Gutsy and Gussied Up: August 2015

Castle Petite
Summer 2015
By Cheryl Harwell Bailey

Time to say goodbye,
you darling Summer you!

"The South,"
is beautifully breathtaking!
In the Summer it's luminous.
My "sense of sight," is definably in H.D.
(high definition.)

Our back porch is home to the birds,
the bees, the butterflies,
and the occasional human.

I never dreamed of having "chickens!"
With names.
I will be getting NEW hens come fall.

"Dolly Bardrock"

I never ever ever dreamed "HONEY"
would be harvested in MY kitchen!

"It was mostly me Capin' Butler!"
"Prissy"

No, no, it was our amazing son-in-love,
Sterling Collins.
I wish you could hear his southern voice!
This is what he looks like without a hat.

And he is,
"Keeper of the Bees!"

All I did .... is take photos!

And dip a hot soft buttered BISCUIT into a saucer from this jar of honey!

Did I mention Sterling gave this jar to ME!

It is the best honey on planet earth!

Thinking I best eat my biscuits and honey
in the morning sunshine, on the porch!

(It's going to get messy).

"Did I tell you about the
baby birds hatched on the porch
this Summer?"

As mama gently nudged,

They flew down

from the nest today.

They gathered on the porch ledge.

One last meal,

and one by one they take flight.

Not one fails to fly away.

I say, "fair thee well!"

Fear not,

this little mama and daddy return
to the exact spot, high upon our porch
ceiling fan each year.

They build a new and improved nest,

and hatch new family members.

But the hummers will stay a while!

The humming tiny have really made a nuisance of themselves, pushing the boundaries of hospitality!
One would think 3 full feeders a day enough! Oh no!
Mama's goin' broke buyin' shuga!

This Woodpecker stays all year!
If I didn't have a ready supply of Black Pepper
our back porch would be a gone.

The Bee Hives are in hiding back here!

Happy Birthday
America

On the 4th of July,
boys will be boys!

On the 4th of July,
grandfather turns into a little boy!

Yes, this is our back yard!
In Tennessee where the people are free to shoot the breeze!

And Fireworks!

Romantic fireworks!
In our own backyard!
Notice the heart with the arrow through it.

Romantic fireworks!

Today

Yesterday

"Wanna go outside? Come on! Wanna come outside? Oh sweetie hearts, don't cha wanna come with mama to get berries?
You such a good watch dog!"

Free honey, free wild flowers,
and free blackberries.
I think I need a bigger basket!

So we were going down the road, and passed an Amish family weaving and selling their handmade baskets.
They had little children.
I am so happy Randall turned the truck around!
Isn't it lovely? And BIG!
I love my most perfect husband!

Even if he is a food saboteur!

"Hey, Mr. Darcy, these brownies are .......
Never mind!"

By, Cheryl Ann Bailey

On this hot summer day,
Yes! Our blonde bouncy curled daughter is cookin' in the kitchen with mama!

Time to set the table.

Allow me to rephrase this to the plural,
"tables!"

August is Birthday time in this clan!
Everybody is getting "HONEY!"
"What?"
"It's all gone?"
"Already?"

For dessert!

Grandfathers,
made from scratch,
hand cranked ice cream
is on our table all Summer long.
Along with other generational favorites.
Great-great-grandma Harwell's
Potato Salad, my Boston Baked Beans,
Kendra's Fresh Fruit Pizza,
Mom Bailey's Strawberry Salad,
and much much more.
A seasonal menu makes simple food special.
Almost time for the cold weather menu.

We will have to fire this up soon!
But not yet!
Not yet!

This morning,
the eastern sunlight has come flooding in.
Another glorious Summer day has begun.

"After all, tomorrow is another day!"
Scarlett O'Hara