Friday

Last night we received a drink! 1 1/2 inches will keep the grasses alive another week. It’s really hot, above 95 each day. I sit on the porch each evening and guard my chickens for an hour. I take my crochet out there. It’s suffering for but the chickens love it. No coyotes or hawks last night. I'm a chicken Shepard!

Ada and Laura had “meet your teacher” night. Ada is wearing the dress Laura made her. If Erin will let her, she always chooses a skirt or dress to wear. She’s the opposite of Greta at that age. Erin bought her skorts last year. I hope they’re still in style. Ada’s teacher has been at it 7 years. Praying she has patience and structure. Children need structure to learn, not freedom is my belief. 

Laura said she had some parents come by. She gets to leave at noon today because of staying late last evening.

Eric gave Frodo a bath. Doesn’t look like he’s enjoying it.

I lost another friend this week. Her Dad’s sister was married to my Dad’s brother. So her cousins were my cousins! We grew up together. I stayed overnight at her house in elementary school. She loved butterflies, flying flowers. Her son married my great niece. Her sister has been my friend since 5th grade. Her father was my older brother’s hunting Buddy and best friend. Her mother was one of my sister Patsy’s dearest friends. They shared rides to work and traded flowers. Take me home country roads. We traveled the same paths and loved the same people. Her people are my people. I know my sadness doesn’t match her families…but oh, how I feel her absence. 

Barbara Rudd Wade 1958~~2026

The Rudd family minus Lorissa about 1965

L to Right Esther Faye, Ann holding Cynthia, Jonell (my good friend), Barbara Jean in front of Jonell , Mary Ellen, Frances Sue (Lorissa wasn’t born yet. Cindy has passed now Barb.)

Yesterday, I went to the Nursing Home to visit my friend Mary. She’s in comfort care. She and her husband worked hard all their lives. She’s having to pay 232$ a day to stay there. She said that’s where their labor has gone. She said —“spend your money. Why am I still here?” I paid to have her dna done and have built a tree for her. Each time I visit, I’m going to print one of her family lines and tell her about what I found about them. Yesterday, we talked about her surname family. Next week she asked that I tell her about her mother’s family—the Curtis line. I plan to go each week until she passes. Her mind is still sharp at 96.  Living is hard, dying is easy.

August 6

Ada read this book this week and really enjoyed it. I’m wondering if she’s retaining the things she reads about. Hopefully….

Laura won a door prize at her back to school breakfast sponsored by the chamber of commerce. It was a $20 dollar bill from Tyson Foods. That’s where Sister Fleta has worked 38 years. Cash is always a good win.

Camp ended for Ada. Parks and Rec of her town sponsors it. They face painted and celebrated the summer’s end. I had Erin ask her if this was a tattoo. She said to tell me it was just face paint.

I was able to add rotating pictures of Ada on my watch. I can see her the entire day. Erin makes her work in work books each day. She can read well enough to do most sessions with little help. The reading skill has carried over to better math too.

Laura has meet your teacher tonight. I received one of those half off everything from a local store. She found this sweater and said she’d wear it tonight. I like it. 

 I went to Dr. Rasool. He prescribed a beta blocker. As what is causing my rapid beat isn’t exactly pinned down. I am to have an ultrasound of my heart. I will see him in 6 weeks. Beta blockers slow the heart I know. The one I’m taking is toprol xl. One thing it treats is arrhythmia.  Maybe this will help. Hope I’m not so tired I don’t feel like doing my work outside. My life is like walking in a fog.

August 5

Sigrid’s Logan likes plants. Sigrid does too. Logan has had his Fire plant for a while and I liked it. Siggie brought we several cuttings. We stuck them in my old bucket. I had an impatient in it but it died. Every sprig lived. I was so proud of how mine was progressing. Yesterday, I asked Sig to send me a picture of theirs. Wow, mine is puny in comparison. But I still like it. I plan to bring it inside when the cold weather gets here. 

The Fire Plant is called a Pencil Cactus and Fire Stick. It isn’t a cactus. It’s a succulent that loves the sun. The tips of the branches turn red and it can grow into a small tree. I doubt mine will reach tree size.

