Slow and Rainy Day

There is not much going on here today. It rained most of the morning with a few thunderstorms passing through as well. We have had enough rain lately that I have only had to water my flowers a couple of times. I have a lot of flowers in pots and tubs, like the pink petunias above. I'm sure all of that will change once summer is really here.

Speaking of change, I have been doing some work on my blog, trying to learn some new things. It is an on-going process, so it may be completely different the next time that you visit! Possibly because I'll have no idea to get it back the way that it was before. I would really like to know what I am doing, but I find it to mostly be 'hit and miss'!

Hope all of you are having a great day1

RMary

Tuesday Morning

This was our veteran's board. We included names and pictures, if they were available, of all the veterans related to anyone there, as well as the names of several of those serving today. Several pictures were from WWII as well as one from WWI and one from the Civil War.

Baseball was the favorite game to join in at the gathering!

Good morning, everyone. No matter how much fun we've had when we are away from home for a day or two, it is always good to get back--mostly to recover from all that fun!

There was a gathering of forty-five of us yesterday at my husband's aunt's place. There was plenty to eat and a couple of games of baseball for whoever wanted to join in, as well as horse-shoes, and wagon rides for all the little ones. We enjoyed 'catching-up' with each other's lives and seeing how much all of the children had grown.

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend.

RMary

Memorial Day

On Monday, May 28, the citizens of the United States of America will celebrate Memorial Day. It began as Decoration Day, a day to remember those who had died in our nation's service. After the Civil war many people in the North and South set aside special days to decorate graves of fallen soldiers with flowers.

In 1971, Memorial Day was declared an official national holiday to be held on the last Monday every May.

Today, Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer in the United States. It is still a time to remember those who have passed on in service to our great country, as well as a time for families to get together for picnics, ball games, and other summer activities.

I will be out of town for a few days, but I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend with your family and remember the purpose of this holiday weekend to honor those who have fallen. And remember to say an extra prayer for all of those who are serving today.

RMary

Egg Coddler/Cup

Yesterday I mentioned that I collect egg coddlers. Today I thought that I would share a picture of a few that I have. Many people I mention them to do not know what an egg coddler/cup is. I did not know either, until I found one in my grandmother's possessions after she had passed on. The coddler/cup with the birds on it (above) was hers. They come in at least three sizes that hold various amounts of eggs. The smallest holds only one and the largest holds up to five. The most common are the sizes that hold one egg or two.

"An egg coddler is a porcelain cup with a lid. These have been manufactured by Royal Worcester in Worcester, UK since at least the 1890s, and were probably invented there. Many companies [1] now make egg coddlers, and some are highly sought after collectors' items.

An egg cup, sometimes called egg server, is a container used for serving boiled eggs within their shell. Egg cups have an upwardly concave portion to hold the egg and often include a base to raise the egg retaining portion and give stability, informally known as "footies". Other types include: no pedestal, just a cup known as "buckets" and egg-sized on one side and bigger on the other end known as "doubles".
They can be made of china, pottery, wood, plastic, glass and various metals. " ~Wikipedia~

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Random Tag!!

Good morning! It is a rainy, rainy day here at the cabin. I love our tin roof, but when it is really pouring out there, the din can be terrific. Our ceiling is very well insulated, but the front porch roof runs the length of the cabin and it is uninsulated. Someday, when we finish the porch, we hope to insulate it as well. I love to sit back, have a cup of coffee and just enjoy the sound when it is a nice slow rain.

Pat has tagged me to name seven random things about myself.

#1. My favorite subject in school was history. I still enjoy reading history books and doing family research.

#2. I collect egg coddlers.

#3. My favorite fruit--blackberry, with strawberries, peaches and watermelon right behind!

#4. I would rather buy most items used than new.

#5. Flying Geese is my favorite quilt pattern to make--Log Cabin coming in a close second!

#6. I home schooled both of our daughters K-12 and now that they are grown, I miss doing it!

#7. I don't eat breakfast as a rule, but if I do, it is usually cold cereal.

I don't know who has or hasn't done this tag--so I tag any of you that would like to tell us seven random things about yourself.

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

In Word Or Deed

"Kindness has been called the small coin of love. The word is generally used to designate the little deeds of thoughtfulness and gentleness which make no noise and attract no notice, rather than large and conspicuous acts which all men applaud. One may live many years and never have the opportunity of doing anything great, anything which calls attention to itself, yet one may, through all one's years, be kind, filling everyday with gentle thoughtfulness, helpful ministries, little services of interest, obligingness, sympathy, and small amenities and courtesies.

Kindness is beautiful. It is beautiful in its simplicity. It usually springs out of the heart spontaneously. The larger things men do are generally purposed, planned for, and are done consciously, with intention and preparation. Kindness as a rule is done unconsciously, without preparation. This enhances its beauty. There is no self-seeking in it, no doing something for effect, no desire for recognition or praise, no thought of reward of any kind. It is done in simplicity, prompted by love, and is most pleasing to Christ." From: The Beauty of Kindness by J. R. Miller

The above is a small part taken from a book that was given as a gift to my great-grandmother in 1905.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Have a blessed Sunday!

