Favorite Finds #44

Here we are at the last Friday of the year. The last of the Favorite Finds that I'll be sharing with you in 2013. Who knows what delights I'll be sharing in 2014?! So then, take a look through some of these pages if you like. They're just a few things I happened to enjoy myself.

To start out the list... a couple more reading challenges I plan to take on...


Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge
{Reading to Know}

I'm excited to again partake in Carrie's January challenge! I plan to read the book I won from her blog last year (yay!), Akin to Anne, and also join her in reading The Blue Castle (which I downloaded online for free). Come join us if you're interested in reading any of LMM's writings for this next month!

Read Scotland 2014
{Peggy Ann's Post}

When I was invited to take part in a Scottish reading challenge, I couldn't resist! I'm joining at the "The Highlander" level, hoping to read 8 books by Scottish authors this year, including: The Sign of Four and The Hound of Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Duncan's War by Douglas Bond, The Golden Key and The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald, The Young Fur Traders by R. M. Ballantyne, The Far Side of the Loch by Melissa Wiley, & The Keys of the Kingdom by A. J. Cronin. A good selection of literature by Scots, if I do say so myself.

I Scarce Can Take It In
{Inspiring Daring}

In Rachelle's words: "....Christmas isn't over, you know. The day has dawned and gone, but that Baby, that Man, that Savior, He lives. And He loves...."

5 Things Photography Has Taught Me about Creativity
{HOW Design}

My sentiments exactly! Photography has opened my brain into other angles of creative thinking that I wouldn't have achieved otherwise.

A few photographs of a festive hedgehog
{Sword of Ink}

Hedgehogs are just soo cute. But this one takes the cake!

Favorite Finds #30

Hello, my readers!

With today being Friday, I have some of Favorite Finds to share with you. The articles & posts below are all something I enjoyed reading this past week.
Any of you have some favorite things you've read recently?


The Author's Giveaway

{Before By Penn Has Gleaned}

Patricia MacLachlan to Write
Boxcar Children Prequel

{The Joy of Children's Literature}

Valentines Book Page Flower Tutorial

{Yellow Blackbird}

The first 100 days of 2012

{A Bowl of Moss and Pebbles}

Getting to know the Alcotts
through neighbors and friends

{Louisa May Alcott is My Passion}

Journey Of A Writer: Starting off

{Literary Pursuits}

New slate, anyone?

{Simply Vintagegirl}

52 Weeks | 52 Verses



Dog refuses to leave owner’s grave.

{Ramani's blog}

So You Think You Want to Write Fiction

{Crosswalk}

A Tale from the Snowstorm

One of the my favorite things about the startling blizzard that recently passed though our area was...

...this pair of mourning doves.



They sat together, right outside of our living room front window.
(the perfect place for me to stay cozy inside and take pictures
of the outdoor action)


We first noticed the pair sitting outside the window before 9 o'clock that morning.


The doves continued to stay as the thick snow landed on their backs.
Occasionally they would shake cold, white fluffiness off their necks.


This one particular birdie did not seem to mind that is was quite literally
being buried in the snow.
I felt sorry for it, since it must have been so cold.


The snow kept piling up... and covering this poor dove.
The second bird moved about a bit more.


For at least 5 hours, these birdies endured the cold, wet snow
building up around them. I returned to the window at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, to check on them again.


The two mourning doves had left...
leaving an empty spot in the fresh snow
and a sad place in my heart.

Favorite Finds #21

Free Online Sewing Class (starts February 16th at 3pm CST) - Yellow Tennessee

Six Angles "Life, from six unique perspectives." - (1 new photo, 6 days a week, from 6 different photographers)

Pet Poetry Contest (deadline is February 14 at 5pm EST) - for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students
Have any younger siblings that would like to enter?

Helping Your Child Find Wonder in Mathematics - Looking Out My Backdoor

Apothecary Label Hand Towels: Free Digital Downloads - Just Something I Made



Also doing some Favorite Finds this week is.... Elisabeth. You'll want to check out her links too!

Sharing Our Bookshelves {February 2011} - Also, anytime this month, you can still link up your blog posts here for "Sharing Our Bookshelves". Any of your book-related posts are welcome.

Favorite Finds #20

Below are links to my favorite finds of the last week.


Quiet winter days ~ from "A Bowl of Moss & Pebbles"
Breezy's thoughts upon the snow, including her delightful illustrations.

Treasures of Darkness ~ from "Rose's Daring Adventure"
Lovely poetic thoughts from Rachelle.

Creamy Strawberry Dessert ~ from "Marie-Madeline Studio"
Oh so scrumptious! I want to taste some.

i have a pet tiger. ~ from "IrishGirl"
Cute kitties do look like tigers, don't they?

Stretching The Imagination ~ from "Christ is Write"
Warm-up writing exercises and such.

in a red sorta mood ~ from "Ooooooh la la!"
Some splendidly red objects to gaze upon.

Why I Write ~ from "Rose's Daring Adventure"
Another post about writing which I was completely absorbed in.


Also, Elisabeth and Hannah Grace have each recently posted some of their Favorite Finds, so be sure to check out their links too!


Did you find any wonderful blog posts to read?

My dog, Terra

Maggie {from Bliss} is hosting another Photo Challenge...the theme this time is...PETS!

So, I thought I would share a picture of my dog... (some of you may have seen her before).
She is a Westie, and her name is Terra.

{click on picture to enlarge}

> > read more about the contest by clicking here
(it ends on Friday, so get your pictures posted soon, if you'd like to enter!)

Favorite Finds #3

The following are my favorite finds for this week, that I have enjoyed reading from other people's blogs. Hope you will like reading these articles too!

Three Top Tips for Blogging

Meet Gracie the Monarch Butterfly

Download free audio for Anne of Green Gables

Éclair Cake Recipe (yum!)

Getting to Know Your Sewing Machine


There's a Sewing 101 blog series that is going on right now (until the 16th), and I look forward to seeing the new things posted each day. Here is what's been going on so far...

Day 1: Tools of the Trade

Day 2: Supply Must Haves

Day 3: Selecting Fabrics

Day 4: Using a Rotary Cutter

Day 5: Fixing Mistakes

Blessed with Bunnies

Bunnies. Aren't they cute little things?

My family has been blessed enough to be able to watch some cottontail rabbits grow up in our very own backyard. It started with this little one right here.



That first photo was actually taken a few weeks ago. Her name is Cottonberry. Below is a much more recent picture of her, nibbling on some bread -- see how much she's grown!!



Now to see some other members of the family....
Meet the big Momma rabbit:
(who runs away from me quite often)


Next, there's the twins. Here is tiny Thistle...


And this is her brother Basil, who is coming out of his hiding place to get his share of the bread.


In this photo you can see both Thistle & Basil again, along with another bunny, named Kent.


I have been enjoying this experience so much! It's amazing to watch them hop around our yard every day, feed them bread, and become their friend.


When Rabbit said, 'Honey or condensed milk with your bread?'
he was so excited that he said, 'Both,'
and then, so as not to seem greedy,
he added, 'But don't bother about the bread, please.'
- written by A. A. Milne