My Sister Is Not Here

Hello,

Saturday Leroy and I got up early to make the five plus hour trip to visit my brother-in-law. I have put off this journey because I knew that it would bring it home to my heart that my sister was no longer living as she would not be in her home. It was indeed a difficult experience, but not as wrenching as I had thought it might be. Of course, some of that could be because I am skilled at tamping down my emotions. If someone talked about how nice it was for us to be there and I tried to tell why I could not come sooner, sad feelings washing over me.

Her home looks much the same even though there are some new things there. I firmly believe that new is how it should be as life moves on. I guess that process goes in fits and starts. Along with that idea we met my brother-in-law’s special friend.

We missed all the serious rain storms on the way south, but the next day when coming home, we got a serious weather report on the radio. One of the problems is not know that neighboring counties or towns. But the clouds confirmed the notion that we were past the high winds and possible hail. A couple hours later we again got surrounded by serious looking clouds. They did release some of their load of water just as we were coming through. Luckily it was just rain and no hail. Even the wind was not as strong as it could have been. We were grateful for safe passage. It was great to see that we had gotten 2.45 inches of rain at home where it had seemed rather dry.

I am glad that I made this trip because my brother-in-law was so pleased to have us come. Also I believe it is important for me to be able to get farther along in my life’s journey.

Paula

Exciting Morning

Hello,

I was in the kitchen fixing breakfast when I heard Leroy coming in the hall. “Argh!” he exclaimed.

“Are you alright?” I wanted to know, thinking he stubbed his toe since he manages to do that every once in a while.

“There is a bat in the house,” he excitedly responded, “a low flying bat.”

“Where did it go?” I asked as I prepared to help look.

“In the kitchen,” he replied as he came in the room, head swiveling.

Neither of us could see it. So Leroy looked in the closet/pantry. He found it behind the ironing board and extra table leaves. “Oh, it’s a small mouse,” he reported.

He then got an old ice cream bucket. With great team work; me moving the ironing board and the leaves while Leroy manned the bucket he managed to capture this animal. Leroy then procured a piece of thin cardboard which he carefully slipped under the bucket making it possible to carry it outside to freedom.

Leroy was not dressed yet so I had the honor of taking it out to the street and instructing it to run away, which it did.

This was certainly an unwelcome guest. In the six years that we have been here we have not seen another. Now two traps are set in the attic with expensive organic peanut butter that has no added sugar or oils in the mix. Hopefully any relatives will be enticed by this treat.

By the way, Leroy is not really scared of either bats or mice, but he was startled.

Paula

Library Quiet

Hello,

For story time the local creamery came to talk to the kids about their cows. They also provided milk and cookies. It was tremendously popular. This was followed by crafts at the half hour. There were even more in attendance for that as the older kids could come as well. We think the head count was at 200. That is definitely a lot for us to accommodate. I heard several people comment that we need a larger library.

I do not run the program so I was not totally involved with that. However many people stopped at the desk to check out books or sign up for the summer reading program. Four people also signed up to get library cards. That task involves a bit more time.

It was hard/impossible to get anything done that was cataloguing. I got the three magazines that came today entered and that was it. Luckily my boss knows what a steady stream it all was so she would not expect any different activities to have happened.

The afternoon program was well attended, but at more manageable numbers. However it was still quite busy for the small library that we are. I think back to those days and times when a patron will come in and talk about how quiet we are in the middle of the winter. What a difference a season makes! It is a good thing I like and deal fairly well with intense activity which has a manageable end point.

Paula

The Green Life

Hello,

Yesterday on my way home from voting, I stopped at the old and the new community gardens. At the old I harvested many lamb’s quarters which are vigorously growing up the side of the mound of dirt. But I left enough to feed many more people if they just knew the food value treasure that is available to them. I try to lead by example, but I see no one following. It is something how we ignore the gifts we have been given and seek out other things. Leroy and I had a nice dish at lunch that included some onions, also from the mound of dirt in the old garden. I picked rhubarb that was across the way before I moved on to the new garden where I gathered a variety of tender lettuces. From the land around the house I picked some oregano as well as garlic chives. Those last things made a nice salad for both of us.

I will say that it does take a bit of energy to get all of these greens clean. Three washes seemed to be adequate to me. Or perhaps it is because I just quit looking for any dirt, bugs or odd grass stem.

