Anticipation
. . . waiting for the first snowflake of the season to hit the ground

Yes, here in middle Georgia (known for our mild winters and scorching summers) are waiting with bated breathe the journey of those snow clouds and anxiously await the fall of that first flake. Knowing in our hearts that 30 minutes or less we will be begging for it to be over.  We are not made for the fluffy white stuff except for those daredevils that attack the blanket with their monster machines turning the fluffy into slushy within seconds. 

Content with the comfort of a warm fire and a cup of soup I sit here realizing I have aged not only in years but also in spirit - as once I would be in the middle of the skirmish, rolling in the snow, building snowmen, climbing the mountain in the four wheel drive. Good memories, but no do overs.

Happy rolling - whether on a sled, vehicle, or trash can lid! Be safe and have fun!

Update on Me

Mid spring temperatures hovered daily in the low to mid 90s and the rain failed to quench the thirsty ground surrounding my drooping and withered plants.  I am so glad I followed the desires of my heart in planting an early garden as it appears those that planted later will do without.  The Roma II green beans have supplied our table with meal after meal of delicious beans with a few gallons for the freezer.  The zucchini has laughed at the lack of water and continues to burst forth with blooms and fruit.  It is has been a joy to share the abundance with friends and neighbors who are no longer able to garden or just don't have time. 

We have enjoyed radishes, tomatoes, bell peppers, red potatoes and okra to date and are looking forward to the late planted cantaloupe, watermelon, and cucumbers to grace our table soon.  Hubby has watered every other day for the last few weeks to keep the plants alive and this weeks rain was a blessing. 

It isn't even summer yet and the sweltering temperatures have kept me in the pool on a regular basis.  Even though I have had to fight the wasp with every trip, I have thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon cool offs.  The plants and grass don't have enough water in them to sustain the wasps and even though I really don't feel like sharing, the little devils insist on getting a drink the minute I splash the surface.  Wasp stings don't bother me so much, but the little ones are not happy about the fearsome stings.  Last week granddaughter number two told me it was time to get out of the water because I looked like a raisin.  Little does she realize that has absolutely nothing to do with the water - it has a lot to do with my age, but I wasn't telling her that!

Speaking of which - I really got a lift when the same granddaughter ask me on Thursday what I had done.  I ask what she meant and she says "Yesterday you looked old, but today you look young and beautiful!"  A perfect lift to my day!  Yes, I am perfectly aware that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but I can gloat for just a little while.

As most of you know I am a seamstress.  I have been sewing since I was eight or nine years old.  I started learning at my grandmother's knee on a quilt top and it has progressed over the years to one thing and then another.  The five years I worked "taking in sewing" has probably been the most fulfilling and joyful of my entire working life.  It is so fulfilling to take a flat piece of material and turn it into something useful and beautiful.  I have made my own clothes for many years and clothed my children until they learned about "labels" and refused to wear the garments I made for them.  This came to mind as a result of a most pleasant visit this week from a friend of 15 to 20 years.  I was showing her my sun bonnets and aprons which I have turned out in droves and she had the most puzzling look on her face.  I ask what was wrong and she admitted that she didn't know that I sewed.  Well, there you go!  I thought this friend know all about me and here I surprised her with a very important part of what makes me - me!  She told me I could make good money sewing for people.  I had to laugh as I had one dress hanging behind her that was in process for a neighbor and another two boxes of material waiting to be cut and sewed.  Yes, taking in sewing is a lucrative business and one I thoroughly enjoy.

In all honesty, sewing is so intricately a part of me that I guess I take it for granted.  I have gone years without picking up a needle and thread, then I start a project and another and another like I am possessed. 
It is the one job that I have undertaking that was a labor of love and joy. 

A piece of advice for all you mothers of daughters - teach them to sew!  If you don't know how, make sure they take a class in sewing either at school or at you local community recreation department. 

Closing for now so until until next time . . .

Happy Reading!
Belle

Labor Day Weekend

The end of so much and the beginning of much more.  This is the last holiday of the summer season.  Will you be dove hunting on Saturday or trying to get in a final swim for this season, a quick weekend trip or a start on your fall camping early? 

Kids are coming off the mountain for the weekend and spend some time with Nanna.  I am looking forward to seeing them again before their holy days start and trek off to their feast site.  It has really hit home how little time one has when little ones are in school and have a strict schedule to which they must adhere.  I guess it has been a few years and I had forgotten how little time there is between getting off work and time for bed. 

My grandchildren have a play room at our house.  I try to enter this room about every two weeks - it can be a danger zone.  The kids are not destructive, just very creative and the girls favorite game is dress up.  We are big on passing down clothing and it seems the playroom is the central depository for the clothes in transition.  Three weeks ago I trekked upstairs to straighten the playroon to find that something was blocking the door.  Not knowing what was holding the door, I cracked it a little and ran my hand along the edge to see what was wedged behind it, only to find clothes, clothes and more clothes!  Clothes covered every inch of the floor and the beds, but their "stage" (an old trunk I found at an estate sale) was clean as a whistle.  There were a few building blocks and baby dolls under the bed, but these girls had every stitch of hand-me-down clothing scattered all over the room. 

The fashion show that they can grace us with is astounding and brings me much joy.  Already at their young ages you can see their style and taste in each outfit they put together.  They can entertain themselves (and us) for hours and they have so much fun!

Hubby has plans to fill the smoker up with good eats and we plan to enjoy family and friends for the weekend.  I hope all of you have a safe and happy holiday!  I am already planning for Thanksgiving and another big get together!

