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

Late Spring Update

A very fruitful two weeks! 

I have been to a Tax Assessors class and learned a lot of very useful information.  We had a veteran instructor who enlightened us on the many property tax laws and the effects of exemptions on the property taxes we pay.  I was pleased with my week as I learned a lot and also met a lot of interesting and wonderful people.

My venture into hatching duck eggs was successful in one way and not so in another.  The first duck to hatch was wonderful.  No, not at first as he was covered in slimy goop and floppy, but in a few hours time he was waddling slowly and his down dried to a wonderful cream color.  His entire life lasted only 36 hours as I found him stiff as a board with no clue as to what had ended his little life.  He ate and drank within the first 12 hours and seemed fine when I last checked on him/her.  I still have a couple of eggs in the incubator, but am not very hopeful on their hatching after so many days.  I am not one that is easily discouraged and intend on trying again.

I have raised the roof over the death of two of my squash plants.  It appeared that some varmit had played around in the hill and destroyed my plants.  I checked again yesterday and found some foul looking bug chomping away at the stem right at ground level.  As much as I dislike Sevin, the garden got a good dusting with the offenders getting an extra good dose.  Probably not going to be able to save the hill, but maybe they won't spread to the neighboring plants.  I will replant to replace the lost plants in a week or so to keep a good supply coming all summer.  Potatoes, beans, squash and beets have been delicious and we will soon have some broccoli and eggplant.  Hurray for summer food!

My hummingbirds are emptying their feeder every two days now and with the onset of higher temperatures and longer days I will soon be filling the feeder every day.  They are so beautiful to watch as they zip and zoom around the porch and through the trees. 

We have Catalpa worms for the first time in 6 years.  Water helps everything!  Almost all the leaves on one tree have been devoured and half of another tree.  We will be catching lots of fish this year! I know the Catalpa is the best fish bait in the world and from experience I know catfish love them!  

My grandson is moving forward by leaps and bounds in Boy Scouts.  I am so proud of the work he has done. The Boy Scout organization gives boys an extra boost in preparing them on their journey toward adulthood.  He has set his goals and is following through towards attaining those goals.  Congrats to Joseph!

I am looking forward to the next two weeks.  A family cookout this weekend and a visit with neices I don't get to see near often enough and then my class reunion.  I can hardly wait to see friends I have not seen or heard from in 41 years. 

I am reading a most enjoyable book by Dan Brown -The Lost Symbol.  Intriguing!

A little apart here - I have heard through the grapevine that much fun has been made of my simple writings.  I am a simple person - which does not mean I am simple minded.  My blog is written so my friends and far away family can keep in touch with my daily doings and is not written in order to expound with hate filled comments the situations of others and their lives.  If I can bring a smile to your face even if produced as a result of derision, I have accomplished a goal.  My hope is to make everyone smile!  I can't change your heart, but I can put a smile on your face.

Thanks for visiting and until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

GHS '69 Reunion

Graduation brings to an end the wonderful growing up years of our lives.  By the time we graduate from high school, we should be prepared to go to work, maintain a vehicle, and establish a home - not a house, a home.  The friends and acquaintances that we have spent the last 12 years of our life with are all going in different directions.  We cry, hug and promise to keep in touch, but as the summer wears on, those contacts are gone - sometime for good.  We never know what God has in store for these fellow graduates and when or if we will see them again. 

These fellow graduates have big dreams and big plans for their future no matter what their field of interest.  Some will get married and start a family, while others will go on to college or tech school and receive more training.  It doesn't matter where they go or what they do, they will still be part of your past - your history. 

The men that graduated in the late '60s were facing the draft unless that were deferred and many waited with baited breathe to see if they would be called to fight in Viet Nam.  Others planned on joining their choice of the armed services when they graduated.  Jobs for women in the 1960s were limited compared to the options available today.  Secretaries, bookkeepers, teachers, clerks, bank tellers, doctors, lawyers, or work at one of our many mills were the extent of the choices. 

Now we are in 2010.  We have been out of high school for over 40 years and here are a few things we have learned.

• money doesn't bring happiness
• you can't buy health
• work is what you do not you who you are
• friends are not always going to be there
• you will change more in the two years after graduation than in all the 12 years leading up to graduation
• nothing is forever
• think before you do something stupid - some mistakes just don't go away
• keep in touch with God - the more communication you have the better
• expand - your friends, your interests, your knowledge
• parenting doesn't come with a manual - your parents made mistakes, you'll make mistakes, and your children will make mistakes - get over it
• those people who thought they ruled the world, only ruled their world not yours
• if you don't die, you will get old
• be nice - it is harder than being mean, but more people like you
• stand up for what you believe in
• if you are not proud of who you are then something is wrong
• nobody is perfect, be happy with yourself
• nobody else can live your life - it is yours and yours alone - just be ready to talk to God about it one day
• don't waste precious time
• laugh and cry and then get on with it
• it is the small stuff that completes the big picture
• don't let someone else tell you what a good time you had
• protect your memories, they put a smile in a rainy day
• watch the hummingbirds and listen to the crickets

I am so looking forward to our class reunion.  I don't know one thing about these people I graduated with, but we were a family in the midst of change.  It will bring joy to my heart to lay eyes on them once again and know the memories will come rushing back.  We will laugh and cry and dance and sing because that is what we did and who we are.  There are so many of us that have not survived and I will miss those smiles. 

We've come a long way, baby!
Happy reading!
Belle

Dangerous Plants

My little chihuahuas are very important to me even if they do get on my guest's nerves with their barking.  They are with me day in and day out and when they came to live with me, they became part of my family.  They live here - my guests don't. 

Last week I was researching sago palms.  Mine are dried and brown after a very harsh winter and I needed to determine if I should give them some time or dig them up and replace them with something more hardy.  In the process I found that Sagos are poison to animals, especially the seeds.  Thankfully my little ones don't eat plants, but I was glad to find this information so I could be more vigilant. 

After finding this tidbit of information, I proceeded for research other poisonous plants and foods and found an interesting site from Squido with much information on poisons, symptoms and treatment.  The Humane Society also has a good site for dangerous plants and foods as does The Earth Clinic.  My chihuahuas will eat most any food dropped on the floor, so now I have to be more careful of the tidbits they consume.  I once had a horse, Smokey, that love to share a cup of coffe with me every weekend morning.  I didn't realize that coffee could be detrimental to his health, but that danged old horse is still alive and kicking (just not so high).  The best we can figure, Smokey is close to 25 years old. 
 What animals like to eat, is not always what they need to eat.  I know a few humans with the same problems.  For those of you who treasure your animal friends, please check out these sites.

