Our forsythia bush is at least 45 years old. Like every thing else around here. Including us. Add another 31 years on the us.
anyway,-----The bush resides behind the house almost in front of the bedroom window. Fine, I can see when it gets the pretty yellow flowers (if I am home) and watch the green leaves appear. And the last several years I have kept it trimmed in to a nice large bush.
Over they years I have cut it waaaay back once or twice, to about 3 feet. It doesn't die from this cruel treatment. It just keeps growing. Like that bunny on TV.
This year it is so big that when it sprouts nice new leaves and stems, it is difficult to see out the bedroom window. Enough already!
I am determined to cut the bush way down. Out I go, collect the tools needed
The trimmer wound not run. Go to my favorite fix it man, and Ernie determined that the extension cord was bad He found me another one that worked. So I trim off the new leaves and get out the heavy duty cutters and start at the back to cut it down.
We have a burn barrel, Still can, where we live, and we took a barrow full out to be burned. Ernie had a bunch of branches burning that he had cut off one of the maple trees, that were in the way when driving the RV down the drive
We walked back and looked at the bush. Oh, a birds nest, OH Oh----
it had 3 pretty blue eggs in it.
Guess what? I cleaned up the leaves and twigs on the ground, put my tools in the wheel barrow, Ernie took the trimmer and extension cord and we headed back to the barn.
Later, I was looking in at the nest, put my hand up to it. (mother bird was watching from a distance) She did not like my hand near her eggs and let out a screech. Leave my eggs alone so I did, and will not look that close again.
I will wait until after the baby birds have flown the nest and then take another
chance at cutting the forsythia down to 3 feet.
Have a good day. jkc
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Familly Reunion
what a good time------
Ernie and I left Thursday, July 19th for Madison, IN. Took the RV to the City of Madison Campground. One of my favorite camp grounds We get a spot facing the Ohio river and then relax. Watch the barges, I get out the binoculars and look for the names on the tugs that push them down or up the river. Never tire of watching the river. Here comes one now. The Sarah Hunter of Hunter Marine. only 3 barges long, two barges wide. So 6 in all. The barges are sitting high on the water, so they are empty.
The Madison, IN., bridge to Ky. was to be demolished this week. Wed, then Thurs, Monday and now Tues. the 23. We were all hoping for Monday, and all were going to stay and come on down to our camp site to watch the show. No such luck. It rained and the river is also too swift. So 8 members of the family left this afternoon. (Sunday) 6 of us will leave Monday.
Friday, we all met at Ernie's brothers home and ate too much lunch. Do you ever go to a reunion or family get together and not eat too much good food? Some went out to the farm for a look see out there. There were two that had not been to Indiana, much less a Southern Indiana tree farm. Another good evening meal and lots of talk.
Aileen ask what did the cousins remember about Christmas at Grandma's and about the farm. Interesting comments.
Saturday, the 21, John and Aileen took off for Bloomington, IN. for John's family reunion. After lunch, 10 of the family went out to the farm and this time went over to
Big Creek and to Green Hole. Don't ask me why it is called Green Hole, but it is a spot that Ernie and brother Nick used to go fishing. (some one is tubing down the river) And they got rained on, a cold hard rain. they also took time to stop at the family cemetery. When they got back to the house it was, "can we go back to the hotel to get dry warm clothes before supper?" Fun time
We had a surprise after supper. John and David turn 70 in 2013. so we had two long angel food cakes with "70" candles and cards from all of us. They were quite surprised. Their birthdays are in August and Sept. and so they were not expecting anything.
Sunday we met at 10 ish and again headed out to the farm. this time, Aileen, John and Jane went with them. We stopped and went thru the South woods first. Uncle David took us the shorter??? route to Green Hole. Past some bamboo that was growing in the woods. It was up hill, down hill, watch out for spider webs and fallen tree limbs to trip on. And then we got to the creek. Off came the shoes and we put our tired hot feet into the cool water. The creek had risen a foot due to the rain the day before.
David walks the woods and knows them well. He also walks 5 miles a day for his exercise. So he would get ahead of us old folks and then sit down and wait for us.
The younger group would help this old woman over the downed trees, muddy spots
and up and down the steep hill sides.
While at the creek we skipped stones, found many fossils and two of the more adventurous fellows climbed a rocky wall. Laugh and enjoy. It is good to see the younger generation enjoying the creek and woods.
When we were younger there was a picnic spot that we would go to, canoe and swim.
That spot has been sold and so no more picnics at the creek.
Detroit, Arizona, Columbia City, Anderson, Bloomington, Alexandria, and Ernie and I from Middletown. Tonight Alan, Danielle, Lynn and Luis will come to the camp ground and try some fishing.
Hope all of you have family time that you enjoy.
Ernie and I left Thursday, July 19th for Madison, IN. Took the RV to the City of Madison Campground. One of my favorite camp grounds We get a spot facing the Ohio river and then relax. Watch the barges, I get out the binoculars and look for the names on the tugs that push them down or up the river. Never tire of watching the river. Here comes one now. The Sarah Hunter of Hunter Marine. only 3 barges long, two barges wide. So 6 in all. The barges are sitting high on the water, so they are empty.
The Madison, IN., bridge to Ky. was to be demolished this week. Wed, then Thurs, Monday and now Tues. the 23. We were all hoping for Monday, and all were going to stay and come on down to our camp site to watch the show. No such luck. It rained and the river is also too swift. So 8 members of the family left this afternoon. (Sunday) 6 of us will leave Monday.
Friday, we all met at Ernie's brothers home and ate too much lunch. Do you ever go to a reunion or family get together and not eat too much good food? Some went out to the farm for a look see out there. There were two that had not been to Indiana, much less a Southern Indiana tree farm. Another good evening meal and lots of talk.
Aileen ask what did the cousins remember about Christmas at Grandma's and about the farm. Interesting comments.
Saturday, the 21, John and Aileen took off for Bloomington, IN. for John's family reunion. After lunch, 10 of the family went out to the farm and this time went over to
Big Creek and to Green Hole. Don't ask me why it is called Green Hole, but it is a spot that Ernie and brother Nick used to go fishing. (some one is tubing down the river) And they got rained on, a cold hard rain. they also took time to stop at the family cemetery. When they got back to the house it was, "can we go back to the hotel to get dry warm clothes before supper?" Fun time
We had a surprise after supper. John and David turn 70 in 2013. so we had two long angel food cakes with "70" candles and cards from all of us. They were quite surprised. Their birthdays are in August and Sept. and so they were not expecting anything.
