Abandoned........For What?

GREETINGS!

My sister in law took this picture for me this past March. There was just something about this old house that drew me to it. When I look at it I imagine that the family that lived there did so during the Great Depression and the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, and they had to leave their home in search of a livelihood. The children were uprooted from school, if they got to attend, and things were loaded willy nilly onto an old Model T pickup, with a basket with a little food thrown in to boot. And off they drove, maybe to California? Gosh, I can get carried away; but can't you just see and feel it?

This one is from a more recent time. It sits out in a beautiful field all alone. It's like no one cares any more. What happened in this place? Was there a tragedy of some kind that required the people to leave? Did they lose their income and had to give up their home? It just makes you wonder.



Ahhh, this one reminds me of a little Mexican hacienda type building. I think its made of cement blocks. And the crepe myrtle tree next door just completes the look. Was this a house for migrant workers? Could have been. But alas, it sits there empty now, wondering where all the talk and laughter have gone.

This little, tiny trailer sits in a pretty site also. Hidden in the tall grass and brush are old rusted out cars and junk. Someone has cleaned up the "junk" a bit, but done nothing else. This place reminds me of being the home of a little old lady, who's grown son(s) deposited all their junk there. And she became infirm and had to leave.........maybe to a nursing home, where no one bothered to go visit her.

There are many more abandoned places in the Oklahoma countryside. One I didn't get a picture of is made of stone of different colors, and I'm sure it was a very nice home at one time. I can only imagine what happened there, and you know I have an imagination! Do any of you let your mind wander like I do? Take the time to notice things like these abandoned homes and see where it leads you.

I had a very busy day today. Had to leave home at 10 a.m. to get Lobo to the dog groomers by 11 a.m. Then it was off to WalMart for weekly shopping. Stopped first in the Subway in-store for a sandwich and iced tea. Sure tasted good, since I hadn't had any breakfast! Then did some browsing and picked up 3 new shirts for Ronnie's birthday tomorrow. He likes the lightweight rayon (?) shirts with the Hawaiian prints. They seem to be cooler than others in this heat. Ronnie will be 60 tomorrow and we - along with brother and his wife - are going to Muskogee to The Rib Crib, our favorite restaurant, for early supper. Not much celebrating as it's too hot! The forecast for the next week is 100, 101, and 102, PLUS heat index. Anyway, got home about 2:30 and had groceries to put away, etc. So we had BLT's for supper. Shopping wears me out!

I hope you all have a great weekend. I'll "see" you on Monday. Take care and God Bless.

Just Stuff

GREETINGS!


I love this scenery. You see the treed butte in the far background? On top of one like that is where our house is. They don't look so high (tall) in this shot, but they are quite good sized. When I see landscapes like this I envision Indians and covered wagons, and ponies, etc. I truly love it. This was taken a mile from our place.



This is just an open prairie or pasture, and again I "see" things from the "old" days. I think I was born about 150 years to late! Would have been a tough life, but I think it would have been so worth it. No electronic "gadgets" to put up with, not so much politics, people, noise, etc. I can dream, can't I?

I was thinking about my post I did yesterday on schools, and thought I should add a couple things. My "informant" is going to try to get a hold of a map showing all the schools I mentioned. That will be so much fun finding them if he does! Also, I think the first school I pictured was built prior to 1907 simply because of the stone it is made out of. I'm not sure what it is, maybe sandstone, or limestone, or something similar, but it is big, cut squares of stone; looks much older than 1907. That building is currently being used by the owner as a barn. I'll keep you posted on the map.

And guess what?! The floor is screwed down on the back porch!! And the steps down are finished. There is still a lot to do, i.e. railing, ramp, roof, etc. But the BBQ is up on it and it's looking good. I'm waiting for the final finished product before I post a picture again though. I spent this afternoon out there trying to clean up the BBQ. It has been out in the weather for almost a year and was pretty dirty. I made some progress, but it will never look "clean". Going to buy a new cover tomorrow.

And, I don't think I've ever mentioned that my oldest granddaughter, Lauren, just graduated from college in Houston this summer, and is moving to South Korea in about 3 weeks. She took a job for a year over there teaching English as a second language to some corporate business employees. She is 21 years old, and I'm sure this will be an adventure for her! I'm not sure how my daughter is going to handle having her "baby" so far away. But our prayers will be with her and I trust that God will watch out for her.

I've got a busy day tomorrow so better close for now. Will fill you in tomorrow night. Take care and God Bless.

Readin', Ritin', & Rithmatic The 3 R's???

GREETINGS!

I've been gathering information on the early schools here in Oklahoma, and as I said yesterday, I got additional info from the owner of the "corner" store. (Which isn't really on a corner.) So, I'm going to share with you some education trivia from Oklahoma!

