Duck Commander Phil Robertson Talks About Why This Country Needs More Jesus

If you'll click on address, it'll take you to the sight.

Blessings to you,

d

http://www.youtube.com/v/eyL1xha_1aU?version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=_sc-wBnOehF_UUW1tYNCJg&showinfo=1

Humble House

"LORD, this humble house we'd keep

SWEET with play and calm with sleep.

HELP us so that we may give

BEAUTY to the lives we live.

LET Thy bounty and Thy grace

SHINE upon our dwelling place."

by Edgar Albert Guest

~Tuesdays Thoughts~

A while back, I came across some of Mr. Guest poetry and liked it.  Whenever researching about a person, I sometimes go down archive lane as a bewildered child wondering what the person was truly like.  They are dead n' gone and I cannot at this time visit with them in person or even observe them from a distance.  Hearing their voice or seeing how they carry themselves isn't possible.  Reading their writings will have to do.

This becomes the observation from a far.

As my Husband is still recovering from thyroid surgery two weeks ago, we traveled to Oklahoma for a Grandson's Birthday Party.  Though it was wonderful to see Family,  the traveling was harder on him than expected.  Mark it up to experience and do things differently.  I am beyond tired and am snappy.  

Snappy.  Snappy is not the same thing as being snazzy.  (ha)  
If being snappy were the same as snazzy, I'd be in good company.

Truthfully, we need rest.  Wearing out very easily, I am in need of rest.      

As we prepare for his second thyroid surgery, we will be resting.  End of story.  The cleaning of the rooms has to continue and when He has had his second surgery, we will rest some more.  You know, some people are better at this thing called dealing with Life.  Some folks are better at saying no than I.  You can go, go, go until you physically drop.

In the Psalms it says, "THE LORD MAKES ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES."

Do you suppose, He ever allows you to run out of gusto so you have to   

stop, 

drop 

and rest?  

YOU ARE GOING TO REST NOW.  NOW.  

Yep,

d

Joining a Linky Party at

'Far Above Rubies'

http://www.aboverubies.net/2013/10/domestically-divine-tuesday-homemaking.html

October BOY!

~HaPpY HaPpY HaPpY HaPpY 

4th BIRTHDAY~

Wishing you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Singing a song 4 u.

LOVE YOU,

Gma

Doesn't seem possible, 

but this lil one is turning 4.

The day he was born, the Oklahoma weather was wonderfully pleasant to where the door to a Church was propped open so I walked straight through the doorway to ask for PRAYER for this precious BABY that was struggling to breathe.

It was painful to watch him breathe.  

Went for a drive and saw that the Church on the corner was open.

In I went and explained what was going on and two Ministers of the Gospel willingly prayed with a stranger in need.
Our prayers were answered.

It is a privilege to watch each Grandchild grow 

and celebrate LIFE.

  

It is a privilege to see my children mature and their children.

It is a wonderful place to be.

God bless,

d

Children's Dishes

~Miniature Dishes for Children~

Camera batteries were about to go kaput.
Sorry pics are blurry.  Wanted to share the dishes.
Just squint a tad.
You get the picture.  
Ha.

I didn't have children's dishes in my youth.  
How sweet to play with real dishes
just the right size for a child.

On the third floor of the Evah C. Cray Historical Home Museum in Atchinson, Kansas is a TOY ROOM complete with miniature dishes resting at a table with dolls.

More about Home Museum:
http://homehavenministry.blogspot.com/2013/10/dining-at-mansion.html 

http://homehavenministry.blogspot.com/2013/10/cray-historical-home-museum-at-glance.html

So glad you stopped by. Blessings,
d

Please join me.

Contributing this post to 
Susan's TABLESCAPE THURSDAY
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/broomstick-place-card-holders-for-your-halloween-tablescape/

Home Happening and Something To Cluck About

Yesterday, I peacefully sat in the car and watched  the soft grey colored Doves land in front of my parked car to peck at the walnuts that had fallen down into the street.  There were 7 Doves.  One after another the Doves flew down to the paved ground to get a meal.  

I've heard that Doves mate for life.  One of the Doves must be single.

It was comical to see them chase one another when getting too close to the walnut they were pecking at.  As if they were scolding each other.

Today, two chickens were running about in the neighbor's yard as I drove past their place on my way home from school.  They caught my eye.  I'm not sure why they have free range in Town.  Ha.  I chuckled, because yesterday I drove past my old house in Manhattan and the neighbors there had a chicken coop in their front yard with the same type of hen cooped up.  A chicken coop in their front yard.  It looked a bit odd in Town.  I can see having chicken coops in the country or on a large plot of ground, but not in the small front yard in a residential neighborhood.

