MerryHeartCrafts.comMountain Momma… Country Living

I thought I would show you all a picture of the apron I just finished today.  I think it looks so cheerful.  My friend, Vicki, found this pillowcase at a thrift store last summer.   I think it turned out really nice.  I like using old pillowcases  to make aprons.  They have a vintage look and the cost of material is greatly reduced.   My aprons have not sold as much in the fall and winter as they did in the summer.  I hope to make up quite a few this winter to have on hand for the upcoming summer.  

The girls went to the Horn’s yesterday to celebrate Bubby’s birthday.  They had a great time.  Hubby and I went to C-burg to get tires put on the car so I had to miss Bubby’s cake.  Our church collects fleece throws, lotion and socks for our local nursing home.  The pastor’s wife meet us in town so we could deliver them.  Today we have cleaned out the chicken house (YUCK!)  The temperature here is mid 30′s.  Not too bad.  I know it could be lots colder.  

Tonight’s menu is hamburgers on homemade buns, home fries and peach dumplings for dessert.  I hope you all have a wonderful day and God bless.

Thursday evening we went to our pastor’s home for a visit.    We ate supper with them and had a wonderful visit.  Mrs. Sally, pastor’s wife, had lots of beautiful Christmas decorations up.  This nativity scene was purchased in Israel.  It is made of olive wood.  Very pretty.

This carousel came from Germany.  You can’t really see it but on top of the carousel are propellers.  The heat from the candles cause the carousel to go around. 

This is Miss Izzy.  Pastor Tom tells her all the time she is the most beautiful cat God ever created.  I think she believes him.

Julie and Sadie had a great time together.

Mrs. Sally is a great seamstress.  I think I have mentioned before she is teaching my girls to sew.  This quilt was so bright and colorful.   I thought you all would enjoy seeing it too.

We have still been having vehicle troubles.  Today, we took the girls over to church for play practice.  Our youth christmas play is tomorrow.  Hubby thought the alternator was going bad on the van.  We were going over to C-burg to Auto Zone to have them check it.  We started having more serious trouble with it, so Hubby thought we should just try to make it home.  We didn’t make it.  About 4 miles from home, the van decided that was just all it could do.  It stopped right in the middle of the road.    I’m here to tell you all God is good!  Not more that 5 min. after the van quit a young man came by that we used to go to church with.  He went up to his Grandpaws and got a pickup truck and a chain.  He and Hubby hooked the van up to the truck and he pulled us all the way home.  No charge!    Anyway, it is the alternator.   So I guess the van will have to be parked for a few days until Hubby can get it fixed. 

Well, that’s been our day.  I hope you all have a great evening and God bless.

Yesterday morning, we had a beautiful start to our morning.  I love sunrises and sunsets. 

After church, we came home to eat lunch.  We had hamburgers on homemade buns and fries.  We ate as quickly as possible and left for town to watch the Christmas Parade.  The parade is a big deal here in Floyd.  Lots and lots of people come to watch and participate.  Here are just a few pictures Grace took.

There are lots of old cars.

Marching bands.

Floats and

wagons pulled by horses.  We had a great time!   The girls are already anticipating next year’s parade.  We have rain here today with fog.  Not a good day for doing anything outside.  Hubby is working on the bed but he has to do it inside his shop.  He doesn’t have a lot of room in there so he doesn’t like to work inside.  He is getting very close to being finished however he still does not have his brakes fixed on the van.  He has taken the wheel off several times and did different things to it but it is still sticking.  He wanted to replace the wheel cyclinder today but it is just too wet to work on it.  Hopefully, this will fix it. 

Today, I made a spice tea mix.  I got the recipe from Nadine at http://nadinesnook.blogspot.com/  She also posted a recipe for chai tea mix that I want to make.  These will  make excellent gifts.   Well, our lunch break is almost over.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

Yesterday we went with the Horn’s to Bottom Creek Gorge.  It was absolutely beautiful!  So many beautiful colors.

We stopped at an overlook and I took these pictures.

We had a great time.  We hiked and then came back on the Parkway to picnic.  Such a wonderful day.  I have so many beautiful pictures to show you all.   Enjoy your day and God bless.

The girls picking tomatoes. 

You all hear me talk about sitting on the green swing.  Well, this is the view from it.  As you can tell, there is lots of shade there, which is one of the reasons I love it. 

This is a little bit closer view of the pond.  See all the geese.  Our pond has had lots of activity all summer. 

A picture of the house as you turn down the driveway.  To the left of the yard is the pond.  Well, the yogurt turned out great.  I think it is the best homemade yogurt I have ever made.  I definitely will be making more.  Also, the plum juice was very good.  We enjoyed a cold glass of it this morning with our breakfast.  I went to help Hubby today and the girls spent the day with the Horn’s.  They had a great time.   Temperatures here are still nice-upper 70′s today with a good wind.  I hope you all enjoy your evening and God bless.

