Humming Bird Chats

2010-01-21T22:49:00.003-05:00

Just a short note to let all know what I have been up to.

I have been busy using this bad weather to work on my house. My plans are to have everything sorted and put away. Plus to clean out all my closets. It seems that every winter my closet get full, between old coats and jackets, to new winter items. So this year for every new item coming in an old item must leave. By doing this I hope to have the house finish by late Feb.

I have also been busy as ever working on my storage ( food, and household items). Winter time is a great time to rotate your can goods, and start your plans for your garden. I love getting and reading all the seed catalogs that come in the mail this time of year. I want to add footage to my garden this year so that I can can more fresh food items to can.There is nothing better on a cold winter night than homemade soup using vegetables that you grew and canned yourself.
So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2010-01-11T16:33:00.003-05:00

Greetings to All. The start of the new year has came and life has settle down some what around our household. So it was time for me to get back to my poor blog. I hope the holidays were good for all. Our holidays were grand and we enjoyed having all the family around. Right now we are dealing with very cold weather as many are as well. We are doing a early spring cleaning. I have decided that while we were putting away our holiday decorations that we really needed to go though all the boxes that we have in our basement as well as our "office". If it didn't have anything to do with the area that it was in, we are going though them and putting them either where they belong or throwing it out. I was surpise how much we were able to par down in just a few days. I told my DH it was time to buy new stuff. LOL Well until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2009-10-22T12:51:00.004-04:00

Another beautiful fall day has come. It will not decide whether it wants to be cold or warm around here.
So it is making it hard for me to finish the costume for Halloween. I want them to be warm enough for the little ones but not so warm that everyone is sweating. At the some time I don't want them too cool either.
My DS wants to be Oggie Boogie from the Nightmare before Christmas . I plan on going as a Virginia Colonialist and the girls are goings as Disney characters. Missy Ginny will be Ariel and Miss Keira will be Tinker Bell, wings and all. What a group we will be. My DD said that she is goings as the tried SAHM. hehehe I don't know why she is tried, I'm doing all the sewing. LOL I'm still trying to get DH and SIL to dress up, but so far no go. DH said he plans on dressing warm, not crazy. Party Pooper!!
Well I'm off to Hobby Lobby for burlap and lace. Keep your fingers crossed, I'm doing the Oggie Boogie costume without a pattern. Wish me luck.

So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2009-10-21T20:36:00.006-04:00

I had a wonderful surprise waiting for me when I got back from several busy weeks away.

Marie from Cottage Homestead http://cottagehomestead.blogspot.com/ had awarded me the Honest Scrap Award

I love Marie's blog so must, she has some of the best recipes that I have ever tried. You must go and see her blog.
Here are the rules of the award.
1. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs to give this award to that you feel to be brilliant in contend and design.
2. Show the 7 winners links on your blog and leave a comment informing them that they have been given the "Honest Scrap"
3. List 10 honest things about yourself that people may not know.

Well, I'm pretty boring but here we go on the 10 things about me.

1. My favorite color is pink.
2. I would have a house full of girly-girl things like lace, roses, etc. but my husband said he couldn't live in house that was all pink. hehehe
3. I love this area of Virginia, the seasons change so nice here.
4. I'm a Latter-Day Saint (Mormon)
5. I don't have an average LDS family. We only have two children. (one of each)
6. We wanted a bigger family, but due to medical reasons this was not to be.
7. We are big on having a good food storage.
8. I always include my daughter and her family in our numbers, even thou she has her own storage.I know that if anything bad happens they will come to us.
9. I have the odds Christmas wish list. a hand crank food/wheat mill, a big black cooking pot for making soaps, canning jars and a jelly safe.
10. My son teases me that we are just as odds as my Christmas list. That we eat home-canned fruit off antique china.

The 7 blogs that I picked are ones that I go to time and time again. They along with Marie's blog are blogs to visit.
1. Between Naps on the porch http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
2. Blueberry Cottage http://blueberrycottage.blogspot.com/
3.Bunny Rose Cottage http://bunnyrosecottage.blogspot.com/
4.Coffee Tea Books and Me http://coffeeteabooksandme.blogspot.com/
5. Hospitality Lane http://hospitalitylane.blogspot.com/
6. The Stone House http://makeminegrilledplease.blogspot.com/
7. La Rea Rose http://larearose.blogspot.com/
So until we meet again ~~~smiles~~

2009-09-22T21:33:00.002-04:00

Today I have been dreaming of food/butler pantries. I have been studying different books as well as web sites on pantries. I keep coming back to the old fashion ones. They seem to have more room and the lay out just seems to fit. One of my favorite is the one in the movie Practical Magic, I just love that kitchen, greenhouse, etc. I want that house!!! If anyone has the plans for that house, send them to me, please!!!

So until I get my dream house, maybe we will find an older house with an pantry. I can only dream. I would love to see what kind of pantries other bloggers have. I could use some ideas. So send me some links..

Until we meet again. ~~~smiles~~~

2009-09-21T17:56:00.003-04:00

Another beautiful fall day to add to the list. We had a great weekend, our granddaughter spent it with us. I always enjoy having the girls over, they see things from such a different light than grown-ups do. I went and got them on Fri. so we could get some shopping done. My oldest granddaughter Miss Ginny loves little pets, so her idea of shopping was the toy department. Miss Keria's idea of shopping is chicken nuggets. So we usually end up going from one side of the store to the other, I should get points for miles walked. hehehe

Saturday was spent at the park. We have several in the area, but the one the girls love the best is the one that has a big playground and ducks. Again the only problem with this is the play area is on one side of the very large park and the duck are on the other side. DH and the girls plus the dog (General Lee) decide they would walk to the ducks. Now we are talking about a three year old and a five year old walking close to a mile and a half one way to get to the ducks. Within a very short time they want to rest. Than they wanted to go back to the car and drive to the ducks, but by that point we were in middle it was just as far to the ducks as it was to the car, so on we went. Finally we made it to the ducks , and with a giant bag of bread pieces the girls and Pop feed the duck, the General and I had to sit up by the trail because the ducks wouldn't come near the dog. The girls had a great time until we had to go back, Miss Keria wanted nothing to do with walking and had to be carried. By the end both girls were being carried and Nana and Pop were done. I think Pops will have to rethink the walking issue.

Sunday the whole family was going to go to church, but I some how putted my back during the night and was unable to get up to go. My DD and SIL meet us at the house and took the children with them while Nana stayed in bed. I'm feeling much better today, but I'm taking it easy to make sure. I think it was all that walking. hehehe Until we meet again ~~~smiles~~

2009-09-17T02:58:00.004-04:00

It looks like I'm not the only one that is away from blogging land. I'm sure is must be because of the time of year. The starting of school and fall beginning the harvest.
I, myself, have been either out running trying to get things ready for fall and winter or in a corner reading. I can't seem to find a happy medium for what I need. Lately I have been drawn to books about being prepared. I'm not usually the type to get all hung up about one thing. But the more my husband and I look for and talk about what we want in a piece of land the more these things come to mind.
We plan to build our house, but have looked at several lots and farms that have houses on them. This brings up different questions. 1. Do we live in and fix up the house already there or 2. live in the house as is and use the money for the new house. 3.are we willing to give up some of the things we want, to get most of what we want.
We are working on a five year plan. To be on the land and have our dream house finished or close to being finish. The only problem is agreeing on the land to buy. I gave myself and DH a deadline of May 2010 to buy the land, no if and or buts!!! So if it doesn't have the pond he wants on it, he can dig it, period!! So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2009-09-09T17:38:00.006-04:00

It has been a busy last few days. I really enjoyed the freedom that not working has given me. I was able to go out of town with my DH on a business trip. While he worked, I got to play, this was so cool. This was one of the first business trip that I wasn't the one doing all the work and keeping the long hours. It was my dream that I could stay home and not worry to much about money. There were days when it seemed as if it cost more to go to work than what I was making. We planned long and hard for this day, but even with the planning I stopped working a little a head of the plan. It still worked out alright, because it wasn't a surprise.

One of the first thing we planned for was to have a good food storage that was to our family's needs. We also know just how much money we have and what we need to use each month. But the two biggest things we ever did was paid off
our house that we live in now and we have no credit cards. So if tomorrow cames and there were no jobs, no money coming in, we will have a place to live and food to eat. That makes it easy to sleep at night.

For now we are taking one day at a time, enjoying the cool weather and getting ready to look for fall apples to add to our pantry. So until we meet again. ~~~smiles~~~

2009-09-01T21:08:00.004-04:00

This time of the years has me thing about building up my food storage for the winter. I'm usually like the ant working on it all year round. But there is something about knowing that winter is a lot closer than it was just a few months ago. It is in this time I get the grasshopper quilts, did I do enough, did I forget something, have I not used something that should have been used so it won't go bad.

