Lovely Fridays

It is Friday and I am so happy. My back yard is green and the trees are filled with lacy new leaves. It really does
look like a place to spend long hours in just being outside. I am so thankful for spring. I went outside to the mailbox and the smell of orange blossoms is so sweet. I just want to stand and breathe. My sister in law's old, old Wisteria is covered in purple blossoms. What I love about her wisteria is that it is maybe 100 years old or older. It grew on an old arbor that was with the original old farm house. The people who homesteaded this place had all kinds of vines growing every where and trees and shrubs that would bloom all year long. After the wisteria stops blooming the old trees start changing from purple to white as the old locust trees start blooming. The old house was originally surrounded by old elm trees but they got dutch elm disease in the 70s and 80s and there are so few left.
The old farm house didn't have a cooler or anything so they put in trees to keep things cool. There was a lovely screened porch on the back of the house.
A man was talking to my brother the other day and he told him that when he was a young man, this place was a dairy. There was an old milk house when we moved here and he told my brother that was where they filled the milk cans. I know why when we moved here there were so many milk cans around.

There was  milk house and  next to it was the pump house. On the outside of that growing all over it was trumpet vine and I would sit out on the back porch and watch the hummingbirds in the summer. Out in front on the house next door are two very old palm trees. When we moved here owls lived in them. One day I was riding my bike down the street, and the owls had a nest in one of them. That mother owl flew down and knocked me off my bike. My feet were all tangled up in the bike and every time I raised my head she would fly down and try to hit me. I was so scared. My grandpa had a old truck sitting there and I watched her as she flew up to make another pass and I jumped up and crawled away to the truck. It was starting to get dark and my knees and elbows were skinned, no one was home at my grandparents, so I jumped out of the truck and headed for home.

I know now I must have scared my Dad to death, dirty and bleeding but he grabbed a shot gun and took off down there. The owl came out of the palm tree and my Dad made me stand my ground, while he shot her.
I was sick she was only protecting her babies, and I guess Dad was only protecting me. After that though,
no more owls ever lived in the palm trees.

It always makes me sad about that. One summer before the above incident,  we were all sitting out under the trees playing with some new kittens when a owl flew down out of the tree and picked up one of the kittens and took off to the top of the tree. We were all sitting there opened mouth. The kitten was heavier than the owl realized. We grabbed gravel that was there and started chunking the owl and the kitten was fighting and the owl dropped the kitten.The owl that knocked me off my bike was a barn owl and the one that grabbed the kitten was a great horned owl.
That kitten never was right after that. It always ducked every time anything flew over or ran for it's life.
In the spring when I walk around and look at the things growing. I see all of these things in my mind.
I have been so blessed.
Thank you so much for reading my stories of springs and summers past. I do hope you have a lovely
weekend,
~Kim~

Spring Break Starts Today!!!

I just finished school, and I am out for one whole week. I am really happy to finish up today and know that for a week, I can do what ever I want...Not really. I bought this pattern from Minick and Simpson. I think the first time I read about Polly Minick, I dreamed of making rugs like her. I finally bought a rug pattern, and I have stared at the pattern and I think it will be awhile before I hook it. I just wanted you to see how huge the pattern is and the one I just finished was a big rug for me.

It doesn't look that big so I took a picture of the rug I just finished lying next to it.

So like I said, I might be staring at it a while. They sent me a free pattern when I ordered this one.
It is a nice pattern too. Though not as big.

I have this thing right now for pin cushions. I hope this week, I might have time to make a couple. I have the crushed walnut shells and the emery sand for the strawberry.

I was looking at my poor old pin cushion the other day. My Mom bought it for me when I took sewing in grade school. You know when I made a laundry bag? I found it in some things that had been my Moms. I had forgot about it. As I looked at it I realized I learned everything I know about sewing on the laundry bag. I looked at all of the seams and they were still pressed open. When I was 12 my sewing teacher drove me nuts.
But she really was good in that everything she taught me, I still do. She also taught us cooking. I was much better at cooking than I was sewing. I wished I had kept the apron my Mom made me for that class.
It was so pretty. It is funny how looking at something as simple as a pin cushion can make you remember back to when you first got it and how important I felt when I put my first pins into it. All of my kids have
made pictures using the pins. It is showing signs of wear, sort of like the owner, but I will keep it longer and
when I make a new one, I will get new pins.

