Mark's Pictures

Yesterday Mark stepped out the back door and started strolling around the property. He went to take pictures of the fall colors, only we don't have any spectacular colors yet on our trees. Armed with only the camera on his blackberry, he shot some magnificent pictures of just the nature that is around us. I think that he did an outstanding job of capturing the beauty that God has given us.

A great shot of the pond. It looks almost like it is framed with a little darkness.

I love the reflection of the trees in the pond on this picture.



Just the corner of the grape arbor in this picture shows some of the grape leaves have turned yellow. Very delicious grapes on this vine

This is probably my favorite picture that he took. I love the light coming through and the fact that you can see the bug on the leaf.

Another favorite of mine with the light spilling in through the trees. He really has a great eye for things.

I love this view of the pond. It is almost like he is in a cave looking out to take the picture.

Great reflection in this long picture of the pond. I love to go fishing in this pond. The bream are a real treat to catch. They put up a much bigger fight than those big bass.

Another eye catching view of the pond.

A great picture of the birdhouse with this purple plant in the fore ground.

Holly berries....a great feast for the many birds in the yard.

I think Mark did an outstanding job with his pictures. He has a great eye for catching just the right angle of his subject. I love all the pictures that he took yesterday. Great job honey!!!

You Can Quote Me

I recently purchased the movie "A Walk To Remember". It is based on Nicholas Sparks book of the same title. I am not going to critique Sparks' book or tell you that the movie was nothing like the book. Okay, maybe just a little critiquing going on here. Anyway, I wonder if Nicholas ever reads these blogs? I sure if he does, he probably wonders, "who does this chick think she is talking about my writing technique.". And he would be right. I have never sold a book for a cool million dollars or a hundred dollars, but I am the consumer who buys. Getting on for the reason of the blog in the first place. In the movie (which I have on sale on eBay) Jamie gives Landon a book of quotes that she has either written down the quote or pasted in the book. I thought how cool is that idea. I read things all the time that I want to remember, or hear somone say an awesome line. I never can seem to remember these quotes. So now I am on a quest to buy me a really pretty book to collect my quotes in. Sometimes I like to write descriptive lines from books down, but have no idea where they are now. Several years ago I thought my husband said the most poetic line ever He said, "Look how beautiful that cloud is as it emcompasses the mountain". It rang out like pure poetry. I have never forgotten that line (he is so good at painting you a story as he talks...now he will have the big head). This is my new project this weekend. To buy me a pretty quote journal, and you can quote me on that.

RE: Bargains

After going on my treasure hunt Wednesday, I decided to go back today and see if there was anything I missed. Actually, the lady that prices things and puts new items out was there Wednesday and told me that she would be putting things out all day. I went back and did pretty good again at finding me some more bargains.

2 Stove top spill guards. I really need these. I have the tiniest crack that food can seem to find it's way into, but a cleaning brush never finds it way in there. I have cleaned and cleaned these, so now I have a solution. Only .50 for 2 brand new spill guards. Can't beat that price.

Vintage Tupperware bowl with the lid for .25. As you can tell, I am a big fan of Tupperware, and I especially like the vintage pieces.

Set of 6 vintage steak knives in a burgundy velvet box. These are really nice they have a pearl like handle. Only $1 for these, and we never seem to have a steak knife around.

I tell this story every Christmas at the church we are serving. This is a leather bound copy that I found today for $1. I don't usually do a dollar for a children's book, but this was too good to pass up. My copy was $14.95 at the Christian book store, and it wasn't the leather bound. Great book for your children or grandchildren. A touching story.

This is a swivel sprayer for your sink. I have one now on my kitchen sink. I got this one for a spare for .25 . They are about $3.97 at Walmart. They are very handy to have on the faucet.

3 Christmas CD's .50 each. One is Burl Ives and another one is Elvis. We love Christmas music, so I couldn't pass these up.

This is a medicine organizer that looks like a tapestry journal. The pills are in a plastic sleeve to keep them from opening up. We travel back and forth every week, and my pill box comes over sometimes. This way they won't come open. It was only $1.


Just wanted to share my other treasures that I found. There is always something that I need or want. I would like a blend that you can stick in a pot and blend without taking the food out. If I don't soon find one, I might have to go to Walmart.....oh no, not retail prices!!!

Bargains!!! Bargains!!!

I really hit the jackpot today on my treasure hunting. There were lots of bargains just begging to be picked up, so I picked them up. I saw lots of things that I am waiting for the thrift store to put on sale. Some things are a little high, but they always run sales...so I will get them at a later date.....CHEAP. Today the blue tag items were half price, so I got Mark 2 pair of lounge pants for $1.50 each and a pair of sweat pants for $1. I didn't take a picture of them, because they are in the washer. Here are the little bargains that I found today.

