Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. Henry David Thoreau

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Old Glory



I thought I would give you a peek at the flag display that the VFW post puts out
every Memorial Day
at Highland Cemetery.
I didn't know if they would 
go ahead as planned, 
since there were
scattered showers
in the forecast.
I was happy
when I caught sight of them,
fluttering 
in the breeze.





I was not really successful
in capturing the 
feeling that you get
when you see this many
of these beauties.
The light wind was perfect
because it kept them
constantly moving,
but different.

 
I'll bet that
at the committee meeting
where this idea first came up,
somebody must have said,
that is just too much.
Wasteful misuse of funds.
Ridiculous.
Who will put them up?
Wh0 will take them down?
Where would we store them?
What about the weather?
It's just too much.
Too much trouble.
Too much money.
Too much work.
Too much.



Well, I am glad the idea person won.
It is too much.
It is too wonderful.
It is too beautiful.
Sometimes an idea is just too good.


It won't be on the news...
It's just a little thing some folks
in a little town in Kansas 
do to remember the fallen
heroes and loved ones
on Memorial Day.
And I love it.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

doggie update

We came home from lunch for a nap, then Dad went out to do some more tree trimming.  I went over to see what he was up to and to see if our doggie had spent the night.  She was there, watching him work, and she ran gaily up to greet me.  So much more energy and life than yesterday!  I brought her a loaf of bread and some milk.. it seemed like a good bland supper for a dog with an empty stomach.  She approved heartily.  I hauled branches to the burn pile and she followed me every time, waiting for me to scratch her head after every trip.

I have decided to name her Scout.  She is always looking around, keeping an eye on things.  Dad says that she will follow him for about 100 yards out on the road, then she trots back to the gate, like she is keeping watch over things for us.

I hope she is smart enough to get under one of the tractors or the trailer for shelter from the rain.  It started this afternoon for a while and we are supposed to get more tonight.

She comes when you whistle or smack your lips with that smooching sound.  

I am not attached to this dog.  She will probably be gone soon.  Like all the rest.  But until she is strong enough for the trip, I will feed her and scratch her head and call her Scout.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Name this dog.



At first, I thought this was a coyote.
But it didn't act like a coyote.



This little doggie wanted to be where we were.
She looked all around and decided to stay 
close by.

I kept shooing her away
but she kept coming back around
She was hungry.
Dad gave her the last bite of his sandwich.
She is probably the ugliest dog I have ever seen.


When I came back later to check on Dad
she was right there with him.
We walked around admiring the day's work
and sat a while, 
just listening to the sounds
and talking about the next step.

Doggie sat right by our chairs, 
fetched a stick when we threw it out for her.
Begged for peanuts
and sat right at our feet while we talked.
She is still hungry
but we didn't have anything we could feed her.

I hope she is still there in the morning.
She seems like a smart dog
and she is gentle.
And quiet.
But oh boy is she ugly!!!

I will take more pictures tomorrow
but you know how my luck goes
with stray animals.
The Christmas cat.
The blue-eyed Husky.
And now the Memorial Day doggie.

Im not getting my hopes up.

The Cedars get a Haircut

It's a fine spring day.
I am giddy with excitement.
Instead of typing window sizes,
 I am going to get out 
in the fresh air.

I am going to inhale the cedar
and the honeysuckle.
Ahhhhhhh.





I feel like posing for my senior picture.





Here I am standing in the tall grass
by this lovely tree.
It is going to be such a lovely day.






Here I am in allergy hell.
I had to take several breaks
with this cold wet bandana
over my swollen itching face.




Again.


We really did get a lot of tree trimming done
and it looks great!

No pain, no gain....right?
That's right!

finally!





Here it is.
The first load of lumber.
Changes they are a comin'.




Steel beams arriving.
They are very, very heavy.
We do not want to drop them.






That's why we use this.




Careful.
Watch those fingers!


Success!
Yippee!



Wednesday, May 20, 2009

the night visitor



I love having visitors at the house site.
It's fun to hear their comments
about how different things look
since the last time
they came out to visit.
I especially like
this visitor.

He doesn't get to come out very often.




But when he does, he likes to make sure things are in order...
He wants to make sure things are done right.



He likes to get up close and personal.




One must also test for strength.
And one must check and see if one can stretch across
completely.

