Back here in the woods

Friends, the older I get the faster time passes, and there's more to be done lately than one can possibly do! It's like fighting fire with gasoline. :)

Take the last few days. There's not been one minute to get on the computer since my last post.

Well, I could have skipped watching "The Virginian" last night. But, seriously...

about the time I get started on the housework, and I do start on something the minute my feet hit the floor every morning, Poppy says, you want to work on the path today...well yes!!

So we work outside, then come dragging in the house, thinking it's probably lunch time and see that it's actually 1:00 pm...we eat a little lunch and Poppy settles down in his chair to rest and watch a little "Gunsmoke", as he puts it...

While I, with two cats weaving in and out my feet, stand and stare at the dishes in the sink, the two piles of dirty laundry, carpet that needs vacuuming, litter box to clean, kitchen floor to sweep and mop, oh, and I had planned to clean the bathrooms, and dust these filthy ceiling fans that are beginning to look like the swings at the state fair! 

and speaking of my last post...I truly meant to reply to your nice comments, then go on and read your latest posts...what the heck goes with my time anyhow??

so this post is thanking you and replying to a couple of things...

especially thanking you all for telling me to keep mama's little Kenmore sewing machine. How could I have even thought of putting it on Craigslist! Just got to find a little spot to squeeze it back into the teeny tiny sewing room.

AND! the sweet names suggested for my baby. I love them all, but just had to pick the name "Hattie" suggested by Jo. 

"Hattie"

Pilar, my middle name is Loraine. It seems more a Southern thing to call daughters by their first and middle names, like Shelby Jean. I have cousins called Betty Lee, Annie Ruth, and Joyce Ann. My middle name is Loraine. Mama and daddy never called me Melba Loraine, just Melba. Too much I guess.

Aw, how bout "Hattie Mae" nah, just "Hattie"

and Connie, couldn't you simply spend the day looking at fabric? I've never bought fabric from Hancock's, but have ordered fabric on line from Marshall's Dry Goods. I'll check out Hancock's. 

Rian, your comment made me think about driving mama's plain little 1998 Toyota Corolla for years. That little car didn't have so much as a clock. Mama used to say, "oh, that little car didn't come with anything but a set of seats".  Then we sold the car and bought a new Nissan Rogue. Felt like sitting in the cockpit of an aircraft.  But I've adjusted and love it, and feel sure I will love the new Singer too. In fact, I finished an apron just last night using the new machine.

It was interesting to read what brand of sewing machine you all use. The little Kenmore was mentioned several times. Thank you for your comments, and your friendship.

Have I talked your ears off. Wondering if I should actually publish this?? You will come back, won't you? 

Love,
Henny

Something new

Notice anything different??

I was admiring this simple, easy to use, SINGER SEWING MACHINE in a catalog that came in the mail.  Poppy chimed in, "betcha that same machine can be found on line for half that price". Next thing I know, the mailman is at the front door with a package too big for the mailbox.

Oh, I'm tickled to death...

but, this little $99.00 Kenmore is dear to my heart. Mama bought this one for me a few years before she passed away. 

I remember, mama was so excited to give me the new sewing machine. She was living with Shelby and Jimmy at the time...she said to me,

"I told Shelby Jean, Sears has this little sewing machine on sale and I want to go get one for Melba. She sews all the time and needs a new sewing machine". 

and I really did need a new one! So, Shelby drove mama to Sears. That little white Kenmore was perfect! Just like mama's little white Toyota car that I drove for years was perfect. 

The word "little" is way over used by me...that came from mama too. :)

Valentine's Day was not on my mind when I started this apron and bonnet, but it sure looks that way, doesn't it?

A lot of the sewing on this apron was done on the new machine. 

and I feel like my sewing is not as good. The little Kenmore felt like my best friend. The new sewing machine feels more like company in the house. I'm sure we will adjust in time!

Okay, something very sweet...

When Shelby and I were in Goodwill last Saturday, I found this adorable little sweater for my baby. This baby needs a name!  

Oh, and here's the bonnet...

The heart apron is tied on top of another apron on the dress form. That's why there are so many ruffles. 

You may not believe this :), but we have had wind and rain since last night, and the yard is standing in puddles of water...once again.

Guess I'd better get to town and buy groceries. Thank you for looking in. I sure appreciate the comments on Randy's painting. Hopefully, I can get of picture of Randy and his family to show you. 

Love,
Henny  

A piece of art

Oh friends, I have something beautiful to show you...something that means the world to me...

This piece of artwork was painted by my nephew Randy. He painted it especially for me, and that touches my heart.

This is a gift I never dreamed of getting. 

I have posted before about my brother Jackie.  Jackie died from a heart attack when he was only 49 years old, leaving behind three wonderful children, Vicki, Cindy, and Randy. Randy was the youngest. 

