It will be a month tomorrow since my father has passed away. Still a very sad time for me. I have been very busy with things since I am also executor of his will so not a lot of time to do blogging just yet. However, my brother in law sent this video to me, and it is something you will be fascinated with! I intended to watch only a little of it, but then I watched all of it. It is truly, truly beautiful, and if you do take the time you will think so too.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/7vs-H7xLnrs?rel=0
Oh! One interesting fact....all of the dancers are deaf so they have instructors on the set with them. Makes it even more amazing!
08 November 2012
21 October 2012
Daddy's Little Girl(s)
As I sit here in the garden house I think back to the time when this was first built. Originally it was used as a shed to store our stuff in when we sold our house and moved here. Hubby and my daddy built it. Later on we moved it down the hill and made it to what you see today. This brings back a lot of memories, ones that I will always hold onto.
My daddy passed away October 9th.......
My daddy was born to hard working people, a family of nine children, with him being the eldest. Such a cute chubby child he was in this photo, hard to believe that he was ever that little. Oh, he had such a love of the outdoors from the time he was little until he died. Hunting, fishing, walking the mountains, and teaching others his knowledge of all of it was a great joy to him.
Even with his love of the mountains he still wanted to get out and explore the world, and of course back in the 50's jobs were hard to come by so he joined the Air Force. Along the way he met my mom, they were married for 55 years. He told me once he never planned on staying in for 20 years, but there were not that many jobs at the time he thought of getting out for him to provide for his family. Plus he said he knew with 20 years my mom would be looked after and secure with the retirement. Among those early years I came along. His sister told me that when they brought me home to the mountains they could tell how happy he was with daddy's little girl.
The years pass and along comes another little girl, my daughter. Oh what joy she gave him! I remember when I was pregnant with her he told me it was going to be a girl and he wouldn't take no for an answer! He took her outside in the garden, fishing, camping, and lots of other things. Even though he had a son I guess little girls just won his heart, and he was going to show us how to do everything!
This little girl is all grown up too, and she has her story to share on her blog. Here is a link to it http://www.liketheblueinthesky.blogspot.com/ Trust me, it is a real tear jerker as she misses him so much.
When I was dating my hubby my dad and hubby were hunting one year (we dated for a while) when my father asked him are you going to marry my daughter or what? LOL! My hubby had already purchased the rings, but he did not want to say anything, and as he said he knew my dad was a good shot! They had 17 years of hunting and fishing together. Look how young we all looked. We didn't realize it then, but a genetic disease of too much iron in the body (hemochromatosis) had already started its work. Although it was managed for a long, long time.
The beautiful lady who gave birth to him all those years ago is still around. Here is a photo taken last year of the two of them together. It is one of my very favorites. She had lost another son 20+ years ago to the same disease. Through him we found out about it. My grandmother turned 95 years old five days before my father passed away. I can't even imagine the pain.
My time blogging has been slow. When we found out about the iron causing the tumors three years ago I spent quite a bit of time going over to my parents house. His doctors were so amazed with him. They knew he had the cancer, but as his family doctor said he had seen cancer patients before and he looked nothing like them. My father was a fighter, and a very strong man; although he only had a chemo treatment one time he said if it only prolonged his life for just a short while then he was not going to continue it. He surprised everyone for living those three years. The last time he saw his cancer doctor he was told that it would be his last visit, it was time to go on hospice. The hospice nurses had good laughs with him, but they also admired his strength and his will to live. I moved in with my parents the second week of hospice to help take care of him. I slept on the couch next to his hospital bed so my mom could have her rest, and that way I could be close to him. It was his wish to die at home and not in some ******hospital as he said, and I made a promise that it would be so. Our family came in from out of town. He was still partially awake during that time, and I believe the hardest thing was watching my grandmother. My hubby and daughter came over all but one day. That Monday my hubby said a prayer while next to him, and on that evening of Monday, October 8th, I told my mom to go on to bed. I knew his time was coming soon. I stayed awake in the chair next to him, reaching out to comfort him when needed even with his being in a coma at that time. Early Tuesday morning, October 9th, he passed away. They say it is hard to be with someone when it happens. I was with my mother-in-law, and then my dad. It is not easy I agree, but to me it is also a peaceful blessing. I can only hope that with the rest of my life that I will be able to carry on with the strength and will that he had. To be able to face the future and whatever may come before me as he did. As I sit here in my garden house looking at what he helped built, and the beautiful outdoors with the fall colors I realize that there will always be those memories. Yet the most important memory of all is that I kept my promise and I will always be Daddy's little girl.
My daddy was born to hard working people, a family of nine children, with him being the eldest. Such a cute chubby child he was in this photo, hard to believe that he was ever that little. Oh, he had such a love of the outdoors from the time he was little until he died. Hunting, fishing, walking the mountains, and teaching others his knowledge of all of it was a great joy to him.
