Been so long since I posted anything, seems I get so busy doing nothing I forget to post anything. Some might say well this blog is nothing but it is something to me. It is a way to remember certain things in life, and to just have fun writing down things I like.
We had a very good Christmas. All the family members were here except for David, Amy, and Gideon. Wish they could have been here too, we all miss them so much.
But, we are going there to visit them in a few more weeks. Gonna spend around 10 days loving on that sweet baby and his mommy and daddy and seeing the sights of Maui. I can't hardly wait!
Back to our Christmas...
We did get to love on Eli Jared, brand new baby boy of Danielle and Jared. He is such a sweet baby, he is already smiling. I got to hold him quite a bit and he snuggled right up with me. Love love love him. He is such a handsome little feller and he looks so exactly like Jared! I see Danielle in there too, but just to look at him he is Jared Jr. for sure! So awesome how God can make a baby look just like one parent but also just like the other parent.
I think everyone had a pretty good time, of course the kids were excited for presents and that is always fun! The little kids got presents and the older kids and adults got gift cards from Bob and me. I hate to do that, I love to find something I think they like, I love to give presents and love to watch them unwrap them. Like to see their faces when it really is something they like. But, as I am older and don't pay attention through the year as to what each one likes, it is so much easier to do it that way. They all say they like the gift cards so I will take their word for it. I still like to get "some little something" so they can unwrap it, but didn't even get that done this year.
They got Bob and me presents and gift cards and I wish they wouldn't and told them not to, but of course they did anyway. Bob and I loved everything they all got us!
We didn't have a big meal this year. Well, we didn't have turkey or ham and all the sides we usually have. We had appetizers but we had a table full of them! I don't know why but I couldn't hardly stand the thought of the same ol' same ol' meal this year. I wanted something different. I felt bad like I forced my wishes on everyone else but I think they all liked it okay. Maybe we will go back to the traditional meal next year, or maybe we have started a new tradition. Either way I am fine with it.
Babies Babies Everywhere!
Well, we have a new grandson, Gideon David, born on November 28, 2016, and a new great grandson, Eli Jared, born on November 29, 2016! WOW! Unbelievable! We are so blessed!
Gideon was originally due on or about December 5, and Eli was due on or about December 13. I kept saying "wouldn't it be funny if they were born on the same day!" They ALMOST were!
We didn't know what Gideon's name would be until he was born. I LOVE his name. Gideon, the story of Gideon in the Bible has always been one of my favorite Bible stories, if not the favorite. And of course, David after his father. He looks so much like David when he was a baby, but I can see his mommy, Amy in his face too, especially when he grins. So proud of all my grandbabies. Wish Gideon lived closer to us so we could cuddle and love on him more, but understand in this day and age that doesn't happen as often as grandparents would like.
We have been very blessed that the girls live very close to us and we have always seen our other grandbabies a lot. It sounds selfish to want Gideon too, or does it? I think it is just normal to want all my babies around close!
I know his parents are some of the best parents a baby could have, even if they are mine, so I have no worries on that part.
We knew that Danielle and Jared were going to have the name Eli, and I love love love that name also, and it fit him so well when we saw him. He also has the middle name Jared after his father. And he looks exactly like his father, Jared. Wow! So much like him. I see Danielle once in a while when I look at him, but he is Jared all over!
We have no worries about this baby and his parents either, they love God and their family so much and are such wonderful young people.
Turkey Track Bluegrass and Mount Magazine
Bob and I took another trip to Arkansas last weekend. Turkey Track Bluegrass Festival in Waldron, Arkansas. It is south of Fort Smith, around a 4 hour trip from here.
We didn't think we were going to go, Garrett had his last "Hoopin' it up" ballgame that day at 11:00 and the festival actually went from Wednesday through Saturday. We wanted to go but didn't want to miss Garrett's ballgame. He only had 4 or 5 and we really enjoyed them, and of course he thought Grandma and Grandpa HAD to come see him play, and we felt the same way. Grandbaby....bluegrass festival....we love bluegrass but grandbaby will always outweigh bluegrass, or just about anything else.
So, we just kinda forgot about it...kinda.
Garrett's ballgame started at 11:00 and ended around 12:00 noon. We were driving out of the school's driveway and Bob said, "Wanna go to Arkansas and listen to bluegrass?" Well....I said "SURE", so we hurried home, threw a few clothes in a duffel bag and away we went! HAHAHA That is one of the things I love about Bob and me, we have always just up and done anything we wanted on the spur of the moment.
So off we went to Waldron, Arkansas. We went down some of the most mountainous, narrow, curvy roads. I figured we would never make it there in time to hear anything, but we actually got there around 4:30.
Rhonda Vincent and the Rage were playing at 6 and she is the one we really wanted to see although we liked all the groups, hers is one of our favorites.
