There's hot weather in Arizona, 117 and up. I've seen those temperatures and complained of, or bragged about, them depending upon who I was talking to. That's bad. That's why I have a pool...much to my husband's great displeasure. I can't stand hot, dry weather.
That was BEFORE I re-experienced East Texas hot. East Texas hot is really not much on the temperature scale - 85 - 100 degrees. It's that 50% and up humidity every day that's a killer. Seriously, from someone who has seen both ends of the spectrum, Texas hot is much hotter, no matter what the numbers say.
We work outside from early in the morning until lunch. Then we take a nice siesta until at least 5:00 p.m. From 5:00 til dark - 9ish or so - we work. We may hoe in the garden, mow the lawn, feed the chickens, water, pick fricking squash...any myriad of things. Squash by the way, is my least favorite vegetable. That being the case it naturally produces like John and Katie on fertility drugs... I have to pick yellow and zuccini every single day. The okra will be the same once it starts really puttin on.
I owe you a status report on the gardens. My heirloom seed garden is kinda sad. The reason for that is mostly that I planted my seeds too close to the grass and have been battling for water. I have beans and peas. I've actually cooked fresh green beans and new potatoes all from our garden. My lettuce is coming on like crazy and I have one tiny little ear of corn on my Bantum corn.... I also have (drumroll please) three tiny little watermelons on two different vines! Woo Hoo! Dad's quite jealous and threatening to either pick the baby melons or accidentally hoe them up.
Dad's garden is magnificent. He planted wide enough to run the big tiller down the rows and it really shows. It's clean and just beautiful. The squash is reproducing at an amazing rate. The Okra has a few small pods but more are coming. Love to eat it, HATE to pick it. The black-eyed peas are blooming. I love shelling peas. I have very fond memories of my grandmother holding a lap full of peas - shelling them into a pan in the evening. Anyhow, the sweet corn is ready and we'll be eating this weekend. Dad has one ripe tomato so we can combine that with my lettuce and have a fresh salad! Woo hoo!
Roofus, our blind Holstein steer, is doing very well. He's loving life. The goats are good and Citation, the horse what else?, is doing okay. He got out recently and just refused to go home. I ran Frankie into the house and chased 1100 pounds of dog food around in my garden for 20 minutes. He finally took off at a run. I followed as long as I could, 10 feet, before I just let him go. I figured he would either come home or someone would shoot him for walking in their garden...
My little yella chickens, Buff Orpingtons, are doing great! They're huge and so tame. They will eat our of your hands and sometimes will even let you pet them. One mistook Frankie's toe for a worm and now he's afraid of the "killer chicks"! LOL! They roost in the tree in our front yard. That makes for a mess of the picnic table but at least we're all close.
Yall come see us and we'll feed ya some fresh lettuce, fried squash and some fried okra. You can't beat that with a stick now, I'm tellin you what!
From the Lone Star State with love - Amy
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Tornado Warning Bloomburg, Texas
Growing up in Texas I am no stranger to Tornado warnings. We used to have drills in my home town. I've seen my fair share of twisters and their destruction. I am a lover of stormy weather and it never gets old.
Night before last we were expecting bad weather in East Texas...severe thunderstorm warning. How exciting! We might lose power but I have a kerosine lantern (also called a coal oil lantern) and lots of candles. We have generators, etc. We're all good. I also have a crank radio, bottled water, cell phone and flashlights. My trailer is guaranteed to withstand winds of 100 mph. No worries.
As the evening progressed things started looking more ominous but I still wasn't too worried. Daddy went to bed and about 10:00 p.m. I noticed it was dead calm and I flipped on the weather channel to find that Cass County (where we reside) was under a Tornado WARNING...not a watch (conditions favorable for the formation of tornados) but WARNING (something's been sighted or is on the ground)! Yeah, here I am in Who Knows Where, East Texas in a TRAILER HOUSE - aka tornado bait - with a funnel or tornado sighted. Um, yeah...what to do?
Frankie was sleeping. I ran to Dad's and he was sleeping. I banged on his doors and windows until he responded...approximately 2 weeks later.... I alerted him and he got on his PC.
I called Tony to tell him we may not have phone service for a few days but I'd call when I could.
In the meantime, David called from Wichita, KS to tell me that BLOOMBURG is under a TORNADO WARNING! Yikes. That's our nearest point of civilization... To those not familiar with the National Weather System, when they start pin pointing tiny villages like this, that's getting really specific. Like, if you live here, you might be doing your imitation of Dorothy right now!@ Say hello to Kansas for us!
