I have a project in this soon to be released book.

I was allowed to take this bird house from outside a home that was going to be razed for our new Library and Community Center...The man who owned the house was murdered a few years ago. No unsuspecting birds have moved in....

Cherry Blossoms

Old House with apple trees in bloom


Forget-Me-Not

My mountain and redbuds

This song is driving me crazy! OK, I made this frog..
..and I had to pick a name for it when I put it up for sale in my Etsy shop thebirdsandbees. I went to find out the words to a song I remember hearing a long time ago. Turns out it was an old song sung by Bob Dylan and others called...Frog Went A-Courtin'
Now every time I look at that damn frog listing, I break into song! Come on everyone, sing it with me!

1. Frog went a-courtin', and he did ride, Uh-huh,
Frog went a-courtin', and he did ride, Uh-huh,
Frog went a-courtin', and he did ride.
With a sword and a pistol by his side, Uh-huh.

2. Well he rode up to Miss Mousey's door, Uh-huh,
Well he rode up to Miss Mousey's door, Uh-huh,
Well he rode up to Miss Mousey's door.
Gave three loud raps and a very big roar, Uh-huh.

3. Said, "Miss Mouse, are you within?" Uh-huh,
Said he, "Miss Mouse, are you within?" Uh-huh,
Said, "Miss Mouse, are you within?"
"Yes, kind sir, I sit and spin," Uh-huh.

4. He took Miss Mousey on his knee, Uh-huh,
Took Miss Mousey on his knee, Uh-huh,
Took Miss Mousey on his knee.
Said, "Miss Mousey, will you marry me?" Uh-huh.

5. "Without my uncle Rat's consent, Uh-huh
"Without my uncle Rat's consent, Uh-huh
"Without my uncle Rat's consent.
I wouldn't marry the president, Uh-huh

6. Uncle Rat laughed and he shook his fat sides, Uh-huh,
Uncle Rat laughed and he shook his fat sides, Uh-huh,
Uncle Rat laughed and he shook his fat sides,.
To think his niece would be a bride, Uh-huh.

7. Uncle Rat went runnin' downtown, Uh-huh,
Uncle Rat went runnin' downtown, Uh-huh,
Uncle Rat went runnin' downtown.
To buy his niece a wedding gown, Uh-huh

8. Where shall the wedding supper be? Uh-huh,
Where shall the wedding supper be? Uh-huh,
Where shall the wedding supper be?
Way down yonder in a hollow tree, Uh-huh

9. What should the wedding supper be? Uh-huh,
What should the wedding supper be? Uh-huh,
What should the wedding supper be?
Fried mosquito in a black-eye pea, Uh-huh.

10. Well, first to come in was a flyin' moth, Uh-huh,
First to come in was a flyin' moth, Uh-huh,
First to come in was a flyin' moth.
She laid out the table cloth, Uh-huh.

11. Next to come in was a juney bug, Uh-huh,
Next to come in was a juney bug, Uh-huh,
Next to come in was a juney bug.
She brought the water jug, Uh-huh.

12. Next to come in was a bumbley bee, Uh-huh
Next to come in was a bumbley bee, Uh-huh
Next to come in was a bumbley bee.
Sat mosquito on his knee, Uh-huh.

13. Next to come in was a broken black flea, Uh-huh,
Next to come in was a broken black flea, Uh-huh,
Next to come in was a broken black flea.
Danced a jig with the bumbley bee, Uh-huh.

14. Next to come in was Mrs. Cow, Uh-huh,
Next to come in was Mrs. Cow, Uh-huh,
Next to come in was Mrs. Cow.
She tried to dance but she didn't know how, Uh-huh.

15. Next to come in was a little black tick, Uh-huh,
Next to come in was a little black tick, Uh-huh,
Next to come in was a little black tick.
She ate so much she made us sick, Uh-huh.

16. Next to come in was a big black snake, Uh-huh,
Next to come in was a big black snake, Uh-huh,
Next to come in was a big black snake.
Ate up all of the wedding cake, Uh-huh.

17. Next to come was the old gray cat, Uh-huh,
Next to come was the old gray cat, Uh-huh,
Next to come was the old gray cat.
Swallowed the mouse and ate up the rat, Uh-huh.

18. Mr. Frog went a-hoppin' up over the brook, Uh-huh,
Mr. Frog went a-hoppin' up over the brook, Uh-huh,
Mr. Frog went a-hoppin' up over the brook.
A lily-white duck come and swallowed him up, Uh-huh.

19. A little piece of cornbread layin' on a shelf, Uh-huh,
A little piece of cornbread layin' on a shelf, Uh-huh,
A little piece of cornbread layin' on a shelf.
If you want anymore, you can sing it yourself, Uh-huh.

Copyright ©1992 Special Rider Music

I loved how this rabbit turned out. You can crochet and not felt this bunny but I always like the felted crochet better.

While we were teenagers, I was the one who everyone expected to become a great artist. It turned out my older brother Curney became "the one". I ended up not using my talent to paint but as a crafter instead. My brother had a old photograph of my mom and her friend Margret Ann in front of what use to be the drug store in Craigsville, Va. He painted it in oils and it's now hanging on my sisters wall in Charlottesville.
His web site

I'm one of the two librarians in my small town. We'll be moving to a new building in a couple of weeks. This picture was taken a month ago and we are now waiting for the book shelves to be built and installed. Three new computers, added to the three we already have, will fit back in the upper left corner.

How can anyone resist those big eyes?...

Ladybug! Ladybug!
Fly away home.
Your house is on fire.
And your children all gone.

All except one,
And that's little Ann,
For she crept under
The frying pan.

I just started cleaning and edging my garden beds this spring. After raking and raking one asks oneself, "Why did I create so many flower beds?" ...and then you see this...





I'm having visitors this Sunday. I'm so excited! Anda, Pete, and Sidonie are coming to Craigsville for a couple of days. My mom, who lives close by, will get to see her great grand daughter for the first time. She's growing so fast!

I haven't posted in my blog for a long time. A lot has happen since the last post. My daughter Anda and her husband Pete gave me a super cute grandbaby. Her name is Sidonie and here is a picture of her..

I traveled to New York to see her and I got to take a tour of EtsyLabs while I was there. What a wonderful group of people at the labs and of course they went crazy over the little one.


I've also, since my last post, started another Etsy shop called thebirdsandbees This shop consist of cute patterns, amigurumi, and felted creatures. I've kind of neglected appalachia since I've started the new shop. Mainly, because the new shop is really doing well. Every animal in thebirdsandbees was created by looking at a picture of an animal and deciding what would make a cute toy. As I'm working on the item, I count and write down the stitches and write a pattern. I decided to make a pattern of my animals so I can reproduce the animal over and over again to sell in my shop. Anda told me I should sell the patterns too and the rest is history. The patterns sell very well. The pattern takes longer to write though than the actual animal takes to crochet:) Here is some of my work...

Etsy Buy Handmade thebirdsandbees