Lots and lots of good music, good food, good people.
It was over around 10:30 and we went back to the small town of Waldron and found a motel room. It wasn't 5 star, but it was clean, cool and adequate. Bob and I have never been very picky.
The next day, on the way home I wanted to go home a different way and go up Mount Magazine, the tallest hill/mountain in Arkansas. This is the Ouachita Mountain Range.
We stopped at a scenic area on the way up and got this selfie of ourselves. The sun was behind us but I kinda like the effect...
We drove to the top of Mount Magazine and went in the visitor's center. We went up the opposite way most people drive up (of course...hahaha) but it was very enjoyable and scenic. We drove a ways down the other side and got a few pictures at another scenic stop area.
We drove on home, coming up through Ponca (where I had absolutely NO phone service for miles) hoping to see an elk or two. We saw nothing but scenery.
We thought about going to Hawksbill Crag and hiking out to the point but I am a little nervous anymore about high places. We used to climb the Hercules Tower all the time but the last time we climbed it I kinda had vertigo and felt like I was going to just fall off the stairway. We will try another day.
On we came through Harrison and up 65 highway to Branson and then home. It was a very nice and very much needed trip. I love our little day or weekend trips and can't wait for another one!
We didn't think we were going to go, Garrett had his last "Hoopin' it up" ballgame that day at 11:00 and the festival actually went from Wednesday through Saturday. We wanted to go but didn't want to miss Garrett's ballgame. He only had 4 or 5 and we really enjoyed them, and of course he thought Grandma and Grandpa HAD to come see him play, and we felt the same way. Grandbaby....bluegrass festival....we love bluegrass but grandbaby will always outweigh bluegrass, or just about anything else.
So, we just kinda forgot about it...kinda.
Garrett's ballgame started at 11:00 and ended around 12:00 noon. We were driving out of the school's driveway and Bob said, "Wanna go to Arkansas and listen to bluegrass?" Well....I said "SURE", so we hurried home, threw a few clothes in a duffel bag and away we went! HAHAHA That is one of the things I love about Bob and me, we have always just up and done anything we wanted on the spur of the moment.
So off we went to Waldron, Arkansas. We went down some of the most mountainous, narrow, curvy roads. I figured we would never make it there in time to hear anything, but we actually got there around 4:30.
Rhonda Vincent and the Rage were playing at 6 and she is the one we really wanted to see although we liked all the groups, hers is one of our favorites.
Lots and lots of good music, good food, good people.
It was over around 10:30 and we went back to the small town of Waldron and found a motel room. It wasn't 5 star, but it was clean, cool and adequate. Bob and I have never been very picky.
The next day, on the way home I wanted to go home a different way and go up Mount Magazine, the tallest hill/mountain in Arkansas. This is the Ouachita Mountain Range.
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| our selfie |
We stopped at a scenic area on the way up and got this selfie of ourselves. The sun was behind us but I kinda like the effect...
We drove to the top of Mount Magazine and went in the visitor's center. We went up the opposite way most people drive up (of course...hahaha) but it was very enjoyable and scenic. We drove a ways down the other side and got a few pictures at another scenic stop area.
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| overlooking the Ouachita River basin |
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| picture a nice man took of us |
We thought about going to Hawksbill Crag and hiking out to the point but I am a little nervous anymore about high places. We used to climb the Hercules Tower all the time but the last time we climbed it I kinda had vertigo and felt like I was going to just fall off the stairway. We will try another day.
On we came through Harrison and up 65 highway to Branson and then home. It was a very nice and very much needed trip. I love our little day or weekend trips and can't wait for another one!
Hoopin" It UP!!!
We got to watch our 5 year old grandson, Garrett, play basketball Saturday. It's a program called "Hooping it Up" and it is a program to help the kids from Kindergarten through the 6th grade learn the basics of playing basketball.
The "coaches" are high school kids and they help the kids get organized into teams, and the coach for the high school girls and a parent or two helps run the floor with the kids and instruct them where to run, what to do with the ball and such. It's very informal and very very entertaining to watch...oh my.
Our little grandson has never played ball before, as most of the others have not either.
The little fellers would just stand there until told to jump for the ball, just stand there until told to run down the floor. Boy, when they understood a little about what they were supposed to do the contest was ON!
Of course we had our eyes on our little feller, and he was very energized. He did jumping jacks, ran with the ball, shot the ball, did a few push-ups....shot the ball some more, it was hilarious.
There is a fine line to walk while watching these little guys and gals. You don't want to laugh so much it is insulting to them but it is so dang cute you can't do much else. There were many many hands over mouths all morning, trying to cover the laughter.
Those that didn't laugh or seem to enjoy it, I don't know, are you dead or what?
The "coaches" are high school kids and they help the kids get organized into teams, and the coach for the high school girls and a parent or two helps run the floor with the kids and instruct them where to run, what to do with the ball and such. It's very informal and very very entertaining to watch...oh my.