A vintage Christmas carol book for .10. Can you believe it was a dime. It is in excellent condition. We will use this when we sing along with our records this Christmas season.

13 Christmas ornaments, some handmade for .50. I especially liked the handmade lollipop ornaments. That is what drew me to the bag of ornaments in the first place. I wanted them to look at for a pattern.

4 Southern Living Magazines for FREE. The lady wouldn't charge me for these. I collect past issues for the recipes. And free was within my budget.

Big bulb Christmas lights along with the organizer for $1 . I am hoping they are long enough for my porch railing. There were 2 sets, but another lady took the other set before I had a chance to get them. I "stalked" her a while in the thrift store in case she changed her mind and put them down. No such luck!! She paid for them, so I quit stalking the lights. lol

Brand new Hallmark Holiday Memory Keepsake Book. Only $1. I am still trying to decide if I will keep it or put in on EBay. By the way, my Vera Bradley cell phone case that I bought for a quarter last week sold for $9.50 on EBay.

Only a quarter for this computer learning CD, that will go on EBay. I have had great success with these on EBay before.

3 pieces of Tupperware and one is the vintage deviled egg tray. Each piece for .50. I have been wanting the deviled egg tray, but even on EBay the vintage ones go for $10 to $20. Homecoming is in 2 weeks, so this will be used right away.

I spent less than $9 today for all my treasures. Not bad for about 20 minutes of work. Got several things that I had been wanting and trying to find for a while. Love the Tupperware the best and it was a bargain. Each piece is very nice, just had to wash it to make sure it is clean.

Beautiful Scars

My friend Erin gave me a book that their ladies group had read entitled "Your Scars are Beautiful to God" by Sharon Jaynes. It is a wonderful book that I highly recommend. The author talks about physical scars that we can see, such as scars from childhood injuries or those from surgeries. I have the ugliest scar from my gall bladder. It was the days before laser and my gall bladder was bigger than normal from disease, and it really is ugly. You would think that after 21 years it would look better. I also have scars on my leg where I fell on a floor furnace when I was a little thing. I have an ugly scar on my hand from making candy apples for a function at church. The funny thing about that scar is that I feel like it is a double whammy. The reason is that there was lots of hurt at that church. For some reason some people feel like they can say any and everything to the pastor and wife and we should just take the abuse. There are also scars on our heart that others can't see. When I see that I scar, I am reminded of horrible things that happened there. It reminds me of a time in my life that I would just as soon forget. Those are the scars that have laid on my heart. The scars that I need to heal to get on with life. Those scars are not so easy to get over. It takes time and the master Healer to help us overcome these things in life. The author of the book talks about how if we don't forgive, then our wound never becomes a beautiful scar. It is just a wound with a scab that we keep picking at over and over and never get any healing. How true this statement is for anything or anyone who has done you wrong in life. We all have these scars in life. Things happen and people say things that wound us to our very heart, but we can't let things like that cripple us for life. I encourage anyone that has had troubles and hurt in life to get this book and read it. It will not only help you, but it will allow you to help others who are hurting.

One of the best books that I have read in a long time. The author keeps your attention with case studies of real people and how they realized their scars were beautiful. Highly recommended.

Coupons

Okay, since reading Amanda's blog with all her savings it has inspired me to clip and save. Here is the problem, there isn't a lot a coupons of things that we eat. We are not sitting around eating piles of cereal or kids yogurt. I do pretend to eat yogurt, so people will think that I strive to be healthy. But regardless of this, I decided to give couponing a try.
This weekend when we got back home, I headed to the grocery store with coupons in hand. I scout out for just the right brands...coupons make you try new brands(on some things..not popcorn). We are now drinking "over the moon" milk b/c with my coupon it was only .99. I got the things that I had to have so we could eat this weekend, then I went in hunt of the items I had coupons for. I may not be a die hard coupon lover, b/c I am brand loyal to some. No matter if it is free, and you don't like it...have you saved anything? I eat Simply Salted popcorn by Orville Redenbacher and no other brand will do. So, unless the coupon is for that specific brand...why bother.
My first total was $77.26 and then I handed over my MVP card and my second total was $69.52. Then came my coupons and my final total was $50.39. Not too bad to have a $27.00 savings my first time, especially since I didn't go to a store that doubled or tripled my coupons. I have really got to get a Lowes card, b/c they double everyday and I pass by one all the time.
I didn't do as good as Amanda, who can go in with coupons and leave out with a buggy full of groceries that she paid $5 for. I don't know how she does it. You're amazing Amanda!!
I did buy a small binder at a thrift store for .10 to organize my coupons. The only problem is now I can't find any organizational sheets that size. I mostly bought the binder b/c I thought it was a cute size.
I haven't given up on couponing yet. I need some professional help....calling Amanda Talbert. I do give others the coupons I can't use...which is a lot. I use more cleaning and beauty coupons. I will continue to try and save money, b/c groceries have gone sky high.

