PEACEFUL WARM SUNDAY

A nice sunny morning with a temperature of 28, wow ,  we are going through a heat wave !!!
Church was good today, we finished up the book of Jude.  Wonder where he will go next ??
Everyone made it to lunch of smoked Boston butt from the freezer from the last smoker full back  in November. It was still very good. Rebekah brought a crock pot full of mac and cheese to go with baked beans and slaw.  It was a very good lunch.
After we ate #2 son gathered up some extra fire irons and tools to take to his house as he took the gas logs out of the fireplace in his new house and is making it back into a wood burning fire place.
#1 son and Aaron went out to work on a truck, daughter went home to clean house, d-in-love and Rebekah went to a beauty shop wholesale place in town and hubbie went up to help the guys on the truck.  So that made my afternoon very enjoyable as I got to spend it with these two.

 They play so well together whether it's with the big building blocks .....

 or the super hero figures .

Evy is getting very close to the point of taking off and starting to walk. She held onto g-son as he moved around today to walk with him and she can stand alone. He was so good and patient with her.
As she cooed and ahhed today while they were playing g-son asked if "baby" language had a name ?
He asked if he made all the noises like that when he was little and I assured him he did. 
After everyone left I did evening chores in the upper 40's and it was nice not to have to lug water buckets and break ice out of the water pans. I was surprised  at how much of the thick ice had melted in the pans.
Hubbie and I watched a UNC/Clemson basketball game tonight which UNC ran away with.
Took time tonight to try and look up how to fix the speedometer in my van. Today the stopping speed is 40mph, so it said I was driving 90 - 95 mph all the way to church this morning and as hubbie drove g-son to a class at church tonight he said it said he was going 100mph with a stopped speed of 50.
I read tonight that a crazy acting speedometer could affect many other aspects of driving so I need to have it checked out this week.
An enjoyable peaceful Sunday to celebrate the love of our Lord and Savoir, Jesus Christ.
Good Night and God Bless.

SLOW MARKET DAY

A surprise when we got up this morning as the thermometer said 22 degrees instead of the predicted single digit.  As I did the chores early to get ready for market the hens acted like they felt much better with the warmer temps. Even though all the water was still solidly frozen maybe the predictions of above freezing temps today will be right and there will be a little thawing or maybe the fresh water I gave them this morning won't freeze solid in the next little while.
Market was another very slow day although I did sell more today than last Saturday so for that I am thankful.  Our annual stock holders meeting was held today after market closed but I didn't stay for it.
I used to attend these each year but now if I have cakes left I need to see if I can sell them somewhere else before I come home so there isn't time to stay for an hour or so meeting.
When I got home hubbie helped me unload then we ran out to Sam's Club to pick up some groceries.
The wind is picking up and snow is blowing around this afternoon. 
We came home and did evening chores then hubbie grilled us a couple rib-eye steaks I found buried in the freezer when I cleaned it out. We were afraid they were freezer burned but they tasted so good.
We spent a lazy cold Saturday night in front of the wood stove watching the flames of the warm fire.
The temperature has risen tonight to 35 now at 10:30, wonder what is up with that ????
I am very glad for whatever it is because the wind is roaring out there.
Grateful for a loving Lord who blesses us daily with many undeserved blessings.
Good Night  and God Bless.

HAIR CUT FRIDAY

2  degrees this morning on the way to take g-son to school. I sure hope there are no kids standing out in this waiting for the bus !!
As I dropped him off I noticed the principal's face was a rosy red color, she said she had been out in the cold since 7:30 and her face was hurting.
I came home to have breakfast before tackling the outside chores. I carried buckets of water to refill frozen pans in the chicken lots and got a head ache beating holes in the ice in the cattle and horse waterers.  We need to get out our water trough heater.
Flash couldn't take the 8 degree temperature so I put him back in his basement crate. Sadie is black so she was already spread out in the bright sunshine along with Annie. They were so asleep they didn't even move when I walked by them. Thank goodness the sun is shining !!
Back inside with another log on the fire in both the wood stoves I started our bedroom deep cleaning. After lunch I called my friend/ hairdresser to make a hair cut appointment and she said she didn't have another appointment until 3:00 to come on over.  She shampooed and cut my hair and we had a nice visit to break up the afternoon for her and me.  Marketta is a sweet person and is always smiling and making sure her customers enjoy their time in her shop.  Love my new doo , thanks Marketta.

