Where Have All The Bloggers Gone?

 Bloggers MIA

Image by Freepik

Hello friends! I have a mystery that I would like your help in solving. I have spent quite a bit of time today looking for new blog posts from favorite bloggers who seem to have disappeared from the blogosphere. And many of these are bloggers that I feature in my right hand column so that I (and others) can easily find their blogs and their latest posts.

People like Andrea Nine who wrote "Living on Cloud Nine" and Shellie from "The FABulous Journey." And how about Laurie Bronze from "Vanity & Me?" I can't even find newly written posts from some of these folks on Instagram, where I know many bloggers have moved to. 

It makes me worry about people, whom I have come to know as friends through reading their blogs over the years, when they suddenly aren't writing new blog posts. Has something happened to them? Are they sick? Or have they simply decided not to blog anymore? 

I do see posts from Shellie Bowdoin on FaceBook from time to time, so at least I know she is doing well. She and her husband are missionaries in the Philippines and I have followed her through her son's cancer diagnosis and healing and her daughter's wedding. But, she hasn't created a new blog post in a very long time. 

It seems like so much has changed over the years since I began blogging. There used to be soooo many bloggers and here lately folks seem to be dropping like flies from their blogs. It's kind of sad to me. I realize that for folks trying to make money that Instagram is a huge pull, but there is still something so lovely about being able to visit people's blogs and look at pictures and learn what is happening, or not happening, in their lives. I have always been drawn to lifestyle blogs because you can really get to know people through them. And whether you live near or far from them, we all share so much in common. And there is such a sense of community in blogging. It still thrills me that I have folks in England and Canada, as well as the USA, who read my blog! Who would have thought that could happen for little old me??

I'll be the first to share that I know my blog pictures aren't of the professional Instagram-like quality that some writers boast. And, I've always said that I live in a home and not a museum. So everything in my pics are far from perfection. But the thing is, we all share a love of home. Of making, and styling, the very best lives we possibly can. And, as bloggers, we love sharing that with others. 

So, I promise, that if I ever decide to give up blogging, I will be sure to let you all know before I disappear from the blogosphere. So you won't have to worry about me. Or wonder why I am quitting. And Andrea, Laurie and Shellie-if you're reading this, please let me know that you're doing okay. And please know I really miss reading your new posts! And, if any of you dear readers know something I don't know about how to find these bloggers or why there are no new posts on their blogs, please do share with me. 

And many thanks, as always, to each of you for taking the time to read Debbie Styles Life! Each of you has a special place in my heart! ❣

Until Next Time,

Debbie (this and that)

Early Autumn Home Decor

 Decorating for Early Fall

Hello friends! Can you believe that September is underway? And that, along with some cooler temperatures, has me thinking about how I want to decorate for early Fall around the house. So, as promised, I'm sharing what I have accomplished thus far. 

I decided to decorate the little faux pine tree that sits atop my curio cabinet with Fall color ribbon and some lovely Fall leaves. 

It's cheerful during the daylight hours and absolutely stunning at night when it lights up the corner of our dining room. Sooo pretty!

And on the dining room table is a bowl filled with pumpkins and squash. I found these at Dollar Tree and was pleasantly surprised at the quality. 

The colors are just right to match the table and cabinets in the room. 

And on the foyer table there is a new Fall flower arrangement along with a gold pumpkin. It's a little early for too many pumpkins just yet, so I will save the rest of my collection for closer to October. 

And then, it's always fun to add a few simple items around the house which speak to Fall like this apple orchard tea towel.

And this gray and white pumpkin that I picked up at Dollar Tree. Doesn't it look perfect on the shelf with my other gray/white bathroom decor?!

I've really enjoyed changing a few things up around the house as September gets underway. And I'm sure I'll be adding things here and there as Fall truly gets underway. I'll keep you posted. 

Tell me, how are you preparing for Fall at your house? Be sure to share in the comments section!

Until Next Time,

Debbie

The Best Laid Plans Go Oft Awry

 And Then, Life Happened......

