NANA NOTES

SCRAPPING SISTERS RETREAT

 

It's always fun when the "Scrapping Sisters" get together.  We usually go to an organized crop and meet up to scrapbook for a weekend.  This particular trip was organized by one of our own at a beautiful lodge on a lake deep in the woods.  We had eight of the "sisters" and three guests. From the look of the room you would have thought it was a huge event. The only thing lacking was venders!! :) BUT--I'm sure any of us could have come up with enough stuff to cover that!!  In this picture everyone wasn't even set up!! Scrapbookers do love their stuff!!  We carried our food and took turns fixing meals. That wasn't a problem for any of us and the food was wonderful. Another thing scrappers love to do is eat!!  This particular night Pat fixed tomato bisque, tomato tarts and homemade bread.  There were several cakes and goodies to share as well. Let's just say that no one went hungry.  We had no agenda, no directions and no bedtime.  Some people stayed up late and some went to bed early. It was so laid back.  Saturday we took time to have pictures made.  For scrapbookers, pictures are always important!!
This is one of the cabins where a few of the girls stayed and the right is the lodge. We had bunk beds upstairs and the big room downstairs, a great kitchen and serving area with plenty of room---and quiet!!!  Three of the original Scrapping Sisters--me, Pat, and Libby (in purple) with our guest Charlotte.  We are all four cancer survivors!!  Some of us got a little crazy with our polish and flip flops!! How fun!! 

It's amazing how different Libby and I look now that we've lost our hair and gotten it back.  We used to look like twins and our hair came back so different.  Hers is black and mine is totally white. What a sense of humor God has.  But he loves us enough to let us survive!!  The girls in the other picture are going to kill me!!  When I saw the picture my first thought was, "does walking up this hill make my butt look big?" I love you girls!! This reminds me of a verse I used on the calendar for this year from the book of Matthew.  "Sit here while I go over there and pray."  I'm sure in our own time and in our own way, we each had our time with God on this trip.  We were in the perfect place to share God's blessings.  Thanks, Susan and Debbie for arranging this weekend for us.

ALWAYS EXCITEMENT AT COTTON BRANCH!!

There's a website here called "You know you live in Franklin County if".  This is one of those things!!  Ed has had a friend from Virginia here riding bicycles with him getting ready for the Ride the Rockies ride in June.  They have ridden every day and left to go on their ride on Tuesday.  Not to long after they left the phone rang.  Ed said, "we just met this guy at Fenn's riding a bicycle. I'm sending him to the house to take a shower and we're feeding him steaks for supper."  You know the next words out of my mouth!!  He convinced me it was ok and Ryan was here with me so we went to the barn and sure enough, there stood a nice looking young man with a bicycle.  His first words were, "you husband didn't call you."  I said that he did and we introduced ourselves.  We brought him up to the house, he took a shower and came down to visit with Ryan and me.  I asked him how he got here. He was riding from Chicago to Mobile.  My response was, "obviously no wife and no job!" He said, "understanding girlfriend and between jobs." Lawyer by profession he was changing firms and had talked them into a couple of months break. He usually hikes but decided to ride his bike to see if he could do it.  I can't remember his specific route but he had left Nashville and ridden the entire Natchez Trace to Natchez. What a beautiful ride that must have been!!!  He rode by day and camped out by night. He's ridden 50-60 miles a day except for Easter Sunday and one day that it rained all day.  I wonder what he thought when Ed and Jim turned around and asked him if he wanted to come here? He did say that it was an invitation too good to refuse. Matthew John McDonald, lawyer from Chicago and new friend of Cotton Branch!!  Linda got here before Matt left. She is never surprised at what goes on at the "Branch". She watched him pack his gear.  He had a sleeping bag, books, a small cook stove and clothes. He bought food and drinks as he rode. After gearing up Matt was ready to take off. I said my goodbyes and left for wound care. I couldn't watch him leave. He had been fed a great steak dinner, chocolate pie and homemade ice cream, a full Southern breakfast and given a Cotton Branch tshirt to remember us.  His next stop was Bogalusa, LA and then on to Fairhope, AL to see his Godchild that he'd never seen.  Our prayers go with you Matt McDonald!!  Without a step of faith we'd never had you in our life.  What a blessing we would have missed!!  God speed and safe travel!!  I hope we hear from you some day!!

