Antiques -- the Best Kind

My long time friend, Mary, and her twin sister, Liz, were here for a couple of days.  I loved having them here and wish they could have stayed longer, but duty called in the way of a new job to start soon and the need to get back to Minneapolis in time for all the prep before heading off to Los Angeles for training. 

We are all pretty much antique junkies, so we spent a day poking around in some of the local stores.  There's not as many of them as there used to be, unfortunately.  Before coming over here, the two of them even hit Round Top while in Texas taking care of some business.  Bummer that I couldn't join them this year.   BUT -- on our little local foray, I did get a wonderful wrought iron quilt rack to display some of my quilts.  I've been wanting a rack but couldn't handle those little hearts carved into the ends!!   So, this is a little gift to myself.  

The antique quilts on it were also gifts to myself from prior years!!!  

Y'all take care. 

Strawberries!!!! Who's got Strawberries!!!!!

Hubby is so spoiled!!   He loves strawberry jam but he never has to eat commercially prepared jam.  That would be because I make it for him.  And what does he contribute to this endeavor?   Well, he did order the strawberries and stopped with me to pick them up.  I'll be danged if I'm going to pick them, as well as do every other little thing required to make the jam for him!   Oh, and he went to play golf the day I slaved in the kitchen over his jam.  

Two flats of strawberries ready to make jam

Lovely local strawberries 

First batch of clean jars 

And here's the final result.  Twenty pints and nineteen half pints of fine strawberry jam.  That ought to keep him happy for a while.  

Y'all take care. 

Ride 'em Cowboy!!

While camping, my brother and sister-in-law came over on Saturday for a visit.  After dinner with the whole gang of eight, the four of us went over to the rodeo which was being held nearby in conjunction with the Spanish Trail Festival.  I hadn't been to a rodeo in a number of years.  It really isn't my cup of tea, so to speak, but my brother and his wife are horsey people and love it.  So, we were happy to go along just to spend some quality time with them. 

Please forgive the poor quality of these photos.  As I've mentioned before, I really need some instruction on the proper use of my camera.  Without some way to stabilize the camera, I couldn't hold it still enough long enough, so all my pictures are a bit fuzzy or blurry.  Most of them are beyond hope, actually.  One of those things of trying to use ambient light and the shutter  being very slow due to the low light levels.  

I always wonder what it is that makes seemingly sane people deliberately get onto the back of a massive animal that is intent on getting rid of them as quickly as possible.  

My brother and his wife have five or six horses between them.  They camp and ride the trails in the forest where we were camping. 

Two of my brother's horses. 

Some of his cows.

Y'all take care. 

Rest and Relaxation

We've been working diligently in our yard for some time and Hubby and I needed a break.  So, we met up with our friends at Bear Lake and spent a few glorious days doing nothing!!!!!  It took me a while on the first day to get back into that routine, but then it got downright easy!  

We weren't right on the lake but it was fine.  We drank coffee outside, watched the birds in the trees and thoroughly enjoyed the people watching.  We spent a lot of time outside, actually.

My friend, the Birdlady, came up one day and we went birdwatching.  That particular day was very warm and humid, just like summertime, with threatening clouds, but no rain.   Boy, was it miserable.  Our weather was all over the place.  The first night there, we had mid 40's.  The next night it barely got below 70 and that led right into that warm, humid day.  Thankfully, the wind changed directions somewhat and although it remained warm, the humidity dropped some and it was tolerable. 

We had a campfire every night we were there.  I think that's a first for us.  We actually roasted sausages and hotdogs over the fire for our dinner and guess who forgot to get a picture?  On another night, we roasted marshmallows.  

Our friend's brother and wife came up and brought the boat, so they were happy fishing.  

As is always the case, sometime on the trip I make the statement, "I could keep doing this".   We're already planning the next trip in mid-May. 

Y'all take care. 

YUM, YUM

Last year, I tried Sherry's strawberry pie and it was delicious.  That's Sherry from Keep You In Stitches.  It's so easy to make and now my hubby gets a pie every once in a while.  He's a midwest pie eating boy and I'm a southern cake eating girl.  Anyway, I just had a real craving for something sweet a few nights ago and this is what I came up with. 

Now believe me, a piece of that warm pie with a little whipped cream on top was a true slice of heaven!!   Thanks, Sherry, for showing me the light!!    Hubby was pleased as punch when he got home from his bridge game to find this treat waiting for him.....minus the big piece I had!!  


Y'all take care. 

Hummers!!!!

After the weather front moved through last night, I'm keeping a sharp eye outside to see if any migrating birds visit my yard today.   I'd love to go over to Ft. Pickens today to see what the weather has brought to us, but "stuff" demands that I be home.   So, imagine my delight when I saw this little guy!! 

Please forgive the poor quality of the photo.  I had the short lens on the camera and didn't want to take a chance at missing him in order to go change lenses!!!  

Gonna be a good day today, I just know it!! 


Y'all take care.  

Busy, Busy

I know, I know.  I promised to get back sooner but it just hasn't worked out that way.  Been busy as can be working in the yard and really feel it, too!   Today I'm taking a break -- at least that's the plan.  I keep hoping all those little leaves will fall so I can be finished with this raking!!!!!  That's not likely to happen, though, so I'll just have to be patient for another two or three weeks and meanwhile try to keep up with the ones that do fall. 


Over the years, the trees have grown so much that the cardinal flowers near them were in shade and didn't bloom.   So, this year, I've dug them up and transplanted them to a place that gets plenty of sunshine.  Let's hope they survive.  They were originally planted in the spring of 2004 and I've never had one single bloom.  The first year they were planted, they got decimated by Hurricane Ivan and the second year, Hurricane Dennis got them.   Of course, if they've survived this long being almost totally neglected, maybe they will thrive in their new homes.  We shall see.   Here's what they are supposed to look like.  Cardinal Flower  


I also moved a bleeding heart vine that has suffered the same fate.  It has held on valiantly but just can't bloom.  I cut it back and moved it to the front, moving its armillary along with it.  

Bleeding heart vine, pentas and African daisy

 Same thing for those allium that I talked about in an earlier post.  I also rescued some rejects from the big box store.  Poor little things just needed a little TLC.  


We're taking the RV out for a little trip later this week.  Due to hubby's medical issues, we haven't been able to do that since the first of last June.  I'm really looking forward to it and I think he is, too.  Aren't going very far, but it'll be so nice to sit looking over the lake.  

In campground on the way to Alaska in 2008

I haven't touched my sewing machine in well over a month.  I think its about time, but first I have to clear out this room which looks like a tornado hit it. 

Appliqued top waiting to be quilted

Y'all take care.