Labels Help.

 Labels Help.

 

Went through a few boxes of photos that came from Bonita and Henrietta, TX. The only pictures that really surprised me were of my husband’s grandfather and grandmother Dickerson. Had never seen a picture of his grandfather. He was a handsome man. The rest of the pictures were of family and some of the people my in-laws worked with or whatever. Garland was in the military, so there were umpteen photos that were based on Ft. Sill and other places. And too, it seems he was a corporal in the medical division. Something else new to my knowledge. The biggest thing that occurred to me about all these pictures was that if something is not labeled, it is pretty worthless. We take pictures of some of the craziest things. Holding my hand up here and waving it wildly for all the dumb pictures taken as we crossed the country and drove into California. Not a danged antelope that did not get its picture taken!!

 

Took Patty’s dogs to the vet this morning and left them. She plans to go get them when they call. Yours truly has had about enough for one day. Rudy is like picking up two bowling balls at the same time. And she swears he makes himself heavy because he does not want to be picked up. Trust me! That is very believable!

 

After leaving the vet’s office, the old woman went for the last x-ray for this year. This one is for Dr. Kern’s office to see that nothing much has changed with the hardware he attached to my spine. Have to go see him this next Tuesday. That should be all the doctor’s visits this year. Told Jenn that by now, it would not surprise me to walk outside at night and glow in the dark from all the freaking x-rays! Oh well. At least walking is possible at this point. Last year it was almost to the point of being impossible. Praise God for science and a good surgeon.

 

Picked up a package of sirloin steak at Market Street this morning and cooked it to share with my critters. These dogs wait very patiently for each little bite, but they know when the stove is turned on that something good is about to happen. Between finding the marked down meats and laughing at my dogs, it was a good meal. Also, saw one of those carts that a grandmother can sit in while being pushed down the aisles of the market. It made me smile and appreciate whoever came up with that wonderful idea. Getting out and just being with others can make a person feel good. Can’t imagine being stuck in one place and not ever getting to go out to shop or just get around others. That little seat with the cart right behind it would be perfect if walking or driving one of those little carts is not possible.

 

Saw that the Congress is going to try to make concessions to the railroad union. Leta Talley was telling me that the employees get five-weeks’ vacation, ten personal days, and much higher wages than most of us earn. She feels that the railroad union is blackmailing us by threatening to shut down the railroads. Had not even considered what she said because it never came up before that these folks had that kind of benefits. Shaking my head and thinking that this is another fine example of greed. Long years ago, can’t remember which president had to do it, but the military had to take over the trains to prevent this kind of garbage. It would worry me that the union members would try to sabotage the rails or something of that nature. Whatever, we need those stupid trains to be on time and moving where they need to go.

 

A friend was telling me that some drug shortages in the U.S. were causing some problems. Folks who take Adderall can’t get the stuff. That is just strange. Wonder if it is made here in our country. So much crud like the drug shortages and trains stopping is just purely BS! Some of these things are unnecessary. Sitting here wondering if the two main drugs taken by the old woman could be replaced or stopped if necessary. Guess if we had to, we could probably all do with a lot less of the things we take for our health—well, even things that have nothing to do with health and more to do with our preferences. The old woman drinks coffee. Back years ago, folks did not have coffee, sugar, and many of the things we consider necessities. During the war years, my grandmothers learned to make “jam cake” from jellies or preserves they had in the cellar. Sugar was rationed, so in order to make a cake or anything that required sugar, they used the jams that they had put up from a couple of years before the war. Folks learn to make do or do without—or did back then—a lot easier than we might imagine. Of course, the black markets will always exist for those who have money or have something to trade for what they want.

 

Sitting here quietly laughing to myself. Thompson is snoring and must be dreaming because he keeps moving his legs every once in a while. Not sure if the squirrels have quit cussing them or what, but they have not been out barking up the trees much today. They both just started barking as that was written. Pizza delivery across the road! Who needs squirrels when the pizza lady drives up!

 

A couple of texts from my niece and nephew have reminded me that my sister-in-law’s death has really hurt them both drastically. Poor kids. Know they are grown, but losing a parent like this has been hard on them—especially since neither of them realized how ill she was in the first place. With all the changes in their lives, this has been one that will put things in a perspective that no one wants to face. Our entire way of thinking changes with the passing of our parents.

 

Just called Patty to see if she had gone to get her dogs yet. Can absolutely not see any reason for those pups to stay at the vet’s office the entire day just to get their nails trimmed and their anal sacs expressed! Need to find a different vet!

 

Will remind you that God has blessed us immensely. You KNOW that, of course, but sometimes we need to be reminded because we take so much for granted. Gratitude is a becoming quality. We need to exercise it more often.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Entree Choices.

 Entrée Choices.

 

Just finished frying some chicken livers. Wow! Those suckers can pop worse than bacon ever hoped to pop! Oh well. The first batch is finished and the second batch is cooling so Sylvia can have it when she finishes barking at the $@#& squirrel. It cusses, she barks, it cusses some more, and she tries to climb the freaking tree! Someday maybe the trap might be taken down there and set up to catch squirrels. Unlike the movie UP where the dogs all looked in the same direction, we have multiple squirrels that run in several directions at the same time. Right now, the squirrels are at the end of the east lot in the Western Soapberry trees. Earlier two were in the yard by the carport. One squirrel ran across to the neighbor’s fence. Thompson went after that one while Sylvia barked at the one that made it to the nearest tree.

 

Went outside to check for eggs and found about ten doves inside the coop enjoying fresh scratch. Thompson grabbed one before it could get out the door, so now there is a trail of dove feathers all over the side lot. He never eats them—just kills them and spits feathers for about thirty minutes.

