Happy Thanksgiving

Hello every one, now don’t have a heart attack, I know it’s been a long time..! I have been so busy around here, but that’s really no excuse, I’ve had time to do some posts but chose to rest in my easy chair. I’m sure that you all know how it is when you get out of the routine of doing things that it seems so hard to get back into it. Well that’s what happened to me! I plan to get back in the groove of blogging. Anyway, I’ve got just about all my storage places full of firewood and I think it will see me through the winter.
I’m sure that Jo has tuned you all in on the happenings around here with the grand kids. We are planning a big Thanksgiving out here with all the ‘Yankee’ family, the ‘Cajun’ family will have to wait till after the 1st. We plan to get together with them the first week in Jan. My youngest daughter will be back in the States the first week in January to visit her son’s grave site in S. W. Louisiana as she does every year. He would have been 16 years old on the 7th of Jan. he was 11 when at the time. He and his dad were jogging on the side of the road when they both were run down by an 18 year old girl… It’s a sad day for the whole family.
On a brighter note, Jo and I wish each and every one of you a tremendous Thanksgiving…

JD

"Cross Cut Saw"

Good morning everyone:

I know, it’s been a while, same old excuse, been busy! The project that I’m working on now is the replacement of the old wood stove. Jo and I were out and about a few weeks ago and ran across this little place out of town, (I guess you could call it out in the country), that sold wood burning stoves and fireplace inserts of several types. We were looking around and decided on this particular one, some places make it so hard to choose! So after we looked around, and after taking into consideration about just how it would look in our home, we finally made our choice! The old stove did a good job of heating but it was going through the firewood much too fast, and the blower went out on it just before spring, and all the parts on the new one were in good working order. So with studying all the information, we feel that it will be a lot more efficient and easier to regulate!

Well, I’m ashamed to say it, but I visited someone’s blog a couple of weeks ago and they were talking about buying a, “2 man saw”, which is more commonly known as a, “Cross Cut Saw”. Well, I told whomever she was that we have one hanging on our breakfast area wall along with another saw that I really don’t know the name of it. I told her that I would take a picture of it and post it and maybe someone would let me know the name of it.

I don’t know the name of this one…!

"Cross Cut Saw"

Also I would like to thank everyone for not giving up on me!
And I hope everyone has a great day…
JD

Broken Limb!

Well, it happened..... A limb about 3 feet long at about 1/2" in diameter broke..!! There were 7 pears on it! It just couldn't handle the weight........ There are others that I feel will do the same. I'm hoping they will get ripe enough to pick before that happens! Oh well, I guess Mother Nature knows best?..

Have a good day........ JD

The pear tree

Good morning Friends:

As I was out on the purgola drinking my second cup of coffee, I noticed the pear tree close to the house. It is full of pears but the one next to it only has maybe a half dozen, I wonder why? So I went in and got the camera and took a few shots and thought I would share them with you.

The tree has so many pears on it that it is so distorted from their weight! You can see the shadow of the other tree, slim and trim!

This shot is the very top of the tree and you can see
what the weight of the pears are doing to it!

They are in clusters like this all over the tree.

Some of the limbs are almost touching the ground.
I told Jo we might have to prop the limbs up so they don’t break!!

Well I hope this finds everyone in good health.
Have a great day……….. JD

Aging

Hello friends:

Well it looks like it’s been a month since my last post, sorry about that. I’ve been tied up in all kinds of projects around the house. One of which, aside from mowing grass and weed eating, is the 8 X 10 foot well house that will double for a storage area, we can never have too much of that. Then there’s the running to the lumberyard and sawmill, sizing and stacking firewood for the winter, well you get the idea!

As you can see, I have my world class helper, "Riley", on the job with me….
I will be finished with it as soon as the metal roof trim comes in, it had to be ordered. My next project will be a, Back yard Shower…..! Well I’ve got a deck planned for the east side of the house but the size and cost of that project might have to wait till next summer. It will be split level and I plan to build it in sections.
*******************

I got this from that, “Friend of Mine”, this morning and thought it made a lot of scene….
**********************
George Carlin 's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions. 'How old are you?' 'I'm four and a half!' You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key. You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead. 'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!' You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life! You become 21.. Even the words sound like a ceremony. YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed? You BECOME 21, you TURN30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.But! wait!! ! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would! So you BECOME 21, TURN30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and make it to 60.You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday! You get into ! your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I Was JUST 92.'Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. 'I'm 100 and a half!' May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!! HOW TO STAY YOUNG 1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them.' 2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.3. Keep learning.. ! Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever, even ham radio. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.' And the devil's family name is Alzheimer’s. 4. Enjoy the simple things. 5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive. 7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help. 9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.10. Tell the people you love that you love them , at every opportunity. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. And if you don't send this to at least 8 people - who cares? But do share this with someone. We all need to live life to its fullest each day!!

