A beautiful year, filled with meeting new friends, reuniting with old friends, fun visits with family, and yes, I must include the loss of so many friends. The year started cold and drab as each new year does and progressed to the joyous spring with the warm breezes teasing the blossoms on the trees and shrubs. Each season brought change not only to the landscapes but to my heart. Never one to shun a heated discussion, I have found I loath the negativity, anger, and hate found in so many. I wonder what life has served them to cause such feelings to linger and fester. There is so much in life to bring joy and peace if we only search for it and brush the harsher feeling aside.
Spring brought the loss of hubby's father. Sick for over a year with strange rash on his arms but no diagnosis of the cause, he succumbed to lung cancer in a matter of days after finally being diagnosed.
Spring also bought with it the reuniting of friends in preparation of a class reunion. It was a happy time for me to see the many friends and acquaintances of my youth. One weekend was not enough time, but we made the best of the time provided and many have continued to keep in touch. So many have died through the years and they were memorialized through the artistry of a fellow classmate.
Fun in the sun was the theme of our Summer and it was a time of relaxing and visiting with family and friends and enjoying the pool through the hot summer days. Wonderful food on the grill and homemade ice cream seem to top the charts on the weekends. The grandchildren are growing by leaps and bounds and changing from one visit to the next. It is a wonder to listen to their conversation and know their minds are growing as quickly as their bodies.
My garden flourished in the early days of summer, but succumbed to the heat and lack of rain quickly. Mulching more this winter for a better chance of survival during the hot dry days for the upcoming year. The asparagus is beautiful and since this is my first try I was very pleased with the results. None to gather this season, but come spring I should have a bumper crop. Now is the time to get my onions in, so I have to get busy with those.
Fall brought on a most memorable reunion with my best friend from school. One short visit of a couple of hours was not enough, but we are staying in touch and plan to revisit soon. It is such a comfort to reunite with someone that meant so much to me for so many years. It is strange to think that we were ever separated to begin with, but that is another story. Leave it to say that we are reunited and looking forward to catching up.
Mid afternoon the yard chickens come in for a bit of scratch feed. Week before last I rounded the corner of the barn and there was a beautiful tom turkey. Light gray and cream with a rose colored waddle, he gobbled at me and headed for the scratch I had put out for the hens. I watched for a minute and decided there was not enough to go around - he was eating like crazy. I spread another batch and he proceeded to follow me in my rounds to gather eggs and water the barn hens. I called hubby to the barn and it was decided he was a tame bird and hubby proceeded to visit the neighbors to locate the owner. No one claimed the bird and he seems to have made a home here. Free to come and go as he pleases, he prefers to stay close to the pen and visit with the pen birds. He makes a nice addition to the landscape and gobbles as I talk, doesn't appear to be aggressive, but not taking chances around the babies. Those talons look fierce and that beak could do some damage if provoked. He is a beautiful bird and fun to watch.
Thanksgiving and Christmas is always filled with lots of good food, long visits and a time of fun. I so enjoyed the visits with family and friends.
As I read back over this years happenings I know I have been greatly blessed. I look forward to the coming year with anticipation. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me next. Until next time . . .
Happy reading!
Belle
Showing posts with label frieinds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label frieinds. Show all posts
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Thoughts and Deeds
I can feel it coming and I am so ready. It is time for those end of Summer chores in anticipation of the cold, wet days of winter. No, it isn't fall yet, but in order to enjoy the turning leaves and the cool mornings, there is much outside work to be done. The mornings are cooler and the late afternoons are conducive to getting those bushes straightened out, cleaning that garden up, planting the fall veggies, and just general maintenance.
I have spent two wonderfully relaxing and enjoyable weeks with friends and family. A couple of hours of an afternoon in the pool and good conversation brightens my day. I have wonderful friends and good things have been going on in their lives. Nothing restores me better than their positive attitudes, their laughter, and the fellowship we share. Can't wait until the next visit. Thank you my friends.
