He's Back....................

Who's back, you ask?

3

guesses

and the first 

2 

probably 

won't 

count.....

Yes, it is Petey, 

who has come to visit,

while Jd is at an overnight indoor camp-out.

Ever had an indoor camp-out?

Well their Cub Scout 

group is having one, tents and all.

So Poppy and Mimi are 

keeping this  little boy.

We've already done this,

and 

seen 

this

we've already 

had food, 

and sat in Mimi's lap.

We've already

started an argument with Buddyboo.

And we've only been here 2 hrs.

Wonder what it will be like

by the time

I get picked up

tomorrow 

afternoon?  Maybe argue with this?

An Angel by her Side by Ruth Reid

Katie Bender was the teacher at the local Amish school. When the weather got bad, she sent all the children into the cellar, only to find one missing. She got him into the cellar, then someone else showed up, Seth Stutzmzn. He helped keep the children calm during the tornado, and the aftermath, when they couldn't get out of the cellar.
Katie had lost her fiance in a drowning accident, and figures she would never marry. When the community decides not to rebuild the school, she has no clue what she will do, to make a living.

Seth had come to set up bee hives for his brother, Amos, who lived next to the school. He didn't tell anyone he was a master carpenter, because of an accident where someone was killed, in a building he had built. He feels he was responsible, and doesn't want to hurt anyone again.

The Angel Elias is there to help them get over their fears, sent by God, he has a mighty fight on his hands.

Ms Reid writes beautifully, her stories are a bit different than most Amish stories. They keep you glued to the page

This book was sent to me by Booksneeze, to read and review. I received no other compensation. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Just a short tuit

Need a decorative container in a short time, and either no time or no money to purchase one?

I'm one of those people who loves old wallpaper or wrapping paper.

so I have started covering cans of different sizes.

Here is a short how to, 

on the way I do them, takes about 15 minutes to cover a can.

Find some paper, wall paper works really well,

 because it is a bit stiffer than most wrapping paper

find the size container you want, make sure it is clean.

You can either take the label off, or leave it on, makes no difference, 

I've done them both ways.

You'll need a knife, a straight edge, a glue gun, some masking tape, and ribbon or decorative

flowers if you wish to decorate after you finish covering.

Lay can on the paper, just with the bottom lip touching the edge of the paper

Take straight edge, and lay right where the top of the can is 

put onto the can, itself.

Using the straight edge and the knife, carefully cut the

paper to length that will reach around the can, plus an inch or so extra.

Wrap the can, and overlap the paper, pulling it as tight

as you can. 

Take knife and cut against the edge of the papers where they overlap

and if you do it right, they will match perfectly. 

This is where the stiffer paper helps.

Take a couple of pieces of  masking tape,

and tape the paper on the can, making sure

the edges fit together.

Hot glue the edges closed, making sure glue is set 

before removing tape.

Decorate as you wish, I didn't have any matching ribbon

so stuck the raffia on, just to show what I meant.

Raffia was removed 

And here are 2 cans, a coffee can and a large soup can

done in about 15 minutes.

The first can I covered, a baby formula can, about 11 years ago, with a pretty wrapping

paper.  I still use it, and it has held up very well.  I'm sure the wallpaper will hold up even better.

Also, if you have one of those can openers that cut the lid, where it will fit back on can, you can glue it back, and use it as a gift container.  

We did that to daughter in law, left the soup label on the can, and you should have seen her face, when she unwrapped a can of soup for her Christmas gift.  We'd put a gift card to her favorite store inside, and sealed it back, she could tell the can was empty of soup, lol.

I had a big laugh yesterday. For Christmas,

 I gave my 9 1/2 year old granddaughter 3 books by KD McCrite.

