Good morning, from the mountains of Kentucky. I hope your spring is off to a great start. It’s a rainy spring day in the mountains today. I feel compelled to share this experience with my readers today. I hope it blesses you as much as it has blessed me.
Clouds over the mountains.
I awoke a few mornings ago with a word lingering in my thoughts and spirit. I have since repeatedly been hearing the word, doors. I’ve thought much about the word. Why was I hearing it, what did it mean? What was the hidden message behind this thought, this word? I would ponder and pray about the word, doors, and ask the Lord for an answer.
Doors serve many purposes. They can lead to unknown places, familiar places, opportunities, and adventures… and that’s just a minimal number of things that often await us behind a door.
God’s promises!
As I pondered and prayed about the significance of the word doors. I envisioned journeys and opportunities that might await, but for who? I wondered if this word was meant for me, a family member, or did it hold a significant meaning or message for the future. I wasn’t sure. Maybe, it was for all the above.
Confirmation came, not only once, but multiple confirmations came. Confirmation one came for our son-in-law, who had recently leased a small storefront to serve as an office. After a period of time, the office was no longer needed. Just as he was removing his last load of belongings from the office, a man stopped him as he exited the building and stated, you don’t know me and I don’t know you, but I feel that the Lord wants me to tell you something. Our son-in-law replied that he would like to hear what the man had to say. The stranger proceeded to tell him that the Lord wanted him to stop and tell him that when one door closed, the Lord will always open another door. And a door opened, a door of opportunity opened wide for him a few days later. Confirmation number one! I’ll share more about this opportunity at a later date.
The second confirmation came through a spoken word by a friend at church just as the Lord began to deal with my spirit that He wanted us, His children, to take His word through the doors of the church and out to others. He was speaking to me that we need to tell others about Him and share His word with them, but we needed to walk through the doors to do so. It’s great to assemble in the church to worship and fellowship, but He was saying there was work to do beyond the church doors. As my brother-in-law testified about the need to have a servant’s heart. I felt the tugging again that we were to take the word outside of the church and share God’s goodness with others. Confirmation number two. We must walk through the door to take the word, His word, out to others.
Let the Lord lead… and you follow.
Finally, the third confirmation showed up in a totally different way. The Lord allowed me to see a beautiful doorway in a vision yesterday. The doorway was divine, big, dark wood, and beautiful. It had intricate scrolling wood carvings, and beautiful green vines covering the outer edges. The door served as a gateway to a beautiful garden just beyond the door. The garden was full, lush, and green. It was alive with colorful blooms, and vibrant colors, and bees were buzzing around the blooms. It was alive! The Lord instilled within my spirit that just as the beautiful garden was alive… His word was alive. The garden door served as a gateway to a vision of God’s living word. We, as Christians, need to walk through our doors into the outside world and be living examples of His word, every day.
As always, feel free to leave a comment. God bless from the mountains of Kentucky!
Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky! Unseasonably warm temperatures have spoiled us in the mountains. I’m talking temperatures soaring into the seventies in January and February. Trees are blooming, bulbs are peeking out above ground, herbs are coming up, and the redbud trees have been alive with color. We all know that the weather can turn on a dime in the mountains of Kentucky. Meteorologists have recorded Kentucky having multiple seasons of weather in one day. So I shouldn’t have been so surprised when March came in with a vengeance! Snow yesterday and today I awoke to a frosty twenty degrees outside.
Spring will arrive on time and, as always, it will be welcomed. After all, He is always on time. Over the course of my life, I have found that to be true. He is on time. It’s not always our time when we want things done, or a situation changed, or a particular prayer answered, but in His time… He answers on time. Sometimes an answer comes quickly, other times almost immediately, and even still other times our answers seemed to be on hold or delayed. Either way, answers to prayers come in His time, and He is always on time.
I have found Him to be faithful. A very scary situation and experience occurred in my life this week that intensified and solidified my belief that He is an on-time God, even more than before. Early Monday morning as I was traveling to work at a high rate of speed on the Interstate, I noticed a small SUV in the outside lane of weaving between two vehicles in enter the middle lane. Fear engulfed me, as I wasn’t sure he was going to make it between the cars. Checking my mirrors to check the traffic behind me, I let off the gas to make sure I was far enough behind the thick traffic in case the driver clipped one of the cars. Amazingly enough, the SUV made it without hitting either car. But, the driver didn’t stop there. The SUV proceeded to enter the fast lane where I was traveling at now at least 75 miles per hour following a jeep at about two car lengths in front of me. The driver of the SUV tried to enter the lane in front of the jeep in front of me, who apparently was in the SUV’s blind spot.
