I’m a tight wad!

This week I went to hobby lobby for a piece of fabric and discovered this huge display of yarn marked way down.. Skeins that were nearly 8 bucks were 1.87 and lots of skiens were 99 cents. I bought 2 bags full. It was like a Christmas present for me.

Clayton is still loading groceries at Walmart, rain or shine. The rain work was pretty soggy. His last take home was 680$. He has over 2,000 in his account now. He’s not a big spender. I’m sure proud that he is working.

This is the way my Astrid’s meals look. They could be in a magazine!

This morning when I walked, I happened on a road block, but it lasted only a few seconds and  they scurried on! 

 

Friends

Sigrid got to hang with her friends yesterday. Ellie’s brother is getting married and Sigrid attended a wedding shower for the couple. Siggie’s known Ellie as a friend since she was in kindergarten.

Sigrid is pretty busy now. Pharmacy School is not to be taken lightly and Sig is one of the youngest new white coat wearers. She’s doing great. Tests come weekly and she studies seriously. Each week she has a long list of drugs to learn all about. She takes a test over them. She’s responsible for retaining those she has studied already. She has to know all about the drug not just a name!

Sadie, Ellie, Sig and Taviah

I taught Taviah’s father and grandmother. We have a history that’s mingled.

The groom with his girl “friends”.

 I have kept in touch with my childhood friends. My first roommate in college is still my friend. During my work career I made lots of friends. I tried to never fuss with them. I still am close to several. I have blog friends. Of the ones my sister Patsy and I followed none remain. I still check on Connie who lives up north near Canada. She is inspiring. Some of my blog friends have passed away. Some just went silent. Margie out in Kansas posted one day and then boom she stopped. I hope she’s ok. Donna in Missouri seems to have disappeared too. I’m reading about Margaret now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest and her life is nothing like mine. My sisters used to blog daily but Fleta has slowed to about once a week and Helen is sporadic. She’s irritated at FB now and has been posting once more. I’m thrilled to have friends.

I like having friends who are very elderly. I get joy from helping them. I have a new old friend from exercise class. She burned her hair off and I have made her crocheted hats for her to wear. One side is bald pretty much. Her hairdresser can style it but it doesn’t last all week. She meets men on line. They come to meet her from afar. Very dangerous. Her name is Wanda and she’s 86. Another of my older new found friends is 92. She’s almost completely blind. All I can do for her is visit. She can’t watch tv or read. She sleeps in her recliner. She likes having someone come to see her. She has two children who give her great care, but she appreciates having other friends come by. I’ve made some friends by giving their grandchildren a baby blanket.

No one can have too many friends. Sigrid has a lot of friends. Some are her age and some older and a few are elderly. She connects with her teachers when she can and becomes their friend. Sig has opinions but she can see others viewpoints too. Sig is my friend as well as my granddaughter.  I hope you have lots of friends. 

I have a great friend who I call Amy Patsy. My sister Patsy died in 2014. She was the eldest in our family and the smartest too. She was poor. She worked line jobs in plants. She cooked in nursing homes. Her life was always a struggle but she didn’t see it that way. She’d say she was blessed. She knew about gardening, the Bible, chickens, pigs, horses, cows. She befriended the Asians when they came to America and tried to learn their language. She’d go with them to get a driver’s license etc. so she could assist. I could ask her anything. If she didn’t know she’d find out! My friend Amy is like that too. She doesn’t live In poverty like patsy but she can do just about everything. She can find an answer when I’m curious about something. She’s a librarian. She’s a seamstress. She is an expert at crochet. She cooks and sends me a serving! She loves the Lord. Oh, what a special friend I have in Amy Patsy. She’s really just Amy but she has Patsy qualities🤍. 

Book Tote

Saw lots of pretty blooms when I walked. It was cool and invigorating!

  I have a new niece, Michelle. They have  their “stuff” and probably don’t want more. Both read so I made Michelle a book tote as a welcome to our family gift! They got early to a big used book store and get books then trade them back after reading. Sounds like a great plan.

 

Gift from Afar

Laura and Astrid went to a friend’s patch and picked Muscadines! This morning after we walked we went by Walmart and Laura bought surejel, sugar and lids! Soon we’ll have more Muscadines jelly.

I got the yard all mowed yesterday and I weed eated some this morning. The grass was really thick as it’d been over week since I’d mowed. It was not a chore as the air was cool.  

