I've Seen Everything Now

My son and husband called to me and told me to bring my camera.

I had no idea what they were going to have me take a picture of.

Picture One - My son's 1989 Ford F-150. He doesn't drive it often, but it comes in handy when he has to haul stuff. It had been sitting down next to our building for a week or so. We were loading stuff on it to take back to Lowes. Before leaving, he put up the hood to check the oil. It is a good thing he did.

Picture Two - Seems the inside of his engine is a little messy. I wonder what Charley is looking at.

Picture Three - He is pointing to a bird nest. Can you believe a robin has built a nest under the hood of my son's truck!!!

Picture Four - There are five eggs! I have never seen five eggs in a robin's nest before.
WHY and HOW a robin built a nest in his engine for, I would love to know.
She sure didn't want anyone to find this nest.

Robins never cease  to amaze me as to where they will build their nest.

But, I have to admit, this is the first time I have seen them build one inside a truck engine.

As I said in the title of my post - I've Seen Everything Now!

How about you?

Where is the weirdest place you have seen a bird build their nest?

Posted by Janet Smart  on Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

Around our House

                  

 We have one strawberry almost ready to pick (tee hee) if we can beat the birds to it!

Flowers are blooming!

In addition to our large bleeding hearts, many hostas, climbing clematises, about to pop irises and peonies, pink and purple columbines and growing ferns, I have an old child's wheelbarrow blooming with petunias.

The bird population is growing on our little acre!

There are many bird nests in our trees and bushes. But, robins always pick the unusual places to build their nest. Mrs. Robin built this nest in an old bird feeder nailed to the end of our row of grapevines. Her poor baby birds get the evening sun, though.

Projects are getting done!

My son salvaged a huge wild cherry tree that had uprooted in the woods. He made this bench for us and saved many more slabs for future projects.

We pruned our apple trees, and I saved some of the tree limbs. I am making these flower arrangements from them. You just drill holes for the flowers and insert them. Add birds and whatever else you want. I love them. They look good on your front porch or your dining room table. I added birds and bird nests to mine. I still have more to make. If you like rustic decorating, you will like these. You can't see it very good, but I have a hummingbird hanging onto a flower on the one in the back. I don't glue the stems in, so when the seasons change you can insert different flowers.

 Posted by  Janet Smart  on Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

Strawberry Pyramid

We decided to plant a strawberry patch.
We've had strawberry patches before, but the strawberries took over and the weeds took over, so we made a pyramid. We saw these in a seed catalog, but they were pretty expensive, so we decided to make our own.

We bought a 40 ft roll of lawn edging for less than $13. . . and some top soil and one bag of peat moss.

Cut the edging into 3 pieces.
18ft - 10 3/16" for the bottom 6 foot circle.
12ft - 6 13/16" for the middle 4 foot circle.
6ft - 3 3/8" for the top 2 foot circle.

My son connected them by overlapping the ends, and using a soldering iron and melting the ends together on both sides. I wish I had taken a picture when he did this, but I didn't. Because he did cut out about a 1 1/2" piece on one of the ends before he overlapped them. But you probably wouldn't have to do this.

We placed it in a tilled part of our garden. We pushed the bottom 6 ft circle down in the freshly tilled ground about half way, then dumped 12 - 40 lb bags of topsoil and a 2cu ft bag of sphagnum peat moss inside it. We mixed it up good with a hoe. Then we pulled the dirt toward the inside (keeping the outside dirt level even with the top of the 6 ft circle) and placed the 4ft circle around the pulled up dirt. We leveled the dirt out and then pulled the extra toward the center and placed the last 2ft circle around it.

We spaced 18 strawberry plants in the three layers. Three in top, Six in the middle and 9 in the bottom layer. We bought 6 packs of them at WalMart.

We have a chance of frost around here till about the middle of May, so my son went to the building and found these long plastic electrical conduits. He punched four holes around the outside of the pyramid, stuck the pipes in them and voila - we have a frame to put plastic over when there is a chance of frost. It might also be handy in case we have trouble with birds and have to put netting over them. My son comes up with the neatest ideas sometimes.

 

We bought ever-bearers, and there is plenty of room for the runners to spread out and take root, so I hope we get to enjoy fresh picked strawberries this year.

