Nippy and Sopping Wet.

 Yep, it is mighty cool and just soaking wet out there. The hens are happy enough to mostly stay in the coops to graze on the stuff given to them. Just threw out some broccoli pieces that were trimmed off the stuff put into a casserole. Rice, mushroom, broccoli-cheddar soup, and fresh broccoli in a big Corningware pot in the oven. That is supper and probably breakfast or something tomorrow.

Got a call from AnnaBeth Graf to tell me that her part of Mississippi had the nerve to get cold. But it is not too cold for all her pretty trees and bushes to bloom. You all KNOW what blooms in North Central Texas this time of year--juniper pollen. At least the ragweed is pretty well finished for the time being. Ah well. This is home even if it is colder than a well-digger's backside in winter and hotter than a two-dollar pistol in summer. 

Talked to my cousin John Pollard and his wife Wham last night. They seem to be doing ok. John said they stopped taking metformin, and their blood sugars went way down! Dang these idiots for finding "answers" to problems for diabetics. Not unusual for the removal of drugs to take care of some of the problems, however. Lewis was taking some kind of medicine for his diabetes, and the first side effect listed was heart attacks. Well, duh. Guess what happened. Argh. Then there is the difference in the treatments for cataracts. Roger Thonton told me he had his done by laser and had no problems whatsoever. My one was done the old-fashioned way and has a ripple in it. sigh Next time will ask about the laser surgery with whatever doctor offers it who has had plenty of experience. 

AnnaBeth told me she has a brand new great-granddaughter--RubyBelle? I think that is right. One thing about it, not many other little girls will have that name. My Jennifer met plenty of girls over the years with her name. Kinda like Mary, Jane, and Martha when we were growing up. 

Have pretty much stayed off of FB and the internet except to order some dog food for the critters. Sent an inquiry about the SportMix Premium High Energy food that has a recall on it. The dogs have not eaten much of it at all. The other bag of Pedigree still has some in it. Just tried the other out, and they liked it. But have no idea what to do with it if it can't be used. Can see me hauling ten pounds of dog food at a time to the trash bin. Good grief! Maybe Monday the company will tell me that this lot number is ok. Certainly don't want to take a chance of killing my dogs! Or the doves and sparrows for that matter.

Connie didn't sound too bad this morning, but she slept in until about 9:30. Her cats are much nicer about getting her out of bed than these two dogs. Honestly think the hens would figure a way out of the coop if they were left in there much past daybreak. They certainly would let the neighbors know of their "plight."

Mended a toy this morning and put in another squeaker. Have no idea what Sylvia did with it, but it is no where in sight. She may have hid it in the couch. Both dogs think the couch is their personal hidey hole for assorted goodies. Can remember finding lids and things under the couch a few times that our old cat slid under there and under the ice box--(that is refrigerator to you kids). It was so funny to see his reaction when his toys showed up. He would sit there and look down his nose like, "Ahem, would you just put those in a corner for me, my dear woman." The dogs are like that about finding a bone that one or the other has hidden out in the yard. One will look at the other as if he or she had been wronged terribly! How dare anyone mess with MY--rawhide, bone, tennis ball, or whatever. Jennifer says that her dogs regularly hide things out in their backyard. And then the tussle is on! Think their chihuahua is the only "big" dog in that group who has more nerve than common sense. The others are too big to care about Pepper's toys.

The UPS or Fedup guy came earlier and brought me a really soggy package. The thing was stuck back together with tape and cellophane stuff. The bags inside were plastic, so it was not a big deal, but still. Paid nearly $8 for shipping, and the package came apart! Anyway, if it ever stops raining, the packages will be opened and the seeds spread. Can hardly wait to see what the stuff will look like growing.

Have some sunflower seeds that are supposed to grow big and pretty--not like the usual wild ones. Want to plant some right next to the ramp to shelter the rails there. Will probably have morning glories grow up the sunflowers! Once morning glories get started, it is really hard to convince them to leave. They just keep coming back. Not that they are not pretty, but still.

Other than the fact that the hens are laying and the dogs are willing to run in the mud, guess nothing has changed around here. Maybe tomorrow will be a day to think about new things or something. Life goes on. 

Please remember to pray for those taken ill by this Covid mess. Our doctors and nurses are beyond tired. And families are hurting. May God bless us and heal us. You are loved.

 

Watching for Sundown.

 It's cold. Thirty-nine is not all that bad, but it is also very, very wet out there. Just enough breeze to make me wear my hat--the kind with ear flaps and a tie under the chin! The hens have stayed pretty much around inside the coops today because of the rain and the wind. Can't blame them at all! This kind of cold makes some of us old hens sore. And it is supposed to freeze at night for over a week. Such fun--not.

Talked to Jennifer this afternoon after sending her some pictures of my first tries on Reece's hankies. Think the letters are a bit large, but at least this way my eyes can see them while punching my skin into the cloth! Yep, going to leave some DNA in these mementos. LOL

Saw an embroider kit on Amazon when this thread and the hoops were ordered. It was called a punch embroider kit. Hmm. Might be fun and something to do other than read or watch Netflix, BritBox, or the hens and dogs. Will have to get this project finished first.

Jennifer sent me a picture of Grayson with his llama that he wanted. He now has his very own toddler sized llama. Had no idea it was that big, but seems like it did say something about 30 inches or something. It does look a bit like the real thing. Still want a pair of alpacas for my yard--the real ones. Not sure if the city would say anything, but they probably would.

Connie says that one hour she will feel half way decent and then the next hour will feel like warmed over oatmeal. Then Jenn said that Art, who has been over this for a month now, is still having days when he can just barely function. Apparently it can take ten weeks to get over the mess. And now one more of Jennifer's friends has lost her sense of smell and taste. That means Reece can't go over to visit his friend Jacob. Whether or not we like it, we need to stay at home and away from other folks.

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve--happy anniversary to my daughter and her husband. That is about all the celebrating this ol' gal can do. Can't even twiddle my fingers or thump them on the desk without upsetting the dogs. sigh Life goes on.

Read some stuff on the Jerusalem Post that ticked me off; then read some stuff on FB that made me wonder how things are about to fly in the face of all we might have expected. Lord knows we don't need any more killing or dying, but apparently those in Iran plan to do us a number on the anniversary of the guy that was killed. Never a dull moment in politics or world stupidity. We may never see another event like the ones coming up in January. The best we can do is ask God for protection and His blessings.

Think a movie called the Spanish Princess is calling my name. Hope it is good and maybe has a laugh or two. We will see.

May you all stay warm and safe. You are loved.

Yawns and Such.

 Dearly beloved, it is so easy to be sleepy right now. The weather is just about perfect for naps and other snoozes. The dogs don't seem to agree, but then, they don't take allergy meds either. And the hens are just as busy as ever scratching around and clucking their displeasure at being scooted out of the way by rampaging dogs who want to chase up and down the fence line after Jerry on his bike or the puppies who seldom ever go anywhere except around the fence line. Oh well. 

The temperature is not the least bit bad today, and the wind is just blowing softly instead of the usual gale force stuff. Can't gripe, but it does not prevent the spread of 9.8 pollen by any means. Tomorrow is supposed to only be 8. something. Joy to the world. Eyebrow raised here. Sneezing is one of my favorite activities next to reading. ahem

Made potato, onion, pepper soup and threw in some butter, some cheese, and a speck of buttermilk ranch dry dressing. Not bad at all. Ate too much, but it is difficult not to do so. And too, that kind of soup is not the best in the west left over.

Connie is still sick as a horse, and Phyllis Woodall said that their daughter's covid has developed into pneumonia. Please pray for these who have been so afflicted. Saw a post today from Lesca who had some suggestions about how to deal with the mess at home. Not sure it will still be on my clipboard:

This was shared on a Covid survivor group...I copied it from a friend and have heard many of these before but it seems like it could be helpful:

HOW TO FIGHT COVID AT HOME

No one ever talks about how to fight Covid at home. I came down with Covid in November. I went to the hospital, running a fever of 103, a rapid heart beat, and other common symptoms that come with Covid. While I was there they treated me for the high fever, dehydration and pneumonia.

