How Did I Get To Here

Good afternoon and I am so happy to see you. This is a beautiful Monday afternoon, much improved from Saturday and Sunday. I don't mind rainy days now and again because you can recharge. That is what I have done this weekend and I feel great.
Did you get your coffee? It is Kona today. We gotta keep a variety and make us all happy. Sorry there is nothing sweet, yes I ate it all!!!!
Do you ever stop and look around at where you are today, and think How Did I Get Here??? I don't mean exactly where you are, but in life. Today I have been contemplating that question. I mean, I should still be young and simple.(I tell Olivia she is in the young and simple phase of her life, and she tells me I am in the old and wise phase)lol Usually I don't think about age, I say it is just a number. So what triggered this today? Well I had lunch with three of my high school friends. We were part of a group of seven and we did the high school things together. Slumber parties, Jr-Sr banquets, ball games, social club, you know the things. We had lunch together today and we all agree, we don't feel we are as old as we are. How did we get here?

They still look the same to me. Do I to them? Of course not.(I didn't have grey hair in high school)lol Patsy and Kathleen on the left both had their drivers license and drove us every where. We were laughing about that today. There was never a thought given that if they had an accident, anyone would sue. I know parents worry,and rightly so, about that today. Anyway we had a wonderful lunch and conversation. They have no idea how happy it makes me that we have reconnected. The joy of it is we are all transformed back to those happy care free years in the late 50's. As Alice says, The Class of 57 Had its Dreams.
Another thing that makes me think, How Did I Get To Here, is my children are getting older.lol Yes they are and I don't know when it happened. I guess I was too busy living life to realize it. I do know I love them being where they are and being not only my babies but my friends as well. It is a God thing that I love my  in-laws and they love me. I am blessed.
I want to share a few of my favorite things today.

They aren't things, but they are two of my favorites.

I like the make do on this.

A firkin full of cotton. So simple.

Redware with fall decorations.

My Mother's yellow ware bowls. She used them.

My door box with one single stem.

My entertainment center made by the worlds best son in law.
These are a few of my favorite things. I don't know how I got here, but I am so glad you came Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: I am missing some of our blogging buddies. Are you? Some are MIA
PSS:My friend Cindy Cox has had hand surgery. Hope you are on the mend Cindy. We need a good cake.lol Just kiddin'
PSSS: I am going to post some pictures from Dodd and Renda's soon. They have bought some beautiful "new" antiques.

A Week Through My Back Door

Good Friday morning. How sweet of you to drop in this morning. Of course the coffee is on and because of this past week, we have a choice of Lemon Meringue Pie or Almond Pound Cake. So, make yourself at home and get your choice. This has been a busy week Through My Back Door. I enjoyed Dayna when she visited last weekend, and looking forward to her next visit.
The house was shown twice last week end(to the same person) and that took up a lot of time. Dasko and I went to the Speckled Hen on Saturday, while Gloria was here for a couple of hours. I will have to say he was a good dog and behaved well. (I usually go to my Aunt Annie's with him, but she gets her hair done on Sat.)
If you came Through My Back Door, this is what you saw.

Deb brought me the ivy geranium this week.
I love the sun in this picture.
Monday night I went to cards. You know we have played cards for almost 30 years. I think we must have all be around 10 years old when we started. NOT! We all worked in special education and got together to play because one of the girls was going to be going through a divorce. We have remained solid friends through the years. We have had divorce, remarriage, marriages, births, loss of parents, those children have now graduated college or are in college.I think 2 are in high school. Time has flown! It has been a wonderful group to be a part of as you know they are always there for you. NO matter what. When Curtis was getting so bad, I could not have made it with out this group. I love them like sisters.

 Tuesday night I had a jewelry party for a friend. Now I do not do this and don't like them but what fun we had. I love the jewelry and they give wonderful hostess incentives. We had such a good time. I had just a few friends. It was very easy as all I had was Heavenly Tea, pound cake and of course coffee. I got some lovely pieces of jewelry too. Lisa  did a wonderful presentation. (BTW Lisa is Josh's mother.)

Deb and Lisa chatting it up before the party. They hadn't seen one another in several years, but had been friends in high school.

This is Gloria(my sweet realtor) being used as a model.

This group looks like they are really into it. There were 12 people there and lots of laughing. I just love being with happy people.Don't you?
I told you this had been a busy week.lol Yesterday was my day to host dominoes. I made enchilada's, salad, and the pie for dessert. Of course we drink a lot of tea and coffee, during the day. So you see, this has been a crazy, busy week Through My Back Door. Today I am going to snuggle in and read.
I did some rearranging over the mantle. I am going to show you. However I did change it back to the mirror instead of the oil canvas.

