COOL IN THE SOUTH

So,  here we are back in the  south and it is turning cool.  Really cool.  Frost on the ground is not inviting but it  reminds us of the snow that has already come to our  home up north and to the family members there.  It doesn't seem like Christmas here without snow but have  beeen shopping for a few things, putting up the tree, etc.  Raked the leaves in the yard today.  Will go with sister-in-law to a tea at her church for the ladies of the church on Sat.  Brother and wife are taking me out to dinner on Sunday for my birthday this year.  That will be so nice of them to honor me in that way.  Brother is very special to me.  Always has been there for me  since I was born. We always got along over the years.  Never  fought  like so many brothers and sisters do.  God blessed me with a special friend in my brother . Wish everyone had a brother like  him.   Still trying to figure out how to post pics again.  Be patient.  It won't take me to long I hope.

Back in the south

Well, after 6 month we have come back down south to enjoy the sunshine and I think we are getting out fair share this year.  Only 2 days has it rained since we arrived over 2 weeks ago.  The sun shine is heavenly and so good for husband and mother-in-law who thrive on the warm weather.  Will post more with pics  after I figure out the new photobucket site.

Then it was off on our long trip home. Stopped the next night at a beautiful koa  campground. Got to park right beside their lake where there were  ducks everywhere.  What a restful place to park for the night.



The next  night we were in the Shennadowa Valley at an other site.  Down in the pines.  A small stream at the bottom of the hill had a beautiful waterfall that I could not resist shooting.



What a   great trip home.  So much of God's country to enjoy and appreciate.

We got home in time to enjoy the twins fourth birthday party.  Lots of kids and adults again this year.  More noise than we had been around in months.  What a great time everyone had.  Can't believe they are four already.  Their cake was a pink and green camouflage cake.  Don't question why.  I don't know.  Tasted good though!

They had a pinata that they all smacked the life out of and then scrambled to get the candy that scattered everywhere.  Ah,  the sugar rush for all of them after all the cake!



They all had a good time  and can't wait for next year and alll the fun over again.  Great to have so many little friends to share with at four years old.  The weather was beautiful but a bit chilly for us after being in warmer weather.  O well, we will have to adjust to the north.

The first stop on our way home was at the Jacksonville, Fl.  flea market.  Here is a picture of just one of the  3 identical buildings which housed so many booths  we soon tired out just looking.  Met up with younger  brother and family and shopped until we dropped.  Had a bit to eat in the concourse and then said our good byes and  took off on our long journey home.  Had bought some gifts for the grandchildren (t-shirts).

It is great to have a daughter who knows her way around this computer stuff. She can to my rescue and helped me to get my  pictures  posted.  Now  I  can do it for myself again.  We older gals sure must rely on the younger one to get us through these electronics  obstacles.  Many thanks to her now my friends and family will continue to get my info.  Wonder how many other are in such a tizzy trying to get set up once again, figuring this out by themselves.  Good luck to them all!

This is a rose  brother gave me before I left to go north.It's from his own garden.

April draws to a close here

The weather has surely  worked in our favor and we have got most of the things  done that we wanted to do before heading north.  The flowers I planted seem to be enjoying their new home and adjusting well. Put down some of that ground cover that keep the weeds at bay and  topped it all with pine bark for the time being.  Wanted to put down white stone chips but Walmart has yet to get in a new shipment before we go so must  use what they have.  The flowers lasted a long time but all good things come to an end.  The surrounding neighbors had some beautiful yards with so many blooms I had to take a picture of them.  Here  are two of the same yard at different  views.

My brother had his MG out for a spin in the beautiful weather we have been having.  He grins from the time he get in his little pride and joy until he gets out.  He really enjoys buzzing around  in the fair weather. I wish I had my MG down here too.  We would be out buzzing around all the time together.  Gram is no slacker at enjoying the fresh air and beautiful warm days lately.  Here she is out on the porch doing her puzzle book and enjoying the view.  The trees are getting greener and the grass is too.  Had our first cut of the season a few weeks ago.  It always looks so good with a hair cut.  As you can see the dog is enjoying laying at Grams feet.  She wait to see if Gram is eating anything  then begs for a sample.  Which Gram always give her.  Not in this shot  though.Well, guess that is it for pictures for this time.  Tomorrow we have  heard  their may be  bad weather so guess we were wise to get out and about this week and enjoy the good times.

