A Warning - No Such Thing As Privacy

Today, it crossed my mind that many people are probably keeping a private blog. I don't mean private in a sense that others have to be invited to read it. I mean private in a sense that the writer believes their spouse, family members, close friends and coworkers are not aware of their blog.

So, I'd just like to say that even if you believe the people you know personally aren't aware of your blog and reading it, that does not make it so.

Let me give an example from a personal experience or two of my own:

I started blogging around October of last year. I began my blog on another site. But I found it to be something a little different from what I wanted. It seemed to be lacking some of the freedoms I have here on blogger. So, I came here and began to blog, the way I had always blogged. I blog about my daily life, my family, our little homestead, music and most especially, I blog about the Lord. All this time, from the first blog site through the first several months on blogger, I left comments open to anyone but I had it set for approval on posts older than 3 days.

Well, one day I was checking my comment moderation page to find a comment had been left by someone I never, ever wanted to hear from. This person had hurt me when I was a little girl of only 11 years old. He left a comment which, if published would have made him appear to be a friendly and loving person in my life. Thankfully, it wasn't published, I was able to intercept it and delete it. I had to make sure he had not crossed the state line so I made a phone call to someone who is very close to me, living in the same state as this particular individual, just to keep that person "in check" so to speak.

Once this was over, I became quite concerned about my safety, discussed the problem with my husband who asked me to do what I could to keep people at a proper distance. So, I set my blog to private, invite only. I couldn't stand it though. I missed the freedom I had given to my friends online, I missed the communication with others in this way. So, I discussed it with my husband and he agreed to let me try once more with the moderation tool in place completely.

For several months, everything has been fine. Other than the random comment that just kinda gets under my skin so I don't approve them. But nothing really out of the way, so to speak.

Well, last month someone called my home. It was a man who called himself "Frank". He also said he worked for one of the local heating and air companies in my area, said he heard my husband was unemployed and would like to discuss a job with him. I won't name the company but I will say that the owner of this company is a dear friend of ours. His wife and I discuss canning, baking, raising gardens and so much more. The owner and my husband are really good friends. The caller didn't know this. I should note here that the number that showed up on the caller ID was our friends' name and number.

He asked to speak to my husband. I told him my husband was on the back of the property working in the barn. I asked for his number, suggesting I'd have my husband call him back. He said he'd be leaving soon, would call us back. I asked again, "Who is this?" He said, "Frank with _________ Heating and Air". I asked for his number again and he wouldn't give it to me. I told him to call back in about 15 minutes and I went to fetch my husband from the barn. My husband came home and we waited for the phone to ring while talking about who this could possibly be.

The person did call back, discussed past jobs with Mike like he really did want to give him a job, said he was with ________ Heating and Air and so on.

This telephone conversation even went so far that my husband agreed to "an interview" with "Frank". Mike asked where he should meet the man and the man gave Mike our friends' home address and phone number. He asked Mike to meet him at their address the following day at noon.

Immediately after the phone call, I called my friend and asked her if she knew anything about this. She did not and she became scared, like me. The next day we all paced the floors throughout the mid day hours worrying over strangers who may possibly show up at our homes. We still wonder today if that stranger on the phone got some of the information needed to locate us from . . . here.

No one ever showed up at either house, but it has proven to be a real fear.

People I knew over 20 years ago are finding my blog. Old friends read my blog. People who are only out to hurt me read my blog. Strangers who have an unknown second agenda are reading my blog. I also know that old acquaintances are aware of my blog, reading it but we never talk enough to discuss it.

Friends, be aware that whatever you write is there for the world to see. Word travels. If you're going to write something down on your blog, make sure you're comfortable enough with your spouse, children, parents and closest friends reading it because more than likely if they're not reading it now, they will either hear about it later or find it for themselves later. Even if your name or location are not on your blog or profile, you are not 100% anonymous.

Be careful.

A story called. . ."Thorn Wood"

When our family first moved here, the back of our property was over run with honeysuckle vines and locust saplings. It was so thick in some areas that we couldn't even walk through it without getting our feet tangled up in the vines.

We had moved in during the winter months last year so we had to wait until spring time brought us warmer weather to work in. My husband was out of a job which made for skimpy living but it also allowed him the time he needed here on the property to get some of that back yard cleaned up and workable.

We all went to the back yard as a family and just started cutting vines, brush and weeds.

While I was cutting I came upon this:



I stopped cutting immediately and stood there in awe at the size of the thorns and the plant itself. I wondered what in the world could this plant be?

So I walked on down to the other side of the property where my husband was cutting brush and asked him if he'd come and take a look at this plant I had found. A bit tired and overworked, he seemed reluctant but still agreed to walk on over there with me.



He stepped up as close as he could to the bush and held one of the limbs in his hand and said, "Honey, you don't want to cut this down".



I asked, "Why?"



He said, "This is the Crown of Thorns. It's what they put on Jesus' head when they crucified him."

