Yippee it’s Burpee time!
Y’all know what time it is? Yes, it’s still winter, but …… this is the time to start thinking about starting those seeds for planting this spring. The hubs and I have started taking inventory of which seeds we need to replenish, making plans on what we are and aren’t going to grow this year, how and when we are going to plant, well, you know, all that good stuff.
This is what we bought last year. We tried a few new items last year and quickly learned they do not do well in our soil. So, we are marking off Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower and Broccoli. We are also marking off Sweet Banana Peppers and replacing them with Pepperoncini and Jalapeno; they seem to sell better at the Farmers Market.
And here is a comprehensive, well maybe not comprehensive, but a list, of what we will be adding to our other list. Notice some things have been marked out; that’s because we already have these seeds on hand so no need to buy more.
I would like to companion plant this year but the hubs thinks it’s too much trouble. What do y’all think? Should we? If you think yes then please help me convince him by leaving a comment and I’ll make sure and read it to him! Thanks Y’all.
Also, if you have any questions about seeds or gardening just ask. We will be glad to answer your questions to the best of our knowledge.
Okay, now get out and get to planning and get ready for planting!
God Bless,
Dana
Merry CHRISTmas
Luke 2:8-14
8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
While we are visiting with family, filling our bellies with great food and opening presents lets not forget to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, giving HIM thanks for everything.
HE IS THE REAL REASON FOR THE SEASON!!!
We at Southern Gals Cook want to wish everyone very MERRY CHRISTMAS!
What am I preparing today, you ask?
Deep Fried Turkey (actually hubby did this), mashed potatoes, corn, dumplins, fresh homemade yeast rolls and peanut butter fudge.
What’s going on your table today?
GOD BLESS
SGC
The Amish Way: Poems, Quotes and Words of Wisdom
While shopping at my favorite Amish Grocery I happened across this little book. My curiosity got the best of me and I had to buy it. Much to my delight I found way more than canning recipes and home remedies.
Tucked away in the pages of this little book I found poems, quotes and words of wisdom from some very smart and wise Amish Ladies!
My favorite saying from the Amish Sayings and Quotes collection would be the first one listed because it is soooooo true! It’s kinda of like the old saying, “If I knew then what I know now!”
My favorite poem would be Bless this Mess because it gives me insight on how Amish ladies face the same challenges as me on a daily basis! I guess I just somehow figured the Amish ladies had it all together and figured out that they don’t stress over laundry, dishes, dirty windows, etc!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy these as much as I did and please let me know which ones are your favorite and why they are your favorite. I will be interesting see how differently we all see things.
AMISH SAYINGS AND QUOTES– It is less painful to learn in our youth, than it is to be ignorant in our old age! – You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, but who wants a bunch of flies? An Amish friend Lobelville, TN – If a rooster crows before goin’ to bed, he’s sure to wake up with a wed head! (rain) Mrs. Robert Gingerich East Rochester, OH – Love is patient, Love is kind. Love bears all things, hopes all things and endures all things! – A whistlin’ woman and a crowin’ hen are sure to come to some bad end! Always forgive your enemies. It sure aggravates them! – Any housewife, no matter how large her family, can always get some time alone by doing the dishes! – A peck of common sense is worth a bushel of learning. – God is great, God is good By His had, we are fed. Give us Lord, our daily bread! – Sometimes you get discouraged, because I am so small. I always leave my fingerprints on the furniture and walls. But everyday I’m growing, I’ll be all grown up someday, and all these tiny fingerprints will surely fade away! AMISH POEMS AND WORDS OF WISDOM
The Farmer’s Love Letter
My sweet potato, do you carrot all for me? You are the apple of my eye. With radish hair and your turnip nose, My heart beets for you My love for you is strong as onions. If we cantaloupe, lettuce marry, and we will be a happy pear! Mrs. Robert Gingerich East Rochester, OH A LITTLE AMISH POEM Come, let’s clean our the garden, carry in everything that we find. Stuff everything in jars, with shapes of every kind. When winter comes a howling, along the shelves we’ll snoop, and serve our hungry family, with vegetables and soup. AN AMISH POEM Weary mother mixing dough, don’t you wish the food would grow? Your lips would smile, I know, to see, a cookie bush or donut tree! BLESS THIS MESS I look in the kitchen, and what do I see? But a great pile of dishes, just waiting for me. I glance through the window, my view is all bleary. The prints of small children, make it look very smeary. My glance falls on laundry, hanging over chairs, some of it folded, and some at me stares. With a basket of ironing, and another of mending, I find that my tasks, are almost unending. But the toys of the floor, and the rugs disarranged, show healthy children in this house have played. And the dishes and laundry, are proof that we’re blessed, with food and with rainment, so why get distressed? I’ve health and I’m privileged, to work with my best. So up and at, Thank God for this mess! An Amish friend, Sugarcreek, OH AN AMISH POEM I would rather have a little rose, from the garden of a friend, than flowers strewn around my casket, when my days on earth are ended. I would rather have a loving smile, from one I know is true, than tears shed ’round my casket, when the world I bid adieu. Bring me all my flowers today, and the true smile as I said, now! I’d rather have a smile or rose, than a truckload when I’m dead! TABLE RULESIn silence I must take my seat, and give God thanks before I eat. Must for my food, in patience wait, till I am asked to hand my plate. I must not scold, nor whine, nor pout, nor move my chair or plate about. With