Saturday, March 31, 2018

Changes in the Neighborhood

Sometimes it is hard to put yourself in other's places.  Some people have a harder time with it then others.  It seems that I can do this, and maybe it is why I was a pretty good counselor, social worker, and Sunday School teacher for teens.  I listen, but I also care and both help to feel for others.  Thank you, GOD.

Today as I watched neighbors down the road working on taking down fence poles and wire across the road from our house, I could not help but hurt for them.  Three generations had been farming this land, but recently the dad sold it at a land auction.  It is a 65 acre plot that had been used by them for hay, cows, and then crops during my 25 years of living across the road from it.  I have enjoyed see the evolution of it, plus the evolution of dad on tractor, son on tractor, grandson herding the cattle with a four-wheeler, and lately a fourth generation also...that same grandson riding his daughter or son on the four-wheeler with their dogs following behind.  Lots of memories and I am only the observing neighbor.  

Somewhere it had to be decided to sell this land, told that he wanted to pay off all of his bills and build a new barn before he died....about 75 years old now.  But I so felt for the son and grandson as they worked hard on this nice spring day to cut wire, cut some trees, pull up poles and drag away trees they had cut down.  I am imagining that they made some deal with the businessman who purchased the land that they could pull up the poles and fencing and keep it.  They have been some of those Missouri farmers that have scrapped by with everything to hold things together so even used fence poles are a great treasure.  I know the son told my husband he was not too happy about the land being sold.  Division there between generations and yet he and his son had to be out there doing the hard work today.

The new owner is a business man who is buying up acres and then hires others to farm them.  He has had it surveyed and has claimed 1/2 of the abandoned county road so down comes fence on all sides, and he will bulldoze the edges to incorporate more land and also have it better to access with big equipment without a fence.  I am happy always to see progress.  I am glad he hired a local farmer to till the ground for crops.  I am glad for my neighbors that they got a very good price for the land.  But today, just today, I could not help but feel for the two guys working their land for the last time.  I could imagine them saying a little "goodbye" with each pole they took out.

Country life is wonderful, and it, like city life, can also be brutal at times.  It was a nice warm spring day to be outside working.  It was good to work with your child and dogs around, but I can just imagine the "heartache" of the day.  

Friday, March 30, 2018

BEAUTIFUL MORNING IN MY COUNTRY NEIGHBORHOOD


March 30, 2018, I was out in the backyard with my three little dogs, about 6:30 a.m..  It was warmer and peaceful.  As I turned to look West, I was graced with a beauty of a moon setting.  Moon was bright deep orange with some dark grey clouds in front of it.  What a beauty.  It made me think of a time long ago when driving across the country, and the Moon was speaking to us as it looked huge and wonderful.  We were going across South Dakota I believe.  My youngest child was in the backseat and piped up that the Moon was so pretty and looked like when I hang a picture on a wall with a nail.  She said that it looked like someone just hung it there for us to look at and it was a pretty picture.

Wow, this morning brought back that happy memory and it also brought a lovely view to me which I needed.  It seems when I have had a difficult day, GOD blesses me in some way the next day with a great natural thing like the Moon setting, or a Sun rise, or a magnificent Eagle soaring over my head.  Life is good even in down times.  Just enjoy each moment.  

It was all so dynamic that I did not even rush inside to get my camera.  I savored the moments while my dogs enjoyed being outside for their morning needs.  Birds were singing to me.  Yes, just me, or at least I can think that.  

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Sewing Day

Today I cut out 15 one loop cloth scarves and also some napkins and an apron.  It was a fun and relaxing time.  I actually stayed in my pjs all day as it was cold and rainy here, and a great sewing day.  Now that I finished my first quilt of 2018, I want to do some smaller projects for awhile, along with my other crafts of knitting, crocheting, painting, etc.  

The one loop cloth scarves are easy and then I cut to fringe them.  They are less work and cheaper to make then the two loop scarves I have made and I think I will like the flannel ones with denium jackets and my denium dress.  Of course I will just keep one of each print and the rest are for gifts.  What a nice inexpensive gift.  I can get four scarves from one yard of fabric.  The gauze fabric I only was able to cut three from.  It is the bee fabric and so pretty.

