HAPPY VALENTINES DAY 2016

Woke to another cold morning and ice breaking 1-0-1 once a gain !!!
The clouds are hanging very low this morning and the air feels like a snow is coming.
I fixed a big pressure cooker full of beef stew this morning for lunch. Hubbie browned the meat  and we added potatoes, carrots, onions and celery with some beef stew seasoning. When I selected the stew setting the timer went to 1 hour. This is the longest I have ever pressured anything but this thing is supposed to know what it is doing so I trusted it and went on to church.
I took my secret sister a valentines gift today and picked up one for me from my ss. Love this chocolate and this little love block !! Thanks ss, whoever you are !!

The sermon today was from John 3-16 and was really good.  Then the pastor made a major announcement. He is taking a job with the NC Baptist Association as Minister of Missions and will be leaving our church in May. He has been our pastor for the last 25 years and it will be hard to replace him but God is at work. There was a stunned silence among the congregation as church ended.
We only had #1 son's family for lunch as #2 son took Tif out for a Valentines lunch , Re had to work last night so Aa had already fed the kids and had them down for naps , daughter and Josh were having a Valentine lunch at home and watching a UNC basketball game.
We also watched the game after our lunch of the delicious beef stew and cornbread. The beef stew was cooked perfectly in the pressure pot. UNC won the game against Pitt so all was well today !!
I gave all the kids Valentine gifts and included in g-sons was a set of "Jacks".  I used to play this game when I was young and I wanted to teach g-son . We played for a long time after lunch and he enjoyed it and got pretty good at it pretty fast !!

G-daughter loved watching us from her "saucer" !!!

Aa stopped by after he fed the cows this evening and took home EL and BB's gifts.
I had a very good Valentines day with the grands.
After they all left hubbie and I did the chores and relaxed for the evening to bring this perfect Sunday to an end.
No snow yet but these are definitely snow clouds that are filling the sky this evening.

It is cold here in the mountains of North Carolina and the signs at our house are significant as Hubbie has not only the rack filled with wood on the front porch but also a wheel barrow load ready to come

inside as needed.

Smoke coming from the chimney is a welcoming sight when we are out in the cold.

Every weather forecaster has a different opinion tonight on the time and what we will get from the next winter storm, Olympia, as she moves into the area over night and tomorrow.

Some say snow , some say ice and some even say the moisture won't get here until the warm temps arrive tomorrow and it will be all rain. Guess we will be surprised in the morning !!  The temperature tonight at 9:30 is 25 degrees so it won't rain tonight !!
I'll end this Valentines day post with the story of how this day became a day of "love".

HAPPY  VALENTINES  DAY !!!
God's love is always enough !!!
God Bless and Good Night.

GOOD MARKET DAY AND FIRST BASKETBALL WIN FOR G-SON

BRRR !!!  A very windy 18 degree morning made the chores interesting this morning as none of the animals wanted to come out of their houses and I don't blame them but I knew the fresh water I was pouring in their water pans would be frozen solid again in no time so hopefully their thirst got them out before it refroze.
Hubbie and I made it to an empty market on time. The wind didn't seem to be as strong in town , maybe all the buildings were blocking it some.
Hubbie and I worked more on moving things around . We moved one of the large shelves from one window to another and hubbie measured for a bigger table behind daughter's tables. It looks pretty good and several other market vendors commented on how nice and neat it was looking. (did that mean it looked bad before ??) The 2 empty tables in the right of this picture are the two tables I just moved my things off of.

Now I just need to schedule some sewing time into my daily routines and get some more stock built up in my crafts department.
I had a pretty good day as several folks had birthday and Valentine celebrations that they bought cakes for. I only had one half caramel cake left for our lunch time dessert tomorrow.
I left market a few minutes early to come home and get unloaded so hubbie and I could go to g-son's basketball game at 3:00.
His little team played so much better today and won their first game by a score of 7-4 . They were a very happy group of little boys !!!
G-son looked like he was having fun.

