Advent Conspiracy Promo Video

Missing blogger

I really enjoyed all the customization I was able to do with blogger. If I didn't like the background color, I could change it without paying. I could insert advertisements, music and all kinds of pictures without worrying about formatting to fit wordpress. What to do? Anyone out there having this problem? What I need is a good blogging platform with the style of wordpress and the ease of blogger. Help!

New Etsy Shop: The Vintage Princess

This month has seen some new inspiration for me. I will continue to upload to and sell "new" items from The Home Gnome. However, I have been feeling the urge for a new line of vintage: The Vintage Princess Line. Check out some of the lovely items available for sale...

Etsy Show Off Day

I have been trying to think of a good regular post for Mondays. I think we'll be showing off new items from The Home Gnome's Etsy shop on Mondays. I have been adding new things regularly and wanted to make sure you all saw them as well. Enjoy!!

An ode to a chicken

I was over at Poor Richard's Almanac, swapping stories about chickens, when it occurred to me that perhaps a 150 word comment was better suited to be a blog post...so here it is!

I have only had one extra special pet chicken but her name is giving me the slip right now. It's not that I don't know it, it's just not coming to the surface. I do know her story, though. She was born a factory chicken in East Texas. After a few months of bizarre growing, she was packed into a truck with many of her sisters and on her way to (gulp) her demise. Suddenly, the truck hit a bump and she went flying (probably the only time, ever) from the truck! When I found her, she was contentedly eating bugs in the median of the highway. Now, in defense of what you're about to read that I did, let me just say that many chickens died by falling off these trucks. It wasn't unusual for me to see several white, feathery blobs on the side of the road each day. That said, to say that I made a spectacle of myself while catching that chicken is quite likely a gross understatement. I chased that chicken around the median until she was resting safely in my arms. Then, I carefully stowed her in the back of my trusty station wagon and drove her to her new home.

Finally, I have remembered that chicken's name! It was Druscilla--for no real reason other than that's how names happen around here.

Once our heroine was safely ensconced in my backyard, we began to notice an abnormal growth on her head. My memory is fuzzy as to whether the growth was above or below her beak, but there it was--about the size of a large lemonhead. Our veterinarian (yes, we took her!) removed it and told us Druscilla probably was only a few months old (big shock to us since she was an enormous chicken!) and was otherwise in perfect health. We had so much fun with that giant chicken. Feeding her pizza and other unlikely foods was a much enjoyed past-time. Druscilla was with us for about another year. I received the call while away at college that the big fun chicken had passed away one night in her sleep--quite likely from a heart attack, according to the autopsy report. I'm kidding! about the autopsy. The veterinarian did say it was probably a heart attack, though. My mother found her in her usual resting spot. Peacefully still asleep.

4 Reluctant Entertainers: What's Your Challenge? GIVEAWAY!

Make sure to visit Sandy for her latest give away. As usual, the prize is lovely. If you've never been to her place, do yourself a favor and check out her beautiful blog, photos and superb ideas for becoming a more natural host.
4 Reluctant Entertainers: What's Your Challenge? GIVEAWAY!

Thursday 13: some of my favorite things

1. Big fat lemonheads. This has been my favorite candy since the third grade. Give me a lemonhead over anything else!


2. Extra sharp cheddar cheese: melted over homemade whole wheat toast--breakfast, lunch or dinner!


3. Cottage Gardens: hollyhocks, poppies, peonies, bleeding hearts and sunflowers


4. Old Picket fences


5. Iron gates--preferably with a bit of rust or chipped paint. Nothing new-looking for me!


6. Three year olds


7. Blogging--of course, or I wouldn't do it so much, right?


8. Shopping for awesome, never before see items at thrift stores and garage sales


9. Reading: fantasy, history, character driven, classical...


10. Brick pathways with just a tinge of green moss growing over the edges of the bricks


11. Pink houses with white shutters and gingerbread trim


12. People with personality--not just culture or education


13. Hot, rich, strong and creamy coffee with whipped cream on top

See more Thursday 13 lists here...