Sunday, May 29, 2022

Front Porch Chat #11

 

Good morning my Front Porch Friends!  I'm sorry I have been absent all week.  There is so much going on in my world I cannot even begin to keep or where I should start telling you all!

Time - 8:30

Scene - It's a beautiful Sunday morning in Missouri!  There isn't any dew on the ground.  The birds are everywhere!

Today's plan - About 10 am I am going back up to Dan's house to continue our packing process.  Yes, I said our because there is 20 years worth of stuff that we need to disperse or pack on the trailer.

Drinking - I haven't been up very long and I am already on my second cup of coffee with Italian sweet cream.

Listening to -The quiet of the morning.

Watching - Last night after I crashed into my rocking chair, I decided to watch a movie.  It was nothing new but it was on Amazon prime, Road to Purgatory.  Was ok, not exceptional.  Other than that I catch up on Newsmax as usual.

Randomness - The craziness of the past week: Every day after working all day I go up to help Dan on the house.  Our chicks arrived this week so I am caring for them twice a day. Our daughter Kayla is filing for divorce.  She found out about another woman that has been going on for two years.  Trying to support her emotionally and keep her safe.  He isn't a nice person at all. Our other daughter Cheyenne, her "boyfriend" had back surgery.  Last Sunday I thought my little dog had had a stroke.  Took him to the vet first thing Monday morning... no stroke.  He has disc disease which caused all the crazy symptoms.  I seriously thought he was going to die!  He gets medication three times a day and now we are down to twice a day for a few more weeks.  Last weekend I also kept Kayla's dog.  Which probably stressed poor Lewey out therefore causing his neck pain.

New Chics plus the ones Dan Hatched


He's a little drugged on pain pills here.

This is Weezy.  I have kept him before.

That's all I have in the way of pictures to share this week.  Usually too busy to break out the phone to take pictures.  I will probably be offline for the next week as well. Dan's closing date is June 10th and has to be out that day.

I hope you all have a blessed week!
Monica


Sunday, May 22, 2022

Front Porch Chat #10

 

Time - 7:00

Scene - It's a cloudy cool morning on the homestead.  We have had five inches of rain since Thursday.  I don't dare walk across the yard without my sloggers.

Today's plan - We are going to the late service today.  We are completely worn out.  I think people should move every 10 years at the least.  We have so much stuff!  Stuff we didn't even remember having tucked in every nook and cranny! LOL!  After church we are going to do a few things and then take some downtime before our work week begins.

Drinking - Coffee with Italian sweet cream

Listening to - my weekend wrap-up of the Romans Bible study.  Which I am enjoying very much!  

Watching - nothing really this week.  The usual news but I crash by 7:30 or 8.  

Randomness - So I have had so much pain in all my joints for about the last six weeks that I finally went to the doctor.  They ran tests for autoimmune diseases, and they all came back negative.  I'm told it's just good old arthritis.  I have a hard time believing that something isn't causing this other than just good ole arthritis.  EVERY. SINGLE. PART of my body hurts.  My feet and knuckles are swollen.  I can't wear any jewelry.  I guess I should seek out some sort of specialist that might understand joint pain better.  The pain is making all this work around the homestead very difficult.  I take way too much Tylenol.

So that this randomness section doesn't turn into a whinning festival! LOL!  Here's a few pictures...  The ditch that runs through my field is absolutely flowing like an actual creek.  I can hear it up at the house.  This pretty little rose that my renter thought he had pulled up and destroyed is blooming! HA!  And I have been sitting my grand-dog this weekend.  It's been difficult keeping him with Jada running free on 20 acres!  He's so jealous of Lewey too! 


Have a great week y'all!
Monica








Sunday, May 15, 2022

Front Porch Chat #9

 

It's another beautiful morning in Missouri.  Promising to be another sunny and pleasant day.

Time - 7:30 am CST

Scene - I'm sitting at my desk and outside my window the sun is shining through the trees.  The grass could use a cutting but with gas prices the way they are it is going to have to wait for a few more days.

