APRIL ENDS WITH WITH MUCH NEEDED RAIN

Up early to get chores done and get to market on another beautiful Saturday morning.
Market was pretty slow today but I am thankful for what I did sell. There was plenty time for visiting with friends who came through.

This is a "pano" view of my tables now.

Can you tell I was bored today but I did find the timer on my I-phone camera !!
Daughter and Josh came by right before lunch and dropped off some baked things she had then headed home to do yard work for the afternoon.
I left market and made a stop at Goodwill for some tea cups to add to our collection for daughter's wedding shower in June. I also made a stop at Stienmart to see if they had gotten any different dresses in than they had last time I was here. They did have a couple that might work if I don't find exactly what I'm looking for in my "mother of the bride" dress search.
I made it home at 4:00 and hubbie helped get things put away. We rested for a few minutes then decided to get chores done early as it looked like a storm was coming up pretty fast.
Just as I got inside the rain started. We heard thunder in the distance but saw no lightening thankfully. We got 3/10ths inch of rain in the first shower that came through before it got dark tonight.
It has been raining off and on all evening. So far a good slow steady rain but they are predicting some areas could get several inches of rain in a short time causing flooding.
It is 62 degrees at 10:30 tonight but no thunder has accompanied the rains so far.

As a very dry month of April ends with some rain it looks like the month of May is going to start off trying to make up the over 4 inch rain defecit that we are in so far this year.

Daughter sent this picture of her (in the short dress) with three of her basketball players at their senior prom tonight which she was chaperoning.

As this month ends seemingly just after it began for me I look back over a busy but blessing filled month.
For me April started my Thursday market days for the season and g-daughter has been going with me each Thursday. She seems to love the extra attention she is getting out there and it has been an easy transition for me and her. Although market so far has been pretty slow on Thursday as well as Saturdays but I am thankful for the business I have had as always.
We have marked several wedding planning task off our list this month as the bridal portraits have been made and we lined up my cousin Sharon to help with the organization of the big day and have already gotten through the first shower. They also nailed their honeymoon plans down as well as sent out the invitations.
G-son was honored this month for making the AB honor roll plus having perfect attendance for this past semester. He and his dad also spent a weekend at Camp Daniel Boone for a cub scout campout .
G-daughter has two teeth now and is growing so fast . She started sleeping in the crib this month along with sitting up and feeding herself finger foods.
We celebrated two birthdays this month as we had a late 3rd birthday party for EL as her birthday was on the 31 of March and she was sick and d-in-law A turned 34 years old on the 24th.
We got our early garden all planted but nothing much is growing with all the dry hot weather we have had this month. After one night of freezing temps at the beginning of the month it has felt like summer most of the time getting into the 80's on numerous days.
I have had two batches of chicks to hatch so far this season and both are doing very well.
As this month comes to an end the time seems to slip away from me with each passing day ending with me wondering where the hours went.
I am very thankful to be healthy and able to do all the things I do and continue to pray that it be God's will for me to have many more days ,weeks, months and years to enjoy this wonderful world He created for our enjoyment.
God Bless and Good Night

HOT BUSY FRIDAY !!

G-daughter was a little "out of sorts" when she got here early this morning. She did finally go back to sleep and took about an hour nap. While she slept I took advantage and did a Yoga morning stretching tape online to see if it would help with all my aches and pains that the day brings. The one I choose only had three different stretches but remarkably made me feel much more flexible to begin the day. I will try a different tape each morning next week until I pick a favorite.
I used to do Yoga every morning and I remember how much more energized I felt to start the day.
When g-daughter woke up I did chores and had breakfast then fed her breakfast. I filled this little "sucker" with fresh banana today and she loved it. It was a little messy, note the banana on top of  her head.

After we ate she played while I got started on my Friday work day. First I kept up my sewing for the day with these 2 jean aprons. I am thankful that I already had most of these jean aprons and sashes cut out from last season. It is way too hot these days to work out in my sewing shop even by mid morning !!!  85 degree days do not belong in April !!!!

