About Me

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Within the confines of this blog, you will find bits and pieces of the life and times of myself, my family and friend dear and near., far and wide, few and far between. You will find bits and pieces of my world, tho small to some, but huge to me. You will find everything from 'soup to nuts',; recipes, hobbies,crafts, gardenings,loves of my life, GrandLoves-a-Plenty, and even my pets... Sooo, if you can handle family life, enjoy the tour of my 'Stuffings'.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

So Busy, So Little Time

Working with the work horses this week and next
Will allow little time for what needs to be done
On my end.
So
Until later
BlessYourHearts

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Comfort

Comfort~


I find comfort in many things
during harvest season~
right here in our own country corner.
Food~
Who doesn't find comfort in food~
Hearty food, like venison stew. Everything
coming directly out of our gardens~
directly from the toil of our soil~
our backs and hands ~
even the meat already tenderized from the
garden it grazed on late last fall.
In the slow cooker it goes.
The best part of this meal was sharing it~
with two of our boys~
Comfort food from God of Heaven.
Chocolate Zuchinni Cake bakes in the oven~
providing scents throughout the house.
Comfort of no other kind~
The last of the tomatoes have been picked~
ripening in boxes
awaiting sauces, stewing, canning and salsas.
A few more jars have been filled~
hearing the ' ping ' of their seals assuring
they hold the freshness of the hour they were preserved!
~Comfort~

Finally, the perfect neck rest,
back support, good book,
Blanket~
Aww, Comfort!

:e)
We cannot forget what awaits----
the Grandloves were eyeing up these lil fellas~
in anticipation of Oct. fun.
Be still, my heart!
They find 'comfort' here.

It's all the little things!
~Comfort~

Now, there is still so much fall work to do around the place so
now I must get ' uncomfortable ' and put my back into more lifting and planting. More cooking and cleaning.
More organizing and filing.
More~until I can relax in my easy chair with that good book
after the sun sets once again.

Find your comfort zone, what ever that may be.
I'd love to read all about it.
Until then,
BlessYourHeart

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Killing Frost/Killing Time

What a frosty couple of mornings we had just before the weekend.
NO, That is NOT the 'S' word stuff, it is FROST!
The sun trying to melt it off early in the morning, was rather pretty.
I can't say I'm looking forward to the long cold winters we usually have, but I didn't mind the help cleaning out the gardens to get ready for it.
Another couple more pails of ripe Plum Tomatoes produced~
half a dozen quarts of canned tomatoes and freshly made tomato soup to go with our toasted cheese sandwiches....oh, my, so good.
My garden helpers moved from one garden to another,
gettin'er'done!
A bucket full of Buttercup (my favorite) and Butternut Squash,
a variety of gourds and a few pumpkins for the punkins'.
the last of the Beet Greens, another favorite of the family~
Cylindra Beets so large that they were as long__________
as the clothes basket was wide...
That center beet also was as long and wide as Andy's size 14 boot~
but still unbelievably and naturally sweet, all 16 quarts of them!
It was a pitiful year for onions, oh so
small and few~
the squash and pumpkins are safe from any more
killing frost in the barn until I can get to them~
tomorrow~~~after more canning.
We are finally winding down.
The only thing left in the gardens, are
potatoes,
carrots,
chard,
more and more and more
tomatoes,
and my Rosemary plant that needs protection.

Soon,
soon I will be able to get back to the needs of the house,
a few painting projects,
chairs to refinish and a couple of trunks.
Soon.

until next time,
thanks for stopping and making my day.
Do take time to enjoy the fall that is in the air,
and
BlessYourHeart
OneAndAll

Friday, September 16, 2011

Woolen Socks Provide

Way back when my man was of teen age~
his Mama knit him gray woolen socks with red stripes.
To keep him warm on his run to school~
and his annual fall hunts for deer & squirrel~
But most important to him,
his socks warmed his toes while he cared for the
hundreds of rabbits he raised and sold to the local IGA~
His way to help keep his family's bellies from growling.
He wears those very same socks still~
On every fall hunt for deer and partridge,
to feed his family to keep our bellies from growling.

The socks wore holes in the heels once again~
So finally, using matching yarn,
I knit patches and carefully placed them where~
the holes once wore the wool thin.
My Man now has warm socks for this fall's hunt
and not a knot will he feel.
The yarn is wound throughout the patch in
such a way that finding the beginning and
the end of it, is virtually impossible.
This, for My Man the Provider!

~Grapes~
From the vines of dear Uncle Bob,
came multiple clumps of Concord grapes that needed attention.
~So~
With many grapes,
Make Jelly!
And, Oh it is delicious~
That's all folks~
I'll be back after a restful weekend
catching up with the adventures of
school-age Grandloves.

Have a very merry time yourselves.
Take time to enjoy the fall colors if they have reached your area.
If not, take a northern drive.

We have been having one frosty night after another so the leaves
are already turning brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange.
Bring on the fall. Breathe the damp air, the wet leaves as you shuffle your hikers through the forest trails.

