Scenes in the snow..

The pond is always so beautiful no matter what the season. Especially so though when it is framed by the snow. Beautiful scene but don't be fooled. It's cold out there!

Tracks in the snow. Some little critter has been getting a drink down by the pond.

My ducks and chickens finally decided to brave whatever that white stuff was and get outside the coop. Egg production is up for some reason.

The squirrels, blue Jays, Wood Peckers, and Cardinals are all fighting over the corn on the feeder by the patio. This little squirrel is waiting his turn. Everyone keeps running him off.

Best view around. This little feeder was made by Grandpa Gaylord and it is the center of activity the last few days.

Getting adopted....

My sister Janet found these two baby dolls from days of yesterday at a flea market or auction. I'm sending them over to my other sister Shirley to live at her house cause I already have adopted several abandoned babies and she doesn't have any at her house. Don't they just need someone to love them? In today's world dolls are plentiful and cheap and most little girls have several. But I bet back in these dolls day, some little girl only had one doll and it lasted her a lifetime. I think that is why these dolls are still around today. They were so precious that the little girl would grow up and her baby would go with her to be handed down to her own little girls to play with. They were treasures forever!!

Simplicity and Innocence

I love the innocence you see in the old photographs. I especially love the ones put out my toilet tissue and soap companies. A little girl and her dog. Isn't it precious? Innocence and purity and all things good. That's what I see in these old pictures and I try to pick up any of them I find at flea markets.

I also love old antique Christmas cards, post cards and calling cards. Old is the key word. I love anything old. The drawings and photography cannot be beat even by today's high tech stuff.

I remember the old fans. Usually while sitting on a hot bench waiting on a long church service to end. Everyone fanned themselves to keep cool. No air conditioning in those days. Seems like most fans advertised funeral homes. Ever wonder about that? This one had a baby sucking a bottle.

My sister found both these fans somewhere and gave them to me. This one is a patriotic fan. Special for two reasons. Unusual fan and given to me by someone special. Thanks Shirley.

Reliving old memories and finding things that bring back those memories is fun...

Treasure the old...

Love this old Bible sitting beside a picture of my mother when she was little. Bibles were precious and treasured things in days of old. Some Bibles were the only records people had to show who was born and when they died. They are like census records we have today. Times were hard as you can tell from old pictures and unlike now where Bibles are not valued, in those days , they were part of a family's heritage and were treasured.

My Great Aunt Myrtle's musical box. Not sure if it was a jewelry box or held hat pins or what but just love this small metal treasure. And my husbands Sr. picture sits next to it as well as my Sr. picture. Things of old.

My mother saved this tin for some reason. Maybe it meant something special to her because of its design. Or who knows. But I love it because she treasured it enough to save it. So I save it too. Maybe some day my daughter will also save it. Treasures handed down.

I embroidered this wall hanging when I was first married almost 30 years ago. My first and only piece if I remember right. Every time I see it , I smile. I do love homemade stitched things.. There is something special about knowing a loved one spent many hours making something by hand to decorate their home and pass down to others who will treasure it in their own homes. Hopefully...

Favorite Childhood toys

I have a special place in my heart for child's Blue Willow Tea sets. I so remember mom getting down the box of individualized compartments that held little cups and plates and the precious little tea pot with matching creamer and sugar container. And then after we finished playing, the little set would be carefully packed back away and stored in the kitchen cabinet. I think it was so valuable to me cause playing with it was such a special moment. Not just for the everyday...

And how I loved my paper dolls. I found this one at a flea market and marveled because I don't remember mine ever having real hair. Usually the ones I played with I drew myself. And designed and colored their own clothes. By the hours I would draw and color and cut. Brings a smile to my face to just think about it even now 50 years later.

And I had a beautiful bride doll just like this one. And I would go to my grandma's house where she had a old treadle sewing machine and I would pump away making clothes for this doll also.

And she came with high heel shoes. There was something special about just slowly running your fingers over these delicate shoes. They were not just any shoes. But every little girl remembers dressing up in grandma's hose with the line down the back and then trying on her high heel shoes and posing in front of the mirror. High heel shoes were things of wonder to little girls!!!

Such happy memories I had of listening to my grandparents tell stories of when they were young and playing with my lovely bride doll and sitting on the front porch watching the cars go by. Entertainment was simple in those days. But happy we were with the simple things.

The little glass slipper...

What is there about this little glass slipper that just looking at it brings a smile to my face? Does it remind me of Dorothy's shoes in the Wizard of Oz. Or maybe Cinderella's glass slipper? I don't know... but I am like a little child again gazing in wonder at something so beautiful each time I walk by. It draws me for some reason. Maybe cause it is red?........Fragile.....what is it???

Redbirds always make me smile

Don't forget to feed the wildlife during this weather!

Update on my "little flock"...

Chickens and snow. I guess I have to remember that none of my little flock have ever seen or felt snow before, but it was very surprising to me that the chickens wouldn't venture out of the hen house today. The ducks went out, but not the chickens. Granted, they have a heat lamp in the coop but wouldn't you think they would at least go out and check out this new stuff they have never seen before?

And these same chickens who cut off or cut way down on their egg production suddenly started laying again. Tool Belt Jim brought in 12 eggs today. The most we had been getting was 2 or 3.