Will be packing up and heading home up north the first of the month so will be real busy  loading the RV and closing up here.  Will be good to see the kids.  Have misssed them a lot lately.  Won't see grandson who is now so far away but he can certainly access this and keep up with us.  Hope he enjoys the pictures.

THOUGHT I WOULD POST SOME RECENT PICS OF THE LOVELY BLOOM HERE IN FLORIDA AND ALSO THE SHOTS OF THE AFTERMATH OF THE SMALL TORNADO THAT WENT THROUGH LAST WEEK.  NO ONE GOT HURT BUT THE PINES TOOK A BEATING UP WHERE THEY GROW THEM FOR TELEPHONE POLES AND GROUND COVER.  THE TREE THAT IS COVERED WITH WISTERIA VINE  IS SO BEAUTIFUL IT GIVES NEW LIFE TO THAT OLD DEAD TREE IT CLINGS TO..YOU CAN TELL ITS A TALL TREE BY THE SIZE OF THE HOUSE BEHIND IT.

HAD TO TAKE GRANDMA TO HOSPITAL A FEW WEEKS AGO.  SHE WAS DEHYDRATED.  HERE  IS A PIC OF THE HOSPITAL  TMH,  IN TALLAHASSEE.  SHE IS HOME AND ALL BETTER NOW.

 

 

 

PLANTED SOME FLOWER  OUTSIDE OUR HOUSE IN THE FRONT.  THE KIND THAT TAKE CAARE OF THEM SELF I HOPE.  BROTHER WILL COME OVER WHILE WE ARE GONE AND WATER THEM I AM SURE DURING THE VERY HOT DAYS OF SUMMER.  THAT GRASS I HAD TO REMOVE  TO MAKE A BED WAS A REAL CHALLENGE.  BAHAIA GRASS  THEY CALL IT AND BOY IT REALLY WANT TO STAY IN THE GROUND.  I WON THOUGH.  OUT IT WENT AND IN WENT MY LOVELY  FLOWERING BUCHES.  NOW I WILL STAND BACK AND WATCH THEM GROW.   WILL STILL HAVE TO PUT DOWN THAT GROUND CLOTH TO PREVENT THE WEEDS FROM COMING UP BUT THAT IS MINOR PROJECT COMPARED TO THAT GRASS REMOVAL.  WILL ALSO PUT DOWN SOME WHITE STONES SO WHEN THE RAINS COME IT WILL NOT SPLASH SAND ON THE HOUSE.

 

 

FINALLY GOT A WREATH FOR SUMMER ON THE FRONT DOOR.   GUESS THAT FINISHED THE WORK OUT FRONT FOR THIS SEASON.

March doings

THE MONTH OF MARCH WENT BY SO FAST AND I DIDN'T GET TO POST ANYTHING BECAUSE I WAS SO BUSY WORKING IN THE YARD AFTER  WAITING SO LONG FOR WARM WEATHER.  IT IS HERE NOW AND WE ARE TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING DONE BEFORE WE  HEAD NORTH FOR THE SUMMER.

THERE WAS A CLEAN-UP DAY  IN THE  NEIGHBORHOOD EARLY IN THE MONTH  AND WE ALL  WORKED AT TAKING  DOWN SOME DEAD TREES THAT BLOCKED THE DRIVE TO THE LAKE.  IN THE AFTERNOON WE HAD A FISHFRY WITH ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD.  IT WAS LOTS OF FUN AND GOOD FOOD.

 

 

LATER  IN THE MONTH I WORKED ON MY  GARDEN IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.  PUT IN SOME ROSES I HOPE WILL SURVIVE WHILE WE ARE GONE.

