LIFE IN A CORDWOOD CABIN

The Winner. . .

2011-12-20T12:10:00.002-06:00

Is Pen Pen! Congratulations, Penny. I 'think' I have your correct email address, but please send it to me again, just to be sure. I'll send the eBook to you right away.

Thanks everyone that signed up for the giveway!!

Still Time. . .

2011-12-19T14:34:00.003-06:00

To sign up for my eBook giveaway!! Scroll down to the post below and sign up to win a PDF copy of Christmas in Coyote County!!

I'll announce the winner tomorrow afternoon:)

Friday Giveaway!

2011-12-16T09:51:00.016-06:00

Good Friday morning to all of you! If you'd like to win a PDF copy of my White Rose novella, Christmas In Coyote County, please leave a comment! I'll draw the winner next Tuesday, December 20th. Christmas In Coyote County is available on the Pelican Book Group site, as well as Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. For the month of December, it is a dollar download on Amazon and the Pelican Book Group.

In Coyote County, Christmas means festive lights, the town parade, hot coffee and cinnamon rolls...not creatures from another planet.

While a glowing green Peeping Tom with two antennae is a little hard to buy, Libby Hawkins doesn’t believe her former school teacher suffers from either dementia or a runaway imagination. There’s a logical explanation, and she intends to discover it before the older woman is placed in a nursing home.

After a twelve year absence, Sheriff Jackson Carter returns to Coyote County to clear his father’s name. He never expected to be waylaid in his quest by alien sightings, and it doesn’t help that stubborn Libby Hawkins--his former girlfriend--is determined to meddle in the investigation. He hurt Libby when he left town after his father’s death, but it was for her protection. Now Libby’s stumbled on something dangerous. Can he keep her from harm this time? He doesn’t know, but one thing is certain: Christmas in Coyote County has never been so interesting

Wednesday

2011-12-14T18:14:00.005-06:00

Hi friends, sorry I've been absent. Last Monday, December 5th, my dad had a heart attack. Thankfully, it was a mild attack. He was in the hospital most of the week. They put in three stents and sent him home to rest. The doctors all think that the damage will heal by itself. He is doing fine and we are having to keep him from doing too much!

We finally finished decorating our tree and I wanted to share a picture of it with you. Merry Christmas!

Biscuits

2011-11-30T22:16:00.005-06:00

I love biscuits. But sometimes I just can't get awake enough in the morning to make them properly. So~I started looking around for a good homemade biscuit mix. I finally settled on the one below. It has a great flavor and makes biscuit making a snap in the mornings! You can substitute shortening for the butter, if you like. If you use butter, keep the mix in your refrigerator for up to four months. If you use shortening, store in tightly closed container on your counter top or in your pantry for 4-6 months.

Homemade Bisquick

6 C all-purpose flour, sifted

3 Tablespoons of baking powder

1 Tablespoon of salt

1/2 cup cold butter

Measure the sifted flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Use a wire whisk to blend thoroughly.
Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter until thoroughly incorporated.
Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 months.

To make biscuits, mix 2 1/4 cups of homemade mix with 2/3 cup of milk. Roll to 1/2 inch thick and cut out biscuits (approximately 12-14 depending on size). Bake at 425 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

This mix makes great sausage balls, too:)

Hello From the Cabin

2011-11-19T22:13:00.005-06:00

I should really say 'hello from Animal Cabin'! One cat has had an upper respiratory infection and been to the vet. We've had to give him medicine all week and wipe his nose contantly.

I took Bella, the German shepherd/Aussi puppy to have her spade and she has been inside howling since Thursday (she wants to go out and play with the others). Hopefully, by Wednesday she can spend some time outside as long as I keep her seperate from the other pups.

Meanwhile, someone dumped a cat on our road, so of course, she is here. We kept her isolated for a few days to make sure she wasn't sick, but I think she's mostly just starved. What is wrong with people?

Big waves to everyone~I'll be around to visit all of you SOON!

Homemade Christmas

2011-11-10T10:28:00.003-06:00

Are many of you doing a lot of homemade gifts this year? I injured my thumbs and fingers a few years ago, so a lot of hand sewing crafts are out for me. I'm thinking of doing mostly food gifts.

I've done Cookies in a Jar before, but just the other day I found this jar recipe for Rosemary Focaccia Mix. It looks very nice and would be great with homemade dry soup mixes. It also got me thinking about other Bread in a Jar baskets I could do. I'm thinking about doing pizza crust mixes. All they would have to add is warm water and a few tablespoons of oil. I'm wondering if some people wouldn't also appreciate larger jars/containers of homemade Bisquick.

I'm also considering dry homemade mixes, like onion soup mix, or ranch dressing mix.

But, Thanksgiving first! Tomorrow, I hope to get my rolls baked for Thanksgiving, get my sausage/celery/onion mix for dressing frozen, and also get my pie crusts made. I imagine some of you are way, way ahead of me! I do have my potatoes frozen and the ingredients for most things ready.

Have a great day!

Fall Musings

2011-11-04T09:58:00.008-05:00

Good morning! Hope all of you have had a good week. We've been doing our fall cleaning around here and so far, my back is surviving, LOL! We sure manage to generate a lot of dust around here, and now (we live on a dirt road), with the wood stove going most days, the dust is increasing.

A few days ago, hubby and I took to the back roads to look at the fall colors. The nice thing about the mountain roads is that there is no traffic and you can stop, get out and snap a few pictures without danger of being run over.

We mostly had the road to ourselves, though there were a few spectators curious about what we were doing walking on the road.

Have a great weekend!

Good Morning

2011-10-24T10:22:00.010-05:00

Sorry I didn't post last week. My back went 'out' last Sunday and I couldn't sit at the computer for more than ten minutes or so until Friday--and then I had to get ready for weekend company. I finally found some exercises that seem to help!

Not much is going on around here, other than animal training. The puppies are ultra wild in the morning when they come out of their puppy pen, and it takes a while to get them calmed down. Holly and Grady are especially excitable.
Jackie avoids them whenever possible:) She prefers helping my dad with his gardening.

Bella, a German Shepherd/Australian Shepherd, is only nine weeks old, but she calms down faster than the terriers and has already learned what NO means and she will come when called.

Indy spends a lot of time with interior design. He is especially fond of this fall display, though he never seems satisfied with his arrangements, LOL!

Have a great day!

Wednesday Morning

2011-10-12T09:41:00.003-05:00

Good morning. We have rain today!! That's pretty exciting around here, as we haven't had much the last few months. I'm hoping it will give a good watering to my green beans and tomatoes. Do any of you grow Juliet tomatoes? They are small, almost like cherry tomatoes, but elongated like Romas. I think they have a great taste and they are about the hardiest tomatoes I've ever seen. They did well through the long, hot summer and are still producing.
We walked through our woods last week and I took this picture. This makes the prettiest waterfall when it has rained a lot. You can't tell so much from the picture, but the water flows down into a little pool. It needs a good cleaning out, as several trees and branches have fallen on it. It is on our 'list' of projects around here. And I have to say that it is a long list. Still, we are hoping to get this project done sometime this winter when all the snakes are napping.

Have a great day!

Catching Up

2011-10-07T09:24:00.017-05:00

We've been busy around the cabin, this last month. Lots of writing going on, as well as stacking and stacking and stacking firewood:). We are on our LAST row for this winter--Hooray!!

I've been picking lots of peppers lately. I cook with some and chop and freeze the rest. Does anyone have any other ideas for them?

The puppies are growing. They have started losing their baby teeth, and we are finding them everywhere, LOL!

There is a pile of hay outside, ready for stuffing a scarecrow, but we haven't started on him, just yet. Last fall, we put him on the porch and all the cats, but one, were scared to death of him. The cat that wasn't afraid of him slept in his 'lap' all season.

Hope you are all having wonderful weather and enjoying the fall colors.

Prayers

2011-08-26T10:09:00.003-05:00

Praying for everyone on the east coast. Please take all the precautions you need to and stay safe!

