Another Sign of Spring

Another indicator of spring. This flower is one of the early ones. I’m not sure what it is but it comes up early every year. Does anyone know it’s name? Anyway it is always such an uplifting sight to see it coming out of the ground. Today has been a little cool here, overcast, kinda dreary. Yesterday was georgeous. Windy but lots of sunshine. Today has been school as usual. We are all looking forward to finishing the year (hopefully) a little early. Our expectations are to be finished around the first of May. I guess that is if we don’t miss too many days between now and then. Spring is the hardest for us. We want to take too many days off and enjoy the sun. I’ve still been working on Grace’s quilt. I’m about 2/3 of the way finished. I really want to get it done soon so I can put the quilting frame away for summer. It always seems to me, spring is the time for new projects and it is hard to get old ones finished when so many new ones are calling. I MUST REMAIN FOCUSED! Tonight’s menu for supper is venison strips, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy and homemade biscuits. Dessert will probably be honey and butter swirled together and put on hot biscuits. YUM! Tomorrow is Ladies Bible Study day. It is going really well. A very good study. I highly recommend it. Well it is time for us to get some house cleaning done and then start on supper. Take care and God Bless.

March 25, 2010 0

Family

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.

March 23, 2010 2

New Life

The field above our house has come to life. Several new calves have been born. They run and jump through the new grass. They have so much fun and are such a joy to watch. Today we worked outside most of the day, picking up in the yard, getting the garden ready. David, Jess, and Daniel came this afternoon. We had hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. Ate them outside at the picnic table. The sun was shining brightly. A beautiful day.

The girls enjoyed some fishing time. It was one of those days that I just thank the Lord I live where I do. Clothes blowing dry in the wind. The birds are singing so beautiful. Frogs peeping. It makes me want to do all my work outside. I even open my window just a little bit at night so the frogs can sing me to sleep. Wonderful time of the year in Floyd. It’s been a really hard winter but spring in sweet. Just like life. Sometimes life is hard but the Lord is good and brings us through to spring. Well, I must go. My baby boy is here. Take care and God bless.

March 20, 2010 1

More Signs of Spring

I could hardly wait to post these pictures! The crocus are so bright and beautiful. The rhubarb is coming up nicely. I LOVE SPRING! This has been a busy week for us. All day Tuesday spent in Roanoke at the eye doctor. Wednesday was a fun day spent with our friends, the Horns. Today has been a beautiful day here. Temperature around 60 degrees. We can hardly believe it. I hung our clothes out on the line-they will smell sooooo good! I plan on having london broil on the grill tonight, probably home fries and corn on the cob (from our garden last year). I purchased some strawberries at the store today. I usually don’t do that this early in the season but they looked so good. Strawberry Shortcake for dessert tonight. We usually go down to Jessica’s in early May. There is a” pick your own” strawberry patch. We love it. We try to pick a lot, freeze them for winter. We also make lots of fresh strawberry jam. YUM! Anyway I have a praise. My truck is fixed!!!! Hubby and his brother worked until dark last night but we are back on the road. I never imagined how much I would miss that old truck until I had to jiggle my schedule with Hubby’s. One vehicle can be a little trying to say the least. The girls and I don’t go a lot of places but it sure is nice to be able to go when we want to. I guess I better get busy cooking supper, Hubby is looking in the pantry so he must be hungry. Take care and God bless.

March 18, 2010 2

Info about using dryers

I did some research on how much it cost to run a dryer. The info I got said an average of about 50 cents a load. I wash about 10 loads a week which means if I hang them all outside I will be saving about $5.00 a week. About $20.00 a month. I like that. I can do a lot with $20.00 extra dollars. I just wanted to let you ladies know this information. I thought it was very useful. Enjoy your day and God bless.

