HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

They say things come in three's

And now, I'm waiting for the 'other shoe to drop'.

There are times in life that a little sweet tooth is a good thing!
Yesterday for example.
As chilly as it is, I was in the mood for some icecream that I knew was in the deep freeze..just a regular vanilla icecream with the hard chocolate coating, comes on a stick..I know you know the type right?

So..off I go to the deep freeze and pull out said icecream. I open it from the bottom so I can grab the stick..and when I pulled out the stick there was no icecream on it.
The icecream was still in the package. HUH?
So I stuck the stick back in and ...uhhoohh.
I wiggled the stick...uhoooh..
I gave the icecream a little squeeze and I got a 'squish'........ohhh noooo!
Quickly I run back to the freezer and sure enough, some of the 'boxed' and bagged items on the top were on the 'soft' side. Bread, icecream, pizza, that type of stuff. Just the stuff directly on top.
I knelt down beside the freezer and checked the settings. Still the same.
I turned it up and I heard it..the whine of a compressor trying to kick in but failing miserably to do so.

OH DAMN! no no no..tell me it's not so. I shut the freezer down..waiting about 10 minutes and tried again. This time, there wasn't even a whine.

With heavy head I rose from the floor and dialed the hubs at work. It was just at his lunch break. I told him the bad news. We had no choice but to buy another freezer. There was nearly a years worth of food in this freezer. I couldn't even 'can' it all in time to save it all.
The real kicker...we had just paid the credit card off and now......egads, we were gonna have to use it.

Onto the 'net' I went to seek out the best deal I could find. Hubs would pick one up on his way to work (if I found one in that area). Looking through all the 'big guys appliances' I found Sears carried the best deal unless I ordered it online through Home Depot. Then it wouldn't arrive for a week.
Uhmm no.
Just so happens our local Sears outlet (small store) had the one we wanted on the floor. Hubs got home and out we went. Purchased said freezer, got it home and inside to plug up.
You have to plug them up and let them get cold for about 12 hours before you can load them up ya know.

Luckily, I am fully aware of the kind of power outages we have here, so the bottom of my freezer is loaded with a layer of frozen milk jugs filled with water. As long as I don't open it much, the things in the freezer will stay frozen and cold. This is a good thing.

See many many moons ago..We collected milk jug after milk jug, cleaned them and filled them all with water. We emptied the freezer to give it a cleaning and when we went to refill it, the jugs went in first. Then I put a sheet of plexiglass on top of them to act as a 'bottom' shelf, then refilled our freezer.
This does two things. A full freezer takes less energy then a 1/2 full one, and the frozen jugs in the bottom would keep things frozen for a much longer period of time, should there be an extended electrical outage. Besides all that, once the water started to thaw, you can use it for drinking and cooking.

Today..I am thankful I did that.

As we are loading up the freezer hubs says to me "So tell me, is this number one or number two..please tell me it's number two."
I asked him what he was talking about..cuz he was making no sense!
He replied, "You know as well as I do, things come in three's ..so tell me this is number two."

I giggled..but had to inform him.."Nope..this is number one"..

He hung his head, mumbled something incoherent under his breath and walked away.

I have my fingers crossed. Although, I'll have to uncross them today as I transfer all the food over from one freezer to the next. It's cold finger day...no crossing possible.

See ya next time..down on the farm!

100 acres of people? Oh no!

Fifteen years ago I moved here to the country. We've lived surrounded by acres and acres of farm land (not my own mind you) surrounding our house and across the road. There were (are) no other houses near mine. None. Matter of fact, by distance measurement alone, my closest neighbor is home to many.. it's a graveyard.

About a year ago my country solitude received a shock with the simple placement of a 'for sale' sign on the land across the street. ACK!!! I watched the sign daily at first. Then weekly as it didn't move nor did it ever get the 'sold' placard stamped across it's face. I started to relax. Maybe nobody wanted it. He did have a high price on it and it was 100 acres to be sold in one unit, he would not break it up. If I remember correctly, he wanted 30,000 an acre for it. 100 x's 30,000 is like 300,000.00 That's a lot for land around here. It would never sell. (of course, there are idiots everywhere ya know)

Apparently the owner found one. The sign was removed at the beginning of this week and today heavy equipment started moving in to clear it out. My heart is broken as I fear my idyllic solitary country life will no longer be solitary.
For some reason, I don't believe a 'single' house is going to go in. For some reason my gut is telling me that 100 acres will make a prime location for a neighborhood. 100 acres, that's lots of subdivision space ya know. At an acre per house, that's 100 houses. (OHMYGAWD!)  At 2 acres per house, that's 50 houses. (GULP!)

