The two people guessing the closest numbers are:
Christy S. – #57
Mary W. – #58
I have Mary’s address but need Christy’s.
I have spent hours reading comments to get the numbers – I had no idea anybody would really want to have these scraps but they’ll be on the way to Christy and Mary asap. I’m really sorry it turned into such a mess in the middle. The next time I do this I’ll have better rules.
And here’s Mr. JB3
He has an appointment Monday morning for neutering and shots. My hope is that when I get ready to sell this place someday the new owners will accept all animals living here at the time as part of the purchase. That’s as far as I can think right now. It will break my heart to leave them and I hope it will be years and years before that time comes. Does anybody else think about this as much as I do?
The elderberries are blooming profusely – I know lots of people give their kids elderberry syrup for colds in the winter but it looks like too much work to me.
The hydrangeas are gorgeous!
I just can’t keep from taking pictures of them!
And this is part of the aftermath of last night’s storm – not much damage for us really but east of us got hit. Kathy from New York actually heard something on her weather news there that prompted her to inquire if we were ok – now that’s what I call reader loyalty!! Thank you!
This weekend is the local Garner celebration called Duesey Day and Little Red is going to be in the parade – Bob is driving though, not me. Last year he drove a vintage car and our good friend Pearl from the Care Center rode with him. Sadly this year Pearl is no longer with us. I’ll post pictures next weekend. I love small town life – it’s simple and good.
Look at all these triangle squares!
And look at those stripes!!
I saved the best for last – Ciara was adopted and has a new forever home! When I saw this I cried – it was so hard for me to return her to the shelter. I cried then because I was so sad and I cried when I saw this picture because I was so happy! She will makes these girls such a devoted pet. It’s the perfect foster story, isn’t it?
Anybody read any good books lately? I haven’t had a really good one for so long – I don’t even want to mention the ones I’ve read because they aren’t worthy. I need a book to read on the porch!
Mary, if you want a good book to read, try The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni. I read alot and really enjoyed it. All my friends did too.
Patty Holland – I have read it and loved it!!
Mary, YOU are earning your saint status. You are such a good hearted person. And your hydrangeas are absolutely beautiful. Had them at my previous home. I do miss them.
And I do love that table topper!!
The diamond eye
By Kate Quinn if you like historical fiction
I really enjoyed it
I’ve been to busy to read, maybe in the fall. I love your hydrangeas, I wish I could grow them but way to sunny in my yard they fry. I live the table topper . Ciara looks really happy.
I highly recommend “Perestroika in Paris” by Jane Smiley, a Pulitzer Prize winning author. It‘s a delightful story about a horse, a dog, and a raven and I promise no animals get hurt or die. It is wonderful for adults or children. I can see it becoming a children’s classic.
Oh I read that too! Really enjoyed it!
All 3 books by Seraphina Nova Glass are great mysteries.
Mary, your yard —especially the hydrangeas— and all the plants and trees are magnificent! Dreamy! Thank you for sharing. Brings back wonderful memories of summer.
Charlotte – thank you! It really is the most perfect time of the year!!
Have you read Home Front Girls by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan? You might enjoy the Iowa references.
a quick book title.
THE SECRET LIFE OF ALBERT ENTWISTLE
by Matt Cain
Hi Mary, are you going to ride in your car also? Looks like J B 3 is getting a step in the right direction, getting neutered and jabbed, is he winning a spot in your heart ❤. We are off to collect our new (second hand) car today, a hybrid as petrol is expensive now, covid has impacted on all areas of life now! My son is working on replacing the wood on my old park bench, after waiting 15 years I’m excited! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Sandy – no, I don’t want to ride in the car and have everybody looking at me.
The Ride of her Life by Elizabeth Letts! I also like her book 80-Dollar Champion.
Hi Mary- Mr JB3 is in a very pretty chair! Looks like a good place to curl up with a book. I love the floral fabric.
I love when you share photos of quilts. I keep thinking I will get tired of quilting someday, but I can look at magazines, books, YouTubes of quilts for hours. It can really cut down on my sewing time. 😂
I have a Morkie that loves me. She is an 8# Maltese and Yorkie. A little ball of fluff that is always curled up near by. She follows me everywhere and is a lot of entertainment for my husband and I. I named hr Button (as in Cute As A) because she really is a cutie.
