What's On The Agenda Today?

We start each day with our Quiet Time. Me, Pop,and our morning cup of coffee, relaxing on the porch swing,watching the birds and wildlife,the garden growing,and discussing the day's plans.

Pop goes to town daily to sit,gossip,drink more coffee,and catch up on all the latest news.He comes home around noon to get a bite of something to eat and then gets into whatever he has planned for the day(with a lot of breaks and visiting with friends and neighbors, more coffee drinking, and lots of western TV viewing, throughout the evening).


I picked more berries.I know I said I wasn't going to, but I hate waste,and they are right in my face where we sit,drinking our coffee.The freezer is filling up with berries. I counted 14 bags, so far, in the freezer, about 1/2 gallon each.I fixed a pot of blackberry dumplings a night or two ago, but Pop has sugar problems, so that dish will be limited on our menus.Maybe I'll fix a big pot for the Big Wise Reunion next week.They were,oh,so good!Especially with vanilla ice cream on top!(As soon as the weather cools down, and the cook stove is not fighting with the AC, I will most likely make the berries into jelly and juice to get them out of the freezer. Pop is working on a little cook top stove for me to use outdoors on the patio.)

I hopped on one of the mowers and mowed 80% of the yard.The rest didn't need it quite yet.I guess I must have mowed that section last.

No trimming today. I'm beat, and it's getting hot out.I don't usually mow while the grass is wet, but sometimes you gotta do, what you gotta do!I'll try to get to the trimming tomorrow.
We bought 80 pounds of tomatoes for $18.50,a real deal, at the Amish Auction yesterday, so I'll be rinsing out my pint jars today. Pop eats tomatoes with his cornbread and milk. That use to be a nightly ritual,around our house, but with his sugar problem now, it's more of a treat nowadays. We both love it.Freshly fried,hot cornbread, in a bowl of milk, with fresh(when available)tomatoes.Yum!

The tomatoes will need to sit a day or two before they will be ready to can, so most of my day will be tidying up the house.Did I mention, the Cajun side of the family is coming for a visit?
I brought up all the pints I could find from the basement. When the house burned in 07, I lost a lot of my jars that were stored in my potting shed beside of Pop's garage.I had about 1/2 of my jars filled and they were in the end room of the house that did not burn completely. Thank God it didn't, because we were able to use that room on up until our new house was finished.We were able to salvage the washer, dryer, freezer, canned goods, and a lot of our daily use clothes.That room was built on later, and it was air tight,when the door was closed,so therefore it did not get the damage the rest of the house did.We ran an extention cord to the remaining room and used the washer right on,although we did have to line dry our clothes.That was the least of our worries.

It's 2:30. Time for my nap, and do I need it today! Catch everyone later, in my next post.

Another "Me" Day!

Today is one of my few "Me" Days. Aunt Rhonda has volunteered to keep both of the grandchildren today. I have a doctor's appointment. Just a good thorough check up of sorts. I'm sure a lot of the worries I have are just my age, creeping up on me.So many things come with that. Some you can work on and some you can't.I'm hoping to learn the ones I can work on and put a little more effort towards doing just that. Once anything is weak, at my age, it's harder to rehabilitate it. That why it's so important to keep things in good shape all along the way. Something I have preached to others for years, but not did for myself. Nutrition studies have been a huge part of my life over the last 40 years, but I don't always follow my teachings.I like to know what makes things behave the way they do, but following through with the fix,has been my problem. It all boils down to Discipline. I have had a problem with that one aspect my whole life. Making myself do or not do something that I need to do or not do.I know the proper things to eat and drink,but I don't always follow the rules. Cholesterol builds up quietly, from eating a lot of the wrong foods,and I know that, but,oh, they taste so good at that moment,it's hard to convince yourself, they are bad for you.So it is with so many of my favorite snacks.I know I have low blood sugar, and I must eat at regular intervals, but when just a bite would do, I think I must eat the whole thing,and then I never have the best choices at hand.I could go on and on about the things I know I "should have done, but didn't", in my lifetime.Now I must pay the piper.I guess I'll hear a lecture from the doctor today, and I deserve it.

