SATURDAY SUNSET

Later that day..... as William and I were driving home from big town tonight, I saw the sun setting fast in the rear view mirror. I remembered that I had dropped the camera in my purse as I walked out the door earlier. (You just never know when you might find a subject that needs its picture taken, ya know?) So, I got him to "stop the car!!" and I jumped out and snapped this. I just love being able to see both sunrise and sunset -- a real treat!

Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!!

Gwynie Pie

SATURDAY SUNRISE

It's really dark at 6-something in the morning! I stepped out of the back door for just a few seconds (it was also really chilly!) and snapped these two pictures. Hope you can see how the entire eastern horizon was glowing --- Beautiful!!!

Part of the beauty of living out in the country AND in this part of the world is this !!! nothing between us and the sunrise.

Have a Spectacular Saturday!

Gwynie Pie

Here's an after shot of my pantry shelves. I lined them with red gingham fabric and moved in the white wire shelves holding the canvas baskets of potatoes, onions and snacky foods, cloth napkins and tablecloths and "green" bags for the grocery store. The old suitcase now hides trash bag rolls -- a little rustic perhaps, but better than bright colored cardboard boxes they come in.
Call me crazy (and they might) but William cleaned up the front screen door from my Grandparents house and then attached it as the door to my pantry/laundry room. It is very, very rustic and looks a lot worse in these pictures than in person. But I really love it! Adds a lot of character to a bland working room.

Today was a super fun one! I spent all day with my friend, Elaine. We just sat around and visited, drank a little coffee, ate a wonderful lunch, shopped a little and even caught a few garage sales on a Friday afternoon. Lots of fun! Great bargains! I'll show you those later.
Happy Friday!

Gwynie Pie

Before and After

Here's the completed project I worked on yesterday. The above is the Before picture of our office/craft room. I didn't even take a picture of the Before of the desk area because, frankly....well, there are just some things you shouldn't have to see!

Here is same shot -- AFTER -- Cleaned up, straightened and "fluffed". The antique shopping cart in the foreground holds the ironing and mending piles.

Moving to the left, here is the finished and much improved desk area of the room. I made a little skirt with some leftover black and white gingham and a shower curtain rod. I just found the right length for the curtain and "sewed" the rod pocket and the hem with fabric glue -- one of the wonders of my world, along with stitch witchery. Great inventions!! Anything that prevents me from actually sewing at the machine is a great invention!!

The skirt hides a multitude of sins -- the computer "business", the paper shredder/trash basket and a couple of banker's boxes that store all those pesky papers you don't know what to do with, but can't EVER throw away.

Still moving to the left, this is a shot of one of my better ideas!! There on the corner where the blank looking strip is -- that is where my parents measured my children through the years. I live in the same house I grew up in and so, this house was "the grandparents house" to my kids in their growing up years.

When we moved in nearly 8 years ago, I wanted to paint in this room, but knew I could not paint over the "growth chart" of my children. So I just kind of painted around it and since no one could see it from the door, it was okay. THEN one day I found a bunch!!! of old give-away yardsticks, some old, some newer. AND I had my solution......

I got William to make a "border" of sorts using the yardsticks. So on both sides of the growth chart, there is a line of yardsticks....pretty cool, I think. This is, of course, also where Lily Kate gets measured from time to time. Good Stuff!!!

As you come past the "growth chart" corner, there is this old, old chest of drawers. It was my grandparents and it was old then....no tellin' .

My son, Devin's, antique typewriter that he left in his things. Better displayed here than picking up dust in storage, right? A stack of old books I picked up at a Friends of the Library sale in College Station, an old random teacup filled with potpourri and a tiny picture of pressed flowers from Israel.

Above the chest is a hat I found in my grandmother's things......very, very Audrey Hepburn-ish......framed by an old ornate frame I found at a flea market somewhere.

Well, that's it! Hope you enjoyed the tour of our completed office/craft room. I can now check this room off the "To Do" list.

What kind of project are you working on? I really desire this to be an inter-active blog, so "comment" and tell me what projects are in process at your house. It is also my hope that we can inspire and encourage each other in our tasks as homemakers. Let me hear!

Thanks for visiting!

Gwynie Pie

JUST one thing....just leads to the next "one thing"

This is one of my Mamaw's kitchen aprons. It so pretty - a red and white gingham with a"chicken-scratch" border. I like to starch and iron it until it nearly stands alone and use it like this -- it just says "spring" to me. This has absolutely nothing to do with today's post.....I just wanted you to see the pictures. When we have projects to do around the house, William and I agreed a long time ago that the best way to communicate all that needed to be done was with a written list. I've worked off of lists pretty much my whole adult life. It's just how I run. So, one day, after William and I had a miscommunication and "words" over a particular project that needed doing, he suggested I just make a complete list of everything that needed to be done -- his, mine and our jobs. So....I did.....and it worked out so well, here we are years later still using our lists...... SO---- in getting ready for Easter and sprucing up for Spring and Summer, I have a whopper of a list. I write down EVERYTHING that needs attention ------the big stuff -- like "till up the garden spots" and the small like "change out curtains in bedroom #2". Some of the items are strickly his, some are just mine and then there are the "it takes two" projects. When an item is finished, we mark it off the list with great flourish and satisfaction. I LOVE IT!!

