AAAACCCCCHOoooooo!

 Nothing quite says March like the wind that blows one upside down and inside out around here! But at least it does not feel as if the barometric pressure is dropping to tornado levels! And if the weather forecast is anywhere near accurate, we might even get some rain tomorrow. That won't hurt even one thing. It does remind me, however, that the overall forecast is for drought conditions everywhere from California to Midland, TX. As if it were not hard enough to live with the crud that has been going on with Covid and irrational sex maniacs shooting up massage parlors in Atlanta, now we face droughts. 

Please do not try to tell me that the possible national heritage of people who do massages can bear on the reason for some mentally unstable person going on a killing spree. When going to Massage Envy a couple of years ago, the therapist said that if anyone asked for anything that included the word "extras," the therapist immediately stopped and called the police. Two or three "massage parlors" were shut down here in WF because someone let it be known that "extras" were a way of asking for whatever kind of sex that included. Apparently some places were obliging the customers. Pretty stupid. 

A bit ago Maggie Sewell and her husband came to pick up some eggs. Poor David is taking the teasing pretty well, but his two black eyes and broken nose with a great big knot on his forehead are pretty good reminders that wearing sunglasses and navigating unfamiliar steps might not be the best idea. At least it was his nose broken and not his head or a hip! The older we get, the more apt we are to break something easily. Going to open the kitchen door earlier to let the dogs out to bark at the neighbor's grandson reminded me to always let the dogs go FIRST! Sylvia almost wrapped her body entirely around my legs before we got untangled! Nothing like a hyper dog trying to get out the door in a hurry!

Picked up seventeen eggs and added to the list of things to do with eggs--besides giving them away. Need to whip some up and put them in ziplock bags for a quick scrambled egg with cut up fresh veggies. Saw a recipe that suggested that a person could put in the veggies and drop them into boiling water, but it did not sound as good as putting them in hot butter for something like a mini frittata. Eggs and veggies are just a good combination. Especially if the veggies are fresh. 

Spring is one of the times of the year that some folks can truly appreciate allergies and storms--NOT! No, we survive the allergies and sneezing our guts out just to hope that we aren't swept away by a major storm system. Then there are the beautiful flowers, the happy songs from the birds, and the soft days that make life seem happier than any other time of the year. Sitting out watching the hens has been pretty pleasant. But they have really done a number on the yard lately. The hole they dug in the east side lot would make any Marine proud to have them as fox hole diggers! Yep, my Maran Marines and Black-laced Wyandotte Green berets! Will have to see if Stephen Smith has any semi-fresh veggies to give them in the next few days. Think Cindy Jones is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Nikki is in Colorado, so Stephen has a houseful of boys--his three and at least one more. Sent the pizzas that were bought for the boys home with him when they came to plant my trees--plus the rest of the corndog things. Boys grow wild like weeds in spring, so they have to be fed to keep them from being restless. Or so my memory reminds me. 

Thinking back at one of those times years ago when we had bought some chicken tender things for keeping in the freezer. Came home to find an empty box. Lance came home from classes with a friend, and they wiped out the entire box. Yep, just a little snack there. Typical boys with typical appetites. Used to send care packages off to Ft. Worth when he started classes down at UT Arlington. He was always hungry. But Hanan was like that at the same age. We sent care packages to California because he never got enough to eat. Yes, it would have been easier to send money, but this way we knew he had something to eat. He wrote home and told us that Jessica's step mom was the best cook in the entire world. Think what was best about her cooking was that it was always a LOT of food without judgment. But he also told me about some of the things she cooked. Sounded good, but our food has always been just good, solid food. No frills. Lewis was what they called a "meat and potatoes" kind of man. Cornbread and beans was one of his favorites. Anyway, the boys took after Lewis when it came to eating. He was six foot one, and neither of the boys got that tall. However, Lance's son has already hit that height and so has Jennifer's youngest son. Maybe they will take after Lewis' dad--6'5".

Need to sit here and write a thank you note to my oldest grandson. It was so good having him here with me for a few days--plus all the help he gave me. Sometimes a "real" thank you note is just what is called for. Grayson has no way of knowing how much his visit meant to me. It was so good to be able to show him some of the family pictures from his great-great-great granddad and his family. Even showing Jennifer the pictures did not make me believe that any of the family history would be remembered. Two of my great-great grandfathers served in the Confederacy--one shoed horses and mules and the other shoed men. Both had the rank of sergeant, if memory serves me correctly. Somewhere in all the paperwork sent to Jenn's house is the source for looking them up. One (Pollard) was straight out of Traskwood and served in San Antonio making shoes for the soldiers. Sterling V Camp served elsewhere, but my memory has since blurred the place he served. Sorry ol' memory. 

The neighbor's little grandson finally stopped roaring up and down the road. Went out and spoke with him, but did not ask him NOT to, just told him that he was keeping the dogs in an uproar--which is why he enjoyed flying up the road so well. Ah, to be young and full of mischief.

It is supposed to be a little cooler tomorrow, so probably won't get much done outside, but maybe it is just as well. For some reason my right knee has decided to complain again. Wish it were possible to do for myself what Dr. Jensen did to that sucker! Maybe if Cari Guidry had some idea of what he did, she could do it for me. Surely can't go out and kick it back where it was before. sigh

Saw a flower pot planted full of English peas and wondered if that could be done with beans. Probably not since they make a bush. Oh well. Can always make a row of beans out by the new peach tree on the outside of the fence where the hens can't get to them. Those beans would never get a chance to sprout inside the yard! So many neat ideas for planting things. Now just need to get some spaghetti squash seeds and find a place to grow them. Got sweet corn seeds to put in the sunflower garden. Hope that works. Have plenty of fertilizer to put out there for the ground. It is difficult to balance out the use of chicken poo with what the dirt can absorb without burning the plants. Granddad could do it without even thinking. My experience tells me from looking when too much has been applied--the plants get that burned look. But knowing how much to put in the dirt is all a matter of experience as well--guessing.

Saw something on FB when Leta Talley had posted about losing Ronnie Talley to the Covid mess. SO many folks had kept him in their prayers. You know, death is not the final word. We all seem to understand that, but living with loss makes us feel as if we have come to some conclusion. But thinking about the ones we have lost reminds me that the love we still hold for them keeps them alive in another way. The only one who ever died and returned to tell us about it was Jesus Christ. And He conquered death. He told us that it is not the end. Whether we all believe the same things or not, we can trust in the One Who gave us life to begin with. We are not just random creatures. God gave us a spirit that belongs to Him. He will reclaim that spirit in time. Meanwhile, we can love one another, encourage and comfort one another. And pray for those who are struggling with life and death. Let's do our best to rejoice in the many blessings that God has provided--especially the love He gave us.

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