HAS IT REALLY BEEN ONE YEAR?

July 1st - Oh my, it really has been one full year since I retired from the school district and my job as the administrative assistant to the superintendent and the Board of Education.  The world didn't quit turning and the schools didn't have to all shut down because I wasn't at work.  Retirement will really show you just how important you really are - somewhere between a worker bee and a puff of wind.  I truly thought I would need an adjustment period and go through a feeling of loss of importance.  Actually I never really looked back.  The only real thing I miss is the friendship of my coworkers.  No problem though, there is always Wal-Mart where you eventually see everyone you ever knew right there in the female products isle and Facebook where no secrets or feelings are too sacred to share with everyone.

Now spending time with grand kids, veggie and flower gardening, sewing, scrapbooking, traveling, photographing all kinds of grandma type things, building birdhouses and running endless errands takes up all my time.  I surely did not have time to work this year anyway.  I am truly loving this new season in my life and look forward to every day and the blessings of it.


MILITARY WIFE PURSE

Our oldest daughter Paige is married to Joe who is a career Army guy serving in Ramstein, Germany.  She sent one of Joe's BDU (basic daily uniform,battle dress uniform or something like that.  I'm not really certain the exact meaning.) shirts and asked me if I thought I could make her a purse out of it.  She saw a picture of one on line and thought it was a cute idea.  After looking at the picture I thought surely I could do that.  Well, upon receiving the shirt and enlarging the image on the internet, I realized I might have promised something that could prove much harder than anticipated.  I searched all the pattern books for a similarly cut purse pattern and I could not find anything that seemed right.  When I started taking the shirt and cutting it up and looking for large usable pieces, it occured to me that we needed to have a much larger son-in-law.  Alas, I had to piece quite a few tiny pieces together.  Then she informed me that pink animal print would really make a cute lining.  Being under a stiff timeline - she was coming to Texas for our grandson's police academy graduation in just a couple of weeks - I really didn't have time to shop on line and wait for delivery.  After three hours of scouring Rankin County for pink wild animals, I came across pink zebra print.  Who knew there were pink zebras!

Luckily I made a prototype out of denim and Mississippi State fabric lining.  It turned out really cute, but much larger than I thought she really wanted.  So after rethinking my pattern, I got started piecing and trying to make it as nearly like the picture as I could while using pockets and other unique features of the uniform. 

If you have never really looked at a BDU, it has some really well thought out pockets and placements of velcro to help the soldier get the quickest and easiest use of all the features as possible.  Also, the shirt is contoured to the shape of their bodies which means there are many more seams than in a normal shirt. 

Well, here is what I finally came up with. 



This is the back of the bag. 



This is the front and has the pen/pencil pocket and the large velcro flapped pocket.  Above them are the velcro base strips which will receive Joe's last name patch and his US ARMY patch on the other one. 



This picture shows the lining and the detachable pouch pocket which has a velcro strip on the back that will attach inside the divided lining.  There is a cell phone pocket inside and several other flat pockets with flap closures.  The whole purse closes with a velcro flap which can close both sections or just one. 

Paige really liked the purse and seemed very pleased with the overall plan of the pattern.  Pink zebra print was just exactly what she wanted.  She has gotten quite a few comments back in Germany on base from other Army wives when they have seen it.  They want to know where she got it.  I Made sure she told them that there is not enough tea in China to make me make more of them.  All in all, it really was not so hard once I figured out a pattern.  Next time we need to look for a fluffier soldier and a timeline which is not during gardening season. 

As for myself, I kind of wish I was an Army wife so I could sport one.  It really is a cute idea. 

Oh yes, grandson Nick did graduate from the police academy.  During his second week as assisting officer in training they had their first murder in his district.  He and his partner were the first officers on the scene of a stabbing.  Believe it or not, just a few minutes later the backup officers were able to apprehend the druggie who committed the crime.  We are praying that God will keep his hand of protection on Nick, shower him with wisdom and protect his heart. 

   

ONE FLEW OUT OF THE WREN'S NEST

For a number of weeks I have enjoyed watching a wren family work to set up housekeeping in a container hanging on our back porch. All of a sudden they picked yesterday morning when I was sitting on the porch swing shelling butterbeans and peas to chirp, squeak, squawk, dart back and forth and just annoy me all morning. It seemed like they were angry with me for staying out there so long making them nervous about flying in and out with bugs for the babies in the nest. They were the most devoted, attentive parents who were constantly chirping and serving up yummy bugs every few minutes during the day.   Suddenly the squawking picked up and mama bird sat on the edge of the container and I could see a baby peering out over the edge.  It was time.   Mama and daddy were telling the baby to get out and try his wings. This was going to be a Kodak moment!