As you all know, one small thing always leads to another and that leads to another and so one......before you know it......you are deep, deep, deep into something crazy ......like remodeling or taking out a wall or putting down new flooring. SOOOOO - we have to be very careful to stay with the list. Do Not Wander Off the LIST!!!!

Well, Too Late ------ I'm waaaaay off the list. With no intentions of coming back any time soon.

I've re-done all the shelves in my laundry room. (THAT was on the list) I put down some red gingham fabric as the shelf liners. Uh, NOT on the list. Well, that looked so cute!!!! and country !!! and what's more country than screen doors?????I ask you??? And I just happened to have a couple of extra screen doors in my "stash" in the barn. Oh, you probably know the rest of this story. --------------pictures to follow soon!!! Gonna be cute!

Gwynie Pie

Me and My Peeps !!!!

GOOD MONDAY MORNING !!!!! I went to Walmart this weekend and found the Easter aisle, which usually, I'd have passed by. However, as I glanced down the aisle I saw very, very bright spots of violent spring color and had to go investigate.

Well -- the Peeps were out in force --- and in the most spectacular colors ever. I bought some Peeps chicks and bunnies(in pink) to use on top of cupcakes I'll be making for the ladies group that is coming for coffee and a visit on April 2. I have a whole "pink" Spring theme going on for that event that I think will be very cute.

But, there were also Peeps in the traditional bright yellow, a brilliant orange and also in a couple other colors. So fun! I always have to have Peeps at Easter. I'll have the one in my hot chocolate this morning. And maybe one more. Then I'm done with them. I don't love them. It's just my own personal tradition, I guess....

Anyway, much to do this week getting ready for the ladies group. Really the house is in need of a lot of just sprucing up for Spring and the ladies group coming is just the push I need to get me motivated and up and moving.

So, from me and my Peeps -- have a great Monday!!!!

Gwynie Pie

Check out THIS website

Hey! My Saturday has been busy and productive! Hope yours has been great too! William and I worked several hours today getting the clothesline poles in place and pouring the cement around the bases. Then William officiated at a wedding, which was quite beautiful, came home and got quite a bit of one garden spot tilled.

I spent some time continuing to "fluff" the house a bit. In checking out my favorite blogs today, I came across one that is just great!! And I have to share this with you all.

The name of the website is Little Window Shoppe. She is a young mom and business woman. She designs websites for businesses. When you go to her main site, you can access her blog, a craft section and a recipe section and several other areas.

I saw her recipe for Hawaiian Haystacks -- I'm trying it this week!, and then started exploring the rest of her site. There are wonderful crafts to do with kids, great recipes that were all new to me and her daily blog was just fun to read. Hope you like it as much as I do.

http://www.littlewindowshoppe.com/ Well, the address came out pale pink, but I tried it out....it will connect you. Gwynie Pie

SPRING FLUFFING

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!!!!!!! Seems a "trend" is emerging -- instead of Spring cleaning, I'm hearing a lot about Spring Fluffing!!! I like it! Same concept, but with a twist, I guess......Fluffing, I can get into that!! Since I am about to do some serious Spring Fluffing, I thought I'd show you some "befores". I have 2 weeks until a ladies group from out of town will be having dessert and coffee with me, so I've got to get fluffing....and fast!! The above picture is in our bedroom. And that lovely armoire was a freebie!!! Can you believe it??? The mother-in-law of my daughter's sister-in-law --- (keep up!)--- was sending it, along with literally a truck load of other delightful items, to the Salvation Army store and we found out about it and .... well, we did an intervention. NO...we didn't hijack the Sally truck. Might have. But, it didn't come to that. I've always wanted an armoire.......

Master bedroom -- the ancient German farm table was made for my great-grandparents as a wedding present, by a man who helped them on their farm. It was made in 1898 !!!! I adore this table! It's been everywhere -- in every room of the house and on the back porch as well.

Another shot of the farm table with perfumes and jewelry and other treasures.

Sitting area of the bedroom -- cute little aqua, wicker chair was my mother's when she was little. And the double screen doors came off the old Mereta general store that my grandparents ran for-ev-er!!!

This bookcase is really two bookcases that William put together. They are hiding a perfectly useless window. Much better use of the space, I think. The bookcases were built many years ago by my Daddy and I remember them being used as a room divider between the kitchen and living room.

Top of fridge--------nothing noteworthy here. Except, I think the lamp is totally sweet. I got it years ago at Target, of all places, and I've never seen a lamp like it since -- at Target or elsewhere.

In the living room -- I've had these old picture frames on this wall for a long time now. And I really ought to shake things up and move them -- but I just love the look! It is somehow soothing to me.......don't know what that says......nothing deeply psychological, I'm pretty sure........hmmmm??? ------ a bunch of old, empty picture frames.....now what could that mean...? The rest is a compilation of old German postcards, one from a cousin who was in a prison camp in Colorado. Also collected turkey feathers, glass door knobs, an old leather calendar, a lacy-edged baby pillowcase and that is a very, very old copy of Alice in Wonderland. Just a bit of my mish-mash!

