What's happening with Blogger???
Last night, I FREAKED OUT!!! I was blog-hopping, and all of a sudden my blog just disappeared! Then, I tried to log back in, and I couldn't find my blog! So I went to my South Light Art Blog and I was able to see Sand Flat Farm again, but I couldn't log in.
Then, I was re-directed to another page where it was denying me access, and it said I might be violating the Terms of Service???? What's that all about? It gave me a place to contact Google, which I did, via a comment thingie, and I went through this procedure several times. Then, on another page it made me supply a phone number for security reasons.
I was finally allowed to get back on my blog after much freaking out and wringing of hands. Even Tony was concerned! Does anyone know what that was about? It all appeared to be a true Google Blogger page with all their usual stuff on there and their Google favicon, etc.
My question - is there a way to back up one's blog to a flash drive or another place so it can't just disappear? I'm all EARS! I would HATE to lose my blog after all this time. I'm going on 4 years now, just like many of you, and I don't wanna lose this journal of the last few years of my life!!! HELP!!!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Gypsy
Mind if I gush about my dog for a few minutes? I got Gypsy a few months ago after much debate about what I wanted as a farm dog. She was actually a stray that someone was trying to find a home for. I feel so lucky to have her! She was used to being on her own, a little wary, very food possessive, but still friendly enough that I thought she might work out here on Sand Flat Farm. She had a rough dirty coat and was stinky and skinny, so I know that she'd been fending for herself for awhile. But I decided to take a chance on her anyway.
She just got back from the vet. I waited a little bit to see if she was going to stay here before I forked over $200 for vet care. She's an active herding breed and she's an outside dog, so I just didn't know. Evidently, she likes it here, and I'm proud that she has adopted ME as her person. She has come to trust me, even with her food, altho I still feed her by herself because I don't want her biting my chihuahua. I guess she knows she's going to get plenty of food now and she doesn't have to fight for it.
She just back from a 2 day stay at our country vet's office. Gypsy got her shots, her heartworm/parasite tests, and she also was spayed while there. She's a little sore today, but doing so well. I've kept her in the house since yesterday morning, but today she wants out. She's housebroken and all that hair keeps her quite warm so I don't really worry about her being out in the cold. I've seen her lying out in the middle of the pasture sound asleep on some of our cold days (which haven't been many - it's 80 degrees out today!) She loves the water and gets in our pond and loves to just run, just for the sake of running.
We concluded along with our vet that she's probably an Aussie cross - probably with Border Collie. Either way, she loves her exercise and just because she had surgery doesn't keep her still. She minds well, and when I'm outside (and while she's inside) she and I are inseparable. I think we've bonded. She wants to be close to me, she's a "leaner". I have to really watch her when we're walking because she has to be touching my leg and I really don't wanna take a tumble tripping over her. I'm sure some leash work would alleviate that problem.
Gypsy's a great watch dog, too. She lets us know when something is amiss or there is a stranger walking down the road or an animal comes near the house. But she's not a yapper. I've really grown to love her. When I went to pick her up from the vet, he came out with her and told me what a really nice dog she is. She was good for the staff and did what they wanted her to without complaining. They bathed and dipped her before her surgery so it wouldn't be so hard on her after.
She tries to talk to me. She whines and makes little noises at just the right appropriate times and we have long conversations. Something funny she does is HOWL whenever she hears a siren. We can hear a siren and either Tony or I will say, "just wait," and pause expectantly, and then we'll hear Gypsy break out in a heart-wrenching howl. And she'll howl til we can't hear the siren any more.
I think we've got a keeper. Right now, she's lying on my feet napping, Bug by my side. Gypsy may feel pretty lucky to have found a good home, but actually I think that I am the lucky one. Don't ever be afraid to adopt a rescue or a stray. Sometimes, they make the best dogs because they are SO grateful to have someone to love them. Ok thanks for listening!
She just got back from the vet. I waited a little bit to see if she was going to stay here before I forked over $200 for vet care. She's an active herding breed and she's an outside dog, so I just didn't know. Evidently, she likes it here, and I'm proud that she has adopted ME as her person. She has come to trust me, even with her food, altho I still feed her by herself because I don't want her biting my chihuahua. I guess she knows she's going to get plenty of food now and she doesn't have to fight for it.
