Windy Poplars

Hello and Goodbye!

2011-04-19T10:53:00.000-04:00

Hello Dear Peaches of Windy Poplars,
It is with great sadness, and some excitement that I write to you today. For the full story, check out the post on Living Graciously HERE. The long and short of it is though, that I am closing the doors of Windy Poplars for now. Blogging will go on, but over at the Living Graciously address. Keeping up with two (well, 5 actually) blogs regularly was just too much, content was lacking, deadlines were stressful. Something needed to give. So LG is going to become more of a mash of personal AND helpful hints writing. Still more organized than WP ever was, so hopefully all will remain happy and you will truly find it the best of both worlds :-) (and my husband and pooches will see more of me!). If you are a GFC follower over here, would you mind transferring your "Friendship" to LG so I can still visit you on your feed? Living Graciously also has the option to become a Facebook fan, and get the blog posts delivered to your daily FB stream, or subscribe and have them delivered to your inbox. See all those fancy schmantzy options I've got for ya! Change can be a good thing. I promise. See you over at the new digs... ~Kristin

Spring Break

2011-04-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

Hello Dear Readers! Thank you for stopping by the 'ole blog today...YOU are the reason I write! Just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be on spring break for the week. Taking some time to re-organize, re-prioritize, re-fresh, and re-structure. Basically "renewing my outlook" as the girls of old used to say when they were headed to the powder room. You'll hear (and see!) the fruit of it all on Monday the 18th! See you then!

A Video Tour

2011-04-08T07:00:00.001-04:00

If you are a gardener, you might enjoy this little tour of my gardens here at Windy Poplars in the Springtime. If not, you might be bored to tears! Happy Friday to all! We'll be back to our connections discussion next week...

Video: 100_8318.MOV

Making Connections Part #2

2011-04-07T07:00:00.002-04:00

So yesterday we talked about the heart plugs we all have. Plugs that can energize. Plugs that can drain. Plugs that we must consciously choose to place or they are of no use to us.- Have you thought about what or who you're currently plugged into?

Let's start exploring perhaps the most obvious connections that we were created to make: with our spouse, our families, and our friends, and why these don't happen. So many times, when I ask people, "How are you doing?" I get the classic reply: {{sigh}} "SOooo busy! Just trying to stay afloat"! I'm guilty of that response myself sometimes.- HOW do we let ourselves get so busy girls? What is life demanding of us, or offering us, that we feel the need to be living at a breakneck speed 11 months out of the year? What are your days really full of? What are your evenings full of? What are your weekends full of? Are they things that 5 years from now you'll be glad (or even remember) you've done? When you get to the end of your day, do you feel fulfilled, energized, at peace?

I'm convinced that a demon in the form of busyness is the enemy of all of our relationships: marital, family, and friendships. So how can we guard against this? Some things in our lives simply cannot be cut out: church, school, etc. But what about everything else that could? Will you spend some time with me thinking through our schedules? - One thing my husband and I are working on right now, after a particular time of disconnectedness (partially due to busyness), is committing to NOT make a decision (especially when it comes to our activities/schedules) unless BOTH of us are in complete enthusiastic agreement. This forces you to think of the others feelings and consider not only your own needs, but the other persons. One thing I read recently from Dr. Harvey (author of His Needs, Her Needs), is that the "martyr stance" is not a healthy one to take. Then someone is always the loser - even if they are willingly so. Don't you think that's what we as women always default to? We must strive - even if it takes more work - to find the "win-win" solution. It's the healthy way to go. - One last note from Dr. Harvey: he says that a healthy marriage spends nearly 15 hours A WEEK of undivided attention on one another: that means, no kids, no movies, no work, no computers - just meeting each others basic emotional needs. Wow. Tall order.

Continuing on the path of spousal connections a little further, are we also making a conscious effort to spend the time we do have "free" together? Have we gotten into the pattern of doing our fun activities apart: he goes to play golf, while she goes to the spa? This can be so dangerous, even in its seeming innocence, because we're training ourselves to have more fun apart than together-enjoying our life-treats separately. The initial perceived sacrifice of giving up our personal fun activities, will be far outweighed by the closeness we breed through choosing to enjoy our leisure pursuits together. I promise! What are some things that you both enjoy together? What are some new things you'd like to try? What are some things currently on your schedules that only foster drifting apart?

I worry sometimes about loosing my own identity in this. But when we sign up for marriage, do we not choose to become one after all? And if we truly love our spouse, and they truly love us, they will delight in enjoying some of (previously) "our" pursuits with us - and hopefully vice versa.

Ok, that's enough to chew on today! I'd love to hear your thoughts. More later, when we dive into our friendships outside our family...

Making Connections

2011-04-06T07:00:00.002-04:00

The question was posed to me recently: "What are you passionate about?", and it got me thinking...what am I passionate about? Food? Clothes? Travel? Hydrangeas? Yes. In a way. They can all give me a high of sorts, but they aren't really my heart passions. They are my demi-passions I think - my earthly body passions. To dive deeper into my soul passion pool I swam around a little bit and settled on 2 of highest importance:

*Connecting and

*Strong Marriages

Around Valentine's Day, I spent some time talking about my passion for maintaining a strong marriage over on Living Graciously, and I've touched here and there on living a connected life in the past, but have decided to spend a little bit of concentrated time backstroking and doggy-paddling in this subject. Will you come along for the swim? I'd love to hear your thoughts...

I tend to think of our lives (maybe our hearts more specifically) as an entity that has lots of electrical plugs coming out of it. We can choose to run around on our own power source, never plugging in our rechargers, and as a result we enjoy a less than lackluster existence.- OR we can choose to use our plugs to connect: to people, situations, hobbies, etc..- Sometimes we plug into sources that actually drain the energy out of us. Those are the unhealthy connections we make.- Of course, I should pause here to state that the obvious ultimate power source is Christ. We have one plug, our life-source plug, that can only fit into Him. He is our power plant of life, hope, joy, and peace. Without that connection, all the others will fail. - But, He did provide us with lots of other potential plugs to do with what we choose.- And what do we do with that amazing gift of possibility? - More often than not these days, I see people with plugs just hanging from their bodies. They simply don't have time to make the commitment of a significant connection - so they go without. Or perhaps they feel lonely occasionally and do a quick plug in and plug out with different people's sources. Never making a lasting connection - never really giving or receiving any electrical current.- Just a spark or two. I know that life is busy. My life is busy...don't even get me goin' - you try keeping 5 businesses afloat, running a home, tending a large yard, taking care of a husband, two dogs, and a cat, and being a hobby blogger (with multiple blogs) on top of all that. Yeah. Slightly busy. But I still feel the need for those positive connections very deeply in my life, they're missing, and I'm willing to do something about it: plan, sacrifice, commit. Whatever it takes. Are you?

To be continued...

After the Wedding...

2011-04-05T07:00:00.002-04:00

So we have survived! The bride was radiant, the groom so handsome, the evening was beautiful, and the newlyweds are off on their honeymoon. In the meantime, here we all sit with aching backs and hangovers. Seriously people, I am here to declare that it should be common knowledge and a mandatory practice that the family of the bride should plan a “recover moon” right after any family wedding. It's not that it's all of the emotion of the event (although that does flow freely), and not even really all the manual labor of a DIY wedding (although there is a lot of that involved), but it's the dangerous combination of the two that makes it such an exhausting ride. - I have to say though, that I loved the process! It was truly wonderful being involved in all the planning stages, and standing up as my sister's Matron of Honor. The day went swimmingly overall, and the bride and groom were so happy with the result. I was even (you'd be proud of me) able to mostly let go of the details of the day and just enjoyed the ride! That is a feat, a FEAT I tell you, for a firstborn organized, fanatical, perfectionistic, wedding director type like myself. I need a vacation.

I know what you really want though, is to see pictures. I didn't take too many, so I'm hoping the photographer will have a bunch posted on her website soon that I can direct you to. Here are a few to hold you over in the meantime:

At Fresh Market buying flowers the day before. Jonathan pushing the cart. I loved it!

A "before" view of the venue

Centerpieces in progress...

Bow-tie tying lessons after the rehearsal dinner

The bridesmaids at the Tea Tavern the morning of the big day

After brunch, it was off to the day spa!

Some girls got massages, some got their hair done. Here's our room at the spa ^

The worlds most last minute first dance lesson (while we were waiting to be announced!)

*Love*

Just before their getaway

Recovering...

2011-04-03T23:40:00.001-04:00

Hello Peaches!
As you might imagine, I'm recovering from a wonderful whirlwind of a weekend, and as such, can't seem to put 5 productive brain cells together to conjure you up a decent post today. Just wanted to stop in and say a quick "hi" though...wedding pics to come! Stay tuned...

How to Prepare for a Wedding...

2011-04-01T08:30:00.003-04:00

Well, I should have made that caption: "How do you prepare for a wedding?" Because can you believe I've never been a bridesmaid? Ever, ever in my whole life??! I know. BUT, tomorrow is my big debut! I've been waiting a long time for this! I hope I don't step on the train or anything ridiculous like that :-)! Here's how I've been preparing for the wedding:

Break in the wedding shoes around the house and adding a Dr. Scholls insert for maximum wedding comfort

Taking airborne to avoid getting sick this week (so far, so good)

Trying to get in shape and relieve stress all at the same time

Lists, lists, lists. Endless lists!

Have you ever been a bridesmaid? Wish us luck and fair weather this weekend!

Friends, Tea, and An Enchanting Cabin

2011-03-31T07:00:00.002-04:00

O, for the love of a friend who can be made the sacred trustee of my heart; one who is more to me than the closest relative; one whose very name is so sacred that I want to whisper it softly; one who lingers near my door in time of distress, and stretches forth his hand, which is not empty or cold, and who says little, but feels largely.

Mae Lawson

I've written freely here on Windy Poplars about the challenge of finding true kindred spirits when one is an adult. It is a subject that brings tears to my heart - both for myself and for many others girls in the same plight.- Last week though, I got together with two dear souls - friends from years and years ago (let's not say just how many years girls, shall we?) who have both stayed relatively local and with whom I've reconnected fairly recently.- It's just crazy how much we have in common all this time later:

*We are all self-employed and pursuing what we love (and all the positives and negatives that go with that)

*We are all involved in the wedding industry one way or another

*We all have significant others and no children

*We are all very crafty, creative beings

*We all love to cook
*We are all firstborns

*We all love things that are vintage, ladylike, old fashioned, and from a simpler time

*We all love to travel

I'll stop my list there, but as you can imagine, having two girls that understand so much of what makes up your life from personal experience is such an easy place to be. No explanations needed, you just understand what the other means. And you feel understood. And accepted. And with all that out of the way, you feel the freedom to just be. Know what I mean? I love these girls!

Anyway, last week we got together for tea at one of their family's cabin. It was a golden afternoon. In fact, I kind of felt like a little girl playing house. That is a feeling worth its weight in gold for a girl over 30. Here's the proof:

Indeed. A golden day.

What I'm Lovin' Wednesday

2011-03-30T07:00:00.007-04:00

So many things I'm lovin' this week! Here are just a few:

I'm lovin'...

That my sister's getting married THIS WEEKEND!!!

Cake Pops! Yes, I've recovered from the shower, and am making more!

Sun Tea

The happy, spring-y decorations around the house.

That the trees are in full bloom all around us!

These darling Chrysanthemum Earrings (you can get your own for only $6!)

What are you lovin'??
Linking to WILW @ This Kind of Love

On a Sunday Afternoon, DWTS, and Fash Blvd.

2011-03-29T07:00:00.001-04:00

One Sunday afternoon I was busy getting some blogs pre-posted for the week, when I came around the corner to the den, and what did I see? Hubby on the phone with the pooches snoozing away (well, I woke up Caroline with the picture) - all butt-to-butt on the overstuffed chair. Made me laugh.

On another note, I just have to say: Mark and Chelsea's score on DWTS last night was so dreadfully unfair. I still haven't gotten over it. She was stellar! Anybody else agree?

One last randomness: I'm walking around Beverly Hills today (well, in a manner of speaking...)! You can see what I mean over at Fash Blvd. Anna's got a really fun fashion blog going on over there - if you're into fashion, you'll love what she's got to say - AND all the eye candy! Bonus: she's coming to you straight from Hollywood!

K, that's all for today Peaches! Thanks for stopping by for a chat!

Why Handmade?

2011-03-28T07:00:00.001-04:00

Have you ever purchased a cup of lemonade for 25 cents from a kid on the street corner in your neighborhood? If so, was it truly because of your overwhelming thirst for some ice cold lemonade, or was it because you admired the child's enterprising spirit, and wanted to encourage them on their quest? Well, allow me to chat with you about the grown-up version of that same concept. - I'm not going to suggest you go around uncontrollably buying things that you don't need, but rather, when you need to purchase a gift for a friend for their birthday or wedding, or a daughter for her Easter basket, or a hostesses as a thank you, or your mom for mother's day, or heck, even for yourself because you need a little pick me up, some bright new accessories, or throw pillows, or stationary - won't you consider: instead of hitting up the big box stores for gifts that are a dime a dozen, why not think about supporting those now grown-up entrepreneurs: The Handmade Community.

Today I thought I'd share with you a little bit of my passion for the handmade, and hopefully encourage you to spend a few moments thinking along those lines...maybe for the first time!

Yes, perhaps I'm a little biased because I've always (as long as I can remember anyway) been a crafter of some sort. My mom was a crafter before me, my sisters are crafters. In days of old, people used to highly value things made by hand because they were works of art, original, and you couldn't just go "buy another" at the corner store. -

Nowadays though, it's usually cheaper to buy something ready made (thank you China) - be it a dress, a quilt, curtains, earrings, or even a flower pin ;-)!

BUT

Have you ever stopped for a moment to think about the men and women behind a handmade business? Usually, their business flows out of something they love - something they are passionate about - something that brings joy to their heart. They can't help but create! Spending endless time on the concept process alone, it sometimes takes dozens of prototypes to get it just right, endless miles are driven trying to find the best materials to make the product at as high quality, yet at as low a price to make it affordable for you, hours of photographing and marketing, and then the soul-bearing experience of laying your work in front of the world to judge: if they like it, they will buy it and tell their friends - if they hate it, they won't. It's agonizing. But worth it at the same time. Because we (artists in any form) just. can't. help. ourselves. Often, behind every creation you'll find a story. Each one is an act of love.

If you are going to purchase something anyway...why not take that purchase a step further and support someone else just like you: a wife, a mom, a homemaker, someone who is working with her hands to help supplement her family income.

Now if you aren't sentimentally interested in becoming a supporter of the handmade, let me list some of the advantages of buying handmade to you, the consumer:

1. You are will often get a far superior quality item to what you find in the stores.
2. You can often shop online for handmade goods from the comfort of your home...so the money you save on gas can help make up for any extra cost.
3. In my experience, artisans are good about only charging the actual cost of packaging and shipping - no mark-ups just to make money!
4. You often have the option of a completely customized item.
5. Your handmade item will make you original - other people can't go out and buy them by the dozens!
6. If you give handmade gifts, the receiver will appreciate the thought behind the gift so much more!