I came home and vacuumed and mopped all my floors then went back to my bedroom cleaning.
This isn't a big job like the kitchen but I am re-arranging some things to make it easier to find some of my jewelery and that took up a lot of time.
It was still 27 degrees at evening chore time and all the animals were thirsty for some un-frozen water.  Hubbie was home from work and helped me carry  some buckets of water to give everything a good drink before they went to sleep for the night.
I have used all the metal pans I have to put water in and they are now all filled with ice.
Tomorrow it is supposed to get above freezing by just a few degrees to 38 but the clouds are moving in tonight and bringing a forecast of snow for tomorrow so there will be no melting if that happens.
After chores it was good to get back inside and warm up snuggling with my 4-legged kids while watching the evening news.
To report on the first night of sleep on the new mattress......  Hubbie and both had a hard time getting to sleep as it was a very different feel than we have slept on but when we got to sleep we slept well. He said his back felt better this morning than with the old mattress but my back was a little sore as if I had worked or carried something really heavy the day before.  As I moved around this morning the soreness went away so I think I just need to get used to a firmer mattress.
It is already 14 degrees tonight at 9:30 so unless the clouds move in pretty quick it is going much lower than the predicted 12 degree low for the night !!
Thanking God for the blessings of this day and for His grace for tomorrow.
Good Night and God Bless.

NEW MATTRESS IS HERE

On the way to school this morning I noticed the workers were here to continue work on the new bridge down on the road. This is the first day this week they have been here. I figured it was too cold for all their machinery to start but today is colder than yesterday so maybe they were waiting on supplies. Trucks were already unloading large sheets of steel when I got home. I drove up to the local Post Office after I dropped g-son off as I don't have any errands that take me near the downtown PO today.
Back home I hurriedly ate breakfast and got the chores done a bit early even in the 12 degree weather.
They are supposed to be here at 9:30 with our new mattress. Hubbie came by to help get things cleared out of the way.  They were a bit early but we were ready. They pick up your old mattress free of charge also so that makes things easier.
After much scutinizing this is the one we decided to try. It is a Serta I- Series Trump line mattress. A hybrid mattress with both inner springs and memory foam on top.

These are the layers that are supposed to make this a better quality mattress. We have 120 days to see if they work !!

Most of the reviews are not very good but I think that's true with anything because most people if they are happy with the product don't bother with a review, it is only the folks who aren't happy that take the time to write a review.
I will definitely be letting you know what I think in the coming weeks. I will say it is a very different feel than any other mattress I have ever laid on. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe not !!
After they left I made sure my deep pocket regular king size sheets would fit, they did so I don't have to go searching for California king size sheets today.
I went into town to get my farm tax listing form turned in. The courthouse is a hassle to do any business in as everyone must go through the metal detector. As the guy x-rayed my purse he said "you have a little bit of everything in there don't you?"  I said all but guns and knives, then , I thought uh-oh there is a knife in there !!!    Evidently he didn't see the knife  and I was cleared to proceed to the tax assessors office. I wish they would make these forms simple so I could mail them in.
I stopped at Aldi and Ingles for groceries and felt the outside air getting colder already before noon.
I went by my church to take in my recipes for our cookbook.
I ate lunch and worked my crossword that I didn't have time for this morning.
Rebekah called and brought Evy over while she went to a meeting at her work.  Evy slept the time her mom was gone away.  She didn't cry but just chattered herself to sleep this time.
She was still sleeping when mom came home so we visited until she woke up. She was in such a great mood when she woke. 
Went out and gave all the animals some un-frozen water and extra feed to get ready for the really cold night ahead. It is supposed to get to 3 degrees tonight along with a 15-20mph wind for chill factors down to minus 20 degrees.
Tomorrow is another day below freezing then a little warmer for the weekend before another plunge next week.

