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Dollywood

Wednesday, we had a GREAT time!! We went with the Horn’s to Dollywood. They had bought season tickets and got free one day passes to take a friend. We were their friends. Thanks again, guys. We left Floyd at 7:00 that morning and got back home around midnight. It was a long day but filled with fun. Everyone was tired but happy. Please be in prayer for Vicki and Quentin. Quentin’s grandfather passed away yesterday morning.
Yesterday was a dry day here in Floyd so I jumped in and started working on the garden.
I tillered both gardens and got them ready for planting. It was a full day. This morning I started getting the plants in the ground. So far, I have planted the potatoes, corn, onions, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. After lunch, beans and tomatoes. The girls will be helping me with them. They have been inside doing the housework this morning while I worked outside.
These are the seeds the girls and I planted in the greenhouse. They have done really well. Maybe all we needed all along was a greenhouse. They certainly look the best of any seeds we have started before. Hopefully, they will do good when transferred into the garden.
The squash and cucumbers have really grown. Speaking of growing, look how big the goslings are.
They were up in the field watching me while I worked. Well, I think that’s about it. I better get back into the garden. Enjoy your day and God bless.
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Grapes

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.
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New Home

The little chicks new home is ready!! We worked on it all day today-running the fence and putting up the gate. Hubby helped or we would not have finished it. They have 150 feet of fenced in area to run in.
Check out their gate. It was an old baby crib spring.
They seem very happy to have more room. We are planning on leaving them in the building part tonight to give them time to adjust. Tomorrow we will open the door and see how they do in the fenced in lot. Needless to say, we are all tired but SO happy to get this big job done.
I hope you all have a great evening and God bless.
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Irises

Our irises are in full bloom! These were given to us several years ago by a friend from church. It has taken them a while to get going but I think they are looking pretty good this year.
We have been busy this week. Does any one think this is becoming the norm? Seems like spring is a busy time. Anyway, we went to the dentist on Tuesday. Both girls got a good report. Then on Wednesday, we went to Sam’s club and bought our bulk items. Yesterday, we went down to Jessica’s. Today is full as well. Our church is doing a Mother/Daughter banquet this evening. I am bringing rolls. I also have to take Hubby’s van in to Little Town to get 2 tires put on. I was hoping the girls and I could get the nests made today for the little chicks. Hubby also wants to work on the floor for the new boxed in part of the back porch when he gets in from the job site. We’ll see.
School has taken a back burner this week with all that has been going on. We only lack 15 more lessons in math and we’ll be finished with it for the summer. We are calling quits to language when math is finished. Then we plan on doing history and science during June and July and taking August and September off. These two months are so busy here with canning. It is much easier for us to take those months off.
I also hope to make strawberry jam today. Yesterday, while down at Jessica’s we got 2 gal. of strawberries. I put one gallon in the freezer yesterday evening and hope to make jam with the other gallon today. I think Jessica is planning on making jam tomorrow. I am going to try using the liquid certo this time. I just haven’t been having success with the powdered sure jell.
Well, that’s about it for now. I better get busy if I am going to get anything done. I hope you all have a great day and God bless.
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Chocolate Gravy
In a bowl mix:
1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, 3/4 cup sugar
Add 3/4 cup evaporated milk and mix well. (I use 1/4 cup evaporated milk, then add enough water to make 3/4 cup) Bring to boil 3 cups water. Add above mixture to boiling water, stirring as you add mix. When thick add 1 tsp vanilla and 2 tbsp. butter. Serve with hot biscuits.
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Snowball bush

Some of you all might remember this picture from last year. Last year’s post was titled “Snowball bloom” because it only had one bloom on it. This year it looks like this.
It has lots and lots of bloom on it.
Today is foggy here. Very damp. I was hoping to hang clothes outside on the line to dry but I don’t think that is going to happen. It is fairly warm though-55 degrees. We are working on school this morning. Then I have an appointment to get two tires put on the car and get an inspection sticker. I guess that will fill up my afternoon. By the time I get back it will be time for supper. We are having homemade soup this evening with grilled cheese sandwiches. I used the remainder of the pork that I cooked Saturday for the soup. the girls and I are having chocolate gravy for lunch. It is one of their favorites.
Well, it is time for me to go check math problems. I hope you all have a great day and God bless.
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Little Chicks New Home

We’ve been busy getting the little chicks new home ready for them. They are growing so fast. They have outgrown their little coup and are in need of a bigger home. We decided this building would work great for them. It was a metal shed we built several years ago to store the lawn mower in. It needed planks on the inside to keep it warm in the winter. The girls and I put them up Friday evening. Then this morning, we all went out and got started fixing the front. It now has a nice door and a window and is fully enclosed. All we lack now is making some nests for them and putting up the fence and building the gate. Okay, so that sounds like we lack quite a bit but we are one step closer now than we were yesterday. You can see one of the old hens in front of the house. They were so curious as to why we were blocking off the shed as it is one of their favorite places to take a dust bath.
Today was cool here. Temperatures were in the high 40’s-lower 50’s. We wore light jackets all day while we were working. We came in and ate supper. I knew today would be a long day outside working so this morning I put some pork in the crockpot and some pinto beans in another crockpot. All I had to do when we came in was fry some potatoes and make cornbread. I then decided to build a fire as it was about 60 degrees in the house. We are nice and warm now. There is just something very comforting about a wood fire. So relaxing.
I hope you all have a great evening and God bless.
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Ouch!!!

I thought I would show you ladies what happens when a cinderblock falls on your toe. Thankfully, I was wearing boots or it would have been lots worse. I must tell you all though, I really hesitated about showing you this picture. I did not realize I had such strange looking feet until I took this picture. Oh well, they are what they are, I guess. It didn’t get me out of work though. I had to go with him this morning to texture the ceiling on the sheetrock job. That job is finished now so we can go back to working just the remodeling job. He has been going to the sheetrock job in the mornings and the remodeling job in the evenings. Doesn’t that sound wonderful!!! 2 jobs at one time. We are so blessed.
Our temperatures did warm up some today. I think we actually got to about 50 degrees. It is supposed to be cold again tonight. I just finished building a fire to keep us toasty warm. I kinda thought we were finished with fires for this season but I guess I was wrong. I hope all this cold doesn’t destroy the fruit harvest.
I hope you all have a great evening. God bless.





















