Up at the Playhouse ...

and around the teeny tiny garden, cleaning and mowing and moving things around...

let me tell you...it was roasting hot!! But it was such a mess. I moved several pots to the back, then swept the playhouse floor...

but here's what I want to show you. Well, first, let me say, I've never grown succulents and know absolutely nothing about them, but my neighbor Ann gave me a little wilted half dead sprout a while back. I stuck it in a pot...

 

and it grew and grew and so, has sort of attached itself to my heart. I had them lined up on this old bench when late one night, something prowling around, pushed them over and onto the ground.  That's when I learned how easily the leaves break off.

I gathered them up, broken leaves and all and put them on the table in the playhouse. Today, this is what I found...

Blooms! What a surprise! Pretty blooms! 

I especially like this picture. Guess maybe I should read up on Succulents and learn how to care for them. Funny thing is, as long as I leave them alone, they grow beautifully.

Happened to see Poppy through the trees...

a useless picture. Just thought I would thought I would throw it in. :)

So now I'm headed to the sewing room to finish up a few things. This week I've made two bonnets and five clothespin dolls. But there's a doll I've been thinking about and just want to hold...

Andee sent me this doll from Germany several years ago when they were stationed there. 

She is such a pretty doll; 20" tall, just right to hold. She reminds me of a favorite doll I had when I was young.

Kind of a mixed up post...but guess it will do. Appreciate your visit so much. Be back soon.

Love,

Henny

How can I walk away...

 when the teeny tiny garden is saying, wait, we're not done yet...

Poppy said just the other day, why don't you just let the garden go now, it's so hot and humid! 

Well, I just can't.  The beans are a little bug eaten and the grass is trying to take over, but there are still vegetables to pick

why, we haven't had squash from the garden in two or three years because of those stinking squash bugs...but look now!

I gathered all the peppers one day last week and strung them up...just got to show you...

most all the peppers were green when picked but are now such pretty colors. Guess you can tell by the pantry shelf, I haven't done much canning this summer but have filled the freezer with bell peppers, stewed tomatoes, corn, and okra. 

Want to show you too, a little hummingbird; an unusual hummingbird...

This little bird looks mostly black.  He seems to have a problem getting his beak down into the hole to drink. We put up another feeder; a saucer type which seems to work better for him.

At times I wonder if he can see...he lights on top of the feeder and tries to drink nectar from where there are no holes. Poor little fluffy fellow. Sure hope he will be strong enough to leave with the others when they start their long journey to southern Mexico.

Oh, while we're outside...remember the cutover? All that hundred acres of bare land across the path?? Well there are now some fantastic, big, beautiful, weeds growing along the path...

Crazy, I know! Most folks showing their beautiful flowers and here I am posting our giant weeds. There's just something pretty here. These weeds grow higher than my head!

and standing tall way over yonder is the lone pine tree the loggers left for Poppy to use when deer season comes in.  Oh gosh, and deer season is not far off. Bow hunting comes in next month, I think. Sure dread it, for the deer.

I will leave you, once again, with old sweet Smokey...waiting to come back in for another bowl of something to eat...

We hear it from Poppy all the time..."Mel, you're feeding Smokey too much"...

one of these days, something is going to get after him and he won't be able to climb a tree".

Sure appreciate your visit. Hope to be back real soon.

Love,

Henny

At Long Last, Back in the Sewing Room!

These miserably hot humid days have given me more time to sew, and it's about time! I was afraid the sewing machine would lock up, sitting idle for so long. 

There's a mess in every corner. Seems like I sew better and get more done, working on several things at once.  Piled up on either side of the sewing machine are four bonnets and two aprons, in the works. 

Been a while since I've posted from the teeny tiny sewing room...

and just outside the closet, my favorite baby doll waits to be held. Feels good to be back. There is a craft show coming up the first weekend in October.

Anyhow, the old pie safe...

and inside the old pie safe, four fat snowmen wait to be finished. If only I could find the buttons I need...

also a few doll dresses and bonnets.

Finished up two full aprons just this week...

and look who decided to come out from under the sewing table and join the family again...

or was it just to get a bath! It's Dumperoo!

