Coffee and...part 12 :-D

Hi and WELCOME (and/or Welcome BACK!)

Here's my usual message...
"Our door is *always* open to anyone who cares to drop in and sit a spell, If you have any special goodies to share, just put 'em on the counter with the rest of our absolutely, positively, NO-cal supply! We'd Love to taste them! :-)"

Here's the link to our last session:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/495294/

It's busy, busy, busy time for all of us. We'll understand if you don't show up regularly. Sure hope you understand when I can't. :-D

~julie~

rats! posted this afternoon and it's not there!! That nasty POOF got it - musta forgot to hit send! duh!! No time to do it now, beddy-bye is calling me. Night all!

GOOD MORNING - I FEEL BETTER!! Thank goodness- what a waste of a day...spent it on the couch or chair - got nothing done and the day was beautiful!! Also gained 2 lbs- now how does that happen???

Today I have a bunch of tall leggy annuals that I need to get out of the seed starter and into the real stuff. Plus need to plant those marigoolds and zinneas.

Two more of our friends just lost their jobs - more stinkin news. I keep telling them that they will survive as we went thru it 5 yrs ago. I didn't tell them that DH never got a job that pays as well as the one he left.

I just looked in the mirror and MAN have the wrinkles showed up this year. We heat with wood in the winter and I swear it pulls moisture right out of my body. I look old....wonder if I can lather on the lotion and plump it back up!! Had to give my cracked feet a soak last night - they look better. I should do it weekly, but never find the time. How do women give themselves pedicures and manicures all the time?? I would never get any good things done?? Well, gotta go - gardening program on TV

Good Morning everyone!

Hi Kooger...Sometimes when I hit 'send' it doesn't go. And since I'm afraid I'll send a message twice, I've learned to watch the 'progress bar' at the bottom of my IE screen now to see if it really *is* moving. My usual problem is that I get interrupted in the middle of writing the response and it sits on the screen all day, only to get dumped when I close things down before I go to bed. (And I wonder why DG seems to be acting strange. LOL)

Sarv! I'm so glad you're feeling better today.

I got woke up by DH at 7:20 a.m. tellling me that it was nearly 7:30 (and thus time for the baby to arrive for the day). I told him I didn't have to get up since Angel wouldn't be here until 10:30 or 11:00...HA! I'm sitting here trying to read the info on the Daylily co-op that was packed this weekend...and GUESS WHO walks in the door AT *7:30*? Yep! Angel and her daddy. That was *not* the plan...or least the way it was the *last* time I heard a plan.

Oh well...such is life...especially in the middle of a 'Big-D' So...I'd better get my arse in gear and try to make the bed and get dressed while Angel is absorbed in the "Wiggles" on Disney Channel. (Thank God for Disney! LOL)

TTYL

~julie~

Good morning. Got my tea, looking for goodies. I'll sit here by the window where I can see the birds and the yard.

Yesterday was beautiful and I went horseback riding for most of it. An endurance riding friend came over and brought a friend of hers so there were 3 of us. We rode about 30 miles I think and it was a good long ride for Patch who will be doing his first 50 miler this comming weekend. My face looks sunburned and windburned this morning, I have to remember to start using the sunscreen again. Today it is colder and cloudy with a small chance of rain or snow showers but I need to bundle up and ride a different horse today. After that maybe I can get the grass in the yard mowed, it looks awful, having been randomly fertilized by our son and DIL's dog when they staryed with us last fall and winter. So the grass has grown very unevenly and has bright green patches in with the not so green.

Hubby got the mowers going yesterday and started to mow around the shop and storage shed, something broke and the riding mower is sitting in a partly finished patch of grass. Hopefully he can get a new part today and finish the job this evening. The old push mower that I use in the yard is on it's last legs but he manages to keep it going so maybe it will last another season. That's what we said last year.

I read the end of the old thread but that was yesterday and I didn't go back to look at it this morning. Can't remember what everybody was doing, heck, can't remember what I am doing most of the time! My son says the mind is the first thing to go .Kids! What do they know?

