tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60201366569548401802024-03-06T01:36:57.381-06:00fairgraceFaith, family, friends, happiness,genealogy, birds, flowers, recipes,miscellaneousfairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-79729060288934673212009-08-06T19:15:00.001-05:002009-08-07T13:22:12.785-05:00Garden goodies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4MDZRKVQcOhJvFB8r9aZ3HNxo5wTmJaSNOZIua4AvuQIIsstZruBu94f_O1Mq0F-zm0WQAB7CjzJqVuw_56b4fd_sEnfH9NgQ5y9mmU9BUY0X2bcJ7mhTWprWP6uNUXFEX29tdESfw6s/s1600-h/jars_relish_salsa.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4MDZRKVQcOhJvFB8r9aZ3HNxo5wTmJaSNOZIua4AvuQIIsstZruBu94f_O1Mq0F-zm0WQAB7CjzJqVuw_56b4fd_sEnfH9NgQ5y9mmU9BUY0X2bcJ7mhTWprWP6uNUXFEX29tdESfw6s/s320/jars_relish_salsa.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367287568313427730" /></a><br /><br />Garden goodies have arrived, some more abundantly than others. We have had great success with tomatoes and squash. The cilantro grew well but the precious bunnies ate it all up and they chewed their way through most of the pepper plants.<br />I have made two batches of tomato salsa and one batch of squash relish. By this weekend there should be enough tomatoes and squash for more of the same. I took a few jars to work with me and they sold so fast my head was spinning. I left with orders to bring more of each next week. I am hoping to put up some Dilly Beans as well this weekend. I found some nice looking green beans at the store.fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-47826458739641569822009-07-05T19:09:00.004-05:002009-07-08T13:10:48.205-05:00Love those bunny rabbits!!!Bunny rabbits are so cute and cuddly and... menacing!!!<br />They have found an all night diner and it is my garden. The first time I saw a bunny in my garden my reaction was "Oh, how cute. The bunnies like the garden." I have realized the destruction in their tiny jaws. They are garden vampires. They started with just a few nibbles on the cilantro, but then then came the serious eating. My husband kept finding his pepper plants chopped down or stripped of leaves and we wondered what could be happening. We have a couple jalapeno plants left but I don't think hot matters because they ate the hot cherry peppers. I was beginning to think they did not like sweet basil but apparently they do. It is hard to believe they eat marigolds, but it is true. When they get started they super size and take down the whole plant. My garden is taking on the look of a gypsy encampment with things we have put in to scare them yet the bunnies continue to snack. I think the best investment for the next garden will be a fence.fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-46884513280996712792009-06-24T22:25:00.003-05:002009-07-02T09:48:22.683-05:00A weekend gardenerIt does not take very much sunshine to drive me away from the outdoors. I am truly only a weekend gardener. Despite my wimpyness we have harvested fresh onions and cilantro for blender salsa. Yum! The tomato and squash plants are loaded so it is only a few days before we gather a bumper crop and the sweet basil is growing like crazy. If you have never grown sweet basil you should try it. I don't know if another plant smells as wonderful. Besides, it is yummy as well. Spaghetti on the menu for Saturday!fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-210678725472759292009-03-30T20:06:00.005-05:002009-04-03T23:51:40.227-05:00I'd rather be fishin'Out of desperation I forced myself to go shoe shopping yesterday afternoon. I went to the first store and let me tell you it was no carnival. There were many choices but none that were just what I needed. I wanted a dressy casual, which means I am more interested in comfort than beauty. But I don't want plain old ugly either! My one hard fast rule which I will not break, the shoe must be comfortable. I do not want to grow into it or break it in. By the time they are "broke in" they are ugly and I have had all the pain for nothing.<br /> The very nice young lady who was helping me (bless her heart) showed me a pair she thought were dressy yet comfortable. Just for a moment I felt my eyes glaze over. I had to bite my tongue, it is still a little sore. Okay, maybe a sixteen year old would have considered them nice dress ups. But truly they were nothing more than high heeled black tennis shoes with a white heart on the toe and a white racing stripe in the side. Please, please, puhleeeze! <br />I did find some nice looking dress shoes, the problem is they had four inch heels. I am not interested entertaining the masses as I fall and possibly break something fragile, like my neck. They did have in stock several pair of very comfortable sandals which generally looked like something John the Baptist has worn for a tromp or two through the desert. Something made from the very latest in camel hide. Which of course does not go well with dressy black slacks.