30 YEARS AGO I SAID "I DO" BEGINNING A WONDERFUL JOURNEY!

Thirty years ago this evening hubbie and I, when we got home from work, along with my parents,went to an old minister's house,the same minister that married them about 27 years prior to that night and said our marriage vows. I had never wanted a big wedding and neither did he so this quite little ceremony suited us both. We came home to a little wedding party with my brother and his then wife,who is still a friend of mine even after their divorce.She was and is a special lady.
Hubbie's mother never liked me very much so his parents didn't celebrate our marriage with us. This lovely Christmas cactus,funny because I almost bought one of these a few days ago, and a gift card to my favorite place to eat,Cracker Barrel was our anniversary gift from the kids and this fresh water pearl set is hubbie's gift to me. I didn't get him anything because quite frankly I forgot all about it until this afternoon,oops! I told him I will drive when we go to Cracker barrel so it'll be like I'm taking him out!
G-son slept between hubbie and I last night,he said it was cold in his room right across the hall.ha,ha. He is not the snuggley type as he twist and turns a lot in his sleep but he only woke me up one time last night when he hit my sore back with his head. We got up and left him asleep this morning,did the morning chores which now include breaking ice on the cattle's water trough.It is 20 degrees and everything is frozen solid this morning. I baked cakes all morning while hubbie helped #1 son with his tire. G-son is up eating a late brunch of mac and cheese as he watches TV,daughter has gone to meet a friend for lunch and meet with a new dog sitting client. My back is a little better today but I'm still wearing my brace,it's only painful mostly when I stoop or twist. Thankfully daughter will be with me at market tomorrow to carry everything.The sun is so bright today it is beautiful glistening off the snow. Snow is always pretty but it sure creates more work on the farm as the animals still have to be fed,even more because they can't get to the grass.Caught the neighbor in the field we used to rent and this is exactly how we used to have to feed our cattle when we had them in several different rented pastures. Here is some of my inside snowmen the one on the left is made from a chenille bedspread and the one on the right is made from small clay pots,both I bought at craft shows with intention of using them for patterns to make some myself,maybe one of these days!! The chenille one came from a craft show I sold in for years at the local community college and the clay pot one came from a huge Christmas Show in South Carolina that I sold in for several years,they bring back memories of a very busy Christmas season years ago. The gourd snowman on the left,I bought after Christmas at a shop downtown,I had seen it before Christmas but it was so expensive I had to wait for the after Christmas sale! The gourd snowman on the right I bought this year at the Mountain State Fair. I love gourd art but most of it is to expensive for my budget. I always grow gourds but don't seem to have the time to do anything with them. The simplest snowman to make that I have is this guy,he is made from 3 fabric yo yos with felt decorations all glued together,very easy when you have time!! You can actually make him any size you want,mine is about 8" tall,he leans against the trunk of my kitchen tree. As I sit here typing this I hear the rest of the snow sliding off the roof,just to think I was supposed to get gutters put up today,oh well! This melting and muddiness is my most unfavorite part of snowfall. G-son is trapped inside because he loves mud and believe me he could find plenty of it today!
He and I both are like caged animals today,we both love the outdoors. The gutter guy called and said they would be here Wednesday. I got a call from the market manager saying the market isn't going to open tomorrow because of ice in the parking lot which they are just now scraping! I told her I would be set up in the parking lot with my orders,I called all my customers and told them I would be there. I hate this because on this day I could have sold a lot of crafts but will have only cakes in the parking lot tomorrow.I have more than a dozen customers picking up their Christmas orders.Daughter is baking her orders now with g-son's help. Later this evening got a call from the chairman of the board at the market,saying market is going to open tomorrow,so we won't be in the parking lot after all. I guess I wasn't the only vendor who had taken orders for tomorrow!
There used to be a commercial on TV,I don't remember what product it advertised but the song Hallelujah played as people reacted to the moment they realized their headache pain was gone,well I felt like shouting hallelujah myself a little while ago.I had finished icing my caramel and chocolate cakes and was getting out of daughters way as she baked some other things since the market is open,I was sitting at the table writing labels when I turned around to get a pen and realized the pain in my back was gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is still a sore place but that sharp pain when I move certain ways or cough is gone,HALLELUJAH!!!!
Thank you Lord this is going to make things much more enjoyable for me.Daughter and I have a shopping trip up town after market planned for tomorrow and maybe a stop at the mall on the way home. Wednesday maybe another trip to the little town hubbie and I went to a couple weeks ago that I thought she would love.
I have a couple of coconut cakes to ice and then a soak in a hot tub is over due today. Thanking God for another beautiful day and all my blessings. Just remember starting tomorrow the daylight hours of each day are going to get longer,another hallelujah! Good Night.

