MerryHeartCrafts.comMountain Momma… Country Living

I think these are such cheerful flowers.  I like their bright color.  They are among the last of the flowers to bloom in one of my flower gardens.  Fall is definitely in the air here in Floyd.  Cooler temperatures at night.  Upper 50′s lower 60′s.  We even spotted one tree that is starting to change colors.  I love fall!  Many people say summer has long lazy days.  This is usually not true for me.  Fall is more of a slow down time for us.  Most of the canning is done.  We can slow down and enjoy the cooler days.  I love it!  Of course,  I have had to slow down a little earlier than planned this year but I think I have learned a lot from this experience.  What have I learned?  I need to slow down a little, enjoy life more, laugh more, do more things with my girls.  There is much to be said for teaching my girls how to can and take care of the house but also there is much to be said for picnics under oak trees and hikes down favorite trails.  Balance-I think it is all about balance. 

Yesterday the girls and I made homemade vegetable beef soup with homemade rolls.  It is starting to feel like soup weather.  I told the girls the other day, these cooler temperatures makes me want to open up new school books.  Amazing-cooler temps does not have the same effect on them.   We wanted to make chocolate chip cookies yesterday but did not get them done.  I think that will be a project for today.  If we get to make them, I will try to post the recipe we use.  We have some corn that needs to be pulled and worked up so I guess that too will be on the list for today.  My list is not near as long as it was before the back pain.

Enjoy your day and God bless.

We did not get to have our breakfast picnic yesterday morning at the park.   Weather was too bad.  VERY foggy here.   Most people would not have been able to find the park .  Everything is wet, wet, wet.   We did move it to the church, however, so we still had breakfast.  Just not outside like originally planned.  Lots of good food though.  The pastors sermon was on the Lord’s Prayer.  It was a very good message.

I have been told this strange looking flower is called a Naked Lady.  The name suits it.  There are no leaves on it what so ever.  Just a tall stem and then the flower.  They have filled out more since I took this picture however I could not get a new picture.  It is too foggy and dreary today.  The girls and I will be busy making more salsa.  I did not like the recipe in the Ball canning book as much as I like my old recipe.  It was given to me by a Mennonite friend, Judy.  So today we are making her recipe.  Much better.  Temperatures have been cooler here.  Low’s in the upper 50′s, high’s in the low to mid 60′s.  Wet, foggy.  Nice days for doing work inside or just curling up with a good book.  I think I’ll try to work both of these activities in today.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

The girls and I finished the apples yesterday.  You can check out our logs at the right to see our total.  I really like cooking the apples in the microwave.  So much easier.  It makes the applesauce thicker too.  When I cook them on the stove, I have to add a little water to keep them from sticking, so it makes the applesauce a little thinner.   Today we will be canning a bushel of green beans.   Also working on cleaning the house  as tomorrow is bible study day. 

Beautiful weather here in Floyd this week.  When we got up this morning about 6:00, the temperature was 59 degrees.  This makes it so much more comfortable for sleeping.  I would guess yesterdays high was in the low 80′s.  Very nice.  Days like we have been having remind me why I like living in Floyd and especially here on the farm.  God was very good to bring us to this place.  Thank you Lord.

The birds are singing such beautiful praises this morning.  I think I’ll join them in their worship.  Breakfast outside sounds wonderful.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

I thought it would be nice to look back and remember how things were just a few short months ago.  This picture was taken this morning.  Then I looked back and found another picture of the same scene.

Personally I like this morning’s picture better but to each his own.  Yesterday was busy for us.  The girls and I went to pick apples.  A friend from church offered us his early apples from his tree.  We were very thankful to get them.  After we came home, we started processing them.  Yesterday we got 11 quarts of applesauce made and still have more to work with today.  Sally, our pastors wife, told us she puts her apples in the microwave to cook them.  This was much easier as we didn’t have to worry about them burning.  Then she puts hers through her food strainer and puts them in the freezer.  I had never put applesauce in the freezer, only apples.  We tried that yesterday.  It was a lot faster and didn’t heat up the house. 

 Beautiful weather here in Floyd this week.  Much cooler temperatures with a wonderful breeze.    We have had several little rains which we really needed.  I picked green beans Monday and dug some young potatoes.  They were delicious.  I think I’ll be able to pick some more beans by tomorrow.  YUM!   I love fresh produce. 

 Did you all notice my canning and freezing logs Dave put on my blog?  Thanks Dave.  I really like being able to look at it and see what I’ve got done and what I still need.  I better get working on those apples.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

My girls.  Ain’t they beautiful!  The recital was Sunday and went very well.  Call me impartial, but I think my girls were the BEST.  It was great fun.  Dave,  Jess, and Daniel came up.  Jess is responsible for “dolling” them up every year.  She does a great job.  They looked so grown up.  It is hard for me to believe how fast they are becoming young ladies.  I love you, girls (all 3). Can you believe this is the same girls that just the day before were fishing and catching lizards? 