With the heat and the rain I am much behind in my grass cutting. I have talked myself out of getting out there just by watching the weather forecast and the potential for rain, but today I can procrastinate no longer. It must be done and I must do it. The trick is not to cut the television on and see a weather forecast. Glenn Burns can sometimes be my friend, but other times he is the devil's advocate leading me to be slovenly in my outdoor chores, but I cannot blame him for the 100 degree temps we have seen of late.
My banana trees have grown tremendously. The little information tab stuck in the side of the pot when they were purchased advised the trees could grow as much as 2 feet per week. Well mine just sat there, adding a few little leaves every week, but not growing at all. Not knowing what kind of fertilizer a banana tree prefers, about four weeks ago I took the chance and mixed a weak Miracle Gro (all-purpose) solution and doused each tree with a half gallon. While I anticipated the leaves shrivelling up and turning brown, I was much surprised when they grew about a foot in the first week and then another foot on the second week when they received another half gallon of solution. The trees tripled in size and the dark green of the leaves are beautiful. Wish I had become desperate sooner, but hey I am still new at this tropical plant stuff, but I am learning! Now if I could find the answer to making a Sago grow faster, but I have been told they are slow growers. We will see, maybe they need a little Miracle Gro solution also.
Earlier in the week I made a visit to the local thrift store and hit the jackpot. I found a dozen or so books to add to my reading for the fall and winter. All the books were in great condition and I even found two or three first editions in the batch and all for about 50 cents each. Not a bad find if I say so myself. I am working through Grisham's books at the moment, but found a Ludlam, Clancy and Grimes I wanted to read, plus some authors I haven't read before so I am excited to start on those and see if we can become friends. I was so excited I may make another trip next week. Joy can be found in the strangest places.
I am much excited over my daughter's research into the cause of her eczema and food allergies which she has suffered with since two years old. An Air Force baby, I had taken her to the base for a well baby check up even though she was prone to head and chest colds. The base did not have separate waiting rooms for well and sick babies. In a weeks time she had developed a nasty cold which earned another trip to the based doctor. A small patch of red had developed under her little nose that wouldn't heal and I was advised she had developed impetigo. After rounds of cream and antibiotics the patch finally cleared only to have a rash break out on other parts of her little body. The doctors advised it was heat rash and gave me an ointment. As soon as I would get one rash cleared another would appear and for the last 34 years my daughter has fought the rash. Doctor after doctor could not identify the cause so to the allergist she went sometimes with me sometimes with my mother. Picked, probed, and stuck over and over, we were told she was allergic to food and her diet needed to be rotated as when she would eat something repeatedly she would develop an allergic reaction to it.
Thus has been my daughters life with allergies. This week she has been researching the causes of her health problems. Hopefully she has found the answer in the form of Candida albans, a fungal yeast that thrives in the body once it establishes itself and destroys the healthy bacteria that keeps our body's functioning as God designed. You can link to her site through the link at the bottom of the right hand column of this page. She is documenting her problems and progress through this adventure in the hope that it may help some other soul that is experiencing like problems. She as always is in my prayers and I hope she has found the answer.
I have a new grandchild in the form of a 4 month old Maltese. Bentley is his name and he is a precious addition to our family. The grandchildren love him dearly. If they can keep the little bundle of white fur out of the lake he will give them many years of happiness.
Dad felt the hand of God clear the blood clot from his body and it was caught by the age old stint. He is back in motion and riding his scooter. He told me yesterday he had cut back the English Ivy off the house that had overgrown the window sills. He may have been down for months, but he is back at it and going strong. Maybe God just wanted to keep him out of the garden and the hot sun this year. I am just glad he is up and about once again and the angel of death has given us a reprieve.
For the first time in many years I am ready for fall. The summer has been extremely hot and humid and has hindered my activity and as a result my motivation and thinking. I look forward to the cooler days of fall. Well, that about catches me up with our doings, so until next time . . .
Happy reading!
Belle
I have spent two wonderfully relaxing and enjoyable weeks with friends and family. A couple of hours of an afternoon in the pool and good conversation brightens my day. I have wonderful friends and good things have been going on in their lives. Nothing restores me better than their positive attitudes, their laughter, and the fellowship we share. Can't wait until the next visit. Thank you my friends.