I just purchase a book Root Cellaring by Mike and Nancy Bubel. I have always wish for three things in our military moving life. 1.) A root cellar ( this bring memories of fresh veggie during long cold winters) 2.) A big walk in food pantry. ( I even had one once in an old house that we lived in off base. It was the first time I didn't want to move onto base.) 3.) a greenhouse. ( this brings memories of England with old stone or brick houses and garden greenhouse next to the houses. So I just had to purchase this book. A root cellar that you could do your-self (even in your basement ) and the does and don't of how to store. Buy it, you'll love it!
My next great idea is to have rolls and rolls of filled canning jars and a full pantry of the foods that my family loves and will eat. I think that is where a lot of people go wrong. They think that they have to have tons and tons of wheat and grains. But they don't really think of what their family will eat. Don't get me wrong I do store wheat and grains, but I also store tuna and chocolate, I wouldn't even try to tell you how many jars of peanut butter that I have stored or used over these many years. My granddaughter Miss Ginny could eat and live on peanut butter alone. I think that best food storage is the one that has the most variety that you can handle.

I wonder how I can talk my DH into digging a root cellar in my basement. Well I guess I will have to start cooking all his favorites and soften him up. hehehe I'll let you know how it goes.

So until we meet again ~~~smiles~~

2009-08-31T14:56:00.006-04:00

We are having the best weather today. Even if it is still raining, it is cool. We have shut off the air and open some windows. Fall can come anytime now. This is the best time of the year. Nice days with cool nights. Cool enough that you have to use a quilt, but not so cold that you have to have four layers to keep you warm. I have started to bring all my fall quilts and decorating items out and putting all my spring and summer items away.

I live in an older house/cottage that needs lots of work, but each year we pick one big thing to do just before fall. Last year it was putting up the carpet in the dinning room and do the floors and walls in there. DH was kind enough to do all the hard work while I did all the supervising. hehehe. This year we are doing the same in the living room as well as replacing the windows on the front of the house.

By the end of Sept. we will be in full Fall decor and adding our Halloween goodies to the mix. I'm also taking the time to look at other blog to see what great ideas they have. I so love all the Fall colors and all the wonderful decorating that people do during this time.

I'm now looking for a Fall background for my blog as well as fall topper. Any good ideas? Well I'm off to look for more ideas. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2009-08-28T20:44:00.005-04:00

It has been raining on and off for several days, so I was trying my hand at learn more about my computer. You see, computers and I are not on the best of terms. I'm the kind of person who can make light bulbs commit suicide, and don't get me started on what I make poor wristwatches do. I think one of the reasons I like the Victorian Era is that there wasn't anything that I could make short circuit. My sister as well as my son keep trying to bring me into the 22nd. century, but I feel so much safer in the 1880's. If you ask my dear husband what he truly think happen to our old computer he would say that I used it. hehehe Many people have given me ways to work on the computer with out frying it. But the best has to be ....typing with my bare feet on the wooden floor. I guess that grounds the computer or me. LOL So far, so good. Maybe I'll try taking pictures bare foot as well. Do you think I'll need to carry a few pieces of wood flooring with me as well? With that in mine, I think it's a Victorian life for me. Until we meet again. ~~smiles~~

2009-08-25T21:13:00.002-04:00

I have been working on my garden alot lately. It seems to be one of the few places I can go and just have quiet time for me. DH was kind enough to make me several hummingbird stepping stones as well as some very pretty pavers for my garden. I took many pictures but the only one to come out clear was this one. Good thing I don't make my living as a photographer. hehehe Well it would be a great way to lose weight being a starving artist. I will have to try and get some better pictures of the great garden items. We (DH and I) drove all around town trying to find a pot to fit a stand that an older friend gave me. It has two rings for plants or plates, I wanted a clay pot for the smaller ring and a glazing ball for the larger top ring. Every pot we tried was ever too small or too big, I felt like Goldilocks. Also at the same time we were trying out glazing balls, again the same problem. We finally found a pot that fit the bottom ring and was a color that I could live with, but needed a few added pretties. The glazing ball was not to be found, so off to the web to look. I think we may have found just what I want. So when it comes I will try (key word) and get a picture. Keep your fingers crossed. A course by the time I finish all the little special things I want for my garden it will be Fall and I'll have to put everything up for next year.... Sigh... DH said to just make it Fall looking and go from there, I'll have to see how that would work. So until we meet again. ~~~smiles~~~

2009-08-24T22:10:00.004-04:00

I'm back from the land of the dead computer and crazy lives. It has been a whirling world of growing granddaughters, who getting bigger and prettier everyday. My DS was busy with college, friends and pretty girls. Dear poor old mom has the house all to herself most of the time, but to tell the truth I love it. So now I plan to get my badly neglected blog back up on its feet. So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-08-19T21:23:00.002-04:00

Greetings all, My poor computer is on the sick list. I'm not sure how long I will be with out it. My DS is letting me use his laptop but my pictures and other files are not on his laptop. I will try and get back on as soon as possible. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-08-06T13:06:00.009-04:00

I have been working on some of my crafts that I plan to put in my Etsy Store.

These are my Colonial Style candle holders in shabby chic colors. I will also have Fall/Prim color ones as well as Christmas colors.

I'm not the best at taking pictures and I'm still trying to get uses to the new camera.
I started with these three colors to get some feed back on how people like them. I will be selling them as singles as well as pairs.

I have the purple ones on my coffee table right now, but will soon be putting up my Fall decorations.

They use the small colonial candles that have the little part that goes in the candle cup. I think they stand up better using these kind of candles. They are 9inch from top to bottom and 5 inch across the base.

The glass shade comes off for easy cleaning.

I plan to up load more pictures as the projects get finish. If there is any color that you like or have in your house that you are interested in get let me know.
They are $8.00 for one or $14.00 for a pair. Keep looking for more items and the opening of my Etsy Store Hummingbirdsnbriars
Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-08-04T10:38:00.002-04:00

A very dear lady Debbie at My Cozy Cottage World http://cozycottageblogspot.blogspot.com/ has tagged me for seven random things about me.

The rules are to list seven random and/or strange things about yourself and then tag four more people.

1. In 2002 at my high school reunion, everyone said that they know who I was because I looked just the same. So does that mean that at 18 I looked 43 or that at 43 I looked 18. hummmm!!

2.I love to read. I can't get enough books. I always have one with me, even at work so that I can read at my lunch break.

3.I'm a military brat who has lived in many, many places but I call Jacksonville/Camp Lejeune N.C. my home town.

4. I told everyone that I would never marry a Marine because they were always gone. But when I saw my DH for the first time it was love/lust at first site. hehehe

5. I was not the girl that my DH's family wanted him to marry (they had someone all picked out for him) but after 30 years, I think he is going to keep me.

6. Fall is my favorite season. My family and I love to decorate for this season as well as for Halloween. The leaves and the cool nights are the best.

7. I would love to move to Scotland to live. This has always been a dream for me. But DH says it would have to be after we retire.

Here are the four ladies I tagged:

Linda at Behind My Red Door http://behindmyreddoor.blogspot.com/

Lolly at Lolly's Nest Egg http://lollysnestegg.blogspot.com/

Celetina Marie at La Rea Rose http://larearose.blogspot.com/

Shay at Olde Colonial Peddler http://oldecolonialpeddler.blogspot.com/

So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-07-30T12:32:00.006-04:00

My sweet cat Gabby pasted away this past April. So my DH and Dear Children decided that I need a new kitty friend.

This is Gabby ....she was able 12 years old. This little darling is Vixen, her favorite place is under the computer desk on top of the modem. She was given to me by my children.

Here is my DS Robert with Vixen.

Miss Vixen again...she wanted Robert to pick her up. This is Mr. Andy, my DH got him on one of his jobs. The pink collar was because he (DH) thought that he was a she. He now has a new boy collar...

This is a not so good picture of Andy...he is all for taking the best seat in the house...DH's hehehe
They can't replace my dear Gabby, but it is nice to have some soft furies around again. Plus the dog General Lee is too big for my lap...

So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-07-25T14:56:00.010-04:00

My youngest grand daughter Miss Keria turned two on July 18th. Here are a few pictures of the fun.Miss Ginny with one of her many faux snakes. She loves snakes, and cake, here she is waiting for her cut of the cake.

Some of the goodies Miss Keria got, there are more in the other room. Pops was taking the pictures so he is not in any of them.

My DS Robert and myself. I have cut my hair since this picture. All the pictures were taken at my DD's house.

More of big sis and a better look at the cake. It was yellow cake with butter cream and mutli color sprinkes on it. My DD made it, she is becoming a great cook .

DD Andrea and Miss Keria.

A not so clear picture of Nana and the girls. Miss Keria was only interested in the faux jewels she got. I think she will be my glam girl.

I hope you enjoyed a page in our lives. Until we meet again

2008-07-23T16:57:00.003-04:00

I'm slowly getting all my new pictures uploaded and well as a great many of my crafts worked on. I'm also getting all over do stuff packed and ready to send out to family and others.