Sunday we met at 10 ish and again headed out to the farm. this time, Aileen, John and Jane went with them. We stopped and went thru the South woods first. Uncle David took us the shorter??? route to Green Hole. Past some bamboo that was growing in the woods. It was up hill, down hill, watch out for spider webs and fallen tree limbs to trip on. And then we got to the creek. Off came the shoes and we put our tired hot feet into the cool water. The creek had risen a foot due to the rain the day before.
David walks the woods and knows them well. He also walks 5 miles a day for his exercise. So he would get ahead of us old folks and then sit down and wait for us.
The younger group would help this old woman over the downed trees, muddy spots
and up and down the steep hill sides.
While at the creek we skipped stones, found many fossils and two of the more adventurous fellows climbed a rocky wall. Laugh and enjoy. It is good to see the younger generation enjoying the creek and woods.
When we were younger there was a picnic spot that we would go to, canoe and swim.
That spot has been sold and so no more picnics at the creek.
Detroit, Arizona, Columbia City, Anderson, Bloomington, Alexandria, and Ernie and I from Middletown. Tonight Alan, Danielle, Lynn and Luis will come to the camp ground and try some fishing.
Hope all of you have family time that you enjoy.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
This and That
June 9th. 2013
Off to breakfast today, at Perkins. Ernie's group of men from the factory. Judy and our daughter Nancy joined me. We had a good visit.
We discovered this am, before leaving for breakfast that the coffee maker was not making coffee. Light was on, so it had electricity. but it would not percolate!
So I got out the little 4 cup maker and Ernie had his cup of coffee before leaving the house.
did some grocery shopping. Found some fully cooked smoked turkey legs.
We get them while we are in Florida, had not seen them up here, until today.
The ones we get in Florida are not fully cooked. So I put them in the crock pot
for about 2 hours and they usually are moist and tender. Today they were good, but different. Also had some fresh green bean and potatoes. Brian came over and said I should come pick some beans, I did and they were good.
I have been baking cookies for a family reunion. Tried a different recipe that I have had for some time, just never made them. Called coconut washboards. Use brown sugar and the coconut. crisp since I cut them thin. I have found that most cookie dough will take being refrigerated, so I put them on wax paper make a roll and then I bake them when I have time. So depending on how I cut them as to how they will turn out when baked!
Our son came down Friday and Saturday to help dear ol Dad work on the RV. They got the mirror all set, except for the glass and Ernie ordered that. Alan found a leak in the air pressure system, Ernie got a part and they fixed that Sat, after a trip to town for the right size part Alan also found
a few hole in our exhaust system. SOOOOO off to the repair shop Will check one out Wed or Thur. in Muncie.
I think one of my two tomato plants may be sick. An end to one of the stems is wilted and looks kinda droopy. Will have to check it out in the morning. I did pick a green
pepper yesterday. And today after picking the green bean at the neighbors south of us, the neighbor north of us called me over and cut a nice head of cabbage for us.. He also showed me the weed pursalane, the leaves are good eating. Did not taste bad, might be good in a salad. If my tomatoes die and the ones out in the garden do not do well, we may have some from our neighbors.
Nancy came over the other day, to pick up some things I had from Syracuse. She brought back the big ledger that my mother had used as a scrap book when in high school. 1919, 1920 and 1921. Interesting articles, pictures from magazines, various notes and stuff. Fun to look at and I was able to fill in some questions she had about her Grandmother.
Have a good evening.
JKC
Off to breakfast today, at Perkins. Ernie's group of men from the factory. Judy and our daughter Nancy joined me. We had a good visit.
We discovered this am, before leaving for breakfast that the coffee maker was not making coffee. Light was on, so it had electricity. but it would not percolate!
So I got out the little 4 cup maker and Ernie had his cup of coffee before leaving the house.
did some grocery shopping. Found some fully cooked smoked turkey legs.
We get them while we are in Florida, had not seen them up here, until today.
The ones we get in Florida are not fully cooked. So I put them in the crock pot
for about 2 hours and they usually are moist and tender. Today they were good, but different. Also had some fresh green bean and potatoes. Brian came over and said I should come pick some beans, I did and they were good.
I have been baking cookies for a family reunion. Tried a different recipe that I have had for some time, just never made them. Called coconut washboards. Use brown sugar and the coconut. crisp since I cut them thin. I have found that most cookie dough will take being refrigerated, so I put them on wax paper make a roll and then I bake them when I have time. So depending on how I cut them as to how they will turn out when baked!
Our son came down Friday and Saturday to help dear ol Dad work on the RV. They got the mirror all set, except for the glass and Ernie ordered that. Alan found a leak in the air pressure system, Ernie got a part and they fixed that Sat, after a trip to town for the right size part Alan also found
a few hole in our exhaust system. SOOOOO off to the repair shop Will check one out Wed or Thur. in Muncie.
I think one of my two tomato plants may be sick. An end to one of the stems is wilted and looks kinda droopy. Will have to check it out in the morning. I did pick a green
pepper yesterday. And today after picking the green bean at the neighbors south of us, the neighbor north of us called me over and cut a nice head of cabbage for us.. He also showed me the weed pursalane, the leaves are good eating. Did not taste bad, might be good in a salad. If my tomatoes die and the ones out in the garden do not do well, we may have some from our neighbors.
Nancy came over the other day, to pick up some things I had from Syracuse. She brought back the big ledger that my mother had used as a scrap book when in high school. 1919, 1920 and 1921. Interesting articles, pictures from magazines, various notes and stuff. Fun to look at and I was able to fill in some questions she had about her Grandmother.
Have a good evening.
JKC
Monday, July 1, 2013
HOME SOLD
June 30, 2013 I am writing letters and on the blog today!!!
Yes, we closed on the house June 20 and 21. Took two days because -
long story that I will not put down here. Nothing drastic, just timing.
We had our laughs, memories and sighs, while we were cleaning the home.
We each took a few things, most was left for the new owner. At his request.
And so now we can get busy with the things that need to be done at home.
The chigger bites are almost gone, altho I found a couple of new ones. Where is that
human bug spray you spray on yourself. Maybe I need to be more careful what I
weed whip.
