Friday, May 31, 2013

Sending blessings down the Hooch

Wonderful to have friends where you can jump into the conversation you had 7 years ago like it just occurred.  Not talking dementia here--just good stories.  Sitting, visiting, and enjoying the day. Thanks Sopigopnopa and Cophropropisop for sharing the day with me.

Back to the office today to catch up and finish yesterday's wildness.  No A/C again and no fax.  Guess I will take a stick and rock in case I have to make fire to get the lights on.  Pray the A/C guys discover the source of the problem. 

Looks like another beautiful day here. Lugged in all the chair cushions yesterday.  My fault that it didn't rain.  Sorry.  I do love watering though.  Not a sprinkler girl except in drought times.  I like to talk and visit with my plants while watering.  Double N makes that challenging--hose, coffee cup, and cat tail curling around the legs --perhaps Dr. M has sent Double N because business is slow. 

Cheesecake factory--oh no.  Something stole our cheesecake!


Family weekend here.  Putting up room darkening curtains in guest room.
 Everyone should purchase a sleep mask.
 Cheaper than drapes that's for sure.

Peace to all of you from the Hooch.  We are letting the mighty Mississippi show itself this week while we remain calm.  Hear the white water in Columbus is a hit.  Sending blessings over the rapids as they come y'alls way.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Before and after --never dull

 
Life on the river is new every morning.  The scenes below are before and after.
 
 
 
 
remember the day of the burn--see the tree on the right
here is the same tree on the ground
 
Not sure when this happened.  Guessing it was big thump. 
 
 
 
 

Monday, May 27, 2013

Shut off the movie and go to bed!

Relaxing weekend. Watching "Downton Abbey".  Up to Season 2, episode 3.  I'm making myself go to bed.  Also spent time outside in my garden.  Planted seed--wish me luck.

I never cease to be amazed at the life lessons in the garden.  Duke Boy was ready to throw away our pineapple palm that wasn't coming back in it's pot.  Convinced him to plant it--Voila--as they say in France.  It has a new huge shoot right out the top.  Too often we give up on others before giving them another chance in a different spot.  Ok. so it's preachy but true.  Room to grow, bloom in a different place from where you were planted--

Great visit from almost 30 year old SE today.  Good to see Ms. Artsy.  She gave me some suggestions for my dressing room paint.  Hmmm.

How gorgeous the weekend has been.  More geese and babies by the river.  Fun to see the Momma in the back spread her wings and honk to get them to line up.  Too funny.  Like Highway 29 travel. 

Enjoy your time relaxing on Memorial Day.  Remember those who died for our freedom.  Peace.
Double N
 
I did not kill him.  He is alive and worshipping me
. He is quite the sweetest cat ever.
  He is enamored with me.  
 
 

Friday, May 24, 2013

Happy Memorial Day weekend, time for traveling pants

Need to be paying bills but this is much more fun. Friday--wahoo--still have to go into the office though and see if I can get my computer to work. Will go in early before the sun hits my side of the building. Thank God for those lovely churchmen who installed my ceiling fan last year. Life saver.
100+ year old buildings aren't known for their insulation. 

Excited to see a older friend--na, na, you're older than me kind .  Even when the distance isn't great life gets so busy that we don't take the time to catch up and see those we love often enough. 
Hugs to all of you who I don't see nearly enough.  Erma Bombeck blog had a great article about a couple in the same room having a fight on Facebook--it is so true.  Duke Boy isn't on Facebook so we still fight the ole fashion way but not nearly as often as when we were younger and still had the
 
look closely for the duck--look how green too
 
notion that we could change the other one and the rest of the world.  Now we just sigh and go to bed or go dig in the dirt.