7. You are helping to support someone's "American Dream" livelihood-perhaps the only means of income they have right now - or you could be helping to make it possible for a working mom of 3 to stay home with her children and pursue what she loves! That's a good feeling, isn't it? Kind of like choosing to buy a cup of lemonade for 25cents!

Do you support the handmade community? Why or why not?

My Very First Time!

2011-03-25T12:43:00.004-04:00

Hello Dears! Today I've been working on recoding a little video about my new KVG SPRING line. The video itself -well, I should say the host of the video- is not so good (none of mine ever are-maybe I need to go to acting classes), but I actually tried my hand at a little editing today. Now don't laugh, it's my first time! It was rather fun... a bit time consuming though. Welcome to a whole new world!

Video: KVG Spring Line

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Ok, then I thought I'd make a little slide show of everything you saw in the video (while I was all in a high techy mood you know), so you could see it up close and stuff. Used photobucket for it, and they don't have many timing options. I don't really like how fast each of the pictures flash. Have any other suggested programs for me to use for such things?

Where's the Ark?

2011-03-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

Recently, we had some pretty major rain and consequent flooding here at Windy Poplars. A brook runs right across the front of our home, and it was really raging! I wish I had some pics of what it normally looks like, but here are a few of what it looks like in "flood stage".

With the wet weather, we always encounter a lovely little challenge entitled, "Dogs who do not like to get wet". It's really quite ridiculous! I've heard many trains of thought as to why some dogs and specific breeds don't like the rain, and it seems very common in Bichons (aren't we lucky). This time around though, I wasn't gonna let it get the better of me. So on the computer I hopped, in search of a training solution. Many, many articles later, the plan of action that seemed doable at the time was: to cover the dogs as much as possible so they don't feel the wetness on their skin, and walk them far away from the house without an umbrella so they realize that they just have to do their business...protection or not. Here is what Caroline looked like all covered up and ready to go:

The best part was that Chester had on the same get-up: jackets on, and bandanas over their heads. They looked like two Little Red Riding Hoods! I was laughing hysterically the whole walk (despite the fact that I was getting soaked!).

So we had to start a little drying line near the fire. It was a bit of a to-do getting them "dressed" to go out, but it really seemed to make a huge difference! They weren't so skiddish to go out, and once they were a decent distance from the house (so they knew that pulling and whining to go back in wasn't an option), they set right to work, and took care of their business.

Do you have doggies that don't like the rain or snow? If so, what have you done to help with the problem?

A Word on Patience

2011-03-22T07:00:00.001-04:00

“Oh restless heart, that beat against your prison bars of circumstances, yearning for a wider sphere of usefulness, leave God to order all your days. Patience and trust, in the dullness of the routine of life, will be the best preparation for a courageous bearing of the tug and strain of the larger opportunity which God may some time send you.”

Mrs. Chas E. Cowman Streams in the Desert

Can you relate? What are you having trouble being patient for right now?

It's Here! It's Here!

2011-03-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

It's a brand new week friends, and the beginning of a brand new season too! To celebrate, I'm thrilled to introduce the brand new Spring line at Kristin's Vintage Garden! In addition to new and improved Spring Blooms (they are now pin AND clip backed for maximum versatility), you'll find some fabulous gift ideas, like this beautiful spiral bound journal gift set, which is personalized with the initial of your choice.

I've also added some handmade (by yours truly) stationary! There is a set of full sized cards available in the shop, and what you see here, is a set of 6 "love notes". They are 3x3" mini cards that are just perfect for you to leave on your hubby's pillow, tuck in his lunch (or suitcase if he travels for work), or wedge in his windshield wiper. A wonderful way to let him know you think about him when you are apart.

Lastly, in our little sneak peek line up, you'll see that I have a whole new army of Lucite chrysanthemum earrings up for grabs! These went very quickly last time, and now they are back in an array of yummy spring colors (I have even more colors to add, so check back for an even greater selection!). A perfect blend of vintage and modern, they are sweet and sassy studs that are all the rage right now, and at Kristin's Vintage Garden, you can get them for almost half the price of what other shops are selling them for! Don't delay...get yours soon before they're gone!

To celebrate, you can get FREE SHIPPING on your entire order through Wednesday the 23rd! Now you just tell me where you can find a better deal than that?! All you have to do is enter the code WELCOMESPRING at checkout.

I hope you enjoy the Spring line!

Week in Review Vlog

2011-03-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

Ummm...apparently something happened to my mouth today without my knowledge, and it got crooked. Maybe I was just having a Drew Barrymore wannabe moment. Strangeness... Thanks for stopping by today girls! Have a super fabulous weekend, and don't forget to hop on over to Living Graciously to join in our spreading happiness campaign called, "A Little Happy Blog Hop". Link on up, and help us share some sunshine!

2011-03-17T07:00:00.003-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

How are you celebrating the Irish in you today? My favorite St. Patty's celebration here at Windy Poplars was our 6 course Irish Dinner party last year. It was simply wonderful! You can read more about it HERE.

****Check out a review on Kristin's Vintage Garden done by Jessie Leigh today (there might even be a little discount waiting for you over there...)

New Kid on The Block

2011-03-16T07:00:00.001-04:00

Ok, fess up, did any of you come to this post thinking that it was about the 80s band? Well, no, it's not (sorry to disappoint you), but I did want to let you know about a brand new linky party that I will be hosting over at Living Graciously. The 'net is full of link lists, craft lists, advertising lists, etc. But there seems to be a lack of parties whose purpose is to spread a bit of sunshine around the web, and perhaps more importantly to you as a blogger: that's quick and easy to enter and hop around. You game? Here's the down low:

*When is it running? - Fridays
*What is the history of the linky? - Well, remember a little while ago when I wrote about "Little Happys"? Well, I really enjoyed your responses, and realized that often what helps make MY heart a little lighter, might just make YOURS a little lighter too (translation: why don't we share our "little happys" with each other?)! I got to thinking about how few pure tidbits of joy we stumble upon each day, especially in blogland, and I wanted to be able to host a party where all we did was share little pieces of sunshine with each other that help to make our hearts lighter, lower our stress, and encourage us meet new friends.

*How do I participate? - By posting ONE picture (that you took) on Friday of something that makes you happy. A small description to go with it is fine too! Then, you'll go link up your post over at Living Graciously.
*What will it be like? - Hopefully the entire party will consist of clicking from one entrant to the other enjoying loads of beautiful, funny, adorable, touching photos that warm our hearts. You should leave the party with a spring in your step and a song in your heart! :-)

So that's the skinny on this new par-tay so far! The first one will be held this Friday, so you've got three days to find your "little happy" picture, and get ready to link up! I hope you'll join in spreading happiness across blogland. If you plan to participate, will you tell your friends about the party too? The more the merrier!

Perspective

2011-03-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

Things have been busy here at Windy Poplars. SUPER busy. I shouldn't complain though: my husband's business is seemingly in full swing for the season already (which usually crescendos instead of so starkly shooting up in volume-and the crescendo usually starts in April), I'm excited about getting a new business off the ground, I'm loving all the writing I'm doing, the gardens are starting to call for my attention, my sister is getting married in THREE WEEKS, wedding season is gearing up for the year at the Inn, we would like to put our home up for sale, still teaching piano lessons and stamping classes, beginning the big "spring clean", wanting to open our B&B officially, and you know, the usual: cooking, cleaning, eating, sleeping, washing, ironing, dog walking, picking up, bill paying, redecorating stuff. Never say boring around here!

I was so thankful (amidst all of the above) for a day that DH and I spent out with my sisters last week. It was a rainy day, so DH was off work. We took the invalid (affectionately known as "Clotty") out to a few places she needed to go...mostly wedding related, and then to lunch. Having been cooped up at home, all alone some days, she was thrilled to have some wheelchair-ed freedom. Said it was like escaping from prison! It was a delight to push her around, and watch her delight at some of the little things we take for granted.

It was a change of perspective. A good reminder to focus on the important things (even though everything seems important some days). I needed that.

...And it also encouraged me to whip my time management into shape. I'll probably be sharing about that over on Living Graciously sometime soon...you know, once I actually have whipped it into shape :-)

What helps you keep the right perspective on life?

Texting

2011-03-14T07:00:00.002-04:00

I realize that I am probably in the extreme minority of the world, but I hereby declare that I wish texting had never been invented! I can't tell you how many times a day I am frustrated by people texting. They'll push the "pause button" on the conversation we're having to send a text, or to read a text the very second it comes in. My favorite is when people put their phones under the table at a restaurant to text. Like we don't know what you're doing! It's like picking your nose behind a napkin. I also have a problem with people texting when they're around me (even if we're not talking at the moment). To me it seems like a secret whispering conversation going on that you are purposefully left out of. You wouldn't do it in real life (I hope!) That's just rude. Don't you think that texting is just one more way to foster impersonal relationships? It's a medium that is making it even easier for you to not have personal contact with people. Cue music: "What the world needs now...is love, sweet love..." Is the art of face-to-face and heart-to-heart going to die in our generation?

After that rant, I will say that we do have texting on our cell phone plan (I didn't choose it for the record), and I do use it on occasion...mostly to keep in touch with my sister who only has texting (and no mobile to mobile minutes). I don't however, run for my phone whenever something new comes through. I don't want to become the dearly devoted servant of my cell phone. I personally don't feel the need to be available to the world at large every single second of everyday. What did we do before cell phones, and texting, and being able to get a hold of someone 24/7 at the drop of a hat? We lived (perhaps, I venture to say, a little better) - didn't we?

I'm very curious to hear where you come down on this issue... please do share!

Week in Review Vlog

2011-03-11T10:17:00.001-05:00

Keswick
Kristin's Vintage Garden
Living Graciously
*Look for the Wedding Blooms up later today...

What Happened?

2011-03-10T07:00:00.003-05:00

Hello Dear Ones!
Do you ever wonder what happened to all the recipes, projects, and decorating ideas I used to post here on Windy Poplars? Well, I do still post them, they just have a home over at Living Graciously now. Windy Poplars is now officially my "anything goes" blog - without a reason, rhyme, or theme. I can post pics of my vacation, creative writing pieces, new tricks my dogs learned, opinions on the price of cantaloupes in Calcutta, all without worrying about whether the post is in keeping with an overarching purpose.- So if you like all that helpful stuff, go check out LG if you haven't already, and I think you'll still see the Windy Poplars stamp all over it, PLUS, you have the added bonus of meet my three other wonderful writers who add their two cents about a gracious lifestyle. I heart them. Just so ya know.

Chronicles of theTraveling House Shoes

2011-03-09T07:00:00.004-05:00

You probably won't find this nearly as entertaining as I do, but my husband loves slippers. His current pair look like they're from Star Trek (in my opinion!). The funny thing about his slipper wearing habits though, is that he puts them on, and then 10 minutes later his feet are all toasty warm so he just slips out of them wherever he might happen to be. Truly, he rarely wears them longer than 10 minutes! So consequently, I am forever finding his slippers in the oddest places! Thought for the fun of it, I'd start taking pictures of where I find them, and here is my collection so far (these are not "staged" - this is just how I find them!):

Under the island chair after breakfast

Right where he usually plays Wii

Beside the dog beds

In front of the dog crates

Behind the couch

Sometimes....

2011-03-08T07:00:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I wish:

--That I were rich, and could have unlimited money to fund all of my earthly dreams

--That my dogs were perfectly well behaved and that everyone who saw them would marvel at their magnificent obedience

--That I could eat all the cheese in the world without worrying about saturated fats, calories, or cellulite

--That I would wake up beautiful and cheerful every morning

--That Kristin's Vintage Garden would get off the ground

--That it were Spring!

--That I truly didn't care what other people thought of me

--That I were more compassionate, like my husband

--That we were building a house right now...

...but then, I stop. I remember how wonderfully blessed I am. And I realize afresh that I don't want to miss the forest for the trees.

What do you wish for sometimes?

The ABCs of me!

2011-03-07T07:00:00.004-05:00

**Note the bridal shower reveal is going on over at Living Graciously today!

I've seen these ABC lists going around for awhile, and although each are just a tad different, you still learn some kind of fun stuff about people through all of them! I hope you'll participate and do the ABCs of YOU! Be sure and send me your link if you do!

A. Age: 31
B. Bed size: Full - I actually dislike larger beds. I like to be super cozy when I sleep.

C. Chore you hate: MOPPING THE FLOORS (I'd rather clean 20 toilets!)
D. Dogs: Yes, 2: Chester and Caroline. Both Bichon Frises

E. Essential start to your day: Breakfast (and a period of no talking...I take awhile to wake up)
F. Favorite color: hmmm...peacock?
G. Gold or silver: Gold
H. Height: 5' 3 3/4"
I. Instruments you play: Currently-piano In the past-guitar and violin
J. Job title: Homemaking, wedding directing, crafting, music teaching, stamping demonstrator.
K. Kids in your immediate family: 3 sisters total and a new brother in law in 1 month!

L. Live: At Windy Poplars, in a country neighborhood in Virginia, USA

M. Man in your life?: Yup, the best one in the whole world! His name is Jesse.

N. Nicknames: Kris, Ladybug, Krischin, Kristi, Krissy, Kristy-tye-tye (don't ask)
O. Outrageous thing you would do for $1000: Skydive
P. Pet peeve: NON-RSVPers, when people type "wa-la" instead of "voila", and Text-a-holics
Q. Quote from a movie/show: "It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!!!!! (current fav.)

R. Righty or Lefty: Righty, but I really love leftys. Are you a lefty? We'd probably be friends!
S. Sing in the shower, or not?: Yes. Opera.

T. Time you wake up: Well since it said "wake up" and not "get up", around 6:45
U. Underwear: Well that's personal. Hanes w/ comfort bands are my choice for everyday.
V. Vegetables you dislike: Okra. Blech. I almost threw up in my mouth just thinking about it.
W. What makes you run late: The dogs not pottying quickly. My hair not cooperating.

X. X-rays you’ve had: Teeth
Y. Yummy food you make: My hubby loves my soups and Thai dishes especially.

Z. Zoo animal favorite: Panda and koala bears are quite adorable I think.

Ok, now it's YOUR turn! I look forward to your ABCs!

*FREE S&H today on everything over at Kristin's Vintage Garden when you use the code SHIPFREE

Week in Review Vlog

2011-03-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

Click here to be the first to snag the Winter Wheat Bloom Pin
Click here to snag the Pearl Drift Bobbypins
Click here to enter the GiVeAwAy!!!