Kooger, a couple of days ago I wrote something to post here on the forum and when I hit send I got a notice that said the page wasn't available. Later when I looked it had posted anyhow. These computers just do what they want sometimes and I haven't got much of an idea how it works anyhow so will never understand it.

Yesterday I looked around to see what is new in the flower beds and saw some tiny daffys that I planted last fall and another clump of some that I don't remember planting. Others that were given to me by my DIL haven't hardly come up at all but they were old dried shriveled bulbs and I had my doubts that many of them would survive when I planted them.

I see some overripe bananas on my counter that need to be banana bread, need to do that today, too. I'll share when I come back for another cup. See you later.

This message was edited Apr 11, 2005 5:04 PM

morn morn, hope all had a good nights rest.Still sprinkling here,some run-off,but most of it seems to be soaking in.Only one little piece of cheesecake left so something should pop up to take its place,but what? Don't want to get any fatter so maybe some sort of bread,the 'staff of life' you know.Aha! cardamom coffee bread with citron and toasted walnuts.That might work.Have a splendid day today,Tinker and I get to go to the Vet this morn to have her staples removed.She's gonna love that.
By the way,DG has been loading awfully slow here for the last day or so.Hope it isn't serious.

Morning, everyone... I finally got DG to open after being timed out more times than I dared count! I'll be glad when Dave gets the time to add more servers. : )

Sarv, glad you're feeling better!

Saw my first hummingbird this morning (at the feeder I finally put up last evening), so my day is off to a good start. The bad news is that the gold mounting on a ring I wear finally wore through and the onyx is loose. Since it's 104 years old (engraved inside) I guess that's to be expected.

I need to drive to Asheville (100 miles each way) and get 5 pounds of blanched slivered almonds (organic) so I can make biscotti for the GARU weekend after next. I'll have to wait until Wednesday though as that's when my SS check gets deposited. But, I'll make my 6 months' run at Sam's too so the drive will be worth all that gas.

Almost noon but still enough time t say good morning from Atlanta visiting an old school friend. Tomorrow I'll be in Naples. FL for a week. It is great to getaway from all that cold weather in New England.
All of you have been busy in your gardens which I will be once I get back home.
Maria

Back just to look and I see that my post posted twice. Ugh. Like I said I don't understand this machine when it misbehaves. I clicked send and after 2 or 3 minutes got a screen that said the page wasn't available, so tried it again and the same thing happened. It got posted both times and how was I to know? Sorry folks.Banana bread is in progress. That I understand.

Mary...LOL I just had the feeling that was going to happen to some of us before this was over. THANK goodness everyone else is having problems loading DG. I honestly thought it was only *my* computer. hehehe (BTW...you can just go into 'edit' and delete the second message if you want to. ;-))

Hi everyone who has checked in...no time to stay here...kids...kids...kids...(make that GRANDkids! I think it's 'night-night' time...I need the break while *she* sleeps.)
~julie~

Darius, take your ring to Wick & Green in Asheville. They did beautiful restoration on my grandmother's ring and made a lovely ring for my Mother from my Daddy's design. Been in business forever!
Pati

Pati, I know Wicks & Greene; I took my uncle's Rolex there for cleaning and repair. Thanks for the reminder.

Hey Darius, just got my "Southern Living" and they have an article about a resturant in Johnson City TN. Isn't that near where you are looking at your neew property? It's called Wellington's at the Carnegie Hotel. Sounds yummy.
Pati

Thanks. I saw the Carnegie Hotel when we were there, pretty impressive looking, across the street from the Univ & Med School, and about a mile and a half from the property we're checking out. I wouldn't dare go inside... when have you seen doorman outside of NYC?

Hi, Just popping in ..have been having same kind of computer luck as everyone else.(at least I won't have to get this one fixed) Have been having lovely weather, but is windy and cold today-rain tomorrow..but the plants are loving it and the yard is gaining color everyday.
Wishes for a good week for everyone.

Say there cooks of great renown,I've a question to pose before you. In baking the cardamom coffee cake today I only had seed which was still inside the green papery shell. "Shelling" the pods to get a Tablespoon to grind was time consuming,a bit worse than peeling brugmansia seed. The question is whether or not the pods need to be removed before grinding for baking.This time I didn't feel the extra fiber was necessary. Some seasoning methods utilize the whole pod and,I would think,remove them after cooking,but then I haven't seen a recipe like that. The mix smelled so good I forgot to put the citron and toasted walnuts in. Maybe next time.The chili is on the stove now so get ready for a meal tomorrow evening.Chili,beans,good crunchy peasant bread,sliced tomato and avacado on lettuce with balsemic vinegarette and strawberry shortcake.Come one come all,and there isn't a uniformed Doorman at this place.

Robert, with the kind of eats you prepare, you should have a uniformed doorman!

We usually confine our appetites to desserts or breakfast treats but, as you can probably tell, we are easily swayed....That looks tasty, and the salad is one of my all time favorites. Just in time, too, the cake is history. I tidied the guest room, when are you arriving?? No formal attire required around here, only jeans and sweats allowed. For a repast like that, I'll peel the dang cardamom uhhhh could you grate it off? Or is that too knuckle tempting due to the size?

Hope everyone had a good day. It was cold and windy here too but I needed the inside recoup as I pretty much lamed myself yesterday, digging and such. I'm not pushing 70 as hard as it's pushing me. Needed that reminder about the hummers, better get something out there for them before they cruise right past us.

Back to the sofa. Owwww.

Hello again. I went over to the Daves Garden forum and checked to see why it is slow here. It seems that DG has just outgrown our server, Dave is trying to remedy that and so we will just have to be patient. There are times of the day when it is better or worse, so we just need to learn when those times are and avoid them if we can.

The banana bread sure made the house smell good today. Here, I brought you some, it is good for bedtime snacks, midnight snacks, breakfast, whatever. I like mine warmed up just a bit with butter.

I didn't get the horse ridden today, will do that tomorrow. I did get the lawn mowed and it looks about 200% better which makes me feel good. My neighbor who has been helping the other neighbor whose husband died last week needed a break and a little fun so we went to a nursery and then took a drive up over the hills where she had never been. She wants to go back soon with her husband and explore more roads we didn't have time for today. The day was a pretty one, sun, warm, light breeze, just a perfect day. This nursery we went to is about 10 miles from my place. It used to be a sheep ranch. Many years ago they bought a large hoop house to use for a lambing barn, then decided to raise some plants in it after the lambing season was over. Other people wanted them to raise a few more plants to sell to them, and now, about 20 years later they have about 8 greenhouses, a thriving nursery business with several retail outlets in the area, and no sheep. It was a real business turnaround.

Dishes are waiting. See you tomorrow.

What a disastrous evening. I ran downstairs to get a pint of tomato juice for the chili soup and whaddaya know - water everywhere!! NO, can't be, not again!! This one was human error. DH didn't plug the sump pump in last month when he was cutting tile for the bathroom floor down stairs. And me, I just assumed it was plugged in because it's ALWAYS plugged in. We've had winters and summers when it never quit pumping for more than a day or two.

The basement is very deep, and the street to the north of us slopes our way and to the east of us slopes our way. So, when it rains, it pours and it pumps! Started raining last eve. and hasn't hardly quit for more than an hour or so at a time. Then it dribbles, then harder rain, etc. So DH got the shop vac and went to bed. He has to get up at 4 am. Since I'm off tomorrow, I get the mop up job. The water didn't just overflow the pump pit, it also came up everywhere thru the cracks in the floor. So every room is flooded. I'm so tired of water ruining stuff and I don't even live in hurricane country! Ha ha! (too pooped for a lol) I got 3 rooms done - both bedrooms and the shop room. The big room is going to have to wait for the morning.

I've decided there is never another piece of cardboard going down those stairs. If it can't fit in a plastic tub of some sort, it gets stored upstairs or dumped or sold. And that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'm so exhausted I'm getting giddy so I best say 'truste' . sleep tight all!

