LIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL

HEY EVERYONE, COME ALONG WITH ME!

2009-11-02T11:46:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to let my blogger friends know that I have started a new cooking blog on Wordpress and also moved Living on the Other Side of the Hill to wordpress. All my favorite recipes are listed there along with photos of family, southern stuff, quotes, etc. I will be updating this often with some of my best southern recipes. Please come by and check me out, leave a comment to let me know you've been there so I can add you to my blogroll, and I would appreciate very much if you would add me to yours.

I was able to import all my recipes from my old cooking blog and my regular blog onto wordpress which was a great help. Thanks for your comments and even any criticisms you might have for me. Visit me at THE SOUTHERN LADY COOKS and LIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL on wordpress.

IS DEJA VU HAPPENING TO YOU?

2009-10-25T02:30:00.005-04:00

Have you ever had a deja vu experience in your life?

Deja Vu is French for already seen or the illusion of having experienced something actually being experienced for the first time.

There are several types of deja vu.

Deja Vecu is already lived through. Not just "already seen" but "already lived"

Deja Senti is already felt and can include the senses such as smell, taste, etc.

Deja Visite is geographical such as already visited a place.

Deja Lu is feeling as if you have already read something or a writing is familiar.

Jamais Vu is more commonly explained as when a person momentarily doesn't recognize a word, person, or place that he/she already knows. Jamais Vu is sometimes associated with certain types of amnesia.

Supposedly, 1 out of 2 people has experienced some type of deja vu in the past.

Some people associate Deja Vu with dreams or past lives.

It seems I experience Jamais Vu quite often lately. Usually, I attribute it to having a senior moment!

I like to play Jeopardy and often times the answer just "pops" into my head and I don't know where it came from. Could it be I was smarter in a past life?

Once I was in a restaurant in one of our New England states and felt as if I had been there before. It was a very strange feeling because I recognized everything down to the waitresses and the booth we occupied and the food. I just wanted to get out of there as quick as possible. This has never happened to me again and was many years ago.

I think I experience Deja Senti every time I get within a mile of a bakery! Then, I feel it after eating half a dozen donuts.....

Seriously, or not, I would love to hear about deja vu and YOU!

DOES THIS CARTOON REMIND YOU OF YOURSELF?

2009-10-16T17:20:00.003-04:00

That's my twin daughters, Leigh and Anne, on the rock in the cartoon. Leigh sent this to me this morning in an e-mail with the subject line, "the story of my life"!

I thought it was hilarious because I could picture them in some kind of situation just like this.

The funny thing is that I am the exact opposite.

I am always early for appointments. I seldom ever procrastinate or put things off.

The girls say I am a neat freak! I think I am far from it.

We drive each other crazy but at least we can laugh about it and know that this kind of thing is trivial compared to being there for each other and having a great relationship.

Are you always running late for appointments or putting things off till another day?

DO YOU BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT?

2009-10-08T16:31:00.005-04:00

Ghosts or spirits seem to be a common experience for some humans.

Just about everyone has a ghost story to tell.

I can truthfully say I don't ever remember seeing a ghost.

There have been some unexplained things happen in my life that scared me at the time.

I do think maybe there is another dimension that we have not tapped into yet and it might have something to do with dreams.

My dreams are very vivid and I am often visited in dreams by people that have passed on or are about to pass.

I have never heard a child's laughter, had a door to slam, or had things to move around in the house as attributed to a poltergeist.

One time years ago when I owned and ran a small grocery way out in the country, I went to bed one night and was awakened by this horrible, very high pitched, eerie sound coming from my kitchen. It would actually make the hair stand up on the back of your neck it was such a weird noise and I was alone in the house.

The crazy thing about this happening is that I had spent the entire afternoon listening to a bunch of older men that loafed around my big old wood stove tell ghost stories. I laughed from behind the counter in the store and told them how silly they were and that I did not believe in ghosts.

I have to admit some strange and crazy thoughts entered my mind that night as I listened trying to determine what was making that noise. Could it be that since I made fun of those guys a ghost decided to visit me and pay me back for not believing? Could there be someone in the house trying to scare me?

The sound seemed to be getting louder and was occurring about every 10 seconds. I knew I had to check it out or die of fright just listening to it. I got my trusty 38 pistol and Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson and I slowly opened the kitchen door from my bedroom to face off with the ghost of Judy's Market!

To my amazement, I did not see a thing. I stood there for a minute ready to shoot up the whole kitchen if anything moved... Then, I heard it again and it was coming from the freezer. Could a ghost be in the freezer of all places? I slowly opened the door and nothing jumped out at me.

I started taking food out and then I realized what was happening. The fan in back of the freezer was sticking for a few seconds each time it went around! What a relief! I have to admit I was scared to death but glad I found the culprit.

If I had not checked it out or if the noise had stopped before I found out what was causing it, I would have sworn there was a ghost in my house.

Do you believe in ghosts and spirits? Has something unexplained happened to you?

THERE CAME A BIG SPIDER, WHO SAT DOWN BESIDE HER!

2009-10-01T11:14:00.007-04:00

Do you have a phobia? I think I have several. I am deathly afraid of spiders for one. If you want to see me act like a complete idiot just let me see one in the room or even worse one should get on me.

My twin daughters live on a farm and I spent the weekend with Anne a few weeks ago. On Sunday morning I got up early and ventured outside on the deck to take some pictures of the farm and the dogs and horses. I guess while I was out there I walked into a web with a spider about the size of a silver dollar in it. I came back inside and sat down in the recliner and happened to glance down toward my chest and it looked like I was wearing some kind of pin or brooch. It took a second for realization to reach my brain that it was a spider but when it did I went into a fit, running, screaming, hitting my chest, and generally acting like I was having some kind of seizure! Of course, I woke Anne up and scared her to death. She comes running down the hall in her underwear yelling at me to tell her what is wrong with me. By this time, both the dogs are scared and barking, too. The poor spider was nowhere to be found. It probably ran under the chair and died of a heart attack but we never found it. I would not sit in that chair for the rest of the weekend. That is Anne's favorite chair and it did not bother her at all to plop right down in it. The spider has never been seen again.

The definition of phobia is an irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation. Arachnophobia is the fear of spiders and my worst phobia. I also have Acrophobia, the fear of heights. I am not afraid to fly but I cannot get upon something that is high up and look over the side. Like being on the roof and looking down or on a high bridge.

I have a friend that is scared of birds and feathers. Some people are scared of snakes. Others are scared of horses, or lightening, or even clowns. There are hundreds and hundreds of phobias.

Phobias affect more than 10% of the U.S. population. When phobias interfere with your life, you should get help.

I know you have heard people say someone has a commitment phobia.

Here are some strange or unusual phobias:

Defecaloesiophobia- Fear of painful bowels movements.
Dishabiliophobia- Fear of undressing in front of someone.
Emetophobia- Fear of vomiting.
Entomophobia- Fear of insects.
Gerascophobia- Fear of growing old.
Papaphobia is the fear of the pope/roman catholic church
Geliphobia - fear of laughter
Nomatophoba - fear of names.
Xanthophobia - fear of the color yellow

I am going back to the farm this weekend to take care of the dogs and horses while the girls participate in a rodeo in Ohio. I know that spider has been waiting all this time for me to return and it will show itself! I think I will be o.k. as long as I see the thing before it sees me.

Do have a phobia or something you are scared of????

JUST ONE YEAR TO MEDICARE!

2009-09-27T15:16:00.005-04:00

Today, I turned 64 years of age. I don't feel any older than I did 10 years ago for which I am very thankful.

I have been thinking all day about that Paul McCartney song, "When I'm 64". It says: "Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64?"

Age has never bothered me except when I went from 29 to 30. I sure did not want to leave my twenties for some reason.

Now, at 64, I am older and wiser and more comfortable with myself. I don't worry about what others think. I know what I like and don't like. I think I have mellowed and I am more accepting of life.

I have finally realized that I will not live forever and I need to do the things I enjoy now.

I have found that I can be silly with my grandson and make a fool of myself and people think it is just my age! If I don't answer right away it is my hearing. If I give a stupid answer or can't remember or talk about the weather too much that just comes with getting older. I get the senior discount at Kroger and they carry out my groceries. Most of the time, I get doors opened for me. I don't worry so much about eating that dessert as I once did. Once I started thinking about the good things I could go on and on.

I am so thankful that at my age I do not take any kind of medicine and as far as I know I am in good health.

I had a great birthday with cards and calls from friends and family here and on facebook and in the blog world.

In the words of the columnist, Ellen Goodman, "These are my good days and not-quite-yet old days".

How do you feel about your age?

WHY OUR GREAT-GRANDPARENTS WERE HAPPIER THAN WE ARE

2009-09-21T08:51:00.000-04:00

I received this in the mail and thought it would make a fun post.

A bottle of Bayer's heroin. Between 1890 and 1910 heroin was sold as a non-addictive substitute for morphine. It was also used to treat children with strong cough.

Metcalf Coca Wine was one of a huge variety of wines with cocaine on the market. Everybody used to say that it would make you happy and it would also work as a medicinal treatment.

Mariani wine (1875) was the most famous Coca wine of it's time. Pope Leo XIII used to carry one bottle with him all the time. He awarded Angelo Mariani (the producer) with a Vatican gold medal.

Maltine was produced by Maltine Manufacturing Company of New York . It was suggested that you should take a full glass with or after every meal.. Children should take half a glass.

A paper weight promoting C.F. Boehringer & Soehne ( Mannheim , Germany ). They were proud of being the biggest producers in the world of products containing Quinine and Cocaine.

Opium was used for asthma!

Cocaine tablets were used in the early 1900s by stage actors, singers, teachers and preachers for a maximum performance. Seems they soothed the voice.

Cocaine toothache drops were very popular for children in 1885. Not only did they relieve the pain, they made the children happy!

Opium was used for newborns. I'm sure this would make them sleep well (not only the Opium, but 46% alcohol!)

This may or may not be true but I know my parents had some weird cures for things at times. I can remember hiding under the bed from my father and him pulling me out and forcing me to take castor oil. It was the most vile tasting stuff I ever had and I can still remember the taste from childhood.

My dad thought that chicken noodle soup and ice cream would cure anything. The minute we came down with a cold or upset stomach, he was off to the grocery for those two items. It's funny that now they say chicken soup is good for the soul and a cold!

Do you have any home remedies for what ails you or remember any from childhood???

KENTUCKY'S FAMOUS CASTLE

2009-09-15T08:45:00.000-04:00

Kentucky has been home to this castle since it was built by Real Estate Developer, Rex Martin, back in 1969. It is located on Versailles Road in Woodford County near Keeneland Race Track.

I will never forget the first time I saw this structure. I had moved back to Frankfort, our capital city, and gone back to work for state government. I had been away from this area of our state for almost 30 years. I was on my way to a meeting in Lexington with several co-workers. I could not believe my eyes! A real live castle on a hill with turrets, and a fence surrounding the place. I was mesmerized and could not stop talking about it. Of course, they all thought it was so funny that I had never seen it before.

Anyway, the castle set empty for 30 years and was a topic of conversation for Kentuckians as well as tourists that happened to pass by and stopped to take photographs.

It was purchased in 2003 by Tom Post for 1.8 million and has gone through extensive renovation and been renamed, "CastlePost".

CastlePost is now complete with lodging fit for a king for overnight guests, weddings, and charity fund-raising events. There are 16 guest rooms, 21 bathrooms, a library, dining room for 40 guests, ballroom, game room, 20' x 50' pool, tennis and basketball courts. There will be bowling lanes and a putting green on the roof. Cost of a room is from $375 to $475 a night or $1,250 for turret suits!

This link will take you to their website: http://www.thecastlepost.com/ If you scroll down to the spot that says: Check out the CastlePost on KET News, there is a very interesting video there that gives information about the castle's history and how Tom Post's dream is finally coming together.

So, if you want to stay in a real castle and live like a king while you are here visit us in the heart of Bluegrass Country.

Do you have an unusual place or structure near where you live that has been a curiosity to visitors?

BUSY WEEKEND, BUSY TIMES FOR ME

2009-09-09T13:04:00.020-04:00

First of all let me say that my blogging friend, Balisha, is at home and doing well. Thanks again for all your prayers and concern.

I spent the weekend with my daughter, Anne, on the farm in Georgetown. (Leigh was out of town) We had a great time.

On Saturday morning, I went with her to get a load of hay for the horses and was able to help load some of it. Next, we road the backroads around Georgetown, Lexington, and Midway. It is beautiful here this time of the year with all the horse farms, board fences, and fall colors. We had lunch at a little place called Wallace Station where you can eat outside at picnic tables and enjoy the wonderful weather we are having.

That's Anne feeding hay to the horses on the left.

Later in the day, we went to the Peddlers Mall and Big Lots and then ordered a big pizza from

Fat Kats for dinner.

We stayed up real late and looked at old pictures of the farm the kids grew up on. The photo below is of me and a friend in 1978. It was 4 months after my twins were born. The girl with me in the photo is Cassie Durham. She is on the left and I am on the right.

For all you gardeners out there, the photo on the left below is our just plowed garden back then. We used to grow, can, and freeze all our vegetables on the farm.

On Sunday morning, my son, Rob, his wife, Sarah, and TW, Anne, Bob and I met at the Cracker Barrel for breakfast. The food was great and we all enjoyed seeing each other.

Thomas Wyatt came to spend the night with me on Monday. We watched videos, ate oats (his favorite thing to eat), and played with cars and trucks. Oh yes, we had to play hide-in-seek.

The picture below is TW hiding. He thinks I can't see him when he gets behind the shutters!

Look at his toes in this picture. I do the same thing!

He is getting sleepy when he lies down, wants his blanket and gathers all his toys, and cup around him. He is watching a Mishee Mouse video. He can't pronouce Mickey yet.

Today, was grocery shopping and a haircut. I am worn out! Now, to get around to all the blogs and make comments, finally! Hope everyone had a good weekend and is having a good week.

THANK YOU BLOGGERS AND AN UPDATE ON BALISHA'S SURGERY

2009-09-03T22:45:00.002-04:00

Just a quick note to thank everyone that did such a great job of praying for Balisha and visiting her site. I am sure she is going to appreciate all the wonderful comments left by you for her.

Balisha's surgery went well and the neurosurgeon told them he was successful in removing all the tumor. Joe, her husband, says she is progressing nicely and had two tasks to complete today before she could be moved to a stepdown medical surgical unit from ICU. She was able to complete the tasks and has been moved. A CT scan was done early this morning and showed no bleeding or clot formation on the brain and the tumor was completely removed. Joe says she talked with family and went for a walk down the hall today. The surgeon says if she continues to recuperate at this pace, she may get to come home this weekend!

Please continue to pray for her total recovery. It is amazing to me to see bloggers from all parts of the world come to the aid of someone in need and send well wishes and prayers.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I know Balisha and Joe thanks you, too. Love and Hugs, Judy

A PRAYER FOR BALISHA

2009-09-02T08:34:00.004-04:00

This is my blogging friend, Balisha. She is a wonderful person and today she is having surgery for a brain tumor. Recently, Balisha had a seizure during the night and when they did an MRI she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. There had been no problems until the seizure.

Balisha and her husband, Joe, are both wonderful people. He has been devoted to her and will keep us all up to date on her progress by keeping up her blog while she recuperates.

Balisha's blog is: Never Enough Time . Please, take a minute today, to say a little prayer for Balisha and Joe, that this will all be over soon and she will be her feisty self again. I am sure they would appreciate it if you popped over there and said hello as well. Balisha has been keeping a journal on her blog about how she has felt since this happened to her. Thanks so much, Judy

MY RODEO COWGIRLS, ANNE AND LEIGH

2009-08-26T10:24:00.024-04:00

I think it is about time I did an update on my lovely twin daughters, Leigh and Anne. The picture on the left was taken at Keeneland and is one of my favorites. Don't you think they look alike? That's Leigh Harper on the left and Anne Parker on the right. They light up my life!

The girls live a very busy life with boyfriends, jobs, rodeo, and taking care of their farm but they always find time to call "Mom" every day. Leigh calls each morning on her way to work and Anne calls on the way home in the afternoon. We recently made our annual trip to Amish country

and I will be making a trip to their place for an overnight visit in the next couple of weeks.

Anne has a new man in her life. She is in the process of training him and took him to his first rodeo last night. That's Anne with her new man, Roanie on the right. She also has Drifter that she has trained. He is up for sale at this time and a beautiful horse. Anne is riding Drifter in the ring in the picture on the left.

