I won!

I woke up to find an email yesterday from Vicky from 2MuchFarm...and she told me I had won this giveaway....how cool is that? She makes such nice things and I can hardly wait to put this on our front door...it is so perfect...we painted our door a pretty green color and this will look really good there...I will take a photo when we get it together...
thanks, Vic!

I don't know who wrote this but its really good...growing up in the 50s -60s, we never thought things could change as much as they have....
"People over 40 should be dead according to today's regulators and bureaucrats; those of us who were kids in the 1940s, 1950s or 1960s probably shouldn't have survived.

Our baby cribs were covered with bright-colored lead-based paint. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. (Not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking.) As children, we rode in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors! We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle -- and no one died from it.

We spent hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We left home in the morning and played all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. No cell phones. Unthinkable!

We did not have PlayStations, Nintendo 64, Xboxes -- no video games at all. There were no 99 channels on cable, videotaped movies, surround sound, personal cell phones, personal computers or Internet chat rooms. We had friends! We went outside and found them.

We played dodgeball, and sometimes the ball really hurt. We fell out of trees, got cut, and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents, and no one was to blame but us. Remember accidents?

We had fights, punched each other, and got black and blue, and learned to get over it.

We made up games with sticks and balls, and ate worms. Although we were told it would happen, we didn't put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.

Some students weren't as smart as others, so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade. Tests were not adjusted for any reason. Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected.

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law. Imagine that!

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever. The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all. And you're one of them! Congratulations!

Pass this on to others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before lawyers and government regulated our lives for our own good. Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, huh?"

Why we don't have a dog

When we told Smokie, we were thinking about adopting one of the dogs..here was his reaction...


if you want to see something really scary..just click on his photo...
(actually, we caught him yawning, but it does make you wonder, I'm glad he's on our side!)

Sugar Free Blueberry Walnut Muffins!

Here is the ingredients you will need, the blueberries are frozen, but if you can find fresh ones, all the better....I have also used the same basic recipe and put in raisins

instead....just add a little more cinnamon if you do, and perhaps a little nutmeg.

Preheat your oven to 400.


Mix all the dry ingredients together: 2 cups flour, 1 cup Splenda (Alan has a sweet tooth, you can use less), 2 t. baking powder, a dash of salt, and 1 t. or so of cinnamon...here I am adding the cinnamon, I don't usually measure.

In a large 2 cup measure, I pour 1 cup of milk (I use 2%), 1/4 cup oil (canola), 1 egg, and a dash of vanilla...beat this up well and add to the dry ingrediants...
Just mix it in until everything is good and wet..no dry remaining...don't beat too much as that will make the muffins tough. It should look like this

Chop up 1 cup or so of walnuts (or pecans are great too), divide a few out for the topping
The huge knife is a family heirloom...Alan's grandpa made it and it is very very very sharp....
then add the nuts and the blueberries to the batter
slowly work the nuts and berries into the batter, folding them in, until they are all through the batter...prepare your muffin pan...I spray mine with Pam, and use the larger size muffin pan so only get 6 muffins for this recipe....you could use the smaller pan, but why?
Fill the pan with the batter....I don't always get it even so in this photo there is one small one...but that's the way it goes
Its an old pan too but sure works well....now...for the topping.....

In the same measuring cup (I just rinsed it out with hot water, why dirty another?)
I put in 2 T. softened butter, 2 T. flour, 2 T. Splenda, and 2 T. cinnamon...then I take a fork, break and mix this up really well, until its kinda crumbly, then add the chopped walnuts. Then
sprinkle or plop the topping onto the muffins.



then put the muffins in that 400 degree preheated oven for about 20-22 minutes or until done and a little brown on top.
Let them cool a little in the pan, about 10 minutes before taking them out...



I broke this one so you can see how see all the good stuff inside...these are yummy and fairly healthy...low fat, no sugar..lots of berries too.

Double Pets of the Week!

This is Teenie, our first pet of the week....he is a tiny Chihuaua , only about 5 lbs and a darling little guy....about a year old and found abandoned. Sweet, and good natured, he would be perfect for single person. a family with older children or a senior...he is in good health, and ready for his forever home...
our second pet this week is Ben,



Ben is a doberman mix..again, rather shy and sweet, his family moved and couldn't take him with them, he is under two years old, likes people but takes a little while to warm up as he's timid....he needs a person who are gentle and quiet to gain his trust...leaving his first family was hard on him. He will give back far more in love and faithfulness to the right person.
You will find both Teenie and Ben at the Sun City K-9 Dog rescue.

