Down on the Farm

The story...AS I HEARD IT.

2010-10-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

I have been home now for just over a week from a road trip through memories. A reunion was held in San Jose, CA for the remaining members of THE CRUSADERS. The Crusaders was the name of the young married Sunday school class my late husband taught when we were all young marrieds. I say remaining because three of that class has gone on to be with the Lord. I spent the day after the reunion with a long time friend (boy friend in high school) and next went to Ceres, CA to spend a few days with a brother and his wife. After that, I drove down to Redlands, CA to spend almost a week with a cousin and aunt who live there and a cousin from Fayetteville, AR (can't remember if that has two t's or one). The cousin from AR is working on her Bucket List. She wanted to put her feet in the ocean and head in the clouds on a mountain. With each of those people, memories begin to fly, laughter was rampant AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HAD A DIFFERENT STORY ABOUT THE VERY SAME EVENT!

I am going to tell you a story I heard in Redlands that is supposed to be true. Keep in mind the cap's of the last paragraph.

When I was growing up my family spent a lot of time with relatives and 'shirt tail' relatives. I think shirt tail relatives are relatives of relatives. One of those shirt tail relatives was Faye. (or Fay?) She was the wife of my cousins uncle. She was supposed to have made a notable pumpkin pie. Her granddaughter who went to a culinary institute started playing with Grandma Fay/Faye's pumpkin pie recipe and made a muffin from it. Now, here is where my memory is muddy and undependable. I think she made the muffins and took them to an event (child's school?) can't remember that part. Someone from Costco was there at the event and wanted to buy the muffin recipe. The developer of the recipe refused to sell it because the recipe would no longer be her's to share so she wouldn't sell it. Later, at another unknown event, someone from Starbucks sampled the recipe and ask to buy it. Lawyers would be involved. The young lady again refused to sell. Grandma Fay/Faye's Pumpkin Pie recipe, legally not to be able to share the recipe with anyone, no thanks. The Starbucks rep said, "I am going to write a figure on this piece of paper and you think about it". (Right out of movie or TV, right?) When he wrote the figure on the paper and slid it to her she is supposed to have said, "Where is the lawyer?) TWO AND ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS!!!! Remember the cap's in the first paragraph!

That is the story and I am sticking to it. It is written in the way I heard it and as I remember. I am assuming it is all true because my cousin would not lie to me about her muffin cousin. No matter, I couldn't wait until I could get to Starbucks and try that PUMPKIN CUPCAKE. I have no way of knowing if it is worth 2 1/2 million dollars to Starbucks but I sure did enjoy it. Get yourself to a Starbucks while it is still pumpkin season and try one yourself.

Higher Ground

2010-08-28T10:06:00.000-07:00

I'm pressing on the upward way
New heights I'm gaining every day
Still praying as I'm onward bound
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Why the words to that old song? They are going through my head this a.m. because of my cat. Yep, Because of my cat. She has found a new interest and a way to get to the highest points in my house. Not good. I have a very large collection of old Roseville Pottery (early 1900's) and the pottery is sitting on all the highest points in my house. I am making it unpleasant for her to get up there. I have a roll of frosted sticky plastic that I have had for many years. Cats do not like to get their feet on/in sticky places. The first high place now has a sheet of that, sticky side up and I don't believe she will get up there too many times now. It is also a step to the highest place where the largest pieces of Roseville sit. Of course I am not putting the pottery up there for a while until she finds the sticky stuff So...that is why I am singing this old song.

I remember singing this song, sitting on my grand fathers lap, my mom playing the piano. Grandpa always had a toothpick in his mouth. He pointed to the words in the hymn book with the tooth pick so I would not lose the place in the song.

Higher ground......................until next time.

Didn't It Rain...

2010-08-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

I can hear the melody in my head...DIDN'T IT RAIN CHILDREN? RAIN ALL THE TIME. Old quartet song. I often hear an old song in my head related to conversation, events, sights. The curse (to others) and just who I am. I have been involved in music from the very beginning.

Rain? Oh boy. We had an all time 'gully washer' in our aria last night. I was at church when it hit. I live 11 miles away from church and out in the desert. My daughter called and said, "If you are coming home you had better come now". I didn't catch the call. I don't have a clue what she meant when she said, "If you are coming home...". At any rate, the lights went out in Georgia...oops, no that is another song. The lights went out at church and it didn't even slow us down. We finished the song/praise service, the preacher can do what he does in any situation (I am convinced) and the service went on. I told my preacher's wife that I sure hoped I could get home. I took my storm/walking shoes out of the trunk at church just in case I had to have them to walk home. By the time I headed home, the washes had washed (water had already run off) and I made it home with no event. Just skirted the deep water places in my dirt washboard road and made it home. As soon as I got home, I received a call from my son. He and his new lady had made a very lovely pasta dish with seafood and I was invited over to share. In the car again, .3 of a mile to his house. Very tasty and welcome dish. Even better company. He followed his lady as she drove to where the pavement started to see that she made it OK. Exciting night. Several limbs down. Hole punched in one of my window screens. I failed to roll up the outside sun shades because I didn't believe the storm would reach us. We often do not get the rain when others do. Grandson and son-in-love came over in the storm and rolled up the shades before a window got punched out. I love living close to my family who loves me.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. That's all folks, until another event. Now, on to my sewing room.

Florida 2010

2010-07-28T06:03:00.001-07:00

Bob (son-in-law) and son Boyd.Kala and Spencer (oldest grandchildren All of us the night before we all headed for home Spencer, almost 20 y/o Kala, Sam and Lily My home town boy, Mike My little Tigar Lily Glamorous Kala Not so glamorous me Me and my next door neighbor daughter Becky Kala and lily The ol' lady that keeps showing up Lily and Sam

The two pictures you see here is what happens on vacation sometimes. The flower you see is on Kala's side. It is a tattoo she designed. It is permanent!!!! and Spencer's is a Latin phrase and I can't remember what it means. Must mean a lot to these two kids because this particular vacation will ALWAYS be remembered.

Good thoughts

2010-07-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I visited my family in Redlands, CA for a 90th birthday celebration of an aunt. (See pictures a few blogs back) While there, I went to church with my aunt, cousin and brother. Lowell Linden, the senior pastor at that church writes 'daily readings' for the newspaper and has made a book from those little entries. I was gifted with a book while there and have been enjoying reading it. The following is one that especially impacted me.

Teddy Roosefelt said once in a speech that it was better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs and even to endure some failures than to be one of those poor spirits who never taste the victory or suffer defeat because they live in a gray twilight zone of no-risk safety. Life is a risk. Sometimes we forget that. When we weep, we risk being seen as sentimental. When we laugh, we risk being seen as a fool. When we reach out towards another human being, we risk involvement. When we love, we risk not being loved in return.

But the greatest risk in all of human history was the risk God took when He sent His Son into the world. God loved the world enough to send His Son and give His life upon the cross for our sins. That was the greatest risk in all eternity.

Pictures later

2010-07-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

It really goes against my grain to be dependent on someone else but that is the way it is these days sometimes. Must get someone to help me download my pictures from vacation. I do have a few that I have stolen from my granddaughter's bunch. Thank you Kala.

My family all went to West Palm Beach, FL for a week. Seven from TN (a grandson's friend included) and six from AZ. BB couldn't join us. He has a new job that started about the week we all left here so he had to stay home. So sad for that ol' beach, surfer, hippy fellow. I KNOW he hated not being there, especially when he started seeing the beach pictures. I did bring him home some seaweed, sand and seashells in a water bottle. Isn't that sweet of me? NOT!

Thirteen people and all thirteen of us were only in the same place twice but that was OK. Almost everyone had their own interest and went their own way every day. It was a great vacation for everyone I believe. .

These are pictures taken by Kala. The first one is Kala, Sam and Lily, all brothers and sisters. The second is of Spence, Kala's little bro. 6'6" !!! The last is Kala and yours truly,Oh my, sometimes I kinda wish for the face of years ago. I did get a free dermabrasion. It is amazing what a full day in the FL sun will do to the skin and then another day under an umbrella in the wind...all day. I have left part of me from FL to here. Just wish I could left some of my hips instead of what I did leave.

50th birthday party

2010-06-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

My son is a fan of the 'Greatful Dead' jam band. He probably has all the concerts he can get legally from the internet on CD's. He has had very longtime friends, Jason and Robin. Robin is a party giver extroidinier ( know, the spelling is not correct but I can't find the correct spelling for that word) They decided they would give my son the party of party's. Of course the whole theme was 'Grateful Dead' Those that could remember wore tie died shirts (I of course didn't remember) and the whole theme was of GD. The picture above is Jason and Robin. The picture underneath this narrative is BB hanging lights.The picture right below is cupcakes baked by Robin herself. Probably the best cupcakes I have ever eaten. To the right is the honored guest himself. My 50 y/o son.Bob, son-in law with his head cut off. Below is Bob with a giant cheese curl in his mouth.

Master BBQ'er is BB.Coasters are throwaway CD's made by BB 1#son enjoying some of the food. We had enough to feed a church potluck there was a Pinata filled with candy in the shape of a skull (Part of the logo of 'Grateful Dead. AZ grandson can't wait to break the pinata.I cannot get this new format correct. I guess you will just have to look at the pictures and imagine the good time we had.

90th birthday celebration

2010-06-29T07:37:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I attended the 90th birthday party of my aunt. She is one of two still living of the six children my dad's parents had. What a wonderful celebration! My cousin Mary is an excellent party giver and hostess. I have not had frequent contact with these people in many years but I am planning on making up for that in the future. Wonderful people all. I am so blessed to have a family that loves me and loves each other. My aunt is such an upbeat person. Her most used phrase is: "I can do that" and refusing most help. I love the "I can do that" attitude. When I grow up I want to be just like her.

For the life of me I can't figure out the new setup on the blog. I will just show you a few pictures and give up trying to set it up the way I want it to be. At any rate, it was all lovely. The celebration was held in an old and beautiful Victorian house which is located on the grounds where my aunt and cousin live in Redlands, CA. The weather never got much above 90 degrees. We had to go into the house one evening because it was getting too chilly to sit outside. A very nice break from my desert weather.

A Father's Day tribute

2010-06-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Many years ago, 15-16 years perhaps, our youngest daughter arranged with the church office of the church my husband and I were attending,( totally unbeknownst to either of us) to put an extra page in the bulletin with a tribute to her dad. Here it is:

THERE ARE NOT MANY MEN LIKE MY DAD. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP HE WORKED HARD AND CONSTANTLY, BUT HE WAS ALWAYS HOME BY DINNERTIME. CHILDREN NEED CONSISTENCY AND HE MADE UP 50% OF OURS. HE WAS ALWAYS UP BY FIVE A.M. (PROBABLY A HABIT LEFT OVER FROM HIS FIRST ALMOST TWO DECADES ON THE FARM). ON SUNDAY MORNING YOU NEVER HAD TO LOOK FOR HIM. YOU COULD ALWAYS HEAR THE TENOR FROM VARIOUS CHRISTIAN QUARTETS KEEPING HIM COMPANY AS HE SAT PREPARING FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL WITH HIS BIBLE, HIS PAD OF PAPER AND HIS GOLD PEN.

WE ALL LAUGH BECAUSE HE'LL WATCH ANY SPORT BROADCAST. (I'VE EVEN SEEN HIM WATCH FISHING!!) BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIS HIGH SCHOOL YEAR BOOKS YOU UNDERSTAND WHY. HE WAS IN EVERY SPORT OR CLUB HIS SCHOOL HAD TO OFFER (BESIDES CHEERLEADING) AND HE HAS A SMILE ON HIS FACE IN EACH PICTURE. HOWEVER SINCE A FOOTBALL KNEE INJURY HE ONLY PARTICIPATED IN TWO SPORTS; GOLF AND GARAGE SALE-ING. HE WAS EVEN SUCCESSFUL WHEN CHOOSING A WIFE. HOW DID HE KNOW SHE'D BE SUCH A GREAT MOM? MARRIAGE CAN BE HARD AT TIMES, BUT IF THEY EVER HAD A PROBLEM...WE NEVER KNEW IT. WHAT A TEAM THEY MAKE! MY DAD WAS NEVER WHAT YOU COULD CALL A 'KID PERSON', BUT WE KNEW INSIDE THAT SERIOUS EXTERIOR WAS A TNEDER HEART...ONE THAT LOVED US.

DAD, THANK YOU FOR FAITHFULLY TAKING US TO CHURCH AND FOR SERVING THE LORD. THANK YOU FOR PLAYING BATTLESHIP, PLAYING CATCH AND WORKING SO HARD FOR YOUR FAMILY.

NO, THERE ARE NOT MANY MEN LIKE MY DAD...KEN PRATT.

P.S. HAPPY FATHER'S DAD. DAD, DO I STILL HAVE TO BUY YOU A CART?
LOVE, BETH.

Memories. Good ones. Often found between the pages of Bibles. My husband has been with the Lord for over 10 years now. Memories are good.

ME day

2010-06-14T14:51:00.000-07:00

Today turned out to be a ME day. I am not sure I deserve a ME day but I took one. The whole (almost) of last week I spent doing things for others. Not noble. Not to be lauded. Just did things for others that needed to be done...by me. When I said (almost) it was because the first thing I did last week was to finish crocheting a shawl, perhaps for myself, that I started about a year ago. It is made from heavy crochet thread. It was fun to do. The rest of the week I spent finishing a trunk for BB's motorcycle, making MC a case for MC's new iPad, making a dress for my sis-in-love (Karen, I am going to have to modify it, it almost reaches the floor on ME) patching yet another pair of jeans for grand kids. I didn't cook much, hardly at all last week. After #1 son's birthday party, there was enough food left over so that when ever I got hungry I went to his house and said, "Feed me" That was nice. So today...a Me day. I took someone to the airport, took my Baby Lock Surger sewing machine for yet another repair and ended up trading it in on a new one. Score one for ME. I have had that machine for many years and several repairs, the most recent one costing over $100 so...it is GONE. The next reward was lunch @ Macaroni Grill and then on to Cold Stone Creamery. I think a nap is in order for more of my ME day.