Happy reading!
Belle

Happy Friday!

Oh how my girls are growing!  Today, my middle granddaughter graduated from pre-K.  Her learning journey has just begun and I can't wait to see her inquisitive little mind develop and grow.  Of course she is smart, being my granddaughter, but now we will watch and wait for the twists and turns her little mind takes.

My oldest granddaughter turned 8 on Friday.  Growing much too fast for Nanna, she is growing into quite a young lady.  Demure and quiet, she will astound you with her voracity when provoked.  Looking very elegant and poised she can climb at tree, hike, and tussel with the best of them and then grab her fishing pole ready to bring in the big one.

My grandson, now 12 is changing rapidly.  Not only is his facial features becoming more refined, his mind is working differently as his body is growing.  So proud of the young man he has become!

My youngest is the joy of all of them, as she still has enough baby to drive you crazy, but filled with love and happiness that will melt your heart.  She absorbs everything the three older ones say or do.  She has my temper and will throw a fit in a minute, then fling her little arms around your neck and make you do exactly what she wants.

I am so enjoying my grandchildren this weekend, but while they are fishing and camping, I wanted to share a minute with you.  My wish for all is a fun filled happy Memorial Day.  I thank each of you who served in our armed services for the part you have played in keeping our country free and safe.  To the families that have lost a loved one in service, I wish for you peace in the knowledge that your loved one gave themselves for the freedom and rights of others.

Happy Memorial Day to All!
Belle

Sago Palms, Hostas, and More

We all thought the Sago palms were done for and I had planned to take them up next week.  I have been patiently waiting for new growth to appear after a horrendous winter, but I was tiring of the brown fronds.  Surprise, surprise - New green fronds started showing themselves this past weekend. 

This week we were blessed with Hubby's lilly opening up.  It was a little slow this year, but the blooms are beautiful and more are ready to pop!

This giant hosta was a Mother's Day gift from my son and his family.  It is gorgeous and in the fall I will divide and share.  I love new plants and additions to my little garden!  Still have to get some mulch around this beauty so it will survive the hot days ahead.

The hostas I put in last year have tripled in size and have bloomed also.  Bulbs and tubers really thrive here.

My rosa rugosa is spreading its roots and new shoots are coming up all around.  I am excited that it likes its soil and light enough to expand.  Sorry I don't I have pics to share, but I will post more later.

Where did all the fabric stores go?

Kids Are Coming!

My quarterly visit from my grandchildren from the north is happening this coming week!  This is really a joke as I do get to see them about every 3-4 weeks, but it just seems like it is only 4 times a year! 

My Boy Scout grandson and my clogging granddaughter seem to grow at least 3  or 4 inches between each visit.  Growing up and will soon beg not to have to go to Nanna's.  Thank you Jesus for a loving and caring daughter that drags them south to make sure Nanna and PawPaw are okay!  My children are the most wonderful children in the world and I am blessed that they are both good providers and loving parents. 

I am almost done with my major chores so my time can be spent visiting with them and storing up until the next visit. 

The Hummingbirds are dive bombing today!

The Hummingbirds are dive bombing today!

. . . and it came to pass, after weeks of hoeing, weed pulling, fertilizing and waiting, the garden brought forth green string beans, squash, beets and lettuce and the family ate heartily giving thanks to God for the provisions of FRESH vegetables.

YES! I have fresh vegies with more on the way!  Tomatoes are growing plump and juicy while the eggplant is slowly putting on growth.  The zucchini and cucumber are spreading out and putting on blooms as are the bell peppers.  I haven't grown broccoli before, but my plants are beautiful, but oh how I wish I had put in onions.

Veggies

I am loving the beets, lettuce and squash out of my garden! 
More good things to come!

The grass grows faster than I can cut!

My week at a glance

I will start with an update on my chicks - growing fast and trying to settle into their "pecking order".  Some days I have gathered a half dozen eggs, most days I gather 4 which keeps us full of eggs.  My son's duck was beheaded by some creature from the depths of his lake, so I am now incubating 4 duck eggs.  Wish me luck!

The garden is beautiful!  I had a wonderful salad from the lettuce out of the garden and yesterday I fixed up some beets.  Hubby and I do like beets.  The green beans are blooming which means beans are not far behind.  Same with the tomoatoes and yellow neck squash.  Haven't had a problem with insects so far, but I am well aware that they will soon be flocking into my paradise.  The broccoli, bell peppers and egg plant look very healthy, now if they produce I will be extremely happy.  I wish I had some onions planted as their price has sky rocketed over the last few weeks.  Never thought I would see yellow onions reach $4.00 for a 3 pound bag!  My asparagus bed is shaping up nicely and I am pleased with all the new shoots.  All ten crowns of asparagus survived my ignorance so I am blessed! 

My rosa ragosa is spreading and blooming and looking lovely.  Roses are at their prine this year and the beautiful pink bloom was a little over 6 inches in diameter and smelled divine!  I received two rubber trees for Mother's Day and they are coming right along.  I have to do some research on these babies as I know absolutely nothing about them.  They have made a lovely addition to my garden, however and seem to fit right in to the landscaping I already had going! 

I have encountered a few more little black snakes than usual this year.  I don't know if the chickens are luring them into the yard or the lushness of the plants.  With all the rain we were blessed with this year, the foliage on shrubs and plants alike are thick and beautiful.  The little snakes are driving my chihuahuas crazy and we are experiencing a lot more barking and whining than usual.  The two little redneck dogs just can't understand a snake.

I have enjoyed the search for fellow classmates this week.  I am trying to locate some hard to finds from our graduating class as hopefully we will have a class reunion this summer.  We have lost so many from our class and we really need to get together soon.  It has been exciting to find these people and talk to them.  Most I have not seen or talked to for 40 years.  It is strange to be so close to someone during school and then lose all contact. I look forward to seeing these friends and re-establishing contact.

Haven't done much writing for the past several weeks, but plan to get back to it soon.  My quiet time has been short and interruptions frequent, but things will settle down again soon.  

I would like to thank those of you who have offered up prayers for my cousin injured in Afghanistan.  He is stateside for now, but it looked pretty serious for a few days. It looks like some surgery will be needed before he returns to his unit, but for now he is safe and healing nicely and spending some time with his wife, kids and dad.  Keep praying that his recovery will be complete.

The lettuce must be picked (mine isn't on the recall list), so I will leave you for now.  Thanks for dropping by and until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

I love new plants! 