Round File

For the last year, I have been attempting to write a book. Not the great american novel, just a historical christian piece that might qualify as a novella. If you have read my info on my Facebook page, you would know that I am only on chapter 8. Not exactly flying through this endeavor that I have embarked upon. I have sat at my computer off and on for the past two weeks staring at the pages and rereading what I have already written, and nothing comes to me. The story is blah and the characters don't appeal to me anymore. I outlined my story, but it just doesn't seem to flow. I recently read Nicholas Sparks bio, and he has thrown out novels that he had invested lots of time and had over 200 typed pages. I have decided that you can't push the story, if it doesn't fit. So then toss it in the round file and go on. So, that is what I have done with my nameless novella...it's in the round file. Not all is lost, because I already have another story churning in my mind. It already has a name. A true story that has sprinkles of fiction woven through the story. I am just now outlining the story, so it won't be finished anytime soon. I have learned that you can't make a story come together because some stories were never meant to be told.

Sparks fly, then they die

I am finally finishing reading Nicholas Sparks books. The last two were "True Believer" and "At First Sight", it is a continually story. Well, true to his pattern, Sparks didn't disappoint in his book. True Believer starts off the story of Jeremy and Lexie. I guess you can't have a continuing story if you kill someone off in the first book. The second book, at first sight, doesn't have that rule, and true to his pattern someone dies. He kills Lexie off, but not before he let's her deliver a perfectly healthy baby girl. The unborn's health had been in jeopardy the last 1/4 of the book, so the reader might think that the baby might be the one who dies...I wasn't fooled. All in all with this heart breaking love stories that Sparks writes...sparks fly, then someone dies.

Your Junk, My Treasure

As you know, I love to go treasure hunting. Now I don't mean that I have a treasure map and digging up someones lawn. I love to go to thrift stores, flea markets and yard sales and get things I like and need at a steal. What one person sees as junk another sees as a treasure. My favorite thrift store is Whispering Pines Thrift. I mentioned this in another blog. Anyway, these are my treasures that I found this week at Whispering Pines.
Walking shoes that really look like they have only be worn once or twice. I paid a whole buck for them. I love them and they wear so good. Okay, I googled these shoes and they retail for around $90, so that was an extra good deal.

A very nice soft blanket that I plan to leave in the car for when we travel and I want to wrap up in something. I did spent a whole $2 on this, but it was so nice. Came home and washed it, and now it is as good as new.

I got Mark this beautiful tie for .25....can you believe that? If you have went and bought a tie lately they range from $15 to $40 depending on where you are shopping.

This is probably my favorite item that I picked up. It is a condiment holder. I use a lot of Styrofoam bowls when we do hamburgers or hot dogs to hold my pickles, onions and olives, but not anymore. This little baby was only $1.

A Ty beanie baby turkey for our niece Kate. I am putting together a Thanksgiving package for her and thought this would be perfect to include. I couldn't leave this at the store when it was a mere .50.

My genuine suede house boots. That is what the tag inside calls them. Very nice with a bottom that is made to go outside. Only $1 for these babies.

Okay, I really like these as well. They are vintage aluminum spice shakers, that don't look like they were ever used. They are as clean as a whistle on the inside. They have the names of the spice stamped on the side. I got all 8 of these in a bag for .50.

Last, but not least my Vera Bradley Cell phone case. .25 for this one and I am happy to say that it is currently on EBay with 12 watchers. No bids yet, but it still has over 4 days to go on bid. I will have to update you on how well it did on EBay. These are the kinds of things that I like to find to post on EBay to sell. It makes your business very profitable.

All in all, I felt I did really well this week on my treasure hunting. I just can't believe that I didn't get a book. I only spent $6.50 for everything that I got. I could hardly believe it. Someones junk, but now my cherished treasures.