RESTFUL BIRD WATCHING SUNDAY

No church this morning,but they at last did get around to scraping our road,but there is still a lot of ice on it. #1 son came in from Georgia where he has been deer hunting since last Wednesday,he missed all the snow fun and didn't even get a deer. Hubbie decided to scrap our drive since the sun is suppose to shine today. I stayed in the nice warm house this morning since my back is really giving me a fit. He tried to scrap enough snow off to get a little traction and thin it down so the sun would melt it off quicker without scraping all the gravel off. All the birds from yesterday must have spread the word about the free meal as there was about 3 times as many today.I took about 4 pictures and didn't get the same bird in any 2 that I took.In this one picture there is MorningDoves,BlueJay,Cardinal,Towhee,Wren and another one I couldn't ID.This male Cardinal looked as if he was posing as the look-out for everyone else. All the kids came for lunch and then daughter and I took her jeep to Walmart to get some baking supplies. I was surprised the parking lot wasn't even cleared,I was afraid someone was going to slide into us with all the spinning and sliding around some cars were doing. We took our time and had no trouble but all the water on the roads will turn to ice tonight as it is suppose to be 20 degrees. It hasn't warmed up but to the upper 30's this afternoon and on our way home about 4:00 her car thermometer said 33 and the snow is starting to harden up again.
G-son spent the afternoon with Pawpaw while everyone else ran errands. After we got home and got everything put away hubbie went outside to do chores,I carefully went outside and put the dogs up and fed them and carefully came back inside.Yea,no falls today!!!
We decided to have a family shrimp boil tonight,boy were they good. We watched the last Survivor show this season. D-in-love has to work in the morning at 7 and the truck she was going to drive has a flat tire tonight, so #1 son is going to have to take her to work,so g-son is spending the night here so he won't have to get out in the cold in the morning. Hubbie was supposed to work but decided to take the day off because of all the ice. #2 son has to go to work at 7 also in the morning. Lord keep them safe on the roads in the morning and every morning. Daughter gave g-son a bath and he is winding down,he took a late nap so bedtime is going to be a challenge,not to mention the chocolate candy he ate earlier!
I'm going to soak in a hot bath then sleep on the heating pad again in hopes my back feels better tomorrow. I didn't get anything done today that I was hoping to do, but after all it is Sunday our day of rest!Only 4 days left until Christmas morning,are you thanking God for the reason we celebrate this season? Please pray for those who don't know or won't recognize the true meaning of this season. God Bless and Good Night.

