Thursday, April 26, 2018

DIGGING IN THE DIRT

Such fun today getting the old metal wheelbarrow, large pots by my church pew in front of the house, and little rock garden between two trees in the backyard, plus many pots all planted with flowers I purchased last week and yesterday.  Now to keep them all going and growing this summer.  How fun and healing it is to dig in dirt.  I look forward to planting my pumpkin patch in  a few days and also the salad garden and herb patch.



Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Being Fit, and my FitBit

This 70 year old lady wears her fitbit now for several years and has gotten her husband to wear one also.  I like to challenge myself with the steps each day and am always interested in the active minutes.  I can clock up steps with no active time and this bothers me some.  But it is technology, and I am the one in charge of my active time.  Some of this active time is yoga and other exercise good for me but not counted on my fitbit.  

Yesterday being a wonderful spring day, I was out and about.  When realizing early afternoon that my wrist was vibrating to let me know that I had made my 10,000 steps, wow.  By the end of the day I had 14,000.  Now this is good.  I also had 50 minutes of active time.  It is suggested to do 10,000 each day and 150 active minutes per week.  So I kept track last week how I was doing.  I must say I was pleased.  Today I was pleased, but also tired.  Outside time and exercise is good for us all, and keeping track of it is good.  However, the challenge can make you lose the joy.  I work at not allowing this.  I like the heart rate check also, but again one can get too concerned about all of it.
Some days I have come to not wearing my fitbit because I just need a break from it.  

With my fibermyolgia  I often cannot stand to wear jewelry like wrist and ring items.  But I also like to take breaks from technology and just enjoy my life.  All the while I know I am doing okay with my challenge to keep moving and enjoying my life.  Staying as healthy as I can.

My challenge to you is to move, stretch, but always enjoy your time doing so.  Enjoy the down time also by using it to read, be creative, or even nap.  Balance yourself and enjoy what life you have left, no one knows when it will end.

OUTSIDE 


Yesterday was so pleasant.  I mean the weather, as most of my days are pleasant, all about attitude I say.  But after days of cold this spring and not much sunshine lately, well, yesterday was everything one could ask for as a day to be outside.  OUTSIDE is a good word in my life.

So I was out with my dogs in the fenced large backyard, and then took them on not one but two long walks.  I cleaned out my cactus flowerbed.  After many "ouch" times, I removed most of the leaves from the yucca and prickly pear.  I do enjoy the color and the blooms on these plants.  I have added more prickly pear to the area and will await the lovely growth and blooms.  This bed has lots of collected rocks and a couple of bird baths, twirly gigs and some light stems.  It brings me great joy.

Then the other front flowerbed is all returning flower groups...daisies, black-eyed Susan's plus some decor, homemade and purchased.  Many are gifts from children.
Below is one I designed from a $4.00 purchase of old aluminum coffee pot and old silverware.  Now awaiting the plants to return with full glory and stay until fall. Behind this bed, looking from my front window, is also a white picket fence to frame the look.

So I encourage you all to get outside and enjoy.  If you cannot, then just enjoy.  It is time to stop complaining and start complimenting your world.

Sunday, April 15, 2018

Silly Stuff...

Going to shop at Dollar Tree with my adult daughter was a treat yesterday.  She lives 25 miles from me, and we were getting together for lunch and a bit of shopping and visiting.  The new Dollar Tree Store in her little town was fun.  It even has silly things to purchase for a dollar that this 70 year old enjoys.

One purchase was a hippo that is battery operated and twirls a bubble wheel from it's mouth into a bubble solution trough and blows the bubbles out, little bubbles which my three little dogs just loved to chase.  What a nice addition to our screen porch time.

Another purchase was small plastic flamingo that I put on the end table next to my porch swing in the porch.  It is solar powered and flaps it's wings.  Really cute.  Some time ago I read a book with a story about a flamingo.  It goes something like this as I recall:  At the end of the day, each day, look for your flamingo.  You see when people see a flamingo, they laugh, smile, marvel.  Yes, they laugh at the silly bird standing on one leg for long periods of time when they have "two" legs to stand on.  They smile when they see a "pink" bird.  And they marvel when they think of all the wonderful creatures in this word, and this one pink bird on one leg often turns even a brighter or lighter pink with how many of a certain berry they eat.  The final idea here is that each day we have something in our life to laugh at, smile about, or marvel, so look for your daily "flamingo.  I liked that so much even if I don't want large plastic flamingos in my yard, but this little guy will make me laugh, smile and marvel even about the idea when I am spending time in my country home screen porch this season.  

No matter if you live in an apartment in town, or a farmhouse, we all need that flamingo and we all should realize it.  Enjoy

Thursday, April 12, 2018


Spring Time


Such a good country living day, with working around the house and outside.  I even sat in the screen porch and worked on my felt work table runner.  How good is that for a nice time!

