Just playing with graphics...

WTH!

Since moving to Louisiana 3 years ago, I have used the same doctor. He's wonderful. He has (had) a lab person that never hurt me when taking blood. A few days ago, there was a report on the news that a woman had been sending nude photos of herself to a 16 year old boy. Turns out it was the lab person from my doctor's office. She is now in jail! People are just freakin' CRAZY! I don't understand this kind of mentality!

I need RAIN!

Apparently, the areas all around me got a shower today. I, however, did not get a drop. I dread seeing my water bill because I do have a green lawn. We did have a break in the heat today. Enough so that my brother and I got our parents' yard mowed and I even got my own yard mowed when I got done with theirs. Thankfully, it was not oppressively HOT and I didn't mind doing it at all. I also picked a 5 gallon bucket of tomatoes. The bucket was so heavy that I had to go get Dad's truck to bring it back to their house.

I got corn!

I harvested, shucked, silked, cut off, and packaged 62 ears of corn this morning. My sister-in-law did the same thing to 87 ears yesterday. My brother set a trap for the coons and hung plastic Wal Mart bags over random ears on the stalks. It looks like redneck heaven, but looks like it worked for one night. Tonight might be a different story. My cousin came by and told us to put marshmallows in the trap. That's how he catches the coons in his barn. Mom had some, so I guess we will try that tonight. Mom cooked some of the corn I picked this morning along with some peas, cornbread, and fresh tomatoes (which I also harvested this morning). Add some iced sweet tea to that and it doesn't get any better.Life is good! Hot as hell, but good!

Summertime....and the living is HOT!

I guess it's serious business when there is a "heat advisory" plastered to the TV set all day just like they do when there is a storm coming. That's reason enough for me to stay inside and vegetate. I still have to go out and move the sprinklers around, but it's ok because I just walk right through the water and cool off.

The coons have found my corn in Dad's garden. They got all of the ones that are my favorites....the butterfruit! I did not get one ear of it. Now, they have found the corn down closer to the house. My brother picked 33 ears this morning, but that may be all we get. It's impossible to scare coons off.

Sorry, Peeps....I can't help it!

I am getting better at this and I am pretty proud of this one. Fresh peaches turned into a cobbler again. I don't need this, but I enjoy making a cobbler once in a while...mostly when the fruit is fresh picked and not frozen.

Technology ROCKS!

Well, CRAP!

If I had just called to check my phone messages at home, I would be in Houston right now instead of at home. My jury duty was canceled and it's the only reason I came right back home. If I had stayed gone another day though, everything green here would have died. It almost did anyway, but I have the sprinklers (all 3 of them) going now.

The reunion was great fun. It was so nice to see all these old students from 20 years ago. Now, I have already received a facebook message from the class of 90 that I have to come to theirs next year and the class of 91 that I have to come to theirs the next....dang....I'll be pushing 70 by then!

After I got all the way back to Shreveport, I remembered that I did not get the hanging clothes from the closet in the hotel. CRAP, again! I have called them and they are sending them to me. That's not the first time I have pulled that sort of nonsense!

Road trip!

Tomorrow I am taking my first brief road trip in about 2 years. I am headed back to Texas, where I spent many years teaching school, to attend the reunion of the class of '89. Fortunately, they invited me to come and I am looking forward to visiting with them. Many of them I have already re-connected with on Facebook, but I am looking forward to seeing them in person for the first time in 20 years. Well, many of them, it's been that long, but there were a lot of them at my surprise retirement party in 2002. I love me some Texas, but I have not been back to the area since most of the homes were lost to flooding by Hurricane Ike. I would like to be able to swing through Houston and go to Central Market on my way home, but it is just too far out of the way and I have to be back on Sunday. Jury duty is on the agenda for Monday.

'nuf said!

Click on image to enlarge

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Yummo!

 

Well, I don't know how it tastes, yet, but my house smells divine! Peach cobbler with fresh peaches from the farmers' market. Update to follow as soon as it cools enough to eat!

UPDATE: It is delicious!

Farmer's market.....yum!

