Advent Practice

I have been marking what years

I have read Luke in my bible

NIV

It is not too late to start reading the gospel of Luke. I try to read a chapter a day starting December 1st.  It is a way I calm my mind in this busy season.  It isn't fancy. I have collected some commentary I usually have stuck in that chapter.  Every year, I walk away learning something new. I actually started on December 2.  If I catch up great.  If you choose to do this don't over complicate it.

Other Resources

Calico and Twine - Printable 

Living a Fruitful Life - I thought this was helpful

Wordy Wednesday

 

Carlydoodleydoo

For our book club, we read Between Two Kingdoms.  We had an opportunity to have an author meet over zoom on Monday.  The above quote really stood out to me as well.

Weekly Roll

Loveland Visitor Center

Inappropriate Thoughts

 

It is kind of sad that I had a hard time finding the defrost on my car. Where I currently live, it does get cold but not by Colorado standards. A light snow like the one above would have shut down the whole town.

Deep Thoughts

I went home for Thanksgiving, and I realized I haven't done that much in my adult life. I always lived to far away for a quick visit. I often visit at Christmas when a longer visit is possible

Trash Talk

It was a light trash day last Saturday, but we did find part of a CB radio which led me to speculate, "What would be my CB trash handle?" Would it be Spicy Older Lady, Head Crack coon, Trash Panda, White trash? There is so many choices.

Wordy Wednesday

 

Spicy Older Lady Blazer Fan Club

I am still an Ollie fan who looked really cute at Halloween with Donovan Clingan. I also enjoyed Dame's costume.

I really need to shorten the name of our fan club.  The season is going. It seems like every game is a nail biter.  Also, thanks to the Blazers announcers I feel like I have to build my all-lumber team.

Surprise, surprise the Blazers are actually doing well in the Emirates Cup. They are at the top of their group. They play the Spurs Wednesday.

I learned a new fact about the Moda Center in Portland thanks to an Instagrammer there is a secret apartment in the Moda Center that Paul Allen owned. Who knew?

I did not need all about super fan Thundor during the Oklahoma Thunder/Blazers game. That is an extreme fan.

Weekly Roll

Well Thanksgiving is the coming week so if you are freaked out about what to serve or how to survive. maybe some of my linky's will help.

Meal Prep

Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes

Make Ahead Recipes that Travel like a Dream

3 Ingredient Cranberry Sauce

Entertainment

Best Books of 2025 - Books are a great distraction

No Sleep Til Christmas - cute movie kind of Hallmark but in the best way- (Netflix)

Road Trip Podcasts - My favorites are listed below

Your Stupid Opinions

Hide and Seek - Their season 5 hasn't launched but all the other seasons are great. This is probably my favorite.

The Vanished

Wordy Wednesday

 

What I Read November

I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy and her Quick Lit.  Check out what everyone else is reading.

Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad

I had tried/attempted to read this 2 times before. This is our book club book.  I am happy to report I completed the book.  I think I had trouble because the beginning of this book discusses Suleika and her battle with Leukemia just shy of her 23rd birthday.  It is heavy. It is a lot since she had lots of Chemo, bone marrow transplant, and a clinical trial. The actual road trip of this book I liked. Suleika visited various people who wrote to her while she was sick.

Weekly Roll

Queen Butterfly

(turns out it was dead)

Linky Love - This link love is filled with variety as that is the spice of life.

Bird Watching is Having a Moment - I found this on Modern Mrs Darcy's blog. I have already mentioned the documentary The Listers on You Tube.

Men Steal Crude Oil from Field This is from my neck of the woods.

Book Club Picks for November - It is always interesting to see what other book clubs 

Boxabl could be Coming to Albuquerque   This is all about tiny houses or casitas.

Deep Thoughts

Gift from my Son

Last week I had my birthday.  I always feel grateful I have made it through another year. Some people dislike getting older, but I am always amazed I survived another year.  That being said I am currently wearing a heart monitor and now am the proud owner of a CPAP. Actually, got the CPAP a day before my birthday.  It feels little like the wheels are falling off the bus, but I know it is taking care of myself. 

