June 23

When I went to Alabama to see Ingie. Eric stayed here and did the chores. Ingrid discovered a straight flight from Fayetteville to Mobile. It cost less than the gas to drive 10 hours. Eric went last week. He stayed three nights and it was a good way to visit.

Ingrid picked him up and they they did things each day. They visited a big aquarium. Maybe near New Orleans.

Eric tried a cricket bar at the bug restaurant. Ingrid declined.

This reminded me of the time Eric told Sig he’d give her a dollar if she’d eat a worm and she didn’t even hesitate.

Butterflies love Ingie!

Monday

 

Saturday Astrid and Laura went on a 5 mile walk. Afterwards they craved ice cream. They brought me a bowl with bananas, orange juice, and pineapple. It had toasted oats and coconut. It’s not ice cream but sorbet. Me and the others loved the treat.

Laura had painted the end table that her Dad made for her. Painted was in style and she had a coffee table that was painted. This week she removed all the paint and stained them. She hasn’t finished the cedar drawer yet. I like to see wood grain and don’t like painted furniture and cabinets but I know lots like it. I love the way these turned out. It was a lot of hard labor doing it.

This week my old fashioned Tiger Lilies started blooming. I like them because they are an old flower. They fall over and almost need a cage when they are fully mature.  Tiger lilies are called ditch lilies because they grow wild in ditches. Often spread by road grading. The bulbs are edible and taste like potatoes. Tiger lilies are toxic to cats. They represent wealth and prosperity in folk lore. Everyone should know smelling a Tiger Lily bloom will give you freckles.

Father’s Day

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads who love their children!

I was blessed with a good Dad who loved me. He always supported me in times of need and of elation. He offered guidance but never demanded. I tried to do the right thing often because I did not want him to be ashamed. 

Daddy had dreams for me. He hoped his children would own a home and be able to care for family. He helped Larry and I buy our first house. He taught me about the Lord but felt most churches were not houses of God. He had false teeth in his older years. He carried them in his pocket only putting them in his mouth to eat. He loved little children. When Erin was so sick I thought she might die, he called Children’s Hospital and cried. He said he wished he could carry her pain. 

After Helen moved to Arkansas, Fleta was going through stuff in a "shed".  She found some of Daddy's old shirts.  Dad passed in 1988--almost 40 years ago.  Helen was a seamstress and she recognized 3 shirts she sewed for Dad.  She asked me if I made this one.  "No", I said...but then I started remembering it.  I did make one.  I bet she could tell by the poor workmanship!  Daddy loved it and nearly wore it out.  Momma must have loved it too as it was packed away.  Daddy has it on in the photo holding Laura September 1, 1974. Sister Helen made me an apron from that old shirt Dad cherished. Why did Daddy love the one I made so much and wear it out!  Helen was a much better seamstress.  I don't know why but will say--that is just how he was.  He knew I had "worked" really hard trying to make him a shirt!  

 

Wash Day

My new dryer Laura gave me for my birthday worked really well. I waited until I got new clothes pins to use it. The bow tie quilt was gifted to Larry by his Grandmother Gladys Houston Garrison.

Growing up at Coin, AR, wash day was an all day job. Momma washed clothes on the back porch. The water was heated on the kitchen stove. Bluing was used in the rinse. We had a wringer washer. We funneled the clothes through the wringer squeezing the water out. Our family was large. The clothes filled the clothes line and then the extras were hung on the fence around the yard. Momma mopped the floors that day after we washed the clothes using the rinse water. She used a rag mop. It was a contraption that slid open and an old towel could be clamped in it. The next day we ironed. The clothes were sprinkled with water and rolled in a basket🧺 then ironed.  I really don’t miss any of this except the smell of clean sheets on the bed.

The Library got the Judy Blume book for me. She was a little crazy but I am too. I enjoyed reading about her life. 

 

Friday

Clayton and two friends attended a concert in Springfield, MO. by Weird Al. I supposed it was a rock band, but no. He’s more of a comedian and old. Clayton and his friend Tyson are both majoring in computer engineering. Their friend Victor came from Wisconsin to meet them. They’ve known him a while but just on the computer. Clayton is still loading groceries at Walmart. He saves most of his money and is really frugal. Below is Weird Al. He looks like Tiny Tim to me.

