Another GREAT Giveway....

Brenda from http://therustythimble.blogspot.com/ is giving away a wonderful prize. Isn't he cute? Deadline is October 15, 2011. Hurry over now to enter and good luck to everyone!

Who Wants to Win "George"?

Just take a look at this darling Halloween Cat, George. Also comes with 3 darling Pumpkins. Being offered as a giveaway by Ginger Cream Hollow. http://becky-gingercremehollow.blogspot.com/

Head over there now as the Giveaway ends midnight on October 5, 2011.

Garden Update

Well, I apologize that I haven't been writing lately but I've been busy getting the garden together and job hunting at the same time. Here's some pictures of the garden and how it's been progressing. Here are the Trelisses that I recently added to the garden. They will provide some much needed privacy as soon as I can get the Morning Glories I planted to cooperate.



I also have the Square Foot raised beds coming along very nicely.












I redid the area where the Bird Feeders are and put in a little bird bath and some Purple Conehead Flowers, Sedum, Bleeding Hearts and some other plants.



And I added a little footbridge over the area that tends to pool and gets all muddy and yucky....little Ms. Bonnie wasn't too happy about having to get her paws all yucky while trying to get out the grass in the back yard, and quite frankly neigther was I.



And of course all of this work was done under the careful observation of "the supervisor" while he sunbathed from a nice comfy chair...

My Square Foot Garden

Thankfully the long cold winter is finally over and I've been able to actually get out in my garden.

Just got my three 6 foot high by 4 foot wide Trellises up and finished, which will also provide some MUCH needed privacy while we are on the Patio! I planted some Morning Glory along the base of each Trellis and will train them up each Trellis.






I also got 3 Raised Beds in which I will be using to do my Square Foot Gardening this year. This morning I filled all the boxes with soil, manure and good old fashioned compost! Then it was time to get my onion sets, potatoes, carrots, radish, beets, broccoli and sprouts in. I won't be planting the rest of my veggies till after Mother's Day as it is still a bit chilly here in NEPA, but my root plants should be OK as they will still have the warmth from the ground and soil to protect them.

Now all I need is some good 'ol sunshine and a little water now and again and I'll have the freshest veggies one can find!

The Price of "Pam"

Has anyone see the price of it lately? YIKES! Even the Generic Brands are upto almost $2 a can!

Today while I was in Wegmans I came across a really neat product called "MISTO". Basically you can pour "any oil" (as the instructions say) half way into it and use it to spray on food, pans, the BBQ. I grabbed one and brought it home and put Canola Oil in it. Worked GREAT! And it will no doubt pay for itself ($14) in just about no time!

PAFA Giveaway!

PAFA Huge Giveaway has begun!!!


Stop over at the PAFA Blog and get your entries in for the huge giveaway! One lucky person will win 21 prizes plus lots of gift certificates will be issued to others! Runs to March 15 so enter today!!!

http://primitiveandfolkartists.blogspot.com/2011/03/primitive-and-folk-artist-spring.html?spref=bl

Sunny Saturday

It sure was a beautiful Saturday morning!



Took the Pups to the Pet Expo today. We got a ton of "freebies" and some frisbees too lol! Most of all the baby (she's 23 weeks old) finally got to socialize with other dogs other than her brother. They had an off leash area that was fenced in and I thought "perfect!" She was a little cautious at first and just followed him around at first but then she just jumped right on in and was having the time of her life playing with all the other doggies.



My male dog in the meantime was also having a blast as he was the only boy dog in the fenced off area. Much to my embarrassement he tried to be a little too friendly with a couple of the little ladies in pink sweaters there and I had to correct him and remind him to watch his gentlemanly manners lol! It's been a long hard winter and it was very hard to get out of the house with all the snow and ice we had so a break like this was good for both of them and me as well.

SUPER SUNDAY! :)



THE PRIMITIVE PANTRY BLOG IS HAVING A "SUPER" GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

WE WILL BE GIVING AWAY A FABULOUS HEART THEMED PACKAGE!!! WE JUST ASK THAT ALL OF OUR FOLLOWERS SIGN UP HERE BY LEAVING A COMMENT & ALSO PLEASE TRY & POST TO YOUR BLOG. IF YOU DECIDE TO DO THAT, PLEASE LEAVE THAT IN YOUR COMMENT HERE SO WE MAY GIVE YOU AN EXTRA CHANCE TO WIN! :)

SINCE THIS IS "SUPER" SUNDAY WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE SUPER LARGE PIECES IN OUR HOMES! LARGE PIECES CAN MAKE SUCH AN IMPACT! SOMETIMES THEY ARE EXPENSIVE BUT THEY ARE WELL WORTH THE SPLURGE!






http://theprimitivepantryblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/super-sunday.html

Free Doggy Gift Pack (US) from Subaru

Pledge to walk your four-legged friend on game day and receive a free doggy gift pack from Subaru, while supplies last.

http://www.subaru.com/dogs/index.html

Won't You Be My Valentine Giveaway!

Becky from The Crow's Nest is having her 1st Giveaway! Becky is a fellow forum friend over at The Primitive Pantry and boy is she one busy bee! She is always amazing me with all the mouthwatering Prims she is contantly making. I sure wish I had as much energy and talent as she does.

So hurry on over to her blog become a follower, and DON'T FORGET TO TELL HER THAT "KATE" SENT YOU!!!! Winner will be announced on Valentine's Day.

