Posts

Posted on

Rampant colds and strep throat

With the change in the weather, I sort of expected for us to come down with the annual colds and sore throats that we usually do. Generally we shake it, with chicken soup and lots of liquids, and rest. Not this time. My youngest son is feeling well now, after he got over strep. But I got it…Aren’t Mom’s supposed to be immune? Then the rest of the family followed.

I honestly can’t stand it when my children are sick. Despite of their ages and they are nearly grown adults…( Okay, sometimes they don’t act like it, but age wise they are…) I always feel so sorry for them and of course, this is the only time they want “Their Mommy.”

I’ve got a HUGE pot of chicken soup brewing on the stove, and went to the store and loaded up on the Power Aids, which will do well to put electrolytes in their bodies. They are actually resting on their own and they must feel kind of poopy, since they aren’t arguing with me. WHEN IS WARM WEATHER GOING TO GET HERE????? Okay, a moment of spazing out there… I’m entitled. (;

 

Posted on

Changes in the weather

Is warm weather coming early here, or is it just a tease? This is what I asked myself when I got up this morning and turned on the news and weather. Today when I went into town, it was sunny and about 45 degrees. Not bad, but would have been better had the wind not been blowing.

According to the weather report for the next few days, It looks as though it will get into the 60’s tomorrow, but there is also a chance of rain storms, which around here…might mean also a chance of tornadoes. Scary thought.

Weather like this though, makes me want to get out in my gardens and at least putz around… pull out anything dead or any of debris that has gathered. I’m itching for warmer weather to do this and start spring cleaning them. I have a feeling though, that because the weather has been so mild this winter, that summer is going to be a dangerous one. Lots of storms and tornadoes, or just the opposite and droughts. It wouldn’t be the first time that my feelings about such things were right.

Posted on

Picking out paint colors

Thinking I knew exactly the color I wanted to paint my bathroom and having all of it planned out, was a mistake. I have changed my mind twice in one month. This for me is a hard decision to make, as when I paint, I change EVERYTHING. From towel, face cloth, hand towel color. Shower curtain color and patterns, liner color, liner and shower hook color, and the rugs and tank and seat cover for the toilet.

I buy new tooth brush holders, and also even match the Dixie cups to my theme. SO, I have to make sure I know EXACTLY what I want. I’m not really OCD about it, but I figure if I’m changing something that will last a few years, I want to do it right. Besides, usually after that amount of time, the towels get worn, and of course the rugs and other accessories to. It also is time for a change.

Once again I am undecided, but at least I have the flooring sorta picked out. 😉

 

Posted on

New kitchen spice racks

Starting to make plans for organization in my kitchen and also the cupboards, I’ve been seriously thinking about getting all new kitchen spice racks. I love them, and they make it so much easier to find what I am looking for. I’ve had a problem with the kids just using a spice or packet of what they need, and not putting it back in it’s proper place. It actually gets on my nerves a great deal. They are old enough for organization and to take responsibility for the things that I buy and they use.

Since I’m going to remodel the kitchen with new cupboards, something I’m looking forward to very much, I’ve decided that perhaps I am going to get a big wall spice rack. I have plenty of room on the walls, but not really enough cupboard space.

These would be ideal. The spices would be right in reach and easy to put back to their proper place. I actually think it will look really nice also. I usually cut and hang my herbs and flowers up to dry from the kitchen ceiling, and it will look sort of old style. I like that look. A country kitchen from long ago. The spice racks to me are a great touch.

Posted on

Kegan’s adventure

My daughter’s boyfriend is on a Greyhound bus coming to see us, and will stay until next week. He is coming from Massachusetts and so far, the bus ride has been rather miserable. Poor kid. I feel for him, as when I was his age, I traveled by bus to Richmond Va. and it was a long, tiring ride. He hasn’t slept much at all…just has dozed, so I’m sure he is going to sleep well tonight.

My daughter is so darn cute…she is excited and can’t sit still. LOL! Ahhh, young love. I remember when. Actually my daughter is 18 and Kegan is 20, so it’s not really young love, but both are younger minded in a pleasant way. I get a kick out of them.

We will be going to my Mom’s for the weekend, and I have a task for them. I want them to sort my seeds for my gardens there, that I am going to plant come spring as long as all goes well with my surgery. I have dried the seeds I collected last fall and now they need sorted and put into wax paper packages that I make for them. Then they need marked as to what they are. It will give them both something to do.

Posted on

Sale on used tractors and equipment

Since I started farming at a very young age, as time went on and we updated our heavy equipment, we would post a notice that we had used farm tractors for sale. Back then…years ago, of course we didn’t have the computers and the internet, so we had to rely on bulletin boards, and also small ads in the papers. We also had a local radio station, that we could advertise the farm equipment we had for sale. Now with the internet and world wide access, it’s made it a lot easier to sell our used tractors, and other farm and construction equipment.

