2024 is Here

I’ve made it anther year.  Lots of great things happened.  Astrid married Logan.  Ingrid is learning to work in the nuclear medicine field living in Conway.  Siggie finished high school and a semester in college.  She has her own apartment and a job.  Clayton is quietly living his life and making good grades in school.  Greta is excelling playing basketball, soccer and volleyball while making all A’s.  Ada is growing up, going to school, learning to write Ada.  Eric and Laura remodeled their kitchen and bathrooms.  Greg and Erin are adjusting to living in a different house.  My life is about what others are doing.  I’m still here but there are many days when I “fall to pieces”.  I move through it and push on.  I have a goal for 2024.  I want to do no harm!  I can’t always make things better, but I pray to not make anyone’s existence worse.  Happy 2024.

 

Cold Outside

The birds are so cold today searching for a bite to eat.  I will go out later freshen their water. Their bird bath is solid ice.  Little birds were all over the ground eating what fell from the feeders.  I have dropped my big feeder several times trying to hang it on the hook, but its holding together.   Laura gave me two new metal slinkies for Christmas!  They keep the squirrels from climbing up the feed poles.

 

Lex is Next

Lexi made her Grandmother a throw for Christmas.  I think she is 16 and this is her first big project.  Sister Helen was surprised and thrilled with her gift.  How sweet.

 

Older Folks

I really like older folks.  Since I am a genealogist, we can always talk of the past.  Old people are more comfortable with the past.  I know as I’m one.  Mary was born in 1930, twenty years my elder

I got to go visiting with my friend Margaret yesterday.  We went to see Mary George Standridge.  Oh, it was a wonderful day. I took a snap today of one of her pictures. This is Louisana Dean George holding Margery.  The young boy I think Mary said  was her Dad, Johnny George.  Mary’s mother was Nancy Elizabeth Curtis.  I am hoping she’ll let me come talk again.

This is Howard Standridge, Will Tom Prince, Finis Renfroe, Wash Tilley, Willis George, and Joe Standridge circa 1936.

This is Mary’s grandmother, Louisiana Dean George and her daughter and son, Johnny and Margery, I think she said.

 

Cold in Arkansas

It’s cold here.  Maybe some biting bugs are dying.  Greta got a pitch back for Christmas.  Now Erin won’t have to pass her the ball all the time.  I bought her the hoodie she’s wearing.  It’s just getting in the 40s here for a high each day and nights are upper 20’s.  It’s cold but not unbearable. 
 

She Wears a Crown

My sweet Siggie has finished her first semester at ATU. I’m proud of her.  She’s a Zeta and their symbol is a crown and colors are teal and gray.  I made her an afghan with crowns in teal for Christmas.  She’s a princess!  Crowns are a little hard to see.  Sister Fleta looked at it and said, “Burger King!”  🤭

 

Christmas Games

Astrid always plans games for our celebrations.  You had to hook the candy cane on the ones in the cup and try to remove canes.  One minute!  Winner is the one who removes the most candy canes.  Justin won as he removed 3.  Another game had cotton balls spread on a card table.  Each person had to put cotton balls in a cup, but you were blind folded.  There was lots of laughing.  Logan came dressed as an elf claiming he made all the gifts.  Lots of fun was had by all. Another game had six candy canes on the card table.  Eric played music and 7 people marched around the table.  When music stopped each grabbed a cane.  Continued playing until 2 are marching.  Like musical chairs.  Lots more silly games were enjoyed.

 

Feeding Friends

I remembered my special friends on Christmas Day!  Saved green for my chicks, filled the suet and flat feeder for the birds and cooked a soft egg and slice of bacon for Phinnias!

 

Decorate

Growing up Laura’s Mema made crocheted ornaments for our tree.  This year Laura has stitched several ones herself!  I love homemade ornaments.

 

Joy Unspeakable

Erin brought my three Harrison grands today!  The two bigs kids expressed  thankfulness for my gifts, but Ada was extra expressive thanking me!  Her favorite gifts I think were pink lip gloss and sparkly bracelets!  She is easy to enjoy!  When they gathered up to go home, she asked to please be allowed to stay with her Gigi!  She is a blessing!

Last night my friend Kay picked me up and we drove around looking at Christmas lights.  We do this yearly.  Well, the picture is her little house with her lights.  She still tries to decorate her home. I don’t do much, just a little ceramic tree.  I noticed there were lots more lighted yards and houses.  Lots of lighted blowups too.  Some homes are electric with their display.  I enjoyed all the dazzle, but I still wasn't inspired to string any outside my house.  I’m pitiful.

Little Angel

Ada was an angel in the Church Christmas play.  Erin was afraid she wouldn’t be able to stand and act her part but she did well.  She received a few little gifts from older Church members afterwards.  When Erin told her who each gift was from she went immediately thanked them warmly. To me she IS an angel. 

 

Goblins

My Goblin 🏀 Greta 🏀

 

Ten Birds

Just read Ten Birds!  It was so interesting to me but doubt many nonbirders would really enjoy it like I did.  The Four Pests campaign was one of the first actions by Mao in the Great Leap Forward in China from 1958 to 1962. Mao targeted four pests for elimination: rats, flies, mosquitoes, and sparrows. The extermination of sparrows was also known as the smash sparrows campaign!  Sparrows ate rice grain!  Mao’s decree resulted in the death of millions is the little song birds and  in a severe ecological imbalance, being one of the causes of the Great Chinese Famine of 1959–1961.  Yes, Tree Sparrows ate some rice but 3/4 of their diet was insects—locusts among them!  Mao called off his edict to kill all sparrows and replaced it with bed bugs!  Didn’t he know—God’s eye is on the sparrow!

 

Born in Bethlehem

 Greta proclaiming “Christ was born in Bethlehem” at Elmwood Baptist, Harrison, Arkansas! Greta is growing up.  She attended a party with her friends this week.  She practices basketball several hours each day.  She shoots 100 free shots, 100 midrange and several other regimes each practice.  

Santa and Ada

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list
He's checking it twice
He's gonna find out who's naughty or nice

 

Ada at school

Ada’s the little girl not looking at the camera.  She doesn’t always follow instructions.  Maybe she’ll be a leader not a follower.

 

Company Came

Laura has been crocheting about a year.  She made a granny square Christmas vest and wore it this week.

I walked to the pond yesterday.  The puffy pillow clouds were so pretty.

Fleta came yesterday and stayed til this morning.  She did some Christmas shopping here.  I didn’t go with her.  I’m more of an Amazon shopper or I beg Laura to shop for me.