Deanna and the not so giant peach

FROM THIS. . . .




TO THIS..........................

I don't know why it is, but this year, I am so excited about the orchard and garden. I guess I should say about the produce we are getting. I still don't get a kick out of weeding, but I sure do like the results after it is done. It just amazes me, that you can take a little seed, put it in the dirt and then get the things we get, after it has matured. This week, I bottled peaches. Look at what they went through to get to the last step.


TO THIS. . .


And finally this...............................

I have a family here on earth, they are so good to me............

Thanks to the efforts of my daughter, Kristina, all the Grokes and Groketts were together for the first time in a long time. The last time we were together for family pictures, Robert and I had five grandbabies. Since that time, we have added eight more and two more in-laws. We had a photo shoot in St. George. The weather turned out beautiful, and we had a wonderful time. Thanks, Kris, for having the spunk to do this. And thanks to all my children for keeping their Mama happy. Cause when Mama is happy every body is happy, but when Mama ain't happy.... well you know.

Announcing the Arrival of a new Grokett....... Weighing in at 1lb.

Robert and Deanna Groke are so exxxcited. They just gave birth to a new baby--Cabbage Patch type. What a beauty she is. From a little speck to a head big as mine. The new arrival was picked Saturday nite. Her first night home was so fun. Mama Groke couldn't get enough pictures. Sadly the beauty only lived for a day, as she found herself in the best cold slaw ever made. Grokes thank everyone for their concern with this pregnancy.

A proud Mama Groke shows off her latest off spring--a result of the empty nester's group

Deanna gives the newest Groke a good rub down. MMMMMM good!

I had a "Berry" busy day.

The strawberries are red, and ready to pick

I have to get them out of the garden quick

Moaning and groaning as I lift the leaves--

Trying not to get dirt and strawberry juice all over my sleeves.

Three or four berries I toss in to my pan

The next one, I throw in my mouth as fast as I can.

Oh so good, and sweet they taste

I can’t let even one go to waste.

I pick some more,

Wouldn’t it be so much easier to buy them at the store?

Then another I pop in my mouth.

And the thought of going to Walmart heads south.

Nothing taste better than food you have grown,

In your own little garden and all on your own.

The sun is up and I am tired

Into the house I will go before I am fired.

The berries are washed and ready to cook

I really would like to sit down and read a good book.

“Cannot be” I say to myself

As I ask Robert to take the empty pints off the shelf.

All ingredients in order, it is time to begin,

We cannot let laziness win.

The berries are crushed and measured just so

For over- doing it, would be a “No No”

Sure Jell I add, and let it cook until the mixture comes to a boil

This is just the beginning of my hours of toil.

Mix in some sugar before it starts to jell.

Too much or two little, it won’t thicken well.

Another rolling boil as you wait and stir

Let it boil a minute—on this you don’t want to err.

The timer rings, for the bottles you reach

This time it is for the strawberries, but next time it could be for a peach.

Being careful not to burn me,

I pour the jam real slowly.

The Kerr lids have boiled for 3 minute or more

This is help them to seal, I am sure

Wiping the top of the jar so clean

I have to do this or later the jam will turn green.

I cover the bottle with the flat and a ring

Screwing tightly and waiting anxiously for the jar to ping

Such a beautiful sound to the ear

Because it tells me my jam will be safe for a year.

The kitchen is a mess you can be sure

Jam is every where from the top to the floor.

Does it bother me? you ask

No sir, in the lime-light I bask.

Knowing the strawberries in the summer I did grow

But now I can enjoy them even during the cold and the snow.

Only her hair dresser knows for sure!

  There was a little girl,
Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good,
She was very good indeed,
But when she was bad she was horrid.

 -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Today, my cousin, Brent, wrote about the wild roses growing around New Harmony. Brent likes to get me thinking about my childhood. And he is very good at it. I was going through some of my pictures to find pictures of me in front of the yellow roses Brent talked about. In doing so, I came across a lot of pictures of me and my curly hair. When I was a teen, the in- thing to do was straighten your hair, I have always liked doing my own thing, and figure if Heavenly Father gave me curly hair, it was because he wanted me to have it. Therefore, I have never tried changing it, and to be honest, I am very thankful for it. When I see some of the stuff people go through to make their hair look good, I just shake my head--as if to say I don't have to do that--Nanny Nanny BooBoo

I am happy to say some of my curls are working their way down the line. My daughter, MaLynda looks like I did at that age. She is the top picture. Oh, and don't tell anybody, but she is wearing a wig. My granddaughter Aspen Hughes is getting more curls every day. She is the bottom right and I am the bottom left.

Yes there was a little girl who had a little curl and when she was good, she was very good, but when she was bad..........