We concluded along with our vet that she's probably an Aussie cross - probably with Border Collie. Either way, she loves her exercise and just because she had surgery doesn't keep her still. She minds well, and when I'm outside (and while she's inside) she and I are inseparable. I think we've bonded. She wants to be close to me, she's a "leaner". I have to really watch her when we're walking because she has to be touching my leg and I really don't wanna take a tumble tripping over her. I'm sure some leash work would alleviate that problem.
Gypsy's a great watch dog, too. She lets us know when something is amiss or there is a stranger walking down the road or an animal comes near the house. But she's not a yapper. I've really grown to love her. When I went to pick her up from the vet, he came out with her and told me what a really nice dog she is. She was good for the staff and did what they wanted her to without complaining. They bathed and dipped her before her surgery so it wouldn't be so hard on her after.
She tries to talk to me. She whines and makes little noises at just the right appropriate times and we have long conversations. Something funny she does is HOWL whenever she hears a siren. We can hear a siren and either Tony or I will say, "just wait," and pause expectantly, and then we'll hear Gypsy break out in a heart-wrenching howl. And she'll howl til we can't hear the siren any more.
I think we've got a keeper. Right now, she's lying on my feet napping, Bug by my side. Gypsy may feel pretty lucky to have found a good home, but actually I think that I am the lucky one. Don't ever be afraid to adopt a rescue or a stray. Sometimes, they make the best dogs because they are SO grateful to have someone to love them. Ok thanks for listening!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Beginning Again...
Beginning again - beginning to paint more on a full-time basis in 2012. To start with I'm doing a commission for a friend. It's a good way to kick off 2012, and get me back into "paintbrush overload"!
With that being said, I'm announcing the first post of my new Art Blog -
"SOUTH LIGHT" ---
A little painting, a little instruction, and a lot on my mind... Please take a look, honest critiques are welcome, and if you find anything that you can't live without, email me. This is not a selling Art Blog, but some things will be for sale at times. Come and see what I'm working on over there - just got my first post done!
Thanks for your visit!
With that being said, I'm announcing the first post of my new Art Blog -
"SOUTH LIGHT" ---
A little painting, a little instruction, and a lot on my mind... Please take a look, honest critiques are welcome, and if you find anything that you can't live without, email me. This is not a selling Art Blog, but some things will be for sale at times. Come and see what I'm working on over there - just got my first post done!
Thanks for your visit!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Treasure Hunting... And Computer Woes
Good morning, friends...Another week and another Monday... Ever feel like kicking the computer tower out the front door???? That's what I've been dealing with here at my office for the last week. We got a bunch of viruses and trojans on our computer here. It decided to just shut down and the viruses covered up all our programs and our 400+ customers and we came to a screeching halt!
I won't even begin to tell you how mad and frustrated I was. We had to do everything by hand. The computer was in the shop for 3 days. They were able to save most of our files, EXCEPT our Customer files!!! Well, since that happened, I decided to change self-storage programs to a more modern one, and I've got my assistant inputting all our current customers and all their information. She's young and fast, and she's gonna have it done in a couple more days.
So I thought everything was all fixed this morning, got to work, and the printer/fax/scanner program had to be re-installed. The computer guys stored all the software inside the stupid PC tower, and we had to take it apart to get to the software CDs. Then, WE COULDN'T GET THAT DAD-BLAMED SIDE PANEL BACK ON!!! I guess I'm on stress overload - I was so mad I could feel my blood pressure go up and you know, when I get mad I wanna cry. But I didn't. Instead, I walked around my office saying ugly hateful things to my computer AND to the geek squad. I did call and tell them I thought it was kinda dumb to store those CD's inside the tower and that THEY could come to my office and put this stupid thing back together. I guess they could tell I was put out. One of them volunteered to come. I hung up the phone and made one last attempt. There were some little doobers that appeared to be bent that I straightened out and then it snapped back into place. Whew. I called 'em back and canceled their trip over here.
OK, calm down, Vickie.....OK, I'm calm now......