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, "...holy sh*t ...what a ride!"

I hope this finds everyone in good health.... JD

Seven Wonders of the World

I've told you before several times that a friend sent me this, well he's sent me another one that you might like, I know I agree whole heartily with !

I just hope it works... *S*

Have a great day !!

JD

Facts about Louisiana

Hey Ya’ll:
Well it’s gress cutting weather again! So, I got out there and did my job….Still have some trimming to do.

I got this from a buddy of mine down in Louisiana, it has some facts that I was unaware of and I thought I would share them with you…

If Hurricane Katrina causing the levees to break in New Orleans is the only thing you know about Louisiana, here are a few more interesting facts about the Bayou State :

*Louisiana has the tallest state capitol building in the nation at 450 feet.

*The Louisiana SuperDome in New Orleans is the largest enclosed stadium in the world.

* The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is t he lon gest over-water bridge in the world at 23.87 miles.

*Louisiana's 6.5 million acres of wetlands are the greatest wetland area in America.

*The oldest city in the Louisiana Purchase Territory is Natchitoches, Louisiana founded in 1714.

* he first bottler of Coca-Cola, Joseph Bie denharn, lived in Monroe, Louisiana and was one of the founders of Delta Air Lines, initially called Delta Air Service.

*Delta Airlines got its start in Monroe, Louisiana when Parish Agent, C.E. Woolman, decided to try dusting the Boll Weevil that was destroying the cotton crops in the Mississippi River Delta from an airplane. It was the first crop dusting service in the world.

*Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is the largest predominantly black university in America.* Baton Rouge was the site of the only American Revolution battle outside the original 13 colonies.

*The formal transfer of the Louisiana Purchase was made at the Cabildo building in New Orleans on December 20, 1803.

*The staircase at Chritien Point, in Sunset, Louisiana was copied for Tara in "Gone with the Wind."

*Louisiana is the No. 1 producer of crawfish, alligat ors an d shallots in America .

*Louisiana produces 24 percent of the nation's salt, the most in America.

*Much of the world's food, coffee and oil pass through the Port of New Orleans ..

*Tabasco, a Louisiana product, holds the second oldest food trademark in the U.S. Patent Office.

*Steen's Syrup Mill in Abbeville, Louisiana is the world's largest syrup plant producing sugar cane syrup.

*America's oldest rice mill is in New Iberia, Louisiana at KONRIKO Co.

*The International Joke Telling Contest is held annually in Opelousas, Louisiana.

*LSU (The Ole War Skule) in Baton Rouge has the distinction of contributing the most officers to WW II after the U.S. Military academies.

*The Louisiana Hayride radio show helped Hank Williams, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash achieve stardom. It was broadcast from KWKH Radio in Shreveport, Louisiana from 1948 to 1960.

*The term Uncle Sam was coined on the wharfs of New Orleans before Louisiana was a U.S. Territory as goods labeled U.S. Were from "Uncle Sam."

*The game of craps was invented in New Orleans in 1813 as betting was a common activity on the wharves

*When states had their own currency, the Louisiana Dix (French for ten) was a favored currency for trade. English speakers called them Dixies and coined the term Dixieland.

*New Orleans is the home of the oldest pharmacy in America at 514 Chartres Street in the French Quarter. These early medical mixtures became known as cocktails (guess they were good for what ails ya?),

Coining yet another term.* New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz, the only true American art form. Jazz gave birth to the Blues and Rock and Roll music. Viva La Louisiane!!!

Great Grand Son

Hello everyone:

‘Breaking News’

Jo and I have a brand new, “Great Grand Son” ! Caden Wayne Miller was born at 12:59 PM Thursday, May 29th, 2008. He was 21 inches long, and a whopping 9 lbs, 4 oz! Mom and baby are doing great. sister Audrey is proud of him too. She is 3.

On a different note; I got an e-mail from a friend with an inspiring message, I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I really liked it and I think you will too .

A four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor,

the little boy said,

'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

Have a great day………. JD

Feast Of The Flowering Moon

Hello everyone, Yes, it’s me……

I hadn’t realized it’s been so long since my last post. We have been having some pretty good weather here lately and I’ve been taking advantage of it in the yard. Yeah, yeah, I hear you, that’s an excuse, you say, well you’re right I guess. I have to admit, I do get a little lazy at times. Anyway, don’t give up on me; I really do enjoy hearing from you.

