Two Shoes Tuesday For Mary

I've written many words through the years.  I've met many wise, funny, wonderful people.  I'm still amazed that I can visit someone from around the world.  We are the same.  We are different.  It works.

Meet Lilly At Saucykodz Blog.  This is one super lady.  She has brought me smiles, laughter, hope and encouragement.  I have a confession...the name of her blog drew me in...I had to find out who would use such a brave title.  I have not been disappointed.

Recently I asked Lilly how her friend Mary has been doing.  I discovered Lilly has been reading my blog to her.  She told me how much Mary enjoyed all sides of me:  the dark side, the poetry side, the animal lover side and the crazy side.

Hello dear Mary through SaucyKodz Blog.  I am honored to know my words are enjoyed.

I know we are not the first nor will we be the last to connect in a world that has grown very small indeed.

Nice to meet you, Mary!  For you:

Lizzy drinking from the water garden, 

An autumn rose

Lizzy in the snow

and winter sunrise.

Happy New Year!

Two Shoes Tuesday... a place to share what we enjoy doing most... writing!  

Self Portrait For The Mag...

self-portrait, Francis Bacon

self-portrait, Gail

Do we reflect our goodness

To the people we meet?

Or does our badness show

As plainly as our feet

I can reflect on actions past

I can reflect the sun

But all reflections

Are things that are done

We must take this moment

Like a tiger by the tail

Reflect on consequences

Mark our decisions well

For only in a moment

Can we decide for sure

How we will reflect our light

Let it be good and pure

The Mag

Thanks, Tess.

The Tiny X

I’m but a small X in the Ozarks carrying my ancestors’ ways with me.  It worked for them and works for me. 

Mother Nature talks to me and I listen. She gifts me and I am thankful.  I try to give back.

If the world would do the same we could all live in paradise.

For Gman

Eve of Christmas...

I would have called her Eve.  The blonde lady lay in my husband's arms and was happy there.  The third in a long line of ladies...DJ ( gone) Maggie now Bonnie.  I could never compete with them.

I didn't want a new lady but the look in Hubby's eyes was so full of light and love and happiness.  Looking at me he said, "DJ used to do that".   I just smiled...

and said, "Merry Christmas!"

Welcome home, Bonnie.

Me In The Trash Can???

I'm not on your bed either.

Slow down on that eggnog!

You're imagining things.

I just sniffed a cheese danish wrapper.

It attacked me.

I ran and the only safe place was here.

Would I ever do any of this on purpose?

To all my furry friends and the people you own:

Merry Christmas! Stay clear of the trash can.

A Christmas Calf...

The calf swings his tail to pump the milk.

Kidding!

Enjoying their snack of range cubes

The cattle At The Farm

Wish 

All 

A Merry Christmas!

While I Was Absent

I GOT HIGH

I WAS DUMPED

AND WAS FROZEN

WHILE EVERYONE SHARED

NEVER A DULL MOMENT

WHILE PEACE REIGNS. 

Six Sentence Story for Two Shoes

She told no one she was walking the same path she had traveled with her father while he talked of cave safety and the history of it.  Today she walked alone returning to the massive flat mouthed cave that used to shelter Native Americans.

Reaching the entrance she remembered to look at the ceiling to see if there were fresh rock falls and used her light sparingly even though she had another.  During her previous visit she had spotted the entrance of another room but her father pointed out some fallen rock and said it was not safe to go further.

Reaching the opening in the back she crawled deeper as her flashlight illuminated drawings on the wall possibly not seen for hundreds or thousands of years.  Admiring the art and traveling farther than she had gone before the cave rumbled dropping rocks behind her and she knew she was never going home.

For Two Shoes in Texas Six Sentence Stories...Home.  Thanks for the challenge.

Mega Millions

I'll not buy a Hummer
A Rolls or a Cadillac
Give me a shiny pickup
To haul stuff in the back.

I might build a barn or two
Or bring my horses back
I'll not build a castle
'Cause I kinda like my shack.

I might change the cash to gold
Bury in the ground but with my memory
I would forget
And it'd never be found.

The Mega Millions was so big
I couldn't write it once
Did you know you must buy a ticket?
I feel like quite the dunce.

WARNING! DARK FICTION or Weird Wednesday

The noise was too much.  I frantically search finding a lady bug crawling on the lamp shade.  The clocks tick so loudly I remove the batteries.  I turn down the heat because the ignition drills into my brain with the noise.

The sound of carbonation is too loud.  The ice crashes against the side of my glass.  I can hear myself swallow so I no longer drink.

Outside my windows tree branches with ice crack and the birds songs pounds into my head.

