HAPPY GRAND DAUGHTER MAKES MARKET FUN

Up earlier than usual today to get ready for market. G-daughter was very co-operative as usual as I got things done and got us ready for market.
I love my market neighbors as Kathy was waiting to take care of g-daughter while I got set up and another neighbor, Albert carried all my cake racks into market for me.
It was easy for me to get things all set up then g-daughter bounced in her entertainment saucer making her tired and needing a nap back on regular schedule today.
When she woke she had some lunch in the high chair she has out there.

She was happy all day and got lots of attention from sellers and customers as I had a pretty good Thursday sales day.
She had her afternoon bottle at 1:00 and went to sleep which made it easy for me to load all my things and get ready to leave market. She slept through the bank and post office stops then woke up at Aldi as usual. She loves riding in grocery buggies !!!
The skies were very dark and I heard thunder and saw flashes of lightening in the distance when we came out of Aldi. It looked like a bad storm was coming but as I headed out of town to Walmart the storm seemed to be going away from us.
I carried an umbrella into Walmart just in case but didn't need it as no rain came.
When we got home it still looked like we might get rain as I unloaded the Honda but none ever came and on the news tonight this shows where the storms were and the big red circle where we live got no rain at all. Which is typical as this is the French Broad River valley and the rains regularly pass around us.

After getting unloaded I let g-daughter walk around outside her walker . She is wanting to walk so badly and has to be watched closely as she bravely turns loose and stands alone already. She is so proud of herself when she does this. Even after falling a couple times today she wanted right back down to do it again !!! She went round and round the outside of her walker today. Her dad walked really early at about 9 months and she isn't going to be far behind that I don't think. She has no interest in crawling she will just roll to something and pull herself  into a standing position.

Gonna be fun when this little busy body can get around by herself, haha !!!!
After d-in-love picked her up hubbie and I watched the news and dozed until chore time.
Hubbie had to go down to d-in-love's to get Sadie. We don't know how she got into their fenced in yard with their dogs but she is very sore tonight . She probably got scared as the storm passed and either jumped their fence or got in the road and someone lifted her over the fence to keep her out of the highway.  She ate her supper so she must not be hurt too bad.
After chores my stomach started bothering me a bit so I didn't want any supper. Have no idea what was wrong but thankful it was short lived and I feel okay now.
Blessed beyond belief and always faithful to my loving Lord !
God Bless and Good Night.

BUSY WEDNESDAY

G-daughter was extra sleepy this morning so we slept in a little while. After we got up about 30 minutes later than usual I did chores while she watched her early morning cartoons.
We had breakfast then while she watched I stuffed and finished sewing these 6 little white eyelet pillows.

Then we took our regular morning walk around the farm. She is beginning to love these walks and babbles loudly all along.
This Oak Leaf Hydrangea is getting ready to burst into bloom.

Back inside I baked 12 caramel, 2 chocolate,2 pound cakes a 1 blackberry wine cake. I am thinking this will be a busy market weekend so baking extra today will help out Fridays baking duty.
G-daughter slept all through baking time as her late morning nap spilled over into the early afternoon as she slept for almost 2 hours.
When she woke up around 1:30 we both had a late lunch. She tried spaghetti O's and loved them. As we passed the garden on our walk this morning I gathered some of the first lettuce and spinach leaves and found 1 radish to go with the onions that are doing really well to make me a really tasty salad with a cooked chicken breast from the freezer. Fresh from the garden food is soooo delicious !!!

I had planned to do some housework while she napped this afternoon but that went by the wayside when she didn't nap . I had rather play with g-daughter than do housework anytime !!!
After mom picked her up hubbie and I watched the skies grow dark but we got no rain here, it looked like it passed to the east and south of us.
We did chores and then I iced cakes and got things ready for market.
In the news today is this invest system that is expected to become the 2nd named tropical storm of the season this weekend. Bet lots of holiday weekend beach plans are changing.

