Come for Christmas Open House

I will have Open House at my Hill Farm cabin Sat. Dec. the 6th, from 9am--5pm.
I would love for you to come by. I have some new things. The newest project is my new DVD, ''Storytime with Aunt Maria''. I will have them Sat. and a DVD player so you can take a peek.

Cutting Boards

Neat little gifts for the kitchen.

The Old Farm

These are some old crates I have painted with farm scenes. They can be filled with greenery and I didn't have time to do that.

Giving thanks.

I am thankful for family, friends ,a warm home, and food from my garden bounty.

God is so good to us we are so blessed in this country we live in. We all need to take time to name our blessings. Name them one by one as the song says...

Happy Thanksgiving

Aunt Maria

This is a card I designed in 2006.

Look at this!!!

I looked out the window and was surprised to see this hawk on top of my bird feeder. I took the picture through the window.

One day I saw him swoop down after the little birds at the feeder. He wasn't fast enough, they got away. He has even gone after my chickens.

Some chickens went missing---I guess he has to eat too.

Help!!!!

My poor little scared birds---Had to scatter for their life. This hawk is not eating bird seeds , he hopes a little bird is in side

Pear tart.

I made a very rustic pear tart with the last big pear. The crust is made with whole wheat flour.

The Christmas jar and cup will be gifts.

The cup is a single cup cake and the quart will make M and M cookies.

Pretty fall colors.

Come on up for a visit--- Fall is fine and Thanksgiving is good food family and friends.

Aunt Maria's Cabin

This picture was made when the pear tree still had pears.

Aunt Maria's Cabin

A little snow for Christmas mood.

Country Life!

Come in visit for a while.

Nativity

This is a Christmas card I designed last year

while waiting in the Drs. office.

Bird Houses!!

Another spot in the Cabin---I guess you think I have lots of things, I do and I have enjoyed making, painting and creating over the years. God has been so good to me that I have been able to go in so many directions with my art.

Folk Art is my style.

More Things!!

Another spot in the Cabin.

35 yrs. old and still holding together.

This was a 4-H project many years ago.

She holds a favorite spot on a cabinet in the cabin. Papier mache Llama.

Christmas tree

More things in the cabin.

Altered Art

This is in the Cabin also ---I am a great chicken lover as you can see.

Little display

This is not a very good picture--This is just a few things in the Cabin .

Come over for a visit. Miss Millie will welcome you--Black Kitty.

Pears

This is the last of the pears. I just wanted to share with you ---the size of the large pear compared to the regular pears.
I will make a pear tart with the big boy.

End of season.

All these vegetables looked so good still in the garden, but it was going to frost and get cold so we picked all of them. You can see what I made with them in the next picture.

LAST OF THE GARDEN.

This is Dixie Relish or some might call it Chow Chow---which ever it is delicious with beans and meat. I always make this if we have green tomatoes and green or red peppers in the garden at the end of the season. It also takes cabbage and onions. I grind, sprinkle with salt ,mix well and let it sit for a couple of hours. Use a collinder to drain and press as it is draining to get all the liquid out .Pour out the liquid. Season the relish with 5% apple cider vinegar, took over a gallon for this batch.Sugar to taste , celery seeds, mustard seeds and turamic , cook until it changes color---Put in hot sterlized jars and seal. Does not have to be hot water bathed.
If you like it hot put in hot peppers when grinding
the mixture.Try some .

Ms. Henny and Mr .Squirrel

One of my true children's books--here on the farm you find true stories to write about every day. It is filled with watercolored pictures I have drawn to go along with the story. Ms. Henny was a good mother hen protecting her brood from even the squirrel.

Father and daughters at flea market.

They have treasures in the onion bags and it is not onions. The white bag holds guineas and a rabbit in the other hand. The red bag holds red hens and the other hand holds her dad's wooden bucket---He always finds wooden boxes or buckets.

He loves to show off his girls to his buddies and brag about them taking care of him. Well he lost his walking stick--what happened.

A day at the Ardmore Flea Market.

I know why it's called flea market--- Used to be they sold and swapped dogs at this flea market and lots of other flea markets too. They sell chickens, guineas,ducks, goats ,rabbits and many other things too numerous to mention. Along with this they tell lots of tales and stories

Guineas

I was surprised with some new birds to care for. I wanted some guineas but didn't know I was getting them. An early birthday gift.

