Sunny Days

The weather has been unusually warm in Oklahoma - and with that brings spring fever!  

Steve and I have been diligently trying to become farmers - a little at a time of course, but we are working that way.  This morning we decided it is well time to plant a garden... well, at least tilling the dirt to plant it.  

When we walked outside, this is what we started with:

We roped our dream garden off discussed the process in which we would start.  We decided skinning the grass off would be the first step, so 'Farmer Red' tried 'skinning' the grass off with the tractor.  We quickly learned that we were taking much more dirt than we wanted to and the 'skinning' wasn't working so well for us, so he hooked up the tiller to the tractor and off he went.  

We were super excited to see progress - and quick progress at that!

So now we have a perfectly tilled garden, which over the next few weeks, he will till a couple of times a week.  Once we do that, I will start making mounds in it with a few very wide rows.  Our garden is 32' x 48' - so I think we will have plenty of food for us AND the neighbors.  Check out the first 'finished' process pictures - now mind you, he will continue to till for a few weeks:

Megan and I will start our seeds today in starter pots and put them in our greenhouse.  

And before they go into the garden area, Steve and I will add a smaller fence and gate around it to keep the deer, 'coons and other critters out.  Now I haven't figured out how we keep moles out, but at least some of the critters will be staved off.

I am so darned excited!  I cannot wait until we have all our little plants growing in our little corner of the world.  We will soon become farmers - well, veggie farmers anyway!

Puzzle Pieces

Today I am working on genealogy.  It all started with Steve's family having a family reunion in June.  One of the Uncles asked me to make a family book with information in it.  I thought it would be a piece of cake - but boy did it ever open up a can of worms!  

His family has apparently hoarded all of their pictures.  I have few and no stories.  

On the other hand...

I was blessed, my grandma had kept years and years (and did I say years?) of birth certificates, death certificates, baby books, letters, war bonds... you name it, she kept it.  And since I was so engrossed in every aspect of the 'olden' days, I was deemed the 'keeper of the stuff' and she and every other family member has given me everything that were tossing out.  

This has left me with a dilemma.  I have mounds of stuff:

And drawers of stuff:

And boxes of stuff:

 

And being the photographer we all know I am, I have pictures of headstones from every headstone I have ever visited:

So, suffice it to say, I am going through 'stuff' to see if I can put the pieces of the puzzles together.

Now, if I can just find pictures and stories for his family.

And I won't mention the mystery of my mom being adopted... 

Lots of puzzle pieces to sort out.  Anyone volunteers to help me?

I see you ducking outta sight!

Winter Weather This Year is Mild

Good Morning!  I have gotten so far behind in my blog that I had no idea where to start - so I have decided weather is a good place.  As everyone knows I love the snow.  I have waited for 35 years to move back to Oklahoma so we can enjoy all four seasons in the fullest, but of course snow has been what I anticipated most.  

This year has been a very mild winter.  I am not complaining - after all, living in Singapore has thinned my blood out quite a bit, so I think a mild winter will help me get more acclimated to the weather.  We had hail a couple of weeks ago - I was pretty impressed by how much in such a short time.

In less than 30 seconds we got this:

Then it was over!

We have gotten very little snow this year - maybe an inch at the most - and a couple of dustings.  It sure makes for a pretty back yard though:

Even an inch on the trees is pretty:

We can only imagine what our place will look like completely covered in the white fluff, but someday I am sure we will get to see it.  We are looking forward to that day!

Even when we don't get snow, we get to see amazing frozen art:

I saw this when I was passing someone's place on the highway - yes, I turned around and took pictures - how could I resist?

Megan is still adamant about trying to build a snowman - but she finally conceded that she needs LOTS more snow.  Picking it up in a bucket and hauling it was too much work - but she tried!

We have been feeding the deer and they seem to like it:

But unfortunately, the birds do too!

On the 'too cold to go outside' days, I have been working on quilts.  This one has a story - but that is for later.  I am finished with it now - and it only took 27 years!

Winter is here, and even though it is a mild one, it is nice to have a definite season.  As I sit here and look at all of my winter pictures, I came across these from last fall:

And I remember the seasons are why I loved Oklahoma so much!

And just one of the reasons I love Louisiana so much? (yes, I miss Louisiana as much as I missed Oklahoma...)  It won my heart, too!

It's fun loving Cajun heritage is only one reason I remember it fondly!


Happy Mardi Gras!

Herro...

So.

I have been sick

With a sinus infections from h-e-double toothpicks

I have finally gave in and went to a Dr after 2+ weeks of misery

I am getting better now

And I think I will live

My house on the other hand should be condemned

My family still loves me but the may not like me.

And I had to go in to the cardiologist because my heart is flittering and fluttering

The Dr doesn't think it is anything

But I will have to get a holter monitor to be sure it is indeed nothing

And I have to have an ultrasound of my heart 

Hopefully they find I have one

While I was sick with the sinus infection that I didn't know I had

I went in to the dentist to get a crown

When they removed the temp crown 

They broke the tooth completely off

So they had to repair it which took hours

But it is fine now

However, I gotta tell you

A sinus infection

A broken tooth

And the numbing agent

Are not a good mix

While I was sick with the sinus infection

Megan started work at her full time job

Which left me with no car because she was driving my Camry

So Steve and I went shopping for a new car

And I bought a pickup

A Toyota Tacoma to be exact

And I love it

Truthfully, I wanted a different vehicle

But the salesman only showed me a modified one

That rode like a hay wagon

So I chose the Toyota Tacoma

And I do love it

But I can barely get in it

It is a 4 wheel drive and very high

So I have to climb into it

Well not really, but almost

So we have to buy Nerf bars/grill guard and a cover for the bed

All so I can get in it

I am going on a scrapbook retreat in a week

I am not sure what I will do

Because I don't scrapbook anymore

But maybe I will try

I am happy to report that I finished that da%*!# quilt

It only took my 25+ years and it felt like longer

But it is done  

Finally

I made the big announcement that "it is done!"

And Steve just looked at me

I think he was afraid to say a word

Then we decided it is the camper quilt

However, I will start another one in 2 weeks

My goal is to finish it before I croak

And that my friends is my catch up.

I will not make promises

As you see I cannot keep them

But have no fear

I live on a (future) farm

And life is rather boring

So I am sitting back

And enjoying the view

While thinking of things 

That might be worth blogging about

Like I am planning a chicken coop

That I cannot find plans for

And planting a vegetable garden

By reading the almanac

So I know when to plant

But for the life of me

I cannot figure out how to plant

On the dark side of the moon

In the day time

And finally

We are going to plant an orchard

So I have to learn how to plant a row of trees

In a straight line 

But I cannot even walk in one

And I have to learn which fruits actually grow

In this great state we grew up in 

But we have not lived here since we were teens

So now you know some

And more will come

Soon.