Lost Art!!!

I was reading in a magazine a few weeks back about how card sells were on the decline.  They went on to say that this was everyday cards, and not special occasions.  I know one card that is probably on the decline, and that is a "Thank You" card.  I rarely get one of these anymore.  There are some like my friend, Amanda Talbert, who is thoughtful to send one, but most...not so much.

I am talking about when you mail some one a gift or you drop it off at the shower or take to a wedding.  You are not sure if they got it, and will never know because they don't send a card or even acknowledge to your face that they got the gift.

I have sent numerous gifts over the years to showers that I could not attend or took the gift to the actual wedding and never heard a word from the newly married couple or the expectant parents.  I have often wondered why they pick someone to write down everything they got and who it came from, because they are not going to send you a thank you. 

If I take the time to go to the store and pull off your registry and spend time picking just the right thing (and also something you have asked for), don't you think I deserve a thank you....just as a common courtesy?? 

I always try to send thank you notes, even for the little things people do for me or give to me.  Just the way I was raised.  It is sad to me that this is quickly becoming a lost art in our society.

As I was writing this blog, I my friend posted a note to me on Facebook thanking me for a card that I sent her son...maybe thanking people is not so much a lost art, but maybe doing it differently in a techno world.

Farmer's Market!!!

Yesterday proved to be a stormy day, so I set off to find me some adventures. I was going to Mark's aunts to swim, but when it is thundering and lightning...I don't go.  I went to the Farmer's Market here in Moore County.  What great goodies I found, and at very reasonable prices.  I love buying from local people.  Most things at the market were organic as well.

 Lot of neat things at the Moore County Farmer's Market.

I got some brown eggs from Bonlee Grown Farm.  While they are more known for their flowers, their free range eggs looked great.  They also have jams.  Amy and Ray Sugg are the owners.  Located near Bear Creek, NC.  Bear Creek is where the fruit cake plant is located, if you have ever been to that.

 These are the gorgeous eggs that I got from Bonlee Grown Farm.

 One of their plants...it is gorgeous.

They have the ornamental pepper plants.  These are the plants that are planted around the traffic circle.  They are beautiful when the peppers turn yellow, red and orange.  I wish I had room to plant more things, because I would have gotten some of these.

There was a lady there selling bread from Our Daily Bread.  She has all kinds of bread.  Her booth looked so yummy.  I got the Multi-Grain Bread...a mini loaf.  I know myself too well to get the big loaves.  They also buy from local farmers to make their breads...kind of like Sandhills Farm to Table, where people help the local farmers in their community.  I will do the Farm to Table again this fall.  I loved getting all those veggies in the fall.  I pick the fall to do because I think it is a better deal, fall vegetables are more expensive than summer one's in the store.

 She had all kinds of bread.  I saw some with raisins and apples...don't they look yummy?

This is the mini loaf that I got.  Can't wait to try it!!!

I went to this booth that had the most gorgeous cut flowers.  You could buy a pre-arranged bouquet or individual flowers to make your own bouquet.  Not bad deals either.  I bought individual, because I saw two flowers that I really liked.  Not an organized farm, but a man and lady who love to grow flowers.

 I got the Irish Bells and Hydrangea's.  I love this bouquet, and it only cost me $3.50.  Now that is a deal.

Aren't the Irish Bell's beautiful?  I had never seen these before.

 He also sold vegetables out of their garden.

Such vibrant beautiful flowers.

I had such fun picking out a few things for us to eat.  I also tried a new thing.  I got fresh basil to cook with this weekend.  I loved my little trip to the Farmer's Market.  I may make it a weekly trip.

 I got some pepper, zucchini and sunburst or yellow scallop squash.  I have never had the sunburst before, but I am going to chop them up and put them in a salad.

The fresh basil that I got.  Going to use it in a marinade that I want to try this weekend.

Everything Under the Sun!!!

I picked the first thing from our garden this week.  I know that it wasn't exactly big enough to pick, but I wanted to say that I had gotten something out of the garden.  It was a little banana pepper, and our plant is loaded with more.  These will taste yummy on my salad or we like a turkey sandwich with pepper and hummus on it.  I have found that hummus adds lots more flavor to a sandwich without all the calories that mayo gives you.

See, I told you that it wasn't very big, but it came out of our garden...so YAY for that!!

