A Happy and Safe Holiday Season to All!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Stumble It!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Winter Walkabout.... Homestead 2008
On Sunday, 12/21, the first day of winter,
Sugar and I took a walk around the homestead...
This is what we found.
A puddle of water from the inch of rain Saturday night and Sunday morning.
And the ferns totally brown.
The garden barren and mulched over.
The sky grey and the trees devoid of leaves.
The chickens were trying to find a dry spot. Still giving up their precious treasures.
Snuggle up by the roaring fire and have a warm and safe Holiday Season!
Snuggle up by the roaring fire and have a warm and safe Holiday Season!Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Wishes can come true,,,,
Visit my friend Julie at Julie's Journal and learn how to win $100 wish from Sears. 3 ways to enter! Check it out! Make your wish come true this year!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Happy Holidays!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
The season is upon us ALREADY!
This past year has totally flown by.
My baby has completed basic and AIT and is now preparing to go to Iraq. He also went got himself engaged to a lovely young lady. He is grown up and moving on with life.
My middle son is at the end of education journey (for now) and will be getting his graduate degree. He is wanting to join the Peace Corps.
My daughter and eldest, mother of my 2 granddaughters, has moved up through the corporate ladder and now manages her own store.
I am very proud of my children. They are the greatest blessing of my life.
We have gone through some trials with my mom's health. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring and had surgery in August. She has had a particularly difficult time with the chemo this fall. (She was hospitalized twice.) And she will have to undergo a second surgery and radiation in January. It has been difficult to be so far from her. We talk on a daily basis. I guess I will have to be satisfied with that.
The homestead has gone through some evolution. Chickens were added. The were so fun to watch grow up. Now they are laying eggs. I have enough egg lovers at work to take care of the excess. The aquaponics system is up and running. We have harvested lettuce and spinach. We have onions and cilantro growing in there now. We have experimented with some ground cover crops. The clover, millet and sorghum grew and the chickens loved the extra addition to their diet. We had an excellent garlic harvest. The sweet potatoes are fantastic. The corn and tomatoes had a rough time this year. Strawberries and collard were fantastic. I was so glad to put up lots of jam. The bread machine we added is fantastic. We make all our breads. Next year we are looking to purchase our own land and add some pigs and possibly a cow to the menagerie. We enjoy growing and eating our own food.
I changed jobs and am in a much better position. I ditched the glasses and got contacts. My sweetie would like contacts for Christmas. So another vanity convert! We were able to spend more time than usual with the kids this year. I do love having them around. I meet a lovely woman this summer. It was like we had known each other forever. It is great to have a best friend. She did move away, onto a better place for her. I am glad that I was able to play a part in helping her reach her goals. We are still in daily contact.
I visit my internet friends on a weekly basis. I just seemed to run out of time. I enjoy reading your blogs and miss stopping by on a daily basis. To some of my special friends, John at Potpolotics.com, Barb at A Cowboy's Wife, Robbyn at The Back Forty, Lacy at Razor Family Farms (who has her family now! YIPPY!) Julie at Julie's Journal, Breezie at Forum Finder, Mel at SlogBite.com..... Just to mention a very, very small part of you. Thank you all for your continued support and friendship.
To Everyone Everywhere...
Have safe and joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
The season is upon us ALREADY!
This past year has totally flown by.
My baby has completed basic and AIT and is now preparing to go to Iraq. He also went got himself engaged to a lovely young lady. He is grown up and moving on with life.
My middle son is at the end of education journey (for now) and will be getting his graduate degree. He is wanting to join the Peace Corps.
My daughter and eldest, mother of my 2 granddaughters, has moved up through the corporate ladder and now manages her own store.
I am very proud of my children. They are the greatest blessing of my life.
We have gone through some trials with my mom's health. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring and had surgery in August. She has had a particularly difficult time with the chemo this fall. (She was hospitalized twice.) And she will have to undergo a second surgery and radiation in January. It has been difficult to be so far from her. We talk on a daily basis. I guess I will have to be satisfied with that.
The homestead has gone through some evolution. Chickens were added. The were so fun to watch grow up. Now they are laying eggs. I have enough egg lovers at work to take care of the excess. The aquaponics system is up and running. We have harvested lettuce and spinach. We have onions and cilantro growing in there now. We have experimented with some ground cover crops. The clover, millet and sorghum grew and the chickens loved the extra addition to their diet. We had an excellent garlic harvest. The sweet potatoes are fantastic. The corn and tomatoes had a rough time this year. Strawberries and collard were fantastic. I was so glad to put up lots of jam. The bread machine we added is fantastic. We make all our breads. Next year we are looking to purchase our own land and add some pigs and possibly a cow to the menagerie. We enjoy growing and eating our own food.
I changed jobs and am in a much better position. I ditched the glasses and got contacts. My sweetie would like contacts for Christmas. So another vanity convert! We were able to spend more time than usual with the kids this year. I do love having them around. I meet a lovely woman this summer. It was like we had known each other forever. It is great to have a best friend. She did move away, onto a better place for her. I am glad that I was able to play a part in helping her reach her goals. We are still in daily contact.