2012 "Furniture Styles" Flower Show

Pine Burr Garden Club had its annual flower show yesterday at the historic building that housed the Franklin Furniture Store for as long as I've lived here.  The girls did an amazing job on getting the building ready.  Since I haven't been able to attend any of the meetings this year I felt a little bit like a fish out of water for a little bit. After a while at the desk, it all came back!!  Wilma Holland wrote the schedule and was chairman of the show. She did an wonderful job!!  She gave us a challenging show to do and as usual the girls rose to the occasion!!  Class 1: Cottage Style-- The blue ribbon winner which happens to be mine. I really lucked out with this one!!  As you can see I had some serious competition!  The other ladies did a great job!!

Class 2: A Collage featuring Modern Styles

Beverly Gabbert's collage won the blue and Dorothy McGehee Award. 

Class 3: Retro-- A very proud moment for our Chairman and Schedule writer!!  Not her first blue ribbon but her first "big" award.  She won the Designer's Choice Award and the Barbara Herring Design Award.  A very happy lady!!  She did a great job on her very first schedule writing and was highly complimented by the judges.  Congratulations, Wilma.

We had 91 pieces of horticulture.  That was nice since we'd had a big rain a few days before.  Carole May won the very first Grower's Choice Award given by our club with her lovely begonia. Congrats to Carole for that award. 

 

Awards of Merit went to Carole May and me

 

And the winners are!!  Great day for these four ladies and all the rest too!  Congratulations to all on the beautiful flower show.

END OF TRAPPING SEASON 2012

 

For the last five months Ed has been getting up before the sun and leaving to go set and check his traps. His lifelong friend, Buddy Ruff started trapping with him and they got in cahoots with Elton who was trapping on his own.  The UPS and FedEx people now know us by our first names and are probably missing us at this point. Ed ordered more trapping stuff than I have scrapbooking stuff (joke here!!).  My entertainment was hearing about the day and seeing the pictures.  The part I liked best was that Ed was having so much fun. I don't think I've ever seen him with a hobby that provided him with the excitement and fun that he's had during these months.  I could post lots of pictures of his catches and I think I have put some but here is the final day before taking the furs to the fur trader.  These guys did a good job. The traps are now cleaned and ready for next year and he's ridden off on the bike!! 

FED US PHEASANT!!

Ed and Jody went to South Dakota several weeks ago on a pheasant hunt.  You can see that they did well.  Jody had cooked some before and told us how to cook them.  Ed went shopping for all the supplies and fixed them for the Herring Bicycle Team.  Being prepped for the grill.  Peppers, onions, tomatoes, bacon, pheasant, pepperjack cheese and Italian dressing. Finished dish!!  They were "Phabulous"!!  None left to snack on the next day!!

Footnote:

Dr's visit went well.  Counts were up a little and CAT scan is planned for Monday. Dr. visit on Tuesday.  He considers me to be "stable". When we see the results of the CAT scan, he will decide on treatment changes if any.  I get next week off--yea!!

Please pray for Libby's mom, Eunice Norton.  She will be having hip replacement surgery on Wednesday of next week.  She is one of my "other mothers".  :)

WHAT FRIENDS WILL DO

 

Karen and I have been friends for probably 45 years.  She introduced me to Ed and I was in her wedding.  She is a cancer survivor too.  She is also an avid golfer after retiring several years ago. It's funny how our lives have intermingled over the years.  She's the first person I called when I had breast cancer the first time. She was out of town at a meeting and I called her until I found her.  She knew.  This weekend she played in a benefit golf tournament and sponsored a hole in my honor. That's what friends will do.  Cards, calls, happies, prayers--that's what friends will do. God uses friends as angels cause He has so many of us to cover! Yes, that's what friends do.  