Hello friends! I thought I would pop on and let you know how things are going post surgery, as I promised I would. I am almost to the two week mark past my first eye surgery for cataracts and things along that front seem to be going well. My eye was blurry for several days following the surgery, which is normal, but I had no significant pain or problems otherwise. I wore an eye shield at night for the first week and am continuing with antibiotic eye drops three times per day, for a total of three weeks. I have also discovered that I can now use my mid-range music glasses as my long distance eyeglasses now and still use my bifocal glasses for reading. This should help me to get through the weeks until my second eye surgery happens. This second surgery had to be delayed because......both my husband and I caught Covid. My husband developed symptoms a couple days after my surgery and I succumbed about three days after him. 

Thankfully, neither of us have developed worse symptoms other than the usual fever, aches, congestion, tiredness that comes with a "milder" case. It still makes you feel pretty crummy, though! And so, here I am wearing two types of eyeglasses so I can see both near and far. It's an inconvenience, but certainly not something that I can't endure. I'm trying to stay positive as I await my second surgery which is now scheduled for the end of October. 

This was not the plan, however, life doesn't always go according to our plans, does it?! 

I'll be back in a few days with a new post in which I will share some of my Fall decorating ideas. Happy September to all. May some more comfortable temperatures be on the way soon!

Until Next Time,

Debbie

A Vintage Top for Fall

 I Am Vintage

Hello everyone!  I thought I would pop on and share a new top for Fall that I found, in of all places, at the Tractor Supply Store. What? Doesn't everyone buy their clothes at the Tractor Store? Just goes to show you I can find clothes to buy just about anywhere! 

Seriously, though, this is a beautiful top and is a vintage style. I love the color and couldn't wait to wear it with my soft, brown knit corduroy pants. I guess this could be considered a peasant top because of the tie at the neck, but it seems to be more streamlined than most peasant tops. I remember having a similar type top back in the 70's which is probably why it was billed as "vintage." But since I, too, am vintage the top and I get along very well together! 

One of the reasons I decided to share this top is to encourage you to look in unusual places for your clothes. The Tractor Supply Store typically carries heavy duty clothing for outdoor work such as tough jeans and flannel shirts. But, occasionally, they have other items for daily wear and I lucked out and found this top on clearance. It was a great find and I'm pleased to have it to wear this Fall. 

And while I was there, I met a friend! (The Mr. thought it was great fun to take my pic standing with this metal rooster!)

So, over the years I've shared clothing with you that I bought at the drugstore, online, via thrifting, shopping at regular department stores and now at The Tractor Supply. Cast your nets wide, ladies, when shopping for clothing! You never know what great finds are out there just waiting for you!

As I type this, I am preparing to have the first of two cataract surgeries this coming Tuesday. I'm feeling a bit nervous about this and would appreciate your prayers for a good outcome for both eyes. The second surgery will be nine days after the first. Everyone I talk to tells me that cataract surgery is "nothing." And while that is reassuring to me, surgery is never nothing when it is happening to you! So, thanks for your thoughts and prayers. (And please, no scary stories about cataract surgery in the comments. That won't help me.) I'll let you know how things go in the next post. 

Until Next Time,

Debbie

The First Leaf of Fall and This and That

 A Little Bit of This and That

Hello friends!  I'm afraid this is one of those posts where I may be all over the place with what I'm sharing. It truly is a "this and that" kind of post! I spied this leaf on our back porch yesterday and have dubbed it, "the first leaf of Fall." To me, Summer has flown by and soon we will be into September. Kids are heading back to school already, although so many are now homeschooled that we still see kids in stores and restaurants all through the year. This morning I sat out on our back porch with our dog, River, and noticed how cool the morning air was. Another sign of cooler temps eventually heading our way. I know that we will still have many hot days ahead, but I must admit that I am looking forward to Fall this year. Fall, along with Spring, are my favorite seasons. The colors, the crispness of the air, the smoky smells from chimneys and leaf burning all bring a sense of excitement. Of course, Fall leads into Winter which is my least favorite season. We haven't had bad winters for quite a while so we will have to see what this coming Winter will bring. Will it be as mild as last year? Time will tell. 