Small Town

2011-03-03T07:00:00.002-05:00

I had another "small town" moment yesterday. It was really quite delightful. - On my way home from a day full of errands, I stopped by a coffee shop close to our house to pick up a Butter Pecan Espresso Cooler (my reward for a day accomplished!). It is a small, local operation where every drink is named after a piece of classical music or a composer...love it! - So anyway, I go in and get in line when I hear someone say, "Well hello there Kristin!". I turned to look and a longtime neighbor of my parents was enjoying a cuppa joe by the fireplace. Even though we're often over at my parent's house, I haven't seen him for years. So we jaw wagged about their new house additions, how cute his grandbaby is, and how his daughter just found a much-coveted loft downtown - but that of course he would never drop in on her unannounced! It was lovely. Then a local police officer came in and recognized him, and another guy, a banker sat down and started to catch up. I got back in line, and the girl in front of me told me all about her newly acquired caffeine allergy and how it gives her hives (um, she was in a sharing mood I guess) yuk. Then when it was my turn to order, the baristo (what do you call a male barista?) asked if I lived near the guy I was talking to. I said "no" but that my parents did. He asked if theirs was the brick house directly next to his, and I confirmed that indeed it was. He said, "Oh! Jose' must be your father then! He played softball with our church team one year a looong time ago, and it sure was nice to get to know him." This guy, as it turned out, was a former pastor at my parent's neighbor's church who had played softball with my dad over a decade ago, and it was, incidentally, the same neighborhood church at which I attended AWANAS when I was just a sprig in Tennessee. And that, dear readers, is my small town story for today. The end.

P.S. The coffee was delicious!

Do you live in a small town where people know your name? Do you like it? Hate it? Long for it?

**Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY!!!!

Friends of the Male Variety

2011-03-02T07:00:00.002-05:00

Now before you all start thinking that I'm fruity or something, give a girl a chance to explain! I am still very happily married, and these musings stem mainly from my years before I was happily so.-

As you know, I am an unabashed Harry Potter fan. Say what you will. I think they're masterful stories.- DH, my sister, and I went to see The Deathly Hallows in a theatre recently one last time before its run is over, and I was freshly struck by the sweet relationship between Harry, Hermione, and Ron. I've always loved and felt a special connection to it, but in this particular movie, especially when Ron is gone for a time, and the tenderness, gratefulness, kindness, rawness (is that a word?), fun, and love of the truly platonic boy-girl relationship between Harry and Hermione comes to the forefront, I was really moved...almost to tears when I saw it for the first time! I think I feel such a connection with it because my high school years were blessed by a close friendship with a group of guys. There was never anything more than pure friendship on either side between any of us (save one after high school, and we should've left well enough alone: a sweet best-friendship...took it further - crashed and burned...that's the nutshell version), and these connections were a very special part of my high school years. Sure, I had girlfriends, some of which I loved deeply, but I adored "my boys". We share so many happy memories together: throughout the years we: danced together, played tennis together, sang together, skated together, went to symphonies, movies, and concerts together, went shopping together, chatted on IM and in chatrooms (remember them?) for hours, talked on the phone for hours, I went to their soccer games, taught them how to waltz, and tied their bowties. It was special. Oh so very special! I can't describe the acceptance I felt from these guys. No judgment, no competition, no "they're only saying that to make me feel good", just pure raw friendship. The way it should be. I think they were a little protective of me and I liked it that way. They told me about girls they were interested in and asked my advice on the subject, and I asked for their take on my latest perfume and how guys really do tick. - Not having brothers growing up, these relationships were invaluable for me being "used to" living around guys when I got married...speaking of which, I remember their incessant teasing and interrogating when I DID meet my husband-to-be! :-) Sweet memories. Thank you, my boys: for being there for me, always making me laugh, challenging me, supporting and encouraging me, accepting me...my life is better because you were a part of it!

What are your feelings about male friendship? What about after marriage? Sometimes I have to say, I get along better with the husbands than the wives of some of our couple friends!

**Don't forget to enter the giveaway over at Living Graciously! It's for a darling thermal tote...you won't want to miss it!

Please Pray

2011-03-01T21:01:00.000-05:00

Hello Dear Readers!

Would you please send up a prayer for my 22 year old sister Emily who is getting married in a month (no stress or pressure or anything)? She is in the hospital tonight with two blood clots in her leg. Pretty serious situation...she is trying hard to keep her spirits up though. Pray for us too if you think of it...you know how hard it is to be helpless in times like these...
If you would like to send her any well wishes, e-cards, or words of encouragement, you can do so to my e-mail address:

windy-poplars@juno.com

and I'll take them to the hospital for her. You all came through to bless my other sister during her surgery and it meant so much to her that strangers cared enough to send get-well wishes! You are the best :-)

Thank you! I love the blogging community so much because it is a community of support!

Fog

2011-03-01T07:00:00.002-05:00

The once-still air is sliced by tiny drops of dew

The rain starts slowly...then comes faster and faster as one drop chases the other down from the sky

Leaves become moist, then wet, then heavy with their load and spill over funneling water to the next leaf down, and then the next, and the next, until the droplets finally splash to the ground

As the gutters continue to rattle and gush, the sky becomes darker - and the air becomes dense.

You feel it start to cling to your skin and your hair.

Your lungs breathe it in and you cough as its thickness catches you by surprise.

Strain as you might, your eyes can't pierce the impenetrable layer in front of you.

How can air, clear and crisp one minute, envelop you in such an unfriendly embrace the next?

It is confining - restraining - frightening...you cannot tell what might be just three feet in front of you looming out of the darkness.

Fog.

*GIVEAWAY alert!!!! Head over to Living Graciously to enter your name for a chance to win a Thermal Tote from Thirty-One!

Behind the Scenes at our Photo Shoot

2011-02-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

My sister Amy and I had fun doing a "photo shoot" for my store to get some pics of the Blooms and other flower stuff that I'm selling. Amy is a wonderfully talented photographer with an artistic eye. All the pics in my store that aren't so great...yeah...those are the ones I took ;-)

Some of our "props"

Fixin' our hair

A few clothes changes

Whew! Picture taking in the cold is hard work!

Here is one of my favorites! Don't you need that pin!?

This hat went the very first day! I think it was because of the model :-)

To go see more of the product of our photo shoot, just visit Kristin's Vintage Garden. There are some great gift ideas there (for yourself or for a friend!), for a very reasonable price! Of course, if you're local, just e-mail me and I can deliver it and save you the S&H!

Vlog Alert: Friday Week in Review

2011-02-25T12:31:00.000-05:00

So I saw this idea on another blog, and liked it! She is far more witty than I, but I enjoyed watching a video review of what could be found on her blog in the past week. Please let me know your thoughts on the idea! I'd love to continue it if there is interest... Hope your weekend is a GREAT one!

Mentioned Links:
When the Dog Bites (Little Happys)
Nikko Blue Bloom
Bird of Paradise Clutch
Crockpot Pesto Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
Fajitas and Peach Cobbler
Is Your Sink Stinky?
Dreaming in Gold

Signs of Things to Come...

2011-02-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

So yesterday, I was all desperate for some signs of happy life returning to the earth, and all depressed that it was still the middle of February...when I said to myself, "Self, why don't you take your little camera outside with you and LOOK for signs! They might just be right under your nose, but you've been too busy to notice!". So lo and behold, I did. And this is what I found:

Our butterfly bush, sending out new silvery green leaves

Some daffodils starting to push up - and they've multiplied too!

Ice Follies daffodils...always the first to bloom!

A few sprigs of chrysanthemum poking through the mulch

Forget-me-nots: one of my favorite early bloomers. Their deep blue eyes are stunning!

A swollen lilac bud. I hope a late frost doesn't kill this little budlette off!

So, do you have any signs of Spring showing where you live?

Oh Spring! Wherefore Art Thou?!

2011-02-23T07:00:00.001-05:00

Every time I come in from walking my dogs, this is what I'm greeted with on the porch. Inspirational, no?! Not sure why I haven't pulled out the pansies, but part of me thinks they may yet revive (the super-optimistic part)!

I truly don't mind Winter, as long as there is beautiful white snow covering the earth's arid deadness. But when things are just, well...dead (and brown, and brittle, and depressing) I am SO over Winter's winterness! It's been nice and warm and lovely out lately, but that doesn't mean a thing to me without some GREEN poking through the dead ground! Bring it on God!

When the Dog Bites...

2011-02-22T07:00:00.003-05:00

...when the bee stings...when I'm feeling sad - I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feeeeeel...so baaaddd!

Love that movie, don't you? - Anyway, this past week I was having a deep navy blue day. Not a light blue (like when you have a faint sense of foreboding) or even a blue-gray (when you're just kinda down in the mouth), but a bonafide navy blue. The kind of day when nothing goes right, all your friends and family are having major issues, everything you could possibly step on, trip on, or stub your toe on - happens. Every phone call is discouraging, even lack of sales in your store is depressing. All you get in the mail are ads and bills.You husband had to leave early for work, and isn't expected home until 8:30pm. All your blog comments are neutral at best. The dogs fib about needing to go outside every 15 minutes because the weather is nice. You ruin your favorite shirt in the wash. You need to be creative, but can't (and the trashcan is full of your attempts). You know. A navy blue day.

So, in the midst of my unproductive, wallowy, navy blue-ness, I decided I probably needed to try and pull myself up by my bootstraps if the day was to be survivable. I thought of a couple little things that might possibly help cheer my spirit and took the plunge. First up: a nap (which always helps your outlook turn to the positive a few notches). Next: went out and picked some fragrant fresh rosemary sprigs to put on my kitchen windowsill. Then: made peanut butter brownies. Lastly: while the brownies were cooking, I set up a new little tea station on the counter to enjoy. - I had a friend years ago, who used to call things like this her "little happys". - And you know what? They DID help lift my spirits a bit. Don't get me wrong, the day was still an arduous one, but I lived to see another sunrise. And I think the "little happys" really helped!

Do you have "little happys" that help you through the blue days?

Morning Has Broken....

2011-02-21T07:00:00.003-05:00

Why have I had songs in my head for blog titles lately?! Strange.

I am NOT a morning person. Neither is my husband (thank the Lord) - there's nothing worse on God's green earth than a non-morning person who has to live with a morning person - can I get an "amen"? So consequently mornings are very quiet, slow going affairs here at Windy Poplars.

I must admit though, that there is a certain quality to the air in a freshly born day that us non-morning people usually miss out on. A special stillness. A beautiful choir of creatures who have the ears of the world to themselves before all the drum of motors, factories, and machinery start up for the day. It is beautiful to behold.

A Winter Sunrise at Windy Poplars

DH usually spots me on the early morning dog walks, but last Saturday he had to leave bright and early to finish up a job, and I had the (ahem) privilege of walking the dogs in the morning just as the sunlight crept over our hillside. I must admit - even to my fuzzy brain - it was beautiful! Something about the sunlight hitting your land for the first time everyday...seems to open up promise, and possibility, and wonder in your heart. Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Anne:

"Each day is always fresh...with no mistakes in it."

The birds were softly singing, I even heard an owl "whoo" before it went off to bed for the day. The squirrels were gossiping noisily, and the breeze was gently rustling the trees. It *almost* made me want to be a morning person. Almost.

SALE at Kristin's Vintage Garden!

2011-02-18T07:00:00.002-05:00

Hello Dear Ones!
You have been SO supportive of my new little venture, that I thought I would kick the weekend off with my very first SALE! I don't have the option to do this on Artfire right now, but I can offer it to you here:

If you purchase 3 or more Blooms, you will receive FREE S&H!

I don't know about you, but I HATE paying S&H, so I thought this weekend, I would offer you a little treat and offer shipping on the house! My Blooms are already priced low at $5 a piece, and they mix and match very well together! I love to wear two or three at the same time on my sweater or jacket.

So here's what you need to do:

Visit Kristin's Vintage Garden

Choose your 3 (or more) blooms (don't pay through Artfire if you want the FREE S&H)

Come back here and click the "Buy Now" button below and pay through Paypal

Leave your Bloom selections in the comment section of this post or e-mail me!

They will be on their way to you soon!

Oh, and by the way, they are packaged perfectly for gift giving if you have an occasion or two coming up that you need a little something for!

I'm In My Happy Place...Now Leave Me Alone!

2011-02-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, confession time: I had a 'tude on Valentine's Day. Well, a moment of a 'tude anyway. Don't you hate when people say "'tude"? Yeah. me too. Sorry. - Moving on: sweet husby took me to the Symphony on V-day evening. The Symphony was small and intimate for this concert - it was in my favorite concert hall in the area - they played Air on the G String and Romance from Eine Kline Nachmusik (did I just butcher that spelling?) - I was in raptures.- Then intermission came.

But wait - allow me to shed some backdrop light on the situation by taking you back several years: when I was in high school, I was surrounded by a wonderful group of very talented, concert going, recital playing, classical music loving friends. Was I a music geek? I guess so. Took lots of lessons, entered competitions, started teaching, took classes, the whole lot. My friends and I attended the Symphony at every opportunity for years. So, now knowing that about me, you can imagine that the experience of attending a Symphony is a very rich, deeply rooted thing. I choose to latch on to the emotion of the music and go for a ride. I close my eyes, and see the pictures painted by the composer. I cry, I shiver, I laugh. It is very moving. I don't like to talk about it. I just like to feel it. Nobody else can feel what you do, and it's difficult to explain. Usually in the trying, some of the magic is lost - especially for the explainer. -

K, fast forward now to when the hubs and I were first married: Knowing that I was a lover of good music, we got season tickets to the Symphony for two years, and he endured. I should mention that my dear sweet man is NOT a true classical music connoisseur. Many things he is. But this he most definitely is not. SO, the concerts were filled with many questions, criticisms, disappointments, and commentary on his part. Kinda ruined it for me. We stopped going.

Now fast forward to Valentine's Day. We hadn't been to the Symphony together for YEARS. All these idiosyncrasies had been long forgotten. I was thoroughly enjoying the first half of the program. The soloist was amazing, The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires were whimsical and entertaining, the venue was special, the musicians were superb. Then intermission came. And with it came the questions: "What did you think of that last piece? Did you like it? Weren't those things on the violin neat (kinda when it made the music go flat)? I thought it was weird how they added [references to Vivaldi's Four Seasons] to the mix." And I snapped. I was busy floating around in the sunshine of my happy place. For heaven's sake, leave me alone and stop over analyzing it! ----- Oh yeah, and did I mention it was Valentine's Day?? Nice time to get all up and grumpy, right? I don't know why I'm like this, but it seems to carry over into movies (I just like to mull during the credits...in fact I prefer to remain silent until we're completely out to the cars before we start critiquing the movie), and vacations (I've never liked to tell people about a trip right after it's happened. I need time to process and digest, before I can truly tell you about it). Might be strange. Maybe I'm just slow. Is this normal? - Thankfully, this time I managed to see my sin for what it was, and apologized, and the rest of the evening was lovely. But still, I wonder if any of you have ever struggled with this, and if so, what you've learned to do about it.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls...Gather 'Round!

2011-02-16T07:00:00.001-05:00

I am so pleased and excited today to announce the grand opening of my brand new shop: Kristin's Vintage Garden. I hope you'll go have a look-see, and will be a Peach and tell your friends about it. There is so much more to come! But because I get impatient sometimes, I decided to go ahead and open the doors early, even though we're only halfway through posting items (whew! that takes lots of time!). It still holds a nice collection of things to browse and purchase for yourself and your friends (lots of gift ideas there). Have any questions? Feel free to ask! If you're interested in advertising for KVG on your blog, and consequently receiving a FREE Bloom to review, please fill out this information form.