While we ate supper tonight I told hubbie I bet we don't have the insect problems this next summer that we have had for the past couple years.  The past two mild winters have lulled things into spending the winter in our area that can't survive single digit temps.
It is 14 degrees tonight at 10:30 and it usually drops 10 degrees so the predicted low will be correct if not a little high !!
Praying tonight for all the animals outside and the people that can't find shelter in a warm place tonight. May their love for the Heavenly Father keep them warm.
Good Night and God Bless.

OXEN MEETS BULLDOZER

Another cold morning at 10 degrees as g-son and I headed out to school. Thankfully the wind isn't blowing as hard as it was making it less frigid out there.
I had breakfast before chore time but the temps didn't warm up very much at all even with the nice sunshine today.
I carried water and broke water to all the animals but if they don't hurry they won't get a drink before it re-freezes.
This morning I took down all my Blue Willow dishes in the sunroom and ran them through the dish washer.

I definitely got my "stair stepping" exercise in as I had trouble deciding how I wanted them arranged after they were washed and changed my mind a couple times. Taking them down and putting them back up.  At least I can mark the sun room off my deep cleaning list after today.
I have our bedroom, g-son's playroom and my office yet to go and then there is the basement that needs a good cleaning after everyone got all the extra furniture out.  With one more week in this month it will be a busy one or my cleaning may spill over into "tax" month !
After picking up g-son we came home and he went to work building with his legos while I re-filled waterers and gave extra feed to all the animals to prepare them for another very cold night. It is supposed to be 15 tonight, but the wind is supposed to start blowing hard again after midnight dropping the wind chill to around 0 by daylight.The high temperature today was 27 degrees. Thank the Lord for the nice sunshine so all the animals could soak up it's warmth.
To finish up my decade pics for January this is the "unknowns" for this month.

 Looks like there might be a challenge going on here.

I did weekly paperwork and payed bills tonight after a brief rest for my legs.
God is so gracious and loving everyday and only ask that we invite Him into our hearts so He can bless us with that love and graciousness.
Good Night and God Bless.

MORNING SUNSHINE, AFTERNOON SNOW, YEAH ITS JANUARY !!!

G-son got here earlier than usual this morning as mom and dad both had early work schedules today.
He had extra time to catch up on his lego structures.
After getting him to school I had breakfast and then did the chores in the cold morning. It started out at 25 but with the nice sunshine it warmed up quickly reaching the mid 40's by lunch time.
I took a walk as I figure this will be the last day this week for outside walking.  As I walked I heard loud splashing noises coming from the farm pond.  This was the culprit as he was showing his male powers to the few remaining roots of this dead tree near some of the flood waters.

Aaron brought his bull in from Georgia Sunday and he has been marking his territory ever since. He is the same bull from last year only about twice the size.

I did laundry and house cleaning all morning. The refrigerator was the target of my deep cleaning today along with my baking shelves and my movable island.
About 2:00 I looked out the window and the snow flakes were pouring down.

The nearby mountains were hidden by the snow blizzard.

But the thermometer still said 38 degrees here.  As I noticed the flakes slow and finally stop a patch of blue sky came over and the sun got in a few last rays before it was engulfed in clouds and snow showers for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
When I went after g-son the wind was really whipping around the few flakes that were falling at that time.
After getting him settled in I finished my cleaning in the kitchen.
At chore time it was getting really cold out in the windy snow shower. The animals all were glad to get in their warm houses for the evening. Sadie and Flash wanted an early entrance into their crates in the basement. I tried to get Annie to go in there in her crate but she had other ideas. She ran back into the outside lot and hunkered down in her dog house. She does not like being confined in that small crate and would rather deal with the cold.

