Grandsons are the greatest....especially mine!

Jeremy Todd

Grandaughters are so much fun.....

Loves to bake....

Ashlynn Faith

By Rachel Page Elliott

Balm brings you sympathy and Marjoram joy
Sage is long life...Sweet Woodruff augurs well for health
A blessing richer far than wealth.
Herb of sweet omen, Rosemary conveys
Affection and remembrance all your days.
May Heaven and Earth and Man combine
To keep these blessings ever thine.

Old red...old brown...old yellow.....

Bricks! My backyard has thousands of used bricks I have made into planters and paths. Some of the bricks are a hundred years old and many came from downtown Fort Worth when old buildings were torn down. I decided to do brick paths around the backyard some time ago and yesterday I added a second row to all the paths I laid out last week. I have a few areas I need to work on, but for the most part I am done with bricks... until my neighbor brings me more! Moving bricks is hard on the back and hard on the hands! Friends are amazed at what I have done in the yard in such a short time. Once I have something in mind to do...well, I keep at it until it is completely finished. The best part of all this hard work...I sleep well at night after being not only in the sun......but from hard physical labor!

Gardening

Wow! Gardening feeds my soul, but it certainly plays havoc with my body!! I hurt every where....every muscle...every joint...I hurt in places I have never hurt before.......but, I loved every moment of working in the yard this past week. My neighbor gave me a large amount of bricks from one of his job sites and I recycled them into paths and planters. For two days I moved those bricks all around the backyard until the pile of bricks was almost gone. I told Bobby I would take as much bricks as he could bring me......today I am rethinking those words. Ah, maybe not!
The vegetable garden is growing and I am so proud of it!! I have lots of squash, peppers, tomatoes and hopefully the watermelon and cucumbers will grow as well. The herb garden has basil, oregano, tarragon, dill, and a few other ones as well. I worked hard putting in the vegetable garden in the backyard and the hot Texas sun is making sure everything grows! I planted a bit more than I needed because I was figuring some of it would not make it.......well, I might have to put a vegetable stand in my front yard by the looks of what is happening in my backyard!! There is still lots to do in the backyard, but I have come a long way since I moved into the house. Planter beds are all laid out and I am working on what flowers I would like to plant. Lots of color......lots of plants......lots of work...lots of fun!!

First picture: Used brick my neighbor brought to me. In the back ground is the divider I made out of an old brick mailbox post and branches cut from my pecan tree.

Second picture: The brick walk way leads up to the BBQ area and butts up to pieces of the old sidewalk which was torn up in the front yard last spring and I recycled them for a pathway. Off in the distance on the fence you can see (sorta) my collection of bird houses I nailed to the fence along with china plates. The watermelons I planted are surrounded by the bricks laying to the right of the walkway. Once the plants take off growing I will remove the bricks. I get to running around that backyard so fast that I had to protect the garden from my big feet! There is a top to an antique pedestal sink laying in the midst of old street concrete the work crew brought me planted with two kinds of mint.

Third picture: This picture shows part of the vegetable garden on both sides of the walkway and the BBQ area (big smoker!). I am in the process of collecting things to hang on the fence for this area and it has been lots of fun trying to see what I can find. First on the list is a big Texas star.

Fourth picture: Here you can see part of the vegetable garden and part of the planting station. The planting station was made around a cement slab that was probably laid the same time the house was built (1919). One afternoon I decided to see what was under the dirt...oh my gosh, that was an afternoon to say the least!! Hot day.....and I kept saying I was not going to uncover all of it, but my curiousity got the best of me. I am now showing off to friends and neighbors what I found under the dirt in my backyard. That day I also came across an "old gas pipeline"......YIKES! Fortunately for me....it was capped off, but it got my heart racing!!

Fifth picture: This picture shows part of the back yard. Off in the distance you can see what is left of that big pile of bricks my friend gave me.....almost gone! Under the pecan tree is where I have my bird feeders placed.....lots of beautiful birds out here in Texas. Bricks are the paths and borders for future flower beds.

Ashlynn's artwork to her Grammie...

Ashlynn is very creative.....just like her Mommie.

Gotta love Texas!!!????!!!

Patterson Drilling
Abilene, TX

During clean up around the yard of Patterson Drilling...a forklift driver moved some dirt......he stopped and called his boss...."I need some men down here with shotguns! Rattlesnakes!!"

