What better way to start the month off with an anniversary… No. 51 for us this year… and still very much in loved. We do everything together, just like we have done from day one. He is my best friend… and I could have no better friend than my husband… he’s always looking out for me in everything we do! I am truly blessed that he came into my life… and coming over a thousand miles away for us to meet, as he was from Connecticut… and me, a Southern girl from Georgia. Someone was definetly looking down in the planning of him coming to Georgia to Warner Robings AFB… and he never thinking that it would be where he found the love of his life!
Meet my “Togo” sewn with all Nancy Drew fabric by Moda… if you aren’t familiar with the Nancy Drew books… Togo was Nancy’s terrier. I enjoyed sewing him so much… that I just might make another… Togo 1 & 2!
Just as I promised at New Year’s… to work on my UFO’s (unfinished objects) during the year, I’m making progress in looking back through my monthly musings. This month I diligently sewed on my “Nancy Drew” EPT (English Paper Piecing) Scottish doggie. I featured last April the five I sewed for my granddaughters, and if you’re interested in making one, check out the post HERE, as I’ve given directions and links for a “how to.” They are not hard to sew, as they[re all sewn by hand… it’s a great project to pick up and go. I often sew while sitting at the beach or riding in the car… when I can stop watching the road and giving hubby directions. I hate to admit it, but I’m a back seat driver… but he’s probably selective in listening to me… but then there are times when my eyes did good!
Mama dug up these up one summer for me… and they make me smile when blooming!
Spring continues popping up around my yard with the yellow Iris’s blooming… they are bulbs from my mother’s garden. One of the many flowers I often lugged home in my special yellow suitcase that I only used just for that reason. It seems they weren’t really x-raying luggage at that time… or didn’t care about flowers… as nothing was ever said. I can’t imagine what I would have done if caught… probably stomping my foot in telling them that I have to bring them home! I’ve had some issues at the Atlanta airport that ended up ok in the end… with me just taking a deep breath. Once, while traveling with both my teenage children, we arrived for an 8 o’clock morning flight… I presented our tickets to only have the agent shove them back to me. I pushed them back over to him, and after a couple push and shoves, he finally said P.M., not A.M… and those were tickets bought from a travel agent! I guess he took pity on me from the look on my face and directed me over to the Delta desk… telling me that they’d get me on another flight. Meanwhile I had one stompy teenager announcing that she wasn’t sitting at the airport all day… and I don’t think I can write my response to that, but I quickly walked over to Delta and told of my dilemma… and without blinking an eye, thea gent had me on an even earlier flight home to Connecticut. I then had a very happy teenager! I’m sure my son was laughing during the whole process while his sister was moaning. Traveling with my son was always a happy experience, as nothing upset him along the way… while he laughingly carried all our luggage!
Stephen even laughed on the steamy Atlanta day when we missed our van ride to my mother’s. While we had taken that van several times and knew about where it parked in the lot… somehow that day we missed seeing it. It was a long afternoon of sitting on the very “hard” concrete bench in waiting for the next one. I so enjoyed those vacations with my son traveling… just the two of us laughing the entire trip, and the hustle and bustle of the airport; we always seemed to have been running at some point through the airport in Atlanta!
In remembering that airport experience, it also brought to mind other mishaps… like the first time my daughter came with my son and I. At the Atlanta hub there is a subway system called Marta, and you really need to pay attention in getting on and off, as those doors slam quickly. We explained the process to my daughter… as to what happens, but she didn’t move fast enough with us and the door shut her out! The look on her face as we left on the train… as she was left standing there, not knowing where to go… but, actually that train only ran one way. We exited for out destination of baggage… and waited for her to arrive… which she did, admist her brother laughing as she exited! All’s well, that ends well!
Besides carrying flowers home in my suitcase, I also carried 5lb bags of White Lily self-rising flour… why you ask? Well, they don’t sell that in the North, and I needed it to make biscuits. Sure I can buy self-rising flour here, but it’s not the same. White Lily is a very soft processed wheat and makes the best biscuits… and it’s all my mama ever used! One year when my daughter and son-in-law came… I gave him the honor of pulling my carry-on through security… but he said laughing, if I get pulled over with all that flour, it’s yours! No problem, it went right through.
The only thing security usually pulled me aside for was when I brought on frozen BBQ and Brunswick Stew. They always opened the bag and waved their magic wand all around the containers… while I stood there mumbling to myself… “you are not taking my BBQ and Stew.” Luckly it always ended well! The one thing today that would never be allowed is the 3 gallons of BBQ sauce we brought home yearly from Holcomb’s… our favorite BBQ place in Greensboro, Georgia. I always secured the cap with lots of duct tape as I often had to lay them on their side in the overhead… imagine if that leaked! I don’t think I would have wanted to claim it was mine… and the vinegar smell would definitelty have overwhelmed everyone! Someone was looking out for me! Just ask my son about our travels, as he was the bagger carrier, and always schlepped lots of bags! We usually took a van to my mom’s house and often our driver on the return trip to the airport would always say… “You have everything but the kitchen sink in these bags.” Yep, we pretty much did… as mama walked around the house the night before and continuisly found more things that she thought insisted we take home. It was hard to say No!