The Cajuns Are Coming!

Yes, once more, some of Mom's family will be coming up for a visit. Mom doesn't get down that way often.It seems everyone is so tied up with their own set of circumstances in life, it's hard for anyone to break loose to make the trip.
Living in Louisiana, as her family does, they come up occasionally, to get away from the hurricanes and floods, or whatever other disasters that might come their way.I don't think the Oil Spill has affected them, that I know of, but whatever the reason,we're glad to have them once more.Two visits ago, one of the cousins came with the family, and died suddenly of Leukemia, shortly after they returned home. No one knew she was even sick. We were all so thankful we got to spend those few days with her when we did. It is Mom's oldest sister and a couple of her children, and a grandchild making the trip this time. The son will be coming with them. We don't see him that often. Usually, the girls, and maybe a grandchild or two, bring their Mom to Kentucky for their visits.We visited them very little, when we were all younger, but we always kept in touch through letters. Especially two of Mom's sisters families.We were always fairly close,considering we lived so far apart.Mom seen to that.We would send pictures back and forth all the time.Most of the time, there were first cousins, the same age as each of our family,so we would be like pen pals, and write quite often to our individual pal.Dad was never one to pick up and go for a visit, so Mom spent most of her life in Kentucky and kept in touch with her family for the most part, via the mail. Mom's visits to her home state were very few, after she married. Two of her sisters, in particular, kept in close touch with our family, and I am so glad they picked up the slack when it came to visiting. Mom has them to thank for that.We would not have known her family as we do, otherwise.A lot of her Cajun family has passed on,and Mom and her siblings are much older now. It is harder for them to visit like they once did,but they still try their best to do so occasionally.Mom's only brother, Paul Harry Theriot, and his wife,Leona, have passed on, as have two of her brother-in-laws,Purphey Trahan and Leo Derouen.One brother-in-law,Herbert Moore, has Alzheimer's, and is not doing well at this time.And, Of course, we lost Dad in 2001.I am so glad that Mom was able to connect with her siblings when she did and get to know them. They were all put in an orphanage when they were very small,but with the help of family,they were able to find, and grow up knowing, one another.They were some of the lucky ones,in that respect.A lot of folks don't get that chance.

My Mother’s Prayer List

I copied this post from my sister,Vicki's blog, so that it would find it's way into my next book. I think it deserves sharing with others.


My Mother’s Prayer List(by Vicki of "My Favorite Things")

Sunday, July 25, 2010







Just a reminder for me, my sisters and brothers that no matter where we are Mom prays for us everyday!!

I was so touched when I saw this. It’s Mom’s prayer list that I found in her Bible when I was there sharing her evening Bible study.
I asked if I could have a copy of it.

I keep it in my Bible as a reminder that we have a mother that loves us very much!!

We are so blessed!!


until later…V

What a Wonderful Surprise! You're Never Too Old to Learn!

Many years ago,roughly 30, I ordered a Dark Pink,almost Red,Hibiscus from one of the mail order houses.Over the years it bloomed, but not having the best soil, it never did real good.One day,I ran across a couple of Dad's friends from our home town,Bea and Paul Ellery,both deceased now, and we got to talking about the Hibiscus that they had purchased from the local Walmart.They would never live long.I told them, that I suspected the plants were not the type that were hardy in our area, but they were a big seller.Folks bought them left and right, but I doubt theirs lived either.Nevertheless, I volunteered to dig up a piece of my plant for them, since I had had it for years, and it had never succumbed to the cold winters.So I dug them a portion of mine, not knowing that mine would never bloom again. I guess I disturbed the roots more than I had planned.Well, when our house burned 3 years ago, I dug several of my favorite flowers, hoping to keep the bulldozers from destroying them all.I heeled them down in a spot out back, and even there, they barely escaped the bulldozers.When the right time came to transplant them, I had acquired some pastel pink Hibiscus roots from a friend, so I planted them all together. Three years went by and no red blooms.I assumed I had lost it for good. Well,hallelujah, this year, it bloomed.Not only did it bloom, the dog broke a branch of it off while chasing one of my wrens, and I placed the broken branch in a bucket of water, just to see what it would do. Guess what!After having it all these years, I found out, the broken piece would take root in water. I could have propagated lots of red plants by now, had I only known.That goes to show,You're never too old to learn.

