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Showing posts with label Outside My Window. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Outside My Window. Show all posts

Thursday

Top Ten Thursday - The Top Ten Things I Love About Living in The Boonies




Welcome to Top Ten Thursday! I created this meme to add a little bit of variety to Frump Day ( no longer Hump Day, not yet Friday...) If you would like to participate, just create your own Top Ten post about anything your heart desires and add the link below. Everyone is welcome to join in. This should get really interesting...

Top Ten Things I Love About Living in The Boonies

1. The Sounds -
I can sit on the deck during the day and hear countless birds singing and bees buzzing. At night, I'm treated to a beautiful symphony of crickets and tree frogs. It's like Heaven on Earth!

2. The Silence -
I never hear traffic zooming past or the blare of car horns. An occasional plane overhead or the hum of a distant tractor is as loud as it gets.

3. No Leashes Required - My dogs can run and run and run some more, till they fall over, gasping for breath and still be on our property. I have never been called by an angry neighbor, demanding that I come get my dog. Plus, they can pee on any tree that their hearts so desire.

4. No Dress Code - If I suddenly realize at 10 PM that I forgot something out in the car, I can slip on my Croc-knockoffs and stroll right out the door in nothing but my bloomers and hole filled Pearl Jam T'shirt and the World in none the wiser (till after today anyway! LOL). Same goes for the mornings where I have to step out and unhitch the cat from my window screens. I worried for a bit that Google Maps might snap a pic with me in it, but I'm reckoning that the canopy of trees overhead will protect me.

5. Home Security - Of a sort...
The poor soul that stops and asks directions to my place is in for a real treat! Any good neighbor will ask him/her a zilllion questions like who they are, how they know me, and what they want with me. Eventually they do give in and share the directions. But I always get a call telling me that they're on the way. Heck, by the time they get done following country directions, I can bake a cake and decorate it with their name! That's always a nice surprise after a long journey.

6. The Produce - Apart from growing our own garden, there is also a steady stream of produce coming into our doors all summer, from folks all around. They never ask if we need or even want it, they just bring it. They shove a paper sack or plastic grocery bag at you and say, "Here. I brung y'all some tuh-ma-duhs." Or peppers, or squash, cabbage, cucumbers... To object would be rude. People always keep a stock of Mason jars and canning supplies on hand at this time of year. Because we never know when we might have a mess of fresh produce to put away.

7. Instant Expansion - Country folk love to have get-togethers. There is no way of knowing how many extra people might show up but it never causes a problem. Not enough soup? Just add more water! Not enough tables outside at the BBQ? Two saw horses and a piece of plywood covered with a bed sheet will suffice. 5 gallon buckets make great chairs when you flip 'em over. Surprise overnight guests? Make them a palette on the floor. More people than swimming pool? Load everyone up and head down to the hill to the river. You get the picture. The main thing is to never, ever, make anyone feel as if they are imposing.

8. Real yards -
I have seen yards so well tended and weed free that they almost look like Astro-turf. What fun is that? I love a yard with a few clover and buttercups scattered about. Throw in a few dandelions and the kids are busy for ages!

9. Folks Hate to Leave Each Other - They say their goodbyes in the house and it takes 10 more minutes of talking and taking little steps to make it to the door. Then another 30 on the porch and finally another 15 at the car. This happens even if they say there just stopping by on their way to somewhere else and "ain't got time to stay"

10. The Wave - Everybody waves at everyone. No need to know the person. On the street, in their yards, or even in a passing car. WAVE!


Bye, Y'all!




Wednesday

Love is Blind



I had stepped outside Monday, to help Hubs look for a fuel can, when the first dragonfly that I have seen this year went zipping past my face. I sighed, figuring he was already long gone. But, just seconds later, he came zipping past again, settling onto my car antenna, just a few feet away. I desperately wanted a shot of this beautiful creature but felt certain that I had no time to run inside for my camera. However, he surprised me by flying up, making a circle, and landing upon the antenna again. After witnessing this ritual for a third time, I decided to make a run for the camera.