Well Happy July to you. I won’t complain about the heat because I REALLY hate the cold in winter! 🥶
Judy A – the chair moved to the porch from my sewing room – it was a thrift shop chair for about $20! And very comfortable
A friend recommended Rules For Visiting by Jessica Francis Kane. It’s a gentle, charming story of friendship which I finished today and enjoyed. It’s the kind of book one can read at bedtime with no Ill after effects.
Next I’m going to read the one Jo Kramer recommended a few days ago. She rated it a 5 out of 5, very rare. Can’t remember the name atm though.
New book: Two Widows by Laura Wolfe
One of the characters reminds me of you!
Sharon – because you mentioned one of the characters reminded you of me, I have ordered this book.
I too worry about my animals- I’ll be 69 this month. I’m hopeful that my donkeys and goats will have lived out their lives in another 10-15 years. My 2 youngest dogs are 3 and my youngest cat is 2 so I just have to not adopt any more young ones – though kittens are so adorable. All my cats were feral or rescued and dogs were all rescued. But it is a worry because no one will take care of them like I do 🙃. God is good and I just have to do the best I can as long as I can.
Here are some books that I’ve recently enjoyed:
The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate
The Maid by Nita Prose
The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin
Your hydrangeas are gorgeous!! Thank you for your blog!!
I loved The Maid and passed it on as it enlightened me. Books like that stay with me as I never thought much about their jobs till I read descriptions of what they see.
Mary two good books I read recently: A Gentleman in Moscow and The Lincoln Highway both by Amor Towles. I enjoyed both very much. Now I’m waiting for the ebook of his other book Rules
of Civility
The Maid was very good, and I’m now reading A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier. It’s great!
Ooh, I didn’t know Tracy Chevalier has a new book. I’m going to go look for it!
Matchmaking for Beginners by Maddie Dawson for some light reading, and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt has a little bit for everyone. Your hydrangeas are amazing BTW! Love your soft heart for the animals- it’s a tough world out there.
Mary, I really enjoyed The Lincoln Highway. It would be a great book to read on your lovely porch. Another recent good one was, The Last Thing He Told Me.
I can’t imagine anyone who deserves a few restful, peaceful afternoons with a good story than you!
I totally agree with Carolyn from Illinois on “remarkably bright creatures” by Shelby Vanpelt. It has such a bizarre inclusion of the octopus but it has depth overall. I also appreciate the senior living friendships and thoughts.
Yes, we think about what happens to our animals when we’re no longer able to take care of them. We have a “pet guardian” in our will. The guardian knows about it and has instructions. We have designated an amount of money per animal for their care. We specified it’s O.K. to have any of them euthanized if their age and/or health makes that the best choice.
When an aunt died many, many years ago, we had her favorite cat euthanized. The poor cat suffered terribly from allergies and was practically despondent after my died. The cat was about 12 or 13 years old, clearly grieving and was miserable. The family closest to my aunt all felt this was the best thing to do for the cat, and the vet agreed. Unfortunately, it was the last, best thing we could do for my aunt and her cat, even though we didn’t like it one bit. And I have no regrets that we made and carried out that decision. Sometimes you just can’t make it all good.
Very good ideas for your pets., Mary. It sounds like you have every contingent covered. My dad was a small town attorney and he would have approved.
Your hydrangeas are so beautiful! I don’t blame you for taking multiple pictures. Thank you!
Love the hydrangeas and envy the elderberries! I haven’t made syrup but I love to make jelly from them when I can get my hands on some.
Your hydrangeas are amazing!
Summer books: Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes. Also Flying Solo by the same author .
Ashton Hall by Belfer.
Melissa Gilbert’s new memoir Back to the Prairie.
Beautiful photos!
Scandinavian writers I like.
Jo Nesbo. The snowmen
Henning Mankell
Hope you like them too
Your hydrangeas are beautiful. I have 3 plants but they aren’t as pretty as yours. So glad Ciara was adopted. Love all your pictures of the farm.
Have you read The Funny Farm?
I love both quilts today. They are both a testament to dedication which turned out great.
I have been trying to do some cleaning – yuck. Anyhow, I found a great product for cleaning outside windows. Windex Steak Free Shine that you attach to your hose and spray. I just followed the directions and they turned out super clean and not streaked.
