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Entry for June 27, 2009: It's June and we're at the tail end of a heat wave. It's been over 90 degrees for over a week now. While many others complain, I really don't mind the hot weather. That's because I can't help but remember January when we were buried in ice with no electricity and freezing cold conditons.

Besides, this is the time of year that tomatoes, peppers, green beans and all the good stuff from the garden becomes ripe!

I was outside today enjoying the scents of the garden. I trellised the tomatoes, which were determined to grow to a new zip code. Last week, an attempt to drive bamboo stakes into the ground was met with near disaster after one of the stakes broke and left me on all fours on the ground. (yes, shoulders still hurt!)

But, while cleaning the house and moving things around, guess what I found? The heavy HAMMER that I couldn't find last week! With twine, scissors and the heavy hammer in hand, I went outside and drove the stakes into the ground. With a sturdy 'fence' now placed among the tomatoes, I cut twine and moved the branches off the ground so the fruit would receive better air circulation and I could easier pick once everything is ripe. And THAT won't be long from now! LOL!

Tomatoes have an odor all of their own. In the warmth of the late June sun, I relished the smell of green branches and tomatoes mingling with the warm earth odors. So good and full of promises of tomato salsa, fresh cut tomatoes on sandwiches and stews full of summer's richness this winter.....

Over in the green beans, I found another handful of beans to add to what I found the other day. I LOVE fresh green beans cooked with fresh onions. That is an astounding taste! Even better, when tomatoes ripen, to add a bit of bacon to the mix. Oh yum! Delicious!

Another bag of raspberries! If I can just get another two or three, I'll have enough for my raspberry jam! The jelly jars are so ready, willing and able to be put to good use in this fashion! I bought the quilted kind - only because they were on sale. But they add a jewel facet to the deep, rich colors of the fruit jewels I'll soon put inside the jars. I've already made blueberry, cherry and blackberry jam. Still thinking about strawberry and rhubarb mix into a jam....have enough to turn that creation into reality....

Ah, three fat blueberries hid deep in the shade of their shrub. Others are turning red and purple. Soon, there will be more fat berries to pop into my mouth. But today, the three were quickly dealt with in a satisfying pop inside my mouth. Ahhhhh! The summer's warmth bled with deep juiciness....

Van will soon be repaired. Needed new transmission. Well, that's not what it's gonna get. Instead, will be rebuilt transmission. LOL! MUCH cheaper to go that route than to put in brand new one. If I can just get this tank to limp along until I can afford something different, that's all I ask.

Took granddaughter to the river front in Henderson, Kentucky earlier in month. They have a nice water spout park on the river front. It's enjoyable to sit there, getting splashed with cooling water, and watching the kids play. It's free and everyone has a blast going there for cooling fun. Even me!

Tags: survivingsummerheat

Saturday June 27, 2009 - 02:38pm (CDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Entry for June 25, 2009: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnvPt0E2Ed0

Tags: atitagain....andit'snotgood!

Thursday June 25, 2009 - 03:59pm (CDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Entry for June 22, 2009: http://www.hulu. com/watch/ 67878/the- future-of- food

if it won't open, do a copy and paste into your addy line

Tags: passiton

Monday June 22, 2009 - 10:55am (CDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Entry for April 26, 2009: Well, tax season 2009 is over. Thank goodness! I hate tax season because I worry about paying anything I might owe. Lately, I get a very small amount from the feds, but owe the state a couple hundred dollars. Grrrrr!

I posted a deduction for pets. I think pets should be deductible. Of course, they're not. BUT, with this country over run with unwanted pets, I believe the problem would be solved if we could deduct their care. Dang! Don't work that way, does it?

I don't have many deductibles. Work gives me some, as I don't have a company car. I use my own car - which is why I had to go out and buy a new van in 2007. I was on my way home to let dog out and then going to work - only the guy who ran the red light interrupted that plan.

He also killed my car. Totally.

I have no children at home. So, I'm NOT considered head of household. I HAVE a household, which I hold entirely on my own. Yet, I'm not considered head of that household. Go figure....

I have grandchildren, but they are their parents' tax deduction. So, I'm left only with the ability to deduct interest on the house, work related deductions and so forth. Sigh...

Meanwhile, life goes on. I had my two year old granddaughter today. I took her fishing and taught her a new song. She was busy singing, so I thought I'd join her. She rudely told me to 'shut up!' She was singing and planned to sing along.

I stopped the car abruptly.

'Excuse me?' I asked her. 'Where's my please?'

I figured that would be enough to elicit that please from her and we'd both go on about our business.

Instead, she sat in stoney silence.

'Young lady,' I scolded, 'Where is my please?'

'In my mouth. It's stuck there,' she said, opening wide and pointing the back of her throat.

I nearly lost it right then and there. But I knew I couldn't give in to the laughter I felt inside. I had to remain the stern Nannie and make her mind...not that I wanted to...

Eventually, I got the please, but her singing stopped. Until we got back to her mommy and daddy's house. That's when she began to sing the new song I taught her - in French. In English, it translates to 'Brother John.' In Little Bird language, it translates in neither French nor English...at least, I don't think so....

The song she sung for mom and dad went, 'Ferry Doctor. Ferry Doctor. Door the Food. Door the Food. Sandra wants a donut. Sandra wants a donut. Dim Dang Duh...'

It's tough being hard and demanding of such a funny little squirt....

Tags: granddaughtersandtaxes....

Sunday April 26, 2009 - 09:07pm (CDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Entry for April 10, 2009: Funny that how as we age, some of those priceless childhood memories come to the fore front. There was the time my older sister made us a chocolate pie for dessert. Us younger kids sat there drooling through the entire dinner. Never did a meal last so long!

Finally, the moment we waited for arrived. Dad picked up the pie and brought it to the table like a gift to the Gods. He gently laid it on the table. To my younger sister and I, it seemed the moment of arrival to the table top took years - even worse, we now had to wait for dad to get the long silver knife to cut the pie into servings for all of us.

Mom got out her best dessert dishes for the occasion. Imagine! Judy's FIRST PIE! It was a moment in history, to be sure....

At last, with licking lips, we watched as the knife sliced into the that pie and dad took the first long cut across the top to make it two equal halves. That's when the moment took a terrible turn....because that's when the pie slipped readily out of the shell and sat perched atop dad's knife - the ENTIRE PIE! My younger sister and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry....but that didn't matter for long, as dad began to laugh out loud as he shook the rubbery mass atop his knife - like a King with his royal spear.

'You know, I think I can use this to plug the hole in the floor,' dad announced.

Was it that moment or a second or two later that Judy ran from the kitchen, tears streaming down her face as she wailed on high? Her screams of sorrow and humiliation pierced our ears and hung heavy in the air.

Mom shot dad one of 'THOSE' looks and went after Judy. Meanwhile, my younger sister and I, hearts downtrodden, could only dream of what could have been....as dad began to measure just how large that floor hole was....

Friday April 10, 2009 - 10:13pm (CDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments