Sometimes I ...

 just feel like going back in time so I pulled out my old homemade pantaloons and muslin apron...

the feeling was wonderful except when I turned to hook the gate Poppy had followed me with the camera. "Oh, good grief", I said but continued on to enjoy the day, in my little old-fashioned way. :)

The teeny tiny garden looks pretty good and has grown since these pictures were taken last week...

Instead of the usual wattle fence I love to build, Poppy ordered garden stakes for me. I am weaving twine in and out...that's fun too. Will have to take new pictures. 

Anyhow, see the little row of corn back against the fence? It seems to be doing well. Let me explain. Last summer a blogging friend to many of us, Rose, at Pics & Pieces, asked if I had ever tried growing old timey Hickory Cane Corn. She said when she was young that's what they grew, and they also planted cornfield beans along with the corn. 

So, searching online I found Hickory Cane Corn and Cornfield Bean seeds for sale and ordered both...

I just ran up to the garden. Whew! Here's a close-up...

and here's the little row of corn today...

and, while I'm at it, might as well bore you with one more of the woven bean fence...

Oh, my goodness! We've waited all winter for this! So, keeping with my old-fashioned feeling, I went behind the house and pulled our two old rusty lawn chairs to the front...

I like them here, do you? Why I remember chairs just like these sitting under a big shade tree at Aunt Ruby's house. Poppy and I found these chairs at the landfill a few years back and I just had to have them. :)

Have also been busy dividing and repotting root-bound plants and potting up cutting. "When are you going to start selling some of these", Poppy asks. Well, I've thought about putting a little note on "Nextdoor"... Eggs, Plants, Bonnets, & Aprons for sale here. Sounds fun, doesn't it? 

But we'll see. You know, because of the deer, I have given up on growing roses in the yard. Given up!! All the roses are now in pots inside the garden gate with no more worries...

Well friends, thank you if you are still here. I sure can go on and on about things. I will leave you with a picture of Eli and Ellie. You know, Eli is going on 11 years old now and his age is really showing. We can no longer take our long walks to the highway and back. His back legs just won't hold up. He is still our sweetie pie though, our special Eli. 

Love, Henny

Home, home in the leaves

 Sorry things are a little messy around Randall Rabbit's home. Things seem to take on a ragged look in the winter months, don't you think? I was on my way down to feed him. If you look closely, you can see poppy through the wire fence.

awww, here we are...

The little veranda I had been building around Randall's house, Poppy saw as the perfect spot to sit and watch the deer at the end of the dam. He and Randall keep each other company. 

Seems Randall sees the deer first and signals to Poppy by thumping loudly.  Late yesterday, Poppy texted me to Look out the living room window. There were eight deer at the end of the dam. 

Taking a break. Apple peels are his favorite treat...

Randall sure is a sweetie pie. I missed the perfect opportunity to adopt a companion for him. Makes me sad to think about it. The Orange County Animal Services, about an hour's drive from here, had a large grey and white female, "spayed" rabbit that needed a home. I was ecstatic. This was late afternoon on Friday before the last big craft show. They are closed on Sunday, so I promised to be there Monday morning. Well, someone came and adopted her on Saturday. :(

Oh well, maybe it was for the best. So, while Randall helps Poppy hunt Smokey keeps me company...

Can't resist picking him up for a hug. He is so warm and cuddly these cold winter days...

His look says he had rather have the soft cushion back, so I got back to my work.

Well friends, just a little Randall and Smokey post. I have been in the Christmas decorating mood and hopefully will be back with a bit of a Christmas post. I actually got around to making an ice box fruit cake yesterday. Yum! So easy and so delicious!

Rian, hope you can visit and see our big boy, Randall. :)

Love, Henny

Oh yes, almost forgot, "Home home in the leaves...

Thank You Kindly

My dearest blogging friends,

I feel awful for not getting back and replying to each of you for your nice comments and well wishes concerning my broken wrist. You left lots of good advice and encouraging words and I appreciate that.  Thank you very very much.

Close your eyes! You're not going to believe this...well, except maybe for Connie, over at Far Side...