Today's Plan - Yesterday while Dan moved some things and cleaned up with the skid steer, I got his garden shed mostly cleaned out and moved down to my garage.  Today we will finish that and get his chicken coop cleaned out.  Not going to over do it today with tomorrow being the start of our work week but I'm seeing all this as a positive, moving him down here. This evening  I plan to grill us some brauts and make potato salad and baked beans.

Drinking - coffee of course with French vanilla creamer

Listening to - My dog Lewey whining at my feet... He thinks he wants to go outside again.

Watching - Every evening when I sit down I watch 700 Club, a few clips of Glenn Beck, and a few minutes of Newsmax.  On Thursdays I watch Karen Wheaton. Been too busy to watch much of anything.  After doing a few chores I'm usually ready for bed by 7:30. HAHAHA!  getting old!

Randomness - Here are some before and after pictures.  



All that mess that he renter left me around the chicken coop has been cleaned up.  The snake house is gone! LOL!


The remains from this fire have been cleared out and our old picnic table has been brought down.  It really could use some new wood but that will have to wait too as lumber is crazy high right  now.


That pile of burnt stuff that had lots of nails and screws and stuff is gone. Dan is talking about taking out that tree that shades this area and amending the soil this year so that next year this will be a wonderful place to garden again!



I don't know why I don't have a picture of what mess was around this very old wisteria bush before.  Grandpa had a couple old posts drove with a metal round thing attached by wire.  It was for another bush to climb and it was always very pretty in the spring and summer.  Beside it was a concrete bench with a little boy fishing sitting on it.  The renter stole the boy. (The Lord will deal with him I am not wasting energy being angry at him anymore.)  We moved the bench up by the garage and pulled out the old metal "artwork".

Yesterday afternoon I discovered that the Wisteria is blooming!  I haven't seen that in forever!!!!!  I don't know if they ever stop blooming but I do know they don't bloom until they are several years old.


Found this yellow Iris just randomly next to the fence! 


I forgot to share with you the Mother's Day gifts that I received! My sweet Kayla sure knows her momma! LOL!

Well, it's time I got out there and got something done this morning.  Then I plan on coming in to church after while!  Have a blessed day y'all!
Monica














Saturday, May 14, 2022

The Simple Woman's Daybook

 

It would be awesome if you would join me in linking up with Peggy at The Simple Woman to share a little about your week!  She must be having a busy season since she hasn't posted since February but I will remain faithful!

Today is Saturday May 14, 2022

Outside - it's a cloudy morning and 64 degrees.  It's so green and the Cardinal really stands out in the yard.

Thankful - for an evening shared with Dan and my little sister.  He has been a part of her life since she was just two and has loved and cared for her all her life.  She in turn has loved him all of hers!  Since my "break down" let's call it... they have not really spent any time together.  It was a wonderful evening which I am thankful for!

Thinking - about the list of things that we will be trying to get done this weekend.  The people who are buying the house had the appraiser here this week. Things should be moving along now.  We should know this week if their bank is going to lend the funds for it. We are afraid to start packing up much just in case it is a big no.

Wearing - One of these days I will get up and get dressed before I start this post.  But this morning I am still in my gown having my first cup of coffee.

Creating - I'm still working on the baby blanket through the week.  Not much gets done on the weekends.  My weekend creation has been the chicken coop.  I'll have pictures to share tomorrow.  It is almost done.

Going - With gas being $4.29 a gallon here we aren't going much.  Just to work and back to the farm.  It's the strawberry festival this weekend at Eckert's Farm in Belleville IL and I would love to go get me some strawberries to make up some preserves!

Wondering - Why it has to be this way! There is no reason why we can't be oil independent.

Reading - Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly because I enjoyed Killing Reagan so much.  It was sounding so familiar, so I went to my good reads and of course I have already read it.  Back when it came out.  But I am going to finish it again!

Praying - harder than ever for my niece.  She is in a very dark place.  Which we actually learned more about last night at dinner.  

Looking forward to - the arrival of my chicks.

Learning - about some work from home jobs.  The company I work for has some I am just looking into anything that I could actually do.  There are a few but our systems were down yesterday.  Will try again on Tuesday.  I'm taking off Monday (Mental health day! LOL!)

In the kitchen - just some quick lunches and breakfast.  I have eaten on left overs from last weekend all week.  Maybe today after we get done working we might grill something.  