Our weather is warming up and is nice today..the sun is out and I am planning on doing a lot of gardening today, plus work on my embroidery....also going to make some zucchini bread..the recipe is on Cora's blog, Hidden Riches in Secret Places, of course, our version will be sugar free...
Alan got several calls so he is out early working......
Tomorrow preview----- Blueberry Walnut Muffins...sugar free and delicious!

Your Spiritual Gift

My dear friend Kay sent me this great sermon and I wanted to share it with you...what have you been gifted with?

"I heard a sermon by Calvary Chapel Modesto Pastor, Damian Kyle. He gave a great illustrations I've more or less transcribed to pass on for you. I really like it. I hope you are blessed by it as well!

HOW TO DISCERN YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT

As born again Christians, we all are given at least one spiritual gift. Do you know what yours is? Here is a remarkable little illustration that will help you in discerning your gifting.

You are invited into a friend’s home for diner. Afterwards you retire to the living room where you are asked if you want any coffee. You say yes. So in the kitchen, the wife pours the coffee into a nice cup with a saucer and gives it to the little 10 year old daughter who brings it out to the living room where you are seated on the sofa.

But the child trips on the place where the linoleum meets the carpet, falls down, spills all the coffee, the cup and saucer break. The scene is natural but also supernaturally natural as your response as a Christian will demonstrate what gifting is already within your heart.

If you are a person with the gift of prophecy, that is, one who speaks or declares the truth, you will jump up and say, “ Honey, you just fell and a person can get hurt falling, and here’s why you fell….” and start to go into all that sort of thing.

The person with the gift of ministry or helps jumps up and looks for a rag,immediately starts to clean up the mess (which would never dawn on the person with the gift of prophecy) but the one with the gift of helps would never consider that to be a scene to speak in; that’s a scene for action!

The one with the gift of teaching will rise up and say, “Listen, let’s go get another cup and saucer. Let me show you how to hold the cup when you’re going over dangerous territory here…”,

while the person with the gift of exhortation will say, “You can do better than that! Listen, don’t give up after one try! You never leave on a ‘miss’. Go get another cup - let’s do this again!”

The one with the gift of leading or administration will say, “Who the heck told her to carry that cup of coffee? Move that table out of the way, tear up that carpet and make it all smooth…” etc.

The one with the gift of giving will say, “How much did that cost?” (Some of you with the gift of giving are like that. Your first thought would not be to clean it up or speak at all. You’d think, That cost money. That needs to be replaced!”) You may think that’s not a spiritual gift but it is! It is the supernatural gift of giving.

Then the person with the gifting of mercy would say, “Oh honey --- I know how you feel! I’ve dropped many a cup in my life…”

It looks natural… but it’s supernaturally natural. It can reveal a gift that’s already in your life, and Jesus said (in the parable of the talents) to use that gift for His glory to bring forth the Gospel.

Keep yourself and that gift in circulation."
Reading over this, I realized I have the gifts of mercy...and helps....what has God given you?

Thanks, Kay....she has been my best friend since 6th grade..do you believe that?

previews of tomorrow....Two Pets of the Week!

We have a winner!

This morning I used the random generator and Vickie was the winner......she wins the little journal album....congratulations! I have emailed her this morning.


I also want to thank all those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom...and remember.......words cannot express our gratitude to our brave men and women.

Glad Tidings and Eagles Wings Giveaway

I am working on some fun stuff for after the giveaway....have a tutorial on my recipe, Sugarfree
Blueberry Walnut muffins finished and ready...also some photos of some needlework I am completing.
We had a terrific rain/wind/hail storm last evening..no damage here but there were two tornadoes north of us that overturned some box cars...very unusual weather for California.

I am a member of the Glad Tidings group and we are having a giveaway starting May 19 for a apron kit...so please sign up on the Glad Tidings blog...you can find it easily by clicking on my profile.. or use the link below...please check out all the lovely creations that our members make...and several of our members are having their own giveaways at the same time,they are all listed on the Glad Tidings blog.. http://www.gladtidingsprimitivesandfolkart.blogspot.com/

I am also joining in and offering this little journal as a giveaway...enjoy!

This little journal will be a nice way to start writing....it has vintage photos, on the front and many sepia lined pages for your writing...just post and on May 26 th, we will draw a winner....
if you don't have a blog, please leave an email address so I can contact you...and sorry, this is just for USA readers only..postage is too much for me to mail this overseas...