We also got a nice picture of Jess, David, and Daniel.  It was such a nice weekend. We enjoyed chicken on the grill Saturday evening which we ate outside at the picnic table.  We had planned to do a campfire but it was too windy.  Hopefully next time.  Our time together extended on to Monday.  We went down with Jess on Sunday evening so I could go with her for her ultra sound on Monday.  It was amazing!  I actually got to see little Samuel blink his eyes.  I could not believe it.  Ulta sounds have really come a long way.   It is cold here today, very windy.  Snow flurries .  Typical March weather.  We saw lots of trees and flowers blooming this weekend though.  Signs of encouragement for those of us who are soooooo ready for spring.  Well, I better work on school.  We’re learning about prepositions this week.  What fun!!!  Take care and God bless.

Miss you, already!  We are back from our visit.  The weather was beautiful, 58 degrees when we left this afternoon.  Pretty nice here too, 45 degrees.  The sun is shining and lots of snow has melted.  We actually have a front yard now.  Our little man was sick this weekend.  He has the same thing Julie and Grace have had.  YUCKY!  However,  as we were playing in his toy room this weekend, he looked up at me and said “I love you, MawMaw”.  Well of course my heart melted.  I have tried since he began talking to get him to say that, and just like that he says it.  No prompting from me, nothing.  Just straight from his heart to mine.   Everything in God’s time.  That of course was the highlight of my trip.  We had lots of great food to eat, did some shopping.  I found the girls a dress for piano recital at Goodwill.  Could not find shoes though.  Hopefully we will find some before the recital.  It’s time for us to leave for church.  I just wanted to share with you all my sweet words from my special boy.  Take care and God bless.

Here are two new aprons I just finished.  I think the red polka dot is so cheerful.  I think it would make anyone happy wearing it around doing household chores, don’t you?  Today has not been a very pleasant day here in our little section of God’s creation.  High wind has been the main issue today.  Gusts up to about 70 mph and a steady wind of about 40-50 mph.  We tried to go down to the barn a little while ago to get milk.  The drifts were too high for our old 86 Chevy truck to get through even in 4wheel low.  The wind is blowing so hard, the chimney is having a hard time drawing, so it has been a challenge  keeping the fire going.   If you look outside, you would think we live in Alaska.  Of course, I’ve never been to Alaska, but it looks like the pictures I’ ve saw.  We awoke this  morning to single digit temperatures with below zero wind chills.  The temperatures did not come out of the teens all day and the wind has continued to blow stronger.  The weatherman says we are in a “nor’easter” ( I’m not sure I spelled that correct) until sometime tomorrow afternoon and then the wind will calm to about 20-30 mph.  Oh well, that’s winter.  Okay, I’ve complained enough about the weather for one day.  I know things could be so much worse.  We still have electricity, the water isn’t frozen and it’s warm inside our home.  God is good!  As my step-grandmother used to say “Praise the name of my King”  I pray you all will keep warm and safe this night.  God Bless.

We went over to our friends house today to celebrate her  daughter’s birthday.    We had homemade pizza and birthday cake.  It was delicious.  Thanks again Vicki.  Then she gave me a surprise.  She made me this beautiful wall hanging!  I could’nt wait to get home and put it on my wall.  I think it looks just perfect in my dining room.  To me, nothing says you care about people more than hand made items.  I LOVE IT!  Tonight’s menu at church is baked spaghetti, salad, bread, green beans, corn, and cake with ice cream.  Sounds good, huh.   Weather here is rain, rain, and then maybe some more rain.  Oh well, at least its not ice.  We now have mud everywhere.  The snow has melted and the ice has melted and they say there is a chance for flooding.  I’m glad the Good Lord is in charge of all this and not me.  Well, I better get busy getting those green beans ready.  God Bless.

I thought everyone might enjoy a little sunrise.  God decided to sent us this beautiful sunrise yesterday morning and I certainly was glad.  Whenever I see a beautiful sunrise or sunset, it always reminds me  of the majesty and power of God.  I think we all need a little reminding sometimes.  Nothing much going on here.  School as normal.  Things are getting back to our normal routine.  It was very cold here this morning.  Lots of wind.  The actual temperature was about 14 but the wind chill was much colder.  Hopefully, weather permitting, Jess and Dave will come up this weekend.  I need me some MawMaw time.  She will be going for her ultra-sound soon to find out if the baby is a boy or girl!  I’ll let everyone know when we know.  The girls are wanting me to play a game with them before school starts.  I better go.  Playtime awaits.  God Bless.

More winter pictures.  The snow is still around.  Almost all of it.  Today was the first day that maybe some of it melted.  Not very much.  I guess it will be safe to say we will have a white Christmas.  We ventured out today for the first time.  It felt pretty good to just see other people.  Our kids in N.C. have a stomach virus, so I guess our weekend plans are changed.  Oh well, that’s life.  Forecast for the weekend is calling for sleet, freezing rain, etc.  so we probably would have had to change them anyway.  I hope the weather holds off.   We are wanting to go  to the candlelight service at church.   It is always so beautiful.  I pray all of you will have a blessed Christmas.  Enjoy family, friends and life.  God Bless.