Pretty Phlox

 I bought this phlox last year.  I split the pot and planted it in several places.  It has survived.

Things don't last forever...........but, I have had a set of  these tupperware bowls longer than I have had Erin.  This one split and I had to throw it away.  I have a yellow and green one left.  Erin, for my birthday I want a set of them.  The small ones like this.  You will have plenty of time to find and buy them.  I DONT want new ones...I want orange, yellow, and green the 1970s colors.  I bought these from Virgie Scheible, who taught special ed at RMS.  I hope you can find me some, Erin!

Happy Birthday Sweet Sigrid

 Sigrid came out to welcome us over last evening for birthday cake.  It was a strawberry short cake and really good.  Laura made it from scratch.   We gave Sigrid money.  Last year she bought flowers but she is growing up.   She may get something else.  Notice the pretty table crotchet...Sassy Old Sister made it for Laura.

 Laura and Eric got Sigrid a new purse and several new spring outfits for school.  She got new sandals already as she needed them for her trip.

 Sigrid told us she had been sun bathing!  She tried on her new clothes for us.  Laura got most of them at that store that Sam started!

 I love Sigrid's bathing suit.  She got it on clearance last year at Kohls.  I think Laura said--80 per cent off.  Laura and I both love a bargain.  Laura was like this even as a young girl.  She went to the sale racks so she could get more.

 The shirts were a little big but they were all cotton.

 This was her favorite she said.

 Ju Rid is one of her presents.  She has been telling her mother and dad for almost a year that all she wanted for Christmas, birthday...da da da......was a dog of her own.

My Ducks In A Row

I have not stated publicly but I am so glad that Winnie Jo is doing well and her tumor was benign.  Boy, that is a hard word to spell.  If I have it wrong, please forgive me as I am old and dump.  Winnie has such a sweet, sweet spirit and a dear cuz to the THREE Sisters, Helen, Fleta and myself.  

 Nothing like having your ducks in a row.  These four have been visiting me for several days.  There are 2 mallards and 2 hens.  I guess we are a stop over before they fly on north.  If they wanted to stay the summer with us, I would be happy to have them.  They glide so gracefully over the water.

 I got an invite to a show for Cheryl Ann's Cody.  I will make a baby afghan.  Victoria put her phone number on the invitation so I going to call and see if we are having a niece or nephew.  I will bring my gift when I come up to walk to Grandpa Powells and let Fleta and Helen take it and attend the shower.

What DoYou See?

Chicken Little

 My chickens are feeling better.  I guess the green grass is full of good nutrition.  Larry said not to worry.  If we lost them, he would buy me more.  He said he could build a new pen and house.  I just hated seeing them sick.

 Clayton and Greta are playing house like Hannah did.  Playing like we used to and how the Jones kids are above uses one's imagination.  The computer games really only give a short term jolt and are very bad for developing a well rounded brain.  Fleta, Clayton, and I played above the red dirt road making houses and living as neighbors.  I remember us making Clayton put on a dress and be a woman!  What a brother he was...no other like him!

Sigrid is sleeping over with a friend.  She is the second girl from the left.  The little girl's grandmother is a first cousin to our little Amber--Marie's sister.  I can see Amber in this little girl.  Our world is large, but also very small.

Erin sent this.  It is nice to know if Greta finds a big bag of money she is bringing it home to her family!

I can just post sad stuff and Helen will call...but to get a call from Fleta I will have to lie and say I am on my way to the Heart Hospital or something like that.  She is just too busy for an old woman!

5, 6--Pick Up Sticks!

 Last night we had high winds.  I went out at 7 this morning and starting picking up sticks and a few bigger limbs.  Trash cans and buckets were all over the yard.  But no real damage. We were lucky.  I picked up 3 loads of sticks in my wagon.  We always have a burn pile and I took them down to the pile.   One limb was too big for me.  Larry will move it with tractor bucket.

 I took these last weekend when Erin and the two sweet kids came.  You can see my newest bird house there on the table.  It is outside on a tree now.

 Greta falls a lot.  She fell yesterday and has a hurt face, AGAIN.  Erin thought maybe she fell on her neighbor's trampoline.  Anyway, it hurts me to look at my sweet baby with this burn on her face.

