Monday, August 9, 2010

Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush

While taking my shower tonight, that song just kept playing over in my mind. I have no idea why. And I have no idea what a mulberry is. I don't think they grow around here, though. Do any of you know what a mulberry is? Can you eat them? Where do they grow?

Today was the first day of school for Suz's kids. Eli started first grade. Alayna started middle school. Reid started seventh grade. Seems like every year when her kids start school, we try to meet for lunch and a little shopping.

She is in charge of making the invitations for a couples shower that she's helping host in a few weeks, so we went to JoAnn's. What an awesome store. They have anything you could ever want in the way of crafts, fabric, jewelry making, framing, anything. We had so much fun in that store.



While there, we reminisced about the good ol' days. The days when our mom used to make our dresses. She used to drag us to the fabric store. They weren't good ol' days at the time. We'd spend an hour or two there looking at patterns and fabric.


We'd look through these pattern books and pick out the dress we liked. Truly, I wasn't even sure they still made these pattern books, so I was delighted to see that they did.

Back then, though, there were stores that just sold fabric and sewing notions. It would be considered by today's standards a drag of a store. I guess that's why they have to sell other things in the store too.

At JoAnn's, they offer sewing lessons and I think we may take them. We would both love to sew. I mean, I don't think I could sew anything my boys would wear, but maybe I could make an apron or a pillow or something.

Yesterday afternoon, we celebrated Ross's birthday with the family. He has finally turned the corner with the wisdom teeth thing. He's feeling much, much better. He still looks a little pale to me, but I think he's definitely on the mend.

I made chicken and dumplings, which I'll just say were delicious. Except the dumplings disappeared. I guess I stirred them too much and they just dissolved in the broth. My family was very kind, though, and complimented me anyway. Good thing I opened up two cans of biscuits to go along with them. Otherwise, it would've just been chicken soup.


Thankfully, I didn't mess up the red velvet cupcakes. Nope, sure didn't. They were out of this world yummy. I think a cupcake tops a cake any day. (No pun intended there.) You get way more frosting on a cupcake, and who doesn't love frosting? He couldn't eat one because he still can't swallow very well, but I've got him one in the fridge for later.


I knew I had done a good job raising my son when, after the party was over, he thanked me. I got so choked up. It's nice to be appreciated.

The kids swam and the grownups swam too. It was another blazing hot day. Joseph brought over his new truck. He turned 16 on the 4th and he and his dad have been working on his truck. It's a Bronco and he's very proud of it and I'm proud for him. I'm sure Crystal will enjoy having another driver in the house. That is until the insurance bill comes.

Guess that's it for this trip 'round the mulberry bush. Till next time...

9 comments:

Theresa said...

Oh what a sweet day to spend with your Sister! I can just hear you two giggling and thinking about all of those memories! I know you both enjoy your time together and that makes me smile! Love it that you might learn to sew, your Mom could sure help:)

Ross looks like he has recovered nicely and such a handsome young man! Those dumplings were the way I love them:) I skip the dumplings!

I love you all! Have a blessed day!

Cindy Lou said...

It sounds like a wonderful day!! Justin and I went shoppin on the twins first day of school!! :)

I bet those dumplins were delicious! And those cupcakes look wonderful!

I have a sewing machine and would love to learn to sew...I may check into out JoAnns and take some lessons myself!!

Enjoy your day, love you bunches!!

Joyce said...

Love your blog....I now have to look up mulberries though! Have a great day!!!!

Casey and Jamie Wood said...

Love this! I got a sewing machine from my hubby for Mother's Day (maybe he is trying to tell me something) and my mom gave me all of her old patterns. Some are hilarious but some are actually cute! I would love to do a sewing class. I didn't know Joanne's did them.

STILLMAGNOLIA said...

Yes, you can eat mulberries. I found a great site if you want to know more about them. They are pretty interesting.
http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Mulberries.html

billypandnikkysmom said...

sounds like everyone had a good day! happy birthday to Ross :)

"Mulberry" redirects here. For other uses, see Mulberry (disambiguation). For other plants called mulberry, see mulberry (plant).
Morus

Morus alba
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms

(unranked): Eudicots

(unranked): Rosids

Order: Rosales

Family: Moraceae

Tribe: Moreae[1]

Genus: Morus
L.
Species
See text.



Mulberry fruits in Libya.

Mulberry fruits in various stages of ripeness.

Long Mulberry

Unopened female flower bud.

Female flower of a monoecious variety.
Black Mulberry flowers showing active and wilted receptors.
Morus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae. The 10–16 species of deciduous trees it contains are commonly known as Mulberries. They are native to warm temperate and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, with the majority of the species native to Asia.

The closely related genus Broussonetia is also commonly known as mulberry, notably the Paper Mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera.

Mulberries are swift-growing when young, but soon become slow-growing and rarely exceed 10–15 m (33–49 ft) tall. The leaves are alternately arranged, simple, often lobed, more often lobed on juvenile shoots than on mature trees, and serrated on the margin.

The fruit is a multiple fruit, 2–3 cm (0.79–1.2 in) long. The fruits when immature are white or green to pale yellow with pink edges. In most species the fruits are red when they are ripening, turning dark purple to black and have a sweet flavor. The fruits of the white-fruited cultivar of the white mulberry are green when young and white when ripe; the fruit in this cultivar is also sweet but has a very mild flavor compared with the darker variety.

suzanne said...

ummm... please do a new post so I don't continue to have to see my ugly picture grinning from ear to ear. Had fun though!

Nana said...

Now, I have that song stuck in my head!
Looks like you have been having some fun.

wendy said...

Guess I better go google Mulberry.
It is wonderful when our grown children show us those signs of appreciation and love....I'd get choked up too.
My mom used to sew all my cloths when I was young and I have some OLD patterns still kicking around.
And I used to sew for myself and my kids when little...........now the very sight of a needle and thread makes me nasueas. (sp)