No sooner had I gotten poised with the camera - I had already been taking pics of mama because she was just sitting there so near me all morning - than the baby came fluttering out and landed with a big thump on the concrete floor.  Eventually mama and daddy bird coaxed baby onto the brick wall and then the table. As I was trying to focus the camera it fluttered onto the swing chain where I was sitting and then just hopped over and lit in my hair for a few seconds.  I don't know who was more surprised, baby or me.  Eventually I had to go finish up supper and when I returned they had managed to get him out into the yard.  Then he was gone.

"Come on Junior, come to Mommy."

"Look, just watch and do what I do.  Daddy is right over there waiting for you."

"Are you my mommy?  Can you get this string off my foot?"

Today there is no sign of the wrens.   I'm a bit sad.  Looks like little birds have to grow up real quick.

Peering into the abandoned nest confirmed what I thought. There had been four eggs, but only one had hatched. It was interesting to see that they had maticulously placed a layer of onion skin in the bottom of the nest for the eggs to lay on. The eggs had brown speckles and were very small.  Very interesting and fun to watch.

GARDEN GOODIES

What a tough gardening season it has been.  In the last eight weeks we have actually only had a bit over one and a half inches of rain at our house.  Water from the garden hose is just barely keeping everything alive.  In spite of that, we are  managing to have fresh veggies almost every night.  Just nothing like it!  Yum, Yum!!!!

Zipper Peas blowing in the breeze.

Clusters of Roma tomatoes.

Hot little Cajun Bell Peppers.

With the donation of a few extra cucumbers from friend Joe, I managed to make a batch of Mrs. Wages' sweet lime pickles.  There was cheering from my whole family.  A family favorite for over forty years.   

Recipe made 7 quarts.

Both pies were scrumptious!

The blueberry and apple pies this week have totally destroyed my plans to try to cut back on my sweet eating. You just can't get that fresh, just-picked taste from processed or store bought fruits and vegetables.  The only thing better than homemade apple pie is homemade apple pie with ice cream on top, which just happened to be on sale this week and I had a coupon for $1.00 off.  Oh yeah!  I'll cut back next week.

 Happy 4th, ya'll.

BLUE DRAGON

Hiding in the shadow of Lady Bird's door
      is a sneaky creepy crawler with a long sword tail.
Have you heard the stories of dragons living in the caves and rocks
      covered in their blue coat of mail?
Yes, I've often seen these dragons as they scurry to and fro
      in search of lesser creatures to assail.
His shiny armor is the color of an azure blue sky
      from his flat blunt snoot to his sharp claw feet.
I see him and he sees me, little tiny beady eyes
      fixed upon my gaze as we both make a speedy retreat.
Oh, don't fret little Lady Bird for this dragon is only a wee one
      all dressed in blue and they call him the lowely chameleon.

by Nonnie
5-19-11

I have had the most fun this summer taking pictures of some of my favorite things.  Of course at the top of the list is my kids and grands, but lately I have been caught up in chameleons.  They are just so quick and hard to get a good shot of.  The fun is in the chase.  Chameleons may seem rather creepy to most people, but for some reason they seem so interesting and curious to me.  I love how they change appearance in just a second.  I really, truly could not see the one on front of Lady Bird's house until it moved.  The color was almost exactly the same as the blue of the birdhouse.

I don't know if he was really scared or courting the camera.  Look at that big belly he was sticking out.  You're scared, right?

She was laying on the big leaf taking a sun bath.

She was a very neon green!   Doesn't this just make you want to find a little creature to snap some pics of?

Happy hunting.

OUR BIG BIRTHDAY MONTH

The month of May is about over and we have yet one more family birthday to go.  Because of the school year ending in May, it is always a busy, nearly impossible time to have a usual flow of events.  Because I no longer work for the school system, this year should be better, but if anything, it is a bit harder.  Now I can try to help get the grands situated in the new routine and to and from their many social events.  Kids are so busy these days.  Then there are the birthdays, etc. 

