It Doesn't Take Much To Confuse Me

How is it, that I see my blog address on so many of my family's blog rolls and I only have one "follower"? (Thanks, Kristen!)

I know it shouldn't matter, but did you read the blog address at the top? See, I have all this imagined control and when I can't change something....it makes me nuts!

Ergo, this post....

I promise, my next entry will be better.

Some things just confuse me and it doesn't take much. : )

Can You Name That Style?

Nantucket

Wine Country Style

Arts and Crafts

These photos are the result of a quiz I took at www.sproost.com. The quiz gave me an idea what my decorating style actually is. Most of you probably know your style, but I have never been much into decorating, so this was really helpful to me. The best part is that I feel it is very accurate!

I will be gearing all my decor towards these ends in the future.

Thanks to my blogger friend, Abigail, for passing on this site!

It is Time for the Hummers to Soon Arrive!

Two juvenile hummingbirds that Michael caught at the feeder. If they had been older, he would probably not have been able to get his hands on them.

The patient Master lies in wait, his little targets are distracted by each other.

Standing close so that the hummers can get used to his presence.

Last year, on a Sunday, after church, we were all outside under the carport on a beautiful day when two little hummers began feeding. Michael wanted to just see how close he could get to them.

After several minutes (that seemed much longer) he was able to catch both of the little beauties in his hands! I took one of them and we took pictures. Boy, were they fussing at us for holding them, but what a magical experience to hold one of God's full-grown creatures that is so tiny!

We let them go after only a minute or so, and one of their feathers was left in my hand. I kept it in a ziplock bag with my scrapbook material. One day the feather and photos will enter the pages of our family memories, but today, I thought I would share the experience...in honor of our beautiful little hummingbirds and their anticipated arrival.

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes

My two little girls posing on the fire truck.

My shirtless, 11 year old son, who saved the day! Our volunteer FD-great guys!

Our burning shed, although small, the contents caused quite a blaze!

A couple of years ago, Michael was burning some brush in the pasture. He had his trusty garden hose turned on full blast to monitor the flames and keep them at bay.

In a moment of inattention, the flames traveled too close to our old shed at the edge of our property. Before we knew it, the shed was ablaze. Inside the shed, old paint cans and who knew what else was quickly igniting and the flames became uncontrollable.

Michael told me to call the fire department because by now, the flames are over 30 feet into the sky and lapping at the tree limbs! I dash into the house and grab the phonebook. The Town Hall was listed, Police listed, Ambulance listed, everything but the Fire Department! I am in a panic! I am hysterically screaming, "Why do they not have the Fire Department listed, when they have every other emergency number in this book?"

It is then that Micah (11 at the time) calmly takes my arm and says, "Mom, dial 9-1-1." Duh! Who had the foresight to teach him that? Thankfully, I did. Even when I couldn't think calmly enough to dial the simple emergency numbers, my son could.

The Fire Dept. came at just about the time Michael got the fire under control. Yes, it was highly embarassing to both of us on many levels, but thankfully no one was harmed and we all got a good laugh about it, and still do.

More Than One Meaning

On Feb 22, 2009, at 10:55 PM, Laura McCann wrote:
Becca,

I just had to let you and Bill know that I went to see Millie's grave this week and I just laughed so hard when I read her headstone. I think she would love that! It is so appropriate and to those of us who knew her best, so meaningful.
As I stood and pondered those two words, they took several twists. They became the analogy to so many life situations and finally evolved into the thought, that Millie has dominoed her final game and is at peace and rest in sweet victory.
I think think it does her justice.
I hope you are all doing well. We miss, Millie as I am sure you do, as well.Take care of yourselves.

