Thursday, December 30, 2010

It just ain't happenin'.


Ellie Mae refuses to live with the chickens. Or should I say Pop refuses to let him live with the chickens. Ellie has paced the fence all morning. So much so, Pop thought it was wearing him down,so he broke over and let him out of the pen. Back to the door he came, wanting in for his daily snack of cat food,the kind in gravy,in those little foil pouches.He has eat that since he was a chick of two or three days old.
I never saw a chicken that would let you pick him up and pet him like a kitten,but Ellie will, if you pick him up just right.
We'll have to come up with another plan on getting him use to "the girls".He's not taking to them just yet.

Pincushion pics



Nancy, here is a better picture of my little pincushions.The first ones I made are a bit larger. I used tuna fish cans and the like as bases back then. Then I started using rolled up cardboard as the base, now I am using rolled up stiffer fabric from anything I can recycle. For my present pincushions, I am using some chair covers I had used on the porch, which the sun had bleached too much to reuse in any other manner.I cut it into strips, and roll it up as I do the woolen fabric I use for the top half.The top half has to be something a pin or needle will slide into easily. I learned that early on when I used fabric softener dryer sheets for my stuffing. Needles do not penetrate that material easily, if at all.(That was before I quit using the dryer sheets.Something in them gives me a headache.)
I tried crocheting the covering for the first ones I made,too,but found that the needles went plum down into the cushion. Pretty enough,but not my best idea.I keep trying new things, and so far,enjoy making them the way I am now. It is very calming for me to sit and piddle with the little things while watching some of the old Westerns with Pop late at night.He usually falls asleep anyway, so I just continue on until I get sleepy, working on my little pincushions.That seems to be my winter's project this year.Hope the new picture helps.

Following Jim

I found a fellow who is blogging,via Suzanne's blog. I thought perhaps I would check his blog out, just to see what guys blog about. I didn't realize that many fellows cared about blogging. I guess there are many more than I thought.Another thing that caught my eye with Jim was his face page with himself and his horse, and the fact he lives in Colorado. I have never been to Colorado, but Pop has a first cousin who does, and he has begged us to come for a visit forever. Then,too, Jim seems to be into hunting and camping.Pop goes out there on occasion to visit with the cousin and his brother, and their families, for various reasons,usually hunting and camping, but I have never been. The closest I have been to Colorado is by using Virtual Google Earth. That is a great site to see where others are located. I use it a lot to check out my blogger friends home areas. That is probably the only way I will ever see the world. I was born and raised in Kentucky, and have never moved from the state in my entire 62 years,and hardly left the county. That's sad in a way, but when I can blog and learn about other countries via my blogger friends, I don't think it's so bad. I do love blogging and meeting new friends. Jim, I hope you nor your wife are not concerned about me checking out your blog so extensively. You,Gavin,and Andrew are the only guys I have ever attempted to follow. Andrew does not interact with me at all, but I check his blog out on occasion. He is into reclaiming wood and making it into fine products.I,too,love working with wood. Gavin is into a really green life(by the way Gavin, I heard on the TV yesterday, that Al and Tipper may be parting ways after 40 or so years of marriage.I hope it wasn't due to his desire to be so green).I try to live as green as I possibly can. I have not read all of Jim's entries yet, but will read more along the way. It is nice to read words that have been written by a man and find that his interests and lifestyle are so similar to my own,being raised so far apart, but then I find that to be true the world over, with men and women alike.We are all alike in so many ways we live and think, it boggles the mind.I have enjoyed reading some of Jim's posts.Check him out at Granddad's Corner Hopefully, I will gain another good blogger friend.Happy Blogging and a Peaceful Fulfilling Year to all!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Is Ellie Mae Smarter than the Average Chicken?


We have never raised and became attached to a chicken like we have Ellie Mae.We will need to come up with another plan on how and where to keep HIM. Yes,it turned out He was indeed a rooster, after weeks of calling him Ellie Mae.Several of my blogger friends had similar cases where they had named pets and found out later in the game that they were the opposite sex from what they originally thought.They left the name as it was, so we are doing the same.(although he gets called lots of other things when he get on our nerves,which is quite often)He thinks he is a house chicken,which of course, he was until he outgrew the cookie jar.Then he was a garage chicken until it became unbearable to use the garage without someone(ME)cleaning for a day.Whenever the coffee drinkers are here, he jumps on their laps wanting whatever he thinks they are eating.He gets to be more worrisome than cute.He paces from door to door wanting in the house to get a snack.
Today being Flea Market Day,although we do have a slight rain here,Pop took the other 4 roosters,which we had raised from chicks, out of the main pen,in hopes of putting Ellie Mae in with the hens.(Pop had hopes of finding someone at the Flea Market who needed roosters, since we don't have the heart to kill and eat them,being pets,you know.) Well. the plan for putting Ellie Mae in with the hens, is not working out so well,yet. I took HIM and a pan of house scraps to the chicken pen,turned the hens out in the pen,gave them the scraps to scratch around in, and came out,closed the gate, and went back into the house. I worked around the house for about 5 minutes, then I decided to open the door to take a peek at how he was doing with his new flock. In the house he came.How he got out of the pen,and that quick,is a mystery to me. I'll try cropping one of his wings, just in case he flew over the fence.You'll just have to watch for an update to see how this unfolds.

My Project for the Winter Months


Each winter, never really intending this to happen or understanding why, it seems I get sucked in by a particular project, and continue on with that project through the long weeks of cold weather, which keep me indoors more than usual.This winter, it seems, my project is making all kinds of cute little pincushions. Well,they are cute to me,anyway.I know cute usually applies to a living being. Most usually a baby,a kitten, a puppy, really,a baby animal of any kind, but in this case,I will use it to describe my pincushions.I think the reason I get so wrapped up in them, is because I get to rummage through my fabric collections, and pick out some small,but pretty pieces,and mix and match the colors. I do love doing that. Then I add any little fragment of decorations I find appealing,thus using up many small bits and pieces of those types of materials.That is always in the back of my mind. I waste nothing. If I have any little strings or scraps from my trimming, I poke it into the center of the project as more stuffing. It is an obsession of mine, which I plan to blog about another day.Nevertheless, I have made about a dozen of these little pincushions in the last few weeks. I slip one or two in my pocket whenever I go out anywhere. You never know when you will bump into a Special Person, with whom you'd like to share one.So far I have given them to the waitresses at our local restaurant which we visit often, and to a neighbor who drops in each Christmas with a gift,and of course, my Mother. She keeps hers on her fridge.That's where I figured they would end up, since I keep mine there to use daily. You never know when you'll need a pin or a needle, or perhaps find a pin that has fallen to the floor from one of your ongoing projects.My hope has always been to make up lots of little things like the pincushions, to offer in a booth or the like, but selling anything has never worked for me.Giving,yes,but selling,no. I just can't seem to do it.Something in my heart, just keeps saying "Give", but the word "Sell" when it comes to my projects,just doesn't sit right with me.I guess if I were in more of a financial strain, I could and would try harder at selling my crafts, but until then I will continue on, the way I am going. I get much more satisfaction from sharing my crafts in this way.

(I realize this is not a very good picture, but just wanted to show where I have been displaying my little pincushions,for now, as I make them.)

Happy New Year to All. My New Year's wish for all of you, is that your new year be filled with many many hours of indulging yourself in your favorite craft,whatever it may be,and that it bring you as much joy and peace, as mine does to me.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Who said it wouldn't last?



We've been married 32 Wonderful Years Today.Where has the time gone?

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

My Favorite Kitchen Gadget


Many years ago, I learned about the Ultimate Chopper through a television commercial. It looked so handy,I just had to have one, and I wanted my family to have one,too. I think I ordered 5 that year.I didn't realize I could save myself a ton of money by ordering them all at once. I ordered myself one first, and loved it so, I ordered one for my Mother, then I ordered two more for my two step daughters, and one more for my co-worker's Christmas gift.I used mine until the blade broke,after many many uses later. Low and behold, a friend of my family's passed away, and I was offered something of hers for helping with the packing of her possessions for the final sale.She had an Ultimate Chopper which had a few more accessories than mine.Hers included a blender,so naturally I chose that set.I do believe, I have used that chopper more than any gadget I have ever owned.
My Mother spent the night with us,and the entire day today,helping me to get ready for my family's Christmas Gathering.This is my year to have the big meal. We have been rotating around our three homes, since both girls are married now and have homes and families of their own.Nevertheless, we prepared everything we possibly could prepare in advance. I made Cranberry Relish. I chopped the cranberries, the apples, the oranges, and the nuts.We made a sweet potato casserole. I put everything in the blender and pureed it till smooth.Then I chopped the nuts to go in the topping.For the peanut butter balls, I chopped the graham crackers into crumbs.I do not think I could manage if it were to break. I would be on the phone tomorrow ordering a new one.Mom uses her as much as I do. With her age, and then not wearing her teeth half the time,(I'll bet she'd rather I hadn't that told)she cannot eat a lot of things, so chopping lots of her foods, helps her tremendously.If my chopper were to go out tonight, I would definitely be on the phone or computer, ordering myself another,tomorrow. It is simply one of those gadgets I cannot do without. It ranks right up there with my Bunn Coffee Maker,my curling iron, and blow dryer.What would we do without these modern gadgets.I suppose we would survive,just as we did before these and so many other modern day gadgets came into our lives, but I sure hope I don't have to try, any day soon.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Making Christmas Gifts for Others is Fun!