Living on a Dime

2011-08-23T08:30:00.004-05:00

I love this site. I'd never been to Living on a Dime until a couple weeks ago. It's a great place for any of you that have noticed your monthly budget not doing as much as it used to. In this day of rising grocery prices, along with rising prices in everything else, I'm doing my best to find ways to make our limited finances s-t-r-e-t-c-h. I've been buying bread this summer instead of making it, and it has added so much to the grocery bill that I'm not sure I'm actually saving money. It might be cheaper to use the electricity! And it would certainly taste better.

Not much has been happening around here. The pups are growing, of course. They killed a chick yesterday. Poor chickie:(. They didn't mean to do it, just playing. Nevertheless, they were punished for bothering it. They really take to heart being locked in their little kennel for five to ten minutes!

Hope all of you are enjoying this last month of summer!!

Good Morning

2011-08-12T08:38:00.003-05:00

Hello to everyone. I'm guessing that my last post about oven canning was a little bit confusing to everyone. I want to clarify that it is not actually 'canning' food. It is a method used by some (at least according to an article I read) to further extend the shelf life of food that you have purchased at the grocery store. Foods like dried beans or oatmeal. It just seals out all the air and helps the food last longer.

I realize that most of you don't want 25 pounds of oatmeal or beans in your house, but I live quite a ways out in the country and I like to stay stocked up on food that I use all the time. The oven canning was in an article in the newest edition of Countryside Magazine. I went to their website, but the article is not online.

How are all of your gardens doing? Mine is about dried up. If the weather is starting to moderate (90s instead of 100s) I am going to replant my squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Our muscadines are still looking good, so maybe I'll be making jelly sometime in September.

Good Morning~Canning and Writing!

2011-08-10T08:31:00.008-05:00

As usual, I've been rearranging, de-cluttering (not as much as I should), and generally trying to make things a little more organized around the cabin. The heat has been horrid, so working inside most of the day has been my only option. I think we may be in for a cool down~highs in the upper 90s!

Have any of you heard of oven canning to preserve dried foods? I'm not talking about actual canning of fruits, vegetables, etc. This involved setting your oven to 200 degrees, filling sterilized jars with dry food you purchased at the store, such as oatmeal, beans, rice, even boxed cereal, such as Cheerios.

Put the jars on a cookie sheet in the 200 degree oven for one hour, then take out one jar at a time, put on clean, dry, sterilized lid (after wetting rim of jar with damp towel), and screw on the ring. This should seal your jar and you've also done away with any bugs hatching out in your food. Supposedly, this will keep the food sealed and good to eat for years. I haven't tried it yet, but I think I'm going to experiment with it on a few items.

In writing news, though I have no release date as of yet, the cover for my Christmas novella, Christmas in Coyote County, has arrived. Nicola Martinez, Editor-in-Chief of White Rose Publishing, did a fantastic job of capturing the fun nature of the story! Thank you, Nicola!!

Favorite Storage Containers

2011-07-26T15:15:00.006-05:00

Do you have trouble finding the right storage containers that 'fit' your kitchen? My pantries have tall, deep shelving, making it hard to fit storage containers in them just right. After looking around for a couple of years, I've settled on several different styles of storage.

My favorite are these 1/2 gallon freezer jars. They are perfect for storing beans and rice, and they look good on open shelves. I always freeze my dry beans for two weeks after purchasing, and so far I haven't had any trouble with bugs hatching out in them.

These jars, a throw-back to the old cracker jars, look really nice on the shelf. My main problem with them is the threading on the lids. It is hard to get the lid back on once you take it off. I have an old jar, an original, and this newer one here that I keep my oatmeal in. If the threading was better, I'd have lots of these jars!

For behind pantry doors, I like these cereal storage containers. They are inexpensive and you can easily get a couple of boxes of crackers in them, or several bags of brown or powdered sugar, and of course they are perfect for cereal.

I'd love to hear any of your ideas on kitchen storage. I'm constantly trying to find ways to organize this small room!

Meet the Pups and Writing Wednesday

2011-07-20T05:42:00.006-05:00

I'd like you to meet Holly (L) and Grady (above)~two new members of the cabin household. They are rat terrier mixed with ??? and are the cutest little things! They are nine weeks old. We adopted them from the Humane Shelter last Friday. They are real sweeties! At least we think so. The rest of the animals around here are still adjusting, LOL!

Writing Wednesday: Some of you may remember that near the end of April, I was busy editing a Christmas novella I had written. I heard back from White Rose Publishing and they have accepted my manuscript! I'm very excited about this and am looking forward to being part of the White Rose family!

Summer Pickles

2011-07-14T19:12:00.010-05:00

These summertime refrigerator dills are our very favorite. I finally have enough cucumbers for a gallon! The over 100 degree temperatures every day are starting to take a toll on our plants. We are expecting very hot weather for the next two weeks, so this may be the only batch we get. In case any of you have extra cucumbers, I thought you might like the recipe:

Summer Dills

2 cups white vinegar

6 cups of water

1/3 cup of canning/pickling salt

1 gallon of cucumbers (pickling are best, but any will work--just cut in smaller pieces)

2 tablespoons dill seed

2 tablespoons pickling spices

3 cloves garlic

Bay leaf or grape leaf

Combine vinegar, water, and salt. Bring to boil, then set aside to cool.

Put dill, garlic, pickling spices, & bay leaf or grape leaf in bottom of gallon jar. Fill jar with cucumbers, cut in halves or quarters if they are large.

When vinegar solution has cooled, pour over cucmbers and put in the refrigerator.

After 3 days, the cucumbers and brine can be divided into smaller jars. Pickles are ready to eat in about 2 weeks. Will keep approximately 4 months in the refrigerator.

Enjoy:)

2011-07-04T11:20:00.003-05:00

I'm so thankful for our country, founding fathers and everyone that has sacrificed through the years to give us this life! Happy Birthday, America!!!

Holiday Weekend

2011-07-01T20:43:00.004-05:00

Wishing everyone a wonderful Independence Day weekend!!!

Wednesday Wives Tales

2011-06-29T14:12:00.006-05:00

I haven't done an old wives tale post in a while, so I thought I would share these with you:

1. A bed changed on Friday will bring bad dreams.

2. Throw back the first fish you catch, and you will be lucky the entire day of fishing!

3. Stabbing your knitting needles through a ball of yarn will bring bad luck to whoever wears the garment you knit with the yarn.

4. If you dream about a lizard, it means you have a secret enemy.

5. Dropping an umbrella on the floor means there will be a murder in the house.

I've never heard any of these. Do you know these or any similar old wives tales?

Monday

2011-06-27T09:39:00.006-05:00

Good morning. I hope that all of you had a great weekend. It is another hot day here. We are under heat warnings this week, so I'll probably be staying indoors a lot.

I've started pulling out more of my patriotic decorations. I keep red, white, and blue in my dining room all year, but I have some extras for the Fourth of July and the rest of the summer.

I keep the garland (above) out all year. It is really a Christmas garland with angels and stars, but I like it a lot, so I try to make it 'fit' the season that is current. I gave the angels these little toothpick flags to hold for the Independence Day. I also looped the red, shiny garland around the curtain rod. It is also a Christmas decoration, but since it is red stars, I think it's also perfect for the Fourth!

The dolls, below, were put out by Hallmark in 1979. Two are Molly Pitcher dolls and the other one is a Susan B. Anthony doll. I thought they looked cute in the pitcher with the flags.

I may pull out some of my craft supplies and make some new decorations to add to my collection. I figure it's one fun way to 'beat the heat':).

Happy decorating~and stay cool!

Blogger Problems??

2011-06-21T06:49:00.004-05:00

Anyone else having trouble commenting? I can comment on some of your blogs, but others, like Waxed Out Creative Life (Hi Carmen!!) says that I am not signed in and I keep signing in over and over and it still won't let me post!

Guess it's just a glitch that will be fixed soon~I hope!!

Thank you, everyone!! I can finally comment!!!