While I was downstairs Bernie managed to push the stair gate aside enough to squeeze through and he was followed by (blind) Dolly who fell all the way down the stairs. I heard her fall but couldn't get there before she landed at the bottom. She was very dazed but otherwise appeared unhurt. She must have a cat's nine lives !!!  I held her until she gathered her senses and is sore but shows no other injury.
I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon baking cakes. I baked 6 caramel, 2 chocolate, 2 pound, 1 blackberry wine and a pan of lemon bars.

 G-daughter had her lunch then after the ovens were turned off she had her bottle and went down for that afternoon nap. She has always been a happy dreamer !!!!

Even with the smiles she slept fitfully like something was really bothering her. I hope it isn't anything serious, bless her little heart !!!
D-in-love brought Haley home with her to play with g-son this afternoon but after a very short playtime g-son slumped in a chair not feeling well and was chilling as if getting a fever. He said his throat has been hurting all day.
After they all went home I worked on downloading my last three months of 2015 blog book on a new book making site called Blog to Print. It looks like it will work well but because it says my book is too long for one volume I need to call Monday to find out how much too long and what I can do to shorten it.
I did chores and then spent the evening icing cakes and getting things ready for market.
Thanking God for all the blessings of this day and praying that the grandkids aren't too sick .
God Bless and Good Night

SLOW MARKET DAY

Another Thursday market day with g-daughter here at 7am and wanting more sleep. While she slept this morning I got the chores done and started getting things ready to go.
She was happy when she woke up so all was well.
Market was very slow today so there was plenty time to have snacks and play.

She can really enjoy the frozen peaches in her fruit holder now with the two teeth she has.
Sales were slow but I am thankful for what I did sell and that g-daughter is such a great companion at market.
We ran regular errands when we left market. She of course went right to sleep in the car so I decided to wash the pollen off my Honda so she could catch a few more zzz's.  She woke up at Aldi and stayed awake through the Ingles shopping also.
She played in her walker outside the downstairs door while I unloaded.
7 months going on 16 years as she loves to drive !!!!!

After d-in-love picked her up I rested with the 4-legged kids and watched the news letting my aching knees take a break.
I have no idea why my knees feel like they are swelled and are hurting like this today ???
Hubbie said the other day that he thinks pain is just a part of getting old. It seems as soon as one thing gets better something else flairs up. We laughed at the thought of having to turn our air conditioning on so we could use our heating pads at night !!!
It has been so nice sleeping with the windows open and listening to nature's lullaby over the last days that I hate to think about turning the air on. But with these 80+ degree days and 60+ degree nights it seems that summer is not far away. It looks like in the 7-day forecast that we are going to get more near normal next week and hopefully get some much needed rain.

This is the drought monitor so far for the area.

We had hopes this evening as a few large drops of rain fell but it was just a tease and the moon and stars are all shining brightly in a clear sky tonight.
Hubbie watered the new tomato plants he set out but I am holding off until tomorrow to do my watering chores holding out hope for some rain fall.
God is a wonderful loving , gracious and caring Heavenly Father and I thank Him each day for the undeserved blessings He sends my way.
God Bless and Good Night

SUMMER LIKE APRIL DAY

G-daughter went back to sleep for over and hour this morning which always is a great way to start the day for her and me !!
I did chores and had breakfast before she aroused and had her breakfast all smiley faced !
After she ate we went downstairs and she played while I sewed up these two jean aprons with some of the trim I gathered last week. Love the strawberry trim !

After that I baked 4 pound cakes and a loaf of banana bread for little sandwiches.

She took a before lunch nap and I did some house cleaning while she slept.
 After lunch we went outside to enjoy the beautiful day. She loves to be outside watching the bees zoom around and trying to pet the dogs. Annie is her favorite because she is easy to reach.

Flash took up guard duty !!!

She is such a happy baby !!

The clouds rolled in and I heard thunder in the distance so we came inside hoping for some much needed rain.
Guess it wasn't our turn for rain today as the storms all passed to the north of our area.
G-daughter took her afternoon nap while I did more housework. Seems this is never ending around here !!
D-in-love came early to pick her up and drop off g-son and Haley while she went to the visitation of a friends grandfather.
These two have so much fun together. They are so much alike and love to play the same games.

They climbed this Magnolia tree and ate freeze pops and chatted for a long time .

