cherries on tree

Mom-Mom’s next door neighbors had a big early apple tree that we called summer apples. Pop-Pop had a sour and a sweet cherry tree he called wax cherries. They were light yellow with a pink blush. When they were ripening, he hung a plow share in each tree with another small piece of iron attached to strong cord which ran down to the posts of the little roof that covered the cement slab coming out the back door from the kitchen. Every one coming in or out pulled the cords to ring the plow share “bell” to scare the birds that loved to pick at the cherries. He’d get about two bushels off each tree. He and Mom-Mom would sit in the kitchen and hand squeeze the seeds out out of every one of them to be canned. One of my favorite dishes was roly-boly or “pig”. Mom-Mom made a biscuit type dough and rolled it out about 3/4″ thick. A drained quart of cherries, either kind, or cut-up peach halves was put on top, rolled up and pinched at all seams and boiled in an old pillow case twisted shut and tied off with cord for 45 minutes to an hour until the dough was cooked through. It was about the same size and shape as a fat football. It was cut across in slices and eaten in a big soup bowl with milk and sugar. We had this frequently and I could never get enough. This dish comes from the early German settlers who took up farming in Maryland  and Pennsylvania long before the Civil War.

—William J. Boone


Pop-Pop’s method of scaring off the birds is ingenious! The Blue-Jays have been eating my blueberries. They make such a racket I can hear them hollering out the window as they raid my bounty.

Last year I strung reflective tape and metal pie plates around our blueberries and it kept the birds away from them. We never got that chore completed this year and I know the birds are glad about that 🙂

Thank you for praying for Granny. The appointment she had yesterday resulted in more tests being scheduled. It does look like it may be cancer. We will appreciate your continued prayers for Granny and for the doctors to know how best to move forward.

Last night’s video: It’s Christmas in July at Celebrating Appalachia!

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89 Comments

  1. O Tipper. Before I seen this I had ask in the other posting you had known yet what it was. o this breaks my heart. Prayers are going up every time I think of her. Tipper please can you send me her address so I can send her a card. She is so special. She has a special place in my heart.

  2. This is the 1st I’m reading that Granny has been ill. I’m so sorry & I will sure be praying for her & for you all.

  3. We do not know what tomorrow may hold for us but we know Jesus Holds tomorrow. As your family deals with heart wrenching loss and health issues I pray you feel the comfort of God surrounding you.

    1. Oh Tipper, I’m so sorry to hear about your Mom. I pray for strength in all of you as you go through this time of difficulty!

  4. Praying for a peaceful journey for Granny for whatever she is facing
    Strength and grace for the family ❤️

  5. I’m so sorry to hear about the possible news about Granny. I am committed to fervently pray for Granny each & every day that the Lord will heal her body & bring her back to good health. I know that everyone who knows Granny through BP&A, Celebrating Appalachia & The Pressley Girls absolutely LOVES her & there is a whole army of prayer warriors who will be lifting her up in prayers. Hugs!

  6. Praying for your whole family for His comfort and peace. Your blog and videoes are highlights on lonely days and very encouraging and entertaining on good days! Thank you for your diligence and know it means a lot!

  7. Tipper I am so sorry Granny is sick. I know our God is an awesome God, and I pray for you all when I pray for my people. I feel like you all are my people. It is just to much for you all . There has been no time to even grieve Miss Cindi . So I am calling on all the prayer warriors I know to start praying fiercely for Granny. My husband gets a little bit tickled at me when I talk about you and Matt. I’ll say we’ll Tipper said this, or that, usually pertaining to the garden. He’ll just laugh and I will say I know honey . They make you feel like you know them, they are so down to earth. I hope you are always that way.

  8. So sorry that the news about Granny isn’t better, she has become special to so many of us through your writings and videos. You are all going through such a tough time, I can only hope that knowing so many are wishing you all well helps in some small way x

  9. I am at a loss for words. Many of us have truly gotten attached to Granny. Prayers to our Lord who holds everything right there in his hands. Granny is such a dear and sweet little lady, and I know the Lord will take special care of her. May God Bless all of you and your beautiful young girls, and may he help you through the road that lays ahead. In Jesus’ name. Amen. I don’t know what planet my mind has been on lately, but I missed that she was ill.

  10. Miss Louzine, stay strong and trust in The Lord. You will stay in our prayers until you come through.

    God’s Blessings to all . . .

  11. Hoping and praying that the tests come out negative for cancer. We all love your family and Granny so much and pray for healing. I always love to see her in your videos because she is just like my Grandma was. An honest, sweet lady that loved her family and tried to take care of them all. We will continue to pray for the best and for each one of you.