Our little grandson has never played ball before, as most of the others have not either.
The little fellers would just stand there until told to jump for the ball, just stand there until told to run down the floor. Boy, when they understood a little about what they were supposed to do the contest was ON!
Of course we had our eyes on our little feller, and he was very energized. He did jumping jacks, ran with the ball, shot the ball, did a few push-ups....shot the ball some more, it was hilarious.
There is a fine line to walk while watching these little guys and gals. You don't want to laugh so much it is insulting to them but it is so dang cute you can't do much else. There were many many hands over mouths all morning, trying to cover the laughter.
Those that didn't laugh or seem to enjoy it, I don't know, are you dead or what?
Football and Bluegrass
Bob and I went to Bolivar Saturday to watch Gavin play football. He is Corey's youngest son and we just love him! I think he loves us too, especially Bob! He is a hoot to be around!
Gavin is quite the ballplayer, we really enjoyed watching him. Although it was the end of September it really got hot sitting there on the bleachers and the little boys really got hot playing football too! I wish I had took a picture of him in his uniform, he sure was cute!
We sat by Lynn and Corey and Corey's dad, Kevin and his wife, Marcy. Very nice people.
After the game we headed back towards Springfield, and on the way, we decided to go to West Plains to the HOBA bluegrass festival. We had talked about going but decided we wanted to see Gavin playing football and probably couldn't do both since he played in Bolivar and the festival was in West Plains....wrong! Of course we could do both! The game was over by noon, so we decided to go ahead and go to West Plains.
Of course, we had to make a quick detour into Springfield and eat at the Golden Corral that was out on N. Kansas. It was okay but we decided it wasn't as good as the one on S. Glenstone or the one in Branson. Bob loves to eat at Golden Corral. I always overeat because I think I need to get my money's worth! HA that is my excuse anyway.
So, we took off to West Plains, got there just in time for the dinner break, so we just sat in our car and dozed for a few minutes.
There weren't any big name groups at this festival, it is just a tiny little festival but the music and singing was good anyway. We enjoyed it a lot.
Here is the only picture I took. I didn't have my camera, only my phone. The back of my ankle was getting a blister on it from my new sneaker....haha
We didn't stay overnight, we figured we were close enough to home to sleep in our own bed so home we came. It was around 1:00am when we got home.
Good times!
Gavin is quite the ballplayer, we really enjoyed watching him. Although it was the end of September it really got hot sitting there on the bleachers and the little boys really got hot playing football too! I wish I had took a picture of him in his uniform, he sure was cute!
We sat by Lynn and Corey and Corey's dad, Kevin and his wife, Marcy. Very nice people.
After the game we headed back towards Springfield, and on the way, we decided to go to West Plains to the HOBA bluegrass festival. We had talked about going but decided we wanted to see Gavin playing football and probably couldn't do both since he played in Bolivar and the festival was in West Plains....wrong! Of course we could do both! The game was over by noon, so we decided to go ahead and go to West Plains.
Of course, we had to make a quick detour into Springfield and eat at the Golden Corral that was out on N. Kansas. It was okay but we decided it wasn't as good as the one on S. Glenstone or the one in Branson. Bob loves to eat at Golden Corral. I always overeat because I think I need to get my money's worth! HA that is my excuse anyway.
So, we took off to West Plains, got there just in time for the dinner break, so we just sat in our car and dozed for a few minutes.
There weren't any big name groups at this festival, it is just a tiny little festival but the music and singing was good anyway. We enjoyed it a lot.
Here is the only picture I took. I didn't have my camera, only my phone. The back of my ankle was getting a blister on it from my new sneaker....haha
We didn't stay overnight, we figured we were close enough to home to sleep in our own bed so home we came. It was around 1:00am when we got home.
Good times!
On the Banks of the Promised Land
Oh my goodness, I love this gospel song sung by Karen Peck and New River. Love Love Love it!
What a thought! Thinking about the morning when I stand in front of my LORD and SAVIOR, and reach for
his NAIL SCARRED HANDS.....
I wanted to sing this song so badly, but Karen Peck is a high soprano, and what I sing could be described as a squeaky wannabe soprano. No, if I had to say what my voice is it is a gravely alto...and not pretty in any way.
But I digress. Great song. Sung great. "Nuff said.
