Peace, Comfort & Joy

Sometimes, this is all I need. Sometimes, this is all I want!

No comments today, thanks for understanding.

The Garden Railway

This was the most amazing train display I have ever seen.

 

Eight Hundred feet of track, displayed in Washington, D.C.
at the Botanic Garden

 

 

 

 

 

The United States Botanic Garden is one of the oldest
botanic garden in North America.
The garden has been recognized as one of the
country's premier botanical institutions.

Do you see the "man", laying with the apple??
I would have missed it, Chuck pointed it out to me

 

 

I would like to dedicate this entry to my dear friend Ruth
at Ruth's Photo Blog, who I admire immensely.
 Her beloved Jake was a train enthusiast.
I think he would have enjoyed this entry!!
 

Let's Head Back to Washington

What a treat this place was!

The United States Botanic Garden

On display,
miniature replicas of all the historic buildings in Washington D.C.
 

The Capital

Took more than 600 hours to complete
 

Lincoln Memorial
 

Jefferson Memorial
 

Smithsonian Institute

The Castle
 

The Washington Monument

Library of Congress
Thomas Jefferson Building

US Supreme Court

The frames are constructed of acrylic-based foam.
Casting resin is poured into the window cutouts,
wall surfaces are finished with sand based grout and distinctive
architectural details are fashioned from dried plant materials.
More then 70 different plant materials are used.

 

The most common plant material used in the models,

Pine Cones Scales, Willow, Screw Pods,

Grapevine Tendrils, Acorns and Acorn Caps

Be sure and stop back tomorrow,
I am going to show you their amazing train display!

We "Heart" Panera Bread

Breakfast with Chuck turned a Bears Claw Danish

into a Heart!

 

And just in case you were wondering,

 

This is a Bear Claw...before!!

 

Sharing today with Clytie at Random Hearts

Please stop by to see all the interesting hearts people share!

 

Merry Christmas!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!!

 

We have had a few action packed days and some wonderful time

with family and friends!!

Poor Birdies

All of my bird feeders are empty and I am sure my birds are
feeling completely neglected.

I have not photographed them in days!

 

I do however have all my shopping & wrapping done.

My Christmas cards are mailed and

my family and friends are already enjoying them.

 

Right now, I am spending time in the kitchen,
baking and preparing for Christmas.

Yesterday I made my mothers Butter Cookies

 

 Cream 1 cup of butter with 1 cup of sugar
Add 1 unbeaten egg, 1/4 teaspoon salt
and 2 teaspoons of vanilla
Blend in 2 & 2/3 cups of flour
 

 Once your dough is prepared,
you can either roll the chilled dough on a floured surface
or use a cookie press.
I prefer the later.

That's it, easy peasy...
 

  

I love when the cookie jar is full.
 

 Today I made Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
these are even easier.

These will get a drizzle of glaze tomorrow.
For those that are interested, the recipe can be found here.

More baking and dip making tomorrow,
I sure do hope my "birds" surivive!

 

The National Christmas Tree

Here's a look at the Christmas Tree on the Potomac River at
The National Harbor, in Washington D.C.

 

Are you getting tired of seeing this same old pose from us?

Truth be told, we are getting tired of it also.

 

So we tried this...

I don't love it as I realized that Chuck and I don't "fit" together

quite like we used to!

 

Then we tried this but our hands were kinda weird.

 

Here's a close up of the tree and, well, this pose just kinda works for us.

Here's what the tree looks like, without us blocking it!

 

This is part of the Awakening Sculpture

Here is Chuck, copying my pose!

More posing...

more copying!!

We had dinner here at Fiorella's.
It's a cute little Italian place, and the pizza was amazing!

Here's a peak of the tree at night, gorgeous right?
I wouldn't mind having this baby on my front lawn!

 

The Special Spoons

When I was a young girl, I loved to get mail.

It didn't matter what I received, any kind of package or letter would do.

Receiving mail evoked a feeling of pure joy for me.

I always referred to the mail I received as " happy mail"!

I always wanted to go outside and "get" the mail and as I headed to the mailbox,

I always hoped there would be something inside for me.

There rarely was!

When I was 8 or 9 I saw an advertisement in the Sunday Paper, to purchase spoons, 

Oneida tableware, fifty cents per spoon.

I guess the theory was, pick a pattern, receive one spoon and if you liked the pattern,

 you would buy the whole set.

 

So you guessed it, I starting saving my quarters and buying spoons.

I didn't need spoons, but I wanted to receive mail. 

 

All these years later, I still have a few of those spoons.

Holding one of these spoons brings me back to my childhood, 

and the need I had then to bring joy in to my life!

 

Not much has changed since I was 9, I still love to receive mail.

 I get a lot of mail now but I rarely get any "happy mail"! 

Last week as the hubs carried in the mail, he yelled out "you have happy mail"!

 

As I looked at the return address, I felt like I was 9 again.

I have not felt that feeling in a long time and it felt awesome!

 

Let's take a Peak...

in to the Peeps Store!!

You got it kids...a place for all things Peeps.

 

I will confess that I am not a lover of peeps...

although they are amazing floating in a cup of hot chocolate.

 

Even if you don't enjoy them, you will love this fun, colorful,

store for sure!

 

You see the big guy as you walk in the door!!

He changes color, but was sporting this bright purple as I walked in.

 

Christmas Peeps

Imagination runs wild in this place,

if you can dream it, it can be a Peep.

These soft pastel chicks were my favorites,

but these were soft and adorable also.
You know, if you had a little one (wink)!!

  

Gaylord National Christmas on the Potomac

I can't think of a better way to embrace the Christmas spirit!
We are home now but we had a blast in Washington, D.C.

We stayed at the Gaylord National Resort,

 

I was greeted by this "purple" tree,
I think someone told them I was coming!

The hotel lobby was gorgeous, Christmas Trees, Wreaths
and beautiful holiday decorations were everywhere.

A view of the Atrium from the balcony of our room,
with a peak at the Christmas Tree of Light.

The Northern Lights
50, 150 foot tall curtains of light that hang from the ceiling.

Nightly Indoor Fountain Shows,

and indoor snow, twice nightly!

I absolutely love this place!
ICE!! is the best part of this trip but I have lot's more to show you tomorrow.

Perhaps I will take you to the Peeps Store!