Happy Mother's Day

Today is the day of Thanksgiving for the Mother's of this world.  For me it is a day of Thanksgiving for my children and grandchildren.  The times of getting up in the middle of the night, getting through the terrible twos, the sometimes terrific threes, the sickness, the injuries, the stubbornness, all the trials and tribulations of childhood are forgotten by the smiles on the faces of just one accomplishment.  The minutes, hours, and days of happiness and joy brought about by a child are irreplaceable.

I am proud of the people that my children have become in spite of my inexperience.  My children have provided me with the greatest gift I could ever receive and that is my grandchildren.  To my son-in-law and daughter-in-law, thank you for being the parents that you are and instilling in my grandchildren the joy of living and the love of God.

I thank you!

To the rest of you Mother's and Grandmother's out there I hope you have a peaceful, joy filled day.  Some of you have children and grandchildren serving our country on foreign lands and will not be seeing them this year on this special day.  My prayer for you and them is for a safe and happy day.   May they return to you unharmed with a smile on their face and joy in their hearts. 





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 had a most enjoyable few days with my oldest grandchildren.  My grandchildren never cease to amaze me with the way their wonderful minds work.  None of the four are alike, but all seem to play well together and other than vying for the attention of either their PawPaw or myself, entertain each other well.  I believe my grandson will probably be a writer (he has the most vivid imagination) or any attorney.  He informed me this weekend that he was descended from Al Capone through my grandparents - he explained it all to me as we all had a great laugh over his tale, but alas, there is no way.  He and my youngest granddaughter can take a little bit of information and build a huge story out of it - the facts get a little scrambled, but the story is there.

I could sit and listen to them for hours.   It is so amazing at the things that draw their attention and how they process, interpret and relay information.  I am so pleased at their level of maturity and ability to ask intelligent questions and comprehend information.  Yeah, I know I am prejudice, but that is the perogative of a grandmother.

As I had business at the Clerk of Court's Office this week they accompanied me.  They had a great time meeting friends at the Courthouse, touring the building, and getting a quick explanation of what each office was responsible for and how the court system worked .  Then we made a trip to the Old Jail Museum and was given a great tour courtesy of the curator.  The curator is the most knowledgeable person around for the history of our area and she is not even a native of our county. 

The following day, they toured the local cemetaries, located an old tobacco drying barn and last but definitely not least visited the new Super Wal Mart in Forsyth.  It was a full afternoon, but an enjoyable one.  My grandson enjoyed meeting family almost everywhere we went and was even invited to a cousin's house to ride a goat.  I am sure that goat will still be waiting when he makes his next trip south and the invitation will still be open.

It is a secure and comforting feeling to know that so many people know you or are related to you in an area.  It gives you a connection that provides stability and security.  It is something that is so often taken for granted, but is so precious. 

Thanks to the ever expanding flock of chickens, there is work to do tomorrow, so I will close for now.  Until next time,

Happy reading!
Belle

One of my favorite blogs is Life's Little Garden written by Valerie.  I have written Valerie a couple of times because her blog has so blessed my life and brought back so many memories of my Grandmother.  Valerie's Granny has been sitting on the right hand of God for a week now and my wish is that Valerie has found peace and comfort in that thought.  It doesn't fill the empty spot left in her heart, but it helps it to heal faster.

Granny was a delight to visit with via Valerie's blog.  Valerie, I hope you continue to write your stories and we look forward to your memories of Granny.

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

Every time you turn your back on God,
When you turn back around,
There he is.
Belle

"In this life we cannot do great things. 
We can only do small things with great love."
Mother Teresa

Sunday Afternoons

With dinner eaten and dishes washed and put away, we piled in the car and headed out.  Out to way was at Dad's discretion and we were always surprised.  Sometimes it was a trip to Uncle Owen and Aunt Ruth's (not our aunt or uncle at all, but so close you wouldn't know the difference) or maybe down to Higgins Mill, Pine Mountain, High Falls or over to Jackson Lake.  Just a ride to see what the rest of the world was doing and how it was progressing.  

Most of the time it was pretty boring for me and Sis.  When Sis was bored she wouldn't look out the window so  she always got carsick and she would get in the front with Mom and Dad which left me sitting in the back all alone.  Normally I would just lay down and take a good nap or watch the passing clouds out the back window.  When we weren't bored, we would watch for "Beetles", white horses or make a game out of tag numbers. 

The first two or three numbers on the old old tags were the county of registration.  Sis and I use to try to guess the counties the cars were from.  The killer strip (old highway 41) was the best place to play the tag game as cars from up north travelled this route to get to Florida.  An old two lane blacktop with no passing lanes, old highway 41 claimed more lives than the DOT would like to admit.  It is a shame that interstates are not conducive to Sunday afternoon rides as we would really rack up with the tags on those vehicles.

In the fall, our Sunday afternoon would takes us to the North Georgia mountains for an afternoon of ohing and ahing as we witnessed the spenldor of the colors of the changing leaves.  It seems to have gotten later in the year when this change takes place and doesn't seem as prolific as it once was, but so many of the old hardwoods have been cut out and replaced with pines or hemlocks. 

My Dad was and is a firm believer of Sunday as a day of rest.  On Sunday, we went to church, ate dinner, and rested - period.  There was no work on Sundays, that is until he became a dairy farmer and all that changed. No more Sunday afternoon rides, vacations, or holidays, but those cows provided a decent living for me and my family.  He stood be his guns on non-essential work - burning limbs or leaves, cutting grass and nobody in our little family went shopping on a Sunday even after he became a dairy farmer - that was considered non-essential.

In our hurry scurry world, we sometimes get behind some blasted Sunday afternoon drivers that are not in a hurry at all and I feel a pang of envy.  Wouldn't it be nice just to roll the windows down and drive real slow along some country road and smell the earth, the trees and the animals and not be in a hurry to get anyplace at all.  It is so relaxing and restfull, which is why Dad enjoyed those rides so much.  It was an escape from work, chores, and daily living.  A speck of peace in a hurried world.

Yes, today is a perfect day for such an unhurried ride.  The winds is lightly blowing, the air is fresh after a good nights rain and a peaceful rest is just what we all need.  A time to gather strength, rest our bodies and calm our minds.  

I hope you find a special way to enjoy your Sunday afternoon.  Until next time,

Happy Reading!
Belle 

Chicken Update

I have 9 beautiful new little chicks that are as of yesterday a week old.  Eat, eat, eat and drink, drink, drink is their main forte at this point.  We are proud of the little buggers and just know they will be producing big brown eggs in just five months and start giving back.  

