New Week

Fleta is putting flowers on the graves at Alpena cemetery. Helen made arrangements each year. Fleta and I kicked in with cash, but mostly Helen did it all. She has a lot of flowers and stuff in storage. Fleta and I are not arrangers though. These two stones belong to Helen and our baby sister, Debbie. Debbie was a down’s.  She lived 29 years. The flat stone is Helen’s. All my siblings and my parents are here. My Grandmother’s ancestors are here too.  I sent a donation to help with the mowing.

Fleta and I loved seeing all of Astrid’s outside flowers. This one was special.

Ingrid shared this. She works in radiology and loves pink. I’ll see her this weekend on our trip to Alabama.

Astrid’s Sign on her Chicken Coup

My favorite Pope County Library called Saturday and I picked up a book I requested—Unread. It’s a memoir by Oliver James. He graduated from high school and went one year to a local community college. He was functionally illiterate.  I’ve read about half the book. Many folks are living like Oliver. Everything is a hurdle. Oliver survived by keenly observing everything, everyone and not saying much. He started trying to read at 32 and has became avid reader. Should one be happy Oliver learned to read at 32 or sad it didn’t happy at age 6?

Sunday

Fleta brought Laura and I a pretty tomato. I’ll make a blt this week.  She left in late morning for home. It was nice having her.

As a field trip, Laura’s school took the children to Jessieville, AR to hunt crystals. Everyone can find one. Laura is a speech pathologist but she filled in for another teacher whose son is on the ATU baseball team. They are playing their tournament and the teacher was able to attend her son’s game. 

A zip line across a the rocky field was enjoyed by the children. Laura said it looked scary to her.

Fleta brought me root stimulator at Tractor Supply. To heck with my willow Tea.

Busy Saturday

Logan has mowed most of the day. His tractor has air. This will get rid of weeds and let the grass grow. 

Sister and I went over to Astrid’s (we had permission). She wasn’t home. Fleta took cuttings from lots of pretty flowers to try to root. She went to tractor supply to buy a new hummingbird feeder with a moat. She came home with plants for me and root stimulation powder like I’m trying to make. Sisters like helping sisters.

Laura picked me two Impatients. I put them in a basket pot I already had.

Helen’s granddaughter graduated from high school this week. She also has a two year college degree already. Her name is Lexi. Made me sad that Helen was not here to applaud her. Fleta and I sent her a graduation 👩‍🎓 gift. 

Both night my meals were ok but not delicious. Last night I bought  a roosted chicken at Walmart and fixed vegetables in the oven. Tonight I cooked t-bones in my iron skillet served with baked potato and salad. None of it was great. Laura made cheesecake and brought us a slice. It was soooo good. Fleta will go home in the morning.  We have sat and watched the birds a lot and talked about how much we miss Helen.  

 

WillowTea

I’m making Willow tea to try to root some plants. You cut small willow branches and remove the leaves. Then heat water and add stems to a glass jar. Set in the sun 3 days. Remove stems. The water encourages root growth because the willow bark contains auxin and salicylic acid.  Willow tea natural alternative to commercial rooting hormones, stimulating root development for plant cuttings, especially stems. It’s supposed to increase root development by 90%.  I’m going to try it with some geranium leaves if Astrid will let me have some.

The Brown Thrush was here yesterday. I love watching a new bird stop by. 

Fleta will be here this afternoon. 😊😊
 

Thursday

I made an Aldi’s bag for my favorite librarian~~ Amy Patsy!

Fleta is coming tomorrow. I’m excited. She staying 2 nights. We’ll watch The Green Book one night and Bright Creatures the next with Sally Field. She doesn’t have Netflix. I requested the new Elizabeth’s Stout book—The Things we Never Say. She has new characters in this book. It’s not about the Olive Kitteridge crew. Right now I have nothing to read. 

Astrid is reaping reward for her labor in the garden. The salad looks delicious. Daddy liked wilted lettuce salad. Momma would take a bowl of greens and pour hot bacon grease over them. She put chopped green onions in it. Oh, how he loved it. 

Sigrid came yesterday. She’s wonderful company. She has a lull and then she’ll be busy again. She went to ATU to investigate a degree. She will graduate from there with a BS degree after another semester at UAMS. The hours will transfer. 

