Umm, yes we're related!

I was relaxing in my backyard this evening, while keeping an eye on the chickens with my laptop and found a few pictures in the "archives" to share! After having one chicken taken by a bobcat while I was letting them wander in the yard, I try to keep a pretty close eye on them. I nearly dropped my laptop when one of them thought my little toe looked tastey! OUCH! This was my brother's safe! I guess he was worried about that Lone Star stealing armadillo.(old commercial) I prefer wine! Hmm, hold on while I pour a glass! mmm Woodbridge moscato!

This is my "baby" brother with his precious kitty, Gottlieb. He is named after our great-grandfather. He also calls the cat "fat juicey". Go figure! My "baby" brother is 6' 2" and I am 5' 2"--again, go figure!

Here is "baby" brother again. We were tearing down an old house on some of my Dad's property. He was taking a break!

Yes, that is him again-on my roof. I think he was helping me get a load of crushed granite with his truck. Now he setting a fine example for the youngsters!

Yikes! Husband and two sons swimming in the tank at the ranch! There was no swimming this year. The tank was dried up from the drought.

Who knew that my oldest son could double dutch? I don't remember what got us started jumping rope at this family gathering? My brother and sister-in-law are the rope turners.

How about this for an April Fool's cake. Litter Box Cake! Tootsie Rolls heated in the microwave can be stretched to lend the litter box authenticity. They can also burn fingers! No rhyme, reason or even a point. How is that for a post?

Ya'll come back but don't expect a point.

Lorilee

My Evening Entertainment!

I couldn't resist another peek at the baby doves. Their mom built her nest on the porch of the Purple Martin house.

The dragonflies are also prolific in my yard. This one was quite cooperative about being photographed. I would have liked a bit more light! I don't get home and out into the yard until late in the evening.

This Duranta is blooming despite the heat and very little rain. Eventhough I am a summer person, I am ready for some cooler fall-like weather. Summer isn't as much fun without lakes and ponds to swim in!

School is keeping me quite busy. I teach two pre-kindergarten classes. My morning group has 21 students, and my afternoon group has 19 students at this time. There was lots of crying the first two days--the kicking, screaming and trying to run away kind. I am so thankful to have a wonderful assistant. That was pretty exhausting. Most are coming in quite happily with big smiles now. A few cry for Mom and Dad's sake, but they stop as soon as we get to the room! I am SO glad it is Friday. I need some extra sleep desperately!

Ya'll Come Back!

Lorilee

Yes, we have no bananas!

Look what I found on my banana tree! Some sad bananas! It has been SO dry here that I am surprised to see any at all! We have finally been getting some rain-not a deluge but an inch here and there. We'll take anything we can get!
Ya'll Come Back!
Lorilee

My youngest chickens are starting to have bigger and redder combs! This is a sign that they should be laying soon! I can hardly wait to see what color their eggs will be!

I also took a peek at the dove nest that I've been watching! The babies had hatched!

Hopefully, I can take photos every few days and record their progress!

Ya'll Come Back!

Lorilee

"New" Chair, Chickens, and a Snake!

I had a sweet surprise waiting for me this evening. This chair was in my backyard. My sweety's parents brought it over. It belonged to my sweety's grandmother. She is now in a nursing home. Sadly, her house has been burlarized 2 times in the last month or so. They are trying to move things out before everything gets stolen!

While I was straightening the patio so that I could put the chair on it, one of my chickens squawked and flew across the yard. I looked for the dogs. They were just as startled as I was. I walked over to where the chicken had been and saw this garter snake! I guess she doesn't like snakes!

The girls really enjoy getting to roam in the evenings! They crowd around the gate of their run when they hear or see me outside.

It was getting pretty dark, and I was forced to use the flash. It sure makes their feathers shine.

Ya'll Come Back!

Lorilee

Finished! At Last

These were my old curtains. I made them shortly after we moved in 11 years ago.