Till next time............stay well and keep on keeping on.....................Connie

My desert

2010-06-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

I love my desert. I hate the cold that is anyplace else. I wouldn't want to live anywhere except right here in my desert but...it does have occasional drawbacks.
   My AC is not working well right now. I have someone coming to look/repair it on Friday!   The temps have been well over 100 degrees for about a week now. I have 20 windows in my house. I love those windows. So bright in my house.    I have small rectangle windows high above my regular kitchen windows. Kitchen windows that face South and West. A whole lot of light, (Summer sun) coming in those windows. HOT, HOT, HOT!! I have double accordion shades AND old fashioned roller shades in those windows. Nothing in the rectangle windows above. Some of the roller shades have disintrigrated (my little word dictionary can't even help me spell that word correctly) over the seven years that I have lived here so I had to make do with some stuff I had in my sewing room stash. For the windows over top, I have many Fry's Grocery Store bags. Can't wait for the AC man to get here.
   Another problem: Several times over those seven years my desert spews forth different kinds of little bugs, by the hundreds! It has happened overnight. So far not many of them have gotten into the house...so far. They are tiny elongated golden fly type bugs. AND they bite! A time or two in other years they have gotten into the house. Had to vacuum them off the walls, out of the light fixtures and off my bed before I could crawl in.
Other times the bugs have been teeny tiny hard shelled beetle type bugs that can hardly be squashed. None of those this year...yet.
   I still love my desert. I think I will lie down and read. Cooler that way.
   HEY! AC MAN. YOU WILL BE WELCOME HERE.

Just for fun

2010-06-07T05:48:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my oldest daughter and I spent a week in Palm Springs. I believe I may have told you about that already. Becky and I enjoy going to yard sales when we are on vacation with only us. No one else in our family enjoy that as much as we do. While we were there, we stopped at a sale where the people were already closing up shop and packing all the boxes to take inside. Good timing :-) "Take it away, almost free". I bought a box full of very nice books on quilting. In one of the books there were two pages of examples of Victorian quilt squares. Just for fun I started playing with small pieces of material and lace and also the embroidery stitches on my Bernina Sewing machine. As the pieces were coming together I thought, "I think I would enjoy this being the top of a dress. The pictures above are the pictures of the final result. I wore the dress to church yesterday. It was so comfortable I wore it all day and then to church again in the evening. I am thinking, "More dresses similar to this one"

Finally!!

2010-05-31T14:29:00.000-07:00

The crazy quilt above was claimed by BB. It is at this very moment on his bed. He loved it the minute he saw it before it was even finished. It may have taken me 3-4 months to finish it. I was so tired of working on this on that I couldn't wait for it to be on his bed.

I have discovered something anew about myself. I TOTALLY HATE, HATE, HATE repetition. I hate it when a song doesn't know when the song should be over and keeps repeating near the end. I want to ask whoever is leading the song if they don't know how to end it or if they don't know that it is supposed to be finished. Relating that, I am now working on yet another quilt. All the quilt blocks were finished and hand sewn in the recommended way with 1/4 " seams. Of course I had to recut those blocks because they were very tattered on the edges. It will not be a very large quilt. I think the person ran out of matching yardage because there are some odd ball blocks and she got discouraged and quit. I don't know how long it will take me to finish this one. Same thing over and over. BORING! I think Crazy Quilts are my forte. It is constantly changing. Being bored with the repetition of the quilt I am working on now, I left it in the middle of the L.R. floor and started working on a Victorian Crazy Patch. IDEA STRUCK! It became the front of a top for a new dress for me. Almost finished! Picture forth coming.

Above is the quilt I finished for my AZ granddaughter
She really likes bright colors so this one just fit the bill.
Remember that I am almost always working with
things other people throw away. These oblong pieces
came to me precut. Smelly. Must have been in some-
ones basement in the midwest. I had to wash them and
of course I had to iron and recut each piece. What you
see running from top to bottom is cording (from a
yard sale) covered with various fabric. It took me just
a week to make this one. It also took every bit of
batting I had on hand including small pieces here and
there. It is almost a comforter.

ME

2010-05-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Not many of you will be interested in reading this but it is all I could think of to post until I get another project completed.

I LOVE GETTING SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING.
   Making quilts out of scraps others have thrown away.
   BB building a chicken house for me from out of date election signs.
   I made a blouse not too long ago from scraps. Enough to get the body as recommended but had to make
       the sleeves going in two complete different directions from each other and the blouse. I like it.
   Getting dinner w/out running to the store when I don't have all ingredients called for and substituting some-
   on hand. I have come up with new and very good recipes.

I SELDOM EVER SIT WITH MY HANDS FOLDED.
   I continually move to different task depending on my energy level. I save knitting and crocheting for when
   I don't have enough energy to move the body.

I HAVE COME TO DESPISE TV
   Too many commercials, not anything much I am interested in but...I am watching an old TV series that I
      didn't know existed when it was on TV. It is called 'Boston Legal'. Totally delightful. I do sit with my
      hands folded while watching that. At night in my desert, when the lights are on many bugs, especially
      tiny ones seem to be able to find their way into the house. I hate watching TV in the dark.

MY HOUSE IS SELDOM COMPANY READY SO...
every time I go from one room to another I pick up something on the way that needs to go my direction.

I ENJOY DOING LAUNDRY
   I have had a clothes line ever since I was married in 1959 and use it.

I ENJOY GROCERY SHOPPING

I...L-O-V-E..TO COOK.
   Sometimes when doing other things I get in the mood to cook something and have to decide what it will be

I HATE TO CLEAN MY KITCHEN
   And many times it looks like it
   On our honeymoon (in Yosemite) my husband bought me a plaque which still hangs in my kitchen. I am
no good at memorizing anything but I know this little verse.
THANK GOD FOR DIRTY DISHES, THEY HAVE A TALE TO TELL
WHILE OTHERS MY GO HUNGRY, WE'RE EATING VERY WELL.
             WITH HEALTH AND HOME AND HAPPINESS, I SHOULDN'T WANT TO FUSS,
   BY THE STACK OF EVIDENCE, GOD'S BEEN VERY GOOD TO US.

I TURN OFF THE AC/HEATER AT NIGHT ALL YEAR AROUND
   I figure if I have to pull up the covers (in the Summer) I am wasting energy and I can pull on enough
   covers in the Winter that I don't need the heat.

I LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL MY MIND, HEART AND SOUL
I hope.                         I have never been put to the test.

I WOULD RATHER STAY HOME THAN GO OUT.

I NEVER USE THE WORD BORED
   I have way too much to do here at home that I enjoy. If I get TIRED of one thing I just move on to
   something else.

NOW. ENOUGH ABOUT ME RIGHT NOW, TELL ME ABOUT YOU.

This is why we love kids.

2010-05-17T10:16:00.002-07:00

1) NUDITYI was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, 'Mom, that lady isn't wearing a seat belt!'
2) OPINIONSOn the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, 'The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents.'
3) KETCHUPA woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. 'Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle.'
4) MORE NUDITY
A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, 'What's the matter, haven't you ever seen a little boy before?'
5) POLICE # 1While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about 6 years old. Looking up and down at my uniform, she asked, 'Are you a cop? Yes,' I answered and continued writing the report My mother said if I ever needed help I should ask the police. Is that right?' 'Yes, that's right,' I told her. 'Well, then,' she said as she extended her foot toward me, 'would you please tie my shoe?'
6) POLICE # 2It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me. 'Is that a dog you got back there?' he asked.
'It sure is,' I replied.
Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then towards the back of the van. Finally he said, 'What'd he do?'
7) ELDERLYWhile working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs... One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, 'The tooth fairy will never believe this!'
8) DRESS-UPA little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, 'Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit.'
'And why not, darling?'
'You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning.'
9) DEATHWhile walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased.
The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: 'Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes.' (I want this line used at my funeral!)
10) SCHOOLA little girl had just finished her first week of school. 'I'm just wasting my time,' she said to her mother. 'I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!'
11) BIBLEA little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it.. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages.
'Mama, look what I found,' the boy called out...
'What have you got there, dear?'
With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, 'I think it's Adam's underwear!'

Detail pix

2010-05-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

A few close up pictures of the Crazy Quilt that BB liked enough to take a close up of it.

My latest completed creation

2010-05-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

For the first time in my life that I remember I am fretting about change. 'They' have changed this blog site so much I am going to have to learn to use it all over again! I am not happy with the way this is turning out. At any rate, here are some pictures of the Crazy Quilt I just finished makeing for BB. There are several other pictures of smaller detail but I can't get them on here. I don't like the underlining of the scrip but don't want to take the time to figure it out right now. I have other projects I want to get to.

I had (oh look at that, the script changed on me) my AZ family over for huge hamburgers last night. I had not had a hamburger in a very long time an enjoyed it so very much. You are happy to know that aren't you ? :-)

When I get another something done I will post it.

For

A two post day

2010-05-10T11:19:00.000-07:00

Below is something my son sent me via e-mail. The pictures didn't copy but the story is fun to read, thus a second post on one day. Enjoy

BANANAS & MILK-DUDS
Below is an article written by Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated...
He details his experiences when given the opportunity to fly in a
F-14 Tomcat.. If you aren't laughing out loud by the time you get
To 'Milk Duds' , your sense of humor is seriously broken.

This message is for America 's most famous athletes:
Someday you may be invited to fly in the back-seat of one of your country's
Most powerful fighter jets. Many of you already have. John Elway,
John Stockton, Tiger Woods to name a few. If you get this opportunity,
Let me urge you, with the greatest sincerity.... Move to Guam .

Change your name.

Fake your own death!

Whatever you do.
Do Not Go!!!

I know.

The U.S. Navy invited me to try it. I was thrilled. I was pumped.
I was toast! I should've known when they told me my pilot would
Be Chip (Biff) King of Fighter Squadron 213 at Naval Air Station
Oceana in Virginia Beach ..

Whatever you're thinking a Top Gun named Chip (Biff) King looks
Like, triple it. He's about six-foot, tan, ice-blue eyes, wavy surfer hair,
Finger-crippling handshake -- the kind of man who wrestles
Dyspeptic alligators in his leisure time. If you see this man, run the
Other way. Fast.

Biff King was born to fly. His father, Jack King, was for years the
Voice of NASA missions. ('T-minus 15 seconds and counting'. Remember?)
Chip would charge neighborhood kids a quarter each to hear his dad.
Jack would wake up from naps surrounded by nine-year-olds waiting
For him to say, 'We have liftoff'.

Biff was to fly me in an F- 14D Tomcat, a ridiculously powerful $60 million
Weapon with nearly as much thrust as weight, not unlike Colin Montgomerie.
I was worried about getting airsick, so the night before the flight I asked
Biff if there was something I should eat the next morning.

'Bananas,' he said.

'For the potassium?' I asked.

'No,' Biff said, 'because they taste about the same coming up
As they do going down.'

The next morning, out on the tarmac, I had on my flight suit with my name
Sewn over the left breast. (No call sign -- like Crash or Sticky or Leadfoot.
But, still, very cool.) I carried my helmet in the crook of my arm, as Biff had
Instructed. If ever in my life I had a chance to nail Nicole Kidman, this was it.

A fighter pilot named Psycho gave me a safety briefing and then fastened
Me into my ejection seat, which, when employed, would 'egress' me out
Of the plane at such a velocity that I would be immediately knocked
Unconscious.

Just as I was thinking about aborting the flight, the canopy closed over me,
And Biff gave the ground crew a thumbs-up In minutes we were firing nose
Up at 600 mph. We leveled out and then canopy-rolled over another F-14.

Those 20 minutes were the rush of my life. Unfortunately, the ride lasted 80.
It was like being on the roller coaster at Six Flags Over Hell. Only without rails.
We did barrel rolls, snap rolls, loops, yanks and banks. We dived, rose and
Dived again, sometimes with a vertical velocity of 10,000 feet per minute.
We chased another F-14, and it chased us.

We broke the speed of sound. Sea was sky and sky was sea. Flying at
200 feet we did 90-degree turns at 550 mph, creating a G force of 6.5,
Which is to say I felt as if 6.5 times my body weight was smashing
Against me, thereby approximating life as Mrs.. Colin Montgomerie.

And I egressed the bananas.

And I egressed the pizza from the night before.

And the lunch before that.

I egressed a box of Milk Duds from the sixth grade.

I made Linda Blair look polite. Because of the G's, I was egressing
Stuff that never thought would be egressed.

I went through not one airsick bag, but two.

Biff said I passed out. Twice.. I was coated in sweat. At one point,
As we were coming in upside down in a banked curve on a mock
Bombing target and the G's were flattening me like a tortilla and I
Was in and out of consciousness, I realized I was the first person
In history to throw down.

I used to know 'cool'. Cool was Elway throwing a touchdown pass,
Or Norman making a five-iron bite.. But now I really know 'cool'.
Cool is guys like Biff, men with cast-iron stomachs and freon nerves.
I wouldn't go up there again for Derek Jeter's black book, but I'm
glad Biff does every day, and for less a year than a rookie reliever
makes in a home stand.

A week later, when the spins finally stopped, Biff called. He said
he and the fighters had the perfect call sign for me. Said he'd
send it on a patch for my flight suit.

What is it? I asked.

'Two Bags.'

God Bless America

Mondays

2010-05-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

I have decided I like Mondays...as long as I don't have to go anywhere. Mondays are a new start to a brand spankin' new week. Plans, good intentions, all in front of me. I started this week out well. I walked! That is a good thing. I am not faithful to my walking. I told my Dr. a couple of weeks ago (yearly checkup) that I don't mind walking, I just begrudge the 45 minutes it takes me away from my yarn and yardage.