P.S. It's kind of nerve-wracking "opening the doors" of your shop for the first time! It's like exposing your work to the world for its possible censure, or worse...rejection. I don't handle rejection very well. But, got up this morning, put on my big girl panties, and cut the ribbon! Wish me luck (and a hard shell)!

Really girls, isn't it all about the FOOD?!

2011-02-15T07:00:00.001-05:00

So the hubs and I aren't into the Super Bowl :-0. Sorry to say it, but there it is. - Now most of America thinks I'm un-American, right?! Moving on: even though we aren't into either football or the Super Bowl Hype, we DO love Super Bowl food! Oh my yumminess! Appetizers, chili, chips and dip. Yeah, I can do "man junk" with the best of them.- This year for SB Sunday, I was sick, and so wasn't really going to plan anything (some years we have a "non-Super Bowl party), but while picking up a few under-the-weather necessities (tissues, Zicam, etc.), all I saw were carts full of chips, salsa, nuts, beer, and Velveeta. And my mouth started watering. So yes, I caved, and did a little mini-smorgasbord (all my little sickie-self could muster) for us to enjoy that night. Here's what I came up with on the fly:

We did some chicken fajitas, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp and ginger sauce, chips and pineapple salsa, celery w/ peanut butter.

What did you eat for the Super Bowl??

Miscellany Monday

2011-02-14T07:00:00.018-05:00

1. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!

2. I've been too busy. That is all.

3. But all the busy-ness has been kinda fun. I'll admit it. But now I ~~want~~ need a vacation (again). Have to work on that.

4. I've got a brand new, online store opening soon! Will you come visit? And buy all my stuff? (pretty please?)

5. Semi as a result of the aforementioned busyness and consequent store opening, I've been convalescing a sore neck and shoulder for the past week. No fun. Getting better. All card, chocolates, and flowers welcome.

6. It's Valentine's Day, and I'm out celebrating w/ my Valentine today! Hope you are too. If you don't have a Valentine, I'm sending MY love to you! <3

7. It's feeling a bit like SPRING, and I (and the dogs!) am/are LOVIN' the fresh air!!!

8. My dogs really need a bath (any takers?).

7. Thank you for being a sweet reader of Windy Poplars! You're such a Peach! I'm working on getting some things in place that will make it possible for me to spend some more time over here visiting with you girls in the future. Hopefully the near future. In the mean time, if you think of me, please pray for creative ideas and time management abilities in that area.

Just a thought....

2011-02-11T07:00:00.001-05:00

So get out there and "get even" with somebody this weekend, k?

Hide and Seek

2011-02-10T09:13:00.000-05:00

Well girls, I've been so busy the last few days, that I simply haven't had any time to write a blog post for today. Thankfully, my sweet pooch Chester agreed to fill in for me. What a pooch. He's a blogger too you know! Hope you're all having a fantastic Thursday so far! Take it away Chesterberry:

There is SO much to teach a newcomer about living here at Windy Poplars. I've had my paws full the past few months - let me tell ya! But I've been trying to teach little Carolou some fun stuff too - like how to play hide and seek. She's kinda getting the hang of it, but she still has some things to learn. See for yourself:

Gettin' there. Just needs to conceal that little black nose to get the full "hide" goin' on. These skills, although used in play among us furry beasts, are also well utilized by the discerning pooch in such instances as when Ma or Pa say things like, "Time to trim your nails!" Yup. That is definitely hide-under-the-bed worthy.

Well that's all for today folks. Thanks for stopping by, and Ma: thanks for letting me guest blog for you...I hope you stop making flowers and stuff soon so you can actually play with me at night again. Just sayin'. - You know, this is my first time ever guest blogging! If anybody else is interested in a guest blogger, I'm very available! Oh, wait, Ma said I couldn't put any shameless plugs on here. Oops! Sorry about that...

You can find Chester blogging regularly over at his digs: Pooch Tales, where you'll hear more about his day-to-day exploits as the alpha-pooch of Windy Poplars!

Did you know? (ok, so I can't keep a secret for long...)

2011-02-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

...that I'm a crafter? Well, when I have the time I sure like to be! I'm really into many different forms of art, and look forward to sharing some of them with you through my soon-to-be-opened online store!

Are you crafty? I'd love to know what art forms you enjoy. It's fun to bounce ideas, techniques, and questions off each other!

*Last day to enter the giveaway! Hop to it: HERE

Something's Brewing...

2011-02-08T07:00:00.005-05:00

...over at Windy Poplars. Any guesses as to what??!! Here's your clue:

So while I'm busy brewing, head on over to enter your name in my giveaway for The Trendy Owl. There's a cute little headband up for grabs, and the entry count is LOW so that means that your chances of winning are HIGH! I love thanking you, my dear readers, by offering you cute giveaways! Good luck! Enter HERE.

A Freezer Cooking Day

2011-02-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

***Don't forget to enter my headband giveaway from The Trendy Owl!

Last week, in view of our impending vacation, I wanted to do another mini-freezer-cooking day. That way our house sitter could have some easy food to draw from, and when we got home from vacation, we wouldn't have to shop or cook! So these were the recipes I made, and really, it only took me a few hours in the afternoon. So worth the time investment to have some quick and easy convenience meals on hand!

Sweet Potato Wedges

My favorite Hearty Tomato Bisque - double batch

Black Bean Burgers - Makes a bunch!


Sunday Morning Muffins - Always nice for breakfast and snacks!

Do you do freezer cooking? Would you like to try it in the future?

"Val-inter"

2011-02-04T07:00:00.002-05:00

This year, since I waited so long to get my Christmas decor down, I kinda missed out on my "Winter" decorating period (January). So I decided to combine "Winter" and "Valentine's Day", and here is the result:

We're Baaack (again)!!!!

2011-02-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Another wonderful getaway to our beloved Keswick Hall has come and gone. We simply couldn't have had a better time! Thanks so much for all of your wonderful suggestions (posted in the comments and e-mailed privately ;-)! I'm sure you're quite tired of hearing me go on and on about the delightful perfection that is Keswick, so I'll limit myself to ~~a few~~ some pictures.

Our own private alcove

Our lovely room (loved the high ceilings)

Nice view of the bed

Our bathroom. LOVED it! Why do I have such a fetish for bathrooms?

Our own private porch

Tasting at Barboursville Vineyards

The ruins at Barboursville - designed by Thomas Jefferson

The welcome tray that awaited us

Jesse likes the dark sugar cubes :-) He's such a sophisticate!


I did a leeetle bit of blogging there while Jesse played ping pong w/ his friend!

All in all a time of bliss! Can't wait to go back :-)

A Jesse Day

2011-02-02T17:57:00.000-05:00

For Christmas, my sister gave each of us a special "day" for our present. My hubby's was the first one to come up this year, and super extra special bonus? We all got to enjoy his day (and all Amy's planning) too! Nice.

First we went to an arcade where E beat A and gained some confidence to...

...challenge J to a match up. Um, J won. Of course.

The one thing we (us girls) could beat J at was Whack-A-Gator:

After the arcade it was back to the house for a delightful dinner, and even more delightful (especially for J) ice cream bar for dessert (think Coldstone). She thought of everything he'd like!

We ended the day with some family Wii time, and I think it's safe to say that Jesse LOVED his day! Lots of competition and lots of good food...what more could a guy want? :-)

What to do on a snowy day...

2011-02-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Why, go to the grand opening of a brand new Super Walmart and get a Wii of course! Isn't that what everybody does? So now that we are Wii owners (gulp, I may never have a real conversation with my husband again folks), we need some advice. What are your favorite Wii games for adults? Send your suggestions (along with the best places to buy games and accessories) our way!

Dialect Vlog

2011-01-31T07:00:00.001-05:00

TAG YOUR IT!

Here's the list of words to say and questions to answer:

Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

▪ What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?

▪ What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?

▪ What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?

▪ What do you call gym shoes?

▪ What do you say to address a group of people?

▪ What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?

▪ What do you call your grandparents?

▪ What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?

▪ What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?

▪ What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

Romantical Ideas

2011-01-27T07:00:00.002-05:00

Girls, I need your help! The DH and I are heading to our "vacation home" (what I now affectionately refer to Keswick Hall as) for a quick getaway, and I'm in need of some fun romantical ideas. I just love the word romantical. Don't you? I just made it up. It's fun to say - give it a try! Anyway, back to my dilemma: we always have a lovely time at Keswick, but quite a bit of what we usually enjoy there is outdoors. So, since the weather has been rather unwelcoming lately, we are in need of some creative ideas for indoor fun and bonding. Got some? I really hope so, because my creativity tank is running a bit low (I think it's the lack of sunlight). So please girls...I'm counting on you! What are some fun things you've done on your getaways? Ideas you've read? I'm all ~~ears~~ eyes! Thanks in advance,

Storms

2011-01-26T07:00:00.002-05:00

The air is thick and still. No birds are singing tonight. You can feel the edge of the storm gliding eminently nearer and nearer ushered in by a foreboding gray mist. The birds, the beasts, and even we of the human race intuitively know to protect ourselves from the coming gloom. The birds fly to their nests, the beasts dig a hole and burrow themselves in, and we stock up on food and firewood, lock the shutters, fluff our quilts, warm up our slippers, and cuddle up by the stove for a long winters nap. We know how to gather up comfort around us. We know how to feel safe. We can sense the danger, and we choose to avoid it.

Today I also felt a storm brewing in my heart- and I thought about how often, not always, but often, anger comes upon us like a storm. There are signs, there is warning, there is plenty of time to avert our course and choose to head indoors to avoid the danger. But what do I choose to do some days? Dig my heels in, grit my teeth, put my head down, and run flailing into the sinful storm. Why, oh why do I give in? Why don't I take the way of calm and safety (that God always promises to make for us)? How can I not see the trail of destruction that will surely be left in the wake of this storm should I choose to ride it?

Lord, help me to feel the storm coming on before it gets here. To choose to run from it to your safe haven. To let your healing balm soothe my troubled mind, and allow you to take my heart back to your place of perfect peace.

Feelin' Spontaneous??

2011-01-25T15:25:00.001-05:00

THIS JUST IN!!!

- Keswick Hall (located east of town on 600 acres) is offering these heavily discounted rates subject to availability:
Monday, January 24th & Tuesday, January 25th for $99 per room per night
Wednesday, January 26th & Thursday, January 27th from $125 per room per night
Friday, January 28th and Saturday, January 29th from $150 per room per night
To take advantage of these savings call Keswick Hall at 1-800-274-5391 and mention Restaurant Week!
ANNNDDD....
Not only can you stay here cheap this week, but you can enjoy the pre fixe menu for restaurant week at $26 pp. IF there are any reservations left. Call NOW!

Miscellany Monday

2011-01-24T07:00:00.003-05:00

~ONE~

I need your help readers! Chester and Caroline (the pooches of Windy Poplars) are entering some of their photos in a "funny pet picture" contest, and they need your help to vote for them! It's being hosted on Facebook, and here are their entries:

"I think the qualifies as 'invading your privacy' "

Everybody loves a good belly laugh!

I may look like a cute, fluffy Bichon, but inside I'm really a ferocious beast!

Whichever picture gets the most "likes" wins a free ipad! So if you've got your own funny pet pics, link on up! But please take a minute to click on the photo(s) above that you would like to vote for, and then click "Like" beneath them. If one of the above photos REALLY makes you laugh, tell your friends and family, and have them vote for Caroline and Chester too! Thank you so very much!

~TWO~

Are any of you participating the Project 365? I'd love to see you collections so far, share ideas, and get some accountability! You can find my (sad) collection so far under the 365 tab. I tell ya, this project is really making me wish I had a nice camera!

~THREE~

Valentine's Day is right around the corner! Do you have some fun plans? One thing I always like to do is have my valentine mailed from "Loveland, CO". I think it's a cute touch for my hubby to find it in the mail postmarked from the land of love instead of just hand-delivering it to him. To find out more about how to do this, click HERE.

CLOSED

2011-01-18T16:21:00.000-05:00

Ever walk up to your favorite store only to see those cold, unfriendly words? Makes me so sad! But sorry to say, Windy Poplars is "closed" today and tomorrow. Off having fun! You can always say hello and share what you're up to though :-) I'd love to hear from you! Will be back open for business soon my Peaches! Thanks for stopping by...

Why not peruse The Kitchen over at Living Graciously for some ideas for your weekly menu in my absence?

Miscellany Monday

2011-01-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

We're goin' random today girls. Random.

1. You can't judge a book by it's cover, but can you judge a person by their toilet paper? I know it is wrong to judge, but one of the most judgmental judgments that I am guilty of is judging a home (and consequently hostess) but the quality of toilet paper they offer. Good grief! Does it get anymore shallow than that?! Not very. I just really think that such a necessary and oft-experienced object should bring joy to your heart (and hiney). I swear, a good rough 1 ply can put me in a bad mood for a week! Seriously people, if you want to save money - skip just one Starbucks and get the softest, silkiest, most luxuriant t.p. you can find! See if it doesn't make you a happier person! We're talking raising your quality of life here. Just trust me on this one girls! (Oh, and bonus: people -well I- will think you are just the hostess with the most-est!)

2. I just went to my local Michaels to stock up on my Christmas ribbon for next year. Remember when I told you about my gift wrapping secret? Well, how I afford to buy all that pretty ribbon, is because I get it now when it's 80% off! Go check your local store out if you're in search of some glittery bling for next years gifts!

3. I'm dreaming of more snow! Hear that God??? Anytime you want to send some our way is just fine and dandy with me :-D

4. You know how I've been posting recipes on here for a year now? Well, now that I've moved my recipes over to my Living Graciously Kitchen page, I'm in need of your help. For those of you who have tried any of the recipe that I've posted, OR, if you do try any in the future, would you mind stopping back by and rating it (there is a star rating at the end of the posts from now on), and/or leaving a "review" as a comment. If you're like me, you really appreciate hearing other people's experiences with recipes.

5. I tied with my sister for the high score in "Whack a Gator" at the arcade we went to over the weekend. I am always sorely remedial in such games, so this was quite the personal triumph. I don't have a picture because I was playing the game. Sorry!

Hope your Monday is a GREAT one! Thanks for stopping by!

CSN

2011-01-16T22:51:00.000-05:00

Hi girls,
Just thought I'd share with you another great discovery from CSN - they truly have it all, don't they? I was just browsing their laptop messenger bag collection, and who knew that such cute ones existed?! All you see around these neck of the woods is the utilitarian black canvas or if you're really snazzy: black leather :-).
Anyway, here are a few of my favorites:

The View From My Window

2011-01-14T08:43:00.000-05:00

Hello Dear Ones!

Here is a little slice of life at Windy Poplars today:

The weather is:
C.O.L.D. - It's almost cold enough to make me not want to go out to exercise class today. Almost...I hope I don't give in...