I decided to make new curtains several weeks ago. After much agonizing and asking my mother-in-law for decorating advice, this is the result. The brass looking beads remind me of the nailheads on our sofa and loveseat.

I finally decided on a simple shirred top.

I went floor length this time and added sheers.

This is the what you see as you walk in our front door. My sweety is on his "side" of the sofa.I sit on the other end to blog, watch TV or do needlework!

Ya'll Come Back!

Lorilee

Cross Collection

What started as one cross bought at a Renaissance fair has become a collection. The middle cross also came from a Renaissance fair. The outer two came from market days in Gruene, Texas. We bought them while celebrating our 21st anniversary.

We have more crosses in our living room on each side of a Stickley mirror that my sweety's sister found at an estate sale . It is SO heavy.

The iron cross in this grouping on the other side of the mirror is the cross that started the collection!

This St. Brigid's cross of reeds hangs above the mirror.

The picket cross, visible from my kitchen window was a gift. When we are not experiencing a drought, there are vines growing on the fence around it.

This ceramic cross was a Bunco prize!

Another Bunco prize. I thought this would be an appropriate collection to share on a Sunday!

Ya'll Come Back!

Lorilee

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cake

This is another cake from one of my favorite recipe books, The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn.
For Cake:
1 package plain devil's food cake mix
1 can (21 oz.) Cherry Pie Filling
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or mist 9 x 13 pan. Place cake mix, pie filling, eggs, and extract in mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Then mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until it springs back when lightly pressed with finger. Cool for 20 minutes and prepare the glaze.

Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1 package (6 oz.) or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Place the sugar, butter, and milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips. When the chips have melted and the glaze is smooth, pour it over the warm cake so that it covers the entire surface. The glaze will be thin but will harden. Cool for 20 more minutes before cutting.
My teenage son loves this cake. I do to!

It was half gone before I could take a photo!

Ya'll Come Back!

Lorilee

Rain, Rain, Come Our Way!

We finally had an inch of rain last night! My 14-year-old was even excited and played in the rain! I saw clouds again this evening! I hope they bring more rain.

They do look promising.

My Passionvine is even celebrating the rain.

Thunderheads are very exciting when you are in a drought. Now that the sun has set, I can even see lightning.

I also found a small bird egg. I wanted to take a photo of it, but Aretha noticed it and came and ate it.

In my district, it was the first day back at work for teachers. We spent most of the day in a campus meeting. I worked on my classroom from 3 to 5. My blogging time will be more limited now!

Ya'll Come Back!

Lorilee

Packrat Fever!

I though I'd share a few more of the odds and ends that I have around my house! I think this beaded purse is so pretty. I don't remember where it came from.

If anyone knows anything about it, let me know!

Hairpins.

Evening in Paris bottles.

Avon calling!

I love the different designs on the various Avon powder tins!

And yes, I am a packrat!

Ya'll Come Back!

Lorilee

Glitz and Glamour!

I was fascinated with these pins when I was a young child! Nothing has really changed except that I have gotten older! The only one that I bought is the round blue pin on the upper left!

Ya'll Come Back!

Lorilee

Toes and Headstands

Last Thursday, I spent the afternoon and evening with my sister-in-law, nephews and niece! I had promised Bug that I would paint her toenails and put flowers on them just like mine! She decided on pink toes and purple flowers. Then she wanted me to use the same kind of flowers! Those tiny toes are not easy to paint.

When PaPa came home we looked at photos on the computer. It is behind the door. He had to lay in the recliner this way to see the screen around our heads!

After the girls painted toenails, the guys wanted to learn to do handstands. So we worked on that. For some reason my neck feels shorter! Alec had to show PaPa.

Bug needed a little help from her big brother!

Willie took his turn showing PaPa what he could do. I had to prove to my baby brother (a.k.a. PaPa) that I could still do a handstand too! But I didn't give him the camera!

Ya'll Come Back!

Lorilee