Winter Is Here!

We got a little dusting of snow during the wee hours yesterday morning.  It was scattered over the back porch and caught into the crevices of the furniture or I wouldn't have known about it, though.

I'm ready for a bit of snow.  I'd love to have a hand-full of snow days to sit inside and watch it swirl around!  I have my favorite door hanging of all time making the request.

Hand-Crafted Gift

Mike and I were so blessed for Christmas this year!  Folks gave us the nicest gifts and we are so grateful.  

Mike got shirts - some were short-sleeved, UT T-shirts, some were long-sleeved farm isignia T-shirts.  He has worn them all and seems to really love them because they are back on his back as soon as they come out of the dryer.  He was also really proud to get a nice pocket knife and a new butcher knife.  Those also thrilled him.  We got a set of blue-tooth speakers and have cranked our music up loud and danced around a bit.  

We got a big, non-stick skillet and have used it a couple of times for cooking.  It seems those practical gifts tend to hit the spot with us.

I've taken my time assimilating my gifts into the fold.  I got some Churchill Blue Willow salad plates and I think Mike likes them as much as I do.  They are just the right size for so many things when we are cooking or eating.

Earlier this week I found a spot for one of my hand-crafted gifts.  It hangs right above the towel bar in our master bath and makes me smile as soon as I step out of the shower!

Cleaning and Organizing

Well, we have entered the new year and I'm thinking about and beginning to organize my pantry.  So, I have been gathering ideas and pinning them to my kitchen board.  I guess I actually began the process with some intention this morning when I poured the grits out of the flimsy cardboard storage container from the store and into an over-sized canning jar.  

I thought I'd better label them so I wouldn't forget what the contents actually are and the instructions for preparation.  So, I found these printable labels  and added the information to them.  Maybe that is what I need to use...Now, should I print that onto a sticky label or simple card stock?

Should I glue it to a little wood tag and tie it round the jar or stick it to the jar itself?  Do I need to put the instructions on the back side of the tag or on the back side of the jar?

More organization needs to follow once I formulate my plan!

Fixin' Fence

We've had a couple of weeks with rough winds.  This made for some downed limbs.  This made for some need of fence repairs.  My dad hasn't been as full of vim and vinegar lately as we have enjoyed in the past, so we assembled a Saturday Fence Fixin' team yesterday.

My brother-in-law, Dwayne, neices, Megan and Madalyn, and Megan's fiancee, Adam trekked the hour drive and got a jump on the fence fixin'.  Mike and I gathered up some extra supplies and made our 20 minute trek to the farm.  Bryan and his family had come for a visit.  So, Bryan joined us a bit later.

Once the team was assembled, we made a collaborative effort to get as much done as possible using the daylight hours.  Dwayne made quick work of some downed trees by cutting them up to get them off the fence.  Megan, Adam, and Madalyn stacked most of the cut pieces in the back of Mike's truck.  Mike began gathering up the broken and rusted pieces of barbed wire.  I picked up the loose branches and made a brush pile.  Even though the temperature was a bit on the cool side, I think we all worked up a sweat.  We were so busy that there were very few photos made.

Here is a shot of most of the crew in action with Mamaw checking us out.

Dwayne, Adam, Megan, and Madalyn had one little calf-lot shored up when Mike and I made the scene.  We simply moved down the fence securing it. If there was broken, rusty, dangling wire, we took it up.

Madalyn and Dwayne securing some strands of wire to a T-post.

Bryan joined us, wearing some of Papaw's coveralls.  Then, he and Adam became the primary post drivers.

Adam and Bryan teaming up.

Madalyn and Dwayne teaming up.

Turns were taken to attach the clips securing the barbed wire strands to the posts.  Sometimes an established tree served as a post and the wire was secured with steeples.

Bryan swinging a hammer.

Adam swinging a hammer.

We would work as teams stretching wire from one tree to another and securing it.

The guys would drive a couple of posts to provide more stability.

We would add clips and steeples to attach the wire to the posts and trees.

Mike would shift a bucket from tree to post and camp out a minute or two to add clips.  The crew in the photo above shows Madalyn with the can of steeples and fence clips she sorted and made ready to hand to her Uncle Mike to make the process move along smoothly.  Megan was headed to the truck for another metal T-post.

Dwayne heads for the green bucket.

The green bucket served as the anchor for each section of work.  It held the stretcher, steeples, clips, pliers, etc.  We kept the spool of wire for patching nearby and the water jug with cups was stationed there as well.  As we moved down the fence, these all-important items moved along with us.

When we were about 2/3 the way through the project, Mamaw, Lillie, Lydia, Jessica, Harris, and his puppy came to check on our progress.  The photo above shows our crew working along the fence-line in full force.