I'm wearing:
My fuzzy white robe (see above answer)

In my DayPlanner for today is:
Exercise class, piano lessons, and a date with my hubby!

I'm longing to:
Have a day where all I do is be crafty! I've been neglecting my creative side over the holidays, and it's starting to feel all pent up and stifled. Like it's going to burst at any moment!

A movie I recently watched was:
Eregon - actually, I slept through half...does that count? Not because it was boring, but because I was tired!

I'm pondering:
How writers find time to write? I've had a book idea swirling around in my head for awhile now, but haven't had any time to just sit and let it flow from my head out through my fingers. I'd really like to get some of it down on paper before I forget - but as soon as I take a seat, life calls!

You should know:
About Sniqueaway: this amazing website for great deals on getaways. And these hotels aren't regular old chain hotels - they're gorgeous, upscale, unique, botique hotels! On rock-bottom sale for between $89-$150 a night. Girls, grab your men and whisk them away for a dreamy date, or book your anniversary or Valentine's celebrations! The hotels and sales change all the time, so just sign up (it's free), and then keep an eye on the list! You have to be invited to join, and that's what I'm doing right now!

Hope you girls are having a great day - enjoy your 3 day weekend if you have one! What's going on in your life today?

My Date in Pictures...

2011-01-12T07:00:00.003-05:00

Thought it would be fun to document a nice dinner out, at a nice restaurant, with a nice date ;-), in pictures:

It is lovely to get out with my favorite guy, dress up, and head to a nice place for dinner. Makes me feel like a princess. Except after we have such a luxuriant dinner (and I ate it ALL), then I feela bit more like a hippopotamus than a princess (but a very happy hippopotamus)!

P.S. Speaking of food, did you check out my orzo recipe from yesterday? It's a keeper! Why not give it a try?

Did you know???

2011-01-11T07:00:00.004-05:00

Hi girls!
Thanks for joining me for a minute or two of cyber coffee today.- Thought I'd take quick commercial break from the regularly scheduled programming, and tell you a little bit more about my new website: Living Graciously.
Here are some things you should know:
*It is my new "home base". Windy Poplars is now just an off-shoot of LG. Go join up over there - that's where it's happenin'! You can also "like" it on Facebook (there's a button right there on the homepage) and get every new post delivered right to your FB wall!
*There is a brand new page JUST for recipes and food related goodness! If you're a foodie, and only like to read recipes, you can also "follow" the recipe page exclusively.
*I have a Style page too! Are there any stylish readers out there? This part of LG has gotten the least amount of visits so far...although I have some fun stuff lined up for this section of the website, if you're not interested, I won't invest much time in it. Let me know, k?
*There is also a Personal Shopper page. This is where the fun shopping finds, good deals and coupons, giveaways, and anything else related to shopping will happen. I'm still getting this one up and going (one only has so much time in the day), but keep an eye out for when it goes live! There is also an opportunity to advertise your business on this page. Do you own an etsy shop? Do you just make some really cute earrings? Click here if you'd like more info about becoming a sponsor of Living Graciously, and getting some new traffic to your products!
*You may have noticed that right on the sidebar of the homepage, there are also updates showing you what was most recently posted in the above sections. That way you can see in a glance the other pages you'd like to visit before you leave!
*Lastly: I need your help faithful readers of Windy Poplars! So far, I know a few of you have trotted over for a visit, and a huge THANK YOU (was that huge enough ;-)?) to all who have. There aren't really many comments that have been left on LG so far, so I don't know who you are, but I would love to hear your feedback. What would you like to see more/less of? I would also really, greatly, immeasurably appreciate it if you would be a big bushel of Peaches and TELL YOUR FRIENDS about Living Graciously. If each one of you just e-mailed (or Facebooked - or better yet, share the link on your FB wall) one person today, and told them about a new lifestyle blog on the block, just think of how many wonderful people we'd be adding to our family! If you like what you see so far, and you think your friends would like it too...pass it on!

The Year in Review

2011-01-10T07:00:00.001-05:00

I know I'm a little late with this (everybody else posted theirs on New Years Day!), but I still thought it would be fun to do a "Year in Review" post. Ready? {{{taking a deeeep breath}}} Here goes:

In 2010 I:

Started a blog!

Enjoyed the Winter Olympics

Hosted a Seven Course Irish Dinner Party

Discovered Keswick Hall and Went Back 4 Times!

Chester the Pooch Started His Own Blog - Pooch Tales

Started the Kindred Connection Party

Nursed Chester Through a Terrible Ordeal

Visited the Chateau Morrisette

Enjoyed Our Very First "Stay"cation

Gave You a Tour of Our Home: Windy Poplars
Had a Banner Year for My Beloved hydrangeas!

Hosted a Mother's Day Tea at Our Home

Wrote About Snail Mail, and Gained Some New Pen Pals!

We Spent a Week Together Confessing All Our Deepest, Darkest Secrets :-)

Adopted {{gulp}} Caroline the Crazy

Hosted a Fall Festival and Fall Friendship Swap - sooooooo FUN!

Enjoyed a Trip to New Hampshire also HERE

Had a Birthday

Wrote 320 Blog Posts!

Launched Living Graciously

Whew girls! That's one full year!

(and those are only the highlights...)

Here's to 2011 being a year full of finding more Kindred Spirits, and enjoying life with those I already know! Thanks for joining me on this journey!

Au Natural

2011-01-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Seems like I've been having more and more people asking me about my experience with all things natural. What my stance is, what I've found that works/doesn't work, where I shop, etc. Well, as you can imagine, this is a loaded question, but I thought I'd blog about some of the basics today, and then if there is any interest generated by the post, I can go into more detail later. Ready? Here goes:

My Stance

On food: to try and eat food that is as close to the natural state that God created it in. For example: non-processed, whole foods, non-bleached, non-preservatived, and non-artificially sweetened. No refined sugar, only whole wheat flour and pastas. Lots of fruit, veggies, and whole grains. Water, tea, rice or almond milk, and diluted fruit juice (freshly juiced during summer) to drink. - Now here's the reality-check part of my food stance: as with anyone trying to live an alternate lifestyle, there has to be some give. You go to people's houses, potlucks, parties, etc. where there simply aren't natural choices available. As an avid host/entertainer, I know how hurtful it can be when people don't eat your food, and I certainly don't want to be an offensive guest, so there is some flexibility in my way of thinking. My host's feelings/our relationship are more important than my stance on natural foods, and to eat a processed food dip or drink soda punch every now and then isn't going to kill me! AND everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Just because I have mine, I know it's not right for everyone, and I have no right to impose or infringe it upon other people.- Also when I cook for company, I do often use otherwise taboo ingredients because: 1. It's more to their usual tastes, and 2. It's cheaper and 3. They don't really care.
Now onto Beauty Care Products: I try and avoid harmful chemicals, synthetic fragrances, preservatives, and excessively drying ingredients. Again, trying to take advantage of natural ingredients and all the benefits they provide.
Where I Shop: Co-ops are a great place to get your natural foods. Our Kroger has a wonderful natural food section, and more and more natural companies are starting to offer coupons now (woohoo!). Although you can purchase many lines like Burt's Bees (which I love) and Giovanni everywhere (even at Wal-Mart), I've found better prices online at www.vitacost.com

So that, my Peaches is just the tip of the iceberg. Should you like to know more, leave a comment below :-)

A Little Woolly Sheep

2011-01-06T08:11:00.000-05:00

via

Hello Peaches! Thanks for stopping by today! Put your feet up, grab some coffee, and let me share a little of my heart...

Recently, I've been camped out in Psalm 23. The Shepherd's Psalm. Have you read it? For whatever reason, during this season of my life - when I feel vulnerable, unprotected, unappreciated, unloved, or insecure, this Psalm has provided so much comfort. I read it almost everyday.
Come with me...on a journey into my imagination...see this Psalm through my eyes...

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want"
There I am, a fluffy little white sheep with a velvety black face and ears. My wool is clean and cottony, my hoofs are trimmed and free from splinters. There are no pests plaguing my skin, and my little tummy is pleasantly plump. I live in a safe, beautiful, secure pasture with easy grazing. The fences are strong to protect me from outside predators. There is the Shepherd is standing up on the hill keeping watch over us. My friends are all grazing happily beside me. I am content as a cucumber. What a wonderful life! It's all I could ask for.

"He makes me to lie down in green pastures"
The Shepherd comes down from his watching place sometimes, and sits among us in the tall, lush green grass. It is cool and refreshing and soft. It smells of every good thing. We are safe, we know it, and we can sleep - because He does not.

"He leads me beside the still waters"
In our pasture there is a calm and quiet stream. It is my very favorite place to go. I can drink, be nourished, and cooled off by the waters. The Shepherd takes me there when He knows it is best for me. He is always close behind me, and although I must make the decision to drink (and sometimes I even jump in) for myself, He is always right there to catch me if something happens and I am in trouble, or start to drown. Sometimes, I just like to play beside the still waters. Gazing at the sun sparkling like diamonds off its reflection is such a calming, introspective time. It slows my heart. It makes me breathe deeply. It makes my eyes heavy. It gives me peace.

"He restores my soul"
Oh! How my Shepherd knows what I love and need the best! He kindly strokes my head, and gathers me into his lap to hold me close when I feel afraid. His love and tenderness are my greatest comfort.

"He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake"
Only my Shepherd knows the safe pathways. Some days I think I'm headed to a really great overlook to enjoy the view of the valley, but before I know it, I am helplessly caught in brambles and briers. Darn wool! On my own I find trouble, but when I follow the paths He chooses for us each day, I will be safe.

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and your staff they comfort me"
Some days we have to be moved to different pasture ground. We must leave the protection of our fences. We must face the scary wide world. There are wolves in that world, and sometimes there is rain and lightening too. But as long as I can see my Shepherd, I can keep putting one hoof in front of the other as I follow. I know that His mighty rod will beat away anything that might try to attack me. Even though sometimes I am trembling in my little hooves during these journeys, if I fix my eyes on Him, and not become distracted by the overwhelming danger, I can keep walking.

"You prepare a table before me, in the presence of my enemies, you anoint my head with oil"
On these journeys, which sometimes seem quite long, we must eat. It's one of the very hardest things the Shepherd asks of me. To become vulnerable. To trust ONLY his watch, and to turn my full attention to being nourished, and thus distract my faculties from my normal self-preservation mode. It is necessary to do this, and it will only happen if I completely trust His care. It is hard thing to do with dangers all about. Oh, so hard. But I must choose to trust.

"My cup overflows"
When I do choose to trust Him, and find (again) that He IS indeed trustworthy (why am I always surprised? He never changes!), my heart just fills right up to the brim, spilling out all over the place, with love and thankfulness. What did I do to deserve such a kind and gentle Shepherd? Absolutely nothing. Wow. Awe. I am a little sheep who is blessed beyond measure!

"Surely goodness and kindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever"
And the little woolly sheep lived happily ever after.
The End.

The Big Threes

2011-01-05T07:00:00.002-05:00

Here are some fun "getting to know you" questions I came across! Won't you guys answer them too? I'd love to know more aboutcha!

Three Names I Go By
1. Kris
2. Kris-chin
3. Ladybug

Three Jobs I Have Had in My Life
1. Human Resources Desk at a Science Museum
2. Teacher
3. Florist

Three Places I Have Lived in the Past
1. Lakewood, NJ
2. Moneta, VA
3. My mother's womb

Three Favorite Drinks
1.Vanilla Espresso Cooler
2. Snow Monkey Plum Tea
3. Orange Julius

Three TV Shows That I Watch
1. Dancing With The Stars
2. So You Think You Can Dance
3. Wipeout (Who's looking forward to the new season? It starts Thursday!!! We're having a party, you're welcome to join us!)

Three of My Favorite Foods
*Wow. This was hard. I LOVE FOOD! Today, these are my favorites:
1. Millet Burgers - most people can't understand this one - they're delish I promise! I crave them at least once a month.
2. The Butternut Squash Soup from Local Roots I had on my birthday and NYE...seriously, I was groaning with taste bud ecstasy over every ~~bite~~ slurp of that soup!
3.THESE Ham and Cheese Rolls. So not gourmet. Such a guilty pleasure...it's really out of control. If my hubby wasn't looking (he's my ham and cheese roll consumption conscience-since I possess none of my own), I'd eat 20.

Three Things I Am Looking Forward To
1. Going back to Keswick Hall with my handsome prince this month!
2. My blog Living Graciously going global and becoming a well known place that inspires women to live gracious lives -hey a girl can dream!
3. Having TWO well behaved dogs...someday...soon...I hope...

A Quote to Ponder for the New Year

2011-01-04T07:00:00.001-05:00

You know me and quotes! Here's one to think about as you work on your New Year Resolutions...

Have you visited my new blogging venture over at Living Graciously yet?

Happy New Year!!!

2011-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it's 2011 already? I think it's gonna be a great year. Our celebration this NYE was very low key, and I loved it! We toyed around with the idea of doing something grand, but after having entertained twice the week before Christmas, and feeling stretched thin after the Christmas holiday, we decided that spending some good time just the two of us was just what we needed.

Once the hubby got home from work, we started the evening off with some delicious hor d' oeuvres while we started the movie "The Young Victoria".

We really enjoyed the movie by the by. It really renewed my interest in the history of the English monarchy. - Anyway, we turned that off about 8pm, and went to dinner at one of our favorite places: Local Roots. Much to my delight and surprise (they change the menu frequently), they were offering their made-in-heaven butternut squash soup!

My tastebuds had a VERY happy New Year! Anyway, then we came home, Jesse made us a wonderful New Year dessert: pumpkin cookies, Bavarian Espresso ice cream, and whipped cream. Yeah. It was pretty much A-MAZING!:

and finished the movie which was over 5 minutes before midnight. Perfect! Just enough time to get a toast ready, and toast in the new year!

The pooches didn't make it until midnight :-):

How did you celebrate New Year's Eve?

The State of Affairs

2010-12-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hello Peaches!
      Does your brain ever feed you out-of-the-blue thoughts that you simply can't let go - even if they have nothing to do with whatever you're working on at the time? Mine does. Darn brain.
      Anyway, one such random musing yesterday was about becoming students of our friends. If you're married, you've probably heard of that phrase before in regards to your mate. The idea being that we care enough to take the time to really learn (and keep learning...people change you know) to read them: beyond what their favorite foods and colors are-- to their deeper parts. To learn to know what they need (silence vs. advice), how they need it (phone call vs. a letter), and when (morning person or not). What their signs are that something is "off". Do they get really quiet? Do they go out in public in sweats and without fixing their hair? Do they try and dominate the conversation so you don't have a chance to ask them what's going on? Could you answer these questions about your mate or even 3 or 4 of your closest friends? Just some food for thought today.
     To take this subject to a little lighter note: one unusual way that you can "read" me (for anyone who is interested) is by the state of my toenails! Yeah, I'm special like that.

