Summer is winding down, so they say.  It seems, for us, it is just beginning.  We've had such a mild one, so far, but now the temps are making their way back to normal.  It's been very hot this week and from all accounts will stay that way, on into September.  Fall is my favorite season so when the Summer drags out into September, it feels like we will never see cooler temps and the beauty of Fall.

One reason we love Fall is because that is the time of year the Mister and I like to go camping.  Nothing, this side of Heaven, compares to waking up to cool air and a campfire.  I'd rather wear a jacket than a bathing suit, any day!  I am slowly getting everything ready to put into the camper but first things first...the roof needs to be sealed because the horrid temps of the past three summers, have cracked it and we have a small leak.  Hopefully, that will be rectified before the temps dip down to camping weather.

This past weekend, Princess Sparkles stayed with us.  She has been begging to go out on the pontoon so we had a family day on the lake.  She absolutely loved it!  She liked getting off the boat and into the water and building sand castles with her Grandpa, but her favorite thing was riding across the lake.  She kept yelling at my son, who was our driver, to "GO FASTER, BUBBA!  GO FASTER!".  We had a good time with her, my son and his girlfriend, and a lake full to the brim with water!  Even I, the non-boat lover, enjoyed it and might even want to go again.  Of course there was a large amount of Dramamine involved but I did have fun!

I think my inner clock is malfunctioning.  Normally, I am an early morning person.  Up before the chickens, singing and ready for what lies ahead.  By 1:30pm, I am spent and ready to relax.  The last several months, though, I have dragged through the morning, looking forward to a nap.  Not wanting to do anything but stare off into space, with nothing going through my head but the aroma of strong coffee.  I take a nap and then, Katy bar the door, I am ready to go(as much as a person with chronic pain can).  I fight, like a toddler, to stay awake late into the night because my mind is just not ready.  I used to be ready for bed by 8:00pm and depending on Daylight Savings Time, sound asleep by 9:30pm.  Not anymore!  I tell you, something is amiss and I don't like it!  I loved my quiet time before my Mister got up and started be noisy(like a bull in a china shop, is more like it).  Oh, I guess that is one of the perils of aging.  The body says one thing, the mind says the opposite.

It's been a few years since my children were little.  Ok, it's been a lot of years but one thing I miss about that is seeing little pairs of jeans, hanging on the line.  Mostly, those jeans belonged to my boys.  Quickly, it seems, those jeans became big boy jeans and finally men's blue jeans.  There was something that always touched my spirit, with those jeans flapping in the breeze.  Perhaps it was knowing just how much God had blessed me by sending my son for me to love.  Then He blessed me with two very special boys that I consider to be MY sons.  Truly blessed, indeed.  Those little denim jeans served as a reminder to thank God for my boys.  

Eventually, little frilly, ruffly, dresses were added to the clothesline, when my daughter was born.  That is a whole other blessing, but with those dresses, came the beginning of the jeans slowly disappearing from the line.  Life circumstances removed some of them and eventually, when the last little boy birdie flew from the nest, the jeans went along with him.  I, equally loved all the little dresses, but there was something missing from my spirit.

Now days, I find joy, once again, in having little blue jeans hanging on the clothesline, dancing on the breeze.  This time they might have a bit of pink, or a flower, on them.  Or maybe some glitter, for the owner of these jeans, is a little tomboy Princess.  She loves her jeans and boots and this old granny couldn't be happier.  My heart sings, once again, for blessings of blue jeans, and the occasional frilly dress, dancing on the clothesline!

This is Carlos.  Carlos is a pot-bellied pig that lives on a neighbor's farm, down the road.  Carlos likes to come visit from time to time.  Nobody seems to know how Carlos manages to open the gate to his pen at his home, but he slips out and waddles down the road, to come pay a visit.  He is a spoiled pig and like to play.  To get your attention, he will nudge your leg and grunt.  If you don't pet him, he pushes on your leg a little harder and grunts louder.  Finally, if you ignore Carlos, he gets his feelings hurt and becomes very rude.  He will try his best to knock you to the ground, so you will pet him.  

