Practicing Patience

With the warmer days we have been having, it makes one think the warm weather is here to stay and we can get on with our gardening plans,but I have a feeling there will be a few more cold days to follow.The warm days and the rain have brought  many flowers out of their dormancy,ready for another Spring.I went about taking a few pictures this morning while I was surveying the damage from the nights storm. We were relieved to awaken to only rain. Mom called me at 4 o'clock this morning,to tell me about the bad weather that was making it's way across our area. I turned on the news and followed it until it had passed.Tornadoes and high winds had ripped through our state and leveled a few homes and left much damage, but we escaped Mother Nature's wrath once more.The temperature was 70 degrees in Louisvile, at the time of the storm.I think we had a mere 60 degrees here, but nevertheless, it was that warm air hitting the cold air that arrived here later in the day, that caused all of the stormy weather.The rain was all we got. We have had quite a bit of that in the last few days.My little pond is not holding well.We'll need to reline it soon,but it caught quite a bit of water over the last few days. The spot where we pile our fire wood before it's been sawed up for the stove,was nearly flooded,but it will recede in a day or so.Thank goodness, we're not hurting for more firewood right away.We 've been sewing a few pounds of that expensive grass seed in a few areas around the property, in hopes of hitting under Dark Moon,so it will grow faster and better, but I think the heavy rains have washed the seed all downstream into Mammoth Cave. They say everything that goes in these sink holes with in fifty miles of the caves,ends up in Mammoth  Cave. I'll bet they have a beautiful place down there.I have lost many a ton of topsoil,mulch,compost,and seeds to them in the last 32 years. It surely must be a regular Garden of Eden down there.

Book Crazy!

For many years, I have been book crazy. I love books. I have collected more books than I care to count over my lifetime.Folks who know how I love books, have brought me more books. I am not an avid reader,per se.I have always collected books on topics that interest me,and that could change at any given moment. Most of the books I have collected over the years have been for research purposes. I love to know as much as I can possibly know about things I like and am interested in.Most of my books are(or should I say were)on gardening, flowers,anything medical,usually topics pertaining to specific health issues of my own,herbs, natural healing,alternative medicines,aroma therapy,homeopathic cures,various diets,cookbooks,nutrition and most recently,books on diabetes to help Pop,books on Fibromyalgia,to help me understand the disease better, since one my sisters has developed those symptoms.My interests are endless.I have collected books for the grand children for several years in hopes of reading to them or having them read to me while learning.Lucky me,I inherited two grandchildren who hate to study anything,much less reading,so the books have collected, have sit unused for several years, taking up valuable space. So now,I have a wonderful collection of those Little Golden Books,for some lucky child,somewhere.
Nevertheless, we had the fire.I lost lots of my books, and lots were damaged badly,but saved in hopes of using the good pages for a craft project some day.But still I have lots of books left.
Recently I read where the small  town where I attended high school,was opening a public library that would be run on the honor system.I have contacted an individual connected with that program, in hopes of finding a home for many of my books. Since the computer age, I do not use the books as much as I once did.I can do most of the research necessary,via the computer.Now watch my computer go out,next week.
I hope to speak with the person about the books tomorrow. I will give an update later as to the outcome.This could be a blessing for both of us,myself and the new library.Wish me luck.

A Package from New Zealand!

Thanks Brendi, I got my package in the mail today. Pop collected the mail ,as usual, never even mentioning that I had a package,much less from New Zealand. I was so excited.Thanks for the 2 bars of soap,one cucumber and one coffee. I can't wait to try them. I may get my coffee fix in the tub tomorrow morning. Pop will have to make his own coffee. Thanks a bunch. I hope your and your family are all safe from the dreaded earthquake.I will be watching for a post on it from you.Stay safe!

Some Folks Never Learn!