I slept late this morning and when I got in here she was working on the PC. She was posting the following clip for me, she’s a lot more up-to-date on the workings of this thing, thank goodness! Anyway, I took the pictures in the clip while she was in the Dr’s office waiting for her appointment. We live almost 40 miles from the Dr’s office so we try to schedule our appointments on the same day’s and as close to the same time as possible for economic reasons, the fuel, you understand. Well this particular day the “Feast Of The Flowering Moon” festival was just getting under way and all the venders were getting set up in the streets. The city had blocked of several streets for this festival. So after our appointments, Jo and I went for a walk through the streets and down into the park area and snapped more pictures. The park is large and these pictures do not do it justice, It’s a beautiful place to visit, many people that work close to the park go there to eat their lunches. The name of this park is, “Yoctangee Park”, and it’s located in downtown Chillicothe Ohio.
I really don’t know when or why the festival got started but it's held every Memorial day weekend. And as I understand, it was started when the Native Americans in the area would gather and have their Pow Wow’s and socialize with each other, and get up-to-date on all the happenings in the area. The festival used to be held inside the park, but now it has gotten so commercialized that it has expanded to several streets.
When I came in and caught Jo posting the clip on my blog, I told her that I would have to explain it now, know what she said? “That’s the idea”, she said! Kinda sneaky huh….*S*
It’s good to be back…… I'll try not to be such a stranger in the future! I hope you enjoy the clip, AND, Have a great day

JD

Feast Of The Flowering Moon

Are things as they seem...?

I know that you’ve all heard the old saying, “Things are Not always they seem,” …. Well,… sometimes they ARE…!!

Two men dressed in pilots' uniforms walk up the aisle of the aircraft. Both are wearing dark glasses, one is using a guide dog,and the other is tapping his way along the aisle with a cane.
Nervous laughter spreads through the cabin, but the men enter the cockpit the door closes, and the engines start up.
The passengers begin glancing nervously around, searching for some kind of a sign that this is just a little practical joke.
None is forthcoming.
The plane moves faster and faster down the runway, and the people sitting in the window seats realize they're headed straight for the water at the edge of the airport property. Just as it begins to look as though the plane will plow straight into the water, panicked screams fill the cabin.
At that moment, the plane lifts smoothly into the air.
The passengers relax and laugh a little sheepishly, and soon all retreat into their magazines and books, secure in the knowledge that the plane is in good hands. Meanwhile, in the cockpit, one of the blind pilots turns to the other and says, 'You know, Bob, one of these days, they're gonna scream too late and we're all gonna die' !!
Just thought you could use a chuckle !

JD

Pet Peeve

Pet Peeve

Another one of my pet peeves are people who park in handicapped parking places just because they are driving someone else’s vehicle with a handicap plate or mirror hangtag, that doesn’t mean that they are legally parked while in the handicapped space! On one occasion I was walking out of a supermarket when a pickup with a handicap plate on it pulled into a handicap parking space. A man of about 35 years old and 2 young boys, one about 12 years old and the other about 8, or 9 years old got out of the truck. The younger boy asked his dad if he was supposed to park there the dad said, “That’s ok, that’s grandpa’s truck.” Like the truck was handicapped? I’ve seen people pull into a handicap space and the driver jumps out and run into the store while the handicapped person sits in the vehicle and waits. I know a young lady that would barrow her grandmother’s mirror tag when she would go to the store! What’s wrong with these people? If they ever had to handle a wheel chair, or have to walk with crutches across a parking lot maybe, just maybe they would understand what these handicap spaces really mean to the people who really need them!

And remember, ---
You cannot un-say a cruel or unkind word.

A Charming Proposal

Hello friends, I am true to form, Lazy and Late again!!

But today I have a treat for you. Last night Jo and I went to the Waverly High school to watch the, 'High School Drama Club', out do themselves again. These young adults were simply unbelievable in their performance of a play by, 'Delmar Burkitt', Titled, "A Charming Proposal".

The play was directed by, 'Barbara Brushart' and was assisted by, 'Carol Cornish'. The students involved were Waverly High School Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. To really get the full impact of these Young people's ability, you would have had to be there...!

We have put together a slide show of an array of pictures for your enjoyment. To view the slide show, click here.

Wet Pants

Well you’ve probably figured out by now that I’m like a horse’s tail-

‘BEHIND’

I received this story from one of my e-mail friends and thought you might enjoyd it also…

WET PANTS

Come with me to a third grade classroom..... There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives.

The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, "Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat."

He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered

As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap.

The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, "Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!"

Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie.

She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. You've done enough, you klutz!"

Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Susie whispers back, "I wet my pants once too."

May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good.. Remember.....Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.

Each and everyone one of us are going through tough times right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can. Keep the faith.

