Picket's Place

Things That Make Me Smile....

2012-01-06T07:42:00.002-05:00

Morning guys...well here we are in 2012...how blessed we are to live to see such a time! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's...Ours was the best so far....we all gathered at Jen's next door...ohhhh the food was fantastic and all the babies with all their toys running to you to show you their newest treasures...as the evening went on Mama & Daddy headed on back home and I told the gang I was gonna head back across the yard to the house to put my feet up for a minute...well it wouldn't no time til they all came across and begin to huddle in the living room with me and even sitting around on the floor..then begin the best part of the day...they all talked about their childhood and the memories they had...talked about love and family...we all cried and laughed for hours...that was the greatest Christmas ever for me...
Finally got all the Christmas decorations put away and got ready for New Year's dinner here at the house...been cleaning and culling out the closets and cabinets all week...I decided I wanted toile in as many rooms as I could put it...I love toile and checks and I believe in living with what you love...these in the dining room came from LOWES...of all places! lol Love the large farm scene on them...

As I was cleaning out things I would ask myself if I saw this item in a store today would I buy it? Nine times out of ten the answer was no...so it went in the give away box...you know how you keep stuff just to use as a fill in...well I am not doing that anymore...I have had some stuff for years but if I haven't used it in a year then I won't miss it...the next pic is the guest bedroom..I loooove this toile set...bought it a couple of years ago at JC Penneys...notice how I seem to be drawn to the black toile!!!! lol

I plan on working on losing some more weight...spending as much time as possible with my family...change the things I can and pray about the ones I can't...in my home if I can only change one thing it will be something that makes me smile when I walk in and see it and toile does that for me....what makes you smile...what dreams do you have for the New Year....whatever they are remember this is a new begining for all of us...let this be the year that we finally let go of all the past hurts that have haunted us for so long...forgive those that have hurt us...let them live with that wrong doing...you survived it..that's all that matters...love covers a multitude of sin and forgiveness can cause a person to see a light that darkness had kept covered fo so long...

I want to thank sweet Vee @ A Haven for Vee for mentioning me in her blog and for all the wonderful viewers that came over here from her blog to say hello...you guys are just the best....have a great day everybody and remember to do something to make yourself smile today...love ya...Picket

It's That Time Again....

2011-12-08T16:00:00.002-05:00

Hey Guys....lookie here..it is already December and just a few weeks til Christmas! We have so many birthdays in this month and we had our first Christmas gathering at oldest Burly's house last weekend..ohhhh so pretty and so much fun being with all the gang....i finished decorating the house...actually I have taken a few settings down cause I just want to keep things simple this year...only put up one tree...a first for me! We even scaled way back in the yard decorations this year...I have the picket fence in wreaths and white lights and the porch is filled with old pieces from years ago and the one thing I knew I had to have this year was the big colored lights over the door and on the two big topiaries by the door...I told Bill I had to have it because it reminded me of my childhood when colored lights were everywhere and things were simple...
I did the inside more rustic and homey just using things I've had for years...Jen is having the Christmas dinner at her house this year so I have been helping her get her place ready...oh my word that girl has so much stuff...I walked in the other day to get started and Johnny had brought all the totes in from the shed...it looked like the Macy's Christmas Parade warehouse!!!!..I wonder who that girl takes that after!

I love snowmen! Jen gave these to me years ago...and the ones on the coffee table I bought yrs ago after Christmas on clearance...we always go shopping the morning after Christmas..does anyone else do that....I love that day!

I am a firm believer in using what you got...look around the house...use your trays or baskets or dough bowls and fill them with pine branches and pine cones...throw in some bells or big gawdy ornaments....

I didn't even bother changing out the mantle..I just added some stockings and a little pine tree,,my heart and mind is just on other things this year...I am just so thankful for my little home and my heart goes out to those here in town that still haven't got a place of their own yet since the April tornadoes...and with Oldest Burly and his family leaving for Montana next year we are all trying to spend as much family time together as we can squeeze in...

Sometimes we get so caught up in life and the seasons that think everything has to be perfect and just magazine ready...but we forget that just across town or maybe even just down the street someone is wondering how they will even afford a Christmas dinner or even afford 'Santa' for their kids...others are struggling to just keep the power bill paid and still others sit by the bedside of a loved one as they slip on out of this life into eternity...

Time waits on no man...do all you know to do now in this day...give love and kindness..nurture and care for all the blessings God has given you...be ever mindful of the treasures we take for granted..out homes..our jobs..our cars..our health...our families...praise Him that he has allowed you to be the 'keeper's' of such treasures...because we are only pilgrims passing thru in this life..

You know I have always been a cryer...the least little thing can make me smile and cry at the same time...but I find that the older I get the more I cry...happy crying mind you...I guess because the older you get the more memories you have and so many things can bring back those memories...God surely knew what He was doing when he gave us a secret place in our heart just for memories...he knew that those memories would help us survive whatever life throws at us..

Always stay true to yourself...always live each day in such a way that when you turn out the lights and lay down at night you know all is well with your soul....never be too proud that you can't say I'm sorry...forgive me...and never be so hard on yourself that you can't forgive yourself..never let the past haunt you and destroy your today...yesterday is gone and so are all the mistakes and hurts it carries..you can't change that...but you can survive it...

My precious granddaughter and little great grandson live in Oklahoma...we miss her so and she gets so homesick..they won't be coming home for Christmas...she put her tree up the other day...she said it was a Charlie Brown tree...you know the one in the cartoon...no pine needles and one ornament...but she said at least it was a tree..she is so strong and I love her so...like I tell her...the size or the price of the tree matters not...it is the fact that she is starting a tradition for her little one...doing all she knows to do to give love and memories for her family...and as they grow together in this life they will come to realize that one day the tree doesn't really matter at all...it is the love and reason behind the tree...the day we sit aside to celebrate the greatest of all days...the greatest of all loves...one day her tree will be full and the ornaments and lights will be overflowing but she will look back at how far she has come and the one who brought her to the place she will then stand and when she does that first little tree will be like a beacon in her heart that shines out over all the beautiful treasures and mercies in her life....

Merry Christmas you guys....much love and blessings to you and your family....and remember....you are stronger than you think...your family looks to you for more than you realize...take charge of the situation and make things turn around...take a deep breath...wash that pretty face...clean your house from top to bottom....turn on the lights...bake something good....treat your family with all love and kindness...make them feel special...whatever you're facing...it will turn around...and by showing hope and love you will enable them to stand stronger and make it thru this life a better person....love you guys....Picket

HAPPY THANKSGIVING YOU GUYS!!!!!!!

2011-11-22T15:40:00.002-05:00

Hey guys...just had to make quick note to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving...first let me just say how much I loved reading your comments on the last post..your love and testamonies moved me to tears...I am doing fantastic....still pushing myself too hard as usual but I am happy...got 2 pans of cornbread dressing in the freezer...one sweet potato casserole made...got all the fixings for a full Picketville buffet..got the house cleaned and bathrooms stocked with toilet paper! I got the Fall decor just up on the porch now...getting ready to put the Christmas stuff up Friday...first time ever not having a tree up before now~
Two weeks ago today my precious Aunt Elizabeth passed away...for the first time in years I got to see and be with alot of cousins from mama's side of the family...we had alot of family come in from out of state and visit with us....you could just feel such love the whole week long..she was and is so loved by so many and just sharing all the memories of our childhood and her was such a healing thing...I love my family soooo...

This year we are keeping things simple and focusing on just family and the blessings we have recieved on this beautiful world...just knowing I can walk and have the main gathering here is medicine for my soul...now being the 'Martha' that I am I have always loved pretty dishes and serving bowls and platters...but this year I just am not worried about that kind of stuff for some reason....I told the girls I didn't want them standing in the kitchen washing dishes and large serving pieces..lordy knows the girls would clean everything from top to bottom in this house if I ask them too...but I just want us all to sit around and laugh and talk and not even think about dirty dishes..soooo I am using throw away pans...that's right...shiny..gawdy...cheap...alumnium pans! I'm not even using my usual Fall fabric with pumpkins on it...just set up the counter like a buffet style and everyone can help themselves and just spread out thru the house and on the porches and do what we do best...eat...talk and laugh..I want to hear my babies laugh...

I want to soak up all the sweetness of my grandbabies while they are little...I want to feel that lump in my throat as I look at my beautiful grown kids and remember when they were that little...I want to see the twinkle in my daddy's eyes as he tells stories of years gone by and I want to hold Bill's hand and watch him nod his head as tears fill my eyes as my heart swells with pure joy and thankfulness of all the love I have been given...

May this Thanksgiving fill your heart and home with much love and laughter...may the memories of loved ones gone on make us ever more thankful for the love they left us...may we always remember those less fortunate and do all we can to lend a helping hand...a kind word does wonders for the soul but sometimes alittle more than a kind word is needed..sometimes a hot meal or alittle gas money and yes even just alittle of your time to sit and listen as a lonely soul pours their heart out to you..we so easily put a few dollars in the charity bucket but we forget to give compassion...sooooo many of our neighbors and friends are going thru such a hard time right now...to many Thanksgiving is the last thing on their mind...they are just trying to survive...sometimes prayer is the strongest gift we have to give...

Where ever you are this Thanksgiving and whatever you do know that this old country girl loves you and thinks of you often...I don't blog much lately but I pray for you and talk about you often..you have made such an impact on my life and I am ever grateful that you even take the time to come by and visit...so from our home to yours..HAPPY THANKSGIVING YOU GUYS!!!!

Never Doubt The Power Of Prayer....

2011-11-01T10:32:00.001-04:00

Morning guys...it is sooooo good to be back in the 'land of the living'...don't even know where to begin! Hope everyone had a fantastic Halloween....we are in a new month now...Holidays are coming!....The pics in this post are brought to you by Picket's Burlap....now showing at a blog near you....this is the last thing I was working on before I went missing in action....I took some of my favorite checked fabric...stitch witched the hems and put them in the glass front cabinets...then took my new love...burlap ribbon...and just cinched them in alittle and made a rough bow....took no time at all and to say I love them would be an understatement in this house!!!!

but.....here is where the 'drama' begins...a few days after my last post over a month ago I hurt my knee somehow...always squatting to look in cabinets..etc...but it had me limping for a few days...so I finally get relief from that and I am helping Baby girl Jen set up some Fall decorations in her house....naturally I am walking back and forth across the yard getting stuff from my house taking to her's....wellll on one of these said trips...I saw a huge 'cow ant'....now guys if you are from the country you know what those are...they are giant red & black fuzzy ants that are built like a brick and hard to step on and kill...but my instincts kicked in and without even thinking I stepped on it and started twisting my knee trying to kill it before it got too close to the grandbaby playing in the yard with her little friends...oh my word....something popped and it wasn't the ant!!!!! My eyes rolled in the back of my head and I thought I saw Elvis! For a whole week I fought thru the pain and tried to tell myself it would be alright..(Do I even need to say how much Bill & the kids were fussing at me to go to the doctor) I finally gave in...after X-rays and the doctor twisting and probing until I was screaming 'uncle'...they said it was severely sprained and inflamed but need an MRI...I said no and just wanted to go home...they gave me some meds and I suffered thru another week...

Now I have birthed 5 kids and let me just say...some of the labor wasn't as bad as this pain...I could do nothing and I mean nothing but lay in bed and make it to the bathroom and the recliner ...because of the 'Martha' in me I refused to let anyone come and help me or do for me...I just can't bear anyone waiting on me...again alot of heavy resistance from Bill and the kids...poor Sofie & Bailey would come over and you could tell Jen had given them strict orders to just say hello and not ask for anything! Bill would stop and get meals on the way from work for us and even tried his hand and making quick fixes for us...Jen even pushed so hard one morning I gave in and she fixed me breakfast (I told Bailey and he said ,.MOM COOKED?!!!!...Was it good! lol)

But time went on and I finally had to get the MRI...they called and said I had a torn meniscus tendon and would need surgery....they set me up with a bone specialist....now you have to know how stubborn I am and how much I believe in prayer...I knew my whole family was calling my name and I was praying and believing God to turn this thing around...I mean I couldn't even stand to touch my knee it was so painful...but here is where the good part comes in...

the day I was to see the doctor I could touch and rub my knee...still pressure when I stood on it but I could stand...the doctor comes in with the MRI results...he says it looks bad and it will never heal and I will have to have surgery...then he touches and pokes the knee...I don't even flinch..he asks doesn't that hurt? I said no...but if you had done that a couple of days ago I would have fell off this table..he looks at the x-rays again...are you in any pain...I can give you a cortizone shot...I said no....just shook his head and said I don't recommend surgery at this time..just stay off it and if you need a shot come by the office anytime...

The next day all day I felt the tingling healing power of God on my legs...minute by minute I grew stronger...the walking was easier...the pressure was less and the pain was gone...I cried and shouted all day...to be able to walk thru my house and even use the vacuum cleaner for a minute..ohhhhh glory!!! I got to get in the car and Bill took me to see mama & daddy...the sky the sun..I cried!!!!! I felt like I had been locked away from everyone and everything...just to see all of God's glory in just the little things and all of nature have always been important to me..I knew God had heard my cry and the prays from all my family from the first moment...I also know the enemy will do all he can to stop our faith....I'm not running marathons or doing cartwheels yet but I'm not in bed and in pain any more either and I can cook for my babies again and stand and greet them at the door once more...never give up hope...Paul was surrounded by angry waves and storms and the crew was about to abandon ship but an angel of the Lord told him to remain in the boat and he would be saved...sometimes the storms are so rough and so dark in our lives we see no hope..all that is natural around us says abandon the ship give up the faith...but faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen...stay in the boat you guys...no matter what...the answer is on the way...love you guys...much love and blessings to you this day....this is a new day and a new month....may it bring a miracle to you....Picket

Make It Your Own!

2011-09-26T19:30:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...well it is officially Fall...so now you got no excuse for not getting out those Fall decorations! I am so loving this cooler weather we are having here...plus we had a new Michaels open last week...woohoo!!!! They had grapevine wreaths for $2.50...so I grabbed a buggy full and made me some of these simple little beauties with some burlap ribbon and a few sprigs marked down 50% off...
I love burlap and have started using it all over the house...even helped Baby Girl Jen decorate her place for Fall this past weekend and had the burlap going over there!

You know the more I live with my black cabinets the more I love them...I tell you guys if you have wood cabinets and you have thought of painting them a color...you will not regret it....mine were solid oak and I painted them a creamy white with mocha glazing...loved them...then I knew I wanted to try black...scared to death....even had to close Bill's mouth when it dropped to the floor and get the smelling salts...but once I put that first brush stroke on..on my word..it was Katie bar the door!!!!

Ok this next pic goes to show you just how cheap you can decorate and still love it...I grabbed some more twigs out of the big crepe myrtles....picked up some pinecones from youngest Burly's yard and put in an old glass canister..burlap ribbon bow..those are real cotton bolls from a field in Missouri that sister brought back for me a week ago...just put them in an old canning jar..more burlap for a cap...added the stacking boxes that I have had for a while and set the whole vignette on a tray with a little table runner sweet Gloria (Happy to Be) sent me a few years ago....I love it..so simple and so country...the plus side is for Christmas all I have to do is remove the runner and boxes and add a tiny tree or stacked presents..how neat is that!!!!

Love these old duck gourds I got a few years ago from Terry's Village...always love creamy white dishes and I am still loving those tree branch candle holders Bill cut for me...

Just added another Fall twig in an old wire basket and a dishtowel...it works for me!!!

Oh and you know I ain't through using the burlap....this last pic is just the cutest ever idea...yep..nothing fancy going on in this kitchen...no crystal...no fancy linens...just a simple piece of burlap ribbon to tie your fork & spoon....for decorative purposes only mind you...I just move the setting to the side when we eat and then clean up set it back..you didn't think I was gonna mess it up each time did you!!!

Hope all is well on your side of the mountain you guys...life has turned into double speed around here but I love it this time of year...gets you ready for all the excitement for the holidays...have a great week you guys and always remember...never be pressured into high dollar trends and decorating...everybody has a creative side in them...most of us are just afraid to let it out...you don't have to be rich to decorate your home....don't think you have to wait on your ship to come in...sometimes our blessings are already around us and we can't see the forest for the trees so to speak...use what you have...rethink the purpose of things..nothing is set in stone...live with what you love and love what you live with...never be afraid to fly...even the baby sparrow falls to the ground many a time before he finally takes to the sky...you can do this...love you guys....Picket

A New Inspiration Site!!!!!

2011-09-13T13:07:00.002-04:00

Hey guys...I wish everyone of you were having these glorious cooler days and dry air w/sunshine...just perfect...make you sing weather....I am loving it...it just makes you feel so alive! I just had to take a minute to share a new site with you that I love...it's called Pinterest...it is a free site where you can make your own inspiration boards from all the great inspiring pics...

Ok for example...see the pic below...I just clicked in Fall Decorating in the search box and I saw this...ohhhhhh love love love it!!! Soooooo...I knew I had to try and copy this for myself...I showed the pic to Bill and ask him if we didn't have some old wooden pallets under the lean to...

He immediately turned pale...'Hon...please don't tell me you don't seriously want to use those in the house...I know you are having withdrawals from Hobby Lobby being destroyed in the tornado but they will rebuild...you know you can buy anything you want you don't have to do this!!!.' Now Bill is a sweetheart but for the life of me I don't understand why after all these years he won't accept the fact that I am not a diamond and rose type girl! I just kissed him and smiled and said please Bill...I want this...sooooo after a few minutes and a few measurements the man turned out a masterpiece for me....LOOK AT THE PIC BELOW...THIS IS MY VERSION OF THE PINTEREST INSPIRATION PIC...SQUEAL!!!!!!

I had Bill to just lean the old weathered piece he made on the old white chippy mantle I got from oldest Burly..this is in my study...I ran and grabbed an old grapevine wreath..burlap ribbon from Michael's...some old Fall berries and pumpkin branch...viola...a Fall wreath...added one of my gourds...then I hollered out back for Bill again and ask him to get the ladder...I have two huge white crepe myrtles in the backyard and I told him to look up in amongst them and break me off some old dead limbs...lordy I thought the man was gonna need a pill...I could swear as he climbed the ladder..shaking his head...he was mumbling something about I might need to go see the doctor,,,I think I heard him praying for me! lol

But after a few minutes I had the branches just stuck in some of my old glass candleholders I got from Wal-Mart last year and I had some old shredded paper from the Dollar store in the bottom...now the inspiration pic had a weathervane and I knew I wanted one for my mantle..I knew I had one in the yard from years back all rusty so I again hollered for Bill...You'd think he'd learn to hide! lol I ask him could he cut the spike off of it and also cut me a pedistal from an old tree limb....in no time I had this little beauty on the other end of the mantle...oh my word!!!!! I was squealing and clapping my hands and hugging Bill....