Today was my day to have the Grandchildren over. Leah turned 10 on the 15th, and she is taking more interest in sewing now. She has always loved dabbling in crafts with me, since she was big enough to take interest in anything. I am so glad she does.Crafting is not in her family's blood on either side, that I am aware of, and I am really her step grandmother,although she is a bit young to grasp all of that just yet.I know it has to be in your blood to want to do any particular thing, but I also believe environment plays a part in what you end up trying and wanting to continue on with.Hence, I try to encourage her to try everything I enjoy.She has always been eager to try, although her interest span was not that long.But now that she's getting older, she works with each project a bit longer. Today we made chocolate chip cookies from scratch. I think that was new to her. She evidently was use to making them from a box of premixed cookies.I didn't really understand the method she was describing to me that her family had used with her on other occasions.Possibly, a premixed roll of cookie dough from the refrigerated section of the grocery.I'm not real clear on the type she had made before, but nevertheless, she left me to finish the cookies, while she went on to work on another project.
The project that had captured her interest was the little lap boards(pictured above) I had been making. I made one for myself, then one for each of the grandchildren. She had taken a liking to these little boards, and wanted to make one for someone special, as a Christmas gift,namely a young man who has taken a shine to her over the last year.One of the many childhood crushes I'm sure she will have in her lifetime.We worked on a few of the little boards today,in between spurts of her acting as "Waitress" to serve coffee drinkers. She loves that job,too. It may be because they brag on her, and even give her an occasional tip or two. That would encourage any of us.The little lap boards are such a pleasure to make, and in making them, I use up a lot of fabric,which is definitely a good thing,in my case. I am desperate to move more fabric in whatever craft I can.This seems to work great.I hot glue one layer of something not so appealing, and then choose something more appealing for the outer covering. I have used mine many times already, and I am so in hopes they will find their very useful, too.I feel this has turned out to be a great craft idea for us all.Something useful and pretty,plus it is helping me to move some of my supplies along.The kids will be out of school for several days now, so hopefully we can get in a few more good crafting days.I'm sending my Wish for a Safe and Happy Holiday Season to all my blogging friends.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Michelle's Big Day



Today is my niece's big day. Many of the family will be going to see her march across the stage and receive her diploma. It's been a long hard road for her entire family, getting to this point, but hopefully, it will all be better now. We Love You and admire your tenacity, Michelle.Good Job!Congratulations!

Friday, December 17, 2010

One of the Benefits of Blogging and Crafting.


As I sit here this morning,blogging,I noticed my stomach is growling a bit. I was always very lean in my early years.My entire family used to constantly comment on how skinny I was,but once I left home, for whatever reason, that all seemed to change.I gained 15 pounds the first three months I was married at eighteen years of age. All through High School, I weighed a constant 145 pounds at 5 foot 9 inches tall.When the scales started to climb, they never seemed to stop.Here I am 45 years later. My weight has gradually climbed to 225,at my last check up, and dieting is no longer an option.My body has been through so many diets through the years, it refuses to relinquish a single pound by that method any more. Well, I think I have found some new techniques to try to persuade it to work with me.I hardly ever drink water.I don't know why, but water has never appealed to me. I do love tea, so I have been keeping a jug of tea made up at all times. I have read that many times when you think you're hungry, you are really thirsty. That seems to help. I know all the hype about artificial sweeteners, but that is what I have been using,unless I go out for a meal,then I get sweet tea.Our local restaurant has great sweet tea.Some do not. The tea drinking seems to help,but I think the main thing that has been helping me loose a few pounds here lately, is the fact that I am keeping busy,doing things I enjoy.That seems to be the key for me. I hope this trend continues for awhile, but I'm not holding my breath.I have picked up a can of mixed nuts to keep around to munch on. One of Dr. Oz's tricks.They are protein, and they have just enough fat to keep your appetite in check.With the holiday season, we have lots of fruit sitting around on every table. That is a great snack. No fat,but lots of fiber. Adequate fiber is another key to loosing.With the flu and cold season at hand, I have decided to drink a lot of onion and chicken soup.Both are known to boost ones immunity, and they're a big help in keeping your weight down,too.

This is just a thought I had this morning about a topic for my blog.Any other helpful tips, that don't involve running to town to buy a bunch of stuff, are welcomed.I'm trying to stay away from the big town as much as possible these days.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Fun in the Snow!

http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d5451794e4445324f44493d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link

For those of you who have never seen this little clip, I made using Smilebox,I am using it again this year, just in case I am not able to get new footage with one of the big snows.I'm pretty sure we will be having plenty more snow days suitable for more picture taking.This is Pop and the two Grandchildren.

Baby,It's Cold Outside!



Pop and I drove to town today for a free complimentary breakfast. Masters Supply,which covers all plumbing and electrical type needs,has a breakfast each year at Christmas time, for their employees and customers,and we have a good friend,Mike, who works there, so we do visit their store when need any these types of supplies.Mike is like a son to us. As a matter of fact, he introduced us,with a chuckle,to some fellow employees,in passing, as his parents.That makes you feel good to know someone feels that way.There are lots of younger folks in the community who tease us with that, and it does make you feel special.Nevertheless, I asked Mike to take a picture of us, and then he wanted one with me, too.
No need to do any Christmas shopping today, so we headed straight home,or so we thought. I spoke to my brother,Jerry, who is in from Georgia for a few weeks,with the intention of inviting him over to make Christmas candies and fruit cakes for the holidays. I know he is bored to tears staying in at Mom's big house all day, with nothing to do.So many of the family have to go on with their lives, they can't afford to stop work to entertain him, so I thought I would invite him over to my house. I know how bad it is to be cooped up with none of your hobbies to pacify yourself during down times.He loves working with wood crafts and cooking, so I was pretty sure he would enjoy spending some time with me, and doing those kinds of things.The weather is really bad with the cold and the snow,it was 0 degrees this morning,at our house, so it can be treacherous on the roads, but we went out and the roads seemed passable enough for him to make the trip of 20 miles.His truck is leaking oil, so he opted to check with his twin brother first, to see if there was any plan in the works to fix it.That takes first priority.I stopped by the Dollar Store and picked up lots of supplies, just in case he does come.If not, there'll be another day for candy and cake making. I do enjoy doing those kinds of things together with family.That is what makes good memories.I'll be spending my day making more Christmas gifts,after I feed and water my few chickens.That is the only outdoor chore I have left for awhile,since the goats are gone.Pop will be traveling to Tennessee with a friend today. I hate for him to make that trip, but it is one of those trips where he feels obligated,to help out a friend.I hope they're careful on those roads.Hopefully, the main roads will be clear.Stay warm and safe! Happy Holidays,all!

P.S. I forgot to mention. Mike is doing the cooking,for the breakfast, and he said he would save the fat drippings for me to try my hand at making a batch of lye soap.

Rome wasn't built in a day.