I don't know the exact year this began, but we think probably around 1907, the year Oklahoma became a state. All schools were 3 miles apart; this was so that no child had to walk more than a mile and a half to get to school. So from some research I've done on line for Muskogee County, I found 14 schools right here in our area! The three that I am going to talk about most, are on Ross Road, which is the main paved road leading from Hiway 64 to Porum, which is a stretch about 15 miles long.



This (above) is the first school on Ross Road from Hiway 64, and it was called Valley Summit. It is 6 miles from where we enter Ross Road.



If you look real close (above), you'll see part of a white roof line, which is all you can see this time of year due to the trees and bushes. This school is 3 miles from Valley Summit school above, and was called Simms School. It is 3 miles from where we enter Ross Road.

And where we enter Ross Road off County Road 111 is where another school was, called Vann School. You can't see any remains as the owner of the property tore down what was left of the wooden school structure and incorporated the cement block cafeteris section in his brick house.

And so, if you were to keep going there would be another school 3 miles from that school, and so on. Not all the following schools were on Ross Road, but were in the Porum area. Some of the names were: Conley School, Hickory Ridge, Mtn. View, Oak Grove, Ross School, Porum School, Victory School, Briartown, Nowata, Blackjack, etc. There was one called Turpin and Younger Bend School which had a little notoriety in that the infamous Belle Starr (outlaw) bought a piano for the school and introduced classical music to the students. I found online some census reports of 1912 from some of the schools. It listed the head of household, the children in the family and their date of birth and place of residence. The children were born in the 1880's to very early 1900's. The 1912 census was the same year as my Mother was born.

That's all I've got so far, but I find it very interesting. I had never heard of such a thing before and I don't know if it was new to me because we moved to a new State, or what. Maybe there are tidbits like this in the state where you live, and they are just waiting to be uncovered! Do some digging!! Take care and God Bless.

The "Corner" Store

GREETINGS!

I want to take you on a trip to my little "corner" grocery store. This first picture is one of the roads I'll take to get there, and all 4 miles will be just like it -- dirt and gravel. I will finally get to a paved road and go 1/2 mile more to the store.


Along the way I passed these contented cows, - well, as contented as you can be in 90+ degree weather - standing under some trees trying to cool down a bit in the limited shade.


Then of course I saw some horses who were thinking the grass was greener on the other side of the fence. The nearest poor horse was so skinny you could see his ribs! I just don't know why people don't take better care of their animals. It makes me sad.


The roads are soooo dusty you have to keep your windows rolled up. After some dust settled I managed to get out and take a picture of this poor dusty trumpet vine. I bet they are sure wanting some rain!


Alas, there is always something to disrupt the beauty of the countryside. These two water bottles were just laying along side the road. Actually, it wasn't much compared to what is usually tossed out. Litter just makes me furious!!!!!!!!!!!!!



TaDaa!! Here is the store. I don't think it looks like your average, run of the mill corner store, do you? But I'll tell ya, it is great when you need milk or bread or something like that, and don't have to drive 12 or 16 miles to the nearest market! And it is a great place to visit and gather "history" of the area.


One of the reasons I went there today was to gather information on the old schools in this area. That will be another story -- maybe tomorrow. The owner of the store used to work for the county and is now also a volunteer fireman, and has been in this area all his life, so he knows quite a bit about this part of the county.

Today was another day to count my blessings and be thankful for where I am on this stage of my life journey. I hope y'all are having a good journey too. Take care and God Bless.

What A Weekend!

GREETINGS!

The weekend was anything but productive or nice or peaceful, or any other pleasing adjectives you can think of! About 9 a.m. Saturday morning the well driller came to drill my brother's well. By days end, he had drilled down 300 feet and there was NO water. So he packed up and left. Mary and my brother, Tom, were very disappointed and depressed the rest of the weekend. I can't blame them, as that was quite an expense with nothing to show for it, and probably meant they could not continue with the building of their container home.

I offered some optimism by saying all things happen for a reason, and they should go ahead and develop a plan B and maybe even a plan C! So they did - both. And it seems that they may be able to go with plan B - hook up to "city" water - and still keep their container home where they want it. Of course that will be at another big expense and much hard labor, but all is not lost! So I guess things are on hold until December when they retire and can start work on the water line and everything else that goes along with building a home.

Oh, I forgot.......on Saturday we also ran out of water!! Apparently our well is running low on water and having trouble filling the tank. I'm hoping it's due to the hot, dry weather, and it will recover later. It has filled some and I've really been conserving my water use I'll tell ya. The bright spot for me was going to Sunday school and church and refreshing my soul.

The rest of the weekend I read, visited, did dishes, ate watermelon fresh off the wagon and baked brownies and ate grilled steak! Pretty relaxing after everyone's emotions had calmed down.

Some time ago I mentioned that Ronnie goes shooting with his SASS gang. Below are a couple pictures so you get the idea of what goes on, as far as dress, etc. The dogs belonged to a group who trained service dogs for handicapped people, and the "shoot" was a benefit to raise money for their organization.







