August Ends

Fleta read this and told me about it. It’s a very different book. It’s about two people who are almost conjoined after marriage. They survive a shipwreck at sea for months but are finally rescued. The book is about how they are totally devoted to one another. I liked it.

Laura, Eric and Sig went to L R yesterday. They ate lunch celebrating 51 years for Laura and shopped for a simple dress for Sigrid’s coat  ceremony. They found two dresses and the food was good. Cheese dip looks inviting.

Laura was due today. I had taught 2 years, one at Pottsville teaching 3rd grade and one in Russellville. I was 24. Larry worked for Jack Price selling feed. Previously he had worked for his father Bill. Larry started working for Bill when young. I’m not sure but by 16 he was employed by Bill Price. He worked Monday through Friday and a half day Saturday. We had only been married a month when Larry bought me a purple bicycle. I’ve always loved exercise. I waited for Laura all summer. Each morning I filled a gallon jar with 💦 I drank it down religiously. I rode that purple bike morning, noon and afternoon. Miles and miles I road. I drank gallons of water. On August 31, my Father and Mother came to see me. Momma told Daddy she felt she needed to come to see me. By the time they got to my house, I was in labor. Daddy paced the floor. I wanted to wait. Larry was there, but I don’t remember him being as nervous as Dad. Laura came September 1st. She really wasn’t late. She arrived just past midnight. Laura has never liked being late. Laura changed my life. I was pretty selfish before Laura was born. She softened me. 

 

Give Thanks

Logan is working at the Tyson plant putting in 4 McDonald’s lines. This time it’s a big crew and they’ll stay until the job is done. Before he was doing plumbing prep for it. He’ll be away 10 days. Astrid didn’t work yesterday but has to today. Twice a month she gets new meds ready for all the clients. Some have serious psychological and or health issues. I invited her to lunch. She chose candied bacon blt. It has a Berry sauce. I picked chicken salad. We shared a bowl of their Tuscan soup. The food around us all looked so good. I kept wanting to ask what they had ordered.  I loved just getting to sit and visit.

Thursday evening Astrid invited me to watch the ATU volleyball scrimmage. Season opens next week. Sigrid came along. Cheerleaders were trying out during the event. Sigrid had the “dirt” on many of these girls. I loved every minute of it. Astrid’s bosses’ daughter is on the team is why Asti went. Sigrid would say…see that girl with the hair extensions and tell us something. See girl with the fake tan…I was lost as I couldn’t distinguish any of it. Then the discussion turned to apron belly and fupa. I got quite an education into pretty gross stuff. Was so much fun. I love my rid girls. Pop and I called them our rids—Astrid, Ingrid, Sigrid! Sigrid isn’t doing too well staying in big city. She drove home agin Thursday. She’ll get better. The work load isn’t heavy yet. Later when she has more to study and do she’ll stay more nights. It takes an hour and 15 minutes or so to drive it.
 

Astrid loves animals. This baby squirrel fell out of a tree nest. Kaplomp! She said it may have a concussion but she’s feeding it and trying to be a mother. She has to keep it away from the cats. She has one inside and some outside. She said it’s eating.

I saw this guy when Laura and I walked today at lake Dardanelle. He is carrying a huge acorn in his mouth. I saw him go bury it for later eating.
 

Lots of Rain

Night before last we finally got rain. Rained through the night. Had to gear up to walk but there was a lull and I got my steps in.  I loved seeing everything getting a drink! My Fisher Rain gauge ran over so I’m not sure how much rain had fallen but it holds 5 1/2 inches and later after I dumped it another 1/2 inch came. So at least 6 inches of rain watered the Meadow. This morning I could see the grass was already turning green.  😍 

Holiday is coming Monday and Laura will be 51. Seems like yesterday shee was a little red headed girl!

 

Web traps

Yesterday, when I walked I became intrigued  by all the spider web traps! I’m easily amused.  Webs were covering areas of the ground creating a spider web mine field.  Webs were numerous between the barbs of the fence! Each web on the ground started in the center like a funnel making a lure to capture dinner.  Webs dotting the barbed wire fence between the strands of wire created a net to capture prey. 

The spiders that build the webs on the ground belong to a group called funnel weavers or grass spiders (Family Agelenidae). They build webs that consist of a flat sheet of webbing with a funnel leading downward near the center. The webs are not sticky and are densely woven and located parallel to the ground. They vary in size but can be quite large, sometimes as wide as 3 feet. The funnel is located near the center of these expansive sheets of silk but in a few cases it is near the edge. The funnel creates a lair and hiding place for the spiders.  They wait under the funnel for dinner to arrive just like door dash for humans. Only female funnel spiders build these webs! They man the kitchen.

Orb weaver spiders build the webs created between the wires of the barbed wire fence! These are the classic webs of circles and spokes, which expand  outward from the center with anchor points. This genius design allows them to capture anything as small as a mosquito to as large as a butterfly. Other common meals include flies, thrips, mites, moths, beetles, wasps and bees. They are not picky eaters and can have ferocious appetites. Their work helps keep insect populations in check. Orb weaver spiders have poor vision and use vibration to know when they have captured prey. 

Watching a spider at work is incredibly fascinating to a simple minded person like me!

 

August Ending

Sigrid is trying to dress professionally in graduate school. This week she had her first test in one of her classes. She made 100. Her tb test turned red and it scared her, but it settled and she passed TWO tb tests. She passed lifesaving. She was anxious when she started. Little Rock is a big city. Lots of crime there. You have to be careful and watchful at all times. She lives in a huge dorm with folks planning to be doctors etc. It’s all new experiences. The school work is hard. She’s making it and we are proud of our baby girl.

