A Christmas Story!!

We would be blessed to follow the example of the family represented in the following story. There are so many in need at this time.
Dortha

A Christmas Story
It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas---oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it-overspending...the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma---the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church, mostly black.These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes.As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears.It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn't acknowledge defeat.Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them."Mike loved kids-all kids-and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That's when the idea for his present came.That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church.On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me.His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years.For each Christmas, I followed the tradition---one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal it's contents.As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn't end there.You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more. Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad.The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.May we all remember each other, and the Real reason for the season, and His true spirit this year and always. God bless---pass this along to your friends and loved ones.--- Copyright © 1982 Nancy W. Gavin--- Submitted by Edwin G. Whiting
The story first appeared in Woman's Day magazine in 1982. My mom had sent the story in as a contest entry in which she subsequently won first place. Unfortunately, she passed away from cancer two years after the story was published. Our family still keeps the tradition started by her and my father and we have passed it on to our children. Feel free to use the story. It gives me and my sisters great joy to know that it lives on and has hopefully inspired others to reach out in a way that truly honors the spirit of Christmas. --- Kevin Gavin

A

A Christmas

Christmas Cheer


Christmas Day is coming soon
It won't be long 'til it's here.
People are busy shopping
And planning parties for New Year's.

Santa is sitting in the malls.
He's quite the merry, robust chap
And children of all ages clamor
To climb up in his lap.

People are shopping frantically
For just the perfect presents.
Full of joy their spirits soar;
You can feel the effervescence.

Tiny tots lay down their heads
And visions of candy canes abound.
Mom and Dad hang mistletoe
And sneak a kiss when no one's 'round!

People all over the world
Are praying for unity and peace;
Coming together in the Christmas Spirit
Brotherhood of mankind is what we need.

Christmas Day comes but once a year
It's a favorite time for one and all.
But let's not lose our focus
And forget the babe in a manger stall.

Let's remember whose birth we celebrate
When Christmas arrives this year.
Be sure and wish Jesus "Happy Birthday."
He's the reason for Christmas cheer!

December Birthdays!!

************

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE IN DECEMBER!!!

Our family has several birthdays during December. I wish a happy day for each. Another very special Person also celebrates His birthday in December. That would be no other than our Blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are nearing the day that we celebrate His birth. We call that day Christmas!!!!! Many seem to forget the real meaning of the day and the reason we celebrate. Never has there been and never will there be a person as important as the One whom we honor this month. Words cannot express our thanks for the sacrifice He made for us many years ago. I trust that each of us will remember Him during this season and realize our worshiping Him is what is important. No gift we can give nor receive can compare with the Gift God gave us almost 2,000 years ago.

Merry Christmas to all!!!

Dortha

Christmas is Near!!

Looking Forward to Christmas!!

Have A Great Day!~!~!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Thinking of Thanksgiving!!

Give Thanks

Autumn leaves are falling,
Pretty colors everywhere.
Thanksgiving day is almost here,
Another day that we may share.

The things we take for granted
Are blessings from above.
The needs He has provided,
Were given to us in love.

Let's give thanks for what we have,
Bow our heads and together pray.
As we join our friends and family,
On this Thanksgiving Day.

Almost Turkey Day!!!!

A Touching Story!!~!~!~!!~!

This article is quite lengthy but well worth the time to read it. It touched my heart as I was reminded of a day a few months ago when we had to say Good-by to our beloved Yukon. I hope you enjoy reading it. Dortha

A tale for a Dog Person

They told me the big black Lab's name was Reggie
as I looked at him lying in his pen, the shelter was clean,
no-kill, and the people really friendly.

I'd only been in the area for six months, but everywhere
I went in the small college town, people were welcoming
and open. Everyone waves when you pass them on the street.

But something was still missing as I attempted to settle in
to my new life here, and I thought a dog couldn't hurt.

Give me someone to talk to.

And I had just seen Reggie's advertisement on the local news.

The shelter said they had received numerous calls right after,
but they said the people who had come down to see him just
didn't look like "Lab people," whatever that meant.
They must've thought I did.

But at first, I thought the shelter had misjudged me in giving
me Reggie and his things, which consisted of a dog pad, bag
of toys almost all of which were brand new tennis balls, his
dishes, and a sealed letter from his previous owner.

