We HAVE become foster parents!

These two puppies have made their way to the base where Vince works. They were scrawny and obviously had been abandoned at the airport. The crew members have kept them outside (not allowed inside the base!) but have been trying to fatten them up a bit with food.

Now, we need to find them homes!

The lighter one is a girl, the darker one a boy. They are believed to be brother and sister and get along quite well. Vince said they play together and sleep together and are just adorable!


We will probably be their foster parents until we find them new homes. They cannot stay at the base, so when Vince leaves work today, he may have some company!

UPDATE: The pups are officially here. Their names are Bell (the female) and Ranger (the male) after the helicopter that Air-Evac flies. They are very energetic and playful. They will bark when Kashmir and Narnia bark, but they do not bark incessantly for no reason. They are eating well and often as we try to fatten them up a bit---their ribs are still showing a bit too much.
There is no sign of any illness or problem-- ears and eyes are clear, poop is normal!
Right now, they are sitting outside the window peering in at me, hoping I will take pity on them!

Something Old.......

In January, my friend Jena asked me if I could do some repairs on a quilt of her husband's. We met for lunch and then she introduced me to her husband's quilt. It was made by his grandmother and he now wants to preserve it.



I looked at this and I knew that there was no way to repair it. The back looks bad, too.





I told Jena that I would probably have to salvage large blocks out of the quilt and create a new one from these blocks.
When I got it home, and really looked at it, I realized that it would be hard to do.


















I did manage to salvage 5 Twelve inch blocks from the quilt. It was hard working around the extensive damage and paint splatters. The original top was one solid piece of fabric. The original quilter used what looks like a thin blanket as batting (nothing at all like any batting I know of) and then a solid piece of fabric for the backing. I wanted to keep as much of the original quilting as I could in the blocks, and given the fragile state of the quilt, I left the three layers together when I cut my 12 inch blocks.

Then I searched and found three fabrics that would complement the colors in the quilt. Today, I finished putting the new quilt top together!

Letters from Ireland, December the 14th

"Dear dauter rose i sit down to ancer your letter i am glad to here from you that you and your fameley are all wel we are all well at precent thank god wel rose i have good news to tel you the govrment has granted a penshion tow all old people of seventy years of age i am getting my book this day for to lift my penshion on the first of the new year 5 shillings a week giving as long as we live i will be an hold penshionor now all old people that is seventy years of age is geting it i now nothing about the Barkeys now more than your self cince the old tinker went back to them the are all a bad party I got now etter from john yet i think he must be dead or sick i rote a letter to lysey money she did not ancer it yet let me know how is your ant roe and amy megill we did not here a word from that girl cince she said she would gow to see you we had no letter from Mary gun this 3 months we now nothing about her we have very cold wet weather wel rose my health is middling thank god but i am afraid that i will not live long tow lift the penshin it will be 12 pounds a year and its all a wanting you may put on a penny stamp will your letter it is oney a peny here rite sown and let me know how you dowing john be dead or he would rite wel rose Johny Bulick has bout the farm of Besy and he has bilt a new house and there is great changes all round her i have nothing more to tel you we all going in cending our love to you husband and fameley all our children cends there love to your childer know more from your mother ann smith rite sown again know from your mother"

Translation:
Dear Daughter Rose,
I sit down to answer your letter. I am glad to hear from you that you and your family are all well. We are all well at present, thank God. Well Rose, I have good news to tell you. The government has granted a pension to all old people of seventy years of age. I am getting my book this day for to lift my pension on the first of the new year. 5 shillings a week given as long as we live. I will be an old pensioner. Now all old people that is seventy years of age is getting it. I know nothing about the Barkeys, no more than yourself since the old tinker went back to them. They are all a bad party. I got no letter from John yet, I think he must be dead or sick. I wrote a letter to Lysey Money, she did not answer it yet. Let me know how is your Aunt Rose and Amy Megill. We did not hear a word from that girl since she said she would go to see you. We had no letter from Maryann this past 3 months. We know nothing about hr. We have very cold wet weather. Well Rose, my health is middling thank God, but I am afraid that I will not live long to lift the pension. It will be 12 pounds a year and it is all awanting. You may put on a penny stamp will your letter. It is only a penny here. Write soon and let me know how you are doing. John be dead or he would write. Well Rose, Johny Bullick has bought the farm of Besy and he has built a new house and there is great changes all round here. I have nothing more to tell you, we are all going in sending our love to you, husband and family. All our children send their love to your children. No more from your mother, Ann Smith. Write soon again, now from your mother.