Juice is ready. If there is extra we usually freeze it to use later.

ATU Volleyball

Kay and I went to ATU volleyball game last evening💚💛💚Suns are playing great! They won in 3 sets. We saw Dr. Gordon and others we knew. I hope we can catch the game against Ouachita Baptist next week. Go Suns💚🌞💚

Astrid and Logan have some turkeys. I think they got them at Tractor Supply. Astrid has discovered that turkeys aren’t the brightest birds. These are on her front step rail. Guess they want to be house turkeys.

Laura gifted me a jar of Muscadine jelly from her friend’s mother. It’s so delicious. Muscadine is a cross between grape and plum in taste. I cooked two Walmart frozen biscuits yesterday and had a feast with a free range eggs for and sausage. This morning I was up one pound. If I’m going to eat like a farmer, I need to work like one.

Muscadines are wild grapes and an Arkansas native plant excepting the northern counties. Since 1972, muscadines have been cultivated commercially. Highest amount grown is in White County, AR. The wild grapes are used to produce jelly and juice and popular with wine makers. The Post and wiederkehr wineries make Muscadine wine. Lots of folks try making it at home. Muscadines have thick skin and large seeds. If you eat them raw, most spit out the skin. Common old names for muscadines are bull grapes and the southern fox. Native Americans were the first cultivars. My cousin, Rick Mahan used to give me a bucket of Muscadines each year, but he’s retired to Florida!  Now, I only get them if someone pities me and sends me a surprise gift of them.

 

Swap

Fleta brought me a maple tea cart. First she used it, then Helen, now I’m enjoying it. I sent her home with a bag of clothes. They took some and some went to trash, but it’s nice to let them see if they want any of it. We can’t swap shoes. Helen wears a 7. Fleta wears an 8 and I have a big foot, either 9 or 91/2. 

I sent Fleta home with a Lane end table I didn’t need. Painted furniture is in style. I don’t like it and will stick to my old furniture. I really don’t like painted cabinets. 

Fleta brought me a soup bowl. It has a cover to use in the microwave. The best part are the chickens on the side. I sent home with her free range eggs for my family there. She brought an enamel wash pan that she’d had a long time. One of my girls may want it. I sent junk there and my sisters return the favor!

 

Brothers

My brother would be 81 today. He passed at 69. I had 3 brothers, all gone. Sisters are great friends and close at heart, but brothers are a steady caring presence. Mine were nonjudgmental of me. I miss them all. Brothers are like a substitute dad. Clayton was a phone call away. I wrote about him when he passed.

Lean on me, I am your brother!

Faded cut-offs and a white t-shirt

Old ball cap and his coffee cup

Guess he didn't look like much, 
But he's the one you really trust.

You could lean on him!

Car broke down, you call home

You know the number, same ol' one

Feel a lot better when you hear "hello"

'Cause the answer is always--"I'll come".

You could lean on him!

Even way back when you were young

"Dad, cows are up, milkings done"

Drove the yellow school bus, just a kid

Parked on the hill when the battery was dead.

You could lean on him!

Dad was gone,  and Mom all alone

Needed someone to really count on

Moved his stuff in that old back room

Took her orders like a child, tho' grown.

You could lean on him!

No, he wasn't perfect, did some wrong

But one thing you knew you could count on

If the chips were down and your money gone

You knew the number, you could call home.

You could lean on him!

 

Sky is in the Pink

 When I walked the sky had a pink cast to it. Pink is a happy color. It was not cool but not really bad either. I think it was 73. 

I’m blessed I know and I’ve been trying to have a better feeling toward those who believe differently than I do. I have to remind myself of my goal often. I am focusing on pity instead of disdain. 

One week left in September.. 

Rain

It rained most of the night and on til about 9 AM. My gauge said 2 1/2 inches. I walked in the drizzle using my rain gear. My internet was out til 11:00. 

Lots of leaves are changing colors. This one is a Black Gum leaf. They’re  my favorite fall tree.

Laura’s school didn’t have electricity for she got an extra day off. 

I think today is the first day of fall. This year is 3/4 over.

 

Goldenrod

Fleta headed to Coin early! She brought rain with her—3/4 an inch! We collaborated on our usual—a dna genealogy mystery! Each evening we picked a Netflix movie! I’m hoping Helen will come soon.💙

I bought frozen Walmart biscuits for breakfast and told Fleta I’d tell Helen I made them but she wouldn’t fall for it.

