Spring has Sprung!!!!

If you have been reading my blog for awhile you will know that I have posted pictures similar to this one in the past. Its just that, when the hill behind my home bursts with this spectacular display, I know that Spring is definitely here!!!!! ( I'm sorry for those of you still dealing with bits of snow here and there.... but it's coming.....I promise.) On Friday Seth "weed whacked" the bottom half and left the top half of the little hill, still in full bloom. He did this both for Me, cause every year he says (with a sparkle of ornery in his eye) " "time to weed whack the hill" and I reply " aggghhhh not yet, my flowers are just starting" and he laughs and I laugh. This is how it happens now. This is because he endured a few years of not mentioning anything until after the "weed whacking" fact and had to deal with my sulking and whining about "how could he" and "what a jerk" and "I was waiting all year for them to bloom again" and sniff sniff you get the picture.

And this year....Lola. On Sunday we ( Allison, Lola and Thomas) enjoyed the little hill for awhile. Lola loved the freshly mowed grass!! And Thomas and Allison enjoyed the sunshine and soft breezes. ( she did not like the fact that the grass I made her sit in for these photos was wet, hee hee, and that there were bees on just about every single yellow bloom just waiting to sink its stinger into her sun warmed flesh. Not really that was her story, the bees didn't even see her there.

Isn't Thomas a noble looking fellow. You can see where his name ' Sir Thomas Edward Cutes Alot' comes from can't you. He must be in on every single thing, and he must know what all his loyal subjects are doing at all times.He constantly makes sure we all know he is in on all the action with his loud and persistent mewing. What a handsome and endearing young feline.

And Lola loves her "mama" Goats are so adorable. They have the sweetest and cutest personalities.

I'm not sure what it is she found here, but she was fascinated by this lump of granite sticking out of the side of the hill........ She studied it for quite awhile.....

Then pawed at it with her little hoof..... Isn't that too cute....

And finally found what she was after.... ???..... I'm still not sure what it was. But when she was satisfied she scampered a bucked and ran around just happy to be alive. I wish i had a video of it to share. The day was peaceful, warm and relaxing.... Just the way a spring day should be.

Thanks for stopping by... Blessings to you and yours, Sue

Antherium

I'm so happy!!! My antherium bloomed!! Isn't it beautiful.

I was thinking about this particular plant the other day and realized that i have had an antherium plant of some kind for as long as I've lived on my own. I remember the first one I ever got, was for my studio apartment in Santa Margarita... funny I don't remember much else about it. My next one was when we lived in a little duplex in El Cajon. It sat on my kitchen table and got full on evening sun. It had huge bright red flowers and long yellow stamens. Thick, waxy and exotic.

Then came my children's growing up years...... And now I have this one. I've had it for a really long time and this is the first time it has bloomed. I honestly couldn't even have told you what color flowers it had. But here it is....... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... It's tiny.... but oh so pretty.

And ya, after this was taken I dusted the poor little dears leaves, how embarrassing!!!!! hahaha
Blessings, Sue

Georgia on my mind.....part 2

Newnan is located in Coweta County, One of the original counties of Georgia. These are pictures I took while visiting the Male Academy Museum, which was the first male school in the area. To the right in this shot is a great wheel, a spinning wheel used for spinning cotton fiber into yarn.

On the left is a swift. This is used to wind the yarn into skeins. It was made so that 45 turns equaled a skein. A skein is the term used for an amount of yarn. Like the skeins you see at your local yarn store.

This is a collage of hand carders, used to align the fibers in the raw cotton to make it easier to spin. (center) A basket of cotton bolls and a small sample of what a bale of cotton would look like.

Ahhhhhh my favorite. This is a Biscuit Block- 1840-1860. It was used prior to the civil war through the early 1900's. Biscuits were usually made for every meal. The dough was rolled out on the block and the lid was closed to help the dough to rise. Once a year it was taken out into the sun and washed thoroughly and left to dry. Up close you can see the outline of where the biscuits actually were. Way cool.

Dr. Ira Ellis Smith was the first settler to arrive in Newnan, Coweta County. He brought his family from Virginia in 1828. These are some of the furnishings he brought along in his covered wagon. I love the sampler above the bed. I wanted to get up close but everything was blocked off. Not that this has stopped me in the past,(remember the White house in Gettysburg, hee hee) But I had allison and carlye and matt were with me and I need to be a good example at least some of the time......Back to the sampler. Not much info on it but it was beyond lovely.

I wish I remembered more about this quilt. It was beautifully hand crafted (yes I peeked at the seams) and all of the same fabric, which must has been a luxury.

Some of the china and silverware. Again beautiful. I don't know about you but when I think of carting things around in a covered wagon, china and silver didn't used to come to mind.

This Hutch was lovingly handmade by the husband of some really blessed wife for a wedding gift.

Again, the Settee, not a covered wagon kind of item.........

This is a typical 1890's classroom.

Are these not the coolest little desks. I loved the book, and looked in the museum gift shop for a copy with no luck. I did however get a few really nice books.

This was before Allison got her horse and I thought she would like this little poem. I think if you click on the picture you will be able to read it.

And guess who is from Newnan???? None other than Alan Jackson, and so being the "mom" I made "her" pose for this picture. She loves Alan Jackson.... isn't she beautiful??????? You've heard his song , Way down yonder on the Chatahoochee. Real river, We saw it.
I loved this museum. it's very small and put together with care and love. I left out the civil war uniforms and the weapons, and the medical implements. That room honestly gave me the creeps. Interesting but sad.