CITY OF GOLD
(Sung in this video by Yvonne St. Germaine)
CITY OF GOLD
VERSE: 1
THERE'S A CITY THAT LOOKS-- OVER THE VALLEY OF DEATH
AND IT'S GLORY HAS NEVER BEEN TOLD,
WHERE THE LAMB IS THE LIGHT--IN THE MIDST OF THE NIGHT
IN THAT BEAUTIFUL CITY OF GOLD
CHORUS:
WHERE THE SUN NEVER SETS
WHERE THE LEAVES, THEY NEVER FADE
AND THE RIGHTEOUS FOREVER WILL SHINE LIKE THE STARS
IN THAT BEAUTIFUL CITY OF GOLD
VERSE: 2
THERE WILL BE NO SORROW, PAIN, NOR SICKNESS OR DEATH,
AND THE SAINTS, THEY WILL NEVER GROW OLD
HOW I LONG FOR THAT CITY,
WHERE THERE NEVER COMES A NIGHT
IN THAT BEAUTIFUL CITY OF GOLD...
REPEAT CHORUS:
TAG:
IN THAT BEAUTIFUL CITY OF GOLD!!
Dailey & Vincent - By the Mark (Live]
By the Mark
Love this song so much. Probably my favorite song right now. I will know my Savior, by the mark of the nails in His hands...
Dailey and Vincent are such amazing singers.
I guess some would consider them very progressive bluegrass, I know when we saw them at Starvy Creek last July they had a drummer and the owners of the festival would not let the drums be played.
The reason was it was not "traditional" bluegrass...okay, I do understand that and I am not a big fan of drums in bluegrass or gospel songs in general, but they have a drummer so I think if that is what they want in their band, they should be allowed to have that. They are as good and better than most of the other bands.
I also wanted to point out to the owners that they had several groups that sang traditional COUNTRY songs that they tried to sing in a bluegrass fashion, sometimes. Most of the time the group just did it as a country song. And one group even sang "SPLISH SPLASH, I WAS TAKING A BATH, LONG ABOUT SATURDAY NIGHT....(whole song)" which is in fact an old pop rock, bubble gum rock song from the 50s.
Now how in the world is that traditional bluegrass if you want to split some hairs??? Let 'em sing and get out of the way.
Quilting...Again...ummmm???
The first thing I ever did was hand piece a little pillow cover. I just pieced together some pretty little scraps I had. In little squares. I just wanted to see if I could. I thought it was really cute.
I even sewed a cute little ruffle around the edges of it. It looks a little more uneven now than when I first made it, probably because it's been wallered around for years.
Then I decided to make a quilt out of old leftover jeans. I had a lot of jeans and I thought it would be a good thing to take to the lake to sit on, to lay our air mattress on, and the like. So I sewed it, on the machine. It was quite an undertaking for my old Singer, but I got it done. I tacked it here and there, pretty haphazardly all over the quilt on the sewing machine. We have used that quilt a lot.
I like the way it turned out, and I use it for my bedspread in my room now. Makenna even added some nail polish to it, and it blends it pretty well. I am not even going to try to get it out, it is just a memory of when she was little.
Next I made Danielle and Jared a quilt when they got married. I finally got it ready two or three months after they said "I do". I did not hand piece it, did it on the machine. I did not hand quilt it, I had Bob's Aunt June quilt it on her quilting machine and she did a fabulous job. I did hand stitch the hem, so there is that.
I LOVE the way it turned out. I have always loved blue and white and used to want our bedroom in these colors. Just decided maybe the green/browns/and flowers would fit our room more. I even tried my hand at applique and I think it worked out pretty good!
Now I want to start a quilt for Courtney. She says her favorite color is a coral color, and she still likes it but she also likes aqua, turquoise, teal and those colors. She says any kind and any color of quilt is wonderful because she just wants a quilt! I have a pattern found that Courtney saw and really liked. Its just a simple nine patch pattern and I really like that because I said I would only piece squares and rectangles....no triangles! So I need to get busy and piece that baby, take it and get it quilted!
Sooooo.....I need to get busy and start finding fabric to make another quilt. I need to make one for Jessi, Hayden and Kyle too...I would like to make each grandkid I have a quilt, just something they can have that Grandma made for them. And of course, all my kids too. I got to get to sewing!
Sooooo.....I need to get busy and start finding fabric to make another quilt. I need to make one for Jessi, Hayden and Kyle too...I would like to make each grandkid I have a quilt, just something they can have that Grandma made for them. And of course, all my kids too. I got to get to sewing!
Gone to Arkansas
Last weekend we left early in the morning on Saturday and took off to Arkansas. Just a 2 1/2 hour trip south. Love our road trips to Arkansas. We headed down to Gainesville then took Hwy 5 south all the way to Mountain View. Quite a pretty drive, even though it was rainy and some foggy..
We went to Mountain View, to the Ozark Folk Center, to the Mountain View Bluegrass Festival. Saw some really good groups. Probably our favorite was Flatt Lonesome. We also saw the Redmond Keisler Band, the Cobb Brothers, Farm Hands Quartet and Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers. We had seen a couple of them before but always enjoy seeing them again.