The rally was a good time. Ernie took Friday day off, staying in the coach and resting.
That evening we all went to the Ft. Wayne Tin Caps baseball game. Nice, fairly new
ball park and good weather. Not too hot, with a little breeze. They are called the Tin Caps, because------Ft. Wayne is an area where Johnny Appleseed was located long ago. He is often pictured with a tin pan on his head while he walked around planting apple trees. Sat. we went to a private car showing. Corvettes? Ernie could tell you all
about the cars. Very pretty and the man even said we could touch and sit in some of the cars. Then off to an Art Show. (Ernie went back to the coach, I went with friends)
some neat things, some a little too modern for me, but I enjoyed looking.
Sunday we came home. Our coach has a loose mirror on the drivers side. A car pulling a trailer passed us in a no passing construction zone and the trailer they were pulling had an awning. The awning brace hit our mirror. It also moved the coach just enough that we scraped the guard rail. I was looking down, could just see the white line
(I was the passenger, Ernie driving) and the guard rail next to that line. so we have a scrape along the right side of the coach. We did finally catch up with them and
got some info. Poor RV. It has had it share of problems this year. Ernie hopes he and our son can fix the mirror. We have plans to go to Madison, to the park by the Ohio River later this month. Can not go until the mirror is fixed.
The pine tree in the front yard? Looks so much better. Friday, Ernie cut off all the limbs that were dead and more so that it is even all around. Our neighbor helped clean up the limbs. One more load and it will be all clear. Can mow under it. Well, I know, there is no grass there now, but at least Ernie will not have to go around a big pine tree.
And my tomato plants have tomatoes. Not very big yet, but they are there.
Brian bought us some new potatoes and green beans last week from his garden. Soooo good.
It is getting late.
Sometimes when I write I get to thinking about what I have written or want to write and the time flies. so---- enough for tonight.
take care, see you down the road
jkc
Yes, we closed on the house June 20 and 21. Took two days because -
long story that I will not put down here. Nothing drastic, just timing.
We had our laughs, memories and sighs, while we were cleaning the home.
We each took a few things, most was left for the new owner. At his request.
And so now we can get busy with the things that need to be done at home.
The chigger bites are almost gone, altho I found a couple of new ones. Where is that
human bug spray you spray on yourself. Maybe I need to be more careful what I
weed whip.
The rally was a good time. Ernie took Friday day off, staying in the coach and resting.
That evening we all went to the Ft. Wayne Tin Caps baseball game. Nice, fairly new
ball park and good weather. Not too hot, with a little breeze. They are called the Tin Caps, because------Ft. Wayne is an area where Johnny Appleseed was located long ago. He is often pictured with a tin pan on his head while he walked around planting apple trees. Sat. we went to a private car showing. Corvettes? Ernie could tell you all
about the cars. Very pretty and the man even said we could touch and sit in some of the cars. Then off to an Art Show. (Ernie went back to the coach, I went with friends)
some neat things, some a little too modern for me, but I enjoyed looking.
Sunday we came home. Our coach has a loose mirror on the drivers side. A car pulling a trailer passed us in a no passing construction zone and the trailer they were pulling had an awning. The awning brace hit our mirror. It also moved the coach just enough that we scraped the guard rail. I was looking down, could just see the white line
(I was the passenger, Ernie driving) and the guard rail next to that line. so we have a scrape along the right side of the coach. We did finally catch up with them and
got some info. Poor RV. It has had it share of problems this year. Ernie hopes he and our son can fix the mirror. We have plans to go to Madison, to the park by the Ohio River later this month. Can not go until the mirror is fixed.
The pine tree in the front yard? Looks so much better. Friday, Ernie cut off all the limbs that were dead and more so that it is even all around. Our neighbor helped clean up the limbs. One more load and it will be all clear. Can mow under it. Well, I know, there is no grass there now, but at least Ernie will not have to go around a big pine tree.
And my tomato plants have tomatoes. Not very big yet, but they are there.
Brian bought us some new potatoes and green beans last week from his garden. Soooo good.
It is getting late.
Sometimes when I write I get to thinking about what I have written or want to write and the time flies. so---- enough for tonight.
take care, see you down the road
jkc
Sunday, June 16, 2013
TWO TIRED PEOPLE
June 15th---- We worked outside today. Started by cutting off some low limbs from our maple trees. Low enough to hit your head when mowing. Then Ernie cut them smaller to go in our burn barrel. Yes, we can still burn things in a barrel. We are out in the country and it is ok. Then it was out to our big old pine tree. Such a pretty tree, if you looked at it from the house. But from the road the lower limbs were bare of needles and it did not look very nice. So we have started cutting off the smaller parts of the limbs to get a path into the middle. Then we will get the saw and saw those off.
Making a clean trunk about head high.
We had 5 wheel barrel loads full. Really full! More to cut off also. I am reminded now and then, that when Ernie wanted to buy the wheel barrel at a garage sale I thought it was not necessary.
Well, I really like the darn thing and use it frequently. It is a great tool when loading the RV. I bring it up to the house, fill it with stuff from the fridge or closets and take it out to the RV. Handy and not so many trips. Do the reverse when we get home.
Have you ever mowed a gravel drive? We did today. Due to not being home unless it rained or we had appointments, some weeds came up in the driveway. Our drive is over 200 ft long and some of it does not get much traffic. Ernie sprayed the weeds and grass with weed killer and then we had a brown and gravel drive. So today he got out the old push mower with grass (weed) catcher and tried to see if we could mow the weeds down. So together we mowed and the drive looks much better.
The house in Syracuse is scheduled to close on the 20th of June. Hope it all goes ok.
The bedroom( where I have put things from Syracuse) was a little neater and then I decided to change the shelf above the bed.
It was full of brass candle sticks that we collected when we first started traveling.
Need a brass candle holder? I have plenty, inexpensive too! Will put some pictures
on the shelf, with a few remaining brass pieces that I still like and want to keep.
We are going to a rally---next week-- in Ft. Wayne Indiana. Yeah!
There were 10 from my class at the Methodist Homecoming last Saturday. Enjoyed the day and had a good lunch. The School of Nursing has a homecoming every 3 years. Works out great and they still have good attendance. The last nursing class was in 1967.
Our son and daughter gave me a Mothers day gift of a free piano tuning.