PAINTIN' NIGHT WITH THE SISTERS

I'm going to do this and then check; I have the feeling I've already done this post!! CRS has set in!  Last Thursday Sharon, Libby and I went to the Open class in Brookhaven and had a fun time. Of course, we always have a fun time when we're together! Lots of laughs and talk. Painting is incidental--but fun with the Paintin' Sisters.

We look forward to more paint classes with more of our "sisters"!! Fun, Fun, Fun!!

2011 ANNUAL DOVE HUNT WEEKEND

Our family has gotten so large that we pretty much keep our dove hunt weekend for family. Ed's cousin and his wife from Texas, our friends from TN, Ed's brother from TN and my brother and his wife from Petal along with our children and grandchildren and in-laws began arriving on Friday.  Even with having such a big house, it sure filled up fast!!  There was constant chatter and laughter and of course plenty of food.  Some of us went out on Friday night and had Mexican. That was a treat. On Saturday morning it was up early and out to the dove field for the men. Never mind that it was raining.  "Some of our best hunts have been in the rain." Famous saying!!  About 10:00 am when the hunters came in soaking wet and hungry this was waiting for them--a pile of bacon, hot grits, homemade cinnamon rolls, orange coffee cake and fresh fruit with juice, milk and coffee.  They needed some nutrition because after all, they had more work to do. The shishkabobs had to be prepared!

Since the beans, potato salad, desserts and appetizers had been prepared earlier, the ladies got to sit and visit!!  We certainly enjoyed that.  Of course, there was some ballgame watching!

    

We signed Kelsey's cast.  To bad she's getting it off soon. She won't be able to carry around Ed's art very long!

 

Sam spent the night with us and we went to church.  We filled a whole pew.

Vin and Cathleen from Houston, Texas.

  Vivian and Sam from Riceville, TN.

Ed and me--our first picture together in a while.
After a wonderful church service with communion, a delicious Sunday lunch and a short last visit, our house emptied and Ed and I took a nap.  A great Labor Day Dove Hunt weekend with friends and loved ones--family--all of them.  And what a welcomed addition--soft, sweet rain!!

 

TIME GOES BY SO FAST!

Here it is almost September and I've only blogged once in August.  That's terrible.  Surely I've done something worthy of posting. The time seems to get by me so fast these days.  Having a new puppy and raising two deer take a lot of my time.

Lulu (aka Morgan) is on the left; Lacy is in the house.  They have grown considerably since this picture was taken. 

Ms Piper has learned to climb the stairs and today she climbed down them--with a little coaxing from Graham and me. She will be 3 months old on the 30th.

We took a few days off to the beach and had a good time doing almost nothing.  We did take the boat out one day; first time in a long time. Had a good time and went to LULU's for appetizers.

Ed was our Captain!!  Deb, Libby and I enjoyed the trip.  Good food and great atmosphere!

I have been doing some things for the Toad House. Really need to get busy but my "idea well" is a little dry.  I have these note pads in there now. They are inexpensive and make a cute happy for someone.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is an apron I finished for Jennifer today. I learned that I don't do ruffles!!  Hope she likes it! The picture was made with my phone . 

2011 Summer Crop Connection

 

I can't believe that Summer Crop Connection has come and gone.  We've waited six months for the weekend and it went so fast!!  We had 14 "Scrapping Sisters" (missing two) to attend and we had a great time.  The Crop Connection girls treat us royally and we literally go three days with little or no sleep and have a "scrapping good time"!  There were several "newbies" with us who were awesome scrapbookers.  It was fun seeing friends from other towns and meeting new friends.  We really got noticed in our orange shirts. Michael's gave us a discount and a totebag!! That was because we bought out the store!! 

Birds of a feather crop together!  That was the theme of the weekend. Isn't this arrangement cute?  There were birds everywhere!!  There are four cancer survivors in our group. Three of us were there.  You can see who the clowns are!!  Pat and Sharon with me in our green shirts!!  We're always looking for a photo op!! 
LeighBeth, SallieCat and Jessica-three of our newbies!!