We now live in a different community.  Still, there are chickens?  If they show up in my yard, does that give me the right to capture them to eat?  Hum.  It's not Thanksgiving yet.  Chicken is good anytime in my books.  grins.  Though I am a Kansas Native....I am not Country-enuff to ring a chicken's neck and proceed to pluck the feathers off to make headway to cook the chicken for a Sunday Dinner.  

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.  It's times like this that I know that I am too 'city-fied' to be a pioneer anything.

The temps are in the 40s and it's Sweater Season.  Our radiators are turned on early this Season.  Early Winter coming?  The snow on Friday did not stick to the ground.  Thankfully.  We still have our Mums standing tall in the flower beds.

Yesterday, Husband's Surgeon telephoned to visit with him about the path report.  Husband had Thyroid Surgery a week ago to remove the right side with a large, solid nodule that was causing him discomfort and pain.  His neck would pop and ache.  Years of clearing his throat.  Nausea had started.  Sweating episodes that soaked the bed sheets.  After a series of test, he made the decision to have the nodule taken out which meant that part of the thyroid had to go.  The nodule was taking up most of that side of the thyroid.

It was CANCEROUS and Hubby will return to surgery in a few weeks to have the rest of his thyroid removed followed up by Radioactive Ablation.  We will be the radioactive couple with a glow.  We both have had Thyroid Cancer. 

Our regular Physician was decent to telephone as well to ask how Hubby was doing after Surgery.  He had received the Path Report and was surprised that he had Thyroid Cancer.  After our Physician gets done with us, he will be a better informed doc.  We have as a married couple caused a stir.  Both having had Thyroid Cancer and operated on by the same surgeon.  gulp.

When officially told, "You have cancer."  how do you think you react?  It won't be how you thought you would if you were to be told.  I can assure you of that.  We, as Humans seem to have a built-in mechanism that tells us that we want to survive and that we can outrun everything that is going to hurt us.  A way to get away before harm and destruction grabs us.

With God's help, we pull through.

As I sit and type, the wind is picking up.  It's a peaceful sound hearing the rustling leaves blow past the window that I sit by.

Thanks for stopping by.

God bless and hope you are well.
Sending my love,
d

P.S.
Fried Chicken shore do sound good just about now.

Decorating On The Prairie: Utility Room

'Decorating On The Prairie' 

does the laundry.

Heard that sayin'

~it all comes out in the wash~

Doin' the laundry

got easier after remodeling the Utility room
came to fruition and was done.

December 2006 was the beginning of living a dream 

for my Husband who wanted to live in a stone house.

We had been in the house just about a year

when he tore into the Utility room.

Under the floor he went to work on plumbing matters.

Beaded board on the walls.

Ceramic tile on the floor.

Coat rack built.

Crown molding up.

Washer and dryer in place.

Take a peek.

BEFORE

AFTER

Under the floor he went.  I'm so thankful he didn't get stuck.

Glad this room is finished.

A previous post from way back has more detail:
http://homehavenministry.blogspot.com/2009/08/first-metamorphosis-monday.html

Wish there was a machine 

that folded the laundry for you.

Thanks for stoppin' by.
d

Having a good attitude and a sense of humor 

makes the laundry go faster.

Psalm 51:1 and 2

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: 

according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Contributing to The Christian Home Magazine

http://daybydayinourworld.com/2013/10/the-christian-home-magazine-127th-edition/

~Just Like A Norman Rockwell Painting~

It was answered prayer to be sitting in my over-stuffed chair in the Family room with rain hitting the ground.  Hearing the raindrops was a request I made earlier in the week.  I would like to be able to sit by the window and have nowhere to go while it rained a steady downpour.

A wet and chilly start to the week-end.  Snowflakes began blending with rain as the day moved closer to the afternoon making for the first snow of the Autumn Season.  Hopes are that it will not freeze with bright orange leaves still on the trees.

I seem to say I am not ready for cold weather.  Here she is.  Not fair when it comes to Kansas weather.  Our Autumn was short lived before taking a nose drive into Winter.  Perhaps we will have sweater weather and then a heat wave before October says good-bye.

Sigh.  Willing to open the windows and hear the birds chirping again before the air is filled with outdoors smoke from those fortunate enough to have fireplaces crackling with logs flaming.

