Saturday, catchup day, maybe?

With so much recent rain it's been a real challenge to do outside work. All the shrubbery has had a real growing season, so out of control and "wild" looking. I took my "trusty" hedge trimmers to mine this morning. They may not look so neat but at least more controlled. I trimmed 3 burning bushes and 2 forsythias. I need to wait until all the azaleas have stopped blooming to trim them. I was well ready for a rest after trimming and loading the trimmings and taking them to the curb. So thankful my health has enabled me to do my yard work.
Only a few days until "Mother's Day", many mothers will get plants of some description for that day. In my mother's last years, I gave her plants to be planted in her yard. She enjoyed the azaleas so much, and they were beautiful year after year, made her little house a showplace. Not just my opinion, but was remarked on by others. After her passing the house was sold. The bushes remained until last summer when the present owners decided they must go, and go they did, robbing the yard of its beauty. I was told they were going to do some "landscaping"! Never done, but a couple of tall grasses so inappropriately placed next to the house. The dogwood was taken out as was anything that lent beauty to the yard. Not a trace of rose bushes remain. The property is "for sale" again, saddens me they destroyed the gifts my mother enjoyed and treasured. Just maybe someday new owners will restore the yard, and it will again look "homey" and inviting again.
Love and honor mothers on their special day, you'll be glad you did.
grandma

Friday, and beautiful!

Last night was a very restless night for me, instead of a nice calm night to sleep through. So, I was up and watching the Royal Wedding, something making history. I am still amazed at all the technology we have in this age, and it's constant change.
So thinking of the folks and families forever changed by the recent weather that came their way. Makes us think "what if it had happened to us?" I don't think anyone could be mentally or physically prepared to know exactly what they would do, or how they would emerge from such devastation. I pray lives can be rebuilt and  they will find peace.
I've decided to do a little yard work today. I hope to do a little mowing, after seeing the neighbors doing theirs. I'll take my time, so it may take another day. The trimming is so time consuming and is never really completed.
I hope everyone can get out in the sunshine which helps to enjoy the day.
grandma

Thursday, with some SUN!

Maybe the "Sun" word was a little too loud, but so welcome. I'm looking forward to getting back to doing yard work. I like the peaceful time of just being away from a lot of the cares indoors, and feeling the freedom of being out and seeing all the plants and yes, weeds growing. The tulips have finished blooming and the azaleas are beautiful. The irises are beginning to bloom and I have bachelor buttons soon to burst into bloom. The peonies are full of buds, soon to bloom too. I so much love the different blooming flowers. I would like something blooming all season, and I just may. There will be cone flowers and black eyed susans, and daisies later. Day lilies will be blooming, which are always so pretty. The butterfly bushes last most of the summer with their color and the beautiful butterflies they attract.
I think I have a lot to look forward to, hope everyone has something to bring them joy and happiness. Think of all you have, as it will surprise you how blessed you are! I have, now my day will be brighter.
Grandma

Rain, Showers,& Storms

The last several days have given us a lot of WEATHER! It is unbelievable the amount of rain that has fallen and all streams and rivers are far above flood stage. My area has, so far, been spared of any loss of life storm related. We are grateful for all the mercies shown us.
I think back over 70 years ago when my dad worked as a farmhand. We had no car so he walked each day to a farm to work for a prosperous farm owner. He would leave home at daybreak, or before, walking with his lunch pail for an early start on the day. At evening it would be sunset before he came walking home. Most of the farming was done with a team of horses. In my mind's eye I can still see the teams of horses he worked with. The farm owner always wanted to start the corn planting on May 1st. Seasons were quite different 70 years ago. On that morning 70 years ago my father had the team harnessed and on the way to the field, around 7 in the morning, was in an accident. Traveling down the highway just over a hilltop a semi hit the wagon and team he was driving. He had a fractured skull and broken collar bone. The nearest hospital was Evansville, IN from where we lived. He spent 3 weeks there in the Welborn-Walker Hospital, no longer in operation. My mother took care of us and kept us fed, without any resources to help us. My mother was such a remarkable woman, there was nothing she couldn't do. How I do miss her! Anyway, it was quite a time before my dad was able to do any work after returning home. I remember how weak he was. A farmhand was the only work he could get for a lot of years. We certainly lived a life without anything but the bare essentials. I had the best parents anyone can imagine, they were caring for us and providing what they could. I long for a time so simple, when people were different and caring for their families.
May all your days be good memories,
Grandma

Special weekend

Special, for many reasons and yet different, from one person to another. The tornado's weather brings anxieties to each of us, whether or not we are in it's path. We no doubt have friends or loved ones we have concerns for. May we all be safe and care about those in peril.
Maybe others are somewhat like me, when the weather is not pleasant, I am more apt to focus on things that bring me down, maybe just bad memories, or health issues or maybe the way our country is moving, or not moving. That is the time to be encouraged by someone or something that will bring to us HOPE of a better day. No, it will not rain always and the there will be bright sunny days again, just not now. HOPE does live eternal! That is what this weekend is about HOPE. I'll now face the day with a better outlook.
God bless

Good Friday

What does "Good Friday" mean to the peoples around the world? Most importantly, to each of us individually. Yes, I've heard, and read and all the things about Easter being a pagan holiday too. The same they apply about Christmas. Their arguments don't bother me. I choose to believe in the one the Bible speaks of and that is what I celebrate. The death and resurrection of Jesus frees us from sin and gives eternal life with him in heaven for eternity. Think about it! There is nothing else out there that makes such a promise that can be trusted. A lot of folks will argue about their "good works", those are only a good thing if followed by their devotion to Christ, the first step. This is a season to reflect on our lives and our beliefs for eternity. I would encourage you to seriously consider this.
God bless

Thursday, already!