STILL SNOWED IN FOR SECOND DAY

First thing this morning I took my camera out to make pictures.
Came upon a just born calf in the neighbors pasture,brrrrr this would not be the ideal day to come into the world,but mom seemed to have things under control with a huge audience at hand!! When I checked on our cattle, who have not left the warm barn except for a drink of water since it started snowing,I told them, I hope they knew how lucky they are!This one seemed to give me a knowing look as she munched on hay in the dry barn.
It looks like a winter wonderland this morning with the sun glinting off the snow. It probably won't melt much today with the temperatures still in the mid 30's for high's.But it is still beautiful,we decided not to scrape our drive and see how much melted today.We live on what they call a secondary road so we are last to get our road scraped.This guy had the right idea this morning as he went down the road on his John Deere tractor.I don't know where he went but I happened to be outside this evening and saw him coming back up the road about 6 hours later.Maybe he did drive his tractor all the way to town!
The girls and g-son came over about lunchtime and after sledding down a very fast hill several times and having to be carried back up because the snow was to deep for him to walk in, g-son talked Pawpaw and Aunt T into helping him build a huge snowman. There was enough snow that it didn't take long for this fellow to take shape. And the finished Frosty looked pretty good.At least g-son thought so!! He played outside until his clothes were soaking wet,this boy loves this snow.He came in to dry off and rest, and eat lunch. The temperature started dropping and clouds covered the sun so the melting stopped.
I worked in my kitchen again today but have a very sore back so it went a lot slower but I am almost finished,I need to put some things back that I took down when the builders were beating on the side of the house.Hopefully I'll finish tomorrow. I rested my back while I watched Carolina lose a basketball game on TV. We cooked a pork loin in the crockpot and had everyone over for supper again tonight. I made a huge fruit salad for dessert and to snack on. I love fruit salad and it's funny when my kids were growing up we always had so much fruit around they would rather have had fruit than candy. All the vitamin C helps keep the winter colds away. For years right after Thanksgiving hubbie and I have went to the farmers market and bought boxes of citrus fruit. When the kids were all home we would buy at least 2 boxes and hope they lasted until Christmas,now we buy 1 box and hope we get them all eaten before they rot. Times sure change with a growing family.All my feathered friends seem to be back and hungry,I still don't have all my feeders up so I threw seed out on top of the snow and that seemed to suit them fine.Daughter, hubbie and I are sitting with a lighted Christmas tree watching Christmas movies on TV tonight,enjoying the season's warmness! Bernie seems to be enjoying the evening also, but i can't believe that position is comfortable!!!! Another blessed day comes to a fitting end.I'm not used to being home on Saturday,in fact I can't remember the last time I was at home on a Saturday,this dawned on me this morning when I was watching TV and I couldn't figure out why cartoons were on!
This time of year is usually one of my busiest times of the year so to have a slow relaxing few days are a blessing.The market was closed today and even if it wasn't,I wouldn't have been there.I was hoping we would get through December before the weather got bad but this is making me enjoy this Christmas more than I've had time to enjoy one in a long time. God knew I needed a break from all the busy things I've had to deal with for the last month and I welcome it. If we would just trust Him things would always work out for the best! Good Night.

SNOW, SNOW , SNOW AND MORE SNOW!!

SNOW!! SNOW!! and more SNOW!!!! It's been years since I have seen this much snow.
I woke up to the phone ringing at 6:30,canceling school,since hubbie and daughter work there,we are on the school closing call list. I looked outside but didn't see anything,I heard daughter getting ready for work,she has to go on optional workdays.Hubbie was already at work as he goes in at 6 am. I went back to bed and listened to the scanner in our bedroom,they weren't saying anything about bad roads. As I dozed off again,I heard hubbie's car go by the house.I looked out the window and saw these great big flakes pouring down. Hubbie doesn't have a 4-wheel drive work truck,so he can't work in bad weather as they won't let him take his 2-wheel drive out. The scanner came suddenly alive with auto accidents,the roads must be really slick.
As we ate breakfast,daughter came home,they had sent her home before it gets to bad.She said she saw several cars in the ditches.
G-son came over and he and d-in-love spent the day with us.When they were playing and sledding it was before the snow really got deep.But it started snowing so hard they didn't want to go back out.The pictures on the left were taken about 11 am and the pictures on the right were taken about 2 pm, it actually sleeted for awhile after the first pictures so you can tell the snow has really been coming down. I took advantage of staying inside and worked on moving my keepsake glassware and dishes out to my knew cabinet and re-arranging some of my kitchen cabinets. We made a big pot of homemade soup and cornbread,I called #2 son who has delivered mail all day on a walking route downtown and he came to eat with us. Daughter went home with g-son and d-in-love to spend the night,#2 son went home to rest up for tomorrow,as he has to walk in the snow again. I measured 9" of snow while we were doing the chores outside,I fell 3 times,it is a wet supper slick snow with a sleet layer under it. My back is telling me tonight how hard it was to walk around in the snow. But as I watch the news I'm very thankful to be home,warm and with power. The interstates are all blocked with truck wrecks and 100's of people are stuck in their cars and 1000's of people are without power tonight in the cold,so I'm very thankful!!!!
As I stood in the kitchen tonight all of a sudden the floor shook,I thought a tree had fallen. We went outside to see if we could see what happen and was shocked to see about 5 feet of snow between the front porch and my van that had slid off the roof. Hubbie got out and shoveled a path to carry wood in. One of the perils of a metal roof,we knew it could happen and had moved daughter's jeep earlier from the backside of the house. This much snow could knock a windshield out if it hit just right I think. This snowfall has put into perspective how ill-prepared we were for this kind of seriously bad weather and you can be sure as soon as I get out I'll get prepared for next time!!
Praying tonight for #2 son as he is the only one of us who will be out on the roads going to work in the morning.Lord watch over him and all the hard workers that have to brave the conditions to get to work no matter what the weather. Thanking God for a blessed day with family. Now I'm going to soak in a hot tub and then find my heating pad for my back! Good Night.

