I Got the Sun in the Morning and the Moon at Night!

I've got the sun in the morning and the moon at night...

~from, Annie Get Your Gun by Irving Berlin







This is me last week in the evening, before sunset. I decided to meander to the pond with one of my daughter's pretty teacup sets with my coffee. Sometimes it's fun to just do something different like that. You certainly can't put me into a box that is for sure! : ) It was rather poetic I think. My pink flip-flops even match the cup and punch plate...






My daughters and I have been enjoying listening to Betty Hutton singing Irving Berlin's: "I Got the Sun and the Morning" from the musical "Annie Get Your Gun". We sing it together when we work in the kitchen, this song is guaranteed to put a zip in your doo-dah!

Irving Berlin In Hollywood (Film Score Anthology) by Irving Berlin (Audio CD - 1999) I just love the lyrics! This is such a nice cd with many old time musical scores. We checked this copy out at the library.

You can see "the" Betty Hutton singing it on youtube if you like.


I Got the Sun in the Morning

ANNIE OAKLEY: Got no diamond, got no pearl, Still I think I'm a lucky girl. I've got the sun in the morning And the moon at night. Got no mansion, got no yacht, Still I'm happy with what I got. I've got the sun in the morning And the moon at night Sunshine gives me a lovely day, Moonlight gives me the Milky Way. Got no checkbooks, got no banks, Still, I'd like to express my thanks. I've got the sun in the morning And the moon at night. And with the sun in the morning And the moon in the evening I'm alright. Got no butler, got no maid. Still I think I've been overpaid, I've got the sun in the morning And the moon at night. Got no silver, got no gold, What you've got can't be bought or sold. I've got the sun in the morning And the moon at night.


The roses my sweet hubby brought me for our 31st anniversary a couple of weeks ago. It was funny, we drove into a neat town we have fond remembrances from, a wonderful old town even equipped with an auditorium, locker room, dark room etc. in a huge buff colored brick building (very characteristic of the 40s)... old USO building where they had entertainment etc. for the soldiers during WWII and everything!... You know me, I just love that stuff. Yes indeed. It was one of those nights where the restaurant wasn't quite as we remembered it though. Let's just say we laughingly and good naturedly called it a mistake house instead of a steak house.

Still fighting an earache and vertigo. No fun. I got myself upset last week and on top of that had a delicious piece of chocolate cake our darling girls made for us and if you've known me for long, sugar and I do not do well especially when recouping. Such is life...

I can't complain, I've got the Lord and the sun and the morning and the moon at night!
God is so good, I love my family. ~Amelia

Here are some more neat pics by my youngest daughter of two of our four doglets and other neat stuff on her blog. Enjoy!

And...I have a very nice easy-breezy down home Italian dish I created that Hubs is already requesting again! I'm sharing it with you all on my thats-italian blog.

Stardust Memories and Mitford-Like Sweetness

And now the purple dusk of twilight time steals across the... meadows of my heart.....


This song carries such sweet memories for me, I would listen to this song when we lived back in the suburbs as I would drive the girls to Mrs. Blount our sweet piano teacher in the small town on the other side of the country...almost an hour away from the suburbs we had moved to. The song is from one of my favorite cds. 'Love is the Thing and More' by Nat King Cole. I sure miss Mrs. Blount. She is with the Lord now, I wonder if some way some how she knows I'm back and that I miss her? A great cloud of witnesses.

This is the song that is on my mind in the evenings here in the country. I go outside and stand still and just look all around so still...I see pools of golden sunlight, many times among the other beautiful colors the Lord uses in His glorious handiwork in the evening, brilliant oranges, lavenders and yes...sometimes purple...Fanciful glimpses of cotton tail rabbits....a family of deer, the mother, father and baby fawn can be seen after the doglets go in. The deer family also have been appearing in the morning hours as well. They know the humans who live here in our home won't hurt them I do believe. I'm so thankful my husband has never been one to hunt for sport.

After supper as I recoup I try to go outside and enjoy God's handiwork. I can't thank God enough for bringing me back home, this very piece of land I had always admired but never thought too much about either, I had always thought it to be unobtainable. God sure knows what He is doing.