The Mr. and I have really been enjoying the fruits of summer. The melons and blueberries have been so sweet and delicious! I miss having fresh fruits in the winter. We don't garden so our fruits have come from Sam's Club or the grocery store but we have been lucky in finding really good produce this year. 

I've enjoyed many good meals this summer. This is a delicious new salad choice that I enjoyed recently at Panera's. The salad is filled with greens, fruits and nuts and topped with chicken and a poppyseed dressing. Delicious!

And, The Mr. and I have discovered that we really like shopping at Aldi. You can really get a bang for your buck there! We found these vegetarian meatballs in the frozen foods section and they are absolutely delicious! I used them in this spaghetti and meatballs dish surrounded by broccoli. The meal was tasty and nutritious. I find that I like the frozen vegetables at Aldi better than any other I have tried at other stores. I don't get compensated by Aldi, I just like to shop there. 

In other news, I bought new sheets several weeks ago and haven't shared how pretty they are on the blog yet. I love going to bed and laying on clean, crisp sheets that are soft, comfy and pretty! Even though our mattress is queen size, I bought king size sheets to have extra sheet hanging down on each side. Anyone else besides The Mr. and me play tug of war with their sheets at night? Using king size sheets seems to have solved the problem! Plus, the longer side sheets give the illusion of having a dust ruffle on the bed.

And, finally, these three turkeys wanted to pop on the post and say "hello" to everyone! Cassie has reminded me that she hasn't been able to write a blog post in a long time. And, of course, when River and Garden heard that they had to chime in and say, "me too," so perhaps in the near future I will take my chances and hand over the blog to these three crazy furballs!! Who knows how that will go?!

Hope you all enjoyed a little bit of this and that today. Be sure to let me know in the comments. I love hearing from you!

Until Next Time,

Debbie (this and that)

What's In My Book Basket?

 A Few Good Books

Hello friends!  As promised, I'm sharing with you the books that are in my book basket right now. As you know, I enjoy reading and always have two or three books going at the same time. I find reading to be relaxing and one of my favorite things to do each day. Some days slip away without my visiting a book or two but those days are few and far between!

My friend, Sharon, was kind in letting me borrow the latest, and final, book in the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear. I have been a Maisie Dobbs fan since the first book in the series came out in 2003. Without giving info that would be a spoiler, I can tell you that this final novel (#18), "The Comfort of Ghosts," ties up many loose ends in Maisie's life. I'm kind of sad that this series has ended and am currently hoping to find another mystery type series that I will enjoy like I did this one. 

I found "Sister Eve and The Blue Nun" by Lynne Hinton at our local used bookstore recently and decided to give this series a try. This mystery series features Sister Evangeline Divine, a young nun who is trying to decide whether to stay in the monastery life or join her detective father in the detective business. There are several books in this series as well. This particular book is interesting but isn't keeping my attention as well as the Maisie Dobbs books. Sometimes it takes me awhile to get into a series, though. So, I will continue reading this book and see what happens. This is also a later book in the series and I may benefit from reading the first book in order to feel more "grounded" in this particular series. 

"The Year at Thrush Green" is one of the books by my beloved British author, Miss Read, aka Dora Saint. I find Miss Read's books to be gentle stories of life in British villages and they always feature wonderful characters who come to life in ways that make them seem like they are your friends. This particular book takes each month of the year and highlights events happening in the village of Thrush Green that impact the lives of all of the characters such as Winnie Bailey the doctor's widow, Dotty Harmer the quirky lady who befriends animals and Albert Piggott's wife, Nellie, who loses a dear friend and must bravely carry on running "The Fuschia Bush" tea room by herself. Whenever I feel rumpled in spirit, a few minutes of reading a Miss Read book always calms me and makes me feel better. Even though I have read all of her many books time and time again, I still return to them frequently as do many other readers. I belong to a couple of FaceBook groups that are dedicated to Miss Read fans and everyone in the groups is in agreement about the beauty of these books. 

