The Ancient Fence

This is our ancient fence that I hope to replace soon!! It hides my husband's lawnmower shop in our back yard. We have had it for ages. It once hid the above ground swimming pool, that we got rid of once our children were married. We now have grandchildren that will soon be married, so you can image how old that fence is.

And Today.....

Today these day lilies are blooming! These are the type of lilies you see blooming along the side of the road all over NC. When we had some dirt hauled in we got some free daylilies included. I have moved some of them to different spots around my yard. I think they are pretty. My husband calls them "toilet lilies". He remembers them growning around most people's outhouses in his youth.

A Few Weeks Ago

It seemed as if my Iris bloomed later than others in my neighborhood. We have lots of shade. They were pretty while they lasted and helped to make my ancient fence look a little better.

The Winner Is Trudi

Congratulations Trudi!! I will be sending you an email asking for your mailing address!

Thanks to the 32 people who participated in this drawing.

Cottage Charm Give Away Reminder

Sign up!
http://owcl.blogspot.com/2007/04/sign-up-for-cottage-charm-give-away-day.htmlDon't forget to visit this blog for a huge list of giveaways to be held May 26! You don't have to offer a gift, just sign up to win! Be sure to sign up for mine in a post below this one!

Cottage Charm Give Away

Cottage Charm Give Away

Enter your name by commenting on this post:

I'm offering this great flea market find. It's a small stained glass item, with a humming bird and flowers. It measures approx. 7"x 10" . There is a hook for hanging on the top of the frame and a peg on the lower edge. All names will be placed in a bowl and the winner will be drawn out on May 26. Thanks to "One Woman's Cottage Life" for suggesting this give away. Let's have fun!!

Sand Boxes

This is the kind of Sandbox my grandchildren had in 1990.

Read below for a different version of a Sandbox. Enjoy!!

This was written August 29,1995 by a cousin of mine who died April 11, 2007.

My Big Sandbox

“…Mine had no sides on it, nor did it have a bottom to it. And its size, why several children could play in it at the same time, and each could have his or her own farm with fields for cotton, corn, potatoes and a garden, plus your own house and barn with a chicken pen, a hog pen, a mule pen, a smoke house and an outhouse, of course. You could dig your own well for water, all on your farm, while next to you the child there, maybe your brother or sister or the child of the family whom lived close by, and farmed next to your house. This child might have on their land a country store or a small town where the schoolhouse was, the barber shop, the drug store, the one doctor for many miles around you. All in my Sandbox. There could be a road. We would dig a creek and make believe there was water and fish in it and build a bridge over it. You could drive your car or mule and cart to church on the Lord’s day, and go home with a brother or sister in the Lord and have dinner with them, then go back to church and stay late into the night, singing, praying and preaching, all In my large Sandbox.

Now my car or truck that I had was a brick, or sometimes it was a short 2x4 with four Pepsi Cola bottle caps tacked to it for wheels, and sometimes I had a trailer, another piece of 2x4 hitched to my truck with a short piece of twine and I would go through my fields or out on the main road. From one farm to another, visiting my neighbors or go to the store to get a piece of ice so we could have iced tea for dinner, All in my Sandbox. I know you are thinking, “he is crazy,” but for three years I had a very large sandbox, it had a cover over it.

I could play in it while it rained and not get wet. And one good thing about it, I was always close to mom and dad, unless they were working in the real fields of the farm. I could play all day under mom’s feet and never get in her way, and always, she could call my name and I could hear her and answer. You see my sandbox was the sand under our home. Six rooms, a front porch all the way across the house and a back porch. The sand was dry, my brothers and sister that were young enough during these three years spent many hours there learning what it was like in the real world of poverty.

Yet, I have met men in my adult life that never had a yard to play in as a child. Never knew the joy of sifting sand through their fingers, of pushing a brick for your toy car. Because you didn’t get toys, it was all dad could do to keep us from going hungry and keep clothes and shoes on us. But we were among the happiest people that I knew. And I thank God for My Sandbox.

…You see our house was built on brick pillars with no “sides” underpinning. Most farm houses were built that way.
…I pass this old place sometimes and the house is gone, but my childhood memories are still with me and in my mind I still enjoy My Sandbox.” ~James Lee Bell

Family Treasures

Do you have family treasures? A lot of mine are flowers from the gardens of others. These peonies were my MIL's. After her death in 1989, my SIL dug up the plants that were beside the front steps, divided them into six pieces and gave one to each of the living siblings. We planted ours near the front porch and each year around Mother's day we are reminded of my husband's mother.

I have many treasures. Irises and Snake plant from my grandmother. Hosta, Irises, and Clematis from my uncle, others from my aunts, children, and friends.

In my younger days, at my grandmother's house, I remember that all female visitors made their way around the yard, looking at all her flowers. Many left with pieces of this and that. And when grandmother came home from visiting, she often brought cuttings from her friends and families gardens.

As I make my rounds around my own yard, I am reminded of those generous people. ~Later

What to Say? How to Start?

So, this begins the first blog. I really don't know yet how I want this to go. I will probably be experimenting as I go along. So expect anything...LOL

Let me start by saying my name is Ann. I am a wife of one, mother of three, grandmother of six. My interests are many.

More Later!