Monday

2011-06-20T08:02:00.007-05:00

Life has been getting in the way of blogging again. The past few weeks have not been my favorites this year. We had to replace our refrigerator (after we lost a lot of food), our washing machine, and also put down our sweet little cat (we miss you, Georgia!). I hope all of you have been having a better June than we have been having at the cabin.

Did all of the dads in your life have a good Father's Day? I made a card for my dad and gave it to him at church yesterday. I'm so blessed to still have my dad. He will be 80 in a few months.

The daughters and I grilled ribs and made potato salad and baked beans for Father's Day supper last night. After that, we gave ourselves a good fright watching a few old episodes of the X-Files, LOL!

Everyone have a great day and stay COOL!

Writing Wednesday: Beginnings

2011-05-18T07:41:00.004-05:00

Snoopy has it right--beginnings are sometimes the most difficult part of the story. As a former SOTP (seat-of-the-pants) writer--(no plan, just sit down and write), I can totally relate. It has taken me three years to learn that an outline, however brief, is a great help to mapping a story. Sometimes I only know the beginning and the end and have to do some thinking about the middle, but I try to get it figured out before I actually start the story. However, winging it from the start can lead to some interesting twists in the storyline, LOL!

What about you? Do you make an outline for your idea, or just let the story evolve as you write?

Planting, Soaping, and Writing

2011-05-14T16:57:00.008-05:00

Hi everyone~I can't believe it's been two weeks since I posted! From reading your blogs, looks like all of you have been busy, too.

I've managed to get all of my herbs plants in the ground, but still have some seeds to plant. Our garden is coming along, but like the herb garden, it still has a ways to go. Hubby made another raised bed box today, so I'll be working on getting it planted sometime in the coming week.

I've been making soap for a craft show in a couple of weeks. I've been experimenting with dried herbs (haven't used any fresh ones in the mix, yet), and really like the way it's been turning out. I've found that getting the scent to stay in hot process soap is challenging. I finally made a batch that's a lavender/mint mix and it smells pretty good.

My writing project is finally completely finished and edited~so I'm taking a little break before getting back to it.

Hope all of you are enjoying the spring!

Blackberry Winter

2011-05-03T12:02:00.003-05:00

I hope all of you southern gardeners managed to avoid any frost last night. I checked my calender and it really is May, LOL! We did not have frost, which we are very thankful for~but I'm afraid our neighbors just to the north of us did. Our tomatoes still look healthy, as do the rest of our plants.

I am looking forward to the warm-up this week, as well as drying out! My, I've seen enough rain to last me for a while.

Hoping all of you are warm, safe, and dry!

Make Your Own Lotion

2011-04-29T17:50:00.009-05:00

I made this easy recipe about two weeks ago--and it turned out great! I waited until I'd used it a couple of weeks before posting. I wanted to make sure it is good stuff--and it is. It is so easy to make, too.

I made mine on the stove-stop. I put a measuring cup with the 1/4 cup of emulsifying wax (I bought this on ebay) and 1/4 cup of olive oil (light) in a small sauce pan over low heat until the oil and wax melted together. I ended up covering the top of the pan to make the wax melt, as it was a little cool in the house--there is no need to stir, it will melt on its own. Just don't let it boil!

After they were completely melted together, I added the 1 1/2 cups of boiling water, stirring it all gently together. Then I added 1 1/2 teaspoons of Jasmine essential oil. I poured the mixture into two wide-mouth canning jars. I had to shake it some as it cooled to keep it from being lumpy.

Olive oil is very good for your skin and it makes a wonderful moisturizing lotion. I added a teaspoon of Jasmine essential oil to the lotion right before I poured it into the jars. The next batch will be vanilla.

Please Pray

2011-04-28T08:16:00.004-05:00

I really have been meaning to make a post in the last week. I think of my blog as a fun place to post and visit with my friends--but this last week has brought so much suffering across the South. Some of our own family live in Vilonia, AR that was struck by the tornado on Monday. They were all spared and only one cousin had damage, but they are all okay. We are very thankful. The news this morning from Alabama and other states is horrific. Please pray for everyone that has been touched by these storms. Lives are changed forever. God be with them.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Tuesday

2011-04-19T15:03:00.002-05:00

Hope you are all having a great day. It is very windy outside here and expecting storms later. They are predicted to be severe~hope not as severe as the last round. So many people across the country are suffering from those storms.

I've been helping hubby with some of his work and also working on a writing project. I am starting to get summer decorating fever. I love having all my stuff around me in the winter. It makes the house seem cozy and warm. But once it starts warming up outside, I want all of it put away. I like a lighter, more spare look (not that it's ever really spare in the cabin, LOL) for summer. Are any of you like that?

I've been taking things off of the walls and changing out the curtains for a 'lighter' look. Still have plenty to do and boxes to put away!

Writing Wednesday & Herbs

2011-04-13T14:51:00.003-05:00

It is Writing Wednesday, and other than posting on a few blogs, I haven't done any writing today. One thing I really need to do is organize my writing desk. While I am not an organized person, I usually know what is in what stack of stuff--but the time has come to get it all cleaned up or soon there won't be anymore room. I did recently purchase a bulletin board and that has taken away some of the notes that I keep sticking everywhere. Do you keep your writing area organized?

I am still working on editing my novella. My daughters looked at it and gave me a few suggestions, so that will be my job for tomorrow. I don't think I have too many changes to make--other than the ending. I think endings are hard to write. I always know HOW it is going to end, but when I finally get there, it is always a challenge to get it right.

I spent the morning working in my little herb garden. I planted rosemary, oregano, and moved a sage plant. I also made a bed for some mints. I love being out there and seeing how it come along. I bought a food dehydrator, so I'm hoping to dry lots of herbs and veggies this gardening season. Have any of you dried herbs in your dehydrator? Several women at my church are going to be trying it this summer.

Tomatoes

2011-04-07T16:21:00.004-05:00

I've been surfing around the web, trying to find a tomato canning recipe like the woman told my mom about. This woman dips hers in boiling water, then in cold to remove the skins. They are put just like that in hot, sterilized jars, along with lemon juice and salt and sealed--she says the heat from the boiling water keeps them warm enough and they make their own juice. She has been putting them up this way all her life--just as her mother did. I'm not sure what makes the jars seal, since the tomatoes aren't hot.

I love Janet's easy method of freezing the tomatoes that she mentioned in her comment. I have frozen them whole on cookie sheets, then put them in a freezer bag. Run hot water over them after they're frozen and the skin will slip right off--then add to homemade soup. My main problem with freezing them is lack of freezer space.

The method that Tipper described, involving boiling the tomatoes in a pot and then putting them in hot, sterilized jars, letting them seal themselves, is the way my grandmother used to do hers and I guess it is safe enough. For me, I think I'll stick to the water-bath method. I'll admit that putting up my own food, other than freezing it, or making jam, always makes me a little nervous. I've never known anyone to get sick off of home-canned food, but there are all those horror stories that you here about whole families getting extremely ill, or worse.

Hooray~I think I've found all the words the program botched in my writing project! As it stands right now, I have about 19,500 words written. I think the requirements are 15, 000-20,000, so I have room to shorten it and tighten it up a little bit.

April Gardening and Writing

2011-04-06T06:07:00.000-05:00

Good morning! We are usually slow to get our garden in, but this year we already have out our green onions, onions, potatoes, broccoli, and some lettuce. I also have several heirloom tomato plants ready to put out. Our last frost date isn't for another week, but the weather looks like it will be warm enough to take a chance on getting them out. This will be the earliest we've ever had tomatoes out!

A woman at a local nursery recently told my mom that her method of preserving tomatoes does not involve water bath canning. Have any of you ever heard of such a method?

WRITING WEDNESDAY:

I am busy editing my writing project that I recently finished. It is a Christmas novella and I'm anxious to get it ready to send off. I have several other Christmas writing projects in mind, too. I'm hoping to work out a schedule to let me both garden and write, once the growing season really gets going.

