More Plans, More Wasps.

 More Plans, More Wasps.

 

Gregg found six more wasp nests and zapped them with the spraying foam to remove them from my hen house (third section), and then he loaded up the metal stands that this ol’ woman has been attempting to get someone to take. Told him that they could be sold for weight if nothing else, but he said the stands would be great for putting under a vehicle or something. At least that seemed like what he said. Vickie has to interpret for me. He mumbles about like my oldest Dickerson grandchild. Oh well.

 

Gregg thinks he got about 90% of the stickers out in the east lot. Maybe if any come back, the old woman will be able to get them before they spread. And Vickie got some grass out of the flower bed out front while Gregg was digging up the burrs. Max and Laisha allowed him to put the two extra bags of burrs into their trash bin. The two kids were on their way to Dallas to take a tuxedo tom cat to someone who was flying it to Colorado. They did not want to see it taken to a kill shelter. And none of the shelters here would take any more cats. SO wish folks would neuter or spay their critters. Too many people think that it is just ok if their cats run wild and reproduce.

 

A couple of remarks about Alligator Alcatraz need to be made at this point. It is a TEMPORARY stop on the way to the countries of origin. The facilities are not unlike that provided to our military when they are in temporary camps—and even some that are not all that temporary. Again, these folks were not invited to the U.S. at all and don’t deserve to be treated like our favorite cousins. They won’t be left to ride out any hurricanes in all likelihood either. So, just between you and me, they are better off in Florida than in Arizona or New Mexico. But that is just my opinion. They are not being mistreated.

 

Have been watching Fox News about the flooding in Texas. Think that some of the same has happened on the East Coast. Honestly don’t think that anyone is prepared for nature to be so wild right now. WF has already received 85% of a year’s worth of rainfall at this point. It makes me wonder what fall will be like this year. Know that the measure of rain that fell in the Hill Country was more like turning your boots up and dumping them in the kitty box and then hosing out the rest of the kitty litter! No way was anyone prepared for that much rain!

 

Lance told me the other day that if he spent a month here at the house, it would take that long to get all the work done. For sure, may have to hire Gregg and Vickie to help me clean out the work-shop and get it reorganized. That would make things feel better. Bet it would take us all day to do it! Maybe by September, the old woman will feel more capable of getting things done. Just not standing on this stupid knee that much right now.

 

Let us pray for our nation, those affected by the weird weather, our leaders, and for common sense to spring up all around us! Let us pray that God will lead us to peace right now for those who need it so badly.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

The Grass Burs!

 The Grass Burs!

 

Vickie and Gregg got here just a bit before 2 p.m. and after nearly an hour, they have quite a few stickers bagged up and ready for disposal. Just hoping that they can get all the grass burs picked up before they leave. It’s a mess out there!

 

Several rescues have occurred down near Kerrville, but even so, too many have been lost in that flash flood on the Guadalupe River. Not sure just exactly why folks did not know that the flash flood warning had been posted, but let’s hope this is the very last time that such warnings are not taken that seriously. Our nation seems to have harvested so much destruction from the weather in the past few years that we should be more aware of warnings now.

 

Have to duck under a few branches of the crepe myrtle just to get to the water faucet, so my hair has blooms and little green pills that would be blooms in a few days. Makes me very aware that things are in my hair and just glad they are not living creatures. You know, just being thankful that spiders don’t usually fly!

 

Lance found a video of this man whose feet remind me of Roger Thonton’s. Special ordering shoes is one thing, but to have someone ask if those boots were used to put down the white marks on the highway was just funny as all get out! Humor is always good for the life we live.

 

Will have plenty of eggs to send home with Jennifer when she comes on Wednesday. Still have that one hen that lays a thin shelled egg. It’s a mess, but so far, the mess has been easy to remove from the nest. No dirty eggs to use up. Gregg and Vickie said that they still have a few eggs left because they seldom eat breakfast.

 

We have a thirty percent chance of rain through Tuesday. Know that won’t exactly please Patty, but the cloudy skies don’t really bother me right now. So far, we have not had any terrible heat. Summer days are strange right now. It doesn’t even feel like Texas, but more like Arkansas.

 

Someone has started posting again on FB about term limits for Congress. Sounds good to me. If they are restricted to no more than twelve years, then we might not find as many people running for office. If they have to live by the same rules as we do, then they won’t be as interested in “serving.” Seems to me that self-serving has been the norm in the past. But maybe that can be changed.

 

Saw something about Alligator Alcatraz that talked about the horrible mosquitoes around that area as well as possible problems in case of hurricanes. Those two problems would seem to be good enough reasons to make this “camp” a very limited and temporary stopgap measure. No one needs to be subjected to insects that will make folks sick. And the idea of putting someone in the aim of a bad storm is just as bad. Let’s hope that this will change very soon.

 

Meanwhile, let us pray for our nation, our leaders, and our world that peace and common sense might help all of us through God’s mercy.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Wasp Harvesting!

 Wasp Harvesting!

