The old Gravenstein tree did herself proud this year!

She must be near eighty years old, and still going strong.

They say "an apple a day keeps the doctor away."

Does this count?

Just out of the oven, steaming hot, with the sweet, spicy cinnamon sauce still bubbling. I mustered up all the self control in my power, and waited and waited for what seemed like eons, for it to cool. Then when the fragrance had tormented me until my senses were wilted, I cut a slice and thoroughly enjoyed every last bite.

It's best when it's still warm!

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BROKEN DREAMS

As children bring their broken toys

with tears for us to mend,

I brought my broken dreams to God

because He was my friend.

But then instead of leaving Him

in peace to work alone,

I hung around and tried to help

with ways that were my own.

At last I snatched them back and cried,

"how can you be so slow?"

"My child," He said, "What could I do?

You never did let go."

author unknown

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TIME TO GIVE THANKS

My cousin called today to let me know that her daughter Lara had another test today concerning her unborn baby, who she was told by an ultra sound technician, may have cyctic fibrosis.

Todays test show a perfectly healthy baby girl.

Thank you all for your prayers.

And thank you precious Lord for your loving faithfulness.

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END OF SUMMER FLOWERS

I love this Japanese Anemone. The white is so pristine among all the shades of green, and that yellow center really pops! They come in pinks too.Zinnias are such an eye-catcher. This is one of the giant variety grown from seed. I like how the inner petals curl. Sort of looks like they are shy.

For some reason I have a hard time remembering the name of this plant. CAMPANULA

This one began growing in a patch of Crocosmia. Maybe a bird planted it. I think it's quite nice here.

Two years ago for Mother's Day, my youngest daughter and her family gave me a bouquet of two dozen roses, all different colors. I managed to get a few started and they are now looking happy in my rose garden. Here's one with a cute little white spider keeping house.

I get a kick out of this fragrant red rose. It was also started from a gift, and is one of the most prolific in my garden. In fact it's still blooming. This rose usually has blossoms that are formed like the more common rose, but occasionally it has one like this, resembling a peony more than a rose.
As fall is fast approaching, I find myself appreciating all of my flowers more than I have during the summer. I'm like this in the springtime too. In fact, I am out in January brushing frost and snow from the violet leaves, hoping to find even one lovely flower, the first sign of spring for me.

Then when spring finally does arrive I am so busy with weeding and planting, mowing and raking that there really isn't much time for flower gazing.

For now, I'll just enjoy what's still blooming and when the rains and snow come, I can sit here at my computer with a hot cup of something, and look at all the pictures I have taken throughout the spring and summer, of my flowers.

God is so good. You know He didn't have to give us flowers.

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SOME THINGS THAT MAKE ME SMILE!

Ethan's test results look good. Jenn has posted some info about her little sweetie. Go over and check it out.

Columbine taken from underneath. When the light is behind, all the veins and intricacies in the petals show the awesome and wonderful creation of our Lord. Click to enlarge. Just imagine he did all this for one little flower!

Here is Miss Julia at her first painting lesson. Oils are difficult for a 9 year old. We'll use acrylic's next time. I think she did really well for her first time. Great grandma helpd her some.

This was taken around 1994 It's my grandson Johnny with my antique accordian. From the look on his face I'd say not his favorite instrument! LOL

Please pray for this young man who is trying to learn to live with bi Polar. Heavenly Father, remember our Johnny.

This is my grandma, Lucy and my father Kenny taken around 1924. Isn't he cute? Lucy wasn't quite 5 ft. tall. She had five children.

My great granddaughter Hailee a few years ago, in one of my gardens. She is a little princess and the most lovely of all the flowers my gardens ever knew.

I thought I'd post a variety of pictures today. It's just that kind of day for me. Lots to do and so much going on in my head it's hard to focus on just one thing.

Yesterday I froze green beans, picked blackberries and froze them and weeded some of the garden in front of the house. It needs to be finished today. Also I have great healthy Purslane plants taking over the gravel driveway. Gotta yank them out too!

I have some Gravenstein apples gathered and need to figure out what to do with them. I'm thinking of hot apple pie.....but trying not to!

I hope you are all having a wonderful and blessed week.

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MORE PRAYER NEEDED

I just received the following e-mail note from a C0usin in Oregon. Please remember this family in your prayers.

Bev,
I was wondering if you could have your prayer chain pray for my daughter Lara Cooke and her unborn child, as yesterday she was told that the baby could have cystic fibrosis. She is quite upset as she cried for a hour, and I told her that whatever the out come the baby will be loved. She will find out for sure Monday what the outcome will be.
cousin
Lili

I also want to let you all know that we received good news about baby Ethan. He had another MRI on the 8th and they just got the results. THERE IS NO SEIZURE ACTIVITY IN HIS BRAIN AT THIS TIME. HALLELUJAH!!!!

The way I see it Ethan will NEVER have that problem again. My Lord God heals to perfection.

Thank you Jesus, and now Lord remember Lara's baby too.