First and foremost, I want to say "Thank You" for all the wonderful comments in the past few days. The weather has been nice, and I have been doing a lot more work outdoors, and have very little time to sit at the computer, although, I will come in at times and rest my back. Thus, my topic.I spent a whole year in and out of the Doctor's and chiropractor's office, trying to figure out the problem with my body. First, I was told it was Carpal Tunnel. I thought perhaps, that could be it, since I have done a lot of repetitive work with my hands over the years.The medical doctor had been through that herself, so she recommended a set of exercises that had helped her.  If she only knew how I hated any form of structured exercises. I don't mind getting my exercise doing my day to day chores, but as for real specific exercises,No Thanks.So with that not being a popular choice for me,I decided to try my chiropractor. I have been to him and many other chiropractors in my life time, but even then, when I feel better,I can't stand going and going and going for more treatment.I know. They call it maintenance. But once I feel better, I'm done with him for awhile.Sad,but true.Nevertheless, I did a lot of lifting and tugging and pulling yesterday.Hence,my body was telling me all night,I did too much of all of the above.So here we go again with the same problem I had when I sought out medical help last year. Hopefully, if I lay off the lifting and tugging and pulling for a few days, it will fix itself and go away.It starts out with numbness in my hands and arms gradually turning to pain and throbbing in my arms and hands. I can't  find any one position to sleep when it gets so bad, to relieve the numbness.In the early stages,I can.Since, I know what I've done to cause my problem, and I pretty much know how to fix it,I'll just have to lay off the Spring Cleaning in the yard for a few days.And it has been so pretty out. A little windy, but only a slight rain every few days. Not enough yet to put a halt on things outdoors.Pop disced the worst parts of the back yard, and reseeded it hoping to hit in the Dark Moon for better growth of the grass,so I felt I would do some cleaning out there while it was nice. I just got carried away,but I did get lots done.I picked up loads of rocks(the worst for my back)and piled lots of  brush,ready to burn for when the conditions are right. I raked a lot of debris from the wood cutting over the winter.I cleaned around the carport and the woodpiles.I trimmed lots of dead flower stalks and last years growth from my many flower beds.I added more fill to a couple of problem spots in the yard.Then when I'd come in to rest my back, I got quite a bit of house work done. I think it must have been those patches I put on the soles of my feet. I used them for 2 days, in hopes of drawing out poisons from my body. If that is what caused me to work so hard for the last few days, I will definitely be ordering more of those.They were really black when I pulled them off, so that is supposed to mean they are doing their job. We'll try them again in a few days, and see if I get the same results.Until then,hope your weather is as nice as our here in this part of Ky. although really nice weather this time of the year, could mean a good chance for the dreaded tornadoes.                                                                   

How'm I Doin'?

Here are three samples of the little note cards I have been playing with since I found this new program I've spoke about. There are so many ways they could be used.I can use the actual card,or master copy, or I can print out copies on the computer.Either way, I am having loads of                                                      

                          fun coming up with new arrangements and wording for more and more cards. I only wish I could get my family here to work with me on putting together many more new samples.(Hint!Hint! Rita,Tina,Cindy,and Kendra)Other family members are welcome to come and help, but these girls have already told me they want to participate.Who knows, maybe we'll get together this Spring or Summer and have lots of Munchies.That sounds like a great plan.If we have munchies, my grand daughter will definitely  want to come. She loves a shindig with munchies,  and she is getting into                                                                                            crafts,now,too                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Yes, Nancy,a lot of the old farms,as we once knew them, are gone in our area, too. I feel there are two main reasons in this area. Amish families are moving in and buying up large chunks of land,since it takes a certain amount of land to sustain their large families.You can hear all kinds of stories regarding the who and why and how the Amish folks operate in the way they do, but the one family we see most often in our area, will usually explain different things to us,if we will just ask.

It is my understanding, that a few families,will get together and seek out a large portion of land to buy, but it must be viable enough and large enough to sustain the families,to warrant them relocating. There need not be a house on the land, because they don't use all the modern day features of todays homes.If there is an existing home,they may strip the electric wiring out of it and live in it,otherwise,they will quickly construct a simple house to their liking.In this area,they have built shelter for their animals and themselves,all under one roof, until they get a foothold, and can build separate quarters.It is fasinating to watch their homesteads progress from a mere plot of land to a small community of sorts.They do bring a certain peaceful quality to the surrounding community, but with traffic moving so fast from English folks,as they call us,their safety on the highways,is a constant concern.Many families in our area and surrounding area, have come to depend on the Amish for their produce. Many families have two working members,so buying their garden needs instead of growing their own, tends to free up some of their spare time for other things.Only the folks who have gardening in their blood will till and plant and care for a garden,when they can run next door and buy,usually for a song, all the produce they could ever use.

