Another Moonlit Stroll

The Hunter’s Moon was fully lit this morning.  Right away eight deer passed in front of me.  I thought—this is the reason it’s called hunter’s moon.  They were plainly visible and stood frozen in front of me.

 

Walking in Hunter’s Moon Light

Laura and I rose before 4:30 to walk.  We were rewarded by a wonderful walking partner—the Hunter’s Moon.  Not quite full, that will occur Wednesday.  The Full Hunter’s Moon will feature the peak of the Orionids meteor shower.  And we are fast losing daylight.  Over the next week, we will lose 16 minutes of daylight. By Sunday October 24th, sunrise will move from 7:27 am to 7:34 am and sunset will move from 6:32 pm to 6:23 pm. This will bring us down to 10 hours and 49 minutes of daylight and up to 13 hours and 11 minutes of darkness.  But, alas, November 7,  is fall back clock time.  Falling back is easier than springing forward.

 

Mowing Forever

I mowed about 3 hours yesterday.  Over half October is over and the grass still must be mowed.  I used to sit on the porch while Larry mowed.  I’d read or listen to the radio.  He mowed lots more than I do.  Astrid and Logan mow over at his big shop.  Eric mows the road between my house and theirs.  I’m more aware of this task since becoming head mower.  Don’t think I appreciated all the previous mower did.  He mowed inside the Meadow fence so I could walk that route and the trail to Galla Lake.  I give thanks for all he did all those years.  Now, Phinnie sits on the porch and watches while I trim the grass as I used to do.

 

New Chicken House

Astrid has these two chicken houses, but she wanted a bigger one.  She asked about doing something with Larry’s old doc kennel setup.  At first, I couldn’t imagine it being gone, but as time has passed, I. Able to realize that’s all past.  I told her to do whatever she wanted with it.

Logan cut some trees around it.  They were really close to the kennel.

They had to tear the back off the kennel.  Astrid’s making it her chicken house. It’ll have sections so she can have separate areas for different varieties.

Her front porch is always pretty.  She has lots of mums blooming.

Astrid always draws a plan of what she wants.  I can’t wait to see how it looks when completed.  Someone gave Logan the wood on the outside, but they had to buy the studs.

 

A Good Day to Live

I’m simple and it’s doesn’t take much to make me happy.  This morning Laura brought me half a loaf of pumpkin bread.  Her recipe is a copy of the Starbucks’ bread.  I fixed rich Foldgers coffee to enjoy with it.  The Blue Heron made me smile when I walked.  I could feel his irritation at my mere presence.  His world, not mine!   The Asters and Sunflowers were still blooming lingering for me to behold them.  But my greatest gift today was a short video of Ada rocking her little chair mumbling gibberish.  Gods in his heaven, all’s right with the world.  My world is exactly what I choose to make it and I’m coloring it beautiful.

 I need to create a record that I can search and reveal for my self.  October 14 I joined Focus Fitness so I can go there to work out.  I am using weights and the elliptical.  So fat it’s rewarding.

Beautiful Morning

 

Go out into God’s beautiful spaces today.   Lil’ Red and I walked at Lake Dardanelle Park.  The air was cool and breezy.  A perfect morning to give thanks to the Father for all he has provided.  The purple bloom is an Aromatic Aster and the yellow a variety of Sunflower.  I was able to log 3 inspiring miles.  “If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk.  If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.”  Hippocrates

Permission Forecast

 My Persimmon tree is loaded.  Laura drove through Galla Meadow last week and carried a handful to school.  With the help of her students, she got three opened.  All were spoons.  Old saying—we’ll be shoveling snow this winter.  

Old Timers say if persimmons have a spoon, fork, or knife it tells something of the winter to come. A spoon predicts lots of snow to shovel, a knife means cold, cold that cuts like a knife and if they have a fork inside the winter will be mild.

Ladysthumb

Two dumb old women saw this weed in Sister Helen’s yard.  Sister Fleta and I  now know a lot more about Smartweed and Ladysthumb.  I'd rather be a smart-weed than a dumb-flower.  The flowers are tiny and range from white to red, with most being pink. They are members of the Buckwheat family.   There are lots of types of Smartweeds.  The one in  Dad’s old yard is called Ladysthumb.  Ladysthumb is identified by the thump print on each leaf.  If you look closely at each leaf you can see it.   These plants are called  Smartweed  because they have a sharp, peppery flavor and their plant juice will make your eyes tear.

Native Americans used the leaves in treatments of stomach pains and poison ivy. They also rubbed the plant on their horses as an insect repellant. The flowers attracts bees, wasps, and flies.  White-tailed deer chomp on it and the seeds are very popular with  songbirds.

 

Ironweed

Just when I thought all the pretty blooms had passed away, yesterday, I spied the purple Ironweed.  Bouquets of these purple flowers are as beautiful as any at a florist’s shop.  A single plant can bear hundreds of flowers up to 6 inches wide.

Plus, these  beautiful blossoms attract hosts of butterflies and is also a great source of pollen and nectar for a bevy bees.  In 2007 our  Postal service acknowledged the value of the ironweed to native pollinators, issuing a block of four stamps depicting four pollinators and wildflowers. One of the stamps featured a southern dogface butterfly nectaring on prairie ironweed.  Ironweed’s name comes from the strength of its sturdy stems.  Isn’t it lovely?

 

Walking in the Cool Air

Most of the wildflowers are going to seed so they can bloom again.  Foxtails swayed in the breeze aplenty today.  The little Red Sage Astrid gifted me and I sprinkled around the lantana blooms.   Small red berries signal Christmas season is around the corner.  Time marches on.  We can’t stop the the ticking.  I find comfort in my name being engraved on His palms.  This will not pass away✋🤚

 

Sumac

Sumac was bright this morning on my walk near Galla Lake.  Sumac is used as a spice, as a dye, and in medicine.

 

Sister Helen’s Country Spa

 

Well, I feel like I spent the weekend at Sister Helen’s Country spa.  Food was fabulous.  Walked over the acreage my Father sold in the late sixties.  Wonderful exercise.  Spiritual refilling came with Rev. Jerry Scitern’s message in the little Coin Church and walking through the forgotten  Black Oak Cemetery down near Dry Creek.  Jacob Shank’s old grave was adorned with Poke Berries.  I roamed the fields Dad plowed in the late 1940’s.  I picked my baby Brother’s head stone.  I know my people love me and I love them.   I want to try to focus on the good in the world and doing better tomorrow than I did today.