Comfort Above All Else!

 

Comfort Above All Else!

 

So now my hair is no longer in my face—or much of anywhere else, for that matter. Got a good, close haircut from Amber Poirot at Spa Bella salon. She seemed to understand that it was as close to driving me wild as bangs can get, so we got rid of them without making me look totally masculine—well, not a masculine haircut, at any rate. Some women look more masculine as they age just like some men begin to look somewhat different as they age—not exactly feminine, but not macho looking either. Ah, what the hey! Let us be comfortable above all else!

 

Got a text message from my son today telling me that his wife Tracy, Sr. Librarian at the Ft. Worth Library, will be presenting something called Free Business and Consumer Research Tools during Business Equity Week. Her part is on the 24^th of June. She did her master’s work on research and references, so she should be an interesting speaker. She knows her stuff and makes things pretty clear—at least clear enough that her mother-in-law can understand. Proud of her!

 

Put a call in a few minutes ago to see if Caleb could get over here to mow for me. Did some work in the yard early this morning and about did myself in. Had the other boys do some mowing and weed eating last week, but still wanted a few things to look a little sharper. Cleaned most of the walkway of the petunias and some weeds, and that helped. Clipped the Purple Sage back and threw the dead stuff in the trash bin. It seems to me that making things look neat is pretty much an art form. It is not quite enough to just mow or weed eat. My daddy used to say that neatness counts almost as much as getting the job done quickly. Probably more, in some situations. If something looks neat, and tidy, it makes everything look as if someone cares. Daddy’s expression used to be, “Don’t do a half-@ssed job!” But if we did not do something right—or to his satisfaction, he would tell us that we needed to “lick your calf over again!” Laughed about that this morning when talking to Connie. She was never around cows or cattlemen, so she had no idea that an old cow cleans her calf when it is born, then cleans it again, and then cleans it thoroughly even after it is a day or so old. Only about the time that the cow gets tired of being nursed does she ever stop cleaning her calf over. Thinking of how a good housewife will wipe down the counters, the cabinets, and even the floors even though they might have been cleaned just the morning before. But then, most housewives know those floors and counters are in constant contact with dirty hands and feet! My mom grew up in the country, too, so she knew what keeping clean floors meant.

 

It amazes me how many folks don’t mind clutter. What there is of clutter around here is about to get tackled next week. Connie said she would help me do the closet, so that is a major step in de-cluttering this house. It will take someone other than Connie to do the workshop, but that can wait until the heat waves have ceased to be so dangerous. Will take everything out of the workshop and see what really needs to be kept. Have oodles of stuff that does not really have a reason to be here any longer. May have to get Stephen Smith or Tim Malay to work over the air hose thing where it is beginning to crack. It was put there YEARS ago, so it has done well to keep working. Kinda would like to put a new motor on the big air compressor, but really don’t have a good reason to do so. It just bothers me that it does not work any longer. Betting that Tim would know how to fix the motor, but not sure he would want to mess with it. He is an electrician, however, and would understand what needs to be done to it—other than replacing it. Not sure that fits under the category of clutter, but don’t like to have things sitting around that can’t be used.

 

Coming back from the doctor’s office this morning and stopped by the mailbox. An envelope was in there from Shirley Taylor with some Bird of Paradise seeds in it. But it had a small problem. The envelope—PLUS the little plastic Ziplock bag—had holes in them. SOMEONE made holes in both. Go figure. The slices were too neat to have happened in any manner except on purpose. Now, let’s face it, the mail machines do have problems occasionally, but they don’t put neat little slices in the end of envelopes or into the baggy inside the envelope. So, told Shirley when calling to confirm receipt of the seeds that we may have Bird of Paradise trees from the California hills overlooking the Ramona Valley to Dickerson Hill overlooking Lake Wichita in Texas! She thought it was pretty amusing.

 

Speaking of Shirley, she and her husband Lee have just found out that Lee’s 92-year-old father, Bill, has cancer. Please say a prayer for their peace. No one asked for my opinion, but the cruelty that seems to accompany what is called “treatments” for cancer just boggles my mind. Someday folks are going to look back at our medical community and wonder what they were thinking! At least the doctors today don’t wear those bird beaks and burn incense around the rooms. But that may be next if the new Covid variants keep coming to us from China!

