Hope You Have a Lovely Thanksgiving Weekend!

 

The turkey has been eaten,

the sweet potatoes consumed,

the potatoes, gravy and mac & cheese enjoyed,

and the napping is in session.

Pie and putting up the tree to follow tonight.

My thoughts,

while I clean up a bit,

are turning to Christmas.

Sunday is the first.

I'll be back writing about all things 

Kringling and Christmas

for the month of December.

I love my Jesus and my family.

My thoughts and my actions are devoted to both;

but, this time of year, I'm Kringling, too.

Come back Sunday to hear about Kringling.

Be blessed!

Laura 

You might enjoy:

Regarding Santa Claus

Lately in Photos

Happy Thanksgiving prepping!

Laura 

Strategize NOW for a Stress LESS Thanksgiving

 

Happy Thanksgiving Week!  Yes, it's really here!

Some of you us may be getting a little stressed at this point. Thanksgiving is but a couple of days away. Mmmm... I'm dreaming of sweet potato casserole with lots of pecans! Oh, pinch me and wake me up! Back to planning.

• First, take a deep breath. Now, go take your turkey out of the freezer. Put it in the refrigerator to thaw slowly and safely.  Are you still reading? Stop it! Go get that turkey in the fridge and meet me back here in five minutes. ~smile~ 

• Get yourself a delicious drink, light a candle, and put on some relaxing music.  Pandora has some great Christmas music.  I like the Jim Brickman and Bing Crosby Christmas stations. Spotify has some great music, too. They let you build your own play list. 

• Sit down with paper and pen right now and think think think.

We have a lot of control over how much tension we have in our own minds over holiday dinners. Planning is so very important. 

• Plan your meals for each day from now until the end of the holiday weekend. Try to use the food you have on hand as much as possible to save your money for special items you will need to celebrate. Plan for a few impromptu snacks as well.  Write this out for every meal. Then make a list of every item you will need. Example

• Now, ask yourself a few questions. Where will you be for Thanksgiving?  Will you be providing the meal?  Bringing something to a dinner?  Traveling?  Needing snacks for the car?  Candles?  Decorations?  Jot down any notes you might need.

• Make a cooking timeline. I had to follow a timeline when my children were little, and I did most of the cooking. Now that the kids and my hubby help me cook, it's not as critical as it once was, but I still have to know what to cook when!

When you're done with all of this, you should have a shopping list. 

First, shop your pantry and freezer. Check off what you already have. You should be left with a shopping list. Check it twice and add anything else you need.

Now, plan to go to the store as soon as possible. Take your list!

I know it's coming fast, but pray, breathe, and believe that you can get it all done peacefully. Remember—perfect is only in magazines and books. 

This is your real life. 

Live it well by enjoying the journey.

Happy Thanksgiving preparations,

Laura

Who will be following her own advice!

A Little Fireplace That Fills a Big Longing ~ Christmas Gift Idea

    My husband and I have been privileged to have a fireplace or woodstove in a few of our homes. Unfortunately, we do not have one now. We've really missed it. Purchasing and installing one will cost thousands. Bummer.

    When I found this little fire pit, I thought, why not? We enjoy candles. Maybe. Just maybe this will give us a hint of what we are missing.

    Boy howdy! It did!

    It cannot be simpler to use. A little rubbing alcohol is all we needed, and that was in the medicine cabinet. My husband poured a little in, and lit it. We were amazed and delighted with the effect. It lasted just about an hour. We enjoyed it immensely. The sturdiness of the pit calmed my nerves when the fire got big. I was confident that we wouldn't accidentally knock it over.   I'm sharing it with you; because, we are really enjoying it. 

    We had friends over for supper and made s'mores for dessert last weekend. We had so much fun!

     If you, too, long for a fire, but have no way to make it happen, this is a great alternative. 

    Let's make our Thanksgiving time, our Christmas time, and our winter time a bit cozier using whatever means the LORD brings to our minds and our abilities.

    Happy Novembering!

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Happy Christmassing!