I had an interesting experience with my Microsoft Office today. I decided to change the name Hank to Hattie. Nothing complicated--just an animal's name. Anyway, I did the find and replace thingy--now everywhere in my novella that I typed the word thanks it says thattie, thankfully has become thattiefully, etc. Live and learn:).

Happy Last Day of March

2011-03-31T08:12:00.006-05:00

I guess March is going out like a lamb this year. There's no roaring or rain or anything out there. Just lots of dull fog, right now.

I've been furiously working on a writing project--and yesterday--I finished! Now, for the editing.

I've also been doing a lot of research into how to save money on our grocery bill. With prices going up so much, I'm just trying not to spend more than we have been. If you're interested in that sort of thing, you might check out the Chickens in the Road site. There are a lot of homemade versions of things you usually buy and ideas for saving on food.

I've also started making yogurt with my crock pot. I found the recipe on The Simple Dollar. It's EASY!! I usually start it about 4 o'clock in the evening so I can leave it out overnight.

Put a half gallon of milk in your crock pot and turn it on high for 2 1/2 hours. Then turn it off for 3 hours. At this point--add 1/2 cup of active culture plain yogurt (like Dannon) and 1/2 cup of instant milk. Cover with a towel and wait 8-9 hours! It tastes exactly like what you buy, but a little bit thinner. You can drain it with cheese cloth or coffee filters if you like it thicker.

It's best for you plain, of course. But I also make a sweet dessert with it. I take a package of jello and add the hot water, then add seven ice cubes and stir till they dissolve. Then, add 2 1/2 cups of plain yogurt--stir and refrigerate. This makes a sweet custard-y dessert.

Happy end of March!

Writing Romance

2011-02-02T07:10:00.004-06:00

Happy Ground Hog Day, everyone! And Happy February~the month of love! As a romance writer, I'm constantly looking for another idea for love:).

I was going to ask all of you to name the most romantic book you have ever read. But I'm not sure what I would answer, myself. When I was a teenager, I thought that Christy, by Catherine Marshall was the most romantic book ever written. I read it over and over.

I think the first 'romance' to ever touch my life came from the movies. The Tammy movies that Debbie Reynolds starred in. I wanted to be Tammy. I wanted to live on a houseboat and meet a millionaire and all the other things that Tammy did. Even now, when I think back, those were really very sweet, romantic little movies.

Do you remember the first touch of romance in your life? (And is the song Tammy's in Love going 'round and 'round in your head?:)

Writing Wednesday & Spring Dreaming

2011-01-26T08:29:00.005-06:00

Good morning. Today I am emailing my submission to the Idahope Writers Fiction contest. I've been tweeking for the last week and it's finally ready to go.

I'd also like to say congratulations to my daughter, Laura Briggs~her novella, Only in Novels, was recently been nominated for The Romance Studio's, The Cupid and Psyche award in their Inspirational Romance category.

As for spring~I'm soooo ready for it! But guess I'll have to wait a while. I've been looking at all the spring flower pictures in the February Better Homes & Gardens. I love the Lenten Roses. Do any of you grow them? I'm going to be looking for some plants, soon. I think they would probably bloom here in March, but not sure.

Writing Wednesday

2011-01-19T06:36:00.000-06:00

What's in a name? A name for the character in your story, that is. Sometimes, it's just hard to think of a good name for your character. For a little bit of fun, you can try a random name generator, like this one at The Script Vault. These name generators are all over the web, so just google up something like name generator, and you'll find lots of these.

There are also some random title generators. I'm not posting any links because all of them that I found have 'adult' words in them, though none came up when I used them. Some of the titles were fairly amusing.

I am working on a writing schedule, trying to make sure that I write everyday. For now, my goal is at least two hours per day, four or five days per week. I'd like to expand to write at least four hours everyday, but for now, I'm sticking to my new schedule.

Happy writing!

Flea Market Finds!

2011-01-17T08:10:00.006-06:00

It wasn't a bonanza day at the flea market with lots and lots of great finds, but I did find two items I really love.

This little Royal Copely cat and book planter was just too cute to pass by. You can see that I still need to clean the dirt out of his book planter. I'm still trying to date him, but can't find the year he was made. I paid $4.50 for it.

And I really love this platter. It was made by the Paden City Pottery Company. The company opened in 1907 in Paden City, WV and closed sometime in the 1950s. This platter is very large--about 11" by 15". I paid $8.00 for the platter. (Do you see a lot of this pottery, Janet? Just wondering, since you are in WV).

It was a fun day out and I'm looking forward to heading back up there soon!

Friday!!

2011-01-14T09:29:00.002-06:00

Happy Friday, everyone! Not much is going on here today. I need to do some grocery shopping and, if I have time, stop in at the flea market.

Have a safe and fun weekend!

My Winter Poem

2011-01-13T12:26:00.008-06:00

Winter

Her icy winds drift and blow

Across gray shadows in the snow

Wild creatures footprints leave their mark

In the white so bold and stark

Defiant, lovely, strong, and bold

Soon winter's beauty will grow old

And leave us with her swift good-bye

As Spring's sweet glories greet our eye

Writing Wednesday

2011-01-12T20:36:00.002-06:00

Thanks to inspiration from Janet over at Writing in a Blackberry Patch, I have decided to combine my writing blog with this one and do my writing posts on Wednesdays. I'll still do an occasional Wednesday Wives Tales, but I don't have a lot of material left for that subject.

For today's Writing Wednesday, I'd like to tell all of you about a writing contest open to unpublished writers. It is sponsored by the Idahope Writers and first prize is a Nook! If you are interested, visit their page (their name is linked) and read the guidelines.

Janet also gave us a writing prompt to find a favorite photograph and write a poem about it. Maybe I'll have it next week~then again, I haven't written a poem in years...so I'll work on it.

Snow!

2011-01-10T06:10:00.000-06:00

We are having our first snow of the winter! It started about 1:30 yesterday and ended early this morning. It's very pretty, but I usually get tired of it after a day or two. Good thing I live in the south, LOL!

For any of you that don't own a Kindle, did you know that you can get a free Kindle application for your computer? You download it from Amazon and then you can purchase Kindle versions of books and also get all of the free books that Amazon offers in their Kindle Store! There are three Gooseberry cookbooks that are available for free! Click Here and get your free Kindle for PC!

Thursday Thoughts

2011-01-06T09:22:00.005-06:00

I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas and a great start to the new year. I've been busy working around the place and still have a lot to do.

Do you ever read an article and it just makes you sort of sad? If you haven't seen this one: Things Babies Born in 2011 Will Never Know, take a look at it and see how it makes you feel!

Just last weekend I was discussing with family some of the the things that children don't know these days--like how to tell time with a regular clock--especially if it has Roman numerals on it!

I'm starting to feel ancient.

Good Morning!

2010-12-22T08:13:00.004-06:00

The Christmas presents are wrapped and the baking is ongoing! I had planned to show you some of my Christmas crafts, but I'm embarrassed to say that none are finished. Maybe I will get a few done before Christmas Day.

I hope all of you are having a fun and beautiful Christmas week!

Thursday

2010-12-16T16:07:00.002-06:00

Have all of you finished your shopping? I finished mine today. I've had most of it done for a month, but had one last thing to go pick up.

I bought this little doll house at a flea market for $4.50 a few years ago. I put it out in my husband's shop and never did much with it. A couple of weeks ago, our daughters got it out and painted it pink and made a little Victorian Christmas house! It is very 'sparkly' but hard to tell in the pictures.

For some Christmas-y ideas, click on over to Christmas Decorating Ideas.

Have a wonderful day!!

And The Winner Is...

2010-12-14T08:26:00.004-06:00

Tammy~from Just Being Me!!!! Congratulations, Tammy!! Send an email to me with your address and I'll get it in the mail tomorrow or Wednesday!

(I guess you can all see that I am a day behind. I meant tomorrow or Thursday, LOL!)

The Last Day...