With our laying hens and roosters, our new chicks brings our flock to number twenty four.  Of course, some of these precious babies will be roosters and will either go in the cookpot or to the sale barn. 

I want to share a few things we learned through this process.  First, keep the temperature between 98 and 100 degrees.  We maintained the 100 degree point through the use of an old thermostat from a discarded hot water heater.  Second, rotate the eggs in the incubator - this is in addition to turning them three times a day.  Third, close to hatching time (21 days in the incubator) listen and watch.  We had been told not to help the biddies hatch (remove the shell or open the egg a bit) as this would make for a weak bird, but  about nine of our eggs were fully developed but the shells were too hard for the little chicks to break through.  They expired in the process and we lost about a dozen little chicks.  Fourth, remove the water from the incubator so the babies will not drown (I lost one this way) or move the chicks immediately to another container keeping them warm and dry, but providing food and water (in a container they cannot fall into). 

Our chicks did not eat anything on the first day after they hatched, but on the second day they ate like they were starving and haven't slowed down.  It took about an hour after hatching for them to dry and get their legs under them, but at a week old they are flutter flying all around their box.  The first chick is still the boss of the others as evidence by her tending her flock.  I know this will change when they are merged with the larger chicks that are about 7 - 8 weeks now. 

I was a proud Mama yesterday when I went into the pen late in the day and found my older chicks (about 4 months old) on the perch roosting with my hens.  They have found their place in the flock and the hens are keeping them in line but have accepted them.

I know I have a ways to go, but this has been a most gratifying process and I think I might just try another couple of dozen in a week or so.  My friends are anxious to put my babies in a pot for chicken and dumplings, but I think they may have to go to the grocer for their chickens. 

Thanks for stopping in for a visit and come back soon!

Happy reading!
Belle

Belle's flowers need some April showers
And her nose would feel better too!
Belle

Thank goodness a break!  No new ones hatched in the last 12 hours, but still have several pecking and scratching inside the shells.  The "pecking order" has already started with the first born being king of the roost.  It mothers each and everyone and attacks my hand on a regular basis, but eventually just sprawls out and takes a rest with its little head laying down on the back of my hand.  The first born is also trying to assist each little chick with the birthing process and even pulled the shell off yesterday.  When one little chick poked nothing but its beak out of the little hole in the egg, it was promptly pecked for its effort.  It is also the one to peck the others if they interfer in its assumed duties. 

We probably will get another dozen out of this batch of eggs, maybe more but no one knows what is going on inside those little shell houses. 

Meanwhile, the biddies we purchased at the Buggytown Auction have rapidly out grown their pen and two have been released into the barn with an "escape" pen handy for those times the chickens decide they look good enough to eat.  I also feed them in this pen to ensure they get enough to eat. 

The laying hens and rooster have enjoyed apple cores and lettuce this week.  They really enjoy these treats.  When one pecks the apple core the others will chase it around.  These ladies will then toss the core into the air and let another catch it and once again the chase is on.  Majestic, the dominate rooster, will run a bit and then stop and look around to see if anyone caught his antics.  He is so arrogant! 

Thanks for dropping in.  More updates are pending as are the little broken shells!

Happy Reading!
Belle

I fear this is going to be a long process - one more hatched overnight and two more are cracking.  The two that were cracking yesterday are still in process.  It seems the blue eggs (probably a variety of a game chicken) hatching hatching easier than the brown eggs which is logical as the brown eggs have probably been fed a laying mash with extra calcium where the game chicks foraged free.

I have two beige and 1 black.  One precious baby got into the water container before I could get to it and drowned.  So, if 50 - 75 % are expected to hatch, we started with 120 eggs, lost 12 due to accidental crushing or dropping, a hen is still sitting on 6 and 6 are ladies in waiting, then I still have a long  long way to go.

Expect 5 more to hatch today, but that is what I thought yesterday also.  Buying the eggs as mixed dozens, I have no idea what we will end up with, but I must be game for anything or we wouldn't have started this process to begin with. 

It looks like we are pretty close to the normal hatching days as the eggs were started on March 21 and that puts us on day 24.  Thanks for letting me share this experience with you and come back soon for more updates.

By the way, the garden has not suffered as I have hoed and planted while the chicks are doing their thing!  Thanks to all the rain we have had over the winter and early spring, the flowers and plants are flourishing.  I did lose my sago palms, but we had a really nasty winter as far as temperatures and snow went.  My "thrift" is beautiful and I am so pleased that my rosa rugosa came back and is so full and lush.  My asparagus is sprouting its little shoots everywhere and the hostas (thanks to all the rain) has multiplied into large bushy clumps. 

Again, thanks for visiting and come back soon!

Happy reading!
Belle

Consistently for three weeks we have turned eggs three times a day - 6 to 8 hours apart - not knowing whether we had even purchased fertile eggs, nevertheless, hoping that our efforts would pay off.  Friday was suppose to be hatching day, but I do understand that the temperature must stay within the 99 to 100 degree window for the process to even begin, so it can vary by a few days.

We started checking the eggs on Friday in hopes that we would be able to watch the little shells burst open and little creatures would emerge.  My daughter and granddaughter, very excited over the idea, swore they heard scratching and chirping.  I heard nothing and was sure they were hallucinating due their wishing to be part of the birthing process.

I had a rather busy morning on the inside and did not rush out to check my biddies and the eggs in the incubator, but around mid-morning I hit the barn.  Two little biddies had hatched and were soaking wet and wobbling around in the incubator.  With pounding heart and a smile on my face, I quickly gathered them in an old towel and tucked them safely into the corner of the incubator to keep them warm and dry.  I removed the water and placed a small plastic top in the bottom with water and feed.  It took about an hour for them to settled in and start to cuddle in their bed.  That was about 4 hours ago and 5 more eggs are cracking and the little peeps are chirping away in their shells. 

Of course I called hubby to let him know that his 10 dozen egg purchase was not in vain and that the little peeps were hatching fine.  I am now the nursey and delivery nurse for the rest of the day.  Will catch you up on my progress during the day.  I am in the process of making a true nursery for the little darlings.  I have read that the process can take from 5 - 10 days so I will be watchful until I am sure the process in over.

Stay with me on my chicken and biddy venture!  It is so exciting to watch the miracle of birth which only further affirms that our God is one of miracles!

Happy reading!
Belle

Very productive day!  Made a dress and a "swingy" skirt for my oldest granddaughter today.  Stitching got my juices flowing and the ideas just kept on coming.

