If I Ever Get Caught Up.......

Another beautiful day, my blood pressure was “almost” in the normal range, so I decided it was time to go to the grocery.  I was running out of staples. Of course, I also stopped at Books A Million.  Bought two books.  Renea and I were going to go shopping but she is having a bad day.  We are going tomorrow instead.  Plans are to go to Lowe’s and have lunch out.  Not sure where yet. 

Yep, another beautiful day.  Renea and I headed out about 10:15 this morning.  First stop was Lowe’s.  Bought a lot of “stuff” but no flowers.  Still too early.  We did look around and found a few we liked, but we resisted.  We then headed to Hobby Lobby.  And, surprise, surprise, surprise, we didn’t buy ANYTHING in Hobby Lobby.  That had to be a first!  Next we went to Zaxby’s for lunch.  Drove to Ladonia to pick up Kevin’s dry cleaning.  Stopped at Dollar General – didn’t buy anything there either.  Now we are both home and resting.  Sure is tough doing all this shopping J

After resting J I strung together more soft drink cans for Kevin to tie around the trees.  These are to keep the deer away.  Of course, if he doesn’t come get them and put them around the trees they won’t keep the deer away.  They are sitting in my front yard.

Today was an exciting fun filled day.  I did four loads of laundry, filled the bird feeders, dusted, took out the trash, picked up the mail, balanced my checkbook and paid a couple of bills.  Don’t y’all wish you could have a day like this.  Also made a few phone calls and checked my email.  WOW!  Can’t wait to see what the rest of the day will be like.  Didn’t do much else except pulled a few weeds.

Kevin is home today and he sure is busy.  He cut down the maple tree in my yard.  It was full of bugs and never did look really healthy.  When he dug up the roots they were still in the ball like they were when it was planted.  The contractor that cleared our land had planted three of these maple trees.  The other two died right away.  This one was trying to survive, but just didn’t make it.  Kevin also cut down the peach tree that was next to my concrete pad next to my house.  We would get a few peaches every year but they weren’t good enough to eat.  The past couple of years Kevin sprayed it and trimmed it trying to get it to improve, but no luck.  So, we decided we would just cut it down. 

For my birthday last year both Kevin and Brian’s family gave me another purple martin house.  This one is the gourds.  This morning Kevin cemented the pole in the ground so we can hang the house(s).  We decided to put it in the area where the two trees were that he cut down this morning.  He is a busy guy today. 

He has just finished tilling another spot in the backyard for his garden.  Now he is tilling LaNora’s garden.  I’m getting tired just watching him.

As for me, I have folded a load of laundry that I forgot was in the dryer, did my dishes, emptied the trash, took the mail to the mailbox, talked to LaNora who was outside raking leaves, talked to Jana on the phone, visited with Kevin when he stopped over, and checked out where he took down the two trees and cemented the pole in the ground for the gourd birdhouse.  I also replaced the light bulbs in my kitchen ceiling fixture.

I had planned to work on my curtains after lunch.  However, Kevin got my riding mower working so I thought I better get some yard work accomplished.  I picked up the twigs/branches in the “circle” area and then mowed the grass.at  It actually felt good to get outside.  I am taking a break now.  Don’t know if I will do any more outside today. 

That’s it!  I’m done for today.  Back at y’all tomorrow.

 Good Morning.  Today is cloudy and supposed to rain.  Therefore, I will probably not do any work outside.  In fact, I am working on my curtains.  Penny my girl is not happy with me.  I had to put frontline on her today.  For some reason she fights me every month.  She does not like it.  I know it doesn’t hurt, so I am not sure what her problem is. 

She didn’t wake me this morning.  In fact, I slept until 9:00.  I can’t remember the last time that happened.  I think she was so busy watching Kevin put up the gourd birdhouse that she forgot about me.  I even saw a couple of birds checking out the new birdhouse.

The curtains are finished!  Yea!!!!!

Some Outside Work Accomplished

Today is Friday and again it is cold and windy.  We had quite a bit of rain yesterday and last night.  Not sure how much since my rain gauge has a crack in it.  I will be throwing it away and getting a new one.  I did get the birdfeeders filled.  There was not a seed left in any of them.  So, needless to say, there are a bunch of them out there now.

Kevin is home today and he plans to trim the trees where necessary.  Patrick is supposed to bring Kevin’s auger back today so he can plant the fruit trees that arrived the other day.  I received an email informing us that our pecan trees have shipped.  Now we are waiting on the Franklin trees.  Once they arrive, that accounts for all the trees we ordered. 

