Here are a few photos...the first is our backyard with the frost...it was quite heavy and the next two are of the mountains.....its been chilly all day, in the 50s and tonight, its again very cold...the tomatoes, and lettuce are ok so far...I covered them well tonight again and from the weather report, it should get warmer in the next few days...
tomorrow Alan has a job at Imperial Beach, south of San Diego so its another road trip...I will take the camera!

Cold!

We woke up to freezing temperatures early this morning, it was 25 degrees...very cold for us...we knew it was going to be a cold night so covered our little veggie starts....so hopefully they will survive......the mountains are covered with snow again and are so beautiful.....Alan is off at a job but he took my camera so will get some photos.....
Matt is in the kitchen making pancakes...they smell good so this will be a short post.....just wanted to share that the HillyBilly Housewife has a new newsletter out...here is the link...HillyBilly Housewife blog there are some good recipes there, pea soup and also some good salad recipes..if you haven't signed up to get the newsletter, please consider it..its free and a good thing!

Rainy Monday

more rain skies today, good for us! our tomatoes and other veggies look very happy.

I've decided not to dwell on politics this week...if we look towards man to fix all the problems, and not God...we are bound to be disappointed. We were watching a new show and a reporter I was not very familiar with Glenn Beck....We were both very impressed with him, plain spoken and down to earth....one thing he mentioned that on D day in WWII, President Franklin Roosevelt asked the nation to pray with him on the radio and had a over 6 minute prayer...you can hear and listen to it here while the bombs were flying, our people were praying......I wish we had that spirit in our President today, don't you? On Glenn Becks site, there are videos you can hear (got to go through a commercial unfortunately, but its worth it) and yes, he really loves our Lord too.....he professed Jesus on the show and is very passionate.

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I don't often promote artists on this blog but once in a great while, there is someone I think needs a little mention....I ran across this lady's work and I think its wonderful.....Her blog is
Bay Ray's Child and she creates the most wonderful art dolls...she has one on Ebay right now that I would dearly love.......

Her workmanship is extraordinary, don't you think? I've made dolls and know the work involved.

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and speaking of prayer...would you please pray for us? we have alot of bills due this week and no one has paid us for the work we've done in several weeks.
also the following need our prayers...
Cora, Hidden Riches from Secret Places for continued recovery from cancer surgery
Jase,& his family, Farmhouse Blessings for a very scary heart condition.
Kay and Joseph, ....Mused News Joseph has health problems also...and financial help.

Ephesians 6:18"praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints."

We woke up to more rain and gray skies....still fighting a cold...we got a email to do a re keying up in a nearby city so off we went....but we were in for a nasty surprise.....


previously someone had cut this house in two making a apartment out of the garage...not up to code and the mold in the apartment was terrible...we held our breath and snapped some photos to send to the realtor, quickly replaced the locks and left...believe it or not, this was the best of the photos...the others are all worse. The bank will have to have a service come in and try to clean this but as its through the drywall, they will probably have to dismantle the apartment and return it to a garage again. Will cost big bucks, this is a Fannie Mae property. But its in a good neighborhood and worth perhaps repairing...I don't know and am glad I don't have to deal with it.
We were really glad to get out of there! Came home and disinfected our clothes, and selves, phew!

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I see that the Senate is about ready to vote on the bill....the Democratic Senators remind me of this

They've carefully worded some of the pork to make it sound "not like earmarks" for example, they have a insurance exemption for companies workers who make yacht's, military projects in Guam, and $198 million for WWII Filipino veterans most of who don't live in the USA. These may be at closer examination worthy but this bill is supposed to stimulate our economy.
I always remember that old saying, "Act in haste, repent in leisure"

Pull up a chair and have a seat....just got back from taking our son to his geometry class...he goes 3 times a week and does the rest of his classes at home. He will graduate this June and since he's been going to this independent study school, has gotten a 3.0 grade point average. We got a email about graduation ceremonies and when to sign up.......can hardly believe my baby is all grown up...seemed like last week I was walking him to his first kindergarden class..this will be a big year for him...graduating, getting his drivers license and studying for his locksmith license. He's decided to follow in his dad's footsteps at least at this point....Alan can sure use the help...I go with him on jobs and try to help, but am not very mechanically inclined...it takes me a good 20 minutes to put a lock back on and lots of times, I get frustrated. Its not my thing but I do try. I am proud of myself as I can take the locks off for him to re key just fine...its replacing them that is the problem.