 

WHILE I WORKED ON THE ROSES  DAD WORKED ON GETTING THE SCREENING  UP ON THE PORCH.  THE BUGS ARE STARTING TO  CHALLENGE US AND IT WILL BE SO NICE TO SIT OUT IN THE EVENING WITHOUT THE UNINVITED GUESTS BUZZING AROUND OUR HEADS.  THEY BELONG ON THE OUTSIDE.

SO ,  THERE YOU HAVE IT.  THE MONTH OF MARCH.FINALLY SOME   PRODUCTIVE WORK DONE.

ANOTHER BONUS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL......I GOT TO CONNECT WITH MY GRANDSON WHO IS IN JAPAN OVER THE COMPUTER.  HOW GREAT  THAT WAS TO TALK REAL TIME TO HIM ON  "IM".  THIS MAKES THE LONG DISTANCE SO MUCH CLOSER.  THE TIME IS SO DIFFERENT I MUST GET UP AT 6AM TO TALK TO HIM  HIS TIME 6 PM.  SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO  CONNECT.  HE WILL GET TO READ MY BLOG AS WELL AND KEEP UP WITH HIS OLD GRAM AND GRAMP.  ALSO THIS TIME HE GETS TO SEE HIS OLD BUDDY ANGEL THE DOG.   SHE IS MY DOG BUT SHE LOVE TOMMY BEST  OF ANYONE OF THE FAMILY.  STRANGE BUT TRUE! THAT'S  O K.

MARCH

Can't believe  it is March already.  Time has rushed by and I have not entered anything since Feb.  We are finally enjoying some of the warmer days  here in Florida.  not many but some.  Have been working in the yard raking up leaves and pine needles  and pinecones and more pinecones.  They are still falling from the trees as we  rake.  This will be a never ending job  I am sure.   Little buds are forming on the trees and the early flowering redbuds are showing their beautiful colors.  Spring is in the air here. YEA!!!!    Don't have any pictures this time.  Have talked to Grandson Tom many times on the phone along with tex messaging.   He will be graduating from MP  training next Thursday ( 3/18/10).  His Dad will be going down this time to see him get his baret and badge..Tom is very happy to be moving on to his deployment soon.   Texas is getting boring out there in the desert.  He is anxious to see what Japan is all about.  Me too.  Can't wait for those first letters telling me what  interesting discoverys  he finds. 

The rain has come down in buckets today.   Two or three inches this morning alone.  We feel like we are in the middle of a river here.   We must get some fill to level out this yard and come up to dry ground again.   

February was a hard month on the family with the passing of a dear cousin, Martha, and late news of another cousin, Roy,  passed in Oct.   They will be surely missed.

This  weekend is cleanup days for the neighborhood.  So will be real busy again.  After the cleanup there is to be a big fish fry for everyone.  The guys in the 'hood  have so many frozen fish from all their excursions  they want to  unload some to the neighbors with the "big fry".That will be fun to get together after a cool wet winter. Not to mention  good eating.

Granddaughter  will have a birthday this month.   17  already. HAPPY BIRTHDAY  to Becky.  love ya!!!!

 

 

BIRTHDAYS

HERE IT IS ANOTHER YEAR HAS PASSED AND MY GRANDSONS ARE CELEBRATING THEIR  BACK TO BACK BIRTHDAYS.  BORN A DAY APART BUT  3 YEARS APART.  HOW THE YEARS FLY BY.  YOUNGEST HAS GRADUATED AND IS ON HIS OWN THE OLDEST IS JUST ENTERING TRAINING FOR THE AIR FORCE.  WHERE DID THE YEARS GO?  FULL OF GROWING AND LEARNING AND LOTS OF LESSONS AND CHILDHOOD COLDS AND FEVERS, NEW ADVENTURES AND  OLD TRICKS  WITH  A NEW GENERATION THINKING THEY THOUGHT  UP THE PRANKS.  LITTLE DID THEY KNOW WE DID MANY OF THEM  OURSELFS  IN OUR YOUTH , THINKING WE WERE THE ONES WHO THOUGHT THEM UP.  KEEP GROWING AND LEARNING BOYS.  IT'S A BIG WORLD OUT THERE AND ITS ALL FOR YOU TO EXPLORE AND ENJOY.   JUST HOPE THEY CONTINUE TO SHARE THEIR ADVENTURES WITH THEIR OLD GRANDMA  THROUGH THE YEARS.  HERE'S TO THE BEST YEAR EVER FOR YOU BOTH..GOD BE WITH YOU AND WATCH OVER YOU  WHILE YOU STEP OUT INTO THE WORLD!

