After three and a half days of overcast rainy skies, I am so glad to see sunshine! We still need rain, but I need the sun to survive!

Have you felt a difference in the climate of our fellow humans personality wise? 

I am not a shopper and hubby definitely is not, however today we both wanted to go looking.  There is nothing special, we were window shopping. Our little town has moved from downtown to the outskirts mainly northward toward the metropolis known as Atlanta. We don't have "shops" downtown so window shopping is a thing of the past. One doesn't get the feeling of warmth and stability from a strip mall and there is definitely no windows to shop. So I suppose we browse shopped.  

The many many people we encountered were friendly, courteous and accommodating - no pushing, shoving, ugly looks, or nasty comments.  At Hobby Lobby, the shopper behind me reminded me to use my 40% off coupon and offered hers as she already had it up on her phone! Pleasant - the whole shopping experience was just pleasant! 

I don't think it is just because of the season as in years past I have avoided shopping during the holidays.  Is it the idea of change in the government and promises of better governance from our political choices?  Is it the fact that after 40+ days with no rain and no cold weather we received both in the same week? 

I like it! More shopping may be in my future if the pleasantness continues. 

2013 Spring

Lot of visits in the last few days, not complaining, just wondering!  Always enjoy visits to my pictures, thoughts and gripes.  

Busy, busy, busy around this little farm.  New kits (bunnies) born on Easter Sunday and Star is a good mother.  My rabbits seem to be a bit temperamental and sometimes behave in most unsavory ways.  Pinky's babe has developed into a beautiful little thing, but is still a bit hyper and not comfortable as yet with being handled.   

Chickens are so very happy to have the sunshine and warm weather return and the egg production has once again increased.  The brood has to be thinned but it is hard to do when they are all your babies.

My daughter's farm, Blessed Acres Farm, is growing and developing quite nicely.  She has spring onions ready to sell and they are beautiful!  Too much rain on the strawberries, but that can't be helped.  Maybe just a message that strawberries don't belong on her farm - she is allergic to them!  Greenhouse is filled with sprouted seeds and small plants almost ready to go in the ground.  The spinach patch is coming right along. 

The large field has been twice plowed and harrowed; ready for the rows to be laid and plants or seeds put in the rich ground.  In the next 90 to 120 days we will be feasting on beans, tomatoes, peas, spinach and all the good stuff and all GMO free and natural the way it was meant to be.  Chicks and ducks are thriving in their new space and should come right along in the next few weeks.  By August the chicks should be producing eggs regularly.  Buff Orpingtons are good layers if on the broody side.  She also has Arucanas which I know nothing about, but they are really cute chicks!

It is unbelievable how many people do not know they can not just travel across other people's property.  Many 4-wheeler's cutting through the woods and fields and when confronted are very aggressive as if the property owners are the offenders!  The lack of respect for other people's property and belongings astounds me, but I was raised in a different era.  A few years back we came home to find a man riding his 4- wheeler in the woods next to the house.  When ask who gave him permission, he said he didn't need permission - nobody lived there.  

The few problems encountered will not stop my joy at such a beautiful Spring!  So glad to have all the trees and shrubs budding out and blooming.  The rain has even come at good times to wash to excess away and help keep my sinus' free from irritation!

Many changes occurring in our world - both local and worldwide.  Praying that God protects us as we are forced to accept these changes and that He guides our leaders in their decisions that will so greatly affect us.

Thanks for dropping in and until next time . . .

Happy Reading!
Belle

Remember when . . .

When I went to school our first day of the school year would either be the Tuesday after Labor Day or the Friday after Labor Day.  It also signalled the end of summer and the beginning of those wonderful fall mornings.  We always needed sweaters for our trip to school and had them wrapped around our waists on the trip back home.  After the long hot summers of middle Georgia, we welcomed the cool morning temperatures.  Many years have past since the calendar and the weather matched my school day memories, but I do believe we are getting back on track this year.  Forecasts call for cooler days in the coming week and the mornings have already began with cooler temperatures.