Even with his love of the mountains he still wanted to get out and explore the world, and of course back in the 50's jobs were hard to come by so he joined the Air Force. Along the way he met my mom, they were married for 55 years. He told me once he never planned on staying in for 20 years, but there were not that many jobs at the time he thought of getting out for him to provide for his family. Plus he said he knew with 20 years my mom would be looked after and secure with the retirement. Among those early years I came along. His sister told me that when they brought me home to the mountains they could tell how happy he was with daddy's little girl.
The years pass and along comes another little girl, my daughter. Oh what joy she gave him! I remember when I was pregnant with her he told me it was going to be a girl and he wouldn't take no for an answer! He took her outside in the garden, fishing, camping, and lots of other things. Even though he had a son I guess little girls just won his heart, and he was going to show us how to do everything!
This little girl is all grown up too, and she has her story to share on her blog. Here is a link to it http://www.liketheblueinthesky.blogspot.com/ Trust me, it is a real tear jerker as she misses him so much.
When I was dating my hubby my dad and hubby were hunting one year (we dated for a while) when my father asked him are you going to marry my daughter or what? LOL! My hubby had already purchased the rings, but he did not want to say anything, and as he said he knew my dad was a good shot! They had 17 years of hunting and fishing together. Look how young we all looked. We didn't realize it then, but a genetic disease of too much iron in the body (hemochromatosis) had already started its work. Although it was managed for a long, long time.
The beautiful lady who gave birth to him all those years ago is still around. Here is a photo taken last year of the two of them together. It is one of my very favorites. She had lost another son 20+ years ago to the same disease. Through him we found out about it. My grandmother turned 95 years old five days before my father passed away. I can't even imagine the pain.
My time blogging has been slow. When we found out about the iron causing the tumors three years ago I spent quite a bit of time going over to my parents house. His doctors were so amazed with him. They knew he had the cancer, but as his family doctor said he had seen cancer patients before and he looked nothing like them. My father was a fighter, and a very strong man; although he only had a chemo treatment one time he said if it only prolonged his life for just a short while then he was not going to continue it. He surprised everyone for living those three years. The last time he saw his cancer doctor he was told that it would be his last visit, it was time to go on hospice. The hospice nurses had good laughs with him, but they also admired his strength and his will to live. I moved in with my parents the second week of hospice to help take care of him. I slept on the couch next to his hospital bed so my mom could have her rest, and that way I could be close to him. It was his wish to die at home and not in some ******hospital as he said, and I made a promise that it would be so. Our family came in from out of town. He was still partially awake during that time, and I believe the hardest thing was watching my grandmother. My hubby and daughter came over all but one day. That Monday my hubby said a prayer while next to him, and on that evening of Monday, October 8th, I told my mom to go on to bed. I knew his time was coming soon. I stayed awake in the chair next to him, reaching out to comfort him when needed even with his being in a coma at that time. Early Tuesday morning, October 9th, he passed away. They say it is hard to be with someone when it happens. I was with my mother-in-law, and then my dad. It is not easy I agree, but to me it is also a peaceful blessing. I can only hope that with the rest of my life that I will be able to carry on with the strength and will that he had. To be able to face the future and whatever may come before me as he did. As I sit here in my garden house looking at what he helped built, and the beautiful outdoors with the fall colors I realize that there will always be those memories. Yet the most important memory of all is that I kept my promise and I will always be Daddy's little girl.
02 October 2012
October
October
Oktober, Octubre, Ottobre.
Whatever language you speak, the month of October offers beautiful fall weather with gorgeous leaves to color the land.
(Image from lo charme e un nodo da stringere)
20 September 2012
Pumpkin Feeder
Must be fall as I am on a pumpkin kick! I read where you hang this out and the birds will eat the flesh plus the seeds. When it is empty fill with bird seed! Great temporary feeder for the fall, and I know I will be making one soon.
17 September 2012
Pumpkin time
Doesn't this say fall? I'm not sure if these pumpkins would be from this year with the weather around the country being as it has been, but an old barn, leaves changing, pumpkins......now if we could only smell the fall air!
My favorite time of year.
13 September 2012
Apple Hummingbird
I have found some very interesting pictures on facebook and pin it recently, and thought that I would share some with you. I love hummingbirds! Right now they are feeding real heavy so they can catch that north wind that will be coming down to swoop them across the Gulf of Mexico. They are fascinating to watch! This caught my eye not too long ago posted by Farmer's Pal so I just had to share it with you.
Totally cool, don't you agree?!
06 September 2012
It's September!
The goldenrod is yellow,
The corn is turning brown,
The trees in the apple orchard
With fruit are bending down.
