Intervention...Please!

I'm ready...

There are a few things I am tired of, yet thankful for:

Standing in my kitchen.  I'd rather be outside.

Barking Dog Trios

Canning, canning, canning!  I am sooo tired of these!

The fact that it is getting dark sooner!  That's a real bummer!  I love summer and the added daylight hours.

Things I really miss and am looking forward to:

Season Premiers, even though I only loosely follow them!

And this...

My sewing area is more of a catch all place right now.  :(  Shameful, isn't it?

But this week I am going to find the time to sort, dump, clean and PACK this baby up for my First EVER...sewing retreat!

It couldn't come at a better time!  I think I deserve the break!  My MIL is forcing the intervention upon me and well...it's not like I am opposed to it!  We have several projects we hope to get done and I am really, really looking forward sitting on my can as opposed to putting something in a can!

I got this bad-girl after working my butt off this past spring (seasonal job) and have hardly put any miles on it.  So I need to get better acquainted with it...soon!

Yippeeee!!!

Laboring Away...

Even though it was a long weekend, seems like there is still not enough time to get things done.  One thing that did squeak thru...The Coop!

Pig Pen and all his 'associates' really did a good job, and now it is all sided, under a new roof and ready for interior work.  That was his goal before winter, then he can take it slow.  Yeah, right!  Slow by definition to him is not the same as normal people!

He also made this, which of course Missy thought was for her.  Hope she enjoys it now, because she wont be any where near it come Spring!  So do you call this a doggie door or a chicken door?

2 Cats on a roof...Eric the Sharpshooter Eliminator and Pig Pen

And check out my MILs latest craze!  Isn't that the coolest doo-hickey ever?  I thought the fabric was pretty darn funny!

This was added to my collection this weekend too!  I can't wait to dog-ear and mark it all up!  I got over keeping my reference stuff all cute and tidy years ago!  Now I mark in them when needed.  I have too...or I forget everything!  No amount of brain exercises helps this gals memory so I will be making lots and lots of notes in here!  :)

What would Labor Day weekend be without a good picnic?  We ran up to Rancid Ryan and Meg's this weekend for just that.  I hadn't seen their new house yet and I gotta say I think I licked the kitchen walls, floors, drawers, doors...you get the picture!  It is an amazing house and I just loved it!  Did I tell you I liked the kitchen???

Did I fail to take any pictures of the house?  Of course!  But we did go shopping!  I got pictures of that! 

What the heck are we doing???  Every year for Christmas Eve, we get together at Pig Pen's folks in our PJ's.  It's our thing!  We stumbled across Christmas PJ's and decided to try them on in the aisle.  Now the funny thing here...these girls don't have a hillbilly bone in their bodies but they sure acted like they did by doing this!  We decided to match this year...

Meg

Me

Jen

Jan

Goof Balls in other words!

Now I saved the best for last even though I couldn't figure out how to "flip" it for you...you'll get the idea.  If The Bonnie Hunt Show were still on, I would send this in for one of her "Feel Good Moments".  This is my nephew and Apple Dumplin', Blake.  Coached by his Momma, Jen.

Isn't that the cutest???

Peter Piper...

He really Peeves me off!

This is the fourth summer in a row that I have planted 'pickling' peppers of all sorts trying to duplicate these:

They go great with this:

I decided that after countless brine recipes and varieties of peppers taking up space in my garden, that if I couldn't get it right this year...
I would throw in the towel.

Yesterday as I was shelving more jars of exhaustion into the pantry, I could tell that something wasn't right. 

I sent in the hounds...

My nose that is.  I can sniff out just about anything good/bad/indifferent.

This was bad!  Heart sinking...OK, which jars didn't take???  What did I ruin???

Yup, these!  So much for packing the jars 'tight'.  Must have taken it to the extreme.

Burst right out of the jars, they did!

They smelled ... no other word to describe it ... like puke.

So I am sorry to say this - Pops, my pepper pickling days are over!  Peter Piper can pick on someone else!  I will buy you cases of them for Christmas!

Drum Roll Please!

Folks, we have a winner!

In case you can't see it clearly, it goes to Comment #8!

All you need to do is email me at TheApplePieGal@gmail.com

CSN Stores will email your $40.00 certificate directly to you!

A Big HUGE "Thank You!" to Eileen at CSN Stores for sponsoring this Give Away!

AND

Thanks to all my Bloggin' Buddies old and new!

I didn't respond to any comments for that post because I didn't want to mess up the counts for the number generator, but now I can say a few things in response to the chuckles you guys gave me!  Your 'funnies' are something I look forward to everyday!

Jan... yes we know you are a Ho Bag Bag Ho...my bad!

Rachael...thanks for coming out of the closet and going public with me ;) Ha!

Kelly...Welcome Aboard!  Hope you find something useful from time to time or at least a little humor for your day!