Posted by  Janet Smart  on Writing in the Blackberry Patch

 

Peanut Butter Pie

I love peanut butter . . . and I love peanut butter pie.

But most recipes are a little complicated and fattening.

This one is very good - and easy to make!

I also think it is less fattening than some of the other recipes I've seen.

Ingredients:

one 8oz carton Cool Whip (thawed)- minus 1 cup
1 graham  cracker crust
1/2 cup jelly of your choice
1 cup cold milk (I use skim milk)
1 3oz package of instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup peanut butter

Spread jelly onto the bottom of the crust.
In a bowl, mix with a mixer the milk and pudding mix for one minute. 
Add peanut butter and mix well.
Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over jelly.

Cover and freeze for four hours or until firm. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.


If you like peanut butter, you will love this pie. It is very good. I sprinkled chocolate chips on top of my slice or you could squirt Hershey's chocolate syrup on top if you want - or you could put a spoonful of the leftover Cool Whip on your slice.

(Personally, I like chocolate with my peanut butter)

I hope you like it. It got a thumbs up from everyone at my house tonight!

Janet Smart     Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

Happy Birthday, Charley

I have three sons, each one unique in his own way.

Charley is my oldest son.

Sometimes I feel sorry for first born children.
As they learn to take their first steps and to talk, you are also learning to be a parent for the first time.
Sometimes you both struggle and fall, but oh what a fun journey it is!

He was our whiz kid. It was normal for him to read, write, spell and have medical conversations with his pediatrician before he was five years old. He wore glasses at the tender age of three. He would fall asleep at night with a book in his hands. He loves computers, science and anything new that challenges him.

How fast time passes by.

From his first smile and wave
he stole our hearts.

He became a big brother less than 2 years later when he welcomed home
his little brother Andrew.

His first day of Kindergarten.

Later he became a big brother again when our youngest son Davy was born.
He was growing up before our very eyes.

From kindergarten to college graduation.
They grow up too fast.

He's married now, but he's still my baby.

Happy Birthday, Charley!

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

 

Snow, Eaglecam and a Giveaway

Woke up to a  little snow this morning. . . and so did the eagles at Shepherdstown. They sure are dedicated parents.

Go here to check them out.  Their eggs are due to hatch about the middle of March.


Thought I'd give my followers a thumbs up about a picture book giveaway I am having over on my writing blog. (Yes, I am still writing!) A friend of mine just had a picture book published!


Go to Creative Writing in the Blackberry Patch and comment for a chance to win it for your kids, grand-kids or you!

Thanks!


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

Sunday Thoughts

 A beautiful spring day and a beautiful sleeping baby.

At a little country church filled with lots of family history and lots of love.

This is a picture of my first son's first day at church back in April of 1980. 

 The church was founded by his ancestor, Rev. William Ballard Parsons. 

FIRSTS

by Janet F. Smart

Our minds are filled with memories.

Sometimes we don't recall the firsts . . .

but someone else does.

The camera captures the moments

for the minds that were too young

to know what was.

 

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

Sunday Thoughts

The Finest Church

by Janet F. Smart

The finest church you see

does not outshine the small.

What matters is His love

that dwells inside the walls.

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

Vintage Drinking Glasses

I admit it!

I have a collection of drinking glasses. 

They made them so pretty long  ago! The ones  on the left - the yellow/white stiped ones with what looks like a carnation in the middle - I got these at a yard sale. She said they were in flour bags a long time ago. I bought four of them (I think I paid $1 each for them) and she kept the other four.

 These were my moms. I think the boxer one was a peanut butter jar.

I used to refund a lot. These Keebler glasses I obtained free by sending in Keebler cookie upcs.

These are on top of our small freezer. My grandma used to keep her glasses on top of her refrigerator. Did your mom or Grandma do that,  too?

 I love the strawberry glasses. I have four of the Coke glasses. And I love the one with the red flower.

 Here are a few more. As you can tell, I like yellow! But I must confess the one with the torquoise flower on it is one of my favorites.

 This is my latest  addition. I saw this at the thrift  store Tuesday, and I couldn't resist giving her a quarter for this one.  It is very heavy and the cherries and white sections stick out, kind of like they are embossed. I've never seen any like  it before. I wish there had been more of them!

I've had these Anchor Hocking tulip glasses for a long time. They are a favorite of mine. The container in the middle doesn't match, (I believe it must have been put out to match Corelle dishes, because the pattern matches one of their designs).

