a cherished life

2011-04-21T06:40:00.000-07:00

the worst blogger

2011-01-03T03:32:00.000-08:00

that's me. i've always been terrible at sitting down and writing. don't get me wrong... i'm good at sitting down; it's just the writing part that doesn't come easily for me ;)

so -- now that i've got that off my chest --

i wish everyone A VERY HAPPY 2011!!

may you be blessed with peace, good health, and much love in your life.

our first snowfall arrived one hour into the new year. it was beautiful. i caught a photo of the last leaf on the tree as the snow started to fall.

my new years day was awesome! i stayed in my flannel pajamas and read an outstanding book. in fact it was so good, i was tempted to read it again when i finished. Diane from Bibliophile by the Sea rated The Bells as her favorite read of 2010, and I couldn't agree more. historical fiction at it's best! love, love, loved it!

Cutting for Stone was my favorite read of 2010

(The Bells will be my favorite read of 2011, without a doubt)

two other favorite reads from 2010 were --

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

2010 was a good year. i quit smoking, i quit eating candy and cookies which in turn i lost 21lbs., and business was good for my freelance graphic art work. the only thing that it wasn't a good year for, was reading. i read only 18 books (normally i read from 50 to 90 books a year).

tonight i'm doing my second round of trapping feral cats. a couple weeks ago i trapped mama kitty and two males. before being fixed they are tested for FIV (feline aids). sadly both of the males were infected and were put down. it was good news that mama kitty wasn't infected so i don't need to worry about the kittens being carriers. i kept mama kitty in the trap/cage inside the garage while she was recuperating from the surgery. i reached in to pet her and was surprised she let me. she actually loved it and started purring. it was cold so i brought the cage inside the house. well --- guess who now prefers being in a warm house rather than in the freezing cold?? she's a little sweetie and i'm glad i can give her shelter when the weather is either too cold or too hot.

they snip an ear to mark they've been fixed - "mama kitty"

we love mexican food!

2010-12-26T01:35:00.000-08:00

i asked my son what he wanted for our Christmas dinner and he choose baked chili rellenos which is a spicy, soufflé-like dish. so we had mexican food on Christmas :)

served with homemade corn tortillas and vegetarian refried beans

baked chili rellenos
10 anaheim chilis
10 ounces jack cheese, grated
5 eggs, well beaten
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin powder

roast, peel, and seed the chili peppers. layer them alternately with the grated cheese in a deep, buttered 1½ quart casserole dish. mix the beaten eggs, butter, salt, pepper, and cumin powder. pour this mixture over the peppers and cheese. bake 35 to 40 minutes at 350°.

2010-12-26T01:13:00.000-08:00

i hope you had a

sunday funnies

2010-12-12T07:41:00.000-08:00

my 12th great grandfather

2010-12-11T22:37:00.000-08:00

from wikipedia

Deacon Samuel Chapin (October 8, 1598 – November 1, 1675) was one of the founders of Springfield, Massachusetts. He was born in Paignton, (near Torquay,) Devon, England, to John Chapin and Phillippe Easton on October 8, 1598.

On February 9, 1623, Samuel married Cicily Penny. They had seven children: Sarah, Henry, Hannah, David, Catherine, Josiah (my 11th great grandfather), and Japhet. After Cicily died he was remarried on the 29th of August 1654 to Lydia Crump. He had many famous descendants, including Presidents Grover Cleveland and William Taft, John Adams' uncle Seth Chapin, actor Spencer Tracy, abolitionist John Brown, financier J.P. Morgan, and singers Harry Chapin and Jen Chapin.
It is not known exactly when he immigrated to America, but it was after 1624. He immigrated to America to escape religious persecution.