It was rainy and foggy last weekend so we decided to stay all night there instead of driving home in the fog. I booked a room in Mountain Home because I couldn't find anything online that looked good in Mountain View. I'll look a little harder next time because that hour drive back to Mountain Home was miserable. It was foggy and we weren't used to the road, made me a jumpy mess and I know Bob got tired driving in it.
We didn't get to the motel until 11:30 so we slept in the next morning and finally started home around 11:00, which of course was check-out time...hahaha.
I wanted to go back a different way than we went so we went west on Highway 412 which was a much better highway and that took us through Cotter. I wanted to go over the pretty bridge there at Big Spring so that is what we did.
I am bridge crazy. If there is a pretty bridge or an old bridge somewhere, I want to see it or drive over it. I don't know why I like them so much but I do. It's just part of who I am. I wish I had taken pictures of all the bridges I have seen and loved through the years but it didn't really occur to me to do that until I had a digital camera.
I just love the arches on this old bridge. The inscription on it said it was built in 1930 and it looks as sturdy as ever to me. I think they must have added the light posts later but I think they are a very nice addition. At night the bridge just glows.
It turned out to be a beautiful day Sunday, all the fog was gone and it was warm, even hot. Lots of flowers and bushes were bloomed out just that much farther south. All the redbuds were bloomed out. It was simply gorgeous.
It turned out to be a beautiful day Sunday, all the fog was gone and it was warm, even hot. Lots of flowers and bushes were bloomed out just that much farther south. All the redbuds were bloomed out. It was simply gorgeous.
We went to Mountain View, to the Ozark Folk Center, to the Mountain View Bluegrass Festival. Saw some really good groups. Probably our favorite was Flatt Lonesome. We also saw the Redmond Keisler Band, the Cobb Brothers, Farm Hands Quartet and Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers. We had seen a couple of them before but always enjoy seeing them again.
It was rainy and foggy last weekend so we decided to stay all night there instead of driving home in the fog. I booked a room in Mountain Home because I couldn't find anything online that looked good in Mountain View. I'll look a little harder next time because that hour drive back to Mountain Home was miserable. It was foggy and we weren't used to the road, made me a jumpy mess and I know Bob got tired driving in it.We didn't get to the motel until 11:30 so we slept in the next morning and finally started home around 11:00, which of course was check-out time...hahaha.
I wanted to go back a different way than we went so we went west on Highway 412 which was a much better highway and that took us through Cotter. I wanted to go over the pretty bridge there at Big Spring so that is what we did.I am bridge crazy. If there is a pretty bridge or an old bridge somewhere, I want to see it or drive over it. I don't know why I like them so much but I do. It's just part of who I am. I wish I had taken pictures of all the bridges I have seen and loved through the years but it didn't really occur to me to do that until I had a digital camera.
Cotter, Arkansas claims to be the "Trout Fishing Capital of the World". There were plenty of people out at Big Spring Park trying to catch them. We walked around and watched them for awhile. Bob hates trout. Says they are too bony and mushy for his taste. I guess I agree with him but I sure ate a lot of them when I was a kid. My dad would take me trout fishing in Lake Taneycomo and we ate all we caught, which were quite a few. If I ate them now, I would score them like we do suckers and I think they would be better, but Mom always just fried them up and we ate them, with lots of cornbread to catch any stray bones we missed. We thought they were good, but I do admit we probably spent as much time picking out bones as we did eating them! haha
It turned out to be a beautiful day Sunday, all the fog was gone and it was warm, even hot. Lots of flowers and bushes were bloomed out just that much farther south. All the redbuds were bloomed out. It was simply gorgeous.
Quite the pretty hole of water. You could see the spring running out of the ground. I am glad we came home this way. We really needed a weekend to just get away, and our little Arkansas getaway fit the bill. We will be going back to the Fall Bluegrass Festival at the same place. Only thing about fall that I can find to brag about.
It turned out to be a beautiful day Sunday, all the fog was gone and it was warm, even hot. Lots of flowers and bushes were bloomed out just that much farther south. All the redbuds were bloomed out. It was simply gorgeous.
We came home up Hwy 125 through Peel, and rode the ferry across Bull Shoals. We stopped at Protem and got a sandwich for lunch and came on home. A good time was had by all....
Grandma Mary and the Pattern
When Lynn was in the 5th grade and Alicia was in the 1st grade I made them both a shirt to get their school pictures taken in. Lynn's was at tiny blue flowered print and Alicia's was the same in pink. I thought I did a good job and they were very cute. When my Grandma Mary saw them, she said, "Did you use a pattern?"...I said "yes?" and she just nodded and kinda gave a little smirk. She said when she made clothes back in the day, she just sewed them up, no pattern. But when she said that and gave that little smirk, the shirts I made became worthless in my eyes. They didn't measure up. I still think of her comment whenever I sew (which I don't like to do very well anyway-ha). I say they became worthless because I felt like she was putting me down. They were still pretty little blouses.
