Pieces of Our Mother

The Sisters all got pieces of our Mother.  Momma went to 8th grade and I think she repeated one grade.  She could read and write and do math as well as the average person of her day.  Sister Fleet told me about one of her "bosses" who has graduated from college but still writes that he was born in Boon County, AR.  Well, Momma could spell Boone County, I do believe.  The County is named for ol' Daniel!  We know it is Boone.  Momma could not follow a recipe.  Well, she did not I should say.  She put in this and that.  She was a great cook!  She made simple things in simple ways.  Her biscuits were as good as Aunt Jemina's.  Her yeast rolls were always fantastic.  I never knew Momma to tackle making cookies.   I recall her making taffie candy, pies, cakes, puddings, and I don't remember ever the food going uneaten!   I know it bugged me that Momma did not go by recipes.  Now, I bet Laura and Erin sigh when I say I tried to make ??? and it failed!  Recipe?  Not me!

Today I made some muffins early.  I like to heat up the oven and make the kitchen warm and smelly on a cold day.  I buy Martha White Bran mix.  It is far too sweet to go by the pkg. instructions.  I add.  This morning i added a cup of oats, some squashed apricots I bought and paid too much for.  They came in a jar if that tells you about the price.  I added some pecans, cut with a knife.  I am too lazy to chop on a board.  I added some sour cream and some extra flour.

Well, they were quite good.  I know because I had 3 with my coffee!

Fleta got Momma's throw away gene.  If you don't use it and can't give it away--throw it away or better yet--BURN it.  Helen got Momma's clean gene!  Great satisfaction comes in a clean floor and neatness!

We got pieces of our Momma, but I think I have CHUNKS of my Daddy.

Someday, my girls, maybe already, will say "good heavens, this reminds me of my Momma!"

Water Recedes

Well, the water has gone down and we can get to town!!

Looked like a bunch of trees fell over then where the water was high!

Shortest Day Behind Us

December 20th was the shortest day of the year.  Least daylight.  For those of us that have trouble sleeping, long nights and short days are not good.  Already minutes of day are taken from the darkness and added to our light.  I recall staying with Mom and Dad a few times in his last couple of years on earth.  He slept with a flashlight.  At night, I would awaken to see it's reflection bouncing off the walls in the large kitchen.  What was he doing?  I don't know, but sleep was difficult for him.  He went to bed early and got up way before the sun.  It was in his nature and he gave that part of him to me.  I, too, have a flash light close at night.  I am sure the light bounces off the wall in the kitchen...what I am I doing?   Looking for sleep, but I don't find it easily.

I have been working on the adoption DNA puzzle that is related to our Powell family.  I have added a few pieces to the puzzle, but I can not make out the two faces there behind the Jane Smith.  I can see a nose and parts of eyes, but the heart is alluding me. I will continue to put pieces in and try to solve the mystery.  When the last piece fits, it will lose it's interest to me just like the cryptogram in the L R paper, I will discard it in the trash can as the puzzle will be solved.  Some puzzles are not solvable for me...but I hope I can get part of this puzzle put together for Terri Jane who found me through DNA.

The picture I chose is of Eric's Great Great Grandfather,  James...James B. Christenson was born on June 5, 1843, in Undredal, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway, the child of Christen and Britta Elizabeth. He married Johanna Helgestad Martinsen on July 13, 1884, in Arkdale, Wisconsin. They had four children during their marriage. He died on June 4, 1897, in Arkdale, Wisconsin, at the age of 53.
Eric was born in '68.  Far removed from 1843, but I see Eric in this man's face.  If I could get my picture program to overlay their pictures you could too.  DNA is a fascinating puzzle.  We are pieces of our mother and father and they of theirs, until the puzzle fits together just right and in the mirror we see ourselves, but if one looks closely ...was that my father?  Yes, you see, the flashlight image bounces off the wall at night with me.  Now, I don't wonder "what is he doing up at this hour"?  I know, he was looking for sleep.

So glad the shortest day is behind us!  I know if Erin posts a comment it will say..."Momma, you are weird."  And, I know I am, I gave that piece to her!

Rains Came Down

 We have had torrents of rain.  But I try to look on the bright side.  It could have been an ice and snow storm.  Probably would have way over a foot of snow if it was normal weather.  Look at the pond!  I walked over behind the pond and mailed the light  BILLS.  We have to pay for three places. Two houses and the shop!

 I took this of the old culvert Larry took out. You can see why it was not working.