I have two beautiful cardinals in my backyard.  I have read that if a cardinal comes to visit it means someone from heaven is visiting.  I am going to assume it is Jim and Mom.  The cardinal was Mom’s favorite bird so it has to be her.

Kevin got the trees trimmed.  I took a couple of pictures of the lemon trees he planted last weekend.  We walked around and checked the trees and all of them look healthy.  In fact, some of them are getting buds.  I just hope we don’t get a freeze. 

Today is Saturday and it is a beautiful day.  I have the windows open.  Kevin planted the apple, pear and peach trees this morning and now he is getting ready to leave for his bee class. I would have taken pictures but all you would see are tall sticks with twigs for branches.  None of them have leaves yet. We will have a regular orchard in our back yard. The pecan trees arrived this morning and we marked the back yard where he plans to plant them.  He will plant them tomorrow.  I am working on my curtains today.  I hope to get to them to the point where I will be hemming them.

I am done for today.  The curtains are all cut out and pinned to be hemmed. 

Another beautiful day.  Sunny and 70.  My kind of weather.  Kevin planted the pecan trees this morning.  They are in my back yard.  The orchard is in his back yard.  Now we are waiting on the Franklin trees which will be planted along the property line of my back yard between my house and Ricky’s house. 

Sunday was a really bad day for me.  Spent most of the day laying on the couch watching television and/or reading.  Feeling somewhat better today.  My blood pressure was low yesterday morning and even lower this morning.  Not sure what is going on.  Just came in from filling the birdfeeders.  While out there I noticed a bird nest on my satellite dish.  Since there were no eggs in it (I assume it is from last year) I took it down.

This afternoon I finished weeding the area next to my deck steps.  I also checked several trees.  The tulip poplar, oak, Bradford pear and dawn redwood are starting to get buds. I also noticed that one of the hydrangea bushes are getting leaf buds.  The other one (which we moved last year when Kevin added the deck steps) does not look good.  Not sure it is going to make it.  I am slowly getting some outside work accomplished.

Researching Military Ancestors

Went outside to fill the birdfeeders and while there I decided to check on a few plants.  I have some buds on my snowball bush. While there I pulled the weeds from around the bush.  Now that it is March I will be going outside for a while every day to do a little weeding and getting ready for spring/summer.  I also put some items away in the shed that I had placed next to my deck steps.  I really need to get some potting soil, top soil and rocks.  Busy times are heading my way.

I did some more research on the relative that fought in the Revolutionary War.  His name is Conrad Christian Goldman.  On the war records he is listed as Christian Goldman.  He is my fourth great grandfather.  He was a private who fought under the command of Captain John Stone.  John Stone was Captain of the Battalion of the First Company of the First Maryland Regiment of the Continental Army.  They fought in the battles of Brooklyn and White Plains.  They were from Lebanon Township, Lancaster, County.  Christian Goldman is the link to which my ancestors were able to join the Daughters of the American Revolution.  I have five more ancestors to research.

Yesterday I took down the curtains in my dining room and washed them.  I plan to use them as a pattern for the ones I will be making.

This morning I voted in the primary.  Not going to say for who.  Also, the apple, pear and peach trees have arrived.  Time for Kevin to get busy again (or yet).  I started getting the flower beds/containers ready.  I started on the section next to my deck steps.  I weeded the container with the rhododendron bush.  I was going to feed it, but it is supposed to rain so I will wait to do that tomorrow.  I also weeded the rectangular container with the iris plants.  They are starting to come up   All I have left to weed, and clean out the dead leaves, are the two ends and corners.  I did the front section when I did the containers.  I decided to do a little each day.

I did some more ancestry research today.  As I said before I have five more ancestors to research regarding the DAR.  They are all Heltmans, and I am trying to find how they are related. 

Well, we had another doozy (is that really a word?) of a storm last night.  It started out that we were just supposed to have some rain, then it was announced that we were under a severe thunderstorm watch, and the next thing I knew we were under a tornado warning.  Time for me to go to Kevin and Renea’s.  Poor Penny didn’t know what was happening.  She was getting ready to jump onto my lap when I grabbed her and put her in her crate.  Next I got my purse, phone and keys.  I texted Renea that I was on my way and headed out the door.  I think Penny was in shock because everything happened so fast.  The television said the tornado was heading right toward us.  Thankfully, it did not arrive.  The warning was cancelled within about fifteen minutes.  Penny and I stayed with Kevin and Renea for about an hour, and by that time the storms had passed.  We then came home.  It was time for bed.