I know. I don't have pretty feet - I was a ballerina for many, many years, and I blame it on the abuse they suffered during that time :-). But for whatever reason, it is really important to me to keep my toenails trimmed, buffed, clean, and painted AT ALL TIMES (sandal weather or not). I just don't feel like a pulled together lady when they're not. Can't explain it.- SO, knowing that about me, should you ever catch my nails looking like the photo above, you can automatically draw the conclusion that my life has gotten too busy, and I haven't had my priorities in line (i.e. having some calm relaxing time at home) for a while. I often like to do my nails while relaxing w/ my hubby or watching a movie in the evenings-there's the correlation. When I don't have much time at home, my whole life starts spinning out of control (figuratively, in my head, that is). Being home in the evenings is one very major way that I "fill up my tank". We all have different modes of fuel, and this is mine.-

So today, why not purpose to learn something new about your mate or best friend. How can you use that piece of information to bless them? What are some signs that things are "off" in your life? It's good to know it about yourself too because often when we just let life meander along, we don't realize that we've been neglecting those things dearest to us until we are positively starving for them! If you can recognize the signs in yourself sooner though, you might not find yourself in an emaciated state of being (i.e. stretched far too thin) quite so often.

Did anybody else get cheese in their stocking?

2010-12-30T07:00:00.002-05:00

Hello Readers! Thanks for stopping by! Hope your day has been a good one so far.- Have you checked out the new Living Graciously Blog yet? Go have a look-see and join the LG family!

So everybody around blogland is busy talking about all the wonderful things they received for Christmas. I've really enjoyed seeing what you all found under your trees! I did indeed receive some wonderful things too, but by a mile, my favorite was something I found in my stocking. The hubby and I only do stockings for each other and usually go on a getaway as our "gift" to each other. This year on Christmas morning though, there, on the very top of my stocking, wasn't the traditional orange or candy cane. No, it was far better. Far more wonderful. There, happily wrapped, perched two glorious wedges of cheese! If you know me (as my husband obviously does!), you would know that cheese takes me away to a very happy place. I really limit my intake of this food of the gods due to the fat, cholesterol, sodium etc. that is found in most, but boy, give me a tantalizing bite of artisan cheese over chocolate any day! Add to it some asian pear, peppercorn crackers, and wine, and you've got a gourmet meal fit for a queen (in my humble opinion).- So in case you're wondering: I got some silky, creamy, deliciously sweet Brie, and a hard, flaky, crystallized vintage aged Gouda. Oh my gravy, my mouth is watering right now! Please excuse me while I go hunt out a bite...

Did you get any unusual gifts? Were they from people who really know you?

Rolling Out the Red Carpet

2010-12-28T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hello Dears!

     Today, I'm super excited to invite you all over to my very own, brand spankin' NEW WEBSITE! I'll still be blogging here at Windy Poplars, but from now on just personal thoughts, random stuff, observations, daily life, and such. I've decided to move all of my recipes, tips, and other potentially helpful information over to Living Graciously, my new home base. That way everything will be nice and organized should you be looking to access something again.
     I hope you'll find my new digs easy to use and that over time, it will become a helpful source of information for you on the world wide web. I say over time because please remember, this is a newborn blog. There is lots of empty space just waiting to be filled up! There are still quite a few finishing touches I have to make on the logistics, and lots of stuff still to transfer from here to there, but at least it's a start. I'll probably never feel like it's "finished", so I'm just inviting you to the party a little early so you can check it out and get used to how LG can be utilized. You'll always find right on the homepage sidebar the most current updates to the site including any new entries here on Windy Poplars, so you'll never miss a post!
     So please, go take a look around. Be sure and read the About page to catch the vision, if you like what you see, become a follower of the new site and be sure and tell your friends!
     Thank you in advance for your support! I love my dear readers so much, and I look forward to continuing our relationship over at Living Graciously! See you over there soon! ~Kristin

Under Construction

2010-12-28T01:28:00.000-05:00

Hello! I hope you've all come out the other side of the holidays in one piece :-). As you can see, Windy Poplars is under construction. There are some big changes coming around here (and I don't mean just a new background)! I'm really excited to share my new website with you soon! Working around here every chance I get, and will see you again soon...in the meantime...please pardon our dust.

2010-12-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas with your families and friends! See you after the festivities!

Christmassing...

2010-12-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hello there dears!
We've been busy Christmassing over here this week. A couple nights ago hubby and I tackled the gift wrapping, and I thought I'd let you in on my little gift wrapping secret... - Every year people oohhh and ahhh over my gifts under the tree. I can honestly say this without a hint of bragging b/c I'm about to show just HOW (tongue firmly in cheek) good of a gift wrapper I really am (not) ;-). BUT, because I love you, I'm letting you in on some of my gift wrapping secrets so people can oohhh and ahhh over YOUR gifts too! Now I know that some of you are naturally gifted (no pun intended) in this area, but for those of you whom, like me, are not, here's how to "fake it 'til you make it" girls:

First grab your supplies:

White Tissue Paper

Tape

Scissors

Glitter of some sort (in the form of a tag, ribbon, flowers, whatever)

Wrapping Buddy

Crackling Fire

Christmas Music (or movie)

Now for 10 years, all I've been wrapping my Christmas gifts in is white tissue paper (with the occasional gold if I can find it). And I am the world's WORST gift wrapper. Seriously. No false modesty here girls. Here is "Exhibit A":

Ugh! Yup, it's really that bad. None of my ends ever match, there are pooches, folds, and bubbles in all the wrong places. Just painful to look at. SO, to compensate for my lack of wrapping ability, every year after Christmas, I go to the craft stores and buy up all their beautiful wired ribbon in gold or burgundy (to match my tree skirt) at 75% or 90% off. Some years I make my own tags (with glitter), but this year I got a bunch of glittery snowflakes to tie on as "tags". I think they were .25 for 4 at Target (postXmas'09)! I then do my very best to cover up my wrap job with the lovely glittery ribbon-it distracts the eye you know:

So, if you haven't gotten what "my secret" is yet...it's GLITTER!!!! Nothing looks more spectacular under Christmas tree lights than dazzling presents. I think the simplicity of the tissue paper also helps offset it (plus it's dirt cheap-I get mine at the $store), and the fact that all the ribbons subtly coordinate is restful to the eye.

So that's all I've got for today folks. Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to say hello if you did (just so I don't get lonely or creeped out by stalkers). See ya on the morrow...

Here's to a sparkly Christmas!

A Little Moment of Calm...

2010-12-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

Here is a small taste of a glorious concert we enjoyed this week. A flute choir called Pantasia. The whole experience was so restful and angelic. I thought I'd share one of the songs here today, and hopefully you can experience at least a moment of the peace that we enjoyed, before you go back to the hustle and bustle of the day. Here is their interpretation of the Coventry Carol:

How Do YOU Celebrate?

2010-12-21T08:29:00.001-05:00

This holiday season has been a very different one for me. And not just the holidays themselves. It's been a year of soul searching, readjusting priorities, and making some hard decisions.

One conclusion I've/we've come to is that: Christmas is not just a day. I'm no longer putting all my eggs in one basket, so to speak, and placing high expectations on the DAY of Christmas (which is always spent with other family-so we don't really have control over what happens). That choice alone, has freed me from the dread of the let down I always feel at the end of Christmas night. Christmas is a season, and one that we've really enjoyed celebrating, both as a couple, and as a church this year. It's been wonderful having our focus drawn to High Places amidst the Christmas chaos. That is a change for us. It seems nearly impossible to ignore the Reason for the season throughout the month and then all of a sudden try to make up for it on Christmas day with lots of rituals and religious activities, doesn't it? There is just no heart connection for me there when that is the case. It just seems so obligatory and fake. - That realization has been freeing as well.- This year my focus has been drawn more away from gift receiving, doing what I want to do, and keeping tradition - and more closely towards gift giving, serving others' desires, and wanting to only keep within our celebrations that which speaks to my heart.-

It's been a challenge though, because it doesn't follow that when God changes your heart, he changes the hearts of those around you. And so this brings with it a whole new lesson to be learned: how to give up your own preferences, heart goals, and ideals for the sake of others, and which convictions and desires to tenaciously stand on, even if nobody else is standing with you.- Or worse yet, is condemning you for. I'm still working on that one...at this moment, I'd rather people be happy with me than stand up for myself.

Sorry for the ramble girls- the purpose for this entry was actually because in my mind this Christmas seems like a new season...a new start. I've always enjoyed hearing how other people celebrate the holidays, and so I'm asking you for your vantage point: what does Christmas look like in your world? How do you celebrate? What do you wish you did differently? Are there any neat traditions that you've heard of others doing that you think sounds like a great idea?! I'm all ears (eyes?)! I would love to change some things about our own personal Christmas celebration this year (when it's just Jesse and me), to truly make it seem like a new beginning.-

A couple of weeks ago, our pastor said something to the effect of: "If you want to keep getting the same results you've always gotten, keep doing exactly what you've always done". - That's where I am: I don't want the Christmas I've always had, but I don't really know where to start making things new, more fulfilling, more meaningful, less selfish, (on my own). Got any ideas??

Blogger Meetup + Marriage Conference

2010-12-20T07:00:00.002-05:00

Hello Peaches!
Today I'm excited to share with you an opportunity to invest in the health and well-being of your marriages at a two day marriage conference. The teaching will be given by Gary Thomas, author of the book Sacred Marriage (which I have read btw...it's a good one!). The conference is going to be held in romantic Williamsburg, VA, on February 18th and 19th. The early registration -before December 31st- is only $35 per couple, and the hotel rooms (at the Marriot) have been brought down to a special conference rate of only $84 a night. Wouldn't that be a great Christmas gift (to ask for or to give)?

Now here's the best part (not that you need another reason to go!): my hubby and I are planning to be there, and I would love to arrange a blogger meet up during the weekend. If you're not married, why not just plan a lovely historical girlfriend trip to W-burg (they have lots of great outlets there!)? If you are married, it would be so much fun to attend the entire conference together!
The blogger meet up is scheduled for Saturday afternoon, February 19th at 1:00pm. - I would love to get to see some of you girls there! So whaddaya think? Is it a date?

To find out more about the conference, CLICK HERE

To register for the conference, CLICK HERE

The Fashion Files of Windy Poplars

2010-12-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

Today, let's talk a little about boots - shall we?:

I love boots (and booties too incidentally...but I digress...we're not talking about booties today). I love that boots add an extra layer of warmth to your feet and legs, and I love that you can wear them with big warm woolly socks and nobody would ever know!

I thought I'd pass along (in my humble opinion) an ingenious boot idea that I heard last year from Greta on Rachel Ray:

Don't you hate having to shove and tuck the bottom quarters of your jeans into your boots until you've just about worked up a sweat? And heaven forbid you get a wad of jean in a painful, irritable place! So Greta's solution? If your jeans are high enough (around knee height), wear them with your capris! Then you only have to deal with tucking in an inch or two of fabric, and NO painful wadding! Genius, huh? Kind of along the same idea: do you have jeans that have shrunk length-wise, but still fit you everywhere else? This happens to me all the time- when I buy petite jeans especially. My legs live somewhere between a petite and a regular.- Anyway, (digressing again) I now save my shrunken jeans just to wear with my boots - a way to get more mileage out of your clothes investment!

So that's all for today folks! It was so fun to hear your weather reports by the way! Question for today: Are you a boot wearer? What are your favorite kind? Dressy chic, fuzzy Eskimo, classic black leather? Red? I always thought it would be rather fabulous to own a pair of red boots...

Baby It's Cold Outside...

2010-12-16T07:00:00.002-05:00

Hello Dear Ones!
Special thanks to all of you sweet commenters yesterday. As you know, it makes a bloggers day to know that other people take the time to read what you take the time to share :-)!
So these days it's been pretty frigid around here. Lots of blankets on the bed, a warm fire in the hearth, and several layers of clothing! It always helps when you've got a couple of pooches to keep you warm though. Here I am doing a little blogging on the couch, and Chester and Caroline decided to come snuggle up and share the warmth. I didn't mind one bit!

Hope you're all staying warm and cozy wherever you are!

I thought it might be fun today to have you all leave comments in the form of a brief weather report. I think it's quite fascinating to hear what the weather is like on other parts of the globe! Here's mine:

27 Degrees and Snowing

How to Frost a Cake - Tutorial

2010-12-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hello there! Hope everybody is having a fabulous Wednesday so far. Halfway to the weekend after all :-)!

Today I thought I'd share with you something that I struggled with for a long time: producing a beautifully frosted layer cake that was 1. Level and 2. Crumb Free. In the hopes that if you struggle like I did, this little tutorial will help you enjoy making some lovely level, crumb-free cakes of your own for the holidays. Disclaimer: I'm still not a perfect cake decorator, but I've come a long way from where I started :-)

Here is what I have learned:

First: thoroughly cool your cakes. Choose your "worst" level, and make that the base (bottom side up). Place strips of wax paper under the edges of your cake to protect your plate from frosting.

Fill in the valleys with frosting so that you have a level layer. Place the next level on top (again, bottom side up). Frost with a nice thin layer of frosting (called a crumb coat) getting all of your sides even -fill in where they're not using your frosting like spakling- and the top nice and flat. It's ok if there are crumbs in this layer. Dark cakes like this have really obvious crumbs, but that's why we're doing a "crumb coat". Next, put your cake in the fridge for about an hour for the crumb coat to harden and lock in the crumbs.

Once your crumb coat is hardened, you have a lovely base from which to build a lovely cake! Have at it! As an aside, I really like using an off-set spatula, and I also like the organic look of a "free form" icing pattern.

After you're done, gently remove your pieces of wax paper, and voila! A perfectly clean serving plate.

I finished this cake off with some dark chocolate shavings, and white chocolate curls.

Thanks for joining me today! Now go get baking!