So, that is what is in my book basket at the moment. Have any of you read any of these books? Do you have some good titles to recommend? Please let all of us know in the comments!

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Celebrating Nine Years of Blogging

 I Have Been Blogging For Nine Years!

Hello friends!  Today, I am celebrating Nine years of Blogging here at Debbie Styles Life! Can you believe it?!  What began as Debbie This and That and then morphed into Debbie Styles Life has been going strong for nine whole years. Wow! 

I have to say that those nine years have really flown by. I'm not going to do a lot of flashback photos this year. Most of my readers have seen those pics before. But, if you are interested, you might want to go back and visit some of my earlier posts from my beginnings in 2015. I have come a long way! 

My words for this year are Courage and Contentment and I have been practicing these words in many ways. Just being content with life as it presents itself and having courage in facing everyday concerns and problems. Knowing that my Lord is always in control and I don't have to be. This isn't easy for me and many days I falter but I am always reminded that God is present in my life and I take joy in knowing that truth. And I try to bring that joy to my blog whenever I post! 

To be honest, I wonder each year if this will be my last year of Blogging. But the blog is the one thing that is wholly mine to make decisions about and to design as I like. I am so grateful to be able to share my thoughts, home decor, devotions, and lifestyle posts with all of my precious readers. How could I part easily with such gifts as each of you? And so, I soldier on, not posting as frequently as in years past, but still here in the little section of the internet that is mine. There sure aren't as many bloggers around as when I began nine years ago, but those of us who continue to blog feel strongly about the importance of reaching out to our readers. I feel that I am part of an important community and you are all such an important part of my community! Thank you for being here!

So, with that being said, I am just going to celebrate and do a little happy dance today for Debbie Styles Life and invite each of you to do a little happy dance as well! And be sure to check back for my next post on Monday as I will be sharing what has been in my reading basket with all of you!

Until Next Time,

Debbie (this and that)

Faithful Thursday "Letting the Light Filter Through"

 

You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

Psalms 18:28

Hello friends!  The other day it was raining really hard at our house. We have actually had quite a bit of rain lately. And as the rain ended, I looked out my kitchen window and saw sunlight filtering through the trees hitting the grass and the gravel on our driveway. It was so beautiful and cheerful after the darkness of the storm that had just passed through. But, the storm was over and bright sunlight was now filtering through.

You know, sometimes life can bring darkness and storms. Troubled days can pour down like rainfall and surround us with the thunder and lightning of problems and concerns. Everyone has seasons of trouble and it is a sad fact of life. 

During these times, it is important to remember that we do not go through these times alone. God is always present with us whether the storms of life are raging or whether the sunlight is filtering through the days of our lives. 

God is our source of strength and courage and He will always keep our lamps burning if we rely on Him. While it is inevitable that there will be dark days in life, God is able to turn our darkness into light. 

In the book of John, Chapter 8 and verse 12 Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." This is a promise that we can hang onto when the dark days come. We know that Christ has overcome all the darkness and better days lay ahead for each of us. 

I hope you will join me in putting your trust in Jesus, God in earthly form, who has promised to never leave our side.

Blessings,

Debbie

A Bright Tablescape for Summer

 Bringing Positivity To The Table

Hi everyone!  As promised, I'm sharing the tablescape I created using the lovely dishes I purchased recently. Yellow is such a bright and cheerful color and that is the color that dominates in this tablescape. 

I enjoy the positive message that is written on the plates and the insides of the bowls. And the touches of green on the plates and the little bit of blue on the glasses adds just the right touch of additional color. 

And this is my "creative brainstorm" for a centerpiece. Blueberries in a clear, glass bowl with a colorful silk flower added in the middle. The unexpected color of the silk flower adds a bit of "oomph" to the yellows, in my opinion. 

This was a fun tablescape to put together and I was pleased to be able to use the yellow placemats that I already had on hand. What do you think? Are these colors that appeal to you? Have you been using your creativity lately? Be sure to let me know in the comments. I look forward to hearing from you!

