It's Been a Month???? Really???

I CAN. NOT. BELIEVE it's been a month since I posted.  Wow. Shame on me.  Well, I'm sorry, but it can't be helped right now.  Life has been busy, family has become of utmost importance to me - namely, my sister Lisa.  She's actually feeling pretty well right now.  She went without her chemo for nearly 3 weeks because her "numbers" on her blood, etc., were too low.  The Dr. kick-started her and gave her some treatments to build her blood counts back up and she was able to take her chemo last Friday. Tomorrow, she'll have it again.

However, we've been able to spend some time together.  Our families met up in Terrell to help Daddy celebrate his birthday.  We had a great dinner.  Then Lisa's husband brought her to Mom & Dad's house and then she came and spent a couple of days with me.  We had such a good time, just visiting, drinking coffee on the deck, listening to the birds, putting up green beans, and just being together.  She is so precious to me - I can't even explain it to you... I covet your continued prayers for her and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!

It's that time of year for the garden to start giving forth its bounty. (Actually, we're about a month behind this year, but no matter...)  I've been putting up green beans in the freezer and pulled up my plants just yesterday. I will be planting something else there in a day or so. Blueberries are about ripe, grapes are growing, tomatoes are coming on as are the squash. I have pintos and cukes and purple hull peas, too. And a little corn. June promises to be SO busy.  Bad news is that the late cold snaps got most of the fruit trees around here - the peaches are going to be sparse and my plum tree suffered, too.

Adam did a concert down here at our annual Lakefest and it was wonderful!  His single "There's A Girl Out There" is now on the radio and you can call and request his song on your local country station I imagine. We are hearing it on our local station now!  Take a listen to his new single!

On YouTube here's a link to his awesome VIDEO ---  http://youtu.be/oW1J7Zi6RmY

Sell Music online at ReverbNation.com

You can also download it from iTunes, too!  Adam Fears "There's A Girl Out There".  Also check out his new soon to be released single "Golden Graven Road", also on iTunes.  It's a tear-jerker so get your tissues ready! I love it, too!  I have it here on ReverbNation --- http://www.reverbnation.com/adamfearsmusic

BLOGGER MEET-UP!!!

Of His Pasture - Debbie (and a sweet friend of hers, Mona) and the other Debbie - Wisdom -  welp - we all met up in Jefferson, TX - quaint little victorian town with shops, B&B's, eateries, complete with a bayou boat ride with alligators and cypress trees AND a sweet carriage ride all through the historic part of town!  Good food and new friends!  We've been friends for several years now, but I'd never gotten to meet Debbie (Of His Pasture).  "Wisdom" and I have met up several times and we were thrilled that those two gals drove all the way down to Texas.  Of His Pasture has written about our trip so I won't repeat all that. But I will say that it was SO good to meet Debbie (OHP) and her friend Mona.  It was a wonderful day!

 

L-R Debbie (Wisdom), Mona, Vickie (me) and Debbie (Of  His Pasture)

 

Our very fancy carriage ride!

 

 LOVE LOVE LOVE Horses!

 

Coupla pics of cute victorian houses - I think this 'un was French styled...

 

Notice the sign on the golf cart...  "Bleed Maroon"  (Gig 'Em, Aggies!)

Well, gotta close now.  It's getting late and I've got to hit the floor running in the morning. Hope things are going gangbusters with all y'all.  I'll be back soon!  Take care and I'll get by to visit before long!

And Keep Yer Dress Down!

Kickstart the Day!

Just a little Howdy! and a good morning to you wonderful friends out there in Bloglandia!  It's a beautiful day here in Texas and I'm going to be painting today!  Lots of light here this morning that I cannot waste!  Check out my South Light painting blog later on this evening and I'll update what I've been working on.  Last week, the weather was dark, rainy and gloomy on my days off from work, so I didn't get to work on it as much as I'd like.  I hope to get alot accomplished today and tomorrow.

ATTN:  SOUTH LIGHT ART BLOG has been updated... if you're interested...

On that, I'm leaving you with a little sunshine I snapped out my front door to brighten your corner of the world - specially if yours is gloomy this morning!  Have a wonderful day!  I'll get some pictures of my painting progress up later on IF you're interested!  Hugs to you all - you just don't know HOW MUCH y'all mean to me!