Shudder the thought that they make them 1/4 acre lots! 

One, I might could deal with...but 100??? (or more)
(breathe..breathe)

It's official

After today, I will no longer fall prey to the viscous cycle of cell phone contracts & payments. Oh no. The hubs and I have decided to rid ourselves of what we truly find as a 'want' and not a need.
Now,  you must know, hubs is going to keep a cell phone, but not one under contract.
He had to keep a phone for two reasons. One: for work purposes and Two; He drives in large amounts of traffic, two hours daily ;  Ok, so we'll have ONE phone and go the cheapest route we can.
He has purchased a "Straight Talk' phone, and gotten the cheaper 'card plan' to go with it. 
One phone.
I am home 90% of the time, so tell me why in the world would *I* need a cell phone?
I have a home phone.

We saw no reason to pay for things on a phone that we do not use. Yes, we are of the old mind set, that a phone is a phone. Not a net surfing object or something to type on. It's a phone. You talk on the damned thing.

Our previous cell phone bills ran about 100$ or more a month. We've knocked that down now to $30.
I am pleased with this decision. Everyone complains about the 'cost of things' but very rarely will 'do what it takes to lower those costs'. We are now doing.
We find it odd however, with all the technology that we have reached that the companies want to take such advantage of it and charge so much for it. Cell phones are an everyday thing now. WHY are they costing people so much?
It's much like 'HD' on your tv. The signal comes in 'HD' period..so why are they charging you to 'have HD signal"? HUH? Makes no sense to me. So..I don't pay for it. They give it to me free, or not at all. But that's another post all together.

Anyway..I am now cell free.  If you call my home and I'm not there, leave a damned message. You don't have to track me down.

Woohooo..one less thing to worry about 'forgetting' as I walk out the door too!
It is a revelation!

Traveling back in time

I have returned from my jaunt to the past. After boarding our time machine and zipping through the wormhole we emerged in the Middle Ages to partake of a fun filled weekend of Royal Court, Jousting, War and Feasts galore.
Our chariot was jam packed with all the goodies we would need for the trip through time.  (and I do mean jam packed!)
We camped, we cooked, we ate, we attended Royal Court, jousting matches and drum circles. We gathered round fires to drink mead and share in the joy of conversation and laughs without the aid of modern conveniences.  It was sad to have to see it end, but our time in the past was near over and again we loaded up our chariot and transported back through the wormhole into the current ages. I think I prefer the Middle Ages.
Here are some pics for you to enjoy!

At Royal Court

Elchenburg Castle

On the Jousting Field

Another Jouster

If you would like to see more photos you can go "HERE" to see my facebook album (because it takes forever to upload them onto blogger)

This event was an "SCA" event. So if it intrigues you or interests you, I urge you to check out the SCA page, maybe you'll join us next time!

Schools IN!!!

SCHOOLS IN!! Time get looped up??



see more Epic Fails

See ya next time......down on the farm!

Sage

Ahh the pumpkin!

While chatting with a friend the other day, she reminded me I had never put up the pictures of the 'canned' pumpkin! Soooo without futher ado..here it is

I ended up with 6 jars I believe..all about 3/4ths full. :)  It's slightly sweetened..and ready to use! YUM!

Here's the larder for this year..(and a few from last years still)

 Jellies, figs, tomatoes, chicken, sauerkraut and a few other odds and ends I'm sure! (that empty space at the very top, is where the canner usually sits..handy spot!
Enjoy!

Example

The previous post was written in earnest!  For the upper U.S. states, where rain just kept coming, Irene was a disaster.
As I posted before "Think" and ask your self how will you get by without water, electric or no way out, I point you in this direction..

["in Plattsville, New York, seven families who thought they had escaped the wrath of Irene in Brooklyn were stranded in the Catskill Mountains Monday after bridges crumbled all around them.

"We're sitting in one room, and it's a horrible situation and there is no way out," said Irina Noveck, who was stuck along with 22 other adults and children. "Kids are getting scared, food is getting spoiled."]