The SUV hit the front passenger fender of the jeep in front of me and sent it crashing into the concrete wall that divides the north and south lanes. Hitting my brakes, I began to fishtail back and forth while the jeep in front of me was thrown and spinning widely back into oncoming traffic: me! I could hear tires squealing in all directions and from my own jeep. The gray jeep that was hit and now spinning out of control was coming directly at me! I began saying Lord help me, Jesus, repeatedly. That’s when I felt control over the situation. With the Lord’s help, I was able to maneuver through three lanes of traffic at a high rate and avoid the jeep twice as it spun through the lanes, as well as the parts that were flying off it.
Suddenly, I realized I had made it through without a scratch from the gray jeep that was still widely spinning trying to get control. I hadn’t hit the jeep or it hadn’t hit me. None of the flying parts had hit me, or none of the other traffic has hit me or anyone else that was just traveling along as I was. Meanwhile, I had forgotten that I had my pastor and his wife blue-toothed into my jeep talking about prayer. I heard her asking, “are you okay?” she explained that all she could hear was a loud crash and tires squealing… and me saying, Lord help me Jesus repeatedly.
I assured her I was okay, and we said a prayer for the other drivers. I explained what happened and kept traveling, giving God the praises for His hand of mercy on me and the others. I saw the state police arriving and the SUV that had caused the horrible wreck stopped on the shoulder. The police would take care of the wreck. Jesus took care of me! He is an on-time God!
Traveling back to work two days later was a bit unnerving. I have driven the interstate for forty-plus years and never really had a fear of the fast pace, or the heavy traffic, until now. I prayed as always before I left for sage travels and asked for angles around my jeep. I entered the traffic on the interstate and directed my thoughts to the traffic, His goodness, and prayed for safety. Shortly thereafter, the heavy traffic began to dissipate and a wonderful thing appeared just out in front of me. Check the picture out below. Just another reminder that He is on time and Jesus is and always will be, Lord.
This gave me comfort as I drove the same road where a near-fatality crash occurred only two days prior.
Good morning, from the mountains of Kentucky. Let me first begin by saying, we are blessed! I am not just implying my family, I am saying and proclaiming for all that are reading… “we are blessed!” You might be asking how so, or why did she post that? Deep within, you need to know that if you are physically able to read this post or any other post, you are alive, thus… you have been blessed with another day. Even, if there are things going on in your life, and we all have those days and even weeks, or maybe seasons, if you are breathing, you are blessed. Secondly, accept this day and know Lord has your best interest and will take care of you, walk in it. Make this day count. For every day that passes, is a day that we cannot and will not be able to enjoy again.
God’s beauty…
My mind often drifts back to a simpler time when life didn’t seem as hectic or as chaotic. The world seemed to be a more simple place. Sure there’s always been trouble, trials, wars, and bad things that happen, but that’s because we live in a real world where both good and bad happen. However, it seems to rein in a more bold abundance than in the times gone by. Is that it? Or, is that we, as a whole, are more connected to the media, social media, and here say, than we are to our savior and His word? Is it that we focus too much on what others are saying, or implying, than what the word tells us?
My heart is leading me in a direction to simplify life, my life. How so? By disconnecting from so much of the media. I don’t mean that I will live in a bubble where all is well and I will not acknowledge that bad things do happen. No, not at all. I mean, that I am being selective of what news I read, that’s right, read. I feel lead to spend much less time on social media, and more time in my prayer closet, in the word, and with the Lord, and with myself. I am doing some soul searching, meditation, deep and close reading, and also spending some quiet time listening to His voice.
His beauty abounds everywhere!
I was reminded of how we, as a society, often overlook the simple things and become bored when things begin to calm down, or when there’s no fast paced gratification in most anything we attempt. Have we allowed the use of technology to rob us of the blessings of using our hands to create, our strength to labor, our eyes to actually read a book that we physically hold in our hands, and using precise measurements to create delicious dishes? Have we allowed the clutter in our lives to rob our desire of helping our fellowman? Do we care more for ourselves than the elderly widow who would love to have a home cooked meal, or someone to physically talk to? Have we allowed the convenience of instant almost anything to replace the satisfaction that we once felt by actually taking the time to complete a task?
This is an afghan I’m working on for one of our grandchildren. This is the fourth of five that I’ve made with love and many prayers for each of them.