In 1881, Chester W. Chapin, a railroad tycoon, congressman and Chapin descendant, commissioned master sculptor Augustus St. Gaudens to produce a work memorializing his ancestor. The sculpture, most commonly known as The Puritan, is currently sited in Springfield's Merrick Park. Created to emphasize the piety, and perhaps moral rigidity, of the country's religious founders—evident in the sculpted Chapin's proud pose, certain stride, flowing cape and hefty Bible, as well as his assertive use of a walking cane. Smaller variants of the same work can be found in several museums.

when my mother passed away i inherited some documents from the late 1800's displayed in frames. all were signed by a G.W. Chapin. it really bothered me that i had no idea who this person was. i had never heard of anyone by the name of Chapin in my family. that's what drove me to search for answers. i found out that my great, great grandmother was Ema Chapin. her brother, G.W., was a prominent farmer in Texas (hence the many property tax receipts in my procession). during my research i met a distant cousin online; Jimmy Chapin, who shared some of our family tree and our ancestry to Deacon Samuel Chapin.

gravesite photo was found at www.findagrave.com

ernie grows up

2010-12-09T23:50:00.000-08:00

my furbabies are growing up so fast!

this is ernie -- ernie prefers linoleum over litter. can i tell you how ecstatic i was when he started using the litter box for his poopies just last week? praises from the heavens were sung :) hopefully one of these days he'll figure out the litter box is also for going pee in.

ernie is very sweet and mellow - with the exception of the night he decided that swinging from the lampshade was more fun than being mellow.

8 weeks old -

6 weeks old -

must see movie - African Cats

2010-11-21T02:22:00.000-08:00

Wow - what a movie this will be!!

Walt Disney Studios announced the documentary African Cats will be in theaters on Earth Day - April 22, 2011. I can't wait to see it, even though the trailer brought me to tears (I'm such a softie when it comes to animals).

insanely delicious candles

2010-11-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

when the weather turns cold it's time to burn my favorite candles! i discovered AJ's Country Cottage handmade candles last winter and omg... they are w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l. they are so highly scented that they fill the whole house with fragrance. my favorite... caramel pecan pie soy candle *swoon*

2010-11-06T04:29:00.000-07:00

it's been ten days since my sweet Nibbles passed.   it's getting easier. time heals broken hearts.

at the end of september Nibs was loosing his appetite.   i couldn't even interest him in his favorite - malto meal. within a week he quit eating and drinking. i was giving him water with a syringe but he fought it.    he was dying and i knew it would happen within weeks. after many experiences with ill kitty's i've come to realize that when it is serious it is best to let nature take it's course. don't get me wrong... if i was rich i would prolong their life through tests, surgeries, etc. but when it comes to rescuing so many animals, i do the best i can... and that is give them a good home, feed them premium food, and smother them with love.

my hope was that Nibbles would pass away peacefully at home.   at 1am wednesday i decided to take him to the emergency vet to have him put down.    i wrapped him in his favorite quilt and asked my son to drive so i could hold him.    it's 1am, my cat is dying, and the f*ing car would not start.    it was surreal and felt like a nightmare. i went next door to my "friends" house.   knocked on the door.   no answer.   came home and called him.   he answered the phone right away (he doesn't work so it wasn't like he had to get up early) i told him my situation and asked him if he'd please drive me.   he said he couldn't.   he couldn't????   what??    i asked why he couldn't and he said he couldn't fall asleep so he got really stoned and he couldn't drive.    i was beside myself.   i wasn't thinking clear enough to ask him if i could use his car.    and it wasn't even the fact that i wasn't thinking clear enough - i was beside myself that this so called friend would not help me in such a time of need.     beside myself and pissed beyond words.   (i will never ever speak to this person again).

it was a long night.   i stayed up and laid next to Nibbles soothing him.   i tried to stay awake until morning so i could call someone else for a ride.   6am and i could not stay awake any longer, no matter how hard i tried.   i climbed into bed and thought for sure Nibbles would be gone when i woke.   poor little guy.   he was still with us when i woke up.    that afternoon we were blessed.   the vet was the most compassionate i've met and i could not have asked for a better experience.

ps.. my car battery has been replaced with the best i could find.   no more walmart batteries for me.

rest in peace my sweet love

2010-10-27T22:51:00.000-07:00

Nibbles 6.2000 - 10.27.2010

only but weeks old i found him covered in ring worm, discarded at the river park.

what a gift it was to have him in my life for ten years.

you are dearly missed my sweet love.

i am so ready for november!

