Six of One and Half a Dozen of the Other.

Went to TSC for chicken feed today. Either some chickens need to leave this hill or the old woman is going to have to stop just feeding the danged doves--or maybe get a job. Editing doctoral papers are few and far between jobs, ya know. Seriously am tired of the Hamburg hit parade of in and outters. They go around and around the yard each day, but they are sweet to lay EVERY day, as well. A small white egg, but they count. Wondering if they are going to do this ring around the rosie all winter long. sigh And then there are two black-laced Wyandottes that SCREAM for some scratch when they think they need it RIGHT NOW!!! Never have had a chicken be quite that loud--at least not a hen. Jennifer suggested a can of spray paint to mark her and then find her a new home. Think maybe one of the ladies around here might want some hens. Will be asking, anyway. BillyeRuth would take some, but you know who would have to haul them all the way to Paducah and maybe drive at night--a big no no for me. Anyway, will ask Wendy Seiber, Brenda Jones, and maybe Cari Guidry if they want a hen or two. Have two Buff Orpingtons that lay these humongous eggs, but not every day. They are the kind that are called jumbo and don't fit in a regular egg carton. But they are also BIG hens! Sweet, but big.

Took another piece of carved wood to class today to make another hen on a nest to have as a mosaic. Almost finished with the hen and nest part, but have not decided how to finish the background. Will just have to think about it. Carla Jones told me how the glaze should go on the two projects that are completed as far as glass is concerned. The glaze is a process all by itself. Let's hope it works well. Finally remembered that a folding table is in the back bedroom just sitting there, so at least the pieces will have a good place to stay and dry out. Carla said she did hers on her washing machine and now has newsprint stuck to her washer for the rest of its life. Oh boy! Was thinking about the deep freeze until she said that! 

The dogs insisted that we had to get up this morning before it was really time. They got right in the big middle of me--and trust me, it is big--and started to play fight. Now the bruise on my left arm makes sense. Good thing they were just playing.

Got a text from Lisa Carden last night. Her mom was in the ER again, but this time she got to go home. They think it was a kidney stone. Have heard that is worse than having a baby! Good grief! Anyway, she is much better today. But then Dianne Mayo posted that Lowry was in the hospital to have fluid drained off his lungs. He fell a couple of months ago and broke a couple of ribs, and sure enough, that fall must have messed up more than just the outside of his body. Not sure why they did not see what caused this at the time, but some of us just find a way to get sick easily anyway. Poor Lowry has had a hard year.

So many teachers are headed back to school, sanitizer, mask, and zinc pills going with them. We need to pray for the kids and the teachers and bus drivers and everyone in the middle of this try for normality. At the Zone for seniors where we do our art work and socializing, they greet us as we get out of the elevator with a little gun looking thing to take our temperature. Mine has never been over 97.3, but have wondered a few times what they would say if it were 98.7. Might get sent back home! Oh, and we are asked to use sanitizer on our hands as we leave their little kiosk to go on inside. Boy! That stuff tells you quickly where every little skinned place is on your hands! 

Think our state elections are open right now. Will see if the early voting place at the mall nearby is open tomorrow. Would like to get that done and over with. Then the pieces of mail about who to vote for can just get trash bound from the get-go.

One of the friends "met" online lives in England. Her name is Helen Shaders. She posted today that she and about half of her department had been made "redundant." That means she lost her job. It can't be any easier there than it is here to lose one's job, so please say a prayer for Helen that whatever job she can come up with will be enough to support her. She does some kind of wild crafting classes on the side and is great with kids and teaching. It made me think of Chelsey Bahe and her attempt to go to work for an outdoors school for kids. That did not go through for her, but my prayer was that she would be happy wherever she could work, even if it was never the same kids. She is a wonderful artist and a splendid nanny. She even has a book published of her nature art. Two of her prints are framed and hang on my walls.  So many of us women have jobs that have to be framed around our skills and abilities. The older we get, the less we can lift and tug on things, too. And some things--like 50 pound bags of feed--just have to change in one way or the other. So today, 30 or 40 pound bags of feed. Tomorrow for my friends, fewer eggs maybe, but someone will be happy to have some sweet hens!

Noticed today on the way home from class that the bar ditches were filled with sunflowers. They are the small, native flowers, but the birds love them all the same. Some of the sunflowers planted in my little patch were supposed to be the bigger kind. But they did not do very well for some reason. But NOW the Jerusalem artichokes are blooming! They are much prettier than sunflowers even though they are not as big across. The tubers are supposed to be a good substitute for potatoes--not as much starch. They are not easy to clean like potatoes, but who cares. It reminds me that some things are just lovely and have double purposes in life.

The trumpet vine outside my window has two different colored blooms. Not sure why. One is yellow and the other is red. It seems like someone asked for some seeds, but can't remember who it was now. Ah, memory and habit. At least the Keurig lights up the kitchen before it is time for coffee every morning. Otherwise, who knows if it would be remembered. [Bet that is a no brainer!]

Have watched the new chicks circle the hen house two or three times before they find their door. The other hens are going inside their area, so have to close them up before the big hens go up for the night. One of the Wyandottes is a runt, but SHE is the one picking on them. She may have to find a new home, too. Not having any bullies around here!

The weather is supposed to get hotter again. Ya knew we could not just have 80s forever, didn't ya. It's supposed to be 95 by Sunday and then back down to 71 by the following Friday. Fall weather is fun. How to dress today? Shorts, slacks, socks, sandals, boots, hat? All of the above? Oh well. Maybe we should just be thankful that God designed seasons. Nature is a good picture of how life progresses, to tell the truth. My autumn is going to be when nature lifts my spirits with joy and gratitude. May your life be filled with that kind of happiness as well.

Rest well and appreciate each day for all it is worth. You are loved.