Leigh has been doing great and came in second overall last night at the rodeo and won the second division placing in the money! That is Leigh with her barrel racing horse, Dually, in the picture on the left.

The farm seems to be growing. They now have four horses, two dogs and a cat. Dodgie is Anne's dog and Spur Dog belongs to Leigh.

Greeley, the cat, stays at the barn and keeps all the mice out of the horse feed. Greeley, is named for the hat company in Colorado that makes custom hats for cowboys and cowgirls.

The girls each had a hat made on a recent trip out west to visit a friend.

Below are some videos taken at last night's event. This was Roanie's first time at the barrel race and he did great. Leigh and Dually beat their best time last night.

I hope I got these videos uploaded correctly.

I am so proud of my girls and all they have accomplished in their lives and love them so much.

I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

IT'S BEEN A SHORT SUMMER HERE!

2009-08-19T08:56:00.010-04:00

I could feel fall in the air this morning when I went outside. It seems like summer has come and is almost gone in a very short time this year.

My flowers are beginning to look sort of ragged around the edges.

I planted a lot of new stuff this summer after having several big trees cut down. I now have sun in the backyard. Most of my plants in the front have to be shade plants such as impatients, hostas, vines and ferns like in the pot in the photo.

I planted a small double knockout rose bush about a month ago and it is full of blooms and has grown since it was put in the ground. I can't wait to see what it does next year.

The hen and chicks pot on the left has a succulent that I bought not long ago. It has put out this long tenacle that seems to be reaching for the sky. If anyone knows if this is going to bloom or seed or keep growing straight up or what, please let me know in a comment. I may need to put it in a bigger pot. I don't know if I need to bring it in for the winter either.

I finally got some mint and herbs started in my yard this year in several places and planted two crepe myrtle bushes near the back fence.

My impatients flourished with all the shade. The pot on the right sits on the front porch of my home.

I sit here on the concrete bench and rest for a spell when working in the yard.

The hanging baskets are overflowing with impatients, too.

I plan to grow some garden stuff next year and have lots of new flowers in my backyard.

Soon, the leaves will be falling and Bob and I will start our yearly raking and mulching. I won't have nearly as many this year but still enough to keep us pretty busy with the trees that are remaining.

I love fall and the cool, crisp, days and evenings but always feel sad when summer ends!

Do you have a favorite season of the year?

MY WEEKEND VISITOR - THOMAS WYATT!

2009-08-10T08:49:00.015-04:00

It has been a while since I did a post on my grandson, TW. He has been here several times to visit and he turned 2 years old in June.

We had a birthday party at my house with two cakes, cupcakes, and all the trimmings. Dad took lots of pictures and made a video.

He is all boy and has the cuts and scrapes to prove it.

His favorite toys are those little diecast cars and trucks.

The World's Longest Yard Sale has been going on right near where I live and I got him lots of those little cars to play with on this visit and even found a school bus he has been wanting for a while now and a big dump truck.

We always watch the movie, "Cars" and "Elmo" and "Toy Story" when he visits. He loves oatmeal and as soon as he is awake (usually around 5:30 a.m.), Nanna is making oatmeal with bananas and applesauce. Then, around 8:30, we have sausage and waffles. It takes a lot of food for such an active little person!

He has to go outside to see if there is anything new since his last visit. TW enjoys looking at my owl, "Hootie". Hootie keeps the birds off my patio furniture.

He likes to show Nanna his muscles! Mom, Sarah, thinks he looks like a little bumble bee in this picture.

Climbing is a favorite thing, of course, and Nanna's shoes have to be tried on for size every visit.

Bathtime is fun and after a very busy day TW settles down for a little more t.v. and off to bed.

I love my time with Thomas Wyatt and enjoy his visits.

He is a beautiful little boy and his Nanna loves him very much

GREEN TEA - THE MIRACLE DRINK!

2009-08-02T18:03:00.006-04:00

I love tea! I drink tea almost all day every day. I like it cold or hot and with or without sugar and I like all kinds of tea.

Did you know that next to water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world?

Research indicates that green tea contains polyphenals that act as antioxidants and are reputed to be very helpful in preventing and treating certain medical conditions.

The Chinese have been drinking green tea for centuries and in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent.

The list of benefits from green tea is a long one. I am going to list a few of them.

Prevents and helps in treating:

1. Blood clots
2. Tooth Decay
3. Arthritis
4. Atherosclerosis (where plaque builds up in the arteries)
5. Parkinson's Disease
6. Osteoporosis
7. Bad Breath
8. Reduces Inflammation
9. Gastritis
10.Colitis
11. Improves memory
12. Blood pressure
13. Stroke
14. Controls weight
15. Lowers cholesterol
16. Diabetes
17. Heart Disease
18. Alzheimer's Disease
19. Increases life span

The only negative side effect so far is that it contains caffeine. You can buy it without caffeine but the decaffeination process removes one third to half of the antioxidants. I think the positive outweighs the negative when it comes to green tea.

If you are not a green tea drinker, maybe you should consider trying this beverage and enjoy some of the benefits it has to offer.

My doctor told me recently that I was very lucky to be in my sixties and not on any kind of medicine and to enjoy good health. I wonder if the tea has anything to do with it.

What is your favorite drink? Are you a tea drinker, too?

TOM T. HALL, KENTUCKY'S STORYTELLER

2009-07-26T10:36:00.004-04:00

Tom T. Hall was born May 25, 1936 in Olive Hill, Kentucky. He was the son of a Baptist minister. Tom was 11 years old when his mother died. He joined the Armed Forces and spent most of his time in Germany during his four year stint. He attended Roanoke College and is known as a storyteller and songwriter.

Tom went to Nashville in 1964 with very little money and a guitar and quickly made the charts with his songwriting talents. Artists such as Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Faron Young, Jeannie C. Riley, and many others have recorded his songs.

Tom T. Hall wrote such hits as Jeannie C. Riley's, "Harper Valley P.T.A" and Alan Jackson's, "Little Bitty" but his biggest money making song has been, "I Love".

He is also an author and has written several books including The Storyteller's Nashville (1979) and the novel, The Laughing Man of Woodmont (1982).

Tom was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in February 2008.

My favorite song of his is, "Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine. You can hear it playing in the background.

REMEMBER THE HULA HOOP!

2009-07-19T10:47:00.004-04:00

Remember the hula hoop craze in the late 50s? I used to love to hula
hoop when I was younger. I once entered a contest sponsored by a Frisch's Restaurant when I was in my early teens and went five hours and twenty minutes. I won a big boy and a malt for all that work! The girl that won went for 8 hours and won a transistor radio.

According to some sources the hula hoop originated in Australia. The 50s hoops were hollow plastic tubing. It is estimated that Wham-O sold over 100 million hoops in 1958 alone.

I recently read an article in Prevention Magazine that "hooping" is making a comeback and they are no longer for the playground but a way to burn calories and tone your stomach muscles.

Today, there are web sites such as http://hooping.org/ and http://yourhoop.com/ where you can purchase custom hoops, collapsible hoops, do-it-yourself hoops and instructional videos if your are interested in "hooping". They can range in price from $15 to $50 and more. It seems adults need one based on your body weight if you are using it for exercise.

So guys and gals if you want to tone up, get yourself one of these new "hoops", turn on the music and start "hooping" it up! I am seriously considering trying it out.

Do you have any memories or past experiences about the hula hoops or do you think this would be a good way to lose weight and tone up today?

OUR SICK HEALTHCARE SYSTEM!

2009-07-12T09:39:00.006-04:00

This show aired a couple nights ago on PBS and I thought it was very interesting. I know this interview is long but I think it's worth it. I would love it if you would consider it and share your thoughts about it with me.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html

Many of you know that I recently lost my niece Faye to cancer. Along with having to deal with the disease, Faye had to deal with the insurance companies that refused to pay for many of her procedures she needed to fight this dreadful disease. Faye's sister also has cancer and is going through the same process and trying to deal with insurance companies, too.

The greed of these companies and our hospitals and doctors has caused our people not to be able to afford health care. Our Senators and Representatives are being paid off by lobbyists and the people are suffering.

Recently, I had a bout with colitis and ended up in the emergency room. I am lucky enough to have insurance but the bill was $7100.00. The lab work was another $400 and I have not even received a bill from the doctors yet. They told me to see my regular doctor on Monday and gave me 3 prescriptions. When I visited my regular doctor, one of the prescriptions was disagreeing with me. He changed my medicine, they weighed me, and took my blood pressure. They did not take my temperature. He was with me all of five minutes. The bill was over $100 for that office visit.

Our people cannot afford health insurance. They don't have it because they can't afford it, not because they choose to not have insurance.

Something has got to be done in this country about this situation. It becomes worse everyday.

Please give me your thoughts and opinions on socialized medicine, insurance companies, our elected officials, etc.

Also, I would love to hear from other countries about your healthcare and how it works and how you feel about it. Do you wait for months without healthcare or do you receive the attention
you need?

June of 70 Plus and Still Kicking resides in Australia and has posted on her blog about healthcare in her country and linked to this one.

All comments appreciated.

DO YOU NEED WASHING?

2009-07-06T13:57:00.006-04:00

A friend of mine sent me this. I love it. This is something we all need to stop and think about.

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence.

It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Target.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall.. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom let's run through the rain," she said."What?" Mom asked."Lets run through the rain!" She repeated."No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain,""We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said."No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?"Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!

"The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes..Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith."Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said..Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars..And yes, I did. I ran.. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday..To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

This brought back memories of one rainy afternoon about fifteen years ago when a friend and I walked about three miles in a warm, summer afternoon's rain. We were soaked to the skin but it was one of the most exhilarating and fun things I have ever done.

Do you have memories of walking in the rain???

TREES, TREES, AND MORE TREES!

2009-07-01T12:35:00.014-04:00

I have been offline for a few days due to some stuff I am having done around my house. Many of you that follow my blog have seen the posts in the past about all the huge pin oak trees that surround my house. In fact, there are about 25 of them and they are all about 80 feet tall.

Some of them had grown out over my home and I am afraid with all the windstorms we have been having here in Kentucky that I am going to end up with one on my house. The trees are getting pretty old, too, and some of them needed to be taken down.

I called up the tree service that took one of them down during the ice storm and he is in the process of removing seven of them. My yard looks like a disaster area with a bucket truck, two pickup trucks, a wood grinder, and all kinds of limbs, logs, etc. covering the entire back yard. The trees were wonderful for shade but now I will be able to have a garden and plants some flowers that require sun to grow.

This morning they took down one tree that was hanging completely out over my roof. It is amazing to watch these people work. They can drop a tree exactly where they want it to go and wench the top out, tie it off, and swing it away from the house before releasing it. I could not look at times, it would scare me so much.

That is Danny Bay, the owner of Bay's Tree Service, here in Frankfort getting ready to cut the top out of the tree. You can see the roof of my house at the bottom of the picture.

In the next picture, he is lowering part of the top to the ground.

This crew really knows what they are doing.

I am going to have my work cut out for me during the next week trying to clean up the mess out of my yard.

They do a great job of cleaning up the limbs and big stuff but there will be lots of saw dust and leaves and levelling of the yard to do. Can you believe I still have 18 trees this size in my yard??????

I hope everyone has a wonderful July 4th. Thomas Wyatt will probably spend the night with me that night so that his parents can go to the lake. Bob, TW and I will have a celebration of our own!

ARE YOU SUPERSTITIOUS?

2009-06-22T13:12:00.010-04:00

Superstitions are beliefs in ideas or practices based on the supernatural as opposed to the laws of science.

My mother was very superstitious and was always telling us not to walk under ladders because it was bad luck or that a black cat crossing the road in front of you was bad luck. She had a whole bag full of this stuff and she passed some of them on to me.

I have to admit I don't like it when I see a black cat crossing the road and can remember once a long time ago turning the car around and going in the other direction.

If I am walking down the street, I won't go under a ladder either!

Remember when we were kids and played hopscotch or walked down the sidewalk and we would say, "step on a crack, break your mother's back".

I can remember spending hours looking for four-leafed clovers because we thought they would bring us good luck and do toads really cause warts?

I still repeat the saying, "find a penny and pick it up and all day long you'll have good luck."

Does an apple a day keep the doctor away? Is is really unlucky to rock an empty rocking chair?

The cardinal is Kentucky's state bird and there are a lot of them around. I can remember a saying mother always had when she saw one of these birds. It went like this: " Red bird, red bird, one, two, three. Going to see someone you are not expecting to see!" To this day whenever I see a red bird, I think of this saying. I think I may have passed this one on to my girls because they say it, too.

Isn't is amazing how these things stay with us over the years? Do you have superstitions or remember some of your own?

A GREAT SITE TO VISIT FOR THE NEWS!

2009-06-20T18:18:00.003-04:00

This is cool if you like knowing what is in the news anyplace .

One of the most interesting sites I have seen. Just put your mouse on a city anywhere in the world and the newspaper headlines pop up... Double click and the page gets larger.... I thought you all would like to know about this site, if you don't already. I also found you can read the entire paper on some if you click on the right place. You can spend forever here.

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/flash/

KENTUCKY'S COUNTRY QUEEN, LORETTA LYNN

2009-06-14T13:03:00.012-04:00

Those of you that read my blog all the time know that I like to write about famous Kentuckians. This lady is Kentucky's most well known country music artist, Loretta Lynn.

I plan to write about several of our songwriters and musicians in the future and if you want to hear the music of each person, it will be playing in the background while you read the post. If you don't want to hear the music, just scroll down to the bottom of the page and turn it off!

Loretta Lynn was born in Butcher Holler, Kentucky on April 14, 1935. She was the second of 8 children. That part of Kentucky is known for its coal mines and a lot of poverty.

Loretta married Oliver Vanetta Lynn at the ripe old age of 13 in 1948. Oliver's nickname was Doolittle or Mooney. Mooney was from his early career of running moonshine. Loretta had her first child at the age of fourteen and four by the age of seventeen. She was a grandmother at thirty two. They were married for almost 50 years and had 6 children all together, including a set of twins, Peggy and Patsy. Peggy was named for her mother and Patsy was named after the great Patsy Cline.

I am sure most of you have seen the movie, Coal Miners Daughter or read the book by the same name. If not, they are both worth your time.

Loretta has written over 160 songs, released 17 number one albums, and had 16 number one singles on the country charts. She was the first woman named, Entertainer of the Year, by the Country Music Association and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She ruled country music during the 60s and 70s.

Loretta and Doo bought the entire town of Hurricane Mills, Tennessee and their 1817 plantation home there is billed as the 7th largest attraction in Tennessee. She filmed her famous Crisco commercials from the kitchen of the big house.

The Lynns had a son, Jack Benny, that drowned in 1984.

Doo died in 1996 and Loretta moved to a smaller house behind the big one where she resides today. The big house is open for tours.

I heard Marie Osmond say once that she started out singing country music because Loretta was one of her idols.

A favorite saying is supposed to be, "Honey, life flies by so you have to make every day count!"

A few years back, I made a trip to Butcher Holler to see her childhood home. It was an experience!

Finding the place was like looking for a needle in a haystack. We went to Paintsville, Kentucky and began asking directions. Everyone knew where it was but there was no roadside signs or anything at this time. The first thing we finally found was a rock with an arrow pointing down a country road.

Finally, we came upon a country store that was run by her brother, Herman. He told us he would lead us up to the old house and it cost $5 per person to enter and look around.

We followed him up a gravel road to the house. His dog ran along beside his car all the way up the road. The house sits on top of a hill and was worth the $5 to have a look around. There was an old wishing well in the yard and a lot of the furniture, according to Herman, was the original furnishings during the time they grew up. He said the wood cooking stove was original, too. There was lots of family pictures and photos around the place and pictures of her after she got famous.

This lady has endured poverty to become a major star and is a staunch survivor today.

I am proud she is from my home state of Kentucky!

MY 100th BLOG POST!

2009-06-07T18:28:00.017-04:00

Today's post marks 100 entries I have made on this site! It is amazing how fast they add up. My first post was in April 2008. I have enjoyed blogging so much and have made so many friends out there in blog land from Scotland to Australia to the United Kingdom, India, Canada, and right here in the United States.

I appreciate each and every blogging friend and all the great comments you leave here. This has been a place to laugh, cry, vent, play, and express love for friends and family and get to know some wonderful people far and wide.

I thought for this post, I would show you my blogging place where I spend a lot of time reading your comments, writing comments on your blogs and just generally hang out when I am on the computer. We post pictures of flowers, trips, birds, and a zillion other things but this is where I am actually coming from! It is just a small room in my home that I use for my computer and my monster.

