We have been slowly adding some touches of fall to our house.  Levi loves to help.  Especially if painting or gluing is involved!  Here is a package of burlap leaves I picked up at HL.  They have a wire attached for hanging.  $4.99 a pkg…16 in each. 40% off.  I set Levi up with his watercolors and showed him pictures of how fall colors seem to blend right into one another.

These are the colorful leaves he did with his watercolors…

And here are some I did with acrylic paints…

He painted with abandon!  Be sure to put something under the leaves if you do this…paint seeps right through.  You can also use regular acrylic craft paint for heavier coverage.  WARNING…acrylic craft paint is NOT washable,  Will NOT wash out of clothes!  We used kids washable watercolor palette.

Once dry, he hung them his fall tree.  Then …on his own, he decided to paint pumpkins and acorns and cut them out.  I imagine we will add quite a few more things before the season ends!

I set my big table with dishes and glasses from Pier One.  These are all melamine…but have a rustic weathered look to them.  The runner is an antique piece given to me by Shirl and Tina.  It is all hand wrought and such a treasure of mine.  Th napkins came in a pkg. of 12 from TJMaxx.  They had only 1 package!!!.  My table seats 10 and many times I’m out of luck when it come to having enough of one pattern for my table.

I want a candle burning all the time!.  But, it sure frustrates me to get one that may put off a tiny bit of scent…or smell until the top layer of wax melts.  This is one of the best candles I’ve found anywhere.   The scent lasts through the whole candle.  It’s from Wal Mart and is their MainStays Label.  I use different scents all year.  A favorite is Cranberry Melon.  They have a myriad of fragrances to choose from, but this is a yummy smelling pumpkin and it’s scents travels from one room all through the house.  Another plus…the label pulls off neat and clean so you do not have to advertise where you got it.  And some prefer just a glass candle holder.  A sure winner all around!

I went on to deck my mantel for the season.  I found this nice sign that appealed to me with its clean lines.  The writing is done on natural burlap atop a stained wooden frame.  This cute fall couple is made of heavy tin and was waiting patiently for me to pick them up at Tuesday Morning.  I used a greenery garland with fall foliage picks to lay a base.  Then added fall decorative books and 3 wooden stained pumpkins.  It’s a little different than I’ve done before, but I really like the color with the rocks in fireplace.

This is the buffet behind my table.  The leaf garland is intertwined with teeny tiny lights…

I did go over and help Suzanne, my daughter-in-love, with her mantel, as well.  I think it looks so festive!

And that is the extent of my decorating for fall this year.  Unless something else grabs my attention.  And, of course, whatever masterpieces Levi creates must be proudly displayed.  The nice thing about his little tree is we can hang everything right in one spot!

Hope you are getting ready to enjoy the changing of seasons where you live.  Here, we don’t really have much fall weather…just a little cooler than summer.  All this decorating just makes us feel like it’s fall!  Blessings to you and yours!

Today Joy and I put flowers in the church in honor of Mom.  Her birthday was August 12.  Our dear friend, Billy Rich, did the flowers, as he does every year.  We never tell him what to do or what flowers to use…he just knows.  He was such a special friend to my Mom, and he honors her by using his talents to fix an arrangement that just shouts, “MRS. ELLA!”  He gets it perfect every year!  Thanks, my friend!

Mom, sure hope you liked your flowers today.  I bet they are nothing compared to those growing in Heaven, huh?  I also hope you heard all the kind things folks said about you, too.   You are remembered with such love and admiration…a true testimony to the life you lived.  We love you, Tonja, Joy, and Pop.

There is nothing exciting to post here today.  But, I think sometimes we forget to appreciate the ordinary, everyday things that happen on a given day.  So, that’s what I’m doing.  Because, when you think about it, some of your best memories happen on a regular day…no planning, no setting up…just everyday life.

Suzanne has started back to school, so that means Levi gets to stay with us and his other grandparents.  It’s been a long summer without seeing his love of life everyday.  I’ve missed the things we do together.  He was here a few weeks ago and watched me cut a lemon to add to some sweet tea.  He asked me is he could squeeze it and make lemonade.  I told him that he could and that could be one of our first projects when he came back to stay.  In the meantime, I found a little lemon juicer that I thought would make it easier.  So, here’s how it went…

And, I missed the photo where he looked up after taking a sip and said, “Now, that’s de-lis-ious!”  He loved it.  And, it really was good!

Then, I made a cake.  Yes. I made a cake.  I ran across the recipe for my Mom’s famous pound cake.  She used to make at least two or three of these every week or so and take them to folks who were sick or shut in.  She always made sure Alex had some, too.  So, I went to the grocery store and bought all fresh ingredients right down to the flavorings.  I wanted it perfect.  And, you know what?  It was!  Just eating a bite of it warmed my heart!

