We are God's Works of Art

Saturday, July 8, 2017

Date Days

Hi Y'all,

Friday's are our Date Day.  We spend the whole day together, whether doing a projects around the house, going out to Estate sales, shopping, or taking a day trip.  Due to the rain yesterday, we stayed close to home and just went out occasionally.  We visited an Estate sale and had lunch at one of our favorite steak house.  I have no photos to share of yesterday's Date Day, so I will show you a few more of my patriotic pics.


This is a patriotic quilt my mother made several years ago and since I think every room needs a touch or whimsy, I placed a moose on my bed.  What could be more whimsical than a moose in a patriotic sweater?  Every time I look hat him I smile and that's the point of adding whimsy to a room.  I put something that makes me smile in every room.  Life is to short not to be happy.


I am very blessed to live in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and there is always something to do just a short driving distance away.  I thought I would share some of our Red Clay State Park photos with you from a few years ago when one of our grand daughters was spending a week with us.  You will see a paper cut out of a boy in the pictures.  Hayley's cousin, Jamison, another of our grandchildren, was doing the Flat Stanley project at school, so we took the paper boy with us everywhere we went that week and mailed it back to Jamison. Each summer one of our seven grandchildren gets to spend a week with us.  In addition to filling the week with fun filled activities, we always spend some time teaching them about the history of the area.  A wise man once said, "If we forget the past, we are doomed to repeat it". 


The Trail or Tears began here for then Eastern band of Cherokees.



Hayley with Flat Jamison.


Teaching our grandchildren about the mistreatment of the Cherokee people and the Trail of Tears.


Taking time to cool off in the spring water coming from the Blue Hole.




Papaw, Flat Jamison, and Hayley on the porch of one of the Cherokee cabins.


The interior of one of the cabins.


Another cabin and out buildings showing how the cherokee in the area lived at that time.


 Until next time, "May your imagination sore and your thoughts be fancyfree", Frankie 

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Rainy Days, Quilting, and Squash Casserole

Today is one of those all day, rainy, summer days and since I have plans to work on my quilt today, the weather suits me just fine.  If you had planes to go to the lake or beach today, I'm sorry, but it has been a productive day for me.

This morning, I put some green beans fresh from our garden in the crockpot.  They smell wonderful and will be great with the squash casserole I'm making for dinner tonight.  I put the casserole together this morning and placed in it the fridge, all I have to do is sprinkle the crackers on top and  pop it in the oven for about 30-35 minutes.  The squash is also from our garden, along with home-grown tomatoes.  With all the rain we are getting this year, our garden is doing well.  All that will be left to do for dinner tonight is the mashed potatoes.  I've posted my casserole recipe, it's yummy! Give it a try, and let me know what you think.

Frankie's Squash Casserole

2-lb. yellow squash                                   1 egg
1 med. onion, chopped                              2 cups cheese, divided
1/2 each red & green bell peppers     1/2 cup Sour cream
2 TBS. butter                                             1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs                         1/2 cup butter, melted
Salt & Pepper to taste 

Cut all veggies, cover with water and boil until the squash is tender, drain well.  Add the 2 TBS of butter, 1 cup of cheese, the sour cream and the soup, salt & pepper, and the egg, mix well.  Pour into a 9 X 13 inch dish.  Next, I sprinkle the crushed crackers and remaining cheese over the top.  Then I drizzle the melted butter over the top and bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  When the top is golden brown, it's done.


Always remember, good food is cooked with butter and love.

     --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quilt Squares

I'm taking an "Underground Railroad" Quilt class and really enjoying it, not only is it and quilting class, it's also a history class.  We are learning about the underground railroad and the meaning of each block and the message it sent to the run away slaves.  I chose Civil War reproduction fabrics for my quilt, so far I've got five of them finished.  Only ten more to go and then I start piecing it together. We are using the book, "Underground Railroad", by Eleanor Burns.


The first block is called Underground Railroad (also known as Jacob's Ladder).


The second block is Monkey Wrench.


Wagon Wheel is the name of the 3rd block.


This block is Carpenter's Wheel.


The 5th block is Bear's Paw.



Well, this is about all I have to post today.  Until tomorrow, "Let your imagination sore and your thoughts be fancyfree", Frankie



Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Retirement & 4th of July Decorations

Hi Y'all,

I mistakenly believed that I'd be "footloose and fancyfree" when I retired.  I thought I'd have time to do absolutely nothing, wrong!  I think I'm busier now than before I closed my shop, but that's OK, I'm having the time of my life.  My husband and I been able to travel and in between trips, I still find time to  paint, stamp, quilt, cook/bake, and decorate my home.  This month we are living in a Patriotic Palace since a man's home is his castle.  Our home is not fancy by any means, but we're very happy here and my dear hubby tolerates my love of decorating. A few of my Independance Day decorations are posted below.






Tomorrow I plan to work on my Underground Railroad quilt, I'll post some photos of the blocks I've completed.  Until then, "May your imagination sore and your thoughts be fancyfree".  Frankie