JANUARY GOES OUT CALMLY

Cloud filled skies welcomed me this morning and put my project purpose for today in question.
After chores and breakfast I tuned the weather channel in and decided to tackle my garden shed after all as the rain looked like it would pass to the south of us.
As I opened the door and looked in I wasn't so sure anymore because there was a lot of stuff that was going to have to come outside to even get started on this mess.
How in the world do these piles happen,I know it hasn't been to long ago that I cleaned in here !!! Hint ,Hint, Hubbie works in the garden a lot and also doesn't tend to put things back exactly where he gets them !!! Any way I guess the trade off for his work is worth a little clean up.
After a couple hours of work and watching the clouds gather in the sky I decided not to stop for lunch.
At almost 2:00 I had a huge pile of trash and had everything back inside and organized.The purpose of doing this to start with was to find a spot for my canning jars that are currently in Hubbie's old shop which is eventually going to be torn down.This is the future home of all my canning jars.
Hubbie had been doing mechanic work all morning, first changing the rear brakes on daughters jeep, in the process finding a large screw in one of her tires, had to take it to the tire place to get it fixed, then rotating tires on his Honda, he ate lunch on time and then offered to help me go ahead and move my jars.
So I actually got my day's project finished plus moved all my jars and they all fit with space to spare.I love it when a plan comes together !
#2 son came home and they worked the rest of the day on moving some trees that had fallen so the tree cutter can get in Saturday to take some more trees in his yard down that will hit his house if they fall.
The temperature which has been around 50 today feels like it is dropping quickly now so I came inside and rested for a while before chores,the temp now is 40.
D-in-love is taking her turn with the stomach virus that g-son has had last night and today. #1 son is praying he doesn't get it because he is scheduled for surgery Thursday.
This month is ending the same way it came in dreary,wet and cold.
Let's take a look back at January 2011.
First week was wet and dreary and with a major snow storm predicted for the first of next week we spent time preparing.Keeping the animal feed stocked up is a major concern when bad weather is coming.An snow it did,dropping almost 10 inches before it stopped and then the temperatures plunged so it stayed.G-son played in his igloo for 2 weeks before it melted enough for him to finish tearing it down.School was closed for a full week,giving Aunt T plenty of snow play time.
Just how cold has it been so far this month???This is ice on rocks on the side of 64 highway west of here !!!A cold rain followed a week of melting snow so there was mud,mud,mud everywhere. Our driveway is the worst it's been in years but there is no use hauling gravel in now with more snow predicted.The on and off inclimate weather made for some beautiful sunsets this month.Finally the last week end of the month awarded us with the nicest weather we have had since November and 60 degree temperature for 2 days before the last day turned back cold and dreary .
As for me I have spent it seems a lot of time at doctors and dentist this month as I had a new upper denture made and am waiting for a new lower partial. I've for the time being avoided a major Hysterectomy.
My house winter/spring cleaning goals have came up short this month so I will have to push some of it into tax month.
Our outside project is coming along slowly due to the nasty weather with Hubbie finishing his new shop and in the process of moving all his tools and treasures into it.
February goals will be listed tomorrow.
As I listen to the news tonight seems we are going to be the lucky ones this time as a historically major snow and ice storm rages across the country poised to come into Tennessee then left north,whew !!!
Snow is being predicted in feet instead of inches for Wednesday and Thursday.
Prayers go up for the folks in the path of this storm.
Thankful to the Lord for giving me strength and health.
Good Night and God Bless.

SPRING DAY IN JANUARY

Beautiful Sunday morning as I headed to church today. No jacket even needed this morning.
It felt good for me to be in church after missing last Sunday with that nasty migraine.
Everyone but #2 son made it to lunch of spaghetti today,he is playing golf. Then with the temperature at 65 we all took a break from our cabin fever and the itch to get our hands dirty and got outside to do some spring chores. This is the warmest day since the last week in November.
Hubbie and #1 son worked on #1 son's driveway,it is very steep and has been very muddy as all the snow and scraping took all the gravel off.
D-in-love went to a Jewelery show at a friends house.
Daughter,g-son and I started cleaning and pruning bushes around her apartment.
She used g-son to weight the clippings down in the wheelbarrow.He was just enjoying the rides.It was amazing how many vegetables she got out of this raised garden last summer.We left some herbs that hopefully will come back.