Now I loved my Grandma Mary very much. She was a very independent woman. Her husband abandoned her and their three boys when my dad (the baby) was 5 years old. I admire how she got out and raised her kids by herself, back in the late 20s and through the 30s, often doing what everybody considered a man's work like pitching hay on a wagon, or cutting heating wood for her own house. She did all the things that needed doing to keep her and her boys fed and clothed.
She did a lot of things the hardest way possible, because of the times she lived in, the place she lived in and how she chose to live. Lots of people made clothes without patterns. Grandma probably couldn't afford a pattern if even if she wanted to use one or not. She probably HAD to sew without one. I admire her for that. I admire anyone that does things they have to do.
I have also had certain people ask me why I wasn't making a garden, why I wasn't canning, why I wasn't sewing, why, why, why??? It could make a person feel worthless. It's a good thing I have a healthy self appreciation. I have always thought I could do just about anything I put my mind to.
On top of that every person does not know another person's circumstances and why or why not they can or cannot do something. Maybe they physically can't, maybe they can't rake up the money to get started in some pursuit, no matter how small an amount. It's easy to sit on the outside of someone elses' life and decide what they need to do.
As I think about these memories, I think people could be a little more careful about comparing what they can do to what others can do. I don't mean just telling or showing something you have done. Everybody likes to see what other people can do, but don't put yourself above somebody else or feel superior because you can do it all and they can't. Not everybody has the same gifts or maybe don't want or need to do some things that others feel are necessary to know how to do.
It's nice to know how to do any number of things and it's good if you know how to do LOTS of things, like sewing, quilting, cooking, crocheting, knitting, gardening...I could go on and on...but it does not make you a better person in my eyes than anybody else. I still want to see the pretty quilts, the yummy food pictures, the crocheted items and beautiful flowers. Please just don't put down somebody else for doing things differently.
Just my thoughts.
Now I loved my Grandma Mary very much. She was a very independent woman. Her husband abandoned her and their three boys when my dad (the baby) was 5 years old. I admire how she got out and raised her kids by herself, back in the late 20s and through the 30s, often doing what everybody considered a man's work like pitching hay on a wagon, or cutting heating wood for her own house. She did all the things that needed doing to keep her and her boys fed and clothed.
She did a lot of things the hardest way possible, because of the times she lived in, the place she lived in and how she chose to live. Lots of people made clothes without patterns. Grandma probably couldn't afford a pattern if even if she wanted to use one or not. She probably HAD to sew without one. I admire her for that. I admire anyone that does things they have to do.
I have also had certain people ask me why I wasn't making a garden, why I wasn't canning, why I wasn't sewing, why, why, why??? It could make a person feel worthless. It's a good thing I have a healthy self appreciation. I have always thought I could do just about anything I put my mind to.
On top of that every person does not know another person's circumstances and why or why not they can or cannot do something. Maybe they physically can't, maybe they can't rake up the money to get started in some pursuit, no matter how small an amount. It's easy to sit on the outside of someone elses' life and decide what they need to do.
As I think about these memories, I think people could be a little more careful about comparing what they can do to what others can do. I don't mean just telling or showing something you have done. Everybody likes to see what other people can do, but don't put yourself above somebody else or feel superior because you can do it all and they can't. Not everybody has the same gifts or maybe don't want or need to do some things that others feel are necessary to know how to do.
It's nice to know how to do any number of things and it's good if you know how to do LOTS of things, like sewing, quilting, cooking, crocheting, knitting, gardening...I could go on and on...but it does not make you a better person in my eyes than anybody else. I still want to see the pretty quilts, the yummy food pictures, the crocheted items and beautiful flowers. Please just don't put down somebody else for doing things differently.
Just my thoughts.
4-H Club
I saw a post on facebook today about 4H and I was remembering when I was young, maybe 10 or 11 and belonged to 4H for a couple of years. Maybe it was just one year. I am not good at remembering how long that was some 50 years ago. Seemed like a long time but looking back at what I did it couldn't have been all that long a time.
I learned stuff in 4H. I learned how to bake chocolate chip cookies, and even won a blue ribbon for them at the county fair that year.
I learned I could bake an edible cookie. By the way, that was the first I had ever heard of a chocolate chip cookie. Yes, my life was sheltered. I don't think "sheltered" is the right word. Nothing wrong with chocolate chip cookies and who on earth would want to be sheltered from those little morsels of deliciousness anyway!!! Truth of the matter was, my dad liked oatmeal raisin cookies and my mom could make the best oatmeal raisin cookies in the world, and that is the only kind of cookie she ever made!
I learned how to knit...a little. Knit, purl, knit, purl. I knitted a little square. Didn't really think I could learn to knit, but I did learn that much, and I'm sure would have learned more if I had stayed in 4H.