We'll see if they venture out tomorrow.

Christmas Supper 2009

I fixed enchiladas for supper and Rachel made a salad and Jennifer brought pumpkin pie and the most delicious chocolate cake with icing that melts in your mouth that Abbey made. It seems like we have celebrated all day long today. Come enjoy more Christmas pictures with me...
Little baby Kaden has had a really long day and he crashed out on poppy's chest. They both look pretty comfortable don't they?

First, for the presents. I should mention here that I gave all my kids and grandkids checks for Christmas this year. They loved it. I loved it. Everyone happy! My daughter in law Jennifer is a wonderful photographer and she took this beautiful group picture of all the kids together. I just love it!

Jennifer said Kevin picked out this present for me. He knows my fondness for anything chicken apparently. Don't you just love it?

I think I will use it as a centerpiece on my dining room table.

And here's Tim's friend Kyla. I always enjoy seeing her smiling face!

Tim headed straight for the food you notice.

Don't you love sitting down with people you love, eating good food and catching up on everybodys lives. School dances, latest boy stories, new clothes, jewelry, sports, work....and cousins spending time together. Can't beat it

Here's Police Officer son Tim making a silly face. Doesn't he have the prettiest eyes? Have I mentioned lately how proud I am of this boy and how much I love him? I really think all my kids are pretty special. Tool Belt Jim and I are blessed most abundantly!! Good kids, wonderful daughter in laws and the best son in law you could ask for.

And once again the younger cousins gather around the coffee table to eat their meal together and visit with each other. Don't you think they'll remember going over the river and through the woods to grandmothers house we'll go....

I will have to confess here that this year I did not decorate for Christmas or even put up a tree. Hope they won't remember me as "the grandma who never put up a tree" when they grow up as one of my best friends told me.

Well, it has been a long but fun filled day. Another Christmas passed by. Good food, good friends and family, and good fellowship. And good presents. But let's not forget the real reason we gather on Christmas every year. To celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ who was sent to die for us so our sins could be forgiven thereby opening the door so we could have a relationship with God our Father. Isn't God good? He made a way that we all could be forgiven of our sins but left it up to us to make the choice to accept that gift--the blood of His son being shed to pay for my sins. Hope you have accepted that gift in your life!

Nana's Enchiladas....

I made enchiladas for Christmas supper and Kevin's family and Rachel's family came over. Kevin was home sick so hope he gets to feeling better soon! Below is my recipe.

I mixed the sauce up the night before and also browned my hamburger, drained it and then mixed in some Taco seasoning mix to taste. You'll find I cook by taste so some people (like my roll your eyes around daughter) have a hard time following some of my recipes.


Take one container of sour cream, one can of cream of mushroom soup and 1 can of water and put in pan on low. Stir to keep from burning. Add Ro-Tel or your own homemade Salsa to taste. Some people like it hotter than others. If this seems too thick, just add more water. If I am making a large pan or more than one pan, I will double this recipe. You can always keep the leftover sauce in the frig for later.



Heat up a couple cans of refried beans, and warm the large tortilla shells. Set aside. Get out shredded cheese and open a can of olives. Olives will be used later but might as well open the can the same time you open the refried beans.



Put a couple spoonfuls of warm refried beans spread evenly in the center of the flat tortilla shell. Spoon on some hamburger, top with shredded cheese. Roll up the tortilla shell and place in 9 x 13 pan.



When the pan is full, slowly pour your enchilada sauce over the top. Slip a spatula under the tortilla mixture so some of the sauce will be under the pan. Or pour some of the sauce in the pan to start with before adding the filled tortillas. You don't want anything to burn.




Slice your olives over the top and then sprinkle with shredded cheese of your choice.


Everything has been cooked, so what you are doing is combining the flavors and heating the dish. So cook slowly on about a 275 degree oven watching carefully that the cheese just melts and doesn't overcook. Can turn the oven down if it looks like it is getting too hot.

We serve with a salad and cottage cheese.

Enjoy!

Christmas 2009 at Rachels...

Come celebrate Christmas at Rachel's with us....

love this picture of her boys, Mark, Koda and Kaden

Remember the excitement of opening presents on Christmas morning as a child?

How great is this? A new lunchbox for school!

Mark bought this present for his mother at school...

Poppy passed out the best kind of present...money!

I got my favorite kind of gift! Ornaments!

Tool Belt Jim has this thing about knives......

Told him we needed to get one last picture before his search for his next wife....unless I get serious about taking my blood pressure medicine. Seen the Dr. Friday and she said I was going to be sitting in a nursing home after "stroking" out if I didn't begin to follow Doctor's orders and take my meds as directed! She forgets my life is in God's hands but I will take my meds...if I can find them...

The kids got lots of Lego toys and you see who is playing with them, don't ya?

Another bird ornament for my collection. Love them all!

And Steve and Rachel found these delightful little birds. Aren't they precious?

Tool Belt Jim bought me the best present a person can get. Gift card to my favorite clothing store

And I bought Tool Belt Jim a new bread machine this year. He likes grinding his own wheat into flour and then making that flour into bread. The directions to our old machine have been lost for a long time and I thought the new machines can do more stuff anyway. Like make jams???

Hope you enjoyed our little Christmas celebration with Rachel's family this year. We certainly had a good time.