NANA NOTES

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR FRIEND

I know you've heard the story about when I went to chemo for the first time that if I hadn't had my friends with me I don't think I would have made it.  No one talked to me except the nurse and the room was full of people.  I decided right then and there that as long as I was going to that room that no one would experience that feeling.  They were feeling bad enough, they didn't have to feel alone too.  Our friend Skeeter went for his first treatment on Monday.  I knew that his wife would be with him but I really wanted to be there to support him.  Being my "crafty self" I made a sign that said "Skeeter is going to kick cancer's butt" with a kicking donkey on it.  Off I went on Monday and got there before he started.  He didn't know whether to laugh or cry and I think we did a little of both. 

This is Tiffany giving Skeeter his first stick.  I told him I had "magic cream" out in the car if he needed it.  He said he thought he could handle it.  The treatment that day would last six and one half hours.  He started at 8:40 AM. [I found out later that the last drop went through at 4:15 PM].  A very long day for them!!  

This was shortly after the Benadryl bag got started.  I guess Skeeter will be a "sleeper" instead of going hyper like me.  He got quiet.  I hope he gets to rest. 

Deb was filling out papers because somehow theirs had gotten lost.  She came to the line that said "referring physician" and she wrote down "Barbara Herring"!  I had almost insisted that Skeeter use Dr. Jack.  They are glad to be in a clinic that cares so much for their patients.  This picture also shows how much they believe that Skeeter is going to do well with his treatment.  God is in control of this situation and is guiding Dr. Jack to do his best for Skeeter.  Please pray for this family as they go through the months ahead.  God bless you Skeeter; we love you! You too, Deb!!

OUR GRANDSON IS GRADUATING!??

It's just not time for Ryan to be a senior--literally and figuratively--but it's happening and we can't stop it. I realize he's not going far away just yet but I'm already missing him.  Friends gave him a party this Sunday night and here are some candid shots. 

Phillip, Katherine, Ryan and Haleigh--Katherine and Ryan were born just a few days apart.  They've been in school together all these years.

 

Sam, Ben Abbey and Emily with the Strouds and Halfords in the background. 

I think I interrupted Papa and W. H.'s supper. MiMi looked happy though. You can see the rest of the family in the background.  Supper was delicious.

 Anna and Lindsey had to pose. Cute girls, huh? Lindsey is Ryan's cousin.

And here's Ms Carmon Claire!  She was calling Ryan on the cell phone.

Can't believe he only has about three weeks left in school.  He graduated on May 22; Haleigh graduates on May 21.

Oh, the places they'll go!

FINDING 'HEART ROCKS'

Until I got sick I walked every day all around the farm.  I read a blog called Farmgirl Fare and she collects "heart rocks".  Obviously her rocks are a lot bigger than mine [I've shown you some of mine from time to time and you can see hers on her blog. In the upper right hand corner of her blog there is a search block; type in "heart rocks"].  The other day I was out taking pictures and saw this rock.  It's been in my backyard for several years and I've never noticed it.  Right under my nose!!  If I had known it was there I would have put it in the center or in a more noticeable place. But, for now--it's special--a very special "heart rock"! 

GCM Design and Awards Luncheon

As State Flower Show Awards Chairman I get to see some wonderful designers do their work and have a good time at the same time.  Yesterday was one of those times.  After my awards presentation at State Convention Mr. Tony Todesco from Massachusettes designed and bantered with the audience for an hour and a half.  I had a wonderful time.  Here are some of his designs.  I loved this design with white calla lilies, varigated aspidistra and curly willow.  It blended well with the green container.

 

This container is made of a plastic cylinder and pieces of river birch and corrugated plastic. Worth the price I paid for it--only to me--but I loved it!  Before he added the fern to it the design was a mono-botanic design. [Sorry about the speaker but they didn't have backgrounds.]

