Pear Honey



Jars of "gold"



I used cup cake papers under the rings...ta da...decorated jelly jars!



I discovered a recipe for "pear honey" last Fall and it turned into gold, it was so good.  Last summer our friends, Jack and Gail gave us a huge bucket of pears from their trees.  After making a batch of pear honey and several loaves of pear bread, I was looking forward to another bucket of pears this summer.  When I went to the Lawrence County Library Tea Party at Jack and Gail's house this Spring, they told me that all the little pears fell off of their trees and there would be no pears this summer.  The first thing I thought was " oh no! no pear honey?"  I was determined to find some pears this summer.  I didn't even have to look.  Here came the BNOE with a basket of pears, okra and egg plant.  One morning as I was working down at the garden, I got a phone call from Christine ( Raimey's mother) asking if I wanted a big bag of pears?  Of course!  So, off we went to pick them up.  Not only did she give us the pears, but a bag of zipper peas and another bag of okra.  I spent the rest of the afternoon, shelling peas, blanching them and getting them in the freezer.  Then, I cut up all the okra and froze it on a cookie sheet before putting them in freezer bags.  The next day, I peeled and cut up pears....8 cups of them for the pear honey and two cups for a couple loaves of pear bread.  The "gold" was back in the house to give away as presents.  (it has waaaaay to much sugar in it for me to eat, but I did taste it) If you are " pear honey worthy" you are my true dear friend...lol.   

New Studio Desk

One day, I got tired of all the clutter of plastic carts all around my table in the studio.  I had seen on Pinterest...my source of magazines without having to buy magazines, where someone had made a desk by using two $15 book cases from Walmart.  I knew that was what I needed to get rid of the clutter.  So, off to town Chuck and I went to look for the book cases.  We also stopped at Home Depot and found a piece of laminated wood that would work for the top.  A couple of hours of putting the book cases together, cutting the laminated wood, along with some wooden rope trim, which I painted, Chuck put my new desk together.   Out went all the plastic carts and the book cases got filled up.  I haven't decided yet if I want a piece of glass to go over the top of it.  Right now, I'm just loving having such a great desk. 

Dining Room Fun

When Shell and Genavive were up here this summer, we headed out to Roden's Yard Sale during our day of shopping.  We found all kinds of treasures but this was my favorite.  A wine cooler that you can sit by the table to keep your bottle of wine cold.  The best thing was, it was only $12!!  I tell ya, it's so much fun living up here.  There are so many neat places to shop for cheap.  Some day, I'll have to tell ya all about our " best thrift store ever" and what Shell and I have found there.  That's a whole nother story.  Every town should have a thrift store like ours. 

Pretty Basket

The same day of the 50% off sale at Roden's Yard Sale, I found this antique glass basket.  I had seen some like it going for $25 and more.  I couldn't pass this one up for only $5.  Won't it be pretty with Easter Eggs in it, or filled with Spring Flowers!

Fabric, Scissors and Thread, Oh My!



Glass frog holding scissors



50 Fat Quarters of 1930's fabric



Late 1920's-1930's metal thread cabinet





It holds 444 spools of thread!!!

Lately I have gotten some really neat items for my sewing studio.  I saw on Pinterest where someone had used an antique glass frog to hold their scissors.  Well, when we were in our favorite junk store, buying the hutch and book case, I came across a deep glass frog.  I knew I had better grab it because I might not be able to find another one for awhile.  Then, since Debbie sent me the wonderful "Farmer's Daughter quilt book, for my birthday, I've been looking for 1930's fabric to make my quilt with.  Here comes in the mail...a catalog where I could order 50 fat quarters of nothing but 1930's fabric!!  It didn't take long for them to come in the mail.  Now I'm all set to continue making the squares for my quilt.   THEN....for a couple of months now, I've been wanting this antique set of drawers for thread that I had seen at Roden's yard sale store.  The price was way out of my range of ever having it for my sewing room but every time we would go in there, ( which has been twice a month) I would go check to make sure he hadn't sold " my drawers".  This last weekend, he was having a 50% off sale!!! and guess what!!!!  He hadn't sold " my drawers".  Chuck said "yes" so I grabbed them so they could come home with us.  I was so tickled!  I had even figured out a place for them to fit in my studio.  Now, all I have to do is start collecting little spools of thread to fill all the drawers.  Four hundred and forty, four of them!!!  I think I might be taking donations.  I will be to old to even sew by the time I collect THAT many spools of thread.  I'm just happy to have the neat, old drawers to put thread in.  Just walking into my studio, puts a smile on my face. 

Cowgirl Once Again



My first pair of cowgirl boots.



Sixty years later.



My second pair of cowgirl boots.