2010-10-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

october has been tough. aside from the fact i've been in bed the past three days fighting a nasty flu/cold. the litter of kittens, much to my surprise (and dread), turned into two litters born around the same time by another feral.     by the last week of september a total of 8 precious little fur balls were living in my backyard.

once the kittens turned 6 weeks old i brought them in the house with the intention of litter box training and finding good homes for them. well, it didn't go so easily. shortly after bringing them in they became very ill. i realized that they had round worms, which is common with kittens born in the wild.   the worms are actually passed through the placenta from the mother and when they are nursing (how sick is that).    symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting. time was crucial to de-worm them since kittens can die from dehydration caused from diarrhea.    thankfully, i was able to purchase the same de-worming medicine vets use and it was overnight expressed (what did we ever do without the internet??).

that first week was pretty rough.   non-stop cleaning up and nursing them back to health.   then i had the issue of mama kitty at the glass door crying for her babies   :(    i felt like the meanest person on earth, keeping them away from her.    i couldn't risk them getting the worms again by nursing from her.     all these weeks later and she is still right out the door, sleeping in the window flower box, catching glimpses through the window of her babies.

the kittens are now 10 weeks old, almost all healthy and too cute for their own good! i've found homes for 4 of them so far.    one of the little girls (Sunshine) is passing blood in her urine and will be seen by a vet tomorrow.

i'm loving the change of seasons.    wednesday it was 93°, the a/c was going; it was our last day of summer.. as i type is it 53° and raining. i love winter! i love flannel pajamas, feeling cozy inside when it's stormy outside, cuddling up with a good book, the sound of rain, the sights and smells of autumn.

as i end this long overdue post, please keep positive thoughts for my Nibbles whose health is declining.

the remaining foster kidlets --

Sunshine

Smudge

Ernie

Buddy

my mission, as soon as i'm well, is to trap the ferals and get them fixed before this happens again. thankfully there is assistance at the local humane society for obtaining traps and discounted rates for spaying ferals. i never want to have to go through this again. it's emotionally draining having to find homes for these little sweeties which i've grown so attached to.

happy first day of autumn!

2010-09-22T05:02:00.000-07:00

it's still like summer for us, but soon enough we'll be enjoying the beauty of autumn!

good stuff that's good for ya

2010-09-20T23:34:00.000-07:00

I put ground flaxseed meal in my oatmeal and cold cereal. It has a nutty taste and it's so good for you! Also very cheap - I paid $3 for a 1lb bag at Trader Joes. A powerful natural cholesterol controller, high in fiber, and a natural digestive aid. Flaxseeds are also a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids. In 2 tablespoons there is 2400 mg of Omega 3.

. . . . . .

I've been pretty busy with design orders, which is fabulous! I just completed some product labels for Kasia Blue (you can view the website I designed for Kasia Blue here), and I am currently working with Petaloo™.

I hope all is well in your world!

this stuff should be outlawed

2010-09-15T02:30:00.000-07:00

I bought a jar last week.

Tried it on toast with banana slices.

Then had it on toast w/o the bananas.

Then I kept it on my desk and ate it right outta the jar.

It's now all gone.

*click on the jar to visit Peanut Butter & Co to check out all their different peanut butters!
(and no snarky comments are allowed Eric, dear. I lost another pound this week)

my camera bit the dust

2010-09-07T02:55:00.000-07:00

Last week I noticed that the quality of my photos were poor but I attributed it to shaky hands.     Today I shot a lot of pics and only one turned out.    The conclusion is, my camera is history - and I'm bummed. big time.