I love these wheat glasses and  pitcher. I have five of the glasses. I don't know who made them.

And,  last but not least, are my juice  glasses! They are so cute.

I have had more, but gotten rid of them at yard sales. A girl can only have so many glasses, you  know, before they start  to take over.

But, I must confess, I do have more. Maybe I'll  post them on another day.

Which one is your favorite?
Do you collect drinking glasses or maybe  some other item that catches your eye when you see them at yard sales or thrift stores.

I'd love to hear about what you collect.

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

Spring Fever in the Middle of Winter

 I'm glad our female cardinal is fat and fluffy. It's cold outside!

I have gotten in the spring fever mode  recently.

I have been going through my kitchen cabinets and refrigerator . . . and tossing stuff.

Do you ever let things on your shelves go out of date?

Some products don't have any dates on them, some have 'best if used by' dates and some have 'sell by' dates.

My buttermilk often goes 'out of date' in the fridge. But I still use it. I let my husband give it the sniff and taste test.
Bread also gets the sniff test. If it smells moldy when I open the bag, but I still don't see any, I usually toss it if it is out of date. But since I often put an extra loaf of bread in the freezer when I get it, I can't always go by the date.


I found a site here that tells you about expiration dates on certain foods.
Here is another article on WEBMD about dates on foods.

What do you do with out of date products you find in your cabinets or refrigerator?

Instantly throw them away.
Think about it for a while, then toss them.
Use them up real fast and hope they are okay.
Toss them, but don't let your husband see you do it. (I do this one a lot)

I've got a bag of expired items ready to go out in the trash on Thursday.

I  promised myself I wasn't going to let things expire again. Hope I can keep that promise. I hate wasting food.

Now, onto my bookshelves, which contain as much 'stuff' as they do books!

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

New Year's Day Superstitions

I thought I'd better get this post out today - you know just in case you want to do or not do any of these things.  (just kidding folks)


New Year's Day is full of superstitions. Many differ, depending on what part of the country you live in.

Now for us, you just have to eat cabbage on New Year's Day. There's just no getting around it. The stores in our area always put cabbage on sale this time of year. I've already bought me a big head of it. When I was growing up, Mom used to put a silver coin in it (usually a dime) and the one who spooned it out with their helping was sure to come into money that year. I really think it was just a way to get us kids to eat cabbage, though. We all wanted that dime!

And, as far as my grandma went, you had to be a male or you weren't entering her house first on New Year's Day! They said she had her son who lived next door come to her house bright and early. I guess it didn't hurt that he was also tall, dark haired, and handsome, which is another superstition people had about the first footer.

There are lots of superstitions I found on the internet. Some of the more prevalent ones were:

Wear new clothes. This would mean receiving new garments throughout the coming year.
Avoid crying if you don't want to continue the pattern throughout the new year.
Be nice and refrain from using foul language.
Don't let money leave the house. Don't pay bills or loan money on New Year's Day. Or for that matter don't even take out the garbage or shake out a rug! This will ensure that nothing goes out of the home during the new year. Some soften this rule by saying it is okay to remove things if something is brought in first.
At midnight, all the doors must be opened to let the old year escape.
Make sure your wallets, purses and cupboards are well stocked on New Year's Day and it will bring prosperity.
Do not do the laundry on New Year's Day! It will 'wash away' or lead to a death in the family.
Pay your bills or loans before the New Year so you won't have any debt left for the New Year.
Make as much noise as possible at Midnight - you are scaring away evil spirits. Evil spirits hate loud noises, this is also why church bells are rung on wedding days.
Babies born on this day will have luck on their side.
 If a girl looks out her bedroom window upon rising and sees a man walking outside, it is said she will be married before the year is out.
And, be sure to kiss at midnight! This will ensure that those affections will continue throughout the following year.

So there you have it. Be sure and pay all your bills today, go shopping and stock up on groceries, do your laundry, put money in everyone's wallet or purse(even if it's just a few pennies), kiss the one you love at midnight, and then proceed to make a lot of noise!
Then on New Year's Day be sure and wear new clothing you received for Christmas, be nice and polite, make sure a man comes into your house first, then proceed to make a big pot of cabbage for dinner!

That shouldn't be too much to remember.
Do you have any more to add to my list?

