Judy :)
February 27, 2012
Around the Farm - Berries, Lambs, Kitten & Sheep
Busy days around the farm lately from planting blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries to the beginning of the 2012 lambing season. Enjoy some pictures:
Judy :)
Judy :)
February 8, 2012
Royal Wade Kimes Cold Country
Had to share this country music video. This was filmed on my father-in-law's farm. The cabin in the video was built by him. We used to have our Christmas in this cabin yearly. Good memories! Hope you enjoy!
Judy :)
February 1, 2012
Liebster Blog
My cousin, Diane, who blogs at Diane Turpin Designs presented me with this blog recognition. Diane is a wonderful photographer, scrapbooker, designer of digital scrapbooking layouts, seamstress, and artist -- she received a huge dose of the crafty gene in our family. Her work is excellent and you can purchase a piece of it from her Etsy Shop. The highlights of my childhood were the times we were able to spend together at Christmases, Thanksgivings, and weeks in the summer. There is 10 and 1/2 months between our ages and since I never had a sister, she is the closest person I have to fill that void. We even roomed together in college for a year before she married. Check out her blog when you have a chance and give her a shout.
This award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers, in the hopes that it will bring many new friends/followers.
Leibster is German and means 'dearest' or 'beloved' but it can also mean 'favorite'. The idea of the Leibster award is to bring attention to blogs with less than 200 followers. So, in the spirit of good fun I am passing this award on to five other bloggers. Please stop by and visit them.
The Rules are:
1. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal your five picks for the award and let them know.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the blog share-other bloggers.
5. Finally and the best rule of all..........have fun and spread the love!
I present the Liebster blog to the following blogs:
Charissa Explains It All - spiritual thoughts with a dash of humor
Quilting Grannie - my Mom! Anything to do with a needle, she can do it!
Upon A Dream - a recent find for me - great photography, cute kids, and crafts.
Spring Hill Farm - restoring a 180 year old farm house - exquisite redos.
Living On Live Oak - renovating, cooking, and baking.
Please give your support to all of these "small" bloggers.
Judy :)
Upon A Dream - a recent find for me - great photography, cute kids, and crafts.
Spring Hill Farm - restoring a 180 year old farm house - exquisite redos.
Living On Live Oak - renovating, cooking, and baking.
Please give your support to all of these "small" bloggers.
Judy :)
January 25, 2012
My Favorite 25: The Blogs I Read
Blogs are now popping up everywhere. Links are on Facebook, Twitter, websites, newspapers, and even magazines. Blogs for me have replaced magazines. The words written by you inspire me, change me, teach me and encourage me.
I love reading blogs! In fact, I love reading these blogs much more than I love writing one! Writing a blog is something that I constantly struggle with: How much of my personal life should I disclose, why am I doing this, does anyone read what I write, what is my purpose here? Sometimes I just wonder.... But reading blogs is pure pleasure.
I normally pack my lunch and eat at my desk in my office. My entertainment during this time is reading My Favorite 25 blogs. Well...actually 26. My favorite blog of all time...hands down...is The Pioneer Woman. The only problem with her blog is I can't program her link into my Google Reader. So, I have set up a folder in my Google Reader with these 25 blogs. When I log into Google Reader, My Favorite 25 are current - updated but with the blogs I have yet to read still waiting for me. After I read the current blogs, they disappear so I always know what I have read and what is left to catch up on. My Favorite 25 list does change from time to time. Sometimes I find a blog isn't fitting into my interests and when I find another blog I enjoy more, I will replace it. I try to keep this list to 25 because 25 seems to be a good amount of reading material for my lunch break. Not everyone posts daily which works well for the time allotted for my lunch.
I find I am drawn to several categories of blogs. My Favorite 25 fall under five different categories: Decorating, Housekeeping, Health, Organization, and Inspiration. Some blogs deal with just one of these while others cover several categories at once.
I will be introducing you to these 25 blogs through my eyes during the next several week. As some of you know, I am an accountant and tax season is just now beginning. I will be much busier than usual and to have my blog planned out for the next couple of months should help me get posts out more timely instead of taking up to four months off. I sent emails to each of the writers of My Favorite 25 and asked several questions to make these post more personal for you. Many replied and I will be sharing those answers with you.
I'll leave you with a picture from our Alabama Snow last winter in January 2011. This is a view from the back field of our farm looking toward the back of the house and barn. You can just see a little bit of the partially frozen pond between the house and field. The sheep were being "sissies" that day and staying warm and dry in the barn. How I would love to have some snow this year! Not likely...it was 63 degrees today!
Enjoy winter!
Judy :)
I love reading blogs! In fact, I love reading these blogs much more than I love writing one! Writing a blog is something that I constantly struggle with: How much of my personal life should I disclose, why am I doing this, does anyone read what I write, what is my purpose here? Sometimes I just wonder.... But reading blogs is pure pleasure.