I made record time to the kitchen and grabbed my camera from it's charging station. I let out a growl of frustration when I realized that my memory card was all the way at the other end of the house. I had neglected to put it back after unloading pics from it earlier. I ran to get it and hurriedly put it into the camera. Annoyed and certain that subject was long gone, I went back outside with my fingers crossed. He was gone. My sadness quickly flipped to joy, when he zoomed by my face and onto the antenna once more! I didn't take time to zoom the lens for a better shot, I just snapped pics like a mad woman, figuring I could zoom in on the computer. Well, I headed inside with my "prize" and loaded the photos into PSP. Each one was the size of a dining room table! LOL Well, starting with the first one, I just zoomed in on the car antenna. My heart jumped and I couldn't help but smile, when I saw what I had captured...




  Bless his heart! It is so obvious that he is trying to court that antenna! Isn't that precious. Ross had a different idea when she saw it. She said, "Look, MomMom! He's singing into a microphone! Insect Idol, anyone? I'm happy to report that I saw two dragonflies dancing over the lawn yesterday. I hope it was this little guy and his new found girlfriend...


Monday

Is It Delivery Or Is it Me, Having A Stupid Dream About Digiorno?


Yesterday, I had a strange morning. First of all, Tallen opened the door and let our friend/tenant "T" in, while we were all still asleep and oblivious to the fact. Well "T" had came by to tell hubs that one of our cows had given birth to a stillborn calf.

Anywho, there I was, snoozing away on the sofa, with Ross' feet in my neck. She and I had a late night and were sleeping in. I have no clue that anyone is there. I was busy having a stupid dream where hubs and I were buying gas at this pump that spit out awesome, high value coupons, for every gallon we purchased. (anyone else sense a deep seated coupon addiction here? lol) Anywho, after we filled up on gas, we returned home. It seems that we were renting out our home to some grouchy old man. I have no idea where we lived. Well, we stop by to visit the old man and he says to me, " Who the hell was calling here at six o'clock this morning?" Somehow I knew it was the folks at Digiorno pizza, calling me about a rebate check ( this is not real LOL and I have no idea why I would dream it) I tell the old man ," It was Digiorno." He cups his hand behind his ear and shouts, "Who?!". I shout back loudly, "Digiorno!".



Well, I was abruptly awakened by Hubs yelling at me to wake up as he needed his medicine and something to wear. He also wanted me to locate the phone as he wanted to see who had called earlier. ( We hide them from Ross at night) I could have choked him as I was sleeping so well and maybe he could have got his own stuff. After an exchange of a few pissy words, I get his stuff. He explains to me that "T" is waiting outside for him and they are going to check on a calf blah blah blah. Finally, I ask, "Were you two talking about Digiorno pizza by any chance this morning? He says, "No, but you were! Talking on and on about Pizza!" Sheesh! How embarrassing! I'm sure T got a hoot out of my laying there drooling and blabbing about pizza lol.


Another Funny...

Yesterday afternoon, Selly and I made Ross and Tallen PB&J sandwiches. Ross never touched her's. She sat her saucer on the end table and fell asleep. There it sat, cut into four yummy triangles, with strawberry jam oozing out a bit. Well, as Ross was snoozing, Tallen happened by and just couldn't resist. Selly and I were sitting in my room discussing Ellen joining American Idol, when she saw Tallen in the living room, eating Ross' sandwich. She asked if it was OK and I said it was, as we could just make Ross another, when she woke up. We went back to the Ellen discussion. Suddenly we hear, "HEY! YOU DROP THAT PIECE OF SANDWICH! IT'S MY SANDWICH! MINE!" Then there was a distinct POP! Ross had awoke, saw Tallen eating her PB&J, gave him what for and then smacked his hand! LOL We had to laugh at her reaction. Needless to say, we made Tallen a new sandwich and replaced Ross' triangles.

Tuesday

Beyond Creepy


If you read my blog regularly, you may recall a previous post ( or two ) about some of the weird things that happen around my home. Such as phone lines, that are too high up for the little ones to reach, and sewing machine plugs, when I am the only one up and about, being connected one minute and disconnected the next, as in completely removed from the wall. Then magically, in the case of the phone line, getting plugged back into that wall.



We have also dealt with hearing coughs, yells, and other noises, that we can't find the source of. A while back, several of us began to catch a glimpse of something moving quickly through the house. The best any of us could describe it was that it is the height that hubs is, when he is sitting on the sofa. Hubs said we were all crazy and just seeing things. Since then, he has seen it himself three times. Now he is a believer. He won't say it is a ghost but does admit that he can't explain it.