As much as I discuss my garden, one would think I wouldn't have a need to go to the local farmer's market. OH! That would be wrong! I went to Shreveport to the afternoon market today and made off with cheese/bacon bread (if it has bacon in it, it has to be good..right?), tomatoes, fig cake, and peaches. The peaches are good, the fig cake is a little too sweet with a glob of fig preserves in the middle, and the rest remains untasted as of yet. My tomatoes just aren't quite ready, so I am at the mercy of others for now. People at the market were clamoring for the corn. Thank goodness, my sweet corn is ready, so I didn't have to fight that crowd. It's a great market protected under a huge metal structure from the sun and parking is close.

Update: The bread....No...not so much! Very bland...has no salt...didn't taste even a hint of bacon or cheese! Big ZERO on the bread!

Short night!

My mom has to spend the night in the hospital for some sort of oxygen/pulse overnight test. She has already had one at home and it showed some cause for concern because her pulse gets too low. I just took her there and left her with the technician. I get to pick her up at 5:30 in the morning to take her home. OOOOKKKKKK! I have to set an alarm. Haven't done that in a long time!!!

OK...I tried!

I spent the big bucks on those quirky little energy saving light bulbs, but today I took them all out of the bathroom and put my regular 100 w bulbs over the mirror because it was too dark in there. A bulb that lasts for 8 years was a good selling point for me, but they also say not to dispose of them in the regular garbage because they contain mercury. WTH! So where do I dispose of them? I still have them in a light fixture over my kitchen table, so I guess I'll wait 8 years to worry about how to dispose of those......if I don't replace them with regular bulbs that put out some light before then!!!

Bluebird Taj Mahal

If I were a bluebird, I would totally want to raise my children in this beautiful home. What's not to love! Look! It even has a little patio. Do they want me to get out there and paint that sucker and put a little "welcome" sign on it? I watched for an hour this morning out my bathroom window as a young pair of bluebirds checked out the digs. It was 30 minutes before either of them would go inside the house. They would each look in the hole, but wouldn't go in until the female (of course) finally made the move and went inside. After she "manned up" and went in, then the male started going in as well. Isn't that how it always is? They spent an hour checking the place out. I had to leave to get started doing nothing today, so I don't know if they made a decision to move in and build their home.

My sentiments exactly!

Well, crap!

I love QVC and I order a lot of things from them. It's a great business and easy to deal with. Last week I ordered a Seagate back up external hard drive. All I had to do was hook it up with a USB and, voila, backups begin. I did that and immediately got a message that "installing onto a FAT32 volume is not allowed". HUH! I had no idea what that meant, so I emailed my computer guru. He said it meant it was not compatible with my current hard drive. WHAT! That was never mentioned as a possibility during the QVC presentation. I have packed it up and am sending it back!

Overloaded!

I have reached a point where I can't watch any of the news programs any more. Glenn Beck is my favorite, but I haven't been watching him either. Everything political just seems so hopeless and keeps going to hell in a handbasket (whatever that means)! I agree with Rush and Sean, but I just get tired of hearing the same stuff over and over. I don't want to sound as if I have given up because I haven't. I just need a break from all the Obama crap. Geeze....he is killing the nation I love. How can there be so many MORONS in positions of leadership? I would rather just go outside and talk to the flowers.

My life has been quite mundane lately...

My life has been quite mundane lately, so I have been negligent in posting to my blog. I guess I get my fix on Facebook. Today is a hang out at home day and that is quite alright with me. However, for some reason, I was up early so I went to McDonald's for their big breakfast. When I have a big breakfast, I'm pretty much worthless until it wears off, so I went back to bed. Tonight our krewe has a Captain's party about 30 minutes up the road from me in Walkerville, Arkansas. It still amazes me that I live so close to Arkansas now. Our theme this year was the Krewe that Never Sleeps with a concentration on Vegas, so we are having a fish fry at a member's deer camp and lots of Vegas type games. It will be fun.

It's always something!