I started keeping a journal this week. I bought one several months ago, and it just never wrote in it.  I have found it very therapeutic and a way to release stress. I use to relieve stress by crying, but I have found that I don't cry so easily these days.  That or maybe I am not as stressed as I think I am.  Oh well, the journal is helping me to relieve the stress that I may or may not have...LOL

Went to help Sydney and Jenny celebrate their birthday this week.  I am doing a mentoring program with Jenny.  She is just the sweetest thing ever.  It was a skate party and boy did they have a great turn out.  Someone asked me if I was going to skate...hahahahaha.  No, I like myself too much.  Plus, who can afford to be laid up all summer with a broke bone.   The kids had a blast though,

 You gotta love Jenny's sweet smile.

Sydney is always so happy.

We are going this Saturday to help another friend celebrate their birthday, only he is not in his "tween" years.  He will be celebrating his birthday with a pig picking, so maybe turning 40 won't be so bad for him.  All my classmates are turning 40 this year.  Still an age that doesn't roll of my tongue so easily.  I can't deny that I am 40, but I don't have to spread it around either.  LOL

Went and did a little shopping yesterday.  I went to my favorite thrift store, and hit the jackpot.  I finally found me some clothes.  A yellow pair of dress pants for $2, a Kim Rogers tank for $1 and a pair of shorts for $1.  All these clothes looked brand new.  The lady in the store told me that she knows the woman who donated them and she hardly wore anything twice.  Not much else caught my eye there, but I check back every so often, because you never know what they will have.  I went to Hallmark yesterday to spend my $10 that I had earned with the rewards card.  Have you ever tried to spend $10 in Hallmark?  They first thing I picked up was over $10.  I had fun picking out something for me, and also bought a gift for a friend.  I went to the bookstore to look for some books for my soon to be arriving twin nieces...no luck.  I wanted some story books on twins, but when I asked the clerk looked at me like I was crazy.  Might have to research this a bit before I find just what I am looking for.

Going to Mark's aunt today to swim.  As I have stated in other blogs, that is one my favorite things about summer....getting in the pool.  I bought everything I need to leave here so that I can hit the pool.  I bought a beach bag, beach towel, suntan lotion, bathing suit and a small cooler to have everything at my finger tips to relax at the pool.  Last year it was so tiresome bringing everything back and forth.

Well, I am off to catch a few more Z's before morning.  When I can't sleep, I write my blog.  Have a great day.

Summer Time!!!

I must admit that I am loving summer time.  I know that summer hasn't officially arrived, but someone please tell that to Coastal, NC.  It has been 100 degrees a few days already.  I admit that the heat is not my favorite part of the summer (heat makes me mean..which is another blog altogether), but I love the things that summer brings.

Jenny and I spent the day at the pool.  That is one thing that I love about summer time is spending time at the pool and the beach.  My ultimate feeling is coming home from the beach..taking a shower.  Lying on the sofa on a cool sheet while your body is soaking in all the kisses the sun left on your body.  Ahhh, what a great feeling.  I do love the beach, but not the sand.

The watermelon this year has been so yummy.  I bought 2 cantaloupes yesterday and they were so delicious.  I love all the fresh fruit and vegetables that summer time brings.  I forget just how much I love fruit and how it taste so much better when it is in season.  As of the writing of this blog, I have eaten 2 watermelons in 2 days...okay, they were small, but I ate them all.

Our bucket garden is really growing.  As I go near it, I can smell the pepper plants in the air.  I am hoping for a good yield on our little garden this year.

Our squash plants are blooming.  My mouth is already watering for some fresh squash on the grill.  I have found that raw little yellow squash and zucchini are great in a salad.

This bell pepper plant is blooming, but it smells like pepper when you get around it.  That is one of my favorite things in the garden.

A small banana pepper on our plant.

Our grape tomato plant is full of tomatoes.  These are so good in a salad or just to pop in your mouth.

I can't wait for these to get ripe.  I love a tomato sandwich with mayo...good summer time eatin'.  I have learned this past weekend that hummus is wonderful on a turkey sandwich.  I get the roasted red pepper hummus.

I love planting and harvesting a garden in the summer time, but I also love flowers.  I planted so many flowers this year (every thing that I have to dead head).  They are growing like crazy.  One thing that I love is all the flowering bushes in our garden.  They usually provide me with a beautiful bouquet for the house.

Our gardenia bush is in full bloom, and they are gorgeous.  I love how they make my house smell as well.  I have almost stripped this bush of all blooms as I have filled every vase I have with these fragrant flower.

I love Lantana...I planted 3 pots of this one.  Hoping that it will bunch out soon.

One piece surprised me by being pink...I love it!!

