Happy New Year's!

Ready For Christmas

Packages have been mailed and have arrived at their destinations!

Gifts are wrapped and under the tree.  

This is what you get when a guy buys xmas wrapping paper, Santa Jaws!

My cards this year.  Yes, they are glittered!

My favorite card received is from my Aunt Ethel in Florida.  Yes, lots of glitter!

A few small bear items for my friend Goli in California who calls her chows "bears".

These memo "tabbies" and puppies were so cute I had to stuff these into some envelopes for friends.

Each year I pick one unsuspecting person to send a surprise gift to, and this year it was Dione in Columbia, SC, who goes out of her way to transport my seniors up north.

She was so touched she wrote me a long letter and posted it on facebook, and also posted my card.  It made me feel good that she was so happy to receive this afghan.

I made a quick stop by the antique mall to get a candle that smells like a Christmas tree and this booth caught my eye.  

It was meant to be!  Here was this vintage felt stocking with the name Toni on top and dog houses and bones.  It must have been a dog's stocking, but I was on the way to mail my card to Toni of Heart Rescue that I work with, so I had to buy it for her!

I didn't make any chow garlands this year, but Cathy sent me a photo of where she put hers this year.

Two of four chocolate rolls have been baked.  The other two will be for New Year's Eve parties.

And lucky me!  I received a surprise gift from George & Patti, $25 to my local coffee shop, and I don't have to share with Bob as they sent him a card, too!

Lights are up on the farmhouse.

Mantle is traditional this year.

My giant bottle brush tree!

First time ever using green lights.

Stopped in a thrift shop next to the grocery store and found this vintage crochet lace? with tinsel, and I'm in love!!

Not parting with this, and will find a special place for this next Christmas.

Already thinking about my tree for next year.  I saw this Nordic tree in its dark, moody black and silver and knew that this was the way I would decorate a cedar that will come from my pasture next year.  Thinking night sky with maybe frosty blues and silver with black.

SOOO . . . as you can see on the left, I have already received black angel hair tinsel from Germany for next year's tree!!  I am excited!!

Rescue does not stop during the holidays.  Zsa Zsa, now Misty, came to me from Arkansas last weekend and went to her foster in NC.  The transport girls spent the night at the boathouse, and tomorrow I will be driving to Tennessee to get Jill.

I have a fundraiser going for five chows abandoned in a yard for almost a year in Arkansas.  Raising money this time of year is not easy.  So far I have $390 of the $2000 I am trying to raise.

Even though I swore I would never cross the SC/GA state line, I wanted to go see my friend Meryem before she moves from Atlanta to DC, but just could not find a day to drive down there.  She wanted me to meet Mishka (Meryem is from Turkey) her new chow pup.  After watching the White House Christmas, plans are to meet at the White House next year for a tour. Mishka will be a big girl by then!

Only three days until Christmas!