 

The hens are laying again on a somewhat regular basis. Got eight eggs today. One was from a Black-laced Wyandotte because it was that light brown color—and quite small at that. That hen may be getting ready to quit laying completely. They are close to three years old now. Guess it is time for me to make up my mind whether or not to raise more chickens or let the Wyandottes go to see BillyeRuth. They are such sweet hens that will follow me around and talk to me. The Marans will follow, but they are more stand-offish. Keep your hands to yourself, thank you very much. Just really don’t want the backyard to be empty of critters. And no, a horse, a goat, a rabbit or six, or any such creatures don’t count. Well, the rabbits would be gone goslins in no time at all. These dogs kill cottontails as quickly as they see them in the yard. And a milk goat would have to have a kid with her. Have had a donkey, thank you very much, when the old woman was a child and able to ride anything! Had that donkey trained to run and jump with me. Finally, got a cart for him to pull. Sir Clyde was sweet, but noisy and expensive. We don’t have that much grass in this area when it is dry, and not sure the old woman could afford a donkey any more than hens. And donkeys DO lay things, but not for breakfast. Great fertilizer, but it never stops producing!

 

Liver is supposed to be good for a person. Mom fried the stuff with onions and made a gravy with it. My abilities never have developed along those lines, so fried crispy is how it turns out. Besides, she seldom made chicken livers—just beef liver. Pretty big difference. Seems to me that beef liver is better, but a pint carton of chicken livers will be less than $1.50. Beef liver is in larger amounts, so either has to be shared with the dogs or made into two meals. Liver times two meals is a bit much.

 

Have not done much today at all. Could not sleep last night, so at 3 a.m. tried going back to bed. Woke up at nearly eight and felt so very guilty. Poor hens were ready to get out of that coop!! Very unreliable help for hire around here, ya know.

 

Thinking of some of the things that were slithering around inside my memories last night, it seems to me that the things that we don’t like in other people are often the things that pop up in our own personalities too often. Never wanted to be spiteful or unforgiving toward other people—having seen some very sad family situations involving those characteristics. Then it dawned on me that the situations that really torqued my temper were nearly always the kind where—at any age in my life—having a say about what was happening to me or my family was totally disregarded by the ones that forced me or my family into actions that were not of benefit to anyone whatsoever. From the day we got married, we had the grandmother of the family in our back yard. It took a little while to convince her that she needed to knock before she came inside. Grandma Dickerson was not a problem to me for the most part. She never griped at me or scolded. But my in-laws made it obvious that it was not a matter of choice about where she lived. My mother-in-law did NOT want her MIL in her back yard ever again. THIS house was the home that my in-laws had lived in for over 20 years. So, in mother-in-law’s estimation, it was HER house. Try changing something in someone else’s house and see what happens. Eventually, after several years and lots of gritted teeth, this really did become MY home with MY family. It just seems to me that it must be the hardest thing in the world to BE a mother-in-law who does not step on toes or otherwise make someone else grit their teeth. Have about decided that watching my mom, grandmothers, and in-laws has been a pretty good lesson if it can be taken that way and not allowed to become a source of bitterness. At least it does not have to involve politics or religion—the other two torches that make life and limb ooze toward the crevice of bitterness.

 

Tomorrow Patty wants me to take her dogs—and maybe her—to the vet’s office. We talked for a bit and she reminded me that we may very quickly end up with a rail strike and some major problems with supply and demand. Think Biden et al plan to “make” the rail workers accept the plan that they have already rejected. Unless he plans to put military units on the rails and risk blown bridges and lines, can’t see how trying to force this rail union into anyone else’s plan can work out even a little bit. As if we don’t already have enough problems with inflation and lack of materials for certain industries, closing the rails will be like shutting down the garbage trucks. We are going to stink to high heaven so quickly it will make our heads spin!

 

Have to think about something positive—other than being positive we have some idiots in government. Americans tend to take care of themselves—especially those who live on the land. The biggest problem right now is that too many of us live in the cities and have no idea how to deal with old-fashioned problems. More and more you will see on FB the books about how to survive an EMP or whatever. Foraging is nothing new, but most Americans living in cities would not have a clue how to find purslane or lambs quarter, much less how to cook it to eat. Well, if we can keep clean water where we need it, maybe worrying about what we eat is not that big of a deal. Compared to some of the nations in this world, we are so blessed. Water, food, housing/shelter, and a certain amount of civilization with protection from criminals makes all the difference in the world to how we can approach life. For these things at the very least, we should be quite thankful.

 

Pray for peace and common sense among those whose decisions affect us. God alone gives peace, but He can also change lives.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Too Tired to Be Useful.

 

Too Tired to Be Useful.

 

Dear Hearts, when an old woman finally gets around to going to the feed store, it is after the rice is made for the dog food, a quilted topper folded and put away, and several thoughts having sorted through her old brain. Got two-hundred pounds of feed put in bins in the work shop where nothing leaks. Had about ten pounds that had to be thrown out this last time. Rain got in and molded it. Can’t feed that to hens. Almost made me as angry as finding some beef jerky with mold on it! How the hey does that happen? Oh! Jennifer says it does not have preservatives in it so it has to go in the fridge after opening. Expensive goof up.

 

Having a cup of plain decaf coffee. Remembering when the young woman who became an old woman seemed to drink that stuff by the pot. Can no longer do that. Too many years and too much time has flown by like sandhill cranes squawking in the wind.

 

Have just put on some red onion and celery to simmer and then will pour in one of those quick stuffing mixes. Who needs turkey when the stuffing is so very good with some cranberry sauce?

 

Got hot last night is the reason one of the covers had to come off the bed. Had some of the strangest dreams. How does an old teacher dream of teaching again? Wonder if that happens to Carla Beard. Can’t even remember what the class was about!