And this

["Vermont State Police Capt. Ray Keefe said Wilmington is "cut off," hundreds of roads had been closed, and some homes were washed into lakes."]

You can find the above quotes in this article here.


It cannot be stressed enough..be prepared, have 1st and 2nd alternatives!

Soon..we'll discuss 'generators'. Good? bad? or useless?

Irene was a test run

I have to say this, only because ..well just because.
(Long ranting type post, be prepared!)
Living between South Carolina, Florida and Texas for the past 30 years, lends that I am in hurricane territory. I do write this from some experience.
I have watched the news reports and reporters on Hurricane Irene for the past week and I can honestly say these things. Some of you may not like what I'm about to say. Period. Be prepared for that.

• No, where I live did not get 'a direct hit ' from Irene (just some outer bands) I've been hit before.

• I am not downplaying the damage that was done, a good portion of the east coast did suffer some damage from Irene. I hope for everyone who did have to deal with her, the damage was minimal. 

• The newscasters must be paid to make it out to be much worse then it is because they made it seem like she was going to rip the US east coast apart. 

• People are spoiled to their conveniences, like electricity and cars.  

I saw and heard so much with this past 'storm' that it was enough to make me think about how 'unprepared' people really are. How much they rely on the conveniences of modern day to get them through. What happens when those modern conveniences may NOT be available to them..what will they do?  What will YOU do?

I personally think Irene was way over played, but at the same time, I think many people took the possibilities that any storm can create, and made light of it.
How many people expected things to 'still be available' to them today?  Like cars, and open stores and places to 'run get something'!!?!
If you didn't have electricity this morning..why would you expect someone else to have electricity? Why would you expect someone else to get up and go to work (in an emergency situation) so they could provide a convenience for everyone else?  How arrogant is that?
That store owner or worker may have suffered damages from the storm in ways that you have not thought of, not to mention no electricity at the work place or at their home.  Relying on 'others' for personal comforts is NOT the way to get through an emergency.

Having said all that (and deleting some things because..well just because) let's talk about preparedness. I actually don't like that word. It makes it sound like something 'extra' you have to do, and being ready should any emergency arise should not be an 'extra' thing, it should be second nature (nothing in life is certain!).

Have we forgotten we CAN survive without electric or do we always expect there to be the ability to 'have what we want' in times of trouble? Grow up people. Electricity really isn't a necessity to survival..it's only a necessity to convenience. Learn to plan ahead before the emergency approaches. Get it?
.
Being ready for any emergency is a must. It doesn't take a ton of money either, it just takes some planning and forethought.
I could put all the things on a convenient list to check off, but that's not what I'm trying to get across. We need to learn to THINK !!
Sit down and think about your normal day, what you do, every day and what it takes to get things accomplished. Just the daily stuff, food, bathing, bathroom, etc. (write it down if you have to)

Now picture doing them without electricity. What would you need to get it done without electricity. Got that in your head?
Good, now think about doing all those things without 'running' water. No electric...no water. How would you do it? What could you do or not do without those two seemingly vital things? Got that in your head. Good, now one more time I'm going to ask you to THINK.
You have no electric, no water and now you have no transportation. Not necessarily because you don't have a vehicle sitting outside full of gas (cuz you thought this would be enough) but that all the roads are washed away, blocked by down trees, or for petes sake, blocked by the powers that be due to a state of emergency or martial law. 
Now..what is it going to take for you to 'survive', even comfortably so, where you are, providing daily requirements for you and your family?
Now, think about doing it for more then a day, 2 days or even 3. Think about it for 2 weeks, 4 weeks..2 months.
Be honest with yourself now..are you REALLY PREPARED for an emergency?
If you're honest, the answer is 'no', probably not.

Our ancestors would never have thought about being 'prepared' for an emergency. Their entire life by OUR standards was an emergency. They were always prepared. No electric, no running water and most times no transportation anywhere. They survived it, the thrived..you're here aren't you?
So for one day of your life, be a founding family and survive just a day without the spoiled conveniences. See how far you get.
Then rethink your life in an emergency situation. Picture yourself in Joplin MS. when they suffered that horrible tornado..they still have not rebuilt that town and it's been months. Where is everyone?
Consider these other hurricanes, works of nature that put areas in to 'states of emergency'..for days, weeks and months! (click on each one to read about them)
Katrina
Hugo
Charley
Andrew
Ivan
Rita

Now go and 'think' for a while on preparedness. It's not just 'stocks' of supplies, it's being able to use your brain to create what you need..that is biggest key to preparedness, the brain...thinking ahead and know how.

