Thursday

Old Pope County Library and its Lantana!

Our old Pope County Library opened in October 1937! It was built by the WPA (Works Progress Administration)  under President Franklin Roosevelt and now on National Register of Historic Places.  It’s called the Heritage Hall and is used for community group gatherings, local meetings, and special children's programs hosted by the Pope County Library System.  

I’m proud of our wonderful library and all who work for US there. I returned some books there yesterday and picked up three. One was about one of the first forensic scientists—Alan Moritz. Already finished it and I found it very interesting.Found a new book about George Washington. I’ve started it. It’s really too hot to crochet. 

It’s picture day for Ada. She insisted on wearing a dress. Clayton finishes his first week of college today.

Blu has a birthday. Astrid celebrates their big day with cake and party hats. Blu is my Phinnie’s pup. She’s special to me. I think it’s number 7 which is 49 in human years.

My poor Laura was attacked at school by a special student. He kicked her, pulled her hair and tried to strangle her with her lanyard that holds her id. All very scary. She went to the Dr. and is home resting her injured leg. What teachers endure would surprise many. Laura programs his speaking devise. She’s a speech therapist.  She has a button to push and she pushed it. 
 

The Witches Brew

My favorite summer flower is Lantana. It loves the heat and we’re having a lot of heat. It loves the sun, too. It’s tough! Even a casual gardener like dumb old me can grow it. The butterflies, bees, and even the hummingbirds are drawn to it. My sweet Astrid bought this one for me. It won’t come back because it’s in a pot but in the ground it might. There’s a bunch of Lantana by the old Pope County Library that looks like bushes each summer.  All parts of the Lantana are poisonous when ingested in high amounts. 

Lantana has a dark side. All of us do…our old sin nature. It’s a Verlaine (Verbena) plant, the witches’ flower.  In “The Vampire Diaries”, verbena is a rare herb serving as a defense against vampires. When touched or ingested by a vampire, it burns them, induces severe weakness, and causes high fevers. When used by humans, it blocks mind control (compulsion).  

Even in the Middle Ages, Verlaine  was often used in magicians’ and witches’ potions for protection and as an aphrodisiac.  It was considered a cure-all for treating the digestive system and ailments of the abdominal region, as well as the lungs.  

Verbena grows about knee-high in dry ditches and along roadsides. The Romans called it the most sacred plant in their civilization. So did the Greeks before them. So did the Christians after them. It was put on the alter for protection. Anglo-Saxon healers put it in their remedies. Across history, medical and religious tradition that encountered this modest herb reached the same conclusion: it was sacred, and it had to be gathered with ceremony.

Wild verbena and not my picture 

 

Til the Storm Passes By

Yesterday afternoon I was thrilled when we started to get rain. But then the wind started blowing really hard. I watched from the back porch, but had to come in as the winds were horrible. The storm continued an hour plus and we got an inch of rain. It was about 100 and it cooled into the 80’s after it was over. It. Warmed back up by evening.

The high winds blocked Galla Creek Lane with limbs and debris. They snapped a maple tree in the big pasture.

The winds destroyed the donkey shed and bent fence posts. The barbed wire was twisted together. I went over and untwisted the wire and used zip ties to tie it to posts so the donkeys couldn’t get out.

Then I drove the other fence line and checked on Logan and Astrid’s and Eric and Laura’s houses. They were all undamaged but small limbs were down. The swing at the pond was toppled. 

The old shed has some roof damage.

Logan and Astrid repaired by zip tied fence after they got home. They’ll work again this weekend.

Sigrid started back to UAMS yesterday. Year two is underway. I’m amazed at how much she already knows. She’s going to be an awesome pharmacist! Clayton started his first year of college too. Wishing him success! After classes he went to his job at Walmart for the evening. I’m proud of him👏

 

Monday

Clayton and Sigrid are back to school today. I’ve been thinking about them. 

Ada is drawing Greta during church. I often took things like this for Sigrid to do during Church. 

Even though, it’s really hot my purslane looks very good in the morning. In the afternoon all the blooms close up. 99 again today.

Erin weeded her front flower beds and found a friend— we call them Garter snakes. They are harmless but often will startle you. The rhyme about colored snakes is…red touches yellow, kill a fellow!

 

Sunday

Ada is ready for church. She loves dressing up and will carry a book to read while waiting for her class. I bet the congregation chuckles at all her “get up”. She loves sparkling shoes too.

Astrid and Logan R rented a boat earlier and hadn’t used it they invited Sigrid and Logan E. Sig reminds me of her mom here. I love the picture as their legs are distorted and looooong.

