Just Stuff on my Mind

• We are in Stony Point, NY at Don's sister's home right now just relaxing. And how very good it is just to relax. It has been a very busy past two weeks and I was nearing the total exhaustion point.
• We had a wonderful week of keeping Mason and Grant. They were sooooooo good, could not have asked for better behaved boys BUT...they are 9 months and 5 years old with boundless energy and I confess, uh, I am just not as young as I once was....and that Grant--he is one big boy who is a load to carry around. Let's just say that my bedtimes were very early that week--between the extreme heat and playing with those boys I was glad to see the sun go down. But I loved every minute of it and miss them something awful.
• Also, had Tammy, Brian and Ariel for the week after that with our family reunion sandwiched in between. All the extra folks at our home along with still spending time outside in the heat keeping stuff watered wore me out. I loved being with family so much but I think we have gotten used to such a quiet, routine life with just the two of us that it is such a change. Our 100+ degree heat for weeks and weeks just saps my energy so quickly. It is sure nice being here in NY where it is in the 80's.
• Family Reunion: We had a wonderfully fun, simple family reunion held at Tammy's home in Leander. She had just the greatest swim pool--one of those above the ground blow-up kind. It was a grand hit with the kids. They lived in it. Jess put on a superb fish fry--ooh, that catfish and Tammie's hushpuppies, and Jennifer's potato salad.....WOW! that was some good eatin'. I just loved watching the kids play and listening to the different converstations going on in little groups all over the yard. I loved taking pictures of our family just being together and enjoying each other. I made my first "photo story" of pictures Jenny and I took put to music and I could just watch it over and over. As one of the song lyrics goes: "...I could not ask for more" just expresses my feelings and how thankful I am for family and the chance to gather together.
• my baby chicks: The snake saga continues. One more snake appeared and this time I was too late--he had already gobbled up 4 of my babies and another lay dead. We were in the process of murdering the snake when Jenny and boys arrived. Such a great welcome, huh? So Don got to work the next day and dug a trench all round the chicken house, installed hardware cloth a foot underground and up the wall of house a foot, then poured a concrete footer all around. There is no way a snake or any other varmit can now get in from the ground and we hope most of the other holes are now sealed and the chicken house is safe. All my chickies and baby ducks are growing fast and just so cute.
• Our trip to NY: We flew stand-by using our "parents of a pilot privileges with American Airlines". We left for the airport at 5:30am so we would have the day to try for seats and hopefully get to NY sometime that day. But we were blessed with actually getting on the first flight to Dallas and then directly on the flight to Newark. Only hitch came when due to bad weather in Newark our plane was held in Dallas for an extra hour. Our seats were in the very last row against the back of the plane--weird as we could not see anything but plane engines out the windows. It was really a tight fit for Don--no leg room at all, but we were thankful to have gotten seats and be on our way. This was our first time ever not to check our luggage. We each had one carry on suitcase and our backpacks and that was all. Those of you who know me well, must be shocked. I even left my beloved laptop at home. But it sure was nice not to have to go wait for your bags and all that. We caught the train at Newark airport and made it to Seacaucaus where we managed to miss the first two trains headed for Ridgewood, NJ, where we were being picked up by Don's sister, Claudia. But we finally made it there at 7pm--had a nice supper and visit and then Barb (his sister we are staying with in Stony Point) and Carol picked us up at 10 (they were at a party). It was soooooo good to get to our bed. I was so very tired. Slept until 9 this morning and am enjoying a quiet, restful, stay at home and watch the rain fall day here in New York. We made it clear we do not need or want entertaining--just to visit and enjoy family and be here. We love their house but I have never been here except in fall (remember those pretty autumn tree pictures I posted last November?) and winter. It is nice to see it all green and flowery and pretty in the summer. So that catches you up with me.

A Narrow Escape

Yesterday I moved my baby chickens from the garage to the hen house. Before doing this I had covered every nook and cranny and hole something could possibly get through to get inside the hen house. I felt it was truly secure and safe. But, just to be on the safe side, I put my babies inside a big dog crate inside the chicken house at night. This morning all looked well and my chickies were so glad to be set free to run about the hen house and the little outside porch area they have. I just love watching them running all about exploring everywhere.

So tonight, just before dark, Don and I were sitting down at the pond and I asked him if he thought I should put them in their dog crate or could I just shut the little door to the porch area and leave them out. Thank God, Don told me to put them in the crate and that he went with me to the barn to put them up. I guess they had learned the nightly routine already because most of them were already in the crate--just about 8 of them were snuggled down next to it. Don went inside the chicken yard to shut the little door out onto the porch and suddenly yelled at me that there was a big snake already inside the porch area and heading for the chicken house. He threw a cinder block at it but the snake kept coming and was half way in the chicken house where I was. I hollered for him to grab it (yea, right, just what he wanted to do) and he grabbed it and pulled it back but it came back inside again, and he grabbed it again and threw it out into the chicken yard, and slammed another cinder block down on it. It still kept coming back so I grabbed the hoe from the barn and handed it to him and that took care of the snake. It was a BIG ole Rat snake. I looked at him and didn't see any lumps in him so don't think he got any of my babies. I will count them tomorrow. So we took them back up to the garage.

