Check out the size of this tomato!

Not a very bright picture, but wanted you to see the FIRST tomato I picked from my garden! It is sitting beside a regular cup. Now won't that make a good tomato sandwich?

Rachel had a picture of a big onion on her blog today.

Boone and Blowing Rock, NC

I spent the day in Boone and Blowing Rock NC. That's me on the left and in the center is my friend Patricia from Flordia and Nancy from Tucson, AZ. We all worked together at Raytheon many years ago. It was a beautiful day and I had forgotten how much I liked being in that part of the area. Pat and Nancy, if you see this....thanks for a wonderful day. See you this time next year....hopefully!!!!!

Adding a Link....

I am practicing on adding a link and clicking on the word to get me there. Be patient with me...LOL Rachel Thanks Rachel....I think it worked. WOW....I learned something today!!!!

SHAKE PICKLES......

3 QTS. CUCUMBERS..(SLICED)
4TO 8 ONIONS. (I USE ONE LARGE)
3 CUPS WHITE VINEGAR

3 1/2 CUPS WHITE SUGAR

1/4 CUP PICKLING SALT

1 TEASPOON TUMERIC

1 TEASPOON ALUM

1 TEASPOON MUSTARD SEED
1 TEASPOON CELERY SALT
Slice and layer cucumbers
and onions in jar. (You can use
pint jars or one large jar) or any
glass jar. Mix all other ingred
ients together. Pour over pickles.
Put lids on and refrigerate. Shake
every day for six days. Use lids
that you can shake with so your
juice won't pour out when you shake.
Always keep refrigerated. I have
left these in the fridge for two years
and couldn't tell any difference
than when I made them.
Good with beans!

Another picture of my tepee.....

Can you tell my cucumbers have grown? I'm getting several cucumbers every day and am getting ready to make "Shake Pickles". I need to put up a few more strings, but I will have to get a ladder to do that. Does anyone know if every bloom makes a cucumber? I always thought that is what happened, but my DH says no. He thinks only about half of the blooms turn into a cucumber. I'm at a loss on that one!

Aging With Grace.....

Aging With Grace

I know that I am growing older, and will someday be old.

Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject on every occasion.

Release me from trying to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful, but not moody: helpful, but not bossy.

With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all, but I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details: give me wings to get to the point.

Seal my lips on my aches and pains: they are increasing and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.

I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of theirs, but help me to endure them with patience.

I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.

Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet: I do not want to be a Saint (some of them are so hard to live with) but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the Devil.

Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people....and give me the grace to tell them so.

And keep me humble until the end.

A Lovely Service......

We had two lovely services celebrating the life of Irene Melvin. She looked like an angel. Everybody that looked at her could not believe she was 94. I had a lovely knitted shawl that was just perfect for her burial attire. She had told me many time how beautiful it was. It was just hanging there waiting for her at the end.
Today at the cemetary, my son Gary played Amazing Grace and Going Home on the bagpipes. It was lovely and touching. Thanks to all for the sweet comments!

A SAD TIME.....

My Mother-In-Law passed over into the arms of Jesus yesterday morning. The nurses put her to bed last Thursday at 12:30. She spent only four days in bed before her death came. She passed easily.....went to sleep to wake no more. I have know her for 53 years and we have NEVER said a cross word to each other. She was like a second Mother to me. I will miss her terribly, but it is MY loss and HER gain!!!! I love you Mamaw!!!!!!

A Pretty Scarecrow......

This pretty scarecrow is in someone's garden on the same road where I live. I thought it was someone in the garden, but it is a mannequin. I stopped and asked if I could make a picture and no one was home, so I made a picture. Isn't that a neat idea? Look at the close up below.

Scarecrow.....Close Up.....

My Strawberry Bowl.....and a recipe

Lisa brought me this bowl from Savannah, Georgia last year. It is a colinder, so the berries will drain. This is one of my favorite bowls. Read on and you will find a recipe for Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake:

2 cups cake flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup cocoa

1/2 cup Crisco shorthning

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 whole eggs or 3 egg whites

1 quart fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced

1 cup whipped cream or Cool Whip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients in order listed, except strawberries and whipping cream. Beat with mixer on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, for 3 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 13 x 9-inch pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake completely. Cut into squares. Place 2 or 3 squares in dessert cups and layer with small amount of strawberries and whipped cream. Garnish with strawberries. A Heavenly Treat!

My Yard This Morning.....

Look how my cucumber have started climbing up the tepee!! We got some much needed rain here yesterday evening and last night. PTL! Everything looks revived now!!! The sun is out and my clothes are drying on the line......a good day to be alive!

MY TEPEE......

This tepee is made from Bamboo that we grew in our back yard. I made it this morning for my cucumbers to climb on. My yard is so dry and dead looking. The cucumbers are just starting to vine. Hopefully with a lot of watering I will have enough to make a jar of pickles.

Tepee....Close Up....

Prairie Star Afghan...in Blues and Purple.....

I just finished my second Prairie Star. I gave it to my MIL in the nursing home. She loved it and cried when I gave it to her. Can you see the beige pieces? If I had it to do over, I would make them light blue. There isn't enough contrast between the white and the beige. But guess what....I'm not going to frog it!!!! (Rip it....Rip it....Rip it) LOL

AFTER THE STORM......

We had a hard storm last evening.... After the storm was over, it looked real strange outside. It seemed everything had an orange glow. The sunset was all over the sky. I had never seen anything like it before....we had a good rain and everything looks refreshed this morning....PTL!!!!

Barn Of Many Treasures......

We found a barn this week on one of our adventures. It is covered almost completely with baskets, gourds, and all kind of things. Someone had a good idea on how to display their collectables. It is located between Shady Valley, TN and Damacus, VA

Ryan and Lucas at Backbone Rock.....

This is another place we went this week while Ryan and Lucas were here. The ridge was named Backbone Rock because of its appearance.....The area around Backbone rock was developed by the Tennessee Wildlife Agency. It's a lovely place for hiking and camping. The tempature is always 10 degrees cooler there than down in the valley.

Our Week Together.......

I've had both of my grandsons with me all this week. We have had such a good time together. My daughter will be coming after them tomorrow and I have already started missing them. One day is was 88 degrees in our back yard, so we decided to ride up on top of the mountain. There is a spring at the very top and I had some shower gel in my car, so we washed our feet in the cool water. It was 66 degrees...we almost needed a jacket. The picture above was made at the spring.

Crocheted Square.....

This is the square I crocheted for my partner for the month of May. It goes to Bindu in Toledo, OH. I would like to make an afghan from these directions, but the flowers are so tedious to make. Maybe someday when there is nothing else for me to do!!!!!