Help Fight Crohn's Disease!

Speaking of Becky and her fabulous candles...

She's doing  a fundraiser for Crohn's disease.  She has  people in her life that are suffering from this terrible condition.  Becky's going to donate half her profits from the sale of her Lavender candles - the Purple Dress - (you know - everything has to have its own color these days...) to the fight against Crohn's. 

Why don't we all jump over to her blog - http://hospitalitylane.blogspot.com/ and get the details on how to help out!  You get a beautiful Lavender soy candle of Becky's, and half the donation goes to the Crohn's foundation.  If that Lavender smells anything as wonderful as her fall scented candles which I just ordered, that candle will be outstanding! You'll be glad you did!!!

My Friend Tara at New Day New Seasons!

I've been friends with this gal for awhile now, and we've actually got to meet up and hang out a couple of times now with another blogger friend, Debbie at Wisdom.  Today, I need to tell you all to go meet Tara at New Day New Seasons.  She is an absolute doll and a dear bloggie friend to me!  We three girls have had the bestest times the twice that we've gotten together. Of all the laughing and joking and discussing serious subjects - you just wouldn't believe.  And eating, of course, lots of eating.  This time it was Mexican food!  I feel like I've known both of them forever and we had a blast at Papacita's and Dressin' Gaudy.

Tara is a school teacher and has a beautiful family.  She is also a Christian lady and her love for Christ shines through when you get to know her.  She is also a very talented artist - you should go by and visit her and see some of her creations!  They are amazing.  I've been quizzing Tara about her work and she's been giving me little hints.  Her sister is also talented and together they make an amazing pair!

Here's just a sneak peak at one of her creations.  Tara puts layers upon layers of mixed media into her work.

Gives it alot of depth and detail.  I know Tara's making some big plans with her artwork, but I can't tell... shhhhhhhhh... you'll just have to wait and see!  Pop over and say hi and tell her I sent you! 

Happy Valentines Day to ME!

Hey friends!  Valentine's Day came a little early for me this year.  I won a giveaway over at Liane's blog, http://tenderhearteddaisy.blogspot.com/ . She put together the cutest Valentine's Day assortment of goodies.  How cute is this package!  She said her daughter wrapped all the little gifts very carefully. Look closely - done up with string and buttons and little fabric cutouts!  I'm gonna have to borrow this idea from Liane's talented daughter sometime!

Remember "brown paper packages tied up with string,

These are a few of my favorite things!"

I had to take pictures of my goodies all wrapped up - I almost didn't want to unwrap them - they're just so clever.  Liane - tell your daughter she did such a wonderful job on the wrapping!  I wonder if she hires out for Christmas presents?????

But..... unwrap them I did! My curiosity was just getting the best of me -  how can I not open these little gifts!

WOW and DOUBLE WOW!!!  I hit the Valentine's JACKPOT!  Look!  A cute RED clutch handbag to slip my compact and lipstick in when my husband takes me out for a romantic Valentine's dinner....

Some SWEET HANDMADE mini-Valentines cards for some special friends .....

A pair of luscious earrings with RED strawberries for Valentine's Day - think CHOCOLATE covered...

Won't I just be "blinging"!!!

A cute Valentine's Heart that I've already hung in my  kitchen to remind me what a SWEET giveaway I just won and what a SWEET lady Liane is!

And two delicate silver hearts.  They have a lid that comes off that I can fill with KISSES for my someone special!  Thank you Liane!  Go stop by and pay Liane a visit - she's a SWEETHEART for doing this giveaway!   This was such a nice surprise and so unexpected!  I'm looking forward to Valentine's day even more this year!  How 'bout you???

SSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  Don't tell my husband!  I didn't show him my giveaway - he'll have to wait for Valentine's Day for the big reveal!

The VERMIN-ATOR - ME

Don't know if you remember, but Kathy at Spot on Cedar Pond and I have been having this contest in 2010. She and her husband, Jim, have huge moles that run amok under the surface of their lawn and garden areas.  Tony and I are overrun with gophers digging holes and leaving big mounds in our lawn and pastures, too.  With either one, a person could trip and break and ankle or something if you step on or in one of these huge mounds.  So we decided to have a contest!  The COUNTS are down on my sidebar, and Kathy also has one on her sidebar.

