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~~~

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~~

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~~

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~~

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~~~

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~~

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~~