Moving

And, again – I’ve been quiet over the past week.  Well, I actually I haven’t been quiet, I just didn’t get to the computer all week.  It was a very busy week.

Monday, I decided it was spring.  Time to move all the plants out of the greenshed and back to the sunshine.  Which I did.  All umpty-jillion of them.  Took me two days to get them out and located someplace.  Hard work!  But my yard looks more like MY yard now.  My plants are beginning to shake themselves out of the winter-I've-been-locked-in-a-small-room doldrums and perk back up.

Of course, I moved everything out and we promptly had a cold front come through.  Wasn’t bad – middle 40’s to upper 60’s – so I didn’t have to move anything back inside.  That’s the way it works here – move your plants in and it turns hot again; move them out and here comes the cold. 

My oldest daughter came in from Albuquerque for a weeklong visit.  She works from my house during the day and we stay busy during the evenings.

One of the reasons she came was to help me go through things in this house.  As it happens, I will be moving sometime early next year.  (Honest to god, if I survive the next 12 months, I’m good for the next 20 years!)  The house I am moving to will be smaller than this one so I won’t be able to take everything with me.  We had many long conversations about –

“Why is this here? 

When did you use it last? 

Do you love it?”

Almost all of my answers were

“because I might need it at some future time possibly maybe could be

uhhh I don’t know

yes-maybe-possibly”

It was a tough week.  But we did get

The dishes for her two daughters packed into tubs (I bought vintage china for the four grandgirls and vintage café dishes for the grandboys some years ago so they’d have them when they moved into an apartment). 

Every cabinet, closet, drawer, buffet, and room gone through.  There were things that I held firm on (yes, I HAVE to keep that).  Things that I was okay with getting rid of (why do I even still have that???)  And, things that I thought – Really?? Put that right into the trash.

It is odd, some of the things I found.  When I was small, my father was head of the pathology department in one of Houston’s big hospitals.  Consequently, my sister, brother and I got to attend many of the special shows’ celebrities would do for the hospital’s children ward.  Shows like this one 

I also found a folder filled with letters to my father.  They were written to him by buddies during WWII.  One day I want to transcribe them.  I think they will give another view on the war from the eyes of those young men.

One thing I’ve kept – with the thought that grand children might want to see what their 2^nd great, great, and current grandmothers wore at different times – is special clothing.  Consequently, I have a huge steamer trunk filled with clothes.  Can’t take it with me now so, what to do with things like

  

A 1940, handmade, lace covered, chiffon
negligée

Vintage Full Body Fox (Head, Tails, Pelts)

Stole/Scarf

How about this –

A silk velvet, hand painted
evening cape

Also, under my guest bed, there are two huge file boxes of slides taken by my father from 1950 until sometime in the 1960’s.  Argh!  I’m going to get my brother and sister to make the decision on what to do with those.

We did accomplish a lot and currently there are 10 large tubs filled to the brim with miscellaneous stuff for the pending sale sitting in the garage.  (shhhhhhh - I did sneak out there after Denny left yesterday and bring in a couple of small things.)  There are 8 boxes of things set aside for grand daughters (dishes, glasses, pots/pans).  And two boxes of things (mostly old photos that everyone has gone through many times) to go to the burn pile at my friend’s house.

My daughter went home yesterday.  And, today, I’m just not accomplishing a great deal!

8 Mar 2020

Texas Tales

What with Texas Independence Day just past and the world’s largest indoor rodeo and livestock show coming to Houston, thought I’d share a little story with you …….

Pecos Bill and Slue-foot Sue

A Texas Tall Tale

Now, Pecos Bill had a way with wimmen. No doubt. He had dozens of wives during his time. But his one true love was Slue-foot Sue. She was his first wife - and she could ride almost as good as Bill himself.

Bill first saw Slue-foot Sue ridin' a catfish down the Rio Grande. She was riding standing up and holdin' on with only one hand sose she could take pot-shots at the clouds with her six-shooter. Was making a right pretty pattern too. Bill jest went head over heels for her. Proposed on the spot. They was married the next day too.

Sue was dressed in one of them white jobs with the large hoops. Looked plumb beautiful. Sometime after they was a'married, Sue insisted Bill prove how much he loved her by letting her ride his horse, Widowmaker. Bill couldn't talk her out of it, so Sue climbed on that great devil of a horse.

Well, Widowmaker bucked like a maniac, jest as you'd expect. Sue was thrown off - clear up to the clouds. Luckily, Sue was still wearing her springy hoop. When she hit the ground, she bounced up again. But we all soon realized Sue couldn't stop bouncing. She bounced so high she kept hitting her head on the moon. She was crying and crying buckets of tears, and throwin' kisses to Bill. But even he couldn't stop her bouncing though he tried mighty hard.

He waited three days and four nights. Finally, even Bill realized that she was gonna starve to death before she stopped bouncing, so he had to shoot her. It was a cryin' shame. Well, time heals wounds, and Bill finally got married again. And again. And again. But I'm tellin' you, he never felt the same about another woman as he felt for his first wife, Slue-foot Sue.