Rain is coming and my dead grass and garden are jumping with anticipation - or is that me hopping around getting ready?  I hope that we receive enough to nourish the roots through our upcoming winter so my plants will flourish in the Spring.  March, April and May are my revitalized months;  welcomed with anticipation that yes, I did survive another cold bleak winter.  September, October and November are my getting prepared to rest months and finish all my summer chores.  I love these six months more than any other.   I don't function well in the heat of summer nor the cold of winter.  I will be sorry to see the pool close for the year.  the kids have progressed greatly this summer in their swimming abilities and their diving is getting is much better.

I am looking forward to a fall filled with sewing for my girls and keeping the fall garden going.  Hope it provides as well as the summer garden.  We have been eating good!

A last summer trip from my grandchildren to the north, this weekend has been filled with bonding, eating and swimming.  A fun Labor Day weekend with lots of hugs for Nanna. 

As our world turns and until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

Rainy Days and Discoveries

It has been a while since we had a real good rainy day.  Yesterday was one of those days and after I remembered how to act on a rainy day, it was so relaxing.  Rainy days are for doing absolutely nothing!  Just plop down, put on your most comfortable clothes, say no to housework and cooking and enjoy - a movie, a book, or a nap.  The laundry called me early, but one look at the overcast skies and the slow drizzling rain and I plopped. 

I started a new author, John Sandford.  I picked up one of his "Prey" books and was taken to the Twin Cities of Minnesota and a group of Indians bent on revenge.  A good read needing only a hot cup of coffee and a honey bun to get me through my morning.  Thank goodness I had a pot of vegetable soup in the fridge made earlier in the week and perfect for rainy days.  The phone didn't ring, no visitors came knocking, and even the pups were quiet and happy to snooze on their bean bag. 

Hubby came in for a late lunch.  After taking care of a little business, he too settled down for a short nap.  We have taken spontaneous trips over the years and are in the mood for another excursion.  Biloxi is calling, but that is quite a ride for a short weekend so that was put on hold for a month or so.  We decided on a new restaurant for this weekend and found a diamond in Steve's Steak and Seafood.

Steve's is located in a strip mall in Macon on Arkwright.  Just below Carreba's and Outback, this gentleman has secrets.  Neither of us tried the steaks, but hubby ordered "all you can eat" catfish for $12.95 and was pleasantly surprised with the results.  They were tender, delicious and very flavorful.  The couple at the adjourning table ordered crab legs and he advised they were delicious as well.  My grilled shrimp were seasoned and cooked perfectly.  The real potato fries and unsweetened cole slaw made a delightful dinner.  A good recommendation for good food and excellent service and Steve came out to make sure the food was up to par.  A trip back soon to try the steaks and crab legs.

Off to do Saturday chores, so until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

Winds

Winds,  hard, fast, destructive, have become a dangerous part of our summer storms.  As a little girl, I remember sitting on the couch with our Nannie, a Bible on her lap, waiting for the afternoon thunderstorms to pass.  The stove was cut off as was the television and the iron was unplugged.  I remember the continuous lightening strikes and the rumbling thunder, but not the wind.  Yes, the lightening was frightening and sometimes we lost power, but somehow that was expected of a summer storm.

The strong winds are something new and very frightening.  They come from nowhere and disappear just as fast into nothingness.  The leave trees down, limbs broken and a real mess everywhere.  Yesterday, amidst the thanks to God for the afternoon shower, I received a call that a very large tree had blown over onto my nephew' house.  It is something we all dread and look to happen, but don't really expect.  It was a huge tree but when it broke, it fell on the front corner of the house and did little structural damage.  A few pieces of decking will have to be replaced and some moulding, but overall the problem would be getting the huge tree down - off the house.  I am just grateful his wife and child were not injured, but they were scared to death!

About two months ago a tornado ripped through our county west to east leaving a path of destruction we have not seen to date.  Houses, brick and stick, were literally blown away in the winds and in its place death and destruction were left.  It takes a little time to recuperate and realize that every wind storm will not leave the same death and destruction the tornado left. 

We are looking for more storms this afternoon and while we need the rain, how I long for those afternoon thunderstorms of the past with lots of rumbling thunder, but no gusting, harsh winds.  I am thankful for whatever we get at this point as far as precipitation goes.