See, Reggie and I didn't really hit it off when we got home.

We struggled for two weeks (which is how long the shelter
told me to give him to adjust to his new home)..

Maybe it was the fact that I was trying to adjust, too.
Maybe we were too much alike.

For some reason, his stuff (except for the tennis balls
- he wouldn't go anywhere without two stuffed in his mouth)
got tossed in with all of my other unpacked boxes.

I guess I didn't really think he'd need all his old stuff,
that I'd get him new things once he settled in. but it
became pretty clear pretty soon that he wasn't going to.

I tried the normal commands the shelter told me he knew,
ones like "sit" and "stay" and "come" and "heel," and he'd
follow them - when he felt like it.

He never really seemed to listen when I called his name
- sure, he'd look in my direction after the fourth of fifth time
I said it, but then he'd just go back to doing whatever.

When I'd ask again, you could almost see him sigh and then
grudgingly obey.

This just wasn't going to work.

He chewed a couple shoes and some unpacked boxes.
I was a little too stern with him and he resented it, I could tell.

The friction got so bad that I couldn't wait for the two weeks
to be up, and when it was, I was in full-on search mode for my cell phone amid all of my unpacked stuff.

I remembered leaving it on the stack of boxes for the guest room,
but I also mumbled, rather cynically, that the "damn dog probably
hid it on me."

Finally I found it, but before I could punch up the shelter's number,
I also found his pad and other toys from the shelter.

I tossed the pad in Reggie's direction and he snuffed it and
wagged, some of the most enthusiasm I'd seen since bringing
him home.

But then I called, "Hey, Reggie, you like that?
Come here and I'll give you a treat."

Instead, he sort of glanced in my direction
- maybe "glared" is more accurate
- and then gave a discontented sigh and flopped down.
With his back to me.

Well, that's not going to do it either, I thought.
And I punched the shelter phone number.

But I hung up when I saw the sealed envelope.
I had completely forgotten about that, too.

"Okay, Reggie," I said out loud,
"let's see if your previous owner has any advice.".....

To Whoever Gets My Dog
.....Well, I can't say that I'm happy you're reading this,
a letter I told the shelter could only be opened by
Reggie's new owner.

I'm not even happy writing it.
If you're reading this, it means I just got back from my
last car ride with my Lab after dropping him off at the
shelter.

He knew something was different.
I have packed up his pad and toys before and set them
by the back door before a trip, but this time...
it's like he knew something was wrong.

And something is wrong...
which is why I have to go to try to make it right.

So let me tell you about my Lab in the hopes that
it will help you bond with him and he with you.

First, he loves tennis balls. The more the merrier.

Sometimes I think he's part squirrel, the way he hordes them.
He usually always has two in his mouth, and he tries to get a
third in there. Hasn't done it yet.

Doesn't matter where you throw them, he'll bound after it,
so be careful - really don't do it by any roads.

I made that mistake once, and it almost cost him dearly.

Next, commands.

Maybe the shelter staff already told you, but I'll go over them
again: Reggie knows the obvious ones - "sit," "stay," "come,"
"heel."

He knows hand signals: "back" to turn around and go back
when you put your hand straight up; and "over" if you put
your hand out right or left.

"Shake" for shaking water off, and "paw" for a high-five.
He does "down" when he feels like lying down
- I bet you could work on that with him some more.

He knows "ball" and "food" and "bone" and "treat"
like nobody's business.

I trained Reggie with small food treats.
Nothing opens his ears like little pieces of hot dog.

Feeding schedule:
twice a day, once about seven in the morning,
and again at six in the evening.
Regular store-bought stuff; the shelter has the brand.

He's up on his shots.

Call the clinic on 9th Street and update his info with yours;
they'll make sure to send you reminders for when he's due.

Be forewarned: Reggie hates the vet.
Good luck getting him in the car
- I don't know how he knows when it's time to go to the vet,
but he knows..

Finally, give him some time.

I've never been married, so it's only been Reggie and me
for his whole life. He's gone everywhere with me, so please
include him on your daily car rides if you can.

He sits well in the backseat, and he doesn't bark or complain.
He just loves to be around people, and me most especially.

Which means that this transition is going to be hard,
with him going to live with someone new.