I learned a little bit about sewing. This was while I was still in grade school and hadn't had anything classes like Home Ec. yet and my mom didn't sew. So I learned to sew a little. Lay a pattern out on paper, pin it just so, cut it out, sew it up! I didn't even enjoy it then. Thought I was supposed to enjoy it because I was a GIRL, and girls were supposed to like stuff like sewing, weren't they now???
I wanted to take the horsemanship class because I was crazy about horses. Only problem was, I lived right in Bradleyville and didn't have a horse and knew nothing about horses. So, of course, I didn't/couldn't take that class.
We met after school. Had refreshments. Learned skills. Learned good citizenship.
I learned stuff in 4H. I learned how to bake chocolate chip cookies, and even won a blue ribbon for them at the county fair that year.
I learned I could bake an edible cookie. By the way, that was the first I had ever heard of a chocolate chip cookie. Yes, my life was sheltered. I don't think "sheltered" is the right word. Nothing wrong with chocolate chip cookies and who on earth would want to be sheltered from those little morsels of deliciousness anyway!!! Truth of the matter was, my dad liked oatmeal raisin cookies and my mom could make the best oatmeal raisin cookies in the world, and that is the only kind of cookie she ever made!
I learned how to knit...a little. Knit, purl, knit, purl. I knitted a little square. Didn't really think I could learn to knit, but I did learn that much, and I'm sure would have learned more if I had stayed in 4H.
I learned a little bit about sewing. This was while I was still in grade school and hadn't had anything classes like Home Ec. yet and my mom didn't sew. So I learned to sew a little. Lay a pattern out on paper, pin it just so, cut it out, sew it up! I didn't even enjoy it then. Thought I was supposed to enjoy it because I was a GIRL, and girls were supposed to like stuff like sewing, weren't they now???
I wanted to take the horsemanship class because I was crazy about horses. Only problem was, I lived right in Bradleyville and didn't have a horse and knew nothing about horses. So, of course, I didn't/couldn't take that class.
We met after school. Had refreshments. Learned skills. Learned good citizenship.
Judge Not!
I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its décor.
But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp --
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.
There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.
George, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.
I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.
And why is everyone so quiet,
So somber -- give me a clue.
Hush, child,' He said,
They're all in shock!
No one thought they'd see you.
~~Author Unknown
(Though possibly written by either the worst sinner or
the most thankful person in heaven, or both!)
JUDGE NOT!
Remember...Just going to church doesn't make you a
Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.
Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.
Every saint has a PAST...
Every sinner has a FUTURE!
Every sinner has a FUTURE!
PORCH LOVE
I have a new porch on the front of my house!
I can't wait for warm spring mornings in the near future when I will be sitting out on the porch, drinking delicious coffee and watching the grandbabies playing on the porch or in the yard. In my mind I can hear the birds singing, the peepers peeping, the babies yelling and laughing, and I am enjoying every minute of it.
My kids gave me a new porch swing for Christmas. I have always always always wanted a porch swing but never really thought I would have one. Heck, I didn't have a porch. I had a deck my dad built on right after we moved in and it was fine but it had no roof.
Now I will be sitting in the porch swing, sipping delicious coffee or refreshing iced tea, watching the babies play, listening to the birds sing, looking at the hanging baskets of flowers that I will hang from the porch rafters.
What else do I need on my porch? Well, rocking chairs of course! It wouldn't be a proper front porch without a couple of rocking chairs would it? I can see myself, sitting in a rocking chair, rocking and watching the kids playing, listening to the birds singing, looking at the beautiful flowers and bushes planted around the porch, drinking coffee or iced tea, and just enjoying the wonderful porch.
I think of the rain storms I will sit through on my beautiful new porch. There is nothing more enjoyable to me than sitting under a roof, watching it rain. I can feel the breeze blowing a mist of rain across my skin while I am sitting in my rocker or on the porch swing. It gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.
Oh, the lazy hot days and twilight evenings I will spend on that porch, just relaxing, watching the kids play, the kittens tumbling over each other, hummingbirds buzzing around feeders.
The possibilities are endless!
REVELATION 21
One of my favorite chapters in the whole Bible. I just can't read through it without goosebumps and getting emotional and maybe, yeah, probably crying a little. I love the whole chapter but my favorite verse in the chapter, yes, in the whole Bible, is Revelation 21:4....
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
What a thought! What a revelation! What a promise! Sometimes it seems I can't wait for that day to come!
The whole chapter... Revelation 21:
1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God.
4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.
5. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolators, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
9. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11. Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13. On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
17. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
18. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20. The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
22. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsover worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Finishing Danielle and Jared's Quilt...Finally!