With the heat and the rain I am much behind in my grass cutting. I have talked myself out of getting out there just by watching the weather forecast and the potential for rain, but today I can procrastinate no longer. It must be done and I must do it. The trick is not to cut the television on and see a weather forecast. Glenn Burns can sometimes be my friend, but other times he is the devil's advocate leading me to be slovenly in my outdoor chores, but I cannot blame him for the 100 degree temps we have seen of late.
My banana trees have grown tremendously. The little information tab stuck in the side of the pot when they were purchased advised the trees could grow as much as 2 feet per week. Well mine just sat there, adding a few little leaves every week, but not growing at all. Not knowing what kind of fertilizer a banana tree prefers, about four weeks ago I took the chance and mixed a weak Miracle Gro (all-purpose) solution and doused each tree with a half gallon. While I anticipated the leaves shrivelling up and turning brown, I was much surprised when they grew about a foot in the first week and then another foot on the second week when they received another half gallon of solution. The trees tripled in size and the dark green of the leaves are beautiful. Wish I had become desperate sooner, but hey I am still new at this tropical plant stuff, but I am learning! Now if I could find the answer to making a Sago grow faster, but I have been told they are slow growers. We will see, maybe they need a little Miracle Gro solution also.
Earlier in the week I made a visit to the local thrift store and hit the jackpot. I found a dozen or so books to add to my reading for the fall and winter. All the books were in great condition and I even found two or three first editions in the batch and all for about 50 cents each. Not a bad find if I say so myself. I am working through Grisham's books at the moment, but found a Ludlam, Clancy and Grimes I wanted to read, plus some authors I haven't read before so I am excited to start on those and see if we can become friends. I was so excited I may make another trip next week. Joy can be found in the strangest places.
I am much excited over my daughter's research into the cause of her eczema and food allergies which she has suffered with since two years old. An Air Force baby, I had taken her to the base for a well baby check up even though she was prone to head and chest colds. The base did not have separate waiting rooms for well and sick babies. In a weeks time she had developed a nasty cold which earned another trip to the based doctor. A small patch of red had developed under her little nose that wouldn't heal and I was advised she had developed impetigo. After rounds of cream and antibiotics the patch finally cleared only to have a rash break out on other parts of her little body. The doctors advised it was heat rash and gave me an ointment. As soon as I would get one rash cleared another would appear and for the last 34 years my daughter has fought the rash. Doctor after doctor could not identify the cause so to the allergist she went sometimes with me sometimes with my mother. Picked, probed, and stuck over and over, we were told she was allergic to food and her diet needed to be rotated as when she would eat something repeatedly she would develop an allergic reaction to it.
Thus has been my daughters life with allergies. This week she has been researching the causes of her health problems. Hopefully she has found the answer in the form of Candida albans, a fungal yeast that thrives in the body once it establishes itself and destroys the healthy bacteria that keeps our body's functioning as God designed. You can link to her site through the link at the bottom of the right hand column of this page. She is documenting her problems and progress through this adventure in the hope that it may help some other soul that is experiencing like problems. She as always is in my prayers and I hope she has found the answer.
I have a new grandchild in the form of a 4 month old Maltese. Bentley is his name and he is a precious addition to our family. The grandchildren love him dearly. If they can keep the little bundle of white fur out of the lake he will give them many years of happiness.
Dad felt the hand of God clear the blood clot from his body and it was caught by the age old stint. He is back in motion and riding his scooter. He told me yesterday he had cut back the English Ivy off the house that had overgrown the window sills. He may have been down for months, but he is back at it and going strong. Maybe God just wanted to keep him out of the garden and the hot sun this year. I am just glad he is up and about once again and the angel of death has given us a reprieve.
For the first time in many years I am ready for fall. The summer has been extremely hot and humid and has hindered my activity and as a result my motivation and thinking. I look forward to the cooler days of fall. Well, that about catches me up with our doings, so until next time . . .
Happy reading!
Belle
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