My cherry apron is a great addition to my many homemade aprons.  I do have a couple of purchased aprons from friends who know I like aprons.  I also purchased one while in FRANCE.  

The napkins are left for another day.  Yes, we do use cloth napkins at all of our meals.  Such a nice touch to everyday life and actually economical also.
I just could not decide if I was going to machine stitch hems or do rolled handstitched hems or stitch around the napkin and ravel edges.  The fabric is lovely homespun.  So another day I will have it decided.  No hurry.


Wednesday, March 28, 2018

MY SANDWICH BREAD................DELICIOUS


The sandwich bread recipe and pan worked so well.  I enjoyed the process and the product afterward was wonderful.  My daughter was here for overnight and we all enjoyed it with our casserole of Tatter Tots, meat, corn, which is also delicious.  Then we had some for toast for breakfast and with our next evening meal of steak and baked potato for my husband's birthday.  After that, other people came for cake, which was cheese cake.  My 20 year old grandson does not like cheese but he opted for a couple of slices of my wonderful sandwich bread.  Actually he asked if I had any homemade bread and he would eat that as he loved my homemade breads.  Nice compliment from him and I do agree I have become a good bread maker.  I actually have baked bread for years now, but I enjoy the time to do more and always have homemade and fresh breads, muffins, English muffins and even bagels.

OUR NEEDED RAIN HAS COME.

It has been so nice to have lots of rain as we really needed it here in NE Missouri.  Of course, there was some flooding of roads and yards.  Ours got very muddy and wet as usual and my dogs loved playing in it all.  Especially my little so called Phoo Phoo dog, Vincent vG who is a Maltese Poodle mix.  He loves the outdoors and likes getting dirty.  I always apologize to him when I have to give him yet another bath, but I also tell him that GOD made him a little white hairy dog and not me.  I do adore him but just take a look at this dirty face.
His legs and even belly were like this also.  And we were getting company for dinner and more afterward for my husband's birthday.  So I let it dry and lots just fell off but had to bath for the rest.  I did not bother to clean the floors, only sweep them as my company all  know about dogs, and especially my dogs ruling the world.  Clean but dog prints on my nice wooden floors is nothing new.

And yes, it has begun to rain again today.  Positive is that the pond is full and the grass is greening.

Saturday, March 24, 2018


EXCITED ABOUT A BREAD PAN


Yes, I am a country person, but I believe anyone who likes to make breads, gets excited about new recipes, products, and even bread pans.  Today I received my pullman, 13 inch, covered bread pan which I had ordered from King Arthur Flour in Vermont.  I was so excited to hold it.  It is heavy and "beautiful".  So tonight I downloaded a few recipes and will get at experimenting with sandwich breads.

Sometimes it is just small things but things that interest me that get me happy.  Bread does this, not only to eat it, but to make it.  Some days I just "feel the need to knead".
If you have not enjoyed making breads, just keep trying.  How delicious it can be with good butter.  I like it toasted, broiled, grilled, or just fresh out of the oven.  I like sandwiches with homemade bread also.  Just enjoy.

Friday, March 23, 2018


COUNTRY KATIE AND ALWAYS DAISY MAE, BUT ALSO HEMINGWAY, VINCENT vG AND MR. MOLESLEY....


Why is it that sometimes a certain dog just touches your life so deeply like my Daisy Mae Foxhound or as a friend called her, Daisy Dog, did touch mine and others?  Maybe it was her intelligence and kindnesses,  or her devotion to me, protection and love.  I don't know, but I still have pictures on my dresser of her and think of her often, recalling our times of "glamping" and long walks, talking together.

