Thursday doings

Whew! The last few days have been busy and productive, so I can feel at ease to go sit in my chair for a bit. 

Yesterday I had lunch with my friend Lisa in McKinney at a place called Harvest Kitchen, which is a farm to market eating establishment. All the food is organic and locally grown foods. It was delicious and I enjoyed the tomato white bean soup so much that I came home to check out Pinterest and found a recipe to try for dinner last night. I wasn't impressed with the result, so I am going to do as the waitperson suggested and email the restaurant to see if I can get a copy of their recipe.

McKinney is such a nice town to visit. There are so many cool stores to shop with such cute clothes, or antique shops for browsing, and some very good places to eat on the town square.

The old courthouse in the middle of the square

I baked up a few dozen zucchini chocolate chip muffins to freeze for the grandkids who will be coming next week to participate in a soccer tournament. They will be staying with us so I wanted to have plenty of goodies on hand. Today I baked a few dozen chocolate chip cookies and also peanut butter cookies. These are now all tucked away in the freezer and not gonna remind DH of them. I did leave a few out for him to snack on today.

Today I visited a couple of ladies from church who had surgery a couple of days ago. Quite serious surgeries for the both of them. One had open heart surgery and the other brain surgery. Mercy! So thankful for both of them that the surgeries went well. I found some pretty cyclamen at the grocery store and made cards for them.

One of the ladies I visited lived a few blocks from where we used to live years ago. Of course I had to drive by the old house to see how the current owners are treating it. Having been the first occupant of that house when it was brand spanking new and living there for 30 years, I kinda feel like it is still mine after all these years. It always causes me to feel a little melancholy when I drive through the neighborhood because I'm flooded with all the memories of those years.

When I planted this crape myrtle, it was just a few inches high. It is gigantic now, as you can see. That was around 1981, and the reason I remember the year so well is that we had just purchased a new Datsun 510 Hatchback and on our way back from the nursery that day, we were rear-ended exiting off the freeway.

It made me happy to see that the current residents are

patriotic and it appears from the toys on the front porch that they have small children. 

Good. On the left side of our old house are the gigantic red oaks 

DH planted. I had nightmares thinking about the 

possibility of their roots uprooting the house!

I love trees and the old neighborhood is just filled with beautiful big trees.

This sweet boy made honor roll

ALL YEAR!!

He also had perfect attendance in the 4th nine weeks of school. (I have purposely edited out the awards as his name and school name are on the awards.) So proud of him! Tomorrow we will see our youngest grandchild graduate from pre-K! It's hard to believe they are all growing up so fast.

We have received so many phone calls recently that are obviously scams from people claiming to be from Microsoft who inform us we are having Internet problems and from others claiming they are the IRS. In doing a little research, I see that this is a common occurrence these days and they are especially targeting the elderly! Oh my goodness! That seems to be us these days. I am doing everything I can to stay on top of this including unplugging the landline. DH just can't seem to resist answering the telephone even though it is always a disappointment. Everybody we know and love knows to call our cells.

A Little bit of this and that ... little bits from another trip down memory lane

At the age of seven, my mom called my sister and me into the bedroom for a little talk. The point of the conversation was to find out how we felt about having a new baby brother or sister. Well, I don't remember my sister's reaction, but mine was excitement. It just couldn't happen soon enough for me.  I was very naive at that tender age and when one of my friends was visiting us, she noticed my mom ironing her maternity smock and asked directly if Mom was having a baby. What?? How did she know that private information!! LOL.

We moved into a new house the summer before the baby was to be born. It was the first house my parents purchased, rather than renting as had always been the case before. My parents were people of very limited means, and we had lived in some places which I'm sure were very difficult for my mother. As small children, my sister and I didn't really notice or care about our surroundings. When they first moved to Tulsa, I was about 2 and she was pregnant with my sister and they lived in a basement apartment. So dreary for her, I'm sure. 

So we were all so proud and excited that Daddy had gotten a GI loan to buy the new house. We somehow thought that made it very important, but we didn't really understand why. Later, of course, I knew it was a special benefit for veterans and my Dad had certainly done his share in serving during WWII. The new house wasn't any bigger than the old one, but it was in a better neighborhood and already had a set of swings in the back yard which was left by the previous owner. The house also came with the best neighbors who lived behind us and also across the street. Actually, the neighborhood had many children we got to know, but Carol became my best friend, and Darlene who lived across the street was friends to both my sister and me. There was another family directly across the street and they were somewhat "strange." Judging from the dark house with all the blinds pulled and piles of stuff all over the house, it is now my impression that their mother may have been depressed or mentally ill.  We had our ups and downs with the kids in this family and I distinctly remember letting the girl, Wava Joy, know that she wouldn't get the prize of holding my new baby if she didn't act right. And then, to our right across the street, there was a family with two boys. We had great times playing cars and softball with them and they returned the favor by playing house and grocery store with us. (James and I may have exchanged a few kisses in the cornfield out back of their house!)

