Rainy Sunday

A cool and light,slow moving rain has settled in this morning, and I got up early to tend to all the animals before the heavier stuff starts. I apologize for the lack of posts lately...we have just been really busy around here.

Spring break came and went way too fast, but we got some things done. Like the new pen for the hogs. Senior took a couple of days off during that week so we could get it finished and move the girls in.

 They have nearly doubled in size since we first brought them home. It has been quite the experience...they are lots of fun to watch, and now that they have acclimated themselves to us, they like nuzzling up to us and even let us rub their backs and scratch their heads sometimes. We have decided to keep the spotted one, later in the summer we will start looking for a boar and hope to successfully breed her. Piglets are big money around here...especially the sows. The next building project is her own enclosure, we are going to put it right next to where her sisters are so they can still see and interact with each other. The two black ones are from a different litter then her and they over take the feeding trough and boot her out of everything. Those two will eventually be in the freezer....I guess that is poetic justice in a way because one day the spotted one could potentially eat the scraps of her bully sisters....

We have also been busy with the garden, got the corn in two weeks ago and the first sprouts popped though last week. We spent the money and time putting together a drip irrigation system which helps tremendously with watering and keeping the weeds under control. Then last weekend spent almost the entire evening on Easter Sunday putting in everything else like green beans, onions, squash, tomatoes, cabbage, a variety of different peppers, pickle bush cucumbers, and a load of cantaloupe plants. I hit the annual high school garden sale, and was only going to get 3 cantaloupe plants, but we had a cold snap the night before and they all looked crummy, so the lady said to take the entire tray at no extra charge just in case some don't make it...well, she obviously did not know me, I brought them home, loved them and gave them water and sunlight...and "POOF" they all came back so 12 plants went into the garden...hope all my friends and neighbors around here like cantaloupe..lol

We planted red potatoes in February and I have to tell you, the crop is looking very promising. Blooms have started to come out and I know with this rain that is moving in it will only help...

Last year the boys and I worked on a little garden area... Kind of like a memorial place for mine and Seniors parents, well yesterday we got out there and did some cleaning up and  added in pine needles. My gladiolas have broken through and blooms should start popping out any day..my mother loved her gladiolas I added them in just for her. And while they have not sprouted yet, I do have some elephant ears in there. It sits  outside of the kitchen window and I can look down at it and watch the birds on the feeders and even one pesky squirrel that wont stay off. The next thing to add will probably be a bird bath.  It is very nice here in the evenings, as it over looks the garden and faces west so we can watch the sun go down. There is an aspect of each of our parents in this little area, and it makes us feel closer to them.

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday, now that the garden is in, all there is left to do is watch it all grow, so I hope to post more often and yes Senior and I are still working on the one project I mentioned in an earlier post...

-JUGM

a little rain

A steady rain has moved in today across the upstate region, and the Good Lord knows we have needed it. Things here have been dry and incredibly dusty. ND and myself have been dealing with sinus and allergy issues for a week.  The temperatures have dropped and after an extended summer and above average temperatures the cool ,wet weather is a welcome sight.

Things have been extremely worse though for our neighbors to the north and west of us out in the mountains. Entire towns have had to be evacuated from the devastation of forest fires.  I only bring this up, because my brother and wife #3 are currently living in their RV in a trailer park in Franklin, NC. The reason for this is unbeknownst to us but, we can only speculate that his extravagant life style and his nasty demeanor has finally caught up to him and he is hiding from someone or something... 

Yesterday was NWs end of season football party and trophy presentation. I do applaud the team mom for going over and above and arranging a paintball outing..what a great time they all had. NW did pretty good, and put to use all the information he has absorbed from Senior and all the close quarter combat advice daddy gave him.  His team lost 2 out of 5 battles.  Not too bad for an 11 year old. Unfortunately, I think a "paintball monster" has been created, he is now ready to take his dad and little brother to the course and go against them.