It was still calm which means all the wind is being sucked upward somewhere... I still waited wondering what to do. Then the local weather said to put as many walls between you and the weather is possible....not a good sign. I did all I could do to protect us. I piled blankets, pillows, Frankie a change of clothes and shoes, flashlights, water and the crank radio into the hall. I shut all doors leading off the hall. Talk about feeling totally vulnerable... I did wonder if I should bring the chickens into the trailer with me but I could see the headlines of FoxNews ..."Texas Woman's body found in home with two dogs and house full of chickens. Story at 11".
The wind hit like nothing I've ever seen. Mature Oak trees were swaying like crazy. I carried a sleepy Frankie into the hallway. The tv and a/c units were still on and we could hear the weather channel going. Dad called to tell me how things were going and at that moment all went black. All electrical functions ceased. Frankie was scared, Elvis was shaking so hard he was practically having convultions, Ringo was panting and as usual, I was sweating... It was sooo hot and soooo dark and very noisy. We actually heard the train noise and I thought "Oh Lord, here it is" only to realize it was really the stupid train passing by our place. I don't know if I was more irritated or relieved! LOL!
The storm passed quickly and obviously we survived. We didn't have much damage either. Not even one chicken was blown out of the tree! I later found out that while Frankie and I were huddled in the hall singing "Jesus Loves Me" that Daddy was standing on his front porch watching the whole thing. I mentioned to him that he was nuts and asked him to next time at least use the video camera to capture the storm. I always wonder what kind of people capture those things on video and now I know...old Rednecks.
Night before last we were expecting bad weather in East Texas...severe thunderstorm warning. How exciting! We might lose power but I have a kerosine lantern (also called a coal oil lantern) and lots of candles. We have generators, etc. We're all good. I also have a crank radio, bottled water, cell phone and flashlights. My trailer is guaranteed to withstand winds of 100 mph. No worries.
As the evening progressed things started looking more ominous but I still wasn't too worried. Daddy went to bed and about 10:00 p.m. I noticed it was dead calm and I flipped on the weather channel to find that Cass County (where we reside) was under a Tornado WARNING...not a watch (conditions favorable for the formation of tornados) but WARNING (something's been sighted or is on the ground)! Yeah, here I am in Who Knows Where, East Texas in a TRAILER HOUSE - aka tornado bait - with a funnel or tornado sighted. Um, yeah...what to do?
Frankie was sleeping. I ran to Dad's and he was sleeping. I banged on his doors and windows until he responded...approximately 2 weeks later.... I alerted him and he got on his PC.
I called Tony to tell him we may not have phone service for a few days but I'd call when I could.
In the meantime, David called from Wichita, KS to tell me that BLOOMBURG is under a TORNADO WARNING! Yikes. That's our nearest point of civilization... To those not familiar with the National Weather System, when they start pin pointing tiny villages like this, that's getting really specific. Like, if you live here, you might be doing your imitation of Dorothy right now!@ Say hello to Kansas for us!
It was still calm which means all the wind is being sucked upward somewhere... I still waited wondering what to do. Then the local weather said to put as many walls between you and the weather is possible....not a good sign. I did all I could do to protect us. I piled blankets, pillows, Frankie a change of clothes and shoes, flashlights, water and the crank radio into the hall. I shut all doors leading off the hall. Talk about feeling totally vulnerable... I did wonder if I should bring the chickens into the trailer with me but I could see the headlines of FoxNews ..."Texas Woman's body found in home with two dogs and house full of chickens. Story at 11".
The wind hit like nothing I've ever seen. Mature Oak trees were swaying like crazy. I carried a sleepy Frankie into the hallway. The tv and a/c units were still on and we could hear the weather channel going. Dad called to tell me how things were going and at that moment all went black. All electrical functions ceased. Frankie was scared, Elvis was shaking so hard he was practically having convultions, Ringo was panting and as usual, I was sweating... It was sooo hot and soooo dark and very noisy. We actually heard the train noise and I thought "Oh Lord, here it is" only to realize it was really the stupid train passing by our place. I don't know if I was more irritated or relieved! LOL!
The storm passed quickly and obviously we survived. We didn't have much damage either. Not even one chicken was blown out of the tree! I later found out that while Frankie and I were huddled in the hall singing "Jesus Loves Me" that Daddy was standing on his front porch watching the whole thing. I mentioned to him that he was nuts and asked him to next time at least use the video camera to capture the storm. I always wonder what kind of people capture those things on video and now I know...old Rednecks.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
The Skeeters are Bigger in Texas
Well, we're here! We had a long old drive but we made it with no problems.