 

When dragging the little red cart out to put the feed into out of the back of the truck, it made me think that the old woman is a lot like that little red dump cart. Not very solid and pretty, but still fairly useful. The price of the four-wheel kind makes me very happy to have this one with only two wheels. Kinda like the cost of labor around this place when it is only me—very inexpensive!

 

Have on a flannel shirt that earlier felt too warm. The day got up to about 70 degrees by the time my truck left the feed store. Love that temperature display and compass in our little white truck. Lewis always thought the compass was funny since the roads and other signs never agreed. But you can bet that temperature gauge is right on the money! Texas has snow in places while other parts are too warm for long sleeves. Guess that could be true in other places, but it seems to me we have such an interesting variety of heat and cold—on the same day even!

 

Really don’t know much. Have looked at posts on FB today more than usual. Didn’t really want to do anything here in the house. Erin brought three big boxes of stuff that can be left until the mood strikes me. The picture on the top box has the five children—our three and Anne’s two. Good memories for me, but maybe not for Erin or Lesli. All her pictures and two or three bags of their clothes were stolen out of their car in Kansas City on their way back home. That sort of thing is so unnecessary. And so useless to anyone trying to get something worth selling. At least they got home safely. Not a good memory for them.

 

We will just have to realize that the world is pretty much a broken place. About all we can do is know that God will give us a better home and the love we need to have His peace. Let us pray that it comes sooner rather than later.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Advantages of Aging.

 

Advantages of Aging.

Top Ten Advantages of Aging

10. Your clothes have come back in style . . . TWICE!

9. You can no longer be cut down in your prime.

8. There is nothing left to learn the hard way.

7. Plenty of time to catch up on your reading . . . in the bathroom.

6. In any hostage situation, you’ll probably be released first.

5. You repeat yourself without knowing it.

4. You’re allowed to take a nap to get ready for bed.

3. You repeat yourself without knowing it.

2. You’ve made a lot of good memories . . . even if you can’t remember them.

And the number one advantage to getting older . . . it beats the alternative!

Found this little list of advantages to getting older on FB and decided it needed to be remembered—especially by my oldest child who often reminds me that he has already heard something in my little repertoire of detailed living. You all know, of course, that each of us lives life by the detail, not by the day, week, month, or any other measure of time. It is just the details that end up measuring our thoughts or sometimes our actions. Leaving this with you on the blog in case you need a reminder.

Got up and let the hens out and fed them. Came back in and stripped the bed and put clean sheets on it. Put those on to wash in the machine and started in on the floors. The mud and the crud just accumulate so quickly! Then decided the kitchen needed extra attention and scrubbed the sides of the stove, the dishwasher, the front of the fridge, and top of the freezer. Got that done to my satisfaction and took the drapes down in the living room and washed them. Now the old woman is one tired old hen! Maybe this will help me sleep tonight. The dogs kept getting me up last night. A possum was trying to get in the hen house. Thompson made it climb the fence in the back, but he got his exercise in barking and jumping before he finally came back inside.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a pretty day. Will go get feed again and move the bins inside the coop. Have enough lay pellets, but they like the scratch early in the morning. Not spoiled or anything.

Jennifer’s guests from West Virginia are supposed to return back East on Monday. The weather between here and there has not been all that great and may cause some flight delays. Let us hope that these two old folks can get back home safely and without any problems.

Got tickled at a text from Jenn today. She asked me if it had occurred to me that she had not asked any questions about the dressing this year. She said other than the celery being a bit crunchy, it turned out perfect—taste and texture! So glad. Don’t like mine runny glop or as hard as my first pan of biscuits.

Read a pretty good book last night. It is called “Black Dogs Don’t Paint.” If you are familiar, Churchill called his depression the black dog. Anyway, it was a thought-provoking book. Think it was the first by this author, too.

Really don’t know much this evening. The work has been taken care of for today except putting the hens up for the night and filling one water bowl, so will leave you with a feeling that we all should just be so very thankful if we can move around and do what we need to do. God gave us a wonderful body to use wisely. Some of us are just a wee bit wild in thoughts or actions, but eventually we slow down and appreciate what we have. Let us ask for peace—for ourselves and others and for this world.

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Wet Squirrels!

 Wet Squirrels!

 

It has been raining here since around three this morning, and let me tell ya, dear hearts, it is mighty wet rain. Yes, surely there is light rain that comes in like a ballet dancer just drifting across the pastures and sliding down the trees, but not this stuff! This was a soaker! It rained and it rained some more. And you will not hear me griping about a drop that came down out of that sky! However, and there is nearly always a “however,” the dogs have enjoyed barking at the squirrels down in the east lots in those Western Soapberry trees. Just open the door and listen to Sylvia answering their belligerent cursing! Then Thompson will come inside and need his coat dried off and his ears warmed up with the towel before he will go back down there to help her bark. The pawprints on the rugs in the kitchen don’t really matter much. Now the boot prints are a bit worse when the old woman goes out to pick up eggs or fill the feeders again. Somehow those prints are much bigger and messier. Oh well. At least the hens have not needed to come inside. Just wait until we have a good blizzard!

 

Called number one grandson today to find out if he had found the seeds for the Mexican Bird of Paradise trees in the sacks sent to his house. He did, but he needed instructions on how to plant them and some information about how fast they would grow and what size to expect out of a grown one. Sent him to Google. That is what my children always tell me: look on Google, Mom! See! More than one person can give that advice when information is not right there on the top of your thinking. Anyway, maybe he will have success with these trees. The one growing in my greenhouse looks pretty good and is a bit taller than my knees. The ones Shirley Taylor had in her yard were people tall and beautiful. The flowers look very exotic. Well, to me they look that way. Some folks think mesquite trees are exotic! Giggling. We went down to Corpus Christi one year to spend some time and asked at the desk of the condominium if there were any neat things to see close to the condo. The young girl at the desk said for us to drive down toward the convention center to see some really strange and exotic trees. We really looked forward to seeing something special. Yeah, right! Danged ol’ mesquite trees. But then, my friend in Oklahoma who had a wood burning fireplace did not know what a mesquite tree looked like. Told Ginger Wingo that we used that wood for the fireplace or for barbecues. She was just amazed. Of course, we have oak south of us along the corridor where the trees follow the rivers, but those trees do not tend to take the land and keep on moving wherever they can spread. Here in Texas, we have so many mesquites in one area that it is called “The Big Thicket.” All mesquites!

