Saturday Auction in Caldwell

A brisk cool wind was blowing this morning reminding me of the coming fall in this beautiful countryside that I now call home. There was a Saturday morning Auction in Caldwell just around the corner from us, close enough that Shubert could hear the auctioneer call from his place inside where he is recuperating from a fall last week.

A neighbor, Coy Berry, moved away from his home-place and obtained Phillip Walker Auctions of Rougemont to auction his personal property. Coy's mother, Ruby, once worked with Bob at GTE in Durham back in the '70s. As happens in most of our families, many of her precious keepsakes and memories were sold today; hopefully that piece of pottery or antique lamp or treasured quilt will make new memories for that person that secured it with the winning bid.

It was a gorgeous morning with friends and strangers gathering there for the auction. I took a few pictures and enjoyed the sounds of the auctioneer and the conversation around me.

 Walking from my Daughter's Driveway

Pasture Across from Coy's Full of Cars

AUCTION TODAY

Philip Walker Auctions ~ Hillsborough, N.C. Signs

My son-in-law's mom and her clock.

My walk back home along the pasture road 

behind Ruby's and her son, Coy's house. 

My home is just beyond the trees to the left.

Thank you to "Dig Your Roots!" for sharing this post today on http://paper.li/AncestorDig/1329013225

Question 23 and Her Calf

You remember the photo of my favorite Blalock heifer,

"Question #23"? 

Well, she had her calf last evening, and spent this morning in distress because the little thing decided to make a run for the woods! Brenda called me this morning to tell me that she and Charles were out behind our house looking for the calf. Bob and I heard 23 bawling and we could see her and knew something was wrong. We put on our shoes and went out to help look. The four of searched the woods, going through to each of the highways. Finally, Brenda saw the poor thing come out onto the private road that circles the place, but she and Bob couldn't catch up with it. Charles went back to get on the 4-wheeler and I stayed put, knowing if I tried to corner the calf, I would probably scare it into the woods in another direction. It ended up going across the busy highway, and I think it came back across and ended up at the other end of Gail's and Troy's place before Charles and Brenda finally caught it. They all were pretty tired. I didn't do that much. But mama 23 and baby were scared to death, and I don't blame them. 

They are now safely penned up together for a while in the corral until momma and baby get used to one another.

Guess it's all pretty normal on a fall day during calving season in Caldwell.

First Pecan of Season ~ September 16, 2013

Westmoreland Milk Glass Hen on Nest

with Red Comb and Feathers Covered Dish

and my Southern Living Pedestal Centerpiece

given to me by my daughter-in-law.

Shubert was mowing this morning and as he made the circle around Mrs. Blalock's 75+ year-old pecan tree that I can see from my kitchen window something hit him in the head. It was this premature green pecan. He stopped and brought it in the house to me so I could see the prospects for this fall's pecan harvest from the three Blalock pecan trees. It would be wonderful if they are all this big and if they stay on the tree instead of falling on the ground. If my uncle Raymond Stone were still with us he would be able to identify the type of pecan we have here. Guess I will have to investigate a little ~ ask a few questions of the Blalocks and/or the neighbors. If I am not successful, I can always take it to the Orange County North Carolina Extension Agency.

The beginnings of a beautiful pecan!

Sources:

Photos:Judith Richards Shubert; taken by and belonging to JRS 9-16-2013; digital format.

Our North Carolina Home

One of Three Large Pecan Trees

Old Store Built by Great-grandfather Blalock

Driveway up to our House between Pear and Pecan Trees

Large Seckel Pear Tree

Branch Laden with small Seckel Pears

Seckel Tree with my Rake and Tin Basket

Shubert's Legs on the Ladder

Last of Pears

Last of Sweet Seckel Pears 

Mildred's Pear Honey

Granny and Granddaughter

"Bye-bye"

Shubert Mowing Yards

Charles Mowing Field

Charles Running Hay Baler

Charles Running Round Hay Baler

My Back Yard Neighbors

"Question #23"

Old Country Store Built by Great-Grandfather Blalock

Photos:

Digital Sources: Taken by Judith Richards Shubert, August 2013

The Duke Girls

My two precious nieces / granddaughters make perfect subjects for this layout made using Pixelscrapper's Marisa Larin's Amsterdam kit and her Layout Template 310. I did it for a Pixel Scrapper Weekly Challenge entitled "White Space". Hard for me to do, since I can't decide on a stopping place most of the time!!
Hope you like it.