Until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle
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My garden is so thirsty I am not sure even a shower of Gatorade would help!

Rainy days and rainy nights - so damn depressing!

God's World

We didn't have any measurable rain for 5 weeks.  A mist once when a large cloud passed to our south, but that only made us hunger for something more substantial.  And finally on Sunday, God sent a blessing with more than 3 inches of cleansing rain and then again this afternoon a good shower!

That is what is meant by God's time.  Sometimes we know what we need, we just need to be patient and wait.  God provides in his own time.  Sometimes we think we know what we need, but God knows what our future holds and he provides what we need when we need it.  We are suppose to turn our lives over to Him and trust Him to handle our problems, needs, and desires, but we are such a demanding people.  We don't have time to wait.  Like small children, we want what we want when we want it.  Patience is the one thing I continually pray for in my life.  I need to wait for God and know he will lead me in the direction he wants me to go.


The air is much cooler after the rain this afternoon and I am hoping that tomorrow I can get back to the yard work and the many things I have neglected in my outside world.  I have been so anxious for the cooler temperatures, but know by the end of the year I will once again be anticipating the warm sun on my face and the ability to spend hours outside without being bundled up.

Until next time  . . .
Happy Reading!
Belle

Pears, Spiders and other anomalies of my life

I have an abundance of pears this year which due to the weight of the little gems has led to the loss of many limbs out of my three trees.  Now the squirrels have started devouring them so I don't look to have many left to ripen.  They love pear seeds and don't mind one bit chopping down to the core of the pears to get to the seeds.  Strange though, once they eat the seeds the rest of the pear goes on the ground to rot.  Finicky little eaters, but I will sure have some fat squirrels to make dumplings with this fall!

The spiders are out again also.  I found the largest milk/writing spider I have seen to date guarding the handle to the barn faucet.  I hate to disturb a web in the wild as they catch so many insects. but this fierce looking spider was not about to get a chance of tasting my skin.  I broke part of the web so I good but on the faucet and left the other alone.  I don't think he/she was happy, but this morning the break was repaired so maybe I am somewhat forgiven.  I hope it understands when I have to break it loose again this afternoon. 

It will be a busy week outside with all the wonderful rain we received the past four days.  The temps are set to rise but I think I can get it all done before it gets too hot.  Work is calling so until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

Rocking In The Rain

Yesterday afternoon we were blessed with showers that lasted until well after dark.  It had cooled down a bit and I took to the rocking chair to watch the rain and think.  I didn't get much forward thinking done as I sat and remembered Smokey and Fireball the two family horses sticking their heads over the fence and whinnying at me.  Smokey loved to share my cup of coffee with me in the mornings, but she liked it real sweet.  I know, horses aren't suppose to have coffee, but like people they like what they shouldn't have.  Fireball preferred apples and pears, which at the time we had plenty of in the yard, but what he really wanted was just some attention and a good scratch.

I looked at the new barn roof still shiny after several years and remembered the boys climbing onto the steep roof and sliding down onto the trampoline.  They would scare me to death and they would run for the woods to save their tails from a spanking.  The three older boys would run and climb for hours until they were worn out or so hungry they could no longer go. 

The pecan tree that the boys would climb is still there, but the lower limb that secured their climbing rope has been long.  The other climbing trees are still waiting on some little boy to take up the challenge and see how far into its branches they can go.

My daughter and her cabbage patch could be found under some low hanging tree limbs or safe inside a canopy of bushes where she had built a house for the two of them.  She could play for hours with just her dolly, but when she tired of being alone she would capture one of the boys - no they didn't stand a chance - and force him to play with her and dolly for a while.

The old tomato bed, once filled with mulch and super rich dirt, now is the home of a group of red buds that I planted right in the middle of the tomato bed.  The landscape timbers holding in that rich soil have since long gone and the beautiful draping limbs of the redbud is now the playhouse of my granddaughters.  When those red bud seeds were planted I had every intention of transplanting them when and if they came up, but good intentions were lost to other more important things that must be done.  Surprisingly, most of the seeds germinated and have now made a wonderful tree group. 

