A Little Child Shall Lead Them

Good afternoon you all. Come on in and have a glass of tea. I want to share my wonderful morning with you. I know I only posted yesterday, but Easter is right around the corner and I am going to be busy, so I am posting again today. You all know that there is a certain little boy and girl who light up my life. Well Andrew wanted to come and make Easter cookies. We did this for Christmas and for some reason we didn't this past year. He reminds me of it ever so often, too. Anyway we decided today would be the day.
He loves doing this and so do I. I am thrilled he wants to spend time with his great grandmother, to tell you the truth.

This is how he got the baking sheet to not roll up.lol (note the candles)

Icing. I didn't get any of him rolling and cutting.

He actually added the food coloring of choice.

The finished product. The shapes were bunny, chick, and egg.(just in case you can't tell.)

Having a glass of ice tea and watching TV. Baking cookies are hard.

flour on the cupboard door.(This is where the sprinkles were)

Flour on the couch. Have no idea how that got there. I swept the floor before I thought I should have taken a picture. Mollie cut out one cookie but said she didn't want to get her hands dirty.lol
While they are here I put Dasko on the porch, as Mollie is terrified of him.(I think it is because he is so big and she is so little,at least that is the way Andrew explained it to me when he was little) anyway Dasko barked and Mollie said," Who said that." I thought that was so funny.
I always say, Andrew saved my sanity. He was born in September before Curtis had to go into the nursing home the following June. Having that little boy in my life helped get me through those rough days. He has always loved me and wants he and I to do special things. I have always tried to comply. Mollie was the answer to a prayer as we wanted a little girl in the family so bad. You know I have another great, Gabe, but I don't get to see him often. Andrew told me today he hadn't seen me in so long. (It had been about 10 days).lol As I said this little child lead me through some dark times.
So glad you came Through My Back Door where life is good and letting me brag on my grandchildren.
betty
PS:Deb has her 50 followers thanks to you all.
PSS: Happy Easter to each of you.
PSSS: We had snow again here today, but it has melted. Supposed to be in the 60's later this week. YEAH!!!!!!

Oh Spring! Wherefore Art Thou?

Good morning and can you believe all the places getting snow? WE got it too.  I am glad you came Through My Back Door this morning. Please help yourself to the coffee and come sit by the fire. Can you believe it is snowing? I couldn't. It is really coming down and laying. Looks good sitting in here but it is cold and I am looking for spring. Lots of you all are too, but I guess we take what we get.lol

This was taken earlier and it is still snowing. I am waiting for this.

I know most of you all are too, because I have read your blogs, saw it on FB, or heard you in person. It will be here. I am trying to learn to just enjoy the "Now."
Since Easter is next week I thought I would share a bit of my Easter "gifts." We are all aware of the best gift ever, God gave his son, Jesus to die on the cross, that we may have the GIFT of Eternal Life. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of the brutality He suffered for me.
 Today I will share a few gifts from some friends.

Cross stitch from my friend Carla Herron. She gave this to me the first time we met. Deb made the bunny and the egg is from Russia, a gift from my friend Carol.

I always hate to put it away after Easter.

Another Deb bunny. Eggs from my friend Linda Young.

Sharon (the Speckled Hen) made and gave me this lamb. I love him.

Pewter looking bunnies in the Corner cupboard.

Love this little metal bunny on the mantle.

My friend Carol Brown gave me this bunny years ago, but he is still a favorite. I try to keep him out all year. I love his face.

Carol Brown also gave me the wax bunny on the right. Another egg from Carol and an antique pewter egg cup from Dottie. I bought the little  chalkware bunny for a nickle at a yard sale, years ago.

These two are my favorite "bunnies".lol
Thought I would share where my onion bottle and glasses ended up. I am not a drinker, but this is Colonial. lol

Well, it was so nice having you come Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: I wish each of you a wonderful and blessed Easter 
PSS:My daughter Deb just lacks one follower to have 50. Why don't you jump over there and visit?Keeping My Heart In Home
PSSS: Next visit I have some WONDERFUL news to share. (No, I haven't sold the house. )

Home Again, Home Again

What a wonderful time I had in Williamsburg. I have been many times before but this time I saw more and fell in love all over again, with Colonial decor. It is Friday morning and a cold one. The coffee is on and I am so glad to see you. I just have to share some of what I saw.
These two are fun to travel with and we hit every antique shop that was open. One shop outside of Wytheville, Va had gorgeous antiques.  Some of the best pieces I have seen in a while.

This was taken at the Tucker House. They were so nice to us and we had a nice visit with the docents. One of whom loved the Grand Ole Opry.
I am telling you the people were so nice and friendly. We just enjoyed no crowds, and I was surprised they encouraged us to take pictures inside the homes. I am just going to share some of my favorites. Not so much homes, but doors, windows, etc.

I have wanted one of these forever. Now even more.lol

We could drink our coffee and visit here very comfortably.

Can you believe this green?

This was where the slave to the women slept. They slept where they worked.

I just love the hardware.

The cage bar at the coffee house, where they gave us a drink of our choice. I had the  chocolate and it was wonderful.

Love these rosehead nails. I  enjoyed the cabinet shop so much and admired all the craftsmanship.
This is what the car looked like coming home. The trunk was full. As you know Renda and Dodd are redoing their home and just got new furniture. She looked for lighting on this trip and did she ever find it.lol She got a 3 legged floor lamp, and two sets of cast iron table lamps. Two had arms and three legged and the other pair didn't have arms. She bought a lot of goodies for their home. Dodd got my candy containers I had as a child and we have all added to it over the years. He got 4 or 5 of them including another pistol. I only bought 2 things.lol

I found these two little glasses to go with my onion bottle.