ORNAMENT MEMORIES #1

As I was getting ready for market the builder came by to pick up his things,he said his little girl had asthma as well as double pneumonia,bless her heart. She got to come home from the hospital yesterday and was having to take breathing treatments at home. Well the only thing left is the gutters that someone else has to do and hopefully by Tuesday that'll be taken care of.
Then we can work on the outside and the landscape.
Today was a slow market day.I ran errands and delivered Avon orders afterward,didn't get home until 5:15,a loonnngggg day!!! After chores and supper we watched Survivor then went and cleaned at church,we did extra tonight just in case the snow they are predicting materializes. A part of Christmas that I really enjoy is all the handmade ornaments I have collected and the memories they bring. These were made by a friend that used to have a table beside me at market,she loved making things from old cutter quilts.She would buy these old quilts off e-bay and make all kinds of things out of them,I have many of her ornaments,these are 3 examples. There also was a lady who lived on one of the mountains out my way and farmed sheep.She sold things made from the wool of her sheep,she had a spinning wheel and it was fun to watch her spin yarn.So they combined cutter quilt pieces and genuine sheep wool and made some beautiful Santas.I was worried about storing these but they have held up really well.Unfortunately neither of these ladies are still selling at the market. Along with sewing the first lady also painted things and these are very small gourd ornaments she painted.Both these ladies were special to me,one moved to another town and one had to get another job and I do see her every once and a while. I always have fond memories of talking,laughing and brainstorming about craft ideas with these two when I saw them every week.
I used to have about 50 hens and I sold eggs at market.One year one of my customers brought me 4 of the cutest ornaments made from my egg shells,each one has a different figure inside,these can be hung or she put a ring on the bottom so they can sit.
We used to rent an old dairy farm and the pastures were covered with
teasels,these had prickly heads and I gathered them when they were dry and sold them to use in dried flower arrangements,one Christmas I made these cute little teasel ornaments. That is enough ornament memories for one night.I'm listening to the weather and it sounds like tomorrow may be a very interesting day.I pray for the people who will have to get out on the slick roads and go to work.It used to be me, but now I stay home and I am very thankful that I don't have to drive in it.
Lord bless and keep all the drivers safe tomorrow. Good Night.

SUNROOM INTERIOR OFFICIALLY FINISHED!!!