knife or fork or napkin ring, I must not play nor must I sing. I must not speak a useless word, For children must be seen, not heard! I must not talk about my food, nor fret if I don’t think it’s good. I must not say, “The bread is cold,” “The tea is hot,” “The coffee cold.” I must not cry for this or that, nor murmur if my meat is fat. My mouth with food, I must not crowd, nor while I’m eating, speak aloud. Must turn my head to cough or sneeze, and when I ask, say “If you please.” The tablecloth, I must not spoil, nor with my food, my fingers soil. Must keep my seat till I am done, nor round the table, sport and run. When told to rise, then I must put my chair away with noiseless foot. And lift my heart to God above, in praise for all His wondrous love. An Amish friend HOW TO PRESERVE A HUSBAND Some insist on keeping them in a pickle, while others are constantly them in hot water. Even the poor varieties can be made sweet and tender by garnishing with patience; well sweetened with smiles and flavored with kisses. Wrap well in a mantle of charity and keep warm with steady fire of devotion. Thus prepared, they’ll keep for years! RECIPE FOR LIFE One cup full of good thoughts 1 cup of kind deeds 1 cup consideration for others 2 cups well beaten faults 3 cups forgiveness Mix thoroughly and add tears of joy, sorrow and sympathy for others. Fold in 4 cups of prayer and faith to lighten other ingredients, and let rise to great heights of Christian living. After pouring all of this into your family life, bake well with warmth and human kindness. Serve with a smile. Lydia Ann Schwartz Berne, IN A COMMUNITY GARDEN Three rows squash 1. Squash grudges 2. Squash criticism 3. Squash gossip Four rows of turnips 1. Turn up for visits 2. Turn up with a smile 3. Turn up with a helping hand 4. Turn up on time Five rows of lettuce 1. Let us love one another 2. Let us welcome strangers 3. Let us be faithful to God’s duty 4. Let us worship God together 5. Let us pray often for one another Mrs. Robert Gingerich
Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did!
Dana
Help, we need somebody! Help, not just anybody! Help, you know we need someone, help!
Do the altered lyrics in our title for this post sound familiar?
Yep, you guessed it!
The Beatles, HELP, released July 1965!
Okay, enough trivia!
We at SGC need help from our readers! Help in finding out how we are doing on our blog.
We ask that you please take a moment to answer a few questions and express your opinion. Please be honest, courteous and constructive with your feedback.
Take Our Survey!To thank you for your time you will have a chance to win this cookbook! But, you can’t win if you don’t participate!
You have until July 14 to complete the survey. Once you have taken the survey just leave your name and e-mail address in the Leave a Comments section located at the top of this post. (Don’t worry, it’s not a trick. We will not share your e-mail, we will only use it to contact you if you win). We will choose, at random, a winner on July 15.
Thanks and God Bless,
SGC
READY, SET, GO …………
Take Our Survey!A Smiling Heart, Indeed!
1 Corinthians 9:10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
Luke 17:7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
Growing a garden is a daunting task to say the least, but one that is well worth the effort come harvest time.
I can’t remember a time when my Daddy didn’t grow a garden. Growing up there were gardens everywhere I went. Seems as if every member of my family had a garden (and tobacco fields, ugh)!
My memory recalls a time when Grandmother would be in her garden early in the morning (before 6 a.m.) hoeing the weeds. She always had on a dress and apron; she hardly ever wore pants. I also recall my Daddy plowing his garden with a tractor that was referred to as the “Little A”
Actually, it’s an International Harvester McCormick Farmall Super A
Seems forever ago that my Daddy used the Little A to plow his garden. He passed away in 2012.
This year the Little A is at my house and my husband is using the Little A to plow our garden.
THIS MAKES MY HEART SMILE:)
We have guestimated the tractor was manufactured in the late 1940’s or early 1950’s. If anyone can identify the year please let me know.
It still plows just as good today as it did when my Daddy plowed with it for many, many years!
I love this little tractor and the man plowing with it!
While I was taking these photos I noticed a few little squashes already on the vines.
I’ll have to watch these closely over the next couple of days. They will be ready to pick soon. You know how fast squash grows, almost over night!
This is my son Landon doing what he does best, showing off! How do ya like those muck boots with shorts? Crazy kid …… but ya gotta love him!
Of course, when Mo and Osa (2 of our spoiled dogs) seen me taking pics they had to have their pic made too!
Mo is on the left, Osa on the right; Mother and Son. Osa is a Great Pyrenees and Mo is a Great Pyrenees and ? mix.
Mo can look mean {the worse he will do is lick you to death} but he is a real sweetheart. Loves attention! Has paws are as big as my hand and he is as tall as me {I am 5’6″} when he stands on his back feet!
Mo can be funny when he sticks his tongue out at you! Love his little heart!
And sometimes he will just tell you like it is! Right here he is saying, “put that camera down and pet me!”
Osa, well she is such a lady with a very gentle soul. She loves attention as well but she isn’t as bold about it as Mo.
Note: The rock grave behind Osa belongs to our beloved Izzy, our chocolate lab that passed away this past fall.
Osa is also a prancer. She is beatuiful.
And then there’s Bandit. He is the most spoiled of all. He lives in the house with us and doesn’t know he is a dog!
Bandit is Mini Aussie Shepherd. Mr. Personality has all of us wrapped about his sweet little paws!
And here is our goats and cows.
This is just a few of our chickens getting ready to roost for the night.
As you can see, we are very busy on our farm and we love and spoil all our animals. Hope I haven’t bored you too much with all me ramblings. But I do hope you have enjoyed meeting some of our farm critters.
God Bless,
Dana
southerngalscook.com 
You must be logged in to post a comment.