 

Jennifer was so excited that she let me know that she got into a pair of shorts that she wore years ago on a Hawaiian vacation. Not sure how many pounds she has lost on this Keto diet, but she has definitely changed shapes! That is half the battle, apparently. But she has also got all her cholesterol levels down to acceptable levels. If yours truly could stay away from sugar the way Jennifer has, my triglycerides would be in such shape that Dr. Blackwell would celebrate with me! But then, there is Banana Split ice cream! Sigh

 

Jennifer brought some hydration powders called Recharge when she came up recently. They work! And they taste good, too. If Lewis had had these things when he was sweating his brains out, he would have felt SO much better. It was one of the saddest things to see that man work from can to can’t in all kinds of weather. It simply amazes me that he was able to do it for all those years. He spent nearly 30 years working on Caterpillars in this kind of heat and in cold that hurt your bones just by stepping outside. Yep, he was a good man with a heart of gold or he would not have kept it up!

 

Looks like my friend AnnaBeth Graf is going to get another big drenching of rain. Whatever they want to call this latest storm front, it is dropping rain by the buckets on some places and am pretty sure that Diamondhead will get a goodly portion of it. Hope she does not need to go anywhere. Am pretty sure her sister was supposed to go in for aneurysm surgery sometime soon—or maybe already has. Not sure. And she does not answer her phone—Beth, not the sister.

 

Watered the flowers and Jerusalem Artichokes out front this morning. The flowers perked up and said, “Thank you so very much!” Maybe they will continue to do well for a while in this heat. Tomorrow morning or late this evening, the front flower bed needs a good soaking. The pots on the porch and ramp are already wet through, but the ground just takes up such a large amount of water that it pays to wait until the heat of the day can’t make it evaporate so quickly. That is the bad part—or one of the parts—of cutting the grass. If it is cut low right now, the heat is going to fry it! But then, it costs every time it has to be cut, and it is always tempting to cut it enough to make it last more than a week. Sigh

 

Some clouds are in the sky this afternoon and make me think of sitting outside this evening. Yeah, me and fifteen hundred mosquitoes! Would have to spray me and both dogs with Off to keep us from getting anemic rather quickly! Saw one of the hens trying to get a mosquito last night. She just was not quick enough! Wish they could eat mosquitoes like they do fleas!

 

Looking at the Trumpet Vine outside near where the old elm used to be. It has both the yellow trumpets and the orange trumpets on it. The yellow vines are not all that common at all, but the orange is what we had near us when we were growing up. Apparently, there are shades of deep red and other oranges as well. Trumpet vines and honeysuckle—two childhood special friends! Who did not use the trumpet vine blossoms for “fingers” or have the honeysuckle to taste from the torn flowers? Good memories.

 

The lilies are blooming in front of the house. One of the neighbors gave them to me three years ago. I was so close to tears and surprised at her thoughtfulness that saying anything was just too much! She was not, nor will ever be, one of my favorite people, but she does understand loss. Have spoken to her more than once when she lost a favorite dog. Caring for our critters is just something most of us have in common.

 

Driving my truck this morning made me wish carwashes were not so hard on a vehicle. We took this truck to the All-American Carwash once, and one of the idiots working there tore the mirror off the side of the truck because he thought it was one of those folding kinds. And boy was Lewis ticked! And the owner of the carwash was not going to pay to have it repaired either. One of the few times Lewis was willing to go to a legal solution to anything! Needless to say, it got repaired. Sitting here and thinking about the year that we had to deal with that. This truck is a 2001, so it is twenty years old now! And it still runs like a top! God blessed us so very much with Lewis’ good mechanical skills and with my son-in-law’s efforts to get the brakes repaired correctly. Boy! That was one scary affair with bad brakes and the idiot who told me that it would be safe to drive it that way! SO glad Gary knew what to do and who to take it to. Have learned not to trust some folks at all and others only as far as they can be thrown by a little ol’ lady!

 

Have not seen any wabbits out front this week since Jerry’s place got cut to the ground. Am hoping that they have moved on to the field below here and STAY there! Between the wabbits that bother the dogs and the rats that bother me, wildlife is not exactly welcome—except for some birds. The dogs keep having to chase the mallards out of the yard, however. The female waddled her way inside the chicken house the other day and almost made me afraid to watch. Thompson would have caught and killed her in a heartbeat if he had seen her. Am guessing that they are hungry, but no sense in feeding wildlife or they would become dependent on that kind of handout.