And that's why I need to share one more bit of info with you....
His name's not Reggie.

I don't know what made me do it, but when I dropped him off
at the shelter, I told them his name was Reggie.

He's a smart dog, he'll get used to it and will respond to it,
of that I have no doubt. but I just couldn't bear to give them
his real name.

For me to do that, it seemed so final, that handing him over
to the shelter was as good as me admitting that I'd never see
him again.

And if I end up coming back, getting him, and tearing up
this letter, it means everything's fine.

But if someone else is reading it, well... well it means that
his new owner should know his real name.

It'll help you bond with him.

Who knows, maybe you'll even notice a change in his
demeanor if he's been giving you problems.

His real name is Tank. Because that is what I drive.

Again, if you're reading this and you're from the area,
maybe my name has been on the news.

I told the shelter that they couldn't make "Reggie"
available for adoption until they received word from
my company commander.

See, my parents are gone, I have no siblings,
no one I could've left Tank with...

and it was my only real request of the Army
upon my deployment to Iraq , that they make
one phone call the shelter... in the "event"...
to tell them that Tank could be put up for adoption.

Luckily, my colonel is a dog guy, too, and he knew
where my platoon was headed.

He said he'd do it personally.

And if you're reading this, then he made good on his word.

Well, this letter is getting to downright depressing,
even though, frankly, I'm just writing it for my dog.

I couldn't imagine if I was writing it for a wife and kids
and family. but still, Tank has been my family for the
last six years, almost as long as the Army has been my family.

And now I hope and pray that you make him part of your family
and that he will adjust and come to love you the same way he
loved me.

That unconditional love from a dog is what I took with me
to Iraq as an inspiration to do something selfless, to protect
innocent people from those who would do terrible things...
and to keep those terrible people from coming over here.

If I had to give up Tank in order to do it, I am glad to have
done so. He was my example of service and of love.

I hope I honored him by my service to my country and comrades.

All right, that's enough.
I deploy this evening and have to drop this letter off at the shelter.
I don't think I'll say another good-bye to Tank, though.

I cried too much the first time.
Maybe I'll peek in on him and see if he finally got that
third tennis ball in his mouth.

Good luck with Tank.
Give him a good home, and give him an
extra kiss goodnight - every night - from me.

Thank you, Paul Mallory

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I folded the letter and slipped it back in the envelope.
Sure I had heard of Paul Mallory, everyone in town
knew him, even new people like me.

Local kid, killed in Iraq a few months ago and
posthumously earning the Silver Star when he
gave his life to save three buddies.
Flags had been at half-mast all summer.

I leaned forward in my chair and rested my elbows
on my knees, staring at the dog.

"Hey, Tank," I said quietly.

The dog's head whipped up,
his ears cocked and his eyes bright.

"Come 'mere boy."

He was instantly on his feet, his nails clicking on
the hardwood floor.

He sat in front of me, his head tilted, searching for
the name he hadn't heard in months.

"Tank," I whispered.

His tail swished.

I kept whispering his name, over and over,
and each time, his ears lowered, his eyes softened,
and his posture relaxed as a wave of contentment
just seemed to flood him.

I stroked his ears, rubbed his shoulders,
buried my face into his scruff and hugged him.

"It's me now, Tank, just you and me.
Your old pal gave you to me."

Tank reached up and licked my cheek.

"So whatdaya say we play some ball?

His ears perked again.
"Yeah? Ball? You like that? Ball?"

Tank tore from my hands and disappeared in the next room.

And when he came back, he had three tennis balls in his mouth.

A New Month!!!

************

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE IN NOVEMBER!!!

So soon here we are in the month of November. The days continue to fly by. We have some VIP's who have birthdays in November and I would like to wish a very happy birthday to each one.

We are definitely in the holiday season. Halloween just passed, Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away and then comes Christmas. We have so many reasons to celebrate. Thanksgiving Day has always held a special place in my heart. We are so blessed and we look forward to spending time with family and friends. The special meals we have are always a treat but just having family together is even more important than the meals. We are looking forward to a wonderful time this year.

Bless you ALL,
Dortha

Think Good!!!

The Importance of Today

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind...let it be something good."

Gain An Hour tonight!!

