BEAUTIFUL SPRING COLOR

Another slow,slow market day. I left early to deliver some Avon and then run weekly errands on my way home.
Made it home about 3:30,unloaded and got things put away before Hubbie got home from work.
We changed clothes and headed to the ball field to watch g-son. He had a much better game this time than last and looked like he was enjoying himself.
It was a beautiful afternoon,about 65 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.
After the game Hubbie and I came home to spend a nice evening.
Hubbie worked on tearing down the old woodshed/workshop.
As for me I just took a walk around my yard with my camera in hand, come join me !!!









This last picture is of the large Japanese Maple tree Hubbie and I move a couple weeks ago,looks like it is going to be fine in it's new location.

I love spring time in the mountains and I love living right here with views like these below who wouldn't.
When I open my front door this greets me......
And when I open my back door I see (and smell) this ........Love the fragrance of Lilac blossoms !!And of course when I look out either door I usually see my feathered friends feeding at the buffets I put out for them.As I walked and enjoyed the beauty of this spring blooming season I appreciated all the hard work that in years past made this possible. With the exception of the wild Fleabane Daisys and the dogwood tree Hubbie and I planted each of the other plants over the years. That's what makes home a special place .
When we get the old building torn down I will have a new place to plant some new things.
I've had a long day and am tired tonight. After the news I'm headed for bath and bed to get ready for a busy Friday.
Thanking God for the glorious beauty He provides for our pleasure.
Good Night and God Bless.

LOOSE ENDS WEDNESDAY

A cool start to the day,but not as cool as was predicted thankfully,only the low 40's.
After chores this morning I cleaned my floors.
This afternoon as the temperatures warmed but clouds still hid the sun I worked on a much neglected punch list of small jobs that kept getting pushed back.
I bought this bird feeder pole several weeks ago and have not taken time to put it together and get it set up.
I'll have to get another couple small feeders for it but I'm glad it has a water dish.I was only a couple feet from this little guy but he seemed only interested in his suet dinner.
I also put up some more bird houses , maybe everyone hasn't picked out a nesting place yet.
I worked in my sewing shop re-organizing some fallen cloth storage containers with a shelf Hubbie made for me.
Then I tackled the mass amount of papers waiting on my desk ! Including daughter's state taxes, since she owes we waited until now to file.
Also I finished March business totals,what a slacker !!!
This is just mentioning a few of the loose ends that got tied up today and I feel like I accomplished a lot for one afternoon.
When I went out to do evening chores I had to come back in and grab a camera. The sunset was gorgeous tonight and since these were shot with my small point and shoot they don't catch the vivid colors that God was painting with tonight.
Temperatures got into the upper 60's today making for a nice day.
As I finished chores and came inside I watched the sky slowly turn dark and lose all it's glorious colors as the darkness of another night took over.

We are under a frost warning tonight so I brought my ferns and a few of the most tender plants back inside tonight just in case.
Since the weather wizards missed the temperature last night I figure the odds are in their favor tonight !

I watched Survivor on TV tonight then spent the rest of the evening icing and wrapping cakes.

Grateful to God tonight for a blessed day filled with accomplishments all in His glory.
Good Night and God Bless.

HOW MY GARDEN GROWS AND NEW PUPPY OF APRIL 1981

The storms must not have been loud last night because I didn't wake up, but it must have rained quite a bit as evidenced by the mud puddles this morning.
And it is definitely evident that the cold front has moved in,brrrrr!
G-son came early and after we had breakfast I started the weeks laundry and house cleaning while he watched Sesame Street on TV.
I had to laugh a couple times as I passed through and he was interacting with the characters on the show.
The temperature has steadily dropped all day and the wind has gotten harder so it has been no day to play outside.
He has been content to help me between watching TV and playing in his playroom.
I got all the laundry and cleaning done by the time his mom came after him.
I went outside to do the evening chores and it is really chilly with temps in the 40's and high winds.
I took these pictures of my early spring garden.
This is onions and greens with my fenced in broccoli and cabbage plants.



This is lettuce,radishes,kohlrabi,peas and potatoes.

As I walked back to the house I noticed a red azalea had joined the pink one in bloom.
Many of the other azaleas are budded out ready to burst into bloom as soon as the warm sunshine returns.

Tonight I baked 6 caramel,2 coconut,3 chocolate,3 pound and 2 blackberry wine cakes.