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

Momma's Making Christmas

UPDATE:

This product has been recalled.

Start a Movement ~ A John Doe Movement

 

You can purchase or watch it on Prime here.

  I watched Meet John Doe tonight. It's an old Frank Capra movie starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwick. I watched it as a Christmas movie. What a surprise to find that it is so much more. Seventy years ago, people were feeling disconnected from others just as we are today. What began as a sensational story to save a job evolved into a movement. It was basically a Love Thy Neighbor movement. This is something that we are sorely in need of today in America and around the world. I highly recommend watching this movie. Then, go, love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Be blessed, 

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

I watched on YouTube

*affiliate link ~ I don't really care about this. If they give me anything for sharing it, it will be pennies.

The Most Important Video You Will Ever Watch

 

The Reverend Billy Graham was instrumental in my finding Jesus over thirty years ago.

♥

Billy Graham's Last Words

I pray that you will seek Jesus. He has changed my life completely. I have a peace that passes my understanding in spite of all that's going on around me. You can have that, too. 

Most importantly, I have a relationship with Jesus.

 It's not about being religious, it's about having someone to talk to about anything anytime who can actually do something about it. 

It's about having someone who loves us just because he created us, and he loves us right now just like we are. 

He's not waiting for us to be good enough. 

Jesus paid the price for our sins.

He loves us.

He loves you.

Please choose to say yes to Jesus.

I urge you to pray the prayer with Reverend Graham.

God bless you all. 

Please write to me in the comments or at laura@harvestlanecottage.com .

Laura

Thankful for Jesus

Time's Lost Treasures #1 ~ Of Gold and Shadows ~ Michelle Griep

 Michelle Griep's latest novel is a gem.

From the Publisher:

In 1888 Victorian England, Ami Dalton navigates a clandestine dual life. By day, she strives to establish herself as a respected Egyptologist, overcoming the gender biases that permeate academia. But with a heart for rescuing black-market artifacts, she is most often disguised as her alter ego, the Shadow Broker. After eight years in India, Oxford's most eligible bachelor, Edmund Price, has come out of the shadows to run for Parliament and is in search of an Egyptologist to value a newly acquired collection. Expecting a renowned Oxford professor, Edmund instead finds himself entangled with Ami, the professor's determined daughter. As they delve into the treasures, their connection deepens, but trouble emerges when a golden griffin--rumored to bear the curse of Amentuk--surfaces and they're left to wonder if the curse really is at play, or if something more nefarious is hiding among the shadows. . . . Award-winning author Michelle Griep weaves a tale of love, mystery, and intrigue set against the backdrop of the gaslit streets of Oxford, England.

My Thoughts:

It was so nice to read such a fresh, enthralling narrative. The setting, the plot, the intrigue—oh it was so captivating. Of course, a bookish spinster dedicated to study and Egyptian research was a perfect heroine. When set with against a handsome, wealthy man with unusual and unexpected problems of his own to face, Ms. Griep wrote a winning narrative that will keep readers up too late if read at night!

The research that was put into this novel gives it an air of authenticity even though we know it is fiction. Character development was good for Ami and Edmund, but also for another character or two. There were some good hints foreshadowing the plot development, but they were not conclusive. Everything in the book kept one guessing at the mysterious curse.

It was perfect for escaping to a quieter, if not calmer, era.  I'm happy to give this book five stars. I'll be watching for the second in the Time's Lost Treasures Saga.

It's a rainy day here. If I hadn't finished this book, I'd be spending time with it this afternoon!

Remember to take time for reading!

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

 

I use the Goodreads star system.

★               Did not like it

★★            It was okay

★★★         Liked it

★★★★      Really liked it

★★★★★   It was amazing

Find me online here:

@lauraofharvestlane on Instagram

Laura Lane on Goodreads 

2024 Finished Books 102 Goal 60

HarvestLaneLaura on Ravelry

Harvest Lane Cottage on Facebook

PayPal laura@harvestlanecottage.com

Address available by email

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”