Abby

This is my youngest, Abby. It was her birthday yesterday. And I can remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. My parents had come up the week before to help with our first child, Heather. Abby was due the 2nd of May. So we waited and waited and waited. And waited some more. All week we waited on that baby to come. But she didn't want to. She was apparently quite happy where she was.

So we went about doing every day things. We loved to go to yard sales and flea markets back then. So that's what we mostly did. Then on Saturday, May 9th, the day before my parents had to leave to go back home,  Abby decided to show herself. And that she did. Very quickly!

We were going to yard sales that morning. I felt a little different. Then things started happening. And fast! We called the doctor. He was at the hospital. He said to come on in, they were having a big baby party. So we went on over. I mean, there were ladies all over that maternity ward, screaming and hollering like crazy! You'd think it hurt or something. When I had Heather, I didn't want any drugs at all. All natural. And she was born after just 12 hours labor. So when I heard all that screaming, I thought it was kind of funny. They took me back in and didn't even have time to do the enema. Right into the delivery room. I remember some of those women glaring at me.

She was born after just a 6 hour very easy labor. And she was just perfect! When Heather was born, she had all this black hair all over her body. Like a little monkey. But Abby was the total opposite. All light and no hair at all. She was a Sherrill all the way. And so beautiful.

All the nurses and doctors were amazed that I got up right away.  Abby had some jaundice, so she had to stay a few extra days. And back then, they let the mother stay too. So I got a lot of rest while there. And this hospital had the best food ever. So it was all good. Daddy was taking care of Heather. I wish I could get some of their baby pictures on here. Because when they took Abby's pictures at the hospital, she was making a peace sign with her right hand. So cute. And it was Mother's Day. So she was my Mother's Day gift. Heather was born the day before my birthday, so she was my birthday gift.

Anyway, happy birthday, Abby! I am SO proud of you and who you have become. I love you so much!

Sourdough starter

Yesterday I got a sourdough starter from a friend. It's a really well established starter. I got home after market and fed it. I wanted to feed it in the morning so fed it again this morning. It was bubbling away already. And really smells like sourdough. I can't wait to make some now. She also gave me a loaf of bread she had made. We swapped goat milk for the bread and starter.

In this picture, you can see how it was already bubbling this morning before I fed it again. And tonight, it's really looking good. I so hope I can keep this going.

Nettles, market and a big fat goat

I was out in the yard yesterday and came across this. I think it's stinging nettle but not really sure because I have never seen it actually growing. It's on the side of the driveway. I hope it is. I would love my own patch of nettles growing right here. I am seeing lots of elderberry bushes popping up all over here too. I just need to invest in bird netting so maybe I can get some of the berries this year. But any thoughts from you foraging folks would be great.

And this is my poor little booth space at the  Main St. farmer's market yesterday. It was a bit breezy which was fine because it was also quite warm there. It's on a busy growing street on the South side of Chattanooga. So lots of business. I sold out of dandelion jelly so am making more today. Also sold a lot of soap which I need to start making more of. My booth smells so good. I get a lot of people because of that. Last week I was on the opposite side where people coming in got to see my booth first. This week I was on the street side and so very different . But made the very same amount of money as last week.

And here is poor big fat waddling Sandy. I just don't know about this girl. The 7th was 155 days according to my calendar so I don't know what is up with her. Tuesday I saw some goo so put her in the stall for the night. Next morning, nothing. So let her out. Yesterday, nothing. This morning, nothing. I have given up worrying and checking on her. If she has kids, that's great. But I am doubting her now. I think she's just a fat pig.

What do y'all think?

Sheep tails and sunrise

BLUE!!!!

Look at this. BLUE skies all around me! We have not had blue skies in SO long here. It's beautiful!


These are some of the Locust trees out back. The bees are all over them. There are also some Princess trees out back farther that are so pretty. All purple. I love them. Wonder if the bees do.

I sure hope it stays this way for a long time. We need this mud pit dried up. We are 12" over normal for this time of year, which is fantastic. My garden and so many others are, have been under water for too long too. Some farmers have lost most of their crops, not to mention all the time and money they've lost as well. I had planted okra and more kale last week and most of it has been washed away. Sure would be nice if other parts of the country could get some of this now. I know God knows what He's doing though.

Enjoy your day. I know I will!

Painted tire flower garden. Done!

I finally got my tires painted and the flowers planted in my little tire flower garden. I bought all the flowers a few weeks ago and they kept calling out to me that they needed to be planted soon. So Thursday, while the sun was out for a little while, I got all the tires painted. Then went out back and got 2 wagon loads of that good soil back there. Filled up the 4 bottom tires. Then had to find something for the top tire. My husband had an old oil pan that fit just perfectly in the tire. I had to punch holes for drainage after all the rain we had. Forgot about that. But all is well now. And the flowers are all happy. It should look much different in a month.

I'd like to find some little lawn mower tires for in between the big tires. That would be pretty. We do have 4 of them that are dry rotted. Husband needs to take the rims off though.

Checking the bee hive this morning

It's been the craziest weather lately. Cold one day and hot the next. Dry a few days then a monsoon for 3 days. Yesterday I went to the farmer's market and got sopping wet and came home and turned the heat on. It's just whacky crazy here.

So I was worried about my bees. I hadn't seen a lot of activity the past few days. I got my hat, long sleeve shirt and gloves on. Filled a mason jar with organic sugar water and got the water thingy that goes on the front of the hive.

When I first went out, there were no bees out. Just some dead ones in the front. That's why I decided to check on them. I put the sugar water on the front. Then took the top off. That's when I see bees. They did this in the front, all at the bottom.

I lifted the top lid and then I saw a lot more bees. All happy and healthy looking and working away in the top box. I had put the queen excluder in between the 2 top hives last week. And I was just a bit nervous and not really knowing what I was doing. So didn't even think to look for the queen. Then I worried about her being in that top box this whole time. She may be, I don't know yet. But the bees look good here. I did see what looked like little brown roaches in the top when I took the lid off. I smooshed them. Are they hive beetles? Or roaches? Yuck anyway.

This is after I was done. They didn't llok all clustered up at the entrance then.

Right now, the locust trees are blooming. And the Princess trees are too. They are so pretty all purple. With all the rain, some of the blooms are being knocked off the trees. I was reading a bee blog from Atlanta and she was saying how with all the rain they've had, that the Tulip Poplar flowers are all falling off. Not a good thing. I hope all will be ok when this rain stops. It's supposed to rain some more today, then clear a few days. It's just been crazy! But I am happy to see the bees are ok.

All you bee experts out there, do they look good to you? Am I doing this right?