My grandmother's sewing machine

Took some photos of Grandma Fry's machine. I brought it home from my mother's house in Illinois in 1976, and I have the receipt for it dated 1910. My mom made a lot of our school clothes on this machine....matching skirts for sis and me.

The box on top is filled with attachments and tools, and the light came in one of the draswers. It attaches to it somehow and still has an ancient light bulb in it.

I do not know how to use this machine....and I fear I would break if I tried!

Starting a Mother Dough for Sourdough Bread

I read in MaryJanes Farm Magazine about a great "artisan bread" process. Using just organic flour and purified water, you make a starter, feed it each day, and then begin to take from it for fresh bread. I will be most surprised if it is a success, but it will be fun to try.

A ceramic bowl is needed, and wooden spoon for stirring. I have seen some great recipes for the dough including pancakes and crackers....I hope it turns out!

Here you see my starter....

Down to business

Here is little Hannah working at her computer. Whenever I check my email, she checks hers too, and sends me important messages. The toy computer is a really good toy, and teaches shapes, letters, numbers, and songs, and has addition and subtraction activities....it even comes with a little mouse. So Hannah sits at pop pop's desk and takes care of business!

This takes the cake!

Here is a photo of a cake done for my daughter's recent baby shower! The theme was baby blocks.

In the center of the table, the hostess filled plastic baby bottles with shasta daisies. One of the girls designed and baked this by herself! The icing was perfect, and the J stood for Josiah, our new little one.

The girl who baked this cake has three little boys under 5, homeschools and is a pediatric nurse. How do these young moms have so much energy?

Family photo

Was looking through photos today, and thought I would post this one. True, it is outdated already, because my daughter is still preggy here.

But everyone is there!

We are sitting on the steps of a victorian home that has been turned into an art gallery. It is in dowtown Tallahassee. Each year they have the house filled with trees and oranments and decorations and each day for three weeks, you can tour the house and buy things for your own tree.

We had fun letting the girls pick an ornament for themselves. It was a wonderland inside, and lighted like a wonderland outside, too. You know, I am still in the holiday spirit!

Josiah has joined the family!

On Sunday, January 11, 2009, Josiah was born in a little under two hours. Whew! Here he is with a proud Pop pop. A couple of really cute guys.....

We kept his two sisters with us for four nights and they went home to join their brother last night. I miss them already! There is nothing like seeing sweet young faces come to the breakfast table in the morning.

Mommy and baby are doing pretty good. Once again, I got to be there at birth, and help her and her hubby. What a blessing. They have been so generous to let me participate. Josiah came into the world fast, and gave his first cries almost before being all the way born. He is a sturdy little guy and weighed in at 8 pounds and 1 ounce. Please join us in praying that his good health will continue and that mommy gets strong quickly and, you know, all the things we hope for when a new life comes into the world!

Where I Create

Recently on my favorite site, MaryJanesFarm, the question was asked, what does your sewing room look like? Well, I sew by hand, but I do have a craft table where I make cards, piece quilts, and do most of my crafts. Here it is. This room used to be our daughter's study, and originally her play room. It is right off of the bedroom that was hers, but is now the domain of our granchildren.

Hubby and I have made this room our office, and it has his desk, our computer and my ancient oak drafting table. This table has been with me a long time......since my little garage apartment in 1974. It was old then, too. There are stains where a long ago draftsman actually parked his cigarettes and let them burn down into the wood! Can you believe it? To the right is a sampler on a hoop I have been stitching for ages. I hope I get it done before I die. And as far as I know I am not sick right now.