Little Robin Red Breast

Guess who has stopped in to visit Hickory Hollow? An entire extended family of robins.
This morning after safely seeing my family out the door, I peeked out the back window towards the pond and spotted a robin. I then noticed that there was quite a bit of fluttering and carrying on...because there were about 20 of them. To me, this is the first sign of spring! Another sign is the swelling tips of all the Bradford pear trees that line our driveway! It is almost time to plant potatoes and get my asparagus & strawberry patch underway.
~*~

Thank you everyone who stopped in to visit last week. I had close to 90 calling cards. I used the random number generator and it choose lucky number 17. Our precious Cynthia, from Cynthia's Cottage Design was the 17th person to leave me a note. I LOVE Cynthia's blog, it is one of my very, VERY favorites. I go back and read all her previous posts. I just love reading about her adorable house and the cute projects she does. I am getting ready to make a decoupaged recipe box to go in my kitchen!
~*~
Now, I do have a little something for everyone else. Well, it is not necessarily from me, but from Susan Branch. While scooting around the internet last night, I found a FREE pattern by Susan Branch to make an ADORABLE apron. It was originally posted I believe in 2007. The link is still good, and I thought while you were still tucked in for winter, you might like a little sewing project. Click on the picture and it will take you to the page where you can download the PDF file. I think I may whip up one of these cuties, don't you know we certainly don't have enough projects going on!

Hope eveyone is going to enjoy a beautiful weekend! It is supposed to be 70 degrees here today. Last evening, before supper we went for a walk down the back road and over the crossing, we spotted deer and wild turkey tracks. I think we will probably take another walk this evening!
~Jill~

Hickory Hollow Open House Part 2

Is anyone up for another home tour today?
If so come on in!
Welcome
to my
~French Country Kitchen ~

The fancy edge trim is called a French Cornice
Quite fitting for my French Country Kitchen!

~*~
Remember my Garage Sale Hutch that I painted this summer?
I have moved her into the kitchen next to my panty.
In my first pictures, I had Grandma B's antique washstand there.
I moved that to a corner in the living room. I just needed to have that hutch in the kitchen!

~*~
I did a bit of grocery shopping yesterday and brought home this precious little white Cyclamen. I saw it last week, but decided not purchase this little frivolity. Yesterday she just hopped in my cart, honest she did! She was only $5, bless her heart. I pulled out a little white tureen and found her a nice little sunny spot on the breakfast room table.

Now remember today is the last day, to enter yourself in my Susan Branch/Victoria Magazine giveaway. I am going to do the number generator thingy tomorrow!
Off to bake up a loaf of dilly bread for dinner!

P.S. I had someone ask where I purchased the Cinnamon Chips? Ya'all are goin' love me...I bought them at the commissary on an Air Force Base. I am really hoping that you will be able to find them at your local grocery store. What's strange, is usually the commissary doesn't carry the unusual goodies!
~Jill~

Cinnamon Chip Cookies ~ Yum

Guess what I found in the baking section?
Hershey's Cinnamon Chips!
Every now and then I will run across a recipe that calls for these... they are very elusive and hard to find. When I saw them sitting innocently enough on the grocery shelf, I snatched them right up!

~*~ Using a recipe on the back, I baked up a batch of Oatmeal Cinnamon Chips Cookies. The recipe called for raisins, but I added milk chocolate chips instead. They were pretty delicious. Thought you might like to give them a whirl!
~*~
Oatmeal Cinnamon Chips Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 2/3 cups (10 oz. pkg.) Hershey's Cinnamon Chips
*3/4 C. Raisins

*I substituted milk chocolate chips, probably about 1 cup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in oats, cinnamon chips and raisins and/or chocolate chips (batter will be stiff).
Drop by heaping teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen.
Mine didn't make 4 dozen, more like 2...I like BIG cookies!

Now all you need to do, is pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee, sit down and relax with a nice warm cookie, what in the world is much better than that!
~*~
The giveaway is still up and running! Make sure you drop your calling card in my comment basket, so that I know you have stopped in to visit me in Hickory Hollow.
~Jill~

Hickory Hollow's Winter Giveaway

Thank you everyone who stopped in to visit my open house! I have never had so many comments...that was so EXCITING! There still is lots and lots of decorating to do. Tomorrow I am going to the cottage to clean and to say goodbye to our elderly neighbors, Florence and Bob. But let's get on with the good stuff!
Celebrating the Seasons
with
Hickory Hollow
~Celebrate Winter~
In one of my favorite local shops, I found a real treasure! I already have this in my cookbook collection, so I thought of you all, and grabbed it right up!

Yes, it is a
Susan Branch Cookbook Giveaway!

I have been in LOVE with Susan Branch books for years! I have every one of them. Sometimes when I get a little blue, I will curl up with a steamy cup of coffee and read her wonderful books. They are so inspirational, I learned about Gladys Taber through Susan's books.

Look here...there is even a special section on celebrating winter.
LOVE her darling ideas!

Who wouldn't love cookin' up a big pot of this Split Pea Soup, just because this picture is so cute! I think maybe for St. Patricks Day!
~*~
But that's not all...
I also found another treasure for you.
Yeah, I already had this one too!
But I KNOW you will want it!

It is the wonderfully beautiful current issue of Victoria Magazine!
My ALL-TIME favorite magazine!
~*~
What do you have to do to get your name put in the bonnet for my drawing?
Just leave me a little note, letting me you stopped by to visit any time in the next week. The more notes, the more you name goes in the bonnet!
I bought all of these, with you my blogging friends in mind.
I am so excited to be able to give them to a lucky one of you!
~*~
Okay on to more
Fabulous Finds
Here are some goodies I have found in the past couple of weeks.
Yep, even a move won't keep me from haunting my favorite stores!