Until next time  . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

Homesick

My granddaughter called me from summer camp last night.  My grandson and granddaughter are at summer camp in Missouri and I have missed talking to them this week.  I was so-o-o-o excited to hear from her and listen to all the fun things they have done this week.  I then my mind started racing - was she okay?  Did I hear a slight tremble in her voice?  Was she homesick?  Did something scare her?  You know, a thousands questions starting swirling through my mind and of course, the worry.  They will be home in 4 days and 3 nights.  Will she be okay until then? 

Then I started rationalizing.  They are more than half way through the week (6 days) and she has done fine until now.  She is just starting to get homesick.  She is ready for her Mom and Dad and the comfort of knowing they are close by.  She is just ready to be at home!

My sister and I spent 2 weeks every summer with my Aunt and Uncle in Alabama.  The first 4 days were fine, but after that it was all down hill!  I wanted to go home and had no intention of even trying to have a good time.  My Aunt and Uncle had no children and there was absolutely nothing to do at their house.  Their yard was small and filled with bird feeders and bird baths and vine covered arbors, which were perfectly beautiful, but not practical when you put two country girls in the middle of them.  My Uncle's idea of curing our boredom was to put my sister and I to work in the yard.  Boy was that a mistake!  Anyway, my homesickness during this time had nothing to do with missing my Mom and Dad and a whole lot to do with missing my stuff and the great outdoors.  I just wanted to be in "my" space!

They will be home on Monday and I will breathe a sigh of relief!  I look forward to seeing them next weekend. 
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

In A Funk

Yeah, I am in a funk. My thoughts are a bit scrambled right now, and my energy level is at a 5 on a scale of 1-10. I think maybe the ups and downs of the heat are the major cause.

The garden is like most mid summer gardens - just growing - not anything spectacular, but still producing squash, cabbage, okra, tomatoes, and peppers. Cucumbers are not doing a thing and I blame that on the erratic rain fall. The ground is drying out too much between the showers and the sun is hot as hades. I am waiting till late afternoon to turn some dirt for the late summer greens and decide on a spot for the potatoes. It is time to get them in the ground but as we have a real late frost, it will be okay.

It is really sad that we let the joy of the first shoots breaking the ground dissipate and the garden flourishes and we become apathetic in the harvest and maintenance. Melancholy, that is what I am today. Yesterday was a day of joy and today - melancholy.

The summer flowers are beautiful and all but the weakest are blooming with gusto. I can hardly see my gazing ball as the cosmos has grown so tall and thick as to shade it from view. The sunflowers are reaching for the hot sun and getting taller and taller. I know it is not the time, but I moved 2 elephant ears to a spot in my backyard garden. They had almost died from lack of sun and are not a deep green and putting out new growth. Right time or not, that was a good move.

I dropped by a local store the other day and they have dropped the prices on all seeds to a dime a pack. Good time to pick up some, put in the freezer and have ready for that early garden next spring. There were lots of different varieties of lettuce which can be container grown throughout the winter. I have a nice section of porch on the north side of the house that is protected from blowing winds and rain. It is the perfect place to winter the plants (covered of course) and to keep some nice winter container crops. Doesn't get any sun though so I have to move them during the week to the east side to keep them going.

On another subject-
My grandchildren are growing up and developing wonderful personalities. I have had such a pleasant summer with my grandchildren. The oldest girl ask me on Saturday why they were called grand children. My reply - because you are so great! On her last visit, she kissed the top on my head and told me I was beautiful - and everyone wonders why I love having them around! Can't wait till they come back!

Belle

Early Learning

Is it because spring came so early or because school started earlier? Either way, it feels like it should be late spring or early fall and it is only mid summer. The long lazy hot days of summer are not yet past. Children have been robbed of the last 4 weeks of summer only to get longer breaks in the coolness of fall and winter and the early spring. Those wonderful lethargic days, too hot to play hard, just made for lazing around and letting the body rest before reasserting the mind on it search for more nourishing fodder of which to grow. Teachers have had their vacation cut short also. Are they rested enough to tackle another year of training and educating?

Do they really feed the mind nourishing fodder in school these days or are they just teaching what is needed to pass state tests? Do teachers really enjoy teaching or is it just a way to make money? Who decides what needs to be taught in order to pass those infernal tests and who makes up those same tests? Is the creativity of the teaching professional limited by having to follow so closely the lesson plans devised by the higher ups that are focused on passing the state tests?

Elementary schools of the fifties taught first the letters, including their sounds; then the writing; then the math; then the reading. Writing over and over again, flash cards, more writing - a child would think their hands were going to fall off. Teachers came up with innovative games to help us learn and it worked. We had repetitive writing exercises and worked in groups with flash cards while the teacher worked one on one with those that were having problems. We learned and it stayed with us. We read to the class, the teacher read to the class and we learned that reading was important. The written word was important and that correct grammar mattered.

My teachers knew they were teaching the future of this great nation and what they taught governed how these future leaders would perform. They took their time and did it right. They focused on the learning not on the tests.

Today is the first day of school for a multitude of students. These children are our tomorrow. Parents, help them to understand the importance of learning and how much fun it can be. Teachers please take the time to teach and instill the joy of learning in these children. It can make all the difference in the rest of your school year(s) and theirs.

A nourished mind stays inquisitive and eager to learn.

July Flowers

My first Lantana bloom this year, looks very delicate!















Finally, the Althea has started to bloom. My deep rose colored one hasn't opened yet.












I have been told this is Pipsissewa, however it doesn't look like any of the pictures in my research. Can anyone identify?







Thank you! Teresa Schrum, master gardener confirmed this is Pipsissewa via email with the following link.
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/chma.html