2010-12-13T16:40:00.001-06:00

To sign up for the Martha Stewart DVD giveaway~scroll down to the post below and sign up! I'll post the winner tomorrow!

Still Decorating

2010-12-09T06:34:00.001-06:00

Our tree is up, but we still have some decorating to do. I'll be posting some more pictures next week. I want to let all of you know how much I'm enjoying looking at the Christmas pictures you've been posting on your blogs--you are all so creative!

With winter setting in, it's the perfect time to plan those comfort food meals for your family. I hope all of you will post a comment below to win this Martha Stewart Favorite Family Dinners DVD. I will be drawing the winner next Tuesday, December 14th. So be sure and sign up by midnight, December 13!

After you post below, be sure and click on over to Writing in a Cordwood Cabin and sign up for the ebook giveaway!

Giveway!!

2010-12-06T09:22:00.006-06:00

Good morning~ I hope all of you are enjoying this beautiful Christmas season! I know I've been gone a while--but now I'm back--with a giveaway! I'm co-sponsoring my daughter's giveaway of her ebook, Only in Novels.

When a simple mistake lands bookstore owner, Lannie Maxwell, with the wrong author for her book signing, she wonders if her tiny business is destined to fail. Instead of Ms. Modern Homemaker--an author sure to multiply the bookstore's sales--Lannie finds herself stuck with D.E. Henson, an unorthodox and infuriating adventure novelist. The dashing D.E. (Dexter) is determined to help Lannie rescue her struggling business, but his outlandish ideas threaten to turn her world upside down. Can the two put aside their differences to save the store......and find their own version of happily-ever-after?

To register to win a free e-copy of Only in Novels, click on over to my writing blog, Writing in a Cordwood Cabin and sign up! To add to your chances, you can also register on Laura's blog with a link from mine.

Good Luck!

P. S. I'll be back with a giveaway on this blog in a few days!

Wednesday Wives Tales~Persimmon Seeds

2010-11-03T11:22:00.004-05:00

I finally got around to going out to scrounge for some persimmons. I think the 'possums must have eaten all of ours. Or the dogs. It's always a contest to see who or what creature can get there first. I went out early this morning in the rain and found~ONE persimmon.

If you cut open your persimmon seeds and see the shape of a fork, then you will have a nice, easy winter. A spoon and there will be lots of snow to shovel. A knife~cutting cold.

Our neighbors have reported spoons in their persimmon seeds and that is what we are calling the shape we found in ours. They are not as defined as usual, but there is definitely the little 'cup' part of a spoon. So, lots of snow for us! We had spoons in them last year and there was plenty of snow.

Have you seen any 'signs' about the coming winter?

Don't Forget

2010-11-02T07:53:00.001-05:00

to VOTE!!! Exercise your privilege and freedom!!

Friday!!

2010-10-29T16:00:00.004-05:00

Have a fun, safe weekend!

A Week of Scary Fun!

2010-10-25T06:29:00.001-05:00

Next week, the Pilgrims and Indian (I only have one), come out, along with the corn husk turkey to get us in the Thanksgiving mood. But this week is a week of creepy fun around our house.

One of the things we love to do is watch old classic-type horror movies. None of this modern blood and guts slasher kind of stuff for us. Just give us Vincent Price, Bela Lugosi, or Lon Chaney, Jr. and we are ready to watch!

A movie we'll be sure to watch is House on Haunted Hill~a little creepy, but with plenty of laugh out loud moments. If you watch, check out the old housekeeper. Don't you think she's being pushed around on an old upright vacuum cleaner??

Hello Friends

2010-10-18T15:48:00.004-05:00

I know~I've been a terrible blogger lately. Just busy, busy, and trying to catch up on some long over-due projects around the homestead.

I miss all of you and will be around to visit your blogs soon!

Big waves,

R~Mary

Sixty Years!!

2010-10-02T16:49:00.001-05:00

Happy 60th birthday, Charlie Brown!!

Wednesday Wives Tales~Buttons

2010-09-29T06:39:00.000-05:00

Counting Buttons:

1. Husband-- Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, Indian Chief.

2. Home--Big house, little house, pigsty, barn

3,What type of wedding dress will you wear--silk, satin, velvet, cotton, wool.

4. Grabbing hold of buttons on your clothing when a hearse or death carriage passes, will allow to you to cling to the living, rather than death.

5. It is unlucky to button your garment from the bottom up~start at the top!

6. If you miss a few buttons when you're buttoning up your shirt, it means a surprise is coming.

7. Buttons must be removed from the clothes of the dead and the clothing sewn (use no knots) or pinned to keep the spirit from coming back.

Good Housekeeping

2010-09-27T11:03:00.002-05:00

Have you seen the October issue of Good Housekeeping? I really loved the interview they did with Jamie Lee Curtis~that girl is organized! So, thanks to her, my house is a mess, LOL! I have pulled all sorts of things out of my closet and also my pantry.

I now know that I have a lifetime supply of crushed pineapple:-0. Actually, most of it expires in 2012, so it's just a couple of years worth. Anyway, that is how I'm spending my Monday. Hope you're having a great day!

You can read the interview here.

Special Package

2010-09-24T08:48:00.005-05:00

Last month, I won Tipper's Spread the Love prize! It arrived in the mail on Tuesday. It is perfect for my country home and I'm very happy to have it! This pretty piece was made by Mamabug. If you don't already visit their blogs, click on over there and take a look around~you'll love both of them!

Thank you, Tipper!

Wednesday Wives Tales

2010-09-22T05:40:00.003-05:00

First day of fall!! My calendar says it's tomorrow, but, officially, I think it's today, so.... Some of our trees are just starting to turn and the ground around the oak trees are littered with acorns. Sadly, a few of our trees, like our dogwoods, have only brown, crispy leaves. The summer drought and heat were just too much for them.

1. Carrying an acorn in your pocket will bring you good luck.

2. An acorn kept on a windowsill will repel lightning.

3. Violets blooming in the autumn means a coming epidemic.

4. Catch a falling leaf on the first day of autumn and you won't catch a cold all winter.

5. When goldenrod blooms, expect a frost in a month.

6. If the oak trees refuse to shed their topmost leaves, it is a sign of a hard winter to come.

7. A purple sunset means frost that night.

Easy Brownies

2010-09-20T08:29:00.005-05:00

Some of you may already use this yummy recipe. For years, I just substituted applesauce for the amount of oil and mixed the recipe just as instructed. I've found that this recipe makes a 'fudgier' brownie.

Brownie Mix (type that makes 9x13 pan of brownies)

1/2 cup of applesauce

1/2 cup of cold or warm left-over coffee

1 egg

Nuts~optional

Mix all and put in greased pan, bake as usual. Watch and don't let it dry out too much.

Enjoy!!

Happy Birthday

2010-09-17T07:27:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to the Constitution of the United States of America! Take the time today and read this special document and thank God for our liberty!

More 1900

2010-09-02T12:20:00.002-05:00

I am still thinking about this subject. Staci mentioned Frontier House, that PBS produced a few years ago. I loved that show! It certainly brought out the best and a lot of the worst in people, LOL!

As a people, we are so used to everything being right at our fingertips. I remember that as a child, I thought it was bothersome to have to 'look-up' a subject in an encyclopedia. Now, all we do is type in the subject and resources appear before our eyes. I'll confess to loving the ease of the Internet.

When we experienced an ice storm in 2000/2001 (it started Christmas Eve, 2000), we had a little taste of the 1900 experiment. We were without electricity for twelve days. We heat with wood, so we cooked on top of the stove. I have plenty of kerosene lamps and we had kerosene, so we had light. Our well has a sand filter, so we drew water out of the filter--but basically, we were unprepared for a long term black-out. I remember making a list of what would have made our lives better for those couple of weeks, but of course I can't find it!

One history lesson that we all came to understand is why the old-timers went to bed with the chickens~sitting in the dark (because those lamps don't put out much light) makes for a long evening, LOL! We did take turns reading aloud The Long Winter, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. That story made us count our blessings!

Thank you all for your comments on the See You in a Hundred Years post!

