Thrower

Greta is a thrower in track— shot and disc! Today she competed at Heber Springs. Erin said 31 schools were there, but I’m doubtful of Erin’s knowledge as that sounds like too many. Greta had two personal bests! Second in shot and 4th in discus. Track is a team sport. Greta Ann earned 13 points for her team. Proud of my girl. 💙🤍💙

 

Here’s Ada in kindergarten and Greta the same. Greta always loved sports. She ran like the wind at 5. She was already taking gymnastics and doing flips and handstands. Ada runs like a bunny. I think it’s interesting that children are born with likes and dislikes. I’m thinking Ada will not be a great athlete but she may be an actress!

One Eyed Helen

Helen’s right pupil is larger than than left, but that is normal. She said it all went well. She goes for a check up today. Before her surgery she spent a lot of energy and time getting her house clean. She had plants in her bathroom for the winter and moved them back outside. I followed her lead and took mine to the back porch! If the temp gets in the 30’s at night we’re going to cover with an old sheet. Last night it was 50 here so I let them be. 

I go to the Dr. today about my blood pressure. The new ace inhibitor is working fine. It’s enalapril. I had a cough but it’s subsided so I guess I had a virus and the med didn’t cause it. I do get dizzy some on standing, but that’s the only side effect I’ve noticed.  

I’ve been cleaning— a fence row. I lack about 20 feet! Making progress. After ticks get busy I’ll not be able to work in the weeds. Spring cleaning 🧹 just outside.  I have pioneer genes!

Like Minds

Sister Helen and I picked the same daffodil bouquet.  We are like minded as half our dna is similar. We got the same X from our father. We have many characteristics that are similar, but each chromosome has two copies. We don’t necessarily get the same one. I think of it like heads and tails. She could get heads and I tails. I got tails on my hair for sure! She’s in surgery now for cataracts. Mom and Dad both had the problem. So we are likely to have it too. Grandma Gaddy had the surgery and then was virtually blind. Doubt they had the procedure down then—1970 era. Fleta has had it. Now Helen. Guess I’m next.

I love the mystery of DNA. I’m a search angel. I help folks who have a dna mystery. Adoptees usually find a mystery. To give up a child isn’t easy. So often there’s a hidden story carrying sadness. Last one I helped find a father found sadness. He was in prison for murder in Nevada and was only 15 when she was conceived. I searched farther and found he had died. One father was a school shooter. The searcher needs to consider if they can handle their mystery.  Twins found a mother who was alive but would not meet them. Everyone I’ve helped said they were happier with the knowledge than the mystery. 

 

Flowers in my Garden bloom

Wye Mountain and the flower that built a church!

Wye Mountain comes alive each March in a sea of yellow for the annual Daffodil Festival. It is hosted by the Wye Mountain United Methodist Church. In 1919, Austin Harmon moved to Wye Mountain from Oklahoma to start a church in an old schoolhouse. That church is now the Wye Mountain United Methodist Church. In 1927, Austin bought half a bushel of daffodil bulbs in Little Rock and planted them around his home. Austin traveled back and forth to Oklahoma, where he continued collecting bulbs and transplanting them. In 1948, the church starting selling the blooms to raise money.  By 1965, the congregation had raised enough money from the daffodils to build a new church and move out of the old schoolhouse. They had 7 acres of daffodils. They stoped selling the flowers and held a daffodil festival instead. The festival had no we date. It was determined by when the flowers bloomed. Today the flowers still bloom and anyone can go and take pictures freely. 🌼🌼

 

Uninvited

 Uninvited guest came by and asked to stay for dinner! He has his eye on my sunflower and corn feeder😂

Ada and her mother and sister are coming today!  She’s out of lipstick. Laura picked up some for me to give her plus two little spring outfits! 

We had tornadoes in our area last night. It’s that time of year! March is half over! Most days I feel like I’m pretty worthless to the world. News is depressing! Everyone seems to hate everyone else. It’s not my way. I want to love and help others. This week I tried to not tune in to the drear reported and I have felt better. Helen is having cataract surgery Monday on one eye and then in two weeks the other eye. Fleta will take her.  I could come up if Fleta can’t get off. They were afraid of something in one eye but the surgery is on go. 

