25 August 2009

Tuesday Has Rolled Around Again!

Monday was a long, long wonderful day!
I can't believe I am up and at it at 7 a.m. I wasn't home much yesterday at all. I went to breakfast with Susan and Sam. Susan's treat! Thanks, Susan! After breakfast in Pburg we stopped off at the Kids' house to hold the baby and ooh and ahh over her. She wanted nothing to do with me but she quieted down when Susan held her or when Sam did. I would take her in my arms and she would immediately start fussing. I did get to hold her quite a bit though in the 45 minutes we were there. She spit up on the front of my blouse shortly before we left to come back home! :) Guess she likes me afterall!
I took a short snooze in the afternoon, read a couple chapters in my newest book and then at 5 Sam and I went back to Pburg to the Kids' house to eat supper with them and to hold that baby again. Mama had just finished feeding her when we got there so she was asleep. After supper I held her for almost an hour...my left arm went to sleep and I passed the little bundle of joy to my brother Sam so he could hold her.
He says to me in a low voice, "Do you think we could get away with just getting up and leaving with this precious little girl?" I told him we couldn't just take the baby, we'd have to gather up all the paraphenalia babies need as well. My son just shook his head as he heard this conversation. He said to us, "If you're going to take her, don't forget the swing! You'll be happy you took it along!" :)
Course we didn't kidnap little Annabel. She's much better off with her mama, papa and big brother. It was good to get to hold her so much on Monday.
Tuesday looks as though it is going to be a scorcher again! The bank clock said it was 5:53 p.m. and 105 degrees F yesterday when we headed north to Pburg for supper. It is muggy, humid and hot already this morning inside the house. I've not ventured to the back steps to sit with my coffee yet. I'm sure it's much cooler outside than it is inside this morning.

I've no clue what is in store for the day. I have a phone call to return today. The phone has been shut off for the last week cause I didn't have the money to pay the bill. My sister paid it for me yesterday and I am so grateful to her for doing that! So now I have phone service again. I had a message on my machine when I got home last night. There were actually 3 messages on the machine when I got home...all from the same person! They were wondering about the phone being dead all this past week, among other things. I didn't return the call cause it was already too late when I got home so that will get done later this morning. I'll let them get up and about and started with their day before I call to interrupt their day. I doubt they will think of it as an interruption though.

It is nicer outside than I expected. Not much a breeze out there but it's not near as warm out there as in the house! I took a walk around the yard. Looked at the various things growing out there. My pear trees are loaded with ripe fruit at the moment and large green beetles have invaded the trees to dine on the ripe fruit. Very pretty large green beetles they are! I'm sure they must be pests of some sort but I have no intention of eliminating them from my landscape.
I walked out to the 'north forty' to check on the pear tree and apple tree out there. I saw only one lone apple on the tree. The pear tree is heavy with ripe fruit..so ripe the pears are rotting on the tree! The pear trees by the house aren't near as laden with fruit as that lone tree out there is. Not sure what is up with the apple tree though...no fruit to speak of?
I checked on the pokeberry stand as well. Berries have formed but are not ripe just yet. I will have to remember to check the pokeberry stand come spring so I can have some pokeberry shoots to eat. Can't eat the berries. They are poisonous, along with the rest of the plant if you don't cook it right. The shoots are not poisonous until they reach 6 inches in heighth. You can eat the leaves so long as you change the cooking water numerous times. I've not ever tried to cook the leaves cause I didn't want to hassle with the changing of the water time and time again!
I may make another batch of pokeberry ink next month when the berries get ripe. We'll see!
None of the seeds I scattered in my own yard last year came up this year. I don't know if they need to winter first before they come up or what the deal is....I will pick more berries just for the seeds and will scatter another batch this year! I would love to have a large stand of pokeberry plants come spring! A large stand closer to the house at least!
I discovered three very large wild gourd plants on my traipse around the property this morning. I knew two of them were there but the third one was a shock to find! Not that we do anything with the wild gourds, they're just really pretty plants!
I cleaned the dogs' outside water bowl while I was out in the yard. I'll have to go back out pretty soon and turn the water off. It will take a bit of time to fill that big tub. The water was quite green and low so it needed to be cleaned and refilled. The dogs will be appreciative.
It does look as though Pug will be staying with me for some time. Unless she gets her stupid hide run over on the highway! She ain't too bright when it comes to staying off the highway...especially when you're driving off and you haven't bothered to take her with you! She runs down the middle of the highway behind you for a bit and then gives up. Fred stays off the highway! He learned the hard way and I'm sure Pug won't be given the chances Fred has been given to learn the hard way that the highway is no place for a dog! I just keep asking St. Francis to watch over her stupid hide! So far, so good!
You've noticed no pictures in this post....I have a few things to scan still but just haven't felt like tackling that endeavor for awhile. I'll get around to it eventually.
Artwork has kinda been put on the back burner for the last few weeks. I have no inspiration and no inclination to do any! I need to keep plugging away at the inchies to meet my goal of 1000 of them before the year is out. I will meet that goal! I will!
Right now I'm going to step into the shower, get dressed and do something productive today! You all have a fantastic Tuesday! Make the most of whatever is handed to you today. That is my intention!
Don't forget to collect some hugs along the way!
Peace
831

