Thursday, March 28, 2024

Sock Knitting

 Sock Knitting

I had the goal in 2023 of knitting 5 pairs of socks in that year. I didn't make my goal. So I carried that goal over to 2024.


I've had 3 different pairs of socks in progress for a very long time.
So, I finally sat down the past few weeks and finished two of those pairs of socks.


My favorite toe up sock pattern, made with scrap yarn.
I love them!


My favorite cuff down sock pattern, made in blue DK yarn.


These socks are a short ankle sock.
I love them!



As I mentioned before, I've had these socks in progress for a while now.
I can't even remember when I started this pair of socks.
This pair of socks has a cable motif ... it could be a while before this pair is completed.
But, I'm feeling good, a nice strong start. 2 of 5 pairs have been completed.


Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Family - Momma and Papa Woodham

 Family

Momma and Papa Woodham


I asked my sister for more information on Momma and Papa, the adults in this picture.  They were My Mom's great grandparents, Grandmother Crisler was their daughter, Grandmother Kathleen was her daughter, My Mom was her daughter. 

Papa was James Henry Woodham, 1885-1967.  Momma was Aldonia Whitlock Woodham, 1863-1975. 

We don't have a lot of pictures but we know their families have been traced back several generations on Ancestry.com, all the way back to Aris Woodham who was born in Stokes Bridge, SC in 1771.  We would probably qualify for Daughters of the American Revolution if anyone wants to join.


Papa Woodham, Patrica Ann, Martha Jean, Rosa Marie, and Momma Woodham
My Momma and her two sisters are pictured here with their dolls. Momma Woodham and Grandmother Crisler made doll clothes for those dolls. 


Tuesday, March 26, 2024

The little things, It is always the little things...

 The Little Things

It is always the little things ...


Recently I purchased this little dresser.
$30.00
I am so happy and excited about this dresser. I haven't had a dresser of my own since I moved out of my little house in Deer Creek.


Monday, March 25, 2024

Family - My Sister

 Family - My Sister

Early last week (yes, I'm behind on everything), my sister shared these comments and photos on her 65th birthday ...

I turn 65 this week.  From daddy's girl to high school (I made that red check dress), our honeymoon (the saloon picture), glamour shots to grandma.  It's been a wonderful journey and I'm thankful for all the blessings along the way.  I'm looking forward to the next 65!!











Sunday, March 24, 2024

Family - Martha Jean - My Sweet Momma

 Family

Martha Jean, my sweet Momma turned 84 on March 4th.


Martha Jean, pictured here with her sisters.
Patricia Ann, Martha Jean, and Rosa Marie
Affectionly referred to as, "The Girls".


My Momma on her wedding day.
Martha Jean and Clyde Edward


Recently we went to Dayton, Ohio to celebrate our Aunt Joyce.
Pictured here, Me, My Momma, and My Sister
It was a wonderful road trip with my family.


Saturday, March 23, 2024

Sands of Time

 Sands of Time

Thoughts about time. The older you get the faster it goes, that really is true! Here we are at the end of March ... the first 3 months of 2024 are gone ... **puff** ... just like that, they are gone.

It's been a busy month, obviously, which seems to make time slip by even faster.

A few things I have accomplished thus far this month ...

I have been hiking, had our first book club meeting, started knitting a sweater, watched over my grand-fur babies, and purchased a dresser.


One of my goals for 2024 is to find a church family and begin attending church again. I've missed going to church and it has been far to long since I have attended church.
So when my friend Lindsey invited me to go to her church I accepted the invitation and really enjoyed the Sunday School class and the Service.
It felt really nice to be there.


Even though I haven't been attending church regularly, I do read my Bible regularly. My sweet Momma gifted me this Bible many years ago and I love it.


On a completely unrelated note ... I purchased a small 2 quart crockpot. I have a large, very large, crockpot which is nice but the problem with that is that I tend to fill the large crockpot the the brim and then end up throwing away a lot of food ... even after eating whatever I have made for an entire week. I'm enjoying my small two meals max crockpot, so that has been a very wise purchase for me. Now I make enough food for a couple of meals and I'm not throwing (wasting) food. It's a WIN WIN for me.




Saturday, March 2, 2024

Family - Dean Gipson

 Family

What we know about the young boy, Dean, that my great-grandparents took in when he was 9 years old.

The photo below is of Dean Gipson, his wife and their son.  Dean's family threw him out when he was 9 years old and Granny and Pa took him in and raised him.  He took their name, Gipson.  He eventually married a girl from Vines Ridge and moved to Ohio.  He had a son and a daughter.  I don't remember ever meeting him but he obviously stayed in touch with at least Pa and Granny.  He was one of the miners in last week's photo. 


Dean Gipson, his wife and son

After last weeks post on our family, I asked my sister a few questions about Dean. We all knew about him as you would any member of your family but none of us (my sister, myself, or my brother) remember ever meeting him. 

Below is a dictated account of Dean, how he became part of our family, and a harrowing story about a farm accident involving Dean.

After I sent this picture of Dean, I read a memoir Grandma Dorothy dictated for me back in 1999.  This is what I found out about Dean:

After Doc and I were married, Granny and Pa adopted a little boy. His mother had passed away and there were several in the family and the father could not do with the children, I guess, so he let Granny and Pa adopt Dean. 

He was a very sweet child and Doc just fell in love with him. Doc was teaching him a lot of things around the farm, how to feed the mule and feed the cows and the chickens and the hogs. Doc was always pulling pranks and doing things, so one day, he put a black snake in the corn crib to eat the mice and rats who were eating the corn. So, Dean would go with Doc to shuck the corn and shell it to feed to the animals and Dean was alright as long as Doc went with him to the crib because he was afraid of the snake. One day, Doc wasn't available to go with him, so Dean had to go the crib by himself and shuck and shell the corn. He was just scared to death of that snake. He told Doc, "If you want me to feed the stock and go into the crib and shuck and shell the corn, you're going to have to get rid of that snake." So Doc had no other choice but to get rid of the snake so Dean could go into the crib and shuck and shell the corn.

After a while, Dean grew to love all the animals. He was such a good kid, he was so much help to Granny and Pa. He did the feeding. One time, he went into the barn to feed the mule. They kept the mule so they could plow the land. They had no tractors or anything like that. They had to use animal power. They had to use the mule to plow and cultivate the land to grow the corn to feed the animals. So, this day, Dean got his corn and feed and started into the barn to feed the mule and he stumbled over the door going into the barn and fell right under the mule's feet. The mule was scared and startled and it kicked Dean right in the face and almost took one of his eyes. It was terrible. We were all scared to death. The nearest doctor was at Livingston, about 25 or 30 miles away, so they had to get him in the car and take him all the way to Livingston. We just knew he was going to lose his left eye. When they got him to the doctor, though, the doctor took him in and sewed his face up and put his eye back in the socket (it was plumb out of the socket) and saved his eye. It was miracle; God just had to be watching over him and He saved his eye. After that, though, Dean always had a weak eye on the left side. His eye watered and you could tell he had a weak eye, but the
doctor did save his eye. That was a real scary, bad time for us, because we thought sure he was going to lose that eye.

Friday, March 1, 2024

Family - My Baby Boy

 Family - My Baby Boy

And just like that ... my baby boy is 30 years old.


My baby boy and his sister who turned 32 years old a couple of weeks ago.

Where does the time go?