Several months ago I started the quest to find my fathers family. It started so simply lol. We homeschool, and so as I started going thru the holidays, and thinking of what we could do to learn about their real reasons and origons...We came to St. Patricks Day. Now we're very Irish...so I figured, well this will be easy, we'll just study us...and so it began lol. Many many hours and late nights and THOUSANDS of files and forums and postings...and I've come along way. My Daddy is thrilled...he knows more about his family now than he ever has in his whole life. He said something that struck me. He said "when I could have asked someone I didn't care, and now that I want to know, there's no one left to ask" How sad is that...really?? And if you think about it...it's how life goes for most of us. It's not that Daddy didn't really care, he was just busy working and raising his daughters...he didn't have time, and I assure you, he had his hands full with us! lol. And if we're not careful we can have the same thing happen. No man knows how many days he has, and that goes for women too! None of us are guarenteed 10 minutes from now..never mind 10 weeks or months or even years!!

Daddy was making an interesting connection while I was calling him with another bit of family I'd found. He said 'the total of everything is the sum of it's parts' Now I'm sure that's some fancy math thing, or some physics stuff I never got...but it's simple enough for me to understand ;) I had never made the connection to family though. I am the sum off all those people, and of all thier expierences! I'm not only finding out about them, but I'm finding out about me :)

Take the time to write down some of the stuff you remember. Write down stories...someday I want my children to know that their Great Grandpa Charlie made the best spaghetti sauce in the world, and he'd alway say "holy mackrel' which we just thought was sooo funny lol. They don't have to be long! Just take a note book, write the persons name at the top of the page, and then add things as you think of them. Do you remember what they did? Jot it down. My Daddy found out he worked for the same company his grandfather had worked out for over 30 years...and never knew! It's those interesting things that tie us to our past...to make them real 'people' not just names with dates of birth and death. And if you have pictures...I beg you...sticky notes on the back if nothing else...write down who is in them!!!! And don't put Mom and Dad, write their names...it will be all your childrens children will be able to see someday...and you just can't assume that your kids will remember what great aunt LuLu looked like that that was her in the picture.

I know it takes time. I know that's something alot of people don't have. There are people you can pay to do it!! I know of one lady, and if you ever want I'd be happy to send her an email on your behalf. It's worth the cost, and it's a gift that will keep giving. It won't get easier to find them later!!!! Take the time!

Someone on the CHF board posted about starting their garden planning...and I've been thinking of it ever since   We have a large garden...and I'm praying it'll do much better than last year! Last year was just all against us lol...we had a late frost that killed alot of things off...then we had NO rain....then the heat broke records...it just wasn't happen last year. People who had been gardening as long as I've been alive couldn't even get a tomato.

Here's a list of some of what we'll plant. I'm sure I'll forget things...but this will serve as an excellent place for me to start keeping my thoughts in order We'll do...

Tomatoes...probably about 20 plants...lots to can, lots of mater sannies, and hopefully lots to share

Corn...last year we didn't plant any. I found corn from NC for 10/$1, it was great. I bought 100 ears (you should have seen it...two buggies full of corn lol). We shucked it all and froze it....it's been great to pull out this winter, so we're going to grow our own incase I can't find such a deal again.  I also want to grow a bunch of indian corn. I love the stuff...and figure if we grow it I might could decorate this fall with it. There's also a corn called 'broom corn'...it's colored like Indian corn, but bushy...it's supposed to be good for obviously brooms, but also dried flowers and decorations. So that will be our corn corner

Cucumbers...last year we grew regular cukes, and then I think some picklers...this year I think we'll stick to all picklers. My friend showed me how to can pickles, it's a great recipe that I actually like, and it's easy!! So I think I'll stick to those this year. I'm thinking some kind of baskets for Christmas with some of the goodies I can ;) And we can always eat them in the salads and stuff too.