 The Jonquils will be gone soon.

 I forget what these floweres are called.  They come up in the yard.  After I have tended these in the flower bed they really have taken off in growth.

 My Forgotten Dreams Day Lily garden is coming up lushly.

 These Jonquils look like hybrids but they are just ones I dug up along the fence.  I guess the mulch has made them look like this.

 I have some small bulb plants in one garden.  I have blue bells and these.  They are both tiny plants and I don't think they are that pretty because they are so small.

 Sigrid brought Ju to see us before they went on their trip.  They got home at 7 this morning.  They drove straight through.  With Astrid as an extra driver, it is possible for them to keep going.  I am glad they are home safely.

 Ju is really small.  Sigrid's birthday is the 30th.  This is all she wanted for her birthday.  She has to take care of her.  She told me that Ju only peed in the car once on the way to Utah...I thought "oh, dear, Eric did not like that".

 I have lots of Yellow Finch and the Martins are here.  I filled the sunflower feeders this morning after the storm.  I hope the Starlings fly away soon as they are mean.  Many say that Blue Jays are mean, but they are pets compared to the big black birds.

 The birds are building nests in all the bird houses.  Larry has built me several new houses for the front yard.  Since, he has finished the living room, I needed houses so I can sit and watch the birds out my front windows.  I read that if you have a blue bird house it needs the opening toward an open field.  I thought they liked the fence row, but what they like is an open field in front of their house. They eat insects not seeds so they can watch and fly off and catch a bug this way.

 My Patsy chickens are sick.  I have lost 3.  They have a cold type illness.  My pen has gotten old and when it was cold the pen was also wet.  I have not told Larry has he has been helping his brother.  Roger has had heart surgery and one day he told Larry he was blind in one eye.  Then the sight returned.  He had a stroke when he had the surgery.  They found that his artery was clogged in his neck.  They put in a stent on one side...Larry took him.  Today he goes back to get him.  Larry waited in the waiting room for them to come and inform him after the surgery.  This is Larry's brother through his father.  I am glad that he asked Larry to take him.

 I did not want to tell Larry about my sick chickens.  He will know what to do...but I did not want him thinking about chickens when his brother was sick and he was his helper.  I may just let them go and fix a new pen later and get new birds.  I have let out them everyday so they can get to the grass, but 3 of my Patsy birds have died.  Hope the rest make it.  My favorite chicken is the Cherry Egger--a sex link chicken that is red.  They are half Rhode Island Reds and Half Leghorns. When hatched the roosters are white and the hens are red.  I have felt sad this week.  No chicken expert to ask.  Last year, I could have called the old lady on Chicken Ridge and she would have told me what was wrong and what to do.  I could have called the ex field man for Swifts...he would have known.  Now, there is not one to ask.  A few years back I could have called the old coon hunter!   I am own my own here!  Helen and Fleta are not chicken experts.  I don't even think they like chickens like Pat, Clayton and I.  I felt alone when I thought about "no one to call"....I know the number...438-6451...no one answers that phone as they did since 1958!  Poor old me!

Rids On Way HOme

 This is Eric's family.  His father in red shirt.  His sister, Alex, in black shirt.

 My pretty teenagers in boots and long stylish shirts.

 Here Astrid and Ingrid are posing with Luke Bryan.  Astrid really likes country music.  I think Ingrid likes lots of types of music.  Sigrid called me.  She got to go to a museum and really learned a lot about when Utah was covered with salt water.  Sigrid loves learning.

Rids Are in Utah!

 Astrid, Ingrid, Sigrid and little Ju-rid are in Utah.

 Astrid sent the above picture of Mountains in Utah.

Laura sent this one of the Rockies.

Laura said they made  better time because of the 3rd driver!  Astrid loved helping keep the family moving!

Fun At the Park

We had some good company today.  They came a little before 11 and stayed until nearly 2.  Erin promised to take them to the park before driving back.   They were staying out of the house so Greg could sleep.  Erin said they hit every park in town and from the pictures she sent me looks like the two grands had a grand ole time!  

Greta is speaking so much more plainly.  I am so glad she has those hearing aides.