The whole scene cost me nothing...took less than 10 minutes to throw together once I had all the pieces and I just can't tell you how happy I am with the way it turned out...all because of a beautiful inspiration pic from the Pinterest site

Seriously you guys...you have got to check this out...you just sign up and start searching for anything...make your own 'boards' and name them...like kitchens....Fall....hutches..etc...repin any pics you like to your own page and just be inspired...http://pinterest.com/picket/pins/
click on that link that I have highlighted...it should take you to my page..just look at my boards and pins and you will get an idea of it all...lordy you ain't gotta 'follow' me or anything...just get a feel of what the site is like...I promise you...you will love it...the inspiration is endless on that site....just had to share with you how easy it is to bring your visions to life without spending a fortune..make your home into your haven..the dreams are inside your heart...bring them to life...have a great week you guys....and let me know what you think about Pinterest.com...love you guys...Picket

I'm joining up with Marty on this one for Table Top Tuesday...be sure and go by and say hello to her and check out all the fantastic inspiration there is out there in blogland

Fall Weather at Last!!!

2011-09-08T09:30:00.003-04:00

Morning guys....hope all is well on your side of the mountain....we finally got rain...over 6 inches on Labor Day! The weather is glorious today...nice and cool and sunshine and leaves are all over the back yard! I got all my Fall stuff up in the house..the colors just suit me and all my country clutter!
Bill came in from work last night and when he walked in the living room and saw the fireplace he sort of did a double take...'Uh..hon...I see you redid the fireplace' ...Yes I did...'Uh...darling...is that a plow on there?' Well you ain't Conway & I ain't Loretta so don't call me darling & yes that is a plow....'baby did you see that in a magazine or did you think of that yourself'....

Ok here is where I put my hands on my hips and smile and politely ask 'what are you saying...bearing in mind that he has went from hon to darling to baby...he now knows he must choose his words lightly! He then busts out laughing and says 'I'm just messing with you...it looks great....you always think of the most different stuff I have ever seen!'...

Speaking of different...an old tree limb had broke off the big walnut tree behind the fence out back..it had beautiful bark and glorious moss on it...I knew I wanted some candleholders made from it...when I ask him to cut me some different lengths and drill holes in them....he just laughed and got the chop saw out and had them cut for me in no time...he is a man in full! I love him to death!

So I got some of my old stuff out and set up some little vignettes...hot glued some old leaves and nuts on the 'candlesticks'...even used some like little pedistals and added some little pumpkins to them and threw some burlap in for good measure...even put my old Denim days figurine oh a pedistal and put it on a Hulls brown plate and under a cloche...no money spent here..I am a firm believer in using what you already have...just think outside the box!

Look how sweet these little pumpkins look on my 'sticks' lol!!!! I tell you just having these Fall touches in the house make me smile and think of happy memories of past holidays...makes me want to bake something....sweet potatoe pies...chicken and dressing...just anything to smell like the holidays!

But the holidays also bring on a very emotional side of me...I have often wondered how the heart can hold so many emotions at one time...being so happy and filled with joy from all the goodness in my life...yet tears flowing at times because of memories of holidays past...so many loved ones gone on...

The blessing of knowing we have made it to another holiday season and my bunch is all still here..yet maybe it's because I am getting older and realize how fast this life is passing by....maybe it's because I have always been a 'fixer' and I just can't fix everything in my grown kids lives anymore and I know that is really God's job now that they are grown...they are to look to Him...maybe it's because of the thought of Jay & his family moving away still moves me to tears...why do I want to hold on to him here...is it because he is my first born...or is it the thought of little Bella never being around us...is it the fear that I just can't see his beautiful face and hug him anytime I want...is it the fear that I may never see him again this side of heaven...
Lordy knows I want him to be happy..

Maybe it's the fear of the unknown...the dark paths that I know one day I will have to travel as my parents get older...one day there will be an empty seat at the holiday table...whatever it is...even thru the tears streaming down my face I smile because I know I have loved and been loved all my life and that is one of God's greatest treasures....

So go ahead...dig out that Fall stuff...Labor Day is over...put away those white shoes...put up the grill and light a cinnamon candle...make some plans for your own Norman Rockwell holidays..you can do it...be determined to share some love this year and make some memories....yes it is that important....have a great week you guys....love ya Picket

Checking In....

2011-08-24T15:03:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...gosh it has been so long...I miss my blog time! Sometimes I think the older I get the faster the clock turns...all last week I was so drained..I just had no energy..it was all I could do just to putter around in the house and keep it maintained..come to find out my blood pressure had dropped to 90/56...I called the doctor and he said to cut my blood pressure medicine in half..if I continue to lose weight I will no longer need it...yahoo! But I have lost 60lbs and that number is sticking to those scales like a girdle on a fat lady! It won't budge lately..but I am determined to get this off...
Been slowly making different vignettes for Fall...love the old shadow box with my little Hulls pitcher and old utensils...also added my check napkins to the cabinets...love the bigger print in there...if I ever put 'curtains' in the cabinets again I think I will make some burlap ones...yesterday was such a fantastic day...went to visit mama & daddy....stopped by Publix and got a bucket of their fried chicken from the deli....cost of the chicken...$8.25...the amount of joy it gave me to spend time with them....there are no words...the fact that I am blessed to still have both of them...priceless...

Now y'all should know now what a pair of characters my parents are...you never know what will come out of their mouths....just a few weeks ago they were down and we were all in the living room...me.mama & Jen were just talking away and laughing...now daddy is alittle hard of hearing..so he yelled out"speak up I can't understand what y'all are saying"...Mama calmly turns to him and yells 'we're using code words...you're not suppose to understand!"So yesterday daddy opens the door and I nearly faint..."Uh daddy...did you lose your razor?" He rolls his eyes at mama and winks..."she likes me this way!" Oh my word!!!! Remember last year when daddy was in the hospital and I was staying with mama cause she had fell...daddy had called and was saying he needed to shave before he came home and mama said no...I like Mountain men...and daddy said when were you ever with a Mountain man and mama answered 'I can dream can't I" ...lol

So anyway we have our lunch and talk and laugh and after a few hours we decide to go on a road trip to Youngest Burly's house up at the lake...usually mama doesn't like to travel but to our surprise she jumps up and says 'Ok... let me go put on a depends!' At that moment I needed a depends cause I bout fell off my chair laughing....ahhhh senior moments..gotta love em...

Oh a different note...last Friday my sister's little 80 something yr old neighbor passed away...the day before she had told her family that she had had a vision...God had came to her and showed her all of her life from the day she was born until that moment....He told her He was there in the beginning and all the the middle and that He would be there with her in the end...That day she told her 91 yr old husband that she was alittle chilly so he went and got her a blanket and she was gonna take a nap in the recliner...she was not sick...no disease...nothing....she closed her eyes and went on to be with the Lord....we all should be so blessed when our time comes...but one thing her precious husband said has just stayed on my mind all week...he was crying and so heartbroken and he looked at his son and said "she's gone...but we hadn't finished talking"

I wonder how many of us will think those same thoughts when our loved ones pass on...will we have told them how much we love them...how blessed we are to have them in our lives...will we truly ever 'have finished talking to them"...give your love while it is still yours to give...Jesus told the story of love...you can have love FOR someone all day but until you have love ONE TO ANOTHER it benefits nothing...in other words...you could be hungry...I could have $100 in my pocket for you..it's yours...no other purpose...but until I actually GIVE you that $100 it profits you nothing. Have a great week you guys..enjoy the last days of Summer...love ya....Picket

Changing Seasons....

2011-08-11T00:05:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...just checking in...hope all is well with you & yours....as you can see from the new blog 'dress'...I have said goodbye to Summer! The 100 degree days...the humidity...the dry flowerbeds....yep they don't even phase me anymore! For the last few weeks I have been adding warm tones of browns and creams and beige....taking out alot of the Spring greens....

You see as far back as I can remember....school would start the Tuesday after Labor Day in SEPTEMBER!!!! That always triggered something in me...you'd have to dress the kids in a sweater to catch the bus and by afternoon they'd be ready for shorts...nights would be so cool and you'd feel Fall in the air each morning....soooo now schools start in early AUGUST!!!...
But you see I am like one of those migrating geese you see flying over in the Fall...when school starts back...no matter what the calendar says...my body goes into Fall mode....come on now...raise your hand..I am not the only broom in this closet!
I love the changes though...makes me think of all the holidays coming up and all the recipes from days gone by...seeing all the kids grow each year and watching as your grown kids turn another chapter in their book of life...I love this life! How about y'all...anyone else out there changing things out around the house? Oh I also been doing little projects...got some old tins from daughter-in-law..they were solid black so I sanded alittle to show some detail and just hot glued an old doily on it....ohhhhh so sweet!!!! I know...I know.. it don't take much to make me happy...better get back to cleaning...you hear that???? Exactly.....nothing...not a sound....not a door opening...the fridge may shut down from shock...it hasn't been opened in over an hour....yep...house all to my self....SCHOOL HAS STARTED!!!! PRAISE THE LORD....HALLELUJAH...THANK YOU JESUS....AMEN!!!!! Oh sorry grandkids...Maw Maw was just joking..(yahoo!)

Have a great week you guys....Picket

Loving The Moment...

2011-07-30T22:00:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...hope everyone is having a great weekend...just been a great productive week here...I cleaned all week and actually cleaned out and organized 3 closets! I know...earth shattering news there! lol But I love weeks like this....made several batches of zucchini muffins..gave 3 large batches to mama & daddy and a batch to oldest daughter Tracy and a batch to baby girl Jen and I think grandson Bailey ate a batch before they could even cool!Today was a beautiful day...hot but beautiful...Bill worked in the yard all day cutting grass...weed eating...trimming bushes... Loved sitting on the porch with him when he took breaks! The phone was actually quiet today and no company...I know I couldn't believe it either! I love days like this..just the two of us talking and laughing...getting older together....love him more today than I ever did when we first married..and I thought that was impossible...

Even BB noticed what a special day it was just to relax and enjoy the moment....you can always find her somewhere close to Bill...even when he stopped to take a break and sit on the porch she would follow him to his rocker and jump up in his lap...she has always been attached to him ever since he found her in the field...half starved and only about 5 weeks old 10 yrs ago....

Yep nothing exciting to report today...just plain ol feel good to be alive and so thankful for this life and a good porch swing...take care you guys and take time out to really sit down and enjoy the moment...I promise you the world won't come to an end...the kids won't starve to death...and the dishes ain't going nowhere....and lordy knows the local newspaper will not care if you don't make your bed the minute your foot hits the floor...live this life while you can....love you guys...Picket

Life Is Good...

2011-07-24T19:50:00.001-04:00

Hey guys..been a fantastic weekend here....I spent all day Saturday cleaning the kitchen..foyer & living room....had a good rain so it was perfect weather for staying inside... I love how it feels when you take all the stuff off the counters and wash everything down and even tweak a few corners....
I moved the little black jelly cabinet back into the dining room and moved the white cottagey table into the foyer...School starts back in just a couple of weeks and I always get a hankering for Fall once school starts back....I know I'm weird like that!

So I start doing a deep cleaning and moving all the furniture and dusting and vacuuming and washing all the treasures up...I love it!!!! I know I have alot of stuff and when I was on RMS alot of folks told me to get rid of all the 'clutter'...said that less was more...welllllll.....I did cull alot of things and gave carloads to the kids..but you know what I found out here at my house...

Less ain't more....less is just plain empty and naked! People said oh Picket your kitchen is so small all that stuff will just make it look smaller..wellll once all the stuff was out and off the counters and walls it looked like a tiny box!!!!! So I said to myself.."Picket"..who lives here?..I answered myself.."I do!" So I said to myself.."Picket"...what's important to you? I answered myself and said "being surrounded by family and things that remind me of them and makes me smile when I see it"....and do you know what myslef said to me...'Then get yourself out to the shed and unpack those treasures and get this house Picketified again!!!!"

So that's exactly what I did..even bought more treasures and I have lived happily ever since...moral of the story..if less is more for you...then strip the walls....but if clutter makes you smile...then pack it on....we only live once...your house is your haven...you can't control things outside the door but you can control the atmosphere that you surround yourself with...don't just live in a house...sleep eat and work and just exist in a house...live life in a house...love in a house...speak peace and encouragement in a house...nurture a house....fill the walls with laughter and memories...keep it clean and welcoming and it will forever reward you with open arms always waiting for you to surround you with love and contentment...your home...your haven...your special place where you keep all your treasures of your heart open for the family and world to share alittle of...home is not just a 4 letter word...it is a gift and blessed are those that cherish it...

Mama & daddy came down today and I fixed dinner and youngest Burly & his family came by...baby girl Jen and her family came over and it was just the best day...I love my family and I feel so blessed to have them and I thank God everyday for allowing me to know such love as I have been given from all these beautiful souls...Hope you guys are having a great weekend and enjoying the Summer...take care and always remember give flowers (love...kindness..etc)to those you love while they are still with you..don't wait till they are in the grave...they can't see the flowers then.....Picket

Life In Picketville..Busy As Usual!

2011-07-15T16:56:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...I hope everyone is doing well and having a great Summer....I am loving the Farmer's Market....been snapping green beans and frying squash and eating fresh tomatoe sandwiches...ohhhhh heaven I tell you!!! I had a huge roasting pan filled with green beans the other day and Bill walked in and ask how I was doing...I told him I was in my 'zone'....I was born to touch and eat fresh garden vegetables! Ohhhhh and did any of you see those glorious glass candle holders in the Country Sampler...the ones where you can put different things under the candle plate...well I drooled all over the page but they were so expensive and not very big...but the other day I was in Kirkland's and they had this glorious set of 3 for only $30 and they are HUGE!!! I am loving these things and have a dozen ideas for how to use them already!!!!!
How many irons in the fire is too many?!!!! Summers are just always the busiest for us but this year especially seems like so much going on in this big family and in the middle of all that I decide it's time to paint the bathroom...I am sooooo loving the colors in there now...

Then in the master bath we have a 9 ft mirror over the sink area that I have been wanting to frame for years so Bill and Johnny cut and frame it for me after I paint the moulding black of course....

I used the blocks instead of mitering the corners....love the chunkiness it gives to the mirror....gonna do the same to the small bathroom...even repainted the cabinets black and added new knobs....

Next step is to replace the faucetts with pretty rubbed antiques bronze ones like in the kitchen....got the towels at Wal-Mart....Better Homes & Garden...baby girl Jen did her bathroom the same only she used the pretty blue and chocolate ones....

Many of you know Oldest Burly Jay & His family are planning on moving to Montana...so they have been culling out alot of things..they bought a vintage Air Stream camper trailer and they are redoing it getting ready for the trip....I picked up these two little beauties from them...an old mirror from an old fireplace mantle....

I just love it leaned up against the wall like that...no the folding chair is not part of the room's decor...but look at this old chippy white treasure.....

Ohhh I squealed when we went to pick it up....I have it in the study and haven't decided what to use around it yet as far a decoration but I love it in there!!!!

The door is always opening around here with family coming and going....it's like a 24 hr drive thru here...mama & daddy called yesterday and said they were coming down for a visit so being the 'Martha' that I am I cooked up a mighty fine country meal and had it ready just as they walked in the door...daddy said it was like a Christmas dinner! lol I even gave daddy a haircut..when they were driving away daddy rolled down his window and he was teared up and he yelled out the window..."You are just a blessing to me"...of couse I was choked and teared up as I waved goodbye...

Yep...time is just flying by you stay so busy that by the time you get to relax a minute your body tells you just how old you are...I mean I know I ain't no 20 yr old Barbie Doll...but I still think of myself as a 'June Cleaver' age you know waking up in the morning wearing your petticoats and pearls and of course ever single hair in place as you glide into the kitchen....then you walk by a mirror and 'Ma Kettle' is staring back at you!!!!!! I swear some days I feel so old I babysit for Moses and watched Columbus cut his first baby tooth! But I ain't complaining....if I had it to do over....I'd be just as blessed and happy with this life God has given me...you guys take care and enjoy this Summer...we will never have these days back once they are gone....thanks so much for coming by and taking the time to visit...don't hold it against me if I don't get around here too often...just alot of life going on right now....love ya....Picket

The Cinderella Gourd....

2011-07-03T23:55:00.002-04:00

Once upon a time there was a lowly gourd...just your ordinary garden gourd..as far back as she could remember her family members for generations had been used for bird houses...her own daddy hung high above the garden like his daddy before him...hole cut out in the middle and covered with bird poop..this was all they ever knew...this was their destiny...and from the time she was a seedling she was told it was to be hers...

But the lowly gourd refused to believe that there was no other way of life out there somewhere...she had heard the farmer's daughter read from a little book about princesses and fancy ballrooms and happily ever after life...she tried to talk to her brothers and sisters about it but they laughed her to scorn...even her cousin the pumpkin refused to turn into a carriage for her....she even heard the little girl read about a princess who slept on a pea..wow..she could do that...so she rolled over on the blackeyed pea and it might have worked if the pea hadn't screamed so loud that the farmer came out and rolled her back over...

She heard about a princess kissing a frog and he turned into a prince...well forget that! She kissed a frog once and he turned into a TOAD...had so many warts even the bullfrogs refused to sit next to him...she heard the farmer talk about a movie he saw where magical things happened in a corn field...so each day she would yell into the corn field for her fairy godmother to rescue her..and each day she heard the same husky voice answer back.."How many times I gotta tell you....I'm a scarecrow and their ain't no fairy godmother in here...you've already made me the laughing stock in front of the crows...now cut it out!

But the lowly gourd refused to give up her dreams...even the ornamental gourds got to go to holiday tables and be treated like royality....was there no hope...was she destined to hang from a pole...the day came for the opening of the Farmers Market...the garden was alive with excitement as the farmer gathered up his finest harvest and last but not least he gathered the lowly gourd and her siblings....her heart sank at the thought of hanging from a pole for the rest of her life...