Good intentions, new plans. I find that when I am away from home on vacation I always say: When I get home I am going to...you fill in the blanks. I wonder if you do that also. Most of the time I don't carry through on those plans but that is 'simply the way I roll' (as a niece of mine expressed).

Well, there you have it. Not much on my mind this a.m., just must carry through with some of those thoughts, first, dusting the furniture. BIG, BIG, winds here in the Spring and early Summer. I value the winds, it keeps us a little cooler a little longer here in my desert.

Home again, home again jiggidy jig

2010-05-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I have entitled my blogs with that same title in the past but I always think it and also always thank God for a safe trip.

This trip was to Palm Springs, CA. My oldest daughter went with me. Some day I hope it will be a trip with both daughters but the youngest daughter still has small children to take care of. Some day...

We were going to be away a week, Fri. to Fri. but came home a day early. We did and saw everything that we were interested in and it was time to come home. I think my sweet son-in-law wanted me to give his wife back to him. :-) When we left he was in bed with the flu and still didn't whine. He recovered enough to go to church on Sun. and to work on Mon. but I know he was happy to have us home early.

NO ONE would enjoy taking the vacations Becky and I take. We did garage sales and thrift store all Sat. and F-I-L-L-E-D the car with treasures. We hit one yard sale just as the people were packing it in and they almost gave away the things we were interested in. Becky bought two huge boxes of clothing. Just as soon as she got home she started sorting and washing. Some for her family and some for people at church. The trunk of my car was full of clothing. We took it out of the boxes so we could get it in the trunk. All for $2 !!!!! I bought a large box of books for making quilts and another box of material scraps for quilts. Half of the pattern books were for cross stitch. I will give those to a lady at my church. I DO N-O-T DO CROSS STITCH. I tried it once and it bores me sillier.

We drove to Redlands to see a cousin and an aunt of mine. My aunt will soon turn 90 years old. She and I used to be near the same size I believe. Now I can see that there may be a chance I will be frail. I saved clothing for years because I thought I might someday be old and frail, well, I became old but the frail didn't come with it. Frail I am not. My aunt is now frail but still a Blanton (my maiden name). Being a Blanton is an attitude: I can do it...I can handle it...I don't need any help! Blanton thru and thru. My youngest daughter once told me, "Let people help you mom, it blesses THEM" I told my aunt that and she immediately gave me the handle of her oxygen tank to pull for her. We Blantons are not totally unreasonable :-)

We had a great time. I am blessed to have children who love me and enjoy spending time with me............home again, home again.........until the next trip

The first story teller doesn't stand a chance

2010-04-23T09:03:00.002-07:00

While I am working, sewing, knitting, crocheting, etc., the mind often goes elsewhere. This morning while working on the Crazy Quilt I was remembering a story my BB told me. Mom made him a shirt in the '60's. A shirt that was from an off white plain butcher's cloth. She embroidered a design on the back of it, probably around the shoulder area, a design that was 'in' in the 60's. My BB wore it until he was pretty sure there was not a whole lot of wear left in it, or perhaps the 60's era was getting over itself then he threw it it the garbage. A while later, he was standing in line at the bank and a man that was in front of him had on BB's very own shirt!!!

My story: Quite some time ago, my mom was visiting us in Scottsdale. The three of us enjoyed going to garage sales. That day there was a large one with items from which each of us bought something. That night we went out to dinner at a very nice restaurant and we each wore the piece of clothing that we had purchased at that one garage sale. We sat there enjoying the meal, the evening and each others company and I whispered that I sure hoped the people from which we had purchased the items we were wearing were not sitting near us!!

Memories are wonderful and often revisited. Enjoy yours.

Good, good Sunday

2010-04-19T08:08:00.003-07:00

Just taking a minute before I decide what I am going to do next.

I had such a great Sunday yesterday. I went to church with my daughter and family and son. It was the 'kids' leading (playing instruments) for the song service. My AZ granddaughter ask for and received an electric bass guitar for Christmas. She played one song with the band. She was very nervous but did a great job. The song service was so uplifting and so was the rest. I enjoyed it very much.

I am taking a break from leading the choir, from right after the Easter service until ???????????. I just needed a break from responsibility and to go hither and yon for a while. I already feel refreshed.

Below are socks, both finished and in the making. The orange ones are ones I made a couple of years ago out of junk yarn. By junk I mean not yarn spacificilly for socks. The toe of a sock in my lap is a new experience. All of the many pair of socks I have made in the past start at the top of the cuff and on down to the toe. Several of the pairs of socks I have made has a toe in one of the socks that is a different color because I ran out of yarn before being finished with the pair. I wanted (and found) a pattern that starts from the toe and goes up to the cuff. I wanted this pattern because I can knit so far, start the second sock and knit each one of the pair in equal distance until I run out of yarn. They may end up only ankle length before I run out of yarn but will be the same color throughout. It puzzles me why there is not enough yarn in each ball to make a whole pair of socks. Could be because MY feet are so long.

To those who encourage

2010-04-12T08:13:00.003-07:00

I just received an e-mail from 'my lurker'. A very encouraging letter it was. I don't know this lady personally but she told me she checks on my blog almost every day. I had pretty much stopped blogging because I believe those of you whom I know personally would have gotten tired of hearing about 'all things thread'. My friend Clif, my former minister in Phoenix, is an encourger also. He told me that he believed that I had interesting things to say even tho' I might not have pictures to go with that particular blog. (I had a new computer and had not yet learned to transfer the pictures from my camera) My Lurker has spurred me on a bit. I am almost finished the top of my crazy quilt ( which my baby brother has already claimed) and am anxious to get to it this morning...and not so anxious to get my kitchen cleaned up but decided that I would make a quick post just because of those of you who encourage.

I really have nothing much more to share so I will find some eye candy just because I enjoy looking at the pictures

Have a wonderful and blessed day, I plan on doing the same.

I took the picture from my back door, perhaps last Summer, I don't remember and don't care to take the time to find out. My quilt is calling me very loudly, hang the kitchen.

2010-04-10T10:31:00.004-07:00

I have received via e-mail several times a forward that says: every night someone goes to sleep thinking about you, and many other uplifting things. I tried to find it with Google but failed. I wanted to post it on here in case YOU have not seen it. The reason I wanted to find it is because recently I have been contacted by a couple of people I had no idea read my blog. One person called herself 'the lurker'. She stumbled upon my blog perhaps because of a common interest in crocheting. She had been looking for the pattern of the sweater/jacket I made and put pictures on my blog of me wearing the sweater. I got the pattern to her. I am anxious Ms. Lurker to know how you are coming along with the sweater.

Another long time friend contacted me yesterday. She had kept up with my blog because it was pointed out to her by her dad and sister. Two other long time friends.

Just because I don't like to post anything w/out pictures, below are a couple of pictures of some new babies in my chicken yard.

Someday, if I receive that e-mail again, I will post it on here for you to read.

A stroke of brilliance

2010-04-09T08:47:00.008-07:00

I (see title) a few days ago so pay attention, I don't get those very often. I brought my shop vac into the house (after I had throughly cleaned it, it had been in the garage since it's purchase) and tucked it neatly under my cutting table in my sewing room. I enjoy making Crazy Quilts because I get something out of nothing. Cleaning my sewing room floor of thread and tiny scraps of material is so easy now. All the debris goes right into the Shop Vac's barrel and not into my vaccuum, which is a pain to clean what with all that falls to the floor.

Kat seems to think I am making it just for her

My jacket/sweater

2010-02-22T18:35:00.003-07:00

This is a very warm sweater...if the wind isn't blowing. Like all crocheted items, it is very holy.

That same old lady keeps showing up in my pictures

...and like many of the pictures taken of me this old lady has her eyes closed also.

The sunset was so beautiful, like many sunsets and sunrises here in my desert when the storm moves thru. I wanted BB to get a picture of the sun but it couldn't happen. Too much sun coming into the lens. The house behind me is my daughters.

We switched places and there are the clouds. Hope for more rain but we are told it may happen in a couple of more days. This storm is on it's way East.

A favorite thing to do.

2010-02-21T07:03:00.002-07:00

I have always enjoyed knitting. My first projects started happening between 45-50 years ago. I remember knitting a sweater for my son and one also for a nephew. I didn't start crocheting until about 1975 and jumped right into it with a complicated king size bed spread. I have recently decided that I enjoy crocheting so much more than knitting. I like the look of knitted things much better than crocheted things but crocheting is much more fun. The picture is of a sweater/jacket I finished a couple of weeks ago for one of my daughters. This one has kind of short sleeves. I can make one of these in a week. I made one for myself with long sleeves. I will put a picture of it on this blog in a few days. I made a third one for a lady at church. You can see just a tiny bit of the third one in the lower right hand corner. After three solid weeks of crocheting I have decided it is enough for a while. Now I am making yet another crazy quilt. Making crazy quilts is one of my favorite things to do. It is very like putting together a jigsaw puzzle...and I can get something from nothing. When it is finished there will be another picture.

When the storm passes by

2010-02-20T17:59:00.002-07:00

Well, I finally figured out once again how to upload pictures with my almost new computer.

We have had quite a wonderful storm pass by today from about noon until now. I think it has passed. It was great. Rain almost like I remember in California.
Enjoy the promise in the picture.

Yarn, yarn and more yarn

2010-02-01T11:07:00.002-07:00

I am excited about this new sweater/jacket. I hope it fits, hope it fits, hope it fits ME. I had to frog 3 rows. You can see some of the yarn lying on the floor. It was growing wider and wider with each row. I am wider and wider as you go from top to bottom of me but not quite that much.

I will keep you posted on the progress. Right now I need to hang some clothes on the line and perhaps take a walk.

This is what my new project looks like so far.

To those who care

2010-01-30T18:26:00.004-07:00

Some have been asking about my blog. I have not blogged since I got my new computer and now the new computer is giving me problems.

The reason I have not blogged is because I think a blog is much more interesting if there are pictures. I have not been able to get my pictures on the computer because it is so complicated. BB came over this afternoon and I wrote down step by step how to do it. It requires 12 or more clicks!!!!!!!!! REDICULOUS! There has to be a better way. At any rate, I, as usual am wallowing in yarn. A friend in TN ask me today about what I am doing and I took some picture.

The first two pictures are all the yarns I have chosen (so far) to go into the crocheted jacket/sweater. I am really excited about it. I made another one but gave it to a lady who goes to my church who admired it. I think I am going to enjoy this one even more

The following picture is of the yoke of the jacket. Now...I have to get back to knitting.

Happy list

2009-11-03T18:56:00.002-07:00

1. Last night there was 6 at my dinner table
2. Tonight there was only me
3. Whatever, it is always a blessed time. Food on my table.
4. After eating soup my daugher prepared and sent over I was sitting on the back
porch watching people come home. I was already home
5. The biggest ol' moon came up and a Sahauro Cactus was silloeted (I cannot find
the correct spelling for that) in front of the moon.
6. We had two very cold days last week. Freezing at night and not above the 50's
in the day time. It was in the high 80's tonight after dark. Love my desert.
7. I sat on the back porch that my loving baby brother built for me listening to a
classical station on the radio, Chopan, Beethovan (sure wish I could spell)
8. Saw the porch light of my son and baby brother's house come on. Someone must
have forgotten something out in their pickup.
9. Going to bed soon with a good book. TV is for the birds and I am not a bird.
10. Speaking of birds, my cat (Kat by name) likes to go on the back porch with me.
I put her up on the tall table so she won't run away. We had a bat circle us
several times looking for the fairy winged bugs that were circling our heads.
Kat was very interested.
11. A chicken finally layed an egg in a cabinate I put out there. Too many chickens
for the laying space they have available.
12. After 7 p.m. My bed and book is calling.

This and that

2009-08-28T09:50:00.003-07:00

I haven't had very much to share in quite some time. Today I thought I would find something if I just started typing..........nothing yet.
A rattler crawled out of the bushes heading for under the porch last night. I was sitting on my front porch at dusk watching the sun go down and my temporary house guest was walking home from my daugher's house after a brief visit. I called to her to watch for snakes ( just being silly), her eyes dropped to the ground and thankfully, saw that very snake. She was as antimated as I have ever seen her. She is usually very quiet and reserved. She went to the garage the next day and dug thru her belonging and found 3-three-many flashlights. :-)

I have about 50-50 roosters to hens and one duck. Poor duck... the roosters believe she is a chicken. I am beginning to think that we may end up with Duckins! I keep telling her to sit in the tub of water I have out there for her and she will be safe. She tends to ignore me.

I am still walking every day that I can. I believe I will be more inclined to walk more often when it cools off a bit more. We are promised it will be in the 90's next week.

Choir practice starts on Sept. 2nd. I am looking forward to it. I have the choir area rearranged (with the help of our church handy man) and all the music at the ready, including the Christmas cantata. I have arranged the Christmas and Easter cantata for the last 3 seasons but just couldn't get inspired this time so I ordered it. It is 'The Love of God at Christmas' It has a bit of a special meaning to me. When I was just out of high school and getting ready to start San Jose Bible College, I was in a trio. We sang one Sunday morning at Curtner Ave. Church of Christ (where I was married several years later) and my future husband was in the congregation. He saw and remembered me and remembered the song we sang.

Our record heat for yesterdays date was 106 degrees. We reached 105. That may happen again today. I am staying in the house a lot. I had to make a run to the bank yesterday. Sometimes life just required being on the run. I plan to be in the house all day today!!

Now I will try to find a picture for you that you may not have seen.

The following picture is of two of my granddaughters. The one with the big smile is my AZ granddaughter and the little one trying her best to get her picture taken is my TN granddaughter. This picture was taken in June when some of us were able to go to my TN grandsons graduation.