<br /><br />I gave up on that store and went to one of the big mall stores, one with an outside entrance so I would not have to walk a mile to locate the shoe department. I picked out three pair and waited for the overworked salesperson to acknowledge my very existence. "I would like these in black size seven and a half please." When he returns he says none of those come in that size but I brought them all in size seven and eight. What a surprise, the sevens were too tight and the eights were too loose. "Well, you can buy these little insert things to take up the extra space." Again with the blank stare and the tongue biting!<br />I tried several pair of a brand with the word "comfort" in it. Who are they trying to kid! Okay, more comfortable than walking on nails perhaps. But until my pinkie toe is surgically removed with plenty of anesthesia I prefer not to torture it. <br />Finally, after an exhausting marathon I finally settled on a pair which I did not actually like but which are fairly comfortable. You could also say they are only slightly uncomfortable, depends on how you look at it. Of course they were not the ones which were on sale but at least my toe is not bleeding. One pair down now I just need a pair of John the Baptist's hand me downs and I will be set for the summer.<br />Now you know why I had rather be fishing!fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-61020850911841421432009-03-25T20:30:00.002-05:002009-03-26T20:31:40.575-05:00~~~ Peanut the Pomeranian~~~<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4i6dCI83HzDALMwZwHCoDQA-NhLT3YMfdQ94dc4aru_ph22FF-YrZr8vDMOoc0xKFJLH2OZzd5EEhu_Y_QG3xZkXCG3-louVtcGGgVxNIVO4xHZvM_rGM4sbBXHdvJcdB-ywFCEfGJfX/s1600-h/pnut.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225610774217671874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4i6dCI83HzDALMwZwHCoDQA-NhLT3YMfdQ94dc4aru_ph22FF-YrZr8vDMOoc0xKFJLH2OZzd5EEhu_Y_QG3xZkXCG3-louVtcGGgVxNIVO4xHZvM_rGM4sbBXHdvJcdB-ywFCEfGJfX/s320/pnut.jpg" border="0" /></a>Peanut came into our world as a birthday gift for our child. We called her Peanut because she was just a tiny little thing. The first day we brought her home she would not come out of her carrier she was so frightened. That is until she smelled dinner cooking! What a nose!!! She would do anything for a fruit loop. Peanut was a bad one to look for candy and cough drops to hide away to save for hard times. I would never claim she was a perfect dog, for one thing she barked way too much But, as humans do we became terribly attached to our pet and loved her in spite of her faults. For twelve years we had her company and now she lives in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">doggie</span> heaven. I miss her. Every year when the daffodils and iris bloom on her little grave I stop for a moment and remember how much fun we had with her.<br /><br /><br /><div></div>fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-75083344933667887892009-03-22T14:15:00.000-05:002009-03-26T20:28:32.958-05:00From the garden.The boundary of the garden has increased by inches. I have not measured but I would say it is about 12'x15' at this point. We turned over enough soil to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">accommodate</span> maybe three to four additional rows and set up two small beds for herbs. We planted two rows of beets and set out several pepper plants. In the herb beds we sowed sweet basil seeds. It may be a little early but I don't anticipate a need to cover the garden more than a couple times. I paid $1.99 for the two packets of beet seeds but only .2o each for the eight packets of sweet basil. I don't know much my husband paid for the pepper plants but <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">probably</span> not too much. The onion sets were $2.49 per bundle for three bundles. I expect we will have more onions and peppers than one family could possibly use! But as most gardeners know, a large part of the "joy" of gardening is sharing the bounty.