 Skylar decided to read the last one, Chocolate Covered Bologny, first, but her mother told her no, she needed to read them in order, so after she had read a few pages, she put it back, and started the first one. But, being a literal person, and both chocolate and bologny are favorites of hers, it played on her mind. She tells me that her mother never buys bologny (yes I know it is spelled Bologna in the 'other half of the world, but not at our house) so anytime I know she is going to be here, I try to pick up a package for her. Yesterday morning, she wanted fried bologny and eggs for breakfast...Later in the day she noticed there was one slice left, and told me about reading in that book, and how chocolate covered bologny sounded so good.
She grabbed the chocolate syrup, and 1/2 slice of bologny, and went to smearing, about 20 seconds later, she spit it out, licked the chocolate off, and threw the bologny into the trash.

Oh, and if you are interested in purchasing these 3 books, I noticed that on Amazon.com they have a 3 book deal right now, all 3 for 17.99.  They are well worth that price.

THE LESSON, by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Revelle, a division of Baker publishing
294 pages

Mary Kate Lapp, known as MK to her friends, is 19 and a dreamer.  She can think of many exciting things to do with her life, dectective work, travels.  One of them isn't teaching school to a bunch of kids.  But when the regulat reacher gets hurt, she gets 'recruited' to do the job, until the regular teacher comes back.

She would rather investigate the death of the sheep farmer down the road, or do anything other than teach, but she gives it a go, when she finds she has no choice.  Besides it will only be 2 weeks and 2 days, surely she can get through that without much trouble.

I think I have read nearly every book that Suzanne Woods Fisher has written,  and she continues to put a great story out there for her readers.  I would give this one 4 3/4 stars, only because it ended before I wanted it to, I'd have liked a few of the things cleared up, that she left hanging.  I'm sure there will be another book that will clear those things up..

I received this book through Litfuse to read and review.  I received no other compensation.  All opinions expressed here are my own, I am not required to give a positive review.

Just a Ramblin

This is our former minister, paster McConnell.

See that goofie grin?  We gave him a 

Duck Dynasty cake last night, as his going away

gift.  Says something funny on it, but I can't remember what.

There was a lot of tears, some laughs, and

even a few jokes.

We will miss him, but God has called him to a new place, just not sure where, yet.

He's fixed us, lol, maybe he can fix them, too.

This is the Jacob Wolf home, built in the very early 1800s

before Arkansas was a state.  It sets along the White River

in northern Arkansas.  I hope that this spring, we can take a drive up there, and I can get some photos of my own.

Can you imagine if those walls could talk, what they could tell!

  I know you've seen this before,

yes, these are my house rules,and if you 

don't like wearing fur, please stay outside.

Over the years, we've had numerous 

dogs and cats, and not one of them has ever

spoken to me the way a lot of humans have, insulting me and hurting my feeling.

This picture kind of reminds me of Peanut, a stray that we found in 1991, along with her brother, Punky. We kept them both until they went to the bridge, and when we found them, they were not even big enough to jump on sofa so I put a cushion down, so they could get up there.  That didn't last long, they learned to jump quickly enough.

Wouldn't you just love to cuddle this little fella!

tuckered out

You need to read the other post first, then come to this one.  Petey and Buddy had a great day,
and are piled in my chair, together.

coward allertttt?

Dat is Petey, the wonder dog.

Wonder why he show up ta my hoose

and eat my food.

I tells u, he is sompin.

Ma was goin out, so she puts him on a leash, hrump, big baby.

she gonna show him dis

an dis

He taksid a look, and runses

back into garage, wid dem tangs

followin him, lol, 

Chicken!!!!!

But he pways wid

dis

Buddyboo

It's Buddyboo Again

I be madder dan that ole wet hen...

Ma comes in talkin all sweet an nice.

Picks me up and gives me a pat, removes my

collar, so I be nakked, and den sticks me

in dat ole big sink in the laundry room.

I tols her I didn't stink, but

she say dat I do, an used baby shappo on me

so nows I smell funny.

She did gibs me a bite of roast, afters

I dried a bit.  

If she gib rest of it, I will like her gan.

