Mountain Musings

A Fresh New Year!

A good verse for this new year: 

"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19

First of all, thank you to everyone who took time to write and leave a comment on the last post letting us know you were out there and telling us where you're reading from. That was encouraging to find out we have blog readers we didn't even know about!

Now that you've been brave enough to comment, don't be a stranger! Stop in again and drop a line on the blog.  Please be patient with me...I always respond back personally to comments, and I'll be writing to each of you now that the holidays are officially over and our guests have gone back to their homes.

We hope you all had some very enjoyable holidays! We certainly did and are so thankful for our family!

Our special guests for Christmas: Newlyweds Sarah and Eric arrived late on Christmas Day and spent the weekend with us! It was so fun to see them again. It's hard to believe they've been married 7 weeks already!

Surprise special guests: Almost as soon as Sarah and Eric arrived, the doorbell rang again. We were preparing food in the kitchen, chatting, and welcoming them home and wondered who in the world would be at our door on Christmas Day!

Jonathan went to find out what the ding-donging was all about, and who was standing there but our oldest son, Micah, and grandson, Ethan! They had driven all day to be here as a surprise! Ooh, boy! It was wonderful!! But it was such a surprise, no one had a camera ready!

I don't think Christmas could have been any more special than to have everyone home together!

What about at your house? Did you have some special guests come visit you?

What was your Christmas menu?

Someone asked us recently if we served ham or turkey for Christmas dinner. Neither. We always serve a chicken dish. Our Christmas Eve meal was San Francisco Chicken, and our Christmas Day meal was Spicy Chicken over Noodles.

Here are Jonathan and Micah going through the Saturday night meatball hoagie food line: Here I am below with Sarah...I miss her terribly around here, so it was extra special to have her home. She just wouldn't consent to staying though!:It was fun having this little baseball player in my kitchen, even if only for a day:We have an extra celebration around here, too, this time of year...Tom celebrated his birthday this week, complete with his requested grilled pizza (the weather cooperated, and it wasn't too chilly) and ice cream cake. Happy Birthday, good and faithful Dad!: I hope this helped catch you up a bit on Christmas happenings around here. I have more to blog about next week, but I wanted to get this post up on the first day of 2016!

Happy New Year to you all!

~Deb

All Things Wedding!

Blogging...as well as housekeeping...ahem...has definitely taken a backseat around here with all of Sarah's wedding to-dos these past weeks. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at what all of us have been doing lately:

The girls went white pumpkin picking recently for fall table decorations for the wedding: Hannah has been working on her maid of honor dress and finished it today...yay! That's done!We girls took a day to make all 16 of the lasagnas for the wedding and put them in the freezer. It was really smelling delicious in our kitchen! Sarah practiced a couple of different recipes to use for her wedding cake:Another day she made 16 Key Lime Pies for a second wedding dessert--the groom's favorite: Making raspberry fudge for wedding favors: Sarah's friend, Sarah, came over one day to help wrap the fudge: I'm getting into the act by stuffing the fudge into gift bags: And punching holes in favor labels:The girls also worked on cutting burlap for the tables...this was a messy job!
Granny enjoyed watching all the activities going on: A trip to Georgia was planned last month to move all of Sarah's "stuff!" It took a 20-foot U-Haul to hold all her accumulated hope chest items, but we finally loaded all the boxes and furniture in anticipation of stocking her future home:It was fun helping Sarah unpack and set up most of the rooms. Here's Hannah organizing the kitchen: While we were in Georgia, Sarah's future sisters-in-law gave her a bridal shower. Here are Hannah and Sarah with Eric's sisters Abby and Emma, the shower hostesses: Sarah and Eric pose with some of the festive decorations:It was a festive occasion with lots of friends, a fun game, many nice gifts, and delicious food: Sarah enjoyed herself and was very thankful for everyone's generosity! Practicing a song for the wedding while we were in Georgia with Eric's siblings: Once we were back home in Virginia, the girls made their shopping list and purchased the dinnerware and other supplies at Costco. It's a good thing Sarah made a wedding spreadsheet with each day's activities planned:Just practicing.....a friend came over and worked on the girls' hair. Here's our dear friend, Kim, experimenting with a hair style for Hannah for the wedding: And sandwiched in between all of Sarah's wedding to-dos, Tom is using any extra time working on kitchen cabinets for Jonathan's future home, which is coming along slowly but surely!