23 August 2009

The New Kid In Town









No words needed on this post really!
Annie's mama, papa and her big brother. And Annie with her grandma Donna.
What a joy she is!
This is one of the reasons to go get your hugs for the day! So the next generation knows how special hugs really are!
Peace, my friends!
831

18 August 2009

It's Tuesday....

And once again, I have been gone a few days.
No real reason other than I've been doing other things. Nothing specific. I can't remember exactly WHAT I have done in the last five days.......

I held Annabel twice in those five days. On Saturday when she came home from the hospital and again about an hour ago. She sure is a pretty little thing. I don't say that only because I am her granny, but because it is true! It has to be~! Everyone else says the same thing! :) That little girl makes me happy.
The grandboys all went back to school today after a summer away from it. Not sure how each of them feels about it. I will have to ask.

RW and RJ were here this afternoon. RW has been next door since about 9 a.m. He came with Justin from Pburg. RJ showed up around 12:30 or so. Sammy was there, as well as Susan.
Everyone held the baby except RW. He said she wasn't up to her weight limit yet and he wasn't going to hold her till she weighs 11 pounds. She's at 6 pounds, 11 ozs today. He is under the notion that he might drop her. Her smallness scares him, but he admires her from afar. He's quite proud to be an uncle, I do believe!
Sammy just loves that baby! Sam is my youngest brother, aged 41 (I think that's right. If not it's close.) He has two sons of his own so he remembers the thrill of a baby. It makes me happy just seeing him hold Annabel. He is one of those who say, "She sure is a pretty little thing!" He moved into my life by moving here to my spot about the same time Annabel came into the world. Newness for me all around! I like having them both here!
Justin held the baby too. His mama, Susan, is faunchin' at the bit for that boy to get busy and give HER a grandbaby! Justin is either 29 or 30. He's not cooperating with his mother.
She tells him, "That's OK Justin, RJ gave me a baby I can wallor anytime I want to." She really does so want a grandbaby! How I wish Rick were still here for Annie's arrival. He so loved children!

The dogs met the baby on Saturday. Pug is a bit hyper and didn't really get a good look at her till today but Fred met her on Saturday for sure. I wasn't outside when they got here today to unload the kid and all the paraphenalia that comes with it!
Fred licked the top of her head, stood back a bit and took a good look at her face and then went on his way. Quite unimpressed it appeared. We shall see in later years what he thinks of her. I've no doubt he and Annie will get along famously. He's a laid back dog and he loves all the grandboys!
I was holding Annie, sitting on the sofa and Pug sat on the sofa beside me looking at Annie. She licked Annie's toes a time or two. Pug is a licker! All in all she did pretty good. Just sat there like she always does. Pug is also a very clingy dog...and she is little enough she can sit in your lap is you don't mind. She certainly won't mind if you let her sit in your lap! I still don't think Pug can be trusted around a newborn without constant supervision so the dog will be staying at my house for awhile still. We can only pray each day St. Francis will watch over her and keep her from being squished on the highway. I know that sounds harsh but I can't spend 24/7 worrying about that dog staying off the highway! Thankfully she's getting better at staying off it the longer she is here, but we still need St. Francis' help with this!