What do you think? I am liking the picture there. May have to move it back.
For the first time in a long time I am happy with my front porch.

I love geraniums. Do you? I saw this when I let Dasko out this morning.

Love the dew on the grass. The sun is
shinning and it just made me smile.
Hope you enjoy it too. We could have coffee or tea on the porch if you want.
I am so glad you came Through My Back Door, where life is good.
betty
PS: I ask you continue to pray for Tamra. She is doing as well as anyone can, enduring what she is enduring. I want to show you what her Dad, Granddad, and Uncle did for her. This is the sweetest picture. I love this family.

Yes, they all shaved their heads. I call this support, don't you? That is her dad on the right, her uncle on the left and her grandfather beside her. I thought you all would enjoy this. She and her family appreciates your prayers.
PSS: Yesterday, after dominoes, we went to Andrews school to hear him read. All the kindergarten classes participated. They were at different tables and several children read to different families. It was so sweet to see how proud they were of being able to read their books. They wore chefs hats and carried their books on silver trays.
PSSS:Next week is the Clinton Antique Festival. I hope you can come. As I have told you before it is a wonderful way to spend the day. Lots of venders and good food

5 O'clock Comes TWICE In A Day?

Good Monday morning and you know by now I am NOT doing laundry. However I always feel the "twinge" of guilt that I should be.lol The coffee is on and I am happy to have you visit. There are some cookies too. I love my sweets.lol
I know you are wondering about the title of this post. Yes, he did! He(Dasko) got me up before 5 am this morning.

Can you believe that? I had forgotten 5 o'clock came twice in a day. Now he is back asleep and I am wide awake. In his defense he doesn't do this too often.
Last week was a busy week. My cousin came from Chicago on her way to Nashville and spent the night. She is the daughter of one of my two "city" cousins.(I am the country cousin) as we call ourselves. As children we were like sisters, however they have lived in the Detroit area all of their lives. I was the oldest and I guess I lorded it over them about respecting their elders. I was only a year older than Ver, and now I tell her she can have the year and be the "elder" she won't co-operate.Dayna is Carol Sue's daughter. (Ver and Carol Sue were always co-conspirators in swinging too high in the porch swing.)lol Last weeks post brought back a lot of memories for us.Anyway Dayna hadn't seen our Aunt Annie in years, and really couldn't remember her. I took her to visit.

It was pouring rain on Friday and Aunt Annie was having pajama day. Do you think that is where I get loving my PJ day?She will  93  in September. We were reminiscing about making our stack cakes. You know it isn't Christmas to us without one. My Nannie, Aunt Annies Mother, made them until she couldn't, then Aunt Annie made them for years until she couldn't, and I took over.(Which was a big surprise, since I am not a baker). She is looking forward to another Christmas. I already have the dried apples thanks to my friend Dottie.
I really enjoyed spending time with Dayna. She is young, smart, and funny. We found we have so much in common it is eerie. I am looking forward to her next visit.
I have done no decorating. I am in a rut. Any good jump starting ideas?

This is all I have on my stove board. I am going more and more simple.

This is the one I found on the worlds longest yard sale and it has really been used. See the scars. I love that.

I have had this coverlet for years. We bought it sight unseen and I love it. I didn't show the part of it Hillary chewed on. It was perfect until then.

This is a basket of coverlet pieces. They just speak to me. Do they you?

Another coverlet on the rope bed.
Speaking of coverlets, The speckled Hen has the most beautiful FW coverlet I have ever seen. Yes, I asked her to order me one in queen. The one she has is king. It is gorgeous. You can see it on her FB page.
Well I have drunk a pot of coffee and am so happy you came Through My Back Door where life is good. Even at 5 o'clock AM.
betty
PS: The Clinton Antique Festival is May 4th. Only 2 weeks away. If you come I hope to see you.
PSS: I, like everyone else in America am happy they caught the Boston bomber. However my heart breaks to see such a smart, good looking young man just throw his life away. Does yours? Not only his victims lives has he destroyed, but his own families too. Did he think he wouldn't get caught?
PSSS:Please remember my friend Sandi's family in your prayers. Her 16 year old nephew died suddenly playing basketball last week.

Random Thoughts From a Blogger

Oh what a beautiful morning we are having here in East Tn. The only thing that would make it better is to have you drop in and have a cup of (CB) coffee and a couple of cookies. I looked outside when I opened the blinds this morning and just was overwhelmed with the beauty of this new day. God is so good and He will comfort and bring peace to those in Boston. Not only to those people and their families who were actually injured or killed, but to the rest of us, as we are victims as well. Boston is supposed to be the peaceful town where so much of our history originates. I am so sorry and it hurts me to think we live in a time where people kill innocents. But today, I am going to enjoy the peace and the beauty that is surrounding me, here, Through My Back Door.
This is what I saw outside my bedroom window.

