Random Photos

Hey, I have a couple of photos that I thought you might like from my trip 2 weeks ago to my daughter's. We went to Ft. Worth one day and ate downtown, and I was able to get a shot of this guy.  I've seen him on the news before, but never thought I'd run into him.  I didn't catch his name, but asked him for a picture - he said sure, but donations would be appreciated.  I guess this is his "job". 

His little entourage was very cute - a mutt dog, a mutt cat, and a mutt white rat on top.  They walked down the streets of Ft. Worth like this attracting attention and posing for tourists.  At times the rat would get tired, so the guy would scoop him up and stick him in his backpack, the cat would jump down and kitty and doggy would walk side by side on leashes down the street until it was time for the next photo shoot!  Aren't they a riot!

I want one of these "mammy" toaster covers. My mom had one all my growin' up years but it had a blue calico dress on.  I think I'm gonna make one... The shop keeper caught me taking this picture and fussed at me. Oops!  More to come on this project....

The last HOO-Rah for my pansies.  Our temps are finally up a bit, and before much longer, the heat will  toast these babies.  But they did look pretty in my wagon for the winter...

Just a little shot of my bedroom at the farmhouse.  It's small but cozy, and this is the morning sun coming in the window through the lacy curtains.  You wake up FAST!  With the chickens!  'Scuse the box fan. We sleep with it every night for noise...

Ok, here's how we raise our young'uns - even the girls.  Practicing shootin' with Dad.  She's a good shot, too, so don't sneak up on her...By the way, "Ducks Unlimited" is done in pink fuzzy stuff.... We can still be stylish and look tough at the same time!

Giveaway WINNER Announced!!!!!

Congratulations to Linda Sue at Buhl-a-land!!!!  She is the winner of my 200th post giveaway!!!  I had 35 entries with a couple of email entries from new bloggers that didn't have a blog set up yet but had been reading my blog!  Thanks to one and all for entering!  Linda Sue - email me your address and I'll get your painting and a couple of other little surprises off to you this week!!!

I used one of those online random number generating thingies and I was going to copy it and show it to you just so you'll know I was being fair, and it wouldn't let me copy. Rats! Rather, gophers!  This was fun and I'll be looking forward to my next giveaway - the Pay It Forward Giveaway where I'll pick 3 bloggers and sometime during the next year (Oh, I won't wait THAT long!) will be sending them something!

Here were the entries ---

1. Mitzi - Lazyboyx2

2. Annesphamily
3. Lea - myletterstoemily
4. Debbie - dcwisdom
5. Barb - Barbs Blog
6. Barb - Barbs Blog (posted on her blog, too)
7. Barbara - 3acrehomestead
8. Jan -email, but no blog yet
9. Becky K - Hospitality Lane
10. Gail - At the Farm
11. Noni - Brick Street Bungalow
12. Dolores - Moving forward with Alzheimers
13. Scrappy Doo - Adventures in Ellis Co. & the Dollar Store
14. Elaine - Soggy Bottom Flats
15. Day Photo - Colorado Farmlife
16. Vee - A Haven For Vee
17. Melodie - Laughine Duck Farm
18. Aunt Amelia’s Attic
19. Christa- Country Hearts at home
20. June - JuneBug
21. Christa - Country Hearts at home
22. Sher - Old Time Me Artist
23. Sue - The Cotton Patch
24. Lady Farmer - Lady Farmer Parables
25. LindaSue - Buhlaland
26. K Falls - Farmgirl Cheryl
27. Dani - Eagles Wings
28. Tara - New Day New Seasons (posted on her blog)
29. Tara - New Day New Seasons
30. Kblaidlaw - email, no blog yet
31. Miss Sandy - Quill Cottage
32. Irma’s Rose Cottage
33. Ginger - the Gingerbred Shed
34. Amy - Homestead Revival
35. Delores - email, no blog yet

THANK YOU AGAIN, FRIENDS!!!!  Go say hi to Linda Sue!

200th POST GIVEAWAY!!!!

This is my 199th post.  My next will be my 200th - I can't believe it's here already.  I piddled around and missed my 100th post - I just let it slip by. 