I don't know what to do. How can you possibly make an old chicken house snake proof? Stupid guineas were right outside cheering us on but doing nothing. They are SUPPOSED to kill snakes but they sure were not doing their guard job, and neither were the barn cats. This big guy had to have crawled through the mesh in the chicken wire but he was bigger around than that. I just don't see how he could have gotten in. If anyone has any ideas or experience with snakes we need help. I want my babies to run free safely. I don't want to go through another chicken massacre. Is there such a thing as snake repellent????

My Summer Favorites

Jenny's post about why she loves summer inspired me to write one of my own. So here is what I love about summer:

• the beautiful songs of the Mockingbird--I just love to listen to their long symphonies
• the smell of freshly mowed grass and the sound of lawnmowers
• big heavenly blue Morning Glories greeting me when I step outside
• the taste of a "still warm from the sun" homegrown tomato
• Sprinklers. I love to just watch them. Refreshing. Or to just water something with the hose.
• plums, peaches, cherries, and WATERMELON--those glorious fruits of summer
• the sweet sound of laughter coming from children in a swimming pool
• a big, cold glass of ice tea with lemon (or an ice cold Lonestar) after working outside in our extreme Texas heat.
• tank tops. I can barely abide sleeves at all in summer. I love tank tops! I don't even care if my arms are "dangly" these days......
• early morning walks while the birds serenade me-(the poem that goes "What is so rare as a day in June" always comes to mind.
• floating down the Frio River-(It has been way too long since we did this-I MISS IT!)
• sitting in the swing out front reading a good book
• family reunions
• hanging out clothes on the line. I love to see a full clothesline. It just feels good.
• my Mom's lemon meringue pie. Summer is a good time for a big slice of this delicious pie.
• watching my grandkids having fun swimming in our stock tank just as their parents did.
• going barefoot--I love to go barefoot still-except there are too many stickers around here-I miss that deep carpet grass we had when I was a kid. I could have gone the entire summer with no shoes--was a perpetual battle between my mom and me.
• that delicious aroma of grilled meat on a barbecue pit...and fresh corn on the cob.
• homemade ice cream-- (we need to do more of this, too)
• ooh, those fabulous sweet Fredericksburg peaches
• The sounds and lights of ballparks with Little League baseball games--my heart aches to return to those times of watching the kids in T-ball and baseball.
• Inks Lake-- Just the smell of the water takes me back to those wonderful times as a kid I had there at Camp Longhorn. We need to go here more, too.
• Hummingbirds. I love to watch them battle over the feeders--so tiny and delicate yet swift and mighty.
• big summer roses (Peace is my favorite)
• catchin' frogs and tadpoles in the creek with Mason
• fields of freshly baled hay
• our family 4th of July fireworks show
• at the ranch, right before bed on a hot night, taking a dip in that cold well water in the swim tank under the moon and stars--aah, how cool and refreshing (after the intital shock...) and peaceful and heavenly in the dark amidst the night sounds of nature.
• at the ranch, sitting on the porch steps watching the lighting bugs put on a fantastic show
• the sound of doves calling to each other in the late evening
• all the night sounds--the locusts, treefrogs, crickets, and deep sound of the bullfrogs from the creek
• the sweet smell of the Honeysuckle growing on the chicken yard fence
• popsicles
• slip n slides--I hope I never get too old to slipnslide!
• roastin' weenies and marshmallows over a campfire
• just sitting in a lawnchair outside visiting with someone
• *a new favorite--watching Don feed his fish in the pond in the late evening and seeing the armada of turtles there waiting for him to feed. Just sitting on the rock enjoying the sunset and watching life around the pond.
• *another new favorite--watching my baby chicks as I moved them to the chicken house. They were so excited to explore such a big area--trying their wings out and running all over the place "talking" to each other. And watching the goats we have here at home as they venture out into the big field and being relieved that the dogs (long time tenants of that field) are not bothered in the least by the new tenants.
• And I agree with Jenny--I love having it get light early (I might be an earlier riser than she is) and stay light late. I love summer--even the heat. I love being outdoors and watching stuff grow--plants and animals and kids! Thank you, God, for summer.

YIPEE!!!!