I visit my internet friends on a weekly basis. I just seemed to run out of time. I enjoy reading your blogs and miss stopping by on a daily basis. To some of my special friends, John at Potpolotics.com, Barb at A Cowboy's Wife, Robbyn at The Back Forty, Lacy at Razor Family Farms (who has her family now! YIPPY!) Julie at Julie's Journal, Breezie at Forum Finder, Mel at SlogBite.com..... Just to mention a very, very small part of you. Thank you all for your continued support and friendship.
To Everyone Everywhere...
Have safe and joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The Question
He Did It..... He Popped THE Question!
Kim and Kyle met back this spring during military training.
He went one way and she another...... but my phone bill told the story!
They talked and talked and talked some more.
I love you Kyle! My new daughter to be, Kim, I love you too!
He went one way and she another...... but my phone bill told the story!
They talked and talked and talked some more.
Last month Kim was stationed near us and was able to spend some quality time with Kyle.
On Thanksgiving Day, while playing a game of Apples to Apples, he set up a dummy card with the phrase "Kim, will you marry me?" He arranged for her to have to read it! You see the result above. There was screaming and crying and laughing. The ring was presented and she accepted.
Now the question is " March or upon Kyle's return from Iraq?" Kyle is due to ship out in late March. Kim will remain here near our home during this time.
I am excited and sad. I am happy and devastated. My baby is growing up. He is a soldier and young man and soon to be husband. I wish them the best. A long happy life and many children!
On Thanksgiving Day, while playing a game of Apples to Apples, he set up a dummy card with the phrase "Kim, will you marry me?" He arranged for her to have to read it! You see the result above. There was screaming and crying and laughing. The ring was presented and she accepted.
Now the question is " March or upon Kyle's return from Iraq?" Kyle is due to ship out in late March. Kim will remain here near our home during this time.
I am excited and sad. I am happy and devastated. My baby is growing up. He is a soldier and young man and soon to be husband. I wish them the best. A long happy life and many children!
I love you Kyle! My new daughter to be, Kim, I love you too!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
EMERGENCY!!!!!
Urgent: Sign USDA Petition Demanding Stronger Regulations for Genetically Engineered Crops!
The petition is below. Click link above to sign petition! Monday, Nov 24, 2008 is the last day!Why is this important???? Once again big brother is telling us what to do. You should have the right to choose NOT to feed your family and animals genetically modified foods. These crops that have been genetically modified could cause serious health problems. Do you want to do that to YOUR family? There needs to be full disclosure of products containing these genetically modified crops. I will not grow or eat or feed these crops to my family and animals. Without legislation, the big corporations will sneak this into our lives. WE MUST NOT LET THEM! Stand up and be heard now! Read the petition below and click the link above to sign the petition.
Docket No. APHIS-2008-0023
Regulatory Analysis and Development
PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8
4700 River Road Unit 118
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
Re: Docket No. APHIS-2008-0023, Importation, Interstate Movement, and Release into the Environment of Certain
Genetically Engineered Organisms.
I am very concerned about the risks genetically engineered crops--especially those engineered to produce drugs and industrial chemicals--pose to human health, family farmers, wildlife, and the environment. I urge USDA to close the gaping loopholes in its proposed rules, and put stronger--not weaker--regulations in place. In particular:
1)Please follow the advice of the National Academy of Sciences and make genetic engineering the trigger for USDA oversight so that ALL experimental GE crops are properly regulated. This approach is scientifically sound, administratively efficient, and more protective of public health, the environment, and the interests of farmers. Eliminate loopholes that exempt any GE crop that has not undergone a determination of non-regulated status from USDA regulatory oversight.
2)Please do NOT incorporate the "Low Level Presence"
policy in the final rule. Instead, make zero presence of
experimental GE crops in food and feed your management goal, and gear your implementing regulations to achieve it as fully as possible. In particular, make all field trials of experimental GE crops subject to strict gene containment standards at least as stringent as those now applied to pharmaceutical-producing GE crops.
3)Please reconsider your "business as usual" pharma crop policy, and instead adopt one of two alternatives you proposed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement - a simple ban on outdoor cultivation of all pharmaceutical-producing crops, or at least pharmaceutical-producing food crops - to best protect public health and the environment.
4)Please regulate as necessary pesticide-promoting,
herbicide-tolerant GE crops in order to address the rise in pesticide use these crops have fostered, and to mitigate the growing threat posed by herbicide-resistant weeds to farmers and the interests of American agriculture.
5)Remove any preemption clause that bars state and local authorities from enacting laws or regulations to control GE crops as they best see fit.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
STOP!
I ran across these words.... they just were so appropriate for how I have been feeling lately. Thank you, Erma......
IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck?
IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck?(written after she found out she was dying from cancer).?
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's' More 'I'm sorry's.'
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute.look at it and really see it..... live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!
Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what.
Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us!
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's' More 'I'm sorry's.'
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute.look at it and really see it..... live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!
Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what.
Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us!
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