Out My Kitchen Window

I have read several posts about what others see outside their kitchen windows, so I thought I would show my view. I have spoken about this flower a few times in the last several months. Well, it has outdone itself this year. Believe it or not, this is only one plant. If you have ever had one, you know the seed pod is identical to the gymsum weed. I'm pretty sure that is the weed's name which I refer to.It grew in the fields when I was a child. Mostly in the pigpen, that I recall.I do remember it other places, but I guess hogs don't eat it, so that was the reason I remember so many of them,left standing, while everything else was devoured.It has a real similar bloom,too, only larger and super white.The whitest I've ever seen, unless it be on a wedding dress. That is what I think of when I see them first open. After they have been open for awhile, they turn a beige, and then fall off,leaving the seedpod to grow in its place. I try to keep a lot of the seed pods pinched off before they mature. That forces out more blooms, and doesn't leave trillions of seeds to germinate later.The fragrance is heavenly. On some nights,the smell of the moon flower fills our yard and beyond. I'm considering letting more of them grow out around our property.The blooms would be a welcome sight during the later summer when all else has dried up.

Recapping A Few Things!

My Purple Martins, evidently, have hatched out a few new members. It's really hard to tell what is going on with them. We mostly have to guess.But from all our observations, we think the three pair must have hatched about 1 or 2 new ones for each pair. It appears the young are getting the hang of flying. We watched them fluttering above the perch, flying round and round, while staying close to the nests, for a few days, then taking longer flying trips each day.We are also hearing that it is time for the older ones to leave for the season. We think one of the older males must have stayed behind, while waiting for the young to strengthen their wings before making that long trip.Of course, this is only our speculation.
As for the quilt I am making for my husband's ex-wife, I added the last to the top. It will only be a throw of sorts for draping over herself at times when she feels a little chilled. Most of us can identify with those moments. Hot one minute,cold the next.However both daughters agree that I should take my time on it and make it a Christmas gift. Their Mother, or Mams, as we all call her, spends most holidays with the entire family.I think we all agreed on that idea. I only hope she isn't expecting it sooner.
As for our new kitten, Lucky, he is growing like a weed and meaner than a junk yard dog. He and Sarah play together a lot, but sometimes Lucky gets the best of Sarah, and Sarah must retreat and take cover. I plan to have Lucky neutered soon, so hopefully, that will take away some of that aggressive playing he does.He plays rough with me and Sarah,but the grandchildren get frightened when he plays with them that rough. His teeth are really sharp, but I have trimmed his front claws a time or two to cut down on all the little scratches I've been getting when I play with him.He is a delight for us all, even if he does get a little rough at times. I don't think he really means to hurt any of us.He finds some of the most adorable places and positions to sleep in, and he sleeps a lot. He is, indeed, a lucky, (and beautiful cat)who has found a home with folks who adore him.

Building a Better World! One Person at a Time!

The little quilt for my husband's ex-wife is coming right along. I have gotten a lot of raised eyebrows over the fact I am doing this for her. We have had a lot of problems with her over the years. I think a lot of the problems stemmed from the fact that she let such a good man get away. He and I have had a wonderful marriage for now onto 32 years, and I am sure that is hard. Watching your ex, day after day, getting along so well,living a wonderful life, that could have been yours.She chose otherwise.Nevertheless, she has to be part of our extended family, since she is the mother of his 2 daughters, and the grandmother of their 2 grandchildren.We have buried our differences, for the most part, at least I have. I don't hold on to past hurt feelings like a lot of folks do. I try to work through it, the best I can, and go on with life. Life is too short to dwell on those kinds of negative things. I choose to fill my days with things that cheer me up and bring me joy.I am enjoying making the little quilt. I only hope she is sincere in liking and appreciating it when it is finished.That is why I feel that ,hopefully,I am building a better world, one person at a time.

