My Busy Busy Year! Slow DOWN!

Wow, it's time to rest a little!

Well, maybe after the holidays...

Two weddings this year, keeping my grand baby some, helping two grown kids move.  Whew!!! I guess I just THOUGHT I'd been busy before!

I miss blogging!  I miss my blogging friends!  I keep saying I'm going to try harder, but it just hasn't happened.  My daughter just got married two weeks ago and she moved home and lived with Tony and I for two months before the wedding so we could work on that. It was a glorious affair and she told me after the wedding before they left for their honeymoon that it was perfect and a dream come true!  So I was happy!

It was a wonderful wedding - kept growing as we went along. Cody's family is big and they have lots of relatives on his side of the family and one cannot leave relatives out, you know!  Hayley & Cody have lots of friends they wanted, too.  The best thing we did for this wedding was catering BBQ from one of our local favorite BBQ places.  They came, they set up, they served, they cleaned up - it was great!  And since we had a very rustic outdoor wedding, good ole Texas BBQ was a hit!  I'll probably show y'all more pics as they become available.  They went to Belize on their honeymoon and had a great time!

Bella Boo is growing like a weed - she'll be walking soon and is saying a few words - well, at least WE can understand them.  She is so cute and happy most of the time and grins real big when you tell her "no".  Maybe it's just girls, but she loves to scream just for the fun of it!  She loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and she hums when any music is playing.  She had her first birthday the day after Hayley & Cody got married! 

Her mommy & daddy threw a big birthday party for her - we had young parents and little ones all over their house - it was mass chaos, but OH SO FUN!  To be able to celebrate our little one's birthday was such a blessing!

Well, gotta run!  I have 4 paintings to do before Christmas!  I've got to get busy again!  Like I said....

Maybe after the holidays.... 

Pallaverin'....

Sunday past, the 14th, was the one year anniversary of my sister's going to be with the Lord after her bout with cancer.  We spent the day at church with her husband and went to the cemetery.  She is not there, but it IS a place that we can congregate and rejoice over her victory and remember and reflect on her life and how important a part of our lives that she was.  Her memory and her love will go on with us in our hearts until we are reunited with her someday!

My darling kids sent me this beautiful bouquet of hydrangeas, peonies and lilies in remembrance of my sister.  I was so touched.  Isn't it just so wonderful when your kids are so thoughtful when they get grown?  Makes me feel like I did something right!

Here we are waiting on all that rain from the Hurricane Bill. (who in tarnation gets to name the hurricanes?  who in tarnation named it Bill - that's the dumbest name for a hurricane that I've ever heard. just sayin'.)  We are just east of the line of fire, but in the danger zone for tornadic activity should there be any.  It's been showering off and on the last couple of days, but they say we're going to get a bunch over the next couple of days.  I was actually about ready for some more rain.  This sugar sand where we live doesn't not hold water for the grass and vegetation and it was getting rather dry.  I do pray for the folks that live in those already flooded areas that really don't need any more water.  How tragic about the lives lost in the last floods here in Texas and elsewhere...

I have been making plum jelly for the last two weeks. Right now I'm up to 11 dozen 4 oz jars.  Why? Because my dear daughter is having these little jars for her wedding favors in October! Her idea. I don't know if it's saving me any money, as I still have to buy sugar and S*re-Jell and jars.  Atwoods had tons of the little ones.  I'm thinking we're going to need about 10 or 11 dozen MORE to make sure we have enough for all guests... On Pinterest, there are such cute ideas for decorating the jars - ribbon, tea-stained tags, burlap, cute printed stamps. 

You'd have to know my daughter.  We had to find a venue that NONE of her friends had used, bridesmaids' gifts that nobody had thought about, flower designs, engagement pics, wedding favors.  Everyone wants to be original - I do understand that.  Last September, I helped my daughter in law and her mom make little lavender soaps for her favors.  That was fun, too.  So, when the peaches ripen, I'll add some peach preserves to our stash!

Bella Boo getting her bath.  LOVES her bath time!

Bluebirds had made their nest in here and laid eggs. Some nasty sparrows ran them out and took the eggs out. Now the baby sparrows have hatched.  GRRR.....  they eat my chicken feed....

A stinkin' ole chicken snake tried to get into my coop/pen.  I have chicken wire all over but had to cover the whole thing with bird netting to keep the sparrows out.  If you look closely, you might can tell that Mr. Snake has trapped himself trying to slither thru the bird netting to get the wire and is stuck tight!  Haha!  Tricked you again!  Remember the golf balls?