New topic ---
Treasure hunting! Now, some of you may think this is silly BUT... There's a couple of spots on our land way back up in the woods near the creek and the pond where we knew the folks that lived here long, long ago had used as a dumping place. That's just what people did. There was no garbage service. People burned what they could, but glass and tin cans and metal they just dumped. Now, to look at this area, you'd never know it had been used as such. But Tony and I had run across a couple of old items in this particular area just digging around and so we felt like this was the spot that his long-dead relatives had used.
Well, Sunday afternoon, in nearly 70 degrees temps and bein' a blue-bird day, we got a couple of digging tools and went down to that area and started poking around. We unearthed decomposed metal and rusted out tin so bad that it crumbled. AND old glass bottles. Old medicinal bottles, perfume bottles, salve and ointment bottles, fifth of whiskey bottles (Old Uncle Claude liked his whiskey - drank a glass before bedtime each night and lived to be 97), all kinds of old soda bottles - some of which I'd never heard.
Some were broken, (some of the oldest and coolest), some still had lids on them, some of the lids were rusted out. It was such fun! We had us a frog-gigger with a long spike on it and could poke around in the dirt until we heard a "clink" and then start digging! Sometimes just a big think piece of glass, sometimes the whole bottle. They made glass real thick back long ago, didja know?
One of the most interesting bottles was a Chattan**ga Medic*ne Co. green bottle of McElr*e's Wine of C*rdui. Now, this was a tonic for ladies supposedly from a recipe used by the Cherok*e Indians. It was called a "regulator" for women's menstrual ills of all kinds. Even supposed to get rid of tumors, fallen uteruses, and all kinds of fun women's stuff. This old medicine company originated back in 1897 and this magical elixer was a best seller! They also put out a black draught and some other things, and even as late as the 1980's had some more modern items that are still in use. Wish I had me some of that Card*i right now!
I'll show you a picture of some of our bottles. Tony even got out the tractor and we scooped up several layers of dirt to go through and look. He said, "Here, let me take your picture with some of your bottles to put on your blog". So I let him. Here's a few of my bottles. Thought they'd be neat to clean up and stick a flower in them or just group them together somehow. This picture is unedited in anyway since it came from my phone...
Ok, here's me in all my glory with my rake, frog-gigger and dirty bottles. Doesn't look much like treasure, does it? Well, it was fun. Hayley called me and asked what we were doing and I told her, and she said, "Yuck". When I told her it was kinda like a treasure hunt to find one not broken and how old and cool they were, she said then "SAVE ME SOME! Don't find them all!" haha! It's all in how you look at it!
Well, friends, I'm outta here. Sorry I've not been posting often lately. Just too, too busy, and too much going on with sick ones and holidays and traveling to Memphis and stupid computer problems. Take care of yourselves and know that you are all a special part of my life! I'm so glad you're there! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!!!
I won't even begin to tell you how mad and frustrated I was. We had to do everything by hand. The computer was in the shop for 3 days. They were able to save most of our files, EXCEPT our Customer files!!! Well, since that happened, I decided to change self-storage programs to a more modern one, and I've got my assistant inputting all our current customers and all their information. She's young and fast, and she's gonna have it done in a couple more days.
So I thought everything was all fixed this morning, got to work, and the printer/fax/scanner program had to be re-installed. The computer guys stored all the software inside the stupid PC tower, and we had to take it apart to get to the software CDs. Then, WE COULDN'T GET THAT DAD-BLAMED SIDE PANEL BACK ON!!! I guess I'm on stress overload - I was so mad I could feel my blood pressure go up and you know, when I get mad I wanna cry. But I didn't. Instead, I walked around my office saying ugly hateful things to my computer AND to the geek squad. I did call and tell them I thought it was kinda dumb to store those CD's inside the tower and that THEY could come to my office and put this stupid thing back together. I guess they could tell I was put out. One of them volunteered to come. I hung up the phone and made one last attempt. There were some little doobers that appeared to be bent that I straightened out and then it snapped back into place. Whew. I called 'em back and canceled their trip over here.
OK, calm down, Vickie.....OK, I'm calm now......