This message was edited Apr 12, 2005 7:48 AM

Oh Kooger what a mess!! I really feel for you. Last house we had was a trilevel. The sump pump outlet was towards the back of the house, and whatever got pumped out seeped right back in, if the extra length of hose that channeled the water towards the front yard was detached. Our first winter there, the extra hose came off somehow, and we didn't notice. During one of the drenching spring rains, my DH came upstairs one morning, and announced, "There's Good News and Bad News, which do you want? I said...."gimme the bad first. " He said, "the cats don't have to go downstairs to use the litter pan any more. " I said "why?" and he said "well, that's the bad news. The basement has six inches of water in it, so I moved it up to the entryway."
Shop vac time. Took so long to get it dried up, and we had a finished room down there, with carpeting and furniture. Figured out later that ice had built up and forced the extra hose off the main outlet. Gee, we've learned a lot throughout a lifetime of stupid oversights and errors. Even though this basement is perfectly dry, everything is in plastic tubs. They FLOAT!!!

Off to the dentist this morning. Hoping for an uneventful visit. I flossed last night just so I could say yes when she asks. LOL A slice of that banana bread will go nicely with my 2nd cup of coffee. Then I better hit the shower and the road, because the office is about as far east and north as I am south and west, and the main interchange to get there is under construction and partially closed. And it's raining. Ugh. See y'all later.

Man, busy place!!! Alot going on too! Well, I have a story for you all. Yesterday I was hungry, so grabbed a leftover piece of steak. I started eating it and it felt like it wasn't going down - but of course, I kept eating. Well, it didn't go down!!! I had the worse pain in my chest, couldn't swallow (as steak was stuck). I won't bore you with the gorey, messy details, but husband ended up giving me the hymlick (sp) - didn't get rid of the clog, but moved it somewhat. It was mighty scarey, let me tell you!! I think steak will be off my menu for the rest of my life. I don't really care that much for meat, so I may sign off all of it!

Going to be cool here today. I stuck some seeds in the greenhouse to see if they sprout there any quicker than under lights in the house. And wouldn't you know it turned cool again - drat.

I'm taking a two day break from the work out place, although tomorrow I clean for my stroke cousin and that is a work out in itself!

Have a garden class tonight- can't remember the name of it - hope my neighbor can remember = she sets them up and I just go with her.

DH decided to put some landscaping timbers around a bed and I know he ripped up some perennials. I was in the midst of the 'steak' thing or I would have gone out and watched him - now today I get to survey the damage - he doesn't know a weed from a flower. I will need to bite my tongue when he comes home.

I'll pass on any treats today - throat is still raw - soothing it with hot cocoa as I type.

Oh Sarv, that's scarey! Glad you are okay, if sore. The potential for things like that happening frighten me since I live alone.

Kooger... I cannot believe that has happened again! Poor gal. I can remember the sheer frustration every time my old basement flooded after I was certain I had finally fixed the problem. I felt like Sissyphus,,, doing the same thing over... and over... and over. Ad Nauseum.

Mary, sounds like a nice treat for yourself and neighbor to get out and play. : ) I love to drive out in the country, see what's down a road I've never driven, or re-visit favorite spots.

I don't know what weather we are expecting today but it's yuccky looking outside and I've only seen 2 birds.

Hi all. Everybody just disappeared into busyness all day. I had one of those good news, bad news days. I made my weekly trip to town to shop and the old 77 GMC pickup that I use as my "car" overheated. I pulled off the road and coasted to a stop, walked to a phone and called DH. The truck was towed to the repair shop and DH brought me home after a much abbreviated trip through the grocery store to just grab a few basics. We will probably know what is wrong with the truck tomorrow, it might be fairly simple or really major. If this had happened yesterday I would have had to walk about 10 miles to use a phone, and getting a tow truck to it would have been really $pendy. We live in the middle of nowhere but yesterday I was out on the edge of that. You folks who live in really populated areas would have trouble visualizing it I know. The good news is that DH is not too upset with me, and I did get to give Breezy a nice workout in the hills between rain/snow squalls this afternoon. It was good to just go out riding and relax even though I was watching the clouds get blacker and thought I might get pretty wet before I got home. I stayed dry and got home before the next squall came through.

