Tis The Season To Get Busy

The sun was shining and the lawn was finally drying enough to do some clean up. So I grabbed the rake and began the nasty task of raking. Now my lawn is not a small lawn, but I did manage to get about a third of it raked before noon.

Came into the house for a cup of coffee and a bite to eat and darned if it didn't start raining. According to the forecast we're to get about three quarters of an inch of rain and it's supposed to be dropping to the low 20's. So I'm hoping it will dry off quickly and warm up a bit so I can finish that task this weekend.

I do not like not being able to finish what I start. Every darned time I do, I get sidetracked and it takes forever to get back to whatever I'm doing and finish.

This morning the sun is shining again and the wind is blowing so I figure the ground surface will dry fast. So my plans for the weekend are to finish getting the lawn ready for another summer of mowing.

With any luck at all the garden area will dry enough to get into it with the tiller. Then will come getting the flower beds ready for the season. Possibly then withing a week or two it will be time to get into the fields.

As long as it's not raining, too windy or cold, I will be out enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. Who knows I may even venture out for another walk through the fields and woods. When the winter weather is over I can't wait to break out of this jail called a house...

My solitary confinement is broken by the songs of the birds and seeing all the little wildlife scampering about preparing for summer theirselves. There are nests to be built and dens to be repaired. And unfortunately for me, gardens to be scouted out for newly planted seed... They really like that I hide corn and bean seed for them to steal.

Best thing I have found to deter the birds from stealing the seed is to string old CD's on a cord and hang it over the garden. The slightest breeze makes the CD's flutter and flash. That seem to be the one thing the birds have not yet figured out, so they're still afraid of them.

One things for sure. I will not have time to feel lonely or bored. There is just to much to do.

No matter what your circumstances are, you should be able to find many things to do. Even if you live in a crowded city you can get out and go for a hike.

I'm wondering just how much these high gas prices are going to affect loneliness. People are so accustomed to driving long distances to do things and see friends. Now with so much of their cash going just for gas to get to work and do the necessary things, are they going to have the money to travel...

Even I am looking at walking to the mountain just to take a hike. The only real travel I plan to be doing is for fishing. I have my favorite spots and there is just no way I plan to walk all the way to them. Heck the closest would take a full day of walking just to get there.

So after all the preparing and planting are done I will be wasting about three tanks of gas for that. I'm looking at about $200.00 in fuel alone for that. The fish sure aren't worth that cost, but the relaxation sure is.

Well, while the lawn is still drying off I'm gonna get outta here and do my weekly grocery run and pick up the other needed things. Yah, my favorite chore... Shopping. Shopping is a fate worse than death.

But I'll go and I'll keep on smiling! Have a great weekend and share the smiles!

Mud Slides And Wet Fields

The sun is shining, the last of the snow (I hope) is melting.

Went for a walk yesterday afternoon to see what shape the fields were in and because I just couldn't sit here anymore. I'm so darned bored!

Our winter snows started back in October and although the weather has been up and down all winter, there has been either snow or mud. It's been cold and warm and you never know which is coming until it gets here. Then the winds! Blow me away type winds!

I'm ready for a week or two of good weather so I can get out and do something productive. I'm ready to open the windows and let some fresh air infiltrate my house. I'm ready for the sun to bake my tired ole bones. I want my lungs full of fresh air.

So while on the walk yesterday I took a slip in some mud as I was walking down a steep hill. Yup, took a ride all the way to the bottom. Finished the walk/hike in muddy pants that were soaked. Honest mom, I didn't do it on purpose.

Gee how she used to get angry with me when I would do that on purpose as a boy...

I don't do that now on purpose because of the pain that follows. Danged older body, ruins all the fun. But I did get a great laugh and I'm still smiling about it.

There are so many really wet spots in the fields that working them would only cause lots of problems. Same as working a garden when it's to wet but on a much larger scale. The ground clumps into big mud balls and the roots of plants can't take hold and grow well. Best to practice patience. Though mine is growing very thin...

It's warming up nicely outside this morning and I'm really hoping I can open the windows later today to air the house out. Even if I have to shut the furnace down to do it. Training Rowdy is making my home smell a bit like a kennel.

My son who can smell nothing bad doesn't notice it, but I darned sure do.

Bet the kid smells the garlic bread I'm making... I should really make two loaves so I can get some for myself. Make and extra and hide that! Hmm, sounds like a plan. Yah, he'd probably sniff that out too...

I figured out years ago that adding garlic powder to the bread ingredients makes the best tasting garlic bread. I've never had one complaint and actually get a lot of requests. Now with the bread machine I got about a year ago, I make it even more often, but still give people who ask the recipe.

You would think they would make an extra loaf for me, but they don't. Oh well...