Today is sunny and rather windy.  Not quite as warm as the last couple of days.  In fact, I did not work in the yard today.  We have a north wind which makes it feel really cold.  It is supposed to warm up in a day or two so I will finish the area I started when that happens.  Instead, I laid out the curtains on the material for my new dining room curtains.  I wasn’t sure how to measure, and I couldn’t have gotten it any closer.  If I mess up I am in trouble J

Today is Thursday.  This morning started out sunny and nice.  However, it is now getting cloudy and dark.  We are supposed to have thunderstorms this afternoon and evening.  Needless to say there will be no yard work today.  By the way, when I was outside the other day I had on a pair of capri pants (which we used to call pedal pushers) and I actually got sunburned on my legs from my knees to the top of my socks.  Never gave that a thought. 

This morning I started cutting out my curtains.  Next step will be pinning the hems and sewing them.

I also started doing research on the Fold3 site that I joined.  I found more military information on my relatives.  I had found some information on Ancestry.com (another site I joined).  I found a lot of information on DAR.org which is free.  I decided if I am really going to do research on my family I will just jump in and pay for some of these sites.  One of the relatives I found on the DAR site turned out to be my fourth great grandfather on my mother’s side.  I know of one great grandfather who fought in the Civil War.  He is from my dad’s side of the family.  I also have two uncles (one from my dad’s side and one from my mother’s side) who fought in WWII.  I am still looking.  The Civil War info and WWII info was given to me by my relatives.  I even knew the two who fought in WWII.  I will also be researching Jim’s family because I think it is important that our sons know about them. 

Assorted Stuff

This week was heart doctor week.  She was happy to see that the blood pressure medicine is working for the most part.  What she couldn’t understand was the fact that my blood pressure was high at night.  During the day it stays pretty good, but really goes up at night.  So, she is having more tests run.  We shall see what they find.  It’s frustrating that this is happening but they cannot find out why.  So, I keep my log, she checks it, and we go from there.

After going to the doctor I stopped at Barnes and Noble.  Did not find one book that I was looking for.  However, after that I stopped at Jo-Ann’s Fabrics and I did find material for drapes for my dining room.  I am just learning how to use my sewing machine and I am going to make drapes.  I plan to use the ones I have now for the pattern since I like that style.  I’m just tired of the brown.    

Last night I took an online class to learn how to find information about ancestors’ military service.  It was interesting and I learned a lot.  It was nice because the instructor told us of free sites.  She did not just push the sites where you had to pay.  I have found several ancestors on both mine and Jim’s side that were alive during several early wars including the Revolutionary War.  I have also found information that my mom’s mother belonged to the DAR and I found out thru the class how to research the information to learn who the ancestor is that she was able to be a member.  I have a lot to do J

The four lemon trees we ordered arrived today.  I guess Kevin will be planting them tomorrow.  The apple, pear and peach trees we ordered should arrive either Saturday or Monday.  We know they have been shipped.  Renea said his bee supplies that he ordered arrived yesterday.  Kevin has his second bee keeping class tomorrow (Saturday).  He decided not to get the chickens until next year.  Between his garden, bees and trees he will be busy.  This year he started the plants for his garden from seeds in his shed.  He bought the lights, trays and everything needed.  Just call him Farmer Kevin. 

The past two days have been cloudy, cool and extremely windy.  In fact, the wind has been blowing hard enough that it blew down the birdfeeders.  Today it is sunny but still cool.  I did go out this morning and rounded up the birdfeeders, filled them and hung them.  The birds are already out there eating.

Kevin planted the four lemon trees this morning.  The apple, pear and peach trees are scheduled to arrive today.  Since he has his bee class this afternoon I don’t know if he will get them planted today – probably not. 

Well, the apple, pear and peach trees did not arrive as scheduled.  I have checked the Fed Ex site and it says that delivery has not been scheduled.  Not sure what is going on. 

Kevin has received his beehive and beekeeping suit, so he is making progress J

I started some research on the military sites.  I had been told by family members that on my mother’s side we had at least one person who fought in the revolutionary war.  I found one definite and possibly four more.  I still need to do some research.  This is so exciting.  I knew we had family members that fought in WWII and the Civil War. I so enjoy researching all of this. 