While my son and I did the most flying to Georgia every summer, and for the most part we had no issues… often laughing as we ran through the airports… as our gate always seemed to be the furtherest out! Traveling with hubby, another whole issue… he hates flying, security, and the hustle and bustle… and always forgot something in his pocket that causes him to be screened. He once had to throw away a small round screwdriver, and I heard about it the entire trip! We only drive now, no security issues!
This knitted “Mitred” blanket on the left is a new UFO I’ve begun recenlty, as it’s a pick up and go project… which I enjoy… sometimes you just want something to knit, with no pattern to struggle reading. It’s also the type of afghan that uses up your extra balls of yarn… which knitters and crocheters always have! I discovered this type blanket on Kate on The Last Homely House… she was knitting this while sitting in her garden. If you’d like to make one, there is a free pattern over at The Knitting Squirrel. The “pretty in pink” scalloped knitted blanket is a soon-to-be shower gift… but knitting in sports yarn is taking time… and leaving me like I’m not adding inches! Lately it’s become my sitting at the beach project, while watch tv and all the time… as it must be finished by the end of June!
We sided the house last year, but never managed to redo the front gardens… I knew I had to do it this year, so this month we began stopping at our local nursery to stock up on soil, mulch and flowers whenever we passed by. With todays gas prices, you know have to plan your trips to save on gas! I’ve been going out the past few mornings to work on one side… and after 6 bags of mulch, several bags of soil and flowers, it’s finished! The other side will have to wait until the generator goes in, as it possibly, might have to sit in the front, so I’ll just mulch that side for now. At least next summer won’t be so hard… hopefully… in just adding flowers.
More exciting news this month came on the 19th… with the arrival of my son’s first baby chick that their hen, Maple, hatched from her countless days of sitting on the nest. They discovered her many eggs, as she’d been guarding her nest in the begining of the month… and sitting on over 18 eggs. Not all were even hers, she secretly, or so she thought, been gathering eggs; my son caught her sneaking them under her wing and taking them back to her nest. He resorted to marking the eggs once discovered, so he could daily remove any new ones, but the real surprise to him came on the 19th when he was locking the chickens up in the coop for the night… hearing a peep… peep… he peeked under her and out popped a little chicken… and a couple days later, another one appeared.
Baby Chicks arrived this month… Chickie “Angel” on left – CeCelia on right!
The girls were super excited in having their own “home grown” first baby chicks… and promptly began naming them. The first one (black and white) was named Angel, and the newest yellow chick is named CeCelia… and ironically those are their great-grandmother’s names!
May didn’t end before more chirping over the Memorial Day Weekend… Baby chick Violet arrived on May 27th…
This past year granddaughter McKinley has been taking horse riding lessons… and is now asking about shows, so we may soon see her competing. She’s come a long way in the past year, from first being led around the ring, to now going to the tac barn, gathering her own saddle and bridle and helping to saddle her horse up for riding. What’s next… can I have my own horse?
Our month of May ended with granddaughter Grace’s dance recital… where she also received her 5-year trophy. Way to go Grace! Never put me in a photo and expect me to smile… not sure why?
Miss Grace dancing Hip Hop…
Ella playing flute in school concert and far right in school play!
Granddaughters in Florida are out of school… finished mid May, but not before a couple of band concerts for Ella, who plays the flute; joined the band last year and has been promoted up another level as her skills have progressed. This was her first year (6th) in middle school and she blossomed out in joining the drama club and winning a role in their play, Descendants, The Musical; she had to sing and dance for the audition. Way to go Ella! All the girls in Florida are planning swimming lessons for the summer to keep them busy, as well as the granddaughters here; it’s good to know their safe and confortable around the water.
Ella made “Honor Roll” all four quarters this last school year and pictured in front of many of her awards she has won during past school year. Way to go Ella, Pop and Gigi are very proud of you!
Ana and Nina (soon to be 4th graders) were busy this past year… both entered the science fair and the STEM program where they built robots. STEM is a science tenchnology and engineering math program. Ana won first place in the school jump rope challenge… what fun they’ve had this past year!
Nina jumps for JOY on last day of school!
Nina and Ana in classroom… how times have changed in seeing the students now with a laptop on their desks. Note that each sister writes differently… another way in telling them apart. You girls did awesome in third grade and I’m looking forward to what the fourth grade brings out in you!
Ana with the classroom guinie pig, Daisy, of which she was in charge of his care in the classroom. Their school is geared toward animals and have many animals and fish tanks throughout the school.
Take time today in remembering all who made your picnic and parade possible. I always remember Uncle Leroy McKinley on this day… as at the young age of 19, he gave his life in Metz, France during WWII in fighting Germany… so we may live free. It’s not about the hot dogs and hamburgers today… teach the children about freedom… and why we live free!
Let me end in wishing everyone a safe Memorial Day…
Thanks for stopping in… May was a busy month in looking back… what will June bring!
Read Family Stories, click Here!
More Monthly Musings, over Here!
© 2022, copyright Jeanne Bryan Insalaco; all rights reserved
Everyone Has a Story 
A busy month for you and the family. Loved reading the stories of carrying concealed food through airport security. We have self raising flour here in Australia. I prefer that in my baking to plain flour and baking powder.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you stopping in. Yes I laugh when I think back about my airport stories. Was fun traveling with my children.
LikeLike