I may do more posts on this very subject soon.

Now on to another similar topic at hand.
Knowing this, here is a prediction for you. Irene was a dry run. (Unfortunately..many people failed).
She was a forerunner to something bigger. There have not been any major storms to hit the east coast since about 2004 (going on memory, 2004 was when Florida took great hits from Gustav and Ivan to name a few)
That's somewhere between 5 and 8 years since a major hurricane. I say Irene is a forerunner, a warning to get prepared, to use your head and to think things through.
Simple prediction..the next big one, will hit, the east coast somewhere and will hit sometime.. (Of course, we always hope not.......and I always hope I'm wrong..but what if I'm not?)

Canner time

Ok...so here's the 'scoop'! Scoop..pumpkin..get it? LOL
The pumpkin was baked. I scooped the soft pumpkin into the jars filling them about 1/2 or a little better with pumpkin.(trust me..it was a soft squishy dense product..there was no ability to cut in chunks..period!)
I boiled up a medium syrup..for every 3 cups of water, I used 1 & 3/4 C sugar.

Lids were prepared, rims were wiped and jars sealed. Into the canner they went. I also opted to put one quart in the freezer and I still have some in the fridge which I intend to make pumpkin butter with. I don't know that I'll can that or freezer (I KNOW you're not supposed to can it, but...)
The rocker on my canner is singing sweetly to me, rocking back and forth as I type. YUM..canned pre-sweetened (slightly) pumpkin! Easy enough to use for pumpkin pies, bread, muffins or quick pumpkin butter to stick in the fridge for the week.

If you've never had pumpkin butter then let me tell you, it's like eating pumpkin pie! (on toast!)
So below you will find a pumpkin butter recipe. Tomorrow, I'll try to post pics of the canned pumpkin. :) ENJOY!

PUMPKIN BUTTER

3 1/2 to 4 Cups of pumpkin puree (your own or you can use store bought canned pumpkin*)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 C. apple cider
1 C. brown sugar OR 1 1/2 C. white sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground nutmeg

(Hint: You can also add cloves to this mix, but cloves are extremely strong, be mindful of how much you add. Start small, taste and add to your liking. I usually add about 1/2 tsp to this mix)

Combine all ingredients into a large pot, mix well and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 mins. Put into sterilized jars, cap and let cool. Refrigerate and use. :)
*NOT PUMPKIN PIE MIX!You'll never be sorry..trust me. 

It's PUMPKIN time!

No, it's not Halloween..but it is pumpkin time around here!
I planted lots of sugar pumpkins this year. They are of course ready and have been sitting on my kitchen table for a week.
The time has come to 'can' them up!
I read up on some of the easiest ways to can them, more so on how to peel them and cut them up. Suffice it to say, cutting them into junks while raw is not too much of an option unless you want to stand there and peel and wear your hands out all day.
NOT ME!

The better choice (for me at least) was to cut them in half, gut them (sounds gross don't it?), cut them into large chunks and bake them till they were semi soft. Then you scoop the pumpkin out and jar it, then pressure can for 90 mins on 10lbs psi for a quart
(The USDA does not recommend making pumpkin butter or pumpkin puree due to it's density)

I plan to scoop and fill the jar to 1/2, add medium syrup then pressure can. I hope this will negate some of that density. Either way..I'm canning it up! .
(I'll also have less pumpkin per jar, so I'll be doing quart jars instead of the pints)

Let me tell you, cutting pumpkins is hard!
But, all my pumpkins are cut, gutted and chunked into sections and are now in the oven. They do have to bake a long time so I've got several hours before the canning process starts. It's just good to know the hard part is over! WHEW!
There is a faster way to 'precook' them, and that is with a microwave. Since I detest using a microwave ..this was not an option for me.
Besides all that, the microwave that I DO have is extremely small so I could only do 1 pumpkin at a time! It would probably take me the same amount of time as baking the whole lot at once!
Now it's off to find something else to do with my time while the pumpkins bake.
TA TA for now!

Can someone tell me....

Why it's nearly 11pm and it's still 82 degrees outside????

It's so muggy and hot here, that my windows are starting to sweat on the inside? WTH?

