Five Little Bonnets lined up in a Row...

 Sounds like there should be a nursery rhyme in there somewhere, doesn't it? 

Somehow all this reminded me of mama and how she loved the old nursery rhymes. A few years before she passed away, we found a pretty Mother Goose book in a thrift store. Mama bought it. We sure enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading the nursery rhymes. 

My silly blog, as a matter fact, was kinda fashioned after the old nursery rhymes. (some of us never get past the age of 10, you know).  :)

I remember when my daughter Lynn was setting up my blog she called and asked, "mama, what do you want on your blog...how do you want it to look?" "Well", I said, "a few nursery rhymes, some hens and baby chicks, and maybe a rooster". "What name do you want to go by", Lynn asked. "Ummm, how about Henny Penny".  So now you know. :)

My blog really needs updating but I can't seem to get anything to work and Lynn is way too busy to bother with trivial things such as this. 

I still haven't taken a picture of the garden, except this from our early morning walk...Poppy is in there somewhere. We were walking Eli and Ellie.

Well, I started this post a week ago then got busy with the garden and cleaning up the yard. 

I carried all the bonnets and aprons to the farmer's market again last Saturday...and guess what! Sold four more bonnets. What a surprise. I mean who would have thought that old fashioned bonnets would sell? Maybe more folks, like me, are longing for the simpler times, the good old days.

Poppy and I leave early tomorrow morning for West Virginia. Our granddaughter Madison is getting married on Saturday. Hang on, let's see if I can find a picture...

well, here they are...this picture was taken just a few months ago...her handsome fiance' is seven feet tall and just graduated from dental school. Madison is into her first year of teaching physics and chemistry...

Gosh, Poppy and I never, never, go anywhere. Do you reckon we will even know how to act?

Guess I had better get busy. Still got all the animals to worry about. Plan to leave them all with plenty of food and water for the weekend, plus a neighbor will stop in morning and night. Eli and Ellie will be boarding at a nice new kennel about a 15 minute drive from here. They tell us that Great Pyrenees are well cared for there. We will sure miss them.

Will leave you with a little humming bird picture...Poppy thinks is really neat. It's the shadow...

Thank you friends for stopping by. I loved your comments on my last post. Can't believe, even another follower. Sure appreciate you all. 

Love, Henny

The Garden, then the best part, Madison

Hey friends,

I've simply got to get a post finished today, that's all there is to it! So, I'm off to the garden to take a picture or two and I will be back.

Got a giant sunflower plant to show you, one that, as mama used to say, "volunteered and came up".

Well, I'm back...

and here's the top of that sunflower.

doesn't look quite as pretty here. The garden fence is eight feet high. Thought I had better gently tie it to the fence for support.

so here's the garden gate...

and growing just inside...

half runner green beans and tomato plants. Looks like, next time, I need to build the wattle fence a little higher.

and the biggest surprise...

is the kale! Kale is a cool weather crop. So many times I started to pull up these kale plants, but didn't...

it has really come out. We had kale with supper one night last week. Bun Bun and the rabbits say it's delicious, eaten right from the garden. :)

and we have squash this year, in fact, we had stewed squash for supper last night...along with a pot of pinto beans, new potatoes boiled and covered in butter, and a pan of cornbread. Oh, and a blackberry cobbler, made from blackberries picked right here in the yard. 

I dug up a little patch and set out three blackberry plants in early spring of 2018. I've had zero luck growing any kind of fruit here so picking these big juicy blackberries made me feel mighty proud.  

The bee balm in the tub is starting to bloom, but before next summer, I need to re-pot them. These are way too crowded and not as pretty and healthy looking as last year.

Oh, almost forgot the Arkansas little leaf cucumber... 

that's it in the tub. It has lots of baby cucumbers growing. Not a great picture, but this is one of my favorite plants.

Well, it's 11:45. Think I'll go find something for lunch. Looks like there is a line forming already to the food bowl in the laundry room...

Isn't it sweet how big Eli lets Weetie eat first. Smokey may just be waiting for a chance to get through...his bowl is on the freezer.

Well, here it is bedtime and this post still not published. Just don't know what's wrong with me lately. Why, I did a post on Father's Day about Daddy and never published it.

I've also done a post about our granddaughter Madison and never published it. But wait, why don't I add Madison's post here...

Our sweet and beautiful Madison graduated May 17th from West Virginia University with a Bachelor's in Forensic Science.

Of course, because of the Corona virus, graduation was cancelled. We were so looking forward to that trip to West Virginia. Madison will be going back for two more years, so we will look forward to seeing her graduate in two years with a Master's in Forensic Science and Investigation.  