Mama feral kitty has relocated her babies to my patio!   I'm glad because now the babies have a warm quilt to snuggle on since the nights are cooling down to the upper 50's.    They also have access to the food I leave out for the local homeless society.   And... I get to hold them and giv'em kisses ♥

Babies first meal - Traders Joes ocean fish, salmon and rice cat food... mmmm

That was the one and only photo that turned out.    Below is what the rest of my pics looked like (compared to the gorgeous, sharp blackberry photo which I took last month).      I'm wishing hard for a Canon s95 on my birthday.

happy labor day

2010-09-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

thursday morning..

2010-09-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

drats.. I wasn't at home to catch America's Got Talent last night. I felt a little out of the loop after my discovery of Jackie Evancho just yesterday. I read that the show is now in the finals and she's a big hit. See what happens when you don't watch television? You're just out in left field.. I suppose ;)

I was in back watering this morning and I found the little feral mama kitty and her babies! She has them behind the neighbors shed, which is right up against my fence. I tried taking a picture through the slats of the fence. I can't believe how big the babies are getting!

yesss!

2010-09-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

I've been selected to receive an advanced readers copy of Trespass by Rose Tremain through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers group.   I'm really looking forward to reading this since Tremain is one of my favorite authors.   The release date for this book is October.
Synopsis: An electrifying novel about disputed territory, sibling love, and devastating revenge.

The Colour by Rose Tremain is one of my top twenty reads.   I highly recommend it!
Synopsis: Fabulous historical novel set against the background of the gold rush in New Zealand in the mid-19th century. 'The colour' is miners' slang for gold.

This is the fourth month in a row I've been fortunate to receive a book from the Early Reviewers group! Here are the previous books I've received --

The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard which I really enjoyed.   I gave it 4.5 stars.
Synopsis: The bestselling author of Labor Day returns with a spellbinding novel about friendship, family secretes, and the strange twists of fate that shape our lives.

The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryso.
This didn't grab me. I gave it fifty pages and didn't finish it.
Synopsis: Water for Elephants meets Geek Love in this riveting first novel, an enchanting love story set in P. T. Barnum's American Museum in 1865 New York City.

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen.    Excellent! 5 stars.
Synopsis: In this breathtaking and beautiful novel, the #1 New York Times bestselling author Anna Quindlen creates an unforgettable portrait of a mother, a father, a family, and the explosive, violent consequences of what seem like inconsequential actions.

Jackie Evancho

2010-09-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

I can't believe this little girl is only ten years old! She's so poised.. and to sing like that! Wow.
My television will be turned on for the first time in a few weeks to watch her on America's Got Talent tonight.

must have anti-aging facial products

2010-08-31T23:32:00.000-07:00

I've always been on the search for the ultimate in skin care products. A year ago I discovered Rainwater Botanical s and my search has ended. Honestly, the products are top notch. Made with the purest and best ingredients to nourish your skin. I absolutely love all the products I've tried from Rainwater Botanicals, but I wanted to post about her facial products because they are all that and more!

I use both the Nourishing Facial soap and the Nutritive Facial soap. These soaps are gentle enough for mature skin and are packed full of nutrients and moisturizing oils and extracts. LOVE them both!

Ahh... Nourishing Facial cream... how I love thee. Seriously. No more dry flaky patches of skin, no more shriveling appearance of aging skin. I use this morning and night. ($10)

The Nourishing Skin Serum is what I refer to as liquid gold. I use this during the summer months when I need a lighter moisturizer on my face. I also use it year round on my neck and the sun damaged skin on my chest. It soaks right in and is non greasy. ($15)

Product description: Nourishing Facial Serum is designed for normal, oily, combination and problematic skin types. It soothes and calms skin while feeding the skin with DMAE, aloe, antioxidants, MSM and hyaluronic Acid. Nourishing oils of pumpkin and carrot chase wrinkles away while treating signs of sun damage and dryness. This is the perfect serum for normal, oily, and combination skin. Geranium and carrot essential oils provide skin toning, firming and clarifying benefits while fighting the signs of aging.

