Gail-Friends: Barberville Pioneer Settlement

Showing posts with label Barberville Pioneer Settlement. Show all posts

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Thankful Thursday - Everyday Blessings

Greetings from Golden Cottage!

I saw this graphic from Garden of Bright Images and knew I had to write about it. It made me think of all the everyday blessings we take for granted.


graphic from Garden of Bright Images on Facebook

It brought to mind what a blessing it is to have a baby. Nothing in my life compares to the precious baby days with my two daughters and my grandson. How quickly the baby days pass. I'm thankful for those blessings.

Getting a new roof, which was just finished this week (damaged during Hurricane Irma) isn't an everyday blessing, but I thank Him daily for a non-leaking roof and a place to lay my head. I thank Him for this every time I see a homeless person, too.

This man and this dog are everyday blessings for sure. Yesterday was National Pet Day, and both of them are my pampered pets. I'm thankful that Jem is turning me into a dog person, too. What's not to love when you this pic, right?

A friend and I went to the Barberville Spring Frolic this week and enjoyed music, dancing, arts and crafts and the wonderful weather we experience (almost) every day here in paradise (aka central Florida). I'm so thankful for girlfriends who are like-minded. Here are a few pics from the day's fun:

This group, Front Porch Revival, sang a song about Noah that I remember from my childhood. It was done by Tennessee Ernie Ford back then. Great song. You can probably find it on YouTube.

The young lady in the middle is the daughter of a long-time friend of mine. We enjoyed some great music that day, which is another everyday blessing because I have music playing all day long at Golden Cottage.

Barberville has a large collection of feathered friends. The chickens and roosters are always fun to watch. And this:

Being the true-blue bird nerd that I am, I just loved the show put on by the two male peacocks. We also saw a flock of cedar waxwings having a berry buffet in a big tree. I couldn't get a good pic to share, though. :(

Birds are an everyday blessing here at Golden Cottage. Oh, how thankful I am for all the different varieties that visit the Golden Pond feeders. Our newest visitors are the Indigo Buntings. We have a nest in the bouganvilea bush:

Another everyday blessing is a fully-equipped kitchen with electricity and running water. You don't take those things for granted if you've ever had to do without them. I'm thankful for the everyday blessing of the way the morning light streams across my kitchen.

