Yesterday hubby was home so he helped me pick blackberries.  We picked 4 gal.  I canned these and saved enough  back for blackberry dumplings.  According to our local grocery store price for blackberries , we had about $200.00 worth of berries.  We are very blessed.  These berries are very abundant here on the farm.   Lots of them cover the fence line that is right in our yard.  George mows right up to the fence so it is easy picking.  We share these with others as there is much more than we can use.  Also yesterday we finished the work on the chest of drawers and put it in Julie’s room.  Then we did some work on George’s building.  He plans to make this his wood working shop as we both enjoy making things from wood.  He has made almost all of our cabinetry, beds for two older kids, tables, outside swings–the list goes on and on.  It will be much more enjoyable when we don’t have to carry everything outside to work and then back inside when done.  Todays to do list includes making salsa.  For many years I have tried to raise peppers here on the farm with no success.  I think late springs early frost hindered their growth.  Then I read on the internet to surround them with black plastic to hold in the heat.  I tried this and guess what.  Peppers!  Lots of peppers.  I planted green, banana, and hot.  The banana and hot are the most abundant.  Last night we gathered tomatoes and peppers so today the girls and I will be busy chopping and canning.  I also need to make some more fabric softener.  I have been making my own for a couple of times and so far this  has worked well for us.  The recipe for this is: 6 cups of water, 3 cups white vinegar, 2 cups hair conditioner(your choice)  Mix all ingredients together.  Yields approx.  1 gal.  Use 1/4 cup per load.  I also make my own laundry detergent.  I’ll have to post that recipe at another time.  For today there are things that need doing.  The wash is ready to go on the line.  I love hanging my clothes on the line.  When I was a working mom I would pass clothesline full of clothes on my way to work and think “what a luxury to be able to hang clothes on the line” because as you all know working moms barely have time to get them in the dryer much less anything else.  So now I am blessed (thanks to the hard work of my hubby) with the time for this luxury and I take advantage of it every day.  Of course it also saves money as God’s sunshine is free whereas man’s electricity has a price.  There is no comparison to the fresh smell of clothes dried on the line vs. in the dryer.  I love it.   Well to chopping I will go.

The end to a beautiful day in Floyd.  Temperatures stayed in the low 80’s.   Rain has teased us all day but hasn’t happened yet.  I watered some of the pots and my new snow ball bush and mock orange tree that was given to me by a friend from church-just in case it doesn’t rain tonight.  I accomplished quite a lot from my to do list today.  I made 13 jars of hot pepper jelly(recipe on sure jell box).  I tried this for the first time last year and really loved it.  You serve it over cream cheese.  It taste really good with crackers.  I gathered two five gallon buckets of corn.  We have really been blessed with corn this year so I have allowed the last row to stay longer in order to make pickled corn.  I come from the mountains of southwest Virginia and this is what we call it.  I have learned from other blogs it is called fermented corn.  I don’t care what you call it,  its good.  Anyway, I gathered some of the last row today and my youngest daughter helped me shuck it and prepare it for pickling.  She loves to shuck corn and can’t wait every year until corn comes in.  She also loves to eat it, as do we all.  So after all was said and done we have enough to fill 15 jars pickling in the crock.  Next Monday this will be ready to can.  Grace loves all pickled veggies,  kraut, mixed pickles, and corn.  After canning was finished for the day, I helped my hubby repair a chest of drawers he had gotten.  Then I helped him mow the yard.  With both of us working on it we can be finished in about 2-2 1/2 hours.  So now we are done for the day.  I got tired just writing all this down, but it was a good day.  A cool breeze is blowing through the open windows and I  believe Life is Good.  God is Good.

Hi, this is my first real post as my son-in-law (who created this blog) really did the other post.  Today however I am on my own.  SCARY!  I really want to do this blog though so here I am.  I guess I will start by telling a little about myself.  I live in a very beautiful part of God’s world and as I get better at this blog thing I will learn how to put pictures on here so others can see how beautiful it is.  I am married to THE MOST WONDERFUL MAN.  I have 5 girls, 3 are here with me and 2 are with Jesus.    My husband and I share a total of 9 children (5 from previous marriages) and 5 grandchildren (1 of these lives with Jesus also)  Ain’t God good.  I am as you have probably noticed a Christian.  I love the Lord and lots of things I say on here will show that.  I homeschool our 2 who are still at home and  I love it.  We have so much fun together.  Enough about me for now.  Today has been a beautiful day in Floyd, temperatures about 80, slight breeze.  The morning was cool about 52.  My daughter, son-in-law, and grandson were visiting from Greensboro and they thought it was really chilly.  It is much cooler here than there.  Good in summer-bad in winter.    Today is Sunday, a resting day.  Tomorrow there is much to do.  I’ll let you know how much I get done.

This is the first post for my new site.

I hope to put lot’s of pictures about Floyd, VA. and tell of our life.

Thanks for reading
Donna Dawson