Sunshine in January is a precious commodity! Indeed, I find myself chasing the light when it comes! Early in the morning on our walks, a few sunrises light up the mountains with gorgeous orange light. Sometimes, the skies glow purple as sunset rays dim the horizon. January's full Wolf moon rose bright and low on the horizon lighting up the darkness. So whenever I see the streaks of light begin to fill the morning or afternoon skies, I head outside - knowing this may be the one time that day that I get to watch the light fill the skies.
Early morning rays light up the distant mountain peaks over a neighbor's home.
The January Wolf moon rose low and slow with a light so bright that my camera struggled with it!
Early morning light breaks as we walk.
Sometimes peeks of sunshine and blue skies peep through in the early morning as the dogs and I walk.
When the fog hangs low over the frosted mountains, the layers add beautiful dimension to the landscape.
I'll be honest - during the month of January, we have seen precious little of the sun... as clouds and fog have been the mainstay of the weather forecast. So each peek of blue from the skies is a blessing!
The afternoon light warms the frosted trees on the mountain peak.
I took this picture through my office window, so the quality is not that great. But I've enjoyed watching the woodpeckers munching away on the suet I leave out for them.
I have two wonderful friends to make cards with once a month. One of them has a birthday this month, so we had a little party for her. This was one of the cards shared with her, made by my other friend. Isn't it cute! I think it is a great idea!
Each of us design a card, and bring supplies for the other two to make it. This was a darling birthday card!
This was the card I designed for our get-together.
The birthday girl designed this card. I love them all!
I received a cookbook in the mail this week!
They published a recipe I sent them, and were so kind to send me a complimentary copy of the cookbook! It really is chock-full of amazing recipes! I highly recommend Gooseberry Cookbooks, they really share amazing recipes from all around the country. I love the helpful hints on each page too!
My dear friend, Cheryl Smith is a powerful writer, sharing tidbits and stories from her life that show how the Lord has worked like scraps of fabric in a beautiful quilt, bringing so many different stories into one beautiful cohesive work showcasing how the Lord's grace works through every situation we face in our lives.
So, today I want to announce that I am doing a giveaway of this very special book! Cheryl Smith blogs at Homespun Devotions, and has written this devotional -Volume Two in her series! It is full of wonderful stories, insights, and devotional thoughts that will draw your heart closer to the Lord.
All you have to do is leave a comment on this post! The giveaway will be open until the end of the month, January 31, at which time I will draw a winner and post the winner's name. Please make sure that you leave an email address so that you can be notified if you win. AND! This giveaway is open worldwide, so it doesn't matter where you live, I will send the book to you!
If you don't win the book, you can find Cheryl's book here on Amazon. If you need encouragement for practical Christian living, I highly recommend this book for you to have in your own personal collection.
Hard to believe we are nearing the end of January. It has been a month of quiet and reflection for me. I've enjoyed the wintry days, and moments spent deep cleaning my home and going on long walks with the dogs. I know winter is difficult for so many, and for sure, snow and ice do make a lot more work for us. But, I always try to find beauty in whatever, wherever I'm at :) So for now, I will be seeking the light, both natural and spiritual, and all of you will continue to be in my prayers! Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered in the drawing :) Blessings to all!
I hope you will enjoy this video I recently made as a time of worship and reflection, and giving thanks to the Lord for all He has done, while enjoying some beautiful North Idaho scenery :)
Beautiful photos, as usual. The scenery sometimes makes me a little homesick, as I have lived in both Idaho and B.C. and the trees and mountains (and snow!!) are so familiar! These days I am back east (Canada), enjoying a different set of natural wonders. Love your blog. xx Jen
Hello! Thank you for leaving such a wonderful comment Jen! I grew up in eastern Canada, PEI to be specific. There is so much natural beauty in our world, but what a small world that we both have lived in Idaho and Canada! I don't have an email for you, so I hope you'll check back, or message me through the contact form your email, so I can enter you into the drawing. Blessings to you!
Recipes from those old cookbooks are alway yummy! Great job on your cards, they are awesome. AND...snow, wow, so pretty. Snow rarely falls in my part of the world, and when it does it melts fast.
Thank you for your visit Mary! Yes, we sure do get a lot of snow here, but we do need it here. Love making cards with my friends, always so much fun. Blessings to you!
What a pleasant sight that Woodpecker is outside your window. We have them here also, but they peck under the eaves of my house sometimes and even on the electrical post in front of my house, and I can hear them well. But they sure are pretty birds. The fog and mist covering the mountains is beautiful. This book sounds wonderful. Yes, I would love to participate in your giveaway, Marilyn. And thank you.