The Tesdall's...I think I owe you a huge "Congrats!" on that gorgeous baby girl and welcome to you here too!

Amy...you are a girl after my own heart...Mmmmm Coffee!!!

Gina...Wham!  Pow!  Splat!...hope your son looooves that Batman Stuff!  Congrats Girl, You are the Winner!

Jan...you are like lightening!

Chelsi...I think we need to hang out, No?  Get your fanny on a plane!  Bring Jackson! Oh and the hubs! :)

Peakview...I thought it said Peekaboo at first!  Ha!  Maybe that's why I couldn't see your blog, it was playing peekaboo too?  Looking forward to getting to know you!

Granny...No, really...what would you need one of those for???  I don't get it... ;) 

Thyme...yeah, gardening and canning might cost ya some gadgets at start up, but you will love it!  And I want a dehydrator too, but first...you must get a canner!!!! 

J2...You have some amazing Farmer's Market and other awesome photos on your blog!  Loved them!  Can't wait to see what else is up your sleeve!

Ok, Gina...you know what to do! 

Thanks all for playing along!  I wish I could give one to each and every one of you, I really do!

The Worker Bees

Remember I said I tried to get some action shots at the hive and...Brave?  No.  Did I run?  Yes.

Heather...I did this for you so that you could see your honey, Rookie Rick, up close since you couldn't be here...you almost owed me BIG time!  :)

The camera doesn't have legs.....

I promise I wont be offended if you scroll fast thru the pictures, but I do think they are pretty cool, so here goes...

Here are the chickens...in the truck...and far, far away!

Ok...LLL is allergic to bee stings, so I can pardon him at least!

We set up an assembly line to bottle it all up.

Momma M wiping the bottles.

Aunt Kathy's Palmolive Hands...she soaks in it.

Uncle Darrell cleaning the jars.

Sue and Pig Pen filling them up!

Here are the pantry shelves before this harvest...and after.

Aunt Kathy and Momma M staged this one for us:

And then this just cracked me up, so I had to add it to the mix.

That's Al the Mole Hunter Neighbor Dude, outside Pig Pens Garage the day we harvested...on his golf cart like the guy from Home Improvement or something!  Hey, it's not McDonald's either!

And then I saved the best for last!  Pig Pen wouldn't let me show it before because he wanted to surprise all his family and friends (done!), so I get to show you how cute his little brain is finally!

Awe!!!

Take THAT!!!!

Hmmm...???

...Three...Great Give Aways!

It only takes a second to enter any of these awesome give aways!

If you are looking to stay fit, check out A Daily Dose of Davis for the big bouncy ball, rubberband thingee and workout DVD.

If you want something super cute and crafty, check out Tiny Brown Wren's Baby Button Nests.

If you want whatever you want, check out my CSN Stores $40.00 one time gift certificate.

So here's the deal, when CSN approached me with this, I thought "Wow, that's pretty darn cool!"  They said I could either keep whatever I chose and do a review or I could give it away.  I was very tempted!  I really want a dehydrator!  I'd give the shirt off my back to anyone who needs it, but...I am giving it away instead.  No strings attached!

Don't be shy on any of these great give aways!  There are lots of folks out there who are just givers!  It gives us pleasure to give to others!

Check the deadlines and then...Take THAT!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name...

Have you discovered yet that our house is GCS?  It greets you as you walk in the door...

I know some of you may think we always have lots going on and all helping hands are on deck. 

But I like to think that we are just a good watering hole!  All are welcome, the door is always open, there is usually something to fill your belly, and we always know your name.  We've never met a stranger and we are blessed with many friends and family.

The last time we harvested honey, it was on the spur of the moment.  The peanut gallery was not happy!  So this time, it was General Admission, as usual.  :)

Meet Rookie Rick...he's is married to my friend Heather.  To say that they enjoyed the honey we gave them would be an understatement.  We could smell the wheels turning 10 miles away and sure enough  - they are going to start beekeeping next Spring!!  So he moseyed on over tonight to see what it was all about!  I'm calling him Rookie Rick, because 1)  He's new to beekeeping  2)  He's ornery and  3)  Well...he's just ornery.  A girls gotta get her jabs in when she can, right?  If I had to venture a guess, he's declaring war on me right about now...

Well, I think we learned'em up alright...lesson learned:  bees can sting.  He took two, one on each hand.  Not to be outdone, Pig Pen took two also! 

As you'll see, everyone came out to witness this time and also try their hand at the various tasks.  Of course it went super fast!  How could it not with so many curious cats around?  What were we thinking letting all those folks play with sharp pointy objects??

Pops

Aunt Kathy

Momma M

I took alot of pictures and will post some more tomorrow...that way everyone gets their fame!  I did my best to get some photos out by the hive.  Brave?  No.  Did I run?  Yes. 

Fortunes will be paid out to all the busy bee helpers in the form of what else?

Honey!