Worms

March’s full moon is called the worm moon and the sugar moon.  Ground starts to thaw and worms start to crawl.  Maple trees are tapped and maple syrup drips.  Go outside tonight and see the March full moon.  Laura read that diabetics can consume maple syrup with benefits.  

I worked cleaning the side fence yesterday.  It is a grown up mess. Lots of Chinese Privet grows there. I despise it. I’m making progress.

 

Little Beauties

Astrid has tomatoes and broccoli ready to go in her raised beds! She got her green thumb from her Pop💚

Little pixie flowers bloom early. They are  just for those who look closely. Most folks step on them and move on. Spring Beauty patches are in my yard. I am watching for the pink wood sorrel because it’s a favorite of mine! Nature is worth stopping to gaze upon! 

 

Virginia American Beauty Blooms

Fairy flowers 🧚🧚‍♀️🧚‍♂️

The little Spring Beauty flowers are blooming! Their real name is Virginia Claytonia. They grow over half of North America and  are a  low plant with loose clusters of pink or whitish flowers, striped with dark pink. The Plant disappears from above ground shortly after the seed capsules have ripened. You’ll see these in large spectular patches. They grow from an underground tuber like a small potato and have a sweet, chestnut-like flavor. Native Americans and colonists used them for food and they are still enjoyed by those interested in edible wild plant.

The green area is where the little fairy flower grows.

Here is what the little tubers look like. I’m thinking of digging some after these bloom and wither.

 

I’m Doggin’

 

Under the watchful eye of the new residents, Logi and Asti continue to “cedar” the barn! I got to burn the pile of ends and pieces yesterday! I try to be useful but am not worth much♥️

My cousin Frankie Powell trains cow dogs. They have trials and he won a category with this dog. My Daddy was a dog man too. We always had what he called an ‘old time Shepard’.  The dog had a collie look but no long nose. More like an Austrian Shepard. Old Colonel was more yellow than black. Dad traded him for a work team of horses and a wagon! (Per Sister Patsy). Dad’s dogs would go get the cows and bring them to the barn lot. They would cut a cow or bull out of the head! They killed snakes by grabbing and slinging them. You better get out of the way‼️ 

Truck Days

My sister in law Barbara fell and broke her femur. She’s 83 I think. She lives with my niece. I was afraid of the outcome, but she is determined and strong. She’ll be back home soon.

Logan and Astrid sold his truck, a blue diesel Ram. He got that ride at 16 and he loved it. They have a camper and the old truck often had issues. They couldn’t go camping ⛺️ too far away. So this is a big rig that will pull a load. Logi brought it over to show me. A cold rain was falling or I’d had him drive me around in it. They worked on the barn yesterday afternoon.

 

New Path

Sigrid is on a new path. This week she was accepted to pharmacy school at UAMS. I’m beyond proud. Wish I could go with her and be her maid. I could fix her supper, wash her clothes, rub her sore feet!

Her friends from High School celebrated with her by eating out. They created a pill cake. 

 

Bloom

When I saw the little pixie flower, 'Bloom where you're planted' occurred to me. I discovered that Saint Francis de Sales, who served as the Bishop of Geneva from 1567-1622, is credited with the quote. Mary Engelbreit's artwork added to its later popularity. Image below is by Mary.

Yesterday, I cleaned on a fence row. I cut brush and briars and picked up dead limb. I have a big pile to burn. It was 71 degrees. Nice to be in the sunshine. I spied this hairy moss. It’s called haircap moss, and is a Polytrichum. The scientific name is derived from the Ancient Greek words polys, meaning "many", and thrix, meaning "hair". This name was used in ancient times to refer to plants with fine, hairlike parts, including mosses! Isn’t just beautiful 💚

Whiskey loves basking in the sun. Astrid joined him and took a selfie with her pal.