Little Jobs Here Today.

 

The daily tasks are not much around here, but occasionally they tend to add up. Cleaned both coops this morning and dumped the shtuff in the hole the girls have scooped out where the old woman had planned to have a compost heap. Guess that is not going to happen unless sides are put on the mess so the hens can’t spread it all over that side of the yard. Oh well. No big deal.

 

Gathered eggs a couple of times already today. Over a dozen eggs each day still surprises me. Guess it stands to reason with twenty hens there will be more than a dozen if they are happy girls. And they certainly seem to be. Most, if not all, of these will go to Dr. B’s household. Then maybe some others will be ready for a dozen or so.

 

Went down to Patty’s a bit ago, and we let the dogs exercise the old woman. Roxie took off for the far side of the pasture, so she had to be persuaded to return. Little stinker! She could hear us telling her she had to return, but she pretended she was not sure that was what she heard. Guess the walking was good for me. Patty sent a couple of little bags home to my dogs—bacon flavored training bits and some natural peanut treats. The bacon one went over well with my dogs, but just like her dogs, they turned their noses up at the peanut butter. Maybe the hens will like those.

 

Have managed to get all the May birthdays covered already. Now it will just be July and November birthdays. Don’t even have the e-mail address for Erin, so wishing him a happy birthday is going to depend on getting an address from Lesli. Guess that should already have been on my list of things to do.

 

Took the suggestion from Max B to use WD-40 instead of some kind of other stuff to keep the runners on my new pantry moving smoothly. Just did not want to go buy any silicon spray. It was bad enough this morning just looking for the drill bits for my drill and finally finding them in the original DeWalt package in the junk drawer. One of these days the old woman is going to have to spend a day cleaning out the tool boxes and the junk drawer to find all the good stuff that tends to hide around here. SO thankful that no one watches TV around here. You can bet the remote would hide out in the hen house!!

 

Have been enjoying the beautiful irises, poppies, and assorted bachelor buttons blooming out in the front yard. Jennifer suggested that we would need to transfer some irises to Grayson’s new yard. That would please me no end. Have purple, blue, yellow, and some strange rust colored irises. Have more poppy seeds and zinnias to plant for this year if the weather cooperates. The wind just makes me sneeze like a big dog! Not to mention, the wind puts the seeds in strange places. Really wanted to have some raised beds, but unless the old woman goes and buys those cement blocks and lots of dirt, it probably won’t happen. Oh well.

 

When everything is considered, the best thing in life right now is the joy that God has given us. His promises are always apparent in the land, the sky, and in the love we are shown each day. Let us have grateful hearts.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

 Silly Little Things.

 

Things that are hardly noteworthy at the time seem to take on an importance later when they pop up unexpectedly. When the kids had their house repainted, either the painter or the store made a mistake and they ended up with a bunch of paint that was the wrong color. Guess whose house now is getting painted with “Linen” paint. And the fence around a swimming pool has to be taller than the fence around the new house, so now maybe those two 6-foot gates will have a home since no one else wanted them. Just little things. Sometimes the little things make a big difference, and sometimes they don’t. We just never know.

 

My brother has said to me more than once that America is not mentioned in the Bible. Actually, it is. You see, the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, are the sons of Israel. Genesis 48:16, Let my name. The descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh would be known historically as the house of Israel. Ephraim would be a nation of many nations. Sounds like Britain to me. Manasseh would be a nation of many peoples. Sounds like America to me. Not getting in any arguments with anyone, but it seems that every nation contains those of Israel’s lineage. They are scattered all over this earth. They have held to the laws of God—for the most part—and taken those laws into each country in one way or another. Just something to think about tonight.

 

 

Decided today not to waste much more time playing games on FB or reading all the posts that talk about chickens, flowers, gardening, and old houses that are being rebuilt. Yes, that will make for a very dull old woman. But maybe she will go outside and dig out a few of her very own weeds! Spread some flower seeds earlier this evening. Then looked for a place to put some more poppy seeds. Just have to clean the weeds out of a couple of places. Deep sigh.

 

The dogs have been practically barking through the front windows at the wild cottontails that have taken up residence under the ramp across the street. It’s a good thing they can’t get out of the fence! A chicken could be in the front yard, and the dogs would totally ignore it. But those things with ears that hop~~!

 

We got a good soaking rain of three inches today—this morning, in fact. SO happy to see that much rain. Let’s pray for more rain so that the area lakes will fill up and keep WF in drinking water. Our Lake Wichita may never have enough water in it again to do the fish or the fowls of the air any good, but at least it beats blowing dust up this old hill.