The doctor sent me home to fight Covid with two prescriptions - Azithromycin 250mg & Dexamethason 6mg. When the nurse came in to discharge me, I asked her, "What can I do to help fight this at home?" She said, “Sleep on your stomach at all times with Covid. If you can’t sleep on your stomach because of heath issues sleep on your side. Do not lay on your back no matter what because it smashes your lungs and that will allow fluid to set in.

Set your clock every two hours while sleeping on your stomach, then get out of bed and walk for 15-30 min, no matter how tired or weak that you are. Also move your arms around frequently, it helps to open your lungs. Breathe in thru your nose, and out thru your mouth. This will help build up your lungs, plus help get rid of the Pneumonia or other fluid you may have.

When sitting in a recliner, sit up straight - do not lay back in the recliner, again this will smash your lungs. While watching TV - get up and walk during every commercial.

Eat at least 1 - 2 eggs a day, plus bananas, avocado and asparagus. These are good for Potassium. Drink Pedialyte, Gatorade Zero, Powerade Zero & Water with Electrolytes to prevent you from becoming dehydrated. Do not drink anything cold - have it at room temperature or warm it up. Water with lemon, and little honey, peppermint tea, apple cider are good suggestions for getting in fluids. No milk products, or pork. Vitamin’s D3, C, B, Zinc, Probiotic One-Day are good ideas. Tylenol for fever. Mucinex, or Mucinex DM for drainage, plus helps the cough. Pepcid helps for cramps in your legs. One baby aspirin everyday can help prevent getting a blood clot, which can occur from low activity. "

Drink a smoothie of blueberries, strawberries, bananas, honey, tea and a spoon or two of peanut butter.

We always hear of how Covid takes lives, but there isn't a lot of information out there regarding how to fight Covid. I hope this helps you or someone you know, just as it has helped me.

Anyway, if this is helpful to anyone, there's that. Connie says that she still has not run a fever. Go figure. But she is drooping desperately without any energy. Not much anyone can do to help in that case.

Yours truly has been having panic attacks daily now for a while. It does not make any sense at all. Jenn thinks that the generic drugs that are my current anti-depressant might be part of the problem. Not much telling. Will be taking samples starting Sunday, so we will see if it makes any difference. Know for a fact that some generic drugs are really not the same as the ones the drug companies sell for top prices. Not a LOT of difference, but maybe just enough.

Sent my oldest grandson a llama for his birthday, and he called me today to say thank you. Think it is a fairly large stuffed thing, but one of the dogs wanted to take it away from him. Hope it remains in good shape for a little while. Know what would happen around here! Wonder what it would be like to have a couple of alpacas out in the back yard. Can't imagine. They do eat grass instead of brush, however. Wouldn't that be great. No mowing. Think llamas are a little more aggressive than the alpacas. Just what we need in this neighborhood!

Not many eggs were in the nests today, but ONE white egg was in a nest. Athena finally got around to actually laying an egg instead of just sitting on the nest! Crazy hen. She is so funny and bossy. If she were a rooster, she would jump someone on a daily basis just to prove a point. Not very big in size, but big ol' attitude!

Awfully tired tonight so will put the hens up and go to bed as soon as that is possible. Just feel as if the weather is sitting on my shoulders. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

May God give you peace and joy. You are loved.

Little Errands.

 Seems as if something always needs to be done even when we spend quite a bit of time not really doing anything. This morning Connie sounded terrible and apparently did not feel great either. She needed to pay her rent but needed a check from the bank, and then the payment had to be made elsewhere. Eventually will tell her about how bills can be paid online through her bank if her account is like mine. It is so much easier than doing it in person. Anyway, stopped by her bank next to the post office, took the check to the office of the owner, and went about my own rat killing--well, back home and then to the pharmacy after it opened. The drug that Dr. Blackwell prescribed has been working well and has not caused any side effects that are obvious. And my ability to walk has improved considerably. That is definitely worth the few cents it costs per day.

The weather is just yucky today. It is not so cold, but the wind is about 15 mph here on the hill above the lake. No one can understand that everywhere else on the sides of the lake, the wind does not cause much of a problem. But it goes right across the lake and UP this hill like a jet engine taking off--blowing everything right in front of it. The hens could tell it is pretty rough since their feathers turn upside down out there in the yard. Poor critters.

The postman brought my Amazon box to me this morning. Yuban coffee and paper plates. It is not much, but it beats going to the store--especially since Yuban is not offered much locally. Maybe the stores have small cans of coffee, but definitely not the compostable paper plates. Really trying to be just a bit more conscious of what kind of paper products that go into the land fill. The Yuban coffee containers are plastic and reusable for other stuff. One of these days the number of plastic containers in the workshop will have to be combined or otherwise recycled. Some things just don't last over a couple of years before they fall apart.

We are supposed to get rain maybe tomorrow and the next day--and eventually some snow or ice--well, freezing rain by Thursday. Will have to be sure that the hens have clean water in the coops before that happens. Usually about every other day they get fresh water, but if it looks like it will be cold, the heated water bowl has to be cleaned good and fresh water put in it along with the larger water bottles. Never a dull moment.

Jerry has had a couple of guys over at his house off and on today. The dogs do not approve. Then he came over and wanted to use the battery charger to charge a couple of batteries. It seemed best to me to plug in the charger and slip it under the door to the workshop rather than leave the workshop unlocked. That way only a battery charger might leave home instead of other tools. Or not. We will see.

Glad to see Donny Anderson home from the deer hunt. Think he goes for the fun of it rather than the deer, but then, that is like most "hunters." It doesn't seem to bother Patty one way or the other. It does not change what she does in a day either way. It just makes me feel better to see him at home in case Patty needs him. God gave her a good guy. You got to figure, too, that being out in nature is good for what ails or keeps a man happy. God knew what he was doing when he made us love nature.

Have been trying to make some initials look good linked together. The ones in my name were always easy after my name became Dickerson. N and then the D circled back over the N is easy to keep together. We will see how it works out in embroidery thread with three initials. My stitches are still not neat enough, but with a bit more practice, they might pass as decent. Grandmother Pollard's work was always neat. Or it seems to me it was the same on the front as the backside. But then, that is my memory. Things always seem better in our memory.

Just filled up the two smaller bottles of water and re-nailed some tacks on the middle coop door. Those tacks come out too easily, but the one inch tacks are too long and go through the wood of the door. Argh. Eventually will have to make a better door for the middle coop. Hmm. Maybe a wooden door that is solid. Will have to mention it to Jerry as he is constantly coming up with junk and stuff that might work. Right now he has about ten different kinds of windows outside that he wants to apply to his little house. It would be a good thing if he actually got the windows installed as the window on the front of the east side has NO glass window in it at all. Gotta be a cold wind blowing in from that side. Oh well. He was the one who took it out in the first place.

Just measured the coop doorway--about 37 inches and just slightly taller than me. Hmm. They have a place somewhere in this town where they sell used doors and windows. Will have to think about this. 

Watching those two puppies carrying on through the fence at Thompson and Sylvia made me think of what Jennifer said about her dogs: They would go right through my fence--or under it. These two puppies might eventually, and you know danged well they would kill chickens! Will have to go walk the corners where they bark the most often and check to see if the fence is loose. Yep, always something.

Going out today meant using hand sanitizer, so now my fingers are sore around the fingernails where it gets so dry. You'd think the vitamins and stuff that we take would be enough to keep our skin fairly supple, but just like naturally curly hair loses its curl as you get grey, the skin loses its ability to bounce back from wear and tear. Such is life.

Don't know diddly squat today, so will just hope that the rest of you can find joy in whatever you do, and that you will all stay safe and well. You are loved.

Cooking.

 Ok. No excuse to be hungry AT ALL! Well, maybe a little. Ate a huge breakfast: two scrambled eggs, three pieces of bacon, two pieces of toast with pepper jam on one and raspberry jam on the other. Ummmm good. Still, wanted something hot for dinn-upper. So, cooking chicken thighs with brown rice, broccoli, and onion soup mix. That should do the trick. Anyway, it smells good.