Fill it to the Rim

One of my favorite things on cold day is to drink hot tea. Well, I guess that is not exactly true....it doesn't have to be a cold day for me to drink hot tea. I fell in love with hot tea back in high school. Not exactly sure why, but for some reason I got some blackberry tea, I think when I had a cold and I was hooked. I love making a hot pot of water in my green tea kettle that I picked up at a church yard sale for hardly nothing. I think it was .50 for the kettle, and it was brand new. Then after getting my kettle of water hot, I put the water in my gold carafe that I got at a thrift store for .25. It will keep the water hot for most of the day. Then I have a special cup that I use. It is bigger than a regular cup and requires you to use 2 tea bags. It has snowmen on it. I love it.

My special cup that I use was a gift from my friend Kathy Whitfield. She gave it me about 5 years ago for Christmas. I love drinking my tea in this cup and sitting on my porch with a blanket wrapped around me. If it is cold. No blanket if it is not cold. I am not a cold natured person. I love to put honey in my tea with a little squirt of lemon, no matter what flavor I am drinking. Since I have to watch my sugar intake, I just squeeze one time with the honey and finish sweeten it with Splenda.

This is my .25 carafe that I got at the thrift store. It helps keep my water hot so I can enjoy more tea all day long. I loved using it this past weekend, since there was a nip in the air. I boiled several kettles of water and put in here. I am not sure that there are many hot tea drinkers out there. So much emphasis has been put on coffee with the building of a Starbucks on every corner. I am not a coffee drinker at all. I guess this is my alternative to coffee. I think I would fit in well in England. I would love to have a scheduled tea time with scones and cookies. Hot tea with the honey helps soothe your throat if you have a cold or allergy problems. They say that honey produced in your area helps fight allergies. We have had several bee keepers in various churches that we have pastored, and their honey has always been the best. Sterling Russell in one of our churches had some really great honey. The bees were next to peas in a garden, and it had a purple cast to it. I guess cause the peas were purple hull peas. Don, who was a bee keeper in the foothills of NC were we lived had some of the best honey I had ever tasted. I am not sure what kind it was, but it was yummy.

I really love my tea kettle. You can see the steam in the photo, which I think is neat. I use to microwave a cup of water at the time, but our 18 year old microwave is on it's last leg, and it now takes around 8 minutes to boil a cup of water. I think that is time spring for a new one, but I hate to get rid of this one since there is still life in the old girl. Anyway, my kettle allows me to boil enough water to have about 5 cups of tea. There are all kinds of tea flavors out there. Some of my favorites are Lemon Zinger, Tangerine Spice, True Blueberry, Country Peach Passion and Wild Berry Zinger. At Christmas time you can find flavors such as Peppermint, Sugar Plum Spice and Gingerbread Spice. There is also Chamomile, Sleepy time, Blackberry, Black Cherry Berry, Raspberry Zinger and Cranberry Apple. If you love fruit, some of these teas help curb your craving for fruit. I have to watch my fruit intake because of natural sugars.

If you haven't tried hot tea before, I encourage you to do so. Pick you a box of Celestial Seasonings Fruit Tea Sampler. It has 5 different flavors of tea in this box. It is caffeine free, so you can enjoy a cup even at bedtime. Who knows, you might find that you like hot tea better than coffee...and it is cheaper too.

MVP Card Flu Shot

As Mark and I travel back and forth from Wilmington to Pinehurst each week, we have several scheduled stops. One of these stops is at a very nice Food Lion. They have really clean restrooms. Well, today I walk in and they are giving flu shots. Now, I nor Mark have had our flu shot for the year. I asked the lady the price, and she said that it was only $27.00 if you had your MVP Card. I slapped my $27.00 down and roll up my sleeve. Mark is in the van laughing at me for getting my flu shot in Food Lion. I don't know why he is laughing because I paid for him to get one as well. After Jennifer's blog about her 3 hour wait and the headache of getting one at Walgreens, this was a piece of cake. The lady was real nice and didn't even hurt me with the needle. I didn't even have to wait in line. So, as Mark said, "You flew into Food Lion, and came out with a flu shot."

Google Me!!!

I can now be found on the computer. Not just on this blog, but also my new website (google me, and I may show up on page 500). As I stated in another blog, I have embarked on a new ministry of laughter. I decided that if I was going to give this ministry my all, I needed to have all my bases covered. I ordered business cards and started building my own website. Somehow having a website makes me feel more professional. Although after just 2 performances, I don't know if that qualifies you as a professional. If you qualify as a professional by the number of times you tell these stories, then I just may be a professional. I have told my funny stories for years to anyone who looks like they need a laugh, whether they be a friend or a stranger. I guess maybe I have been practicing all these years for this and just didn't realize. Go to my website and take a peek. Remember that it is a work in progress.
www.laughingwithtracey.com

Stop!! Don't Move

I stop by Sam's Club today, just to run in and get Mark some heartburn medicine and one other item. I should have been in and out in a few. Well, that did not happen. I spent 10 minutes looking for the medicine, because Sam's had moved it again. This is the 3rd move in about 4 months. What is up with all the moving at Sam's? Everytime I learn where something is at, they go and move it. I wonder if they hire people just to move things? I never did find the pretzels today. Just when I thought I knew where they are located...they moved them. I came out with meds and a roasted chicken. When I can't find something right away, then I give up and go home. I would just like Sam's to put something somewhere and leave it there. I didn't even have time to look in people's buggies today and see what they were buying. I felt like I was on a treasure hunt without a map.