The market was packed with customers..loud laughter and talk of needing rain...the stalls emptied out quickly and nearly all of her siblings had been sold....then it happened...she felt a hand softly touch her...she even heard a soft squeal....she heard the country girl say 'I'll take this one!'...the farmer begin to tell her how to cut out the middle and make a bird house but the country girl stopped him and said 'Oh no!' This one won't ever be cut..this one will be a treasure in my house!' What!!! Did the lowly gourd hear right...did the country girl say she would be a 'treasure'!!!!!! Was she her fairy godmother...was this the dream she had always hoped for...

The country girl bought the lowly gourd and even bought the last three of her sisters...she gently placed them in the trunk of her car...she took her to a place called Picketville...she took her inside the house and cleaned her up and made her feel so pretty and special...the country girl talked and laughed as she carried the little gourd all thru the house...

She placed her on tables and little chairs and talked of the holidays and how beautiful she would make the little gourd in her tablescapes...the little gourd choked back tears...what was this new feeling she had inside...something she had never felt before...

It was hope....it was joy....it was happiness...it was love...no place was off limits to the little gourd...the country girl showed her to everyone that came in the house ...even some men she kept calling the Burly Boys...and the babies...woowee the country girl had alot of babies always coming in and they were always laughter and hugs and kisses and food...lordy was there food and plenty of people always hungry..

Yes the little gourd had never felt so loved and welcomed..the country girl begin to gather things on the table and the next thing she knew...her and her sisters were being 'decorated!!!

Lordy she squealed again! There was talk about Thanksgiving and Fall leaves and oh my word don't look now but that country girl even makes a baked bean can feel special!!!!

Boy if those fancy smancy ornamental gourds could see her now....they'd shrivel up with jealousy...

This country girl sure does have alot of stuff she calls treasures...lordy if the farmer's wife ever saw that butter mold sitting under that glass thingy like a crowned jewel she'd faint..

the little gourd was in heaven...even the country girl's chickens welcomed them to their hen party..

Yes dreams do come true...the little gourd realized...she wouldn't be cut open....she wouldn't hang from a pole for the rest of her life...she would live here in Picketville....always loved and always treated special...hearing and seeing all the love and life that goes on in this country girl's home...

Sometimes in life we feel like we are destined to follow a pattern that has been handed down for generations...we came from the wrong side of the tracks...a long line of alcoholics...abusers..drug users...proverty...divorce...hatred......so we give up...accept the hand fate has supposedly given us...lose all hope...but this is AMERICA!!!! A country that was built on hope and dreams...a freedom that was paid for by the heart and soul and even the lives of many of our loved ones...you don't have to settle...never lose hope...never give up...no matter what you have been thru....you survived it ..that's all that matters....there is still a God in heaven...who still hears and answers pray....there are still happily ever afters...there are still true love stories...there are still goodness in mankind....if God has to send an angel by your way...you look for it...your whole world can turn around in a 24 hr time period...you hang on...having done all....stand!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY MY BROTHERS & SISTERS...THANK GOD WE HAVE LIVED TO SEE SUCH A DAY..THANK GOD WE CAN STAND ON THIS AMERICAN SOIL AND RAISE OUR HANDS UNASHAMED AND CALL HIS NAME....MUCH LOVE AND BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS....Love you guys...Picket

New From Old...

2011-06-13T14:26:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...another brand new week started! The weekend was fantastic...went to the Farmer's market again (love that place!) cooked a big dinner for mama & daddy yesterday and they came down and spent the afternoon with me...I haven't seen them laugh that much in a long time..it was just the best day!

Lookie here at my old candle holders I gave a new look to! I have had them for years and they were an orangey copper look and they worked for years but since I moved back I just kept them in the shed..
I grabbed a can of black spray paint and gave them a quick spray even touched a few spots with white and bought new candles...

I put them on the kitchen counter in front of mama's old churn....old glory they look like real treasures now! Look at Miss Red Hen looking the whole scene over...she knows I love her best! lol

I just love big chunky vignettes tucked in every corner!

Gotta run...need to water some stuff in the yard...we need rain so bad...the grass sounds like snap...crackle...pop cereal! Hope all is well with you guys and that you have a wonderful week...linking to Marty's Table Top Tuesday...always some fantastic ideas over there...be sure and go by and say hello and check out all the inspiration....

Coming soon to a blog post near you....THE 'CINDERELLA' GOURD! A fairy tale come true of a lowly gourd and her dream to be more than just a bird house!

Much love and blessings to each of you....Picket

The Winner Is.....and Some Treasures From A Friend

2011-06-08T09:14:00.000-04:00

Morning guys...today's the day...I got up early this morning...put all your names in the little soup bowl....mixed and stirred them so much you'd thought I was making a cake....
Then did my own drumroll....reached in and this is who I grabbed!!!! It's Maurine from Stitchins House of Prims!!! Yea Maurine! She is just the sweetest thing...can sew anything and sells beautiful prim creations...she's a sassy little thing..knowing her she will ask me if the dried beans come with those glass canisters!

I will be packing these little beauties up and shipping them off right away...thanks to each of you for entering and thanks a million for all the sweet comments and prayers and love about our son's moving to Montana...these last few days I have had such a peace inside and I haven't cried!

Now I have to share with you a sweet treasure I got in the mail...or should I say treasures cause this box was packed to the gills!!!! Remember Kasarra from Rate My Space days...ohhhh what fun times those were for alot of us...anyway we met way back then and we stay in touch pretty often and now that I am back on facebook we farm together lol...oh sorry lost concentration there...But sweet 'K' is just the most precious thing with such a heart of gold...she sent me this HUGE box of goodies...I ripped thru it like a kid at Christmas...this was the first thing I saw...gorgeous Coke mat...love the old nostalgic look..

So I carefully layed it on the counter excited to dig deeper..but wait...what in the world was all this...is that an egg carton!!! ...Uh 'K' sweetie...is the hormone medicine not working for you! lol I laughed so hard I thought I was the only one on the planet that packed stuff like that!

But ohhhh look at all the treasures hidden in there...cups with roosters!!! Ohhhh I so love that wire vase!!!! Little fridge magnets...tooo cute...

Oh wait another layer under some packaging...oh my word can you say SQUEAL!!!! Do you see that glorious black tin and that old rolling pin and lordy to my time I see a huge wooden spool hiding down there...double squeal!

Ohhhhh little coke tile coasters....love these and embroidery linens....

Ohhhhhhh look what she had crammed in the black tin...GLORY!!!!!!!!

Oh my word look at this one...could you imagine all the work someone put into this with their own hands....ohhhh makes me cry...

It just keeps coming...the more I took out the more it seemed was in there..

I was just speechless and mostly because there was such a huge lump in my throat cause I could just feel such love from 'K' with each treasure I unpacked...

I mean this box was double loaded with so many precious treasures..beautiful country decorating book...pretty vase with flowers...the linens...the cups..the wooden spool...on and on and I know I am forgeting to mention something..but here you can see it fills the whole table..

I couldn't even begin to thank her enough...I love you sis and I am so blessed to have you as a friend..thank you again for your big ol heart felt box of love...I CHERISH IT SO!!!

Well that's about it for now you guys...don't know what's up with blogger but it took 2 hours just to down load these pics...I would have had this post up at the crack of daylight if it hadn't been for that....now I gotta go 'wake' Maurine up and tell her to send me her address that Santa is coming her way! Have a great day you guys...love ya....Picket

And Now The Rest Of The Story...

2011-06-06T17:24:00.001-04:00

Hey guys....here it is Monday already..I do believe this has just been the fastest year I can recall...life just slips by so fast...babies grow up...parents grow older....and somewhere in between
we write our own chapter in this life...filled with great memories....sad goodbyes....and all the while this old world keeps turning until one day you hear something that literally makes the world stop...or at least your heart stops beating for a few seconds and it feels like the world stopped turning...

Remember me talking about the oldest Burly and his latest news...well it was just last week...Memorial Day to be exact...tents set up in the back yard...grill going...tables filled to the brim with BBQ and all the fixings...family all over the back yard...what more could a mama ask for...even my parents and some friends were here with us..yes it was just a glorious day...evening comes along and the gang starts packing up and calling it a day..I am on the porch with mama & daddy and everyone is huddled around....Oldest Burly's beautiful wife is saying goodbye....I should have feel the wind change directions....my 'mom' radar should have detected lurking thing I feared most coming...but nooooo being the mushy..love my babies to death...always want to be able to spread my wings and shelter them mother hen type...my heart is just swelled to the brim with joy....then it happens.....

Out of the blue she says they are moving to MONTANA!!! At that moment...everything went to slow motion..my heart literally stopped...tears are pouring down my face...I went totally numb...Now oldest Burly moves closer....he looks at her and says 'I didn't think we were gonna tell this right now!' Then he comes around and gets right in front of me...'mama...it'll be aright..it won't be right away'...but in his eyes I saw such a love and also such a pulling in his soul...longing for his dreams yet never wanting to hurt me...at that moment I don't think I was even breathing....beautiful wife then speaks up and says 'we would have done been gone if it wasn't for you...he will never do anything to hurt you'..

It was at that moment I took a breath...what?...what was I hearing?....Tears could not stop...ok girl say something...tell him it is alright....you of all people believe in people following their dreams....you would be the first to tell him to spread his wings and never have regrets...you are not totally out of touch you realize mamas all over this world have kids living all over the world..but you for some foolish reason always thought your babies would always live close by...wasn't that your dream...wasn't that your hope...didn't your heart ache for 5 years as oldest beautiful daughter moved to Oklahoma...then she finally moved back and all was well with the world...now this? My firstborn...my beautiful Burly..

Where are those apron strings...maybe I didn't cut them all the way thru...maybe I can tie a knot...keep him close for alittle longer...not Jay...not my firstborn....he was the first to ever call me mama...he was the one that I made all the mistakes with as a mama...he didn't come with a step by step instruction booklet...he was the first to take those first steps when he was 7 months old...he was the first to wave his little hand as he faced his first day of school as I stood squalling like a baby blowing him kisses and assuring him I'd pick him up in alittle while...he was the first teenager...the first to learn to drive...the first to do things that made me say'beam me up Jesus!'...the first to leave home and go out on his own...the first I ask to forgive me for where I failed him...hoping that he would always know I meant well and loved him more than life...

Will he ever know how proud I am of him...will he ever know what a huge part of my heart he holds...will he ever know how I wish the world for him and how I pray for his peace and happiness..he has always walked to his own drum...he has always loved wide open spaces and frontier life....he has always loved family but for along time there has been a far away look in his eyes...I should have seen it coming...but silly me thought I could keep my little dream world all in one corner...but I'm smart enough to know that God always has a plan for each of us...and above all things I want God's will in my kids lives....sooo I cried and I prayed and I cried some more...then late that evening after everyone was gone...I called Burly and yes I was still crying but I told him to follow his dreams...never let me be the reason to hinder him...this will always be home and we will always be here for him...we talked a long time...I cried...he cried....but in a good way..I told him how much I loved him...how proud I was of him and how that I always knew there was greatness in him......the apron strings hang freely...the apron falls to the floor...those strings are cut for good...but the heart strings can never be severed...

So they put their house and land on the market...I am praying it sells quickly for them...I will be fishing more up at youngest Burly's...it helps sooth me...gives me time alone to pray and talk to God....yes I will still be crying and I will miss them beyond words...little Bella will grow up far away...but it will make for a great road trip and the holidays will sure nuf be a glorious reunion time....so spread your wings my precious firstborn...and may this be the beginning of the happiest time of your life filled with much love and mercy and blessing abundantly...but always know that you are in my heart and that the porch light will always be on....I love you Bubba..

I Love The Farmer's Market!!!!

2011-06-04T19:19:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...it has been a great start to the weekend so far...got up early and went ot the local Farmer's Market....oh my word it was like being in a candy store...booth after booth loaded with fresh picked goodness....I got me some of these little beauties...I told Bill I just wanted something to snap or shell...I will be snapping these in a few minutes..I have always loved fresh garden veggies...something about them just takes me back to my childhood...

We had a wonderful Memorial Day with family....it ended with tears for me..because of some news oldest Burly and his wife announced to me...more on that later...I have prayed and cried this week and tried to refocus my thoughts...even went fishing up at the youngest Burly's ...even got a treasured filled box from a precious blogging friend...I'll share that later...it was amazing..but I told Bill I am determined to visit the Farmer's Market every week this summer..it just soothes me to see and touch all that fresh produce..it takes me right back to my grandmother's porch where I sat many an hour and shelled peas and snapped beans and listen to her talk about life...I loved my grandparents and I loved my childhood...

But on to the main reason for this post...I told you a few weeks ago I was gonna have a little giveaway....now in honor of trying to add alittle 'Picket'ness to each and every home in the country...it is my Southern duty and pleasure to offer for your viewing pleasure....YOUR VERY OWN GLASS CANISTERS....WITH SCOOPS !!!!

You can add flour..sugar...meal....cookies....jelly beans...dried beans even....the possiblities are endless...and the scoops are a must!!!!! Then what 'Picket' kitchen would be complete without a chicken or rooster....wellllll I found you these glorious dishtowels (4) at TJ Maxx and just had to have them...yep got me 4 of them also...love the color and the size and love that checkerboard border! I think they would make beautiful curtains even!

So here is the whole package deal...the two glass canisters..the scoops....the dishtowels...it will be a great addition to any kitchen and might just make a country girl out of you..you might even want to paint something black...oh sorry...you might not be ready for step 2 to 'Picket' ness! Now all you have to do for a chance to win is 1.leave a comment on this post...2. be a follower of this blog...3.have a way for me to contact you...4.must live in the US. Oh and I guess you should say if you even want to be entered...I mean some of you may not care for this stuff (say it ain't so Martha!) I will draw the winner Wednesday Morning....

Now to enjoy these little green beauties....a good wash and pressure cooker and smoked ham chunks....oh my word pass the cornbread! Have a great weekend you guys...love you all so much and I appreciate each and every visit you make here....I haven't been able to make visits or post for a while...finally had to change my pass word after all these years....go figure..maybe blogger has finally got the kinks worked out....I hope so....Picket

Early Morning...

2011-05-26T21:31:00.001-04:00

Hey guys....been a great week....getting down to the wire for Memorial Day..we'll have about 30 here for the BBQ...lots of grands and nieces & nephews....still got alot of cleaning to do..stocking bathrooms with toilet paper and plenty of towels...am I the only one that gets nervous about so many people touring the bathrooms...you never feel like they are clean enough!
But we have had plenty of bright sunshine and my favorite time of the day is early morning when the sun comes flooding thru the kitchen windows...these pics show what my kitchen looks like everyday...lived in...yep we live in our kitchen...nothing fancy...fridge always stocked with grands favorite goodies....no reservations needed to pull up a chair and talk...

I was asked how long I leave the tables set up when I do tablescapes...hardly for a whole day...I keep center pieces on each table like you see here everyday...I use to keep the dining table set for a week or two but now with so much of the family always coming over I tend to keep them cleared off alittle...

I love my kitchen..I love the layout of the whole area...yep that's a coat rack down the hall next to the back door where we hang coats shirts and caps...there is an old bench under it where you can sit and put your shoes on that sit under the bench...just keeping it real guys..we really live real life around here...things can be functional and decorated at the same time...always make your home suit your needs.... look how the sunlight is so bright you can't hardly take a pic...just makes your whole day start off with such a great feeling....makes you feel so blessed to be alive knowing you woke up and in your right mind...

So next time you're feeling alittle down...fling open those curtains...open up those blinds...wash up those dishes...sweep that floor...fix you an old fashion breakfast...or just stand at the sink with a cup of coffee and take a moment to thank God for the new day...for the sunshine...for the coffee....Have a great weekend you guys....love ya...Picket

Table Top Tuesday....

2011-05-24T07:19:00.001-04:00

Morning guys....here we are at the end of May already...this is a busy week in our family...last week of school for the grands...JD graduated from Elementary school yesterday...Sofie graduates from Kindergarten today...Bill's birthday is today....Hunter's birthday party is Sunday...Memorial Day BBQ is Monday...did I mention this is a busy week!
But I wanted to join Marty for Table Top Tuesday....I've had this post ready for awhile..but it always got put on the back burner and I forgot about it...this is from back in early Spring...remember when I got the larger dinner plates from Wal-Mart...

Well I used these dainty little dessert plates I got from Oldest Burly's beautiful wife for a Mother's Day gift a few years ago...there are four in the set....love the colors in them...

On the back it says they are adapted from a French porcelain dessert set made for the United States president James K. Polk in 1846....

I just used stuff from around the house...kept the same black checked fabric on the table...added some greenery and little Spring birds I have had for years...

I love how those sweet little dishes just blend so good with all my old country stuff...used the old wire bird cage as a cloche for a nest....

Love those tiny topiaries I found on clearance a few years ago at Michaels...I think I only paid a couple of dollars a piece for those... don't you love how I don't know a thing about proper silverware placement...uh I mean how I just put the silverware in the glass!!!

See guys you can set a pretty table and break all the rules while you're doing it....now if I could just get as good as BJ over at Sweet Nothings about cooking some of those fantastic biscuits and showing you some mouth watering..make you wanta lick the screen pics...oh glory!

Have a great day you guys...no matter what you have going on...take time to enjoy the moment...be sure and visit Marty and all the other great blogs sharing their inspiration for TABLE TOP TUESDAY with us here in blogland...love you guys...Picket

Old Shutters & Treasures....

2011-05-22T20:57:00.009-04:00

Hey guys...hope everyone has had a fantastic weekend...mama & daddy came down yesterday and spent the whole afternoon with me...I took them all across town to see the tornado damage...it was the first time they had seen the true destruction...they just couldn't believe it...then we came back here and I fixed them some dinner and we sat out on the back porch and I even cut mama's hair for her...they headed on home with mama carrying some fresh made squash patties...she loves those things!
I wanted to show you what I did with a pair of old shutters...I got these from youngest Burly...they were under the porch at the lakehouse last summer...all muddy and he was gonna throw them away...I brought them home and put them in the shed...a few weeks ago I got them out cleaned them up and spray painted them black leaving them kinda blotchy in some areas...

I put them in the bedroom and added some favorite memories to them...like the hand embroidered pillow cases that Gloria gave me (Happy to Be) her own precious mama made them...I tell you I am really afraid to even have them out..they are such beautiful treasures...I cried when I opened the box and read her note...

