Last of the Summer Garden Harvest

 Turnip, Mustard Greens, Kale, Tomatos & Okra to put up for winter!!

 Dixie Lee Peas ready to blanch and freeze

A few tomatos and peppers out of the garden.

As the last of the summer garden harvest comes off the vines, we will miss our daily fresh vegatables.  Looking forward to the fall and winter when we can pull out garden fresh frozen and canned vegtables for some great soups!

Joining Blog and Business with Mom

Hi Everyone!  My name is Lisa and I'm Constance's daughter. I am so excited to join with my Mom on this blog as well as our business Mystic Woods CAC(Crafts, Antiques & Collectibles).  We have been thinking and planning on getting the business started for well over 20 years.  Finally after years of working and raising my two amazing daughters we are ready to get Mystic Woods CAC up and running.  We started with going to flea markets, festivals and this past June joining with the Town of Halifax during the Endless yard sale and being apart of the HGTV/GAC tv show that filmed.  Our Etsy store will be opening in the next few days with lots of gorgeous vintage linens, antiques and hand made crafts.  We will be posting a link so be sure to check out all the wonderful items.

The Sweet Peace of Autumn Arriving

 

Hello everyone, Are you as excited as I am?  This is my favorite time of the year. It has been cool and cloudy here today as if the Mother Earth is sadly saying goodbye to glorious summer as she retreats to her rest while at the  same time welcoming autumn to bring us comfort and the second harvest. It has been a very busy day here but I have tried to focus my thoughts on the season to come with much gratitude for the many wonderful blessings of my life.

    I spent most of the afternoon picking kale, mustard, and turnip greens and shelling  butter beans.   My Grandmother called this time of the year the second harvest and her sisters referred to it as the Mabon.  It has always been a busy time, there were quilts to be finished before the cold set in and some of these would be given for Christmas presents. Embroidered pillowcases and dresser scarves would be finished for presents too.

                                                                                                                                                                        

It seemed as if we were taking inventory all around the house and already planning the lists of treats to be made for Halloween and the meal that would be prepared for Thanksgiving.  We welcomed the cooler days and in the evenings we would linger past dark on the front porch making every last minute of the day last. It was always a time to reflect and remember loved ones long gone and to think on names for babies not yet born.  It seemed as if all of life itself came together in this season. 

I find myself remembering those long gone days but I also find that I live in many ways much as I did then. There are crafts to be finished, more greens to harvest and soon there will be sweet potatoes in the basket on the kitchen table. Already a large orange pumpkin has made it's way to my front porch and Jacks and witches are peeking out around the house. I will be arranging the the furniture  soon in a way that will accommodate room for the Christmas trees when it is time to decorate. Quilts and coverlets are being washed or aired one last time before the cold arrives and sweaters and scarves are making their way back into my bedroom chest.

There is much cleaning being done now and a bit of painting as well. I It is a busy time but my mind is filled with peace and balance and I wish each of you a very happy Autumn.

Beautiful Days Sweet Memories

The weather here has been so beautiful. Cool,sunny dry with a crisp hint of autumn. This is a favorite quilt from my collection. I found it at an estate sale a few years ago. My family knew the lady that had lived in the house in the old Mill Village, she had many beautiful things and I feel so honored to be able to care for a few of those things now and to make sure that they will be passed along through more generations of my own family. I love the simplicity and the honesty of the quilt. My own stepfather grew up in the Mill Village. I know that a quilt such as this would have brought so much warmth and comfort to those hard working people. Yes,it is simple and honest and beautiful like the precious  folk that lived and thrived for generations just off the banks of the Tar. 

Dear Summer

Its steamy and warm here today, it seems that the fiery dame of summer is holding us fast in her clutches. I thank her for all of the beauty she has brought us. I take a few moments to chat with her.

                                                                                 

         
I thank her for all the bounty she has given us. I remind her of how anxiously I waited for her to arrive.

We smiled when I reminded her that just a couple of weeks ago I was wilting from temperatures in the triple digits but

 that I did not complain too much. I had made that promise on a bitter cold day last winter  and reassured her that I would be missing her terribly until next season..
And then the faintest cool breeze brushed my check and she whispered. "The pumpkins ripen as we speak, the leaves will soon begin to glow in colors of red and gold. I am tired and ready for my rest.
 Autumn is waiting and must not be delayed, it is the way of nature that we come and go in our own season. I can see her just behind me and she is beautiful."

                                                           I will miss you Summer.
                                                            Rest well until next year.

Happy Labor Day Weekend

I wish everyone a very happy and safe labor day weekend. I'm sharing these photos from Pinterest.  I'd like to dedicate this post to all of the generations before us. Those who worked with their hands and their hearts to plant the roots of growth deeply in the soil of our our existence so that America would thrive and life would become easier for those of us that would follow.  

 Tobacco farming was thriving during the early days of my life. My family had began life as farmers and had moved into the city but through extended family I spend many blessed hours on their family farm. The fields were still by tended by mule and plow and the days were long and hard. For many years into the late 50's and early 60's young children would work at the tobacco barns to earn extra money for school clothes. It was hard work but it was welcomed work to many a child and many families that depended on the harvest to survive another year.
                                                                                                                                                           
   

Every region of this land and every person lifted their hearts and hands to hard labor to survive and were daily grateful for the freedom and right to work and make do with Gods blessings and the blessings of the good earth.

I grew up near a cotton mill, one of the oldest in the state and knew many wonderful people that worked in the mill. My step fathers mother had worked in the mill for 50 years. In the early years of the 20th century a child could start work at nine years old. Small boys and girls working long hours at a hard job that many adults would refuse to do in today's world.

My aunts worked in factories making clothing. Production work with a very low rate of base pay but if you worked hard and produced more than the requirement for your position you could earn more money. Needless to say everyone worked as  hard as they possibly could.

In the 50's there was still the stay at home moms. Laundry and cooking and cleaning was hard labor and long hours. I just want to express my unending gratitude to the people that blessed my life. To the hard work and life lessons that made life easier for me and built a country from soil and sweat so that we can celebrate today.

                                              Blessings to you all past and present.  

Waiting

 It's been a long day here today and rather hot and humid after yesterdays blissfully cool rain. It's such a busy time but this time of the year always is and it is a wonderful time to be busy.

I'm happily awaiting Halloween, the months between now and January bring such a cool relief from the long hot summers that we have here and who cannot look forward to seeing the kiddos in their costumes.

I love displaying vintage linens with soft autumn colors and yes I am starting early but honestly I could start autumn and Christmas decorating right now. It;s just so exciting to bring out decorations that have been packed away for nearly a year. It's like visiting with old friends that you haven't seen in such a long time.
                                                                   

It will be Oct. first when the pumpkin farms open here which is such a long wait.

Who doesn't love a pumpkin farm?  The problem is that I want to buy them all.

Well as busy as things are around here I'm sure the weeks will fly by quickly. 

I Hope you  have an Autumn inspired enchanting week.