    1. Prayers, prayers and more prayers for Sweet Granny, and you and Matt and Paul and Chitter and Chatter to!
      I love you all!
      I can not get enough of
      your country ways. I was born in 1943. so I was a war baby. we lived in the country
      until i was nine…when lightening in a thunder storm destroyed our home. From nine until 17 we lived in town. Then I went to college to get my MRS degree. and at 18, I married, 61 years ago. The past 2 1/2 years have been tough due to falls. Now I am working on trying to stand up and stop falling down. I use a cane, almost always. Being a prisoner of the house is not fun!
      But my hubby decided about 1 and 1/2 years ago that I did not need to drive any more…that was dificult. So I kinda know what Granny is going thru. I had cancer about 15 years ago. Granny, pray to God, ask Him to take care of you, then remember that all of Tippers fans are praying for you too.

  12. Tipper and family,
    So sorry to hear about Granny. Our prayers go out to Granny and your family.
    We love our Appalachian you tube family. Thank you for sharing your family with us.
    Prayers to you all.

  13. I am praying for you all and Granny. So sad to hear it may be cancer. Thank you for keeping us updated on things.

  14. Your dear mother and I are the same age and when I see her on your YouTube features I often wish we could chat about our lives. Please know that I am praying for her and I send positive thoughts of wellness across the country to all of you.

  15. Praying for Granny and all of you. Praying for wisdom for the doctors as they decide how to best care for her. God bless you all.

  16. Praying for Granny and all of you. We serve a miracle working God and I am praying for a miracle. I did enjoy seeing her last night in the Christmas in July video with her beautiful angel and snowflakes she had made. Such a sweet soul! She’s blessed beyond measure with a wonderful family to be by her side.

  17. Dear Granny and all…Our love and prayers are going up for you and your fantastically close and loving family. We all love those beautiful doilies and other creations….And we love you too. The only thing more beautiful than these creations is your soft mountain voice and smile.

  18. Continued prayers for you and your family. Seems when it rains, it pours. Love and much appreciation to Granny, please. Stay strong, lean into God.

  19. My family will be praying for Granny. We will be praying for ya’ll as well. We can tell how well loved she is. Her blind pig family loves her too!!

  20. Dear Tipper, I’m so very sorry to hear about the news of Granny! My heart goes out to you and all your family. We’ll all be praying that Jesus, the great physician will hear our prayers and heal Granny!
    Sending my love to you all.

  21. I am so sorry about granny! God be with y’all as you travel thru yet another journey! Keep the faith! God is in control! Love and prayers! Richard and Judy

  22. Granny is always in my prayers. So are the rest of you.

    I have a remedy for blue jays, squirrels and such. It is a single shot Gamo .177 air rifle. It is not a toy BB gun. The pellet travels at 1250 feet per second which to some might seem deadly but the weight of the pellet diminishes the power at impact. I don’t shoot to kill, I just what them to know they are not welcome in my garden.

    As far as blue jays, they don’t bother much in the garden, they bother other birds that nest in my trees. They are known to eat other bird’s eggs and nestlings. Yelling at them does no good. They might fly away but soon return so I have exert the dominion over them that God asked me to in Genesis 1:26. So, I drag out the Gamo and try to extract a few pretty tail feathers from those screaming little banshees.

  23. Tipper, those pie plates were a good idea, as you already know. You can also use cds and dvds if you can find them cheap at a yard sale or thrift store. They twist and spin in the breeze if they’re hung over a garden and are pretty effective at keeping the birds away.
    My heart feels so tender for you as you wait for answers about Granny.
    I will continue to hold her and your whole family in the Light.

  24. Prayers for granny and for all of you. Thank you for sharing. That allows more prayers go up to our Heavenly Father on her behalf.

  25. Bad news cannot be avoided but I wish it would give a family a break. I will pray for Granny and your family. She has added so much to your stories here and we love her and wish her the best.

  26. I will be keeping Granny and all of you in my prayers. The Lord is holding each of you with his mighty right hand…you are not walking this valley alone.

  27. The black nylon bird netting works great for protecting fruit from all sorts of critters. I use it for keeping birds out of places they are not welcome around my house as well.
    I am so sorry to hear that sweet Granny is having to go through all those test. I will keep praying the doctors are wrong with their early diagnosis.

  28. Ingenious way to keep the birds away! Hope you will be able to harvest some of your blueberries. Many Prayers for your precious “Granny” & y’all.