Also in living room -------------this old window came out of the church of my childhood. The church building was no longer in use, in fact, it was pretty much falling down when I sent William and a child to steal -- uh, I mean, re-locate -- the window to my living room. Seriously, the building was torn down soon after. I consider it a rescue really. That window would have ended up in a landfill ----or worse!! someone else's living room!!!

The corner of the fireplace hearth------------that's a stack of all our family Bibles and various other smaller Bibles -- all tattered and worn. I seriously love this!!!! The top Bible is one that was given to my Daddy before he left for WWII. It has a steel front and is inscribed "The Lord Be With You". That always makes me cry.

I keep the nativity out year 'round. It's pretty old, from our seminary days, and it just "speaks" to me. I found the funeral fan in a box of old, old stuff of my grandparents. It folds up to one-third the size so you can carry it in your purse, I guess. It's very cool -- har har! get it??

Well, that was a partial house tour. Thanks for visiting with me today. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Happy Spring Fluffing to you all --

Gwynie Pie

Flour Sack Dishtowels

I do dearly love a cute dishtowel.....the ones with little barnyard animals or those with little fruit appliques on them. All very cute. Very, very cute! I'm a real sucker for a cutesy dishtowel. In fact, my dishtowel drawer overfloweth! But, for the actual business of drying dishes, give me an old fashioned flour sack dishtowel every time. I love the softness of the fabric. And I love the way they quickly and efficiently soak up water and dry the dishes. But, when they are not hard at work in my kitchen......don't they look super cute sitting here in the red enamelware colander? surrounded by some of my favorite things? Check out those cookies ---- Dana made up a few dozen for her Daddy and me while she was here this week. I can not adequately stress to you just how delicious these cookies are! Don't know what they are called. But she also made the equally delicious granola that she used as the base of the cookie. I kept telling her, with each cookie I consumed, that she really, really needed to enter a contest with this recipe. They are spectacular!!! I so wish I could share a cookie and a cup of coffee with you right now. You'd be so very happy!!!!!!

Back to the dishtowels ----- here is how they look at Target. I found them alongside the plain white chef aprons in the same kind of packaging, hanging on a display. They are super cheap!! A package of 6 costs less than $5.00!!! That's a deal, kids! I got two packages, but pretty sure I need a couple more.

THIS is how we wash dishes at the Rosser house. No, I do not have a dishwasher! I have had dishwashers in my past and honestly, I just ended up griping about having to empty the clean dishes. So when we moved into this house with it's very inefficient apartment-sized dishwasher and its limited kitchen storage, we decided to chunk the dishwasher and opted to use the empty space a little more creatively. William built in some shelves there and it now houses the microwave and the potato and onion bins.

This is how drying dishes look at my house. Usually though, they are not nearly this attractive. There are a ton more dishes than this and they are piled up in a heap. I wanted this to look spiffy for the blog, ya know.

Well, that's it, folks! Just thought you should know...... Happy washing and drying.....

Gwynie Pie

Feed On The Word

I love, love, love these dishes!! My kids gave them to me this past weekend for my birthday. I have long admired the entire set of this very beautiful china. Every piece, and there are many pieces, is an off-white with scripture in black around the edge. Every piece has a different scripture. And there are many scripture "themes" to choose from -- Faith, Prayer, Heritage, Children, Family, Country -- lots more.
There in the background to the side you can see the footed cake stand that was given to me on another occasion. The cake stand has held beautiful cakes and pies year-round as well as floral arrangements in the Fall and big chunky red candles at Christmas. I love it!! The kids also gave me the big fruit/pasta bowl with the fruits of the spirit written around the inside edge. It's filled with apples today but in the future I'm seeing maybe chicken fettucini alfredo or maybe a huge green salad.

Anyway, I love them! Just wanted you to see them. I figure you might love them too. And if you are interested, you can see the entire collection on the web at feedontheword.com.

Spring Break

I realize it is only Wednesday of Spring Break week -- lots of the week yet to come. But, so far, my week has been great!! This past weekend started off with Dana and Lily Kate coming in on Friday afternoon, followed by Colin and Ronnie and then Blake later on that night. I didn't take many pictures. I never do------I'm always having too much fun with everyone to be the photographer. I love having the pictures, but the memories are so much sweeter! I always have good intentions and sure enough, the camera was in the kitchen where I could just grab it up at a moment's notice, but.......I always think of pictures long after the fact, ya know?

I did get a couple.....here is sweet girl flashing her best "cheeeeeeeeese".

And Pops and Lily Kate lounging and visiting in the back yard. We did a lot of lounging. And a lot of visiting!

We (I use the word loosely, since I was not involved) dug up, loaded and brought home the much-desired, much-sought after clothesline poles (thank you friend Lauri for locating them for me!). Now -- to get them set in the ground and painted a nice, crisp white. I will hang up clothes to my little heart's content......