See You....

2010-08-30T18:16:00.004-05:00

In a Hundred Years~this is the name of a book I was looking at on Amazon. Back in 2000 a young couple decided to live--for one year--like their ancestors lived 100 years ago. They bought a small farm and ran it like it would have been run in 1900.

Do you think you could do it? I'm not really keen on doing something like this, but it got me thinking about what I could 'take with me' if I did it. So far, I can take my china cabinet and my little Seth Thomas shelf clock. The clock came to Arkansas via covered wagon from Kentucky back in the 1870s. It belonged to an elderly neighbor we had when I was a child. His mother rode in the wagon with the clock on her lap to keep it from breaking on the long ride. My grandpa, who lived across the street, purchased it from him.

My grandpa gave it to me as a gift when I was five years old. I probably have a few other items that could travel back in time with me, but I'm not sure of the dates some of my things were made. I suspect that a few would just miss the mark.

Could you live like they did a hundred years ago for a year? Do you own anything that you could 'take with you'?

Sweet Book

2010-08-23T08:04:00.004-05:00

If you want to read a book that will make you laugh, cry, and feel good all at the same time, try the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. A friend on a forum recommended it and it is everything that she said.

I will warn you that it is solely a book of 'letters' sent back and forth between friends. I don't usually like these sort of books, but this one drew me right in and I loved reading it. It is set on the Island of Guernsey, after WWII. The book, though fiction, delves into the problems that this tiny island suffered under German occupation. I learned a lot of things from this book!

Check it out from the library, borrow it from a friend, or buy it used on Amazon.

Have a great day!

Did You Know....

2010-08-17T14:53:00.005-05:00

That today is National Thrift Shop Day? I wish I could celebrate by going thrift shopping! Maybe later this week.

Since I can't go today, I thought I'd share a few pictures of some recent purchases.

These old blue canning jars were $3.50 & $4.

This old green bowl (I love the color!) Was $5. I keep it on top of my Hoosier cabinet. It makes a great storage container for my fabric napkins.

This old metal coffee pot is rusty and doesn't have a lid. I thought it would make a great container for a fall bouquet! I paid $2.50 for it.

I hope all of you have been doing well. I haven't posted in over a week. I think this has been one of my busiest summers ever!

Friday Fun

2010-08-06T08:21:00.005-05:00

Today is National Fresh Breath Day. I'm not sure what that means, but I thought you'd all like to know about it, LOL! Keep your breath mints handy.

And, if you're lucky enough to be anywhere near Braham, Minnesota, it is PIE day there! Yum. Homemade pies to eat, pie baking contests, etc.

Also, Only in Novels is available at White Rose Publishing. Congratulations, Laura!

Book Trailer For My Daughter's Novella!

2010-08-03T18:24:00.002-05:00

My daughter's White Rose publication debuts Friday, August 6th. For a sneak peak, view the trailer below!

Busy Days

2010-07-30T09:32:00.005-05:00

This summer is keeping me busy! It seems there's always something I have to do or some place I have to go. Hubby's been working extra hours, most of the appliances are thinking about going on the blitz, and the heat is stretching our air conditioner to its limit. I'm so ready for fall!

A friend on a forum recently recommended this book. After reading about it over on Amazon, I ordered a copy of it. I'm so looking forward to reading this book. I was amazed at the number of great customer reviews it has. Take a look and see what you think!

Summer Reading

2010-07-21T08:54:00.004-05:00

Have you been doing any reading during these long, hot summer afternoons? I recently finished a couple of Dean Koontz books. He's a great writer, but right on the verge of being too 'creepy' for me!

I've just started reading Love's Rescue, by Tammy Barley, a Christian author. So far, it's an exciting read!

Have a great day!

Summer Squash

2010-07-12T13:08:00.004-05:00

Are you tired of it, yet? I love it and look forward to it every summer. I usually freeze some to enjoy the rest of the year, too. My favorite way to eat it is fried. I like to mix it with okra and fry it together, along with some onion.

I've been experimenting with casserole recipes, and so far, Paula Deen's is my favorite.

The only thing I change about the recipe is to add more squash. It calls for 6 cups cut up, which I measure out--then I add two more medium squash to the amount. I keep all the other ingredients the same. It is delicious!

Summer Chores

2010-07-09T15:04:00.006-05:00

With all the heat and humidity we've been having, I've been trying to catch up on some of my indoor projects. I recently painted my dining room chairs black. They are a mismatched set of chairs. One set was painted a dark green that was peeling off, and the other was not painted at all. I bought the unpainted chairs from a local flea market for $4.50 a piece and the smaller, painted chairs are a remnant from my childhood.

I also wanted to let you know that my romance story, Moonlight Magic, is in the July 19th issue of Woman's World.

Have a great day!

Yankee or Rebel?

2010-07-08T09:25:00.003-05:00

Take this fun TEST and find out!

I scored 100% Dixie!

Independence Day

2010-07-04T11:54:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday, America!!!

Riding Through Enemy Lines

2010-07-02T17:29:00.003-05:00

Deborah Champion, born in 1753, was the daughter of Continental Army's Commisary General, Henry Champion. In September, 1775, she rode two days and nights, accompanied by a trusted family slave, whom she called 'Uncle Starky', to deliver intelligence information to General George Washington. The ride was from Connecticut to Boston.

She was stopped by British soldiers once, and at first they insisted she go to their headquarters and be questioned. But it was very early in the morning, still dark, and she begged to be let through, telling them she was making haste to a friend's home.

Deborah was wearing her mother's bonnet, a very large bonnet covering most of her face. It was a fashion worn by older women. The soldiers studied her for a few moments and replied, "Well, you are only an old woman, anyway", and he allowed her to pass.

She successfully delivered the papers to General George Washington himself. He complimented her on her courage and patriotism.

Molly Pitcher

2010-07-01T13:23:00.006-05:00

The name 'Molly Pitcher' is generally attributed to Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley. She was the wife of John Hays. Mary was carrying water to the soldiers at the Battle of Monmouth fought in New Jersey, when her husband, who was loading one of the cannons, was killed. She immediately took over his job and continued to load the cannon throughout the battle. It is said that George Washington was so impressed with her quick thinking and actions, that he dubbed her, Sergeant Molly.

She has been honored in various ways throughout the years, including a depiction of her on a pedestal of a monument, a stamp, and a section of a U. S. highway was named after her, as well as a ship in WWII, the SS Molly Pitcher.

Like many stories from the Revolution, there is speculation that the true Molly Pitcher was a combination of women and the roles they played in various battles.

Angels and flags

Bestsy Ross

2010-06-27T19:32:00.003-05:00

Betsy Ross is a well-known symbol of our history. Whether or not she actually made the first American flag is up for debate. Is it possible? Yes. Probable, unfortunately, no. Yet, the legend comes from her own grandson, who told the story of George Washington, Robert Morris, and her husband's uncle, George Ross coming to see her and asking her to design a flag for the newly independent colonies.

What we do know about Betsy Ross is that she was a flag maker and also, eventually, the widow of two Revolutionary War soldiers. I'd say that makes her a definite Patriot.

Whether or not Betsy Ross actually made our flag is not as important as it is to remember that women played a big role in the revolution of our great country! I want to do a few more posts this week about the important roles that they played in our independence.

On another note, are any of you decorating for the Fourth of July? I'll be posting some pictures later this week.

Have a great day!

Summer Fun

2010-06-24T07:17:00.004-05:00

It's hot and there's nothing to do about it, so, we might as well celebrate the season. Looking around the web, I found Martha Stewart's 60 Days of Summer. I especially like these Star Medallions, and I noticed in the comment section that several people are making them with paper. She's got some great ideas, so check it out!

Stay cool!

Afternoon Movie

2010-06-22T07:40:00.002-05:00

One cure for the afternoon heat is to sit back in your air conditioned living room, den, or wherever you like to watch television and turn on an old movie. I try to get some things done outside in the morning and then take the afternoon to read, do research for my writing, or occasionally, watch an old movie.

