AWESOME AND LOVE

Good afternoon and welcome Through My Back Door where the coffee is on and you can have a doughnut too. It is so good to see you and it is so pleasant this evening. I cannot believe how beautiful the weather is. Do you want to sit on the porch? Today was a lovely day for me, as I went to my friend Carol's for lunch, and spent the day. We had such a wonderful visit. Deb calls Carol my kindred spirit. We, as you know have been friends for many, many years. It was to her I ran when Curtis had to go into the NH and I was having a meltdown. (My children were out of town) It was Carol who moved her car several times one day when he thought trees were falling on it. Anyway this shows you the kind of friend she is, but I digress. We had a wonderful lunch of hotdogs and macaroni and cheese. Just what I wanted. I ate so much I couldn't eat the ice cream for dessert!!!!! During our day we talked about the over use of the words "awesome" and "love." I am so guilty of this. I just LOVE everything or everything is AWESOME, but I do think they are drastically over used.  Do you? When I was a young girl, visiting my grandparents in Ohio, my friend Ruth, whom you have read about before, informed me one day,"you can't love an inanimate thing!" I said I could.(My grandfather agreed(to my dismay) with Ruth. Well, I continued and still do to just "LOVE" everything. But you know I think she was right. And the word AWESOME, I have decided needs to just apply to God and things He has done. Amelia doing well is a God thing and is awesome. I love her so much. What do you think about these two words? When I see pictures of your homes and new items I am quick to say I Love That! Or that is AWESOME! I am going to try hard to use another word or words. (Try being the key word here). So in the future if I don't use those words frequently, please know I really, really, do like it so much. Our God is truly an awesome God and I am going to work hard  not to use the word, awesome, so often, except when it applies to Him or His works.
I thought you might like to see pictures of Carol's new buttery. Her husband Jim, did it.

This will be the ceiling light, that will be hung soon. Isn't this awesome wonderful?lol
These are some pictures of her laundry room.

Now I will take you into her dining room. You are going to enjoy the eye candy

In the fall this cupboard will be changed to red ware. Christmas it will be something else.
Now just a cupboard in the kitchen.

Isn't this so refreshing? Her home is so sunny and full of peace, joy, and love.
A small section of the livingroom.

I hope you enjoyed your visit today, Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: I will be curious if you too begin to think about your use of "Awesome and Love".
PSS: Most of you don't know that I have been sick again. I will be fine, just the meds had some side affects. Anyway Monday the mailman dropped a package off at my door. I was expecting a cookbook, so I didn't hurry to get it. When I did I was SHOCKED! It was a gift from OLM. An RAK. RAK's are something I have started sending. But this truly cheered me up.

One of her handcrafted "jacks". I will turn him around and keep him out until Christmas goes up.(I hope he won't think he is in time out)
 She also sent this beautiful angel doll. I put her next to the crow angel, Amanda and Beth gave me for Christmas one year, while they were still in high school. She will watch over me in the kitchen.

This RAK really touched me, as well as brightened my day. I am so blessed to own two of Marie's
fabulous creations. Thank you my friend, so very much.
PSSS: Before I stop using these two words so commonly I just have to say, I think blogging is awesome and I just love it!!!!!!!!

Why I Look Forward To Fall

Come on in and sit down. Would you like a glass of sweet tea or a cup of coffee? You can have either. If you are thinking my title is a little off, don't blame me. It is all Marie's fault, or Old Lady Morgan, as she is commonly known by. She is having a giveaway on her blog,primitives by olde lady morgan.
You need to go over there and see what she has asked us to do if we want to enter it. So, here I am.
One of the things I look forward to in the fall, is coming home to this.

  I love mums and fall colors. It makes me smile when I drive up the drive and see this.
Another thing I look forward to is cool morning and evenings. When you can be so cozy in your home, sitting by this.

I look forward to hot apple cider, making homemade apple butter, making pumpkin squares, football, basketball, oh my the list goes on. Of course I love the changing colors. Just so beautiful it makes my heart  pound. When the leaves fall this is what I see.

I guess fall is my favorite season and I am thankful OLM gave me this opportunity to think about it. I know we don't want to rush our lives, but don't you get excited just thinking about what is to come. It is no secret I like gourds. I also look forward to doing this.

And I also like setting my table with my pewter. I use it year round, but it just seems so fall and Christmas to me. What about you? Do you use yours year round?