Colin and Ronnie had to leave soon after church and Blake headed back early that evening. They all had to be back at work Monday morning. However, Dana and Lily Kate stayed until noon today and we have had such a great time with them, just being....not doing a whole lot, just enjoying.

A first of sorts also occurred Monday night. Dana, Lily Kate and I all went to visit my mother, GG, in the afternoon and were still there when Pops got off work, so we decided to go to Double Dave's, one of Dana's fav eating places in San Angelo. We asked my mother to go with us. And what do you know???? She did!!! I know that isn't an earthshaking event in anyone else's world, but in ours.....well, it made the blog!! (Man, I wish I'd had that camera!) My mother isn't a very spontaneous person. She likes to plan things well in advance. So for her to say "yes" was a great thing. Very note-worthy. It meant a lot to me. We all had fun eating pizza, playing air hockey and visiting.

Tomorrow, we will all be back to our usual activities. We so enjoyed the first half of Spring Break. And can't wait to see what fun the last half of the week brings. Hope your Spring Break is FUN!

Gwynie Pie

BUCKSHOT! --- yumm-o

THIS is Lily Kate -- she's blissed-out while eating what she called "da goodest chokit in da ho woold"! And this girl knows her chokit!! THIS is Buckshot! an almost full box of these delicious and chocolaty little candies. William gave me this beautiful box of candies during my birthday week. It was quite pretty in a bright red, sparkly box with a cream-colored bow. The buckshot, as you may can tell, are very pretty as well.
If you haven't been to Sugar Daddy Desserts yet and if you even remotely enjoy chocolate, give yourself a treat and stop in for a real delight. The owner and chocolatier is James Crowder. The address is 2411 College Hills Blvd, across the street from Ichiban's. The website is sugardaddydesserts.com.


Each buckshot is the perfect size to pop in your mouth and let it melt...yum!....unless you are a two year old chocolate lover. Then it may take you four blissful bites to consume.

Stop in and tell them a two year old sent you.........

Grand weekend in Granbury

William took off Friday from work and we headed out to see our Granbury kids. Dana was at their church in Fort Worth that day, prepping for the next day's beignet frying, and Lily Kate was napping in her classroom at the childcare center when we arrived. We sat out in the hall and visited until we heard the classroom stirring awake and then surprised her appearing there outside the door....what a priceless look of happiness on her face as she came running across the room to jump in our arms! She just adores us and of course, we adore her. But, what a great feeling to just be loved so much -- just because.

Lunch was at Yucatan Taco Stand on Magnolia. Dana had discovered this eatery recently and loved it and I was very excited to give it a try. We ordered the nachos and an order of yucca fries with garlic aioli. I also had a chicken taco, which was outstanding but it paled next to the nachos and fries. The nachos were IN Cred Ible!!!! WOW! I wish I could fully and adequately describe them, but know I won't do them justice. The chips were light and crisp and everything was layered up to a height of almost a foot tall!! There were layers of meats, cheeses, finely shredded lettuce, tomatoes and a fantastic light garlicly sauce over and under and around and through it all. Topped off with a huge scoop of sour cream and THE best guacamole ever. There is a spicy red pepper sauce on the table that is really good splashed on it all. The fries were --- well....perfect! I'd never eaten yucca before but holey moley.....can't wait til I get to eat that again. I am hooked! Oh, oh ---- how good is it???? It is soooo good that William Rosser (a confirmed non-foodie person) talked about them and "re-lived" them on Sunday -- 2 days later!!! That tells ya somethin !!!!

SO - if you are in Fort Worth and looking for a great, fun place to eat.....try The Yucatan Taco Stand on Magnolia. It's in the hospital district -- pretty easy to find.

The rest of the trip was fun. We had beedos (burritos)for breakfast, played kitchen and played dollhouse and read some books and took a nap and after Dana got home from the beignet frying (for a VBS fundraiser), we all went to have a late lunch at Babe's before we had to leave for home. Now -- if you've never eaten at Babe's in Granbury -- you MUST! Very relaxed. Very basic, delicious home-cooking. Very crowded. (go early and go late, just not at usual meal times). They have basic entrees to choose from -- fried or roasted chicken, chicken fried steak, chicken strips, pot roast or meat loaf -- then they serve the mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, cream corn, salad and biscuits, family style in big bowls on the table. It is all delish! Fun place to eat!

We had a D-lightful!! time visiting with Dana, Blake and Lily Kate. We always have a good time with them whether we sit around all weekend or get up and go do stuff.....it's just good to be together! You need directions to the aforementioned eaterys, let me know.........

It's My Birthday!!!

Goodness, I can sure relate to that old line that goes "If I'd known I was gonna live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself!" HA! It is amazing for me to realize I am 57 years old today! Just a couple months ago I was 40. Time just moves on -- waaaaay too fast!

I've had a few phone calls and some Facebook birthday good wishes. That's been fun. Birthdays are funny things for me....I don't know if it's just me or if everyone is this way. I just remember very, very few of my birthdays. I know they come and go but very few have been noteworthy.