Have a wonderful day,
~Kim~

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

It is time again to have a chat with Patrice on her porch. She made me laugh today, because she said it was her fault the weather changed, she put her winter clothes away and brought out spring. I am so glad it wasn't me that did it this year. I did think about it last week. I am glad I waited. I know I did it last year and we had winter until June. :)
Questions for this week:


1.    What was your favorite book as a child?
Oh gee, since my best friends lived in books, Little Britches by Ralph Moody. My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara. Airs above the Ground by Mary Stewart. Black Stallion by Walter Farly. Gray Dawn by Albert Payson Terhune.  Dog and horse books were my favorites. Sorry Patrice, I had more than one favorite.

2.    Dark chocolate, Milk Chocolate, or White Chocolate?
Milk Chocolate every time.

3.    What's your biggest "pet peeve" when it comes to your kitchen?

I don't really have any I guess, I love my kitchen and there is always room for one more. It is a very useable kitchen. I always had kitchens that were afterthoughts by the builders and I had to make them work. This kitchen is so nice because we built it and I like how it is all set up and 3 or 4 people can cook in it and people sit at the bar and talk so it is a very friendly kitchen.

4.    Do you use any type of water filter in your home? (Whole house, faucet mount, or pitcher)

We have a water purifier under the kitchen sink and the water comes out of the fridge.  My husband hooked it up. We drink lots and lots of water. So this is very nice. We go through about 5 gallons a day, We used to have bottled water and the delivery guy told me that we drank too much water. We solved that we got our own purifier.  They lost lots of money when we quit.

5.    What's the herb you use the most in cooking?

Garlic, I use so much of that. It is my herb of choice.

Thanks again to Patrice for this weeks questions. It is always nice to stop by for a chat.

March Is Going Out Like a Lion

March came in like a gentle quiet lamb. We are having nice storms with wind as it leaves. This March has been like all of the others before it. Too busy, filled with hard things and good things. We have lots of birthdays in March. This year we had another new baby for March. I hope April is a bit slower.

I said at the beginning of March I didn't know if I would get many things sewed for March but due to the rain the last couple of weekends I did get some things done to show you.

I finally finished my sheep rug. I learned lots of new things while doing this rug. I learned how to dye wool. I learned how to do letters. The rug was so long and narrow, I learned  that do not try to save on the backing, it is hard to try and hook edges when you can't get it to fit the frame. I have lots of scrapes on my fingers and arms to prove it.

I learned a lot sewing this too. I can't do counted cross stitch when there are people in the room I am trying to talk to, because I can't count to save my life. I don't think there are any I have done thus far that I spent more time ripping out.
I did start April and I hope to get it finished before May. I also can't sew worth a darn when my life is in turmoil. Something happens to my brain. The only time I can sew is when there is calm in my house. I guess sewing for me is like a barometer. Peace and calm = finished projects.
I have so many things I would like to make. I plan on starting a new rug, and like I said, I started April. I am though not really producing things like I wish I was, but life seems to take over and fill my days.
Not to mention, spring comes in and I want to be outside.

Thanks for stopping by today,
~Kim~

Monday Chatter.

I like to focus most of the time if at all possible on the positives in life. I try to keep my mind far away of the negatives. But this morning I just couldn't help seeing junk. I keep trying to get those rose colored glasses out of my pocket but they are stuck in there with my gloves.
We had a lovely storm yesterday. Before the storm though, the wind blew. This morning I had to dig out the trash cans from all of the tumbleweeds just to shut the lids. I hate tumbleweeds and tried as hard as I could to find something nice to say, the only thing I could come up with was there are lots of different varieties. My other pet peeve is all of the people who drive by me at 60 miles an hour on a my  street. We used to have this guy down the street that would stand out in his underwear and throw rocks at cars for going so fast.
I miss Troy.

