ALL OF THE BEST

photo of Lil Bear

I am sitting here on the couch in front of my laptop. Slim, the best dog in the world, is curled up next to me. She just scooted over a little closer to remind me she is here and I paused to scratch her ears.

We have fed the cats this morning. I never know if we will have five show up or twelve show up. I recognize the ones that were born in our barn, but often we have complete strangers appear for the one feeding of the day. We must be on some cat map for good rest on a long journey.

Soccer Ball had two new kittens. One was paralyzed and died. It was very sad. The other is perfect. A perfectly round and fluffy gray kitten with only slight white markings. It has the biggest blue eyes and is not afraid of me. I have named this kitten Lil Bear.

Also, for those interested in David and Goliath, the are doing very well. It is amazing how suddenly David took a growth surge and is now twice the size of Goliath.

Elenore Hen has hatched a second batch of chicks. Sadly Mr. Gibson and Rachel from her first batch were killed. A coyote got Mr. Gibson. The female guinea fowl killed Rachel. Chicklet still stays close to Elenore Hen and is helping her care for the new three. Since they once again are two blacks and one yellow, I have named them Mr.Gibson II, Rachel II and Chicklet II.

One of my grown black hens is in our chicken infirmary. She is egg bound and that is very dangerous. I gathered her up and soaked her bottom in a pan of warm water. It was easy to sense the relief as she settled down immediately at the comfort the water gave her. Next she went into the nursery box with her own feed and water and a warming light. I added some extra oyster shell to her feed because I read that lack of calcium sometimes causes them to become egg bound. She seems to be improving. Maybe she will make it.

The Autumn weather is so lovely and it is nice to go out first thing in the morning to see our glistening estate. I carry my walking stick even just to go to the barn because I need it to clear the spider webs out of my path before I end up with a spider web hair net.

Such is life on the farm this cool Wednesday morning.

Don't miss Jamie Dawn's most recent post.

Be sure to get in on Soccer Mom's captioning contest.

MORNING DEVOTIONALS

My earliest memories include morning family devotionals at the breakfast table.

Our family started out using the monthly Upper Room Devotional booklet with a special devotional written for each day. There was a scripture, followed by a Thought For The Day, followed by a story written by a different person each day, then a prayer. After the prayer we would sing together. Usually we sang the Doxology.

Every person was assigned a special part of this small, family worship service. I actually remember being eager to learn to read so I could read the scripture aloud someday or better yet, read the story.

I remember grumbling as a teenager that we shared this time as a family every morning regardless of sometime pressing need to get out of the house and go to school or activities or even church. Whoever heard of a devotional on Sunday? After all we're going to be worshiping practically all day anyway? I believe I actually said that out loud ONCE.

We shared this time even when we had company. Oh dear, my friends that spent the night were subjected to this embarrassing tradition. Even friends visiting from college were expected to participate in the morning devotional.

My parents changed to the yearly Upper Room Discipline for their daily devotionals and they would order each of us our own books for our families for the new year. Before they gave us our copy, mother would write all the family birthdays at the top of their birth date page. These persons always got an honorable mention in that morning's prayer. Names were also added to the prayer each morning of persons who were hurting or sick and in need of prayer. They would stay on mom and dad's prayer list until the various situations improved.

I give the Upper Room Discipline to my children each year and write in the family birth dates before sending them on. My book contains the names of persons needing special prayer as well at the birthdays.

When the daily devotional reading is done and the prayer has been said, I automatically hear my father's booming voice lead out with the Doxology:

"Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

(My precious papa passed away ten years ago this month. Both of my parents are gone but I still sense their daily prayer.)

ouch, Ouch, OUCH!

I am a political moderate. My leanings are more conservative than liberal and I am a registered Republican. I differ on political views with friends, blog friends, and some family members that are both liberal and conservative. I don't often use my blog for a political rant, but this will be my one exception for this year.

We can agree to disagree because when it all boils down, our loyalty to each other and love for each other that is far more important than our political differences. Those I cherish all share my primary beliefs in preserving freedoms of the United States and in the Constitution and ALL human rights.

Lately I keep stumbling across vicious and vile words used by one party to describe the other. The supposedly cute phrases these blogger spew are not considered helpful or necessary to me. We seem to be getting points from the extreme left and extreme right if we come up with the most hurtful names to call each other. Well, I don't go for that. I might defend my beliefs against yours but I'm not going to resort to childish playground tactics.

If it satisfies your agenda you might be pleased to learn it seems words can hurt me.

THE DISOBEDIENT SISTER

My sister was almost three when I was born. She had learned life's lessons by that time from our five year old brother. She was completely ready for me.