Bell Peppers...I did 16 plants last year...which was great...but I'm the only one who eats them lol. I still have a ton of them in the freezer. Dh has stomach issues...and while he might like the peppers...they deffinately don't like him...and the kids just aren't really fond of them. So I may grow only 4 plants this year. Last year I did yellow, red, and purple...they all turned out really well. This year I'll probably just stick with the red...they're my favorites

Green Beans...we grow the Bush Blue Lake Beans...they're great!!! Last year I think we did 1 pack of seeds...this year I think we'll do two. We're some green bean eattin people...we love to eat the casserole, and have it at least once a week. Dh has promised me a pressure canner...so I'd like to can these...there's only so much room in the freezer afterall ;)

Carrots...last year we tried them...but with the drought...nothing happened. This year I've found a hybrid thru Burpee that is especially good in poor clay soils...which would be us. So we're going to give those a try. I think the package says it's 1500 seeds...but I'm not sure if we'll do one or two packages. Not only can I can them...but the rabbit would really love to have his own lol.

Onions....last year was the first time we planted onion sets. They were about the only thing that came up...and I think it's because they planted so early that they got the rain before it stopped. We grew super sweets last year and reds...the reds did much better. I'm thinking we'll pick some up this year and see how they go. Last year I put them in the mini chopper and then froze them...this year I think I'll cut them up in larger chunks and freeze them that way. I've heard of pickled onions...but have no idea if it's something I could cook with...or that we'd even like, so I'm not feeling that brave yet.

Lettuce...I'd like to have part of the garden just for salads for dinner. I'd love to be able to send the girls out with a bowl and tell them to bring it on in I'm not sure what kind we'll plant...something more nutricous would be great...so I'll have to research.

Cantelope...Dh loves cantelope. We started them last year...got to golf balls...and then they died So we'll try again this year.

Mini Gourds...you know the cute little ones to decorate with in the fall I love those...they just make me happy!

Gooseneck Gourds...these are the larger ones you can use to make all kinds of crafts out of...such as birdhouses. I tried last year...but it just didn't happen...so I'm going to try again this year. I have so many ideas on things I'd like to make...and I have a friend that I'd love to bless with some as well. I'm hoping they'll take off well. I'll be reading up to see what I can do to help them along.

I'm also going to start an herb garden...things like dill, which I need alot of in the pickling recipe...and other italianish herbs are what I use most. I think next year I may try garlic...but I'm not sure I use it enough to justify the growing space.

I can't think of anything else at the moment...at least veggie wise. I have a ton of flower beds to get together. The dogs have ruined them...but the plus side to that is that I get to start over. The backyard is mostly shady thanks to a couple majestic oaks which I love. It  does make it harder to get nice bright flower beds though. I'm going to being doing some Impatients, and some Pansies (I didn't realize they could do ok in partial shade) I'm also looking at some bright foliage to add along the edges, or in the middles.

I also need to come up with about 8 hanging baskets to go around the porch...it's mostly shady there...so I'm not sure what will grow and trail nice???  I'd love some nice color though   I'd also like to grow some Mums in containers that I can move out to the front in the fall for color.

So much to do...so little time LOL..Guess I should start researching now! Please share any gardening tips, or plans you have!

Moving out to the country was a good thing...really it was....but on Thursdays I sure do miss living only 2 miles from my Walmart, 2.5 miles to my bank...and the gas station on the way to either of them Today is my day to run run run run. In the car, outta the car, back in the car, unload the car, in the car, outta da car...it just never seems to end!

There are some weeks were I just can't physically do all the things I need to in the one day and I end up out again on Friday...how many errands do I need to do that I can't get them all done??? Although in all honesty...I might could get them done if I didn't "have" to spend so much time going thru JoAnns for all the deals ;) But how do you pass up the remenant bin when it's 75% off???

Tonight the dc will go roller skating. The shooting team takes a night off of target practice every third month...and tonight is that night. Wish I had earplugs LOL.

No cleaning got done today...but that's ok, we're supposed to get sleet and freezing rain tonight, so we'll be home tomorrow...all stocked up...and hopefully we'll be able to make a real dent :)

Emily~Anne...I keep looking at your kitchen...it's just what I always wanted...it's my inspiration :) The red the tan the clean (where are those crumbs I was going to send you????) I just love it...I feel at home, and I'm not even there! When I build a house someday...you and I will have shopping to do! lol.