Daylight Saving Time Ends

Say goodbye to daylight-saving time this weekend. (Nov. 1st 2009 )

The days are growing shorter...
The leaves are falling too...
The sun sinks early in the sky...
Until it is no longer, blue...

The clock is quickly ticking...
It is that time of year...
When we need to be reminded...
The time to turn our clocks is here...

We move an hour of daylight...
To the morning from the night...
If you forget to do it...
It could be a terrible fright...

Turn them back, not forward...
And if you do it right...
You will be able to enjoy...
An extra hour of sleep tonight...

Happy Halloween!!!

Thoughts to Live By!!!

Despite My Imperfections


I came to understanding
salvation later in life,
after having survived
multitudes of trials and strife.

Being acutely aware I must
fulfill other’s expectations,
after being forsaken
by my closest relations.

Learning one is not accepted
unless they made the grade;
if you wanted to be loved
the price must be paid.

I grew up acutely aware
of my imperfections,
learning early in life to practice
sincere introspection.

I learned to do what was required
or pay the price;
I learned that not everyone
you meet is loving and nice.

I learned just the opposite
of what God wanted me to see,
that His love is perfect
and it’s offered for free.

But having been drawn
to God’s Holy Word,
one day in solitude the most
awesome thing occurred.

My eyes were opened
and discernment was mine,
I could see that God
had loved me all of that time.

He loved me before I was formed
in my Mama’s womb,
and Jesus offered salvation
by going to the tomb.

I learned I had to unlearn
the lessons of my past,
if I was to feel being
unconditionally loved at last.

I learned I had to surrender
trusting God each new day,
asking that He
guide my way.

I learned with God I need
not fear facing rejection,
despite my many mistakes
despite my imperfections!

©July 18, 2007 Barbara Philbrook
Sharing Place
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.

Another Wish!!

Well, for some reason, I could not add text with the above picture so you can look at the picture and then read the next post.

Today I would wish for some sunshine. Seems so long since we have had a nice sunny day. Today we have clouds, wind and cold temps and our beautiful leaves are falling from our trees. I also wish that people who do not feel well could feel well once again. My next wish is that I did not have so much trouble working with my pictures. I think they just don't like me---or maybe they don't like what I want to do with them. I am pretty sure the real problem is I do not know how to do what I want to do. I have asked for help but have received none so I guess I will keep struggling and maybe, just maybe, I will find a solution.

Happy day all,
Dortha

My Wish!!

A Little Chuckle!!!

October 21, 2009
First, a little chuckle:

Young Johnny finished summer vacation and went back to school.
Two days later his teacher phoned his mother to tell her that Johnny
was misbehaving. "Wait a minute!" said Johnny's mom. "I had him
here for two months and I never once called YOU when he misbehaved!"

I trust everyone is enjoying the nice weather and the beautiful, colorful leaves. The strong winds we have had for a few days are bringing the leaves down and soon our trees will be bare. We will then look forward to Spring when everything comes to life once again.

I still have not mastered getting my pictures to upload and have had NO offers for help. I have a lot of pictures I would like to share but they will continue to wait until I can find a solution.

Happy day to all,
Dortha

Happy Fall

Happy Fall!!

This picture seems to say it all!!! I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful Fall foliage and nice weather---not too hot and not too cold most days. I may not be able to say that later this week as we may get our first freeze tomorrow night!!

You may need to scroll side to side to see all of the picture.

Happy week end everyone,

Dortha

God's Promise!!!

A lthough things are not perfect

B ecause of trial or pain

C ontinue in thanksgiving

D o not begin to blame

E ven when the times are hard

F ierce winds are bound to blow

G od is forever able

H old on to what you know

I magine life without His love

J oy would cease to be

K eep thanking Him for all the things

L ove imparts to thee

M ove out of "Camp Complaining"

N o weapon that is known

O n earth can yield the power

P raise can do alone

Q uit looking at the future

R edeem the time at hand

S tart every day with worship

T o "thank" is a command

U ntil we see Him coming

V ictorious in the sky

W e'll run the race with gratitude

X alting God most high

Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...

Z ion waits in glory..where none are ever sad!

"I AM Too blessed to be stressed!"
The shortest distance between a problem and a
solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.

The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything.
Love and peace be with you forever, Amen.

Happy October Birthdays!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE IN OCTOBER!!!