This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards Let's continue to pray for one another.
The Prayer:

Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and those that I care deeply for, who are reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings. Amen.

Too wet to mow

Hello Friends:

The grass is coming through the ground so hard and fast you can almost hear it crackling through. It’s a bright green and looking good to, for now that is..! The weatherman is telling me that we have more rain on the way, and that it’s been raining on the average of every 3 days. That doesn’t give the yard time enough to dry up enough to mow! Looks like I will have to order a pair of pontoons for my lawnmower!!! It just gets to where I can walk across the yard without getting my shoes all muddy, it rains again. There’s one consolation, the Lord knows what He’s doing… That’s for sure…! Anyway, I’ve been having trouble with the breaks on the riding mower, so I went out this morning and took the whole thing apart and found the problem. I remover the break assembly and found that one of the little pushrods that pushed on the break pad was froze in place. I took my hammer and finally got it out and greased it up good, now my breaks are as good as when I bought it. I put the mower deck in the tool; shad to keep it from rusting during the winter so I pulled it out and got it all hooked up too. But it’s still too wet to mow…!! At this rate, I’ll have to hire a bush hog to mow my yard when it dries up..!!
Have a great day……….. JD

Grandma's Hands

A friend sent this to me and I really enjoyed it, so I thought you might like to read it and maybe look at your own hands in a different light, I know I have….!.

Grandma's Hands

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands. When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a strong, clear voice. "I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to her. "Have you ever looked at your hands," she asked. "I mean really looked at your hand s?" I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making. Grandma smiled and related this story: "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. "They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war. "They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse. "They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer. "These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ." I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face. When you receive this, say a prayer for the person who sent it to you, and watch God's answer to prayer work in your life. Let's continue praying for one another. Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will bless you both. Passing this on to one not yet considered a friend is something
Christ would do.

-- Author Unknown

Home Churned Butter

I was just wondering how many of you have sat on that little 3 legged stool and actually milked Ole Bossy? I can only remember 2 or 3 times that I milked that old cow, I was a little whippersnapper back then. I had watched grandma countless times so I knew the drill. First you be sure that Ole Bossy had a good portion of feed or hay to keep her busy, then after giving her a few pats and rubs on the side you were going to be milking on, to let her know you will be there and not to get excited. The last thing you want her to do is plop her foot into the bucket, or kick it over. Then with the drying towel over your shoulder and your milk bucket with warm, clean water in hand you sit on your little stool and wash her bag and utters. This serves 2 purposes, one it lets her know what you will be doing down there, and two, It’s for sanitary reasons. Then when Grandma was finished with themilking, she would strain the milk several times and put what she wanted to serve at the table in her refrigerator. I don’t ever remember her boiling it.
I know that if you’ve ever milked Ole Bossy, you know what this is and what you do with it!

The rest of the milk would be prepared and put aside to be churned. Then the milk would be poured into that old churn and churned into butter? I remember that when the butter was almost ready, I had to let Grandma finish it up because it was hard for me to churn, but she was use to it. When the butter was finished, and if my mother was around, she would use a teaspoon and make a baby’s footprint in the middle of the butter. She was an artist and sign painter. I remember once she was hired to paint some advertisements on a grocery/dry goods store windows in Columbia La.,(Leg Rodgers’s grocery store). Along with several products advertised was an advertisement for ladies underwear, Mr. Rodgers asked her to be discreet with the wording. So, the sign read, “Seat covers- .50 cents a pair!” The reason they were so expensive is because they were store bought, not flower sack bloomers…! If memory serves me right, the ‘Coldwell Watchman’, the, (Columbia news paper), printed pictures of it!
I’m kind of rambling here, but if I don’t put it down when it pops in mind, I might forget…. Anyway…!
Things were a little different at home; we didn’t have electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing of any kind! And when my mother milked the cow, she had to go through the same procedure with the exception of the refrigerator. The milk that was to be served at the table was put into a gallon pickle jar with waxed paper over the mouth and then the lid screwed on. A string was tied to the top of the jar and lowered into the spring. The water was iced cold year round. That’s how we cooled our watermelons and anything else that needed to be kept cold. The spring was a natural fed spring. We did have an, “Ice Box”, for short time cooling of the butter and milk. If you have ever churned you own butter, then you know what an ‘Ice Box” is! I remember the “Ice Man” that would go by about a quarter mile from the house and we, as young’ns, would have to meet him at the main road and carry the chunk of ice to the house to put in the ice box. Normally it would start out at about 10 to 15 pounds but by the time we got it home and after we had sat it down to let our hands and arms thaw, it would be considerably less! Oh well, this post was supposed to be about the, ‘Churn; but you know how it is, It’s like Lays Potatoes Chips, you can’t eat just one……..!!