I hate the computer desk but it does the job for now. I plan to replace it in the future. I have all my cookbooks, recipes, and files in this room.

My "monster" is my pilates that looks like some kind of torture machine but actually works very well if I use it often. It keeps my arthritis from acting up and keeps me limber.

I have a small t.v. mounted up in one corner of the room so that I can keep up with my shows and be on the computer at the same time.

The shelves hold my cookbooks and family pictures.

These black and white framed pictures of my grandson, Thomas Wyatt, on the wall are some of my favorites.

Bob made me this little cherry table and I love it!

The picture below is a collage my son did for me. The girl is me when I was in grade school.

Now, you have some idea or thought in your head of where I am coming from when I write or comment.

I challenge all my blogging friends out there to do a post on their blog site! This has been fun to do and a great year for me just getting to know you all. Thanks again and hugs to you from me. I tried to make these pictures so they would blow up if you clicked on them but for some reason it would not let me do it this time. Does anyone else have problems with pictures on blogger?

THE BIRTHDAY CALCULATOR!

2009-06-01T12:29:00.003-04:00

This is interesting!

Click on 'Birthday Calculator.' It tells you how many hours and how many seconds you have been alive on this earth and when you were probably conceived. How cool is that?
After you've finished reading the info, click again, and see what the moon looked like the night you were born. Who says our time clocks aren't ticking... Enjoy.
Birthday Calculator .

Did you find out anything new about yourself? I enjoyed seeing what songs were popular when I was born.

A VISIT FROM THE LITTLE MAN!

2009-05-28T09:39:00.012-04:00

TW spent the day with me on Saturday so that mom, Sarah, could visit with her friend who has a new baby.

We had a great time. I made him breakfast and found out he loves sausage and had two along with applesauce, biscuits, sorghum and milk. He will not eat eggs! When he does not like or want something, he just says "no" and hands it back to you or pushes it away.

We played outside with his wagon. This time he wanted to pull the wagon all around the yard and not ride in it. Nana had bought a couple water guns and he thought that was great fun but had trouble reaching the trigger on the gun.

He is still not quite tall enough to open the patio door by himself but he never fails to try!

Nana's shoes are still too big!

He absolutely loves that Disney movie, "Cars" and we watched that along with an Elmo movie.

TW is really into his cars and trucks now and plays with them constantly. He will be two on June 6, and I plan to make him a birthday cake and put the little cars from the movie on it.

Nap time lasted over two hours but he is used to taking a nap at daycare.

He is always glad to see Mommy return and blows me kisses when they are leaving. We had a great visit and a great day. He will be back on June 6 to spend the night with me on his birthday.

That look in the picture on the left just melts Nana's heart!

A SHORT TRIP TO VIVAY!

2009-05-21T18:50:00.018-04:00

Bob and I decided to take a short trip this week just to get away for a few days. The weather here has been beautiful and in the high 70s and low 80s. We decided to drive up to Vevay, Indiana. Vevay is a small town that is trying to build up its tourist trade. It sits right on the river and the whole town is a mile long with only one stoplight. The drive is about an hour and a half from my house. I was ready to go somewhere after two straight weeks of rain, rain, rain!

We had breakfast in a small restaurant on Main Street where everyone knew everyone else in there and a full breakfast cost all of $3.50. There was one waitress and the lady cooking looked to be in her 80s. The food was great.

After breakfast, we ventured out to walk around the town and see the sights.

The Mercantile Shop carried all handmade items from the local people.

There was a sidewalk cafe for lunch and the local radio station pipes music onto Main Street all day.

The Amish Shop featured their goods and antiques. That's Bob under the sign. The puppet in the picture was looking for a good home.

The architecture of some of the buildings was awesome and the court house was built during Civil War Days. A rose garden and Farmer's Market surround the old court house.I saw this sign posted on the side of a shop in Vevay. I could not resist taking a picture. The owners must not be fans of the Clintons! The sign says, "Hillary and Bill belong in the big house, not in the White House!" There is a wonderful Riverfront Park with a playground for children and picnic area and benches along the river where you can sit and watch the boats. I saw this race car on the playground and immediately thought of my 23 month old grandson, Thomas Wyatt. He loves the Disney movie, "Cars", and he would love playing in this one.
Bob and I watched the boats and this tugboat came down the river pushing a barge loaded with coal.

This is such a laid back little town that I felt like I was in Mayberry and Andy and Barney might appear any minute. It was the perfect place to relax, talk to local people and shop keepers and enjoy the wonderful weather.

We have decided to take several short trips or day trips in the near future. I enjoy working in the yard at home and usually if I go on a big vacation I am ready to come home in a few days so this works well for us.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy three day weekend.

CLOTHES ON THE LINE

2009-05-15T18:42:00.005-04:00

There is nothing that smells any better to me than fresh sheets straight from the clothesline.

When my children were small and we lived way out in the country on a farm, I used to hang nearly all my wash outside to dry.

I loved seeing the clothes blowing in the wind and we all did it back then.

I think the poem below says it all.

The Clothesline

by Marilyn K. Walker.

A clothesline was a news forecast

To neighbors passing by.

There were no secrets you could keep

When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link

For neighbors always knew

If company had stopped on by

To spend a night or two.

For then you'd see the fancy sheets and towels on the line;

You'd see the comp'ny tablecloths

With intricate design.

The line announced a baby's birth

To folks who lived inside

As brand new infant clothes were hung

So carefully with pride.

The ages of the children could

So readily be known

By watching how the sizes changed

You'd know how much they'd grown.

It also told when illness struck,

As extra sheets were hung;

Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,

Haphazardly were strung.

It said, "Gone on vacation now"When lines hung limp and bare.

It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged

With not an inch to spare.

New folks in town were scorned upon

If wash was dingy gray,

As neighbors raised their brows, and looked

Disgustedly away.

But clotheslines now are of the past

For dryers make work less.

Now what goes on inside a home

Is anybody's guess

I really miss that way of life.

It was a friendly sign

When neighbors knew each other best

By what hung on the line!

I have a drying rack that I use to hang some stuff on and in the summer I put it on the back patio in the sun just to get that wonderful smell. I think we will see more and more clotheslines in the future with the recession. I am seriously thinking of getting one for my backyard.

Some of my fondest memories of home and being a child is of clothes drying on the line.

Do you have a clothesline or memories of a clothesline?

WD-40 A WONDER PRODUCT!

2009-05-11T09:43:00.010-04:00

I have not tried all these but there are some good uses for WD-40 in this list. I usually keep things like this in a folder so I can refer to them in case I need a quick fix for something.

Created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find water Displacement compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation; thus WD-40.

The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.

Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.
When you read the 'shower door' part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. Then try it on your stovetop. It is now shinier than it has ever been before.

1) Protects silver from tarnishing.
2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4) Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery.
5) Keeps flies off cows!
6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7) Removes lipstick stains.
8) Loosens stubborn zippers.
9) Untangles jewelry chains.
10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11) Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14) Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15) Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
18) It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19) Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car. Removed quickly, with WD-40!
20) Gives children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21) Lubricates gear shift on lawn mowers.
22) Rids kids' rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23) Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24) Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them ru nning smoothly.
30) Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31) Removes splattered grease on stove.
32) Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34) Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35) Removes all traces of duct tape.
36) Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37) Florida's favorite use: 'cleans and removes Love Bugs from grills and bumpers.'
38) Protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39) WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time.
40) Fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41) WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42) If you've washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash.. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
43) If you spray WD-40 on the distributor cap, it will displace the moisture and allow the car to start.

Keep a can of WD-40 in your kitchen cabinet over the stove. It is good for oven burns or any other type of burn. It takes the burned feeling away and heals with NO scarring. . ALSO ELIMINATES NAIL FUNGUS !!

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE!

2009-05-07T08:20:00.001-04:00

This is just one of the many little devils that inhabit my yard and are playing havoc with my potted plants.

Every morning I find a pot where the dirt has been dug out and a nut has been buried during the night.

I put those little wind stars on a stick in some of the pots but they don't deter these monsters in the least.

Balisha of Never Enough Time suggested that I write a blog about my problem in hopes that someone out there in blogland can tell me what to do to keep the little devils out of my flower pots.

My poor plants are suffering at the mercy of these fur covered nut hoarders.

Does anyone have any suggestions??????

THANK YOU FRIENDS, BOOKCASES, AND A BOOTH AT THE PEDDLER'S MALL

2009-05-02T14:58:00.000-04:00

First of all, I want to say thank you to all my wonderful friends in the blogging world for your kind comments, prayers and thoughts while I took this time off. My niece was a very special person and will be truly missed by her family and friends.

Next, I want to tell you about Bob's booth at the Peddler's Mall. He decided he wanted to try making small tables, birdhouses, bird feeders and whatever else he could put together from the scraps of wood in his workshop. Since retiring from mechanical engineering, he has built custom book case units such as the one in the photo he made for my niece on the left and the one he made for me on the right.

So, we gathered up everything we wanted to get rid of or had planned to take to the Goodwill Store and put it in there until he can get some items made. We took the whole first week of April to put stuff in and he and his brother built the booth itself. We still need more shelves and peg board, etc. but we are just getting started. The monthly rent is $120 and we took in $217 in three weeks! I could not believe what people will buy. Some of the things we have sold are magazines, clothing, books, and toys that I thought no one would care about. I had two huge containers of junk left over from a yard sale a couple years ago. It was stored in my outside building. I put it all in there since I never planned on using it again. It did not sell in the yard sale but it is selling in the booth. This mall gets quite a bit of traffic so I guess that helps. What really blows my mind is that it is selling for more than what it was priced in the yard sale!

Once we get it completely stocked with his handmade items we will know what to expect. We are going to give it two or three months and just see what it does. It is more a hobby than anything else. Bob likes to stay busy and I enjoy going to yard sales, etc. I picked up three framed pictures, and two angel statues at a yard sale a couple weeks ago for $6. We sold two of the pictures for $10 in two days.

Here is a picture of the booth as it is today and not yet totally stocked with the handmade stuff he wants to make. He has bought a book on birdhouses and he likes to make tables and has made some really nice tables in the past.

One good thing is that the Goodwill store is across the street and if we decide to give it up, we can just take it all over there very easily and they keep a big dumpster out back of this place, too.

Right now, we are having fun playing with it and seeing what sells or don't sell and what funny things people will buy!

GOOD BYE TO FAYE.

2009-04-25T03:08:00.003-04:00

Just a quick note to my blogging friends to let you know I will be offline for a few days. My family sufferred a great loss on Thursday this week when we lost my niece to cancer. She had been battling this dreadful monster for several years and passed away on Thursday evening. I was just getting ready to walk out the door to go spend the night at the hospital with my sister, her mother, and got the call that it was too late and not to make the trip.

She was only 53 years old. We know that she is in a better place but our hearts are still very heavy and we will miss her so much.

I need to spend time with my family and will be back soon. Love to all my blogging friends.

LET'S GO TO THE RACES!

2009-04-20T11:15:00.013-04:00

Spring in Kentucky means horse racing!

Yesterday, April 19, Bob and I took our bi-annual trip to Keeneland Race Track in beautiful Lexington.

We usually go to Keeneland once in the spring and once in the fall. This trip was the first time it has poured rain the entire day. Thankfully, we always have reservations for the Lexington Room where we can sit in the window and have a nice lunch while watching the races. We usually meet friends there both times and enjoy watching the races, visiting, eating, and betting on the horses.

That's Bob checking out the racing form in the picture on the right. The one on the left is inside the Lexington Room.

Keeneland was founded in 1935 and is the global leader in Thoroughbred horse auctions and conducts world-class Thoroughbred horse racing every April and October.

The 1st million-dollar yearling in Thoroughbred history, Canadian Bound, was sold in 1976 at Keeneland.

In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top ten, Keeneland was ranked #1.

We went on Sunday but my girls and their friends all went to Keeneland on Saturday. The weather was wonderful that day and they had the second largest crowd in Keeneland's history.

This past Saturday 33,680 people attended this race track. The record was 33,821 on 4/21/2007.

Lexington is considered "The Horse Capital of the World" with more than 450 beautiful horse farms with either white or black board fences and if you ever fly into Lexington Airport this area is a sight to behold from the air!

The Kentucky Horse Park located in Lexington is the only park in the world dedicated exclusively to horses. The park will host the 2010 World Equestrian Games held for the first time outside of Europe.

Lexington is also home to the famous Red Mile, the 2nd oldest harness track in the world.

Kentucky is home to several other Thoroughbred race tracks and harness racing events.

Of course, the legendary Churchill Downs built in 1874 in Louisville hosts the famous Kentucky Derby every year known as the "Greatest Two Minutes in Sports."

We enjoy Keeneland because it is not as big as Churchill Downs and I live about 40 minutes away from Lexington.

We did not win any money this time. I lost about $18 and that was the end of my betting. I don't think you would consider me a gambler! We have won a little in the past but mostly go to enjoy time with friends and enjoy the atmosphere at Keeneland.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROB!

2009-04-13T19:53:00.009-04:00

I remember so well 41 years ago, April 14, 1968. I went into labor about 3 a.m. in the morning. Your dad and I called your grandmother to go with us to the hospital. My pains were coming but not bad enough to leave yet. She arrived at our place with her dress unzipped all the way down the back! I guess she was in such a hurry she completely forgot. We left for the hospital about 5:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday morning.

I was in hard labor for hours and kept sending your dad out to ask the nurse if I could have something for pain. They gave me a shot but I wanted more. You were my first child and I had no idea what to expect.

I would get mad at your father and I remember telling him that he did not feel a "damned" thing and I was "dying". You were born at 1:30 p.m. that afternoon weighing 8lbs.10 ounces. Once I saw that big "shock" of black hair all the pain suddenly disappeared and was forgotten.

You were such a good baby and I loved dressing you up in all the new outfits and showing you off to all my friends and relatives.

Your artistic ability began to show itself at an early age and we gave you art lessons when you were about eight years old. Little did we know that you would continue with your drawing and even major in art in college. You also loved G.I. Joe and I remember your dad having to climb upon top of the house to throw G.I. Joe off the roof with his parachute!

Your love of motorcycles began when you got a dirt bike at an early age and a broken collar bone did not discourage you in the least.

We were so proud when you graduated college. Our little boy was all grown up!

In college you discovered you had acting skills and took off to California where you acted in several movies before deciding to give it all up and move back to Kentucky.

Then, you married that wonderful woman, Sarah! The days of being a gypsy, tramping around Europe, living in Florida, New York, and California. The days of acting in movies, riding across country on a motorcycle, and working as a comic book artist all took a back seat to beautiful Sarah! A girl you knew in college and did not even like became your sweet, darling wife and the mother of the cutest little boy on earth when you fell head over heels in love.

You have always made me so proud of you.

Now, I am proud of you and your family. Sarah and Thomas Wyatt complete you.

Happy Birthday, son. I hope you have a wonderful birthday and I love you so much.

HAPPY EASTER AND A BUNNY CAKE!

2009-04-08T18:46:00.006-04:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Easter and hope you all enjoy your day!

I have been making bunny cakes. My sister has made these cakes for years so this year I decided to try it myself. TW will be going to his grandfathers to an Easter egg hunt and he is really not old enough this year to enjoy these, but I am practicing for next year. They are fun to make. This one will be for Bob!

If you are interested in how to make these cakes, I have all the directions on my recipe blog at:
http://jdyflygrl2.blogspot.com/.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL MY BLOGGING BUDDIES!

LET'S GO TO THE DRIVE-IN MOVIES

2009-04-02T15:08:00.009-04:00

Every spring when I was young brought the opening of the "Starlight Drive-In Theater" in our town. We could not wait for the weather to get warm enough so that mom and dad would load up the car with blankets, pillows, iced tea, popcorn, and all kinds of goodies to eat. My sister and I was allowed one trip to the concession stand during intermission to buy stuff. Mom even took our dinner in a picnic basket once in a while and we spread out a tablecloth on the hood of the car to eat before the movie.

Sis and I ran straight to the playground as soon as we arrived to swing and play until the cartoons and previews started.

My dad used to love Tarzan movies and I think I saw them all.

I distinctly remember a very scary movie at the drive-in and my sister and I scared to death in the back seat of dads old car. Some man got the wrong car and jumped in the back seat with us.
We jumped towards each other and almost knocked ourselves out when we bumped our heads together.

Once I got older and started dating, we would get as many in one car as possible and take off to the drive-in. I remember one time when a boy I was dating went to the concession stand during intermission and we moved the car while he was gone to the other side of the movie lot. It was hilarious watching him wander around trying to find the car. I don't remember trying to sneak anyone into the movie in the trunk of the car though.

