Saturday, May 15, 2021

A Red Draw--More or Less.

 Woke up at five, so that was that. Got up and talked to the critters, turned on the deck light, opened the doors to the coops, and put some laundry on to wash. Went to Market Street and was home by seven, so the day was a pretty good start to getting something done, maybe. Put the groceries away and prepared some breakfast--salad with ham slices, guacamole, fresh Roma tomatoes, and salt and pepper. My stomach has not liked me much anyway, so might as well have what tastes good to me, right? Did buy a different kind of antacid. They are Tums cherry chewy delights. How's that for alliteration? Now if they work, we will be in good shape.

Put the big battery on the weed whacker and went to town on the stuff inside the yard. Got most of it finished before the battery quit on me and needed to be recharged. THOUGHT about mowing outside the fence on the east side of the lots, but just could not make myself interested in doing so. And it did not rain, so maybe tomorrow. 

Cleaned the water bowls and dishes for the hens and talked to that Maran who wants to sit on that one particular nest. She got up and went out with the other hens, so maybe our discussion helped. Or not. She is not back on the nest at least.

Had some Clamato juice with limon--think that is a cross between lemon and lime. Used a small bottle of Coors mixed with it and drank that for "supper." Not hungry, but wanted something wet to drink that was not a protein shake. Had a cup of tea earlier today, but tea just does not quite do it like G2 or one of the other types of Gatorade. Anyway, as tired as this ol' body is tonight, sleep should be easy to come by. Here's hoping, anyway.

Still have not made an appointment for a pedicure. My toenails are ridiculous! And who ever thought they would be that difficult to reach with the right angle to clip them? Crazy!

Still sneezing, but today has not been quite as bad. According to the pollen counters, tomorrow should be a snap! Less than one percent on a scale of twelve. But tomorrow is also the day that the old woman plans to do some trimming on that five-leaf ivy out front. Know it has stuff in there that will make me sneeze, but it has to be done. And then there is the honey suckle and trumpet vines that need to be cut back. Always something that needs to be chopped back to make life interesting.

Lance said that he would do his best to put a gutter up over the front porch the next time he comes up. Don't know what things would come to if the kids were not so willing to help me. Two very good kids and a passel of sweet grands. 

Talked to Rachel today about her job. She really appreciates having Sundays off. Think that it is a great thing for young folks and old folks alike to have one easy rest day. Might as well rest when they are young. After we get to a certain age, resting is not all that great--it is just not a choice, but a necessity.

Kept hearing little tinkling sounds. Finally dawned on me that it was the wind chimes that Jennifer got for me when she went to church camp in Orr, MN. It is six horses hanging from a six-sided circle thing. Sweet little sounds. 

Started reading Nineteen Eighty-four. Already sad. But it needs to be read by more than just an old woman and some teenagers. Some folks need to realize that Eric Blair had a pretty good picture of what was possible in the future of the world. It may not get to quite this same scenario, but anything close is bad enough. Told the boys the other day that if we have a phone, we can be found and listened to. Pretty simple, really.

Have wondered how many people in the cities of this world know how to plant food crops or at least plant something that they could eat in a pinch--or could sustain life if necessary. Not talking about the lifestyle of the so-called "preppers." This is just basic knowledge of what is edible and what can be planted to feed ourselves. Have a book on foraging that might be helpful if a person really got in a bind and had no way to get food otherwise. My dad used to talk about the kinds of foods that the Indians used for survival. It was not like they always had a spare buffalo or deer at their doorstep. Did you know that even cattails and certain grasses are edible? Let's hope we never have to figure out how to cook it. Nut grass has been the bane of many a gardener, but the nuts are edible. Oh well. Not hungry now so will think about something else--the usual shuffle of thoughts.

The book Exodus by Leon Uris made me think about what happens in a place as big as Israel to folks who can't get away from being shot at or bombed. At one point in 1948, Jerusalem was surrounded and no one could get in or out. No food drops were made by the U.S. government either! So someone found a shipment of caviar from Russia in a warehouse. They spruced it up somehow and told people that it was a kind of jam. And those who ate it survived the siege. But about that same time, some kind of plants began to grow in the town that had not been available before the war. Those were edible, and folks ate those, too. God provides. We just somehow have to accept what is available.

Had some things in the dryer, and they did not seem to be drying well. Went out and took the little screwdriver drill to un-attach the dryer vent. Had forgotten that this one has a little slip thing at the bottom to catch the lint. Had to put the dryer vent cover back and then clean out the little tray thing. It was not even clogged up. Not sure why the clothes did not get dry in the usual time. Oh well. Will look at it later.

Thinking about my dryer made me remember what Vicki said about the stuff that is happening at her house: the dryer went out, the freezer went out, the computer crashed, and she dropped her phone in a bucket of water! Now that is a bit much! But she said that so far all her hair had not fallen out, and her youngest grandson asked her to get a multi-color clown wig for when it all fell out. Not sure that made Vicki feel any better, but at least Helo was trying to comfort her. He just turned 14, and she is his favorite person in the whole world. That makes any grandmother feel pretty good.

It's a few hours yet before the hens go up, so think reading will keep me busy for a while. Not really willing to do anything strenuous at the moment--maybe thinking comes under the heading of work? May just go see if the mockingbird will let me sit out on the deck. She has not been sitting on those eggs--or does not seem to be. Still, she has words to say when the door is opened. She doesn't scold yet, just squawks and leaves. Hope she stays with her eggs.

Funny, have a broody hen that needs her mind adjusted and a mockingbird who would like to adjust MY way of life. Oh well.

Thinking of all of you tonight with a great deal of hope that each of us can look forward to a better day tomorrow--or soon. Let us be grateful for the many blessings--and for rest. You are loved.

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