I had to share the newest picture of the girls. I love how well this one came out. Miss Keria (the youngest) doesn't sit down for very long, so this picture is extra special because she is not only sitting but happy as well. Everyone who has had to try and get a child to be still for long know just what I mean. Miss Ginny also had to have a red, white and blue band aid for her booboo so that she matched in the picture. She is the princess of the family,and at almost five , she is so into fashion and having the best outfits. Good thing Nana is ready to spoil on command. hehehe

I hope all is well with everyone and until we meet again. ~~smiles~~

An Award

2008-07-20T11:05:00.003-04:00

A very sweet and dear lady Celestina Marie at La Rea Rose http://larearose.blogspot.com/ was so wonderful to give me this award. My first one that I have ever been given, so it means so much more to me. I told her that I was not so great at the tech side of blogging, so please take pity on me. hehehe

Here are the rules that need to be done.

1) Display blog and the link to who gave it.

2) Nominate at least 7 blogs.

3) Add links to these 7 blogs.

4) Leave the nominees a message that they received the award.

Brenda at Coffee Tea Books and Me http://coffeeteabooksandme.blogspot.com/

Debra at As I See It Now http://debrasotherthoughts.blogspot.com/

Libby at -A Simple Girl- http://simplylibby.blogspot.com/

Debbie at My Cozy Cottage World http://cozycottageblogspot.blogspot.com/

Kelli at There is no place like home http://Kellishouse.blogspot.com/

Kari at Just Livin' Large http://www.grannyskywalker.blogspot.com/

Rose at Sugarplum Cottage http://sugarplumcottage.blogspot.com/

Thank you Celestina Marie for this award. Until we meet again.. ~~smiles~~

2008-07-06T17:48:00.003-04:00

I'm setting here enjoying that just after it rains cool air. My DH is playing (setting up) the new tank for our turtle. She was about the size of a small bullfrog when we got her over three years ago. She has grown about ten times that size and this is her third up size on the tank. But the good thing about her outgrowing her last tank is that my grand daughters hermit crabs now have a bigger new/old home. While my DH is having his fun I'm going around visiting and reading blogs that I haven't had a chance to visit or read in awhile. I so much enjoy the quiet time around here and I hope that all is well with everyone. So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

P.S. I really need to get my photos developed. Oh well one of these days hehehe

2008-07-04T20:36:00.009-04:00

Here's wishing everyone a great and wonderful 4th of July. I I hope that everyone can enjoy good food, good times and good company. I wish that all have good weather . Happy 4th, Everyone. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-07-01T04:55:00.003-04:00

I have a long list of things that I have yet to do. One of the big things is cleaning and organizing my craft room. My DH keeps telling me that I can't buy anything else until I know just what I already have in the room. (silly man). I have everything in the room, I just don't know where it is. But truly, I do need to make this room easier to work in. With it being unorganized I have a bad habit of putting things in there to do later. It always seems that later doesn't come very often around here. There are project from last Halloween as well as Christmas. There are several things that I have been working on to get in the Esty store that I want to start and there are more finish projects that need pictures to be taken. I was able to put the blame on being sick for such a long time that it is too easy to fall into that thinking. And every new idea or project that I want to do keeps being put off until the room is clean. So what am I waiting for? That's a good question. I was so into doing my crafts and when I got so sick so fast, it really scared me. So that step into that room is a big step, it is time to be well and to stay that way and the only way I'll be able to do this is to go back to crafting the way I use to.

So here is my list to start:

1. Do the craft room no matter what!!!

2. Paint the wooden dresser in my bedroom RED

3. Hang the new curtain rods and curtains in my bedroom

4. Finish painting the birdhouses that Robert made for me.

5. Finally finish the craft items already started in the craft room.

6. Take and then get the developed pictures of items, as well as up load the digital pictures to computer.

So I hope in a few days I will have some pictures to share with everyone of the new and improved craft room as well as finish projects. Keep looking in on me. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-06-27T17:23:00.003-04:00

Just a short note to say Hello.

Karl and I have a great anniversary on Monday. We did the usually things, go to dinner, and go see a movie. I joked with him that we were so romantic, why else would we go see the new Indiana Jones movie. hehehe He said well we could have seen a chick flick if I would have picked one, but its true I really wanted to see the movie we went to. I went though about a million pictures to show everyone what we look like now, but I found that we have many, many pictures of our children and pictures of Karl and I younger, but no pictures of us now. I will have to add that to the list of things to do.

Meanwhile, all I have done is go to work or worked around the house. Summer time is always busy around here, as it is, I think for most people. I go for my three month check up with the Doctor on July 9th. I hope that all will be well and that they will move me up to only 6 months checks. Lets keep out fingers crossed.

I hope all is well with everyone. So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

How I spend my day or the hit yourself on the forehead award

2008-06-22T19:52:00.009-04:00

I'm going to let you in now a small adventure I had this past week. I call it my hit yourself in the forehead award day. So let me begin...my dear daughter call me on Monday to say that she needed to bring her cats to the clinic to get them de-maled and by the way would I drive her there. I said yes, and then she said good we have to be there by 8:00 a.m. the next day. Wellll, let me tell you this put a whole new spin on it. Let the adventure start. I have to get up at 5:30 a.m. (yes, that's' right) to get myself and DS up and ready to go by 6:oo. We drove out to boonieville and got there about 7:00. Out comes my DD with one cat under one arm and my youngest grand baby in the other. I said to her where was the cat carrier? Her answer was that both cats wouldn't fit, so she decide not to put either cat in the carrier. The little voice in my head was saying "this is a bad idea" and my DS was just plain out saying that it was a bad idea and that both cats would fit. So here we are (myself and DS) trying to put two car seats and two children plus bags in the car and DD was busy putting cats in. Well, I'm sure you can picture this. One door open for car seats and the other open to put cats in. Cats go in one door and out the other. I finally had to say after she tried to put the cats in several times that she needed to wait until we finished putting the girls in the car. Okay, with that done, in went the cats. The first thing they did when they couldn't get out again was to jump up to the front and try to get out the front window. Thump!! The big black and white one decide that my DS's chest was the perfect holding spot. As we are driving out of the driveway my sweet daughter says "Oh, by the way I need to go by my vet and pick up the papers showing that the cats had their shots"....now as most already know she lives about 45 minutes away from where I live and about 20 minutes away from the little town where her vet is. My DS with a look of terror on his face said does that mean I have to ride with this cat attached to my chest for almost an hour and a half. Yes!! By now the voice in my head is yelling this is not a good idea, but I drove to the vet anyway. I said to DD was she sure that there would be someone at the vets office when we got there. A course there is someone always there with the animals that board there, was the answer and so we went. Well you knew it, the lights were on but no one was there. Okay now here we were with no papers, so I asked do we still go. Yes, lets go and we will get the papers later. Back on the road again, and DS is still holding in there or should I say the cat was still holding on. We finally get into our town and to the animal shelter where they are doing the pick-up. There are animals everywhere. By now the voice in my head is screaming at me don't do this, but do I listen...NOOOOOOOOOO!!!. So out of the car goes DS with one cat and DD with the other one. I stay in the car with my grand daughters and we wait....not for long...because as soon as my DD opens the door to the shelter and the two very large birds that are in the shelter get a look at the two cats coming in...let out a loud blood curling screech...the cat that my DS was holding took off, he ran up his chest, danced on his head and than ran down his back and out in to the field that was next to the shelter. OH, Boy!! My DS is about 5'9" and the grass that was in the field that the cat ran into was over his waist. So into the field he went. We live in SW Va. that has about 24 types of poison snakes that make this area their home. So I'm thinking, great now that's all we need. So here is DS in the field calling for the cat and DD decide to go help. As I said DS is 5'9", but DD is 4'11' so the grass that was over his waist in now up to her shoulder. At seeing this my oldest grand daughter freaks and starts to cry that the lions are going to get Momma and Uncle Robert. No more Discovery Channel for her!! Her crying starts the youngest to cry. I now have to take them out of the car to show them that the lions are not in Va, and that they couldn't eat anyone here. DD is calling here kitty, kitty and DS is calling get out here you stupid cat, and we now have a crowd of onlookers. One said "did you lose your cat"....it took all I had not to say "no they are trying to get snake bite" here's your sign!! One of the onlookers who was "trying" to help spotted the cat under one of the metal sheds in the field. So along with one of the workers from the shelter and my DD, people started to lay down in the half mowed area around the shed to look under it. Several people were putting their hands under it, and when my DD went to do the same, I said don't do that because there may be snakes under there. Well I never saw that many hands move that fast from under that shed. Well by this time the voice in my head just said "I give up". I told DD that I was going to take the girls and DS to my house and have him feed them breakfast and I would come back and get her.I give my cell phone to DD and off we go to my house. I live only about 6 minutes away from the shelter if I don't get any red lights, and as soon as I drive up to the house the phone was ringing. The cat came out from under the shed as soon as I drove away. I could have killed that cat...one whole hour in the sun and then he comes out after I leave...aaarrrgh...the end of the story is...always..always listen to the voice in your head or just hit your self on the forehead because you need it... until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-06-09T22:50:00.008-04:00

Linda over at Behind My Red Door, had some beautiful pictures of her and her husband David, from their days of dating. And with this month being the month that we were both married in, I decide that a small travel back in time would be nice for me as well.

this is Karl and his mother Mary in July 1978

graduation for Boot Camp, Parris Island, SC My picture that went in the newspaper, June 23, 1979

Karl, Katie and baby Andrea. Easter 1982 Andrea and Robert (late1984)

These pictures really bring back some happy memories and I can't believe how young we were. And it seems so long ago that are children were babies. But time flies as they say. So it is nice to have these wonderful pictures to keep the memories fresh. I hope all enjoyed this step back in time and that you all enjoy your memories as well. Until we meet again. ~~smiles~~

2008-06-05T17:32:00.005-04:00

I have been busy running about for the last several days. We have had some pretty bad storms in our areas, so I went out to my DD's house to check up on her and the girls. All was well, but I'm always a little uneasy about them because there is several large (big, big) old trees in their yard. I love were they live in the country, there are many beautiful old farms and homesteads near her. I keep trying to talk DH to buy our land out there. He is very picking about what he wants to buy so there may still be a big wait.