I added a couple of my cross stitched pics from over 20 years ago...I have always loved teddy bears....then I added the hand painted bird's nest that sweet Sherry (Edie Marie's Attic) painted for me...I actually met Sherry and her beautiful daughter-in-law Chris two yrs ago when she came down as part of her birthday trip...

It makes for the perfect background and I can change out the display anytime...I love this..whole new decorating area and it didn't cost me a thing yet it hold memories for me that are priceless...look around the house or garage or shed...you'd be surprise what hidden treasure you might find...take care you guys...have a great coming week...Picket

I'm joining Mosaic Monday @ Little Red House...and Motivate Me Monday @ Keeping it Simple

Just a Simple Tomatoe Can....

2011-05-16T05:51:00.001-04:00

Morning guys...we got a new week started...hope everyone had a great weekend...mine was glorious...I woke up Sunday morning and weighed and I have now lost 50 lbs!!! SQUEALLLLLLLL!!!!!! Talk about an emotional moment...oh my word! I still have a looonnnggg way to go but one of my main goals was to get 50 lbs behind me...(come to think of it...I think that's where is came from!) I am on the Weight Watcher's Points system..on line of course...there is no way I'd ever let another living soul see my weight numbers...the devil himself would have to tremble if I ever found out he knew!

Now in my last post I showed you a peak at my Memorial Day vignette (ain't that such a fancy word for a cluster of my junk...uh I mean my treasures) I don't decorate for the seasons all over the house but I do like keeping the foyer changed out with the seasons....so back to the decorating...I told you I moved the black jelly cabinet back in the foyer...I knew I didn't want too much 'red...white and blue' and of course it had to be country...down below you see how I did the foyer a couple of years ago with the white table there...

Wal-Mart had these old vintage looking Cracker Jacks Boxes 3 for a $1...I opened one and put the candy and the surprise toy along with the box and a small flag under a cloche....love that idea and yes I thought of it all by myself...

Then I added some old tins I have had for years....I love old tins...still have some but I took 2 boxes loaded down to the goodwill last month...gosh I should of had a giveaway for you guys!
Speaking of which I do plan on having a giveaway in the near future..stay tuned...ok focus...back to the post...I added some small flags to the greenery and it was done...loved it at the time but it was alittle bright for my liking...

So this year seeings as how I am loving black so much...I used the little cabinet and added the checked material that I use for everything around here as a runner...it's still red.. white and blue but with a darker tone...

I love this little clock...got years ago at Hobby Lobby...it's a dull red and black distressing and soooo love the little black and white pic of Uncle Sam in there...

This are middle Burly's rocks he collected as a little boy...he always kept them by his bed and after he turned into a teenager he packed them away...he will turn 34 this August...but when I look at these I still can see my precious little boy full of innocence and wonder...

I used the little watermelon I painted 15 years ago....it came from one of the many trees Bill cut down on our property of 3 acres and a huge beautiful home that was a blessing from God at a time when we needed a home and had no means to get one..ohhhh many a sweet memory tied to this little piece of wood...

I just used one of the Cracker Jacks boxes and an old sampler I crossed stitched back in the 90's...I use to be pretty good at cross stitching until it got to where I needed a satellite beam from space to magnify what I was trying to cross stitch!

Here's a closer look at the sampler...I love cross stitched and embroidered things..just something about a treasure that has been made by someone's own hands....

Then I added my little Denim Days couple...love the soft blue of them...I got this as a gift from my sister years ago...I soooo love this collection and I only have a few pieces of it...they are so expensive when you do find one...but they remind me so much of the Norman Rockwell days...

Of course I needed something under a cloche...every setting needs a cloche right? Wellll in keeping with the true spirit of Picketville and I was standing at the stove making some homemade soup and thinking what I could use for an arrangement...just as I was about to throw the tomatoe can in the garbage a brain storm hit me! I quickly washed it out...got it dry...and I went tearing off thru the house looking for my tall cloche...it was hiding in the closet in the study..I stuck a few faux daisies and some little flags in the can..covered it with the cloche and used my old cake stand for a base...

I added a pot of faux ivy..layed on it's side of course and it was done...I loved it....throwed in the two black shaded antique brass lamps (always gotta have a touch of black) Now this was me...you can tell it is decorated for Memorial Day and yet it's still decorated Picket style...actually this scene will carry me thru all summer (unless I get another brainstorm)

So that's it for now guys....alittle red ...white & blue just for you...this is a new day...a new week...make it a good one..remember..you can't undo yesterday...tomorrow may never come...but today...you can make choices about today...make the right ones...love you guys...Picket

I am linking with Smiling Sally for Blue Monday....Amaze Me Monday @ Dittle Dattle...Marty @ A Stroll thru Life for Table Top Tuesday....REDnesday @ It's a Cherry World...go by and check out all the great blogs and inspiration you'll find at these great weekly links!

I love my Tables...

2011-05-13T14:26:00.012-04:00

Hey guys...been a fast and busy week...I'm planning for our annual Memorial Day BBQ here at the house....it is always the first BBQ of the Summer for us and always an exciting time..so I have started thinking of Memorial Day decorating...I knew I wanted the little black jelly cabinet I used in the dining room back in the foyer...welllll that opened up a whole new can of worms!!!!!

That meant I had to move this white one out of the foyer..so while in the mist of the shifting...I had the white one slid up against this wall you see here under my shelves so I could move the table over and get to the little black cabinet..

Welllll...I liked what I was seeing...I quickly added my glass canisters and an old pot belly stove lamp and I loved it!

Who says dried beans and peas have to be cooked in a pot to be useful....you can find these lovely glass beauties and the dried ingredients at your local Wal-Mart and if grocery prices keep going up I may just have to use these for nutritional purposes..(oh and for all the grocery stores out there...don't think we don't notice the packages are getting smaller as the prices keep getting higher!)

I took the little black drawer from the small kitchen table and placed it on the bottom shelf with some old tins and an old checker board and a pair of suitcases...

I love how the whole thing looks next to mama's old churn filled with twigs and wheat...

I cleared the dishes off the dining room table and just kept the centerpiece simple..with the little table quilt that precious Gloria (Happy to Be) gave me and my cloche with the butter mold and little churn and some ivy and grapevine ball...(daddy was sitting at the table the other day and said...'Baby someone knocked over your pot...you want me to set it back up?' I told him it was a 'fashion' statement...he looked at me like I needed a pill! lol)

So for now I'll leave the table on this wall and down below is a sneak peak of the vignette I made on the black jelly cabinet that is now in the foyer..and yessssss that is a real Hunt's Crushed Tomatoe can you are looking at...I had just made a pot of my cabbage vegetable soup and I was about to throw away the can and I had a brainstorm...I know...I know...you thought it was just a dust bowl rolling around in my head but hey..sometimes I really do use my brain!

Better go for now...the weekend is coming..hope it is a beautiful one for each of you...always dream...always believe and never give up hope...Love you guys....Picket

Shifting gears...

2011-05-10T09:00:00.001-04:00

Morning guys...it's a new day and the sun is shining here...I am determined to focus on whatsoever things are true and pure and of a good report...I hope and pray all is well on your side of the mountain...

By now most of you know all my sons are Burly Boys...if it can be hooked...shot....trapped and involves camouflage they are all over it.. fact their idea of formal wear is full camo suit with the latest duck calls hanging around their necks...sooooo when your daddy is a burly and your mama is a girly girl....what is a girl to do...

Soooo you become a 'Burly Girly'...you learn from an early age to fish...but with a bow in your hair at all times....

You attend parties all thru the year with all your Burly cousins....

When you're a Burly Girly and live in the country...the word pet takes on a new meaning...instead of a soft fuzzy puppy you have a sweet pot belly pig that you run to each morning to give her a favorite snack...but always with a bow in the hair of course!

After a day of play poor piggy is wore out and takes a nap in her favorite spot..she will literally follow Bella around all day...what??? Surely you didn't think we had her laid out for a BBQ!!!!! We are not that kind of Burly family!!!!!

Now being a Burly Girly you still want to get your culture in...but no fancy smancy balance beams needed to help you walk straight and keep your balance..no sir ree...barefeet and an old log is all that's needed....

Yes Little Bella is our youngest granddaughter and she has adjusted to Burly life just fine...she is the apple of her daddy's eye and the treasure of her mama's heart and she is just one of many blessings in our lives....

Below is a pic of mama and daddy this past Saturday...Baby Girl Jen had a Mother's day brunch Saturday for me and mama...then Sunday mama and daddy came here and I cooked dinner and we sat on the back porch and just had the best day...while we were in the kitchen mama sit at the little table and we talked about the storm and the kids and after a while mama smiles and says..."I see so much of me in this kitchen" I said..."Yes and ain't it pretty...but don't get no ideas of taking it all back! lol"

While we were in the kitchen mama ask me if I had some of my squash patties made up...(she loves them)...I told her no but it won't take no time to cook you a batch...I grabbed a skillet and grated the squash and had her a big batch made in no time....when they left we all hugged and she was grinning from ear to ear as she clutched her bowl of squash patties...you'd think I had given her a string of pearls....what she doesn't know is just her being here with me was a far greater treasure than anything she could have ever given me...hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day and hope you have an even greater week...love you guys....Picket

Just a Note...

2011-05-06T15:12:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...I hope this finds all of you safe...I hope those that were affected by the heavy floods are seeing the waters recede...I hope those that were affected by the tornadoes are seeing sunshine and recovery as the clean-up takes place and the rebuilding begins....to those that have lost everything I pray God restore you a hundred fold and above and beyond anything you could ever imagine....to those that have lost loved ones....I honestly don't know what to pray...there is no words to ease that hurt and loss...but I know God will see you thru this and one day you will breath again without it cutting your heart like a knife and you will laugh again...

I have not had a desire to blog or decorate or do anything actually...for days I couldn't even go toward town...the saddness and heaviness you could feel was smothering....it was 5 days before I could hear my sister's voice...needless to say all we could do was cry....I have never had so many emotions in my heart at one time....rejoicing that all my family was alive and unharmed...crying out at all the destruction and loss my fellow townspeople were going thru....standing at the washing machine...thanking God I had a washing machine and even dirty clothes to wash...then breaking down crying so hard because you feel so guilty to have been blessed and spared....

Watching the news as they give glimpses of the town...yet never really showing the real picture...being so deeply touched by the out pouring of love and help from all the town and the different states from all around...seeing the tents and food areas set up all over town....even seeing the Tide truck set up in a parking lot to wash peoples clothes was a joyful moment...I praise the Lord for my fellowman..the unsung heroes who work day and night and give of themselves to the point of exhaustion to help those have have lost so much....finally the roads opened up...what we saw was undescribable...the town I grew up in...knew the landmarks....I was lost...I could recognize nothing....entire neighborhoods...gone....it was like you had been picked up in a time machine and dropped on another planet....for as far as you could see in some areas....nothing but piles of rubble...the houses you lived in as a child...the streets you played on....the stores you shopped in...all gone...

But I have always believed that out of every darkness we face in this life God will bring light....we will rebuild and the latter will be greater than the former...I thank each and everyone of you who have called my family and my state out in prayer....it is a beautiful day here...the whole town is buzzing with sounds of life and clean-up...there is hope again...you can feel the winds shifting in people's spirit and for this I am so thankful...because without a vision the people perish....

I love you guys dearly...you do know that don't you...I want to wish each and everyone of you a loving and blessed Mother's Day...I will be with mama and thankful that I still have her in my life...I always pray that if I leave this world my own babies will know how much I love them and what they have meant to me...because mama has always let me know I was loved....have a glorious weekend you guys....Happy Mother's Day....Picket

I'm Alright....

2011-04-28T21:25:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...just a note to let you know we are all fine...emotionally shaken and in a state of disbelief...as many of you know I live right here in the county of Tuscaloosa,Alabama...if you have seen the news you know our town has just been ripped apart by tornadoes...there are some parts that the news media can't even go into...even my own sister is blocked in with trees on her carport and car and the highway she lives on has been closed...no in or out...no power or phone service...

To even begin to describe the horror as I sat at home watching on TV this massive tornado was being caught on camera headed straight for Bill's work place and the cable shut down just as it reached the plant...all power lost ...all phone service lost...the not knowing...not being able to reach anyone..sirens going off here...tornado headed straight for the house...one headed straight for my babies...both highways covered with trees...within minutes..parts of the town I was born and raised in...neighborhoods built before I was even born...gone...just a few miles up the road from me looks like an atomic bomb went off...

I have never seen anything like this in my life...pictures don't being to tell the whole story ....I am so afraid they will be finding bodies for days to come....our neighbor..a state trooper...was trying to rush a woman to the hospital and came upon a body laying in the road....4 bodies were found from the same family..up behind oldest Burly's house....still searching for two children of that family...no signs of the house anywhere....

There is such a saddness and heaviness over the whole city..there are no words...they say the one tornado was on the ground for 184 miles across the state...it will take years to rebuild but the loss these people have experienced will go with them their whole life...

Our power was restored in our neighborhood before daylight this morning...only by the grace of God...our house was untouched,,,,not even a tree limb broke..Bill literally watched the tornado pass right in front of the plant...my cousin's son works for the state and he was called in to help with rescue...he was not prepared for what he saw....bodies everywhere...

I have cried until my eyes are swollen...crying thankful for all my family being safe and alive...crying seeing all the hurt and loss all around me...it is just unbelieveable at the destruction...the number of people without a home...oh my word...and the number of people still missing and may never be found...please lift these states up in prayer...so many of these people have lost all hope...and are just devastated....and I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for all the love and concern and prays and all your precious e-mails of love and prays....believe me I feel your love even across the miles and my heart is just so full of thankfulness...I hope and pray all of you are safe & well..I wish I could hug each and everyone of you personally...you guys are the perfect example of what's right and good in this world....love you so...Picket

Outdoor Wednesday...

2011-04-27T07:50:00.002-04:00

Morning guys...it's Wednesday and I have been wanting to join Susan for Outdoor Wednesday for so long...but our backyard was so destroyed and we had to take down so many trees and bushes and the grass was and still is so bare...we even took out a few of the islands and all the creeping phlox in my raised beds was removed....

All the azaleas up against the house had to be removed and new beds had to be made...for those new to the blog here we had leased our home out last year so we could move and be close to my parents for a year so I could take care of them while they were so sick....well...let's just say the renters had a dog in the back yard and just weren't yard people....

So the beautiful backyard that Bill and daddy had created for me thru the last 10 years was greatly damaged...but thankfully the back of the yard still had some of the bigger shrubs and trees in tact...

We replanted some azaleas and added some Japanese Red maples...it is funny to look out and see these tiny trees in amongst the huge ones already there...but I love seeing a full back yard...

Alot of the lilies and even my beautiful big hawthorns didn't make it thru the year...all the yard up against the house was just DIRT!

But the grass is starting to grow back and as you can see the back side of the yard still has the main beds in tact....

But down below you can see the large patch of green on the right...there use to be an island there with knock out roses and a pink blooming crabapple...

But I am so thankful to be back home and with each day I see something new coming back to life and I love seeing my clematis climb up the old windmills and fence gates...

We had to take out the two long islands up close to the porch with the azaleas in them...there was just so many dead bushes...but Bill loves seeing more yard with them gone and he planted two red Japanese maples up close to the porch and said he'd replace all the azaleas if I wanted to but I love him more than any flower so if he loves seeing grass then grass we'll see there ...

I just know being able to sit on the back porch and hearing and watching the birds on the feeders and seeing everything that comes forth and bloom is such medicine for my soul...seriously...I just cry and tell the Lord over and over how thankful I am to be back home...

We are having severe weather today...lots of wind and hail this morning...they call for more this afternoon....I pray for no major damage and injuries thru out our state....Bill made it safe to work so I better go find the flashlight...

Hope you guys are safe and well as these storms pass thru the country....and please go by when it is safe to visit Susan over at A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday and see all the beautiful outdoor spaces...

Take the time to look around you...there is more to life than just material things...always so busy you never even look up and see the beautiful blue sky....you never sit by an old creek bank and listen to the water ripple....

You're so busy making a living...you forget to live and enjoy what you are working for....we have become a generation that has to be entertained at all times...have to have something to do or some place to go or we get bored out of our minds...I remember growing up...you woke up early and took care of the animals and worked in the garden and cared for your neighbors....you were always surrounded by the land and nature...you were tired but in a good way by the end of the day....children knew what chores were instead of knowing nothing but a computer..people loved thier homes and took pride in them..today to most people it is just a roof over their head and we wonder why so many people stay depressed....they can find no peace....I remember one of the sweetest memories of my life is going to bed at night and hearing mama praying in her bed after all the lights were out...praying for her family...thanking God for His love and mercy...the best things in life can't be bought....but they can be lost....let's hold tight to the things that really matter in this life....have a great day you guys....literally take time to stop and smell the roses....love ya....Picket

A New Day...A New Week....

2011-04-25T08:00:00.001-04:00

Morning guys..hope everyone had a great Easter weekend...ours was fantastic...Burly Boys and babies....who could ask for more! A few days before Easter I ask Bill to bring in my other hutch from the shed and I angled the dining room table so I could put the little jelly cabinet I had in the foyer in front of the dining room window...

I love how it gives me a place for more lamps...did I ever tell you I have a 'collection' of lamps in the side room in the garage..love lamps..but I have had these heavy antique brass ones for years...they were the first ones I ever bought with black shades...loved black shades ever since..

Love the special effects in Photoscape also...y'all should definitely try those sometimes...it is a free download and such fun for pics....

See the white hutch now in the dining room and the dark one is in the kitchen...love the big chunkiness everywhere...just feels so good to walk in here and be surrounded by so much of my junk...uh I mean my treasures!

Ohhhh lookie here below...Photoscape lets you 'flip' your pics...I love this layout...now my kitchen window would be looking into the back yard! lol

While Bill was getting the hutch from the shed I had him to bring in my old blue...yes Sally I said the word blue....Currier & Ives dishes I have had for years...