Now I need to start playing again. I took piano lessons for several years. I now realize my piano teacher was very patient with me, I do not have the best sense of timing and rhythm. But she always complimented me on how well I played the scales.
Still like doing them. Limbers up the fingers. Does any one else have the Readers Digest music books? I got them when Nancy and Alan were still home.
Our tomato plants have blossoms!!!!! Yesterday I decided to get the clippers and cut the weeds away from the asparagus. Our asparagus bed is rather sparse, it is only about 45 years old, the best asparagus is growing out in the grass, too root bound in the original bed. Anyway, I even sat down to pull or cut those weeds close to the grown asparagus. The weed eater cuts aspargus faster than you can say "oh no, not that one!" You know what I am going to write next. It is called CHIGGERS. They had a family picnic on my body. At first I thought I had gotten into poison ivy as I saw a little sprig of it under the pine tree. No, Oh, No. I do know the difference. They are both bad things to have and get rid of.
and enough stuff, it is getting late. Hope you all have a good day and Happy Fathers day to any Fathers reading this.
jkc
Making a clean trunk about head high.
We had 5 wheel barrel loads full. Really full! More to cut off also. I am reminded now and then, that when Ernie wanted to buy the wheel barrel at a garage sale I thought it was not necessary.
Well, I really like the darn thing and use it frequently. It is a great tool when loading the RV. I bring it up to the house, fill it with stuff from the fridge or closets and take it out to the RV. Handy and not so many trips. Do the reverse when we get home.
Have you ever mowed a gravel drive? We did today. Due to not being home unless it rained or we had appointments, some weeds came up in the driveway. Our drive is over 200 ft long and some of it does not get much traffic. Ernie sprayed the weeds and grass with weed killer and then we had a brown and gravel drive. So today he got out the old push mower with grass (weed) catcher and tried to see if we could mow the weeds down. So together we mowed and the drive looks much better.
The house in Syracuse is scheduled to close on the 20th of June. Hope it all goes ok.
The bedroom( where I have put things from Syracuse) was a little neater and then I decided to change the shelf above the bed.
It was full of brass candle sticks that we collected when we first started traveling.
Need a brass candle holder? I have plenty, inexpensive too! Will put some pictures
on the shelf, with a few remaining brass pieces that I still like and want to keep.
We are going to a rally---next week-- in Ft. Wayne Indiana. Yeah!
There were 10 from my class at the Methodist Homecoming last Saturday. Enjoyed the day and had a good lunch. The School of Nursing has a homecoming every 3 years. Works out great and they still have good attendance. The last nursing class was in 1967.
Our son and daughter gave me a Mothers day gift of a free piano tuning.
Now I need to start playing again. I took piano lessons for several years. I now realize my piano teacher was very patient with me, I do not have the best sense of timing and rhythm. But she always complimented me on how well I played the scales.
Still like doing them. Limbers up the fingers. Does any one else have the Readers Digest music books? I got them when Nancy and Alan were still home.
Our tomato plants have blossoms!!!!! Yesterday I decided to get the clippers and cut the weeds away from the asparagus. Our asparagus bed is rather sparse, it is only about 45 years old, the best asparagus is growing out in the grass, too root bound in the original bed. Anyway, I even sat down to pull or cut those weeds close to the grown asparagus. The weed eater cuts aspargus faster than you can say "oh no, not that one!" You know what I am going to write next. It is called CHIGGERS. They had a family picnic on my body. At first I thought I had gotten into poison ivy as I saw a little sprig of it under the pine tree. No, Oh, No. I do know the difference. They are both bad things to have and get rid of.
and enough stuff, it is getting late. Hope you all have a good day and Happy Fathers day to any Fathers reading this.
jkc
Sunday, June 2, 2013
June 1
A new month. time goes fast, but yet so slow.
the house in Syracuse has an offer and we close on or before June 15. good offer,
Just trying to sell a house owned by 3 sisters and a brother, is not the easiest thing to do.
Ernie got out the old roto tiller Thursday and tilled a narrow spot to plant 10 tomato plants and 4 pepper plants. I had already planted two tomato plants up by the house in my little mixed up garden. It has miniature rose bushes, that are now about 3 and 1/2 feet tall and full of pretty little red roses. Ernie said I should divide them again and make the whole area a rose area. But I also have some chives, sage and marigolds planted in that spot also. And the big pretty pot of flowers Nancy gave me for Mothers Day.
The aloe plant is sitting there also. Did not put it in the ground this year. It is getting big and I have a smaller one I took to Florida last year
We have decided that the Florida way of life is the best. No grass to cut, no 3 bedroom house to take care of, nothing to do each day, but what ever we decide to do
that morning. Sometimes the night before, as we have to set the alarm to get going early to some of the flea markets.
The spare bedroom is now a disaster room. 3 mirrors, assorted puzzles, linens (towels, sheets, etc.) stuff from Syracuse.
What shall we do with this? Don't you want it?
No, but I took it and have all ready taken some things to Good Will. Alan got some cast iron skillets and a nice roaster. David got some more cast iron skillets and a few other things Nancy has the triple mirror. Hope to find a sturdy table for it rather than trying to bolt it to the wall. It was once part of a dressing table. My father had removed the drawers and used them as part of a base for book shelves. And then bolted the triple mirror to the wall. The two smaller outside mirrors may be moved so you can see on 3 sides. My father had built at least 3 book cases and a cabinet that we kept our toys in. Plus most of the cabinets in the kitchen. Ahhh memories.
We are just about finished with our round of Doctor, dentist, orthopedic visits. All is well, I guess.
We missed the first Hoosier Cruiser Rally. A real bummer, but we were tired out from a trip to Syracuse. Hope to get to the one in Ft. Wayne. We have our reservation ready to mail Mon.am. Now we have to finish getting the RV cleaned up and ready to go. And we will miss the National Rally in Gillette, Wyoming. I had hoped to go this year, mainly to see our Oregon friends. But to much going on here, plus it is a long way out there.
This Saturday, I will go to Indpls to Methodist for the Homecoming. 55 years ago I graduated from the Indianapolis Methodist Hospital School of Nursing. IMH
I will meet my former room mate and also another good friend there. We try to get together once a year. So I do look forward for next Saturday.
