Dirty Dirty Floors!

 Dirty, Dirty Floors!

 

Between my two feet and the eight the dogs have, the floors don’t stand a chance! Can’t go outside without getting muddy, and even though my shoes come off immediately inside the kitchen back door, it’s just impossible to keep the floors clean. Have two of those mud mat type dog rugs to prevent all the mud coming into the house, but they can only do so much. Here in a bit the old woman will get out the dust mop and at least try to collect the dry stuff to dump into the trash bin.

 

Saw four buzzards on top of the old water tank outside the fence between my place and Patty’s. Felt some concern that maybe they were looking for fresh chicken, but they took off to the north shortly after they landed. The old water tank (tower) used to hold water for this little lake side community, but it stopped being used before Lewis brought me to this hill. A family of owls raised babies there for years, but Patty had Donny cover up the holes so that the owls would go somewhere else. Their little dogs were just about owl bait sized.

 

Have only needed to use the new AC unit once so far this spring. Lance put it in the window and we turned it on to see how it worked. But lately the temperatures have not been high enough to need any cooling of the house. Think it is a really nice unit that will keep the living room cool this summer. He found a really good one.

 

Thought the old woman might go find some snapdragons at a nursery, but have not wanted to get out to do that sort of thing yet. The Feed and Seed Store has tomato and pepper plants, but they don’t sell flowers. That may have something to do with taxes that are put on non-essential things like flowers. Sometimes taxes just make me disgusted. We buy property, and then the state charges us to live on it. If we build on it, we pay taxes on the building supplies, and then the city assesses taxes on the improvements. It's as if they are the ones owning the property and we are paying rent to live here. Taxes are stupid. Or maybe someone else is getting the taxes that we are paying. Certainly feels as if the so-called services we receive from the city or state are not worth what we pay in taxes! Gripe, gripe, natter, moan.

 

The SUN is SHINING!! Maybe the old woman will go sit on her garden seat and pull a few weeds. Glory be for God’s grace and His sunshine!

 

Just returned from a quick trip to United Supermarkets on Southwest Parkway. Met up with Kim and Bruce Goolsby. Had never met them in person but felt as if they were already friends. Kim is Olga’s daughter. School gets people together from years ago and just reminds us of how things once were. Olga was a sweetheart!

 

Bruce and Kim had just returned from a trip to the doctor’s office. The vertebrae in Bruce’s neck has fizzled out after about ten years. Now he has to have a new one inserted. Not any fun at all. Lewis went through that procedure. He thought for sure that his wife was hitting every chug hole on the way home. Honestly was doing my best to drive carefully, but just about any kind of bone surgery leaves a person feeling hyper sensitive. About all we can do is pray for both Bruce and Kim. Both of them will need patience and our prayers.

 

Have ten pounds of chicken on in the roaster. Used up the last of the chicken last night and didn’t even have anything else to put on top of the dog food. Jennifer suggested rice cooked in chicken broth and green beans. Will try that tonight. Still have broth frozen and some green beans in the pantry. Keep plenty of rice for mixing with stuff as a stretcher.

 

Saw some lavender plants in United and just used Lewis’ favorite expression—“something else to kill.” Didn’t buy any. Sigh. Lavender just does not really appreciate my sense of how things should grow. Well, neither do the hens, for that matter. Got home and found two of them out in the front yard. They are a mess!

 

The mosquitoes are thick already. Went around the yard dumping water out of anything that could hold even a thimble-full of the stuff. It takes so little for mosquitoes to breed. High grass does the same thing—a place for them to breed. Let’s pray that West Nile or any other disease will not get bad this year. Meanwhile, enjoy the spring weather.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

No Excuses!

 No Excuses!

 

The old woman has goofed off today terribly. Read copies of the Clay County Leader and went in and out a few times in order to be able to gripe about the standing water out back. Yes, standing water! Bet there were two inches if there was a drop. Then the water absorbed into the soil to leave behind sloppy mud. Such fun. The ducks did not seem to mind, but the hens were not very happy. They did not seem to want to lay eggs today, but then, soaking wet might not be all that comfortable even under feathers.

 

Had to put on some “Bug Off” to keep a mosquito off of my arms and hands. How do they get in the house and find me? Guess the body heat must be an attraction or something. Just not looking forward to all the skeeters this summer. And you know they will be thick as thieves!