These remind me of my Aunt Geraldine...she was a tiny dark haired beauty always wearing the cutest pedal pushers and tops and always had her red stick on her lips and kept those pink rubber little rollers called 'spoolies' in the ends of her hair for curls...they looked like mini pink flying saucers! lol

Uncle Norman use to win dishes like these at the state fair by tossing nickles into the plates...they'd have the booth set up with a whole set of these dishes and if you could get the nickle to land in the plate and stay it was yours..very hard to do for most folks but Uncle Norman was a natural at it..especially if he had a few sips from the bottle before going to the fair..hey..hey...don't act like you ain't got a few leaves on your family tree that you wish would curl up and blow off!!!!!

So there you have it..a few changes...a new week started...another holiday come and gone...life is good. I am joining Sally for Blue Monday over at Smiling Sally's and Marty for Table Top Tuesday over at A Stroll Thru Life...be sure to go over and say hello to these precious girls and see all the other great eyecandy everybody us showing us this week...Have a great week you guys....love ya....Picket

Easter Blessings Everybody...Love You Guys...

2011-04-23T18:25:00.001-04:00

Happy Easter weekend you guys...this is a repost of two years ago..I can't believe how the babies have grown in two short years...we all gathered today to celebrate Bailey's 13th birthday...tomorrow we will all gather again for Easter...I am so thankful to have all my family..all the precious love and memories they have given me will live on forever in my heart...I have said it many a time..if I leave this world tomorrow...I couldn't have ask for a better life...I have loved and been loved all my life and my only hope is that when I do leave this world my loved ones know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were loved and that they were my greatest treasures and gift from God and that someway..somehow..I have been a light to them...a light to help show them the way to the greatest gift of all...the love of God and all his grace and mercy thru His Son Jesus...my heart is full and I couldn't ask for more...love and blessings to you guys...Happy Easter....Picket

It was a beautiful day....we couldn't all be together...so hearts were filled with mixed emotions....joyful that we were all alive and well and that those that were miles aways were so very close in our hearts...we laughed and talked about family and God and memories from the past of all God has done in our lives....we fellowshipped with good food and lots of hugs and kisses from sweet babies.....we hid the Easter eggs and watched as the little ones squealed with excitement as they found them one by one (I don't know who enjoyed it more...the babies or the adults!) We talked on the phone to those far away and laughed and cried together as we shared the moments of the day....the day ended as we said our goodbyes and as I laid my head on my pillow....I thanked God for a resurrected Savior..who is alive today and moving in my life and the lives of my children....I praise Him for all His love and mercy that he has bestowed upon me & my family...to live to see this day & know the love that I know....my cup is truly full and running over..

Table Top Tuesday....

2011-04-18T18:22:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...did you see my new header pic? Mama passed it on to me a few years ago...it is some old canning jars....love it! But the glass got broke in the move back so I just had it put away..well I dug it out this morning and took a hammer to the glass and carefully removed it all...I like it better without the glass! I put it on my window sill in the kitchen...it is perfect there... Now I love making little vignettes on trays and such...well last Saturday I found this little wall box with 3 little sections in it and a drawer for 50% off...but I knew I wasn't gonna use it on the wall..it was just shallow enough to use like an old drawer for little table scenes....

See the little drawer with the old pull....and it was already black and distressed just like I like things...

I added a small Hulls pitcher with some greenery and one of my chicken napkins.....

Then I added an old rooster and some wooden eggs in one little section and some old red handled kitchen utensils in the other one....throw in some wooden spoons as 'flowers' and I had myself a pretty little tablescape!!!

Then I decided to add alittle more country to the dining table...so I grabbed my big cloche and threw a little crock and butter mold...a few wooden eggs and grapevine and it was perfect to go with all the creamy white plates....

That's what I been doing this week...Bills off for the next few days and you know what that means...yard time!!! We're gathering at Baby girl's house for Easter....looking forward to seeing the grands hunt for Easter eggs...hope everyone has a beautiful and blessed Easter....I am linking to Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday...be sure and go by and say hello and see all of the great inspiration everyone is sharing....love you guys....have a fantastic week...Picket

What 'Moves' You...

2011-04-14T22:10:00.001-04:00

Many a time I can be doing something here in the house and be 'moved' by a picture or an object...I think that is why I always love to be surrounded by things from my family or things that remind me of my family...while I was unpacking the old wheat dishes...I was reminded of my childhood and the memories I associate with these old dishes... When I was a young girl I use to love spending the night with my Uncle James & Aunt Odell and my 3 cousins...my aunt use to get this pattern of dishes in the Duz washing powders...Uncle James was as big a coon hunter as daddy and they both raised and trained redbones...except for the bluetick that was our baby what time she wasn't winning best of breed and best of show in the tournaments...

I can still see Uncle James..tall and lean driving that shiny black 57 chevy...he use to work night shift and Aunt Odell loved cleaning house at night...I thought that was so neat...and she loved Elvis and Chuck Berry...so we'd be listening to the record player and dancing around while we were mopping! To this day I love cleaning house at night...my cousins had TWIN BEDS!!! How lucky was that...I had to share a full size bed with my sister!

Of course I was Uncle James' favorite niece and Aunt Odell always called me Baby...she could give perms also...you could go there with long straight hair and come home with short and curly! She had a tiny kitchen and we'd play Rook or Rummy on the tiny kitchen table that was next to the fridge and the person sitting in the end chair had to get up each time someone wanted to get in the fridge...Mommy Elsie (Aunt Odell's mama) was usually over there on weekends and she was like my own grandmother...see back in those days the entire extended family always looked out for and loved and cared for all the kids in the whole family...you knew you were safe and loved no matter who you were staying with..

I was so blessed for the years I shared with my Aunts and Uncles and cousins as a young girl....they left such an impression on me of the love of a family...a couple of years ago I saw Dana over at The Stone Rabbit post her set of these same dishes and the minute I saw them tears just started flowing of the memories of Uncle James and Aunt Odell...I immediately set out to get me some of these dishes...I bought some from Ebay and then some of you precious blogging buddies begin sending me some in the mail...I now have a huge set and I love them...they 'move' me...

So what 'moves' you? What takes you back to another time and place...when things were simplier and easy going...

A time of love and laughter....before life happened...before death took away the loving arms of that special someone...what takes you back to that day...is it an old picture...a quilt sewn by your precious mama or Maw Maw...is it an old rocking chair or churn...maybe an old boat paddle used by your daddy during all those fishing trips he'd take you on always putting the cricket on your hook for you and always having such patience...or maybe it's just an old plate sitting in the cabinet...

What 'moves' you? Whatever it is...it probably has no earthly value to the world...but to you it is priceless...because just one look or touch can transform you back in time and once more you relive that glorious moment in time...once more you are 'moved'....Have a great weekend you guys...love you so and hoping all is well with you and yours....

I'm linking up with Courtney over at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday...please go by and look at all the fantastic inspiration...and thank you guys for coming by and always making me feel so loved..Picket

Wow Us Wednesday!!!

2011-04-13T08:17:00.001-04:00

Morning guys...Hope everyone is having a fantastic week..we had storms Monday...but yesterday was glorious and today is suppose to be even better...I know it is for me cause I am now down 45 lbs!!!!! SQUEAL!!!!!!!!! I am still loving my little kitchen table that Bill rescued from the trash at work..it is just the perfect size to play with...

Yes there is nothing like breakfast on the farm...roosters crowing...cows mooing and pigs...well I guess pigs oinking although we always called it grunting!

Homemade biscuits...(noooo you won't be seeing any of those here...you know I can't make biscuits...they end up being hard as a rock murder weapons on the count of if you throw then out the back door and they was to hit somebody it'd kill them!) bacon...eggs...grits...pancakes...

sausage....what? You didn't know Southern breakfast was really an all you can eat buffet at Shoney's!!!

Ohhh and bet you didn't know dried black eyed peas could be romantic did you....they can if you stick a candle in them!!!!!

Also been playing in the dining room...took all the tins from the china cabinet and gotta redo that...while I was thinking I wondered out in the back yard and spotted this old sign hanging under the lean to by the shed....it's been there for years but my word it has a rooster on it...that beauty needs to be in the house!!!!

Soooo I eased through the yard stuff and lawnmowers and stretched as far as I could to reach it...my fingertips barely touched it...I was praying the whole time.."please don't be a spider under there" cause if anything crawled out from behind that thing and got on me...it would go flying one way and Bill would come home and find me sprawled out between the fertilizer spreader and the hose pipe!

But nothing was lurking behind it so I brought it in and washed it off and hung it on the wall!!!!

I grabbed one of the bar stools and put the old ice cream freezer on it...gotta find some different flowers cause those sunflowers are just too 'loud' for me in here....brought the old quilts from the bedroom...my Maw Smith made that one on the back...my Aunt Ree gave it to me years ago...I cried so hard the first time I touched it just seeing all those handmade stitches where my own precious grandmother had touched...

So that's what I been doing...just playing and enjoying life....hope you guys are doing the same....I am joining with Kim over at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday (don't know how much 'wow' I have but hey it is Wednesday!) Love you guys...have a fantastic week...Picket

Table Top Tuesday...Answering The Call....Again!!!!

2011-04-11T19:30:00.002-04:00

Hey guys...Hope everyone is having a great day...we got storms coming thru tonight...but it has been a beautiful day....it's time for Table Top Tuesday again with Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life.... now I told myself I was gonna avoid buying any more dishes for awhile...but I heard the call...I knew it would be a struggle of wills...my eye just caught a glimpse of creaminess...

I told the plate I just couldn't...it said just look...no harm in looking...so I took a long glance...ohhh my word I was hyperventaling... the plate said go ahead...there's no shame in being a dishaholic...

I told the plate that divorce was legal in this country!!!! But I have these cute little bowls that look so pretty sitting on the little matching salad plate the plate said...ohhhh the plate had a point there...

I stacked them together right there on the shelf....ohhhhh how could I refuse...but I had to resist..

They even had matching serving bowls....I just knew they would look fantastic with green apples in them....

They even had a matching platter that is just perfect for using as a tray....

I just knew these creamy yumminess would go with everything....

I found the little sign at Michaels...it just suits me perfect...oh did I forget to mention I put the dishes in the buggy!Have a great week you guys and don't forget to visit Marty for all the fantastic eyecandy that has joined in on Table Top Tuesday....love you guys....Picket

Out of The Mouth of Babes....

2011-04-10T08:25:00.006-04:00

Morning guys...hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend...mine has been wonderful...cleaned in the house all day yesterday morning and oldest grandson Randy drove down and spent the afternoon with me and even stayed until Bill got home from work and ate supper with us..I love talking and spending time with my grands no matter what age they are.... You ever notice how your grands can say things that literally make you laugh out loud...especially when they are little....well...I have had many a moment like that with mine....little 4 yr old Hunter (youngest Burly's son up at the lake) was out on the front porch at his house with his Aunt Tracy (oldest beautiful daughter) and he was yelling 'hello' and listening to his echo come back....he was fasinated by it...he told Tracy..."Listen to this!" He yelled again and it 'answered' him back....he ask Tracy..'who is that?' Now Tracy didn't know how to explain the science of an echo to the little fellow so she just told him that was God answering him back...he just gave her a look and said 'Well...he ain't never talked to me before!!!! The other morning Baby girl (Jen) was taking little 6 yr old Sofie to school...Sofie ask did God do magic...Jen replied 'well...we don't call it that but He can do all things'.....Sofie ask if God had buttons in heaven that he just pushed each day for the weather....one for cloudy and one for rain...you know...Jen said she didn't quite know but that would be a good system for him! lol lol

A few days ago little Sofie came over and wanted to do something...so I gathered some fabric and some safety pins (I don't sew remember) and my iron and stitch witch and stuffing and we headed to the back porch..I sit us up a little station and we begin to cover some of the old cushions I had in the shed and make new little throw pillows...Sofie is telling me stories and singing to me and playing with the stuffing as she is handing it to me to fill the pillows...all at once she yells..'Maw Maw!!! Close your eyes!' I say 'What!!!' She said 'close your eyes just for a minute'....so I close my eyes...wait...then she says 'ok...you can open them again'.... I was totally not prepared to see what stood before me...Little Sofie had stuck some of the stuffing under her shirt and MADE HER SOME BOOBS!!!!!! OH MY WORD...I LET OUT A SCREAM...I WAS LAUGHING SO HARD I ALMOST PEED MY PANTS AND ALMOST FELL OUT OF MY CHAIR!!!!!

If nothing else grandbabies will always remind you how good it feels to laugh....I love mine and I thank God for each and everyone one..they are like these precious little treasures God gives you as a reward for surviving raising your own past the 'from another planet' teenage years! lol

Take time to enjoy life you guys...it will be long gone before we ever realized what we missed...love you guys....Picket

A Peek In The Laundry Room....

2011-04-08T09:10:00.002-04:00

Hey guys...finally got the laundry room put back together...I am so happy with it...I think it is my favorite little cubby hole... We painted the whole room and bought two oak unpainted cabinets at Lowes...Bill and son-in-law Johnny hung them after I painted them black of course...then Johnny cut me a shelf to go across the top and two small shelves to connect them...I told them exactly what look I wanted and they made it perfect....

I started decorating the minute they hung the shelves up...Remember the candle holders I made a few weeks ago...well I added some pinto beans and a pair of old chickens...ohhhh genius...I tell you! The old checker board was used by the kids when they were little to play checkers on...On the second shelf I just added some old cook books and old tins...

I added some old wash boards on both sides of the window and a pair of chicken prints I got from Hobby Lobby a few weeks ago 50% off...

I crossed stitched that little clothesline way back in the 90's It says 'thank you lord for my dryer' lol

I hung a mini quilt and an apron over the faucetts and outlet...

I added the old wood ironing board...I painted the bottom of it black years ago before I even knew I liked black!

There is a cubby hole in there where I use to keep the freezer...it now has the little kitchen island in it....love clothes pins and aprons..

I painted that old cow many many years ago....there is alittle bit of everything in here....

How you like my no sew curtain...lol...yep just draped thru the old wreath and tacked on top of the window....

See...all my floor space is nice and open and I can just take the clothes out of the dryer and put them on top and stand there and fold them...love that.....

Oh my word I forgot to take a pic of the top...it has old advertising tins up there...but this room just makes me smile when I go in there...who knew you could have fun washing dirty clothes!

So there you have it...my little mini makeover for a room that had no storage and no personality...it's been a full day here....Bill mulched the entire back fence flower beds and builted me two timber borders in front of the shed to outline the new beds and then cut grass...the knockout roses are starting to bloom and the purple iris are huge this year...

Take care you guys and have a great weekend.....I know these are hard times right now...gas prices alone are enough to make you cry...so many out of work...many losing their homes...many struggling just to keep food on the table...laying awake at night trying to figure out how to pay the power bill and get medicines they need for the babies...trying so hard to hang on to their good credit yet knowing it is like putting a bandaide on an open wound..knowing it is just a matter of time...the hoplessness is smothering...joy and peace left along time ago...now what last thread of faith you have is becoming a flickering flame...

God has not forsaken you...you are not just a number in a crowd....you hold on..with every ounce of faith you can muster....speaking those things that are not as though they were...if God has to send an angel by your way....HE WILL DELIVER YOU! You may be bitter and angry yet hating yourself for being that way because you know God and you have seen Him move for you before...but lately your life seems like it is in a draught and you can find no good anywhere you look....take one more deep breath...whisper His name..let every fiber and cell of your being feel His breath on you again...then thru eyes of faith look way off in the distance..there is a cloud about the size of a man's fist....the rain is coming....your rain is coming....rain of mercy...rain of substance....rain of forgiveness....look for it my friend...you have came thru the fire and the floods...but they cannot over take you...you have survived and you have yet to behold all God has in store for you....your blessing is on the way....run to it my friend...let nothing turn you away....you will laugh again....love you guys..Picket

Alittle More Black & Finding The Right Piece...

2011-04-06T21:25:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...been a great week....trying to get some small projects finished...first on the list...remember the blue cabinet I got for $10 at a yard sale? Well take a look at that little beauty now....yep it's BLACK!!! Oh Lordy...I bet Smiling Sally just fell out in the middle of doing her Blue Monday post!!!! But the blue was just too bright for me...but the black...ohhhh my word....perfect for me! I found this sweet sign at Wal-Mart for $8...it fit perfectly on the cabinet....

Just painting that one piece tied the living room together like I was hoping for....but there was one empty spot that I have tried to fill since we moved back...but I just couldn't find the 'right piece'....

Can you guess what piece it was...

I'll give you a hint....it's black...

Do you see it? Noooo not the shutters....look closer.....

Ok...ok...you're taking too long..it's that sweet scrolly...black...bold letters...WELCOME!!!!! Squealllllll.....Is it not the most perfect thing for that spot!!!!! I got it yesterday at Hobby Lobby for 50% off...just $25!!!! Don't you just love it when things finally come together!

Hope you guys are having a productive week...I am now working on getting stuff put back in the laundry room ..it has been painted and new cabinets put in and painted black of course...now gotta get all my country stuff in there....take care you guys and always make your house your own...not your neighbors...not a magazine...but yours...filled with your love and your memories....love ya....Picket

Heart Of the Home Party!!!

2011-04-04T17:40:00.003-04:00

Today's the day!!! The day all of us have waited for with pen and pencil...ready to copy...paste...and save all the fantastic 'eyecandy' our little computers can store...it's time for 'Pickle's' (Note Songs) HEART OF THE HOME PARTY!!!! She has ask that we sling open our cupboards wide and show the world our kitchens!!! So let the games begin....

Welcome to my humble little kitchen...my favorite place in the house...if you was here in person instead of peeking thru the window I'd cook you some breakfast....grits.. eggs..bacon..pancakes..cereal....ok if you're gonna be picky I'll just open the freezer and grab you a frozen sausage biscuit and throw it in the microwave!

My kitchen is small in size but big on love and memories...it is the one place where I really do gotta have alot of my stuff out and around me...(don't think I can't hear alot of you whispering..you thought I did every room that way!)

I really do think outside the box alot...most folks keep beautiful china in the hutches...I keep my old tin collection!

Baby girl says I have an 'eat in kitchen' area..I tell her nooooo...I have a dining room! lol My house... my descriptions!

I love old Hulls dishes...always have and always will...and who on the planet doesn't know how much I love chickens...I'd have them in the back yard if I could!

My little kitchen has seen many changes in its life time...and will probably see many more thru time...

Ohhhhh how I love old pyrex bowls...reminds me of my childhood and all the family gatherings where all the aunts would bring their food in their favorite pattern of pyrex and the banana pudding was always in mama's big old yellow one...