When I say talking together, yes I mean just that.  She had a way of looking at me that was like she was giving me an answer.  Protecting me when a loose dog at the campgrounds came after me and not her.  She was behind me on her leash as she was afraid of this Australian Shepherd.  When the dog charge toward me, well, she came out from behind and in front of me, with hair on her back up, and teeth showing, growling and barking at the dog.  It was then that the lady who owned this dog came from her campground to get him.  She said she was sorry and that we almost had a bad dog fight...hee hee hee.  I just looked shocked at her as she took no responsibility as many don't for their dogs.  I just said "the rules are that you are to have your dog tied in the campsite or on a leash when walking."   Enough said and I left.  In it all I was so amazed at my nice lady Daisy Mae Foxhound.  She protected me and then went right back to being who she usually was.  On our way back to our campsite we stopped at the gatekeepers to report the situation to them, and Daisy did her usual greeting of putting her paws up on the shelf by their window and wagging, waiting for her treat from them.  What a see dog.

Now with all those memories, I must say, I am smitten with my three little dogs, Hemingway, a Yorkie mix and Vincent a Maltese/Poodle, and Mr. Molesley, an Italian Greyhound.  They are smart, loving, fun, funny, and happy.  They each have different personalities and temperment.  They each have a special place in my heart.

So it is true some certain dogs are special, but now I believe each dog is special if you give then an opportunity.  All of these dogs are from our local Humane Society.  I suggest if you need a good friend, a companion, a protector, go visit your local Humane Shelter and let them, one of those special dogs, choose you to be their mom or dad.  They will love you for it.
 Mr. Molesley
 Hemingway
Vincent vG


Thursday, March 22, 2018

Renewed Friendships

Most people take friendships serious and important.  Well, some people do anyway.  Some others call everyone that smiles at them a friend.  But, I am speaking about real friendship.  Someone that cares, tells you when you are thinking correctly and when you are thinking right.  Someone who stands by you through thick and thin.  I have had several good friends like that in my almost 70 years and feel blessed for it.

Today I found out I had another such person.  About two years ago I called it quits on an agency I liked going to because of so much drama with staff and always wanted to share and talk to me about it each time I went there.  They played people against each other and I was just tired.  Instead of telling them so, I just stopped going there.  That was not the best or correct thing to do.  It hurt me and also the leader of the place who was and did consider me a friend.  Although at times she made mistakes also and did not speak or treat me as such either.  But today I decided I wanted to go back there and use this agency.  So I walked in, and right away, out of the elevator door was my friend.  I asked her if we could talk a bit, and she was happy.  She listened, and she talked also.  She was so glad that I was back.  She was also glad that I am the person that I am and will come back and correct things and always work toward the right things.  I was proud of her and she was proud of me.  We see our good and not so good qualities, but admit that we actually both have good character.

It was a wonderful day for this country woman and this city woman to get things established as friends should do.  We laughed at how we let people who gossip, like drama and cause trouble to harm our relationship.  We also noted that they are no longer at this agency, but that I am back and she is still there.  We also noted that there will always be people who like to cause trouble, but we are ready and will protect our relationship from now on.  Now that is having a friend.  I am glad to have her and she is glad to have me.

If you have friends like that, count them a blessings and cherish your times with them.  Life is short so fix relationships and move forward.

A note, I have some relationships in my life that I could not fix, but another good friend told me that it really is not my job to fix them, but to not allow them to steal my joy.
That is good advice I think.  Enjoy.

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

PAINTING

Today I was able to take some time and paint, with acrylics from my grandson, Easter cards.  It was relaxing and fun.  I did six and then stamped my name on the back, wrote inside and addressed the envelopes.  I was done in time to walk them out to my country mail box at the end of my gravel driveway.

With all the fun it was, I had to laugh as I cleaned up, because in the studio sink, as I washed the brushes and pallet, I could see a lovely rainbow.  Yes, in my sink.  Now I know I am creative and enjoy things like pictures in the clouds, but just laughed at my pretty sink rainbow.  I will always look for them again as I clean up after painting.

Do any of you enjoy painting as I do?  I mainly do oils and  have been working on birds.  I have usually done flowers, especially sunflowers, some of my favorite.  I have a nice collection of paintings in our one bathroom.  Birds are a bit harder for me, but each one I do I see improvement.  An artist friend in Wisconsin has encouraged me to keep working on them.  So my next bird project is from a photo I took of my son's red-tail hawk.  He is one of the about 90 licensed falconers in the state of Missouri.  It will be a nice project and also make a good gift to him.  