March 15, 2010 2

Geese are back

What are beautiful sight! The geese are back. They look so pretty on the pond with the sun shining on them. We heard our first frogs peeping Saturday night. Spring is on its way. I will be posting pictures this week of other signs of Spring. I am sooooooooo glad. Yesterday was a good day. Pastor Tom had a good message, then we had a team leaders meeting afterward. Our Sunday School Director retired and George accepted the position. We really have no idea what his duties will be as of it but I’m sure we will learn as we go. Last night’s menu at church included a hamburger casserole, baked beans, potato salad, pretzels and dip, a peach jello salad, and brownies. I took something no one from church had ate before, pickled corn. It was a success. Most seemed to like it. I guess its kinda like kraut, you either like it or you don’t, not much in- between ground. Today will be school as usual. Tomorrow both girls have eye doctor appointments. We plan to leave early in the morning so as to do some shopping for shoes. Recital is this Sunday. I hope to hang clothes on the line today. It gives me an opportunity to be outside, plus saves us money. Temperature is supposed to get in the upper 40’s today. Things are drying up from all the melting snow. It will soon be time to start preparing the garden for summer. I get excited just thinking about all this. Well it is time to begin working. Take care and God bless.

March 15, 2010 0

Old Books

I simply LOVE old school books. Here are a few that I have collected over the years. I learned to read with Dick and Jane and taught my girls with the same books. They have such wonderful pictures. The last picture is of two old books from my Dad’s childhood. Inside the cover, there are the names of many of my aunts and uncles. I suppose they just passed the books down. Gotta love that. We still do that here in this household. Just pass them on. These books have a very important place in my schoolroom/dining room, along with an old Strawberry Shortcake lunchbox. The lunchbox is metal and still has the thermos in it. It belonged to Jess. Such happy memories.

As you can tell, it was a much loved lunch box. Lots of rain here last night. Today has been overcast. Temperature in the mid 40’s. Not too bad. Supper tonight will be pork tenderloin on the grill, fresh pineapple, home fries, home canned green beans and homemade biscuits. For dessert we have some cinnamon rolls left over from the other day. This will be served with cold mint tea. Are you all hungry yet? I am so I guess I better go get that grill going. Take care and God bless.

March 13, 2010 4

Sunrise

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.

March 10, 2010 2

Wheat

Today was spent running errands. The girls had dentists appointments this morning. We left home at 9:00 as it takes about an hour to get to Roanoke from here. After their appointments, we spent some time in Lifeway. I picked out several studies I think the ladies will enjoy doing. Then we went to Toys R Us. The girls wanted to look around.

When the girls were younger, we always called Roanoke “big big town, Christiansburg was “big town” and Floyd (our town) was called “little town” . So we came back, went to “little town” and picked up the wheat I had ordered. It is called Prairie Gold. It is a hard white spring wheat. It can be used in all baking, from bread to cookies. The price was $25.00 for a 50 lb. bag. Pretty good price. Tomorrow I hope to make cinnamon rolls to share with a friend on Thursday. If I’m really industrious, maybe a loaf of bread too. Our snow is melting more each day. Temperature today was about 60 degrees. I went out on my back porch and sat on my porch swing. I love porch swings. When I was a little girl, my grandmother had a porch swing and I have loved them ever since. To me, nothing says relaxing more than a swing, so I have 1 porch swing and 2 yard swings. All made for me by my loving Hubby. The girls have had 2 tree swings since they were very small and still enjoy them. I guess we’re just “a swingin” bunch. Take care and God bless.

March 9, 2010 3

May Be Crazy!

Yes, I know to many of you who know me, this only confirms the fact that sometimes I am a little crazy. The sun is shining so brightly here today. The birds are singing everywhere. A slight breeze is blowing. How could I resist hanging my cloths on the line. Yes, I admit it was cold. About 36 degrees. My hands definitely were cold by the time I was finished, but don’t they look absolutely beautiful blowing in the breeze. They are going to smell soooooooo good! Spring is coming and it feels so wonderful. Thank you Lord! Take care and God bless.

March 8, 2010 4