There's greenbeans in the garden,

Clean clothes on the line,

There's little ole' barefoot children playing beneath the grapvine.

The sun is shining bright

And the creeks a' bubblin' too

We've got alot to be thankful for

And Lord I want to thank you.

Today is another hot one here on the little bitty homestead.  I do have my dryer running but it's just to dry the undergarmets.  The towels & the rest are out on the clothesline. 

My husband & son are gone fishing and Abigail is still sleeping.  So even though it's a little after 9:00 it is very quiet here. 

I got my package from Rainbow Resource in the mail yesterday.  It feels like a holiday when those crisp, clean schoolbooks arrive....To me anyway.  Abigail came running in from outside yesterday evening with the package the UPS just delivered.  Here was our conversation:

A- "Mama, mama, we got a package & it's got your name on it."

M- "Oh great it's from Rainbow Resource."

A- "What is that?  Is there anything for me in there?"

M- "Yes a few things & a couple for your brother."

A opens package up and pulls out a couple of books.

A-" Are these school books?"

M- "Yes aren't they neat.  Come look at this one for you all about animals."

A- looks at cover & looks back up at me not too happy.

A-"Next time can you please order something useful."

M-

Hope everyone has a good 4th of July.

Some new things have been added to my shop as of this morning...
Positively Patriotic Quilted Tote
Simply Beachy
And I am working on one now with a vintage flour sack.
I think it is going to be adorable! :)
Just added!
Vintage Flour Sack Bag of Thistles

Thanks for looking and may you have a Fabulous Fourth of July!

I have a new hair cut.  I really like it!

Snagglepuss is a term of endearment that I use to anyone that I love who has lost baby teeth...
Yesterday afternoon. I had two first time snagglepusses
By the end of the evening... these two (Carlie Jean and Eli) had lost TWO of their front two bottom teeth and Cameo lost one of her eye teeth.
:)
What a fun evening.

I made a yummy salad tonight from the garden.  It had green onions, red sails lettuce, swiss chard and beet greens.  I made up some ranch dressing from scratch and threw in some chives.  I had a few leftover cooked shrimp that Rod had caught and sent down for me.  Fresh shrimp are SO good!  This is the first time I've had swiss chard and I really like it!

Tonight I started moving dirt into the last two garden beds.  I filled up the skinny one first to satisfy that part of me that needs to have immediate gratification.  Then I hauled a few loads into the big bed - I have a ways to go on that one. 

Once the skinny bed was full, I planted eight of the red currant bushes that I rooted from thinnings this spring.  I just had them in water to see if they would get roots - which they did!  I have 18 more of them that I think I will plant in pots for now until I decide where they should go.

Last night I potted up some strawberry starts.  The runners take over the garden paths pretty quickly - I and just hate to pulll them up and throw them in the compost, seems like such a waste.  So I dig up the ones that really have roots and plant them in little 3" pots.  I also try to pot as many extra runners as I can.  I set out a bunch of little pots on a bench at the end of the strawberry bed.  I picked up some runners that had little plants starting and put one in each pot, using a rock to hold the runner down until the plant establishes some roots.  Once the plant is secure, I will cut it from the runner.  Then I will start again with more pots.  Strawberry plants make a good barter item  :o)

I've been thinking about trying to propagate some blueberry bushes.  There are some really productive ones over by one of the storage buildings.  I have some powdered rooting hormone that I could use, or I may trim some willow branches from the tree across the street and try that.  Maybe I should try both and see which one works best.  There are blueberry bushes everywhere along the side of the road, but it would be nice to have a good, productive patch of my own.  Then I won't have to worry about someone else finding my favorite picking spot  :o)

Things look pretty good in the garden.  The red currants are just starting to turn pink.  I have two baby zucchini.  The potato plants look good.  I pulled up some radishes and green onions and sent up to Rod in Skagway.  The strawberries are loaded with unripe berries and more blossoms.  The raspberry patch is buzzing - lots of bumble bees on the blossoms.  The new rhubarb patch looks great - I think the plants must have reached down into the layer of chicken manure I put in that bed - they have really taken off in the last week.  In the greenhouse, I have one little green pepper and a bunch more babies just starting to form.  Nothing on the cucumbers yet, but they are getting bigger - I need to put up a trellis for them.  The 3 tomato plants are getting huge - there are 6 little fruits forming now.  I notice though that some of the leaves are turning yellow, brown and dry on the ends.  I need to look that up and see what is going on with them - must be something about being too cold, too much water, or not enough ventilation is my guess.  I picked some mint leaves and calendula blossoms and dehydrated them to use in my soaps.  The chickens are doing good - getting only 3 or 4 eggs per day though.  If they don't pick up soon, we will be putting them in the freezer.