Until Next Time,

Debbie

freepik.com

Ready for The 4th of July

 Subtle Red, White and Blue

Hello friends! Hard to believe but we are almost to July 4th and so today I'm sharing some ideas for subtle hints of red, white and blue. The Mr. found this t-shirt for me the other day and brought it home and I really am enjoying wearing it! The flower containers with "America the Beautiful" written underneath gives a nod to the 4th of July but also allows me to continue wearing this shirt throughout the year. I needed a new t-shirt anyway and this one is a winner!

I wanted to do a pretty floral arrangement that would be great for the 4th but that would also be useable at any time. I was so lucky to find some really pretty floral bushes in softer shades of red, white and blue. I love the result of this arrangement and can use many of these flowers at other times of year, as well. 

This is how the foyer looks right now and I'm very pleased with the results! 

I hope that you and yours enjoy a wonderful 4th of July and a wonderful day if you live outside the USA. Take care and have a great week ahead!

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Saying Hello

Everyday Is A Fresh Start 

Hello everyone! Aren't these dishes pretty?! And the message on the plate, "Everyday Is A Fresh Start," is exactly how I feel about the blog. I know you haven't heard from me in over a month. I've been busy with travel and with appointments among other things so here I go again with trying to get back on track with blog posts. 

Today's post won't be a long one or full of pictures. But, I didn't want anymore time to go by without at least saying hello to each of my readers. 

I purchased these pretty plates, bowls and some matching glasses a few weeks ago and have been enjoying using them very much. I hope to do a tablescape with them soon so you can see how everything looks all together. The yellow lemons with the white and blue flowers and green stems is so bright looking and perfect for summer! Lemons on plates and towels seem to be a "thing" right now but I didn't purchase these plates for the trend but because I thought they were just so pretty and cheerful looking. What do you think?

During my recent travels, I found the temperatures to be incredibly hot. One day my car registered the outside temp at 105 degrees! It was good to return home where the temperatures were hot but not brutal. I hope that wherever you are, your temps are cool and enjoyable and you are having a great summer so far!

Until Next Time, 

Debbie

A Little Bit of This and That

Foyer Table, Goodwill Haul and More

Hello friends! This is actually my second attempt at writing this post and I certainly hope I don't accidentally hit the same buttons I did on the last one that deleted the almost finished post! So, here I go again! In today's post, I'll be sharing a little bit of this and that with you to catch up on some of what I have been doing the last few days.

I spied some fun hiking/outdoor items at Target the last time I was there and decided to create an unusual "hiking/walking" vignette on the foyer table. Since The Mr. loves hiking and I enjoy gentle walks/hikes, I decided this vignette would fit right in with our home. It's also a good reminder for me as I walk past it each day to get up and move! BTW, I love those Leki poles. They were a gift to me from The Mr. a year or so ago and I use them whenever I walk or hike. They are easily adjustable and I appreciate that, a lot. 

I haven't tried solving this puzzle as yet but I'm sure it will be fun when I do! Tell me, do you create any unusual vignettes in your home?

We also stopped by one of our favorite Goodwill stores this week and I scored some great seasonal items to use for Winter, Valentines and Easter. Plus, I found two nice tops and The Mr. found a great shirt in a brand he really likes. So, all in all, we did very well on this excursion. I haven't thrifted in quite a while so it was fun to find great items!

And, of course, I have to share some good food with you before I go! My church hosted an Italian dinner last weekend and roasted vegetables was one of the vegetarian menu items. They were so delicious that I decided to roast some of my own veggies. This pan of tomatoes, squash, green pepper and onions roasted up beautifully and were very yummy! I will definitely be roasting more veggies. 

And, I enjoyed this delicious meal at Cracker Barrel last week. This meal is what you have heard me call an "Aunt Beulah special" as it mimics the foods I ate at my aunt's house growing up. This is my typical "comfort meal" when I go to CB and I definitely needed comfort as I had just gotten my Covid booster shot. The shot always makes me feel miserable for a few days so I enjoyed this meal before the side effects set in. Do you have a favorite comfort meal that is your go to when you are in need of some food love?

