I had mentioned to Benny that we needed to think about buying some oak wood for winter time. We still have some mesquite and other types left out in the goat yard from when the town burned. Wood was cut by the prisoners and piled along the road or curbs and the town could help themselves to the wood, which has been a blessing. We have used it over the past two winters now, plus the oak that we buy to burn longer during the cold winter nights.
Our house is built so odd anyway, it was two houses , a duplex years ago, sometime around 1940 or so...then it was made into one huge house. Then Benny built on a large room that is about 14 x 30 or so, which was made into a nice area when his mom lived with us. She lived here with us over sixteen years, until she passed away at age 96.
When you go out the side door, there is a space about 12 ft by 10 ft, which has nothing in it, it is inset, and just empty, so I mentioned to him it would make a nice area to stack the wood, we could just walk outside, get the wood, and walk back into the area where the wood heater sits. Today we started on making it into a wood storage area.
Benny and I do not work together that well, he does not listen....LOL....and it means alot more work to any project we start. He cut the posts (4x4) and put a notch in them. Then he proceeded to cut the 2 x 4 pieces of lumber...one went up against the house at the very top of the overhang in the roof...then he put up the 4 x 4 posts, then he cut more 2 x 4 pieces to go on the sides, and the fun began. I thought it would be easier to use the drill and screw them on...he decided he would use the hammer and LONG nails...Oh, what fun...bent nails, tried the third time, another bent nail, then pry the nails out and start over again. Not any fun. Then it was time to cut the tin for the roof...the neighbor had our electric cutter, so he cut the tin by using the tin snips. I tried to hold them up so he could put them up for the roof, one shifted, so I cut my hand good. A little blood makes it look better I guess...now I will have to paint ! It took quite awhile, all afternoon, moving the ladders, and he did use the drill and screw them in, thank goodness, so it went fairly fast. I asked him to put a few extra screws in the outside 2x4 so I could hang up a flower pot or bird house. He stated he would just hit his head on it...so I proceeded to do it myself, he just sat there and laughed at me..I know how....I can do it...so there !
Now it is finished except for some paint, there is wood already stacked out there, but it needs more, and there are several cans of kindling wood, covered with lids, and stuck in the corner. I am satisfied with it. It will be a big help this winter. Now, order the oak !
so guess that covered up whatever he was tasting...well, the cats had his eggs for breakfast. Luckily, the clerk had a couple dozen on hand when I went back yesterday, so we had a half-dozen eggs fixed with cheese and a little salsa on top this morning, and DH is happy again. I know we become spoiled to the taste of our own, so next Spring, I will have to order some new ones. Think I will go with a new variety.My White Rocks are worn out ! (Can't complain, through....they were free !)I was watching a TV program today and heard a loud sounding noise...CRUNCH..Thump...Wham ! I am a curious person, so immediately went outside to see where the noise was coming from...a large bulldozer was at Doanie's old rock house and was beginning to knock down all the beautiful old rock on the outside of it...then the arm would go through the glass windows, shattering glass on the ground, the door was bashed in, and this old house was coming down, I could almost hear it groaning and giving up the ghosts. Squirrels had made their homes in the roof for awhile, the tin had taken on a patina color in some spots of the old roof, but I loved the old rock house. It was the only house in town I knew of that had two big sinks in the kitchens which were put together when they brought it in years ago. I watched as the green vines were torn down by the dozer. I could close my eyes and see Doanie sitting there on the steps, her sun bonnet on her head, picking grapes off the vines, and laughing that she was "taking of the sacrament". As her health failed, she still maintained her garden, sticking the end of her cane in the ground and dropping in a seed. Her garlic beds are still there, at least for a little while. Benny and I tried to save her fig tree several years ago when it was bulldozed down, and the large, beautiful green leaves seemed to bend in the wind today as I walked by on the way to her old place, a reminder of the love we had for her. I had to come home, I could not stand to see any more of it torn apart, the tears just came streaming down my face. I know the new owners will have a beautiful new home, the stakes and flags are in a new section of the land now, but it is hard to part with what is familiar to me. Everything must change,.... to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.....a time to break down and a time to build up....but Dear Lord, it is so hard to see the changes. It is always hard to say goodbye.
This is from one of my very OLD recipe books.....I love to read these !
Homemade Vinegar
Put into an earthen jar,
1 gallon warm water
2 cups sugar
a cake of yeast
Add red apple peelings to make a pretty color,
or the rinsings from a kettle where preserves
have been made .
Vinegar will be ready in about two weeks in warm weather.
