*
This year has been a little weird... at times it has flown by and others it has dragged.
Here we are nearing Christmas again!
I'm still reading. I'm on the fourth book in the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn. I'm still playing games at Face Book... how addictive! I renewed some friendships from high school through Face Book and that has been an unexpected surprise.
I'm relatively well. I've had sinus problems that created voice problems. My voice is coming back so soon I will be back to my normal.. crazy self. Frank is doing well. He has been readying things to remodel one of our bedrooms that will become our office. He hasn't worked his muscles this much in a while :-)
We do have family that are sick and prayers for them would be welcome. So many I can't write them all out. Some with viruses and some suffering from the pains of aging.
A few weeks ago we went down to my folk's homestead down in Baker County GA. I chased butterflies... unfortunately they perched almost too high in the tree for a decent picture. I love seeing them anyway and hope you do too.
I hope everyone is doing well. Frank and I are doing good. We've done a little piddling around the house. Frank more than I.
I'm still plowing away at the farms on Facebook. Thank you to all that became my neighbors. It helped me progress.
Oh... Frank got my goat this morning. He said they named a perfume after me. I told him I knew they named sunglasses after me but had not heard of a perfume. The punch line: The perfume is called Obsession.
So he thinks I'm obsessed with farming. Well, I can think of worse obsessions :-)
I've found a few friends from the past on Facebook. It is great to meet with them again.
We've had some stormy weather, but all that seems to have past now and the temperatures are cooler and the air dryer. That means I will be more active and maybe... just maybe I can get my weight to start to go down again.
In case you haven't noticed I have added another blog to my Nook and Recipes. You can find it by clicking on the Spa tab below the title picture. I haven't posted much in it yet. I seem to be lacking in things to write about lately here or there.
Spa... then on to pizza. Um. Frank and I made a sinfully delicious pizza today.... well actually two of them. We usually cook for two or more meals. We used my friend Lynne Maynard's recipe for the crust. We spiced up a small can of tomato sauce, cooked some pan sausage, sliced some sweet onion and sweet banana peppers and topped that off with shredded Mexican Four Cheese. It was absolutely the best pizza we have ever made. We will really need to go for a walk or two now :-D
I finally did a little fall decorating :-) I'm not much of a decorator... but my blog looks a bit fallish now.
We have been so busy since returning from our trip. Lots of laundry. Lots of errands. Cleaning up the fallen tree mess. Frank will finish the repair of the fence today.
Yesterday I potted some mums and dead-headed flowers. This morning I will weed some. The weather has been really nice here.
I'm still looking for neighbors at Farm Town on Facebook if anyone is interested let me know. Since I'm not taking many photos right now... Farm Town is my hobby :-) Soon I will be back to taking pictures, I promise.
So lots going on here, but nothing to really blog about :-D
I missed my brother-in-law's, Rich's, birthday on the 12th.... Happy Belated Birthday, Rich! I missed the wedding anniversary of my niece Marcy and her husband Ralph on the 21rst... Happy Belated Anniversary wishes to a wonderful couple. I missed my nephew Jared's birthday on the 24th.... Happy Belated Birthday, Jared! I'm early in wishing Tom, Frank's brother, a Happy Birthday tomorrow :-)... Happy Birthday Tom!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Life.... :-)
We visited our daughter last week. We left on Saturday the 19th and stayed at F. D. Roosevelt State Park that night. It came down a heavy downpour right as we neared the park. Fortunately it was only a light rain during setup of our travel trailer.... leveling, hooking up water and electricity. We managed to get in a walk and a shower between rain showers. It rained hard most of the night.
Sunday morning the rain let up and we were able to break camp and head towards Woodstock Georgia where our daughter lives. We were in more rain showers. It was misting rain when we set up the trailer at Victoria Campground, Allatoona Lake, Georgia. It rained hard most of Sunday night.
Monday we decided to go visit Sonja and not bring her back to camp being there was so much rain. We called her to tell her that we were on our way. She told us bad news... her dog Otis, a Boston Terrier, had died that morning and she needed to make arrangements. Sonja had Otis since he was a few weeks old, he turned eleven people years last April.
We picked Sonja up and took her to Arby's for lunch. Not that she felt much like eating, but it got her away from her apartment for a while. It poured rain while we were in Arby's. We stayed there for over an hour because of the rain. Then we went into Wal Mart.... it was still raining. We walked around for a while and left... it was still raining.
