As heard on "Huckabee"

...a commentary on the government's current opinion of the economy:

"If the economy is 'going swimmingly well,' there must be a lot of people swimming in a different body of water."

I like how Huckabee tells it like it is!

What's Blooming in South Carolina Now...

In the 4 years we've lived here, we've never had a nice bloom of the saucer magnolia trees, until this year! Seems like our weather, just before Spring actually hits, warms up enough for these trees to start their cycle of bloom and then along comes a frost which ruins the blooms. But we were so lucky this year to witness the spectacular bloom!


The ornamental pear trees are blooming at the same time, and providing a lovely foil background for the tulip shaped flowers of the saucer magnolia...


...just the loveliest shade of pink...


Of course the daffodils have poked their sleepy heads up to welcome Spring! Nothing says Springtime and sunshine like daffodils!


I should have taken some closeups of the double ruffled variety ~ they are beauties.



We are so looking forward to our huge vegetable garden this year. Yesterday we ordered seeds to start in a cold frame. I do hope the Sweet Annie seeds gifted to me from my KSGP Sista will grow! And I'm really excited to try and grow some Hops vine again on all the fence we have.

'Til next time,

Mary

Obamacare ~ An Issue I feel very strongly about

If you are against government run health care, sign the Petition here:

http://novemberiscoming.com/

which states...

Dear Member of Congress:

Your vote isn't the only one that counts. November is coming and you can't hide from the voters. Corrupt backroom deals are driving a government takeover of our health care, and I don't like it. If you vote YES on the health care bill, I will vote NO on you in the next election.

You can also visit Sara Palin's Wall on Facebook (link is here: http://www.facebook.com/sarahpalin?ref=nf&v=wall#!/sarahpalin?v=wall&ref=nf)

"America – Be Heard or Brace for “Transformation”
Please stay involved throughout the weekend on the Obamacare debate. There will be another very important rally in D.C. at noon on Saturday. If you are anywhere near the Beltway or can travel there this weekend, I urge you to participate. Jon Voight and Rep..."

She is urging that if you are anywhere near DC at Noon this Saturday, to participate in an important rally to be held there. I hope enough people are starting to get angry enough to launch a protest as serious as some others over the course of our history, (protests against the Vietnam War comes to mind).

God help us and bless us and the United States of America.

Current U.S. Government 2010

My Dad sent this to me in an email. When you were younger, do you remember your grandparents talking about the State of Affairs ~ it was all doom and gloom, and hand wringing. You probably didn't take any of this seriously. I don't know if it's because I am now 50-something, but stark realization has finally sunk in that they were trying to warn us of what was coming. And, here it is:

What the hell happened - 545 people vs 300 million people

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be - read it!!
The article below is completely neutral, ...not anti-republican or democrat.

Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinal has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must
assume responsibility for the judgements made that impact each one of us every day.

It's a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!

545 vs. 300,000,000

EVERY CITIZEN NEEDS TO READ THIS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS JOURNALIST HAS SCRIPTED IN THIS MESSAGE. READ IT AND THEN REALLY THINK ABOUT OUR CURRENT POLITICAL DEBACLE.

Charley Reese has been a journalist for 49 years. 545 PEOPLE--By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them..

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits..... The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red ..

If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ, it's because they want them in IRAQ.

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power..

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it........ Is up to you.
This might be funny if it weren't so darned true.
Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.
Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for peanuts
Anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think..

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.
Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid...

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
Taxes drove me
to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax..
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service FeeTax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY? Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the hell happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

I hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!
GO AHEAD - - - BE AN AMERICAN!!!

'Til next time,

Sweet Sister Sara's Giveaway!

One of the sweetest and very talented sisters of the group to which I belong, Kindred Sisters Gathering Post, is having a giveaway to celebrate reaching ONE HUNDRED, yes, you read that right ~ 100 ~ followers of her Sweet Magnolia's Farm blog! So pop on over (the link is below), and enter to win the gorgeous seed ditty bag with paper rose you see in the photos above!

SWEET MAGNOLIAS FARM BLOG

Til next time,

Mary

Spring IS coming...

..I saw more crocus popping up in the back garden a few days ago, and our weather was in the 70's over the weekend. We're going to have rain for a few days now, and soon after, I hope to see the daffodils blooming! And it won't be long before the roses need pruning to start blooming anew.


Take heart, Spring IS coming!

Free Primitive Easter Hang Tags

Just click on the image to open a new window, right click on the image and save to your computer! Print out on 110 lb. cardstock, and use as is, or embellish them with ribbon, glitter, buttons, or whatever else you can imagine!


I created and sold these last year on eBay, but with the fees rising higher and higher, it's just not worth all the time and effort to list there anymore. I guess this is the same conclusion reached by a lot of the primitive handmade artists. Unfortunately, there is not nearly the amount of primitive, handmade items available on eBay these days. Everyone has either moved to Etsy or the other private websites springing up everywhere ~ Just so you know where to look these days. Our group, Kindred Sisters Gathering Post has their own website (see the link at the top right column of my blog here), as do many others such as The Primitive Gathering, To Dwell in Primitive Times, Whispered Secrets of a Primitive Past, Primitive Folk Art Talk & Tea (PFATT), just to name a few that I'm aware of. You may also find your favorite primitive artists selling their items on an extended selling page of their personal blogs. Just google their names, and I'll bet you find them!

Happy creating to you!

'Til next time,

Mary

Hippitty Hop Hop...Easter's on it's way!

(Click on image to enlarge)
From my Atlanta sister, (known on eBay as "Kindred Spirits Mercantile"), comes this adorable bunny rabbit egg make-do, executed in punch needle. It is based on a rug punch design by Leah Smith. You can see additional close up detail photos by visiting the eBay listing for this unique piece at the link below:

KINDRED SPIRITS MERCANTILE
'Til next time,

Mary

Another new punch needle...

(click on image to enlarge)
...from baby sister in Virginia, on eBay now. A very unique, one-of-a-kind piece!

She enlarged the Country Stitches pattern in order to mount the bird on a vintage glass bottle. My Dad was a vintage bottle AND old books collector, and I have always loved to collect them too, which is why I love how she assembled this piece!

She uses some of her antique buttons ~ a china calico for the bird's eye, and several wired as an embellishment around the bottle. China calicoes are some of the oldest buttons still able to be found, dating back to the 1840's, and are one of my favorite antique buttons to collect. AND, she's giving up more of her antique toilet pins (stuck in the top of the bird's head). All reasons why this piece is "sew dear" to my heart!

To see more detail photos, you can click on the link below to visit her eBay here:

MAGPIE1217
Til next time,

Mary

New Easter Punch Needle from My Sisters!

I've been remiss in "plugging" my two sisters' punch needle listings of late on eBay. Bad Sister! They've been doing really well with their Easter themed pieces, and I think you'll agree, the designs they are choosing to punch are so very appealing! Take a peek below ~ I've included a link to their eBay auctions so that you can take a closer look if you'd like!

First, from my sister Claire in Atlanta (Kindred Sisters Mercantile), she has a Rooster piece listed this week that I just love...


...And a set of 3 Chicks that are just adorable...


You can see them both here:

http://shop.ebay.com/kindredspiritsmercantile/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25

And from my baby Sister, Peg, in Virginia, she has the sweetest bunny pinkeep, as well as a bunny riding a rooster table mat, both designed by Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle & Thread (I just love, love, love all of her designs ~ they are truly one of a kind)...




You can see these in more detail here:

http://shop.ebay.com/magpie1217/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25

Thanks for visiting today!

'Til next time,

Mary