Now, Mr. Tony, my husband was gone to work, but I've learned how to deal with these varmints.  I got the loppers that Tony uses to cut limbs with and neatly clipped Mr. Snake's head in two places.  Takes 'em a little while to die cuz he was still trying to bite. He couldn't do much wriggling because of the netting.  Easiest snake I ever kilt!  A 12 gauge hoe or a 10 gauge set of loppers will do the trick!

TIP:  If you ever see a snake crossing the road (and there's not a car behind you), speed up a little and right when you get to the snake, slam on the brakes and skid over it.  Gets 'em every time.  If you just run over snakes with without skidding, they don't always die -  they just slither off.  Gotta skid.

And I'm skiddin' on outa here.

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!

Hello 2015, Goodbye 2014

Caution:  Long Post w pics...

Where oh where do I begin?  Where do I start?  I left you all here in blogland, friends, to mourn the loss of my sister, Lisa, and just flat lost my blogging mojo.  Still not sure if it's back yet, tho, so be patient with me.  Time will tell...  Grief kinda comes in waves...

In February, it'll be two years since we learned of Lisa's cancer, and our world turned upside down and sideways.  I HATED that she had to go through the surgery, hated that she had to endure the chemo which in the end didn't really help, hated that she had pain and suffering especially those last few months.  But, we had almost a year and a half to share, to love, to talk, to laugh, to cry, to hold each other, to pray together and with our parents and our families.  We saw family members mend some hurt feelings and broken bonds and we all drew together as a family. Now, we've always been a close tight family, but you can't all be perfect all the time.  Lisa's undaunting faith in the Lord and love impacted us all.  Little things that used to bother me DO NOT MATTER.  What matters is our love for God and our love for each other. That's all.

Lisa and I have always been connected at the hip.  How we could grow any closer is hard to fathom, but grow closer we did.  We had to get down to the nitty gritty and talk about some really hard stuff.  Her kids first and foremost.  All five of our kids belonged to both of us.  Tony and I now have all five of these grown kids to call our own.

With Lisa, nothing was left unspoken, no love or feelings were not expressed, no tears cried together were not cried.  I guess that's the thing with an extended illness - having time to say goodbye.  Would that I could have gone through this for my little sister. Our parents have really had a hard time.  It's not for me or us to understand except that we live in a fallen world.  And if there were no pain and suffering, we would not need the love and saving grace of God. There was no pain or sorrow in the world when God created it - it was only when sin entered the garden and the world that the perfect became imperfect.  We need the Lord desperately, and when we go through these times (and we all will) He promises to be with us and help us through.  We will understand in the great by and by.  Lisa's favorite verses...

Isaiah 40:31New International Version (NIV)

31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

My sister is soaring on wings like eagles and her strength has been renewed!!!

We shared SO much, sometimes we would even call each other at the same time or look at each other with unspoken words that we didn't need and KNOW what the other was thinking. One of the most wonderful things that we shared besides our faith is that we both became first time grandmothers in 2014.  Lisa didn't get to see her little grandson make his grand entrance nor did she see my little granddaughter.  But Tony said that perhaps she got to hold and love on both of them in heaven - that's comforting and I like to think that.  It makes me happy to think about her holding both of those babies before we ever got to!  I'm sharing a pic of Lisa's little Gauge, and one of my little Isabella. My daughter in law and son gave Bella my sister's middle name, much to my delight!  Of course, that brought happy tears and I know it would be a hoot for Lisa to know that!

Gauge

Isabella

The Lord is SO GOOD to us!  These two little babies have been a huge band-aid on our broken hearts!  There IS Joy in the midst of pain and sorrow!  Joy that we know that Lisa awaits us in Heaven, and Joy and thankfulness that God has brought these two little miracles into our lives at a time when we needed them most.  

So...  I want to end this long post on a good note, with a heavy but joyful heart feeling immersed in God's love and comfort upon our families at this time.  Thank you, my blog friends, for all your love and prayers and well wishes that have come my way in these past two years.  I'm looking forward to 2015!  

Summer 2014

I may have to introduce myself again - it's been so long since I've actually visited with y'all.  Still don't know what my new normal is...  since I lost my sis.  But I'm trying to move forward.

I've spent most of this past year at Lisa's house soaking up all the time I could with her.  The Lord in heaven has been so close to our family these past months, and the knowledge that she no longer suffers goes a long way towards beginning to heal our grief and sorrow over her loss.  Our faith is strong and we will eventually find our way again with His help.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your words, your prayers and your concern.  I shall talk about Lisa, I'm sure, but I'll try not to moan and whine.  She's a lot better off than we are right now!  This pic was taken in the spring when my brother Dan, Lisa and I were all together for the last time... Dan lives way off in NC....

 This is a picture of Lisa and her husband about 3 weeks or so before we lost her...still beautiful!

