When Queens Ride By

After church yesterday, Edna Beaton, head of the church meals ministry, asked if I would bring a home cooked meal to a young mother in our church who had a baby several days ago. After I gave it a moment of thought I said sure I could do that. Is tomorrow too soon Edna asked and I said no I could throw something together for her. I didn't know this gal even though our congregation wasn't that large , but Edna said they had only been coming to worship for about two months or so. Edna also confided they had moved into the old Bennett place right outside of town just a few months back and the woman had four littles and seemed a bit overwhelmed often times. Edna gave me the gals information and we all headed home. This morning after chores and getting the breakfast dishes done I sent the boys off with John. He had fences to check and they went along with him. RuthAnn and I set to work baking. Since this young mum had four boys I figured they must eat a heap. I knew I was goin...

Sweet, sweet July, I do love ya! Well now the gardens are flourishing and life is good. The good Lord is blessing John an me plenty. We are diggin' out of our pit slow but sure. I am so busy keepin' home I have neglected my poor journal. I find myself with a bit of time on the porch tonight. The children have all tucked in early after a full day of helping weed the garden, collecting eggs, house chores, and then a long dip in the pond with a picnic supper there in the grass. It was fairly hot today, oh bout 82 or so and a bit muggy. John and I enjoyed a swim in the pond too. The children love climbing up on their Daddy's strong shoulders and being hoisted in the air. Poor John, he might need a back rub tonight after all that play. We had a tasty supper by the pond. I fried up some chicken out in the summer kitchen John rigged up for me so as to not overheat the kitchen and house. I snuck in making a strawberry and rhubarb pie for dessert. Boy did they gobble that pie...

Tonight I will be hostess to a New Year's eve party. I am hopin' I can pull this one off. All John's idea and a right surprise too. After church  on Sunday he told me that he offered our place to hold a New Year's eve bonfire for fellowship. Before I knew it I had so many ladies asking me what they could bring! I was so taken back I told them whatever they please for their family and some to share. What that is gonna look like I haven't got a clue.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I put up some large crocks of my grape juice on the back porch to chill and I have ten pies baked, apple, blueberry and peach, all from my summer canning. John has a large smoked shoulder warming and I have about twenty taters cooking in the stove. John told me to keep it real simple and not to overwork myself, so I am takin' his advice. He has hay bales all outside the bonfire pit for folks to sit on and I do hope they remember quilts to cover th...

(For Laura-Merry Christmas to you and yours!) Oh what a Christmas! It's been a lovely season for sure. The children enjoyed their gifts so. John made a beautiful set of wooden building blocks for Virginia. Sanded them smooth as silk to the touch.  Ruth Ann got a big dollhouse, just a plain kind of house made of maple. The kind of dollhouse a child needs to use their imagination a bit. There is a tiny staircase and a few twig beds with little quilts I made. She has been playing with it nonstop! The boys got themselves new slingshots and some coon skin hats. They reckon they are Davey Crockett.  John made me a beautiful new cutting board for the kitchen and surprised me with a pair of leather shoes from the Sears & Roebuck catalog. I had the page bookmarked and was saving for them. John said he got stumped about a present for me and wanted something pretty when he grabbed the catalog and saw my notation on the page. They are a perfect fit and just right pretty to l...

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What a lovely June day we had! After a glorious mornin' of worship the family headed home for our lunch. There was a slight breeze on this warm day, so I thought, why not spread a cloth and have us a picnic. My dear friend Rosealee and her family joined us too! What a delight to have our new and dear friends over to share an afternoon of relaxin' and fun. I spread a nice red checked gingham over the old table out back and cut a few apple blossoms and decorated the table with a jar full of those. I am glad I had the foresight to fry up a bit of extra chicken last night. Lately, I always make more than a couple of pies on the weekends, just in case we have the opportunity to share a meal. Boy, now that would not have been me a short year or so ago! Haven't I changed some! We lunched on fine fried chicken from last night's supper, stewed tomatoes, chilled pickles , a pepper chutney from Rosealee I have never had the likes of, simply the tastiest chutney ever. Rosela...