SECOND FROM LEFT

This is my TBT post.  My maternal grandparents with my mother (Elizabeth, second from left) and her siblings.  All are gone.  How can that be? I wonder about them all the time and I continually start to pick up the phone and call my mom. Plus I see them in my brother and sister, my children and all of my cousins. My grandparents were passionate bird watchers so the bird house in the background is appropriate.

HAVING THE RIGHT

Question Of The Week 7-28-14

You are visiting in the home of a friend.  You glance at a letter on the desk and see that your name is mentioned.  Do you ask  your friend about it? Do you read the letter?  Do you forget about it and go on?

WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST

Olive and Princess Leia did not show up for breakfast.  I found them dining elsewhere.  This was what was left of their breakfast.

Did the cats kill this snake or did the chickens or the guinea fowl?  Regardless I love my critters!!!

This is a copperhead.  The cats were eating remnants of a copperhead snake!!!

VENGEANCE IS MINE

I immediately made a paste of Adolf's Meat Tenderizer and applied it to my foot then wrapped with a dry wash cloth so I could get around. Then I hobbled back to the scene of the crime and beat the already dying wasp to death.  There was no excuse for the wrath I used to annihilate this poor creature and even less of an excuse for the pleasure I felt in doing so.
 

NEW TRICKS

Question Of The Week 7-21-14

What is  

something  

new you  

have learned 

to do 

recently? 

(And they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks!)

WE NEVER WALK ALONE

I have been eager to re-start some exercise before heading for California.  My doctor still does not want me to ride my exercise bike yet but did release me to do some easy walking.   Yesterday I took a stroll around the property.  I had a feeling that I was not alone.  Slowly I turned to find that I had accumulated this entourage.

"Why is she walking?  The golf cart must be broken."

"Don't worry about it, just stay on point."

"Hope there is food at end of this journey and that we get there before the chickens."

FAR AND WIDE

Question Of The Week 7-14-14

WHAT  

MAKES  

YOU  

ANGRY?

IMAGINE THE EXCITEMENT

WaiMei 20 days old

Okay, if you know me, you know that I absolutely love Pandas. Ron and I stood in line for hours at the San Diego Zoo to see the debut of WaiMei when she was introduced to the public at 6 months of age. I had watched her on my computer on the panda-cam since her birth. I was able to view her daily with her mother from the comfort of our Tulsa home. 

You can only imagine my delight when they announced at the senior center on Monday that the largest town near us,  Miami, Oklahoma was getting a Panda. I almost fainted and fell in the floor. How in the world could a place with such a small population rate a valued and on-loan Panda (China only lets us borrow Pandas and not own them) and where would they put such a prize? Did Miami even have a zoo? 

 My table mates then tried to break it to me gently that their excitement was over a new Panda restaurant coming to Miami.

LET'S ASK AGAIN

Question Of The Week 7-7-14

WHAT STORY OR POEM CAN YOU USE TO ENTERTAIN BY RECITING FROM MEMORY?

Our mother used to tell us the story of 5 little Jack O' Lanterns sitting on the gate and our father used to recite the Three bears in Spanish.  I love to tell children the story of Lil' Orphant Annie "an the goblins el git ya efen ya don' watch out." and Ron could recite The Cremation of Sam McGee.

WALKING THE PLANK

I have not set foot on an airplane since 1999.  This means that I have not encountered all the new security rules and regulations since 9/11.  

August of this year I will be heading for Los Angeles to see my god daughter Jessi for six days and have managed to book a direct non-stop flight that will take just under three hours.  I do not want to check any bags, so it is my plan to do only carry-on.

I have a CPAP sleep machine which means I will be limited to my one suitcase and my machine in place of my purse.  It is my intention to carry my purse inside my CPAP case. My suitcase space will be limited because I will have to carry all of my medications in their bottles with the labels.  I believe this will work.  If anything is missed, I can surely buy what I might need when I get there.  I plan to carry my cell phone in pocket unless I have to carry it in my purse inside my CPAP bag. 

I will be wearing a thigh leg brace under my clothing.  Possibly will be wearing my carpal tunnel wrist braces or they will also be in my CPAP bag. Does anyone see any problems I might be overlooking?

These two bags are all that I will have with me. 

My small purse will slide in the top of my CPAP bag.

All of my medication, my toiletries and my jewelry will be in clear bags on top of my clothing in the one piece of luggage that meets airline carry-on size requirements. Extra pair of shoes will be in side pockets.

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PUSHING A FAMILY BUSINESS

It is good to know that I didn't do damage to my niece's brain. I let her fall on her head when she was practically brand new. Still she goes on to create bigger and better ideas and this newest one is probably the most exciting yet.  You can find the information about it on Facebook but I am giving you a little preview of

    *****5 STAR DINNER***** 

right here on my blog.  A bit of unpaid advertising directed at parents and grandparents and teachers and guardians who want to encourage youngsters to develop an interest in fruits and vegetables.

We received a game board to play the game.  This is for my imaginary friend Lil' Annie. She gets a star every time she eats a fruit or veggie.

Lil' Annie also received a neat pack of stickers and a bag for her game pieces plus a comic book about the 5 STAR DINNER Super Heroes.  They are Kelly Kale, Blu Berry, Jack Apple, So Sweet Potato, and Go Go Garbanzo

Go to 5 STAR DINNER on Facebook or ask your grocer if they have the game:)

Fruits and Vegetables have always been good but they have never been so much FUN!

