Actually, Summer is here as of today!

 I still had lots of catch up to do today.  I've decided to stop feeding the hummers and the birds as my neighbors feed them and I am cutting my workload.  Plus, I get squirrels, raccoons, and chipmunks which is fine but then they chew my railings and get on my roof!   I took down the feeders and dumped the rest of the bird seed.  

While my daughter was here she weeded my flower beds and spread mulch.   It looks so nice.  She did a beautiful job........She also got some flowers and  planted them in the horse trough......

Everything is doing great with all the rain we've had but now it is hot and I will need to water soon.  I just ordered some fertilizer so I will wait and water that in when it comes.

 

The daises are just starting to bloom and will continue until Fall.... 
  

Something was digging under my steps and sidewalk so I stuffed it with stones and bricks....I hope that keeps whatever it is out!

I replaced a burnt out light bulb (ladder involved but I did it), made a grocery list and ordered groceries.  Since the bridge is out on Peace Valley Road that I take to get to Walmart and the detour takes much longer, I am having my groceries delivered.  I get free delivery but the driver gets a good sized tip which he/she deserves.  At this time it is worth it to me.  What ever makes my life easier, at this stage of the game, is my motto.

As you can see from my porch railing, I have lots of outdoor painting to do but I'll have to get up early to beat the heat.  But today was a good day and it's not over!  I hope you're having a nice weekend.

Happy Trails!!!
 
 

Summer is here!!!

It  may not be official yet but the rain  has ended and the sun is out and it will be in the 90's this week here in Arkansas!

I had company last week and it did not bode well with me.  I am not physically or mentally capable of entertaining.....especially not days on end nor with guests that treat me like the hired help.  But I seem to have recovered, although the doc saw me this morning and said the stress is definitely not good for me and I agree! He wants me to call him Monday and let him know how I'm feeling.  I am so blessed to have him as my doctor.  So, now that the entertaining is over with...........I'm going to be following this advice......

Years ago I read a book that talked about balance in your life and she talked about creating 9 boxes....that form a square with 3 on top, 3 in the middle, and 3 on the bottom.  Then you were to fill in the boxes with the most important areas of your life.  Things that if accomplished would keep your life balanced and harmonious.  I did it for years as I had many balls in the air.  Life is much calmer now, in retirement but I'm thinking I will go back to those boxes.  I tend to work on the same areas of  my life but never get to other ones.  It worked before and I'm hoping it will work again so that I can have balance in my elder years.  Right now my 9 boxes consist of the following areas: cleaning, finances, selfcare, creating, gardening, maintenance, decorating, learning, and clearing out.  I will try and touch on each area within each week.  

I'm on my 3rd Lorna Landvik book!  That girl can write!  Really enjoying them. Finishing up watching Doc Martin series and then it will be back to Father Brown.  Have a great weekend!

Happy Trails!!!
 

 

 
 

 

Happy June!!!

 Things are going  pretty well.   The cleaning gal last week was awesome!  She loaded all the boxes I had packed for the Thrift store into my car and I took them Tuesday.  They unload it there for me so I was able to get rid of a lot!  The only problem is the bridge is out in Ash Flat and won't be rebuilt until October so it takes twice as long to get there and back by taking a detour.

We have had so much rain that my hydrangeas are loving it!  One is as big as a dinner plate!  I don't do anything to the soil but I get the different colors anyway....they're gorgeous!

  

I'm getting ready to have company this Tuesday.  My daughter, Grayson, and Amy's SIL.  Sam can't come as he has to take an EMT exam.  He's a junior in HS but he's been taking EMT classes at the local community college.  He passed the practical exam but now has the written.  He wants to get a job for the summer too.  So, I'm busy but slow as a slug.  The cleaning gal comes tomorrow which will be great.

I feed the birds but all I get are crows, squirrels, raccoons, bluejays, and red headed wood peckers.  The squirrels take over the feeder so there's no room for the birds.  I sprinkle some on the ground trying to cover all the bases.  The deer come at night and clean up the rest...lol!  The hummers are eating/drinking like crazy.  

Well, I'm off to continue cleaning and prepping for company.  Oh, I'm loving my new Shark vacuum too!

Happy Trails!!!
   

I was sick again with a new disease!!!

 This time I had IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)...not fun and very painful but it's over hopefully.  I've never had it before and they say certain foods can trigger it.  I had some brownies which I haven't had in years so I am guessing that might have caused it.  I was napping constantly and could barely get daily chores done.  The back slows me down enough but I will keep rising up to face another day....hopefully.