Doobie whooped the snot out of Pug a couple of times in the last five days. That dog worries that cat all the time! I laughed so hard at them one day. Doob had done the whoopin' and turned to walk away from Pug, strutting like, "That will teach that stupid dog!" Yeah...:) Pug snuck up behind her as she was strutting away and nipped that cat on the base of her tail. Doob whipped around! (I have never seen that cat move so fast!) Pug had, of course stepped back from the cat by this point....she should have never nipped the cat on the tail. Doob proceeded to back Pug into a corner and whoop her all over again. The dog has been defeated!
She still doesn't like that dog and that dog still worries her all the time, but Pug just doesn't seem to have the enthusiasm she had before her double whoopin' in the bathroom a few days ago.
Doob whooped her the day before that as well, just not quite as badly. They seem to have come to terms though. I found the cat and that little dog asleep on my bed when I woke up early this morning. Doob was in her usual spot next to me in the middle of the bed and Pug was asleep, all stretched out at the foot of the bed with fan blowing in her face. Fred was asleep on the floor where he knows he's supposed to be.
I gave up on convincing Pug she needed to sleep on the floor like a dog should, but she was having none of that! Only reason I let her stay is cause Doob lets her stay and she isn't much bigger than a cat anyway.

Billy cat got locked in the garage overnight. RJ accidentally locked him in there yesterday afternoon. RJ let him out of the garage about three hours ago. Long time for a cat to be locked in the garage. I am assuming the cat fared with no ill effects from his ordeal. I don't know though, cause I've yet to lay eyes on Bill today.

I haven't done any scanning of art completed and I haven't compeleted any art in the last five days either. So no pictures today.
And no picture of my granddaughter either cause no one has downloaded any pictures to a computer so they can send me some of them. I asked about that again today. So maybe...just maybe... next time I post, you all will get a look at the pretty little thing!

Guess I'm out of things to talk about unless you all want to hear how badly I'm hurting these days. Pain wise...the levels are high but I'm alright! I won't go on and on! I'm still above the grass and mighty happy to be so!
I'm out of here for the time being! You all go collect your hugs! Give some kisses too if you get the chance! They only add to the affects of the hugs! Have yourselves a terrific Tuesday! I intend to keep right on doing that myself! :)
Peace
831