Sarv, that choking thing had to be really scarry. It's a very good thing that your DH was there and knew what to do. Hope the perennials survived the landscape timber installation abuse, sometimes they're really tough and surprise me with what they can take and bounce back a year or so later. If not, well, it is an excuse for new plants.

Kooger, oh no, not again! "Water, water everywhere.........." Is this one going to involve the insurance company or rapair men? Our basement leaks and we have a sump pump. Once a couple of years ago I went down there for something and there was about 2 inches of water on the whole floor. The sump pump had died. I called DH and he came from work and installed a new one, slurrrrrrrrrrrrrp and it was gone quicker than I would have ever thought it could be. We also put an extension on the drain pipe because it ends about 3 feet from the house. I know we were pumping the same water out over and over. One of our problems is that when we irrigate the field above the house the water finds its way into the basement comming up through cracks in the cement floor and also cracks in the walls. Sometimes the water is under the floor and gets pumped out and we never see it on the cement floor. We need a french drain but that would be major surgery and so we just use the basement mostly for storage and almost everything is up on pallets. When I water the yard or when it rains, or when the snow is melting fast we get water in the basement. Most of the time it is dry.

Bed time, my eyelids are getting heavy......

Stopping in for quick HI this morning - busy day ahead!! Last night my gardening buddy and I went to a 'container class' - it was interesting! My only complaint was that the presenter didn't know the names of many of the plants that were in her power point - not acceptable to me...

Going to clean my (stroke) cousin's house today, then taking lunch to my neice and family (who don't have a pot to p** in) - they just bought their first house and want me to see it. Her mom died a year ago at the age of 43 (way tooo young) and my neice calls me her 'mom' now. She calls me at least 3 x's a week - she's always been the problem kid of the family and I feel bad for her. A couple of weeks ago I sent them 100 for food as they didn't have any $$ left. I'd rather give to them then to charities!

Next I have to take my stroke cousin's laundry to his mom and then stop to visit my folks on the way home. Phew, makes me tired just thinking about all that traveling!!! But on Friday my favorite greenhouse opens and I'm hitting it!!! yahoo

Oh Kooger- I just hate water in basements!! Ours is a finished basement and we have awakened two times to ankle high water - not a nice sight - really causes stress!

Mary = a 77 pick up??? Man, that is old. DH drives a 85 diesel and people laugh at us!! We really get our $$ worth out of our vehicles.

Well, gotta bamboose - have a great one folks!!

'77, OLD? DH's two Rancheros are '78 and '79, why they're just getting broken in!! Those old trucks just seem to run forever. He went to a swap meet with our GS last summer, and Alex bought an old Ford pickup, with so few miles on it they thought they had run out the odometer, but the interior of the cab was like new, so they knew it was right. Guy hardly ever drove it, had only about 20,000 miles on it. Didn't need much, belts and hoses and misc. small stuff, and Alex is just thrilled. He couldn't have bought a later model used truck with so few miles for what he paid for that pickup!

I know just what you mean Mary, about being out in the boonies ....city people just don't get towns that are miles apart, and not much traffic. I had a blowout on my way to my sister's place in the UP of Michigan years back. Good thing I know which end of a tire wrench is which!! Fortunately, I didn't have to change the blasted thing myself, because I was younger...had on shorts...and the car was a Mustang.....SO a guy came along and did it for me. LOL I'm not beyond playing helpless femme if the occasion calls for it. Snort!!

Have to go do the restock the pantry thing today, been putting it off and the cupboard is getting bare. Being a depression child, I get edgy if my shelves aren't full...my daughter is the same way but her DH is the "only buy it when you run out" type....can't see the logic of buying 24 rolls of TP just because the price is half of what you pay buying it in 4 packs. And I still clip coupons...a buck is a buck!

Don't know how many times I've blathered on here for a few paragraphs and then had it go POOF! Don't know why, thinking maybe I've grazed the wrong key.. I suppose if I were really skillful, I could do it in Word, and then copy it....but that would require planning, wouldn't it????

Everyone is getting busy. Supposed to be nice today, maybe I can snag a few more weeds now that I'm recovered from the weekend. Have a good one everyone.

