Hump Day

Ada is wearing a hand me down jacket. It was Astrid’s, then Ingrid’s, Sig’s and I think Greta wore it too. Ada had to dress herself as Mom wasn’t home. Hopefully, her pant leg will ooze down as she walks. She called staying with Greg —Daddy days! Greta’s volleyball team beat Huntsville and they play today at 4:00. Laura and I are going. I’m excited. They play Pottsville.  

My fire plant is turning red. I planted my pansies and ripped the purslane from its pots yesterday. It was still alive but needs more heat to bloom. I put donkey poop on my pansies. I put them in a pit that had purslane in it.

 

October 20

 

This is the plant Fleta fixed for my June birthday. I’ve really enjoyed it and kept it watered. It’s stayed as pretty as when she gave it to me. Frost is coming 😢

For 39 years the20th was my payday. I still love the day.

Astrid teaches at the gym where I lift weights. She teaches one class a week early morning. Last Saturday she taught Saturday morning too. Her turn out was good. Laura always supports her by attending. It’s an intense workout. I can’t do it.

This nasty hole digger was ant hunting last night in my yard. I called Logan asking for him to eliminate the pest. By the time Logan got here, he’d went in a big den hole. I may just use the ax next time he comes around. I despise them on the level of snakes.

Sigrid loves pickle ball. She gets to play at school as several love it. I taught pickle ball to my 6 graders 25 years ago. The game has been around a long time. It’s a cross between tennis and badminton. I’d play today excepting for my bad knees. You use a side step and I’d hurt my knee easily.

Greta’s Gobs won District and last night the won first game in regionals. Second game today. Erin stayed over night with me and has left for the game today. She has to work to so if they win she can’t watch game three. The Goblins have won the right to go to state. Last night the team stayed in motel rooms at fort smith. I know it was fun for the girls. They ate together at Olive Garden after the game. High school is a fun time.

Team with the district tournament trophy.

Monday

Kay got her hair and nails done, went to the chiropractor and for a massage before our Saturday shindig. I just tried to style my hair and wore clothes I had. I had a black jacket, but I told Laura Kay was wearing black so Laura loaned me her green jacket. Tech’s color seemed appropriate. Barbara and several others wore jeans and tennis shoes. I am older than the two Kay’s and Barb. Dr. Gordon is 90. She’s totally “ with it” still.

L to R.  Barbara Adams, Dr. Gordon, me, Kay

My friend Kay and I were honored this weekend to share in the induction ceremony of Dr. Patricia Gordon into the Arkansas Tech Athletic Hall of Fame as her invited guests. Dr. Gordon was inducted for her service! In the presentation she was rightly called “the Godmother of Tech’s women athletics”. She started sports programs there as a young professor with virtually no money—prompting, coaching, encouraging, laying the foundation to the athletic programs ATU enjoys today. She instructs Kay and I often to “just call me Pat.” It’s really difficult to put someone so revered on that personal level. Congratulations to our dear Doc Pat Gordon. She’s one in a million!

As an added treat, I saw my old friend Marty Barnes inducted for his basketball leadership at ATU. We shared memories of our work together at RMS in that old WPA gymnasium! I congratulate, Marty! 

ATU did a fantastic job with their ceremony.  I felt humbled to be in attendance! Thank you, ATU💚💛💚

Kay, Barbara, Doc, and Kay Woodiel

Abby Davis and Pat— Abby is the athletic director at ATU

Marty Barnes and I taught together in 1973.  Later he was ATU’s basketball coach.

Greta’s volleyball team is playing in the Regional tournament today. The game is at Mena, AR. Erin came by and will stay with me tonight. Mena is over 4 hours from Harrison. If Greta wins tonight, they will be in the State tournament. Hope they win. I’ll be able to watch the game on you tube. The team was conference champions and won the district tournament already. Go Goblins.

Stopover

Justin and Ingrid came this weekend for a stop over with us! Justin’s friend was getting married and Justin was proud to be his guest. It was wonderful to be with them and the briefness made more dear. 

May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

I add to the blessing “May the hurricanes stay away from Mobile🌀🌀

Last week Laura made my favorite ❤️ cheesecake❤️ There were several pieces and I have one more for today. Sister Fleta made another favorite of mine~~ carrot cake! She forgot to put it in the car. So she’s enjoying it today. I can’t be too upset with her because she forgot her blood 🩸 pressure pills too and I was afraid she’d have a stroke!

I’m dreaming of a slice of carrot cake with cream cheese icing 🥕🥕🥕

October 17

 

My Sister has been gone a year yesterday. The above picture is one she loved, but below is how she looked at 70. Everyone on FB is posting those pictures that make one look younger and attractive. Someone fixed one for Helen and she loved it. The picture on down is Flet and I with Sigrid. Fleta came to help me through the anniversary of Helen’s trip to heaven. If you want to see me in a ai picture look at Sigrid and my other grand girls. I can see myself in each of them, Clayton too. Of course, they look better than I did then, but similar in some traits. I am 1/4 of each one. Not the same 1/4 but still 25 percent!