My parents never made a really huge deal of birthdays. They were always acknowledged with a special meal and a gift when I was younger. Then after I married, the gift turned into money. Great with me! Money is always the right color and always fits!! And every single birthday that I lived at home, my parents would come into my room to wake me up singing "Happy Birthday!" Even after I got marrried, my parents would always call, usually early in the morning, and sing to me over the phone . Never did they miss or forget, not once.

That is why I so vividly remember my 50th birthday. Six months earlier, my Daddy died in a car accident. So on that morning of my 50th birthday, my mom called to say "Happy Birthday", but there was no singing and there hasn't been any singing since. Until-------------last night!

The phone rang, it was Dana . She and Lily Kate were driving home from Fort Worth. Lily Kate wanted to talk and as soon as she got the phone she said "Happy Birthday, Pie". Soooo sweet! My heart just melts when she calls me "Pie". She chatted a bit and then gave the phone back to her mom. Dana explained that Lily wanted to sing "Happy Birthday" to me, but was saving it for my actual birth day. As Dana and I continued to talk, I could hear Lily Kate singing it out in the background.....just tuning up for today! So, later tonight, when they get home, I'm looking forward to that sweet little voice singing "Happy Birthday" to me!!

God is so good! He gives and He takes away....blessed be the name of the LORD. My life has been blessed beyond measure. Never did I, in my wildest dreams, ever imagine a life so sweet as the one I am living. I'm thankful for my 57 years -- every wrinkle and every gray hair that living has brought me. It is my prayer that I live another many, many decades and get to see what else the LORD will do in my life and in the lives of those I love. It just gets sweeter and sweeter!

Living out Loud!!!

Gwynie Pie

WHAT AN ADVENTURE

After church this morning, William and I quickly changed into work clothes, then ran through the drive-thru at Whataburger for a #1 combo. Colin had a prescribed burn scheduled for Saturday, but the wind was pretty ferocious and he wanted to get it done, so he rescheduled it for Sunday, when winds were much calmer. William and I were very excited to get the opportunity to help out a little and also, just to see the burn process ---It was lots of fun, from our perspective. We enjoyed watching, and hearing on the two-ways, Colin and Ronnie work.

The burn was for 126 acres located kind of in the middle of nowhere. Actually it was between Menard and Christoval, closer to Fort McKavett than any other city. The burn went well and by about 6:30, we were in the car and heading back to the house.

We headed back toward Menard, planning to go through Eden and then home through Vick and Eola. Only I saw this highway that turned off to the North, just a few miles after we left the burn sight. We got out the map, didn't see the highway on there, but hey.....it looked like a fine, wide ranch road. HA!! It was a ranch road all right......if only we'd known!

Almost immediately, we were impressed by the many, many deer that were frolicking back and forth across the road. Not in a hurry, really, they seemed to have a real sense of ownership of that road. We were throwing on the brakes every few yards in order to miss deer. THEN....the pavement ended!! And at first, the caliche road was nice and wide. Yes, we did consider turning around and backtracking and going back to Plan A, but we would have to negotiate all those crazy deer again and decided to just keep on going. "It can't be a very long road, can it?" "We'll just pop out on a highway in a little while." Uhhhhh......No!

We did not "pop out on a highway" for another 40-50!!! miles!!! And obviously, yes it was a "very long road" .... very long!! AND in addition to the deer that were still threatening, now we were plagued by raccoons running across the road....big raccoons!! It really was funny and I got the giggles a few times. William was tired and hungry by this time and not nearly as amused as I was.

Anyway, the road just kept getting narrower and narrower and bumpy-er and lumpy-er and soon ALL signs of civilization disappeared. It was getting darker now and there was not even a guardlight out in the pastures. All I could figure, is that apparently, electricity has not made its way out into these areas yet...... It was soooo dark! We drove for miles and miles with just fences on both sides, no ranch gates even....just miles and miles of fence. AND the wildlife!

Finally, finally.....we did "pop out onto a highway" We came out onto a divided four-lane highway. But we could not determine where in the world we were. Nothing looked familiar. There was obviously a city off to one side that we hoped was San Angelo, but nothing indicated that for sure. So, we just kept on driving until we found something that looked right and finally made our way to our house. Whew! What a trip!

We figured up that our shortcut saved us......are you ready for this??? Four miles!!! Four! Instead of the 70 miles we would have driven going all the way into Menard and home, we took the crazy ranch road "shortcut" and drove 66 miles. AND it took about 20 minutes longer as well!

Oh well! We did something today we had never done before -- helped Colin and Ronnie with a burn. And we went somewhere we had never been before -- wish I knew for sure where that was.....hmmmmm.... It was all fun! It was all good! It was all an adventure!

SPRING CLEANING

After a long and especially dirty Fall and Winter, I am so ready for a clean house!!! We live less than a quarter mile from a big ol' cotton gin and man, is it ever dirty around here. Cotton harvesting season begins early September and goes until it's all done, this year it was finished late January. That means the gin roars and belches dirt, dust and fibers into the air for almost half a year. Seven days a week, 24 hours a day......it runs. Fortunately, unless a real "norther" comes through (and we had a few this year) we are usually spared being covered up with the fall-out. Why don't we just move??? You know why!!! This is home -- for better or worse. AND the better is sooooo good, we can put up with the worse.

