He was a loving brother who played in the sandbox with me, took me for bike rides and shared his Hershey Kisses. He was a Veteran of the Vietnam War who served his country proudly. He was the firstborn son who held such a sense of pride for my parents. He was a loving husband and father who is missed everyday. He was the generation who served and was responsible, paid his bills and did the right thing...he was an American.
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Monday, May 31, 2010
Proud American
He was a loving brother who played in the sandbox with me, took me for bike rides and shared his Hershey Kisses. He was a Veteran of the Vietnam War who served his country proudly. He was the firstborn son who held such a sense of pride for my parents. He was a loving husband and father who is missed everyday. He was the generation who served and was responsible, paid his bills and did the right thing...he was an American.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Take a Moment...
My folks are both still living in Fayetteville. They are mostly house bound since driving has become an issue. So, when we go to visit we try to think of someplace to take them to get them out of the house. Since this is Memorial Day weekend we decided to visit the National Cemetery. I'd never been there so we depended on them for directions. They rarely agree on anything and directions were no different. Mom finally said to turn right on 6th Street. If we turned left a mile or so before 6th Street we would have gone to the Confederate Cemetery. Confederate Cemetery? Now I'm interested.
First to the National Cemetery. The beautifully manicured lawns and gleaming headstones all laid out in a perfect rows. Each stone marked with the name and vitals of the occupant. Most marked with a cross. Some marked with a cross, a circle, and a heart. We decided this differentiated the Protestants from Catholic. A few showed what appears to be a bugler. I wonder if this might be Jehovah's Witnesses. No clue. The few I saw with the Star of David were pretty self explanatory. Some of those buried there died in combat during World War II, Korea, Viet Nam and Gulf. Most didn't. They served their time and returned home to live out their lives in the peace and freedom they earned for all of us.
One cemetery is funded by our tax money. The other isn't. One cemetery contains the remains of Americans who served the United States. The other contains the remains of Southerners who served the Confederacy. But, they are all Americans.
One thing that really stood out was the ancient oaks and maples on the grounds. I wonder if they were planted when the cemetery was consecrated? Certainly they appear to be old enough. The rough and gnarled bark as well as the shape and obviously missing limbs are a testament to the years and harsh weather they have endured. And yet they live on. I like to think they take their responsibility to dead seriously and refuse to quit.
And after all, that is what Memorial Day really is all about. Our country has fought many wars during our short history. Looking back, some were more necessary than others. Some more popular than others. Some we look back with pride. Some we would like to forget.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Life is Good!
I'm planning my summer...
*Sleeping on the patios
*Going out on the boat
*Watching for deer to bark at
*Eating hot dogs that fall off the Grandkids plates
*Riding around in the golf cart every chance I get
Friday, May 28, 2010
Vacancy
The Bluebirds are back on GrannyMountain! I see them daily now at the birdhouses that my Father-in-law built for us. We started seeing them back in March, scoping out the "accomodations." We have the birdhouses placed at the edge of our yard, away from places where we walk often. Birds like privacy too!
Here's a list of some pointers if you want to attract Bluebirds...
•Ideally the box should be installed by mid-February, but you can still install one throughout the month of March and as late as early April when breeding begins. Because bluebirds begin their seasonal movements in February and male bluebirds begin establishing territory by mid-March, the box should be up as early as possible to increase the chance that it will be used. Once the female has arrived and chosen the nest site, it may be several weeks before the pair actually begin nestbuilding.
•Don't be discouraged if a bluebird pair does not choose your box right away or if you get the box up a little late in spring. Because of the shortage of suitable nesting sites, there's still a chance that a pair may come along in early summer that has been unsuccessful elsewhere. Also, you might get a tree swallow, chickadee or wren using your box instead. That's okay! These are native species, and they're using your box because there are not enough tree cavities in your area to go around. Put up more boxes!
•Face the opening of the box away from prevailing winds and in the direction of a distant tree if possible. The tree will become a landing point for young bluebirds when they first leave the box; they'll need a safe haven to avoid landing vulnerable on the ground.
•Bluebirds generally breed between April and the end of July. They may lay from three to six pale blue eggs per clutch, with an average of four or five. (Bluebirds often have at least 2 clutches and sometimes even 3 over the course of the breeding season.) The female incubates the eggs for 12 to 16 days, while the male assists in feeding her.
•You can check on the eggs and the nestlings once a week until the young are about 12 days old. Contrary to popular opinion, human "scent" does not cause the parent birds to abandon their young, because birds have a poor sense of smell. Take notes about what you find! After the birds are 12 days old, it will be best to observe the box from a distance, because disturbing the young later than this may cause them to "fledge" or leave the nest prematurely, which might reduce their chance of survival. Young bluebirds generally leave the nest between the 17th and 20th day after hatching.
•Once the young have left the nest you may clean the box out. Bluebirds typically re-nest a second and sometimes a third time during one season, and they frequently use the same box over.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Sonic Summer
We have an old fashioned Drive-In here called the Suzy Q. It's been around for 25 years and they're the REAL THING! You pull up, get out of the car and place your order at the window. They make the best hamburgers you ever put in your mouth! Grilled to perfection on a flat top that's cooked a million of them. And home cut skinny fries, hot and salty. The shakes are made with real ice cream using the old Mix Master, soooo good!