Needless to say, my garden was a pitiful flop this year.  Daddy's garden fared a little better - we were all pulled to my sis...  I've made peach jam and pickles and hot salsa.  Surprisingly, our little bitty peach tree was absolutely loaded with baseball-sized peaches this year - no thanks to me.  We had an abundance of rain this spring/early summer - totally NOT normal at all!  I'm just now having to water the yard - it's just now looking a bit dry.

My daughter graduated from Nursing school with a Bachelor of Science.  We are so proud of her!  It was hard, but she stuck it out, passed her NCLEX, and is now employed at a major Texas hospital!  Lots of prayer and hard work!

Below is our family at her graduation + her significant other in the hat and my parents.  What a great day was had by all!

I totally forgot to show y'all something I made my daughter for Christmas...

Now, don't look at the pink stuff, and don't look at the wedding ring quilt, and don't look at anything else girly or foo-foo in this room.  Just look at the rag quilt.  THAT is what I made for baby-girl for Christmas. It doesn't have the binding on it yet.  Here's what happened - it was a surprise...

Happy tears when she realized that I'd made it and put all those long hours into the quilt!

It DID turn out nice - all her cowboy colors... I'd love to do another one IF my hands can recover from all the clipping...  If you haven't seen them on Pinterest, every seam of every square is clipped so that when it's washed, the seams get fuzzed out.  She loved her quilt...

See ya next time...

Update 5-13-14

Hello there friends...

Sorry it's been so long since I've blogged.  I do miss you all and miss hearing about your lives and goings-on.  Just thought I'd check in and update you all.

My sister Lisa is still fighting her ovarian cancer.  She's one tough cookie.  Keep those prayers coming please.  I know several of you are keeping in touch via email and I really appreciate you!  Lisa has exciting news ~~~ SHE'S GOING TO BE A GRANDMOTHER IN JULY!!!  Her son and his wife are expecting her first grand baby!

Where should I begin... hmmm...

My daughter Hayley, just graduated from nursing school with her BSN and already has secured a job at a Ft Worth hospital.  YEA!  Nursing school is tough - those folks are on the front lines every day - I have a new respect for them - they are definitely Florence Nightingales and sometimes spend way more time and thought with their patients than the doctors do!  So proud of her!

Adam Fears, my country musician son, is still in Nashville and on the road touring, and his video, "Middle of Nowhere"came out TODAY on GAC Great American Playlist program at their "one to watch".  He made it.  It's been his dream since GAC's beginning to be on there!  Take a listen and a gander at his new video... If you're interested, the same show will repeat on May 22, 23 at 11:00 am Central time.  His songs are available on ITunes, too!

He's doing great!!!  If you like the song, pls go to www.gactv.com, go to videos and click "emerging artists" in the left column. Scroll down and you'll see Adam's video in the listing.  There's a place to send email requests and comments, too, if you're so inclined.  The more comments/requests he gets the better his songs get in the ratings!  Thanks!

In other news...

I'M GOING TO BE A GRANDMOTHER IN OCTOBER!  Can you believe it's finally happening??? It's MY turn!  And me and my sister Lisa are BOTH expecting our first grand babies!  Lisa's first comments were "YEA!  We'll have babies at Christmas-time!" and "Vickie, it's just something else that we can share!"  We've not had any little ones at Christmas since my daughter and her son were young!  And they are 25 and 26!  My son and his wife are expecting - my New Zealand/Denver kids. Mine and Lisa's two kids that we thought would be the least likely to have babies, much less get married!  Couldn't have planned it if we'd tried...

Farm life is going ok, I'm still in the chicken business and working on my garden, altho it's smaller this year.  It's been a weird spring - the weather has been crazy up and down in temps.  We got a late freeze and it got my plum tree, but not the peaches.  Cut my grapevines way back and it looks like we're going to get ALOT of grapes this year. Been doing a little painting, too.  Will have to update my art blog...

Well, that's all the news for now.  I'll try to get around and do some visiting as I can.  The best thing that's going on (besides the babies) is that I'm getting to spend LOTS OF TIME with my dear little sister/best friend!  She is my heart...  Take care friends - will try to be back soon!

Autumn 2013, My Sister Lisa

Knock, knock?

Anybody out there?

Autumn is under way at Sand Flat Farm.  Our temps have been in the 70's the last week or so and will continue.  I still have time to winterize the chickie coop with plastic around the north side AND finish getting the garden put to bed.  We pulled and burned alot this past weekend, but there is still about a third of it to get done.  Flower beds need mulching again, altho the falling leaves do make a good protective cover. 