Afternoon nap took place.  Rested.  When the time came I drove the car to pick Lil Miss up from school with snow falling straight down hitting the windshield with slush.  As I sat waiting for the children to exit the school building, like a Norman Rockwell painting little children looked toward the heavens with their heads tilted back having their mouths wide open catching snowflakes.

It is up to us to busy ourselves.  Catching snowflakes while walking in the rain seems like the thing to do after having the week I have had.

Blessings to you,
d

Dining At the Mansion

This table setting is displayed in the lovely Dining room of the Evah C. Cray Historical Home Museum in Atchinson KS.

One thing that caught my eye were the small gold chargers used under the cup and saucers.  I've seen many chargers used under  dinner dish, but never under a saucer.  Have you?

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Blessings,

d

To see more of this mansion visit:

http://homehavenministry.blogspot.com/2013/10/evah-c-cray-historical-home-museum-in.html

Always fun to see what is going on at Susan's Blog 

Between Naps On The Porch.  

Contributing post to this week's Tablescape Thursday!

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/halloween-table-setting-with-a-lantern-centerpiece/

Hubby's Surgery

I put a fresh pot of coffee on after we got home from the Hospital today.  I'll be PAMPERING my dear Husband as he recovers from his Tuesday surgery.  At HOME, I will be his personal NURSE.

It is a relief to me to be HOME with him upstairs in bed, asleep.  Clean and crisp sheets are on the bed.  A Get-Well mug filled with sugar-free candy is on the night stand for him.

Yesterday was one of the longest days of my LIFE.  I didn't sleep the night before and was up getting ready for Tuesday at 4:40 in the morning.  If you know me, I am not an early bird, but on Tuesday I was up. 

Running on empty and need a nap myself.  Hopefully will go to bed early tonight.  Last night, I slept at the Hospital and tossed and turned.  The first time I woke up it was only 12:20 in the morning and I was for sure it had to be at least 5.  No such luck.  The night druuuug along and I didn't sleep worth a HOOT.  

Doctor said that Husband's right side of thyroid was large and the mass in it was the size of half a golf ball.  Off to the path both go and follow up with surgeon will be on (of all days) HALLOWEEN.  Then we shall hear the full report and find out if this is cancer.  sigh.

Surgery went well.  He was only in the surgery for one hour, recovery one hour, then onto his room.  He looked good.  Very little pain medicine needed.  Relieved the surgery is over.  Relieved.  He has his voice.  When I had thyroid surgery, my voice was scratchy for a few days, but there was no nerve damage. Voice returned to normal.  Husband's voice sounds normal.  Answered prayer.

My Parents, my Daughter, Grand-daughter and Oklahoma Son were with me during the surgery.  As I told my Mom good-bye, I lost my composure.  I was brave up to that point.

Appreciate all the Prayers and well wishes.
Life isn't always a breeze, is it?

Sometimes the wind blows where it wants,
d

Patches, the stuffed DOG was there along with Lil Miss and her Oklahoma Uncle.

Pioneer Vinegar Pie

Going to have to try making Vinegar Pie!

Sounds lip smacking good,

d

Kansas Pioneer Vinegar Pie Search Request from Visitors to Old Recipe Detective Blog or Heritage Recipes The Request:   This search is for my friend and third grade teacher, Wava, who will soon celebrate her 90th birthday.  She remembers her mother making Vinegar Pie when she was a small girl and Wava’s grandmother made Vinegar Pie as a Kansas Pioneer, while living in a sod house in Western Kansas.  Vinegar Pie was a pie that pioneers made in the winter when the dried fruits had been depleted. I’ve included two Vinegar Pie recipes.  The second Vinegar Pie recipe is very basic (the instructions are a bit vague) and probably more like what the pioneers made when supplies were low.  The pie is suppose to have a rather fruity flavor. If you want to learn more about Kansas’ pioneer women, an excellent book to read is “Pioneer Women : Voices from the Kansas Frontier,” written by Joanna Stratton.  Vinegar Pie 2 tablespoons butter ½ cup sugar 3 tablespoons flour 2 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. ground cloves ½ tsp. ground allspice 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 cup water 1 9” pie crust that had been briefly baked (about 3 minutes) at 450 degrees Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar.  Sift together flour and spices then add to flour mixture, mix well.  Beat in egg, vinegar and water.  Pour into a double boiler and cook over boiling water until thick.  Pour into the pie shell and bake about 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Pioneer Vinegar Pie 1 egg 1 heaping tablespoon flour 1 c sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat these ingredients together and add 1 tablespoon of sharp vinegar and a cup of cold water.  Flavor with a little nutmeg and pour into an unbaked pie shell.  Cover with second pie crust and flute edges.  Bake for an hour.