Wishing you blessed days into the month of February, my friend.
Thank you always for your sweet comments Sheri! I will enter you in the drawing :) Yes, we do have a bunch of different woodpeckers here. They are so fun to watch, but like you, I have had them try to peck on our house, which is not good! Blessings to you dear friend!
I will have to check out Homespun Devotions. I'm not familiar with her. I'd love to read her book. I try to read Oswald Chambers in the mornings & whatever devotion I have at the moment in the evening. So I'd love to add this one to my stack. I always pass them on when I finish with them.
Hello! I think you may be Brenda? I will definitely add you to the drawing. If you are not Brenda, please email me with your email address, as I want to be sure and enter you into the drawing. It is always so wonderful to have fresh, inspirational devotionals, and I love your idea of passing them on so others can be blessed too! Many blessings to you!
Such lovely photos! And congratulations!!! I love Gooseberry Patch cookbooks! I have never known anyone who had a recipe published! Yay!!!! Have a cozy evening, my friend.
I love Gooseberry Patch cookbooks too! Their style makes it so fun, and you can almost read their cookbooks, with all the fun tips they have. Blessings to you Billie Jo!
Don't enter me in the drawing, Marilyn, as I've agreed to receive this book from Cheryl and review it on my blog. Can't wait for it to arrive! Your photos are stunning, as always. May the light of heaven shine in your life day in and day out. Blessings!
You will love the book! All of Cheryl's books are so full of wisdom, great insights, and marvelous truths, inspirational in every way! Thank you for your sweet comment, and I agree, I want the light of heaven to shine in my life every day! Blessings to you!
Oh, sweet friend! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your dear, kind words and for offering this giveaway! I am so touched and blessed by your support, encouragement, and precious friendship all these years. I love and appreciate you dearly and pray God will richly and abundantly bless and reward you. Your photos are absolutely stunning. Honestly, I have seldom seen any that rival them. God has gifted you in so many special ways. Congratulations on your recipe being published!!! I am SO proud of you. And the cards you created are just beautiful. You are such a blessing and light in this dark world, and I am eternally grateful for you and your presence in my life.
I am honored to share your book Cheryl, it is so amazing, and full of great wisdom, and marvelous truths, inspirational and refreshing to read! I look forward to seeing who will win the book, so they can be blessed too! Thank you for your kind comment, it always means so much! You have been a special light and blessing in my life too, I am so grateful for our friendship! May the great blessings of the Lord be upon you, and your book!!!
Hi Marilyn, what beautiful scenes you have photographed. I love when the sun settles on the tops of the mountains. Don't enter me in the drawing but I still wanted to leave a comment. Blessings.
Such beautiful photos that showcase the amazing God that we have. Sunshine can be scarce here in January and I find that I like to take time to pause and thank God for it when it does come. My favorite birds are woodpeckers so I love the photo out your window. The video was fabulous. Slaters431017174@aol.com is a great way to contact me if I happen to win.
I too, love to stop and thank the Lord for the sunshine when it comes! It is such a delight after gray days. I love woodpeckers too, and we have them constantly at our feeders here. They are a delight to watch , so industrious! Thank you for watching the video, I would love it if you subscribed to my channel, I have many other inspirational videos on there. Your name will be entered in the drawing! Blessings to you!
Your words are as beautiful as your pictures! I love the idea for a card like your friend made with attached treats and little gifts. I'm going to remember that idea for a future birthday! All the other cards are so cute too! Have a good week!
Thank you Jeannette, I appreciate your kind words, I do love photography, and am glad that you enjoy it! I thought the birthday card was a really fun gift too! Have a blessed week!
Your photos are amazing as always! They picture January, one of my favorite months, so beautifully.
Yes, the card with the attached treats and gifts .... so fun. My hubby made one like that (only on a large sheet of foam core, and using candy only) for his boss for Christmas one year. His whole family loved it and we will do it again one of these years.
And ... I just had to tell you that I have a recipe published in that very same cookbook! It's for focaccia bread. I don't have the cookbook right at hand so I can't tell you what page it's on. But it's so fun that we each have a recipe in the same cookbook!
That is just amazing Sarah! I read through the whole cookbook and didn't catch your name. Your recipe for foccacia bread sounds wonderful, always love using the bread machine when I can. I was thinking about making it with sourdough, as that is what I use to make bread.