Janet of MN – I should look into that window cleaner! I’m actually wondering now if I could mix up my cornstarch recipe and put into my hose sprayer and get the same results. Hmmmmm
Best ever window cleaner: regular/original Joy dishwashing liquid, lots of it, in hot water.
Use old T-shirts or other good cotton rags. Don’t wring your wash rag out very tight. The window should be really sudsy. Dry and polish with dry cloths. You’ll go through a lot of rags but you’ll have easily-cleaned, sparkling windows. When you are polishing the glass, all of a sudden you’ll feel the cloth just glide.
Window washers in AZ told my mom this method years ago. I didn’t try it for years but, once I did, I’ll never use anything else.
I recently read the book woman of Troublesome Creek and the book woman’s daughter by Kim Richardson. The books are about the traveling women who brought books to remote places in the Appalachians.
I second your recommendation! I really enjoyed both of these. Read the first one and listened to the second one. The narrator did a great job and loved her accent. I check out audiobooks from the library and listen to them while I sew. It works better for me than having the TV on.
Mary, I’m positive you would love The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek. It’s based on true events.
Marcia – I DID love that book!!
I had a feeling it might be up your alley. 😉
I have been making my way through a series of books by Susan M Boyer. They are Liz Talbot mysteries series. A friend loaned them to me and I didn’t think I would care much for them but it turns out they are enjoyable, light reading. The story line continues through each book. I am on #9 now.
The hydrangeas are beautiful! The quilts were lovely. Yes, many of us think about what’s going to happen in the future. I’m trying to get rid of junk and things I don’t need. I think my adult child will have less STUFF to have to go through when that time comes. I’m sure any future owner of your farm would take on your menagerie. After all, that person is willing to be a caretaker of your farm…
JB3 is such a handsome cat. I’m older than you at 78, and like you, think of what would happen to any animals we leave behind whether through death or our needing to go to a care center. We wouldn’t consider taking any young animals now, but would still take an elderly cat. But I don’t have cats showing up at my door like you do, and I can only imagine the difficulty of that. I’m SO happy Ciara got adopted. You can take partial credit for making her more adoptable by things she learned while at your house. Every little good experience makes these animals more adoptable. Being a foster home for these animals provides such an important function, and you can be proud of your contributions!
Pat Smith – I would also take any elderly dogs and cats but let’s see – Ciara was a puppy and now JB3 is an older kitten. Not having any kids is a real problem because nobody wants the job of estate executor – I’m working with trust attorney right now to figure it out.
Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl
Your hydrangea’s are gorgeous!! I wish we could have them in the front yard, but we have too much morning and high noon sun and it is extremely hot. Now, we do have the Limelight hydrangeas and they do tolerate the sun with well drained soil and good watering. We sold alot of them when we had a small backyard plant nursery. Oh, it is great to see the foster pup being adopted! I always say it is better to adopt than to buy!! There are so many wonderful dogs and cats in the shelters that need good homes.
Stay cool everyone! It has been in the high 90’s here, with a heat index around 108 here in South Carolina.
I’m reading A Catered Cat Wedding. It’s a mystery by Isis Crawford.
I think many young people today are more conscious of pet care than we know. The rescue groups around here are young folks who seem so willing to transport and help out. That gives me faith the trend around here is to keep the support going as I see garage sales, donation jars at pet stores, all doing fundraising efforts to support them. As for me, I was told at a young age by my pediatrician when I felt overwhelmed with sick children, etc that I better be a damn good parent or don’t be one at all. Good thing he was a family friend but It woke me up! I keep that philosophy with my pets and the cat that strayed into our house when I didn’t need another one, that I better be a good parent or give it up. My family will know to contact our vet as they run a shelter as well and have connections around to make arrangements for their lives without us. Honestly I vision another St. Mary in your community wishing she could live your life of taking in pets and being on a farm. Girls like who adopted Ciara are out there. How is your Aunt In the care home?
Kathy – I need to get over to see her! She is the same really according to her family. Sad. My farm community is not the trend. I am so thankful for the girl,who adopted Ciara!
Candy – love the striped quilt. And all the stripes match! I am impressed.