So, I like everyone else is watching all these protest over the election. I have to say how disappointed I am but that I am not surprised. I wasn't at all happy with Obama being elected twice but, I did not burn our flag and cause property damage. Heck I just bit my tongue and suffered through the past eight years.
I think President Elect Trump summed it up best tonight on his 60 minutes interview when Leslie Stahl asked the same question... he said something to the effect of :  " if I had lost and my supporters were doing this, the response would be the opposite, Its a double standard"

-JUGM

rainy saturday and garden sale

All you had to do was tell me there was a plant sale, and I would be there. I love planting and watching things grow. So, I was up bright and early on this rainy Saturday morning. The boys asked last night to come as well, but only ND made it out of bed... 
I made us a quick breakfast, and with coffee and chocolate milk in hand we both headed out

It is an annual plant sale the first Saturday in April that is put on by the local high schools and "Future Farmers Club+. I really want to give it up to these kids, and all the hard work they do. I don't think I have ever been around a group of teenagers as polite as these were.  When so many are disengaged, sit on the video games or getting in to trouble, it was nice to see some doing a worth while thing and learning to be self sufficient. Their knowledge on gardening, what to plant and when to plant just amazed me. It was like picking the brain of the "Farmers Almanac" . Indeed I was truly impressed.

Then there were the girls,  and being all flirty and smiling at my little ND that he turned red.. LoL
  I was proud of him because he brought some of his own money and bought cantaloupe plants and Jalapenos..  Don't ask me why the peppers, but he did. I guess it was something to buy and he could plant. I think he has inherited moms love of gardening.

 This was my haul: Squash, pickle bush cucumbers, beef steak tomatoes, red and yellow peppers for Senior and the two things ND bought. The prices were so cheap that it was impossible not to go overboard, I think I paid no more then $10.00 for my load.

The rain here is now stopping,and the sun is starting to peek out,  but there is no way to get down in the garden, it is so muddy after the two days we have had that it will be either tomorrow or Monday before I can get this stuff in the ground without sinking down 2 feet and getting stuck.

Hope you all have a blessed Saturday...

-JUGM

Humming Birds

They were out in full force tonight. Senior, NW and I sat as still as we could in the graveled driveway of the estate. I waited patiently with my camera.  I love these little critters...so amazing to watch, and full of personality.

NW told me he wished to be a hummingbird for just one week so he could live with them, and fly like they do.
ND said he wanted to be one so he could justify drinking straight sugar water...lol 

 

 

 

Then the clash of thunder was heard off in the distance...  rain began to sprinkle and our playtime with the little friends soon ended.. 

How To Spend a Rainy Sunday

The rain is spread from east to west here, The radar looks like one big green splotch of red, yellows, and dark greens.Yes it has set in for the afternoon and evening.

SENIOR came home just after noon from his sleep over with STEPHEN, DUKE and REBEL..  He was exhausted, guess they had a late night of dancing around the fire and eating those ginormous steaks...
From what I understand there was also coyotes involved.

So I decided to whip up a treat to give him a sugar rush, It is one of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes I have come across and absolutely love. I found it when a friend of mine brought a batch to a party, they were out of this world, and she told me to find the recipe on the back of the Crisco Butter Flavored Can, or the Crisco website.

And boy are they good!  I could not get them off the tray fast enough, all the little hands were trying to steal them as fast as I could bake them.

ULITMATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES:

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 stick Crisco® Baking Sticks Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
• OR 3/4 cup Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)

PREPARATION DIRECTIONS:

1. HEAT oven to 375ºF.
2. COMBINE shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
3. DROP by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
4. BAKE 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely.
5.  If nuts are omitted, add an additional 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Red Sky in the Morn....

Sailors take warning......

Even at the early hour of 645 am, I could see it out on the horizon. The clouds moving in off the ocean.
As I left to drop the kids at school, the first few pelts of rain started, then came the thunder.
" oh boy, another wet morning" I told the boys.
ND looked out his window and noticed a rainbow....

By the time I got home, it was pouring, literally training in off the Atlantic.The local radar was red and dark green.
 Gosh I love Florida weather...

Even the dogs knew it would be a lazy morning:

 

 



Finally a break in the rain, Senior has stopped calling so he must be back at work. It is 11:30 and I feel "unaccomplished". I did however manage to rebuild NDs, Lego Police Tractor Trailer Truck that the puppy demolished last night. If he had seen the mess she made, he would have been devasted- Gosh I am a good Mom.  Thank God I have the fortitude to keep the little instruction booklets.

Piles of Junk mail to go through and shred. Actually I wish for just one big bon-fire. How does all this add up so quickly? 

More clouds, with the promise of even more storms....

 

 

 

 

-JUGM

Where My Heart Is..

