Good Saturday

 Up early to can a few jars of apple butter with apples from Paughs orchard.  We go there every year for apples but sad to find out from him that this year he is selling his property.  Ready to let it go and relax more.  We sure will miss this journey to the orchard every year.

Made apple butter with some of them.

 I used brown sugar and very little because I like the tartness of the apples more than sweet.

  Cardamom, grated nutmeg, cinnamon and little ginger. The mixture cooked all night in crock pot and I canned this morning.

Had to have a cup of strong coffee with some frothed milk

Coming home last night after a few things to pick up from Home Depot, I notice the clouds shaped like a dragon.  Yes, I am a cloud watcher.

This morning the zinnias are still blooming pretty

Some I picked from our backyard sitting in window downstairs

Now I think I may make an apple cake.  Be good for dessert as I am making chicken and dumplings for dinner. 

Good day everyone.

Genealogy and book

My sister has been researching family history for about 10 years.  Going through old Newspapers and many documents she found family information.
One of her discoveries is of 

our third great Aunt, Mollie McConnell.  Married to William A McConnell on my Dads side, he died and she remarried a MacDonald.  Our third great uncle was a theatrical manager. 

Stage and screen actress.  She played the Aunt of

Little Mary Sunshine
  in one of her

silent films

Another find and we found very interesting was a book written by 

Samuel B. Smith on Daddy's side

our gr gr gr grandfather.

Born a Quaker

Became a priest, traveled to France.   Renounced later.  

I had to purchase this hardcopy as my first copy was ruined in the car on vacation.

A book I mentioned earlier is of one written my grandfather. Mom's dad.

whose book is hanging in a frame at my sisters home in Maine that her husband found for her.

 Framed with a door.
The book, her husband found and gifted her.
 Written by our Grandfather - Ethelbert Perry Sheldon.
"The Peruvian Tragedy".  Published 1940
A drama written in blank verse. A form of verse using Iambic Pentameter.

Well after this.  Blueberry bread is made.

I used all that I could from what was already in cupboard.

This turned out pretty good. creamed large cream cheese with eggs and sugar. Added cardamom with self rising flour til it looked right, vanilla, milk with splash vinegar, olive oil, added blueberries that had been dusted with flour and baked. No recipe, just used what I had. baked in convection at 335 degrees. I did mix white candy bits with cream heated until melted in microwave for a glaze

Woodstock va

Few days getaway to the mountains with
grand girls.  Patriotic town that's for sure and such friendly people.   We stayed in Woodstock Va. We then ventured to other areas the next two day.   Woodstock is in the county seat of  Shenandoah County since county's formation in 1772.

Out in the town on a Saturday morning admiring the colorful planters and American flags flying.

We stopped at a yard sale.  Genevieve found a Barbie doll and Adalyn some tiny little plastic animals.  She loves those tiny animals.

I found these and they were only $1.00 a piece

Walking the street early on a Saturday  we come to PAC Man

PAC man is what this rock statue is called.    

short clip of PAC man.