And this redware plate from Turtle Creek Pottery.(David T. Smith)
This is what we looked like inside the car, coming home.lol

There was no room for anything else.
I am so glad you have come Through My Back Door this morning where life is good.
betty
PS: It is fun to go, but always exciting to get back home
PSS:Please remember to continue praying for Tamra as she is now taking her chemo
PSSS: It was snowing in Williamburg when we left yesterday. It flurried on us several times coming home and it was so cold. I will be happy when spring comes and stays.

Goings On,Through My Back Door

Good rainy evening. It is a slow steady rain, the kind you needed to have your baskets and wood buckets, churns, etc setting out in. I am so excited about the warm days of spring. Are you? I have been looking at pictures of gardens on FB,(not that I am a gardener) but I love seeing the beautiful yards, flowers, yard art, etc. I cannot wait until I can have some geraniums and hanging baskets. This is just a nice spring rain.I need to catch one like this and put my baskets out as well as my cedar churn. Sometimes I put the churn in the shower. It drys out so bad and the bottom comes out. I am so sorry I forgot to get your coffee. You have been visiting so long I feel like you should just help yourself.lol
Amanda took some new pictures of my greats. Andrew and I are going to make Easter cookies. He asked me if I had an Easter egg cookie cutter and I don't. I must find one. I just had to share these.

This little guy is the sweetest little fellow. He just is so good to his little sister and wants everyone happy. He is playing Upward Basketball and loves it.I was so concerned about him starting school. I wanted him to have a teacher who would appreciate his uniqueness. I prayed hard about it(I think I worried more about it than his mama). Well God certainly answered that prayer. He got the most precious teacher and of course he loves Mrs Schumaker.
Today I changed the door box again. I just wasn't happy with it, so I went to the barn and found this, stuck it in there and was so happpy with the simplicity.

With Easter on the horizon I have been thinking a lot about my parents and grandparents. do holidays make you do that? Well as a Christian I love Easter and the ressurection and the fulfillment of the plan of Salvation. However, I get a bit apprehensive around Easter. You see my Mother, Daddy, both grandmothers and my father in law all died at Easter. So you can see why I get that way. I think Easter gives us a renewed look on life. Offers hope. Anyway I thought I would share the last quilt my Mother made.

She loved color. The others were made by she and my grandmother.

I love this one. I have several more in the corner cupboard.

All of these were made by them with the exception of the coverlets. I will say they are a comfort and I have a couple I will use for a throw if it is cold.
I played cards with my card group tonight and we had a good time. We have been playing as you know for 30 years. Tonight we were talking about all we had been through together. Marriages, divorces, babies, grandbabies, sicknesses, deaths of parents, and childrens marriages. We have watched those babies grow up and finish college. There is nothing like good friends and I have truly been blessed in that area. I am thankful.
I thought I would share with you a friends kitchen make over. I just love it. She has the knack of making everything look wonderful. I just realized I don't have before  pictures,just the after.lol I love it.

Isn't that stove to die for? I love this and wanted to share this beautiful kitchen.
Well I am so happy you came Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS:Tamra starts her chemo this week, please pray for her and her family.
PSS: No activity on the house. That is fine with me. I just want to be where God wants me.
PSSS: What are you all planning on tweaking for spring in your houses? I need ideas.

What A Differene A Day Makes

24 little hours. Does anyone remember that old Dinah Washington song? It was one of my favorites and still is today. It is SO Good to see you on this rainy, dreary Tuesday here in East Tn. Get your coffee, (if you are tired of coffee have some hot tea, or there is some of the Godiva hot chocolate Beth gave me) I just want you to be happy and comfortable. The difference in today and yesterday is astounding. Yesterday was so sunny and beautiful. I am almost ashamed to tell you, but I find beauty in rainy days too. Without sounding like a pollyanna,( which I am sooooo not) if we didn't have the rain  we wouldn't appreciate the sunshine. As I was thinking about the difference in yesterday and today, and when that song came to my mind, I couldn't help but reflect how true those words are.  24 hours can change our lives completely. Today all is fine, then we get devastating news. 24 hours. Anyway it makes you think doesn't it?  24 little hours. How our lives can change for the good and the bad. Some of us are going through some difficult times, thinking job changes, moving, worried about children, health issues, but one day we get good news. 24 little hours make such a difference.  As I started this post, I had no idea what I was going to say. do you all do that? I just start to blog and it all comes together. (Haphazzardly sometimes).But I think I have been thinking of all the changes in my own life the last few years. Some sad, some happy, some mundane. But changes. Do you go with the flow or do you fight it? Do you let go and let God or do you fight Him? I do a bit of all of this, but I am so going to try to make my 24 hours count. Will you join me.
I thought I would post some of my favorite pictures. Indulge me as I know you have seen them all before. These are just a few things that make me smile.

going to visit my friend Carol at Christmas. Her home just invites you in and there is always coffee and something sweet.(On a sad note, both of her fur babies have died since this picture)

This old mirror from my grandparents home

This old mirror that has who it is to go on the back. I wonder why they didn't get it. Did they think it was too old and ugly? Well I love it.

Walking along this creek bank with Dasko.

This lamp from my great Aunt Chlora who always made me cinnamon rolls and red velvet cake when I went to visit.

This old flat iron from my maternal great grandmother, given to me by great Aunt Hazel.

Sitting here drinking iced tea or coffee.
These are all some of the things that make me smile. Of course my family and friends are the source of most of my smiles. As well as you who come Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: I pray that those of you having hard times right now, will have a glorious 24 hours
PSS: BTW I have that CD in my car and listen to it often.
PSSS: Lets enjoy the last few (we hope) winter days and think spring.Some of you have been pelted with snow week after week. I hope  you soon have sunny days.