Anyway, it's time to Spring Clean!! I love it! Always have! Spring cleaning, done correctly, is quite a process. I don't take down and wash the curtains. And I don't dismantle the blinds and haul them out to the yard to wash them off. I've been involved in that kind of spring cleaning with my mother and Mamaw and, well....my "abbreviated" style will just have to do.

I cleaned my bedroom Monday, top to bottom. The above picture is of the sitting area end of the room, with everything dusted and swept and mopped and straightened......ahhhhhhhhh! I can breathe easier now -- literally --- I can breathe easier. You should have seen the pile!!! of dust bunnies and dirt I hauled out of there! And NO I didn't take a picture of that.....maybe I should have? No! No one needs to see that! You might never ever come to my house again....................

Great Morning with MOPS !!!!

Yesterday, William and I had the privilege of speaking to the MOPS group at our church. We had such a good time there, visiting with our old friends and meeting new ones. It was a very uplifting and encouraging experience for us. But, more than anything, we were just excited to see those young women - busy wives, moms, homemakers - taking time from their crazy week to connect with and encourage each other.

It made me very nostalgic about the "Old" days when I was there every Monday morning as well........some of the sweetest times of my life!! were spent with those ladies, laughing and crying and working things out.

William and I had a great time! and thank you, friends, for your friendship and love AND for the very tasty gift you gave us. Wasn't necessary, but it sure is fun!!! Thank you!

mORE cOOL aPRON sTUFF

I forgot to give these three great apron websites I found. Here they are:

apronmemories.com/aprons/
anapronaday.blogspot.com
heavenlyhostess.com

They are fun websites and these women are reeeeeaallly into aprons! Fun stuff! Check it out!

My favorite one is heavenlyhostess. Her aprons are absolutely spectacular -- quite luxurious!!!

Have fun!
Gwynie Pie

I Truly LOVE Aprons!!

Aprons are such a blast from the past, aren't they? When Mamaw tied on an apron, she meant business!!! Work was about to commence.......

The lady wearing the apron in this picture is my great-aunt Pernie. Mamaw is the one wearing the stylish hat and holding the pan; that's my mother looking at the camera -- isn't she pretty? And that's me, there in the background, dancing around, oblivious to the fact that I'm dangerously close to showing off my underpants...........

Wearing an apron to fix a meal was THE rule at Mamaw's house. Actually, I didn't know anyone who would dare to work in the kitchen without their apron --- lands sake, y'all!!

If you were female and standing around in Mamaw's kitchen, she was gonna tie an apron on you. So you just might as well go on and get happy about it!

When we sat down to eat, the aprons came off.....there was a row of cup hooks behind the big, swinging kitchen door that led out to the dining room where we hung our aprons. Then we put them on again when the meal was done. Clearing, washing, drying, putting away....all this required an apron!

I must say, when I was a teenager --- rebellious and a bit sassy ----wearing an apron was not one bit appealing! Gloria Steinham, the "ringleader" of the women's lib movement of the 60's, and her buddies thought the apron (along with the bra) was a symbol of female oppression. I was not so "evolved" in my thinking. I didn't really have a "social agenda" as to why I objected to the wearing of the apron.......

All I knew was -----wearing an apron just made me mad(der)! I mean I was already pretty ticked off that the men got to retire to the living room and relax. Mamaw would shoo them off with a "y'all just go sit and rest a while", while I seethed and gritted my teeth. She just seemed so doggone pleased about it, too! What WAS her deal, anyway????

Years later, I realized that for Mamaw, it was all about having a "servant's heart". It was all about using her talents and abilities and the areas the Lord had gifted her, to serve those she loved and those He put in her path. She was such a servant!!!

Mamaw, if she even knew who Gloria was, would have surely just felt sorry for the poor misled girl and would have called her "liberation movement" pure craziness. "Why, goodness! Whatever would I need to be liberated from?"

I always thought Mamaw must be so tired all the time. And I guess I felt a little sorry for her, doing all that planning and gathering and cooking and cleaning up afterwards. How unfair was that??? But you know what??? Today, I do the very same things. And I love it!!! I love all that planning and gathering and cooking and cleaning up afterwards.

William and I just love having people out to the house. We always eat --- ALWAYS!!! And we play games and visit. We catch up on what's happening in each other's lives. We watch football and basketball, maybe even play a little golf out front. We pile in the trucks and go down to the ranch to fish or hunt or chop firewood.

And yeah, it's work! Lots of work!!! And oh yes!!! It is soooo worth it! We do love it so!!! I guess "we get it honest".

Really, when I think of the Proverbs 31 woman, I see Mamaw. I'd love to be more like her. Because she was just being like Jesus. He was her role model. She did for others because she was infused with the love of Christ. That's what propelled her forward everyday, in every task....she just loved the Lord and did what He led her to do!!!

So, back to those aprons ----- Those aprons that once were such a symbol of female oppression.....now are to me a symbol of having a servant's heart. A symbol of doing for others from a pure heart, led by the Lord.

