MerryHeartCrafts.comMountain Momma… Country Living

This picture of our grapevine was taken on April 12.  This is what it looked like last week.

It seems to be growing every day and full of baby grapes!

This makes me very happy.  I hope to make some jelly this year and lots and lots of grape juice!  We so enjoy having our own juice to drink.

Our weekend was a busy one.  I didn’t get to tell all about it on yesterdays post.  It was late and I was tired.  Anyway, on Friday, our church had a mother/daughter banquet.  It was lots of fun with about 25 ladies attending.  Then on Saturday, we had to go to Jessica’s to start working on some things her ins. agency said needed to be done.   After we got there, Hubby realized we would need the scaffold, so we came back home Saturday evening.  We went back down on Sunday and finished it up.  Jess, the kids, myself, Julie and Grace went to the Farmers Market on Sunday.  We had a great time just walking around looking at everything.  Okay, so I have to tell you, we rode Jessica’s van to the market.  7 of us.  We took the double stroller and the small stroller, plus, of course, all the other stuff you need for small kids.  Needless to say, her van was packed.  Then when we get there, the first thing Jess sees-2 HUGE hanging baskets, that would look just perfect on her front porch.  Now if you would like to have seen something funny, you should have been there in the parking lot watching us try to get all that stuff back in the van.  It really was hilarious!!  We finally did it though and didn’t even damage her new hanging baskets.  I guess we are just talented. 

Our lunch break is over and so I must get back to school.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

Today has been a good day here in Floyd.   The girls and I decided it was definitely time to put up the Christmas tree.  We had lots of fun.   We put on some Christmas music and got busy.   They decorated the gingerbread house.  Then we put up the tree, the nativity, and a few other decorations.   Simple, nothing too complex.  Temperatures here have been much warmer than normal.  I like that. 

Our van is fixed.  YEAH!  Dave, Jess and the kids came up Sunday so Dave could help Hubby work on it.  Thanks so much, Dave!  Hubby finished getting it all put back together Monday.  Monday evening we rode it to the feed store to get chicken feed and everything worked fine.  Yesterday, the girls and I rode it to Sam’s.  No problems!!  I am so glad.

Yesterday, the boys had a terrible stomach virus.  They were both very sick.  Daniel was hit especially hard.  He told his mom he felt like he was living in a bad dream.  Today they both seem on the mend.  We are all praying no one else gets it.  Jess said that baby Sam was calling for his “Maw” when he was sick in the night.  You know that just touches my heart.  We are hoping to go down Saturday to do Christmas with them.  Lots of good food planned. 

Well, I guess that’s about all that has been going on here.  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 have a slight breeze here in Floyd today.  Well, okay maybe more than a slight breeze but not a hard wind.  Just perfect for drying clothes on the line.  When the wind is blowing like this, the clothes are so soft when they get dry.  We had a busy weekend but lots of fun.  The girls and I went to Sam’s Club Saturday and picked up a few things.  Before that we went to one of our local malls and walked around, just looking.  This is something we never do, so that made it special.  They have already started putting up their Christmas stuff.  It was so much fun.  Yesterday was church day.  The pastors sermon was very good.  He compared being a soldier in the Armed Forces with being a soldier in God’s army.  He did a really good job.  Last nights menu was soup, pinto beans, cornbread, tator tot casserole, cooked apples and carrot cake.  Very good.

Today we are doing Grace’s birthday party.  We are going over to our friends the Horns to celebrate.  Vicki is making the cake and I am taking some homemade chicken noodle soup.  We are all looking forward to a great day.  I know I have said it before, but we are very blessed by the Lord to have the Horns in our life.  We so appreciate their friendship.

Well, I gotta go party.  Take care and God bless.

I know, another fall picture but soon all the colors will be gone and it will only be snow pictures again.  David, Jess, and the boys are on their way up this morning.  Our church does a halloween alternative, which we call Christfest.  It is always lots of fun.  We will  be doing it tonight.  Kids and adults both usually dress up.  I hope to take lots of pictures to show everyone.  We will be eating at church for the evening meal.  Lunch here will be burgers on the grill with homemade buns, home fries with ranch dressing for lunch.  Depending on time, I might make a pumpkin pie-not sure.  Anyway, I hope you all enjoy your day.  I know I will, lots of MawMaw time.  God bless.

I have no pictures to post today as I forgot the camera at Jessica’s.  The girls and I came home to check on everything and wash some more clothes.  We are leaving this morning to go back down.  Hubby stayed at Jessica’s so he could get the drywall hung on the ceiling after David got in from work.  They decided since the damage was so major they should just redo the entire laundry room.  A redo was on the to-do list anyway.  This just speeding it up a little. 

