Our Yard

Roses do bring Joy to your heart.

I know that a yard full of flowers has been a dream of mine for many years.  This year we are blessed with an abundant supply of beautiful roses, lilies, annuals, and "come-backs".  It does take work, but it does keep my mother-in-law, Nannie, something to get up and see.  I think she would just stay in her room if she didn't have the yard to keep her busy.  You need to be creative to have each member of the family feel needed.   

When we had children at home, we had a garden for them to weed, water, and watch.  I think sometimes you have to also be creative to have enough chores for kids.  They need to learn responsibility and the joy that comes from hard work.  We had peas, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and all the other things that grow in a family garden.  They would have to get up early before it got hot to weed their "two rows" each morning.  We spent our time on eating gardens not flower gardens.  I would have our son move iron ore rocks from one spot to another as I would "change" my mind about where I would plant flowers someday.  We have an abundance of rocks on our place.  That is better than lifting weights any day for a young fellow.  He would laugh and say that our rocks were the most moved rocks in the country.  I would brag and say, " That looks great!  Wait until I plant those flowers."  He didn't learn the truth until just this last year when he had two boys that needed jobs to do.  Look out rocks!  It is time to move again.


We finally cemented some of the rocks together for a fountain.



We would spend days canning our goodies.  The girls learned many things during that time. Other times we would clean chickens "on the halves".  Our country side is full of chicken houses.  We would get 100 at a time and set up the yard for the big day.  The men and boys would kill and pluck those chickens while the girls would clean them out.  Our freezers would be full again. -- Memories.--

All the kids are gone now.  They have started their own families.  I know that each of them will think up creative things for chores for their children.  I would tell people that we weren't really raising a garden - we were raising kids.  I am so proud of those kids now.  Just follow their blogspots to find out what they are doing.  



We use some rocks for birdbaths now.

God has been so good to us!  I love to hear from each family and how they are doing with their families.  I love to hear from those grandkids.

I have no regrets of spending time in the garden with the kids or in having our son move all those rocks. . .