 

Sylvia has a new toy alligator. She ate the squeaker out of the old one. And dear hearts, she won’t trade one for the other. She is nobodies’ dummy! Thompson took her new alligator to the living room. When she would not quit barking at him, the old woman looked to see if he still had it. Her new toy was on the other side of the room away from him! She just did not know it! Silly dog.

 

Tired tonight even though nothing was accomplished today. Maybe it is just the thoughts of what needs to be done? Or maybe someone is letting age catch up with her. Just a dull old woman with her two dogs and twenty hens! Guess it is work just being thankful for all the blessings—especially for the wonderful rain!

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

 

 The Wonder of Discounts.

 

My daughter signed me on as member of the Sam’s Club, so today the card officially resides in my billfold. At the pharmacy, the discount reared its wonderful head. The last time Thompson’s meds were purchased there, it cost over $83 for thirty pills. Today it was $127.32 for 60 pills. A buck saved is a pretty good deal in my estimation! The vet’s office charged $117.33 for 30 pills!

 

It rained and then began to hail as my shopping was finished at Sam’s. Here’s hoping the rain returns and keeps on coming for a few days. Don’t care if the hens have to wade to get to their roosts because we really need the rain. Maybe the danged ducks will find some other place to nest.

 

Sterling and Jacqui are on their way to see a friend in Alabama. She said it has been raining since they left home, and now they are out in bayou country where the railroad tracks are the only ones not holding water! Should be an interesting drive until they get to interstate 20.

 

Albert, Shonna’s husband, stayed home with her today so he could take the children to school and pick them up. She really thinks she can do these things, but she is still wobbly. So in hopes that she heals quickly and completely! Dental surgery is never fun, but the healing does take patience.

 

The guys who mow the grass came today instead of Thursday. They made my front yard look so much better! Now if this rain makes the ground easier to work, maybe the old woman will get some weeds pulled and something planted. Was hoping to have some raised beds, but not sure that will even happen this year.

 

Went out and collected eggs again a few minutes ago. Here it is after six and only one egg to bring inside. They have produced more than a dozen today. By the time Dr. Blackwell gets here to pick up her eggs on Friday, she may have enough for her family and some to share. Hope she remembers to bring cartons. Clean cartons reuse very easily. Someone brought a big sack of the ones that hold 18 eggs. Sent all of those home with Lance last weekend. Have no idea who all got eggs, but Jenn said they got some.

 

The month of May is birthday month for this family. Well, let’s put it this way, more people in our family were born in May than any other month. We also have at least one in January, February, March, April, July, and November. Jenn puts them on the H&O calendar for me each year. It helps keep an old woman on schedule with the e-cards. Each year it is difficult to guess what everyone might want or need. One year the Ostand household got a wagon load of candy that took them all year to eat up. Think the hot ones even got taken to work with them! If asked, they will say that Mom was slightly dingy that year. Or something like that.

 

If you hear some singing in the night, that might be the old woman praising God for this wonderful rain. You know He listens to prayers, but did you know that some of us just sing to him when He shows His love for us. We have some birds here on this hill that sing to Him every morning—and throughout the day. They don’t have words to their songs, but the joy echoes in their notes! That is how it feels to me right now! Joyful, joyful, He adores us!

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

 ‘Tator Soup.

 

Decided a small pot of ‘tator soup might just hit the spot. And too, the neighbor just had some teeth pulled and don’t think she is going to be chewing on that pizza her husband brought home. So maybe she might like a bowl of ‘tator soup. Back in ’83 all my lower jaw teeth had to be pulled because they had all broken about the same time. Wow! What a mess. Had a partial plate ready to slip inside my mouth as the procedure was completed. But then had to eat chicken noodle soup for two weeks solid! We were in Tucson, and everyone in the family was enjoying all kinds of good food. It all smelled very good! Oh well. Have more than made up for any missed meals back then!!

 

Took Sylvia—just the ONE dog—to get her rabies vaccine and her toenails clipped. It costs extra to have a “wellness” visit with the vet—being sure that she is in good shape or whatever. Dr. L tried to talk me into giving her heartworm medication. Tried to tell her that Lance’s dog tested positive for heartworm ten years before the dog died. She acted as if the dog had been having treatments for that all that time. Nope. Lance told me that he feels like it is just another way to sell stuff. Almost all of our dogs lived a long life, and all they ever got was a rabies vaccine. And back then we could go buy the vaccine and give it ourselves. Oh well. She also said that they have a shot now that covers an entire year. They have only had one dog that had anaphylactic shock from it. Uh huh.