I love the laziness that summer brings with it.  The relaxing atomosphere and attitude that most have....I don't like mosquitoes though.  I love the long day and the thunder storms (as long as they are not severe).  I love the hummingbirds and watching the lightning bugs in the evenings.  I love hearing the frogs croaking and the different birds.  I love to hear the roar of the ocean and picking up shells.  I love making a splash in the pool to cool off during the day.  I love picnics and going for rides.  But just as much as I love summer (did I mention...I hate the heat), I love to see Fall arrive and all that it brings with it.



Exactly Where is That???

Today as I was packing up my Ebay items, I ran across a place I had never heard of before.  Le Roy, New York.  Not exactly a place that you think about when you when you think of New York state.  Which brings me to the point of this blog.  You ask a northern where they are from and you get these answers, Vermont, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and my favorite is Upstate New York.  Now here is my question when I hear this answer's....where are you from????  I want location, location, location.  I want to know not only the state you are from, but what city and maybe the street name that you grew up on.  Because if you ask a Southern where we are from....get ready to sit back and listen for a spell.  Not only will we tell you the state, city and street, but we will tell you our neighbors name and who they are kin to in our town.  We are proud of where we come from, and we will tell you exactly how to find us. 





We will proudly tell you just how to get to our house.  Labeling everything that you see along the way.  Such as, you will know you are heading in the right direction when you see Farmer Brown's big red barn.  You know his barn burned 10 years ago during a thunderstorm...lightning hit it, but he built it back bigger and brighter than ever.

Now about a mile or so after you pass that pretty red barn, you will see a big ole' tree, and I mean a big tree.  They say that tree is over 200 years old, but I don't know...that is just hear say.  You will want to start slowing down at this point.

Now start looking for the next dirt road to your right.   You will come up on it fast, so keep it slow and your eyes peeled to the right. There is a car shed where you will turn, so you really you can't miss it.  Ms. Dob's parks her car under there that she never drives.  Her spinster sister comes and gets her and takes her everywhere she wants to go, but she insists on keeping her car, just incase she does need to drive.  Personally, I don't think she even has a driver license. 

You go down that road about a half a mile and we live at the end of it.  This land has been in our family over 100 years.  I inherited from my daddy, who got it from his daddy, and I will pass it on to my kids.  You will know it is us because you will see our boat in the yard.  I bought that boat from my neighbor's nephew a year back at a steal.

While this has been a fictitious story, it so true in many ways.  As Southerns we will lead you right to our front door.  We are proud of where we come from, and the stories that accompany these directions.  The next time someone ask where you are from....at least give us a city and a state.  Help a Southern out!!!

I wrote this blog a few days back and just saved it as a draft for some reason.  Here is the funny part.  I asked a lady where she was from....her answer...Upstate New York!!! You gonna love it!!!

Learning!!!

Do we ever get to the place in life where we no longer learn???  I seriously doubt it.  I learn new things everyday and I am...let's just say I am not 25 any more.  LOL  The word 40 is still not easily rolling off my tongue.  Here is a list of things that I have learned in my short time here on earth...some funny...some serious. 

I have learned lately that it has been more the little things in life that truly make me happy.  Lately, a good hair day has just thrilled me to pieces, but it never seems to be the really big things in life that sparks a tenderness in my heart.  Just simply watching some birds at our feeder, and seeing them in their true amazing form.  The way they can fly, how they sense danger and how they love those tiny seeds we put in the feeder. You just have to know that a truly great God created these little beings. 

 To hear a child laugh with a high pitched giggle at truly nothing(to us) is another wonder to me.  It makes me want to join in and not care who is watching.  That is another thing I have come to learn and appreciate....not caring what others think.  I am talking about the little things in life, such as acting silly once in a while or laughing in public so hard you almost fall out of your seat.  Isn't it more wonderful to laugh and make a spectacle of yourself than to be sour all the time?  My vote is to let go and be yourself and not let this society dictate your actions. 

I have learned that political correctness is not always correct.  I mostly see it as a compromise to God's Word and an attempt to shield and cover up sin.  Sin is sin, you can call it what you want, but it is still sin.  Prettying  up sin doesn't make it go away, and doesn't hide the fact of what it really is in this world (this could be a whole other blog in itself).

I have learned to appreciate the beauty around us.  God carefully created this world for us to enjoy, but sadly most are too busy to notice the beauty that surrounds us.  Beautiful sunsets, rainy days, rainbows, a sky full of twinkling stars, moonlight and I could go on and on at the beauty that He provides us; if we just learn to appreciate and observe it.  Yesterday as the sun begin to rise to start the new day, for the first time I really saw the morning light.  I am talking about that little bit of fog burning off and the way the dew drips off the things that it has kissed during the night.  The calling of the birds as they start their day.  I was in awe of the things that I observed, and a little sad of not noticing these things before.  Nothing I have done in life is not so important that I can't take to enjoy the scenery that God has given us. 