RMary

"This is the day the Lords has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Sweet Memory

I went out this morning to find my Rose Campions in full bloom. They have been straggling along for the past week or so, a flower here and there, but this morning they are everywhere. And I mean everywhere! They are a wild little thing, spreading themselves more and more each year.

My first plants were given to me by Lorene, my eighty-six year old Sunday School teacher. She passed away last year at the age of ninety-one. Her yard was covered in these flowers that seem to do well in shade or sun. She told me that her mother first planted the flowers when she, Lorene, was just a small child.

It took me a year or so to determine exactly what these flowers are. Her mother called them Tame Mullein. I finally found a picture and description in Rodale's Landscaping With Perennials. "Rose campion is an old-fashioned perennial with elongated oval leaves covered in silver gray felt. The deep rose red, five0-petaled flowers are carried in open clusters atop woolly stems. Plants grow from fibrous-rooted crowns." The book also states that they bloom in the late spring, but I have found they they bloom sporadically throughout the summer in my yard, especially those in shady areas.

Now that Miss Lorene is gone, seeing them bloom is all the more special to me. I miss her as well as her Sunday School lessons and the many stories that she always told us about this mountain area.

Her first job was teaching school. She would live in the small community during the week, then on Friday afternoon, her father would come on horseback to pick her up. He would let her ride the horse back home and he would walk.

She and her husband raised three daughters and farmed for over sixty years. Her husband passed away when he was ninety-five years old. At ninety, she still loved her flower gardens, tended her chickens, kept her home and taught Sunday School every week. I am thankful that she managed to live at home alone until a very few months before she passed away.

She was buried on her ninety-second birthday. While it was a sad day for all of us, we knew that she was having the best birthday ever!

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Just For Fun

I found this fun little post over at Quilted Together and thought I would join in: My picks are in bold.

Lace or Ribbon

Mountain or Beach

Reading or Writing--can't decide!

Cookie or Cake

Baked or Mashed Potato

Side or Back

Shrimp or Steak

Scrambled or Fried

Orange or Apple

Spring or Fall

Roller Skating or Bowling

DVD or Theater movies

Wood or Glass

Blue or Green

Chocolate or Vanilla

Quilt or Knit

Early Morning or Late Night

Coffee or Tea--Both!

Watermelon or Strawberry

Lunch or Dinner

Cold Cereal or Oatmeal

Song or Dance

Carpet or Hardwood Floor

Red or Pink

Cat or Dog

Pretzels or Chips

Iced Tea or Lemonade

Non-Fiction or Fiction

Rose or Daisy

Sunrise or Sunset

Comb or Brush

Pottery or Basket

Bracelet or Necklace

Pen or Pencil

Couch or Chair

Country or Victorian

Farm or ranch

Braid or Ponytail

Cash or Check

Chocolate Bar or Jelly Bean

Coke or Pepsi

Hot Dog or Cheeseburger

Blinds or Curtains

Dress or Pants

Sun or Moon

Adventure or Comedy

Cloud or Star

Lake or River

Half Full or Half Empty

Truck or Car

Bath or Shower

Clothesline or Clothes Dryer

New or Second Hand

Gum or Lifesaver

Email or Handwritten

July or October

Barefoot or Shoes

Bonnie found this at http://peacefulcorner.blogspot.com/, which she adds is always a lovely place to visit!

Anybody else want to play?

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Change

When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.~Helen Keller~

I have been thinking a lot about change these past few weeks. Maybe because our oldest has graduated and is really about to set out on her own and I know that her life is changing drastically, which, of course, makes a change in ours.

For the most part, I am a person that is resistant to change. Almost any change, but especially small ones. It bothers me to no end when they rearrange the aisles in the grocery store or re-do any of the book sections at the library. Just this morning as I was checking out my purchases at Wal Mart, the clerk and I discussed all the changes that Wal Mart is going through and how neither of us appreciated it!

But, I know that change is good and there is always a purpose for it. Not so much changes at Wal Mart, of course, but changes in our lives. When we are young, it seems that we are too busy trying to 'make' something of ourselves to really get to know exactly who we are, yet, as we get older, different things become more important to us.

Things like home and quiet contentment--sitting outside, watching the birds at their feeders or laughing at the rabbits that like to run through our yard and into the field beyond. I also enjoy walking down by our little lake close to sunset and watching the fish as they jump up from the water to get the food that my husband throws to them. The first time we hear the whippoorwill every spring or see the first 'lightening bugs'--a true sign that summer is here!

So, as in the Helen Keller quote above, I am trying not to look too long at that closed door, because I know that something else, something that is meant to be part of my life, our life is about to happen. Romans 8: 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

I hope that all of you are doing well with any of the changes in your lives.