 

Speaking of handouts: one of the McDonald’s here can’t open the inside seating because they can’t get enough people to go to work for them. Yes, the wages are not great--$9.25 an hour—but if a person really needed to eat, it would seem to me that even less than $10 an hour is better than begging. Or maybe it is not. Hanan used to tell me that folks out in CA could make a good living by begging. Am not in the least bit surprised. But it is a shame that folks here in this part of the world would rather beg or get other kinds of handouts instead of working. If the current government gets its way, the socialistic ideas of a guaranteed income will cause so much trouble. Guaranteed medical treatment is one thing, but not having to work for a living just seems like causing problems with wildlife. Corn for the deer becomes corn for the wild hogs. And wild hogs tear up everything in sight just because they can. Some people are not all that different. Just sayin’.

 

Just noticed that even though nothing has been said that amounts to a hill of beans, this is the sixth page in Word formatting! Oh my. Ramble on, why don’t ya!

 

Count your blessings and praise the source of all of our lives! He loves us and proves it every day. Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Books From the Past.

 

Books From the Past.

The trouble with getting older is forgetting some of the things that made a difference to a person once upon a time. Some of the details of books, especially, are just vague little memories. This morning two of the authors once loved were tapped again in order to share them with these three boys. One author had a sense of humor that still makes me smile. The other author makes me wonder how our nation ever overcame all the hardships and sadness that came about as we developed into what we so blithely call civilization. Then a conversation with a newer friend reminded me that even during my great-grandparents’ lifetimes, our part of Texas and Oklahoma was pretty wild. The book she mentioned was Captured. It was about the young people who were captured by the Indians. Many of those young men and women became members of tribes, either Apache or Comanche. Even the Wichita and Kiowa took captives from the early pioneer families. Anyway, life was not easy for the folks trying to establish homesteads and any sort of basic livelihoods in this part of the world. Grandmother Pollard was born in 1906 when Oklahoma was still considered Indian Territory. She was brought to Texas to Montague County by wagon. That is pretty hard to imagine. Just considering the many creeks and rivers to cross back then without benefit of bridges or roads seems difficult to me. And we gripe about toll roads and potholes in the pavement!

So, my hens have gone from a dozen a day to six eggs tops! Yep, this heat is hard on all of us. And they wear feathers! But the broody girls were in the four favored nests this morning. Then this afternoon one had moved into a place just filled with loose hay and no box. Not sure if she got too hot or exactly what, but will check her out again in a bit and see if she needs a good dunking in the baby pool to cool her off. These Cuckoo Marans are heavy hens and will suffer more in the heat because of it. Have stopped giving them any scratch so they won’t have excess heat due to the corn content. Bought them a sack of pellets rather than the mash because the mash seems to be going straight to dust out there! Hoping the hens will make it through this summer heat, but not holding my breath. Also have been offered a few fertilized eggs so the broody ones can attempt to hatch something. Have never done that before, but there’s a first time for everything. Think marking the fertile eggs will be necessary, too.

Got in the truck this morning to make a run up to the office of the neurosurgeon. Looked at the bottom of the floorboard in the backseat and discovered that something had shredded a roll of toilet paper normally kept back there, so while at TSC getting feed, a package of glue traps was purchased. One glue trap is now in the back next to the door. Will be going out again in the morning, so we will see if a mouse or rat has become a victim of my anger and dismay!

Yesterday a car stopped in front of my house and a man was dropped off. He went inside Jerry’s house. Did not see him leave, but he must have done so. Anyway, called JoAnn and she came up here and called the police. Eventually the guy came walking up the street and informed her that Jerry always let him stay here. Even though he had a city warrant, the officers said they were not allowed to arrest him for now, but they made him leave. If he comes back, they can arrest him. They also said yours truly just needs to let them know someone is there. Do NOT want my dogs in trouble for biting anyone, and do not want to use a gun on anyone, but both scenarios are possible under the circumstances. Not particularly fond of strangers, especially ones that have been in jail with Jerry.

JoAnn and Smitty came and cleaned up the yard more and mowed it down to the ground. Unless it rains, that grass is gone goslin’! But, of course, the rain may happen again at any time. Our weather is simply the weirdest it has been in ages.

Saw a message on FB this morning about a woman by the name of Jane Scott. She has had cancer and chemo and all the stuff in between. Looks like she will not be here in the morning. Felt so sorry for her husband and family. She has had such a good attitude, but our bodies don’t live on hope and love. So many folks in one of the groups have held her in prayer and in good thoughts of healing, but between the disease itself and the stupid treatments for cancer, it is a wonder she has held on this long. Maybe we really do live on hope and love!

