yardgranny6's Blog

When you haven't used a skill - no matter what type - it takes a bit of time and a lot of humor for your brain to 'relearn' the basics.

So when I picked up my knitting needles after a long sabbatical in order to knit a pair of slippers using dear Witt's pattern, it was number one, a surprise that I even remembered how to start the loop and get the yarn ready to go. I thought I had it made in the knitting world. Not So! It seems you remember slowly how not to drop a stitch, skip a stitch and how to back up and start again as well as just plain taking the yarn off the needle and starting over!! I had many laughs at myself on this project. Good thing I was using a skein of yarn left over from some other far away project. Now that I have finished the slippers and no one will get a close look at them, I think I may be ready to stitch a couple of pairs for friends. I did really enjoy this day long refresher course.

My gift from participating in the Ornament Exchange came on Christmas Eve and is posted below. What a nice surprise! A big Thank you has already been given to Kimsheaven but here is another thank you as I share this picture. I posted that Kim may not have known this but our little truck has a broken air conditioner, so that ole pup with his head out the window is a perfect rendition of me on a hot day. I try to get there in the mornings before it gets too hot.

Hope everyone has had a wonderful Holiday Season and will have a Wonderful Happy New Year in 2009.

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is ready on my end and it is waiting for Fairygarden and Pameliap to put their goodies inside which should be next week one day. We will make a toast to the box, giggle a bit and have a fun time looking through all our seeds.  Then it will get mailed.

Spent a good part of yesterday getting the box all ready to go. New map of the US of A, including Hawaii this year,  new list/labels for the GG members participating, the same little notebook will continue this year as I thought you might like to see what some of you had to say last time.  And do add a note to it, so much fun to read your thoughts. (some of the members have wonderful hand writing) .

So today I will be making a grocery list and checking it twice (ever notice how much like Santa the cooks in our life are). Making another list of all the things we will be eating and who is bringing what. Received a great recipe from my daughter for a Succotash soup and a recipe for Lentil soup from my good neighbor. I will make my veggie soup using V8 juice which gives it a nice flavor and at least one big pot of Chili. Then there will be a big salad and lots of cornbread. Perhaps even broccoli cornbread if I get up the nerve to try it. Some people put too much butter or something in it and it gets too gooey for my taste buds.

Desserts???? Do we even need them? A SIL is bringing her delightfully sinful nanner puddin and I know I will want some - but how to save room for it? Maybe she will leave a bit for me to eat the next day. So I guess I need to add one other dessert and it will most likely be in the line of Mrs Smith or another great cook you find in the grocery store. Did my baking for the year and gained 2 pounds doing it. How can that be? I put all the ingredients in the bowl, i stir, bake and --- Uh Oh - is it the Tasting that puts those pounds on?  Could be. I may have to get Coal in my stocking this year.

Here is hoping each and everyone of the Garden Guide Members have a truly wonderful day tomorrow.

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celebrating. We are expecting another house full of wonderful rowdy family members this coming Sunday. The menu will be chili, soups, cornbread and perhaps sub sandwiches cut into single servings and salad. Lots of tea, coffee, soft drinks and of course desserts. Don's sister is bringing her famous and delicious nanner puddin.

Might be 20 or so this time. I have my thinking cap on and will be making a list and checking it twice. Must be sure to have seats for everyone. Not often I have 20 people in the house. It will be a blast. Wish the daughter could come back - that would make it perfect.

I did get outside last week on a couple of those wonderfully warm days to clean out the rest of the dead and dried plant matter. Now I can see where somethings need to be moved or added to. Cleaned up the leaves again and perhaps for the last time this year. My son was making piles of leaves one day when I was there. He has one of those blower/mulcher machines. He was going to mulch them and put them in his beds and around the shrubs. Not sure that I will but would love to go get a load of mulch to finish off the bare spots in the front yard tomorrow.

Just got my good neighbors recipe for Lentil soup. She was making it one day I was over and got a taste, so that is one I will make. I love corn chowder and found a tasty sounding recipe on the recipezarr website, also a different Chili recipe. Not sure I will use the chili one this weekend but I might be daring and try it out of lots of people to see how it goes over.  Since I don't do much cooking my family is used to being the guinea pigs for my cooking. The motto when my kids were growing up was 'Is it burnt yet?' if it was then the meal was ready. I really think I have AADD at least when it comes to cooking. What can I say I would rather be in the garden or on the computer.