Soreness from one end to the other after my little farmer exercise yesterday. Don't think lifting the bale of hay did it, but the two sacks of scratch might have had a lot to do with it. And yes, Jennifer, lots of water is being consumed here! She is always concerned about not enough water causing soreness. And it can. But not this time. Anyway, despite the soreness and sneezes from the dadgummed pollen, my attitude is pretty happy today. A Black Maran was on the nest and did her thing. Posted a picture of her egg--so deep, pretty and brown. Now if that were only a real chocolate egg! LOL  Oh, and Athena had to get in the nest with another hen just to practice! No white egg, mind you. She just felt like getting in there to show up on a nest somewhere. Have put alfalfa in several new places and in the current nests, so we will see if the girls will deal with it. So far, so good. The timothy hay is much softer and more pliable, but the alfalfa was all the Feed and Garden Store had. TSC sells the timothy in bags that weigh about ten pounds--and cost almost as much as a bale of hay! Anyway, buying from a local dealer appeals to me more than buying from TSC. 

Jennifer was saying this morning that it is almost as if Amazon has taken over the sales of most things lately. And it does seem like it. She said that she drives by houses and sees boxes stacked up on front porches. It is such an easy way to get things when going to the stores is a little scary. Gotta tell a funny, however. Someone suggested that if you have a cat litter box, fill an Amazon box with it and set it on the front porch. Giggling. It might take a porch pirate by surprise.

Chewie sent more toys to my critters today. They have not managed to reduce all of them to tatters yet. Two alligators had three or four squeakers each, so every once in a while, a squeak happens. Kinda fun to see them trying to get the squeakers out. Sylvia was able to dislodge a large squeaker from one of the rubber bones. It is still IN there, but no longer squeaks. Told her she has to leave the toys in the house. But she still looks at me as if my mind might have changed. Nope.

Have started another detective series by Steve Higgs. He is the one who had the old detective with the failed drug dog as characters. Good, clean, non-violent stories that are fun. If ever a person had that much good humor, that is the kind of story for them to tell or write. This series has an older--well, somewhat older--in her fifties--woman as the detective--private eye by accident. Good laughs.

Put clean sheets on the bed this morning and got all the laundry done and put away. Pat myself on the head for that one! This is beautiful weather. Sat outside and petted a hen and threw a ball for Sylvia. Thompson said he had things to sniff, thank you very much. Nothing outside makes him sneeze though. Lucky dog! Would worry if the dogs or hens started sneezing. Dirt is just about their territory, huh. It's stuff inside the house that can make them sneeze--the dogs, not the hens.

Guess everyone has seen that post where someone said that on December 31 at 12:01 that hindsight would be 2020. ahem Absolutely ready for this year to get better or go on about its nevermind. Each day is something from explosions to some other bad stuff. 

Oh boy! Sylvia has a toy doughnut in her mouth and is shaking it viciously as she growls and Thompson barks. Dogs are in their window view! Just the pups that never stay home, but still, they should not be in the line of vision as far as these two are concerned.

Had no idea how much food this little idea was going to make. The entire skillet is full of rice, chicken, and broccoli. Not bad tasting stuff, too. Just a bit hot. Oh well. It might be good for breakfast tomorrow.

Jerry came over and asked me to call his mom and ask her to bring food. So a case of ramen noodles that would never be eaten here (compliments of Connie cleaning out the stuff Rebekah left behind) went to his house. Always have stuff that needs to be shared somehow.

Got out the sewing machine and actually filled a bobbin before having to look up how to thread the machine itself. Got the pillow case turned so that it would not let the pillow fall out. Now will get some tucks taken in some jammies for Thompson. Think a button hole and button on the easy to apply jackets will do for Sylvia. No foot holes for miss contrary! 

Still need to find something heavy to put on top of the treat box to keep Thompson out. You have no idea how much 20 pounds of dog treats can be until trying to find a way to keep it away from a devious dog. May just have to put the box in the office and shut the door. A FEW in a jar that Roger Thonton gave me should be enough to keep the dogs happy for a day or two. Will have to remember not to leave the door open when going in there to sew. --So the box is now in the office, the jar on the floor filled with largish bones.

Be so glad when this allergy pill kicks in. Do ya know that sneezing makes all the muscles in your back get tight? Well, it does. 

Some dogs can easily catch a frisbee. Sylvia can catch a tiny treat thrown half way across the room. But then, her mouth is not small, either.

Don't know much to tell either funny or happy, so will just say that it is a good life in Texas today--even with juniper pollen chasing us. May you all avoid the sneezes and rest well. You are loved.

Crummy Crumbs.

 Sitting here after soaking the old bod in a hot tub of Epsom salts. Nothing like bedroom slippers, sweats (that actually match), and a bottle of water with Airborne in it. Was hurting pretty good after unloading two 50-lb bags of scratch and a bale of alfalfa. Had to spread several blocks of hay in the nests and inside one of the coops. One hen is out there sitting on the nest with the hay in it. Hoping the rest of them are just as accepting as she seems to be. Hens are funny about what is in their nests. Usually use timothy hay, but Farm and Garden only has the locally grown kind of hay. Did not want wheat straw. That stuff burns just looking at it. Alfalfa is a little less flammable and smells SO good. Of course, any hay is a case of the sneezes for me, but at least this stuff makes good nesting material after it is broken up a bit.

Farm and Garden also had a grain free dog biscuit treat in a 20-lb box. Oh yes! The dogs like them. They are called sportmix and are a medium sized bone shape--a little bigger than the little bitty ones but not nearly as big as the B I G ones. Anyway, it only cost $24 for 20 pounds, so that seemed like a good deal. 

Oh my! Sylvia has gas! A match lit right now might cause a flame all the way across the living room! But she is happy. A Chewie box was delivered and contained TWO identical squeak bones--the tough ones like Kong. So far it still squeaks and has not lost any pieces of blue plastic. No one who does not have dogs would understand why my living room has little pieces of stuffing lying around. No matter how much is picked up and tossed in the trashcan, some more little pieces show up. And then there are the crumbs. These dog biscuits tend to be a little crumbly--especially when attacked over the rug next to my desk. Both dogs will clean up the crumbs, but they have to have them pointed out. Sylvia is like a vacuum. Too bad that does not include the little pieces of toy stuffing.

Archer County had a pretty good grass fire today that spread smoke all over this end of Wichita County. Thankfully the fire was put out fairly quickly. The wind, the dry grass, and the lack of moisture would be a very bad combination right now. Right now neither of my water hoses is connected to a faucet due to the freezes we keep having. Would not want to have to put out a fire with a water bucket! That is one reason to keep diatomaceous earth in the hen coops instead of hay. The clay stuff kills odors, is easy to pick up with a rake, and dries out rather quickly so that no moisture is trapped to make mold or other stuff that might make a hen sick. It is about $20 a great big sack, but it covers well. Of course, my shoes are constantly dusty and look like someone's shoes who works in a mine or something. Oh well.

Connie did not sound too good this morning, but she still has not run a fever. Go figure. Donny Anderson said that his cousin had this mess for over two weeks and never ran a fever either. Somehow that is a little scary. But then, he said that his cousin could hardly walk from his bed to his chair without needing to rest and get his breath back. Sounds as if he really had it bad. But he is an active man who neither smokes nor drinks. But then, neither does Connie. Guess it is a bit like Russian roulette--some will get it and some won't. Let's just pray that those who have it won't pass it on to anyone else. Just a real good time to stay at home and find something to occupy our time.

Got the table almost totally cleared off in preparation for putting up the sewing machine--but still have not moved it to the kitchen. The light in there is better and the chairs more comfortable. More room to spread stuff around, too. This entire house needs to be reorganized and some stuff tossed or given away. Saw some ideas of things made with buttons and just about talked myself into making a picture with buttons. Just A L M O S T. But not quite. Buttons make me wonder if Cindy got all the flannel shirts finished. Will have to call her and ask one day this week. She is so talented and persistent in her focus. One or two of the things that never happen around here any longer--talent and persistence.