I have learned that there are some things in this life that you can not change.  I use to obsess about certain things in life.  In reality most where things that were beyond my control to change.  I can't change people or circumstances.  Once this was instilled in my mind, things got better for me.  I also learned to stay out of these situations, it makes life easier.  Most situations in life that I can not change are not important to begin with, they are usually our own agendas that we are trying to fulfill.  Some of this is in hope to please others.  Pleasing others will drive you crazy or kill you one...you will never win.  You can't please all people, and I stopped trying a few years back.

I have learned that singing in public will not kill me, and I have yet to throw up on stage.  Although I feel like it most times.  This may sound silly to some, but this is a big fear of mine.  I am slowly getting over it little by little, but I am still learning and trying to accomplish this one thing.

I have learned that comfortable clothes are the way to go.  Again this gets into trying to please people or fit in a mold that society has created.  Four inch heels may be fashionable, but this chick won't be wearing them.  I love my feet too much to do that to them.  LOL

Learning to say "no" was a biggie for me.  As a pastor's wife all my life, I was the "yes" man.  I would say yes to anything anyone asked of me.  It almost killed me doing that.  Not so much physically, but more my spirit.  Instead of being happy, I was miserable.  I learned to only take on the things I felt led to do or the things that I loved to do (such as, why am I leading a kid's choir?).  This is where I learned not to let people put higher expectations on me than I felt comfortable with.  There is no pastor's wife mold that we all have to fit into....no I don't play the piano.  I felt like a failure for years because of that one phrase.  It seemed like all pastor's wives did play, but guess what???  I am funny!!! Most are not...I learned to make my own mold.  After I did that....I was much happier in the role of pastor's wife.

The best thing I have learned lately is that laughter is great medicine for the soul.  I try to find the humor in most situations and laugh until I can't laugh no more.  We can always point out the negative in all situations, but it takes effort to see the humor.  My friend made me a plaque that says, "Why laugh if you don't snort."  I love it and I have learned to laugh and snort in just about all situations.

Life is a always a learning process.  We just have to put into practice daily what we learn.  Never think that you are too old to learn something.  Even a child can teach us important lessons in life.

Deer Me!!!

While watching TV last night, Mark called me to come and look at something.  There stood 3 deer in the pond drinking.  In just a few minutes 2 more joined them.  I quickly grabbed up my camera to catch this moment.  I took the pictures inside the house through the windows.

 I think the one by the boat hears my camera as I snap their picture.

 They are very alert creatures.

This deer just stood there for the longest time.  It was almost like he was staring at me.  I am sure they could see me in the house.

This one stops for a second...I think he hears me as well.

I love watching them as they stroll around the back yard.  The twitch their tails and their heads snap to attention at the first sound they hear.  I am surprised that I got as good of pictures as I did.  I love watching the wildlife out the sunroom windows.  It makes it seem more peaceful in the world.





Happy Things!!!

These are just a few things that makes me have happy thoughts....it isn't all about the elaborate things in life that brings happiness, it is the little things.

I just love to plant flowers and watch them grow.  This year, we really had a Spring, and I have gotten that chance to plant my little heart out.  I have kind of gone wild with planting and some of my beds are a little crowded, but they will be gorgeous when they are bigger and all bunched together.  I went yesterday and bought some verbena.  I am keeping within a pink/purple theme this year though.

 These are the hummingbird petunias.  See the long throaty stem on them.  My hummingbirds love them.

I really love being in the yard except for the heat and mosquitoes.  Anything I see just appeals to me so much.  I was out yesterday morning when I spotted some things that just tickled me to death.  Like I said, it doesn't take much to make my heart happy.

 I found some mushrooms growing in our yard yesterday morning.  I immediately thought about a book I read while in elementary school about a frog that lived under a toad stool.  It told all about his adventures in life.  I remember wishing I could live under a toad stool.  Ah, the minds of a child.

Our plum tree has plums on it again this year.  Now the tricky part is getting to them before the birds or something else gets them.  They are usually delicious.

I absolutely love my church and the people that make up the body of believers at Riley's Creek Baptist Church.  It has been so refreshing to be a part of a church that has a genuine love for one another.  Help is always there when you need and even when you don't realize you need help.  After some experiences in life, I treasure this more than anything.  I can hardly wait to get there on Sunday and see everyone and hear a great sermon.  I love our Pastor as well, he is such a nice man.  It means a lot to have a pastor that you can call on when you need them.

This picture was taken by my Aunt Carolyn....she is working on a secret project...SHH!!!