My World in April

Only a few days left before we see whether or not or diligence has paid off and we are blessed with new chicks.  The process hasn't really been that bad, but has been a little inconvenient having to turn the eggs three times a day. 

Wouldn't you know it, one of our hens has gone back to brooding (sitting) on her eggs.  It would have been nice if she had decided to do this 20 days ago.  Anyway, that means I will be doing without her eggs for a few weeks, but I have two more hens that have started laying regularly.

Plan on getting some tomatoes and pepper plants in this weekend in between yard selling and visiting with my grandchildren.  My potaoes are growing profusely and the beets, beans, squash, and lettuce are all showing their little heads and the rain scheduled for tomorrow will not only provided relief from the pollen, but also give these little guys a much needed drink.  After the weekend I will put the okra in as the ground will not only be moist but warm enough for the temperamental okra seeds to sprout.  I do believe those little okra seeds have a thermometer stuck in them and they refuse to take action until it reaches the ideal temperature - maybe I should put them in the incubator.

My hostas and canna lillies have started poking their beautiful green foliage through the ground and I am anxious to see how well they multiplied in their first year.  I will dig them up and separate in the fall, but I usually let them rest in the first year.  I do believe I managed to kill my asparagus fern by dividing this spring.  Usually, an asparagus fern needs to be divided each spring by removing from the pot and cutting into four equal pie shaped and then replanting in fresh potting soil.  I noticed when I divided my two pots, the roots were extremely spongy so I was unsure whether they would make it or not.  I should have seen some new growth by now as it has been almost two weeks since I divided and re-potted.  I may need to start over with the ferns.

In all my 50 years in dealing with plants, I have never been able to grow Aloe.  I know, everyone says it is the easiest thing in the world to grow, but up until this year I could kill it by thinking about it.  My dear sister gave me several plants when I requested some droppings from her Chandelier cactus (fern).  A story in itself as to how she came about having this unusual, but beautiful plant, but I seemed to have left mine exposed during an early cold snap year before and wanted to start some more.  Not only did sis bless me with many baby cactus, but gifted me with many, many Aloe. 

I tried something different and am well pleased with the results.  I took a couple of fish bowls, poured sand in the bottom to about 2 inches, adding 3-4 inches of potting soil, then watering until the potting soil is damp (not wet) once a week.  The aloe has flourished in these bowls and they make a beautiful centerpiece.  The fronds lift out of the bowl and spread.  I added a few small animals to the bowls which has become a favorite topic of conversation. 

Time for me to get a move on it.  I am making some pretty halter tops and vests to go in my online shop (http://www.clairescollections.etsy.com/), but that will have to wait until after my yard sale this weekend.  Keep your eyes open I may have something just for you listed soon.  I hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping in!

Happy reading!
Belle

My hummingbirds are back!

What is this thick yellow stuff that coats my eyes, mouth, and nose and taste like Spring?
Belle

Thank You, Preacher Mac!

I sat in the same pew I did 50 years ago and the memories came flooding back.  With Johnny, Gwen, Billy, Barbara, Donald, Dennis, Dean and the rest easily slouched down in the pew behind.  Janice, Diane, Mary Ann and I would peek over the top to watch them as the good old gospel songs were sung and we all waited for Preacher Mac to call his "Syrup Soppers" to the front to listen to our special Bible story and sing our special songs.  There was not a child in that church that did not know that Jesus loved every one of us and we were His.   He made his children a part of the church, keeping the families worshipping together. 

Preacher Mac didn't wait to teach us, but he grasp our little minds early with love and caring and showed us that we belonged to Jesus.   We were left with no doubt that Jesus had claimed us, would protect us, and guide us through life.  We felt the security of Jesus' love. 

Through Preacher Mac's stories we learned the Bible from front to back, from God's great creations to his son returning to gather us all up unto the heavens at the end of time.  We were taught not only the words of the Bible, but how it applies to our lives today.  He taught us fear out of reverance and the joy found in living our lives for Christ Jesus. 

Preacher Mac was a special man.  He could reprimand from the pulpit without offending, yet each and every offender knew he was being admonished, leavingmany wondering how did he find out about that.  He had a Bible verse for every occurrance and didn't just share the verse, but  could explain exactly how it applied to each of us and our situations.  He knew his people and he knew his Bible.

Our little church flourished under his ministry.  No one missed church on Sunday and if we did Preacher Mac would visit or call before services on Sunday night.  During his ministry we had more "dinners on the ground" than any other time, because everyone wanted to eat with the preacher. 

Preacher Mac taught us to give thanks when God'a sun comes up in the morning giving us another day to His moon rising at night signaling the time for rest from our labors.  God created it all for our benefit and enjoyment that we might glorify Him.  Preacher Mac belived and taught that we should pray continually asking God to guide our thoughts, steps and actions.  If it would not be pleasing to God, leave it alone.

There are many scholarly pastors in the world, but few great teachers.  Preacher Mac was touched by God and it was evident in the way he lived his life and preached the Gospel.  I thank God for sending him to our little Church and enriching all the lives of those that had the honor of knowing him.  This little "Syrup Sopper" remembers.

Happy Easter!  He arose and walks with me today!

Cold weather is not gone till the pecan tree buds!

Grandpa, a tall, slender man, couldn't stay in the house for any length of time.  He enjoyed cooking and didn't mind cleaning the kitchen, but that was the extent of his household chores.  He was an outdoor man.  Piddling in his barn, cutting the grass or working his garden was where you could always find Grandpa.  A quiet, gentle man, he was always a pleasure to be around.  Some may have called Grandpa a simple man, but he was far from simple minded.  Sharp as a tack with patience to spare, he could design and build anything from a piece of furniture to a house - he designed and built his own home, but he knew how to make do with what he had. 

In the winter, I would follow him to the barn and watch as he worked on tools, repaired chairs or tables, or built some piece of furniture for the house.  He was a fine carpenter and seem to be able to build a beautiful piece of furniture out of scaps.  He used hand tools - no, not the power tools of today - to slowly plane the wood to the perfect size.  He used a brace and bit when holes needed to be bored and made his own sand blocks for achieving the smooth beautiful finish on his furniture.  He carved his own dowels and biscuits to ensure a good tight fit to each piece of furniture he made.  I could sit idly by and watch him for hours, but when I "got on his nerves" he would tell me to go check on Grandma and make sure she was alright. 