<br />Stay tuned for more "from the garden"....fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-76860779488971142622009-03-19T22:54:00.000-05:002009-03-19T22:54:00.702-05:00The saga of the veggie garden.We decided we must have a veggie garden. It has been at least three years since the last garden which was small and mostly tomatoes, peppers and flowers. This year we are ambitious the onions are in the tomato plants have been purchased and are waiting for me. Going to the store and purchasing seeds and plants was the easy part. Getting the soil ready was another story. Let's just say by the middle of the day I was questioning my sanity and by the end of the day I was amazed I could still walk!<br />I would say I look forward to gardening again this weekend but when I remember the pain I am not so sure. Maybe later when I am enjoying a juicy ripe tomato perhaps I can forget the pain?fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-7139267676432407582009-01-27T11:56:00.000-06:002009-01-27T21:34:21.503-06:00Book blogs and websitesI have not been blogging for couple months. While gearing up for the Holidays I could not set my mind to it. Since then I needed to keep my mind on getting back to my regular routine. In my free time I have been reading. My daughter is very enthusiastic about goodreads.com. This site offers the tools to help you keep track of what you have read as well as books you want to read. I think this is a great idea. I have only recently started to use this site and I do not have many books listed.<br /><br />I have intended to go back and read some of the books I read years ago. Last week I got started on that with one of my favorites, Hannah Fowler by Janice Holt Giles.<br /><br />I have been looking around on the internet at book reviews to find out what I want to read next. I read old and new stories, and I tend to like happy endings. I also have to force myself to break away from the pioneer genre at times but it will always be my favorite.<br />I have included a few links to book review sites you might enjoy.<br /><a href="http://cozynook.blogspot.com/">http://cozynook.blogspot.com</a><br /><a href="http://goodreads.com/">http://goodreads.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.allreaders.com/">http://www.allreaders.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.teenreads.com/">http://www.teenreads.com</a>fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-25301401936483056272008-11-01T10:23:00.000-05:002008-11-01T10:23:01.555-05:00Thoughts on attitudes of ThanksgivingDon't you love Thanksgiving?<br /><br />My attitude may need some work. Ok, it needs some work!<br /><br />I am thankful for the same things as most folks. Family, friends, shelter and food. I am thankful that at least for now there is religious freedom in America. I am thankful to have been born in America, land of the free because of the brave. I am thankful that my life is not as bad as it could be!!!<br /><br />As for my family, I have a lot to be thankful for and that is all I am going to say on that.<br /><br />I am thankful for the blessings of God which make the hard times in life bearable. Even though I do not always bear them well. In fact, I have a track record of not bearing adversity well!<br /><br />There have been times when just knowing someone was praying for me was the thing that kept me going.<br /><br />I am happy and glad that at age 15 I decided to invite Jesus Christ to live in my heart and to live my life for him. Yet I must admit to living more for myself than for him most of the time. I make no excuses, but it brings to mind another thing to be thankful for. It is that He is good and merciful to us all. Perhaps I am just more inclined to stumble than others.<br /><br />I suppose to sum it up, I am Thankful (ok, a thankful wretch!) for all I have been blessed with, and I am expecting many blessings to come.fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-2934455716109959712008-07-24T23:00:00.000-05:002008-07-25T10:21:28.275-05:00Favorite summer memoriesIn the good ol' days when I was a kid we lived near the beautiful Llano River. Most summer weekends you could find my family camped out on the river. It was a paradise meant for playing in the sand, climbing granite boulders, swimming and fishing.<br /><br />My dad would lead us to a remote spot, away from the noise of crowds. Walking in to camp was not so bad, provided we could jump into the river as soon as we found our camp. We had boundless energy and we loved being on the river with Mama and Daddy. Our packs were good ole burlap bags which we called toesacks. Dad would carry the heavy one with the cast iron skillet and shortening, sometimes with one of the smaller kids on his shoulders. Mom and kids would carry the fishing supplies, spare clothing, bedding and the baby.