Looks like it is going to be best not to even read the Jerusalem Post or any other news for a bit. Have never seen so much bitterness and anger in this world since the Vietnam War—oh! Pardon me, Police Action! About the best thing someone can do—meaning me—is to pray for the world and for those who are eaten alive by bitterness and anger. It is so unnecessary to be bitter about things that are truly outside of our control. Hello! Just keeping up with the dust bunnies is enough for me. And maybe looking forward to organizing a closet will be something more helpful than considering the horrors of child abductions, sex trafficking, and cartel battles on the border of Texas. May God forgive this world its hatreds and its inhumanity to man. Lord God above, let your kingdom come soon!

May you all rest and have peace of mind. You are loved.

 

 

Hot.

 

Hot.

Yep, my phone says 94 degrees. The gauge on the deck says 99 degrees. The hens say that it is “panting” degrees hot. Got six eggs today (two more now), so you can tell that they think it is too hot to sit on those nests. Even released the two broody hens, and they made a beeline for cooler climes—under the deck and inside to the diatomaceous earth in the nesting area. Both were ready to be OUT of that jail. Maybe this will be the last of the broodiness for a while. Hope so. [Just picked up the broody hen who went back to the nest and dunked her happy feathers in the baby pool. Will do that again tonight before shutting them up.]

Got up and started messing around here inside the house and thinking about what kind of clutter could be tossed. Took a basket of ‘shtuff’ out to the workshop that included some extra tools and painting things from when Grayson came up to paint for me. Wasn’t much, but each extra piece of junk needs to be removed from inside the house. Next week will be the closet in the bathroom! Connie said she would come over and help me. She is an organizer! One thing that is a little difficult is deciding which pieces of clothing really need to be kept. Have a good coat that is a definite keeper, but also have a corduroy jacket that has been around for ages. Have not worn it for three or four years at least. Then there are the things that have not and will not be worn ever again. Mom crocheted some capes once upon a time. They are pretty, but capes are not a part of my style—not that any kind of style belongs to yours truly. Jeans, blouse or tee shirt, sandals or my SAS brogues are about the limit of my style. Have a pair of winter boots, a pair of mud boots, a pair of cowboy boots, a couple of pairs of sneakers, and an extra pair of sandals that have never felt just right. Think the cowboy boots (Ropers) and that pair of white sandals can go any day now. Will never have another pair of “Earth Spirit” sandals that fit as comfortably as the pair currently being worn. And these poor things look pretty ragged. Sigh

Eventually my office needs to be reorganized. Not sure it will be possible, but there’s nothing like trying. Then there are the bookcases. Found out yesterday that Dr. Blackwell’s husband is starting a new school to replace part of Notre Dame for the Catholic families—or for others who were going there. Told her it would make me happy to help in some way. At least have some books that could be donated to the library.

Have to tell you something that amazes me. Cousin Sharron from Quanah was sent home to Hospice and not expected to live even long enough to make the trip home. Well, guess who is feeling better, talking, and wanting to go home. Think she is still on oxygen 24/7, and she would need someone with her all the time, but isn’t it amazing that the body can recover after all that surgery and crud that happened to her. Aneurysms and blood loss apparently messed up her lungs, but she may eventually be able to leave the hospital or wherever she is now. One of the biggest problems in Wilbarger County is the lack of anyone who can stay with patients. Can’t even get someone to come and help make a bed according to my friend BR who lives outside of Paducah. No young people around or no one who is willing to work. Whichever, it is a problem for folks who really need the help. In larger metroplexes, the available manpower is much better as far as numbers. Not too sure about the quality of those who are willing to work, however. Too many drug addicts are willing to “work” in exchange for a place to stay—without being truly trustworthy. My grandparents needed someone to stay with them and help with the housework since Grandmother had problems with her heart and Granddad had dementia. We found a State Hospital patient who needed a place to stay and was willing to work for room and board plus a little bit of spending money. She was not the best answer to the problems, but as long as she was there, Grandmother could keep up with Granddad. He had a tendency to wander. Ah life! But Juanita was no longer needed after Granddad died. Not sure that sort of thing would work out for many folks. It would certainly bother me to have someone in the house who might be a problem around a gun. Anyway, hope that never becomes a problem here.

My dogs just got huffy about something outside the window. Have to remember tonight to put a pan out by the Bradford pear and fill it with water for the birds. It is just absolutely too hot and dry for life to go on in a normal situation. —Just took a shallow pan outside and filled it with water. Will watch and see what happens next.

