"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Monday, June 29, 2009

Celebrate Your Freedom!


It's the time that we all gather and reflect on our freedom and privileges as Americans....a reason to celebrate!So get your grill ready.........tell all friends and loved ones what dishes to bring........if you want a wonderful coleslaw, you can get the recipe from my cooking blog...just click here...http://countrykitchenkat.blogspot.com


Spend time with your children and pets......and all dear loved ones near and far. Reminisce about the days when things and times weren't so free......

Get together with your best friends, talk....listen.....share......laugh.....and most of all......


celebrate!!!
Have a wonderful holiday!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

On A Hot Summer Day

The days have slowed down a little, due the the extreme heat of the day. I am up when it is still dark to water and weed the garden, before the heat of the day sets in.
The two little birds I have been taken care of flew away last week. Healthy and happy to start their life on their own.
The chicks are almost grown and the terror of snakes, hopefully, has been forgotten.


They have now been able to leave their hutch and roam the chicken pen yard.

My zinnia garden is starting to do well......




and I have found some unusual leaves in my flower gardens. This morning glory looks like a butterfly...don't you think?



And I am sure you all have the heart shaped leaves of morning glory surrounding you by now.






Out in the pumpkin patch, eggs lie in wait on a crispy green leaf. By 10:00 A.M. the heat of the sun drives me back inside...





where I spend much of the day doing what I really love......the little quilt top has come together








and the embroidery is falling into place quite well....I will leave the outdoors







to the other creatures.....









that are trying to find moisture and shade.











The heat has slowed Boo down as well, at 14, she spends much of her day napping.....










Max, at 13, is really getting shabby looking. He still spends the morning hours exploring the woods, but by the time the sun is in the sky, he has taken his retreat to the coolness of the front porch.













Abbey, almost 7 , is still active, but enjoys a good cat nap anyway....












and young Salem.....well....there are trees to climb, birds to chase, and soft green grass to roll in.....naps can come later....














Sophie.......patiently she waits by my side,....as I stitch......waiting for the late afternoon to go on a long walk.
I have been reading on many of your blogs how you too, have been struggling with the heat. My question......what do you do in the extreme heat of the day?.......watch a movie........take a nice swim.........sit out in the coolness of the porch? I would love to hear.
















Monday, June 22, 2009

If These Walls Could Talk

You will find me waiting at the end of some dirt road, overgrown with weeds from the absence of footsteps. You can find me along with countless others on the internet....labeled as abandoned......eerie...creepy....scary..........but......
if these walls could talk, you would hear another version, ........these walls........

these walls have been painted on, wall papered, grease splattered and colored on. They have held photos of young married couples, old married couples, babies,....families of those who made this house a home.....These walls have kept away the storm's wind and rain, snow and cold.....and have kept a warmth surrounding this family..........

These floors have been walked on, stomped on, spilt on, crawled on, and scrubbed on. These doors have been slammed in moments of hurriedness, play and sometimes anger. These windows have let the sunshine and cool breeze in while keeping the danger of outside......out.

These porches have been a place where plans have been thought out, where the best of childhood games have been played and where everyone seemed to like to gather the most. A welcoming retreat from the blazing heat of the day. The place where the end of the day is sorted out and given rest.



I was once a happy place, hidden away from the fast pace of this maddening world.....a place of quiet........ calm.....peace.......security.




I was once someones castle, protecting all of those who lived inside of these walls. Each room heard different conversations......the radio telling of the news.......recipes for the strawberry jam.....the next best move at the baseball game.... prayers for each and everyone who lived within......and the secrets told to a dear diary about the boy down the road.......





I was once someones dream....... the new bride....the babies...the new barn....the hay field....... the harvest.....







I have known the laughter, sadness, worry, and hopes that make up a family.






I was once what everyone thought home should be..........








I was once a dream, a well thought out plan.......that for some reason....did not come true.....










Abandoned........yes......eerie, creepy, scary?.......no..............I would say more..........
protector, refuge, .....a touchstone......
..........home........ waiting at the end of a dirt road.
......whenever I see and old vacant house......I want to pull over and go inside and look at every room.....something always calls to me in these old beauties.....
My question to you......how do you feel when you see an old vacant house? I always love hearing your thoughts.