I have rambled on enough for now. Hope everyone is having a good spring. Summer will be here soon.
good night jkc
the house in Syracuse has an offer and we close on or before June 15. good offer,
Just trying to sell a house owned by 3 sisters and a brother, is not the easiest thing to do.
Ernie got out the old roto tiller Thursday and tilled a narrow spot to plant 10 tomato plants and 4 pepper plants. I had already planted two tomato plants up by the house in my little mixed up garden. It has miniature rose bushes, that are now about 3 and 1/2 feet tall and full of pretty little red roses. Ernie said I should divide them again and make the whole area a rose area. But I also have some chives, sage and marigolds planted in that spot also. And the big pretty pot of flowers Nancy gave me for Mothers Day.
The aloe plant is sitting there also. Did not put it in the ground this year. It is getting big and I have a smaller one I took to Florida last year
We have decided that the Florida way of life is the best. No grass to cut, no 3 bedroom house to take care of, nothing to do each day, but what ever we decide to do
that morning. Sometimes the night before, as we have to set the alarm to get going early to some of the flea markets.
The spare bedroom is now a disaster room. 3 mirrors, assorted puzzles, linens (towels, sheets, etc.) stuff from Syracuse.
What shall we do with this? Don't you want it?
No, but I took it and have all ready taken some things to Good Will. Alan got some cast iron skillets and a nice roaster. David got some more cast iron skillets and a few other things Nancy has the triple mirror. Hope to find a sturdy table for it rather than trying to bolt it to the wall. It was once part of a dressing table. My father had removed the drawers and used them as part of a base for book shelves. And then bolted the triple mirror to the wall. The two smaller outside mirrors may be moved so you can see on 3 sides. My father had built at least 3 book cases and a cabinet that we kept our toys in. Plus most of the cabinets in the kitchen. Ahhh memories.
We are just about finished with our round of Doctor, dentist, orthopedic visits. All is well, I guess.
We missed the first Hoosier Cruiser Rally. A real bummer, but we were tired out from a trip to Syracuse. Hope to get to the one in Ft. Wayne. We have our reservation ready to mail Mon.am. Now we have to finish getting the RV cleaned up and ready to go. And we will miss the National Rally in Gillette, Wyoming. I had hoped to go this year, mainly to see our Oregon friends. But to much going on here, plus it is a long way out there.
This Saturday, I will go to Indpls to Methodist for the Homecoming. 55 years ago I graduated from the Indianapolis Methodist Hospital School of Nursing. IMH
I will meet my former room mate and also another good friend there. We try to get together once a year. So I do look forward for next Saturday.
I have rambled on enough for now. Hope everyone is having a good spring. Summer will be here soon.
good night jkc
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Its May Day!
Happy May Day! Did anyone leave flowers on your door step, ring the bell, then run and hide? Did that a few times when I was much younger.
We have survived the first round of Doctor visits. Next come the Dentist, hearing and skin Doctors. The family, lung and heart Dr.'s all say Ernie is doing well. Will have some shortness of breath and be tired. Take a nap, a good idea for some one our age. (Seems like they have been saying that a long time.] Lung and heart Dr.'s changed dosage on some meds. Helped with the cough, time will tell with the others. so that is good just need some pep to do the things on the to do list. Ernie's is longer than mine.
Our lists in Florida are much shorter and usually contain items such as
go to flea market, or lunch or Busch Gardens.
Ernie has mowed twice now, or 3 times. I have done a little mowing with the push mower. Have a few tulips left and just planted some pansies.
I do like pansies. and most flowers. Trees are tuning green. Spring has sprung and rain has been gone for 3 days. It will come back this week end.
I just lost this blog, took me 5 minutes to find it again. It bugs me, I inadvertently his the wrong key, and presto, everything is gone. Who know where the stuff hides. I found it this time tho. Time to stop while I am ahead.
Have a good day. We will head to Syracuse Thurs. for more house cleaning. Who know what I will want to bring home.
JKC
We have survived the first round of Doctor visits. Next come the Dentist, hearing and skin Doctors. The family, lung and heart Dr.'s all say Ernie is doing well. Will have some shortness of breath and be tired. Take a nap, a good idea for some one our age. (Seems like they have been saying that a long time.] Lung and heart Dr.'s changed dosage on some meds. Helped with the cough, time will tell with the others. so that is good just need some pep to do the things on the to do list. Ernie's is longer than mine.
Our lists in Florida are much shorter and usually contain items such as
go to flea market, or lunch or Busch Gardens.
Ernie has mowed twice now, or 3 times. I have done a little mowing with the push mower. Have a few tulips left and just planted some pansies.
I do like pansies. and most flowers. Trees are tuning green. Spring has sprung and rain has been gone for 3 days. It will come back this week end.
I just lost this blog, took me 5 minutes to find it again. It bugs me, I inadvertently his the wrong key, and presto, everything is gone. Who know where the stuff hides. I found it this time tho. Time to stop while I am ahead.
Have a good day. We will head to Syracuse Thurs. for more house cleaning. Who know what I will want to bring home.
JKC
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Time Flies
and my Mother once wrote that in a letter to me and drew some birds flying.
We are now home in Indiana. Two weeks? Seems like a longer time than that. The daffodils are now about gone. Forsythia bush is becoming green instead of yellow and the grass needs mowed. But it is wet and raining this week.
We have been gone two days and are leaving again for 3 days. Help!
For the last two years my brother and I have been trying to convince my two sisters that the home in Syracuse needs to be sold. We are getting older, I am the youngest, and the house will need repairs that we do not want to do. Such as a new roof. Plus general maintenance.
Finally, this year we had a friend and former real estate agent, now a consultant, come in, view the house and give us the information about the house. She was good. All 4 agreed this time to sell, and agreed on an agent.
Pat left, called us 10 minutes later and said the real estate man and daughter would be there in 15 minutes. 7 pm the for sale sign was in the front yard.
Talk about doing things NOW. The next day we did some cleaning and furniture rearranging and came home. Today we are going back to Syracuse to go thru some things we put on the back porch, box them up and take them to the thrift shop or to the persons wanting some of those kitchen items stored in the basement. Like big pots, cast iron skillets, vases, you name it, it was down there. And we thought we had cleaned out the basement a few years ago.
Ernie and I are tired, mentally and physically. And we have been eating out when we were in Syracuse. Not good when we both have routine Dr. appointments next week.