I really liked this container too but it was a plastic cylinder with a plastic grid wired to it.  I figured I could make that.  The plant material was bear grass, liatris and lavender carnations massed together. It also had fatsia leaves and something else that escapes me right now.

Loved this one. Mr. Tony had wired the palm leaves and trimmed them. He had woven tiny bamboo together to make panels and they were a reddish color. The containers were black and there were two of them.  He used pink protea and red leaves that I can't remember the name of. This was gorgeous!!

This arrangement was prettier than it photographed.  It was lite from the back and you could see the orangey red leaves that were glued to the white corrugated board. The rolled bird of paradise [I think] leaves were very interesting.  I am thinking this is a tapestry design.

The sunflower and placemat design is one of my favorites. And we really got into a discussion over this one.  Mr. Tony asked if you used this in TriColor and the judges mentioned that the placemats were treated material what would you call them. The answer:  placemats.  If it's made into something other than what it is, it's ok. [My understanding.]  He also stapled the varigated leaves into the shape he wanted.  I said, "you didn't just staple that?" He said, "yes, I did."  My reply was, "won't the judges be able to see it?" He told me to look around the room and pulled out his glasses.  The room cracked up with laughter.  Sad but true, our judges are getting older.

Mr. Tony is the creator of the "Tapestry" design so he did several. This one is very pretty and makes me want to try it.  He wove horses' tail to make the green panel and mentioned something about the brown thing being a flower bed border material.  It looked like wicker or rattan. The varigated material was beautiful and the green flowers were hydrangeas and green carnations.

This was his last one--something most anyone could do. Apples, red square containers, roses, copper tubing and budding branches.  It would be beautiful down the center of a dinner table or on a buffet.

 

I thought you might want to know what Mr. Tony looked like. He was a typical Northener with an accent but he did a great job.  If you didn't get a chance to go you missed a treat and if you aren't a flower person, I guess you should have moved on to another blog!

 

EARLY ARRIVALS AND BOARD DINNER AT COTTON BRANCH

For years I've been wondering what my spiritual gift was.  Others have always said it was "hospitality".  I'm beginning to believe it.  Ed and I both are always opening our home to others--we love to share what we have been blessed with.  A year ago I didn't realize that the Pine Burr Garden Club Flower Show and the Garden Clubs of MS State Convention would be the same week and I volunteered to have the Early Arrivals and Board Dinner at our home. We'd done it once before and had a wonderful time. No problem!!  Well---nine years ago I was younger and could maybe move faster! :) AND--stress wasn't in my vocabulary even though I've always overloaded my schedule.  BUT--with the help of Pine Burr members and Linda and Janice and don't forget Ed!!--we pulled it off!  The dinner was beautiful, delicious and wonderful in every way.  Eighty seven people were absolutely delighted with our "Dinner at Cotton Branch Plantation".  Here are a few pics to show you.

These ladies were from New Albany. Doesn't the table look pretty? 

This group is from Brandon and my friend Karen is peeking out from the back right. 

Ed loved this group of ladies-three sisters and their Mom.  They are all sweet and special ladies.

 

Here she is--our new State President as of tonight--Gay Austin and her husband Will with Ed and me.  A group of us started out years ago going to judges' schools and traveling together.  We've been friends a long time and I wish Gay well.  Ed and I were delighted to have the opening even of Gay's special week at our home.

Tomorrow--the terrific Design Luncheon!!

BOYS AND THEIR TOYS

Josh has told me several times that he doesn't want his life posted on my blog.  The other day when he left with his "handbuilt modified racing fourwheeler" he told me that I could blog this one.  I'm not too crazy about the idea of him racing anything that looks like this but I have seen him and he does wear protective headgear and a vest.  What impresses me more than anything is that he has taken parts that have come in boxes by UPS and FedEx and built this vehicle piece by piece.  His patience is amazing.  It's been taken apart and put together more times than I can remember--or maybe other ones.  This is the third or fourth one he's built.  To quote Cagney who went to Louisiana this weekend to watch him race, "he's like a rock star in this circuit".  This machine will go 300 feet in less than 3.4 seconds.  It has to be a man thing because that scares the @#$% out of me!!