Several of my beautiful old oaks have been ravished by time and weather.  Lightning has claimed two and another has been hit but is still standing.  It is a beautiful white oak that is so breathtaking in the spring when the little leaves first open and the morning sun shines on the leaves turning the whole tree into shimmering white and silver.  It is only a moment in time for this special show only last for about three days before becoming a memory, but a memory that is well worth hanging on to.

The strong winds have taken their toll on the trees, too.  Many of the older trees could not withstand the winds and their old weak roots could no longer keep them upright.  Many have been toppled over the years. The apple trees are gone as is the old peach tree.  With all the cedar trees in the yard and at the edge of the wood line, the apple trees don't stand a chance.  The plums, figs and pears are still prolific in their production and feed the birds and squirrels as much as feeding us. 

With the loss of trees, the landscape around the house has changed greatly.  I have replaced several trees and have planted 4 oaks and 2 maples which are coming along nicely in the front.  One maple seems to be the target of every car that comes to visit.  It has been run over at least five times since its planting, but always springs back with little harm done.

I miss the smell of the baby calves that once graced our little farm, but I also remember the cold icy winters of making sure that had plenty of hay and water.  On the really cold nights they were kept in the barn.  They enjoy the warmth of the barn, but the call to freedom meant trouble.  Many a time when the barn door was opened one would come barrelling out just to get free which meant a cold wet chase to get the rebel back to the warmth and safety of the barn. 

Yes, the rocking chair and a little rain can do wonders for the mind.  I enjoyed my short visit down memory lane and look forward to another trip soon.

Until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

Early Summer

If Summer has just arrived, what would be the appropriate name for the past two weeks of 90+ temperatures and breath taking humidity with no rain?  I know most of Georgia has received some kind of rainfall, but not on my side of the mountain.  I must be in some kind of trough where the rain refuses to fall.  Neighbors on the north and neighbors on the south have gotten good soaking showers while we sit here and swelter as the garden slumps further and further to the ground.  If this is a taste of the rest of the summer, then we are in for a scorcher. 

The only thing thriving is the heat loving pests!  As an outdoor person, I am fighting at the bit to get back outside and piddle in my flowers, herbs, and garden.  Have you noticed that city folks have flower gardens, whereas country folks have flowers and gardens.  Country folks don't have flower gardens, they have vegetable gardens or just plain gardens.  The same applies to the yard.  City folks have a lawn and country folks have a yard.  Country folks cut the grass while city folks calls lawn maintenance to trim the lawn.  When I lived in the city, I was a thing of wonder to my neighbors.  I cut the grass, trimmed the shrubbery, planted my flowers and even put in a few tomato plants.  How was I to know that women in the city didn't do such things.  To each his own!  I do things that bring me joy and I do like to share a smile with others.

I have been on a hiatus from writing for the past few weeks.  No new ideas have poked their way into my sprightly brain until last night and then "Katie" appeared and she is trying to develop into a story line.  We'll see where she goes, but she does not seem to be in a hurry to get put on paper. 

We enjoyed a family get together this weekend with nieces from central Georgia.  As always we had a great time with all the babies and children.  We ate lots of good fish, hush puppies and cole slaw along with hand pattied hamburgers and some delicious hot spicy sausage.  My brother-in-law can find the best of the best in the food line.  His jalapeno ranch dip was just right with the fresh veggies from the garden.  We never even got to the watermelons which are still on ice and just waiting to be cut.  Some homemade ice cream would have gone well with the peach cobbler, but it wasn't really missed either as everyone was stuffed.  We had a lot of laughs as we did the "remember whens" and took home new memories to be shared at a later date.

The kids enjoyed the pool even though the sun was blistering to the adults.  I am already looking forward to Hubby's birthday in July (he'll turn 50 this year) when hopefully they will all return for more good food and fellowship.  Where in the world does the stamina go when you get older?  I can't ever remember the sun bothering me as a child, but it sure takes its toll on me now. 