Daughter has been wanting some log tables for a long time and when Hubbie and #1 son got his drive finished they started cleaning up around their new shop and uncovered a large maple log.With chainsaw in hand.....2 tables took shape...This multi level table is my favorite.
They were put in the shed to dry out before daughter can go to work on them,can't wait to see them finished.All my feathered flock sure enjoyed the warm sunshine today.
As the shadows lengthened our afternoon ended with all of us resting outside.G-son is still weak from his recent sickness and it showed as he sat in this chair and rested with the rest of us. Sadie wants to be his best friend !
After the sunshine went away I reluctantly came inside not knowing when there would be another day such as this I hated to see it end.
A relaxing evening felt good after the work I did today.
Hopefully the rain will hold off tomorrow long enough for me to get my garden shed cleaned out so I can move my canning jars and some other things from Hubbie's old shop into it.
Thanking God for a wonderful Lord's day.
Good Night and God Bless.

BENEFIT B-B-QUE A SUCCESS

Market day was sunny and warm but the customers evidently had other things to do in the nice weather. Market was slow, I crocheted tops on 4 towels and caught up on my blog readings.
I came straight home from market. Hubbie and #1 son have been working at church on the scheduled workday they had planned. Daughter had 3 ballgames today with her young girls.
When I got unloaded,I thought about sitting out in the sun for a dose of vitamin D but the brisk breeze turned the sunny 60 degrees into a rather cool afternoon.
Hubbie came in shortly and we watched UNC/ NC state B-Ball game on TV, UNC ran away with it.
As I lay watching the game all snuggled with my 4-legged kids it was hard to get up,I felt like a nap,especially since I did not sleep well at all last night with hip pain and on any other Saturday afternoon that would have fit in but not today.
A man Hubbie works with has been in the hospital for several weeks with a pancreas infection and had surgery yesterday to remove a part of his pancreas so Hubbie and the guys where he works decided to host a B-B-Que to benefit his family. They cooked 500 pounds of boston butt yesterday and had baked beans,coleslaw and donated desserts to go with it for $8.00 a plate.
Daughter is babysitting for a friend tonight and g-son got sick again today so d-in-love is staying home with him so both son's went with us and we headed over to one of the middle school cafeteria's to have dinner.
My cousin's have a band called "the old time pickers" and they were providing the entertainment.
So it was double good !!! Excellent B-B-Que and getting to hear them pick and sing some of my favorite old time songs.
It brought back childhood memories of Sunday afternoons when our families got together and there was always music.
This is a picture of our 2 families taken around 1960,I'm standing on the left behind my sitting brother,then my mom, next her sister Gertie Mae,Gert's oldest son Don holding his first baby Pam,Gert's husband Herman with their son Sam in front of him.I am guessing my dad was the photographer.
I remember cousin Sam did not like his picture taken and always acted silly.
This is Sam and his dad in 1966 as Sam turned 16.
Sam's musical talent is mind boggling sometimes. I have heard him play every instrument with strings on it that there is and do it very well. At one time he was offered a job with a big name country singer but turned it down because it would have taken him away from his family.
This is the cover from a tape of one of the groups he was part of for years,that's him on the right with the banjo.
As a minister gospel music has always been tops on his list.
I'm kicking myself tonight for not getting a picture of his newest band while they played. With camera in my purse I left without a single picture,gawwwwww!!!!!!
Although we lost touch with each other for years while we were busy raising out own families after both our mothers died we re-connected several years ago when he came to live on our farm when he and his first wife divorced. He became closer to me than either of my brothers and he would do anything for me. He re-married a dear lady that I loved and she was like a sister to me. While they lived here there was no worry when we vacationed or traveled because they were more than competent to take care of anything that might happen in our absence. Unfortunately this lady developed bone cancer and died several short years after they were married.
Sam then married for the third time to the lady that is his wife now and she is another very nice lady but they live across town in her house and I don't get to see much of him.
Fortunately he works with Hubbie so at least we communicate everyday and keep up with what is going on with each other.

Back home we did chores by flashlight again for the second Saturday in a row.
We had a relaxing evening alone with just the 4-legged kids to keep us company tonight.
At 11:00 tonight it is 38 degrees,tomorrow is supposed to be another beautiful day.
It's hard to believe another month is almost gone and the new year 2011 is now shortened already by a month.
G-son 's doctor had to call him in some anti-nausea medicine tonight. It seems he is hungry and eating but shortly after he eats,no matter what it is, it comes back up. He has no energy and we worry about dehydration with all the vomiting. Hopefully the meds will work, he has slept all evening after taking his first dose, but he did eat before he took it and hasn't thrown up again.Bless his little heart !!!
Thanking God for the blessing s of today and asking for His intervention into the life of the man who has the infected pancreas and also sending up prayers for g-son.
Good Night and God Bless.