I reached out and touched one of the long thorns.



Then I fell onto my knees beneath the bush and wept for my Lord and the pain He endured for me . . . and you.

So, of course we left the plant standing and later on we came to discover the ancient grandmother to this plant in another area of our back yard. She produced hundreds of babies this year which we handed out to churches and neighbors in our area. We even sent some home to West Virginia and some to my Mother-in-Love here in North Carolina.

Then early last week, I was having an email conversation with my dear friend, Gail. If you know Gail, you already know what a creative mind she has. She is really good with writing, words, photography, poetry, etc.

Well, she noticed I had a picture of my house on my blog with "My house needs a name" written above it. She asked if I'd come up with a name yet. Of course I hadn't and she offered to help me out. She asked me some questions about the property, my family history, the age of the house, just different things. She left me with a list of names and being unable to make a decision about anything most days, I still didn't decide on a name.

So, on Saturday when I received the box in the mail from Gail, it was addressed to none other than:

Thorn Wood



Now all I need is a nice sign with the name of my house on it ;)

Finally, my sweet old fashioned home has a name thanks so much to my dear friend, Gail :)

God bless Gail and all my dear friends who visit my blog daily, sharing in my life as you all do. Your presence in my life even if it is only through the internet, is a blessing to me.

Love
Sharon

Cheddar Pepper Crisps

1 3/4 cups Self Rising Flour
1/2 cup Cornmeal
1/2 cup Cold Butter
1 1/2 cup (6 oz) Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Cold Water
2 Tablespoons Vinegar
Coarsely Ground Pepper

In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in cheese. Sprinkle with water and vinegar. Toss with a fork until a ball forms. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is firm.

Preheat oven to 375.

Divide into six portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 8 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges and place on greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with pepper; lightly press into dough.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10 - 14 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

Cool on racks.

Makes 4 dozen.

I normally serve these with optional dipping sauces such as Pizza Sauce, Picante Sauce, Spaghetti Sauce, etc.

I also double the recipe.

What A Wonderful World

Psalm 111:4

He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.



What A Wonderful World
Louis Armstrong

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They're really saying I love you.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world

Fire Up The Truck, We Got A Deer! (Warning Picture Inside)

Good Morning Dear Readers,

Is it as chilly at your house as it is at mine this morning? When I woke up I was very thankful for my new fuzzy house slippers my dear husband bought for me last weekend.

Yesterday evening was the last day of Muzzle Loader season in our area. I have been quite anxious to get additional meat in the house for winter. My dear husband had hunted all the way through bow season without success, then we were losing hope for Muzzle Loader season, until yesterday.

I saw him speed into the driveway after work. He whipped his work van around and parked it real fast. This is not normal behavior for my very calm husband. He was jogging across the yard, hand over his pocket to prevent the rattling of his coins.

As he stepped inside the door, he was almost whispering to us and tip toeing through the house. He said, "Everyone be really quiet, there's a buck across the road in that field." He told me to get a peek at it while he went to get the gun. I looked and it was there with a doe. Then I saw both deer heading toward the tree line. I alerted him by whispering loudly (whispering is funny enough without trying to "whisper loudly"), you know?

At the same time I was on the phone with my mother. I honestly have a ball "entertaining my mother". For any of you who have ever had teenagers who find a way to make every single thing comical or humorous for you, then you can relate to what my mother has to deal with when she talks to me on the phone. So, Mama was asking me what everyone was whispering about. I said, "Elmer Fudd just came in the house and said it was Hunting Season." She cracked up and still knew exactly what I meant.

So, Mike sneaked quietly out of the house, walking the edge of our tree line and saw the deer creeping into the woods across the road. Then he looked over on our side of the road into the field where he normally hunts and there stood another buck and doe. He dropped down and belly crawled up the bank.

He was about 100 yards away from the deer and watched as it stood there sniffing the air. It seemed to know Mike was there. As soon as it turned sideways to head off into the woods again, Mike fired his one last chance at the 8 pointer. It kicked its back leg real hard, like it had been shocked and took off into the woods. Mike wasn't 100% sure he hit the deer because of the distance and the primitive weapon in his hands. But he was hopeful.

Mike came home and told me his hunting story, while he was completely out of breath due to the adrenaline rush and gave the deer a few minutes to sit down. It was dark by the time he had to go back out looking so he took a flashlight and his own young buck, Curtis age 16, to assist with the hopeful harvest.

They weren't gone long when Mike stuck his head in the door, grinning like a fox and said, "Fire up the truck, we got a deer to harvest". I laughed and thought about how much we needed the meat for the winter and how many times I had asked him to hurry up and bring home deer meat, then I thought about all the work my weekend would entail. That's okay, I'll take the work over the current meat prices in the grocery store any day.



So, here's to you dear Michael for all of your effort in getting a buck with your muzzle loader and for easing our grocery budget for the winter months.