Got tickled at Jennifer's glee about one of the gifts arranged by her mother-in-law. They make lists on Amazon, of course, but Jenn said this had been on her list forever--a laundry thing like those carts at the laundromat where things can be hung up as they are taken from the bottom of the hamper. It made me laugh. She has a family of four, so yes, it is a needed thing. But the boys are SUPPOSED to do their own laundry. Uh huh. They need a couple of apartments out in the back of the acreage with their own washers and dryers! Guess the kids could build a couple of three "units" out there for moms and kids and then rent them out when everyone grows up or otherwise leaves the premises. Not sure the HMO would take kindly to that, but things may change by then.

Jennifer had a picture of Hanan enlarged and framed after he died. The picture was taken a week before his burn accident and looks so good! It also makes me realize what that episode of his life did to him when compared to later pictures. But in this picture he looks quite a bit like my daddy when he was young. They were a lot alike in other ways, too. Life changes us. And right now lives are changing drastically all over the world. We just have to pray for each other and remember that nothing will stay the same, and what comes next may actually be even better somehow.

May you each find something to occupy you to satisfaction and happiness in achievement. You are loved.

Beets!

 Cooked a few golden beets the other day and put them in a ziplock bag. Just finished nibbling on them and having to deal with two begging dogs. Did ya know that a dog will eat cooked beets? These two will--probably just because they saw me eating them. But they are pretty strange anyway. It could be the company they keep. ahem

The new dog food looks like rabbit pellets. But both dogs seemed to think it was ok while eating it from my hands. One thing about it, if the dogs wouldn't eat it, you can bet the hens would! Perfect size. And high protein at that. Maybe tomorrow if a trip to the Farm and Garden Store happens, will pick up some chicken scratch and maybe some timothy hay if they have it. Wishing for a couple of crates like the ones the hens like to sit in, but trying to think about what else around here will work just as well. Coming up with substitutes used to be my mom's favorite job. Thought about her today as the paint handle for the long paint roller fit into the corner of the pullet coop. Had two handles that worked. Now to see what the pullets think of these new roosts--assuming they think. And yes, that is a pretty weird paragraph or whatever that started out with dog food and ended with chicken roosts!

Still did not get my sewing machine out today. Maybe tomorrow. Have a pillow case that needs to be flipped under so the pillow will stay inside the case. Have seen these things done before, but don't really remember exactly how it was done. Nothing like trying, huh. Probably could get on YouTube and see it done if there is a place for turning pillow cases into locking sleeves. Or something like that. Oh well. Will look later.

Used my new corn sack today to put heat on my neck and then on my back. Good size for both! Thanks to Cindy Jones, my neck feels better. Wish this idea had been one of my go-to remedies a long time ago.

Tried taking a nap twice today. Nope. Not happening with these two dogs. Play fighting and barking at everything that moves in the neighborhood. The couch was perfect for a nap in the sunshine, but the dogs thought the neighbors were doing something that needed their attention. Such is a dog's life. The windows in the living room are just like a big TV to them. They lie down with their heads propped up on the couch arm and watch the world go by. It has to meet with their approval or they raise cane.

Found the series of books that disappeared on my Kindle. The one thing that this author does that drives me wild is using the wrong words: "than" instead of "then" type of mistakes. Well, and she has a main character with the morality of an alley cat. None, in other words. But at least she is a good detective and a true friend to a few people. Not many of those in this world--the friends, that is.

Connie sounded better this morning. Maybe the worse part of the Covid virus is past for her. She was one sick puppy for a few days. And Sharon Dickerson said that her niece seems to be better. Brain surgery cannot possibly be any fun at all for any reason. So glad that it can be done for those who need it, however. Now if Sharon's son David could get his rotator cuff repaired or otherwise arranged so that it would work right and without pain. Remembering what Lewis went through with that surgery would make me cringe just to consider it for others. We are blessed that God has given man such abilities to repair and help our bodies heal themselves. Now if only our hearts and minds would heal all over this world. But then, that is why He sent His son: To give us repentance and forgiveness.

Tonight may you all find joy in life and rest in sleep. You are loved.

Errands.

 Thought my friend Cindy needed a couple of pillows for some reason, but come to find out, she made a bed cover for my dogs that required two regular sized pillows! The cover says, "I love dogs!" and sure enough, they like it, too. Of course, they still sleep on the couch, but if it came right down to it, this bed would fill the bottom of their crate with comfort. That is, IF they would sleep in the crate and not on the bottom or side of MY bed. Not spoiled or anything. Anyway, Cindy and Steven brought the cover and another corn bag for microwave heat over this afternoon. May even use the corn bag here in a bit. That moist heat does do wonders for the body aches.

Connie definitely has Covid, so she is under quarantine. Picked up her meds and some groceries at the pick up site for her. And no, Jennifer, your mom did not even touch the door handle. Put everything down on the ground next to her door! Trying very hard to be careful. But the scariest part of today was trying to get out of the parking lot at Market Street. Good grief, Gertrude! Talk about a traffic jam! Oh well. Don't have to go anywhere for several more days. 

Daniel Hernandez is not answering his phone and the phone just makes a weird noise as if it is connected to a fax machine. Hope all is well at his house. Could certainly use his help, but am not desperate.

The hens are blowing from one side of the yard to the other. This morning that wind would have frozen water on your upper lip! The girls have water in the coops, so no problem there, but still, they like to drink out of the big black bowls that were originally bought for the dogs. The dogs had consumed every drop out of their own water bowl this morning, so that had to be rinsed and refilled. It is right by my kitchen door next to the deep freeze, so it is easier to notice than when it is near their food bowls. Still, it is easy for them to drink it dry. 

So far my laptop is still going strong. A few of the keys are a little harder to hit than they were, but nothing has stopped working. Still shaking my head about being so dumb as to have a cup of coffee on the desk near my computer! Dumb is when you know better and do it anyway.

Had one more volume of mystery books in a series to read when my Kindle decided to unload and reload or whatever. So that last book of the set may be long gone. It was not the greatest set of books, but still. Have now started on one that is supposed to be funny. Not laughing yet. But at least it is about a kidnapped cat. Could be worse.

Need to get my sewing machine out and take up a couple of jammies for Thompson. He is so easy to handle compared to Sylvia. Come at her with anything that resembles a leg hole and she just takes off now. Honestly. Have a couple that don't require legs to be put in holes, so she will just have to wear those. 

Still practicing embroidery on my flannel shirts. Did a freehand of ND on my blue shirt with purple thread. Looks kinda strange up close and not much better far away. Oh well. Maybe by the time it warms up a bit, my embroidery will improve. 

Had a couple of sour dough English muffins with veggie style cream cheese and smoked salmon for din-upper. Ended up giving most of it to the dogs. Still got indigestion, so now tippling with some Australian ginger beer (non-alcoholic). Hoping the indigestion will disappear. Know better than to eat bread, but sometimes it is just too tempting. sigh

Thompson has finally gained a little weight. Of course, Sylvia has definitely gained weight. She is not going to run unless Thompson starts it. And of course, running is an outside activity that requires Mom to be out there to watch and nearly get run over! Not that running over a few hens is out of the question. It's just too cold to stay outside and feed hens out of my hand or watch these two dingalings run around like--well, like dingalings!

Have absolutely no excuse to be tired, but there it is. Haven't done much of anything to even find an excuse, but sometimes one's thinking wears one out--or so it seems. Read some on the Jerusalem Post and decided to delete the rest of the articles. Maybe Iran will fall off the map one of these days and everyone can say, "Oh, too bad." They insist on being crazier than fleas on a camel, but they want that nuclear bomb to prove it. So they will keep throwing bombs at our embassy or letting their bombs go to Syria to throw at Israel. One of these days the Israelis are going to start throwing things back big time. Ah! God bless this tiny world of His children.

May all of you enjoy a good night's rest and a couple of days of time with your families--or by yourselves if that happens to be the situation. May you all have peace. You are loved.

Coffee Accident!

Ya know how sometimes you know better and do things anyway? Well, yours truly had a cup of coffee--with creamer in it, no less--on the desk when my phone rang. Reached over to get the phone and knocked the coffee over onto my laptop. So now some of the keys have this slightly stiff feel about them. But so far they are still functional. Shaking my head and feeling like an idiot. How many times have you seen something happen and told yourself you would never do that--and then DO it! Anyway, the entire desk, the floor, the book case--all of those things had to be cleaned thoroughly because they would otherwise be a sticky mess. Tried very hard to be sure that all the stuff was off the keyboard and the area where the sound comes out. Had to change the battery in my mouse, but at least it is still working. Dumb! Just dumb.