Wordy Wednesday

 

52 Ancestors - After Wartime

 It is Veteran's Day, and I want to honor all that served.  The Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors prompt was actually wartime. I have been researching Roy Liston trying to find his parents.  This story about Roy Liston has to do with the American Legion. Other posts about Roy Liston - HERE and HERE.

In 1919 Congress founded the American Legion. The American Legion purpose is to serve those who haves served, strengthen the nation, and uphold the values that define American democracy.  Roy Liston served during World War 1 as a mechanic.  When he came back to Iowa, he helps to start an American Legion Post in Cumberland, Iowa.

The only picture I have of Roy Liston

photo in Cumberland A Century of Memories 

1884-1984

An application for a Post of the American Legion Post in Cumberland, Iowa was signed by 39 men. Roy Liston was the first commander. This post was later renamed the Donald Lee Post No 320.

There is quite a bit of evidence that even when Roy moved to Akron, Colorado who was part of Alva Graves Pos No 66.  In 1937 he is listed as the Post Service Office in the Alamosa Daily Courier newspaper.

Weekly Roll

 

There are multiple butterflies and moths

on my Salvia

Linky Love

Why American Zoo Can't Save Their Wild Cousins

Free Christmas Reading Advent Calendar

Have you watched Bigfoot Took Her - This is a missing person case It is interesting and pretty well investigated not corny like the title.

Inappropriate Thoughts

Secretly disappointed that the Smokey Bear Hot Air Balloon was not at Balloons and Tunes but there was an alien balloon. That kind of makes up for it. They also had the 1st annual inflatable costume race, and it was seriously funny. It also was extremely chaotic.

I think SpongeBob won the kids race.

Wordy Wednesday

 

Weekly Roll - Fall Back Edition

 

My Oldest Son 

at the library

Did you remember to fall back?

Linky Love

Reading While Neurodivergent  It is a guide to loving books on your own terms

DNA Doe Project Identifies Remains found in New Mexico

Joining a Walking Group

Inappropriate Thoughts

handed out candy from our driveway

We had 4 trick or treaters on Halloween. There was a big high school football game, so most people trick or treated on November 1. We had 17 trick or treaters on Saturday.  We also had an explosion at our local refinery on Halloween.  Luckily there were only 3 with minor injuries.

Deep Thoughts

These gals from Texas had the Best T-shirts

I attended a genealogy conference in Roswell NM held by the Wilson Cobb Genealogy Library. We had a genealogist speaker Pamela Vestal from Oregon. She was a terrific speaker, and her presentation was "Finding the Hidden Story." I am so grateful for the opportunity to attend.  I always learn something new. There is a real value to going to an in-person conference. I will say I was on the younger end of the attendees.  

Throwback Thursday

 

CRR - October 24, 2020

My son was enrolled in the Aquaculture program at Bellingham Technical College. This was when they were cleaning out the aquaponics. 

Wordy Wednesday

 

Weekly Roll - This week is for the birds

Hawk at the Skate Park

 The Big Year - I reviewed this book back in 2011. There is a lot of talk about a resurgence in bird watching. The Big Year is extreme bird watching tale. There is also a comedy movie called The Big Year. The documentary - Listers.  I watched and it is amusing and on YouTube. The bird photography is stunning and following these 2 guys is entertaining.

Big Year

Why and How You Should Document Your Family History October is family history month. How to structure a oral family history interview

Why the best gatherings start as jokes

Postcard received from Iowa

DEEP THOUGHTS

I hate government shutdowns. My husband is considered a government essential worker, and he is working without pay. I do not like this political tool.  Since my husband has worked for the government for 35 years.  We are quite use to these shutdowns and not in the same position of living paycheck to paycheck. It still hurts though.

Ghost Cactus Shelfie

 

I couldn't resist these tiny target ghosts.  I realized they went with this Etsy print I got last year. 