Thursday, June 18, 2009

My Plate Is Full

I so enjoyed reading all of your comments on how your "cup runneth over" on my last post! I always enjoy hearing from all of you.....and now....my plate is full. Seems like this time of year my plate is always more full than usual.....there is so much to get done.
Six days ago a storm blew in bringing with it a few sprinkles of rain, a whole cotton field of dirt and leaving behind these baby birds.....blown out of their nest. We could not reach the nest that was a mile high in the tree.....so every two hours....I have been feeding and caring for these little ones.....my plate is full.......the little one lying down died a couple of days ago, probably injured from the fall....
If you find that you have baby birds to take care of.....Gerbers baby meat in the little jar is what will feed them well. I use an empty plastic syringe that I got from the vet for medication for my animals. Just draw in the baby meat and squirt it down the little birds throat. They eat quite a bit and they need to be fed every two hours, even through the night for the first few days.
I thought at first that these were Mockingbirds....since that is what has been diving down at our cats as they walk underneath the tree.......

but as you can see,they are getting a yellow chest and dark black wings. I sat these two out on a limb today and stepped away to see if any bird might come near. One of the "Baltimore Oriole" type birds did fly up to them, but never returned. They have learned to fly a short distance....but I could not let them stay out in the heat and wind any longer. They have slowed their eating down to every 4 to 5 hours and probably by next week they will be able to be free. They grow so quickly....


speaking of growing quickly..From the hen house...the chicks have grown and will soon be free to roam the pen grounds. I have had to stop being nice to bull snakes and instead of taking them off somewhere else.....I have had to whack them. I have killed 4 snakes in my baby chicks hutch within the past 6 days.......my plate is full!


but from the grounds that surround us, there are the good and gentle snakes....the ones I pick up...




and bring to my youngest son.....who's only trait he got from me is the love of wild things..







Also walking the grounds was this box turtle...




who stopped long enough to pose for a picture and then he was on his way.....







from the pond....the cheap little 25 cent fish that were once and inch long have grown to be quite big....








the wasp have taken refuge to the surface of the pond.....getting some relief from the 106 temperatures....









from the garden, everything is growing......I will soon have fried green tomatoes!










the squash and onions are also doing well......if I can just stay ahead of the weeds! I have worked out in the garden every day from 6 AM to 10 AM and am just now finishing with all of the weed battle......my plate is full!











The flower beds are also starting to come to life, showing their cheery colors.












from my needle.......I have been working on a miniature quilt....and combining my embroidery with it.....if you would like to learn how just click here to visit my embroidery blog....
http://yesteryearembroideries.blogspot.com/
my plate is full!












from the kitchen, the smell of southern fried chicken is telling me that supper is almost ready and another day is done...... click here for a wonderful Southern fried chicken recipe from my cooking blog...http://countrykitchenkat.blogspot.com/













Abbey is hoping my plate is full because she loves fried chicken too! I always share and she knows it! Now how about you? How do you find your plate being full.......is it full from traveling on vacation this time of year.......taking charge of the kids on their summer break from school......yard work.? I would love to hear!
















Saturday, June 13, 2009

My Cup Runneth Over

My life is simple........I don't own a new car.....I don't have a winning lottery check coming to me (since I don't play the lottery)..... I don't have an important career.....I don't wear expensive clothing.....I don't have a tractor to plow my farm.......to most it might look as if......
my cup looks pretty empty........
however.....my cup runneth over with things that money cannot buy.....

my cup runneth over with good coffee, a forbidden treat now and then........and then again....with a friend.......in hours of conversation..........


my cup runneth over with time......to think...to pray....to walk...to dive into things that wait for me......



my cup runneth over with creativity....imagination......plans......




my cup runneth over with laughter...joy.....love....and memories....





my cup runneth over with beauty of all that surrounds me and fills my world and simple life.
As I take a big drink from my overflowing cup......I know I am truly blessed.....
my cup runneth over with gratitude
How about you??? What do your cups run over with??? I always love to hear your thoughts!