Our family has several October birthdays and I wish a great day for each one. We will be celebrating one of them next week all-be-it, a little early, that won't matter. We are glad he can be with us this close to his birthday. I wonder if he would like fried chicken? I have been stock-piling chicken as Ryon told me Mavrik likes chicken and he looks like a pretty heavy eater!!!

Our nights get a little colder each night and we are hoping the frost will hold off until after next week so we can feed out company fried okra. One frost will end the okra and we will miss it. We have had a good year for okra and green beans.

Food for thought:

Before you close your eyes tonight,
Reflect upon your day
Did things go good, did they go right
All went your way?

Then that is what you think about
And this is what you say,
"Thank you God for everything"
Remember, friend, to pray!!
Have a great day.
Dortha

The Golden Years!!!

No one believes seniors . . . everyone thinks they are senile.
An Elderly couple was celebrating their sixtieth anniversary.
The couple had married as childhood sweethearts and had
moved back to their old neighbourhood after they retired.

Holding hands they walked back to their old school.
I t was not locked, so they entered, and found the old desk
they'd shared where Andy had carved 'I love you, Sally.'

On their way back ho me , a bag of money fell out of
an armored car, practically landing at their feet.
Sally quickly picked it up, but not sure
what to do with it, they took it home.
There, she counted the money:
fifty-thousand dollars!

Andy said, 'We've got to give it back.'

Sally said, 'Finders keepers.'

She put the money back in the bag and hid it in their attic.
The next day, two FBI men were canvassing the neighborhood
looking for the money and knocked on the door.

'Pardon me, but did either of you find a bag
that fell out of an armored car yesterday?'

Sally said, 'No.'

Andy said, 'She's lying. She hid it up in the attic.'

Sally said, 'Don't believe him, he's getting senile.'

The agents turn to Andy and began to question him.

One says: 'Tell us the story from the beginning'

Andy said, 'Well, when Sally and I were walking home from school yesterday . . ..'

The first FBI guy turns to his partner and says, 'We're outta here.'

No Picture!!

A few days ago I asked if anyone could tell me how to upload pictures to my blog. Did I get any help? NO!! Did I expect any help? No, not really, since I have no idea if anyone ever reads what I post. I am sure there is some simple little change that I need to do but I have no idea what. In the past, I had no difficulty adding pictures and I use the same method of adding that I have always used but when I find the picture I want then click 'upload' nothing happens. I suppose something is telling it not to perform but I have no idea how to correct the problem.

Oh well, I don't have anything interesting to write about since I have no picture to re-enforce my comments. We are having next to perfect weather these days and I am enjoying every minute of it. I realize it will be a very short time until we will be having COLD days. I won't enjoy them so much but I know the cold temps are necessary so I will be thankful for a warm house and warm clothes when I have to get out.

Today I ask God's blessings for each of you,
Dortha

Wash Day on the Farm

This is one of the we washed the clothes. Honest I remember! We didn't have a wringer. We did it by hand

"Warshing" Clothes Recipe.........

Never thought of a "washer" in this light before..what a blessing!

"Warshing Clothes Recipe" -- imagine having a recipe for this ! ! !

Years ago an Alabama grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe:

this is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook -

with spelling errors and all.

WARSHING CLOTHES

Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert. Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water..

Sort things, make 3 piles

1 pile white,

1 pile colored,

1 pile work britches and rags.

To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling water.

Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and boil, then rub colored don't boil just wrench and starch.

Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch.

Hang old rags on fence.

Spread tea towels on grass.

Pore wrench water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.

Turn tubs upside down.

Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs.. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.

================================================

Paste this over your washer and dryer Next time when you think things are bleak, read it again, kiss that washing machine and dryer, and give thanks. First thing each morning you should run and hug your washer and dryer, also your toilet---those two-holers used to get mighty cold!

For you non-southerners - wrench means, rinse ;)

AND WE THOUGHT WE HAVE IT ROUGH

Beautiful Saturday!!1

No I did not fall off the face of the earth and I have NOT been too busy to post. The canning is finished and I am enjoying some do-nothing days. BUT I have a problem. I like to begin a post with a picture. Without a picture I feel nothing I write is worthy of your time to read and for several days I have been unable to upload a picture. Can anyone help me? I can find the image I want and go through the same process that has worked for me all these years but then everything stops and nothing uploads. Oh, well, I have some interesting pictures I have wanted to share along with some comments. Perhaps I can find a solution. I have a tall grandson who SOMETIMES helps me but often he is just too busy. He has time to eat a Sunday dinner and then work or ? is calling. I must admit, he has helped me over a lot of rough places and I do appreciate him, also his brother who left us and now resides more than 1,000 miles away. We miss you Jaron.