Habitat

After lots of rave reviews from friends, Mark and I went to the Habitat store in Wilmington. We are in need of vinyl windows. We hear that the Habitat store has lots of windows at a steal...WRONG!! They had lots of windows, but not cheap. They had new windows from $100 to $150 each. I don't call that cheap. Cheap is $20. Now I know this money is going for a good cause, but please. We went to Lowes to compare and they have windows from $123 to $160. Not much difference in the price, and Lowes has people that are knowledgable and can help you. The Habitat store may be a dream come true for an experienced DIY person or a contractor, but not for novices like us.

There was a lady there buying a toilet. She paid $35 for this toilet. I was outside when they went to load it, she noticed that the handle was broken. Upon further inspection, it wasn't a new toilet. We bought a new toilet at Lowes for $78. Now it might be the most expensive, but it serves its purpose.

All in all the Habitat store was not my thing. Too many things thrown around, and to someone inexperienced as I this is very confusing. I am not sure that all the parts come with the item. I don't think that I am experienced enough as a DIY to shop here.

Tickle My Funny Bone

This past summer I started a new ministry that totally happened by accident...or did it??? I know that God orchestrates every part of our lives, and I believe that it was no accident when Patty Chriscoe called and asked me to perform a comedy routine at their "God and Girlfriend" ladies conference at Victory Community Baptist Church. I went there on August 24th with just a sheet of paper in my hand with an outline of funny stories about our ministry. I thought that this would be a one shot deal and then I would be finished. I was wrong. This ministry of laughter seemed to be a new ministry that God was leading me to do. I had timed my routine with one error....I didn't allow time for the laughter to die down. For some unknown reason, I never expected people to laugh. Now, I have had people tell me all my life that I was funny, but these are the same people who use to tell me that I looked like Gina Lollobrigida, I didn't take it to heart. Who knew that my big mouth and the stories that spill out could be entertaining and also minister to the hearts of people??

Victory Community Baptist Church in Carthage, NC. The first place that I performed my comedy routine. Thanks to all the VCBC "girlfriends" for your encouragement and kind words.


After performing at Victory, I began to feel a little more confident in this new ministry. Isn't that how it goes....you doubt yourself. I keep wondering if I really was funny, or were they just being polite? Who knows??? You know southern people they are polite, even when you stink. I realized that I had stories that just didn't fit. You needed to know the person to get the full effect of the story or it was just funny at the moment it happened. I started cutting out segments of the routine and then it happened...my mind turned back in time and stories and funny things started flooding my mind as I recounted our times at different churches and all the characters we have met over the years. I pulled things out of the recesses of my mind that I had forgotten that had happened. The memories started flooding in like a swelling river. I got out my scrapbooks from past churches to recount the times there. Mark and I started reminiscing about the good old days, and soon I had filled a page of a legal pad with stories. Maybe I could keep this ministry going with new material.

I got a call one day from a lady that attended Ephesus' Baptist Church in Lee County. She didn't see me perform, but a lady she knew had seen me at VCBC and told her about me. I am good enough to be known by word of mouth now!!! That is a dream come true for me. I am not a household name, but she thought I was good enough to recommend.....YES!! I was scheduled for October 14th to perform for the Golden Treasures Senior Group. Turned out to be around 100 there that day. This is the big news....there were around 6 churches represented there that day. I had 2 pastors, a DOM, and 2 couples to get my name and number for a future booking. So far no calls, but I am patiently waiting. The Methodist preacher there really fed my ego. He thinks I should send a DVD of my performance to Bill Gaither. First of all, I don't have a DVD of my performance, and second of all...is he kidding??? Mark Lowry and Chonda Pierce are on Gaither, not Tracey Garner. I asked him if he was serious and really thought that I was that funny and he said yes. I don't think that he was just being polite either....I believe he was serious. That is some food for thought....I might have to chew on that a while.