 

Noticed on the way to the cemetery that the plum thickets were taking over the hills close to the old town of Ringgold and beyond. One little bush is all it takes to get a good-sized thicket started. Unless they burn out, they will be there forever. Good forage for critters and protection for small animals though. And those plums make the best jelly you ever lapped a lip on. The only kind better were the hog plums that came off in the fall. If it was a good year, the trees would drop their fruit almost all at once and then it was Katy-bar-the-door! The hogs would eat those things until they got drunk as the fruit ripened and fermented. Great-granddad said that was the best time to kill a hog, too. Can pretty well imagine that the cold and the fires to clean a hog would make it interesting. Fresh meat and plum jelly on biscuits!

 

The rain gauge says two inches on the dot. Who knows what the weather bureau will say. We hardly ever agree on much of anything. Can tell you for sure that the mud right in the doorway of the hen coop is mighty slick. Started singing that song in my head, “Slip slidin’ away now!” At least the old woman did not slide down on her backside!

 

Two dogs begging for nibbles! Good thing two pounds of dog biscuits came home from the feed store the other day. Think another trip is coming up right away to fill up the lay pellets and scratch bins. Oh well. May have to call the Smith boys this time. Not really gungho on even letting a bag fall in the little red trailer out of the truck bed to then drag out to the coop. The boys can easily handle this stuff.

 

Saw on AOL that they are expecting the other type of virus to get pretty serious and spread out all over heck and half of Georgia. That does not sound good to me. Just about the time when we get to seeing folks’ faces again, we will end up behind masks. Wondering what this will do to the nursing homes now. While Anne was over at Grace in Henrietta, they had maybe a third of the number that they had when the folks were over there. Of course, that was a few years ago, but still. Folks are not getting any younger. And the wages for CNAs have not improved either. It is easier to work at McDs than to keep those hours for so little money. Saw that they start out at McDs at $10 an hour. Wonder what a CNA makes now.

 

The rain has let up for now, so maybe what we got will help fill up the stock tanks and alleviate some of the problems of evaporation in our area lakes. We really needed this rain. Just praise God that we got what we needed so if anyone actually planted wheat this fall, it might have a chance of growing and feeding some stocker calves. Right now, chicken and pork are on the menu for most folks. Guess we all need to buy some turnip seeds and see if we can grow our way into some good veggies. Cabbage, turnips, and carrots might be a decent crop in some places. The Europeans lived on turnips during the Middle Ages. Bet we could, too.

 

Let us ask God for His blessings on this nation and on this poor, desperate world. Only God can heal its wounds. Let us personally show the love of which we are capable.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

 

 

Having a Happy ANY Day.

 Having a Happy ANY Day.

 

Went to Market Street today because the silly online site was not cooperating with me. More money was spent because my eyes always see more than what my cabinet called for, but such is the life of a shopper who has little resistance. At least it was not as difficult to find the yogurt that they don’t list online. Anyway, you have been shopping lately and have been asked, “Did you have a good Thanksgiving?” My answer: “ANY day the old body will get up is a good day! My eyes opened this morning!” And no, nothing was black about my shopping. Milk, brown sugar, bacon, and fresh veggies about did the list up pretty well. But then the old woman went by the cheese counter. Oh dear. Stilton with apricot. Then there is that stuff made with chickpeas. Or the avocado stuff all ready to use as a sandwich spread or to dip with slices of celery or cucumber calls out their

 calories. Oh well. Have all winter to enjoy putting on more pounds. Unlike the bears and some other animals, we never stop accumulating fat cells.

 

Thompson is sitting in the recliner watching the birds on the front porch. They are chipping at him. He does not seem to mind, however. Earlier Patty called me to come get some tomatoes and hamburger buns for the hens. Throwing them over the fence before coming in the house was fun for the dogs. The hens will not get near stuff when the dogs are out there because the dogs have chased them before when stuff was put out that might taste good. But neither dog acted as if they were interested, so the hens got to go after the goodies. It is fun for me to call them and have them run to see what is for “dessert.”

 

Jennifer must have gone shopping today. She sent me a picture of a tee-shirt that had the word Lollygaggin’ on it. It gave the definition as: “the art of doin’ nothin’. A frequent action on Sunday afternoons. Not to be confused with dilly dallyin’. Most commonly spoken in the South. See also: southern sayings or yer grandma.

 

She finds the funniest things. One year she found a chicken that was all lit up and wearing a Santa hat. It is currently sitting in my living room. No, Christmas is not celebrated here, but the danged chicken just was too funny.

 

Even though Patty’s dogs got to come running to meet me and then do a circle through the pasture close to the house, we neither one felt like staying out in the wind. It is not horribly cold, but that wind is pretty sharp. And the dogs did not fuss about going back inside either! Patty just enjoys watching them run up the road to meet me. Roxie wants to be picked up, but then she wants back on the ground immediately. Silly critter.

 

A big box came from Amazon today that had two cases of canned dog food for the critters. They will get it when the old woman does not feel like cooking or when she is just extra lazy. They like the stuff pretty well. It is Purina Beyond. Not cheap, but it is good for them.