It is supposed to get cold tonight, and it just makes me want to go to bed and hide from the cold. But that won't do any good at all. Will have to have the heater on in the big coop and hope the other hens will be warm enough. It is only supposed to get down to 27 degrees, so it isn't like it will be minus teens or something. Still, the wind is blowing a gale out there. The hens are hiding under the deck at the moment to keep from blowing away. Poor critters.

The neighbor down on Kemp has a small dog with a piercingly annoying bark. And it does. ALL the freaking day! My dogs have finally stopped worrying about its barking, but it is still annoying me. Oh well. They also don't like all the noise coming from Lake View Street. But that part bothers me less. Grouches live here--especially one without fur.

The phone call that came after about nine this morning was from Connie. Her friend Nancy who used to work with her at Blue Cross tested positive for Covid. Connie had just recently babysat her two boys. So now Connie has to be concerned that the illness that has been dogging her this week might be Covid. Please pray for her. And then pray for the folks they exposed down at Wolf Lodge! They spent the weekend down there. Connie was going to have to call her dentist since she had been to see him. And then she has to see about getting a test to see if that is what she has. Joy to the world. And no insurance. That test should be free in my estimation. Just got a message from Connie to say that she got tested at 3:30 and should know in a couple of hours.

Spoke with Michelle Malay today. She said that she had been avoiding any news and especially politics. Then we both agreed that this stupid pork bill should be vetoed if at all possible. Does anyone in their right mind really believe that $600 would make a difference at ALL!? But please, let's be sure that feminism is working well in Pakistan or some other off the wall country. Argh! Oh, and little children should be able to choose their own genders. WHAT is the name of common sense does any of that have to do with helping Americans get through the Covid mess? Now, that is my political post for the week! The rest of the month? Whatever.

Have been practicing embroidery on my flannel shirt and it looks like something a child might have done. May have to call my daughter-in-law and see if her embroidery machine, or the part of her sewing machine that embroiders, would be able to do what I want done. Really want to do it myself, but want it to be neat and clean looking. Will practice some more and see what happens. Being able to see well enough helps, but steady hands and better technique takes time.

Every day we get to listen to the sirens that go over to the State Hospital. A person might think that folks over there would be safe enough from all the disturbing things that can happen to the mentally ill, but such is never the case. It's like a prison with a repertoire of drug induced strangeness. Who knows if the drugs are worse than the illnesses for which they are prescribed. In today's world, it is a toss up of which is more evil, the drug folks or the politicians.

Guess it is time to concentrate of the beauty that God has given us. Ordered more flower seeds today from Etsy. Can't plant anything just yet, but at least it is good to dream. Michelle said she needed to get out her needle and thread and mend some dog toys. Her hounds are much older than my dogs. The toys here are beyond the needle and thread stage. But we still can love these critters and the sweetness that God gives all animals. Flowers and critters. Can't be anything but uplifting.

May you all rest well, stay safely inside, and find joy in the little things that matter. You are loved. 

Hen Houses.

 Ok, either it was from spending the morning messing around rearranging things in the hen houses, or the next front is about to arrive full force. Not sure where on my body aches the most, but mostly it just aches. DAGGUM! If pollen sneezes were not enough, now walking upright is such fun. And to top it off, got nervous reading about a woman being taken hostage and chewed off all my longer fingernails!! Now that is just pitiful! And then there are two dogs who think they need to whine and whimper to get treats. Had a burger from Whataburger today and Thompson drooled on one knee and Sylvia on the other knee. And now they think it is time for treats!! 

The embroidery thread and hoops came from Amazon today. The threads are so pretty. Certainly hope that what is planned to happen with it turns out well. Never can tell what a person can do until it is tried. Been years since my fingers had time or my mind had interest in making pretty things in thread. My Grandmother Pollard and her mother, Mimmie Camp, could both embroider some of the prettiest things around. And then there was my Great-grandmother Major who made a horse on a pillow just for me! Her design was called punch art maybe. But whatever it was, the pillow top is still among my favorite mementos. 

Went over and visited for a little bit with Cindy Jones today. Her kids had brought back a load of produce the night before, so guess who hauled some home with her! Standing at the sink preparing green beans and thought about the many bushels of beans and black-eyed peas we had snapped on the porch or under the shade trees down on the Dickerson farm. Those were some good times. But today it also made me think about how Joy (mother-in-law) was always sewing something or quilting something. Cindy is like that, too. She is making shirts and pajamas as gifts. Her house is full to the brim with her love. So happy to have her as another sister. She and Sharon have a lot in common with their sewing. 

Knowing how my body is aching, am betting that Michelle Malay is also having the aches. The weather does it to her, too. Well, and probably Judie Brunson as well. RA does things to folks in different ways. My friend Ardie has it worse than anyone in my acquaintance. Her hands are nearly useless, and it is difficult for her to walk. SO many folks in this ol' world are afflicted with this garbage. Living can be hard, but diseases certainly make it mighty challenging. It takes some doing just to have a good attitude.

While rearranging some things in the hen houses, found five eggs on the top shelf again. That danged hen! She refuses to sit in a nest and lay her egg. Have no idea why she won't use a nest, but she is mighty determined. So, had to wash her eggs and told Dr. Blackwell that three of the eggs sent home with her had been washed and had to be kept in the fridge. She had no idea that her eggs were or were not washed. Had to explain that eggs that are unwashed can be kept out for two weeks because of the bloom on the eggs that the hen puts on there as she is laying them. Those that are washed have to be kept in the fridge, however. The bloom is washed off, so they are not as protected from germs, etc.

Got out front and pulled a few weeds out of the flower bed and pulled up the two turnips. Wasn't interested in eating turnip greens, so just left them out there. Shame on me for wasting turnip greens, huh. Looked over the green plants still in the bed and believe it will be hard to find spots to plant the poppy seeds and other winter seeds. Even so, if it can be done, determined to do it! Can just see the blues and purples now!

Cindy was saying that her family plans to plant another garden this year. They have a great big rosemary plant out there on the edge of the garden that came from a plant that was thrown out. Never can tell what will grow when ya least expect it. Found a tiny tomato plant in one of my pots. No, did not drag it out to the green house to be protected, but it might make it if it were put out there. Just too hard to drag things out there and have to cover them with chicken wire to keep the hens from digging in the dirt. As it is, Athena digs up every bit of dirt she finds in any pot she can put a claw in! That hen is about determined! One day went out back and heard her and didn't see her. She was inside a big flower container and digging to the bottom! Crazy hen!

Guess just about everyone who has a telescope has been out trying to count the moons and see the rings on the two planets Jupiter and Saturn. My eyes see blurry lights up there, so it's not like it would help me to have a telescope. It reminds me of the camping trip down into Palo Duro Canyon that we made when Hanan was young--just the three of us, the other two were already away from home. We looked up at the night sky and were amazed how clear it was. It looked as if the stars were just at the ends of our fingertips! No light pollution down inside that canyon. We camped next to the little river that begins down there and travels on through that part of Texas. It was definitely one of the highlights of our time together when we were able to just enjoy BEING together in God's country. When we woke up and made bacon and eggs the next morning on a campfire, we sat there and watched the cedar waxwings flying up from the stream into a cottonwood tree, and then they would fall to the ground as if they were yellow leaves--and then up again. Back and forth. It looked as if it was just because they enjoyed doing it. But the entertainment was not lost on us. Sometimes memories can be such a comfort when we think about the joy and love we shared with others.

Put the calendar that Jennifer sent to me in the office over another calendar. She put the birthdays on the appropriate days for me. No excuse to forget, huh. It really should not be THAT difficult to remember: Grayson, the 14th; Landon and Tracy the 15th (Feb. and Nov.), Reece the 22nd and Rachel the 23rd (Mar. and July) and the rest of the birthdays are all in May. Why Jennifer and Tracy could not manage to have all the kids in May is beyond me! ahem.......