Thankful for the blessings of this day and praying for health as I strive to live each day to glorify God.
God Bless and Good Night.

GREEN GREEN GREEN

A regular morning with g-daughter arriving at 7am and then getting up for good with her at 8am.
While she watched TV I did outside chores and then we both had breakfast. She is getting big enough to eat waffle pieces while I eat my eggs then I feed her some applesauce and cereal.
We took our morning walk in the warm sunshine today and I made some pics of the beautiful late spring colors around the farm.

The temperature got to 80 degrees today but still felt pretty comfortable with the breeze that is still blowing.
While g-daughter took her morning nap I sewed up 6 little while eyelet pillows that I cut out last night to replace 6 that I sold last week. Hopefully I can get them stuffed and finished tomorrow.
I got some housework started this morning then when g-daughter woke up we had lunch.
She watched TV while I finished the housecleaning for today then we headed outside for a nice dose of vitamin D.
She loves to be outside and gets a kick out of yelling at the roosters to make them crow !!!
She finally got really tired and we came inside for her afternoon bottle and a long nap.
Just as d-in-love came to pick g-daughter up Re brought BB by to spend some time with me while she attended a staff meeting at the hospital. She is taking EL with her as she has been a little under the weather the last couple days.
We blew bubbles and then he wanted to slide on the big slide when Pawpaw got home from work.
He wore a big smile the entire time he was here at getting all the attention from both of us. He kept running back and forth between us pointing where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do next.

When Re and EL got back from the meeting EL got to stay and play a little while to her enjoyment and she was feeling much better.
After they left hubbie and I did the chores and had supper.
I did my weekly paperwork tonight as I have a more than usual amount of cakes to bake and ice tomorrow.
This has been a very blessed day as my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a loving wonderful God.
God Bless and Good Night

OFFICIALLY OLD !!!!

After g-daughter got here at 7 this morning and got settled in the bed between hubbie and I and back asleep I slipped out of bed and used a pillow against her to make her think I was still there.
I did the outside chores while hubbie got some extra snoozing time with g-daughter this morning.
I had a 9am appointment at the social security office to sign up for my SS which will start in September. My birthday is in July and I found out today you aren't eligible for benefits until you have been 62 for 30 days ????  Wonder if anyone has changed their mind and went back to being 61 ????
Anyway that coupled with my 31st date birthday will hold my first check off until the last week of September. I guess when these checks start coming in I will officially be an old fart !!!!!!
The lady was very nice and the application didn't take long at all since I was the first one there to sign in this morning.
Another task marked off my May "to do" list .
I was going by the court house to get a copy of my birth certificate since I couldn't find one last night but there were no parking places this morning so I can get it another day.
Back home hubbie and g-daughter were having a good morning and she was very happy as usual.
She was ready for her late morning nap when I got here and while she slept I got the weekly laundry started.
Hubbie went outside to mow the lawn after waiting for the grass to dry from the 1/10th inch of rain we got in a shower last night right as I went to bed.
At lunch I fixed g-daughter her first meal of real food.

D-in-love brought me this little grinding bowl and it worked really well on some of yesterday's left overs, even the meat !

There is a learning curve to this different consistency of food but she acted like she loved the taste just kept rolling it around in her mouth longer.
She kept grabbing the spoon and then picking up the spilled food and putting it in or about her mouth.

After lunch she played with Pawpaw until she was ready for her long afternoon nap.

She slept almost 2 hours so while hubbie went back to mowing I moved the monitor around with me and finished laundry and then moved all the plants out of the basement into their summertime spots.
I cut off all the dead leaves from winterizing and watered all of them really good.
Another "May" job well done !!!!
G-daughter woke up just as I was finishing and she thought riding on hubbie's shoulders was hilarious !!!