 I think he said he about broke even this weekend! Congratulations, Josh!

"LET FREEDOM RING" FLOWER SHOW

Third Friday in April means Pine Burr Garden Club Flower Show! And this year was no different.  The Franklin County Courthouse was the background for our Patriotic show "Let Freedom Ring".  There was the usual mumbling and grumbling before the show but as the day went on things got better. It wouldn't be "the girls" if we didn't gripe about doing it.  The front of the Courthouse was the entry to the show. The special exhibits were placed on each side of the door.  One was on bluebirds and their houses.

Melody's was on Container Gardening and I loved it. She does the best special exhibits. I coveted her blue table.  Her containers were awesome. She has her mother's touch with flowers.  I entered three designs due to the fact that we have only 13 members. [Several of us did three!]

"Freedom of Speech"

This was my only blue winner.  The others didn't fare so well.  But---you can't be a winner all the time.  And---my horticulture kicked butt!!

My green leaf Japanese maple won a blue, Horticulture Excellence and the Arboreal Award. I also won the Sweepstakes Award (most blue ribbons) and the Pauline Herring Award (most blue ribbons in horticulture).

For such a rocky start I'd say I ended up pretty well.

Beverly won the TriColor Award with this beautiful design.  She is a wonderful designer and usually does very creative things. This is no exception.

Lugenia does lovely mass designs. We're going to get her to do a program next year on teaching us how to do them.  This was "Freedom of the Press".

 

 
"Freedom of Religion" by Judy was beautiful. Both Lugenia and I wondered why the purple fabric and flowers photographed blue. This was another blue ribbon winner.

Paulette's arrangement was outstanding. Her flowers were tremendous and she deserved the Designer's Choice and the Barbara Herring Award for design as well as the blue. She was very happy.

Becky's fountain for "Freedom of Justice" was interesting and she was proud of her blue.  Lugenia won the Dorothy McGehee Award for her design in this class.  That Award is for the design that best depicts the theme of the show.

With the help of Becky's husband a beautiful magnolia tree got planted on the courthouse lawn. The tree was donated by Growin' Green Landscape and it was our gift to the courthouse.   Melody and I ended up with the Horticulture Awards. 

I sort of did a "sneaky pete" and entered one of Quent Peterson's roses under "Guest Exhibitor" without his knowing it.  He won a blue ribbon and to top it off he won an Award of Merit.  I phoned them to make sure they were coming to the show. You can see that he was pleased.  That was a feel good moment knowing I had made him happy.  If you get the chance, drive by their home and see his roses.  They're beautiful.  He says he doesn't do a thing to them. 

At the end of the day there were lots of happy winners.  These ladies won blue ribbons for their designs.  Those that didn't get blues were still winners just for showing up and working as hard as they did for making the show a success.  Pine Burr Garden Club is a National Award winning club.  Why don't you join us?  We have fun--but we work at it!!

I'll get an album on the website as soon as I can and you can see all the arrangements.  Just click on "Let Freedom Ring" 2009 Flower Show. It may take me a day or two. Keep checking my blog.

I'VE WAITED SO LONG AND SHE WON'T LET ME GET CLOSE!

Ed went to pick up bees this morning and left at 5:00 AM--he called me about that time--that could only mean one thing--BeBe had her baby!!

He told me it was a paint and I went right back to sleep after calling Jennifer.  He called me at 7:00 to ask me what I thought about it and woke me up again.  You would think as long as I've waited for this baby I'd have gotten up right away and busted it to the barn!!  When I went down to the barn BeBe wouldn't let me near her or the baby.  Usually she's a "lap dog" kind of horse and will just love all over you, but today she is the protective mom of a beautiful paint stud colt. I hope to get better pictures soon.  [Jennifer probably does and it's ok for her to post them now!!]