After the game hubbie and I made a stop at Sam's Club to pick up a few things we needed and to Ingles for some Valentine treats for the kids.
D-in-love went to the "Wee-Trade" sale at the WNC Ag center today and got this bouncy seat for g-daughter. She loved it !!!!

 G-son was there to lend a hand and help teach her to use her feet to bounce around.

After chores hubbie and I had a light supper and relaxed for the evening. Hubbie watched the first Nascar race of the season and I caught up on some blogging and printed some Sunday School verses for daughter for tomorrow. 

It is very cold tonight and we have both wood stoves going tonight for the longest streak for both stoves burning in a while. The predicted low for tonight is 12 degrees and it will probably get to that at least as it is 22 at 10:30 and the skies are completely clear.

It's going to be a good weekend to cuddle with your favorite valentine for sure !!!!

HAPPY  VALENTINES DAY TO ALL AND MAY YOUR SUNDAY BE FULL OF THE GRACE AND LOVE FROM THE GREATEST VALENTINE OF ALL, JESUS CHRIST.

God Bless and Good Night

 

T.G.I.F. and 1986 SNOW FUN

28 degrees when g-daughter arrived this morning, the warmest morning all week and probably for several days to come if the forecasters are right.
G-daughter went back to sleep right away this morning. I let the dogs all out, stoked the fires and layed down on the couch but was already wide awake so I read my blog books and got all my baking supplies upstairs before I went outside to do the chores.
I thinner layer of ice this morning was a nice break from the earlier mornings.
Back inside I had breakfast and then began my baking for the day.
I baked 3 caramel, 2 chocolate, 2 pound and 2 blackberry wine cakes . I have 2 orders for tomorrow which is a very low amount for the Saturday before Valentines. Guess everyone is getting candy instead of cake this year !!!
G-daughter woke up at 11:00 and was smiling like she felt really good.  She was content to sit in her high chair and watch me in the kitchen and Sesame Street on TV while playing with all her "bugs".
Some days she is so good I could just squeeze her !!!!
This afternoon she took another short nap then played in the saucer thing I brought up from downstairs.
I finished downloading all the kids pictures I started yesterday and saved them to files. Now I can add to them as I find more of their pictures.
Earlier in the afternoon the snow fell heavily for a little while but the 39 degree temps kept any from sticking to the ground. It was really pretty falling in the sunshine.

In alot of the northern counties they added several inches to their snow totals today.
D-in-love came after g-daughter about 4:30, fed her and left g-son here while she went to the grocery store. I fixed him some cheese sticks and bacon for a snack and he quietly played games on his I-pod.
The sun was getting pushed over the horizon this evening by the dark clouds.

Daughter called tonight and said the varsity girls basketball team played their first conference tournament game tonight at Pisgah and lost  so their season may be over. They have to wait until next weekend to see if they qualify for a wild card seeding in the state playoffs. 
Back in February 1986 #1 son and hubbie were playing in a snowfall that month. I love the back ground buildings in some of these pictures as my dad's old barn is partially in one of them and his old chicken house is in one also. These buildings held alot of precious memories of my dad and the hard working example he set for us kids. #2 son must have been sick because he wasn't out in this snow.

Snowy memories on a very cold night make the flames in the wood stoves look so peaceful and good tonight.  Tomorrow is supposed to be the coldest day of the season so far as the wind is going to blow and the high temps in the mid 20's will put the chill factor below zero. I look for a very slow market day with this forecast !
Thankful for the blessings of this day and praying for all who have to be out in the weather tonight and tomorrow night.
God Bless and Good Night.