My mother lived in that double wide and her bedroom was the corner room toward my window. We knew when her shade went up she was okay. Since then there has been two different grandchildren live there. It has been empty for two years. Kind of sad.

This is the lavender outside. It is in full bloom and yesterday there were honey bees all over it. I liked seeing that.

Coffee was here this morning. Love the mustard container, I bought a few summers ago.

Do you see I have renters squatters?lol You know I am afraid of birds, but I will let them stay. However the mocking birds are everywhere. They get mean if you get near their nest. Boo and Dasko have been swarmed at several times. I haven't yet. It was so bad a couple of years ago I would either drive or take an umbrella to the mailbox!!!! Can you believe that?

This battered old aluminum dishpan belonged to my paternal grandparents.(The mirror ones). You know they didn't have fans nor AC so they sat on the porch or in the front yard. There was an old pear tree and a crock with plastic poinsettias, that sat under that tree year round. She also had  this old dish pan with hen and chickens in it. She gave it to me and the hen and chickens lived forever, then they died. Deb still has a starting from them. Anyway I get great joy in seeing this. It reminds me of the good times we cousins had at Nannie and Papaws. There is a picture of the house on my wall of love.

You can see the pear tree. There was a porch swing on the porch and if you swung too high it would flip. Don't ask me how I know.
I found this old "camp" blanket too. It was always on my Maternal grandparents "divan."

Last week Deb bought me a goodie. No reason, just because. I know I am going to love this, especially during the holidays. It is so neat.

It is large enough for me to cook a meal for me and a couple of others. It came with lots of good dip recipes, which I will try soon. I have told you often how wonderful my children are to me. I know I don't deserve it, but I certainly don't take it for granted. God has blessed me in so many ways and I am grateful.

This is where the chair ended up. I just like this chair.
While I am blubbering, randomly thinking, I will share the story of these marbles. Hillary my second rottie destroyed(practically) our house. she ate holes in the carpet. Some I could strategically place something over to hide.However here in what is now my reading nook, it used to be open space.

Well, Hillary ate a big hole right about where the little rug is. Curt and Seth loved it. They would shoot marbles in the hole for hours. They were NOT happy when we replaced the carpet.

That jar holds the marbles they played with. Those red tennis shoes were Curts too. I always loved seeing him in those little high top shoes.
The pair of bulls eye lamps were a gift from my husband. He got into a bidding war at an auction and paid way too much for them. His reason was I had told him NOT to come home with out them. I miss him.

This old tree outside my kitchen window is a beauty. I love the shade it provides. It represents strength and giving. Do you remember the book, The Giving Tree?
Yesterday morning Deb called and invited me to breakfast. She had bought a new waffle maker the day she bought my crock pot.(pots) Anyway Michael was off  and Mollie had spent the night. Amanda was coming too, so of course I went. Mollie wanted me to come play dollhouse. In the dollhouse she has a grey haired doll she calls Mamaw Betty. Is that not just precious? Well anyway we had a good breakfast as well as some family time, that is absolutely priceless. I came home and did nothing much, so today I am,as my Mother would say,"Picking them and setting them down." I have another house showing this week, so I have to get busy. Thank you so much for coming Through My Back Door, where life is good.
betty
PS: I don't even have to remind us to keep praying for Boston and all of the injured and their families
PSS: Remember the Clinton Antique Festival is May the 4th. It is always fun and shops are full, as well as vendors on the street. Also lots of good food.
PSSS: The house will be shown again this week. Should it sell, I have found one I really like, and Lyn Dee, it does have a good back door. It is the same people who came earlier. I am just praying Gods will be done. Will you?

Oh What A Beautiful Day

Good afternoon and come on in. I  am so happy you dropped by to visit. It is such a gorgeous day here after storms last night. Of course the coffee is on and oh yes we are still on Cracker Barrel,lol, plus we have some fresh baked chunky chocolate chip cookies. Andrew was selling cookie dough a few weeks ago and we all HAD to buy two.(his insistence,not the teacher) I thought what will I do with two big containers of cookie dough! WELL!! Guess.lol We will eat them. So that is what we are doing. I have been busy since my last trip. Monday I painted my porch. I like it so much better, as do many others. Deb is the only one who liked it better grey.

 The  grey always looked dirty to me. I do love geraniums.
I have been doing some cleaning and changing a few things. I changed my mantle again.

Removed the crocks and replaced them with my pewter for the warmer weather. This wonderful coffee serving set was given to me by a dear friend. It makes me happy when I look at it.
I found a goodie this week. I never buy anything because I have no room, but this chair "spoke" to me.

It is mustard and is pegged. The bottom rung is so worn. It said,"take me home with you", so I did. It was in my friends, Clay and Barbie Goods booth at Corner Antiques.