The best thing about going is setting with the windows down, under the neon lights listening to the music. Just doing nothing like when we were kids and didn't have mortgages or car payments. Take your kids and your Grandkids with you this summer and teach them to love Drive Ins too.Some things shouldn't change, some things were right the first time around...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Magic Trick
You know what I'm talking about. That one chicken breast, those two spoonfulls of gravy, the half a baked potato that was salvaged from your resident picky eater.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
First Job
When I came across this website the other day at Hardly Famous, it made me feel a little better that others have moved on from their first jobs!
Michael Jordan – His first job was in a hotel and it lasted a week.
Bono – Gas station attendant.
Al Pacino – He got fired from his first job as a cinema usher.
Mariah Carey – Hat checker (she got fired).
Stephen King – Janitor.
Robin Williams – Ice-cream scooper.
Jennifer Aniston – Telemarketer.
Warren Beaty – Rat catcher.
Tom Hanks – Popcorn and peanuts vendor.
Madonna – Worked at a Dunkin Donuts.
Clint Eastwood – Pool boy, gas station attendant.
Brad Pitt – Dressed as a giant chicken for a Mexican restaurant.
Ellen Degeneres – Cleaned cars.
Rod Stewart – Grave digger.
Mick Jagger – Porter in a mental hospital.
Nicolas Cage – Sold popcorn at a theatre.
Julia Roberts – Worked in an ice cream shop.
Quentin Tarantino – Video store clerk.
Danny DeVito – Hairdresser in his sister’s salon.
Keanu Reeves – Janitor.
Friday, May 21, 2010
The Rooster and the Hen
Let's go back to the Depression Era for a poem from a wise old hen...
Said the Little Red Rooster,
“Believe me, things are tough!
Seems the worms are getting scarcer
And I cannot find enough.
What’s become of all those fat ones?
It’s a mystery to me.
There were thousands through that rainy spell,
But now, where can they be?
But the Old Black Hen who heard him
Didn’t grumble or complain,
She had lived through lots of dry spells;
She had lived through floods of rain.
She picked a new and undug spot.
The ground was hard and firm.
“I must go to the worms,” she said
“The worms won’t come to me.”
The Rooster vainly spent his day
Through habit, by the ways
Where fat round worms had passed in squads
Back in the rainy days.
When nightfall found him supperless,
He growled in accents rough,
“I’m hungry as a fowl can be,
Conditions sure are tough.”
But the Old Black Hen hopped to her perch
And dropped her eyes to sleep
And murmured in a drowsy tone,
“Young man, hear this and weep.
I’m full of worms and happy
For I’ve eaten like a pig.
The worms were there as always,
But, boy, I had to dig!”~Adeline J. Haws
Thursday, May 20, 2010
IM just saying...
When the girls were teenagers, Zack on Saved By the Bell carried a cell phone around all the time that looked like this! By 1990, cell phones were a necessity even for me. I felt safer having one in my purse and just like Ziploc bags...I had to admit it was better than the "old way" of doing things!
Facebook and MySpace let's me keep up with our kids and GRANDkids. Better than a letter or email it's instant gratification! I'm so glad I turned the computer on in 1990 and waited for it to load AOL. Technology takes us farther than we ever expected, the ability now to Twitter, IM or text.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
"The Teen Commandments"
Stephanie mentioned recently she "earned" her Mother's Day card this year. Many times I felt that way when the girls were growing up. Not easy being Mom when they are teens. The only way you survive those years is to take a day at a time, not fly off the handle and picture their cute little faces at two when you look at their far out style now!
1. You shall not attempt to engage in meaningful conversation in the morning.
2. You shall not approve the use of more than two electronic devices simultaneously.
3. You shall not offer commentary about haircuts, hairstyles or haircolors.
4. You shall not offer helpful suggestions on homework management.
5. You shall not extend curfew beyond midnight.
6. You shall not expect a fully functioning frontal cortex.
8. You shall eat dinner together as often as you can.
9. You shall not hesitate if they call and say they need a ride home from a party.
Having that conversation with your teen is probably one of the most important. Knowing they can depend on you always is a very good feeling.
10. You shall remember that you were 16 once.
I asked my husband if he remembered 16. He said, "Kinda, I remember how much I wanted a car!" Even though there's 42 years separating them, I bet Jackson would answer the same!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
One of the Lucky Ones!
My Grandma Keeling lost her Mother to rheumatic fever when she was only 6. Her father owned the general store in the small community of Lead Hill. Of course he spent many hours away from his young daughter, so Grandma's Aunt Zulah was there for her. Ten short years later, Grandma's father passed. She went to live with her Aunt and Uncle, her relationship to them was close, almost as if they were her parents.
I was listening to Dr. Laura Berman the other day on XM. She has recently lost her mother to cancer and is having a very difficult time. She was sharing with callers her feelings...her stomach "drops," as fear sets in and the realization that her mother is really gone. Even though for the past 25 years she and her mother lived apart, now there is a sadness that she can't reach out and call her, touch her.