It's very rainy here today. I have to work this morning and then I have to give a talk at the college about the impact of FDR's New Deal on Transylvania County. But EEEEeeeeK! I forgot I had to do it. Spent last night researching and just writing down things I have seen in archives or heard in our oral history tapes. I'm not even sure what time I'm supposed to be there. I will call the college library at 9:00 when they open. The only way I found out about this was from a student visiting archives yesterday afternoon and she said, "see you tomorrow." After questioning her, I remembered. Gads! if they're going to use volunteers, they should contact them more than once. I have done about a dozen different presentations there; wonder when they are ever going to pay me? Ah well, it's a labor of love.
I have an interview set up with a woman that was the principal of a Rosenwald School. Are you all familiar with them? Rosenwald was a president of Sears who put up 1/2 the money to build over 5,000 schools for black children throughout the south. N.C. was the biggest recipient. My interviewee turned 103 this year. Can't wait to see her.....

Morning' Everyone... Just a quick coffee stop as my day will be busy like Sarv's. : )

Going to Asheville (200 mile round trip) to grocery shop (organic food), get the oil changed, get the truck inspected, find an 8/32 set screw and go to Sam's. Maybe even get my hair trimmed. The sun is shining here but woodspirit says it's raining over where she is, closer to Asheville. Ugh. But, today is 5% discount to seniors at the natural foods store so I need to go today.

woodspirit, interviewing that woman should be interesting!

Y'all try to remember the most wasted of all days is one without laughter. See ya later...

MaryE,

So glad I read back a few posts.....I have been going crazy for several days trying to navigate around this site. It's so slow at times I thought I had picked up another virus. The thought of formating gave me chills.

Now I will be patient until things are fixed. I thought that a couple of times, but then I figured people were seeing the sign-ups and would figure it would be getting busier. You have saved my so much time for I was about to call Dell and MS. UGH

Thanx again.

Hap

Sarv-glad you are OK!!
Kooger-have had the same experience-don't want it again. I think we have the back up pump in-think I WILL check.
Darius-didn't know you had my photo!
Woodspirit-Whew. I had the wrong time for a workshop once--everyone was there waiting for me. Glad that you ran into that lady. I think that letters should go out to volunteers, it isn't that you folk are in that building everyday. I envy your interview and hope that it turns out well.
M5- Always have extras on hand, the sales at some of the stores are too good to pass up on staples. Good for you.
MaryE-hope it is something small.

Quick post, got a shot of my DIL's stained glass piece she made for her son's wedding, try to ignore the shadow on the car hood, it was the only place we could find to provide a clear background! I think she did a great job on it!!

M5, beautiful piece they will be proud of for years to come.

Back home safe, although sound is always questionable, LOL. I got 5-1/2 pounds of slivered blanched almonds, for only a small fortune! They freeze very well and I have space in the freezer, plus that much will make many batches of biscotti. I figure I need 6-7 batches for the GARU April 23. Guess what I'll be doing for the next few days!

M5, nice piece of stained glass! I'm sure it will be treasured.

The presentation went well. I ran by archives and picked up pictures of all three CCC camps and passed them around. I found a little booklet named, "My days in the CCC Camp" which was written in 1985 after the 50th reunion. I only had time to thumb through, and what did I find on the inside back cover, but a picture of my father-in-law, who was my best buddy. He was head of the motor pool in 1935. Boy do I ever miss him. He lived to be 91.
I also found lists of things built by the CCC and most still stand. The Blue Ridge Parkway is one example, but a lot of the access roads and bridges going up to the Parkway are still in use. They built recreation areas (picnic areas), fire towers, communication systems, ranger stations and more.The WPA also built many things in town such as the post office, now the library. A rock wall and gate to Brevard College. A country club and golf course, for the public of course. The club house is still standing. Many other items.
Eventually, though, the conversation went into what the Preservation Commission actually does, question about the National Register of Historic Places and the local archives which I run.
It was a cool day. I brought home the booklet with the picture of my father-in-law and John could recognize him without even putting his glasses on.

