• Dog days of summer…

    September 2, 2021 / No Comments

    I grew up in the South.  Until I was about twelve or thirteen, we did not have air conditioning.  My niece Sharon and I (she is two and a half years younger than I) played outside all day long as I recall.  I really don’t remember the heat being all that intense.  Maybe it’s just old age playing tricks on my memory.  I remember we drank water out of the backyard hose after we learned to let it run long enough to get cool!  I remember picking fresh tomatoes from the vine and fruit from the trees and eating those.  We were healthy kids who were seldom sick.  Must be something to be said for lots of fresh air and sunshine.

    Now, I feel the heat intensely – the heat and the humidity.  I live in Iowa and it is just about as hot and humid here as in the South.  About this time every year, I think Alaska sounds like a good idea!

    The “dog days of summer” are those last hot days from the end of July to about the middle of August.  The flowers have bloomed and they’re looking a little worse for wear now.  The grass struggles to get enough rain during this dry season and we are grateful for every inch of rain that falls.  I begin to look forward to Fall just as the pages of the calendar approach the beginning of August.  Of course, Autumn is my favorite season and that could have something to do with it.  Autumn just does not last long enough…

  • Sweet visit south…

    June 12, 2021 / 1 Comment

    Mid April, Doug and I, along with our seven month old Cocker Spaniel Beau, traveled South.  Beau actually was a very good traveler which surprised us both.  We spent one night with my niece and her husband and the next morning we all traveled about an hour south to my sister’s home.

    I wasn’t able to be there for Eddie’s Celebration of Life service a few weeks before, so it was sad not to find him there to welcome us as he usually did.  I remembered the stories he had told us on our last visit and I could hear his laughter in my mind.  He will be missed so much.  I took a walk around the property and into one of his favorite places – the little barn.  The horses are gone now, of course, but I remember his amazing way with them.  He truly was a “horse whisperer”.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Doug and Beau traveled back to Iowa the following morning and I stayed behind for a much needed visit with my sister.  My nieces Sharon, Cindy and Leigh all traveled to spend a couple of nights with us.  That was so much fun!  So much laughter and catching up.  I loved it.  We indulged in my favorite caramel cake from Sugaree’s in New Albany, Mississippi, as well as their amazing cupcakes and chocolate pie!

    On Sunday, we had a wonderful visit with my sister’s daughters and their families.  My niece Becky and her husband Tommy brought delicious Corky’s barbecue.  Always a treat!  As a matter of fact, there was a small wedding on the front porch on Sunday (my great niece and her fiance’)!  We all enjoyed delicious cake and fresh fruit after the barbecue.

    My sister and I had decided that each visit we could accomplish one project and the rest of the time we’d relax and visit!  Our project this time was the front porch.  Doug, my niece Sharon and her husband Tommy painted the front porch swings and one of the rockers that needed freshening up.  I had ordered some pillows and quilts for the front porch, and the end result was wonderful.  Rather like Country Living Magazine of days past.  My niece Sharon painted the delightful board for the front porch.  The weather was great and we spent a lot of time enjoying the front porch swing – from coffee in the morning to late afternoon sweet tea!

     

     

     

     

     

    One of my favorite places to visit in the nearby town is the antique store.  Of course, I was flying home and wouldn’t be able to take anything with me!

    A sweet visit with wonderful memories until next time.

  • Heaven bound…

    March 24, 2021 / 6 Comments

    Over the past two plus years, my sweet brother-in-law Eddie has courageously battled cancer.  Through numerous surgeries and treatments, he persevered.  He did not want to leave my sister Eunice, the love of his life, and his wife of 64 years.  As the days grew closer and the pain grew worse, he acknowledged he was ready to go home to Heaven.  After seventeen days in Hospice care, Eddie went home to be with the Lord late Monday night.

    Eddie was in the United States Army before he met Eunice, stationed in Germany. 

    There are people in this world who leave a big hole when they leave this earthly life.  Eddie is one of those.  A father of three daughters, a grandfather and great-grandfather, he loved his family with all his heart.  He was one of twelve children with six of his brothers and sisters gone before him.  He had such a ready smile, big dimples and an amazing sense of humor.  I’ve thought more than once today about the laughter there is in Heaven now.  He could tell a story and have you laughing deep belly laughs in a heartbeat.

    I can just hear Eddie laughing in this photo!  I’m guessing one of his granddaughters took this photo of him. Those granddaughters are now nurses and spent a lot of the nights with him in Hospice.  

    He loved horses. Over the years, he had several.  He was truly a horse whisperer and could get a horse to do anything.  I firmly believe there are horses in Heaven.  I bet Eddie will find them and have them trained in no time.

    Eddie with Cherokee, his last horse.  He loved all his horses and they loved him.  

    I loved to hear Eddie pray…dearest, sweetest, richest prayers.  By now, Eddie has seen Jesus, face to face.  He has beheld the majesty and glory of Heaven.  He has heard the angels sing.  By now, he has seen his parents and grandparents, mine and Eunice’s parents and sisters…all the loved ones who have gone before.  At one point during Hospice, though sedated, he sat up and exclaimed “Wow!  Wow!” several times.  Personally, I think he was seeing angels waiting to take him home.

