Queen For A Day.

This weekend has been very special for me. It's like a fairy godmother came and cleaned all the pollen and dirt off my little back porch, and then on top of all that hard work, filled it up with bright new flowers. How proud can you be after all that? Now that it is spring, and I do say it lightly because the wind is raw outside and has been for two days, I can enjoy being outside on the porch.My daughter-in law was so sweet to do all the cleaning for me. Then she went shopping for the flowers and put them in pots. I'll be grateful. This made me feel like a Queen for the day.

I told my son this cool, or cold spell, is called blackberry winter. He said he had never heard that expression before. That is what my parents use to call it. I asked him if the blackberry were blooming and he said yes, well that's what the old timers called it,  and sometimes it just happens at Easter time. We have a full moon at night and clear azure blue skies in the day, and a light jacket makes it just right.

Every one is anxious to get their yards cleaned up for the Easter holiday. The grass has got to be cut and trimmed, and the vegetable garden has to be planted. It's a busy time of year. When I was a kid out on the farm we were allowed to go barefoot while we planted potatoes. It was so much fun pulling off those old shoes and feeling that cool dirt on your feet. What fun!!























we have a full moon

Along Comes Pollen.

From my front door I can see the beauty of spring. What a glorious view that is. But spring also brings along the pollen. We live in pine country, do I have to say more? Everything is covered with the yellow pollen from the beautiful pine trees.

This morning I had the bright idea that I would clean my screened porch and get it ready to enjoy the nice weather. I took a pain killer for my aching back, my little hand clippers to trim my Plumbego that I had neglected and the frost had done a bad job on it, and my trusty old broom that I have had since I moved here in 1998.  Gee, now I'm aging myself, but that's no secret. I surely bit off more than I could chew this time. I did the front stoop, cut the dead branches and twigs off the plant and swept away the pollen. Now I go to the back porch. What a mess?

Everything is covered with this yellow dust. It was and is so thick that I didn't want it to get on my shoes. I didn't want to carry it back inside my house. I didn't want to get that stuff on my new carpet. I swept a path to the plants that needed water, then I looked over the situation and decided I'd try that another day.

I'm thankful I'm not allergic, but I don't want to take chances. I don't need anything else to cause me pain. Hopeful for another day. .

Spring Is Finally Here.

If you live out in the rural area, I mean country, in the south. You can hardly wait until the dull browns on the trees and grass are gone. My friend kept saying to me {March 20th is spring} and I do believe she is right this time.

Last night was a good night for sleeping. We even had a quiet shower during the night, and I slept late. The birds were so busy and noisy, the sound was beautiful. You have to live here to know what I mean. I made my usual breakfast of cereal and plenty of coffee, two big cups, and I was ready for the day. I did the few chores that needed done and then went out into the yard to see what was new.

It was as if our yard wake up from a long sleep. The peach trees, the crabapple, pear, and mayhaw trees are all in bloom. The azaleas, bridleswreath, sweet olive and camelia bush are in full bloom. Looks like heaven on earth. This with the azure of the sky, it's just about perfect.

To make it perfect, I've got to put out my humming bird feeder. I saw one of these beautiful little birds this morning. I also have to put out my little wren houses that I was given at Christmas. The little wrens were on my front stoop this morning looking for something to build their nest. I can help them out. Now, I'll just have to muster up enough energy to get outside an enjoy another spring. 

66th Wedding Anniversary

Some things slip your mind and you can't remember, but one thing is embedded there forever. This is what I remember from my wedding day.

I lived in Helena, Arkansas in a rooming house with five other girls. My room-mate was my sister. All the girls went to work this day, except me. It is my wedding day! None of the girls had automobiles, so the all rode the city bus to work. I had errands to run today, so I also rode the bus. I could have walked to the shoe store to purchase my shoes, but I didn't ride because I really couldn't afford to spend the seven cents for the bus ride. I really needed the shoes, I needed low heels as I didn't want to be taller than my groom. I found the perfect shoes with the help of the store clerk, who was especially helpful since he knew me from the announcement in the paper.

My next trip was to the next town to get my hair done. My good friend was also my hairdresser, and we were getting married at her house at seven thirty. She fixed my hair and I helped her get ready for the wedding party. It was a good day. I then rode the bus back to the rooming house and waited for the time to pass until it was time to get married.