I went out to check on my chickens and I walked around looking at all of the weeds that got watered. They look nice. Then I came up to the house to rinse off my muddy shoes. I need new shoes I think, as I washed the mud off the shoes leaked and my socks got wet inside my shoes, I hate wet socks.
Then my fault entirely, I dropped the hose to turn it off, and it landed with the sprayer handle down on the ground, so that water sprayed all over my head and coat. With very cold water. I just shook my head and came in the house. I am awake now.

 I do know not what is up with my head, but I have been forgetting lots of simple things. I have two coats that I wear when I am outside working. One is very long and it is nice when it is very cold but because it has been warmer I have been wearing the other one. I put on my long coat and I found eggs in the pocket. How and when did I last wear my coat and how old were those eggs? I guess it is good I found them now and not next year, right?

Have I mentioned that these guys are hatching? They love the inside of my house. They love to come out at night and chase toes. Silly bugs.
I know they have some kind of purpose I have just never figured it out. The good thing is the cats and dog are so happy when they show up as they provide hours of entertainment because they like to fight. I always try to take them outside when they are in the kitchen. They always try to fight me.

Okay,  this is the end of my grumpy post, time to get on with the day. Did I mention, car trouble. I don't like that either. It is funny all of the things you want to go do when you remember you don't have a car.

But next week is my spring break, so that keeps me going.
I hope your Monday is a great day.
At least my washer and dryer are working really well today.
Life always looks brighter when I think of that.
~Kim~

Gardening

 

This is a picture of last year, see all of the weeds and grass? It was such a mess and such a terrible thing to see every day. I am not going to let it happen this year.

I drew out my garden plan. I was showing my daughter how I wanted it to be yesterday and where I was going to plant this and that, and she remarked, very dryly, " For someone who wasn't going to have a garden this year, this is bigger than you have ever had."
It really never starts out to be big. It just sort of morphs. Here is my rough, and I  mean rough plan.

I have been shopping on seed sites and haunting seed racks every where I go, I am starting to think I have a serious problem. I have bought enough seeds I could easily plant this whole 2 1/2 acres. Here is a picture of my seed box.

That doesn't count the ones that are already growing in pots, or the ones that my husband is picking up today as he had to go pick up some other things at Home Depot.

One of my favorite seed companies is called Renae's Garden Seeds.
I love the way her seed packets look not to mention she sells things I never see anywhere else.
Like these:

They had some colors of sunflowers I have never saw before. I will have to fight the birds I think so I can save these. The finches think I plant these all for them.

I was looking at my gardening books by Sharon Lovejoy. I decided It might be safer this year If I didn't decide to put in some of these but I still am thinking about it.
I would love to put in a Teepee type garden for the kids to go in and have a secret place. We will see though.
We are having a few storms lately and it is easier to go crazy when it isn't so dry and so hot. I will be out in the garden the rest of the day. Life just seems so good when I am in the garden. I finally have volunteer sunflowers coming up, they are about a foot tall, I really did want to fall down on my knees and kiss their little green leaves, I was so happy. I have missed sunflowers so much.

I hope your Saturday is lovely, mine of course will be in my field of dreams doing what I do best...
dreaming.
~Kim~

Adventures in the Night

I know I have mentioned that I have a mouse problem in my chicken house. The dog knows when I scream that there is a mouse. I have tried but I just can't help but scream no matter what. So now every time I scream, even the hens come running, and they have become really good mousers. I won't tell you the grisly parts because it is and I have looked differently at my hens. All of this is leading up to my story.

When we moved here one of the things I learned was if you don't put your cats up at night, foxes like to eat them. Foxes have been barking at night so I am very careful and always make sure my cats are in the house at dark.
I have a very fat cat named Linx. She was one of the feral kitty's we got right after we moved here. She has a very different kind of personality. She is the cat who comes and eats every time my dryer buzzer goes off. She is also so fat she doesn't climb fences and when she is feeling frisky in the back yard she can barely climb a tree. She loves my chicken house right now and sits outs there watching what I think are mice. I don't think she catches them, I think she just watches.