Don't you agree? It is a wonderful old chair.
You all know I am afraid of feathers. (Oh how I hate to admit that, but I am). I want a quill, but, (feather)so Pam and Frank sent me this paper one a few years ago. I found this old apothecary bottle in Kim Waggoner's booth at Corner and it makes a perfect ink well.

If  you make it to the festival the Speckled Hen and Corner Antiques is a MUST visit. (My clay pipe came from there a long while ago too.)
Today was a beautiful day for another reason. Amanda had been asked to give her testimony to the LAF (Life after fifty) group at my church. I have never been so proud of anybody as I was her today. She gave God the glory for every bit of it. My church was very supportive and prayerful for her during her illness. The prayer shawl group made her a prayer shawl and there were people who prayed for her daily. So she compared it to being on the mission field and reporting back about her mission. My granddaughter is a natural speaker. She had us laughing, crying, and rejoicing. It was a day I will always remember. I took my camera and forgot to take any pictures. Anyway this is one of Clay and her I posted on facebook. What I didn't realize until after I had chosen this one was, it was taken exactly one week to the day before her diagnosis!

I am so thankful for all the support she had today, as it was the first time she had done this publicly.
Another erie thing about this is, Tamra's grandparents had prayed hard for her.Never thinking it would be their granddaughter we were all praying for one year later. SO again, thank all of you for your prayers for Amanda and prayers for Tamra.
Next week is busy too. I am having company from Michigan and there is another house showing. These people have seen it once,well one of them has, the other wants to see it now. It is in Gods hands but I have to clean!!!!!
It was so good having you let me babble as you came Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: My granddaughter Olivia is having a hard time poor thing. NOT!!!! She has been to France(Paris) Scotland, Ireland, and has just this past week been in Spain!!! How will she ever come home and be content, now that she has seen the world!!!(or at least part of it)lol
PSS: Please continue to pray for Tamra and all of our blogland friends
PSSS: Have I told you how blessed I feel to have each of you in my life? If not I am telling you now.

So Happy To See Spring

Good morning and come on in. It is going to be another beautiful day here. Yesterday was spectacular. I actually had the doors open and it was just wonderful. Of course the coffee is on and again today it is Cracker Barrel. Curt loves it, so I tried it and I like it too. It is more expensive than DD but you do get a full pound. If there is a CB near you try it. I still love my Kona though.lol Help yourself to a piece of Strawberry cake too. It is quite yummy if I have to say so myself.lol(Well, there is no one else to say it)
This has been a busy week here. We got home late Monday, I had a dermatologist appointment early Tuesday. She removed another suspicious place. (You may remember I have had several removed, even a skin graft on my nose last summer) This was the only place and I felt pretty good when I left there. Had to go get Dasko at doggy camp(an hour each way). Came home and went to the grocery. Had my card group on Wednesday night and went to Dominoes on Thursday. I had missed the last 2/3 weeks because of being gone and I wanted to go.(lost badly)lol I went to a girls night out Thursday night and had friends for dinner Friday night. A wonderful week spent with people I enjoy being with. God has blessed me with so many different friends and I am grateful.Each one has blessed my life. I am home for a while until I go to Sandi's, but the beach is calling.lol
Today is work day outside here. I have scraped some of the back porch and am going to paint it Monday. I am going to get some flowers planted in some containers to give this place some curb appeal Doesn't it sound like a fun day?
I have done a bit of tweaking after removing my Easter. This, however is still on my table.

I am going to leave it until May.

Mother told me she wanted a bit of color near her.

I have taken most of my boxes out and stored them. I just had to keep one in here.

Don't know if I have ever shared my floors. One of the best FB decorating group, is (in my opinion) Decorating With Antiques. They were asking to see  pictures of floors, so I thought I would share mine. These are just perfect for me and so EASY to take care of. These are through out the house except in the little bedroom. They are a narrower width. I have to admit my rottweilers have done most of the stressing.lol

This is a picture of my old betty lamp. I have had this many years and always forget to show it. I will leave you with just a few of my favorite things.

The Spinner.

Some of my firkins and my dry sink.
Well I am so happy you came Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS:Please continue your prayers for Tamra. She is doing well and has the most wonderful outlook. Nothing is slowing this girl down. Here is a picture, so you can see who you are praying for.

 It seems to me when these girls lose their hair, they just become more beautiful. BTW her Daddy shaved his too.(He didn't become more beautiful)lol Just kidding Randy.This is her Mother with her. They so appreciate all of your prayers for their family.
PSS: Also some in blogland are experiencing some hard times, too right now. lets remember them.
PSSS: Again remember the Clinton Tn Antique festival the 4th of May. You won't be sorry you came