The Apron's History

One of my e-mail buddies sent me this, “Apron” history and I thought you might like to read it, I know that, like me, it will bring back a few old memories!
I remember just about every use mentioned preformed by my grandmother, and for that matter, my mother had an apron too, she also knew what it was for!
*************

I don’t think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children’s tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner. It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER........

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.

Her granddaughters set theirs on the kitchen counter to thaw.

Yard Deer

Hello Friends:
I would like to share with you some new happenings on the mountain. Our 4 legged friends decided to pay us a visit last Tuesday afternoon. As you can see, we were blessed with a low cloud and Jo whispered to me to come look out the window and this is what I saw standing looking back at us. The first one was no more than 15 feet from us! I don’t have to tell you that we both were delighted. It’s been some time since their last visit and looks like they brought their young’ns along with them…..

Enjoy!

Have a great day.......... JD

Double Jeopardy

Well, I guess I’ve come down with that dreaded, “Writer’s Block”… I’ve been reading a few blogs trying to get some good ideas on something to write about. The only thing that I got an idea about was from a documentary I saw on TV last night about a man in Texas who was acquitted of the murder of his wife. The FBI brought him up on the same murder, DUH, I have always been taught that that was against our constitution! That it’s double jeopardy…!! Whether or not he was really guilty is beside the point, it’s still wrong. Just before the second trial was to begin, he skipped the country and went to, I think it was Holland, The FBI tried to extradite him back to the USA but the Holland authorities would not send him back as long as they were going to try him again on the same charge he was acquitted on in the first place. They even knew it was wrong! So the FBI agreed not to re-try him on that charge and he was sent back. All he was charged with was passport and I.D. fraud and was sentenced for that, and now, the FBI said they think they know a way they can circumvent their agreement with Holland and try him again on the same charge anyway after he serves his time for passport and I.D. fraud!
It’s my opinion, ok? That if the FBI gets away with this, and does re-try this man on the same charge that he was acquitted on, and is NOT termed Double Jeopardy, what is in store for you, me, and everyone else who one day may be charged with a crime, will they try us 2 times for the same crime, or 3, 4, 5, or more until they find a jury that will hand down a GUILTY verdict????

Am I the only one who feels this way?

What do you think??
JD

The Blizzard

Ok, Ok, I know I’ve been lazy..!! But don’t forget, I’m retired, so I’m allowed..!! *S*

It looks as though we’ve gotten our BLIZZARD we were promised and it looks as though we will be snowed in with this one. But I do have to pat myself on the back; we were just about out of firewood, had about 2 more days worth left in the wood shed day before yesterday. So I called my source and made arrangements to pick some up yesterday, Boy, am I glad I did, I got 3 load’s and the snow starts this morning, whew..!! After I got it unloaded out of the truck, and covered it up in the utility trailer I sighed a tremendous sigh of relief, and silently said, “Thank you Lord”. I know He was looking out for me because the man I get my wood from had to take off and go buy a new chain saw because his old one went out on him, Not only that, he sprained his ankle and couldn’t finish the job on his own so his dad came to his house and finished the job for him! So again, Thank you Lord…!!!
Now here Jo and I are in a warm house watching ‘Him’ cover everything here on the mountain with His blanket…….
Have a great day…………..JD

VOTE DAY

Well, here it is, March 4th, time for the voters here in Ohio to go do their civic duty and vote for their choice in the primary. I sure hope the weather doesn’t put a damper on the turnout at the poles. We all need to put on our rubber boots and grab our umbrellas and go stuff the ballot box! I know Jo and I will do just that, so please join us,,,,! After you’ve made your choice, run down to your favorite watering hole and enjoy a hot cup of coffee.

Just remember that the right to VOTE, can and does have a direct bearing on ALL your rights!!

Have a great day... JD

Prince Harry

Another pet peeve

I was watching the news yesterday when they were showing Prince Harry in his army uniform and rifle and making a big deal out of the fact that he was in Iraqi fighting the terrorists. DUH, how many of those terrorists would like to get hold of him?? This morning I see where he is pulled out for his safety! I mean, Hey, plaster it all over the TV and radio!! Just think how high their ratings would go, or haw many news papers they would sale if he were captured, or worse, killed, God forbid! It’s hard for me to understand and wonder just how far ahead the reporters and even editors look before printing things like this; does it even make a difference to them? It reminds me of an earlier post of mine about the news media telling everyone where and when a DUI checkpoint would be! Then report that their efforts are not doing enough good to justify the cost of the checkpoints!
It appears that something isn’t right!

