I cannot call them interruptions. So, as we were getting ready to go out to make a delivery, we noticed someone had stopped in front of our driveway. The driver who was looking our way, got out of the car, along with her passenger whose gait was slow and cautious. An image not unfamiliar to us. As it turned out, she asked permission to take a picture of our 1955 Mercury which was parked in the yard. She said, “May I get a picture of your car? My husband and his brother owned

What was it he said? ---In this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; but now you also must complete the doing of it. Now there’s where I felt the sting! And I know it’s been longer than a year ago that I looked at the situation and said, “this needs to be done!” but it was not “being” done. I continued to read his letter anyway: Just as there was a readiness to desire it, there also may be a completion

I opened the door to the deck to see what this summer morning presented for outdoor sitting in my glider as I enjoyed my coffee. A glance upward through the trees at the dark night sky, displayed the beautiful Moon hovering over the fields. I love the celestial scenes that present themselves so early in the morning as they create a beauty that captivates my mind and soul. The solitude of the early morning and nature’s exhibits become a sanctuary for me and allows me to ‘shut

Sipping my morning coffee mixes well with a sentimental journey. It seems that in those times when I am preparing meals, I tend to re-wind from conversations with my Momma and everything about her presence in the memory speaks love and comfort to my heart. She offered so much positive encouragement when I shared any concern with her. Her words, like jumper cables on a battery, gave me the boost I needed. Heartfelt, childhood conversations with my Momma have been shared in dif

As we tended to our grapevine in mid spring, I noticed that small clusters had begun to form. That alerted me to the fact that we would need to guard their progress closely because the end of frost’s date for gardening is not until mid-May. Two occasions of frost warnings came not long afterward, and we covered the young vines at that time. Alas! Most of the tiny clusters did not survive. But the vine that provided the life-giving sap to the branches is very healthy. So, I wa

Dear Marcha, Wanted to inform you that your sister April will arrive in 4 days. Therefore, I kindly ask you to leave and take the cold shoulder with you. Jan was here a couple of months ago and I thought she'd never leave...I guess it was because we had to stay by the fire to keep warm and couldn't go shopping. We’ve all had fun but when April gets here, she will be dazzling with more color than you’ve ever seen her! She is acquainted with many things of nature that you proba

Maggie, our lovely Magnolia tree has shed her leaves to prepare for another fragrant spring of lovely white petals. So, We decided to get the golden leaves of the Magnolia tree raked yesterday. We went out, wide leaf rakes in hand, I on one side of the yard, hubby on the other side. It was a planned meeting together with our ‘harvest’. I love to rake the leaves…the leaf rake is wide, with tines that make it easy to gather them in very wide sweeps. Maggie preparing for summer

Reflections that cause me to embrace the beauty of my Momma. From a very young age, it seems, I was able to sense her times of grief and anguish over the storms of life. My heart increased in love and compassion. When memories of great significance prompt me, I pause and reflect and give thanks. Those experiences deserve to be remembered for their valuable teachings in the classroom of life. A Soft Place to land my prayer tree Yesterday evening I walked down by the fence wher

“Your dad is in the hospital and not doing well at all.’ My stepmother’s voice on the other end of the phone spoke with somber tone. After questioning her and learning that I did not need to leave immediately, I set about planning to go to the hospital and spend time with him. The recipe for applesauce cake that I wanted to bake and give him for Christmas lay unused on the table. I had planned a visit with him after the holidays. As an afterthought, I remembered the gingerbre

painted on a canvas of real-life circumstances. I have found myself there in front of that canvas numerous times through the years, while the brush strokes painted the picture. A new day dawns and we are given the canvas and the proper brushes that will draw the scenes, one by one. The completed artwork will be revealed little by little; it will not be an unveiling as in a sudden moment, but it will be an unfolding, giving us time to “take it in,” to process in such a way th

Homemade Molasses Cookies When fall arrives, the wonderful fragrance of cinnamon, ginger and cloves fills my sen ses. After all, it's the beginning of apple harvest, pumpkin gathering and visions of turkey roasting in the oven. By now I have my Concord grape jelly made and I begin to focus on the spicy offerings of so many goodies available from nature's bounty. I make apple butter in the crock pot, molasses cookies regularly, fried apple pies, apple pies in pan, apple dumpli

Pumpkin Cookies Molasses Cookie s Summer exits: The lightnin' bugs have left. Tomatoes, bell peppers and green bean plantings display exhaustion in the dried and drooping vines that gave us delectable, gastronomic offerings thru the summer months. They gladly took their place and produced according to the seed that was planted. They accepted my care and then applied themselves to bring forth the best. Fruitful were they as they yielded to the Creator's design Apple Pie within

Nothing Tastes Better than,.. Food from Momma's Kitchen Sipping my morning coffee mixes well with a sentimental journey. It seems that in those times when I am preparing meals, I tend to re-wind from conversations with my Momma and everything about her presence in the memory speaks love and comfort to my heart. She offered so much positive encouragement when I shared any concern with her. Her words, like jumper cables on a battery, gave me the boost I needed. Heartfelt, chi

My morning Manna and coffee. I have embraced two power packed words. Just as food labels indicate the RDA for necessary growth and nutrition, that's what manna from the Ancient Book imparts to me for spiritual growth. Those two words this morning are, Joy and Optimism. They bring purpose and meaning to our lives. If a cup is to be filled with those two attributes, I must first empty the dregs of doubt and discouragement. So I'm lifting an empty cup this morning to be filled w

Through the years, opportunities for me to reach out, and be a neighbor to someone in need have been presented to me. This piece I felt compelled to journal some years ago, has proven to be a personal reminder of how I should respond to our fellow man. And I consider myself blessed that along the journey, friends have come into my life, such as the subject of this writing, who have been the epitome of a woman’s strength, and an example of accomplishments in the world of busin

The morning sun emerged while I was working in my yard. A gentle breeze brought me wonderful reminders of gardening in my mountain homeplace many years ago. Such a heartwarming experience. Later in the day we were out riding our bikes on the Huckleberry Trail. I heard faint chirping of crickets beneath the now fading, fall influence of the woods; birds were flitting about, and I was able to recognize the Sparrow’s chirp, the Cardinal’s beautiful song and the Blue Jay’s loud s

I was having my morning coffee while editing my memoirs when a nostalgic moment presented a detour. I left the paper and ink and stepped...

Just thinking… I would love to see a football game in person right now. Who else---? The mountain air is refreshing. It’s always an enjoyable experience. Last fall, besides the ball game, I enjoyed a heartwarming experience. So, I wrote: WV Pepperoni rolls, chili fries, hot chocolate and Raspberry Twizzlers. Saturday football. We wore so many layers of clothing to stay warm, we could have covered half the fans on our bleacher, which by the way was on the 34th row, high up tow

Confession time from a hilarious, history making housewife this morning. It all began with a thought. One thought, mind you! We need to...

As usual, we always look for a side trip to explore when we travel, so we decided to visit an Arboretum in Harrisonburg, VA . A most...