Watch, oh watch please.

2009-08-19T14:35:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYAUazLI9k

Such a pretty sunset

2009-08-15T06:33:00.002-07:00

I am 'throwing you a bone'. I have been walking more and more and it is becoming much more enjoyable. A couple of months ago when I first started walking it was because I had to. Now, I sometimes look forward to walking. I walked both yesterday a.m. and then again at p.m. I don't leave cornrows anymore dragging my heels the last part of the way home. I have almost no problem with my knee anymore. For many years, when putting on a pair of slacks, I had to balance just right, lift my left foot as high as I could (which was not very high) and then pull the foot the rest of the way up with my hand to get it into the leg of the slacks because the knee just simply would not bend enough. Now I have no problem bending that knee. Happy day.

While I am walking I am composing things to write down for you. By the time I get all the way home everything I thought might be of interest to you seems inane so it disappears from my mind. So...for today, below is the 'bone'. Something that is so very NOT inane. Enjoy my desert sunset and I will try to find something to share another day.

MEANDERING

2009-07-29T08:13:00.002-07:00

I haven't had anything of any interest to the whole group of you for several days so...nothing here.

Sitting here, working on my newest project, I have been thinking of things that I might put here, so, taking a meandering path, here is what I have thought of.

TECHNOLOGY:
I accidently was able to transfer pictures from my camera to my new computer one time, now I can't find the path. My baby bro told me last night he would show me AGAIN, but we both got distracted and we forgot AGAIN. I have a few pictures on the camera that you might be interested in but they, sadly, remain on the camera for now.

CHICKENS:
I lost a chicken several weeks ago to a trap. It got caught inbetween the hogwire fence (wide weave to keep the larger wild animals OUT and the chicken wire to keep the chickens IN) and It was hidden and not found until the ants had feasted very well.
I almost lost another chicken to a similar trap. I went out to feed the chickens yesterday and there were chicken feathers all over the ground. I looked for chicken parts, believing that an owl or some such thing had gotten in and feasted once again but no, not so. Last night when I was filling all the containters with fresh water, I spotted the poor little chicken trapped between the large basin that I have in there for the duck to rest in (not big enough for the duck to swim but enough for it to get it's duck longings fulfilled), trapped between the duck basin and the fence. I pulled the basin away from the fence and out the chicken popped. Poor thing had spent the whole day trapped in that place. Fortunately, it was protected again the sun for most of the day.

GROWING OLD ALONE:
Another 'fortunately' I am not really alone. besides my Father in Heaven, I am surrounded by people who love me and have people who love me that live far away. But, being a widow with a GREAT attitude I can count the benefits.
I CAN DO WHAT I WANT TO DO WHEN I WANT TO DO IT.
DON'T HAVE TO CONSULT ANYONE ABOUT PLANS.
CAN GO TO BED OR NOT WHEN I WANT TO.
CAN LET THE DUST AND CAT HAIR BUILD UP UNTIL I, ME, MYSELF, CANNOT STAND IT.
COOK OR NOT IF I WANT TO OR NOT
HAVE WHAT I WANT TO EAT AND NOT WHAT SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO EAT
GO OR STAY WHEN EVER I WANT

I would love to have my HONEY back again but I try not to look back. Loving life the Lord has given me.

Thats it for now, until I can pull those pictures off the camera and on the computer to share with you

Way too funny

2009-07-23T07:04:00.008-07:00

These pictures came into my email this a.m. entitled
NEVER LEAVE YOUR MOTORCYCLE AT GRANDMA'S HOUSE WHILE ON VACATION
I couldn't resist sharing.............:-)

July 18, 2009 Storm in the desert

2009-07-18T09:37:00.022-07:00

We had an amazing storm blow through here last night. I won't even bother to tag each picture, just look, enjoy and even perhaps be happy you were not here. As for BB and me, we danced in the rain and tried to stay out of the lightenings path.

Old age and Peek-a-boo

2009-07-14T06:42:00.002-07:00

No pictures today, I am too tired to fool with trying to find the proper one to post.
Old age and peek-a-boo? Here is the relation. Peek-a-boo, meaning that diabetes is playing peek-a-boo with my body. I have been very healthy all my life. Now that I readily admit to being an old lady, I have to admit that he body is not what I wish it would be. I have had a couple of blood test, the first when having my yearly physical. The second was a follow up on the results of the first test. I won't bore you with the numbers on the glucose test but the doctor didn't like them. I am not a huge sweet eater but do indulge when an occasion arises. I have cut out the honey in my oatmeat every morning and try not to be tempted with other sweets. I have started walking 1.8 miles every day that I can. The second test showed that I had knocked the number down about 11 points and the doctor said 'No treatment needed at this time and see me in 6 months". Yeah! But oh boy! That walking is sure hard on me. My body tried to lose about 3 lbs but I am fighting the weight loss,
I put it right back on again. Sad. I walk every day that I can. Sometimes I just can't make myself get out that door. Too tired,(go to bed tired, get up tired) too hot,(it was 106 degrees when I went to bed at night, no way was I going to walk last evening) not time enought today,(Church) but I will keep trying because I have a dear sweet friend/neighbor that is a nurse and tells me that just a bit of excercise with beat back the disease.

Tomorrow, if I don't find an excuse not to walk, I will take you on my walk with me with my camera.

Hodge Podge of pictures

2009-07-13T17:46:00.010-07:00

Here is another picture of the esteemed graduate and a friend at the reception at the school where he graduated.

This is my AZ granddaughter and my China Doll stretching her neck to be sure to get in the picture

Lily and one of Spencer's best friends. Note the hat. In Music City area the kids pretty well set the style. Whatever appeals to them at the moment is what they wear I suppose. He is a cutie. I know someone who wanted to get better acquainted with him but I won't tell you who she is.

I like to call this picture, "Show me the way to go home..." Some of you may remember the words to that song.

Spence

My favorite TN son-in-law, Kala's sweet dad. Sadly I didn't get any pictures of Kala's mom at all. At least none that she would appreciate me showing the whole world.

This is a picture of all my baby chicks and one duck who thinks it is a chick. They are all fully grown now. This picture was taken the early part of June. My baby bro and my favorite AZ son-in-law both have jobs at grammer school's (I don't know what grammer school is called these days. When I mentioned something about the grammer school I attended my AZ granddaughter ask me if I was especially poor in grammer and had to go to a special school) At any rate, as a science project it is a common practice in grammer schools here to hatch chickens and the teachers have to find homes for the new babies. We have them :-)

New pictures

2009-07-11T05:22:00.010-07:00

Below is 'Sam the Man' with chocolate on mouth and I don't know what the hand sign is for. It was in another picture I took also

Below is Lily, our Little China Doll, modeling a back pack I crocheted for her. The hat was supposed to be for Sam but he declared it was much too babish for him to wear for crazy hat day. He wants one with crocheted spikes. I am going to have to figure out how to do that.

My almost 19 y/o high school graduate. Looks like a college grad doesn't he?

My sweet daughter, her very sweet hubby, proud parents of the grad

The loving and lovely older sister of the grad

Whoops. A bit out of order. I zipped you up to Indianapolis. This is my 94 y/o mom-in-law. She will be 95 in December.

This is of course me and my oldest granddaughter. Wish I had her back in Marana with me. I don't believe that will ever happen but I can dream can't I? She was MINE, MINE, MINE for two years while she went to school here and many people at church came to love her and often ask about her.

There you have it for today. Maybe I will get back to 'farm' issues tomorrow.

Dust storms

2009-07-10T13:57:00.005-07:00

A long time friend who lives in OR ask me to discribe a dust storm because of a comment I made on my Facebook page. I typed in 'dust storm' on google and clicked on 'pictures' and found that most of the pictures were in a far away desert and the storms there are much more daunting than the ones we have here.

I am remember a great and very fun dust storm 2 or 3 years ago because I was seeing in thru my grand daughters eyes. Kala is very excited about weather. Extreme wheather that is. This was one of the finer dust storms. It came right across our part of my desert. People with swimming pools hate dust storms. It brings in all kinds of contaminates along with the dust and does a nasty number on swimming pools.

In my desert you can see where it is raining a long way off. God sends a column from His Heaven down to the earth and you KNOW there is a lot of rain falling in that area.

A little aside: When my husband and I and two of our kids were traveling from CT to CA on our motorcycles (Suzuki 850 full dress touring bikes) we got to AZ and here was a column like I described above. I zipped up to him and yelled "I am NOT riding into that" and he zipped away yelling, "Give HIM a moving target". Silly me, I followed

Anyway, when there is a dust storm, caused by a lot of wind in the storm, starts kicking up you can see that column but it is a dirty brown instead of the cloudy gray that is usually there in just rain.

When Kala was here, after the storm passed by (does that remind you of a song?) we looked at the sky in it's passing and the sky was fuschia and lavender and purple in color and very beautiful. I am happy to say that Kala didn's sprout wings and fly away from me nor get very much dust under her contacts.

There Idy, hope that is enough description for you. I wish I knew where the pictures were of that mighty & beautiful dust storm.

Since I don't know where those pictures are I will give you a little eye candy. This picture is right outside my kitchen door. Are you jealous?

2009-07-09T05:47:00.002-07:00

I am still learning to use this new computer with the new thing-a-ma-jiggie picture doo-dad. Below is one many of you will have seen already because it is on my Facebook page. It is a picture of me and my AZ granddaughter. She and her brother are going to summer school. She had a project to do and the subject she choose was pirates. So of course I had to try the hat on. This was a Sunday night after church. Sun. a.m. Sun p.m. Wed p.m. and some in between. Bet many of you haven't attended a church that has that many services in a week in many a year. We have a new minister who is only 58 years old and is very old school and I like that. We have a new web site that is in the 'construction' stage right now. You might like to take a look.
www.lwbcm.org

The Ol' Desert Dweller

2009-07-08T08:23:00.003-07:00

So sorry my good friends, I have not been a good friend to some of you for a long time. My youngest daughter set me up with Facebook over a year ago and though I didn't believe I would be interested in it I spend my recreation computer time there which is at the very minimum about an hour a day. I have caught up with MANY friend, some whom I have not seen in over 40 years! Most of the time I play Facebook Scrabble with several different people, one of whom is my TN daughter. It is so nice to have contact with her even if it is only a sentence or two each day.

I have a new computer, compliments of my AZ daughter and her sweet hubby BUT I don't have it all set up completely yet. I started to put some pictures of my trip to TN and my family there but can't (or don't know how) to do it yet.

I have all my pictures from my last computer on a disk and will try to figure out how to put some of them on here for you (and just to see if I can do it.

Bare with me while I get the computer figured out and also until I get real tired of Facebook.

HA! I did it :-) The picture is of Spencer (Kala's brother to some of you) It is his graduation picture from high school. Looks like it should be his graduation picture from college, right?

That is all for now. I will try to get this computer set up so I can get more pictures to you sometime in the future.

Guess who

2009-06-25T17:27:00.002-07:00

Yep, it is I. After having been absent since Mar. 24th here I am again. I guess I have switched my sentiments from blogging to Facebook. I play Scrabble every day with my Tennessee Songbird and having that bit of connection each day is wonderful.

I have a new computer, a gift from my AZ son-in-law and daughter. He couldn't stand it anymore having me have such an old relic of a computer that is even slower than this ol' lady. They knew I wouldn't buy one for myself because the old one worked and I learned to deal with it. This new one is amazingly fast and I can't seem to tear myself away from it. I guess that is why I am entering something on my blog.
I can't put any pictures on my blog yet because the computer is not completely set up, so no pictures yet.

I went to Fresno, CA the last of May for a 3 day Southern Gospel concert. Loved it.

In June, my daughter and her two children and I went to TN to see my oldest grandsons graduation from high school. I spent about 2 weeks there and then the 4 of us journeyed on to IN to visit with my 93 y/o mom-in-law and my sis-in-law and family. We were there almost a week then I put daughter and kids on the plane for home and I followed in my car. I would so much rather drive than fly. I love driving and hate flying. When my computer is all set up I will put some pictures of our trip for you to see. For now, look for me but don't hold your breath :-)

Never too late.

2009-03-24T06:47:00.001-07:00

The following is part of a note I received from a friend of mine in Phoenix. This is something worth sharing...........
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh ... I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you this: My mother was out here with Claudia and I since December, and recently returned on March 10th. Since living in NJ she has been attending a Christian Church, and had come to the realization that she should be baptized by immersion (she was sprinkled as a child). So, we made arrangements for her baptism. Wouldn't you know it, my sister decided she wanted to be baptized as well, so she flew out her for the baptism. But before their baptism, Claudia and Albert decided they wanted to re-affirm their faith and be baptized as well. So, on Saturday, March 7th, I had the privilege of baptizing my mother, my sister, my wife, Albert ... and at the last minute a fellow from our Monday night Prayer Group decided he wanted to be re-baptized as well ... so I also baptized Richard ------. There were about 24 people that came from the church to witness the baptisms. What an incredible evening that was. Mom will be 90 this year ... which goes to show you it's never too late to get baptized!

Let's start at the very beginning......

2009-03-13T14:32:00.006-07:00

I have discovered, after making maybe three crazy quilts and starting in a fourth, that I LOVE making crazy quilts. I told a friend of mine in TN the other day that these are the reasons I enjoy making crazy quilts but not the structured ones.

1. I am accomplishing something with a goal in mind
2. I am very GREEN! I never throw away scraps of material. I make them into quilts
3. It is not repetitive. It is a different thing with every seam sewed.
4. It is like watching a flower bloom. You don't know what it is going to look
like until it is completed.