And as the years have passed, I'm the one admiring and scooping up aprons at thrift stores, garage sales and flea markets. And instead of being all bent out of shape about it.....I've actually promoted the wearing of aprons. HA!

(okay, the fact that I can't make my pictures post within this story is making me crazy!!!! Other bloggers reading this --- if you know the solution, help me out, please) On with the story ------

Here's my sweet Lily Kate helping her Pops and Pie make little loaves of delicious pumpkin bread this past Thanksgiving. AND she is wearing the apron (one of many) that my Mamaw made for me when I was her size. ADorAble!!!! Don't ya love it? it's come full circle now........

Love you all --

Gwynie Pie

JUNKIN'

JUNKIN' --- Friday was junkin' day with my friend, Haley. We started our day by fueling up with coffee, biscuits and gravy at the Mesquite Bean Cafe, then proceeded to the junk/resale/treasure stores. It's a good thing we had a little breakfast since at 4:30 in the afternoon, we realized we'd completely missed lunch-----------NOT my usual M.O. to miss a meal, so you know I was having a Blast!!!!

Haley was looking for things to finish off the decor in her new house. And she found some fantastic items,including a per-fect!!! chair for her living room! Also some great colorful dishes to hang, several sweet, little lamps to add spots of warmth throughout her house and bunches more great stuff!!

I was looking for something to warm up my kitchen and give it a little life!

As I have added and subtracted in my kitchen, somehow it has just become ....blah! and dull! I have always loved the color of Jadeite, a very collectible and very pricey, type of dishware from the 40s and 50s. Sooooo, I was hoping I might just stumble upon some. But I saw only one small Jadeite bowl in all our searching. However----

I DID find several pieces of this -----

Great color!! Seven Melamine plates for $4.25!!!! The two small green ones are serving as spoon rests by the stovetop....and the pink and gray ones are already in Lily Kate's toy closet....I'm sure she will be serving her famous pink and purple Playdough cookies from them very soon. ALSO found the antique glass oil lamp for $7!! and it matches another one I had. They will look great together on the mantel for a Spring look. Or I may fill them with citronella oil and actually use them on the back porch this summer!

Aren't these CUTE???? Apple-shaped pottery bowls. I've never before seen any like these. I love them!!! And can't wait to serve some apple pie in them. They were on SALE -- woohoo!! --- $10 for the set of 9 bowls.

I also snagged a raffia-wrapped wine bottle for $1. When we were first married we had in the middle of our little dining table, a wine bottle with dripping candles. Yes, I know -- the height of style! Hey --- we were college kids --- we also had black light posters in the bedroom. Anyway, I want to recreate that "centerpiece" look for Italian night when I make lasagna and spaghetti -- ambiance, ya know...... I think it'll be fun!

The little silver-plated sugar bowl was just too sweet and too cute to pass up. Another great find were the embroidered pillowcases with Mr. and Mrs. on them.....too sweet! They are very large, king-size and I might could actually use them. But I'm thinking of making a couple of throw pillows out of them for our bed.

A wonderful time was had!! and I can't wait to do it again very soon! Anyone is welcome to come along next time. I would love, love, love to put together a "junkin' tour" where a whole bunch of us girls could all go together.....I think that would be a blast!!!! We could start small and just hit a few places locally the first time. Then maybe branch out and go on an overnight tour to Fredericksburg/Mason/Kerrville/Comfort area. If you read this and are interested, let me know. It could happen!!!!

Thanks for stopping by! Good junkin'

Gwynie Pie

GREAT PARTY

As you know we have had a wedding! And last weekend, we had a party/reception/shower for well-wishers to give their congratulations to the happy couple...........

It was a great party!! I know William and I had great fun! We got to visit with friends and family and eat good food all the while. What's better than that? I ask you?? My sweet brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Charles and Elaine, cooked all the meat for the party. Delicious pork tenderloin ---- I'm talking, D-Lish-US!!!! along with wonderful pork short ribs and grilled chicken. He also made some "killer" jalapeno/cream cheese poppers that were D-vine!! Many thanks to them! Also, to my dear friend, Elaine Russo, thank you, thank you, thank you.....don't know what we'd have done without you. You were so calm and steady, you calmed me down too. And thank you Friends who stopped by to say "congratulations" to Colin and Ronnie! We had a wonderful time and we are so blessed by your presence in our lives! We love you all!

GOOD REFRESHED MONDAY MORNING !!!!!

Praise you LORD! for the rain last night!

I truly can't remember the last time it rained here. But, it IS wintertime and it IS west Texas, so we have seen it drier -- many times! I grew up here, the daughter of a dry-land cotton farmer. As such, weather was a constant discussion item in our home. And rain is so necessary for our existence! not only for farmers and their crops, but we all depend on rainfall, whether we all know that or not. Some see it as a nuisance, but we gotta have it!!

I suppose it's because of my farmer girl upbringing that I am such a fan of rain -- any amount and any way it is delivered -- I love it! My Daddy was that way too. I remember a conversation Daddy and I had about rain. William and I and the boys lived in the College Station area of Texas for a couple of years. College Station is 90 miles from Houston, very coastal, almost tropical -- very humid and rainy. We mowed our lush green yard in the middle of February! In shorts and t-shirt!!! A real treat for us dried out flat-landers.

