Happy Turkey Month!

      Here we go again with another new month! Hard to believe but I welcome it! Funny how the seasons change and so do our tasks! We have been experiencing some cooler weather this week and just when I get acclimated to it, BAM, it's supposed to get to eighty Saturday! Just the same as Spring! We have to beware this time of year, as well as in the Spring for tornado season. I'm not worried at this time since there is not even a chance of rain in the forecast! 

      I haven't canned anything this week, can you believe it? Well, except for a small batch of bread and butter pickles. That's one way the tasks have changed! Another is, I'm going to bring in some of my basil and mint to grow in the winter. I read to do that in a new book I received on how to make your own herbal medicines and teas. I've also been doing more cleaning of the house! Yuk! But it has to be done! I received two books, and the other one is about essential oils. The only thing I've made is a vapor rub. It smells almost like Mentholatum! I love that stuff! But I'm almost out, so I made this and hope it works just as good. I know it's healthier, at least!

      Randy got the fence fixed so Daisey hasn't gotten out in a couple of days. Yay! She was so funny, squeezing her body through a six inch square almost like nothing. Then she'd walk around nibbling on the green grass, and finally onto the porch. She stood at the door looking in like she was a dog! She even stood on her hind legs as if to open the door! I bet she could eventually figure it out!

      Two major events are occurring next week! April is having her baby on Tuesday and our apple trees are being shipped or sent on Wednesday. I think they are supposed to be here then. Skylar tilled the holes for them and I put lime in the holes to prepare for the trees. It will be several years before they bear fruit, but that's o.k.! Hope ya'll are having a good week so far and a very nice weekend as well. I am praying and thinking about all of those affected in the Northeast. Blessings from Bama!

Cooked apples to be made into fried pies.

Four half-pints of Bread and Butter pickles.

I made these fried pies with one of the bags I put in the freezer.

Daisey is inspecting the door knob!

She thought she was going to come in when I opened the door!

It was dark when I took this photo, but it is a whole chicken on the rotisserie  on the new grill. It turned out delicious!

I love the angle of the moon this time of year! It was quite bright not to be dark yet!

Baked beans and fried cabbage to go with the chicken! Yum!

I believe this is the book that most of the people on the internet have been using to get their teas, tinctures and salves recipes from.

I'm using this book to 'erase my wrinkles' as soon as I find all of the essential oils! ^_^!

I saw a snake in the shed!

      But I didn't have my camera and by the time I got back to it, it disappeared! It was a chicken snake according to the hubs, which doesn't make me very happy! I don't want it to find the chickens or the eggs! But over by the chickens, we discovered a snake skin. Or should I say Jack did. He went crazy barking so I had to check it out. So glad it was just a skin. I think it was a rat snake. One day I'll learn my snakes. I do know what a rattlesnake looks and sounds like, though.


      I haven't seen any hummingbirds yet but I know they're around. I hung up the feeder yesterday so I know they'll find it soon. Have you seen any snakes or humming birds lately? What about a black panther?


      There's rumor going on around these parts that black panthers have been loosed to help control coyotes and such. They've actually been seen just over the mountain from here and also about two miles down the road from here. The dogs were going crazy about something in the woods, so I went down the hill with my boots on and rake in hand,(that way if I ran into a snake I'd be ready) I looked up at the tree and decided that it was a house cat. But I wanted to be sure, so when hubby and son got home, they went down to inspect and sure enough, it was just a black house cat and not a black panther. Whew!!! What a relief!


      I've been reading a lot about herbs lately. Do you grow and use your own herbs? There is such a wealth of information on the net about herbs. I'm reading The Welcoming House blogspot, and she is posting this week about herbs and what they're good for. A very interesting blog. If I can figure out how to link it here, that would be great. Give her a visit if you're interested. Upon searching for herb seeds to purchase, I found Sand Mountain Herbs . com. Hopefully, one day I'll be able to link this as well. The herb place is local to me so I'll be getting my herb seeds, as well as some ebooks, from this store. Hope you all have a wonderful week and stay away from those snakes and panthers! Blessings from Bama!

Hubs did the hive without assistance.

Changing out some of the old frames with new ones.

Iris about to bloom.

This is sweet scrub. Do you have it on your property? There's no other fragrance quite like. It smells almost like over ripe fruit, in a good way!

The chickens taking cover from the heat under the huge rose bush.

The iris reminds me that my sins have been washed whiter than snow!

Frozen chicken breasts placed into crockpot, then cooked until done. I used Mexican spices and it was delicious!

It really does look like a house cat!

Or does it?

More iris in bloom.

I love the shades of purple on this iris.

More white iris on the same stalk, from the previous photo.

Sage blooming.

Can you see the small piece of snake skin?

He's trying to eat it!

A longer piece of the snake skin.

Are You watching Joyce this week?

      She is teaching on five ways to avoid temptation. One thing she said that stood out to me is that not only does the devil tempt us when we are week, but he also tempts us when we are strong. I never thought about it like that, but she gave several examples, and I realized she was right. We should never come to the place where we think that we have overcome in an area and that it is no longer a problem for us. That will be the moment that satan steps in and before you know it, you are in a situation. Always stay on guard because the devil is going about, seeking whom he may devour! She also said that not only are we tempted to do wrong, but we are also tempted to do right. Of course we know who tempts us to do wrong, but did you know that God tempts us to do right? Now I know that the Bible says that God does not tempt us, but that we are led away by our own sins. I'm not talking about sin, I'm talking about doing right. Joyce gave an example of how she bought two or three of the same kind of watches, and one day she had one on and a lady commented on how nice it was. She felt like God wanted her to give the watch to her, but she resisted that temptation to do good. Do you see what I mean? She felt bad afterward because she knew that she had disobeyed the Holy Spirit. But the next time she was tempted to give something away, she acted on it immediately and enjoyed peace!
      I didn't post yesterday because I had problems with my camera. It doesn't show up a picture on the screen, so I thought it didn't make. I can look through the tiny viewer and focus and take a picture that way. I'm putting some pics on here and I hope they look right. I hope when my camera dries out, it will operate better.

This is the spot where I planted Yukon Gold potatoes.

You can't see them, but I planted Jewel and Fall Gold raspberries. They were marked half price and didn't look very well. Will they make it? The weeds and grass that I dig up go into the buckets. One bucket has horse manure used  in the planting holes.

Wow! These tomato, eggplant, peppers, and herbs have really grown! The ones on the front are tomato and eggplants.

My first year for tulips and aren't the daffodils pretty!I think my camera is working pretty good!