Can't wait till the sun comes up so I can see what new critter has ventured into my garden.
Fox, geese, mallard ducks, Double N--or NN as Duke Boy calls him.  I need some turtles.  I'm hoping my Hedgie Children will capture another that can roam that big Flex vehicle they drive since they rarely carry turtle capturing boxes in their car. You must get Hedgie Girl to share this story.  Too funny.   This must be turtle mating season or they are trying to get to a Memorial Day sale at JCPenny because the roads have been full of them.  I've decided though there are worse things then squished turtles, like squished me from trying to do a turtle rescue.  Sometimes they are very ungrateful for your kindness.  I've been peed on and nearly bitten by one in front of the Episcopal Church in West Point.  I had to go back home and change out of turtle pee pants.

Gorgeous Memorial Day weekend to all.  Be safe.  Save a turtle. Carry turtle saving equipment--a box, band-aids, and extra pants.

Geese come to visit

Amazin day on the river.  Had my Naomi group over for lunch.  Just prior to their arrival we had visitors. A family of geese--3 adults and a bunch of babies.  So cute.  Lovely watching them follow behind their mommas or daddies?

We discovered a whole new eating spot .  Under the magnolia on the front lawn.  Wonderfully shady.  Also discovered that Queen Anne's lace attracts bugs. 

I'm ready for the A/C man to discover the problem at my office.  Hot, hot, hot.  Then my computer said I an access violation #4400%%88.  You know what I mean. Very aggravating.  Back tomorrow to finish my work. 

Studying my Windows 8 for Seniors.  I pretend it means for Seniors in HS.  Ha. Like they would need one. 

Peace to all and good night from the Hooch.


Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Valley life support

Feathered but not tarred by the town today.  Never cease to be amazed by our love affair with
 Chick-fil-a.  I know of two people who didn't get their sandwiches.  So sorry.  One we got to replace. The other one was for one of the sweetest women who I know...she was glad it was her and not someone else. Bless her.   Duke Boy semi-agreed to re- sell his when we had a request for an extra.  Sorry.  I'd already eaten mine. Not sorry.  Thanks to the support for the Pastoral Institute and my Advisory Board that made it all happen.

Prayers for friends struggling with health issues.  Safe travel to family in the skies tonight.
Prayers to the families in Oklahoma.  Very sad.

 


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Double N and caladryling

Writing from my second floor dressing room.  Of course, it's dark out and I can't see the raging Hooch. Amazing buckets of rain.  Just Caladryled --this has gotta be a verb--my ankles after an evening of gardening last night.  Duke Boy and I sat under the oaks until the shower ran us inside.  Don't do that.  We could hear the thunder in the distance.  We couldn't see any lightening--denial is a powerful element in this ole world.  One of those nights where we could hear the rain racing toward us. Coming down the Hooch like it was riding the train. 

We'd finish an evening of planting after an afternoon of napping. Duke Boy got an Australian tree fern.  Looks gorgeous in its new home on the patio.  Planted more zinnia seeds.  They heard me brag too much last year about how I'd grown them from seed.  None yet.  Past that germination time listed on the package.  Grape tomatoes are a wonderment though.  Blueberries are loading up my bushes.  Double N follows me around the yard weaving in and out of my legs.  I'm going to be on a walker soon due to his friendliness.

We are smitten now over Double N.  We laughed at him as he lay in the flowerbed--all over the plants!! Little BW can't get away with that behavior.  Grinning when his nose touches my empty cereal bowl.  What is wrong with me?? There isn't room in my heart or garden for a bird eating garden soil soiler. 

My sitting room now holds my Grandmother's Hoosier cabinet. Mine since her death in 1976. Hers since her marriage sometime after 1900.  She was born in 1885.  One hundred years before Hedgie Girl.  The cabinet was syrupy in the bottom and held flour from her biscuits in the crevices. It's all that remains for me of the kitchen where cold biscuits and fried chicken lay on the stove top long before botulism was a killing agent.  Good to have her presence so near.  She loves my garden, I'm sure.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Who's there when you are in over your head?

Isaiah 43:1-4 a great scripture to start the day.  Mine is from "The Message". 

"When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you."

Read the rest yourself. 