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

Celebrate an Old-Fashioned Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Thought I'd post my column I wrote for Two-Lane Livin' magazine's December issue.

Celebrate an Old-Fashioned Christmas 

 by: Janet F. Smart

What Christmas carol is a favorite of parents? Silent Night!

Celebrate an old-fashioned Christmas with all its sights, sounds and smells.

Add some old-fashioned Christmas sights to your house by popping popcorn and making strands to string on your Christmas tree. Hang cookie cutters on your tree, string them across your mantle or use them as napkin rings. Sprinkle powdered sugar on large pinecones and make a small grouping of ‘snow covered pinecone trees’ to set on a placemat and put it in the middle of your kitchen table.

Add some old-fashioned Christmas sounds to your house by hanging jingle bells on your front door and playing Christmas music on your radio or CD player. Light your fireplace and listen to the crackling of the warm fire on a frosty morning.

Add some old-fashioned Christmas smells to your house by baking sugar cookies, lighting cinnamon scented candles, making cinnamon dough ornaments to hang on your tree and, of course, putting up a piney smelling Christmas tree.

Charles Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip, said, “Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.”

You can visit a neighbor and present them with a plate of cookies or read a Christmas story to a younger family member or friend. Some good holiday books are:

Berenstain Bears Old Fashioned Christmas, The Polar Express, The Night Before Christmas, The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving, God Gave us Christmas, A Christmas Carol, Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus, Olivia Helps With Christmas, Snowmen at Christmas and Bear Stays up for Christmas.

The spirit of Christmas lives in your heart. Give the gift of love and friendship. Make homemade gifts; share your voice by going caroling in your neighborhood. Have a family fun night each week. Pop some popcorn and watch a Christmas movie.

But, most of all, remember what Dr. Seuss said in The Grinch That Stole Christmas. He puzzled three hours till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before, “Maybe Christmas,” he thought…“doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps …means a little bit more!”

And what happened, then? Well, in Whoville they say – that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day!

Merry Christmas!

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

 

Christmas Memories and Wishes

Christmas is almost here and our mind drifts back to memories of past Christmases.

We are sad at first, but we should remember them with happiness and joy. We cannot step back, even though we sometimes wish that we could. So let us try and remember with a smile while we make more memories.

I remember Grandma's cedar tree that she put in her living room for a Christmas tree and Aunt Gracie's big Christmas tree covered with icicles, put on with perfection. I don't think there was a limb on her tree left uncovered and I remember her large waxed pine cone. I had never seen a pine cone that large before and it amazed me. And we always went in the woods and cut down our tree. We never had one of those aluminum trees, thank goodness. I remember stringing popcorn and putting it on the tree.

We always had hard Christmas candy and those chocolate balls. Mom put them in her milk glass candy container. . . and the nuts! We always had a big bag of mixed nuts that was put in a bowl for us to crack and eat during the holidays.

I remember the church Christmas plays I was in. One program I remember from when I was in grade school was when the upper grades sang Twas the Night Before Christmas while other children acted it out on stage. And I remember all the Christmas programs my kids were in when they were in grade school. I am lucky to have many pictures and movies of most of them.

I remember crafting with Mom. We made Santa from Readers Digest books.

I don't remember when I stopped believing in Santa, but I always remember when I was older we opened our presents on Christmas Eve night. After I married and had children, we started opening the presents on Christmas morning.

I remember when my oldest son was three years old, we found out he needed glasses. It was during the Christmas season and when he came home and saw the lights on the Christmas tree, it startled him and his eyes got real big. Before, I guess the lights were all a blur.

Mom used to wear a Santa hat on Christmas. I have her hat now and display it during December. . .and try and remember her with happy memories, but a tear always wells up in my eyes.

I do not know why some memories stay with me and others don't. I led a normal and uneventful life, so I think the memories that stayed with me are the simple memories of the things that we always did and the fact that we did them every year made the memories stick in my mind. We never did anything or received anything spectacular, so I don't have those kind of memories. . . only the memories of the simple things.

But they were special! They were special or I would not remember with such fondness.

I wish you and your family a simple, yet special Christmas this year.
Make memories for you and your family to remember in the years to come.

Comment and tell us about some of your memories. I'd love to hear them.

God Bless you all and Merry Christmas!

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