I swear there is a Grape Fairy living in the grape arbor. I have been cutting and squeezing grapes for the last two days. They are so beautiful, moderate size, dark purple,at the bursting stage with sweetness and juice. I have finally had to cut them, bring them in the house, and sort them inside, the temperatures are upwards from 102 degrees to 105 degrees outside, and in spite of my head bandana, the sweat pours into my eyes, so I am doing it an easier way. After I sort them, I take them across the street to my other house and strain them, pouring the juice into one half gallon jars and putting them in the refrigerator to cool down, then I will label them and put them in the freezer for winter use. Sometimes I cannot resist and pour myself a small glass to sample the delectable juice. Cars and trucks honk at me as I stand by our fences and cut grapes. Some I know, some I do not, just a friendly honk and they get a friendly nod in return, the fun of living on a farm to market road, we see everyone in town and strangers use our road to connect a mile and a half to another main highway, taking the scenic route I suppose. Each morning, I know I will have more grapes to cut and squeeze, I have not yet done all the outside vines that hang over the fence. I must cut them back some next year, they are so prolific this year. The Grape Fairy must hide in the vines and smirk somewhere, waiting to get even with me for some reason, because when I feel most of the grapes have been cut and go back the next day, there are still some that were magically missed or magically put back up there by that dang fairy person. I cut and cut, went back this afternoon, and there were some hanging down and swaying......( that is a grape laughing).....to say, "AHA"...."Ya missed me !" I keep reminding myself how good this juice will taste this winter, and what wonderful jelly will be on my sourdough bread during the cold of the year. Guess I will just have to put up with her shenanigans (or my poor eyesight). I thank God for all my blessings, the beauty of the vines, the fruit of the vine, and being able to do the work it requires. I often think about how large those grapes were to have been cut and carried in Numbers 13:23... I wonder if Moses said, "Now, there is really a Grape story !"
I went out to feed the critters this morning as usual, a beautiful morning, the sun shining, animals grazing, Ditzy and Cocoa Bunny met me at the gate, ready to chomp down on goat pellets. I then headed out to the other barnyard area to take care of JJ,Cookie, HoHo, Jimbo, Suzi, the doves, chickens, and Obama the Llama. Jimbo, the old potbelly pig kept looking at me with his squinty little eyes and would not eat, he kept going out toward the goldfish in the antenna dish area. I watched him, and went ahead with my feeding.He kept making pig noises and made circles around a small black object on the ground. I figured I would check on it in a little while, and he became more insistent, standing guard like a sentry, making louder grunting noises. "What is it, Jimbo?" I asked him and he kept his stance by the black object. I looked down and noticed it was very small, laying lifeless on the ground, barely breathing, eyes encrusted with dirt. It was a tiny kitten, which apparently, someone had thrown over the fence. It is a wonder the pigs did not have it for breakfast. I picked up the small, thin, almost lifeless body and started for the gate. It was motionless in my hands, but still warm. Pitiful, tiny creature, a throw away, I doubted if it would live. My neighbor, Nona, was walking and came by at that time, she was also sympathetic with the tiny creature's plight. I brought it into the house and took it into the bathroom, filled the sink with warm water, and began the process of trying to clean the debris from the tiny cat's nose and eyes. It did not move, as I gently cleansed it off, putting eye drops in, then headed back outside with it to get the sulpher for it's eyes. I figured if it was still alive by noon, I would give it a penicillin injection. The other cats and kittens were meowing for their breakfast, they got louder as I popped the tops off the cans of cat food. Now they are eating, and the little black lump is laying on the porch, it smells the cat food, and tries to stand up. I take a small portion of cat food to it, and it begins to lick it. After a few minutes, it is standing, and lets out the most pitiful croaking sound I have ever heard. My momma cats both go to it, and Jewel begins to clean up the kitten. She only has one baby and her teats are full, so she will probably be the one to take it, but she is such a terrible mother. I had to force her to take care of her one baby by putting her in a cage and locking it up, her baby had cried for two days and I had also fed it on a bottle. She finally accepted it, and now, it was cleaning on a kitten that was not hers, would she feed it? I watched them for awhile, then locked Jewel in the cage with the two kittens. The sad meowing of the black kitten was like a wail, "Help me, Help me, I am so tiny and unloved." Jewel began the cleaning process and the kittens settled down, we will see what this afternoon brings.
Two days have passed, and the tiny, thin creature hangs onto life. I gave it a penicillin injection, and will do another one today. It is walking, but still shakey. It's little eyes are still in bad shape, but it does manage to have a squint appearance this morning, hopefully it is not blind. The mother cats treat it like one of their own. We finished enclosing half of the porch in hail screen yesterday, have an entry door, so now have a LARGE cat house. LOL. They will be safe. Have put three of the housecats in with the others, they continue to meow and cry, very unhappy, but they will have to learn to live outside on the porch with the others. The inside cats have all been spayed, will eventually have the others done. I wish people would stop dumping off their unwanted animals on me, I cannot afford any more of them. This still leaves a momma cat out in the garden, but she is so wild, I would have to try to trap her. She has two kittens with her. I was watching TV this morning, it showed how some people, due to losing their homes and jobs, have just left their animals to fend for themselves. This is so sad. Just saying a prayer for the poor animals that are tossed away. They have a sad fate. Hopefully, loving hearts will take them in somewhere. I would not take any amount of money for Run Around Sue, our dog. We saved her, and have been blessed every day for it, she is my four legged love. I get doggie kisses every day to prove it.
