The View from Here

Last Day...this and that and more

 

Well, today is the last day of October… Halloween. I think I got my “trick” yesterday with the coyotes, so I’m looking forward to a treat today.

 

Yes, I AM a card-carrying member of Lazy Gardeners International. No we don’t have meetings and we don’t have a website- we’re too lazy for either. I planted my bulbs yesterday with a shovel and I put four-six bulbs in each hole. I didn’t even bother to make sure they were spaced evenly and all upright. Now you know the awful truth and we will all have to wait until next spring to find out if I am really lazy, or just old and wise.

I put the flannel sheets on the bed yesterday, along with a regular blanket. I’ll wait a few weeks for the electric blanket. It’s still early and I rarely use it. Gary will turn it up to about level 3 and keep it there until May! Lol

 

I bought a new purse, and I mention it because as frequently happens, one thing leads to another. The purse is almost perfect, but doesn’t quite have enough room for my wallet and camera in the main compartment. So I bought a new wallet, which is smaller than my old one. That meant cleaning out a few cards and photos. So, now I’m carrying a new, lighter purse and wallet.

 

 

 

The flowers posted today are not technically “mine” but I count them as such because they are from the downtown flowerbed that I maintain. I also planted tulips and daffodils there yesterday, and even used the hand trowel.

I’m going to do a little more yard work this week- transplanting and weeding. Then I hope to sit back and wait for spring!

Coyote Encounter

 

So I was remarking to my daughter a few weeks ago that the only critters I have seen but not photographed this summer are the bobcat, coyote, and skunk. Well, please tell me that God did not hear that as a request, because after my encounter with the coyotes today I know I’m not prepared for a bobcat or even a skunk!

 

I went in the kitchen to turn off the coffee pot before heading out to the cemetery and our outside cat, Buddy, was whining at the glass door. He had already been fed so I pulled the curtain aside to fuss at him and saw a very different head just a few feet away on the other side of the fence. Thank goodness that isn’t just barbed wire strands or Buddy probably wouldn’t be with us.

 

The coyotes actually roamed around for several minutes trying to figure out how to get through the fence. When they moved toward the front yard I went out on the porch and yelled at them. One ran off and the other just sat by the fence post and looked at me! I finally banged on the side of the house several times and he left.

 

I was kind of “spooked” all day and didn’t work in the yard until about two o’clock. I was just finishing with the tulips when I looked up and the calves started running across the west side of the pasture. I had a fleeting thought about the morning, and then sure enough, there was a coyote running past them and into the trees.  

 

I know coyotes are supposed to be afraid of us, but after this morning I think I will make sure that I’m carrying a big stick, hoe, or cane when I go walking…even in my own yard.  

Yesterday's Moment of Joy

"Wow, Mrs. Maurer! Thanks!"

 

 

Just One Moment

 

Last night I got home late. I had stayed at school to make some copies, stopped by Craighead’s to chat with Belinda, and then filled up at the gas station. By the way, I still feel blessed when I put gas in the truck. I vividly remember filling up my car two or three times a week when I was teaching over in Hugo. It is great to get by with so much less now that I’m working close to home.

Anyway, when I got home I realized I had only about twenty minutes of light left. I am dreading the days ahead when I will not be able to take pictures in the evening, so I told Gary I was going out to make “one walk around the yard” to see if anything was going on. I was rewarded with the photos you see here.

 

 

 Later, as I was cooking spaghetti for dinner, I thought about how refreshed I felt after taking that one lap around the yard. Just that one moment of seeing the black butterfly was such a delight! And I would have missed it if I had decided that it was getting too late to be out wandering around with the camera.

I have always been a wanderer, a rambler, a gypsy nomad. I love to walk and look. I love Sunday drives. I love traveling in the summer. I think that is why I dread winter, along with so many other folks. I’m not much of a winter wanderer. Safety and warmth and comfort seem to take precedent over my wanderlust and I become the world’s worst couch potato!

