Summer is a time for. . .

Summer is a time for yard sales, sizzling heat, storms and blackberries.

I just don't like to experience them all on the same day.

My neighbor and I picked the hottest day of the year to have a yard sale.

With temperatures soaring over 100 degrees, thank goodness for me and my yard sale visitors, I chose to put my stuff under the shade of our apple trees. I am glad to say I got rid of a few big items, such as our troy-bilt tiller, our son's truck tool box and my manual treadmill.

The evening after the yard sale we were visited by the worst storm of the year. Well, let's just say the worst wind storm we have had since building here in 1980.

We were lucky, we were left with electricity and our trees still in the ground, though missing a lot of limbs. Our yard and subdivision were littered with pieces of siding, uprooted trees, tree limbs, blown away bird houses and feeders and lots of stuff from who knows where.

My blackberry vines were damaged, but thank goodness, not destroyed.

 

  

I don't know about you, but I hope the rest of the summer is a little less uneventful!

Posted by Janet F. Smart on Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

Yard Sale Finds

It's been a while since I visited here with you.

I've been to a writer's conference, I've been writing and rewriting, I've been busy in our garden and I've been to a few yard sales.

I don't get as much as I used to, but sometimes I just can't resist picking up a few things.

Here are three items I've found lately:

This beautiful vintage ceramic cake/pie server. 

I almost missed this laying on the table, I was on my way to pay for a book I found.

It was only 50 cents! I love it. 

 I picked up three of these cloth calendars. Aren't they adorable with the little girls making a wish.

Remember the aprons I made with these calendars earlier this year. I thought these would be

real pretty for little girl aprons.

This vintage rooster cookie jar! 

I love cookie jars and I didn't have a rooster one. 

Looking at her from this direction, you would never know that the lid has been broken

and  glued back together and that a piece of his comb is missing. But then, I only paid

25 cents for it. So who cares that he is not perfect.

It's like people. It's whats on the inside that counts.

If you want to hear about the writing conference I attended last weekend, go over to my writing blog and read about it.

Posted by Janet Smart in Writing in the Blackberry Patch
©Janet Smart

National Doughnut Day

Wow, I hear it is National Doughnut Day!
I love doughnuts, though I haven't had any for a while. I think I gain a few pounds just looking at one.

National Doughnut Day was started by the Salvation Army in 1938 to commemorate the volunteers who passed out doughnuts to soldiers during World War I.

What's my favorite?

Krispy Kreme! I love Krispy Kreme doughnuts!
Glazed ones, the ones with chocolate spread on top, the lemon filled ones (I love these), the ones with the pudding squirted inside of them.
Yummy, yummy, yummy!

I hear that Krispy Kreme is giving a free doughnut to anyone that comes into their stores today. I wish there was one in our area.

I posted last year how to make 'whop doughnuts.'
Do you know what they are?
If not, I will refresh your memory.
You make them with Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits, that you 'whop' on the side of the counter to open.
That's why I call them 'whop doughnuts.'

Mom made these when we were kids.

You can top them with a cinnamon sugar mixture,  confectioners sugar or a glaze.

Mix one cup of confectioners sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and 3 T of milk to make the glaze.

Next, put oil in the skillet. You can use a small skillet, that way you don't have to use so much oil. The oil only needs to be an inch or less deep in the skillet.

Whop your can of biscuits to open it up and put them down on a flat surface. I flattened mine out a little with a rolling pin. Take the middle out of your biscuit cutter and punch out a hole in the middle of the biscuit. If you don't have one of these, you can use a bottle cap or anything else you have that is the size of a donut hole.

Put them in the hot oil. Be careful and be quick! They only take what seems like a few seconds to turn golden brown underneath. Quickly flip them over with a fork or tongs and let them turn golden brown on the other side. Take them out of the skillet.

Do this with the holes and the donuts.

Now comes the fun  part. Use your imagination and top them with whatever you have a taste for. You can dip them in the glaze or sprinkle both sides with a cinnamon/sugar mixture or confectioners sugar.

I must admit, I like the cinnamon/sugar and confectioners sugar topping the best.

What is your favorite doughnut?

Posted by Janet F.  Smart at Writing in the Blackberry Patch
©Janet F. Smart

Scenes From a Country Cemetery

There is a small country cemetery

close to my heart.

It holds the remains of my ancestors.

 A grave stone is out of place,  

shoved between the outstretched arms of an old tree 

and guarded by poison ivy.

The cemetery is hidden up on the hillside among the trees.

Many times, as a child, my feet climbed up the 

crooked and steep pathway that led to the grave sites.