Andrea, Nadine and Deanna are the ladies behind Crop Connection.  They plan and work for months to give us the wonderful weekend we enjoy so much.  Thank you beautiful ladies for the great Summer Crop Connection!!

2011 Honey Harvest Part 2

I left you yesterday saying that we have new plastic bottles with new labels. Sam and Ed finished them up today.  They look great and will be much easier to use--less messy and a little cheaper too! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New label !!

New bottle!!

Awesome honey!!

2011 HONEY HARVEST

After a very busy and hectic week my afternoon was spent at the back barn bottling honey!!  I guess honey is kind of like corn--"when it's ready, it's ready". And a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! Ed and the farm guys had worked so hard all morning, and after a lunch of grilled burgers, chocolate cobbler and homemade ice cream Sam and I went up to help.  Our job was putting the honey in the new plastic squeeze bottles.  Doing honey is a very messy job, but we got it done and it's rewarding to look at all those beautiful bottles of liquid gold!! 

This is Sam helping Papa empty the spinner.

 

 

 

 

Filling the jars is a tricky job! Your timing has to be just so.

 

 

All that's left to do is the labeling. We have our own label for the front and a nutrition label for the back along with one that says "I Love Honey". I'll post that when we finish.  We ended up with over 300 bottles.  Ryan said they would be showing up at the "Frog Pond" soon.  I will be taking some to the TOAD HOUSE for my booth!!  Get those biscuits ready!!

CAKE TASTING

These are the "tasting" cakes that Haleigh and Ryan tried for one of the tastings.  Who knew that choosing a cake could be so hard? After several bites it really gets confusing!!  I researched the web this week and found a recipe for one of the flavors we liked. I actually baked it for Josh's birthday. It tasted just as good as the one the baker made. I went to Hobby Lobby today and found myself looking at baking supplies--cake pans, coloring, cake stands, icing, decorating tools. What am I thinking?????  I think I'll leave the cake baking and decorating to someone else.  That's just like all my other hobbies--you have to have lots of STUFF!!

SPRING ARRIVING

This time of year is one of my favorite times. The flowers begin to bloom and I get very enthused about gardening.  I usually "overbuy" and have to spend a lot of time planting.  I love container plants but not necessarily the watering process they require. Sunday morning I was ready early for church and I walked around snapping some pictures of the things blooming in our yard. Love the colors!!

 

 

 

 

 

 















 

 















Hope things are this pretty when it's time for the wedding!!

 

 

 

    

 

 

A VERY NICE DAY!!

Melody invited me to attend a meeting of the Garden Club of Jackson to see Sharon McGukin of Carrollton,GA.  She was doing a design program based on her book Flowers of the Heart (a bride's guide to choosing flowers for her wedding). Since we're having a wedding this summer and I love flower design I was delighted to be invited.  I saw several garden club friends and others that I knew.  We enjoyed a delightful lunch and then went to Fresh Market for a few purchases. Here are some pictures of the program.

 

 Lovely yellow lilies, orange roses and pussy willow in a silver container.

 

 

 

  

Roses and orchids with fern.

 

 This arrangement was done on the OUTSIDE of the container. Just a few pieces of greenery were inside.  Very interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The yellow roses, purple iris, English dogwood and phlox are in a simple container and were picked from the "yard"--very simple and beautiful. 

This is the finished product with the orange roses and pussy willow. She used bells of Ireland, pink stock and white orchids.  The pussy willow formed a cage of sorts in the middle.

 

 









Limbs with yellow lilies, roses and ealyagnus--simple yet pretty.

























White lilies, orange gerbers, flowered branches in the coolest container.  A little "messy" for me but I love the container!

                                                                                                      

This is the finished design using the pussy willow and orange roses. She added yellow lilies and protea. 

The flower show judge came out in me because I thought some of her designs were too large for her containers--but I had to remember that I was there as an observer and it was for entertainment and for home use!!

The program was delightful and I thank Melody for inviting me.  You can never get too much of God's beauty!!

 





 

AUCTION ITEMS FOR RELAY FOR LIFE

My friend at the Bank of Franklin called and asked if I would donate something for the Relay for Life silent auction. Of course I would!!  Here's what I did. 