<br /><br />Fishing gear was easy to carry because we only carried the string, hooks, sinkers and corks. Oh, and a can of earthworms we had dug up from the backyard. My dad would cut willow poles for us to fish with. Each of us could properly "string" out poles, assemble the line, and bait the hooks. We even knew which hook to choose for the kind of fish we wanted to catch. We also had a way of catching live bait. My brothers always caught a bug they called a "helgamite". I was not afraid of bugs but those helgamites looked a little scary so I stayed away from them.<br /><br />We were river rats of the hightst order, we loved swimming and playing in the water. The only reason we got out at all was because we also loved to fish. Even baby brother loved to go "pishin". There was always excitement when we landed a fish. We always cleaned our catch and my parents would cook them up for supper.<br /><br />I rarely get the oppurtinity to fish anymore, but when I do think about my dad and how much he loved to fish. The memories of these special days linger in my heart and in my mind I can still see the golden flash of the sunperch and feel the warm sand on my toes.fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-22410468450712255512008-07-24T22:04:00.000-05:002008-07-25T09:25:21.293-05:00A Busy SummerWe had a visit from some of the Kansas relatives. We are always happy to see them. One of my sis-in-laws made a cobbler from some of the berries we had picked. It was real good. I put all my berries up in the freezer and gave some to friends and relatives. I will wait until fall or winter to make jam. It has been so hot and I do not want to heat up the house with too much cooking.<br /><br />Besides I have been busy reading the Joanna Brady detective series by J. A. Jance. I want to have them all read when she visits my local library on her book signing tour. I just finished "Partner in Crime", it was good. Her newest book "Damage Control"came out July 22. <a href="http://jajance.com/">http://jajance.com/</a><br /><br /><br /><div><div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div>We have been enjoying the hummingbirds these photos here were taken about a month ago.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9r4uJi42SWc0EtUe1GUm7rY_oVkEoxgMgLtaoCHUAA-yec6dm8yXPulds9nqoNfTBAK3LwbL7VmsdHBz4STi226cxjoGHfuA3q3L6nKO95ElacDJ8Oqy4GCzSM-CE2IAkZp9ch95qPdvr/s1600-h/humm2.08.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226664467719732882" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9r4uJi42SWc0EtUe1GUm7rY_oVkEoxgMgLtaoCHUAA-yec6dm8yXPulds9nqoNfTBAK3LwbL7VmsdHBz4STi226cxjoGHfuA3q3L6nKO95ElacDJ8Oqy4GCzSM-CE2IAkZp9ch95qPdvr/s200/humm2.08.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEuHySpl7Wrw_xerI3eac3W8Rsjpx_cOw0VSk3VvyBWZyp5gX-FXJqXQSRQOOymlF4rM0YNkmt2enX-bSpqQKvb3iGmzEeJVvDtPAW6GfktKavUedGqtOBupGty859g79vzTBbpoWETyh/s1600-h/humm3.08.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226664561409814450" style="CURSOR: hand" height="134" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEuHySpl7Wrw_xerI3eac3W8Rsjpx_cOw0VSk3VvyBWZyp5gX-FXJqXQSRQOOymlF4rM0YNkmt2enX-bSpqQKvb3iGmzEeJVvDtPAW6GfktKavUedGqtOBupGty859g79vzTBbpoWETyh/s200/humm3.08.jpg" width="199" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTp-N4z-EJd9A4rXRV7XoF1NBHDNHqEgJ3XrClyeiHv7bYPlZlfi8wuZAmMmziANoG5NFMjV6ZZKa1Zn_DPVxiIqn26OzNxeZlVoNTZPQDkXxDQoTlpo_H4obhZWjyrEWkbjZcCoHK-5Lh/s1600-h/humm08.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226664640992392194" style="WIDTH: 193px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" height="139" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTp-N4z-EJd9A4rXRV7XoF1NBHDNHqEgJ3XrClyeiHv7bYPlZlfi8wuZAmMmziANoG5NFMjV6ZZKa1Zn_DPVxiIqn26OzNxeZlVoNTZPQDkXxDQoTlpo_H4obhZWjyrEWkbjZcCoHK-5Lh/s200/humm08.jpg" width="196" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div></div></div>fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-81790657840957126822008-06-18T23:00:00.000-05:002008-06-19T10:33:23.749-05:00BlackberriesI love picking blackberries. It is certainly not the chiggers, stickers, sweat, or fear of snakes which attracts me. Possibly it is the sense of accomplishment I feel as I watch the bucket fill up. It may even be working together in harmony with my family as we exclaim over nature's bounty. <br />If we get a few rains the berries will stay