Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas y'all! I hope you have a blessed day to spend with loved ones!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Good Afternoon to all my readers!

First, I would like to apologize for my absence on Pines and Peaches. I am going to try my best to get back on a regular posting schedule, now that sickness and hospital visits are in the past.

I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season thus far! Thanksgiving was a wonderful, if busy time for us.

Holidays are a great time to get together with family, regroup from the events of the past year, and plan for the new year. What traditions do you and your family have that make this season magical?

For me, I always spend Christmas Eve re-reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, while enjoying a mug of hot chocolate by the fireplace.

It just isn't Christmas without A Christmas Carol. My mom loves to watch It's A Wonderful Life, and some people enjoy picking out a new tree.

I hope you all have a very safe and Merry Christmas!

God bless us, everyone!!!

Black Cat Awareness and Adoptions

Did you know that black cats are less likely than any other coat pattern to get adopted? It continually amazes me that this ridiculous superstition has prevailed for so long. Black cats are just as loving, precious, and wonderful as any other cat, and equally deserving of a forever home. So many people miss out the opportunity to have a tiny house panther, just because they are stuck in the Middles Ages, still believing that black cats are witches in disguise or cause bad luck.

Allow me to introduce my black cat, Merlin. We adopted Merlin from the local shelter a little over a year ago, and he has rocked our world. He was about 5 weeks old (we believe his mother was killed, resulting in a litter of teeny tiny kittens being left alone in the world :( ), and he was so, so sick. When we got this little guy, he had a respiratory infection and gunky eyes, plus we had to bottle feed him while he adjusted to eating normal kitten chow.

We had to get up and give him his meds every six hours and bottle feed him. BTW if you have never bottle-fed a kitten, it is literally the most adorable thing in the world. We honestly weren’t sure if the little guy would make it. Happily, he pulled through and is now a healthy, energetic member of our family now.

A healthy Merlin :)

Some of Merlin’s hobbies include:
Sitting like a human
Watching TV
Flopping on people’s feet
Chasing the red dot
Playing video games
Playing with his siblings
Taking long naps

Sitting like a little human.

Can I play too?

Merlin and Sherlock

As you can see, his list does not include “stealing souls” or “summoning demons” or anything of the other things black cats are typically accused of doing. Merlin is a wonderful addition to our family, and I am so happy I looked beyond the superstition and adopted my very own tiny house panther.

When it comes time to add another fur baby to your family, please consider adopting a black cat. Save a life, adopt!

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Happy October!!!

Happy October!!! Normally, I post a motivational quote each Monday, but for the month of October, I am going to post a quote from my favorite horror writers each Monday. Today's quote is from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. 

Fall Bucket List

It is no secret to my family and friends. I adore fall. This is my favorite season, the one I spend the rest of my year waiting impatiently for. Walks through the crisp autumn air, crunching on fallen leaves, then going home to snuggle with a blanket and a spooky book... Heavenly! Every year, I try to plan out a few things I want to accomplish before the end of the season, a seasonal bucket list if you will. I'm going to share this year's Fall Bucket List with y'all, and hopefully, inspire you to make some fun plans to enjoy Fall 2017!

This fall, I am going to:

1. Take a trip to the mountains (and share the pictures with my lovely readers!).

2. Read a spooky book (or three). It's time to make a dent in that stack of Stephen King books I have.

3. Drink hot chocolate (ok, this one is easy, but it truly is one of my favorite things).

4. Have a bonfire! Make some fall memories with friends.

5. Go for a walk. To me, fall is the most beautiful season with the colorful leaves and amazing weather.

6. Visit a haunted house. Every October, the haunted houses start popping up everywhere. Definitely on my list is Gates of Misery in Rome, GA. Last year, they offered two different attractions, a maze and a haunted house. Both were great!

7. Carve a pumpkin. This year, I'm definitely making a jack-o-lantern for the porch instead of buying one.

8. Throw a Halloween party! Halloween is just so much fun! I love the costumes, the candy, and the decorations.

9. Buy new candles. Bath and Body Works releases all my favorite candles this time of year! Pumpkin Spice, Apple Pie... I'll take two of each. :)

10. Try a new recipe- Fall edition. Maybe a new apple pie recipe, or pumpkin pie recipe. Perhaps I'll finally try my hand at candy making, and have it at my Halloween party. Whatever I find, I will be sure to post the results on here for you guys to see!

What about you? Does anyone else make a seasonal bucket list? If so, what are your plans for Fall 2017? Feel free to leave your ideas in the comments section, I'd love to hear what some of my readers are doing!

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Monday Motivation

This quote brings bittersweet feelings to the surface. On one hand, it brings to mind those "fair weather" friends who have vanished during my life and those who were only my friend until they found someone better. On the bright side, it teaches me to appreciate the few true friends who have stuck by my side through it all, dark days and sunny days both. I hope I always remember to express gratitude for these wonderful people who are always there when I need a shoulder to cry on! 

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Monday Motivation- September 11th

I love this quote! Sometimes I focus too hard on getting to a certain point in life, or on achieving one goal. I have to constantly remind myself to slow down and enjoy the day. Life is not just about our achievements, but about the little moments. :) 

Thank you for reading! Please remember to keep those in the Southeastern US in your thoughts and prayers as Hurricane Irma moves in.