The Good Old Days

I look back on how my grandparents used to live on a tiny little farm in central Ohio, back then we were told stories about the good ole days they had, which were much more rustic than anything I ever lived through and I think I might have liked it. I want to live on a farm again. I've been told I am crazy, it is long hours and a lot of work, so I want to live on a farm with someone who will work hard with me. That way I won't have to do it all myself and maybe I could get a back rub now and then. 

Anyways, grandma and grandpa grew their own garden, had a grape vine on a trellis that we used as a fort, we had a couple of milking cows and made fresh butter, we had some stinky pigs that produced yummy bacon and a horse that grandpa would give me rides on, even after a long work day. Oh, how things are different today and no wonder families are not happy anymore...they just aren't living life.;' 

My brother, sister and I stayed at my grandparents every weekend and I loved it. Under the willow tree was our imaginary world, we rode bikes up and down the gravel lane, I loved playing with metal Tonka trucks scooping up dirt and moving it into a pile to play cars on or race ants. I got exercise running from bees, because I was so afraid of them. I was always getting stung even when I didn't try to disturb them. It must have been all that sweetness of my personality. 

Grandma took us to church every Sunday and after church we had a big Sunday dinner where all the kids and grand kids could come over to eat. I never knew until I was grown with kids and grandpa had passed that he made the meat for dinner in a pressure cooker and started the potatoes and veggies, so when "Maw" got home she could finish up before everyone gathered. I miss that most of all, when it was a few of us we got to sit at the table with the grown ups, I don't miss all the food my uncles ate, because I was too slow eating. They'd just grab your plate if all the other food was gone and eat it up.  

We made our own fun. My most favorite thing was playing hide and seek in the barn. One side was grandpa's hangout with his boys and the other was for the tractor, hay loft and animal feed, but it was my place to sneak around and explore, at least, until I got caught. We were not supposed to play in the barn and it was adventurous and scary when grandpa opened the barn door and got onto us for being inside again. I loved that forbidden place.

How to make butter:

Grandma made butter using a butter churn, but you can make it without one. Pour cream into a mason jar and screw on the lid and shake the jar for 15-20 minutes until a soft clump of butter forms. Pour the liquid buttermilk off into a separate jar and keep it for a buttermilk recipe. The solid butter can be placed in a tub or wrapped in a piece of plastic.

One year, four months and so many days later....I last blogged about something

I started a blog January 1st of LAST year and here I am, one year, four months and so many days later posting an apology for letting things go. I still have A.D.D., nope, not a cure yet, so I continue to multi-task like a mad woman.

This week I'm working on that town festival I told you about when I was cleaning important papers out of my office area. One day, my ever faithful 7-year-old computer crashed then I got a back up computer online but soon it crashed too. I know why and it's my fault I didn't monitor the kids gaming online better. Enough said...

I let my youngest daughter play games online and after I established the trust factor not to go anywhere you want online rule and it was going pretty good until three became a crowd of let's do what we want she'll never notice. I was loving my quiet time, working without distraction was a bliss I can't explain. I get enough distractions with my A.D.D. issues, ya know. Well, not long after, BOOM, the crew clicked on an ad to a "really cool looking game" and my computer went bye bye, the motherboard, punished me for not being a better mother. Now I am a sergeant major again when they are online. Yes, I knew better, but I enjoyed not having interruptions and getting work done. Oh, the sacrifices we make in life.

My latest PC is sitting in the "office" collecting dust, it works but there is a reason I am not using it as often. Well, my super awesome son gave me his new laptop, he prefers his smart phone better, so happy birthday to me! I can now move around the house working online and getting comfy in my favorite chair.

That's my summer catch up session, not sure when I'll be back, maybe soon. I expect it won't be long, my youngest daughter who is still in elementary will be home-schooled this year. She has a disability and has suffered discrimination and bullying that has brought me to this point, but that may be a story for another day.

Discovery Education Streaming is free until August 31st. I found this on a cool home school site.

I'm always open to great ideas on where to get homeschooling materials for elementary students. Leave a comment if you have something to share.

This has tutorials on many primitive projects. American Prim such as Aging & Stenciling Signs. On the Sew Chatty website there is more than sewing going on there, check out the Four Ingredient Caramel Corn and learn to paint with acrylic on Craftsy and first lesson in underpainting.

Crocheting is my favorite thing to do. Here are 11 different stitches for granny squares of afghans.  Summer baby dress and hat from Bev's Crochet Cottage.

Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow?

Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye...the prediction from Punxsutawney Phil for Groundhogs Day 2014. 

Excitement was building at dawn, as folks gathered around the seer of seers on Groundhogs Day in Gobblers Knob, Pennsylvania. The official Punxsutawney Groundhog Club took their one-hundred-twenty-eighth trek to Gobbler’s Knob lookout in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania to observe Punxsutawney Phil's winter prediction.

Read the article and see the video of Punxsutawney Phil greeting the crowd!

Howling winds & subzero temps

Howling winds and subzero temperatures are the perfect combination for cabin fever and the winter blahs. It seems like all I've done since school has been closed due to the inclement weather is cook and clean, clean and cook, I just want to crochet the heck with eating.

Currently we have gusting winds that blew my mailbox off its post into the middle of the highway, which would have fallen victim to the school bus or someone headed to work at 6 a.m. had my teenage son not volunteered himself to scrap a path down our long driveway so the younger kids would not get lost in the snow drifts.

It's days like this I just want to stay in bed.

I expect the wind to knock out the power with these gusts and I don't really want to think about how cold it will get because I have no heat other than electric. I like being prepared for the worst but some things I just can't afford to do. Put in a fireplace or wood stove is not an option. It is what it is...I suppose. Time to start looking into other options.

Preparing for red heart day

All I want for Valentine's Day is what any other woman wants. Chocolate! Not just any chocolate but homemade melt in your mouth fudge flavored chocolate.

Visit Glorious Treats for this tutorial!

• Chocolate Truffles (this blogger says these treats are for Christmas, but I protest that Valentine's Day would be best.) 
• Valentine's Day Gingerbread Cookies with Red Hots Just like chocolate, gingerbread is not just for Christmas.
• Valentine Rice Krispie Treats Write your favorite phrase on them. (See photo.)
• Healthy Mini-Fruit Pizza's 
• Homemade Brownie's (cut in heart shapes)

What are you making, baking or taking to school for Valentine's Day?

Algebra blues and cold weather crocheting

Cold weather and crocheting is very comforting to me. I'm nearly finished with my V-Stitch Baby Blanket. While on break this evening, I dished out dinner for those who could eat, checked fevers and gave medicines to those who couldn't and my healthy teen had finals in his algebra class online. I don't understand algebra so I'm not much of a learning coach there. He is struggling, so I am probably going to have to hire a tutor for him this next semester.

I took algebra in college as it was a requirement to torture those of us who hate numbers. I cried my way through class (ahem!)....twice. I vowed to myself if I got a C or higher I would never look at an algebra problem seriously again. I got a B in the class but I ate my vow. I've attempted to look over my son's algebra problems even though I wish I never had to see algebra in my face again. All I get from it, is a big fat headache.... I can't do it. I know how to add, subtract, cross multiply, dividie and I know the multiplication table but for the life of me I can't tell you an integer from a linear equation or whatever you call it.

Moving on or I will suffer a stroke from too much algebra overload. I am not mathematically inclined. I've accepted that and I'm over it. You can keep all the 3x + (-8y) = ________ problems and don't ask me the answer or give it to me. I don't care.