This has been a pretty typical Monday........laundry, dishes, etc. I hope yours was good as well. Take care and God bless.

Porch Update........Again

GREETINGS!




Well, as you can see, the porch is still not finished. Since my brother, Tom, is here all work on the porch as come to a halt! The floor boards are laid in place, but not screwed down! Not ideal for walking on, and the dogs for sure don't like it. But I know that sooner or later it will get done. (The porch is 10x16 though it doesn't look like it in the pictures.) Actually, it's been to darned hot to be out there grilling or sitting, so it's just the idea of it.

The top priority this week has been digging out the "hole" where the shipping containers will be set for my brother's house. He rented a commercial type back-hoe and with Ronnie on that and Tom on the tractor they have dug quite a mess! He only has the back-hoe for a week, so they have been working steadily trying to get everything they need done. I guess they now have to build the forms for the pads and the concrete will come on Monday. And in the meantime, more back-hoe work around the acres. The heat index has been between 105 and 115 so you know they have put a lot of sweat into this project so far. Mary has been busy taking them coolers of ice, water and gatorade. Oh, it also increases the laundry chores with all the soaked and dirt caked clothing! :) Mary has also been taking pictures and video's so when she has a good connection for her computer she will be updating her blog on her shipping container home. So stay tuned!

I didn't post this last night - shame on me - because I was worn out. Mary and I went to Checotah (and no, Carrie Underwood doesn't live there anymore) to buy a few groceries and a lot of meat. A trip to WalMart for water and dog food and a couple other things, then to a store called Shelton's for meat. They have a great meat selection, with an actual butcher on site, and good prices. Yesterday they had a paper shopping bag - the kind with handles - and all the meat you could get in it was 10% off. My bag was so full I could hardly lift it! Also stopped at the farmers co-op and got some Frontline flea meds for the dogs. So I don't know if it was the heat, the walking, or what, but I was done for after fixing late supper. Some days I am so reminded that I am not a "young" woman any more. What with a hip replacement and knee surgery it doesn't take much to wear me out! The problem is: In my mind I am still a "young" woman; it's just that my body isn't on the same page!

I have to tell one more story on myself, then I'm done! When we were walking in to WalMart yesterday I was behind an older lady who from the back reminded me of my late mother. Haircut the same, etc. Then later in the store the lady walked by me and I couldn't resist stopping her and telling her she reminded me of my mother. She put her arms around me and gave me a hug and of course I started crying. She told me I could stop her any time I wanted and get a hug. Now isn't that wonderful!! I felt like a fool crying, but even though it's been 6 years since my Mom passed, I still miss her like it was yesterday. I know I will see her again one day, but it doesn't help a lot right now! I was so fortunate to have my Mom for almost 60 years, and to be the one to take care of her at the end was a privilege, and I thank God for that. She turned 92 a month before she left, and was a going concern until a month before that. Oh that I should be so lucky.......

Have a great weekend. Take care and God bless.

THE MALL !!

GREETINGS!!


You may be wondering what this picture of me has to do with "THE MALL". Well, that is me with my new glasses on that I got today at the Arrowhead Mall in Muskogee. The eye doctor's office is in THE MALL and right next door is the Eye Mart, where they make the glasses "while you wait" type thing.

I left home at 8:30 a.m. this morning to go to Muskogee for my 10:00 a.m. doctor's appointment. Got to THE MALL about 9:30 a.m. so had a little time to find the place (I'd only been to THE MALL once before and then just inside the door, so to speak.) Are you getting the hint that I'm not a mall shopper?? Anyway, once inside I thought I'd treat myself to a cup of coffee - which I did and it was bad. Then walked around the corner and there was a coffee store - wouldn't you know! Lattes, espresso, all those good coffee drinks and biscotti and brownies, etc. (Heavy sigh.) On to the doctor's office. Eyes dialated, exam done, prescription in hand, go next door to order glasses, will be 3 hours and they will be done. OK.



So, sister-in-law Mary (who went with me) and I decide to go shopping. I was looking for a pair of summer sandals - no luck. We went in to several shoe stores, but nothing I liked. She did buy a new pair of shoes though. Then to an accessory store and bought a new purse (above). Then we had lunch in the food court - Chinese not too good - and left for WalMart! There I found my straw cowboy hat (above) that I've been looking for to keep the sun off my nose when I go outside. About 2 or so years ago I had skin cancer on my nose and had to have surgery, and I needed a hat to keep the sun off my beak! I had one before, but can't find it since we moved. Also got a new watch that has all the numbers on it so I can tell time, and a cute purple tank top with sparkles on it. Had to get water of course too.

Then back to THE MALL to pick up my glasses, only to be told they were running behind and it would be another 20 minutes. Well, that turned in to an hour and a half, so we finally got to leave THE MALL for home about 4:00 p.m. You talk about a loooong day! And it was only 97 outside, not counting heat index. Personally, I don't care if I ever go back to THE MALL!!