Last night I had to take the dog out. It was one of those nights that it was pretty warm, but there was no moon so it was really dark. I was trying to not wake up so I could just get back in bed and go back to sleep.
It is spring. Skunks like spring. Skunks like my back yard. I hate skunks. Last night Sasha was in browse the porch, look at things in the flowerbed, sniff the air, you know things dogs do. I was leaning on the porch rail,
 and I said, " Sasha Go to the bathroom now!" Which is a mistake, I can go right to sleep if I don't talk.
Sasha bounds across the yard, toward a black shape in the yard. I am yelling, " No, no, Sasha come back!!!"  Sasha runs up to what I think is a skunk. Now if you have ever seen a skunk in action, they don't wait for trouble to get to it, skunks rush out to meet it. I was close enough that if that thing sprayed I would get it too.

I ran back in the house, now fully awake... To grab, my flashlight. I always think of things to late. My husband by now is out of bed and at the door. He starts laughing as Linx comes in all purry and happy.  I had no idea I had left her outside. She walks across the bedroom to the door with kind of a sashay.  I of course have just had a adrenaline rush.  I still have to go take the dog back outside. I use the flashlight this time. No skunks.
I know that someday I will be posting about my run in with a skunk. I just hope it doesn't nail me.

I didn't go back to sleep. For hours. My husband and the dog did.

You know sometimes, I think about living in a neighborhood, with neighbors sharing a fence. No tumble weeds to haul or clean up after, no skunks coming in the back yard, no foxes that eat cats. No foxes living on my front porch. Road runners not walking through the yard. My car staying clean. But then I think of all the dreams I still have and I am glad that even though this isn't perfect, it is pretty nice.
Have a lovely Thursday! I am so glad it is almost the weekend. We have another storm coming. I am so excited.
~Kim~

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

It is time to go and visit with Patrice on her porch. This is how the porch looks in the early morning. I am able to sit out here when it is cold because it is protected. If you were able to come and visit we would sit here and have tea.
Okay on with the questions:

 1.   What's your favorite clock- digital or an old fashioned face with hands?

I think It must be the old fashioned kind with hands. That is what I have most in my house. Though I have digital on the appliances, but I always look at the kind with hands to see what time it is, when I look, I mean, most the time I never look. I try to go by the way the sun is in the sky.

2.    What's your favorite type of bird?

Chickens of course. :) Or did you mean a bird that is wild? I have a Meadowlark, that walks around my front yard. He flies but mostly walks. I really enjoy him and watch him all of the time being thoughtful.

3.    How do you feel about being in front of people? This could include meetings, speeches, performing, or just saying something at a party.

 Well, I am shy, and I prefer not getting any attention at all, I am most comfortable in the background. (Why on earth I have a blog I have no idea, as it goes against my nature.) But I am a person who does what needs to be done, if I have to I will get up in front of people, I will perform, I will do what it takes to get the job done.

4.    What's the last item of clothing that you purchased?

I took my daughter shopping for her birthday and I bought her all of these really cute dresses and skirts and she looks adorable. I only buy stuff for me when it wears out. :)

5.    Please give me a caption or a Wendell quote for this picture.
" Do these guys not have a home?"

Thank you to Patrice for this weeks questions. I don't know how she comes up with questions week to week, I am glad she does though, thank you Patrice.

Amelia Earhart.

Today in the news was a story about Amelia Earhart. I started thinking about that, so of course, I had to tell you a story.
When I was in fifth grade, I had dreams of being a writer. Heck, my whole life I have dreamed of being a writer. We were going to have to do a report on someone famous. You got extra points if you knew that person. I went home and asked my Mom if she knew anyone famous. She didn't. Then I asked if we had anyone famous in our family that she knew of, she thought for a moment and then said, " Nope, sorry, no one famous that she could think of."
Then as she thought a minute she said, " Your Aunt Kay was related to Amelia Earhart." In Fifth grade I had no idea who that was, and my Mom who wouldn't spell words for you if you couldn't spell it made you look it up in the dictionary. She also told me I had to go look in the Encyclopedia to find out just who Amelia Earhart was and why she was famous.

