Spotlight on Grandma's Postcards - Birthday Greetings

Our family celebrated two birthdays this week (granddaughter, Esther, 5 and granddaughter, Hannah, 1), so I thought it would be appropriate to share one of Grandma's birthday postcards this week. 

Birthday Greetings

Interestingly enough, I find the message and information on the back of this card a bit odd. It is addressed to Miss Maudie McCann, McPherson, Kansas. The card is dated November 20th, 1911, but there is no stamp and no postmark. 

Perhaps whoever sent the card just liked the card, or perhaps it was the only one she had to give, but my grandmother's birthday was April the 5th (she would have turned 16-years-old in 1911). 

The sender had a fine hand and wrote a simple message:

Dearest Maudie, 

This is with love and best wishes. 

From your sister, 

Viola

My grandmother had no sister named Viola...so...it's all a bit of a mystery to me. 

Either way, it's a pretty card and I thought it definitely worth sharing. 

Here are this week's birthday girls, Esther and Hannah. 

Granddaughter Esther

Granddaughter Hannah

These are two of Grandma Maudie's many great, great granddaughters. She'd be so proud! 💗

Until next time,
~Rebecca

Recent and related post that you might enjoy reading...

Tuesday 4 Meme - The "NET" Sum

Happy Homemaker Monday - June 24, 2019

Summer Bucket List 2019

Spotlight on Grandma's Postcards - "Greetings From Fannie Sullivan"

Grandma Maudie

Tuesday 4 Meme - The "NET" Sum

Hosted by Toni

I'm trying something new today! I'm joining Toni over at Tuesday 4 Meme!
If I understand it correctly, Toni presents four questions each week for us to answer and share on Tuesdays. It sounded interesting, so I thought, "Why not? It will be a chance to mix things up a bit!"
So...here are this week's Tuesday 4 Meme's questions...
 The "NET" Sum

1. What Is Your Favorite Computer Cruising Time?

First thing in the morning or at day's end when the work is done.

2. What Is Your Favorite Time To Write Your Blog Entry?

Ideally, early morning, but that rarely happens, so, I guess the answer is, whenever I can work it in, no matter what time of day it is. 

3. What Is/Are Your Favorite Internet Service Provider/s?

As far as I know, we've got the only one available in our area...Windstream.

4. What Is/Are Your Favorite Email Service/s?

Yahoo

Until next time...

~ Rebecca

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Happy Homemaker Monday - June 24, 2019

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Spotlight on Grandma's Postcards - "Greetings From Fannie Sullivan"

Happy Homemaker Monday - June 24, 2019

Greetings, Dear Ladies! Happy Monday! 💗

How was your week and weekend?

Our week was good here and the weekend fairly flew by. There were various projects to work on around the house and I went through totes in the car port every chance I got. There were errands to run, library programs on Wednesday, and, of course, I worked at the park on Friday and Saturday. Sunday was stormy and there was a lot of area flooding. Those just to our south were hit particularly hard. 

Wildflowers Alongside the Road on the Way to Work Friday Morning
(Gray-headed Coneflowers)

I've got a busy morning coming up, so I'm going to be brief this morning. Let's get right on into this week's post...shall we? Please, join me as, I link up with Sandra of Diary of a Stay At Home Mom and all the other lovely ladies that gather there on this week's Happy Homemaker Monday. 💗

Right now I am...

...wrapped in a fuzzy blanket and enjoying a cup of hot tea while I work on this post. In the distance a train blows its whistle and I hear a variety of birds tweet, twitter, and fuss as they wake up and face the dawn of a new day.

On the breakfast plate...

...I haven't made it that far yet this morning, but will probably just have an egg and toast or oatmeal.

The weather...

... it's a cool 66 degrees and cloudy at the moment, but it won't last long. The high today is expected to be near 90 and it will be hot and muggy (as will every day be in the foreseeable future). I'll be closing the windows soon and turning the air conditioner back on. 

On my reading pile...

I finished The Great Buffalo Hunt by Wayne Gard (FINALLY!!!), but am still reading Mother Culture by Karen Andreola. In between everything else I have started and finished Living on His Income - Remembrances and Advice for The Christian Housewife by Sharon White and Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

On the menu this week...

Monday - Fish sandwiches and sweet potato fries

Tuesday - Supper @ daughter and son-in-law's 

Wednesday - Breakfast for supper

Thursday - Roasted chicken breasts, baked potatoes, and peas and carrots
Friday - Broiled spoonbill, baked sweet potatoes, and brussel sprouts

Saturday - Turkey burgers and oven fries

Sunday - Leftovers

On my 'to do' list...