Waiting!

This is ,Cat in The Garden and Sister. It makes them happy to be fed and play with them but that's a cats life---oh maybe a few other things like chasing birds and mice and watching me.
They have a simple life not like the humans that care for them.

Two happy cats.

What makes you happy?
Happiness is described in the Life Application Bible like this. Everyone wants to be happy collecting things, spending money and searching for new experiences. But if happiness depends on these things what happens when the toys rust, loved ones die, health deteriorates, money is gone, and the party is over?
In contrast to happiness stands JOY. Running deeper and stronger, joy is the quiet,confident assurance of God's love and work in our lives---that he will be there no matter what!
Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends Christ.
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again:Rejoice

Hiding Nattie cat

She sees me coming by and jumps on me.

See, she only needs to see me with one eye.

Cats are so sneaky -- they like to play hide and seek.

I do beleive I need to write about all my cats ---they are all so differen from one another. I have four.

Nattie cat lives in the house. Miss Millie lives in my studio or cabin.

Cat in the garden and sister live out side , both are black and white.

''There's A Cat IN My Garden''

She surprises me all the time hiding among things in my garden.

I do think there is a short story here.

Little Vission

She came to the party but it didn't much interest her.

I call her my,'' Little Cupie Doll, ''see the little curl on top of her sweet little round head.

Heidi

The dog was something to feel of--more interesting than any party.

Opening gifts.

Lots to see.

Bryleigh's Birthday Party

Two years old Saturday and had lots of fun with all the family eating and playing.

Opening gifts was so exciting for all the little cousins they just had to help.

Time for bed.

Look how they have grown--the two young game pullets. They get on the plow handles every evening and fry up into the pear tree and hide.

We have a barn owl that has caught some from the trees, so they know to hide.

My old sign.

I like to take pictures when it is late in the evening---I think it gives everything a new look.

Lucious pears.

Very large for now--- by October they will be larger.

Pears

They are very large and will be ready in October.

School Days

Wheel School students of Mrs. Jessie Russel.

This must have been about 1948-49 school yr.

The little boy on front row is my baby brother

Larry. He got a special day with us.

I am second row on the left. Next to me is my friend Jo Ann, my cousin June, my friend Bonnie, another friend Beatrice , then Mrs Jessie.

I think this was all 8th grade girls and maybe 7th also.

Something old to ponder!!!

Mt Lebanon Church group ---Bible School
in the 19 50's.
Stanley Henley pastor on top row far right.
Myrtle Boyce third row with Erma Cook next to her.
You can pick out lots of friends you know on here.

Sorry I got everyone side ways.

More tomatoes!!!

Oh boy !!! Finished canning tomatoes and damsons finally. I canned 100 qts. tomatoes and many jar of damson preserves---also 15 qts. damsons for cobblers.
I enjoy preparing the tomatoes for canning they are so beautiful.
I gave lots of the damsons away the tree had so many on it. This has been a bountiful year for fruit. I thank God for all these wonderful things to eat and share. Apples next.
Not many figs though but what the tree has are sooo sweet.

Tales of old.

Great grandpa took a little break from washing canning jars to tell Hunter and Hailee a few stories from when he was a boy. The damson tree made a good shade tree too.

The story was about the time he and some of his brothers took a ride down the hill in the buggy without a horse and ran over the big pig. All survived without any broken bones although the buggy turned over.

Uncle Omar

Great grandpa got in on the work too.

My angel.

There is my angel looking over my little rag tag garden .

Her halo hangs a little bit to the side. I guess our halo hangs a little bit to the side sometimes too. God still loves us anyways.

Partrige in a pear tree?

This is a hiding place for my two little game chicks. They flew from the plow handles high up into the pear tree.

Time for bed.

These two young chicks are looking up for a high place. In this high place they hide for the night.

These are game chicks they are more like wild birds when it comes to roosting at night.

Saturday finished for the week.

O Lord---I give thanks for the beauty and delicious things. Amen

Pie anyone?

I guess you would like for me to show you something more interesting than homemade apple pie?

Sunkissed fruit.

Organic fruit grown in the sun and rain.

Sooo sweet.

Cari

Cari seemed to enjoy her day on the farm.