I have my favorite trucks, but am looking for used trucks for sale. I like the big trucks that will take a beating and still hold up. I have an ’82 Bronco with a 351 Windsor in it, and also a Reese hitch on the back end. I will never ever get rid of my “Bad Boy” as I call my truck, but I do need a big truck, like a dump truck because of hauling wood and stone.

Right now we are looking for used dozers, because we have to doze the old farmstead house down. It’s going to be sad to see it go, but it would cost too much money to repair it. Plus having a bulldozer would help a lot with other chores on the farm.

 

Posted on

Rain, Snow and Ice

Even though the temperature today was nearly like Spring, at about 8:00 pm it was raining and then it turned to wet snow. The old body sure can feel it too. ):

It is supposed to snow from today on. Everyone is so used to it not snowing, that to tell you the truth, even if I’m supposed to go to my Mom’s this weekend with my daughter and her boyfriend, who my Mom will just be meeting, I’m not sure I want to go. I mean, it would be a disappointment to her, as she is making all kinds of good things to eat, and I was going to go over my garden plans for her yard with her, but I don’t trust the other drivers. They just are spoiled by the odd weather and lack of snow and ice. It gets scary when drivers become complacent.

I went outdoors a little while ago, to let the dog out. He didn’t want to get his feet wet though. He’s really strange like that. I did notice that the temperature is dropping quite fast, and the winds are picking up. It is kind of doubtful that the kids will have school tomorrow. We have to be at the bus station by 2:00 and it’s out of State, where my Mom lives. I’m going to try and get an appointment for my daughter and I at the clinic, as soon as they open. I like the MD there and I just don’t want Mom and my daughter’s boyfriend to catch what we have. I’ll get some masks we can use, from the clinic. Hopefully we will be feeling up to par sooner than soon. I feel for my daughter. She had all kinds of plans to clean our “wing” and our rooms upstairs at Mom’s, but I seriously don’t think she feels much like doing anything. I personally have to tend to the plants and annuals I am growing inside, when I was told they would never grow in the house. Pfffttt… they are inpatients and are starting to be turning into very long vines with flowers all over. I’m going to need a bigger elevated pot for them come Spring, but they are still going to stay inside. I’ll take them out for fresh air, now and then, but now they are used to being inside in my bedroom. Apparently they love it in there as much as I do!

 

Posted on

Checking out online florists

Deciding on the best online florists is a hard decision. Usually I send my friends from other countries flowers or plants through a local florist here, but believe me…it gets really costly. I’ve checked to see if the arrangements I wanted were sent, or if something totally different that had no personality what so ever were sent. Sometimes the florists just don’t care. They will cut their cost by sending a plant or arrangement, that is not up to the standards that I was shown in person or that I have picked out online.

I have to admit that I don’t often send flowers after some really bad experiences, but since my brother is a Chief in the US Air Force, he has lived all over Europe and he gave me a site to go on from there. I have never had a bad experience with where he directed me. Indeed it is the best online florist that I ever have used.

I am into gardening and though I’m not a professional gardener, I am really good at my passion and to me it isn’t even really a hobby anymore. I love to see gardeners talents from all over the world and have gotten some really great ideas for mine, plus some awesome tip and information. All by searching the internet. There are so many places with awesome gardens that I know I will never be able to see in real life, but they are just a click away on my computer. It isn’t the same, but it’s as good as it is going to get, and I’m happy just browsing and getting some ideas! The plus is, some of the arrangements I’ve sent via really good florists that are mainly in the UK, look like they were picked from awesome gardens and then arranged with perfection to be sent. That is how I really like it, since my flowers from my gardens of course would never get there without wilting.

Posted on

Sharing seeds

A friend of mine has made me a trade. She is recording her first CD…and she sings like an Angel…for some of my herb and flower seeds that I gathered last fall.

Like me she is an avid, though not professional gardener, which is the kind I like. I would say we “old world/school garden. It is a perfect description. We both are always experimenting with what we plant and how to make the most of the space, along with making our gardens useful, but beautiful also.

I love this exchange also, since I always listen to music in my garden. It seems my plants love the music as much as I do. My friends are so cool. This is a great exchange!

Posted on

Not getting it done

There was so much I wanted to get done today, but didn’t. I’ve decide to pack some of my collections away for awhile, since the mill is going to start running full blast soon and that means loads of chafe and dust coming into the house from cracks and crevices that are not even apparent.

With surgeries coming up soon, I know I’m not going to be able to do much if any lifting or actually much of anything for awhile. My doctor said at least three months. Great. If I do anything at all, I have to be very very careful.

So, packing things away and making storage space is exactly what I’m going to be doing after this weekend. I’ve got some great ideas and will write some of them down if they work well. Until Monday however, I’m going to take the next few days to relax and just, regroup and also search for those tiny cracks and crevices that let in unwanted dust and chafe, and fix that problem somehow.