Visits and Veggies.

 Visits and Veggies.

 

Yup, in my opinion—for what it is worth—summer heat is only good for fresh fruit and vegetables. But oh! Those veggies! Cindy brought me some vegetables the other day and said that she was hoping to get some peaches from someplace called Winnco. Not sure where or what that is, but don’t think it is a place where a person picks their own peaches. Then today Roger Thonton brought me some little golden tomatoes that he grew in his yard. Talk about sweet! They would make the perfect ice cream if tomatoes could be made into something like that. Not too acidic and just sweet and crunchy! That reminds me of the peppers that Sharon Dickerson brought up from their yard in Garland. Another tasty reason to enjoy summer. Anyway, my hens appreciated the honeydew melon that Cindy brought for them, and my chicken salad was made just that much better by slices of tomato, salted and peppered with white pepper. Yum.

 

Roger said that Susan had been bitten by a dog the last time they had to mow the property out in Petrolia. The dog had been vaccinated, but that is the sort of thing that just scares me to pieces. A bad bite can cause all kinds of problems. Have only had one dog bite in all these years, but that one was more than enough. Still have the scar on my ankle. Jennifer was bitten twice—by the same freaking dog! But that dog is long dead and gone, thankfully. Never have appreciated dachshunds because of that dog. But then, Patty’s little dog Rudy bit my ankle and got a mouth full of pants leg instead of me. It’s a good thing he did not connect to my leg. But he has since decided to just growl at me instead of trying to bite me. He is protecting his owner, so there’s that.

 

My phone says that the temperature is 98 degrees. It is mighty warm, whatever it really is outside. By this evening, the temperature may be pleasant again, but the forecast for the next is over 100 degrees until Friday when it might be a couple of degrees cooler. But then, it is August in Texas. We can’t exactly expect a cold front to come through anytime soon. Maybe by the middle of September we will see some cooler weather. But before that cooler weather, at least we should not have to mow the grass again. It is so dry the grass looks plum brown. Was glad to see Tony Zupkus mowing his place southwest of mine. And then today, Donny Anderson’s cousin mowed the Anderson place, so at least the fire hazards have been reduced considerably. Jerry’s place needs to have the grass cut again, but who knows when that will happen. At least the road serves as a good fire break if needed—unless the wind gets up high. And we know what the wind does on this hill. Guess that could be a good thing as well as a bad thing, but whichever, it is always going to be there.

 

My front flower bed still needs the crab grass removed, but just can’t see sitting down on the ground out there right now to de-weed it. Have to go over to Sutherlands and get a bag of sulfur and then spray myself with Off. Have a stool to use to sit on, but not sure how well it would work for pulling and sitting. Guess the old woman will just have to get the ground soaked first so the grass will come out. Maybe by this coming weekend. Sigh

 

Apparently, the virus that is making the rounds currently is still killing folks. Read up on pandemics over the centuries and felt that we are blessed compared to what has happened in the past. At least we have some medications that can help with some things. And we also know—more or less—how this one is spread. Years ago, in England they killed every dog and cat they found because they thought the animals were spreading the plague. The cats and dogs, however, were killing the rats that carried the fleas that spread the Black Plague. Therefore, they were actually killing the creatures that could have been helping suppress the disease. Sad.

 

Read about a banded cobra from some country that got loose here in North Central Texas. Honestly! Why would anyone bring a snake like that to our area? That just seems insane! We have enough venomous snakes in Texas without importing any. Someone who brings something like that into Texas should have to face the cost of retrieving the critter!

 

Roger asked me if Patty Anderson is likely to stay out here on her place now. She has a choice, of course, but she likes being independent even if she misses Donny terribly. Connie asked me this morning about how anyone could be lonesome. She does not seem to understand being lonesome because she has more or less always been alone. When we are married for umpteen years, raised a house full of children, and been neighbors to those around us forever, it is a shock to the system to be alone. Sharing one’s life closely with another person leaves a special place that needs to be filled up with some contacts after a loss. Every widow who ever had to live alone after the loss of her husband—or every widower who has lost his wife—finds that little things make us remember why we always wanted that person in our life. Even these two loving dogs are not quite enough to keep loneliness totally at bay. Talking to the children or grands helps, however. Their lives are very busy compared to mine, but it is good to hear from them and know they are there if needed. And yes, losing a good neighbor like Donny has left a hole in my existence. He was a dependable man who loved to talk and visit. But life goes on.