 

Have to take a bucket of clean water out to the coop here in a bit. Two of the water bowls need to be cleaned. The heated bowl has to be cleaned every other day right now because the hens knock hay into it. Oh well. At least they don’t get in it like the wild birds do the other bowls. WHY they need a bath in this kind of weather is beyond me. But they certainly make a mess. The doves have been getting into the front coop and then have trouble finding their way out again. Open the screen door that is covered in plastic and they come out like a cloud of grey feathers! Whump, whump, whump! One fell at my feet the other day and looked up at me as if it were my fault. Just shook my head at the dumb bird.

 

Guess my Kindle is recharged by now. Keep reading books or get up and read when the dogs wake me up during the night. So much noise on that highway makes them come up and bark as if it is something they need to attack. The neighbor’s son (one of them) came late yesterday evening and left much later. The dogs made the announcement both times. Guess that is their job, however. And they do it well. Then there are the neighbors over on North Church who have the loudest trucks this side of a truck stop. Sigh

 

Sylvia is cleaning her back foot between the pads on the underside. It is so funny to see her with her back foot stuck in her mouth. She gives me this look as if to say, “So?”

 

Don’t know anything worth telling today except that story about the newest astronaut who has only one leg—and no, this is not a joke. His intelligence is way up there, and he will train for a year just like all the rest of the folks who want to fly into outer space aboard one of those high-powered tin cans. But the idea is to prove that a person with disabilities can do the same jobs as others. Well, duh. Two legs might give the suit makers an easier job, but maybe having only one leg will save material. Rolling eyes here.

 

We know right now that we are very blessed despite the intentions of men like Putin who would thoroughly love to throw his bombs at us. And if he does, we know that it would be a hard life to live without any of the things we have known seemingly forever. But as Americans, we know we are pretty much an enduring people. We will be challenged, however, to remain kind and giving if it comes down to survival. In the end, the faith we have lived by will be the mainstay of our lives. We have to trust in God to provide answers to our problems. We will just have to ask for His love to ensure our faith. The difficulties in life change from generation to generation, but love overcomes the greatest problems. Let us ask God for greater faith that we can be pleasing in our ways to love others.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Thanksgiving 2022.

 Thanksgiving 2022.

 

Daybreak came with foggy feet and a light breeze that evolved into a cold wind and fairly clear skies. In all probability, rain won’t grace us with its presence at least tonight, and the temperature won’t freeze our toenails off unless we are out there in that wind. No one really understands Texas weather unless the wind is also an experience of their life here in North Central Texas. Even folks down in the Metromess do not understand what it is like to live with this wind. My children have memories of it, but they fuss each time they have to experience it again. Such is life.

 

Cooked up ten pounds of chicken quarters, and the result will keep me and the dogs fed for quite a while. Even have cranberry sauce that will make that chicken taste even better. And then Stephen Smith and his mom dropped off a plate with a slice of coconut pie and a sliver of lemon pie. WHOOoooooo boy! That lemon pie was great. He advised me that the crust was made with saltines. Have to ask Nikki for that recipe. It was so very tasty. Of course, coconut custard pie is mighty good any time, but today it was special.

 

It has been a very quiet day except for the wind blowing a few trash bins over and banging anything not nailed down. The dogs barked and the hens scurried, but otherwise it was an easy day. Of course, keeping off the internet and away from news always helps my mood and the attitude that affects this little blog. So, just so you know: happiness is mostly a choice, but circumstances can be the pits! Even so, the things that happen to cause consternation hardly ever last an entire lifetime. We live through stuff and keep on going. We work, sleep, eat, and find a way to breathe through even the worst days. And then there are the days that bring happiness underscored with the elements of humor, laughter, and the freedom to be who we think we really are. We all have that picture of ourselves in the back of our minds. Look at that picture and color it with kindness. It will begin to reflect in your attitude toward yourself and others. That is just my take on how to live life for at least one day—and one day at a time is all we really get, isn’t it.

 

Don’t have anything earth shattering to share with you. All of us know what goes on in this world that we can stand or can’t stand, as the case may be. So let us just remember to have gratitude for all that we are given. We know that God has so much more to pour out in our lives. Let us praise His name.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Working Hens!

 Working Hens!

 

Whether it is the fact that they have all or most all of their feathers back where they belong or something else, the hens have begun to lay again. Hip, hip, hooray! Seven eggs today! Even though not many of their eggs are consumed by the old woman, it is really neat to go out and find the nest full of eggs. It makes it feel worthwhile to go buy those expensive sacks of feed.

 

Since the house is still fairly neat and clean, nothing much has been accomplished around here. Put one of those store-bought cherry pies in the oven to enjoy and plan to cook a couple of sweet potatoes to go with the navy beans and chunks of pork that were cooked up yesterday. It beats having to struggle with a ten-pound carcass of a turkey! And then cleaning all the meat off the bones and storing most of it in the fridge takes effort. Yes, it is a bargain at 97 cents a pound, but one little ol’ lady and two dogs can only eat so much turkey.

 

Before Lewis left this world, he had decided that a turkey breast and/or a turkey ham was more than enough unless the whole Hee Haw Gang was coming. That did not happen very often. We loved getting together with all the kids, but it always tired out whoever had to do the most cleaning and cooking. Even when everyone helps clean up after a meal like that, putting everything away, cleaning up the floors where some of us were messier than usual, or just trying to keep up with clothes, purses, and assorted and miscellaneous junk and stuff was a bit much. Fun, but very tiring. And then the drive home.

 

Two of the best Thanksgivings we ever had were with the news that we were going to be grandparents again. Don’t expect that to happen ever again, but stranger things have happened—great-grands happen, too.

 

Noticed that the neighbors in Jerry’s house have a visitor today. They have three sons, and one got here about an hour ago. The painter JUST finished the painting yesterday afternoon! Clint really had wanted it done a week or more ago, but this “great” painter is not a speedy one. He and Sandy undoubtedly are well prepared for their guests. The house has a new roof—hoping that it won’t leak any at all ever again! Think they are really going to be good neighbors.