                                   
    Towel wraps are so much fun to wear after your bath or at the beach.  The pink one has a rose and pink ribbon on it.  The green one has a smiley face with ric rac "rays".  Love them both!!

Good luck to those who bid--and bid lots!!  It's for the Cause!!

RYAN'S LATEST CATCH!!

Ryan called last night to tell me to get my camera.  If you are "faint of heart" now is the time to "turn her off" and go read somebody elses blog. Since hardly anybody else blogs you might as well just keep on reading and then say, "gross" and move on!! :)  If it can be caught, trapped or killed, Ryan does it.  It's a farm thing and a wildlife management thing.  He doesn't kill for fun. The animals he kills usually kill our turkeys, quail or baby deer or damage the fields. He is very agriculturally trained.  He respects the land.  This is what he brought to show us that he'd caught on Haileigh's grandfather's land-- 

  This 130 pound female hog got caught in a snare around her nose.  The snare was caught between her two huge teeth.  You can see the ring around her nose in the left picture.  Those are the teeth in the right picture.  These animals have no natural predators and will ruin your fields and can hurt you badly.  Some folks down the road will have some "good eatin' " and we won't have to worry about her making it to Cotton Branch!!  Good job, Ryan!!

TOAD HOUSE GRAND OPENING/OPEN HOUSE

April 1 is not just April Fools Day! It's the Grand Opening of the Toad House! There have really been some changes going on around there lately. I went in today and lots of new booths have opened and the place is looking good!  We're fortunate to have a "neat" place like the Toad House to share our hobbies and our "stuff"!  As you come in the door Belle's Bliss greets you with this beautiful display.  Sweet Chondabelle can do everything!!  She bakes cakes and does this beautiful work!! The list is way longer and we love her.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The burp pads are two of the new ones I've added to my booth. I love the "little birdie"! 
Every girl needs a Towel Wrap!  This cute one has a smiley face sun appliqued on it with ribbons.  They can be appliqued with initials or monogrammed. The pink one has a daisy with ribbons. I've used so many ribbons I need to visit the Ribbon Jar.

What's the old saying, "be there or be square". I'm just saying~~be there or miss Nana's homemade million dollar chocolate chip cookies!!

And Rhonda doesn't pay me a thing for all this free advertising!! :)

 

 

WHEN NANA'S AWAY THE BOYS WILL PLAY!

One afternoon recently I was gone somewhere and when I returned Ed said he had something to show me.  He handed me his phone.  This is what I saw. 

He and Sam had built another bluebird house and it looked so good. 

 
Sam even used the cordless drill to hang it on the fence post.  He loves the bluebirds just like we do and loves the power tools just as much.  Thanks guys, for building another house for our birds! 

SPRING BREAK WEEK 2011

This has been an interesting week.  The boys have been power washing and painting the fence around the pasture and house. They've worked very hard and the fence is looking great. I didn't get pictures but take my word for it. They've done a wonderful job. I got to go with Haleigh to get her dress fitted. I did take pictures but I can't show you. I want to live to go to the wedding!!  :) I went trapping with Ed on Thursday morning and we got three coons.  He says I'm his good luck charm.  Nothing would do but Linda take our picture.    We have had company (very long time friends!) from TN here since Thursday.  They've been turkey hunting and we've been visiting every spare minute.  We've shared some good meals and had a wonderful time. 
Sam and Vivian have three grown boys so they were comfortable with our boys hanging out all week.  Having a table full of boys all week long at lunch was fun!  The conversation was always lively.

Graham and Sam showed up Saturday afternoon wanting to show me something "big"!  I had a feeling that it was a camera moment. I took the camera out and this is what we saw. 
Graham will be taking drivers ed this summer and here's his ride!  I hear that Sam was driving it around the farm this afternoon with Shelly!!  Haven't heard what Jennifer thinks about it yet!!  I just started a new prayer chain!!

Finished off the day with a nice dinner in Brookhaven and am looking forward to a good breakfast and church tomorrow. We're blessed beyond measure--and have you seen that moon??