BACK TO THE BALLGAMES

I jumped ahead of myself with my posts but I thought Easter was a timing thing.  On Saturday my brother and his family and I went to Sam and Hayden's ballgame.  Sam plays on one team and Hayden on the other.  That is something I definitely can't handle. I spend all my time yelling for both boys and people get confused.  How can I not be for each child?  They both played very well [except for the time Hayden got Sam out on first base!!]. I teased him about it on Sunday and he just grinned at me.  They both can hit the ball and do well in their positions.  At one point I told Jennifer that Sam "had left the building".  He was getting tired right at the end.  He's the youngest child on his team--he's playing with kids older than he is.  Sam's team won but only by one run.  The coaches are to be commended for the work they do with those children.  They're patient and helpful--especially Ms Marla.   Sam was really into the game when it started--see his "eye glare tape"!!  Hayden was ready too--watching over first base.

I think this was where Sam hit the ball and Hayden got him out at first! Oh, didn't like that!!

Hayden got a lick on this one and made it around to third.  He had a huge smile on his face.

Bryden decided that he wasn't going to play this year.  He's just as happy watching his brother and playing video games. And with a face like that, ya gotta love him too!!

THE BEST EASTER DAY!

This is what greeted us at church this morning--a beautiful fresh flower cross made by the Jolly Elders of our church--a beautiful sign that Jesus died on the cross for US!

The choir sang two very good specials that we'd been working on for a while.

I got to do the children's sermon--something I've just recently learned that I really like to do. I read the children The Parable of the Lily and they look like they enjoyed it.

The rustic wooden cross inside the church was decorated with beautiful fresh flowers.  The church was alive with beauty this morning.

 

A former member of our church sends flowers every holiday. There's a long story there and he's never forgotten us. We won't ever forget him either.  

 

The flowers were beautiful and so much appreciated by our congregation.

After church it was home to lunch and the Easter Baskets.  Lunch was delicious and we all enjoyed it-lots of family and some friends.  Cagney baked

a beautiful carrot cake in the shape of a bunny. Even though we hated to cut it, Jeanne and I did and it was delicious. Cagney makes the best desserts!

 

Then it was on to the egg hunt.  Even though the kids said they didn't want to do it, after the eggs were hidden they all got really into it.

 It was a totally great Easter Day!

RYAN'S SENIOR PROM

How could it have been a year ago when I was standing on the porch with Ryan and Haleigh taking prom pictures? There were more tears than smiles--probably because of the circumstances--but there was more love than you could imagine.  This year there were lots of laughs and "wise cracks".   Kim, Cody and Haleigh got to the house before Ryan and Haleigh had on shorts, a guy's shirt and bling on her eyelids!  Cute, huh?

Haleigh and Ryan did the traditional "putting on of flowers". Haleigh always knows exactly what she wants and Ryan does a good job of getting them!  :)

I'm so blessed that the kids really want to come here to take pictures and to see us before they go somewhere important.

This is probably my favorite photo of the night.  Ed looked at it and said "Howdy, Mam!" I agree totally. Aren't they just the cutest couple.  God bless them and all the kids who are out tonight having their last senior prom.

 Check out Jennifer's blog for more pictures and more of the story! 

THE EASTER BUNNIES ARRIVE

 Meet the newest members of the Cotton Branch family--Shadrach, Mechach and Abednego--and we're guessing at that!  I guess we'll find out later! :)  Jeanne, Haleigh's mom, took Easter pictures last weekend and used these sweet bunnies. She then started looking for a home for them.  We just happened to have a pen and I accepted them gladly.  So far they are very happy.  We were putting them in the pen and getting the food and water fixed and Ryan asked me what I was going to name them. When I told him I asked him why--he laughed and said that Copper [Ed's dog] called them "Dinner".  That will NOT happen!!

