"At the End of the Day"

HOW CAN IT BE MY BIRTHDAY ~ AGAIN ~ Sept 20th!! A few more of by "Favorite Things"!!

Beach Balls, Beach Towels, Computer Mouse, Whitney Houston’s new CD, Boxers (dog), Boston Terriers, Smell of fresh cut grass, seagulls, paper, scrapbooks, Sunday football, ribbon, buttons, staplers, Target, Beach Boys, Sunday afternoon nap, Window Fan, Pumping Water by Hand, Swing Set, Swinging Higher-Higher & Higher, state fair, corn dogs, mustard, Joyce Meyer, Abba, Dancing Queen, Oh Holy Night, Hymn Books, Church Pew, Wishing Well, Outer Banks, Hardware Store, Granny Square, Yellow Beach Chair, Monkey’s Davey Jones, Wipe Out, Snow Birds, Eagles, Pizza, Ice Makers, Post-it Notes, Hair Color, My Cricut Machine, Sweet Potatoes like my Grandmother made, Dogwood Trees, Smell of a wood burning fire place, Pep Rally, new white sneakers, bobby pins, friendship bracelets, ETSY, Jack’s Smile, Scrabble, Candyland, cotton candy, tiny bubbles, craft stores, homemade ice cream, new white blouse, Coastal Living, Tom & Jerry, Donald Duck, Jack talking like Donald Duck, sweet dreams, day dreaming, clothes line, baby chicks, any smile on anyone, Dippity-Do, Sponge Rollers, anything my Mom cooked in a pressure cooker, smell of homemade biscuits, nutty buddy, lightning bugs, lightning bugs in a jar, Mood Rings, Judy Jetson,  Electric Blanket, My Mother said so….she was right!

FAVORITE things "At the End of the Day"

A few more of my FAVORITE things "At the End of the Day"

God, Church, Jack, bib overalls, kissing, old-time piano, wearing fluffy slippers, going barefoot, palm trees, flipper, Shamu, Ruben Sandwich, new pocketbook, hair-dyer, ice weighing down trees, finding my keys, new car smell, printing my own boarding pass, state fair, blue pencils, blue M&M's, old typewriter, post office cubbyholes, dollar store eye glasses, using things I've saved for a special occasion, new tablecloth, Johnny Rockets, seeing a rainbow, Easter basket, curved restaurant booth, tin roof, cotton candy, candy-land, Because it's here, going to the movies, frying eggs, Kitchen "center island", singing even though I can't carry a tune, fire engines, Miss Flame, electric blanket, brownies, hungry-hungry hippo, cake walk, comic relief, roast beef sandwich, flag flying, two peas in a pod, new pack of notebook paper, Olympics, Dancing with the Stars, Hope Floats, The Notebook, hugging a teddy bear, maple-syrup, ski-lift, ski lodge, satin Christmas balls, a good cry, someone saying sorry for hurting you, are you OK?, basket weaving, porch swing, tree swing, HOLLYWOOD sign, connect the dots, chocolate, summer, hugging my boxer, television in the 60's, Wedgwood blue, Williamsburg, outlet malls, things I can't be without, old books, all canvases, new magazine, whale watching, flowers in a box, fancy hair bows, drag-strips, jeeps at Duck, NC, Mary Tyler Moore, hand-blown glass, Quaker Oats, Preacher Cookies, Mother's voice, tugs-of-war, opening High School football game, sleepy times, taking a nap, Jack's morning hand written notes, Cold-Stone ice cream, the Holden Beach bridge, fireflies in a mason jar, the color orange, Florida Oranges, Twitter, snap peas, not stepping on the cracks, blowing balls, Coca- Cola commercials, clean towels, new beach towels, beach chairs, peanut butter, food for thought, pie safe, pen that writes, remembering a birthday, art centers, old paint shirts, silver serving trays, map reading, never lost, GPS, farmers market basket, doodlebugs, babbling brook, potluck dinner, game Twister, favorite picture on my desk, post-it notes, finger paint, finger paintings, friendship, April tan, disco dancing, disco music, Bee Gees, push-button telephones, funny greeting cards, found friend, laughing about the good times, letter in the mail, lunch boxes, lunch bench outside, beach umbrella, aquarium light, basket of Easter eggs, Luck of the Irish, love notes, secret love notes, pearl earrings, Easter parade, sun porches, porch swing, guest books, Disney, grilled cheese sandwich, making friends with a puppy, wax lips, Hokey-Pokey, turn yourself around, fire station fish fry, express mail, it's a good thing, how's that working for you?, finding the answer, knowing the answer, The Monkeys, halftime bands, Taco Bell at 11:00, tractor, tyke bikes, windsocks, Coastal Living Magazine, some laughing, what I do well, broccoli and cheese soup, my Grandmother's coffee table, foxes, bunnies, open ocean, fishing boats coming in, snug harbors, confronting, mint sherbet, Barbie Doll weddings, opening another door, closing the door, spring peepers, bouncing back, breakfast for two, wide open spaces, Morton salt box, knowing God has a plan, telling someone not to give up, park benches, "Row, Row, Row your Boat", Dick & Jane, See Spot-See Spot Run, butterfly kisses, church choirs, a new canvas, a new day, a fresh start, getting carried away, holding my hand, dancing to the music from my headset, Who said you can't do that? Yes you can!, knowing everything will be ok "At the End of the Day"!