Randy now has a wonderful wife and two adorable little boys, and they live in Tennessee. I rarely see Randy and his family. In fact, I've never seen his two boys except in pictures. You can imagine my surprise when my sister Shelby called and said, "we need to get together. You have a surprise gift here".

Shelby and I met in Wake Forest yesterday and she brought me this gift. Randy also gifted her with one of his paintings. It's just the sweetest thing. Thank you Randy, from the bottom of my heart. 


and now an update on our striking hens...

one of those girls gave in after all these weeks and laid an egg! It was like finding a chunk of gold. Poppy said, "if I knew which one it was I'd let her spend the night in here with us tonight...even sprinkle a little corn around on the floor for her."

Oh, we woke up to terribly high winds and pouring rain in the middle of the night last night. Eli came in from the porch and jumped in the bed between Poppy and me. The temperature is supposed to drop to 17 by morning. Strange weather still!

Here it is bedtime once again! Thank you for visiting...and a special thank you to a new follower, Linda Gremillion. 

Oh Randy...again, thank you! I love the painting, and tomorrow will find a special spot to hang it in our little dining area. 

Love,
Henny

A little Titmouse

Titmouse. Is that a pot of sunflower seeds?

This morning I finished picking up all the tree limbs from off the dam, then added them to the natural fence. It was a job.

yep, and a few shelled peanuts too!

It's cold and cloudy again this morning. I don't remember ever in my life having this much rain and this many cloudy days for months on end.

Got one!

Why the hens have gone on strike and totally stopped laying, and I don't blame them. Like me, they need a little sunshine in their lives. 

The hen house is damp and cold, even with eight to ten inches of wheat straw and soft hay covering the dirt floor, and it's dark and gloomy inside. Wet and muddy outside.

Is all this mine?

Funny how you don't notice the cold when you're working outside, but when you come in, you can't get warm. Chilled to the bone. 

It is now 3:35 and still no sun. The weatherman was wrong! Oh from the window here at the desk, I can see two small holes in the clouds with a little blue showing through.

My Grandma Thomas used to say, "it won't rain as long as there is enough blue in the sky to make a cat a pair of breeches".

Picket line - no more eggs until we get some sun!

and the sun finally broke through the clouds late today.

Love,
Henny

Still here!

Good gracious friends, due to these four or five days of sunshine and no rain, I may never catch up with blogging again or with visiting and reading posts. But man have I ever made a dent in those ankle deep leaves around the house.

I've taken full advantage of these sunny days, and have actually worn out one of our lifetime guaranteed yard rakes. It broke completely in half.

Thank goodness we had bought two of them many years ago. Neither one of them ever belonged to Poppy. Nope, both rakes were mine and I take full responsibility for wearing it out, and that goes for my back too!

There was a big change in the weather yesterday. Still sunny but downright cold with a  strong blustery wind  that...as daddy used to say, "would cut right through you".

Today we cut small trees and shrubs, and long cedar limbs that were beginning to cover the dam, taking up our walking space and making it hard to mow in the summer.

This will give me lots of limbs to add to the natural fence.

and all the leaves raked from here in the front yard...

were added here in the teeny tiny garden.

Looks like our sunny weather is about to end, for a while anyway. North Carolina has snow and freezing rain coming in tomorrow evening. Looks like we will get only rain, but that's okay with me. 

Not a very exciting post here. Though I'd better check in and apologize for not visiting lately. Hope you haven't deleted me just yet. :)

Love,

Henny

Rain, Rain. Rain

Can't help but laugh at this picture...

kinda looks like a crooked little house from an old-timey nursery rhyme, or maybe where Popeye would have lived.

Oh my goodness friends, it has rained all day long!!

and this flowering quince that grows out by the gas tank is simply covered in buds. Guess maybe it's confused again this year.

I'll believe it when I see it, but tomorrow is supposed to be sunny, no rain, and 70 degrees.  That's right!

Let me show you why my neighbor's free pine straw is so appreciated...

The straw turns this soft, mushy, soggy ground into a dry place to walk. Those little steps you see on the right lead to the chicken lot. 

Yesterday afternoon the rain stopped. Oh wow!! I announced to Poppy, "I am going outside and move. See how many calories I can burn off before supper". 

So I got the wheelbarrow and moved load after load of pretty dry pine straw. It felt wonderful!

That is dark muddy water and wet leaves you see in the back of the goat lot.

I swept out their little barn and spread enough straw to give them a little dry ground to walk on. 

Well It's 4:00 and still raining. Guess I'd better get the umbrella and a bucket and get the goats a little hay, then Eli will be expecting a walk up and down the muddy road. 

Poppy gets off work at 5:00 and thank heavens he is picking up fish plates for supper. What a nice break!

Love,
Henny