Well I hope you enjoyed coming Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS:Hop on over there and see her giveaway. You will return.
PSS:  God has answered prayer again. Miss Amazing Amelia, has gone home. Thank you for all of your prayers and I can't thank you enough.
PSSS: Some of our fellow bloggers are still going through some tough times. Lots of them, so would you just take a minute and lift them up in prayer?

A Walk Along Lincoln's Street

Good morning and come in, have a cup of coffee and chit chat. It is always good to have company and I love it when you visit. Thank you for all the lovely comments on my cousin Eddie's passing. You know when you are an only you get really close to cousins. I have some first cousins I love, but we don't get together often. Some are in different states(most) but even though we don't see one another often, we love one another. Eddie was a part of my life forever and he will be missed.
Anyway, when Michael, Deb, and I went to hold Amelia, on Sunday after we left the hospital, we took a walk down Historic Springfield. It was a beautiful Sunday and I took a few pictures. Sorry, I don't remember the names of the homes, but thought you all would enjoy seeing them.

This is Lincolns home. I love the plainness of it. Inside it is all decorated in Victorian, as you would imagine.

I love the simplicity of this.

Deb and Michael, pretending they are home.

Me, inviting Michael into "my"home.lol

Deb and Michael under the big tree.

I hope you enjoyed our walk today as much as I did. Can you imagine if you had lived on this street back then, greeting this man on a walk? I can see him tipping his hat and saying,"Morning". Can't you? If you haven't visited Springfield, you may want to consider it as a family vacation. Especially if you have school age children. The museum is wonderful as well as all the Lincoln memorabilia. Personally, I enjoy the big statues through out the town. I have toured it all and thoroughly enjoyed it every time. There are so many wonderful places to eat and on Saturday the downtown streets are closed to a wonderful farmers market.

 I couldn't end this post without including this picture. Didn't we all love that show?
Well, I am so glad you came Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: I hope you are all staying cool. It is so hot in so many places
PSS: Andrew got his first library card this week. Just had to share.

Mollie was there too, reading while he was filling out his request form.
PSSS:A reminder, Christmas in July in Clinton is this Saturday. You will have fun if you go.

Another Memory

A sad morning Through My Back Door. My giant has died. My Mother's first cousin, Eddie, was a big man. A big man in more ways than size. He was my giant. You have read about his wife, Ila, who gave me my first coffee grinder. I grabbed it and left them outside. A story still being laughed about. Well, Eddie was my rescuer. When I would visit back in Ohio, after my grandparents moved back here, he would always come get me and take me to their house. I loved being there. They had 4 little ones and it was always jumping. Triplett boys and a daughter, Kathy. If he was driving a truck I rode with him, and he always made me feel I was special. Ila taught me all I know about cooking and housekeeping. My Mother just didn't make me do anything. Something Beth, Deb, and I talked about while we were at Beths. I peeled my first potato at their house. Yes, it  was big, but not so when  I was finished. Fast forward a few years and I am an adult and married. I was blessed when he and Curtis became so close. Lots of fun trips made back and forth from Powell to Ohio, and Ohio to Powell.  Our kids called them Uncle and Aunt. They were so good to them. Lots of memories flooding today. So many laughs around their big oak table. Anytime we visited, Ken, Kirk, Keith, and Kathy, were always there. Sitting around that table eating and having such a wonderful time.
My giant died last night, but he will never be forgotten. He was a big man in not only size, but heart.

He loved his dogs. They were family to him. His children and grands were the light of his life.
I can still seeing him grilling steaks, asking over and over again, "Is it okay? If its not right, we can do another, or put it back on." Those of us lucky enough to be there would just laugh and look at one another. I will miss that laugh.
Thanks for letting me share another memory and for coming Through My back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: Amelia is growing like a little weed, but still in NICU. Please continue the prayers
PSS: Tamra is doing well
PSSS: Don't forget Christmas in July in Clinton Saturday.

A Little Christmas in July

Good morning and come on in. Lets have a cup of coffee and just visit. We can sit out on the porch because there is a little breeze. Before we go out I want to congratulate Vicky Huckaby, for being in Country Sampler this month. You can find her blog, Green Creek Primitives, on my sidebar.