The first thing that comes to mind is the color green. Due to the heavy rain this year, everything is so green that it nearly glows. It's really shocking to see all the different variations. Wild flowers are in bloom and the pastures are just full of little yellow dots. Pinks and miniature daisys line the road ways.
The second thing that comes to mind is how big can mosquitoes possibly get?! The morning after our arrival we beat it to the farm store where we got enough mosquito spray for the entire tri-state area! LOL! When Frankie sees someone coming with a can he runs for the hills! LOL!
Okay so I've decided that heirloom seeds are just not for me. The germination rate was hit and miss. I planted tons of peas and beans. I have about 10 pea vines and less bean plants. I have about 4 squash plants, about 10 stalks of corn and watermelons. I planted a garden full of veggies and am really disappointed. My dad's hybrid garden is flourishing.
We've decided not to go organic this year. The potato bugs were eating "Tony's taters" like they were going out of style. They're not any more.
All the game hens are sitting on nests and while I heard an owl last night he wasn't close enough to us for the chickens to raise a fuss. We're sleeping with the windows open just in case I need to grab my shotgun and open fire on varmits. My trusty guard dogs, Elvis and Ringo, are on full alert...well when they're not sleeping or laying up under the air conditioner which is about 22 hours a day.
So far I've broken the rope on the weedeater and my tiller won't run. I'm having a heck of a time with equipment. There's always the hoe...yehaw... WalMart veggies are looking better and better.
We had our first watermelon last night and it was delicious. Ringo and the chickens ate almost as much as the kids. We literally had to chase the durn chickens off...they kept trying to peck on the pieces we were eating. I'll share things with my beloved Frankie but I'm not sharing with someone who pecks poop! LOL!
We're going to the Sale on Monday. That will be an interesting blog...as always, teeth optional. Frankie and I will have ours. You'll be able to recognize us by the teeth and we'll be the two not smoking.
The first thing that comes to mind is the color green. Due to the heavy rain this year, everything is so green that it nearly glows. It's really shocking to see all the different variations. Wild flowers are in bloom and the pastures are just full of little yellow dots. Pinks and miniature daisys line the road ways.
The second thing that comes to mind is how big can mosquitoes possibly get?! The morning after our arrival we beat it to the farm store where we got enough mosquito spray for the entire tri-state area! LOL! When Frankie sees someone coming with a can he runs for the hills! LOL!
Okay so I've decided that heirloom seeds are just not for me. The germination rate was hit and miss. I planted tons of peas and beans. I have about 10 pea vines and less bean plants. I have about 4 squash plants, about 10 stalks of corn and watermelons. I planted a garden full of veggies and am really disappointed. My dad's hybrid garden is flourishing.
We've decided not to go organic this year. The potato bugs were eating "Tony's taters" like they were going out of style. They're not any more.
All the game hens are sitting on nests and while I heard an owl last night he wasn't close enough to us for the chickens to raise a fuss. We're sleeping with the windows open just in case I need to grab my shotgun and open fire on varmits. My trusty guard dogs, Elvis and Ringo, are on full alert...well when they're not sleeping or laying up under the air conditioner which is about 22 hours a day.
So far I've broken the rope on the weedeater and my tiller won't run. I'm having a heck of a time with equipment. There's always the hoe...yehaw... WalMart veggies are looking better and better.
We had our first watermelon last night and it was delicious. Ringo and the chickens ate almost as much as the kids. We literally had to chase the durn chickens off...they kept trying to peck on the pieces we were eating. I'll share things with my beloved Frankie but I'm not sharing with someone who pecks poop! LOL!
We're going to the Sale on Monday. That will be an interesting blog...as always, teeth optional. Frankie and I will have ours. You'll be able to recognize us by the teeth and we'll be the two not smoking.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Asphalt Jungle
To quote a the famous song writer and singer, Willie Nelson...
We're "On the Road Again" to our "Texas house". We're packed and ready and out the door. I made my own variation of McDonald's Happy Meals. Frankie and I decorated little bags with stickers and I stuffed the bags with boxed juice, trail mix, cheese crackers and a small toy. We'll see how that goes. I just need to load the most important thing, Frankie.
I'll keep ya posted! Pray for me when you get the "Van Horn, Texas" vibe...I'll need it nost then! LOL!
See yall soon!
Amy
We're "On the Road Again" to our "Texas house". We're packed and ready and out the door. I made my own variation of McDonald's Happy Meals. Frankie and I decorated little bags with stickers and I stuffed the bags with boxed juice, trail mix, cheese crackers and a small toy. We'll see how that goes. I just need to load the most important thing, Frankie.