The hollyhocks are really starting to bloom now..especially with our warm weather...its been in the low 100s for the last two days.....I took this photo yesterday.....
and this just a few moments ago

There is a white one opening too
These plants might have done well there as its right next to the sprinkler lines and gets plenty of water...plus morning sun and afternoon shade...I hope to collect the seeds, give a few away, and try to plant more on the other end of this fence to balance it. We've only been in this house for a little over 3 years so there is still things we want to plant, etc...I've been trying to talk Alan into building some square foot gardening boxes and letting some of the lawn go...but so far its no. He does like to grow vegetables though so perhaps one day....all the lawn really eats up our water bill.

Hollyhocks!

I planted a few hollyhock seeds last year...these are the type that don' t bloom the first year but oh, my....this year they have gone crazy....look at how tall this spike is? Alan is 6 ft + so this must be over 10 ft. tall.....the buds are just starting to come out...


He says he remembers his grandmother having some but nothing this tall...

Its really warm today....in the triple digits and there is a red flag warning out. Using Lea's recipe, I made some of the blueberry pecan bread this morning, using Splenda instead of sugar....very good, I pigged out and ate two pieces....always did like quick breads...next I will try the zucchini bread that Cora posted but need to get some crushed pineapple....

Wednesday Pet of the Week

Introducing Poodles
He was given up due to his owner having health problems....the owner had nothing but good things to say about him, he loves to be held and petted....would be a great companion dog for an older person, friendly and sweet. You will find him at Sun City K-9 Dog rescue......there are both pure breeds and mixes at the dog rescue and if there is a certain breed you are interested in, you can put your name in, when that breed is brought in, you will be called.

If there is a dog that has really tugged at your heart strings, you can help sponsor the pet until they are adopted...sponsorship helps defray vet and adoption fees......

New on Bandaid: he has developed a skin ailment and is in quarantine....this happens sometimes to rescue animals, he is under vets care and should make a full recovery.

************************************************************************************

We were able to pick up the new van last night and bring it home...really nice...Alan has two jobs today....he spent the evening getting it ready with all his equipment....he has 10 days to get it registered with the DMV so that is the last step. It was such a blessing to find a locksmith van already set up and we made some nice new friends too.....Don and Dawn are our age and he was a locksmith for 30 years.
I bought another petunia, this is a varigated one...

they are so nice this year and Home Depot had them on sale for only 2.00...couldn't resist....their bright color really lights up the patio...our backyard is mainly green and we need more color......the roses we planted a few weeks ago are not blooming now ...I think they are getting their roots established....
The good news is our fruit trees are all loaded and doing well....can hardly wait for the nectarines and peaches!

My dear friend, Nancy is having a great sale starting tomorrow...she has listed over 60 items, including her vegetable bags, handmade aprons and other good things...please take a look. I have bought several of the vegetable bags from her and they are wonderful....I have had no problem with potatoes or onions spoiling since getting these bags...I will post the link on the side so you can go right to her shop.

Tuesday

This is a little card box I made from a cigar box.....its covered with vintage photos, accented with buttons......inside, is
several cards, some I bought on Etsy and some I've made..its nice to have cards in one location and organized for use.....the inside is lined with scrapbook paper and more photos on the inside lid.....
That is about all the photos I've taken....I took others but have to learn how to use the flash better...
I'd like to find more cigar boxes to play around with...I have some old family letters and it would be a nice way to save them, each stack wrapped around with ribbon.
The sun is out early today and our heavy gray cloud cover is gone.....its supposed to get hot later in the week. The moon flower seeds arrived so will see if I can get them into the ground soon, they are supposed to be soaked in water for 24 hours before planting.

A magazine I really like and subscribed to for some time is Cross Country Stitching.. its a cross stitching site and magazine.....the patterns are country inspired so may not be everyones cup of tea but I like the fact they use many scriptures. Here is the address - http://www.crosscountrystitching.com/..... I also have ordered many printed pillowcases for embroidery from this seller...she used to be only on Ebay but has her own store now......http://www.shoppalstores.com/calicospiceshop/....right now she's have a 10% off sale on everything in her store.....and her embroidery items are very good quality.

We have no stitching stores, or craft stores here and the local Walmart has discontinued all the embroidery items so it makes it hard. I have two organized boxes of floss but am wondering where I will find floss for special projects.... I do think perhaps I can order floss directly from
DMC....but not sure. My dream would be to buy the entire collection of DMC floss in every color but that can run into big bucks.