Speaking of which I may be picking up a volunteer job for my church compiling email addresses and gathering information for a newsletter/email to be sent out weekly. Sure wish I could find a job that would pay me for doing just that and from home. Since the stock market has sent us into a crash and burn situation I may need to have some income. It is going to be a real trial and error means of living in the next few months to see how the money goes in and especially goes out.  I know we are not the only ones feeling the crunch these days. In reading the local newspaper one morning I passed by the want ads, there were next to no jobs posted. Rather scary isn't it? Life goes on though and we just pick up and keep going. Doesn't pay to sit and worry ourselves into an early grave. I am not ready to go just yet. I am looking forward to being in my gardens for many years and waiting until my grands marry and give me those great grands. And of course I must see young Toby pups first babies in a year or so.

Don't know if I will have time to post another blog before Christmas or the weekend so::

Happy Holidays To One and All

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Family Celebration was GRAND! There were 13 crazy people in the group. Only one missing that lives close was the grandson's girl friend, and she had to work. It was good to have the extra hands in the kitchen, they actually got dinner  ready on time. My sister had driven about 3 plus hours to get here and of course had to leave at a decent time and my grandson had an appointment to play his Euphonium for a church Christmas program at 5, so the hour of eating was crucial. Grandson is wonderful in the kitchen and the daughter and one DIL actually remembered that the ham was to be heated up. As fast as it went I don't really think it was necessary though.

My daughter got off this morning with her brother driving her to the airport some 2 hours away. I am sure they enjoyed their time together without having to share their conversation. If the weather or an airplane with problems doesn't interfere she should be home soon.  

Some of the gifts exchanged were so cool but the best one and the funniest (due to the look on my face that is) was this one:

A Closer Look ------------

Thank goodness this was the only critter at our Christmas Celebration. And yes this is actually where we saw that squirrel in person. My kids have a good sense of humor. It was perfect.

The grand pups were present as well and did they ever entertain us. We got pictures and video of them playing. The dacky is a miniature full grown (I guess she is 12 pounds) so not too big and then there is Toby the Westie that is about 10 weeks old and weighs maybe 2 pounds.  They tossed one another over and chased each other until they had us all in tears. Toby wanted Kaluahs tail to play with. Made sense to me as Toby's tail is way to short to chase. What fun. Will post some pictures when I get them. In all the merriment I forgot to use my own camera. I think there were about 4 other and a video cam as well.

I took one picture of my mantle that come out nicely. This Christmas Mantle Scarf was purchased in North Carolina a number of years ago and is a real favorite of mine.

We had a little rain this morning and then the sun came out. Our weather once more is a little weird. First it was 10 degrees cooler than usual, now it is 10 degrees warmer than usual. Expecting 70's and 50's this week with a little more rain. You know what that means - I get to be outside for a little bit sometime during the week.

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in West Virginia.  When living in WV in my early twenties, my (now ex for years) city husband got interested in Grouse hunting with the mountain boys. I talked him into letting me go with him one day as I loved to walk in the woods during the fall. It was a bright sunny, warm day and I had been warned that they make LOUD rustling noise when they are flushed out. Of course one did just that, and my ex raised gun to shoulder - the one I was standing next to - that Grouse flew up scared the dickens out of me, I grabbed the ex's arm and caused him to miss his shot. Needless to say I didn't ask, wasn't asked or volunteer to go with him again. They are tasty eating and it got so that I fussed when the hunter brought home Grouse full of buckshot to the breast.  They did rabbit hunting too, but I could never eat any fried bunny even if it did taste like chicken. The Photo here and the article is from the web site GameandFish . 

The ruffed grouse has long been the Holy Grail of upland bird hunters. To say they are a challenge to hunt is an understatement: Successful hunters must have the vigilance of the Templar knights on a crusade to find that coveted chalice.

Adding to the bird’s mystique is its ability to elude hunters.

Even when you can find a grouse, the bird’s startling flush and erratic flight pattern can humble the most seasoned sharpshooter. (Or an errant young wife.)

Despite the difficulties, the grouse remains one of the most prized and revered of all game birds. They’re never easy to hunt and you’ll earn every bird brought to bag, but grouse hunters know that!

