Laura’s Tree

 Siggie put up their tree. It’s so pretty.  I’ll get my little ceramic one out.

Goat Woman

 Astrid is a goat woman now.  Siggie seems to like them.  Guess it is because they are kin to Patsy and Fleta.  Logan is all excited.  Building a goat shed today.

H

Cold Rain

Phinnie and I couldn’t  walk around the Meadow yesterday because we were having a cold rain.  When I went on the back porch, I noticed these two hawks searching for something for their breakfast.  I imagined they were hoping to spot a field mouse or frog below.  Made me thankful for my breakfast inside my warm house.  I guess I'm on a diet because whatever I have for breakfast Phinnie wants part of it and he gets his wish!  

I'm wondering if these are Red-tailed hawks.  That's what Larry always called them but I don't see red tails, just a red chest.  What type of hawk are they?  They hunt the Meadow everyday.   I like watching them.  I’ve been trying to let my chickens out.   They might be eying them.  Oh, dear!

Helen said Dad called these chicken hawks, but that’s a catch all phrase.  Today, it’s cold only 34 degrees. Larry has been gone 9 months today.  It will be a sad day for I’m sure.

 

Sandstone Castles

 Today, Little Red and I hiked to Sandstone Castles.  It was a feat for a old lady in her 7 th decade, but I made it.   The Sandstone Castles are actually a series of caves cut into the rock of the bluff at the top of the ridge overlooking Big Devil's Fork and Long Devil's Fork, high above where they flow into the Twin Falls of Richland.  The caves have 'windows' overlooking the valley below.  Legend has it this place was used by criminals and civil war deserters to hide out from the Law.  

The trail was well marked, but it was a long trek for me.  When we finally reached the Castles.  I thought I might be like Moses and only see the promised land from afar.  I sort of rolled down the last ridge to the scenic spot.  After we ate our lunch, I literally crawled backup to the trail.  I am glad only Laura and Phinnie were watching me.  I have always wanted to go to this spot.  I checked that off my list today!

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AZ Thanksgiving

Helen faves thanks in sunny AZ with Benjamin and Melissa. 

Child’s Thanksgiving Prayer

Thank you God for all that grows, thank you for the sky’s rainbows.  Thank you for the stars that shine, thank you for these friends of mine.  Thank you for the moon and sun, thank you God for all you’ve done. Amen

Carry Me, Sister

For there is no friend like a sister

In calm or stormy weather; 

To cheer one on the tedious way, 

To fetch one if one goes astray,

To lift one if one totters down, 

To strengthen whilst one stands

C. Rossetti 

 

Family Groups

 

Sadie Captures Memories

 Those Christensen girls are beauties.  All different but all stunning.

Sadie Snaps Photos

Sigrid's friend, Sadie, took family photos of Laura's bunch last weekend.  Of course, Astrid and Logan brought their three babies and she snapped several images of them.   Phoebe's last puppy will go to his new home this weekend.  Phinnie's little girl, Blu, is so special looking and her picture.  Their other Corgi, Penny, has one blue and one dark eye making her unique.  Of the three, Phoebe is the sweetest.  Ingrid is loving her little Frodo from the litter and Sigrid is pretty attached to her too.   I locked Phinnie up the day we took the pictures or he would have had a portrait taken.  He loves all attention.

 

Erin is Old

 Erin is older today.  She has to work, but I hope she has a great day.  This is where she and Greg got married in 2005.   I always think of this a “the little church in the wildwood.” 

Come to the church by the wildwood 
Oh, come to the church in the vale 
No spot is so dear to my childhood 
As the little brown church in the vale…

Apple Pie Recipe

 My friend Donna shared this recipe on her blog and I’m posting it here so I can search for apple pie and find it.  After Thanksgiving, I’m going to try it.  I may add pecans.  I won’t tell the story of the apple pie as that was Donna’s story, but I’ll try to let you know how it turned out.

Popular Vote vs Electoral College

 Joe Biden has received over 6,000,000 more votes than Donald Trump.  He is projected to earn 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232.  That’s 72 more electoral votes.  That’s over 25 percent more votes.  The founding fathers of our country set up the electoral college to select our president because they did not think the common man could be trusted to select our leader.  The southern states would not join the union unless the government counted enslaved people in the population to select these electoral votes.  Each enslaved human was counted 3/5’s a person giving the southern states more population.  If the President was chosen by popular vote we would not have had a Republican President since the elder President Bush.  If the electoral college was done away with today, it was be extremely difficult for any Republican to win again.  

I wanted to visualize how many more people voted for Joe Biden.  If people stand side by side and clasp hands, each will cover about 5 feet of space.  I had Fleta figure this for me.  I’m a good math student, but not a math whiz like my sister.  Six million people divided by 1056 people per mile gives 5681 miles of people. Goggle says it is 2800 miles across the USA from coast to coast.  Guess what, 2800 times 2 equals 5600.  So, the 6,000,000 Biden voters standing side by side would reach coast to coast twice.

The 80,000,000  Biden voters lined up side by side would reach across the country 27 times. The 74,000,000 Trump voters lined up side by side would reach across the country 25 times.

This shows the vastness of the voters who preferred Joe Biden over Trump.  I am one of those voters.

Buckle Up

 Ada likes going to Greta’s  basketball games, but she wants to roam around not sit in a seat.  When Ada came home from UAMS, she was to be fed around the clock every two hours.  Greg and Erin were diligent.  She was fed on schedule when the alarm went off—night and day.  She was past a year old when she finally caught up with her age group.  Now, we are seeing the results of their labor.  Erin never left her when she was in the hospital.  Facing obstacles in life make us stronger when we buckle down.  Erin and Greg did.

Basketball Big Timer

 Greta took home a medal today in basketball achievement.  Whoop! 🏀🏀

Clean Up

 I’m wanting to try this.  Wonder if it works?

New Honda Pilot

 

Erin and Greg got a new car, 2020 Honda Pilot.  They’d had the Yukon 10 years.  It only has 7 thousand miles.  They needed a new car.  Greg is driving it because Erin drives so much with her job.   It has leather interior.  The kids were proud to have a new ride too.

Ing’s Room

Ingrid got the rest of her room set up.  She has a dresser and desk.  It all looks great.

 

Haircut

Got my hair lightened and cut today.  I like my hair short but my ears do get cold walking.  Laura gave me some of Ingrid’s ear muffs that she used when she was on the dance team.  They work great.  I wear a hoodie if it’s cold in the morning.  When I got my watch I set my goal at 30 minutes each day.  I only walk between a mile and a mile and half each day.  Then if I walk to get my mail in the afternoon that’s another half mile.  When Laura and I get to go on the weekend I walk farther.   The new watch has been a big help.  It’s a reminder and I have got my 30 minutes each day.  Still fat.  I have not lost any weight.

Sister got her haircut same day as I guess we think alike.

 

Ada’s Early Christmas Present

 

Kids love boxes.  Ada claimed this one.

Ingrid’s Room and Work

 Ingrid is working quite a lot at Dardanelle Hospital.  Because of the virus she has to “suit up”.

Ingrid finally got her bedroom furniture.  The drawers are under the bed.  She got a desk with it.  The curtain is room darkening.  Her job at the emergency room often has her doing the night shift so the curtain will help her sleep in daytime.  The furniture is American made.