 

Read something in the CCL that made me curious about the location of a couple of situations in Petrolia. We lived on Morgan Avenue. Well, so did Roger and his family. But twice the address mentioned was 400 North Morgan. Wondering if that was the fourth block from Highway 79. Guess Roger might know.

 

Still have not unloaded the last portion of dog food from the larger container and dumped the new bag into it. The last few cups of feed will fit a five-gallon bucket so then it will just be a matter of dumping the 31.1 pounds of feed into the big container. Just putting things off today. What is it about cold, wet weather that can make a person lazy—well, lazier?

Reading some of the news from Petrolia made me wonder how WF handles water bills. In Petrolia, most of the folks who might not be able to pay their water bills are going to be the older folks who are on SSI or just social security. Who knows. Maybe younger folks are having trouble paying utilities as well. Anyway, they want to hook on to the WF water from Arrowhead by connecting to the water line in Dean. That is a pretty nice distance to lay pipeline, not to mention having to create a place to treat the water after they get it to the city. But towns without water will dry up quickly in Texas. It’s not like many folks have their own water wells any longer.

 

Thinking about water wells made me remember Beulah Robinson. She sold fresh eggs years ago out on the farm where she and her husband lived. Don’t remember his name, but he was a very frail looking old man when we used to go see them. He smoked a pipe like my granddad, but it did not smell as good. Anyway, Beulah decided that they needed to dig a new well for water. She decided where it would be and set him to digging. He was as small as Granddad, so he could fit in that hole. He dug round and round and round until he hit a rock and found water. Beulah would haul up the rope and dump the dirt, and then when he hit water, she hauled him up too. At least that is what my dad said. In my childish mind, he had to keep digging until he hit water or she would not have hauled him up!! Silly child!

 

Things we think about when we are young sometimes stay with us forever. In Petrolia, a water well was in the back yard of the little house where my great-grandmother lived for a bit. And Mom had pictures of a well in the back yard of the place where we first lived on Morgan Avenue. Wells like that always frightened me because they were full of water and we were supposed to stay away from them. No telling how many water wells were in that town, but they have probably all dried up over the years.

 

The dogs had to wear their thunder-shirts this morning due to the rumbles and lightning. It got pretty loud there for a bit. Patty said she told Roxie she knew exactly how she felt! She wanted to hide in the couch, too. Maybe things will calm down soon.

 

Sharon Dickerson asked for prayers for her son MacGregor. Her other son David has been able to return to work. Meanwhile, Tami Yonts is doing some better, as is Mariellen Rose. Your prayers make a difference. Even so, a third grader in Brenham, TX got caught by swift water and was drowned. Let us remember those in the way of these currents of water right now and all the families affected by flooding.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit.

 Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit.

 

Among the Essenes this term referred to a person who was living in a spirit of "poverty, humility, purity and simplicity".

Lesson 13 Ch5 - Torah Class

Just spending time and thinking while reading, but this might be something some of us need today while reading our Bible.

 

My backyard is floating with anywhere from a half inch to two inches of rain. Yes, it has rained again today. Have a feeling it is not finished either. Sorry, but the old woman feels so ungrateful at the moment. Squishy yard is not much fun.

 

The dogs have been disgusted because they can’t get to the rabbits over across the street. Zupkus began mowing his pasture this morning and sent a few bunnies running out of the high grass. But some guy mowed Max Green’s place north east of my place yesterday and it worried me just a bit not knowing what might come crawling out of that jungle!

 

Maggie Sewell wanted the copies of the Clay County Leader that told about the railroad coming through Petrolia. Hope she is not too disappointed. The ones Roger gave me this last time were centered more on the man who ran the depot and sent telegrams. Really always enjoyed reading the county paper, but then, Grandmother Pollard used to write for them for years.

 

Got a dozen eggs today and just now can hear a hen bragging about her egg, so no doubt another egg will be out there when it is time to shut up the coops.

 

Roger told me that his daughter that lives up in Davis, OK, had 20 inches of rain this past month (think the timing is right). Thought we were doing well to get ten inches, but twice that amount might float WF down the river to the Mississippi! As it is, the water coming over the spillway cut into the dam on Lake Wichita is pretty amazing! Folks are down there playing in it and fishing. We might be feeling a bit water logged at the moment, but you know what we will be griping about shortly—the heat and how dry everything will be! Can’t ever please us all the time.

