IT MUST BE SPRING!

This early morning pea soup fog started the day out on a dreary note.

Later in the day, the fog lifted and the sun came out casting rays of encouragement on this winter worn old gal. I finally pulled out the garden tools and began the long and hard job of cleaning the yard of last years flower stalks and the tree branches that blew down throughout the winter. Ohhhhh! My aching back! I need a better saw!

This brush pile looks small here compared to how big it actually is. It will take many wheelbarrow loads to get it all hauled away.

After I got this area cleaned out I was so happy with how nice it looked. Several years ago all my family came and cleared out this area which was overgrown thick with blackberry vines and brush of all kinds. They dug a walk way and graveled it, and made it look like a park. I have a little table and some benches there in a graveled area they made. It's shaded with wild cherry trees and there is a woods behind it with lots of little furry friends. I have planted daffodils and tulips, primroses and violets, and many other flowers and shrubs all around, trying to make it look as natural as I can. I love it!

Isn't this a sweet little crocus? I call her the Glory of Spring. Oh, the Lord must have had such a good time designing all His beautiful flowers.

Click on the pictures for a better view.

Here's another crocus. I guess I'd call it my Little Spring Sweetheart. Just look how the yellow center has a halo of white and trimmed in lavender. Isn't it just gorgeous?

I don't remember exactly what the name of this one is but it's a miniature iris of some sort. It's only about six inches tall but isn't it exotic looking?

Oh yes, my favorite flower of all, the English Violet. I have several patches all over my yard. When I walked to this patch I could smell their wonderful fragrance long before I got to them. This is the month they bloom best although mine have put out a few flowers all winter. Now the blossoms are larger, and so fragrant it can actually make my head swim. (well maybe that is hyperventilation from sniffing too much LOL)I brought a tiny bouquet in the house and my pups were curious so I held them down so they could smell them. Tudie just walked away but my little Tildy tried to eat them. Yes they smell that good! LOL

After a hard days work I had to sit a while and catch my breath. I had put the tiny bouquet of violets in a little vase my dad gave me years ago. When I was rested my thoughts turned to tea of course, and I remembered the fig cookies in the cupboard. It seemed like the right time to use my special tea pot and china cup and saucer with violets on them, so I did.

Now I did not look like one of those fancy ladies we see in pictures. My hair was falling out of the bun and my shirt was spotted with dirt and bits of brush, my fingernails had not gotten totally clean and needed a manicure, my feet were bare and a little cold, but I sat on my couch with my Yorkies, and as I sipped my tea and nibbled the cookies, I pretended I was a real lady and not a hard working old great grandma that grunts from the effort every time she bends over.

I LOVE SPRING!

|

ANOTHER LITTLE BOY AND HIS FURRY FRIEND

Animal lovers obviously run in my family! Here is my grandson Luke at five years old, feeding Buttercup with a baby bottle. They both look pretty happy with the arrangement too.

Luke's mommy is my second daughter, Kathy, who has had her share of pets too. She has been very lenient by allowing her children to have their choice of pets, even allowing her youngest son to have boa's, one of which got loose in the house and was never found. Can you imagine that?!

Kathy is one of the bravest women I have ever known. She doesn't seem to be afraid of anything. If a snake got loose in my house I'd move out until it was found. My kids knew better than to ask if they could have a pet snake because they know that I am terrified of the things. The closest we ever came to having a slithery thing in the house was my ex husband.... no, no, that's not nice. Actually it was when my youngest son found a salamander he named Charlie Quick, and kept it in an aquarium in his room until it died. I felt sorry for it but was glad it was no longer a part of my family.

What unusual pets have you had?

|

A BOY AND HIS DOG

My youngest with his pup Lucy in 1982

I'm sure glad that I've always been an animal lover. I can't imagine raising five kids without critters of some sort running around. I don't remember how many dogs and cats we've had but a few sure stand out in my mind.

One was a big female German Shepherd and Norwegian Elk hound mix we called Smokey. She had a very peaceful nature. She was calm and loving with my three little girls who were all under the age of four. When they were in the yard playing, she was always right there with them. We lived on the corner of two fairly busy country roads. Both of which some drivers thought were their own personal speedway.

One day while I was in the yard watching the girls play, I heard a car coming down the hill, and noticed that my baby who was about a year and a half, was toddling directly for the road. I yelled at her to stop and started running toward her, as most babies do, she toddled even faster toward the road. Just before I could get to her our dear Smokey had positioned herself in front of the baby and wouldn't let her pass. She was even nudging her with her long nose trying to make her go back into the yard.This is one of those incidences that keeps mama's awake at night reliving the horror of the moment over and over! I thank the Lord for sending us that sweet dog. Smokey got her share of thanks too.

