Just Catchin' Up...

Hello again!  Sorry I've been  MIA!  With a grand baby I keep a couple of days a week and planning TWO weddings, it's been CRAZY-busy around the farm!  Yep, TWO weddings!  My oldest son, Adam, got married three weeks ago in Nashville, and my daughter is getting married in October here in E Texas.  I'm a very busy gal!  My son, Adam, and his new bride, Bre.

I have no veggie garden this year either - I'm so sad!  Guess I'll be going to the Farmer's Market a lot this summer.  When we had the big tree cut down, the garden fence, etc., had to be taken down and everything moved - my raised beds, too.  Then I got "wedding-busy" and it just didn't happen this year.  So sad...  I had planned on maybe having some patio plants, tomatoes and such, but that's not happening.  So, I've had to let it go for this year.  It IS what it IS.  Trying to prioritize this year...and not stress myself out overly much.

I've been looking for photos to show of our little farm this year, lo and behold - there are hardly any pics that do not include my little granddaughter!  I have thousands already!  She's sitting alone now, jabbering up a storm and SO curious about every little thing.  And still no hair!

This picture of my daughter, my granddaughter and myself was taken in Nashville at Cedarmont Farm where Adam's wedding was held.  It was a gorgeous place and threatened rain all day, but the sun broke out towards the evening and everything was perfect!  Bella is my middle son's baby girl and Hayley is such a proud Auntie!  Bella is sporting wedding attire along with her smallish hair bow (not).  I told her mommy and daddy that she looked like she'd been to the Kentucky Derby! either that, or she is a sweet little Ganache Cupcake!

Daddy and I did do our usual ritual of jelly making last week.  This has been going on for many years now, and we were sure missing our Lisa being there to help.  Just wasn't the same somehow, but we are carrying on.  I did not think I could go on at times without my sister, but I have.  Some days are better than others.  I know the Lord in heaven is working His healing touch on our family and I'm so thankful to have Him to lean on.

Notice something different?  I cut my hair.  I decided to go short.  I am really enjoying it a lot - so much easier to care for except my hair grows fast and I have to go to the salon just about once a month...  grrrrr.  But I'm liking it.

Hope to be back soon amidst the wedding planning for my daughter and keeping my baby. She's the delight of my life right now and she makes this troubled heart happy!  Take care and keep your dress down!

My Sis & Me & Alice

This past weekend, my sister came to the farm to help me make jelly and pickles.  We've got plums running out our ears around here from my daddy's tree.  We had two big ole 5 gallon buckets and another bucket full on Saturday.  I'd already put up a slew of jelly already, but we can't let this go to waste. There's also another bucketload of ripe plums still on the tree and a bunch on the ground! We've been givin' 'em away!

We cooked  plums down nearly all day long, and also made jelly while we waited. My seester is my bestest friend in the whole wide world. We're both country girls 'n we figger we can do just about anything alone or together that a man can do -'cept pee standin' up!  And we could probly do that, too, just might not be able to hit what we're aimin' for!  Why wait on your husband to do somethin' for ya when you can probly do it yourself, and you don't hafta wait!  Together me 'n her have gotten into some fine messes, but always got ourselves out of 'em.  We can fix stuff, build stuff, we can fish and hunt, and clean a deer & fish, we can re-wire a dryer from gas to electric (actually seester did most of that), you name it, we've probly done it.  We hung around with our do-it-all dad all the time.  He is still the bee's knees to us!

OK, back to jelly.

Here are the plums cookin' down. It smells heavenly to breathe in all that lusciousness!

Here's me in my farmhouse kitchen warshin' more plums for the jelly...

Sis is dipping up juice to run through the strainer. We put the whole plums in the pot, and the skins and seeds come out in the strainer and we're left with just juice!

We're havin' a laugh over somethin'.  We laughed all day long. AND we never could figger out who took our picture together. Was it Mom? She was there for awhile, or was it my daughter? She was there for awhile, too! Not the most flattering of photos, but good memories nonetheless!  And voila! The final product!!! I sent half home with her for her family and some to mom and dad.  It was so good!  Now with some homemade bread and real butter, I'll be in hog's heaven!  We still have almost a whole 'nuther bucket of plums, ripening and fermenting. I hope I can git 'em done before they rot!

Alice the farm kitten is doing so well.  She is growing right before our eyes.  She's getting less skittish and runs out to the car when we get to the farm.  Loud noises still make her nervous and sometimes she'll take off and run under the porch.  But she's getting better.  She's finally started purring whenever you pick her up and scratch her.  It's been awhile since I've had a cat.  I've had cats all my life and it's nice to have another one. I still think I'm gonna git her a buddy.

Is this not the cutest kitten you've ever seen? She always has dirt in her nose from playing under the porch all the time.  She seems very healthy and playful and she's eating like a little pig.  I'll have to get her to the vet for a check up soon.   Take care, people!  Have a great week!  And keep your dress down!