 

 

So here is my new plan for this winter- one moment of joy. I’m going to try to look for one moment of joy each day by being a little more active and aware than I was last year. I think my new obsession with the camera will help. I also want to invest more effort in appreciating some of the good things about winter. I’m sure there are some good things…you can help me make a list! LOL

 

I posted on Facebook that I’m preparing for winter- coffee, chocolate, cocoa, oatmeal, flannel sheets, electric blanket, mittens, gloves, afghans, warm socks. It is also a matter of mental preparation. And yes, I realize how very blessed I am to live in a relatively mild climate. I still have painful memories of my winter in Iowa!

Any other suggestions are appreciated!

First frost forecast for tonight!

Cousins

 

I have come to the conclusion that “cousin” is the best family tie of all. There are no strings attached to the relationship. There are no expectations. There are no limitations. I have cousins who are neighbors, co-workers, friends, correspondents, acquaintances, and strangers I have yet to meet. I have cousins who share memories and bonds with me and I have cousins who have never been a part of my life or experience.

Cousins can be claimed or ignored. I see some of my cousins several times a week, and others only at weddings and funerals, usually the latter.

 
 

Cousins are reminders that family goes on and on and on in a boundless web of life and love.

I am grateful to my cousins this year for new family photos and information, but mostly just for new relationships. I love hearing from all of them and knowing that we have common ancestors.

 

There are lots of different kinds of cousins and the following is a brief relationship lesson. You can also click on this cousins chart to figure out who is your “third cousin twice removed”. I commented on my Caddo blog that I think I will one day discover that everyone in Caddo is actually related. We are probably all cousins!  

Have a great day!

P. S. I avoided the highway yesterday and went home “through the country”. The geese were in someone’s yard! Only had my little purse camera with me, but you can see that the flock is a big one. The raccoon photos are from last night. One of the little critters has figured out that 6:30 is the time to eat without competition! And yes, I took these photos through the window.

 

 

Cousins:

Cousin (or First Cousin or Full Cousin)
The son or daughter of an uncle or aunt.

Second Cousin
People who have the same great-grandparents, but not the same grandparents. Second cousins are children of first cousins.

Third, Fourth, and Fifth Cousins
Third cousins have the same great-great-grandparents, but not the same great-grandparents or grandparents. Fourth cousins have the same great-great-great-grandparents, etc.

Removed
When the word "removed" is used to describe a relationship, it indicates that the two people are from different generations. 

The words "once removed" mean that there is a difference of one generation. For example, your father's first cousin is your first cousin, once removed. This is because your father's first cousin is one generation younger than your grandparents and you are two generations younger than your grandparents. This one-generation difference equals "once removed."  The one-generation difference has nothing to do with age, but rather with descendance from the same person.

Twice removed means that there is a two-generation difference. You are two generations younger than a first cousin of your grandmother, so you and your grandmother's first cousin are first cousins, twice removed.

Half Cousin
First cousins are the children of siblings; therefore, half first cousins would be the children of half siblings. Half-cousins would have one common grandparent instead of two common grandparents.

Cross Cousin
A cross cousin is from the parent's opposite-sexed sibling; for example, a cousin who is the child of one's mother's brother or one’s father's sister.

Parallel Cousin
A parallel cousin is from the parent's same-sexed sibling; for example, a cousin who is the child of one's mother's sister or one's father's brother.   Parallel cousins are the children of two brothers or two sisters.

Double Cousins
If two siblings in one family marry two siblings from another, and each couple has a child, these children are double cousins.  The addition of the word double to the first cousin term is the result of the number of common grandparents they have. Regular first cousins share only one set of common ancestors, while double first cousins share all lineal and collateral relatives.

Kissing Cousin
A distant relative known well enough to be kissed when greeted; or a cousin marriage

Each Day a Miracle

 

Why?

Why on earth do you get up so early?

I’m asked that all the time.

Most people don’t appreciate the fact that I wake up at 4am eager to face the day. In fact, I often wake up without the aid of an alarm. But that hasn’t always been my approach to life. It has only in the last decade that I have come to the realization that each day is a miracle. I think it was my mother’s death that made me more aware of how precious our time here really is and how much we take for granted.

 

Yesterday afternoon I was waiting and waiting and waiting for my turn to cross the highway and go home. My route has become a nightmare of logistics since road construction began last year. Traffic has increased as well. I was tempted to whine and complain, but instead found myself thinking about what a miracle it is that most of us survive our daily commute.