Erin takes Ada to Boone County Library each Saturday. She checks out a batch of books. She’s supposed to be collecting those she wants to read but often Erin discovers her reading one and her task is forgotten. Having a Grandchild that loves to read is like seeing my reflection.

Went by Alpena. Larry’s flowers are still there but not lively. Maybe we can get a fall arrangement after the weather cools.

Put my brother’s gut tub on my old plow and put the Coleus plant it. I broke some stems but maybe it’ll come back. Gilbert used it when he killed a deer. It’s my remembrance of him. The pot I had there was so small even with daily water the plant was wilted each day. 

Fleta says reading aloud helps prevent dementia. I’m reading my devotional aloud each day. She said 15 minutes but this isn’t quite that long. If anyone comes in my house and hears me they’ll think I already have dementia!
 

Barbara’s Service

Greg and Erin have been married 21 years today! Happy years head is my wish for the. Their lives are busy. Greg goes to weekend gun shows. Clayton starts to College Monday. I’m praying he loves it. Greta is in high school and plays several sports. Lots of going. Then Ada is a second grader and just starting out in school. Erin travels with her nursing career. She evaluates requests for more assistance in care. She goes to the clients’ homes. Greg has to deliver and pick up the children. They manage but it’s a whirlwind lots of days.

Fleta and I 21 years ago and we were together today for Barbara’s service. I drove there and back. Made it just find. I’m glad I could attend and see so many friends and family. About 6 hours of driving though.

Ingrid was so excited about the wedding.she had to have a wedding dress. Sigrid is not 6 months old.

Greta sophomore school photo. They take them the first day of school.

 

Friday

Gardening days are in my past!  I had the rest of the fried okra yesterday for lunch with a sliced tomato. Okra can defend itself from being picked! It’ll give you a taste of misery in a hurry. You do not know the meaning of itch until you harvest okra. I just wore a long sleeved shirt when I picked it!

I can tolerate stinging okra itch ‘cause there’s nothing better than fried okra. Both names, okra and gumbo, are of African origin.  Okra came to New Orleans with African slaves. By 1748, okra was being grown as far north as Philadelphia, and, in 1781, grown by Thomas Jefferson in Virginia.

Okra is relatively easy to grow, but it’s a warm season crop, and can’t be planted too early. Granny Renfroe told me to soak the seeds in water first and add a little bleach to crack the hull. We planted crimson spineless.

Okra is a nutritious flower with family lineage. It’s edible hibiscus, of the Mallow family. Cotton is in the mallow family, too. so okra and cotton are cousins! 

Okra can be used in many different ways. It is easily dried for later use. A little dried okra in dishes produces about the same result as fresh. When ripe, the seeds make an edible oil that is similar to other cooking oils. The ripe seeds of okra are sometimes roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee.

Look at pretty little Loretta. She’s sassy but sweet.

This morning Laura left homemade pizza on my porch  for my lunch. I warmed it in an iron skillet. I’m going to eat all three pieces!

This is my friend Barbara who passed away. I’m going to Green Forest tomorrow for her funeral. I’ll get up early and leave by seven. Fleta will meet me at the funeral home. 

My air conditioner quit working yesterday. Thankfully, Paul Duvall got me fixed. It was the fan motor in the inside unit. $664.00 but I’m happy because each day is reaching 100 degrees. Larry was a heat and air technician. I thought that was the problem and it was. 

Went to Kroger today. I bought my groceries for the week. Milk is $4.09. That’s the highest I have ever paid for milk. 
 

Thursday

Astrid’s watermelon is growing as we speak. We hope it’ll have time to mature before frost and hopefully a deer won’t get it. They used to break ours with a hoof and then eat them.

Laura went to the farmer’s market and bought okra and squash. She shared with me. The okra was really good! 

It was really hot yesterday. I mowed. Took me an hour and half. No rain in the forecast so it’ll likely turn brown quickly.

 I working on a baby boy blanket. I paid for the pattern. I tried to picture figure it out, but couldn’t. I’ll have to make several using the pattern to get the value out of the purchase.

Exercised and lifted weights today. Then I went to Aldi’s for a few Frits and vegetables.

Hump Day

This guy came by this morning asking if I was serving breakfast. 

I finished the baby blanket I was working on. I’m making one of the heart pattern I paid for now. It’s baby boy blue. I’m having to check the directions with every few stitches. Doubt I’d ever figured it out without a written pattern. 

Trash man came and cleaned up underneath my bird feeders. He didn’t climb the poles. 

Piper has a new outfit. She doesn’t want to be a chicken. Blu doesn’t want chickens in the house either.

Astrid keeps an eye on her chicken pen. On the far left there’s a big visitor checking out the area.