 

Those of you who still have your parents, your mates, your children: always, always tell them how much they mean to you and how much they are loved. Don’t live with regrets. No matter how irritating some folks can be, their absence will hurt immeasurably when they are gone. Today, while you still can, tell others you love them.

 

Rest and be happy, my friends. You are loved.

Stranger Things Have Happened.

 Stranger Things Have Happened.

 

Once upon a time this house stayed fairly clean—well, cleanish. No, that is probably not a word, but you understand in all probability. The middle was cleared out so folks could get through it. My sister-in-law started hiring her house cleaned a few years ago because of the damage to her back. It seemed strange, but it was something that she needed to have done because she could no longer do it for herself. A friend further west of here has a young person come in to help her make her bed every week. We had a conversation about her personal need to have her mattress turned every week. A new mattress is not that expensive, ya know. But that is her decision. We all have our preferences. My mattress can only be turned from side to side—not over to the other side of the thing. And Hanan helped me do that a time or two, but it will no longer be done because it is simply too difficult to slide it over and rearrange the edges. Clean sheets are the extent of my bed changing.

 

The point being made about cleaning and trying to have things to suit us is this: a time comes when the house is secondary to trying to live in it. My daddy used to get the mop out and try to keep their house clean. He and Mom were pretty much beyond the point of mopping by the time we took them to the care center, but keeping things out of the floor still mattered to Daddy. They had someone from Hospice come in to help them, but Mom did not want anyone in her house! So, she ran off the Hospice workers as often as not. But then, she did not want us in her house toward the end of their stay at home. She would roll up the oxygen hose and take it to the back bedroom to get it “out of the way.” Nevermind that Daddy could not breathe with only one functioning lung! My stubborn old mother would have things neat in her house!

 

Connie tells me that yours truly is almost that stubborn. When the dog tracks show up on the kitchen floor, it seems imperative to go wipe them up. But hardly anyone is going to trip over a dog footprint unless it is really wet and slippery. So, mopping is not a good thing for someone to be doing when one’s back is out of kilter. Vacuuming fits in that category, as well. Now walking—within reason—is probably not going to hurt anyone with a bad back, but hauling feed, weeding the flower beds, or mowing the grass are things that need to be hired out. And that is why the young boys get my vote for doing most of that stuff! They might not do things just exactly the way we might have done it once upon a time, but it will do to live with their work. The same goes for the young woman who comes in to clean the house every two weeks or so. Actually, she probably does a better job than what this old house has seen since my kids were still at home! And the kids had to do the dusting when they got in trouble, so everything got dusted more often than not. They still remember getting under the trestle table and cleaning it with furniture polish!

 

Maybe my daughter is right on track when she makes the comment every so often: you can’t take it with you. She thinks hiring the house cleaned, hiring the mowing done, or having things delivered makes more sense than mopping, mowing, or moving around an acre of store aisles and paying the consequences with pain. So, stranger things have happened that this old woman has someone else to clean the house now. And she is a sweet young woman just starting out with her family. Why not let her enjoy the benefits of knowing how to clean a house thoroughly!

 

Today let us pray for peace in the lives of others. God knows each man and woman’s needs, so let us ask Him for His grace in this world.

 

Rest and be happy, my friends. You are loved.

Dealing with Grief and Others' Expectations.

 Dealing with Grief and Others’ Expectations.

 

No matter who or what is lost in our lives, nearly all of us have to deal with grief at some point. One man told me that losing a job was as likely to cause PTSD as losing a child. He had no children. Someone else told me that seeing a counselor would take care of any problems created by grief. Shaking my head and wondering how talking to someone could possibly lead to understanding how the mind and emotions can cause a cessation of the pain of loss. Understanding pain does not alleviate it. And some of the dumbest remarks are made by some folks who don’t know your beliefs or how you feel, much less how to offer any words that can provide comfort. And please don’t tell someone that you know just how they feel. Nope. Can’t be possible. Just tell a grieving person that you would like to offer your condolences: and let that be enough. It’s not like the grieving person will necessarily take offense, but be as kind as possible and don’t assume that their beliefs are the same as yours.