I love creamy white dishes also and glasses..oh my word don't even get me started on my love for pretty glasses...when Bill took the cabinet doors off so I could paint them black he discovered about 5 sets over the fridge...he said 'Hon..what is this...I thought you gave these away!' he just wishes I had gave them away!

I love dishes...love them in the cabinets...love them on the walls...love them on the table...yes I am a dishaholic and I say that with no shame!!!!!

I sooooo love these old bowls with the cherries on them...they came with a plate that sits on top...like grandmaw use to use when she'd cover the food left on the table...they came from Cracker Barrel years ago...

Once my dad's only 3 living sisters called and said they were coming for a visit...I was so excited...I fixed chicken & dumplings and cornbread and used these bowls and we sat at the little table in the kitchen and laughed and told stories..it was the best day...I love my precious aunts!

Love my precious friends who give me such treasures like this little pitcher from Ksarra...she is such a sweetheart and dear friend...

I love my old Dollar Store serving pieces I got years ago...they are just the perfect golden creamy yellow....

Ohhh and did I ever tell you how I love old egg holders...well I do!

I got a few pieces of the Phaf stuff from a sweet little widow woman who sold her family home and moved to an apartment after her hubby passed away...you know they have seen many a memory...

sigh....don't you just love that warm and make you grin from ear to ear feeling when you look at something....

I love me some glass canisters!!!!!! Ohhhh that sweet match holder on the wall...reminds me of my Mama Bush's where she kept matches to light the old pot belly heater in the living room...

Yes my little kitchen has seen many changes...it started out oak...

Got a wild hair and painted and glazed it and even painted the countertops chocolate..poor Bill thought it was a disgrace for his wife to have painted countertops so they had to go...

Got new countertops and added toile fabric to the glass fronts...

Then I discovered I had a love for black...sooooooo.....

Oh yea! Still loving it~~~

That old Lance jar has been in the family since I was 13 yrs old (never mind how many years ago that was)...and mama always kept sugar in it with the old pink melamine creamer...so to this day I do the same....

I have every nook and cranny filled to the brim but I can still cook a full Christmas dinner for 30+ without missing a beat...

This little plate says it all...the order in which we should always live...

Yep....the kitchen truly is the heart of the home...mine is always opened and you will always find a snack....whether you like salty or sweet....

In this life we will always have moments that are alittle salty and alittle sweet...sometimes the salty can be hard to handle...often burning wounds and hurts that last for years..but then the sweet comes along...and our hearts are running over with joy and happiness and the salty just doesn't take center stage anymore...thru the years my old kitchen tables have seen my babies grow up...sitting and coloring and talking about their little lives...they have seen those same grown babies now sit and cry as they pour their heart out over a 'salty' hurt...they have seen tears of joy as shared happiness was told....they have seen the midnight oil burn when sleep wouldn't come and all we could do was sit and softly pray for mercy...they have seen many a holiday come and go with all their memories...they have seen precious grandbabies just learning to eat on their own sit and smear their food all around as they giggled with sheer joy...they have given this old country girl memories of her own childhood where she use to sit on a bench and watch her own grandmothers cook on a wooden stove...with a tablecoth on the old wood table and a Golden Eagle Syrup jar on the table along with some fresh churned butter... waiting for the hot biscuits to come out of the oven...

Never under estimate the power of a mama's love and her kitchen....you young mothers may think you can't cook and make memories like grandmaw use to...but believe you me...there is greatness in you..it is called the love of a mama...and you are the giver of love and dreams to your family...they may be your greatest treasure ever but you will always be mama...the one they run to...your words alone can change their world...

Please go by and see all the great inspiration over at Note Songs....thank you so much sweet Pickle for hosting this amazing party for us...I love you girl and I am also linking with Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tablescape Tuesday (sorry Pickle...I can't party with you and not party with Marty!!! lol)..love you guys...have a great week...Picket

Front Porch & A Picket Fence...

2011-04-02T07:00:00.001-04:00

Morning guys...it's the weekend already! Bill was off Thursday and Friday...he cut grass and cleaned out the beds in the front and brought the brown wicker off the back porch to the front porch and put the white wicker on the back porch..what? You thought I only rearranged in the house!!! I love the watercolor effect you can do to pics in photoscape..but I love my porches even in black & white! I had Bill bring the old seed plow from the shed and added some greenery in it (Hobby Lobby has their floral on sale 50% off this week...I love my picket fence across the front with the old arbor...Bill and dad put it up for me years ago...Bill cleaned out all the beds and put in fresh mulch..don't you love the smell of fresh mulch!!!

Our porch is long and narrow...40ftx6ft but as long as it holds my swing then it's perfect for me..

Planted a creeping Jenny in an old tin container and found my old turtle sprinkler at the shed...love that rusty copper umbrella the mama turtle is holding...Bill still is alittle confused how most women love diamonds and pearls and I love rust and broken!

I love an old porch that just begs you to come sit on it...told Bill I'd love to have one of those old standing wash tubs filled with flowers out here...lordy the man turned pale! (Do you think he is more 'citified' than he lets on)

Look at that fresh cleaned bed all ready for it's new layer of mulch...ohhhh just gives me goosebumps...I love it!!!!

Ohhhh and how I love that sweet man that makes all my dreams come true,,,after all these years he is still my 'boyfriend'....

I think he did a fantastic job cutting out the edges and cleaning the beds from all the last years neglect....

Yep..give me a porch and a picketfence and you can color me happy...speaking of color..today is Pink Saturday over at Beverly's house How Sweet The Sound...please go by and say hello and check out all the gorgeous pinks here in blogland...

Also a quick note to Sharon in who ask about the little bird bath in my living room post...I got that at Michaels a few years ago and yes I found two terrariums..one at Hobby Lobby and one at TJ Maxx but they were still alittle pricey so I passed on them but they were pretty! lol

Thanks for coming by you guys..Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend....don't forget sweet Pickle (Note Songs) is having a Heart Of The Home Party next Tuesday....show us your cupboards!!!! Love you guys...Picket

I Can Play Tablescape Tuesday Again!!!!!

2011-03-28T19:45:00.004-04:00

Ok guys...I am so excited cause I get to join Tablescape Tuesday again with is hosted by our very own Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life .. it seems like ages since I have joined in on tablescapes...but the minute I flipped thru the pages of my Newest Country Sampler... and saw this little beauty below...ohhhhh my wheels started turning and I knew I wanted this look in the kitchen...an old farm table...I had an old table Bill had got from one of the old shops at work that they were throwing away....he was using it in his shed but I had him to bring it in the house and I was using it in the study as my desk....ohhhh it was like pulling hen's teeth getting him to bring it in...he couldn't believe I'd have that old thing in the house....wellllll you should have seen the color of his face leave when I showed him this pic and ask him to move the old table to the kitchen.... He made every excuse in the book..'hon, it's old...it's a health hazard...it's ugly!!!!!' But being the sweetie that he is he moved out the little island and move in the old table...with each item I added I saw his face light up...I explained to him how I love to have a little table in the kitchen so the grands can be right there with me..cause Sofie will literally drag one of the bar stools around the counter and pull it up to the little island to be next to me as I cook.... Plus with a little table in there again I will have more room to cook and serve the grands and they can help me prepare things which is what they have always loved to do.... Plus it gives me a small little area to play with my dishes each week without taking apart the dining room table display....little Sofie just came in and the first thing she did was run to the kitchen and she just froze when she saw the table...'Maw Maw!!!! Can we eat at this table???" I said you sure can baby...that's what it is here for...she immediately took a seat and 'ordered' some cheese pizza! lol I can't even begin to describe how much I love this...it makes the little kitchen area so much more warm and inviting than the little island ever did....

Thank you Country Sampler for reminding me to be true to myself...I have never cared to be trendy...never cared for the less is more theory...never followed the beaten path...never lined things up according to the rules of measure...I just know what I love and I love when things feel right for me...

Thanks for coming by you guys..be sure to go see all the gorgeous Tablescapes at Marty's and thanks for all the sweet comments on my weight loss...I am on the Weight Watcher's Point sytem on line and I am still a chunky so there won't be any 'skinny' pics for a long time! lol It will be a long journey but I am so thankful I have started....take care you guys...take time to play with your dishes...your home is your grown up version of a dollhouse...enjoy your play time! Love you guys....have a great week...Picket

Am I The Only One!!!!

2011-03-26T11:20:00.001-04:00

Hey guys...it's the weekend!!!!....and if that wasn't great enough I weighed this morning and I have now lost...ready for it?.....40 POUNDS!!!!! SQUEAL!!!!!! That is 160 sticks of butter..or 4 ten lb bags of taters..imagine all that lumpy dumplyness!!!!! lol

Ok...I need to know if I am the only one with OAB...nooooo not Over Active Bladder you little doodleheads..Over Active Brain!!!! Sometimes I can arrange something and it be alright but each time I walk by there will be something that just doesn't sit right with me..but I will be so busy I'll just have to keep going but my brain won't let it go...seriously...I'll be decorating in my sleep!

Ok remember a couple of posts back I was showing the blue cabinet in the living room and those two old recliners...wellll.I was in the middle of making this little mini foyer area in my hall way and I had to keep walking thru the living room to get things..just as I got the little 'skirt' on the tiny table I stood back in the living room and lordy I couldn't take it anymore!!!!!! I begin to slang furniture around and take stuff down..I finally got this look below into the little hallway...ohhhh I liked this...yes those are real sticks under daddy's old desk..I went out in the yard and cut them off an old tree out in the trash pile Bill has started from tearing out some beds...

I took one of the green recliners out and made me a little corner to myself...for when I want to read or look at the laptop....ok this is working so far....but remember the candleholders I made and put on the mantle...well I had to take down the rusty stars to add the plates so I had the stars next to my big old country pic...buttttttt...they were next to the plates going around the blue cabinet and it just made me cringe everytime I went by...sooooo I took the door off the study...so I could squeeze the little love seat back into the livingroom (just at this time Bill calls from work..'what you doing hon?' Uhhhh nothing...'you sound out of breath..you all right'? Uhhh you aren't allowed to ask me questions right now..'WOMAN!!!! ARE YOU REARRANGING THINGS AGAIN!')

Soooo on with the plan...after getting the love seat stuck and me being trapped and panicking...said a little prayer and gave it one more push and we were free! I put it where our two leather recliners were and I put the two leather recliners where the green recliners use to be....AND I TOOK THE LAST TWO PLATES OFF THE WALL that was around the blue cabinet and that fixed it!!!!

I thought I was gonna have to repaint or spackle something before I could get it right...let me just say Bill LOVES this corner...this is all and the only leather in my house....I got them for him and love them cause they are so craftsman like...they are the Monarch series from Ashley and they are so comfortable...waited till the went on sale 50% off a couple of years ago...I hate paying full price for anything!

Ahhhhhh now see below how homey and comfy this is....look at Mama Bush's old rocking chair by the fireplace...I use to sit it in when I was a little girl....and yes..I have green carpet...we bought the house new 10 yrs ago and that was what I loved about it was that it didn't have the usual beige carpet..it was green and had soft yellow walls thru out...I dream of hardwoods and new carpet now!

Gosh I just realized I didn't show you the love seat...well it is on the wall to the left with the two wooden end tables that match the coffee table..so there was my OAB moment...ohhhh and it triggered a deep down itch that I had to go ahead and scratch....I moved my bedroom from the back of the house to the front room...poor Bill came in and ask "What happened!!!! I can't leave you alone for a minute...I thought we were just talking about painting and get a new bedspread for the other room...I didn't know we were GETTING another room!!!" "What if I wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and end up over there in the corner!" I told him he'd be fine just as long as he didn't pee in my floor! lol lol Sorry..we're just that crazy here! lol lol

So seriously...am I the only one with this 'sickness'....lol...Have a great weekend you guys and remember never take things so serious..live and love and play and always be able to laugh at yourself...life is just to short to do otherwise...ohhhh just remembered...I saw our first hummingbird on the feeder Wednesday!!! Life is good....love you guys....Picket

My Heart's Desire...

2011-03-22T22:20:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys....today has just been the best day...from the moment we drove up in the driveway back in September and unloaded the U-Haul...I have waited for this day....after being gone for a year my heart's desire was to come back home and be able to sit on my back porch again and hear the birds and see the flowers bloom...
It has always been the simpliest things that have moved me...seeing the sun come up in the morning...seeing a lightning bug glow in the night....watching baby chicks follow their mama around....seeing the world come alive again after a long hard winter....

It always gives hope that no matter what we face in this life....if we stand firm and watch and wait....beauty will come from the ashes and God will restore what the cankerworm has destroyed in your life....

I knew we had lost alot in the backyard....so many trees and shrubs had to be dug up and throwed away....it was shocking to look at when we came home...but we waited and cleaned and did what we could to prepare for winter...

Then Spring came at last...slowly but surely green was everywhere...we bought trees and shrubs and waited for this day....

We planted 4 new red Japanese Maples...several azaleas...hostas...cannas...yellowbells..crepe myrtles....took out several beds...knowing we could never financially afford to replace everything like it was...

But today it was as if everything transformed overnight...the trees had leaves and the grass was so thick and green...the perfect day for planting...I sat out in the back swing out by the shed as Bill planted everything...birds were on all the feeders and singing so loud...I looked back toward the house and my heart was in my throat...

Once again I was home...once again I could set on the back porch swing and be surrounded by all of God's glory of nature....as I looked at my precious mate on his hands and knees planting new life once again in our backyard...tears poured down my face as I whispered "thank you Father...for allowing me to come back home...thank you for such love and mercy that I can see the flowers and hear the birds again....and thank you for a man that loves me beyond measure and who understands when he sees me with tears flowing as I am grinning from ear to ear and telling him I am happy.

Alittle Blue....Just For You Sally!!!

2011-03-21T08:45:00.001-04:00

Morning guys...it's a new week and IT'S SPRING!!!!! We have had glorious weather these last few days...I have been living outside and loving it! Got to sit on the back porch the other night and watch that huge moon come up...I can't tell you how good it feels to be able to sit on the porches again...

Did a few more projects before heading to Lowes and Home Depot for some plant for the yard....(got three small red Japanese Maples to replace some of the trees we had to remove...shhhhh can't tell the family...they think I am gonna live the yard naked and wide open for a playing field...silly them!!!!) A couple of weeks ago I got these creamy candle bases at Target for like $3.99 and $4.99 for the taller one...I knew I wanted to do something with them....so the other day I found the glass cylinders at Hobby Lobby for 50% off ($4) and I found some of these handy dandy Glue Dots..soooooo
I made these...how sweet is this!!!! I'd have to pay a fortune for these in a store...they are big and heavy!!!! I can use them for flower vases...or fill them with anything or just add candles!

For now I have them setting on the mantle...I love how they look with all my old stuff...

Of course you knew I'd have to have plates on the wall...Bill still doesn't quite understand my obsession to hang a plate on the wall...bless his heart....he thinks it's a hormone thing!!!!

While we're in the living room...let's take a peek at one corner...this is my favorite picture...I bought it back in 1983 and it has traveled many a mile with me and lived in many a houses...I just love the colors and the beauty it has mixed with something so old and rustic...yes that is an old rusty saw hanging on my wall....did I hear someone gasp!!!! See that blue sky?

Now I have two leather mission style recliners on the other side of the room but here is where Bill & I love to sit...yes here...in these old..seen their best years...not a pretty sight...but most comfy recliners ever...ohhhh and see those two little squirrel bowls....they serve as our coasters....squealllll....I know..I am genius like that some times!!!

Yes this is our 'side' of the room.....I am more 'traditional' in this room....It has a mixture of things but some of the pieces are still dark and alittle 'citified' for Bill's sake...well what can I say...he does bring home the paycheck!

Now I know You saw that huge BLUE cabinet on the wall....I got that at a yard sale for just $10!!!! It is huge and weighs a ton....Bill put some anchors in the wall for me for that one...I honestly thought I was gonna paint it black but when I got it home...I just couldn't do it....I like seeing it blue for now...

See Sally...I do love Blue...just not as much as creamy white or black!! Well guys...the back yard is calling...Bill will be off 3 days in a row starting tomorrow....ohhhhh glory...dirt and mulch here we come!!!! Have a great week you guys....I am joining Smiling Sally for Blue Monday....make sure you go by and see all the great 'Blues' everybody has....Love you guys....Picket

Can A Girl Love Dried Beans!!!!!

2011-03-17T16:00:00.000-04:00

Hey guys...Happy Thursday to you! It has been a fantastic week so far....so the question for today is "Can A Girl Love Dried Beans....YOU BET YOUR GLASS CANISTERS SHE CAN!!!!! Lookie here...lookie here....ohhhhh I am in bean heaven....
I have been wanting to get some of these glorious gallon size glass canisters for the longest time but I just had so many projects going I kept forgetting to get them when I'd go to Wal Mart...yes Wal Mart....for just $6.97 you too can love your beans...or rice or flour or whatever you love in a glass canister!!!! There is just something soooooo warming and homey and general store feeling to an all glass canister....just lookie here...have you ever seen blackeyed peas look so beautiful!!!

Oh and don't forget those darling little scoops while you are at Wal-Mart..they are on the same isle for just $3.97 a set of 3...ohhhh this reminds me of when daddy use to go to the old feed store in the Spring to buy seeds for the garden and the man would use a scoop to get the seeds and put them in a little brown paper bag and tape it up and write the name of the seed on it...ohhhhh hankie moment....

Lookie here at another angle...yea...I'm working these beans! Let me just say for all y'all that live in my neck of the woods..the Wal-Mart on the south side of town only had 2 canisters and 1 set of scoops....I bought them....I needed that 3rd canister!!!! I drove to the Wal-Mart on the north side of town...they only had 1 canister and 1 set of scoops...I bought them!!!!! It was a sign I tell you! But I'm sure they will re-order....I need some for my stuff that I will use every day like flour and sugar and meal...what....you thought I was gonna 'use' my beans???? Say it ain't so Martha!!!!! I just wanta look at these beauties!!!!

Oh and just in case you missed that bean # 2,875..here's a better look at him....lol Lordy my precious grandmothers would take a switch to me if they knew I was using food to decorate with!