I have been nostalgic this week.  I think our upcoming class reunion has sparked some memories that were lost in the everyday shuffle of life.  As a child and young adult, almost all of my social activities were centered around our Church and sometimes were extended to a few other kids in our community that attended other churches.  (Another city/country thing - City people live in a neighborhood whereas Country people live in a community.)  I found that classmates are not the only people that have disappeared from my life. Some friends that were really close and I truly loved and enjoyed being with are gone from the area and I have no idea which direction they have taken.  Some of this is my fault as I am typically a home body.  I hate funerals and as weird as it sounds, funerals are a major contact source in this day and time.  I think maybe this year I will have to attend the Reunion at our church and see just how many I can reconnect with, or at least locate, before I have to attend their funeral.

Before this gets too morbid I am signing off.  Until next time . . .
Happy Reading!
Belle

The first month of Spring has been most delightful even though I seem to have floated through it with a hazy mind either from the antihistimines or packed sinus cavities.  I could, however, see through the haze and what I saw was trees that leafed out seemingly overnight, the hostas that burst forth from the dark and dry grass, and the roses which grew inches in a days time.  We all attribute this abundance to the gross amounts of rain we have had over the winter and the rush of hot days before Spring actually arrived.  Thankfully the heat only abounded for about a week before the cool days and cooler nights returned and provided comfortable "working outside weather."  We had an extremely harsh winter and much had to be done to straighten out gardens, lawn, and trees.

Of course, along with those plants that we were delighted to see came the weeds that sprouted with profusion all over the yard and in the garden.  One of the more pesty plants I have been fighting for a couple of years is a variety of sand spurs.  We ordered a load of sand and the sneaky seeds of this sand spur were delivered along with it.  As I love to shed my shoes in summer, this has caused endless pain and frustration.  Last Spring I "butt"crawled across the back yard pulling each and every little plant I could find destroying any sign of a spur.  This year, they are back with a vengeance and seem to have spread to new areas.  Looks like my only respite will be some villianous chemical that hopeful will not harm the wildlife nor my wildflowers and herbs. 

I am anxious for a visit from my cousin and his wife as she just completed the "Master Gardener" program.  I hope she has some suggestions for my yard and even though we have different taste and style, I value her suggestions and observations.  Due to her creativity she always has innovative ideas for the yard and garden.

May is shaping up into a very busy month as several "get-togethers" are in the works, but it looks as if the weekends will be rain filled so we will adjust and continue to move forward.  Until next time, I am going to enjoy this rain and cool air . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

I have been down and out for a couple of days with allergies.  How could something so small be the cause of so much pain?  It is an ongoing problem, but I am on the mend and ready to get back to it. 

The chicks are progressing wonderfully.  We had a scare on Sunday when the daughter-in-law found a "huge" chicken snake in the barn.  We all went running, but the thing out smarted us all and escaped.  I am keeping a close eye out for him as I know he is eating my eggs and will continue to do so until he is dispatched to other terrain.  I knew something was amiss when production dropped from 5 eggs a day to 2 eggs a day. 

The garden is growing by leaps and bounds.  The rain has started everyting to growing including the weeds.  Suppose to get more water today, so the weeding will have to hold until tomorrow or Thursday.  The ground is too wet to be tromping through the rows. 

My oldest grandchildren are coming for a short mid week visit and I will be busy "absorbing" for a few days.  Who knows what we will find to get into, but I have a couple of ideas.   I need to keep them here for a week at least to finish some sewing I started.  They grow so fast they will have outgrown everything before I finish. 

Until next time,

Happy reading!
Belle

Back to the Basics

Those days of one or two eggs are hopefully gone.  One day last week we found four little beauties in the coop and yesterday hubby brought in three.  With more sunshine and warmer temps these little darlings should start really producing.  Not much sunshine today, but the weather is still warm here in central Georgia - at least there is no snow and ice!

Hubby decided to double the garden size this year and I am much afraid that he is about to double it again.  With all the good veggies we harvested last year, he has found many new things he would like to grow.  The potatoes, beets and bush beans are planted as is the asparagus.  As much as I love fresh corn, it is not an efficient crop to grow.  With only two or three ears to a stalk, the time and cost of the seeds, in planting and fertilizing does not equal a profitable return.   We'll see if we can still get a dozen ears for a dollar this year.  I may be way out of line with my thinking on this one.