13 August 2009

There's A New Kid In Town

I know it's been a few days since I have been here... I said that baby was coming soon. She didn't come as soon as I would have liked, but she is well worth the wait she put me through!
Annabel Mae was born at 12:22 a.m 13 August 2009. She weighs 6 pounds 13 1/2 ozs and is 20 inches long.
She took the long route into this world. We had to drag her out into our realm. That might be a bit harsh... though she was pretty much drug into the world with no help from herself. She was born by c-section (I cannot spell cesarean correctly...or maybe I can?). Her mama, T, has some gallstones in her gallbladder and that was giving T some bit of trouble for the last three days. She has been in the hospital since Tuesday evening. Though we may as well say she has been there since Monday cause on Monday she went home for about 10 hours after having spent the night in the hospital.
Anyway......Annabel came into the world today, finally!
I'm afraid I have no pictures to show you of that event and that beautiful little girl I held when she was only a couple of hours old.
I've not spoken to Brenton about his little sister yet. His other grandma, Sherri told me he wouldn't go to sleep till he knew mom had had the baby. I was priviledged to be the only one present for this little one's coming out.
There are pictures to be seen but you all will have to wait to lay eyes on my granddaughter. RJ wouldn't give me the camera's smart card so I could download them. He's a turd. He's also a very proud papa which blows me away! Not that he is proud, but that he is a papa!
The fair is in town. You all know about as much as I do about the goings on down in town. I've yet to make it to the fairgrounds to take a look around. I really want to get a look at those tigers.
I won't dream so big that I may actually touch one of them...that would be cool though. I've played with baby tigers in the past. Cats the size of a medium dog. It was fun and sureal at the same time.
There's a picture of me and Wayne, (my house mate on the road) sitting with a full grown white tiger. That tiger was magnificient! I knew he couldn't be trusted any farther than I could throw him, but he behaved beautifully! He could have cared less about having his picture taken. I believe Wayne has that picture, now that I think about it. The picture was taken shortly before we played with the little ones. There were five of them I do believe. Mean little shits! Sharp little teeth! I had a great time despite the scars I still bear! LOL
I forget Wayne's last name. He was a strange, yet cordial housemate. We lived in an RV together for about a month out on the road with the traveling zoo. The tigers were at our first stop on the circuit in Wyandotte County, Kansas. Then it was on to Des Moines, Iowa for the state fair.
I won't go on about the traveling zoo...I have tons of stories from that time though...good memories those! Perhaps another time.
I do want to see the tigers in town though! And the pigs, cows, chickens, ducks, all kinds of critters there! I want to sit and do some people watching as well.
The motorcycle races were on Monday and Wednesday. We could hear them clear out here in the country. 2 miles away as the crow flies.
It is in my plans to go to the fair tomorrow. I'll even take a walk down the midway....but I won't be getting on any of those rides. No thanks.
I have forgotten what I had to say in the last post. I know it was a short one though. I did inchies with Susan in the evening before I went over to the hospital. Another dozen to add to the things still needing scanned.

The last part of this post should probably be a separate post? It is now 3:44 am 14 August. I started this post yesterday about this time. At any rate... on with it!

I went to the fair for the first time tonight. H asked me go to the races with her. They were racing Stock Cars and Modifieds. It was loud and dirty! I was a great deal of fun as well! I think I have a pound of dust in my hair and another half pound in my eyes! There were four old guys (50s to 70s) sitting beside us. Those guys were a hoot! H kept telling me the one sitting right beside me was a keeper! I think not! He was swilling beer and being kinda dumb. He was the youngest of the bunch. We know this cause we overheard a conversation across several rows of bleacher seats! The fella sitting on the row just down from them would have been a better catch, especially in the looks department! He was in need of TLC too, he cut the ends of three of his fingers off on Thursday out in a field. Apparently he's fine. He was at the races swilling beer as well. They did crack us up many more times than one! One of these four arrived well before the others. H and I had arrived quite early ourselves so as to get a good seat. He sat there and talked to me while H was off hunting down kids, waiting on his cronies. I guess him to have been in his early 70s. He told me about the fella cutting off the ends of his fingers. Out in a field by himself and a machine got the better of him. He's lucky it didn't chew the whole of him up instead of just his fingertips! He was a handsome devil! And lucky to boot! No clue who he was.
B had to go to Oklahoma so his ticket was mine. Thanks B! I had a great time!
The whole fair this evening was quite a spectacle! Amanda put on a hulahoop show just for me! :) She has been out on the midway (just past the pavillion, an excellent spot) since Monday selling hulahoops and doing shows to help with the sales. She's good with the hula hoop! I've known Amanda since 1999. She's 26 or 27. I haven't seen her in a few years...H told her I was there and she put on an impromptu show just so I could see her cool hulahoop dance with the flaming hulahoop. It was so cool! It was dark in the shadow of the pavillion and the balls of flame around the edge of the hoop were so very cool spinning around her body as she swayed to the music. Spectacular! And even better cause it was a gift greatly appreciated. She hugged me hard! :) Was good to see Amanda.

I saw a lot of people at the fair that I have not seen in some time. Thanks for the invite, H!
I'll be going back again tomorrow around 6:00 p.m. cause I really want to see the tiger show. I got a look at their spot on the fair grounds. Looks as those these tigers do tricks. Walk on a tightrope, sit on pedestals and surely other things. I didn't see even a tiger hair tonight! Tigers go sleep before 10 p.m. apparently.

