Too big for my britches

That is what my Granny would have said about what I did yesterday. The pretty weather has brought out the yard sale signs and I love me a good yard sale.

I bought two of the prettiest platters which I really needed... NOT... but they're so pretty and only two dollars each.... will post tomorrow.

Got other great bargains but the thing I bought for my dog training use was this kids crawly thingy... I thought: I can use this to train Lexie to go though... so I paid the man fifty cents, folded it up, put it in the back of the van with Lexie and brought it home.

I was so excited ... had to try it out as soon as I got home. Lexie sat and watched me set it up. when I got it stretched out, I said in... Lexie cocked her head to one side, looked at me and then she went through it... all the way through it... First time. That thing is longer than it looks... about eight feet long... straight though like she knew what to do... what am I saying, she did know what to do.

I thought I was going to teach her something new... but she taught me that I wasn't as smart as I thought I was and she is one smart dog.

I wonder ... if she could go to a yard sale and buy something... what would she get to teach me something new???

Okay Game on!!!

What game, you may ask... well the planting game of course. But I need to tell you I'm a plant rescuer... my husband says cheap but what does he know?

I love mini rosebushes because you can plant them in your flowers and they don't just take over. Went to Food World today and they had three 10 dollar each bushes marked down to 1.50 .... so my yard is now sporting three new light pink rose bushes. Now do you see anything wrong with those roses?

I'm so ready to get the garden tilled but Mr. Think of all the Reasons To Not, says it's too early. My gosh Pat, we have blackberry winter and dogwood winter yet. I calmly pointed out that the dogwoods are blooming now and how could we have dogwood winter (which happens when dogwoods bloom) if they've already bloomed. Sounds right to me! But oh no,he says... it happens when they're suppose to bloom not when they bloom.

Me: What???

Him: Dogwood winter is mid-April when the dogwoods bloom

Me: But they're blooming now??

Him: I give up, when do you want the ground broke?

Me: :) I'm so bad.

Happy Planting everyone.

Humans, we think life is tough... you should be a wren

We fuss about high gas prices and no cell service and slow Internet but do these sustain life?? Oh I know some of you will argue that high gas prices make food high but come on, are we going to starve???

I was sitting on the porch swing this morning drinking my coffee when a wren came and perched on the chair next to me. She was very upset with me... I say she because of her tone and it was almost like she was trying to reason with me... I had put a plastic cup in the thingy that you roll hoses up on... that is where a wren builds a nest every year and every year the babies are hatched and a snake gets them before they get big enough to fly. I decided that this year I would make it where the wren would have to build elsewhere. I felt terrible and Ronnie didn't help when he said, "So you're playing God. You've made that bird unhappy and you know snakes have to eat too."

Do you think that our government only sees the babies getting eaten and don't really see the whole picture like Ronnie??

Then to really make my morning sad... a hawk swooped down and got a dove from under the bird feeder. Again, Ronnie said that was my fault because I feed the birds. They are not here for your enjoyment... they have a purpose and you play on their need to find food to lure them to one spot and make them easy picking for predators.

I'm a terrible person...

No I'm not... I turned the table on him. I sweetly said, "The hawk has to eat too."

But it did get me to thinking, would the human race survive if we had to hunt for our food while our enemies stalk us, hoping to make a meal out of us? Would we be able to adjust to events that change our entire life? I know some would but could you?

What if tomorrow your home was destroyed and you didn't have insurance to rebuild? You had to start from nothing and begin again.
What if you next meal depended on how fast you are and how quick witted?
What if your children depended on you and you alone to protect them, educate them, feed them.

In my opinion, we really don't have it too bad.

Dogs are so good for our egos

There is nothing like coming home and being greeted by your dog. Lexie always meets me but if I've been gone longer than a few hours it's a "there you are... I've waited and waited... what took you so long... and why didn't I get to go" session.

I know she can't talk, but she sure does get her point across. My husband greets me with a Hey... where's supper? My dog jumps up and down wanting me to hurry and get out of the car... whining the whole time and then she tries to climb into my lap... she is 75 pounds... and when that doesn't happen, she runs to get her ball.

A dog makes you feel like you're the most important person in the whole and you know they mean it because you are the most important person in their world.

A dog loves you for who and what you are... they even love your faults.

A great weekend with friends and book talk

Jana and I went to visit Irene this weekend.... I had a basket full of quilting pieces, a trunk full of homemade goodies and longing in my heart to see my friend. Jana got the trip started with talk about her new book and the two hour drive just flew by... then we got to Irene's and the real story brain storming began.

I got to see Irene's wonderful boys.. I really love those boys and their great smiles and Paul is so sweet to move his usual routine into another part of the house and give the family room to three crazy authors.

The pictures are of the thoughtful gifts from Irene for Saint Patty Day... y'all do know I was raised Catholic and Saint Patrick is my patron saint. The coffee mug and pottery bowl I found at a thrift shop. And finally the two jackets I bought at this wonderful consignment shop where everything in the shop is $7.98... everything!

The two purchases resulted in the hard work of Jana and Irene keeping the "total awful wrong color don't make me rip that shirt out of your hand" things I found to purchase. The green jacket was a combine attack on my normal desire to wear "bag lady reject" apparel or that is what other friend Sheila always calls my outfits. They were very pleased that they convinced me to buy these two items and secretly I agree with them but don't tell them I said so.

I'm fixing to take a bubble bath and snuggle down in my bed... crack open the book I'm reading and finish a perfect day. Thanks to Jana and Irene for making today so special. Hey Sheila, miss you and wish you was here.

Sping... the time of year you blind your neighbor

Yep, put those shorts on this morning and went to my Daddy's and to the local grocery store. I can't repeat what Daddy said about my all winter encased legs that saw the light of day for the first time in 2012 just minutes before I drove into his driveway.... it wasn't nice what he said but it was true.

I walked around the yard with my stepmother... who gave me four rose bushes she rooted for me... hoping the bright sunshine would work miracles and take away the shimmering glow of my legs... it didn't

Walked into the grocery store and all the guys started laughing and rolling up their pants legs to see who had the whitest legs... I won.

Sooooo, I'm sitting on the deck with skimpy tank top on and shorts that are rolled up enjoying the sunshine. Nobody is laughing at me here... Lexie doesn't care what color my legs are as long as I throw the ball for her to chase and fill that food bowl every morning.

The Battle of Shiloh 150 years later

How many of you have ever been to the Shiloh battle site?? How much do you know about the battle itself??
I've been to several reinactments but I won't be there this year. It's going to be a wonderful event but way too many people for me.

When you do research on this event you find conflicting accounts. Here is a blub from the article adapted from a chapter in Timothy B. Smith's forthcoming book The Untold Story of Shiloh: The Battle and the Battlefield. The article is titled: Battle of Shiloh: Shattering Myths

The standard account of Shiloh, however, is more myth than fact. Misunderstandings and oft-repeated campfire stories have over the years become for many the truth about Shiloh, distorting the actual facts and painting an altered picture of the momentous events of those April days. One has to look no further than the legend of Johnny Clem, the supposed Drummer Boy of Shiloh, to realize that tall tales surround the battle. Clem's 22nd Michigan Infantry was not even organized until after Shiloh took place. Similarly, the notorious Bloody Pond, today a battlefield landmark, could be myth. There is no contemporary evidence that indicates the pond became bloodstained. In fact, there is no contemporary evidence that there was even a pond on the spot. The sole account came from a local citizen who years later