I'll keep ya posted! Pray for me when you get the "Van Horn, Texas" vibe...I'll need it nost then! LOL!
See yall soon!
Amy
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The phone call that changed my young life
The story goes like this:
The phone rings a couple of times and a very sleepy little girl answers. She hears her Daddy say, "Hello Amy, it's a boy!" Eventhough Amy had been planning on naming her "sister" April, she says, "Just what I always wanted!" That was my first lie to my parents that I can remember...unfortunately not my last.
Anyhow, while I love my brother like no other adult on the planet, that was the last day of my being an only child. Not only was he another kid, he was a BOY! A little white haired, brown eyed, fearless carrier of the family name. He was celebrated and the toys began. He had die cast farm equipment that I would have killed for. He had tractors, combines, trucks, plows, cultivators, you name it, he had it. He even had a big peddle tractor just like Daddy's... what a rip.
David got to go to the farm and ride on whatever Dad happened to be using, the tractor or combine. Lots of farming is driving the tractor, etc. and can be very boring. Anyhow, David would beg to go with Dad - Mama and I would wait 10 minutes and then head for the farm. As soon as we got there Dad would meet us at the end of the row to hand David off. David would have gone to sleep before the first turn and Dad would have had to hold him in the tractor with one hand and drive with the other! LOL! It NEVER failed!
Who would have ever dreamed that the sleepy little farmer would grow into such a wonderful man. That baby born 37 (OMG!) years ago today has grown into a 6'5" broad sholdered man. The white blond hair has turned darker and grayer. He can now stay awake to pilot jet airplanes and farms for fun on the weekends and summer. He and his lovely and talented wife, Reagan have indeed carried on the family name and will continue to do so (Daddy and I are hoping anyway).
And, while it took about 25 years, I eventually got over not being the only child. I'm still competing but he gave up so it's not quite so much fun anymore. He STILL has more toys than I do, twerp.
The phone rings a couple of times and a very sleepy little girl answers. She hears her Daddy say, "Hello Amy, it's a boy!" Eventhough Amy had been planning on naming her "sister" April, she says, "Just what I always wanted!" That was my first lie to my parents that I can remember...unfortunately not my last.
Anyhow, while I love my brother like no other adult on the planet, that was the last day of my being an only child. Not only was he another kid, he was a BOY! A little white haired, brown eyed, fearless carrier of the family name. He was celebrated and the toys began. He had die cast farm equipment that I would have killed for. He had tractors, combines, trucks, plows, cultivators, you name it, he had it. He even had a big peddle tractor just like Daddy's... what a rip.
David got to go to the farm and ride on whatever Dad happened to be using, the tractor or combine. Lots of farming is driving the tractor, etc. and can be very boring. Anyhow, David would beg to go with Dad - Mama and I would wait 10 minutes and then head for the farm. As soon as we got there Dad would meet us at the end of the row to hand David off. David would have gone to sleep before the first turn and Dad would have had to hold him in the tractor with one hand and drive with the other! LOL! It NEVER failed!
Who would have ever dreamed that the sleepy little farmer would grow into such a wonderful man. That baby born 37 (OMG!) years ago today has grown into a 6'5" broad sholdered man. The white blond hair has turned darker and grayer. He can now stay awake to pilot jet airplanes and farms for fun on the weekends and summer. He and his lovely and talented wife, Reagan have indeed carried on the family name and will continue to do so (Daddy and I are hoping anyway).
And, while it took about 25 years, I eventually got over not being the only child. I'm still competing but he gave up so it's not quite so much fun anymore. He STILL has more toys than I do, twerp.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Big Trip
While planning the big trip from Arizona to the Y2K, I can't help wondering how the folks on the wagon trains did it. How in the world did those women pack the animals and the kids and food, clothes, books, canned goods, etc. into a covered wagon and travel across the country?
Shoot, I'm stressed and I have leather interior, a magnificent a/c and a 6 CD changer. My husband has generously supplied me with a piece of shiney plastic enabling me to buy beef jerky, Tootsie Pops, caffine and gas without having to even see one cent of currency.
If I had to make camp every night, gather wood, make a fire, cook food, etc. without a shower, well does the phrase "cold day in hell" mean anything to you? Screw the west. I would have just had to tough it out in the East and Mainfest Destiny may have never taken place.
This drive is just torture. I swear I had never heard of Van Horn, Texas before my first drive out. I wish I still handn't heard. Not that Van Horn's not a nice town, it is for the most part. It's just that the entire area is ssooooo desolate. AAAHHHH! I swear that on the last trip out I got caught up in some funky time warp deal and I drove for days without the scene changing one little bit. By some shift in the cosmos I finally broke free and made it to Big Spring.