So in honor of this momentous occasion I am having a giveaway that I hope you will like. Some of you might know that I am an artist.  Following is a photo of one of my original paintings that I'm offering to the winner of my giveaway.  It's of the Davis Mountains in West Texas near Marfa not too far from the Rio Grande.  I painted this from one of my trips out that way.  The sky was cerulean blue, the clouds were so billowy and the landscape, tho barren and rugged, had tons of color if you just look closely.  This is an 11x14 oil painting on stretched canvas.  All it needs is a frame. 

Soooo,  I hope you guys like it.  I would be honored if you did.  I wanted to give something that I did myself.  I'll probably throw in a couple of other items to sweeten the deal.  It's my way of saying a great big Texas THANK YOU!!! to all you folks out there that have made me feel so special and have called me "friend".  I don't know what I'd do without ya'll!

Today is Thursday evening.  I will have a drawing on Sunday around noon and announce the winner Sunday afternoon.  So get your comments in Before Noon on Sunday!  If you include a link/blurb to my post on your blog, let me know and I'll enter your name twice!  Thank you so much for your bloggie friendship!

NEW & IMPROVED WORDAGE

Ok, now I'm going to write a very delicate post here and I want you to listen carefully.  This is somethin' I've been thinkin' about for a few minutes now & I've thought about it long and hard. So pay attention.

It seems to me that most everyone around me, at the grocery store, restaurants, at the movies, just about anywhere you go nowadays, people have no respect for those around them. I'm talking about how trashy-mouthed people are sometimes.  And they don't give a crap if your kid is standing right there beside you and takin' it all in. They don't care if you're just stoppin' in the grocery store to pick up some fried chicken cuz you didn't plan anything for lunch and you're still dressed in your church clothes. 

People just say anything and everything and they don't care who hears. Well, at least some people don't.  I have jumped on a few people that were cussin' in front of my kids when they were young. They were both apologetic, but that's  not the point.

Here's my point.  Maybe people need to find another way to say what's on their mind delicately in front of others - specially the kids.  I was visitin' over at Just Shop Vintage (Excuse Me While I Buy This Junk), and readin' her article about Ebay in Atlanta - sounds fun - and she gave me this idea.  Well, they had to take their cat somewhere while they were gone and the cat pooped all in the car and all over her & they had to clean up and dispose of said poop. Sounds extremely fun right?  (She has a lovely and interesting blog by the way - go say hi and tell her I sent you).

Then I visited Becky at Hospitality Lane  and she was talking about worm farming and worm castings. (Thank you Becky for inspiring this post!  Little did you know where my mind would wander!!!) Know what "castings" are?  Worm POOP.   How 'bout  instead of saying, "my cat pooped all over the car" we could say "my cat 'casted' all over the car" or "my cat left 'castings'" all over the car?

Instead of saying things like CRAP, POOP, DOOKIE, Number #2, and other potty-mouth words which I will not repeat & those which, when uttered by my 3 kids, would get their mouths washed out with a big bar of Irish Spring soap, we could instead say:

"He don't give a CASTING"
"Well, CASTINGS!" (after spilling something or stumping one's toe)
"He don't know CASTINGS from Shinola."
"...when the CASTINGS hit the fan."
"I stepped in cow CASTINGS"
"My dog CASTED all over my new carpet."      etc  etc  etc

Well, whadaya think?  Is it a go?  If we could do this, don't you think people would consider us alot more mannerly and refined and respectful and edgimacated? And when you stump your toe and say "Well, CASTINGS!!!"  you wouldn't have to worry about your kids being around???

(disclaimer:  No castings were injured or stepped on in the writing of this post...)
(disclaimer #2:  I did NOT go out and take pictures of cowpies or doggie doodles or kitty klumps for this post - you'll just have to use your imagination...)

PS - Just Shop Vintage girl - I have no problem saying poop myself, I just thought this was funny and I'm being super-silly tonight! Thanks for the idea!

***** remember, now only 2 more posts til my 200th - I'll be having a GIVEAWAY!!! *****

PAY IT FORWARD!!!