What tasks am I speaking of? For such as a time as this, almost anything would fit into this category. Anything from baking a scratch cake instead of a boxed cake. From crocheting your own afghan for a friend instead of buying a thoughtless gift. Nurturing a plant from a seed with care and love, rather than picking the finest mature plant from a nursery. Growing your own herbs to dry, rather than buying a cheaper easier version from the store. Canning healthy produce for your family, rather than buying cheap imitations that are full of preservatives? It could be as simple as taking a break from browsing your phone, to watching a squirrel gather nuts. Reading deeper than surface reading the Bible. For such a time as this, this list could continue for far too long. We can’t make a total change overnight with simplification, but we can simplify our life, one habit, one deed, or one choice at a time.
I was inspired by our six year-old grandson to post this blog. While I prepared breakfast a few mornings ago, he was enjoying his pre-breakfast muffins and a cup of milk. He was a bit upset because his tablet battery was low and he wouldn’t have enough battery life to watch a cartoon that he wanted to see. Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a company’s Christmas toy catalog lying on the table. Immediately he laid the tablet aside and asked what the book was for. I explained how his mommy and uncle used to browse the Sears and JC Penny wish-books for weeks circling their favorite toys in hopes of getting those for Christmas. They were making their choices known. Right away, he asked for a pen to circle his choice of toys, not just for himself, but for his brother, cousins, and friends. Grant it, if the item was given a circle and a check, then that indicated the ranking of interest for that particular item. All the while, he never mentioned being bored, or once stopped to watch his tablet. With excitement, he browsed the pages several times and later declared to his mommy that they too needed a book like Nan’s.
Take time to enjoy something with substance. We need more Sears and JC Penny’s moments in life. Simplify things.
With that being said, for such a time as this, I feel inspired to ask you today, to take time to stop and enjoy what our Heavenly Father has created for us. Simplify your life. Choose wisely how you spend your time. And above all, remember that He gave all so that we could have life and have it everlasting.
I hope that you’ve enjoyed this post. It’s a bit different than many of my other posts, but I am a person of many diverse interests, from crocheting, reading, writing, gardening, thrifting, collecting antiques, baking, creating, singing and so many more things. Above all, I love to tell others about Him. God bless from the mountains of Kentucky. Feel free to follow and comment. May the Lord bless each of you abundantly.
“Garden work is satisfying to the body and soul, as is the harvest.” ~Dr Bowling
Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky! I hope you’ve been blessed with awesome weather for your gardens! It’s been very dry in the mountains. Our garden is growing and we’re picking, but a lot of hard work has been involved with watering by hand through the month of June. Needless to say, we’ve decided to invest in ground soaking hoses that will water the ground when we want it, or as we need it. For a garden of our size, I’m not sure why we hadn’t already thought about this. I’m often asked questions about the difficulties involved with organic gardening. So, I decided to share five organic tips that can beneficial for your garden at this time of the year.
Love eating from the land… even though it’s a lot of hard work. Our garden early in the year!
Tip One: We’ve also dealt with low calcium in the soil through this very dry beginning to summer. So, through research and back work, we’ve added ground organic oyster shells to the soil around the squash and zucchini. As well as eggs shells and diatomaceous earth. Thankfully the rotting squash and zucchini have come to a stop and we’re back to picking our fill and then some of both fruits!
A few of the straight neck summer squash from our garden.
Tip Two: to add a little extra fertilizer to our herb garden, I’ve been saving organic tea bags and reboiling the bags for a weaker tea and watering the herbs. This is a game-changer for herbs. My favorites are chamomile, mint, and black tea. The plant feed on the rich antioxidants, and the the tea bags are added to the garden as the bags are biodegradable. We add the spicy cinnamon black tea bags around the garden for an additional deer repellent.
Nothing better than fresh herbs to cook with.
Tip Three: in the battle against those pesky beetles on beans, cucumbers, and squash plants. In a spray bottle we mix a spray of 10 drops of lavender essential oil, 10 drops of peppermint essential oil, and 10’drops of citronella essential oil, with a tsp of organic plant based dish detergent. Then fill the bottle with water. This makes a great spay to repel all kinds of munching little friends. We also dust our plants with organic food grade diatomaceous earth for an extra layer of protection.
Tip Four: adding a little potassium to tomatoes while repurposing banana peels. A lot of bananas are consumed at our house. I eat two a day most days. I love organic bananas for oatmeal, baked oatmeal, and as a snack and frozen ones in smoothies. So I’ve learned that not only roses like bananas, do do tomatoes in the form of a tea. To make tea, keep a pitcher of water in the fridge. The pitcher should be about half full to allow for room as you add banana peels. Once you’ve peeled the bananas, add them to the water. You can cut the peels, but don’t have to. There’s no need to cover the pitcher. After a week, take the bananas out and add one part banana tea to five parts water. Use this transit the base of tomatoes. It provides potassium to the soil. This will help produce stronger roots, stems, and great fruit. Banana tea can also be added beside of pepper plants as well.