I am growin my lettuce in containers this year.  It will be easier to manage and will provide a lovely addition to the deck.  I found some seeds for that delicious buttercrunch lettuce that I am more than ready to get planted, as well as some green leaf lettcue.  I haven't tried to grow any of the oriental varieties, but the foliage on the ones I have looked at in the seed catalogue is so pretty I may try a container of those also. 

The squash of last year was so good that we will definitely plant more of it as well as the okra.  I will also put in some zucchini this year.  Zucchini with some spicy deer sausage and tomatoes make a tasty sauce for pasta of any kind. Okra will go in last as the ground has to be warmed for the okra to sprout.  Celebrity and rutgers are my tomatoes of choice, but we will see what hubby finds.  He has been seed shopping and has found some pretty interesting varieties this year. Looks like my spring is already full, if I get all this stuff planted.  Let's just hope the neighbor's chicken don't rape the garden as they did last year.  They ate the seeds as fast as I put them in and those that did germinate provided fodder for those chicks all summer - they got more tomatoes than I did! 

The warmer weather and the increase in sunshine has been a healing balm to my mind.  It has been jumping with ideas which is a great relief as I was afraid my creativity was gone for good, so I guess I better get started on me an Etsy site so I can share my creations with the world.  Who would have thought in the 1970s that we could reach so many people at one time via a keyboard and a internet connection as we do today.  That is what thinking outside the box will do for you!

I thank you for dropping by and wish for you a peaceful and happy day.  

Happy reading!
Belle 

No Rain

The rain stopped about 3 weeks ago after a bountiful spring. From late winter through the spring the rains came and the grass grew, the flowers bloomed and everything was lush with foliage. The vegetable garden grew quickly and thickly.

Then the rain stopped. The withering started and the bugs came forward - especially the Japanese Beetles. They quickly covered everything; eating the beautiful and bountiful blooms on the roses. The hibiscus, the plums, the okra, the beans were all covered and now I have a holy garden and yard. These beautiful little bugs can lay waste so fast it isn't funny.

The beautiful canopy of the squash plant folded up like an unused umbrella denying shade to the okra and lettuce. The lettuce, white with the sun's scorching rays, wilted and fell over under the glare of the sun. The fuzzy leaves of the beans slowly turned yellow with jaundice and the tomatoes baked themselves in the skin. The cilantro and basil, in pots under the porch's eave, have even wilted and are resting on the edge of the pot and hanger. Watering at night provides some relief but can't reach the heart of the plant. The hosta's leaves are bleached white while their pretty little flowers sway in the hot breeze.

The huge limbs of the hibiscus are laid over from lack of water, while the smoke bush is flourishing. The rosa rugosa is putting out new growth without a care in the whole and the bougainvillea is running over, under and around the fence rails beautifully. The sweet peas, so pretty and green, are climbing the arbor and the cosmos is blooming while their delicate little flowers standing straight and tall are reflected in the gazing ball as if there are a field of flowers.

This I expected in late July and August as is usual with our area. Not the middle of June. Now I will be lucky to gather more vegetables from this once lush plot. The clouds have been gathering in the late afternoon, only to be blown away by the hot winds. There is no relief even from the winds. Even the birds are too hot to fight over the feeders and the animals have stopped feeding by lunch time; everything stops for a siesta until late afternoon - everything except those Japanese Beetles.

Then as if by magic, everything wakes up, takes a stretch and starts all over again. The cooling winds encourage the squash to open its umbrella leaves and the tomatoes to perk up once again. But there is no reviving the scalded lettuce leaves and the boiled tomato fruit. I pick off the blistered and oozing fruit and toss in the compost pile with a heavy heart. The blooms are still holding on the beans even though the leaves are yellow. Maybe, just maybe, today will be the day for a good shower - enough for my plants to make it through another day and revive enough to survive.

Maybe next year I will remember to plant with shade in mind and water close by. I am sure going to have a crowd under the big oak trees!