Thanks, Michele! The pattern I used, from an old magazine, showed how to lay the fabric out for cutting so that the stripes match. I would have made this quilt bigger if I had more of those hoarded stripes!
When we bought our home in the country, it came with several cats. The previous owners told us they would come back for them once they were settled in Florida. It’s been 7 years and we still have the cats! They are our fur babies now and we love them! (all lap cats, nice in the winter but not so nice in the summer)
Patty – sounds like they belong to the same “low life” club as the person who dropped this new cat off at my house.
It sounds like there’s a lot of great books out there to read. Currently I have 258 books on my “to read list”. God willing I hope I’m alive to read at least half of them. And the list continues to grow!
Thank you Mary for all that you do, I am 67 and would love to get another dog but my husband says we’re getting too old☹️
Terri S – why not adopt an older dog – calm, lazy, loving – a great companion! And Lord knows the shelters are full of senior dogs because most families want a puppy!!! Win-win!!
A book suggestion for you which I finished yesterday and loved.
A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier
It has a Sewing thread running through it and is a good story too. Beautifully written as all Tracy Chevalier book are.
Quilts are so nice. Ciara getting a new home is great news. I wish we could use some of your blood and inject it into many people. You do so much, such a hard worker and so kind. The house children I am currently reading, may have been suggested by Jo kramer is very good. Will have to check out the other books suggested here.
I just knew God was pointing you in the right direction with Ciara! Did you notice that the other two dogs in the picture are looking at Ciara as if they can’t wait to play?! I just know she’s going to get a lot of love since the girl in the picture is holding her like she is a little puppy! Very sweet!
Diane in MD – I agree! Ciara has 2 dogs to play with. I wondered if each girl got their own dog and the last girl chose Ciara. It just made me soooo happy!
Your hydrangeas are beautiful, I wish I could get mine to blossom half as much as yours do! And you Dear Mary have a beautiful heart to take JB3 on too! He sure looks like a sweetie!!
I am reading Boys in the Boat right now about the 1936 Olympic rowing team. About 100 pages in and very interesting. I also finished The Hate You Give, recommended by one of my high school students. It might not be for everyone but takes a look at the “black” and “white” lines in our society.
Have you decided to keep JB3? Have you found a home for him? Been thinking about him, is he primarily a house cat or does he roam around the farm?
Holly – we’re all adjusting to JB3 – I guess he’s staying
The Boys in the Boat is a fantastic book and based n real people & and history.
Seeing the title made made me think of Blind Your Ponies (Only a reference to putting blinders on or staying focused; no animals are harmed.)
I’ve gifted each of those books on occasion to friends who have been laid up.)
I read”Wicked” by Gregory Maguire years ago, but I never read the other two in the trilogy. My sisters and I went to NYC in January and saw the Broadway show…just fabulous so I’m re-reading the book and bought the other 2 from Thrift books. Maguire is a fantastic writer. The life story of Elphaba, the wicked witch of the west, and how she became wicked…and a witch. A moral fairy tale. Love it!
A good book that I just read was Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison. Suspenseful! I loved it my daughter just couldn’t get into it must be the age! HA!
Your flowers are just beautiful! The pictures are so fun to see.
I read The Rose Code this summer. 600+ pages about the British code breakers during WWII. if I stick with it for that many pages, it’s good! 😂
A book I enjoyed: The ride of her life: the true story of a woman, her horse and their last chance journey across America. the lady was in her 60ies and rode from Maine to California in the 1920ies or 1930ies, I don’t remember. Very interesting.
Mary, JB3 looks purrfectly happy in your chair. He knows he’s landed in heaven! I love when you share pictures of your cats. I love cats, but I’m too allergic to have my own (been there, done that). Such good news about Ciara. Those are 3 happy girls with 3 happy dogs! Enjoy the parade this weekend!
Thanks for your blog, I don’t chat much but enjoy seeing what’s happening in your part of the world and reading the comments. I do wish that people would also include the name of their patterns.
Glad that the kitty is winning your heart. He looks like a keeper. Unfortunately, we have birds of prey that know their job and we started the summer last year with 10 cat, down to 2 and they run very low to the ground I think one may of been picked up but dropped. He’s a feisty one, They are brothers both black one has gold eyes and one had green eyes. Great mousers!