It's just something one must do.
And mother must hold her breath
and accept that one will do this.
No matter how loud she is screaming,
Don't do that!!!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

let it rain!


I noticed the other day that there are a lot of these around...




Do you know what that means???
Pie. Cobbler.  Ice Cream with
BLACKBERRIES!


I also noticed that this is the view from my "e-Space",
right next to the laundry room.

Peaceful, isn't it??
Those are Longhorn Cattle.
I'll bet Pioneer Woman doesn't have any of those!


Ok, ok, I'll quit stalling.
Here are the pictures you have been waiting for.
Here is the thing that makes us smile from
ear to ear.
Hear is the thing that makes 
everything all right.



It's the bulldozer moving dirt.
Pushing that nice crumbly dry-ish dirt 
into the big trench all around the house.
No more gaping ditch.
No more agonizing every morning
and every night
while the weather man says
yet again,
rain tomorrow.
All day.
All night.



Let's look at it in wonder... and awe.





This is a true craftsman at work




Total control.
Amazing!

Let's sit and rest awhile
while this bad boy does
the hard work.


Let the rains come.
We have a yard.
The backfilling is done.
Whew!







Monday, May 11, 2009

Back-filling!

GLORY BE TO THE FATHER!

Today there is back-filling going on.  That is where the bulldozer comes in and moves all the huge dirt piles by dumping the dirt into the huge trench that has surrounded the basement walls.

We have been waiting for three weeks now for the rains to stop long enough for the dirt to dry, so that the bulldozer wouldn't be dumping sopping mud into the trench.  It's a little damp today, but there is rain forecasted for 3-4 days every week for the next 5 weeks.  The sun is shining brightly today and it has to happen .  It's today or next year.  Well, that's a little dramatic but I have been called a drama queen in my past life.

The first thing they did today was fill the the hole around where the garage sits.  The bulldozer would dump in the dirt, then Jim would shovel/spread it around, then Brian would operate the  "whacker-packer" and pound it down.  This keeps the dirt from settling once they pour the garage floor.  Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of this phenomenon.  When I took Jim his lunch, he was livid about the fact that he, a 60 year old man was "out-shoveling" the two punks that came over to do that job.  Is anyone surprised here???  My man is tired.

Then the bulldozer took over, moving dirt and  dumping dirt.( repeat.)  This will go on most of the day.  

I will bring you pictures of this blessed event later today.  For now, let's bask in the mental picture of dirt piles being gobbled up by a big yellow machine, trenches being filled with dry dirt, my hubby turning cartwheels....that does conjure up an interesting mental picture, now doesn't it?  

We are both turning cartwheels in our hearts, because now we are back on track.  Whenever Preston and his framing team are ready to start, we will be ready for them!  Lumber, nails and hammering galore! Walls!  Doors and windows!  Sheetrock!  Paint!  Shingles!  Stone!  Whew!
The boring part is behind us, students!  

Fasten your seatbelts!

jewels




The other day, Violet's sewing basket fell down from a shelf in the closet
and these jewels came sparkling down.
This one was saved for Kellie 
when we went through Mom's things
to sell the homeplace.




I wore this one yesterday for Mother's Day
My little tribute to Violet.
And to Grace.
The jewels in my basket of memories.
My two moms.


It's funny which memories come to mind
when I think of them.

My Mom, Grace, brings back pictures of
hanging clothes out on the line.
Dancing to Perry Como and Nat King Cole
in the kitchen.
Frying zucchinni in the summer and
freezing peaches.
Self - sacrificing.
Stern.
She took me to see Carousel and Camelot
live on stage in St. Louis.
We always stopped at Steak and Shake on the way home.
We went downtown St. Louis to shop for her shoes...
size 12 AAAA.
She was the tallest, thinnest woman I knew.
She loved having her hair done and her nails
painted red.

She didn't yell at me for getting sick during a lunch 
and fashion show at Famous Barr tearoom.
She let me order pie at Mrs. Hullings cafeteria lunches.
She took me to Boyd's diner for a hamburger 
after piano lessons on Saturdays.

She made me practice piano for a half and hour
every day after school before I could go out and play.
For 10 years.