SO glad that JoAnn got the grass cut on Jerry’s place and most of the trash picked up. It is so dry that a spark would burn the entire place—well, not the house as it is surrounded by a very large concrete slab where fire would have trouble getting to it. But at least the high grass is no longer out there near the road. Wondering how long it will be before my grass gets that dry. Will never let mine get that high, of course. At least the heat makes it less necessary to mow in the summer. Remembering that Janis used to gripe about having her two acres mowed every week. She had a man who came and mowed, clipped the hedges, and hauled off any fallen mesquite limbs. And he used his own mower and clippers. But she said it really griped her to have to pay to have it done. Her body got a bit like mine, however. Kinda hurts to do much. But she was 85 when she died, so it was not exactly something she had been able to do for a while. Not sure how many years she had been having her place kept up by that man. Oh well. What has to be done by someone else is just how things work out in life.

Finally got an appointment with Dr. Kerns, the neurosurgeon. Will go pick up the paperwork early in the morning so that it will be ready to take back on Friday. They had my old home phone number, so had to send a message to Dr. Blackwell’s office to have Jennifer put my correct number into their records. Also found out that it appears that the insurance currently being used is NOT medicare. Go figure. Since it has not been used in the doctor’s office for a few years, it had not even occurred to me that it was different. Oh well. We will see what is covered and what is not when it gets down to what is necessary to take place. Joy to the world. Sigh

Have a book started and will go do some reading. This is one of seven in a boxed series and each one has been good. Always learn something! Love using the Kindle app so that books don’t pile up around here. Not sure what it would be like if trips to the library were still necessary! As it is, my daughter-in-law taught me how to use Libby to get Kindle books from our local library. So very neat!

Ah! The birds have found the pan of water out under the Bradford pear! Happy to see them drinking and using the “facilities.”

Let us thank God for cool mornings and birds that sing—even at 3 a.m.! Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

 

A Cleaner Shade of Happy!

 

A Cleaner Shade of Happy!

So Jennifer found a young woman who was willing to come in and clean my house from top to bottom and kill all the dust bunnies. Oh my! It smells good, and my name cannot be written in the dust anywhere! That is just amazing! She and the dogs even get along!

It has been a fairly hard day, but at least several things—besides getting the house cleaned—have been accomplished. The boys came and mowed the front yard and did some weed eating around where it needed it out back. They moved the lawn swing, too. That thing is really difficult to move and requires two people to move it. So now everything looks pretty good out front and out back as well. Still can just stand there and watch the stupid grass growing, however! Oh well. At least it is still green.

Had a mockingbird intent on giving his best rendition of the Halleluiah Chorus at 3 a.m. And do you think it was possible to go back to sleep? Well, of course not! Finally got up around 4:30 and started my day. Have tried to lie down two or three times and had no luck with that situation. Oh well. Life goes on.

Turned the two broody hens out tonight into the long coop without letting them go into the nesting area. They are two very disturbed hens. Still have not heard from Michelle DeMers about whether or not she wants a couple of dingy hens. Honestly! You have never lived until you have dealt with a broody hen. Just the squabbling voice of a broody hen would make you wonder what curses are coming out of her tiny little heart and brain. Oh well. They are heavy, beautiful birds, but just pretty useless if they are not going to lay eggs.

Am too tired to discuss or otherwise think about much tonight. You will not know how happy having a clean house makes me unless you have had to let someone else do it for you as well. So tonight, let us praise God for the wonders of a clean home and happy critters. Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Not Only the Hens!

 

Not Only the Hens!

Yep, some of us get broody, but not necessarily motherly. As in, just plain irritable. That’s me today. It’s hot; my body doesn’t seem to like me; the dogs are not too happy; and my hens are hotter than even that. Two broody hens are being offered to my friend Michelle DeMers, but have not heard from her. Which makes me wonder if she is on a cruise somewhere. That would be totally lovely for her, at least. Have two other broody-like hens that are going to join the other two if they start fussing with me. Honestly, what creature out there would want to sit on eggs in this heat!! Crazy critters!

Jennifer decided to look for a housekeeper for me. Have not heard from the young woman she mentioned, so we will see how that works out. Anyway, at least once a month should help considerably. Most of the stuff around here is not that bad. Can strip and make my bed without any problem, but the floors and dusting are a bit much. Yes, dog hair everywhere is part of the problem, but the fact that the dust bunnies are vicious bothers me most. Just keeping the vacuum emptied is another one of the chores that gets to me. And guess what is inside that vacuum that fills it up in a hurry—dog hair! Jenn said that this young woman considers herself an organizer. Yep, that would be very handy indeed. Have a couple of things that need to be organized and some stuff given away or otherwise disposed of to a needy source. Thinking that just two changes of blankets are needed for the couch instead of six or more. Sigh Washing those blankets and getting rid of the extra would make more storage space. Same with the closet in my back bathroom. Have clothes in there that have not been worn in more than two years. Time to get rid of them.