I have been wanting a pair of cowgirl boots for a couple of years now but just couldn't find a pair that didn't hurt my feet or cost an arm and a leg.  Every time I would come across a pair, I would try them on.  I was beginning to think I would never have a pair ever again.  I say...ever again because when I was around two years old, I had a pair of red ones.  I even have pictures of me in a red and white cowgirl outfit.  I don't know where in the heck my Mom found that outfit for me, 60 years ago but she had fun dressing me.  Her and I thought a like.  If you have a little girl, have fun dressing her like a little girl.  You should see some of the pictures of the dresses and bonnets that Mom put on me every day.  Oh yeah, back to my cowgirl boots.  When we were on our way home from town the other day, Chuck wanted to stop in at Shelton's.  We hadn't been in there in awhile.  Well, I saw where they had new boots and of course I just HAD to try them on.  OMG!  They fit!  They were soft!..and they didn't hurt my feet! They only cost an arm and not a leg. I told Chuck he was going to be sorry he had me go in there.  I went home without the boots, but as we talked the pros and cons of me getting them, it changed my mind and when we got home, I sent Chuck back to Shelton's to get the boots.  I now can stop looking for my cowgirl boots!  I have two pairs now.  One a little small and beat up and a brand new pretty pair.  Wish Mom could see them. 

Painting studio



Our old BIG TV that you can't watch TV on any more

Remember when I had all my paints on the built in shelves in the studio in the house?  Well, that was a good idea until it came to me painting.  Everything else for painting was in the barn.  I just don't have room for my painting stuff in the house studio.  So, we made me one in the barn.  Chuck built another set of shelves for my paint and I set up my craft table.  I am using under the stairs for storage.  It turned out great!  I even have a big TV to watch the painting tapes that Sandy gave me, or even a movie while I'm painting.  Now, just to figure out the "time" that it takes to paint. 

For the Birds



Planted hostas, ground cover and ferns in the Birdhouse Fence bed.



I've been making glass bird feeders for the yard and  presents for my friends.  I've been collecting different pieces of glass ware at the Thrift stores and with experimenting with different glues. I have come up with the best...E6000.  It's like glass building blocks.  They are so pretty when you get done.  I've found that using wine bottles for the bottom piece is the best. (another way to use up the wine bottles around here) They fit on the smallest metal pole that Home Depot has.  Bud vases work also though.  It's addictive.  You make one and you want to make another one.  It's funny how you look at a wine glass, ice cream dish, bowls, plates and odd shaped pieces of glass ware.  I don't think of putting people food in them.  I think dishes for the birds!!

Around and About



Stacked pots..just can't see them.



Mom's stag horn has finally come back, after three years.



Marina's rabbit foot fern on the lattice, my Confederate Rose I started from Gene's cutting under the Rabbit fern.



The free wisteria is growing like crazy!



Black-eyed Susans that the BNOE gave me a couple of years ago.



Wild Flowers are still blooming

Fall is coming and it will be time to gather all my plants that need to go into the green house soon.  The green house is going to be FULL this year, for sure.  Mom's stag horn will take up a lot of space now that it has come back to it's full self again.  I will miss all the pretty color of the flowers and plants but it will be a nice rest to not have to worry about tending to them all just about every day.  I will just have to go down and turn the hose on everything in the green house every couple of days.  Every season has it's good points and beauty.  I look forward to each one of them. 

Chicken Update

I have learned that chickens are all different, just like every cat has a different personality.  This new batch of girls are not the same as the last.  They are sweeter and funnier.  The last girls would peck at each other and pull their feathers out.  Not these girls.  They want to be together.  Either if it's laying in a hole in their yard or sitting in a corner of their house.  The ones that are laying, always lay their eggs in the same nest box.  When I go down there, they all come running.  Of course they think I'm bringing them a treat of watermelon, grapes or something good.  When I go inside their yard or house, they all peak at the holes in my Croc's.  One day, I had on my pink poke a dot boots and they were all pecking at the dots on my boots.  They are to funny!  I've learned not to wear flip flops or sandals around them. Ha!  I can now pet and pick most of them up.  A couple of the reds still don't like it.  I'll keep working on it though. We are up to getting four eggs, some days.  They are all brown eggs.  Some lighter than others, which are coming from the white and buff colored girls.  At first, they were tiny little, cute eggs but they are almost up to large egg size now.  It's nice to have the activity behind the barn again.  It was just to quiet without the girls. 

Early Fall



Notice, the window is cracked to let the cool air of the early morning, inside.  Yes, it is August...still summer.  Loving this wonderful late summer weather.



The Pumpkin Patch...what can I say?  I can say, that we live in the woods with a bunch of animals that like to eat what ever we plant.  Every few days, I walk down there to see what is going on with the pumpkins and one evening, I noticed one of the pumpkins, half eaten.  I just knew if I left the other ripe ones on the vines, they would be gone over night.  So, I picked them!  I didn't care much about the little orange ones but I wanted my Cinderella one for Fall.  Even after you pick them, they will still turn orange or what ever color they are suppose to be.  So, we now have pumpkins on the front porch and every time I go out there, I'm reminded that Fall is just around the corner.  I'm ready for a "season" change and so happy that I can even say that. 

