One tough cookie

It's hard to believe it has been almost a year.  December 12, 2009 - Grandmother had a massive stroke. 

She has been forced to slow down.  She's had to stop driving and believe me, she fought that tooth and nail.  But still, she has got to be one of the most hard headed women I've ever known.  Thank God - because it's that hard head that makes her who she is. 

She raised 4 daughters and 2 sons while Grand daddy worked at the carburetor plant.  She shucked corn, canned green beans, made the most amazing lard biscuits, ran a tiller, and still found time to get out in the yard and show the boys she could play basketball.

She has taught all of us how to be strong, persevere, and how to be thankful.

I love you Grandmother.

These are the three reasons why I do what I do.

Happy Thanksgiving

We had the most beautiful full moon this morning.  It was quite incredible to face one direction and watch the sun rise and look the other way and see the gorgeous full moon.

I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving.

God bless.

Birds, Big Bucks, & More . . .

The cooler weather has finally arrived and I decided to make a batch of apple - seed suet.

Lard and peanut butter melting together

Stir in some bird seed

Tossed in a bit of cornmeal and some apple

Poured into a foil lined cake pan and plopped it all in the fridge.  After it hardens, I lift it out and cut into 6 squares that fit perfectly into the wire feeders.

Saw this on Tuesday and have no idea what it could be. 

Click to enlarge.

Not sure if this is the same one or not, but still unsure of what it is.

Click to enlarge.

WOOHOO!!!  Two big bucks in two years!  Joe tagged out, so he bought his extra doe tags.  So far he's harvested the buck and two does.  I haven't had time to go hunting yet with school, but I'm hoping to before the season is up!

Here's last year's buck . . .

Oh yes, this was a big, big boy!

We have lots of meat that needs to be cut, ground, sliced, and diced.  We grind our own, make our own jerky and our own summer sausage. 

Going Home

This was written by a very, very dear friend, Peggy.  She is an amazing woman. 


"Going Home"



I've walked barefoot through new plowed ground

I've traveled the world, around and around

It's never mattered where I roam

It's always good to get back home.



Some say you can't go back again

But I have, time ,and time again

The joy I feel when I arrive

Thats when I seem to come alive .



My roots lie there, within the land

My daddy worked it with his hands

My Mama loved. and cared for all.

While Daddy stood so proud, and tall.



Since they are gone ,It's not the same

It's like a book without a name

But when I'm there , they draw so near

Their voices I can almost here.



I like to walk out in the woods

Stand in the spot where they once stood

I know as long as I return

They won't be sad, their hearts won't yearn.

 
 
 
Please join me in telling her what an amazing poem this is.
 
Thanks Peggy!  Love you!

Really enjoyed your article about silence and shed a few tears reading Dan's. The note about Faye was really sweet too. I am going to try to post some pictures from our Bowling Green trip. Hope it works.

A little bit of this . . . from a small town

A few days ago, a few of you may have taken the time to peruse my thoughts on Silence.  After my Dad read it, he decided to put his own take on the sounds of silence.

You see, he writes a weekly column entitled From The State Line for a small paper in West Tennessee called The Paris Post Intelligencer.  Please click on the From the State Line link.  He has a God given talent and a way with words that is most uncanny.

Paris is a small town far removed from the hustle and bustle of big city life.  While I felt deprived as a child I cannot wait to go home as an adult.  Paris now has a Super Wal-Mart.  The small farming community I grew up in is called Hico, long i sound.  There's a stop sign there.  You'll find deer in abundance . . .

Twin does

Doe and buck in velvet

Fawn

 . . . and plenty of farm implements  . . .

 . . . and of course tobacco. 

Why is everything so much better "back home?"  I wish I could take those feelings and bottle them to share with everyone.

I want to take a moment to honor Faye Kennedy.  She was the last living sibling of my Grandfather, Paul "Red" McClain.  Faye was 97 years old when she was returned home this week.

  Can you imagine the changes she had the privilege of seeing her lifetime?

You will be remembered.

What Veteran's Day Means to a Child

I asked the boys what Veterans day means to them.  Maverick quickly said it is about celebrating veterans who come to his school and tell them how the wars went.

Ranger felt it was to celebrate veterans who defended our country

This week their school was able to have a blackhawk helicopter land on school property and the children were given the opportunity to get in and look around.  They had an assembly in which local veterans talked to the students.

Earlier in the 9 weeks, the students were presented with plastic dog tags as awards for reaching their reading (AR) goals.  The boys have worn their dog tags daily.

Many children idolize "army" guys which in my children's view is all encompassing of all branches of military.  My boys get out in the yard and play good guys and bad guys and the good military guys always win.

As a Mother, it is important for me to be honest with my children.  I don't like to sugarcoat things for them.  I want my boys to know why Veteran's Day is important and what it means to be a veteran. 

To me, Veteran's Day means never forgetting and teaching our future generations to always remember. 

Veterans have heard, seen, and lived through things we only see in the movies.  Let's keep them in our thoughts and prayers.  Always.

Local veterans

God bless

Did you ever . . .

This morning I got to school early.  Earlier than any of the traditional age college students.  I sat in the unlit classroom and just listened.  The sounds of a train rumbling by outside made the squirrels and blue jays come to life on this misty cold morning.  Miss Barbara was emptying the trash cans in the classrooms as she struggles to push the big rolling can down the empty hall way and it clicked and groaned on the old tile floor.

A few more minutes and the halls will be full of hopes and dreams, and laughter, and whispers about last night's escapades.  I enjoy the silence.  Did you ever just sit and listen to it?  The silence has many stories to tell but you have to listen carefully.  It tells of times past, of memories forgotten, and on a rare occasion it whispers grandly about the future.

Did you ever just stop and listen?

The silence makes us appreciative.  It makes me appreciate the giggles.  It makes me appreciate the tears.  Listen - can you hear it?  The silence has a voice if you just stop and listen.

Have a wonderful day!

A fun time was had by all . . .Hico Tennessee

Maverick requested mummy cupcakes for his birthday

Nanny

Mistletoe - I can't wait to shoot this down for Christmas!

Hickory nut shell.  Mom says hickory nuts make a wonderful pie.

Watching for the bad guys

Papa and Jackson

Nanny and the boys.  They giggled so hard over this book!

How many papa's would string up a disco ball and position lights in just the right place so Ranger and Maverick can see stars?  Ranger and Maverick have never seen a night sky full of beautiful stars.  Thank you Papa!

Crazy cousins!

Molly and Nanny

My sister Molly - funny, sweet, giving, need I say more?

Ranger cheated by grabbing the stem!

Vulture in the trees

The harvest season is over

Maverick the birthday boy!

Beautiful tree at Price Cemetary behind Mom and Dad's

Fun with silly string!

He just had fun playing in the water!

Maverick's birthday isn't for a few more days, but we had a Halloween / birthday part at Mom and Dad's and had a blast.  The boys giggled, laughed, played, ate, and giggled some more.

Happy birthday Maverick!!!