"Paying it back" is an obligation. "Paying it forward" is to give because you want to.

I am taking part in a Pay it Forward with Sunny at Sunny's Place.  I look forward to seeing what I can give and to whom!! Here's how it works.....

If you want to join in the fun, just leave a comment saying you'd like to be included. The first three people to do so will receive a gift from me sometime during the next year. In turn, they will post a Pay It Forward post on their blog and send a gift to three people who agree to participate. You never know when the gift will arrive in the mail. It could be next week or next June. It truly is a lot of fun trying to find out what people like so you can send an appropriate Pay It Forward gift. It can be bought or handmade and doesn't need to be expensive at all.

I am excited to see to whom I can Pay It Forward !!!!!!

p.s. - see there? I do know a little about grammar - "to whom" . I'm not a complete hick!  (stop snickering - you know who you ARE!)

Special Announcement!!!

We interrupt the preceding broadcast to bring you a special announcement ~

I'm also going to put in my disclaimer right now before this post.  In case of negative feedback or FBI agents at my door or special liasons from P*TA, let me guarantee you that the photos that you are about to view were taken 48 hours after the demise of the subject herein represented. May contain disturbing (and funny) images so if you are squeamish, please feel free to avoid this post. Subject has been accused and convicted  of confiscation of grubs and/or other sub-terrain flora and fauna and is also liable for destruction & sinking of structures of pier & beam sort into the ground, and the occasional broken and twisted ankles of person(s) treading upon above-ground terrain. The convicted felon was found dead Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at 3:30 p.m. in an underground maze shared by his co-horts.  Cause of death was a steel trap. The names have been omitted pending capture of family members who are also involved in this case...

Do I dare?

Can you handle it?

Just having a little fun here.

Mr. Gopher and his kith & kin are chewing and digging and ruining my yard, so I am exposing him posthumuosly (?) to some public ridicule.  He never knew a thing...

Well, here goes the first one...

Ok here is the culprit.  Would you take a look at those claws and teeth??? Man, they can really do some major damage here.  I laid him up on the hood of my car so it would make a good contrast. Looks good, don't you think?  See - no blood.  He's very cute actually - just looks asleep.  If that makes you feel better, well that's okay by me.

Do you see those little pockets on the sides of his face?  They're outside pockets.  He stuffs grubs or whatever tasty delight he's found in his digging into those pockets and pulls it out to munch on it later on. Can you see what he's got?

It's part of some kind of bug - maybe a piece of grasshopper - nope, can't be - it's not grasshopper season yet.  That won't come til about July or so... Guess it's some kinda grub or something - but it doesn't have a head. I guess Mr. Gopher ate its head off already.

Let's see what else he's been upto.  I think I missed him a couple of times because he's been travelling incognito -  (see next photo)

He's been posing as a hood ornament on some smaller foreign cars.  Hangs on tight with them claws...

Then he tried psyching everybody out pretending to be a squirrel or perhaps even a plum blossom. He better re-think that last alias - not workin', buddy.

Next, Mr. Gopher was apprehended trying to hide out in Mr. & Mrs. Bluebird's new condo under the mattress, but that didn't work either. He discovered that he was bigger around than the doorway. 

After being on the run and on the dig for several weeks, he finally succombed to exhaustion and was discovered asleep on a glider and was apprehended by police where he was later executed for his crimes.  Our condolences to his family, but let this be a warning to them that their unlawful behaviour and destructiveness will not be tolerated, and the same demise will come to those who break the law of lawn and garden. They have permission to dig all they want to out in the 70 acres of pastureland - NOT in the yard.  Mr. Gopher will NOT be missed.  May he rest in peace (well, I guess he was resting in peace until some crazy photographer decided to have some fun with him before burial).

Ok, whadaya'll think?  Have I completely gone off the deep end?

I really do love animals. I have never done anything cruel or inhumane in my life.  It's all ya'll's fault for making me come up with something silly to post.  And to Kathy B at Cedar Pond for issuing this challenge!  And it's certainly the gophers' fault for tearing up my yard!

If I get ONE negative comment, this post is TOAST!!!  It was all done in fun!  So for Pete's sake, don't take this seriously!!!

