Friday, April 27, 2012

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



Monday, April 16, 2012

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.

Friday, April 13, 2012

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




Friday, April 6, 2012

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

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

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