Here is a picture of our hens hard at work.  For some reason, they all want to use the same nest.  Yes, they do have other nests.  At least, these are big enough for two at one time.  Our rooster is still under consideration.  We have not put the new chickens in with the old ones yet.  We plan on increasing the size of our lot this Saturday.   Anyway, I have a few questions to ask.  My experience with roosters is not too pleasant so I think I might be prejudice.  When I think of roosters, I think of flogging and aggressiveness.  What do you all think?  Have you all had good experiences with roosters.  The girls have made such big pets of our hens.  They will sit out there in the lot and pet them and the hens love it.  Do you think a rooster would go along with that or would he try to run the girls out of the lot?  As I said, I have not had good experiences with roosters and I do not want this to happen to the girls.  We so enjoy hearing him crow but I’m just not sure.  Please share your opinion on this.  Here are a few pictures of flowers that are blooming around the house.

A rose of sharon bush my mother-in-law gave me when we first moved here.

A white hibiscus.  Or as my aunt used to call them “a high biscuit”.    We had a great time with the boys yesterday.  We played outside, saw the chickens LOTS of times, picked blackberries and drank homemade apple juice.  God is good!

Today, the girls and I will spend some time cleaning our poor, neglected home.  Canning takes priority and the housecleaning gets behind. Enjoy your day and God bless.

Yesterday was our second annual horseshoe pitching picnic.  I thought I would share a few pictures with you all.  We had a great time with lots of good food (of course), good fellowship and good music.   I think that hammock is calling my name!

A few of the people sitting around enjoying themselves.

What do you think he might be looking at?

Deer, right across the river from where we were. 

The creek.

The Lord blessed us with a beautiful day. 

Our VBS starts tonight.  The girls will be playing the music all 5 nights.  Julie is in charge of the games tomorrow night.  When did my babies become workers instead of just participants?  Well, it does this mama’s heart good to see them serving the Lord. 

Enjoy your day and God bless.

We are starting to enjoy the fruit of our labor.  I know its a small amount but the first is always the best.  We love it when the garden starts coming in. 

Yesterday we went over to the Horn’s.  Vicki put some of my old schoolbooks on ebay for me.  I have never sold anything on ebay.  They only allowed us to put 10 items.  Hopefully, they will sell and then we will put more.  We’ll see.  Anyway, thanks again Vicki, for helping me.  The girls had a great time playing as usual.  Vicki showed me some pictures of projects she wants to do this summer.  It was a really good visit.  After that we had piano lessons.  While the girls did their lessons, I did some grocery shopping.  We were out of chick feed so I picked some up.  They are starting on the layer crumbles now.  Hopefully, soon, we will be gathering eggs.  So exciting.

I better get busy.  Clothes to hang on the line (as usual).  Enjoy your day and God bless.

We had a really nice weekend here in Floyd.  Dave, Jess and the boys came up to celebrate Hubby’s birthday.  Jess and I went to a yard sale in town.  Later that evening they took us all out to eat at a local Mexican restuarant.  We had a great time.   On Sunday we went on a picnic down the parkway.  This is a picture we took from one of the lookouts.

Today, we went down to watch the boys while Jess went to her doctors appointment.  All is going well with her and the baby.  Thank you, Lord.  She will find out next month if she is having a girl or a boy.   Daniel said they don’t want any “gwirls” there.    Jess told him “but what about Mommy.”  Daniel said “You’re not a “gwirl” , you’re Mommy.  We are just praying for a healthy baby-boy or girl. 

We have been getting lots of rain here.  We have had a little sun this evening but mostly overcast.  We still do not have our plants in the garden yet.  It has just been too wet.  We don’t have the brush pile burned or the lower garden tilled.  I still have lots of flower seeds to get in the ground too.   Oh well, all in God’s time. 

Enjoy your evening and God bless.

Yesterday was such a fun day for us.  We decided to take the girls to the movies as part of their Christmas gift.  As we very seldom go to the movies, this was a big treat.  We found (thanks to our friends, the Horns) a movie theater that is affordable and family friendly.  We watched The Chronicles of Narnia-Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  It was a very good movie and we all had a great time.  Grace has read the book and Julie is in process now of reading it. 

Also, as my aprons are now being sold in a local store, I thought it would be nice to try out some different patterns.  I had been told it would be nice if I could do matching aprons.  One for Mom (or MawMaw)and one for a little girl.  I found a pattern I like pretty well.  Here is a picture of it.

Not exactly what I was looking for but a good place to start.

This is the material I picked out.  The floral will be the main material and the striped will be the contrasting material.  What do you all think?   I am having difficulties with my sewing maching, so pray I can get it up and running soon.  (Could be the operator, who knows!)  Anyway, I am excited to start a new project and upping my abilities.  I have not made many things from a real pattern.  Usually, its something I just figure out on my own or I alter the pattern so that it fits my abilities.  Sally, our pastor’s wife, has agreed to help me if I get in over my head.  I don’t think I will though.  It looks pretty easy on paper.  I will show you the finished results when done. 

I think I’ll go check out my machine.  Take care and God bless.