SEPTEMBER THOUGHTS & MEMORIES- Y'all Got Apples?

 

This time of year always

makes me a bit nostalgic.

It makes me long for my youth

on the farmlands in Pennsylvania.

I remember those I loved

that lived there with me

and the cool ,crisp mornings

I spent in the woods with my father.

.

There are songs that I find

particularly haunting.

Neil Diamond's

September Morn

is one of them.

I am not putting the music

on here because I know

most people find background

songs annoying...

but if you get a chance 

listen to the song when you can.

September brings out my

"rustic side".

I love picking 

the perfect apple!

 and baking

the perfect apple pie

 and making

home made applesauce.

Needs a sprinkle of cinnamon,

doesn't it?

All those things make me

a  little nostalgic but 

what hits even deeper?

We moved from 

what was supposed to be our

"forever home".

We have downsized and 

gotten rid of tons of stuff.

And I still have more stuff

to dispose of--sigh.

Living in a condo means

we live differently than we did

once upon a time. 

Plus, hubby's health issues keep us

anchored to our living space.

Life is full of changes, 

isn't it?

Thanks be that I am one that

ROLLS with the PUNCHES

although I will 

say that sometimes I feel like

PUNCHING SOMEONETHING.

Can't you just hear your grandma saying,

"That's not ladylike" (or nice)...

If you promise to be very good,

and not give 

mean old Uncle Arthur 

Ex-Lax in a Hershey's bar wrapper,

I will be back in a bit with

some Fall pictures of the 

area I live in now.

Yeah- Yeah- I promise!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY-BRING THEM HOME

 This is one of the most beautiful tributes

I have ever heard

for our servicemen/women

that so valiantly guard our safety.

~A parent's prayer for a son

(or relative)

that is away serving his country~

If you have a moment to listen to this

you will not be disappointed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXnRf3TQcpk

God bless all those men and women

that protect my family, friends and loved ones.

Blessings- I hope you have a wonderful

MEMORIAL DAY~

MAYDAY! MAYDAY!! MAYDAY!!!

 

 Hooray- Hooray

It's Really Is May Here!

source
I apologize for not being

as regular with posting

as I was in the past.

Hubby is not well and takes

a lot more time at this point.

However, On with the show......

I was born late in my father's life.

He was 53 when I was born-

his first child.

Born on a farm in

Pennsylvania with

uncles and aunts that

owned farms around,

or connected, to ours.

Because of my father's age,

that meant that I grew up 

with cousins

that were almost 

a full generation 

older than I was.

So, by the time I was six or so,

many of my older cousins 

were driving.

Some were already married

or engaged.

On the first of May,

my cousins down the lane

 would come,

along with my Aunt Bessie,

and pick me up.
She never drove a car 

in her life so her

daughters drove.

We would drive 

a few miles to 
a lightly wooded area

where we would pick

MAY FLOWERS.

Today,I know that 

they were simply 
SWEET VIOLETS
in pretty pastel colors.

Oh- How I loved MAY DAY

They spread before us 

in the woods on leggy stems.
We would pick big bunches 

to bring home
and we would plop them 

in jelly jar vases.

source
Then, Aunt Bessie 

would give us each 
a slice of fresh baked bread
slathered with butter 
and homemade strawberry jam.

source

I would go home 

full and happy,
with my hands clutched full 

of wildflowers.
I would be smiling 

when I entered the back door 

to our farmhouse, 

 the screen door slapping shut behind me.

My brother, Charlie, who is 
smiling down from Heaven,
had a special poem
JUST FOR ME.

It went like this:

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I thought I was ugly
Until I saw you.

Yes- Oh- the fond memories 
that take me back to childhood.
I would stick my tongue out 

at him and set my
MAY FLOWERS
on the counter
to celebrate the
MAY DAY.

source
So-CELEBRATE TODAY
~ JUST CELEBRATE~
CELEBRATE TODAY IN MAY.
SHOUT IT
loud and clear
MAYDAY!  MAYDAY! MAYDAY!

Did you know that if you shout MAYDAY
three times in a row 

it is 
the international signal 

of distress?

Be careful-
Be.very.careful.

You know what THAT means, 

don't you?
You may get someone 

that looks like 
THIS coming to your rescue!

source

Just never you mind Kris, 

Junk Chic Cottage,
you have your OWN fireman!

HAPPY DAY IN MAY!

MIRACLE? BRING A DEAD GERANIUM BACK TO LIFE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES

Is This Possible?

Can I take an almost 

DEAD GERANIUM

and bring it back into

bloom in less than an hour?

Well,

They say a picture is worth

a thousand words.

See for yourself!

Here are the step-by-step

instructions.