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JELL-O

I found this recipe in one of the Reiman publications. It went over so well I want to share it.

2 three ounce packages orange Jell-o

1 cup boiling water

1 pint orange or pineapple sherbet (I used vanilla ice cream)

1 eight ounce can mandarin oranges, drained

1 eight ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 cup heavy whipping cream

disolve Jell-o in boiling water, add sherbet or ice cream, stir until smooth. Stir in oranges, pineapple and marshmallows. Fold in whipped cream.

Pour into mold or bowl and refrigerate four hours, or over night.

This recipe would be easy to double.

* a picnic hint: take along a small inflatable children's wading pool, fill it with ice and nestle your salads etc down into the ice to keep them cold.

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WARNING, POISON HAMMER

Yes this is the truth.

About a month ago I was out shopping and decided to check out the 'DOLLAR TREE' store. I bought a 16 ounce claw hammer, amazed at the low price as it looked well made.

I put it with some tools and just pulled it out to use it a few days ago.

I noticed that it had a strong, unpleasant odor, and thought maybe because it was new. Then I saw a label which seemed to be oily and was falling off. The label had a warning in very small print, which I had to use a magnifying glass to read, (and I just got new glasses! )

This is what it said.

"Warning, this product contains chemicals known in the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm.

Wash hands after handling

Distributed by Greenbriar International Inc.

500 Volvo Parkway,

Chesapeake, VA 23320

then in the tinest lettering it said,

'made in china'

(This did not surprise me)

It seems to me that if it would cause those illnesses in California, it would do the same in the other states!

Advised by my grandson I called the 'Dollar Tree' store today and spoke with the manager. This is what he said.

"California is stricter than the other states, so it's legal to sell the stuff everywhere else."

Maybe it is legal, but what about moral obligation? Does this mean the the remaining states don't care if we are poisoned?

I'm not sure where or how we are going to make this 'poisoning of America' stop, but there must be an answer.

To stop all trade with countries that do not have proper safety regulations may not be the answer, especially since it is inspectors right here in America that are allowing the poisons to be distributed.

Someone has to take responsibility for what is happening before it's too late.

I don't usually post about things other than family and flowers but this is important.

I would like to know what you think about this issue. Any ideas?

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NICE MATTERS AWARD

Thank you Merle for giving me this pretty award. You made my day!

I'm supposed to pick eight of my blog friends to give it to but I honestly can't come up with just eight. Each of you are special to me and deserve the award, so I am just posting my thanks to Merle and a big hug to everyone.

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Epi, Gift & Charlemagne

I have posted about this Epi (Orchid Cactus) before, but I just have to show you how lovely it was in full bloom this year.

Here's a close-up of the blossoms. Red isn't my favorite color but I sure like it in these flowers!
The blossoms are large but I learned that there are some varieties with even larger blossoms. I Have a new yellow one called 'Humdinger.' It hasn't bloomed yet but when it does it will be interesting to see just how large the blossoms are.

I love Epi's and have managed to collect nine different ones.

Here is a lovely bag that Shelly made. She does very professional work. She had a little contest and drew my name. I love all the posies which fit my name of 'Posypockets.'

Oh yes, may I introduce you to my 32nd great grandpappy.

Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

Yes, I am still working on my genealogy files. It's fascinating what we can learn about these people. Very good records were kept on the royal lines.

Charlemagne has countless descendants, you may be one yourself.

Ok, enough for now.

Blessings everyone, and remember,

"A diamond is a piece of coal that stuck to it's job!"

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AUGUST CACTUS

This is some kind of holiday cactus. I don't know if it's a Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter Cactus, and apparently it doesn't care, because it's blooming now.

I've had it for a long time and it usually has a few blossoms, but this year it's showing off with 41 lovely flowers.

I think the color is wonderful. The little bit of salmon with the pink really sets it off.

Here she is, almost close enough to kiss.

Here's a Macro shot. Click to enlarge and see the sparkles in her petals.

I put this plant with several others out on my back deck this spring. There is a northern exposure with early morning and late evening sun. I think she likes it!

My next post will be another plant that did my proud this year.

"Jesus loves me this I know, All my flowers tell me so!"

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FOUR GENERATIONS OF RAILROAD MEN

My dad worked for the Great Northern, later Burlington Northern Railroad for many years, so it seemed fitting to honor him by making my little boys a 'train Cake' every fourth birthday.

Needless to say they were a huge hit with the kids and grownup's too.

I'm happy to say that Train Cakes have become a family tradition. My daughters have made them and now my grandchildren are making them for their little boys.

Here is my first son, Michael "Mikey" in 1965, with his special cake. His daddy was a logger so I tried to pile licorice like a flatcar of logs. See that smile. Oh what a wonderful memory!

This is my second son, Shawn 'Shawnie' in 1973. His birthday is in August and he had been outside playing. We were in the middle of a move so I had to assemble the cake at my folks. I'm not sure what that look on his face means but I remember that he really liked his cake. We had graduated to Baby Ruth Logs.

