Barn Work

Logan and Astrid spent a day working on the barn!  It will have two horse stalls, one donkey stall and a tact storage area! I love seeing it come to fruition!  Astrid and Logan love and care for all their herd🐴🫏

 

Tote Tooting

Sigrid finished her tote. It’ll be perfect for February. Laura lined it for her.  The lining makes it hold shape. Now, she’s making valentines!  She’s crafty.

Helen is coming today. I am afraid she’ll have fog. Be glad when she gets here.
 

Full

The Lake and Pond are full.  That tree line is where the water normally starts.  We were low on rain and catching up is good.

I can hear birds singing this morning. They’re glad the temp is above freezing. I am too.

 

Lots of Rain

I carried my umbrella and walked in the rain. My old friend Coach Fisher bought me a rain gauge. Facebooks friends said it was freeze proof. Not. It registered no rain yesterday because it froze in the snow. I searched Amazon and found one like it to replace it. One FB friend said to turn it bottoms up in the winter. I think Connie from the far north country said bring it in. I am sad as I don’t know how much rain we got but it was lots. The pond and lake are full to the brim. It’s still above freezing. Wonderful.

My Sister Helen is coming Sunday.  I will be glad to have a visitor!

 

I’m in Therapy😂

I’m making a ear muff!  It’s therapy!

Did you know?

The repetition of crocheting calms the mind.

Crocheting releases feel-good serotonin.

Focusing on patterns reduces anxiety!

Crochet produces a smooth flowing state of mind💙

 

I’m Weird

 This is one of the baby blankets I made being used. She is tiny. I think Asti said her name was Naomi! She was born early. It’s nice to see her under the blanket I made.

There was a time in my life that I couldn’t crochet. I’d try to make things but couldn’t do it. It was the concentration.  I may have hit the snag again. I started a baby blanket weeks ago and I just let it lay. I can’t seen to work on it. I hope this passes as I love to make things and gift them.

We are having better weather. I don’t have to worry about the pipes freezing!

Another Win

Greta’s Gob beat Greenwood 39-36.  She had 13 points, 12 rebounds and 3 steals.  They weren’t playing their best. Glad for the win. I got to watch on video. The close game made me almost have a breakdown.

My hair has so much static from the cold.  I washed and conditioned it again. It’s 29 this morning. Warmer today than yesterday.

Helen made her first sour dough bread. It sounded complicated to me. Laura makes hers in a loaf. Helen made oatmeal cookies too. They sounded good too. She didn’t have dates and chopped prunes in them. I like prunes.  I cooked some this morning and will have them for breakfast until they’re gone. I think 3 is a serving.
 

Nuclear Plant

My town has a Nuclear Plant.  That’s where Logan is working now. They are building a road. The Plant was built in the late 60’s and early 70’s. The taxes it pays boasts the economy here. Each year their rate goes down so now it’s not as big an impact. In 1972-73 I got my first teaching job at Pottsville. My contract was just over 3,000 dollars. The next year I was able to get a job in Russellville and my contact was 7,500. I stayed with that job 39 years. I retired in 2012. This is my 13th year of staying home. It was hard to adjust. Sister Fleta is 77. She’s decided to retire in the fall.  I think she said she’d worked at Tyson’s 39 years. 

Logan’s birthday party was fun. The game ingrid invented was family feud. Ingrid called Logan and asked questions. He’d give 5 answers. There were 2 teams and you clapped to buzz in. Everyone was yelling at Logan. For name a pizza topping, he did— not necessarily his favs! It was fun. I didn’t stay for the game time. I watched the Chiefs and the game was a great one.  I never watched pro football, but my cousin Winnie lives near K. C. And of course is a fan. Donna Wood is too. Anyhow, I’m a fan too, now. It’s nice to have a team to root for. 

There were good desserts at Logan’s party—Ingrid’s made two, coconut cream pie and blueberry cinnamon rolls. Laura had strawberry pie. I made lemon bars.  We had ham and cheese sliders and broccoli salad. Sigrid, of course, brought herself. Her sisters tease her about what she’s bringing and it’s “myself”. Her Dad will say—microwave Mac and cheese. Sig’s the baby and she gets picked on. She worked all evening at the College Library before the party. She is liking her job there.
 

Camera

I keep my camera by my back glass door and take a picture now and then. Yesterday I downloaded the January ones. There were several of the great snow.  

During the cold, my hair gets full of electricity and gets unmanageable. I think I just need to get some cut. 

Last night the low was 41. What a good feeling.