  29. We are going to stay positive about your mother no matter what news may come. As a nurse, but more as a Christian, miracles still happen today and that’s the truth. As long as there’s life, there’s hope. (I tell myself that EVERY day concerning a few wayward critters I know and love.) Raising food is a real task and EVERY critter is as hungry as we are so we have to “scrap it out” occasionally or come up with tricks to keep our hard earned bounty from being absconded. I’d like to try that boiled peach or cherry bread, WOULDNT you? I saw a black bear this morning about 200 yards from my home coming out of the woods below me. At first I thought it was a black standard poodle til he made a racket I never heard before and ran like a bear toward my neighbors house. I been smelling a really GAMEY smell coming from my trees above me, but haven’t seen scat. Oh Lord, protect us from critters both human and beast. Love and prayers and hope to you all as we mount up to fight the good fight another day!

  30. Praying for your Granny. Such power in prayer because of an Omnipotent God who calls us by name. God bless

  31. Oh Tipper. I have been praying for quite a while for Granny. There was just something in a past video she was in that just seemed off. So specific prayers began and they will continue. As prayers continue for all of you. I sure enjoyed Christmas in July video. My Dad always make oyster stew with my uncle. I couldn’t stomach it but I do like fried oysters! I am about to head out and meet a friend for breakfast but just wanted to see what was going on with my Appalachian “family”.
    God be with each one of you. Up North wishing I was in the South!

  32. There’s always HOPE it may not be until all test are complete. Continued prayers for Granny and family. GOD is in control! Tipper, you have to take care of yourself in order to help everyone else.

  33. I loved Christmas in July yesterday! Granny crochet such beautiful treasures. Praying that God grants healing. Praying for all of you. God bless you and yours❤❤

  34. First time posting a comment, but a long time follower and as I write this I have tears in my eyes. Prayers of hope I send to you Tipper and your family. I love Granny and pray for her. She has and does bring such great joy to us all! May the light shine down upon you all to give you strength to endure all that may come and to protect you and your wonderful family.

  35. I love your posts and your videos! I will continue to pray for your family. I will pray for Granny as she goes through these tests as well.

  36. Oh my goodness—-I just got to watch your Christmas in July video from last night. It was so fun! And it was great to see Granny showing off her wonderful angels and snowflakes. I believe I have to start working on my Christmas gifts now. I love to crochet toys, and I want to make some angel ornaments as well. Thanks for the inspiration!!

  37. Tipper I am so sorry to hear this. Praying for Granny. She is so very special to so many. Praying for complete healing. I will be praying for all of you as well. Your sweet family is so special to me. Give Granny a hug for me. ❤️

  38. I am so sorry to hear about granny. I will be praying for you and your family. it seems that when it rains it pours. But He said it would, on the just and the unjust. But He also said He would never leave us or forsake us. I saw the deep sadness in your eyes on your show the other day. Even as you were smiling and talking. I truly hate this for y’all. It’s a terrible battle for sure.

  39. So sorry to hear about your mom, praying for answers and God’s direction. It’s been a rough year for you all, but lean on the Lord and He will see you through this!

  40. I’ll be praying for Granny, the doctors & everyone who loves Granny. keeping all of you in my thoughts.

  41. We have lots of birds too. I am sitting here with my coffee listening to them singing in the trees this morning. They don’t bother things so much, but we do have trouble with squirrels. They steal my apples as soon as they start to grow each year. They left me a bushel on our biggest tree last year but I fear they have taken more than they left this year. We have lots of huge oak trees loaded with acorns, so I can’t blame them for nesting here. I was sorry to hear the news about Granny this morning. I am praying for her healing. Take care and God Bless.

  42. I sure do hate to hear the news about Granny, I will be praying for her. I got the news last night about a man and friend I worked with for over 30 years passing away. They didn’t come any better than Jack. He would go to old antique farm shows and grind grits and cornmeal on an old mill pulled by an antique engine he had set up on a trailer. He especially looked forward to going to the big show near Knoxville, Tenn. each year. Granddaddy had two cherry trees and would always fight the birds each year. Grandmother and my mother would make cobbler pies from the cherries and other fruit in a deep side white enamel pan and put put dough balls in them. Blue jays or Jaybirds as we called them are getting scarce around here, don’t see near as many as we once did.

    We talked about trucks a few days ago, I teased Jack unmerciful about what he did when he put this mill together. He always drove and loved Chevy trucks. After building a 3 axle trailer to haul his mill, he sold his Chevy with the 454 ci gas engine and bought a Ford with the bullet proof 7.3 diesel engine. He said the Chevy would only get 4 miles to the gallon pulling the trailer and the truck bed full of corn on Interstate 40 from Asheville, NC to Knoxville, Tenn. and he would laugh and say he would sometimes have to stick his left foot out the door and help push it up some of those hills. He said the Ford would get about 10 miles to the gallon with gas pedal pegged to the floor. Understand my teasing him was all in fun and he would laugh along with me. It hurts to loose friends like him. He and two other co workers drove a round trip of 90 miles in 18 degree weather to come to my Daddy’s visitation when my he passed away before all of them going in and working the grave yard or 3rd shift the same night. Money don’t buy friends like that.