I guess that is just one example of a changed mind. No road rage, just gratitude.

Since mother’s death I just can’t take a lot of things as seriously as I once did. I can’t whine and complain and find fault with the nit-picky details of daily life because I’m here. I can enjoy the day. I can be part of the solution. I can help someone feel better. I can take pleasure in the beauty around me. Oh, I’m not perfect. Don’t make a list of the things I’ve complained about here on my blog. Life still has its ups and downs.  But I don’t dwell in unhappiness anymore. I don’t wallow in self-doubt and pity. I don’t guard my emotions with self-righteous anger. I’ve found peace instead and it is much more satisfying. When problems do arise or I’m tempted to fall into despair, I find that I just can’t stay in a bad mood; I just can’t worry for very long. There is too much joy to appreciate!

 

So that is why I’m up before the sun. I’m positive that each day is a miracle and I can’t wait to wake up and participate in whatever happens.

 

I sincerely hope that this day is a miracle for you!

 

Back to Work

 

Yes, I am ready. I’ve missed the children and I’m anxious to hear about their adventures during the break. Most will be super excited this week because it is countdown to party time! Friday they will dress in their Halloween costumes and eat more candy than anyone should and have a great time.

 

Oh, yesterday was just as wonderful as I predicted. The sun came out and at one point there were so many butterflies in the yard that they were swirling around me. I counted six buckeyes. The wind was blowing so hard it was difficult to photograph them, but I managed to get a few to hold still. I also got one blurry shot of a little yellow one opened up. They just don’t ever rest long enough for me to get a good photo! I call them the “frantic butterflies”! And a little whitish moth joined his cousins.  

 

 

Last night I glanced out the window and saw a lovely reflection of the sunset on the storm clouds. I went out to the back step, took a photo, heard a noise and turned around to find one of the raccoons eating her snack. She didn’t seem to be disturbed until I went back in the house. Then she ran for the woods! Three returned to eat about an hour later.

 

 

Doesn’t the black cloud look like a face?

Last week of October! Where does the time go? But I’m ready for October to be gone so it will be November, one of my favorite months. Not quite winter, the best holiday- food, friends, family, no gifts, and the best decorations. I love turkeys!

 

 

Will the time change next this weekend? I never know anymore, but it seems like we should do it soon. I don’t like to go to work in the dark. And speaking of dark- just a reminder that some of our friends and family members have serious problems with winter, lack of light, cold, inactivity, and boredom. So let’s remember them this winter with extra contact, love, and understanding. Most of all, make sure they are getting as much light as possible!

 

Have a great day! I know I will.

Dreary or Divine

 
 

I purposely went for a walk this morning while it was still overcast and dreary. The air was soft and cool and the cows and birds were just beginning to speak their mind about the morning. The cows didn’t seem too happy, although I couldn’t see the source of their problem. I’m sure the birds were talking to me and complaining that all of their feeders are wet. I’ll take care of that shortly.

The reason I went walking early was so that I could capture some of the “less than lovely” views of the morning. We had rain, rain, rain yesterday and everything is soaked. The flowers are drooping. The hay is wet. There are mushrooms in the grass. I wasn’t confident about finding anything “blog worthy”, but I imagined there might be pretty leaf or a frog or something. However, the more I walked around, the more I found to photograph.

The first thing that greeted me was the hay bale across the road. I’ve never seen water collect there, so I guess it is proof that we got our share of the rain.

 

 

There are ladybugs out and about! I love to watch them, but they are the devil to photograph and I apologize for the lack of clarity. Not only difficult to “track”, but the lens I use has trouble focusing in on something so tiny. Guess I should invest in a macro lens. lol Just kidding Gary!

 
One lonely butterfly was sitting on the front lawn this morning.

 
One chirping bird on the fence and another in the sky.

 

 
 
Almost stepped on these strange fungi.

 
There is even mold on the fence posts.

 
 
My potted mums are blooming and those in the yard all have buds. Patience, patience…

 

It has only been an hour and already the world has changed. The sun is out and butterflies are flitting about. More birds are arriving. The flowers are reviving.

The prairie wind will dry off everything and the views will be divine again.