Hope your rat problems are over!
Enjoy reading and your porch!
So glad the dog was adopted. I count my years and my cats possible years and hope and pray I live at home long enough to care for them.
My former quilt shop is now an elderberry syrup production plant. This lovely couple have named their business Jack & Company after their son Jack. They post pictures of him (4 years old) helping. They stock 41 small business stores in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. It is really big here and really does help with allergies and other illnesses. They use local honey in it too. I cannot take it because I cannot tolerate the elderberries but my husband does faithfully. I had a bad case of Covid; he had a much milder case because he took extra elderberry syrup during it. You can check them out on facebook under Jack & Company. Just saying.
I love reading your blog! You are so REAL! I love the fact that you share your heart feelings with us and you know, we all can relate. Yup, that’s all I wanted to say. Keep sharing your life with us…I love reading about it.
Books:
Jody Picoult – Wish You Were Here
Marie Bostwick – The Restoration of Celia Fairchild
Can’t remember the writer – Prayers for Sale
Love your hydrangeas. Glad to see your foster dog got adopted. If you like mysteries try books by Louise Penny. You need to read them in order because the author develops the main characters so much. The mystery is secondary to the characters. Now I need to get some paper and write down some book names, so many sound good.
It is wonderful to hear about Ciara’s adoption! That is a happy picture.
Your hydrangeas are really beautiful.
My mom made elderberry jelly when I was a kid, but I don’t think she had any knowledge about the healing properties of the syrup, or we would have been taking it all winter. We had to eat (boiled) asparagus, because God put it in the back yard. Now that I know to grill or roast asparagus, I love it. 🤗
JB3 is beautiful.Thanks for all you do, Mary. 🥰
This comment about the asparagus, makes me gigg!e!!! God also put it along the the fence lines on the back road that I grew up on. Boiling frying and overcooking everything!
Ciara is smiling she is so happy to be adopted and you helped get her there!! I am reading series now—not sure why, I guess because one will come into our Little Free Library and off I go.
1. The Maggie Hope mystery series by Susan E, MacNeal. Woman spy in WWII.
2. The Cat in the Stacks mystery series. A reference librarian in a Mississippi College and his Maine Coon cat—36 lbs and walks on a leash.
3. Resistance Women by Jennifer Chevierini and any of her recent books.
4. ANYTHING bu Fannie Flagg. I always feel like my mom and Nana are chatting when Fannie Flagg writes.
5. The Giver OSU Stars—Jojo Moyes— women riding horses to take books to women isolated in Appalachia.
I love the Hydrangeas. Our neighbor has blue ones.
Thanks for the reader quilts. Hope JB 3 finds a home😺
The Giver of Stars. Not sure how OSU got in there🙀🙀
Mary,
Those hydrangeas!!!
I recently read two good ones.
Boys on the Boat and
A Man Called Ove
Also read The Lincoln Highway which I would suggest not reading. Better choices than it.
Peter May has a great mystery trilogy set in the Outer Hebrides: The Blackhouse, The Lewis Man and The Chessmen.
I’ll add a couple more books I read a few months ago. Our library had a reading challenge set up like a Bingo card. Two of the categories were: a book published in the year you were born and a memoir. The ones I read were “A Town Like Alice” by Nevil Shute and “Buses Are A Comin” by Charles Person. Both were worth reading.
Mary, I have been reading the Inspector Gamache books by Louise Penny. Also the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child but the best book my daughter recommended is Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.
Enjoy your summer…North Carolina is hotter than blazes and no rain..
Got new rockers for my porch and I sit on my porch anyway.
I can recommend these books/authors that I really like.
Sofie Kelly has a series called the Magical Cats. The first book is “Curiosity Thrilled the Cat”.
Krista Davis has 3 separate series – Paws and Claws. The first book is “Murder She Barked”.
Pen and Ink. The first book is “Color Me Murder”.
Domestic Diva. The first book is “The Diva Runs Out of Thyme”.
Start with “Murder She Barked”.
Cheers to you and dancing for Ciara’s fostering and ultimate adoption!!!
Just finished the Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. Hold on for the last 100 pages are a roller coaster~
Was reminded of The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy. Excellent read and not horribly long, as some of his can be. It is a memoir.