I love to read all the blogs about living on farms or homesteads. It is my plans to live as much off the land as we can. We have always been big on being well supplied and ready for most things, but it would be nice to have a bigger garden and some animals. My grand daughters love horses and we plan to have some as well.

My garden is enjoying all the rain we have been having, and I plan to add many plants to it during the month. I'm hoping that it will not get to hot to soon, but this week seems to be saying different. It has already gone up to the 90's. Maybe it will cool off again later.

I hope that all is well with everyone. So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-05-30T14:13:00.003-04:00

Today I was awaken from a wonderful dream by the oddest sounding rain. You know how when you first start to wake up your brain and reality doesn't always meet. So the sound of the weird rain and the very heavy walking squirrels really made my mine wander or as another blogger said pondered what in the world was going on. I slowly open my eyes to a room filled with sunshine and the sounds of rain. Now how can that be? Sunshine and rain? And what was up with those darn squirrels, didn't they know I was trying to sleep. It is bad enough that they play tag on the roof on a regular basics.I have a metal roof so the sound can be a little loud. I had to get to the bottom of this mystery. I called out sweetly ( okay! maybe not so sweet) to my DH. I heard a far away voice that sounded like it was up on the roof with the squirrels answer me. I asked him in my best worried wife voice "where was he and what was he doing?" To to my great embarrassment he answered "I'm on the roof cleaning the gutters" All I can say is that he is the loudest darn squirrel I have ever heard. And that my story and I'm sticking to it. hehehe So until we meet again. From me and my clean gutters to you. ~~smiles~~

2008-05-29T16:55:00.003-04:00

Today is so beautiful, no rain and lots of sunshine. I have been busy looking at flowering tree to add to my front yard and some climbing roses. I would love to get some white and yellow rose bushes so that when they get bigger and start to clime they will grow together. I think that would be so pretty. I have been enjoying all the flowers from the different blogs that I have been viewing.

This will be a short post so that I can go back outside and enjoy all the beauty of nature. Everyone have a great day. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-05-28T12:18:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was our once weekly day together. I went out to the boogies to get my dear daughter and my sweeties. Miss Ginny, who had just woke up from a nap was not in the mood to pick lunch, she said that she didn't need food. Her mother looked at me and said "see how she can be, I wondered all the time where she gets it from." A course my answer was "look in the mirror." My DD thinks that she is the only mother that has a hard time with moody children who will not eat, clean their room (help clean, that is), etc. etc. I try and tell her mothers through out history have been dealing with the moods of their children be they 2 or 80...it will always be the same. Well to settle the lunch choice my DD pick the place to eat..everyone ate but Miss Ginny, her lunch came home to Nana's house where she gave it to Pops in exchange for a P&J sandwich. Kids! you got to love them.. ~~smiles~~

So after a long day together shopping and just having fun my darling Miss Ginny decided that she would spend the night with us. This meant a change in the choice of DVD that we were going to see. My DS and I had rented the Diary of the Dead. This as you all know is not the DVD for a four year old. So we watched Happy Feet once again and when this was over and all the bed time stories were read, she laid down on our bed to go to sleep. Now she isn't all that big. She is about 3 ft. tall and about 40lbs. My DH and I have a Cal. King bed so you would think that there would be lots of room for all but this little girl can and will take over the whole thing. She started on the far side of the bed and by this morning she had managed to slowly move my DH and I off and out of the bed. So when we came to wake her up for breakfast she was sideways across the bed with all the quilts piled all around her. She is by far the Queen of the bed hoggs. hehehe

Well we have lots of places to go to today before we bring our sweetie home so until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-05-26T01:17:00.009-04:00

On this Memorial Day, I decide that I would share some pictures of my favorite Marines.

The first one to be shared is a picture of my DH Karl, from graduation from boot camp. 1978

The next picture is of my SIL James, this is also his graduation picture. 2003

The the last one is of my father Robert (my son is named after him) . I'm not to sure of the date but it is either last 50's -early 60's.

I wish these Marines and all others; past and present; as well as all other military personal, a heart felt Memorial Day.

2008-05-22T10:39:00.003-04:00

My DH has gone to Fla. on family business so it is pretty quite around. So my DS and I have decide it will be a "chill" weekend. I have been enjoying my-self reading blogs and catching up on all my reading. My DS who will be taking some classes this summer is trying to pick classes that will go along with his degree but will be enjoyable as well. He is a business major but he has been taking some computer classes and he really seems to like them a lot. To me he is a computer whiz, he does all the tech work for me, if wasn't for him, I would still not know how to upload pictures. The college offers a class on computer repair and design where the students get to build their own computer. He is looking forward to this class. This summer I'm taking a Web Page Design class along with him. It should be interesting to take a class with him. He likes to tease me because even thou I have a degree in Mathematics and Science, I'm so bad on a computer. I tell him that computers are not my area of expertize. But I do turn the tables on him when he comes to me for a math or science question...he always gives me the same line..."who needs Algebra and Calculus in business..it all boils down to dollars and cents." I can't fight the point, but I do tell him he needs to be smart enough to count the dollars and cents..hehehe

Well, back to the chill time, I have a big pile of books to read that I have been putting off for several months. You would think that all the time I spent in the hospital that I would have gotten to them but I was just not able. It took so much energy just to keep my eyes open, so reading was not high on my list of things to do. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I guess that was part of the healing. So one of my goals this summer is to get as many of them read as I can. A good book is something to treasure. I think I hear one calling me now, so until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-05-15T07:05:00.002-04:00

I spent all day yesterday with my daughter, son and my two grand daughters. It is not as simple as it sounds. My dear daughter lives about 45 miles away from us in the middle of nowhere; and she doesn't drive. So to go out with her and the girls that means that I have to drive all the way out to the end of the world, load up the cars seats and all the bags that go with taking little children any where, and then drive back to where there are stores. Then we must do this again on the way back.

Any time that we go out, I let my oldest grand daughter Miss Ginny pick where we will go out to lunch..she picked Chinese food. She and her sister Miss Keria both love the lo-main noodles and the sweet and sour chicken, but it can get a little messing, as you mothers well know!! I make sure that we have the day planned all out because with the price of gas I don't want to drive around and around. The last place that we always go is Wal-Mart. I think that my children think that I should live there. We also buy our food last because I don't want it sitting in the car, it is bad enough that we have the long drive back to her house.

I must say that with all that we have to do to go out I really enjoy having the day with my children and grand children..It is days like yesterday with all it bumps and hurdles that make being a mother special... until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-05-12T14:34:00.003-04:00

Happy Mothers' Day to All...... Happy Mothers' Day to All.....

We are still having May showers so my poor garden is still not being worked on. I may have to bite the bullet and work on it in the rain. I have Tues. and Wed. off, so I think I must really try and get in the garden then. This year I want to plant a flowering Cherry tree out front and maybe some climbing roses for the arbor that I want for the front walk.

I really want to get my garden to where I want it this year. I love the English cottage garden look. All the old-fashion flowers are just so beautiful. My dream list is foxgloves, artemisias, sweet peas,hollyhocks,peonies,primroses,violets,pansies,daffodils,snowdrops, daisies, delphiniums,hyacinths, and roses...lots of roses, plus herbs. My DH doesn't know it yet but I have a long honey do list with his name on it...hehehe... I will help him with the list,but I do plan on him doing all the heavy lifting. so until we meet again.. ~~smiles~~

2008-05-10T13:20:00.002-04:00

The weather is still not the best so I am staying inside. Not that there are not a million things to do, but I have decide that making bread is the thing to do today. This came about because my DH came home at the beginning of the week with three (count them) three bunches of bananas, mind you we love bananas, but how can three people eat that many bananas. So it looks like banana bread for us. I think that I have enough for four loafs, and I'm looking forward to have some fresh, warm bread.

