Sunday Blessings

Good morning  everyone.  Hoping today finds you all doing wonderful and having a good morning thus far.
It has been a very busy last few days but I have been checking in and trying to comment as time allowed.

A few months ago after a trip to Bell Buckle, TN,  Holly and Darbee gifted me with a pillow with such a  sweet stitchery on it.  Moved me to tears.  It has special meaning as I have a hard time walking some days as I have arthiritis really bad and back problems. Are you  surprised  because I am constantly posting about going so much?.Yep, am not giving up, so I keep going despite the hurt.  But some days it gets pretty bad.... Enough said, anyway the pillow will always be special.

Last week, they presented me with a photo that goes along with the stitchery just perfect. It was taken of Darbee Rae and me walking on the beach earlier in the year .Thought I would share the display with you today

On this beautiful Sunday morning, I am so blessed to have a daughter and granddaughter who love me endlessly and  live close enough for me to see as often as I wish.  And my friends that is almost daily.  To those of you who have children close hug them and tell them how blessed you are to have them in your life everyday.  If you have children living away, take time today and call them and let them know you love them and miss them.  Life is short.  Children are a gift from God. 

Children in your life or not, we all have something to be thankful for and are blessed.  Stop for a moment on the Sabbeth day and thank God for all your blessings. Until next time......

Have You Ever Seen This?

Good evening all of you.  Hope you are staying cool and having a good week.  This morning we started out rather early because we were taking my cousin Kathy(who is more like a sister) and her hubby to the VA hospital in Montgomery, Ala where her hubby was having test.  It's a little over 2 hours away and with an hour time zone change we were up and about before the daylight dawned.

Upon entering the hospital  grounds,flags were flying and it made me stop and reflect on how proud I am to be an American and to pause and in silence honor those who have given their lives and so much of themselves for our country.

We drove around and left them at the entrance and upon leaving the hospital this is what we saw.

Okay, I am not a famous world traveler, but have visited many different states.  We have driven on the interstates, back roads, thru large cities and small towns, subdivisions, and communities, but I have never seen a speed limit sign that states you have to go 19 miles per hours.  Maybe 15, 20, 35, etc.  but 19??? 

Have you?  I thought it was right funny, so we circled and came upon it again, so I could share  it with you.   Were we going  19, probably not.. more like 10,,, barely creeping so I could get a picture.  I questioned Mr. P. and he just laughed and said ,"You want to know why they did it,,,, For this reason, it got your attention!" Well if that was the reason, it sure worked for me, and now all of you know , too.  See I told you , It don't take much to make me smile.

After the test, we shopped for awhile and found this neat place to eat lunch.  Now if you are hungrey,or dieting you might just want to skip these photos.  It was a neat place called "Country's Barbecue"

No, nothing fancy on the outside,  ahhh, we were in ALA, yea the pick-up out front, but the smell once you pulled into the place was wonderful.  BBQ smoking over an open pit..... yea, wonderful even tho the temp on the car showed 100 degrees.

Sorry it was kinda dark inside, but the inside was "country".  The walls were decorated with old advertising tins.  Was such a neat place.

Look at this gigantic rocking chair.  Darbee Rae couldn't wait to get her picture taken in it,  The seat was almost as tall as I was. 

And the food was delicious.  Yes, I did say a BBQ place , but this southern gal can never turn down buttermilk battered fried chicken.   Yummy!

They made sure you had plenty to drink,,, A QUART jar of iced tea.  Didn't need refills with these jars.

Okay, don't leave me here.  Under the pickles on our plates was a sampling of onions and they were to die for.  They called them BBQ onions.  Don't YUK on me, they were different, no BBQ sauce but kinda sweet and sour.  Delicious.  We ordered a side and shared.  Are you hungrey yet? Well we left there with take out boxes and we were stuffed..  A great place to have lunch.

We stopped at a neat thrift store on the way home.  I got lots of goodies, most I can't share ( heeehee) but nothing even  close to what  ANGIE finds when she goes to Goodwill. I think I could take lessons from her!!

Most of you know I love coffee mugs.  Loved these because they looked like pottery and  loved the square handles. They had that good feel to them, and go well with the pitcher and dishes I posted about a good while back.

Just regular old "snuff glasses" we have always called them,because snuff use to come in them.  There is a story behind these great finds.  When Mr. P and I married , he kept a snuff glass close to the sink to drink water from when he came in from outside.  Little old ladies would give him one now and then, and for all the years we have been married (38) he has had a snuff glass to drink from.  Until just recently.  The last one got broken.  I have bought small plastic glasses from the Dollar Tree, small glass glasses from Old Time Pottery and have I satisfied the Mister?   Not until today!!! He now has his glass back, in fact four of them.  Don't you gals wish you could make your hubby as happy as I made mine for 50 cents each?

Loved this sleigh.  They were having a Christmas in July sale and all Christmas items were 75% off.  What a steal this was.  Can't wait to prim it up a bit and decorate with it for Christmas. Buying Christmas when the temps are in the triple digets??   I know ,,,, but it was fun,

Okay, I have kept you long enough.  Hope you have had a great day as well.  Off to work on some prim items I hope to share with you soon.  