I have sat out here a lot this year. My butterfly bush is being invaded by hummers and butterflies. The lavender is surrounded with honey bees. Curtis would love it as he always worried when there weren't honey bees or  frogs croaking. BTW, you can have a piece of pie with your coffee if you like. Fresh peach. My friend and neighbor, Jackie, brought me over a bag of fresh peaches and I made a cobbler. Yummy.
So many of you are having terrific heat waves I thought I would send you cooler thoughts. Christmas! I know you think, she has lost it.lol Anyway, here is a bit of Christmas in July.

Well, hope this cooled you off a bit, just thinking of Christmas! Oh wait! A fire doesn't cool you off!

I am so glad you came Through My Back Door, where life is good.
betty
PS: Amelia is doing great, thanks to so many prayers. Thank you  so much
PSS: I am so excited, it is almost time for the Worlds Longest Yard Sale.
PSSS: It is going to be Christmas in July in Clinton on the 27th, of this month. The Speckled Hen is going to be fantastic. So make plans for a get away and come cool off, thinking about Christmas. It really is a fun time in Clinton.

Life Is Good

Through My Back Door! Come in and have a cup of coffee. Yes, I too, am drinking with you this morning and that in itself is good. I missed my coffee! I want to share a few good things with you. As most of you know I was sick for several days, with a diverticulitis attack. NOT good!lol During that a fellow blogger came into town and we were trying to meet. I couldn't for a few days and worried if I was going to be able too. God is good and we met on Wednesday of last week. We went to Corner Antiques and down to the Hen. (Yes, she found something she wanted) Her daughter Carrie and Deb were along too.

This is Deb, Linda Rebtoy, and me. Linda has a blog,Simply Country Seasons.   She is from Ohio and we met on the TPP forum. She was going through chemo the same time Amanda was and we all prayed hard for one another. She looks great and is such a wonderful person. I know this sounds trite, but it was like all of us had known one another forever. We have so much in common, other than decorating. Carrie took the pictures and didn't get in any. She is a beautiful girl. Linda, her husband, her daughter and her  family was down here on a vacation to Norris Lake. We visited for a long while. We ate lunch at one of mine and Debs favorite places in Clinton. Percadillies. Darlene makes wonderful chicken salad and desserts.

In front of the Hen. This has become a tradition with any visitors.lol
We will see them again as they live close to my friends we visit in Ohio.
On Tuesday Deb called me and said, "How bad would it rock your world if we left for Beth's Thursday or Friday?". I was to have cards here on Wednesday night and dominoes here on Thursday. Plus I had to drive to Morristown, an hour each way to take Dasko to doggy camp. My reply was,"Not at all." I had cards, but had to cancel dominoes to take Dasko. The reason for the sudden trip was Amelia was going out of the isolette and into another bed in the NICU, which meant, grandparents could now go in and hold her! So we took off on Friday and got home last night. What an amazing moment when I first saw her, I can't describe the feeling I had. She is beautiful! So tiny but so perfect. I wanted to fall on my knees in that NICU and thank God for her.

Our first 4 generation picture with Beth and Amelia.

Family picture. We were treated so nice in the NICU. One of the nurses wanted us to have a family and 4 generation picture and we were so happy. We are so grateful for your prayers and hope you will continue to remember Beth, Ryan, and Amelia. She is doing great.
When I travel with my children, we always hit the antique shops and this time was no different. We knew Beth and Ryan wouldn't be home, so we took our sweet time going. (This was fine with me since I wasn't feeling up to par,  like now) Deb and Michael found some wonderful things. One which we will pick up next time we go. (We were in Debs little Lincoln, not Michael's Flex). I bought a small wood bowl with beautiful patina, but forgot to take a picture. However, when we got into town Beth called and said if we weren't too tired to come to the hospital we could come on and see her that  night. So that is what we did.lol
I am into gourds. I just love them and would really like to have a couple or three of the long handled ones. Here are three I have found lately.

Everyone is thinking fall, but I am going to enjoy what is rest of summer. I love the seasons, don't you? Do you see that little bit of "bling" back there?

Here it is up close. My sister in law who decorates completely opposite of me gave me this years ago and said I needed just a bit of bling with my prims! I have left it out and have to admit, I love it. It a little piece of Austrian glass she brought me from one of her trips.
Well I am so happy you came Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: Still no bites on the house. I am fine with that
PSS: Please continue to pray for our fellow bloggers who are having health issues.
PSSS: Take time in your busy schedule to enjoy those you love. Give them an extra hug and tell them how much they mean to you. You won't be sorry.