 

Someone who cares about me sent some books about grief and loss a few years ago. They were something that could be read at my discretion. They may have helped in the long run, but knowing that someone cared enough to send them was comforting without their expressions upsetting me. The reason these things matter to me at the moment concerns my neighbor Patty. She is trying not to answer phone calls that she knows will upset her. So, then she calls me and talks a bit. Maybe she is reassured that it is just fine NOT to answer calls that may make her cry or be upset—that is self-defense in my estimation. The little things matter at this point. Telling her about USPS informed delivery made her happy. She gave me a key to her post box, but she had no idea what number the box was. Donny always got the mail. And this morning her car got inspected where mine usually goes. That is one more thing she had on her mind that was an easy fix. Then she just wanted me to sit and visit with her a bit and let her talk. Again, an easy fix. She let the dogs out when she heard them barking at me. Roxie wanted to be petted so badly. Rudy is HER dog. Roxie belonged to Donny. Even petting a dog and letting the little furball know she is loved is so easy to do. Today was just one of the times that God gave me an opportunity to return the love that has been given to me. That is about all we can do for anyone in this life.

 

Thank you, friends, for reading and listening and sometimes responding. May you rest and be happy. You are loved.

Mysteries of Mail.

 Mysteries of Mail!

 

So, Patty has no idea what the box number is for her mail box. Maybe 15. Or not. Guess who will try the key until the correct box lock fits the key. Umm. Such fun. If the people at the Post Office would ever answer the phone over on Bridge Creek, it might not be that big of a deal. Or if Mr. Couch came by so he could be asked—he is our mailman. But tomorrow will start out with getting her car inspected for her, then we will see if she wants the registration done at Market Street or if she just needs the car inspected. She may not have even thought about the rest of the things that need to be done since Donny always did those things and so much more.

 

The boys just left after mowing the grass for me. They were going to put the four sacks of feed in the bins, but it was not too difficult for me to slide one at a time in the little trailer and then dip out enough feed until it was easy to pick up the sack and dump it. Now there is enough feed in the bins to last more than a couple of weeks.

 

Cancelled the PT appointment this morning. Woke up snorting and hacking. Think something is in the air besides grass and the normal stuff. My eyes are burning enough that it might be tree stuff, but not sure what kind of pollen would be out there right now. Oh well. Maybe some more rain soon might clean the air again.

 

Put the Cuckoo Maran in the dog pool and will see if she ended up back in the little chicken coop before closing up the pens. The black Maran got her regular dunking in the pool, and she sat there again as if it felt good. Silly hen. Anyway, will be so glad when they stop being broody. They peck my hands when the eggs are checked. Tacky hens!

 

Got a package from Amazon the other day that was beat all to heck. One handle was broken on a bacon cooking tray, but it can be used anyway. It just irritates me to have the postman deliver something that is already broken in a box that obviously is beat all to heck. It is not like sending the package back is an option when the box is torn up. Not sure just how that is supposed to be done anyway. And it probably would not do any good to complain—if anyone might even find someone to listen. Oh well.

 

Just put the hens up and had to drag a broody hen from the little hen house and two from the metal coop. Honestly! Broody attitude apparently spreads.

 

Watched some more Murdoch Mysteries. It is a good series for binging. So much is interesting about the history of that time. Today’s episode included the investments of the government in dirigible travel and possibilities for warfare. It is sad that everything the government developed began as a type of weaponized discovery. Probably still true.

 

Made some patty pan squash with onions today for lunch. Excellent meal! Cari Guidry’s mom brought the veggies to me along with some empty egg cartons. The internet provided the ideas about how to prepare the squash. Seems like Mom did the same thing with patty pans as she did with yellow squash, but no flour used on these turned out just fine. In fact, liked them better without any flour.

 

Tired dogs over there on the couch tonight. Think it will be easy to go to bed and sleep all night until time to let the hens out again. This morning included doing laundry since the sheets and the spread on the bottom of the bed needed to be washed. The dogs don’t seem to be that dirty, but they certainly leave behind a certain amount of dirt and hair on that spread. Now if they would only STAY on the bottom of the bed instead of wallowing all over it or getting into a wrestling match after we lie down! Ever tried to relax in the middle of a play fight with two fifty-pound dogs? Such fun.

 

The weather may get warmer in the next few days, but it has been very comfortable and clear for the most part lately. The birds—including a huge hawk out on Patty’s light pole—have been very active and talkative. Think the doves on this hill are the best fed in the county! But they are also funny to watch. The mallard hen keeps coming back for corn, so is it any surprise that the doves are there waiting for a handout each morning?

 

Our world is a mess, and we are all aware of it. Not much can be done by individuals except to do our best to give love and kindnesses to those who we can help. Let us do our best to be what God intends us to be: His children. Rest and be happy, my friends. You are loved.

Doggies Smells.

 Doggie Smells.