Then there was my cat Heidi. She was a beautiful long haired calico that loved to be cuddled and petted. She had a lovely personality for several years. Then out of the blue she began biting. One day as I was petting her she grabbed my hand and sunk her teeth into my flesh. I won't tell you what I said, but I dumped her on the floor pretty quick!

Then on another occasion my sister Bonnie came to visit and Heidi jumped up on her lap for some loving. I warned Bonnie that Heidi had taken to biting, but Bonnie continued to pet her until all at once I heard Bonnie say a few indescribable words and saw a calico blur fly across the floor.

Well my youngest sister Barbara is an animal charmer if ever there was one. She loves animals even more than I do. She even put dog food out for the coyotes one year because she was afraid they were starving. Well, Heidi jumped up into her lap and of course Barb began petting her. I warned her about Heidi's nasty habit, but Barbara lovingly said, "Oh she wouldn't do that to me, would you sweetie?" Those words no sooner left Barbara's mouth than I heard her squeal a few words she doesn't usually use and once again Heidi became a calico flash.

It was just a few weeks later that Heidi went to live in the country as a barn cat. I'm sure that must have made her happy as she could take out her frustration on all the mice and rats!

We had the usual hamster's, gerbil's, turtle's, goldfish & guppies, even some salamanders. My youngest daughter, the one Smokey saved, even had a goat for a while. We also had cows, horses, pigs, chicken's and turkey's, and even fostered a fawn for a short time. My youngest son had a pet turkey he called Pecker. I asked him how he came up with that name, he said, "Because all he does is just peck, peck, peck all the time." His turkey followed him all over the neighborhood, just like a dog would.

but when it comes to a pet that the boys could hug and call a friend, their dog's got top billing every time. They would roll around on the floor or in the grass with them, share their desserts and even sleep with them if they could get away with it. The girls seemed to prefer their kitties, at least until Cyndi's kitty did a poo-poo on her pillow and she didn't know about it until she laid her head in it. You can't imagine the screaming that took place.

Children need something they can show their love to, especially when there is an absent parent. But before you run out and get a pet be sure you are ready to accept the responsibility. Critters need a lot of time and care, good food, exercise and lots and lots of patience. There are also vet bills to consider. Dogs are pack animals and do much better if there are at least two. So be sure you are prepared for every aspect of being a pet owner before you commit. Also remember that there are many orphan pets at your local humane society just waiting for someone to adopt them. Your family will love a Heinz 57 variety just as much as a purebred.

Have a wonderful February day everyone and don't forget to say your prayers.

Hugs!

|

THE LITTLE STINKERS!

"Who? ME? I didn't do anything!"

We've had some nice sunshiny days here so I 've been getting out to do some yard work. It has warmed up to about 45 degrees which feels like heaven after all the freezing temps we had. Yesterday I had my pups out in the back yard with me for about a half hour or so. It's all fenced so I let them run while I worked. I have three lots so the back yard is very large and there's lots of bushes etc.

When I figured the pup's had been out long enough I put them in the house and went out to work a while longer. I really over did and by the time I came in I was really dragging my hiney. All I wanted was to wash up and sit and rest a while, so after I got the mud off I flopped down on the couch. Immediately my little Matilda, came over for some cuddling. Toodles was in one of his favorite resting places, on the back of the couch looking out the window.

As soon as Matilda climbed on me I got a whiff of the most disgusting odor imaginable. It actually made me shudder. I set her on the floor in a hurry and then grabbed Toodles to see if he was wearing the same 'perfume." he was.

I ran in and filled the bathtub then tossed Matilda in. I was not as gentle as usual and she got a good scrubbing. Two shampoos and the odor was still lingering. I did the same with Toodles. I dried them off and changed the cover on the couch, changed my clothes and washed everything they may have come in contact with.

The odor is gone today. Or maybe I am just used to it. ???

Today I searched the back yard to find what they had rolled in but found absoultely nothing. I will have to try again and I won't let them out again until I find what it was and can get rid of it.

I'm pretty sure it was a dead animal or bird. It was obviously some kind of rotting flesh.

Why do dogs do that?

Well I guess I have just written the most disgusting post I have ever done.

Have a good week anyway.

|

"now abide faith, hope and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

1 Corinthians 13:13

"For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotton son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

John 3:16

NKJV

THIS IS THE GREATEST LOVE

A blessed Valentines day to all

|

I borrowed the photo from the net and I found following funny in some stuff I saved for blogging. I don't know where it came from, but it sure gave me a smile and I hope it will do the same for you.

RUFUS & CLARENCE

There were two old men living in the backwoods of the Ozarks, Rufus and Clarence. They lived on opposite sides of the river, and they hated each other. Every morning, just after sun-up, Rufus and Clarence would go down to their respective sides of the river and yell at each other. "Rufus!! Clarence would shout, "You better thank your lucky stars that I cain't swim...or I'd swim this river and whup your behind!" Clarence!" Rufus would holler back, "You better thank your lucky stars that I cain't swim or I'd swim this river and whup your skinny behind!"