Wrapping Station

Another project done!  I love this one!!  I cleaned out one of the cabinets in the laundry room so Chuck could take it down to the barn, to give me more space behind the laundry room door. Believe me!  I filled it up fast once it was in the barn.   Then, we both started figuring.  Me, what I wanted and Chuck how to build it.  First he made me a little table to fit the area and then he measured how big the paper dowels had to be to hold the longest rolls of paper that I had.  I cleaned out one of the plastic carts that I had been using in the studio by my desk and put it under the little table to hold my tags, tape, tissue paper, etc.  The garbage can fit perfect under the table too.  The last of the project was to make three boards with dowels to hold all the colors of my ribbon that I had bought years ago at the party store, on sale.  I never dreamed that I would ever need a wrapping station in my life but since we have moved up here, I have been mailing things to everyone!  I got tired of pulling the tub of paper, tape and scissors out from under my bed and having to sit on the floor to wrap presents.  When I saw a picture of some one's wrapping station, I just knew I needed to have one! Now I do and I'm loving it!  It will soon be time to break it all in, with wrapping Christmas presents.  It will be here before we know it!

Rose Hedge

When the electric company came and bush hogged the area between our post to the gate and the first power pole, it looked really ugly.  As Chuck was bush hogging the ditch the other day, an idea popped into my head, that a hedge of knock out roses would look nice in that space.  There is a man in town ( Moulton) that sells the knock out roses.  That's where we bought the one for the mail box a couple of years ago.  So, this morning, we took off to run some errands and to stop to see the "rose man".  We bought five bushes and he told us how to even start more rose bushes.  I just might try it come February.  That's when he told us to cut back the bushes and to stick the cuttings in the ground in the shade.  When we got home, Chuck took the tractor down to the mail box and leveled the area where we wanted to plant the roses.  Then we started digging.  Actually it wasn't to hard to plant them because of the rain we had.  It sure looked nice once we got it all done.  If I ever won the lotto, or some one gave me a "zillion dollars", I would plant knock out roses all the length of our land.  Wouldn't that look like something you would see at Disney!!! 

Fire Pit Area

It's finally done!  A really nice fire pit that I've been wanting for months now.  We were at Lowe's the other day, looking for some flower pots and there it was.  A fire pit kit!  We decided to buy it instead of trying to make one out of the left over fire bricks we have from them building our fire place.  We were in the Explorer and had to go to the grocery store yet so Chuck went back to pick it up in the truck once we got home.  Before he could put it together, he took the tractor with the box on it, down there to level the area for the pit and chairs and all.  It turned out nice....until it rained last night.  Now all our new fire pit and the nice painted table and chairs are all dirty from the mud.  We laughed because now we are planning on "buying" some mulch to put around the area.  Remember the mountain of mulch we had at the end of the house for over a year?  I knew one day, we would be wishing we still had that mountain.  Well, at least some of it any ways.  The weather has cooled off nicely for the end of summer, but it's not quite cool enough at night for a fire.  Soon though.  It's going to be a fun Fall and Winter. 

Birdhouse Fence

We've been working on several projects this week.  The birdhouse picked fence that I saw on Pinterest, was one of them.  How come when ya see a picture of something you think " oh that won't be so hard to make...just a little cutting and painting and it ends up being a major project, time wise.  Chuck did all the figuring, cutting and he painted the fence.  All I ended up doing was painting the roofs to each slat.  It did turn out cute.  We put it in the flower bed that we cleared out between "Brambly Lane" and the drive way to the basement. The BNOE gave me three clumps of elephant ears and I planted them behind the fence.  Once they get big by next summer, you will be able to see them over the fence.  I plan on planting some ferns and some hostas in front of the fence.  It should turn out to be a fun flower bed. 

Mow, Mow, Mow Your Ditch



After a nice young man stopped and helped us get Little Red out of the ditch.



BEFORE!



Thank goodness for the bush hog!





AFTER!



For weeks now, I've wanted Chuck to weed eat around our mail box but with the rain we have been getting, it got so high that more than the mail box needed to be done.  The county doesn't mow our ditch, they just come out and spray it with weed killer and we end up with high brown grass rather than green high grass.  Chuck thought we could mow a couple of strips with Little Red, but that didn't work.  Little Red wasn't powerful enough.  So, Chuck went and got the big tractor and bush hog.  It was still scary just watching Chuck mow along the road, where people zoom over the speed limit and the chance of him falling into the ditch.  On the one side of our gate, the big tractor wouldn't fit so Chuck tried to use Little Red again.  Well, it got stuck in the ditch.  I mean "stuck!".  I got in the ditch and tried to push as Chuck tried to pull.  It wasn't going any where.  A red pick up truck stopped and a kid about 20 years old jumped out and offered to help us.  Little Red was free in just a couple of minutes.  When we thanked the young man over and over again, he just said " I try and help when ever I can".  He got back in his truck and drove off.  I have to say, that Mama raised her son right!  We have found how people are so more willing to help people up here.  It's a great place to live.