************************************************************************
This letter references the Old Age Pension Act that was passed in 1908, and became effective in 1909. So, this places the letter date as December 14, 1908.

Letters from Ireland, October the 12th

"Well dauter rose i sit down to ancer your kind and welcome letter which i long wached for i was draming every nite about you i am onley very midliying my self i am going down fast but wat can i espect i can wach none now breth tow blow out a candle i could not be better cared any plase as i am where i am i have nothing to dow nor cant dow any thing i keep the children out of the fire for she is bysey carying in and caring out feeding pigs and cattle she is erning her bread hard patrick is working very hard in the place he cant gow to ern a shiling any plase there is now money here he will get it very hard to put on he has a heavy burthen a big fameley now help yet we all can take a bit if we get it i dow not know how he will get them rared the are as find locking childer as you would see maryan is at scool every she is in the second book she is like you and has hear lick yo roseellen is like myself her hear is white briget he are is black and we call it ehe black bird i had know letter from johny cince i rote to you before wel rose i am sorry that your coff is stiking to you sow long i cof myself every morning till you would think i would dy i get a we drop of tea it dose help i get my breakfast in bed every morning the best in the house mary gun is going to gain her huband hold property tow hundred pounds it is in law she was to days at law in Monaghy her and Patrick she had the best of the law she will gain all in three months we had harvet we lost a lot of corn we have good weather for the potaes now there is skanges let me know did your ant rose get much of insurence or how is she give my love to mis any megill patric mrs and all childer sends there love to there little cousins hoping the are all keeping well after there visit we have three good children now since any more yet she has not time to bread any more let me know did you rite to john yet we all goin in cending our love to you and husband if you come home bring your husband with you we woud lick to see him patrick is taking to gow to see him and johny he wants to now has be big pay the money is carse here now know more from your mother wite sown again the children cends kisses a pice to co XX kisses"

Well, Daughter Rose,
I sit down to answer your kind and welcome letter which I long watched for. I was dreaming every night about you. I am only very middling myself, I am going down fast. But what can I expect, I can watch none now, breath two blow out a candle. I could not be better cared for any place as I am. Where I am, I have nothing to do, nor cant do any thing I keep the children out of the fire for she is busy carrying in and carrying out feeding pigs and cattle. She is earning her bread hard. Patrick is working very hard in the place. He cant go to earn a shilling any place. There is no money here. He will get it very hard to put on. He has a heavy burden, a big family, no help, yet we all can take a bit if we get it. I do not know how he will get then reared. They are as fine looking children as you would see. Maryann is at school every. She is in the second book. She is like you and has hair like you, Rose. Ellen is like myself, her hair is white.Briget hair is black, we call it the blackbird. I had no letter from Johnny since I wrote to you before.
Well, Roses, I am sorry that your cough is sticking to you so long. I cough myself every morning till you would think I would die. I get a wee drop of tea, it does help. I get my breakfast in bed every morning. The best in the house. Maryann is going to gain her husband's whole property, two hundred pounds, it is the law. She was two days at law in Monaghen, her and Patrick. She had the best of the law she will gain all in three months. We had harvest, we lost a lot of corn, we have good weather for the potatoes now. there is changes. Let me know, did your Aunt Rose get much of insurance or how is she? Give my love to Miss Amy Megill. Patrick, Mrs and all children sends their love to their little cousins, hoping that they are all keeping well after their visit. We have three good children now since any more yet she has not time to bread any more. Let me know did you write to John yet? We are all going in sending our love to you and husband. If you come home bring your husband with you. We would like to see him and Johny. He wants to know has he big pay. The money is scarce here now. No more from your mother. Write soon. Again, the children sends kisses a piece to co XXX kisses.