Goldenrod is blooming! Goldenrod is filling my neighbors pastures! Logan and Astrid have bush hogged our meadow so they aren’t growing there. Running eyes and sneezing are blamed on these plants but its pollen is large and sticky, not small and wind-borne like that of ragweed, the true culprit. Goldenrod flowers are a magnet for flies, beetles, wasps and butterflies. Goldfinches and sparrows love goldenrod seeds. Cattle and horses aren’t fond of it. Goldenrod contains latex. Pioneers used it as a yellow dye. 

During World War I the price of rubber soared and Henry Ford asked   his friend Thomas Edison to see if any native plants could be used as a source of rubber. Of the plants Edison tested, he found several goldenrod species contained latex compounds. One species had over 6 percent in the leaves. But synthetic rubber was produced in the lab and both Ford and Edison passed during World War II, so nothing ever came of making rubber from goldenrod.

 

Salad

Ada has many imaginary friends she plays and converses with. She’s feeding them a healthy salad. She reads with her Mother daily. Last week after reading an hour she said—tomorrow’s my day off.

 

Filet of Hearts

I finished another baby blanket. It’s blue for a boy and darker than the picture appears.

 I’m heading to yoga this morning. I think of it as stretching.

Fleta is on her way😊

Mowed

Fleta is coming tomorrow so I mowed. I’m can’t get close to things like Pop did and have to weed eat! I hit the stake and knocked my glass bird to the ground!  I was lucky it didn’t shatter. My white and pink crepe myrtles have blooms. They’re  two planted side by side and were given to Laura as gifts when Pop passed. After planting it can take 5 years for one to bloom. They can live 50 to 100 years. Some are actually trees. Mine are bushes. They’re a native to China and Japan and known as the lilac of South! 

Most people clean house when they have guests coming. I clean outside and have the house dark so dirt isn’t easy to see. I’m cooking. Poor Flet. One night pork cutlets, baked potato and steamed broccoli. One night iron skillet burgers and fried potatoes. I’m a pretty bad cook but I decided to cook. I’ll make cookies for dessert. I can make those! 

I hope Fleta brings OLD shoes so we can walk through the grassy meadow. My path is mowed but I can’t let her walk in her good shoes. I have a thing about taking care of shoes. I grew up having one pair until those wore out. I wear old clothes but love good shoes. 👞 I have lots! Embarrassing to me.

 

Shower

I have heard the saying — ducks in a row. I thought, well, here are corgis in a row. 

It’s hot again but soon chill will come then  cool and finally cold so I will just be happy. Yesterday in the afternoon heat a shower arrived. We received half an inch. I’ll be mowing soon as the grass has really gotten tall. 

Sister Fleta is coming Friday so I’ll have weekend company. I’m thankful for a visitor. Helen declined the opportunity. 

This Old House

The advantages of walking at dawn is beholding the sun coming up and enjoying the cool morning air! Don’t forget the little hummingbirds as they are still looking for nourishment!

 Well, as fall arrives the mice invade my house. It’s old and holey not holy. This morning I discovered a dead mouse. I have to keep mouse poison out. It’s still working. I also lost a chicken yesterday. She was 4 years old and their life span is short. I held no funerals. I saw a big coyote on my walk. He’s probably looking for a way to get into my chicken pen!

False Foxglove

False Foxglove is blooming in my neighbor’s pasture. It’s so pretty pink blooms dot the entire field. The blooms resemble Foxglove, but the False one is not Digitalis.

I thought my Cock’s Comb was pretty, but then my friend shared this one her husband grew and entered in our County Fair. I see why he got a blue ribbon. 

 

Balloons over Harrison

Balloons over Harrison happened this weekend. It’s happened here in the River Valley before and we enjoyed sitting out by the Meadow and watching them pass over. Ada lives on a hill overlooking south Harrison where they lifted off. She was amazed at the sight of them.

At school on the 11th, they spoke of the tragedy. This was Ada’s first time to hear of the events that day. She said—it breaks my heart. 

The Arkansas State Hot Air Balloon Festival will host 31 hot air balloon pilots the weekend of Sept. 13-14. A detailed schedule of events is posted on Facebook at Explore Harrison. Admission to the festival activities is free. Harrison has hosted this event for 30 years, and organizers are excited about the positive response and having a waiting list of pilots.