3 Mar 2020

Texas Our Texas

Today is Texas Independence Day!  184 years ago, a group of 59 delegates convened, drew up and signed the Texas Declaration of Independence thus declaring the independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico.  

When a government has ceased to protect the lives, liberty and property of the people, from whom its legitimate powers are derived, and for the advancement of whose happiness it was instituted, and so far from being a guarantee for the enjoyment of those inestimable and inalienable rights, becomes an instrument in the hands of evil rulers for their oppression.

When the Federal Republican Constitution of their country, which they have sworn to support, no longer has a substantial existence, and the whole nature of their government has been forcibly changed, without their consent, from a restricted federative republic, composed of sovereign states, to a consolidated central military despotism, in which every interest is disregarded but that of the army and the priesthood, both the eternal enemies of civil liberty, the everready minions of power, and the usual instruments of tyrants. . . . . . . .

They met at Washington-on-the-Brazos and chose David Burnet as provisional president and Sam Houston as commander in chief of all Texan forces. 

David Burnet

 Sam Houston

Texas remained a Republic from October 2, 1835, to February 19, 1846, when it became the 28^th state.

Okay – history lesson over.

Y’all have a good day now!

2 Feb 2020

Spring (I’m sort of, maybe, pretty sure) is Here

Spring has sprung, the grass is ris,

I wonder where the boidies is

The boid is on the wing,

How absoid

The wing is on the boid!

Unknown

Or, if you prefer

Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,

The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;

And ’tis my faith that every flower

Enjoys the air it breathes.

William Wordsworth, ‘Lines Written in Early Spring

I went out to observe the Spring –

Crinum Lily

Milk and Wine Lily

Hot Country Lily

Though here we call ‘em Ditch Lilies

  

Acacia Tree

Ten-Petal Anemone

Thimbleweed

Windflower

I love this small wildflower (aka weed) and currently have a yard full of them.  And, they have many uses.  Protection - against evil and ill wishes and against disease and illness.  Weather predictor: At the approach of a rain storm when the petals close up.  Plus they tell us of the arrival of spring winds.  Lastly, they attract fairies and other magic folk.

Pink Magnolia

Tulip Tree

Star Magnolia

Gazanias,

Treasure Flower

They produce large, daisy-like flowers in bright yellow and orange all summer.  This is a new plant to my garden.  Good things - they are drought-tolerant, can tolerate our heat, grow in any type of soil.

Empress of China Tree

Foxglove Tree

Duranta

Golden Dew Drop

Pigeon Berry

Sky Flower

I’ve had a few of these and ultimately get annoyed and dig them up.  Reason?  It’s a shrub than can get up to 10 ft tall, the multi-stemmed branches are droopy, and they have sharp spines.  They need lots of room.  In the fall they put on bunches of golden berries which the birds love.

Cape Honeysuckle

Indian Paintbrush

Scarlett Paintbrush

This is a Texas native wildflower.  So, Did You Know?  Many types of paintbrush are parasitic, which means that they rely on the roots of other plants to grow.  For this reason, it is hard to transplant some paintbrush plants. 

  

Peach Tree

with little baby peaches!

Wild Onion

Canada Onion

Canadian Garlic

Wild Garlic

Meadow Garlic

Everybody should recognize this one.  If you run over a bunch with the lawnmower, the whole yard has an oniony-garlic scent.  And, it’s an edible weed.  The flowers have a stronger taste; the greens a bit milder.  Use them in salads, bread or pasta dough, pesto or salsa, with potatoes, eggs and mushrooms.  It’s a tender herb so add at the end of any cooking process.

I found a field of them just up the street.

Texas Mountain Laurel

Mescal Bean

Coral Bean

Big-drunk Bean

Colorin

OK – this one is in a neighbor’s yard.  I love Texas Mountain Laurel.  I’ve tried for some time to grow one from seed but they are very slow to germinate and I’ve had no success yet.  This is a large shrub with lavender or violet pea flowers that smell like grape Kool Aid.  It’s heat and drought tolerant (good for us here) and grows pretty much in any soil. 

And, lastly – this isn’t really a “spring” thing but I love this tree.

 Dubbed by me as “The Mistletoe Tree”

Bird Lime

All Heal

Devil's Fuge

Golden Bough

Mistel

Iscador

Mistletoe is a hemiparasitic (obtains water and minerals from the host plant) that grows on a wide variety of trees.  Mistletoe preparations have been used medicinally in Europe for centuries to treat epilepsy, infertility, hypertension, and arthritis. The Druids revered the oak tree and the mistletoe that grew on it, according to Roman author and naturalist Gaius Plinius Secundus (also known as Pliny the Elder).  At the winter celebration of Samhain, the sacred oaks were bare except for the green boughs of mistletoe, and this was taken as a sign of eternal fertility.  The Celts also placed a sprig of mistletoe above the door of their houses and its sacred nature prohibited fighting beneath it.   

1 Mar 2020

Aaaaarrrrggghhh!!!!!

My day . . . . . .

Up at 6:30, as usual.

Did all the kitty chores, as usual.

Did my 20-minute pick-up around the house, as usual.

Checked out a few things on the computer, as usual.