Shoot 'em up cowboy!! When the smoke settled....62 were dead and that many more got away!

Photos posted on the blogspot

Ok........you've noticed! I am struggling getting my photos posted without having the white "ring around the photo look". Try as I may.....I just can't seem to upload the photo to look professional. I am still trying. In the meantime.......chuckle......smile........and LOL.......it's okay. Laughter and humor are good for the soul!!!

My little boy grew up........

My son, Tony, was full of energy when he was small. I see that in his son, Matthew, as well. I chuckle when I remember those "rollie pollies" in the washing machine all mixed up with squashed snails floating on top of the water. Nap time was a good time way back then....just as I imagine nap time is a good time now!!

Another of God's rich blessings....sons.

Miss you Tony......you are a wonderful son and a great dad!!

How did my little girls grow up so fast.....?

God blessed me with two daughters...
Breezy and Summer...
both girls have grown up to become beautiful women. I miss them terribly because they live so far from me......but, I just have to close my eyes and they are sitting by my side.

They are one of my life's greatest blessings......love you girls and I miss you.......

OXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Grandchildren are lovely reminders of what we are here for.....

I look into the faces of my
grandchildren and I see the past.
My children are having children of
their own....what a blessing!

My grandchildren remind me so
much of their parent at that age.....
kisses...hugs...smiles.......oh, what
joy to the heart grandchildren bring!

Gardening feeds the soul......

Gardening has become a passion for me. Until I moved to Texas I really did not garden. I had a beautiful backyard in California, but someone else was making sure every plant and flower was carefully planted and cared for......I just reaped the fruits of someone else's labor. I come from a family who has always enjoyed "playing" in the garden so, I can't really explain why it took me so long to get my hands "dirty"....but dirty my hands have become and are likely to stay that way until my front and backyard are completely planted! I keep a journal of all I have done in the past year and I take lots of pictures to show the progress of my garden. Tending a garden is like having children in your home.....you have to nurtured it constantly pray over it, and if you do go away for the weekend.....well, in this hot sun of Texas......ya'll need a friend to water for you or your plants are gone in just a couple days. I have taken an empty canvas and am in the process of turning the yard into a thing of beauty. I am happy to say my yard is looking good, but the most important thing about gardening.....it makes me happy! This is my second summer in Texas and I have learned quite a bit about Texas gardening.......there is a saying here..."what the sun doesn't get.....the bugs will!!" Bugs.......lots of bugs!! Last year a neighbor of mine was always giving me packets of seeds....fertilizer....and helpful tips of working the awful Texas clay.....thanks Matt. Another neighbor of mine, Bobby, helped me turn over the soil in the flower beds with one of his electric spades he uses in his foundation business. His wife, Nimia, and I helped each plant one another's flower beds. Friendly people these Texans!! One of my favorite flowers (besides the Texas bluebonnet I planted) is the Diamond Frost plant shown in the pictures. Lots of tiny white flowers which attract the most beautiful butterflies.
(These pictures are from last year.......I have enlarged the front flower beds and soon as the new plants have grown a bit more I will proudly post those as well.)

Grandchildren are one of God's biggest blessings.......

There is Ashlynn......Jeremy.....Matthew.....and Becky......

My family.......

We all welcomed little Becky to the family last December....

Little Yellow House in North Texas.....The beginning

This little Texas house was built in 1919 and stands in one of Ft. Worth's oldest historic districts. The windows are all original....most of the wooden floors are too...if you climb into the attic you will find two fireplace chimneys. After investigating I found out the living room fireplace is one of the chimneys and the other once was for the fireplace which at one time was in the kitchen. The biggest thing you will notice when you are up in the attic is not only the vastness of the attic, but there is NO insulation any where to be found! What does that mean? Cold, very cold in the winter!!! One of my most favorite parts of the house is the front porch. When I am not planting front and backyard gardens.....that is where you will find me!

Happy Mother's Day

To all the women in my life.....I hope you had a very blessed Mother's Day.


Happy Mother's Day to my Mother.....I love you!!

Brother of mine..........

This handsome guy is my "little" brother showing off his latest toy. He and his daughter, Jessica, ride the hills of Arizona together. Fun times!!