Little is Strong

Today I noticed most of the blooms I saw were small.  “The strong survive” the saying goes, but it’s the inner strength that matters not physical size.  As we gain weight and grow too heavy our inner strength is less.  Faith of a mustard seed is enough.

 

No More Twins

The deer come every evening and pretty much ignore Phinnie as he runs out after them like a big dog. They just put their heads down and keep grazing. On my camera the first shots show the twins, but one is gone. The last 10 days only a single little one has been with the does. It does make me sad. I hope the remaining one survives.

Only this one has survived.

 

Family Together

 

Had a great day with my cousins.  Four children of Melton and Gertrude Powell family’s descendants enjoyed each other’s company.  My Sister Helen played hostess once again wearing  a smile plus a little sass.  Mike and Winnie Sneed were special guests and stars of the day.  What can I say…Willis, Truman, Betty Lou and Fleta Powell smiled on us knowing we remembered them and our heritage.  Rev. Frankie Powell delivered an inspiring message reminding us to continue to delve deeper into God’s loving spirit. 

Surprise

While Eric entertained Laura at the Skylark Cafe, her children were at her house building and outdoor area  by the pool.  I think Logan dug the deep holes for the light posts.  This will give her more room for summer fun.  She was surprised and very pleased.

 

Skylark Cafe

Laura has a birthday next week.  It’s not half a century but just minus 2.  Eric took her to the Skylark Cafe at Leslie, AR, today.  I went last summer.  The food is delicious.  Laura sent a picture of their choices.  Yummy.  If you haven’t been there, you should try it.

 

Phinnie Day

Phinnie says, “Today is National Dog Day.  Treat your Corgi royally.”

 

Mountain Visit

 

Got to visit with sweet Irene yesterday and found her feeling better.  I traveled with Larry’s cousin Margaret and enjoyed our conversations up the mountain and back down again.  We had lunch at Sand Gap. The old Hankins’ Store is open again thanks to Wendell Freeman.  I enjoyed a good Petit Jean bologna sandwich.  A bonus was seeing Glendon Garrison mowing the yard of the Yancy homeplace.  We visited with him about who used to live along the road to Moore 100’s of years ago.  Made me wish I could go back and stop at the old homes and say howdy to all!  Life is better when we love our neighbor as ourself as the Bible says.

Fragile Moth

 I saw this in my yard today.  The Polyphemus moth is a North American member of the family Saturniidae, the giant silk moths.  It is a tan-colored moth, with an average wingspan of 6 inches.  The most notable feature of the moth is its large, purplish eyespots on its two hindwings. The eyespots give it its name – from the Greek myth of the cyclops Polyphemus.   

Moths are fragile.  See his wings.  He’s been hurt.  There is damage.  He’s just a little guy.  I grew up poorer than a church mouse.  I made it through 3 years of college, but it was so hard.  In 1970, I took out a Stafford loan—$1000.00.  Most of it was forgiven.  After I started teaching, I filled out a form each year.  It was certified by my school.  Ten percent a year was forgiven.  That’s equal to the 10,000 poor folks are getting forgiven by this bill.   But in our country helping big business is ok but help for the misfortunate is scorned.  Something is amiss.  

Ready for School

 I don’t remember a year I didn’t get new school clothes.  Usually it was three outfits.  We took our ” school clothes” off when we got home each day.  Until I was in Jr. High, Momma sewed most of our clothes.  I got new skirts and shirts or dresses.  Girls could not wear slacks to school when I attended elementary school.  Larry loved giving money for the grandkids school clothes.  They came over and did a modeling show for us.  I bought each of mine something new this year.  Siggie and Ingie chose shoes. Astrid chose black nursing scrubs. Student nurses at ATU must wear black scrubs.  I bought Clayton some “tall” items.  I told Laura to buy a new outfit for herself.  This is what she chose.  Her Daddy would have loved it.  Green was his favorite color💚

My Sweet Girls

Sigrid and Ada are both enjoying school.  Ada wanted to go Sunday.  She got her shoes and said she was going to school.  Ada is just beginning and Siggie is finishing.  They are some alike—sweet personalities!

 

Kickball In the Meadow

 News from Sunday—

 Today a soft rain fell.  Laura’s kids had a kickball game at the pond.  Phinnie and I rode over on the Mule and cheered for both teams.

Mowing Done

 Mowing is over for a week. I mowed about 2 hours.  I am cleaning out and getting rid of flower beds too.  The timbers around them have rotted.  They are filled with monkey grass which is like cement.  Two are finished and at least one to go.  When fall gets here I’ll work on the one on the west of the house.  We had a nice rain all morning.  Phinnie ran away to Astrid’s house.  I walked over and led him home.  Laura and I went to Lake Dardanelle to walk, but it starting raining pretty hard so we decided to just come home.  I walked a mile when I went to get Phinnie.  He hid from me and I had to find him.  Two Corgi girls in heat over at Astrid’s.

Shooting the Moon

Shooting the moon means to attain great heights, a high value, or a high measure.  Clayton is shooting the moon as he will barely fit though a doorway.  Astrid ran a 5 K this morning to support the cross country team—Colors Run.  She shot the moon with great measure.  I shot the moon because Amy Patsy sent me baked oatmeal.  It was of great value.  Delicious— I hope to get the recipe.  Try to shoot of moon today.

 

Sister’s Birthday

 Sister Helen’s big day was blessed.  She was not 77, only 68.   Sister Fleta went to Jim’s Drive Inn after work and picked up a Taco salad for her supper.  She made angel food cake and so fixed strawberries to go with it topped with whipped cream from a can.  Fleta said she was thinking of buying cream and whipping it, but 5 bucks was too steep for a 1/2 pint. 

I found this picture of us in a simpler time.  Helen is dressed for staying comfortable in the summer heat.  Dad had just come from Table Rock Dam.  He worked all night on the Dam.  He’s going to bed!  Looks like I’m having jelly on a big biscuit.  I’m sure Dad ate eggs and the trimmings.  When he laid down we had to go outside for several hours.  My sisters childhood memories are all mingled up with mine.  Such a precious connection we have.

Hissy Fit

Well, first day of Pre-k, Miss Ada threw a “hissy fit”.  That’s a word I learned from Momma.  They came out to Greg’s truck to get her and she wasn’t sure about going with strangers. She kicked and screamed. The teacher and principal had to assist.  Ada did not go easy.  It’s a good procedure, but Ada wasn’t sure about it.  Haven’t heard how it went today, but I wouldn’t doubt that she didn’t “show out” again.  In Momma’s vocabulary “showing out” is not good behavior.  It’s a mini hissy fit.  Ada settled in very quickly and when Greg went to pick her up she didn’t want to go home.