The Balm of Human Kindness

2010-12-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hello Peaches! Today I have a little story to share with you, that will hopefully encourage your hearts towards being a regular performer of random acts of kindness:

We don't live in a small town by any means. But we do live in a small city. We are "regulars" in certain haunts, and love that the people at our bank remember our names, what we do for a living, and that we'd love to run a B&B one day. We can't go to our local coffee shop without seeing a friend or two that we know, and we have several restaurants where the waitresses know our "usual". - It was at just one such restaurant that this story takes place:

It was Friday, our date night, and we had decided that we would head out to eat at the Wildflour, and then over to the mall to take care of a couple of short shopping returns. So there we were, driving along in the car listening to Christmas music and chatting, when I thought I'd better go through our Diner Club envelope, and get the restaurant du jour's punch card out for ease of use once we arrived. I filed through the envelope quickly, and then again...more carefully this time. Oh rats! The thin paper card must've fallen out in my purse somewhere. I rummage through the bottomless pit of my handbag, and then fastidiously looked through every little organizer pocket. Nothing. I checked the glove compartment and car - even looked under the floor mat! Surely, I couldn't have lost the Wildflour's card. It's one of the reasons why we get the Diner's Club, and we still had over half our punches left! Bummer. Then, I started to get mad at myself. It must have flown out when I quickly pulled another restaurant's card to use. How careless of me.- Oh, well...life must go on, and we must still eat.- We settled on a sub-par alternative (after my tastebuds had been getting ready for this place all day!), and continued down the road.-

On a whim, I asked Jesse if we could just stop in at our original destination (what could it hurt?) and see if there was a way to either replace the card or have them honor it anyway if we just showed our membership card - they know us enough to know that we're DC members. After all, what could they say worse than "no"?! So in we went ready to try and explain our story and see what empathy we could incite.-

When the girl came to seat us, I said, "Actually I have kind of a strange question..."(and start rummaging around in my purse for our DC membership card) "We are..." and then before I could even launch into our predicament, another one of the hostesses came up and said, "Oh! Are you guys looking for this?" and she holds up OUR PUNCH CARD!!!! I swear, I almost started crying! Now let me tell you why this was so incredibly over and above the call of duty: 1. We hadn't been there in well over a month, they could've totally thought 'ah, it's been 2 weeks, they don't miss it, might as well throw it away'. 2. It was such a tiny slip of paper, easy as pie for them to pitch, and very difficult for them to keep track of amidst all their other paperwork at the register. 3. The girl knew our name (even though we don't know hers) because she also works at the Natural Food Co-op where we shop, and she had put our name on the card with a little sticky note, in case we ever came back for it! 4. Best reason of all: this card actually put them at the disadvantage because it affords us with a free meal each time we come. So as Jesse said, they should've been happy to get rid of it because then they wouldn't lose anymore money on us. BUT, they chose to keep it, for all this time, and offer it back to its rightful owners safe and sound. And now those owners are very happily fed.

Was that kind or what??! Now what can you and I do today to share a little bit of "over and above the call" kindness to total strangers?

Mail Call

2010-12-13T07:00:00.010-05:00

Dear Holly Jolly Blog Hoppers,
     Thank you so much for participating in our first ever Holly Jolly Blog Hop! I had so much fun visiting your homes! I'm on total inspiration overload :-). As promised one name was drawn to win my little prize pack, and that lucky name was: Jenni from The Story of My Life . Congratulations! One of the gifts includes a pair of custom made earrings, so Jenni, if you could please let me know what color you would like them in, I'll get to work right away! Also, a huge thank you to Natalie and Amber for being co-hostesses with me. If you weren't the lucky winner here, go check out their blogs, you might have gotten lucky over there!
                       Inspired and Hopped Out,
                                  ~Kristin

Dear Old Man Winter,
     I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for showing up in Virginia before the holidays. We were getting a little worried we'd be wearing shorts for Christmas! I'd especially like to thank you for the beautiful dusting of snow you sent for my birthday. It was a very thoughtful gift! However, if you could please send just a little more of that beautiful fluffy white stuff, it would make these frigid temperatures ever so much more bearable! Thank you in advance for your consideration.
   Signed,
                              ~Chilly and Snowless

Dear Caroline,
     After your unmentionable escapade last week (ahem), I am quite encouraged by your latest training sessions. You really seem to be maturing and wanting to learn! I'm so proud of you! My goodness, maybe there is hope for you to grow up and be a good doggy after all! Thank the Lord!
        Your skeptical, but loving,
                                ~Ma
P.S. Feel free to turn down the hyper drive a few notches at your earliest convenience. Really. Please.

Dear Peaceful Christmastime,
     Oh how I'm enjoying you!!! None of that hustle and bustle for me this year. And you know what? Instead of feeling like a humbug, I actually feel so refreshed and jovial in my spirit, body, and marriage, it's great! I've thoroughly enjoyed everything we've chosen to do, and haven't really missed any of the rest.- Thank you for a new experience!
                       Peacefully Yours,
                                ~The Resting Merry Gentle~~man~~woman

Dear Sweet Hubby,
     I LOVE it when I wake up in the mornings and you already have the dogs walked, the Christmas tree lit, and the fire roaring. Ahhh....just the best way to start a cold Winters day! Thank you for being my wonderful Prince!
                          Forever Your,
                                         ~Princess

Dear Winter Coat Fashionistas,
     I need your help! I am in the market for a nice warm winter coat. A CUTE, nice warm winter coat. I have a ski type coat, and a super casual one, but I need one that I can wear with my jeans and nice sweaters and be warm and stylish at the same time. Seems I've looked everywhere, and all the ones I find are so thin. Can you help me? Oh yeah, and here's what is making this search a difficult one: I'm looking for one that's plaid.
                       Appreciative in advance,
   ~Cute Coatless

The Holiday Decor of Windy Poplars - HJBH Day 2

2010-12-10T07:00:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Windy Poplars Friends! I hope you enjoy today's virtual Holiday Home Tour! Along with Natalie and Amber, I'm hosting Day #2 of the Holly Jolly Blog Hop. Won't you join in the fun? We all want to come and visit your homes too :-)! PLUS, everyone who joins the hop will be entered into a drawing for 3 lovely doorprizes! Feel free to link up a past post if you've showcased your decorations on your blog already this season. Oh, and don't forget to "get the code" to paste to the bottom of your post so that it can be a true HOP!

So this year I decided I was going to go much more conservative in my decorating style(you should see how many decorations DIDN'T get placed out!), just to see how I liked it. I wanted to focus on more natural things...live greenery, pinecones, nuts, and basic cranberry, green, and white. So far, I love it! It breathes peace to me. And if you remember, that's my theme for this season.

I did lots of simple things like adding some Christmas books to a container w/ greenery:

Kitchen Island - wish the sparkle of these decorations would translate through the camera!:

The piano, with my very favorite Christmas songbook of all time!

Guest room:

Natural birch candles and live greenery. Simple, yet beautiful:

These are from the guest bath

Guess I should've taken the remotes out of this picture! Oh well, that's where they live - decorative or not!

Mantle - the hurricanes are filled w/ pinecones and gold nuts:

One very big thing we did this year was: NOT DECORATE THE CHRISTMAS TREE! Now pick your jaws up off the floor girls! Every year it seems we get the lights up and I say, "how pretty the tree looks with just lights!" But then we go on to fill it to the brim with decorations. I actually really love my tree decor. It's gold and burgundy w/ a Victorian theme. To that end, we usually put the tree in our living room, and get a nice tall, skinny, (Victorian) looking tree. BUT, this year I had the thought of putting the tree in our den so we could enjoy it at the same time we're enjoying the fireplace. PLUS, this year at the tree place we fell in love with this adorable short squatty tree - def not Victorian material! So, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to see how I liked a "naked" tree, and so far, I really like it!

Another super easy Christmas touch: tie two pinecones together with pretty ribbon and hang over your curtain rods.

Bowl filled with ornaments and greenery:

Master Bath gets a little touch of Christmas too!

Thanks for joining me on a tour of just a few of the Christmas-y nooks and crannies around here! I can't wait to come "visit" your homes today! Just link up below - don't forget there are also 3 doorprizes up for grabs to all the participants! For more info on the Holly Jolly Blog Hop (or how to join a hop), click HERE. Tell your friends! We'll be hopping all weekend!

Holly Jolly Blog Hop!

2010-12-09T07:00:00.004-05:00

Let's Hop!
Hello Dears!

I would truly love for each and every one of you to be able to drop in at my home (the real Windy Poplars!) this season to share some good food, good company, and holiday cheer! But, since that can't happen, the next best thing seemed to be a virtual Holiday Open House! Hence, the Holly Jolly Blog Hop was born. My two co-hostesses for this event are Amber from The Survival Guide... and Natalie from Extraordinary Love. Both are just wonderful Peaches, so pop on by their blogs and say hello won't you?

So are you ready to share in some holiday fun??!
Day 1 - Holiday Food
Now what, I ask you, is an Open House without delicious treats? I know. Not even worth getting bundled up for, right?! So today, will you share your favorite holiday party recipe with all of us? I know my arsenal could really stand some growth in this department!

How to Blog Hop

Now, if you're new to a "Blog Hop", here is what you do: post your link just like any other linky party where it says "Click here to enter", THEN, click on "Get the code here" and paste that code at the bottom of your actual blog post.

Then:

Once you do, the list of participants will be posted on your blog too, and then all of the hoppers can easily hop around from one blog to the other without having to come back here to see the other participants. Great, right?! Questions? Just ask!
Tomorrow

Tomorrow is when we fling open our doors, and invite the rest of the bloggosphere in for a visit! So if you haven't already, get busy taking your holiday decor pictures, and remember to come back and link up tomorrow too.
Holly Jolly Prizes
For each day you participate, your name will be entered into a drawing for one of our Holly Jolly door prizes! Here's the Windy Poplars loot that will find its way to one lucky hopper:

A gray and black plaid scarf, gourmet hot cocoas, a fabric flower pin, a snowflake York, and a pair of earrings, to be custom-made for the winner!

Amber and Natalie are also giving away prizes, so go check out their blogs to see they have up for grabs.

Holly Jolly Blog Hop Day 1-Open House Recipes

2010-12-09T06:59:00.002-05:00

This is one of my all-time favorite finger foods-for-a-crowd. Everybody loves them, and they come together quickly and easily, yet look impressive! It's originally a Pampered Chef recipe.

Cheesy Spinach Pinwheels

1 can (8 ounces) Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls (I use reduced fat)
1/3 cup gourmet spreadable cheese with garlic and herbs (I use reduced fat cream cheese and sprinkle in some garlic powder, oregano, and dill)
4 slices (1 ounce each) thinly sliced deli ham
1/2 cup packed spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 375°F. Separate dough into four rectangles on a cutting board. Press seams to seal.

Using a small spreader, spread each rectangle with about 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese to within 1/4 inch of edges. Top with 1 slice ham and spinach leaves.

Starting at short side, roll up each rectangle; pinch edges to seal. Cut each roll crosswise into six slices using a serrated knife for a total of 24 slices. Place slices, cut side down, on Large Round Stone. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven to cooling rack. Serve warm.
Yield: 24 pinwheels

Alsoooo.....

This is a bonus "non" recipe: one of the very easiest things you can do for a party snack is take a block of cream cheese and put it on a pretty serving plate (not spread out, just leave it as a block). Then pour a jar of red pepper jelly over top. Serve it with wheat thins, and enjoy! This always seems to be a crowd pleaser too, and seriously, couldn't be easier. Because it's red, is so festive looking for Christmastime too!

Vacation Awards Part 2

2010-12-08T07:00:00.001-05:00

We're back Ladies and Gentlemen, and ready to dive right in to Part 2 of our Vacation Awards Show.

Let's start with The Best Condo Award, shall we?

This award goes to: The Suites at Eastern Slopes Inn

Our home away from home for the week was comfortable, and had every amenity we could desire. A nice kitchen, a fireplace, a small balcony, and a large, clean bathroom. Quite nice.

Next award: The Kristin's Favorite Covered Bridge Award

This one goes to: The Bridge in North Conway Village

Such a cute place, with such a cute bridge.

Now onto The Most Dramatic Evening Scenery Award

Here is the winner:

Isn't this beautiful? Such an exquisite cloud formation! This was after a short bout of rain.

Best B&B Award?

The Yankee Clipper Inn

Rockport, MA

We stayed in the wonderful village of Rockport, MA on our way back to Boston. It's on Cape Ann, and everything about it was magical. The village, the houses, the views, the seafood. All divine!

The next award is: The Most Beautiful Waterfall Award
and the winner is:
Diana's Baths

Beautiful, easy place to hike to. Worth stepping off the beaten path for.

This next winner is still tingling on my tastebuds!

The Most Amazing Dessert Award goes to:

Flatbread

and their clay oven fire baked gingerbread with pumpkin ice cream and homemade cinnamon whipped cream. Ugh. I think I just gained 5 lbs. typing that ;-)

There was a tie for this next award:
The Most Vibrant Foliage
and the winners are...
The Sugar Maples,

and the Barberries. Congratulations!

You truly needed sunglasses to look at both!

Well, that concludes our Vacation Awards for New Hampshire 2010. Thanks so much for joining us! I'll leave you with just a few more of my favorite pictures:

Spa Day...at Home

2010-12-07T07:00:00.002-05:00

My youngest sister is interested in studying massage therapy. Nice. The other day she was looking for some guinea pigs, and I volunteered :-). Double Nice. She said she wanted to try out a new idea of hers (an in-home spa day), and I was thrilled to put it on my calender. My date was set for Sunday, and when I arrived home from church, I found an outfit picked out and waiting for me on my bed (a yoga-style top and capris), and a bath being drawn. She brought me my "spa lunch" and told me to go enjoy a good soak in the tub. The lunch (in case you were interested), was a half a cucumber sandwich, a small bowl of smoked sweet almonds, and mint iced tea. It was divine!

So off to soak I went, ate my lunch in the tub (one of my favorite luxuries btw-you should try it if you never have before), and afterward made my way to the den, where I received a hand/foot massage. Then she had a 20 minute yoga session, complete with aromatherapy, all ready to go in the DVD player. It was a very relaxing, all-floor-work session, and was VERY therapeutic. Once the session was over, she had a chair set up in my guest room for a neck and shoulder massage. By this time I was about to fall asleep in bliss! After the massage, she brought in a tray with cheese, crackers, grapes, and cucumber water - along with a magazine, and told me to just enjoy relaxing on the bed and munching and reading as long as I wanted while she cleaned everything up.-

Can you imagine a more wonderful day of relaxation? I know. Me neither. The whole experience was 2 blissful hours long.-

But wait! There's more! Are you local? Amy is available to make all your de-stressing dreams come true! She will be offering, the week after Christmas, one hour sessions at her home to help you de-stress from the holidays.Your session will include: light spa refreshments, a 30 minute stress point massage (head, neck, shoulders, hands, and feet), and 30 minutes of calming time in a relaxing atmosphere (those of you with young children will find this especially luxurious!). You can use your post-massage calming time to enjoy a nap, read a magazine, or bring a favorite novel you've been wanting to dive into while the healing effects of the massage soak into your body.

These one hour session are being offered for a special holiday price of only $15!

Ask your hubby/boyfriend/parents/kids to book a session for you. Wouldn't it make a fabulous Christmas gift?!

If you'd like Amy's contact info, please e-mail me at: windy-poplars@juno.com, or just leave a comment, and I'll put you in touch with her!

via google images

Birthdays, Blessings, and Blog Hops!

2010-12-06T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hello dears!

I hope you've all had a lovely weekend.- Mine was very nice. It started with my Birthday Soiree on Friday night. Despite getting off to a bit of a rocky start (the key for the church was missing when I got there, and it took me 20 minutes to find somebody to come rescue us and let us in the building!) Finally inside, we were almost (but not quite) ready for our guests once they started arriving! The dance lesson (first hour) was fun. I think everybody enjoyed it. There were some first-time-ever dancers there which I always love...introducing people to the wonderful world of dance.-

My cakes came out so-so. I was fully planning on making them the "regular" way, but I just couldn't make myself! Old habits die hard, and I'm such a healthy baker ordinarily, I just couldn't make myself put 2 sticks of butter and 2 1/2 cups of sugar in a cake. Try as I might...in popped the healthier substitutions! So the Red Velvet Cake was the worst. Totally tasted like a "health cake". Not very pleased with the result. I liked the Peppermint Cheesecake pretty well though. You could tell by the texture that it was lowfat, but the taste I thought was quite good. The Pineapple Pecan Cake came out as usual. I make it a lot, and it is a very moist, but not so very sweet cake. I love it. My poor mom had to try to drizzle the icing on it at the last moment without a spatula!