~At the End of the Day ~ Picking Up Seashells with My Family~

Enough is enough ~ it is March and that means SPRING!!   Just warm enough to wear shorts and cool enough to wear a lightweight jacket at night ~ so why is it still cold outside! Every summer during my childhood, my sister and I scoured “Holden Beach” for sand dollars and seashells.   We stored them in our new sand buckets that we had to have every year from the “Beach Mart or Ben Franklin” store.   I can still remember when my Mom appeared with zip-lock bags ~ Happy Day!! But keep in mind money was tight so we only got one or two during the summer.   We still to this day use zip-lock bags and sand buckets.   All hands would pitch in until we had picked up decades of old shells.  We would wipe the sand off our knees and feet ~ but still get sand in the cottage and car. 

There is always a wave of happiness that comes over me when we reach the “Big Bridge” that takes you to the island of Holden Beach. My face with a wide grin of excitement.  I always know that I will find comfort there and wonderful memories of my Mom.  That is because it has been a part of my life since 1955!  (Yes, I’m getting old…not old yet!)  Many people come year after year making memories on this small island.   My sister and brother with their family hope to all meet at the Beach this summer ~ we divide easily some on the beach by 10:00 AM and others around 1:00 PM ~ some jumping waves and some sunbathing ~ some taking a nap and some shopping at the local gift shops ~ but we all gather for our family picture and head to the local ice cream shop and go-kart park on the last night ~ tears of joy for God’s blessings we’ve received the next morning as we say good-bye.  

I so wish my Mom could be with us “At the End of our last Day” at the Beach.  

Thank you for stopping by “At the End of the Day”. 

 

He stirs up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.  Job 26:4

 

Debra

Few of My Favorite Things ~ "At the End of the Day"

Church, cotton candy, portable record players, diet coke, bifocals, flip flops, finding the perfect sea shell, the taste of birthday cake, cassette players, homemade ice cream, curling irons, face cream, answers, dunkin’ donut stores, donut holes, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, waffles, pizza, roller-skating, ocean waves, beach sand in my toes, taffy, drive-in movies, ball mason canning jars (makes me think of my grandmother), sock monkey, Barbie doll, paper, new box of crayons, new crayon color, coloring books, paper dolls made out of the Sears & JC Penny catalog, blue jeans, shoulder pads, go-go boots, incurable enthusiasm, my Grandmother’s wisdom, hide & go seek, Mother may I, red light – green light, lightening bugs, when the lights come up, French mustard, getting a job, keeping a job, French fries, Walmart, Woolworth’s 5 & 10 cents store, soda from the drug store soda fountain, burgers at the fishing pier, big waves, jumping waves, popcorn, willow trees, dogwood trees, romance novels, huge sand dunes, new white shoes, new white socks, rolling hills, trade winds, Christmas ornaments, beach music, God, state fair, corndogs, pelicans, snow, Starbucks, colorful ribbon, lollipops, sleeping late, breakfast in bed, large seashells, MG Midget, BLT’s, Hope Mills, NC, Church dinner, Church homecoming, Church bazaars, fire station fish fry, craft shows, night without Jack snoring, ferry boats, polar bears, koala bears, florists boxes, summer storm, rainbows, school pictures, new pencils, love letters, saying yes you can, curtains blowing in the wind, rewarding myself,  Mickey Mouse, Disney World, I-pod, portable CD player, Polaroid snapshot, square dancing in school, cheerleading, smell of suntan lotion, chocolate milk, Bee-Gees, Barnes & Nobel, color TV, natural beauty, swings, Shirley Temple perm, silver Christmas trees, hot fudge cake, a pat on the back, a thank you, I love you, shorelines, Church steeples, Church bells ringing, the Minister standing at the Church doors after service,…….so much more!!!!!!!!