I started early this morning due to the heat.  I got 16 pints of dill pickles canned & made a double batch of the refrigerator pickles & put those in the fridge. 

We are watching my niece (the 2 year old one) today.  She was apprehensive about our swimming pool the last time she stayed.  However today I put on my suit and got in with her.  She LOVED it.  I'm watching her again on Friday & then next week too so I'm going to get some floaties and things to play on.  Our dog Carly (Should have been named "Dog that chews everything to bits") Has squeezed on the pool deck and popped every float we have. 

Well, I have a little while until she wakes up from her nap so I think I'm going to get a couple things done. ~Take care

Dearest Readers,

It is time to celebrate America's Birthday!  Here at Honey Hill Farm, that means decorating our entryway......

Ribbons, vintage (and not so vintage) postcards, Holly Hobbie plates and flags all have pride of place....

A sunny and patriotic spot to welcome our guests...

Turn of the century Ladies' accoutrements wait patiently for a chance to go out and be seen...

A Liberty inspired vignette.....

The American Flag has never looked so lovely....

Every corner displays the American Spirit....

A truly delightful Fourth of July to share with family and friends...

 I hope that you are enjoying this wonderful holiday, Dear Readers...

Yours so kindredly,

Shan

I didn't have my camera with all the time, but here are a few pics of our time at camp meeting. 

This is Megan and Linda.  We brought Linda with us.  It was her first time to camp meeting and she really enjoyed it.  The car ride is long and the girls listened to some music and watched a DVD on the way, I believe. 

This is Paige sleeping in the carseat.  Car rides are especially long for her.... construction took us on a couple detours that we hadn't planned for. 

The girls were just talking at the memorial park at the academy.  This was one of Paige's favorite places to stop (It was also just before her class, so we had to keep her focused as to where she was going).

This is another view of the same little memorial. 

These three are Paige on the homemade waterslide.  They have a sewn form underneath.  They cover it with a heavy plastic sheet.  Squirt dish soap on the plastic and run water down from the top and half way down to keep the plastic wet.  The kids get to sliding down quite fast and at first Paige wasn't too sure about it, but she enjoyed it a bit more each time.  Paige rode down on her tummy; she rode down backwards;  she rode down with a noodle; she rode down with friends.  She only quit because they got the popsicles out and it was time to go.  She was chilly (they use just water from a hose), but had a big smile on her face.  Here's some more fun water shots...

A view from the top... Paige is in line behind one of the teachers.

Paige's first time down... a bit stiff and unsure.

Back up again!

On her back!

with a noodle!

Landing in bubbles.

With friend Thea from our home church.

With another new friend.

Popsicle ending at the waterslide. 

Paige at crafts.  They made telephones that day. 

Snack time... popsicles again... it was a really hot day this day!  The kids and MOM's were glad for this snack!

Story time with Pastor Dave.

Paige is in upper row, still in story time.  They held their classes in the music rooms so the Kindergarteners could sit on the risers.  They used the new SDA readers from the new reading program.  Paige really enjoyed them and wants them... now where to find them...

Activity time had various activities.  The kids especially liked this one.

Last one, the kids sang in the adult auditorium one evening.  Paige started out in front, but later got pushed to the back when the kids wanted to get on the microphone (which was off... the adults know better!)  Paige's class had between 45 and 60 kids each day... more on Sabbath. 

Sorry it was mostly all Kindergarten adventures... that's where I had my camera... I didn't bring it to the other meetings!  I didn't even take a picture of our camp site... and I try to do that each year...

Warmly, ~Melissa

I had about 10 cucumbers to use up & made this small batch of refrigerator pickles.  They were really simple to make & taste great.  Not too sweet & not too sour.

1 cup sliced onions

1 cup sliced bell peppers and/or banana peppers (I used both)

6 cups sliced cucumbers

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 T. salt

Put sliced veggies in a big bowl.  Then put the sugar, vinegar & salt in a sauce pan.  Heat on low until sugar is dissolved.  Pour over vegetables & stir.  Place in jars or containers.  Cover & put in fridge.

These are to put in refrigerator.