 

My sweet son came today and harvested more wasps than anyone could confidently expect to find around a place like mine. In the hen coops, on the front porch stuck to the back of the bench, another one in the last hen coop, one over my bedroom window, and another out by the workshop. Those things scare me so badly, but he did not get stung. A suggestion for wasp traps was made, so the old woman will get online and see if Amazon will send them soon. Lance also suggested fly traps that have a horrible odor but take down oodles of flies. If a place can be found out in the coops, that is another little thing to try. Finally, Lance said that if he came and stayed a month, he might get caught up with all the things that need to be done. Sigh. As it was, he did some weed eating and mowing. But then, he also vacuumed the living room floor. What a guy!

 

Tomorrow Gregg and Vickie are supposed to be here to try to get all the stupid stickers hoed up from the east lots. Thompson gets stickers in his feet and legs, so this is an absolute necessity. Then Blake will be here (if nothing rips, roars, or rattles) to mow on Thursday.

 

Lance took home some eggs and Jennifer will get some on Wednesday when she comes to go to the surgeon’s office with me. Not sure what time she is coming, but normally Wednesdays are her hardest day. Sigh.

 

Have been reading and watching footage of the flashfloods in the Hill Country. Some strange but wonderful rescues have been made of at least one lady who rode the flood waters 22 miles before getting up high in a tree she landed in. Only God could have provided that tree and the rescuing people who managed to see and hear her! But so many have lost entire families, children, and property. Things can be replaced, but not those lives. May god bless their families.

 

Lance got to wonder why several water bottles were sitting on my cabinet only about ¾ filled. Michelle told me that the old woman would need an ice machine to keep the swelling and pain down after surgery. The bottles can be refrozen and are easier to remove and replace rather than ice cubes maybe. Not really sure. But Sterling agreed that the ice machine was necessary. Michelle says she has one, but have no idea when we will see her again. Oh well. There is always the “getting place” known as Amazon.

 

Made the comment to Lance that no pain pills had been taken this past week. Then had to take one later after he left. Dadgumit! And Lance did all the lifting today—water bottles brought in from the truck, three bags of feed unloaded and put in bins, dog food placed in the empty bin. Deep sigh. This too shall pass.

 

Let us pray for those who need God’s intervention—guess really that is all of us—but with steadfast concern for those affected by the weather. May God bless our nation and its leaders.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

From Misting Rain to Sunshine!

 From Misting Rain to Sunshine!

 

Walking out to the chicken coops this morning, the misting rain was just soft enough to make me wonder if it was real rain or my imagination. Well, it was real enough to wet my hair just a bit. Although Patty says that she is more than happy if it just stops any day now, the forecast is for more of the same NEXT Sunday. Only a 30% chance of rain THIS Sunday. Guessing most of the folks down toward the Hill Country and San Antonio are truly ready for the rain to cease and desist. All we can do is pray for those folks who were awakened by flooding in the middle of the night. May God bless them and their homes and livestock.

 

The weather is simply not just a bit of conversation right now. Read that New Jersey and areas east of them were getting more storms. The airlines are having to declare stops to prevent landings and take offs due to the weather. Florida is about the same in some areas. Yep, the weather has definitely made itself known across our nation. The permafrost is unfreezing and the state of sink holes wherever they form is amazingly strange. Now, no one wants to see Alligator Alcatraz sink into the ocean, but nothing would be all that surprising, would it. At least the folks in Japan are sitting around and waiting to see if the prophecies of an earthquake tomorrow might actually happen. So strange.

 

When it gets right down to it, whether weather or nuclear, we have to keep our faith in God’s promises.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Sleepy Old Person.

 Sleepy Old Person.

 

Yes, the dogs have a tendency to get me out of bed at odd hours of the night. Going back to sleep is not the problem, but it does seem to catch up with me not to just sleep all night long. Oh well. Does getting sleepy go with old age? Seems like my teenage years were overly ambitious at least in my memory. Never seemed to get enough sleep back then and always had something that HAD to be done. Not that things have changed all that much.

 

No sign of the snake today. Judie Brunson said something about Dutch Henry posting about snakes on his blog, but it wasn’t one of the things seen around here. This is definitely snake season. And to tell the truth, it is also toad season. Did you know one of snakes favorite foods is usually toads or frogs? Oh well.

 

Cleaned out the fridge just a bit—well, gave the leftover boiled eggs to the hens. Still had more than the dogs could or would eat, and the old woman had no real desire to eat them either. The hens were happy to help. Need to do some more cooking in the next couple of days. Had a good salad for breakfast with avocados and chunky Pace picante sauce. Yummm.