 

Portrait of Me

Ada sent me a message and portrait from her little pad. I may have 3 arms, but the good news is I’m loved.

Sister Helen filled the blessing box at Coin Church. The food was needed. Blessed be the giver.

 

Friday

Sigrid is making a tote bag from her crocheted hearts. She has the blocks finished and is setting them together.

I burned my little limbs yesterday.  They’re just ones that fall from my trees but before long I have a pile. It was in the middle 40’s.  Helen said it was pretty windy and she was right, but I stayed out there while it burned.

Today’s Momma’s birthday. She was born in 1921.  She and Dad eloped when she was 16. She only went to 8th grade. She wasn’t a very good student. She’d finished her schooling at 14.  She spent her days living above Grandpa Gaddy’s garage and store. Grandma treated her sort of like hired help. Guess she saw Dad as an escape. Laura has her flower garden quilt. It’s so pretty. She said her mother “made” her sew it.  She also did the house work. I asked where she could go with Dad and she said to church. I don’t think she ever regretted her choice, but her parents never forgave her. It’s sort of sad. Well, it’s the reason I’m here❤️❤️

 

Serving the Public

 Siggie is making a few new friends at the College Library.  She is amazed at the other student librarians. They don’t even acknowledge anyone.  They just look at their phone all night.  She said if the phone rings they don’t bother to answer it.  She greets people.  I’m sure they think— this chick is nuts. Now, I’m wondering will they change Sig or will she stay the sweet, caring helpful person she is.

Well, I turned my calendar to February. It was a bold move. I took control of my life. January is over for me. February is warmer. It’s the month of love. 💕 January is pipes freezing and a foot of snow. It’s done.  Flowers pop up in February.  Things are looking up for me. 

I was able to walk outside yesterday.  I filled the bird feeders.  They were all empty.  Helen didn’t call me yesterday.  I’m an eternal pessimist.  I’m sure her water froze, her car won’t start, and she fell outside in her nightgown and couldn’t get up. Yesterday, I went out to start my car and it wouldn’t start.  I know I can start it indoors but I want to make sure the heated seat is on and the heater is humming. It wouldn’t start. Well, I did not take the key. No key, no start.  These frigid temps are driving me insane.🤪🤭!

Frozen

Yesterday, Fleta’s water froze while she was at work. Greg used a hair dryer and got it in unfrozen. I left all my stuff running a match stem stream last night.  It is 18 on my thermometer this morning but colder in real as my gauge is laying on the window sill on my front porch so it’s warmer there.

Amy Patsy finished her chicken quilt. It’s a work of art. I’ve never seen anything with more labor to it.  Laura made a bag like the ones I crocheted. She was asking me which button.  I said gray.  I’ve made a few beanie hats.

I am requesting some books from the library today. These 3 are on my list.

 

26

Logan’s birthday was yesterday. We’re having a party the 26th and he is 26. When I was his age I thought I was all grown up and I’m sure he does too. To me he seems really young. Our perspective changes. I’m glad Astrid chose him! Ingrid has developed a game of family feud we are going to play. For Laura’s birthday she had a game of jeopardy! 

Laura is back at work and back in College.  She’s getting an Educational Leadership degree from the University at Jonesboro, AR. That may not be the exact title of her degree. She’s in two graduate classes while working full time. Sigrid is already back to the books. She likes her class about the immune system. She is learning some Latin for a class and has checked a skeleton out from the library to help her learn the names of all the bones in the body. 

My water did not freeze last night. My temperature says 22. Folks in the north have homes constructed with protecting pipes in mind. I let the water drip the size of a match stem and pray. So far no frozen pipes. I’ll be glad when the temperature goes back to normal here. One winter one of Larry’s friends had a pipe bust in the attic. What an expensive mess that created.
 

January

 Well, cold and more cold!  January🥶❄️🥶 is 2/3 over!

January originated before the year 1000 from Middle English. It’s  derived from the Latin noun of Jānuārius or Jānus. In Ancient Rome, Jānus was a god of doorways, beginnings, and the rising and setting of the sun.  In Latin jānus, means  “doorway, archway, arcade.” The Latin word jānua gives us the word janitor, which originally referred to a door attendant before evolving to its more familiar definition of “custodian. January should be a good time to clean house!

Close that Barn Door

Logan and Astrid are adding the siding to the barn.  The shorter window is in a stall for the little Donkeys.

Yesterday morning it was 45 degrees. Sort of like the warm before the cold. It’s 24 this morning and may not get above freezing today. I walked over to the pond yesterday.  It has lots more water. Today I may ride my bike.  This will last through Wednesday and finally some warmer days.  I saw a long term forecast that said rest of the winter will b warmer. 