By now there are reports of a lot of flooding. We asked Sonja the best way to get back to the campground without having to cross a flooded area. She told us and we took that route back to camp. A tree had fallen over the road, but it was quickly cleared away. It rained hard most of Monday night.
Tuesday we stayed in camp. It was cloudy most of the day. One of the campground host said it had rain seventeen and a half inches of rain at the campground... but we don't know how many days that covered. We think three.
Part of the campground was flooded. This picnic table eventually went out of sight into the water.
This camp site is under water. The road I was standing on eventually had water over it.
Some of the interstates and main highways were closed at one time. There were deaths. This was a flood much like what we had here in Albany in 1994... they call them 500 year floods. It takes a while to heal from such flooding.
Tuesday was mostly cloudy. Wednesday it started clearing. We brought Sonja back to the camp site and had a nice visit.
Thursday and Friday we visited more. There were reports that heavy rain might come again by Saturday evening. We decided to come home a day early. Just in case major highways were to be closed again.
Our timing was awful for this trip. We were on edge a lot. We did enjoy our visit with Sonja and her boyfriend, Bryan... and their dog, Houdini. I'll show you pictures of Houdini another time.
Sonja still has not found employment. Could you please keep her in your prayers.
I'll try reading your blogs over the next few days.
Just checking in.... it will probably be a couple of weeks before I post again. I will visit your blogs as I get a chance.
Last week our pecan tree looked like it does in the photo below. Frank had talked to the extension agency about its health. The man called on Monday... I think... and told Frank the tree had dogwood borers and told him some steps to help possibly save the tree.
(click on photo for larger view)
On Wednesday we went to the Commissary and bought groceries and stopped by Captain D's for take-out. When we came home we discovered one of the limbs had broken off from the tree. Sorry no photos of the mess it made... which was huge. Frank's sister and sister-in-law are too quick to clean messes up... just kidding :-)
Our plans after lunch were to go to see Mama. She lives about 35 miles away from us. We decided to go anyway. On the way we stopped by Frank's folk's to look for one our chainsaws.... not there. So we went to Frank's brother's home in hopes our nephew was still there to find the chainsaw. Good luck... it was there! So off to Mama's for a while.... there was road work on hwy 82, so we had to a pig trail detour for a bit.
Mama is having a hard time with her back and neck, but is a trooper in handling it all. She has a doctor that is working with her with the pain.
We got home around six in the evening and we discovered Frank's sister and her sister-in-law cutting the tree limb up. They had brought their tractor over. It was a good idea for it made the work a lot easier.
Below are pictures after the clean up. The limb that broke off is larger than the one that is left. It had more branches too.
(click on photo for larger view)
If you go back to the first picture.... the limb landed on the fence to the right of the photo. A couple of sections will have to be replaced. We're grateful that there was not worse damage.
This is where it broke off from.
(click on photo for larger view)
The tree will have to be cut down for sure now.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
I have gotten hooked on Farm Town at Facebook. I blame it on my old classmate, Virginia :-) I think she is at the highest level of the game. I need more neighbors... anyone want to be my neighbor? I'll be away from Facebook a while too... but we can be neighbors when I return :-D
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tomorrow is my brother Zane's birthday.... So Happy Birthday Zane!
I have been busy cleaning the kitchen this morning. I gave the counter tops a good cleaning, cleaned the toaster real good... amazing where the crumbs hide... cleaned the kitchen door and ran the Perfect Sweep over the floor. I bought it for the travel trailer, but found out that I really like to use in between vacuuming.
We hope to visit our daughter, Sonja soon. So the trailer needs to be restocked. Frank and out went out to the travel trailer this morning and made our list of what we need to put in the trailer and what we need to buy for the trip.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
I have worked on my project of learning Paint.Net. I have only played with the features it comes with. It is compatible with many Photo Shop filters. I have never played with that program's filters even though my Microsoft Digital Image Pro program is compatible with them. I really think Paint.Net will be easier to learn than Photo Shop. I tried the trial version of Photo Shop and the learning curve was way above me... I like things simple :-) I can see that Paint.Net has a lot of possiblities for graphics and editing photos.
My next project is to clean my table.... a table that I use as a desk. Doing so requires working on other projects, so it will take me a while.