If you want to read something that will make you laugh skip on over to  Holly's blog and read her post tonight.

Until next time, thanks for stopping by.  I cherish our visit. 

The Simple Things Thru My Camera Lens

A thankful Tuesday to you all this beautiful sunny day.  Thankful God chose to let me wake to hear birds singing and the dawn of a new day gleaming thru my window.  I'm sure we all have so much to be thankful for. 

As I shaared with you in a previous post, we visited the Mennonite community last week in Delano Tn.  There were so many wonderful  things,, simple things that made my heart skip a beat. ( another one for Marie, at OLM) ha. Thought I would share some of the simple pictures with you today.

I know, just mailboxes, but riding thru the community, and seeing all the simple acts of the families living there, these just popped out. Do you wonder what they recieve in the mail as they don't have utility bills, cell phone bills, etc.  How simple their lives are and they are proof of how little you really need to survive and live a good life. 

Beautiful farms.  Bet some of those ladies had fresh corn for lunch.  Sounds yummy, huh?

Loved this old brdge.  We couldn't drive over it, for buggies only but got out and walked.  Such a cool shaddy place.

These 2 things are what we saw over the railing of the bridge.  They were fastened to heavy cables in the trees and were spinning really fast.  Maybe some type of irrigation for the fields?? We didn't know.

I have a love for old  "rusty" things.  So simple, looks as if it's saying my work has long been done.  I am now at rest.

The purpose of the rock on the post?  Probably none, but so simple.  Just caught my eye riding thru.

Melons waiting to be picked up by the wagons to take to the market.

Loved the watering pail and just an old white plastic bucket.   I know I am  different.  You would just have to be there and caught up in this way of life.  Yep , if in my back yard I would be nagging Mr. P. to clean it up I am sure.  On this day,,,, the simple things touched my heart.

Oops, this is a little dark, but it's an old wooden door with homemade hinges.  We couldn't figure out what the building was used for.  Looked like an old greenhouse, but had a flue coming out its top.

If you click to make larger you can see the gourd birdhouses.  Every farm had them hanging.  Loved them. And all had windmills.  How neat.

Loved all the old barns.  So serene.

Hope you have enjoyed some of the simple things we saw on our trip.  Take time today to enjoy a few simple things in your day and pause and be thankful for a blessed Tuesday wherever you are. 

Welcome to my new followers.  I love it when I meet new friends.  And to my faithful ones, you all know how I cherish your friendship and welcome your comments.  Everyone have a great day.  We will talk again soon....

My Week In Pictures

Happy Saturday to all my friends.  Hoping you have had a good week and are enjoying the weekend.  Today as in so many places in the U.S. the temp. was so hot and I chose to stay inside all day long.  Nope, to hot to go junkin for me.

I decided to work in craft room most of the day.  Had been wanting to try a new pattern, and I have to say for something to be so simple, it almost got the best of me.  Don't know if my heart was not into it, or if all my "marbles" were not working today.  Slow day for this old brain. But I would not be defeated.  Here is my finished product.

Love that you can put a tea light inside.

Sorry just realized I covered the mouth with the twigs.  He does have a mouth.

.Also got a few other things done in the craft room this week.  Finished up several stitcheries, and made these little ones. Now who could be superstitious of these black cats?

On Wednesday, the mail lady was so nice to me, yet again.  I recieved a giveaway win from Sandy at the Old Country Cupboard. I was one of 3 lucky winners.

I won one of her reindeer feedsack pillows.  It was so much bigger than I thought and gosh, it smells so yummy.  And I got a really cute card.  Want to see another picture of the pillow?

Thanks Sandy. You are so generous.  Okay you guys, don't vote me off blogland but I will be so glad when winter time gets here, the hot temps. are gone and I can decorate with this pillow!  How about you?  If you haven't visited with Sandy you should stop by.  She does up some great patterns and so generous with her freebies. 

Last week when we were away for our anniversary , I showed you a picture of one of my favorite stores, Ressurect.  My purchase in there that day was a simple ordinary item. I am sure all of my chicken lover friends in blogland have many on their farms.  This was my major purchase. 

Yep, just a plain old chicken feeder.  No I don't have chickens and some of you know the story of why I am terrified of chickens.  When I was small I was chased by a mean old rooster and  I was running and fell head first in the hogs trough and it was full of slop. YUK!  Now you may laugh but to a little girl, I was terrified.  Thus my fear of the real feathered friends.  But nevertheless, this is what I have done with my feeder.

It now sits on my island and holds dishes.  Yes, yes, Mr. P.. pressure washed it, cleaned it really good and put a clear coat on it for me, so it is definitely clean and safe to use.  Now I have lots more room in my dish cabinet.  Maybe I will be on the lookout for some new dinnerware, hnnnnnnn.  Just don't tell Mr, P. (giggle)

So that about sums up a pretty busy week here at the homestead.  Mother has had a few bad days this week , but then there have been a few good ones as well.  Tomorrow is the Sabbeth Day and on that day God rested.  Sounds like a great idea to me.