The second reason for the demise of the family farm is the huge equipment used by the farmers who lease hundreds of acres at a time to raise enormous crops.The buildings have been leveled, and the fences and trees have been bulldozed away, to make more clear and open fields for their way of farming.Kentucky is a fertile land,with an excellent climate, during most normal years,to grow big crops for feeding the nations population and livestock.Good farm land is a rare commodity anymore,with so many communities growing and reaching out so far,so fast.

Trying New Ideas!

I have said it before, and I'm saying it again. The things

I choose to do have no rhyme nor reason. I get an idea

in my head, and run with it.Never anything monumental,

but just some little something I want to try.I have mentioned,

too, how I love fabric and pretty paper.I collect both,for

what,I do not know. I just know I love having it around

 me,just in case I find a project that calls for either.Pretty

colors make me happy.That's a big part of the reason I have

 so many flowers. I hate the dull, drab, dry days of the hot,

hot part of summer,when all the flowers dry up from the heat.

Those days are so depressing for me, I stay inside as much as

 possible.The heat is a big part of the reason I stay inside quite

 a bit,during the summer, but the main reason is  the ticks,turkey

 mites,etc.They have become unbearable in our area,and yard

work for me becomes impossible.Therefore, I simply find new crafts to fill my days.I have mentioned, that I do not do scrap booking. I do love to use a lot of the same tools and methods, but just not for scrap booking. My latest craft is shown in the pictures, although it is in the beginning stages. My great niece,Kendra, gave me the idea this past Christmas, in a card. She is a very crafty young lady.I only hope she continues her interest in crafts. It has brought me some many hours of pleasure.So back to my latest craft. I collect paper of all types.I cannot stand to see it discarded. During all the years I worked for the school, I had to watch the young teachers rip rolls of beautiful colored paper from their bulletin boards,wad it up and toss it in the dumpster. If they only knew how that made me literally feel sick to my stomach,to see that.I could visualize so much more that the paper could be used for. I would at times, slip out and get some of the paper that was not so crumpled, and cut out my lettering for my own 8 bulletin boards in my cafeteria. I had 8 ceiling tiles,2 ft. X 5 ft.mounted on the walls, and I tried to rotate around and keep them all fresh every few weeks with nutritional information and fun pictures for the children to see and hopefully absorb while eating their meals.I,to this day, have boxes of paper,salvaged from those dumpsters. Sorting and organizing fills a lot of my days,but I love seeing all the things I've kept from my years of working for the School Food Service.Constantly trying to find new ways to utilize it. Well, with this project, I am doing just that.I started out with paper on paper,then fabric on paper, then fabric on fabric. I love to mix and match colors and patterns anyway.I have been making these little things,off and on,all week. Mixing and matching them. Ironing them flat.Fraying the edges on some. I haven't found my pinking shears yet,and my craft scissors set doesn't cut through fabric that good, but I am still experimenting on new ways to layer these little pieces of fabric and paper. I plan to use buttons, flowers, ribbons,jute,lace,anything from my many drawers of goodies that will look nice. These little labels,as I will call them, can be used in so many different ways.The list is endless. I will concentrate on the labels for now. If bad comes to worse when it comes to using them on projects, I can always bag them up,6 or so to a bag, and sell them on e-bay, or at yard sales,for others to find uses for them.

Isn't There A Code of Ethics for the Animal World?

For several weeks, I nurtured and loved Ellie Mae.I bought him the best cat food available, because that's what he preferred.I found him a substitute Mother(a feather duster) so he would feel secure at night while he slept. I furnished him with two loving playmates(Minnie and Lucky,our two cats) to pass the time away,while he was temporarily confined to the glass cookie jar on the counter.I took him outside on warm sunny days,and made him a nice fenced in pen for protection from our two dogs,Sarah and Bear, while he got some exercise,fresh air, and a few bugs from the grass.Even when he was full grown, I would let him inside, and dice up a slice of bologna,simply because I hated to see him begging at the door for a treat and our companionship once more.I would take him out to the big chicken yard daily, hoping he would gradually figure out he was a chicken.My goal was to gradually integrate him into the flock of hens that would soon be HIS harem.Now that he is full grown, he stays full time in the chicken yard with his flock of hens.I went out this morning to visit with him for a few minutes since Pop has been his main caregiver for a week or so.Pop normally cares for the chickens anyway, for the most part.I was in hopes that Ellie Mae had not forgotten me, after all I'd done for him,but it was too late. He was indeed,now a full fledged Rooster,and he had no patience for me. I reached down to rub his back once more, and he bit(or shall I say flogged) the hand that once fed him.I don't suppose chicken practice that rule.Never bite the hand that feeds you. Oh well,I got him this far. Hopefully, he can now live out his life like any other normal rooster. I'll still have my pictures and my memories.