 The Martins come in March.  Won't be long.  We have virtually no mosquitoes because of our Martin flock.

 I walked back from the mail box and down to the Lake.  could not get very close.  It is flooded.  The shore line is the small tree with no leaves.  Lots of water.

 Larry's carport and gravel work held up nicely.

 This is the old carport that is not that old.  It was just not wide enough.

 Larry said he was going to move it and will align the gable with the little garage.  I stepped it off and it will fit there.

 We did lose some gravel around our culvert.  We are going to add a big rock on each side.  We have lots of them.  The road gravel held up without washing too much.

 I went down during the down pour twice (Larry forbid me to go anymore.  He said there was nothing we could do about it which was true).  The water was over the road all the way to the cedar trees in the distance.  It was probably 2 foot of water all that way.

 So we were lucky that the culvert did not end up in Galla Lake.

 You can see the gravel he put on the road is still there.

 Here is where we lost a little.  Larry bought about 700 or 800 dollars worth of gravel so I am pleased to only loose this little amount and he can pull some of this back on the road, but some went down the ditch to Galla Lake.

 I am about half way down the drive when I took this.  I think the drive is 800 to 1000 feet long.

 I walked down the hiway like Mema and all of us used to do.  No cars today because the road was closed.  I have a rich neighbor who has a "tree" farm.  But he also owns a pharmacy in Russellville.
The horse in the pasture was stuck on an island.  I don't understand why folks get horses and the ignore them.  I have never seen anyone give this poor horse a bail of hay or bucket of grain.  It just lives in the pasture.

 Here is where Galla Lake backed up over the road.  It is covered for a long way.  However, we have seen more rain that this in the past and likely will again.

 This is Bradley Cove Road where we used to walk.  Now it is as busy as 62 hiway is by where Clayton worked.  There are no big trucks, but there are about 6 big nice housing additions out here.  They were not here when we bought this in 1982.  This hiway is right on a section line.  See how straight it is.

 The man we bought the little red brick house from lived here.  He has been dead 25 years.  No one lives here now.  The owners let the bushes grown up all over the house.  I am sure it is rotten.

 This is our private drive.  It is long and trouble to maintain.

 I walked up Bradley Cove Road and turned on Galla Creek Lane.  The man that lives here had a lot of his gravel wash down to the road and he has a ditch all the way down it now.

Here I am on Galla Creek Lane and the house you see across the pasture is ours.  I walked 55 minutes.  I wrote down 2 and a half miles.

Christmas In Harrison

 Meme got new bedding for the Harrison grands.  I love Clayton's map.  I used to play a game at school where you named the states by outline.   I did that when I was supposed to be working I guess.

 And they both like the Ipad their Gigi and Pop got them.  Erin gave me a ham.  We had it today and it was so good.   I think the best ham I have ever had.  It was Petit Jean brand.

Christmas Eve With Precious Family

 Everyone visiting before eating and opening.

 Laura had finger foods.  I  will cook dinner tomorrow at 2 P.M.

 Astrid got these shoes from Pop and I.  She found them on sale.

 Greta is very sweet.

 Ingrid got these shoes with birthday money from us.  She ordered new volleyball shoes from us for Christmas, but they are not here yet.

 Laura got Greta nail polish and a dryer.  She loves make up and nail polish.

 Here are the Christensen's stockings hung with care.  Mema made Laura's when she was a little girl.

 Three sweet grand girls.  Sigrid has her boots we got her.  She picked them.

 Astrid loves shoes.  She bought these on sale.  Below is a tree Sig made in 2010.

 Sigrid's boots and below a project Astrid is getting paid to create.  She made a instagram site and has already sold several items.

 Sigrid made and decorated this chocolate cake yesterday.  It was a hit.

 Astrid's bedroom wall.  Beautiful.

 Grandma and Grandpa Powell!

 Laura made Greta a hair wrap for out of the shower or pool.  Really neat.  Helen you could do this.

 This is Eric...Sisters, this is where Astrid gets her beauty.

 The A on Astrid's wall.

 Her dog portrait.   Each girl has a dog.  Eric says he hates them all!

 Clayton was anxious to open the gifts.  Eric told him dark 30 was the time we were opening them.  Laura told Clayton..."I saw a train load of coal yestday".

 I told Astrid she could sell rocks!

 Greta with the Ipad we got her and Clayton.

 Laura and Eric got Clayton a race car set...hot wheels.  He loved it.