Another thing I'll be doing during my spring clean is to go though my food storage and checking dates and starting a list of what needs to be filled. With the price of gas being what it is and going up fast, we need to keep our stores up. I hate to think what some of these things will start to cost. I still remember when you had a hard time getting sugar and coffee (not that I drink it), and it looks like it may be like that again...that's why canning is going to be a biggie for me this year.

Well, I need to go chop up the walnuts for the bread and get the rest started so until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-05-09T11:54:00.003-04:00

They say that April showers bring May flowers. But what does May showers bring? There has been so much rain around here I'm beginning to quack. Yesterday the weather so bad here in VA. There was flash flooding and tornadoes. This kind of weather has been going on for several weeks now. So today I decided that I would try and work on the outside, my garden, that looked like the picture on the left last year, on looks like the storm landed on it. Plus my DH has wood every where. Every time he goes to do anything with the wood it rains and the plan go to the dogs. Well may in June it will be a little drier and I'll get all my projects done. One project that I want to really get done is some canning. I have been visiting other blogs and it seems that a lot of Ladies are in the same mine frame. I'm enjoying all the recipes that I have read. Linda over at lbp sews had a wonderful recipe for watermelon rink preserves; and I'm looking for a recipe for applesauce that doesn't use a lot of sugar, so ladies if anyone has one please send it over. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-05-07T08:39:00.004-04:00

Everything seems to be back to "normal". I have been busy doing my spring cleaning. In fact, I have gone above and beyond in the cleaning. I just had to clean all the nooks and carnies. My house is full of things from 29 yrs of marriage and many, many military moves and duty stations. Plus, all the things that my dear daughter wants or has left for me to hold until she gets her house ready for the things she has here. So, I decided that this was the time to clean and clear...hehehe better said then done. It has been taking me forever. First, I get started and then I come across a book, or pictures, or magazine etc. that just has to be read or looked at. Then I decided that I need to redo this room and than start in that room....etc, etc, and the vicious circle begins again. My new plan is to start in the front room get it the way I want and move all other things to a holding area and put it into the rooms that they need to go in as I get to that room. When I get done with the inside of the house I'll finally get to really love on my garden...but that is another story in its self. So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

2008-04-16T17:26:00.013-04:00

Well life has finally settled down enough that I can get back to blogging. The sisters-in-laws and I went thought about a thousand pictures that my in-laws had in old boxes in the attic and the garage. (I have been with my husband for thirty years and as of June we will be married for twenty-nine.) So I remember a lot of the pictures, but I was given many pictures from my husband's childhood. My Dh is the oldest of the three boys so there are many pictures that have him along with his two older sisters, so here is alittle fast back to my DH's childhood.

2008-03-26T06:53:00.002-04:00

I will not be on line from awhile due to the fact that my father-in-law passed away on Monday. The family and I will be traveling to my husband's home town of Staten Island. Good-Bye for now.

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T13:10:00.007-04:00

I want to wish everyone a beautiful and Happy Easter. I hope that all have nice weather for this holiday.

My Family and I are enjoying a slow and peaceful day. The little ones had an egg hunt and they had on their pretties dresses. There were baskets for all but no chocolate for Nana. (oh well).

So I will talk to everyone on the morrow. But for today I'll just sit in the sun and enjoy watching all the activities. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

Greetings

2008-03-20T17:39:00.003-04:00

I over did it a little the past few days, so I must slow down so that I do end up seeing the Doctor again. I was hard at work trying to get my Esty shop open, but it looks like it will be a few more weeks until I can get everything finished and photographed.

I have so many pretty things that I want to go on the Esty store. My Dh is helping me do the photos and my DS will be doing the tech work.

It has been so pretty around here. I looking forward to planting my garden. There are flowers all around here and the trees are blooming like crazy. I hope everyone is getting warmer weather as well.

So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2008-03-17T14:13:00.005-04:00

I hope that all are having a Happy St. Patrick's Day. The family is all getting ready to enjoy the day, and looking for some green to wear. So big wishes for all. Until we meet again. ~~smiles~~

Sunday fun

2008-03-16T23:19:00.007-04:00

It is a bright and sunny day for us, with highs in the 60's. My DH and I decide to make our DS one of his favorite meals. We had Cornish hen, rice, mushrooms, corn and some nice big dinner rolls. My Dh husband who know that I was still a little under the weather told me to go take a nap and that he would watch the food and cook the birthday cake. I saw no problem in that, in fact it was a great idea to me. So off I went to bed secure in the knowledge that all was in good hands. Buttt, what do I wake up to several hours later....the smell of burning cake. That's right DH had indeed put the cake in the oven, but had not gone and checked on it. Lucky it had only started to burn when he noticed it. So DS did not get his birthday cake, maybe tomorrow. So Happy birthday to You, Robert my Dear.

Enjoying the day

2008-03-15T21:49:00.007-04:00

I'm enjoying a beautiful if not an occasionally wet spring day. I think, with crossed fingers, that spring has finally come to my part of Virginia. It has been so warm with a hint of a breeze that it just make you want to go outside and play. I'm still a little fuzzy with the pain killers that I'm on. So, I didn't go out to work in the yard or to start the garden. I look forward to the time when I'm no longer under the care of a Doctor. I have had 6 operations since Sept., all but one was related to my kidneys. The only good thing about it is that I still have both of my kidneys. They were not sure prior to my second to last operation if the left kidney was too damaged to keep, but it was fine.

I have been looking at garden books and flower catalogs, planning all the details of my garden. I'm having DH and DS to make me raised plants beds so that I will not have to bend to far. My DH is also making me more stepping stones and edges to make my garden a little bit of heaven. But before all this can be done and the garden started, the whole family will be doing a great deal of clearing of the backyard..

Tomorrow is DS birthday, so we will be doing something nice for him, but we are putting off the big plans that we had until I'm feeling up to traveling. We live in a medium size town so there isn't a lot for young people to do around here, so we go to the next largest city like Greensboro, NC or Roanoke, VA and Lynchburg, VA to go out to eat, shop the malls and just making it an all day party.

So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

Back again

2008-03-14T18:44:00.004-04:00

I'm Back!!! I have been going these past few days because I was in the hospital having kidney stones removed. This kidney problem has been going on seen Sep. of 07. I'm not up and feeling much better. They (the doctors) think that all the stones are gone and they have given me a long list of what I can't eat. Have you ever notices that the list of can't eats are always far longer than the can eat...But the worst thing is that I can't eat chocolate. Poor little old me!!! So until we meet again. ~~smiles~~

Something for Spring

2008-03-07T23:31:00.005-05:00

It been a busy day around here so I'm just going to leave you some pictures of spring. Enjoy Until we meet again ~~~smiles~~~

House Plans and the Rules

2008-03-06T14:03:00.009-05:00

AS we started to look for house plans we sat down and made a list of must haves. Now this list was hotly debated and much discussed, but finally narrowed it down a bit.

1. Porch: the house must have a porch.in fact several would be better

2. Fireplace: at least one but again several would be great

3. it must have both a Living Room and a Family Room
A. the family room is just that family room, here everyone meets, watches T.V., play games, can have hard playing here etc.

B. the living room..this room is where the pretty things live...where you have tea...quiet visits and no dirty blue jeans. Now don't get me wrong family is also welcome here as well.

4. Dinning Room: now this is where the pretty dishes live...my big table to fit the whole family...my china cabinet..the sideboard covered with great amounts of dishes food to feed said family...

5. there must be at least 4 bedrooms..but there could be more.

A. one for my pretty girls..made up just for them..girly and filled with all the things they love...Nana's girls room.

B. Guest room..this one is for the grownups that may come over to stay..it is made comfortable for them..and special.

C. one for my craft things if there isn't another place in the house made just for me..but I think I will have to add on to the plans a room for my things over and above the bedrooms...DH doesn't think the avg. bedroom is big enough.

6. a game room/computer multi media room..this is where all the electrial things will go to live and play.

7. the is have to be 2 or more bathrooms..not that I'm cheering to have that many to clean, but if you have ever been in a house that has more than one person living there, you know the need for multiple baths.

8. I need a pantry...a walk in one is the best..one with a window even better..it most be large..we plan to have another food storage area in the basement but the upstairs kitchen pantry is also a bigy.

9. now the areas for DH..there must be a garage...a work shop...and garden shed (large)...now all of these do not have to be part of the main house...the bigger the better and must be filled with all his tools (maybe than I can get them out of my front hall)hehehe

10. and the last...lot of land..beautiful land...and my family all around me...the children can build their own house on the land near by as well..that way the gran babies can just walk across the field to Nana's house..

