Country Club Luncheon



Mary Kay Andrews



Our lunch



Some of our Book Club ladies



Mary Kay signing my book

I do seem to keep busy living up here.  There is always something going on around here that is fun.  Lydia ( our neighbor/librarian) called me a week or so ago and asked if I wanted to go to a luncheon at the Country Club where a famous NY Times best seller was going to be speaking and signing books.  I didn't know of the author but said I would go just for the fun of it.  A few of us from Book Club ended up attending so it was really fun having lunch with everyone.  Then, as the Author started talking I knew I was going to want to read her books.  She writes about the "South". Some of her books are, Summer Rental, The Fixer Upper, Hissy Fit, Savannah Breeze and the one I bought for her to sign, Spring Fever.  She lives outside of Atlanta but as she was talking about her life, she mentioned that she was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida!!  I know!!!!!  I couldn't believe it!  When she had finished speaking, I talked to her before she signed my book.  She went to Lakewood High School but left St. Pete when she got married 35 years ago.  She says she doesn't go back much but we did talk about how the beach has all grown up and all of the Mom and Pop motels are just about gone.  Not only was it a great afternoon, but a special one with having a famous NY Times Author come from St. Pete.  She signed my book " Barbara Jean, To a St. Pete Gal! Mary Kay Andrews.   I'm going on the hunt for her other books now.  Not only was her book really good, but she was a really fun person...from St. Pete no less. 

Work Shop

Morning lecture by Susan Hill



making blueberry jam

On June 14, I went to an all day work shop on food perservation at the County Extention, the cost was $2.  The lecture was in the morning with tests before the class and at the end of the day.  I really didn't learn anything about canning because I have been doing it for at least 30 some years.  I made a 100% on both of my tests but I'm glad I went to the work shop...it was fun.  I walked in the door and there was someone I knew from Book Club.  Ann and I sat together and then went to lunch when it was lunch break.  After lunch we all split up into small groups and made blueberry jam with different kinds of pectins.  Our group made it without sugar.  It was a little tart but Chuck and I both liked it. ( I got to bring two small jars home)  I have the gallon of blueberries we picked, in the freezer and I'm going to use them for a batch of jam.  They had a "Home Food Preservation Book" for $12 and I ordered one. It came in the mail last week.  I'm set to go with all my canning now.  I also found out that I can take the lid to my canning pressure cooker to the County Extention and they will check the seal and the gages.  That's good to know! I think Mom was the last one to use my pressure canner and she's been gone for 18 years now.  I think it's time to get it tested!

Picking Blackberries



Anna Lou



Faye

Two of my Quilt Guild friends came out early one morning to pick blackberries.  Faye said she hadn't picked since she was a little girl.  It was fun having them come to Brambly Pines.  Chuck and I helped them pick enough so they each had a big basket full.  Faye called me the next day to thank me and to say that she had made a blackberry pie and it was wonderful.  I never dreamed that I would be sharing all our blackberries with friends I never knew I would have.   

Brambly Pines kitties



Marmalade Lee...13 yrs old



Miss Annabelle Lee ...15 yrs old.





George Lee...2 1/2 yrs old.



As the kitties get older, I feel we are lucky to still have them.  Anything over 14 years old is a record for us.  Annabelle is living on borrowed time.  She hasn't been healthy in her old age but is a tough little thing.  Marmalade is starting to look old but he's been healthy.  The house would be so empty without at least one of them inside but I love having the company of George when I'm outside working in the yard or sitting on the front porch.  I couldn't imagine my life catless. 

July 4th at Brambly Pines



I finally decided to paint my Amish rocker....BLUE!



I decided that I should decorate Brambly Pines for July 4th in June, since you have to take it all down so early in July.  I think July 4th is one of my favorite holidays to decorate for.  I love all the red, white and blue.  Plus, now that I have painted all my "blue stuff", it really looks like part of the decorations.  We won't be having company this year to celebrate with, like we did last year when all the kids came but we will be making our traditional homemade ice cream a couple of weeks later, when Shell, Tony and Genavive come up for a few days. 

Bigger Kitchen



Notice Annabelle sitting on her little stool by the window

One day, it came to me that I might like the kitchen area rug that was under the island, under the table and chairs.  I had thought about it before but didn't think it would fit.  Well, I decided to try it.  After all, I'm always saying, if ya don't like it, just put it back.  Well, I LOVE IT!  With the rug being under the island you couldn't ever see much of it and this way, you can see how pretty the whole rug is.  It opened up the cooking area of the kitchen and made the eating area more like a dining room.  What took me so long to change the rug?!!!

Treasures from the garden



My pretty tomatoes!



another bowl



This years garden is doing wonderful!  I think it's the best one so far out of the three that we have had.  I have so many tomatoes that I need to start thinking of what I want to do with them.  I'm going to try sun drying some of them, only will do it in the oven.  I can't even count all of the melons that are getting ready to be picked.  I have counted at least 20 of them.  There are cantaloupe, honey dew and watermelon.  There are also a lot of spaghetti squash.   I have had a lot of work keeping it all watered though.  We haven't had rain in almost a month and it's dry, dry, dry!  The red clay is like cement.  I don't know how anything ever grows in it when it gets this way.  I have to go down to the garden and water every day...but it's worth it.