Hope your having a great day and you have lots of smiles!

Just watch out for that mud that likes to sneak under your feet.

Come On Spring

Was thinking of how to make a self cleaning stove top. That is the one thing that most needs to be self cleaning in my house. Spattered grease, drippings from stirring spoons, spilled globs of cooked on goo. And a son who thinks there is no such thing as a spoon rest that is easier to clean than a stove top...

My mind wondered off into a totally self cleaning kitchen. Again much like a car wash. High pressure soap and water jets. Brushes that would drop from the ceiling and scrub everything. High pressure rinse and then the high pressure air to dry everything off. All while I sleep in my comfy bed!

Picked up a few lengths of gutter this weekend and mounted them under the top railing on my porch to use as rail length planters. They actually look kinda nice there. Not near as bad as I was afraid they would. I opted for the vinyl gutters for they're scratch hiding abilities.

Instead of making dropout holes like regular gutters, I drilled a few holes in the bottom near the front edges to let the excess water run out. I managed to get them hung in place before the snow and cold winds returned. Even had time to dump a gallon of water in them to see how well they would drain. Worked great and they channel the water to the flower gardens below.

While I was out to get the gutters I even picked up a few herb plants to put in them when the weather gets right. I'm hoping to plant some flowers between the herbs. Maybe something that will spill over and hang down.

I'm sure once again any neighbors that have driven by are totally sure I'm nuts. But like many other times I'll bet some copy the idea when they see the end results.

This morning there is about four inches of snow laying on everything. That's natures way of telling me to quit getting so excited about spring and be patient. Nature has a strange sense of humor.

Many of my thoughts this morning are with those who were attacked by the tornadoes over the past several days. It does my heart good though to see so many people going to their rescue with offers to help.

Wish my old body and it's health were better so I could take all my construction experience and help them rebuild their homes...

Well, I'm off to get another cup of coffee and then see what kind of trouble I can get into today. Have a great day full of smiles and fun! And keep thinking spring. Maybe if we all wish hard enough it will come early : )

Spring Please

Was out walking the dogs yesterday morning. The sun was shining but it was still a bit chilly. There is still snow laying here and there in patches and it's quite muddy.

I've never seen my lawn as heaved as it is this year. Guess that's because there wasn't the snow cover when the freezing winds howled through. That and possibly the constant freeze and thaw. I've never needed to roll the lawn here, but this year might be different.

I also noticed how littered everything is with tiny branches and a few small limbs from trees. This is nothing new, but it makes me wonder how there are any trees left after seeing the truck load of twigs and limbs every year.

My almost pet dove is back. I've been seeing it for almost a month now. I call it an almost pet because I talk to it and it seems to have no fear of me. When my son walks out though it flies off. One day I will have it eating from my hand.

Haven't seen any robins yet. So I guess this messed up winter isn't quite over yet. Wish it was, I feel like it's time to get into the fields and get to work.

It's still to muddy to even get an early start on the garden.

This one or two days of winter and then four or five days of sunshine has me itching to get out to work. In other words, I'm bored...

That along with my friend dealing with the absolute lies that are being told about him do no good for the mind at all.

What he needs is the universe to show the truth in some way. Maybe catch the lying butt head in his lies. Or give us a way to catch him and prove it.

There is just no way to prove you didn't do something. Ehh, but enough of that. I'll just keep up the prayers and being there for him.

I have a really big urge to just spend a day on the tractor seat. Feeling the sun warming my old tired body, smelling the wonderful smells of spring. Smelling the freshly turned soil, seeing the birds swoop down for a free and easy earthworm meal.

Was tempted to take the boat out for a fishing trip. With the chill in the air yet and me still not being completely well that could be a very bad idea. So I get done with the usual chores and then just roam around like a lost puppy wondering what to do.

Spring is coming soon though and I'll have more to do than I can do.

Isn't it funny how we are so bored but then when it's finally time to get busy we are so busy we wish for a moment of the boredom...

Well, off to play with the puppy. Have a great day full of smiles and wonder!

Rowdy

Here are some pictures of the new puppy. The first picture shows he wasn't real happy about having to pose for pictures. He'd rather be playing.

Hurmph, back on the leash huh, just who do you think you are anyway...

Bullies

What can be said?

They come in ages from children to adults.

They care about no one but theirselves.

They will say and do anything to hurt others, even if it's a lie.

Trouble is, they are protected by laws. Some even are employed to uphold the laws. When a police officer is a bully how can you teach your children that police officers are the people to turn to and always trust?

When you lose popularity with a bully they even change their story so they can make you look bad. Then when that bully is a police officer he can sprinkle just enough true fact in the story to make you look like the devil himself.