Elenore, my sister, finds the greatest cards that depict our childhood. The message inside this one says: "I'd like to think I helped you grow into the person you are today." Believe me when I say she has.

Her first born grandchild, Nora, has just started school. The first progress report from the teacher suggests Nora should concentrate on herself and shouldn't try to be in charge of the classroom. Hum? I wonder who she takes after?

We only live 45 minutes from my sister and bil. The rule is supposed to be when they come to our house we feed them and when we go to their house they feed us. Today we are going there and they are feeding us. However the last time Elenore came here, she brought lunch. She had a good excuse -- she always does. It seems that she is always breaking the rules. I really cannot complain because it almost always makes my life easier.

Elenore taught me (whether or not I wanted to learn) how to dance, how to dress, what to eat, how to fix my hair, how to act on a date, (usually following me and my date at a distance).

I may be 63 years old, but to my sister I am still a work in progress. It is great to have a disobedient sister who only breaks the rules to benefit others

GIVE ME FIVE

Have you seen the meme where another blogger gives you five random words to write about? Mary at Mary's Writing Nook offered to send anyone five words if they wanted to write about them. I ask for five. Here goes:

Life -- With so many warnings on products these days and with laws being passed for our safety, it has been my opinion that the best way to cover everything is to slap a permanent warning stamp on each new baby's bottom that reads,"Caution, Life can be hazardous to your health".

Military -- I could not join and do the job required, but I shall ever and forever be grateful for the men and women willing to enlist in our military and volunteer to stand between me and the enemy.

Movies -- I have loved movies my entire life. The dime shows on Saturday afternoons probably thrilled me as much or more than some of the multi-million dollar productions of today. My spouse sees them all as Hollywood propaganda and he is probably right, but he doesn't watch and God love him, he doesn't give me too much flack because I do.

Grandchildren -- It appears that Joey (19) is going through a terrible breakup with the love of his life. Ian (17) was just here visiting so we got to catch up on all his happenings and learn about his garage band. Ryan (17) is getting his driver's license and is busy with The Pride band and his girlfriend. Jasmine (16) is bouncing from teenage pillar to post and has her driver's permit. Dillon (15) is becoming known as a heart breaker, a politician, is busy with The Pride band and keeping up with all major sports. Michael (15) is adjusting to his new Oklahoma home and just made the rifle team in ROTC and has joined FFA at his school. Beth (13) is testing those terrible teenage waters but seems happy most of the time. Hope (7) is filling the princess role very well and she does have quite a mind of her own. There you have run down on our grandchildren -- The Great Eight!

Childhood -- I was blessed with a wonderful childhood. Small towns afforded me the opportunity to run free and go home at dusk covered in various accumulations of my day's activities. We had tons of kids on our streets and I had two older siblings to look up to. I had perfect parents. My childhood was spent in wide-eyed imagination. (Come to think of it, my adulthood is too!)

Thanks Mary. This was neat. If anyone wants five words, let me know and I'll send you five.

CRY BABY

Okay, I am a cry baby. Yesterday's post was a "pity party". Picking the title "CONTEMPLATING LIFE AND DEATH" was a bit much. I guess I have been wallowing in sorrow for several days and basically for no reason.

My life is as close to my perfect dream as anything I have wished for. I am living with the man I love in a home we love with animals and activities and occasional family visitors -- i.e. wonderful grandchildren. We have daily choices to play, work or sleep.

One day at a time is the best any of us can do. I guess I got to looking too far ahead and determining that we are on a downhill slide instead of an uphill climb.

CONTEMPLATING LIFE AND DEATH

While I am preoccupied with our changing world, (primarily rejoicing and giving thanks over the tremendous blessings in my Sil's great medical results), I still am worried over my spouses pending results and reminded of the blink of an eye we are on the earth. My blog is left unattended yet it is about the only place I can make any difference at this stage of my life. It is not that I fear death, but I do fear incapacitation as I see what harm a tiny bicycle accident can cause.........Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Oh Shut Up Annie!

But many of my blog friends are right on track and will entertain you if you follow these links.

Changes In The Wind tell us why Arizona doesn't have daylight savings time.

Plus she has perfect beauty tips on her blog Strings.

Marilyn's Money can direct you in her various posts on how to walk out of the grocery store with practically free groceries. (No she doesn't promote stealing!)

The Soccer Mom Files will help you determine how clever you are by allowing you to enter her captioning contests. I keep trying but can't even get honorable mention but when you read the winners you will see why.

Brown English Muffin is back to blogging but admits she has had trouble getting started and comes back wondering what people will say about her when she's dead. Hum, I think we've all wondered that.

And Imagine has us imagining about spiders!

These are just a few to keep you occupied over the weekend. Have fun.