We Were Lucky

Today is Sunday and it is Brian’s 51^st birthday.  Don’t understand how he got to be that old with such a young mother.  Hope he has a great day.  Last year Tracy has planned a surprise 50^th birthday party for Brian, but we were not able to make it.  That was when a snow/ice storm hit across Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio among other states.  This year I understand it was 70 degrees in Ohio.  Such is winter in the Midwest J

Tomorrow is Renea’s birthday but we are celebrating today.  I will be going to supper at Kevin and Renea’s house.  Stephanie and Ryan will be there.  We also watched the Daytona 500 while there.  The night before they had some friends over to celebrate her birthday and they had a huge bonfire in their back yard.  The burned the trees and branches that Kevin has been cutting down.  I saw it from my back window. 

Today is cloudy and rainy.  This morning I went to Office Depot and mailed several packages and bought some ink for my printer.  I have some pictures to print of Paddy for Jana, and I was almost out of ink.  I also stopped at Books A Million but didn’t buy anything.  They have some books I am looking for, but they were not on sale and they were only in hardback.  I will wait until I get to Barnes and Noble to see what they have.  I then stopped at Hobby Lobby to see about some material I am looking for to make curtains for my dining room.  I am not having any luck finding what I want.  I will next be checking at Joanne’s in Columbus.  Next stop was Goodwill to drop off several bags of items, then on to Kroger.  I sure was glad to get home.  I was tired.

Penny did something today that she has not done.  I can usually leave my front door open when I bring in groceries, etc. and she goes into the room and watches me. She has never tried to go outside.  Well, today when I opened the door she decided to sneak past me.  I told her no and to get back in the house which she did immediately.  However, she did it a second time, but came back in when I told her to do so.  I guess I am going to have to be really careful now.  She definitely wouldn’t survive outside. 

I spent the evening at Kevin and Renea’s because of the threat of severe weather.  We were very lucky this time.  I was all around us, but all we had was heavy rain and some wind.  Kevin was bowling when I first went over.  I had put Penny in her carrier and took her with me.  I left her in the carrier while I was there in case we had to go to the hallway for safety.  Also, we weren’t sure how Lola and her would get along.  Penny did not give me any problems, she just curled up in her carrier and watched everything that was going on.  Lola was fascinated by her.  She laid in front of her carrier and just kept watching her.  She would walk away and then come back.  Lola wasn’t sure what to do about Penny.  After a while Lola climbed up on my lap and laid there.  She may be big, but she thinks she is a lap dog.  Kevin came home about 9:30 but went to bed shortly thereafter.  Renea and I watched some television, but about 11:30 the weatherman seemed to think the worse had passed us so I went home.  I watched the weather until a little after one o’clock then I went to bed.  All was well.

NASCAR and Other Important Stuff

This morning was busy.  I filled the birdfeeders, did dishes, dusted, ordered twenty trees (some for me and some for Kevin), and updated my blog.  This afternoon was take my walk, take out the trash, and picked up the mail.  After supper I have been watching NASCAR.  I can’t believe I am hooked on NASCAR.

Another beautiful day in Alabama.  It is going to reach 70 degrees.  That is perfect as far as I am concerned.  I have opened the windows to let in the fresh air.  Penny likes when I open the windows.  She loves to lay on top of my one piece of furniture that I have by my dining room window.  The birds keep her entertained.  Jim is probably beside himself watching what I allow Penny to do.  She climbs on everything.  I have decided life is too short to worry about it.  I just keep washing everything.  Besides, she is soooo cute J

I am trying to increase my walking times.  Instead of walking once a day to the mailbox/trash can I will be walking twice.  The doctors seem to think that will help keep my fibromyalgia and arthritis from getting too stiff.  Of course, it hurts like the devil when I am finished.  It is also supposed to help my breathing.  So far, it has not helped, but I will keep at it. 

I ran a few errands with Kevin this afternoon.  He bought a new truck – long story.  He now has a Ford F-250 4 wheel drive.  It is beautiful.  Anyway, he had to drop off some paperwork where he bought the truck, then we went to Lowes.  He bought Renea’s birthday present.  I didn’t buy anything (what a shock).  We then picked up his new truck.  He had taken it to have the fifth wheel installed in the bed. 

 
It' s kind of hard to tell the color, but it is not black.  The best description I can give is dark gray.

Last night I watched the NASCAR truck race.  Those drivers are so young.  I really enjoy watching them race.  They don’t hold anything back.  There was a major wreck with seven laps to go.  In fact, they red flagged the race to clean up the mess.  Seventeen cars were involved.  By the time they started the race again there were three laps left.  On the last lap there was another major wreck, and the race finished under a caution (new rules).  One of the cars in the wreck flipped/rolled 13 times.  The car was destroyed, but the young man got out of the car on his own and walked to the ambulance. 