May 15th was son-in-law Danny'sbirthday, May 18th was granddaughter-in-law Elizabeth's birthday, May 20th was my birthday and also my sister Kit and husband Mike's anniversary, and tomorrow, May 26th, is granddaughter Ashley's birthday.   And then you have to throw in Mother's Day.  Wow, what a month for fun family time!!

For my birthday my sweet hubby gave me the jig saw to help with my crafting (birdhouse building), the Polish pottery bowl and plate with the oranges is from Paige and family.

Mothers Day Johnny gave me the hydrangea, even though he made sure to tell me again this year that I am not his mother.  I have to remind him yet again that I am the mother of his three beautiful children.    Baker and Sidney gave me stepping stones they made for my garden walk.

Tonya, Ashley and Amber gave me beautiful flowers (I love pink tulips) in a really cute country vase.  Paige sent the adorable garden smoker from Germany for Mothers Day.  I was truly blessed with lots of love and gifts this May!

The wallet is flat, the waistband is really, really tight and I am just hoping that I did not forget somebody or send the wrong thing to the wrong person.  With the crazyness of society and technology, seems most everyone really wanted money this year and I must say I felt like a schmuck for settling for that; but I am finding I know less and less what young people like these days.  Have fun shopping, ya'll.


ANOTHER MAY FUNCTION - CLASS REUNION

Along the same line is the fact that our Class of 1966 is having a class reunion this Saturday.  Guess there is no way to tone up the old arm flaps, drop a quick 10 pounds, get a little color on these pasty white legs and find a dropdead gorgeous outfit for $5.00 to wear and yet not sweat a single drop all day long out by the big lake.   Oh well, probably 99% of us have the same wish list.  Actually, I am really just hoping that I can at least recognize some of them and that they can recognize me.  Isn't it funny how you still think of yourself as young and looking like you did many years ago, but when you see your peers you are thinking how much they have aged all of the sudden and notice which one is limping or have those little liver spots or thinning hair.  Ugh.  Oh well, all this thinking is just making my wrinkles deeper.  Where is that corn remover?  Dr. Scholl's, where are you?

Film at 11:00--------

Thought you might like to see the beautiful bright orange flowers that just appear in our woods back behind our house every year.  The butterfly milkweed come up voluntarily and bloom during the last two weeks of May.  The stargazer lillies have just been beautiful and match exactly the color of the butterfly milkweed. 

The Larkspurs are a perennial which make the most beautiful, delicate cut flowers.  Bumble bees love them! 

A BIT OF FAMILY HISTORY BY REQUEST

I think I was probably in 2nd or 3rd grade before I got a handle on family members and the fact that my parents actually had been babies and also they were somebody's brother or sister.  The light bulb went off in my head and I can still remember that moment of revelation.

Well, I think that bulb went off in my 5 year old grandson's head just recently.  In the last week or so he has asked me what my mommy looks like and where is she.  After I told him that she got really, really sick and died long time ago when I was about 23 years old, he had to process that for several days before asking again what she looked like.  I told him I would find a picture of her and show him, but of course I forgot when we got home.  Being the child and not having the cluttered mind of most of us grownups, the very next time I saw him he again asked what my mommy looked like.  Of course we were busy and not in the place where my pictures were, so this is the first time I have gotten a chance to get the pics out.  So, this blog is really for Baker, but I also think our girls and other grands might find some interesting tidbits of family history too.

This picture is of my mom holding me when I was about 6 months old.  She is standing by my daddy's panel-body work truck that he used for his business - Wagner Electric Service.  After he got out of the Army after WWII he was an electrician.  Then he was a rural letter carrier -  mailman until he died when I was 11 years old.  We are in front of Ford's Ice Cream Parlor which is right across the street from Mamaw Duke's present day house.  The funny thing is that this was several years before the Dukes even built their house.  There was not a house across the street when this picture was taken and  Bop was just a little baby boy living in Alabama. 

The next picture is my dad holding me on the little front porch of our apartment where we lived until I was maybe 5 years old.  My daddy always called my mom Reen.  Otherwise known to everyone else as Irene.  My daddy's nickname was Kenny and everybody called him that, but his real name was Sidney Page.  We named our first daughter Paige after him, but changed the spelling because she is a girl and not a boy.  Granddaughter Sidney is also named for him as well as my Aunt Kate and my sister Kit. 