So my friends, that is all for today. I'm tired and worn out. That city girl stuff is too much for me. Y'all take care and God bless.

Tuesday

GREETINGS!
Have you ever tried taking picture of Hummingbirds coming to feed? It's not easy!! If you look very closely, you will see 2 Hummers in the picture. When we decided to try feeding Hummers, we got the smaller of the 2 feeders. And one Hummer came. Then pretty soon another, and another, and then there were 5 of them! So off we went to buy another feeder; this one much bigger as we were constantly filling the small one, or so it seemed. Well! Now there are 9 of them coming around. I was buying the packets of feed mix @ $1.00 a pop, and using 1 every day; I now have bought some extra sugar and make my own feed and it is much cheaper. It's 1 cup of sugar to 4 cups of water, and I have to make 1 and sometimes 2 batches a day. Hungry little varmits!

It is so entertaining to watch them. They are very territorial, and if you are not "one of theirs" they will dive bomb you away from the feeder and even chase each other away. It's truly amazing to see them and their brilliant ruby red throats. I try to watch them fly away, and see them for a bit and then they just disappear - or so it seems - into thin air. God has made some incredible creatures hasn't he?

Speaking of creatures, I tried to give my doggy a haircut today, but it didn't go to well. His hair is so thick I guess the clippers are not powerful enough to cut through it. Oh, I did get some cut, but not like when I take him to the groomer. It's no wonder he doesn't shed; his fur is like wool clear to the skin. This is my 1/2 Schnauzer I'm talking about. Anyway, I guess I'll break down and take him to the groomer next week when she gets back from vacation. Maybe after that I can keep him trimmed if I do it every couple weeks or so.

On a completely different subject, the other day I was on Facebook reading and looking at postings and came across some pictures by a young woman I've know for a loong time - at one time she was my step-daughter. In the pictures was a woman whom I did not recognize, so I kept searching until I found a picture with her name on it. And wonder of wonders, it was the young woman's Mother, whom I've also know for a long time and quite well. There has been such a dramatic change in her appearance that I truly did not know it was her. I asked her daughter if she was anorexic, and she (the Mother) replied to me herself. She apparently has some health issues and has lost a lot of weight and can't gain any back. She is a recovering alcoholic and also lost her husband recently, which did not help the health issue.

My point in this narrative is that it made me realize how truly blessed I am to have a husband, a new home, pretty much my health, and most of all, Faith in God and the love and salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was very sobering to see this woman and realize that her past lifestyle was probably responsible for her current condition, and most of all to realize that but for the Grace of God go I. I think it must have been time for me to realize how blessed I am, and that was God's way of giving me a poke!

I hope you all count your blessings often. Take care and God Bless.

"Company's" Coming

GREETINGS!!


This is our "company" and their house on wheels. They are not really company, as it is my brother and his wife, and they will be living here on their 20 acres with us come December of this year. They are going to retire from cross country truck driving. Some of you may be following Mary's blog on making their permanent home from shipping containers. And that process is going to start this week! They will be here for one month and hope to get a lot of work done. Oh, they do also have a 5th Wheel that is parked here that they stay in when on vacation from driving. The men have given up getting the "barn" up at this time because of the heat and working with the metal/steel. Just too hot and dangerous. That will wait until Fall.

Anyway, it's kind of like having company; especially when we don't have any visitors up here on the mountain! I look forward to having someone besides Ronnie to talk to! I spent yesterday after church cooking potatoes and eggs and making potato salad, doing dishes, baking a cake, etc. Was supposed to go to a meeting at church at 6 p.m. but it was so hot, and I was so tired of standing, that I didn't go. Shame on me! Ronnie went to his SASS shoot yesterday and was hot and tired when he got home early afternoon. SASS means single action shooting society; they dress up like 1800's men (cowboy type) and shoot rifles, shotguns and pistols at targets. It's a man thing I guess........although some women do it also.

Today was laundry and not much else after vacuuming. Ronnie worked outside mowing the yard and "orchard" and putting lattice up around the front porch. So that is done. Company got here around 5 p.m. and we had supper about 7 p.m. and then they went to their 5th wheel and bed. My brother had been up all night driving from Dallas to Kansas City and after a couple hours sleep, drove from KC to here - about an 8 or 9 hours drive. I think Mary may have helped drive from KC to here. I may be wrong about all that, but it's close!

So, I hope your Monday was a good one, and the rest of the week is too. Take care and God Bless.

Americana Project

GREETINGS!!


Well, here it is (drum roll), my Americana Project all completed. I am so tickled with it; and it only took a couple hours to do. This is a bench my dear Mother bought for me a few years ago. It has been outside battling the elements all that time and had become quite discolored and dried out. So the other day I had this brilliant idea to paint it .......... like our flag!