I took the snowmen window clings off the front storm door and replaced them with some “Irish” shamrocks and men.  I decided since it is almost March it was appropriate.  I always have some clings on that door to help keep the birds from flying into it.  It has happened.

Took my walk this afternoon.  Only walked once because I was not having a good day.  Did walk over to Kevin and Renea’s to find out how Renea is doing.  She is having some health problems and I wanted to make sure she was okay.

Today Kevin took his first beekeeping class.  Seems he is planning to have beehives in our backyard, so he is taking a six week course on how to be a beekeeper.  Now when we buy our flowers, bushes and trees we have to be sure the bees will like them.  This should be a lot of fun.

This evening I watched the Xfinity NASCAR race.  Tomorrow is the Daytona 500.  Should be exciting.

A couple of Penny stories

Just finished filling the birdfeeders.  The birds are going thru the food rather quickly.  I don’t have a big variety of birds; a lot of sparrows, cardinals, and other finches.  There may be some others, but the feeders are just far enough away from the house that I’m not sure.  I do know we also have eastern bluebirds.  It won’t be long and we will have hummingbirds and purple martins.  I haven’t seen the hawk lately, so I’m not sure he is still around.

I have feeders in both the backyard and front yard.  Penny has a great time trying to keep up with all of them.  She goes (I should say runs) from one window to the next to watch them.  She also keeps an eye on the squirrels.

Just saw a redwing blackbird at one of my feeders.  First one of those I have seen in quite a while.

Scary night last night (Monday).  Started out with just rain, then went to thunderstorm watch, then thunderstorm warning, then tornado watch, then tornado warning.  We all it all.  Kevin came over to help me get Penny in her crate to take both me and her to his house.  Penny was hiding under the bed and we couldn’t get her out.  She finally came out into the living room, but not matter what we did we could not get her.  I was ready to leave her and go to Kevin’s, but he insisted we get her and take her with us.  Next thing we knew we heard the loud “train” go over the house.  We were very lucky it didn’t touch down.  By then it was past us and Kevin went home and I stayed home.  Penny was still hiding.  A tornado did touch down a little east of us.  Took down a lot of trees.  They were still assessing the damage when I went to bed.

I checked around this morning, and didn’t see any big damage.  My deck furniture had been moved and I have a lot of branches all over the yard.  Again, we were very lucky.

Today is beautiful and sunny.  It is supposed to be around 70 today and for the next few days.  No rain until Sunday. 

I’ve been busy straightening shelves, cleaning cupboards and drawers.  I am about 1/3 finished.  It seems that it will be an on-going process.  Oh well, what else do I have to do.  I am finding stuff I forgot I had.  And, that includes quite a few craft items that I have started and need to finish and items that I haven’t even started as yet.  I could be a really busy person.  Now I just need to get started, but first I have to finish the cupboards and drawers.  However, it’s break time now.

A Couple of Penny Stories:

Two days ago I noticed Penny standing on her hind legs and leaning with her front legs against the end table in front of the backyard window.  She would raise her head really high and then bring it down.  She would back up and just stand on her hind legs.  I couldn’t figure out what she was doing and why.  Finally, I looked out the back window by my computer and saw two really big black birds on the ground by the birdfeeder.  The only thing I can figure is she had never seen any birds that big before.  When they flew away she came away from the window and went about her normal business. 

I usually go to bed about 10:30 and read for about 30 minutes or so before turning out the light.  Last night about 11:00 I heard a funny noise.  I listened and realized it was Penny.  I found her standing on her hind legs, again, with her front paws on the window ledge.  This time it was the front window overlooking the deck.  Her litter box is under that window and I keep the window open about two inches all the time.  She was standing next to the litter box.  She was making a funny noise that I don’t know how to describe.  When I looked out the window there was a large beautiful black and white cat sitting on the deck below the window looking at Penny.  I guess they were “talking” to each other.  The outside cat did not run away when it saw me.  I shut the window just to be sure neither of them tried to rip the screen.  Don’t know how long either of them stayed like that because I turned out the light and went to bed.  It will be interesting to find out if that cat comes back.  I don’t know if it has been here before.

Today is Thursday and the weather is beautiful.  Supposed to be this way for a couple of days and then get cold again.  I am still working on getting my “inside” work finished so I am ready for “outside” work.  Should be nice enough to start working outside in a few weeks.  Yea!  I am ready for spring.