It’s just my opinion. Tell me what you think

7 weird things about me

Jo has gone and tagged me to take part in the meme!
7 weird things about me.

Here Are The Rules
1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person that tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

Here are the 7 weird things about me:
1- Don't like to wear socks to bed.
2- I like potato salad sandwiches.
3- I like cold fried chicken.
4- No matter where I'm going, I'm always in a hurry to get there.
5- I don't care if the sheets are wrinkled and the bed is unmade.
6- I like to mow the grass.
7- I like hot Dr Pepper.

My list of bloggers that I've tagged. Let me know if you take part in the 'meme' so I can check out your list.
Gina's FNPResidency
Mysti
Rambling Rose
Yasmine
Sweetgrass Farm
Cindy's Snaps
Cupcakes

How we got here

I recieved a comment from a blogger friend, ‘Hope’, who wanting to know just how we happened to be here in the Little House on the Mountain. Well it was a challenge to say the least. As I said in a previous post that I retired in October of 2003. By this time we had already had everything sorted out and ready to hit the road. We had been living in a camper trailer, a 29’, 2 bedroom job for 3 years before I retired. It wasn’t bad at all with only the two of us and there was plenty of room.
We moved the camper up here to Southern Ohio and parked it in a camper park and lived there while we looked for something anchored to the ground. We went to a realtor and found several places for sale and we looked at them and just couldn’t believe what they were asking for what was in bad need of repair…! The realtor dug way down to the bottom of the pile of paperwork and came up with one she had listed. She gave us the address and we rode out to look at it. We drove and drove and finally came to a cleared out place along side of the road with just enough room to park the car. There was a stone lined walkway that winded down through the shoulder high weeds, briers and tall grass to a house that we couldn’t see! Jo wouldn’t go through that jungle, she said “You go ahead; I’ll wait in the car…….” After I went for a look around, I told her that she had to come and look at it, and finally agreed to look and was impressed. Jo and I went back to look at it again, then the realtor came out with the key and we were both taken by the condition of the inside, it was as neat as a pin, very well kept!
I really liked what I saw and so did Jo; there was a small clearing around the house which was the yard, the house was 130’ back from the parking area. I could see the potential. From that time forward, I would compare this house, property, and price to every place we looked at and kept coming up with this one. But, we kept looking, I bet we’ve been up and down almost every back road in southern Ohio, and after about 4 months and 5000 miles, we decided on The Little House On The Mountain..!! We’ve doubled the square footage and are planning a large deck off to the side with a fire pit in the yard. There’s still a lot of work to be done and I think we can handle it ok……
There have been additions to the area that are eye sores, but when the leaves are out during the summer, we can’t see anyone else….

LOVE Mother Nature…!!

Bear

Well folks

There you have it....!

The answer to the,

'AGE OLD QUESTION'!!

Addition

Good morning everyone.... *S*

Well we got up this morning to about 7 degrees out, sure was hard rolling out from under those warm covers. Just think, (its 37 degrees in Fairbanks Alaska..!!!) We got a little more snow early this morning and it covered my shoveled out walkway to the wood shed, guess I will have to do it again. I push the wheel barrow around to the wood shed, fill it with firewood and push it back to the front porch which is at ground level where the back porch is 3-1/2 feet off the ground. Then I prop the front door open and push it into the living room and stack the wood in its place near the heater. That beats haling it in arm load by arm load. With hard surface floors rather than carpet, cleanup is a snap.
When I added the living room and bedroom, I insulated the floors with 1” Styrofoam placed tight at the bottom of the floor joists leaving a 6” dead air space thinking this would do the trick. Also the addition, as is the existing structure, is skirted to the ground to keep the wind out to protect the water lines and such. Well,…. I plan to get under there this summer and add 6” fiberglass insulation……. !

This picture was taken just as I was getting started on the addition. I had just finished getting the support’s laid out and leveled getting ready for the floor beams and joists.
The average pitch on our property is 36” drop every 20’, not too bad!
Appx 1-3/4” on 12”

This picture was taken from about the same angle as the first while under construction. This should have been an evening, rather than a morning shot so everything would have been clearer.
The 2 windows on the back, the one up high and the one down low, open during the warm weather for draft that creates natural air conditioning.

