Thank you so much for visiting my blog. God BLESS !

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Thank You Iva Mae


A few years ago, my friend Iva Mae's husband came over and opened his trunk to reveal a five gallon bucket of daffodil bulbs. Iva Mae sent him over to give them to me. She loved her flowers but was not always able to work in the yard. She was not healthy and suffered with emphysema and diabetes, and died not before she told me that she loved me. Every spring I look out into my yard, back and front, and smile when the daffodils begin to bloom one by one. I will always think of her when I see them. Thank you Iva Mae :)

More Spring Pictures

Daffodils, grape hyacinths, forsythia, Bradford Pears, the first few weeping cherry tree blooms, hyacinths, and new growth on my red rose bush ~


















It's late, but I wanted to post the pictures I took earlier today because if I don't do it now, I may forget :) Enjoy and God bless xox

Tuesday's Spring Gifts


Before I post the spring flowers, I wanted you to meet my oldest and one of my dearest friends... I affectionately call him, "Mr. G". He will be 94 in September and comes to visit me every now and then. He used to live down the street and moved a couple of years ago because he was "tired of being a slave to his yard". Sometimes I would sneak down there and pull weeds out of his beds for him, but he always caught me and pulled me inside to enjoy a hot cup of tea with him and a surprise cake or danish that he bought just for us to enjoy. He has 4 children and has lived through 2 wives and recently lost his girlfriend. When he talks to me, it is as if he can see right through to my soul. He is very close to God and attends bible study regularly. He lives in a retired senior citizens complex and teasingly tells me the women there are all too young for him :) I always think of him when my primrose blooms, under my bedroom window because he purchased it for me long ago.

Time for dinner ~ I'll post the flowers shortly :) xox

Friday, March 27, 2009

Friday ~ The Weekend Is Here!


Paige is now officially five :) I love this pic because it shows her little feet ~ Just wanted to share with you so she could make you smile :)


Friday already... eBay is so slow for me that I have been doing other projects around the house and last weekend, which feels like it was only yesterday, we rented a UHaul and picked up wood and unloaded it... all in one day... Needless to say I was a bit tired the next day and was sooo glad to get the last piece off of the truck and jump into the shower... I am guessing we have an additional 3 cords now, but it needs to be split... another time ~ another day...


We have yet to uncover the camper. I can't wait to get it uncovered so I can sneak off for a quiet nap ~ I love sleeping outside...


The red raspberry patch is already sprouting. I pruned the back side of them so the mower would fit behind them. Paige and I love running outside to see how many berries have ripened since the day before :) We sometimes eat them sun warmed, right off the vine, but don't tell ~


Last fall, I removed all of my iris from the side of the garage and planted grass seed. There's nothing like the feel of new green grass under your feet... It's so bright and fresh! I planted a Kwanzan cherry next to the garage years ago and it has now cast a shadow on the iris bed and they didn't flourish there any longer.

Thanks for stopping in and I'll update you on the hearth pad and pellet stove installation as soon as I get pics taken :)

Saturday, March 21, 2009

YouTube vs WMG Warner Music Group

I was looking at my blog and clicked on my WV video to watch it and it has been removed due to copyright issues. Although the pictures were mine, the song by John Denver, Country Roads is supposedly under a WMG... please click on this link and this funny guy will explain what is going on... Please be advised he uses foul language at times, but the point is expressed as to what is going on with YouTube.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hla7KMY8OFA

Happy Saturday ~


I went outside to play with the dog for awhile and it is so cold... It got down into the 20s here last night. I think Bear likes this weather though because he still has his nice, thick winter coat and hasn't started shedding it yet. The forsythias are blooming out and everyday, more and more daffodils are blooming :)

I love the revamp playlist.com did on their website. I was finally able to get my password from them and change a few songs on my playlist. I love listening to the music while working on the computer.

I hope you are staying warm and enjoying your weekend xox

Friday, March 20, 2009

Pellet Stove Installation Update


The pellet stove was delivered and they were kind enough to carry it in for me and placed it on a blanket. It came with the brass trim, so I was excited as I do not want to pay 99.00 plus shipping for the "pretty accessory". The silver item next to it is the outside air vent package that should be installed if your home is air tight. It is simply an air source to assist with the draft.

This is the hearth pad that came... The packaging was excellent. It was packaged in 2x4s with plywood on either side and foam insulation sprayed on the inside as well. This is not the correct pad. This parcel weighed 102 lbs and was expensive to ship from Colorado. If you will notice, the edges of the pad are cut off at an angle and this pad is for a wall, not a corner spot. The pad for a corner is 1/4 circle. The company called me and informed me that they are aware of their mistake and they found the ORIGINAL choice that I first purchased, in great condition. They had several listed, so I am glad they found one tucked away, as it has color in it and is not so bland. I received an email later that stated I could keep the pad shipped in error. I am not sure if I will try to sell it locally, or put it at my gate to the back yard :)

I have decided to spray paint the installation kit flat black to match the stove. Because the install kit hole in the back of the stove is low, I am certain it will be in direct line with the electrical wiring for my outlets. By installing the pipes inside, this will avoid the wire, although it will be less attractive...