I had some white and red semi gloss paint left from my kitchen paint job so I used that. Then I bought $2.34 worth of blue craft paint (and only used $1.17 worth), and my husband made me a stencil of a star so I could get 5 stars on there. So it was not only quick to do, it was inexpensive. And I'm a happy camper! I tell ya, give me a can of paint and a brush and a piece of wood and I'm in heaven. :)

Today was a busy day. After I finished the bench this morning (before it became unbearably hot) I started some icebox pickles (they will finish up tomorrow), ground up all the dried bread I've been saving for bread crumbs, changed the sheets on the bed and laundered them, washed a load of Ronnie's sweat soaked clothes and did yesterday's dishes. I then decided that was enough activity for one day.

Ronnie was out early working on the porch. Got it all covered with the water repellent and ready for the decking to be put down. NOW, tonight after pizza supper, he went out to lay the decking. He came back in quickly and said "boy did I screw up big time"! I asked how, and he told me to go look. So I opened the back door and there were a few boards laying on the deck.........but they were 2 feet too short!!
I feel partly responsible for this error, as when we were at Lowes I had the list and was checking it off and telling him what we needed, etc. I guess I was just counting boards, and didn't check the size. Oh well, a trip back to Muskogee and Lowe's in the morning and exchange them and we'll be all set again. Of course it will cost more money, but such is life.

All in all, it was a good day. We did get lots accomplished and nothing was so drastic that it caused any unsurmountable problem. I hope your day was the same, and that you have a great weekend. Take care and God Bless.

Along The Way

GREETINGS!

I hope you had a wonderful day! We are still battling the heat - 97 today w/heat index of 112 - and it appears there is no end in sight for another week or so. The humidity is sky high, and you get soaking wet just walking around. Needless to say, there hasn't been much done on our back porch! But today was an errand type day. And the pictures are some things we saw along the way!

I had to get my haircut at 11:45 a.m. so it was off we go about 11:10 to get there in time. It takes awhile to go 16 miles on dirt/gravel roads! My normal beautician is on vacation, so a new girl did the cutting. Turned out okay, but still not the same as when Lee does it. But it's short and cool and easy to care for. After that, it was off to the big city of Sallisaw, which is another 24 miles to the east. When we got there we went to Braums restaurant for lunch. It's an Oklahoma business kind of like Wendy's, but also has tons of different ice creams and meats and produce. I had a chicken sandwich and fries and Ronnie had the 1/3 pound burger and fries. And today you got a big scoop of ice cream free with your meal! YAY. Not a place to count calories. Ronnie had to help me finish my sandwich and ice cream. And you know that didn't hurt his feelings! :)

This tree is a Crepe Myrtle, and the color is absolutely gorgeous. Especially when the trees are huge and covered with the blooms. The pink is so vibrant it's hard to believe. (Although this picture doesn't do justice to the color.) Anyway, you see them all over the area, and it was something new to me. They are just as pretty as Memosa (sp) trees, even have more blooms I think.

After lunch it was off to WalMart! Imagine!! Picked up a few groceries, some water proofing repellent/sealer for the porch, a new dish pan (yay) and a new water supply. Oh yeah, also got some cool blue paint to finish my Americana project. Can't wait until I'm done and post a picture for you. It was so simple and soooo cute. After that it was homeward bound. Once we got off the Interstate (40) I took some pictures of things I see all the time on the way home. Hope you enjoy them.


This is soy beans and field corn fields as far as the eye can see. These two crops are big business in Green Country. They rotate the fields every year and its amazing how quickly it all grows. The crops are not harvested until late fall.


This is a hay field, with the big rolled bales of hay. I love the open space and the clouds in the sky. This field is fairly small compared to some, but you get the idea. The picture below is a close up of the bales.




How lucky was this?! A farmer coming down the road in his tractor, bringing some of the round bales from the field on a trailer. Ronnie took the picture through the windshield of my Van, but it turned out pretty good.

So, these are everyday sights to me, and I love it. It is so different from the hustle and bustle of city life that I lived for most of my life. I wish my girls and grandchildren could come and experience the quiet and peacefulness and "old time" atmosphere. But I guess that is not to be, as they have numerous things to keep them
busy where they are. I just hope you all who are older, like me, enjoy your surroundings as I do. God blesses us in so many ways. Take care and God bless.

Making Do

GREETINGS!



Don't you just love this old window? Let me tell you the story of it..... When we lived in Missouri we were in an old farm house, and there was only one window in the living room, and it was on the North side, so it really wasn't very light in the room. There was a front door that faced West and had the upper part window, but with the huge porch in front, you didn't get much light there either. (See first picture.)
We rented this house, and I kept hinting to the landlord to put in a window over my couch, but to no avail. (The couch was on the windowless West wall.)