Looking out the front windows has changed considerably today. JoAnn had some guys remove the wooden fencing panels, so now the grass is all that really shows across there. She went in and raked up a load of little branches and other mess that would tear up a lawnmower. Now they should be able to mow it totally clean and even get the edges where the fencing panels were. Certainly hope that they can keep it mowed because the heat will dry out the grass in nothing flat. Having the road between my place and that one pretty well protects me from fire unless the wind gets up too high. Even so, my place is cut short for the same reason. Just once was enough to scare the poo out of me the year that we nearly lost the entire neighborhood to a wild fire. But then, the stinkin’ neighbor who always lets his grass get belly high to a tall giraffe has got his mown all the way to the ground for a change.

Patty called me last night to tell me that Donny was away for the night, but then it got stormy. That high wind and rain must have brought him home for the night. At least his truck and boat were at their house this morning. Really love having good neighbors even if it is just one family.

Have asked the boys to bring their weed eater and small lawnmower to take care of the things that could not be done with the zero turn. The front yard is just too tight for the zero-turn mower. Always something out there that gets to be a bit much. Have those danged khaki weeds that poison weed spray won’t kill. Jenn gave me a thing to use to dig them out, but guess who hurts trying to use it. ARGH! Just about the time the perfect tool comes along, the other part of the equation falls apart!

Have mint in the herb box that needs to be shared with whomever needs or wants some. Please let me know if any of you want some. Sent a boatload home with Jenn and still have too much left for anything else to grow in the herb box. The rosemary is well established, but the thyme and sage are being pushed around in there!

Also have a small rose bush that someone needs. It can still be dug up at this point, but it will be getting too hot to move it soon. Not sure but think it is a small red rose. It came from the roots of a red rose, at least.

My petunias are beautiful! And walking outside is an adventure in perfumed air! They are just the best flowers in the entire world! They last forever and come back every year like clockwork! Lewis would have loved the fact that they are about to take the place! Even the hens have not killed the ones that are growing out back in the flower beds and around the bottom of the foundation on the west end of the house. That is an especially hot place for anything to grow, but grow and bloom they are!

Doing my best to stay away from any “news” right now. Know that God is in charge, and that is about how it takes my mind off of the rest of the world. About all I can do is love others when possible. That means you.

 

Snacking and Nibbling.

 So among the things that Jennifer brought back from Sam's were the following: flavored popcorn, drinks of assorted types and flavors, little pudding cups, little cups of chicken salad, beef jerky, cheese sticks, naan bread, apricots, and raspberries. So, if the old woman can't stay pretty well fed on all that junk and stuff, she is in really bad shape! Recently bought a sack of Jolly Rancher goodies, too. Sharing them with the boys when they come over.

Finished reading--for the second time--Fahrenheit 451. Will tell you right now that it was not nearly as depressing as Nineteen Eighty-four! But then was reading something on FB about someone trying to explain to kids about the different types of governments. Seems Ann Landers set up a list that makes it easier to understand: SOCIALISM: You have 2 cows. You give one to your neighbor. COMMUNISM: You have 2 cows. Give both to the government, and they MAY give you some milk. FASCISM: You have 2 cows. You give all of the milk to the government, and the government sells it. NAZISM: You have 2 cows. The government takes both cows and shoots you. ANARCHISM: You have 2 cows. Keep both cows, shoot the government agent and steal another cow. CAPITALISM: You have 2 cows. Sell one and buy a bull.

So this morning was so very pleasant. The cloud cover and breeze made it worth sitting outside and enjoying the serenade of the birds. Then had to go pluck the two broody hens out of the nests again and put them in hen jail. Shaking my head here. Oh well. Let them out earlier and one made a beeline to the nesting area. The other went for water and feed even though they had both in the "jail house" area. The one that is on the nest now is the one who spreads her wings and squawks loudly when touched. Definitely has an attitude! Despite the pretty eggs, think the Marans would be the first to go if the hens had to leave home. The black ones are much prettier and sweeter, but the Cuckoos have a definite opinion about just anything different. Kinda think it is not so hard to understand where they got the Cuckoo part of their names!

Isa came and sat on the yard swing with me last night. She is such a very sweet little hen. Rhoady is also sweet, but she is not particularly fond of being touched. And Athena will only put up with being touched if she is busy laying an egg. Otherwise, just leave her the heck alone, thank you very much! And Athena only lays about one egg a week now. She is the oldest of all the hens and the smallest. Her egg is white, so it is easy to tell when she lays an egg.

