Blackberries and Dewberries

Good Morning!!!
Remember when I told you that I found a blackberry patch on the farm?  Well.... I was wrong, it isn't a blackberry patch at all.  It is actually a Dewberry Patch.  Dewberries are a close cousin to the blackberry.  Dewberries grow very close to the ground and are slightly smaller than a blackberry.  Whereas blackberries grow in big tall trellising vines, growing upright, and sometimes growing up and over fences.
Dewberries taste very much the same as a blackberry, sometimes maybe a bit more tart.  But oh so yummy. 
So there is a bit of knowledge this morning.
Today we are going to harvest some more dewberries and do some much needed baking.  It is time for zucchini bread! Woo hoo! 
Well, I hope you have a great day and may God bless you and keep you!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

07:50 - Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - comments {7} - post comment

A bowl full of cherries...

Yesterday, I was walking to the mailbox and our neighbor, whom we call Mamaw Phillips stopped me.  Seems that one of our cats that has migrated down to her house has had 5 kittens and they have been giving her a hard time.  So the children and I went back down there with a cage and caught all but one and while we were there Cameo noticed a pretty tree with lovely red fruit.  Mamaw Phillips invited us to pick all we wanted.  We picked a nice bowl full and now I am trying to figure out what to do with them. 
So what do you suggest?
I don't believe I have enough for a jelly.  I am sure I have enough for a pie.  They are tart so the children don't really like to eat them straight up.  They have pits of course so that has to be taken into consideration, once the pits are removed the amount of flesh will be considerably smaller. 
Please give me your ideas, this is the first time I have ever had fresh cherries and I am excited to use them. 
Have a beautiful day my friends!!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

07:22 - Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - comments {5} - post comment

My Favorite Day~Giveaway!!

 

So in honor of my Thursday love, I have this little giveaway for you... Let me know who's stopping by and I will pick a winner by next Thursday.
I look forward to your comments!!!
Have a GREAT day!

07:29 - Thursday, June 5, 2008 - comments {46} - post comment

Friday!

Good Morning!

Weather here is still a bit dreary, but is still quite nice.  We have been productive in the house and have tried to stay home to keep from using gas! With prices jumping 12 cents in one evening it is hard to justify going out for much of anything... but today I must.  We like our milk and I need milk so I can make bread, so we must venture out today.  That and it is our annual Antique Alley down our towns main strip and far beyond... it is always great fun and I am getting ready to head that way now.  I don't plan on buying anything unless there is something TOO delicious that I can't pass it up. I wish you all the greatest of days and that this weekend will be terrific for you as well. 

My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

07:08 - Friday, May 16, 2008 - comments {7} - post comment

Thursday on my homestead

Good Morning friends!  How has your week gone thus far?  I hope it has been a happy week for you.  We have been busy... Last night before AWANA we had pictures for our new church directory.... I sure wish I had the sense to remember that my eyes disappear if I get tickled.  The photographer was trying to get my kids to laugh and when they did it made me laugh and when I laugh or smile big my eyes are history.  Oh well, it was  a nice enough picture, my children and my husband were beautiful. 
The picture above shows our newly painted porch.  Doesn't it look nice? I love it! We have plenty of more work to do around here... but I love to see how things are shaping up. 
Today we will be a busy day around the house, cleaning, gardening, schooling, baking and this and that.
I don't know if you have checked out The Front Porch recently, but I have asked for your help in how to stay frugal during this time of soaring prices... What I want is for everyone to give us your favorite tip or your best idea and then I am going to compile them into a large post for next week on The  Porch.  I think we could all use a little help, so stop by and give me your input, and then look for the post sometime next week!!!
Have a  great day everyone!  Take time to enjoy your family and your home!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

06:55 - Thursday, April 24, 2008 - comments {11} - post comment

Monday...

Good Morning Friends.  I hope your weekend was lovely.  I had a tough one, but it ended beautifully.  I have a full day ahead of me, with our school time starting back in full swing, and our normal everyday chores.  I did wake up this morning with a nasty cold.  So I am going to go and sip some hot tea and rest a little longer while 2 of the children color and 2 are still sleeping sweetly.  Have a wonderful day.  Blessings!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