Then one summer - about 4 years ago now - I decided to take a road trip by myself to visit my cousin in Wetumpka, Alabama. Two of my other cousins were there visiting from Olympia, Washington, so it would be a great time for sure. Although the trip could have been made in one long day, I chose to make it a day and a half. I spent the night somewhere in Northern Alabama, dining at McDonalds, watching TV and getting some much needed rest. Anyway, I made it to my cousin Kay's without any problem by Noon the next day. The scenery I saw on the way was gorgeous. I was a woman from the West Coast, so it was very exciting for me to enter Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama, places I had never been. I covered 5 states in 1 day! I was truckin'.

We had a great time eating, playing cards, drinking a little wine, shopping, sight-seeing and visiting. One day we went to an antique mall and spent considerable time looking around. I came upon this old window frame and fell in love with it. The clerk told me it was from an 1880's house in Alabama. Had original paint (peeling) and not much else. Well, I bought it for a mere $25.00. My mind already had the panes installed with mirror and hanging on the living room wall over the couch. More than one way to skin a cat, so they say! I borrowed an old blanket to wrap it up in for the trip home and got it back to Missouri safe and sound.

Then it was a trip to the hardware store for the mirrors. I left it with them, and they used scraps of mirror and "only" charged me about $90. I took it home and hung it up and there you have it! I had another window!! I should mention that my husband had to hang it because it weighs a lot! The size is 35" wide by 40" tall. I also hung several other mirrors in the room to reflect what little light there was, and it helped. So that's what I call making do!

Since we've moved, the window now stands/hangs on top of my old oak low boy dresser in the bedroom and looks quite nice I think. It's also on a windowless wall and you can let your imagination go to work. And every time I look at the window it brings back memories of the great time I had on my road trip to Alabama!

I hope you all have some things that remind you of good times. I think it's God's special way of making sure we remember; when we associate "things" with good memories. That's not coming out right, but you know what I mean! :) All for tonight; take care and God bless.

Porch Update

Greetings!


This is day 2 of "the porch". Under normal circumstances, it probably would be about finished. But the heat index of 110 kind of puts a damper on Ronnie's working!


These pictures were taken about 6 p.m. tonight, after "the porch" was in the shaded area of the house. Don't know how long he will work out there, but you can bet it will be another 'head directly for the shower' time when he comes in!


This picture you see from "the porch", and it is the cement slab where the "barn" or vehicle/equipment storage building will be. The cement base was poured last March and the building will start going up next week. We've had to wait for my brother to get here and help because it can't be done by one person. As it is, they are going to get a few strong boys from our church youth group to help them. I think the building is 30 x 50 or there abouts.

All I did today was dishes and clean the living room and small hallway carpets. That was enough! Hope your day was good Take care and God bless.

A Sneak Preview

Greetings!! Hope your Monday started the week out on a good note.

I took this picture out the window of my computer room, which looks into the back yard. Just wanted you to get a sneak preview of our new back porch! That's it loaded on the truck. Ronnie started working on it today. He got the post holes dug and the cement poured in them and the brackets set. It was soooooo very hot and humid today that his clothes were sopping wet when he came in for lunch and sweat running off his face. He wiped up and rested a while and then went back out and did more. When he came in before supper, it was straight to the shower!

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on the progress. Hopefully, by week's end it will be done.

My one remaining guinea girl has not come home tonight and its 8:00 p.m. Guess that part of the story is over. Won't do that again.

I was looking through my folder of notes, quotes, sayings, etc. and found this one that I really like; so thought I would share it with you all:

No one falls in love by CHOICE,
It is by CHANCE.
No one stays in love by CHANCE,
It is by WORK.
And no one falls out of love by CHANCE,
It is by CHOICE.

Something to think about. I think I'm done for tonight. I hope you are all happy, safe and enjoying life. Take care and God bless.

Corn Salad & The Weekend

I want to share the recipe for this corn salad with you before summer is gone! It's very good, especially in the hot weather. My husband, who is a finicky eater, actually had 2 helpings of this the other night. So give it a try!

Peppered Corn Salad

1 - 16oz pkg frozen corn OR 1 15 oz can of whole kernel corn
2 - medium tomatoes, chopped
4 - green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (or more)
1 - small cucumber chopped - optional

2 Tblsp canola oil
1 Tblsp white vinegar
2 tsp. minced parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Prepare corn according to package directions if using frozen. Drain (including canned corn if you use it). In large bowl combine corn and other vegetable ingredients.

In small bowl combine the remaining ingredients for dressing; pour over salad and toss to coat. Chill until served. Keeps well for a couple days in fridge.

Hope you enjoy it. I have not put in the red pepper flakes simply because I didn't have any on hand, and it is still good.

We had a great Saturday. I was really getting cabin fever from all the days of rain so I wanted to get out and GO somewhere! We went to Muskogee to Lowe's and bought all the lumber and screws and hangers and whatever to build our back deck. I am so excited about finally getting that done. I'm hoping it will be done by the coming weekend, and then my sister-in-law and I can sit there and watch the men raise the barn the week after. After getting it all loaded on the truck, we stopped by one of our favorite restaurants for early supper. I'm tellin' you, there is nothing like The Rib Crib! I had shrimp and pulled pork combo plate with seasoned fries and cole slaw. It was soooooo good! And their iced tea is excellent too. Without a doubt, I love it.