Stood out by the sunflower circle and looked around inside and up at the flowers. They are so very pretty. Some are much larger and more red than the others. Then, too, some of the squash has decided to climb the sunflower stalks. Kinda neat. Also have about five or six stalks of sweet corn growing up inside the circle. Those have the pollen stalks coming out from the top, so hoping that means they will eventually have a couple of ears of corn on each stalk. PLUS, a couple of the squash plants might accidentally have the beginning of a squash on the vine!

Brenda Jones has some pictures of sheep posted on her timeline. When asked about them, she said that they were "hair sheep." They don't have to be sheared! Amazing. Old as she is, the old woman learns something every day! Had heard of Moulin sheep. Knew that they were a bit like goats and did not have to be sheared. But my grandparents always counted on the wool to pay for the year's feed for the sheep. The lambs were extra money beyond the cost of the feed. Granddad said that losing a ewe or lamb was not nearly as much of a loss as losing a cow or calf. Yep, understand that situation. Even so, don't think they ever lost a ewe or lamb during all those years they had sheep. However, the Mexican shearers did not show up to the farm one year, and my daddy had to learn to shear that year. Then he ended up teaching the kids who were in the 4-H and FFA programs through the school. But he was good like that to help others.

Jennifer looked up the price that was being asked for the lot down at the end of the street. Can't believe it! They want $10K for that silly lot. Maybe it is just as well. Maybe it won't sell. If they will just keep it mowed, that would be nice. As it is, now that JoAnn has the lot across the street almost cleaned up, it will look much nicer in this area. Just hope that they can keep it mowed, too.

Looked at the vines on the deck and felt of the green grapes. They are still pretty small and just as green as gourds, but at least the hens won't be able to eat them all this year since some are up above the shelf area. Those vines have certainly shaded that entire corner of the deck, too. Lots of good reasons to have grape vines!

Had three or four loads of laundry to do just from the covers kept on the couch to prevent the dogs from ruining it. Put some spray down on the couch itself before putting fresh covers on it. Hoping that this helps to keep whatever is causing the itches to stop bothering Thompson. Sent off for some high-falutin' dog food that is freeze dried organ meat. Next time will just order beef liver from Bill Brown Beef. Bet that is just as good as the freeze dried kind and considerably cheaper! Apparently, most dog foods include grains that dogs are not supposed to eat. Have been careful for some time now about avoiding the meat and bone by-products. Happen to know that means chicken guts that include the feces. Bleah! But according to the website, it also includes meat that has come from dead or diseased animals. So, if the old woman would not eat it, the dogs are not going to get any of it. 

It is clouding up somewhat in the southwest. Don't mind even a tiny bit! Anything that cools us off is more than welcome. However, Leta Talley said that they had some high winds down on Lake Nocona earlier. She said it really roared just like the winds from a tornado sounds. Spooky.

And now these two dogs have decided to act like a couple of clowns. They are so funny sometimes. Thompson thinks that he is supposed to "protect" Sylvia, but it is not unusual for her to walk under him and lift him off the floor. She thinks it is funny. 

Sitting here nibbling on an apricot and wishing that Lewis had been able to enjoy these things. They are not as tart as the ones we grew on our trees, but they are huge in comparison. It would take only a few of these to make an apricot cobbler! They are probably some kind of special breed of fruit. Everything has changed over the years compared to what we knew back in the day. It is amazing to see the differences now. The corn is totally different--even the sweet corn is different. The field corn is not made to be eaten on the cob, but it is one of those GMO things now. Some scientists say that it yields more and therefore can feed more people or livestock. Not too sure if the results are all that healthy, but what does an old woman know?

Finished reading the last copy of the Portals of Prayer that my friend Janis had saved up for me. They did not exactly have a lot of depth in the articles, but sometimes something in there would remind me of something else along the same lines. Now have started reading another book about what is really in the Bible. Have read that book--the Bible--several times through, but there is always--ALWAYS--something else to consider. Years ago a book called The Tell included some information about Job. It amazed me to recognize some of the things from other works that had been written about Job. And then, too, one literary work called J.B. was one of the things assigned in one of my college classes. One of the other students came to me and asked me to explain who Job was. It just amazed me that this young man had never read the book of Job. Now it is rare that college students have the background to understand the basis of things like J.B. Most of them don't even know what Exodus--the Bible book or the movie--have as their background. Our nation is increasingly becoming more ignorant. And we haven't even bothered to burn the books!