Indeed, the candy bar birthday card is such a fun idea! I need to remember to use that idea when I need a fun idea for the person who has "everything" lol!
The Wolf moon was incredible here, I was amazed at how bright and big it was. I just love seeing the moon rise over the mountain like that! Yes, it is wonderful that Gooseberry Cookbooks are so kind, if they publish your recipe, you get that cookbook for free! So kind of them!
Thank you Carla! Gooseberry Patch cookbooks are among my favorites! I love to read them :) Hope you're having a wonderful week, soon it will be seed planting time!
You've really captured the peace and beauty in your amazing photos, Marilyn! I love that you get together with your friends and create pretty cards together. The candy card is fun! I think I have a couple of Gooseberry Patch cookbooks, too. That's great that you have one with your own recipe! I'll have to look for that one. I hope you have a lovely weekend with some blue skies, too! Hugs to you xx K
Thank you Karen! The light has been so beautiful here, especially early in the mornings, and at dusk. I am grateful for it! And yes, I do love the Gooseberry Patch cookbooks! I like to read through them, they have such wonderful suggestions, hints and tips. Many blessings to you!
Beatiful winter photos! You don't have to enter me in the drawing....i'm inundated with devos right now......Gooseberry Cookbooks!! I used to have a couple of those! Hm...wonder where they disappeared to ?
I love Gooseberry cookbooks, they are so much fun to sit down and read! I hope you are having a good week, thank you for stopping by and commenting, always so appreciated! Blessings to you!
Gorgeous pictures, I too enjoy the days when the sunshine pops out, I tend to get a little down when it is cloudy all day. How fun you have ladies to get with and enjoy cardmaking together and yes that little treat was cute for her. Congrats on getting your recipe in the book, my hubby loves potato salad but I usually don't make it because he is the only one who would eat it., maybe I could half the recipe :) Congrats to your friend also for her book, always wonderful when you can be an encouragement to others through Jesus!
What gorgeous photos! Gives me a fresh perspective....perhaps I would enjoy winter more if I took some time to really enjoy all that is very beautiful during these months. I need a fresh perspective:) Congratulations on getting your recipe included. That looks like a yummy cookbook. And thanks for sharing a devotional. Always enjoying looking at new ones. Have a wonderful week ahead!
It's so beautiful where you live. It must be so nice to take walks to see the snow and the mountains. How exciting to be featured in the cookbook! Thank you for your visits to my blog. I hope you enjoy the weekend.
I don't know what happened to my original comment, but it must not have showed up. I remember telling you congrats on having a recipe published, and also that I like Gooseberry books too. Your photos as usual are so pretty! I agree, we need to look for the light! It makes all the difference!
Light is a truly precious thing this time of year! I love how you've captured some of it! All of the cards are so lovely and what fun to be able to get together with friends to create them together! So very special to be able to share a recipe in a printed cookbook! I'm very happy for you! Time with the Lord is important. "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." -Matthew 4:4
Your comments are blessings to me, and I appreciate each and every one, they are precious to me! I appreciate you taking the time to comment on my blog... this is what makes blogging worthwhile! Have a blessed day!
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Beautiful photos, as usual. The scenery sometimes makes me a little homesick, as I have lived in both Idaho and B.C. and the trees and mountains (and snow!!) are so familiar! These days I am back east (Canada), enjoying a different set of natural wonders. Love your blog.
ReplyDeletexx Jen
Hello! Thank you for leaving such a wonderful comment Jen! I grew up in eastern Canada, PEI to be specific. There is so much natural beauty in our world, but what a small world that we both have lived in Idaho and Canada! I don't have an email for you, so I hope you'll check back, or message me through the contact form your email, so I can enter you into the drawing. Blessings to you!
DeleteRecipes from those old cookbooks are alway yummy! Great job on your cards, they are awesome. AND...snow, wow, so pretty. Snow rarely falls in my part of the world, and when it does it melts fast.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visit Mary! Yes, we sure do get a lot of snow here, but we do need it here. Love making cards with my friends, always so much fun. Blessings to you!
DeleteWhat a pleasant sight that Woodpecker is outside your window. We have them here also, but they peck under the eaves of my house sometimes and even on the electrical post in front of my house, and I can hear them well. But they sure are pretty birds. The fog and mist covering the mountains is beautiful. This book sounds wonderful. Yes, I would love to participate in your giveaway, Marilyn. And thank you.
ReplyDeleteWishing you blessed days into the month of February, my friend.