I've been having fun with my new camera...here is the crewel picture I embroidered back in 1974....rather "vintage" now...this style doesn't really age though, at least I don't think so. It's large about 20 by 24.....
there are two humming birds at the top sipping from flowers......

And a little squirrel at the bottom..sorry, he's a little out of focus...surrounded by mushrooms and flowers...

the sides have trees of life....
the frame was handmade by a fellow from the church and is oak.....it has held up rather well, don't you think?
the last thing I will share is this pinecone and seed wreath my grandmother made about 45 years ago...she made each family one...the back is cardboard and she wired the main cones into it. We have this in our dining room with a few other special heirlooms. It needs to be dusted but that is quite a chore without disturbing anything...

Monday

I had a very nice day yesterday......the boys got me my own digital camera! Now I can take my own photos and am having fun learning how ...this photo I took yesterday of some wave petunias on our patio table....it turned out fairly well for a first attempt.....
this is the second photo I took of our toad on one level of the bank....
In the afternoon, we drove up and sold my car...at the Car Max who gave us a good price and tomorrow early evening we will be picking up Alan's van....seems odd not to have my car key and not see it sitting on the driveway but I will be driving the Honda Accord which is a very nice car and a little newer than my Altima. Its easier to drive too.
Our oldest son, Donny surprised me and bought home dinner....authentic Mexican food, my favorite Chili Rellanos and a Carne Asada tamale,(plus beans and rice)..boy! talk about good eating...there is a good restaurant not far from here who has take out...he came walking in with bags of good smells.

Today was supposed to be his day off from the dog rescue, but he was called in as the person who was supposed to be there was sick...Don wasn't too happy about it as he and his brother had planned on going to Magic Mountain today....perhaps they will give him another day off...

Alan is off working early this morning.....someone called yesterday and wanted new locks put on as his wife has Alzheimers and has started to wander...he wants to be able to protect her and keep her in...my dear mother wandered several times before I was able to get her into a care facility. Fortunately her neighbor and friend was watching and helped her get back home.
Poor dears..they get restless and go for a walk, then can't remember how to get home.

I've been saving this special vintage photo ...wishing everyone a Happy Mothers Day!
I will spending the day with my family tomorrow so will post it early...see you again on Monday..

This is an actual photo taken outside of Bakersfield, Ca this year...our hillsides here in Menifee, and Lake Elsinore looked much the same about two months ago...Alan and I tramped around the hillsides taking photos but ours just didn't come out as nice as this one...It was like God took
out a paintbrush. There are many little dirt back roads to explore here not far from our house.
Doesn't take much gas and a fun thing to do. Thanks Kay for the photo!

Alan has a job this morning down by the Pechaga Indian Casino....its a bit of a drive...but not bad. He has quite a few jobs yesterday and probably get more calls today. He has another job in Hemet too. We weren't able to see the van yesterday so I called and set up an appointment for tomorrow. I'll just have to set aside some time in the morning and schedule appointments in the afternoon. A lot of locksmiths don't work weekends but we do. We also work evenings until about 8 or 9. We've gotten several call from people who have locked themselves out of their houses in the evening..We actually have returning customers..as this one house has 3 room mates and they constantly lock themselves out of their rooms...they call and say "its us again".
I think Alan's been out there 4 or 5 times.

Its gray and cool this morning...cool enough for a light jacket...no sun yet, I hope it comes out soon...I planted hollyhocks last year, they are the kind that don't bloom the first year..this year they've sent out tall spikes and there are buds so hope they bloom soon...one spike is over 9 ft. tall! we will post photos when they bloom. Alan planted giant mammoth sunflowers too which are growing nicely...
I won some moon flower seeds and plan on planting them along our side fence line...its very blank right now. I am not real familiar with moon flowers but from the photos and from what others say, they should do well here. Has anyone had any experience with them? We are zone
8b almost 9....the fence really needs something...its about 100 ft. long..I will have 150 seeds so that should be enough, I would think. Are they fussy about soil requirements? I was wondering if I needed to get some potting soil and work it in along the fence..there is lawn up to about 4 -5 inches from the fence.

I not only like old vintage photos but all sorts of labels, and old magazine ads........there are a few listed in Etsy right now....but this isn't one of them.