While in Florida, Rita had brought the game Rummykub and 5 of us are playing the game. So we have managed to find the game also. Last Sunday I made a pie, called, Rita & Clayton, and Beth, come over for pie and coffee. Rita had just made a big pot of soup, she brought that and Beth brought some cheese and crackers. A good time.
Have talked with a sister-in-law and a niece yesterday. Good talking with them, not only about the house, but about their families.
Wind and rain have been the weather this week and looks like next week also.
Managed a couple of time to have a mostly dry day to hang out some laundry. I prefer to hang my sheets and T-shirts outside. Nothing like Mother Natures drying system. Do not have to use those smelly sheets in the dryer. No, I do not like the smell of any of those softener sheets. Good ole sunshine for me. But I do use the dryer for my towels, jeans and a few other things.
We heard from a friend from Pennsylvania that is wife did not survived the
liver by pass surgery. We met them in Arizona at Judge Roy Bean estate. Shirley was wanting Ernie and her husband to stop talking so they could be on their way. Then we saw them at Big Bend National Park in Texas, met them in the White Mountains and have seen them the last 6 or 7 years. The next winter they looked us up, what to do in Florida. She decided that she was glad the fellows kept talking. And now Shirley is with her Lord. They were Missionaries for the
Navajo Indians in Arizona and another tribe in Canada. Interesting friends,
we will miss her.
Time to hang this up and get on with the day. jkc
We are now home in Indiana. Two weeks? Seems like a longer time than that. The daffodils are now about gone. Forsythia bush is becoming green instead of yellow and the grass needs mowed. But it is wet and raining this week.
We have been gone two days and are leaving again for 3 days. Help!
For the last two years my brother and I have been trying to convince my two sisters that the home in Syracuse needs to be sold. We are getting older, I am the youngest, and the house will need repairs that we do not want to do. Such as a new roof. Plus general maintenance.
Finally, this year we had a friend and former real estate agent, now a consultant, come in, view the house and give us the information about the house. She was good. All 4 agreed this time to sell, and agreed on an agent.
Pat left, called us 10 minutes later and said the real estate man and daughter would be there in 15 minutes. 7 pm the for sale sign was in the front yard.
Talk about doing things NOW. The next day we did some cleaning and furniture rearranging and came home. Today we are going back to Syracuse to go thru some things we put on the back porch, box them up and take them to the thrift shop or to the persons wanting some of those kitchen items stored in the basement. Like big pots, cast iron skillets, vases, you name it, it was down there. And we thought we had cleaned out the basement a few years ago.
Ernie and I are tired, mentally and physically. And we have been eating out when we were in Syracuse. Not good when we both have routine Dr. appointments next week.
While in Florida, Rita had brought the game Rummykub and 5 of us are playing the game. So we have managed to find the game also. Last Sunday I made a pie, called, Rita & Clayton, and Beth, come over for pie and coffee. Rita had just made a big pot of soup, she brought that and Beth brought some cheese and crackers. A good time.
Have talked with a sister-in-law and a niece yesterday. Good talking with them, not only about the house, but about their families.
Wind and rain have been the weather this week and looks like next week also.
Managed a couple of time to have a mostly dry day to hang out some laundry. I prefer to hang my sheets and T-shirts outside. Nothing like Mother Natures drying system. Do not have to use those smelly sheets in the dryer. No, I do not like the smell of any of those softener sheets. Good ole sunshine for me. But I do use the dryer for my towels, jeans and a few other things.
We heard from a friend from Pennsylvania that is wife did not survived the
liver by pass surgery. We met them in Arizona at Judge Roy Bean estate. Shirley was wanting Ernie and her husband to stop talking so they could be on their way. Then we saw them at Big Bend National Park in Texas, met them in the White Mountains and have seen them the last 6 or 7 years. The next winter they looked us up, what to do in Florida. She decided that she was glad the fellows kept talking. And now Shirley is with her Lord. They were Missionaries for the
Navajo Indians in Arizona and another tribe in Canada. Interesting friends,
we will miss her.
Time to hang this up and get on with the day. jkc
Friday, April 5, 2013
Back Home In Indiana
There should be musical notes on that post heading, don't you think?
We are back home in Indiana. Arrived at our place about 6:30 or so.
Unlocked the house, plugged in the refrig., turned on the heat, put car in the garage and then back the RV to its spot by the barn and called it a day.
As our daughter said "we are camping in the back yard".
We left Fl. on Wednesday. Stopped for fuel at Valdosta, GA. and propane.
Then I started to drive and it started to rain, and it poured and it rained.
I drove about an hour and a half. Ernie took over and we stopped at Jackson, at a Fly.J. thinking we would eat and stay the night.
And of course we started talking to a fellow RVer. You aren't going to try and go thru Atlanta tomorrow are you? Well, we were. And he added
The final 4 BB tourney is there this week end. The police said they would be out at 6 am Wed. to direct traffic." So, we followed this "friend", who has been thru and around Atlanta countless times, as he is a heavy equipment hauler, around Atlanta. He was headed for the Pilot at Resaca, but pulled into a rest area around 9. It was very full of semi trucks and RVs. parked for the night. We found two spots at the far end and stayed. Figured the truck stop would be full also. We had rain all thru Georgia and Tenn. Finally stopped somewhere in Ky. and the sun shone in Indiana.
HOO Ray!!!!!
Stopped in Greenfield and picked up chicken pieces and came on home.
Long day and Ernie drove it all today. Tired, showered and in bed!
1035 miles this trip.
I am typing with the computer on my lap and the lighting is not the best.
So this will be full of errors., more than usual
We had a good winter. Ernie gained a lot of strength back, and says he feels better. All those strawberries helped. And I picked 8 Quart Tuesday.
Have given away about half. Some flea market finds and some good shows at Busch Gardens. Found a couple of new places to eat. New to us and we enjoyed them. Well, one or two we may not go back, and one or two are for special occasions. Meaning they are more expensive. Yes, that is what we do, check out the flea markets and eat out with friends. And we have been playing Rummykub. Like the card game, rummy, but with tiles that have numbers on them.
We found a set at the Lighthouse Ministries (like Good Will) and it has extra cubes. So if 5 of us play, we could add some more cubes or should I write kubs as they do on the box and instructions.
gotta stop. can't type well.
Have a good day.