I decided to put up another one of my recipes. I made my chicken and rice casserole yesterday, but didn't think to take a picture. I don't think I can get a half-eaten casserole to look pretty :-) Leftovers for today. Just follow this link: Zaroga's Chicken and Rice Casserole for the recipe.
Today is my sister, Zawanda's birthday. She is the cute smart one of the family. Zawanda has a lovely singing voice. She likes to watch football... Go Falcons! Go Dawgs! and she likes baseball too.... Go Braves! Zawanda is a collector of glasswares and sometimes sells a few of them on ebay. She has a collection of lighthouses.
Love You!
Lighthouses bring this song to mind, Candle On The Water a song from Walt Disney Picture's live action/animation film Pete's Dragon.
Pauline from The Paddock suggested this week's topic of Aged and Weathered. Just click on the camera below to look at other participant's post and join in if you wish.
Dear fellow shooters. I will be taking a few weeks off from the Shoot Out. Check back in three or four weeks. I will probably be sparse in my blogging too. I have gotten far behind in some of my projects and need to work on them.
I have not gotten out and about to take pictures again, so hopefully something from my archives will work for the topic.
Rusty Barb Wire at my parent's homestead in Baker County GA
I think I showed a different view of this old building before. Some aged and weathered cars to the side of the building.
An old farm building with an old and weathered gas pump
A closer look at the gas pump.
A weathered rose... frozen in time. The white is ice crystals.
Mountains carved and weathered by the Colorado River. This is Dead Horse Point State Park near Moab Utah.
Of Riley... no just mine and Frank's :-) Life has brought allergies... oh.. I think I mentioned that before. I think ragweed is the culprit. This is the ragweed we have around here.
Many people mistakenly call goldenrod ragweed. Here is an image of goldenrod. Goldenrod has bright yellow blooms. They are said not to be an allergen, but they begin to bloom the same time as ragweed. I think because people can more readily see goldenrod it is easy to blame allergies on them.
The blossoms of ragweed are very small. Some ragweed is growing in the train bed across the road. There are no train tracks any more. They were removed years ago. The bed remains and is suppose to become a Rails to Trails project.
I'm sure there are other allergens lurking about. Frank and I have swollen itchy eyes, drippy noses along with sneezing and a small bit of coughing. Sometimes I have no voice. We're not sick... just a bit miserable. It happens this time of year... these allergies. So we have to live with it.
When antihistamines are working we have managed to make pear preserves and sausage (in links and patties). Frank gave the sausage a little smoke in the early hours of this morning. We'll have some links in the morning.
Biscuits always go with sausage. We have both practiced our biscuit making. I'm so rusty at it! I think Frank did the better job at biscuit making today. Frank said both our efforts tasted better than what he calls replicated biscuits.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Yesterday, I picked up my new spectacles. I had originally ordered trifocals. I was hoping they would be better than the last pair of progressive lenses that I had. I could not walk without getting drunk with them. I had done well with the two pair before that.
I tried for about three weeks and could not get used to the trifocals. So I took them back and got progressive lenses again. I think I'm going to do well with this pair. I really think the last pair of progressive lenses were just not made correctly and not adjusted correctly.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
I think Father tries very, very, very hard to help me become more patient.
I started the process for me to get Reclast IV the first week of June. Here on the 10th day of September the process was completed. I received the IV this morning. I was told I wouldn't be there more than an hour in all for the fifteen minute IV.
Umph... Two hours! I sat in the waiting area for fifty minutes. The tv was set to the Headline News station. I usually get my news on the local channel or from Good Morning America. Most of the time I only half listen... to0 much going on in the world that is depressing. I like uplifting news :-) Listening to this channel my thought was "they have put the National Enquirer in tv form?" The news sounded more like rumors than fact and the way they flashed from reporter to reporter seemed like a circus act.
Any who...I was called back and led to a room with a comfy recliner and I'm not saying that sarcastically, it really was comfy. Twenty minutes later and two sticks with needles the nurse practitioner gave up and left the room. She came back with not one but two lab techs. The nurse practitioner had blew one vein and the other needle just wouldn't go in.... I think the vein rolled. I have drank about three times as much water as I usually do over the last three days, so the cause shouldn't be dehydration for not finding a decent vein. The nurse practitioner said it was just something that happens with some people.