Anyway, I digress -- I was on the phone talking to my Daddy during one of the many, almost daily, rain storms we were experiencing. The whole Texas Gulf coast area was caught up in a pattern of tropical depressions, disturbances and storms. We even had one full grown hurricane that season. The storms lined up that year in such a way that it would start raining on Tuesday and by Saturday, when the Aggies were playing football, the storm was really coming down. We had to invest in a bunch of rain ponchos for game days. The Aggies, by the way, won the Big XII that year!!! They do better in the rain, too. I just always think of our time in Bryan/College Station as a series of "treats" the Lord lined up for us. The constant rain was just one of many. (I'll tell you about more of those "treats" in later posts.)

So, my Daddy says "So, how does it rain there?" with a little longing in his voice. It was a pretty dry season "back home", much like what we are currently experiencing. That might seem like a strangely worded question to some I'm supposing. But to me....I knew exactly what he meant. I said "well, is just kind of cloudy and then the sky opens up and it just rains -- it just falls out of the sky, straight down." "Yeah, that's what I thought," he said with a kind of heavy sigh. And we went on with the rest of the conversation. I mean it just rained there. No big bad wind or storm warnings. No hail. Just rain -- straight down! Ahhhhhhh

Rain just has such a way of refreshing. I love it! And when we've been without measurable rainfall for as long as we have this time, I start to feel it in my skin, in my attitude, in my very being. Can you imagine how it must have felt when Elijah prayed that it NOT rain and it didn't for 3 and a half years!!!! WOW!!! Now that's a long dry spell! "Again, he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." James 5: 18

That story, told in I Kings 17, always comes to my mind when we are experiencing long dry times. I find myself wondering "Who is praying?" AND for what? AND by whose request? The dry times Elijah prayed for and then prayed would end, had a greater purpose. The LORD desired the people's attention turned back to Him. He doesn't, then or now, tolerate our idols and false gods. The LORD will not share the glory with any other god. God Almighty is our sole source of ALL our provision! And that includes every drop of precious rain that falls.

"LORD, thank you for the rain you sent on our parched land and our parched skin and our parched being. You know all our needs and we trust you fully to provide what we truly need. So, Lord send the rain! Send your rain to our innermost parts. Refresh us with your Word. Refresh us with your rain! We give you and you alone our praise!!"

PARTY ON !!!!!!!

I am gonna get pictures on here!! Really I am! Just as soon as I figure out that part. I'll be calling on some of you other kind blogger friends to help me!!!!

Today is already Thursday?? I can't believe it's Thursday already!!!! I really ought to be in a big panic by now, really I figured I'd flip out way before now. But I'm surprisingly, even somewhat suspiciously calm. Hmmm?

As some of you know, my oldest son, Colin got married to the love of his life, Ronnie, last month right after Christmas. Because they really wanted a very intimate wedding with their immediate family and very closest friends in attendance, only those people were invited to the wedding. The wedding was way out in the remote, west Texas panhandle area and was quite a drive for most friends, especially during the holidays. Soooo, we planned a big reception/shower/party and have invited everyone to come celebrate their marriage with us. Saturday is party day! Yea! I am so excited on many levels -- 1. I love parties! Actually, I love hosting parties way better than attending parties, and 2. I love planning parties! also 3. we will get to sit and visit with friends - old and new. But mostly, 4. I have never seen my son, Colin, so happy. Ever! In his whole life! What a joy it has been to see God orchestrate this love story! It all happened very quickly, very calmly and without any drama at all. It's been so much fun and we've all just been "kicked back" about it all. Which is my only explanation for the lack of panic today. I've been so "kicked back" I just haven't even made any lists.

I am a big planner and all in all, a better than average organized person. I always, always have lists going. Grocery list, chore list, weekend work list, home repair list, ranch work list, books I love list, on and on it goes. I work off of lists, my life revolves around lists. And, I , for the most part, usually have it pretty together....because of my lists!!!! For an event of this magnitude, I really ought to have a minimum of 4 lists going for several weeks now, just to keep it all straight. But, I don't!! Yesterday was the first time I made a list of any kind for the party and that was just for groceries. So the fact that it is already Thursday and we have a party happening in about 48 hrs. to which I have invited 300 of our closest friends and family AND I'm not in full blown, sitting in a corner, whimpering panic ---- remarkable!! really, truly remarkable!!

Just a few hrs. ago, well, several hrs. ago now -- I did wake up at 4 a.m., wild-eyed and staring out into the dark and wondering "where might I find some tablecloths??, huh??? where? and what do ya think ya might want to put in the middle of those tables with those tablecloths that I'm gonna find wherever it is you get tablecloths? huh??? AND what are we gonna do with ......" Good Grief!! I neeeeeeeeed some lists!!!!!!!! Gotta go now. Gotta go make lists. Gotta preserve what bits of sanity I have left. (to be continued.......)