After Haley's mom picked her up g-son and Pawpaw played a game of H O R S E .
I walked around the yard enjoying the new bloomers. I am amazed that these flowers are blooming without any rain. These purple Iris are always the first to bloom.

The old fashioned Snowball bush "snowballs" have finally turned white !

Purple Clematis.

Pretty Columbine that has escaped the pots in the front of the porch.

Money Plant is so pretty in full bloom.

Even some of my returning Lavender is starting to bloom, sweet aroma !!!

My time spent putting these little fences around these lilies and hostas to keep the hens from pecking them through the fence or the rooster from trampling them from the outside has payed off as these are looking good now.

D-in-love picked g-son up and hubbie and I did chores and watched the news on TV. I could hardly hold my eyes open for some reason. I think it is the heat of these summer like days. Today the temperature got to the low 80's before cooling to 64 at 10:00 tonight.
After a snack supper I did more paperwork then wrapped and got all the cakes ready for market.
EL went to the dentist this morning and did great as well as didn't have any cavities !!

Thanking God for all the blessings of this day.
God Bless and Good Night.

CATCH UP TUESDAY

Hubbie took today off to help me catch up on some put-off task that have been calling my name lately.
G-daughter didn't want any more sleep after mom dropped her off at 7 this morning so he got up with her so I could catch a few more zzz's to start the day.
After I did chores and had breakfast we loaded up the Honda with all the rugs , bed spreads and furniture covers that needed to be washed and headed out the road to the near by laundra- mat.
As I have said before I don't like washing these in my washer and taking them all to the laundra- mat at once only takes about an hour and a half every three months or so.
This little cutie wanted to help !!!

With hubbie there to help it only took a little over an hour to get everything washed and everything dried except the rubber backed rugs that have to be hung on the clothesline to dry.

G-daughter was happy about getting to watch all the activity outside today.

She is very vocal when she is happy !!
The weather today is perfect for line drying but is a little hot for this time of year as the thermometer reached the low 80's and the humidity level is going up feeling more like summer than spring ! The entire south is having a record breaking heat wave through the end of the week.

After we had lunch g-daughter went down for her nap and I did housework. While she was still sleeping I went over to my friend/beautician's shop to look for a wedding hairstyle and get my eyebrows waxed. Markeeta and I found an "up-do" that I like and that I have enough hair to do. So I made my appointment for the morning of the wedding. It's hard to believe the time is coming so quickly.
Back home g-daughter was up from her nap so the three of us sat on the front porch and waited for d-in-love to get off work.
After she left I got the loppers and cut down some privet bushes that are getting to big on the hill in front of the house and cleaned out a couple flower beds.
Hubbie decided to go ahead and plant some tomato plants a friend had given him. Hopefully we won't be having to cover these up .

After he got them planted he tilled between the rows of vegetables we already planted. Nothing is growing much right now with the extremely dry weather we are having.

This evening clouds moved in and we hoped we would get a shower but no luck here.
RoHo as we have named the older Blue Orpington rooster that is running loose around the farm decided to roost just outside the dog lots so hubbie made him a little roof so he wouldn't get wet in the rain !!  Yes all our animals are spoiled !!!

I think he is pretty smart choosing this roosting spot since with 2 dogs right there the preditors are less likely to come after him during the night.
I did weekly paperwork tonight and payed bills to try to spread out some of my Wednesday night work to make it easier and help me get to bed earlier every night.
Thanking God for the blessings of the day and for the grace He shows me each day.
God Bless and Good Night.