Ephesus Baptist Church in Lee County. My second performance with the Golden Treasures Senior Group.


Now I have watched enough Gaither videos to know that performers wear flashy clothes. The picture below is my performance shirt. It has silver sparkles all over it, but it didn't show up on the picture. This is the flashiest thing that I have in my closet, but maybe this new ministry is just the excuse I need to buy that sequined blouse I saw at Belk's. lol


My flashy performance outfit. Come and see me more than once...my routine might change, but not the outfit. lol

If your church is looking to book someone for an event that they are having, please keep me in mind. I spend half my week in Moore County in the Sandhills and half my week in Pender County on the coast. You can contact me at either addresses listed below.

Tracey Garner PO Box 784 Rocky Point, NC 28457

Tracey Garner PO Box 1423 Vass, NC 28394

or by email at togarner@hotmail.com just be sure to put comedy in the subject box so I don't delete it by mistake.

NC Farms

As we travel back and forth from Pender County to Moore County, I have found the farm land that we pass by most interesting. I love looking at all the tobacco fields, soy bean fields and all the crops as we travel. There is something that just stirs in me as I see a farmer out on his tractor in a field plowing or harvesting a crop. I love going by and seeing them on the harvester picking those bottom leaves off the tobacco. Farm equipment in general fascinates me for some reason. I don't really know why, but it is a little interest of mine. It might be more the price of those machines that totally blow my mind. I went to Revels Farms in Fuquay one time and Mr. Kent explained how they plant the tobacco in those trays and float them in the greenhouses until time to plant them in the fields. It was so exciting to learn that, because I would have never imagined that was how you started your tobacco plants. I thought they were like cabbage, you just went to a store and bought the plants. But you start them by seeds. Who knew?? The picture below is of a farm in Moore County.

To me there is nothing no prettier than a ready to pick field of cotton. I am sure to those who have picked your fair share in the past probably think that I am crazy. All that white fluff in a field as far as the eye can see is so beautiful. It is hard to believe something so pretty can stab in your fingers until blood is drawn. It amazes me that this is a crop that provides clothes for us. Not an edible crop...at least I have never heard of anyone eating cotton. The cotton in the picture below is a farm on Hwy 53 between Fayetteville and Elizabethtown.

I love the picture below. The cotton field above is on the other side of the road of this silo and hale bales. If you have read my blog before, you know the secret love I have for large round hay bales. I wish I could have gotten the whole field in the picture, as it was dotted all over with those bales of hay. It was like an artist had pondered and strategical placed them just in the right spot.

This soybean field is also between Tramway and Sanford on Hwy 78. I love those big fields with luscious green color, which seems to stretch for miles. I ate some soybeans this past weekend on a salad for the first time, and they were very delicious.

This to me the perfect picture of a true NC farm. This farm is on Hwy 78 between Tramway and Sanford. I know that when we have lived around farmers, their work is never done. You can hear them as early as 4 am and sometimes as late as 2 am. To me the farmer is the heart of our nation. The ones who supply us with food and keeps us going. On Hwy 421 around Clinton, you can see fields of cucumbers, squash, peppers, watermelons and sweet potatoes. Down on the coast there are fields after fields of strawberries and blueberries. It takes all kinds of crops to provide for us. I salute the farmers all over, but especially those who farm the land in North Carolina.

Weekend with Sparks

I love to read, and it has completely escaped me why I have never read Nicholas Sparks books until now. If you look at my reading list next to my blog you will see that I have read a good amount of his books this month so far. I read 4 of his books this weekend. I saw the movie "The Notebook" and absolutely fell in love with it. As a matter of fact, I wrote a song entitled "She Doesn't Even Know My Name". It tells the story of 2 people that marry and she gets Alzheimers and when he comes to see her; she doesn't know him or his name (a little bit like the movie, but his name is very important in the song). This is the clincher, I can't find my song. I only wrote the words, because as Mark Lowry says, "If you can't read music, then you shouldn't write it." I just think that it is ironic that my song is about a lady with alzheimers, and now I have forgotten what I did with the song. In my defense, we did move...so it could be in storage. Getting back to Sparks' books. I love them!! But after about the third one, I see a pattern forming in his writing. Someone is going to DIE in every book. Sometimes 2 people die. Mark says that he writes how real life happens and it is realistic. Maybe so, but does everyone have to fall in love with someone and then just when things are going great....someone DIES.