Well, guess who won?  ME, that's who!  And Kathy decided that I should have a prize -

Look what she sent...

I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS !!!

who even know that there was a game like this???

AND LOOK HOW IT WAS ADDRESSED!   That Kathy - is she somethin' or IS SHE SOMETHIN' ???

I think I can handle this game ok.  Ages 4 and up...

See, it has these cute (?) little varmints - moles or gophers - take your pick.  They pop up with little hard hats on - different colors - and when your color pops up it lights their hard hats, and you have to BOP them on the head!  I just wish it was this easy to take care of our real gopher program!!!  Kathy, this game is so cute! Isn't blogging fun!  I've met some of the nicest, sweetest and FUNNEST people EVER!

Stay tuned to 2011's varmint contest!!!

In other news....

We got a light dusting of snow last week.  It was nice, and didn't last long, so I hope that's all for the year...

It snowed more at the farm than at our own house!  Weird...  I'm ready for spring!  My daffodils are trying to come up...

Nothing like the nice snow we got last year on February 12.

Have to get a pic of Princess shivering in the snow. 

This one was kinda cool.  I sent it over to PIKNIK to edit and made it kinda grainy. 

Well, my friends. Tomorrow is Sunday, and I'm looking forward to meeting with all the saints for worship.  I hope you all are doing the same.  Have a wonderful Sunday and time with your family and loved ones.  I'll ketch ya on the flip-side.

Yours truly,

THE VERMIN-ATOR

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy New Year, Everybody!!!  May the Lord bless you and keep you and may He shower His goodness and grace on each one of you!  And may I say that I treasure your friendship and I am daily thankful for the good friends I've made here.  Thank you for your kindnesses and your comments and I'm looking forward to another year of getting to know you all better!  You've all truly touched my life in ways that I can never repay, and have blessed me more than you know!

I've got lots to tell you and I'll be back as soon as possible. And I've got pictures to show you.  We've had a busy, busy Christmas season.  One son left today and daughter will be home for a couple of weeks more, but I promise to be back soon!  Please take care of yourselves and give yourselves a big ole hug from me!!!

Industrial Chic

Doing a little advertising for my dear friend, Margo, at Robolady's Blogspot - she's have a super-neato Industrial Chic Show-n-Tell link-up on Friday, October 15.  Go on over, and tell her I sent ya, and hook up with her.  She has the COOOOOLLLEEESSSTTT  industrial designs for her junk-turned-decor.  It's the wave of the future in high-end decorating.  Margo is already way ahead of the industrial revolution!  Hope to see you there!  Even if you don't have anything industrial, be sure to leave a comment!

Keep yer dress down!

Farmhouse Renovations 2

Just thought I'd post a few more peeks at the farmhouse before I go on. Then I won't force you to look at any more for a long, long time!

We had SO much fun doing the "Pink" room for my daughter.  She actually did alot of the priming, sanding, and painting by herself - walls and woodwork as well as refinishing and repurposing furniture.  I have to say that she has alot of artistic talent, and when she takes on a task like this I know I am leaving it in good hands.  She is a perfectionist like her mom, and I know that her job will be finished and perfectly accomplished!  And as you can see, she did not disappoint!!!

(above)

We found this old vanity at a garage sale already stripped and sanded for just a few dollars. Princess restored this little baby and added the fountain chair and it turned out beautifully.  She had to take the mirror apart to paint and she also added glass knobs. It's so cute!

(above) This cute little chest was in my husband's family for a long time. Not sure where it came from, but we got it sanded down and painted for the pink room, and added a shutter shelf that I bought from Margo at Margo's Junkin' Journal.  You'll also see one of Miss Sandy's beautiful shoe creations sitting on the shelf! Do you see the candlestick on the left side of the chest?  It was sent to me by Sher at Old Time Artist! If you haven't visited these lovely ladies, YOU REALLY SHOULD!!!

(above) more garage sale finds...

(above)

This beautiful Yellow/Pink/Green Wedding Ring quilt was made by my husband's grandmother. It's gorgeous and barely used. I have secretly coveted it for years and it finally came down to me last year! I'm so happy, I'm thinking of finding a place to hang it on the wall.  It's too lovely to just lay on the foot of the bed!