I Finally Saw What She Saw!

My sister, Mary, said she had seen a baby hummingbird. She was so excited. I told her it was probably not a baby hummingbird, but one of those moths that looks like a bumblebee. They hover and sip from flowers the same way. She was not convinced so she did some research and found it was, indeed, a hummingbird moth.Not having ever seen one, I was convinced it was what I was explaining to her, a mimic of the bumble bee. Well, I finally saw what she saw. I rushed in and got my camera.Pop keeps his cell phone in his pocket. I usually keep my camera,not in my pocket, but close at hand.I took several shots of it, and this one tends to show the long beak which it uses to penetrate deep into the flowers neck for the nectar.I am so glad to say"Mary, I have finally seen what you saw.It was a first for me, too.""

Grandma, I'm Thinking of you today.

From this....
To this, in a day.....

My Grandma died with double pneumonia.She got too weak to cough up the phlegm and it smothered her to death.She comes to my mind a lot when I get these types of head and chest colds, or sinus infections, or allergy related problems.My lungs seem to get weaker as the years go by. I have been a little sickly for several days now. It's all I can do to function at times. I had the 5 year old grandson from 8 or 9 P.M. Thursday,until 9 P.M. Friday evening.I can usually handle him just fine when I'm feeling good, but it takes a lot out of me, being sick.Whatever it is that I have, it comes and goes throughout the day and night.Usually at night, it's worse. I start out coughing, then I'll cough until I get can't get my breath good.Well, today, I had been working on a new quilt, and decided I needed a break. So I tidied up a little and headed to town.I started coughing about 1/2 way there. I kept thinking I would get straightened up, by the time I got there, but I didn't. It only got worse. I just knew I was dying. I was driving, but I was very aware that I needed to do something. I couldn't get my breath.I tried to remain calm, until I could get to a good spot to pull over and get myself together. I pulled into Walmart's parking lot and stopped my truck.I tried to call a couple of my sisters, to no avail, then I tried Pop. I knew he could not help me from where he was at that moment,in the middle of Graham Lake in Tennessee, but I needed to hear an encouraging voice.Someone to tell me to be calm,you're not dying.By the time I got through to him, I had regained my composure, to a point, and felt I could make it back home.He talked to me for quite a while, trying to calm me down, and make sure I was O.K.I have never had asthma, but I figure this must be the way it feels. I was desperate for air for a short time there, and I really panicked.I am sure that made bad matters worse, but when you can't get your breath, all logic goes out the window. Well, I returned home,mowed some of the yard. That usually calms me.Then I gathered the eggs, tomatoes, and cucumbers, and got back to my little quilt. I don't usually work on a quilt unless I can't get outdoors, and with the heat being so bad lately, I was using that for a good excuse to start one.My grand daughter told me that her other grandmother,Pop's Ex,had said she'd like a little quilt. Maybe we could make her one. So that's my latest venture.Today was the first day I've worked on it, and I think it is coming along nicely.I was a little skeptical about it, since I had planned to use up the leftovers from previous quilts, a crazy quilt of sorts, but it is looking better than I had anticipated.

Has It Been Nine Years?

Tomorrow we will be going to visit Dad's grave. He passed away 9 years ago, on September 5. Several of us children and Mom will be taking flowers to put on his headstone.

Mom has a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. She has been taking an anti- inflammatory medicine for her arm, and it seems it has done some damage to her kidneys and liver.At least, that's what she understands from her last visit. They want to take another blood test to get more information.That's what they'll do tomorrow.
After Mom's tests are done, several of us girls will meet at her home and take her to visit the grave site.We will most likely stop by Ryan's or Golden Corral or some other nice eating place for our noon meal. That has always been something we do when we are all out together,which is very seldom.All of the sisters will be able to attend except Vicki, from "My Favorite Things".She is in North Carolina.Hopefully, one of the sisters-in-law,Kim, will be going with us.Our new truck holds six people comfortably, and Pop says I can use it tomorrow. I guess you noticed,I have permission to use our truck.It has always been a problem getting a good dependable vehicle to hold everyone who wants to go. I think we have that covered this trip.Maybe we'll get lucky and get someone to take a picture of the group for another posting.