JKC
We are back home in Indiana. Arrived at our place about 6:30 or so.
Unlocked the house, plugged in the refrig., turned on the heat, put car in the garage and then back the RV to its spot by the barn and called it a day.
As our daughter said "we are camping in the back yard".
We left Fl. on Wednesday. Stopped for fuel at Valdosta, GA. and propane.
Then I started to drive and it started to rain, and it poured and it rained.
I drove about an hour and a half. Ernie took over and we stopped at Jackson, at a Fly.J. thinking we would eat and stay the night.
And of course we started talking to a fellow RVer. You aren't going to try and go thru Atlanta tomorrow are you? Well, we were. And he added
The final 4 BB tourney is there this week end. The police said they would be out at 6 am Wed. to direct traffic." So, we followed this "friend", who has been thru and around Atlanta countless times, as he is a heavy equipment hauler, around Atlanta. He was headed for the Pilot at Resaca, but pulled into a rest area around 9. It was very full of semi trucks and RVs. parked for the night. We found two spots at the far end and stayed. Figured the truck stop would be full also. We had rain all thru Georgia and Tenn. Finally stopped somewhere in Ky. and the sun shone in Indiana.
HOO Ray!!!!!
Stopped in Greenfield and picked up chicken pieces and came on home.
Long day and Ernie drove it all today. Tired, showered and in bed!
1035 miles this trip.
I am typing with the computer on my lap and the lighting is not the best.
So this will be full of errors., more than usual
We had a good winter. Ernie gained a lot of strength back, and says he feels better. All those strawberries helped. And I picked 8 Quart Tuesday.
Have given away about half. Some flea market finds and some good shows at Busch Gardens. Found a couple of new places to eat. New to us and we enjoyed them. Well, one or two we may not go back, and one or two are for special occasions. Meaning they are more expensive. Yes, that is what we do, check out the flea markets and eat out with friends. And we have been playing Rummykub. Like the card game, rummy, but with tiles that have numbers on them.
We found a set at the Lighthouse Ministries (like Good Will) and it has extra cubes. So if 5 of us play, we could add some more cubes or should I write kubs as they do on the box and instructions.
gotta stop. can't type well.
Have a good day.
JKC
Spring?
It is now spring. Seems so here in Florida. But everyone in Indiana says to stay down south, it is still cold up here!
Possible plan, we will leave the 3rd or 4th of April. I am slowly getting address changes made for the mail man. And I have decided that there is a wicked gremlin in our computer. 2 magazines did not recognize my password or user name. Neither did Kohl's or my bank. Will call the bank in the morning.
We made it to the Webster flea market Monday. Clayton and Rita were with us. We did not buy much, but did find one treasure. Ernie found it, the man said it was sterling. We doubted him. But when we got home and Ernie started polishing it, it did have sterling written on the handle. It was a food pusher. A food pusher is a little piece that looks like a miniature hoe. Children used it to push food onto their fork or spoon. We did not have one in our collection. I do have one from my Grandmother. This one is more ornate.
We have bought only a few JJ pins since January. Seems as tho all the vendors have learned that the JJ company has gone out of business and that these whimsical pins are now quite the collectible item. Prices have gone up and they are harder to find. I have 65 or so. Fun pins to collect. No I do not try to wear them all at once. Thinking how I could display them if I wanted to do so.
I have been doing some knitting and crocheting. My crocheting consists of hot pads, and scribes. I knit dish cloths. And I worked on the afghan
I started some years ago. The partial finished product is in Indiana, along with the other yarns I intend to use. I am making a knitted quilt. Using a different color and pattern for each block. I had a lot of odds and ends of yarn and so am trying to use up these partial skeins.
Ernie is doing well. Not as long a nap during the day, if he takes one, and not going to bed so early. In fact, we are having a time getting up at the same time as usual. It is still dark out. I do not like DST.
OH, to add to our list of repairs to the coach. Some we knew we were going to do, but a couple snuck in there and needed to be replaced. The latest is a nice new thermostat. Well, rebuilt. And it works much better than the old one ever did work. Ernie ordered it on a Monday, it arrived on Wed.
he connected it to the RV and on Thursday he sent the old one to the man he bought it from. And he has gotten an e-mail that it arrived where it was supposed to arrive.
Excitement in the park. A trailer has been sold! And a water pipe broke! our water was shut off for about an hour or so. All fixed up. the Couple that bought the trailer have just about gutted the insides. They intend to put in new flooring and re decorate. Will be a more permanent place to live when they are in Florida. We are sticking with our RV.
All most 10 pm, time for my cup of tea.
see you down the road
jkc
Possible plan, we will leave the 3rd or 4th of April. I am slowly getting address changes made for the mail man. And I have decided that there is a wicked gremlin in our computer. 2 magazines did not recognize my password or user name. Neither did Kohl's or my bank. Will call the bank in the morning.
We made it to the Webster flea market Monday. Clayton and Rita were with us. We did not buy much, but did find one treasure. Ernie found it, the man said it was sterling. We doubted him. But when we got home and Ernie started polishing it, it did have sterling written on the handle. It was a food pusher. A food pusher is a little piece that looks like a miniature hoe. Children used it to push food onto their fork or spoon. We did not have one in our collection. I do have one from my Grandmother. This one is more ornate.
We have bought only a few JJ pins since January. Seems as tho all the vendors have learned that the JJ company has gone out of business and that these whimsical pins are now quite the collectible item. Prices have gone up and they are harder to find. I have 65 or so. Fun pins to collect. No I do not try to wear them all at once. Thinking how I could display them if I wanted to do so.
I have been doing some knitting and crocheting. My crocheting consists of hot pads, and scribes. I knit dish cloths. And I worked on the afghan
I started some years ago. The partial finished product is in Indiana, along with the other yarns I intend to use. I am making a knitted quilt. Using a different color and pattern for each block. I had a lot of odds and ends of yarn and so am trying to use up these partial skeins.
Ernie is doing well. Not as long a nap during the day, if he takes one, and not going to bed so early. In fact, we are having a time getting up at the same time as usual. It is still dark out. I do not like DST.
OH, to add to our list of repairs to the coach. Some we knew we were going to do, but a couple snuck in there and needed to be replaced. The latest is a nice new thermostat. Well, rebuilt. And it works much better than the old one ever did work. Ernie ordered it on a Monday, it arrived on Wed.
he connected it to the RV and on Thursday he sent the old one to the man he bought it from. And he has gotten an e-mail that it arrived where it was supposed to arrive.