Pulling away from the country estate yesterday made me incredibly sad. I looked at the new tire swing that was hung up for the boys, it looked lonely, the sounds of the boys laughing and playing on it still echo through my head. Oh how much fun did they have on that !  The back pasture where the neighbors horses roam was empty.. another light rain was beginning to fall, the weather demonstrated my sentiment.

Our weekend  went well, and very relaxing. We took our new bows, and NW got practice time in with the youth one he got for his Birthday last week :

Senior whipped out his new Diamond Infinitive Edge

Then on Saturday more rain showers, and  Ruger decided he needed a drink of water.

Since Kymber commented how she loves swings. Here is another one that is on our property. My father in law put this one on a hill over looking the garden. I like to sit in it and watch the boys catch fire flies.  Then there are some more scenic pictures. I love taking pictures of nature and rustic things.

 This is my Father in Laws old Farmall Tractor. He would load the boys up in that trailer and take them for a ride.



 The gravel driveway now covered in weeds...lots of work to do to make it

 look like it use to.

Some of the large flint rock boulders on the property. Hence the nick name "Rocky Top"

These in particular are my favorite as every year I pose the boys on them for pictures.

Rocky Top is so rocky that you can't dig more then a few inches in to the ground before hitting rocks. Over the many years of going there, I have brought back numerous small ones, they line the bottom of my fish tank, or sit as decoration on a table top.  



 

 Now we are back in Florida, It depressed me pulling in to the subdivision. My house may be here,  but my home is there and we all know that home is where the heart is. Mine is on that place of beauty and peace. I think of it now just sitting up there alone and waiting on us to come back to it. Frozen in time, until the sound of laughter fills it again soon.....

 

-JUGM

Our Independence Weekend

The rain is falling light but steady. Enough to where the boys can run and play with out getting soaked. They have holes in the lids of jars and catching fireflies.

We are at our Country Estate for the Independence day weekend. Mr. Farmer (the neighbor down the road) surprised the boys with a tire swing. One of my most treasured childhood memory is of playing on the tire swing in my grandmothers back yard. Since he hung it up, they have not stayed off it.

 Independence day went well  Senior corrects
me when I say Happy 4th. He says the 4th is just a date. What we celebrate is our countries Independence from tyranny.
We had a bit of work to do. Had to mow and work on killing fire ant mounds. Senior wanted to plow the garden area but its too wet up here.

We look around our little bit of property that we inherited and wonder what to do..If we decide to sell it..wow! we could pay off all our bills. But then this has been in our family for several decades, its peaceful, beautiful , has lots of potential, and our boys are extremely happy here. If Senior landed a good job near by then its a no brainer.

The rain is letting up, the sun is breaking through the clouds. It begins to shine over the un-plowed  garden area. Maybe that is Gods way of answering us.....

- JUGM

Andrea and the Cucumber

I told y'all that when the Weather man says "tropical moisture"...it really means "folks your screwed."...  This is Tropical Storm Andrea, and some where under there is Florida.  We don't know where exactly, but we are down there...   I can testify to this because I am here blogging to you all.
I was suppose to have the carpets cleaned today, and you know the weather is bad when even they don't want to show up.  Oh well, got to reschedule for another day.  Its probably a good thing, because with all the mud in the back yard the two boxers are as happy as pigs eating slop, and we don't need that mess trampling in across clean carpets. 

On another note and updating about my cucumbers, while poking through them the other night, NW and I found this beauty just hanging there. It literally exploded out of no where.  More are soon to follow. I just wish they would all be ready at the same time so that I might can a few jars of pickles.

 

Kids spent the night with the G-parents. I hate saying this, but I needed the break. Senior and I watched "TAKEN 2"...  Good movie, I still liked the first one better though. This one did not have the classic one liners like the first one. But Liam kicked butt as always.  If you are like MAMMA BEAR and I, and are a Liam Neesan fan--watch "THE GREY".  Ohhh that movie is awesome. I still would like to see him team up with my other four favorite actors: Vin Diesel, Mark Wahlberg, Russel Crowe, and Dwayne "the rock" Johnson for a movie..

 

More planning today for Seniors graduation dinner, Family is coming in from NC tomorrow. I am making a "cupcake tower"...so yes I will post a pic of my creation.  Senior is on the hunt for ammo, and rushing me out the door...so I must say "CIAO" for now.

 



For my entire Southeast Friends... STAY DRY!....  