Picture Change

Hello everyone:
Some of you might have noticed that I’ve changed my picture, well it’s because a friend of mine said it looked like it was supposed to have a number under it…! Well, that’s one of the main reasons people need friends, they will tell when you look like, ^%$^%$*…!
It’s been a while since my last post, that because I’ve been in a tussle with that old stomach bug, I think I might win this time.
We’ve had a pretty steady snow fall since the wee hours of the morning and it doesn’t look like it’s going to let up anytime soon. We’re supposed to get our satellite hookup on our PC tomorrow, I hope they have 4-wheel drive or the snow plow works on the road in the morning! It’s supposed to really speed up our service, I can hardly wait!!
I hope you ALL have a great day …………..JD

Old Man And His Dog

My son sent this to me and I thought you might get

a tear or two out of it TOO..!
***********************

The Old Man and the Dog
by Catherine Moore

"Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!" My father yelled at me. "Can't you do anything right?" Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn't prepared for another battle. "I saw the car, Dad. Please don't yell at me when I'm driving." My voice was measured and steady, sounding far calmer than I really felt. Dad glared at me, then turned away and settled back. At home I left Dad in front of the television and went outside to collect my thoughts. Dark, heavy clouds hung in the air with a promise of rain. The rumble of distant thunder seemed to echo my inner turmoil. What could I do about him? Dad had been a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon. He had enjoyed being outdoors and had reveled in pitting his strength against the forces of nature. He had entered grueling lumberjack competitions, and Dad placed often. The shelves in his house were filled with trophies that attested to his prowess. The years marched on relentlessly. The first time he couldn't lift a heavy log, he joked about it; but later that same day I saw him outside alone, straining to lift it. He became irritable whenever anyone teased him about his advancing age, or when he couldn't do something he had done as a younger man. Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, he had a heart attack. An ambulance sped him to the hospital while a paramedic administered CPR to keep blood and oxygen flowing. At the hospital, Dad was rushed into an operating room. He was lucky; he survived. But something inside Dad died. His zest for life was gone. He obstinately refused to follow doctor's orders. Suggestions and offers of help were turned aside with sarcasm and insults. The number of visitors thinned, then finally stopped altogether. Dad was left alone. My husband, Dick, and I asked Dad to come live with us on our small farm. We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust. Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. It seemed nothing was satisfactory. He criticized everything I did. I became frustrated and moody. Soon I was taking my pent-up anger out on Dick. We began to bicker and argue. Alarmed, Dick sought out our pastor and explained the situation. The clergyman set up weekly counseling appointments for us. At the close of each session he prayed, asking God to soothe Dad's troubled mind. But the months wore on and God was silent. Something had to be done and it was up to me to do it. The next day I sat down with the phone book and methodically called each of the mental health clinics listed in the Yellow Pages. I explained my problem to each of t he sympathetic voices that answered. In vain. Just when I was giving up hope, one of the voices suddenly exclaimed, "I just read something that might help you! Let me go get the article." I listened as she read. The article described a remarkable study done at a nursing home. All of the patients were under treatment for chronic depression. Yet their attitudes had improved dramatically when they were given responsibility for a dog. I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon. After I filled out a questionnaire, a uniformed officer led me to the kennels. The odor of disinfectant stung my nostrils as I moved down the row of pens. Each contained five to seven dogs. Long-haired dogs, curly-haired dogs, black dogs, spotted dogs all jumped up, trying to reach me. I studied each one but rejected one after the other for various reasons: too big, too small, too much hair. As I neared the last pen a dog in the shadows of the far corner struggled to his feet, walked to the front of the run and sat down. It was a pointer, one of the dog world's aristocrats. But this was a caricature of the breed. Years had etched his face and muzzle with shades of gray. His hipbones jutted out in lopsided triangles. But it was his eyes that caught and held my attention. Calm and clear, they beheld me unwaveringly. I pointed to the dog. "Can you tell me about him?" The officer looked, then shook his head in puzzlement. "He's a funny one. Appeared out of nowhere and sat in front of the gate. We brought him in, figuring someone would be right down to claim him. That was two weeks ago and we've heard nothing. His time is up tomorrow." He gestured helplessly. As the words sank in I turned to the man in horror. "You mean you're going to kill him?" "Ma'am," he said gently, "that's our policy. We don't have room for every unclaimed dog." I looked at the pointer again The calm brown eyes awaited my decision. "I'll take him,"Isaid. I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me. When I reached the house I honked the horn twice. I was helping my prize out of the car when Dad shuffled onto the front porch. "Ta-da! Look what I got for you, Dad!" I said excitedly. Dad looked, then wrinkled his face in disgust. "If I had wanted a dog I would have gotten one. And I would have picked out a better specimen than that bag of bones. Keep it! I don't want it" Dad waved his arm scornfully and turned back toward the house. Anger rose inside me It squeezed together my throat muscles and pounded into my temples."You'd better get used to him, Dad. He's staying!" Dad ignored me. "Did you hear me, Dad?" I screamed. At those words Dad whirled angrily, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes narrowed and blazing with hate. We stood glaring at each other like duelists, when suddenly the pointer pulled free from my grasp. He wobbled toward my dad and sat down in front of him. Then slowly, carefully, he raised his paw. Dad's lower jaw trembled as he stared at the uplifted paw. Confusion replaced the anger in his eyes. The pointer waited patiently. Then Dad was on his knees hugging the animal.