We were again really busy yesterday...Alan had a lock out at noon and our son Matt went with him.... a lock out is kinda sad...someone has lost their house and refuses to leave. The sheriff has to go in and escort them out, then the locksmith rekeys the house......most of the time the person has already left...I for one, wouldn't want to put myself and family through that but some do.
This was Alan's third lock out and no problem as they had left already. He was glad as its hard on everyone.....there are so many empty houses, I don't understand why banks do that..although I understand they have every right to. Nothing much has sold in our neighborhood and prices are really low....a house down the street from us, the same model is selling for over $100,000 less than we paid for ours..one of the largest houses in the tract, single story and nice yard.
On the up side, we are seeing a lot of people buying these houses in other areas and calling us to re key them..so perhaps the real estate market will start turning the other way eventually.

We are becoming so busy, we decided to look into getting Alan a van....we looked on Craigslist and found a locksmith van already decked out for sale up in Riverside.....it has shelves built in the back and has low mileage. The person is getting out of locksmithing for some reason and selling all his equipment also....but Alan has almost everything he needs at this point except the van. Its not too old either, a 2002 Chevy Astro. I would get his Honda Accord then to drive and I really like it, its easier to manuever in parking lots than the Altima which we will sell to Car Max. Sounds like a good plan, anyway.

I worked some on my little cross stitch project yesterday also in the afternoon..plus have been studying the pattern for the tea cozy....I will have to go to Walmart for some fabric though as nothing I have is suitable. I think I will make the cat one.

The Lord has really been encouraging me in many areas.....through scripture, people, and circumstances.....the kids ask, "how do you know when God is talking to you?" The Lord is a gentleman and usually doesn't hit you over the head or yell in a loud voice....He is gentle and loving, always patient....He speaks to me through the scriptures which I try to read every day...through prayer, nature and other people. I've been trying to read the Bible in a year through an online Bible reading plan at http://www.bible-reading.com/index.html

Wednesday Pet of the Week

Introducing BandAid!



Band Aid is a young Border Collie mix puppy. She was found and rescued while wandering the street and no one has claimed her. She is healthy and ready for her forever home. She is very friendly and sweet. Loves children. You can find her at the Sun City K-9 Dog Rescue.

Alan had a total of 7 jobs yesterday, 7! That is the best we have ever done so far...I helped him in the afternoon on 3 of the jobs and then when we got home, there was a message on the machine
for another one here in town so off he went to complete that one. I was bushed after 3....he has a lot of energy for an "old guy". He is also a soccer referee during the AYSO soccer season. We are really thanking the Lord, truly He is lifting us up on eagle wings. Today at noon, he has a scheduled "lock out" on a foreclosed home...

I started a small cross stitched project I bought from Nancy at Huggins Haven...its a little welcome sign with sunflowers..small and easy, I thought it would be good to start back cross stitching with something simple. It felt good to pick up the needle again.

The first chapter of "American Needle Work" is so wonderful and inspiring...I wish I could share the entire chapter but that is just not possible.....the chapter explains the old World way of needlework and embroidery, stiff with borders, frames and backgrounds..no part of the design can stand on its own and is very formal..
"Just as individual freedom suddenly released the terrific human energy that swept the Old World's Great Powers from this hemisphere and wholly transferred North America in a third of the time that these Old World Powers had held it, so this reversal of meaning gives American needlework an almost explosive energy. No other needlework is so alive. There are no more stiff forms in it, no monotonous repetitions. Leaves and flowers spring vigorously from living stems, buds burst open, squirrels frisk, deer leap, birds fly. Colors are clear and fresh and vibrant. No other needlework on earth is so strong, so free, so full of energy and movement."

The chapter goes on explaining the American women took the best of many countries and made each their own, from the Italians and the Russians for the cross stitch, the Spanish outline, the Danes, cutwork, Scots the woven plaid, the Scandinavians the hooked coverlet that we turned into hooked rugs, American Indian beadwork, Mexicans Aztec patterns and brilliant colors....and many more countries who contributed to the whole of American needlework.
The only craft that is total and completely American is the patchwork quilt...which is original to the 50 states....

I don't think I will continue sharing from this great book. You might check your local library to see if they carry it or can get it for you..it makes a great read and not only that, there are tons of patterns too....the book came with a separate set of patterns. There is one for a cat sampler I might make once I get back in the swing of it...its wonderful.

The book is called American Needlework by Rose Wilder Lane, published in 1963. It is rare and special.
I couldn't leave today without posted a vintage photo..

Why these ladies decided to climb the water tower, I don't know..there seems like a lot is going on in this photo...I really like these type of old photos rather than the studio ones, don't you?