In the spring, Grandpa would get his mule out and plow the garden.  Poor old mule, that was the only time Grandpa put him to use.  Grandpa felt that if you wanted to eat you had to plant and Grandma's freezer was always full.  He had a huge field that he planted each and every year.  From the road to the barn, about 300 feet, he turned the ground and layed out the rows.  I would go with Grandpa to the seed store and we would come out with bags of limas, string beans, corn, okra, squash, cucumbers, crowder peas, watermelons, cantelopes and of course tomato plants.  Grandpa didn't waste garden space on vegetables he didn't like, but he was known to plant a few gourds for his bird houses and scoops. 

I wasn't allowed in the garden until it was time to put the seed in the rows, but I sat at the edge of the yard and watched as he turned the ground.  I had the job of dropping the seed, but Grandpa was awfully finicky about dopping the seed.  I would scoot down the row on my bottom putting the seed in the row.  Grandpa would place the first few seeds and tell me to space the rest of the row just like he had done.  He would follow me covering the seeds and if I didn't have them spaced right he would tell me "too close together" or "too far apart."  I loved scooting down the row in the freshly turned dirt curling my toes in as I scooted along, but man those rows were long.  When the planting was done, we waited on the rain and watched for the little shoots to poke through.

My work was done until picking time, Granpa didn't trust anybody with a hoe in his garden but him.  I would sit at the edge of the yard and watch him hoe up and down those long rows.  Sometimes he would take a break and send me for a glass of water while he rolled him a Prince Albert.  Grandpa didn't smoke much, but he enjoyed his cigarette after eating, midmorning, right before bed and those breaks after hoeing the garden.

I think of Grandpa often, but this time of year when I turn my garden, lay out the rows, and place my seeds, he is very close to me.  Grandpa always had enough garden for the whole family.  Maybe I will make my garden bigger this year.  

I have been looking for those same Alabama Black pole beans that were so good tasting and had little or no strings, but I have not found the first one.  One of these days I will find someone that has a stash and maybe they will share.  For now, I am off to my garden for more planting.  The ground has warmed and tomorrow is Good Friday!  Thank you all for visiting and come back soon!

Happy reading!
Belle

It is so sad when friendship comes with terms attached.
Belle

Itchy eyes, runny nose, scalded throat,
And she had been praying for this spring.
Belle

The distant honk of the cranes brought a smile to her face.
Spring was flying north.

Belle

Is it here yet!
The air is warm, but I have been disappointed before.
Belle

Diary of Hatching an Egg

As I related before my ever inspiring and adventurous husband purchased 10 dozen eggs at our local livestock auction.  After much research he gathered the parts for an incubator (thermometer, thermostat, water container, egg racks - we had all these items on hand) and proceded to put one together.  The trickiest part was keeping the temperature between 99 and 100 degrees.  The incubation process will not start until the 99 degree temp is achieved and held for several hours.  However, much over 100 degrees will fry the eggs and burn the embryo neither of which was our desire.  We want baby chicks!

After monitoring the temperature in our incubator for 24 hours, we felt we were safe in adding the eggs.  During the loading process, a egg carton tumbled to the floor and we lost 5 eggs, oops!, but that is just the first accident in this process.  We were able to load 7 dozen eggs in our incubator and felt we were on our way.  At 50 cent a dozen, hubby and I feel this is an inexpensive trial run and if we get baby chicks, so much the better.  On Monday, one egg crack during the turning process.  Tuesday produced the same problem.  If it continues, we will have to investigate further, but soft shell eggs are more difficult to hatch.  Soft shells is the result of the lack of nutrients in the laying hen.  Now in Day 4, we are anxious to see if we have learned anything in this process and if successful to celebrate the little hatchlings.

When a setting hen sits on her eggs, she turns them with her feet several times each day.  If the eggs are not turned, the clear fluid (known as the egg white) will adher to the inside of the shell and the embryo will not develop properly resulting in physical deformity.  Nutrients are contained in the egg white to nourish the little chicken embryo until it is developed and ready to hatch.   So, we started the process and turn the eggs at least 3 times a day.  It takes only 15 to 20 minutes.  The hatching process will take about 20 days depending on  - well a lot of things!  I think I am getting into this process of egg hatching. 

None of our hens will sit on the eggs we put in the nest.  I know there could be several reasons, but maybe I just don't have a brooder.  I wish for a broody hen right now. 

Meanwhile, the new baby chicks are hungry little buggers and are taking in three bowls of food per day.  I guess they are making up for the time lost living on egg whites.  They are all over my hands as I fill their bowl and devour the food like they are being starved!  Black with some light feathering of down on the throat to their front legs, they are beautiful.  They are growing rapidly and in a few weeks we will get them ready to go in with the other hens.  They are confined for now in a nice roomy pen safe and sound, except when the grandchildren come for a look.  At this stage they are not allowed to handle them, both are too young to understand the need for restraint or the power of their little hands.

I was sad to see that one of the Metro Atlanta cities banned pet chickens from their city limits.  Chickens are not noisy, make great pets, and teach children responsibility among other things.  There was much discussion on the fecal matter causing an unpleasant odor, but unless you have a lot of chickens, there is no odor.  I am afraid for those who perfer the smell of vehicle exhaust and smog over the natural odor of people and animals. 

The baby chicks are waiting on me and I have chores to tend to.  Sound like a farmer again, don't I?  Thanks for dropping in and come back soon as the Diary of Hatching an Egg continues.

Happy reading!
Belle

Friday Night Date

My Friday night date was very special.  My husband took me to the local livestock auction featuring 350+ cages of rabbits, chickens, guineas, turkeys, pheasants, ducks, and geese and then throw in the goats, calves, emus, and sheep.  It was quite a night at Buggytown Auction Barn!

We arrived a little late for the miscellaneous sale which usually starts at 6:00, but must have started around 5:30 on Friday night.  Anything goes during the miscellaneous sale and we have seen some really good buys during this sale.  Advertising signs, truck parts, tractor accessories and parts, cookware, handtools, work gloves and so much more are included.  Some people come for this sale only and then others stay for the livestock. 

On Friday night, there were not as many goats as from previous weeks and prices on the goats were higher.  The price of calves on the otherhand were down - small (two week old) were selling between $16 and $22 per head compared to $65 a head a couple of weeks ago.  There were also several nannies with babies that I would have bought in a minute if I had a good spot to put them.  One little family of black goats stole my heart for a little while, but I got over it and waited patiently for the chickens.

Some of the auctioneers tend to dawdle over the livestock and attempt to draw a higher bid out of the audience.  The owner of the auction will move right along and if you want to bid you better be on your toes and make sure you are seen. 