What are some of your everyday blessings, Gail-Friends?

~~~

I sometimes share my posts with these friends:
Spiritual Sundays GRAND Social      Modest Mom Monday Link-up      The Art of Homemaking Mondays
   BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTY     Share Your Cup Wednesday Wordless Wednesdays Classical Homemaking Link-Up
    Favorite Things Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life  Paula's Weekend No Rules Blog Party Friendship Friday
Sunday Thoughts Link-Up
OVER THE MOON LINKY PARTY!

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Thankful Thursday - TV, Music & Minnie Pearl

Thankful for:

I grew up watching comedian and country star, Minnie Pearl on The Grand Ole Opry, Hee-Haw, and other country TV shows of the fifties and sixties. I loved her happy, positive attitude and most of all her clean jokes. In addition to her jokes, her act included a little bit of singing and dancing. Her trademark was the hat pictured above (with the $1.98 price tag still attached) and her countrified dresses. If you're not a fan of country music, you may not be familiar with her, but you can find her Youtube videos HERE.

Minnie Pearl is my alter ego, I guess you could say. Those who know me have often heard me holler, "HOW-DEE!" or "I'm just so proud to be here!" I've always wanted to be like her -- happy and bright and touching people's lives with some cheer.

This is my favorite Minnie Pearl joke: "Some girls don't like beards, but I don't mind. A girl don't mind going through a briar patch to get to a picnic." I'm with Minnie, 'cause I love beards, too, especially my husband, Rabbi Jem's.

Even though she acted and dressed like one, Minnie wasn't a country hick. She was a college graduate and a part of the country club set in her hometown. She caught the show biz bug, though, and the rest is history. I'm thankful for her influence on my life, and that we can enjoy her performances on YouTube. Watching them always makes me laugh and brightens my day. I hope you enjoy her as much as I. You can also read more about her life HERE.

Speaking of Minnie Pearl, I named our new car after her. Here's Minnie, and doesn't she look pretty sitting in front of Golden Cottage?

She's a brand new 2016 Honda CRV, and she's got bells and whistles that we'll probably never learn. I'm so thankful for her. All she needs now is a $1.98 price tag to hang from her rear view mirror.

We took a trip to Barberville Pioneer Settlement last weekend for their Spring Fling. I always enjoy the folk music and the dancing. I'm thankful for the folks at Barberville for keeping Florida history and these arts alive for our enjoyment.

this lady is making bubbles

My flowers are just gorgeous right now, and I'm so thankful for my sweet husband's hard work in the Golden Cottage Garden.

Our peace lilly has nineteen blooms.

That butterfly on a stick lights up at night and turns different colors. It's beautiful, and I'm thankful for sweet friends, like Barbara, who gave it to me.

I'm thankful for time with my very smart grandson. I learned this week that he has mastered M-Bots for 10th graders. He's only seven years old. Amazing!

We love this boy so much!

We only have two tadpoles left, and they'll probably go to Golden Pond by the end of this week. We've enjoyed watching them become frogs. G-d's creations are so awe inspiring. You can see more of how they've developed HERE.

Are you a fan of British TV? We are because we can never find anything we like on American TV. I'm thankful that we have options these days. We pulled the plug on cable many years ago and now only have antenna TV. We use a ROKU device and have a subscription to Amazon, which includes Prime videos and TV shows that we enjoy.

Recently, we added a subscription to Acorn, which is British. You can view some of them HERE. We love detective shows and have enjoyed watching shows such as Agatha Christie's Poirot and Mrs. Marple. I love sweet, heart-warming shows and we've enjoyed Doc Martin, Where the Heart Is and Monarch of the Glen. If you know of any other British shows like these, we'd love your recommendations.

I found a great blog party this week, and it's for grandmothers only. So if you're a blogging grandmother, you can link up there weekly. Here's the link: BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTY

What are you thankful for this week, Gail-Friends?

Thankful Thursday is my day of the week to focus on and be thankful for all the good things in my life.

I sometimes share my posts with these friends:

Spiritual Sundays Kathy’s Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life GRAND Social The Beauty in His Grip Link-Up

Modest Mom Monday Link-up Growing Homemakers Link-Up

BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTY
Classical Homemaking Link-Up Judith’s Wholehearted Wednesday Raising Homemakers Wednesday A Wise Woman Builds Wake Up Wednesday A Little R & R Wednesday Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party Thought Provoking Thursdays at 3D Lessons 4Life Thursday Favorite Things

Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life

Friendship Friday

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Thankful Thursday - Purim, Pigs and President Trump

Today's the day to send a postcard to encourage and support President Trump. Send your cards to:

President Donald Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Washington, DC. 20500

I'm thankful we have a man in office who is taking action to turn our country around. He's worked round the clock since taking office, all the while being ridiculed and accused of all manner of evil.

I hope you will join me in encouraging him with a postcard this week. Let him know you're praying for him, too.

Here are a few of the things I'm thankful for this week:


Time with my grandson, making hamentaschen for Purim

fun time with him at the library


A girl's day out with two of my long-time friends Rita and Linda. We've been friends for fifty years!!!!

A wonderful Purim party


Look who's marching in the Purim parade.

We had so much fun. I'll be posting more about the party next week. This week has been so busy. We've had our grandson with us, and I'd forgotten how much time children consume. I'm not complaining, Gail-Friends, believe me. Having him with us is pure JOY!

Week before last, we went to Barberville. There was a farmers swap:

we saw chickens, goats

ducks

baby ducks (so cute!)

turkeys, sheep

Hubby fell in love with this little girl and wanted to adopt her:

Can you imagine a rabbi with a pot-bellied pig?

The farmers swap included a flea market, and I told hubby, "They have everything but the kitchen sink." We turned the corner, and . . . TA-DAH!

I went to a dulcimer lesson in the old school house. It had the old timey school desks, and this nostalgic item:

Aren't we glad that some old timey ways have stayed in the past?

I saw this little wooden bird, and took a photo because I'd like hubby to make some for our garden.

We went to lunch at a waterfront restaurant nearby, and I saw this painting. Isn't it just the happiest thing?

That afternoon, we attended a jam session in the old school house. It was interesting to see the different types of stringed instruments being played.

In the hallway of the old school house, I spied this home-made bass fiddle. Just the week before, I'd been telling my grandson about how to make one. Another TA-DAH!!

What are you thankful for this week, Gail-Friends?

Thankful Thursday is my day to focus on and be thankful for all the good things in my life.

**********

I sometimes share my posts with these friends:

Spiritual Sundays THE SUNDAY COMMUNITY – #GIVE ME GRACE @SEE SPEAK HEAR MAMA Kathy’s Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life GRAND Social The Beauty in His Grip Link-Up

Modest Mom Monday Link-up Growing Homemakers Link-Up The Gathering Spot Link-Up

MOTIVATION MONDAYS – @EMBRACINGHISWILL SHARING HIS BEAUTY – @THEBEAUTYINHISGRIP

The Art of Homemaking Mondays
Monday of Many Blessings

Titus 2 Tuesday Share Your Stuff Tuesday TITUS TUESDAYS @CORNERSTONE CONFESSIONS

Wordless Wednesdays Jennifer Dukes Lee Tell His Story Teaching What Is Good Link-Up

Classical Homemaking Link-Up Judith’s Wholehearted Wednesday Raising Homemakers Wednesday A Wise Woman Builds Wake Up Wednesday A Little R & R Wednesday Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party Thought Provoking Thursdays at 3D Lessons 4Life Thursday Favorite Things

Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life

Friendship Friday

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Thankful Thursday - A Musical Girl's Day Out

I love music and especially love playing instruments. I recently decided to learn to play the mountain dulcimer. My daughter and I attended a class at Barberville Pioneer Settlement, near where I live. I got my wires crossed, not realizing there is a difference between a mountain and a hammered dulcimer. So, we showed up for the wrong class, but it turned out just fine. The video below shows my daughter, Amanda, learning to play the hammered dulcimer.

This class was great, and my daughter, who is very musically inclined, picked up on the process and was playing like she'd been taking lessons for years. I'm not bragging (honestly), but she has learned to play the piano, guitar, flute, mandolin, and other instruments without lessons.

We had a very enjoyable day together, learning, playing, and listening to music. I'm so thankful for a girl's day out with her.