If you are a neat freak this would drive you batty. It doesn't bother me. I don't
expect any company. Only those around me who love and accept me the way they find me

The mess you see in the first picture is a pile of scraps and threads that is only about 1/3 the heap it was in the beginning. I emptied my 3 boxes of scraps, sorted double knit from woven and light weight from heavy. Then started matching sides and sizes.

I love my Baby Lock machine when it is behaving. It is very tempermental and sometime I would love to toss it through the window but it is working beautifully right now.

The first seam goes together on the Babylock which works with 4 threads and trims every seam very nicely at the same time.

The next step is ironing the seam but I know you don't need to see my beautiful new iron I bought at a yard sale a few weeks ago. It is the greatest iron I have ever had. I love it.

After ironing the first seam I head for my Bernina and top stitch with the Chicken Foot stitch Then back to the ironing board and then the cutting table to match up where the new seam is going to be, trim it on my new table. Well, maybe not so new. The school where BB works discarded it and he brought it home to me. Great cutting table. Keeps the mess out of my big kitchen.

This is all repeated over and over and ..... until the quilt is completed.

The last two pictures are of the block growing and growing, soon to become my Summer Crazy Quilt. It will be nothing more than the top of the quilt which is light weight and backed with a sheet. That is all I will need on the bed all Summer. I will take a picture of it when I am finished.

Hope most of you didn't get too bored with this blog.

Too Funny

2009-03-08T06:44:00.003-07:00

After seeing all the PJ bottoms and pairs I made for me and Kala, BB decided he would like a pair. He chose the material from my stash. He thought the blue denim stripe looked pretty OK for himself. I made them yesterday. Problem: Most of the stuff in my stash came from garage sales, thrift stores, yard sales. You get the picture. When I laid the material out I found there was not enough to make the PJ pants unless... :-) You can see. :-D :-D We all thought they were hilarious. I decided to go ahead and make them up anyway because I didn't have a man pattern. I cut them from my pattern, took out some of the curvey hip, made them for straight up and down and longer. I needed to make them up to see what I need to do to make the next pair. Everyone was over here for dinner last night (huge, everything in it, salad and Pasta with the sauce on it that I call 'heart attack on a plate' I never remember the name of that sauce. All butter, cream and something Regiano cheese. I have holes in my mind. Not to worry, I have had those holes for a long time. It just involves proper names. ANYWAY, BB put on the PJ pants, we all had our guffaws, son-in-law had his trusty whatchamacallit phone with all the bells and whistles, as he always does and took the picture, zipped it right back to me as soon as he got home and now you can see the reason for all the laughter. I will make BB another pair (or two) with enough yardage for a better pair, I will make the adjustments to make them fit a bit better and he will be all comfy when he kicks

back for the evening.

Best Birthday Party EVER!

2009-03-07T06:50:00.005-07:00

I was relating this story to a friend a few days (weeks?) ago and decided it would be a good story to put on my blog. Story:
My husband of 40 years died on Dec. 18th 2000. Some time after that, months? I don't remember, I was sitting in the choir loft and had a melt down. I am not a cryer and didn't have the time to grieve in a timely manner ( what is the proper time?) and right there in front of God and everbody, a grief thingie kicked in. I couldn't stop crying. Bad bad. When my birthday came up in the very next week, I was feeling sorry for myself and sitting at the kitchen table feeding my invalid mother, who was not able to do anything at all for herself, a failed casserole. Edible, but definately a failure. I looked up and in the back door came marching all my friends from my Sunday school class, hands full of GOOD food and with smiles on their faces. What a wonderful gift.

Those of you who were there........thank you....you might not know what a wonderful gift and a long standing good memory you provided.

Enjoyable week

2009-03-05T08:30:00.005-07:00

I have had a very enjoyable. Last week I put on my favorite pair of pants, wore them all day, came home and slipped into a pair of quickly made cotton pants that I had recently made but not worn yet and vowed to make many more. PLOP, PLOP, FIZZ, FIZZ, OH WHAT A RELIEF IT IS. Some of you who are close to my age might remember that old Alka Selzer commercial. Well, those pants reminded me of that commercial. I made a pattern from the old 'Stretch and Sew' basic pattern. Light weight cotton, ELASTIC WAIST :-) That company came into play back in the days when we all wore that nasty double knit made with polyester. (Someday the future people are going to find that indistructable fabric in the digs and wonder what kind of people lived here). At any rate, I called up CO to the Stretch and Sew company some years ago and was told the patterns are adaptable to woven fabric simply by making 1 size larger. I made two pair of those pants, wore 1 pair to choir practice, got home and MC said, "Oh, I see you have some pajama pants'. I WORE PJ PANTS TO CHURCH! I didn't know I was making pj pants. Don't care. When they get laundried/laundryed??????? I will wear them out again. Those pants got me into my sewing room again. I have been so occupied with yarn I had forgotten thread. I got busy and MADE PJ's. I had such fun making things from my stash. I thought I was making them for me. Don't need them. #1 granddaughter needs them. They get wrapped and put in the mail as soon as this computer will release me.
DON'T TELL KALA, IT IS A SUPRISE. teehee. She will see this anyway. Enjoy Kala. Love you. Grammy

Uninvited guest

2009-03-03T07:10:00.005-07:00

Yesterday, as I was closing the shades against the sun, preparing to head for town I looked out my window and on the front porch was this big fellow/girl?? MC has dispatched several of these even though it is illegal to do so in AZ because she has several animal and fowl she wants to keep safe. Most of the time this happens in the early morning when it is still cool and the snakes are a bit slow. This fellow was on the very warm porch (it reached 93 degrees at the peak of the heat yesterday) and snakes are NOT slow when it is not cool. I usually am not unusally afraid of snakes but this one gave me goosebumps...really! It was very large around the middle. Just eaten? Pregnant? We don't know. Becky called the fire department and we stayed and visited with the snake until the fire truck got there. Every time the snake felt safe and started to move I would stamp my feet on the porch or throw a walnut shell (I had not swept up the shells after cracking the CA walnuts my oldest brother had gotten to me) and it would make the snake nervous again and it stayed coiled and ready to strike. It took the firemen about 30-45 minutes to get to my house even though they are only 1/2 mile away. They was fighting a fire someplace and still smelled smokey. By the way Kala, one of them was the cute fireman we hoped were at the fire station. ;-) My oldest granddaughter and I thought about going to the fire house when it was first established, taking cookies to them in welcome and checking out the cute? firemen in uniform. Never did it but I found out our cookies could not have been accepted. They are supposed to take the snake and release it only a mile from where they find it. They took it out to a road just a tiny bite farther than a mile (thank you cute firemen), I left for my errands in town but stopped at a wonderfully yummy Mexican fast food restaurant which is 11 miles from my house and the closest establishment from me. The firemen walked in to get lunch. I walked over to them with a $20 and told them I would like to buy them lunch. I got a BIG AND VERY FIRM "no thank you". Another granddaughter who lives next door to me told me that there were some officials (Police??) visiting their school one time and told them they were allow to accept NO gifts at all.

I hope this uninvited guest doesn't find it's way back here.

I will post something else when I find something you would be interested.

Don't forget to click on the pictures so that you can see the guest a bit better.

'Nother WHEW

2009-02-25T10:51:00.004-07:00

This is a computer bag I just finished for BB. It won't be long until #1S puts his order in for something 'Dead"

Maybe when I have a few minutes I will take a picture of the sweater/jacket I crocheted for myself AND KEPT IT.

Project finished...WHEW!

2009-02-20T08:00:00.004-07:00

This is a project that I have been working on for several weeks, along with other things that interest me. The pictures on this shirt are done with a craft called 'Thread Painting'. Is is all done on my sewing machine, free handed and it a lot of fun. I have other's standing in line to be completed. I will take pictures when they are finished. This is the reasons you don't see me on this blog very often.

Busy busy me

2009-02-06T18:44:00.002-07:00

It seems that there never is an end to things I want to accomplish. This last week I took on another task. I bought a French Provential dining room suite when my MC was just a baby. The dining room set now belongs to her and her family. It has been well used and has suffered the use. It has been re-glued, maybe more than once. The last time it was reglued (supposedly by a pro) was not done well nor correctly and has loosened up enough that one of the chairs collapsed with my granddaughter on it and another two were on the way. It is a busy life for my children and they apparently didn't have time to take care of it nor the desire, believing that it was no use. I guess I still have an attachment to the set and ask if I could try to re-glue the chairs. I re-glued the one that was in the worst shape and another is sitting in my garage awaiting attention. With MC approval, I recovered them for the third time in the life of the set. Being French Provential, it has alway been 'dressed' in very formal attaire. This is the third time I have recovered these 6 chairs. It may be the last. Being ol' farmers at heart, MC and I decided on this fabric that I had in the house already, from some garage sale no doubt. I had JUST enough. Only slivers of scrap left over. We kinda like the way they look. How about you?

Job hunting

2009-02-06T09:51:00.002-07:00

No, not me. I have my job already and it is right here at home. I am putting out a call for anyone who might need a graphic artist. My nephew has worked for Microsoft for 15 years in Seattle and has gotten caught in the economic crunch and was layed off. He escaped it for about 2 years but it finally caught up with him. I bet you anything that he and his family would love to head for the SUN! Let me know if you know of anyone...................Connie

New and improved...pictures

2009-01-25T20:38:00.002-07:00

Don't forget to click on the picture to make it larger

Greatful Dead logo

2009-01-24T15:17:00.007-07:00

I guess I must have big fingers. I loaned my camera to BB then decided I wanted to take some pictures of the Grateful Dead logo I made for him and must have poked something I shouldn't have. ALL BLUE PICTURES !!

Da Boys...both of them are fans of The Grateful Dead jam band. I learned the craft of Thread Painting a couple of years ago. It is very enjoyable. I hadn't done it in quite a while and had to learn it all over again. The first patch was not totally acceptable but BB liked it so much that he wanted to keep it anyway. I sewed it onto a cap for him today and the pictures are of him and the cap. I think I will take some more pictures minas the Big Finger effect and will show them to you later when I can corral him again.

A "TO DO" with a difference, this is called.

2009-01-23T07:23:00.001-07:00

I have just discovered that this won't paste exactly from Microsoft works. No bold, no color. Rats. All the time I spent on that. Not going to do it again. If you are interest you will just have to sort it out.

I have just finished with all the answers and as with off of these quizzes I enjoy putting extra comments in also to make it even more personal. Some don’t need an extra answer.

Things you've already done: bold
Things you want to do: in red
Things you haven't done and don't want to - leave in plain font

1. Started your own blog and here I am.
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band I never played in a band but felt like I was a member. In high school, my oldest brother was in the band, played cymbals, drums and was the mighty, bestest, most wonderful drum major ever in the JAMES LICK HIGH SCHOOL DANCING BAND. I was at every parade they were in (as I remember) dated all the Tuba players, some of the drummers, trumpet players and even a sax player. I just didn’t play an instrament in the band.
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a Meteor Shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyworld/Land both
8. Climbed a mountain not a very high mountain
9. Held a praying mantis there have been several on my screens but had no desire to hold one.
10. Sang a solo more times than I can count and my turn is coming up again soon.
11. Bungee jumped NEVERNEVERNEVERNEVER!!!
12. Visited Paris DITTO
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch Does needle work count?
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty Had the chance but stayed on the ground while my family climbed.
18. Grown your own vegetables With some success
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in Paris
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping Many times after the children were all gone
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden a Gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset Sunrises and sunsets are often awesome here in my desert. A memorable one was at the Grand Canyon. Many people came to a certain outlook (I can’t remember the name) to watch the sunrise. It was just like being in church. If there was a word exchanged it was whispered.
31. Hit a home run Several. I used to be pretty good in some sports.
32. Been on a cruise Five, if memory serves. If I ever go on a cruise again it will be the one where many Southern Gospel entertainers bring the entertainment.
33. Seen Niagara Falls Lived in Danbury, CT twice for the total of about 5 years. Never went to the falls.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors Maybe. I think many of my kin were born in the same place I was. Thayer, MO. I still visit there when I am in the area
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language I tried, with not much success. I know enough Spanish to get myself in trouble
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied I have enough. I like to think that I would be truly satisfied if I had much less. Come to think of it, after this last years economy I do have much less.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michaelangelo's David in person
41. Sung Karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt Yep, and it was July DURING A SNOW STORM! Go figure!
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant Nothing to crow about. It was in McDonalds.
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight ‘Twas in Cancun. Loved it.
46. Been transported in an ambulance Danbury, CT. Happy to say, car was totaled and towed away and not too much damage to me or youngest daughter
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing Fun being on the boat but up to someone else to catch the fish.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling Another Cancun memory. Fish were bigger than we were. I didn’t love it.
52. Kissed in the rain In the rain, in the snow, in the dry, in the sun, in the dark. Married 40 years.
53. Played in the mud A girl friend, in high school and I were at her home in California. Her dad was the care taker of an orchard. He was flooding the trees and we covered ourselves completely in mud. Fun
54. Gone to a drive-in Drive in restaurants, drive in movies. Yep
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business Does trying to sell items I have made on etsy.com count? Not successful at all. Selling eggs? I have a neighbor who loves to buy the eggs from my chickens.
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold girl scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching
63. Received flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood
65. Gone sky diving ‘nother NEVERNEVERNEVER
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. Bounced a cheque thankfully had an arrangement with the bank which covered the checks but was very expensive.
68. flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar don’t plan on doing that again
72. Pieced a Quilt several, crazy quilts are my favorite
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London
77. Broken a bone wrist (while walking and reading on the way home from the library when I was a child, a rib or two when I forgot how old I was and trying to get out of a lake onto a dock. Needless to say, I didn’t make it onto the dock successfully AND another rib or two when backing my mom in her wheelchair. I, mom and wheelchair took a dip into the pool. She wasn’t damaged, wheelchair wasn’t damaged, only me. It was nearly Christmas, pool was about 56 degrees. I pulled mom out of the pool limb by limb, then the chair, wheeled her to the back door and started taking my clothes off. She said (and she didn’t talk much in those latter days) “ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF OUT HERE!!!:” and I said “yes, and you are next” She also said, “I ALMOST DROWNED” She didn’t. It was a fun story until the next day when the ribs started to HURT!
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle Many times while trying to catch my husband on his.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon see question 30
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper While getting a shot during the 1950’s. It rained so much in San Jose, CA that the streets were flooded and I think the shot was the one for Polio
85. Read the entire Bible A couple of times and trying to do it again.
86. Visited the White House again in MUCH rain.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating Quail, shot from a bedroom window, out of season, with a 22. Called hubby at work and ask how many made a “mess” of quail. He said in a very low, quiet, patient voice, “How many do you have?” I told him two. He said that was a mess. He loved telling that story.
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous HOPALONG CASSIDY. SHOOK HIS HAND.
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one I am 71 y/o I have lost many loved ones
94. Had a baby 3
95. Seen the Alamo in person. I love the River Walk in San Antonio. I want to go back again in 2009
96. Swum in the great salt lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit Does class action suits count? I have been involved in several of those and even received a check or two.
98. Owned a cell phone I don’t even have a land line anymore. I like that

There! That is probably more than you ever wanted to know about me.