We have had rain, rain, and more rain and now my porch roof is leaking.  No Memorial day activities around here.  We have storm after storm with strong winds and lightening and thunder.  I enjoy it as long the power stays on. 

I did finish my son's memorial cross  stitch.  The gal had long blonde hair...I changed it as best I could to my gray bun.  I also do not go barefoot or wear dresses but I let that part go as I am no cross stitch designer!  I still need to get it framed.  I thought it was 5 years this July but it will be 6!  I can't seem to keep up with anything.

 

I'm still working on the crochet blanket in the evenings and a few other XS projects and knitting on the 2nd Christmas sock of the pair.  

I hope you are able to enjoy the long weekend.  Here's a little word to the wise..............

Happy Trails!!!

Am I stable now???

 Finally, it seems like I am healing and getting stronger.  I think my back will always hurt after I'm on my feet for not too long but I just sit down and do handwork and rest it.  Once I sit down it stops hurting.  I had my wellness exam and all is excellent...they did blood work, chest X-ray, and EKG.  Considering all that's wrong with me I am really healthy.  He said everyone wishes they had my cholesterol! LOL!  But he said the x-ray showed I have emphysema.  He said he was surprised because I show no symptoms.  I was surprised too as I have no trouble breathing nor do I get out of breath easily.  He said he'll keep an eye on it and to tell him if anything changes but so far so good!

I have been cleaning and organizing but it takes me so long.  I hired a cleaning person to do the cleaning of toilets and tub as I can't get down there anymore not without "pain and suffering"...lol! I'm sure I'll find more for her to do besides that.

I have accomplished some things....I'm back to making my own bread again............

   

 

I finally finished the first of my 2024 Christmas sock and I am now working on sock #2 of the pair.  I'm still getting used to taking photos with my phone....

This week I was able to vacuum and wash the kitchen and laundry room floors with lots of breaks!  I made potato soup, and a Jello cheesecake.  There were lots of other chores like the regular dishes, laundry, errands, etc.  I'm hoping I can get more regular....at least weekly for blogging and daily for reading others blogs.  I'm still reading Leslie Meier's Lucy Stone mysteries.  I think I've read about 16.  I'm way ahead on my Good Reads Challenge of 52 books.  As for T.V. I finished Foyle's War series, and Agatha Raisin, and now I go between Father Brown and Death in Paradise...I love the English programs.

That's all for this week!

happy May!!!
        

and Happy Trails too!!!

Happy Easter!!!

I hope you are all well and rejoicing this Easter Sunday. 

Happy Trails!!!
 

The never ending saga!!!

 Well, just when I thought things were getting back to normal we had 5 days of storms, flood warnings, flash flood warnings and severe thunderstorms and tornado watches.  I don't mind as I don't worry about flooding where I am and we never lost power and I didn't have to go to the basement.  But when I woke up Saturday morning there was no heat and I checked the basement and the sump pump had stopped working and the basement was flooded along with my HVAC!  Ouch!  Of course, no one is open until Monday and tonight it's supposed to get down to freezing and there are frost advisories.  It's been in the 50's but now it's in the 40's and getting colder.  I've been having fires in the fireplace and it keeps the dampness and the chill off but not if we go down to freezing.  Woe is me!  I called the plumber and was able to leave a message so hopefully they will get it first thing Monday morning.  I tried to pick up things in the basement but everything was floating around and I realized that until the water left it was a futile attempt.  There is a drain but it rained all day yesterday and buckets of it!  If they come and fix or replace the sump pump, I still have to get the furnace people in to fix that but by that time it will be in the 70's!  Yep, just cold when I have no heat but once I do it will be 70's next week.

Meanwhile, I did take a photo of my crochet blanket I've been working on in the evenings.....

This is Cherry Heart's solid color Join As You Go blanket.  It is 28 squares across by 24 rows down.  I am on the 5th of the 24 rows.  It is very enjoyable but I only do about 2 squares a night so this is a long term project.  I'm using DK weight yarn and mostly Stylecraft Special DK but you could use whatever yarn you wanted.

Still having power I am able to get things done but keeping a wood fire going takes a lot of my time.

I'm hoping to sew this afternoon...that was my plan yesterday until I realized my predicament! LOL!

I hope you are all safe and well!

Happy Trails!!!