A person asked where I get the graphics like the ones above.....I get them free through a talented blogger...Penniwig's I have lots of links on my other blog for free graphics, vintage photos, free craft patterns, etc. just check over there....DaniV1951's Newsletter
I keep adding to the list also when when I find new ones...and there are always new ones.....

Thursday Book Review

Alan gave me several books for Christmas..one of which is this one
"Rediscovering God in America" by Newt Gingrich.
...this is a great book...I would recommend this to every family that is homeschooling especially.

I check in on alot of online forums and boards and every so often, I see where someone says we are not nor ever were a Christian nation. This book totally disproves that idea....by concrete evidence. The next time someone says that God doesn't belong in the public square should travel through Washington D.C. and view the significant monuments, memorials and documents in our nation's capital.
Newt Gingrich takes us through these chapter by chapter. The first chapter is the National Archives where the Ten Commandments are etched into the floor as you enter the building!
Other chapters are the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, FDR Memorial, the Capitol building, Supreme Court, Library of Congress,
Ronald Reagan building, White House, WWII Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
In each and every case, God is a integral part.
in the back of the book, is a walking tour of the capital, directions, photos and maps...if we ever get the privilege of going to Washington D.C. I am certainly carrying this little book with me.
I've really enjoyed reading this and would recommend it to everyone who loves history.

This photo was taken in Grayling, Michigan...these lovely twin albino deer..very rare....

Wednesday Dog of the Week

This is a very sweet dog that really desperately needs a new home...her name is Lady and all her life she has been confined in a small 8 by 12 area, by herself and has never had enough exercise or loving treatment, she is 4 years old. A very sweet and gentle dog that would be a wonderful companion with the right family.....she has not been played with and is starving for attention...Labs are great family dogs and she certainly needs hers to come and take her home.
She is new to the rescue and I hope she won't be there too long.

Very good news...many of the dogs I've featured in past weeks have been adopted into loving homes! Thanks to all who have donated....your financial help is so appreciated.....as always, you can see the Sun City K-9 Dog rescue link on the left side..with the vintage postcard lady and dog graphic.

Trading is fun!

I went in on a trade with Nancy (Inside Nana's Head)....and received this wonderful raggedy runner for the spring...isn't it pretty? Love the colors and it will look so nice towards Easter time....please remember if you can to pray for Nancy as she is facing some rather scary health problems (women's issues) and also planning on moving cross country to a warmer climate.
I also have a link if you'd like to sign a petition on the stimulus bill.....this is a vote for no on the current bill and a request for a better one that will really stimulate the economy and not be loaded with pork as it is now.....stimulus bill I gave a link earlier with all the individual senators email addresses.
So much money is being talked about, its really hard to get your mind about how much 900 billion dollars is.(it is growing, when it hit the Senate, it was "only" 819 billion)..well, the other night on Huckabee, he explained it this way....with that much money, everyone, man, woman and child in American would get 1,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies! You could buy the following companies and have 30 billion dollars left over....Pepsi Co, Coca Cola, Google, AT&T, Apple Computer and Microsoft! It is more money that has ever in US or any countries history to be borrowed...and for some reason the President and the Democrats in the Senate want to rush this through without any discussion...maybe because if it sits long enough, people will began to understand.
Personally, I think they should give the money to us, the little guys....believe me, they could give every citizen $3,000 or so dollars and I know we'd spend it!
Only a few more days of the One World, One Heart blog giveaway so if you haven't looked at the other 800 blogs in the caravan, please so before its over...it ends on the 12th. I am number #112 and giving away 14 counted cross stitch patterns.