RED-NEKID-NESS

2009-01-22T18:55:00.007-07:00

Last night at church a friend mentioned that I had not put anything on my blog in a while. I said i have been busy (who hasn't?) and that I had not had anything of interest to ya'all. Below, in response to his request, there are some pictures that attest to my RED-NEKID-NESS. I will never be ashamed of that trait. I was GREEN before the term GREEN came into play. I do not like to waste anything. I am always believing that whatever I am not using at the moment I will be able to use it at another time. For a while, I lined my garden with 2 liter bottles filled with water. I acquired the bottles from my son who drinks from 1 to 2 2 liter bottles of Canada Dry Lemon Lime soda every day. I thought I might keep the little critters out of my garden (they don't seem to get into the garden anyway because I have it surrounded with hog wire and also chicken wire. I found that the bottles made it hard to keep the weeds whacked away so I decided not to use them anymore. I disposed of them little by little as I emptied the water here and there. I left for a trip to TN & IN in Oct., stopped watering the tomatoes planted by the house. I noticed that one plant was still green and striving to live inspite of no water from Oct. to Dec. So...BB helped me make a small green house with the bottles full of water. I believe the water will suck in the heat in the day and will hold the heat for a while into the night. When it is freezing, I cover the contraption with a sheet. I noticed that the tiny pea sized red tomatoes might not be very tasty so I cleaned out the floor of the chicken coop and dumped it onto the top of the plant. NOW, if I haven't roasted the tomato plant with chicken poop I have hopes of having a tomato or two before long. HIGH HOPES, I HAVE HIGH HOPES...

Relic or Mac?

2009-01-19T13:11:00.003-07:00

UNGH! OOOUW! UGH! WOW! S-T-O-P!!!
All that is the noise you hear as people put the pressure on me to get rid of this, many times, inoperable relic. This computer. And buy a Mac.

NOOOOOOOO! Not yet!!

I wanna talk about me!

2009-01-11T20:00:00.004-07:00

I am having a hard time finding thing you might be interested in or even thing I am interested in to put on the blog. I thought maybe this might qualify. There was a country western song that came out some time ago. while I don't often hear or even listen to the words of a song (I usually only hear the melody, harmony and the accompaniment) I remember hearing the gist of this song. A fellow was spending time with a woman who talked only about herself. The chorus was: I wanna talk about me. Here is a chance to talk about ME. A little questionnaire I found on Facebook.

1. What is your occupation right now?
Doing whatever I can to help my family both near and far and playing with yarn

2. What color are your socks right now?
Black lacy knee socks that I am going to throw away as soon as I take them off. Elastic has weakened and won't stay up.

3. What are you listening to right now?
My ears ring.

4. What was the last thing that you ate?
Dried fruit and nuts

5. Can you drive a stick shift?
Today is my 71st birthday. Of course I can.

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
Boyd. #1S.......wishing me a happy birthday

7. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
No one sent it to me. I had to find it and copy and paste it.

8. How old are you today?
Just told you.......Jan 11, 1938

9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?
Don't have to do that anymore. No man in house. Soon, Feb 17 maybe, no TV, don't care.

10. What is your favorite drink?
Diet Pepsi. Don't keep it in the house. I know it can't be good for me
so only have it as a treat when I am out.

11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
Several times but not very successful

12. Favorite food?
Whatever is on my plate at meal time

13. What is the last movie you watched?
Trying to wade my way through "Big Fish" right now. Two days in the machine
and still not finished. I am sure I have seen it before.

14. Favorite day of the year?
Every day. At my age, each day is a gift.

15. How do you vent anger?
I can't remember the last time I was angry.

16. What was your favorite toy as a child?
Probably anything my brother had in hand.
I just remembered that I have done this before on Facebook If you are "my friend
on Facebook, just ignore this.
17. What is your favorite season?
Any part of the year that is not cold

18. Cherries or Blueberries?
If I have only the two choices, cherries

19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back?
I love it when my friends send me personal e-mail

20. Who is the most likely to respond?
I can count on Beth, Brenda and Charlotte and sometimes Clif.

21. Who is least likely to respond?
?????????/////

22. Living arrangements?
Just lil' ol' me and an indifferent cat.

23. When was the last time you cried?
I seldom ever, ever, ever cry.

24. What is on the floor of your closet?
Which closet? And NO comments from you Beth.

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to?
this is not an e-mail but perhaps, even perhaps someone will see it and I
will make a new friend

26. What did you do last night?
After garage sale-ing (How DO you spell that?) and lunch with family at
"The Texas Roadhouse" Family will notice that I typed the name correctly
When the Roadhouse first came to town I couldn't remember the name and
called it "The Texas Outhouse"

27. What are you most afraid of?
I don't believe I am afraid of anything. I have seldom ever had a reason
to be afraid.

28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers?
I haven't eaten beef in a couple of years but if I did it would be with
EVERYTHING.

29. Favorite dog breed?
I have decided that I don't like slobbery, stinky, licky poopy dogs. I am now
a one cat lady

30. Favorite day of the week?
Every day that I can get out of bed and take nourishment. That make just about
Evey day my favorite.

31. How many states have you lived in?
MO, CA, CT, CO, CT, AZ, IA, AZ. You count 'em

32. Diamonds or pearls?
Why choose? I like them all

33. What is your favorite flower?
Gardenias. Had them in my wedding bouquet and someone sent them to me when my
husband died. Fitting, no? Thanks Rosalie.

One more thing before getting off the subject of me. I have a haircut that is the shortest of my whole life. I am due for a trim on Thursday. Sould I keep the appointment. Remember, this is the end of a long day........Help please.

Save a tree

2009-01-08T09:55:00.002-07:00

Quite some time ago I came across the site below. You can go to this site and opt out of many of the advertising catalogs you receive in the mail. Not all of them. I have been using this site when I receive a catalog I don't want, didn't order and is useless to me and clogging up my mail AND USING TREES TO NO AVAIL. You may like the convenience of this site.

https://www.catalogchoice.org/login

Coincidence?

2009-01-04T13:23:00.002-07:00

Occasionlly I hear there are no co-incidences in the Christians world. I don't know how that got started or when but sometimes something happens that makes us believe that might be true.

Today it was my turn to bring the special music at my church. The young man who runs the sound system, sings in the choir, leads the music in the worship service Sunday mornings and probably many other things that I don't know about, had a sinus infection and ask me to lead the worship service. I was there a bit early to work the song I was to sing with that young man while he set up the sound system for me and my voice and song. I sang Amazing Grace.

After church he told me about God's planning. I didn't know God was in charge of the song I chose to sing today. I guess He was. Thank goodness the young man didn't tell me the story until after church or I couldn't have gotten through the song. The story is: He had an older brother who was going to work on his bicycle. He was a teen at the time and someone hit and killed him. My friend, the sound man, told me that Amazing Grace had not been sung at this church very often for a long time because...Amazing Grace was sung at his brother's funeral AND TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS BROTHERS BIRTHDAY!!

Co-incidences? Maybe. Maybe not.

Various family pictures

2009-01-01T18:22:00.026-07:00

OK, I dared! I dared to start with me and all my years attached.

The following pictures are a whole bunch of family pictures. I wonder if one can max this site out with pictures???? Anyway, if you have a question about any of the pictures, let me know and I will let you know.

Favorite thing to do

2008-12-30T10:09:00.002-07:00

I first learned to knit when my oldest was just a baby. He is now 48 y/o. I love to knit. Love to feel the yarn, love to CREATE and love to see how it turns out. I learned to crochet when we moved to CT. in 1975. I have crocheted off and on many times during those years from '75 until now. I like the look of the knitted projects but enjoy crocheting the most because it is much faster than knitting and, as a friend of my sis-in-law said, "Crocheting is very forgiving". It is. A mistake can be made and rather than having to frog back to the error, sometimes you can cheat and make the error unnoticeable.

Two ladies in my church have undertaken service to the homeless. A couple of weeks ago, they ask for blankets, hats, whatever we could donate for the cold winter nights here for the homeless. I pulled out a pattern for crocheted stocking hats and set to work. From that Sun. to Wed. I had crocheted 12 hats. I am well on the way to that many once again. It is so much fun and almost instantly gratifing because they are finished so quickly.

I am including the first pattern that I crocheted for a stocking hat and then my revision for the way I am making them now. I hope the pattern is understandable for those that would like to try it. If there is some confusion in the pattern feel free to e-mail me and ask for an explaination.

Below is a great web site for crocheters. I just found it while looking up a crochet stitch (Shrimp Stitch).

http://www.crochetmemories.com/crochet4.php

This is the original pattern that I got from someplace on the web.

CHENILLE CHEMO SKULL CAP

ADULT: CHENILLE SENSATIONS YARN. J HOOK

RND 1: Ch 4. Join, work 12 dc into ring, join
RND 2: *2dc in ea st* around, join. (24 dc)
RND 3: *1 dc in next st, 2 dc in next st* around, join (36dc)
RND 4: *1 dc in next 2st, 2dc in next st* around, join (48dc)
RND 5: *1 dc in next 3st, 2dc in next* around, join (60dc)
RND 6-14: dc in ea st around, join
RND 15: sc in ea st around, join.
Fasten off.
=============================================
Here is how I have been working the hats. You can change the size of a hat by changing types of yarn and/or the size of the hook (sports, 1 strand of sports and 1 strand of worsted, two strands of worsted). I have been using 2 strands of worsted to make adult hats.

I have been using a K hook, but use whatever you have but use a large one.

RND 1-4 same as the original pattern. At end of each row I slip st into the top of the beginning of last row to join then chain 2 or 3 if using 2 strands of worsted.
RND 5 and each following rows dc in each st.

until the hat is long enough to cover the ears:. I try on the hats occasionally to see if it will cover the ears or have George try it on to see how much more to cover the ears on a man.

Last row sc in each st around.

I enjoy using scrap yarn. When one of the balls of scrap yarn runs out I simply tie on another one, no matter what color. Often I use two different colors, one strand of one color and one strand of a different color. It is fun to see how they turn out.

When I made a child’s hat, I increased up to 2 dc then 1 increase before I started dc all around. Otherwise the hat gets too big. Also, if it is obviously a little girls hat, instead of a single crochet around at the last row, I do 2 dc in each stitch all around and makes a cute little brim.

Sometimes I use a half double crochet stitch for the last row.
Sometimes I us a Shrimp Stitch to finish.

I still, after all the hats I have made, sometimes have to frog it back a ways and do it a different way.

UNFAITHFUL!

2008-12-29T08:09:00.010-07:00

I must admit and confess that I have been unfaithful to you dear friends and readers. I have found other interest and...I lead, to some, a boring life. To me, my life is blessed and in no way boring. The unfaithful part, I have spent a whole lot of time on Facebook these last few weeks ;>( To those of you who have missed me, I appologize. But, by being on Facebook each day (playing Scrabble with my Tennessee Songbird (my baby daughter) I have daily contact, even if it is just saying a few words on the inst. msg. part of the scrabble game. I lose almost every time miserably but enjoy playing. The game is much different than the board game you may play at home and no one is watching a waiting, waiting, waiting for me to play and I enjoy the Facebook game much more because of that very thing.

Two women at my little church are involved with the homeless and the services supplied to them. Laat week they requested that each of us search our homes for things needed by the homeless: blankets, hats, anything they might be able to use. In the past, both in Iowa,(a group of ladies who called themselves 'Care & Share) and at home in Scottsdale while staying with my mom every minute after I moved her into my home, I knitted or crocheted hats. It is basically a brainless thing to do and a very gratifying thing to do for me because each hat is quickly done. I have made dozens and dozens of them. So, last week, while some of you were faithful to me and kept checking on my blog, I was making hats for the homeless. From Sun. to Wed. I made a dozen hats (told you it is quick and brainless) and am off and running again this week making some more. It is very cold here, for us desert rats, especially during the night. I have to go out each morning and break about half an inch of ice off the chickens water containers.

I will post some pictures to let you see other things I have been doing. I have so many pictures on my computer I will need to delete some soon I think. If the computer had seams, they would be bulging, (like my clothing after Christmas dinner).

Thank you for caring.