As a result of this alternate timeline, I decided that on the return trip I would NOT be driving home via ElPaso but would cut across scenic New Mexico to the lovely town of Roswell and across. Somehow during the trip we drove through Lincoln, NM and saw a bunch of stuff about Billy the Kid. I was really thrilled. Frankie and the dogs weren't too impressed, i.e. no McDonalds in sight. If you haven't been, go. It's really lovely and very interesting.
By the time we finally got home my butt was sore and Frankie was swearing he was never leaving Arizona house again! LOL! Yet, here we plan on going again next week. Will wonders never cease.
I haven't decided how we'll go this time. All I know is that we WILL go. There's alot of work to be done on the farm. Something's gettin my chickens and I can't have that. Not to mention, the farm's calling my name, I can hear it loud and clear. Oh no wait, it's not the farm, it's the Rednecks...my mistake.
Yall come see us now, 'ya hear?
Shoot, I'm stressed and I have leather interior, a magnificent a/c and a 6 CD changer. My husband has generously supplied me with a piece of shiney plastic enabling me to buy beef jerky, Tootsie Pops, caffine and gas without having to even see one cent of currency.
If I had to make camp every night, gather wood, make a fire, cook food, etc. without a shower, well does the phrase "cold day in hell" mean anything to you? Screw the west. I would have just had to tough it out in the East and Mainfest Destiny may have never taken place.
This drive is just torture. I swear I had never heard of Van Horn, Texas before my first drive out. I wish I still handn't heard. Not that Van Horn's not a nice town, it is for the most part. It's just that the entire area is ssooooo desolate. AAAHHHH! I swear that on the last trip out I got caught up in some funky time warp deal and I drove for days without the scene changing one little bit. By some shift in the cosmos I finally broke free and made it to Big Spring.
As a result of this alternate timeline, I decided that on the return trip I would NOT be driving home via ElPaso but would cut across scenic New Mexico to the lovely town of Roswell and across. Somehow during the trip we drove through Lincoln, NM and saw a bunch of stuff about Billy the Kid. I was really thrilled. Frankie and the dogs weren't too impressed, i.e. no McDonalds in sight. If you haven't been, go. It's really lovely and very interesting.
By the time we finally got home my butt was sore and Frankie was swearing he was never leaving Arizona house again! LOL! Yet, here we plan on going again next week. Will wonders never cease.
I haven't decided how we'll go this time. All I know is that we WILL go. There's alot of work to be done on the farm. Something's gettin my chickens and I can't have that. Not to mention, the farm's calling my name, I can hear it loud and clear. Oh no wait, it's not the farm, it's the Rednecks...my mistake.
Yall come see us now, 'ya hear?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Ode to Dog Love
I'm new to this blogging thing and while I tried to post a similar blog last night, I can't seem to find it...yeah really. Anyhow, if YOU see it, you can disregard this one.
Yesterday I had to have my little Chihuhua Mickey put to sleep. He was 13, had no teeth and major breathing problems. While I had talked about this for a long time, and thought I was fully prepared, I was shocked at how much it really hurt.
Mickey had been my constant companion for 10 years. He was a "one woman" dog and with the exception of my son Frankie, believed all others were here to do me bodily harm. His love was unconditional. That's such a miracle to me because frankly humans don't have this for each other with the exception of family.
I guess my question is why do dogs love us? We don't "deserve" it. We love them certainly but not unconditionally...not the way they are devoted to us.
While I will probably get another dog down the line, I will never be able to replace Mickey's love and utter devotion. I wouldn't even want to try. He was my beloved little companion, my champion, my protector. I loved him and I hope he knew.
Yesterday I had to have my little Chihuhua Mickey put to sleep. He was 13, had no teeth and major breathing problems. While I had talked about this for a long time, and thought I was fully prepared, I was shocked at how much it really hurt.
Mickey had been my constant companion for 10 years. He was a "one woman" dog and with the exception of my son Frankie, believed all others were here to do me bodily harm. His love was unconditional. That's such a miracle to me because frankly humans don't have this for each other with the exception of family.
I guess my question is why do dogs love us? We don't "deserve" it. We love them certainly but not unconditionally...not the way they are devoted to us.
While I will probably get another dog down the line, I will never be able to replace Mickey's love and utter devotion. I wouldn't even want to try. He was my beloved little companion, my champion, my protector. I loved him and I hope he knew.
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