 

Finished reading the Reader’s Digest magazine this morning. It seems like those magazines were much thicker and had many more stories in them. But maybe they took out some of the advertisements or something like that. Large print might be what the difference is, too.

 

Just glanced out the window to the side of the porch. A male cardinal is hopping around out there looking for goodies. Thought about painting something on the top sections of the window panes to keep the birds from hitting the windows. Used to go to Mardell’s or one of those places and get those little stickers that can be placed on the window panes. Fish were usually my favorites to put between my classroom and John’s room. That looked like a fish bowl window all the way from the front of the room to the back. It might be more fun to use some acrylic paint and put some butterflies on these panes. Haven’t done any painting in years. Well, nothing that was creative has come out of my painting. We will see.

 

Finally got the sewing machine out and ran a stitch or two up one side and down another so that this upholstery material will stay on the recliner. Still have not decided exactly how the arms can be as protected as the back, but maybe it will come to me tomorrow or later. The saddle blanket keeps their claws from digging in, but then it bunches up. Oh well.

 

It has actually been a pretty decent day. It was not hot, not cold, not really rainy, but not dry. It was an easy day. Putting out feed made it obvious that the hens thought they should be given something special. No fresh veggies, so they just had another cup of scratch, but that seemed to do the trick. And the dogs got the zoomies early on and missed me by about six feet! Have to watch these silly critters! But we all got our exercise with walking, carrying out a couple of buckets of fresh water, and bending over to gather eggs. Yep, the life of a city farmer!

 

Don’t know anything great, but am well aware of the greatness of the blessings given to us. May we appreciate and show our gratitude to God. May we love others as He has loved us.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Waking Up!

 Waking Up!

 

Woke up feeling good this morning! Wow! How nice! And then, after making my bed, just walking around in my nice clean house felt good. So far, and they have only been outside once, the dogs have not left any paw prints all over the place. They did get in a wrestling match on their beds that are stacked one atop the other. But now Sylvia has the beds and Thompson is in the recliner with his head on the window sill so he can enjoy watching whatever is going on outside. Even the hens acted as if they were happy this morning. The nest where they lay their eggs had one rather large brown egg in it from one of the Marans. Almost bet it will have two yolks.

 

Nothing big planned for today. May go to United and pick up some fresh veggies—or not. Will be glad when they open up their store in the old Cash Saver building. SO close! Bet the old woman is not the only one who will appreciate that store being re-opened.

 

A nice visit from my friend Cindy this afternoon. She just left to go back home and do her thing. She was going to let her dog Wookie in the house, but he and my dogs had snarly fits at each other through the fence. It just did not feel like it was worth seeing if they could chew a hole through the living room door to get to each other.

 

Haven’t done much today at all. Just trimmed all the meat off a bone for Thompson and Sylvia’s supper. Now Thompson has the bone to chew on. Sylvia ate her supper and is now begging for my cheese sticks. These dogs! Can’t imagine how they have become so spoiled!

 

The large print Reader’s Digest came today and have half of it read already. Lance thought that it would make some good reading for a change from my usual stuff. And it has. Seems to have a very good article about the different medications they have developed for cancer. Wish they would find a way to fight that mess without making people even more sick than they already are. But like the latest virus, they are trying to use the RNA to develop new ways of getting at the sick cells to keep them from infecting other cells. Don’t really have a clue how those things work, but God gave some folks the wisdom to try other means, so we can watch and see if this works better than the old chemical ways.

 

Just took fresh water out to the hen house. Probably could just put the hose back on the faucet for awhile since the forecast is not for freezing any this week. Even so, the water bowls for the hens have ice on them each morning. Hardly worth the effort to reconnect and then take it off again. The water bucket is not that heavy when filled only half full each time. Make things work is my motto!

 

Just got a very sweet invitation to Thanksgiving from the Smith family. They are such wonderful folks. It is always good to know that a person is cared about. But the old woman knows her limitations. Crowds used to bother my Granddad Pollard, too. Not sure what causes that, but about three people at a time is about all it takes to be a crowd. Silly, huh.

 

Some guy from across the way came over to look at my hens. He was trying to tell me what kind of hens he has and offered me a big rooster. Nope, no thanks. Even if WF allowed roosters, they are not necessary and just tear up the feathers on the hens’ backs. No little chickies needed, either. He was trying to tell me that a rooster would protect my hens from hawks after he had just finished telling me that the hawks keep killing his hens. Duh, the rooster wasn’t doing him much good!

 

It feels like a really nice evening for a hot chocolate, but it would keep me awake, so there’s that. Guess my niece has the right idea by getting Ovaltine. No caffeine. She says they buy it in bulk for her kids! Can really imagine those three boys going through gallons of milk.

 

Guess Thompson should have found a place to hide that bone by now. Will have to go check in a minute.

 

Pray for peace, and let us be grateful for all the many blessings that have been poured out on us. Let us show love as it has been shown to us.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

 

 

Lost It!

 Lost It!

 

Had a post written out and thought it was posted. Well, duh. Guess again.

 

Maria came today and cleaned the house for me. Oh! Joy! The fresh scent of the stuff in the mop makes it feel good and smell good. And knowing that the floors—at least for the time being—are clean makes me happy. And no, not being lazy. Dear Hearts, when you need to be still, ya just get still until things quit hurting.

 

Cooked a big pot of white beans and baked a big pork butt—or whatever that cut is called. Lots of good meat on it to season the beans and make two dogs very happy. The old woman likes it as well. It is just so easy to cook something like that in the oven and then slice it up.