Around the homestead - I just realized this week that the trees along my drive that run parallel the garden are all leafed out and causing too much shade on the garden area.  The biggest tree is one of those that has the big bean pod things that drop all over the yard.  I am seriously considering having it taken out this next winter.

Sorry, I should have taken a more current picture.

So until I get this garden plan figured out I am just going to plant wherever there is an abundance of sunshine and close to a water source.

Yesterday we did a lot of work cleaning up all that junk piled around the chicken house and some other things that the renter had done to just leave me with a lot of work.  Well, the skid steer is wonderful to have for things like that but it leaves behind quite a different mess of it's own.  Nothing that won't correct itself over time. (Pictures tomorrow so come back and visit!)

Scripture of the week - 

I am off to get dressed and start working outside before it gets too warm and humid to be out there!  Have a blessed day! 
Monica

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

On My Needles Tuesday

 


I wish I could tell you that I had finished my sweater, but I can't.  I still have to sew up the sleeves and put the pockets on.  I pick up the baby blanket that I am in a hurry to finish because it is just easy and quick crocheting.  Did I mention that I am in a hurry to get it done?  LOL!  It's a gift and the baby is due soon.  I actually finished this skein last night while watching a movie called Silence on Amazon Prime.  Really good story about missionaries.


Have a beautiful day friends!
Monica

Monday, May 9, 2022

In The Garden #9

 

I didn't really think I was going to make it in the garden this weekend.  Dan and I have been working very hard on the coop.  Once the house deal is done we won't have time to be working on that anymore.  Twenty-two years to pack up and go through in just four weeks.  But yesterday after we finished for the day I took a shovel and just dug some holes.   I put in all the cucumber plants that I had and a couple of hills of squash.  

This is going to be a sad year for the garden.  By that I mean it won't be pretty and well laid out like I had originally planned.  As long as it produces food I don't really care at this point.  I won't put the tomatoes or peppers out for a couple more weeks when I sew the beans directly into the ground along with the rest of the seeds that I have.

There is another problem I think I am going to deal with here...remember these?
Maybe Jada will keep them out of the garden.  She's pretty used to them though so I don't think she will be much help! LOL!

The grass needs to be cut again but the ground is too wet.  I will make all kinds of messes if I try to cut it now.  Maybe in a few days it will be ok.  Looks like the rain has shut off for a bit and the heat is coming on.  That's Missouri for ya... we barely have a spring or fall any more.

That's about all I have in the way of garden news this week.  I hope you are getting more done in your garden that I am.

Have a wonderful Monday y'all!
Monica


Sunday, May 8, 2022

Front Porch Chat #8

 

Happy Mother's Day y'all!  It's another beautiful day here in Missouri.  The Cardinals and Robins are out this morning.  There are plenty of worms in this saturated ground for all of them! LOL!

Time - 7:25

Scene - The sun is shining and it's 55 degrees.  Both my dogs are laying around me, happy to be together.  We are transitioning both down to my house because of the sale of Dan's place.

Today's plan - we are finishing the chicken run.  We worked on it most of the day yesterday until Dan got called out to work.  He fixed a broken wire on my truck.  I ran to town for some things and then the windows wouldn't go up on my truck.  UGH!  I am so thankful for him!

Drinking - coffee with Italian sweet cream.  Just about ready for a second cup.

Listening to - the dogs licking cleaning themselves! I try not to be that person who jumps out of bed and turns on some sort of noise.  I enjoy the quiet.

Watching - last night while I knitted on my sweater, I watched a movie called Knowing with Nicholas Cage.  It was pretty good.  Then I watched an episode of Ghost!  I have been keeping up with this one since it came out maybe a year ago.  I get behind sometimes, but it is hilarious!

Randomness - burning leaves, brush or anything gives me great anxiety!  I'm so afraid that it will get away and our house will burn down!  Yesterday morning I burned my first brush pile on my own.  It is in the middle of this gravel, there wasn't any wind (until I lit the fire!) and there is water standing everywhere!  I shared with Dan what I was doing and knowing that it bothers me he came down pretty soon.  Of course it didn't go anywhere! LOL!

Well, I'm off to get dressed and start this marvelous day!  Enjoy it my friends!
Monica