- Monday - HHM post, plan the week ahead, home blessing, laundry, watch two of our granddaughters while their little sister has tubes put in her ears this morning (Prayers over granddaughter, Mary, please. Thank you!) 🙏
- Tuesday - John has an eye appointment in the morning; supper at daughter and son-in-law's in the evening; celebrate granddaughter, Essie's, 5th birthday 🎂
- Wednesday - Take a friend grocery shopping; celebrate granddaughter, Hannah's, 1st birthday 🎂
- Thursday - Out with Essie to enjoy a belated birthday lunch with Nana
- Friday - Work
- Saturday - Work (nature bingo)
- Sunday - Church; work in the afternoon

In the craft basket...

The yarn finally arrived and I got caught up on the temperature afghan. Cooler would be better than hotter, but I'll take either. I am ready for a color change! 

Temperature Afghan

(Good thing I got a good deal on six skeins of the pumpkin! I'm libel to need every one of them before the year is over!) 😆

Looking forward to this week...

Spending time with family and celebrating birthdays! 💗🎂💗

Something I enjoyed watching this week...

... the looks on people's faces as they overcame their fears at Saturday's 'Hug-A-Herp' Day at Prairie State Park.

Overcoming Her Fear of Snakes
Great job, Ashley!!!

Overcoming His Fear of Snakes

Overcoming Fears and Reaching A New Level of Understanding

This is my little cousin, Kadin Lemmons (remember that name...you're probably going to hear about this guy on Animal Planet or elsewhere in the not-too-distant future). He and his family found us some exceptional animals this year to share at our annual Hug-A-Herp Day at Prairie State Park. Kadin and his dad did a phenomenal job of sharing their love and knowledge of reptiles and amphibians with everyone that attended the event and we really enjoyed their expertise!!! Thanks, guys! 💗

An Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle

Cookie
The Gentlest, Most-Loving Prairie Kingsnake EVER!
(I'm not huge fan of snake handling myself, but even I enjoyed handling and holding Cookie. She's the BEST!)

A Three-toed Box Turtle

From the camera...

Wild Bergamot

Scripture passage...

Photo Credit

Well, Ladies, that's it for this week! I pray that each and every one of you have a blessed and beautiful week ahead! And I'll see you next week! 💗

Until Next Time...
~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

Summer Bucket List 2019

Spotlight on Grandma's Postcards - "Greetings From Fannie Sullivan"

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Summer Bucket List 2019

Purple-headed Coneflower Blooming In Our Front Yard

Once again, the summer season is upon us and, as always, it promises to be a busy one. I have been thinking about some of the things that I'd like to do this summer and some of the things that I hope to accomplish over the course of it. I know that, in reality, I probably won't get to all of them, but having a list will certainly help me to focus on the season and remind me to enjoy it to the fullest! 

"...ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand" 

(Luke 21:30).

My Summer Bucket List 2019

1. Write my summer bucket list
2. Grill burgers on the hibachi 🍔
3. Create a new nature journal 📖 
4. Resurrect my card and letter-writing ministry
5. Finish emptying the carport of stored totes
6. Make homemade ice cream 🍦
7. Bake a 4th of July pie 💖✰💙
8. Make red, white, and blue Jello 💖✰💙
9. Celebrate Independence Day with family 🎆
10. Enjoy fresh produce and herbs out of our own garden 🍅🌿🌽
11. Celebrate summer birthdays with the grandlittles (and, believe you me, there's a BUNCH of them!) 👧🎂👦
12. Eat watermelon 🍉
13. Go to the zoo 🐧
14. Take a vacation (even if just for a few days and is somewhere close by) 🚗
15. Enjoy the Perseids meteor shower ⭐🌠🌟
16. Plan and complete summer programs at work:

        a) Hug-A-Herp Day 🐍🐸🐢
        b) Explorer Daycamp 2019 (Invasive Species) 🐞
        c) Ants on Parade Library Program 🐜
        d) In A Grasshopper's World Library Program 
        e) Leaf Man Library Program 🍁
         f) Nature Weaving Homeschool Program 