 

Heard from my niece last night when they were in Kansas City. They are making the trip back in sections so that they won’t be exhausted by the time they get there. I forgot to ask Lesli what kind of job she is taking when she gets back. She will probably have her hands full about twice as much as usual with those three boys and their dad plus the beloved dog Snoop. They don’t have a fenced in yard, so they will have to walk him. Good job for the boys!

 

Will just tell you that we need to be grateful this week when we can safely rest in our own homes, have hot CLEAN water for showers and cooking, and food on our tables. God has blessed us. Let us show His love to others with just as much compassion as we are capable. Pray for peace.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

How to Conquer Clutter?

 How to Conquer Clutter?

 

Not a statement or a how-to article, this is mostly an appeal for suggestions when someone puts a question mark behind a statement that seems to be a problem for many people: HOW can we rid ourselves of so much clutter? TWO cabinets in this house have blankets, quilts, sheets, and assorted pillows stuffed into them with the possibility that they may burst forth at almost anytime and spew their innards onto the floor! And all those blankets and quilts—and even the pillows—have been used thoroughly at one time or another. Is it time to give something away? Probably so. What about the “medicine cabinet” full of vitamins that were not taken long enough to matter. Should they be pitched? Let the trash truck haul the little rattlers off? Suitcases? Do you think the placement office for foster children might have a use for these pieces? Shoes that are no longer worn that are still in good shape? Recycle through one of those Faith Village places? Monday the housekeeper is coming to try to dig me out. Maybe she will help me get organized!

 

Sunday p.m.

Dredged out a box of vitamins and minerals and disposed of those. Still have a box of vet stuff for the critters from powder to stop bleeding to hot spot remedy that only works if it is applied every fifteen minutes after the dog has licked off the first applications. And haven’t even begun to open the doors on those extra little throws that are fluffy and furry and would be good to give to the Henrietta dog shelter where they don’t kill the dogs that have been there too long. Maybe tomorrow when Maria is mopping the floors in the back part of the house, the old woman can get a few things removed from this cabinet in the front room. Have my sewing machine set up—not plugged in, but set up. That throw on the leather recliner needs to be sewn up so it will stay on the back of the seat. It is too nice of a chair to let the dogs mess it up with their claws.

 

Got the feathers and some chicken poo cleaned out in the front coop today. The girls gave me four eggs today. See my smile! They are getting out there early and foraging for whatever they eat off the yard. Probably the reason no grass is growing out there!

 

Soaked in the tub this afternoon in hot water with Epsom salt and some smelly stuff. Felt better afterwards and took a short nap. Thinking that getting old has its privileges—naps being a major plus. Too lazy to cook this evening, so two cucumbers and two tomatoes with ranch dressing made din-upper. Two bites of that sticky brownie stuff probably offset any good the veggies might have done. Oh well.

 

Talking to Patty this evening about her parents: her mom left her with her dad when she was three or four. Her friend from childhood wanted to know why she had not ever tried to find her mom. Patty said that in the 60s, if a mom did not get custody of a child, something was wrong with the mom. So, she has no desire to find her “mom” since the woman her dad married was a mother to her. It is probably sometimes true that a person who has given up a child may not want to know anything about the child. As hard as that might be to consider, it is definitely a possibility. If it bothers me to know what a child has done even when staying connected to him, it might be even harder not having been connected to the child in the first place. Life is not always sunshine and roses for anyone, so those stories of the prince that was suddenly found to be living with paupers is pretty much a fairy tale.

 

Just a wee bit tired this evening. Still sore and getting gripey—well, MORE gripey. Have a couple of rugs drying out on the deck to bring in when it is time to shut up the hen house for the evening. Then may just call it a day and sit and read until it is time to go to bed. It is so nice not to have anyone expect me to do something tomorrow other than just open the door for Maria and let the hens out. Well, the dogs expect to be fed, but that is not a big deal. Will have to cook tomorrow for them and for me. Somehow, we seem able to go through the food around here. So far, Sylvia is the only one who has put on weight. Thompson runs it off or sits under a tree and barks it off! Squirrels! Good thing he can’t catch them.

 

Let us pray for peace. Nothing in the news will lift our spirits or give us hope for change. So, we know that the Father cares about us and those who need us. Let us give help where and when we can. And let it be with joy that we have been shown the blessings of love.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Chicken Express.

 Chicken Express.

 

Yep, decided not to go into Walmart because everyone and his kid sister is there today. Just decided that chicken from the express for brunch would work just as well as one of those rotisserie chickens. Every time Sterling and Jacqui come down to visit, we go there. And Tracy and Lance like it quite well, too. The dogs love the little pieces of crust and stuff that they get, so CkEx is an all-around favorite. Tracy’s favorite is the fried okra. A big Chicken Express truck passed us on the highway the other day. Had to point out to Tracy that all the okra in it was frozen! Otherwise, we might have hijacked a truck—NOT!

 

Made some brownies from a box. Grandmother Pollard used to say that was like making them from scratch because you had to scratch them out of the box. This one had some caramel stuff to dribble on and through the rest of the mix after it was in the pan. Kinda messy. Maybe it will harden after it cools. No, not on the diet and don’t even want to think about it. At least it is not a box of those chocolate covered cherries! Neither is the fried chicken. sigh

 

The guy across the street had some of that pavement mender put in the deepest hole in the street. Doubt if it will be enough to help much, but at least it is not as bad as some of the roads in WF. How pot holes develop right in the middle of a street is just puzzling. Of course, they always develop where the ruts are set, but sometimes it amazes me to find one right in the middle of a road. Might be something to do with the sewer risers. No engineering degree here.

