Richards Family History ~ Thomas Sherrod Richards l

As any family history, there are gaps and guesses...all which I hope to discover and make any corrections found.

What we have at this point is not only our family history, it is a very interesting story. Putting together the time lines brings out touching facts.

Thomas Sherrod Richards I, our grandfather was born October 12, 1787 and died September 30 1846 at the age of 58.
He was married twice.

His first wife was Sally Thompson, who he married Feb 16, 1815. when he was 28.
(don't know her age at this point)

They had 3 children together.
Children of that marriage:
Polly Richards,
Charity Richards, b
Joseph M. D. Richards. b 1815

Mother of these children and wife Sally Thomas died in (?) a guess is 1825.

Thomas was left with these three children who were ages, 9, 8 and 6. He remarried the following year.

He married second wife,
Elizabeth Jordan on May 26, 1826 in Pike County, Georgia.
He was then 39, she was 21.
Elizabeth Jordan Richards is our shared Grandmother.

Thomas dies at age 58, leaving Elizabeth with seven children from their marriage.
Ages 19, 17, 16, 10, 7, 6, 5. Can you imagine?

The 3 children from first marriage were all in their 20's and gone when Thomas died.

Children of Thomas and Elizabeth:

William Jackson Richards
Susan A. Richards
Thomas Sherrod Richards ll
James M. Richards (born about 1830 in Chambers, Co, Georgia, which is now part of the state of Alabama. Alabama became a state is 1819).
George Washington Richards (My Great, great grandfather.) b. 19 March 1839
Rufus Richards b. 1840
Edna Prudence Richards b. 1842

Makes me feel sad that my g.g. grandfather grew up from age 7 without a father. From family stories as well as census I do know his younger brother, Rufus, was living with George when the Civil War came...
I know that story...and will write separately.
June

Credit Card Number Stolen

Many Credit Card Numbers are being copied and sold to people in foreign locations for use.

Beware~

We have decided to follow a few simple rules.

We have been advised that we should NOT to give our card to anyone who has to take it out of our sight to make charges, even if it means going into the kitchen of a resturant with the server as he makes the charge. Resturants actually should have portable devices to make the transaction at the tables.

Notify the Credit Card BANK before you travel and ask them to note the dates and location of your travel, especially when traveling out of the country. They will know to expect charges from that location and during the dates you give them.

I, personally travel with old fashion Travelers Checks which are great for small purchases and cash. Others have to scramble around for a ATM Machine. Just not my style.

I would hate to be traveling and the bank close off my Credit Card, wouldn't you?
ALSO, call your Credit Card Bank to check the phone numbers they would call should you have a charge made that would cause them to close your account.

Amazing that when I called, there were old Cell Phone numbers that had not be updated.
Look after yourself and
BEWARE~

June

Rain Barrel

My Rain Barrel came about as an afterthought.

Why didn't I think of this before?

After adding an under deck roof for the patio below, the first rain came. We sat happily on the now dry patio to enjoy the summer rain. While there, we witnessed a problem. The new down spout, which channels rain from the newly installed under deck roof, dumped sufficient water to run back onto the patio.




So! Now there was another project to work out ~ to route the water away from the patio via an underground pipe and downhill.

The immediate solution was to put a large pot under the spout to catch the rain water until this could be completed. After another rain, the benefit of using nice rain water for my plants on the patio, was something I really didn't want to give up.


Off to the store to purchased the largest pot I could find to serve as my rain barrel. Has worked out to be A GREAT IDEA!


Since then,, I have heard of many having Rain Barrels around and even found them online for sell. Now, of course, I want a larger one.


Just talking about rain barrels at the Garden Shop brought several people drift over to add stories about their effort and interest. Am told it saves thousands of gallons of water during a summer. I love using the nice fresh rain water.
It has to help with the erosion as well.


One nice man stopped to tell me about his. He said in England they are called "Watter Butts."

Mine rain barrel fills quickly to the point that we needed the downspout made to rotate and connect to a permanent underground pipe for when we travel or the barrel is full.
Don't you think this is a fun idea?
Of course, on many islands each house, each building has a large cistern to catch and hold rain water and is at times their only source of fresh water.

Do you have a rain barrel?
June

Chicken and Dumpling Recipe

BEST HOMEMADE CHICKEN DUMPLINGS

1 whole chicken
2 Knorr chicken boullion cubes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 5 oz can evaporated milk
1 small onion1/2 package of frozen peas and carrots
1 can 10 count biscuits whole milk salt and pepper
1 bay leaf (optional)

Boil chicken until done, remove from water and remove skin and de-bone, separate into small pieces. Drain off any grease from leftover chicken broth.

Add 2 bouillon cubes and stir over medium heat. Return chicken pieces back to broth. Pour in 1/2 cup of whole milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add 1/2 package of frozen peas and carrots. Dice onion and add. Pour in cream of chicken soup and cream of celery soup; stir well.

Simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add biscuit dumplings, each one separated into 2 pieces and cut in half making 4 pieces out of each biscuit. (I roll mine out flat before cutting.)
Boil until dumplings are done 10-15 minutes. Add evaporated milk and shake gently to cover the dumplings.
Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes more, then serve.
Makes about 8 - 10 servings
Enjoy.

4th of July in Florida

God Bless America

4th of July on the Beach in Florida


God Bless our Troops who gave and continue to guard our freedom to celebrate the 4th of July. Evening brings sunset and soon the crowds return for TWO FULL hours of the most spectacular fireworks that were almost as good as the national fireworks on the Mall in Washington DC....minus the thousands of spectators.




Naturally, my camera couldn't catch them~ but I tried.









Have you guessed am just returning from a great week in Florida where we enjoyed being with people we care about as well as enjoyed some of the most fabulous food I have ever put in my mouth...probably put on 10 pounds...enjoyed each and every bite....and evenings together sharing drinks and stories.

The beaches come an go with how beautiful they are, and we hit a good week. Swimming ...well we just bob around...but have to say the water clear with wonderful rolling waves, made just right for those of us who are past the thrill of being tossed around by crashing waves. We lingered until our fingers and feet signaled.


We shopped, ate seafood and found a kitty who posed.















We enjoyed ripe watermelons. OH~ how good they are.
We put together a puzzle of a design by Frank Lloyd Wright~It was neat to gather around the table. We guessed it being like a 'sewing circle' of by-gone days. Was a warm feeling of belonging.

Was most relaxing week. I hated it to come to an end. Wonderful time was had by all. Wish all of you could have been there too.

Now, back home to work on some ideas that came to mine. Nothing like walking alone on the beach to dream up lots of projects.
June

HOW TO GET RID OF CROWS

Don't feed them.
June

Recipe ~ King Ranch Chicken Casserole

One of those wonderful 'dishes' to take to a potluck dinner ~

King Ranch Chicken

1 chicken, boiled

1 pkg tortilla chips, or noodles

1/2 c onion, chopped

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can Rotel tomatoes w/ peppers

1/2 c green pepper, chopped

12 tortillas

1 pkg grated Monterey Jack cheese

1 c chicken broth

boil chicken, remove meat from skin and bones. Saute onions and
green pepper. Mix with soups, tomatoes (drained), cubed chicken, and chicken broth.
Line bottom of Pyrex casserole with six tortillas.
Add 1/2 of mixture; spread over tortillas.
Sprinkle grated cheese over mixture.
Then make another layer of six tortillas, chicken mix, and cheese.
Perheat oven to 300 F.
Cover with foil and bake at 250-300 F 1 hour until cheese is bubbly.