We're Back.....

Another long day at many airports plus a 2 hour drive home but we are finally back in the daisy patch. We are both really pooped posies so we are headed to bed. The animals were really glad to see us and haven't left our side since arriving home.

The flower bed is calling.....it's good to be home!

Fall Follage

This is my very favorite scene on my drive to work. As you can see the leaves in the Blue Ridge Mountains are changing colors. This scene changes every season. It reminds me of a Charles Wysocki painting. It never fails to take my breath away!

Welcome to my Part of the World.....meet my neighbors















Yes, in the country we boogie till the cows come home !





























It's raining leaves....everywhere!

Wordless Wednesday...from our grapevine

Mr. Wonderful and I processed these last night for making grape jelly.

Planting a vegetable garden

The weather is perfect today to plant our vegetable garden. We have been so busy during the summer that we have not tried to plant a vegetable garden in the three years that we have been here. We usually are gone several weeks in the summer with no one to tend the garden so have not even tried to plant vegetables.

In the past, we would ask our kids to water the garden for us only to find everything dead when we returned ( as they forgot to water till the night before we returned.) Mr. Wonderful made me some lovely raised beds in our former home so I do miss those.

We had a farmer neighbor come plow our designated patch and we have spent the last few days roto tilling the ground to remove the grass. It has been very hard work just to prepare the soil so we can plant. This afternoon we are getting the plants to put in and will stake the garden. Got to go get the plants.....more later!

Daisy Patch.....here I come!

It's a very rainy day in New York Today. We are headed home so will be driving in the rain most of the day. We've had a wonderful time here in the Big Apple and it makes me sad to leave two of my children behind.

It thrills me to know that they are thriving in a huge city that never sleeps. The transition is complete....they've flown from the nest and are making their own way, paying their bills, and even taking Mom and Dad out!

The Big Apple isn't all that big! Manhattan is actually only 12.5 miles long. However, 1.6 million people live on that island and 8 million in New York City. That's a lot of people for this country girl. I'm looking forward to getting back to a simplier life style and lots more elbow room.

My little country cottage, vegetable garden and flower patch are looking really good right now.
Hope to catch ya later today........back in my own daisy patch!

Have you ever seen an Alpaca?

It's a beautiful spring day today and Mr. Wonderful and I went to the "Folk Arts Festival" at Blue Ridge Community College this morning. It's a fun festival ( especially if you like Cloggers....there were a bunch of them preforming!)

There were lots of crafts, concessions, pony rides, blacksmiths, and even alpacas. I had never seen an alpaca before.

Apparently they are related to camels and llamas. The two that I saw had very large fuzzy heads and a long neck. They had sweet faces but looked rather comical and out of porportion with the long neck. They had been shaved for their wool. There was a display of how to spin the "Wool" into yarn which is very soft.

It always amazes me how creative people can be. I saw some very cute birdhouses made out of old Cowboy Boots and traditional bird houses with the roof portion made from pot lids. We bought a few "mother's day" gifts for me so Mr. Wonderful can surprise me with them on Mother's Day. (That's his favorite way to shop!) It wouldn't have been hard for him to choose the Daisy ear rings but this way he knows I'll like them!

I also had my first "Funel Cake!". ( Ok, I can cross that off my list now.) It was really good and interesting to watch them make them. The batter is literally poured out through a funnel into a cast iron skillet and deep fried. When the batter rises they flip it over and cook the other side and slide it on to a plate and sprinkle powder sugar on it. You have to eat it right away! Mr. Wonderful says the only downside of funnel cakes is that you end up "wearing it" the rest of the day.....the powdered sugar goes all over your clothes! Each funnel cake comes out different with very elaborate designs and lots of holes.

It was a fun outing and the perfect way to spend a spring morning.

Favorite Picture of the Nest

Favorite Picture of the Nest
Originally uploaded by Momma B.

This is my absolutely favorite picture of our little country cottage. The snow almost makes it look "magical".

My first Blog entry

 Here it is....a blank page and my first post on my own website.....Welcome to almost 2004!

 Christmas was wonderful because all the "chicks" were in the nest. It was a very full nest to be sure as we have less than 1,000 square feet and only two bedrooms.  We had a girl's dorm and a boy's dorm.

 The girls (Becky and Suzy) were in Charlie's office and the boys (Tim, Mike and Andy) were in the living room.

 Christmas was wonderful because of the addition of two Christmas Kittens: JJ and Lucy. It is amazing to me how two little balls of fluff can amuse a whole household of adults and keep us laughing.

 Christmas was wonderful because of visits from family members: Brother Jay stopped by for a few hours from Richmond as well as a visit from Barbara , Joe and my Mom on the Tuesday before Christmas.

 Christmas was wonderful because of the cards, letters, and baby pictures from friends that we had not heard from in a long time. How wonderful to "catch up" on the lives of friends and family.

 Christmas was wonderful for relaxing, refreshing, and just being lazy. The country gives a sense of peace and serenity that Savannah never offered. Just being able to see cows out the back window and the beauty of a sunset in your own back yard gives me a deep appreciation for all my blessings.

 Christmas was wonderful because of Charlie, Becky, Suzy, Andy, Tim and Mike all together under the same roof and with me. What more could a mother ask for?