(above)  A few items on the vanity... old lacy gloves, a fancy floweredy hat on a hat stand, old vintage perfume bottles and little dishes that ladies love.  AND we thought the little Christmas tree was so cute there, we just left it!

A cute wall pocket

(above

The shelves by the fridge in the kitchen have collected a few more things - cookbooks, bread box, old vintage utensils, a shoe-shine kit...

(above) 

This picture and the next are for Vee at A Haven for Vee.  She kinda got me started on this apron on the door thing a couple of years ago.  I didn't know I was going to collect vintage aprons, but I started seeing them at sales and I found a few in my grandmother's and Tony's grandmother's things.  Next thing I know, I've got a dozen or so, and decided to display them on the back of the door. Now, when we have guests and church get-togethers, I have all the ladies that want to don a vintage apron to help with kitchen preparations!  It's fun, and I think they all enjoy it, too!  I make everyone eat on different vintage plates as well. It does make us have to wash dishes but it's so much "cooler" than eating off of styrofoam!!!

(below)

This little shabby bookshelf was also a garage sale find.  It's hard to tell, but it IS pink and it holds some fun things and old books that I've run across.  I've got quite a few vintage books, but I don't buy books that I know nothing about. I like to buy old ones that I've read, or vintage kids' books.

(below)

This beautiful cross stitch came from a garage sale, too.  There was a very old man having the sale at his home. He had this and also some beautiful porcelain birds (which I bought for my sister). I asked him about all the lovely things that he was selling, and he said "well, my wife left me..."

And then he paused, and I was about to say, "oh I'm sorry." 

Then he said, "Yes, she left me to go be with the Lord in heaven and I'm gonna join her someday soon."

He wanted to start getting rid of things and "let somebody else enjoy them". Sweet dear man...

(below)

This beautiful old pie safe was built by Old Great Uncle Claude who built this little farmhouse back in the '30's.  It's all hand done.  I thought about painting it at one time, but I decided that it needed to stay just like it was!

(below) This cute little floor clock in my hallway was a gift that one of my dear friends ran across at Canton.  She HAD to buy it for me!  I absolutely love it!  And it's that beautiful vintage aqua green color!

(above) 

A ladder holds a bunch of my vintage linens and you can also see more old family quilts from my husband's grandmothers...

(above)

This super neat old screened window was a purchase from Margo, also. She added shelves and I added a piece of old quilt behind it.  It covers an ugle breaker box on the bedroom wall!

(below)

See this old familiar print? I've run across it a couple of times in my junk shopping. It fits right in with my farmhouse theme. Know where I got it?
From the dumpster at my self-storage office! Yeppers, I'm a dumpster diver - actually a dumpster-reacher-inner - I won't get into the dumpster.  But anything I can reach or fish out with my nifty homemade "hook" is mine for the taking! This print had a banged up frame and it was almost too dirty and dusty to even make out the picture. But after cleaning it off and giving it a barnwood frame, I loved it! (my daughter hates that I get stuff out of the dumpster - she hopes no one ever sees me!)

(below)

BUT>>>>  see the white floor lamp in the living room?  Again, vintage floor lamp in the dumpster! It was already painted white! All I added was a  beaded shade!

(above)

Here's another shot of the living room fireplace and my $4 TV cabinet.  We're looking around my dumpster floor lamp...

And last but certainly not least are the two farm kitties - Alice and Sam - their names have morphed into Ali and Sambo. Ali is a sweet kitty and she will let you know when she wants to be petted.  She's very much a princess diva cat.

Sambo, on the other hand, is all over you all the time.  He's one of those cats you see little kids carrying around all floppy and he could care less what you do to him.  He NEVER gets upset, he never grabs your hand and kicks with his back feet.  He wants to be in your lap at all times.  He walks up your chest and licks your chin and then wants to nibble.  He licks your hands and arms - don't know if he likes the salt or what. He has a very loud "motor" and it runs non-stop! Ali will get into your lap for a few minutes and then she finds something else to do.  We've started calling them "the dogs".  They follow us all over the farm. They both want to be right in the middle of whatever we're doing. So fun to watch! I love cats and it's good to have them again!  Sam likes to squash my potted plants... I guess the dirt is cool... Another month, and then it's off to the vet to get them both "fixed"!