Feels good to be back. The sewing room is my quiet place to think and dream and plan, oh, and to sew. The CD there on the dresser is by Daniel O'Donnell. Do any of you like him; like his music? I have fallen in love with Daniel O'Donnell. Seriously! Especially his songs of Ireland. I really want to run away to Ireland with him but guess I had better hang around here.

Okay, I've probably gone overboard with the pictures tonight. I do get carried away at times. Thank you for visiting. Guess I'll get ready for bed. :)

Love,

Henny

Mr. Sunshine moves to the garden

Oh, wanted to say, I did go back and reply to comments on my last post from those of you without blogs.  :)

Mr. Sunshine kept falling off the shed door so Poppy said, here, do something with this. So I did and Mr Sunshine really brightens up the little garden gate...

In fact, he smiles to me all the way to the front porch. See him through the trees way up there...

He seems happier there and it makes me happy to see him there. 

Here's what I gathered from the teeny tiny garden this morning...bad tomato and all...

not that it's any great amount or the most beautiful vegetables, but the variety of colors and shapes were kind of pretty. It was a heavy load for sure...the bottom of the basket holds okra, green beans, and a big yellow squash.

These black iron gate sections came from the bunny lot...

Didn't know what to do with them so I enclosed a small section behind the playhouse. All the pots here have azaleas growing in them, and I've planted three azaleas across the back of the playhouse wooden fence.

Well, actually, I planted two more azaleas after taking the picture.  :) Isn't it fun to get out and create new special little places? That's what keeps me going. I love it!

Here it is Thursday morning. Don't know why I can't just finish up a little post in one day. :(

Anyhow, went up to the garden this morning and picked almost a peck of peppers that I hope to pickle later... :) 

Way back in the 50s (again) Mama used to pickle hot peppers and carrots. I went online and found a recipe that sounds a lot like what she made. Think I'll try it.

I will leave you with a picture of old Moke Moke with a foot propped up...

Poppy tells him he needs to stay off our new coffee table but Smokey ignores him.

Hope to be back real soon...

Love,

Henny

 

A few teeny tiny thoughts from Henny Penny Lane

 

We mowed and mowed and mowed today! Poppy on the riding mower and me, walking my legs off with the push mower. Wouldn't have it any other way...I like walking behind the mower.

But HOT! My goodness, and HUMID! I do a lot of thinking while pushing the lawn mower and today I thought of Mama and the funny things she used to say. Tell you what I was thinking in a minute, but first...

The chickens, enjoying a big clump of grass. Funny how this ball of grass grew. It was in the half barrel where last year the Bee Balm grew. The Bee Balm was looking awful so I pulled all the plants then dumped the whole thing and found a big nest of black ants living in the bottom.

hated to break up the ant's home but left the ball of dirt and ants in the edge of the woods up at the garden where it sprouted nice green grass. Had to get Poppy to help me lift the big heavy thing. The chickens sure enjoyed it.

Oh, look who hung around with me at the garden...

Anyhow, guess it was because of being so hot and sweaty today that I was remembering a time back in the 1950s...Do you remember the glass water jugs folks used to keep in their refrigerators?

Ours looked something like this, but I was thinking ours had the metal cap in the center...that was a long time ago!

Anyhow, it would make Mama so mad to come in hot and thirsty and go to the refrigerator for a cold drink of water and the jug be empty. I remember Mama saying one time, "if the durn house would catch on fire, that water jug would be the first thing to burn"! 

Dear sweet Mama. I miss her every day.

Was thinking too about the early 1960s, two men, named Henry and Bishop...they both were bulldozer operators. In fact, they built the ponds on our farm....but they used to stop by the house after a hard day's work to see Daddy and have a drink with him. You can probably imagine how dirty they would be after running a bulldozer all day. Anyhow, one day after they had stopped by, Mama said to me, "Lord Melba, they were both so dusty and dirty, you couldn't see anything but the whites of their eyes".

Good grief! I started this post on Saturday and here it is Monday afternoon. Why didn't I go ahead and publish it?

Anyhow, here's Eli and Ellie, rushing Poppy to get his shoes on and out the door for our early morning walk...

Sometimes it's hard to see your feet. I will leave you with a very short little video of Eli walking. Wish it had been longer...He has always had the cutest little twist...

Ellie girl and I were walking behind. Sure sppreciate your visiting. 

Love,

Henny