Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring-not even a mouse....

Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. I love everything about it. When I was little, I thought every year, the tree was prettier than the year before. I look at old pictures and see that we had some sorry looking trees, but I still thought they were beautiful.
We always had ice cycles on them, That was pretty much Roland's and my job to do. We were told to put them on one at a time, and we did, for the first two or three, but that got old pretty darn fast. So we would take a hand full and just throw them on. Mama was very patient with us. I think she would wait until we were out of the room and then rearrange the silver strands. I loved going through the boxes of decorations and remembering where they came from.
With modern technology, we now have a pre-lit tree. We use it over and over, but I still love it, or I should say love them, as we have one in the Visiting Teaching room, and the big one in the family room. My next couple of blogs are going to be dedicated to Christmas. Today the trees, next time, Santa.
We always had big lights on our tree, and you don't see a lot of that type of light anymore. Oh, they still make them, but most tree lights are the little ones. So to this day when I see the kind of lights we used as a child I get all excited--I know, Deanna, get a life....
My Grandma Davis' tree had lights that looked like candles. How pretty they were. It was like they had bubbles going through them.
I don't remember Grandpa Prince's tree, but I do remember an experience I had with him. One year I went down to Grandpa's and he didn't have a tree. Roland and I told him we were going to get him one. He tried to talk us out of it, but we wouldn't listen. We went up to the FLAT and chopped down a little one and took it too his place. He didn't have any decorations, so I decided to use all the Christmas cards he had received and put them on the tree. I know it was not the most beautiful tree in the world, but I know it meant a lot to Grandpa (oh, oh, here comes the tears) cause he looked at it, and his eyes watered up and the tears came down. You know that is the only thing I can remember about that Christmas, but what a wonderful thing to have as a memory.

There is nothing more peaceful to me, then to turn out all the lights in the house, and then turn the tree lights on. I could sit there for hours and watch the tree--as if it was going to do anything. But you know what, "The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."--Burton Hillis.

Leaves crackling under foot, plants bloom in one last magnificent Hurray as their roots grow deep to ensure new life next Spring

Fall is here.....
I love this time of the year in New Harmony. I took the picture of the flowers after our first frost. I look at them now, and pretty as they were, it looks to me like they are crying. They know their life has come to and end. But while they are here, they sure make life better for the rest of us. I hope I can be that way. I drove around the valley this week looking at the color changes. Some of my favorite places are not colorful this year, as they were destroyed by fire, but I can still see beauty.

This deer was on my front lawn. She is lucky she is a she and not a he. Cause if she was a he, she wouldn't be.........

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..........