And.. if you are looking for an alternative to aluminum based deodorants, Rainwater Botanicals makes a superior deodorant! I could go on and on about her products... You'll just have to try them out yourself! :) If you are hesitant to try them, Sara offers Try Me travel sizes in the facial products - plus great customer service!

caboodle ranch cat rescue sanctuary

2010-08-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

bless his heart!
visit the caboodle ranch website to read more or make a contribution.

where did the summer go?

2010-08-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

can you believe it's almost September! I can't believe how quickly this summer has flown by. Thankfully we have another month of lake weather. I'll be going as often as possible to soak up the last of the warm days.

this has been the mildest summer I've experienced in the eleven years I've lived here. we only reached 110° one day, and the rest was perfect. normally we see 115 to 117° a day or two, but not this year. we were also extremely fortunate not to have any large wild fires this year (knock on wood). Two summer's ago it was hell in northern California. Literally. For weeks we had to stay in the house. The air quality was so unhealthy, it was like standing over a smoldering camp fire. Below is a photo looking towards Whiskeytown Lake, taken near my home. I hope to God we'll never see such horrific fires again.

sunday funnies

2010-08-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

hot new release

2010-08-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

which I can't wait to get my hot little hands on -- Room: A Novel. It sounds excellent!

Reviews..

"Emma Donoghue's writing is superb alchemy, changing innocence into horror and horror into tenderness. Room is a book to read in one sitting. When it's over you look up: the world looks the same but you are somehow different and that feeling lingers for days." (Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler's Wife and Her Fearful Symmetry )

"Room is that rarest of entities, an entirely original work of art. I mean it as the highest possible praise when I tell you that I can't compare it to any other book. Suffice to say that it's potent, darkly beautiful, and revelatory." (Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours and By Nightfall )

what a lovely day

2010-08-27T22:08:00.000-07:00

today was cool enough (93°) to enjoy reading in the hammock. It was just what I needed since my lower back is killing me. I must've tweaked it when I was carrying the vacuum upstairs. Today I did absolutely nothing. Chores were done, laundry was caught up, and it was time to do nothing but relax this aching bod. The only thing that would have made the day better would have been a massage (which I need sooo badly).

the view above..

can you tell I'd fallen asleep?

time to go soak in a hot bath with epson and dead sea salts to soothe my aches....

i'm a winner!

2010-08-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

you know how much I love handmade soaps, right? and you know how much I love good literature? check out this cool etsy shop -- handmade soap inspired by books & literature!

- click on the image to visit Latherati -

I've been wanting to try her products since recently discovering her etsy shop.. but believe it or not, I've held off on soap splurges so I can use up my current stash. One of her creations in particular keeps calling my name (haha!) Gloom - rich vanilla, hints of rose and honey with dusky notes of nag champa incense. Agh! I need some! (yeah, and I need another bar of soap like another hole in my head) Anything with nag champa I love!

the exciting news -- I'm a winner of her Delicious Autumn Challenge! I'll be receiving a limited edition bar of soap and perfume inspired by my selection, The Thriteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.

thank you Julie!! I can't wait to try your products!

fair ??

2010-08-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

someone please clue me in. when is 110° considered fair?
when it's too hot to go to the lake I consider it hellish - certainly not fair.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
*note to weather.com - please send one of your weather peeps to Redding, Calif

and let them reconsider what 110° feels like.

it's really awesome but..

2010-08-17T02:58:00.000-07:00

couldn't you have stuck with your Big Wheel a little longer?

I love you, baby bear.
Congrats on your new bike!! and please.. be safe.