I guess it's takes a while to teach even young dogs new tricks.Things changed a bit with the Grandchildren,before the end of the day. I will have to take the blame of this,for the most part,but John knocked the Christmas tree over, breaking 1/2the candy canes,3 bulbs, and left 3/4 of the ornaments and one whole branch knocked completely off the tree.On one good note,it wasn't caused by them fighting.When we bought the new furniture, three years ago after rebuilding from the fire,we bought a 3 piece set of tables for the living area.Two end tables and a coffee table.The coffee table ended up being too big to use in the front of the sofa,since it blocked the use of the remote for the TV and accessories,So we put the coffee table to the side, using it more for a seat to put on our shoes and the like.Then at Christmas time, I place our 5 foot tree on top of that table. We have done that for 3 years now. Well, to make a long story short, I will tell you this. The reason for buying that particular table was....It had a fold up storage space on each end, and I figured that could double as a toy chest ,one for each child to use for some of their little toys that they use on a regular basis when they were visiting.Do you see where this is going? Well, you're right. John decided he needed to look for a specific toy he needed.No one had used those storage bins for months,but suddenly, he decided he needed something that I told him I hadn't seen lately, but could possibly be in the bin. All it took was for him to raise the one lid on his end of the table, and the whole works hit the floor.If Only I had the insight to take a picture of the mess,all over the floor.I calmly(since I had taken my little blue pill this morning) began to clean up the mess and reassemble the tree.John say"I didn't mean to do that Meemaw." and what was I to say anyway, since it was me who suggested the toy might be in the toy box.It all worked out pretty good. The chore of reassembling the tree was no more work than mopping up snow water all day from their many trips in and out, sledding, and the like. No real harm done, and it did make for a good blog posting.(Leah hates it when I blog about every little thing, or so she says, but I'll bet she'll enjoy these little stories a few years down the road.)

The second tree looks as good as the first when I have the lights turned on.Only fewer candy canes and ornaments, and I didn't bother putting all the pretty ribbons back that I had encircling the tree. I will be just fine the way it is.

Monday, December 13, 2010

An Early Gift to Meemaw




The kids are off today with all the snow, so they asked to come to Meemaw's house.Pop went to get them since the roads are pretty slick, and I don't like to drive with those conditions. He does great,no matter what kind of weather.Leah and I worked on crafts for a few minutes.We are making napkin rings for all of the guests on Christmas Eve night. That is when we have our big meal and open gifts. Then Christmas Day, they can each have Christmas with their own immediate families or the inlaws,etc.It works good for us. Never the less, we have all been working with the kids, trying to get them to stop fighting between themselves. I truly think they do it, because it is something to do. I don't think they are really doing any serious fighting,but it does get to be too much when they are with us or their Aunt and Uncle. Well, today, I had John to ask me"Do you like the way we are not fighting,Meemaw?" So by that, I figure they have had a little lecture from Mom and Dad about the fighting.I let him know that was one of the best presents they could give me. I love to keep them both when they are not fighting.Otherwise, I will have to demand that only one at a time,come to visit, and they don't want that. Leah stayed home yesterday, since she had not finished her homework,and I was sad since she didn't come,but that seems to get their attention quicker than any punishment they could get. They love coming to Meemaw's.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

How many chuckles does it take?

I have read many times, in many articles, that laughter is healing,and I am a firm believer in that statement.There are classes for laughing,there is Laughter Yoga,Laughter clubs,and I'm sure there are plenty of others you could find,so there must be some truth to it. The reason I've chosen this for my topic is....I find myself chuckling a lot these days. In the years past, when asked "What's so funny?" ,no matter whether it be during the day or the middle of the night,in most cases, it was something one of the grandchildren had done or said. That went on for years. Then it was something our dog,Sarah, had done. Then it was something the cats had done that day.Then it was the pet chicken or the goats.You know how you'll be all alone and suddenly something strikes you as funny. Something that has happened that day or in the last few days,that lingers in your mind,and you find yourself in the middle of a quiet chuckle.I do this a lot nowadays, and in most cases, it is something from one of the many blogs I read on a daily basis. We have no clue as to how our words may be affecting others.Sometimes it's words of comfort, when a blogger friend has lost a loved one, or simply a word of encouragement when someone has had a bad day.Or maybe a kind uplifting word or two when someone seems down and blue. Not only is laughter healing, so are the comforting words from a close friend. We, as bloggers, have found lots of good friends, who are willing to share common ideas,thoughts,and even their pain.We,at times, do not realize how we are helping others with our words,so we must choose them wisely, for our words are so very meaningful to someone out there in blogger world.I would never deliberately use my words in any way to hurt others,or bring someone down,but sometimes a misspoken word can cut to the bone,without you ever realizing it.I hope the words in my posts bring some laughter and joy to other bloggers at times.Although times get rough,on occasion,and we can still find a bit of humor in it all, we will surely get through it. Hopefully,some of the things that strike me as funny, will seem just as funny to others. I enjoy taking a tiny peak into the world of others, and hope they do mine. Even though so many of us are so far apart, we still are so much alike in our day to day lives. To all of my Blogging Friends,I'm sending you warmest wishes for a Happy and Joyous Holiday Season.

Who Knew? She is Indeed a He.



If you have been following this little story, you know this is the chick we raised in a cookie jar, in the house, this Fall. It has grown into a full size chicken now, and still comes to the door each day, to come inside for it's daily serving of individual packaged soft cat food or diced bologna.Which ever I have on hand.
Well, the reason for this little update is.....Pop and I were working in the garage yesterday, and heard the strangest noise near our feet. It was Ellie Mae....crowing. Well, as you can see, we will be thinking up a new name for HIM.Hopefully something that rhymes with Ellie Mae, since we have been calling him that for awhile now, and feel he recognizes it when we call. We'll keep you posted.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Making Life Changes


During my entire grown up life, my love for flowers has always got me through the rough patches. I would spend hours in the yard.Working in the beds,planting new flowers, rearranging old ones. Pruning,weeding,spraying.There is always something to do in a garden of any type. I had a play garden for years, and loved every minute I spent in it,but I soon decided it had become more trouble than it was worth, and let it go back to yard after about 20 years.Now it is time to let go of a few other things. My body is in reasonably good shape,for my age,although not as good as Jane Fonda's at 73, but there are things I choose not to do any longer,for various reasons. I will still need to mow the yard, and I have riding mowers for that, but even that tends to jar things up a bit, and cause me pain for days. I'll need to work on a solution for that problem.I have told one of my brothers, that he was welcome to come and get any of the flowers he wants. He has worked with landscaping for many years, and could probably use them in some way.That will free my time up quite a bit, not having so many beds to care for.I'm sure that will be hard for me, but there comes a time, to do what you must,even if it means giving up things you have loved and enjoyed for most of your life.I hope to make the transition to full time crafting.Only time will tell,as to whether I am strong enough to follow through with this plan. Wish me luck.



I gave up my last goat this week. I had already sold her two babies to a friend who takes real good care of his flock of 25 or 30 other goats, so it was not a hard decision to let her go and be with them. I didn't get the money they were worth out of them, since it was to a friend we sold them,but knowing they were being handled good and will have lots of company,made it a lot easier to let them go. Plus,we can visit them whenever we want to.We have already made two trips over there to see the two babies which we sold first. That helps us all to make the transition.We had the mother for at least three years, and the babies were born two years ago, April 1st,2008. We had raised their daddy from a few months of age, and parted with him after he had bred the mother. That was very hard,also, since we had raised him from a little ball of black fur. Most folks who raise goats or cattle, swap males on a regular basis, but he was getting a little rough with us,as males do sometimes. I think it was just his way of playing, but one can still get hurt, at any age, by them,even in play.Well, now that the goats are gone, my time is freed me up somewhat.Pop cares for the chickens,for the most part.I am still letting Ellie Mae in the house each morning,for her diced up bologna.She is the chicken we raised in a cookie jar, along side the two cats and 1 dog we have in the house.As she got bigger,we moved her out to one of the garages.We need to work on that,too. She's really messing things up out there, but we are afraid to put her in with the main flock,for fear they will harm her.We'll come up with a new plan,hopefully,before winter gets too bad.Wish me luck.

Friday, December 10, 2010

That's My Kind of Craft Room

I would love to post the picture of the craft room on the post I'm speaking of, but with so many do's and don't about copying pictures, I decided against it, but after reading the post from Unclutterer this morning, I wanted to comment on my situation. I agree with much of what each has said. My goal that I am working toward at the present, includes lots of white. Covey holes were my initial plan, but now I have found some really nice units where I have some of my special cabinets and the like,custom built.Now my plan has shifted just a bit.My craft room is really nice, but I,too,feel like I am in a cave at times. That's why I tend to drag my projects to the main part of the house to work.Bad idea.It always looks a mess. That was my reason for wanting a craft room,separate from the rest of the house.I could be a messy as necessary in my craft area, and come out and shut the door. No one would be the wiser.The main house would remain neat,but that's in my dream world.I keep hoping there is truth in the statement"If you can perceive it, you can achieve it."