Well, what could have been a cow or something turned out to be a hedgehog according to Chewie, but almost all of its stuffing has been removed now. It is so funny to see Thompson lying with his front legs on the arm of the couch looking out the window, and Sylvia is trying to get him interested in playing with the toy by taking it over there in her mouth and putting her head down a bit to get him to tug on it. He is not gonna play, thank you very much. He has other things to interest him. He reminds me of the pictures of Snoopy when he acts like a buzzard hanging over a tree--just watching. Always something with these two.

Let us hope that tomorrow will be a good day for this ol' world. And may you all have peace and happiness. You are loved.

Ironing!

 Can't remember the last time the ironing board was set up around here or the last time the iron was used. But can tell you that it won't normally be used again in however many years it has been! But something about a crisply ironed piece of cloth just tells a person something is special about that cloth or the person who has it. Just surprising how things work that way.

Just had to order a new hoop and some thread from Amazon. Really do hope it gets here tomorrow as promised. Eager to get this little project started and finished. Had hoops--a little rusty feeling--and thread--the wrong color. Oh well. Called Cindy to see if she had one to loan, but she was in OKC! Hope she and Nikki or whoever get home safely. Nikki has been doing some work for a guy up there. She is a very kind-hearted woman.

Got a package from Robin Christian today filled with seedless raspberry jelly and pepper jelly. The raspberry made me think of those jelly filled doughnuts in the better shops. SO smooth! Had to call Robin and brag on her both for being so kind to me and for her ability as a jelly maker. She is one very special lady! Her dog Angel had to bark for me and for the neighbors walking by out front. BIG guard dog--about as big as a fluffy bunny that hides under my bed. Still, these fluffs are such loving goofs that we have to have them right next to us.

Got six eggs today out of the 17 that are actually old enough to lay eggs. Athena was sitting on the nest, but she did not lay an egg. Maybe she is practicing? She is the only one here that lays a white egg, so it will be obvious if she ever starts laying again. Henrietta and Edith are not laying--period. They lay green eggs. But have found a pink one a couple of times. Not sure if their color coding has gone haywire or if the Rhode Island Red has been on a bender. Oh well. Have a few eggs saved up, so it is not a problem anyway.

Rustling through all the sewing stuff around here in assorted baskets and tubs has made me realize that a bunch of stuff needs to either be tossed or given to someone who might want that sort of thing. Buttons that came off of coats after WWII and things that are no longer used to keep up hose on legs that are long gone. Yep, things are like antiques around here. Well, guess the old woman qualifies somewhere along those lines as well.

Had a call and then a message on my cell phone today informing me about a fraudulent charge on my checking account. Thought it was a scam and checked my account. It looked ok on the computer, but called just to make sure. AND it was indeed a goof up with someone somewhere. So they credited my account with $320 that did not even show up on the computer. Go figure. Some of us are just a little paranoid about cell phone calls. So many times the stupid call is a "we have been trying to reach you about the warranty coverage on your car!" That is enough to make me want to use foul language. Would love to do something tacky to whoever does that stuff. And then there is the "HOLD" music or noise that the banks make you listen to when you actually call THEM! Oh my! Horrors. That stuff could be easily used as a type of torture device. Cruel and unusual punishment?

It is supposed to be 71 tomorrow and not get down to freezing again until Wednesday night. It really has been a pretty day out there. No blustery wind and just 9.5 of juniper pollen. Yep, sneezing all the day! Can't have one without the other, right? Guess it could be worse.

Called to check on Connie this morning. She sounded like who'dathoughtit! Hope she gets over this mess quickly. It is definitely not any fun getting sick. And right now it is a bit scary.

Finally got to see the pictures that Sharon and Jimmy Dickerson made of their family. The kids are so cute--just handsome and sweet looking. Her youngest son looks so much like his brother Hal from what the pictures showed. Know it must feel good to get to see him and his family right now. The kids were so happy looking over their hats and ear warmers. The little girl was asleep in the back seat of the car and wearing her hat. She was definitely not going to get cold.

Thinking about Sharon's grands reminds me of what my Granddad Pollard used to get for me each year. He always thought my feet were like hunks of ice, and my hands were the same. Every year he bought gloves for me. Grandmother thought little girls should have pretty undies, and that was her department, but Granddad knew what cold was--he had to work out in that mess. Walking to school in winter was not easy, but at least my hands were covered. Have no idea how the teachers back then were able to stay in the same room with all of us wet kids when it rained and no one could go outside except to go over to the cafeteria. That must have been quite the odor! Hope it has improved over the years, but doubt it.

Think the sewing book is in the back bookshelf. Want to remind myself how to embroidery cleanly without having little fuzees. It has been awhile since this ol' gal has done anything with a simple needle, much less embroidery. Glad the book stayed on that shelf all this time.

May you all sleep soundly and awake refreshed. You are loved.

Wing Clips!

 My nose is dripping, and nine pullets are not happy! They just got their wings trimmed again. This evening one was sitting up on the cyclone fence, so obviously it was time to see about getting them to stay closer to the ground. Let me tell ya, that is not an easy task. Catch the critter, hold it against your body, pull the wing out to trim the feathers, and listen to all the horrible squawking! It sounds as if they are at least being tortured! A couple of them were easier to handle, but the rest were all about letting the world know their troubles. Oh well. Think all nine got trimmed--hope so anyway.

Talked to my daughter while she and her friend were on their way into Marble Falls. Told her to stop at the café there that makes the best pies in the entire world--The Bluebonnet Café. Hope they were able to get a couple of pies. It just sounds SO good--thinking of coconut cream or chocolate pie--the REAL kind that are made by a good cook--not that crud that comes out of a can. Anyway, she said they might have time to look around the town, but she said they had worked their feet to the bone following around the wedding party and taking photos. Not my dish of stew! 

Told Jennifer what her sweet number two son had said about a gift list. She said that Grayson is just as sweet, but he takes time to think about things. It's not like it will ever be a competition in sweetness. They are both so danged huggable. And Rachel sent me a picture of the stuff ordered for her--it came TODAY! We were both amazed.

My friend Connie is sick with a sinus infection and bronchitis. That stuff is miserable. She said she is going to "quarantine" herself from anyone for the next two weeks. She really thinks the entire situation began with her visit to the dentist in preparation for a new crown. But then, she has been to her doctor's office recently, too. That scares me. No better place to pick up something than from a doctor's office! Please say a prayer that she gets back on her feet soon.

Sharon Dickerson and Jim went to see grands and said she put the pictures on her FB page. Never could find them, but they are probably there. Yours truly and technology!! Anyway, she said the kids liked the ear warmers and hats that she made for them. She is such a talented seamstress--she and Cindy Jones both could sew up enough good stuff to fit out a Red Cross truck! 

The dogs got in a fuss fight last night and hurt each other. Had to doctor both of them and their cuts. And it was my fault. Usually just hand them treats one at a time so they know that they are both getting one. This time put them on the floor. Oh boy! Won't do THAT again! Had to turn my chair to keep out of the flying fur! Think Sylvia actually is the boss around here, but Thompson didn't like that she got one of HIS pieces. Again, dumb mom is at fault.

Not much has taken place on Dickerson Hill today. Went down to get the mail and found the seeds that were ordered. Reading through the planting instructions made me grin. Will have to go out and disturb some soil, but otherwise have to wait until it gets a little colder for most of them to be planted. Hard to imagine doing it that way, but that is what she said to do. A couple of them will wait until spring, but most of them are winter planted. Hope they come up and grow well. The front flower bed is almost covered in petunia plants, blue bonnets, and some kind of Mexican daisy looking plants. Oh, and a great big turnip. That is the one that makes me laugh. Could probably get a pot of greens out of that thing.

Had left over sliced roast and squash casserole for breakfast this morning. Think it will be roast and eggs tomorrow. Thought about making some chicken salad after reading something about that today, but will just wait until my taste buds are tired of sliced roast beef first. Chicken salad is easy to make and easy to eat. But a few crackers make it better. Have some celery that would work in there, too. Hmm. 