My Forgotten Dreams are blooming.  I have many forgotten dreams.   I always wanted to write a book.   No, write lots of books.  I never have written even a short story!  Dreams forgotten are replaced by new ones.  All those old forgotten ones were about ME and all my new dreams are about my grandchildren.  I dream so much for them.  Please, Lord, do not forsake me as I ask for Your blessings to go to each one of them and for you to protect and prosper them.   

Astrid’s Penny is 8. She is her sweetest Corgi. Pop went with her to pick her up from her birth parents. She has one blue eye. Astrid gets each of her dog’s a treat when they have a birthday. 

Today Eric and Laura have been married 27 years. The days are long the years are short.
 

June 18

Dagger Monster on my porch! 😂 it’s an American Dagger Moth Caterpillar. Don’t touch it as the  hairs can break off and embed in the skin, causing irritation, rashes, or allergic reactions. They are native to North America and typically feed on the leaves of hardwood trees like maple, oak, and ash. I have all three of these types of trees in my yard. I just looked and left it alone.

My baby granddaughters have the same gap in their teeth. Siggie looks smaller and she was. Sig was not a good eater. She wouldn’t eat lots of foods. Eric had her try green beans and she threw up. She’s trying to eat a more varied diet as an adult but she still doesn’t really like several foods.

Laura bought me a bottle of this lotion at Walmart. Siggie had it when we went to the beach. It’s made to put on after being in the sun. I just use it as one would any lotion. It’s a lime fragrance. I really like it.

Today I lift weights at the gym.  I’m trimming limbs on trees using my hand saw. The limbs slapped me in the face when I mowed. I guess the leaves had chiggers. I am covered with bites and in misery. I have worked at it more but I sprayed with tick repellent first. I worked in my chicken pen. I put changed the nesting hay and fixed my corn dispenser. I also put a new hook on the door to the pen. Larry built my chicken pen in 2009. It’s really worn down.

 

June 17

I’m still celebrating being 76 by having cheesecake in the afternoon. It’s what Laura made for my birthday. Yesterday my blood pressure was 98/68 so I had coffee with it.

These mushrooms are under by side shed. They look like fried eggs. They’re  Golden Reishi and too tough to eat. I wouldn’t gather wild mushrooms to eat anyway as I’d probably kill my self with poison one’s. 

Astrid’s flowers are so pretty. 

Sigrid handcrafted my birthday card. 

 

Tuesday

Got my yard mowed yesterday afternoon. I weed eated a bit too. It was tall again, but I like mowing when I can see what I’m doing.

Ingrid and Justin go out to eat near the beach about once a week. She posted these and the food on FB. She looks good in yellow !

Sigrid is on day two of her internship. She’s at a pharmacy in Little Rock. She works 8 hours a day for 4 weeks is basically what it amounts to. I paid for the new shoes. Hers were all stained and worn. She picked light so they’d match all her scrubs.

 

Year 77

 

A baby Blue Jay was in Laura and Eric’s yard. They fixed a rescue pen. It will be flying away soon.

Astrid harvested some pretty carrots.

Mostly I have cardinals at my bird cam. This morning I saw a Chickadee.

Sigrid starts her internship at a pharmacy in Little Rock today. I hope she can make some connections here that help her later.

Laura is redoing her coffee table and an end table Larry made for her in my shop. His tools are all this there.

This starts my 77 year on this earth. It I live another 6 months, I’ll have out lived my brothers and sisters who have passed. Fleta will be 79 in January. Maybe we can go like Adams  and Jefferson— on the same day.

Flag Day

This is Denver, AR about 1900. My mother was born in this little village. Her father had a grocery and gas station here. Someone enhanced the photo with AI. No cars whatever year it was.

Laura is fixing me a new clothes line for my birthday. Yes, I requested it. I like hanging things on the line. Larry put the wire up in 2009. It was rusty and ruined anything I hung on the line.

Eric fixed my supper last night. It was as good as it looks. I saved half of the t bone for another night.

Ada lost another front tooth. She was caught in the rain yesterday. It rained most of the day there. She’d gone to a party at church and had to get to the car when Erin picked her up.

I’m going to Sam’s today with Laura. Siggie and Logan E. Are fixing me lunch.