(I ran across this blank post.There is so much going on in my life on a daily basis,it's no wonder I forget things.I hate to waste good space,so I have filled it in now, even though it's September,and this blank post was from July.)

Gazpacho Anyone?

Becky Shultea's(Just Bee'n Me) last post brought this to my mind. During the growing season for veggies, most folks have an over abundance of a lot of produce. Years ago, I use to work with a German lady, who told me about a cold refreshing soup that she made by the gallon, and kept it chilled at all times, so whenever she needed a quick refreshing bite of something, it was ready. The soup was called "Gazpacho".You can find many different recipes on the internet.I have tried many different variations of it, until I find one that suits my taste a little better, although many different combination will taste great.This site www.EatBetterAmerica.com is a good one to find many favorite dishes.I would think this would be a great food item to add to your list while trying to loose a few pounds.It is very refreshing on a hot day.

Berries,Berries,Berries! My Cup Runneth Over!

Don't you hate it when you have an over abundance of a crop? You've saved all you can possibly use, and they are still more, and more, and more producing on the vines.It is so hard to find someone who wants them and will come and pick them themselves. I learned my lesson on that,at least in my case, years ago. We had this problem with green beans, so I mentioned to a coworker that I had boocoodles of extra green beans. Of course, she wanted me to pick them and bring them to her. I did, as I usually do,and Pop blew up. When I came home from work, the next day, he had bush hogged all my green beans. The bad part was, I had a row of tenderette beans,my favorite, coming on a little later.They were loaded to the gills, and I do love them like that. Young and tender, no strings, no bug bites,multiple beans per bush,just perfect.But they were gone, too. I was sick. I can feel the pain in my stomach all over, just remembering it now.That's what would happen, if Pop catches me picking the berries for someone else,except maybe my Mother.He might tolerate that.I went out early as I normally do, and picked, and picked, and picked. I was weeding as I went, and I stopped to do a dozen other jobs along the way, but finally with the heat and humidity, and my age,all being a factor, I quit and came inside. I think this makes me about 6 gallon of blackberries in my freezer. I may have to leave home for about a week or so till the rest of them ripen and fall off. Otherwise I will be sick watching them hang there and go to waste.In a good year, with plenty of rainfall, half the number of vines would be sufficient for my family, but in times of drought, they would not bear enough, so you never know what to do. I suppose it is better to have too many vines, rather than not enough. You win some,you loose some!You can't win'em all!

Sarah Falls Out Of the Bed!

I was awakened last night by our dog,Sarah, falling out of bed. I didn't wake completely since she does that now and then, but this morning, she appears to be in pain with her leg and/or shoulder. Today being Sunday, the vets are not open. At least I don't think they are. I use to work for a vet, but that was years ago. I believe at that time, they made exceptions for emergencies.Pop thinks it might just be sprained. He wants to watch her until tomorrow morning, and if she still appears to be in pain, we may take her in then.She whines a bit and holds it out when she lies down. You can tell it hurts her.She can't find a comfortable position for it. I will give her a couple of ibuprofen for now and hope that helps until tomorrow morning.

Couped Up!