I came back into the kitchen so excited because of it and it really did make me wonder about where she went and was she still alive. She told me to call my aunt. I got out my note book and my pencil and called my aunt on the phone. She told me that she didn't know much about her but her grandmother was her cousin and I needed to ask her.
I got off the phone and told my Mom and my Mom always eager for me to get out of my shy ways took matters in her own hands and called my Aunt's Mom. She set up a meeting for me to go out there and speak to my Aunt's Grandmother. For the life of me I can't remember her name, because the few times I had met her she was just Grandmother.

The Dixon's lived what I thought was a long way from us. In a very different part of town. Not really town, a small farming community. My Aunt's Grandmother lived in a tiny stone house. I always thought it looked like fairy's or gnomes might live there. We went inside and she was in bed. She was older than even my great grandmother. She was a tiny little lady, not much bigger than me.
I pulled up a chair and sat down beside her and like a  reporter I had seen on T.V. I got ready to ask her questions. I asked her how was she related to Amelia Earhart, and she told me that they were cousins and that she always made her mad. Her little dark eyes just flashed when she said that. It was the first time I realized that older people, were the same as me in the inside.
She said, " Yes, she was always watching those airplanes and she never did her work. We always had to do it for her. She just hung around those people that flew those airplanes. I always knew she would come to no good." She talked about what they did as children and how they lived and how mad her grandmother would be at Amelia. Then she talked about moving to California and then that was it, she was tired and started drifting to sleep.

I got up and took my notes and went home and gathered what information I could and wrote my report. The teacher called me up to his desk after he read my report and questioned me about it. I don't know if he believed me but he sure asked me lots of questions. So today as I was reading that newspaper article I was thinking about that one and only interview I ever did. I am glad I sat there in that stone house and collected memories. Sometimes we forget that famous people have families and even though history likes to change things the people were really just people after all.

It was on my mind today. I just thought I would share that tiny bit of history. History that passes on into time.

~Kim~

Welcome Spring!

Dear Spring,

Welcome! I just wanted to officially welcome you. I have in the past been excited about your arrival. I admit to just grumbling a bit when you wanted to show up in January. I will admit to telling you to go away and let winter have her moment.
You have continued to wiggle your way in just about every day. I am glad that winter put up a fight this weekend and sent some snow and rain.

I know that when you visit early, we don't have fruit later in the year as you try to let March dictate to you about the wind. This year has been okay though in the wind department. Just enough to let the leaves break out.
So, now that you start officially, on Tuesday, I will greet you, and be happy you are here. At least you won't be sneaking around trying to get me to plant a garden early, or get out my summer clothes or lull me into
thinking you have finally put winter away for good.

I will say one thing about your early arrival. My hens gave me 16 eggs today. That is a good thing about you showing up when you did. My hens are happy to be at work doing their job. Now dear spring, I do ask one favor of you, could you stay around a lot longer than you did last year? Last year you took off barely after you arrived. You have been in such a hurry to get here, could you stay awhile and let us get acquainted?
I am not really ready to meet your cousin summer, in April.

All this aside, I am happy you are here now, I mean, officially

Happy First Day of Spring!!!

.~Kim~

The Simple Woman's Daybook

I am linking today with the Simple Woman's Daybook. I really don't have very much going on between the ears today, so this helps me get my thoughts down.

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...The storm has continued today to rain and hail and then the sun will shine in all of its brilliance, lighting the hills, that are now covered in snow.

I am thinking...That the house smells like home, I have vegatable soup on the stove. A fire in the wood stove.
It makes it so nice to come in out of the cold.


I am thankful...For storms, because then after they pass, I see the world around me in a new way.

In the kitchen...It has been a busy place today. We made another batch of soap, we made brunch, and as everyone came in and out today. They stopped for tea or coffee.

I am wearing...Sweatshirt and sweatpants and my tennis shoes.

I am creating...I have worked on my rug most of the day. I would like to finish it so I can move on to something else.

I am going...to enjoy next week. It is my husband's short week and we have lots of plans for Friday.