One of the things that she mentioned that hit home with me, was the fact that she had become her mother. How many times have you said something and think, "My Mother used to say that?" The connection we have with our moms is complex. They guide and direct us our whole lives. We accept it as children, we resent it as teens and young adults, then we miss it when they are gone from our lives.
Moms are the ones who plan the family gatherings, bake the favorite cakes and go that extra mile to make our children and grandchildren's lives special. As they get older, we "take up the torch" and step up to help her out. It starts slowly, usually with holiday meals and then one day we are carrying the torch by ourselves. Almost without noticing we begin the process of becoming our Mothers.
How our Mother's can be our rock yet drive us crazy is an enigma. She understands us like no one else on Earth. In a lifetime your Mom is your caregiver, your role model, your confidant. Teen years she's your nemesis, the enemy and sometimes your worst nightmare if she catches you doing something wrong! But by middle age, if you're lucky...she becomes your best friend. The one you can confide in without any worry that she will ever judge, only support you in all things. I'm one of those lucky ones!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Starving to Stuffed, 30 min.
2 Cups leftover Long Grain Rice, chilled (you can use brown rice too)
3 Eggs
1 Cup Frozen Peas and carrots
1 Stalk Celery (finely diced)
1/2 Onion (chopped)
1 Clove Crushed Garlic
1 Teaspoon Minced jalapeno chili (optional)
1 Cup leftover Cooked Chicken (diced)
6 slices bacon
6 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce
1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
Cook the rice, cover and refrigerate. Gently whisk eggs in a bowl. In large saute pan, cook bacon, set aside to drain. Pour off all but a small amount of the bacon grease and add the egg mixture. Cook as if making an omelet, just turn over to cook through. Remove from pan and cut into small pieces. Add a little bacon grease and saute the onion until cooked. Add garlic, chili and shrimp, cook until shrimp turn pink.Remove from pan and slice. Heat a little more bacon grease and saute celery,carrot and peas, stir fry until tender. Add rice and stir through. Add shrimp, chicken,bacon, egg and sauces. Cook, stirring all the time until hot. Add green onions and stir through just before serving.
Printable Recipe
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Simplicity or just Common Sense?
People are drawn to this lifestyle to find meaning in their lives, they realize a life based on materialism and consumerism is empty. It takes so much energy to "keep up with the Joneses." When we come right down to it, what gives us joy in our lives? For myself I can answer that quickly, my family and my home. So here's a list of 10 practical steps to simplifying your life.
1. Reuse paper bags, envelopes, newspapers, etc. Newspapers and shredded paper make excellent mulch in the garden. The mulch will break down over a period of time and add humus to the soil. (This is called recycling and most of us do it now without even thinking.)
2. Have a Buy Nothing Day. (This is called real life, also called too much month at the end of the paycheck.)
3. Carve some space for ‘mindful living’ so that you have time for ‘beingness’ rather than ‘doingness.’ (Being satisfied with what we already have.)
4. Find friends who know the glass is half-full or in other words, find friends who share the same value system as you do. (It's great to have friends who lean the same way you do.)
5. Grow your own food or buy as much as possible from local growers. (Gardening has surged in this recession, it's fun..it saves money...and the tomatoes are killer good!)
6. Use non-toxic products such as borax, vinegar, baking soda, lemon, and salt in your home, yard, and garden. (You don't need a lot to keep a clean house, elbow grease should be your biggest expentiture!)
7. Before you buy something, write the item down on a note and if you still want it after a month, purchase it then. (Daughter Stephanie says she "Gives the item a ride in the cart, then puts it back." Isn't that a funny way to decide if you really need something?)
8. Decide what is really working in your life and let go of that which no longer serves you. (All of the things the world says you "have to have," review what YOU really need and eliminate the rest.)
9. Surround yourself with what you really need and love. (That one's easy, family and a place to lay my head down at night!)
10. Go Organic. Organic gardening is not only about the avoidance of chemicals, but in the larger picture, it is organic living using Nature’s laws. (If you're not a gardener...Farmer's Markets are a great way to stimulate the local economy, improve your diet and go organic without paying high grocery store prices.)
Friday, May 14, 2010
Beauty...and the Beast
Stop reading now if you have a weak stomach. I'm going to show you a picture that I took last summer. A garter snake, doing what snakes do. Turn away now if you're squeemish. Ok, are you ready? Are you sure?
Don't blame me, I warned you...
Thursday, May 13, 2010
"Every Trip's a Pleasure"
My brother and I would beg for a toy. One of the best things we ever got was a road game that looked like bingo cards with little orange slide windows to cover things you'd see along the trip. Railroad crossing sign? slide. Cow? slide. Volkswagen? slide. Police car? Bingo!!
"Every trip’s a pleasure, when you stop at Stuckey’s" ...
Road signs were placed all along America's highways going back to the 1930's. They welcomed travellers with clean restrooms, fresh hot food and plenty of choices of the candy they were famous for. Daddy would gas up the car and then off we'd go again...this time with sticky treats to keep us occupied for miles and miles!
*Stuckey's can still be found and you can even order treats online now at http://stuckeys.com