Unfortunately, my brother's birth happened to coincide with my Dad being laid off from his job. It was a very hard time for our family, but as young children we were shielded from the knowledge of our parents' hardships. Until one evening while my mom was in the hospital having my brother, my sister and I were at home with Daddy and just before bedtime, I saw my Dad on the phone with his sister telling her about the baby, but I also heard him telling her of his loss of job. It was the first time I ever saw my Dad cry and it broke my heart. Thankfully, work did pick up later and he was able to go back to work and thankfully, a refund check from the IRS came in the mail. I saw my parents do some great rejoicing over that envelope!!

But, I am rambling. One reason for this sentimental blog, is I just learned that Tuesday was National Brother's Day. Very interesting in light of the fact that my aunt had brought some new/old pictures I had never seen, a few of which were my younger brother ... and also my sister.

This week's Hodgepodge (which I didn't participate in) asks the question of how we measure success. Upon reflection, I would have to say one way would be to look at a man such as my brother. In spite of serious challenges to his health and multiple other trials in his lifetime, he has stood the test of time.  He is a godly man of integrity, an exemplary husband and father, a business success, an amazing friend, and, of course, my brother.

My Aunt Nancy and Uncle Gene

What a fantastic time we had visiting with Nancy and Gene. It was so good to see them. We sat outside enjoying the serenity of the afternoon talking about the past and the present while enjoying that yummy pound cake I made earlier that day. And I need to add here that my Uncle is another man by which you could measure success. He worked as a sack boy in a grocery store and went on to own his own store prior to being an executive in a major chain of stores. He and Nancy were married at a very young age. She was 16 and he must have been 17 or 18. They have raised three children, and are grand and great grandparents. For many years, they also helped to raise three of their grandchildren as their daughter was struggling to go to school and support her family as a single mom. She also is a success in different ways.

It is my belief that just about everyone around me ... in my family and my circle of friends ... are successes each in their own right. Their lives are not built on ambitious desires for themselves, but are all people with strong faith in God, good work ethics and a deep love and sense of responsibility to family. I think another measure of success is that successful people are givers! Giving of themselves, their energies, time, talent and gifts to help others. My parents were not wealthy, but they achieved more through their hardships than they probably ever thought they would, and stuck to their commitments. That is success.

So, on a fun note, I am adding this pic of my sister taken at my strict Great-Grandmother's home. This is another photo that my aunt brought with several others which I had never seen. In this pic, my sister looks so sweet, but maybe a little sad? When I sent her a copy and asked her about it, she says she thinks probably we were getting ready to watch some slides of our great-aunt and uncle's many vacations. They went on and on. Very boring! Oh yes, I do believe I had tried to erase those from my memory. It's funny that we both remember different things. That's why I enjoy having discussions with her about our past (although I do believe she may have shared with others some things that might better have been left in the secret memory bank). She will know what I am referring to when she reads this and I bet she will laugh out loud!

Such a sweet face.

Here she is with both her daughters!

They have sweet faces just like Mommy.

Blue Monday Shades of Blue

We are having very stormy weather this morning.

This is from my back porch. 

I tried to catch the amazing lightning show going on, 

but iphone just can't do it!

(My DH loves it when I sing my version of Stormy Weather! ... NOT!)

On a brighter day.

Blue skies and palm trees

through window panes in Ft. Lauderdale

from our trip in February

Glacier Park, Montana

from our train trip to the West a couple of years ago.

This place is so beautiful, it almost looks fake!

Mediterranean Sea in Israel

Israel may be my favorite place in the world to visit.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Just love the blue water and skies

My plumbago

It survived the mild winter this year.

These are clips from the videos of grandsons reciting the memory verses I sent to them the week before! So proud of them both. Noah is still loving his Bible and highlighting the Scripture he learns. His Mom told me that while at a graduation ceremony held in a local church, Noah was finding the verses in the pew Bible. How cool is that that he not only remembers the verses, but knows where to find them?

I'm linking up today with Backyard Neighbor. She has some beautiful photos over there, and you can also add your blue to Blue Monday.

Pink Saturday ... and Dwelling

Today I'm linking up for Pink Saturday with How Sweet the Sound.

Ignorance is bliss

She couldn't read the sign that said,

don't pick the flowers.

How sweet to live in a vine covered

cottage surrounded by flowers ... but it isn't mine. 