 

Just returned from Patty’s house and had to let the dogs sniff me up one side and down the other! Her two dogs have to do that to me whenever they smell my dogs, as well. It is similar to calling cards, maybe. Or not. At least they aren’t like cats and have to spray someone to leave their scent! But her dogs bark enough every time someone comes to the door that no one could miss being aware of any strangers—or even neighbors.

 

Got two coops cleaned this morning early, but that was about all the energy that showed up for any work around here. Easy enough work, just taking the little cart inside and scraping the droppings off into it and then dumping it in the place where the sunflowers grew this spring. Turned the water hose on out front and forgot about it again. Sigh But then cleaned the two water bowls and one gravity water bowl out back. Wondering if these silly hens have any idea how spoiled they are. But then, BillyeRuth does the same kind of things for her hens. So, mine are not the only spoiled hens. And from the pictures, it seems that Michelle DeMers not only spoils hers, but has a Western themed village for them instead of plain chicken coops! Wonder if anyone else gets as exasperated with broody hens, however. Think Nikki Smith told her boys not to let any of her hens set eggs this year. It does tend to increase the size of the flock when baby chicks grow up! My silly hens just want to sit on the eggs—nevermind that they could never hatch! Oh well. That sitting business tends to reduce the number of eggs produced. Feed those hens and watch them squat in the nests! Argh!

 

Still watching Murdoch Mysteries. Not a bad series at all. Mysteries are nearly always good, but these are not the least bit scary and have an interesting take on how the science developed in detective work. Kinda neat!

 

Went down to Patty’s to see the flowers she received. Beautiful orchids in shades of pale vanilla and a sort of burgundy color were in the vase. It reminded me of the year that Jennifer sent her daddy flowers for Father’s Day. It was the first—and only—time he ever got flowers. And they were in a Ford pickup truck vase type thing. He was so happy with his flowers, the little blue truck, and his daughter for thinking of him. SO glad she did that for him. We never know what one thing we may do for someone that will make a difference.

 

Thinking about that, still have not contacted Rachelle Pollard to see if Jacob got the little package sent to him at the hospital. Will have to get that done so that Sharon and her friends can know about it. She also sent him a package to their new address on the new farm. Hope he got it.

 

Just talked to my oldest grandson. He likes his new job even if he does have to be there at 8 o’clock in the morning. Sounds no different than school to me. But it has been a while since my kids have had to make 8 a.m. classes. However, think Lance’s oldest has to go to evening classes this semester in Denton. Bleah. Would hate that drive. Say what you want to about online classes, but they beat driving—well, for the most part. If a professor is difficult to understand, it is an entirely different story.

 

My front flower bed desperately needs some attention. Crab grass! That is not nearly as bad as khaki weeds, but yours truly does not get down and pull weeds very well any longer. Will have to go over to Sutherlands and get another sack of sulfur to put on the entire bed and use my little kneeling thing with handles for getting up and down. No bending and no chiggers! Maybe the grass won’t be too hard to get out. If it is, guess leaving the water running will work as that seems to be my specialty!

 

If a person ever wanted their entire life revealed to the entire world, just let that person enter politics. And the more disgusting elements of one’s life will be paraded all over the “news.” Honestly! Girls/Ladies, don’t marry anyone with excessive amounts of money, fame, or political aspirations. Mud sticks and slime stinks. That should make the pig pen known as Capitol Hill the best place to gather fertilizer! Oh well.

 

My daughter discovered she had forgotten to put the towels in the dryer this morning and had to rewash the towels. So, Grayson put them in the dryer for her. Tuesdays are hard days of the week for her. Can’t imagine how she takes care of work, house, family, laundry, and whatever comes up in their lives. My life was simple by comparison. Each generation seems to gather more stressors as things become more “advanced.” Simplicity was economical in my life with children. Meals, play time, homework, baths, stories, and bedtimes. Those were the hard decisions. Even raising teenagers was simpler at one time. No multiple vehicles, no cell phones, not a lot of TV shows, not a lot of different foods except for what was cooked right here at home! Yep, life was definitely simpler.

 

Guess we can all be thankful that God doesn’t bother with the foolishness of our ideas and just loves His children. Eventually we will be able to understand more of what matters in His creation. Meanwhile, we have the job of being kind to others, loving to our critters and families, and helpful to those we are able to help. Let us be grateful for those abilities.

 

Rest and be happy, my friends. You are loved.

Deep Sighs.

Deep Sighs.