Seems that Israel won't let anyone from England, Denmark, or another country into Israel right now. The Covid mess has mutated and is getting worse instead of better. It figures. 2020 has to go out with a bang. God will just have to protect us and keep us. We all have to die eventually, but no sense in going around other folks and taking a chance on giving anything to anyone else. Let us pray that God will cover us with His mercy.

May you all rest well this night and awake with joy--and a good cup of something hot to drink. You are loved.

Four Squeakers and a Couple of Paws!

 The dogs received a box today from Chewie. They are only allowed two smart sticks or "bones" from the non rawhide chews, but they were allowed to have all four critters with squeakers and stuffing. My desk has a pile of stuffing, four squeakers, two feet, and a couple of paws piled on it. None of the toys squeak now. And there is only a small amount of stuffing left inside the cow. Its feet are no longer attached. But the dogs enjoyed every minute of destruction! In fact, Sylvia is still nibbling on the cow. Such fun!

Told the grands to send me a list of things they might want for their birthdays. So two of them sent me a list of various goodies. Now some books are on the way to Landon, and some kind of stuff that Rachel thought she could use is on the way to her house as well. Have not talked to Grayson yet, but Reece did not want to make a list. He said something that made me really proud of him. "Could it be a memento just to remind me always of you, Ma?" Is that sweet or what? So if this ol' gal can still pick up a needle and thread, he will get something that only an old woman would think about. Always enjoyed my husband's regard for old fashioned manners, and it would be the neatest thing in the world if that could be passed on to one of the boys. And it won't be a truck or something like that. Just a small thing that marks the difference between a man and a gentleman.

Sliced up the roast that cooked yesterday and put two slices in each ziplock bag and placed those bags in the freezer. Then made squash casserole and froze some of that in a ziplock as well. So, now there are at least six days worth of food just sitting there waiting to be eaten whenever. Nothing like planning ahead.

Trying to make the hens clean up the lay mash in the trough where their feeder usually rests. They eat a bite and throw a bite in the air from the looks of it. Anyway, a little bit of scratch thrown on top of the trough has improved the depth of lay mash. May actually fill up their feeder tomorrow, but we will see. It reminds me of a cat that can see the bottom of the feed dish--poor starving creature! These hens think that they need extra attention and maybe some sunflower seeds just to make eggs! Oh well. Can't really gripe. Not sure laying eggs in cold weather is all that much fun, ya know.

Speaking of weather: Winter begins officially this next Monday. And the temperature is supposed to be 65 Monday and 70 on Tuesday. But it won't stay that warm. This is Texas, after all. 

The cow just exploded stuffing all over my new rug. It's head is getting wobbly, too. But Thompson won't give it up to Sylvia. HA!! She barked at something out the window, and Thompson put down the cow. Guess who has it now!! Smart dog!

Truly hope that next week is not too windy and the ground can be worked just a bit. Have some seeds on the way from Etsy that should be here soon. Would love to get them in the ground before December is over. Would love to have the colors all over the front flower bed next to the walk. Some plants are already there, but the ones on their way are supposed to grow tall and be in shades of blue and purple. We shall see. Really need to go somewhere and get a good grubbing hoe. Thought one was supposed to be shipped here before summer, but never got it. Not even sure where it was supposed to come from. Oh well. Can bet Jennifer would tell me to go back over my orders, but not sure if the order was from Amazon. sigh

The east lots are full of pretty hens right now. They go down there and make such a lovely picture. The Hamburgs taken to Paducah made a lovely picture, but it is SO much calmer around here with the hens not jumping over the fences and squawking to be let back inside! Maybe since they have all that room to run around at BillyeRuth's now they can't squawk about anything! Took her one of the Barred Rocks that liked to be petted. And you can almost bet she has to be petted as she was a very demanding little hen. The only problem with her was that she would stop RIGHT in front of me and squat down to be petted. Have to keep your eyes on the ground to keep from tripping over a hen! Sterling used to pet his chickens even though they were less than six weeks old. His wife said she could always tell that he had been petting them because they would swarm for petting! Just went out and put some feed out for the silly critters. Isa not only wanted to be petted, she wanted to come inside! Not quite ready to make this into a hen house!

My phone just told me that my Life 360 was turned off, so it had to be rebooted. HOW it gets turned off is beyond me--same with the battery saver. Technology is not my best friend.

Don't really know anything--on purpose. Still staying off of news channels on AOL or anything else. Sometimes it is just better for one's mentality to remain uninformed, ya know. Don't need to know how many people died of the Covid today. Don't need to know which towns have to roll up the sidewalks at 5 in the afternoon. Will just stay here in my little ol' abode and behave myself--well, mostly. My prayers are with those who HAVE to be around others. And then there are those of us who are going to have to take on another type of personality--hermits at home. 

May you all sleep well tonight and awake with joy. You are loved.

Grey or Gray.

 No matter how it's spelled, the sky is somewhat overcast. But at least it is not really cold. Not exactly a warm day, but the wind is not cutting with cold either. The hens are going around the yard as if the weather is just another part of their lives--which it is. The chives growing in the front yard are bending with the wind, but not whipping around. And the silly Bradford pear still has some leaves on its branches. Guess there is no sense in griping about the weather when nothing in the air makes any difference about our wishes. What is, is. Just a bit of green in the petunia bed out in the flower bed along the front, and even in the cracks in the walkway. A few bluebonnets have grown over the cracks and will be pretty in spring. Hope springs eternal, hmm.

Picked up a load of goodies from Market Street this morning. Had thought maybe it was really not necessary, and then my hairbrush--otherwise called a rake--broke off in my hand going through the mop on my head. That pretty well fixed the need for a few things before the stores get too crazy. Even bought some ginger beer from Australia. No alcohol in it, but boy is it tasty. Bundaberg ginger beer! Pretty tasty and no stomach problems. Can't beat that with a stick!

This time of year always makes me think of weddings. Jennifer and Gary were married back in '94--think that's right--on New Year's Eve. Then Hanan and Jessica were married on New Year's Eve in '98. And today Jennifer went down toward San Antonio to photograph a wedding with her friend. Guess weddings in December are not any worse than birthdays in December. Well, Grayson might not appreciate the fact that his birthday is in January--too soon after Christmas--but it could be worse. Mom and Dad had their birthdays at Thanksgiving, more or less. The fact that we were born meant something to our parents at the time. Grayson was born in 1997, and his brother was born in 2000. Reece's birthday is easy to remember for the year, but not necessarily for the day. But that is why things have to be written down--at least for some of us.

These two dogs! They are biting each other's legs and play growling. Snorting and growling as if they were vicious critters! Gotta love 'em. They got a half a can of dog stew each this morning, so they have not asked for treats except for one time and then were satisfied with just two pieces. Guess it does not take much to make some dogs happy.

The delivery trucks have been pretty busy today running up and down the roads. Saw the FedEx trucks--two of them--on Kemp and another two on Kell today. Then there are those Budget trucks that deliver for someone--not sure if it is UPS, USPS, or FedUp. My mailbox only had two pieces of mail today--cards--one from Mae Van Natta and one from the Guidry family. Boy! The Guidry children are growing like weeds, and that oldest boy is absolutely gorgeous! Someday his mom is going to have to beat the girls off with a switch!

Reading another private eye mystery book about some tobacco research and the kind of chemistry involved in trying to make tobacco less carcinogenic. Not sure if that kind of research has ever actually taken place, but can you imagine what kind of money would be involved in producing cigarettes or cigars that had no tar or any of the chemicals that are so addictive in them? Actually, all tobacco products have ADDED addictive chemicals in them. Not so sure about the vapor stuff, but it probably does as well. Nothing like a good addiction to make more money for grubby companies.

Jennifer has been after me for years to be sure that the stuff used to clean around here does not include pine sol, comet, bleach, or other crap that can kill us. So most of the cleaners here in this house are natural clay or vinegars--except for shampoos. Just not too keen on cleaning my hair with vinegar even if Mom did use that to rinse my hair as a child. Yep, walked around smelling just a bit like cider back then. But the allergies that caused her to use that on my hair were so bad back then that it was a necessity. My brother said he went to the doctor with a rash and was told it was an allergy. "I don't HAVE allergies!" was his remark. The doctor said, "You might not have had in the past, but you do now." So he had to learn not to use certain soaps and not to consume certain foods or drinks. Guess we are never too old to develop allergies.