"Dear John" was my favorite book so far. I actually listened to the audio book on this one. Maybe that is why I loved it so much. The different voices and the music really made the book come to life. Also, John, the main character lived in Wilmington and hung out at Wrightsville Beach. I remember hanging out at the beach during the summer. So I think that it held more nostalgia for me. My heart almost burst, as I neared the ending; for I had already figured out that it wasn't going to end as I had hoped. The only thing about this one was that the man that read the book on the CD, read so slowly that I found myself becoming impatient. It was a 9 hour CD set, and it drove me crazy. I read 956 words a minute, so I know I could have read it faster than I listened to it.

"The Choice" actually had a few turns that I didn't anticipate. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and could see it and "Dear John" as a movie. "The Choice" made me really think about life. Even if it is your spouse's wish to die, could I make that choice. My answer was no. I would rather have Mark any way, than to not have him at all. Then again, I would want to honor his wish, but when it come down to it...could I? I would also hate to see him suffer. Travis' choice in the book turned out to be the right one, but is that the choice for everyone. I can't be 100% sure what I would do, but I hope that as Travis, the character of the book, had to do; that decision will be one that I will never have to make.

"The Rescue" was also good, but by now I had figured out Sparks pattern for writing, so it became kind of mundane. Good story, but it was just predictable. Half way through the book I had the story line figured out, and was only wrong on one thing....the boy nor the girl died, but someone else did. The same is true for "Message in a Bottle" (which I haven't seen the movie) and "Nights in Rodanthe". Very predictable and after the 4th chapter on both books, I knew pretty much how it was going to end. To me these 2 books were very similar, and it felt that I was rereading something that I had already read; except the names had been changed. Although, I have figured out a pattern to his writing it doesn't discourage me from reading his other books. I have "The Lucky One", "True Believer" and "At First Sight" now to read. I have been checking these out at the library. She put "The Guardian" and "The Last Song" on hold for me today. I still have "The Wedding" to get to read also.

I did like "A Walk to Remember" very much, and was a little thrown with the out come of the book. I had the father dying, not the daughter (sorry if you haven't read these, and now I have ruined the ending for you). I did like it so much that when I went to movie stop on Saturday, I bought the movie. I haven't watched it yet, but will this weekend. I am looking forward to seeing the movie and having the characters come to life on screen.

"A Bend in the Road" started out just as predictable. I saw from the beginning that Miles was going to fall in love with Jonah's teacher, Sarah.....and I was correct. I also figured out that someone in Sarah's family had also been the driver that killed Missy, Miles' wife. After about 3 chapters, I concluded that it was her brother Brian....once again I was correct. Then the pattern started again. Miles would get mad and call things off with Sarah...again correct. But in the end they end up together and somewhat live happily ever after. This book was just more predictable than the others. I had most of the story line figured out just by reading the inside flap of the book.

All in all, I love Nicholas Sparks books. They allow you to cry and release pent up stress that sometimes you didn't know that was lurking down inside of you. I cry and ache for the characters in the book as though they are real and I know them. I guess that it a very great talent of Sparks, to involve you so much into the story that you actually feel as though you are part of the book. I also love how he always sets the story in a NC town. I can't wait to read the rest of his books that I have, and immerse myself in a make believe world that strangely feels real.

Spanish

My one and only bowl of Chicken Tortilla soup at O'Charley's.

I decided that I was going to learn to speak Spanish this year (since I have been mistaken for a spanish lady 5 times just this year), so I bought a Spanish book and workbook (at a thrift store for .50) I really wanted Rosetta Stone, but I don't seem to have $300 lying around unused at the moment. I also got a Spanish/English dictionary at the thrift store for a quarter. There is just one problem....it doesn't let me hear how the words are pronounced. With my southern accent, I could be saying anything. I especially like the word for a female dog...perra. The male dog is perro. I guess I like it because I can pronounce it. The words for papa and potato are....potato is papa and papa is papa'. This had me very confused, so I did what anyone with a thirst for knowledge would do. I asked the Latino boy that works at Radio Shack to say these two words for me in Spanish so I would know the correct pronunciation. My conclusion is that when I do learn to speak Spanish....I won't say the words potato or papa. I have also decided that I can read Spanish way better than I can speak it. Maybe I will call James Scott Farrin on his hot line and ask if I can be a reading interpreter. If anyone has Rosetta Stone for Spanish that they are wanting to give away, just let me know.