D-in-love came after her and I finished watering the under the porch plants that have already been outside.
Hubbie worked on our lawn mower as it needs a new belt now. It is an older Cub Cadet that we bought new many years ago but we are replacing parts hopefully to get it to last at least through this season. Maybe we can look for an end of the season deal this Fall for another one.
I did chores this evening as the skies clouded back up. There is spotty rain showers around the area once again tonight so we might get another shower tonight.
Our garden has really took off with the recent rains. The potatoes look like they have grown a foot.

 On  a sad note today the Curb Market lost another member as my friend Linda Justice lost her battle with ovarian cancer . She was the one that started the jelly and pickle business just across the aisle from my table at market. Her three children now share the business since she has been sick. She was a good friend to me and gave me a lot of good business tips when I was starting my business. R. I. P. Linda.

 I am very tired tonight and my legs hurt from all the standing and walking I've done today so I am looking forward to an early bedtime. It is 10:00 and I am off to get a hot bath and hit the sack !!!
Grateful to God for the wonderful blessings of this day.
God Bless and Good Night

1986 MEMORIES

Another lazy Sunday morning, I look forward to this day all week, ahhhhh!!!
After chores and breakfast hubbie who wasn't teaching Sunday school this morning and I did some lunch preparation and then leisurely got ready for church.
The day is beautiful with highs in the mid 70's and breezy with bright sunshine.
Church was good, the interim Pastor David Horton selected a sermon out of Samuel 16  1-13 that had to do with selecting a new leader. Fitting as our Pastor search committee started work last week.
After church #1 son's family and Aa's family were our lunch guest for applewood crusted pork loin, new potatoes, corn of the cob, fresh green beans,glazed carrots and our first wilted lettuce of the season with strawberry shortcake for dessert.
Everyone ate and enjoyed a nice visit .
After everyone left except #1 son and g-daughter who was asleep in the crib hubbie and I relaxed for the afternoon.
When g-daughter woke up we played with her until her dad took her home.
Hubbie bush-hogged the upper pasture this evening and I did the chores and then watched darkness fall as I sat with the 4-legged kids in the sunroom.
Since this has been an uneventful Sunday it is a good time to continue my decade pics with May 1986.
Pre-school pics of the boys were made that May .

And #1 son graduated pre-school that year.

Baby sister watched the celebration.

Also that busy month the boys took swimming lessons at the YMCA together.
#1 son......

#2 son........

Those were busy times back then while I still worked a full time job and all these activities were scheduled in the evenings and weekends. But it was always a goal of both hubbie and me to make sure our kids didn't miss out on anything.
Thanking God for precious memories and for the blessings He sends me each day.
God Bless and Good Night.

GOOD MARKET SALES DAY

The rain must have stopped early last night as there was only another 1/10th inch in the gauge this morning.
We made it to market a little early today and found three customers waiting so that was a good start to this sales day.
Hubbie had to change his plans after I got a strange phone call saying an  AT+T  repair man was heading to our house. I didn't order any service and I mistakenly told him I wasn't home. Hubbie left right away and came straight home to find the repairman in the driveway trying to make friends with Annie !!!
His visit turned out to be legit because he just replaced the line filters on all our phones and updated my internet speed. He said it was a complimentary visit that the company was starting to keep phone and internet lines all updated and in good working order . I have never heard of this before.
Anyway after he left hubbie went back to town to run his Saturday morning shopping errands.
I had a very good sales day at market today. I sold several craft items as well as cakes so that is always good.
There is a really nice family in market that sell photo cards. She made a picture of g-daughter and I last Thursday and brought me this nice card today. G-daughter couldn't stop talking long enough to smile !!  Thanks so much Cecilia !!!!

After market I stopped at Aldi for baking supplies for next Thursday and then stopped at the Farm Outlet to pick up fresh corn, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers and new potatoes for tomorrow's lunch. I love it when fresh produce starts coming in and they are one of the first places open.