Letters from Ireland, September the 9th

"dear dauter rose i sit down to rite those fue lines to you you mos be dead or sick you never ancred my last letter you would not think it worth your wile we are all wel at present thank god i hope those fue lines will find you the same let me now did you get my letters from john i got none cence chrismas from he he has forgot me i think wel rose we here that there si two of john mceniff sons home tow Barny and awn we never seen won of them lysey an burk has left old robesin and he is home loged in nublis he left her and the child in that country he is going to cend for her we had a very hot sumer and all wet now we will get it very hard to get the corn saved i would have rotw sowner onley i was not able i am a little better you may excuse my bad riting i cant mind any thing i cend my love to sister rose rite as sown as you get let me know how all the childer is all and let me know how is lysey Money and famely is i will rit her a letter sown rose let me know how is your coff or is it any better or how is your health i coff every morning till you would think i wid dy i am not able for to down any thing i will sown dy i am a hold woman
Patrick and famely cends there love to you and all the fameley i send my love to any Megill and rose now more to say at precent rite as sown as you get this letter know more from your poor mother Ann Smith rite sown and let me know are you alive"

Translation:
Dear Daughter Rose,
I sit down to write those few lines to you. You must be dead or sick, you never answered my last letter. You would not think it worth your while. We are all well at present, thank God. I hope those few lines will find you the same. Let me know, did you get my letters? From John I got none since Christmas from him, he has forgot me I think.
Well, Rose, we hear that there is two of John McEniff's sons home too, Barney and ...(cannot read name).. We never seen one of them. Lysey Ann Burke has left old Robesin and he is home lodged in nublis. He left her and the child in that country. He is going to send for her.
We had a very hot summer and all wet. Now we will get it very hard to get the corn saved.
I would have wrote sooner only I was not able, I am a little better. You may excuse my bad writing. I cant mind any thing.
I send my love to sister Rose. Write as soon as you get. Let me know how all the children is and let me know how is Lysey Money and family is. I will write her a letter soon. Rose, let me know how is your cough or is it any better or how is your health? I cough every morning till you would think I would die. I am not able for to do any thing. I will soon die, I am an old woman.
Patrick and family send their love to you and all the family. I send my love to any MeGill. and Rose, no more to say at present. Write as soon as you get this letter. No more from your poor mother, Ann Smith. Write soon and let me know you are alive.

Vanilla Extract time again!

Just under 2 years ago, I made my first batch of homemade vanilla extract. I have a little left, but realized that I needed to get the next batch started so that I did not run out entirely!
So, here I am today:

I purchased my vodka yesterday as part of my month grocery shopping trip to Jackson, and here I am all set up to begin.

The beans were a little harder to cut up than I remember from the first time, so my hand was tired by the time I finished! I actually have beans left over, so I guess I will be buying another bottle of vodka!



Here is the finished product. In about 4-6 weeks, I will have a jar full of vanilla extract! This jar is larger than the one I used with my initial batch, and it took the full bottle of vodka.

Letters from Irelend, August the 12th

" dear rose i take up my pen to rite those fue lines to you hoping to find you wel we are all wel at precent thank god wel rose casy Mcenif is to call to see you i cent a shall and a pipe to your husband there is a dauter of andy mccabes with her it is in her box we has to put it and the are to give it to you all rite i was short takikng i did not know the war was going of sow sown i onley got up the nite before the went a wy and the wid not let me home for a week katey is mrs meghay now wel rose i have now nues to tel you mor we are all wel at precent thank got i hope your asre all the same wel rose i will be watching for a letter we all goin in cending our love to you and husband and children i am watching for you to cent me your husbands likeness and your own and the babys to i hope yor coff is better we had a great wack the 15 of augst patrick and briget and the children all going me cending there love to you now more from your poor mother wite sown a keep mice rose for all nues with come home soon"

Translation:
Dear Rose,
I take up my pen to write those few lines to you hoping to find you well. We are all well at present, thank God. Well, Rose, Cacy McEniff is to call to see you. I sent a shawl and a pipe to your husband. There is a daughter of Andy McCabes with her. It is in her box. We had to put in and they are to give it to you. All right, I was short taking I did not know they were going so soon. I only got up the night before they went away. and they will not let me home for a week. Katey is Mrs. Meghay now. Well, Rose, I have no news to tell you more. We are all well at present, thank God. I hope yours are all the same. Well, Rose, I will be watching for a letter. We are all joining in sending our love to you and husband and children. I am watching for you to send me your husband's likeness and your own and the babies too. I hope your cough is better. We had a great week the 15 of August. Patrick and Briget and the children all joining me in sending their love to you. No more from your poor mother. Write soon and keep nice Rose for all news will come home now.

********************************************************************

Each letter seems to mention my G-grandmother's cough. I know she died in 1909, perhaps from a lung condition.