SOURCES:
Photographs
Original belonging to Peggy Duke, digital format used here.
Pixel Scrapper digital scrapbooking: http://www.pixelscrapper.com/

Pumpkin Bread

1 cup shortening or (2/3 cup oil)
3 eggs
1 #303 can pumpkin (16-17 oz. or 2 cups)
1/3 cup water
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Mix shortening, eggs, water, and pumpkin. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients; add to pumpkin mixture and blend well. Add nuts and stir. Bake 325 degrees for 1 hour. Makes 2 regular loaf pans or 6 mini-loaf pans.

This is my sister, Ann's, recipe, and she makes the bread each holiday season. Using 6 mini-loaf pans, she bakes them for her neighbors. This past Christmas, we 4 sisters, a niece, and one of her friends, got together to bake for the upcoming holiday. The following pictures are of the pumpkin bread.

You might find you like this tradition. Why not give this recipe a try? Bake your own Pumpkin Bread, and make enough for your friends and neighbors. Wrap them in colorful paper and ribbons and take a child with you when you deliver them. They will remember it as a special act of kindness, and hopefully, carry on the tradition in their own homes one day.

Happy Birthday, Caroline Valentine

Today is my niece's 10th birthday. She was born on Valentine's Day, so it seemed natural that she was named Valentine. She complains however that her special day always falls during the middle of the week; she just needs to get used to celebrating her birthday for several days! She can have a party on the weekend, and cake and ice cream and presents on the 14th, as well.

This picture was taken at Thanksgiving of 2012 in the country around her aunt Sue's in the little community of Lingleville, Erath County, Texas. Her favorite color is pink. She is in the accelerated class of her 5th grade and smart as she can be. She enjoys her brother and sister, their puppy, helping in the kitchen, and making cookies at my house, especially at Christmas.

I used a scrap kit called "Ice Cream and Cake" created by Rainy at Sweetz, and SC_Sketch 321 from Scrapbook Challenges.

Verdell's Apple Ring Cucumbers

Mary Ella Richards & Verdell Haws

25th Silver Wedding Anniversary

December 8, 1980

Mary and Verdell were just beginning to date in Plainview, Texas, when I first met this handsome, sweet, and generous man. My grandparents lived in Lockney at the time, not far from Plainview where Mary attended business school. I travelled to the Texas panhandle towns often with daddy and my step-mom, Mildred, to vist my grandparents, Bob and Willie Homsley Richards. Thus, we had several occasions to get to know Verdell, as he and Mary "courted" and fell in love.

I will tell you their story on my blog, Genealogy Traces; but here I want to share with you a recipe that Uncle Verdell sent me during his later years, in July of 2002.

He sent me the following email with his recipe for Apple Ring Cucumbers.

July 13, 2002

Dear Judy: I have been intending to send you this recipe, and I started a batch of them Friday, and reminded myself to send it to you. I think you will like them.

Use large cucumbers:

Peel and quarter length ways one gallon of cucumbers. Cut seeds out, or use a spoon to scrape them out. Cut into 1/2" chunks. Mix 1/2 cup of lime with 4 1/4 quarts of water, pour over cucumbers; let stand in lime mix 24 hours.

Drain and wash good. Soak in clear water 3 hours. Mix 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 small bottle of red food coloring; 1 teaspoon alum; and enough water to cover cucumbers. Simmer 2 hours. Drain off liquid.

While simmering make syrup of 2 cups vinegar, 9 cups of sugar, 3 cups water; 8 sticks of cinnamon; 1 package of red hots. Boil to form syrup (doesn't get thick) and pour over cucumbers. Let stand 24 hours. Drain syrup and reboil and pour over cucumbers. Repeat this process three more days. 

Put cucumbers in jars, cover with hot syrup and seal.

MMM good ~

Verdell

I haven't tried them yet, but keep his note with my other cherished family recipes. When I make them, I will certainly photograph the process and share it with you here.