Banana peel tea.
Tip Five: Begin saving egg shells a couple of weeks prior to planting tomatoes. When it’s time to plant, place an egg shell in the hole before putting the plant in the ground. Egg shells are loaded with calcium and will feed the soil at the roots of the tomatoes and help prevent blossom rot and what some of the old timers called, the blight.
I hope that you find these tips helpful and you have success with your garden this year and for years to come. Feel free to leave comments or ask questions. I love to hear from my readers. Well, it’s time to go pick a while and reap the joys of our labors. God bless from the mountains of Kentucky.
Good morning, from the mountains of Kentucky! It’s a beautiful sun shiny Saturday morning in the mountains. The birds are whistling their good morning calls and filling the trees with beautiful spring-like music.
I’ve missed everyone! Its been a while since I’ve posted. We had a fairly mild winter in the mountains with enough snow for the grandchildren to enjoy sledding and building snowmen. I love snuggling in with a good book during winter, but the colder weather also brings out the crafty side of myself. I’ve enjoyed perfecting a few older dishes and creating a few new ones. One of my previous favorite breakfast dishes is now a new favorite! I am super excited to share with you my new and improved recipe for tofu scramble! It’s even tastier than before and tastes more like scrambled eggs, is very satisfying, and also keeps you full for hours! See the recipe beneath the image below.
Scrambled Tofu for breakfast.
Ingredients:
3 ounces of extra firm organic tofu pressed
One teaspoon of organic extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup organic vegetable broth
1 tsp of your favorite nondairy plant butter
Cup of sliced organic portobello mushrooms
Two cups of organic baby spinach
One slice of preferred nondairy cheese
Spices include: turmeric, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion salt, and black salt
Begin by warming a skillet over medium heat add the olive oil and sliced mushrooms. I like to add the vegetable broth next which allows the mushrooms to absorb the broth. Lightly season the mushrooms with salt and pepper.
While the mushrooms are sautéing, dry and press the tofu and weigh if it isn’t pre weighed. When the mushrooms appear to be moist and darkened, crumble the tofu in the pan. Add turmeric, about a teaspoon should suffice. Fluff the tofu to incorporate the turmeric, which will give it the color of eggs and also be beneficial for your bones and inflammation. Add remaining seasoning, except the black salt, which adds the eggy flavor. Reduce the heat and shred the slice of your preferred nondairy cheese. My preference is provolone. Add the spoon of nondairy butter. I enjoy Country Crock best. Add a generous sprinkle of the black salt and spinach to the scramble. You may add extra seasoning to suit your preference. Sauté until the spinach has wilted to your liking and the nondairy cheese has melted.
I enjoy the tofu scramble with Ezekiel toast lightly buttered with non dairy plant butter and fruit. You may add any breakfast side or seasoning that you enjoy. For instance, some mornings I add sautéed onions and peppers with a dash of cayenne for a Mexican dish. The possibilities are endless. I was amazed at how adding the black salt made this scrambled egg imposter a vegan delight! I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do.
I’ve also enjoyed crocheting again! With winter came several new projects. I’ve enjoyed crocheting and sharing handmade afghans and other gifts with family. I’ll share pictures of this project once it’s completed. I can’t wait to surprise a very special family member with this afghan.
A surprise gift in the making!
While the mountains slept beneath the snow and the cold temperatures surrounded our home, my laptop was ablaze with a new book! I’ve been busy writing a workbook to accompany the textbook that I wrote for my college courses. I’m happy to say that this project is in the home stretch, and will go to print before the fall reel begins. My goal is to have all edits complete before time to plant our garden, which I’m more than ready to begin.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my post this morning and will enjoy my scrambled tofu dish! I love to hear from my readers! Feel free to stop by and read other posts and enjoy new and upcoming recipes and experiences from life in the mountains. My next post will include my recipe for delicious vegan protein balls!! They really satisfy a sweet tooth with no guilt! Honestly, it’s hard to stop eating them!
Now, let’s go enjoy some sunshine and a little porch sitting! God bless from the mountains of Kentucky!
Porch sitting, planning gardens, flowered, herbs, and counting our blessings.