Up early today,baking cakes I didn't get done last night and icing 12 caramel cakes,that's all my back can take at a time. Electrician came and my lights look great even if I do say so myself.They didn't charge an arm and a leg either.Very nice young men,quick and did a good job,I would recommend them.After lunch I took g-son who was full of energy outside and he dragged lumber and I carried until we got all the scrap pieces out of the yard.It looks a lot better and I can get to my bird feeders now to refill them.I'm missing my feathered friends and they are probably missing their free meals!
When we came inside g-son was hungry and ate everything I put in front of him and asked for more.He had mac and cheese and chicken fries with milk. In between all this activity I met with 3 gutter guys today(2 at one time,oops) but only one said he could get it done before Christmas and thankfully he was the cheapest and the nicest so I'm glad that worked out.He is supposed to be here Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning.G-son is still full of energy,riding his tricycle around and around. Hubbie came in and we put down the last trim on the floor with g-son's help of course. After supper d-in-love came after g-son and daughter went to coach a club volleyball practice,I called #2 son to see if he could help move my furniture in to the new room. He came up and we got all the furniture in place and even got things back in place on the front porch to give hubbie his carport back. It is to dark for pictures but I love the furniture I got and it looks so good in there! Hubbie and I were sitting out there after we moved everything and he looked over and said "why didn't we do this a long time ago?",I wish we had while the kids were still home,but that little thing called "money" kept us from any unnecessary construction projects while raising 3 kids. We didn't need a place to go to sit and relax back then anyway because there wasn't any time to relax!
Daughter came home and did her baking while I did paperwork and payed bills and stamped my Avon books. I frosted chocolate and coconut cakes,watched the news and listened to the prediction of snow for Friday and Saturday.I have several cake orders for Saturday so it will be interesting.
This has been a special day,I worked outside in the fresh air all afternoon and g-son was especially active today and such a joy to be with. I still haven't heard anything from the builder about his daughter but he hasn't came back after any of his things or the rest of the money I owe him,so that makes me worried! Still praying for her. Thank God for all my blessings and family and friends. Good Night.

BUSY DAY LEADS TO HECTIC EVENING

Work started early this morning,I started laundry while hubbie got everything organized for the flooring job.It isn't raining so it will probably be me helping. Got a call from #1 son saying he was coming to help.There was 1 job for g-son and he proudly did his part,then thought they couldn't do without him.I finally convinced him to come inside with a pancake covered with syrup and milk for breakfast. He is at the age where he needs to help whatever you are doing.
I did 5 loads of laundry while attending to g-son and watching the flooring.At first I really didn't like it,in fact I almost took it back early this morning,but couldn't find anything I liked any better. So I'm hoping it looks better finished than it does just started!
#2 son came up after lunch and they all 3 worked and had it finished in less than 4 hours.
#1 son and g-son had to leave for an appointment,so #2 son and hubbie made a platform to step down on out of the kitchen. And thankfully it does look a lot better finished and I like it now.In fact I REALLY like it. I bought it at a discount building supply place at a very good price and when #1 son was reading about it,he said it was probably some of the best flooring you could buy,it had a 35 year guarantee,my bargain hunting paid off once again!!
We didn't put any furniture in yet because I thought about all the glass tops on the tables I have and the electricians coming tomorrow to put up the lights,mmmmm, they might just drop something!!! The yard is still a mess of scraps, tarps,ladders,metal roofing pieces and all the stuff off my porches! The builder whose little girl went to the hospital yesterday didn't come back today and I hope that doesn't mean she is really sick. We can't really do anything outside until I find someone to put up gutters,another man is coming tomorrow. I can't even get most people to call me back,we think maybe some of these are out of business.
I vacuumed up the sawdust in the window sills and took all the stickers off. We ate cornbread and stew for supper and I am baking cakes and uploading photos for a Christmas collage for daughters little sister and wouldn't you know after I took the time to design the whole thing,then they tell me they have to ship it to me,I can't pick it up in the store,no time for that,so back to the drawing board,I decide to just order prints and make my own collage. This has been one of those nights and I'll be lucky if I get to bed by 1 am and that's with postponing some baking until morning,oh well won't be my first early morning bedtime,that's for sure!
Thank you Lord for giving me the strength and grace to smile and go on when things seem to be falling apart all around me. I know You are with me and You have a plan for everything and everyone. Good Night.