If you paint, draw, quilt, knit, crochet, etc., I want to encourage you to keep at it and enjoy creating your own patterns and ideas.  Design things for yourself.  You can do it.  And the more you do, the improvement will be seen by you and make you proud.  Have fun with it, and also....look for that rainbow in your sink.

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

WAITING NOW

People all over are waiting for spring, but this country lady enjoys time to complete some projects inside before being outside during the spring and summer.  However, I would like to see more sunshine even if I am inside.  These gloomy days remind me of when I lived in Indiana some years ago.  My friend and husband had moved that direction with our family as we needed work and that is where the engineering jobs took us.  She loved the gloomy days as she said they reminded her of Yugaslavia, where they were from.  After living in Colorado, it was just too gloomy as Colorado is such a sunny state.

However Missouri changes a lot from day to day so I know that spring in on the way and so is the sunshine.  I told my three little four-legged sons today that soon it would be warm and sunny and they would want to be outside all the time.  They just wagged.  They like to have me talk with them, no matter what I say unless it is "eat, walk, see, look, who is here, bedtime or bathtime".

So as I rest today, play on my computer and drink hot cocoa, with dogs on my lap and chair next to me, I enjoy some down time.  I, as a country person, know that once spring really arrives, it gets busy.  The farm people have tractors ready.  We have lawn mowers and tillers ready for our yard stuff.  I even have seeds purchased and pots in the screen porch to plant flowers in as soon as I can.  My little mini veggie garden, table garden, salad garden, or as I call it, the flag pole garden, is tilled and ready to go also.  My compose from the year is tilled in to make the ground richer and looser also.  

Am I anxious for spring, yes, waiting, but keeping busy with quilting, knitting, crocheting, etc.  in the mean time.  Just maybe I will get off of here and take a nap.

Saturday, March 17, 2018

COUNTRY GOES TO TOWN 

Sometimes I do have to head to town, and sometimes I just want to.  I usually am home all week and enjoy it, but on Saturday, especially on a rainy day, I head out to Hannibal, nearest big town, 18,000 people or to Quincy, Illinois, about 50,000 people.  Both places are nice to visit but still will take my country home over any of it.  

Today was a Hannibal, Missouri type day.  So my husband decided to go with me.  We went down town to little shops like Stam Chocolate store....delicious is all I can say.  Next we stopped at Java Jive, his coffee shop hangout a few times a week with the guys.  I used to go there once a week for my knitting circle, but then decided with my not so social side, that I can enjoy knitting at home better, in my pjs and with my dogs.  We also hit Mike's Cheese Haus.  He is a friend from Wisconsin and runs a nice little shop that serves and sells beer, wine, cheeses and meats.  Most of the cheese and meat is from Wisconsin which I like.  I also like his Wisconsin accent.  I seem to have lost lots of mine from all the places I have lived, but can pick it right up again the longer I speak with Mike.

After all this excitement, we went to Country Kitchen for lunch and a good visit with the owners, Sue and then Kevin both came to the table and chatted for some time.  It is always nice to see them.  They are also farmer neighbors down the country road we live on. Onward then to drop off donations at Good Will before heading to WalMart to say hello to our grandson who works there, and also do a little shopping.

The big purchase was an air fryer so now I have something to learn and play with while making better and healthier fries and chips, meats also.  This one actually does more, it dehydrates, and has a rotissourie.  I am looking forward to making some chips tomorrow.  

Wow, enough country woman going to town for awhile.  I told my dogs that I promised to stay home all week again.  They just wag, their way to smile, accept for Vincent the Maltese/Poodle mix who actually does smile when I speak to him or maybe he is showing his teeth to tell me that he will not listen to me like a defiant teen because he is two or fourteen in people years.

Oh, it is so good to be home in the quiet country and have my pjs on and my little dogs around me, smiling or not.

Friday, March 16, 2018

   Country Lady Cooking


Today was another day of cooking and baking for this country woman.  I really enjoy doing this.  I especially appreciate my nice baking supplies, cookware, and stove....with a proof oven setting.  It is a LG model, electric with glass top stove.  The oven is blue in color and also works as a convection oven. 