I have no windows in my craft room and that is probably why it feels like a cave, but I do have a plan to fix that, too, when I get that far along. A nice outdoorsy mural on the wall and possibly a mirrored area. Both should make the room feel more open.These are some of my ideas in my head, and I keep hoping to bring them to reality as time goes by.I am in the process of making some drastic changes in my life, in order to make more time for my crafting.I'll comment on that in another post, and No!,it's not a divorce,although that could be down the road, if I don't clear up some of my clutter. Stay tuned.Happy Crafting!

Monday, December 6, 2010

One Down -A Few MoreTo Go





I guess a lot of folks find pleasure in all the gift wrapping, and I have on occasion, but nowadays, so many chores are my job, I choose to try this method. It is always such a struggle to get all the things done for the holidays anyway. My little Elves have abandoned me long ago.

It took me a day or two to get it done, with so many other projects in the making,but I have completed my first gift bag which will be used to hold the girls presents,thus cutting down on buying the paper and wrapping all the little gifts. It will work on the order of a large stocking, for the little things, since we are giving them mainly money these days anyway.Pop agrees with me in that with times so bad, we don't need to be spending lots of money on things they'll never use, and it's gotten to the point,we cannot buy to suit any of them anyway. They want all the latest gadgets, and we are out of the loop when it comes to knowing about those types of things.

They know what they want and where to find it, so we donate something to the purchase of it.In most cases, it is usually a lot more than we want to spend on each individual child anyway,so we contribute what we feel is reasonable and they can chip in the rest, if they choose to.


I will be posting the detailed directions on my Let Me Show You How blog.

My Niece,Michelle's Response to My Post

Thank you!! Although you made me cry.... I know I didn't become the nurse that mom and dad hoped that I'd be, but I lost my passion for that when Daddy died... Now, I think I found my spot!! I did that for me! Without the help of Mom and the boys, I would have never made it. Its been rough, there have been many days when I just wanted to quit, days when I've been so worn out that I would have to call mom and talk to her on the way home from school just to stay awake....Days that Mom would just cover me up and let me sleep with my head down on my book, and days when I couldn't get to class fast enough to get a question answered. Although mom and I have had our ups and downs, she's always been there to help me, with reading papers that she didn't understand, to helping with the house work and the yard, to watching the kids days at a time, but she's my rock... and I don't know what I would do without her. (She's also been there to kick my butt and tell me not to quit now, your to close) I think that God has had a hand in this too....he has given us all the strength to endure, the patients to wait for better days, and most of all to build a better relationship between me and mom.... It was rough growing up, we always butted heads, I was Daddy's girl, and when things got rough, I depended on Daddy, and when Daddy left us, I didn't know how to go to Mom, it had always been a fight.... Now that I'm older, and we have developed a friendship that I never knew growing up.... God has reason's for everything..... we just have to be patient and he will show us..... I thank him everyday for my family...without them I would have never made it!!!

He Would Have Been So Proud!


Yes, Michelle's Dad(my oldest sister's husband,of Nails in My Pocket)) is no longer with us, but it was his wish for her to go on an further her education,hopefully,in Nursing, which was her desire at the time. But with Life's little twists and turns, she has found her niche in another field, which proves to be quite satisfying for her,and that's the name of the game. To make as much money as possible, yet by doing something you truly enjoy. Then it doesn't seem like work at all, and you love getting up each morning to get started. I know the feeling. I had a job like that for many years. I never questioned the total amount my check each month,because the money was just an added bonus.I was spending my days, doing something I truly enjoyed.What could be better. I have said many times,The youth of today, have the option of waiting for a job they enjoy,whereas when I was young, we needed to get a job to survive.Any job.Not so much so, for the last few generations.They can afford to be a little more choosy when it comes to their life's profession.Michelle has been working at their local jail for several years now, and at the same time,has been taking evening classes.It has been a struggle, especially with 3 boys to raise, and a husband who is not there at all times, to support her.She has done it with the help of her Mother, who has stood by her through thick and thin. There have been a few stumbling blocks along the way, but together they have overcome them and carried on.Our hats go off to all of the family that has been there and supported her through it all.Our family has been through a similar process with one of our daughters, so I know where they are coming from. Congratulations,Michelle! We Love You and we,too,are proud of you!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Do You Have The Time?


The two grandchildren were here all day, and I am worn completely to a frazzle, but I got an email this afternoon, and the first thing I thought of was to put it on my blog. If figured if I had the time and energy to post anything at all today, this would be it.Without a doubt, we all know someone who is serving our country somewhere, in some way,this very moment.May God Bless them all.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas.


http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=5MtdIO23MKM

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Back From the Auction


Well, we're back from the auction. It was no where near over, but it was a bit nippy in the auction house. They had black plastic up for the walls, but it was still a tad chilly.They had one very small gas heater over in one corner to warm the customers now and then, as they walked around checking out the merchandise.The air was filled with some of the wonderful smells coming from the food booth.Pop and I both got a nice big juicy deluxe hamburger and a cup of hot chocolate.That really hit the spot since we were getting a mite cold and hungry.We mingled with a few friends and meandered around looking at all the animals.There were rabbits, ducks,many roosters and hens of all kinds, one mother hen with 4 new baby chicks,turkeys,pigeons,one small pony pulling a cart,jams,jellies,fruit,pumpkins,cakes,honey,sorghum,sweet potatoes,tomatoes,crocheted items,there were cookie and various other mixes in a jar,quilted items,camping gear,boots,various types of quaint things used on a daily basis by the Amish folks,numerous pieces of Amish built furniture, and many other items waiting to be sold.They even had a few home made bags similar to the ones I am making to hold the children's gifts under the tree,but I felt that would be cheating, so I didn't bid on them. I figured I just go on home and work on my own.
Pop stayed out in the animal tent, while I visited the household and miscellaneous tent.After about 3 hours, we decided we would leave,but the auction was not even half over. If there had been something we just couldn't live without, we would have stayed,but I took my 1/2 bushel of oranges, and he took his rooster and hen, and we went home. It was a nice outing, but I'll take our wood stove at home all snuggled up in our warm fuzzy blankets,any day.

P.S. I forgot to mention. Ellie Mae got real busy preening herself when we introduced the new couple to her.(pictured above)

Hart County's 1st Annual Christmas Auction




Today is the 1st Annual Amish Christmas Auction. We have been attending this auction quite regularly this past summer, and have enjoyed it tremendously. Today being their first of this type, we definitely want to check it out. We have enjoyed the friendly atmosphere,visiting with many local folks who attend, and the wonderful food booth,which serves homemade ice cream,donuts,burgers,etc.cooked up and served by the Amish ladies.There is not a lot to do in our area, as for entertainment, but we have added this to our never ending list of Wonderful things We Have Found to do.It is very true, that there is very limited entertainment in our area, and maybe our age helps us to find many more things that we enjoy, than the younger folks, but we truly do, find many enjoyable functions to fill our down time.Probably more than we need.It's hard to get a lot done at home, when you are constantly running to these functions,but we do enjoy every minute we are there.Until my next post,Happy Holidays to All.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Reusable Christmas Tins and Containers


The post over at Simple,Green Frugal Co-op,(http://simple-green-frugal-co-op.blogspot.com/) brings back memories of things that have happened in my house hold. I,too, collect a few tins of all sizes and shapes.In the past,I used one of the bigger tins for storing many of the smaller toys I'd collect from the floor after the kids had spent the day. Then as the children grew older, I would use the tin for other things,but my little grandson still remembered the toy tin, and years later, he took it down to look over his toys once more,only to find sewing notions inside. I remember hearing him say,"But,Meemaw,what have you done with my toys."I wouldn't have ever dreamed that he would remember that from when he was a baby.I guess some memories linger forever.That's why I try so hard to make lots of memories for and with my two grandchildren now. You never know just what they'll remember.

The posted idea from Simple,Green Frugal Co-op, is a great one. I may try it myself,this year. I have accumulated so much fabric, I may try making reusable gift bags for the entire family, and we can all reuse them as we do the Family Christmas Stockings. I am so proud of the Stockings I have used for 30+ years. Hopefully, the day will come when the children and their children will use the same reusable bags, and enjoy a few precious memories of their own.Thanks so much for the great idea.

(The tin pictured is not a Christmas tin, but one the kids identify as holding some of their toys in the years past.)

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Memories of Thanksgivings Past!