Our sweet little house-mother, or owner of the rooming house prepared a good dinner for all us girls, and I remember how hungry I was. I may have skipped food all day. Jittery nerves didn't bother my appetite. The girls helped me get dressed.

My wedding outfit cost less than one-hundred dollars, but it was beautiful.We didn't have a camera at the wedding, so there are no pictures. My mother-in-law made the wedding cake. It was a white cake with white icing. It was served with coffee. Our music was played on a record player. We stood before the fire place decorated with gladiolas. They were beautiful. The minister was a young friend from the Methodist Church. I can remember my nerves came to the forefront when the ring I had bought for my groom was a little snug and I had a little trouble getting it on his finger I began to giggle and couldn't stop. I soon got over that.

My sister-in-law who was three months pregnant went outside the house to help decorate our car, and when she returned to the house, she opened the wrong door to the house and fell down the stairs to the cellar. She wasn't hurt badly, but it ruined our wedding party It was like a dark cloud over the rest of the day.

We took a wedding trip to Memphis for the week-end., and then it was back to work on Monday.

Let's Talk Valentines Day

Yesterday was Valentines Day and it brought back lots of memories. I spent over fifty years with the Valentine that I chose to be me mine on February 21, 1947. I don't remember all the different little Valentines that I received in all those years, but this is remember, it was always Valentines Day. We loved each other and that was enough.

My first gift for Valentines was a lovely scarf. I can amost recall just how pretty it was, and I can imagine him thinking she will like this, and she can use this. Such a practical gift. I did like it and it was usefull, but what red blooded girl wants practical on such a special day. He never knew I was a bit disappointed in his choice of gifts.

Over the many years I received boxes and boxes of chocolates and roses. When the chocolates began to to change my figure, which wasn't so good to start with, I said enough. He said but I like the chocolates. Then I got roses, and they would die in a couple of days. That was when it was decided I would get the real thing. I got the roses bushes. That is when I really got to love growing roses. So with roses you get flowers every day. They adorn your garden and make beautiful bouquets for your table. It's like getting a gift every day and it's practical. We liked that.

What's Up?

I haven't seen the sun in three days. I hope this is the day. The lake is running over and my yard is soaked, and the sky is still gray and it looks like more rain. Hopefully we will see blue skies real soon.

This is a good time to read a good book and I received one as a gift from Christmas. I must get started on it, but this weather doesn't put me in the mood to read. On a day like this I usually like to put something in the oven and cook it slowly so I can smell the aroma. I think I will do that and then maybe I'll get in the mood to read.

I don't have any projects that I need to be working on at the moment, so you might say I'm really bored. But you could say my Christmas project was a success. I made a puppet show for one of the great-grand children and she loved it. Wish I could have made one for each of them, but I'd have to have a factory to do that big job. Gotta a lot of kiddos. It's something to think about, and I will think about it. Some day!

Happy New Year 2013 !

I don't make resolutions so you won't read any of those here. I just live one day at a time, and live it best I can.

Christmas is over at my house. I think I have it all clear out except my little gold bell that has hung in my house every Christmas since my once young kids were very small. You can pull the string that is attached to it and it will play "Jingle Bells". The reason for not taking it down, I can't reach it, so I'm waiting for someone to come by and take it down for me. All the kids of mine, my grandchildren and great-grandchildren have pulled that string and enjoyed it. Now I'll put it away for another Christmas. It's getting a bit worn, but the knot in the string doesn't keep it from playing "Jingle Bells".

I didn't go out to celebrate the birth of the new year, but I did crawl under the covers of my warm bed and watch the crowds in the big cities as they celebrate. I miss Guy Lombardy and his band on New Years Eve. Now you young ones don't know who that was. Olde Lang Syne ain't the same any more. That group had class !

I made a nice dinner for my daughter and her husband on New Years Day. We had the tradition black-eyed peas and cabbage, creamed potatoes, and pork and sourkraut. Boneless pork ribs substituted for the hog jowl that my late husband and I use to cook. That is the traditional meat for good luck on that day. I'm no Rachel Raye, but I've got more experience in the kitchen than she does and I can cook something other than an Italion dish. Just good old home-cooking. The peach cobbler was good, too.