Usually, hatching eggs are sold between the miscellaneous merchandise and the small livestock.  Friday night however, all the eggs did not get sold during this time so were presented before the poultry and rabbits.  As I walked back into the bidding area from reviewing the poultry in the back of the building, my dear hubby was saying $.50 a dozen, that's a deal and ask me what I thought.  Well, this is what I heard out of all the commotion - from the auctioneer  "50 cents a dozen but there is only 10"  from my hubby "that's a deal, what do you think?"  My response, "whatever you want dear" - big,big mistake.  Well, 10 dozen hatching eggs are now on my kitchen table waiting to go in the incubator my hubby has rigged up.  Okay, I now know to keep my eyes and ears open and to never, ever leave my hubby alone at an auction.  Well, it doesn't matter whether he is alone or not, because not more than thirty minutes later with me safely at his side, he was calling out his number again and had bought 5 baby black giants for $1.50 each. 

At this point I gave him my sternest look and said "No more!"  He has the most innocent smile - he never committed to the "no more", but I did get a "we'll see."  We have increased our flock by 120 eggs (which if estimates are correct we should get 60 chicks, but it will take 21 days once the hatching process is started) and 5 chicks.  Oh my, we are now chicken farmers.  I will admit our chickens have made wonderful pets, are no trouble to care for, and bring many hours of joy.  They enjoy a good game of race when we give them scaps of lettuce or celery and compete for our attention in a friendly manner.  Some of them are real show offs.

Whether it was the seller or just the turnover of the buyers, the price of chickens were up and down.  Some beautiful roosters went for $3.50 a piece early on then the price quickly jumped to as high as $15.  The same with the chickens, but the highest price I remember was $18 a head for a pair of black copper morans. (I know that is probably not what the auctioneer meant to say, but that is what these ears heard.   Beautiful long tail pheasants brought $26 a head while one big tom turkey sold for over a hundred.  I can't figure out the logic, but it is always interesting to see what draws a persons interest.  I learned there is a chicken/turkey mix called a turken. They described them as turkey neck chickens.

We left at 11:45 with the sale still going strong, but it was a little late for me (it was past my bedtime).  There were still cages and more cages of poultry and we were told later it was around 1:30 before all was over.

That is the best $12.50 date I have had in a long while!  Every time we go I learn something new and see something unusual.  And everytime I make the trip the kid in me comes out and I get that "daddy please?" syndrome.  I love animals!   And yes in a couple of weeks, I will have another Friday Night Date, but this time I am taping hubby's hands to his side. 

Next week maybe you can have an exciting, educational Friday Night Date.  Try a visit to the Buggytown Auction on Highway 341 south of Barnesville.  In the meantime, thanks for dropping by.

Happy Reading!
Belle

More snow for the mountains!
Get thee behind me winter!

Yeah! It's Friday

I admit I must be a little touched, but I love the smell of animals.  I guess it comes from being raised on a dairy farm, but nothing smells better than a field of cows on a warm summer day.  Goats, well, they are a different story.  The smelliest of all animals - emus. 

A couple of weeks ago we went to the auction barn and on exiting the truck and overwhelming odor blasted us.  There were over 200 hundred goats at the barn that evening and I could not believe the stench.  Know I realize that the lover of goats probably think there is no better smell, as does the pig farmer, but really, there is nothing warm and cozy feeling about either.

Tonight means another trip to the auction barn and hopefully all the goat trading has taken place and we can move right on to the chickens, ducks and geese.  I love the beautiful silkies and would buy one for a pet, but every farm animal I have ever made a pet of, ended up in the frying pan.  I just don't think I could face that again.  Poor Blackie, my pet calf who grew to be an enormous cow, was really good eating once I got past the memories of her letting me lay against her belly while I read.  She became meat for the freezer when an even larger cow dumped her upside down in the feed trough.  We didn't try CPR as it took an hour or so just to haul her out of the trough via the tractor and a winch.  How would you do CPR on a cow?  Not sure, but such is life, but I don't think silkies are grown for eating.

It is suppose to be warm, warm, warm today and I might just get my feet in some dirt.  It is starting to look like an outside day already!  Have lots to do so I better get to it.  Thanks for visiting with me and drop in again soon.

Happy reading!
Belle

Still no job and I haven't received any large checks from the publishing world, so I have decided to try an on line store with Etsy.  During the early 1980s I had a toy and hobby shop which lasted a whole two and a half years - the early 1980s were not the time for any new venture, but especially a toy store.  I had a great time with all the kids and they enjoyed the store, especially the hobby shop in the back where they could put together models and build their model rockets.  It was everything I had hoped for only it didn't make any money - so we packed up and everything went into storage.  Over the years much of the merchandise deterioted even in storage, but I managed to keep several containers well sealed and intact. 

It has been a joy to once again go through all the stuffed animals, figurines, and other items that tickled my fancy then and makes me smile now.  I had planned on selling these treasures at one of our yard sales and then for kicks started checking on-line to see if some may be collectibles.  Oh my goodness!  Yes, I had sold a $46 bear for $2.00 at one yard sale!  I reconnected with the collecting world and found I have a treasure trove in my little boxes.  I am slowly getting these little darlings unfrumped (storage makes them flat) and pictures made and posted.  I would love a visit from you at my new shop.  You can visit me at http://www.clairecollections.etsy.com/ - at least I think that is right. I am new at this, but I am learning fast.  My daughter has a shop that brings her much joy and keeps her creativity flowing.  I think when I get over the newness I will have as much fun.  I plan to add a section featuring my sewing projects, but that will come with time. 

I have not given up on my writing, just added some variety to my life.   My Spy Girls are still in the works and Sam and Zeb still have many adventures before them.  I am also working on another completely different line so we will see how that progresses.  I dreamed a story for the spy girls the other night but did not get up and write it down, so it is gone for now, but I know I will get it back in the next day or so.

Thanks for visiting!

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 

Reflections

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." 
Exodus 20:12  NIV

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor you father and mother" --which is the first commandment with a promise -- "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.""
Ephesians 6:1-4  NIV

"In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.  He who loves his wife loves himself.  After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of his body. " For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the Church.  However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."
Ephesians 5:28-33  NIV

When do we stop being children?  What is the point in our lives when we stop obeying our parents and make our own decisions for our life?  Is it at the point of marriage?  There is no where is the Bible that says you are no longer a child at 18 or 21.

Some parents don't know when to let go - to let their children lead their own lives and be responsible for their own decisions and actions.  Some children don't know when to quit depending on their parents, after all it is much easier to let someone else take care of you than it is to to take care of yourself.