17. Enjoy a summer storm 
18. Celebrate my birthday with a banana split 🍌
19. Catch a firefly 
20. Work the Empire Fair @ Springfield 
21. Paint, hide, and find rocks
22. Declutter and clean the back porch/greenhouse
23. Complete 24 hours of reading for the summer reading program at the local library (doesn't have to be library books) 📚
24. Launch my new business as an independent 
Norwex consultant
25. Build a bonfire 🔥
26. Visit friends at Pomme de Terre 
27. Attend an outdoor concert 🎸
28. Preserve what I can of the summer bounty 🌽
29. Play in cool water on a hot day 🤽
30. Have a yard sale
31. Collect rocks 
32. Complete the moon garden 🌕
33. Hike a new trail 
34. Witness morning glories blooming for the first time on our front porch
35. Visit at least two Missouri state parks that I've never been to before 
36. Deep clean the Van Gogh room (a.k.a. my office) 🎨
37. Observe and/or sketch at least ten interesting things found in nature 🐝🐚🐍🍁🐢🐾🐟🐞🐌🐦
38. Be alert to opportunities that lend myself available as the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth
39. Order crocus bulbs for fall planting 
40.  Finish recycled Christmas card project that I've started

That's what's on my summer bucket list. Now...what's on yours?

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Spring 2019 Bucket List End-of-Season Update

Today is the last day of spring and, while I'm far from accomplishing everything that I had hoped to, it's time to give an end-of-season update! So here goes!🌷

My Spring 2019 Bucket List

1. Write my spring bucket list
2. Plan my spring menus (these will be posted each Monday in my weekly Happy Homemaker Monday posts)

3. Observe the full moon (the third and final "supermoon" of 2019) on the spring equinox 🌕

4. Celebrate Purim by reading the book of Esther, eating hamentashen, and watching One Night With The King

One Night With The King (the story of Queen Esther from the Bible)
is one of my favorite movies. I try to watch it every year at Purim. 💗

5. Schedule eye exams for dh and I (get new glasses)

(I got new glasses; dh ended up having to have cataract surgery.) 

6. Dye Easter eggs

7. Host an egg hunt for the grandlittles

8. Eat a Russell Stover's Maple Cream Egg with my oldest daughter on her birthday (it's tradition!)

9. Host a breakfast before church on Resurrection Sunday 🥓🥚🍞

10. Pick a bouquet of pretty yellow daffodils 

11. Celebrate spring birthdays with the grandlittles 🎂

(I did it again! I just assumed that, with 19 grandchildren, at least one of them would celebrate a birthday in spring, but, nope! No spring birthdays in this crowd of young 'uns!) 😄

12. Go to Jamesport with our youngest daughter

13. See a prairie chicken

14. Plant a tree for Arbor Day (I'm really wanting a sugar maple for the front yard) 🍁

(I wanted a sugar maple, but ended up planting a white pine instead. The Missouri Department of Conservation was giving them away free for Arbor Day! I told myself, "THINK CHRISTMAS!" It's doing really well, too!) 🌲😆🎄 

15. Observe Indian paintbrush blooming on the prairie

Indian Paintbrush

16. Plant a vegetable garden 🌱

17. Celebrate May Day with a basket of fresh flowers 🌷

18. Eat fresh strawberries

19. Plan and complete spring programs at work -

     A) Native American Trade Beads (HS) 📿

Native American Trade Beads

     B) Grow As We Go (Library) 🐣🐤🐓

Grow As We Go

     D) Monarch Magic (HS)🦋

Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly

     E) First Impressions (Library) 🐇🐍🐁

First Impressions

     F) Aqua Charades (Library) 🌊☔🤽

Aqua Charades

20. Celebrate Mother's Day by sharing flowers with the ladies at church, my daughters, and daughters-in-law 🌺

21. Eat fresh asparagus

22. Listen to spring peepers 🐸

23. Celebrate Memorial Day weekend with a cookout 🍔

24. See a brand new baby bison 

25. Lead a wildflower walk at Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site

26. Include fresh dandelion greens in our spring salads 

27. Celebrate Father's Day with my dh 👨

28. Observe a bird's nest with eggs in it and watch until the babies hatch 

29. Attend Spring Training at Knob Knoster State Park

30. Put up a new hummingbird feeder

31. Make violet jelly

32. Take a walk in the rain

33. Go camping with my husband

34. Smell lilacs

Lilacs

35. Empty the car port of stored totes

(It's not empty, but it's close! I actually have about 2/3 or more of it done. Another day or two out there and it will be finished!) 

36. Free the young cherry trees by removing the pile of boards and tin stacked behind the garage

37. Take down the wind generator

38. Re-roof the front porch

39. Replace broken window glass in sun-room and solar heater 

40. Edge the moon garden in sandstone and fill it with white river rock

(The moon garden isn't finished, but a lot of progress has been made on it, including edging it in sandstone and adding white river rock in the center. This will be an ongoing project over the course of the summer.)

That's what was on my spring bucket list. What was on yours?

Until next time...
~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

Spotlight on Grandma's Postcards - "Greetings From Fannie Sullivan"

Happy Homemaker Monday - June 17, 2019

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