GLORIOUS FRIDAY

Another gorgeous morning with temperatures in the upper 30's and plenty of sunshine.
After chores and breakfast I went on my much anticipated walk.
Checking out all the familiar photo spots.
Our creek dressed in it's winter wardrobe of drab.
I love my country life !!
Ice on the farm pond slowly succumbing to the warmer temperatures of the last few days.
A tiny Sparrow catches some rays in the protection of a prickly thicket.
Clouds were hard to find anywhere this morning.
I always stand amazed at the beauty of nature,I try to take my time and soak in all of the gifts God has created for our enjoyment. Even in the dead of winter where the main color is brown there is a quite sense of restfulness that is necessary before the glorious spring show !!

After a refreshing walk, a bit chilly with a breeze blowing, I came back inside to ice cakes.
After lunch I headed to work at church.
G-son came to help today while his dad sold his mini track hoe.
I worked to the beat of a different drum today !!!
All serious musicians scrutinize all the notes they play.
I'm thankful that he feels better today from the stomach virus he's had the last couple days.
After we left church we stopped at Dollar General for some Gater-ade and a "being good while Nena worked" reward.
Back home he ate a waffle and drank some of his blue gater-ade which he later threw up when he got home,oh well maybe that was just the cleansing last sick time.
After evening chores Hubbie and I headed back up to church to finish while daughter did her baking.
Relaxed tonight for a while and visited with daughter and b-friend.
Another spring like day on tap for tomorrow, wow, this is gonna spoil us for sure !!!
Thankful tonight for answered prays.
Good Night and God Bless.

BEAUTIFUL DAY BUT REMINDERS OF WINTER REMAIN

What a beautiful morning,still a bit cool 33 but bright sunshine will warm it up in a hurry.
I wish I could take a walk this morning instead of sitting in my office doing weekly paperwork !
I got things organized and headed out about 10:45 with my to do list in hand.
A smooth errand journey allowed time to come home for lunch so I could give my teeth a good brushing before heading down the mountain to the dentist.This day just got more beautiful and warmer 48 degrees now.
Oh what a beautiful blue sky. It's days like this to break up the bad winter that help make it easier to get through the cold snowy days.
Ice still clings to the rocks on the side on the road creating huge icicles.It will take many sunny warm days to melt all this .
The dentist appointment went well, he did a little grinding to give me a better fit on my upper denture and took a mold of my lower teeth to make me a new partial.
The only bad thing, he is using my old partial bed for the new partial so that means I eat soft food until Tuesday.
I made a couple stops on the way home,one at the grocery store for baking supplies and made two Avon deliveries.
As I turned off the interstate and neared our farm I couldn't help but notice the distinct reminders of winter.

Apple trees take on leafless ghostly forms .And the bare brown fields serve as vivid reminders that we still have a lot of winter left.
The first day of spring is on March 20, so that gives us about 50 more days of winter !!!!

I've decided to leave my Avon website up for a while and just sell off it after one more campaign. I've done this at the request of some customers who can't find another Avon lady near by. I've also added a link to this blog if anyone should want to place an order.
There is always a free shipping coupon and Avon ships your products directly to your home.
I don't make much commission but as long as I have at least one order per campaign it doesn't cost me anything.
As I sat in the living room waiting for it to get dark enough for all the chickens to go in their houses to roost I watched these little Wrens go into their night time hide out. I saw the first one go in and then she stuck her head out to watch for the other one. Then the coconut bird house rocked back and forth with the motion of them settling down.
I had gotten my camera hoping to catch the head sticking out of the hole but it never did again.I decided to step out on the porch and see if I could see in the hole.With the use of my telephoto lens and flash as it was getting pretty dark I snapped a picture of the 2 of them all snuggled up.The flash of light got this ones attention but just for a second as he put his head back down and settled in for another cold night. These are a pair of Carolina Wrens, these birds pair for life so I'm curious to see if they nest in this coconut house or if this is the same pair that raised 2 broods in a little house in the back yard last summer.
Or maybe that pair is sleeping in that house ???
I'm just glad to know that I'm helping these little guys survive this cold winter.How cool !

After shutting up my dogs and chickens we had supper of soup and steamed broccoli.
Daughter came in later and made a pasta salad with some of her homemade pesto from her fresh basil last summer and I had to have a small bowl of that,yummmmm !!!

Hubbie and I watched a Duke/Boston College b-ball game ,Duke won and then I did some baking for market.
Another nice day predicted for tomorrow maybe a morning walk will be possible.
Praying tonight for g-son as he has a stomach virus for the first time in his little life and is refusing to drink for fear of throwing up again.
Good Night and God Bless.