Washed my face, brushed teeth, fussed with hair, changed into clothes I can leave the house in, checked my grocery list, got together everything I needed to take/return/replace, found my voters registration card - - - - 

All “as usual” things.

Left to run errands.

Went to the library and to Tractor Supply (a sort of hardware store).

Went and voted.

Went to the grocery store.

All as usual things.  And, from here, it all went downhill ………….

When I got home, I opened the back door to see this

 What in the world???

Stepped into the house and looked into the kitchen

 Aaaaarrrgggh!

The new box of sandwich bags (150 fold-top bags) out of the pantry and sandwich bags everywhere – empty box laying a little further into the dining room.

And, lest you think I went off and forgot to lock the pantry door ………

Zack (and I KNOW it was him) managed to jiggle the hook off BUT didn’t dislodge the spoon.  AND STILL ONE OR BOTH MANAGED TO GET INTO THE PANTRY.

I don’t know.  Don’t know how they got in.  Don’t know how they got out.  I don’t know.  These are big boys - tipping the scales close to 15 lbs each.  Big cats - big.

I opened the pantry to find

On one side, everything knocked askew.  The box of sandwich bags gone (see above).  And, the box of kitty treats EMPTY!  Note: the lid to the treat box is on the other side of the pantry.

On the other side

The brand new bag of cat food ripped open.

Again, lest you think these poor kittens are starved . . . .

I turned around, walked out of the kitchen to the small jar of deep dark chocolate with almonds.

Very Nutritious, 

Powerful Source of Antioxidants, 

Improves Blood Flow and Lower Blood Pressure, 

May Reduce Heart Disease Risk, 

Could Improve Brain Function, 

Helpful in Murder and Mayhem Conditions.

And, popped a big piece in my mouth.

Then, I shut myself in the kitchen, cleaned up the mess in the kitchen, and put away groceries.

And finally, I contemplated my options.

Nope!  Zack moved that chair in about 2 minutes. 

Among all the odd and unusual things I have, there is a small but heavy, cast iron cauldron.  Moved that in front of the doors. 

No, he shoved that right out of the way.

Next, I moved my very heavy chopping block in front of the doors.

Well, that would work except both of them jumped right up on top of the fridge where I have many breakables.

So, no.

Right now the doors to the kitchen are closed and the Demon Duo are sleeping on the sofa. 

Cute, right?

I’m going to go take half a dozen ibuprofen, sit down, and read my new library book for a while.

24 Feb 2020

Storytime

It’s overcast, damp, and cool today.  Perfect for storytime . . .

Why Opossum has a Pouch

(Koasati Tribe)

 One evening, Opossum was playing in a field with her babies when Big Bat came swooping down and grabbed all of the little ones and carried them away. Opossum shouted and begged for Bat to bring her babies back to her, but he would not. Bat put the little opossums into a deep hole in the rock and watched over them there.

 Opossum walked around and around the forest, crying for her babies. When Wolf heard her wails, he came to her and asked what was wrong. "Big Bat has taken my babies from me and he will not give them back," she told him.

"I will get them for you," Wolf said. "if you show me where they are."

So Opossum showed Wolf the deep hole in the rock where Bat watched over her babies. Wolf bravely walked into the darkness. But a moment later she heard him cursing, and then he came running back outside saying, "I am sorry, but I cannot retrieve your babies."

So Opossum kept walking around and around the forest, crying for her babies. When Rabbit heard her wails, he came to her and asked what was wrong. "Big Bat has taken my babies from me and he will not give them back," she told him.

"I will get them for you," Rabbit said. "if you show me where they are."

So Opossum showed Rabbit the deep hole in the rock where Bat watched over her babies. Rabbit boldly walked into the darkness. But a moment later she heard him cursing, and then he came running back outside saying, "I am sorry, but I cannot retrieve your babies."

Opossum was frantic now. Brave Wolf and Bold Rabbit had been unable to retrieve her babies. She walked around and around the forest, crying hysterically for her babies. When Highland-Terrapin heard her wails, he came to her and asked what was wrong. "Big Bat has taken my babies from me and he will not give them back," she told him.

"I will get them for you," Highland-Terrapin said. "if you show me where they are."

  

Opossum showed Highland-Terrapin the deep hole in the rock where Bat watched over her babies. Highland-Terrapin carefully walked into the darkness. A moment later she heard him cursing. Big Bat had thrown hot ashes down in the path in front of him, burning his large flat feet. But Highland Terrapin kept going in spite of the pain. He could see the little opossums huddled together a few paces away. They were crying for their mother. Highland-Terrapin saw Big Bat hovering above them, and he scolded Bat for stealing the babies from their mother. Highland-Terrapin picked up the little opossums and carried them out of the deep, dark hole. Big Bat dove at him a few times, but he kept bouncing off the terrapin's hard shell before he could reach the babies. Finally, Bat gave up and flew away.

Highland-Terrapin cut a hole in the belly of the happy Opossum mama and placed her babies inside it. "You keep your babies in there until they stop nursing," he told her. "When they no longer need milk to drink, you can let them out."

From that day onward, Opossum mamas have carried their little babies in a pouch until they are old enough to eat on their own.

19 Feb 2020