I hope you enjoyed our time together. Come back soon for part 3.
If I have given any wrong information I'm sorry. I tried to be as accurate as possible. And as always I'd love to hear from you!!!!!! Blessings, Sue

Georgia on my mind....

I'm longing, and remembering... and pondering........
This was our trip to Newnan, Georgia this last July. I'll set the scene by telling you that I have been fortunate in my life to have been raised in California...Grew up in Central on the coast and lived my adult life, until now in San Diego... I've studied California history not only as required, in all the years of school I've been through here, but also on my own....(Kind of a history freak!!!!) I believe I am ready to spend the second half of my life on the East coast , the South, more specifically, to enjoy and learn even more. All of these pictures were taken out of a moving car, back window..... Sorry for the quality but you get the idea. This is a pause,or bump in the road... and I clicked quickly as we bumped over this train track on our way to see the plantation homes. Ok, I'm used to California, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA... the fact that there was not only, no fence, no guard rails ,not to mention big painted on the road white lines, flashing red lights and bells going off

There was a calm peace as we paused on the tracks and GREEN around these rails. Ok this shot is for effect only.... I want to reiterate that it is GREEN there. I'm not used to this. San Diego is after all desert, at least in the east county. Now I will remind myself that it was also very HOT and VERY HUMID but it was also green and green is my favorite color in the whole weird world.

First off forgive me... these homes all have names... and there is a printed guide you can use to find out the history of each and every one. I, however, was stuck in the back seat, juggling my camera and the pamphlet.... guess which one got tossed..... so we will just enjoy the houses and Ill try to share what I can remember...

Newnan, Georgia was a major hospital sight during the Civil War. Men from both the North and the South were treated and housed here. They used every home and facility to house the wounded soldiers and the hospital staff that came from all over to care for them. Family members also came to take care of their wounded husbands, brothers and etc.

This is a "widows walk". It is what it implies. It brings tears to my eyes..... Woman used to walk here to watch for their family members to come home..... I can't imagine..... actually I can but I don't want to.

Double porches... Can you not see yourself sitting there, drinking some fresh squeezed lemonade or sweet tea.
Don't mind the antennae going through the middle of this one heehee

I'm in love......

Same house different angle.

Columns.... ahhhhhh I think the reason these pictures look so misty is because it is so humid.....I'm not kidding, I have the dryest skin on the planet and I didn't even have to use lotion the whole time I was there, ( I used it since I'm addicted, but I didn't have to)

Ok then I guess this is it..... I had a good time, how about you? I think I may have to do a part 2.....I've got a lot more to tell you.... We haven't even been to Sonia ( think I spelled that wrong) .....
So until then, Blessings Sue

Diaper Bag/ Knitting Bag

I've been wanting to show you this for quite awhile. I made this for Molly before her baby Paige was born. I had the brilliant idea to start selling them, as they can be co-ordinated to match your baby theme or just your personal style. I've watched her use it now for three months and it is holding up REALLY well. Bonus. She loves it as well which makes my heart soar. I would feel comfortable selling this to anyone, if your interested just leave me a comment and I'll get in touch with you. I am making one for myself to use as a knitting bag/purse. This is the front, it has a front pocket large enough for your phone. etc. A magnetic snap hold the strap in place.

This is the back, It has a pocket larger than the front pocket, good for personal stuff since it's carried next to your body.

It comes with a personal sized pouch that you can use to keep your "mom" stuff in or knitting notions, or just whatever.

Two large side pockets in the front and back of inside of bag and two smaller pockets on each side, think lipstick, pens, lifesavers etc.

A special clip was added so you can easily find your keys, pacifier, scissors , or what have you.

And of course I added my label "Loveinterwoven" because whatever I make I like to interweave love and prayers into it.

Turned out pretty cool if I do say so myself. Blessings, Sue

A Host of Golden Daffodils

"Daffodils"
By William Wordsworth 1804

I wander'd lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of the bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay
In such a jocund company:
I gazed-- and gazed-- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils.




Spring..... Its just around the corner...
(not being a huge fan of poetry, so to speak, this is one that, since I had to memorize it in the 8th grade, never fails to pop into my head at this time of year)
I can't help but LOVE it!!!!!!!!!

Wow!!!! March First....Already......

Me: Sitting on couch, sipping hot coffee, squinting in the general direction of the calendar -"What day is it?"

Seth: Walking through the kitchen holding a steamy cup of same hot coffee " Uhhhh..Its March 1st"

WHAT!!!!!!!!! How did this happen... It must have creeped up on me slowly while all my energies where being spent on healing, through the haze of the vicodine mist that's been swirling around me the last month.........
Its a darn good thing to see that this world does in fact continue to spin without my direction.... I see that outside the clouds still remembered to drop their life giving droplets

so my beloved tree could once again begin to blossom and burst forth with her shade giving branches...... The chickens too, have been able produce these little gems without my encouragement.....They have been very busy too, I might add.

The Blood Orange tree didn't forget the time of year and has decided that now is the time for us to enjoy her juicy, sweet, fruit.....
Its good to be needed... yes... but its better to know that when I am weak, the people I love are strong, and that yes, even though I am important, there is someone who can do it alot better than I ever think I can.

Thank you Lord for giving me this wonderful life and this beautiful earth to share with people I love, and Thank you for making it all work without one little input from me.... I love you, Father..
And everyone says...Amen

Blessings, Sue