I am wondering...Why I get bloggers block sometimes.

I am reading...Oh gee, I found this series at the library the other day. They are a series of books about a woman in her sixty's who becomes a spy. The first one is called The Unexpected Mrs. Polfax. Such sweet books and I am enjoying them so much. Very light reading.

I am hoping...To get some sewing finished. Life just seems to take over sometimes. You know how that is right?

I am looking forward to...Spring, now that we finally had a storm. With snow. not to mention lots and lots of rain.

I am learning That it is better to keep my mouth shut and just listen.

Around the house...It has been very quiet today. For the first time in years and years, it was just my husband and myself in the house. Very quiet today.

I am pondering...I think I will like it, the quiet house I mean, my hubby reads to me while I sew. I like that very much.

A favorite quote for today...Gratitude springs from acceptance of the gifts and the conditions and the circumstances God gives.

One of my favorite things...Is looking at patterns for new sewing projects. I enjoy looking at what other people make too.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Oh, the usual. Running from sun up to sun down.

A peek into my day...To much to list. :)

This is my husband's latest project. I will be doing a post about it soon.
I just couldn't wait to show you. I think it turned out so pretty.

It is always nice to take part in a Simple Woman's Daybook.
I hope your week is a lovely one.
~Kim~

A Lovely Rainy Day

It is a lovely, rainy, stormy morning. I am so happy, that today I have to stay in the house and no chicken house will get cleaned, no weeds chopped. Maybe a fire in the stove. (If it gets colder like it is supposed to later)
When I look outside this is what I hear in my head.

Rain

The rain is raining all around,
It falls on field and tree,
It rains on the umbrellas here,
And on the ships at sea.

Robert Louis Stevenson

 

One thing about reading poetry over and over it does stick in there sometime. 

 

The Corned Beef will be going into the crock-pot, the day will be nice things I haven't done in awhile, maybe some reading and lots of sewing. Maybe some new designs drawn out on backing. Lots of things and I plan on enjoying what I have the feeling is our last storm. 

 

Have a lovely Saturday,

~Kim~

Being Thankful on Thursday

My husband had to be out the door, by 4:30 this morning. When the alarm went off, I was thinking, I can choose to be really grumpy or I can choose to be thankful about this day. As I listened to the shower running, I came up with a few things I was thankful for at 4:00 A.M.
 1. I have a husband, my friend lost hers and I wake up lots in the night and hear him breathing and I am so thankful I am not alone.

2. I was glad the alarm went off when it did because I was having a dream I was in a very, very dirty kitchen and there were mountains of dirty pots and pans and I was supposed to wash them all by hand.

3. I was thankful this morning when I went outside to take the dog, I could smell the touch of rain in the air, the clouds were lightly over the moon, but it was shining none the less. I could see the stars in the sky and I could smell the blossoms. I know today will be warm because I can feel it already.

4. I am thankful this morning that I have a coffee pot with lots of coffee in it. Not to mention a washing machine and since I started so early this morning I might be finished with laundry before the kids get up for school. :)

5. This morning I am thankful for flowers, that no matter how grumpy I might want to be today, they always make me happy that I am alive.

6. But today I am thankful that I have friends who stop by, who read what I write and who share stories of their lives. I am thankful for the people who have blessed me and who have made me think. My life is so much richer for it.

I am thankful for you today, because if I am lonely or sad, or even grumpy, your lives make me forget about my troubles and you always give me hope.

Have a lovely Thursday!
~Kim~

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

It's time again to visit with Patrice. I always look forward to showing up and taking over her porch and visiting and learning more about everyone.

Here are the questions for this week:

1.    What's your favorite type of chair?
It has to be a rocker. I like comfy chairs, that you can sit in and read a book and put your feet up. That kind of chair.


 2.   What was the last play you saw?
We went to see Beauty and the Beast last year here in town. I really do love plays. We used to be in a home schooling group that would go about 3-or 4 times a year to watch our local musical troupe put on plays my favorite was Meet Me In St. Louis.  The kids and I have seen lots of really nice plays that way.