CATCH ALL CABINET NO MORE

Another dreary drizzly morning but I'm glad it's still liquid instead of what the news shows some neighboring counties are getting hammered with snowfall again this morning.
In one of them school opened at 8 am and closed at 8:30 am,what a nightmare!!
After sloshing through chores I sat out in the sunroom,watching the birds enjoy their damp breakfast while I had mine.
I spent the morning vacuuming and cleaning my floors. I have tile in the bath rooms, carpet in one bedroom,laminate with large rugs in the other rooms so I have to use a variety of cleaning tools to get all of them clean.
After lunch I tackled a project I've been thinking about for days.
Most of us have one of these....
This large cabinet looks so neat .........
But open the door and it's a very different story. This is where I keep all my canning supplies along with it seems anything else that happens to be in my hand as I pass by.Now you might wonder how in the world it would take me several hours to cleanout and organize this one cabinet ??
As with any project I tackle along with removing all the stuff , I had to look at all of it especially things I've not seen in a while and in utter confusion of how in the world some of the things like homecoming pictures of my niece which I don't even remember seeing got into a kitchen cabinet????? Along with that I had to clean out and re-organize several other cabinets in order to have a place to put some of the things I took out of this one that belonged somewhere else .
So after taking breaks to do chores I finally got all the kitchen deep cleaning done just in time to clear the table for a supper of leftovers as there surely wasn't room to cook anything this evening.
And that cabinet,well now it has other purposes besides canning supplies and I can tell you exactly what's in there, at least for a little while !!Is it a sign I'm getting old when cleaning out cabinets totally wears me out ?????
The rain finally went away around lunch time today and I did see a few peeks of sunshine before the wind moved in and brought cold temperatures with blowing snow.
At 10:30 the temperature is 31 but the chill factor is in the low 20's.
Hubbie and I watched a UNC / Miami b-ball game tonight, UNC eeked out another
victory.
I'm going to have a busy day tomorrow as well as regular errands I have several Avon orders to deliver and also have a dentist appointment at 2:00. I need to get an early start for sure. I hope there isn't any ice on the roads in the morning.
While I cleaned I ran across some Guardian Angel visor clips I bought and gave to the kids when they started driving. It said never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly.
I also found another saying that comforted me that I'll end with tonight.
REMEMBER YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL ALWAYS LOVES YOU EVEN IF YOUR HALO IS A LITTLE RUSTY !!!!!
Good Night and God Bless.

RAINY COLD DAY

While I was outside this morning sleet pellets started hitting me and I thought oh no the weather wizards may be wrong.
I came inside and started laundry and my Tuesday housecleaning and soon as I washed the bay window in the living room I noticed the sleet had indeed turned to liquid rain.
I spent the morning doing 3 loads of laundry while cleaning bathrooms washing mirrors and windows and dusting.
After lunch it was another trip to my OBGYN for more consultation and to try a surgery avoiding mechanism.
As I drove over to Asheville I kept looking at the thermometer in my van bounce back and forth between 33 and 34 degrees. With all this water on the roads this is a borderline temperature for sure.
I'm just not ready for major surgery yet and he didn't push it. The alternative looks positive but we have to order an exact fit for me and it'll take about 10 days to get it.
Then back to see doc again.
After a 2 hour trial period if this works like it seemed it would today in the office I'll have only the wonderful grace of the good Lord to thank.
On the drive home it was still the same temperature and the rain was harder and the fog was starting to cover the mountain tops.
These are the mountains between my house and Asheville,we pass over them through Terry's Gap where the elevation goes up to about 2500 feet and as I watched the thermometer it dropped a couple degrees as I topped the mountain.
Coming down into Fruitland which is the community I live in I noticed movement in a field and saw some wild turkeys searching for left over seed.
As I stopped to get a better picture they decided they were too close to the road.
I hope this was just a large mud clot on this one's foot.
There was a large flock of them slowly being shrouded in the fog,and yes that is still snow in the back ground.
I could only wish I had my big camera with me !
Back home there were 3 more loads of laundry to get done.
After rain soaking chores were finished Hubbie invited #2 son up for a big bowl of pinto beans and corn bread with some left over smoked turkey,mmmmm!!!
Fire in the wood stove sure feels good tonight although the temperature is 38 at 10:00 it is still rainy and so damp feeling with all the fog and steam from the snow that is still around.
So grateful for a loving Lord tonight.
Good Night and God Bless