Love,
Laura

Dearest Laura,

Thank you so much for your email. Perhaps you already know this, but in case not: While thinking of Mama's love of dominos, I recalled from 6 years of Latin (thanks to Delma Daddy's insistence), I recalled that in Latin "Domini" meant "Lord" (as in "ano domini" - the year of our Lord). This led me back to the Latin dictionary which clarified that Domino, the ablative tense of domini, means "Praise the Lord". I sent a print out of this definition to Aunt Beth and Uncle Lomax and Family just so they would realize the extra meaning. I thought that every time my Mama said, "I domino", she didn't know that she was saying "praise the Lord" in Latin, which gave the headstone engraving a double meaning. I am so glad that you enjoyed my choice and please pass along to the family that might not realize that Mama, while thinking she was simply saying "I won", was also saying "praise the Lord".
I miss my Mama so much. I called her nearly every day for 2 1/2 years after her broken hip accident. I feel a void daily when I think it's time to call my Mama. It brought to mind something Bear Bryant regularly said on his Sunday morning show recapping the Crimson Tide games. He would always end by saying: "Call your Mama, I wish I could call mine." I sure wish I could call mine.
I so appreciate that you saw the humor and cared enough to give me input.

Much love, Becca

*See photo in next blog*

Millie's (Aunt Bill) Headstone

I haven't visited Aunt Bill's grave since her death, so Micah and I went to see if her headstone was in place or not. When we got to Myrtlewood, I showed him (again, because I believe you just can't tell them enough about their ancestors) Uncle Harry's grave, Uncle Malcolm's grave, Nannie and Pe-Paw's graves and told him a little about each one. I intentionally avoided looking at Millie's grave until I was ready to see the stone. When I looked, I began to laugh. You know, one of those deep, belly laughs. I thought out loud how appropriate her epitath and how much she would love it.
So here it is! I took a photo to share with any who have not seen the headstone. I think it is great and I don't think it could have been better said!

For those of you who did not have the priveledge to know, Aunt Bill, she was Domino Queen! She was the best player I know and had a reputation so far, so wide and so broad, that grown men were afraid to play her, lest she beat them. And beat them, she would! She had to start to let people win one every once in a while, just to keep them playing with her. I know she hated to let them win, but it was the only way to keep playing the game!

Millie has dominoed her last game and won the final prize. May she rest in peace in victory!

Heart Day was Happy at Our House!

Our finished product. Only one-half the cupcakes we actually made. Looking for Mr. Eggshell...yuck! Close up of the creations. Our cupcake tree See the chocolate on Callie's face? Valentine smiles, an afternoon of Valentine fun! Friday night, my boyfriend and I went out (alone) for dinner! It was wonderful to have time for just us. We talked and flirted and in general, had a really good time. Sad that a couple of hours mean so much, because they come around with such infrequency.

Saturday, the girls and I made cupcakes and chocolate dipped strawberries. The berries are long gone, but because neither of the girls had ever made cupcakes, they each had to make an entire batch! We made 48 cupcakes and decorated them! We will have cupcakes for days at our house! We made 24 Devil' Food and 24 Red Velvet, decorating one half of each with white icing and the other half with milk chocolate icing. It was fun and the girls did most of the work.

In the making of the devil' food cupcakes, one of the girls dropped a piece of eggshell into the batter and it very quickly sank and slid to the bottom of the bowl with lightening speed. I couldn't get to it fast enough to stop it. I stirred around in the bowl with a spoon hoping it would surface. No luck. I removed my rings, washed my hands, and began to dig through the batter in hopes of feeling the porous little piece of trouble. Still no luck. We were planning to hand out these cupcakes to elderly people and I was appalled to think they might find pieces of shell, but how do I hurt the tender heart of my little girl and tell her that her cupcakes are subpar and we can't give them out to people? I decided to plunge on courageously. After all, who that cooks, has not at one time or another lost a tiny smidgen of eggshell in some dish they were preparing? It would be alright.

After handing out almost all the cupcakes we took some to my parents. As my mama was eating hers, she said, "Oh, I think I found some eggshell!". I have never been so glad to hear something of that nature, when it pertained to food I had a hand in preparing! Of all the cupcakes, my mama got the one with the shell! We threw hers away and replaced it with another and all was well in Valentine Day land. Whew!!! The day was saved!