PLANTING.......THOSE WHO GARDEN, GROW.

Large gardens are "grand", but we just don't need the work or the produce.  I still like planting and growing and eating the home grown things also.  

Each time I think I am cutting back on my plots, I decide to plant something else.  My garden now is a six foot square around the flag pole.  I can plant tomatoes, peppers, a cucumber plant and some herbs which is plenty for our enjoyment and my keeping up with the hoeing and weeding and watering.  This year I plan to put all of that in and than on the edge plant some lettuce and also a row of pretty sunflowers.  It will all fit.

My potato patch has been able to hold "too" many rows of potatoes, even if they are delicious.  I also used to plant a fall potato patch, but cut back on that last year.  This year I am doing 45 hills not 60 and on the edge of the patch I am putting in a row of yellow/orange raspberry bushes.  I know they take work, hoeing, weeding, but so do the potatoes.  The wild black raspberry patch in our woods behind the house do well all on their own, but I am thinking to maintain in a garden plot, I will have to work at it.  My other thought is that I could just plant them in the middle of the plot and let them take it over.  Those thoughts pass as I think of my delicious fresh red potatoes. 

With all this said, I like to garden, flowers, trees, plants.  I enjoy the work at a limited amount I can maintain in the neat fashion I like them to be in.  I have several flower beds that I also have to maintain but they are looking so much better since I cut back and have retired.  Each day I can get out and putty in the gardens and enjoy my "hobby" of gardening.  It is no longer a job to produce all I can for our family, to eat, to can, to freeze.  It is a fun exercise of "loving" these plants and enjoying my country life.

Even if you can only have some patio plants, go for it.  Enjoy the green, watching them bloom and maybe even produce something to eat.  You learn to appreciate sunshine and rain also when you grow.

Country Katie and Daisy Mae.....plus many  more.

Because I loved my Daisy Mae Foxhound so much, she seems to still be very much a part of my life, but today I was thinking as I was old walking, without this grand walking companion, that it has been since August of 2015 that I have not had her.  If you have every been attached to an animal friend, I am certain you can understand when I say that there are reminders of her all around.  I have pictures and some little ceramic statues, a scrap book, and than, the wonderful memories as I look at things in my life.

Hemingway, a little yorkie mix, came to live with us some five months later.  It was hard to think of getting another dog, or getting attached to another dog.  My Hemingway is very much loved and admired for sure.  He has stole my heart.  I look at him and tell him that it is because of Daisy Mae Foxhound and other dogs before her that I brought him home.  The Humane Society told me that he would steal my heart.  They knew me well because I did volunteer work down there and also found my Daisy Dog there.  I should say that they both found me, both Daisy Dog and Hemingway.  

Then we needed to have a more playful dog as a companion for Hemingway as he is such a busy dog.  We again went to the Humane Society and told them what we needed or what Hemingway needed and we were introduced to Mr. Molesley, a two year old Italian Greyhound.  So I was back to another hound, but he acts and looks nothing like a hound.  Hemingway did a good job in picking him out.

A few months after that Vincent came to live with us.  A friend had purchased him at a puppy mill in Indiana and he was a mess, but she was also a mess, never having a puppy, only grown dogs.  She had him five days and was crying for help.  She had him in the car and was putting posters up to get rid of him.  I took one look at her and knew that I really did not care if I helped her out of her mess.  As a psychologist, she just should have known better is my thought.  I did feel so sorry for him.  She called him Cody, but I already knew that could not be his name.  I purchased him from her so she would not want to claim him after we welcomed him home and he was all trained and grown.  I admit it seems I have lost her friendship, but not his.  He is a mighty little Maltese and fun little boy who plays well with both of the other guys.

For this woman who has mostly had hounds, we are all paired up well, and these three little guys came to me and rescued me.  They are the joy of my days and snuggled friends during my nights.  They make me laugh and cry and enjoy my every days.  This country life is made better with my little boys who I call my three (four-legged) sons.  

It just seems that I know that my Daisy Mae Foxhound would be so pleased that these three little guys have rescued me and also come to enjoy the good home that she so enjoyed.  