 

Not really interested in the news today. Frankly, a short prayer this morning to let the Father know how much another day meant to me and a request for the blessings of peace and safety upon my family, friends, neighbors, nation, President Trump and company, and the nation of Israel has been about the extent of my contact with God today. Grumpy, tired, and ready to hit the hay around here by now. Just can’t believe this weather. Don’t remember ever seeing this kind of weather here or anywhere else in this nation. And then thinking about our farmers and asking God to bless them in whatever way is best for them. Their wheat will go to waste unless we can find a way to use it quickly because it is not being sold on international markets, or so it seems. That means the farmers will be hurt drastically, the prices of any wheat related product will go out of sight, and other things that depend on farm products may be more difficult to obtain. No one thing can ruin a nation, but it can certainly cause some problems. Let us ask for His guidance and the benefit of His blessings.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

And a Happy New Year to You, too, Dear!

 And a Happy New Year to You, too, Dear!

 

Stopped by United to pick up a few things ordered this morning, and the young man seemed quite busy and overcome with what he had to do. He was very nice and friendly, but anyone could have told that he felt somewhat overwhelmed. As he was about to leave my truck, he said, “You have a wonderful New Year now!” Of course, the old woman had to laugh and say, “Well, a good 4^th of July, anyway!” He walked off shaking his head and laughing. Might as well laugh when things get piled on top of us, right?

 

It went ahead and did a good job of sprinkling rain this morning, but things have since dried up a bit. Took Roxie up to the vets’ office and had her nails clipped and other stuff. Cost Patty about $200 for that little visit, but those meds are pretty doggone expensive, you know. The Bravecto that my two take just about takes a couple of bucks (the big ones) every three months. But Patty has Roxie take Bravecto and then Sentinel daily. The groomer is definitely not going to make it this next week unless something changes.

 

Think another freaking snake has got my hens upset. The two broody hens were not even on their nests, and no eggs were in the coop. Dadgummed sneaky snakes eat eggs by the dozen! Maybe tomorrow it will show up when the old woman can catch it and kill it. Meanwhile, three or four eggs today instead of a dozen.

 

Not sure exactly when Blake is scheduled to return to cut the grass, but if it is not soon, we will have enough grass to make hay and bale! Too bad some of this stuff can’t be given to the cows and goats. But then, maybe the fields are greening up since we have had so much rain. Know the stock tanks have to be full.

 

Passed the spillway on the dam earlier and noticed a passle of buzzards out there on one side and along the rocks in the bottom of the trench. And yes, it stinks. Must be dead fish or something. Felt strange to see a buzzard fly over from across Jeannie’s house the other day. But no worries. Buzzards don’t attack chickens unless they are already dead.

 

Noticed that Z (Zupkus) had an entire section of his field that he did not mow. If it catches on fire, it would be a problem, but maybe things are wet enough that nothing would spread onto the Anderson’s land. The Fourth of July is always a problem in my mind because of the noise, the fire hazards, and the way the critters react. Storms are one thing, but those rockets are a bit much in the middle of the night. Gripe, natter, carry on.

 

Let us pray for Shona as she stays with her mom out in Lubbock at the rehab center. It has to be pretty depressing for her mom not to be able to do all that she has always done. We are all like that in most ways. We think that because we can think it, we should be able to do it. Only by the grace of God can we keep our body and our wits about us and working. We can all thank God for the pleasure of a working body and mind. May we remember to thank Him for all of life and its beauty.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

From My Morning Walks with God.

 From My Morning Walks with God.

Some scriptures shared with us today. You never know what you will find on FB, but this particular one pleased me.

Acts 4:12

Salvation exists in no one else, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

John 14:13-14

And I will do whatever you ask IN MY NAME, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me for anything IN MY NAME, I will do it.

Acts 10:43

All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins THROUGH HIS NAME.”

 

Walking out to the coops this morning and smelling the fragrance of the crepe myrtle reminded me of some kind of song. Do you remember the lemon tree song? The heavy rain last night showered the ground with the white petals from the myrtle, but it did not take away the perfume. The ground was pretty squishy, but it still felt good this morning. Yes, it will probably get pretty humid feeling with the temps in our forecast, but at least the flowers and veggies got a drink.

 

Patty is triple disgusted by the fact that Roxie needs a bath and her nails clipped. Yes, the old woman has offered to bathe the dog, but the nail clipping needs to be done at the vets’ office or by someone better at that sort of thing than me. Sigh.

 

Cooked hamburger meat, rice, green beans, corn and mixed it all up for the dogs and the old woman. Had two bowls of it for din-upper. Pretty good stuff. Then fried more hamburger for other meals for the dogs—and possibly some older person who lives here. Shona called to ask about some cheese so that she could prepare meals ahead of time to leave with her kids while she goes out to see about her mom. Just happened to have some extra cheese, but sitting here wondering what kind of casserole or whatever was going to make dinner over there. Ideas are always welcome!

 

Tried to give the hens some stuff to keep them healthy this morning with their feed. They were NOT impressed. Finally took it out to the shop and added more plain feed. Noticed this afternoon that the danged ducks were enjoying whatever was left. Argh!

 

Have several huge sunflower plants growing around the yard. Two of them were totally whipped over into the yard rather than being left upright. Will probably cut them to the base since they will never stand upright again. Wind, rain, and weather—the rearrangers of the land.

 

Let us ask for peace. It has to start somewhere. Only God can give us true peace.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.