The first four pictures are of our Thanksgiving. I decided that I did't want to go to all that work with turkey and all the trimmings. So...we had hamburgers. They were a little more than just BBQ'ed Burgers. They were double burgers, some beef and some turkey, stuffed with cheese and green chilis. We had a huge bowl of Tortilla chips and another huge bowl of homemade Pico de Gallo. Beth taught me how to make that Pico de Gallo when I was in Tennessee. Oh my goodness, BIG YUM. I could eat it with a spoon, kinda like soup. We were all stuffed like some people's turkeys and happy with it all. BB had been very ill but still volenteered to cook the burgers. It was a rainy day. #1S is helping. You will notice he is in shirt sleeves. He spent several years cutting meat and grew to enjoy the cold. My only AZ grandson is also in the picture.

The next two pictures are of a collage of pictures my oldest grandaughter took of me while she lived with me for a couple of years and going to college in Tucson. You will have seen some of those pictures as headers on this blog. She then stayed up ALL NIGHT LONG! doing one of the pictures in charcoal. Click on the pictures and it will make them larger and easier to see.

The last two pictures are of an afghan I made for a friend at church. I made if for Mr. J. but I found out Sunday, Mrs. J. has taken control of it. It is very cold here. I told him I may make him another one but he may not get it until Spring. I have too many other things I want to make.

I will stop for now. Some of you will look at this lengthy blog and shut down. I will save more for later.

Checking on this before I publish it, I found it is so long that I don't even want to proof read it...........Oh well, what you see is what you get. Some of you did ask for it.......... ;>)

One more Roy website

2008-12-03T07:16:00.001-07:00

http://web.mac.com/roy.achmoody/Prayer/Writings/Writings.html

Easy way out

2008-12-02T07:54:00.001-07:00

I am going to take the easy, non-thinking way of entertaining you today. I have just this a.m. discovered a website of a very dear friend. Take a look at his cartoons. I think you will enjoy them.

http://web.mac.com/roy.achmoody/cartoons/Christian_Cartoons.html

Thanksgiving weekend

2008-12-01T13:09:00.015-07:00

OK, OK. I know my limitations. I am not a pro with this handy dandy little camera. BB is/was a pro. photog. and would have known what to do but he and #1S were no where to be found to provide help. So, if you click on the dark pictures I believe you will be able to see them a little better. I did that this a.m. and couldn't find my way back and lost an almost complete blog!!! Won't do that again today.

The Seven of us left on Friday for Bisbee, AZ about 10 a.m. for the weekend. We got ourselves situated in a very nice hotel in Sierra Vista, AZ, which #1S provided for us all, then we headed for Bisbee. They touted a Christmas lite celebration in which the town was to be lighted at 6 p.m. We were there for the ceremony. Afterwards they had a program which involved a former mayor of Bisbee and the current mayor. Yawn! Then they had 13 acts. There were tiny tots in Christmas outfits doing dances and were adorable. There were also dancers from Naco, MX. I don't think that is the whole name of the area in Mexico but I do at least remember that much. Some very colorful costumes and enjoyable dances.

Below, the first two pictures are of the Somethingorother Queen Hotel. Can't remember the whole name right now. It has been renovated in the last 10-15 years. I was told that my late hubby, his sis and hubby and I ate in the dining room some years ago but don't remember that either. I may have to be commited soon.

The next two pictures are of some of the adorable tiny tots in costume So sorry you can hardly see them. Remember to click on the picture. Makes them larger and a bit more visible.

After the "show" and being thankful we were in the middle of the three tiered bleachers (we were kept reasonably warm by bodies that surrounded us) we went to "The Texas Outhouse". When that establishment first came to town I couldn't remember the correct name, "Texas.........."HUMMM, the name is gone again. You probably know what it is. (While proof reading this I remembered, "Texas Roadhouse") Anyway, we went to that place to have dinner. The following is a picture of Danny Girl aka. Danica. MC's daughter

Mike........MC's son, not quite ready for the picture to be taken.

MC's sweet hubby

MC

BB

#1S Humm again. Do you suppose they practiced those wonderful smiles?

And then there is that OLD lady that keeps showing up in family pictures. Looks as if she was not quite ready for the picture to be taken either.

Last but not least is the lady who waited on us. What a special person. She and #1S sparred the whole time. She did a great job of keeping up with his teasing. He is a pro at giving people a run for their money, all in fun, and she kept up with him very well.

And a good time was had by all.

On Sat. Bisbee had a craft fair. Another Yawn. It was OK. We had a good time just all being there together but the fair at Bisbee was less than I expected. We wore me out. I was so exhausted that I didn't sleep well the whole time I was there and the hip joints and one knee kept protesting. Today, I am OK. I think I have survived and will recover. A little more slowly than in years past. I must be as old as that OLD lady that keeps showing up in our family pictures.

WELL!

2008-11-27T06:18:00.002-07:00

AND AGAIN I SAY WELL! It was supposed to rain yesterday. It did rain... someplace. I am told that it rained where MC's hubby works. That is about 30-35 miles away. Downpour. Not here. It waited until just after 6 a.m. today, THANKSGIVING! And we planed a BBQ. No traditionalist we. BBQ. Well, it may end up being a Burger Fry. Whatever, most of us will be together, all except those traditional Tennessee people. Hey you TN people. Enjoy your turkey! I really mean it. Enjoy. Then see how long it takes you to clean up all that tradition.

HAVE A WONDERFUL, THANKFUL DAY.

Plagerism

2008-11-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
May your pies take the prize,
May your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I believe it may rain.

2008-11-26T08:09:00.006-07:00

Click on the picture and you can more easily see what caught my attention enough to grab my camera and rush to the front porch. See that bright patch of sunlight to the right? It was a nice sight and gone forever within minutes.

We have a promise of rain. 60%! Wow. A nice promise down here in my desert.

Fog? No, not fog

2008-11-24T18:45:00.002-07:00

Early this a.m. I looked outside and it looked like fog. Reminded me of the 29 years I spent in San Jose, CA. Often we had fog in the a.m. and I hated it. Dress for a cold morning and by 10 a.m. - 12 noon, it would be hot because all the fog and damp had burned off. I still hate fog. I love my desert but this a.m. I was reminded of the fog. What you are seeing, especially in the second picture is the dust in the air left by all the working people heading off out the dirt, washboard road that runs behind my house (it is a main road). I had my house set so that it faced Picacho Peak and the main road behind the house. The dust is hanging around and hanging low to the ground because it was so still. No breeze at all.

The Redneck is Back

2008-11-23T07:22:00.004-07:00

The natural born Redneck in me keeps creeping out. With just a hint to BB the siding on my chicken coup happened. When I arrived home from my trip to TN and IN, my chicken coup had been sided with............defunct, therefore, no longer useful POLITICAL SIGNS.

QUESTION: Were they ever useful in the first place?

Slow Burn

2008-11-22T06:27:00.002-07:00

This is a picture of "Da Boys" down on Cannery Row of John Steinbeck fame. This is one of the few pictures I took while in CA. Even though the people behind them look real to me, it is a sign board advertising the shop where the main thing for sale is hot pepper sauce.

Quiz.

2008-11-20T16:35:00.002-07:00

I am too sick to think. Caught cold from BB on CA trip. Thanks BB. So, the following is something I stole from "Shut Up I'm Counting" with my answers and not hers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where is your mobile phone?
In my pocket. It is never far from me because I don't have a land line anymore.

Where is your significant other?
Heaven. Right now, with this chest cold, I wish I were with him.

Your hair colour?
Light brown and grey. Used to be dark brown. Where oh where has the color gone?

Your mother?
Same place as my significant other

Your father?
Ditto for hubby and mom

Your favourite thing?
Just about my whole life. Thank you God

Your dream last night?
I seldom ever remember my dreams

Your dream goal?
I am living my goals. Living, every day, just living and lovin' living

The room you’re in?
Kitchen/eating area. It was supposed to be a family room. Silly, Living room is right over the little wall. Why have two. Now I have a very large kitchen and it gets a whole lot of use.

Your hobby?
Anything involving yarn

Your fear?
I can't think of anything that I am afraid of

Where do you want to be in 6 years?
right here in Beautiful Marana, AZ. Love my desert

Where were you last night?
slogging around being sick and coughing

What you’re not?
Fearful, depressed, unhappy, and...........well

One of your wish-list items?
I don't have a wish list. I think I have everything I need and more

Where you grew up?
San Jose, CA

The last thing you did?
Try to take a deep breath w/out coughing

What are you wearing?
Denim skirt and flowered top

Your TV?
Soon to be gone. I don't believe I will persue TV after the FEB date it dies

Your pets?
Nice clean white puffy cat/Kat. She made the mistake of getting up on a cabinate yesterday. When she does that, I catch her, walk into the shower fully clothed, close shower door, disrobe and then we shower together. Pretty kitty.

Your computer?
Older than I am and often just as crippled

Your mood?
Wishing I were well.

Missing someone?
Only my Tennessee family.

Your car?
Nissan Maxima. Great car

Something you’re not wearing?
Shoes and makeup, but that is not unusual

Favourite shop?
Costco. the place where I spend most of my money

Your summer?
Busy. Now for some home time

Love someone?
Many

Your favourite colour?
Pale dusty coral

When is the last time you laughed?
Probably last night when BB was here.

When is the last time you cried?
I don't remember. I almost never, ever cry.

Santa Cruz?

2008-11-18T06:39:00.001-07:00

This is one of a few pictures I took before the batteries died in my camera on our trip to California. We did a bit of sight seeing 'round and about Santa Cruz, CA. I don't remember for sure if this was in Santa Cruz or 'round and about, but it is a nice picture and memory

Oh what a mess I am in!

2008-11-17T10:21:00.002-07:00

I should be cleaning house. I could say that almost every day. I SHOULD! But I am adding to the mess and having a good time. I always do. Have a good time. That is me. Below is a picture of a bunch of Christmas gifts. Last year, in lieu of Christmas cards for people at my church I made MANY 1/2 pint jars of Apple Butter, one for each family in my little church. Lots of work. Getting lazy I guess and don't want to do that again. A friend of mine in CA said I "might be creating a monster" because she made jam/jelly one year for neighbors and they let her know they were disappointed when the next year rolled around and there was no jam/jelly to be had. The picture you see is the result of bringing home a Craft 'n Things magazine from the library. These are cookies in a jar and the parishable ingredients are to be added by the recipient of the gift when they get ready to have some quick cookies. Of course, the recipe is not EXACTLY as printed in the magazine. Never is out here where I live. No store close by. And then, of course, I couldn't gift these cookies in a jar without trying the recipe. One banana and four cookies later, I deem these cookies in a jar worth gifting. They will have a Christmas patterned cloth w/ribbon round the top. These cookies in a jar is intended for each family in my choir. You choir members who follow my blog will need to act surprised when you receive them!

Black Bean Soup recipe

2008-11-15T07:07:00.002-07:00

http://shutupimcounting.wordpress.com/2008/11/08/black-bean-soup/

The above is to copy and paste onto your browser/address line/whatever you call it, to get you to the recipe for the BB soup. It is a great recipe and very easy to throw together. As with other recipes that has lots of spice in it, the heat/spice grows while it is hanging out in the fridge. We enjoy it very much. Thanks Cass. As I told you, I don't know this lady, just found her following Knitting interest. She is an avid knitter and knits things to be admired, good job! Enjoy the soup.

Garage Sale Friday

2008-11-14T19:40:00.002-07:00

Today MC and I went garage sale-ing. It is something we enjoy doing together. Sometimes we find nothing, sometimes the car is so full that there is no room to put the kids on the way home from school. Today was a case of no room, so, I dropped by the church building, just about 1/4 mile from where we pick up the kids, dropped off a small shelf I bought for my sewing room (to stack more yarn on)rearranged the stuff into the trunk and VOILA, we found room for the kids. I thought we might have to make the 22 mile round trip to drop off some stuff and go back for the kids, or...leave the kids. Good news, the kids are home safe, happy and by now, in bed.

This is a test, this is only a test.

2008-11-13T17:19:00.002-07:00

My friend and excellent blogger told me the way to do something. I will try it now.
I made a yummy Black Bean Soup for tonight. I found the recipe on the blog of someone I don't even know but visit often. Her blog is http://www.shutupimcounting.blogspot.com She posted the recipe a few days ago and I have been anxious to try it. It is GOOD. Two bowls good.

Now to see if I have done this correct

Nope. Not correct. I will work on it later. For now, just copy and paste the URL (see how much I am learning?) in the address line and it will take you there. Or, click on the blogs I read (I just put those on there today) and it will take you there also. This woman is an accident waiting to happen (she would probably agree). I read her often because she is so good with words and obviously laughs at herself... when it is not November. You will have to read her to find out what that means.

Doin' whatever

2008-11-13T12:54:00.002-07:00

I guess I must be bored today. Why? It is the most beautiful day, it is supposed to be about 80 degrees today and here I sit, messing with my blog. I did learn a little more about it (way to go huh? Charlotte.) I think after spending time on this site, I had better get back to my yarn.

Someone someplace

2008-11-11T12:49:00.002-07:00

Someone someplace wanted the recipe for Orange Slice Cake and typically, I can't remember who it was so...here 'tis. Hope the ones who wanted it sees it here. I often use this instead of the ordinary Fruit Cake on holidays.

ORANGE SLICE CAKE

1 cup solid type margarine or butter (sub. butter flavored Crisco shortening?)
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs (large)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 1/2 cups unsifted flour
1 lb. chopped dates
1 lb. jellied/candy orange slices (diced small. I find that if I dice the candy in the flour it is easier to dice)
2 cups chopped pecans or English walnuts
1 can Bakers flaked coconut.
----------------------------------------------------
The next ingredients are for top of cake after baking.

2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 cup orange juice
----------------------------------------------------------
Let margarine warm to room temperature then cream with sugar until smooth.
Add eggs, one at a time and beat well.
Disolve soda in buttermilk and add to creamed mixture
Place flour in large bowl, add dates, diced orange slices and nuts.
Dredge with hands to coat.
Add flour mixture and coconut to creamed mixture.
Mix with large spoon as the mixture is too heavy to use the mixer. (I have a large KitchenAid and it is OK to use)
Pour into 10" tube pan that has been greased well and floured.
Bake at 250 to 275 degrees for 2 hours or until well done.