Good luck everyone!!

http://thecrowsnestgiftshoppe.blogspot.com/2011/01/wont-you-be-my-valentine-giveaway.html

Community Gardens

With the Recession still raging on and Spring right around the corner (hopefully - I can't take much more of this cold and snow) Community Gardens seem to make cents (pun intended). I've been growing my own veggies in my back yard for a few years now and it certainly does help with the family budget. Also, I know where that food I'm putting on my table is coming from and what was sprayed or rather not sprayed on it. And to top it off I get that much needed exercise that the medical gurus are always talking about.

For those who don't have space in their yard or don't have a yard a Community Garden certainly is the way to go!

To find a Community Garden near you simply check this website
http://acga.localharvest.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydrALNfsm6o&NR=1

Happy Gardening and Healthy Eating!

Samantha vs. Sam

Listen to Love Songs

The Primitive Pantry Unveils their New Blog.

The Ladies over at The Primitive Pantry have recently launched their own Blog. Head on over there and take a look. And once your done don't forget to sign up for their wonderful forum.


http://theprimitivepantryblog.blogspot.com/

http://theprimitivepantry.proboards.com

My Bonnie Lass

Meet the latest addition to the brood. She's 15 weeks old now. Danny Boy is THRILLED to have a new buddy to hang around with.

Some of my friends thought I was crazy getting another puppy since I was starting a new job, but since I'm out of work again and back at home again that's no longer a problem.

A Primitive Place Holiday Edition!

Just picked up my copy of A Prmitive Place Holiday Edition over the weekend and boy was it well worth the wait! The folks over at A Primitive Place outdid themselves on this! I spent Saturday night till 2:30 am just curled up on the sofa next to the fireplace with a nice glass of wine, Yanni playing softly in the background (Yes, I said Yanni - I happen to love his music) and went through all 124 pages of this wonderful magazine from cover to cover.

For anyone in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania "The Hen House", located at 3125 Seisholtzville Rd, Macungie, PA 18062-8542(610) 845-3505 is selling them.

Look what I got today!!!!

I've been searching high and low for the Sink Board of my Dreams and finally found it at "Pause For Bears" http://www.pauseforbears.com/index.htm

So, if your ever in the Pocono Mountains Region of Pennsylvania this is definetly a place worth "Pausing" at. I try to stop in every chance I get and today I wandered in close to closing time and had the nicest chat with Karen the Owner.

Prim Friends

Now what's better than to spend a lazy summer day, even if it's slightly interupted by a rain storm, with a Prim Friend? Absolutely Nothing!

Yesterday Danny-Boy and I took a treak out to see Patti from "The Brickhouse Craft Store" We had a wonderful time just sitting and chatting on "The Porch" while Howie and Danny-Boy had a great time playing together.

For anyone who hasn't done so yet, you MUST get out to see Patti at her shop! She has such great things and I even got a preview of what just arrived for the fall. They look MUCH better in person than in the photos she put up on her blog. She and Tim are also cooking up a batch of some wonderful new bird houses and get ready for the to-die-for yummy smells from the candle tarts she just made! I can't wait to get out there again once the Harvest Season arrives to see what other goodies she has in the shop then.

Patti, thanks for the wonderful afternoon and I'll see you again in the Fall!

His Eye Is On The Sparrow

Today as I was cleaning the house I happened to look out the patio doors only to see a large crow beating up a small little sparrow by the bird feeders. As I opened the door to go out and chase off the offender, he picked up the little sparrow and attempted to fly off with it.

As I approached the little sparrow on the ground I could see that it was still breathing and flapping it's wings so I went inside got some gloves and went back out to pick the little poor bird up and bring it inside to try and administer some first aid to the poor little thing. I placed some newspaper in an old bird cage I had and added some bird seed and water and then gently placed the tiny bird in the cage and helped it drink some water.

Unfortunately, after a few sips of water the wounds this little bird suffered proved to be too much for it to overcome and as I watched and petted and tried to calm it it quietly chirped to me as if to say "thank you" and then breathed it's last breath and went off to meet it's creator, God Our Father.

I actually cried when this tiny bird passed and a flood of emotions overcame me. We live in a turbulent world these days and I myself have been going through some trying times these past 16 months since I lost my job due to the current economic climate. There have been many nights I've sat up and worried about the future - will I be able to pay the mortgage, put food on the table, pay the bills that seem to come due just as it seems I've just finished paying them for the previous month - and I admit I have missed church more than a few times as I question why God has allowed this to happen to me.

As this cascade of emotions overcame me I suddenly remembered the passage from the bible that explains that if God in Heaven takes the time to watch over
even the tiny Sparrow, then surely He will watch over me. I was made in His image and therefore that must mean that I am even more valuable to Him than the Sparrow.

For you see, that passage in the bible proves that Our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us.... We each are special to Him and there isn't a circumstance in our life that He doesn't know about. You may feel insignificant just like the Sparrow. Feel that you don't matter to anyone, that no one would notice if you just disappeared. Well God would notice. Just as He sees when the Sparrow falls, He sees when we fall too. He wants to pick us up and hold us close, He wants to tell us that He loves us.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that you love me, even when I don't deserve it. Thank you that you sent your Son Jesus to die for me. Thank you that because Jesus died, I can receive your forgiveness and a place is reserved for me in Heaven. I now ask you to forgive me for all of my wrongdoings, with your help I will
turn away from them and I will endeavor to follow the plan You have for me.
I now trust and receive Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and I thank you that you love me,and that YOU think I am special.
Amen.

It was a powerful message God was sending me right there and then and there and I have to say that there is definitely something to be said about the saying "God works in mysterious ways"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jvkqtnq6Q8&feature=related

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy 4th of July!!!