Another monumentally gorgeous river day--a little over caste--good for flowers that need watering--come on rain--get it done before the weekend.

Peace from the river.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Tribute to another sister from a different Mother & Dad

Another sister leaped into her sixth decade yesterday. Sopigopnopa.  Y'all are helping me stay young!  Seems like only yesterday we sat on the back row of church writing notes and singing out of the Cokesbury Hymnal.  You were so cool with an older sister still around to school you in wooing boys.  Still remember "True Grit".  We weren't studying John Wayne.  You could also cook and sew.  I was enamored with your gifts.  Angel pie, and new funky short outfits for camp. Who can forget playing the piano and singing. If only Carol King or Broadway had known we were out there...So glad you got the boy of your dreams and now you have the family of it too.  You are a gift to my life. Hope you have a great 60th year. 

Monday, May 13, 2013

News from the Hooch

I took a walk in God’s living room on Mother’s Day with Duke Boy and Rock Man.  You can go too.  It’s convenient, free, and gorgeous.  I’m talking about the River Park in West Point, GA.  There are a number of well- marked trails.  Wear your good walking shoes, take a walking stick, stay on the trail.  There is poison oak—and even the Garden of Eden had a snake-- we saw a baby one.  He was on the way to visit his Momma so we let him be and he returned the favor.   Several really gorgeous trees, huge, tall—sorry Rock Man—I can’t remember the names.  Lots of native plants.  My favorite spot is the boardwalk over the beaver dam.  This was an Eagle Scout project that Rock Man helped complete or vice versa.  Get a picture from under the trestle where there is new shelter.  This keeps the debris kicked up by the passing trains from knocking you in the head.  If you get just the right angle from the shelter you can see rails in the river from the Civil War era where a bridge was blow during the Yankee aggression on our neighborhood.  Geography, history, herpetology, botany, and just plain fun and good exercise all in a couple of hours.   Take a friend and a stick and check it out.
Rock Man & Duke Boy

Convertible therapy was also part of my Mother’s Day outing.  It was a little chilly but it was so good to feel the wind in my hair.  We veered off Highway 29 to Lagrange so we could drink in some of that lush green pasture land on Old West Point Road.  Sunset made us let up the windows to block the wind, and the ride home after supper was definitely top up weather. 
We have a new semi-resident in our garden.  NN.  Mr. NoName.  He is furry, striped, and sweet.  He even got to sit in Duke Boy’s lap one night. Duke Boy forgot that kind of fur usually makes him have sneezing fits.  NN is trying to rub his way into our hearts.  He’s even trying to rub noses with our house pet, BW.  NN has a home.  I’m not giving in to his bird eating, garden soiling—not in a good sense of the word—ways.  Perhaps he is a snake eater? Hmm?  Maybe the Garden of Eden could have gone differently for Eve if one of these had lived there??   
Get mooving if you haven’t purchased your Chick-fil-a tickets for the May 21st fundraiser for the Pastoral Institute.   Friday is your absolute last chance.  Duke Boy made the cookie dough this weekend while I was using up by bend-overs in the garden.  Our homemade cookies really make our sacks very special.  There are only $6.00 for a chick-fil-a sandwich, chips, and our signature chocolate chip cookie.  Call 334-768-2341 to buy a ticket or contact one of our Advisory Board members: Lessie Beck, Bill Edwards, Marshall Sapp, Shelly Hunter, Lucy Royster, Sandra Thornton, Mary Susan Underwood, Christine Simpson, Marilyn Stokes, John Samanie or Donnie Erwin-Brown.
Karen Erwin-Brown is the director of the Valley office of the Pastoral Institute.  She offers individual, marriage, and family counseling by appointment only.  Call 334-768-2341 for an appointment or more information.