This is my mom holding me when I was about 1 year old.  We lived in Miley Apartments near Newton High School where Johnny (Bop) and I both would graduate some 18 year later.  This picture was taken in 1949.

This next picture is of my mom (standing behind Aunt Kit) and my daddy's mother who was my Grandma Wagner standing beside me.  Aunt Kit was about the same age Sidney is right now.  Aunt Kit (Betty Kathryn) was named for my daddy's Aunt Kate and now Sidney Kathryn is named or her too.  I never really knew her whole name, Kathryn something Storm.  She lived in Arlington, Virginia and I thought that was so great that she lived somewhere so far away.  The next picture is of her with my dad and mom in front of her Virginia house I think.  I was so impressed because it had three floors and a full basement; a mansion compared to our four room house in the country on a dirt road.  The basement was at the bottom of a long flight of creaky stairs and was dark and shadowy, but Kit and I loved playing down there.  Aunt Kate's maid would talk to us and tell us some really interesting stories while she ironed down there.  I remember visiting only one time, but we stayed about two weeks and everything seemed bigger and better than at home.  Aunt Kate's husband George worked for someone in the national government and they were wealthy in my young Mississippi eyes.

This last pic is of Cheeka, a white German shepard that was my constant companion from the time I was learning to walk until I was about 14 years old.  We had a few other dogs over the years, but none were as close to my heart as Cheeka.

Enough family trivia for now.

MY FAMILY KNOWS ME!

What a family week this has been.  Church at Crossgates is always a great way to begin.  Singing to the Lord with 75 to 100 or your closest Christian friends and choir members is such a moving way to begin the week and the Holy Spirit really showed up this past Sunday.   Even though my mother went to be with the Lord many years ago, my mother-in-law is just about like my mother and we spent a nice day with her.  Everybody brought a dish for lunch with folks eating in the dining room, living room, den and back porch.   Yum, yum!!!

Isn't Mamaw a precious little lady?  87 years young.  Her thumbs are so green, she could make a pencil grow. 

Johnny and our three girls were spot on with the Mother's Day gifts for me this year.  It was almost like they all got together and decided on a theme - gardening Nonnie.  I got cut flowers in a cute little antique jar type vase, an old fashioned hydrangea (love, love them!!!), a garden smoker from Germany, and stepping stones with Baker and Sidney's hand prints in them.  I spent all day Monday getting the hydrangea planted and mulched so I could place the stepping stones.  Then to bed at 8:15.  The shovel really did me in. 

This picture does not show how cute those little hands are, but trust me, precious!

Is that the cutest little garden smoker you ever saw?  Even the mouse he is holding is cute.


SISTER TIME

Tuesday and the sore back and achy muscles were all better, well mostly.  Anyway, cleaning had to get cranked up because my sister was coming.  Haven't seen her in almost a year and she would be here in a few hours.  She and my favorite brother-in-law (don't tell my other one) were driving in from Florida on their way to Oregon - remember we drove up there last year.  They will be in an RV - a big one - and we were in a small SUV and tent.  Anyway, I was excited.  When we get together we are like two silly, teenage girls, all giggly and talking on top of one another non-stop.  The fav BIL and Johnny just look at us and smirk at each other.  They know how it will be until they drive off again. 

You would have to hear my sister talk sometimes to understand this next little story, but I will try to give it to you straight up.  On their way into Mississippi, Sis called and asked if I could find a place where" they could adopt a donkey.

"What did you say??  A donkey??"

Following much laughter on both ends of the phone, it was established that she wanted to adopt a dougy.  That would be a doggy to us plain old southerners.  She is married to a yankee and they live in Florida.  Her accent is all messed up on certain words.  Doggy being one of them.

Wednesday we did something we had never done before, we went to the Pelahatchie Animal Rescue League and rescued the most adorable, lovable "dougy" for my sister.  Their canine companion of 14 years, Rocky, passed away earlier this year and the one that was left behind, Bella, just could not stand being left alone without her faithful companion.  So another doggy friend was introduced.  Much to everyone's amazement the intro was an instant success and the "donkey" adoption was complete. 