Here's a couple of funny stories from yesterday. Think Mitford.


Yesterday. Thursday. 6.16 Marianna and I took a quick trip to Little Town...I so love that...

I'm still recouping and thanks so much for your prayers! I thought a quick outing would be nice and do me good.

We stopped by the old 1920s jewelry and gift shop, Mrs. Donna Ruth even has a bridal gift registry there for Lenox china as well as her vitamins she takes, B12, B6 and folic acid etc.behind the counter I suppose so she won't forget? It's cute. Near the counter where she keeps her vitamins next to the phone, is the entrance to the stockroom, above the entrance is a very old studio 16 x 18 photograph of her parents, the original owners of this most wonderful jewelry store establishment. You see, Marianna needed to talk with Donna Ruth about teaching piano. Donna Ruth's great grand-daughters are needing a good piano teacher since Mrs. Blount passed away. Donna Ruth was married to Dr. Lawrence the local vet, a sweetheart indeed. Donna Ruth grew up in Little Town and tells us all about the area, once an oil boomtown complete with theatre still standing. Donna Ruth offers candles and gifts as well as jewelry, and she still gift wraps by the way. Wouldn't it be something if Marianna now teaches in Mrs. Blount's place? The little Marianna, one of four of my girls who loved Mrs. Blount just a grandmother? The Mrs. Blount who held my Baby-Rebecca like her own grandchild? As I said before, God sure knows what He is doing.

The funny part: Marianna and I were peering into the showcase there in the old jewelry store, the floors are made from an old terrazza, we are looking at some beautiful hair combs with crystal trim....A sweet older man wearing big glasses in blue jeans came in the store as the bell on the door, ting-a-lings. He could tell we were trying to find the price on the combs through the showcase glass. We were looking under and over the glass almost standing on our heads! He tells us:

"I don't know how long y'all have been around here but a long time ago we had a store down the street, Ms. Mary's store...She had a Store Closing Sale. Her "store-closing" sale lasted FIVE years!" He laughed and slapped his leg and said...."It worked too!"

But I think this story is even funnier....

Marianna and I went to the local Barbecue restaurant in an old tin building, she wanted to treat me to a good ol' brisket sandwich.

We were listening to all kinds of conversations, several tables of older men...a few young ones. Some workers, some retired, talking of how to preserve the town and stop tearing down nice buildings...And about that Clem, and what he tried to do in another town. (The sister town where we're from!) Who is Clem anyway? ; )

Marianna makes a funny remark about the boxes of used books for sale for 25 cents, she says this place is better than Barnes & Noble, food and books!

You must know that above the boxes of books on the table are at least half a dozen black and white old veteran's photographs beautifully framed, one an awesome pilot's photo, pilot's glasses and all. Beautiful. Not only were these beautiful photographs but the soldier's medals were framed with a brass name plate under each.

Finally after smiling, listening to the conversation next to us...Marianna tells me about the 'Christy' book by Catherine Marshall and how Christy was her mother, not grandmother. What am I reading? she asks....

I'm reading... 'Lo, Michael!' by Grace Livingston Hill. (here it is online if you want to give it a try btw) or here. I have a very old hard copy, I just love things like that...I love to think about the hands that once held the book. Some of my GLH books have very old inscriptions in them and that makes them all the more special. Thoughtful gifts of yesteryear.

So I'm animatedly telling Marianna the story of Michael how we was raised in the streets and how all the street children took care of each other. Michael never knew who his parents were and how everyone called this baby, this child, Michael, after the archangel because he was such a beautiful child. I tell Mar. how the banker's little baby was going to be shot by a drunkard. The bank had closed and people were so outraged at the luxury the banker still lived in...and little Michael took the bullet as the nurse maid stood with the ermine hooded baby in the stroller. The banker loved Michael so very much as his own son after saving his baby's life, he paid for Michael to go to private school so Michael promised his little family of friends he would come back to take care of them.