This is an old recipe…called Million Dollar Pound Cake.   Just be sure to use the vanilla and the almond flavoring.  Makes all the difference.  It is a dense cake, and I like to undercook mine a little because I like a little bit of gooey in the center.  My mother in law used to call this a ‘sad streak’.

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MILLION DOLLAR POUND CAKE

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 1 hour 40 min. + cooling MAKES: 16 servings
Ingredients
1 pound butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6  large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk

Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually add flour alternately with milk, beating just until blended.  Fold in extracts with a spatula.
Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 16 servings.

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And, may I add…it is delicious with a little butter spread on a slice and toasted in the oven on broil.

A little later, Joy called and said Pop wanted to give the little boys a treat.  So with a set amount to spend, he was treating them to a mini shopping spree at Toys R Us.  Oh! My!  We filled the cart and then began the process of deciding what to put back.  Choices!  So hard for little boys to make when they truly want it all.  But, a great lesson, as well.  We weighed pros and cons of this and that and finally Levi decided on his favorites…two sets of Legos.  John Thomas was all set with cars and trucks.  What fun!

Thanks, Papa Clyde.  This was a real treat.  You’re the best!

The day ended with Don and Levi playing in the pool with their new water toys!  They played pirates and found all manner of bad guys lurking around the pool.  Their water cannons got ’em every time!

What a full day!  I may just take an early bedtime tonight…cause…Levi will be back tomorrow!

WE CELEBRATED !  And what a fun celebration it was!  Pop turned 90 on the 9th of July, but it was the 17th before we could all be together for the party.

Invitations were sent to two churches and other close friends.  We held the party at my house, and, even before 2:00 they started coming in!  And, they kept coming!  Friends for many, many years were here.  Friends of his and mother’s were here.  Young men he taught were here.  (Some of that teaching took place on a motorcycle!…other times, while gardening in his yard).  Friends  our age who have much respect for him.  And, even those with children the age of mine came to honor, him.

Pop loves to talk.  He loves to interact with people.  He wants to know who you are and what you are and why you are what you are.  And, if you’re not a Christian, you’ll know before you leave him.  And, you’ll get a few words of wisdom, too.  Like…” the most important decision you will ever make is to become a Christian.  The second most important is the choice of a mate.  Choose wisely, in both cases.”  And…“If you are lucky enough to be born in America, you are blessed beyond measure.”

He’s a talker and he’ll talk as long as you’ll listen.  But, he’s also wise and has seen much in his years.  And his joy is in giving to others.

Back to the party.  Joy and Suzanne and Lori and Tara came over to help me get ready on Saturday.  And, Ian came home, too.  Adam managed to take off work, and Praise God!, Alex was able to be up with us, too.  Tara and Will were here, and Lori with her boyfriend.  Tommy was here, too.  Only Donald was missing.  He had a business meeting out of town that was imperative he attend.

I am going to share a lot of pictures here…and most speak for themselves…

It was a glorious day!  Even if the skies opened up and sent a deluge of rain.  Many came right on through the rain!  So, outside it may have been yucky weather…but not inside.  Inside was filled with laughter and reminising…eating and drinking…catching up on lives of each other and children and grandchildren.  Inside was filled with the buzz of family!  Not all blood kin,  but all of the same heart.  A group of friends and family who have grown throughout the years to become a part of each other’s life…caring and loving one another…being available when hard times surface…laughing and playing and sharing the good times.  That’s what a family is.

To each one who came to celebrate with us…who sent messages…who helped with the party…who braved the rain…who loved us enough to share this special day we us…we thank you from our heart of hearts.

I don’t like spiders, or snakes, or bugs.  I do not feel I have authority over even the tiniest of creatures.  I just want to flee.  I hate to kill them…but I will stomp on a spider.  Roaches…I don’t even think I can stand to talk about them…so let’s not.  I do, however, have a fondness for two of the tiniest of God’s handiwork…ladybugs and fireflies.  I can get along with these…and let them live and be at peace.

But, I recently heard a sad tale abut the firefly.  Actually, we used to call them lightning bugs.  I remember Joy and I catching them in an old glass jar….and Mama making us let them go before we came inside for the night.  (That was when you could play outside and with neighborhood kids with out your parents worrying to death!)  I’m glad she had us let them go.  If you think you don’t see them much anymore, you’re right.  Their population is on the decline.  This is because of  (according to Mother Nature Network.com)  light pollution, pesticide use, and habitat destruction.  And, this is the sad part…if a field where fireflies have lived is paved over or built on..the firefly family doesn’t just move over to another field…..they just disappear forever.

Does that make you a little wistful?  It does me.  I think of the absolute delight my sister and I, barefooted and dirty, had running after that elusive light to try to catch one in our hands.  I don’t think I ever did.  To get them into the jar, you had to be real sneaky and creep up behind them and bring that bottle down over them quickly!  It’s not a skill I use anymore, sad to say.  I don’t know when I’ve seen a firefly.

