed midnight. One year I was organizing the kitchen cupboards and we both completely forgot it was New Years Eve.

I do not want to sit around on the last day of the year thinking about losing Duffy so we are going out. This year we are going to the theatre to see the new Sherlock Holmes film and picking up our Chinese Food later. If we are lucky the theatre will not be too full and the film will be action packed and funny.

Another thing I never understood is the Resolution List. Why would you decide to change things that you probably won't. Why not choose things that you will want to do. I have decided that this year my resolution is to do more.

Spending more time in the garden.

Being more spontaneous and having picnics all the time.

I am going to laugh more.

And I am going to hug more and more and more. These are resolutions I know that I can keep, how about you?

A HOLLY, JOLLY HOLIDAY....AND A NOTHING MONDAY!

Mr. Claus is having a well deserved nap. It is the day after the Big Day and I think I will take a page from Santa's book.

I saw enough of this before Christmas, I don't want to see it the day after so no matter how great the bargains are I am staying home.

I adore old movies, they are the best. My son, daughter-in-law and gorgeous grandbaby added to my collection with these two favourites.

I am putting my slippered feet up and watching them today.

They also surprised me with the new McQueen book of all of his best designs. I will get lost in this for a few hours.

First I must get my turkey stock on for the gallons of soup I will get this year. I have the bones from our sons turkey and ours. Penny (our furry baby) love a good bowl of soup.

It has been a wonderful Christmas. Our first with our little baby girl, our sons first Christmas in his first home. Despite our loss of our beloved Duffy we celebrated what we have because I think it is pretty amazing. I am trying to hold on to the Christmas spirit until New Years this year. Usually when the tree is empty underneath I am done but this year I need a little more Christmas magic. I hope you all had a fabulous day and that all of your wishes came true.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL...........

MERRY CHRISTMAS, PEACE ON EARTH....

AND LET US TAKE THE TIME TO BLESS ALL THE BEASTS...

BIG AND SMALL...

WHO GIVE US UNCONDITIONAL LOVE........

......EVERYDAY!