Deep Cleaning

This past week, I have been deep cleaning in the Master Bedroom, wondering how on earth did the Bedroom get so much fuzzy dust in her and especially under the Bed.  After the room is cleaned, it will be much healthier to sleep in.  I am shaking my head at how much yuck was under our Bed.  It wasn't that long ago that I cleaned out from under there.  

It's absolutely eye opening and jaw dropping how much dust accumulated.  Gross me out.  We had empty picture frames, framed pictures and boxes of framed photos neatly stacked under the bed for safe keeping.  Using the extra space as best we can.  When I pulled them out to dust under there, the fuzz was awful.  Not sure where this dust all comes from.  I lost my composure.  UGG.   

The pictures, photographs and empty spare frames will have to migrate to another place in our HOME instead of under zee bed.  

Temporarily the pictures for now are propped up against a Hall Wall.  The photos will probably go in the Guest room.  NO MORE ANYTHING UNDER THE BED.  Having it cleared out will make the cleaning much easier and I need easier as I age.  

E a s i e r.  AMEN.

I have been preparing our Master Bedroom for a recovery room for when my Husband comes home from the Hospital this month after Thyroid surgery.  It has taken me a-back how dirty our Chambre was.

Until I redo our Bedroom, there are white panels that hang for curtains with white shutters on the bottom half of the windows.  I laundered the five panels, washed the windows and cleaned the shutters.  Our windows have deep sills, so these were washed as well.  

The floor is completely swept clean and polished.  Under the radiators wiped clean.  The two radiators that are in the room will be wiped down this week-end.  Tonight I hope to Scotch Liquid Gold the two Night Stands that have intercut details on them.  Q-tips work great for the detailing.  Everything that rest on these stands need a thorough dusting.

DE-CLUTTERING makes sense to me and the less sitting out will make the cleaning easier. 

I took the bed comforter off the bed today and washed it.  Will allow it to air dry so she won't shrink.  The white sheets will be washed and bleached tonight. 

After this week-end the room should be ready to go.  Ready for when He is resting and recovering at HOME.

Having this cleaning all done before the actual surgery will be a help.

The radio was on as I cleaned and tuned in to a station that broadcast DAVE RAMSEY.  I have never listened to his radio program until this week.  I liked what I heard.  As I cleaned, I was hearing some good information about finances.  I need all the help I can get.

www.daveramsey.com

Now, Dave Ramsey is kind of like Heloise of old, except he deals with financial matters that many take to heart.  He helps many clean up their financial messes.

SO with dust mop in hand, I became a smarter woman.  More informed.  Sweating to the sound of Dave Ramsey's nasally voice over the radio saying, "I'm doing better than I deserve."

Hope you have a pleasant week-end.  

Time for a Coffee Break,
d

Cray Historical Home Museum At A Glance

~Cray Mansion~

Second Floor Hallway looking into one of the Bedroom.

This 1882 Victorian Three Story Mansion has Entryway, 

two Parlours, Formal Dining room, 

Kitchen, Stairwell, Stained glass Windows,

four Bedrooms, Toy Room, Sewing room, three Turret rooms, interesting Hallways, 

original Chandeliers, Gorgeous Woodwork, Wood Floors, Wrap around Porch 

and too many details to mention.

At a glance, the Cray Mansion is a Historical Home Museum completely furnished and ready to tour in Atchinson KS.

Entry

First Floor Turret Room

Front Parlour

Ladies Parlour

Formal Dining room

Black and White Kitchen

Second Floor Turret Room

Master Bedroom

Bedroom

Bedroom

Nursery

Third Floor Turret Room

Sewing Room

Toy Room

THANK YOU FOR VISITING

I have to say that this is a very tastefully done 

Home Museum of the Victorian Era. 

A pleasant surprise to come across.

These kinds of surprises BLESS me.

Made me smile,

d

More detailed post about each floor:
~First Floor~
http://homehavenministry.blogspot.com/2013/10/evah-c-cray-historical-home-museum-in.html

~Second Floor~
http://homehavenministry.blogspot.com/2013/10/second-floor-with-private-quarters-of.html

~Third Floor~

http://homehavenministry.blogspot.com/2013/10/third-floor-of-cray-mansion-with-lots.html