07:54 - Monday, April 7, 2008 - comments {13} - post comment

Terrific Tuesday

Hello my friends.  I hope your Tuesday is going well for you.  Happy April!!  It is amazing to me that we are already in the fourth month of 2008!  I know I sound like an old coot... 'But Honey, time does fly!'
We woke up to rain again this morning.  It seems that we are getting a lot of those April Showers/Late March Showers and storms.  I so want to get out into the strawberry patch and pull weeds and hoe around the lettuce and cabbage... but the weather is not cooperating.  There are plenty of things that need tending to inside though. 
Last night Shannon and I went out to dinner together, the children stayed with Shannon's mother.  It is a sweet thing to go out with my beloved, and get to totally focus on him even if we were gone only 2 hours... I enjoyed it very much. 
I want to say something here... sometimes when I write on here I talk of how wonderful this is or how great that is...I want you to understand.
I am a REAL person, that struggles with daily problems and hurts.  And I could write to tell you of each and every one... but I try and focus on the good and right in my life, to be positive and uplifting... there is so much negative and evil in the world. Wouldn't it be a delightful blog to read if I went on and on and told  you how bad and terrible things are or to let you constantly know what was wrong with my life and the world??  Believe me that I have faults and many failures, but I feel very impressed by the Holy Spirit to focus on Him and so many of the hard things in life take on a new meaning and a different light!
So blessings to you and I hope you have a TERRIFIC TUESDAY!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

08:54 - Tuesday, April 1, 2008 - comments {5} - post comment

Thursday

I don't have many words to share with you today my friends... my heart is a bit troubled.  Now don't worry, my family is fine, Carlie Jean is on the mend.  Everything is ok, my feelings have just been broken.  I will seek the Lord on this matter and I pray that He will heal.  So I will leave you today with that and a few pictures of the beauty blooming around my home.

Please, don't forget that the giveaway will be over tonight at midnight...  so be sure to enter! I will announce the winner tomorrow morning.  I also have a few more giveaways in mind so be sure to check back often.
Look Mrs. Mo... its blooming!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

09:30 - Thursday, March 27, 2008 - comments {10} - post comment

Spring has sprung!

Hello dear friends!   I hope you all had a lovely Wednesday.  It has been a great one around here.  School went nicely this morning, we watched it rain pretty much all day.  Cameo reminded me of something I was supposed to do for our AWANA class and we ran to the store to grab up some things we needed for our little goody.
Our sweet little birds nests were a hit for the most part.  Even if some didn't care for the nest, most all liked the eggs.
I worked in my sewing room later on this afternoon and got started on some things that I will be putting in my Etsy Shop tomorrow hopefully.  I will make a new post when things are up. **Rachel, I am putting at least one of those bags you asked about in there!**  I am going to shoot for 2:00 pm tomorrow.
I still have to finish my Easter Skirt, but that will come later, once my shop is updated. 
It is getting late and it sounds as if we may get some more rain through the night, so I am going to turn in.  Have a restful night.
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

10:34 - Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - comments {2} - post comment

Spring has Sprung

Good Morning! I tell you, sometimes it is tough to get out of bed, but once I do, I LOVE getting up early! I get so much accomplished in those couple of hours to myself in the morning!
We have went from the snow I showed you yesterday to GORGEOUS weather, weather so nice I opened a few windows yesterday, just to let the beautiful air in!  It was wonderful.  I allowed the children to have an extended PE time yesterday and they played and played and played outside!  It was if they have been aching for spring just as much as we have!
Shannon has been working outside when time allows on the edge of the yard.  Close to the border of our land and our neighbors there is a row of trees.  For years we have had about 8 feet or more of just brush where those tree limbs and leaves have been.  It was our chickens favorite spot to scratch ... well, Shannon has been raking it all up! It looks so nice, and I might have me some blackberry bushes after all, if I can keep him from running them over with the mower or weed whacking them down with the weed eater!
We are hoping that the sun keeps shining and the rain stays away at least a few more days, if so we can finish tilling up our cabbage patch and getting the cabbage and lettuce in the ground.  The snow and rain have held us off on this. 
The children and I have been excited for the grass seed to start sprouting and hopefully it will.  They worked so hard with me on that project, and I hope it will pay off. 
To those of you that have asked about us moving or whatnot... No, we have not moved and are not moving, the land I posted about is right behind us.  Part of the land is ours and part of the land is my Dad's.  We have hopes of purchasing the rest from him and if that happens, we will have 24.5 acres total. 
I hope you enjoy your day, take a little time and do something you love today, even if it is only 15 minutes.  Take a few minutes and sit with your children and read to them, snuggle with your husband after he gets home from work and listen about his day.  Have a  yummy supper prepared.  Light a candle or two and make the house smell special. 

06:42 - Tuesday, March 11, 2008 - comments {7} - post comment