With all that sales work for this great oven, I have to get back to what I wanted to write, which is taking my sour dough recipe from King Arthur Flour, and using it to make some wonderful cinnamon rolls today.  I let the dough rise as needed and the second time out, I rolled it out, put in sugar, cinnamon, raisins, dried cranberries and walnuts plus butter.  I rolled it up , cut them, and placed them in a large baking pan so I could allow them to have a rising time again of about 1 hour.  After baking, I cooked them and frosted them with simple butter/powdered sugar frosting.

These turned out so good and were a great use of my sour dough starter which I enjoy making.  Then for dinner I made beef/potato/carrot pasties with a great gravy.  I have made them before and we enjoy them.  We always have leftovers for another day.  This is a good old recipe.  Pasties were made and used by miners and lumberjacks for years as lunch pail sandwich food.  Check out recipes and enjoy.


Wednesday, March 14, 2018

WATCHING....

Today I am enjoying watching the young people of our country taking action and charge of a great movement to hopefully progress on gun control.   It is good to see them challenge the norm.  It reminds me of this country woman who so many years ago as a country girl, got involved in picketing and protesting during her high school years.  Oh, those 60's had lots to not stand with for sure, but today also does.  So proud of these young people who are standing up and speaking out.  You don't have to agree with them, but you still can be proud of the fact that they are having a voice especially when many older people just sit and do nothing.

Monday, March 12, 2018

A Country Day in My Life

Today was a pretty normal day in my country living in NE Missouri.  Enjoying the warmer weather and waiting for it to get warmer.  Plans for spring things are getting anxious on my mind.

Today I started as usual with breakfast and watching news programs, with my little dogs all around.  After that I got at exercise down in my little corner of the basement set up for exercise and yoga time.  I lit my candles and turned on my Zen CD.  Very relaxing, calming time with stretches and moves to keep me strong.  

One needs strength at any age, but I am happy to say that I am pretty strong and I will soon be 70.  I may only be doing quilting or bread baking, but also do other things continually through the day and need the energy and strength for them.

Later morning after making some business phone calls, I pinned my binding from the back on my current quilt project, to get at hand stitching it tomorrow.  I like doing steps in the process and enjoying the time with it.  It makes the project feel like it really belongs to me because I have put lots into it.  The same goes with yoga, being in the moment and giving it my time, doing steps to go through my routine.

After a delivery from FED EX, and a short visit with the driver, no cookies for her today, but nice to get to know these delivery people.  Lots of my shopping is done online so I don't have to drive the twenty miles to the nearest large town, only 18,000 or the 45 miles to the next town of 40,000.  I go there sometimes, but enjoy my time at home in the country doing my needed things and also the many things I like to do.

Next was walking with my dogs, good exercise also, lunch with wonderful Brie and crackers and fruits and water.  Plans for dinner later by making a salad and  thawing the pork chops.  Bread was made  yesterday.

Another phone call to get insurance straightened out before doing some reading while laundry is being  washed  as are dishes.  Nice to lay down and  rest a bit , yes , with my little dogs.  Outside again for a short  walk in the woods.  Dinner and news time again.
Visiting with my husband before working on some knitting.

My country home and life fills my heart with joy.
 

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Passing Things Down

This country person likes "hand me downs" even if it is a vase or dish from a grandparent or elderly relative or neighbor.  These days I am seeing my children passing things down to their grown children who are starting out their "on my own" lives.  

It tickled me when my daughter called to say that Gwyn, her grown daughter was moving from the apartment with two other people to one with her soon to be husband.  They need things and Leslie decided to give them her kitchen table and four chairs.  She has had it since Gwyn, now 23, was 3 years old.  I recall the day that Leslie and I went to the furniture store and purchased it as she was moving to her own place after a divorce from the children's dad.  They lived with us for about six months during that time.  So this table has served many meals to her family of three.  Now it will go to Gwyn's new place and beginning life as a couple.  