Remember how those old speakers would squawk and have static and sometimes even go out right in the middle of the movie. Then, you would have to drive around and find another space with a good speaker. Sometimes, people even drove off with the speaker hanging on their window.

My daughters have never been to a drive-in theater! Most of them had closed by the time they were old enough to go. We used to take my son when he was a little guy and he would watch the cartoons and then go to sleep when the movie started.

I read somewhere recently that the drive-in was making a comeback in some places.

I am sure we all have some very special memories of those warm, summer nights spent with friends, family or a special guy at our favorite drive-in.

NOT WITH MY TAX DOLLARS!

2009-03-26T10:29:00.004-04:00

I spent most of my working life working for the state of Kentucky in some kind of welfare assistance programs. These programs are designed to help those people in need but many times are taken advantage of by people who like to "work the system" and receive benefits they are not entitled too. Although, we were always understaffed and overworked in the local offices, we tried to make sure this did not happen but there are those that get by with drugs and always take advantage of these programs by working and not reporting income, etc. Don't get me wrong, I think there are people that truly deserve help and are honest, hardworking people that love their families and these programs are wonderful for those people in need.

West Virginia delegate Craig Blair has a website to promote HB 3007 in West Virginia. This bill would make drug testing mandatory for some recipients of welfare benefits. I think this should be a mandatory requirement in every state. There was so many times, we took the applications for benefits of people we knew were taking advantage of the system but we could not prove it.

I am sure this is a touchy subject but if you agree with this bill and think it should be mandatory in all states, please take a look at this website. You can even vote on how you feel about it in the lower left hand corner of the home page and see what others think, also. Thanks.

Leave me a comment on how you feel about this situation. Click on this link to see the webpage: http://notwithmytaxdollars.com/

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED GEE-HAW WHAMMY DIDDLING?

2009-03-21T20:20:00.009-04:00

The gee-haw-whammy-diddle is a rhythm toy which makes a characteristic sound when one stick is rubbed back and forth across deep notches in another stick. A spinner nailed to one end of the serrated stick will revolve in response to the vibrations.
By knowing the secret of the whammy-diddle you can make the spinner turn right or left at will, hence, the name "gee-haw."

I was thinking about all the games that we used to play as children and how much fun we had with our friends. We didn't have a lot of money to buy real games so we played games that did not cost anything and we were always outside!

So many children today stay inside on the computer or watching t.v. all the time. This does not encourage social and physical development like the games we used to play.

I remember playing "Simon Says" where you had to pay attention and do exactly what Simon said or you were eliminated.

We played "Red Light, Green Light" and "Red Rover". One game we called "Jump the Stick" consisted of just two sticks laid together on the ground. We all lined up and stepped over the two sticks, then they were moved wider apart. This was repeated until only one person remained and jumped farther than anyone else. If you did not make it over without stepping between the two sticks, you were eliminated.

Another game we played was called "Annie, Annie, Over". To play this game you had to throw a ball over the house or a building.

These games all improved agility.

We were all suntanned with no extra weight and spent our days running, camping out, swimming, skating, and could not wait to get outside in the mornings to meet up with our friends.

How did you spend your childhood days? Do you remember games you played as a child that we never hear of today?

PEARLS OF WISDOM!

2009-03-15T11:49:00.008-04:00

This was sent to me in an e-mail but it holds such a message I wanted to put it on here. I know some of you have seen it. It is long but worth the read.

THE AWAKENING
A time comes in your life when you finally get it...when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!

Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change...or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon.

You come to terms with the fact that neither of you is Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily everafter" must begin with you...and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are ... and that's OK.

They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself...and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself...and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties..and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche.

And you begin to sift through all the junk you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, who you should marry, the importance of having and raising children, and what you owe your parents, family, and friends.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view.

And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with ... and in the process you learn to go with your instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive.

And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love.

How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away.

You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes.

And you learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK....and that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things you want ... and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won't settle for less.

And you learn that your body really is your temple.

And you begin to care for it and treat it with respect.

You begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest.

And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul.

So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve...and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance.

You also learn that no one can do it all alone...and that it's OK to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself.

You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.

And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people.

On these occasions you learn not to personalize things.

You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers.

It's just life happening.

And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state - the ego.

You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your heart's desire.

And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.

And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage in your heart and God by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you can.-- Author Unknown

AN OVERNIGHT VISITOR

2009-03-09T18:50:00.008-04:00

Thomas Wyatt, my 21 month old grandson, came for a visit over the weekend. His dad, Rob, dropped him off around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday and he spent the night with his Nana Juju.

My niece had given me a small sliding board that belonged to her granddaughter and I could not wait to show it to TW. I was not disappointed. He absolutely loved it and played on it the entire time he was at my house. He went down the correct way in the beginning and then backward, head first, sideways, and any other way he could think of to try.

He loves Elmo and has several Elmo tapes here to watch. He doesn't like cartoons on t.v. but is totally mesmerized by Elmo for some reason. He likes to push his little trucks around on the floor and seldom takes a nap when he is here because he is so excited to see his toys and books that stay here for him when he visits.

TW has a small stool that I keep in the closet. He gets it out and puts it at the end of my coffee table and we put a placemat there so he can eat snacks, drink juice, and watch Elmo.

He loves bath time and when he is ready for bed, Nana stays with him until he goes to sleep. He slept from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. He gets up in a great mood and we get him dressed and he has cheerios for breakfast.

Dad picked him up early and he was blowing me kisses over Dad's shoulder when they left. My only grandson has become such a joy in my life!

WHAT'S IN A NAME?????

2009-03-04T21:18:00.005-05:00

What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. - William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

The first week in March is Name Pride Week. Today, March 4, is Learn What Your Name Means Day and the Friday of the first full week of March is Middle Name Pride Day. Many sources mistakenly think that Middle Name Pride Day falls on the same day every year but that is not the case. This year it falls on March 6.

A parent often selects a name to honor a friend or relative. That person may have possessed certain characteristics that they wanted you to inherit.

Until the Civil War, middle names simply were not that common in the United States. Sometimes, a mother will have all her children's first names starting with the same letter of the alphabet. In the past, hurricanes have been named for women. There are hundreds of websites that help you to find a name for your children, dogs, cats, horses, and even boats! I found funny names, celebrity names, happy names and unique names. There are many websites that tell you the meaning of names. Here is one you might want to check out: http://www.behindthename.com/

Many people don't like their names and some go so far as to have them changed. A lot of people never reveal their middle names to anyone and often just use the first letter of their middle name when signing a check, etc.

This week we should all take pride in our first and middle given names. Supposedly, one way to celebrate is to reveal your middle name to at least three other people.

My middle name is "Ann". There used to be a potato salad out called, " Judy Ann Potato Salad".

Several times, I had people ask me if I was connected with the company when they found out my middle name. I went to school with a girl named Clara Bell. She was teased to death because there was a clown on the Howdy Doody Show by that name.

Do you have any hangups about your name? Do you dislike it? Are you named after someone you know or a relative? Do you know any really funny names?

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE!

2009-02-28T12:58:00.022-05:00

According to the March 2009 issue of Prevention Magazine there are seven super spices that just might minimize the aging process. These spices could also help with diabetes. The University of Georgia findings show that the antioxidants in these spices help to block compounds associated with aging and may inhibit tissue damage caused by high levels of blood sugar.
I have always been a great fan of spices and love spiced tea. My spice cabinet runneth over. I add spices to most dishes I make in my kitchen.
Below is a list of the seven super spices that fight aging along with brief paragraph about each one and other healthy uses recommended by herbalists.

Cloves - Used to treat indigestion, diarrhea, hernia, and ringworm, as well as athlete's food and other fungal infections and toothaches. This spice has antioxidants that help prevent cell damage that eventually causes cancer.
Try in cakes and bread for a spicy sweetness.

Allspice - The consumption of allspice with meals results in stronger digestion, reduces gas and bloating, and can ease nausea. It also has blood sugar regulating effects, and controls appetite.

Add to ground beef for unexpected twist to hamburgers or meat loaf.

Sage - Useful in treating diarrhea, colds, and excessive perspiration, hot flashes, to dry up phlegm, and you can gargle with the tea to treat coughs and tonsil or throat infections. It can
be used as a hair rinse for dandruff, oily hair, or infections of the scalp. It reportedly restores color to gray or white hair.
Try in tomato sauce recipes.

Oregano - This herb has been used to relieve bloating, gas, urinary tract problems, painful menstruation, rheumatoid arthritis, and swollen glands.
Great on homemade garlic bread or pizza.

Thyme - Used for respiratory problems such as bronchitis and asthma. An easy homemade remedy can be made by finely chopping thyme with a spoon of local honey. It soothes the lungs and air passages. Can be used in baths for neurasthenia, rheumatism, paralysis, bruises, swellings, and sprains. In a salve it is helpful for shingles. Use in scrambled eggs for a flavor boost.

Marjoram - Great for blood circulation, water retention,muscle spasms, fatigue, insomnia. Use in tomato soups, sauces, oriental salads.

Cinnamon - helps ward off diabetes, good for heart health, has anti-inflammatory qualities and helps reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. Try on whole wheat toast drizzled with honey.

So now we can be younger and cure all our ills with just a few simple spices.

Evidence shows the use of herbs and spices dates back to before recorded history and has been passed from one generation to another. My mother used to drink sassafras tea and thought it to be medicinal. I hated the taste of that tea.

Do you use spices in your recipes or have one special spice you like better than others? Do you think spices are medicinal and can cure certain ailments?

RECESSION OR DEPRESSION, A MATTER OF OPINION!

2009-02-23T11:45:00.005-05:00

My parents went through the Great Depression and so did my older sister. I can remember my mother telling me stories about how my father could not get work. My sister was born in 1932 and was a baby during this time. It was a terrible time for families and people that survived never forgot the hardship.

My mother saved everything she ever came in contact with from then on and my sister is almost as bad!

The Great Depression was the worst economic slump ever in U.S. history. The cause is still a matter of debate today. Some believe the collapse of the stock market in October 1929 played a major role. Two months later, stockholders had lost more than $40 billion dollars. Some of the nation's largest banks were failing to maintain adequate reserves and were investing heavily in the stock market or making risky loans. Bank deposits were uninsured and when the banks failed, people lost their savings.
People from all classes stopped buying. This caused less items to be produced which led to a reduction in the workforce and less jobs. Millions of Americans were jobless, homeless, and penniless. The number of commercial banks failing between 1929 and 1933 was 10,763.

America had lent large amounts of money to Europe and UK, to help rebuild after the first world war. Therefore, the U.S. economy spread to the rest of the world as America called in loans.

Some say the end of the Great Depression came in December 1941 when America became involved in World War II and nations increased their productions of war materials. This provided jobs and put money back into circulation. The government under Franklin Roosevelt took over the responsibility for the elderly with the creation of Social Security. Unemployment compensation was created for those involuntarily unemployed. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) helped to restore confidence in banks. Several other bills provided mortgage relief for homeowners. This changed the relationship between the government and the people as they came to expect and accept a larger federal role in their lives and the economy.

The more I read about the Great Depression the more our situation seems to coincide with the events of that time in our history. The 1920s "boom" and then the stock market crash.
President Herbert Hoover supposedly did nothing about the Depression. George W. Bush did nothing to prepare the American people for what we are going through today.

The definition of recession is: a period of reduced economic activity. The definition of depression is: a severe economic downturn that lasts several years.

What do you think about the situation the American people are facing? Are we in a recession or a depression? Do you think things are going to get worse before they get better? What are your thoughts about the bailout?

On a lighter note, two famous songs during the Depression: Brother, Can You Spare Me A Dime and Mr. President Have Pity On The Working Man.

DON'T DOUBLE DIP THAT CHIP!!!

2009-02-19T07:25:00.002-05:00

One researcher says that "double-dipping" is like kissing everybody at the party. It's like putting your whole mouth in the dip. They found that on average, three to six double dips transferred about 10,000 bacteria from the eater's mouth to the remaining dip.

I am not a Germophobic but there are certain things that really bother me when it comes to germs and cleanliness.

I used to work with a woman that "double-dipped" every time we went to a Mexican restaurant and they brought out the salsa and chips. That is not all she did. She would eat off someones plate if given the chance. It used to make me almost physically sick and everyone in the office eventually refused to eat anything she brought if we had a potluck meal.

I love to cook and many times I sample what I am cooking but I always get a new utensil to stir the recipe other than the one I tasted it with. My thinking is that I might have some bacteria in my mouth that would be transferred to my guests or family. I don't lick my fingers while cooking either and it bothers me when other people do it. I had to quit watching Paula Deen on television because she is always licking her fingers and tasting stuff. Cold sores, throat infections such as strep, and mono can all be passed by using the same eating utensils.

Another thing, if you are not a big fan of germs, beware of the salad bar. I have seen people sneeze, cough, grab food with their hands, and eat off the serving utensils. I read that the plastic gloves that service workers wear can lure you into a false sense of security. They are purely for show and can get just as contaminated as bare hands if they don't change them often. Actually, they can lure the employee into thinking that as long as they wear the gloves they don't have to wash their hands. This is not true!

Remember the "five second rule" that states a food item dropped on the floor and picked up within five seconds will be safe to eat. Research concluded that there was a potentially significant amount of bacteria transferred in those five seconds.

The single most important way to prevent the transmission of infectious organisms is to wash your hands often - before eating; before and after handling food, particularly raw meat and fish; after having sex; before putting in contact lenses or treating a wound; after using the toilet; after sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose; after changing a diaper; after playing with a pet or cleaning a litter box; and after gardening.

The kitchen is the room in your house that has the most potential to harbor germs. Kitchen counter tops can have over 488 bacteria per square inch. Clean counter tops before and after cooking. Use a spray bottle of water and 1 teaspoon of bleach. Spray counter, let sit for 2 minutes and wipe with a paper towel.

I might go overboard with some of this stuff but I can't help it. I rarely ever get sick and I don't take any kind of medicine. My health is a big concern to me at my age and I certainly don't want to be contracting germs from other people.

Do you have a thing about "germs" or cleanliness? What are some of your healthy habits?

KENTUCKY NATIVE - ABRAHAM LINCOLN

2009-02-14T14:02:00.005-05:00

On Monday, February 16, 2009, we celebrate President's Day. Since Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky and it is his 200th birthday, I am dedicating this post to "Honest Abe".

Below you will find listed some facts and little known facts about our 16th president:

Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks, died when he was nine years of age from "Milk Sickness" that is caused from consuming contaminated milk.

Lincoln's stepmother, Sarah, encouraged him to study and make something of his life.

Lincoln struggled with depression all his life.

He was engaged several times.

He worked as a ferry boat operator.

He is the only American President to hold a patent.

His youthful sweetheart, Ann Rutledge, died.

Lincoln was a U.S. Congressman.

He married Mary Todd of Lexington, Kentucky on November 4, 1842. She was 24 and he was 33 when they married. They had "Love is Eternal" engraved in their wedding bands.

The Lincoln Bedroom was never a bedroom during his term but was used as an office.

The Lincolns shared the White House with two pet goats named Nanny and Nanko.

The family dog's name was Fido.

The Gettysburg Address was not Lincoln's best speech.

John Wilkes Booth's older brother saved the life of Abe Lincoln's son, Robert.

Lincoln's death masks were made before he was killed.

Lincoln's body was almost stolen.

Lincoln was the first president to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.

Lincoln was the first president to sport a beard.

Wife, Mary, was put in an institution after Abe's death by her son due to her mental health.

Lincoln was a man of humble origins whose perseverance and determination helped to end slavery in the United States.

One quote I read from Lincoln goes like this: " I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crises. The great point is to bring them the real facts. " I think this still stands true today!

SWEET DREAMS!

2009-02-08T20:12:00.009-05:00

Dreams have always fascinated me. I dream a lot and my dreams are so vivid that sometimes when I wake up I don't know where I am.

The definition of a dream is a story revealed through images that your brain creates while you're asleep. Supposedly, everyone dreams every night. A lot of us can't remember our dreams or don't remember them vividly.

Scientists and researchers still cannot explain why we dream.

Freud believed that a dream was the unconscious mind expressing itself.

Some people have the same dreams over and over again.

There is a myth that if you dream you are falling and hit the ground before you wake up, you will die. I have heard this all my life.

I have also heard if you have trouble sleeping, you are in someone else's dream!

I sometimes wake up crying or screaming from a dream. My dreams are so real to me that I feel like I might pass into another dimension and communicate with people that are deceased.