Our black and white world

When one of my daughter's was a lot younger she ask me a very serious question. Don't worry, MaLynda, I won't tell them it was you--giggle. Her question to me was,"Mama, when you were little was the world black and white or was it in color?." Yesss, I got a good laugh from this, but I also knew it was a sincere question. I think she must have been watching a black and white movie thus prompting this line of thinking. Well, MaLynda you know your mother is a very big procrastinator. So some 15 years later, I will answer your question.

My world was both. I lived in beautiful New Harmony, and had family that I knew adored me, in that aspect, my world was colored, but many pictures taken during that time were black and white. However, you're Grandpa Vivian purchased a new camera and it actually took colored pictures. What I find interesting today is that even though a lot of these older pictures are in color, I prefer them in black and white, and thus with the magic of todays world, I just hit a couple of buttons and I can get these pictures in various shades. And with certain coloring tools, you can even add color to your black and white photos.

I yearn for some of those black and white pictures. This blog was prompted by my sister-in-law Karen, who sent me an e-mail this morning entitled "Our childhood in black and white." I almost deleted it, but decided to check it out. I am so glad I did. it brought back some fun memories-- memories such as watching, Saturday morning Micky Mouse cartoons over to Grandma Davis' or Going down to Grandpa Prince's to watch Lawrence Welk, with Lowell and my cousin Mervin Prince. How about singing "Happy Trails To You." with my cowboy hero, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Even today, I love to watch the reruns of Andy Griffith. He lived in Mayberry USA, and I lived in New Harmony, USA. We didn't have a barber shop--just my Uncle Sheldon Grant, but we did and do have a post office where we learn the latest. He had Aunt Bea. I had my Aunt Laura, My Aunt Camilla, My Aunt Sylva, and my Aunts Veda and Venice, not to mention 60 other aunts who lived in New Harmony, to watch over me. Oh, and I even had my own Aunt Bea look-a-like-- Aunt Clara Grant. Not to be out done, because of my Dad, I could even whistle the tune that always took Opey and his Dad fishing.

How many nights did I come home from school to watch Superman, who was faster than a locomotive, and leap tall buildings in a single bound? Oh, and while we are taking a tour down memory lane, how many times did I come home from school to house a that smelled like freshly baked bread, and a mother there to make sure that I did get home--a regular June Clever--apron and all.

My other hero, the Lone Ranger had Tonto to keep him on the right track. I had my big brother, Lowell. Lowell didn't ride a big white horse, but he was my hero non-the-less.

So Miss MaLynda, in answer to your question, I had the best of both worlds--color and black and
white. Do I miss it--you better believe it!

Scrapbooking fills my days - not to mention my living room, bedroom and closets!

In my last blog, I told you that I wanted to do a blog on a love that I got from my Dad, and that is scrapbooking. I spend hours working on my books. Some one has said, "I scrapbook therefore I am - broke." My love for this hobby has led into other forms of paper crafting The ideas I use in scrapping can also be used for card making, and other paper crafts. I love to send a card, I have made, and get deep satisfaction when someone calls me, and tells me they were feeling "down" and out of the blue they receive a card from me. I love that feeling of making someone happy. Because it lifts me up. Am I selfish or not? My love for paper crafting has also found me sharing my talents (or lack there of) in teaching classes. The photo of me below, was a demonstration I gave at Super Saturday last fall. These were gifts with cute sayings decorated with my scrapbooking supplies. I currently have a display of my work in the New Harmony Library--no brag, just fact.

I didn't realize Dad was into scrapbooking until I moved back home and was going through all his scrapbooks. Oh, they weren't decorated, by any means, but he identified most of the people in the albums. Of course, his stuff was not "acid free" (something that drives us scrapbookers up the wall), but they were identified making it so much easier on me, when I transferred them into my books. One of the reasons I took up this hobby was to get my pictures out of boxes, plastic bags, off the floor, you name it. Well, once I started scrapping problems multiplied. A scrapper takes pictures of everything--just ask my MaLynda. Some people are gun shy, she has had so many pictures of her taken, she is camera shy. Go to the bathroom, take a picture, pick your nose, take a picture. Wreck the car, take a picture...well you get the idea. I am further behind now with pictures that need to be scrapped than I ever was before I started.

I have daughters and daughter-in-laws that also scrap. This picture was a taken at MaLynda's birthday party last month. She is enjoying the beautiful book her sisters, Brenda Carling and Kristina Hughes made for her.
How satisfying it is, to this mother, to see her children following in her footsteps--now I can box up all my 100s of photos and pass them on to the girls. That will give me more time to take more pictures of my grand babies--teeheehee.

Thank you Daddy for giving me a love of scrapbooking and finding a creative outlet to share these memories with my family. "A person is neither whole nor healthy without the memories of photo albums. They are the storybook of our lives. They provide a nostalgic escape from the tormented days of the present. " ~Patrick Garry

Want to see a fun site, go here, maybe we both can win....http://themeanestmom.blogspot.com/