One more stick from the lab tech and the IV was started. I now have three little bruised spots to go with the bigger bruised spot that I received on Tuesday when I had a blood sample taken.
The nurse practitioner stayed the whole time the IV was going. While we talked the time passed quickly. Soon I was sitting in the doctor's crowded waiting room... staying as far away from his patients as possible.... waiting ten minutes just in case I have a reaction.
Mama started the process for the Reclast IV before I did and she still has not received hers yet. She is going through a different doctor's office. Mama and my brother haven't been able to get past the office operator to speak to a person about it. Mama said they were going to go up to the office and ask about it if they hadn't heard by today.
I do think Reclast will be the better way for me to go with all my stomach problems. I'm hoping next year that Father will think I've learned to have some patience. I really did stay pretty calm. I didn't get too upset when I was told to go to one waiting room and then was directed to another waiting room. I didn't keep asking the nurse if the nurse practitioner had forgotten about me. I didn't ask for the tv station to be changed. o:)
* * * * * * * * * * * *
I really shouldn't complain so much. This video has a good point about complaining.
Maybe... just maybe I'll make a little progress before I pass through this world in being patient and not complain so much :-D
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Mildred over at Nalley Valley mentioned a few weeks ago how she and Nalley liked Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce. I ordered a coupon for a free bottle of the sauce. The coupon came a few days ago. We found the sauce on the shelf of our local Wal Mart. The sauce is very tasty! Thank you, Mildred, for the recommendation.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
For the Friday Shoot Out I will have to dig through my archives and hope that I have something worthy of posting.
I'm behind in reading my blog friend's blogs. I hope to catch up by the weekend.
Today is Frank's Dad's Birthday. He is just a super person and Frank could not have picked a better Dad. He is a great second Dad to me, he is a super dad to his three children, a super grandfather to his six grandchildren and super great-grandfather to five great-grands. Children naturally flock to my father-in-law. He does an excellent Donald Duck imitation :-D
Shirl, we hope this day is exactly what you want it to be.
This week's topic of Doors and Windows was suggested by Kerri at Pop Rocks. If you would like to look at more works or join in just click on this camera for more information.
I would like to apologize for not getting around to look at everyone's post in last week's challenge. I hope to make the rounds this weekend.
This is the door of the loft of Frank's workshop.
This is the door with window of our travel trailer. We hope to be using this door soon :-)
I like the windows of this old silo in the nearby community of Sasser.
This window is in Mama's sitting room... you know the room nobody sits in.
~ 'Tis the season for pears. Frank and I have been busy this week making pear preserves and pear cobbler. Frank did most of the work for the pear preserves... peeling, slicing, stirring, ladling into jars and I stirred ever once in a while and put the lids on the jars. Frank peeled and sliced the pears for the cobblers and I put them together. We made one cobbler for us and one for Frank's parents.
One of these days I might photograph food properly :-)
Just follow this link for the recipe Pear Cobbler.
Some of you might see my Beef Stroganoff reappear. I found that I didn't mention that the garlic needed to be diced and I changed the amount of sour cream to read ¼ to ½ cup. I also had neglected to state that I use low-sodium beef broth. (the Kitchen Bouquet adds sodium... so I use the low-sodium beef broth to reduce the amount of sodium) I also noted that after the cornstarch is added to the mixture " Bring to a boil stirring constantly." I try to proofread, but sometimes I miss things :-) I think this recipe beats Hamburger Helper :-)
... that there were no more birthdays in our family this month ;-)
A special member of our family is Frank's sister's sister-in-law, Venae. She is such a wonderful person.
We hope you have a wonderful day, Venae. Love You!
There were five family birthdays this month... I think I left out Aunt Zell. There were three anniversaries. I missed wishing my sister Zawanda and her husband Rich a happy anniversary here yesterday. I also missed wishing my nephew Aaron and his wife Hilary a happy anniversary here Monday of last week. It was their first anniversary.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
It is allergy flare up time for me. So I don't know if I will feel up to taking pictures this week. Sneezing can make it difficult to hold a camera steady :-)
I actually went clothes shopping. I've managed to lose a few pounds this year and was a bit tired of baggy britches (that's a word my family uses for the word pants).
I hate shopping! Nothing ever fits right. If britches are just right in the hips then the waist is too big. If they are just right in the waist then it is too snug in the hips. The britches are always too long and I hate hemming.