Mr.  Molesley

 Hemingway and Vincent

Good Country Living Day...........

As I still await any winter weather here in NE Missouri, I also enjoy being able to go out for walks and not wear boots.  There is a trade off for things, and I do not mind boots, but it is much easier walking in shoes.  The sun is shining and it is about 50 degrees today.  I just told my husband that this winter season has been somewhat disappointing as I like snow and some cold.   

But today is February 1, and I am feeling better from my long running cold/chest congestion.  Today I made two peach pies, yes with fruit from our orchard, and than from the freezer.  I also made three loaves of wonderful baguettes.  Roy and I had baguette slices hot out of the oven with nice rich butter.  It just does not get any better than that.

My outdoors may look gloomy without some snow, but life in rural Missouri still is grand.  As I plan to take a three day trip to the big city, my favorite, Chicago, by train, I still look at it as a treat to see and experience the big city.  But live there, no way.  Someone has to but I am glad it is not me.

I will take the huge flocks of snow geese flying overhead all day today.  I will take the woodpeckers rapping on the trees, and the finches eating merrily in our many feeders.  I will even take the howl of a coyote at night or even early morning.  Now and than I hear the screech of a bobcat over at our farm, and I will take that also even if it is an erry sound.  

Country life......almost as good as my hot baguette bread slices with rich butter.....well, at least a good match.

TOO FAST THE TIME DOTH GO....

Winter does not seem to have even come to my part of the country and it soon will be February.  I miss a good snow storm like I grew up with in Wisconsin.  Another thing about longer winters is that you get more projects done of cleaning and redoing things in the house, of sewing, quilting, knitting, and painting.  I find that I have not accomplished as much as I have planned for this season.  Maybe I planned more than I should have but as I get older, I almost feel like I have to speed up to get my projects finished.  My friend, Helga , always says that she and I always have so much creativity that we have to live to be 150 to finish it all.  

With thoughts of another quilt this winter, of wool work to applique, and of knitting and learning more about my painting, and  on and on, I also cannot help thinking about spring on this sunny cool day in January in Missouri.  I trimmed some of my houseplants and cut some of my indoor herbs.  My kitchen smelled so lovely, and I am grateful for the growth, which makes me think of growing which makes me think of garden, which makes me think of spring.  

It does not have to be spring for some time as I have lots to do indoors, but one cannot just think a little about it on such a pretty sunny day late in January.  

Challenge Myself.....

Do you believe that if you stay stagnant, you just grow older?   I tend to believe that and as of late, I have felt a bit older.  I have been sick for over a week now and it just brings me down.  But, as I feel some better each day now, I have been challenging myself.  It may be a challenge to just "undust" the furniture, or walk outside a little bit or throw out a pile of magazines.  It may be a challenge to finally fix a better meal instead of soup and sandwiches.  Actually one night we had mac and cheese and fried spam.   Wow, for this person who prides herself on being a wonderful cook, I sure can slip fast.

Challenging comes in more forms than what I mentioned above.  I need to challenge myself to set boundaries with people who I do not want to set boundaries with because they are my family, husband, and children and grandchildren.  Challenge myself to say no more and yes to myself more often.  Challenge myself to expect more respect from them. 

Challenging goes to what I do also.  Do I just keep doing the same things, or learn new things.  I am a learner and you might saw I have "learned" that about myself.  So I have to challenge myself with the difficult things I have wanted to learn, more of my FRENCH, more of my wool applique work, more writing.  

Some people who are city dwellers probably think that I challenge myself enough by living in the country.  Some actually have never come for a visit because they think I live "too" far out in the country.  My comment to that is maybe they are not as good a friend as I thought.  But living in the country brings challenge and joy.  I challenged myself late last year to be home more and for weeks at a time so I can focus on my things in a better way.  I am enjoying that challenge.  That challenge makes people I know think I am becoming a hermit or recluse.  To each their own thoughts, but my thoughts are of days with the dogs, the freedom to do what I want and to listen to birds and the breeze in the trees.