I have yet to go look at all the farm critters. I didn't want to miss H when we were supposed to hook up at the fair grounds so I didn't wander around too much. I really like the pigs! The cows are alright..good if you can pet a bucket calf or two. The sheeps and goats are pretty cool cause you can pet most of them. I like the chickens, ducks, turkeys and rabbits also. yeah I have to go check out the critters tomorrow. I may even go through the horse barns. Horses don't much speak to me if you know what I mean.

I finally got to meet Ezekial. That kid is already 2 months old! He is a cutie. Wouldn't look at me! :) He was too busy looking at Cory, his daddy. Ezekial's big brother has finally decided I'm not such a bad character afterall. Last time I saw 2 yr old Josiah he wouldn't come anywhere near me! Was good to see Monica and Cory and get to hold that youngest one. (I got to hold two babies today! That makes me smile!)

There were other various folks I know that I came across at the fair as well. Lots of hellos, hugs and good wishes for Annabel's life. I can't believe I have a grand daughter! It just floors me! Susan and I went to the hospital mid afternoon so Susan could meet her. We didn't stay long cause I had to be home by 5 to make it to the races in time. Mama is feeling good considering the ordeal her body has been through and Annabel is doing wonderfully! Papa's hanging in there as well.
I talked to Brenton on the way into the hospital. He and his other grandma were heading back to Pburg. I asked him what he thought of his little sister. "She's a keeper!" says the seven year old. :) I do have to agree with him!

As I said the pictures are forthcoming! Soon...I hope.

I added 5 books to the list. 'Softly In Silver Sandals' is a nice little poetry book.
"The Singing Stones" is an excellent tale of murder and intrigue. I love muder mysteries!
"The Architecture and Design of Man and Woman" is a very interesting book. I highly recommend reading it if you're interested in the workings of you own body. It was fascinating reading! With gorgeous images as well.
"Lethal Seduction" was a love story of sorts...it wasn't the greatest book I've ever read but it was worth the five or six hours it took to read it.
"The Book of Knowledge 1961" took quite awhile to read but I finally finished it over the weekend so on the list it goes. It a compilation of all the cool stuff going on in 1961, the year I was born. Some interesting things in that book. I'm glad I read it!
I'm still reading "We Are Still Married". I will finish it soon.
And that concludes your reported books for the day. Go read something! :)

This also concludes the post about this most excellent day 13 August/14 August.... it has been a grand day! Thank you, Lord!
Go get some hugs! I got so many today I think I'll tingle for a week!
Peace
831

08 August 2009

How'd It Get To Be Saturday?

I don't have any art to show you all. I have a dozen inchies that need to be scanned and 20 some little books but as i said, NEED to scanned.

It is better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt. Abraham Lincoln.
That's the quote for the day.

I really don't have much to say today either... I'm tired, kinda cranky and I should probably just call it a day.
I kinda jumped the gun on the baby business... somehow this doesn't surprise me...and we still have no baby. Soon though. Soon. (Least that's what they're telling me.)

I also wanted to make a post just to up my post count.
Hope you all are getting your fair share of hugs...giving your fair share as well... the more you give, the more you recieve... preaching to myself again.
I'm out of here for Saturday... it's quite doubtful I'll be back to say anything till Sunday or beyond. I'll add to the books read list when I return. There are three ready to go there now and there will probably be another one by Sunday.
I need lake time.
Peace---man! don't we need it!
831

02 August 2009

Artwork of a Sunday~ and a bit of Chatter just 'cause....

The title of this post really doesn't 'fit' cause not all of this artwork was actually done on Sunday. But nonetheless...here is some artwork of a Sunday!

Evelyn's book was a giant hit~! Least I think it was. Evelyn didn't whoop and holler all about it but she seemed to be pleased it was hers. She's an odd duck, Evelyn.

The artwork that follows was done within in the last month. Some of the inchies were done today.