If I find a nice fitting blouse the neckline is too low or the fabric too thin. I hate shopping! (said in my best Lucy (from Peanuts cartoon) voice).
I managed to find three pair of britches and one blouse. I'm still not sure about the blouse... the neckline may be a bit too scooped. I'll get Frank's opinion on it before I discard the tags.
I also got a couple of filters for the vacuum... isn't that exciting! :-) I found a few other things that were just as exciting.
I also bought new makeup. I hardly ever wear makeup. I can remember one time when Frank and I were dating he looked at me strangely and said "you're wearing makeup". I thought I had put it on all wrong. He said that I just looked different with it on. I think he only noticed the makeup because I was wearing pink lipstick. Most of the time I wore Tangee Lipstick back then, a bit more subtle than the pink shade I had worn on that date. I loved the aroma and the feel of Tangee Lipstick. They still make Tangee Lipstick.
Oops... sometimes my mind goes entirely off on a tangent :-)
I stopped by Good Will on the way home from clothes shopping. A worker was bringing out box after box of goodies to put on the shelf. Three ladies swooped around her like vultures. I could not get close to the boxes. Some of the boxes contained brand new goodies, like sunglasses. The women scooped those right up. All that wasn't scooped up were plastic travel containers and stationery. Target donates items to the store. I didn't find any goodies there today. I'll try again another time.
While I was out shopping Frank and his Dad went down to my parent's old home place and did a few things. One thing was to get eight of the neighbor's hogs back to their home. Frank said it was tempting to butcher them... they were a nice eating size. Frank brought home some pears instead. Now doesn't pear preserves or a pear cobbler sound good?
Well... on to pictures. I took these with my Sony A700 camera when I was walking around the yard a few days ago.
Our neighbors have planted lantana by our fence and its stems reach over into our yard. I don't mind at all... I don't have to take care of it, I just enjoy its beauty.
During the hot summer months several Orchard Spiders make their home in the azaleas. They are small spiders... much smaller than pictured. Their sizes are: Female body length 5.5 - 7.5 mm and the Male body length 3.5 - 4.0 mm. This one is a female.
~ August isn't over with and neither are the birthdays. Today is Frank's sister's birthday.
Happy Birthday Nette! Love You!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The other day when I was taking pictures for the Friday Shoot Out (see previous day's post) I took a few more pictures that didn't turn out too badly.
Mama gave me part of her Angel Trumpet plant a few years back. It doesn't grow in our yard as well as it does in her yard. It has had a lot of blossoms this year though. It is most fragrant in the early morning and in the late evening.
This little bee was on the Speedwell (Veronica spicata) blossom. I think it is a honey bee, but I have called some critters bees before and they turn out to be a bee imitator, so I will stick with little bee. :-)
* * * * * * * * * * * *
I awakened this morning just before five to the patter of rain upon the roof. It has to be raining pretty hard for me to hear the rain over the window air conditioner. Soon the rain was pouring and it poured for a least an hour with the sound of thunder and flashes of lightning. We need the rain, but it would be nice for it not to all come down at once. More rain is expected later today.
So it will be a day of piddling in the house. Perhaps I will catch up on that pile of paperwork that is on my table. Perhaps I will read the book that I bought months ago or do both.... decisions... decisions :-)
I've been married (to the same man) since I was 18 years old. (we were married in 1969.. I'll let you do the math)
We have a daughter and a son. We will only have grandchildren if a miracle happens. Its alright if that miracle never happens.. we have grandnieces and grandnephews to play with ever once in a while.
Update: Miracles do happen! We now have a grandson and granddaughter. They are not by blood, but they are our grandchildren and never will be referred to as step-grandchildren. Update: We now have two more granddaughters. We are truely blessed!
We spent 20 years in the US Army. I say "we" because when a spouse in the service of their country their whole family is along for the ride.
I worked in retail until my back got the best of me. Now I enjoy the company of my husband. We travel when we can.
I crocheted up until a few years ago. I mostly did toys with an afghan or two thrown in. Update: I am now crocheting again! Sometimes I do a bit of embroidery.
I used to garden in the flower beds, but now I garden in flower pots. There are a few perennials in the yard that I water and dead-head... I do miss digging in the garden.
I still like to cook a little... just a little. You can find some of my recipes here.