I must try to fix my hair etc as at 11:20, Kay is picking me up. My prayer today is to not embarrass myself. Kay’s getting her hair and nails done. I decided to just be me. I’m an old haggard lady and I’ll look the part.

My six grandchildren are the reason I want to live longer. I want to help them make a life as great as possible. I’m proud of all six. The Lord surely blessed me 6 times. I thought only 5 times but then He sent Ada. She’s the exclamation point at the end of my sentence. 

Fleta left for Coin early this morning. She said she’d come again in November 👏. May the Lord bless you this day.

Friday

 

The picture is of my great niece and great great niece. They live San Antonio. Their names are Angela and Lucy. Angie is adopted. My niece was 17 and unmarried. She gave Angie up. I found her this year. I have thought of her all her life and prayed for her. She was lost to me but now I know her. It’s a blessing. Her adopted mother is still devoted to her, but Angie said she always felt lost. Angie’s mother is deceased. My brother Clayton is Angie’s grandfather.

Angie shared new pictures. She is beautiful and Lucia too.

Ada loves healthy food. She had carrots and broccoli for lunch. Her table is covered with spider webs.

Tomorrow is my day with Doc Gordon. I hope it all goes well. She’s elderly.

Fleta is here and we’re enjoying each other company. Today we ate at Arby’s. Last time as it was horrible. Astrid took us to her favorite nursery. I bought a pretty mum and two 6 packs of pansies. 

October Half Over

Asters bloom on Mount Nebo. I can’t walk miles like I once did but my sweet Laura goes many miles each week. When she spies a pretty flower she sends me a picture. Not like seeing with my own eyes but still so beautiful!

Aster in Greek means “star”. They are in the daisy family and have a starburst arrangement. The bright blue petals surround a yellow center. I think of my own Astrid when I see an aster. But her name does not come from the flower. Astrid is an old Scandinavian name derived from old Norse words.

Last night when I locked my chickens up, I saw the sliver of the moon. 🌙 Sliver is an old English word from split or cleave. But it’s just an illusion as the moon is still whole just hidden from me. Life is like that part we don’t know about but it’s there. If we could see, we could understand. Many things I don’t understand and wish I could just stop thinking about the reasons and answers as I have no control over any of it. I’m just passing through.

Lake Dardanelle last night at sunset. And the 1/4 inch of rain yesterday gave the pasture a small drink. It’s still hot today. Fleta made it down but is Christmas shopping before coming here. I think she enjoys showing more than I do. I’m glad she can shop at different stores when she comes to visit.

Astrid has invited us to go to her favorite nursery tomorrow and then maybe for ice cream! I may buy some pansies!

 

Hump Day

Finally we’re getting some much needed rain. Maybe I can burn my pile of limbs next week. Supposed to get more rain tomorrow. I’m hoping. It’s really hot still. This morning it was 72 and humid. I walked and did some grocery shopping. Fleta will be here on my normal grocery store day. I just got a few things. Aldi’s milk was 2.99. A very good price. I hope that holds for a while. 

Last Friday I bought some hamburger. I really want US beef, but I don’t know how to tell where it came from.

Surprise Lilies

The Lilies that pop up and bloom were once around trees. Larry’s mother planted these around a Fuji apple tree.  The tree died but the lilies still bloom.

Jimmy Carter is my cousin. I would say he may not be recorded in history as the best of the Presidents--but he will be remembered for his beliefs and will be called a good, Godly man.

In the 1740s two little boys lived near Washington D. C., but there was no Washington D. C. then. I suppose they tended the tobacco plants of their father. I suppose they slept in the same bed at night. Their names were Charles and John Powell. Charles was my Grandfather and John his brother was my many greats Uncle. John married Margaret McDaniel while the family still lived near Washington D. C. The passed down tale is that Margaret was lured to a ship in the harbor near a town in Ireland, perhaps Dublin. The ship forced her into the hull and hauled her to America to be auctioned off as an indentured servant. When she ship landed in the harbor of Stafford County, VA another past indentured servant (Duke Whalebone) stood at the sale of servants and took pity on Margaret. He purchased her and took her to their little home where she grew up and married John Powell. Don't know if the story is true but 100s of years later different lines of the John Powell family knew the same tale with some variations. They had her name as McDonald where the records show her last name as McDaniel.

The John Powell family moved to Caswell County, NC before the Revolutionary War. They had a houseful of children including a daughter named Judith. Judith married William Seals Muse. His mother may have been unmarried when he was born or perhaps they were abandoned by Mr. Seals or maybe he died. William lived with his Grandparents most of the time and used the last name of Muse. Sophia was his mother's name. After America took the lands of Georgia from the Cherokee. I guess you could say stole it. William and Judith moved to Georgia where Sophia already had gone with his step-father. After a short time in Georgia, William used only the last name of Seals. William and Judith had a son named Spencer. 