MORE SNOW ???? AND 1966 FEBRUARY

G-daughter was off her schedule to start the morning and didn't sleep but about 30 minutes after I fed her.
I was expecting EL to spend the morning with me while her mom went to a used baby things sale in Greenville SC but she went to stay at another friend's house to play.
After chores and breakfast I decided to start on a photo project that is on my do to list for this winter.
I have many pictures of my kids with their sports teams and their class pictures as well as other special pics that I have kept through the years. I have these all packed away in boxes and in  frames on the walls. I want to get them all online so that they will be preserved and so that the kids can have copies of them also. I got through daughters and #2 son's today between taking care of g-daughter who was a bit out of sorts for some reason today.
While she took her short naps today she cried out and fussed in her sleep.  After her longest nap of the day this afternoon she woke up happy and playful so all is well I suppose !!
After her mom picked her up about 4:30 I put away all the pics I had scanned and then did chores.
The temperature got up to 36 today so some of the ice melted. The low this morning was 19 and the wind has died down so today hasn't been that bad.
The forecast is for another round of snow for the higher mountain areas tomorrow night where the snow is already 15 inches deep from this weeks snows already. The snow cover reaches pretty far down after this cold snowy week.

A system coming in Sunday and Monday is looking more and more like a snow and ice maker for our area. Hopefully the temps will stay low enough for it all to be snow and not ice.

Hubbie had an emergency deacon's meeting tonight so I had some "me" time to just relax with the 4-legged kids after he left.
Back in February 1966 I bought my very first cow, a registered Black Angus, from a farm on the other side of town owned by the Reece Pope family.There are two things that have stuck in my memory about the Pope farm, one was getting on one of the electric fences they had which was the hottest fence I have ever felt and two the candied orange rinds Mrs. Pope always gave us when we were there and one more thing I do remember is the big wagon wheel chandalier in the living room of their house. Here is my cow's registration papers.

And speaking of the cold weather of February , back in 1966 the cold was really brutal as the French Broad river froze so solid it could be walked across.

I did a news story with these old newspaper clippings a few years ago when we had an exceptionally cold and snowy winter. Most folks who have moved to this area can't believe it can get this cold around here.
I am thankful for all the blessings of the day and as I looked through all those old photos today it made me think how blessed I have been through the years with three healthy happy children.  Thank you Lord.
God Bless and Good Night.

COLD SHOPPING DAY

18 degrees as I looked at the thermometer by the front door as g-daughter came in. Nothing pressing on my list today so I put more wood in the upstairs woodstove and just relaxed and watched the flames as g-daughter slumbered in the nice warm room.
Chores were back to taking longer with all the extra water carrying. The waterers are all frozen solid on these really cold mornings so I have to beat out the ice and refill with water. On days like today that the temps is staying below freezing I usually take more water up around lunch time and repeat the process.
After breakfast I did weekly paperwork and made out a baking supplies list for Saturday. I also got all the paperwork shifted around in my office now I have things organized for tax time !!
Curiosity is a wonderful thing to watch !!!!

She was in such a good mood all day today.
We waited until after lunch in the warmest part of the day to make our errand trip to town. When the warmest part of the day is 29 degrees you dress like an Eskimo !!!

 My little Eskimo was smiling all the way today !!!

We went to the bank then to Aldi and Walmart. I had just gotten home and gotten things put away while g-daughter still snoozed when her mom came to pick her up.
After they left I worked on my blog book until choretime.
More water carrying and ice dumping so the animals could get one more drink before bed time.
After supper I blogged and worked some more on the blog book .
It is 24 degrees at 9:30 so the low will probably get to the mid teens again tonight and the wind is blowing making the chill factor below zero.
Got another jury duty summons today. This is my second summons since September, looks like out of all the folks in this county it wouldn't be necessary for me to be summoned twice in 5 months time.
Think I will call tomorrow and ask them how many times they have my name entered into their system ???
I found this old picture of me and my Teddy bear dated February 1956. I would have been about 19 months old.

Thankful to God for the blessings of this day . God is always good !
God Bless and Good Night.