The above pic is from my bird cam. I used zip ties and fastened it to my weather vane. The birds like it better and I do too. Having it on the stand was too low for them to feel safe. Mostly the cardinals are eating there but more will discover it in time.

 

Wednesday

One more Iris bloom. 

As it warms up Whiskey and Manchi enjoy the shade. I grew up without air conditioning. We had one fan. The shade was welcoming in the summer. We had a swing in the yard. Dad and Mom often sat there after supper. Fleta and I washed the dishes. We used metal dish pans for the chore. She washed and I rinsed and dried. I wasn’t responsible enough to get the dishes clean. There was no draining of dishes. They were dried and put away. The water went into a big bucket. Dad added shorts to the dirty greasy water and it was fed to the hogs. We were poor. Nothing was wasted. Wheat shorts isn’t a term folks use today. It’s leftover bran, germ, and flour from wheat after milling. It was a cheap feed. 

I watched the program about Richard Simmons last even.  I enjoyed learning about his life.

Here’s the special card Astrid created for me. See the Cardinal. She knows I love the Red Birds. They represent Pop to us. He was a St. Louis Cardinal fan. Love my card.

 

Tuesday

 

Getting old is difficult. More and more of my friends die. My cousin Winnie Jo passed over the weekend. She was an only child and I one of eight. We had become so close in our retirement years. She’s in the heart of my cousin picture above and below is a picture of us when she came to visit. She was a Zeta and Sigrid joined too. Winn stayed connected to the group her entire life.  There she had sisters. Sigrid wasn’t as enthusiastic about the organization. She has real sisters. But this connected Siggie to Winnie. I’m very sad, not for Winnie but for me. She was 83.

Astrid picked a bouquet of flowers from the Meadow. It’s wild daisies, Tick Seed and white Fox Glove. It’s truly beautiful.

Below is the iron Sig said I had to take the rest of my life. Most of my life I have been anemic. I take it as she prescribed~~one tablet on rising with orange juice or a vitamin C tab. Then wait an hour to even drink coffee. What a pain, but I’m so much better. Who knew that anemia causes sleep problems and anxiety. Well, Sig knew. I’m not getting as dizzy. That has to do with hemoglobin. I had a bad dizzy spell driving about a month ago. I became frightened to drive. I’m doing much better. My little Siggy is one of my 5 angel girls. Life is hard and then you die! 

Monday

Logan bush hogged the pasture yesterday. It looks clean and green. Lots of work for Logan though.

Ingrid posted this yesterday. I’ll get to see her in a few weeks.

Sigrid is always finding something interesting to do. She’s pretending this hollow tree is a coffin. Below is lake Catherine where Laura’s bunch hiked.

 I made Laura a Aldi’s bag. I looked at the green one to make it. 

Today, I lifted weights at Focus Fitness.  I’m getting stronger. 

Mother’s Day

Momma’s on the left in front. Her name was Hazel. Her Mother (wearing a hat) is behind her left~~Irene. Momma’s sister is to her left~~Helen.  Momma’s Aunt is behind her and the others are her cousins visiting from California. Momma was about 14 years old.

Oh, I wish today I could tell my Momma how much I appreciate all she did for me.  She put self last.  No, “me first” in her life.  She was a giver not a taker.   

Ephesians 6: 2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” 

Happy Mother’s Day.

Astrid’s hanging baskets are really pretty. Today Laura’s family went for a hike  as it is Laura’s favorite activity. Astrid picked one near Lake Catherine and Hot Springs. I can’t go along now, but wish I could because it’s one of my favorite things too.

Erin gifted me a bird cam for Mother’s Day. It was too expensive but when more birds find the food, I’ll have lots to watch. My favorite little birdy tried it.

I don’t have a walk in shower. Laura installed another hand grip. I tried it last night and I like where she put it. It’s for when I step over the side of the tub. Sig checked it out and said—next a shower chair! I guess she’s right. She gave me a cross body bag for my phone when my pants don’t have pockets. I needed it.

Logi and Asti gave me hand rails at my other two doors. I really like the way they steady me going down my steps. Installed is the best part. How nice to be a Mom and get so many nice gifts. 🎁 I’m blessed with the best children!