Thank you all for stopping by and welcome to my new followers.  Love your visits and your comments.  Until we talk again.......

Road Trips 1 and 2

Good Morning everyone.  WARNING: This post is picture heavy!  Lots to share, so get comfy and come along for the travels . As you know the mister and myself got away for a few days last week for our anniversary.  We went to the Gulf Coast to Biloxi and Gulport,  Mississippi.  We stayed at Island View Casino and Hotel.  I was so surprised to find out upon arrival that we had a suite.  We usually just get a clean, nice room when we travel with no extras as we stay out most of the time sightseeing and roaming. I was so pampered for the 3 day and 2 nights we were there.  The bath had a huge jacuzzi and the rooms were great.  Every night the maid knocked on the door, to come in and turn down the bed and give us Ghirardelli chocolates.  Could have really gotten us to that lifestyle.  Here is the view from our window.

On the way home, we stopped to shop at one of my favorite stores, Ressurect in Opelika, Ala. The ladies who run the shop are so nice.  Here are a few pictures from the store. 

Sorry this one turned out a little dark, but you can click to make larger.  The store is awesome.  Will share my special purchase with you once I have finished my redo.

Now for Road Trip #2

On Sunday night Holly called and invited me on a day trip with her and family to Delano, TN to a mennonite community.  My friend Val from Life's Little Garden had recently been and did a series of post with wonderful pictures.  We immediately wanted to go as well.  So yesterday we left out really early in the morning and settled in for our 3 hr. drive. We had a most enjoyable day and I took over 80 pic.  Don't panic, just gonna share a few.  But if you're ever close to the area, it is well worth your trip to stop by. You can click on the pic. to enlarge.

Entering the community. First stop was a market where you could buy fresh veggie, can goods, candles, soaps, etc.  I got pickles and plums.

Loved the wagon sitting in the shade trying to keep the melons cool. And immediately  we came up behind this wagon leaving the market.

Loved the picture of the little boy who had stopped to help himself to a few grapes straight from the vines.  Click the pic. to see the homemade scotter he was riding.  We ask for a close up pic. of his ride and he kindly smiled and said he rather we didn't.  So we respected his wishes

Just about in all the fields we saw men and young boys working so hard harvesting veggies, or raking hay getting it ready to bail.

Loved this one of the young mother and little boy.  As we drove by they both waved and smiled so sweetly.

I could go on and on with photos but will share more later.  Can you tell I just loved riding thru the community?  Now you might wonder how my precious 3 year old  Darbee Rae did after getting up about 4 hours earlier than her normal waking time, riding 3 hours in a car seat and riding thru the community at least 4 times in the car with windows down and no air on?

She was such a good little girl.  She is definitely her Mommy's daughter!  Loves the cameral already.  And actually got some good pics.  Her favorite photos to take were the animals.  And then she would thank them for their picture and tell them bye.  But her most favorite thing of all to snap.....The horses' poop!!!! That was so cool she said.. (giggle)

Hoping you are finding a smile in the simple things in life today.  Until next time.........

Let's Have a Garden Party

It is so good to be back at home and ready to craft again after a wonderful few days away to celebrate our anniversary.  I was so anxious to visit your blogs I did not take the time to thank each and everyone of you personally, but a big thank you to all who sent congrat. and well wishes our way.  You are so sweet.

We had a wonderful trip and will talk about that in another post but today these ladies are waiting patiently and want me to invite you over for a little fun and relaxation for a garden party.  Yes, it's hot outside but they got all dressed up in their Sunday best just for all of you.  So come on over and we will sip our iced tea and lemonade and catch up on things.

'

Let me introduce you to Miss Nellie.  She is the one who likes to plan and organize our little garden parties.  Now, I won't go as far as saying she is on the "bossy" side, but she sure likes to get things done her way.

This is Miss Scarlet.  She is such a sweet and kind lady.  But don't let looks decieve you.  She loves to gossip.  She and I get along really well.  Being the southern gal I am, I love hearing about all the ladies in our neighborhood.  Miss Scarlet knows a little about everyone.  She will sit next to me at the party. (giggle) 

Miss Inez is our fashion queen.  She just loves dressing up pretty and getting together with us girls, that is when it doesn't interfere with a "shopping trip". She loves to alter her clothing also.  See the belt loop she left hanging on her dress?  She must have been running late from a trip into town and forgot to cut it off.  We will whisper and tell her so as not to make her blush.

And I guess the most perfect of the bunch of ladies is Miss Martha.  She is so quiet and doesn't like to have attention drawn to her at all.  I had to beg for a photo.  She is the most incrediable cook you would ever want to meet.  She loves bringing her little tea sandwiches and scones to all our parties and her little cute desserts are to die for.  Now you see why all us girls just love her to pieces?

Well I hope you have enjoyed meeting all my friends that will be at the garden party.  Don't you just want to come on over and

 I am sure you would find something in common with them and we will sit and chat for hours.  Just let us know so Miss Martha will be sure to have food for everyone.

So in closing for tonight , one last glimpse of all the girls waiting to welcome you to the party. 

Had a great visit with you all and until you arrive , be careful and have a safe trip here.  Until we talk at the party..........