For about two weeks now we've avoided going outside at all costs.
(It's a good thing I put extra hay in the chicken coop, cuz I haven't cleaned it in two weeks either!)
I do check it every day and so far it's not suffering too badly.
You know why the coop hasn't suffered? I'm letting the chickens out very early instead of at noon..because at noon, I don't want to walk outside! It's too hot!

We have had a few days of afternoon showers. I'm not sure this has helped with the heat, but the grass appreciated it.
What little is left in the garden appreciated it to. The garden is pretty much done for the year of course. I've got a table full of sugar pumpkins that I will need to do something with soon.
The 'hot' peppers (various type) are still going strong and doing well. I think they like the heat.
(Seems the peppers are hotter this year too!)
I'm still fighting ants occasionally. (I can smell snow for our winter!)

The only thing I've semi regretted on a near daily basis is I have to pass an embroidery sign in my kitchen that says "Make hay while the sun shines" and I just don't have the heart to go out in this heat to make ANYTHING!

Sad isn't it?

In loving Memory

I woke this morning....once at 3 am...and again at 4. Not that this is necessarily unusual, but it was significant for me. Today is August 6. Three years ago, on this date...just at 4am, my phone rang. I didn't get to it before the answering machine cut on..time '4:03'..Tony said my name..and hung up. I STILL have that message on my machine.  He waited a minute and called back. I got that call. Click here to read:

In memory of

Deputy Dennis Carl Compton

Badge #535

Colleton County Sheriffs Department

End of watch: 08-06-08

"Mama take this badge off of me...I can't use it anymore"

ANTS!!!!!

They come in the house..you don't know they are there, they are quiet & sneaky. Unlike a mouse, they leave no 'indication' they have been there.

What happens is, you go to get something out of your cabinet, totally unawares of the little crawlers and suddenly, you have 5 of them on your hand, you look down and see several on the counter. As your eyes move up and scan the item you just pulled out of your cabinet, you see several crawling on it and then you make the mistake of looking inside!!
(ACK!)
It's loaded with ants! This could be anything from crackers to marshmallows. Trust me the bag of marshmallows I pulled out yesterday looked like hunks of swiss cheese !

I began pulling other things out of the cabinet that ended up in the trash or fed to the chickens. Crackers, raisins, said bag of marshmallows and several other items that I can't even remember right now.

Strangely enough, here is what they did NOT eat or get into, pasta (go figure) and chocolate chips ..Now, I have to ask..WHY? Do ants 'know' what's bad or something?

Either way, I fought ants, wiping and spraying, checking food and moving items (thank goodness for tin cans) for most of the day.
Then a whole day goes by and I keep checking for ants, no sign. Good, maybe I've taken care of it again (this has already happened 2x's this year). So tonight I'm in the kitchen putting away dinner. I pull out a plastic storage container  ..it was moving!
THEY'RE HERE!
Again.
What in the world could they possibly be after in THIS cabinet. There is nothing there but plastic containers and lids. AND OH MY GAWD..the lids! They were coated in the little buggers!

Needless to say, everything was dumped into the dishwasher, the cabinet emptied and sprayed and again tonight I'm fighting ants.
Someone give me a clue! I've tried everything!
WHY do ants come in?
(just a hint here so that you'll know in advance. I've lived here at this same spot for 15 years..and this is only the 2nd time this has happened. First, the summer of 2009 and now the summer of 2011) What has happened here! And we just got rain, so they're not looking for water..

You know..the summer of 2009 we had an ant invasion from hell. That winter, we got like almost 8 inches of snow...had a white out here for several hours, lots of ice, trees down, etc. (UNHEARD of for Southern South Carolina puhlease!) Then, last summer, no ants. I was relieved. Last winter, no snow, not that cold even.
Could this be a sign of things to come? Is it going to snow on us again this year? hmmm..makes me wonder!

Let's try this again

Entrance to September Oaks Winery, Ridgeland, SC. 

Ok, I'm off to the craft room. For what? I'm not sure. Bad case of the 'no inspiration' lately and I KNOW it's hiding in there somewhere, I just have to find it.

So tell me, is anyone else having this 'no inspiration'..'no gumption' attitude lately? Is it the heat? What is it?
Whatever it is, it needs to go away!
 Until the inspiration fairy visits and the 'no gumption' fairy goes away, I'll leave you with a few pics. Some are taken at the end of last year, but one in particular shows how I'm feeling right now...the last one!. :) ENJOY!