I will keep you posted on what happens next :)

Pictures of My Signs of Spring








Thursday, March 19, 2009

Spring is in the Air

I haven't been able to take pics of the daffodils and crocus coming up and have been waiting to do so before I blog, so I decided to pop in and say hi and hopefully will get pics soon to post :)

The hearth pad came, but it was the wrong one. The one that arrived has two corners cut off for a wall placement. I notified the seller and they are sending out the correct one. Today, I received a phone call from a guy and I told him I didn't know him and he said, "Yes you do, I sold a hearth pad to you." I started laughing... I am so rude to callers on the home phone, as it usually is the ex calling on it LOL!! If it's not jerko the ex, it is a telemarketer.... even though I signed up for the "no call" list. Regardless, he told me that he found one of the original ones I chose and it is in great condition and he is shipping THAT one out. Later on, I received an email that said I could keep this one, as it would be pretty with garden pots sitting on it :) I plan on putting it at my gate to the back yard, but would LOVE to purchase vinyl fencing to replace my old wooden picket one that I have to paint every spring and it is beginning to rot :(. So, it will be another week or so before the pad comes.

The pipe that I bought is silver. I have decided to buy some flat black paint and paint it because the pipe is now going inside to avoid the electrical line and I want it to match the stove. I also had to purchase high temp caulking on eBay because no one has it in stock. It is "out of season" so glad an eBay seller had some :) hehehe! Let's hope I get the right caulking!

Tired so going to close now... I am hoping to get the craft bar cleaned up tomorrow. I am thinking about putting it all away for awhile. With sales slowing down on eBay, I would rather spend my time outside gardening then sitting and crafting something that is not going to sell. I still have alot of made in China items to list and sell, so I think that may suffice for awhile... until the end of summer maybe...

I hope all is well with you ~ Thank you for stopping in :)

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Great Deals ~ Get Them While They Last!


Now is the time to shop! If you have any extra money to spare, now is a great time to shop for bargains. I went to Ben Franklin yesterday and found this gorgeous snowman on a sled and purchased him for 14.00. I'll either keep him for our own decor for Christmas or give him as a gift this Christmas. I am currently having a 20% off sale in my eBay store, clearing the way for my new primitive handmades and shuffling my stock. If you sell on eBay, a website, or a shop, you will find great bargains in my store now through the next few days. Be sure to browse craft stores in your area as well to find great deals on leftover Christmas and Valentine items. Happy shopping!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Alternative Heating - A Pellet Stove!


Have you thought about alternative heating? Are your heating costs in the winter getting to be rediculous? We have a heat pump and are very blessed to live in an area that our electric costs are fairly low, however, we also live in an area that many times our temps drop below freezing, which hinders the heat pump's ability to run efficiently.

As alternative heat, we enjoy our Vermont Casting woodstove, which we have in our basement in our family room on a beautiful 1/2 circle brick hearth. For the first time in 15 years, we have had to purchase wood. The cost right now is fairly low because many people in our area are out of work and sell it at a great price. We purchased a cord and a half for next year.

Because of President Obama's tax credit which you may view information about at http://www.englanderstoves.com/taxcredit.html, we decided to purchase a pellet stove for our upstairs living room. Through many hours of research and googling, I have learned much about pellet stoves and thought I could share some things with you if you are thinking about purchasing one and I hope that I can provide you with the information needed in one spot :)

Harman pellet stoves are the best made pellet stoves you can purchase. They are gorgeous and the top of the line, however, be prepared to pay almost double than other brands. From what I have read, they have a very high rating due to performance and overall lack of service needed for replacing parts.

Pellet stoves generally work the same way and are engineered under the same principal of the method in which they work and perform. This link http://www.englanderstoves.com/index.html is the manufacturer of the pellet stoves sold in Lowes and Home Depot. I have read their testimonials and I have spoken to their representatives twice and can verify that they are extremely helpful and their products are made in the USA. You may browse their information regarding the tax credit and you can print out the paper indicating that your model stove is acceptable to purchase to receive the tax credit.

There are a few things you need to purchase before you can fire your pellet stove up. If you are putting your pellet stove in the basement on a slab, then you do not need to purchase a hearth pad for it. We are putting our new pellet stove in our living room on walnut wood flooring, so we had to purchase a hearth pad. You must check the fire code and installation requirements in your area to get the exact information needed to suit your needs. We purchased a corner hearth pad, which is 1/4 circle, to sit our stove on. They come in many varieties and price ranges.

If you purchase your pellet stove from a stove dealer, be prepared to pay much more for the stove and some do not offer to sell the installation kit separately, but will charge triple what the installation kit costs that you can purchase online or at Home Depot or Lowes and they will install it for you. Our local specialized woodstove dealer wanted 899.00 to install our pellet stove and did not offer the kit separately. They are having a sale now on their pellet stoves, and they do sell Harman and a couple of other comparable pellet stoves, but we elected to go with the "Harry Homeowner" Home Depot model, which we received free shipping on the stove.

