Join Us for a High Cotton Good Time.....

Head Out West for a Creative Adventure for Grown-up Girls!

October 15th and 16th
Abilene, Texas

Experience a weekend of creativity, new friendships, great food, shopping,

and West Texas' finest accommodations.

Pack up your bags,
head out West,
and discover the artist in you.

More information to follow...keep watching our blog.

Looking forward to seeing you
High Cotton Gals!

Save this date and don't miss this great time!
Visit our blog for more information and grab the button on the side to spread the word.

www.highcottonartcamp.blogspot.com

Peachy Keen….

Saturday was just a peach of a day -

My wonderful customers and employees have shared some amazing vegetables and fruits with me this summer. Saturday I put up 9 Quarts of peaches in my freezer ready to pull out this winter- won’t they be great in December? Let me tell you how to put them up the quick way!! My sister taught me this – you know between us we are a world of knowledge on the home front! She takes care of all things involving food ( she is a Homemaking teacher ,after all) And I cover the sewing part and decorating/making part. It makes it really fun that together we can figure out just about anything. So without further adieu -

1. Bring  a large pan of water to almost boil – really hot!

Place your peaches in the pan for about 1 or 2 minutes

2. Take them out of the hot water and immediately place in Ice water to cool down.

3. After these 2 steps they are ready to peel. That makes this a breeze! The peels just slide off.

4. Cut up in to slices and sprinkle with fruit fresh and sugar. I put 4 cups in each quart bag.

That’s it – can you believe how easy – breezy that was?

Ok, now what can I make with my peaches?

Pound cake with peaches on top

Peach cobbler

Peach Ice Cream

Got to go get to baking – Hope you are having a peachy summer – I am!

How does your garden grow?

My sister grew quite a garden this year and we have all tasted the fruits (or vegetables) of her labor!  We have had squash,peppers, tomatoes so far and soon okra! She has been seen vacuuming  squash bugs off her squash and putting nets over her tomatoes! No chemicals for this country girl. Her hubby was organic before we even knew what it was and is still to this day. Sure make for gooood dinners!

Just for fun she decided to grow some sunflowers. They have not got had much sun lately and have their little heads down in shame.

 

 

 

 

 

For years Brenda and I talked every night about our children – you know – what cute thing they did that day or how mad we were at the little league coach for not playing our precious boys- or who was dating who now- weddings- babies but lately we spend hours talking about our gardens. How’s your coneflowers looking? how about your hydrangeas? What do you do with bugs? When do you  plant seeds? on and on and on…. I guess it is our new way of nurturing something now that our children are all grown up and out of the nest. For these 2 country gals our gardens are doing great – Thank you Lord for the rain!!!

My new favorite squash recipe for the summer!

         Yellow Squash Dressing

2 cups yellow squash diced

2 cups crumbled cornbread

1/2 cup margarine melted

2 tsp. dried sage

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 egg beaten

1 onion chopped

1 1/2 tsp sugar

salt/pepper to taste

1/4 cup milk

Steam squash and set aside. Make cornbread or use leftovers(in freezer) and crumble in bowl. Add all ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

   YUM-YUM-YUM-YUM

 

Tickled Pinkalicious…..

To say we are tickled pink is a understatement! We are all so happy that our Callie arrived with out a hitch and simply a gorgeous little Miss.

these pictures pretty much tell the story of our little Callie Jane…..

Drew thinks she is OK….Calls her baby KAKI – so sweet…..

As you can see the family of 4 is just tickled Pink all over!!

  And this Grammy can’t stop ginning

                          and I am loving PINK these days…..

This is the day…..

“This is the day the Lord has made, We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

As I read Erica's blog yesterday –I just had such a feeling of joy once again(and tears) reliving the birth of my first grandson – Drew. I really don’t know when I have felt such joy and complete happiness. That joy has continued to grow the last 22 months. As I tucked him in his little bed last night and read him his stories I just stopped and thanked God for this amazing little boy that has brought such joy and happiness to my life . I sit here and wonder how can I have 2 times the joy when I get to meet Callie today.

I know in my heart –

this is the day God made for

Callie to celebrate her BIRTH-DAY.

        and I am truly rejoicing my friends!!!

Score!!

Last Saturday I was on my way to get my usual Sonic Diet Coke when I made a wonderful discovery.I drove by a house around the corner that had the cutest old awnings.I had admired and loved for – oh about 20 years. Well there they were on the ground and there was a family painting the house. I went on my way and got to wondering if –just maybe they were going to throw them away??!!! I got up my nerve – and just drove by and yelled out my window “Are you throwing those “beat up-old- awnings”in the trash? I will be glad to haul them off for you- HEHE – They said “SURE” we don’t want those old things! They did ask me what I was going to do with the old things and I just told a little white lie. I said I do displays with old things – I didn’t say those displays were in my own home-??##!!

I was just like a kid in a candy store loading up my treasures and bringing them home – I just wanted to jump and cheer!!! I felt like  the soccer guy making the score in the all important game!

I had a hard time going to sleep the first night I just wanted to look at it and enjoy it. What could be cuter than red strip awnings!! They just make me happy- doesn’t take much huh?

Before the cuteness

does it make you happy?

Take you back some years??

I have been keeping busy the last few days but now I only have 2 more nights before I make the trip to welcome little callie into the world. Maybe I can do one more project to fill the next 48 hours…..

In the meantime…

Days really drag when you are waiting to meet someone very special. I have all my “have to’s” done -

• Sewing done for Callie – 21 burp cloths,6 flannel blankets,Name pillow for her room
• 8 Casseroles in the freezer to take to the little family to help with their meals
• Pedicure- can’t have ugly toes to meet the little miss!
• Every report turned in at work for the month end.
• Camera battery charged
• bags packed
• house cleaned
• Car ready to take me there

Most important I have prayed for this little one since Christmas day when Drew told me- by his Big Brother shirt- that I was going to be a Grammy again! I always wanted a daughter and God in his perfect timing is blessing me with a granddaughter- Callie Jane! I can’t wait to have tea parties, play dolls and go to dance recitals –but you know what ever she decides to do on any given day it will just be wonderful watching her grow. The greatest joy is the fact she is blessed with wonderful parents. I think what has been the greatest thing to watch is Josh –my son- be a Dad. He and Erica are amazing parents and I am soooo glad my grandchildren have them as parents.

This little family will soon be a family of 4 but in the meantime – I have got to find some more projects to keep me busy till

               July 9!!!