I normally pack my lunch and eat at my desk in my office. My entertainment during this time is reading My Favorite 25 blogs. Well...actually 26. My favorite blog of all time...hands down...is The Pioneer Woman. The only problem with her blog is I can't program her link into my Google Reader. So, I have set up a folder in my Google Reader with these 25 blogs. When I log into Google Reader, My Favorite 25 are current - updated but with the blogs I have yet to read still waiting for me. After I read the current blogs, they disappear so I always know what I have read and what is left to catch up on. My Favorite 25 list does change from time to time. Sometimes I find a blog isn't fitting into my interests and when I find another blog I enjoy more, I will replace it. I try to keep this list to 25 because 25 seems to be a good amount of reading material for my lunch break. Not everyone posts daily which works well for the time allotted for my lunch.
I find I am drawn to several categories of blogs. My Favorite 25 fall under five different categories: Decorating, Housekeeping, Health, Organization, and Inspiration. Some blogs deal with just one of these while others cover several categories at once.
I will be introducing you to these 25 blogs through my eyes during the next several week. As some of you know, I am an accountant and tax season is just now beginning. I will be much busier than usual and to have my blog planned out for the next couple of months should help me get posts out more timely instead of taking up to four months off. I sent emails to each of the writers of My Favorite 25 and asked several questions to make these post more personal for you. Many replied and I will be sharing those answers with you.
I'll leave you with a picture from our Alabama Snow last winter in January 2011. This is a view from the back field of our farm looking toward the back of the house and barn. You can just see a little bit of the partially frozen pond between the house and field. The sheep were being "sissies" that day and staying warm and dry in the barn. How I would love to have some snow this year! Not likely...it was 63 degrees today!
Enjoy winter!
Judy :)
January 11, 2012
Road Trip: Lobelville, TN
...and Linden and Parsons, TN and Cypress Inn, AL.
My husband has been under the weather for the past couple of months, so I was thrilled when he announced he was ready for a little road trip. He had his taste buds set on molasses and the best molasses are made by the Amish. I had just purchased a new camera and was itching to try it out, so we headed for Lobelville, TN and the little Amish settlement there on the morning of New Years Eve. From Alabama, Lobelville is just past Linden so Linden was our first stop. We were searching for coffee and found a little cafe open in The Commodore Hotel on their main street.
About a month ago, we saw a Groupon ad for The Commodore Hotel so we did know a little about it. After the gentleman poured our coffee, we complimented him on how nice the hotel was looking. He asked us if we would like tour and we happily agreed. (Of course, I had left my camera in the truck!) He showed us the bedrooms upstairs and explained some of the history of the old hotel. It has about eight bedrooms that have all been recently restored. The Commodore would be a nice weekend retreat.
With coffee in hand, we set out for Lobelville and turned off on a side road with signs pointing toward molasses. We saw all of the usual sights when you enter an Amish community: horse drawn wagons, children in their blue shirts, dark trousers, suspenders, blue dresses and aprons. The men with their long beards, and the women with their hair bonnets. I would love to have taken some pictures of them, especially the horses and wagons, but did not have a chance without invading their privacy. Maybe another time. I did take the following pictures of their farms and homesteads. Notice the absence of electrical lines. I love seeing smoke coming from their chimneys.
We found our molasses and also purchased some blackberry and raspberry jam. (Just to let you know... homemade buttermilk biscuits were made to try out our new purchases after we got home and it was all delicious!)
On the way back, we drove through Parsons, TN so we could drive across the new bridge over the Tennessee River to Clifton, TN. When our son was a baby, we used to attend church in Clifton, TN. Right before we moved to Georgia this bridge was projected to be built. So, the bridge was actually "new" to us, but is now about 15 years old! The drive from Clifton to Parsons was made so much easier and the bridge affords a nice view.
We ended up on the Natchez Trace on our way home, so I asked my husband to drive past this old country store at Cypress Inn, AL. This store is about 5 miles from our house and I had always wanted to photograph it. The day was beautiful with blue skies and sunshine and I was pleased with the outcome.
When we arrived home, we needed to check a new lamb who was born right before we left on our road trip that morning.
As you can see, the new lamb and mom were doing just fine!
Judy :)
My husband has been under the weather for the past couple of months, so I was thrilled when he announced he was ready for a little road trip. He had his taste buds set on molasses and the best molasses are made by the Amish. I had just purchased a new camera and was itching to try it out, so we headed for Lobelville, TN and the little Amish settlement there on the morning of New Years Eve. From Alabama, Lobelville is just past Linden so Linden was our first stop. We were searching for coffee and found a little cafe open in The Commodore Hotel on their main street.
About a month ago, we saw a Groupon ad for The Commodore Hotel so we did know a little about it. After the gentleman poured our coffee, we complimented him on how nice the hotel was looking. He asked us if we would like tour and we happily agreed. (Of course, I had left my camera in the truck!) He showed us the bedrooms upstairs and explained some of the history of the old hotel. It has about eight bedrooms that have all been recently restored. The Commodore would be a nice weekend retreat.