Or perhaps they always were.

Only Friday

 

I can’t say that I’ve been a dynamo of productivity these past few days, but I’ve sure enjoyed my time off. I started making coffee this morning and thought “it’s only Friday!” I’m not sure what we will do today because we are waiting to see if it rains. We were supposed to get a storm during the night and it hasn’t yet arrived.

I would appreciate a prayer or two about my stupid leg. I’ve had a nagging pain in it for a week or more and it is getting worse. Yesterday I was literally dragging it around, sort of shuffling, because it was so painful to lift my foot off the ground. I suspect my back is the real problem and I just don’t want to even think about what that might mean. I have facet arthropathy and I’ve had disc surgery and I’ve had a tumor removed from my spine… and…well, I just don’t want to go there. So prayers for healing of some other kind, and yes, if it continues I will go to the doctor.

I posted a few photos last night, and as I mentioned the butterflies have been flocking to the yard. We do not have a proper lawn, just mowed prairie, and the front has these lovely wild purple flowers that are compact and prolific. I drove the back road to town yesterday and noticed that alongside the road the same flowers are about two feet tall. I guess that the constant mowing has forced ours to bloom under totally different conditions.

I got my wildflower seeds yesterday! I ordered a few specific plant seeds this year, rather than a mix as I have done in the past. I’ve been missing a few favorites from my old garden. I also tried out a new company this year, so I actually received both orders yesterday. And here is my plan: I never know how seeds will react to our crazy winter weather, which is totally unpredictable from year to year, so even if the seeds say “plant in fall” I plant half of my wildflower seeds in the fall and half in the spring.

From Wildflower Farm I received: Blue Vervain, Lavendar Hyssop, Joe Pye Weed, Wild Iris, and Royal Catchfly. The Wild Iris and Royal Catchfly are new to me. However, I love the regular pink catchfly so I wanted to try the red.

From Wildseed Farms (my favorite, favorite seed company) I received: Tuber Vervain, Cosmos, Sweet Alyssum, Corn Poppy, Blue Flax, and Catchfly. They also sent me a free packet of Texas mix which includes Bluebonnet, Coreopsis, Indian Blanket, Black-Eyed Susan, Lemon Mint, Drummond Phlox, Corn Flower, and Corn Poppy. I guess I wasn’t paying complete attention because I made two errors- I forgot to order Chicory and I ordered an ounce of Catchfly instead of a packet. Now I love Catchfly, but that is enough for an acre! So I will be sharing with others. Lol And I will probably order the Chicory. I hope that the addition of these flowers to my garden will increase the number and type of butterflies we attract.

I was happy to see a sphinx moth last night. They usually arrive at dusk and are very, very fast, so it may take me a while to obtain a photo. Just have to be patient. But they are certainly entertaining!

I haven’t mentioned the raccoons in a while and since I am just rambling this morning, lol, I might as well give you a report about them. I suppose now that they are adults they are off establishing their own territories and finding mates. We usually have only one to four each night and they arrive after dark because they still have kept just about the same schedule, but the sunset has changed. Night before last there was one raccoon and one opossum “together” at the feeding area. I put quotes around together because the raccoon wasn’t exactly happy about the situation. It kind of spooked and jumped each time the opossum turned around. But they tolerated each other until the dog food was gone!

Well, it looks like the rain is about thirty minutes away, so I will leave you for the morning. Have a great day! Sorry most of you are working. I know you would love to have Friday off, too. I’m all in favor of the four-day work week. Let’s start a movement….

 

 

Sharing my day...

 

 

 

I don't usually post at night, but a storm is due here between midnight and morning, so I may or may not be able to use the internet. I had a very painful day and I hope that tomorrow I can walk without so much trouble, but God balanced out the pain with some wonderful encounters with friends old and new and critters big and small. I also found some stunning fall foliage.

 
 

 
 

There have been so many butterflies in the yard lately that I have to MAKE myself go in the house. There were four butterflies and a dozen skippers in the yard this afternoon. Also a sphinx moth, but it was getting dark and they flit around like hummingbirds. I'll get a shot one day!

 

 

 

Anyway, I just wanted to share my day and let you see what I was privileged to see!