This is Shawns eights birthday cake. The Wilton cake decorating company had finally come up with a Train engine cake pan. I could have hugged them!

Here's my grandson Johnny in 1994 with his first Train Cake. He was sure tickled with it but not sure which end to begin at. Just look at all the choices! It's enough to befuddle Eienstein!

Fast forward to July 29th of this year and here's my great grandson Kenny with his first train cake. Is he delighted or what! Notice the engine is in the center on the roundhouse. My dad used to take my sisters and I to work with him occasionally and give us a ride on the roundhouse. It was wonderful fun. Kenny's roundhouse is actually my mother's revolving, musical cake plate, which was given to Kenny's grandma. Two of my grand children, made the cake. Kenny's mom and her brother.

You can imagine how sore and tired their hands and wrists got making hundreds of little frosting stars to cover the cake. Look close and see pictures of Kenny and his great-great grandpa, my late father, who's name was also Kenny, looking out the engine window together. There are 86 years between these two.

Here's a close up of one of the cars carrying a school bus. How do you like the wheels on the train car? Licorice is very handy.

The kiddies loved this one with all the chewy critters. I didn't try them for fear of leaving my teeth behind!
This one I did try again and again. Each color is a different flavor. This is the car carrying rock candy gravel. The reddish ones were cherry and the mustard colored ones tasted like cinnamon to me.

Ok, this is the M&M car. Hard to keep our hands out of this one. I wasn't sure if there would be any left by the time he blew out the candles.

Well like I said, it was a good cake. We even had our choice of lemon, chocolate, or strawberry.

SUNDOWN ON BELLINGHAM BAY

So evening came and the weary little ones were washed and tucked into their beds with sweet smiling faces, already dreaming of the next birthday party. And great grandma made it home and crawled up the stairs of her little cottage, fell on the couch and knew nothing until the next day.

It was a wonderful party.

Happy Birthday young Kenny!

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JUST THINKIN'

Good-morning to you

Good-morning to you

We're all in our places

With sunshiny faces

This is the way

To start a new day.

These bright nasturtiums reminded me of this little song my mom used to sing when waking me in the morning. Isn't it funny how that happens. We see, smell or hear something and can be transported back to another time, and things long forgotten become so fresh it seems like just yesterday.

I'm very late with supper tonight. I have some meat and veggies in the toaster oven but was too hungry to wait so I was nibbling on some woven wheat crackers and I annoyed myself tremendously. Ordinarily I wouldn't even notice my chewing, but I was recently fitted with hearing aids and believe me, when I'm chewing something crunchy I sound like a horse chomping on some very tough oats! I didn't expect to have this problem and because I have always been very conscious of manners and eating quietly, I am absolutely horrified at myself.

I went to lunch with my girls and asked if they could hear me chew. They said they couldn't. Thank Heaven!! After all the years I spent teaching them table manners I would be so humiliated if I were noisy. It took about a week before I figured out the reason my mouth sounds are so loud to me is because my ears are plugged, (thats where the hearing aids go) duh! Also these little ear gadgets have microphones! One day I burped and it sounded like rolling thunder! I won't go into detail concering other body noises. The technician said she could adjust the hearing aids so my mouth sounds won't be so noisy. She will do that next week. In the meantime, I'm eating soup, stew, pudding, anything quiet, and non gassy!

The up-side of my new hearing aids: The day I got them I drove straight to the bay, which is only about five minutes from my house. I sat on a big rock for about half an hour and listened to the waves. I hadn't heard them for a long-long time. SundayI went to a birthday party and was able to hear and understand everyone. It delighted me to hear the birthday boy giggle as he opened his presents. I learned that plastic wrap has a sound, and water pouring into a glass, and leaves in the wind, and my little dog doesn't just groan, he snores! I've heard several bird songs that I don't remember. I feel like the world has opened up and let me in. There is so much to hear. My brain is having a little trouble processing all the new and or forgotten sounds and I was told it will take at least six weeks before that begins to happen. I am constantly searching for 'what made that noise.'

Hearing loss can be cause by any number of things. My hearing was not good even when I was a child but I believe that the worst damage was caused from a virus I had about sixteen years ago which also caused nerve damage as well as vertigo which disabled me. My hearing slowly deteriorated so I didn't really notice it at first.

Over the past few years I was really having a hard time understanding what was being said, often asking people to repeat themselves, sometimes more than once. It was embarassing to say the least so I stayed home a lot, and basically avoided those situations.

My daughter encouraged me to check into hearing aids. I was reluctant because I didn't think my hearing loss was that bad. Oh, my poor kids!!!LOL

I guess if there was one thing that gave me that 'push' I would have to say it was the day my great granddaughter, who was around five at the time, came up beside me and quietly said, "I love you MiMi." And I didn't hear her. My daughter told me what she had said but it broke my heart that I couldn't hear it myself and respond with a hug and tell her that I love her too.

If you suspect that you may have a hearing loss, do something about it now. You won't be sorry.

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