From dog baths, windows open and bedding on the line, it feels like spring.  

At the end of a good day, we sat and talked and had homemade rootbeer floats.

Roy even got in a motorcycle ride, the first of the season.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

DRINKING WINE IN THE PORCH

Today was a beautiful day in NE Missouri, actually about 72 degrees and sun.  I spent time walking, more then my 10,000 steps for my FitBit.  I also had fun with my dogs, and hanging clothing on the line.  So much fun.  Then.....

I took a nice break after dinner, and sat in the screen porch and drank my wine.  Now how good can the day get then that.  My husband had a soda and we talked about summer trips, maybe an RV to do more travel together as we could take our dogs.  But we do like our separate trips also.  I like being home for days without others, just my dogs and my many hobbies and books.

Good weather brings out the best in people I think.  Another nice day tomorrow but snow coming again this weekend.  Wow

Wine, tea, soda, coffee or water, get out side and enjoy it.

Monday, April 9, 2018

COUNTRY WALK

It is always nice to get out with my dogs and walk.  It was cool, but the snow has melted.  I was pleased to get fresh air and exercise plus fun time with my three little guys.  Living in the country mean nice quiet walks, watching birds, trees budding, clouds, and nature smells and sounds.  How blessed to be able to live in the country.

Yet,with all of this relaxing environment, I suffer from stress which is bothering my asthma.  Family gives me so much stress and they don't realize it or care.  Maybe both.  My doctor is checking many things out, a specialist for my asthma now.  More tests were scheduled by phone today for later this month.  A new inhaler, told to avoid damp and cold weather.  Close the wind when it is raining, and stay warm.  I was glad to here I am not allergic to dogs, etc. and just mildly toward grass and plants.  Stress is to be controlled, avoided.  Well, maybe I need to move to Arizona.  It is dry and warm and my family does not live there.

So I googled RV's ....just thinking....my little guys and I could have a great adventure.  But first I have to get this asthma controlled.  Then I may feel good enough to fight it all head on again until I am sick again.  What a circle.

Tomorrow, I will bake and also quilt.  Glad to live in the country away from everyone.

Thursday, April 5, 2018

COUNTRY LAUNDRY LINE

Today it was 60 degrees in NE Missouri.  The clothes lines held my many homemade aprons which I wear often, when I bake and cook and sometimes when I do some flower planting.  Most often when I garden plant I wear my dear bib overalls.  

With this warm weather and deciding to clean the kitchen pantry, I took all my aprons, which hang in the pantry, and washed them, and put them outside on my lovely clothes lines.  If you never had clothes lines, well, try it.  The smell of the clothing after drying in the fresh air and sunshine is something to behold.  I open the pantry and breath it in.  Just wonderful.  

Aprons are something my grandmother always wore, and I have one, actually the last one she made in her 80's before she was too sick with cancer to do anymore sewing.  One thing she always did was cut a small piece of the scrap fabric and stick it into the apron pocket.  Why, you may wonder....she did this because she wore her aprons until they were worn or wearing out, or maybe tore it, so had a little fabric to patch it.  That special apron is the dark with pink flowers and it has that fabric still in the pocket.  I was given this apron in 1988 after my grandmother died.  I have made many of these aprons and have pieces of fabric in them also.  I may not wear my aprons as long as my grandmother did and I know I have more then she had at a time, but it is just a little touch of "Grandma Clara".  That is ENOUGH reason.  

My suggestion to you is to make and apron, and get a clothes line up.  All part of country life, even if you are in town.

My grandmother's last apron sewn.

Sunday, April 1, 2018

EASTER DAY

Our country home was hit with about two inches of snow today.  We had about that much all winter and now it is slippery, cold, and very white.  Pretty, but it is spring.  People are in the ditches on the highway our daughter reported to us after she called that she was safely home after her dinnertime here with us for Easter.

We had wonderful ham from Nueske's in Wittenberg, Wisconsin.  It is applewood smoked and so very good.  I made good potato salad, and some delicious corn bread from a recipe of Ina Garten's .  It has cheese and onions in it and it is also topped with cheese.  Rich and tall and moist corn bread, the best recipe ever I believe.  Leslie brought homemade lemon bars.  

The dogs played, having Dottie, Leslie's dog, here also as their company.  They like having her visit.  Roy took a nap and Leslie and I scrolled online sites and did a little shopping and also just looking, visiting, laughing, talking about life, jewelry, books, family, and our dogs also.  It was a good time and this almost 70 year old will treasure it.  It is always nice to have a pleasant time on a holiday, even if we are home.  I am grateful.  
Oh, I am the younger one....with the very white hair.   Silly me, my daughter is the young one, with the long pretty dark red hair, naturally curly and so pretty.

Hoping all of you had a good holiday also, Easter, Passover, or whatever your Sunday was for you.