Shout out to Kathy at Spot On Cedar Pond - we've had some rain lately, and the gophers are popping up everywhere!  The moles, too!  I've got traps set all over the yard.  Not worried about the fields - our hay man takes care of that himself.  Gypsy can be spotted at any time of day with only her rear end sticking up above the hay digging for gophers.  (should be one more cutting before the first freeze)  You should see the holes she digs in our yard.  While it pains me to have to fill her holes, if she catches a gopher, that pleases me (I guess).  I was a little perturbed that she dug a huge trench in my rose bed that almost unearthed one of the bushes...

In other news, chickens are molting - they are hideous-looking and my #1 HCIC (head chicken in charge) is so embarrassed at her frock that she generally stays off to herself right now looking so forlorn.  Usually, she is keeping everybody in line and is always first in line for treats and to get out the door when they are ranging for the day.  She usually walks around with her chest puffed out like a little rooster and is not timid about attacking somebody that might get in her way to the food bowl...

Don't know how the autumn skies are where you are, but this is what our sunrises have been looking like lately.  They were utterly gorgeous - I've been out walking early...  Have to confess that I did amp up the color just a titch (like Vee says) but not much!  They were beautiful skies, and it makes me feel like heaven is coming down!

 

This is Texas Ranger Stadium in Arlington, Texas.  Many of you will recognize it.  This was the site on September 21 of the Ovarian Cancer Walk for the Cure.  Just about my whole family participated (including various significant others of the kids)  We walked in honor of my sister, Lisa.  She was there in fine form, but could not do the walk, but what a cheerleader she was!  It was a 5 K and we walked the course around the new Cowboy Stadium and Arlington Stadium and park areas.  It was a stellar day, and SO humbling to see all the family/friend teams walking for those they love.  Lots of survivors there, too!!!  We'll be doing this again!  Our team was called the Lollipops - my sister was called "Lollie" when she was young and momma still calls her that.  My niece named our team and had our Tshirts done - they were so cute!  Then we all went out to eat at Babe's to celebrate! 

L-R,   Lisa, Me, Mom, Lisa's daughter, & my daughter.  The menfolks were around somewhere... It was a great day!  Lisa has finished the first round of chemo.  3 weeks ago, she and I went to MD Anderson in Houston and she has begun another round.  Her hair is coming back and I like to pet her head.  She feels like a puppy...  Continue to pray for Lisa - she's a fighter and she has the most positive attitude!  God is with her and she is with Him every step of the way.  Thank you so much!!!

California, Here We Come! (rather - There We Went!)

 

 Hello from Sunny California!  Actually, we got back Monday night from San Luis Obispo in central Cali along the coast.  My nephew got married on the beach at Avila Golf Resort.  It was a beautiful place and lovely setting for a wedding!  My sister, Lisa, and her husband, my parents and Tony and I went to help celebrate this happy occasion!  The weather was perfect, and it was SO nice to get away from the Texas heatwave!  I know why people love living in California!

We got to Cali a day early and our plane flew into Santa Barbara so we took in the beautiful mission while we were passing through.  Here's me, Lisa and mom...

 

If you've never been there, the grounds are beautiful and there is a wonderful rose garden across the front of the property.  Many different kinds and colors of roses, but MY favorite is always The Yellow Rose of Texas!

 

Avila Beach Golf Resort is near San Luis Obispo so that's where we decided to stay - it's a pretty little town and has its own mission, too, which I'll show you in another post.  I just love the landscape out there with the mountains and eucalyptus trees.  It was quite dry this time of year and the grass was brown and crunchy, but it was nice to see something different...

 At the wedding, here's my nephew walking his mom, my sister Lisa, down the aisle.  It was a beautiful and informal wedding.  The bride chose lime green and black as her colors and it was gorgeous!  Isn't Lisa pretty! 

 My nephew's bride was stunning.  She's a beautiful young lady and they will make a handsome couple (and cute babies!)  And the best part is, they are moving home to Texas!  My nephew has been in the Navy and he put in for a transfer to Texas!  I'm So thrilled that he's going to be closer to his mom!

After the wedding festivities were over, we stayed a few extra days to have some R & R.  Took the family to the beach and  played...  Whatever we felt like doing!  Aren't vacations wonderful!

 

On one of our beach excursions, we spotted these lazy things laying on the beach - sea lions.  (sometimes I feel like this after a big meal, too!)  There were a couple of big males out in the water scuffling and making horrible noises with those big snouts of theirs.

 Well, so as not to make this post too picture-heavy, I'll close for now and post some more pics next time.  We visited the Hearst castle again with the family and I think the flowers were even more beautiful this visit!  Thanks to all of you who stopped by to say hi and let me know you're still my blogging buddy!  :)