Good morning from the mountains of Kentucky! I hope your day is off to a great start! The weather is beautiful here in the mountains this morning. Temperatures were in the mid-fifties when I awoke this morning. Mornings like these transport me back to mornings that I cherish. Cool September mornings reminds me of my childhood in the mountains. I loved early cool mornings and porch sitting with my mom or grandmother. We called our grandmother, Mamaw. She and Papaw were a huge part of all of our lives, and our small community.
Enjoying a good book on a cool September morning.
While porch sitting this morning, I began to think about days of my youth. I thought of how when we were children the days seemed to last forever. Now as an adult days often don’t feel long enough to get everything on out to do list done. Maybe we’re rushing life instead of appreciating it. Have you noticed fall holiday decorations come out in the stores before the hot days of August have passed? What are you supposed to do? Do we enjoy days by the pool, a summer walk, or are we supposed bypass August and begin decorating with pumpkins?
Maybe, it’s that we don’t take time to cherish the moments in the day. Maybe we’re overlooking the smaller things that amazed us as kids. A school of minnows swimming in the creek, a squirrel gathering nuts for the winter, or the amazing web a spider so cleverly wove. Maybe, we spend too much time on social media wishing our lives were like others, or worrying too much about things we can’t fix anyway. Before we know it, we’ve been robbed of precious hours of our day worrying and wondering, instead of appreciating the simple things in our life. Simple things can be a flower bloom, a gentle breeze, a good book, an afternoon of fishing, or spending time with grandkids canning and preserving, and teaching them about family traditions.
Teaching even the youngest grandchildren about gardening.
As a young girl growing up in the mountains, September days were filled with days of canning the final vegetables from the garden. It was a time to can and preserve the final lingering tomatoes and peppers, dry the last of the beans that were left clinging to the fences, and a time of preparation, work, and family. This was and still is a time of a mixed emotions; happy and grateful for the bounty of our hard work, and also sad that the fresh vegetables will soon be gone. It’s always a time of reflection for me. Cool foggy September mornings takes me back to my youth in the mountains of Kentucky when life was simple, hard, yet a life filled with love, family, and respect.
Fog rising above the mountains.
I remember rising early with excitement to sit on the porch of Mamaw’s store with her. The air was cool, fog lingered near the tops of the mountains, and relatives were busy getting their mornings started. Papaw was usually in the garden, mommy would be working in our garden or the flowers. Customers walked to Mamaw’s store to spend a few dollars or sometimes just to share conversations or news they had to share. Neighbors passed always waving or greeting us with a howdy, hello, or good morning. All the while, we worked for hours stringing the last of the garden green beans on heavy quilting thread. The long strings of beans were then hung on the front store porch from old rusty nails near the ceiling of the porch. They hung there to dry during the later days of summer. Once the beans were dry, they were removed from the string and placed in a plastic container and stored in the old deep freeze that stood in the back of the store. They were later rehydrated and cooked as what we referred to as, shuck beans. I remember Mamaw cooking them with a piece of pork and plenty of seasonings. They were delicious served with potatoes and cornbread.
Mamaw, my aunts, and my mom were always planning ahead for cold days of winter when traveling to a grocery store was not as common as it is today. Life in the mountains in the sixties and early seventies was a simple time devoid of social media, television drama, opinionated media, and especially devoid of a lazy society. We were raised hard, but raised with pride, good work ethics, and raised to know about Jesus. Life was simple, but yet life was happy and we knew how to plan ahead for a rainy day.
Mamaw’s pickled green tomato recipe still alive today.
Life in the mountains has changed since I was a little girl, let’s face it life as we all know it has changed a lot in the past three years. However, we still have a choice to enjoy the simple things in life, take time to stop and smell the roses, rise early to greet the day, savor family time, work hard, love deeply, forgive others, help a friend or neighbor, and to plan ahead for our rainy days. With the many recent changes in our world, I am even more determined to hold on to traditions of the past. They were good traditions filled with checking on neighbors, baking a friend a cake, checking on the elderly, taking time to listen to their stories of the past, attending church on Sundays, praying for others, taking pride in our homes, working, and loving others, while also planning ahead through canning and preserving.
Fresh canned tomato juice from our garden tomatoes.
There’s something rewarding about planting seeds, watering them, watching them sprout from tiny sprout into a beautiful plant filled with a rainbow of vegetables. It’s even better to set a table for your family that is spread with a meal that was 90 percent grown on your land with love of your own labor. Yes, planning ahead for a rainy day was a tradition that I enjoy still carrying on. I also enjoy sharing with our elderly neighbors who seem to ever so quickly be leaving this life for their eternal home.