Warning....the following images are in no way meant to cause ill effects on any recovering dishaholics....this blogger is not responsible for any withdrawals or causing any one to fall off the wagon...I myself have been advised to avoid the dish isle at all cost but I took a short cut to the canister isle and all at once my left knee gave a jerk and I begin to feel light headed and a bright light was shining all around me...when I came to....these were in my buggy and I realized I had been abducted by the 'dish aliens'...so I feel no shame...I was the victim here...that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

These are the newest dishes from Better Homes & Garden at Wal-Mart...they are the most dreamiest creamiest white with just a hint of a bluegreen rim with that soft cocoa brownish line...oh my word I could just kiss them!!!!! So there you have it.....it don't take much to make me squeal...so walk....don't run to your local Wal-Mart...you too can love your beans! Have a fantastic day you guys....love ya....Picket

Welcoming Spring...

2011-03-14T07:52:00.001-04:00

Morning guys...we got us a new week started! These last few days down here have been glorious and I have come down with a full blown case of Spring fever...we finished painting the laundry room...got the new cabinets painted and hung up in there...son-in-law made a shelf on top to connect the two cabinets...he will be making to smaller shelves to go between them and then put up crown molding...I am loving it! But in the meantime I have been adding Spring and changing some things around...so come on in for a peek...Look Beverly! I have some PINK!!!!
I changed out the tables in the foyer..put the black jelly cabinet back in the kitchen and put the whitewashed table in the foyer...those little suitcases are on sale at Michaels....got both for less than $25....got a different set in the living room....I have always wanted some of these.

See...I can have 'other' birds besides chickens! But don't tell the chickens I said that...my first love will always be chickens...y'all do know I'd have a baby chick in the back yard right now if we didn't have a neighborhood association that would probably hold a secret meeting me with as the topic and you do realize I'd be taking pics of it all the time...yep I love chickens that much!

Now this is about as 'Easterie' as I get..I have tried the bright Spring flowers in the house ...you know...the bright neon pinks and yellows and purples...but lordy after a day or two I get crossed eyed and start feeling woozie...I just can't deal with them inside...but outside is a whole different story! When I was a little girl Mama Bush had one of those clear plastic 'tree' things and she would stick different colored gumdrops on each tip of it and set it in the middle of the table each Easter....does anyone else remember those? I may have to go out in the yard and get a tree branch and stick gumdrops on the branches...I can't find one of those plastic things anywhere....I loved my Mama Bush!

Ok Sue you can collect your money on that bet you had about the 'red' on the table...it is gone! Don't be gloating like that! There is just so much color I can take in some rooms but I still have some red in the coffee can (for now)...oh and speaking of things that bother me...yes I jump from pillar to post people...keep focused...remember the 'round doilies' I made for the glass front cabinets in the kitchen..wellll...everytime I would walk by them my teeth would grind and my eye would get this twitch...something about it bothered me,,,I love the fabric...but the circle with little squares was just weird to me...I don't know..maybe I had a bad experience in first grade trying to put square pegs in round holes but whatever it was I snatched those things down...got my material out and cut some long little 'rectangle' panels to fit the length of the shelf..ohhhhh much better....nooooo I do not have to much time on my hands....don't be talking about me like that...I just know when something isn't quite right in one of my rooms!

Anyway...here is what's on the dining room table now....what's on your table?

Well guys the sun is starting to come up...better get this day started...hope y'all get alittle sunshine your way...it's Spring break week so be careful traveling and have a great week...someone once said..."We make a living with what we get....we make a life we what we give". Always be a giver you guys....give someone a smile today...it may be the only one they get...give someone a kind word today...it will do wonders for their soul...give someone a helping hand today...it may well be the turning point in their life...give someone hope again in their fellow man just by doing the right thing and being a 'light' even when you think no one is looking...because believe me...there will always be someone looking and you may be the only 'light' in their dark world....dark storms rage inside people's world everyday that we will never see...like the old hymn says..."Let your lower lights be burning...you may rescue...you may save." Take care you guys...if I haven't told you lately...I love you...I thank you from the bottom of my heart that you take the time to come by...have a great week....Picket

Busy Week....

2011-03-08T20:50:00.001-05:00

Hey guys...been working on projects ever since the weekend...just finished spackling nail holes in the laundry room...Bill took the washer and dryer out and taped everything off...it still has the original color of a light yellow that was here when the house was built...in the morning it will have the same color as my kitchen! Then I gotta buy cabinets and paint them and let Bill put them up...here's a peek at what I have been doing these last couple of days...ok you know I painted the kitchen cabinets last week....love them....I had doilies placed here and there in the glass front ones....welllllll lookie here what is there now....
I had some fabric...same as my curtains...I took a plate and traced around it and cut it out...now my 'doilies' are the same as my curtains! Don't laugh...I am not the only nut in the peanut shack and don't act like none of y'all ain't ever cracked your shell!

Next up we have this 'lovely' old bookcase thingy that was in son-in-law's workshop...got plenty of oil stains but I loved it...I ask Baby Girl Jen to ask Johnny how attached he was to it...that very night he brought it over and said 'It's yours!'.. care to take a guess as to what color I painted it!

Look at her in all her loveliness! I could put this beauty anywhere...but I knew I wanted to use it in the kitchen and I also knew I wanted fabric behind it....so I cut a piece and used thumb tacks...you heard me I said thumb tacks and it was perfect...

I found the box that had some old pieces in it...used some of the vintage apron prints I printed and framed long ago...the mushroom canister set I put on layaway at Sears back in 1973...it has traveled to many a state and home with me...I love the many uses I can get from this little bookcase and it was FREE!

Ok...now I showed you some of the toile bedroom...there is no pics on the walls in there yet...still looking for the right ones...but I put this mirror and bench on one wall...it's okay but alittle sad looking....

So I make a run to TJ Maxx and find this sweet burlap...frenchy word pillow...now I don't know what the words say...lordy...I hope they don't translate into some advertisement for a 'speak easy'!

I bought the framed monogram glass at Kirklands a few weeks ago...added a ribbon and hung it on the mirror....I love this look!

So there is a peek at what's going on around here this week,,,hope you guys are having fun playing around the house....whatever you do..do it with all your might and always surround yourself with people and things you love...have a great week y'all...love ya...Picket

Painted Cabinets!

2011-03-02T19:30:00.001-05:00

Hey guys...did you hear it? I know it must have reached to the far ends of the earth....the squeal...no not Farmer Johnson calling his hogs...me!!!!!! The minute I put the first paint stroke on the cabinet....ohhhhhh glory....it took my breath away!!!! Now black cabinets are not for the faint of heart and for all you white cottagey type (which I think is gorgeous also) you might need to turn away from the screen for a minute...but like the sign says....please be kind...you ready for a peek...scroll down slowly...

Hey! no hissing and booing..I have to show you the ugly before we get to the pretty...here is what it looked like Monday morning before we took the cabinet doors off...I lined the table and counter top with plastic...I use glasses and cups to keep the doors lifted...makes it easier to paint.
I gave everything 2 good coats of my favorite black paint...Ralph Lauren Black Truffles.

SQUEALLLLLLL!!!!!! Oh sorry.....I just can't help it...I LOVE THESE!!!!! I am so giddy I could climb to the top of a hill and sing like Julie Andrews!!!! Just look at them....ohhhhh swoooonnnn!
Why didn't someone tell me I was born to have black cabinets!!!
I took the toile fabric off...I had dishes all over this kitchen this morning..I know...I know....I'm a dishaholic...hey....hey...she who is without a plate..let her cast the first stone!!!! Don't make me name names!

I just love how homey and country they look....I mention to Bill that Id like to get new appliances one day...those that are stainless with black trims...ohhhh lordy! The poor thing's eyes rolled back in his head and he turned white as a ghost...speehless even...I thought I was gonna have to do mouth to mouth and not the smoochie smoochie kind either!

I can't believe how huge it made the cabinets look and feel....when I am standing at the sink it is like the cabinets are 6 feet above me....I should have done this along time ago..why is it we second guess ourself so much when it comes to paint color?

So there is a little peek of the cabinets...if anyone out there has dreamed of painting your cabinets by all means do...I had solid oak cabinets when I bought the house...A few years go I primed them with Kiltz and then painted them a creamy white and added a mocha glaze...I had never done anything like that before and it turned out great....then I painted the bottom ones black over a year ago and have wanted to do the top ones ever since...but I just kept second guessing myself...I mean all cabinets in black....what would they look like...what would folks say....would my family make me seek medical help....would all of blogland ban me from showing pics!!!! IT"S JUST PAINT!!!! They make every color you can imagine...just do it and then you'll know...you either love painted cabinets or you hate them....but don't be afraid to try new things...this is totally doable...

Time to get off my feet and take a long break....I am wore out....you don't even want to know what happened to me on the ladder today...reach beyond my length and thought I had a good grip on the bowl...the lid slipped...hit me square on the nose and bounced in the sink...broke a bowl I had in the sink...I thought it had broke my nose...but hey...it didn't break my antique pyrex bowl! lol Oh and before I go..update....I am now down 30 lbs!!!! That's 120 sticks of butter....squeal!!!!!!! Hope everyone is having a great week...get out the paint brush and re invent an old treasure...you will love it!!!! Love you guys....Picket

A 'Mayberry' Moment...

2011-02-27T08:00:00.001-05:00

Morning guys....hope everyone is having a great weekend...mine has been full packed and full speed...for the last week even! We got to replant the entire flowerbed on the left of the back porch all across the back of the house the other day...Bill did a fantastic job planting and mulching..of course I do a great job of positioning and pointing! lol There is just so much to do back there that sometimes it overwhelmes me and yes I do cry...I always loved my back yard and to see all the destruction sometimes is just too much...but I know in time it will be pretty again and I am just so thankful to even have a back yard and a porch swing again...
But sometimes I just need a black and white moment....you know...a 'Mayberry' moment...that Norman Rockwell moment...we have so many projects going on at one time....one minute you're planting shrubs and the next minute you have to clean up and run to town to pick up the new tables for the living room that just came in....then back to digging and planting...

Then you got birthday parties and company coming by and trips to town for groceries and a truckload of mulch...still got paint projects to do (gonna paint my top cabinets black like the bottom cabinets in the kitchen...woo hoo...yes I am!!!!)

But yesterday I headed out early to go to youngest Burly's house up on the lake. The farmer that lives next door raises black Angus cattle and at the property line I saw a mama cow and her calf next to the fence...I didn't even make it to the front door..I went straight to the fence..tears in my eyes..lump in my throat...memories of Mama Bush and her little farm in the country where I would go every Summer and just be in heaven with all her farm animals....

I stood there petting that beautiful animal and talking to her...oh what that did for my soul and heart was worth gold....I love the country life and I love farm animals....just seeing her and her baby melted away all the stress and worries from the past week...I don't know how long 15 yr old Burly grandson Sean had stood behind me listening... (probably thought I was having and senior moment and didn't want to panic me!) but finally he softly said "Maw Maw...are you talking to that cow?" I turned around with tears in my eyes and said "Yes I am..she is beautiful and I love her" Then we all got in the car and headed back to 'real' life.

Here's hoping y'all get to have a 'Mayberry', black & white moment today...it does wonders for one's happiness...love you guys....have a great day no matter where you are....Picket

Coming To Terms With 'RED'...

2011-02-20T09:00:00.003-05:00

Morning guys...hope everybody is having a great weekend...it is in the 70's here with glorious sunshine!!! I've had a fantastic weekend....I have finally come to 'terms' with RED...yep...I think putting the red geraniums in the old coffee can last week has helped bridge the gap alittle. Many of you remember last year when I bought the glorious red rooster plates from K-Mart and did the whole table in reds...ok...my eye is starting to twitch alittle from that horrible flashback...but you can read about that just click here....anyway...I returned everything and since then I have steered clear from all reds (I love red mind you...even had a beautiful red living room one year..love to see it in other people's homes...but I just couldn't commit to a long term relationalship with it!) But just lookie here below...I have made peace with RED!

But let's back up a bit....the red geraniums in the coffee can was a turning point....then I was strolling thru the isles at K-Mart Friday....yes those RED rooster plates were still there...y'all know I love chickens...so silly me picked it up again just to look mind you..but I felt the twitch coming back in my eye...even thought I felt a rash coming on...but all at once out of the corner of my eye I saw they had added a new plate to the collection...oh my word!!!!! Just lookie here on my wall....a mama chicken and her little doodies on plates and it has RED!!!!!

Oh sorry... here's a better view for you. Just look how sweet it is!!! Squeal!!!!!! It is the newest edition of the Country Living collection...a creamy white with delicate raised scrolling and mama chicken and her little babies!!!!! Ohhhh I had tears in my eyes as I placed it in the buggy....now mind you the little red rooster plates tried to call me and tell me he would go so beautifully with the mama chicken and her babies...but I was on to his wiley ways...I wouldn't about to fall for that trick again!

So I quickly made my way toward the cash registers...knowing exactly where I would hang this treasures on my wall...but all at once in the linen department I heard my name being called!!! "Picket" over here.....Low and behold right smack dab in the middle of the dish towels and table runners set these glorious embroidered napkins...there was only 4 of them....squeal...a sign....ohhhhh glory...just look at them....like something my grandmother would have made and they are the size of a dishtowel!!!!!

But that's not the end of the story....I left K-Mart and headed to a special designer shop that carries the most beautiful eyecandy of farmhouse tables and hutches made from reclaimed wood...just yummy country cottagey and oh let me just say you will need your smelling salts when you go in there cause the prices will make you faint!!!! One farmhouse table is over $6,000...no...that is not a typo!!!! But the treasures in there are so inspiring I just stand there with tears in my eyes...seriously..the first time I ever walked in there I cried...the owner ask if she could help me...and I told her I was ok...it was just that all that chunky...chippy paint...cottagey...olden looking stuff was what I dream of at night!!! But on this day...I spotted something in a little setting they had on display...it was a tall cloche exactly like the one I had got at Hobby Lobby...under it was a tiny pot with none other than RED geraniums and it was sitting on a clay pottery saucer thingy...it was over $100!!!!! Ohhhhh I knew I could do this at home...I already had the cloche..I'd find something to put the geranium in...maybe another old can and I'd just set mine on a plate...all I had to but was the red geranium and Hobby Lobby had them on sale 50% off...so for just $5 and some things around the house...I made my own version!

What do you think!!!!! Is it not the cutest thing?!!! It is old and country and even has RED and my eye isn't twitching!!!!!! Just look at all the treasures in one spot...the beautiful little quilted thingy it all sits on was given to me by sweet Gloria @ Happy to Be (I love her to pieces)....The little metal tractor was a gift from Baby girl Jen years ago..and the antique salt and pepper shakers I got from Lynn @ Lynne's Gifts From The Heart a couple of years ago.

Now the coffee cup was a little squeal surprise...see I was looking for an old tin can in my collection..that was my original thought...but while looking I came across this coffee cup..oh my word it was perfect...but you see this went to a set of 4 cups that each had different designs on them...I gave the other 3 cups to oldest beautiful daughter Tracy last year and told her when I found the 4th cup I'd give it to her...wellllll...uhhhh...let's just say you didn't hear that from me!!!

I added one of the napkins with the little embroidered rooster and can I just say I am loving it!!!!

The one on the shop (which isn't near as pretty as mine....might I add!) was over $100....mine cost me $5 for the geranium!!!!!

Yes sir...I think I have found a way that RED and I can live together without me twitching and sitting in a closet holding a wooden butter mold....repeating..."There's no place like home...There's no place like home"! Have a fantastic Sunday you guys and always remember somebody here in the South sure does love you....Picket

'Needful Things'

2011-02-16T10:30:00.001-05:00

Morning guys...hope y'all had a great Valentine's Day...now don't anybody faint or throw your empty box of chocolates at me but I have never really cared too much for Valentine's Day...hey!...I said no throwing!!! Seriously I have always told Bill ever since he showed up at the door when we were dating with a dozen red roses and a huge box of chocolates and the biggest stuffed animal (a white poodle!) I had ever seen...lordy!!!!...I hugged and kissed him and thanked him but told him to please not do that again...he didn't need to spend money like that...I'd be in heaven if he just told me happy Valentine's Day and got me a yellow rose from the grocery store (I have never been a red rose type of girl)...to this day that sweet man gives me yellow roses from the grocery store! But he does it when I least expect them....for no reason at all...now that's a Valentine keeper for me!!!!

Now I know some girls who have to have diamonds and pearls and perfumes...even fancy dates and limo rides with their hubby (not calling no names but her intials are Baby Girl!!!!) But as for me I have other 'needful things' like something to remind me of chickens for sure..cause that takes me back to my childhood and my grandmother Mama Bush who would always let me hold the newly hatched baby doodies in the incubator each Spring...then that reminds me of all my loved ones who lived in that little country town and what a beautiful childhood I had growing up surrounded by all their love...yes chickens are a 'needful thing'... Some girls need beautiful pieces from Italy or France with a price tag on them I can't even look at unless I have the smelling salts in my hand...and they are gorgeous and just make you sigh when you see them...but for me..just some old handmade something that can take me back to a moment in time just brings tears to my eyes...like that old handmade mallet that oldest Burly made years ago while he was out surveying and needed something to hammer the rods in...or the little watermelon slice I painted from a tree wedge Bill had cut down on some property we owned years ago when the kids were younger...ohhhh we saw so many changes and blessing in our little family then...kids grew...got married..grandbabies born...ohhhhhh memories....yep I got alot of 'needful things'. Some girls have crystal vases or even hand blown glass vases to hold their pretty flowers..but for me an old coffee can just gives me goose bumps!!!! Then just add a 'country as can be geranium' in it...ohhhhh glory!!! I have a whole collection of old tins..reminds me of days gone by...when things were simple...of my sweet neighbor when I was a little girl...Mrs. Headley...she would grow things in anything...a can...a dishpan...a cup...even had the biggest fern I have ever seen growing in a washtub!!!!...I just love using the unexpected for flowers....they are 'needful things'... Then....there is a major 'needful thing'....taters!!!!! Yes I said taters...I have to have taters in my life..I don't care how you fix them...I love them!!!

What?!! Y'all thought this was gonna be a touchy... feely... tear jerking post??? People! I am trying to lose weight here....work with me people...focus!!!!! I am down 25 lbs now and I found a recipe for taters in an old Weight Watcher cookbook that I swear made me gain 5 lbs just by reading it!!!! Just look at the next pic...look at it!!!! POTATOE PANCAKES....OHHHHH GLORY!!!!!!!!! Give me a moment here...ok...I'm fine...