Also, Saturday morning I looked out at the coop where the guinea girls stay and couldn't see any of them. So I went out and found the wire on the gate pushed out and some feathers laying around. It appears they pushed against it and got out all on their own. Then about 7:45 p.m. last night here they all came back, after not seeing them all day. But today is a different story. I heard them this morning, down by the creek way, but didn't see them. Then a little bit ago one of the 5 came home. She is wandering around crying for her buddies, but there is not hide nor hair of them around. It makes me so sad, but I don't know what else I could have done. They are very independent little birds, and perhaps we are too much in the "woods" to raise them. To much opportunity for predators to lurk around. I won't get any more.
But I sure had fun watching these for a while. They are very entertaining.

Today was church and lunch and then home. Saw a deer and a live armadillo on the way in. Very unusual to see a live armadillo - they are usually road kill. My girlfriend Judy brought me more tomatoes and cukes and a pound of buffalo burger. So we had buffalo burgers for supper. Excellent.

So it is with a sad heart I leave here tonight. I hope your weekend was upbeat and didn't have any sorrowful happenings! Take care and God Bless.

Catching Up

Greetings! This is my 2nd post today, but I wanted to get back on track with my evening postings. I knew it would take me awhile to post all the pictures on my new kitchen so I did it this morning rather than last night. And wouldn't you know, the layout didn't turn out as I wanted; but after 2 hours I was tired and frustrated so It Is What It Is! Moving on......... or not. As you can see, I planned on posting this last night, but didn't have a current picture of the mobile, so had to wait until today (Friday) to take one.

The above is a picture of our "house". Obviously it still needs some landscaping and a paint job. We hope to get it painted in the Fall of this year when it cools down. I think we will do it a gray color with dark green trim to match the metal roof. But, as mobiles go, it's not bad. It is 16 x 80 and plenty roomy for the two of us. We got it used for $20,000, which included delivery and setup, so we can't complain (too much)! When you are on a very limited income you do what you've got to do. The landscaping may take awhile, as the ground is very rocky and clay and bad dirt. Not to mention that our well water is salty and not good for watering plants and such. Which also means we can't drink it, so we make weekly trips to WalMart to buy Culligan water (10-13 gal.) for drinking and cooking. We have very spoiled critters -- they drink bottled water! :) I don't know what the salt water does to our skin, or clothes or appliances, but time will tell.

Did I tell you that we are missing Buster (our rooster) and one guinea? They've been gone for 4 days, so I'm sure there is no hope in their returning. And the other day going up the road on my way to WalMart, there were the 5 remaining Guinea Girls waddling down the hill! What they were doing out on the road is beyond me, but they were there again today my husband said. I fussed and fumed and called them street walkers and other names to no avail. They did have the sense to come home in the evening though. I told Ronnie today that maybe they were out looking for Buster and Antoinette. What's a mother to do????? I thought I brung 'em up better than that!

I'm so tired of the rain; it's been going off and on - mostly on - all week now. They say sunshine tomorrow though. I sure hope so. I'm getting cabin fever! I need to go somewhere! Like with Ronnie to buy the lumber to build our back deck. The IRS finally came through with part of our refund so we can get busy. Can't wait.

Well, I've rambled on enough for tonight. It's amazing how many things I can find to talk about, being kind of isolated up here in the hills, but I guess God is watching out for me and keeping me sane. Hope you all are keeping busy and enjoying life.

Take care and God Bless.

Kitchen Project Finally Finished

Greetings! It seems I have waited for months to post these pictures. And I guess I have! It's been 1 year since we moved into this mobile home, and we've done a little bit at a time in this kitchen. First we replaced the floor. As you can see, it was a very dark vinyl tile, coming up, torn, etc. It is now a light laminate, and makes such a difference.
Then, there was no backsplash behind the stove or anywhere. So that was next. Then, the dark cupboards with outdated hardware! This room was sooooo dark and dreary. Painting them has been my project for the last two months. It took 3 and 4 coats of paint to accomplish the transition, and I did it in sections. First the upper cupboards, then the tall cupboard to the right of the stove, then the bottom cupboards and then the drawers. I decided to remove the cupboard doors on the upper cabinets, and paint the backs of them red. I love the open-ness. When it came to the tall cupboard,where I keep pots and pans, I decided to put curtains on instead of the doors. The curtains carry the red and pattern of the dining room accessories. I LOVE it. One note of interest, I do not use the dishwasher for washing dishes; it is my extra cupboard! In it I keep the lids to my cookware, measuring cups, toaster, etc. Hey, whatever works, right? Not using the dishwasher is my attempt at being "green". Oh, and the red inside the cupboards is the same as one wall in the living room, so I was carrying that color theme through.
It is this kind of painting and decorating I love to do. I'm already thinking ahead to my next project! I have to finish painting the hallway off the kitchen, so that will be where I start. Then my bedroom needs some color.
So, I hope you aren't bored with my monologue, but maybe inspired to make some changes in your house. I'd come and help you if I could!! I just thank the Lord for giving me this one "gift" or "passion".