Englander stoves are made in the USA. http://www.englanderstoves.com/englander_.html You may read more about them yourself and of course, depending on your budget and word of mouth, may already know what brand stove you would like to purchase.

There are a few options that a pellet stove may possess. If you would like to purchase alternative fuel other than wood pellets, you may purchase a stove that burns cherry pits and corn as well. The corn is not plain grain corn from the feed store... it is a special dried corn specifically for pellet stoves. If you do not live in an area where corn is abundant or cherry pits are available, save your money and simply purchase the wood pellet burning stove. You will gain nothing by purchasing a "do it all" stove unless the other alternative fuels have the potential to reach your area and perhaps if you wanted to sell your stove, someone may like the option of pits and corn. The installation kit on a corn and cherry pit stove may be different than the one you purchase for wood because corn burns at a higher temperature than wood pellets. Check with your local authorities on their codes for pellet stove installation.

Ash pans... The stove we are getting has an ash pan. I am told from friends who have pellet stoves, that they do not have to empty out their ash pans until they have burned about 1 ton of pellets. That tells me that their is hardly any waste to burning pellets and you really get your bang for your buck. We have to empty our woodstove ash pan out every 3 or 4 days and we have an extra large woodstove. I prefer having the convenience of an ash pan over standing there with a shovel and dipping it into a pail. I have had a woodstove without an ash pan before and it is much messier than the one we have with an ash pan.

Another option or feature on pellet stoves is a thermostat. On the newer models, there is an actual degree you can choose and your pellet stove will actually kick on at the temperature you have selected, just like your thermostat for your heat pump or furnace. Other models have a low and high option for the blower and do not have the thermostat.

If you are replacing a woodstove, you may run the installation kit up your flu instead of drilling a hole to put the pipe through your wall. It is recommended that you put your pellet stove on an outside wall. You may need to review your house plans to ensure that you do not drill through an electrical cord when cutting the hole to the outside. You will also need to cut a smaller air hole to the outside as well. Due to the homes being built so air tight now, a small 3" pipe is required to put through the wall to the outside to assist with the draft.

There are options that you can purchase for your pellet stove. Included are brass trim, fire logs and they even make backup batteries for some models. You will have to purchase the backup battery at your local specialty store. Home Depot does not have these at the present time in our area. Because the pellet stoves need electric to operate the blower and thermostat, the backup battery is a great option in case you are relying solely on your pellet stove for heat and if the electric goes out, you will have the battery for your stove. I was told the backup battery lasts approximately 16 hours.

Make sure you put your installation kit together and that you have all of the parts needed before you assume everything is there. This is the end of season for selling heating items and you may not be able to get a missing part this late in the game, or you will have to pay alot for it on the web or from a specialty store. If you are putting your stove caddy corner, you must purchase a 45 degree angle pipe. These can be purchased on eBay and at specialty shops. I am not sure if Home Depot or Lowes has these at the present time in stock or not.

Pellets... We purchases a nominal amount of pellets because as I learned, the supply now is low and the price is higher and it is best to purchase these at the beginning of the season when the price is generally lower. They come in a 40 lb bag and the ones we purchased were premium pellets from Home Depot. I was told that you may want to buy from several places to see which pellets burn best for you. I was told they come in different grades and some burn better than others. People that use their pellet stoves 24-7 go through approximately 2-3 tons per winter. One bag costs approximately 3.00 - 6.00, depending on when purchased. There are 50 bags in 1 ton. Most places deliver, but it is best to ask before you purchase. The pellet bags are about the size of a bag of mulch. The other drawback to burning corn pellets is rodent infestation. Ewwww. What a mess that would be! hehehe I guess you would have BIRD infestation with cherry pits... :)

We are expecting our hearth pad and pellet stove within the next few days. I am hoping of course, that the hearth pad comes first. It weighs about 100 lbs and it would be much easier to have that in place before the pellet stove is delivered. I have to purchase a 45 degree pipe piece, too.

I hope that this has helped give you a general idea of what is involved and what is needed for a pellet stove purchase. I am not a dealer, representative, electrician, stove expert, pellet stove expert or anyone that knows specifics on your ordinances for installing these stoves. I'll let you know how our installation goes when the time comes and will post pics :)

Gorgeous Weekend ~


We had gorgeous weather over the weekend here on the mountain... We worked in the yard all day yesterday, trimming back the lariope and cleaning off the oak leaves that always fall late and cover the beds and tuck themselves into every nook and cranny around the yard. I have a few more beds to rake out, but not sure if I will get to them today. Even though you may feel it is a little early to clean out your flower beds, you may want to check to make sure the layers of leaves are not hindering or smothering new spring growth. I have some primitive handmade tulips to make and get listed and my usual Monday cleaning that must be done after such a busy weekend outdoors. I hope this finds you well rested and ready to start your day. Are your daffodils blooming yet?

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Primitive Cutter Quilt Eggs


More Easter primitive handmade Easter eggs. I love these! I accented them with sweet Annie, rusty pins and bells... just in time for Easter! I have these listed in my eBay store and soon to be Etsy and my website at www.country-road-primitives.com Thank you for stopping by! xox