Have been drinking my coffee straight lately and enjoying it. It makes me wonder why those coffee creamers are so popular--except they are so sweet. And flavored. Nothing like amaretto flavored coffee! But Yuban in the morning is pretty hard to beat. And this morning, after the coffee pot was already empty, the dogs shared bacon and scrambled eggs with me. Not bad. Hardly ever eat eggs, but they are plum tasty in the morning.

Had Amazon deliver a new rug to go under my desk chair. Beige and dark brown go together well, and this rug has a rubber back. Let's hope it stays ON the rug and doesn't fall apart. At least it does not slip or slide around. If it will just be easier to clean, that will help, too. The other rug had a texture that needed help every time it was cleaned. Oh well. A little dirt never hurt.

Trying to stay off of AOL, FB, and even Jerusalem Post right now. Do NOT need anything to upset me or get me ticked off. So little we can do to affect life around us except to pray for others and ask God to bless those we love, our friends, family, and homes, and even the cities where we live. It must be truly horrible to be a first responder right now. Can't imagine how difficult it would be to be a police officer. So, let's pray for them. They need God's protection.

May you each rest well this night and awake with contentment in life and with love for others. You are loved.

Answered Prayers.

 Dr. Blackwell's nurse Jennifer came by just a few minutes ago to pick up some eggs. She told me that her daughter Kaylee has not had any seizures since her surgery, and that they would soon start weaning her off of her medication. It made me so grateful that our prayers have been answered. Thank you for praying for Kaylee and her family.

This has been a different kind of day--starting with yesterday afternoon. Guess who forgot to go out and shut the doors to the hens' house!! They were all ok this morning, but it is a wonder! Not sure just why that happened, but it worries me when my memory seems to fade out like that. Most of the time something triggers each one of my separate activities of the day--getting up with the dogs, going out to open the hen house doors, making coffee, and just the usual morning stuff. But last night Jennifer called, and we talked quite a while. Don't think that was the cause of the forgetfulness, however. Oh well. Nothing was hurt this time. No critters came to bother the girls.

Can you believe this week is almost over!? Not much got accomplished, but guess who does not even seem to care....The dogs don't gripe too much about being stuck in the house with a lazy ol' woman. They just appreciate a few snacks or a run around the yard to chase off the strays along the fence lines. The dogs down on the corner get to bark all they want to, but these two dogs just mostly bark while they are on the couch looking out the windows. Oh, and gripe about having to put on jammies when it gets cold. Today has been warmer, so they came out of the jammies rather early. Mistreated? Nah.

Looks like the weather may be pretty decent on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Maybe--just maybe--something like a little dirt might get turned over in the front flower bed. Have some winter seeds that will make beautiful poppies and other flowers this spring. The hollyhocks are coming up in various places--a perennial flower. They will probably all be the same color, but that is ok, too. Flowers just make me happy. Even the cabbages out front are looking decent. But still have a handy rabbit that likes one of them. That cabbage has a few more leaves on it now, but the dogs keep barking away at that rabbit. Spring certainly would be nice to think about right about now. But we have January and February yet to go before we can look forward to mosquitoes. ahem

Not much to do around here right now except read, watch movies, laugh at my critters, or fight off the dust bunnies. Dumped some bunnies in the trash and took them out to the bin earlier. Honestly don't know how we accumulate so many of those things! Jennifer thinks we had them years ago, and the carpet just hid them. Could have been. These laminate floors show up every bit of hair and dust! Oh well. At least we can tell when the dust has been moved around.

May you all find joy in whatever your hands find to do. You are loved.

EGGsplayin'!

 Gotta gripe. This weather and its changes are doin' it to me! Maybe if we could go outside and walk more without freezin', it might improve everything. Although, the hens are not layin' and the dogs are busy playin'--but mostly inside on the couch! They wear their jammies most of the morning until it warms up some, and then they stay on the couch in the sunshine. Can't blame 'em. 

The rain gauge just showed about a quarter inch of rain. Not much considering how wet it felt out there. But the ground is fairly soft. Used the spade fork to make the hens a little bit happy. Went out to check the rain gauge and they came running as if they were about to find the very best treats in the entire kingdom of feathers! TOLD them to just hang on, but only Isa followed me out to the rain gauge. Then had to go dig up some worms to make the rest of them happy. Isa got a couple, so maybe it was worth it to her.

My nose has been dripping, but think it might just be the juniper pollen. Pollen counts over 8 are normally pretty bad no matter what kind of pollen it may be. At least it is not ragweed right now. Picked up a handkerchief out of my dresser drawer when putting away fresh laundry today, and the hankie reminded me of Mom. She always had a hankie back in the day. And if they were not already embroidered with a pretty flower, she put one on there. She was really good with a needle and thread.

My phone gives me weather and news alerts. Seems a tornado hit down in Florida and maybe another was forming. It does not seem like folks are getting a break from all the problems this year. Fourteen thousand without electricity is pretty bad, but at least it is not freezing down there!

Got a card from Robin Christian with a newsletter relating all the ups, downs, and inside outs for this past year. SO happy that she is in a new, nice home in Illinois close to her family. And she has a basement so she can hide from the storms up that way. She said she was not too sure she liked being considered part of Chicago's suburbs or whatever it is called, but still. That part of the world is good for growing just about anything. Mom said that everything was green, green, and beautiful, but her neighbors were tacky beyond belief. But then, that was over seventy years ago. At least one sweet lady lives up that way these days!

My friend Janis used to get a newsletter from somewhere up in the northern part of the country. The guy who wrote the thing got sponsorships from funeral parlors. Kinda funny. But it was a great little newsletter with all kinds of oddball news and facts in it. Miss reading that newsletter and hope it is still around and the folks who put it out are still healthy.

Reading the Jerusalem Post online and sitting there thinking that some people really have lots of nerve. The Palestinians have declared that no one except Muslims may go to the Temple Rock. They also decided that they would take over Tel Aviv. That should be interesting. Can you imagine what would happen if the Russians decided to take over San Francisco? Or what would happen if the Cubans decided to take over Disney World? Oh boy. Oh well. Not on my to do list.

Made some stew today using ground turkey, purple cabbage, a pound of carrots, and a few potatoes. Not bad stuff at all. Don't think it is all that fattening either. It would have been 100% better with buttered crackers, but that did not happen. Trying to avoid the carbs is not easy. Some things just call for condiments or accompanying good stuff--like cornbread with beans. Dang! That even sounds good!

Went to the mailbox and got the stuff out of there--mostly junk mail and a couple of political things. One package had the ziplock bags in it. So now have three one-gallon ziplocks full of milk in my freezer. Have the jars all nice and clean and ready to take back to Nikki and Cindy. Maybe that trip will happen tomorrow if nothing happens. They have a cow that is fresh, and she must be making oodles. Anyway, it is good milk. 

Another night of letting the water drip in the kitchen sink, and then maybe it will warm up a bit tomorrow. Do NOT like to hear drips! Good reason to shut the bedroom door, huh. As it is, the analog clock over my bed ticks loudly enough that it can be heard. But that is ok. Bet no one coming into my bedroom would hear it over the snores!

Thought that Michelle Malay was coming over today, but she did not show up and my call to her phones did not get an answer. She may be too sore to get out of bed. Bless her heart! She has that danged RA stuff. SO many folks have that these days. When we were all young kids, they called it rheumatism or old age. Now they have a different name for it, but the bottom line is that it hurts like hell-o Nellie!

Just ordered my dogs some more dental chews and a couple of squeaky toys today. Shaking my head here. Squeaky toys for dogs! Yep, they are spoiled rotten. But we have to love the critters that live with us, right? Posted their picture on FB today because they were cuddled up so sweetly. They stay together for the most part--especially if it is cold. They are nobody's dummies!

Don't really know much. Started another book, played some more Sherlock Holmes, and Hidden City search games. Probably should see if something good is on BritBox, but just not overly interested. Not sure why reading feels so much more enjoyable. Oh well. Won't be running out of books anytime soon.

May you all stay healthy and happy. You are loved.