Oh, isn't she just darling. I bought both that were for sale! They were only $2 each.
The still attached price tag says Hallmark $35.00. I kid you not!
They are now hanging in my breakfast room windows.
Do you see the little bit of SNOW we have here in Hickory Hollow?

Look at these gorgeous roses.
Yummy, makes we want to grab a BIG box of Bon Bons!

I found this gorgeous lace blouse with ribbons that tie in the back.
I am most certainly going to wear this on
Valentine's Day.

I LOVE the large cuff on the sleeve, very romantic.

This is the bodice...little beads, satin ribbon and sequins.
It is also lined with a soft fabric.

I also found these charming HEART CHARMS one day.
They were stitched onto a pitiful little pillow, who had seen much better days. There were about 12 of them in all different sizes, from large to teeny tiny. I thought they would make a gorgeous vintage-looking bracelet. I cut them off the pillow and turned them into a Valentine's Day charm bracelet.

See you can find goodies almost anywhere and at anytime.
One must be most vigilant!
It is getting late, and I am ready to jump into those lavender, flannel jammies again.
Wishing you best wishes!
~Jill~

Hickory Hollow Open House Part 1

Let me begin by saying, I've Only Just Begun!
I still have goodies tucked away in boxes that I need to unwrap. But this is a pretty good start. Doug was so good yesterday to help put up some pictures and mirrors. He absolutely detests hanging stuff. I, on the other hand, LOVE hanging stuff.
~*~
This is just part one, because Bob isn't quite finished with the tile in the kitchen. Guess what? Bob now visits here too! Hi, Bob...leave a comment, pretty please!

So without further adieu...

Welcome to a Hickory Hollow Open House!

Last night, after I had puttered, cleaned and decorated all day, I put on my flannel jammies, settled myself infront of the fire and looked at some of my favorite books. I needed to recharge my decorating batteries!

Hope you enjoyed my little Open House. There is still lots of decorating to do. I will get busy and hopefully be able to share Open House Part 2 soon.
~*~
On Wednesday I will announce the
Celebrating Winter with Hickory Hollow
Giveaway!
Trust me, if you like Susan Branch, you won't want to miss it!
~*~
I need to scoot... still in those flannel jammies and Bob the Builder is due any minute now!
~Jill~

Just a little bit longer....

Sorry, no pictures yet. You know me, I want it to be perfect. Well, semi-perfect at least for some good pictures! We spent most of the day in Lowe's yesterday. I have some curtains up, took some curtains down (didn't like the look goin' on in the dining room). Some blinds fit, some didn't...have to go back to Lowe's. Cute Daniel did get my chandelier hung today in the breakfast room, and Bob the Builder is putting up the tile behind my stove.

~*~

All that before lunch...now we are finishing packing up here at the Cottage...it looks so forlorn. Kinda of sad. I will miss the kitties and puppies across the street. I talk to them everyday. Actually the puppies (grown dogs) are a bit mean, but I talk to them anyway. Oh, I also talk to squirrels and birds. I even honk at the cows on my country drives to see if they will look.

~*~

The kids rode the bus this morning....bright and early at 7:00. They were so excited. I was excited that I didn't have to drive them all the way to school today. Well, Doug is busy packing and here I sit typing. I must go and help.

Okay,
Pinkie Promise
Pictures
Soon
~Jill~

P.S. Oh MY Goodness 26 Followers! WOW~~
Looking forward to meeting ya'all soon!

P.P.S. I have the BEST giveway coming UP!

Phew....almost there!

Just a quick little note to tell you all a very funny story. I am also going to keep you in suspense for one more day, before I have pictures to show. We haven't gotten the internet hooked up at the new house yet. No DSL in the country. So we are going with a satellite provider. They are scheduled to come one day next week.
~*~
For now, we have left the computer at the cottage, we haven't moved it yet, or my kitchen goodies. Doug had to come back to take a shower, and I needed to pick up some food.
No showers yet at the new house, I haven't bought a gorgeous shower curtain for the kids bathroom, and I still need to order the shower door, for the master bath. Honestly I have a never ending list of things to purchase! Lindsey was very concerned that we wouldn't ever have a place for the toilet paper!
~*~

Okay, now for the funny story!
I have never had the pleasure of owning a whirlpool bathtub before. So having this one in my master bath is very EXCITING! I cleaned it all up this morning, still lots of drywall mud, paint splatters, insulation...etc....in the tub.
So I decide, let's see if the bubbles work!
I knew, that I would have to fill the tub with enough water to cover the intake filter. That went well...I knew to check and make sure that the jets were pointed down, yep, that looked good. So I pushed the button.
Nothing happened.
Called Doug in,
Aha
Need to plug tub into hidden outlet
Okay
Lindsey came in to see how cool the bubbles are going to be...
Pushed the button
dismal display of bubbles
I make the comment
"Is that it?"
All of a sudden water ERUPTED from the jets!
The jets weren't completed submerged
It was like Old Faithful
WATER GUSHING EVERYWHERE.

I turned the water off
NOTHING HAPPENED!
Imagine SCREAMING and DANCING AND GUSHING WATER EVERYWHERE!
Finally, Doug hit the OFF button.

I was DRENCHED in water.

Water on the wall...
Water on the floor...
Water on the window!
Okay, that would be fine, if I had a change of clothes,

Nope, no clothes and I am literally dripping wet.
Well, we had a good laugh,

Moped up the floor, walls, and window.

I dried my socks on the heat vent.
Lesson Learned
#1
Make sure jets are completely submerged before turning unit on!

~*~
I have noticed some new followers!
Hello, and thanks so much for finding my little blog entertaining enough to come back for more.

I promise I will make it to your place to visit. It may just be a bit later than sooner!
~*~
I pinkie promise
Tomorrow, pictures!
~Jill~