I saw this quote recently and wanted to save it as it fits how I have felt this past week. I found myself really missing my oldest sister this past week and the tears felt as fresh this week as they did 1 1/2 years ago when she passed. While I am so very grateful for all the blessings God has given me, I also still experience grief for my losses. I think that, as humans, we can feel both blessings and grief at the same time. 

Even in the midst of grief there can be joy. This final pic depicts the joy I felt a couple weekends ago as my women's group came together for our annual weekend retreat. This year we gathered at the Blowing Rock Conference Center in Blowing Rock, NC. What a lovely weekend we shared together as Christian women! Some members weren't able to be there and we missed them so much. 

So that's a little bit of this and that in my life lately. Hope you enjoyed the post and that you share a little bit of this and that in your life with me in the comments! 

Until Next Time,

Debbie This and That

Looking Back At My Fashion Photos Over The Years

 

Hi friends! I've spent some time looking back at old photo shoots that produced style pics for the blog over the years. Parts of these outfits I don't own anymore and parts I still do own. Some items just didn't make the cut when I did some closet cleaning and gave away items I just didn't think I would continue to wear. To be honest, some of these outfits still look pretty good to me and I'm wondering why I gave some articles of clothing away! Isn't that the way it always is?! You give something away and then think to yourself, "maybe I could have used that shirt, skirt, pairs of shoes after all?!" Anyway, I thought you might enjoy a trip down memory lane with me. Maybe you will see one of my photos and recall an article of clothing in your own closet that you might enjoy styling in a similar way. 

You may have noticed that I don't do many style posts anymore. I kind of reached a stage where I was beginning to feel a bit silly and wondered if I just looked like a foolish aging woman smiling at the camera! Plus, it's really hard to come up with new style ideas and new clothes to share all the time. So now, if I have a style idea that I feel might be useful to others I will do a style shoot but they aren't a regular part of the blog anymore. Do you miss them? 

So much of my time is spent wearing jeans and it's nice to have a fun top like this one to dress the jeans up a bit. While this color works best in the Fall I still wear the top during other seasons.

This pic is one of my all time favorites for style. The black and the white pair so well together. 

Here's a blast from the past with my Debbiethisandthat logo on the pic! The bright red sweater paired so well with the white of the vest. Alas, I no longer own the sweater. Loved it, though, and wore it for many, many years!

Here's another black/white with gray style pic. I just love this color combination and feel I look good wearing these colors. I've kind of gotten over the idea of always wearing colors that are in my palette. While color around the face is important it is not the final factor for me. If I love a color and want to wear it, I do! 

I do love pinks, though, and wear this color often. Pink is a great color to wear next to my face.

Remember this top? I still own it and love it. Don't own the black skirt anymore, however. Those earrings are big! But, I still own them as well and actually like how they look. 

I think every woman looks good in a little black dress! And, oh, how I loved these shoes but, alas, the heels were just too high for me to continue wearing them. I gave them away. 

And I'll close this look back at fashion with this casual, green summer dress that I dearly love. The color green has really grown on me the last few years and I have a few pieces of clothing that are green. Funny how we get away from certain colors. Years ago, I wore green frequently but then went in more for blues and pinks. Now, I'm enjoying greens once more. It's fun to experiment with and revisit colors just to see what you enjoy and look good wearing.

So, I hope you have enjoyed this trip down memory lane as much as I have! And maybe something you saw prompted an idea from your own closet. I hope so. I want to close with one final style pic and it is in memory of Iris Apfel, the nonagenarian style icon who died recently. 

Iris Apfel was always one to wear multiple types of jewelry and the boldest colors she could find. She was a great believer in wearing what she loved and not worrying about what anyone else thought about her style. I think we could all learn some lessons from her. If you would like to revisit the post my old Match Made In Seven group did about Iris Apfel you can visit it here. 

Hope you are having a good week so far. My apologies for not getting another post out late last week. Life got in the way. I would love to hear your thoughts on today's retro style post!

Until Next Time,

Debbie