In my dreams they are always young even if they were old when they passed away. My mother-in-law was very ill and in her nineties. She came to me in a dream and told me she was leaving to go be with her husband and son. In my dream, I was standing in the front yard of the farm we lived on when my girls were young. Johnny, my husband and her husband, John, Sr. were standing about 50 yards away from me. They are both deceased. She was standing between them and she walked over to me and told me she was leaving to be with them. She turned and walked back to where they were standing and they all walked away waving to me. They were all young in my dream. I woke myself up I was crying so loud. She died about three days later.

Another instance involved a person I thought was my friend and she stabbed me in the back and said some horrible things about me that were not true. This ended our friendship. Several years later this person became ill with cancer and died. One night I had a dream she was standing beside my bed asking me for forgiveness for what she had done. I had not thought about this person in years. In the dream I forgave her. I woke up trembling and actually thought she was in the room with me.

Here are some facts about dreams:

1. Everybody dreams.

2. A lack of dream activity can mean a personality disorder

3. Men usually dream more about men, while women dream about men and women equally.

4. People who are giving up smoking have longer and more intense dreams.

5. Toddlers do not dream about themselves. They don't appear in their own dreams until age 3 or 4.

6. If you are snoring, you cannot be dreaming.

7. Blind people dream and whether visual images appear in their dream depends on whether they were blind at birth or became blind later in life.

Do you have vivid dreams or do you dream the same dream over and over? Do you remember what your dreams were about? Do you have a dream that really bothered you?

FINALLY!! BACK ONLINE, PHONE, AND CABLE.

2009-02-06T17:06:00.005-05:00

Today, I got back the phone, internet, and cable. That means everything is back to normal except for a few more trees I need to get cut down in the near future. Also, I am on my way to your blog to catch up on what everyone has been writing about and doing while my internet was out. Please be patient with me. I am going as fast as I can. Thank you all so much for hanging in there while all this mess was going on with me. I am on my way to your place.......See ya soon!

AN UPDATE ON ICE STORM SITUATION

2009-02-04T18:33:00.004-05:00

Just a quick post from a friend's computer to let everyone know that I am fine. I am back home and do have heat and electricity. I have been without cable t.v., phone, or internet for nine days and no idea of when I will get it hooked back up. They can't even give us a date. I am very lucky to have heat and electric. There are still thousands without both in our state. Yesterday, we had four more inches of snow on top of all the ice we already received. My heat pump went out during the snow storm yesterday but I do have two electric heaters and we got the heat back on this morning. The large tree in the post below this one had to come down and they took it down during the snow storm to keep it from falling on my house because we had high wind along with the snow on Tuesday. It is supposed to be ten degrees here tonight and so many without heat or electric.

Hopefully, everything will be back to normal soon. It is supposed to get above freezing tomorrow and warmer each day.

Thanks to all my blogging friends out there for all the concern and kind comments you have left for me. I hope to be back online soon and will be visiting each and everyone of you so keep the coffee hot!!! Love to all, Judy

ICE STORM 2009

2009-01-31T12:54:00.005-05:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am alive but not out of the woods yet! We have been without electric, heat, phone, internet, and t.v. since Tuesday night. We have electric now but that is all. The rest is still out and we don't know how long we will have electric and heat. My cable line is laying in my yard behind my house. The electric line has a limb on it which makes me think it can go again at anytime. I am using a friend's computer to do this post.

If you click on the picture on the left that tree is beside my house. You can see where the big limb broke and fell into the pine tree on the right just skimming all the branches off the pine tree as it went down. It is above freezing today and I have limbs still in the top of trees that have to come down. They are saying the trees may come down when it thaws. Two guys are working right now cleaning up the mess in my yard.

I am very fortunate to have heat and electricity this soon. They are telling some people it may be another week or longer.

I have more pictures and will write more as soon as it is possible for me to do so.

Thanks to Rachel at Sliding through life for commenting and letting some people know what is going on here in Kentucky. There has so far been a total of 700,000 without electric. I miss you all and hope to be back online very soon. Love, Judy

I AM LIBRA!

2009-01-25T21:05:00.010-05:00

I was born on September 27 and my astrological sign is Libra, the Scales.

You may or may not know anything about astrology and horoscopes but for years I read mine faithfully and thought if I missed reading my horoscope each morning the whole day would be lost.

I would go into work, turn on the computer and read my horoscope. If it said I was going to have a bad day, I usually had a bad day. If it said I was going to have a good day. I had a good day! I am sure I let this influence my day to be either good or bad.

According to astrology, some of Libra's good points are: You are neat and have a desire for peace. Attractive surroundings are necessary for peace of mind. Libra is very fair and just and tries to maintain a proper balance. Libra is artistic, musical, level headed, sympathetic, perceptive and generous. Manners and other niceties are important to Libra. You have a strong need to share with others. The negative aspects are that I can be critical and very moody.

Most of these things are true about me. Usually, I am either way up or way down. There is not much in the middle and I am more up than down if that makes any sense. I try to see the glass as half full and always taught my children to enjoy life, be kind to others, work hard, believe in God, and learn all they could about many different subjects.

Astrology is not a religion but the study of planetary motion and the correlation of those to our life here on earth. So, I do not believe in astrology but I find that many times my horoscope
has told me something that turns out to be true.

What is your sign? How do you feel about astrology? Do you read your horoscope every day?

DO YOU REMEMBER?? BURMA SHAVE!!

2009-01-18T21:37:00.008-05:00

For those who never saw any of the Burma Shave signs, here is a quick lesson in our history of the 1930's and '40's. Before there were interstates, when everyone drove the old 2 lane roads, Burma Shave signs would be posted all over the countryside in farmers' fields.
They were small red signs with white letters. Five signs, about 100 feet apart, each containing 1 line of a 4 line couplet......and the obligatory 5th sign advertising Burma Shave, a popular shaving cream.
Here are more of the actual signs:
DON'T STICK YOUR ELBOW
OUT SO FAR

IT MAY GO HOME

IN ANOTHER CAR.

BURMA SHAVE

TRAINS DON'T WANDER

ALL OVER THE MAP'

CAUSE NOBODY SITS

IN THE ENGINEER'S LAP

Burma Shave

SHE KISSED THE HAIRBRUSH

BY MISTAKE

SHE THOUGHT IT WAS

HER HUSBAND JAKE

Burma Shave

DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD

TO GAIN A MINUTE

YOU NEED YOUR HEAD

YOUR BRAINS ARE IN IT

Burma Shave

DROVE TOO LONG

DRIVER SNOOZING

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

IS NOT AMUSING

Burma Shave

BROTHER SPEEDER

LET'S REHEARSE

ALL TOGETHER

GOOD MORNING,

NURSE

Burma Shave

CAUTIOUS RIDER

TO HER RECKLESS DEAR

LET'S HAVE LESS BULL

AND A LITTLE MORE STEER

Burma Shave

SPEED WAS HIGH

WEATHER WAS NOT

TIRES WERE THIN

X MARKS THE SPOT

Burma Shave

There were hundreds of signs like these along the highways. Do these bring back any old memories?

SUNDAYS WITH NANA

2009-01-14T13:44:00.011-05:00

Thomas Wyatt, my 19 month old only grandchild, spent Sunday afternoon with me. He is such a little doll and his Nana thinks he hung the moon!

We watched cartoons on t.v., ate animal crackers and homemade cookies, played with blocks, rocked and read children's books and had a great time just being together.

TW cracks me up when he wants to share his animal crackers and sticks one in my mouth. Then, he shows me his teeth and grinds and clicks them together like he is showing me how to chew the cracker.

He has lots of toys to play with at my house but seems to prefer an empty box or egg carton, loves looking at himself in the mirror and likes to look out my backdoor at birds, or dogs or an occasional cat that passes by my house.

Thomas Wyatt's mom and dad say they have a hard time getting him to drink juice at home but he loves Nana's orange juice and had three big glasses during the course of the afternoon. Everything tastes better at Nanas!

Nana can't wait until spring when we can go for walks and I can pull him in his big, red wagon.

I can't believe he is already 19 months old. It seems like only yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital.

LET'S GET HIGH TOGETHER!

2009-01-10T15:02:00.012-05:00

This post is about "natural" highs. I'm sure we have all heard the phrase, "Different strokes for different folks!" Some people get high off drugs but some of us get high off just everyday things that make us feel good.

Natural highs come from the release of endorphins, body chemicals that are known as "feel good" chemicals. Endorphins give you a sense of well being and there are many healthy ways to get a natural high.

Some people use caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs to get this feeling but others can achieve this state of well-being by balancing pleasure and happiness.

For instance, you might get a natural high from going out for a jog.

I like to take a bubble bath with lots of bubbles and a glass of wine.

Some people enjoy giving and receiving hugs.

I love going to the beach and listening to music!

Watching the sunrise. A good conversation. Laughing till my face hurts. Playing with my grandson. Hanging out with my children.

Natural highs make us feel good and put us in a blissful state or a state of euphoria. I read somewhere that you don't age during this time.

What are some things that give you a "natural" high???

DIET AND EXERCISE TIPS

2009-01-06T14:48:00.014-05:00

TIME TO CLEAR OUT THE CLUTTER!

2009-01-02T21:15:00.008-05:00

"Out of clutter, find simplicity."
- Albert Einstein

Did you know that January is National Get Organized Month?

Being organized and clutter free means you have more time, more space and more energy for family, friends, and the things you want to do most in life.

I think of myself as an organized person but I can always improve.

My biggest fault is collecting things. I collect pottery, clocks, mugs, and books. The past several years, I have downsized a lot and given many items away to friends, family, or charity.

It is so easy to keep something by telling yourself, "I might use it someday!" I read somewhere that we use 20% of our stuff 80% of the time. This leaves a lot of things not used very often and probably cluttering up our homes and our lives.

Since it is the beginning of a new year, I am trying to go through closets, drawers, cabinets, etc. I have always heard if you have not worn it in a year, get rid of it. That is what I am doing.

Getting started is the hardest part for me. Just preparing myself to get RID of things I have not used in years. Once I have accomplished this task, it is a very freeing feeling.

Some ways to know if you have to much clutter:

You have to move a pile off a chair to have a seat.
You own scissors, but can never find them.
You have several years issues of several magazines.
You have cards and letters from twenty years ago.
You still have your high school prom dress.

Do you have too much clutter in your life or home or are you a very organized person?

Are you hanging onto stuff you will never use or don't need?

Ask yourself, "Why am I keeping that?"

Time to confess. Are you a "clutterbug" or a "neatfreak"?

UPDATE ON THE DENTIST TRIP!

2008-12-30T13:05:00.005-05:00

Just a quick update on my trip to the dentist yesterday.

I arrived for my appointment at 2 p.m. as scheduled. She started me on gas to relax me. It made me deathly sick to my stomach and gave me a pounding headache immediately. So, we decided to try it without the gas.

Next, after drilling for at least 40 minutes she tells me we have a slight setback. It seems she broke the drill bit off in the root canal and could not get it out. I, now, have two options, she can seal it in the canal and leave it or I can go to a specialist that might not be able to get it out either. Supposedly, this kind of thing happens quite often and it is no big deal. It should be fine just sealed in the canal because they used to put in something metal to fill the tooth anyway in the past but don't anymore. Besides, it fits in there just perfect! I decide to leave it in and get it over with. I spent one hour and 35 minutes with my jaws locked open, being gassed, and feeling like I would feel that drill come out the side of my jaw at anytime and even paid her a big sum of money to do these things to me....... When I got home, I was so sick to my stomach I was afraid to do anything but lie on the bed and not move because I did not think I could make it to the bathroom in time. She said to continue the antibiotics for several more days! (They are making me sick, too) I don't have to go back unless it starts to hurt again. I may pull it myself if it does!

Today, I am feeling a little better but still got the nausea.

I did get to see Thomas Wyatt on Sunday and give him his Christmas presents. He is feeling much better and went back to daycare yesterday. It was so good to see the little feller.

Thanks for all your kind, sweet comments and hopefully this situation will clear up very soon.

I SEE BETTER DAYS AHEAD!!

2008-12-27T11:06:00.011-05:00

What did one tooth say to the other tooth? "Thar's gold in them thar fills."

Hi folks, Just wanted to let everyone out there in blogland know that I am suffering from an abscessed tooth! Guess I ate too many sweets while I was baking for Christmas!! Who knows what causes these things.

Anyway, on December 23rd, I started having these twinges of pain that morning while trying to get stuff ready to go to the farm for Christmas. In a couple hours, it was more than a twinge it was a full blown throbbing pain. I knew I could not take a chance on trying to get through Christmas without seeing a dentist.

After calling nearly every dentist in my town, (including my regular dentist), I got an appointment for two thirty that day with a young woman that recently opened an office here and must have needed the business because she agreed to see me.

It seems I had an abscess on a tooth that is part of a lower bridge and is also crowned. This meant I go on antibiotics for several days and then a root canal on Monday, December 29th.

They will have to drill through the crown and if this does not work, then I go to an oral surgeon.

The cost is only $800 and that is if you pay up front!! The antibiotics have finally given me some relief. The medicine has to be taken two hours after eating or one hour before eating and every six hours including during the night. You can't lie down for thirty minutes after taking it, so I am up at 3 a.m. every morning. My daughter, Anne, said she was not smart enough to take this medicine!!

I will let you know what happens on Monday.

I did go to the farm and the girls and I prepared Christmas dinner. My son and his wife could not come because Thomas Wyatt had an ear infection and pinkeye and was running a temperature. Then, my son had to work that afternoon. His wife, Sarah, is now sick and on antibiotics. We hope to have

Christmas with TW soon and give him his presents. We just want everyone to feel better and know it could be a lot worse.

I enjoyed my visit with my daughters and they had a wonderful Christmas dinner at the farm.

It was great to be with them during the holidays.

We are all looking forward to better days ahead and the New Year.

TO ALL MY FRIENDS IN THE BLOGGING WORLD

2008-12-22T20:15:00.002-05:00

My Christmas Wish To YOU By Catherine Pulsifer
If I could wish a wish for you, it would be for peace and happiness not only now, but for the whole year through!
I wish that there always be food on your table. And that you always remember those less fortunate.May you always take time to share, and thank those who share with you.
I wish for time, so you may reflect on the blessings that you have, and that you express your love to those who are dear to you.
May you never feel lonely, because there are those who care.That you realize: you are special, you are unique, you make a difference, not only at Christmas, but all year!
I wish for your thoughts to be positive ones, that you never quit, that you never give up, and that you continue to learn.I wish for the love, peace, and joy of Christmas be yours always, Merry Christmas to each of you dear blogging friends.Judy

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

2008-12-18T08:37:00.015-05:00

I have not posted for a while and my blogging friends are beginning to check up on me. Just wanted everyone to know I have been busy. I am baking cookies, making cakes, wrapping gifts and trying to get ready for the holidays.

Yesterday, I made cookies all day. I have made gingersnap cookies for at least twenty-five years.
My mother-in-law used to make shortbread cookies every year and now that she is gone, I make those, too.

Another tradition with our family is jam cake and I make one for Bob and me and one to take to the farm for Christmas Day. If I have enough time during the holidays I will make a cake for a family member for Christmas.

I have a real good recipe for pumpkin bread and I make that for gifts for family members, too.

On Christmas Eve, Bob drops me off at Twinbay Farm around noon and the girls and I go have lunch at this quaint little restaurant called Fava's. Then, we go by the grocery if we need any last minute items. Back at the farm, we get everything organized and Anne usually makes sausage balls for snacks and we relax and plan our meal.

On Christmas morning, we get up before daylight and have coffee. Then, we go to the barn and watch the sun come up on Twinbay Farm while we feed the horses and take pictures. Next, it is back to the house and start cooking dinner.

Our menu consists of ham, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, macaroni and cheese, barley casserole, cheese grits casserole, cranberry salad, rolls, tea, coffee, jam cake and pumpkin pie and any other last minute additions.

The barley casserole and cheese grits are another tradition. We have made these two dishes for years and we all like them.

This year, we are only buying gifts for Thomas Wyatt as he is the only child in our family at the present time. Rob, Sarah, TW, Bob and Hilori, a friend of the girls, will join us Christmas Day for our holiday celebration. I can't wait to see TW get his presents and visit with Anne and Leigh on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The recipes for the cookies, jam cake, barley casserole, cranberry salad, cheese grits, and pumpkin bread are all on my recipe blog: Recipes From A Southern Country Cook

Does your family have favorite recipes or traditions at Christmas?