Chunky Page....(we all know chunky pages do not have names!) The other side of this page (which I did not scan) has another of the egyptian shaped playing cards, a puzzle piece painted copper colored around the edges and on the backside that hangs over the side of the page. This page was going to end up in Evelyn's book but her book got too fat to add anymore pages than I did add. (I'll gather Evelyn's book pages from my files and do a post about it so you all can see which pages went in the book.) This page has a text page, magazine cutout (cat), text from the same book as the text page, egyptian shaped playing card, copper dragonfly and sunflower from a book of stamps from the USPS. It also has a lampwork bead attached to the side of it. It is now up for trade.


Prayer #3--ATC--ink pen on cardstock. This is the third ATC I have made with this particular doorway on it. There will more than likely be more of this particular doorway in the future as well.


Zentangle Quilt--ATC-- markers on cardstock

I worked on Inchies a lot one Wednesday afternoon in July. I drew the black outlines of most of these on that Wednesday sitting in a dry spot in the pouring rain while equipment refused to cooperate for the one in charge. I finally got around to adding some color to them this afternoon.
This batch of 64 inchies takes the goal up to 570. There are a few in this batch that I did not make, but as in the past...they count nonetheless!







There are only 2 in that batch that don't belong to me. I thought there were more....There ARE more...they're still in the inchie box waiting to get scanned...they were made after I scanned this batch. Sorry. I'm losing my mind, it appears!
I'll scan them later, along with the little books I've been talking about for a week and half now.
I see a couple of these are all wonky on the scanner bed too. An upside down tomato and sideways sheep. Hmmm. No biggie.
I really don't know EXACTLY how many inchies I have made this year but we are going with the count as of today cause, well, just cause we can! When the year is out and I must conclude this goal, I'll lay them all out on the table and take a picture with the final tally. The final tally won't mean jackspit but it's the tally we will go with to conclude the goal. I've sold, given away and/or lost a few of them. I've no numbers on that though. Didn't keep a record... I have a scan of all of the inchies made this year, but the numbers are all wonky. I could go sort it all out in my documents folders but....not today.
I stopped smoking this morning. No. Truly. Cold Turkey. I ran out of smokes and I haven't had another. Yes, I know I said in the last post that I wasn't going to buy anymore....well, that lasted all of an hour.....I spent my last 4 dollars and 48 cents on a pack. There were two left early this morning. I had them for breakfast with my coffee. It has now been a little over 12 hours and I've not smoked any more since then. There are none to smoke and regardless how much I WANT A CIGARETTE (RIGHT NOW!!!!) I am not going to buy anymore. I can't afford to buy them. It is that simple!
So, that goal is well on it's way to fruition. Keep sending me good vibes for this one! Any help is appreciated.
I added another book to the list yesterday. My Father's Dragon. It was a cute book. A kid's book. Fifth graders. I enjoyed the story. It had 90 pages. It qualifies for a 'book read'. The illustrations are just darling!
Ok, I've counted the inchies in the box of ones that are scanned and accounted for. Only problem is that they aren't all there that have been scanned and accounted for...there are a grand total of 451 inchies in the box. 420 of them are mine. I have sold a few, given a few away and traded a few as well. So I've no freaking clue just how many have been made unless I go and count all the inchies individually on the scans....that ain't happening this evening. It's damn near midnight and my eyeballs are sagging!
I'll figure it out in the long run.
You all get some hugs this week and don't work any harder than you must. Remember that smiling makes folks wonder just what you're thinking! So smile and get them to smiling as well and then everyone will be smiling and thinking about happy things!
Peace, my friends!
831
Oh, yeah....we still have no baby as of yet! Soon....soon....

01 August 2009

August Is Upon Us!

I still haven't got any art work scanned though there is a 'ton' of it that needs to be scanned. I may get around to doing that later today and if that happens...we will have two posts for the day.