around at least until the end of June. It is best to go early in the morning before it gets too hot. This weekend we did not get out as early as we should, it got a little hot out there. But in a little oven an hour we had picked two and one half gallons. <br />Every time I open the freezer I want to grin. Our family and friends seem to appreciate the jelly we give as gifts. You cannot buy anything as tasty in the stores. I am getting excited about making jelly. But, I cannot take time just yet because as long as the berries remain I get the urge to pick. Perhaps I am greedy and do not think I have enough so I hope to pick again this weekend. We will leave plenty for the birds. <br />Hopefully I can find some wild plums this weekend as well!fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-27868076372136076352008-05-04T09:50:00.000-05:002008-05-04T09:50:01.167-05:00Amazing Stress ReliefThey say stress kills. We all have it but what can you do? <br />There are many suggestions and products you can try. Many of the cures are pretty expensive and some just don't work. I tried squeezing one of those little squishy balloons and it only made my wrist hurt. It spent most of its life in the junk drawer. (No offense, they may work for some folks.)<br />If I hopped on over to the spa every time I am stressed I may as well move in. Besides, it would take a kazillion dollars worth of back rubs and aromatic scents to get rid of my stress! I am likely no more stressed than you. In fact I am sure there are many out there with more stress than I have experienced.<br />Relief is only moments away. It takes little or no money and just a little of your time. This method is not really a secret and I know some of you have used this method before now.<br />It is this:<br />Reading. Read for fun, or you might say for the pure pleasure of it. Indulge youself. Read an old book, read a new book, read a bunch of books.<br />There are public libraries all over the place. Their mission is to provide free reading materials to you. Find a book you will like find a comfy spot and tune out the world. I know, I sound like a public service announcement but I do love reading.fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-7213918076996535042008-05-03T08:00:00.000-05:002008-05-03T08:00:00.481-05:00"Happy Birthyday Dear Daughter"This post is dedicated to my daughter.<br />An avid reader and an ardent C.S. Lewis admirer. <br />XOXOXOX<br />Love Mom<br />http://booksbycslewis.blogspot.com<br />http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/c_s_lewis.html<br />http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/C._S._Lewis/fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-72633130481371678692008-04-15T19:44:00.000-05:002008-04-15T20:00:43.610-05:00Genealogy BitsI have added a separate blog for genealogy. So far only one post. I decided to start with minimal instructions for basic genealogy with some links for free pedigree charts. I prefer free genealogy, so in most instances I will link to free information. If you have not done any genealogy I invite you to print out one of these ancestor/pedigree charts & jot down what you know about your family. You may get bit by the "genealogy bug".fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020136656954840180.post-49171125049405506972008-04-07T14:32:00.000-05:002008-04-07T14:57:35.023-05:00My first post!I am not so into myself that I think everyone will want to know all about me. Also, I am not sure I want the world at large to know all about me.<br />This is my first ever blog, I am not even sure what I want to do with it, other than practice blogging!!!<br />I do genealogy so at some point I will be sharing tips & links to genealogy sites.<br />But, I love many things like birds, flowers, good recipes etc. so perhaps I will sometimes share some things of that nature.<br /><br />For my first post I want to share one of my favorite Bible passages:<br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:georgia;"> Revelations 22:1-4</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"> 1Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,<br /> 2 in the middle of its street On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.<br /> 3There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;<br /> 4they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.<br /> 5And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever. </span>fairgracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01788954070436714972noreply@blogger.com0