She made me play the piano for friends when they 
would come over to visit.
They would all sit around the living room
and listen to my little concerts.
I hated that.
But some of her friends were old world Germans
and they always brought over  this luscious
cake that had about 15 eggs in it  and it tasted like heaven.
You had to play for your cake!


We always went to downtown St.Louis on one night
during the Christmas season to look at the 
fabulous displays in the store windows.
They were animated and so detailed.


My mom made sure I was in church every Sunday.
It was not up for debate.
My mom took a lot of lip from me, and Im sure a lot of
eye rolling, sighing, and brooding.
She  never yelled.
She taught me to sew.

My mom went to a ladies group called
Extension.  I never knew what it was
all about,
but one day they did a craft project where
they brought a pair of shoes they didn't like
for decorating.
She totally covered hers with
daisy fabric.
I guess they decoupaged them...
I never saw her wear those shoes, 
but I loved them.

I wish my Mom could have met Jim and the kids,
and oh how she would have loved to meet 
Olivia and Annalie.
She must be busy now with her flower gardens, singing and dancing
and crafting.
She was a jewel..
a Godly woman full of life,
faithful and strong.
I miss her on Mother's Day.



Violet  became my mom in 1973.

I didn't fully appreciate her gifts until 
I had some time to grow up a little.
Her life was harder and more complicated than most.
But she managed to inject
some beauty into her life
with her gardens
and flowers.

She worked harder than 
anyone should have to
and it wore her out.
But she kept on.
Her body kept falling apart 
and the doctors kept putting it
back together again.
We called her The Bionic Woman.

She raised 5 great kids
made the best cookies and pies you ever ate.
She kept her house clean and the kids clean
and got the whole brood to church
no matter what.
She canned and canned and cooked and cooked, 
probably more hours of her life
than anything else.
She sewed.
She quilted.
She kept  4 rowdy boys in line,
and made them cut their own whipping switches
from the tree.
She killed and cleaned the chickens for Sunday dinner.

These are not my memories of her.
My memories are of a woman 
who cared for her husband with Alzheimers disease.

Lunches at Hardee's every week and
trips to WalMart

A woman who never had anything fancy, 
but who had love for her family
and endurance for the long journey.

A woman of faith in the Good Lord.
A woman who prayed and read her Bible every morning
without fail.
Even after she couldn't really see that well.

A jewel.  A strong woman.
I miss her on Mother's Day.

I am blessed beyond measure
to have known them both.









blessings




No mom is blessed






more than me




my cup




runneth over.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

the flower stalker


I went to look at the rows and rows of flowers that have just arrived at WalMart this week.

The sun was shining and they were calling to me.  My hands were itching to get into some warm dirt.

I can't get enough of the colors.  

I don't really miss the old house, but I would like to sneak out there and check the flower beds. 
I just want to peek around and see if my babies made it through the winter.  I want to see that they have doubled in size and are off to a good start.  I want to smell the iris and clean the leaves out of the beds.  I want to straighten the rocks and pull the weeds.  OK, that last part was nuts.  But hey, I am nuts!



Tomorrow it is going to rain again.  I am ready.  I don't care because I got my sunshine fix today.  

And I remember the flowers.
























Sunday, May 3, 2009

Noah


Did you ever wonder what
Mr. and Mrs. Noah
did while they were 
waiting
for the rain to stop??

They played.





and played.


and they played.


and played.


and then they played.
and they played some more.

they also read books.
and then they played some more.

and then they rested.

Mr. and Mrs. Noah were very tired at night.
But they were very happy 
 to have such
sweet granddaughters
to play with.

The End.


peach love



Are those peaches Grandpa is fixing?



My mouth is watering!





You can have your old strawberries.  I'm eating PEACHES!





I love how they just slide around in your mouth. Peaches!






The juice makes your fingers taste sooooo good!






I can get quite a few pieces in my mouth at one time!







I wonder if Grandpa has any more of those peaches..






More peaches Pleeeeeeeeese!




What do you mean swallow the ones already in my mouth???



"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." Ralph Waldo Emerson

About Me

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Welcome to my happy place. A place where I can share ideas, projects, and dreams. I am a nester, a crafter, a creator and a dreamer I hope you will find inspiration and encouragement for the journey you are on. I am a Jesus follower, wife, mother and nana. Blessed beyond measure, just trying to live my life gracefully and make a difference in my small world. Join me!