It was the beginning of a warm and intimate friendship. Dad named the pointer Cheyenne. Together he and Cheyenne explored the community. They spent long hours walking down dusty lanes. They spent reflective moments on the banks of streams, angling for tasty trout. They even started to attend Sunday services together, Dad sitting in a pew and Cheyenne lying quietly at his feet. Dad and Cheyenne were inseparable throughout the next three years. Dad's bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne made many friends. Then late one night I was startled to feel Cheyenne's cold nose burrowing through our bed covers. He had never before come into our bedroom at night. I woke Dick, put on my robe and ran into my father's room. Dad lay in his bed, his face serene. But his spirit had left quietly sometime during the night. Two days later my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad's bed.

I wrapped his still form in the rag rug he had slept on. As Dick and I buried him near a favorite fishing hole, I silently thanked the dog for the help he had given me in restoring Dad's peace of mind. The morning of Dad's funeral dawned overcast and dreary. This day looks like the way I feel, I thought, as I walked down the aisle to the pews reserved for family. I was surprised to see the many friends Dad and Cheyenne had made filling the church. The pastor began his eulogy. It was a tribute to both Dad and the dog who had changed his life And then the pastor turned to Hebrews 13:2. "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers." "I've often thanked God for sending that angel, "he said. For me, the past dropped into place, completing a puzzle that I had not seen before: the sympathetic voice that had just read the right article...Cheyenne's unexpected appearance at the animal shelter..his calm acceptance and complete devotion to my father. . and the proximity of their deaths. And suddenly I understood. I knew that God had answered my prayers after all.
Life is too short for drama & petty things, so laugh hard, love truly and forgive quickly. Live While You Are Alive.Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second time.

Note = Pride is a very strong emotion and can wreak havoc in a person’s life if not controled..!
(Note – I added the picture’s.)

The Streets of San Francisco

~THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO~

After being elected as one of four delegates by my Union brothers and sisters to represent our Local Union, Local Lodge 470 district 161 out of Lake Charles, La, at The International Association Of Machinists and Aerospace Workers International Convention in San Francisco Ca. in September ‘2000’.

R to L
Terry Taylor, B.R., Greg Conrad, Pres., J.D. Dupree R.S. and Floyd Wesson Del.
Our District and Local delegates.

Sightseeing was at a minimum because we only had a week to take care of business but was able to squeeze in a few shots that I would like to share with you. There is one thing for sure, if you want to see it, just stand on any corner for a short while and you won’t be disappointed! This one is a life size billboard on a sidewalk!

I know you all have seen detective movies where the cops

are chasing the bad guys up and down the, ‘Streets of San Francisco’

and wonder if the streets are really that bad, well you can believe it!

Here is a good shot of the Bay from a high spot on one of the streets.

Our greatest disappointment was the Golden Gate Bridge; it was almost totally

hidden from view because of the fog! The fog was like this the entire week!

While we were out on the Crouse, we did get a good shot of,
‘The Rock’, that famous Prison, ‘Alcatraz’

Jo and I even rode on the famous Rice a Roni Trolley car,
They have it on the turntable which is still operated by hand.

It only takes 2 people to turn it around. The ride we took on
it might not be such a big deal but we will always remember that ride.

San Francisco’s finest came out to insure our safety,
And to assist in any way they could, Thanks guys

Ed Asner was a guest speaker at the convention and Brother Tom Buffenbarger, our international President, presented him with a certificate stating that he is an honorary member of the I.A.M.-A.W

Toward the end of our convention, all the delegates and their spouses were invited to an elaborate banquet with just about anything you could want to eat or drink. The only rule was, if you were bashful, you did without

These two couples were representing their Local Unions,
one from North Dakota, the other from South Dakota.

This statue was a hum-dinger, we walked right by it and a
little boy and his mom was right behind us …..

And when the statue leaned over to shake the little boy’s hand,
his mom had to hold on to him, because he was vacating the area!
His mom and the statue convinced him to shake his hand.

We even watched this guy stack rocks! Now they are just rocks,
no glue or anything holding them there but gravity and balance!

Pier 39 after dark at Fisherman’s Warf

A view of a typical corner from the ‘Rice a Roni Trolley.’

I have 2 more CD’s of pictures and wish I had time to go through them all and show them all to you, but that wouldn’t be practical. I hope you enjoyed these…
JD