With coffee in hand, we set out for Lobelville and turned off on a side road with signs pointing toward molasses. We saw all of the usual sights when you enter an Amish community: horse drawn wagons, children in their blue shirts, dark trousers, suspenders, blue dresses and aprons. The men with their long beards, and the women with their hair bonnets. I would love to have taken some pictures of them, especially the horses and wagons, but did not have a chance without invading their privacy. Maybe another time. I did take the following pictures of their farms and homesteads. Notice the absence of electrical lines. I love seeing smoke coming from their chimneys.
We found our molasses and also purchased some blackberry and raspberry jam. (Just to let you know... homemade buttermilk biscuits were made to try out our new purchases after we got home and it was all delicious!)
On the way back, we drove through Parsons, TN so we could drive across the new bridge over the Tennessee River to Clifton, TN. When our son was a baby, we used to attend church in Clifton, TN. Right before we moved to Georgia this bridge was projected to be built. So, the bridge was actually "new" to us, but is now about 15 years old! The drive from Clifton to Parsons was made so much easier and the bridge affords a nice view.
We ended up on the Natchez Trace on our way home, so I asked my husband to drive past this old country store at Cypress Inn, AL. This store is about 5 miles from our house and I had always wanted to photograph it. The day was beautiful with blue skies and sunshine and I was pleased with the outcome.
As you can see, the new lamb and mom were doing just fine!
Judy :)
January 5, 2012
December 25, 2011
Our 2011 Christmas Letter - Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays
2011 from the Meek Family
Greetings
to our dear friends and family,
2011
was another busy year with new phases, BIG changes and transition.
Our
family survived Joseph’s case of senioritis and we all enjoyed his achievement
as he graduated from Mars Hill Bible School in May. We were glad to have several family members
come be a part of his graduation. His
senior year of high school was a busy one with the same cast of characters Soccer, Show
Choir and Chorus. His class also made a
spring break trip to New York, NY. He had
a very busy social calendar this past summer.
He spent many nights with friends; we think to prepare us for being
empty nesters. He began his first year of studies at Harding University in
Searcy, Arkansas. We wish him well as he
starts his college experience and pursuing future dreams.
Judy
has increased her work to full-time for Leigh, King & Associates. College expenses are now a reality so we hope
to survive physically and financially the next 3/12 years. Hint…Joseph we want
you to graduate on time! She continues
to enjoy part-time searching for antiques.
In addition to Facebook, Judy has entered her second year as a blogger. You now can catch up on our family, farm, and
news at http://ameekperspective.blogspot.com. Judy finally convinced Charlie to spend a
little time on our farm instead of traipsing over AL, NE MS and TN shearing
critters so we planted a small garden this year. While the planting was later than desired our
efforts yielded a pleasant harvest of radishes, corn, okra, tomatoes, field
peas, and lima beans. The rabbits enjoyed the green beans so next year we will
have to add a fence to curtail their appetite.
Well…the
possible budget cuts that we always mentioned to our close friends each year,
as concerns, became a reality this year.
Congress cut the RC&D Program on April 15th for which Charlie
had served since Sept of 1996. So with
only a 24 hour notice the run with RC&D was over and Charlie had to work
other programs. The Agency offered early
retirement due to the cuts and Charlie felt it was time to say goodbye to USDA
and try something else. August 31 was
his last day and he turned the page to new dreams. In July Charlie celebrated 30 years with
SCS/NRCS so it was a good run. Post
retirement Charlie is VERY thankful that he is able to work part-time for the Northwest
AL RC&D Council. 2011 continued his
6th year of service as the minister of the Hawk Pride church of Christ in Colbert
County; it is Charlie’s desire to assist this congregation and community in an
expanded capacity. The work at Hawk
Pride has been a JOY with new additions and restorations in 2011. Hawk Pride
has a Facebook page so please visit them via social media to see how the work
is doing. As Charlie has struggled with some nagging health issues (Epstein Barr
Virus and two oral surgery events,) the brethren at Hawk Pride have gone the
extra mile in helping us in our time of need including driving Charlie to doctor
appointments, house cleaning, feeding the sheep, delivering loads of hay for
the sheep not to mention encouragement and prayers. At the time of this letter Charlie is
recovering from oral surgery and some side effects of the medications he was
taking for the surgery. The shearing side-business
continued in 2011 (5th year) facing the similar dilemma of
scheduling appointments for too many clients (sheep, llamas and alpacas) and
driving lots of miles. Thanks to having
the assistance of another shearer (Bret, that we mentioned last year) the miles
were less than past years and production has been more efficient with two
people shearing on most sites.
We
wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!
May God Bless each and everyone!
Merry
Christmas,
Charlie,
Judy and Joseph Meek
~~
Merry Christmas, everyone!!
Judy :)
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