"Hot grass, hot grass, hot grass!"

This is how I feel..LAZY!

Till next time!

It started out good

And I was raring to go, and actually I did. I cleaned my bathroom, stripped the bed, washed the linens, put clean sheets on the bed, mopped the kitchen floor, vacuumed the whole house, cleaned the vacuum ...boy I was on a roll! Then..something happened. I don't know what, but SOMETHING happened. I ran out of steam.
That was all that I got accomplished today (besides the usual fixing dinner of course.

So I took a nap.

It didn't help.

But hey..I did get 'those' things done right?
So here I am, perusing the web tonight while I wait for sleep to find me (I think it's lost) and I run across this saying: 
“Eat a live frog every morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” -Mark Twain 
here's the post that goes with it..It's a good post, read it. Enjoy. I think tomorrow I'll eat the frog first. :)
Simple Mom

A Prediction

What with the recent 'Royal' wedding and 'news' (and trust me, I loved her dress) and the 'family' of Kate..I predict that there will be a huge rise in PIPPA as a choice of names for baby girls near the end of this year and into next ..
Of course..anyone could see that coming right? I love the name Pippa. First time I heard it was in a Stephen King movie (1999); Storm of the Century.  I loved it then..I love it now.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. :)

Today is a day to try and get creative and inspired in the craft room. It's been a long time coming and I really need to do SOMETHING in there.

What's on your Sunday plans??

The Meld

Ok, for two days solid I've taken time off from everything else and drowned myself into the world of 'the blog'...to tell you the truth, it's feeling more like 'the BOG' right now! WHEW! However, I'm nearly done.
Many of you know I had several blogs, some designed and dedicated for one purpose or another. ALL those blogs save for the grand babies have been melded into this one. Sagewood Farm now encompases the Hedgewife, Sage's Kitchen and The Garden Gate. There is a separate site for the babies, which you can find here:
Babes of Sagewood 
And you can see a link to that on the left as well.
I'm hoping to be able to hop back into blogging a little more often now that it doesn't seem so daunting a task. :) Thanks for all the patience and waiting for postings. I'm still here..glad your hanging with me!

Revamping

things have been crazy here at the farm, garden, vacation, visitors and you name it. I have not taken the time to post, and that's ok. A blog is a personal thing and well, personally I wasn't up to blogging. HOWEVER, I'm into revamping and such so look for changes soon. :) Till then, just hang in and hang out. We'll see what comes of this transformation.

Want to see what I've been doing?

I know that here, on Sagewood Farm and on the Hedgewife, posts have been few and far between. There are several reasons for this..really! (I kid you not) First; I was sick..came down with the creepin' crud the hubby had, knocked me out of doing much of anything for about a week and two, I've been doing some 'house revamping'..but the BIG reason is.....well, it's garden season and it's just easier if I show you in pictures.

Overview of garden #2

Collards

Potatoes

Yellow Squash

Well, I'll have to try and download the rest of the pics tomorrow..Blogger is taking FOREVER to do just 3 or 4! ARGHHH! I'm done.

See ya next time......down on the farm! Sage

Thoughts on Mothers Day

I've watched as the last two days have gone by with many many wishes for a 'happy mothers' day to everyone. I agree..I hope you've had a very happy one, but now that the day is drawing to an end, here is something I want you to think about as your eyes close tonight. Mothers Day is everyday.

Each and every day be thankful you're a mother.

Enjoy the simple pleasures with your children, like reading a book as they cuddle in your lap or the softness of their hair while you rock them. See the delight in you child for something as simple as a hug or playful tickle.
The tears they shed or the hurts they have bring them running to your protective embrace, be grateful for that. You are their hero, and heros are a precious commodity.

There will come a day when you will no longer hold the status of protector or hero, it will last for many years. You'll  let them make mistakes because you love them and no matter how much you wish you could stop them, you won't be able to. It takes the experience of a mistake to learn.

As they grow through life and learn, your status will rise again, when they come to see what it takes to raise a child as they begin dealing with their own. They too will put on the same shoes you wore and become their childs hero, just for a little while.
Everyday is Mothers day and Fathers day for that matter. Everyday be grateful you're a parent. Don't pass up these precious years, they'll be a long time before coming around again in Grandchildren.