I'm sitting here writing this listening to the wind chimes on the front porch sing loudly in this high wind we are having. The temperature at midnight is 45 so maybe it won't get as cold as they say,the prediction is 38.

In April of 1981 one of Hubbie's aunts gave us a little peek-a-poo puppy to grow up with our first baby that was due in October.

We kept this little dog for many years until it met with Hubbie's tractor wheels,that was a sad day for all of us as the kids witnessed the accident. It is a funny thing ,we took this guy on all our lake trips and wherever we went for years and yet tonight I cannot for the life of me remember her name !!
This is the only April 1981 picture I could find. I probably wasn't in the mood to take pictures as I had morning sickness during the first months of my first pregnancy.

Thanking God for all the blessings He sent my way today.
Good Night and God bless.

TORNADO WARNING AGAIN

When I got up this morning the first thing I noticed was my chickens already out in their lots. I can't believe I totally forgot to put them up last night,I'm sure glad no critters came through looking for a chicken dinner last night or early this morning !
It is already a very warm summer like day early. Hubbie is off today so he was working outside. I helped him put up fencing around the broccoli and cabbage plants we sat out last week to keep the rabbits from feasting on the tender plants.
I came inside to change clothes and head up to church to serve the meal for the church member who lost her daughter.
I had 3 ladies helping who had never done this before but were quick learners and although we served the biggest crowd (80+) I think we have ever had things went smoothly. I got there at 11 am and didn't leave until after 2 pm with everything all cleaned and put away.
Thanks so much to Anne, Margie and Sharon.
Unfortunately for the family who had the loss ,they have another funeral tomorrow.
The husband's mother passed away this past weekend also and her service is tomorrow,but not at our church.
She was 102 years old so they were actually celebrating her long life unlike the service today for the 45 year old daughter of the wife.
My feet were hurting when I got home so I sat outside in the sunshine while g-son played. I felt like I could have closed my eyes and slept all afternoon.
D-in-love came after g-son to get him ready for his ball game at 5:30.
He did not do well today, only batted 1 time ,played the field once , then refused to bat his turn the 2nd time ,then cried because he didn't get to bat and refused to play the field,so he didn't get to bat with his team the 3rd time.
At this point Hubbie and I left and came home. If he is going to refuse to play there is no use of us being there.
We ate left overs I brought home from the dinner for supper then did the evening chores.
We are once again under a tornado warning until 3 am with severe weather possible with a passing cold front.The temperatures are supposed to be back around normal beginning tomorrow which is almost 20 degrees cooler than they have been over the last week.
This front is coming through here again in the middle of the night so I'm hoping it doesn't make to much noise. Seems like we are getting one of these severe weather causing fronts once a week lately.

I am so tired tonight and I really can't figure out why, maybe my body is telling me it needs a good long rest tonight.
It is 10:00 and I'm headed for a long hot bath and early bedtime.

Grateful to God for His guidance and goodness in my life.
Good Night and God Bless

SUMMERLIKE APRIL SUNDAY

Up early on this Sunday morning to finish chores and cut this beautiful bouquet of Lilac blossoms from the Lilac bush just outside my back door for the church sanctuary today. They smelled so good riding in the car.
They looked as lovely as they smelled in front of the church. God makes things so wonderfully perfect.
We had a touching service leading up to Easter about betrayal . We all have experienced betrayal in one way or another throughout our life. It's another way that God is so forgiving, he knew Peter would betray him even before he chose him as His disciple but he chose him anyway and then later forgave his betrayal.
Would you chose someone as your friend if you knew ahead of time that they would betray you after a period of time ??? I think not !!!

All but #2 son who is golfing made it to lunch today. D-in-love was so tired from all the hours she has spent at her parents new restaurant venture that she almost slept through it.
After we ate, #1 son changed the oil in his 2 vehicles and daughter's jeep while g-son rode around and around the yard on his little jeep.
We spent the afternoon doing various things and just enjoying this summer like day.

#2 son came in from golfing and brought his dog Flash up to play with Annie and Sadie while he ate a plate of leftovers then we put Frontline on all the outside dogs. We haven't seen any ticks or fleas yet or seen any dogs scratching but its best to head these little pest off before they get started.
I don't like using this stuff but I don't like fleas eating them up either.
Dolly and Bernie have Advantics waiting for them but I won't put it on them until I see fleas. Dolly is prone to seizures and any flea drop makes her more apt to have them.
So the later I can wait to start the drops for them the fewer I have to use.