SANTA'S BAG OF TOYS

2008-12-11T05:00:00.002-05:00

The other day I was in Walmart looking for toys for my grandson, Thomas Wyatt for Christmas. The more I looked, the more confused I became. I have never seen so many toys in my life and they all run on batteries or electric or have controls. Guess it has been a while since I shopped at Christmas for an 18 month old boy.

I started thinking about some of the toys we used to play with as children and how much more sophisticated they are today than when I was a child.

Here are some toys I remember. I am sure there are many more and you can add a few of your own to this list.

Remember the etch-a sketch? My son, Rob, loved this toy when he was small. I think they still make them today but I bet they are not under many trees. He also loved his Inchworm and I did not see an Inchworm anywhere in Walmart.

Another toy that Rob just loved and wanted so bad from Santa was the Rock-em, Sock-em Robots.

My girls liked puppets and horse stuff.

Now, for some of the stuff I played with when I was a child. When I was in school, we played marbles and jacks all the time. There was always a circle on the playground with a bunch of kids playing marbles and if you won a cat eye that was really something. In the gym, we sat and played jacks during the entire recess period.

Does anyone remember pickup stix? I spent a lot of time playing this game.

How about a slinky and a yo-yo and skates with keys that fastened to your shoes?

Remember the old jack-in-the box?

And last but not least one of my favorite toys when I got a little older was the hula hoop. I once entered a hula hoop contest when I was about eleven or twelve at a Frisches Restaurant in my town. We all lined up in the parking lot and I went for four hours and twenty five minutes without dropping the hoop. I won a Frisches big boy and a malt!! WOW. The girl that won the grand prize (a portable radio) went for eight hours. Can you imagine standing there for eight hours without stopping???

What favorite toys come to mind when you think of your childhood?

REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR

2008-12-07T07:00:00.002-05:00

Sixty seven years ago today on December 7, 1941 at 7:55 a.m., Japanese fighter planes dropped the first bomb on Wheeler Field, eight miles from Pearl Harbor.

The surprise attack by the Japanese Imperial Navy led by Commander Mitsuo Fuchida on the Island of O'ahu, Hawaii killed more than 2,300 servicemen and 68 civilians and wounded numerous other Americans.

The U.S.S. Arizona was completely destroyed and seven other battleships were damaged or sunk.

There had been no formal declaration of war.

The entire nation was shocked by this attack and the United States declared war on Japan.

Two atomic bombs dropped on the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima brought surrender from Japan on August 14, 1945.

"The Oregonian", a Portland, Oregon newspaper has been credited with the first use of the phrase "Remember Pearl Harbor" in its' December 9, 1941 edition.

The song, "Remember Pear Harbor" and the saying became the slogan and battle cry of World War II.

Here are the words to the song:

History - in every century,
records an act that lives forevermore.
We'll recall - as in to line we fall
the thing that happened on Hawaii's shore

Let's REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR -
as we go to meet the foe -
Let's REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR
As we did the Alamo

We will always remember -
how they died for liberty,
Let's REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR
and go on to victory.

Although Pearl Harbor brought unprecedented unity from the American people during World War II, the cost in resources, lives, and sacrifice impacted generations of Americans.

Each year we honor the lives lost in that attack and salute the veterans of World War II.
Presently, we are engaged in a global war on terrorism and must once again unite to preserve our freedom.

Today, let's REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR, honor our veterans, and the brave men and women serving to advance freedom and peace around the world.

COFFEE IN THE MORNING!

2008-11-30T13:11:00.016-05:00

Are you one of those people that can't function until you have your morning coffee?

I am not much of a coffee drinker. Usually, I will have a cup with Bob in the mornings but if he is not here, I don't even make coffee.

I like the international coffees that come in those little tin containers and taste more like hot chocolate than coffee.

Bob has to have at least two cups of coffee in the morning in order to get his day started.

I don't do well with caffeine either. A cup of coffee with caffeine will really wake me up. If I drink anything with caffeine during the day, I stay up all night.

I love coffee mugs and cups and pick them up anytime I see an unusual or different one.

I used to know people when I still worked that drank coffee all day.

Did you know that special studies conducted about the human body revealed it will usually absorb up to about 300 milligrams of caffeine at a given time. About 4 normal cups. Additional amounts are just cast off, providing no further stimulation. Also, the human body dissipates 20% of the caffeine in the system each hour.

Here's a little joke about coffee: A Grandmother was surprised by her 7-year old grandson one morning. He had made her coffee! She drank what was the worst cup of coffee in her life. When she got to the bottom, there were three of those little green army men in her cup. Puzzled, she asked, "Honey, what are the army men doing in my coffee?"
Her grandson answered, "Grandma, it says on TV, the best part of waking up is soldiers in your cup."

Here's how to tell if you are a caffeine addict.

You might be a caffeine addict if :

You think sleep is for the weak.

Your heart beats noticeably faster as a reaction to the smell of coffee.

Your child's name is Nescafe.

You go to sleep just to wake up and smell the coffee.

Your coffee pot is next to your bed and your alarm clock is in the kitchen.

You suck on a used coffee filter whenever the can runs out of coffee.

I love to serve coffee to my friends and family along with some kind of great dessert. You can find a great holiday coffee recipe on my recipe blog: Recipes From A Southern Country Cook.

A cup of coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent.

Are you a coffee addict or do you not drink coffee?

TIED TO MOMMA'S APRON STRINGS

2008-11-23T12:20:00.013-05:00

I have so many memories tied to momma's apron strings.

I received an e-mail the other day from my blogging friend at LUV2GOSUP about the history of aprons. This made me think about all the memories surrounding those pieces of fabric worn by women to protect the dress underneath.

Momma always had on her apron. She would get dressed in the morning and put the apron on over her dress and wear it all day. I don't ever remember seeing my mother in pants. She always wore what she called "house" dresses at home. Momma wore the pinafore type that went over her head and covered her entire front.

My mother-in-law wore the same type apron as my mother. My daughters and son grew up seeing both their grandmothers wear aprons except when there was company or they left the house to shop or go visiting.

We all have memories of Nannie (my mother) carrying eggs, wiping wet hands, and cooking big meals in her apron.

Grandmother, (my husband's mother) carried all sorts of vegetables from the garden, baked cookies, and wiped away tears with her aprons.

Aprons made great hiding places for shy children, were used to carry in wood for the stove, to gather apples that fell from the tree, and often were waved to men in the field so they knew dinner was on the table.

I even found some old Simplicity Patterns on e-bay to make your own aprons.

You could wipe a perspiring brow, use them as a potholder, and wrap them around your arms to keep warm.

Some children today probably don't even know what an apron is.

I think aprons are memory makers. I think they symbolize home, motherhood and family, good times and cookies and good food! Remember Leave it to Beaver and June Cleaver in her apron on the show?

What do you think about when you think of aprons?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEIGH HARPER AND ANNE PARKER!

2008-11-16T17:21:00.020-05:00

On November 20th, my twin daughters will be thirty-one years old. It seems like only yesterday they were born a month premature. Anne weighed 3 lbs. and Leigh weighed 6 lbs. but promptly lost a pound. Leigh had to be taken to the University of Kentucky Medical Center because she was suffering from a condition where she had too much blood and a hole in her heart. Anne had to remain in the local hospital until she reached five pounds before she could be released to come home. I went home to the farm without either baby!

I had to travel back and forth to the local hospital to feed and visit with Anne each day. Their father, John, went to UK Hospital to visit Leigh. Since I had a cesarean section it was hard on me to do much traveling.

On the sixth day, John, went by the hospital to see Leigh and they told him she was being released. We had no idea she would be coming home and he had no idea what to do. He had no clothes, blankets, or anything. The nurses wrapped her in a big adult size hospital gown and a blanket, gave him some bottles with milk and he carried her out to his truck.

In order for anyone to fully appreciate this story, I have to tell you a little bit about their father. John was 32 and had never been married when we met. I was 30. John was a cowboy. He wore wrangler jeans, boots, a big cowboy hat, drove an old pickup truck, liked his beer and could ride a horse and rope a steer with the best of them. He loved to rodeo, rode the bulls, and was great at the calf roping events. He stood six feet tall, with red hair, freckles, and a mustache, carried a snuff can in his back pocket and kept a dip of snuff in his lip. His favorite past time was telling stories and he could entertain anyone for hours. He loved people and people loved him. He was smart, educated, and a fun person to be around but he had no earthly idea what to do with this baby girl in his pickup truck that only weighed 5 lbs.

Leigh was screaming like a banshee while her dad tried to find someway to keep her from rolling out of the truck seat. Looking in the bed of the truck, John comes up with one of those empty cardboard beer cartons that used to hold a case of beer. He stuffed Leigh into the carton on the seat beside him, put a bottle in her mouth and headed for home. The drive took about an hour and fifteen minutes.

I saw him pull into the driveway at the farm from the kitchen window. He was very carefully carrying this box with stuff hanging out all around the sides. There were no cell phones in those days and I had no idea Leigh was with him. John burst through the back door yelling, "you are not going to believe what I have in this box" to the top of his lungs. That was Leigh's homecoming.

Anne remained in the hospital for a month and came home on December 20, 1977. The nurses spoiled her to death and she was the hospital's little darling. She was our Christmas bundle of joy that year.

Finally, both our girls were home doing well.

Today, they are beautiful, young women that make me so proud to be their mother. They are successful in their careers and bought a farm where they live together with their dogs and horses.

John lost his battle with cancer several years ago but he is alive in their hearts and his spirit guides them in their lives each day.

Happy Birthday girls. I love you very, very much and you light up my life.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Johnny, Leigh, Anne

Bathtime on the farm.
Mom, Dad, Anne, Leigh

Waiting on the horses to come in.
Ready to ride.

Waiting on the school bus!

You can visit Anne and Leigh by clicking on the link:
Twin Crossroads

A SEA OF LEAVES!

2008-11-14T09:44:00.018-05:00

I have millions and millions of leaves in my yard. They are everywhere and this is the time of year that I don't enjoy my trees. I love fall but this is the one part I don't like.

I bought one of those pieces of machinery that sucks them up and mulches them but it has to be dry to run the thing. It has rained here the past few days and we are way behind on mulching. I bet we have already done enough to fill a 100 bags at least.

They would be up to your knees by now if we had not been out there every pretty day with the machine. Every time I go outside, I carry in half a bushel on my feet!
They are even on the roof this time of the year. Sometimes, if the weather gets bad, I have to finish in the spring. We put a lot of the mulch around the pine trees and in the flower beds and bag the rest.

The weather is in the 50s here today but they are forcasting snow flurries tomorrow.

People who live here always say if you don't like Kentucky weather to just stick around for five minutes and it will change.

I did get all my hanging baskets, flower pots, and small tables put away for the winter.

Maybe, we will have another pretty day soon and we can finish for the year.

NATIONAL VETERANS AWARENESS WEEK

2008-11-09T11:40:00.012-05:00

This Tuesday, November 11, 2008, we pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of the men and women who in defense of our freedom have bravely worn the uniform of the United States. The president has declared November 9 through November 15, 2008, as National Veterans Awareness Week and encourages all Americans to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans through ceremonies and prayers.

Great Britain, France, and other countries celebrate November 11th as Armistice Day to commemorate the ending of World War I on November 11, 1918.

Canada celebrates Remembrance Day on this same date.

The history of the Veterans Day in the United States is as follows:

1919 - President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice Day to remind Americans of the tragedies of war.
1938 - The day becomes a federal holiday.
1954 - Congress changes the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day to honor all United States Veterans.

Today, in the United States, Veterans Day commemorates the courage and patriotism of all the men and women who have served in the United States military.

Veteran’s Day Tribute

by Joanna Fuchs

When America had an urgent need,

These brave ones raised a hand;

No hesitation held them back;

They were proud to take a stand.
They left their friends and family;

They gave up normal life;

To serve their country and their God,

They plowed into the strife.

They fought for freedom and for peace

On strange and foreign shores;

Some lost new friends;

Some lost their lives

In long and brutal wars.
Other veterans answered a call

To support the ones who fought;

Their country had requirements for

The essential skills they brought.
We salute each and every one of them,

The noble and the brave,

The ones still with us here today,

And those who rest in a grave.
So here’s to our country’s heroes;

They’re a cut above the rest;

Let’s give the honor that is due

To our country’s very best.

God bless America and our men and women in uniform and their families for all that they have sacrificed for us.

SPRING FORWARD, FALL BACK!

2008-11-02T18:41:00.011-05:00

This past Saturday night we moved the clocks back an hour. Last night at 6:30 p.m. it had been dark for 30 minutes. I was half asleep at the computer and it was nowhere near bedtime.

I spent at least 30 minutes running all my clocks back. (I would have to love clocks)

There is at least one clock in every room including bathrooms, laundry room and the garage.

I had my dinner at 4:30 because I was starving!

Benjamin Franklin wrote the proverb: Early to bed, Early to rise, Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. By the time I adjust to the time change, (going to bed at six and getting up at 3 a.m.), I should not have any aches or pains, I might win the lottery, and those senior moments will have disappeared into the night. Do you think the proverb only works on men?

My electric bill will go up because I have to burn the lights a longer period of time......

I will probably do more snacking in the middle of the night because I will wake up around 9 p.m. hungry since I ate at 4:30.

I'll miss all the prime time shows on t.v. !

I'll be commenting on blogs at 4 a.m. in the morning.

I just remembered I did not change the clock on the car!

Am I the only one that has a hard time adjusting to time changes???????

THOMAS WYATT GOES TRICK OR TREATING!

2008-11-01T11:10:00.013-04:00

Just had to show everyone the pictures from Thomas Wyatts evening out trick or treating with his mother, Sarah, and friends.

Serious Lion.

Happy Lion.

Trick or Treat!

Checking Out The Loot.

Drooly Lion

High on Candy

Sleepy Lion

And a good evening was had by all!

KENTUCKY'S HAUNTED HOSPITAL, WAVERLY HILLS SANITARIUM

2008-10-29T15:58:00.016-04:00

The Waverly Hills Sanitarium opened in Louisville, Kentucky in October 1926. The structure was created to house tuberculosis patients and staff fighting this dreaded disease sometimes known as the "white plague". Waverly Hills was a 500 bed hospital offering a person anything they needed. A kitchen, laundry, dentist, library, and barber shop was located in the building.

Tuberculosis was rampant during this time affecting whole families and was so contagious that people were quarantined from the general public. This disease destroyed the lungs causing the patient to suffocate. It could also infect the brain, eyes, larynx and bones. Antibiotics had not been invented and the only treatment available was rest, fresh air and sunlight and to try and boost the patient's immune system by good nutrition. Some did recover and return home but many people died. TB outbreaks continued to grow. It is said that more people died from tuberculosis than Americans who died in WW1. Many experiments were performed and surgeries done trying to find a cure for this dreaded disease but over 60,000 people ended up dying in this facility.

The hospital faced the problem of how to dispose of the bodies. Since a recovery from tuberculosis also requires a person to be in a good mental state of mind corpses had to be removed from the premises without other patients viewing the procedure. The staff and doctors thought the bodies could still be contagious because of body fluids.

The inclined corridor or tunnel was first constructed to move supplies in and out of the building but at some point it was decided it could be used to discreetly transport bodies off the hill without other patients witnessing it. The dead were placed on a cart and lowered to the bottom that was 500 feet underground. They were picked up by surviving family members or cremated.

In 1943 streptomycin was introduced and tuberculosis cases gradually lowered and the hospital closed in 1961.

In 1962 The Woodhaven Geriatric Sanitarium opened but was closed for good by the state in 1980 for alleged patient abuse.

The building was taken over by vagrants and ripped of anything valuable. By 2001 Waverly Hills had been nearly destroyed by vandals and the elements. The hospital soon gained a reputation for being haunted and stories began to circulate of resident ghosts like the little girl who was seen running up and down the third floor solarium, the little boy who was spotted with a leather ball, the hearse that appeared in the back of the building dropping off coffins, the woman with the bleeding wrists who cried for help. Visitors told of slamming doors, lights in the windows, strange sounds and eerie footsteps in empty rooms.

There is a legend about room 502 where two suicides are said to have occurred. A nurse is said to have hanged herself from a fixture in 1928 after becoming pregnant out of wedlock. Another nurse is said to have been pushed or jumped out a window. It is believed that the mentally insane tuberculosis patients were housed on the fifth floor at Waverly.