Then good police officers wonder why the general public is against them. But even they don't do much of anything against bullies. Maybe they can't. Maybe they too are defenseless against bullies. Maybe they too are afraid of bullies. Bullies can and do ruin peoples lives with their lies and selfish ways.

Just over this past weekend I watched a very young boy who was constantly getting yelled at. While the other people were busy talking amongst each other and the children were playing the young boy was the one who was caught when there was any loud noise or other child whining.

I sat and watched.

Even when having conversations I kept the young boy in sight.

After I'd had enough, I explained to the boys mother just what I had observed. Another child would antagonize the boy relentlessly until the boy would fight back. Then this other child would cry out as if being attacked. The young boy would be the one that all eyes were on and would be the one who got scolded.

I've observed events like this over many years. A few times I tried, to no avail, to point this out to teachers and school administration. It never seemed to help. Busy adults would only see what they could when someone cried out and would always assume they caught the right culprit.

Now lets bring this to adulthood. When a police officer that is entrusted to uphold the laws and be a good example is the bully, who would think he wouldn't be telling the truth? Yet the accused and the people who know the accused know different.

Does anyone think they don't spread the word? Do the truly guilty bullies think other people won't talk and spread the word? Do they think that all police officers won't eventually suffer because of their actions?

I have friends that are police officers. It bugs the crud out of me that one bad cop is making it impossible for so many to trust all police officers. And this is just one instance in one small area. Now compound that into every area and many more poor excuses for police officers and you come up with a mess that destroys the reputations of an entire nation of police officers. You come up with many civilians who wouldn't lift a finger to help an officer in need.

Same could be said for every bully. Do you really think that word about your lying humiliating ways doesn't get spread around? Do you not expect that eventually no one will not want to be your friend? No one will come to your defense when you finally do need help?

Eyes everywhere are seeing. People everywhere have a way of remembering. You will come to a point in time that you need help. Will anyone be willing to help you? Or will you find yourself waist deep in trouble and have no one to toss you a lifeline?

Thinking Cash

Was thinking about the weather we've had over this winter so far. It reminds me of the one winter during my life that I spent living in Virginia. My dad had been transferred there by a company he worked for.

That winter I never needed more than a jacket. It would snow overnight and would melt and be gone by noon. I can recall one day I was riding with my dad in the car and other drivers were slipping, sliding and having problems driving. Coming from the north my dad just went around them and had no problems at all.

We've gotten many snow falls this winter here, but it immediately warms up and melts the snow. The mud though is a different matter.

I'm beginning to wonder just how bad the bug population will be this coming summer. Without the long below freezing temperatures that normally kill the sleeping creatures, I suspect we will be waging a war against many nasty biting insects.

Over the years I've observed bug populations do really well when we get a quick spring warm up. Normally it warms a little and bugs begin to hatch. Then we get hard freezes which gets rid of them before the summer warm up. Those years we have few bugs to contend with.

So here I get to survive yet another year to see something that could be very interesting. Though I guess it could be costly too with the need to purchase more bug spray.

Also I've noticed the supply and demand theory has been blown to heck.

It's been an easy heating winter. Haven't needed the furnace anywhere near as much as normal. The furnace hasn't had to run as constantly either. There are times during the winters here that the furnace runs all hours of the nights.

Now this shows me that in this area people are not using anywhere close to the amount of heating fuel they usually do. Yet I just had my oil tanks filled. $1900.08 to fill my tanks... Like I said, so much for supply and demand being the factor which drives cost. Nope, it's like many other things in this life, costs are now driven by greed!

I'm noticing that many more coal furnaces are being bought and installed. Heck the one that was in this house is still here on the farm and in storage. It may well get put back in. It may be an inconvenience to use, having to put the fuel in by hand every few hours and carrying out the ashes, but at the prices of fuel oil... I'm beginning to see the value!

From past experience I know that when the weather isn't really cold I can burn wood in the coal furnace and it keeps the house hot. The wood can come from out woodlots and costs very very little other than time. The huge benefit is that what it costs the most of is what we all need the most. The physical exercise to carry the firewood from the woods to the truck and then the physical energy to unload and stack the firewood.

That could be a way to save some cash and get healthier.

We burn wood from our woodlots every year anyway. But it's in a wood burning furnace that isn't hooked into the hot water radiators and once it gets really cold it's only a very small help. So by hooking up the old coal furnace and having it more evenly heat the house, I probably wouldn't have even had to buy coal for the winter.

Saving around $4000.00 to $5000.00 to heat for the winter would sure be worth the effort for a weeks worth of time cutting, carrying and stacking. Then also I wouldn't have so many dead young trees or older diseased, sick trees just laying in the woods rotting.

So how are you saving cash for your heating season?

Saving cash always helps add a brighter smile to my face and I'll bet it helps you too. Have a great day!!!