NOTE TO ADD:  CHECK OUT A NEW BUDDY'S BLOG - MARY AT JMPPASTTIMES! She's a vintage girl with a beautiful blog and you guys will be sorry if you don't give her a visit! She's a fairly new blogger so hurry on over there and tell her I sent you!!! Thanks!!!

My Weekend

'Mornin' to ya'll.  I woke up too early with a sinus headache & couldn't go back to sleep so's I thought I'd just tell ya a little about my weekend. Went to see darling daughter off on her spring break mission trip. We had a fun afternoon in Fort Worth, went to a Super Target (wish we had one) and scooped up all her little last minute items for her trip to Canada, went to dinner downtown and then crashed at her apartment.  We had a wonderful visit and it's always fun to get all snuggly in bed and talk and catch up and visit until we fall asleep. I LOVE those times!

(This'll have to be the first of a two-part post...)

I left early as she had to get to her van ride to DFW and decided to spend some time in Granbury. I LOVE Granbury - it's full of antique shops, foo-foo shops, bed/breakfasts, a beautiful lake with gorgeous homes and good places to eat.  I was going to stay only a couple of hours, but after talking to hubby I decided to linger and just ENJOY! The weather was absolutely perfect and there were alot of people there. Downtown is wonderful. If you've never been there, it's a great little weekend getaway with plenty to do!  Following are photos I took of several local funspots and a few of the neighborhoods. There are TONS of little old cottage type homes there!

And some fine old German architecture right here in town! Lotsa Germans down in the central parts of Texas. Texas is such a BIG STATE, as you know... (puffing up chest...)

Next I have a shot of the Hood County courthouse on the square... Granbury is the county seat...

The streets around the courthouse itself were being re-done, so the fence draws away from its beauty - there again - a little German architecture.  And last but certainly not least, a shot of a beautiful quince bush that was busting at the seams showing off its color ~

Tomorrow I'll have a few pics of the downtown Granbury area. I gotta git ready for work. Ugh...at least my head feels better - I think it feels better just looking at these pictures again and remembering what a nice I had all to myself ~ no husband telling me to hurry up and sighing deep sighs of boredom while waiting on me to amuse myself in the shops!!! 

GOOD MORNING USA!!!

Here's what we dealt with this afternoon about 5:30 or so. Hail - marble size hail. Didn't last too very long, but I'm glad I had my car parked in the garage and was already home from work. Last time I got caught in a hailstorm, I had dings all in my car!  We had a series of strong storms pass through east Texas and up through Arkansas & Oklahoma. It's tornado season 'round these parts, ma'am.  Well, they did have a couple of twisters touch down somewhere, but we lucked out this time around.

In other news, Princess H is leaving for Canada on Saturday from her college youth group on a mission trip. They will be working with inner city youths in the Toronto area, I think. She's looking forward to going, but I'm praying for her problem with motion sickness. She has it real bad, and I hope it doesn't flare up.

Now, it's 7 a.m. here.  I just got a comment from Kathy B. over at Spot on Cedar Pond directed at ME. Silly girl - she posted a video about moles and gophers. What a hoot she is - you must go over and say hi! We have this ongoing battle with yard varmints and I'm afraid she's ahead at the moment. Actually, I'm in a race against her husband, and now I think she's helping him out!  Hmmmmm.... was this in the rules of the game???  Hahahaha!  Looks to me like Texas does NOT have the biggest moles! At least the ones in my yard are much smaller & harder to catch - wait!  Does that mean I can have a mole handicap???  Anyway go visit her and see her funny videos!  Kathy - thanks for the belly-laugh this morning!!! (I AM glad you got another mole!)

I took a couple of photos of my MIL's camellia bush yesterday afternoon when I went by the house. It's always been beautiful and it's been blooming for awhile now. It's starting to drop its petals but it looks sorta pretty on the ground, too.

My MIL used to take a single bloom and float it in a pretty little teacup. She loved camellias. I'll never see a camellia that I don't think of that....