As several wanted more of Rose's words, I thought I would post another paragraph..here the subject is needlework in general and our early founding fathers..
"Struggling for bare life itself, against the forests, the grudging soil, the weather, the sea, they learned the differences between human beings was superficial and that a common need, a common hope, unite all humankind on this hostile earth. In sharing danger and hardship, they learned that every person was responsible for his acts; that each one makes his own life what it is and that all alike must struggle to survive and to make human life better than it is.

"This truth was not in the feudal idea that God creates inferior and superior classes of human beings. It was not in acts of Parliament and Kings. It was not in the schools that taught gentleman's sons the duties of their privileged status. It was not in the arts and writings that expressed the Old Worlds concept of the nature of man, and it was not in the colonies' social order of authority above, obedience below. But it was in the first American needlework."

I will continue tomorrow with the rest of this section as I think it is so relevant today..at least for me and hopefully for my readers most of whom do crafting of some sort...I've always thought I wasn't really an artist because I don't paint but after reading this, I'm coming to see differently.
I think the Lord is encouraging me as I've been in a flux state as far as crafting...I thought when I got my new glasses, I'd start making things again but really haven't...guess I needed to take a break.

Its a cool morning and overcast...."June Gloom" in May...we are trying to get things together for our oldest son's birthday which is the 16th. He will be 20. Its a hard age to buy for as most things he would like are so expensive. He just went to the DMV yesterday to get a motorcycle permit which I am not too crazy about...he has always been one to take chances and get the rush of excitement...He works full time so can buy just about anything he really wants which is usually some tech thing or clothes..now he wants to save and get a motorcycle.. I told him we were going to get him life insurance! I bought him a watch last year which he never wore but he might like a nice piece of jewelry like a chain necklace like some of the guys wear....a little "bling"..couldn't afford gold but perhaps silver? This will take more thought...
remember tomorrow is pet of the week! I checked with Donny but so far, Elvis is still waiting.

I've been really enjoying reading the American Needlework book I got last week. Rose Wilder Lane is a terrific writer and her writing really opened my eyes to the fact that the US has gone through many hard times and survived. We've been so prosperous in the last 30 years or so, we don't realize this isn't the first nor the last recession and it will make us stronger people.
Here is just one quote from this wonderful book..
"The 1890's were an age of desperate anxiety. After seven years of little rain had made a dust bowl of the prairie states, a world wide depression (then called a Panic) stopped trade, shut down factories, closed banks. Foreclosed mortgages dislodged farmers from the land. In endless lines of covered wagons, they traveled the roads, east and west, north and south, seeking a chance to
work for food. Coxey's Army rise in Ohio and from a dozen other places. From the Pacific coast it's hordes swarmed toward Washington, seizing, crowding, and running trains wildly stopping only to terrorize towns and ravage stores of food. Federal troops guarded all government buildings. Eastward from the Mississippi for a hundred miles, dispatchers cleared all trains from the tracks, so that the Coxey's western armies trudged on toward Washington footsore, robbing and begging for food. I was riding in a covered wagon that summer. That winter, by stealth, I scantily embroidered a pincushion for my mother's Christmas present....."

I wondered what the Coxey's Army was so looked it up...this is what
Wikipedia says Coxey's Army was a protest march by unemployed workers from the United States, led by the populist Jacob Coxey. They marched on Washington D.C. in 1894, the second year of a four-year economic depression that was the worst in United States history to that time. Officially named the Commonweal in Christ, its nickname came from its leader and was more enduring. It was the first significant popular protest march on Washington and the expression "Enough food to feed Coxey's Army" originates from this march. This photo is of some of the marchers.



Even through some of the worst times, women were embroidering,sewing, quilting, knitting, crocheting, making lovely things for their families, using what they had to cheer and make their homes cozy and warm. I have several quilts that have been handed down to me from my great grandmother, grandmother and mother....who all went through tough times.
I hope our country won't go through anything like what was written again....my heart goes out to all those who have lost their homes and pray our country will get back to her roots of faith.

On a lighter note, we finished the patio cover yesterday, putting the shade cloth on....and I painted our side fence...planted some bush beans, and dead headed roses....we've got strawberries coming and nectarines. Alan has two jobs today so he's gone. The boys are sleeping in as its Donny's day off from the dog rescue. Quiet house!

I am a Winner!

I woke up this morning and was checking my email.....found out I won this wonderful pinkeep from the Primitive Gathering blog....Yoo! Only the second time I've ever won anything ever.... please check out this wonderful group and all the great artists that are featured there....
http://www.theprimitivegathering.com/