Good Times

Hello, Miriam and Olivia spent the weekend with us. We played games, talked and laughed quite a bit. It was great. We did a few tourist things such as climbing Mount Trashmore. People who live among mountains were not impressed. We also walked around and viewed some of the murals downtown.

Our visitors complained quite a bit about the cold. Their 40 degrees F. is warmer than our 40 degrees F. Because of our copious humidity it feels much brisker with a strong wind. Today Leory and I drove to church and brought home more of the mums that will be put in the compost. We also did some more pruning. We will go back soon and get some more done as it is supposed to be colder in the next few days. There is something satisfying about getting some of these jobs done. I had a mammogram this morning. As always, they are noticing the number of breast cancer people in my family on the maternal side. And as often happens, they wondered if I have had genetic testing. The oncologist told me that it is most revealing if someone who has had breast cancer and survived gets the test. Since I have not experienced that I am not going to get to that point. Paula

What is Normal

Hello, We had gotten quite a lot of fermented honey from Brian. The granola seemed just fine with it in there. That honey has run out so I used regular honey today. The dry ingredients and the liquids blended together more than they had been doing. The granola browned much more quickly than with the other honey. Somehow the former conditions had started to seem normal. Is that how injustice works? At first it is noticeable, but after a while, especially to the people who benefit from this circumstance, people cease to notice it and it becomes normal. Such scary thoughts. Doing the right thing can be very difficult when a person notices the sacrifices that would be made. I pray for discernment and courage. Paula

Visitors Coming

Hello, It has been a long time since any of our children have visited. The last time was in the midst of Covid, as derecho, and Leroy’s illness. Then we did not clean so much we were just hanging on. We are cleaning now. Leroy is even cleaning out the bowls under the ceiling lights as well as the fan blades. My tasks are more weekly or at least regular cleaning chores. We should be clean by Friday night when Miriam and her daughter arrive. Now we are also discussing food as others in our family eat very differently than we do. Then there is the question of where we will all sleep. What will we do while they are here for this weekend visit. We are excited and looking forward to this. We took a lot of trips this year, but did not spend much time with family. I often wish I could just have all the kids move close to us so visiting would not be such an issue. Paula

First Thanksgiving Cactus Bloom opens

Hello, We were pleased yesterday to see the first bud open to a nice flower. It is a different color than we have had before. It belonged to my daughter-in-law’s mother. I had thought I would put it out for someone else to take, but it was in need of a little care, so I kept it. It might have a more permanent home here now.

As you can tell I like my houseplants. Three blooming violets are adding joy to my days.

The nasturtiums are struggling. It seems to me they are getting too leggy. I suspect they would much prefer to be out in the ground, but we will see how long they can live in the small pot that came with them.

Yesterday, when delivering neighborhood newsletters, we spotted a doe and a buck bounding across the street about two blocks from our house. They quickly ran around a house and out of sight. We have never spotted deer by our house, but did know they were in the neighborhood. Plants and animals really contribute so much to our lives. Paula

Books Going

Hello, Four books went into our little free library. Three of them are gone along with three other books that someone gave me for the library. More of the books I got are out there now too. We took three books to a library that is almost on our walk to church, we just had to add about two blocks. There were only two thin books in there so we could have put in some more. It is close to a homeless shelter so I like to put books there. Soon I will have to go buy more books. I am not sure who likes all the books, but many of them are taken at night. Often, we can tell that someone has looked at them because they are moved around. I am happy to know there are readers in the neighborhood and they have a source of books. Now it would be nice if all the old, old children’s books would be gone. I may have to move them to another library.

I just finished a book and did not have time to get the public library. In searching the catalogue, I found two I would like to read so I put them on hold. Hopefully they will be there tomorrow since they were on the shelf. I can stop tomorrow on my way home from Tai Chi. For me a day without books is like a day without sunshine. The public library is a great source, but it is far enough away from our neighborhood that it is great to have the little libraries. Paula

Things Done

Hello, This morning, I finally managed to put together a small list of books that I might find at the half price book store. It was a lengthy visit for this non-shopper. I managed to find a few books that were on my list, and quite a few that were not on the list, but looked like they should fit the plan. I have some money to buy books for the little free libraries in my neighborhood. The themes of the books will have a look at racism, sexual orientation and people with disabilities who don’t often find themselves in books. Hopefully that will help young people to see their place in the world and how they can be the best they can be. Yesterday, Leroy and I went to church expecting to spend just a couple hours there. We helped unload and put away items for the meals our church serves to others. we also planned to sweep under the chairs in the choir loft. I had picked up some papers under the chairs on Sunday and noticed a bit of dust under them. We volunteered. I had put my bag there and did not want it to bring out dust. Well, that turned out to be a bigger job than expected. We had to move a lot of chairs. Then I noticed that there was dust on the woodwork below the organ pipes. And a few other places. We also helped to wash about fifty bags of cranberries. Sorting some plastic cutlery that was to be handed out with some give away meals, and putting two cookies in many bags took up the rest of the time. We did eat lunch there was well as a snack in the morning. We were fed. Leroy was not feeling at the top of his game. He had gotten his flu and covid vaccines the day before. After we came home, he took a very long nap and managed to feel better. Paula

Plant Care

Hello, Leroy and I both spent some time working with plants. I transplanted three plants that had rooted, in pots for the winter. One has two coleuses in it.

The darker one came from church and the other I have had for at least two years. The other pot has a plant that had come from a funeral several years ago. It had outgrown its place. It was nice the family asked Leroy if his wife would like cut flowers or the plant and he made the right choice. Hopefully I can enjoy this plant for some more years.

The nasturtiums are now five, just as they should be.

Together we worked in our raised bed garden in the front yard. There were winter onions that had threatened to take over the place so we eliminated all of them except for the few that I had already planted at the back by the garage. I got one plant from a neighbor in Chariton in 2010 and have managed to keep it going and flourishing for all these years. There is something so satisfying about that. It was also calming and peaceful to work in the soil and find earth worms. It puts a better frame of heart and mind to know the earth is still growing and producing. I am grateful. Paula