Many years ago my sister wrote a poem about her son when he was about 4. He'll be 44 this year.  It seemed it was decades later, I learned to cross stitch and still had a copy of that poem. She had forgotten all about it. I cross stitched it for her and it still hangs in her living room today. It's a beautiful poem and represents the sentiment of the above statement very well.
Have a look yourself.

My Son

There he stands so big and tall,
but not long ago he was so small
Running with a football in his hand saying
"Mom some day I'm gonna be a man."
He tries so hard to fit in
but it seems his head is always in a spin.

He has long blonde hair and dark blue
eyes, and just one look makes my heart
cry. To think he'll grow up and go away
no matter how hard I wish he'd stay.
Up to bed behind old sleepy head
A pillow in his hand a blanket under
his arm, he will always be my most
precious charm.

Wanda Buchanan Bennett 1971

Sprouting & Wine!

Would you drink for me?

 What does one of those have to do with the other?? Not much, but it's whats been going on here at the Farm. If you've read my blog before, then you know I occasionally volunteer my services to the SC Police Academy. Yep, I drink for the po po. After getting another call, I packed up my wine and headed to Columbia with Officer Buchanan (see above), this was to be an all day testing for an advanced class. I took along the camera!

My choice of alcohol, I mean, it was EARLY!

 Names have been changed to protect the innocent! Hahaha, I'm not naming names, but I do have permission to post the pics!

Two of my drinking partners.

Empty glass..one down, several more to go!

Two more drinking partners.

The whole gang (minus me), into a game of Quiddler!

" I SWEAR..it was THIS BIG!"

"Sure, sure..you're not the slightest drunk are you?"

Giddy maybe?

Texting while drinking?

Time to "BLOW!"

FIRST!! (you failed)

SECOND! (you fail!)

THIRD! (another fail!)

Trust me, we all failed, but we were supposed to! When it was time to go down for testing, there were 5 or 6 classes that had to test us. Normal roadside tests were administered along with some new and improved more detailed testing. Trust me, it truly was an all day event!


See ya next time......down on the farm! Sage

The Spring of Life! (and one thing)

 A lovely spring day! The garden is coming in and it's time for some country farm girl fun!

Let's play some golf!

Ciannon enjoys the outside on a lovely spring morning!

Spinach and Kale, up and already in use.

I've harvested spinach and kale two times already. The spinach was enjoyed in a lovely salad, the kale put aside for hubs dinner!

Radishes almost ready to pull. Strawberries coming along.

Beans sprouted and growing. Soon they'll reach the running rack!

 The beans have sprouted and are on the rise to reach the trellis made for them. It's weighed down with the bricks so our spring winds won't blow it down.

Random yard flowers.

Garden #2, the zucchini, yellow squash, cantaloupe, sugar pumpkins, corn and okra on their way up!

 Most everything in the big garden, Garden #2 has sprouted.

Even the corn is up a few inches.

Cami watches as the sun comes up.

Fig trees coming into leaf.

 The sun beams through the front trees as the early morning springs forth!

Here comes the sun!

LOVE the moss hanging!

Baxter giving the yard an early morning stroll!

Ciannon getting ready to start the farm chores for the day

 The small garden, or Garden #1. Only two boxes left to plant, now I need to decide what to put in them!

Distance view of Garden #2

What's in here to play with?

We are getting 'springy' down on the farm. The garden is coming in, (the weeds are too), and soon, it will be veggies galore to contend with! ENJOY!
Oh yes, as far as our one thing goes, it's an easy one today. I'm asking you to think. Think of ONE way you can reduce YOUR cost at the grocery store. ONE WAY, that's it. If it means growing your own tomatoes, (in containers even) then get out the dirt and the seeds! If it means making less trips by planning ahead and creating menus, then get to it. If it means not buying something you KNOW you can make at home, then get to baking, making or creating. ONE THING..ONE WAY. :) You can do this!

Garden Progress

Oscar stands watch over the yard.

Garlic! Ready soon.

Things are starting to sprout..strawberries, spinach & radishes..

The Big Garden..raised beds planted. Now, we wait for mother nature to work.

Some pic's for ya!

Little sprouts of this and that

Garden #2..the Big Garden

One corner of garden #1..The Little Garden, or Box Garden.

See ya next time......down on the farm! Sage