Mother's Day Tales from the Hooch

Great little Mother's Day jaunt last evening.  River Park in West Point. Expert guidance from Rock Man who helped create the trails.  Wear good shoes.  Take a walking stick.  Remember you're in God's living room and not yours. The board walk over the beaver dam, an Eagle Scout project, is quite impressive.  Lots of lovely ferns and other native plants to view.  Stay on the trail...lots of poison ivy too.  Only saw one no shoulder creature. Rock Man said might have been a water moccasin. A baby one but their venom is more powerful than their momma's so I hear.

Then convertible ride to Lagrange for supper at Country's. What a day. 

Divine Ms. M and I at Gibbs Garden in 2012. Part of our Mother's day feast.
My beautiful Mother probably a la 1943 before 4 children.
 
Maw Maw with Baby Jake 2012


Lovely lunch a la Duke Boy.  5 star dining experience.  Lemon chicken, roasted potatoes, fresh green beans with basil, watermelon/tomato salad, sour cream rolls.  Dessert: Swiss chocolate cake prepared by one of the woman from my Naomi group for widows.  We had half leftover from group and she gifted us .   

Almost forgot...my annual Mother's Day nap , wonderful.  Duke Boy and I were knocked out for a couple of hours in the sweet afternoon coolness from our open window. 

Maw Maw got to hold the latest addition to our family yesterday.  Baby Ryan, who thanks to many prayers is home from the NICU in Columbus. 

Must be a traffic jam on the river this morning.  Lots of honking from the geese.  No Name, the cat visitor spent Mother's Day with us yesterday.  Got in my lap twice on the patio--sweet and persistent. I'm still not naming him.

Peaceful Monday.
My best Mother's Day present from the late 80's.



Sunday, May 12, 2013

Mother's Day, Aleve night

Wonderful day in my garden makes for an Aleve night.  Used up my bendovers  for the week spreading pine straw.  Garden hat and oak trees made for good day with light rain .

Mother's Day celebrated early at the beach with my Mom and sister.  Beach trips aren't complete without a little time in the beach chairs. Doesn't matter that the wind is near gale force, the flag is red and standing out like cardboard, my sister is holding on to the umbrella, my mom is a covered in a blanket, and I'm covered in goose bumps.  Did I mention that is was Bike Week? Mom and I listened to lullabies on my Pandora to try to drown out the cyclists who zoomed by our condo Friday night.  Never  drive on the back beach road near the Harley place on Saturday of bike week.  Can you say parking lot? Despite all the obstacles we had a great time and managed to eat some wonderful food. Grilled shrimp at Captain Anderson's--yum. 

Happy Mother's Day to all of you.  Looking forward to lunch with my baby and her sweet hubby tomorrow.  Also the Divine Mrs. M. coming.  more Yummy food this time prepared by Duke Boy. 







Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Who are you and why are you in my garden?

It's gonna be one of those, "I meant to do my work today, but a brown bird sang in the apple tree.." kind of days.  Who said that? Emily Dickinson?  Elizabeth Barrett Browning?
 Neither..Richard Galienne...look it up.  Are you kidding me.  I knew that was too light hearted and easy to understand to be Emily. 

Outside my window --a new resident--a striped cat that I've been trying to get out of my yard.  He or she followed me around crying while I put out ant poison--I think he thought I had cat food.   go away  I didn't want to like or poison you.  He eats songbirds and I just noticed that none are singing at this moment--hmm.

 They are smarter than Duke Boy ...the cat sat in his lap last night while he was outside.  Are you kidding me? "Sweet cat. "  HE DOESN'T EVEN LIKE CATS!

 OK, I admit I didn't try real hard to make him leave.  I think he probably also eats snakes or at least toys with them.  I am Not naming him.

Unlike J.R.  For Jack Russell.  He's our newest tree frog who sounds exactly like the Jack Russell dog across the street when he gets his knickers in a knot.  J.R. likes to get up at 5 A.M.  He did that this morning.  I know why you'd want to shoot J.R.

Little stripy NO Name must have moved out--no meowing and birds are singing again. 

Where will you see God today?  It's easier to see Him when they have names.