No, it's not the chickens today, I was speaking more of myself. The rain has forced me into the house for a short while.I finished the little quilt I was working on. It will have a home shortly. A new friend has asked to buy it for her grand baby. I agreed, although it did pain me to part with it. I don't usually sell my quilts. I make them mostly for a specific family member, usually the children. Nieces, nephews, great nieces or great nephews, or now grandchildren and other step-family members.There is a demand for a little quilt almost all the time. I even made one for my ex-husband's only child, a daughter. She is having her first child.A boy. His name will be Carter. Her father and I never had any children, but when his daughter was born, I wanted to see her. I felt that she would look as close to a child we might have had, if things had worked out for us.Nevertheless, I met the daughter a few times when she was growing up since I worked with the school and schools do things with other schools.So we were bound to meet one day, which we did. I have kept in touch with some of the family over the last 30 some years, including the daughter. We communicate briefly on Facebook on occasion. I made the blanket and mailed it to her. She said she really liked it and knew that Carter would,too.Maybe, one day I will meet him,too.
But today, (back to my topic) I finished the little quilt, and worked a bit on my new sister-in-law's rag rug for her kitchen.She brought me a clothes basket full of sheets and pillowcases that she no longer needed, and only asked that I make her a purple mixed rug from some of the linens. I could use the rest for whatever.
I needed a break from the projects I was working on, so I took out some of my remnants of fabric and decided to make something less stressful. I decided on a pincushion. The colors didn't show up too good, but the background fabric is black felt. The edging is green, and the rose in the center is red with a green leaf or two. I was really pleased with it. I found some old cording to use for the stuffing. It was nice and soft so the pins will slide in and out easily,a problem I have had in the past when using inappropriate stuffing.I hate to waste anything, so I think I had used some scraps of fabric that were too small for anything else, but the needle did not slide in and out too good, so I am more careful now.

Do I Smell Bacon?

No matter where these two animals are when the bacon is fried, there come running. There is something about the smell that draws them like flies to sugar.Speaking of sugar. That is how I catch so many flies during the summer. I have had one of those nasty fly catcher jars in the past which I ordered from some mail order company. It worked pretty good, but it made Pop deathly sick, when he got to close and smelled it. He has an extremely weak stomach, to be such a big, macho, type man.The original type of fly catcher jar called for a piece of meat in the jar to draw in the flies. It works, but extremely yucky.The principle was to draw the egg laying flies. You know, the eggs that turn into maggots. Yes, maggots.Now, don't you agree? Double yucky, and I don't even have a weak stomach.That's why I chose to go with sugar water. It may not draw the egg layers, but it captures and kills lots of flies.I'd advise using a throw away jar though. It gets nasty.
Now that's a lot of flies.I'm with Sarah and Lucky. I'll take the smell of bacon any day.

A Lady in Waiting???

I guess I would be condidered a 'lady in waiting'. It was on June 28th, that we saw the first eggshell drop from one of the nests. So we have been watching faithfully since that day, hoping to see the new baby Martins try out their wings. Still no sign of them. There is a lot of comings and goings by the parent birds, but no sign of the little ones yet, that we are sure of.

Rain!

By the time I could get outside with the camera, it had just about stopped raining. It has been overcast here all day.We had heard there was a possibility of rain on Friday, but we got a little shower today, here in a teensy part of Ky.You know how it hits and misses a lot of the area. Not near enough, but it is bound to help cool things down for a little while.Just hope the sun doesn't come back out right away and bake it all dry too quick. We are really hurting for rain.
The rain held off all day after the quick shower, and came again around 8 this evening.I think there is a good possibility of getting more rain during the night and early morning tomorrow. We are hurting, but thank goodness we don't make our living depending on the weather, as some of the local folks do. Corn crops are hurting bad as are hay fields, tobacco, and the like. Lots of folks raise truck gardens for a little extra pocket change. We are so thankful we are not in their shoes about now.I miss my beautiful flowers and grass, but they don't put food on the table.

I Love Quotes

I love quotes. I collect all sorts of them. They are everywhere in my house. In my computer, in books and calendars I've collected,on wall hangings. You can find a quote for nearly every thing that happens, every moment of your life. Someone, somewhere, has experienced the same things you are experiencing at any given moment and someone has written a quote about it. When you stumble across those quotes, you can feel their meaning within yourself. You have been there.They have expressed your feelings exactly and put it down in print.Those are the ones I like to hang on my walls in different forms.I use to dabble in calligraphy and I collected all sorts of picture frames,with the hope of one day using them for my quotes. I visited Cracker Barrel, the restaurant, one day,and there was a complete wall of just what I had envisioned doing with my quotes. Another example of just how the world works. There is no idea, that has not be made into reality somewhere. You just haven't run into it yet.My plan was to have various styles of frames, and various colors of mats, and an enormous selection of quotes preprinted, and set up a table where ever, a little shop, the mall, the flea market,in a booth in the consignment mall, and display my goods, and let the people choose their favorite verse, their favorite frame and their choice in mats.This is just one way to display my quotes. I lay awake night thinking of others. I love to paint. I save lots of scraps of wood for my quotes. Sometimes it gets used for kindling in the stove before I can paint on it, but I find more. My family and friends know I love to save small pieces of wood, so they contribute to my stash occasionally.I paint on all sorts of things though. Not just wood.I use old metal roofing some, too.We reroofed the hen house, and I begged him to let me keep the roofing. It was lightweight aluminum. Not the type used anymore.I managed to salvage about 6 sheets of it for my projects.It's excellent for a birdhouse roof and American Flags for door hangings.The uses for anything are endless to a crafter.