Guess it would be a good evening to spray on bug spray and go sit in the yard swing. May you each find pleasure in the great outdoors and the nature that God has used to show us His love. Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

My Sweet Girl!

 

My Sweet Girl!

 

Jennifer just left to go back home. She spent most of this day with me, and this ol’ woman thoroughly enjoyed her company. She also did a few things for me while she was here. One of the main jobs was clipping the nails on my right foot. Just you try to get a foot in your lap when something is torn in your back! Not gonna happen! Then she went to Sam’s for me and brought back a whole bunch of goodies including some bodacious apricots! These things are really the biggest apricots ever! And they taste as good as they look. She reminded me that if there are too many to eat, chopped up and slipped in ziplock bags would work if the excess is placed in the freezer. See, she is smart, too!

The weather was so very nice and cool early this morning, but it did not take terribly long to get hotter than blue blazes. JoAnn and her husband came over and mowed a bunch of the weeds and grass. JoAnn came over all hot and sweaty and needed a cool wet towel on her neck. It was just too hot to be out there messing around in the sun. Smitty finally got the mower put back on their trailer and got them ready to go home. Maybe in a couple of days the rest of the place will get cleaned up, and then they want to close up the house with boards or whatever it takes to keep people out of there. Nothing is left to steal, but that won’t keep the bad guys out of there.

Dug a bunch of mint plants out of the top tier of the herb garden so that Jenn could take them home and plant them. Hope she has good luck with those plants. It is the best smelling and tasting mint that has ever grown on this ol’ hill. Know there is apple, chocolate, peppermint, and spearmint in that family, but this seems to be just plain ol’ mint. Strong plants with plenty of flavor is what they are, anyway.

My dogs are still itchy, but they seem to have stopped scratching as much. Maybe something is working. Jenn brought some Johnson’s baby creamy oil that is supposed to keep bugs and stuff off of babies, so maybe that took care of some of the itch, too.

One of the Cuckoo Marans is at it again! She walked across the yard toward another hen this morning with her wings out and stomping—yes, hens can stomp. She definitely was trying to start something! Took her out of the nest twice today, and tonight she goes in chicken jail! Dadgumit. It is really too hot to put her in there during the day, but have no idea where else to put her. NOT bringing her inside to fuss with me! I can see that now—open the bathroom door to a squawking hen! Nope, not happening.

Connie made some Swedish meatballs and brought them over. Jenn thought that they were pretty tasty. Guess we will have to get the recipe. Cooked up a big batch of mushrooms to put them on instead of using rice or pasta. Mushrooms don’t cause any weight gain whatsoever as long as they are cooked right. It is just awfully tempting to put sauces on them, but that did not happen this time. Jennifer said her weight loss has stopped at this point, but in my estimation, it is just great not to gain any! And not getting out to mess around in the yard is not going to help with losing any weight around here. Sigh

Jenn picked up some pure protein drinks called café latte when she went shopping for me. She said that they are better than coffee, but they have caffeine in them, of course. Oh well. In the morning we will see how that works out. Protein AND caffeine—can’t beat that!

The wabbits have fewer places to hide tonight. But it has not kept them from running by in front of our windows and driving my dogs wild! At least it has not been rats standing up and squeaking at the front of the house! Or snakes. JoAnn said that each time she lifted a board or anything, she watched for snakes. All she found was toads! That sounded good to me. Toads are lovely creatures.

Was telling Jenn how the numbers of injured in the Austin shooting seemed to change quite a bit from the first time it was posted. Then one person was arrested and supposedly one more was being sought. Honestly! It makes a horse whipping sound like the ideal punishment before they ever get to jail! Dadblamed idiots! Not safe to get out among others much anyway, but those who cause this kind of harm deserve a special place in hades. Just my opinion, of course.

The bird for today is the Great Crested Grebe. Those are some beautiful birds. These critters have a fancy courtship dance as they raise themselves out of the water and shake their heads at each other. They have some display tufts around their necks during courtship which are lost shortly thereafter. And the male is the one to bring nesting materials to the female. God made some of the neatest creatures. Water birds are pretty special in my estimation. Just think about trying to raise babies on the water!

Not too much on my mind tonight. Think tomorrow might be a little better day if getting up early can help my attitude. Sometimes wish we could just sleep through the heat of summer the way bears sleep through the intense cold of winter. Sigh

May you all rest well and stay cool. Let joy be your companion in all that you find to do. You are loved.