Ya'll have a great and wonderful and spectacular day! I gotta get ready for work, and I'm hoping to stop at one of the handful of garage sales that I've picked out of today's newspaper before I get to work!  Yes, GARAGE SALE SEASON HAS BEGUN AND IS NOW COMING INTO FULL SWING!!!  Three cheers!

Work Weekend & GIVEAWAY!

Ok, friends... I promised a post, but I don't have any new pictures to show you. Is that ok? Think you can do with just type?  I hope so. Maybe I can pull up a couple of older photos that hopefully I haven't used before...

We had a busy, busy weekend. We got up early Saturday and did about 10 hours working on the garden, the flower beds, the yard at the farm.  We have about 6-7 giant catalpa trees and they have just about finished dropping their footlong beanpods all over the yard. I HATE catalpa trees, but if we didn't have those we'd just have the big oak and the sycamore and some china berry trees (which I also hate).  SO, we raked as much as we could, burned most of it, and mulched a bunch more.  And all those huge beanpods open up and these little fuzzy white seedlings float all around everywhere and sprout in our sugar sand.  Such a mess.  We're constantly going around pulling up little sprouts.  The china berries are doing the same thing.  YUCK.

Anyway, we worked hard raking and doing all our stuff.  I planted my rows of carrot seeds. I had to wait until the moon was waning. I've had 'em for a couple of weeks but that was the first chance I got to plant them.  We had a really good rain Sunday night through early this morning so everything I have planted to now got a good soaking. I hope those little carrot seeds didn't wash away... My  tulips and lilies are coming up and my wagon of pansies has never looked better.  The snow and cold kept them kinda sickly looking but they kept popping back out and now since it's a bit warmer they're beautiful. Here's a pic that I took a couple of weeks ago, but they're all twice as big now and overflowing out of the wagon - I'll try to get a current photo!

We grilled hamburgers Saturday night for us and Josh and his girlfriend. They were so good. Flash forwards me to summertime!  Yea, it's almost here - at least spring is! We're having 75 degree temps today!!!  Another shower for tomorrow and then several days of nice gardening weather.

Sunday, we went to church, and then the rest of the day we spent at my  MIL's house cleaning up and getting the furniture moved out, the rest of the wallpaper off, etc.  The mud-guys and painters and the roofer are coming later this week to start their stuff and Sunday afternoon was the only day to do it. We were going to do the bulk of it ourselves, but when the roofer told us that he had a mud crew and a painting crew as well as excellent references, we decided to JUST GIT ER DUN.  We hope to put it up for rent in the next month or two.  Rental income will help us pay for MIL's care at the memory care facility. It's very expensive...

So, needless to say, I needed another weekend after this past weekend.  I kept nodding off in front of my computer yesterday.  Tonight we are taking MIL out for her birthday. I will go over after work and get her dressed and hair done - we're going to eat catfish - her favorite!  I know she won't remember it tomorrow, but for tonight - she'll have a wonderful time and we can imagine that all is well with her and just enjoy being together.  She's a jewel. I had the best in-laws in the whole world!  And my husband says the same thing about my folks! 

NEWS FLASH!!!  I'm coming up on my 200th post! I can't believe it!  I'm planning a giveaway and plan to make it very special because I let my 100th post get away from me.  So stay tuned.  I think this is post #193. May be a little premature to announce it, but I want to give you guys plenty of time warning!  Let me get my thoughts together about what I'm gonna do, and I'll be back in touch to announce the winning prize!!!  I want it to be special because you all have enriched my life so much & given in so many ways to me, and I want you all to know how very precious you are to me.  This is an outstanding group of women, friends and family that I have here in bloglandia & so I simply must do something befitting this great group of gals! 

Hi & Bye!

Hey dear friends -

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Just swamped at work, home, taking care of sick mother in law - but thank you all very much for your prayers - she's doing much better and is back at her memory care facility. She doesn't remember being in the hospital at all, and I guess that could be a good thing.  We're off to the farm this weekend - suppose to have 70 degree temps - just perfect for working in the garden, and so I'll catch you all up on the latest when we get back. I don't have internet out there right now. Miss you all!  Have a wonderful weekend!  & keep your gown down!