I did it. It came down to attacking my slooooooow dial-up service by bashing my computer or saying I have had enough and entering the wireless world. I was at the point of slamming my computer with a hammer (nothing, I mean nothing, can drive me to violence quicker than my computer). I could literally click on a website and then go downstairs, and outdoors, and move the water sprinkler to a new location and come back inside, go potty, and go back upstairs and still the site was not loaded. It was excruciating. So I grabbed our phone book and called every wireless provider and got their prices, etc. Then I remember an ad on TV we kept seeing for a little device that inserts in your USB port and you have wireless anywhere there are cell towers. I called my wonderful tech-support son, Micah, who suggested I look into Sprint since they are the carrier for our cell phones. I did and, lo and behold, a live person answered their phone--a very friendly, nice American person with no accent so I could actually understand what he was saying. We decided it was the right fit for us and he sent it out and we actually got it by UPS the next day. I am using it now. The cost was $49 up front and $60 per month. With a router Don and I can use it at the same time. Oh, how delightful it was to quickly get online and move from place to place quickly. I am so happy. We have 30 days to try it out and make sure it will work for us so we want to try it at different locations and with the router and all and make sure we are still happy with it. How nice it will be to not have to worry if we will have free internet where we stay with Red Cross--course, we still have to worry about the cell towers still standing after a disaster..........
Ok, so while I was solving our internet woes I figured I was on a good roll so might as well look into a DVR. Our VCR no longer works on our main TV so if we are gone we miss something and that is that. All you kids have raved about the wonders of a DVR so I called DISH and got that going, too. It will be installed on Tuesday. We are really moving into the modern age here at home.
Thank you for your nice comments about my blogging. I hope to more of it now that it is less time consuming and I am not stuck up in the unairconditioned, hot schoolroom where my dial -up line was located. Oh, boy, I can even sit out in my swing in the early morning and blog away. I am so excited!

Blogger Block

What is wrong with me? I used to be able to sit down and just pour out my thoughts and the thoughts flowed and the writing was better than a primary school child's and now I just feel all choppy. When the thoughts are flowing I am in the car or someplace that I can't put them down and then when I am at the computer, zip--they vanish and I feel stuck. I truly miss blogging. I don't want to become the blog nobody bothers to check anymore because there is never anything new. I love reading all the blogs and I want to participate, I want to be read, too. So HELP---bear with me as I press through the writer's fog and blog something.

Yea! Summer is here and it sure does feel like it. We spend most of our days outdoors since we have had quite a large mess to clean up thanks to a huge windstorm over two weeks ago that demolished 6 of our grand old oak trees. Thankfully, no damage was done to our home or other buildings but Don is devastated that the three shady oaks next to the pond are no more. He had brought home three enormous rocks from a job he did and carefully placed them under those nice shady trees so we could sit there and enjoy the pond in comfort--and now there are just rocks too hot to sit on in the sun. But we have both worked very hard cleaning up all the debris, burning huge piles of limbs, and stacking up LOTS of firewood. The pond is no longer so sad looking now that it is cleaned up around it and the Martin house (which took a nose dive in the wind) and its residents (who miraculously hung on) is back up. We will plant more trees and the pond is still beautiful and the fish did not get washed over the spillway and downstream. We are very blessed as it could have been so much worse.

I spent three days at the ranch by myself this week. It had been way too long since we had been out there and I just needed to see for myself that all was well. The creek still had plenty of water, the grass was green and plentiful, and all the animals looked just fine. I gave the cabin a good cleaning and just reveled in the peace and quiet. I love the ranch. It restores my soul--I just feel so close to God there and have such good conversations with him as I work and walk on the land. It just fills me with such an appreciation of how greatly He has blessed us. I came home feeling very refreshed.

It has sure gotten hot quickly this year. It is nearly 100 today--we took the Sabbath seriously and after church just stayed inside and rested and watched a movie on TV. It takes lots of time in the evening to keep everything watered. I have a rather crazy garden this year. I have a bunch of tomatoes and peppers and eggplant growing in pots and then I took three old kid swim pools (they were cracked in bottom from being duck ponds), filled them with dirt (composted) from the chicken house and planted squash in one, cantaloupe in one, and watermelon in the other one. Everything is growing so nicely. I have lots of baby tomatoes and squash.

And this week my baby chickens arrive. We have been without chickens for almost a year now and I really miss them. So we cleaned out the barn and fortified the chicken house to make it predator safe, and I have ordered quite a nice assortment of babies. Some are rare breeds, some are Banties (probably will end up with another mean rooster), and some are our favorite barred rock layers and Aracauna layers (they lay green and blue and different color eggs). I can't wait to see chickens pecking about the yard again. I also ordered 3 Buckeye chickens which supposedly "roar" and 4 baby ducks. So the barnyard will be alive again. Yea!

And I have the cutest, sweetest, cuddliest great-grandson ever. Hayden has already gained a pound in his two weeks of life. He is already challenging Grant in the grub department. Both those boys love to eat! And how neat it is to have Hayden living right in the same town as us--I keep telling Amber they need to go out on a movie date or something so Gema can babysit.

I was given a Nintendo DS for Mother's day and have been pretty faithful in my "daily brain training". That is what I wanted it fo--Brain exercise. I can't even begin to play regular Nintendo games. Today I am feeling good as my brain age was 43. The last time it was 67--that is not good. Some of the exercises I am good at but others I am lost. But I shall persevere and strenghten my brain and keep those cells alive and well.

That is all I have for today.