Pop and I

Here is a picture of Pop and myself that I tinkered with using some of my new skills. I think this is going to be great fun when I get the hang of it. The possibilities are endless,but it will take some time to learn all of the neat little tricks.

I'm So Happy!

This is just a sample of what I have been trying to learn. I ran across a site that directed me to another site that shows you how and it's free,and after I just paid $40 for a program that I can't even use.It's a rip.Selling folks things they don't even need when they can get it off the net for free, and they even have tutorials on how to use their site.It is time consuming, learning how to put things together, but I plan to work with it a bit more, in between projects,on my already endless list of things I want to do.I'm so happy I found this program, and am learning to use it.

The Man!

Here is an up to date picture of the rooster that I raised in the cookie jar. We have stopped letting him out to come to the house daily, so I think he has finally figured out that he is a chicken. Not only a chicken, but "The Man"of the house.The only Man. Hopefully he will figure out just what his responsibilities are.We'll see what happens this Summer when it comes time to set a few eggs to replenish our flock.
(He is the white fellow in the back.)

Boredom!

I'm so proud,my granddaughter, Leah,is taking an interest in cooking,but it may be just a passing phase.The women on the maternal side of her family have very little interest in cooking and none in crafts. I am trying to expose Leah to as many of these types of things as possible.When she spends time with me each week,we enjoy doing all the things that I love to do and she seems to be eager to learn.I only hope it stays with her. With these things to fall back on,one is less likely to find themselves bored.I know she hates boredom as much as I do,and I make it a priority of mine,not to spend a single moment of my life being bored.
She loves pretty dishes and all the trimmings that go with fixing a cute table. I have collected these types of things for 30 plus years in hopes of having a restaurant of some kind or a bed and breakfast or something similar, to display all my beautiful collections,but that will never happen. Age and other circumstances change a lot of things,and the house fire changed a lot of things for me. I was able to salvage many of my possessions,thanks to some of my family members who came over on a daily basis and rummaged through the remains to salvage some things,when Pop wanted to let the bulldozers have free rein and bury it all in a hole. How men can do such is beyond me. Even ,he had lots of things in his garage, that was mixed among the ashes, that I felt could be saved,when he simply waved the bulldozers on, and buried it, or sold it as scrap metal.I know fire weakens metal, and I'm sure that was a lot of the reason he let it all go, but sentiment holds me back quite often. If there is a shred of anything left, I want to try to restore it, if at all possible. A lot of my dishes were black, and some of them would not clean up, but to crush and bury them all with out trying,I could not bring myself to do that, and my family understood.Thank God, I had many  family members who were there to help me through it all.Now, what remains of my collectibles,sits in boxes in the sheds, waiting for my next move. I,to this day, have not decided what I want to do with them.I am busy going on with my life doing other things.I have not forgot about them.My mind is constantly thinking,thinking,thinking,what to do with them.Hopefully, one day it will fall into place for me as to what I want to do with them.Maybe Leah will take that interest up one day ,too,although I'm sure she ,as do her parents,has a more important and profitable profession in mind for her life's work.I try to explain to Leah that she needs to learn to entertain herself .Don't depend on others to make you happy in life.That does not always work.You need to learn to entertain yourself during your free moments,doing something you enjoy.Don't whine and complain that you're bored. She talks with me a lot about she and I being kin,and do we share the same blood.I try to explain to her, in terms that she can understand, that we do not share the same blood because I am her step grandmother. Pop says that really worries her that we don't share the same blood, so I shouldn't talk to her about it, but I feel if she is asking, she is mature enough to be told the facts of our lives to some degree.Nevertheless,that is why I am afraid the things I am teaching her now, may not stay with her. She may be doing them to please me now, but not really follow through with all I have taught her,later. Certain traits and ambitions are strictly inherited, and naturally in your blood with the desire to do them.