Why don't she bave dem Kats instead...

WHERE GOD FINDS YOU by Anita Higman

40 Devotions Bringing Bible Characters to Life
239 pages
Standard Publishing
www.standardpub.com

I didn't read this book straight through, since it is a devotional book.  I read a few pages here, and a few there, until I finished.It seems different than most devotionals,  more fully developed, with more thought put into the story from the Bible it is depicting, then more how it fits into our daily lives.  The story of Ruth was especially relevent, and so was the story of the woman who touched Jesus' hem.

I would highly recommend this book, it is easy to read and understand, and it gave me a lot more information than just the few verses that are written down.
I was given a copy of this book to read and review.  I received no other compensation.  I'm not required to give a favorable review.  All opinions expressed here are my own.


  I got the link below from Amazon.com so I don't know if you can click to look inside or not, but if not, go to Amazon and check out the book.

Tears of Joy?

If you stick around here long enough

You'll figure out that some days I have a sense of humor.

I posted this for Nana Diana, 

to give her a chuckle, because her

posts, and the responses she gets

are usually my first chuckle of the day.

Followed closely by Tete, over at the Garden Gate.
I need a good chuckle today, 
I'm under the weather
and will be missing church.
I just don't feel up to driving.
When did I get old?
It slipped up on me, and I don't like it one bit.

I want to go back to here and start over.

Lap Steel Player

Jd thought about guitar awhile back, but decided he wasn't that interested.  

Yesterday Poppy put him in front of the Lap Steel, and showed him how to make it whine.

This is him learning a few things.

And

this photo was a hit on Facebook, got lots of comments and likes.

He looks like a pro, doens't he?

He spent about 30 minutes sitting there, making different sounds.

Lap Steel Prototype hubby built

My husband is a very talented man, he can build or repair almost anything.  After he retired from trucking, he built a train track and he and the grandsons played with trains for a few years.  They've all kind of outgrown that, and we've moved to go carts and other things.

About 4 years ago, he became interested in guitars and music.  He had an acoustic guitar, but ordered a couple of electrics, and has learned to play a bit.  Then he bought a keyboard, a drum set, and some other stuff, that I can't even remember.  About a year ago, he purchased a 'pretty' guitar, it is spaulted maple, and I think it looks real nice sitting in it's corner.
A couple of months ago, he got interested in a Lap Steel guitar, and started pricing them, but before long he ordered some parts, and started work on a homemade prototype.  You can find a video on how to do anything on Utube, so it seems.  Well here is the result.

The silve and the Spaulted Maple Guitars

in background, if you click on this photo 

you should be able to see a larger picture, with the

patterns on the maple.

A close look will show some of my fingerprints, as I helped string it, and mark the fret locations.  The wood isn't even finished, just natural, and a couple of the chrome things are not on it.  It plays, sounds good, and now he is digging in the lumber stack for a thicker board, of cherry, to make a 'real one'.   I know of 2 he can build, as now Stephen wants to learn and, Dustin, Stephen's cousin, who plays in a band is also interested...

Has A Donkey ever brought you Breakfast in Bed? Pat Brannon

If you are looking for a gift for a small child, that they will love and remember, and then be passed down to siblings, and then their own children, look no further.  
Pat Brannon has written the cutest Childrens book, with great illistrations, which will entertain the reader as well as the ones being read to, every time.  
Mrs. Brannon and I graduated from the same high school, though several years apart.  I remember her family was always very musical.  I lost track of her, until I joined Facebook, and there she was, and was now an author, mostly of children's books.  My grandson, Stephen, told me she had come to their school, and he wanted me to become her friend.  She also writes Gospel Music, so she is a very multitalented lady.
You can get her books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or you can get them through her, by friending her, and contacting her on Facebook.  She will autograph them for you, and shipping is included in the cost.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZJVHkanvgo

Here is a you tube video of the book.  Enjoy it.