I’ve thought much about that dying generation of elderly grandmothers and grandfathers a lot lately. I miss my grandmother even more when I think of all the memories that we made stringing beans and also canning them. I miss the days of porch sitting in the afternoons, listening to my relatives stories of days gone by, laughing at their funny tales and also quivering a little from the scary stories. I miss star gazing at night with my cousins in the backyard, playing red-light, green-light in the lane beside Mamaw’s store, catching crawdads in the creek, hearing my relatives praying at night before they turned in for the night, and miss those that have passed on.
Yes, cool September mornings brings back a flood of memories. I recall happy memories, sad memories, and memories of a time when the simple things in life, hard work, our neighbors, and self was appreciated. A time when people took time to love deeply, enjoy the fun times and work through the hard times without blaming others. When respect was taught, caring for elderly neighbors was just what we did, and days that families planned and worked together planting, tending, harvesting, preserving, and enjoying the time together listening to stories of days gone by, while carrying on a mountain tradition.
Three generations picking poke salad.
After a beautiful morning of emotional reflection, quiet time of prayer, finishing a chapter in the book I’m reading… I’m off to work on canning tomatoes today. I hope you have enjoyed my reflective ramblings this morning. Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky.
Happy Independence Day from the mountains of Kentucky! Independence Day in the mountains is a big deal! The sounds of fireworks can be heard ringing throughout the night sky. Family picnics are common. Trail riding, music, drag races, boating, fireworks displays are only a few of the events that are happening in the mountains to celebrate our freedom! Holidays are not the only days that are special. Each Season is full of opportunities to be had! Seasons in the mountains are each unique and each filled with blessings and wonders. Spring in the mountains is filled with vibrant blooms, lush green mountains, fishing, fields of corn and beans, majestic wildlife, trails awaiting to be blazed and familiar trails that are well worn by those who love the scenic and serene mountain rides.
Marigolds in full bloom!A well blazed road! Great ride!
Summer mountain traditions are the best! Summers in the mountains are filled with summer fruits and vegetables, grilling, cookouts, ATV rides through the mountain trails, fishing in the rivers and lakes, family gatherings, and thrifting, which is one of my favorites. We also enjoy traditions that have been handed down generation after generation. Traditions such as cemetery church services, river baptisms, potluck dinners, horseshoe tournaments, church picnics, and homecoming services to celebrate the foundation of churches, honor our Heavenly Father, enjoy family, and the blessing of fellowship.
Reminder of hope…
The tradition of thrifting is and has been a way to find hidden treasures in the mountains of Kentucky generation after generation. When I was growing up it was known as junking. There were junk stores, thrift stores, rag sales, and dime sales to pick from or rotate. One of my favorite childhood memories was going to the junk store early Saturday mornings. My cousin and I would load up in our uncle’s old red and white pickup truck. We’d ride in the back under the old camper top, while mamaw, aunt Doshia, and Roy rode up front. We held tight to our money, which usually consisted of one dollar in silver. We knew that meant ten items…ten treasures! Those days have long gone and most items in “junk stores” today range in various prices, but still it’s always a treasure hunt, a tradition that’s carried on, and a lot fun!
Redbird Community Store
Another favorite mountain tradition is the handing off of family recipes. The tradition is to hand down a recipe that you created to another family member. That family member can tweak the recipe to fit their taste buds, palate preferences, or dietary needs. I find particular joy in cooking following a hand written recipe. My all time favorite as was our kids when they were small was my great aunt Doshia’s peanut butter fudge candy. I’ve made many platters of this unhealthy delicious treat! There’s not much modifying that can be done to make this recipe healthier, so it stays carefully tucked away in my recipe binder. I seem to find more joy in trying new recipes in the winter, but enjoy cooking year around.
Fall in the mountains is a time for bonfires, cookouts, hunting, festivals, harvesting, trail riding, and camping. The mountains in the fall are majestically beautiful and alive with brilliant oranges, yellows, reds, and hints of green still hanging on to the days of summer. People travel from far and wide year around to view our beautiful Kentucky mountains and experience the tranquility of mountain living.
Fall colors in Kentucky.Beautiful wildlifeChurch picnic 2021
Words cannot accurately describe the beauty of the snow covered mountains of Kentucky during the winter. The cold snows of winter transforms the once green mountains into white mountains of tranquility.
Light covering of snow in the mountains.