My Dilemma! Low Blood Sugar vs. Goats Getting Out?

Today is Wednesday. Flea Market Day. Pop usually meets someone out for breakfast on FMD, so there's no need to cook for him. Today he is meeting his oldest daughter for breakfast, since she is semi-retired or between job. Not sure what she is labeling her situation at the moment, but she is not working right now. Therefore she is free to spend more time with Pop. He raised her, almost totally, so they are very close. The job situation has turned out to be a good thing for them, in that respect.But since I don't need to cook for him,I don't worry about cooking just for me,so I struck out working on MY goat pen. Pop has no interest in the goats.He tolerates them for me and the grand kids. Well,I got worried that they needed a little more grazing area,with the drought and all,so that is what I've been working on this morning. I hope for them to eat down the under growth up to the property line fence, so maybe one day, I will be able to plant lots of wild flowers there.I doubt we were up to 105 degrees F. this morning like New York, but it is plenty hot already, to be so early. After working with the fence for nearly an hour,plus I had already picked a half gallon of blackberries,I began to tremble and shake. Low blood sugar. I knew I must get a bite of something to eat,soon, but I was torn between the goats getting out and my sugar problem. It was so hot, I was sweating profusely, but I was determined to get to a decent stopping point with the fence. I found a good stopping point and rushed to the house for a bite of something. That's when I decided to check my blog and write a bit. I'm waiting for the bologna sandwich to get things back in order in my sugar department. I have always had this problem since I was grown, and maybe before that. Just didn't know what was happening.But since I know, I usually am not too far from a bite to eat at all times. Just so happened I didn't have anything on me this morning in the goat pen.(Ha!)

How May Times Have I Posted on This Topic?: A Woman's Work Is Never Done

We had my brother Terry Lee and his new family over for lunch yesterday. I fixed a really nice meal. I thought it was anyway.I hope they did. I had Venison Meat loaf,cornbread and cabbage, stewed tomatoes,a fettuccine salad,cut off the cob-corn from the freezer,baked beans,mashed potatoes with sour cream and chives,sliced cucumbers and onions in a vinegar and salt solution,and Iced tea.I don't think I missed anything. I didn't have time to bake the cake I had planned on. We had a good visit.We had other company to drop in, too, while Terry's family was here.It gets hectic at times,juggling all the company, but we usually get through it. After they all left, Pop cleaned some corn he had picked from our good friend's patch.Then,of course, it was my job to get it cut off, cooked, and in the freezer,asap. I think I dropped into bed about midnight,and I did sleep good.It's ridiculous to have to get so tired to get a decent night's sleep, but I did for once.

Another Kind of Sickness?

What is wrong with me? I have become so attached to the little quilt I am making, I am in pain when I think of finishing it and parting with it.I have been carrying it with me lately, where ever I go, and working on it, at times when I must sit for long periods of time. While talking with a new friend,she mentioned that she loved the little quilt and would like to purchase it for her new baby grand daughter. I said I would sell it to her, and almost got sick immediately. I can hardly bear parting with it. I have grown to love the little quilt. What is wrong with me? I am literally in pain over having to let it go. Is that normal? Do others go through the same feelings when they make something pretty, then part with it, for whatever reason. I find myself having this feeling each time I work on any project. I get so attached to the item, it pains me to let it go.Any Comments?

The Right Time.....

This is the bed I have been working on. It is in a bad place to mow, so I have filled it with plants and mulch.A nice place for some of my blackberries. Hope to show it in it's finished state soon.