More than any other Holiday, Thanksgiving brings thoughts of big families gathering together,enjoying the meal, and spending time with family members with whom you don't get to see that often.Years ago when Dad was living, we would all gather together at one of our homes. Driving to where ever the gathering was to be held that year,and you could see many homes,along the way,with cars all encircling the farm houses. You would just know they were enjoying some of the same things you remember from your own family's Thanksgiving festivities.I remember looking out the car window,at those homes, and all the feelings that would well up inside me, just remembering the closeness of our family back then. It is a feeling ,that to this day, brings tears to my eyes. If only we could recapture those feelings in our present day gatherings. Family have grown up, each in their own way, and drifted off to their own little world. Never to get together again with that same closeness.Some members of our families have passed on, and others have fell away from the family for whatever reason. You hear of this happening from so many families,so it's not just my family. It's happening in American families everywhere. If you have not experienced some of these things, you are truly blessed. Enjoy every moment of the time you spend with your loved one.Nothing lasts forever.It is my wish that your families stay close and cherish every moment of the time you spend together.I hope your family had a very Happy Thanksgiving, and are now looking forward to a Wonderful Family Christmas and New Year.

Note:The picture is not of our Thanksgiving this year, but the theme is the same.A big family gathering with lots of food.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

What's Your Pleasure?



Regardless of our choice of mediums, we need to put aside our pumpkin making now, and concentrate on Christmas decorations, unless,of course, we are making them for next years bazaars.(Connie, I hope you don't mind me using your little quilted pumpkin in my picture,too.)I love the Fall colors. I could make something with them any day of the year. There is something about those warm bright colors that gets my blood surging in my veins, but then so does the bright reds,greens,gold,and silver,and even the bright whites of the Christmas season.I have read different articles about color therapy, but wasn't real sold on the validity of it,but maybe there is something to it. You know like painting jail cells a certain color to calm the prisoners or classrooms to calm the kids. I guess it might have some truth to it. Use bright colors to give folks more energy.Maybe if I tell Pop about the articles I've read, he will give in for me to paint my walls something brighter like Cranberry or Forest Green(well,maybe not the bedrooms,they'd need a calmer,more peaceful color)I would love to try one wall at least,maybe a small one,just to see if I'd like it.My sister suggested tacking up a sheet or a piece of fabric to see how I like it first. Not sure if I could get a good feel from that or not,but it could be a job trying to cover that dark paint if I decide it wasn't for me.I guess I'll give the sheet or fabric a try.I sure wish I had one of those programs where you can click on any piece of furniture or wall,etc.,and change it's color. I used one of those when I was picking floor coverings and paint and cabinets while we were building our new house, so I know they make such a thing,but it would probably cost an arm and a leg,and I need all my appendages in tact for a little while longer.
Christmas is coming,you know, and I plan to be ready.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

The Squirrel Inspired Me Today....

A little squirrel,outside my kitchen window, inspired me today, to write this little poem.If only I had snapped a picture of him.

The Squirrel in the Tree.

Hurry! Hurry! Come and see.
A little squirrel, playing in the tree.

But wait a minute!
He's coming down.

I think he sees something
Down below,on the ground.

No! He's headed for the shed.
Could it be, he's found a piece of bread?

Nellie Mae has left some corn.
Maybe that is what he's after?
Or maybe an acorn or a hickory nut,
That was dropped by my little crafter?

Let's be still and watch him play.
Oh No! Bear has come to chase him away.

Bear is our guard dog.
And she does a good job,as you can tell,

But I only wish she'd sleep a little longer,
So I can watch the squirrel at play.Oh well!



by Sue Nugent 11 24 10

Monday, November 22, 2010

I'm Done Kissing Frogs!

http://letmeshowyousawn48.blogspot.com/


My newest blog will be used mainly to show some of the crafts I have made,or will be making, and to tell how I made them.I mentioned, a night or two ago, that I had an ah-ha moment. This was it. I had been working on a site for selling my projects, and it just wasn't coming along like I'd planned, so I came up with this idea. I will take my crafts to yard sales and craft bazaars, in hopes of selling a few pieces, but if I end up giving them all to friends and family, so be it. I have had the pleasure of making them, and showing others how I did make them. I think I will enjoy that more. I guess the saying,"You'll need to kiss a few frogs before finding your Prince" applies here. I hope this is my Prince.I have kissed enough frogs to last a lifetime.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Warning!

It is my opinion that,Kathy's email address, at Kathy's Musings, has been compromised. I recieved an email,marked no subject, which I should not have opened,but I did, and my computer threw up a big warning box. Security Threat. We need to hear something from you, Kathy,or anyone who communicates with her, to let us know she is alright, and what the problem is.Please use caution when emailing or answering emails from Kathy's address.

Friday, November 19, 2010

An All Purpose Bar Soap From Mom's Past!

The picture is from The Mother Nature Network..(http://www.mnn.com/your-home/around-the-house/blogs/back-to-basics-colgates-octagon-soap#)
I was reading Brendie's blog, and she tells of an all purpose bar soap that her mother once used for her family.That must have been the way my Mom's folks did. They had a soap that was used in a similar way.Octagon Soap. I had never heard of it, until a few years ago. We had taken my mother to visit her people in south Louisiana, and we went shopping,with the family.We were exploring all the Cajun products that we only see occasionally in Kentucky. It was fascinating.We ran across this soap, and Mom began to tell us the story about how everyone in Louisiana grew up with that soap in their household. That was a the first I had heard of it, so I had to buy a few bars to take home. That's been several years now, and I still have a bar lying around just for memories sake,I guess,but after reading all I have about the soap, I may contact my cousins from Louisiana and have them to bring me a case of it on their next trip to Kentucky. They try to visit at least once a year. Last year, I had them to bring me figs. Most times,when they visit, they bring products they know we like, but are not found often in our Kentucky stores.I guess the soap folks are making themselves,nowadays, is basically, the equivalency to that type of household all purpose soap.All the more reason, I need to get it in gear, and learn to make my own soap,once more.(I did make lye soap, once as a project in school, with a program called Project Outreach. The Principal talked me into heading up the program for that year.I agreed since it was only for 20 nights.Ten before Christmas, and ten after Christmas, with a break between.I enjoyed every minute of it.I had to line up 20 people to put on demonstrations for the guests who chose to attend,each for a one hour session,each teaching the class their specific craft.The first ten nights went great. Then the program fizzled out, after Christmas, for whatever reason.Not so many takers on my last ten sessions, but the pay was great,so all was not lost.And I did enjoy the opportunity to do something that was "right down my alley".I love showing folks how to make crafts.(An ah-ha moment...I just gave myself a new idea.More later on that.)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

I Won! I Won! I Won! Well,Maybe Not!

Guess what! I have just recieved an email saying my email address had been selected to win a BMW and a cash prize of 750,00 something.
Only it is in the United Kingdom. How do I get a car over the ocean,and pay the cost of doing so, and still think I had won a car,not to mention a BMW. And what country can afford to give away a car and 750,000 anything, in this recession.
What kind of a fool do they think I am to fall for that story.Sorry, Mr.Nath Gibsion,you won't be hearing from this recipient.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

What does "Retired" Mean to you?


I had once thought "Great!I'm retired. Now I can do what I want." Big Mistake! Your time is never as much your own as you would like.I spend a lot of time helping others since I have retired. Don't get me wrong. It is my nature to want to help others. That is a lot of my problem. I am too sympathetic,and gullible,and naive, or so I hear from every direction,but,there are times when I feel I need more Me Time.I have the usual things that everyone else must deal with,like Mom,the grandchildren,the husband,the never ending company,the pets,the yard, the garden,the finances,the bill paying,the grocery shopping.I could go on and on.What I really want to do,is to spend more time ORGANIZING MY STUFF. I do have a lot of what most folks would call clutter, but to me it is mostly things I have collected over the years with the intention of using it, in my hobbies,which is mainly crafting.When you are not organized, it all looks like clutter.At least, this is what folks keep telling me. However,I think I am beginning to see daylight in my craft room.I thought I saw a glimpse of it, way back when, but that was before I spent the week and a half, helping the little lady that moved back to California.She had basically been abandoned,and homeless,for the most part, and I felt compelled to help her.She had a lot of nice STUFF,which she brought out of storage,to sort through,but as you know, she had to get rid of a lot of it,for her 2200 mile trip back to her home.She would be driving,herself, in an older model pickup truck,with full racks,pulling a 16foot long trailer with 5 foot racks.We sorted through her stuff for about 10 days. She tried to yard sale some things, she auctioned off some things, and she gave away some things,and knowing me, and how I hate waste,or throwing out anything that might be considered useful, in any way, you can imagine the load I brought home.But, as I have said before,many of her interests were the same as mine,so most of her things blended right in, with what I already had. I was in hopes that HE would never notice.I catch enough flack over my own stock of collectibles.I did get boocoodles of plastic hampers and bins from her though, and that made it look a lot worse than it was. I have always stored my stuff in boxes.Now I have lots of nice bins to organize my stuff in. That will make it all better.(Sorry,but I need to keep telling myself that,if I'm to get through it).
If I don't live long enough to see my organizing completed, at least, I have enjoyed going through my collectibles once more.Some, I haven't seen for years.
I did take time out from "organizing" to do a little crafting yesterday. That always rejuvenates me.Then there's this sinus headache.I hate being sick.It might be a passing virus. My head has been bursting for a few days, and today, I am feeling nauseous, and that is rare for me.
Well,I took a nap with a pail by my bed,just in case,and a sinus cold tablet,and felt some better after the nap.Hopefully,it's just a passing virus.