A few days later, I would be  reminded of my

trip to the top of the hill 

when the red shiny bumps of poison ivy appeared

on my legs.

 I wonder who lies here beneath this small unmarked grave stone up against a large tree?

Could it have been Gr-grandma Emily's son, Alexander, who died before the census of 1900.

The census stated that Emily had 4 children, but only 3 were living.

Grandma used to cut flowers from her yard and 

bunch them together in bouquets.

She placed them on Grandpa's grave

and the graves of two of her children.

As the years passed by, Grandma was no longer

able to climb up on the hill. I continued to go with

Mom and Dad.

I now put flowers on Grandma's grave.

I visit and remember. 

I remember my great grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins

who rest there in the serenity of the shaded hillside.

I remember a time gone by.

Posted by Janet F. Smart at Writing in the Blackberry Patch.
©Janet F. Smart

Can She Make a Cherry Pie?

Remember the old folk song Billy Boy?

1st verse-----
Oh, where have you been, Billy Boy, Billy Boy,  Oh, where have you been charming Billy?
I have been to seek a wife, She's the joy of my life, Shes' a young thing and cannot leave her mother.

4th verse-----
Can she make a cherry pie, Billy Boy, Billy Boy, Can she make a cherry pie, charming Billy?
She can make a cherry pie, Quick's a cat can wink her eye,  She's a young thing and cannot leave her mother.

Well, I'd flunk out on that 4th verse. Billy wouldn't want me. I have the hardest time making cherry pies.
I've only tried a few times, because I'm not very good at them. Mine seem to be on the runny side.

I love eating them right off the tree and can make scrumptious cherry cobblers and cheery cherry jam, but my cherry pies are a flop.

We picked a beautiful bowl of cherries as dark was coming upon us.
My son says he wants a cherry pie. Any suggestions on how to make a delicious, no fail cherry pie?
Or, how do you like to eat your cherries?


Posted by Janet F.  Smart on Writing in the Blackberry Patch
©Janet F. Smart

My Mother's Day Present To Me

I went to a few yard sales today. I could have came home after the first one and been very, very happy.

I told my husband that these were my Mother's Day presents to me.

A hand-quilted Dutch Boy quilt. (I think that is what the pattern is called) I just love, love, love it.
It is full size and cost me $5

A Fenton Spanish Lace with silver crest footed cake plate. I've always wanted one of these. They say they were one of the most popular pieces that Fenton made. $1
I'm making a strawberry pie for tomorrow, I think I will display my pie on the cake plate.

A Fenton Birthday Bear and Fenton handpainted cat. $2 each

I am not a very high maintenance girl. Just take me to a yard sale and I am happy.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!

Posted by Janet F. Smart on Writing in the Blackberry Patch.
© Janet F. Smart

Eating Healthier

I've been trying to eat healthier this year.

Of course, I haven't ate a Big Mac or sausage biscuit from Burger King or Tudors in years, though I used to love those Big Macs. We now buy turkey sausage and make sausage gravy and biscuits at home on Saturdays to satisfy my husband's craving for sausage.

However, lately I have been trying not to eat at night and I have cut back on my sweets. I have lost six pounds just by doing this. I hate counting calories!

Junk food for me is sweets. I don't particularly care for potato chips and crunchy snacks, although that is the weakness of my husband. He has low sodium, though, and he gets cravings for salty items. Not me, just give me something with Hershey in its name, and I am happy.

Anyways I have cut back a lot on my sweets and I've started snacking on fresh broccoli and cauliflower when I'm starving in-between meals. Cookies never worked at filling a hungry stomach for me any way. I'd still be hungry after eating a piece of candy or cookie. Not so with the veggies.

There is a great dip at WalMart in the fresh vegetable section. It is made by Marketside and it is a low fat buttermilk ranch dip in a clear plastic container. It is delicious and great to dip the vegetables in.

I also make salmon cakes once a week for supper. Surprisingly, my kids like to eat them too. I just open up a can, take out the soft bones, add egg, finely diced onions, and a slice of our double fiber bread that has been chopped up fine in my Black and Decker mini chopper. I make cakes and fry them in olive oil.

Below are three things I've added to my diet.

a handful of almonds each day, steel cut oats and fresh garlic

I had never ate steel cut oats before, but had heard Dr. Oz and Oprah speak of them. While at a health food store in Flatwoods a few weeks back, I found them in bulk. I bought a big bag at only 79 cents a pound. This makes them cheaper than the regular oats. There were no instructions on the bag. I've been experimenting with the ratio of water to oats. I've found that two cups of water to 3/4 cup of oats makes two large size servings. I cook them for 15 minutes. Be sure the last few minutes of cooking time that you watch the pot, because it starts getting dry and I usually have to add a little water. I love the texture of them - a little crunchy and nutty. For those of you who don't like soft mushy oatmeal, I bet you would like this type. They also keep well. If you make too much, put the leftovers in the fridge and add a little milk and warm up in the microwave the next morning.