Clayton has worked at Walmart almost a month. He gets paid again tomorrow. He went with Erin to Greta’s volleyball game at Springdale. Not his favorite thing, but he wanted a new chair for his room and wanted to go to a big office store. He paid for it. This is the one he chose. Erin encouraged him to be friends with those he works with. He says, “ I am”.  He said he talks to them. But….Clayton said they’re all drug users. They spend their money and time vaping. Erin said that was not a drug. But I totally agree with Clayton. It’s a strong drug. I’m proud of Clayton. He told his Dad that he didn’t really like the new Jeep.  They’re hard to load groceries in! 😂 Clayton is also finishing up 12th grade. He is taking College English. He passed his drivers exam and will finally get a drivers license. He doesn’t strive to be like everyone else!

 Greta and the Goblins beat Springdale. She’s a middle blocker— 5’10”—playing the net. I was there in spirit rooting for her. I see the pink sneakers shining💕

Another Project Done

We got a little rain, less than a 1/4 of inch but any is helpful. It’ll green up the brown spots in the Meadow. Plus when I walked it was 67 degrees. Maybe our upper 90’s are over this year.

I finished another baby blanket. It’s for Logan’s sister. They’re using ducks and green and cream in his room. Sister Helen said this one was ugly. She has a point. 😂😂 Astrid said it’s perfect. She sent me a picture of the rug by the crib. My greens don’t show up great. They do match. The baby’s name is going to be Brendan I think. That’s different.

No Bargain

I went to exercise class. It was crowded but that makes me happy as everyone need to exercise especially those my age.

 After that I went to Ross for Helen. The dress she bought for nephew’s wedding won’t zip. Could not find one like the one she bought.  Then I went to shoe carnival.  I’m addicted to shoes. They’d sent me a 10$ off.  I checked the sale rack marked down and more off would be a bargain. First pair I checked were 30 and had been 85. There were 3 shoes in the box. Two for the left foot and an extra shoe was in the box of a different size. Every box was messed up like that. I gave up and left. I need a new 10 inch nonstick skillet. Penny’s has a sale. I found the 3 skillets. There were 2 there that said same price. I got those. Well, clerk said those were 30$. He went to check and no I couldn’t get the two pack. I thought good grief.  I’ll just go to Walmart. There I got a great skillet for 15$ and it was heavy and nice.  I’m not a good shopper. I get tired after10 minutes.

Greg bought a used Jeep. The transmission went out on his truck. He just sold it. Only thing I don’t like about the Jeep is the big tires. I hope it’s a good rig.

Greta has her first volleyball game today! Hope she plays great. 
 

Soccer

Basketball and below volleyball

I gave Greta a little money for school. She used it to buy new shoes for all her sports, she wore the soccer ones for practice last night. Erin had to help pay as shoes are expensive!

Ada was bored with shoe shopping in a sports store. No pretty dresses or heels. So she danced in front of their mirror!

 

Deer Visitors

Deer were in my yard this morning. They were looking for something to eat. I love watching the little ones.

This week is going to be much cooler. I’m ready to work outside. If we get rain, I have brush to burn. I’m tired of living in doors.

Runaway

Yesterday, Logan took Whiskey to the vet for a shot. Whiskey knew something was up when he saw the horse trailer. He went as far from it as he could. Logan doesn’t give up easy. He finally loaded Manchi and Whiskey came then. Manchi just went for a ride. I didn’t go out to help Logi as I knew I wouldn't be any help. Whiskey has a cough. Hope this helps.

 Opie ran away. When Eric came home from school, he spotted her out of the pasture. She was sure glad to be back with her Momma. I saw the place where a bottom wire was on the ground. When I walk, I’m going to zip tie it up. Maybe Logan will work on it later. He’s out of town working. They’re installing new McDonald’s lines in a Tyson plant.

Egrets

I saw egrets across Galla Lake and Iron Weed blooming, but mostly I saw brown landscape on my walk.

Pop’s Pond is getting low but still serene. The dry, hot temperatures are depressing but I’m trying to focus on other things. I’m watching the Jerry Jones story on Netflix. Reading about dinosaurs and dragons and crocheting a baby blanket. Still getting through each day being positive is my goal. I won’t watch tv all day and pickle my brain. I do enough pickling in the evening. My favorite things are outside. 

Young men are destroying their productivity with silly video games. Old folks just use tv doing the same. 

 

Boneset

Been seeing Boneset blooming when I walk. Boneset and the killer weed—Snakeroot look alike.  Boneset is also called Joe Pye weed.  Joe Pye was an Indian medicine man in New England who cured typhus using Eupatorium perfoliatum, boneset.  It relieved symptoms of break-bone (dengue) fever.

Boneset was introduced by Indians to American culture as a remedy for fever. They used it to induce sweating in order to break fevers. Supposedly they often fought fever which caused a deep muscular ache so intense that it made one feel as if their bones were breaking - thus the name, boneset - as it rid the body of the fever, the bones no longer ached. However, the history would seem to go farther back than our native Americans. There are reports of the plant also being used as far away as Asia Minor as long ago as 100-ish BC. Mithridates Eupator was the king of Pontus in Asia Minor from 120 to 63 BCE. He had to flee a murderous mother, supposedly, as heir to the throne and in his exile to the wilderness, he purposefully consumed small amounts of poisonous plants to build up his immunity. One of the plants he was supposed to have ingested was from the genus that now bears his name, Eupatorium, of which common boneset is but one of 200 species. He likely ate some White Snakeroot too.  It is extremely toxic and has the notoriety of having killed Abe Lincoln’s mother via the milk she drank from cows who’d eaten it.

Astrid loves her dogs. Blu is from her Corgi Phoebe and Larry’s Phinnie. Yesterday was her 6th birthday. Astrid fixed special doggie cake and they celebrated.