Thank you for stopping by and spending a little time with me in the mountains of Kentucky. If you feel yourself craving a road trip…I encourage you to come and experience the culture of Kentucky and the beauty the mountains! Feel free to leave a comment. I always enjoy hearing from my readers. For now, God bless and happy Independence Day from the mountains of Kentucky!
The house is quiet this morning with the sounds of rain pattering softly outside my windows. There’s something about a rainy morning that inspires me to write, cook, and be creative. I have to admit, rising early to greet the day and working in the early morning hours has always been a treasured time for me. Regardless of the task at hand, morning hours always feel special to me. Somehow I feel a closeness to the time at hand, to the past, and to our Heavenly Father.
I enjoy watching the morning fog lift.
As a little girl growing up in the mountains of Kentucky, I recall waking to hear our mother up working in early morning hours. Some mornings the hum of her sewing machine let me know she was sewing. While I rubbed the sleep from my eyes I would wonder what she was making. Other mornings she would already be out in the garden hoeing, picking, or standing with her coffee cup in hand admiring the fruits of her labor. I was a morning person way back then! I loved the smell of the fresh brewed coffee, the smell of the mountain air, the feel of the dew on my bare feet, and smell of fresh plowed dirt. Even then, I knew there was no place like home in the mountains of Kentucky! There was always an adventure awaiting me… or at least I believed there to be. After all, an adventure was and still is what we make of it!
While most kids enjoyed sleeping in on the weekends and the relaxing days of summer, I enjoyed being up early listening to the sounds of my grandfather plowing behind the old mule, my mom humming as she worked, mamaw tending the store, the creek flowing over the smooth worn rocks, and my favorite thing was scavenging for hidden treasures along the creek bank, in the back yard, or buried in the barn. I loved tromping through the mountains with my side kick, who was either my sister, one of my cousins, or both.
Raindrops sparkling like diamonds…
One of our favorite places to dig for treasure was in our mamaw’s old store house that was filled with “dime store” clothes. Talk about treasure! That place was truly a treasure trove for a trio of nine and ten year old girls. Picture it! A couple of young bright eyed little girls who each had an overactive imagination digging through clothes that were either left behind or donated from another generation. Old formal prom dresses suddenly became dresses that were worn by a princess, a queen or two, but each of us were suddenly transformed into royalty. Rhinestone buttons became diamonds that were worth more money than we could imagine. Small leather handbags adorned our arms and were filled with pins, buttons, lacy hankies, odd and end jewelry, hairpins, and various other items/treasures we found among the remnants of the past!
After reflecting on fond memories of the past I feel inspired to ask this question; How do you define treasure? Treasure, is one of those words that is often used without giving much thought to its definition. It can be defined differently by each of us. Treasure is defined as much beauty… however the true definition lies within the eye or the heart of the beholder. Some people describe treasure as an object of value. While others may believe treasure to be family, memories, certain objects, special trinkets, while even still others treasure time as a treasured gift.
Regardless of how you define treasure or what you hold dear in your heart as treasure, know that time, family, friends, and memories are all treasures that we should never take for granted. Time passes all too quickly. Often times We idle our time away doing nothing when we could be spending time with family or friends making new memories. We can’t turn back time. Once time has passed… it’s gone.
Sunset in the mountains.
I encourage you today to enjoy this day that we have been blessed with. Build memories, enjoy family and friends, go search for hidden treasures that might be just below the surface of where you at this moment. Maybe treasure is within your view, but you just don’t recognize it. Above all, take time to love deeply, to forgive often, and live for this is the day the Lord has blessed you with. Today will soon pass and tomorrow will be here. What treasure(s) will you find today?
Feel free to leave a comment. I enjoy hearing from my readers. Also, feel free to follow my blog for inspired moments in the mountains, recipes, and much more. From the mountains of Kentucky… have a wonderful and blessed Tuesday!
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance. A day to pay tribute to those who served and those who gave their lives for ours. A time to reflect and to remember how our service men and women fought for our country and for our freedom. Some of those brave warriors came home while others gave the ultimate sacrifice, their lives.
Memorial Day is a time to celebrate freedom, but also an opportunity to make memories. While we were preparing for a cookout with family and friends Saturday, I found myself reflecting on the past and thinking about the future. I thought of how quickly time passes. Yes, it is true, life is much like the comparison of vapor over water. It appears and then quickly evaporates right before our very eyes.
Today, let us pause and enjoy the blessings of life, family, friends, and our freedom. Take time from the fun of grilling, fishing, swimming, and all of the other festivities that await us on this beautiful day. Let us take time to remember and pay tribute to all of the dedicated, unselfish, and brave warriors who gave their time for our country, and for each of us.