Country Life and Cottages

2008-03-05T19:56:00.009-05:00

I really long to live in the country. My DH has promise me the house and land of my dreams, the only problem is that I don't think the house exist. I love cottages and I love farmhouses that have long porches that wrap around the house. I also love big Victorians house,so that leaves me with a crazy combo of a housee.. May some of you wonderful artist can come up with a house that fits it all. Then I will only have to plant the gardens and plan for the fruit trees and decide where to put the horses..I may even get some chickens. Well we still have to find the land, build the house and then go from there..all ideas are greatly welcome and all paintings, pictures and house plans are welcome as well... Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

tagged

2008-03-04T23:07:00.003-05:00

Mary Isabella over at http://daisybouquet.blogspot.com/ has tagged me for six word memoir.

The rules are you post your's and may post a picture and link it back to who tagged you so we can follow it. Then you tag five more special people to play.

Longing to have a Country Life
Here are the lucky people I have tagged:

http://larearose.blogspot.com/
http://lollysnestegg.blogspot.com/
http://www.sophiehoneysuckle.blogspot.com/
http://sandimcbride.blogspot.com/
http://bunnyrosecottage.blogspot.com/

So thank you all for playing along, until we meet again ~~smiles~~

March

2008-03-02T12:58:00.004-05:00

Well it looks like I missed March 1st. But I'll make up for it some how..well maybe. March is a busy month around here. We have several birthdays on my husband's side of the family as well as his and my son's birthday...I'm not sure what I will do for their birthdays just yet, but I'm working on it..My DH isn't really into birthdays..so it is so hard to get him anything..when you ask him what he wants..it is always, I don't know, I'll think about it....and then he will say if I need anything I'll just go get it when I need it...that is so true...Now my son Robert is a little easier to buy for...if it is Electrical ...or game related...or loud...or sharp (swords, etc) he will like it....but this year he is campaigning for a car...Mom's car die (plus it wasn't cool anyway) so now he thinks that a nice fast sports car...would be great... I said if he was to get a car, it would have four doors and be big enough to carry car seats in it so that he could pick up his sister and the girls...LOL I'm a mean Mom...hehehe We will have to see, I think that we will pick one out that will suit us both so that he may use it when I'm not using it...then later we will help him get his own.... The first car is what Robert wants and the second one is what mom wants..... Which one do you think we will get. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

Baby its cold outside

2008-02-28T12:47:00.003-05:00

It is so cold outside and the wind is blowing so hard it is shacking the windows. I sit here with freezing hands trying to write. And to top it off my DS says I'm whining..that its not that cold., now this is the same son who wants to move to either New England or Somewhere out west where they have real winters..I must have dropped him as a baby...where did I go wrong...I live in the South because its warm..remember!!! Now I want to learn to knit so I can knit me a full Body sock...hehehe..from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes...warm..warm... that's the theme for today Warm... Until we meet again..~~smiles~~

What is a name

2008-02-26T12:54:00.003-05:00

Becky K over at Hospitality Lane asked me how I came up with the name of my blog. I have also wonder at times how some people come up with the names of their blog as well as their Esty shop, etc.

Well it is a simple answer in my case. One of my most favorite birds is the hummingbird..I love the colors of the birds, the fact that they are so small but fly around buzzing at top speed. My husband has said many times that I'm like a hummingbird buzzing from one activity to another. When I first started to read other peoples blogs, I noted that the names were so much a part of the blog, so I had to have just the right name. SOO...a hummingbird stopping to chat was the idea....Hummingbird chats ...now that I'm starting a Esty business I have used part of the name for my local business... Hummingbirds_and_briars ...the new Esty store will be Hummingbirdsnbriars ... so I hope all will came and visit when I get it set up..Now I just need to find some one to design the site for me. A little Victorian, lots of pink, and green...plus hummingbirds and briars...flowers all around. I'll would love some ideas of what people like..right now I have balt salts .... sachets...tags, and cards...candleholders w/glass shades...lap desks...aprons..stepping stones (we have several different designs including hummingbirds) we are adding Victorian bed jackets, spice rack (very shabby chic looking) and many more items we are dreaming up every day....So I hope we will be up and working no later then the first week in March.. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

Monday

2008-02-25T12:36:00.006-05:00

When most people think about Monday, they usually think about going back to work, the end of the weekend. But not for me, Mondays and Tuesdays are my days off, this is my weekends. I really like have my days off during the week. When I did have the weekends off I could never seem to get anything done. No banks were open, and trying to get to the post office before noon was a killer. Now I can do what I need to when I need to. A course I wish that I didn't have to work at all. I have been looking for a job that I could do from home for years. One of these days when I get some "FREE" time I'm going to set up an Esty shop of all the items that my daughter and I make. Right now I sell items local, but I want to venture out into the big world of the web. My DH is going to let me use his digital camera to take some pictures, so I just have to get off my bums and do the work. So keep an eye open in the near future for my shop to open. I hope all will come and visit when I get it up and going. SO here's to a working Monday....I'm off to my craft room for some goodies...Until we meet again...~~smiles~~

I've been tagged

2008-02-24T12:34:00.008-05:00

I've been tag by Scrappysue of My Home Wellingtontown.

7 random facts about me.

1. I hate peas- I don't know why, but I just can't make myself eat them.

2. When I was pregnant with my daughter Andrea, I craved hot fudge sundays, and when I was pregnant with Robert, it was hot, spicy food.

3. My sister (Rhode Island), brother(Hawaii) and I (Massachusetts)were born in different states, because my father was in the Marines.

4. I always dated guys with dark hair and brown eyes but married the only guy I dated who had blond hair and blue eyes.

5. I have lived in over 20 places since my marriage due to military moves.

6. My sister Denise is my best friend, but as teenagers (due to a four year gap in age) we didn't like each other.

7. Fall is my favorite season and my whole family loves to decorate for Fall and Halloween, we go all out with the decorations.

Because this is my first time being tagged I'm not sure how to tag others so I'm going to tag people who have left comments for me.(I just love comments)...I tag Debbie of My Cozy Cottage World... Mary Isabella of Daisy Bouquet... Karen of A Scrapbook of Inspiration... freebird of freebirdsings...and Mary of Little Red House ...I love all these blogs so I hope they will play. Until we meet again

Mans' best friend

2008-02-22T21:10:00.004-05:00

My husband, who is the proud owner of a nice looking black lab, is now out walking same said dog. hehehe. Why do you ask am I giggling? Well the answer is this, it is so cold and wet out side. When my husband first came home with General Lee, (a good southern name) I told him that I'm not a dog person. This does not mean I would be mean to any animal, but from a very young age (when I was almost eaten by a Great Dane) I have been very fighten of most dogs bigger than a bread box. But my DH just had to have this dog, he said that I would not have to do anything with the dog. Soooo..I said okay, but remember this is going to be your dog. Now the Gereal had other ideas..first he started with the big eyes when he wanted pets..and then the wagging of tail to get me to look at him. My Dh take this dog every where, he will set in the first seat of DH's truck like he is the king of the road. He can hear Dh's truck miles before us humans can and he waits at the door like Dino...He sleeps on DH's chair when he is at work and wait for him to come home. General still thinks that he can get me on his side and that I will be his best friend. Well maybe some day, I do pet him every once in awhile and I will feed him when Dh is in a rush, but I still draw the line at walking him in the cold, wet, snow, and the dark...maybe this spring in the warm sun shine I'll go walking with him....Not!!! until we meet again ~~smiles~~

Dreams of Spring

2008-02-21T09:56:00.005-05:00

I had really hope for some warm spring weather by now, but it seems as if winter wants to keep a long hold over the weather. This year seems to be much colder than past years. We have all had more snow and rain than we can remember and the air will chill to the bone all who venture out in nature.

So until the flowers come out to play and my little part of the world because warmer, I'll stay close to the warmth of my home and family and enjoy being together. And on this beautiful cold February day, I'll take my book and my warm apple cider to a nice corner and spend the day dreaming about spring. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

A little bit of help

2008-02-18T05:54:00.002-05:00

Ladies and Gentleman, I have a little bit of a problem that I need some help with. I can't get in touch with one of my winners. She has her comment area shut off. The winner is Cricket from Gecko Girl 100, if any of you know how to get in touch with her please ask her to come to my blog and leave me some way to e-mail or link with her. If I can't get in touch with her by Friday the 22th, I'll have to pick someone else. Thank you all for any help that you may be able to give me. ~~smiles~~

A peaceful Saturday

2008-02-16T10:13:00.006-05:00

I'm setting all alone in a peaceful house. This is an usual happening, because by now on most days the dog wants to go for a walk, my husband is making lots of noise doing men-things and my son is using the computer for what ever reason. BUT...today, my husband had to work because we had snow on the 13th, so no work on the 14th...the dog is feeling down because daddy is not here and mommy walks to slow...hehehe....and dear son who was so kind to help watch my youngest grand daughter for three days so that big sis could get her eyes fixed...is now sleeping like the dead...and well the cat is always too good to keep just anyone company. So I'm now cleaning and trying to see how I will decorate for spring and Easter. Three of my favorite things are bunnies, hummingbirds and flowers, so I don't think I'll have much trouble finding something to use. This year (this week) I plan to make window-treatments for the living room and dinning room. I plan to redo each of the rooms together because you can see each from the other room. So a little bit Victorian, a bit of English country, and a little of the romantic look. My colors are pink, green, and cream...so any ideas just sent them over. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

Happy Valentines Day

2008-02-14T15:44:00.005-05:00

A great big Happy Valentines Day to all. I hope is all is well with everyone.