Leave cake in pan & pour the powdered sugar/orange juice mixture on top while cake is hot. Leave in pan all day or over night. Remove & refrigerate or can be frozen. I RECOMEND EATING IT! YUM!

Home again, home again, JIGGITY JIG

2008-11-10T08:06:00.003-07:00

Gotta come up with a new title if I keep vacationing.

We Three Musketeers (home again where my little electronic dictionary ((very important)) is, tells me how to spell Musketeers, I knew it was not correct in my last blog) arrived home last night about 9 p.m. after a 13-14 hour drive and oh so very grateful to be out of the car and JIGGITY JIG...home again.

The day after the celebration we did some sight seeing along Hwy 1 along the ocean and then over to OB's home for a few hours visit and the night. OB and wife were leaving the next morning for CO to see a brand new grand baby that was going to be born...TODAY come to think of it. Baby was to be induced last night about 8 p.m. CO time.

The celebration of the marriage of my BB's oldest daughter was not w/out problems, but what occasion is w/out flaws? One of the problems was that the batteries died in my camera and I forgot to take new ones with me!! But, as the saying goes: "A good time was had by all". Said Oldest Daughter is a whiz at planning a wonderful party. The celebration included a sitdown dinner in an upstairs private room in a restaurant. Three choices of either a salad (No ordinary salad, unh un, so siree, my salad included Scallops!) or an absolutely humdinger of a butternut squash soup, YUM! A choice of a duck dish, a beef dish or fish. 'Nother YUM. and of course the desserts were unique and YUM! You don't need to see the descriptions of the deserts. That would be just too cruel.

#1S, BB and I walked to and from the celebration restaurant. It was about 1/2 mile. We arrived FIRST, before all the others traveling in auto's. The weather was perfect, the walk was wonderful, the food was perfect. GREAT PLANNING, and plaudits to BB's oldest daughter. Thank you for including OA, That is me OL' AUNT. We Two Odd Musketeers were very happy to be included and we thank you.

One Day in California

2008-11-08T09:08:00.002-07:00

We three Muscateers drove to N. CA in one day. It would have taken me two and I would have spent the night in Buttonwillow, CA. BB drove and drive us he did. We made it in appx. 12 1/2 hours. We were happy to see The Courtyard all alight when we arrived. They left the light on for us. It was a long day but we enjoyed the drive and each other.

Yesterday, pre-celebration, we went to the beach (a must do for us desert rats) cigar stores and memory lane. I spent 29 years in San Jose, CA. Married a 30 year career IBM'er and started the moving bit. We moved from San Jose when my 3 children we 5,11 & 13 or appx. those ages. #1 son didn't have the memory's BB and I had. We didn't actually get to SJ but BB lived in the area in which we spent most of our time yesterday. He drove us all around memory lane.

The weather could not have possibly been more perfect for November & near the ocean. The area is heavily farmed. I tried to identify all the things growing (from a moving car) but failed for the most part. We made our memory trip most of the time with the car windows down. I told "Da Boys" the the day was an Olafactory (can't spell that word) Treat! For us ol' desert rats all the smells of the fresh ground being turned over, the smells of GREEN things growing was just wonderful.

I will write more later, 2 of the Muscateers are packing and getting ready to head over the mountains to OB's (oldest brother)
home and then on to the desert on Sunday.

November 4th

2008-11-05T12:04:00.002-07:00

I guess everyone all over the U.S. was thinking about voting yesterday. Even the grammer schools took part in their own way. In TN the little kids voted as did the little kids in AZ. Yesterday Beth ask Lily who she voted for and she answered Obama. When ask why she voted for Obama she answered: "Because he is brown like me".

Fun picture

2008-11-04T05:54:00.002-07:00

This is a picture of Kala, my oldest grand. I can't remember where this boneyard of cars is, someplace in TX or OK. I have seen it in the past. This picture was taken on her way home from AZ to TN. when she was leaving me. Sob! I haven't anything else to share this a.m. so grandkids always is a top topic with me.

Gonna lay off BB for a while

2008-11-02T08:03:00.005-07:00

Enough about BB even though he makes such a good subject. Yesterday I had such a clever blog post and now it is gone. Should have entered it when it was on my mind. As my dad used to say when ask something, "Can't remember, I've slept since then".

My baby daughter has set me up on a Facebook page so that we can play Scrabble long distance. I am playing several games at a time and also with Rini, a lady whom I met in TN several years ago when visiting BD. I keep telling myself it is not a waste of time but a mind builder. I think that is simply an excuse but I have been enjoying it.

Here three pictures I took at Homecoming while in Tennessee. The first one is of Spencer after the game talking with his baby sis, my little China Doll, Lily.

Kala came home this weekend. Saw many friends and had a great time.

My grandkids have always been great posers. They have somehow been in front of a camera since they were born.

Honest to goodness goblin

2008-10-31T11:57:00.001-07:00

BB is both a coomputer tech and an artist. He has an artist imagination. The header is BB face under all the "artistic" arrangement especially for Halloween. I just had to do it.

How could I not?

2008-10-31T06:55:00.002-07:00

BB works as a computer tech at a grammer school. Halloween costumes are, if not required, are at least expected. How is this for a fellow born in 1950? He is such a self proclaimed Hippy. This is SO him.

Forgiven

2008-10-30T14:35:00.009-07:00

It is good to have a BB. He forgave me for putting his picture on yesterday in the coat. He even laughed about it and showed the blog to a couple of people where he works. It is good to be loved.

I should entitle the pictures below: PERPETUAL MOTION! When you see the pictures you will see why. I don't believe I got a clear shot. The pictures are of my China Doll, aka Lily Bird and her brother Sam. I believe the items I made for them will keep the chill off for a while. I have request for other things also. Right now it is a MAYBE.

Carl: SO SORRY

2008-10-29T06:54:00.004-07:00

This is a very DIRTY thing to do to a loved Baby Brother. I am so sorry BB but I have tried and tried to send these pictures to Beca via e-mail and can't get it done. I simply don't know how. This is the only way I know to do it.

To all you out there in cyberland, I knitted this coat for me, can't wear it for various reasons, one being that it is a very heavy coat, knitted out of 4 strands of yarn at once and it will never, ever, ever, ever be cold enough to wear here in my desert. Carl's daughter lives in Baltimore and I am hoping the coat is "her" and I will take it to CA next month when we go to her wedding and she can lug it home.

Again Carl, thanks for being willing to try it on, sorry I couldn't not find another way to send the pictures.

HOME COMING DAY AFTERNOON

2008-10-28T14:32:00.009-07:00

Finally. I brought my camera in from the car, got the pictures all downloaded and then had to find them. They were there all the time but I couldn't see them.

The afternoon of the Homecoming game at my grandson's high school, a longtime friend of Grand daughter came over and brought her sister's PUPPY! This PUPPY! is only a few weeks old. It is a St. Barnard and such a gentle giant. Lily played and played with it, pulling it around (when the PUPPY was willing to be pulled around) closed it's mouth time after time on Lily's arm and it was so gentle that Lily didn't even have a thought that her arm might be threatened. AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL.

Kala drove home for Homecoming and GRAMMY! Thank you Kala. It was a long drive from her school. We were all happy to see her.

Kala's mom (my baby daughter) found Kala a pretty dress for a wonderful price and brought it home to her. Who knows when and where she will wear but by golly, she has a great dress for a wonderful evening, whatever it might be.

MORE TOMORROW

This and That

2008-10-26T06:24:00.002-07:00

I don't have much of anything to share so I will just share a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

I am catching up on my blog list. It is taking me a while because I was away from home for about 2 weeks. I just checked up on my friend and former pastors blog. I like the one he posted yesterday and the one on Oct. 23rd. The one yesterday gave me hope of a new romance in my life HAHAHA! and the one on the 23rd made me laugh. I love laughing above most anything. His blog address is www.clifditmoresblog.blogspot.com

I have not even brought my camera in from my car since vacation. I took a few pictures. I will share them when I finally remember to get the camera into the house.

BB, MD, and I went as vendors at a new street fair yesterday. I DON'T BELIEVE I WILL EVER, EVER, EVER DO THAT AGAIN!!! We were there about 7 a.m., the recommended time to be there to set up. Unnecessery. It probably reached almot 90 degrees before we three called it quits. No one was really interested in shopping. Most were just out for a nice, free from any charges, get the family out of the house day. I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY NO ONE WAS INTERESTED IN EVEN LOOKING AT ALL MY WINTER WEAR!!! BB had both origional artwork and artwork he had collected over the years. He got his entrance fee back. $5. Becky sold one pair of bead earring for $2 and NOTHING for me. NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER AGAIN!. Lesson learned.

This week, I need to clean the house. It was ignored before I left and being away for two weeks gave the cat a chance to spread more JOY! Kat Hair, to be exact. No way out. Gotta do it.

I will see ya' all later, after I get the cat hair under control and the camera in the house.

Facebook

2008-10-24T06:26:00.002-07:00

OK. I tried. To make a link to my Facebook page so you could see my grandson of whom I am very proud. Of course. I don't know what I am doing but here it how you get there. Copy and paste the Facebook address in the http:// line from whatever I did and it will take you right there. I tried it and it worked. To the right of the page, there is a little box that says, "Pictures", "Videos" and I don't know what else. Click on the "Videos", then click on the one of the long tall skinny boy standing in front of the blackboard. That is my wonderful, clever, grandson. Enjoy. I have listened to his pitch several times and still enjoy it. Naturally.

Down on the Farm: Down on the Farm: Home again

2008-10-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/home.php

Down on the Farm: Home again

2008-10-24T05:28:00.000-07:00

Down on the Farm: Home again

Home again

2008-10-23T13:44:00.003-07:00

I have been far, far away but close to the ones I love. I was in TN with youngest baby and her babies and hubby. Loved being there. On up to IN for a short visit with my late hubby's family. Loved being there but...I love being home again. THANK YOU GOD FOR A SAFE TRIP.

I have been trying and trying to put a short video clip on here so that you can see it. It is my oldest grandson, Spencer, filling an assignment for school. He is a senior in high school this year. His assignment was to sell a muffin. What a great job he did. If any of you can tell me how to get a video clip from Facebook to here I would greatly appreciate the advice. Connie

Tonight is the night

2008-10-10T07:31:00.002-07:00

Tonight is the night I came to Tennessee at this time of the year for. Tonight is Homecoming for the high school Spencer and Kala attends and attended and the two little ones, with God's grace, will also attend. Kala will be coming home from college to be at homecoming and to visit with me (and of course the rest of the family and her many old friends). I am looking forward to the BIG EVENT! Beth told me to bring warm clothes because is had been cold here (my idea of cold at any rate) but I haven't seen (felt) the cold weather at all. Hopefully it will hold on through tonight.

I tried to attach a picture of The Football Hero but can't. I am using Beth's computer which probably has many pictures of said Hero but I can't find them nor can I pull in my own pictures while on her computer. I will have to show you the pictures I take tonight when I arrive home.

I am struggling with a laptop, which I hate. I don't believe I will ever be interested in owning one BUT... my mama told me, "Don't ever say never", so I will leave a tiny opening. Most of the places I stay when traveling have computers available for my use.

I have been prayed here, pray me home please.

Also, remember? I mentioned a week ago or so that my friend Roy A. was having problems and the problems looked like heart problems. From what I understand, he came through the test with flying colors. Thank you for the prayers. Now, his wife is going through a whole lot of stress. Her sister is in the hospital failing fast. Claudia is my friends name, her sis is named Rosie. Please pray for healing and comfort for all in this situation. God answers prayer, perhaps not the way we wish it to be answered, but HE always knows best.

Don't forget to pray me home and thank you to those who said you would pray for me. You know who you are.......................Connie

Fly Away with me

2008-10-08T10:22:00.002-07:00

Hello from Tennessee:

I am away from home and will not be home until near the end of the month. I am visiting family here and in Indiana. I love to travel and enjoy traveling by myself. Stop when I want, eat when I want or not, make all my decisions w/out having to make an agreement with anyone. If I can't have my hubby I am happy traveling by myself.

It has been raining here off and on very hard since yesterday. For an ol' desert rat, it is a very nice change.

It is so nice to have a family who loves me and love to have me around. That also goes for my AZ. family. I am blessed.

I may not blog again until I get home. In the meantime, I wish you many blessings.

OBSERVATION: Stupid chickens!

2008-09-30T18:51:00.003-07:00

This picture is just because I have no other picture to share. I have entitled it: :Enough Already".

OK. Here 'tis. BB was not hungry tonight. Didn't cook the fish I had thawed out. Middle child invited me to dinner. Declined. Came home and filled plate with Smoked Almonds, Mozzerelle Cheese Sticks & dehydrated Blueberrys. Very satifying. Sat and watched the STUPID CHICKENS!

OBSERVATION:
The Rooster and the largest hen rule the roost. I decided this a.m. that the chickens WOULD enjoy the new chicken house. I distroyed all the options they had for roosting.

OBSERVATION:
The rooster and the largest hen rule the roost. The rooster and the largest hen decided tha the TOP of the new chicken pen would be the place where they would spend the night, contrary to the wonderful upstairs BB built for them. I sat and watched the biggins run the smaller ones off the top of the chicken house again and again. The poor chickens that were the smaller ones frantically ran around the chicken yard looking for a place to spend the night. One even found a break in the top of the netting and gained the top and had decided to spend the night there. WRONG! I decided that was not a good idea and moved the chicken into the yard again and closed the breach. It finally got too dark to see. I don't know who won. I guess they will work it out. Meantime, I have a Southern Gospel Netflix to watch. See you tomorrow.