I thought about putting a picture of my organizing progress, but decided the above picture expresses more of what retirement should look like.I'll keep dreaming.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Mailing my Gift Box Today!

I reread the post about our Swap,and found that it was for an ornament and a card.
I had originally thought it was a sampling of the crafts we make,that we would be sharing, and had proceeded to compile those things,only to find I was mistaken.I
am sending my box along, but would love to send another, some time in the near future, with some of the things I make.Nevertheless,this will be a good test to
see how long it takes the package to get there, and whether or not it gets there
in one piece.(It's on it's way to New Zealand,as of today,Brendie.)

Monday, November 15, 2010

Waiting for an Answer.....

Kathy's Musings and Frugal Trenches

I have tried to reach you both by email, but as of yet, have been unable to do so.
I'm looking forward to your responses to my emails. Thanks.

A Fun Way to Start the Day!


I still cannot get the right procedure down to add a link to my blog. Sometimes it works,sometimes not. Let's hope it works today.You may need to copy and paste it into your browser.
I ran across this clip from an email I received,from UTube, and thought it was the cutest thing.And the little guy doing the talking is so funny with it all. Check it out.



http://algonquincanoeing.blogspot.com/2009/03/rick-mercer-visits-algonquin-park.html

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Count Me In!

http://notesfromthefrugaltrenches.com/2010/10/29/help-a-family-friday-china-kidz-a-christmas-project/#comment-14284


I just added my name to the list of folks who are willing to help out with the Christmas Project offered through Frugal Trenches.It is a good feeling knowing you are helping a child who desperately needs it.I sponsored an Indian child for many years through another program. Writing letters and sending little gifts.I know I enjoy getting some little something in the mail on occasion,whether it be a letter or gift. These children may be too small now, but they will grow and hopefully, one day soon,will know how you cared about them.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Wood Cutting Time!


There's been lots of wood cutting going on around our place lately,too.Pop usually cuts the bad trees on a neighbor's farm. The two of them share the work, and the wood. That works out good for both, since we have no trees on our little piece of ground,and the neighbor doesn't get around as good as he once did,plus he has lots of woods on his property. Another neighbor gave us all the old lumber from his wind damaged barn.It was really dry and cured,so it is excellent for quick fires these chilly mornings. Wood is one thing we never run short of.Pop sees to that. We have electric heat and AC, but we use the furnace very little during the cold winter months, unless the fire goes out during the night,but that's rare. Pop has the fire building down to a science. He knows his wood.He was a logger at one time. He knows which wood holds better than others.Some burn quick and don't keep fire all night. Others smolder along slowly.There is an art to controlling the dampers,too. He has tried teaching me. I try,but I still have a lot to learn. Hopefully, I won't have to take care of the fire building any ways soon.Now that we have a basement, it works out much better.The block walls retain heat all day, and when the fire goes out during the day,with these warmer evenings we are having now,the house stays warm until he can build another fire,when and if it's needed.Soon we will be keeping fire around the clock.But we're ready for it.Pop has enough wood piled on the carport to last a while, if it gets very rough this winter.Let's hope we don't have any more ice storms,but then we're ready for that,too. We have a nice big generator, ready and waiting.So bring it on,Mother Nature.Meals cooked on the wood stove ain't half bad!

Too Little,Too Late?

I am 62 years old and have grown up composting and recycling. It is second nature, like breathing, to me. After reading some of the posts, to my husband this morning, we got in a huge discussion on the fact that it's almost too little, too late. The recycling done by the few folks who are doing so, is not a drop in the bucket, compared to the huge factories that send tons of materials to the land fills on a daily basis, instead of being sent to be recycled. My husband worked for many years for companies where he saw it first hand, and even participated in the bulldozing which covered the dump sites. He feels the small amount of recycling I do in our home is worthless, on account of seeing the things he has. He feels my efforts are in vain, and are a waste of time.I wash and bag every piece of recyclable material that comes through our home and deliver it 25-30 miles to what I feel is a reputable recycling organization.They meet me at the door and take my materials inside where they have a crew waiting to sort it and send it on big trucks to larger towns where they have the set up to better utilize it.So many folks in our country are too lazy to bother with recycling.
And, yes,I do agree with one of the comments to my previous post, in that the products we buy are "junk". Years ago, you could buy an appliance and have it for twenty years. My parents had a refrigerator which they purchased in about 1950, and when I left home and got a job,and married in 1966, I thought they needed a nice, new, prettier one, so I talked Mom into getting rid of the "old" refrigerator,which was still in good working order,at the time, to make room for the newer,prettier one. The new one lasted only 4 years.The older one continued working for several more years. My home burned 3 years ago,and we installed all new appliances. Within 2 years, the microwave went out, and the cost of repairing it was nearly as much as a new one. We bought a new one to go in it's place. The old one sits on the porch,looks like new, but is worthless.Why is this allowed to happen?Hopefully, I can donate it to an appliance repair school for training purposes.I feel the marketing people figured out that if they make appliances that solid and sound, they would not get enough resells from these poor folks.That spells greed to me.They could care less if already struggling families can or cannot afford a new fridge in 4-5 years. All they care about is the almighty dollar they're putting in their pocket.Now many of our tools,appliances,clothing,etc. are made in other countries.Cheaper labor is a big reason for moving our factories to other countries.Again,greed enters into the equation, but much of the reason,too,I feel, is because so many American people have become to lazy and complacent to work.Good jobs are hard to find nowadays, but folks who really want to work, will find work. It may not be the ideal job they once had, but they will find work of some kind to carry them over until,hopefully,the economy bounces back, if it ever does.
The politicians in Washington can bicker and squabble to the end of time, as I'm sure they will, but the problems in our country, are not going to be solved during the four year tenure of any one man.Especially since that one man does not have the power the world thinks he has. In many cases, his wishes,whether they be favorable or not, are overruled by Congress, in one way or another.Congress,as is most of our government, is a complicated thing, and made more so by the dishonesty of so many folks in powerful places.It seems we are at their mercy, and becoming more so, day by day.Our need to be more self sufficient and self reliant is of utmost importance.More now than at any other time.I, for one, am working harder, toward that very goal.I think we all need to wake up and take heed, before it's too late, although it may be too late already, to turn things around.We need to spend less,make more of what we need and use,utilize what we already have,recycle more,find more wholesome and less expensive entertainment,help our neighbors by bartering and sharing more.These are only a few ways we can begin to make things better.It's a long hard road, but our once great nation was built by hard working folks,rolling up their sleeves and doing these same things. They struggled and survived and built a strong nation.Surely we can do the same,once again.

These are my opinions only. I don't claim to know much about politics, but I am smart enough to know things are not going well, and we each need to do what we can to change it.

This verse may not be worded accurately,but you get the idea.

If you always do,what you've always done,You'll always get what you've always had.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Living With Less!

Every since I began blogging, this has been the underlying goal for most bloggers in other countries. Tonight is the first time I have heard it mentioned in the news media in my country. Many of the folks I know,have been living pretty close to the bone all their life, while others don't have a clue as to how to live with less.I think more folks in the USA need to take this challenge and hopefully it will catch on and start a wave as it has in other countries.It is my opinion that the USA is one of the most wasteful countries on the planet.You can drive down the road, city or country, on garbage collection day, and see what others are discarding. Lots of times it's things that are better than what I have been using on a daily basis.It makes one sick to think people are so wasteful.And many times, these are the folks who are getting government checks of some sort, in the mail each month. I think they need to be held accountable to someone for their wasteful ways.Maybe the news folks could travel around with a camera,and expose these folks by showing them on their news program. Maybe by embarrassing them in front of the world,it would help to wake them up.We are burying ourselves in our own garbage.These same folks,too,are the ones who refuse to recycle.For those of us who are living on less,recycling,and conserving,it seems as though we are just spinning our wheels, trying to make this a better world to live in.Unless more people start pulling in the same direction, we will all lose.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Another Long Day!