Lots of House finches are visiting my feeders. I like all the little birds. Fleta has a Carolina Wren nesting in a potted flower. She sent me a picture of the two eggs. I said—put them back fast. She said wrens can’t smell. I sure hope these raise as the Wren’s song is melodious. 

My Dr. appointment is today. Hope I learn it’s not a big issue.

Here’s a Fire Stick turning red…not my picture.

August 4

Well, memories can make you smile and cry! Yesterday my FB memory was my Sisters coming to see me a year ago. Then almost a year later Fleta came alone. It was Helen’s last visit here! Sad memory, but I recalled all the fun we had! Helen always brought lots of food for us because she knew I hated to cook and my meals were the pits.

I got my big yard mowed yesterday. Lessons from Logan!! I didn’t start mowing or working much in the yard until I was 69 years old! I certainly never bought diesel in big containers and hauled it home! Well, after my Farmer Gigi life started, I have to do things I’ve never done before! I just went to Walmart to get my diesel. Logan said, “Gigi, go to the Hob Nob and get off road”. I’m ignorant! Today I did just what Logan said! Closer station, cheaper price! And I support Larry’s old friend Mark Fletcher!

Logan also told me to not mow throwing grass on my gravel lane. Seeds make more grass! Who’d even thought about that! I’m still learning everyday and I’m heading down the life road toward 80!

Loretta is getting cuter everyday. She’s a little sweetie, too.

I will go lift weights and bike ride at the gym today and then I’m going to Aldi’s for milk. Tomorrow, I see  Dr. Rasool about my racing heart.

One of my College professors is getting inducted into the ATU Hall of Fame. She’s asked my friend Kay and I to sit at her table at the banquet. I feel honored. She’s 89 and has few family members to ask to join her in the celebration. 

 

Greta’s First Car

Ada came and got to meet Loretta. She still has on her “church” socks. She loves ruffles.

Ada in the Driver’s seat.

 Greta will be 16 last of October. Astrid wanted a truck to drive as she is a farmer. Greta is getting Astrid’s Camry as her first wheels. Astrid has had it since her last year in college. Now, Greta will take the wheel. She will have it 3 months before driving alone. She was surprised!

First August Sunday

Sister Fleta left for Coin, AR at 8:00. We’re morning drivers. I bragged to our cousin Frankie Powell about cooking her an omelette and toast for breakfast. He teased us with his meal—homemade biscuits, fresh garden tomatoes topped with iron skillet gravy. This was our Dad’s favorite. Ought to have known I can’t top Frankie.

The small Carroll County settlement known as Coin was located on Dry Creek, east of Green Forest. The Coin Post Office was established on April 9, 1891 with Bailey M. Boyd acting as the first postmaster. The town had its ups and downs, with postal service temporarily shutting down in 1893 and again later from 1907-1911. The Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad would come through town in 1901. The Coin Post Office permanently closed on August 5, 1944. Mail service was then transferred to Green Forest.

Sister and I had a great visit. She brought cooler temperatures. We sat each morning and watched the birds. We spent time identifying the bird songs. We both loved the little Carolina Wren’s loud tune. Each evening we let the chickens out and acted as watchmen of coyotes. We road around in my buggy to visit Sigrid, Eric, and Laura. We saw Loretta Lynn. She’s getting more active, kicking her feels high and running as fast as the wind. 

I’ll be back to my boring life tomorrow. Laura starts to work and Fleta will be getting up at 3:30 each morning to head to her job getting there at 5 or 5:30. She’s 78 years old and still running with the big dogs. I’m just a yard dog now!
 

August 1

My best friend came! We both have bed head hair! We’re having a great time💙

I have a FB friend with a new great granddaughter. I’m taking this blanket to her. Her name is Esme’ Rose. That’s the wrong mark on the e but I can’t find the other one.

 Ada got a new winter coat from Eddie Bauer. She loves the fur!