I have lived in a new construction house for 3 years, so one would think everything would be in good shape. Well, it is...with the house, but the China made faux wood blinds are not. I had to order a whole new blind because a crappy little plastic piece in the housing broke and made my house look like a redneck house. Of course, this is in the garage, but it still looks crappy and the window faces the front. NOT acceptable. I took the blind down and thought I had it fixed, but I didn't. My brother came and tried to fix it and he is the one that discovered the broken essential piece. Yes, on some things I am just anal!!!! My house is one of them!

It's only getting worse?

I tried to give the prez the benefit of my significant doubt. I wanted to be wrong about the man, but every day I find out that I was not wrong. He is just very scary!

I'm addicted!

It wasn't enough that I have been addicted to Facebook for several months, but now I am addicted to the Facebook Farm Town. One would think that doing the real thing in the real dirt would be enough, but, alas, it is NOT!

Today is going to be another of those too tired to move days. I guess I did too much yesterday because today I am totally void of energy. Also, I have yet again whatever it is that doesn't allow any food to stay down. It's happening regularly now, so I'm thinking it is not a virus. It's OK with me because I need to lose some weight. It kind of sucks that it happens when I have fresh squash and cucumbers that I want to eat!!:(

Wow! What a Monday!

This Monday started around 6:30, which is highly unusual for me, but I needed to get some stuff done at my home before going to Dad's to work in the garden and yard. I was at his house by 9 and so was my brother. We both got busy tilling and mowing and gathering the fruits of our labor. Even Mom came out and helped me pick berries since we finally figured out how to beat the mosquitoes. I came home with new potatoes, squash, cucumbers, and berries and now I am too tired to eat.

When I got home, I called my computer guru because my computer shut itself off last night and started smelling of burning wires. He thought it was the power source going bad and directed me to someone else to fix it. I took it in to the other person and he agreed that it was a bad power source, changed it immediately and I was back home and hooked up in 30 minutes. Small towns ROCK!

As soon as I got finished with that. I had to go work at the Krewe den where we are moving out and getting ready to build a new den. Only 4 of us showed up to work and it was hot PLUS I was already exhausted. I'm too old for all this stuff in one day!!!!! Time for some ME time!

Change of priorities!

Now that it is officially (at least temperature wise) summer, my spending priorities have changed. During the cool months, all I could think of was putting in an acrylic floor in the garage and built in cabinetry. Yesterday my mind changed and a sprinkler system moved to the top of the heap. My house is the only one in the neighborhood that does not have one, so I have to drag sprinklers and hoses all over. It's not hard, but I just like the way the sprinkler system keeps it looking beautiful.

Perfecto!

The weather here was perfect today for working outside, so I took full advantage of it and took care of my yard. It won't be long before I cannot do it all at one time even though it is a small yard because it will just be too hot. Today I was able to do all the mowing, all the edging, and blow everything off without taking a rest. Right now everything is pristine and perfect...just the  way I like it. My caladiums are coming up and they are always very pretty, so I am looking forward to their showing off in a few weeks.

Yesterday, after lunch with the ladies, I went to check on the garden and dig a few potatoes for me and my mom. The mosquitoes were so bad that I couldn't stay out there, but I took a can of yard guard and sprayed all in the berry plants and my mom and I were able to pick the berries without being bitten once. That stuff is awesome, so I'll be buying more of it to use every time I   go to work in the garden. Our berries are planted along a fence, so picking them is easy and doesn't require much bending over. I hate spraying OFF all over me, but I still do it.i guess it's better than West Nile Fever!

Tonight I went to dinner with my bro and sis-in-law...fried pickles and boiled shrimp!! Woohoo! Fried pickles are a new gastric discovery for me and I love them at this restaurant.

OMG!

My mom had to be at the hospital for a carotid ultra sound this morning. That's usually no problem because it's our local hospital here in my town. Easy in...easy out! NOT TODAY! There were at least 15 residents from a couple of mental health homes there today all getting blood work done. They were all over the place...totally unable to sit down and be quiet! Those assistants that work with them are saints. I could never do it!

Problem solved!