Yep, this massive morning glory vine that has grown since early spring, covering most of the garden fence on one side, has produced a bloom. Just made my day, even though it's not quite the shade of blue I was expecting. You were right Connie. You said it would probably bloom before cold weather.

Walked around the yard a bit this morning. Remember the row of Beauty Berry bushes I planted year before last...

They have grown really fast and are loaded with berries...

Oh and one of my favorite flowers that blooms in October when other flowers are fading...

Obedient plant (False Dragonhead), a very invasive plant. Why just look down in the woods where I throw the "dead stems"...

Anyhow...

Yesterday was my appointment with the orthopedic doctor...I decided to go with a lovely black cast that would compliment any outfit. :) yeah right...

Not my thinking at all. I chose a black cast that would not show the dirt and filth I pick up out here in the woods, feeding animals and toting buckets of water. 

Oh friends, you know the worst part? This is fall of the year. Time to clean up the garden and rake leaves. I had, just a few days ago, finished my "fall to do list". Big plans, I'm talking about! Plans involving a chain saw, clippers, a shovel, a wheelbarrow for hauling dirt and rocks, muscle!! :(

I have, however, decided on some things I CAN do...Thank goodness, I'm left handed. I can pull weeds with one hand. Vinca vine has invaded one end of the vegetable garden.  Also might try spreading out a tarp and raking the little willow oak leaves from the front yard onto the tarp then dragging them up to the garden. Raking with one hand may be kinda' hard to do. Daddy always said, "you can do anything you set your mind to".  

Guess that's about it for now.  Only 8:30 and I'm sleepy. Didn't rest good last night. Just couldn't find a comfortable spot for this cast. Maybe I will join the crowd in the living room...

Love,

Henny

Pecking out a little post with one finger...

 Absolutely, not the best picture I've ever seen of me...

You know what happened?? Walking Ellie early yesterday morning, I dropped her leash, walked way ahead, turned around, opened my arms and yelled, "run Ellie run"! Well she ran alright...picking up speed as she ran...then ran right over the top of me, slamming me to the ground.

Poppy, Eli, and Ellie hovered over me as I moaned in pain. Give me your hand Poppy said, I'll pull you up. No! no! no! I need to stay here a minute, something may be broken. Well, after three hours in the emergency room, the doctor told me I have two broken bones in my wrist. Wearing a splint now, but have an appointment with an orthopedic doctor on Friday. My fingers are awfully swollen. 

Woke up this morning feeling like I'd been run over by a truck, My right leg aches and my knee is swollen. 

Ellie felt really bad. Said she thought that's how the game went.

Eli says, I told you so! He came straight in the house and got his bear, before it got hurt too.

Just wanted to let you all know. Hopefully, everything will be okay. Why, its just got to be. The State Fair starts this week. Shelby and I have plans to go one day next week. We've missed two years now and have been really excited about going this year. She said, if you're not able to walk, we'll rent a wheelchair and I will push you around.  We both laughed. 

Okay,  guess I'm done with this post. Can't go sew, can't do much of anything. Had no idea it would be so hard to function with just one hand. :)

Take care.

Love,

Henny

Good Grief! What a post!

Dear friends, your birthday wishes just made my day!! Thank you so much!!

Have you ever heard of Schoolhouse Lilies? Well, I never had until a friend way out in Texas sent me some...

I met Sandra through my blog. She told me about the pretty red lilies and how they bloom every year around the time school starts. 

There were twice this many lilies in the box Sandra sent but I planted some in another spot. How dumb of me! Wish now I had put them all here. Anyhow, Sandra said move them in December. The picture does not show the true beauty of these lilies and their vibrant red color. Thank you again Sandra.

and about the Succulents. not a very pretty picture...

but after seeing how my one succulent thrived with very little care...

well, I decided to try more and found on Ebay, a place to order a sample box of little cuttings for around ten dollars...

It's amazing how quickly these little pieces started growing, using just the regular old potting soil I have on hand.

Need to read now, how to care for these plants and make them prettier.

The garden is looking awfully bad these days, in fact, I've pulled up the bean vines and a few other things...

didn't know Poppy had the camera! The squash plants have been amazing. Look how big and pretty these are still, and yesterday I picked ten large squash. Been meaning to tell you about the morning glory vine...