Harris and Lydia

These little fellows brought a ray of sunshine and a smile to all our faces!  They thought they were big stuff in the bed of Papaw's pickup truck, too.

Harris noticed that we all had gloves on and thought he needed some, too.  An extra pair of gloves were slipped on him like a pair of mittens and his little paws were a wee bit warmer.

After a few minutes of inspection, they headed off to run an errand.

Lillie and Lydia feeling like big stuff riding through the pasture in the bed of the truck.

Mike inspecting a couple of strands of wire to decide  if we needed to add or replace some.

Looks like an important conference going on there on the right!

At one point, Adam mentioned that Ford Motor Company would be proud and should be there filming a commercial.  There were these three trucks and then, Papaw's was on the other side of the camera.

This one was piled with extra fence posts, bits of wire, cut wood, and more.

Our work seemed to pass inspection and I feel sure that what we got done was an improvement and will hold calves in the different pastures...at least till the next heavy wind blows through.

Happy New Year 2016!

Anniversary Number Six

Today we celebrate our anniversary.  Folks all over the world are celebrating!  I looked up to see what sort of gift I should give the hubs and found this site which suggested candy or iron.  I gave him a handful of chocolate Kisses.  Hope that was good enough!

Spiffed-Up for the Season Part 2

Yesterday I shared the front porch and den decor in our house this year in Spiffed-Up Part 1.  Today, I'll take you around other parts inside the house.

I did a wee bit of decorating in the master bedroom.

Some holly garland draped over our antique headboard and a couple of photos of the grands with Santa add seasonal cheer here.

More holly greenery swags over the bay window seat.  (Why didn't I notice that the blind was all wonky like that and straighten it up?)

There's also a bit of greenery swagged across the floral painting over our dresser.  Simple and cheerful, that is plenty for this space.

In the kitchen, I also kept it simple.  I incorporated the holly garland atop the mantel.  There is a pair of stockings Mike's mother hand-chrocheted.

I also hung a large red and green china ornament and a sweet little red ribbon Merry Christmas ornament on the center of the mantel.

The little table-top Christmas tree is festooned with cranberry red beaded garland and many hand-crafted ornaments collected through the years.  There are painted wooden ornaments, purchased bread-dough ornaments, wire ornaments, gift ornaments, and a paper-crafted ornament made with the granddaughters this year.

There are also pipe-cleaner candy canes that were twisted and curved by Bridgette and Bryan when they were little fellows.  This tree sets in a basket alongside the blue-and-white bowl which holds another strand of cranberry wooden beads and tin cookie cutters.  A couple of appliqued Christmas towels brighten up the chopping block that tree sits upon.

A simple blue and white bowl sitting amongst some holly garland, glittery pine-cones, and glistening branches within the wooden tray on the gingham runner is all I put on the dining table this year.

The bowl is another one of my favorite junking finds with a beautiful snow scene in the center.

At the last minute, when I was searching for the red gingham table runner, I stumbled across my painted Christmas masterpiece.  So, I just leaned her up on the china cabinet in the kitchen.  I sort of felt like her this year - a bit overwhelmed by Christmas - the shopping, the decorating, all the preparation.

I plunked some silk poinsettias, some greenery, and a sprig of red berries in the urn that sits on the island and considered the kitchen fully decorated.

Rudolph stands sentry on one side of the kitchen door and a basket of silk greenery anchors the other.

Going down the hallway, I draped a holly garland across a cross-stitch sampler my mother made.

The guest bedrooms got the simple treatment as well.

There is a miniature Christmas tree decorated with mini ornaments in each.  The front bedroom where there are toys for the grands has the Disney tin and some sweet seasonal smelling potpouri.

It also has a couple of snow globes alongside my childhood blue willow tea set.

The back bedroom has one of the pretty glittery white ornaments, a church which reminds me of the local Methodist church.

A couple of plastic canvas needlepoint squares sit atop the shelves at the end of the hallway.  Bryan learned to do these in elementary school and one year he crafted several.

I'm so glad these have endured the years!

The guest bath vanity has a tiny Christmas tree and a swag of holly garland across the mirror and across the print on the opposite wall.

It also has a couple of the beautiful white and gold ceramic ornaments that were Mike's for years.

This pair is Santa and his sleigh.

I also discovered Harold, the Christmas angel when I was searching for the table runner.  So, out he came and was hung on the inside of the front door.  Believe it or not, I was much like Harold while I was decorating this year.  Oh, there was the traditional cursing of the lights, like when half of one brand new strand wouldn't work and I replaced it with another.  Then, when I hung the garland and new strand of lights, half of that strand quit working.  Otherwise, it was a pleasant, cheerful task and I blasted Christmas music through our old-time Christmas CDs and sang and danced all the while I decorated!  Hope your decorating was simple, easy, and enjoyable, too.