Finally figured out that if gladiolus bulbs are planted under hydrangeas in the winter when there are no leaves on them, they will force themselves through the hydrangeas and the hydrangea holds the top heavy blooms up. I can't take credit for matching up the colors, but they match the hydrangeas exactly....both the pink and the purple!

I'm sorry..I couldn't help myself!

Remember those berries I picked yesterday? They magically turned into this!

Productive day already!

This was my harvest this morning. Lots of berries that my dad set out last year. They are bearing thousands of berries. The only problem is fighting the mosquitoes while trying to pick them. I sprayed down with off, but I didn't put it on my face, so the face was their target. These berries will turn into a cobbler before nightfall. I already ate fresh squash today that my mom cooked, but I may eat it again tonight. It's so good. The cucumber is the first one. I get to eat it because I am the only one that really likes cukes! I love them with Italian dressing.

These flowers are from my yard. I planted them a couple of years ago and gave up on them because of thrips, but they keep coming up each year. This year when they started to get buds, I started spraying and they are beautiful now.

Remember the REASON

Many thanks to all you vets out there. I am grateful for your service!

Party last night and party this afternoon, so I am through with the socializing for the weekend. Time to crawl back under my rock!

I love my mom!

Nothing bothers me more than to see my mom getting that elderly confusion. She was such a smart woman and was the one who kept us all straightened out on everything. Yesterday, she called me to tell me about hers and Dad's trip to the doctor. She was fine, but he had a vitamin D deficiency and would I go pick up his prescription for vitamin D. When I went to pick it up, they didn't have one for him, but they had one for her. It was Vitamin D. I stopped by the doctor's office and asked the nurse who really had the vitamin deficiency. Turns out it was her and the prescription was called in correctly! I'm glad I checked up on the discrepancy. I'm afraid that will be more the norm as time goes on. It makes me very sad to see her making mental mistakes....it's sooooo not like her!!!

I remember when...

all one had to do to watch TV was turn it on!!!! Don't misread me! I love technology, but sometimes it is just enough to make me crazy!! Last night after 12, my cable carrier downloaded a new guide for those using DVR's.....that would be me! All their info promised that I would not have to do anything...well, OK! That's how I like it ...nice and simple! But NO, my TV didn't work after the download and, of course, before it was all over I had clicked every button on everything. Next thing I knew, there was a screen that required a password! Parental blocks.....I never have used that and don't have a password. The screen was stuck. It would not go away no matter what I did. I jacked around with the thing until after 3 A.M. doing google searches trying to solve the problem to no avail. This morning I started making calls to the Geek Squad, since the TV is a Best Buy product. Someone there told me that if I would unplug the TV for a few minutes, it would re-set when I plugged it back in! Are you kidding me!!!! What a dork I am! It worked.

Our awesome teens!

God's handiwork!

These hydrangeas really are a deep purple. Just beautiful. I love purple!

 Once again I spent the morning in my yard just doing whatever I could find to do...mostly using the electric trimmer on the rest of the azaleas. My yard is looking good right now. If everyday was like this one, a weed would never make it out of the ground in my yard because I would pull it up as soon as I saw it.

What to do!!!!

My cable provider had advised me that they will be re-setting some stuff on Thursday and all my saved settings and programs are going to be erased on my DVR! Here's my dilemma...Which ones to watch. I have all these movies waiting for a rainy day.

• Wild Hogs
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• The Antichrist (documentary) (AKA Barack Obama)
  
• Tin Cup
• The Devil Wears Prada
• A Farewell to Arms
• Fatal Attraction
• Raising Arizona
• I Am Sam
• Montana Sky

Of course, some of these I have seen before but wanted to see again. What to do! Any suggestions? I started The Devil Wears Prada last night and fell asleep. I guess it really doesn't matter which one I choose because I always fall asleep!

Perfect day!

Today was one of those days that I was looking for stuff to do outside because it is such a perfect day. Started off at the garden planting some more squash and planting my row of flower seeds by the sunflowers. Also, dug a few potatoes and onions to bring home with me and now I am stuffed.Check out lunch. Squash and new potatoes that were growing this morning!