 

These two dogs can seemingly sleep most of the day each day as if they have worked hard and need to rest. Whereas yours truly can just do a bit of running around, a little exercise, and feel totally pooped—no real excuse for lying about goofing off. But there it is: laziness. Sitting around watching Murdoch Mysteries on the movie channel is about as useless as a person can get. But such is my life today. And yes, more of the series will probably be watched tonight.

 

The most entertaining feature on Dickerson Hill today has been the broody hens and the silly ol’ woman who accidentally put one NON-broody hen in the pen with two that were definitely broody. One hen laid an egg and the other two fought over it trying to get to cuddle it under. So, the egg was broken and the ol’ woman should have apologized to at least one hen. Then the solid black Maran got to sit in the dogs’ pool for a bit. She just sat there after being placed in the pool, but she did not offer to get out for a bit. Maybe she really was enjoying the cool water.

 

My sister-in-law Anne Perkins turns 76 tomorrow. Will try to remember to send her a message wishing her a happy birthday. She and my brother Sterling are the same age. Getting on up there.

 

Sharon Dickerson sent me a link to a thing that talked about Ivermectin. It was available on a website: FLCCC.NET. https://player.lightcast.com/zQTO4MjN          Anyway, if Ivermectin will really do the trick for fighting this virus, it seems to me it would be sensible to try it. If it does not have bad side effects, then it is probably safer than the vaccines!

 

On the way to PT today, had to pull over twice for fire trucks heading to the highway in front of the State Hospital. Some dingbat pulled in front of a truck or something going over 50 mph. It looked as if three or four vehicles were involved. And they had an ambulance headed that way, too. Hope whoever was involved came out of it ok.

 

The grass is growing again. Saw on FB that at least one area down by my son got four inches or more of rain yesterday. Sorry for the folks who got zero, but am amazed that we already have autumn rain started. It is AUGUST in Texas, so it seems like it ought to still be hotter than whodathoughtit! But the weather has been different all summer anyway. No sense being normal now. But the forecast is for much warmer days for the next few days—up to 100 degrees. At least it should not be much if any over 100. Those days are really hard.

 

With Jerry’s fence down, the dogs hear all the noise from the highway and bark rather often about what they hear. It really is difficult to distinguish what is coming this way and what is going on by down on the highway. Even so, glad that fence is down.

 

Really know less than usual to talk about. Enjoying my new microwave. It may take a bit to get used to one that cooks so much faster than the old one. And this one is big enough to stick a turkey inside! NOT that a turkey would ever be put in there! Nope, just normal food will be cooked along with bacon and thawing stuff. Now to learn how to use ten different settings for power!

 

Pray tonight for those who are in the midst of gang violence, those who are being threatened by migrants overwhelming their cities, and for those who have been infected by this horrible virus. May God give us peace and protection.

 

Rest and be happy. You are loved.

 

 

Things People Don't Want to Hear.

 Things People Don’t Want to Hear.

 

 I Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

 

Sleep has always seemed so good to me. Because awakening is so pleasant to me! Even when my grandfather’s horse fell with me and knocked me unconscious, my waking was not unpleasant. In fact, it was hard to realize that my mind, body, and thinking capacity were not functioning all that time. So many things are left behind in sleep. Hardly ever is anything clear to me upon awakening as far as what happened during the time of sleeping.

 

Ecc. 9:5 For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing.

 

My husband sleeps; my little girl sleeps; my son sleeps. All those who have gone before me are asleep. And I will sleep. But death will be taken away someday. It won’t matter how long my parents sleep, how long my husband sleeps, or how long my sleep may be. We will awake. We won’t remember anything of that sleep, but we will awaken to a new life. Our Lord Jesus Christ promised this new life. He did not say we would be talking in our sleep or otherwise celebrating the life we had before. No, we will have an awakening, and it will be a new life before us.

 

Please don’t try to tell me that my husband is looking down on me with approval or any other falsehood. He is asleep. Memories are wonderful, but that is all they are: memories. We may forget their voices, their features, their habits; but they will awaken changed altogether anyway. Christ did not return as the same human as He was before His death even though His apostles recognized Him. Christ raised Lazarus—as a human, not as a spirit being. Death was allowed to take him again. Not so for the resurrected in Christ.

 

I Cor. 15: 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

 

Let your words of comfort for those who have lost mates, children, friends, and family remain grounded in scripture. Remind them that a resurrection is our sure hope. It is a promise that is undeniable, unbreakable, and so very kind to our hearts. Let us remember kindness is based in truth.

 

May you rest and have peace. You are loved.