Will black eyed peas and collards bring sunny days?

Well, I may have been wrong, posting this is the wettest year on record. This morning the local weatherman said it is the fourth wettest year on record. 

and with rain predicted for the next four days, AGAIN! maybe I will spend most of this last day of 2018 in little sewing room.

I know one thing! We are eating black eyed peas and collards tomorrow for good luck and hopefully, start the year off right! Yes we are!

and speaking of the sewing room, I've been meaning to show you this...

Remember the 2 aprons, 2 bonnets, and 2 doll dresses I rushed to finish for the home-schooled girls for Christmas? Well, the mom picked them up. She seemed pleased with everything.

The little blouse was the hardest to make, but it turned out pretty cute, I think. In fact, while the mom was here, she bought another bonnet and apron set. 

and while we're in the sewing room I'll show you my newest aprons...

Sandy, a blogging friend in New York got me started on this idea by asking if I make clothespin aprons.

I had seen on line, something called a gathering apron and thought how neat, for gathering eggs or bringing vegetables in from the garden, or carrying clothespins out to the line!!

Plundering through my pattern drawer one day, right there in front of my eyes was this cutest apron pattern I had never noticed before. These are fun aprons to make!

Most of these things I've added to my little bonnet shop, along with a few dolls.

The teapot apron with most of the teapots up-side-down.

Good grief, this is a gloomy Monday morning!

There is so much I could get done on this dreary rainy day..the floors need vacuuming, and the bathrooms need cleaning, all the Christmas decorations need to be taken down and stored in the shop, but it's too gloomy to even get started! But boy, just let that sun shine come back and I'll tackle anything!!

I think about mama too on dreary days. She used to say, "I can't get anything done but stand and look out the window when it's snowing". We are kind of that way too when it rains. 

I've posted this before, but mama used to play the piano, by ear. She never had a lesson. One of her favorite tunes to play and sing was "The Old Spinning Wheel"...

and here's the video! I must have done something right! Hope it will actually play!

I suppose we will be in bed fast asleep when the new year comes in. It's been many years since Poppy and I were up past midnight. 

Here's a picture from one New Year's Eve back in the late 1970's...we were on our way to a party at the Sheraton Hotel in Southern Pines...to dance the night away. One of my most favorite nights out...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Love,
Henny

The Mouse Cave and some chicken talk

Hard to believe another whole year is gone, and the older I get the faster the years go! If there is a New Year's resolution made by me, it will be to really appreciate and enjoy each and every day. To live in the moment! cause once it's gone, it's gone! 

I've got pictures to show you. I know, I know, it's the mouse cave teeny tiny sewing room again. Can you see the change?

Remember the white wall behind the shelves? Well, folded neatly away right there in my stacks of fabric was the sweetest four yards of material. Look closely...

and here...

covered in tiny pink posies and roses and hearts. Actually, the fabric was printed to make a quilt top. Wouldn't that be pretty? But, for now, it's a wall covering. I've added bows and baskets. Brambly Hedge, we're on our way. and do you see "Buttons" the bunny, standing in front of the button jars. She is a very special bunny and will live with me in the teeny tiny sewing room. Thank you Deb!

So, after playing in the closet for a good two hours, I finished making this scalloped, reversible apron...

and reversed...

this was a fun apron to make. I'm not completely happy with the scallops around the bottom front. It's not a flat smooth seam and that drives me crazy. I will be more careful sewing the next scalloped apron.

It was close to 9:30 last night and I was still working around in the sewing room when I felt the vibration...good grief! it was my "Fitbit". What the heck! do these things explode! no! it was fireworks, meant for me! 10,000 steps! :) My body was kind of telling me so, before the Fitbit ever did.

and Janet, about the chickens.

Goodness, I'm no chicken expert by any means, but I can tell you which are my favorite breeds. I love the Giant Brahmas, like the white hen standing in front. These hens are gentle and quiet and look like they are shuffling around in bedroom slippers, because of the feathers on their feet. Brahmas lay in the winter months too. 

also the Buff Orpington is a favorite, and the Speckled Sussex. The Sussex is the spotted hen standing in front of the Brahma and she must be at least ten years old. Her name is Annie...the only hen we have who knows her name. She lays white eggs.

Oh, and I love the Araucana hens. Two are in the picture, one with the gold striped chest and one with the silver stripes near the tree. These are good egg layers!  and they lay the colored eggs.

Actually, I love all chickens but my least favorite is the Rhode Island Red, poor babies, and these are probably the best to have for laying large brown eggs. A Rhode Island Red will peck the living daylights out of you if you try to get an egg from under her.

We are fortunate in that friends and neighbors have given us chickens. A few years ago, our neighbors Fred and Ann, gave us their entire flock of hens. Then a nice couple gave us six young Araucanas. Poppy once traded a pair of Guineas for two Giant Brahma hens. Gosh, I could go on and on and probably haven't been any help, Janet.

Thank you for looking at my blog, and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all!!

and thinking about my resolution of  "living in the moment", well, that will take some thought and some getting used to. I am terrible about wishing for the past, and worrying about tomorrow. 

Love,
Henny

It's here! 2014!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

What a good feeling!  2014 is here!  A brand new year!  It is pretty useless for me to make a list of new year's resolutions. However, Poppy and I have decided to give up eating ice cream every night!  "Turkey Hill" will probably feel the loss!   I am hoping my waistline will too!  Dr. Oz says Jello helps you sleep, so we are thinking about switching to a dish of Jello.  When I am all slim and rested, I will post a picture! :)

Did everyone party last night?  Did you all stay up to see the new year come in?  Poppy and I were in bed at the usual time.  Neither of us could stay awake.  We were up at 4:30 yesterday morning.  Poppy had to be at work at 6:00, so we were pretty tired.

One of my favorite New Years, as far as partying goes, was in the early 1980's....maybe even 1979.  Poppy and I were dating.  There was a New Year's party held at the Sheraton Hotel in Southern Pines.  We danced the night away...We were surely in love!

Why in the world did I wake up this morning with the song "Blue Skies" on my mind.  "Blue skies smilin' at me. Nothin' but blue skies do I see".  If you must have a song in your head all day, "Blue Skies" is better than some!  Could that be a good sign?  Let's hope so! :)

Andee drove down from York Town again Monday.  She got here around 9:00 am...I was ready and waiting!  We spent the day in Raleigh.  Had a nice lunch.   We did a little shopping (the sales), and a lot of talking and laughing.  It was over way to fast!  A fun day like that is when I need to take pictures, but when it's fun day I totally forget the camera!   Dumperoo parked himself in front of Andee's packages when we got home, so I did get one picture...

Oh my, I need to get busy!   If you want time to fly, sit down at the computer!  

Thank you for stopping by.  Maybe the new year will also bring new ideas for a better blog!  You reckon?  

Love,
Henny Penny