 

Was happy to see something posted by Mike Yonts saying that Tami has begun to heal even if slowly. Praise God for healing. Please let us continue to pray for her and for Mike. May God comfort them and give them and the doctors the patience and stamina to stick this situation out.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

The Morning Dozen.

 The Morning Dozen.

 

Picked up nine eggs earlier and just now picked up another five. And now a hen is out there bragging about her egg. Amazing to get these many eggs with only seventeen hens. And the little red hen that has the weak shell on her egg is still out there making a mess of my nests! Mary Rhoads came and picked up a dozen this morning and brought empty cartons and some alfalfa for the nests. The middle coop was beginning to stink, so the old woman cleaned it first this morning and then cleaned the front coop and put down diatomaceous earth and fresh hay. Now it is time to mix up some chili powder and oregano to put in their feed. That is supposed to keep them healthy, but we will see.

 

Saw three dogs down on Patty’s place this morning. Had never seen these dogs before and had no idea where they came from. But Max said that the neighbor down on Church Street had a fire going outside, so maybe whoever was down there cleaning something up had let their dogs out to play.

 

Max was trying to get rid of the high grass growing up next to his place. It belongs to Tony Zupkus, but he has not yet come to cut it. He told us last year that he would spray it, but apparently that never happened. Just hoping that Tony gets the field mown before it gets dry and becomes a burn hazard.

 

Read some in the Clay County Leader this morning. Roger keeps these papers for me because his dad still has a subscription. Anyway, the Museum Memories that Paula Swenson writes about are pretty interesting to me. Yesterday, not that that was when it was written, but only when the paper got to me, there was an article or three about the railroad that went through Petrolia and Byers years ago. Then some articles about the Indian raids in Clay County were really interesting. It must have been very scary to deal with those savages! The Indians certainly did not mind killing whoever was on the land besides taking their horses and cattle. No one was exempt from kidnapping either.

 

We keep having more earthquakes lately. A video about what could happen in Washington state said that the entire coastline could sink by several feet was a bit much! One lady said that they have to be prepared to lose everything at any time just because they live on the coast. Not sure it would be worth living in such an area. But then, we have tornadoes at various times of the year, so one leg is about the same as the other.

 

When we get right down to it, there has never been a “safe” time in our history whether because of natural disasters or savages running wild—any place! The only sure and safe place is with God the Father. His son assured us salvation through His death and resurrection. Better than a storm shelter or an earthquake proof building! Let us pray for the souls that are threatened and that spiritual salvation will be the first thoughts for everyone.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Beautiful Sunshine!

 Beautiful Sunshine!

 

After days of cloudy weather and more rain than we have seen in ages, we got a beautiful sunshiny day. It is warm enough to be pleasant with just a slight breeze. Wonderful! Sterling said the sun is shining up there in Northwest Arkansas as well.

 

The hens have been busy chasing down all the earthworms that have floated out from under the grass. It made me laugh at a hen this morning when the water bowls were dumped and moved and the worms were uncovered. That hen must have felt as if she had just been delivered a breakfast of Jimmy Dean sausage and eggs! Four great long earthworms were lying there for her pleasure.

 

Read some more in Tom Bradford’s Torah Lessons today. Seems that Jesus was reflecting the temptation of Israel when he was taken to the desert and put on trial by Satan. But the perfect Son was not tempted but defended Himself with the words of scripture. It would be wonderful if we could be more like Him, but personally it feels as if my thoughts are too easily made a reflection of my desires rather than God’s love. But at least we can know that He shows us His mercy and grace even then.

 

Patty and the old woman got to talking about how the judicial system has been warped by politicians and perverted by greed and stupidity. Bonds and bails are a laugh compared to what the criminals have done in society. Murderers, rapists, arsonists, and the like can simply pay a partial fee and return to their lives and destructive behavior by the next day or even the same day as their arrest. Something will need to be changed in such a system, but it may not happen until the return of Christ!

 

Found a few things sprouting in the raised bed. Now if only the old woman could remember what she planted. Laughing at myself! Threw a pound sack of out-of-date pinto beans in there, so may have bean plants eventually. Then there is the mullein seed given to me by Paul Dowlearn. Wouldn’t that be great! Wish the book on how to make tinctures and such was still in my library, but that book was a paperback that had about seen its better days. Sigh.

 

The back yard looks so much better with all the limbs taken down and hauled off. Blake did a fantastic job of cutting them down and cleaning up the mess. Can remember when the old woman used to be able to do that sort of thing. Been a few years ago now.