Guess that's about it. I do plan to be back, and soon too! Hope you will come back.

Love,
Henny

Catching up!

Wasn't it about two weeks ago that I said "tomorrow, I will show you the garden?" The days sure go by fast, don't they?

First day home from my little trip to Virginia, I bought wire and built a door for the front of the teeny tiny goat barn. Poppy bought the door hinges and installed them for me. That was the hardest part!

now these two spoiled little goats can be closed in, giving Eli some peace and quiet when he is inside the fence.

Sounds crazy, but Eli is so sweet and humble, the goats bully him...it started off being all fun and games, but now I am afraid the goats will hurt him. That's Eli's goat lot too! :)

Mother's Day turned out very very special...

it's Madison! She has the sweetest smile. Home from college for a couple of weeks, she and her mom and dad came for Mother's Day. Eli loved it! Yay! Finally, a young person! Somebody who can still run and play!

Madison brought me this sweetest coffee mug...

and Andee and Todd brought me these pretty New Guinea Impatiens...

I loved cooking dinner for them. Now that all the grandchildren are about grown, none of them visit much anymore. It was a special day for sure!

That's the little herb garden behind the old barrel and watering can, and hidden there behind rosemary. Things are growing...

of course, the mint in the center is growing best. Thankfully, it is planted in a buried pot...after all these years, I've finally learned. Some of the plants are still very tiny, but there is pineapple sage, broad leaf sage, German thyme, parsley, cilantro, chives, and dill. Don't know what happened to the basil, but I will plant more. Now, if I only knew how to cook using herbs. :(

we have little squash in the garden...

and the bean vines seem to like the wattle fence. The tomato plants are over to the left. Plants are still small but so far things are looking good. It is a teeny tiny garden, you know.

We've been enjoying the stir fry broccoli. Pepper plants are growing.

Oh my, I've got to get busy. It is hot this afternoon. The bunnies still need feeding and Eli needs a walk...before time to start supper. 

Today, I've sectioned off where the two fence panels will go for the playhouse...even started digging the post holes. Friday, we plan to TRY  putting the panels up. Gosh, those 6' x 8' sections are heavy! HEAVY! I had no idea! Keep your fingers crossed that all goes well. Poppy is not so sure this is a good idea. :[

Thank you, friends!

Love,
Henny

I'm back!

It's me, Henny, home again, and as mama used to say, "I don't know which way to turn!" 

The little vacation was wonderful! Time spent with my daughter and granddaughter was wonderful! Not having to cook for three days was wonderful!

and here's another wonderful! I got to meet a very special blogging friend, Dianna, from the blog forgiven. It was so exciting! Let me tell you, she is as sweet and friendly, and sincere in person as she is on her blog. We didn't have enough time, so our visit was way too short. I'm hoping to go back one day and we can maybe have lunch together. At least we got to meet. Thank you Dianna for waiting in the heat and humidity for us. Andee got a picture of Dianna and me...for my blog, but, of course, my eyes were closed and my mouth was open, so I'm not posting that one.   

Back home at Andee's, this is Madison's kitty cat, Percy...

he is adorable...big old thing! He's a tad overweight and has a crooked little mouth, and doesn't seem to care who holds him.

here, it's Andee supporting all that weight.

On our little trip, we stopped at a place called Coopers Rock. Oh my, it was breathtaking! Yes, that is my granddaughter Madison walking down the steep side of that rock in wedge hill oops! heel shoes. I was scared to death she would turn her ankle or fall! 

my nerves were shot! We got out of there without a scratch. :) I am truly a world traveler, can you tell? Call me mama!

Okay, this is my post! Hopefully, I will be back soon. Can't wait to show you how the teeny tiny garden is growing. Now I am off to read some really good posts...yours!

Love,
Henny

Oh, that first picture, that's my dream home. I snapped it along the way...seems like it was western Maryland maybe. We had driven through lots of rain and thunderstorms, and I love the way the clouds dipped down over that beautiful farm.

Crossing the bridge to a special graduation

A quick stop to let you know I'm still here. Good grief! where do the days go! 

We were in Yorktown Virginia last weekend to see this little sweetie pie graduate from high school.  Yes, our granddaughter Madison. Why it seems like just yesterday that she was the cutest thing around. We were out by the pond cooking hot dogs when she posed for this picture.

and look at her now.

I am not the best picture taker...was Andee sitting down or getting up? Sweet old Bell knew something was going on.

Graduation was held at Busch Gardens. Todd, Madison, and Andee.

just before all of them threw their caps into the air,, darn it, I missed it!

is this a happy face or what! 