I've eaten almonds for quite some time now.

I recently read where garlic was good for your blood pressure, so I started cutting off slivers, putting it in empty capsules you can buy at the health food store, and taking it at breakfast and supper.  BUT, I STOPPED doing that because my blood pressure was getting a little too low. It worked that good! My pressure was getting so it was in the 90s on top and high 50s on the bottom. Even though my doctor said he never heard of anyone dying of low blood pressure, I don't like it that low. It makes me feel funny. I believe how it works is that it thins your blood.

I had been hearing on the news lately that they now think sugar contributes to high cholesterol. That may explain why my husband's cholesterol was always better than mine, he doesn't eat sweets like I do.

The last blood test I had about a month ago, my cholesterol had come down and my blood pressure wasn't high in the office. (I'm one of those that has blue coat syndrome and my pressure is always high in the doctor's office, even though I do take blood pressure medicine).

Have you been doing anything to eat healthier?

Posted by Janet F. Smart at Writing in the Blackberry Patch.
©Janet F. Smart

 

Irises, Snowballs and Poppies - oh my!

The weather has turned warm again. Please stay this way,  I do not want  the cold to return.

My flowers are blooming earlier than usual,  because of the extra warm spring we had. I am thankful most have survived the cold we've had lately.

 I love snowball bushes. They bring back  fond memories of Grandma. She had a bush in her yard and every June we'd all gather in front of it and take pictures. Wish I had all my cousins out here, we could strike a pose and make more memories.

The only thing I do not like about snowball bushes is that the big white flowers don't stay with us long enough. I wish I could  enjoy them all summer.

Okay, this last find is not blooming. But it made me smile when I found it a few days ago. I will add this tiny arrowhead to my collection. You can't tell  in the picture,but the color of it has the prettiest kiss of pink on the surface of it.

You can go here and look at my other posts about Indian artifacts I've found.

 

 What's blooming in your yard?

Posted by Janet F. Smart at Writing in the Blackberry Patch.
©Janet F. Smart

Uses for a Mop

I think we need to get a new mop.

Ours has been taken over by a needy robin.

I think I will peek from behind, to see if anyone is watching

 

the coast is clear

 

I think I can...I think I can

Of to my nest, with supplies in mouth

My son told me the other day that the birds were using our mop for nesting supplies.

He was right!

Posted by Janet F.  Smart at Writing in the Blackberry Patch

©Janet F. Smart

Saying Good Bye to Daddy

This is going to be a short post. I type it with tears in my eyes.

We saw Daddy for the last time Saturday. He passed away and we never got to him in time to say good bye,  although my sister and I tried our best.

We knew he was getting weaker, but we never expected this.

They said he was laughing and joking with "the girls" at the nursing home only five minutes before he passed away. When they returned to his room only five minutes later to ask him what he wanted to drink with his meal, he was slumped over and unresponsive.

He went quickly, which was good, he did not suffer. He is now in a better place. We didn't make it there in time, but I am  glad he was surrounded by three of the staff when he passed. They said they comforted him and told him they loved him and that his girls loved him.

I've always heard animals could sense death in a person. I am a believer of this.


Daddy didn't like cats. He never let the nursing home cats in his room.

The nursing home cat came in his room and was there the entire time we were with Daddy. The sleek black cat walked around his bed and promptly jumped up in his window and sat. She looked at me and purred quietly when I rubbed her back. She never left and was there when we left the  room a few hours later.


I read about it this morning on the internet at this site.

Thank you for letting me share my feelings with you this morning. It sometimes helps to let it out and I consider all my followers as my friends.

Remember me and my family in your prayers the next few days.



Posted by Janet F. Smart at Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

Everything Fiesta!

We took a trip to Flatwoods,  WV to the Everything Fiesta tent sale on Thursday.

We met quite a character in the long checkout line. A good character! She was in front of us and a recent transplant to West Virginia from Brooklyn NY. We talked and talked and yet never exchanged our names.
She said she missed certain foods since moving down here. She didn't know what corn dogs were and, needless to say, her idea of a hot dog with everything on it was quite different than ours.

She also stated, "You know you wouldn't believe how many people think you live in Virginia when you say you live in West Virginia."