The gentians bluest fringes,
Are curling in the sun,
In dusty pod, the milkweed,
Its hidden silk has spun.
The sedges flaunt their harvest
In every meadow nook,
And asters by the brookside
Make asters in the brook.
In dewy lanes at morning
The grapes sweet odors rise,
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.
By all these lovely tokens,
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer.
(Helen Hunt Jackson)
Happy September to all of you!
The gentians bluest fringes,
Are curling in the sun,
In dusty pod, the milkweed,
Its hidden silk has spun.
The sedges flaunt their harvest
In every meadow nook,
And asters by the brookside
Make asters in the brook.
In dewy lanes at morning
The grapes sweet odors rise,
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.
By all these lovely tokens,
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer.
(Helen Hunt Jackson)
21 August 2012
Wok Planter
Renew, reuse, although not using it for what it was intended! Our neighbor was throwing out this huge wok, and I grabbed it. I took the base of an old concrete bird bath to set it on. It has seen winters of pansies, and summers of impatiens. It is a little rusty now, but hey isn't that a little in style?
20 August 2012
19 August 2012
Rainy Sunday
We finally got a decent shower last night with a few more rumbles of thunder this afternoon. Not complaining as it makes a good day to do absolutely nothing or a little blog reading. Hope you are having a great Sunday and a good week to come!
14 August 2012
Canning & a new roof
This is the first year I have really canned a big amount. I am so happy that I have done this much! Even though my garden did not produce I was able to find deals from homeowners selling their excess, plus a few purchases from farm stands, and freebies from friends.
This is what I have done so far:
There are quarts of peaches, tomatoes, vegetable soup, and apples. Then I did pints of squash, apples, and a pepper peach jelly which is very yummy! The only bad thing is my jelly did not set up for some reason. I was real disappointed yet my aunt told me I could use it as a glaze, over cream cheese, and I have even mixed some two parts (runny!) jelly to one part oil and one part apple cider vinegar. It makes the best salad dressing for a chicken salad! It's not much yet I will probably do a little bit more when I can get my house back in order. Canning and putting on a new roof leaves very little time for anything else.
As for the roof it is almost finished! Three long weeks, a little bit at a time between mainly my step son, hubby, and yes!a little bit me. My step son is finishing the rest as I am writing this with the last sky light finally in, and after today we should be done. Yea!
The other thing I realize is with all of this "new" light coming in I can really tell where I need to do my major fall cleaning. Well, it's always something!
There are quarts of peaches, tomatoes, vegetable soup, and apples. Then I did pints of squash, apples, and a pepper peach jelly which is very yummy! The only bad thing is my jelly did not set up for some reason. I was real disappointed yet my aunt told me I could use it as a glaze, over cream cheese, and I have even mixed some two parts (runny!) jelly to one part oil and one part apple cider vinegar. It makes the best salad dressing for a chicken salad! It's not much yet I will probably do a little bit more when I can get my house back in order. Canning and putting on a new roof leaves very little time for anything else.
As for the roof it is almost finished! Three long weeks, a little bit at a time between mainly my step son, hubby, and yes!a little bit me. My step son is finishing the rest as I am writing this with the last sky light finally in, and after today we should be done. Yea!
The other thing I realize is with all of this "new" light coming in I can really tell where I need to do my major fall cleaning. Well, it's always something!
29 July 2012
My Charlie Brown Christmas Tree (well almost)
Remember Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree cartoon? The one where he had all the ornaments on, then the needles all fell off? I felt as disappointed as Charlie Brown when hubby came down to tell me the bad news. I had been behind on spraying the Deer Out. Well! It had not been bad around here for quite some time until the people who bought up the big property behind us decided to bush hog so it would look better for selling. After they did that we have deer running around everywhere! Driving my dog crazy and me too. Hubby not so much....he stares out into the woods waiting! So anyway, I walk up the hill and this is what I see.
They ate almost all of the leaves off of the plants. I was told at least they left the bell peppers! Pitiful looking isn't it? Gardening this year has been hard enough, but that almost felt like the last straw.
They also grazed on the green beans I had growing.....again. Plus one thing that they have not done in the past is to eat down my tomato bushes too. So, needless to say my trusty Deer Out and I got busy, and I sprayed down everything. Being the trooper that I am I even planted a late crop of green beans which are growing very slow. I don't know what it is this year, but everyone is having a hard time with growing green beans which is a southern staple of food!
So, that has been taking up a lot of my time lately. I tried having a pretty flower garden too, but the heat and humidity plus a time or two of quite a bit of rain has really put a halt to a lot of things. I had to buy tomatoes from an old couple down the road which wasn't too bad as I was able to can quite a bit of them.