    1. I think your jaybirds are living here now. Thank you so very much. I didn’t know you missed them like that. I can try to trap them and send them back to you if you want me too.

      1. Ed, I appreciate your offer, but it would be a lot of trouble for you to have to trap and ship them back to me. Just go ahead and keep them for yourself and use them for target practice. When I was young I had a cheap Daisy BB gun and later on a single shot 177 cal. pellet but nothing like the more powerful ones of today. I got a used single shot 410 shotgun for Christmas when I was about ten years old. Grandaddy would tell me to shoot any bird especially the jaybirds but Do Not shoot my red birds or mockingbirds. It would have been “ Lord have mercy time” on my rear end, because granddaddy would not have showed it any mercy when he started whipping it if I had shot one of those birds and he found out about it.

      2. One more thing since we are teasing each other, you need them for target practice if all you get is tail feathers!

  43. I was so sorry to read that Granny may be facing a cancer diagnosis. I will continue to pray for your entire family. I enjoyed your Christmas in July video last night. It was nice seeing Granny and her latest projects. Please know all of your online family is thinking of you.

  44. God bless Granny with love care and protection with healing and health and deliverance from this affliction, in Jesus name, i love Granny! God sent his word and healed granny, by the stripes of Jesus granny is healed, any weapon formed against granny shall not prosper in Jesus name,! praise God! Hallelujah!

    1. Hallelujah brother Norman and where two or more agree, the Lord will hear. You always write the nicest things and I tell you, you renew my hope for Georgia. May God bless you and your friend with the hip infection from a bad replacement. Btw, you have a very good potential lawsuit, but that’s just between us and an excellent attorney. Infection doesn’t just “show up” for no reason.

      1. My mother-in-law had a pin put in her hip a long long time ago. The doctor said it had to be removed after a certain period of time. When they removed it, they gave it to her. She showed it to us and it appeared to be nothing more than a 20 penny stainless steel nail. She died in 1997 so most Gen Z youngins might not think of it as long long ago but as prehistoric. If so then the same applies to me.

      2. I don’t mean to burst any bubbles here, but infection sometimes does ‘just “show up” for no reason.’ I had an infection of streptococcus millerii at the site of a knee replacement in my left knee that showed up EIGHT YEARS after the operation. That bacteria is very common and the body usually fights it off, but in my case it settled at the point where blood circulated least and set up housekeeping. Nothing I did or the doctors did caused it. It almost killed me, spiking a temperature of 104 in a matter of a few minutes and putting me in the hospital for a little over a month. That happened 12 years ago with no recurrence, but it did require re-opening the knee to remove the infection and a course of IV antibiotics for a month through a peripherally inserted central catheter (aka, a PICC line) .

        I join in prayer for a successful recovery for you friend, Norman.

        1. My wife had a broken leg that set up an infection but had to leave the hospital and go to a nursing home to recover because Medicare wouldn’t pay for extended hospital care. While at the nursing home the infection because septic and she went into septic shock. They took her to Asheville but it was too late and she died. I think she died at the nursing home but they transported her anyway in an attempt to divert attention from them.

  45. I really don’t know what to say. Please know all of us out here that follow you daily are saying many a prayer. May the Lord bring you all peace and comfort during this time. Cancer is such an ugly and scary thing. Lord be gracious and merciful to Granny! She is so precious to so many!

  46. what great ideas to keep birds away from your fruit. being new to fruit trees I am happy for any and all information.

    my thoughts and prayers are with Granny and all of your family.

  47. I do love starting my day with your posts and I have been waiting for the info about Granny. I will continue to pray for her and the rest of you guys. After watching you show all the crochet items she has done, I do with I could buy one…they are sooo beautiful. Looking forward to today’s read and pray. God Bless.

  48. Cancer really is a horrible disease and it touches everyone. I will continue praying for Granny and all of ya’ll.

  49. I am praying for you! All of you! My heart is so heavy right now. Without Jesus, this worry would be unbearable. I am thankful for His safe and loving arms. God is a God of marvelous works and miraculous miracles. I am standing with you and claiming them in Jesus name for your Mom right now. Our hope and victory over all that the world throws at us is in personally knowing Jesus as our Savior. His promises are true. I continually pray for His peace, strength, and comfort in your thoughts and hearts for you and your family. I love you all!

    Donna. : )

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