Today was a very long day. The time change was not the only hurtle. We had both grandchildren.They were on their best behavior today, since their Dad had come down on them pretty hard about all the sibling fighting. I worry they will cripple each other at times, but I know it is mostly just something they do.They do hurt one another at times, but I tell them not to come crying when it happens, since they won't listen when I tell them not to do it.They get such pleasure out of "picking" at each other.Nevertheless,we had a very busy day.

First off we went to the local restaurant for breakfast with friends. I had bought some little turkeys at the auction, and I wanted to share a few with the restaurant folks. They fit on a little stick and go in the flower arrangements on each table. They gobble occasionally. There was no way to control their gobble either. They just gobble whenever. We have yet to figure out how.No batteries needed. I broke one open and only found a few little wires and such.There was a paper pull tab that had to be removed in order for them to gobble, but then they were on their own. They are so cute. I bought 48 of them with the plan to use them in my little Fall centerpieces I am making. I can't wait to get to that.

We got the kids at 10:00. First off the bat,Leah wanted to make a cake for when the coffee drinkers dropped by. She loves to have get togethers. She is old enough to make the coffee now, and sometimes they tip her.I found out today, that is part of the reason she wants to wait on them.We called the good friends with whom we had just eaten breakfast, and told them we would be having a little gathering at 4:00.They come by for coffee now and then anyway, but Leah like to call folks and announce "our party".She had her Aunt Rhonda thinking we really were having a party, and she was getting upset that she had not been invited. Once that was cleared up and the cake was baked, she had to put sprinkles on it. She sprinkles everything possible when we cook.We have all the special colored sprinkles for every holiday.I figure if that helps her take interest in cooking, I'm for it.Oh yes, and we cooked spaghetti. That's her favorite food when visiting us.She could care less if anything else is cooked,but she does prefer Prego Spaghetti sauce.She did try chocolate pudding today, but decided it wasn't her favorite food.I didn't have instant on hand today, and I think that's what she's use to..

Leah and I cleaned Pop's "pouting room" getting it ready for company. It is never presentable when company drops in, and I am so embarrassed for him, although he could care less. He offered to have the company in the house today,AFTER we cleaned his garage,when he never wants company to come in the house. It's always,Bring coffee to the garage,so, today, it's coffee in the clean garage. (He likes being amongst his "stuff",but I'd like company to come into the house, once in a while, so we can sit amongst my pretty "stuff".)

Five year old John did his usual things while Leah and I were about our girlish duties.He watches SpongeBob, plays his games on the computer, eats an occasional bowl of cereal, runs circles around the farm,plays on the rock pile, then on the dirt pile,plays with the cats.I think he's outgrown his nap. It was never mentioned today.And when the cake was done, he sneaked in the kitchen and ate the entire heart out of one layer.It was a good thing we baked two layers. Company would have had coffee with strawberries, but no cake.

We spent some time today,with Ellie Mae, the pet chicken. We have been trying to get her use to the other chickens, so we can put her in the pen with them. We don't want them pecking her to death after raising her like we have.She is such a pet. She'll follow me forever hoping I'll break over and give her a pouch of her favorite kitten food, and I usually do.Our pets are all so spoiled. It's a good thing we only have a few.The new Beagle,Fred,wasn't working out, so Pop gave him to a good friend who is much younger.Hopefully Fred will get to do some rabbit hunting after all.The wood cutting has worn Pop down a bit this year,and he felt he couldn't handle all the walking involved when hunting rabbits.We know our friend will give Fred a good home.

Pop's fell asleep in front of the TV, and I am beat, so it's off to beddy bye for me. I hope all had an equally enjoyable and relaxing Sunday.Good Night All!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

My Friend Is Home.

My friend called me this morning. She was about 50 miles from her destination, at that time. She should be home by now. Her faith has gotten her home safely. I wouldn't dare make that trip alone, much less under the conditions she had to endure. She is an amazing lady. I wish her well in getting settled there once more. She had lived there for eight years before, so possibly she has some friends and connections with the right folks who can help her to get things set up once again. It has to be hard being a widow, having to make so many decisions alone.She is very confident her faith will carry her through,and I am convinced it will,indeed.

Friday, November 5, 2010

The Home Stretch!

My new friend, the one tough lady I've been blogging about, is in Arizona now.She called Thursday night to check in with us. Hopefully she will make it home this weekend. She says she is getting really tired and weary. I can only imagine. At 73 years of age, pulling an older,overloaded truck and trailer for 2200 miles through that rugged country,fromCentral Kentucky to Southern California.She needs an award of some kind. She is amazing for tackling that trip to begin with. She did say the roads were much better than she remembered, but the hills were worse than she remembered. I don't doubt the load she was hauling this trip,would make it seem a lot worse.Hopefully, she will find a place to live in the next few days. I feel she will keep in touch, so I'll post any news as I hear it. May God watch over her and keep her safe, as her faith is strong and it has supported her thus far.

In Response to Terry's post

http://uraniasinspiration.blogspot.com/
Sad,Terry, but true.It happens a lot, at the auctions we attend on a regular basis. Many times, the folks who rent those storage units,lose their "stuff" for whatever reason, and whoever ends up with their "stuff" does not treasure it as the owner once did.Death of the owner is the cause, in some cases, but occasionally, it might be for non payment of the monthly rent.After so long, and the rent is not paid on the unit, the owner takes possession of the "stuff" in the unit to do with as he wishes.He has buyers come in and bid on the "stuff", and whoever gets it,they resell it at auctions,yard sales, or consignment shops,for a profit. Nevertheless, the "stuff" goes cheap. I helped the little lady I speak of in my posts, this past week or so, and she had a lot of really expensive "stuff" that went for a song.But there you go again, she HAD to move her "stuff" in a hurry ,so therefore had to take a loss on a lot of things.It was really hard to watch it sell so cheap. She had to leave the room on occasion,just because it was so hard for her to watch it sell that cheap.As I am learning from my Mom and many others I know,it is a good idea to begin narrowing down your inventory as you get older. Or this will be your plight. Lots of your "stuff" will be clumped together in boxes, and sold for 50 cents a box,if you're lucky. In the little ladies case, they put up 2 or 3 boxes toward the end for a mere fifty cents. Now that was sad, but she had so much, and most folks must watch what they spend these days,with the economy being as it is.And then, too, everyone has "So Much Stuff"at home already.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

We Visited Mattie and Josie



The black goat,Josie, and the one in the front with the brown head,Mattie, are the two we sold.Josie was never really lovey dovey, like Mattie, and she was a bit of a rouge. She was constantly getting out of the pen.

The grandchildren were a wee bit saddened when I told them that I had sold Mattie and Josie,so we promised them a visit to their present home. When they got there and saw they had 25 to 30 other goats to play with,and many acres to play on and graze, they felt much better.The goats remembered us and come right up to us once again. If only we had remembered to bring crackers.Maybe next time. There were many goats,of all sizes there.Even several new babies.When I told the children that we might have new babies around March, they were satisfied.The owner of all the goats had loaned us his male to breed Katlyn once more. The grandchildren are getting older now, and don't spend as much time with the animals as they once did, and since we don't really have the acreage or the fencing,we felt it was best to let them go. And the price of goats is really good right now.I guess the children are O K with it for now,since they have the two cats, the pet chicken, and a new beagle hound to occupy their time.