 3.   If you could spend an all expenses paid week in a cabin in the mountains, a cottage at the beach, or a townhouse in a city with lots of great attractions, which would you choose?

You know I like cabins, but if it were an all expense paid kind of trip I would want to go since it is March, I would want to go to Arizona this month and see the Grand Canyon, take the train from Williams to the rim( of the Grand Canyon)  Then go to the painted desert, and Canyon de Chelly, and just explore Arizona. It is so beautiful there in the spring. I also would like to take the burros and go down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, but my husband always vetos that idea. No place in the world do I feel better than in Arizona.

 4.   What's your favorite condiment?
Hienz Catsup, and Best Food Mayonaise. Really, It has to be those two brands.

5.    What's your favorite breed of dog?

Hands down, without a doubt, a Border Collie. All of my life I have had some kind of working dog, I have had Queensland Heelers, Shelties, Astrualian Shepherds, but bar none the Border Collie is my favorite. The only draw back to them is they need lots of attention and lots of activity. They need to herd things. Sasha herds our cats, my chickens and our grand children. They need room to run so they wouldn't make good apartment dogs left alone for long periods of time. We haven't gone very many places since we got her just because of leaving her, I don't know if the anxiety is on my part or hers, but I would rather stay home than leave her alone. 

Thanks to Patrice for this weeks questions. It is always nice to sit and think about this weeks questions. 

I am looking forward to getting around and visiting some other porches. It looks like spring might be around a few more days.

Thanks for stopping by today.

~Kim~

Odds and Ends

I just had to show you a picture of my new flowers. I have never seen this color before and I just bought a few. They have to stay in their pots until I get around to cleaning the flowerbed where I want them. This is a picture of motivation.

Our orange trees are getting ready to bloom. I love orange blossoms and the smell of them blooming is so incredible. The place where my husband used to work was out close to the the orange orchards.This time of year he would come home talking about how wonderful it smelled when they bloomed. Imagine thousands and thousands of orange trees, miles and miles, all the way to the foot of the mountains.

I just had to give you a fun fact of history today. I have thought about it all day. I know I have run across this in the years that I have taught school, but I must have forgot it. We have been making our way through American History this year. Last week it was the War of 1812-1815 My kids think I am odd that I that I keep saying that, but for years I thought the war of 1812 was just a short war of one year. My son's new hero is Andrew Jackson.
The interesting fact I found today, was did you know that on the anniversary of the 50th year of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, That Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died the same day?  Let me quote what my history book says, "Finally, when the Fourth of July came, Thomas Jefferson lay in his bed at Monticello, He asked, " Is it the Fourth?" and soon breathed no more.
In another bed, on that same day, this one in Quincy, Massachusetts, John Adams whispered, "Thomas Jefferson survives," and then he was dead."

Going through history this way this year, year by year and sometimes step by step, it has made me thankful that I am an American, and all of those people who came to this good land did for one thing, that was to be as Thomas Jefferson said, " the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their back, nor a favored few booted and spurred , ready to ride them...These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of those rights, and and undiminished devotion to them." ( History of Us, The New Nation *1789-1850* Joy Hakim)

Another book that I love, though I don't think any of my kids have ever got this story, I keep hoping one of them will get this message. It is a book called Two Logs Crossings by Walter D. Edmonds. I love all of his books and I have collected all of them for years. He is the writer who wrote the Matchlock Gun I think being the most famous.
In the introduction he had a quote that I loved and I just had to share it.
" There is no trick and easy way to independence, either for a man or a country. To be able to do for oneself in one's own way was the dream which first  brought some men to this land. There are a few people who confuse it with becoming rich, but money is not the American Dream and never has been. Money can be made of anything you choose, but a man's life is made of the courage, independence, decency and self-respect he learns to use...A man who learns to be independent does not mean looking out solely for one's own interest. A man can only be free if his neighbors are also." 

These were some things that I learned today, I just thought I would pass them on. I am sure I will find out some more interesting things.
I hope you have a lovely Tuesday.
As  I always tell my husband, " You can go to sleep now, your history lesson is over for the day. "

~Kim~