Eric - aka my baby bear - is my 26yr old son who resides back in San Diego.

mama kitty moved house

2010-08-17T01:23:00.000-07:00

The other morning I went out to water and mama kitty and three of her babies were gone. There was one little one left behind :( I have no idea where she took them or why she moved. I kept waiting and waiting for her to return to retrieve the last kitten. Then I needed to leave. I was worried. But I knew she'd be back at some point since there is food in the backyard.

When I returned she had the baby on the porch (while she was eating). Then she took off, baby in tow.

veggie burgers

2010-08-17T01:11:00.000-07:00

yum yum yum!! did i say yum? ok.. so these are really YUMMY. you can get a box of ¼ pound size patties at Costco. when I purchase them in the grocery store the patties are about half the size of these babies; they're just as yummy but not oversized like these :) melt some reduced-fat cheese on them, add a slice of onion and tomato, and of course some avocado slices -- a bit of mayo on the bun (Milton's Gourmet Hamburger buns are the best) and you've got a fantastic healthy burger that tastes 100 times better than dead cow.

excuse the flash -- I wanted to show you the box :)

whiskeytown lake

2010-08-17T00:56:00.000-07:00

was so refreshing!! it's been a really mild summer, just hovering around 100° each day. normally summer brings us quite a few days over 110°; so this summer has been a real treat! today was 102.. just perfect for a day at the lake.

Sean tried to talk me into jumping .... (I don't think so!)

- click on photos to view full size -

we found a nice secluded cove. blew up the raft and awwww.... pure relaxation!

hope you are getting out and enjoying your summer!

nummies

2010-08-12T00:46:00.000-07:00

Blackberry crisp and vanilla frozen yogurt. I've been eating the fresh blackberries with Trader Joe's organic vanilla yogurt and it's out of this world delish!! But I wanted something a little more sinful, so tonight I scoured the web for a good berry crisp recipe. (probably should've just loooked in my cookbook... duh). I found a recipe on allrecipes.com for Triple Berry Crisp which had lots of excellent reviews so I went for it. Instead of using three berries I used all blackberries. I also reduced the butter to 1 cup instead of the 1½ cups it called for. I've never made a crisp that had the crumble topping on both the bottom and top. Outcome.. pretty darn good, but next time I'll half the crumble topping and just put it on the top.

A couple weeks ago I discovered that Häagen-Dazs makes low-fat frozen yogurt. OMG.. it's insanely delicious. The first time I bought it I ate the whole thing in one day. Yup. Oink! I like it better than ice cream; although I've never been much of an ice cream person to begin with. Since I loved it so much I checked at Trader Joe's to see if they carried any frozen yogurt. Nope. But they did have a vanilla "Soy Creamy" frozen non-dairy desert. I love soy milk so I was excited to try it out! What a disappointment. Totally flavorless and not good. Comparing the frozen yogurt with the frozen soy stuff I was surprised that there's not that much difference in calories (1/2 cup - soy 130 / frozen yogurt 180). Total fat was actually lower in the frozen yogurt. So... for 50 calories more I'll stick with the Häagen-Dazs low-fat frozen yogurt. I'll just have to control myself and eat small portions on special occasions :)

kittens

2010-08-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

As I went out front yesterday I heard a tiny crying kitten.    Sure enough, one of the feral cats had given birth... right on the rocks :(     The mom apparently took off for a coffee break so the kittens were left alone; in the sun on the rocks.

I grabbed one of my cat carriers and placed all the kittens in it and relocated it under the tree in back for shade. (and yes, I held one for quite a few minutes not wanting to give it up!)    Sean said I shouldn't have picked them up because my scent would be on them and the momma cat would abandon them, but she didn't.    I think she was happy I made a nice little bed for her babies.