We lived in town on a busy road, but had lots of friends out in the country. And, once you got away from the light around town…right at dusk…you would begin seeing them. We also went to a church out in the country.  I can remember when Memphis Baptist was just 2 small buildings.  And when we would get out of church on Sunday night, it would just be getting dark.  At that time, there were fields all around and a cemetery across the street.  They would all be filled with the tiny lights!  Of course, we couldn’t go chase them…cause it was still the Lord’s Day, and that was not befitting behavior for 2 young ladies, Daddy said.  And besides, we still had on our Sunday dresses and sox and shoes.  Mama was not happy if those white patent leather shoes got marks on them!   But on Wednesday night, those bugs better beware!  We had on school clothes and there weren’t as many rules about them!  Even that far back, I remember what a sight it was to see a field all of a sudden light up.  Wow. God makes so many wonderful things for a kid to marvel at!

Let me tell you a little about these little creatures.  First of all, they are beetles…not flies.  They have a chemical called luciferin  inside their tails.  When this combines with oxygen, calcium, and adenosine triphosphate….a chemical reaction occurs to create their spectacular light!  Now, they carry the luciferin in their tail…and I know where the oxygen is…but where do they get the calcium and adenosine stuff from.  Does it float in on the air, or is it in the ground.  Do they get it from the food they eat?  I could not find out.  But, isn’t it wonderful to know that every little firefly that’s burned their beautiful light had to have help from the Master Creator to get the job done!  And, it’s even more wonderful to think that Almighty, Heavenly Creator that He is, cares about his little firefly family on the earth enough to make sure they have the things they need to shine their light…attract a mate…and make more fireflies!

And, get this…they are light geniuses.!  Their light is 100 % usable light where as the incandescent light bulbs that we humans manufacture lose 90% of their energy as heat…only 10% is usable light!  Anything God makes is right from the start!

A very wise friend of mine told me once that God is just as magnificent in the tiniest of details we may ever not see, as He is in the large things we notice every day!  It’s true!

There are over 2000 species of fire fly, but they don’t all light up.  Each species that does light up, however,, has their own specific pattern of flashing.  Some can even synchronize their flashes.  Now, the whole’ light up thing’ is just a ploy to find a mate!  The male flashes one pattern…the female flashes back another. I don’t really know the deciding factor on who they choose…but their lights can come in yellow, light red, green and orange.  Perhaps the female has a favorite color!

And should some other creature be attracted to this light and decide it looks appetizing….a firefly also has something in his blood called LUCIBUFAGINS (love that word!)  which makes them taste really gross!

Now friends…if you’ve even kept reading this far,  I know this is not on the list of information that you would find useful or even interesting.  But, when I got to thinking of the fact that I would so hope my little grandson has the chance to see  and  experience the wonder of ‘fairy lights’…I wanted to know more about them.  I want to know where they are.  Cause I’m gonna take him.  I’m gonna watch it once more through his eyes!  And, then I’ll hold that memory as close as I do the ones of my sister and I.  Have you seen any in this area?

There are so many wonders in the animal world…but none that I know of as enchanting as watching the yard ‘fill up with little fairy lights’.  It’s an experience similar to seeing stars race across the sky.  It’s something you never forget…even if you’re 63.  It’s just a little ‘magical respite’ from long days and hot work in the sun.  It’s in those few minutes between being out working and going into the house for the evening.  It’s where you think, “Man, I’m tired, But got a lot  of good stuff done today.”  But, you just don’t quite want to go in and call it a day.  You just stand and survey the world.  Maybe hear God say, “Sit back.  Put your feet up and watch!  I’m have some friends who want to do a show…just for you!”  And, He calls His fireflies to perform…just to delight you!  Isn’t He a good God!  I am remembering my days on the farms in NC with my aunts and Uncles.  I can see my Uncle Arthur Lee drive up in his truck and come up under the carport….stomping the mud off his feet as he comes.  Then he’d sit down on a chair and take his shoes off and then his cap, and run his fingers through his hair.   And, just sit there for a few minutes.  I’ve seen my uncle Charles and Uncle Jefferson do the same thing.

You know, I have a song playing in my head…sorta in the background…while I’ve been writing this post.  Seems I remember that once upon a time I did a musical with a bunch of kids at school.  It goes..“Angels and Lambs, Lady Bugs and Fire Flies told every person in sight that Jesus was born in Bethlehem  on that Christmas night”  I can even see the book I used.  Hmm!  Now that was not even in my head when I started this post.  Funny, isn’t it, how thinking about fire flies leads to thinking about old summer time memories as a child and then to children and music I taught at school!   Yeah, memory is a funny thing.  And songs seem to really stay with me.

I hope you see some fire flies soon!  Reckon what memories they will lead you to?  I’d love to hear about it, if you’ll share.  Just leave  a comment at the end of the blog.  I’ll see it!

PS.  The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has firefly tours!