Excitement in the park. A trailer has been sold! And a water pipe broke! our water was shut off for about an hour or so. All fixed up. the Couple that bought the trailer have just about gutted the insides. They intend to put in new flooring and re decorate. Will be a more permanent place to live when they are in Florida. We are sticking with our RV.
All most 10 pm, time for my cup of tea.
see you down the road
jkc
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Dining Out
Dining out! Doesn't everyone like to eat out now and then. We seem to do a lot of it in Florida. We see someone we haven't seen for sometime, and its "Lets eat out"
We have been to two very nice restaurants this past week. We were at the Lakeland RV Dealer (just looking, rather Beth was and Clayton, Rita, Jane and Ernie were along for ??? a good time.) It was getting noon time and Beth had found a good Chinese place when she was quilt shopping with friends. We went to Lings Buffet. Stuffed ourselves with good Chinese food. and peel and eat shrimp. Medium price, but worth it enjoyed the day. Took the long way home. Nice way of saying we were not sure where we were going. We just knew we were going South, but Clayton's GPS said North. But when we turned to our right the GPS said West. and this time she was right. go figure----even a GPS can be wrong sometimes.
We had a laughing good time. One of those times when you had to be there to see the humor in what was going on. To tell the story of what when on, it is a dull time.
And today we went to a special place. Our daughter had sent us two gift certificates to The Colonnade Restaurant, on the Tampa Bay. Family dining, an old restaurant that serves fresh seafood. It was on the other side of the bay, and meant a trip down the interstate 4 and thru parts of Tampa to get there. But it was delicious. I had grilled shrimp and broiled scallops. Ernie had the same thing only fried. Rita had salmon and Clayton had a fish sandwich. All very good. I also had a salad and cooked cabbage. An unusual side dish. It was good. Tender, had ham and bacon, with a few slices of carrot for color. And then came the Bourbon pecan pie, with a chocolate base and chocolate drizzled on top. We split that. The filling part of the pie was almost like cake and had plenty of pecans on top. The pie was not as rich as it sounds. Rita and Clayton split a coconut cream pie dessert. More expensive than Steak and Shake, of course, but a good place to eat for special occasions.
They are having rain, sleet, snow and ice in Indiana today. We are glad we are in Florida. The weather has been cooler here this past week. Especially at night. The space heater does run part of the time at night. It is 61 degrees now at 9:15 pm. this am it was 51 degrees. We have had temps in the 40's a few nights. Did you see on TV about the sink hole in Seffner, Fl.? About 10 - 15 miles from us. It made National news!
Time to close for today. Have a great day. jkc
We have been to two very nice restaurants this past week. We were at the Lakeland RV Dealer (just looking, rather Beth was and Clayton, Rita, Jane and Ernie were along for ??? a good time.) It was getting noon time and Beth had found a good Chinese place when she was quilt shopping with friends. We went to Lings Buffet. Stuffed ourselves with good Chinese food. and peel and eat shrimp. Medium price, but worth it enjoyed the day. Took the long way home. Nice way of saying we were not sure where we were going. We just knew we were going South, but Clayton's GPS said North. But when we turned to our right the GPS said West. and this time she was right. go figure----even a GPS can be wrong sometimes.
We had a laughing good time. One of those times when you had to be there to see the humor in what was going on. To tell the story of what when on, it is a dull time.
And today we went to a special place. Our daughter had sent us two gift certificates to The Colonnade Restaurant, on the Tampa Bay. Family dining, an old restaurant that serves fresh seafood. It was on the other side of the bay, and meant a trip down the interstate 4 and thru parts of Tampa to get there. But it was delicious. I had grilled shrimp and broiled scallops. Ernie had the same thing only fried. Rita had salmon and Clayton had a fish sandwich. All very good. I also had a salad and cooked cabbage. An unusual side dish. It was good. Tender, had ham and bacon, with a few slices of carrot for color. And then came the Bourbon pecan pie, with a chocolate base and chocolate drizzled on top. We split that. The filling part of the pie was almost like cake and had plenty of pecans on top. The pie was not as rich as it sounds. Rita and Clayton split a coconut cream pie dessert. More expensive than Steak and Shake, of course, but a good place to eat for special occasions.
They are having rain, sleet, snow and ice in Indiana today. We are glad we are in Florida. The weather has been cooler here this past week. Especially at night. The space heater does run part of the time at night. It is 61 degrees now at 9:15 pm. this am it was 51 degrees. We have had temps in the 40's a few nights. Did you see on TV about the sink hole in Seffner, Fl.? About 10 - 15 miles from us. It made National news!
Time to close for today. Have a great day. jkc
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Pictures taken in February 2013
Busch Gardens Marilyn McCoo and Bill Davis Show
Feb. 21, 2013 Good show as always
They have been married 43 years.
It was a rough day on the 20th of February. We went to the Plant City Flea Market, Toufayon Cookie Factory, McDonald's for $1.00 burger and then to the best place of all. PARKSDALE for strawberry shortcake or sundae.
Actually at McDonald's we were joined by Austin and Linda. The lovely people in the below pictures are: Ernie, Beth, Jane, Rita and Clayton. We are sitting in the Strawberry throne. None of us put on the crown or robe. Oops, Beth does have a crown on in the second picture. The cookie factory raised their price on the chocolate crisp brownies. Bag not as full and 50 cents more. Well, the first bag we got were trial cookies. They are popular and so they are selling more. Expensive in the stores. $3 at the cookie factory $4. at the store for 4 full squares. We will take the broken ones in the bag.
A good group. Rita and Clayton are staying in the "guest trailer/house"
Of course the best picture is of the 3 girls.
Beth, Jane and Rita. Click on the pictures for better views.
Sunday, Rita fixed a new recipe for meat loaf with cheese in the middle. The recipe came from my cook book that came with the new micro wave.So the 5 of us were her tasting crew, she had some sweet potato fries, slaw and peanut butter pie. Good meal. A very light evening supper tonight. We are having a quiet day. Church was different also. It was a singing day.
No sermon. The pastor said, We Methodist's have our methods, some are just different, but it is a great praise to our Lord to have a Hymn day.
Have a good day. jkc
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