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

Monday Night Dinner on Holland Hill

Monday Night Dinner on Holland Hill

I promised I would post some pictures and comments of our week end. Roger's original plan was to leave Sunday night. We are thankful he was able to extend his visit until Tues. morning so we got the "crew" together again for a Monday night meal---this time the meal centered around fried chicken. Twelve hungry people gathered around our well used dining room table and I don't think any one left hungry. Mr. Jax got more attention than the fried chicken did but he deserved it. He is a cute, friendly little guy and we are glad we can see him often. The plate sitting near the center of the collage belongs to Roger. I should have taken an "after" picture. As I remember, he was able to eat it all!!!!

We had a really nice time. We will be doing it again in Oct. when Roger and Scott will be here for several days. You who were not able to join us this time, perhaps can come then.

Love you,
Dortha

September is Here!!!

Happy Birthday to all who have birthdays in September. Can this really be the second day of September? That is what my calendar says. August seemed to fly by but at the same time it left us with some special memories. We had a non-stop week end with our family and friends. We were treated to a special dinner at River-side Inn on Saturday night. Six of us had a really nice dinner and time of visiting. On Sunday, 13 people filled their plates and found a place at my dining room table. On Monday evening, 12 people shared food and fun around that same table. It was a good 4 days and a birthday to remember---my 81st!!!! Just cannot understand how 81 birthdays have come and gone in such a short time. I am very thankful for the years and the life I have been blessed with and am especially thankful for my dear and thoughtful family. I will add some pictures and comments about our time together a little later. Haven't down loaded the pics yet. Some will need some explaining. We laughed a lot!!!

Our weather could not have been nicer while our company was here. Today we have clouds and light rain with 58 degrees. I need to find a long sleeved shirt!!!!!

Must get off here and get my day started. Hope each of you have a good one.

Love you,
Dortha