July went out with a bang last night. A good old-fashioned thunderstorm to rattle the bones and shake the windows! We saw one hell of a lightning show, got a bit of rain and some swift winds blowing through. Nothing too severe in my own backyard but that cloud on the northern horizon looked a bit hairy as it ZOOMED across the prairie. It was dark out when the storms hit. We stood in the backyard watching the lightning before the rain came along. That big black cloud to the north reached all the way to the ground and I'm pretty certain there was a tornado in it! I've never seen a storm move as fast as that one was moving. That particular storm was many miles to the north of us and we didn't get anything out of it. It was lightninging and thundering the whole while we watched that storm scoot on its way and then the temp dropped like a rock thrown from a rooftop, wind and rain came. I haven't been out to see how much water is in the rain guage. Not a lot, I'm sure.

I woke up this morning feeling like something the cat dragged in. Not sure why I feel so ragged this morning! Yesterday was a busy day for me and it may be that I just overdid it then. I'm taking it easy for today!

I finished another book yesterday. I had four pages left to read in it and could't keep my eyes open another moment. Took a three hour nap and read the last four pages when I woke up. An excellent book all around! Terah reccommended it and gave it to me to read. The Circus Fire: A True Story of an American Tragedy by Stewart O'Nan. If you come across a copy, by all means give it a read. It is well worth the time you'll invest!
I have not chosen a new book as of yet. I am reading two other books at the moment as well. I forget the name of the one about the human body. It is loaded with text and pictures. The other is We Are Still Married by Garrison Keillor, a book of short essays and stories. This goal will be met before the year is out!

My granddaughter should be arriving into the world quite soon! Her mama was having contractions on Thursday again. But no baby as of yet! Just playing the waiting game waiting for Annie to greet the world. Soon!

Pug is staying with me for a few days just cause she needs a break from Dory, a pit bull puppy. She's having a great time harrassing Fred. Hopefully by the time Annie comes into the world, that pit bull won't be living at Pug's house. Dory belongs to some friends of the kids' that are staying with them for the time being. I have nothing against pit bulls. Dory just doesn't like to share the food even if it isn't in her own bowl. She was refusing to let Pug eat so Pug came to stay with me for a few days. Fred gladly shares his food bowl!

Last night after the storms had moved on and it was just sprinkling outside, Fred stood in the driveway at Susan's barking his fool head off. I went out to see what he had. It was a young possum, soaked to the bone and playing dead like possums will do. I'm assuming it was playing dead, it was dark out and Fred wouldn't let me get a good look at the critter. I picked it up by the tail to get it away from the highway (with Fred as well). It didn't appear to be injured. I'm not sure if Fred frightened it into playing dead or if someone hit the poor little thing on the highway and it got tossed to the shoulder of the road. Fred was carrying it around in his mouth like a prized possession for a bit though. No clue where it is this morning. I've not been outside to see if it's laying in the backyard.

RW and Lou were here while the storms were happening. Was good to see the two of them. The younguns were with their dad so I didn't get to see them. Haven't seen the younguns for weeks it seems. All are fine though.

I have been working on little books this week. I have about a dozen more covers done, just need to make them into books. I spent Tuesday morning cutting papers for the pages. I have no stash of junk mail left after having done that. I have enough pages to fill all the covers that are ready though. Susan is saving junk mail for me as well. I have used different types of junk mail for the inside pages. If it's blank on one side, its of use to me for the little books.
I still don't know what I will do with all those little books, but something will happen with them eventually. I need to branch out and put other things on the covers so they will appeal to a great many different kinds of tastes. I cut up an Esquire magazine on Thursday and made a few with men on the front covers. Also made ones with horses on the covers. Still need to branch out though...the subjects that can go on the covers is unlimited! I'll be working on little books for some time to come. I need to figure out another binding for them so that they don't all have the same binding. I'm on the look out for 1/2 inch book rings to use for them. I have 1 1/2 inch rings, but those are WAY too big for the little books.
I will be plugging along with book making. My contribution to recycling!

Not sure what exactly is on the agenda for today. Until I finish my first cup of coffee, won't be anything but me sitting here tapping on the keyboard, yakking at you all.