 

Sterling finally got a picture of the woodpeckers he is building sent to me. He is talking about opening a booth in one of the craft fairs nearby and selling his airplanes and woodpeckers. He wants to put some tags on them first so they will be good advertising for the folks who are supplying the materials for him to make the planes and birds. He reminds me so very much of our daddy. He was a wizard at making things that were neat. Of course, he also made some black powder rifles and pistols. The pistols that were in my house were stolen in the burglary, but he gave Dr. Schaffner a nice rifle when he helped Mom and Dad out after one of the surgeries Dad had. Maybe they still have it. Just wonder if they know why Dad gave it to him.

 

Bought myself one of the amaryllis like the ones sent to my girls. Have it potted and sitting in the kitchen window. It should be pretty when it blooms. Red always looks good in a kitchen window. Winter is not as easy as spring and fall because a person has to look for things to be pretty in the windows. Some of us spend too much time looking out windows, don’t ya see.

 

Found a calendar that Sharon Dickerson gave me back when Jimmy was getting so many gifts from different folks that included a calendar from nearly everyone out there. And this one is just filled with pretty lilies on each page. Have 2022 horse calendars in two rooms and one from the Hyson Metal Forming Solutions that was sent to me from H&O Tool and Die. Nothing like having a child to keep mom in calendars! Jenn always writes the birthdays on there for me. Yes, she knows me well. Forgot one birthday one year and caught all kinds of flack for it. Most of the birthdays are in May—or they used to be—but now it is January, February, March, May, July, and November! Maybe it is just because we have four birthdays in May that it feels like all the birthdays come at the same time.

 

Need to get my sewing machine out and run a couple of seams up some long pieces of upholstery material. Have it draped over the leather chair right now, but it just slides off when the dogs get up there and make their “nests.” Not sure who is the silliest—me or the dogs. They have nice fluffy beds, but they can’t look out of the windows from the floor without having to stand up. From the chairs, they just raise their eyebrows. Talk about a nosy old woman keeping her eye on things! These dogs not only watch, they warn!

 

Five eggs yesterday and so far, two today. Maybe the hens will start laying again pretty soon. The coop is much warmer with the plastic sheeting on the doors, so they can mess around inside or out now without having to have the doors open in case it snows like it did year before last. As long as they have water, they will do ok. And as long as the electricity is on, they will have water that is warm. How the grandparents took care of their animals is beyond me. Know we had frostbite on some lamb ears one year. But the cows and older stock stayed healthy and safe. Of course, both the grandfathers had to cut ice on stock tanks. Wonder how life was different for the great-grandparents. Or even for those folks up north. They must keep the stock in barns during the deep freezes and snows. Simply can’t imagine.

 

Thinking about freezes and livestock, Clara and Buster Zachry had a picture on their living room wall called “The Last of Ten Thousand.” It showed one ol’ cow hunched over with her head down and her bones sticking out just under her hide. The cattle had all died in one horrible blizzard that year. That has happened once since then, but the ranchers in this area sent cattle back up north to restock those folks. This year, they could have restocked every ranch up north with just the cattle that our ranchers could no longer feed or water! We saw two 18-wheelers on the roads Thursday with those huge bales of alfalfa stacked two high. That would have been a small fortune right there on those trucks. Even Loomis might not carry that much cash.

 

It seemed strange to look at all the changes along U.S. 82 when we were driving past Nocona. New houses, new ranches, more highway building, and lots of extra traffic. Lance was wondering why they would need to put in two extra lanes on 82, but he does not realize that 82 used to keep traffic off of 287. When those two lanes are finished from Gainesville to Wichita Falls, we will see traffic out of Oklahoma and points north coming this direction instead of going to I-35. And then he told me that I-35 between Ft. Worth and Austin was bumper to bumper. It only got better after San Antonio going to Corpus Christi. If they keep building plants in Texas, we will have to annex Oklahoma for a place to live! [Big JOKE!]

 

Looks like Texas is in line for another couple of earthquakes. It could have something to do with all the water they have pumped back into those oil wells, but otherwise, they may just find that Texas is on pretty shaky land anyway. The escarpments have always been a curiosity to me. What makes one piece of land just suddenly rise up thousands of feet higher than the land around it? Of course, that might have happened thousands of years ago. No sense being concerned that it might happen again any time soon. But the museum out near Hereford makes me think that Texas was once a great place for all kinds of strange animals from dinosaurs to huge bird-type creatures. They even have some drawings of what they think the first horses looked like. Nothing like what we have today. More like a rhinoceros body with a smaller head. Oh well. It would be interesting to be able to look back at what was on earth before man got around to hunting the different beasts on the plains. Noah’s Ark in Kentucky has been built to educate us about what the animals might have been like that were taken on the ark. Not your typical critters.

 

Sterling called again this morning to see if his little sister was still tracking and making her moves. Other than some sore muscles, my collision with the ground did not leave any lasting impressions—except maybe on the ground! That chair was definitely the looser in the contest. Wouldn’t want that to happen to anyone! At least slacks kept everything covered! But then, women don’t wear dresses as much any longer. Good thing!

 

Guess a call to see if the niece needs any help tomorrow might be in order. Although, my help might be more of a hindrance with three kids and a dog around. Will check with her and see when they are leaving. Hope they have a safe and good trip home to Chicago. Not sure when Erin will be back up this way, but eventually he will have to get the house on the market. And it is a nice house. Maybe the man across the street might be interested in it. Or not. Have to think about that. Have encouraged him to look into getting the one at the end of the street plus the land in between. That would make a nice little hunk to work on.

 

Really know diddly squat today. Not wanting the weather to get colder, but realize that it is that time of year. But so far it looks like it is going to be decent weather. Hauling water to the chicken coop is not too bad as long as it is not wet and freezing. Gripe, natter, grump. Ah, but love my hens!

 

Remember those who will be lucky to have something to eat this week. Let us remember to our Father in heaven those who are in war zones or in refugee camps and starving. Let us pray that His kingdom will come soon.

 

Pray for peace and know that you are loved.