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in in." Psalm 118:24

Back Home

Hooray, we are finally back home! Actually, we arrived late yesterday with a car load of our daughter's possessions. She is busy moving all of it into the house this morning.

The graduation ceremony went perfectly. Unfortunately, most of our pictures are very blurred that we took with the digital camera. I also had a 35mm with me, so I hope that some of those turn out. My father-in-law also took some pictures and he is a very good photographer, so we are hoping that some of his were good. I would like at least one good picture of her accepting her diploma!

There were tickets for the family of the graduates to sit in chairs down on the floor of the gym, but we couldn't see anything at all from there and opted for the bleachers upstairs instead. We had a great view of her as she walked across the stage. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Mass Communications, Electronic Media and a minor in English Literature. I have to say that it was an exciting moment for us when she walked across that stage!

Afterwards, it was so crowded that we couldn't find her and ended up walking over to her dorm after about thirty minutes. She had gone over there, too, and was waiting for us. We, along with my in-laws and our younger daughter, went out to eat some of the areas great BBQ. It was a wonderful day!

My daughter says to tell all of you thank you very much for the congratulations on her graduation. She reads my blog but never comments--hint, hint, girl!

I hope all of you are having a great start to your week. I think for me, today will be spent resting and visiting with my daughter.

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Happy Weekend!

Hope you are all doing well today. This is going to be a busy weekend for us with lots of friends and family. Our oldest daughter is graduating from college on Sunday! We are so proud of her and so happy for her. She has a lot of plans for this summer, including a writing course that she has been accepted to.

It seems that time goes by so quickly! As a homeschooling mom, I got to spend more time with her than most mothers do, but now it seems that it wasn't enough. Hug your kids, enjoy them--and have a very happy Mother's Day!

I'll 'see' all of you next week!

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

An Apple A Day. . .

Good morning! I'm off for some household shopping today. Hopefully, I can get it done and be back before it rains. We seem to be in a very rainy stretch right now. I know that some of you could really use some of this moisture, so I will not complain about it. We need it now, as we always seem to dry out terribly in the hot summer.

This is an ideal recipe to use when you are down to your last apple and are tired of eating them plain. It is fast, simple and very good to eat!

Apple Squares

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp of cinnamon

1/4 cup of butter, melted

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped apple--I always use Golden Delicious

1/2 chopped walnuts

Set oven at 350. Stir flour baking powder, salt and cinnamon together.

Melt butter and add to sugars, egg and vanilla, beating with spoon until smooth.

Stir in flour mixture, apple and walnuts until thoroughly combined. Spread in 8x8 greased pan. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, if desired. Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly brown and tests done. Cool completely and cut into squares. Enjoy!

Have a great day.

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Monday Morning

Good morning! Today is yard work day around here, so I'll be outside most of the day. Hope you are all having a great beginning to your week.

Here is a crazy little video that I hope makes you smile. The music is catchy and the video is a little. . .well, different!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ggdkvvaoKH4

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Day By Day

Day by day, dear Lord, of Thee

Three things I pray:

To see thee more clearly,

To love Thee more dearly,

To follow Thee more nearly,

Day by day

~St. Richard of Chichester~

"The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth." Psalm 145:18

Have a blessed Sunday.

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Deleted Post

I have deleted my original post for today. It was a rather light-hearted look at how we in 'tornado alley' sometimes view our lives during tornado season. I posted it before I read any news headlines. I did not realize that there had been such a devastating tornado in Kansas yesterday. I felt that the article was inappropriate at this time. I offer my sincere apology if the post I acquired from an on-line weather blog offended anyone. For the folks in Greensburg, KS, you are in my prayers. May God give you the strength and comfort that you need as you get through the next few days and weeks.

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Books and Tea

You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.

~C. S. Lewis~

This has been my motto during this rainy week we've had! A nice cup of Earl Grey and a good history book or even a mystery suits me just fine!

Hope all of you have had a good week and are looking forward to an even better weekend.

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

It's Back!!!

I was so happy to learn that my favorite magazine, Victoria, is coming back into publication! I was very unhappy when the company quit printing it. It was a magazine that I never looked at when it arrived in the mail--I would always set it aside until I had a quiet time that I could make a cup of tea and sit down for an hour or so and just enjoy it!

Here is the link to the article: http://mrmagazine.wordpress.com/2007/04/27/victoria-is-back-hearsts-southern-expansion/. The first issue should be out next fall!

Have a great day.

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Tuesday Afternoon

The rain is on its way!

Good afternoon to all of you. It is a rainy day here on the mountain. Looking to the mountain across from us, I could see the rain before it got here. I would love to chant "Rain, rain go away, come again some other day." But, truthfully, we need the rain. The status in our area is not considered critical, but it is considered 'abnormally dry', so rain is just the thing we need.

Today is definitely an inside day and I am going to enjoy it. It is a great day to finish up some housework, read, work a puzzle or whatever comes to mind. I have several craft projects that I need to dig out and do some work on and have had too many other things to do.

So, what do all of you do on rainy afternoons?

RMary

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24