Happy Memorial Day!

and blessings to all who have served!

Am I A Pilgrim Gardener?

I am learning that I am not so much a Pilgrim gardener! My 10th great grandparents lived at Plimoth Plantation in the 1620's and I have to admit I don't know how they survived- I most certainly would have starved to death or have been put in the stocks for poor gardening skills!
Today I used a cultivating tool to weed a small section of the garden and promptly got blisters on both thumbs! I carried 6 gallon jugs of water and poured them in a sprinkling can to water the garden as I have no outside faucet. I then proceeded to plant radishes and sunflowers- during this process I felt a stinging sensation on the inside of my left knee-looked down and had about 30 tiny red aunts biting me- didn't take me long to knock them off!
I had sweat running into my eyes and dripping off of my nose- definitely not glamorous!
The good news is the tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers and zucchini plants all look good- and I have two green bean plants coming through plus chives, thyme, basil, and garlic chives are starting to come up after 3 weeks- didn't think they were going to!
So possibly after all of this agony I will have something to harvest but I will admit making candles and tarts for http://oldesaltboxscents.blogspot.com/ , and yes tutus for http://fairiesflowersandfireflys.blogspot.com/ is much easier than gardening- but then you can't eat a candle or a tutu!

From Plimoth to Duxbury, MA

Many of the Pilgrims left Plimoth Palntation to develope land 35 miles north of Plimoth-among them were many famous Pilgrim families: Alden, Bradford, Brewster. amd my 10th great grandparents Edward & Hannah Bumpus.
Duxbury was founded by migrants from the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1632. Duxbury's importance in Mayflower genealogy is irrefutable, and it is underscored by the simple fact that the town was named for Duxbury Hall, the seat of Miles Standish's ancestral home in England. Justin Winsor's venerable history of Duxbury commences with chapters on the settlement and incorporation of the town; boundaries, roads and landmarks; first settlers; schools and education; and early contact with the Indian population. Subsequent chapters are concerned with lists of 17th-century town officers, Duxbury in the colonial wars, the American Revolution and the War of 1812, and the history of the Congregational Church in Duxbury. Of greatest interest to researchers, over one-third of the volume is devoted to genealogical notes and sketches of more than 200 early families of Duxbury, including the ones that follow: Alden, Arnold, Baker, Barker, Bartlett, Bisbee, Bishop, Bonney, Bosworth, Bourn, Bradford, Brewster, Briggs, Brown, Bryant, Bumpus, Burgess, Carver, Chandler, Chapman, Church, Clark, Cole, Cullifer, Curtis, Cushing, Cushman, Dawes, Delano, Dingley, Drew, Dwelley, Eaton, Ford, Frazar, Freeman, Glass, Hall, Harlow, Hathaway, Holmes, House, Howard, Howland, Hudson, Hunt, Kein, Lambert, Lazell, Leonard, Loring, Louden, Mitchell, Mullins, Nash, Oldham, Pabodie, Partridge, Peirce, Peterson, Phillips, Prince, Prior, Ripley, Rogers, Sampson, Seabury, Shaw, Simmons, Soule, Southworth, Sprague, Standish, Starr, Sylvester, Thomas, Wadsworth, Weston, Winsor, and Wormall.

The top photo shows the town of Duxbury today- looks like a charming little seaside village!

Spring Flowers- Nature's Paint Brush

It seems like my flowers are always a little behind everyone elses. I was working in the beds today and I do have some thiungs blooming- the wood poppies ( yellow flowers ) are really doing well- and the forget me knots came up this year for the first time- I have planted them every year for the past 5 and they usually die out during the winter- so I am very happy!!

This is the first year for these irises- they are way ahead of my other ones so I am very happy about that!!

Oh So Pretty!

Isn't this beautiful perfime bottle womderful!

You can get it at http://bannerhaus.blogspot.com

Wonderful Vintage Creation!!

The other night I was surfing the web and came across several of these type of jars. I saw so many I don't remember where this image came from bit I love it. Going to try this some day soon!!

My Daffodils Finally Bloomed!

Here in the Midwset things have been slow to bloom- at least my flowers !

I am so happy my daffodils finally bloomed- a little sunshine on this rainy cold day!

Happy Easter

A Happy and Blessed Easter to all!

What is on your menu today?

We are having :

Ham

Potato Salad

Scalloped Corn

Green Bean Casserole

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Rolls

Strawberry Cheesecake

Peach Cobbler

What a nice Surprise!!

Back in the Spring of 2008 a big portion of this tree came down but was hung up by a wide strip of bark.

My husband is not in good enough health to take the limb( that is double and the size of a full tree) down and we coukd not afford to have it done by a tree sevice. So it has been inthis state for the past two years.

Today a truck drove into our yard and ny husband and I were shocked at first. Them my son and two of his friends got out with a chain saw and started sawing on the limb/tree. It has now been dropped from the main trunk and most of the debris has been cleaned up!

I am so thankful to my son and his friends!!

Free Graphics!!

I just love this bunny! He is free! and there are more free gtreat graphics at http://bannerhaus.blogspot.com

While you are there follow the link to her Etsy shop she has great Vintage earrings!!

Rush Lights

In the 1800's many people could not afford candles so burned what was known as rush lights- here is an article I found that tells more about them.

In small cottages there were people who could not afford any kind of candle. For them a cheap alternative was a rushlight made from a rush dipped in grease, or a burning splinter of wood. These were held pinched in a nip, also called nippers or a pair of nips, like pliers or tongs on a stand. (See photograph of a modern re-creation left. Older rushlights might be thinner.) Nips could be combined with a candle-holder for people who used both kinds of light, depending on their needs and budget at different times.

My G G Grandparents Wedding Picture ca. 1856

Benjamin Franklin Dow and Sarah Ellen Jones were married 11/25/1856.
I am thrilled to have this photo! ( click on the picture to enlarge it)

I Found another Relative of my 6th Great Grandmother

and I am doing the happy dance! I am waiting for him to send info on his line of the Robert Adams/ Mourning Lewis family. It is amazing to me that someone born so very long ago in the 1600's has so many descendents and I am so greatful for the ability to find them through the internet! If you have not done any geanealogy research you really should- it is wonderful to know who you really are!!

Connecting with my Ancestral Gandmothers!!

As many of you know I have done a lot of family history research. I have been lucky enough to find ancestors back to the early 1600's.

My grandmother's had to do many tasks necessary for survival- such as amking soap and making tallow candles. I have always wanted to try doing both but really was not excited about working with tallow so a few days ago I decided to make dipped candles using conventional wax.

They turned out just the way I wanted them to irregular and somewhat lumpy just like my realtives long ago would have used.

In fact I dipped al ot of them- you can purcahse them on my other blog

http://pilgrimsandpioneersprimitives.blogspot.com/

These vintage blue/green quart size mason jars with black prim lids are the perfect storage solution for your primitive or country home.


They can be used to store pasta, cereal, sugar, flour, or other food items.


They can be filled with cotton balls, qtips, soap balls, melting tarts or rosehips. The possibilites are endless!
10.00 set of three plus traveling fee
Order by email prairieprim@comcast.net