  • Vestibular migraines…

    March 21, 2021 / No Comments

    Occasionally, I have vestibular migraines and although I haven’t had one for a while – yesterday was the day. (Does anyone here have them?) They’re crippling! To be diagnosed, you must have a history of “regular” migraines in the past – I do.  It starts with severe vision disturbances, the room taking different shapes and feeling as if it’s moving.  Then the headache hits.  The past few times, it has also made my lips and tongue numb and tingling!  Yesterday, when I knew it was happening, I yelled for Doug who was working on our lower deck  Our five month old cocker spaniel, sensed something was wrong and went to the door looking for him!  My medication I take for it was upstairs and there was no way I could get up there at that moment.  Fearing it was a stroke, Doug threatened to take me to the E.R. He asked me to smile and I managed an even one.  Thankfully, it was not a stroke and I just spent the rest of the day resting in bed.

    Anyway, the migraine blew the afternoon and the rest of the day yesterday.  Today has been a “dizzy hangover” from it. I slept 3 hours yesterday afternoon and when I felt a little better, I lay in the bed and watched Girl Meets Farm on the Food Network. Doug kept me company for a while and we decided it would be great to try some of Molly’s delicious looking recipes. I ordered her cookbook late yesterday and it just arrived.  It must have been in the Amazon warehouse here! Anyway, I’m looking forward to feeling better and digging into some of these delicious recipes!

    I also loved hearing the story about how she and her husband met at Julliard.  They are each classically trained musicians.  They now live on his family farm on the border of South Dakota and Minnesota.

  • Our coffee bar…

    March 17, 2021 / 4 Comments

    One day last week, Doug and I drove out in the beautiful Iowa countryside to a furniture store in Boone, Iowa. (Redeker’s) We were searching for a country sideboard to use for a coffee bar in our large country kitchen. We didn’t find a sideboard there BUT we found some beautiful dining room tables and chairs that were Amish made. We’re definitely keeping those in mind for the future.   We did purchase an Amish made tray there.  Painted white but the tag says the wood is maple.  

     

     

    Next, we stopped at the American Country Home Store in Ames, Iowa.  I was thrilled to see that they are a representative for Yield House!  Remember them?  Unfortunately, Yield House no longer has a catalog but I believe you can order online through the American Country Home Store.  I came home with a sample of one of the Yield House rugs.  I love it!

     

     

    Next stop was The Attic in Ankeny, Iowa.  They are a consignment store for nice furniture and accessories.  We have purchased several things there. We were so happy to find a solid oak sideboard that we will use for a coffee and tea bar in our kitchen.  The drawers hold boxes of assorted teas.  The side cabinet on the right holds more mugs and the one on the left holds boxes of assorted Keurig coffee flavors.

     

    Our cabinets are a golden oak (like a jar of honey as Erin Napier says) and the sideboard fits nicely in here.  We placed the Pottery Barn cup cabinet above the sidebar with our collection of Dunoon stoneware and fine bone china from England and Scotland.  There is also a USA based Dunoon company.  To the left of the cup cabinet are the two P. Buckley Moss original pencil sketches that I love.  I remember visiting her art gallery in Charlottesville, Virginia, years ago.

     

     

     

     

    We purchased a few accessories for our coffee bar.  The metal and wood round tray came from the Hearth & Hand Magnolia collection at Target as did the two metal baskets that hold coffee pods and tea bags.  We are very happy with the finished product.  It’s so easy now to make a quick cup of afternoon coffee or tea.  (Our twelve-cup coffee maker is on the countertop beside the cooktop.)  We also ordered a few of the Torani flavorings.  Now, we just need some friends and family to come enjoy it with us!

     

  • Mama’s tea cakes…

    March 9, 2021 / No Comments

    I’ve been craving my mama’s Southern Tea Cakes for several weeks now.  I tried making a “healthy” version of them using King Arthur baking sugar substitute and almond flour.  I have to tell you, they were terrible.  Not even remotely like the freshly baked tea cakes that would be waiting for me when I got home from school.  If your heart is set on something, a not too good substitute just doesn’t satisfy.

    So, today I made the real thing…from Mama’s recipe.    No substitutions.  Real vanilla extract.  Real sugar.  Real butter.  I followed the instructions carefully and even sifted the flour and baking powder together.  (Sometimes I skip the sifting but not today.)  I iced half of them with the chocolate icing Mama used to make.  Butter, milk, cocoa and powdered sugar.  Finally, my craving for tea cakes was satisfied.  I only made one dozen.  After those are gone, it’s right back to our healthy eating.  But, sometimes, you just have to reach back in time and enjoy the memories.

    Years ago, after mama passed away, I made a cookbook of her recipes and a family tree at that time.  Our family tree has grown and I have found more of her recipes, so I need to redo this little book.