As I reflect on our day with family and friends, my heart swells with love and gratitude for the opportunity to spend this day surrounded by laughter, good food, and those that I love. A bit of sadness stings my heart as I remember those that have passed and are no longer with us. I recall their laughter, stories, guidance, and their love. I also find myself consumed with an unwavering love, and gratitude for the one who truly gave all…our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us love deeply, cherish our freedom, life and our family, and let us never forget our soldiers and always remember our Savior.
God bless and Happy Memorial Day from the mountains of Kentucky.
During my lifetime, I have encountered many changes, witnessed a few miracles, seen devastation, had my fair share of surprises, blessed to have more happy times than I can count, encountered more than enough sadness, but I have never encountered a time like our world is facing today. A friend of mine made a recent Facebook post about feeling as if she were living in a dystopian society. After considering this statement for a few minutes, and being well-read in the dystopian genre, I found myself agreeing with her.
As I set here this morning drinking coffee and counting my blessings I also began to reflect on the events that are happening in our state, across the nation, and all over the world. We have entered a time of many unanswered questions, many predictions of which some have proven to be accurate, while others remain just predictions.
This week as I was reassuring my students and trying to alleviate their fear about the massive changes that they have encountered in less than week, I was gently reminded that our hope lies within our heavenly Father. I began to council them that all would be well, and that our school, the state, and all of the professors were working together to make sure this time of uncertainty would not hinder their coursework, or their graduation. I recalled reading a post on face book from one of my favorite children’s authors and began to provide them with examples and a comparison to the novel, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, which we are currently reading in our class. I have to give credit where credit is due. This wonderful children’s novel is one of my favorite Kate DiCamillo books, and was always a favorite of my students when I taught in the public school. In this wonderful children’s novel, the character of Edward travels on a long journey of uncertain events, new adaptations, and meets many new characters along the way. This heart-warming novel is also a novel of self-discovery for Edward, who grows immensely in many ways while traveling on this uncertain, yet miraculous journey.
I began to think about the journey that lies ahead of each of us, our families, and our neighbors. We are not on this journey alone, much like Edward wasn’t. I reassured them during this time, each of us needed to take time to rediscover and maybe even re-evaluate our principles, our religious beliefs, relationships, and our goals for life. I too, took my own advice and did a little soul-searching. I also realized that there will be days of uncertainty ahead of us, unanswered questions, and a menagerie of emotions that I, as well as others, will encounter. I also realized that I would have to be strong for my family, my children, grandchildren, husband, mother, my students, and my neighbors. I know that I cannot carry the load for all, but I can lighten their load a little, without increasing mine.
When my students began to think about the situation that we are facing and comparing the situations that the character of Edward faced, they began to delve deeper into the text, their fears subsided, and they were inspired that they would be okay at the end of this difficult journey, just like Edward was. I know, and they know, that life is not a fictional fairytale where a happy ending is commonly found. However, as a result of our comparison, our analyzation, and our discussion my students, as well as myself felt a sense of relief, accomplishment, and were inspired to take our newly found message out to others that God is still in control.
I encourage each of you to take the time that you have been given at home to love your family, yourself, and to dig deep into your own self-discovery. Re-evaluate your relationship with your family, yourself, and with your creator. Make this a time of self-discovery, new discoveries, and a time to love your family. Be strong and be there for them. Take time to read, study the word, and pray. This is a time more than any other time in my lifetime where prayer is warranted. Be the prayer warrior that others can rely on. Be the neighbor that can take a covered dish and leave it at the doorstep of your elderly neighbor, check on friends through social media, phone calls, or even FaceTime them, which gives allows them to realize that you are there for them.
Through all of the unanswered questions, uncertainty’s, and all of the worrying, I am remindedof a prophetic word that our church received quite some time ago. The words that were revealed to our church were simply, “preparation time.”
Members, as well as our Pastor, wondered if this meant a great revival, souls dedicating their lives to the Lord, preparing for the unexpected, or even still…all of the above. We, as a church, prayed for answers and prepared in a variety of ways. We have seen a spiritual revival break out within the hearts of our congregation and in our church, souls have been added to our church, and now we are facing uncertain days with many unexpected changes and unanswered questions looming over all of us, but we feel better prepared than we would have a year ago. We have been reminded that the Lord has been and continues to be with us, even in the eye of the storm.
I hope you enjoy this post. Feel free to comment and or follow. Wishing you a safe and wonderful Memorial weekend and day. God bless from the mountains of Kentucky!
A Healthier Me...Simple & Clean 