Everybody dressed up in their formals (or whatever they had that was best) which was so fun! The only downside was that I discovered that the "hostess" doesn't really get to do much dancing. :-( Still kinda bummed about that! Some people had to leave early, and then of course it's polite to talk with them, then someone else comes over to take their leave, then you had to mind the sound system, etc. etc. Oh well. Lesson learned.

Saturday- Jesse and I enjoyed going to the Tea Tavern for lunch:

...then to pick out our Christmas tree:

After we got that home and set up, it was off to the theatre to see the new Harry Potter:

Was that will power or what (waiting 'til my birthday to see it)?! I really liked it, but of course, as a book purist, was disappointed with what they did with some of the situations. I always feel that way the first time I see a movie that was first a book though. They after a few viewings, I can start to appreciate it as an entity unto itself.- Oh, and did I mention my biggest birthday blessing of all?????

IT SNOWED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was thrilled! Made the day so magical to be out in. Thanks for the birthday blessing God!

Now, as I mentioned on Friday: Amber, Natalie, and I are excited to present the:

to you this Thursday and Friday (December 9th and 10th). Be getting your very best holiday entertaining recipes together to share on Thursday, and start taking pictures of your holiday home decor for the grand open house on Friday! There will be 3 doorprizes up for grabs, and how do you enter? Simply by participating in the hop! Mark your calenders and start telling your friends! If you'd like to display the button on your blogs to help get the word out (huge thanks in advance if you do!) here's the grab box:

Wow, was that the longest post ever, or what?!!! What were you up to this weekend?
Holiday Hugs, ~Kristin

Holiday Miscellany

2010-12-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hello Friends!
Bear with me today as I try to capture my scattered brain into a post:

1. Today is my birthday eve!!!! Woohoo! I love birthdays, and tonight I'm holding a Christmas Soiree (wish you all could come) to celebrate - hence the scattered brain...

2. This is what my guest room currently looks like (and actually this is an improvement)!

Another reason for the scattered brain! I need to finish my decorating and send the boxes back up to the attic soon. Usually I have a deadline (our Annual Open House), but this year I don't, so I'm just beating around the bush...and beating...and beating...

3. We did have a lovely Thanksgiving time at the lodge. Thank you to all who asked! Here we are around the table for the main feast:

And here are some of the table decorations:

We went for a couple of nice walks-the weather was gorgeous!

We also love to play games as a family, so here are a couple of the tamer ones we did this year. This one involved cotton balls, vaseline, and your noses:

And here I am finishing my 10 story tower out of index cards:

Good times. Good times. If you'd like to see Chester's re-cap of the holiday, click HERE.

4. Confession: I ordered my Christmas cards this week, and I didn't go with the design that you dear readers chose for me (gasp)! I'm so sorry! I had every intention to, and we were supposed to get a lovely family picture at the lodge, but lo and behold, we totally forgot. Time was ticking, and I didn't have a single picture with us and the pooches all together and looking decent, so I just had to go with pictures we already had. Separate pictures. Hence the reason I couldn't use the design you all chose. BUT, I did go with the design that came in second place b/c you could use 3 pics with it. Can't wait until they come in!

5. I'm super excited to announce that along with Natalie and Amber, I'm hosting The Holly Jolly Blog Hop next Thursday and Friday. It's going to be our virtual "Open House" for the holidays. We want you to come visit our homes for the holidays, and we want to visit yours! On Thursday the 9th we'll all be sharing our favorite Holiday Open House recipes and entertaining ideas. Then Friday, fling open the doors and show us your homes all decorated for the season! PLUS, there will also be doorprizes! You won't want to miss it! So mark your calenders and plan to join us next Thursday and Friday for some Holly Jolly fun! More details to follow on Monday, along with a button for you to display. Tell your friends and invite them along too!

6. Hope everyone has a great weekend! I'll be busy dancing, relaxing, being waited on, eating cake, and having fun! Hey, a birthday only comes around once a year after all. :-) I'll be sure and give you a full report of the festivities!

The Music of the Holidays

2010-12-02T07:00:00.001-05:00

Joining in on Aly and Molly's fun 12 (14) Day celebration! I just LOVE holiday music, and that happens to be their topic of the day. So here's my play list du jour:

It Must Have Been the Mistletoe

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

The Christmas Song

The Nutcracker Suite

O Holy Night

Christmas at Our House

White Christmas

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Of the Father's Love Begotten

Silver Bells

I'll Be Home for Christmas

Soooo...what are your all time favs? I want to know :-) And fess up: when do you REALLY start listening to Christmas music every year???

*Note: for you pianists out there, the book above is my very favorite Christmas songbook in my repertoire. It's a classic!

Joy to the World, Christmastime is Here Again!

2010-12-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Is anybody else super excited???!!! Let the merriment begin! I wanted to take just a moment today to remind you (and myself) about the PEACE that can be found in this season. Seems like that's the first thing to go, and the hardest thing to find amidst the hustle and bustle of this time of year. Sad. It's so hard to say no to all the fun opportunities out there: concerts, revues, ballets, recitals, parties...isn't it? I want to do it all. But somehow in that, I really miss the opportunity to savor the season. To appreciate and really mull over the delights that it brings. Opportunities become chores, and giving becomes stress. That simply should not be my friends! We all know that our focus should be on The Gift this season: the Savior who came to deliver us. But what else will we choose to allow to become the focus of our December? What is truly most important to us: Family? Friends? Entertaining? Entertainment? Travel? The study of Advent? Participating in church activities? Gift Giving? Helping the less fortunate? Tradition Keeping? Memory Making? Does your calender reflect your answers? Does your checkbook reflect your answers? All these things are good, and even possible, but I don't think during this season that we can necessarily "have our cake and eat it too". If you try to cram all these things into your holiday schedule, you'll probably only end up achieving them. Not really experiencing them. Is that what we want? Holiday mediocrity and exhaustion? No thanks. I want peace.
This week I've committed to chat things over with my husband and come to a joint conclusion about what we want our holidays to be governed by. A motto, if you will. Then, as we choose what to add to our calenders (or not) we can see if they stack up to our motto. I want to release myself from the feeling of guilt over not doing it all. If I don't get my Christmas cards out until December 24th, that's ok! Of course I try to plan and prepare ahead, but when things don't go as planned, life will go on. If I don't get to hand make all the gifts I'd like to give to neighbors and friends, life will go on. Maybe this year I'll choose a reverent acapella choir concert instead of a showing of "The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever". Peace. Maybe I'll only put out half of my Christmas decorations and focus instead on natural greenery and twinkling white lights. Peace. Maybe I'll invite one or two friends over to share a cup of wassail and a plate of fruit and cheese instead of hosting our usual Open House. Peace. Maybe we'll spend Christmas at a little cabin in the woods. Just us. Just maybe...
Most of all though, I really don't want to get to January 1st and think: "Whew! What just happened?" I want to experience this month and all that it holds. I want to leave all the chaos for the people in line at the mall, and squeeze every ounce of peace that I possibly can out of the season. After all, isn't that what the Christ child came to bring us?

Hello World! It's Me!

2010-11-30T00:38:00.002-05:00

Dear Faithful Readers,
     Well, I certainly didn't intend to take that long of a break from blogland! Trying hard to get back on some semblance of a schedule post-my Thanksgiving food coma. I hope all of your celebrations were good ones.- I'll be back at it around here soon dears. As you can see, I spent today redecorating for your holiday viewing happiness. Hope ya like it!
     In case you've ever wondered, I've made all my own blog backgrounds/designs that you've ever seen here on Windy Poplars using my own pictures and/or this wonderful software by Stampin' Up! called "My Digital Studio". You can do all kinds of fabulous things with it: make scrapbooks (print them yourself, or have SU! professionally print and bind them for you), calenders, greeting cards, portraits, or like I do: blog backgrounds, buttons, dividers, and headers!
     The reason I'm sharing this today is that Stampin' Up! is having a HUGE sale on their MDS Software...as in 50% OFF huge!!!! I've never seen a sale like this before! You can order your very own software for only $39.98...and it is ssoooooo worth every penny! Sorry I waited until the 11th hour to let you in on it, but the sale ends TODAY (Tuesday the 30th). BUT, if you'd like to go ahead and order it, and have it shipped right to your door for a "Merry-Christmas-to-me" present, all you have to do is click HERE. Easy peasy. If you have any questions about it please ask, and I'll do my best to find the answer for ya. I've had lots of fun tinkering around with it! This is a really simple example of a background made with it. The possibilities are endless...and the best part? Your blog can be unique and different from everybody else's with very little effort on your part! They also make free updates for it available as they roll out, and there are loads of new add ons you can pay for and download every season! Don't miss out on this incredible offer!

P.S. If you happen to be a stamper/scrapbooker/paper crafter, also check out their Clearance Rack while you're at it. There are loads of great deals to be had there too!

Thanksgiving Break

2010-11-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hello Dear Ones!
     I'm so glad you enjoyed the Christmas gift ideas from yesterday. Have fun making them (and be sure to post about them if you do)!
     Today is crammed full of cooking, cleaning, making a list, checking it twice, and making sure everything is ready for liftoff (i.e. Thanksgiving)! I certainly don't have time for a decent blog post, and I didn't have my pre-blogging act together either obviously! Hoping you have a wonderful holiday with your family and friends. I look forward to telling you all about ours after we've come up for air on the other end!

Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

2010-11-23T01:30:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the entrance and exit...my camera guy was at work!
Oh, and uh, any guesses on how many times I used the word "cute"???! ;-)

Miscellany Monday

2010-11-22T07:00:00.001-05:00

Holiday Prep Edition!

Hello Dear Ones,

As you may have noticed, I've been trying to keep my holiday prep "ticker" updated at the top of my blog so you can see what I've been doing to get ready for the holidays EARLY, and hopefully you will be inspired to join me :-).

ONE- Sweet Potato Pudding:

I love Sweet Potato Pudding. It's probably the one thing my family wouldn't let me through the door without on a holiday ;-). My recipe is from a sweet southern Alabama lady, and is it ever delicious! In the effort to plan ahead, this is one of the easiest things I do! Just throw all the ingredients in a freezer bag:

Mush:

...and when it's all combined, just throw it in the freezer.

Thaw 24 hours in the fridge before you want to eat it, then all you have to do is pour it in the crockpot, switch it on, and put your feet up while everybody else slaves away in the kitchen :-)

TWO- Makin' a List and Checkin' it Twice...

How's your Christmas shopping going? If you've still got some to do, why not spend an hour online today, and try to cross off some of the names on your list. The more you have done BEFORE Thanksgiving, the better you'll feel! I've just got two gifts left - for my little nephews. I'm having a hard time because they're flying in to be with us for Christmas, and I don't want to get anything boring (like clothes), or big (that would take up luggage room on their return trip). Got any small/packable gift ideas for young boys (between 5 and 8) for me?

THREE- Handmade is Best!

I've also been busy making little gifts for people. If you're interested in some handmade gift ideas (like the one above), come back here to Windy Poplars tomorrow and I'll have a video up for ya with all kinds of cute little things you can make!

FOUR- Take Some Time to Plan

A week or two ago, my sisters, mom, and I got together for a Tea and Planning Party. We discussed some ideas of what we might like to do over the holidays, and got some things down on our calenders. Do this early with both sides of your family, and you'll never feel like your own personal time is being encroached upon as the season progresses. Hopefully we'll finish all our planning for Christmas while we're together for Thanksgiving.

Hope you're all having a great Monday! I'd love to hear what you're doing to get ready for the holidays! Don't forget to vote in our Christmas card poll on the right hand sidebar!

The Pick of the Patch

2010-11-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Day Off

2010-11-18T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hello Dear Readers,

Well, after getting off to a good start on Monday, Fashion Week seems to have come to a grinding halt. Please understand as we take the day off today to convalesce. We're all feeling a little under the weather here (except Chester, he's holding down the fort), and just need a break from blogging today. Say a little prayer for my back -which I think I pulled while moving furniture yesterday- and Caroline -who just got spayed- if you think of us.
Thanks for stopping by~

Fashion Week Day 3

2010-11-17T07:14:00.001-05:00

Staying Home for a Cozy Night by the Fire

I don't know about you girls, but I'm all about the coz. (as in a shortened version of cozy). I love dressing up, I love wearing jeans, but the minute I'm in the door, I must put on "house clothes" to be comfortable. It's kinda silly really! My house clothes consist of velvet track suits, fleece pants, and comfy tops. Here's an example:

Sweater: Macy's

Blue Tee: Steve & Barry's

Fleece Pants: Target

What do you wear for a cozy night in? PJs, sweatsuits, yoga clothes? Can't wait to see! Snap a pic and link up below! If you've missed out on the previous two days of fashion week, the links are still open, so it's never too late to join in the fun!

**As an aside, because some of you said you wanted to hear some tips/reminders about getting ready for the holidays early, I've decided to start posting what I'm doing for holiday prep that day on my scrolling marquee. Hopefully it will inspire you! I'd love to hear what you're doing now for holiday prep as well...

Fashion Week Day 2

2010-11-16T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hello Peaches!
It's time for:

Meeting a Girlfriend for Coffee Day!

So, what would you wear? Here's one of my current favorite ensembles. Featuring my colors du jour (or colors du saison I should say): peacock -which, incidentally, sounds infinitely more exotic than teal, no?- and peach.

The Menu:

Jewelry: Peach Potato Pearl Necklace and Peach Button Pearl Earrings from Shangby

Watercolor Tank: NY and Company

Corduroy Jacket: TJ Maxx

Jeans: Target (Mossimo-love that line)

Shoes: Catos

Don't know if you can see it in the pictures, but I LOVE these shoes and wear them all the time. I know it's not shoe day yet, but don't worry, I have plenty of shoes left for Friday ;-). These are just such a strange juxtapose: faux brown alligator penny loafers with a kitten heel. Some hybrid/mutant, huh?! But I {heart} them.

Can't to see what your girls like to wear to the coffee shop! SO much fun checking out your work outfits yesterday!!!

If you're just joining us for Fashion Week, you can see the whole game plan HERE, and it's never too late to link up the outfits you may have missed. HERE is the Work Day link.

Fashion Week Day 1

2010-11-15T07:00:00.001-05:00

Thanks for joining me for the first day of Fashion Week! Today is:

What You Wear to Work

Day

I look forward to seeing what each of you head out the door in for your 9-5! Feel free to add some fashion tips to your post if you like, and also if you remember where you purchased the different pieces of your outfit, feel free to post that too (just in case you inspire some readers and they'd like to copy your look!). Link up below to join the par-tay: