~Of Deer And Legos~

This big doe has been hanging around the house. She doesn't have any little ones though. Her favorite meal seems to be our small fruit trees and my garden!!! You can get fairly close before she takes off, snorting in disgust that we disturbed her snack!

 Lunch time at Gran-Grans! My nieces were down last week so we turned our weekly Cooking Day into a little party!

Last week's lesson: How to properly slice.(Using ''dull'' knives).

Aunt Nina sets up and demonstrates.

 Determination!!!

 What a slicing cutie!

Trying desperately to get a picture of the two cousins in the aprons I made them....

 Dance break?

 This is the best one! They just had so much fun to have and so little time, they couldn't stay still for dumb pictures!!!

Zonked with TV for quiet time.

 Legos, anyone? This is the first time Big Boy has ever played with ''real'' Legos. He loved it! Guess Mama will have to start buying Legos now, lol.

 Just like Uncle Pat-Pat! My brother used to spend hours playing Legos in his room. He kept them in a large, blue tote. The rattling noise the Legos would make as he pawed through the box looking for a particular piece used to drive me crazy! Now I kinda miss it, lol.

Well, that's a wrap folks. I will post an interview question soon! Take care and God bless!

~Interview Question #4~

Photo Credit: My sister "Nina"

Here is the fourth interview question with my Grammie! If you've missed any, you can catch up by clicking "Interview with Grammie" under post labels on the right side column.

Question #4: "How many children did you have home at one time before Aunt Ellie was old enough to go to school?"

"Aunt Ellie was born in 1951, Robin in 1953, then Barbie in 1954-so all three were home before Eleanor went to school. Busy time, but special."

~Interview Question #3~

Here is the third question in my interview with my Grammie:
 Question #3 How did you know he (Grampie) was "the one"?

"When Grampie first showed up at L.A. (Lee Academy),  he was wearing a yellow knit vest, was tall and a NEW guy at school! That caught my attention! I didn't know he noticed me at all, but I was friends with his sister (also new to L.A.).She invited me to go along with them to Lincoln. I learned afterwards that he had suggested that she ask me to go with them! He finally got a little braver and began paying attention to me. I think his attention made me feel special, so things progressed from there. Neither of us guessed then that we'd still be together sixty-six years later!!"

Now that, my friends, is what commitment looks like!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Background Music

I have finally figured out how to put background music on my blog again (with the help of YouTube, of course)! I just wanted to let you know where to find the player, in case you do not want to hear the music so you can pause it during your visit. It is on the right side bar, under "popular posts". It is kida big, hard to miss, lol. I hope you enjoy it! Yiruma is one of my favorite composers. His music is so peaceful and beautiful. Ejoy!

~"It Is A Great Art....To Saunter"~

I love that quote by Thoreau. That sums up our day yesterday, more or less. I did dishes and laundry in the morning when the boys had finished breakfast. Then we went out to play. We played ball, laid in the grass and looked for bugs, watched butterflies in the Lilacs, scooped dirt into a coffee can, listened to the birds. Then they both "pig piled" mama. Even the dog joined in and tried to sit on me! By then it started to get pretty hot out, and Little Boy was proving the need for a nap. So we went in and had lunch and quiet time. Little Boy woke up from his nap first. After I changed him, we snuggled on the couch. It wasn't long before he squirmed to the floor and picked out a book. "Read it, Mama?" Who could resist? So for about the 200th time, we read "Llama, Llama, Red Pajama". Big Boy was up shortly. Back outside. I sat on the steps talking to Grammie Osgood on the phone while they played out front. When I got off the phone I went over to see what they were doing. They had found the remnants of a mud puddle and were having a blast!

I showed them how to make mud pies. We used large maple leaves for plates.

I love how in the Spring/Summer the leaves make a beautiful canopy over the driveway.

Little Boy, sporting his brother's boots and a cloth diaper.

Dancing.

They were holding hands, but I missed it!

Inside playing with magnetic letters while Mama and Big Boy make supper for Daddy.

Bouquet of fresh lilacs. I wait all year for this! This one bouquet fills the kitchen with a lovely fragrance!

Recipe from my old cook book.

Happy chef!

 He dipped and breaded his fish all by himself (mostly).

Our finished pie.

I don't feel so rushed, now that the garden is all in. I didn't plant potatoes, if I get the chance right off great, if not, that's ok. Ideally I would have had them in mid May, but it took me two weeks to spread a dump truck load of compost on the garden. It isn't the most beautiful garden I've ever planted. It has sods and rocks that I need to rake and pick. (We expanded the plot this year). But it took so long for the compost, that I really needed to get the seeds into the ground! Now I can work on the rest while things are growing. We planted pole beans around a "A" shaped trellis so the boys could have a bean tunnel to play in! Hopefully we get some goodies before September!!!! My lettuce is getting bigger! Fresh salad soon!

I hope you have a good day. And don't forget to take some time to saunter!

~Interview Question #2~

Hey everyone! Been a busy week here. I've spent pretty much every minute I could outside this past week, working on the garden between thunder showers. We have a fox after our chickens! She has already taken 4! I'm so mad! I'm sure she has babies to feed, but really? MY chickens?? Can't she catch some squirrels, rabbits or partridge? Actually, now that I think about it, I guess I'd rather have a nice, plump chicken for supper. Although, I have had squirrel before. Just like chewing on a boot. Boy they are tough!
      If I get the chance, I'd like to do a video this week on preventing diaper rash while using cloth diapers. So if you are interested in that kind of thing, keep an eye out!

On with the question:

#2. How did you and Grampie meet?

"Grampie went to highschool in Lincoln his first three years, but due to a family move, he came to L.A.(Lee Academy) for his senior year. That is where we met. He always liked redheads, so I've been told. If I hadn't been redheaded, this story might not have been the same!"

Stay tuned for more!

Have a wonderful day!

~Where Is May Going? And my Newly Acquired Treasure!~

Oh my goodness! I can't believe it has been a month since I posted last! Sorry friends! This is a busy time of year for us; getting the garden ready, planting, yard work, cleaning the barn, cleaning the house, projects, etc.
  What have I been up to? Well....I finally finished repainting the bathroom (it really needed it!). I'm not crazy about painting, in fact, I'd rather fold laundry (for those of you who don't know me in person, or have not seen "Mt. Fold It Later" that seems to perpetually live on my livingroom table, that is saying something!)

I made this toilet paper holder from a little stick of biscuit wood and baling twine. I had some little hooks and wire in my tool box to make the stick removable for refills. 

 The old glass milk bottle I had these flowers in before broke. My mother-in-love had just given these canning jars to me. I like the pop of color it adds.

One of my favorite things growing up was "tadpole season". Every Spring we would go down to the pond to collect frog eggs and hatch them out inside. Once they were officially little frogs, we would let them go back to the pond. I figured this year the boys (at least Big Boy) would be old enough to grasp the basic concept of what was going on. They didn't think much of the glob of eggs, in fact were quite disappointed about the "surprise". But once they hatched out, Big Boy took immediate interest. "Mama! We got to check the frogs!" He says every day, multiple times. They are growing fast! Starting out a few weeks ago as little black dots. Now we can see their eyes and noses!

I purchased a few books from Amazon on frogs and ponds. The boys really enjoy them!

Our 100'x40' garden plot. Yeah, I've probably bitten off more than I can chew, but I'm excited to try! I hope it doesn't end up being a 100'x40' plot of guilt!

My newly acquired treasure is:

I interviewed my Grammie and asked her 22 questions. I now have 22 answers, with stories, in her handwriting! I thought it would be fun to post one question/answer a week.

This opening letter says:

 "Dear Danielle,

By the time you finished reading this 'manuscript' you probably wished you had never asked!!

It was fun to do and brought back a heap of memories. If you have a problem figuring out my penmanship, I'll be glad to interpret and no offense taken!

        Much love,

Grammie"

So here goes- Question #1.

When did you become Christian? Could you share a little about your faith background? (Did you grow up in a Christian home?) 

"My mother was a Christian, so I grew up believing in God. She saw that I attended Sunday School and church as a child. Though my father was not a Christian, he didn't seem to mind that we attended church, etc. I was eleven years old when I realized, through our pastor and many other preachers we had visiting our church, that it was important that I make a decision for myself whether or not to follow Jesus. That decision was sincere, and I was baptized in Silver Lake at Lee at the age of twelve. The pastor at that time was Mr. Farrer, who was a big influence in my life, and did his best to give us young people a good foundation in the faith.  He took extra time with my cousin, Eleanor and I,  as he could see we were really interested in learning more about the Lord. Another person who really influenced me during my early pre-teen and teenage years was Alice Smith. She was a Sunday school teacher as well as leader of what was then called Christian Endeavor, an organization similar to youth groups today. Ours was an all girl group. She taught us well. Though it might not show up in our lives the way it should, it steered us in the right direction!"

Me and Grammie:

21 more questions to follow! Stay tuned for topics like: How Grammie and Grampie met, quilting, gardening, tackling laundry for a family of  8, cooking, recipes, funny stories and more!

Crazy Hair, Or Just Crazy?

My hair already has a natural wave to it. Add in this damp, dreary weather and you've got something borderline scary! We've had about 2-2.5 sunny days in what feels like forever. Yesterday, Nana and I took the boys to the playground to run off some energy and have fun before the rain came again last night. We were there for two hours! Gump came by after work. The boys had a blast! Big Boy's favorite thing was to climb up in the tunnel to go down the slide. Little Boy's favorite was the gravel pit and trucks (....as if he didn't have that at home....?) Anyway, it was great and we all had fun!
     Yesterday I also made pumpkin doughnuts. I ran out of Bakewell cream, but the recipe already had baking powder and baking soda in it. So I increased the amount of each a little and went with it. (You mean to tell me that people actually check for ingredients before mixing up their goodies? Pfft. No sense of adventure!) They are good, especially with coffee, but just not quite the same without the good ol' Bakewell cream.  Besides keeping the little people alive, today's goals are to finish all the laundry and maybe scrub the kitchen floor (the good ol' fashioned way-bucket+rag+old cloth diapers). Along with all the usual cooking and dishes and diapers and squabble solving and reading of the same stories over and over and all things related. We'll see how far we get!
      I would imagine Darlin is getting tired by now, being up from 3am to 8/9pm and driving all that way to work and back. I'm glad he rides with a work buddy of his to take turns driving and keep him awake-I worry about him falling asleep while driving. I don't also have to drive, and I'm sure tired by the end of the day!  Why is it that from 4-7 in the morning the time flies right by, but then from 7-nap time it drags on? LOL. Well friends, keep on the sunny side of life and stay dry today!

~Drinking Heavy-And A Surprise reveal~

Keenan, Big Boy and Little Boy got into the good stuff this past Saturday! Auntie Kaelie left her cans by the front door and they had so much fun pretending to drink Mountain Dew!

All dressed up for Easter Sunday! Someone didn't want his picture taken...

 And the surprise is.... I asked my Grandmother to label my spice jars for me! I think it is so awesome to have part of her in my kitchen! She encouraged me on baking homemade bread, and I was able to make my first loaf at 9 years old! If I have any cooking questions, I will usually call her. She tells me what she has tried and found to work, and what doesn't. I didn't come up with this idea of the old style canning jars,masking tape labels, or even having my Grandmother write on them! I got the idea from Alejandra Costello (you can find her on YouTube.com her channel is HomeOrganizing) and there is a link to her website on the left sidebar on my blog. I owe her thanks for this treasure I now have in my kitchen!

 Had the wood cook stove going,so I thought I'd throw in some potatoes for breakfast hash.

 I could hear some birds singing early this morning, but was puzzled as to why they weren't at the feeder. Then, as I sat down with a cup of coffee, I saw this little guy sitting in the ash tree outside my kitchen! Not exactly sure what kind he is, but he is some sort of hawk. He isn't very big either. He sure is pretty though.

The boys were up at 5:30 this morning. Ugh! They will be ready for an early nap today! 

Here I am, thinking about my garden, chomping at the bit to get to plantin', and it snowed last night! Oh well. Have a great day! 

~A New Spring~

Slowly, we have been watching the snow disappear more and more from the fields through our bedroom window.
     All around it seems as though Spring were holding its breath, waiting for Winter to be truly over. Ever so slowly, nature is creeping to life once more. Each day the sun grows a little warmer, touching the cold Earth with its life-giving rays of hope. Seeds, holding the promise of new life, wait patiently below the frigid soil for the day when they can stretch out in flashes of pale green after months of waiting.
     The song birds are returning once more, bringing with them their sweet melodies, filling the fresh, Spring air with songs of praise. A thick blanket of fog spills gracefully down the mountain and settles into the valley below.
     The arrival of a new Spring will soon be complete. I will know it has arrived as I lay on my bed at night. It will be that first night, when the cool, still, night air carries on it the chirping sound of pond peepers to my bedroom window as I drift off to sleep.

~Let's Talk~

There is a trait in the human race, which I fear has succumbed to an endangered state. Oh, it is still out there; I've seen it. But, much to the sorrow of this country and our individual souls, it appears to have gotten harder to come by. Folks, I'm talking about INTEGRITY. If you look up the definition, it means "the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, moral uprightness" and "the state of being whole and undivided". With that thought in mind I ask you, who are you when no one is looking? When you find $50 laying in the parking lot, do you take it to the customer service desk? How about $20?  $5? $1? Or how about when you stop at a gas station and the cashier rings up your total. You realize she didn't charge you for your pack of gum. What do you do?
     Or, if  you are slighted in public, do you brush it off, but then "lay into" family members at home for an equal or lesser offense? Are you "divided" or are you the same person "out there" as you are in your home? Do you put on a facade in public then take it off coming through your front door? Or are you the same ''across the board"? Are you as patient with family as with friends? Ouch, that last one hurt. C.H. Spurgeon said:

"You must know that it is at home that you are what you really are."

The idea of integrity goes to the very heart of a person. What is right, and what is wrong? Is wrong to you wrong, or just a little wrong? What do you believe in? What do you stand for? Do you only stand for "right" when it is easy? Do you back down, fold, give in, or join in when standing for what is true and right means you will be the only one standing?

   I don't know about you, but I'm sick of cheap imitations. Imitations in many respects, but most grievous to me is fake integrity. "Fake" people. Let's all hang onto being real, true, honest and reliable people. There was a time when a man would shake on a deal, and then bend over backwards to keep his word, because his word had more worth than a carefully drawn up contract. Let's all look into the mirror, ask ourselves the hard questions, and let's get real.

I thought it fitting to post this song here. If you've never heard it, it is definitely worth listening to!