Tomorrow is Good Friday, a holiday for some working folks. It will be a long weekend for some, hopefully there will be family gatherings for some, a real highlight for many to enjoy family and catch up on all the happenings since they last met. Treasure those times. As we age we see less and less of family and lose those precious connections. I remember some of those times with my family. There was always the thrill on Easter morning to find an Easter basket, although my mother made it, with a chocolate bunny and goodies. My mother was so resourceful she could do anything. If she could dream it she could do it. Anyway, I remember the Easter I was probably 4 years old. I had a new dress and shoes to wear to church. The dress was a pale shade of green taffeta with a pretty little decoration on it, and the shoes were black patent. Seemed like Easter was a time for new clothes, more than any other time.
 No more time for days of "yore", but the NOW. Many of us try to maintain our homes and yard work, within our ability. It's always best if the weather is agreeable for the outside duties. Isn't it amazing how the weather determines our outside activities! I can dream all kinds of things to do when the weather isn't favorable. Once the weather is good, somewhere I've lost all that eagerness to get at the task. Right now, I'm waiting for the weather to clear and dry the lawn. Come on sun!
Be encouraged!

Thankful!

So thankful this morning the warnings were not as bad as it could have been in my area. Electricity was off about 7 hours. I was prepared with my flashlights and a working battery radio. It may have been a little eerie but so thankful for God's protection and answered prayer. Some schools are having delays and one county had called off school as the whole county was out of electricity during the night.
Again, I'm a thankful grandma this morning.

Blue Monday!

To some it's "blue monday" whatever that is, some first workday of the week, and long ago in my memory was "washday". A time where every soiled piece of clothing, linens or "whatever" was in for a good washing. Mothers took it very seriously back then. Whites had to be boiled or bleached to make them dazzling white. It was a very long day back then, especially if there was no washing machine. What an invention that was! Beginning early in the morning, water was heated on a stove or outdoors over a fire, clothes were scrubbed on a washboard. A mother had a lot of work, I shudder to remember how difficult it was. Noon time meant she had to be sure the children were well fed. No going to the store to pick up something fast and easy, everything was made from scratch, not such a thing as "fast food". Washing took the whole day. After all of that, there was an evening meal to fix and getting the children bathed and into their freshly laundered night clothes and into the freshly washed bed clothes. Thanks to all the mothers that took such good care of us,

Really is SPRING!

The springtime storms have hit so many areas with loss of life and property. So sad to see and hear about from our news sources. Praying for all the people feeling their losses on this Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is a very precious time when we pause to remember the historic ride of Jesus into Jerusalem and  how he was hailed, just a few days before his crucfixation. A time of reflection, "What will we do with Jesus"?
I had the pleasure of talking with my granddaughter last evening. She is very busy updating her living quarters. This is a very important time in her life facing responsibilities of work and adjusting to all the newness of living on her own.
Maybe  a lot of us will remember our first jobs and for the first time on our own. Scary wasn't it? Rent to pay after finally finding an apartment, grocery shopping another new experience, being responsible for getting ourselves to work on time, no one to nudge us. Our workplace may not have been very far away, but still we had to walk, no resources to buy a car. We had to wait on the car until we saved enough to buy it, took a long time, although the price tag may not have been much, compared to today's prices. Neither was our paycheck. We were pleased with ourselves knowing with planning we could achieve our goals. What if we did sometime have a setback, we knew we had it in us to make a comeback. I miss seeing some of those things in many of our people in today's world. What happened? Did we get lazy and depend on others to do for us? Just yesterday I heard of a man out of work for a very long time, has several children. The wife works, but he has no ambition to look for employment as he gets from the government what he thinks he might earn IF he worked. Yes, ultimately the working people are supporting him and his family. People disabled, I thank our government for seeing to their needs, they no doubt worked as long as they could. We have big problems looming in our country, and no foreseeable answers. Let's get back to what America was. United lets say WE CAN!
God bless

What is going on?

I was thinking on the subject many church goers are asking in this day and age, "the end of the age", "the anti-Christ", "our economy, how is it really controlled?" If you will only Google a few persons in our government system today, it is frighting to say the least. Not to pick on anyone but a description of a man came up, so I decided to find out more about him. He was rich to begin with , another description was a Hungarian Jew. I am in no way am biased about nationalities. With that information the name "George Soros" quickly appeared. Does the public know what Google tells us? Read for yourself what it says. Betraying his own people and feeling no remorse was one thing that jumped out at me. As an American, I was shocked. He is a billionaire, so you can decide for yourself how he gets his power and following. As I said, read for yourself, there must be some truth in it.
On a lighter note, my area only had a watch for severe weather yesterday and evening. We were fortunate once more, heavy rain and wind, but no tornadoes.
Wishing you a safe weekend!
Phyllis

FRIDAY! (TGIF?)