THE ABSOLUTE BLIND TRUTH

We managed to get out and follow the yard sale and garage sale signs on Saturday morning. It was a perfect day and we found some nice treasure.

Our final stop was at the home of an elderly couple. They were selling collections. They were selling carousel and circus cages that he had made and all the small animals and people that went with them. They were selling Star Trek and Star Wars memorabilia and lots of framed decorative pictures.

Ron and the man talked about the military and their experiences . Once that gets started we're usually locked in for a good while so I truly searched all their stuff hoping to find at least one thing to buy. Their things were great treasures to them, but not to me. Each item was priced entirely too high for yard sales.

A neighbor came to visit the couple while we were there. The old man admitted he did not know who she was until he heard her voice. Then he went into a long story about how blind he is. Let's just say he convinced us "as a bat".

We left and were looking for one more sale when we saw the old man out picking up his signs. He had to walk up to the sign, pick it up and touch his face to it in order to read it. If it was his sign, he took it. If it was another person's sign, he stuck it back in the ground. So, what's strange about that? The poor guy is blind after all. Well you see, he was DRIVING around the neighborhood to pick up his signs. THE POOR OLD BLIND MAN WAS DRIVING!!!!!

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TONIGHT JAY LENO RETURNS TO TELEVISION! WhooHoo!

WEEKEND TIDBITS

BRIDGE UPDATE 9-11-09
BRIDGE UPDATE 9-7-09
GUINEA FOWL IN ACTION



Here is a meme from Tabor at One Day At A Time who got it from Darlene. You are to copy the fifth sentence of page 161 of the book you are currently reading. The book is QUICKIE by James Patterson and the sentence is,"Everything had worked out okay, hadn't it?"

If you missed my Thursday and Friday posts, here are their links:
AT LEAST I KNEW IT WAS MISSING
LEST WE FORGET

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

LEST WE FORGET

These friends said it very well.

Dana

Ralph

Adam

namaste

Joey

Renie

Ancient One

Add your remembrance of this day in the comments.

AT LEAST I KNEW IT WAS MISSING

We went grocery shopping yesterday. It was my first attendance in the shopping arena for a while since I have hurt my knee. I had my list and was willing to stick to it just to be able to get out of the store and back home quickly.

I put most of the groceries away last night but left several non-perishables out on the table. I started putting these few items away and for some unexplainable reason, realized the Adolph’s Meat Tenderizer was missing. By weight and price it had to have been my most extravagant expenditure of the day and my frantic search began. Ron was questioned: “By chance did you take the Adolph’s?” You know the look he returned.

Picking up the Adolph’s and placing it in my basket was memorable because the price had been so astonishing. The debate held in my brain could be remembered as I determined the expense was justified because the seasoning lasts a long time.

I started back through the cabinets, the freezers and the refrigerator, just in case. I searched the empty store bags that had been thrown away to see if I left the small bottle of meat tenderizer in the bag. (By now these bags had coffee grounds all over them making the search more challenging.)

I am always careful not to leave items on the bag carousel in the store so I knew it wasn’t there. I looked in the van to see if it fell out of the bag and rolled under the seats. I questioned myself over and over, “Are you sure you purchased the Adolph’s?” then checked my register receipt. There it was – paid in full like the other items.

Just as I was beginning to move into the realm of “A thief came in during the night and stole the Adolph’s” I spied something red under our kitchen table. A lingering mystery so easily solved. The little bottle had been knocked off the table and rolled to this barely noticeable spot.

And we dare ask ourselves what God does for fun.

SAY YOU RECEIVED A HANDWRITTEN LETTER

You can click to enlarge and my handwriting is not the best, but this is to help you remember what handwritten letters were like.

GREAT VISIT -- WE MISS THEM

Helping with the pour.
Smoothing the cement
Time for some fun.
This picture of Ian playing harmonica by bonfire tells the best story of the visit.
Is this really how gramp;s got the boys to work? Notice Ian arrived with a mohawk and leaves without it.

AND THE THUNDER ROLLS

Scarlet wins second (2nd) place for naming my bike BLUE THUNDER. I wrecked the bike the day after the boys arrived and when I hit the groud, believe me, the thunder rolled. Poor kids had a crippled Granny their entire visit.


However (drum roll please) GREASE LIGHTENING is the word when it comes to naming the bike. Oh Great One selected Grease Lightening and all my kids immediately said that''s it. Be sure and congratulate OGO. I will be sending her the First (1st) Place prize.


Thank you all for your great entries!!!


What does "two socks" mean? Go here and find out.


The boys have gone back to Calfornia and we are going to miss them. I will tell all about their visit soon. Meanwhile, I will see my doctor today and find out what we can do for my knee that is as large as my head from the bike spill.