In the mornings we have green tea with chocolate mint. The mint is harvestable each morning. This task introduces me to the outdoor feeling as well as the flowers that have opened over night such as the lily that was not open yesterday. It is a great way to start the day. Again I have to do multiple washes of the leaves to make sure that all is pure. I chop up the mint to release its flavor in the hot water.

Then sometimes I get a glimpse of the purple finches that seem to have moved into the neighborhood. At least they like to get a drink at our place. Red is a color that attracts. Called purple, but they look more like red to me then purple. They are beautiful to see.

Paula

Women's Clothing

Hello,
I bought a cute dress that was cut much lower in the front than I usually wear. It has two pieces of material that cross over in a nice vee shape. When I stand up straight it is just fine. The last time I wore it, I put a safety pin under attaching the two material pieces. That was just fine, but it was a struggle to get the pin in just the right place without it being visible to the rest of the world. Yesterday seemed like just the right day to wear it to church, however I decided not to go for the pin after checking with Leroy to see how discrete it all looked. He thought it was fine even when I was sitting or bending over. Not that I intended to bend over, but one should be prepared for the uexpected.
I set off with a reminder to self about maintaining good posture at all times. That was easy to hold up while in the chruch service itself.
After church was the book club. There we meet in a room with couches. Most people probably consider this a comfortable seat, but I really like something that is straighter or fits my body better. Even with a pillow behind my back to make the seat shorter I still recline in a bit of a tilt. In that room I found myself continually pulling on those two overlapping pieces of material to keep them together. A few times I would get more involved in the conversation forgetting to hang on to my dress, only to notice that there was a bit of a gaping side, usually the right for some reason.
I know many woman are, at least seem, quite comfortable exposing some cleavage. I am not one of those people, mostly because I have so little cleavage to expose. I suppose I could acquire it with a bra that created that illusion.
My dress requirements are not always what is popular. I like a bit higher rounded neck with a bit of sleeve, not exposed shoulders. Than it is my joy and delight to find a dress with pockets. I am definitely not the fashion leader or at least no one is listening to me.
Paula

Garden

Hello,

Three of us worked in the community garden finishing that last bit that had not yet been mulched. While there, Leroy found an ant hill or perhaps I should say that the ants found him.  He got a number of bites on his hands and arms. Luckily his legs were protected enough that they did not get under his pant legs. Had that been the case, I believe we would have been looking at the backside of him as he trotted home to strip. The garden looks quite fine even though some of the seeds did not germinate. That means there is not much lettuce. Our home garden looks fine as well, but it also does not have has much lettuce as I would like. I will have to go get some more of those lambs’ quarters to round out our diet. Luckily the winter onions produce well and I have been adding garlic chives to almost everything. I consider it being a pioneer, eating what is available. Course I add a number of things like watermelon from the store.

The lack of shade in the back is quite noticeable. I miss those branches hanging over us. At least the clothes line is more in the sun so the birds do not sit in the tree and poop on clothes. Also the clothes should dry much faster.

We planted my celery today. Hoping it grows this year. I buy a stalk, cut off the tops, leaving about an inch at the root end, stick it in water and the inner parts start to grow long before the roots form. It strikes me like a mini miracle. Perhaps I should see all growth that way including personal grown into new ideas.

Paula

To The Rescue

Hello,

While walking out to the get the mail, I always look at our raised bed garden. After all, something might have grown while I was away from it. There was a flopping around on the far side, not that it is far. Investigation revealed a robin sized bird hopelessly entangled in the netting we have over the garden to keep out squirrels/rabbits that seem to think the garden is for them.

I told this bird to stop in what I realized was a more soft soothing voice that I normally use. It did not stop, but as soon as I touched it, it became perfectly still. One loop of the netting came off but the rest was solidly jammed against its wing and several feathers were pinned. The poor thing was panting as I told it, “I will go get a scissors and cut you lose.”

Running into the house, up the stairs, looking for a scissors with the sharpest point, back down stairs, out the door, and back to the garden all seemed to take time. Again this bird struggled a lot when I came close, but stopped when I touched it. I gently cut off the netting slipping the point under close to its skin. It was free from the whole unit, but the threads were still tightly wound around its wing. With just one more cut I was able to get that piece off and smooth back its feathers after which it hopped a little before flying away.

I can’t decide if it stilled because it was terrified or if it trusted me to rescue it. I considered it a good deed even though it might have been a young starling which is not my favorite bird.

Paula