The Louisville Ghost Hunters Society introduced the sanatorium to a national television audience, held two ghost conferences there and spent scores of thankless hours taking literally thousands of people through the building on more haunted tours than they could begin to count. They would also, during independent investigations and tours, experience numerous incidents of paranormal activity. According to many ghost hunters, the most common paranormal activity is the phenomenon of the shadow people, "moving shadows" that seem to have substance and are able to "walk" across doorways. They are supposedly able to block some light when a laser is pointed at them.

Below is a video of Waverly Hills and you can also learn more about it from the following link:

http://www.therealwaverlyhills.com/home.htm

This will conclude my posts about scary things. Hope everyone has a great Halloween.

MORE HALLOWEEN STUFF!

2008-10-23T09:00:00.018-04:00

I am going to be an authority on Halloween by the end of the month. Hope you have enjoyed learning a little more about this time of the year and the customs, poems, and recipes of October.

JACK-O-LANTERNS AND PUMPKINS

This story of the Jack o'Lantern comes from Irish folklore. Jack was a crafty farmer who tricked the Devil into climbing a tall tree. When the Devil reached the highest branch, Jack carved a large cross in the trunk, making it impossible for the Devil to climb down. In exchange for help getting out of the tree, the Devil promised never to tempt Jack with evil again. When Jack died, he was turned away from Heaven for his sins and turned away from Hell because of his trickery. Condemned to wander the Earth without rest, Jack carved out one of his turnips, took an ember from the devil, and used it for a lantern to light his way. He became known as "Jack of the Lantern."

PUMPKIN FACTS

There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with orange the color of pumpkins.
Turnips and beets served as the original jack-o-lanterns.
Jack-o-lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep spirits away and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.
Pumpkins also come in white, blue and green.
Pumpkins originaed in Central America.
Growing big pumpkins is a big time hobby.

SOME FACTS ABOUT HALLOWEEN

Halloween was originally a Celtic holiday celebrated on October 31.
Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes.
Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death.
Mexico celebrates 'The Day of the Dead' instead of Halloween.
Halloween is the 2nd most commercially successful holiday, with Christmas being the first. People spend as much as over $2.5 billion during Halloween on candies, costumes, decorations and parties.
Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States.
Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters.
It is believed that the Irish began the tradition of Trick or Treating.
The ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night.
Black cats were once believed to be witch's familiars who protected their powers.
Samhainophobia is an intense fear of Halloween.

BEETHOVEN HALLOWEEN JOKE

A daring vacationer in Vienna is walking through a graveyard on Halloween when all of a sudden she hears music. No one is around, so she starts looking to see where it’s coming from.She finally locates the source and finds it is coming from a grave with a headstone that reads, “Ludwig van Beethoven.” Then she realizes that the music is the Ninth Symphony and it is being played backward. Puzzled, she leaves the graveyard and persuades a friend to return with her.By the time they arrive back at the grave, the music has changed. This time it is the Seventh Symphony, but it is also being played backward.Curious, the ladies agree to consult a music scholar. When they return with the expert, the Fifth Symphony is playing and the expert concludes that the symphonies are in fact being played in reverse order.By the next day the word spread and a huge group gathered around the grave to hear the Second Symphony being played backward. Just then the graveyard's caretaker approaches the group. Someone in the crowd asks him if he has an explanation for the music."Oh, it's nothing to worry about" says the caretaker. "He's just decomposing!!"

HOW TO ROAST PUMPKIN SEEDS

Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out the pulp and strings. (This is easiest just after you've removed the seeds from the pumpkin, before the pulp has dried.)
Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet, stirring to coat. If you prefer, omit the oil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
Sprinkle with salt and bake at 325 degrees F until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring after 10 minutes.
Let cool and store in an air-tight container.

WHEN THE FROST IS ON THE PUNKIN AND THE FODDERS IN THE SHOCK

2008-10-18T10:20:00.009-04:00

This is another poem by James Whitcomb Riley that I used to love as a child. I hope you like it, too. It seems so appropriate for this time of the year.

WHEN the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodders in the shock.

They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here—
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;
And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!...
I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be
As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me—
I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

THE GOBLINS WILL GET YOU IF YOU DON'T WATCH OUT!!

2008-10-13T01:40:00.014-04:00

My mother used to read this poem to me when I was a child. I read it to my three children on Halloween and I hope my children will read it to my grandchildren.

To all the little children: -- The happy ones; and sad ones;The sober and the silent ones; the boisterous and glad ones; The good ones -- Yes, the good ones, too; and all the lovely bad ones.

Little Orphant Annie
by
James Whitcomb Riley

Little Orphan Annie's come to my house to stay.
To wash the cups and saucers up and brush the crumbs away.

To shoo the chickens from the porch and dust the hearth and sweep,

and make the fire and bake the bread to earn her board and keep.

While all us other children, when the supper things is done,

we sit around the kitchen fire and has the mostest fun,

a listening to the witch tales that Annie tells about

and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!

Once there was a little boy who wouldn't say his prayers,

and when he went to bed at night away up stairs,

his mammy heard him holler and his daddy heard him bawl,

and when they turned the covers down, he wasn't there at all!

They searched him in the attic room and cubby hole and press

and even up the chimney flu and every wheres, I guess,

but all they ever found of him was just his pants and round-abouts

and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!

Once there was a little girl who always laughed and grinned

and made fun of everyone, of all her blood and kin,

and once when there was company and old folks was there,

she mocked them and she shocked them and said, she didn't care.

And just as she turned on her heels to go and run and hide,

there was two great big black things a standing by her side.

They snatched her through the ceiling fore she knew what shes about,

and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!

When the night is dark and scary, and the moon is full

and creatures are a flying and the wind goes Whoooooooooo,

you better mind your parents and your teachers fond and dear,

and cherish them that loves ya, and dry the orphans tears

and help the poor and needy ones that cluster all about,

or the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!!

GOD'S PHARMACY

2008-10-09T18:54:00.023-04:00

A friend sent this to me...

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... All before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born.

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... And YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries

Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

These are best and more powerful when eaten raw. God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!

DIDDLE, DIDDLE DUMPLIN, MY GRANDSON, THOMAS WYATT

2008-10-05T18:08:00.037-04:00

Thomas Wyatt came for an overnight visit on Saturday. We spent a lot of time outside with me pulling him in that red wagon and him checking out all the trees in my yard. He can now say "tree" and goes around touching each one and says the word. I have about 22 big trees so he is getting a lot of practice. He is fine as long as I keep moving the wagon but the minute I stop he stands up or tries to get out.

He had totally run himself down by 7 p.m. and Nanna decided to put him in the big tub instead of the sink like I usually do. He gets in the big tub at his house and plays with all his toys in the water. He stood there and watched me run the water, let me take off his clothes and diaper and when I got ready to lift him over the side, he balked like a mule, sat in the floor and would not budge. All of a sudden he jumps up and runs in the kitchen to the sink and starts jumping up and down. Of course, Nanna put him in the sink and he was so happy to play with the spray and the faucets. I told my son I could see me getting the little step stool when he was five years old and saying, "go up the steps and get into the sink" since I would not be able to lift him by then....

TW was fast asleep by 8 p.m. and I was awakened by a cute little humming noise about 5 a.m. this morning. He was awake and happy and ready to start another day . We did a diaper change, heated a bottle and Nanna did "rock-a-bye baby" in the rocking chair with him covered in a blanket enjoying his bottle. Next, when he was good and awake we had oatmeal in the high chair.

The picture with one sock on and one off reminded me of diddle, diddle dumplin a children's poem. He is standing in front of the pantry where I keep the fruit loops. He goes there when he wants some and I put just a few on a placemat for him to munch on between meals.

He needs to grow just about one more inch and he can reach my light switches. This is going to make him so happy! He tries very hard but just can't quite make it.

His dad came to get him around 9:30 a.m. and we got the stroller out and went for about a 45 minute walk through the neighborhood before they left for home. TW enjoyed seeing the dogs and cats and I enjoyed visiting with my son.

I cannot believe that TW is already 16 months old. It seems like yesterday when we brought him home from the hospital. He will be back in two weeks and Nanna will be ready to see him again.

HOW MANY ZEROS IN A BILLION???

2008-10-01T15:45:00.007-04:00

The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of it's releases.

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain... let's take a look at New Orleans . It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) is presently asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number.. what does it mean?

A. Well... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, and child) you each get $516,528.

B. Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C. Or... if you are a family of four... your family gets $2,066,012.

Washington, D. C <> Are all your calculators broken??

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax

CDL License Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)

IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Tax

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Service charge taxes

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax (Truckers)

Sales Taxes

Recreational Vehicle Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Servi ce Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State a nd Local Surcharge Tax

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax

Telephone State and Local Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Tax

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago... and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt... We had the largest middle class in the world... and Mom stayed home to raise the kids .. What happened? Can you spell 'politicians!'

We are talking about a billion here. Now, think about 700 billion! I just thought this was really interesting considering what is going on right now with the economy and the bailout.

THE GREATEST FAMILY FEUD, THE HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS

2008-09-28T12:39:00.009-04:00

The feud between two Appalachian families, the Hatfields and McCoys is one of the most famous battles in history. These two mountain families fought for years. The McCoys lived on the Kentucky side of Tug Fork, a tributary of the Big Sandy River and the Hatfields lived on the West Virginia side.

Most members of both families fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War but Harman McCoy of Kentucky fought on the Union side. Some say his murder was the first violence in the feud. Harmon was actually killed by some ex-confederates but the McCoys suspected Devil Hatfield. Devil was actually innocent of the crime. He owned a timber operation during this period and even employed several McCoys.

Devil Hatfield

The Hatfields were affluent people for their time and well connected politically.

Then, there are those that say the violence really started over the ownership of a hog. Floyd Hatfield had it and Randolph McCoy said it belonged to him.

In truth, the dispute was over property lines. The pig was in the fight because one family believed because the pig was on their land it was theirs. They went to a local Justice of the Peace (who by the way was a preacher and a Hatfield) and the McCoys lost due to the testimony of a relative of both families, Bill Staton.

The feud escalated when Roseanna McCoy and Johnse Hatfield began having an affair and Roseanna went to West Virginia to live. Johnse abandoned her when she became pregnant and married her cousin, Nancy McCoy.

Jonse Hatfield

The feuding continued and between 1880 and 1891 more than a dozen members of the two families were shot, stabbed, hung or murdered. To try and restore order both the Kentucky and West Virginia militias had to be called up.

The U.S. Supreme Court became involved in 1888 due to the murder of Alifair McCoy. Alifair was shot running from a burning building set aflame by eight Hatfield men. The men were all found guilty. One was executed by hanging and seven received terms of life in prison. The hanging took place in Pikeville, Kentucky.

Finally, in 1891 the Hatfields and McCoys agreed to stop fighting.

An actual peace treaty was signed in June 2003 in Pikeville by members of both families.

Since I was born and raised in Kentucky, I have heard about this feud all my life. I don't think I am related to any of these people but the names are common in Kentucky. The descendants of the two families even appeared on the t.v. game show Family Feud several years ago and they had a live pig on stage during the entire show.

A Quick Post for Another Award. It is raining Awards!

2008-09-28T08:20:00.006-04:00

This is the time of the year for festivals, awards, and such. This award was given by Ugich at gappa. The award is for blogs whose content and/or design are brilliant as well as creative. Please check out this site. I am passing this award onto Kate at . . . . . . . . . SHAMBLES MANOR . . , Lom at A new year, a way of life, Yvonne at WELCOME TO MY WORLD OF POETRY:, Jeanne at I Like To Be Here When I Can , Ann at Ann Tucker Blog - The Blogging Granny, Ginny at CHICKOWASCO Chatter , Grammy at livinglifeafter65 . If interested in participating, save the award and place it in your sidebar, and pass it on to the brilliant bloggers whose blogs you read and enjoy. Thanks.

AN AWARD, A MEME, AND A CHALLENGE!!!

2008-09-25T10:50:00.003-04:00

First of all I have received another, "I Love Your Blog Award" from Jeanne of I Like To Be Here When I Can. Please check out her blog. Thanks, Jeanne. I would like to nominate the following people: Clairz of The Zees Go West, Nancy at Life Is Good..., Ugich at gappa, Rachel at Sliding through life , Junie at Junie's Place, Amber Star at serenity days, Anne and Leigh at My Twin Daughters Blog, Twin Crossroads. Please check out these great blogs. If you were nominated and would like to participate, save the award and place it in your sidebar, and nominate the people whose blog you love.

Second, Kate of . . . . . . . . . SHAMBLES MANOR . . has nominated me to carry the torch for the meme to name five of my current addictions, so here goes:

1. Blogging - I love all my blogging friends and enjoy very much reading blogs.

2. Sweets - I love cake, cookies, ice cream, candy, chocolate. If it has sugar, I like it!

3. Tea - I drink tea all the time. It is my favorite drink.

4. Reality Shows - I love just about every one of them.

5. Consignment Shops, Flea Markets and Antique Malls. I can spend hours browsing through them all.

Now, I nominate 2 people to carry the torch for this meme. Jeanne of I Like To Be Here When I Can and Amber Star of serenity days. If you two decide to carry the torch, please nominate two people for this. Thanks.

Next, is a challenge from Clara of Clara's Corner asking, "Who Will Take The Challenge?" If you decide you want to take the challenge, you have to list 100 things about yourself. If not interested in this challenge or reading my list, just skip this post. I will tell you one thing. This is not easy. I had to make a list and add to it as things popped into my head and it was a challenge but turned out to be fun. So my list is below.

1. I have 3 children, twin girls and a boy, Anne Parker and Leigh Harper, and Charles Robert.

2. I have one grandchild, a boy 16 months old, Thomas Wyatt

3. I have a wonderful daughter-in-law, Sarah

4. I love all my family very much.

5. I am 5' 3" tall

6. I am a people person

7. I love God

8. I love to cook.

9 I love to read, non-fiction and biographies. Not much on fiction.

10.I graduated high school, real estate school, and some college.

11. I like to live simply but comfortably.

12. I color my hair but hate doing it.

13. I am very organized.

14. I like to fish

15. I love flowers

16. I like to work outside in the yard

17. I like to play gin rummy

18. I like lots of different kinds of music, but not rap

19. Tea is my favorite drink

20. Scent of a Woman is my favorite movie.

21. I do my own nails.

22. I am an early riser

23. I love retirement

24. I talk to my girls on the phone every day and sometimes more than once.

25. I am afraid of strong wind and storms. Too many big trees in my yard.

26. I am afraid of spiders, even the tiny ones. They sneak up on you.

27. I love reality t.v. shows, Big Brother, Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, America's Got Talent, Idol. Like them all.

28. I love my computer, a lot of my friends are in it.

29. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday

30. Fall is my favorite season

31. I used to deer, rabbit, and squirrel hunt but I am no Sarah Palin!

32. I love pottery

33. I can't work as hard as I once did.

34. I can't play an instrument

35. I love watching the sun come up

36. I love beaches

37. I love to walk

38. I don't like cold weather or snow

39. I like to hang clothes out to dry

40 I love shoes

41. I love handbags, new ones, used ones, cheap ones, expensives ones. Love them all.

42. I used to live on a farm and loved it. Raised a big garden and canned vegetables, worked in tobacco, and had chickens, horses, a cat and two dogs, and cattle.

43. I am a good speller (most of the time)

44. I owned and ran a country store for seven and a half years.

45. I retired from state government

46. I love a fireplace and woodstove

47. I have sold real estate

48. I don't take any kind of medicine.

49. I wear glasses

50. I used to be a runner and ran 5k races. Won a trophy in my 40s. Ran my last race 4 years ago.

51. I like comfortable clothes, jeans, and sweats.

52. I hate high-heeled shoes

53. I broke every bone in my left foot and spent 13 days in the hospital in 1993.

54. I have 10 screws and a plate in my left foot from the fall I took in #53.

55. I have weird dreams sometimes.

56. I get one lottery ticket on Wednesday and one on Saturday

57. New Orleans is one of my favorite places.

58. I did some freelance writing and was published in several magazines back in the 80s.

59. I am the middle child with an older and younger sister, no brothers.

60. I love my state of Kentucky

61. My favorite song is Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.

62. My favorite food is shrimp

63. I have a pilates that I work out on.

64. I am allergic to ragweed

65. I like helping other people

66. I like to take pictures and carry my camera with me most of the time.

67. My son is an very good artist, has acted in several movies, and works for a t.v. station.

68 My girls own a farm and horses, barrel race, are great horsewomen, and one works in the cattle industry and the other works for a magazine.