Me that is - not the squirrel. I slept so well last night. It had occurred to me yesterday after the squirrel had been caught how happy I was that they are NOT nocturnal animals. Otherwise I could have had an unexpected bedmate. UGH!

My daughte,,r the editor of the written word says I should build my tale of two squirrels into a chick lit piece. I told to her develop it and we would share the proceeds of book sales. Dream on, I say.

Going to bake the last of a few cookies by the Pillsbury Dough Boy this morning and that will end the baking spell for a long while. Went to the grocery yesterday to look for a ham for the family gathering, fully expecting to have to fork out maybe 30 bucks. Found the hams looked over the prices, not too bad, around 25 dollars when I turned one over that had a big red sale sign on it. Seems it had lost the little package of honey sauce that they had attached and I didn't really want anyway. I got that 25 dollar ham for less than 14 dollars. Made my whole week feel good, squirrel episode and all.

Dusting and some last minute clean up today, bathroom at the last minute tomorrow and I am ready for the family to settle in for our yearly celebration.

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Mr or perhaps Mrs Squirrel comes to an end. I never heard anymore noises this morning.  Roasted some pecans, tried out a recipe for sugar free Chocolate Chip cookies. Not too good but passable. I had a 'date' with my grandson for an excursion to get ice cream after school. I left a bit early to visit with his dad and the new puppy 'Toby'. He sure is a cutie and so tiny. He weighed a wee bit more than 2 pounds this week at his vet visit. Had a cup of coffee, waited for GS to get home from school and headed out for our date. We were chaperoned by his Dad. My cell phone rang and my son answered it as I was driving. My DH had heard some kind of noise and got up to investigate, saw that squirrel run down the hall into MY bedroom!!!!  He pulled the door to and called the PC guy. He was just a few blocks from our home and turned his truck around, came with a buddy, went into the house with a trap/cage and some type contraption that my husband couldn't describe. It sounded like a tool they could use to grab critters with and put them into the trap.  Wa-La, squirrel in cage and out the door. They then went up on the roof, pulled out the nest, pulled up their rope and I hope they took that squirrel into the next county. Of course they did cover the chimney opening again, so now maybe I can actually rest tonight.

The mailman will be the final piece to this squirrelly adventure. He will be the one bringing me the total worth of two squirrels just trying to live life as best they could. Like many of their human counterparts, they just chose the wrong place and the wrong time. So goes life in the gardens of the Yardgranny.

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to see if the squirrel climbs out of the fireplace. The Pest Control guy came this am and used a flexible light to look around the fireplace insert. No squirrel could he see. Then he went on top of the house. Guess what??? There is a squirrel nest down inside the chimney. Now I am not pleased with that at all. And I wonder if it is a new nest. About has to be or they would have been inside the house before now.

He has left a rope hanging down inside the chimney and will be back - wait for it - FRIDAY!  Since he poked around that insert, it looked to me as if it was gapping open too far. Now there is a piece of 1x4 propped up against the insert in the living room.  Maybe I should just hang a garland and lights on the board in case it has to stay there during our family celebration. Will this never end? And will I have to have a chimney sweep come to get the nest out of there. Even though this is a gas log insert, I don't think I want a squirrels nest to stay in the chimney.

Instead of sugar plum fairies, I will be dreaming - or nightmaring - about what the PC guys bill will be. Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh My, indeed.

More To Come Later.

of apparently not just one squirrel but two. Yes folks there is still a squirrel (or something) in the fireplace.

Think it is this one??  No I believe he would be much to lazy to even make it to the roof.

I have made many calls, been stressed over this extra visitor all day. I could sit down and eat a five pound bag of sugar. UGH!

Finally called the pest control company and got some interesting advice. Drop a rope down into the chimney, sit on the roof holding the rope until one of two things happens. Either that tired squirrel will find it easier to scamper up a rope instead of having to pull himself up the chimney brick OR he will at least hang on while you literally 'fish' him up by pulling the rope up yourself.  Now I made some phone calls trying to find someone that would go squirrel fishing on my roof and they were either too old to climb upon a roof, did not know anyone that could or they were not home. So called the pest control man back, left him a message, he calls on my husbands cell not mine and hubby not knowing I had recalled the PC man to tell him to come ahead,  told him no we didn't need him. Sooooooo---- I have left another message for the PC man. Now it has started to rain a little this afternoon and I don't know what tomorrow will bring. Another rather interrupted night of sleep dreaming of the squirrel in the Chevy Chase movie, running up the grandmas leg. YiYiYi! And I am hoping that either the PC man likes to sit on a roof, in the rain, holding a rope, praying the squirrel will climb up and out or that it will quit raining and the roof will be dry enough that the PC man will not slide off, break a bone and I have to call 911. How in the world will I be able to tell them what and why this man fell off my roof.  I think I will write a short story. Oh wait, I think I already did that.