HERE IS A PICTURE OF OUR  $19  TREE AND $15  WORTH OF DECORATIONS.  NOT TO BAD I WOULD SAY!   WE DIDNT THINK TO BRING DOWN CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS FOR THIS YEAR.  TOO MANY OTHER NESSESARY THINGS TO PACK .  SO WE WENT TO OUR FAVORITE STORE (WALMART) AND PICKED THIS ONE OUT AND THE BULBS.  PRE LIT -HUBBY WAS  THRILLED HE DID NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH  MINI LIGHTS.   NEXT YEAR I WILL BE BETER PREPARED.  WE HAD A LOVELY HOLIDAY WITH OUTINGS AND NEW FRIENDS TO CELEBRATE  WITH.  GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE INTERESTD IN SEEING THE TREE THAT GRANDMA PUT UP THIS YEAR IN FLORIDA, WHERE IT IS COLD ENOUGH TO SNOW HERE THIS YEAR.  GOOD THING IT IS NOT STILL RAINING OR IT WOULD PROBABLY BE SNOW!

OUR  OLDEST DAUGHTERS SON WHO IS IN THE AIR FORCE, GOT TO GO TO HIS GRADUATION AS I MENTIONED BEFORE.  FOR CHRISTMAS  SHE SENT US  MOVIES OF THE CEREMONY AND WE COULD PLAY THEM ON  MY COMPUTER TO ENJOY JUST LIKE BEING THERE. ( WELL, AT LEAST I GOT  1 OFTHEM TO PLAY   -   ONE OUT OF TWO  ISN'T BAD FOR ME WITH  THIS COMPUTER).  ANYWAY,  HERE IS A PICTURE OF GRANDMA- GREAT  ENJOYING THE PICTURES.  SHE THINKS HERSELF PRETTY SAVEY  OPERATING THE  KEYS.

stoney acres

WE HAVE HAD A SINKING FEELING  IN OUR DRIVEWAY WITH ALL THE RAIN HERE IN FL.  THERE HAS BEEN 11 INCHES IN JUST THE MONTH OF DECEMBER THIS YEAR.  THEY SAY THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR HERE.  WELL,  WE MUST HAVE BROUGHT ON THE CHANGE.  ANYWAY,  WE ORDERED A LOAD OF STONES FOR THE DRIVEWAY BECAUSE THE WATER WOULD JUST NOT GO AWAY AFTER THE RAINS.  SOME DAYS WE FELT LIKE WE  WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A LAKE.  LEAVING THE HOUSE  WE WONDERED IF WE SHOULD BE BUYING A BOAT TO GET TO THE ROAD.  THE STONES WERE DELIVERED AND BROTHER, HUBBY AND MYSELF WENT OUT AND RAKED AND SHOVELED UNTIL WE THINK WE FILLED IN THE LARGEST OF THE  PUDDLE SPOTS.  WE WILL NEED SOME MORE STONES IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR SURE IF THE RAINS KEEP UP.

MULE DAYS

DURING THE MONTH OF NOV. BROTHER TOOK US TO  AN OUTING  IN GEORGIA CALLED MULE DAYS.  IT WAS  VERY INTERESTING TO SEE ALL THE VENDORS THERE BUT THE MOST INTERESTING THING WAS THE MAKING OF CANE SUGAR.  HOW THEY CRUSHED THE STOCKS AND EXTRACTED THE JUICE.  THEN THEY BOILED IT DOWN AND PUT IT IN JARS  TO SELL.  TOOK THESE PICTURES SO I COULD SHARE THIS FASINATING PROCESS.  THEY ALSO SOLD SHORT STOCKS THAT THE KIDS WERE WALKING AROUND  CHEWING ON TO GET THE SUGAR TASTE OUT.