69. My daughter in law is a director at the Ronald McDonald House

70. I love my life

71. I am healthy as far as I know

72. I am mostly easy going but if pushed will come out fighting.

73. I used to smoke but quit several years ago

74. I may have a glass of wine or a beer once in a great while

75. I am left handed

76 I have a soft heart

77. I cry when I watch a sad movie

78 I have a sense of humor and love to make people laugh

79 My favorite color is blue but I like purple flowers

80. I used to love to dance

81. I admire people who can sing and play an instrument

82. I like poetry

83. I like to be around happy people that enjoy life

84. I absolutely love those little dollar hot fudge sundaes at McDonalds.

85. I made enough money on ebay one winter just selling stuff Bob and I wanted to get rid of to fly to Florida and spend 8 days on the beach.

86. I have a cell phone that only works half the time from my house. I don't like cell phones!

87. I admire people that are able to do things with their hands like crochet, knit, etc. I don't have the patience.

88. I am a Libra.

89. I take a one a day vitamin and calcium every day.

90. I have been single longer than I have ever been married. (That is a long story for another time)

91. I have green eyes

92. I have a wonderful man in my life and I love and appreciate him very much.

93. Bob and I have been seeing each other for 4 years.

94. My hair is fine and thin (Hence all the bad hair days on my blog)

95. I love clocks

96. I need to replace my carpet in my house

97. I am always getting rid of stuff and calling myself downsizing.

98. I am a very lucky person.

99. I would not change anything about my life.

100. I am glad I did this but glad it is finished!

Clara, This was a hard thing to do! I challenge anyone with the stamina to try this!

CINNAMON AND HONEY, A CURE FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING!

2008-09-21T11:15:00.003-04:00

Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.

Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat.

In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning, and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon of honey and half teaspoon of cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears Stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ' ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase.

PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS: Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three time s a day.

FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible .

BAD BREATH: First thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so that breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restore hearing.

Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

I don't know how much of this is true but I do love honey and cinnamon. Someone sent me this and I thought it was interesting how many uses they list. I do eat it several times a week or use honey as a natural sweetener. My sister takes cinnamon pills and they have lowered her cholesterol. I am told that honey made in your area where you live is especially good for allergies. Do you have any home remedies or cures for what ails you???

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!

2008-09-15T09:27:00.004-04:00

I have been tagged by Kate at . . . . . . . . . SHAMBLES MANOR . . . I am supposed to answer the following questions and then tag three other people, so here goes:

1) Where was I - 10 years ago?

I was working for the State of Kentucky, Department for Human Resources in the local field office as a Casemanager. My job was to try and place welfare recipients into a job and help them to become self sufficient and get off the welfare programs. I worked with local agencies such as employment services, ged programs, churches, housing facilities, transportation agencies, etc. to assist in reaching these goals. We reduced the welfare roles significantly in our area in a matter of a few years. I, then, transferred to the State Ombudsmans Office where we addressed and applied welfare policy to difficult case situations and tried to help clients with issues.

2) What's on my 'to do' list for today ?

I plan to pick up sticks off my yard and drag limbs to the side of the road for the county to grind up. We had 70 mile an hour winds from remnants of Ike and my power has been off, phone out, and cable and internet down overnight. The weatherman promised rain but not a drop.
Some roads are blocked but nothing like Ike in Texas and Louisiana.

3) What if I were a Billionaire ?

I would give my children a million each, pay off all their bills, pay off all my bills and build a dream home on about five acres of land, hire a gardener, travel, give some to charity, and try to help out people that really need it.

4) Places I have lived ?

I have always lived in Kentucky in Frankfort, Danville, and Gravel Switch.

5) Bad Habits ?

My girls say I don't listen well and I sometimes talk over people.

6) Snacks I like ?

I love chocolate and ice cream and cookies.

There's only 3 folk being tagged and they are: Margie of Margie's Musings, Doris at
livinglifeafter65, and Ernestine at My Journey To Mindfulness. Please check out these blogs. If you were tagged and would like to participate, please copy the questions, give your answers, and tag three more people you would like to know more about or find interesting. Kate, I did my part!! The questions are listed below if you want to copy and paste them into your post and not have to type them out.

1) Where was I - 10 years ago?
2) What's on my 'to do' list for today ?
3) What if I were a Billionaire ?
4) Places I have lived ?
5) Bad Habits ?
6) Snacks I like ?

MY MOTHER'S CROCK

2008-09-11T07:16:00.001-04:00

My mother had this crock for as long as I can remember. She kept it in the old, white, kitchen cupboard with a flour sifter on one side and a bread drawer on the other. The crock was used to mix up the dough for her biscuits. It holds eight quarts. Momma was the champion when it came to making those big, fat, buttermilk biscuits and she would make a lot of them at one time. We thought her cold biscuits with blackberry jam and fresh butter was a treat and would eat them for a snack like kids today eat chips. I can remember neighborhood children knocking on our door and asking my mother if she had any cold biscuits they could have and momma would always give them a biscuit with jam or jelly.

I use the crock to mix up cakes from scratch and to mix the dough for my sourdough bread.

When my children were small and we lived on the farm, I used to make my bread all the time. Several months ago, I started making it again. My starter is made with instant mashed potato flakes and I feed it every five days and then make the bread. If interested you can find my recipe for the starter and the bread on my recipe blog Recipes From A Southern Country Cook. There is nothing like hot sourdough bread straight from the oven with butter. It is also wonderful toasted for sandwiches.

I have very much enjoyed making bread for my family once again and also give it away as gifts to friends.

I always think of momma when I get the crock down off the top of my refrigerator every five days.

I have several things that belonged to her but for some reason "the crock" just seems like a part of her that remains close to my heart.

Hopefully, one day my girls will continue the tradition of bread making in one form or another and the crock will be passed to another generation. My son already has a smaller one just like mine that belonged to momma.

I think we all have things that have been passed to us from friends or relatives that mean a great deal to us or bring back memories.

I would love to hear about something that is special to you.

CHRISTOPHER HOUSTON "KIT" CARSON, AMERICAN FRONTIERSMAN, TRAPPER, SCOUT, SOLDIER, AND LEGEND OF THE WEST

2008-09-07T09:00:00.002-04:00

I guess you all know by now that I can't go very long without writing about someone or something in history. You probably have learned more about Kentucky from reading my blog than you ever dreamed you would know or maybe more than you ever wanted to know! I think my children wonder where I come up with all this stuff but I just find it interesting.

I, also, find it very enjoyable to read about your states or countries and places I may never get a chance to visit.

Kit Carson was born on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1809 near Richmond, Kentucky in Madison County. He was raised in Howard County, Missouri the ninth of fourteen children.

Kit's father was killed by a falling tree when Kit was just nine years old. The young boy had to drop out of school to help take care of his siblings and the family farm.

Mathew Kinkead, a friend of Kit's father, was a woodsman and explorer and taught Kit the skills of being a trapper. Kit attended an annual mountain man rendezvous in Wyoming when he was twenty five. There was an Arapaho Indian tribe camped nearby and Kit met an Indian woman by the name of Waa-Nibe. (Singing Grass). He and Singing Grass had two children. She died giving birth to the second child. Kit then married a Cheyenne woman, Making-Out-Road in 1841 but she left him and returned to her tribe shortly after their marriage.

In 1842, he met and married the daughter of a prominent Taos, New Mexico family and was baptized in the Catholic Church. Josefa, his new wife, was fifteen and Kit was thirty four. They raised eight children together.

Josefa Carson

Kit went to work as a guide for John C. Fremont. He helped guide Freemont to Oregon and California and through much of the Central Rocky Mountains. Kit had lived and traveled among the Indians for years and was known as a man of his word.

When the Mexican War was over, he took up ranching and was appointed a federal Indian Agent for Northern New Mexico until 1861 when he resigned to help organize the New Mexico Volunteer Infantry. They waged economic war against the Navajo destroying their crops, orchards and livestock. For years the Navajo had preyed on the Utes, Pueblos, Hopis and Zunis, raiding their camps. These tribes joined Carson and the Navajo could not defend themselves. In 1864, the Navajo surrendered to Carson and eight thousand Navajo men, women and children walked 300 miles from Arizona to Fort Sumner, New Mexico where they remained until 1868.

Carson moved to Colorado following the Civil War to continue ranching. He died in 1868 at the age of sixty from old wounds and his remains are buried near his home in Taos.

Kit Carson was a man of great modesty and never boasted of his achievements. He rendered great service to the government in New Mexico, Colorado and the Indian territory and was made brigadier general for his meritorious conduct.

Josefa Carson died shortly before Kit as a result of complications of childbirth. She would have been forty one years of age.

Note: We talk about our childhoods, our memories, and the way things were for us years ago. I often think about what life was like for people of this generation, especially women.

I LOVE YOUR BLOG AWARD

2008-09-05T16:30:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Kate at . . . . . . . . . SHAMBLES MANOR . . for this award. Please check out her site.

I would like to give this award to The View from Over the Hill, Texas To Oregon, WELCOME TO MY WORLD OF POETRY:, livinglifeafter65 , and Never Enough Time . These are some of my favorite blogs. Please check them out. If you received an award and would like to pass it on to five people, click on and save the award from my site, place it in your sidebar, do a post like this one and pass it on to your favorite blogs. Thanks again Kate for thinking of me.

J.D. CROWE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

2008-08-31T16:57:00.017-04:00

The annual 2008 J.D. Crowe Bluegrass Festival now in its 8th year was held in Jessamine County August 28 - 30th. It is held on a 111-acre farm in Wilmore, Kentucky.

J.D. Crowe was born and raised in Lexington, Ky. He started playing banjo at age 13. J.D. was one of the most influential progressive bluegrass musicians of the 70s. Crowe along with his band, New South, has been a fixture on the bluegrass scene for years.

Bob's granddaughter was performing with a group on Saturday morning. We had tickets and arrived a little before they were brought out on stage. Cynthia plays fiddle and violin.

Cynthia (Bob's granddaughter in pink shirt and jeans)

We found some good seats under a big tent along with Ruth and Eric, his daughter and son-in-law.
There was some good old bluegrass music and lots of picking and grinning.

Susan and Ruth (Bob's daughters) talking with Dad
Bob's son, Bobby (father of Cynthia)

Eric (Ruth's husband) with Susan

Cynthia's brother, Justin, enjoying the show!

Cynthia's mom, Marie, was behind the curtain being a stage mother when the pictures were taken.

We were all very proud of Cynthia and her fiddle playing and Bob and I enjoyed our time with his children and grandchildren.

Besides a jam packed musical lineup, there was a vintage car display, arts and craft show, and a cornhole tournament.

It was a very hot day with temperatures in the 90s. Bob and I left after a few hours to come home and relax in the air conditioning, play some gin rummy, and watch the movie, The Last King of Scotland with Forest Whitaker.

The first song that plays on my playlist while you are reading my blog is J.D. Crowe and his band.

A LOVE STORY OF ALL TIME

2008-08-27T13:08:00.010-04:00

A friend sent me this story by e-mail.
This is an awesome story! Some of you may have seen this but I thought it was so sweet it was worth repeating.

An incredible love story has come out of China recently and managed to touch the world.

It is a story of a man and an older woman who ran off to live and love each other in peace for over half a century.

The 70-year-old Chinese man who hand-carved over 6,000 stairs up a mountain for his 80-year-old wife has passed away in the cave which has been the couple's home for the last 50 years.
Over 50 years ago, Liu Guojiang a 19 year-old boy, fell in love with a 29 year-old widowed mother named Xu Chaoqin..

In a twist worthy of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, friends and relatives criticized the relationship because of the age difference and the fact that Xu already had children.

At that time, it was unacceptable and immoral for a young man to love an older woman.. To avoid the market gossip and the scorn of their communities, the couple decided to elope and lived in a cave in Jiangjin County in Southern ChongQing Municipality

In the beginning, life was harsh as they had nothing, no electricity or even food. They had to eat grass and roots they found in the mountain, and Liu made a kerosene lamp that they used to light up their lives.
Xu felt that she had tied Liu down and repeatedly asked him, 'Are you regretful? Liu always replied, 'As long as we are industrious, life will improve.'
In the second year of living in the mountain, Liu began and continued for over 50 years, to hand-carve the steps so that his wife could get down the mountain easily.

Half a century later in 2001, a group of adventurers were exploring the forest and were surprised to find the elderly couple and the over 6,000 hand-carved steps. Liu MingSheng, one of their seven children said, 'My parents loved each other so much, they have lived in seclusion for over 50 years and never been apart a single day. He hand carved more than 6,000 steps over the years for my mother's convenience, although she doesn't go down the mountain that much.'

The couple had lived in peace for over 50 years until last week. Liu, now 72 years, returned from his daily farm work and collapsed. Xu sat and prayed with her husband as he passed away in her arms. So in love with Xu, was Liu, that no one was able to release the grip he had on his wife's hand even after he had passed away.

TO MY CHILDREN, ROB, ANNE, LEIGH

2008-08-21T18:20:00.008-04:00

I have been thinking of each of you today. You are all great adults. You have accomplished so much in your young lives and I am so proud of each of you.

Rob, It seems like yesterday when your dad and I brought you home from the hospital. I can't believe that this past April you turned forty. You are now a father to the cutest little boy on earth, Thomas Wyatt, and husband to Sarah, my sweet and wonderful daughter-in-law.

Rob

Anne and Leigh, I am so proud of the young women you have become and all your accomplishments. You have purchased a farm, have great jobs, many friends, and are sweet, caring, loving ladies. You are no longer my babies but thirty year old adults.

Anne and Leigh

I found a poem by Barbara Cage that expresses some of the feelings I have when I think of the three of you. It is printed below.

I Want to Tell You What It Means to Me to Be Your Mother

Being your mother

means that I have had the opportunity

to experience loving someone

more than I love myself.

I have learned what it's like

to experience joy and pain

through someone else's life.

It has brought me pride and joy;

your accomplishments touch me

and thrill me

like no one else's can

It has brought me

a few tears and heartaches at times,

but it has taught me

hope and patience.

It has shown me the depth,

strength, and power of love.

Being your mother

hasn't always been easy,

and I'm sure

I've said or done things,

that have hurt or confused you.

But no one

has ever made me as satisfied

as you do just by being happy.

No one has made me as proud

as you do just by living up

to your responsibilities.

No one's smile

has ever warmed my heart

like yours does;

no one's laughter

fills my heart with delight

as quickly as yours can.

No one's hugs feel as sweet,

and no one's dreams

mean as much to me as yours do.

No other memories of bad times

have miraculously

turned into important lessons

or humorous stories;

the good times

have become precious treasures

to relive again and again.

You are a part of me,

and no matter what happened in the past

or what the future holds,

you are someone

I will always accept,

forgive, appreciate, adore,

and love unconditionally.

Being your mother

means that I've been given

one of life's greatest gifts: you.

All My Love, Mom

BYBEE, THE OLDEST EXISTING POTTERY WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES

2008-08-17T14:45:00.003-04:00

I love pottery! I have collected it for years along with other things. I guess I am just a collector.......

Bybee Pottery is located in the rolling hills of Madison County, Kentucky in the small town of Bybee. It has been in operation since pioneer days. This pottery is supposed to have been established and doing business as early as 1845.

The same processes are used today as were used over a century ago. The clay used is found in deposits about three miles from Bybee and is open-pit mined several feet beneath the rich Kentucky topsoil. History records show this same clay was mined by the first settlers of Kentucky and taken to Fort Boonesborough to be used in making crude dishes.

Bybee Pottery has a following around the world. The building is the "real deal" and remains today as it was when the business first started.

I have many pieces of this pottery and love to find a piece at a flea market, garage sale, or on e-bay where it brings a good price. I have even found a couple of pieces at the Goodwill. It comes in several different colors ranging from navy blue to regular blue to speckled and brown, gold, and even a sort of wine color. It is dishwasher safe and can be put in the oven. Bybee Pottery is usually marked on the bottom with a "BB" for Bybee or the words, "Bybee Pottery".

I have heard rumors that the company is thinking of shutting its doors after all these years because the younger generation is not interested in taking over the business. If that happens, this pottery that is already collectible will probably become even more scarce in the future.

The pottery is sold in Middletown, Kentucky at "A Little Bit of Bybee" or click here: http://www.bybeepottery.com/.

My friends and family know that I collect this pottery and have given me many pieces over the years to add to my collection. I have a six place setting of the blue plates that I love and use it often for company. The plates are big and hold a lot of food. Most men like these plates for that reason!

The pictures are a few of my pieces.

I think it is great fun to have something you can look for when you go out or are interested in even if it is books, toys, jewelry or whatever gets you excited. My day is complete when I make a "find" and especially if it is a cheap "find".