The Old Poor Farm

This farm is indeed the old county poor farm. Daddy purchased it from the County because it joined Granddaddy's property and made the farm bigger. It had been a work farm where the indigents came to live and work until they got back on their feet again. Many probably lived out their lives here. After all they didn't have all the "government help" that is now available. Supposedly there are more than 2,000 unmarked graves on the property but I have never seen evidence of them. There is an old family cemetery in one of the wooded areas with a few old gravestones left. It's a serene little spot with a pond next to it that we call "Hidden Pond". The stones date back into the 1800's. Do I think the property is "haunted"? No. Do I think that there may a few kind spirits lingering? Maybe. This property has always had a positive, uplifting feeling to me. [And we all know that positive breeds positive, negative breeds negative.] Customers that came on a regular basis to the shop always said as soon as they started down the lane they felt a welcoming sense, a warmth so to speak. Even newcomers would comment on the serenity, the "aura". I loved that. I remember as a child several of the little houses still existing and I use the term "house" loosely. By that time they were the skeletal remains of the originals. We had our clubhouse in one of them that still had a couple of rooms intact. We had an old quart jar on the beamed window sill we collected our dues in, I think we had about fifteen cents in it. I don't actually remember tearing any of them down, I think they just finally decomposed and became part of the earth. So yes, this farm does have some history and romance about it. [and I do so love romance!] And though I said that I don't think of it as "haunted" I did say that a few sweet spirits might still linger. Who knows? We did have a few incidences that were "unexplained" in the room of the shop we called "the parlor". More on that later--for now I must go and dump the ice out of the foster dogs buckets, get them water, and warm them up with some heated chicken broth.

Winter Wonderland

What a snug little house for one of our feathered friends.

Wrens built in it for the last couple of years.

Of course wrens build Everywhere--Always in the Spring basket on our front door. We just use the back door.

Beautiful Bone Structure

I love trees and shrubs that have knobby branches and beautiful structure. This tulip magnolia is a particular favorite of the birds. It usually has three or more nests in it during the Spring and Summer months.

When it blooms it will be cloaked with large purple flowers, a Southern Lady all dressed in her

finery with baby birds flying out beneath her skirts!

This is the entrance to my Farmer McGregor's Vegetable Garden. I wanted a pretty vegetable garden and my brothers-in-law, Sam and Dan, did this for me. [Don't you wish they were Your brothers-in-law?] During the growing season there will be climbing roses and lilies blooming and masses of productive vegetable plants on the other side. At least that's the plan. Last year I was able to put up pickled asparagus, pickled okra, salsas, [I did regular tomato salsa and peach salsa requested by our niece, Diana.], pickles [have to practice on them], green pepper jelly, and squash relish. Oh, and my mother's sweet pepper relish. And fig and peach marmalade and peach honey but the little fruit trees are elsewhere. So you see I am a bit obsessed. Told you.

It is a cold, bleak January day. The gas logs are blazing and candles are sending off sweet aromas and I am being seduced. Yep, seduced by the first seed catalogs to arrive this year in the mail. Besides being a floral designer and a rescuer of dogs, I am a gardener. I love it, I crave it, I revel in playing in the dirt. Flowers, vegetables, fruits, you name it I want to grow it. It's a sickness, it is, an addiction but so be it! And the names that the seed and nursery people come up with to entice you---Sugar Pearls apricot. Ruby Red chard. Envy carrots.Bodacious [yes, Bodacious!] corn. So can you understand? I'm putty in their hands! I hate to shell peas, I hate to pick green beans, but the urge to plant them I just can Not resist! So this hot-house flower has spent most of the day piled up on the couch with Coco and Truffles and 8 [yes, 8!!] seed and plant catalogs putting little black check marks next to all manner of luscious descriptions. Last year I tried my hand at canning--successful for the most part. We have been enjoying the results of my efforts over the winter. One of the favorites as been Sweet Pepper Relish, my mother's recipe. I've always thought the only reason to eat black-eyed peas or greens was to have her relish on top of it. It's also delicious on barbecue or paninis. Here it is and it's so easy:

1 doz. small onions, chopped
1 doz. red and green sweet bell peppers, chopped
1 Tbsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 pt. vinegar
1 pt. water
extra boiling water
Cover chopped onions and peppers with boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes, then drain.
Mix vinegar, salt, sugar, and water; bring to boil for about 5 minutes. Add peppers and onions. Pour in hot sterilized jars and seal.

Try it. You will feel so smart and those little jars are just so darned cute!

My husband and our three children with fur. The black cockers are sisters, Coco and Truffles, and Honey we adopted from C.A.R.E. Honey was taken into the pound with her six puppies because of neglect. The owners didn't want them and decided to just starve them to death. Sarah got them all. Another foster mom had Honey and could Not keep her contained. I [thinking I'm so smart] said that anyone could contain a dog if they tried hard enough. Wrong. Should have named her Houdini. Honey Houdini Weedman. That's right. Since we couldn't keep her kenneled, fenced, Or on a lead we just adopted her. So she's our Honey Girl, the ambassador. She meets and greets all the new fostered dogs and lets them know that she is the head honcho. Oh, and don't worry--all her puppies got adopted too!

Happy New Year, 2011

So I can't say my life is boring [my husband just wishes for ONE boring day with me, I imagine.] and a Lot has happened in the two years that I decided to semi-retire. I had far more personal time when I was running a shop 24/7. After all I had a wonderful staff that was irreplacable. They made my life so much easier. The dogs aren't as considerate! Easy is not in their vocabulary or their barking, per say. In fact we adopted Honey the Houdini dog because of that. We couldn't stand the thought of adopting her out to someone that wouldn't search high and low for her if she went missing and don't think that we don't panic everyday when she lopes off with that grin on her face. John and I both have gone to Walmart numerous times to get her. It's located right over the berm and I think she takes smoking breaks with the employees. She also loves the lumber yard at Home Depot. They give her hot dogs. Here she'll come running with a whole one and she holds it in her mouth like a cigar. [learned that during the smoking break, I imagine.] The nearby horse pasture is a favorite hangout of hers--she'll come home that greenish/black horse manure color and just reek. I have to sneak up on her with shampoo, she Hates baths, even sponge baths. A skunk got her not too long ago and she was pink for days from the tomato juice bath. But she hates cold weather and rain and has spent a lot of time on the couch this winter AND she has never had an accident in the house. [you know, the bathroom kind]. So all in all she is quite an exceptional dog, at least we think so. She loves everyone and everyone loves her. My husband and my family are hoping I don't adopt another dog every year. [They think I'm going to be a dog hoarder.] Happy New Year! C.A.R.E. is hoping for a wonderful year of adoptions!