Watch out for the deer as you drive,
as they already are being seen more often crossing roads.

Stop at a farmer's market and enjoy their organic produce~
Buy a pumpkin!
Bake a pie~
~Thank God for Providing~

BlessYourHeart

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Great GRATE etc.

The moon rising behind the trees reminded me of a day 31 yrs. ago on the 13th of Sept.
It was the same moon that shone itself large and orange
as we drove the night of our wedding.
I cannot believe it's been that long ago~
sometimes it seems like yesterday!
Check out this great GRATE that my brother gifted us with last night in celebration of our upcoming fireplace.
That, my friends, will come later because, as Bill always says,
" Don't rush me."
He always keeps his promises tho, so we will see how long this project takes this time. I will thank him in advance.
Do you think that will nudge him along?
Thanks Eric, the grate is awesome ;)
I looked all over for my blankets that I use to cover my tomatoes~
they belong in the old dresser in the barn~
not there!
Maybe they were used and moved to the garage~
not there!

On checking in the loft of the barn~

I was reminded of all the ' projects' waiting for my attention~

Does anyone have a need for lights that used to shine over the high school football field? I still remember the day the boys brought them home saying they were going to use them at the cabin~
NOT on our dime~
There are six of these waiting for you~

I love old iron, like the center of an old wagon wheel~
how about a horse~
all he needs is one more spring to hold him back on his
bouncing rack~
the sample spring is still in the truck, but
Don't rush me, he says.
One of these days, the old wooden pulley will hold
hanging planters. I have two of them.
Bill needs to get them down for me, but
Don't rush me, he says.

I love the look of the loft ceiling complete with it's
hay hook pulley. The hooks are around here~
~somewhere~
I say the same thing lately~
Don't rush me~
these two tables, one oak, one not,
wait to be refinished~
The oak leg is in my potting cabinet~
~somewhere~
it's been awhile since I've climbed the wall ladder to the loft~
I'd forgotten about this trunk~
~soon~
and this old enamel painted chair~
let's not forget the old ice chest~
the missing caster is still on the counter~
~I know exactly where~
~sooner than later~
grrrrrrrrrr~
there is so much to do~
see ya~
I have so much to do~

Have a warm day~
BlessYa

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Good Days Coming

First, Bill says,
" Thank You for all the Birthday Wishes and Kind Words "

He had another eye appt. yesterday, another injection,
good news and bad.
The good first~his good eye has stabilized-no more loss since the laser.
The bad news~his shootin' eye has some permanent loss that the injections and laser were unable to correct. There is still hope for what is not lost. Keep your appt.s and do your best to maintain and control diabetes. Better yet, do what you can to avoid it at all costs. Loss of your vision is horrifying, to say the least. I think I'd rather not hear.

Most of all, keep your spirits high`
I see daily, this attitude, it is what has kept Bill going~
doing all he can while he can.
There is promise!

For today, the Morning Glories are ' looking ' gorgeous this morning.
They are not going to last long, as the weatherman says it's going to freeze and freeze hard in our area the rest of the week.
I will cover a few things, as the weekend promises the 70's after the
deep freeze. Maybe it's best to carry in the rest of the tomatoes.
The sky, tho beautiful with the sun touching the top of the clouds
one minute, suddenly looked~
Menacing and Mean the next~
I cannot say I like waking to this~
Harvesting in the wind and rain does not make a happy me~
oh, but look, the sun just came out!
Having to travel an hour and more to get special care for eyes,
means an opportunity to also look for things we need that
our lil town does not carry~
(that is just about everything unless you want to give up
your last dime)~

Our search this trip, was for Mom.
Sorry to report~
we did not find gaskets for her pressure cooker and canner~
so we will search the wild, wide web~
We did, however, find the instructions of how to get her
screen out of her new door~
Now she can wash the window and see out, clearly,
once again.
Oh, she will be so happy!
We took another route home, a beautiful ride between lakes.
When we go back in Oct.
maybe the leaves will still be colored throughout those
winding roads. What a pretty drive.

So much for this morning.
I have plants to bring inside~
gardens to empty~
and more bedding to wash and dry in the fresh air~
for there is nothing more tranquil to sleep under~
than freshly aired linens.

Fill many busy-bee hours~
preparing for cooler days!
and
BlessYourHeart



Saturday, September 10, 2011

A Bittersweet Time

The fall of the year is upon us
as we see the deer gazing~
past the garden full of ripening tomatoes
looking directly at me~
knowing full well, that I was following her
through the lens of my camera~
Perhaps the dying old oak tree
will provide a bit more shelter from my sight, she thinks~
Passing the goldenrod and the sunny flowers
that bow to the ground from the wind~
as the last of the roses perfume the yard
near the barn~
beyond the cold white of the zebra grasses that
soon will be white with frost and then
~'snow'~
a blanket to protect~
The past weeks have been troubling and difficult.
The fall of the year is bittersweet~
Pray for peace.
Pray for peace.


BlessYourHearts