Saturday was Daniel’s birthday party day.  We had lots of fun.  I have pictures of his party on my camera.  I will post those next time, if I don’t forget my camera again.  Well, I just wanted to let you all know where we where on the repairs.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

Sam really loves his swing.  He does not however like his car seat.  He was sooooooo ready to be home Saturday after shopping.  He wanted his swing and some sleep.  Us girls got up early and went blueberry picking.  We picked 2 gallon-1 for us and 1 for Jess.  We came home just before the rain started.  Good timing.  It rained  most of the day there.

Afterward, we all went out to eat at Golden Corral.  Then we went to look around at Lifeway.  I purchased a new bible study.  It is Ruth by Kelly Minter.  I think this will be our next Friday Ladies Study.  It looks very interesting.   I saw so many new studies that I want to do.  We even picked out one for the girls to do for their bible class this coming year.  It was a great day.  We all had lots of fun. 

We are getting some much needed rain today.  Temperatures are cooler too.  74 degrees right now.  I like that.   Did you all notice my drying log on the right.  My darling baby girl, Grace, did that for me.  She told me she watched David put the others on.  I was very impressed with her knowledge as I have no idea how to do any of that.  Thanks Grace.

Church was very nice yesterday.  Our pastor’s sermon was on what it takes to make a man.  It was a very good sermon.  Then we had communion, followed by a fellowship meal.  LOTS o f good food.  Then we had more good food last night with our Sunday Evening Study.  All in all it was a really good day.  I better get busy.  Take care and God bless.

This is my new helper.  I did not even know these existed.   About 1 month ago, I was in our local farm supply store, and spotted one of these.  All I have ever used are the old food mills.  I have been told these are so much better than a food mill.  I can’t wait to try it out.    My friend Vicki and I will be making applesauce today out of  early cooking apples.  When we lived in Grundy, we had a June apple tree in our front yard.  I sure do miss that tree.  What they have up here has a little different taste than that one did, but they are still good.  It is our favorite type of applesauce, so I hope to can a lot of it.   Last year, apples were hard to find.  We ran out of applesauce early in the winter and had to buy from the store.  Not near as good as home canned.    Guess I’ll get busy.  Lots to do today but lots of fun too.  Take care and God bless.

I thought this was just the cutest picture.  This little girl was so intent on her fishing pole.  Look close you can see her little bare toes sticking out from under her dress.  You can also notice her hair is wet.  She sat on this drain pipe through a little shower we had.  She did not want to give up her spot.  I heard we had over 100 people there Saturday. I think they said about 300 lbs. of trout were caught.  The kids had a great time.  Lots of fun and fellowship.  Afterward, we went shopping for a few things.  Hubby needed to replenish some of his electrical supplies.  Yesterday was church, went into town to pick up some ink for the printer.  When we got home, I made some baked beans to take to Sunday Evening Class.  Then we worked some on our homework.   Sunday Night’s menu was pigs in the blanket, baked beans, chips and  homemade dip, a pasta dish, coleslaw.  For dessert peach pie, ice cream and a dessert that Becky makes that I forgot the name of.  (Happens as I get older)  Temperatures have been cool here with quite a lot of rain.  We haven’t gotten all of our garden planted because it has just been too wet.  Hopefully this week we will get it finished.  I am, of course, washing clothes today.  Lots of clothes!  I guess they will have to be dried inside as it looks like the sun will not shine today. Tomorrow the girls and I are going down to Jessica’s to watch Daniel while she goes for an ultra sound.  Samuel is just about ready to be here.  Just a couple more weeks, maybe sooner.  Pray for a healthy and easy delivery for him and for her.  I better get busy.  Take care and God bless.

We have actually been seeing a few of these guys around this spring.  Very good news.  Grace took this picture.  Thanks Grace.  Things have been a little busy here.  Saturday was spring cleaning day at church.  We had lots of fun.  About 16-18 people showed up to clean.  We started at 9:00 in the morning and finished about 2:30 that afternoon.  We grilled hot dogs for lunch with all the fixings.  You know we got to eat.  Then when we came home, I had the most precious message on our answering machine.  My little man singing happy birthday to MawMaw.  He did such a great job!   Hubby mowed the yard and tillered the first garden.  I plan to start planting this week.   Julie has an earache today.  She feels a little better this evening than she did this morning.  Hopefully it will not last too long.  This weekend has been a little cool here.  Upper 50′s for the temperature.  Very windy.  I guess it wouldn’t be Floyd without the wind.  There will be no bible study tonight as some were wanting to go to another church for their revival.  We won’t be going.  I think Julie needs to stay in and rest.    Speaking of rest, I think I’ll go do just that.  Take care and God bless.