Seriously guys...I like to have swallowed my tongue when I tasted these...I thought the Weight Watcher S.W.A.T. team was gonna bust down my door and tell me I was doing something illegal!!! What makes them 'diet' friendly is you use squash with the potatoe...who knew!!!! Please try these...even if you're not dieting..the recipe makes 8 big pancakes...2 pancakes a serving only 3 points!!!! I put it in the online recipe builder twice just to double check the points!!!!

Potatoe and Squash Pancakes

2 large russet potatoes (peeled and grated)

1 meduim yellow squash (grated)

1 medium zucchini squash (grated)

1 egg (beaten)

2 tablespoons corn meal (I used yellow self rising)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon olive oil

In a large bowl grate the potatoe and squash...add the salt and toss alittle and let set a few minutes...take several paper towels and gently squeeze all the liquid out of the mixture.

Add the beaten egg and cornmeal and I added alittle more salt and pepper here..now just take a large spoon and divide the mix into half right in the bowl..you will make 4 pancakes from each half...

In a large skillet on medium heat add just 1/4 teaspoon of olive oil...using half of your mixture spoon four piles into the skillet and flatten with a spatula..cook about 6 minutes and flip and add another 1/4 teaspoon of olive oil gently drizzling it around each pancake...cook until golden brown and remove and place on paper towels..

Repeat this process with the other half of the mixture remembering to use 1/4 teaspoon olive oil and adding the last 1/4 teaspoon when you flip them..

This will make 8...4 servings of 2 pancakes each for just 3 points...store the rest covered in the fridge....there will be no sharing of these little nuggets!

I hope you try these guys....I love them....they are some of my 'NEEDFUL THINGS' !!!! Temps are in the 60's down here with plenty of sunshine so you know the outside is calling me...have a great week you guys and remember to always surround yourself with those little 'needful things'....love you guys...Picket

My New Neighbors!!!!! (Squeal)

2011-02-09T18:04:00.007-05:00

Hey guys!!! Here it is Wednesday already..just been super busy around here...mostly getting our new 'neighbors' moved in! Ok from the begining..I'll tell you a short version of the whole story....10 yrs ago this coming Valentine's Day I got the keys to our sweet little home here...we were only the 4th house in this new little subdivision to be built...now most of y'all know I have five grown kids and we are all close but baby girl Jen has always lived close to me at all times...so she immediately bought the lot next to our house and had plans on building next door..but things happened and she had to make choices so she had to sell the lot and moved about a couple of miles down the road and eventually bought the house that was built down the street 7 houses down from me...

When we moved to be close to my parents last year while they were sick...remember I was gonna buy the lake and 9 acres and move us and my parents to the country...mama blew that one out of the water and refused to move to the country! lol So youngest Burly boy bought the lake property...well at that time we thought we would sell our home to the couple that was leasing it so Jen moved closer to town to be close to me again thinking we would all buy somewhere close again...well as you can see I came back home and it was the best thing I could have ever done...but baby girl Jen was in between now! lol Well our little neighborhood is completely filled up after 10 yrs...buuuutttttt...the house next door on the lot Jen had first bought 10 yrs ago came up for sale....the young couple had to transfer because of his job..Johnny called and ask would they be willing to lease it...they said yes and told Jen and Johnny they could go ahead and move in now and not even start paying until April and that they would do a lease to own for them...no deposits!!!!! Oh my word...we are all in heaven for such a sweet blessing!!!! Here it is 10 yrs later and my sweet baby girl is living on the very lot she had to give up years ago...is God good or what!!!!!! So now these little dumplings see me everyday!!! This is Bailey & Sofie....I can't even put in words the way my heart swelled with love the very first morning they woke up in their new home and came across the yard and rang my doorbell first thing wanting breakfast!!!!!! lol lol

I had just painted my mantle black right before we moved last year and I am still loving it in the black!!!! Those gas logs are on even as I type...they are calling for snow here in Alabama tonight..I already made my run to the store for my bread and milk! lol Ohhhhh speaking of food...I tried the pineapple cake that Judy posted on her blog over at Gracious Southern Living It is fantastic!!!!!! I added more pineapple than Judy and cut mine into 16 equal squares....5 points each piece and worth every point let me tell you!!!!!! You have got to try this even if you are not trying to lose weight...it is a keeper for sure...

Here is how I made mine..

preheat oven 350 degrees

spray a 13x9 in pan with Pam

box of yellow cake mix

20 ounce can crushed pineapple in it's own juice

11 ounce can of mandarin oranges in light syrup

1/2 cup egg beaters

1/2 cup fat free mayo

12 ounce fat free Cool Whip

small pkg of sugar free instant Jello French Vanilla pudding mix

Drain the crushed pineapple reserving the juice...in a large bowl mix cake mix...pineapple juice...egg beaters..mayo.......mandarin oranges (drained) Blend well with a mixer..pour in the 13 x 9 in pan cook until done...let completely cool

Next mix the Cool Whip...pineapple...and pudding mix together...smooth over the top of the cake..keep in the fridge...cut into 16 equal squares....5 points each square...it is fantastic!!!

Hope everyone is staying safe and warm...that's it for now...have a great rest of the week you guys...love ya.. Picket

Take Notes...This Could Be Awhile!

2011-02-06T13:23:00.016-05:00

Hey guys...hope everyone is having a great Sunday...it's cold here but the sunshine if glorious! We have had a busy weekend...one of the grands had a birthday....and someone special just moved this weekend right next door....SQUEAL!!!!! but I'll save that for another day..makes me cry with pure joy just thinking about it!!!

Alot of y'all have ask me about little Bella (Isabella) Oldest Burly (Jay) and his beautiful wife Tammy's little treasure they have after 20 years of dreaming and several heartwrenching miscarries...she is now 2 yrs old and just growing like a weed...She is the sweetest little dumpling..I could just eat her up!!!!! lol

I also went and got me one of those tall cloches at half price at Hobby Lobby...I bought a clay saucer and painted it and added some small pebbles...I am still looking for a tall plant to put in it...but I love how tall it is!

Now for alittle cooking...some of you have ask that I share some of my recipes that I cook for myself since I joined Weight Watchers..well you know I will...gosh if you lived nearby I'd cook it for you! First off let me say I am not a 'cardboard' dinner type gal...I am old school country and the food has got to have some TASTE to it!!! I'm just sayn'...now no offense to frozen dinners...lordy knows I have plenty in the freezer for those that pop in and want something microwaved right quick..but I choose to make my own versions of alot of things using real food! Today I want to share one of

my favorite 10 minute meals..ok...see the box below? Now it only takes a second to heat and you get 2 little finger size somethings for 4 points...

Now mind you it says CHICKEN but I tried these and have yet to TASTE or even FEEL a piece of chicken in my mouth! So I thought for a minute and knew there had to be a way to have low points and yet still have fantastic flavor in a chicken wrap....ohhhh glory....yes there is!!! here we go...take notes even if you are not on a diet...your whole family will love these. First off spray your skillet with Pam...cut up some mushrooms & thin rings of onions...saute on low...0 points so far..
..

Next get out some soft taco shells like these...fat free...2 points each...just heat in the mircowave 7-8 minutes just before loading the food on them...

I always keep these frozen precooked chicken pieces in the freezer...use them for everything!!! Just measure out and weigh 6 ounces...6 points (this will make 3 large stuffed wraps so you will only have 2 points of chicken on each wrap (unless you get stingy and steal all the chicken for your wrap!!!) Anyway add the frozen chicken to the onions and mushroom mix as you saute...

Now I love fresh salads and our local Publix grocery makes the best in town...I always keep some small ones like this...loaded with lettuce-tomatoes=cucumbers-red,yellow and green bell peppers and shredded carrots...I use some of this on sandwiches even with my ham and cheese and dill pickle slices!!!! It is just easier for me to have alot of ready made quick stuff right at my finger tips so I can make something fast yet great tasting at a moment's notice...or if I just want a salad I drizzle 1 tbsp real ranch dressing on top and salt and pepper.. even throw in a few green grapes and I have a great salad for just 2 points!!!!

Ok back to our wrap...heat the taco shell...use 1/3 of your chicken mix (oh and let me tell you the house will be smelling fantastic by this time!!!) ok so far we have 2 pts in the taco...2 points in the chicken!

Now sprinkle some of the salad mixture on top of that and drizzle 1 tbsp of ranch dressing on top...that's 2 more points...we are 6 points total now!

Now gently tuck the sides in and roll...it will be packed and definitely keep both hands on the 'prize' at all times....but the taste is unbelieveable and so filling...you can make 3 of these out of that one small skillet! Now you tell me which one you had rather try....finger size something with lordy knows what inside or a two handed goodness filled with so much chicken and taste that it is bursting at the seams!!!! JUST 6 POINTS PEOPLE...OHHHHH GLORY!!!!

Now I keep these ingredients in the house at all times....the oven roasted chicken in the wrap is the best taste to me....but you can use the chicken...onions and mushrooms as a base for so many dishes...add alittle chicken broth which is 0 points and you can make chicken and rice and chicken and tomatoes with orzo pasta or just eat the chicken...or instead of ranch dressing use 2 tbsp Pace chunky salsa(0 points) in the taco wrap and you will have a totally different taste for just 4 points!

Now the other day I just happened to have a pack of cornbread mix in the pantry....ohhhhh how I love cornbread...but I hadn't had any since I started losing weight cause I thought it was taboo...but I just couldn't stand it so I got my calculator just to see how many points it was...thinking it would blow me out of the water and I just could never have it...OH MY WORD...COOK THE PACK AS DIRECTED...CUT IT INTO 6 PIE SHAPED SLICES...EACH SLICE IS 3 POINTS!!!!! OH GLORY....I DANCED THRU THE KITCHEN....I SQUEALED...OHHHHHH CORNBREAD....GLORIOUS CORNBREAD....I HAD THAT OVEN SET ON PREHEAT BEFORE THE PAN HIT THE COUNTER!!!!!

I had just bought a bag of fresh collards already washed and chopped...knew I couldn't load it up with ham hocks but I had a brain storm... the real bacon pieces by Hormel are just 1 point a tbsp so I added 5 tbsp to a few cups of water in the pressure cooker added a tbsp salt and pressured them for 7 minutes..let the steam out and sauted my onions, mushrooms and chicken while the cornbread cooked...oh my word...look what I got for just 7 points!!!!!

You use 3 ounces of chicken for this serving...3 points....cornbread 3 points....and I count 1 point for the collards even though they are really less than 1 point with the bacon pieces....7 points for supper...try getting that out of a cardboard box!!! Oh and wait till I show you some of my mini casseroles! You can eat healthy and lose weight without starving and still enjoy the foods you love..I down 23 pounds now...my shirts are getting loose enough I can feel a breeze now! lol Hope you try this guys....take care and have a glorious Sunday!!!! Love ya...Picket

The Pot Rack!!!

2011-02-03T17:20:00.001-05:00

Hey guys...hope everybody is safe and warm...we are having icy rain here and I know some of you are getting heavy snows..so unless absolutely necessary don't go out on the roads...just stay in and wait it out. Bill's off today and tomorrow so he has been finding stuff in the shed for me and I have been making little 'cubbie' spots in the kitchen...I like alot of stuff in my kitchen...pretty little spots here and there..
I know alot of folks like an empty counter...but I am not a baker so I don't need counter space for rolling out dough and stuff..just give me a tiny corner and I can cook up a whole Thanksiving dinner for 30 without a second's worry...

I love my kitchen and it is always my favorite room I guess because everybody always gathers there...I have 3 stools on the other side of the counter where the kids just sit and talk while I fix something for them..and I love to always have things pretty and cozy around them...I have always wanted anyone that comes in my house to feel special and welcomed and right at home...

So..Having alot of stuff on my counters doesn't bother me a bit....so I hope none of these pics causes any of you to reach for the smelling salts...I keep a clean house and my 'clutter' gets washed regularly! lol
'

So as I was saying Bill was finding my stuff while I was rearranging things on the counters..I knew I wanted one of my plate stands on the counter with the dishes I eat out of each day...now that I am on Weight Watchers I make a point of fixing meals and serving myself on the 'pretty plates'...no paper plates here...so I keep these close to the stove..meantime I wanted my pot rack hung up over the counter again..last year in the other house there was no place to hang it so it has been stored for over a year...

Well here it is (squeal)...I love it...I have missed it!!! remember I use to have the red Paula Deen's on it but after that 'red' episode I had last year with the red rooster plates...I gave them to baby girl Jen....well precious mama gave me a new set of the black Paul Deen's...ohhhh glory...I got them out of storage and added a few old strainer's and grater and put the lids on top....love that copper trim on the lids...ohhhhh then I remembered I had my copper canister set packed somewhere that Bill had given me for our anniversary a few years ago....ohhhhh I did some squealing!!!!

I told Bill the house feels even more homey than it did before...coming back here has just done wonders for me emotionally...I am just loving seeing all my stuff unpacked and in place again..I hope all of y'all surround yourself with treasures that speak to you and take the time to do the little things just fot you cause if you are happy and at peace then it will spill over on all those around you...and you will forever be a source of strength and love to those you love...take care you guys and have a safe and happy weekend...love ya...Picket

I Had A 'Moment'...

2011-01-30T11:25:00.000-05:00

Morning guys...Hope ya'll are having a great weekend...we are having temps in the 70's with sunshine! But that will change next week! lol I want to say a big thank you to all the great tips for different sites on my last post...I actually went to Hobby Lobby and found two glorious cloches...even the tall one like the fern pic but they weren't on sale and you know me...so I checked the sales ad for next week first thing this morning and THEY WILL BE 50% OFF...SQUEAL!!!! I WILL BE THERE BRIGHT AND EARLY IN THE MORNING!

I just wanted to share alittle something with you that happened to me yesterday...I had a 'moment'...by now most of you know it doesn't take much to make me cry tears of joy...I love simply things...things that have a connection to them..things that hold a memory for me...those things I like to keep around me where I can see them each day...like the old tin canisters baby girl Jen gave me as a Christmas gift when she was 12 yrs old..she knew I loved old tin cans and she had mama to take her shopping so she could surprise me..

I love things that can take me back to a place and time...the kitchen is filled with precious gifts from some of you guys...they remind me of the true kindness and love this world is made of...

The old rusty garden rake that daddy always used ever since I was a young girl...it reminds me of all the different places we lived and the beautiful gardens daddy grew using an old tiller and this old rake...

I love such an odd mixture of things and none of it has to make sense to me..like an old antique wall planter under a cloche sitting next to an old handmade hammer that oldest Burly made years ago when he was out surveying and needed something to drive the rods down..sitting on top of that is a little slice of wood from one of the trees Bill cut down on our 3 acres with a huge house that God blessed us with years ago when we didn't have any credit or any money..I painted it like a little watermelon slice..but even though it is tiny..just one look at it and an entire library of glorious memories from those years there will flood my heart and move me to tears...

Anytime I make a meringine topping I think of my precious grandmother Maw Smith and her well known banana puddings...the love and the memories she gave me will forever live in my heart...I still make a banana pudding like her's every Thanksgiving and Christmas....the Burlys think it is for them but I do it for daddy as a remembrance to his mama...

Just holding a baby chick in my hands causes me to have a 'moment'...seeing all my kids together in one room causes a 'moment'...there are a million things that can cause a moment for me because I am so thankful to have lived and been loved and to have even had these 'moments'...so yesterday was a 'moment' of a different kind..many of you know the emotional and physical year I had last year with my parents being so sick...well it took a toll on me emotionally and physically...I gained alot of weight...so after moving back home I quickly begin to feel the healing in my emotions and I knew I had to do something about the physical...so I joined Weight Watchers Jan 3rd and started on my journey...now if you have never been fat then you don't know the horrible hopelessness that haunts you...a skinny person can tell the world they are on a 'diet' and the world says 'good for you'...a fat person can say that they are on a diet and the world says 'yea...right...whatever'..so I knew when I started this journey it would have to be a life style change and only I could do this for myself...the weight didn't come on over night and it won't go off over night...So after making sure mama and daddy were alright and I could finally move on...I had another 'moment'

So the journey began and each weigh in I would just squeal...7 lbs...6 lbs..I was loving the new way of cooking and finding new ways to tweak my own recipes...but none of that had really 'moved' me until Saturday morning...I stepped on the scales...20 lbs...my first 20 lbs...an emotion ran thru my entire body that almost made me crumple to the floor...tears starting flowing so fast and within seconds I was crying uncontrolable...I had a 'moment'..for the first time I felt hope again...for the first time I felt I could do this...I struggled as I tried to see the numbers on the phone to call Bill...choking so bad I could hardly say the words."I LOST MY FIRST TWENTY!!! Even now just typing this to you guys I am having to wipe tears...This can be done...a house is built brick by brick...weight is lost pound by pound but in the end the results are beautiful...yes...I had a 'moment.' Here's wishing each of you many 'moments' in this life...Love you guys...Picket

Thinking 'Green'...

2011-01-25T10:00:00.002-05:00

Morning guys...hope everyone is having a great week...I'm still going thru boxes from the shed trying to tone some of the things down in some of the rooms...mainly my kitchen and dining area...trying to decide if I want the dark china cabinet or the white one on the large wall in the dining room...but in the meantime look at these gorgeous ways to bring green into the house...

Look at these gorgeous..cottagey...chippy paint...yumminess from Pottery barn!!!! I have never had a green thumb when it comes to growing things inside..but lately I am wanting living plants inside...but these are alittle pricey for me..I think the small one is $149...no that is not a dollar forty nine!!!!!
But lookie here...(This is what I hope I can 'copy') lol I can totally do this next one and so can you...'mini gardens under a cloche!' We all have cloches right...I am so gonna try this...just get a clay pot saucer or a beautiful shallow bowl and some small pebbles...then check you local florist or in my case just the local grocery store carries these small plants...surely I won't kill these..

Ohhhhh and lookie here at this beauty....soooooo love it....I may need some more cloches!!!! I have never tried anything like this but I am gonna give it my best shot...would love to here from any of you that already do this...any tips and suggestions are welcomed...I really don't want to kill another plant! lol

It's a dark rainy day here today...makes a great day for turning the lamps on staying inside and 'playing' in the house....

Have a great week you guys and remember to surround yourself with things you love..not things that are just in style...your heart will think you for it...love you guys...Picket