 

Went and got the city license for Sylvia and then came home and took some pictures of my flowers and other stuff. Both dogs were a little nervous for some strange reason. Maybe it was the darkness of the day. Who knows. But the eclipse did not really bother me. The pictures turned out a little darker, but that is no big deal. The lady at the dog pound told me that the governor told the big rigs to stay off the roads today. Wonder how he thinks they make money. Not sure if it was true, but if it was, that is about the craziest thing ever. Yes, they clutter up the roads, but those trucks bring all that bathroom tissue to us—among other things.

 

Pulled up the carpet runner in the living room this morning and cleaned the floor thoroughly. Then had the wonderful task of taking up that double-sided tape that holds the carpet in place. Such fun! Had to get all my stuff together, pull a chair over to help me get back up, then scrape and wash, scrape and wash! The tape does the trick, but then the trick is getting it up later! Tomorrow will be time for the one in the kitchen. Deep sigh.

 

The eclipse made the funniest shadows on the walk out back. Think it was Carla Beard who showed me what it would do last time we had one of these. The eclipse does not exactly excite me. God makes things turn in the way He designed. While it is wonderful to realize that He is in charge, these things don’t really change history any longer. No one truly thinks that they are a sign of the end of the world. We have plenty of other signs to convince us if we just look around. But still, we see that there are many people who show love in everything they do for others. Praise God for that love.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

 A Decent Day.

 

Not sure just what all was accomplished around here today, but remember going to Henrietta VFD to pick up lunch for myself and Patty. We donated just a bit to help out that fire department. And the lunch was not bad at all.

 

The trip to Henrietta had me remembering other trips over there and looking at the bluebonnets and the yellow flowers that LOOKED like bluebonnets. Got over there to sit in line behind about 30 pickups and asked Siri the species name for bluebonnets. Lupine. Seems those yellow flowers that look like bluebonnets are also lupines—from Europe. Hmm. Guess it is not enough to get a white or pink one once in a while; now we have the yellow ones.

 

The kids from across the street came over and borrowed a drill bit—well, and the heavier drill. They hung up an American flag. She wanted to go out and see the chickens and talk about their next home and how it needed space for a garden and critters. She is a girl after my own heart! Sent a vase of irises home with her. Like both of them very much. Max just came and got some spray for the scorpions. Argh!! Those things are horrible out here and their stings hurts like crazy!

 

Almost time to put the hens up for the night. Tried to convince the danged ducks to get out of my back yard, but not sure they took me seriously. Cut some of the tall clover so the hen would maybe go look elsewhere to make her nest. Be glad when the high-pressure water sprayer gets here. Maybe then the silly ducks will take me seriously.

 

Talked briefly to Jennifer today. Seems Grayson is sick as a horse with allergies again—not that he got over the first bout! Considering the pollen count and the high winds, it really is not all that surprising. Just wish it did not make him so terribly sick.

 

Max just brought my sprayer back and Sylvia decided to chew on him just a bit. She did not break the skin, but still. She should not be doing that. Silly dogs just worry me when they do stuff like that. It would not do to have someone around who is actually afraid of the dogs. They are both so sweet with Michelle Malay and Maria when they come. Or Roger Thonton. They both love him. But who knows why they think they have to guard the front door! Maybe it is the doorbell.

 

Just a wee bit tired tonight. Guess getting around out in the yard and such was more than the usual stuff the old woman does. Still have not cleaned the workshop floor. Sigh. Maybe tomorrow it won’t blow a gale! Just fighting the wind is a job!

 

Let us be grateful for the many blessings God has provided. Please use common sense if you have to be around any of the folks who just have to see the eclipse for themselves right on a particular spot. Good grief. Yes, it is different. But it is a known phenomenon, isn’t it. Not like we think the world is coming to an end tomorrow! Not that it would bother me. Getting old has its effect on the psyche.

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

More Un-Done Plans!

 More Un-Done Plans!

 

Yep, planned to clean the workshop floor today, but that did not and is not getting done today. The old woman is so tired that even eating doesn’t sound interesting. [And let’s face it, that is pretty bad around here!] But cleaned out the middle coop and put down more kitty litter on that shelf. Cleaned the floor in the front coop, but did not clean off the shelf. Maybe tomorrow. Always something to do out there.

 

Went to United Supermarket up on SW Pkwy. Asked for a customer number to call those tech folks who can help me get the little spinner to stop spinning when trying to get the shopping part to work. Oh, it will make a list for me, but it will not set up the part that lets me pick it up at the store for loading. Really like it much better to let someone else do all the walking around inside the store and just let me haul it home to put stuff away. It is pretty tiring to do both. Enjoyed filling up the pantry that Sterling made for me. Thought it was going to be pretty full just from the stuff already on hand, but had lots that has already been used up this year. Not everyone likes hominy, vegetarian baked beans, artichokes, spinach, and pickled beets. But those definitely came home with me today!