IT ALMOST HAPPENED

On the way to church this morning Ed was reading me an article about a woman in Florida who had lost everything she had except her two horses. She decided to leave with her horses and ride to Texas to try and find work.  The article gave a website to follow her progress. When we got home he said it was in the Jackson paper as well. Curiosity got the best of me and I logged on.  Next thing I knew I was emailing the person telling them that we would pick her up and bring her to the farm for a good meal and some rest on her journey. They were asking for people to help along the way.  The lady emailed me almost immediately and told me that "Donna Byrne"had made it to Monticello, MS and was being taken care of tonight and would be coming to Brookhaven tomorrow. She would contact me after she talked to Donna to see if we could work out the details.  I just got an email that said a couple in Natchez had offered to pick her up in Brookhaven in the morning and take her to Natchez for a couple of days.  I can't tell you how disappointed I was.  We really wanted to help her and I wanted the grandchildren to meet her.  What a courageous woman she must be to be making this journey--a woman alone with two horses and $100 in her pocket.  The story said that people along the way had been wonderful to her--someone had shod and stabled her horses, and given her places to stay.  With all the bad going on in the world [even Donna losing her job and everything she had] there are still good things happening. 

Donna, if you read this I'm sending you prayers and my favorite scripture--Jeremiah 29:11--For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

And Cindi if the pictures were yours, I hope you don't mind that I "borrowed" them. :)

SHELL-STEBBINS WEDDING

I represented the family today at the wedding of Beth Shell and Brady Stebbins.  Brady works for Ed and is the son of Eddie Stebbins who also works for Ed. He and his wife Sue were the first people to get married at Cotton Branch [a whole post in itself].  Today has been an absolutely beautiful day--perfect for a wedding.  Ty and Sandy (Beth's parents) looked very handsome lighting their part of the unity candle.

 

Sue and Eddie look very happy to have his #2 son married.  Don't they both look nice?

 Everyone was watching the flower girls and ring bearer come down the isle when I took this picture.  It's hard not to get "heads" when you sit where I was sitting.  After all I wasn't the "professional" photographer at the wedding. I was just sneaking a few pics for the blog.  I loved the orange dresses.  I don't think I've ever seen orange used at a wedding--the flowers the girls carried were bright colored gerbers--very pretty!   

Sarah and Elliot (son #1) were married not too long ago.  They are the cutest couple.

 

I usually don't eat wedding cake but I love to see what they look like.  This one was beautiful.  I'm sure it was delicious.  Now I'm wanting a piece!!

 

No doubt what Brady likes--race cars and chocolate cake.

And now to the bride and groom-Beth and Brady Stebbins! 

I hope they will be very happy.  Good luck and best wishes B & B!

ANOTHER PIZZA HUT ADVENTURE

Ed and I took the boys [all four] plus Haleigh to Pizza Hut tonight while Jennifer and Shelly were at the funeral home.  The boys didn't want to stay there the whole time so we "occupied" them for a while.  You can always keep them busy eating!!  Ryan and Haleigh decided to go along and we were glad.  It's nice to have teenagers want to be with you.  They put a movie in and laughed the whole way there.  I think we ordered some of everything on the menu--even a new item which not everyone liked!  It didn't make the carry home box.  Ben and I always get a salad. We love our greens.  Sam tried the Pizza Rolls and did eat one, but said to leave them there.  Haleigh tried one but said "no thanks" to any more.  Haleigh will kill me when she sees this picture--she was tickled and saying "don't take my picture".  Ryan dodged out of the way.    The boys put money in the "junk" machines and got some really tacky toys.  Graham got "tracks" for his teeth and a "mood ring".  He said it was really hard to smile with his tracks on.  Sam got "floam" and had fun playing with it.  We're not sure what he had made here but he loved it.  Ben got a "Squidward" and he wasn't thrilled.  Some days you get it and some days you don't.  This wasn't Ben's day!!

Just for the record--this was the best service we've ever gotten at the Pizza Hut--our waitress didn't write down one single thing and she got everything right and it was FAST!  We had a fun time making memories.