Then there is the deal with Tallen. Several times at night, he has awakened me with his yelling. Banging on the door to the bathroom, just inside my bedroom. Screaming, "Who are you?! Come out of there now! What is your name?!" He couldn't open the door as I have a knob guard on there to prevent his and Ross entering and maybe getting their hands on perfume or some other thing they shouldn't drink. Then saying something to the effect of, "I'm sorry Mama, I tried to stop him but he floated past me." This also happened with him one day in our pantry. This time he said that "he" had floated up to the corner of the room and vanished.

Anyway, tons of other stuff has happened here. But, it had quieted down for a short while. Since this house was built by my husband, I know that it isn't a deceased former resident of this house. The land does have a lot of history and I have basically just decided that what we are seeing and hearing is a residual sort of "haunting". Not really a haunting at all but kind of like a record of times past playing over and over.

Well, Cina always keeps fans going upstairs, as the central air just doesn't cool up there very well. Recently, she went to visit her dad for over three weeks. I cannot tell you the times that I made my way up the steps during the time she was away, having to turn off those fans. I assumed that maybe Selly had gone up and turned them on. Then one morning, around 3AM, I heard the familiar rumble of the fans coming on. I was the only one awake! No way did I go up and turn them off this time! Then, a couple of weeks ago, Hubs was out late hunting one night. I was in my room on the computer, it was after 2 AM. Just outside my window, I hear Hubs yell, "HEY!" followed by a string of words that I couldn't make out.Certain that I hadn't heard him arrive home and that he must have forgotten his door key, I hurried to the kitchen to let him in. He wasn't there! Nobody was there! The dogs weren't even barking. Then, a couple of nights ago, the water came on in the kids bathroom. We had to turn the handle to shut it off.

There is a reason I bring this up again. Back in the Spring, I posted some pics of daffodils here. They were growing at a house that sits just down the hill from mine, on our property. The place is in shambles and is over 100 years old. Well, yesterday, Hubs was talking on the phone to a lady that lived there as a child. Her family worked for my Hub's father. She and he are around the same age. They were talking about the old days. This led to them getting on the subject of her little brother who PASSED AWAY AT AGE 8, 50 years ago, at that very house. He had a seizure of some sort and it killed him. Evidentally, Hubs had just put it in the back of his mind, as he had never mentioned it. To hear this made my hair stand on end, as the "thing" we all have seen would be about the height of a child that age. Plus, the little tricks it plays seem like what a child of 8 might find funny. As for the male voice, I guess he could be any number of people that have died tragically here over the years...

Monday

Picnic

On the spur of the moment Saturday, we (Renni, Fiance, and I) decided to take the kids on a picnic. We packed up the car and headed for the Blue Ridge Parkway, over the line, in Virginia.



I was in shock, when seeing the state of disrepair that the Parkway has fallen into. Very overgrown and unkempt. The road was plagued with pot holes and cracks. This must have something to do with budget cuts. Having lived most my life with the Parkway just outside my door, I guess I just took for granted that it would always be there. Now it seems to be crumbling away. At any rate, it was still beautiful and we had a great picnic at Groundhog Mountain.






Photo Randomness


Here are a few random photos, from the last few days. I'm not taking the time to label each of them. Basically, you'll see a beautiful flower pot that Cina created, using gravels from our drive, that she painted and glued onto the pot. She made this to leave at the memory tree, with a potted flower, for her friend Katy, who passed away a year ago. Also, there are pics of the kids visiting their granny on Hub's side ( notice how underwhelmed Tallen is LOL He kept saying, "I don't belong here! Take me home!) Plus, pics of dogwood, Iris, rhododendron, and mountain lily. Then, the chicks, going through their awkward/ugly stage. And finally, a couple of the cows.




















Random Images

Just some random images. The last one is of some awsome flower pens that I made. There used to be four but Renni and her friend each took one.

The first two were taken last fall of a tree in my yard. I've heard of toadstools but toad stairs?



Friday

Snow!





Well, not very much snow, but a little. Before I could get my Gini camera out the door, it was gone. But the sky was absolutely begging to have it's photo taken.

Saturday

Sunrise At the Farm



When I saw caught a glimpse of all the pinks and purples through my window this morning, I couldn't resist going out on the porch with my Gini camera and taking this shot. Actually, just as I would get back inside and take off my coat, the light would change and would run back out and take more pictures. I am sharing my favorite here.