We shall not speak of all the hoops we jumped through during the day to make it all happen.  The problem - making the deal in one day, were from out of state, were traveling across the country and would have homes in both corners of these United States.  It was hard and took all day emailing, phoning, and faxing information and then driving to the edge-of-never.  All I can say is that they were very thorough, professional, and wonderful to work with.  The kennels were exceptionally clean and all the animals looked very healthy and well tended to.  If you ever get a chance to make a donation, please do.  If you can give a pet a home, this would be a good place to look for one.   Pelahatchie, of all places.

The beautiful black, part-Lab new family member will be called Maggie - named for Magnolia since she was acquired in Mississippi, the Magnolia State.  She is so loving and well behaved even as the entire family just clattered and carried on all at the same time.  Maggie had never been anywhere except the shelter from the day she was born.   Everything was new to her, even going up and down steps.

Amber is petting Maggie and Bella is watching the kids play. 

All of us.

Maggie's tail never quit wagging.  I think she understoods just what a lucky "donkey" she is.

Maybe you should go get you one.

EARLY HARVEST

Sometimes my husband is right when he is also wrong.  We went to Rivers Plant and Garden Center some months ago and spent about $80.00 for plants and potato sets.  He insisted that we were wasting our time and money and could buy the same harvest from the local market for far less.  I insisted that it was the thrill of growing it that made it worth the money.  And, nothing is as good as really fresh home grown.  Now that we have eaten the $12.00 worth of broccoli in one 9 inch pie (and may I say it was absolutely yummy) I am having second thoughts.  There will be a second smaller crop, but this definitely was not a good investment.  We will have to spend more wisely next year.  Mississippi just gets too hot, too quickly for that type of cool weather crop.  Even worse luck with the cauliflower.  None of that next year either.   Although, in years back we have had some very good crops, but the conditions must have been just right.

So here I am pondering the merits of planting potatoes.  This morning I dug around in the tub of potato plants and found five little new potatoes which I am going to cook in some peas for supper.  I think they'll be absolutely yummy and much better than those "new" ones you get at the local supermarket which were dug probably over a month ago.   I'm sure they'll be worth the $8.00 we spent on the little bag which planted 12 hills.  God willing, we'll probably be able to dig enough for maybe 6-8 meals worth and maybe a good many more.  Sounds like a good investment to me.

Not overly attractive, but they seem to like the big buckets.  My theory is that they produce more if you dig a few along and loosen the soil so they can produce more little spuds.

While pondering broccoli, I thought I would share the recipe for my incredible broccoli pie.  It is very easy and heats up well, if you are lucky enough to have any left over.

           Impossible Broccoli Pie

2 c. chopped broccoli, steamed to just tender and drain
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. milk
3/4 c. self-rising flour
1/4 c. shortening
1/4 t. pepper
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
3 eggs
1 t. salt

Prepare broccoli and set aside.  Blend shortening, and flour.  Add eggs and milk to the flour mixture.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease pie plate.  Mix broccoli, onion and cheese and pour into pie plate.  Mix all other together and pour over broccoli.  Bake til golden brown, about 40 minutes and firm set.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Serve in pie wedges.


CARE PACKAGE FROM PAIGE

May is the gift month for me - Mother's Day and birthday.  So, being overseas and the "always on time" daughter, Paige's package for me arrived Saturday, just after she called and threatened me with bodily harm if I opened either gift early.  She knows me all too well, but she also knows the box might get here in one week or six weeks depending on the headwinds blowing the "slow boat from China" this way.  So, here they sit early and looking like they need to be opened right now.  One is curiously shaped and cushy feeling.  I have no idea at all what it possibly could be.  The other is in a box and makes no noise and again I have no earthly idea.  The difficult thing is that they could be something typically German or Turkish.  Paige and family just got back from a trip to Istanbul, Turkey and live in Germany.  They  know I love anything, so I will be thrilled no matter what the gifts are.  I even loved the sales paper and magazines she included with the gifts.  There were some weird snack treats she bought in Turkey. 

The red and white box contained the strangest little pillow looking things and when we pulled them apart they were like really strange stringy cotton candy.  Reallllllly sweet and definitely not my fav.  I'm more interested in going overseas and trying some of the great looking ice cream deserts shown on the sales paper.  Delish looking.  I'll have to say those German folks tend to use just a bit too much liquer, rum and stuff like that.  Interesting to try, but not always as yummy as it looks.  Now Milka chocolate is always a winner.  

We'll try something different for snack tonight and shake my gifts again.  This is better than an Easter egg hunt for adults.