The Eternal Things

THE ETERNAL THINGS

In the hurried pace of life today

So much is missed along the way.

Take time to notice the wondrous things

Of God's creation, the eternal things.

In the quiet calm of the morning,

Take a look at the sky so blue.

Take a look at the world all around you,

Sprankled with fresh sparkling dew.

Take a look at this God given beauty

And start the day out right.

Listen to the music of the bird's morning song,

Feel the touch of the sun's golden light

Trees reaching so high toward the heavens,

Whispering leaves stirred by the cool gentle air.

Fill your heart with the calm of the morning.

These are moments beyond compare.

Start the day with a prayer of Thanksgiving

For God's handiwork of beauty sublime;

Pause to listen, observe and see

This wonderful world that is yours and mine.

---by Edna Ferguson

The word "sprankled" is her word. You must read this poem with a very southern accent.

Circa 1947. Edna Ferguson standing with Granddaughters:
Patricia (my Mom), Rozanne, and Janet

The above poem was written by my Great Grandmother Edna Lucille (Bell) Ferguson born Dec. 6, 1889 in Vernon, Wilbarger Co., Texas and died Aug. 19, 1992 in House, Quay, New Mexico. She was an accomplished oil painter. Her husband, Jesse Bernard Ferguson, died when she was 41 and she supported herself the rest of her life as a rancher in New Mexico. She loved cows! She lived past 102 years of age. I miss her so much! I loved my Great Grandmother Edna.

Delectable Mountains

My goal this morning is to clean and organize my closet. I will be a mountainous project as I store my photo albums, 42 years of journals, family genealogy records and antique quilts. It is a BIG closet. One of the quilts in my closet is a beautiful antique Victor bought me for $20 in a local shop. I just couldn't believe what a find it was! It is made using the Delectable Mountains quilt block. For a history of this quilt block click HERE.

I have to quess about the quilt's age, but there are a few things that give me clues. The white fabric is called "Lawn", a very fine-weave cloth that used to be made out of linen but these days it's generally made out of cotton. The printed fabric looks to me to be a pre-civil war cloth of a blue and brown print. In the past, I was told, metal/iron was used in dying a fabric brown. Throughout the years, the water from washing this quilt literally RUSTED the fabric away. The batting is actually exposed, where the brown dye used to be and the only reason why this quilt has held together is because of the quilter's expert stitching, some of which is in a clam shell pattern. So beautiful! There is a nice surprise on a back corner of this quilt, the maker's signature patch. It reads "Hattie L. Woodhull. No. 8.". Did Hattie choose the Delectable Mountains block because she was impressed by the Great Rocky Mountains as she traveled by wagon train from Ohio to Montana?We do have some local Woodhull families and after talking with them, I discovered that Hattie was from the Ohio area, born in the 1850's. (It was the family that gave up the quilt!) I am guessing, but I believe the "No. 8" she wrote, meant her 8th quilt. Was the fabric older than she was? Often, women made quilts from fabric stashes passed down to them from their mothers/grandmothers. Or they made their quilts using fabric from worn dresses.

For the pattern to make this quilt go to Quilter's Cache: Delectable Mountains Quilt Block.

Here is a picture of a wall hanging I recently finished. I used the Rail Fence pattern to make this patriot quilt that I named "Southern Sympathy".

Unemployed in Greenland!

We all know that MONEY doesn't grow on trees. At least not the trees around here!

I know, I have whined about the tourists.... and now, I'd like them to return so our restaurant will go back to being open during the day. Park Place Tavern has gone to "winter hours" and are now only open for dinner. I had to quit because I don't want to work at night.

The truth is, I very much love being a stay-at-home Mother/Wife. However, I want to help with the finances in running our large family. Waitressing isn't really a career I want so this is a blessing and I am working on finding another job. At this moment I have an impending interview, Oct. 2nd, at the local hospital as an Office Manager for the PT & Rehab. department.

Since Money doesn't Grow on Trees, I need to help earn what our family manages to eat a lot of......

They also wear money.....

and it shelters us.

All joking aside, it's wonderful, that in the end... our home is really made of LOVE after all!

Waiting For da Bus

Another school year has begun.(L-R) Matthew will begin 6th grade, Heather will go to 8th grade, Rachael will go to 6th grade, Stacey will be an 8th grader and Megan, in the front will start 3rd grade today.

They are waiting at the bus stop for the School Bus. It's a nice day because school has started August 26th. The kids enjoy the bus because they meet friends and get to ride together.

His 12th Wish

MATTHEW JOSEPH is only about 3 in this picture. This is a boy who is serious about life, even play time. He is very organized, hard-working and motivated. It's been a total joy to be his mother!

When did he get to be 12? I'm sure I was there to witness it all, but the time has just flown by.
Here we are celebrating his birthday. He requested this cake. Wylie and Reed, two of his many friends, stayed overnight. They are inspecting the cake, which in the minds of young boys, is one of the most important parts of any party.

Now begins the debate over what to wish for when the candles are blown out.....

Victor lights the 12 candles....

And while the homefires are burning, Matthew, with a little help from his friends, makes his 12 year old wish. I wonder what it was........He won't tell!!!