Today I have the winners of my OHOW giveaway. Because I had so many people come over and view my blog I had my DS draw three names.

Diana of Adventuring through life , Cricket of Gecko Girl 100, and Scrappysue of My Home Wellingtontown

I will be going to each of these ladies blog and let them know that they won, and when I will be sending out their packages. Thank you all for coming to my blog and I hope to see a lot of you later on my blog. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

My birthday

2008-02-13T08:48:00.003-05:00

Today is my birthday. I usually have my birthday off at work but not this year, so I'll have to try and enjoy it anyway. I not one of those women who will not tell their age, I think it is great that I have gotten this far. There are things around me that show that I'm a classic...like the first car I ever drove...1975 Ford Pinto...the music that I like to hear...Bay City Rollers (hehehe)...and the movies I used to watch...Star Wars, Grease, Saturday Night Fever.....so drum roll....I'm 49!!! Still I can say with a big smile on my face that I'm still and will always be younger than my sister...and she was a grand mother WAY before me. hehehe So until we meet again ~~smiles~~

This and That

2008-02-12T16:59:00.000-05:00

One more day until my birthday and one more day until the winners are drawen for the One Heart-One World blog event. I have been trying to go and visit all the people who come by and visited my blog. I am so happy that so many people were kind enough to come and see my blog. I'm still new at blogging and don't always have time to write. But I'm trying to do much more with my blog this year and I hope to find and make lots of new blog friends. I hope all are well

update for One World-One Heart Event

2008-02-06T13:56:00.000-05:00

Now that I have gotten 50 bloggers that have came by and checked out my giveaway and my blog I will pick two winners. Each winner will get the same giveaway that I have already listed...so people start thing about what scent you want your bath salts to be.....

Rainy Day Post

2008-02-06T13:41:00.000-05:00

Its raining today so I decided that all I would do today was work on my e-mails, read some blog, check out the net in general. It has been so nice not to have to rush around doing things. I should be cleaning my house and doing all the usually housewife duties, but I'm not and I'm enjoying it. I work a full 40 hour week and my home is my haven. I love filling it with pretty things and I decorate it for every season and holiday. Still there are times when doing nothing is just plain fun. No time limits, no runs into town to pay bills, etc. So today is marked as No Work Holiday for Katie., you can join me as well. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

Life Happens

2008-02-05T11:09:00.000-05:00

I have not posted for several days due to computer wars...or better know as the only computer that is working at the time is mine. My DS who got a laptop for his birthday last year is now laptopless because the hard drive had a painful death...and my DH who usually uses the computer at night when I go to work has decide that he needs to use it as soon as he comes home from a Hard Days Work...so between them that left me out of the computer using... But I sat back and waited for the right time to get the computer back and change all the pass words..hehehe. They came to me not knowing what had happened, so I sweetly said that I would put the pass words back if they would remember that I too needed time on the computer...I quess that just drop me out of the running for Mother of the Year, and Wife of the Year....but what can I say everyone has a little devil in them..hehehe..

The Beautiful Month of February

2008-02-01T10:31:00.000-05:00

I have to say that February is my favorite month of the year. Most people call it a cold and grey month, but not to me. This is for several reasons 1)the color Purple (why you ask the color purple, read on) 2) the birthstone of the month Amethyst 3) the flower of the month Voliets (now do you see why the color purple) 4) the most inportant reason of all ...its my birthday Month..***cheers*** and I guess you can count in that other inportant holiday (now what is it called??? oh yah...Valentines Day reason #5) hehehe. And this year I get to enjoy an extra day too, isn't great. So for this February I put out a test...to find something good, and enjoyable about February. Until we meet again ~~smiles~

Oneheart Event

2008-01-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

Lisa over at Heart of the Nest is hosting One world-One Heart. So I decide to join in and meet some new blogger friends. My giveaway will be apretty jar of scented bath salts and several small sachets filled with scented sea salt crystals. The winner will be able to pick the scent that they like for the items, it can be the same for all or different for each item . There will also be a few extra secret goods in the package. Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

Which Jane Austen character are you

2008-01-29T14:18:00.000-05:00

Take the Quiz here!

The Times We Live In

2008-01-29T12:46:00.000-05:00

I find that we all from time to time feel that we are not living in the right time or century. I have always found the Victorian times to be the most interesting to me. The way of life during these times were so vast. England ruled most of the world or so it seemed. The clothing was beautiful and the middle class was coming in to its own. A person with out a name or title could build an empire with just good old hard work. I'm drawn to this period both by the clothing and the life style of the avg. Victorian lady. How she went about her day, how she decorated her home, and how she interacted with other people. A very good friend of mine would always say that we were the ladies of the 1990's and that we didn't need man to help us with our work or hold the door open for us. I would laugh and say I much more prefer the 1890's. So come on guys hold the door, stand up when a lady enters the room, and I will give you my pretties smile and a big Thank You. For me good manners should never go out of style. So until me meet again ~~smiles~~

I'm in the Mood for Apples

2007-10-07T12:04:00.000-04:00

Days like today, when it is Fall, really make me in the mood for apples. I like to go out and pick just the rights ones. Then I make my list of what I'll do with them. Apple Butter, Apple Bread, Applesauce, and the favorite Apple Pie. Next step is to pull out all the recipes. I love the smell of the baking apples and all the spices, and there is nothing better than warm bake goods.

So here are some tried and true recipes from me:

Apple Crumb Pie

2/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

6 to 8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (6 cups)

1 9-inch, unbaked pie shell

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

Combine the first three ingredients, and stir into the apples. Put into the pie shell. Combine the remaining flour and sugar, cut in butter till crumbly. Sprinkle over the apples.

Bake at 400 for 45 to 50 minutes or till done.

Apple-Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup finely diced unpared apple

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 cup milk

2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

In saucepan, combine fruits, nuts, sugar and 2 tbsp. water. Cook and stir till thick and the apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Cream butter and brown sugar till fluffy. Beat in eggs. Sift together dry ingredients add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Stir in Oats.

Reserve 3/4 cup dough. Drop remainder from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet: make a depression in center with filling and dab of reserved dough.

Bake at 375 for 10 to 20 minutes makes 36.

Until we meet again ~~smiles~~

What I'm Working on Now

2007-10-05T14:20:00.001-04:00

Now that I have time on my hands after my gallbladder removal. I decided to finish up several projects that I had laying around. The first to finish is this sampler. I read the saying some time ago in a book about Colonial times. I thought that it would make a perfect cross stitch sampler. I want it to have a Colonial feel to it. The trees with have plum color flowers added and I have to finish the red hearts. I'm not sure why they weren't finish before, I must have ran out of floss. I want to do something with the bottom but I have an artist block. I want to keep it simple but not too simple. Any one have some ideas? I have began to put together items that I want to add to my e-bay store that my daughter and I have started. It is now on hold because my youngest grand daughter is in Duke. She has been losing weight and they are running all kinds of test trying to find out what is wrong with her. I'm unable to travel just yet due to my surgery, but I hope to go down Sat. I hope all will go well with her. It has been a crazy time for us with everyone be sick, this is usually our favorite time of the year. We are holding our heads high and going with it. Until we meet again. ~smiles~

2007-10-05T14:19:00.001-04:00

Home from the Hospital

2007-10-04T13:55:00.000-04:00

I'm home and very sore. The gallbladder surgery went fine but it took a lot out of me. It's like having a C-Section, and believe after now having both, I'm not to sure which one hurts the most.
Now on to more pleasant things. The house is starting to shape up nicely. We are trying to remodel around all the things that keep happening in our life. They say the Life is what happens while your busy making plans, this is the truest statement so far. We hope to get the front porch done before Halloween. My DH and DS are making it by using antique wood, it is old tongue and grove flooring from an almost 150 yrs. building. They are going to refinish it after they lay it down and than cover it with a clear sealant. I can't wait for it to be done. We are also replacing all the windows in the house starting with the ones in our son's room. They have taken the old window out and put a board up on it. My son wants to keep it that way and add some more boards across the opening to make the house look like a boarded up haunted house. I told him he had to get it past his father. I'll let you know how that works out. And I'll take pictures if we do it. Well until we meet again...~smiles~