When Michael came back, his street friends were in prison, dead, one whose legs were both cut off by a train and the poor boy died in the hospital by himself...The other in prison. His best friend, Sam was a thief...And Michael is still such a beautiful young man even men turn to look at this heavenly being.

Michael does come back and keeps his promise and is even beaten in the street as he tries to help the other street people he had come from ...

...And the way he walked out of the mansion with such dignity and grace when the banker's snobbish wife forbade him to see their daughter...Oh that Michael. Wow. What a gem.

He has an apartment and keeps it clean with a red posy flower, he invites little poor children to see his posy and teach them how to care for plants and the ways of the Lord and he also invites Aunt Sally and the lady who sews buttons on vests because he sees she needs light to sew in. And of course, Sam his former childhood friend who he is helping. Michael wants to become a farmer and the rich banker gave him a small farm never claimed by a deceased farmers family...but Michael also wants to be an attorney....and so does his guardian who loves him so...

I look at the table of men over the right of Marianna's shoulder and it was the cutest thing ever. They were spellbound by my story of "Lo, Michael!" It was so adorable...You would have had to have seen it. One of them looked much like a silver-headed version of the former preacher character who travels in the truck with the Joad family in the 'Grapes of Wrath' movie...He was looking wide-eyed at us holding his sandwich up to his face listening to this story along with the entire table of men. I think they they may have thought Michael was a real person!

Life in Smalltown. : )

Blessings to All from God's Country, near to Mitford. Do any of you have a Mitford nearby? Or any Mitford stories to tell?

Me and Baby Birds On my Baby's Blog

HI EVERYONE! Do you like this red dress? I won it on a sweet giveaway from Eva over at Opulent Poppy. This cute dress is such a blessing. It fits great and is so cheerful. I'm enjoying wearing it as you can see. I'm holding Esther, Marianna's toy poodle here. No, I didn't cut my hair, I just have it back in a clip. : )

Here is also a darling photo of our baby birds on my baby daughter (she's 17 now!) Rebecca's blog:
Baby Birds on Poetic Capture Blog.
Enjoy! May we remember that God takes care of us just as He takes care of the little birds of the air...I love birds... They are one of the sweetest things I know on earth.

I've been fighting a bad, bad case of flu. Last night I took a break from the couch and walked out to the pond...it was evening and the moon had come out. I think it's a pity to live in the beautiful country and not enjoy outside in God's creation carefully looking at His handiwork. When I walk outdoors my soul immediately rests.

I walked out to the pond and I see a huge school of tiny black fish, they were conglomerated together swirling around in a strange pattern, very interesting. I called back in the house and told the fam, my oldest daughter Lea (28) came out and she too enjoyed the moon and the surroundings...We talked about how neat it was to see a car every now and then, and it seems so quiet here but yet we know there are others down the roads in various directions, there is the policeman close by with his huge dogs, a couple of homeschool families, the two young doctors out here in the middle of nowhere; a husband and wife, the older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Jones and on it goes...Lea tells me this property is her favorite of all our properties we've lived at. The yellow house was nice, it was cleared around the house, we could walk to the back creek. The white tree house was in the trees very wooded and we couldn't hardly see the sky. Here we can see the trees and the sky and we have the pond right here.

Lea thought it was neat that when we had moved into town she could see the sky. Now we see both. She likes it here now that we're back in the country. We've moved a bit, my hubby is a real estate broker.

I went inside after a little while of musing and watching the moon and the pond and the little swarming school of fish. I could tell Lea was thinking about life.


I know this...Under the same moon, the little sliver of the light golden moon, are others wondering the same things...

It was a charming evening.

Praying I will get well soon from the flu with it's mean dizziness that makes me feel so very helpless. Maybe God likes it like that. Total dependence on Him.

Listening to: Theme from Anne of Green Gables

Reading: "Lo, Michael!" by Grace Livingston Hill (I have an old 1913 copyright book) I'm wondering if this might make a good read-aloud book but I need to complete it first to see.

This morning I heard the old song by Judy Collins, PBS is doing one of their specials and they had a folk music special...The song?

"Both Sides Now"

I've looked at life from both sides now....