After a little relaxation time tonight Hubbie and I gave Bernie and Dolly haircuts and baths. Short hair is better for them in this hot weather.
They are running around the house now like they feel so much better.


This is what our week of weather predictions look like.

I felt God working in our church this morning,looking around at all the tears , listening to the sniffles, and watching all the uplifted hands , I'm not sure what He is up to but I can't wait to see !
Good Night and God Bless.

BUSY MARKET DAY AND ME IN APRIL 1961

Had the best market day today that I have had in a very long time. Maybe this is a sign of things to come.
I had 1 cake left and got a call about a death in our church and ask to help serve a meal for the family Monday so that will be a perfect place for that cake !
After market I picked up next weeks baking supplies from Sav-Mor, Aldi and Walmart on my way home.
Took a photo CD by Walgreens to check to see if they had actually put my pictures on it because when I put it in my computer all that would come up was a Walgreens program called picture mover. They checked it and all the pictures were there and they didn't know what I was talking about when I told them what came up on my computer. So once again my computer must have taken on a mind of its own.
The weather has been unusually warm today, it was 81 degrees when I left market, but it is overcast and steamy so I expect some storms this evening.
G-son was waiting when I got home and he and daughter helped me unload and get things put away.
Daughter left for a friends birthday celebration and g-son and I played outside for a while.We had to dodge a shower from time to time but never got more than a few drops.
He rode his jeep some more and we played hide and seek and he played on his slide .

He helped me give the chickens corn and make a separate pen for one of my Blue Orphington roosters. I feel sorry for the hens with 2 huge roosters constantly running after them. With this pen he can still be in the same lot with them but he will be separated from them.
After g-son left Hubbie and I fixed some steamed broccoli and cauliflower for supper.
The clouds are thick now and we hear thunder in the distance as we relaxed after we ate.
When I went outside to shut my chickens up it was an eerie color of red and the air was very heavy. I hurriedly got everything safely inside their coups and made it back in the house just as huge raindrops started pounding down.
We turned the TV on and found out we are under a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm warning until 2 am.
I rested on the couch and watched the cloud to ground lightening streak through the distant skies for about an hour but this storm went around our area. It looked like it might have passed through the downtown area. We only got a brief hard shower.


Getting my April decade pictures started is a first grade spring school photo of me in 1961 .
If my memory serves me right I'm pretty sure I was just getting over conjunctivitis or pink eye when this picture was made. Mrs. Marlowe was my first grade teachers name.

Thankful to God tonight for all my blessings.
Good Night and God Bless.

BUSY FUN FRIDAY

These guys definitely know how to spend a day like today !!

As for me I've been to busy to even think about lounging in the sunshine today and when I did have time the clouds had took over the sun.
I cleaned church this morning before lunch.
The Straightway contemporary church is giving an Easter Drama on this Sunday night so they will be practicing tonight.
After lunch #1 son wanted to put a trailer hitch on his Escape so g-son stayed with me.
I baked cakes while he watched TV then we headed outside for an afternoon of work mixed with games,sand box play and jeep riding.
I took all the plants out of my greenhouse and got them cleaned up and watered.
I sat all the plants that were in the sunroom outside also. It is suppose to rain tonight but it doesn't look to promising.
Daughter and Hubbie got home about the same time and we loaded up her garage sale stuff and they took it over to school to set up for the sale tomorrow.
She had a lot of stuff so I hope she makes a lot of money. She called me down last week to look through and see if I wanted anything as she is taking what she has left to Goodwill.I found a pair of shoes and a couple bags. #1 son brought some of g-son's toys for her to take and g-son rescued about three of the ones he just couldn't part with and hid them in my new storage building this evening while our backs were turned when we were loading.
We all had supper together and then daughter baked some cupcakes for a friend for a baby shower.
#1 son finished his light hook-ups and took g-son home to get him to bed early as he has baseball pictures at 9 am followed by a game at 10.
I rested for about an hour then baked a couple pound cakes for a late order this evening and iced 1 chocolate,2 coconut,and a new lemon layer cake that I baked today plus 1 blackberry wine.
This still is a lot less than this time last year but it seems to be picking up.
The news is over and I am ready to put my feet up and get a good night's sleep.
Grateful to our gracious Lord for His generous blessings today and everyday.
Good Night and God Bless.