Chiefs won yesterday.  I’ve been watching them and cheering on my cousin’s Winnie’s team. She lives in K C.
 

Blocked

Greta’s basketball picture shows she’s has a burning for basketball.

Laura sewed her first quilt block.  I thought these were sewn by hand stitching but it’s done with the sewing machine. She said her next one will be better. She was disappointed with the corners. 

 

Quilt

Laura is making a quilt.  She’s going to read a book each month and make a quilt block using the colors from the cover. At the end of 2025, she’ll have 12 blocks and will set them in a quilt.

I’m reading Come and Get it by Kiley Reid too. The book takes place at the University of Arkansas. I’ll let you know how I liked it after I’ve finished it.  But….im not making a quilt!

My blog friend Margie stopped blogging in November.  No warning, her posts just stopped.  She lives in Kansas and is in her upper 80’s.  I have read her blog since 2008 March.  Sister Patsy followed her posts.  Sister Helen used to live in the same town as Margie.  I asked her to call her friend and get her to go by where Margie lives and just let me know if she is still there. Well, Helen called a pharmacy there and got me an update. Margie is ok. She just went dark.  Maybe her computer died. She had two but they were really old.  Margie loved cats and fed the strays where she lived everyday. She spent more money feeding the cats than feeding herself.  She was a pastor at her church but had given up that endeavor.  I miss my blog friend but I am happy to know she is still well, feeding the cats and going to Bunco.  I do miss her daily posts.  One day I may just stop posting my boring happenings each day. No one will care.
 

New Shoes

Laura found that Brooks has a used shoe link at their site. The shoes are really just returns. They’re half off. I’ve wanted solid black shoes with black around the sole. She ordered them for me and they arrived yesterday.  These are Brooks glycerine.  They don’t show every smudge.  When I walk here,I have to wear Muck boots but these will be for exercise class and walking the Lake trail.  

Yesterday was the first day since last Thursday that I could walk here. Shady places had snow, but most of my path was clear.  The road by Laura’s house was a muddy mess. January is half over.  Winter is passing but not without leaving memories.
 

Nightshift

Sigrid worked her first 6 to midnight shift at the College library. She is glad she’s learned to crochet.  She’s making a bag of some type out of these hearts and she finished two last night.  She must know every bone in the body by next week so she studied that.  She works Sunday afternoon and some In between her classes Monday plus this one late night shift. 

I walked up and down the lane in front of my house yesterday. I can’t walk my trail through the pasture. There’s just too much snow still. It’s slowly melting.  Sunday it’s really cold again starting 3 days of deep freeze again. Older I get the harder this cold is.  How do the folks up north survive?
 

Greta’s Gobs Win

 Greta’s team beat Alma last evening.  She had a good game.  7 pts, 10 rebounds, and 5 steals!

Laura took me to my workout class and to the Drug store to get my blood pressure med refilled. Today she went to school.  She said there was still lots of snow.  Her school is a few blocks from the Arkansas River.  

I’ll drive to my class today.  We have another cold blast coming and this snow won’t leave. 

This shows the playground at Laura’s school.  Still snow everywhere.

Pond Frozen

Pop’s pond glistens with a layer of ice.

Laura made some homemade bread.  She finds things to do. Her school is out again today. Rural roads are still snow and ice covered.

Laura stitched Sig an ear warmer to go with her scarf. Sig starts her classes today and works at the library too.  Her classes are all lab sciences and will be in the same building I think.  I hope she can handle them with ease.

 

Ada’s Snowman

Greta helped Ada create her first snowman. I can imagine who did all the work.  

These are snow creatures created by folks in Arkansas this week.  I’m amazed. They are works of art.

 Laura and I made it to the Lake to walk. I only walked a mile.  I wore my taller boots Clayton gifted me when he grew out of them.  Guess that made it harder. I carried a stick too. Helen, said you’ll probably fall down. I didn’t fall but I was pooped. Guess the boots were heavier than tennis shoes.  She said we’ll go again today.  

Surviving

I drove my mule to the chicken pen to create a track.  It sure helped walking there. I shoveled some of the snow away from their feeder.  Our snow was about a foot. I’ve kept the bird feeders full.

Ada was so excited to see the snow. She gave the snow ice cream a 10! She tried sledding down the hill.

Sig finished her scarf. I think it looks very nice. She has a new job at the College Library. Her classses start next week.

 We’re all surviving the snow storm.  I’d rather it just last a day, but most of the snow is still here.