Friday, October 29, 2010

One Tough Lady



I have been away from my computer for a week or so, for the most part, helping one tough lady. It is a long story, but one I will remember the rest of my life. I have always had a soft heart for folks in need, and this lady was definitely in need.
What she needed at the time I met her was a helping hand or two. I will probably never know the whole story of what brought her to my area, but I did get to meet her and work with her for about a week and a half.
It seems she has been a widow for about eight years and her home in California had been foreclosed on.She has three daughters,and one of them had moved to Kentucky in hopes of purchasing some ground and building a house. Nevertheless,this lady had relocated to Elizabethtown,I would guess, to be near her daughter,about the time of the ice storm.There she lived in an apartment until a few weeks ago. Her daughter and son-in-law were unable to get a clear title to the property they were trying to purchase,at least that's what I've heard.Something regarding liens and the nursing home and the previous owners.Nevertheless, they were having to move,and the mother would be going,too.The couple would be going back to Arizona, and the mother to California.The mother had accumulated quite a bit of "stuff" in the last 35 years, so she had it stored in several storage units in town.Now that the plan was in motion to go back out West,the mother took her possessions out of storage and embarked on narrowing it down to fit in the truck and trailer she would be driving back to California.This is where I get involved. She had everything she owned set out on the adjoining property of her daughter's neighbor.Another soft hearted person.Thus she was not on the daughters property, but the entire family had been told they MUST be off the property by Tuesday night or the law might be brought in.The electric was to be cut off Tuesday, also.
Anyway,a young friend of mine, had stopped by her yard sale,as did a few others we know from the auction.Between these few folks, they relieved her of a lot of her belongings, but she still had way too much "stuff" to fit on the truck and trailer she would be driving to make the trip back to California.The young friend of mine stopped by my house to offer me some of the books and things she had given him. I was astounded. Every book he had of hers, was the same or similar to the ones I have collected for years myself.It was eery.How could anyone have that many interests in as many things as myself.I suddenly felt compelled to meet her before she left the area.I jumped in my truck to go and meet her. I drove about 2 miles up the road, and talked myself out of the visit. I felt I had way too much to do to involve myself in something else.When I returned home , my Mother and Sister had dropped by for a visit. I told them the story about starting to go visit, but then,decided against it.My sister said that was the Lord telling me to go, but I had chose not to go. That really upset me, so we three, all went to visit the lady together.We visited and talked with her for several minutes. I told her that I would come and help her the next day to set up a yard sale in hopes of thinning down some of her possessions.Little did I know, I was committed for the next week or so. The longer I worked with her, the more details I learned, and the more I felt I needed to help her to the end.That would be Tuesday week,on the 26th.The daughter and son-in-law packed their things in the trailer, and left on their way back to Arizona, after the first day of meeting them.That left the mother, living in the yard with her possessions,and sleeping in her truck.The house was still open, but for the most part, it was unlivable.How the daughter lived there for the 3 years, is beyond me.Nevertheless, the mother and me,sorted, boxed, and taped for several days.We had a yard sale set up, but being on an off the main drag road, we had hardly no one to speak of stopping to buy. A few stopped mainly,I think, to be nosey.Then we had a pile just for the auction.I had told her I thought she would make more at the auction, than the yard sale.She did make more, but still very little, considering she had some nice pieces that went for a song.
I spent every spare minute with her for the next week and a half.Sorting,boxing,culling out her favorite possessions to take back to California. For the most of that time the weather was great for what we were doing, but the last two or three days, the wind and rain really made a mess of things. It was a struggle to keep things dry and covered until they were packed. To top that off, the young man that was helping, had taken her trailor to have better tires put on it, and found both wheel barrings were bad. That was fixed and she got loaded and all sealed up with tarps,tape,ropes, and tarp straps, and headed out to California bright and early on Wednesday morning.She has called and checked in with us several times since she left.She stopped once, but didn't call,but the second night she called from West Memphis,Arkansas. The next call,she was on the Oklahoma line. The next call, she was 20 miles short of Amarillo,Texas. She hasn't called since. She'll probably call tonight.One cannot help but be impressed by this 73 year old lady to tackle such a trip,driving an older overloaded truck,pulling a huge overloaded trailer,through all of the construction zones of Interstate 40.That is one gutsy lady. We wish her good weather and lots of kind folks along the way to help her when she needs help. Several have already been gracious enough to assist her when she needed it.May God be with her.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

I Met Me!

This is a post I started, but never completed. I decided to post it, even though it is running a little behind the news I have already posted regarding my One Tough Lady.

I have met a new lady in my neighboring community through an unusual set of circumstances. She has been in Kentucky for nearly 3 years,but I only met her this past week. Another good friend of mine dropped by one day last week, with a precious cargo(a truck load of yard sale items he had just acquired from helping this new found friend, I speak of). He knows me well, so he knows that I let very little go to the trash pick up folks.I can see potential in everything. He has that fault,too.Nevertheless, he thought of me.He had several items that he thought I might be interested in, and of course, he knows me well, and he was right. He left me with 8 small boxes of books and magazines, a couple of homemade book shelves, a mirror, and a few other assorted items.I am refinishing the mirror to match some Victorian items I already have and cherish. I used one of the shelves to mount my chop saw on. It works great for that.The other, I put on my porch. I had been wanting some storage of some kind for my seasonal flower pots and the like.And the books and magazines?That is where the story begins.As I began to sort through the books and magazines, I found there were many of them that were identical to some I had of my own. Many of which I lost in the house fire of 07.This really peaked my interest as to who this lady was. The more I went through the boxes of books, the more eager I was to meet her.Since I was home alone,I got the urge to go meet her. I jumped in my truck and headed down the road towards her place, but for some strange reason, I talked myself out of the visit,and returned home.It bared on my mind so, that I had turned back and returned home, I called and discussed the story with my Mom and Sister. They said that was God telling me to go, and Satan telling me not to go. At the time, I thought it was because I simply had enough on my plate without adding another job to my list of "Things to Do".However,we,my Mom,my Sister,and Myself,decided to take a trip to this lady's home and meet her.We visited her that day, and found she was having to return to her home state of California, due an unusual set of circumstances,regarding the property her family had assumed they were purchasing for the last few years.Nevertheless, the entire family,Mother,Daughter and SIL, was having to move back to their previous locations,California, and Arizona.Their dream of owning a piece of ground had been lost(for now,at this location anyway).

The reason I say I met Me, is because this tough little lady is a pack rat,like myself. Most of the things we spent so much time packing, over the week and a half I spent with her,were the same type of things I collect.Most were related to her various crafts, and since she is a widow, and crafts make up a huge part of her life.There is no way I could fit all of my collection of "stuff" into the truck and trailer she is using. It would take a Tractor trailer type truck to haul my precious possessions. Let's hope I never have the need to move and transport my "stuff".Life takes a lot of unforeseen twists and turns, and one should never say "Never", but for my sake, I hope I never find myself in her situation or anything similar.I doubt I could be that strong.

She calls every night or at least every other night to let me know her progress. She was 20 miles short of the Arizona/New Mexico line,last night.She sleeps in her truck, usually at truck stops or any large parking area where there are other travelers, stopping for the night. That is good to know. There is more safety in numbers.She has been on her journey since Wednesday morning of the 27th of October.That's one week today. Hopefully, she will be in her home state and find an apartment in three or four days. Cold weather is closing in, and she says it does get a bit chilly in her truck, before she awakens each morning, and starts the engine to get warm.Her faith is strong, and I am sure it will carry her through to her destination,safely.I am so glad I had the opportunity to meet her. Going through all that she's going through at 73,is an inspiration to me.I only hope I can be that strong,when I'm her age.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Chickens Make Good Pets

Then...



Now...



Actually, this was taken a couple of weeks ago, so she has grown a bit more. Yes, we think now, she is a hen.We were not real sure for a while there.She's too big for the cookie jar these days, so we keep her in one of the garages at night, and outside in the sun,during the day.We'll need to gradually introduce her to the rest of the flock. You know they can get a bit ugly to new comers at first.Hopefully, she will be use to the rest of the chickens in time to spend the winter out in the hen house, but I hope she still remembers the special raising she had. I guess if we continue to spoil her with the cat food she loves so, or the hot dogs she's learned to eat when we're out of her special cat food,we'll continue to be close friends.We haven't really given her a name yet, but I'm considering Ellie Mae.We've had a Henrietta and an Esmerelda at one time.Those older names are cute for chickens. Maybe she'll like to be called Gertrude or Genaveve. We'll just have to see what feels right for her!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Brendie's Christmas Swap

http://bregleestate.blogspot.com/2010/10/swap-handmade-christmas-decoration-and.html

This is the link to Brendie's Christmas swap. Stop by Brendie's blog and get registered. Sounds like fun. Although I have never been part of a swap before, I think I'll give this one a try.Everyone is invited to participate.Let's help Brendie have a great first swap.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Hop on over for another drawing.


Oh, and by the way! Hop on over to Mountain Home Quilts to enter the drawing for the fat quarter of fabulous fall fabric.(Whoooh!That was a mouthful.)

I hope this link below gets you to the right site. I had a lot of trouble getting the link to work properly. I don't think I know enough about computering to get it right. I hope it gets you to the right place to enter the drawing.You will need to copy and paste it in your browser.


http://mountainhomequilts.blogspot.com/2010/10/o