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!

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.

Who said it wouldn't last?

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Elizabeth Edwards Dies of Cancer

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/12/07/elizabeth-edwards-r-i-p/?ncid=webmail

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!

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

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.

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.)