I loved this next thing yesterday, because it was soooo hottttt!!! I love a swimming pool, and I had it all to myself.

Thanks to my aunt for letting me come and swim!!

I love lots of things, but these are just a few things that I did yesterday that made me soooo happy:-)

Eclectic For Sure!!

This is just an eclectic blog about things that have happened in the last little bit or things that I just find fascinating. This will also be a rambling blog as I have been up since 3am and a little bored.  I did manage to do 2 loads of laundry and shelve 3 boxes of books this morning...so at least my time was put to good use.

We have 4 hummingbirds so far this year....at least that is how many we have counted.  I have really enjoyed them so much this year.  Even though those little things fight on each other, they are still fun to watch.  I have spent hours at our back door trying to get just the right picture of them, and that has not been easy for every good picture I take,I delete 20 fuzzy ones.  They only come to the feeder one at a time, but the other ones buzz and hoover close by.

 I was shocked at this picture I took.  I am no budding photographer, but I don't think that I did too bad.

Our bucket garden and flowers are doing really well.  We actually have 3 grape tomatoes on that plant and blooms, blooms, blooms on all the other plants.  Our squash and pepper plants are both budding out.  I planted lots of flowers this year...more than I have in such a long time.  I think this is due to the fact that the outside of our house looks so good since we had new siding put on the house.  Other years, we would plant and the flowers were pretty, but it made the house look even worse.

 I love this container of flowers.  These were just the left overs I had after buying way too many, but I think they turned out gorgeous.

I went crazy buying petunias this year.  Why, I don't know, because I hate dead heading these things.  I did find a hummingbird petunia this year...will have to take a picture of it later and post.  The hummers love it.

I have done some treasure shopping in the last little bit.  I actually hit the jackpot and found me some clothes.  Some top name brand capris for only $1 and $2 each.  A nice purse for $1 and 2 brand new pictures to go in my new bathroom for only $1.50.  While shopping for myself, I always keep my eyes peeled for anything that I think I can sell on Ebay.  This past week I found an Iwata Airbrush.  Not sure what that is exactly, but for $2.50 I brought it home.  I am happy to say as of this post it is at $56 on Ebay with 29 people watching it and it still has over a day left on bid.  Let me say for every one thing I pick up like this, I pick up lots of dud's in between that make a small if any profit on Ebay.  Not always lucky on picking up things that makes me a big profit, but it is nice when that happens.

My best find lately for Ebay.  Wish I could find something is profitable everytime.

This weekend was the Blingo Cruise sponosored by Park Lane Jewelry, to which I am huge fan of their jewelry (okay, I love all jewelry...I confessed).  My mom, Aunt Carolyn and I set out on this girls day out, and we were not disappointed.  I won twice in Blingo, mom and aunt Carolyn also won and mom won a door prize...a gift certificate for a pet grooming.  She loved it, not so sure Abbey will like it.  We took off on the party boat full of bling...I was in heaven.  It was so nice and elegantly set up with a great buffet (jewelry and food...what else could you possibly want).  It was fun to spend some time out with some ladies.  Heather Clayton and her mom, Michele went as well and sat with us.  I got to see a live pelican up close, and you know I had to take a picture of him.  It truly is the little things in life that make me happy.  The Park Lane Jewelers put on a great event.  No selling on the cruise, just winning lots of prizes and some beautiful jewelry.  The other thing that I loved is that they made sure everyone on the cruise won a piece of jewelry, so everyone went home a winner.  I love this group of jewelers (no, Sandi...I am not signing up to sell.  LOL  Well, not yet anyway.)

 The girls (that makes us sound so young. LOL) are ready to go and win us some new bling on this Blingo Cruise.

This pelican was just way too cool to pass up a photo of him.

  Heather and her mom, Michele.  They won was nice looking bling as well.  Heather and I always modeled some bling in the fashion show.  They didn't let us keep it though:-(

 The two pieces that I won playing Blingo.  You got to choose your own piece.  Notice that I picked the 2 biggest pieces that were offered.  LOL  If you know me, you know that I love big jewelry.

Standing at the boat as our lovely day ended.

This has been a great week.  Didn't get everything accomplished that I wanted to, but there is always next week.  I plan to start this week out in somebody's pool....LOL  I am praying for a sunny day today.  I have been invited to come and swim at so many pools, and I really hope they meant what they said, because ready or not...I am coming.  LOL  This blog has been typed from 5am to 6am since sleep has eluded my body (this is so if you see typing errors you will understand.  LOL).  I see an early breakfast in my future and then I am off to see what kind of mischief I can get myself into today.  Tootles!!