My son has a table that I gave them when he started out in a small apartment while in college and working at a church.  His family still has it to this day and he has refinished it.  It is a nice wooden table also.  When I moved from one state to another, my large dining set did not come with me as I knew it would not fit in the place I was moving into.  A distant relative, and friend, gave me this set which she and her husband started married life with.  I enjoyed it for a number of years before getting a different one in order to pass this one on to Brook.  Then he got married and they are still using it with now 28 years of marriage.  

Tables would be interesting to talk to, many stories told around them, games played, and hobbies done.  But the table, as well as other items passed down, make for interesting stories we know about the previous owners or can tell about our life with the item.

As I recall moving across this wonderful country, I recall giving away some items to good friends, and when I would visit, there the item was in their home, cherished .  One friend actually said that whenever she was cleaning house and came across the items in it from me, she would say a quick prayer for me, wherever I was and lived.  That is also a treasure.

So enjoy your items, pass some down to others, and enjoy the memories made.

Friday, March 9, 2018

Baby Squirrels

Oh, those crazy young squirrels are fun to watch.  We have plenty and I enjoy when they come out of the nests or the squirrel house.  Today one climbed up on our front porch and then over to the church pew and back of church pew to the outside windowsill of the front windows.  It was fun watching it looking in and its nice fluffy tail, but when my little dogs saw it....well, they were more then excited.

Wild things are very interesting and lead simply lives.  I know I can continually learn from them.  Joy in simple life.


ENOUGH.....

You may think like I do, that sometimes "enough is enough".  It could be on many issues, but I am thinking about "stuff".  As we go through life, we Americans especially seem to collect and accumulate many things.  But it seems to me that at a certain stage of life, "enough is enough".  

As I have moved many times in my life, sometimes many distances, I have been able to limit what I have because of necessity.  However, I have now not moved for 25 years.  I can see how it happens.  

I am not speaking of hoarding, but collecting neatly and with organization.  I got into it with having consignment booths and going to auctions.  It was fun and not that expensive, or even a hobby.  Collecting teacups and pots, Precious Moments, music boxes, little tea cups and saucers, measuring cups, bowls, juicers.  It just went on.  So I quit.  I quit the consignment booths when the shop closed.  I quit the auctions because my grandson no longer worked at one I used to go to every other week.  I quit the collecting of some of the items.  Because, I just did not need the things anymore.

It also made me think when my neighbor from another country said, wow, do you use all of those teapots?   Well, I actually rotate them and use them all during a years time.  However, it made me think about my collecting.

A friend calls it "death cleaning", but I call it making life a little lighter.  So I lightened my load and house by giving away my Precious Moments , juicers, most measuring cups, music boxes.  I used some as gifts and gave the rest to good thrift stores so they can make some funds for their cause.  I even gave away my curio cabinet.  My wall shelf that I used for music boxes that just collected dust is now nice with antique book collections from my husband's grandfather, and a few antique unique items.  It looks so nice.  The living room is lighter because a wooden rocker and the curio cabinet are also gone.  I have one shelf in a kitchen cabinet with my glass measuring cups I kept.  I kept most of my bowls and all of the teacups and pots which are displayed on three nice higher to the ceiling wooden shelves around the dining room.  

It all makes me feel lighter and more organized.  It also has made me think about other things also.  This past Christmas and also this coming Christmas I will again "shop at home" not on line, but from my home stash, for family and friends.  I gave books, scarves I had made, measuring cups, teacups with candy in, coffee mugs to service people with keurig or tea bags in.  I made things from supplies I had here, to get rid of my fabric and yarn stash also.

Closets look great.  My house is as usual organized and neat, but underneath and outwardly, there is just less.  To me less is best and ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.  

With shopping now my husband laughs because most of my shopping is for baking and cooking as I really enjoy doing both.  I also purchased some more and newer exercise equipment to use at home now that I have to spend less time undusting all my collections.  

So I encourage all of you to lighten your load also and call it what you want to.  As for me , I am only 70 years young and not ready to work on death cleaning, but see my home being easier for those left behind if I do go quicker then planned.