This photo doesn't show the cabinets which are already built and awaiting painting. I guess when those are moved...into my living room!...they'll make an appearance on the blog! Ha! Hope that catches you up on some of the happenings around the ol' Mountain Musings homestead.

I hope you all are enjoying fall and this delightful busy month of November! Hopefully, it won't be long before we post again!

~Deb

Busy, Busy October!

Hello, faithful blog readers! Yes, we're still here even though the blogging has been sparse this month.

The craft show started the month off with a bang; then our guests were here, fall gardening and the planting of 38 blueberry bushes (what was I thinking??), building on Jonathan's house, the never-ending farmers' market...we've been busy, but not so much on the computer this month, huh?

There are a slew of posts backed up...lots of pictures on my camera that was lost and finally found....oh, I just have tons of excuses, don't I? :)

Anyway, stay tuned for a couple of posts this week and more to follow after the NCFIC conference.

And...has your October been busy, too?

~Deb

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ June

Has it really truly been this long since we've posted??!! Yes, I have gotten emails about that! I guess everyone is tired of gaining weight from looking at Sarah's dessert on the last post! LOL!

As is my usual habit, when there's a lot to catch up on I write a Daybook post:

For Today: June 3

Outside my window...What a great day to work outside! The overcast afternoon was just perfect for working in the garden. Temps were in the upper 70's--great for a half-day vacation for Tom to work on the "honey-do" list--mostly tilling the garden for planting!

I am thinking...that I'm liking Tom around the house and look forward to another day off from work tomorrow--but not a day off from working! I looove crossing things off lists!

I am thankful...that my wisdom tooth extraction is done and over with. Last week was unbelievable, and I'm still recovering. Wisdom tooth removal over 60 is quite different that it was for the kids at 20!

In the kitchen...Sarah took over kitchen duties tonight since I was weed-whacking, watering plants, and planting the Mother's Day roses. Grilled tilapia with coconut lime rice served with grilled onions and red peppers and breadsticks...and our choice of pecan pie, lemon meringue pie, oatmeal cookies, and fun-fetti cookies that didn't sell at Farmers' Market this week...awww! :)

I am wearing...work clothes: paint-splotched--patched--holey, navy skirt and a paint-splotched aqua tee-shirt. Dirty Sneeks.

I am creating...nothing at the moment. My quilt block was completed two weeks ago for class this coming Saturday. No rushing to meet the deadline this week! It just won't feel the same. I'll take a picture and show you later.

I am going...to take Granny back to the spine doctor on Monday the 10th. She stopped physical therapy because of an out-of-the-blue severe back pain that developed. We're not sure if there's yet another fracture, a pulled muscle, or another bout of hip bursitis. Please pray for her as she's very discouraged after being laid up for so long.

I am hoping...that the swarm of bees that Jonathan caught in one of our trees recently will like their new hive and location. There are photos and a story that accompany those bees...but it's his story to tell...maybe soon he'll post about his adventure.

I am looking forward to...seeing friends later this month when they travel by our way towards their anniversary destination....wish I could go with them, but it is their anniversary!

I am reading...mostly blogs - I learn so much sometimes from other folks' postings. Recently I found out about Two Old Goats pain relief lotion on a blog and immediately purchased some. I'm loving the results!

Around the house...Sarah has re-arranged her room in anticipation of her new bed being assembled and placed in there. Pictures coming when it's set up.

A favorite quote for today..."To dig and delve in nice clean dirt can do a mortal little hurt." ~ John Kendrick Bangs via Susan Branch.

One of my favorite things...springtime mulch! A new pile of mulch arrived and is waiting for my attention. Looks like Two Old Goats will be put to the test!

A few plans for the rest of the week: not much on the docket except working outside while great temps and nice sunny days are on tap for this week.

Other adventures since our last post...traditional Memorial Day geo-cacheing around the area. I'm not into snakes and poison ivy, so I waited in the car at each cache stop....and a good time was had by all!

Tom and I also manned a craft show booth with soap and baskets this past Saturday--will write about that later this week.