New topic ---
Treasure hunting! Now, some of you may think this is silly BUT... There's a couple of spots on our land way back up in the woods near the creek and the pond where we knew the folks that lived here long, long ago had used as a dumping place. That's just what people did. There was no garbage service. People burned what they could, but glass and tin cans and metal they just dumped. Now, to look at this area, you'd never know it had been used as such. But Tony and I had run across a couple of old items in this particular area just digging around and so we felt like this was the spot that his long-dead relatives had used.
Well, Sunday afternoon, in nearly 70 degrees temps and bein' a blue-bird day, we got a couple of digging tools and went down to that area and started poking around. We unearthed decomposed metal and rusted out tin so bad that it crumbled. AND old glass bottles. Old medicinal bottles, perfume bottles, salve and ointment bottles, fifth of whiskey bottles (Old Uncle Claude liked his whiskey - drank a glass before bedtime each night and lived to be 97), all kinds of old soda bottles - some of which I'd never heard.
Some were broken, (some of the oldest and coolest), some still had lids on them, some of the lids were rusted out. It was such fun! We had us a frog-gigger with a long spike on it and could poke around in the dirt until we heard a "clink" and then start digging! Sometimes just a big think piece of glass, sometimes the whole bottle. They made glass real thick back long ago, didja know?
One of the most interesting bottles was a Chattan**ga Medic*ne Co. green bottle of McElr*e's Wine of C*rdui. Now, this was a tonic for ladies supposedly from a recipe used by the Cherok*e Indians. It was called a "regulator" for women's menstrual ills of all kinds. Even supposed to get rid of tumors, fallen uteruses, and all kinds of fun women's stuff. This old medicine company originated back in 1897 and this magical elixer was a best seller! They also put out a black draught and some other things, and even as late as the 1980's had some more modern items that are still in use. Wish I had me some of that Card*i right now!
I'll show you a picture of some of our bottles. Tony even got out the tractor and we scooped up several layers of dirt to go through and look. He said, "Here, let me take your picture with some of your bottles to put on your blog". So I let him. Here's a few of my bottles. Thought they'd be neat to clean up and stick a flower in them or just group them together somehow. This picture is unedited in anyway since it came from my phone...
Well, friends, I'm outta here. Sorry I've not been posting often lately. Just too, too busy, and too much going on with sick ones and holidays and traveling to Memphis and stupid computer problems. Take care of yourselves and know that you are all a special part of my life! I'm so glad you're there! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!!!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
DING DING DING!!! WE HAVE A WINNER!
Congratulations to Linda Sue at Buhlaland! She made the 13th comment on my last post and had the winning guess as to WHO both my husband and I dressed up as to go to a New Years Costume Party! She said Winston Churchill and Frida Kahlo! What a clever lady! Never thought anyone would guess Frida Kahlo! I think my hubby made a pretty good Winnie, but it's kinda next to impossible to make a blond pale-skinned gal look like a dark mysterious Latino woman artist! Even with that wicked UNI-BROW! Several guessed I could be Golda Meir (sp?), and I never thought about that, but I guess I did sorta look like her. I'll be getting her prize out to her soon!
I've been reading Parisienne Farmgirl's blog for a couple of years now, a beautiful young mother with 4 gorgeous children. She just announced that she will be heading up her own online magazine all about French country style, her potager, cooking, personal style on a budget, etc. Her name is Angela - go over and meet her and check out her blog and her magazine. I think it'll be a hit! And she's having a give-away, too, I think, to one of the first 100 people that sign up for her magazine! A cache of lovely, delicious products!
Guess that's all for now - will be back soon!!! Keep yer dress down!
I've been reading Parisienne Farmgirl's blog for a couple of years now, a beautiful young mother with 4 gorgeous children. She just announced that she will be heading up her own online magazine all about French country style, her potager, cooking, personal style on a budget, etc. Her name is Angela - go over and meet her and check out her blog and her magazine. I think it'll be a hit! And she's having a give-away, too, I think, to one of the first 100 people that sign up for her magazine! A cache of lovely, delicious products!
Guess that's all for now - will be back soon!!! Keep yer dress down!
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