One day, Carlos came for a visit.  The Mister, of our place, was working on a truck but Carlos didn't like that, so he began nudging and grunting.  The Mister pushed Carlos away, with his foot.  Carlos nudged harder and grunted louder.  The Mister pushed him away again.  Carlos nudged even harder and grunted louder than ever.  Finally, Carlos decided this game of the Mister pushing and him nudging, was getting him nowhere, so what did Carlos do? He started chewing on the Mister's boot!  The Mister stopped working on the truck and bent down to pet Carlos.  Carlos was happy.  Then the Mister went back to working on his truck and Carlos went back to chewing his boot.  The Mister decided the best thing to do, was to just walk away and maybe Carlos would go find something else to play with.  Nope, that didn't work!  Carlos followed him grunting louder and louder!  

The Mister started to run, he wasn't afraid, though, because Carlos is a friendly pot-bellied pig.  The Mister had decided to play with Carlos.  He would run this way, Carlos would run that way.  Around and around the truck, the Mister had been working on.  Soon, the Mister became tired of this little game and sat down on the hood of the truck.  Carlos wasn't tired, though!  He began chewing on the Mister's boot, AGAIN!  The Mister pulled his feet up on the hood but do you know what Carlos did?  He tried to climb up on the hood of that truck!  He wasn't finished playing!  He wanted the game to last longer!  He grunted loud and tried to push the truck.  He pushed so hard the truck began to rock back and forth!  He simply did not want to end this fun game.  

Finally, the Mister decided it was time for Carlos - the pot-bellied pig, that lives on a neighbor's farm, down the road -  to go home.  So he climbed down from the hood of the truck and began walking.  Carlos followed.  Down the road they walked... or in Carlos' case, waddled!  The Mister opened the gate to the neighbor's farm, down the road, and Carlos waddled through and slowly made his way back to his pen.  

Now, the story won't end there.  Carlos is sure to be back for a visit, but for now, he is sleeping peacefully and dreaming of games of chase.

Happy Birthday, Mama.

Happy Birthday, Mommy!  I miss you so much.  I know they are throwing you a birthday party in Heaven, but I wish you were here.  I have so much to tell you about.  Your great-grand=daughter is three years old now and she loves the prayer shawl, I made for you.  She is ornery as all get out and I can almost hear you say, "She's just like her granny" and a look directed at me.  I show her your picture, often.  She always says, "That's your mommy, Granny.", and I will say "yes".  She wants to know where you are and I tell her, "She's in Heaven with Jesus.".  You would eat her with a spoon if you were here.  I know you would love her as much as I do.

Your favorite son-in-love is doing well.  Lots better since he changed jobs and has less stress.  Handsome as always and I believe he misses you as much as I do.  You know how he is.  Doesn't say  much but I know.  He love the grandbaby so much.  Surprising, right?  LoL  They play, fish, swim all the time.  He even has tea parties with her.  Didn't see that one coming did you?  He is a good grandpa.  He is good to me, too.  I love him more today than I did when we got married...but then you know that, don't you.

"Homer" has found a nice lady and they seem to be happy.  It's about time!  He works hard every day and finally followed a dream of becoming a firefighter.  He is doing so much better, than he was, since he got rid of his "baggage".  He is still making his own troubles, though.  LoL  Mountains out of molehills, but he is also a survivor.  He eventually figures things out and moves on.  I am very proud of him.  He is still your baby.

"Miss Priss" is doing well, too.  She is an awesome hairstylist, Mama.  I bet she would love to cut your hair!There are things, she does, that I don't understand.  Many things we disagree on and I sometimes wonder what the heck she is thinking but I'm sure you went through the that with me, but I never forgot what you taught me about being a wife and mother.  She does good but there are things that make me want to pull her head off, but she is still my baby and I love her more than my own life.  She just got back from a vacation in Colorado.  Remember those mountains and the snow?  I know you don't miss that!

I know you didn't like talking about your past and never wanted to think about it again, but, I found a cousin of yours.  She is the grand-daughter of your Aunt.  A wonderful lady.  She was so glad to get my letter and we have stayed in contact.  She is helping me fill in some gaps.  I hope you understand my need to know who I am on my maternal side.  I do wish you were still here because I believe, if you gave it a chance, have fun with it.  I do promise you this, if I ever find out things that would embarrass you, I will take them to my grave and never let anyone else find them.  Oh and I had my DNA tested, as well.  Guess what!  Scandinavian is the predominate line and on your side it is Eurasia.  What an odd turn that took, huh?!

Mommy, I am doing good.  Have some physical issues but we knew I would.  There are days I can't get around well but I still trudge through.  I had a very good teacher.  I remember when you were so sick you couldn't hardly hold your head up but you still managed to take care of us four kids.  And then, at the end, how you fought that horrible disease.  That is one lesson I will never forget.  