 The snow didn't stick much around our place only a faint dusting on the grass but in other places just north of us the roads are a mess.
Daughter's school and cross county rival West Henderson was the only basketball game in the area tonight and they got worried during the girls game and talked about calling off the boys game if the snow didn't stop. But it did !
Both daughter's teams won their games by large margins so she had a good night.
Here is her team during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner before they played tonight. Daughter is the second coach from left with black sweater.

This is a map of the weather warnings around our area.

We are under a wind chill earning as temperatures by morning will feel like -5 degrees.
This is a double wood stove night and it feels good in here even now with temps still hovering around 20 degrees at 10:00.   Predictions of   8  to  10  degrees for in the morning with 30mph winds is going to make for a very raw morning.
I have been working on getting some recipes together for a cook book that our church is going to publish.
Thanking God for the blessings of the day and for the strength He gives me each day. And especially prayerfully thankful that I didn't get a phone call today about my mammogram of  yesterday. Prayerfully hopeful that breast cancer is not in God's plan for me in 2014.
Good Night and God Bless.

MY HOUSE IS HAUNTED !!!

Whew !!! Up early even if there is no school today (Martin Luther King day).  Since the weather forecast is that today is going to be a perfect laundry line drying day before the next winter storm gets to our area made it my rugs to the laundra mat day.  So after chores and breakfast with hubbie helping me off we went to the laundramat.  I was about an hour later than I usually get there so all the biggest machines were taken but I was there so I used some of the smaller machines and although it cost more at least it is done.
While I stayed at the laundry hubbie took my van to get it inspected so I can get my new tag.
Here in North Carolina we must pay $30 to have a state certified mechanic look over our vehicles before we can get our new tags each year. They have also recently added in the county vehicle taxes to the registration so they are making sure they get their money or you don't get your new tag.
I was almost finished with drying a couple large comforters when he came to pick me up.
We came home and hung all the rubber backed rugs out on the clothes line to dry on this beautiful mid 50's sunny day.
We finished just in time to head to Asheville for my yearly mammogram. I love the Asheville Breast Center. I actually arrived 20 minutes before my scheduled appointment and was finished and back in the van by the time my actual appointment time was !!   Now I am just praying the phone doesn't ring tomorrow morning and I can wait for the "all's well" letter that arrives in about a week !!
Hubbie went with me because there was a thrift shop we wanted to visit near the Breast Center.
We weren't impressed with the thrift shop and I only found a couple plant holders and two quilted pillow shams.
We stopped at another always very busy Goodwill in Fletcher but didn't buy a thing there.
After a late lunch at Subway and an animal feed store stop we came home to enjoy the warm afternoon before the cold weather hits.
I walked while hubbie hauled in fire wood to get us stocked up to burn both our woodstoves for the next few days.
I got my rugs off the line and put away before evening chore time. Daughter came by to pick up Tipper her dog that had spent the weekend with us while daughter was with her church youth group at Great Wolf Lodge for their winter outing.  She looked tired after spending two nights in the room with 6 young girls. She was hoping to have tomorrow to re-cup but it is a make up school day for the day they missed when the last cold wave came through and the schools lost power.
Hopefully there won't be any power outages with "Janus" the next winter storm that is going to drop out temperatures for the rest of the week and bring lots of snow to the northeast. We may get some nasty icing from it and maybe tomorrow night some snow.

 There will be more snow piling up in some areas than they have seen in 3 years.

It is 34 degrees tonight at 10:00 so we are headed down in a hurry !!
I am blogging earlier tonight as g-son will be here at 6:30 in the morning as both mom and dad have to go to work earlier than usual.
Hubbie and I watched part of the UNC/Virginia basketball game tonight which Virginia won.
I saw this on a friends facebook page and thought it was really funny but sadly true !!!!

Praying tonight that it is God's will that my test today will all be clear and thanking Him for the traveling mercies He showed daughter and the youth group this weekend.
Good Night and God Bless