Learn more about how to play and sign up for coloring pages.  Hear the voices of the Super Heroes by clicking here.

OUCH!

Question Of The Week 6-30-14

What is the worst physical pain 
you have ever had 

to deal with?

 

A WIDE SPOT IN THE ROAD

Probably the original family homestead.

Leaving home each day I travel through a series of "stomach bump" hills.  One family owns about 100 acres of these rolling hills.  Each son and daughter has a portion of the land and they plant the entire road with perennials. You never know what beauty you will behold.  This area was covered in poppies a few weeks ago.  

I have tried on many occasion to take a picture but there is not a safe place to stop.  You must always expect another car or truck to come barreling over a hill and you must keep moving for fear of being hit if you are stopped.  

Yesterday I noticed an area where I could safely pull off the road a bit and was able to quickly snap this picture.  No one lives in the little house but I believe it is probably the original family homestead.  I only wish I could show you what I see all summer long.

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY

About 1/4 of their garden.

Might have ripe tomatoes today!

This is the 6th year our neighbors have used our property for the biggest part of their annual garden.  The beauty of allowing them to use our land is reaping benefits in the form of fresh produce. Already they have provided me with yellow squash, zucchini, onions, cucumbers and swiss chard. 

They are able to grow some of the finest cantaloupe you could ever taste and this year they have also added watermelon to their crop.  It looks like it is going to do well.

My visit to the garden yesterday gave hope that today or tomorrow we might see a ripe tomato or two.  There is not better fruit than a fresh homegrown tomato!  I am drooling already. 

NAME YOUR VILLAIN

Question Of The Week June 23, 2014

What vendor or industry that serves you (or should be serving you) is causing the most stress in your life lately?


This week for me it has been the medical industry (pretty much ongoing) and the telecommunications industry (also pretty much ongoing).

CHOOSING SIDES

Cats are a lot more fun.

My best friend Slim has abandoned me.  She has chosen the cats for her summer friends and her happy, playful puppy instincts have kicked in. It took me quite a while to encourage Slim to sleep with me at night but now she has chosen to remain outside with her new kitten friends.  Perhaps I was turning her into an old lady before her time or perhaps she feels like she can protect all of us better from outside.

As much as I miss her company, I do enjoy watching her romp and scuffle with all the cats.  Pretty soon the kittens  will be joined with some new chicks because the hen June is doing a very diligent job staying on her nest and protecting her cache of eggs. It is such a joy to have new life bursting forth on the estate.

LETTING GO

Question Of The Week 6-16-14

What is a big step you are needing to take? 

NOL-NOC HEADLINES

FATHER'S DAY WEEKEND EDITION OF NOL-NOC ESTATE NEWS

June 13th to 15th, 2014

Granny Annie celebrates the wonderful memory of her Dad.

Not only a loving and wonderful father, he served 40 1/2 years as a minister in the Methodist Church.

We at NOL-NOC hope all of you celebrating grandfathers, fathers, sons, son-in-laws, uncles, brothers and all those men who have been wonderful role models in your lives.

CAT NEWS

Granny Annie was afraid we were losing Mama David.  She rested in the barn for two days and would not get up to come to meals.  She managed to move enough to get away from me when I tried to pet her and pick  her up.  I had to leave her alone and feared the worst.   Now she is back and seems to be the same as before.  Rumor around the barn has it that she was only escaping the kittens for a while.  She deserves a break.

And speaking of the kittens, Luke, Leia, Han, Chewy, and Yoda are weekly entertainment with absolutely no slowing down in sight.

CHICKEN NEWS

Does anyone remember June, the hen who stayed on two clutches of eggs for 44 days and still did not have any chicks? Well, she is on another cache of eggs.  Guess we will let her try again but if they do not hatch in the required length of time this year, I will not let her set on a second bunch of eggs and I will not try to save them.  It is all up to her and we'll be looking for birth announcements around the end of June.  (The end of June...lol...no pun intended.)

The roosters are not news worthy at this time.  Who knows which rooster is in charge?  They all seem to have their fair share of ladies.  

VISITOR NEWS

My friend Janet visited this week from Colorado.  She was here last year and we met some other friends for some high school reunion planning.  Well today is the reunion and Janet left from here to go there.  I will not go because am suffering some leg pain, plus I have another visitor.  My granddaughter Hope.  Yea, Hooray, Yippee, Huzzah.

Granny Annie and Janet after a week together.  Last minute selfie only photo for the week.

Recent favorite photo of Hope who is ready for modeling but since she is just turning 12, will have to wait a few years.

THAT IS ALL FOR NOW FROM NOL-NOC ESTATES IN GREEN COUNTRY, OKLAHOMA

(No One's Looking-No One Cares)*

*This simply meant to us that in our rural life no one is paying attention to what we are wearing or what we are doing and they don't involve us in gossip.  It is a positive name for our estate:-)

GOING DEEP

Question Of The Week 6-9-14

"Is absence of evidence, evidence of absence?"

ARE WE ALONE IN THE UNIVERSE?

Got this question from BQO

TAPS ON YOUR SHOES

Question Of The Week June 2, 2014

WHAT CRAZY FAD DO YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR TEENS?

TAPS ON YOUR SHOES, IVY LEAGUE CAPS, ORANGE OR YELLOW SLACKS, ELVIS HAIR CUTS, ETC.?