~Sheri
Thank you always for your sweet comments Sheri! I will enter you in the drawing :) Yes, we do have a bunch of different woodpeckers here. They are so fun to watch, but like you, I have had them try to peck on our house, which is not good! Blessings to you dear friend!
DeleteI will have to check out Homespun Devotions. I'm not familiar with her. I'd love to read her book. I try to read Oswald Chambers in the mornings & whatever devotion I have at the moment in the evening. So I'd love to add this one to my stack. I always pass them on when I finish with them.
ReplyDeleteHello! I think you may be Brenda? I will definitely add you to the drawing. If you are not Brenda, please email me with your email address, as I want to be sure and enter you into the drawing. It is always so wonderful to have fresh, inspirational devotionals, and I love your idea of passing them on so others can be blessed too! Many blessings to you!
DeleteBburke701947@gmail.com. Love your blog
ReplyDeleteThank you Brenda! You will be added to the drawing! Thank you for leaving a comment!
DeleteSuch lovely photos! And congratulations!!! I love Gooseberry Patch cookbooks! I have never known anyone who had a recipe published! Yay!!!! Have a cozy evening, my friend.
ReplyDeleteI love Gooseberry Patch cookbooks too! Their style makes it so fun, and you can almost read their cookbooks, with all the fun tips they have. Blessings to you Billie Jo!
DeleteThese photos are stunning. Beauty abounds. Thank you for this generous giveaway. The prize sounds lovely and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn
MarilynDKC@AOL.com
Thank you sweet Marilyn! I always appreciate your comments! Your name will be in the drawing! Thank you for stopping by!
DeleteBeautiful photos Marilyn. I believe I have an old Gooseberry Patch cookbook. Congrats on being featured. Blessings to you sweet friend.
ReplyDeleteI do love the Gooseberry Patch cookbooks, they are full of wonderful recipes and helpful tidbits. I appreciate you stopping by Linda!
DeleteThe winter scenes in this post are beautiful in that muted light!
ReplyDeleteThank you Marie! Indeed, the muted light offers a lot of beauty. We have to enjoy every bit of light we get in the winter! Blessings to you :)
DeleteDon't enter me in the drawing, Marilyn, as I've agreed to receive this book from Cheryl and review it on my blog. Can't wait for it to arrive!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are stunning, as always. May the light of heaven shine in your life day in and day out. Blessings!
You will love the book! All of Cheryl's books are so full of wisdom, great insights, and marvelous truths, inspirational in every way! Thank you for your sweet comment, and I agree, I want the light of heaven to shine in my life every day! Blessings to you!
DeleteGreat blog-as always.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lynne!!!
DeleteOh, sweet friend! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your dear, kind words and for offering this giveaway! I am so touched and blessed by your support, encouragement, and precious friendship all these years. I love and appreciate you dearly and pray God will richly and abundantly bless and reward you. Your photos are absolutely stunning. Honestly, I have seldom seen any that rival them. God has gifted you in so many special ways. Congratulations on your recipe being published!!! I am SO proud of you. And the cards you created are just beautiful. You are such a blessing and light in this dark world, and I am eternally grateful for you and your presence in my life.
ReplyDeleteI am honored to share your book Cheryl, it is so amazing, and full of great wisdom, and marvelous truths, inspirational and refreshing to read! I look forward to seeing who will win the book, so they can be blessed too! Thank you for your kind comment, it always means so much! You have been a special light and blessing in my life too, I am so grateful for our friendship! May the great blessings of the Lord be upon you, and your book!!!
DeleteHi Marilyn, what beautiful scenes you have photographed. I love when the sun settles on the tops of the mountains. Don't enter me in the drawing but I still wanted to leave a comment. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ellen, you and I both get to see such beauty in our area, we are truly blessed! Always appreciate you stopping by!
DeleteSuch beautiful photos that showcase the amazing God that we have. Sunshine can be scarce here in January and I find that I like to take time to pause and thank God for it when it does come. My favorite birds are woodpeckers so I love the photo out your window. The video was fabulous. Slaters431017174@aol.com is a great way to contact me if I happen to win.
ReplyDeleteI too, love to stop and thank the Lord for the sunshine when it comes! It is such a delight after gray days. I love woodpeckers too, and we have them constantly at our feeders here. They are a delight to watch , so industrious! Thank you for watching the video, I would love it if you subscribed to my channel, I have many other inspirational videos on there. Your name will be entered in the drawing! Blessings to you!