We've been debating what to plant this spring and if you've followed the blog at all, you know we've been trying to figure out how to do some square foot type gardening...got some free shelves last year but haven't been able to find any wood or boxes at a good or possible free price....so what to do? well, we thought we'd just use what we have for now....we had this wooden barrel so we planted some lettuce starts in it...this was done yesterday...there are both green and red lettuce varieties.....
and then Alan and Matt removed this long planter he had built several years ago (it was up on the back bank of the yard) we filled it with Miracle Grow potting soil..in one section we planted four different varieties of tomatoes and then the other section has some giant cabbages....
Our patio cover has shade cloth over it that helps this area to stay warmer than the rest of the yard...and the plants get morning and late afternoon sun....its been down in the 40s at night. Our oldest son, Don gave us a special thermostat that sits outside and has a remote inside so we can check the temperature at night...if it looks like its going to be a cold night, we will cover the plants....
We plan on planting more but at least we are started.....we also got seeds, yellow crook neck squash and beets which everyone here loves....I am going to start these inside. Perhaps by the time the seedlings get big enough, we will have more boxes, hope so.
Just to let everyone who reads this know, California is cutting back on its produce for this year by at least 1/3 or more because of drought....that means higher prices (what else is new?) so having some veggies growing is a good thing. There are plenty of sites about growing vegetables in pots and I have a few links on the side if you need any help or ideas. We try every year to grow tomatoes and its kinda hit or miss....hopefully this year will be different but lettuce always does well for us.......and of course, we have plenty of fruit with our apple, nectarine, peach and fig trees. They are still all dormant but should start budding.......

I got on the computer this morning and guess what one of the headlines was? "Frugal Americans Hurt Economic Recovery"...friends, we just can't win, can we? You can read the story here

they say, that people are saving their money but I don't believe that, we sure can't..every bit of our money goes to paying the mortgage, putting food on the table and paying bills...there is usually more month left over than money...and no money for savings...how is it with you?
now, this wasn't always the case for years, Alan had a good job, a well paying job and a regular paycheck..and before the boys came, I worked too so together we had quite a bit put away for the rainy day however, with him losing his job, the rainy day came and went...and so we were drawn to opening our own business which is slowly (too slow some months) growing...
and because of that, we've had to cut back on our donations also...we used to give generously to several worthwhile organizations.

I really sympathize with all of those hardworking people who have been laid off...its rough......
God has given me dreams in the past and He gave me one about a year or so ago....I don't remember if I have blogged about it before but since it seems to tie in with what has been going on..thought I would share...
hence, the photo of the stadium..
In my dream, I am in a large stadium, something like the one above with hundreds of people, not thousands, but hundreds...we are singing, and worshiping the Lord...and the Lord's presence is very evident..when suddenly each section of the stadium starts rotating individually...people start screaming and chaos is everywhere...the sections start moving faster and faster...when this sudden peace comes upon us while this is going on...everyone quiets down and we all realize that this is God's doing and we have nothing to fear....we just hang on and wait....the sections get enough speed to peel off and each section flies through the air...I remember looking down as in a plane and seeing the ground with fields and water...we slowly start coming down and gently come to earth...I get out of my seat and make my way off the section...looking around amazed as I am suddenly 16 again, thin and young, (which surprised me)..looking around at others, we are all transformed and I remember feeling wonderful, full of life, light and energy. We all realize that the Lord had returned and there was so much joy......

I don't get dreams very often like this..in fact, I've only had about 3 or so that I knew were special...but take this for what it's worth, I think we are in the revolving stage now..things are chaotic and scary...but, God is in control, be at peace..I believe He will provide for all who trust in Him and commit their lives to Him...He will care for you....
For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the LORD. Jeremiah 39:17