Thursday, March 8, 2018

   

COUNTRY  MAILBOX

We have a nice gravel driveway, actually a circular drive way, and at the end of this driveway is our oversized mailbox.  I like it being oversized with a nice handle on the front to open it easier.  It is shiny black with large white numbers which I painted on and also our name is on the front.  Our long time, now about twenty years, postal person even likes it.  When we put it up, she left a not saying thank you and how nice it was.
You see, I do online shopping and she has to deliver lots of these items that do not come by other means.  She would have to  leave the road and come down our nice driveway to deliver these packages.  Now she can leave them in our mailbox because most fit in it.  She puts lots of miles on her jeep on our country roads so even the distance of our driveway not having to travel is good news.  BJ does a good job and we are grateful.  Therefore when Christmas comes, she gets a tin of cookies and homemade candies, which she always thanks me for.  On Easter I make a basket for her and leave it in the box.  She thanks me for that also.  Today I pulled three nice loaves, baguettes, from my oven, and thought, well, it is about time for BJ to deliver the mail, so I quickly wrapped a baguette and tied a ribbon around it, took it to the box and left it.  Minutes later I saw her driving down the side road so she would be back in about ten minutes.  I was so glad that I made it out there with the bread.  Later, getting the mail, a note from BJ was found and she said,  OMG, this bread is a nice surprise and it is still warm.  Thanks.   She always thanks me.  But I thank her and all the other service people that make my days better.
And, I thank the people who made my oversized Country Mailbox.

Wednesday, March 7, 2018




SEASON'S OF SPRING...


Birds, flowers, sounds, breezes.....spring.  I like to take it all in.  Just yesterday while standing in my backyard an oriole flew past me and landed in the tree near me.....like saying "see me, I am back".  Oh yes, you can see these lovely bright colored birds.  A few days before that I hear a red wing black bird....loving that sound.  I recall when living, growing up, in Wisconsin, I would hear these birds and "giggle" because I knew it meant SPRING.  I liked seeing these birds wherever I lived and no matter how old I was.  The breeze makes me rush out with bedding, rugs, and other laundry.  How good it is to crawl between those sheets that evening with the breeze of spring still on them.  It makes me think of sleeping under the stars years ago.  I still sleep under stars but only see part of them as I look out of the bedroom window at night.  It is quiet in this country home, and no curtains makes this possible.
Now for flowers, my daffodils are up and also some lilies.  The grass is even getting green.  SPRING.
This little girl used to "giggle" about it's arrival, and this almost 70 young lady is still "giggling" at it this season.  If you come my direction, and slow down, listen and you may hear my birds, my breeze, and even my "giggle" of spring.

Monday, March 5, 2018

Health

This country person does enjoy being outside and doing what she wants to do, but lately I have not felt good....now saying I have  exaspcerbated asthma....wow.  It has kept me coughing and wheezing and using lots of different things to be able to breath and sleep.  I am getting better but it is a slow process.  With this process is frustration and gratitude also.  Frustration that I cannot go to exercise at the YMCA or go lots of places because I am tired.  Gratitude because I am getting better.  I am also getting better with my plans for simplifying my life again.  I get out of balance sometimes and this setback has made me think about it.  I have been going too much, three times a week to exercise.  I don't like being away from home, my country life, my dogs, and my many hobbies an activities I enjoy.  In  fact, I recall telling my daughter that I need to find balance again.  

It was put to me in health issues.  But now, just today I made many decisions.   I again got out my yoga things in the corner of the basement where I used to have a yoga area.  I also cleared off some of the storage shelves with excess items, boxed and in the jeep to go to thrift shop for donation.  I talked to my dogs, especially Hemingway, and told them I would be home with them more.  I can exercise at home, and I can stop paying the YMCA monthly and running three times a week.  When I don't feel well, I can slow down my workout, I can walk more and do more yoga when I am doing well.  Little by little it will balance out while I enjoy my country home more and more.  

Today I brought my quilt up to my sewing area and am ready to machine quilt it.  I actually felt better physically with decisions and actions made.  I feel like I can finish projects, be home, and more true to myself with what I want....Simplify....Simplify....and enjoy this country home and country living.  Gratitude for being sick to slow me down so I can find a better and straighter path for being ME.