MerryHeartCrafts.comMountain Momma… Country Living

They sure have grown!  Every time I see them they look so much bigger.  We discovered this morning that we have a female mallard duck nesting on the island now.  We are so excited!  We have wanted ducks to nest there since we moved here.  We’ve not sure why the ducks and the geese have decided that the island is now nest worthy but we sure are glad.  There is a big difference between the ducks and the geese.  The ducks are more secretive and the male is less aggressive.  Papa Goose is always on patrol, keeping away all others. 

I know it has been a long time since I made a post.  I have been busy this week helping Hubby with a job he had building a fence.  The girls took their school books and did school in the van while I helped him.  Last night the girls had their piano recital.  It all went very well.  They did a good job on their songs.    We have been busy this morning getting the yard mowed and other things that needed doing around the house. 

On Tuesday, I attempted to make homemade cottage cheese.  It DID NOT  turn out.  I’m not sure what I did wrong.  I followed the directions I got from the internet.  I think I need a different recipe.  Have any of you all ever made cottage cheese?  I sure would appreciate all info I can get. 

The girls found new kittens today in one of the old buildings.  It is always so exciting for them when they find new kittens.  These belong to one of our wild cats so we have no idea if she will leave them where they are or not.  Only time will tell.  We have much to do so I better get busy.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

We are finally getting a little color in our yard.  I love these cheerful early flowers.  They brighten up the landscape and our outlook so much, I think.  Saturday was very nice here.  We got all the trimming done.  YEAH!  Everything looks so much neater.  It is all piled up in the garden to be burned whenever we can catch a day the wind isn’t blowing too hard.  Yesterday, was absolutely  beautiful.  The temperature actually got up to 60 degrees.   I sat outside for a very long time reading.  Then Hubby came out and entertained me with his banjo.   We had a team leaders meeting yesterday after church so we did not do our bible study last night. 

Friday’s weather was very different from Saturday and Sunday.  First we had quite a lot of rain.

Then we had some hail.

Today is chilly and overcast.  They are calling for rain  today and tomorrow.   Grace has an appointment at the eye doctor later today.  We will be doing school until lunch then leaving for the appointment.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

This is part of the book shelf that sits in our  dining room.  Hubby  transformed it from an old quilt rack into a darling bookcase several years ago.  I am so blessed to have a husband who is talented in the art of carpentry.  We are back from Jessica’s.  We  got some of the painting done.  We still have to finish painting the trim.  We had a great visit.  The only sad thing is that baby Sam got sick with strep throat while we were there.  This is his first real sickness. 

We haven’t done very much today.  We ran a few errands and visited some with the Horn’s.  It had been a long time since we visited with them.  We just wished it could have been a little longer visit.  We got a little snow over night but it is almost all gone now.  Temperature, though, was very cold this morning about 15 degrees with wind chills down around zero.  I think I would like some warm weather now. 

I am going to watch a movie I ordered from netflix.  It is called Sarah’s Choice.  I think it will be very good.  I saw the preview of it on the inspiration channel.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

This is a picture of an old leather book bag I made when I was in college.  It is roughly 35 years old (I guess I am really telling my age now).  As you can see, it gets a lot of use.  I’m not even sure what the stain is at the bottom but its been on it for a very long time.  I used to work a lot with leather.  I have made purses, moccasins, walets, lots and lots of belts.  Hubby also has done lots of leather work.  He more than me actually.  He used to run a leather shop, back when we were younger.  He made a knife sheath for our old pastor about 2 years ago.  Other than that we have not done leather work in many years.  We do still have our tools though.  We have talked some about getting them out and working some with the girls.  Teaching them how to make things.  Leather is just so expensive but I think it would be lots of fun.

This is a picture I did.  Once again, many years ago.  I won 2nd place in a craft fair with it.   Looking at these reminds me of how much fun working with leather is.  Well, so much for my walk down memory lane. 

Enjoy your day and God bless.

We decided to surprise the girls today and do a picnic lunch.  This area is one of their favorite picnic spots and it is close to home.  We had a great time.  We took so many pictures.  I will share them with you all over the next few days.  This is the road leading into the park.  After lunch we came home and had some difficulties with our stove.  As you all know, we have been using it a lot this summer.  Hubby only recently replaced all the stove eyes and their receptables.  Well, today as the steamer/juicer was busy with our second batch of cider, the receptable shorted out and caught on fire.  Praise the Lord, Hubby was here and got everything under control quickly.  This does mean, however, that until he can fix it the biggest eye on my stove is not usable.  Well, “all things worketh good”.  He has been wanting to fix us a place outside to use the propane burner to can on.  So today, prompted by need, he got the burner set up and I used it to cook the second batch of apples on.  It works really well.  I’m not sure how it will do using the pressure canner though.  We haven’t tried that yet.

We now have 2 gal. of apple cider.  YEAH!  We have been running the apples that have cooked down through the roma sauce maker.  Yesterday we just used it for applesauce.  It is really thick though as all the juice has been cooked out.  Today, we decided to try something a little different.  We make applebutter out of it.  No cooking involved-no simmering for hours praying it does not stick.  Just added the sugar and spices AND put it in freezer bags and froze it.  I’m not sure how it will be but it certainly was easier.  It tasted just like applebutter that had simmered for a long time so I think it will be good.

Well, I am tired so I think I will rest for a while.  Oh, I almost forgot, Hubby got the room painted today.  I guess the next step is to lay down the rug.  Getting closer every day.  Enjoy your evening and God bless.