As children, we rant and rail against parental control, yet when we reach adulthood we find that life is not so easy.  Many would rather let their parents make the decisions.  In the same vein, some parents are afraid of being alone so they make their children dependent on them thereby inhibiting their child's emotional and psychological growth. 

What happens when the parents are gone?  A dependent child, unable to make decisions on their own, will flounder, be confused and may not seem to grieve for their lost parent.  They will search for someone else to be their caretaker, to help them make decisions.  An independent child will feel grief for their lost, but will continue with little interruption in their day to day living. 

Some parents try to control their children so much that when adulthood is reached, the child escapes to get away from their parents.  Some move away, some cut off all contact with their parents.  Others are so afraid of making a mistake they stay under their parent's control where they feel safe. 

A man gets married and establishes a home for he and his wife.  He is intelligent, well adjusted, works hard and provides well for his family.  Over the years drastic changes occur in his parent's lives.  They become confused and start to flounder.  They become emotionally dependent on their son. This emotional dependency rapidly progresses to a desire to be the "child's" parent and exercise parental control once again.  This well established, self sufficient man balks at the interference in his life.  To stop the interference and control the man shuns his parents and severs all ties leaving him feeling bereft and angry and his parents frustrated and angry.

A woman raised in a harsh disciplinary home gets married and moves away.  This woman was well prepared for the world as she had taken care of her parent's household and learned to be independent.  She and her husband establish their own home and began their family.   As the years past, her parent's retire and as time passes they lose their contacts and failed to remain active.  They turned their focus on their daughter's life again trying to exercise parental control.  The unwelcome intrusion into this woman's life causes many rifts and heartaches.  She now limits her contact with her parents. 

A man raised in an unstable household, gets married and moves not far from his parents.  He works hard every day and builds a family.  However, he continues to go to his father and mother for support and help in his decision making.  When his family falls apart he returns to the home of his father. As time passes, he loses both parents and is left alone.  He does not know which direction to go and searches to find help from others.

My earlier post addressed the question of what makes a good parent.  We take what we think is the best part of how we were raised and apply it to the raising of our children.  Our children will hopefully do the same.  As children we turn to our parents for guidance, security, and support. 

Adult children can still find comfort and security in a relationship with their parents, but you must set guidelines for yourself (you cannot control your parents actions) and stick with those guidelines.  It starts with viewing your parents as individuals, not as your parents - if you are close to your parents, then view them as a close friend.  But remember, they are people with their own interests, habits, customs, lifestyle.  You do not always agree with choices your friends make, why would you expect to always agree to the choices your parents make?  Unless you are financially dependent on your parents, do not discuss your financial situation with them - if they probe, tell them it is none of their business.  It may hurt their feelings at first, but it will stop a lot of frustration and anger on your part and most people don't discuss finances with their friends. 

Find a common ground between you and your parents.  Always try to be positive.  If you don't want to be ridiculed, don't ridicule your parents - believe me, parents are fully aware of the mistakes they have made. Don't bring up unpleasant incidences from the past.  I have many bad memories of my childhood, but they are my memories - no one else remembers in the same way or with the same feelings I have.  Don't bring your siblings into the mix.  Your parents relationship with your siblings are their business.  Don't judge - God will take care of that.  Don't allow your parents to pull out the guilt trip bag.  The past is over, it can't be undone.  What you did when you were 16 should have been handled at the time.  Too late now to relive or judge what should or should not have been done.  Gifts are gifts.  I have heard so many times "you forget I gave you" or "after all I have done for you" - it doesn't matter!  If it was not given freely and with a loving heart, it wasn't a gift at all and if it is something that can be returned - do so! Reminders of things given is another venue of manipulation and has no place in a parent child relationship and certainly not in a friendship.

If you have to say you are sorry - do so with meaning - know why you are sorry.  Explain yourself with kindness.  My parents are now old (I hope they don't read this) and old people can be mean, hateful, and spiteful.  It is okay, you don't know what these people we call parents are carrying on their hearts.  It could be regret, loneliness, defeat, loss, or just confusion.  I see so much hate and bitterness in this world.  Be nice! 

Now I am going to repeat myself - children do not come with instructions.  BUT, the Bible is the best instruction book I have found for living life and that includes raising children.  When things get rough there are a multitude of scriptures to ease our hearts and minds. 

Thank you for dropping by!

Happy reading!
Belle

A Good Parent

Birthing a child does not come with instructions.  There is no step by step plan on how to be a good mother and fathering a child is the same.  Much is handed down either intentionally or unintentionally from family to family - traditions, religion, values, views on education, morals.  Very few families operate alike.  Social courtesies, religious beliefs, common manners, study habits, eating habits, all of these are differ between families, some in a major way and others in minor ways.  As we grow, develop and learn, we change our views on the way we were raised and the things we were taught and in turn develop our own values.

With time and development, children find many faults in their parents that they were not aware of before.  It is amazing when we find that our parents are not the final authority and usually this is the age when we are the ones making the decisions.  This is the time when we wonder "Why can't my dad/mom be like so-and-so?"  We admire something in someone else and wish it for ourselves or our family.  I remember wishing that our family had Bible reading and prayer everynight before bed.  My Uncle did this with his family and there was a closeness and a sense of security within the family that I felt my family lacked.  But as a parent, even though I started the process it only continued for a few months with many excuses of getting a bath or needing to study taking precedence over the Bible and prayer time.  My father would rise at 4:30 every morning and read his Bible for an hour, but did not share this time with his family and we never even thought of interrupting his Bible study.  I wish now I had made this a number one priority rather than a something extra. 

So what makes a good parent?  I believe that if our parents raise us to have the education and ability to be responsible for ourselves, not depending on others, to be of good moral character, to respect others, to live within the law and have a reverent fear of God, then they have done their job.  We are all individuals.  We all have learned behaviors and inherited traits that determine who we are and who we become.  What is very important to one may not make a hill of beans to another.  We can set the values for ourselves, but no matter how hard we try we cannot set the values for others - not our children, our parents, or our friends.  It is a relief when we realize that we don't have to live with the values of others, but  how devastated we feel when our children reject our values - that doesn't mean we don't love them.   The parent child relationship is a continually rolling ball from one generation to the next. 

What brought this thought process on is a great unknown! As a favorite cuz always says "who knows what she is thinking" and then these little thoughts just jump right up there and run like crazy!  I hope you enjoy your day and thanks for dropping in!

Happy Reading!
Belle