COLD DAY AND A CARD FROM 1946

Looked out the window as I headed for the living room to welcome g-daughter at 7am and no snow for us !!
It is 16 degrees so it probably is too cold to snow as my dad used to say !! He said around 28 was perfect snowing temp.
After I fed g-daughter I started my mornings of staying up and starting the day early as I finished my shredding and tried once again to download more months into my bog book. Looks like I can only make a 3 months book once again as even after getting a fourth month downloaded it refuses to download anymore. Oh well !!!
I did the chores around 9am trying to give the temps time to rise a little . But with the thick cloud cover that wasn't happening today. Hopefully everything gets a drink before the water all refreezes.
Back inside I had my breakfast and devotions before starting the housework for the day. I cleaned the bathrooms and dusted the entire house. G-daughter woke up when I got in the living room and she watched me work in there.
Her uncle D came by to return the post hole diggers and renew his drivers license online and played with g-daughter for awhile to her enjoyment.

He had lunch with us and we had a very nice catching up visit.
G-daughter took a nap and I started on my decade picture search for the month this afternoon. As I walked back and forth by her I thought as I watched her snooze there is nothing more peaceful looking than a sleeping baby !!

I finished the decade search to mark one more thing off the to do list for this month. I am trying to get all the little things done so I can concentrate on tax time !!
D-in-love has a meeting this evening so the kids are both staying here while she is gone.
G-son did his homework and I proved to him that I do remember the answers to 3rd grade questions !!!

Time is flying by for this little girl as she passes the 5 month mark already !

#1 son came after the kids as he got home before d-in-love tonight.
As I did chores this evening the temp already was 22 degrees after a high today of 32, brrrr !!!
Another winter storm, Nacio, was named today bringing the longest coldest spell of the season so far this week.

After supper it was a two woodstove kind of night but after being a little chilled all day it felt good to put my feet up and enjoy the warmth of the fire as I sipped my warm cup of green tea. Nothing beats good ole wood heat !!!!

The first decade thing I found today was from February 1946 as my cousin Winnie ( who just recently passed away) was visiting in Oklahoma where my dad and my uncle lived at that time. She sent my grandfather this old post card.

Watched a UNC / Boston College basketball game tonight which UNC won barely.
Daughter's game for tonight got postponed until tomorrow night because of the snow in Jackson county.
Thankful tonight for the love and grace of my Heavenly Father and always grateful for the blessings of the day.
God Bless and Good Night.

ANOTHER WEEK BEGINS

Whoa !!! I must have been tireder than I thought as I slept right through d-in-love bringing g-daughter this morning and hubbie scared me when they came into the bedroom to get me to fix her a bottle.  The dogs must have been extra tired too as they didn't even bark at her car when she came.
I fed g-daughter and got her settled and hubbie layed on the couch while I went back to bed for a few more  zz's . But before I did that I had to admire this morning's sunrise.

Chore time got me moving a short time later and surely woke me up in the cold 26 degree morning.
After I had breakfast I got laundry started and hubbie went outside to work on cleaning the fences off from the flood.
G-daughter slept until 11am and woke up smiling , gotta love this kid !!!!
At lunch time hubbie fed her some green bean baby food for the first time and it was a go as she liked it mixed with her cereal.

After lunch hubbie went back outside to continue his work and g-daughter and I played for a while until she got ready for her afternoon nap.

I finished 3 loads of laundry and went through some baby things I have to keep up with a growing g-daughter.

Re had a class to attend tonight at the hospital and she left EL and BB here while she went. 

BB thought he was one of EL's dolls as he sat in this doll stroller and waited for her  to push him around.

D-in-love picked up g-daughter and went back to school to pick g-son up from his theater class. They still need one more student to sign up to be able to continue with the class.
#2 son came by for a visit and to borrow post hole diggers to replace his sister's mail box post tomorrow on his day off for her. Her post broke off at the ground where it had rotted.
Re picked up the kids and hubbie and I did chores before having a light supper. The air feels like snow tonight. As I look at these  maps I wonder what tomorrow will bring for our area.

Today's high temperature was 43 degrees with 23 predicted tonight so the ground is definitely cold enough for snow to stick if any falls.
I am getting in bed earlier tonight to begin my new schedule and so I am headed to bath and bed at 10:30 tonight.
Thankful for the blessings of this day and grateful for His love and assistance in all that I do each day.
God Bless and Good Night