Sunday Mark and I went to O'Charley's for lunch. They had my very favorite thing in the whole wide world. Chicken Tortilla Soup...yum yum!!! We got the endless soup, salad and rolls entree. I was ready for my soup. She brought out our bowls of soup and informed us that we got the last of the Chicken Tortilla soup. How can this be the soup of the day and you run out at 1:30 in the afternoon. Don't they realize that the day is not over yet. Well, needless to say that put a damper on the endless soup bowl. They now had beef stew soup....I tried it....it was not worthy enough to have it's picture taken. Not bad, but not good. Needless to say that we got a club sandwich and split it. I hate it when a restaurant has a special of the day and runs out. Don't they know that when it is for the day, you need to plan to have enough for the whole day. This happened to us at a little diner in Rocky Point. Smiley's if any of you remember it...it went out of business. They had a big write up in the Pender Post or Chronicle about their fried chicken on Thursday. How it was hand breaded and so on. Mark and I go over on a Thursday at 11:30 am....yes, 11:30 am, and they are out of chicken. They had run out in 30 minutes. I ask again, and their response was that they had just filled 13 orders. I am no restaurant owner, but when you have a special of the day after a big write up in the paper...you need to have more chicken than for 13 plates. Gosh, I might cook enough enough chicken for supper to do at least 5 plates. When it comes to my eats now I am serious. Don't go yanking my chain or dangling some appetizing dish in front of me only to come back and tell me that you are out of it. When it says endless soup and you have a soup of the day....I might want more than one shallow bowl.

Book Store

I went to Books-A-Million today, and right away I am over whelmed. There are so many books, that I don't know where to begin. I start off in the childrens section. We have 4 little nieces that àre either just starting with reading or they like to be read too. They range in age of 2 months old to 9 years old. The 9 year old is just now getting into chapter books. She also loves High School Musical, so I am trying to find some of those books for her for Christmas. That is our gift this year...books. For Halloween, we got them all candy and books. I love to read, and we are trying to pass that love on to them. Kate, 2 years old, loves books. I send her books all the time to help encourage that love to grow.

Okay, getting back to my book store adventure. I looked all over the store, but made my way back up front to the bargain books. I am a club member, which means I get 10% off...even sale books. I got a few Karen Kingsbury books for $3.97 + 10% off. I also picked up the audio book of The Notebook. It was only $4.97 + 10% off. I mostly got the girls some books. I got Kate and Madelyn some board books on Thanksgiving. All the childrens books were $1.97 that I got. I ended up with 10 books for $21.02 after by discount. Some rang up less than marked. I could just spend hours in there browsing. I will say that there are some freaky people that hang around the book store. There are some strange people in that store.

One of my favorite things about going there, instead of all the books is the coffee bar. I love their peach smoothie. Although today I was stuff from lunch at O'Charley's. They have lots of tea flavors, and hot tea is my favorite. I go to the book store all the time, but after going to yard sales, library sales and thrift stores, I just can't bring myself to pay full price for a book. I guess that is why I head to the bargain table.

Old Chicago

Our waitress, Crystal...she was the best!!

My Delicious half eaten brownie

My brownie hit the floor, plate broke...what a mess!!

Mark and I went to Old Chicago for lunch today. They have pick 3 for 9.99. Not a bad deal, but we both picked 3 things; and it was way too much food. Next time we will share the pick 3. They give you so much food there. Their pizza was delicious. Took Lilly our pizza crust. That little dog loves pizza crust, and her breed is from China. She must be an Italian at heart. We got these chicken buffalo roll ups, salad, individual pizzas and a dessert. I got the antipasto salad and Mark got the house salad. Both very good. The buffalo chicken roll ups were hot, but then again I like hot stuff. The pizzas were so delicious. Mark got a thick crust with marinated chicken, bacon, olives and mushrooms. I got the thin crust with Italian sausage, pepperoni, olives and mushrooms. For dessert, I got the chocolate brownie with hot fudge and marshmallow sauce. Mark got the apple crisp with vanilla ice. Crystal was our waitress, and she was the best. This was our first time eating at Old Chicago and she was so patient and very helpful. I will be back to eat here. I didn't eat all my brownie, even though I could have gobbled the whole thing down, but my diabetes won't let me have that much sugar. I try to be good, but it is hard. In this bad economy if two people can go somewhere for $20 + tip to eat, that is a good deal now days. Next time, we wil share a plate plus get water. That is my new rule...drink water when you go out.

Went to the Salt Shaker today to look for a book on the Chrismon service. We are planning on doing one of these services at our church this year. One problem, we don't have any Chrismon ornaments to use. I will be searching eBay and the internet for these. I hope that we will be able to find some. I know I don't have time to make these for our church. I use to be crafty, but not so much anymore. I got the soundtrack to "Midnight Cry" today. Hopefully, it will be in our range. I saw Ivey Reeves at the store today. He looked great. I use to see him at church when we went to Riley's Creek Baptist Church. I great day, but tired from traveling this week.