Bringing Up Baby is one of my all-time favorites. I think that this is Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn at their best. I will say that this screwball comedy is a little much if you like a slower pace. But if you've never watched this movie and want to see something a little bit silly and crazy--this is the movie for you. Enjoy~and stay cool!

To Weed or Not to Weed

2010-06-17T06:59:00.007-05:00

I love weeds. Well, some of them. Some are rightfully called wildflowers, but many still consider them a weed. But for a person who is somewhat challenged in the green-thumb department (like me), weeds can be a wonderful help. Whenever some new looking plant pops up among my struggling-to-stay-alive flowers, I usually leave it, at least for a while, just to see what it may become.

My Mom's Black-eyed Susan flowers.

There is some sort of wild pea-vine (I think), that shows up every year in my day lilies. The leaves are nice, there are no stickers, and they will eventually bloom some very pretty purple/lavender flowers. I think they are a nice 'filler' for that area once the day lilies are finished. And after several years, they haven't harmed the day lilies at all. Of course, day lilies are tough plants. Maybe nothing can harm them. Even all the honeysuckle around here hasn't conquered them, yet.

How about you~do you weed-out all the weeds?

Tuesday Chores and Writing News

2010-06-15T19:57:00.008-05:00

Hello everyone. I hope wherever you are that it's cooler than it is here. Our high was only about 90 degrees, but boy was it humid!

I still have a few things to plant out in my flower/herb bed and if I don't get it done by the end of next week, it will probably be too late. I guess I'd better stop hoping for a cool-down and get out there and do it!

Today I baked bread and also cut out some fabric squares to make napkins. I've needed to do this for a while, as we tend to use a lot of paper products~more than we need to. I would love to quit using paper towels, too, but I'm afraid that would only add to my laundry, which is hard to keep up with as it is. Have some of you done away with using paper towels?

I have some exciting news I want to share with all of you. I have a romance story being published in Woman's World magazine. It is supposed to be in the July 8th issue. I also had a mini-mystery in the May 10th issue. I had the wrong date for that story and didn't get to tell all of you about it. The story will be published under Mary L. Briggs.

Hope you're having a great week!

Remember Your Neighbors This Week

2010-06-13T10:19:00.002-05:00

29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.

32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.

35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

Luke 10: 29-37

Saturday

2010-06-12T13:52:00.003-05:00

I'm posting this as a special request for prayer for the families down south of us. The devastating floods at the beautiful and remote Caddo Gap area took the lives of seventeen people (as I write this). There are possibly twenty-four more persons unaccounted for.

It was such a freak thing to happen. I can't imagine the terror that those people were going through. The water rose so quickly that most were unable to get out. Yesterday, no survivors were found, but there is still hope that some may be out there.

Thank you, friends.

Blog Break

2010-05-27T06:06:00.000-05:00

There's too much to do inside and out, and since quite a few of you are taking a break, I think I will, too.

Big waves to all of you~be back later!

Wednesday Wives Tales~Doors

2010-05-26T06:50:00.000-05:00

Did you know that there are odd beliefs about doors? Most seem to involve entering and leaving through the front door of the house. Always enter and leave by the same door.

It seems an odd thing to me and I can't help but wonder where people got the idea about the doors they were entering and leaving and how this affected their 'luck'. I'm still researching this question. Does anyone know?

1. If you are moving to a new house, the first time you enter it must be through the front door.

2. A wedding couple should only enter a house by the front door.

3. The front door of a bride's house must not be closed while she is at the church getting married. (Does anybody leave their door unlocked these days?)

4. Letting the foot of the bed face a doorway causes bad luck.

5. Nailing a horseshoe on a door will bring good luck--just make sure it's nailed up in the shape of a U to keep your luck from 'falling out'!

6. Having a black cat greet you at your door is good luck! (At last, something nice about cats, LOL).

7. If a spider builds a web across your front door, you are going to have company!

Have a wonderful day~and make sure you use the front door!

Saturday Smile

2010-05-22T10:50:00.001-05:00

Ginger being lazy on the porch swing. She's a sweet little cat that we adopted from the Humane Shelter back in February.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Wednesday Wives Tales~Worms

2010-05-19T06:47:00.000-05:00

We were out looking at our wild plum trees yesterday and saw worms in a few of the plums~which made me wonder....how many old wives tales are about worms? Most seem to involve getting worms, LOL!

1. If you eat too much sugar, worms will grown in your stomach.

2. Eating a hair from a horses forelock will cure worms (Yuck!).

3. You will grow worms in your stomach if you go to bed hungry.

4. You will get worms if you eat raw potatoes.

5. The thirteen bands on a woolly worm allow you to predict the weather for winter.

6. Eating boiled onions cures stomach worms.

7. A lot of worms on the ground is a sign of rain. (I looked this up and it is true).

There are many more old beliefs about worms. Do you know any old wives tales about worms?

Good Monday Morning

2010-05-17T10:44:00.005-05:00

It's a beautiful Monday here in the mountains. The air is a little muggy from all the rain, but the sunshine is wonderful! I am baking bread this morning and I also got together a couple of bags of clothes for the charity shop.

I thought I'd share a picture of our little kitty cabin. My husband made this for the cats to sleep inside of in the winter. It has two stories in it for the cats to share. There is a light bulb underneath to heat it when it's really cold. Our oldest daughter painted it to match the cabin!

And while the cats like it and will get inside when it's extremely cold~it is really the favorite of the chickens for laying their eggs! Right now, our little red hen is setting on her clutch of eggs~which has made the rest of the hens mad. It doesn't stop them, though--they just climb in and lay their eggs on top of her! We try to get the 'new' eggs out periodically through the day, LOL!

Hubby is going to build a couple more of these to put out in the yard and hopefully, the hens will use them, instead of the cat's cabin!

Wednesday Wives Tales~Spices & Herbs

2010-05-12T06:46:00.000-05:00

Wives tales involving spices were very common in Elizabethan times. Here are a few.

1. Accidentally omitting spices when mixing a recipe means that trouble is coming your way.

2. If you pin bay leaves on each corner of your pillow on St. Valentine's Eve, you will dream of your future husband.

3. A basil leaf left under a pot will turn into a scorpion.

4. During Elizabethan times it was considered good luck for a bachelor to wear a sprig of basil on his collar. It would bring the luck of finding a bride.

5. Sprigs of mint tied around the wrist is good for stomach ailments.

6. Oregano is put in a bride's shoes and in her bouquet for good luck.

7. Lemon balm planted next to the front door will drive away evil. Also, lemon balm is said to cause the heart to be merry.

8. If you spill pepper, you will have an argument with your best friend.

Friday Fun~Primitive Crafts

2010-05-07T13:46:00.004-05:00

I'm still working on my little bag of dolls, but thought I'd post a picture of some of my older primitive, grungy dolls.

The small doll in front on the left was made by my daughter, as well as the grungy little kitty with the rusty wire whiskers. I made the two black sock dolls and the Clara Barton doll, as well as the little patriotic shelf sitter type doll.

Everyone have a great weekend!

Wednesday Wives Tales~Butterflies

2010-05-05T05:42:00.000-05:00

We've been seeing so many butterflies lately, that I thought it might be interesting to find some old superstitions about them.

1. If you find three butterflies together, it's a sign of good luck.

2. If butterflies arrive early for the season, it is a sign that good weather is here to stay.

3. If the first butterfly you see is dark, it means there will be a lot of thunderstorms during the spring and summer.

4. If a butterfly flies inside of your house, someone in the family will soon marry.

5. If the first butterfly you see is white, you will have good luck throughout the season.

6. If a butterfly comes into the house, a lady will soon visit and her dress will be the same color as the butterfly.

7. If a butterfly lights on your shoulder, you will soon get some new clothes.

There were many more~some not so 'fun'. Do you know any superstitions about butterflies?

Monday Chores

2010-05-03T14:08:00.002-05:00

Monday is bread baking day around here. I baked two loaves this morning, but it looks like one of them is about gone. Three people ate some hot for breakfast, then two made sandwiches at lunch.