A peek into one of my days...Jonathan having fun with his bee suit at my expense!
~ Deb

And a New Year Begins...

January begins another year of blogging for us...in fact, this month we're beginning our 9th year of writing Mountain Musings. There have been over 1,800 posts and just over 10,000 comments!

We are grateful to you, our readers, for making it all worthwhile! Thank you! We pray that your New Year will be one of health, happiness, and many other blessings.

Up next: a vintage quilted table runner I gifted for Christmas...stay tuned! 

~ Deb

A Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY, Thursday, May 31

Outside my window...the sun's not up yet, but it's promising to be a beautiful, sunny 80 degree day here in the Valley...the mountains are just beautiful in the distance. I love living here!

I am thinking...that today will be another good day to work outside pulling weeds and mulching the flowers. I have a deadline...company's coming next weekend!

I am thankful...for a good night's sleep after yesterday's yard work.

In the kitchen...Thursdays are bread-baking days for Hannah, so the kitchen will be smelling yummy.

I am wearing...a very paint-stained navy skirt and top...my usual work outside clothes.

I am creating...nothing at the moment. I'm waiting for this fabric to arrive next week. I have a deadline for this, too!
 
I am going...to pick Strawberries here this morning with Sarah. We haven't been all season, so we're looking forward to fresh berries...over pound cake and whipped cream.

I am reading...a free issue of Organic Gardening magazine.

I am hoping...this Saturday will be perfect weather for continuing to paint the fence. Severe thunderstorms are predicted Friday which may mean my main fence-painter will be getting power restored instead of painting--I hope not.

I am looking forward to...my sister coming to visit the end of June. She wants to go to Farmer's Market to check out the girls' booth while she's here.

Around the house...basket-making, bread-baking, bean planting, beekeeping, and hole digging for red hot pokers I received for Mother's Day.

A favorite quote for today...

“Hospitality fleshes out love in a uniquely personal and sacrificial way. Through the ministry of hospitality, we share our most prized possessions. We share our family, home, finances, food, privacy, and time. Indeed, we share our very lives. So, hospitality is always costly. Through the ministry of hospitality, we provide friendship, acceptance, fellowship, refreshment, comfort, and love in one of the richest and deepest ways possible for humans to understand. Unless we open the doors of our homes to one another, the reality of the local church as a close-knit family of loving brothers and sisters is only a theory.”—Alexander Strauch, The Hospitality Commands

One of my favorite things...going on a day-adventure!

Here's a picture thought I'm sharing...

Jonathan and Sarah finding a geo-cache ~ Memorial Day near Swoope.

See more Simple Woman Daybook entries here.

~Deb

If We Twittered...

I'd tweet that I'm planting my annuals this afternoon:

Red and purple verbena are in the pots down the steps on the left, and begonias will be in the watering cans on the right. I still have geraniums and three red hot pokers (a Mother's Day gift) to plant tomorrow. 

Hopefully, my brain can get out of this blogging slump, and I can get back to posting...or some quick tweeting.

~Deb

My Day in Pickens ~ Meeting a Sweet Blogger in Real Life

Last week I was traveling to SC to visit my sister and also to pick up Granny and bring her back to Virginia with me.

Lisa, who blogs over at Shady Grove Adventures, had invited me to come to her neck of the woods whenever I was in the area again. Lisa and I are blogging and email buddies, but we had never met in real life (until last Monday).

I LOVE adventures and just couldn't pass up Lisa's invitation, so we emailed and set up a time to visit and have lunch together. Granny wanted to come with me, so we drove the hour out to her place and had a delightful time! Lisa really showed us some wonderful South Carolina hospitality!

As soon as we arrived, Granny and I spotted a "Club Car"...and Granny has been saying how much she needs a golf cart to get her from the house down to her basket shed (my garden shed) and back up the hill!

So Lisa gave her a ride to try it out! I think Granny really liked it!

We enjoyed seeing the chicken yard, and Lisa showed us one of her prize chickens up close and personal.

I'm not sure if the fresh eggs in our delicious quiche for lunch was from this particular chicken or not, but if so, she did herself proud!