This happened every morning for twenty years. One day the Army Corps of Engineers came and built a bridge. Still every morning, every day for another five years this yelling across the river goes on, even with the bridge.

Finally....Mrs Rufus had had enough."Rufus!" she squallers one day, "I cain't take no more! Every day for 25 years you've been threatenin' to whup Clarence. Well, there's the bridge...have a go at it!" Rufus thought about it for a moment., chewed his bottom lip for another moment.

"Woman!" He declared, snapping his suspenders into place. "I'm gonna cross that thar bridge and I'm gonna whup Charence's behind!" He walked out the door, down to the river, along the riverbank, came to the bridge, stepped up onto the bridge, walked about halfway over the bridge, looked up....TURNED TAIL AND RAN SCREAMING BACK TO THE HOUSE, SLAMMED THE DOOR, BOLTED THE WINDOWS, GRABBED THE SHOTGUN AND DOVE PANTING AND GASPING UNDER THE BED!

"Rufus!" cried the missus, I thought you wuz gonna whup Clarence's behind! "I wuz! He whispered. "Rufus!" cried the missus, "What in tarnation is the matter?" Well," muttered the terror stricken Rufus, "I went to the bridge...I stepped up on the bridge...walked halfway over the bridge...and looked up... And?" asked Mrs Rufus, breathless with suspense. "And," continued Rufus, 'I saw a sign that said "CLEARANCE 13 FEET, 6 INCHES!"... he ain't never looked that big from the other side of the river!"

|

AWARDS

I've been receiving some nice awards over the past few months but don't know how to put them in my side bar. So here they are. The young at heart award above is from our friend Merle. Thank you dear Merle for thinking of me.

The awards below are from others. My sincere thanks to all.

It's a cold and dreary day here in the Pacific Northwest. The kind of day I am happy to stay inside with a hot cup of tea and a good book or my computer! No rain, yet..... but yesterday made up for it with snow and rain and lots of high wind. When I opened the slider for Toodles to make a potty run, he took one look at the weather then turned around and ran back to the couch.

I have a wheelbarrel full of heathers and varigated grasses that I dug from a small garden out back. I hope to get them transplanted soon out in the front yard. They got too big for the little garden and besides, snakes hide under them and when I'm pulling weeds they wiggle out and scare the spit out of me!

Well dear friends, I'm going to go make myself a cup of hot tea. I hope you are all having a blessed week.

|

GRANDMA, GRANNY, GRANDMOTHER, NANA

Lillie Fitzpatrick Ferris

1891-1966

Whatever you call her, if you had one you can remember with fondness, you are blessed. I've posted about this grandma before but some grandma's are good for more than one post.

Both my folks worked and we lived next doot to grandma so she was the designated kidsitter. I can't possible tell you of all the things she taught me, but most importantly she taught me about the Lord. Not by the sit down, pay attention, Bible thumping way, but by example.

Grandma was merciful and forgiving. She loved unconditionally and had a delightful sense of humor.

Oh yes, another thing about Grandma, she wrote stories and poems by the ream.

I still remember her black typwriter on the table with stacks of paper on either side and I can still hear the clackety-clack as her fingers tried to keep up with the rhymes which seemed to materialize faster than she could type. The fragrance of toasting apple peel on her wood cookstove permeated the little house as the tea kettle bubbled away.

Here are just a few of Grandma's poems

THE LITLE RED SHOES

They were in the shop window and they looked so neat,

I decided to try them on my feet.

They fit just right, perhaps a little bit snug,

And I was as happy as a bum with a jug.

The color was beautiful, shining red,

That color always goes to my head.

So I bo't a pair of red gloves and a little red hat,

No woman on earth could blame me for that.

It's the women who sneer, when I strut by,

The old men ogle and the young men sigh,

I know this effort doesn't make top news,

It's just a tale of a pair of red shoes.

PRIZE BOUQUET

My son Jerry, aged three, a lovely bouquet, bro't to me,

Nine blades of grass, shining green, The prettiest I've ever seen.

Three dandelions of gold, most wonderful to behold,

Fashioned with the utmost care. Who has a bouquet half do rare?

He presented it with charming grace, every blade and bloom in it's place,

The loving gift of a little lad, to make the heart of his mother glad.

ROMANCE

I went to a ball last evening, all dressed in a velvet gown,

The finest of the fine were there, The pride and the pick of the town.

I danced in the arms of many, Why the deuce did I fall,

In love with a handsome waiter, when I didn't wish to at all.

He kissed me twice in the pantry, three more times in the hall,

He has laughing eyes and dimples, and he's way over six foot tall.

Rex asked to take me home in his Cadillac, gold and silver he has a hoard,

But I went home with Jamie in his little, old, model A Ford.

BEV'S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"Forgiveness is most difficult when Yeshua is not invited to the party"

Blessings

|