I miss you so much.  I wish you were here so we could go to the thrift stores together.  And to eat stuff that is bad for us.  And yes, maybe even have a beer.  

You know, there were times when I wanted to strangle you.  For years, I didn't respect you for the person you were.  I didn't understand why you didn't stand up for yourself against those who hurt you.  I didn't realize what you had gone through, in your younger years.  Oh yes, I knew about it but I just didn't realize the impact it had.  And then the years that followed were just as hard but on a different level.  To be hurt by the very people who are suppose to love you... well, I can't imagine.  I am so sorry for that.  I just wanted to say...

Happy Birthday, Mommy.  I love you and ...

I understand.

Princess Sparkles would like to share how a proper farm girl should dress.

First, a proper Princess never goes anywhere without her tiara and princess dress.  Then, in order to protect our princess dress, we must have an apron.  A good farmgirl makes sure her feed bucket is clean and RED.  And since we are Redneck Princesses, it is mandatory to have on our camo.

And as the old saying goes, NO BOW-NO GO!, so we will always sport an adornment in our hair, under the tiara.  Of course any farmgirl, princess or otherwise, must wear her boots when doing redneck farm stuff like feeding the donkey and goats.

Hope you enjoyed this lesson in proper Princess Redneck-Farmgirl attire.

Wordless Wednesday

More Wordless Wednesday

Ruby Tuesday

Side door to the Saloon in Guthrie, OK

Photography - Macro Monday

White Tea Rose Bush - gift from my Mister for Mother's Day 2012.  

Simple Sunday

Historic Saturday

Original Oklahoma State Capitol Building in Guthrie, Ok.  The capitol of Oklahoma was moved to Oklahoma City in 1910 and the new building was build 1914.

SKYWATCH FRIDAY

I am taking an idea from a couple of my favorite photo blogs,  Tulsa Gentleman and Yogi's Den, and starting a daily photo post.  I am hoping it will keep me on point to post something every day.  

Here in Oklahoma, it is natural for us to keep an eye to the sky.  We never know when the weather will turn ferocious.  One minute sunny, the very next a tornado is falling from the sky.  Ever-changing.  Skywatch Friday is exactly what it sounds like.  Watching the sky.

We have been blessed with wonderful weather this summer.  Lot's of good rain which is such a blessing after the past three years of drought and extreme heat.  This was the sky as I fed the animals.

I can't believe it has been almost a month since I posted anything, here.  Well, that's how it is around here.  Time gets away from us and before we know it a full month has passed.  I now believe what my elders said about time flying when you get older.  It most definitely does.

It's been about normal around here.  Nothing really going on other than keeping the grandblessing and watching her blossom into a beautiful little girl.  She is no longer a baby.  Three years old seems so young but with her, she seems so mature.  Maybe it is just me but I don't like it.  I want to cuddle that sweet little pink baby girl for the rest of my life.  That's a very unfair trick.  Just when you think you have reached the ultimate experience with babies, they grow up.  She is so smart though.  I am excited to see what she accomplishes this year.

Oh yeah.  We have a coyote that has taken a liking to chicken.  We've lost four in the past two weeks.  I've seen him but I'm usually outside without my gun and by the time I get in the house to get it, the evil thing has run off.  He just lays out in the field, under a shade tree.  He isn't scared of the noises around here.  He just lays there...waiting.  I have started to walk towards him, hollering, and he finally gets up and saunters off, only to circle around in the treeline to wait.  We've had to start keeping the ladies in the barnyard until we can either shoot or trap that darn coyote.  He's beginning to anger me.

OH!  Did I mention I bought a VW Bus, a few weeks back?  No???  Well, I did!  It needs work, of course, but I hope my Mister has it up and running before spring.  I am going to use it to go around to some of the Farmer's Markets in the area, and sell fresh breads, pies, homemade craft items, and plants.  Now that is my dream.  We will see if it actually pans out.

We have decided to save towards purchasing an older, vintage Winnebago.  We want to go to different places in the US but it is expensive with need of hotels and meals. Also, with our bad backs, we can never find a place that has the kind of mattress we need and we would just like to have our own stuff in our own RV.  We are excited about this because our grandblessing will start school in a couple of years and we want to be able to take her on "field trips" to places she will study about.  I didn't get to do that with my children and I regret it, but I can afford it now so I want to give the grand every opportunity to take adventures.

So, I guess that is it.  I have got to try and get something posted a bit sooner that a month between posts.