About Me

My photo
I have been married to my childhood sweetheart for 42 wonderful years. I have been blessed with one daughter who is grown and gone! She and her hubby have blessed us with a precious grandchild, Darbee Rae. She is eight years old and the sunshine in our days. I have always been a stay at home maid, cook, doctor, babysitter, taxi, wife, mother, and grandmother. I enjoy crafting. My interests include primitives, vintage and colonial styles. I love decorating my home. I enjoy traveling with my hubby and friends, reading, and trying different recipes. I am a Christian and enjoy activities within my church. I hope you enjoy reading about my daily adventures in crafting, shopping, and enjoying life thru the eyes of my darling grand daughter.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

A Touch Of Spring at the Home Place

Good evening everyone.  Ahhh,, it's been such a beautiful day here at the home place.  You could just feel Spring in the air.  And our temps. were in the upper 70's.  Yes, so pretty and warm.  I even ventured out and had my lunch on the front porch.  I just sat in the swing and looked around at all the cleaning that will soon have to be done to make the porch "Spring and Summer" ready.  But not quite the time for that yet. 

The birds were chirping, and the squirrels were playing a game of hide and seek.  Didn't take long to realize the chains on the old swing need a little oil.  Quite loud they were as I gently moved back and forth.  Even sat long enough to read a little in the Country Sampler Tour of Home magazine.  As the time passed, I realized I had sat longer than need be and had to come inside and finish the laundry and prepare supper for Mr. P.

After supper , I was in resting after doing the dishes and I heard a noise I had not heard all winter.  It seemed to get closer and closer so I went to the door and looked out.  Seems that some one else has Spring fever on this warm beautiful day.

 
Yes that is Mr. P. mowing the grass.  I couldn't believe it.  I questioned him later as I didn't think it needed it yet!!  He said he cut up the leaves.  I think he was rushing grass cutting season some what.  Ugh!!  It will be here soon enough.  But I have to admit the yard looked pretty when he finished. 
 
There are a few touches of Spring showing up in the yard.
 
 
Our "yellow bell" bushes are trying to bloom.  This crazy weather I think has hurt the blooms.  It will be warm, then cold again.  Yes, we are going to have another cold front move through tomorrow afternoon and freezing temps. again. 
 

 
The daffodils are beginning to bloom around the fish pond.  Oh I think I might just have to cut a few to add Spring to the inside.  Yes, the just say Warm days are on the way.   
 
I even hung a new flag out front.  Yes, can you tell I am ready for warmer days?  Aren't we all? 
 
 
Yes, soon it will be time for red geraniums, cold glasses of lemonade and fresh baked tea cakes out on the porch.  I will be sure and invite you to join me.  We just have to hang in there just a little longer. 
 
Although it may still be winter where you are,,, I hope we all have a warm fuzzy feeling in our hearts and are thankful for the day the Lord has given us.
 
Take care and Be Happy
Until next time.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Once Upon A Time

 
 
Once upon a time I just imagine this was a thriving old home place.  Can't you just vision an old wood cook stove in the kitchen, and fragrant smells welcoming all who entered through the door? 
Mom and the girls might be sitting around stitching on a quilt.  Depending on the season the man of the house could be found tending to the land, working in the garden, or cutting fire wood for the stove and for heat.
 
Children could be seen running around in the yard playing ball, hopscotch, or just playing fetch
 with the family dog.  If they were old enough, you might find them in the barn feeding the animals or doing chores along with their Dad. Yes, these were days long before computers, Ipads, and all the electronic games that are so popular among the young folks today.

 
I would so love to have a place like this to slip away to on the weekends.  Oh if these walls could talk.  The stories they could tell.  Times of happiness, maybe when a child was born,  birthdays, Christmas times, weddings, and of course days don't go by without sadness, maybe the loss of a close loved one, hard times when crops were not good, and just surviving was a challenge.  But despite all of the above,,, it was a loving home to someone.
 
 
Rarely do you see an old home place that you don't see a barn close by.  Barns were essential to a working farm back in the days.  I just love old barns.  Here are a few to share with you.
 
 

 
Beautiful these old barns are. Yes, they have served their owners well over the years.  They have seen many hard winters, when the snow, ice, and winds have beaten down and taken their toil on the building, yet it still stands.   Hot summer sun has faded the paint and turned the wood a wonderful grey.  A color that only God's season can produce.  I would so love to have some of those boards.  Yes, primitive at heart.
 


 
Another story here. The old rusty car under this part of the barn.  Who drove it last, and did they know once they had driven it in to its safe spot that it would no longer be driven again?  How many trips did it make while in use around those narrow, curvy roads into town. I can imagine not nearly as often as we jump in and go into town today,  I can see it being maybe once a month maybe to get supplies from the dry good store. This only being items that was not grown on the farm itself, Maybe the lady of the house wanted material for a new dress or apron, or the makings for a new quilt to warm them in bed the following winter.

 
Oh the goodies that you could see still inside this old barn. Would have loved to stepped inside and rambled.  You could see stacks of old tobacco baskets stacked inside. Just waiting to adorn a wall in a warm cozy prim home. All kinds of rusty farm equipment  waiting to be rescued and brought back to life in some one's home. Oh the joy it would be. 
 
 
Look how close this one is to the road.  Although not a working barn any longer, it still has color to it. If you click  to enlarge, you can see someone went to the trouble to hang beer cans from it's wood on the left side.  No doubt teenagers out having fun.
 
This morning, I find myself relating to some of these old barns.  Don't laugh,,,, you too will get to this point if God allows you to live long enough.  How, you might ask?  Well, as we grow older our outward beauty fades like with these old barns.  The beauty one sees comes from inside. The years of weathering the storms of life, the mistakes we have learned from  mold our beauty and wisdom from within.   With age and health issues, I don't stand as tall and proud any longer, there are times I too lean, Whether it is on a cart when shopping or walking after sitting for a long time.  Life and age has stripped my hair of its once brown color and now it is weathered and silver grey.  Yes, just like the barn wood that is so desired for its natural beauty. 
 
Some day in the future, some of these special barns could
 become re purposed  to walls in new homes, made into furniture that we would so desire, or become something as simple as birdhouses  that someone will buy with pride. 
 
Hopefully one day when my time on earth is over and God takes me home, I too will become beautiful again. I will have a new body free of age and, pain, and will shine and sing with the heavenly angels above.
 
Hope you have enjoyed visiting today and taking the ride along with me to see all the old buildings.  A few weeks ago while in the Great Smokey Mts, we spent the morning riding back roads and looking at all these wonderful old places.  God's beauty was all around.
 
If you are still having nasty winter weather, please be careful and safe.  Spring is definitely on its way. Hang in there.
 
Until next time......