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If you remember that Chevy Chase movie - Funny Farm - that is where I thought I had gone this morning. Read On!         Got up out of bed this morning just before 8am, headed to the LR and heard SOMETHING in my fireplace. Scared me bonkers. I called the fellow next door, gave him a flashlight and as he walked into the LR he says 'Oh I see him'. When I looked it was a SQUIRREL!  He had come down the chimney, gotten on top of the gas log insert and squeezed himself between the front of the fireplace and the insert. It is not flush against the fireplace brick. Once frightened he ran back into the chimney and we think he went on out. I have a friend coming today to put some thing into the chimney top to keep the critters out. Just think what could have gotten in there. I told Don that squirrel could smell his pecans and thought he had found squirrel heaven. I turned on the gas logs and am hoping it will create enough heat to keep him back. Also put a towel around the top of the insert to deter him, should he try again. What a way to start the morning, and all before my coffee.   Sure hope this squirrels find of a new home is gone by the afternoon.

An update on mr squirrels adventure. My friend went up on the roof with some hardware cloth and bricks to close the opening. The squirrel was still up there, he scared it up out of the chimney where it sat on the top edge not willing to move. He made a noise on the metal dome cover and it finally jumped out. I expect he will sit there even now but at least he can't get down inside. Mr friend came inside and used some shim to close up the gap between the fireplace and insert. I feel much better now.

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trimmings are up, things are in place to make up the gifts for the grandchildren.  All is right with the world. Right? Everyone say YEA!! Its Christmas Time.

Had a wonderful visit with a good friend of mine. She is 92 years young. She looks now as she did some 20 years ago which is about the time we met. I answered a call to work in a Mothers Morning Out program in a local church - that began a relationship full of belly laughs of joy and some tears along the way. I told her I looked forward to visiting her at my 80th birthday (a little more than 10 years from now). She laughed, but I will not be surprised when I make this visit.

Also made a visit to Pameliap our GG member. She has some of the most wonderful pets. I believe 7 cats and 2 beautiful dogs. Fairygarden and I went together and had a fine time petting those grand cats. I told P that she better count her cats when we left because F is a real 'puddy tat' lover. Pam has a collection of the most beautiful glassware so I would be the one to catch if one of those items went missing. One was some plates, with a design I had never seen anywhere - and when I can remember the name of the pattern, I will look for it. Pam and her DH love to go to auctions and it shows. They have many beautiful items.

Baking brownies now to take to church later. The childrens choirs are putting on their program called "Charlie Brown Christmas". There must be 70 or so children in the program and their leaders do a fantastic job. There will be eats after the program so of course I will go and do the taste test on a few of the goodies the members bring.

The bright sunshine today hides the fact that the air is very cold. Don't even have to open the storm door to know that as the cold air is felt through the window panes. I am fearful that a few of my newer plants put out this fall may have been killed by our very early weather of below 30 degrees. We expect that temp in Jan/Feb but our fall plantings always have weeks to get established before the cold sets in. Many people around here are wondering about snow/ice this winter. I can do without that type of precip. Spring will be a welcome site just to see what did make it through the early winter temps.

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some baking - two pumpkin bread loaves, a graham cracker thingy, and this morning a Cream Cheese Pound Cake. The house has smelled like heaven the past two days. Will be making up the goodies plates this afternoon. Want to do this for two reasons and number 1 is - to keep ME from eating on it all day. and 2nd do it before I get too busy.

Then some decorations were put up this week. I still have the mantle to go and the railing out back.

This first picture could be better I have to admit. The little wooden sleigh was made for my youngest son when he was three by a babysitter. She was doing some sort of class in school and used him as her subject. She had to ask him questions, teach him something and make him a toy plus other things. She was a really sweet girl. She etched the date and her name on the bottom of it. It has always been a treasure at Christmas.

This next one is of a brass Reindeer and Sleigh that was given to me by my daughter a long time ago. It comes out at Christmas when nothing else does.