I did some research for some potential writing projects and I've also folded clothes, washed dishes, worked on re-doing some old curtains and pinched down some of my lemon balm and other herbs.

And now I'm going to take a tea break.

What's on your Monday-to-do list?

Saturday Smile

2010-05-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

My Saturday Smile is George in the kitchen window. She loves to sleep in this deep window sill and it is the perfect perch for watching birds when she is awake!

Thank you all for welcoming me back to blogging. I missed all of you!

And thank you all for your sweet comments about my kitchen. Sue wants to come for coffee and Zuzu says she will bring cinnamon buns (yum!). I think it would be so fun if we all really could get together for coffee. I'd perk some up for all of us in my old Farberware Superfast percolator. I use it everyday and love the way the coffee tastes.

To answer some of your specific questions~Carmen C., all my fur babies are doing very well and you'll be seeing pictures of them pretty soon-probably more than you might want to, LOL!

Lea, the bowls in my kitchen are Jadite. I love Fiesta ware, too, but don't have any. If you keep looking at thrift stores and yard sales, I'm sure you'll find a bread box that you like. I have 5 of them and love to use them on my shelves. They are great to store even more 'stuff' in, LOL!

Penny~I promise I'll show my grungy little dolls when I get them finished. They are all just stuffed in a bag right now, but maybe I'll get to work on them this weekend.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend and do something you love.

R~Mary

Friday

2010-04-29T22:46:00.007-05:00

As some of you noticed, I've been away from blogging for the past month. I really needed to take a computer break and get a few things done around the home place.

For starters, I painted the kitchen and dining room a soft yellow/white and a gray/green on the trim. Our walls are cordwood and pine boards. I love the look of the boards, but they made the rooms really dark and we are getting to the age when we need a lot of light to see:) Now it is so much brighter in here. I'm thinking about doing the living room, too, but it is 'on hold' for right now, at least until I'm finished with the dining room.

Here are a few pictures of my country/farmhouse kitchen. As you can see, I like lots of 'stuff', LOL!

I decided to leave the ceiling unpainted. The pantry next to the refrigerator has been 'antiqued', but in the picture it just looks like it needs a good bath. So much for my great photography.

I've also been working outside. I planted quite a few tomato plants, some cucumbers (which are not looking too good, and some squash, also not looking good. I'll probably have to start over on those two.

I'm making a new herb bed that is still in progress.

And, I have about six doll bodies made up, but they are not 'decorated' yet, so their identity is still something I have to decide on. I make very grungy, prim dolls. I think that grunging them is my favorite part, LOL!

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday Wives Tales~Quilting

2010-04-28T06:16:00.000-05:00

Quilting is a fun hobby today, but most women live their lives without ever trying their had at this old-fashioned art. In the days when women's lives revolved around their homes, quilting was as an important part of their lives as learning to cook, garden, and bake bread. We've all heard of the old fashioned quilting bees, and similar groups still meet today. I thought a few superstitions about quilts would be fun.

1. If a young woman 'shakes' a quilt out the front door of the cabin, the next single man to enter through that door will be her groom.

2. If a young girl completed a patchwork quilt without help from anyone else, she would never marry.

3. If a single woman is first to sleep under a new made quilt, she will dream of her future husband.

4. If you begin a quilt on a Friday, you will never live to finish it.

5. Never quilt figures of humans on a quilt or they will 'walk and visit you at night'.

6. Hearts are unlucky on quilts unless the quilt is for a bride.

7. The name for the 'Wandering Foot' quilt pattern was changed to 'Turkey Tracks' due to the belief that any male that slept beneath the quilt would wander from home and lead a worthless life.

Do you know any old wives tales related to quilting?

Wednesday Wives Tales~Luck of the Irish

2010-03-17T06:15:00.006-05:00

Happy Saint Patrick's day to all of you!! Are you wearing green? I thought you might like to see a few Irish 'old wives tales' in honor of the holiday.

Most mountain people in my area (including myself) are are descended from Irish and Scottish immigrants. Some so far back that it is hard to pinpoint when they came here. I have an ancestor that arrived in America from Ireland in the early 1600s.

Here are a few fun (and sometimes creepy) Irish superstitions:

If you meet a funeral you must turn around and walk at least four steps with the mourners or bad luck will befall you.

A dead hand is believed to be a cure for all diseases. Many times sick people were brought to a house where a corpse was laid out, so that the hand of the dead might be laid on them. (I have found this 'cure' listed in many mountain superstitions. People used to be sure and bring their sick children to wakes in order for them to touch the dead person's hand.)

If you kill a Robin, you will never have good luck.

If a magpie comes to your house and looks at you, it is a sign of death and no charm or spell can avert this.

If you make a purse from a weasel, it will never be empty.

It is unlucky to knit at night unless you are quite sure that all the sheep are asleep. (I guess they don't mind during the day?)

If you Google Irish superstitions, you will find that there are endless amounts of them to enjoy.

Have a wonderful day~and may the Luck of the Irish be with you!

Wednesday Wives Tales

2010-02-17T06:11:00.002-06:00

When someone sneezes, do you say, "God Bless You!"? Or maybe "Gesundheit!"? I have heard both, though most commonly, "God Bless You", which I still say today.

In earlier times, since it was known that God breathed breath into man, a sneeze--a 'rapid departure' of breath, was thought to be the instance of life leaving one's body. And the blessing of saying 'God Bless You', kept evil from being able to enter the empty space left by the sneeze.

Most sneezing beliefs seem to center on whether the soul is leaving the body, or evil spirits are getting in. That is thought to be the original reason for covering your mouth when you sneeze--to keep your soul in or evil out, not to prevent spreading germs.

On a funny note, I read one post on the Internet that said there are probably some people still living, even today, that remember the old "God Bless You" custom after someone sneezes. LOL! I wonder how old the person was that wrote that article, and better yet, where they are from??

And so to end this post, sneezing or not~God Bless You!!

Monday

2010-02-15T21:30:00.002-06:00

For the first time ever, we had a WHITE Valentine's Day!! It was still white today, as you can see from the picture I took on our back roads trip this morning.

Not much exciting is happening around here. I'm working on some crafts, and I've also been doing some painting around the cabin, so when those projects are finished, I'll post a couple of pics. We are sort of in between projects right now and nothing is really finished.

Hope all of you are staying warm!

Special Weekend!

2010-02-13T10:34:00.001-06:00

Wishing all of you a beautiful Valentine's Day weekend!

Friday

2010-02-12T13:45:00.005-06:00

This is what it looked like when I got up this morning. So pretty, but most of it has melted now, leaving a lot of mud behind for us to slosh through.

I was happy to see what came in the mail yesterday~

A little bit of a cure for cabin fever! I'm so excited about our garden this coming spring. We ordered these heirloom seeds from Baker Creek Seeds in Mansfield, MO. I've never grown tomatoes from seed before, so I'm looking forward to giving it a try.

I hope all of you are staying warm and dry. Keep dreaming of spring--it will be here soon!

Wednesday Wives Tales~Bread

2010-02-10T06:46:00.000-06:00

I bake bread at least three times a week. If I didn't, we wouldn't have any bread in the house. I love to mix it, knead it, and pat it out into the long loaves I make. Baking bread on Monday, I wondered if there were many old superstitions about bread. This is what I found~as usual, a couple contradict each other:

1. Cut a loaf of bread at both ends, and the devil will just keep going and fly right over your house.

2. If you burn your bread, it either means that the preacher is coming for a visit or that your sweetheart is mad at you.

3. If all the bread at the table is eaten, the next day will be a good day.

4. Putting a loaf of bread upside down on the table is bad luck.

5. Bread must never be burned or thrown away. If this happens, the baker will go hungry.

6.If a person cuts bread in an uneven manner, it means they have been telling lies.

7. Before slicing a new loaf of bread, cut the sign of a cross on top of it.

Do you bake bread?