The fields of sunflowers are in full bloom right now. The flower heads just opened a few days ago. The fields are just gorgeous! Yellow as far as the eye can see in some instances. Wheatfields are very pretty, but sunflower fields can't be beat in their beauty. I wish I had had a camera with me when I drove by those fields. I can't do them justice with words alone!

My little trees are doing wonderfully. Someone needs to go out there and weed eat the tall grass growing around them though as the grass is taking over! The little trees are troopers though and growing nicely. I'm glad they got rained on last night...they were in need of a nice long drink. We don't have 147 of them anymore though. Sam mowed a couple of them off on accident last week. I'm really not sure just how many are left. A herd of them though...it will be so nice when they get tall enough to block the north wind and the blowing snow come winter. That won't happen this winter though. The little devils are only about a foot tall right now. Give them another summer or two and they'll be tall enough to start doing some good in the winter.

The wild gourd plant in the yard is HUGE and covered with little gourds. The gourds are of little use to anyone but it's a gorgeous plant nonetheless! Sprawling over the berm out there by the trench. I bet that sucker is all of twenty feet from one end to the other and a good 8 to 10 feet across. It was so pretty a few weeks ago when it was covered with bright orange/yellow flowers preparing to set on gourds. I've read that the Native Americans considered the gourd sacred because the root of this plant is shaped like a human. It resembles a human form. I like this plant cause it is tenacious....grows year after year in the same spot and just gets bigger and bigger. The one I'm talking about here is in its second year in the spot in which it grows. It's going to be a great big plant next year!

The marijuana crop is as tall as the trailer house out back. I didn't plant the marijuana, it grows wild and I see no reason to do away with it regardless what the state has to say about it being illegal to grow. Mother Nature planted it, not me and I don't think the state should decide what Mother Nature can grow! It's a lovely plant! Sam mowed a path through it the week before last. The plants are probably a good ten feet high, some even taller. The path is like walking through a forest. Though it is quite smelly when doing so! A tolerable smell....just don't want to linger in there too long! When you walk through the path, you feel as though you've gone to another place where everything is green! A nice little secret hiding spot! (If you can stand the overwhelming smell for any length of time!) I wouldn't smoke this stuff as it is just ditch weed and it won't get you high! It will only give you a headache and make you wish you hadn't been so stupid to think it would get you stoned! It won't give anymore of a buzz than you'd get smoking a rope made from hemp! Cause that is what it is basically; hemp.
Don't get me started on the benefits of hemp and the stupidity of the government to ban growing hemp. Marijuana has NEVER killed anyone cause they smoked too much of it! Hemp and marijuana are related and that is the reasoning behind the government's ban on growing hemp. Crazy is what it is! Billions of dollars from an industry that has been around for centuries and the government says, "Nope, you can't grow it! It's too much like cannibus!" That' BS if you ask me! But unforunately for all those who would like hemp to be legal to grow, they forgot to ask my opinion. And those who think marijuana should be legalized and legal to grow as well....again....they didn't ask my opinion. Just like they never asked yours either!

It is now August and I made the resolution to stop smoking back in January. Well I won't be able to afford to smoke this month, so I'm giving it up! I am smoking my last cigarette at the moment and there will be no more! Not sure what I'll use as a substitute for the next two weeks but I am not buying another pack of smokes! Wish me luck it sticks this time. One day at a time is the only way to look at the quitting smoking business. I think it will be one hour at a time for the first week or so! I can stop though! I know I can! I've done it three times before! I just have to perservere and not give in to the cravings that WILL come! I better stock up on toothpicks and lollipops!

I had a roadtrip overnight from Thursday into Friday. Short jaunt. Lovely time had and I'm ready to do it again!

I suppose I should get busy and do something productive before the day gets too far gone. You all have a fantastic weekend! Gather up as many hugs as you can stand this weekend! I got started on the hug campaigne on Thursday! I'm ahead of the game! I shall come yap at you all again later with some artwork to show. Hopefully I can manage to get that done this sometime today.
Until next time:
Peace
831

Followers