See how yellow and dying everything looks? Soon will be fall! Anyhow, last year the vine didn't grow so big but was covered in pretty purple blooms, surrounding the little blue bird box there on the center post. Can you see it?

This year I wanted bigger and better so bought a pack of the giant blue morning glory seeds, and do you know, not even one bloom! Not one! Not all summer! but not to be outdone...

this tiny purple morning glory seed found its way through the dry soil and bloomed. Sure hurt my heart. It wanted to climb the fence but it's too late. Wish there was some way to save it for next summer. I feel just awful. There's lesson here..."be content with what you have".

The okra plants are still pretty...

and a little update on the animals...It is absolutely amazing how Eli, and now Ellie, hear and see things, long before we can. The barking brings us running to the door...

thinking maybe a bear has wandered into the yard. Here's what it was this time...

and did I tell you, Smokey got caught outside in a rain storm, a week or so ago? We were worried about him...Poppy called me to the front ddoor and said, look! There sat Smokey, dripping wet...

Look at those cute feet hanging from the towel. Wasn't long before he was dry and telling Poppy how awful it was...

Oops! Please overlook the hole in the chair. I'm done patching and mending. It's time for new living room seating...and Poppy agrees. Our lovely leather set is now thirty two years old! Now to talk Eli into giving up his big leather chair. We'll see. I will probably have to remind Poppy a hundred times too. :(

Woo, made an appearance from under the sewing table to say "hey"...

He is still a sweetie and would sit in my lap 24/7, if only I had the time. 

All is well in the chicken lot...

I've been letting them out to roam in the yard every day now and they love it! Poppy put wire on the small door to let in more air, and maybe create a breeze from the two windows, these hot summer nights...

and I promise, there is an end to this post. Here's the last...

This hen said she would be on the veranda today, laying her egg...

That's all folks! Thank you, if you're still here. 

Love,

Henny

I don't feel any older

Hey friends, I didn't mean to go away and stay so long. Guess today, September 14th., is good a day as any to do a post...it's my birthday! 

Normally, I don't mention my birthday, and probably would not have thought about it today except Poppy was sitting at the bar eating his morning cereal when he looked up and said, "oh, Happy Birthday". 

Did you have birthday parties, growing up? I remember one. It was when I turned thirteen. Oh, it was a blast! We were living in Robbins, just the best little town in North Carolina...and this is the very living room...

where I, and all my friends, sat on the floor playing, "spin the bottle".  So exciting...I got to walk around the block with Ronnie G. the cutest boy in class. There were lots of presents to open and it's funny, the gift from Ronnie was a small jewelry box made of wood with the mirror missing from inside the lid. I remember hearing mama say, it probably belonged to Ronnie's mother. That was fine with me!

Don't have any pictures  from that party, but this is me, twelve years old and only two months before my thirteenth birthday...

Can you imagine! Guess no one told me plaids and flowers don't go together, and where did that Chinese hat come from? No wonder I didn't have a boyfriend! Well, I was always more interested in dolls than boys anyhow. 

Oh, about the folks in the living room picture...

had nothing to do with my birthday, just wanted to show you where my party was held. This picture was taken after a big Thanksgiving dinner back in the 1950s and that was my Uncle Myron on the left, Cousin Clyde, Cousin John in the cowboy suit, and his dad, my Uncle Bill. The foot showing in the picture was daddy's. 

So, how about a shot of me in a bathing suit...

As I said, no wonder I didn's have a boy friend. :) Okay, enough about me and my birthday.  

Have another doll to show you...

Remember the Tomy, "Kimberly" doll? This doll came out the same year as the famous "Cabbage Patch" dolls, which is why "Kimberly" never made it that big.  But isn't she beautiful? 

Actually, I have two Kimberly dolls; found both in a thrift store several years ago...

and both dolls have ink marks that wouldn't come off. Had to make them some clothes too. Anyhow...

I've been busy making tiny dolls for the upcoming craft show. It's tedious work but I love it...

most of these are not finished. 

Well, thank you for visiting. Hope I didn't bore you with a post about me. Hope to be back soon...oh, to tell you about the succelents. 

Love,

Henny