We had a few cooler days here lately.Don't get me wrong. It was still plenty warm outdoors, but not the humid,sweat drenching heat like we have been having.So I decided to rearrange a few of my plants. I know it is not the right time, but I find the need to move them around while they are in bloom. When they are doing their thing for the year, I can decide if they look good there, or in another spot. I moved a euonymus bush last week and it appears to be living still. I know if could easily die from the move, but it was getting too big for the spot it was in. Today I moved a mock orange. If I can keep it watered and shaded somewhat, until it takes hold again, it may survive.The mock orange was crowding out my blackberries. I needed to widen the bed so I could have more standing room when I pick them. My berry crop is unreal this year.I will freeze the whole berries and make jelly and juice for cobblers(since neither of us can handle the seeds) later in the season, when the heat from the stove is not so unbearable and in competition with the AC.I usually make freezer jam with my strawberries and it is so simple, I decided to come up with some type of freezer jelly with the blackberries.It turned out pretty good. The girls and Pop love the "homemade type blackberry jelly" made from wild berries and cooked till it jells without the use of sure jell, but I refused to go through all it takes to make it. I have too many other responsibilities at this point, so I leave that up to a friend to make that kind of jelly.I know that sounds selfish of me,not to make the kind they prefer, but I do have so much responsibility around the property and the house, and it works out well for the friend,too. She has something special to give the girls and Pop for birthdays or Christmas, or whatever special occasion may arise.
I've widened the bed for the berries, and mulched it good to keep down the under growth. I need to construct some type of support system around them this Fall. Many of the berries are lying on or hanging near the ground from the weight of so many berries. I never think of those little details until I'm in the middle of picking season.That should be simple though. I hope to put a few iron posts in the ground and attach a couple of cross members, probably 2x2's for support.I would love to have a section of white board fencing, but I doubt that will happen.That involves digging holes, and the fill under our yard was mostly rock.Next to impossible to dig a decent post hole. Just finding a spot to drive a steel post is a chore.
I ran across 3 tiny peach trees that has come up from seeds I planted in the corner of the bed 2-3 years ago. I had forgotten about them until I found the little trees. They are about 18-20 inches tall. The seeds were from Dad's tree. He had planted the tree a few years before he died. He got to live to see it bear fruit 1 time. While he lay dying from cancer, old friends would stop and visit. Most of them asked to take a peach home with them in hopes of getting a tree to remember Dad by. I have a feeling we will all get a different kind of peach than the ones Dad had. You know how that goes in most cases.The seed doesn't always bring forth the same fruit as what you had started with. Oh well, it was the memory that we all wanted. The fruit would be an added bonus if it turns out to be edible.I hope my 3 little trees live.
I mentioned in an earlier post that our good friend and neighbor, Steve, had given us several loads of used lumber from his barn that was destroyed by the storm. along with it came a bird house, which I haven't tackled yet, and an old mailbox they had replaced years ago. It was still in tact, but being plastic, the sun had weakened it quite a bit.However, I placed it in the bed I am working on, and gave it a coat of paint, in hopes a couple of birds will take up residence there. I can never have enough birds.My new bed is coming along nicely. I can hardly wait to show it in a post.
(Pop still thinks all my puttering in the yard is senseless, but I disagree, and keep on puttering.I think smoking cigarettes is senseless, but he hasn't quit that yet either.I love my yard, my gardens, my flowers. I love working with the soil and the plants. It is great therapy, not to mention it improves the value of the property, regardless of what Pop thinks.Pop is a little like my Dad on this topic. Dad always said if you played any kind of sport, that was a waste of time. You should be working.Pop is that way with my yard and gardening.He considers that play. Something I do just because I want to.No value in it whatsoever.I contribute that to "the old school" way of thinking.I seem to have gotten off track there for a minute, but just thought I'd throw that in.)
It has been a really nice day out today. Much cooler.We slept with the windows open last night. If only we could have a few more days like that. Good outdoor working weather.
Whoever understands and loves a garden may have contentment if he will.
Chinese Proverb