Sounds like a great day, Betty!

I'll pass your kind words to my DIL. Northern Wisconsin had some WPA projects too, and they are still standing. It was a great help to the out of work to be able to do them.

WS, that was a great effort on such short notice. I'm so thankful that my Dr.s and etc. call me the day before an appointment....sounds like you did an outstanding job. They should pay you!! And what a pleasant surprise to find a family member in the book!

Meant to show y'all what else I bought today... milk in a GLASS BOTTLE!

Yes, I know milk bottlers have gone to opaque containers supposedly to retard degradation from light and reduce the growth of bacteria. My refrigerator is dark inside, isn't yours? Besides, glass doesn't leach anything into the milk, and the contents stay colder. : )

Darius ...... yummy

Nothing as good a cold milk from a glass bottle. Dang plastic milk jugs breathe and off gas , turning the milk to something that tastes like white liquid paper.

We have a small bottled Milk company up here . Their name is Oberweiss and they only use milk from Hormone free farms.

A little more expensive but I don't bathe in it so I can afford to by it.... lol

For the Holidays they put out the best EggNog in the wrold next to home made.

Regular commercial eggnog actually gags me , cause of all the fake flavors and stabilizers they use ..... ack !

Haven't used it for many years. I can always drink water ! ! !

Hi everyone. Woodspirit, (aka Betty?) you had a great day! What a nice surprise to find a relative in a book you hardly had time to look at before the class. WPA built a lot of things in the west too, very durable structures that still stand. One of them is a highway in the Columbia Gorge with rock walls and bridges, still usable. I believe Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood is another WPA project and probably the Paradise Lodge on Mt. Rainier in Washington, I have been to both and the architecture is quite similiar.

The wind blew hard all day and I didn't venture out in it much except to do my animal feeding and bring in wood to keep the fire in the woodstove going. Our high temp might have reached 40 today so the wind chill was more than I wanted to spend much time in. It snowed off and on all day but didn't stick. Just before the sun went down it popped out from behind all the clouds and lit up the world as if to say it was there all the time. Nanner nanner nanner. I sure didn't get to all those outside jobs I wanted to do. Tomorrow I have to be packing for an endurance ride so might have to be out in it even if I don't want to be. Today I had a choice.

We are feeding another feral cat. Both our cats were strays, and now here is another one. The male cat is curious but not agressive. The female cat (my part time house kitty) might be a problem because she is very territorial and I think this new one is a female. I told her she was lost and hungry once but I'm not sure that is going to help. This new cat is gray, long haired with mats and weed seeds in it's fur, hungry, and friendly, has a good purr, jumped up on my back when I bent over and crawled up on to my shoulder. She (?) has the prettiest green eyes! I hope they get along but I think this new one is going to be having a rough time of it if she decides to stay, which she probably will since it is 1/2 a mile to another house. There are lots of places to hide in the barn and around the place so I hope she finds a safe hiding place.

Darius, I had to laugh at the morning picture. And at MG's comment about it. I'm glad you had a safe trip. Cool milk bottle you got. I remember the other kind of glass milk bottles that the milkman in a funny little truck delivered to my grandparents porch about 3 times a week when I lived there as a little kid. They had pints, quarts and little bitty ones with cream, all with a cardboard lid with a little tab on it to lift it up. Empty bottles were washed and picked up when new deliveries were made. If you needed more or less milk you just left a note with the emptys. Every porch had a box for the milk, hopefully in the shade. Deliverys were made pretty early in the morning. When my kids were little we got milk from a local dairy in glass gallon jugs, paid a deposit and got credit when we brought it back clean the next time. Raw milk was legal to sell then in Washington state, and might be in some places now. We drank raw milk for years without any problems. By law all heifers in the country have been vaccinated for Bangs disease (undulant fever) for so many years I would doubt seriously if you could find a case in this country. Even the beef cattle are vaccinated for it and nobody drinks their milk because it all goes to feed their calves.

I need to tidy up the kitchen and get to bed before my eyes close. Goodnight.

This message was edited Apr 13, 2005 8:40 PM