Spicy Older Ladies Blazer Fan Club - breaking news

 Well we did not seem this coming.  Chauncy Billups head coach of the Blazers was arrested. Beyond disgusted and disappointed.  The Spicy Older Ladies DO NOT APPROVE of these shenanigans.  I think the Blazers have enough problems without this incident.

Bill Orem said it best, "We all are victims of Chauncy Billups".

Tiago Splitter Interim Blazer Coach

Wordy Wednesday

 

Spicy Old Ladies Blazer Fan Club - Preseason Report

30 Rocks at 30 Rock

I am thinking that me and my mother-in-law are the only Blazers fans in our small New Mexico town. We watched the preseason and here are my thoughts in no particular order.

Matisse needs a podcast maybe with Kris Murray as a co-host. There is much debate exactly what it would be about. TBD

Yang Hansen is the real deal.  He did great despite language barrier and being a rookie. The question is Yang his last name or first name. Yang is on his jersey.

Shaedon Sharpe (Shay) was in the house and delivering the mac and the cheese.

Donovan Clingon (Cling Kong) was looking in a lot more conditioned.  He got schooled by Drew Eubanks (Kings) and Nurkic aka the Bosnian Beast (Jazz) both former Blazers. His second year is looking promising.

The young blazers are confused about Furbies and Gremlins. I tell you what youngsters they are very different. They all agree Furbies are scary looking.

Deni Avjida aka Turbo was looking fabulous. My oldest won't let me use the nickname I want to give him. I will continue to correct other team announcers until they pronounce your last name right. KNOW HIS NAME!

Yes, I will continue to keep a list.  I have changed to a dry erase board.

Weekly Roll- Art in the Park

This one is going to be a bit different. We spent most of the week preparing for Art in the park. It was our first time doing a craft show. We had a giant coin flag, wood laser ornaments and laser slate and wood coasters, bullet flags and laser flags. We learned a lot. We broke our borrowed pop up but fixed with wood. Luckily home was just a few minutes away.

We got set up and I think it looked good but then the wind picked up and so we had to rearrange. Some vendors just packed up on Friday afternoon/evening. 

We were set up next to Over the Top Desserts out of Roswell. She sold bougie cookies (like crumbl but better).  Some our profits went to our cookie addiction.

There were lots of wood crafts, 3-D printed items, lots of food. Plus Cake walk sponsored by band, live music, Petting Zoo with a camel, Face Painting, Food trucks and Hair Tinsel etc. 

Ghost Junk/Art Journaling Era

 Yes, I made another ghost page.  I haven't gotten over my security envelope era either. I cut up security envelopes into ghost shapes. The idea came from this Instagram.

What I Read October

I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone is reading. My reading this month was about balance between dry and light reading.

 The Summer I Turned Pretty By Jenny Han

I watched the Prime Video series and decided to try the books.  This book is the first in the series. It was a good easy read. I look forward to reading the other 2 books in the series. I enjoy YA books

Listening to the Law by Amy Coney Barrett

This was my book club book.  First, I have no allegiance to or against Amy Coney Barrett. I think I read this with a pretty open mind.  We all have some thoughts, and I pretty much tabbed this book out. Where the book is more a memoir, I enjoy it better.  It has some dry chapters. I did learn something about the inner workings of the supreme court.  I think we as Americans we have a poor understanding of the role of the Supreme Court and the limitations of the court. 

Our book club got a chance to have a Zoom. with Amy Coney Barrett. This is probably as close as I will ever get to a Supreme Court Justice. It was a neat opportunity.  This was Sharon McMahon's Governerds book club.

Wordy Wednesday

 

Weekly Roll

scary tree

Andrea Nelson Inspo

Linky Love

Watched Ozzy Osbourne " No Escape from Now" I thought it was interesting.

Infinity Walking for Brain and Balance - Has anyone tried this? 

When to consider not being a family caregiver I am a caregiver, and it is hard

October Theory

Harvest Moon

photo by KGR

Collage/Junk Journal Ghosts

 

I guess this is a mixed media art page.  I am not an expert. I cut out ghosts of magazines, outlined in white crayon, then watercolored the background.   It just was a fun project to get the creative juices going.