Then a friend wanted some honey and brought a five gallon bucket of apples for trade. I think I will be making apple pie filling to can along with apple sauce.
Today I bought 3 bushel baskets of peaches for canning too. One will be going to my parents so I hoped I picked out a good kind. You never realize how many varieties of peaches there are till you go to buy them. I purchased a new canner in the early spring. Now I won't have to borrow the neighbor's canner anymore.
I also got squash and okra too.
Sweet potatoes and corn although I am not sure how good the corn will be. It has been a very bad year for corn around here too. We have tried growing corn, but it just doesn't like us!
Oh, and then our favorite! My daughter will kill me when she sees these! I can hear her now....mom, you stink like garlic! At least it will keep the mosquitoes away, and everyone else too as she would say.
So, as you can see it has been quite busy around here. Plus we have had a leaking skylight for awhile even with hubby trying to patch it. We had a new roof priced through several different roofers, and my goodness are they ever wanting a fortune! Shingles being a petroleum product have gone through the roof (no pun intended!) since we put a roof on the house up the hill. A decision was made to purchase a new sky light and patch, repair part of it ourselves. Hubby's son came over to help, and then we found out that the roof is just too far gone. So, now we are putting a new roof on. I have not been up there yet although probably tomorrow I will be as we will be a man short. It is a slow process, and our backs may regret it, however, these days you do what you have to do.
Today was a resting day somewhat enough so I could get a blog post in. I'll try to get around for a visit in between peaches, apples, and everything else. Just wanted you to know I'm still around!
So, that has been taking up a lot of my time lately. I tried having a pretty flower garden too, but the heat and humidity plus a time or two of quite a bit of rain has really put a halt to a lot of things. I had to buy tomatoes from an old couple down the road which wasn't too bad as I was able to can quite a bit of them.
So, as you can see it has been quite busy around here. Plus we have had a leaking skylight for awhile even with hubby trying to patch it. We had a new roof priced through several different roofers, and my goodness are they ever wanting a fortune! Shingles being a petroleum product have gone through the roof (no pun intended!) since we put a roof on the house up the hill. A decision was made to purchase a new sky light and patch, repair part of it ourselves. Hubby's son came over to help, and then we found out that the roof is just too far gone. So, now we are putting a new roof on. I have not been up there yet although probably tomorrow I will be as we will be a man short. It is a slow process, and our backs may regret it, however, these days you do what you have to do.
Today was a resting day somewhat enough so I could get a blog post in. I'll try to get around for a visit in between peaches, apples, and everything else. Just wanted you to know I'm still around!
09 July 2012
Wishing I was sailing
I must say this heat across the country has been extremely hard. Not only on us, but on all the "critters" as well. My poor chickens are even walking around panting so I'm sure they are thankful for the woods where they can dig plus have some shade too.
There has been so much to do around here. I am trying to keep the gardens alive along with my roses and perennials; the annuals will just have to struggle. I have been digging dirt up from the old chicken pen to add to my gardens along with digging from the mulch pile. From the few storms that came through and dumped extra limbs plus the spiny balls from the sweet gum trees which if you step on one of them you can go flying! I spent a good part of today raking all of that up so we can keep our feet firmly planted. I would love to cut some of those down, however, they do shade the house quite a bit.
I've never been sailing before, however, this looks like the perfect thing to do in all of this heat! This was taken up in Connecticut last year. A couple of months ago my daughter tried to talk me into getting an above ground pool which we have had before in the past. Living on a hillside here doesn't leave too many places to put one. I am thinking now that might not have been a bad idea! Oh well. I believe I am going to look for some aspirin now.....that bad rake did a number on me!
24 June 2012
Sunday June Flower & The Butterfly
17 June 2012
13 June 2012
Brick work
I've been doing a lot lately so I thought I'd take a picture to post instead of doing a lot of them at once. This was taken in the town of Lunebourgh, Germany, and it's too late to call my mom to confirm the spelling of the town!
Isn't the brick work fascinating? I love the different designs, and will always snap a photo of things as interesting as this one.
10 June 2012
06 June 2012
The squirrels and the Lil' Fairies
I'm not sure if these are little fairies or not, one of my German blogger friends might know, but is this not the cutest plant holder?
This was taken when we were in Germany way too long ago, and I took this photo through the window. I always liked how they dressed up a window with a scenery, and looking back I am thinking to myself why didn't I buy this?!
05 June 2012
Boats at Mystic Seaport
Being in this part of New England boating is very popular. Of course way back they used boats, for whaling, fishing, import and export. Here are the last of my photos from the Mystic Seaport village, and if you ever get a chance to go I'm sure you would enjoy it.
The above photo is my favorite. It truly looks like a beautiful place to live, and a beautiful feast for the eyes for such a short visit.
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