 

Have six chicken breasts on cooking that will be ready to cool off and put in the fridge shortly. That will keep the dogs in dog food for this week. They get about a cup of freshly cooked chicken on top of their kibble once or twice a day—depending on what they ask for. Sylvia hardly ever asks, but Thompson talks to me about his meals. Jennifer has a couple of talking dogs, too.

 

Have wondered if the kids are over at Grayson’s new house today doing whatever it takes to get it ready for his move in. They have not said whether or not he is going to remove the carpet, but that is the one thing that the allergy doctor told Lewis he had to get rid of if his allergies were ever going to get better. And both of those boys have allergies as bad as it can be. But then, so does their daddy. Gary snorts and sneezes every day!

 

Asked Carol Thonton to put the barbed wire gate back up out in Odessa so the wind would calm down here in WF somewhat, but she said the wind out of White Sands kept blowing the gate down every time she put it up. Well, we try.

 

My niece has a birthday tomorrow. She does not read my blog, so she will receive a Jacqui Lawson e-card. Otherwise, she would get a birthday song or something. Their dog Snoop would be sure to howl along with me. He’s empathetic that way.

 

Ordered a thing on Amazon today to use on the end of my garden hose to shoot the danged ducks. It won’t hurt them like a BB gun or something, but am hoping it will be persuasive enough to get them to go away! Danged nasty critters! They gobble up chicken feed and then go gargle in the water bowls! Not to mention what else they do in there!

 

Brought in a few iris blooms to keep the wind from totally tearing them apart. It was only blowing about 19 mph, but coming up off that lake, it was surely whipping and making the house whine! God has blessed us with a sturdy house, but it still feels pretty fragile when the winds get up high. Just have to ask for His protection and blessings.

 

Let us pray for peace for Israel and that God’s people will not be made to suffer for mistakes made or for the hatred of those who despise them.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

 Warmer Weather.

 

It’s not quite 90 degrees out on the back deck, but it is definitely warmer than it has been. Sterling said that it is still wet and miserable in his part of NW Arkansas. That’s what he gets for moving two blankets north of Texas! Of course, when it gets to 120 degrees out there on the deck this summer, he will be complaining of the humidity, and the folks around here will just be gasping in the sweltering heat! Such is life.

 

Just had a nice visit with a young neighbor. He is military and his wife is a phlebotomist. They work constantly! He leaves home before 6:30 and she works like nine hours a day. Think it is so neat that they both speak multiple languages! Texan is the only language this old woman knows well enough to use. And some folks might think Texan is sort of backwoods as a language. We nearly always get our point across, however. One way or another. Kindly most of the time.

 

It took reading several posts for me to realize that today was Friday. Had not even put out the trash bin. Thought about going up to United a couple of times, but just felt too lazy to do so. Cleaned up a couple of leftovers and decided to put off buying any groceries until the bananas get too ripe! Sitting here snacking on blueberries. Umm. Jennifer suggested Sam’s for a few things, and it made sense to wait and get the dog’s medicine there on a membership. Still have not figured out how to do that thing with the app, but will talk to her tonight. My kids can figure out all kinds of things, but it takes me forever to understand what to do or to remember the steps in the process. Maybe it is old age?

 

Sutherland’s keeps sending me messages about their new arrivals in the plants. For some reason, nothing is really all that appealing. For one thing, if it grows, it is going to need water this year. From what we have seen so far, if God does not bless us with some mighty long and deep rains, we are going to be rationing water here in WF. Some places have it much worse, but folks who water their grass and try to keep pretty plants alive are wasting resources in my estimation. Trees are one thing, but grass is not necessary. We all need to be using native plants that can survive our weather. My brother insists that having “clean” water out for the hens all the time is not really necessary either. He told me to watch the hens run after the water that is dumped out on the ground! He is right, of course, but the dadgummed ducks are nasty—and they are back again. Patty suggested getting a water gun that would blast them. That might keep them out of the yard if they get hit a few times. Or not.

 

Sitting here wondering if okra would need much water. Hmm. One of my favorite summertime foods is fried okra. Of course, Chicken Express makes good fried okra. Sigh. We won’t be growing any new potatoes and green beans around here. Well, maybe the Farmers’ Market might have some from out at Charlie where they grow pecans, peaches, and assorted veggies. If some old woman was not so lazy, she would go pick up some turnips or whatever they have in season right now. Maybe the leftovers were just not quite enough this afternoon! Snack attack!

 

Let us pray for peace, for calm in the way of the storms, for common sense among those who should know better, and for rain for the areas that need it so desperately. May those who are trying to restore power lines be blessed with safety and good working conditions. Finally, let us pray for those who are in prisons and jails that they may be safe and not harassed. Let our love be toward others as God has given His love to us.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.