The garden is marked "Private."

Or maybe a charming little house on a lovely avenue.

(No parking here.)

I found this sign to be quite interesting while on a walk the other day. 

No soliciting! ... We have found Jesus ... Please Go Away!

And underneath!! Oh, the irony here. It says "Welcome."

There won't be any signs in Heaven such as "Don't pick the flowers ... Private ...

or marked "No Parking." It will be welcoming and ours to enjoy ... completely

and forever.

Pink Impact Women's Conference last weekend was on the theme of "Dwelling." How comforting to know that the Spirit of the God of all creation dwells within His kids now, His Church, and that one day He will dwell with us forever.

photo credit

We are no longer slaves

We are the children of God.

The joy of the Lord is my strength!

Friday Foto Friends ... and a few Friday Fragments

Linking up early with Debbie at Breathing in Grace!

Here is my fun foto!

I realize I never posted about our trip to Washington, D.D. And nobody ever knew that my DH was there when Lee surrendered to Grant! Here are a few other historical figures from the past.

"Company's Comin'"

I am so excited my aunt and uncle are dropping by today on their way to visit one of their granddaughters and newest great-grandson. Nancy and Gene have a beautiful family, with loads of grandkids and greats! 

There are lots of old cliches about company. My Dad used to know somebody was coming to visit if his nose was itching! It mostly itched on weekends and sure enough, somebody usually came to see us. Another one is "If I'd Known You were Coming, I woulda baked you a cake!" But I did know on this one! So I baked a cake just for Aunt Nancy and Uncle Gene ... Mama's Pound Cake ... Paula Deen's mama, that is! :-) I have some lovely strawberries and whipped cream to go with the cake. DH has been drooling ever since it came out of the oven but, as usual, I am making him wait until they arrive. Why am I so mean?

Here is my 10 year old Aunt Nancy proudly holding up her new niece.

I was the first granddaughter on my Mama's side.

Nancy and Gene now.

I'm guessing they have been married 61 years!

Wow!

Random memories

Yesterday I began the task of trying to go through photos and delete, delete, delete. My goodness, there are so many pictures and each one you look at, you think you need to save it. Sometimes even the blurry ones. Each one of them are part of a story or a good time. Sometimes they can bring back a mix of sweet and painful. For instance, this dear old couple. 

Mr. and Mrs. Debolt were our landlords from the time I was about 4 to 8 years old. They were so good to our family. We first rented the back three rooms in their house and they lived in the front part of the house. 

My sister and I on the front porch of "the white house."

The Debolts were in the process of building a house on the vacant lot next door. When they moved out, we had the whole house to ourselves for a short period of time before my uncle and his family moved into the back and we moved to the front! Pretty crazy!!!

Mr. and Mrs. Debolt lived in their new house for a short time and then moved out to the country. So our family moved into the new house. Totally confused now? This house was the yellow house.

The yellow house is behind us in this pic.

Mr. and Mrs. Debolt were two of the kindest people ever. We used to visit them after they moved to the country. Mr. Debolt was a carpenter and he saved all the scrap wooden blocks for us to play with when we visited. Also, Mrs. Debolt had an old pipe organ that you had to pull out the stops and press stomp really hard with your feet to get it to play.

Now, I'm going to be brutally honest about my nasty past here. As I said, these were very good people who had shown much kindness to our family. So you have to wonder what in the world was my five year old self thinking when I, for no apparent reason, spit in his face???? Honestly, I blush with real shame when I remember this and I have to say, I got what I deserved. He slapped my face and took me in and told my parents! They were of a generation that would not tolerate disrespect from the younger ones. 

My last little remembrance about Mr. Debolt is from his funeral. He passed away when I was 14 and the minister who preached his funeral told in a very dramatic way about how just before Mr. Debolt died, he raised up from his bed talking about the angels he saw coming for him. This still gives me chills thinking about it. I was sobbing so hard and couldn't stop crying when I looked down and discovered that not only my tears were falling, but my nose was bleeding profusely all over my white blouse!!! OH! The anguish of a 14 year old embarrassing herself in the middle of a very solemn occasion! Although I did manage to make it through with the help of my mom, I promised myself I would not ever let myself cry that hard again in a public setting. Of course, I haven't been able to keep that promise, but I do arm myself with lots of tissue these days. 

And also, I have found many other ways to embarrass myself throughout the years!!! Lol!

photo credit

Mama's Pound CakeRecipe courtesy of Paula Deen
Ingredients

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, plus more for pan
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
With a mixer, cream butter and shortening together. Add sugar, a little at a time. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl and add to mixer alternately with milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix in vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

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