Placed my lighted houses under the tree this year. Even the DH said it looked pretty. Started out years ago with intentions of collecting a lot of them, but this is all I bought.

Here are two pictures of the village buildings

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two senior citizens.  Earlier today the DH and I were in the kitchen talking while he fixed a glass of milk. As we went into the Den - my mind had this thought - 'What if he were to fall while carrying that full glass of milk'!!

Remind me to never have any more of that kind of thought. I was sitting here posting and heard a thump and a cry out for help - He had gotten up out of his chair, turned out his light and fell flat on his tummy. That glass of milk flew 5 feet straight out in front of him. It was just as I had pictured it in my mind.  With the balance problem he has, anytime the light goes out and there is not enough light in front of him, he loses what bit of balance he has. Not a fun thing. He uses a flashlight when he gets up in the night, especially after he fell going into his room one time at 4 or 5 am.

I told him all that baseball playing he did through out his life taught him how to just go into a fall with agility because so far he has not hurt himself  - just scraped his knee a time or two.

When life gives you something to cry about - just turn it into a smile. Only thing to do at times isn't it. And don't quote that old saying about lemons because I don't like lemonade. ;-)

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Everyone should go outside and look up tonight. This is something you will not see perhaps in your lifetime or at least until 2052----.  I tried to take pictures but my little camera doesn't do too well.

These three celestial objects come together from time to time, but often they are too close to the sun or unite at a time when they aren't so visible. The next time the three will be as close and visible as this week will be Nov. 18, 2052, according to Jack Horkheimer, director of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium.

12/1/2008 Venus, Jupiter and the 4-day-old, waxing, crescent Moon pass within 2°30'

is over and now it is time to concentrate on the Christmas holidays. Like many of you our spending will be down this year. We will be only buying for the grands.  In the past few years, we have given gift certificates to their parents. This year will begin the end of giving to the parents. They are all doing well and can purchase what they really want. Better than trying to take things back.

In my area we had some great rain! Slow and steady for TWO DAYS with a little over 2 inches in the rain gauge. Was I glad to see the sun this morning??? You betcha' . And the water at the Y aerobic  class was perfect. So the start to my day was one I have enjoyed. It is a cool day with more of that north breeze blowing so that keeps me inside for the rest of the day.

Going to bake something now, fold a load of laundry and then do a little decorating. I did get my two lighted deer up, wrapped the lamp post with red ribbon and hung the lighted wreath on the post as well. Looks OK and I like to have a little Christmasy cheer for the neighborhood to enjoy. If it is nice enough tomorrow I will do the railing on the ramp. Also took my little 4 1/2 foot lighted tree out of the box to make sure all the lights worked, so that will get some decoration as well.

On Friday I had a grand day outside cleaning up some leaves and then mowing the front lawn. The self propelled decided to drop its latch to the self part and I had to push it myself, a little extra work but worth it. Need to get #2 son down to take a look and see if he can get the part back together.  Then my washing machine decided to back wash a little water. Called my plumber man (he is so nice and cute too) and asked him if some 'Thrift' for drains would do it, he said to try, I did and now the machine is draining well. At least for now. Less than 8 bucks is better than say 50 bucks for him to come and look.

All the plants have been cut down now except for one bunch of what I call the 'wild ageratum'. Nice plant and is especially so as it blooms in the late fall. Found I have lots of fall color now. The gardens are in good order. There is still lots of mulching to do - finish the front and then the back garden pathways. Never did get to the fence line either so if our weather here in SC holds out, I may get a good start on that as well in the coming weeks.

Over the last couple of weeks my dieting has gone for naught. This week is the beginning again week to lose those same 5 or so pounds. Where is my commitment and determination?? It seems to disappear now and again. However, it has been so wonderful to know I lost those extra pounds and have been able to keep and keep and keep losing them. I have turned into a YO-YO. Now is the time. There are several of you GGer's that have lost weight and have let us know you are successful - so know I am extremely proud of each of you. It is not an easy process but one that feels wonderful with every ounce we lose. Keep it up.

The buzzer is calling. When did we go from being 'sister and called by name', to 'Hi honey I'm home' to 'MOM!!!' then back to 'honey when is supper' and now it is the dryer calling out for us. Time flies so fast. Just look at Bugnuts newest family member - a wonderful GREAT grandson to cuddle and coo with. Life is good.

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