03 January 2012

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch 23: #16



Please come on over to join us on Patrice's porch and don't forget to bring a carrot or two for Wendell!

Questions

What's your favorite kind of tree?

I love the huge oak trees that are down here in Gulf Coast Texas. They're twisted into all sorts of positions due to the wind, I guess. Some of the branches swoop way low and touch the ground and curl back up again. Many of the trees have beautiful canopies, just perfect for sitting under for a picnic...well, if it weren't for the snakes and alligators!

How did you celebrate the New Year?

We rang in the new year via a live web cast that I found and put on our blogs. We had sparkling grape juice together. We listened to the fireworks going on outside and I wondered how on earth they were able to get away with shooting them when there is a burn ban in effect.

Do you have any family traditions for the New Year?

For years, we've brought the New Year in with Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. We don't have cable or satellite this year, so we watched it online. It wasn't New Year's Rockin' Eve...just not the same, but at least we didn't miss seeing the ball drop. My husband and I have been doing this together since ringing in 1983. We would have brought 1982 in together, except that I was in the hospital for a tonsillectomy and they wouldn't let him stay there with me that late. Visiting hours were over at 9pm.

I'm so glad I____________ in 2011.

I'm glad that I started blogging in 2011. I am not very consistent or good at it yet, but it has been a fun adventure. I am thankful for the kind bloggers that I have met along the way that choose to share their hearts with the rest of us.

Did you have a nickname as a child?

Yes, and none of them particularly flattering. Most were disparaging comments on things that I lacked (such as height) or had too much of (my behind). The one that I liked best is one that my uncle called me; sometimes others did, too. He called me "Susie-Q". My late father-in-law called me "Sue-d-Lou", though I was no longer a child at that point. I was only sixteen when I met him, so maybe that still counts. :)

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Happy New Year!

14 comments:

  1. I was quite enjoying sitting under your oak tree until you mentioned the snakes and alligators...yikes!

    Didn't we all have unflattering nicknames at times? I've pushed any and all firmly out of my mind and just remember my dad's. He had a nickname for everyone - don't think he called anyone by their proper name!

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  2. My family had some strange nick names. I got lucky compared to some! I slept through the New Years telecast. Not a very exciting night!

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  3. My in-laws have some beautiful oaks near their home. Several had to be taken down a few years back, which brought a touch of sorrow to our hearts, but I love those towering beauties! My FIL built their home oak timbers. He cut the trees down, hauled them to the mill, and drove every nail himself. He's real clever man! Talk about a solid house, right?

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  4. My dad gave everyone nicknames - all of us kids and then the grandkids too.

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  5. I love old oak trees. They are so majestic standing over things. My friend has a business where she wood turns pens. She is so well known in the area that when historic trees come down, either by storm or disease, she is given the wood to make special editions.Kind of neat! I hope you had a good Christmas. Welcome back to the porch!

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  6. Those are nice answers, Oak trees are just the best. I like your nicknames the nice ones.
    I wanted to ask if you found that name of that lady I talked about. I think I found the book through Mary Jane's farm. I think she had books to read about things woman had done and it was there and I got it from the library. I wish I written the author down. There were pictures in the book I remember of her houses. She was a west coast version of Jean Stratton Porter.
    I am glad you started blogging in 2011 too. :)

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  7. Thanks for stopping by Driving My Dad and commenting. That means a lot to me.
    I laughed at your comment about boingy hair! Now that I live in a dry climate, my hair can be almost straight! But, recently on our trip to Florida, I had trouble with 'big hair' again!
    I also liked the huge, old live oaks we had around when I lived in SC. But... I didn't like the mess they made in the spring when they dropped their leaves!
    Take care!

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  8. @Stephanie V

    Sorry about the snakes and alligators, Stephanie. Pesky critters, they are! While we do get snakes fairly often in our yard, I haven't really seen an alligator out there yet. However, there is a park relatively near here that is loaded with them.

    My daddy called his friends by some funny nicknames. I have no clue the real names of most of them. I remember that one was named "Rubberhead". How he got that one stuck on him, who knows?

    Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. Have a great night!

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  9. @Kim

    Hi Kim. I've slept through hurricanes but never through ringing in the new year. I'm sure that will happen at some point in my life, though. The way things are going, I would probably forget about it being New Year's Eve one year. haha

    Have a great night and thank you for stopping by and commenting!

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  10. @Cathy Kennedy

    Oh! That sounds absolutely wonderful, Cathy! I'll bet it is a super-solid house and he's got something for you all to be very proud of.

    Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing this with me. I love family stories. :) Have a great night!

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  11. @My Kid's Mom

    Hi "Mom" :). Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. I think that it is neat that your daddy nicknamed everybody.

    Have a great night!

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  12. @Patrice

    Hi Patrice. Your friend sounds very crafty. I think wood turning is really cool to watch. I've seen Norm Abrams on This Old House do it. I would never be able to get the things balanced. :)

    Thanks for sharing about your friends handiwork. Does she have a website? Please feel free to post a link here if she does. I'd love to visit it.

    Have a great night!

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  13. @Farm Girl

    Hi there, Farm Girl. No, I haven't found the lady's name yet. I did the search string quite a few different ways with no success. I will try again, though. It was a very interesting story!

    Thank you for the encouragement regarding my blogging and for stopping by to comment. Have a great night!

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  14. @Dreaming

    Hi Dreaming. :) You're very welcome and thank you, too, for stopping by here and commenting.

    In which part of South Carolina did you live? I was born and raised, spent the first 39 years of my life, in Anderson County, SC.

    Thanks again and have a great night!

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