Okay, so our visit went by much too quick.  Monday evening when they first arrived it seemed like such a long time, but now it is Thursday and they are gone.  I miss them already.  We had so much fun. We went to a park here in town.  When the girls were little they called it “the colored swings.”  We, of course, still call them that.  Tuesday was a beautiful day, we packed a picnic lunch and headed into town.  We had a great time.  Wednesday was cool here.  Not much outside activity.  Today however is gorgeous.  Nice and warm with lots of sunshine.

Doesn’t he look like he is having fun!

The girls had a great time keeping up with him.  Well, maybe not a great time but they did have fun.

No fear-no gain.  Tuesday evening while we were outside burning off the garden, Daniel had lots of fun playing Superman.   As I have said before he is all boy.  Time for me to start supper.  I think tonight’s menu will be sloppy joes and fries.  Something easy.  MawMaw needs to rest.  (Just kidding)  I don’t think anything makes me feel any younger than being around small children.  They love so freely and completely.  No wonder Christ said for us to come to Him as a little child.  Take care and God bless.

My Grace took this picture the other evening.  The clouds were beautiful.  Thanks for the picture, Grace.  Today looks as though it will be another beautiful day here in Floyd.  The sun is shining, the birds are singing praises.  Beautiful!  I am getting ready to hang clothes on the line.  So much fun.  I also just finished making some homemade yogurt.  I have not made this in a long time.  I usually make kefir.  However I am having difficulties getting it to thicken.  I think it has something to do with temperature.  Without the fire, I don’t think it is warm enough in the house for it to set.   I had this same problem last year in the spring.  So maybe I’ll just make yogurt for a while.   Must be time for a change.  School today as usual.  Hopefully we will finish getting the garden ready to plow today.  I am really ready to play in some fresh turned dirt.  Get some early crops in the ground.  Onions, lettuce, peas, cabbage. YUM!  I don’t think I’ve told you all, but we have a mama goose setting on the island on the pond.  Much excitement.  We have never had one make a nest here before.  We are certainly looking forward to seeing babies swimming around.    We have always said when the birds were singing they were singing praises to the Lord.  On another blog, I read about listening to their praise songs.  I so much like that thought.  So it is time for me to go hang some clothes on the line and listen to some beautiful praise music.  May your day be filled with the sound of praise.  God bless.

I just love to see a sunrise or a sunset.  I think it comes from living in the mountains of southwest virginia.  Where I grew up, you never saw either one. Our house was in what we call a “holler” so the view was blocked by the mountains.  The sun would hit our yard about 11:00 and go down about 3:00.  I guess thats one of the reasons I love living here in Floyd.  In the summer, the sun is in our yard about 6:30 and leaves about 8:00.  Lots of sunshine, which I love.  This morning God put on another show for us to enjoy.  Thank you Lord!  School today as usual.  It is hard to concentrate on school now though.  We feel like we’re been let out of prison.  The temperatue is warm, the snow is almost gone, so of course everyone wants to be outside instead of in.  We try to mix a little of both so it doesn’t get to bad.  Jasper (young dog) had his first experience with a skunk last night.  Not very pleasant.  I tried a remedy one of the ladies from church told me about.  I sprayed him with Febreeze.  It actually helped quite a lot.  He still smells but not as bad. I don’t have to cook tonight, we are eating  at church.  Roast beef and potatoes with all the trimmings.  It has been a long time since we went to church on Wednesday night.  When the weather is bad, they call it off.   I am definitely looking forward to going tonight.  The girls are involved in TeamKids there at church.  They alternate Wednesdays doing childrens choir and handbells.  They really enjoy the handbells.  The adults are doing a Beth Moore study on the fruit of the spirit.  It has been a really good study so far, however we are pretty far behind because of the bad weather we’ve had this winter.   They have decided not to watch the video that goes with it, in order to hopefully get it finished in May.  Guess I better get ready to go.  Take care and God bless.

Never give up on cast iron.  We made a trip to our homeplace over the weekend.  My mother-in-law knows how much I love cast iron.  She had purchased these kettles in a set many years ago.  Maybe as many as 50 years ago. I think she told me it was a 20 piece set and it cost about $20.00. ( thats says it was a long time ago)   She had stored them  in a building  many years ago.  We went on safari to search for them.  When we found them I thought “Maybe they are too far gone”.  But I brought them home and searched the internet for ways to clean them up.  First I used an equal part of salt and oil.  Rubbed that in(really good) with a cloth.  Then for the really stubborn spots of rust, I used a brillo pad.  Washed them in soapy water and reseasoned them. ( To season cast iron, coat the kettle with a light coat of oil.  Turn upside down on a cookie sheet and bake at 250-300 degree oven for about l hour)  I was so pleased with the result.  I couldn’t wait to post about it.  The largest kettle she called a pinto bean pot.  I can just taste how good beans will be cooked on our wood stove this winter.  Thanks so much, Judy.  So don’t throw that old cast iron out.  Re-do it.  It’s worth the effort.  God Bless.

Saturday was spent at a local craft sale.  I did pretty good selling my dishcloths and aprons.  I have needed a new sewing machine for a long time.  My old one is about 25 years old and has been giving me lots of trouble lately.  Hubby has repaired it many times.  Saturday I was blessed to sell enough to purchase this new one.  I pray I get as much service from it as I did from the old one.  Now I think I need to go sew something.  God Bless.