-JUGM

Socked In..and Something Good for a Change.

Literally, we have like two different "lows" circling around us.  The rain has been falling since late last night. The back yard is flooding, and I have two boxers that refuse to go out and do their business in it.
One that insists to argue  with me, because I am keeping her tethered in the kitchen, where, if she does have an accident, it won't be on the carpet. It's like arguing with a teenage daughter over clothes or something.

Life is slowly returning to normal, had two ball games this week. Poor little ND really needs to watch out in the field, he was drilled three times in the chest. We would all tell him to pay attention, and no sooner "SMACK" he got it again.. finally after the third time ..coach moved him to a safer spot in the out field.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, we got some much needed good news last night. My Niece's Boyfriend proposed to her. and She said "YES".  I am pleased as punch for the happy little couple. And very proud of my niece, that before a man and etc.. she went to college, began a career in the medical field, is now trying to get in to PA school. And does not need to live off anyone. She is 28 and still "pure as the driven snow" ..
.
My brother finds it hard to believe that she is related to us. Because neither he or I could have lasted that long..but she has stuck to her morals and has saved herself.  My brother is quite comical and all ready asking what I think the wedding night will be like....

They went to high school together, then he went to live in near Craley Pennsylvania, and became a nurse up there, now on Saturday he graduates from Penn State.  My sister and my niece were invited up..he took her to some park with a big compass thing, and got down on one knee...  So, God willing and the creeks don't rise, in a year they will become Mr and Mrs.  Awwwwwwwww

I will be very happy to give wedding plan updates over the next year. I did offer my services to plan a bachelorette party weekend to Vegas to see Motley Crue in October, but it was met with a resounding "NO"   I can't imagine why !  "Bubble Girl" as I like to call her teasingly really does need to get out from behind the BBC shows once in a while...

-JUGM

Rainy Sunday

Senior got packed up and back on the road again to check on his dad in SC. His Dad has got another blockage in his stomach and the VA elected to transfer him to a civilian medical center. I think after a month of him being there, they wanted him out.
 We got the call at 5am Saturday morning that he was being transferred. Senior was elated with the news, because it is actually what we were hoping for.
 This time, he packed up our camper and moving it up there to a campground. The cost of hotels is starting to put us in the red.
So after much discussion, we knew this to be the best option for these weekly trips.

After he left this morning, rain moved in. A nice little low pressure system has set up and giving the region a shower. So, when it rains I get out and wash the car. I know you all must think me crazy, and so do probably most of my neighbors. But, really do I care? 
It was Senior who got me started in the practice of washing a car in the rain, why you ask? Because silly, you don't have to dry it. And isn't that the worst part of the job, the drying?  actually I think the worse part is vacuuming it out and waxing.

ND and a much better NW donned rain coats and got in on it too. Its a warm spring day, and the cool water felt good.  They miss their dad so very much , so being silly and playing outside in the rain was a good way for them to take their mind off the fact  that he was gone again.

We have a complete weekend in May where there are no baseball games, so we are taking them up to the SC campground to visit Grandpaw in the hospital and get a little camping in before it gets too hot. 

So now the rain is coming down harder. I hope it last all night.....

-JUGM

Rain Rain Finally Went Away...

First off let me begin by saying a big THANK YOU to every one who commented about the adoption of Libby...Every one was so sweet and thoughtful. And Yes RED any time you can fly cross country, you are welcome to stop in and give her a squeeze.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It sort of started Saturday night..but the big stuff moved in during the early morning hours of Monday, then it was down hill from there.
It did not bode well for us trying to get Libby accustomed to her new yard and using potty in it, when we are having monsoonal rains for the better part of 28 hours. Our boxers are not fond of the rain...

Finally this afternoon it has cleared up. Our back yard was quazi flooded. Ruger found the puddles and proceeded to tromp through them like a pack of wild elephants. Little Libby was in tow.
She is adjusting well to her new home and family, she has taken over Rugers favorite blankie, his love seat, and his large femur bone he got for Christmas. Basically she has become the Queen.

One of these days we may afford dog training for her, and Ruger too.I am sure they would love it. My queen and king deserves the best. Perhaps the same handler that the Obamas use. I hear he comes cheap..  : )
Again another perk of being an Obama and being in the White House. Obviously the dog is really this guys, and the BO family only uses him as a photo op. Life is good when you are President......