I replied, "I couldn't agree with you more. You would think they never had geography class in school." It was neat hearing that observation from someone else besides a home grown West Virginian.

One of the nicest things about going to events like this is that you get to meet some of the nicest people with the same interests as you have - a love for Fiesta.

Why do I love Fiesta? Well, a few reasons are that it is a product made in the USA, it is proudly made in West Virginia and it is so colorful!

 

Here I am, squinting away at the sun, which managed to come out for a little while.  I am pulling my treasures around in the checkout line in our little red wagon.

  

Here are some bowls that I  loved. I did have a large and a medium size yellow one in my wagon until I found out what they cost. The large one's discount price was $25. That was a little steep for me, so I reluctantly put them back. I thought they were mixing bowls, but they were baking bowls.

 

A smile came to my face this morning when I walked in the kitchen and saw my colorful plates sitting on the kitchen table. How can you look at these and not smile.

  

See the long turquoise trays on the right? I did not have any of those in my wagon until the lady from NY pointed out the ones she had and told me she thought they were corn plates. Well, that is not what Homer Laughlin calls them, but we thought they would be perfect for corn on the cob and I promptly went and got six out of the bin. 

Everyone in line gave their ideas as to what they could be used for. Some of the ideas we tossed around were: hotdogs, corndogs, corn on the cob, a spoon rest, side order of fries or relish (which I think is what it is supposed to be used for). I told them I just left my relish in the jar. What would you use it for?

My husband was proud to have found the salt and pepper shaker and sugar packet caddy. He found the red caddy in a bin with broken pieces. I think it was the only one there. He didn't even know what it was but thought it was cute and picked it up. I am glad he did. Everyone who saw it, wanted it. 

I got two bread trays. I love them. In addition to bread, they work great for a cheese ball and crackers.

A stack of pretty luncheon plates sits on top of a baking/pizza tray. I thought it would be pretty to display cookies and cupcakes on the large pizza tray.

I love the little stack of yellow bowls. I went and got them at the last minute when we were in the checkout line. They are called chowder bowls, but they worked great this morning for my oatmeal! They would also be great for ice cream, chilli or soup.

So you can see that you can use your imagination and use them for whatever you want, not just what they are supposed to be used for.

Read about the history of Fiestaware here.
Go here to look at vintage Fiestaware.

Do you have any?

Posted by Janet F. Smart on Writing in the Blackberry Patch.
©Janet F. Smart

Old Songbook

I went to a few yard sales today and only came back with one item. I paid a dime for my purchase.

I bought the 1938 song book that Teddy is holding. I love it.  It is filled with old songs. The songs are indexed as Banquet and Greeting Songs, Children's Songs, Christmas Songs and Carols, College and Humorous Songs, Cowboy and Mountain Songs, Home and Folk Songs, Nature Songs, Negro Spirituals, Parting Songs, Patriotic Songs, Plantation Songs, Rounds, Sacred Songs and Hymns, Sea Songs and Chanteys, Sentimental Songs, Singing Games and Thanksgiving Songs.

Here are three songs that are classified as Mountain Songs.

I remember Billy Boy from when I was a kid. When I was young, we had an old record that had this song on it. I used to sing it all the time.

There are many other old time songs in the book. I'll be posting about them from time to time. Some I have heard and some I have not heard before.

One cute song is Prairie Flower. The words are:

I'm a little prairie flow'r, Growing wilder ev'ry hour;
Nobody cares to cultivate me, I'm as wild as wild can be.
I'm as wild as wild can be, Tu-ra-lu-ra, Tu-ra-le.


I'm a little wrinkled prune, May get stewed, and very soon;
If I do, look out for me, I'm as bad as bad can be.
I'm as bad as bad can be, Tu-ra-lu-ra, Tu-ra-le.

I hope you enjoyed sneaking a peek at my book as much as I did.

Posted by Janet Smart at Writing in the Blackberry Patch

A Colorful Spring

Spring has sprung here at the Blackberry Patch. 

Delicate ferns rising like

sea horses from the earthen floor

Violets bring back sweet memories

of children with a fistful of purple

and a wide grin on their face

Green coats and purple corsages

never looked more beautiful

The sweet scent and the soft shades of pink and white 

foretell the coming of rusty golden delicious apples

These baby 'trees' will bring forth

concord grapes, bursting with tart juice

Pink, white and green blend together

in perfect harmony 

Baby pears, tiny and delicate and just the

perfect shade of green.

Go here if you want to watch the baby eagles in Shepherdstown,  WV. They are growing fast!

Posted by Janet at Writing in the Blackberry Patch