Spencer Seals married Elizabeth Burnley and they had a son William Archibald Seals. William A. Seals married Eliza Harris and they had a daughter named Mary Ann Diligent Seals. She married Littleberry Carter. I copied the rest of this from a site about James Earl Carter, my cousin. 

Littleberry Walker Carter (1832-1874)

In 1851 Littleberry Walker Carter married Mary Ann Diligent Seals (c.1838-c. 1874) in Warren County, Georgia. She was the daughter of William A. (b. 1814) and Eliza Harris (b. 1815) Seals of Warren County. In the mid 1850s the Carters and Seals lived in that part of Warren County that became Glascock in 1857 and it was there that William A. Seals died in 1860, and his widow in 1886.

Littleberry and Mary Ann moved c. 1860 to Sumter Co. near his father's plantation. He served in the American Civil War in Captain Cutts Sumter County Flying Artillery, serving in Virginia. Littleberry was a farmer and was buried on his farm at the time of his death at the age of 42.

Littleberry and Mary Ann had four children:

• Jeremiah Calvin (1855-1925)
• Eliza Ann (b. 1856)
• William Archibald (1858-1903)
• Nannie Bell (b. 1866)

William A. Carter (1858-1903)

William A. Carter married Nina Pratt (1863-1939) in 1885. She was the daughter of James E. and Sophronia Cowan Pratt of Abbeville District, South Carolina. William and Nina were living in Arlington, 50 miles SW of Plains, where they had moved in the mid 1880's, when he died at the age of 45. Nina then moved to Plains, where she lived out her life and was buried.

William and Nina had five children:

• Ethel (b. 1887)
• William Alton (b. 1888)
• Lula (b. 1891)
• James Earl (1894-1953)
• Jeanette (1904-1984)

James Earl Carter (1894-1953)

James Earl Carter married Lillian Gordy in 1923. He was an insurance broker, farmer, fertilizer dealer, Baptist and Democrat. A veteran of World War I, he served on the County Board of Education and was a state representative in his first term when he died at the age of 59. The couple had four children:

• James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. (b. October 1, 1924)
• Gloria (Mrs. Walter G. Spann)(b. October 22, 1926, d. March 5, 1990)
• Ruth (Mrs. Robert T. Stapleton)(b. August 7, 1929, d. September 26, 1983)
• William Alton "Billy" (b. March 29, 1937, d. September 25, 1988)

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. 1924-2024

Jimmy Carter married Eleanor Rosalynn Smith (b. August 18, 1927) on July 7, 1946.

Our blood tie has been watered down as the world turned. My computer says we are 6th cousins once removed!!

Tuesday

Ada is going to be Laura Ingalls for pumpkin day. She fits the part. Maybe she can use the outfit for book character day or Pioneer Day too— if her school has those days. Of the books Laura picked for her, she was most excited about “Survive”. It’s about the wild fires in California. She’s reading it on the way to school and after school. Her parents won’t let her take it with her to school. 

I did my workout today. Went to Hobby lobby for some yarn. Also, filled my car with gas. Fleta’s coming Thursday. Doc Gordon’s induction into the Hall of Fame is Saturday. 

I’m having a little trouble continuing to blog. My life is same o, same o. Nothing really exciting.

 

October 12

 

This tree is one my friend shared with me. It’s in Searcy County. It grew around the fence or two spouts got twisted together above the fence vand grew together. 

Eric locked up Astrid’s chickens each night. One evening he took them the leftover watermelon. I think it’s their favorite food. Watermelon is 90 percent water.

The sky was pink last night. I still try to let my chickens free range an hour before sundown. The hawks have gone to bed by then. Saturday night when I went to latch their gate, coming back to the house I saw a copperhead crawling across my yard. I got a shovel to kill it but then realized I’d probably step on it as they are so hard to see. It was only about 14 inches long, but small and large are just as deadly. I got out my high top muck boots to wear when I lock the gate. As I have aged slowly I give up things. I’m not ready to give up my chickens. I wonder about all Mary had to give up in her 96 years. She had macro degeneration and could not see to read or do needle work. Dialing her phone was horrible. She had the numbers saved by pictures of the person. Still I know it was a nightmare. She knew me and also had a cousin Betty. She often called me when she wished to call her cousin. I am thankful her toil here has ended but still sad that I can no longer talk to her. Her mind was sharp til the end. RIP Mary.

Sunday

 

I tried one of my sweet potatoes. I put a little brown sugar. They are a meal for me.

Laura got these books at her book fair at school for me to give Ada. I crocheted her some bookmarks. I think these are called graphic novels. Ada is making use of her new cowboy boots. She wore them to church.

My 96 year old friend passed away. She’d been in the nursing home 6 months. She was in pain and ready to go. I will miss her though.  I promised her I’d go to her funeral. She was afraid no one would come.