Ok people - that's all the farmhouse renovations. We'll move on to another subject next time! Thanks for taking the time to look - this has been a job and a joy to fix up the farmhouse.  Don't know if I'd do it again - well, maybe ...  Have a wonderful day and go by and visit the ladies I've mentioned today! I'll get by to do some visitin' myself today I hope!

More Rain & Our Trip to Jefferson, TX

Hey my lovelies - over the last two days we've gotten about 10 inches of rain. Can you believe it? We caught up on our rainfall totals for East Texas all in two days! Some places around here are having problems with flooding, bridges washed out and roads washed out, and even a few homes flooded. I personally didn't have any problems. You oughta see my pastures and my garden! WOW - what a little natural rainwater can do!!!

Guess I must apologize for my crudity on my last post. Most of you avoided acknowledging my crass-ness when I called our torrential rains a gully-washer, a frog-strangler, and a t*rd-floater. Ya'll made me feel bad, so I deleted that. However, I did have one blogger buddy comment AFTER I'd already deleted it that a t*rd-floater is exactly what they called it, too. Yea! Somebody understands where I come from! But, to those of you who were offended I apologize.

OK, on to other matters! If you follow Debbie Wisdom at her blog, Wisdom, then you'll know that she, Tara from New Day, New Seasons and I had a blogger buddy get-together and we all met up in Jefferson, Texas, on Tuesday! We had the BEST TIME EVER!!! We visited this very cool Confederate cemetery first...
This was the Scottsville cemetery just outside of Marshall... Beautiful monuments of old, lots of stories that we'll never know, babies, soldiers, husbands, wives... I always wonder what their lives were like... This was the family chapel...


Here is one of the monuments - the cemetery was very well cared for...

Here's Debbie checking out some of the headstones. A bunch of the gravesites had little wrought-iron fences around them, and alot also had footstones...


This beautiful monument was called the weeping angel - it was gorgeous & I'd love to paint it someday!

And I don't wanna bore you with too much cemetery stuff, but here were my two buddies having way too much fun in such a  somber place!

In Marshall, we visited the old rennovated Weisman Building - a used-to-be a department store downtown. It's now been converted into a lovely antique place with a WONDERFUL eatery where we had lunch. I forgot to take a picture of my lunch but it was DELISH - chicken salad, tuna salad, spinach quiche, banana nut bread, fruit - YUM!

We then pedaled our way on up to Jefferson and spent the rest of the day cruising 'round the place, checking out all the bed/breakfasts (wow - they're were way more than I remembered!) and they were SO beautiful.  We visited a few shops, visited the old restored Excelsior Hotel (where I heard there were ghosts, but we didn't see any), and ate our way through the afternoon.  We had coconut pie at one eatery and a root beer float for me at another place.  Huge hydrangeas in the garden at the Hotel in this photo - they were in the fountain area...

I guess you could say this little guy could be a ghost from the Excelsior Hotel - he appeared each spring and disappeared each winter.

At the end of the afternoon, we sat outside and enjoyed some cloudy weather and scooted inside quickly as a storm hit.  We got to sit inside for an HOUR and visit and laugh and cut up!

Look who we ran into at the General Store???  Why, John Wayne!!!  Tara here had to take her turn giving the Duke a big hug!  But he kept his stoic face.  Matter of fact, he never changed his expression when each of us hugged him and posed with him!  Come on Duke - lighten up!!!

Well, I had 50 pictures I could show you, but maybe in another post.  All I know is that these two girls are precious and special to me.  I had gotten to know them via their blogs and so just meeting them in person was the icing on the cake!  We all learned so much more about each other and it seems like I've known them forever.  Our personalities just clicked and I have never laughed so much as I did Tuesday!  At least not in a long long time.  I can't remember when I've had such a fun getaway.  We missed a couple of gals that were supposed to come, so I'm hopin' we can repeat this blog buddy meetin' and just have a big ole blogger convention!!!  Thanks for Tuesday, Debbie & Tara - love you two, too!!!