Being nice ain't working - I'm gonna be myself!
Some people need to think before they speak.

Needed - little arms around my neck and one big strong young man arm!

Saying goodbye to my 2:00 am rooster
Blessings to the new owners!

I went to a funeral a couple of weeks ago for a man in our community.  I really don't remember much about him, but his children are or once were an important part of my life.  I consider this man's son and his wife an uncle and aunt.  The two middle children are there on the edge of my memory, but nothing memorial about our relationship.  The youngest was my first playmate at the age of around 3 or 4.

Living in the country in the 50s was a lonely existence, especially for small children.  Things changed as we got older, but our nearest neighbor was one mile away and my playmate was two miles away.  Our mother's got us together when they could and even though I don't remember much about our play I do remember the friend.  Her parents split before the start of school - their divorce was another first for me.  So I didn't run into my friend again until junior high school.  I was a little taken aback that she seemed not to know me.  This continued through high school.

At the funeral I realized she really didn't remember me in school.  As I walked up to offer my condolences, I advised she probably wouldn't remember me, but . . .  Her response was of course I remember you!  You were my first playmate and I haven't seen you in 55 years.  Well, that explains it - through the last 6 years in school, she didn't know who I was and didn't remember.

Finding old friends is such an eye opener!

Happy reading!
Belle

Root Crops

Did you know onions are to be planted on the "dark of the moon"?  Well, Monday is the day and my sets are ready to go!  Can't wait for sweet onion slices on big fat hamburgers!

Potatoes, red and russet, will go in the ground on in Monday also.  It will be a busy day!  Those little eyes are "scabbing"  over right now.  The scabbing process helps ensure healthy eyes that don't rot once in the ground.  Potatoes take around 90 to 120 days to mature so I will probably get in two crops this year.  I just love these early springs, but I am not foolish enough to start above ground crops as yet.  I do believe we might have a frost or two before this winter is officially over.

I did get my greens planted last week and can already taste those fresh turnip greens and a large slice of cornbread, but the pot lickker is this best part.

Until next time  . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, to the garden I do go!

A taste of Spring - intoxicating!

Greener Grass

I have six new chickens.  Five of these young ladies are barred rock and the other is a game lady.  Very curious and easy going, these ladies follow me around the pen checking out my every move.  Today was cleaning day for the outside pen.  Raking the old straw and feathers, hauling them to the garden plot and checking the wire on the pen is a half day job.  Of course, I spend a good bit of that time visiting with the ladies and listening to their complaints most of which relate to the demanding Roscoe (my number one rooster) and his two side kicks which I haven't named.  They are true ladies as their complaints do not vary too far afield from the complaints I hear from friends about their significant others.

I am learning these new ladies personalities so I may name them appropriately.  Each one is unique.  Today my favorite earned the name of Jasmine - the wandering vine.  As I was exiting the barn, Miss Jasmine slipped right between my legs.  Frustrated at having to stop my project I chased her around the corner of the pen where low and behold she ran right into the coyote trap.  She is pacing and fuming as she is now contained without food and water while her compatriots are happily playing and eating bread crumbs and seeds.  Perfectly safe, she can wait for hubby to come in and relieve her of the stress of being confined in an even smaller environment. 

So it is with us humans.  We long to be free to roam uninhibited, yet most of the time we jump from the pot into the fire.  Never content with our lot in life, we struggle to find something more.  Most of the time we don't realize that even though the grass looks greener in the next pasture, it got that way because of all the fertilizer.

Until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

Knowledge is gained from books . . .
Wisdom gained from living . . .
Neither apply to fools.

Skating Party

Six years old - the first memorable milestone of any little girl.  Boys, they could care less, but to little girls it is the leaving of babyhood - finally.  A party at the perfect venue - the skating rink!  Friends and family gathered to celebrate.  Everyone having a great time with much laughter, visiting, skating and just plain fun.  Two hours into the party, the group is told they have to leave.  A miscommunication or greediness on the part of the owner?  A party from 3:00 to 7:00 was booked and now at 5:00 everyone was being hurried out.  No one was advised of the change until we were told to leave.  Did they double book?  Did they book a private party after the other parties were booked?  If so, a phone call would have saved a lot of grief!

A hurt little girl, an angry Mom and confused guests - a birthday party ruined and an important birthday at that! 

This was my first trip to the Griffin Skate Inn and will probably be my last.  A lot of anger and upset could have easily been avoided if we had been advised on arrival that the party would be cut short.  Waiting until "clear out" time to let all the parties know of the time change was rude and uncalled for.  Yes, there were at least four parties being held that afternoon.  I can understand needing the $200 gained by adding a private party in the middle of the afternoon, but only if the time was not previously allotted.  This move was bad business practice and also bad for business.

Spencer's Skating Rink, now closed, was the place for our parties and many nights out for skating.  Hopefully someone will re-open the old rink to give some healthy competition to the Griffin Skate Inn.  I sure hope so as I cannot see any of our party returning to do business with the Griffin Skate Inn.