DeleteYour words are as beautiful as your pictures! I love the idea for a card like your friend made with attached treats and little gifts. I'm going to remember that idea for a future birthday! All the other cards are so cute too! Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeannette, I appreciate your kind words, I do love photography, and am glad that you enjoy it! I thought the birthday card was a really fun gift too! Have a blessed week!
DeleteYour photos are amazing as always! They picture January, one of my favorite months, so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteYes, the card with the attached treats and gifts .... so fun. My hubby made one like that (only on a large sheet of foam core, and using candy only) for his boss for Christmas one year. His whole family loved it and we will do it again one of these years.
And ... I just had to tell you that I have a recipe published in that very same cookbook! It's for focaccia bread. I don't have the cookbook right at hand so I can't tell you what page it's on. But it's so fun that we each have a recipe in the same cookbook!
That is just amazing Sarah! I read through the whole cookbook and didn't catch your name. Your recipe for foccacia bread sounds wonderful, always love using the bread machine when I can. I was thinking about making it with sourdough, as that is what I use to make bread.
DeleteIndeed, the candy bar birthday card is such a fun idea! I need to remember to use that idea when I need a fun idea for the person who has "everything" lol!
Blessings to you dear friend!
Congrats on the published recipe! It is lovely that you are "paid" with the cookbook it appeared in.
ReplyDeleteWe missed the Wolf Moon this year as the weather has been uncooperative. Since my grandsons are Wolf Moon boys, I had really hoped to see it.
Sweet birthday cards for your friend. Such a fun and thoughtful thing to do.
The Wolf moon was incredible here, I was amazed at how bright and big it was. I just love seeing the moon rise over the mountain like that! Yes, it is wonderful that Gooseberry Cookbooks are so kind, if they publish your recipe, you get that cookbook for free! So kind of them!
DeleteHope you having a good week, love and hugs!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of Gooseberry Patch cookbooks. Congratulations!!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos with us.
Carla
Thank you Carla! Gooseberry Patch cookbooks are among my favorites! I love to read them :) Hope you're having a wonderful week, soon it will be seed planting time!
DeleteYou've really captured the peace and beauty in your amazing photos, Marilyn! I love that you get together with your friends and create pretty cards together. The candy card is fun! I think I have a couple of Gooseberry Patch cookbooks, too. That's great that you have one with your own recipe! I'll have to look for that one. I hope you have a lovely weekend with some blue skies, too! Hugs to you xx K
ReplyDeleteThank you Karen! The light has been so beautiful here, especially early in the mornings, and at dusk. I am grateful for it! And yes, I do love the Gooseberry Patch cookbooks! I like to read through them, they have such wonderful suggestions, hints and tips. Many blessings to you!
DeleteBeatiful winter photos! You don't have to enter me in the drawing....i'm inundated with devos right now......Gooseberry Cookbooks!! I used to have a couple of those! Hm...wonder where they disappeared to ?
ReplyDeleteI love Gooseberry cookbooks, they are so much fun to sit down and read! I hope you are having a good week, thank you for stopping by and commenting, always so appreciated! Blessings to you!
DeleteGorgeous pictures, I too enjoy the days when the sunshine pops out, I tend to get a little down when it is cloudy all day. How fun you have ladies to get with and enjoy cardmaking together and yes that little treat was cute for her. Congrats on getting your recipe in the book, my hubby loves potato salad but I usually don't make it because he is the only one who would eat it., maybe I could half the recipe :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to your friend also for her book, always wonderful when you can be an encouragement to others through Jesus!
What gorgeous photos! Gives me a fresh perspective....perhaps I would enjoy winter more if I took some time to really enjoy all that is very beautiful during these months. I need a fresh perspective:) Congratulations on getting your recipe included. That looks like a yummy cookbook. And thanks for sharing a devotional. Always enjoying looking at new ones. Have a wonderful week ahead!
ReplyDeleteIt's so beautiful where you live. It must be so nice to take walks to see the snow and the mountains. How exciting to be featured in the cookbook!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visits to my blog. I hope you enjoy the weekend.
I don't know what happened to my original comment, but it must not have showed up. I remember telling you congrats on having a recipe published, and also that I like Gooseberry books too.
ReplyDeleteYour photos as usual are so pretty! I agree, we need to look for the light! It makes all the difference!
Light is a truly precious thing this time of year! I love how you've captured some of it! All of the cards are so lovely and what fun to be able to get together with friends to create them together!
ReplyDeleteSo very special to be able to share a recipe in a printed cookbook! I'm very happy for you!
Time with the Lord is important. "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." -Matthew 4:4