Take care and God Bless.

The Rewards of Being An Early Riser

Greetings! This beautiful Sunrise picture was taken from the window of my computer room at our house in Troy, Missouri (probably 2 yrs ago). I am an early riser and it is sights such as this that make it worth while. It helps you start your day reveling in the majesty of our Lord and counting your blessings.

The following is a hymn written by Eleanor Farjeon,from my Breakfast With God book:

Morning has broken like the first morning;
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the Morning!
Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!

Sweet the rain's new fall sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dew-fall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Spring in completeness where his feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God's re-creation of the new day!

I hope you get to see several sunrises in your lifetime. Take care and God Bless.

This and That

Greetings on this day after the 4th of July, which is still, technically, a Holiday. That is if you are a worker person. :) Before I get into today's stuff, I want to give those of you who are interested the site for following the progress of my brother's container house. It's http://myshippingcontainerhome.blogspot.com/
If you have any problems with it, let me know and I'll get with Mary (my sister in law).



Today I'm going to share my domesticated critters with you. The picture above is our Border Collie, Patch, on his 1st Birthday - June 4, 2010. He was really wanting to get at that cake and ice cream in a big way. But he is quite well trained - thanks to Ronnie. He's the disciplinarian - not me! As I've said, Patch loves to herd things and the only things we have for him to herd are my Guinea Girls; and he does a pretty good job of it. It's amazing to see him walk right up to them, and they don't even flap a wing!


This cute little guy is Lobo. He is waiting to get outside on the porch so he can attend Patch's birthday party and get his cake and ice cream! We rescued Lobo; someone dumped him out at a church and so we brought him home. We think he is half Schnauzer, and when he has that haircut he really looks like one. But now we just go for short and cool. He is a great companion, but is getting deaf and you really have to speak loudly for him to hear. He follows me everywhere, and I do mean everywhere! Doesn't matter if I'm gone 2 seconds or 2 minutes or 2 hours. And he loves to ride in the car.



And this marvelous feline is Jax. In this pic he is getting his share of vanilla yogurt, which he loves. He is without a doubt the most laid back cat I've ever in my life had or seen. He is totally declawed (yep, back too) but goes outside and catches mice and rabbits, etc. But in the house he is a lover. Always has to have a paw on you, just like he's holding on to you, and he butts you in the forehead for a kiss. Nothing bothers him - dogs, kids, noise, whatever. I got him free from a Vet we had in Missouri. He belonged to a little old lady who had to go into a home and couldn't take him with her. How sad. When we got him he weighed 20+ pounds, but has slimmed down some since going outside. He is still a large cat.

So, that is our menagerie. We love and spoil all 3 of them, but they are so worth it. I can't imagine people, especially older people, not having a pet. I hope you all have some kind of critter you can dote on and who loves you without question!

Our 4th of July was very quiet. We went to church, then to Charlie Chicken for lunch and then home. Ronnie did his delicious baby back ribs on the grill - St. Louis style - and we had fresh corn on the cob from the fields here in Webbers Falls, fresh from the garden cuke and tomato salad, and hot biscuits. Perfect. Later we had watermelon and blackberry cobbler. No fireworks, which is okay living in the hills. I always worry about fire danger. I hope your day or weekend was special and enjoyable. And that you took a moment to thank the Lord and our troops for our freedom/independence.

Take care and God Bless.

My Future Neighbor

Greetings on this Friday before the 4th of July! I'll give you 2 guesses as to what this picture is all about.

Three of these containers were delivered to our place today. They are 8 feet wide and 40 feet long and made of steel. They are the kind of containers that are used on cargo ships. My brother and his wife are going to make their "house" with them. They will be buried in the ground, welded together, plumbed and electrified and whatever else it takes to make a house out of them. They plan on doing this down at the other end of the property from us, so they will be neighbors, but not real close. Close enough that I will use their house as my tornado shelter!! though. :)

I think my sister-in-law is going to record the progress of making the house and post it on a blog, so that will be fun to watch. However, this won't start until mid-December when they quit driving over the road truck. Personally, I'm skeptical, but it will be interesting to see.

I hope you all have happy plans for the 4th of July, and that they are carried out safely. We are staying home and quietly Bar-B-Q-ing baby back ribs and fresh corn on the cob. Of course we will have watermelon and fresh blackberry cobbler too. Enjoy the weekend, say a prayer for our troops in battle who make the 4th possible,take care and God Bless.