Fall

2007-10-02T19:43:00.001-04:00

Today has been just one of those days.
I know everyone has had them too.
But, you could say it has been
one of those weeks. As you know from my last post we were busy in our yard as well as cleaning our house. This is an on going things(cleaning the house) it seem to me. You would think with one less person (my daughter Andrea) living with us that the house would be cleaner, but NO. I think that the cat and the dog go around messing things up just so I would have to clean it. Well that is my story..and I'm sticking to it. :0)
We were also busy planning our Fall and Halloween decor and yard display and than the world (life) throws us a curve ball. Last Tues. the 18th after a very nice dinner, I was rushed to the hospital with the worst pain I have had seen labor. The doctor said that I had both kidney and gall stones. And to make matter even worst I had stone in both kidney and they needed to come out, NOW. So in the hospital I go to have the stones on the right removed. The next thing I was told was that I needed the gallbladder out, no and ifs or buts about. SO tomorrow I go to get the gallbladder out, the only good thing about it, is that it will on an one day surgery thing. I still have to go about the left kidney. They are sending me to Duke for that one. The stone is blocking the kidney so they are not sure what or how they are planning to get it yet. I need more test when I get to Duke. You would think after all this life would give me a break, but again its NO. My youngest grand daughter Keria is at Duke, she has been very sick and they are trying very hard to make her better. My oldest grand daughter Ginny is here with us while her parents are down at Duke with her sister. We hope for the best!!!
My son has decide he will get the house ready for Fall and Halloween while everyone is at the different hospitals. He has been so great taking care of Ginny and keeping her busy so that she doesn't miss her parents and sister too much. He has taken some pictures and I hope to post some when I get them developed.
When this crazy time is over I hope to get to all my crafts done and post some pictures of them as well. Keep us in your thoughts. Until we meet again..Bright Smiles to All.

2007-08-01T06:55:00.000-04:00

The first day of August and what a beautiful day it promises to be. I have been busy cleaning the house and plan to get to the outside on my next set of days off. This time of the year has got to be my favorite. Going into and becoming Fall, the nights are cooler and the days just seem more light and airy. And when the leaves start to change the colors are wonderful. Fall to me starts in August. It is time to plan our family days and start to look forward to Halloween. We (the whole family) loves Halloween and can't wait until it is time to show off our decorations and treats. August is also time to plan winter gardens and getting plants ready for spring flower beds. I love to get big fall colored Mums to put all around my house and in the planters at the end of the sidewalk. This fall we are redoing the landscape. My DH has poured my stepping stones, so we will be adding them to our gardens and yard. He has so many different molds it made picking the one I liked best so hard, but the hummingbirds won out. I wonder why.hehehe. I will post pictures when everything is stared.Until later..Smiles

2007-07-25T14:52:00.000-04:00

I finally have gotten around (well my son that is) has finally gotten around to uploading the picture of my daughter and her family. This is the first family picture that they have been able to get done. Nana (that's me) got the dresses for my darlings for Christmas 2006. My DD

thought that the dresses would be perfect for the family pictures.

Keria the youngest was just about 5 months at Christmas and now she is a big 1yr. old. Ginny (aka. big sis)had a new haircut for the family pic. As you can see she was not happy about sitting on Santa's lap. She was all for it until the child ahead of them started to cry, then she didn't want anything to do with the idea, DD had to talk her into it. They are both Mommas girls and both wanted Momma to hold them in the family pic. All the pictures were great and I plan to add more later. Now all have to do is get some pictures of the rest of the family. I haven't gotten a picture of my DS in about four years, he is not the picture taking type. I also have no pictures of myself and DH. My biggest plan is to get all of us together for this Christmas for pictures.

Well until next time...smiles

2007-07-15T11:31:00.000-04:00

It has been awhile seen I'd have time to write on my blog. So lets get caught up. We had a great time at the festival. It was a real learning experience, the first being what kind of tent to bring.hehehe. There were high winds the first day and we thought we would fly off to Oz. the camp cover that we were using just couldn't stand up to the winds. My dear husband come to the rescue by going to Wal-Mart and buying a great tent that not only stood up to the wind but could be put up by one person if need be. love it, love it!!! After beating back the wind the rest of the festival when smooth as silk. The whole family joined in to make it a wonderful time. There was only two thing that was a problem,s one being that DH said we were spending all the profits at the other booths. hehehe, and the other was that all the pictures we took didn't come out. We will bring more than one camera with us to all other shows, that way we hopefully will get some if not all our pictures. I really feel that it was the film and not the camera but who knows

Now update on everyday life...I been busy in the garden as well as the house and craft room. Plus spending as much time with my grannbabies as I can. The youngest Miss Keira will be one on the 18th. time does fly as they say. She is already walking and has been seen she was 9month old. she follows big sissy Miss Ginny everywhere, up to and including down the front steps. This was not a good thing, both Mommy and Sis learned to watch her closer. But all is well and good. She went back to following big sissy and chasing the cat all with out slipping a beat.

My daughter and I have been going flea marketing and yard sales. We have gotten some great deals. I got a beautiful early 1900's dresser that was just the right size for the corner in my bedroom. This DH now uses, he now has his own dresser and he says that he knows now that my stuff will not take over his drawers. hehehe I only spent $15.00 and it was in wonderful shape, dove tail joints and everything. I asked the lady who was having the sale if that was the right price, and she said it was just an ugly old dresser, so with a smile on my face, it when home with me. My daughter is working on getting a 12 pc. set of stemware to go with her bridal china, (it has only been six years seen she got married,for her to decide on her stemware)she has decided on a floral design on depression glass. So we are now looking for either a vine pattern or something like that, so that it goes with the garden theme of her china.. Any ideas on pattern names?? let me know.

Well time to end this, until next, great lives....

Flowers

2007-05-04T17:42:00.000-04:00

During this time of the year all I can think about is flowers.I need to do other things but all the flower books and catalogs just seem to find their way to my desk..They creep in with the mail and I think the other day the cat brought one in. So I finally just stop fighting the need to look at all the beautiful flowers and made an order...Herbs and flowers by the dozen. The back yard needs a whole new make over. With all this new additions to the yard and garden will be just the start of the over all changes to the yard. This year we are going to fence in the backyard along with adding raised flowers beds. We are doing this for many reasons, but the most important one being my wonderful grand babies.I wanted them to be able to have a safe place to play.. The older grand girl Miss Ginny (and little Miss Keira will follow right along) loves snakes and in this part of the country..southwestern Virgina..picking up snakes is not the best idea. Now they can have just the place where they can run, jump, and do all the things children will do. Hopefully we can keep out the crawly and creeping things out of our little piece of the garden.

crafting all week long

2007-04-23T16:44:00.000-04:00

We are very busy with our craft items for the festival, so it has been awhile between post. Just four more weeks to go, and so much to do. My dh has gotten a new camera to play with so there will be more pretty pictures to share. My daughter Andrea is hard at work on the bath salts, and my son Robert is making several types of bird houses. The next project is making the stepping stones. I'm working on the tea cup candles and the stain glass candle holders as well as the colonial candle holders with hurricane shades. One of these days I'll get to work on my cross wall hanger that I have been working on or about a year and a half. Every time I think I have free time (hehehe) to work on it something always comes up... Well maybe I get to it by the end of May. Until next time..smiles...

These are a few of my favorite things

2007-04-11T10:06:00.000-04:00

This is part of my craft room. My dear husband is very good at building just about anything, so I asked him to build these shelves in an unused area of my room. I love the fact that they are 20" deep. I can put all kinds of craft items up there and still have room for more. Tho you can't see it well I have a Victorian roll top desk right next to the shelves. I'm slowing get desk items of a Victorian type to add to what I all ready have.

Here is a small display of our baths salts. Only a hundred more to go. We have about five more weeks until the festival.
We are trying ten scents this time. Our newest scent is sweet pea. This is a nice mild scent that remains me of summertime. Also the pale pink color is just perfect for this scent. My daughter Andrea is my master mixer,she does both the scents and the colors for the salts. We have several scent that are seasonal, so we haven't try them yet. What do you think orange for pumpkin spice, and red for Holiday Home or maybe for cranberry chutney.

My great son Robert was kind enough to put my pictures on the computer for me. He does all my tech support on my end of the line. My blog and web pages are the great work of Sharon from sharon@soaps-n-stff.com, she has done a wonderful job on all these items...I love the colors best..well until later...smile

To start with

2007-04-10T16:27:00.000-04:00

Well here I'm starting my first blog. My son tells me that this is a small feat of magic. The reason being is I'm not that great at using a computer. So putting this a side lets get started.
Right now my family and I have been very busy getting really for a big craft fair. We have been working on new scents for our bath soaps and salts. I have been working on tea cup candles; these were a big hit the last time we made them. I will have to go to more yard sales and flea markets to find orphan tea cups to have a bigger inventory for later.This will so broke my heart(hehehe). I will have to make some pictures to share. I'm off to the craft room to do some more work, until later...smiles

Welcome to our Family Blog!

2007-04-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

We are so excited to have a family blog! We can chat about what is going on with our family, the kids, the house our business and share it with our friends and family that are spread to the four corners of the earth. This is a great way for all of us to keep in touch through the Internet!