Poppy and I were so glad to be at her graduation. Proud as we were, that trip to Yorktown meant, waaay up ahead at the end of this long bridge...

we would reach the tunnel and travel under water for a few miles, not my favorite thing to do. 

Here we go...scary stuff!

and can you imagine...

This is how it really looks! The Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel.

Hope you haven't completely crossed me off your list. I'll be back to visit and catch up. Didn't mean to stay away so long.

Love,
Henny

A little of everything covered here...

I should have carried the camera with me to feed the chickens this morning...yes, I am CAREFULLY doing more in the last few days since my back is hurting less. The doctor asked, how heavy is the feed bucket you carry...when I asked if carrying feed to the chickens would hurt my back. Carry light loads, he said. 

Even got this old worn out lace tablecloth washed and put back on the table this morning. Added the fruit bowl too.

For someone who is scared of needles and shots...I am looking forward to getting that injection this coming Tuesday. Folks are saying it works like a miracle for immediately taking away pain. Shelby (my sister) WARNED me in an email that I cannot make up a month's yard work in one day...if the injection works a miracle on my back. She knows me!

and speaking of Shelby, Jimmy, and Andee, here's a picture (taken a few years ago) of them, including Todd, Andee's husband. left to right is Jimmy, Todd, Andee, and Shelby

Shelby and Jimmy are in Seattle on a little vacation. Shelby won't be here on Tuesday, so Andee (my daughter) is driving down from Virginia to go with me. I absolutely could go alone, but they insist you must have someone drive you home after the injection. Having Andee come home makes any occasion special! My plan is to go in the Goodwill store, after we're done, as there is one right across the highway from Orthopedic Specialists. Won't that be something...and Andee will be with me!

Something else bothering me. Last Sunday, April 10th was my sweet sweet Granddaughter Madison's birthday. She turned eighteen and will be going away to college next fall. Madison is Andee and Todd's daughter. I had planned to post about her on Sunday but got off on something else...who knows what! So again, happy birthday Maddie!

Senior pictures have changed a lot since I was in school. I looked like a total idiot in my senior picture. The night before we were to have our pictures taken, I decided to cut myself bangs...and cut them way too short. Then I decided to squint my eyes because, well, people whose eyes smile when they smile are pretty. It didn't work on me. Kids are much smarter these days too. :)

Seems like just yesterday that Madison was this age and always making me laugh. They were stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB at the time and had lots going on. I looked forward to driving to Goldsboro to bring Madison home with me for the weekend. We sang and talked and laughed all the way home. Of course, Grandpa always looked forward to having Madison for the weekend.

Good gracious, is there anything left to talk about here! You all probably signed off a while back. If not, thank you. Hope to be right back here soon.

Love,
Henny

Enjoying Christmas, beginning with Todd, Andee, and sweet Madison

Just popping in quickly to tell you that I'm still around.  Andee, Todd, and Madison got here around lunch time on Christmas Eve. 

It made Christmas extra special for us. Lynn was on call and had to stay pretty close to home so we didn't get to see her and the other four grandchildren...on my side anyway. We plan to go see them after the holidays and deliver our gifts.

Andee was opening a gift from Todd, as was I. But I stopped unwrapping mine when I saw that in Andee's package was a pair of new Crocs. Oh, I bemoaned, Andee got new Crocs, and I love the color!  I would love to have a pair just like those! Well, look what was in my package! Talk about being tickled! The feet on the left, wearing the really nice pajamas, belong to me. :)

It has been a fun Christmas for us all...animals included.

Andee, Todd, and Madison have gone home now but we are enjoying Poppy's daughter Windy, her husband Brian and our other two grandsons, Jacob and Luke. It has been four years since we have seen them, so this is really special. 

It's funny, this morning we all sat around the table playing a new board game the boys got for Christmas. We finished the game, Windy won. We ate sandwiches for lunch. Windy mentioned they might like to ride to our little town to look around. Well, Poppy and I sat down in the living room. Next thing I knew, I was opening my eyes from a much needed nap and seeing Poppy sound asleep in his chair. The house was quiet. All four of them had gotten dressed and slipped out the front door leaving us asleep. Neither of us heard a thing. Guess they figured us old folks needed a break. :)

They should be back soon so. We are taking lots of pictures from their visit. 

Thank you for the nice comments on last post. I had no idea so many of you still like fruit cake. Oh, and the fruit cake made with graham crackers and coconut and packed inside the empty cracker box...that is my very favorite!! I still have mama's recipe and will share it in my next post. Ya'll please come back.

Love,
Henny