“I Grew Up Going to the Beach and Hanging Out at the Pavilion”

“At the End of the Day” around 7:30 p.m. my Mother would grab her favorite book and car keys and off to the “Pavilion” we would go!  

 

This was our daily schedule:

 

Breakfast by 9:00 a.m.

Beach by 10:00 a.m.

Cottage for lunch by 1:30 p.m.

Mother’s Nap by 2:30 p.m.

Dinner by 6:00 p.m.

Shower and dressed in my summer halter-top, short-shorts and flip-flops by 7:15 p.m.

Pavilion by 7:30 p.m.

 

The “Pavilion” was the biggest daily event of my summer!   This pink building held my most prized memories. Inside there was a pool table, pinball machines, a jukebox, snack bar and did I mention “BOYS”!   The Pavilion was also the local fishing pier and the hang out for all the “Holden Beach Boys”!   It cost 25 cents to walk out on the pier and I would always go at least twice.   Keep in mind this was after one of the best looking guys took a walk.   All of this while my Mother sat in the car reading her book so I could watch the boys!   Sometimes it is hard to wrap my mind around the wonderful things my Mother did for me.   Think about it….everyday she would sit in the car while I had a chance to play the jukebox, shag dance to the beach music and watch the boys.   I wish I had told her how much that meant to me.   She never complained.  

 

 

My heart smiles with loving thoughts of my Mother “At the End of the Day”!

 

“Whatever is true, whatever is honest, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is kind, if there is any virtue, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

 

Debra

 

 

 

"At the End of the Day....I Give Thanks for my Mom - Margaret"

My Mom brought love in my heart, comfort, happiness and wellbeing. I sometimes may forget the words but I always remember the love in her voice when she spoke to me.  I grew up going to the ocean, and will always be a beach person just like my Mom.

~Photo (click on photo to enlarge)....My Mom loved the Beach - any Beach and at the end of the day she always liked to have a good time. She once lived in Hawaii with my two older brothers in the early 50's~

I have so many childhood memories of the beach it has become a part of me. In 1955 my grandfather purchased a piece of land and built a tiny cottage in Holden Beach, NC.  The cottage was not very big or even fancy but it was everything to us. Only three small bedrooms, one tiny bathroom and screened in porch from one end to the other end of the cottage.  We had a tree and porch swing. The cottage was on the coastal waterway. You could see the island of Holden Beach across the water.  We often dreamed of a storm washing the island away and giving us oceanfront property. My Mom is always in my heart and never far from my thoughts and the same is true of the beach.  I've always loved the view, the sounds and smell of the ocean.   Whether it is hot, warm, storming or cool the beach is my sanctuary.   So many of my memories are of the beach, sand so hot it would burn your feet.   My Mom would always say....."Debra, put some flip-flops on those feet" because I was always barefooted!  Even today I hate wearing shoes! My wonderful Mother is in heaven and I miss her ever so much.  I can still clearly see her sitting in a beach chair, out of the sun under the fishing pier and me sunbathing on the beach just far enough away from my Mom to watch the boys!   I always give thanks for my Mom "At the End of the Day". More to come about my love of the BEACH!

I hope you will find time "At the end of the day" to visit my blog and share my love of the coast!

Debra

"At the Start of Our Day" & "At the End of Our Day"

"...I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance, to the full, till it overflows" (John 10:10 AMP).

(click on photos to enlarge :)

VISIT MY ETSY SHOP ~ www.endoftheday.etsy.com

"At the End of the Day"

Recently I have been thinking about my life.  Mostly the past and what the future holds for me and those I love. I've never been much for writing and when I do it has been handwritten thank you notes, work emails and an occasional letter. I live on the Albemarle Sound in NC with my wonderful husband Jack of 30 years. "At the end of the day" after working hard we love coming home and enjoying the view from our deck. 

We are true empty nesters.  We have one son who is married and has a beautiful one year old son. I would like my blog to be about the past, present and future and my love of art in all forms! While my life is not perfect I have so much to be grateful for and hope to express a little of me in my blog.  I do dream, eat and breathe everything that has to do with the sound and ocean.  Over the next several months I would like to share stories of my life and my love of art and photographs.

Photo Album - left top of page - Coastal Lifestyle!

I hope you will find time "At the end of the day" to visit my blog and share my love of the coast!

Debra