After a grand tour of Lisa's house, including her wonderful sewing room and seeing sewing and knitting projects she's working on, she presented me with my very own walking stick! Her husband Tom had made it especially for me from a sassafras tree on their property! I was thrilled and very touched at their thoughtfulness! 

So while Lisa prepared lunch (quiche, garlic-cheese biscuits and fresh fruit with Hummingbird Cake for dessert--oh yummy!)...I participated in craft time!

Lisa put beads, cording, and string on the table for me to make myself a name bracelet to add to the top of the walking stick. I loved making it!! Thank you, Tom, for such a very nice walking stick!

We took pictures out on the deck after a tour around the outside of the house (loved the raised beds!), and so soon it was time to leave.

Then Lisa presented me with three plants from their property to bring home as parting gifts: a dogwood tree, a container of 10+ Bird-foot Violet plants, and a Passionflower plant. Ooh, I hope all these plants live so I can have a remembrance of our special day together.

You can see pictures of what the plants will look like over on Lisa's blog here. And also she wrote such a delightful post about our visit.

Thank you so much, Lisa! Granny and I thoroughly enjoyed our day with you and our adventure in Pickens!

I love meeting bloggers in real life!

~Deb

Good Fortune Notebook

Speaking of beautiful quilting fabrics...my favorite fabric designer is Kate Spain, and one of her newest lines of fabrics is Good Fortune, seen here at Fat Quarter Shop.

Yesterday the mailman surprised me with a package sent all the way from Michigan from Stephanie, also known as Mama Pea of Peas in a Pod blog.

Stephanie and I have struck up a blogging friendship over the past months (we're both wanna-be UFO-ers), and she made this beautiful notebook and sent it to me:

I LOVE it! And I especially love the panel of words she sewed to the front of the notebook. I'll definitely use it for lots of lists and things I should remember and don't, plus it's made from beautiful Good Fortune fabric!!

Here's a photo showing both the back and front:

I love how blogging makes the world seem smaller! Thank you so much, Stephanie!

~Deb

A Simple Woman's Daybook

For today: Thursday, January 12

Outside my window...the heavy rain from last night is over, and the sky is a mixture of sun and clouds with an expected high in the 50s.

I am thinking...about Granny. My sister called 9-1-1 this morning, and Granny was rushed to the hospital's heart center in downtown Greenville with some atrial fibrillation problems. Hopefully, she'll be released today. It's hard being long-distance and not able to help.

I am thankful...that Tom's colonoscopy procedure yesterday went well. He's back at work today and feeling fine. I think this week has had its quota of medical drama!

In the kitchen...today is bread baking day! The smells wafting upstairs are wonderful! I wish I could send Granny a freshly-baked, buttered, hot-from-the-oven roll for her lunch!

I am wearing...navy turtleneck, navy skirt, and navy crocs.

I am creating...my Saturday Sampler block for the quilt class on Saturday.

I am going...to Patchwork Plus this weekend for our last class for this pattern. New fabrics will be introduced for the next 12-month class...still deciding whether I should sign up or not.

I am wondering...what my little grandson Ethan is doing today in faraway Michigan. He called and "talked" to Hannah this week and told her Happy Birthday over and over and over! Sooo cute!

I am reading...a friendship card I received in the mail with a wonderful Mango Peach tea bag inside. A friend sent a card to me and also to each of the girls telling us that January is National Hot Tea Month. I never knew! Thank you, Kendra!

I am hoping...I'll continue to be diligent to write in the One Line A Day (five-year memory book) my sister gave me for Christmas. So far I've not missed a day.

I am looking forward to...tomorrow's quilting class with friends.

I am learning...that it's a lot of work to organize all my fabric, projects, and supplies so it will be easy to know which project to work on next.

Around the house...Hannah just left to take some bread over to her bartering partner in exchange for fresh farm eggs.

A favorite quote for today..."Never mind if you think you are unable to take another step, for either He will strengthen you to make you able, or He will call a sudden halt, and you will not have to take it at all." ~ Frances Ridley Havergal

One of my favorite things...sitting down to supper with the family.

A few plans for the rest of the week: taking time out to get some photos burned to disks and mailed out.

A peek into my week...

See more Simple Woman's Daybook entries here.

~Deb