Surprise Birthday Dinner for a Good Friend

Our good friend has a birthday on Tuesday, but she is still working public work on weekdays, so we decided to fix her a Special Birthday Meal today. The grandchildren are here today, and Leah loves having a shindig as she calls it.The main course was to be quail,which our friend,Gilberta,loves.The meal was to be a simple one.Quail,biscuits,gravy, and mashed potatoes.Gil had a big meal at noon for her daughter and her family after church, so they would drop by our house around 4:00.I'm sure they would not want another big meal,and that worked out fine for me. Trying to cook a huge meal with both kids here is next to impossible, but today I got lucky. Leah wanted to do the most of the meal. She is ten years old, and wants to do it all. She loves decorating the table with my pretty dishes. Pop doesn't care for that, but he went along with it for her.She loves it so.She likes to use name tags and pretty festive napkins,a nice centerpiece,pretty glass glasses,the prettiest set a dishes she can find in the cupboards. A girl after my own heart.As for the cooking, nothing would do, but let her have a hand in it all.She rolled the quail in flour and put it in the skillet to fry,She helped peel and mash the potatoes.She tried her hand(literally) at making the biscuits.She stirred the gravy till it began to thicken,then I took that job over to avoid too many lumps.She made the coffee. She's an old hand at that nowadays.She filled the pretty ice tea glasses with ice and poured our drinks.Gilberta had a nice Birthday Surprise Meal today.All that remained from the meal was about a cup of mashed potatoes, so I added an egg, and some diced onions and a little flour to them and Pop and I had fried Potato Cakes for or bedtime snack Thus ending a very nice day.  

Cornbread Anyone?

Help is coming today to work with me on "My Secret Project", but I will take a minute to talk about CORNBREAD. A blogger friend from Piggies Heaven is not familiar with it. She is located in France.We,in our prospective countries or regions, take for granted the foods we grow, cook and eat, but for some, they may seem foreign.Even here in the United States, with folks venturing out and settling so far from their original home state,we run into folks daily who are not familiar with Cornbread. We have friends from Illinois and Connecticut who have never heard of cornbread.Corn has been a very basis food grown here in this area for centuries.Our forefathers used it during the days when the Pilgrims first settled here with Columbus in 1492.The Indians,if I remember correctly, introduced it to the Pilgrims. Since folks across the Big Water are not that familiar with it, I'm sure that is the way it began. Nevertheless,cornmeal has become a staple in our household. We bake it in the oven,we fry it in the skillet, we mix it with flour and seasonings to roll our seafood in for frying,we add it to certain pies for a crusty topping,we deep fry it with onions for hush puppies to be served along with our deep fried fish,and we use it as an additive in lots of other dishes.It is a very versatile product.My Mother was raised in lower Louisiana, so the foods used in this area, were foreign to her,too. She was a excellent cook for many years,but with raising nine children and not being familiar with the Kentucky way of cooking, she had to do a lot of experimenting to please Dad,especially,and all of us kids,yet come up with enough of something,anything, to feed us all.Dad wanted Kentucky type food since that is what he was raised on, but us kids learned to eat just about anything. Anything derived from whatever products were available locally anyway.French cuisine was only offered when Mom's family would come to visit from South Louisiana.They always made it a point to cook up some of their Cajun dishes for us all to enjoy while they were visiting.Mom would fix us a dish on occasion, which we called cush cush. I have learned that cush is a product in itself, but Mom would make her version of it using cornmeal in a skillet,stirring constantly,adding just a drop or two of water at a time,as it cooked, till the finished result was nothing more than crumbled cornbread,minus the egg and milk.So that's one food we ate a lot as kids,and I still eat crumbled cornbread often in a bowl of milk even today.That's Pop's favorite dish too(although if you cooked up a skillet of cush cush, he'd die a natural death.)He wants his cornbread cooked up in the oven or in a skillet. I,personally, prefer it pan fried in a skillet in individual corn cakes.There is something about  frying that makes anything taste soooooo good. It must be the calories.I'm sure there are many folks who have different versions of their cornbread recipe, but I make it nightly for Pop, and all I use is:

1 to 1 1/2 cup of cornmeal MIX  (the MIX already has the baking powder and salt added)
1 small egg (Our hens lay different size eggs.We use the larger eggs for breakfast)
1 Tablespoon of oil. Stir all of that while adding your water,milk,or buttermilk(your choice)until you have a heavy batter.If pan frying,just add it to your heated,lightly oiled skillet,in separate patties,letting them fry,till golden,then flip them over,letting the other side cook to golden.

Everyone does things their own way, and you will find a procedure that suits you best, but the finished product will taste wonderful. There's something about warm cornbread that is so satisfying,whether you eat it with a pat of butter, crumble it in milk or your favorite soup or bowl of beans.Let me know how you did.

I'm Not Average! Are You?

The economy is on the mend.
Only 383,000 people in the US seeking unemployment.
The lowest level since 2008.
Who would have guessed that things are on the mend?

Management in every area could be a big part of all our problems.

Are we doing any better when it comes to managing our individual households?

The morning news program says that the average American family spends about $182. a week on groceries, and the average American family throws out about $1,300. worth of spoiled foods each year. I have always considered my family as average,but I guess we're not.
I cook for two unless we are expecting company.I don't prepare and freeze meals ahead,as many folks do who are trying to conserve energy,time,and resources,but we do eat for a day or two on whatever I do fix,if there are left overs,usually in those cases where we have soup, chili, a roast, or dried beans.Cornbread is usually a given,most evenings.If we are not having one of those dishes,we may have a giant burger topped with smothered mushrooms,onions,and cheese on whole wheat bread.That's a favorite of mine, so I try to have it at least once every other week.Pop doesn't eat spaghetti, but he will eat hamburger helper.Go figure!I think a lot of the foods he will eat grew out of necessity,when he was raising his two girls.Before I came into the picture, they would have hamburger helper because one girl would eat the meat, and the other ,the noodles.Thus he learned to eat that dish.The same with potato salad sandwiches????His ex did not cook that much, so when they would have big gatherings, he would try to take home a bowl of potato salad, then he would have potato salad sandwiches for a few days,out of necessity. He likes that, even today,on occasion.We froze lots of corn on the cob last year, so some night,we'll have a big plate of that for our evening meal,topped off with a bite or two of hot cornbread with butter or maybe with milk and tomatoes.
Regardless as to what we have for our meals, you can see, there is never much waste. Our two cats rarely eat anything other than cat food, but we have two dogs that would live on house scraps,although the vet doesn't recommend allowing that.So we do feed them dry dog food,too.They are both very healthy.Nevertheless, we have chickens,so I keep a five gallon bucket with a lid,close at hand, at all times.Anything we do not eat, goes into the bucket, for them. They scratch around and eat what they want, then incorporate the rest into the soil.Thus, I have excellent compost dirt for our garden in the Spring.
This is only a glimpse of our practices.Living the way we do, and utilizing every morsel, is the reason why I say,We are Not the Average American Family.When we had the exchange student from France, many years ago, and he would ask me why we did certain things a certain way, I made it a point to explain to him that we are NOT the average American Family.
Is your family average?

More Fascinating Information Received Via Email

I've not looked into all these statements,but if any of them are true, cucumbers should be one of the things we keep on hand at all times, along side the WD-40 and Witch Hazel.


1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.
3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.
4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.
5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!
6.. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!
7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.
8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.
9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!
10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.
11. Just finished a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.
12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.
13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!


(Just remember.Many years ago, you could rest assured,if it was in print, it had to be true.Not so any more. Folks can write anything, with no fear of the consequences.So I take most of what I read anymore,with a grain of salt. )

Law Of the Garbage Truck

I hope I am not breaking any law by copying this from an email I received today, but it was such an interesting concept, I couldn't help but pass it along.I find this to be true in many cases.


Law of the Garbage Truck

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport
We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.
My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.
My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.
So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'
This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment.
As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.

Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.
Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets,
so ... Love the people who treat you right.
Pray for the ones who don't.

Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

Have a garbage-free day!

"Faith is not believing God can, it is knowing that God will."

A Good Friend and CoWorker Dies

I worked for the same organization as this lady for many years.All of the managers from the 22 different schools in our county,would meet at a central location,to discuss the latest happenings regarding the School Food Service, and discuss and plan the menus for the following month.It was always such a pleasure to meet with the ladies from all of the other schools. Some from grade schools, some from middle schools, and some from high schools in the county. It was always interesting and a joy to hear and compare stories of "our kids" and their eating habits.There were always lots of fun stories being told, but then there were lots of sad stories, too, of families who were struggling.Susan would sit with me at my table during all of the meetings. She would always have pictures to share of her family. She was very in tune with the children of her school, and worked hard to make her cafeteria the best it could be for them and her employees. She spoke of retiring shortly after I did.Possibly one year later. I didn't see her that much after I retired, but just this morning,spoke to Sylvia Cox,another retired manager, from our time period, to see if she had heard of Susan being sick lately. Many of the retired managers kept up with the other ladies they had worked with in the past.Sylvia said she had seen her working at Michael's Craft Store once or twice, then later working at Sam's Club,decorating cakes.That was one of her specialities.Evidently she had taken other employment after retiring from the School Food Service. Nevertheless, she has died, and I still have not heard any more details. There is mention of ALS in her obituary, so one can only guess, there might have been a connection.I will coninue to do more research on the matter.
Since no one knows the day nor the hour that He might come,we can only try to be as prepared as possible,at all times.

Another Helpful Decluttering Tip

I thought about commenting on 365 Less Things, but she had so many comments already, I doubted she would ever get around to reading mine. Hence, another post today.I have the same problem here. Too much stuff and it is always out of place. I have tried a new method, and it seems to be helping me to some degree with my decluttering.

First and foremost, I try to stay out of the junk stores.I buy too much stuff,with the best reasoning in the world.At least, that's what I tell myself when I'm shopping.I always try to rationalize why it is alright to buy each item.Usually, just because it's pretty and I like it. No real practical use for it in mind.

Then I have tried a new plan for thinning out my possessions. Mainly clothing,for now.I keep a basket by the door, so I don't forget it when I go to Mom's or the Sister's homes.Whenever I run across a garment that I hardly ever wear, in the basket it goes.When I visit the family, I take the basket and let them go through it to see if there is anything they can use. If not,it's off to the Church.Mom's church has a little building there in town where folks can bring things to supply families in need. The items are free for those folks to come and take what they need to get back on their feet.The Church supplied 250 plus families last year.

(Brendie, that might be a good project to start in your community.A Helping Hand type business to help folks get back on their feet.You seem to have a knack for helping others.But that would require a building to house it all, and rent here is through the roof.Oh well, it was just a thought,and who am I to recommend anything to others. I have enough stuff here to start one of my my own.)
The basket by the door idea seems to be helping me to thin out a few items each week.Possibly it could help someone else.

Five Things

List Five Things I Never Leave Home Without.

(Nancy, if you only knew.)

I worked for many years, around children, and I inherited this trait (or sickness)from my Mom, of carrying everything that anyone could possibly need in the course of a day,in my purse.When I was very young,we use to play a game after Church Training Union,on Sunday nights,where everyone divide up into two groups,one person would get in the center and call off the name of something,and the first to bring that item to him would win their side a point.I think that was when I started carrying so much in my purse. But then,Mom raised 9 children, so she knew what was most likely needed, during the times we were away from home.From a cough drop to a safety pin,to Neosporin salve and a band aid,a hankie, a pocket knife,screws and screw driver for your eyeglasses,allergy pills.Crazy glue for a loose false tooth.The list is endless.And I do mean ENDLESS.I always carried one of those huge home made luggage bags to work with me, and believe me,everyone in the school knew where to go when they needed anything.I even had a child to come to me one day,for a belt, to hold up his older brother's pants,he had to wear that day for whatever reason.Luckily I didn't have a belt,but instead I had twine. I simply draw stringed a couple of belt loops together which made them fit somewhat better.With his shirt out,no one would ever know.But like Nancy, I retired, and it is so hard to leave my faithful supply bag at home. Most days, I carry it in my truck,where ever I go,just in case.
But if I had to narrow it down to five,oh my,let's think.
(1) My cell phone(Pop fusses if he can't reach me on my phone.)
(2) My wallet,which includes my checkbook,some change,my ID,and maybe a $ or two.
(3) An extra set of clothes.I never know what Mom will have me doing.
(4) My special insulated bag for frozen foods.(Given to me by a friend.It's so handy when shopping for spur of the moment groceries.)
(5)A few minor tools needed in case I get stranded somehow.I love to help other folks when they are stranded,too.