I also stopped at the neighbor's strawberry farm for a gallon of his berries and some fresh asparagus.
I got home at 3:30 and hubbie helped me unload and get things put away. We had a snack of fresh strawberries and then I sat out in the sunroom and watched while the clouds brought a few intermittent raindrops. It was a good relaxing time for me and my 4-legged kids.

The sun finally won the battle and while hubbie took the tractor down to get a fallen tree off the creek fence I took the pruning shears and worked around the yard. This rose bed is so pretty this year.

Everything seems to have grown about a foot since the rains began !!
The air is cool and dry this evening with the high today only getting to 70 degrees and now the wind is supposed to start blowing tonight and really keep it feeling cool at least until Monday.
After chores hubbie grilled us a couple little steaks I picked up today plus the fresh asparagus for a really nice supper.
When I went back up to close the doors on all my chicken houses I spotted a very young opossum walking around inside one of the hen lots. I called hubbie who came up with a bucket and a broom to catch the little guy and then he relocated it to the creek bank away from my chickens. We try to give every creature a chance as long as they aren't causing any trouble.You gotta admit this is a cute little face and it made my heart go out to the little guy who probably has lost his mama.

It has been a relaxing Saturday evening.
Back in May of 1976 we were celebrating the high school graduation of my first and now ex sister in law.  Laurie Tester and my oldest brother were engaged to be married in a couple months and we all attended her graduation.
This is the entire family all dressed up for the occasion. From left is youngest brother Ricky, younger brother Bobby,cousin Mike ( who lived with us after his mom died), my dad Bob and my mom, Goldie.

This is me .

This is Laurie as she walks in.

This is the engaged couple after the ceremony, Bobby and Laurie.

Unfortunately this marriage didn't last but they were married all through my kids early lives so she will always be their favorite aunt .
Thanking God for today's blessings and for loving me as He does each and every minute of every day.
God Bless and Good Night.

FUN FRIDAY

G-daughter snuggled back in bed with me and slept until she heard the 8am alarm today. She was content to play while I did the chores in this drizzly cool morning.
The new chicks are doing good although the Silkie surrogate mom is having nothing to do with them now.
Back inside g-daughter and I had breakfast and got our day started.
While she watched her favorite TV show, Daniel Tiger, I made this little baby bonnet.

I wanted her to model it for me for an advertising pic but  had to wait for hubbie to get here to keep her from snatching it off her head. She is not one for hats !!!

I had more baking to do today than usual with a couple late orders that have come in this morning.
I baked 6 caramel, 1 coconut, 6 pound, 1 applesauce and lemon bars and earthquake cake.
G-daughter took a fitful nap this afternoon for some reason. She took a long time to get to sleep then tossed and turned and whined for the entire 1 1/2 hours she was in her bed.
When she finally woke up she was in a wonderfully happy mood so she must have got some good sleep after all.
I still had some cakes in the oven when she got up so I put her in her walker for awhile to see if she could get the hang of moving around.

It didn't take her long to start moving. I went into the kitchen to take cakes out of the oven and she was here.

When I came back to the living room she was here and was trying to get an umbrella from the basket.

I spent some time re-arranging things out of her reach !!!

Another phase starts !!!!  She is growing up way toooooo fast !!!!!!
After d-in-love picked her up I started working in the sunroom. I took both of the large area rugs that I have always had in there up for the summer. Bernie is having some bladder control problems and these are expensive rugs so I definitely don't want them ruined. The flooring looks really good .

Just as we finished supper the hard rain started pouring down and I got totally soaked while getting the chores done and getting everything settled in their dry houses for a rainy night.
By the time darkness fell there was a total of 7/10ths inch in the gauge so we are very thankful for a good soaking rain and more coming overnight.
I iced cakes and got things ready for market and then headed to bed about 11:30 for a good nights sleep listening to the rain fall softly on the metal roof.
Very thankful for the blessings of this day and for the thirst quenching rainfall.
God Bless and Good Night.