UPDATE....sadly, the little kitten did not make it, but I like to think that in it's short life, at the end, it knew love if only for a few days. We will bury it today .
Here we are part way into July....it is such a hot month here, the critters make me feel so sorry for them, especially with all the hair they carry on them. I try to keep the mist going outside the bird cages to give them a little relief. The pigs love it, they find a muddy place and wallow in it, Suzi is always running her dirty little nose up the side of my leg, she lies in wait beside the barnyard gate, and as soon as I enter, she starts with her piggy noises and trying to bite my shoes. She is a mess, so old, I do not know how she is still alive, we have had her for years, and Jimbo as well. He loves to have the hose turned on him, and will rock back and forth as the water goes up his spine.
The purple martins have raised all their little ones and flown away. I miss them so much. We now entertain the humming birds, and watch them for hours. Benny has names for them all, from the "skinny one" to the "Guard" and sits there and makes funny quotes about them as they fight over the sugar water. The Mississippi Kites still circle around me, as I call to them. Benny laughs, I made bird sounds and they come ! My favorite is the Mocking Bird....she comes sailing in, hops down by my feet, and catches bugs, then leaves. Tonight a young Robin did the same, and a squirrel chattered behind me as we sat outside.
We play Ladder Ball at night in the garden, or Cowboy Golf as it is sometimes called. I always loose, I cannot hit the ball and make it wrap around the ladder. I keep trying. I told him this is how old folks get their exercise every day.
The garden is a BUST this year, Benny managed to get several ears of corn and a few okra, he gave up on his and turned the animals in on it. I still do my container gardening, but it is a strange year. The Okra is still not blooming, the Squash is very slow, I pulled up all the beans and corn in mine, and fed them to the goats. My strawberries and herbs have done well, and the hot peppers are doing great now, I love Jalapenos and cook alot with them.
The town had the usual Fourth of July party...cooked hot dogs for everybody...more like chili/cheese ones, hot off the grill, and sooooo good, plus cold drinks, watermelon, and a very long fireworks display at dark. The grandkids, Deb. and Truett came, as well as some of the grandkids friends, so we had a great time.
We are cleaning off the porch...Hurray ! It goes all across the front of the house. Benny decided after twenty years he will do what I asked him to do....He is enclosing half of it in wire so my cats will be able to go out the doggie door and enjoy the great outside. They will be able to see the other cats, maybe get along with them, but will be out of the house for awhile anyway.Sometimes patience in waiting for results happens. LOL.
We did manage to get new roofs on the rental houses, and I had the houses painted. One is white with sky blue trim, the other is sky blue with white trim. I think they look pretty, and so do my renters. They are thrilled with them. Now I will have to go back to work in about three weeks and save to have the one across the street painted.
I love barnswallows. I love their shape, , gliding through the air, so graceful,so elegant,
such beauty. There are barnswallows all over town. At the Higginbotham building, they nest
in the corners of the entryway. When you walk in to buy supplies, you dodge the birds, as they
swoop out of the nests and out into the open. As you drive by the mainstreet, at times they
seem oblivious to traffic, swooping down among the cars, always steady, always on their
course, missing the cars but alarming a driver or two.
At our church, the birds decided to make nests over the doorway, high up in the entrance
way. It became a battle of persistance. The preacher was up and down on the ladder ripping
down the mud nests, and they would be built back within a few days. The preacher
finally gave up, persistance won out, and the nest was built, and the mother bird began her
springtime ritual of raising a family. At first, it was all quiet, you would look up as you entered
the building, and the bird always got a smile from the churchgoers. Children especially loved
the bird, and would stop and look up, chatting happily, always watching . Soon tiny cheeps
could be heard, and tiny,tiny heads would peek over the edges of the nest.They were just
too cute for words, just beautiful, making us aware of the beauty of nature. There was one
big problem. Below, on the green carpeting, black and white tell-tale signs were piling up,
and becoming very messy. The cleaning lady did her best to clean before each church
meeting, and the birds continued to let their presence be known. One morning, as we
all went into the building, there was a big piece of white paper placed on the green carpeting
to catch the falling debris. Someone had drawn colored circles on it, all spring colors, of
course. As we came out of the building, laughter was everywhere and finger pointing, all
members came to one conclusion, Yes, the mother bird could definitely hit the bullseye !
They eventually flew away, off to another area of splendor in the skies, and we are now
into another Spring, and we know the barnswallow will return again, of that, we are all
in agreement.