I am so thankful for the sunshine we enjoyed yesterday. We also have sunshine today and it is very welcome after endless days of clouds. We have had some rain but not too much and certainly no floods as many areas have had. I feel for the folks who have lost their homes and everything they have worked for all their lives.

I wish for everyone a great weekend and remember to spend some time in God's house tomorrow.

Love you,
Dortha

Dust Bowl Days!!

Dust Bowl Days!!!

I saw this picture recently and it reminded me of the Dust Bowl Days we used to live through. If you have never experienced one, you cannot imagine the magnitude of the dust that comes across the fields as if it were a wall. The dust is so dense that very soon our house was dark as night and EVERYTHING was covered with dust. Even though the doors and windows were closed tightly, the dust still sifted in.

We were more fortunate than some since our farm had hills and lots of trees that lessened the amount of dust we got. The last dust storm I lived through was in Duncan, OK in the early '50's. I remember looking West from our living room window and wondering why the sky looked so dark and how a dark 'wall' kept getting closer and closer to our house. Very soon, we knew the answer. We were experiencing yet another dust storm. It was not nearly as severe as ones we saw in the '30's but it was no fun trying to get the dust out of our house.

I am so thankful we no longer have to endure the dust storms!!!!, Ice and snow, perhaps, but no dust!!!

Dortha

Fall is Here!!

Winter is on it's Way!~!~!~!

I am quite sure Fall is now here. The leaves are turning lose from the trees and fluttering to the ground. The wind has a different sound as it blows gently through the trees. Our nights are chilly and our day light hours are becoming much shorter------all signs that Winter is on it's way. That is all OK and as it should be. We have had a great Summer and I will spare you the recent statistics concerning the garden vegetables except to say the total number of jars of green beans that are now ready to enjoy during these coming months is now 174 quarts. I have put my cooker away for the second time and will not get it out again this year. The rest of the harvest will be eaten or given away. We are very grateful for our bountiful garden produce.

Hope all are well and enjoying life.

More later,
Dortha

More bean Canning!!!

Another Bean Canning Day!!!!

You may be tired hearing about the garden vegetables and bean canning but just in case you can stand one more report, the collage above will show you how we spent our day today. We prepared and pressure canned 19 quarts of real nice green beans. Also we shelled the black eyed peas in the bottom picture and put them in the freezer---14 pints of them. Merrel will pick beans, okra, tomatoes and peppers again tomorrow. We may need to can again. I have 40 or 50 nice red tomatoes waiting to be frozen or canned. I need to do that tomorrow. The 19 jars we canned today brings this years total to 156 Quarts.

This will be a day to remember!! We have a new little great-granddaughter in CA. Her name is Jasmine. She arrived at 1:15 this afternoon, weighed in at a little more than 7 pounds. We are anxious to see her but will have to enjoy pictures of her for awhile. If she had waited 5 more days to arrive, her birth date would have been 9-9-09.

For today, that is all folks!!!

Dortha

Today's Bounty!!!

Today's Fresh Garden Vegetables!!

This post will be two fold. Perhaps you will feel envious and/or maybe you have a little extra sympathy!!! Sympathy for me, that is!!! Looks as if tomorrow will find me canning beans, even though I have already packed my canner away for the Winter. Dear 'ole Dad picked everything you see in the pictures today and no doubt will pick as much on Saturday. I don't mind unpacking the canner in order to save everything he brings in. We have given away lots and lots of beans, okra and tomatoes. We are running out of people who want them--or at least those who are close enough to share. We thought the bean vines had produced all they could for this year but after we got some nice rains, the vines took on new growth and looks as if they will continue to produce until we have a heavy frost or freeze. I think he brought in 47 tomatoes today. They, too, will continue to produce until frost. We are so blessed and so thankful for God's blessings.

Wish I could share with YOU!!!
Dortha