Hmmmmm....finally got Danielle and Jared's quilt top sewn up. It is really pretty if I do say so myself. She wanted royal blue and white and so that is the only colors I used, except for one piece of red I used on the front that I didn't really plan. I don't know what the pattern is called or if it has a name. Danielle had pinned a picture on Pinterest showing a quilt and so I figured out how big to make the pieces for the quilt. I had lots of interesting times setting the pieces together but finally got the top done.
s
I was ironing the sheet for the back of the quilt and got to the last square foot of the sheet and found a little tear. I didn't make the tear because when I took the hem out it was chain-stitched and I was very careful to only cut the end of the hem and then I just pulled it out. I think it was done when they were taking the sheets out of the box to shelve them or something.
My temper got me when I saw that little tear and I grabbed the sheet, crumpled it up in my hands and kinda screamed/roared a while. Julie was here and she said she was surprised I didn't rip it to shreds. Yes, I do have an awful temper. Most of the time I control it just fine anymore, but when I can take it out on an inanimate object and I have a lot of anger stored up I just let it go!
I called June, who was going to do the quilting on her quilting machine for me and told her I found a tear and wouldn't be bringing it up that day after all. I was soooo disappointed.
I thought about taking it back to Walmart but I had already taken the hem out of it and they would probably think I made the tear when I was taking the hem out. I knew I would probably have to argue them about it to get them to take it back. I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to spend the extra time going back, getting another sheet, taking the hem out again and ironing another one. I didn't know what else to do though.
That night we went to a ballgame. On the drive there I just kept going over and over in my mind what I could do with the quilt. I had appliqued a row of words on the front of the quilt that read "Always Kiss Me Goodnight" and on the first "A" in Always I had to take out some of the stitches. I had made a tear in the fabric right beside the letter. I would have had to take out all the stitches around the letter and chance more tears so I decided to cut a heart out of red fabric and position over the tear. It looked really cute so I thought, well, maybe I could put a patch on the tear on the back someway. When I got to the ballgame I went over and was telling June about it all and I asked, what about putting....and at the same time, she said....you could patch it! OKAY! A word from an expert is always encouraging!
I came home and decided to use some of the material I had used for the front to patch the back. I decided to put a row of patches across the top of the back.
It has been a long, hard trip for me to get this quilt finished. I am still not sure whether I am a quilter or not. I really don't like to sew much, but I do love to create something that only I have made. I know that I would like to make the kids and grandkids a quilt apiece at least since I have started this quilting madness, so by the time I get all those quilts made I will either enjoy it or be stark raving mad. Pictures of the quilt to be added when it is finished.
And here it is:
It is so much more bright blue when you see it for real but it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself...
Maybe I'll do it again.
sI was ironing the sheet for the back of the quilt and got to the last square foot of the sheet and found a little tear. I didn't make the tear because when I took the hem out it was chain-stitched and I was very careful to only cut the end of the hem and then I just pulled it out. I think it was done when they were taking the sheets out of the box to shelve them or something.
My temper got me when I saw that little tear and I grabbed the sheet, crumpled it up in my hands and kinda screamed/roared a while. Julie was here and she said she was surprised I didn't rip it to shreds. Yes, I do have an awful temper. Most of the time I control it just fine anymore, but when I can take it out on an inanimate object and I have a lot of anger stored up I just let it go!
I called June, who was going to do the quilting on her quilting machine for me and told her I found a tear and wouldn't be bringing it up that day after all. I was soooo disappointed.
I thought about taking it back to Walmart but I had already taken the hem out of it and they would probably think I made the tear when I was taking the hem out. I knew I would probably have to argue them about it to get them to take it back. I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to spend the extra time going back, getting another sheet, taking the hem out again and ironing another one. I didn't know what else to do though.
That night we went to a ballgame. On the drive there I just kept going over and over in my mind what I could do with the quilt. I had appliqued a row of words on the front of the quilt that read "Always Kiss Me Goodnight" and on the first "A" in Always I had to take out some of the stitches. I had made a tear in the fabric right beside the letter. I would have had to take out all the stitches around the letter and chance more tears so I decided to cut a heart out of red fabric and position over the tear. It looked really cute so I thought, well, maybe I could put a patch on the tear on the back someway. When I got to the ballgame I went over and was telling June about it all and I asked, what about putting....and at the same time, she said....you could patch it! OKAY! A word from an expert is always encouraging!
I came home and decided to use some of the material I had used for the front to patch the back. I decided to put a row of patches across the top of the back.
It has been a long, hard trip for me to get this quilt finished. I am still not sure whether I am a quilter or not. I really don't like to sew much, but I do love to create something that only I have made. I know that I would like to make the kids and grandkids a quilt apiece at least since I have started this quilting madness, so by the time I get all those quilts made I will either enjoy it or be stark raving mad. Pictures of the quilt to be added when it is finished.
And here it is:
It is so much more bright blue when you see it for real but it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself...
Maybe I'll do it again.
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