I really need to take them all to the humaine society.   There are too many feral cats around here, and as it is I currently feed at least 6 - along with my own 6 cats.    The only thing is I can't get near the carrier when the momma is in it because she runs from me.    So.....    what's an animal lover to do?    Turn my eye to the overpopulation of ferals?     Most likely that is what I'll do, although I'll never hear the end of it from Sean to trap them.

Last night as I was on the computer something caught my eye out the sliding glass door. It looked like a dog eating the cat food out there. Got up and OMG ---- It was the BIGGEST raccoon I've EVER seen. I swear, it was the size of a medium size dog and FAT. Must've been 60lbs... I kid you not. I ran to grab my camera but it had already taken off.

ancestry

2010-08-09T22:43:00.000-07:00

The first recorded member of the Deakins family was Sieur Baldwin De Akeny, a Norman knight who came to England with William the Conqueror.

For his services at Hastings (Senlac) England and in the subsequent conquest of England, he was granted a great estate in County Norfolk. His name is inscribed in the Rolls of the Normans, Battle Abbey (Hastings, 1066) and in La Crispin's Norman Rolls.

The name went through several changes in becoming Anglicized. D'Akeny, Dakeny, Deakene, Dakeney, Dakyns, Deakyns, and Deakins. It is found in several of these forms in Domesday Book and Ragman Roll, the first cenci, together with the Rolls of the Hundreds, taken by the Normans for tax purposes after the Conquest, between the years 1085 and 1150.

In dealing with proper names and especially with family names, it should always be remembered that up until the publication of the English dictionary two hundred years ago by Samuel Johnson, there was no such thing as correct spelling. A person spelled a family name, a place name and any other word as it suited his personal fancy. Thus, we find the names of brothers in early records spelled in entirely different ways. Sometimes a father and a son would use different spellings each. For example, Shakespeare spelled his own name in Sixteen different ways.

The family was prominent also under Kings Edward I and II. By these monarchs they acquired the following estates, manor houses and castles:
Peak of Derby
Lincoln and Hackness in County York
Biggen Grange
Smitterton
Bagthorpe, County Nottingham
Stubbing Edge, Derbyshire

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

My revolution ancestor, William Deakins was born in 1739 in England and with his three brothers came to America prior to the Revolutionary War. They settled in Hartford County, Maryland where William enlisted in 1777 and continued in service throughout the war. He served as a private soldier under Capt. John Carlile Nad in Colonel Moses Hazen Continental Regiment.
He is known to have fought in the following battles: Short Hills, Slaten Island, and Brandywine, where he was wounded in the left shoulder, and at the siege of York. At the close of the war he moved his wife and two children to Washington County, North Carolina (which is now Washington County Tennessee). He lived a few years in the old Fort Watauga where tradition says his wife nearly lost her life at the hands of an Indian. She was churning one day outside the fort under a large tree when an Indian shot at her but struck the churn and broke it. She did not think of her own danger but the lament over the churn was great. She said it was the only stone churn in Washington County. Only a few years after this incident she died and the two children went to live with their Uncle James Deakins and his wife who were also living in Washington County. Their father, William went to West Tennessee and settled in Williamson County where he was living when he applied for a pension October 11, 1819 being 80 years of age at this date (click here to read the request for his pension, it's good reading; he states his size was five feet one inch and a half and on account of the smallness of it he was often laughed at by his comrades). About 1822 he went to Davidson County, Tennessee where he spent the remainder of his life. He died January 5, 1834.

I am the 5th Great Granddaughter of William Deakins.

The earliest photo I have of my Deakins relatives..

- click on photos to view full size -

Second from left is Francis Marion "Doc" Deakins (1855 to 1935), my Great Great Grandfather, who was the Grandson of William Deakins. Third from left is Hallie Mae Deakins who is my Great Grandmother. The woman sitting is Martha Jane "Mattie" Dillard Deakins (1861 to 1954), my Great Great Grandmother and whom my mother was named after.

Hallie Deakins Barker (second from right) worked at Levine's Dry Goods Store in Sulphur Springs, Texas.