So life is a challenge and even if I am 68, I will challenge myself to do all I can as I get to feeling better.  I challenge myself to be me, a country person who enjoys her own company.  Okay, I talk to myself a lot, but if someone sees me, I could say I am talking to the dogs.  In actuality, I even talk to the birds and the trees and the bees........

Challenge yourself right were you are at, and if you feel really courageous, I challenge you to spend more time in the woods.

COUNTRY PHOTOS:

Country living brings many lovely country photos and I feel blessed by having many framed in my home.  I also have walls with photos from great trips I have taken.  I have made cards to share with others while I still continue to post many on facebook, and other sites.  It is a joy to see the progress from years ago.  Good equipment helps with that process also.  But the important thing is to get out there and do it, daily actually.

Now I have been so encouraged today as my oldest granddaughter just posted a lovely album of photos she took on a short visit to an animal park in St. Louis area.  She received a better camera from her boyfriend's brother.  She also works as the manager of a WalGreen's Photo Lab in the area.  But, what encourages me so much is it blesses me to see this grown woman who I used to encourage to take photos with my camera and than just take my camera and take a walk and take photos.  I have done this with my younger granddaughter also.  This love of photography is being passed down.  To top it off, she wrote that she is learning by doing it daily and enjoying the process.  

 MO capitol in Jefferson City.

 Sunset from my front porch.

THERAPY OF APPRECIATION.............

My country life is so pleasing to me but at times other things can creep in, or I allow them to creep in and steal my calm and pleasing life.  It is sad to me when I do this, but I am human.  When it especially comes to family, I can allow way too much drainage and heartache at my cost of joy just because they are that, family.  Everyone has issues from time to time, but my family is most often very dysfunctional while looking good.

Now you put holidays on top of that, and well, you know, because maybe you have an Uncle John who is always angry or drunk or both, no good day with an angry drunk for sure.  I do not  have an Uncle John, but I have grown children and grandchildren who know better that to act like they do.  Who have no reason to be hateful to one another and at my home.  Of course when I call them on it, they get mad but never spout off at me, or seldom anyway.  They usually let it all brew until they are boiling over and than rant and rave.  So unbecoming of them or anyone.

Just the other day my grown 24 year old grandson was having a hard time with anxiety and depression which he suffers from and is working on with his doctor and medication.  He had not taken his medication and had a real melt down.  So dealing with that with him, and then addressing it with his parents and making them realize he needed to be checked on and cared about even at 24, well, I was worn and tired and up way past my bedtime.  Even my dogs were telling me to come to bed. I finally did and slept well after a cup of lemon verbena tea which helps me sleep.

So the next day, I got up and told my husband that I was going to town, about 45 miles away and doing some "shopping therapy".   Really how silly of this retired therapist/counselor to say and do this.  I suppose it is good for some but I do not even like to shop.  I headed out by myself, not wanting my husband to accompany me.  I shopped for some sale items at one store and enjoyed talking with a nice lady.  I headed to the pet store and enjoyed the cats and toys and treats and also pet a ferret and talked to him or it.  Than on the Hobby Lobby for just a few simple things and found several ladies that I visited with, no one I knew.  Next lunch and one of the ladies had gone to Panera also and we sat and visited over our lunch...pretty neat.  Off to the grocery store and got lots of meat items for the freezer, but again visited with people and cashier was so sweet.  Off to home and stopped to visit a friend/neighbor with alzheimers who is doing well even after 4 years now and being almost 80.  She said, "Katie, I know you like being home but if you could find the time to come visit me at least once a week, really, I would so enjoy it."  I was blessed and then realized that my shopping therapy was not that at all...it was a time to get out and see that there are nice pleasant and friendly people in this world that enjoy talking with me.  I was blessed.

Also as I sat at home in my living room with my dogs around me working on sipping my tea, that I did not have to go anywhere away from my calm and beautiful country home.  I enjoyed every part of it and stayed home sometimes for weeks at a time.  What I really needed was "nice people" therapy and yesterday I did receive that.  Now I must learn to be able to stay home when family is being nasty and just "let it go" and with that I am heading downstairs to do my daily yoga.