MONDAY, WHAT CAN I SAY ?? and A 1996 MEMORY

7am on Mondays seems to come only a few minutes after I get in bed on Sunday nights !!!!  G-daughter went back to sleep between hubbie and I this morning for an extra hour of sleep. She isn't feeling well today and has a runny nose and red rimmed eyes, maybe just alergies !
After chores I got the weekly laundry started. Hubbie played with g-daughter while I did housework.
I had a large woven rug that was on the bedroom floor until last winter when I took it up and put it out on the front porch. I have been going to take it out to the laundry to wash it and just never got around to it.  I cleaned off the front porch today and hung all the upstairs plants out on the porch for summer,(hopefully) !!
I decided not to take all the plants out of the downstairs until a bit later because there is many more of those than the ones upstairs. I cleaned all the dead leaves off the upstairs plants and watered them when I put them in their summer spots.
After lunch I had my annual eye exam appointment so hubbie and g-daughter went with me to drive me home after my eyes are dilated.
Before we left we put the big rug in the Honda to stop back by the laundry to maybe wash it if the biggest machine isn't in use.
My exam went very well , he declared my eyes very healthy and hardly any vision change from last year. That was a good thing because I surely can't afford a pair of new glasses again this year !!
The big machine was not being used so we got the big rug washed and brought it home to ang up and dry in the nice breezy mid 70's afternoon.
It will reside in the living room for a while. It matches the blue furniture perfectly in here.

G-daughter went down for a short nap when we got home. She is pulling at her ear again and not having a really good day at all, bless her heart !
While she slept I did more laundry.I am still seeing what looks like a watery tunnel from the dilation drops but thankfully I haven't gotten the headache I usually get from this procedure.
#2 son came by for some of yesterday's left over spaghetti and g-daughter woke up while he was here.
D-in-love came to pick her up and g-son wasn't feeling good either so they went home early. At least she felt well enough when she got home to play peek -a-boo with her daddy.

 Re brought EL and BB by to go to a staff meeting before her work shift this evening.
They didn't feel good either, (what is with all these kids today ???) !!
Aa came in from work and helped feed them their supper before they went home.
We did chores and then relaxed for the evening.
With only these two pics for today I am finishing the April decade photos with a trip for daughter in April 1996 to Raleigh,NC to the Renaisence festival on a field trip for her 5th grade class.

 She is in the black t-shirt in this pic.

She is in the white t-shirt with writing in this pic.

Hard to believe this little girl is now 31 years old and getting ready to become someone's  wife !!
God has been so good to me through all these years with all the blessings that three kids can bring and I never let a day go by that I don't humbly thank Him for all He does for me.
God Bless and Good Night.

NURSERY DUTY AND WEDDING SHOWER SUNDAY

Up this morning to meet a busy Sunday !!  First after chores I put a spaghetti squash in the oven to cook while I got ready for church.
I took a bouquet of snowball flowers to put on the communion table this morning for a fresh bouquet.
We were Baptizing 6 folks this morning, praise the Lord.  However hubbie and I and Aa and Re won't be watching. We have nursery duty today !!  It took all four of us today to tend to 8 little ones.
G-daughter came in while her mom played music as #1 son took g-son to Camp Daniel Boone for the annual cub scout camp out.
Another mom decided this would be her babies first day in the nursery. This is Nolan, he is a couple weeks younger than g-daughter. They apparently like each other !!!

Church went 30 minutes long today but the babies were all well behaved.
Everyone hurried home hungry for a lunch of spaghetti and salad. #1 son came in from the camp out but had a headache and went home to sleep it off. G-son stayed up here and had a rousing game of dodge-ball with aunt T and Josh.

We visited while we waited for 3:30 to get here to go up to church for the drop-in wedding shower that the ladies of the church are giving daughter and Josh.
These ladies did a lovely job and there was so much food it was amazing !!!

The gifts were opened and they really got some nice things !!!

Everyone wished them well and it was a wonderful afternoon.Our senior pastor who is preaching his last sermon at our church next Sunday came by to give his well wishes.

Even though it was a drop in many folks came to stay and visit.

 Daughter with her ribbon bouquet !!!

 The happy couple !!!

Even g-daughter had a great time at the shower with all the added attention.

This is some of the members of daughter's Sunday school class that came to the shower and made cards for her !!

D-in-love and I made it home from the shower about 5:30. She dropped me off and picked up g-son who had stayed here with hubbie to take him back to church for his choir practice.
After they left church she picked up #1 son and they all came back for supper tonight of left over spaghetti.
Today is d-in-love's 34th birthday !!!   HAPPY  BIRTHDAY TO YOU !!!!!
After they left hubbie and I relaxed for the evening.
This has been a very blessed Lord's day and I am humbly grateful for the blessings this day and everyday contain. I also pray for the 6 precious new believers that joined God's arm this morning.
God Bless and Good Night.