The following bloggers are hereby tagged. (Participation is optional.)Now it's your turn to list the five things you won't leave home without.That's a job in itself, but the copying and pasting you'll need to do to get this post ready to publish,is something else,too. Good luck. I guess we all need a refresher course,now and then,on various posting procedures.

Here's my list of ladies for the same challenge.

Connie of Granny's Sewing Room

Vicki of My Favorite Things

Brendie of Bregle Estate

Farmchick of It's a Smalltown Life

Mary of Nails in my Pocket.

Prepared is My Middle Name

There are many folks,like Gavin and my older sister,who are definitely getting prepared for the big "What If". I am 63, as of last week, and I have heard these stories most of my grown up life. Get Prepared.Be Ready.Stockpile.Well,we don't have everything packed in a cave, as they did years ago, expecting a nuclear bomb any day, but I feel I am prepared for most disasters. I have enough food and supplies accumulated in my home to sustain us for at least 6 months.Not because I have planned for the unknown, but partly because I live so far out,and it takes so much of that expensive gas to get to town and replenish things.Overall,I guess the majority of the world are not likely to have enough on hand, and it would be wise for them to consider having some type of stash to fall back on, in case of any emergency.
One thing I have been doing lately is taking some of my frozen items from the freezer and putting them in jars.I had lots of frozen strawberries and blackberries this past year , and they do take up lots of space. I figure if the power goes out for very long, I will not loose these types of things.We have been eating our corn on the cob a bit more than usual, trying to move it along. Most years, we have a lot of that left when new corn comes in.Hopefully this year, we won't have any left.
At the end of the winter season, this year, I plan to reevaluate the things that remain, and next season, cut back on what I save.If we don't eat it, it's useless to freeze it.I will try to be more selective in what I do freeze. It has been a life long habit with me, to save every morsel, thinking we may fall onto hard times.A good philosophy, but how much can 2 older folks eat during one winter?If we were working in the fields,maybe,but we're not that active nor hungry nowadays.
And,too,it's senseless to keep 2 freezers and 2 refrigerators running at all times in times like these,when it's not necessary.Preserving foods in jars is the greener way to go,too.So see, we are reducing our carbon footprint even more,as we go.I only wish there was a gauge for us to see what our individual footprint was. I know mine would be very low. I strive to live in a responsible manner every day of my life,by respecting the environment,and trying to encourage others to do the same.But we are not a drop in the bucket,when it comes to making a difference in the world.

I Must Eat My Words!

Not 15 minutes ago, I was commenting to a couple of fellow bloggers how we did not have any snow. Within 15 minutes the ground was covered. I tried to capture the huge flakes that were falling,but just know they were really big. Within 15 minutes, the ground was covered.Within an hour or two, we could have as much as Nancy in Nebraska.Not a pleasant thought. I'm ready to get outdoors and scratch around in the dirt, a bit.If you believe in the "ground hog predictions" we are going to have an early Spring. I hope, this time, he's right.He has a 50-50 chance, you know, of getting it right.We can only hope and keep our fingers crossed this time,that he is.

My Birthday!

We had a nice dinner this afternoon for my birthday at a fairly new local restaurant,The Haymaker. It is a real nice place to take friends and family. It has down home cooking and the folks who run it and work there are as friendly and helpful as can be. We enjoyed our meal, then the kids and Pop had brought in a nice ice cream type cake from Baskins and Robbins.We had a really nice gathering considering some of the family had worked all day, and I'm sure they were a bit tired, but suffered through it for my sake.All in all I had a wonderful birthday.My gifts included a new camera,a new watch, a set of 6 picture frames, body lotion, and several nice cards.Who could ask for anything more.