July’s Tail’s Tip

I’m buying Astrid’s Camry for Greta and Astrid is buying this Tundra. It’s a 2023 with 30,000 miles. She’s a farmer and a truck is what she needs. Logan’s truck has a 5th wheel in the back. I like the color of the Tundra. Siggie put her ok on the it.

Hey, Loretta, I love you more than my Irish setter.

Astrid bought a garden Corgi for outside. Blu went crazy mad when she saw it. She didn’t want another dog in the family. She said 4 is a full house.

 Blu has the blues💙

Thursday

Loretta is getting more rambunctious each day. We love her darker color. Astrid thinks her white donkey Toby is the sire as Kitty and Johnny had not been pastured together long enough for him to sire Loretta. It takes 11 to 13 months for a baby to arrive. Loretta was a surprise but we celebrate her being with us. 

Almost an inch of rain to water the meadow! Fingers crossed we get more today. That inch of rain will last less than a week on pastures at 90 degree temperatures! 

 Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life. John Updike

Fleta is coming tomorrow to stay a night or two with me! Happy days!
 

Wednesday

Too hot for me to work outside and everything is turning brown. Astrid needed two blankets for little boy babies last week so I made this one for a baby boy for the next baby shower! I’m working on a chenille one for a girl now. Still unbearable outside.

Greta is on back row in pink. This is with her volleyball team. When the team coach posts a picture, I like to save it on my blog for a memory. 

Our baby is a girl. Logan said we’re calling her Loretta. Her mother is Kitty Wells. She’s lively and pretty.

Pope County Library and their librarians are the best. My friend Donna loved my patchwork quilted book bag Laura made me. She commented she wished she had one in Dallas Cowboy prints. It’s too hot to do much else so Laura created one just for Donna. We took it by the Library yesterday. Albert Einstein was right when he said: “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”

I checked out “The Dutch House” by Ann Patchett. I think I’m going to like the book!

 

Tuesday

My neighbor is accepting visitors. I stopped to check it out. They’re still getting things set up but it’ll be handy for this old lady.

We got a surprise today. Kitty had a baby. Don’t know any details. But this foal is darker.  What big ears you have little one.

The Buck moon will be full tomorrow night. It is really spectacular. My phone doesn’t take good pictures of the heavens.

My father’s family about 1945.

First cousins all descend from R.M. And Gertrude Maples Powell.

My cousin Winnie with me and Sigrid. She was a Zeta like Siggie.

Yesterday  I received a big box. I knew what was inside. My first cousin Winnie Sneed passed this year. I inherited her painting of the R. M. Powell farm at Sunny Lane near Coin, AR. Our Aunt painted it in 1986. It’s where my father and his siblings grew up. The house blew away in the big tornado of 1927. The family lived in the chicken house while my Grandfather built this ‘new” house, now almost 100 years old. 

The night the tornado (March 18, 1927) hit their house, Uncle Truman and Aunt Thelma held the back door shut and Grandpa Powell held the front door shut.  They couldn’t keep the doors completely closed but kept the house from being completely destroyed.  The storm badly damaged the house.  Several large oak trees were blown down in the front yard. They were right in front of the house.  This may have helped block the wind from the house.  The next day Grandpa set out for Green Forest to check on his brother, Jesse, and his family.  The storm picked Uncle Jesse’s house up from the foundation and set it back crooked.  March 19, Aunt Thelma said she had to follow a hen turkey around all day to find its nest.  The turkey and Aunt Thelma were scared because of all the confusion.  Grandpa Melton Powell went to Alpena to get shingles to fix the roof, but he came home with lumber to build a new chicken house.  Aunt Thelma thought maybe the frame of the house was damaged because Grandpa decided to build a new house.  The storm completely destroyed the old chicken house so Grandpa built a new chicken house first.  The family lived in the new chicken house while he built the house.  He tore the old house down. The chicken house had a dirt floor.  They had a wood stove in it.  Grandpa had built a platform across one end and the children slept on that on mattresses.  Winter came before the house was finished.  Snow would blow in the cracks of the chicken house! Thanks to the Sneed family for my blessing. Paul Sneed wrapped it snug. Don’t think I deserved to own the painting but I’m grateful.