 

Let us pray for those whose homes and livelihoods have been affected by these floods. And then pray for those in areas that truly need a bunch of this moisture and water in areas where the droughts are still so hurtful. Nature can be so cruel to farmers and ranchers.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Waterlogged?

 Waterlogged?

 

This evening nearly five inches of water was in the gauge down on the fence post in the east lots. Now, that might not sound like a lot of water to anyone else, but it seems we have had constant rain lately. It cleared up quite a bit this evening, and Blake came with his son Cooper to cut some branches out and haul them off. The silly plum tree had more dead wood than anything, but we still left most of the green part standing. We can almost bet that if it has any plums left, the wasps and birds will get them. Sigh.

 

Have been goofing off a lot lately and need to get out and clean the coops if it stays dry enough. Pretty sure the hens would appreciate some dry hay in their coops. The stinking ducks keep getting in the feed hanger—well, along with the other wild birds. They made a mess in the floor under the feeder, but maybe that happens in any chicken house. It just seems so wasteful. But critters are not much different than people, really. Cows and horses, sheep and goats—they all want clean hay and walk on it, too. Then they won’t eat what has been walked on! Argh!

 

The traveling nurse will be here in the morning for the insurance company. Can’t remember his name, but he has been here before. Still can’t let the dogs be in the same room, however. Oh well. Once a year is not bad, but things have changed pretty much since the last nurse came to visit. Getting ornerier by the day is probably not one of the criteria that they look for, however.

 

Have not even looked at the computer for news today. It isn’t that it doesn’t matter to me what is going on in the world, but sometimes it just feels better not to feel “involved” in opinions or trends or anything else. It’s not like one old woman is going to change anything going on. Can’t stop a flood, a fire, or a storm, and can only pray for those going through the messes being made out there. Will just ask God to heal the sick, comfort the ones who have lost their loved ones, and find answers for those who are without the necessities in life. Wherever we are, or wherever we look, this is the common problems we face. Only God can truly give us answers or the comfort we need. So today it will be prayers offered for those beyond my reach. Let us be grateful for His love.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Weather "News" Similar to World Events.

 Weather “News” Similar to World Events.

 

It has become rather a nuisance to receive weather forecasts lately. Today a post was sent that explained “Gorilla Hail.” Honestly! Who needs this type of threat. Just go ahead and say, “Watch it! The roofs will soon be gone!” So now for the griping of the day—yes, parts of Wichita Falls are under water. It used to be that we flooded rather often until they lowered the dam and made a spillway on Lake Wichita right in the middle of the dam. While the Army Corps of Engineers were about it, they dug and lined with heavy rocks this humongous ditch that runs from the lake to the other side of the town. Somehow that took quite a bit of the water shed in a different direction. Even so, when Holliday to our west gets oodles of rain, the lake level rises rapidly. And it has. Deep sigh. We needed rain. We got it. Now, let’s relax just a wee bit off the weather stuff.

 

Walked down to Patty’s this evening to help keep up with Roxie so that she could run around and work off any tension or whatever. Maybe she will be tired enough to sleep well tonight. Patty has been sleeping for two nights now, so maybe Roxie is getting better.

 

My dogs—well, just Sylvia—barked because the old woman left the yard and didn’t take her. And the holes in the fence are plugged now. They can bark at the cats and rabbits but can’t chase them. Such is life for a dog.

 

Saw something on FB today that absolutely floored me. When we have been gifted a wonderful partner in life with children, why would we still grumble and groan about a part of the family that does not have anything to do with you? My feeling is that we should be grateful for the love God has given us through the new family or any other blessings. Just my thought.

 

Mariellen Rose is slowly improving with her fight against the leukemia. But she still has to travel to Houston each week until her body can begin to make the blood faster than it is currently. Thank you for praying for her and please continue to do so.

 

Have not seen any other posts from Tami Yonts, but know she and her family will continue to need our prayers. And have heard from Michelle Malay who is beginning to do much better as well.

 

Sitting here thinking about the tax bill that has been sent to Congress to try to pass. Seems if you buy an American made car, you could not have to pay tax on the INTEREST on that car loan if this bill passes. Guess that means American cars would be a much better buy. Whatever it takes to get our nation in the habit of building and buying American made products.

 

Let us be grateful for the freedom we have in this nation. And be thankful for those who have done their best to protect that freedom.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.