The end of the work week for many, and others will be "catch up" time of all of the home duties, which is the REAL job. Wishing you all the best on that one. I sort of caught up on my yard work yesterday. That is a good feeling to do that myself, and be able to do it. I don't think I would feel as much enjoyment in my yard if someone else was doing the work. I managed to hang a swing on it's frame, and have the chairs and table out to enjoy the outdoors in the nice weather that is sure to come. The dogwood tree, lilacs, and tulips are in bloom, and the azaleas just waiting to burst forth. What is not to like about this beautiful season!
A loud "BOOM" brought me to attention yesterday as the last section of the old bridge was brought down. A piece of history gone. It was even older than me! The new bridge that crosses the Wabash river is so much safer for everyone traveling it. No more waiting while oversize loads have the police halting traffic for them to cross. In fact, you hardly know you are crossing the mighty Wabash River. I remember always taking a deep breath and saying a silent pray that I would safely cross the old bridge. IF only there could be a 4 lane highway to Princeton, IN, it is so heavily traveled, forget passing any slow traffic. I traveled it daily for 9 years or more making my way to work. Isn't it always like us to want something more? Really, I'm thankful for the new bridge.
Another thing in memory are the many ferries that crossed rivers when I was younger. Not many still operating. In memory, was one crossing the river at the end of 5th St. in Mt. Carmel to Knox County IN where the White River joined the Wabash River. It was operating into the early 50's, another was the the one below Grayville crossing the Wabash into IN. It ceased operation when the I-64 highway was built several years go. As a child it was always a treat to have your car transported that way.
Wishing everyone a good weekend with good memories!

A wonderful day!

The weather looks to be beautiful today. I hope to work on some things outdoors long neglected. It really makes for harder work when things are neglected.
I'm sure people in my area remember the eathquake of April 2008 as the date draws near. They will remember exactly where they were, when in the early morning hour they were shaken awake. Strange, you knew exactly what it was. I remember jumping from bed and hurrying down the hall where my son was sleeping. The phone was ringing, my daughter-in-law that was living a few miles away, was calling to check on us. Lights all over the neighborhood had been turned on. A lot of anxious folks that morning. Some older buildings suffered a little damage. Some pictures fell from the wall a few things tumbled to the floor. We are a very fortunate people. Did you know in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament mentions earthquakes? They are nothing new and something we aren't in control of. I guess all things we can't control have to be a bit scary. I think it to be a true statement more and more earthquakes are happening as never in a time we can remember. They come with such frequency rebuilding seems to be an ongoing concern. We are awakened to the basic needs of others, their loss of life and so much we take for granted. We have been a blessed nation even though in recent years there have been losses by Katerina, earthquakes in CA, the Three Island catastrophe. We need to be mindful daily of ways to help the less fortunate, and know it could  easily be us facing their plight. Smile, it will brighten the day for someone!
Phyllis

Rainy day!

How do we treat rainy days? Usually without a lot of joy unless it is dry, and the plants need a good drink. There has to be a reason as we look at the growing and harvest seasons. Usually, I will admit I'm more grumpy than usual. When I was a child, so long ago, I thought them dreary, knowing not it was necessary for plants to thrive.
Rainy and sad days come to each life as well. How we handle those days, has a lot to do with what may have happened or didn't happen to dreams we may have had. Sometimes the timing was not right and we grew too anxious to move things forward at a speed that was never meant to be. So many things we need to examine. I know I'm always happier in the sunshine. Stepping in sunshine has always been more plesant than stepping in a puddle of water.
There is a song I so much like, that says "the God of the mountain is still God in the valley". So it is with our sunny or rainy days, God has it together whether we do or not.
Love your day,
Phyllis

Times have changed !

So much has changed over my lifetime, over 3/4 of a century that has passed. Many happy ones, as well as some not so happy. I think we that grew up in a large family on a farm had the whole world to experience, or so we thought. Before and during WW11 were difficult days at best. Didn't matter, we did what we could for our country and our fighting men.
Our Sundays were spent with the grand folks, aunts, uncles, cousins and sometimes a few friends would come home with us from church. The meal was alway plentiful. God sure blessed us real good. Afternoons were spent around the player piano, such fun singing, or maybe outdoors when the weather was good playing a game we much loved, croquet. There were other games we played that didn't requre any equipment, such as hide-and-seek. Those were days we just liked to be together. I don't know any families that enjoy each other that way today.
 Being a grandparent today, a lot of time you are not included in the lives of the younger folks as their lives are just too busy. They don't spend time with games except maybe some on the Internt or a handheld game of sorts. They seem to know nothing of the closeness of family nor respect of others. If I sound anicent that is OK. I treasure the time I could share with my family more than ever. It was like I never thought those times would end.
God bless all of you, and may you be blessed with memories to tresure.
Phyllis grandmatalk