I talked with my 81 yr. old daddy the other day, I can tell him things because we are so much alike. I was sharing how aghast I am with some ungratefulness lately that has really upset me and even hurt my feelings. He tells me, "You're learning people". Yes Daddy, I'm learning people. I just wish these were not homeschooling moms who are supposed to be serving our Lord. It makes me wonder what is being taught at home outside of academics. Our children learn by watching even more than by books, I feel I can say that after 21 years of homeschooling.

I remember several Christmas's ago a homeschool mom and long time friend had come to our home during one of our 'Vessels of Honor' meetings taught my my dd25 Marianna, she brought me a precious little metal sled filled with peppermints. She had discovered our wonderful dime store in our last town, and she was thrilled, she had 3 little sleds, blue, red and green, she let me pick which little sled I liked best. It was one of the sweetest things ever...That very morning I had talked with the Lord about feeling so used on some things... It just goes to show. Never underestimate what a little gift from the dime store that is thought out can do for someone. Even a little card.

Enough rambles here...

I need to go lay down and rest...this flu is a bear to me. God is bigger. I'll enjoy the quiet and the sweet musical chitter chatter of our four girls...How can I complain?

This is the left tip of our pond in the late afternoon-evening...see the reflection? I'm learning how to post photos on my blog and I think I had better stop while I'm ahead. Have a nice afternoon everyone. Please pray I get better soon. In Christ, ~Amelia

Oh My...Those Cows!

“Keep close to Nature’s heart ... and break clear away once in awhile to climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods, to wash your spirit clean.”
– John Muir

I wish the cute little pic above looked like me today or last week but it doesn't. ; )

Oh dear me, the cows, the cows, the cows...

For the past two weeks the neighbors cows have taken over, broken through our electric fence and eaten most of our garden. A mommy cow has chased our daughter, my husband has been reduced to a mad man chasing and hollering after them with clanging two pvc pipes together yelling..."Yaw! Yaw!"

They have made themselves at home on the front porch and eaten our potted flowers, they think our newly planted grass is a delicacy... Yes indeed.

Why don't you call the neighbor and tell him to get his cows off your land? Because he leases our land from us for his cows, it's just that they are not supposed to get past the electric fence near to our house.

I'm sitting their sewing a neat tunic top with retro print and all that jazz when I look up and see a golden brown image in the window by the front door...I mutter..."No, this cannot be" It was. I get closer and see a brand displayed through my window. I slowly and carefully let Charlie our fearless cowdog out the front door against the mama cow as Charlie zooms out and dances around the poor cows legs and the poor cow is tripping over her dangly legs in the muddy flower bed... Oh folks it's been something else.

The other morning I'm up at 7AM in my robe driving my Hubs little red compact car slowly off the land as the moo-moos follow...This ought not be...As I drive back up to the homestead listening to a doctor telling the benefits of his vitamin C powder over the radio that Sunday morning I see our 25 yr. old daughter, the same one who was chased by the mad mommy cow. I call her Mare-Mare sometimes. Her name is Marianna. She is standing in the midst of an almost totally devoured vegetable garden that she has labored and toiled over for months, pitifully standing there in her seersucker robe. The sight was not a good one folks. Poor Mar-Mar. Oh dear me.

Such is life, but we're in good company. Yes indeed. Hubs tells me as he was going to work yesterday AM one of the ladies down the road was walking in her robe leading her cows back home again in the middle of the road...Hubs tells me she looked a bit out of sorts...

That's life on the Forest Cathedral Ranch here, I hope to post pics one day soon...

OH those cows! (The babies are cute though...)

Today I've bathed three of the four doglets, our cowdog Charlie hid from me...and that ain't the half of it honey-child... I'm now wearing beige capris and an aqua polo with pink flip flops getting ready to dive into a good ol' supper creation in the kitchen. Oh and did I mention that three of the family computers crashed this week and Hubs shot himself in the arm with the nailgun? That's about as close as I'm gettin' to any "simple" woman's daybook. ; )

Blessings to All! Until the next time.... Last Child in the Woods. Yep, that's me.

~Amelia