Circa 1950; Pasty, Hallie Mae , Bobbie, Martha Jane (my mother), and William Preston Barker (my Great Grandfather; 1884 to 1954).

My Great Grandmother, Hallie Mae Deakins Barker, lived to be 99 years old (1886 to 1985). Here is a photo of her in her last years. Directly behind her is my late mother, Martha Jane, and sisters Patsy and Bobbie.

15 facts

2010-08-09T17:44:00.000-07:00

I find it interesting to read about people.   I've seen others do this on their blog ~
So here are 15 facts about me you might not know - or might not want to know about me..

1. I was born in Los Angeles in 1955.
2. I can't live without orange juice.
3. I love silence and only listen to music every few months. The television might be on once a week.
4. In ninth grade I held the school record for the 600 yard run. In high school I made it to state competition.
5. My first job, at the age of 14, I worked at Buffalo Bill's Musuem & Gravesite.
6. Once I found a dead person.
7. I've moved 31 times. Only 5 of the moves were when I lived with my parents.
8. My favortie color is black.
9. I hoard books and it drives me nuts that I can't read them any faster.
10. Winter is my favorite season.
11. My dream home is a log cabin.
12. I am obsessed with handmade soap and currently have aprox 50 bars in my stash.
13. My first vehicle was a Suzuki motorcycle, which I bought when I was 19.
14. I didn't care for dolls as a girl.   I liked rollerskates, and a homemade skateboard that I made with wheels from my skates.
15. When I was 52 yrs of age, I cut and sold 26" of my hair for $900.

And there you have it!     Feel free to leave a comment with interesting facts about yourself!

sunday morning humor

2010-08-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

getting old(er)

2010-08-07T23:28:00.000-07:00

I slept. A lot today. Next month I'll turn 55. Oh. My. God. How did that happen?

So - I took a 5 hr nap this afternoon/evening. Yeah, I'm feeling my age today. Didn't have my coffee when I woke up so maybe that was the problem. Going to fix a quick Amy's frozen meal and try to get some work done.....

I hope you are having a good weekeend!

Love, me

yumm...

dog humor

2010-08-07T04:53:00.000-07:00

I love new toys!

2010-08-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

Look what the Fedex truck brought me today   :)
A Canon PIXMA MP560 Photo All-in-One Inkjet Printer. Yay!! I've been wanting a new scanner and printer forever.    When I bought my current computer, I didn't realize that it didn't have a parallel port.    So, I have not been able to use my ancient scanner or printer.    Every time I needed something printed I'd have to ask Sean to print it for me.

Retail price is $149 but Amazon has it on sale for a limited time for only $85!     Hopefully I'll make some time to set it up this weekend.    I'm ~~attempting to be~~ busy with three orders at the moment.

olfactory orgasm

2010-08-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Beguiled Lotion from Haus of Gloi. If you'd like to smell insanely delicious (like I do at this moment); this is the perfect summer scent!

Britton has captured the perfect Absinthe scent. My year round favorite from Haus of Gloi..
(the soap is stunning... topped with shimmering gold specks, which I tried to capture in this photo)

picking blackberries in the mountains

2010-08-05T02:00:00.000-07:00

What a glorious day!    I drove up to Dunsmuir, which is only a 45 minute drive.    It's such a beautiful drive... going over Shasta Lake, by Castle Crags, and Mt. Shasta is always in view.    I'm so fortunate to live near so much natural beauty!!     I sure miss living in Dunsmuir; but the conveniences of living in Redding outweigh living in town of less than 2,000.     I stopped by my old home and visited with a friend for a bit.

Wild blackberry bushes were everywhere!    I came home with two huge containers full of berries!     Most of them will go in the freezer to use for blackberry crisps and smoothies during the winter.

I'm beat.   It was a long day.   I didn't get back until 10pm.   I am so ready for a shower!!

I hope you enjoy the photos :)

Love,