When I got home, I didn't even go inside, but went right to mowing my yard. I had tried to mow Dad's yard, but there was some issue with the lawn mower that was not making me happy. I stopped by my brother's and told him I had to stop mowing because it was cutting crazy. His wife called me a few minutes ago laughing and told me he had put one of the blades upside down on Dad's riding mower. Wow! What a difference that made. Now he is at their house mowing their yard!

Welcome, Monday!

Looking forward to working in the garden tomorrow. Temp is predicted to be 50 tomorrow morning. Not good for growing vegetables, but good for me to get the weeds out of the garden. I will get my zinnias planted tomorrow. Also, going to plant some more squash and cucumbers. So far, I have only eaten new potatoes at my mom's and my brother's. Tomorrow, I am digging some to bring home with me. YUM! I love new potatoes.

Good day on the farm!

Finally, I was able to start the tiller (without having to call my brother), and till more of the garden. It was really hard work because it was still sort of wet and the tires don't help much with the self propelling! I got a lot done, but I am worn to a frazzel! Four more rows of corn are planted, okra is planted, and peas are planted. Dad had already planted the okra before I got there. My brother had started the tiller for him and he prepared one row before giving out. He cannot see well enough to plant, so there is no telling how the okra is planted. Bless his little heart though...he tries so hard.

Mom's pastor had brought her kale this morning, so she cooked kale and hot water cornbread for lunch. It was good. I never ate kale before, but it tasted just like turnip greens. Good!

Tonight we are going to eat catfish. Tomorrow I will be free and not obligated to anyone. Woohoo! It is supposed to rain again tomorrow, so that's why I was adamant about getting stuff in the ground today. The only thing I didn't get planted was my row of zinnias. We have sunflowers planted and I have a row all prepared for zinnias, but I ran out of steam!!!!

Guilt trip!

Very dear friends of the family have a son graduating tonight and he is valedictorian. I vowed many years ago that I would never go to another graduation. They are just so boring for everyone except the graduates and their families. Even my mom and dad, who are Big Mama and Paw Paw to this young man, are going. My brother is taking them because they wanted to go. I sent him a $50 bill. I hope that will suffice for my not attending his big night and hearing his valedictory address!!! I am, however, feeling guilty right about now!

I hate lizards!

OK...I'm a big ol' baby and I admit it, but I have lived here in a new home, on new ground, for 3+ years and I had my first lizard today.  Operative word here is HAD! He was in a window in my garage. I sprayed that little sucker with wasp spray trying to drown him. He thought it was a spa, I guess....unfazed! Finally, I got the broom and killed him. He's dead...but still on the window sill. I don't want to touch him! I can't help it...it's a phobia that also includes snakes and most anything that can move faster than me! These days....that's practically every living thing!! I know it's irrational so leave me alone!!!

Sweet day on the farm!

Mom cooked the potatoes, cornbread, and squash. I cooked the pork, which I did NOT like. It was one of those already seasoned ones from Sam's, but it had way too much garlic for my taste. In fact, I am throwing the rest of it away because I REALLY don't like it. After lunch my dad, my brother and I planted some sweet potatoes. My brother ordered 4 different varieties, so this is his project. It's still too wet to till the soil and plant the okra, but we did start to soak the okra seeds today, so we will be able to plant it later this week. No more rain is predicted.

WooHoo!

Worked in my WET yard today with the electric trimmer working over the azaleas. Didn't get finished because I kept switching to other jobs....perhaps a touch of ADD!!!!!! I'll finish it this week because I don't like unfinished projects.....ADD or obsessive compulsive!!!!

Tomorrow is the only day we can have lunch at Mom's, so I went to her house and dug some new potatoes out of the mud. My brother had already picked some squash. I have a pork loin marinating that I will cook tomorrow morning to take for lunch. Fresh vegies! YUM! The first ones from our garden. We still have more corn to plant and peas and okra, but it is still too wet to run the tiller. Brother has his sweet potatoes ready to plant as well. Have I mentioned how much I love growing my own vegies and especially how much I love eating them???????