Try this yourself and see what happens.

The plant started out like this.

As you can see there are a few

spindly, waxy looking leaves.

First you must cut them all back.

Save these-you may need them later.

 Your plant will now look like this.

Next- Take a 1875 WATT

blow dryer.

Place it 7-1/2" from plant

and turn it on 

HIGH HEAT.

Set your timer and 

apply blow dryer for 47 -1/2 minutes.

After time is up

Add 1/2 cup water.

Once again apply blow dryer

for an additional 9-3/4 minutes.

Make sure it is 2" from the plant.

If no green has appeared add

1/2 cup of filtered Spring water.

That should do it.

Stand back and gasp in awe.

Your plant should now look like this.

Within 5 more minutes

you will find that it has bloomed

and it should look like this.

What?

It didn't work for you?

Ummmmm.....sorry I mighta lied because

it is, after all,

APRIL FOOLS DAY!

Hope yours is happy and relatively

FOOL FREE!

I am

ON A BLOGGING BREAK

but wanted to give you an

April Fool's Day smile~

THE EASTER STORY THROUGH THE EYES OF 3 YEAR OLD SWEETCHEEKS

 

I posted this a few years ago at
Easter 

but it just
so touching to me
to see what this
little 3 year old girl
UNDERSTOOD
about Easter.

And it almost makes
me cry listening to
her earnest explanation.
If you have a moment
it is worth the listen.

SweetCheeks

opted to ride

to brunch
with Nana and Papa.

We asked her what

she had learned

about Easter

at church

this morning...

 I do think she

might have mixed

a little bit of

Gulliver's Travels

into the the

Jesus story!;>)

She almost started
crying when she
thought Jesus might
have felt pain.

Here it is-

Listen up and see what

YOU think!

Make sure you turn your volume up~

Amen, SweetCheeks, Amen!

From me to you-
A Blessed Easter

ST PATRICK'S DAY CAKE- SORRY IT'S SO LATE!!!!!!

 March is half over already!!

How can that be?

AND SUNDAY 

is 

ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Even all you

NON-IRISH

pretend to be

 Irish  

just for a day.

Well, except for a few of you

English that wouldn't

lower yourselves to do so.

You know who you are,

but being the

loving people we are,

we forgive ya,

and God Bless ya,

all the way to the

Blarney Stone and back.

I grew up in a small

Irish Community in Pennsylvania.

I believed in leprechauns

until I was at least 12...

well...maybe older...

hmm..matter of fact I'm

pretty sure I might

STILL BELIEVE

in them.

So, today I am going to

give you a little recipe.

You have a 

ONE DAY

get your butt to the store

for the ingredients so

you can make it for your family.

And your family will lay down

in your path and let you walk on

them after eating this.

Ready?

Now please don't be asking me

where I got this recipe because

the truth is

I don't remember.

So, if anyone has the source for it

I will be glad to give credit.

I THINK it came out of a

Taste of Home magazine but

I'm not betting my 

IRISH CHINA

on that fact.

Crème de Mint Cake

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix

Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box

2 teaspoons mint extract

12 drops green food color

2 jars (16 oz each) hot fudge topping (i only used one 16oz. jar last time and it was really good, too).

1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Thin rectangular crème de menthe chocolate candies, unwrapped and cut into pieces, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.

Make cake batter as directed on box, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of the mint extract with the water. Reserve 1 cup batter. Stir 3 drops of the green food color into reserved batter; set aside. Pour remaining batter into pan.

Drop green batter by generous tablespoonfuls randomly in 12 to 14 mounds onto batter in pan. Cut through batters with metal spatula or knife in S-shaped curves in one continuous motion. Turn pan one-fourth turn; repeat cutting for swirled design.

Bake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Carefully spread fudge topping evenly over cake. In medium bowl, stir whipped topping, remaining 1/2 teaspoon mint extract &  remaining 9 drops green food color. Spread whipped topping mixture evenly over fudge. Garnish with candy pieces. Store covered in refrigerator.

Now, I will tell you that being

St. Paddy's Day

 all the calories

 have all been removed

so you can enjoy every bite.

( Removing those calories

is an Irish trick that I promised not to tell)

I'll be serving it to

The Fam here in the Heartland.

Let's hope one of the grandkids doesn't

eat all the Andes Mints beforehand

because if they are gone

YOU KNOW
they will blame it on

THIS ONE.

Have a wonderful day as you prepare yourself

for all the
IRISH DRUNKS

that will be running amuck on

Sunday.

I won't be one of them because I don't drink

GREEN BEER.

I will be the one sitting in the corner

taking pictures for 

BLACKMAIL PURPOSES-----

and that's all I'm gonna be 

saying about that!