Monday, May 28, 2012

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







Friday, May 25, 2012

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

Saturday, May 12, 2012

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

Monday, May 7, 2012

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

 



Wednesday, May 2, 2012

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