Ear plugs do not stop the noise.  I wrap my head to block the sounds and lay under pillows to stop the NOISE.

No use.  No use.

SOUND still finds me.  There is no quiet place for me.

I push a thin blade into my ear hoping I will find silence.

DISCLAIMER:  This is not real, nor true in anyway.  Pure fiction.

Animal Tails

Raccoon

white tail deer

and the unknown.

Roux-Ga-Roux, Wolf, Mountain Lion or chupacabra?

Your guess would be interesting to know.

Presented  by Hubby's game camera.

A Heart On Snow

The heart-shaped brier leaf lay

reminding me of my blogger friends who missed me.

You have made my world bigger

and my heart more open.

Thank you.

Multiflora Rose

which Dad called Florabunda Roses, because of it's prolific blooms. This was one of the ideas of the forties ranking right up there with Kudzu. Dad said they were recommended for fencing.  Little did the people know what a hassle they would become.

We cut all we can find although the birds do eat the hips. You can make tea from them and they are rich in vitamin C.  If you have ever walked into a Multiflora Rose you will respect it, avoid it, chop it, and destroy it if you can...or I do.

They are beautiful from a distance but touted to be the a living livestock fence I certainly can understand how it would keep me out or in.  COVERED with prickly thorns, thick growing limbs...a lovely plant.

We are blessed with them here.

See the tiny devil thorns?

Looks just like a rose

but grows far better than any rose I know.

Most of ours are bush hogged but much must be removed by hand along the springs and creeks.  Marcy bought me some rose gloves just for that.  Leather in the palms and the gloves reach almost to my shoulder and I still can't seem to avoid being torn by these beautiful plants.

Gotta love em.  I don't think they will be gone in my lifetime but I can keep trying.

My Winter Walk

At The Farm you can't really see the lay of the land unless there is the contrast of snow with the trees.  After viewing the hills around me in the valley I know why it was chosen through the years as a Native American campsite.

Fresh running water and

flat lands with rolling hills on all sides 

made this valley perfect for anyone's home.

I wandered to Rock Hollow.

It was not a safe day to climb.

The snow showed me how hidden

the valley and the people here would be.

It was an Ariat day.

No, still haven't found that new pair of rubber boots.

I'm grateful the foresight of my ancestors

allows me to call this peaceful valley My Home.

Strange Light, Mountain Lion and Dumplings...

A long time gone...just like Dylan's song.  I'm not sure where I've been except maybe testing the couch for comfort and reading several books.  Did a little cleaning and a lot of being snowed in. Tried to call some talent out...talent didn't answer.  Enjoyed some winter comfort food like homemade chili, venison stew, dumplings...not in one day but spread over the cold days that rode in on our early winter storms...and it is sleeting now.

Eight inches of snow with ice underneath and ice and sleet on top is not our normal December weather. School has been out many places for a week and only now are running snow routes for the buses.

I have witnesses.  I saw the light!  A round light bobbed up and down far away seen through my kitchen window one night around eight o'clock.  I thought it was a star and maybe I was seeing things. Watched it awhile and to verify I called Hubby and Andrew to look. Andrew saw colors. Hubby said a star then it moved.  We were using a limb on the tree to align it making sure we weren't moving instead of the light. It went up. It went down.  It went left and right. It made circles and stopped.  It began again.  Same routine in the middle of the sky in the middle of nowhere.  Not a plane but could have been a helicopter though there was no sound.  It may be unknown but it was fun to share.

A mountain lion has been sited in our neck of the woods.  My sister saw it weeks ago.  Now our neighbor way up the road has seen it.

I called Game and Fish.  They told me it was probably a young male from a far northern state that had been kicked out looking for new territory.  I asked if they could trap it.  Nope, hard to catch a cat. Danger? Nope.  Well, there was some reason our ancestors eliminated them.  For money, she said.  No, I said, to save livestock and children.  She said, Like I said for money.  I told her the neighborhood in which he was sighted is full of small children that play in the fields. Oh, there's no danger, she said.  Just tell the children always travel in pairs, stay outta the woods and make lots of noise.  I repeated, So no danger??  Nope, she said.  I asked what do I tell the cattle and the chickens?  She had no answer and recorded details of the siting.

To those who have missed me, thank you.

And life goes on At The Farm.

Horses for Heroes

Horses for Heroes

Arkansas State University is using horses for therapy with Veterans and other people in need.

To Those Who Are Serving...

and to those who have served:

Thank you!!

May we all remember this Veteran's Day
and honor Veteran's throughout the year.

Random Five Friday...

My computer popped and died.

The Senior football team, The Bearkatz, enter the conference with 8/2 record.

My computer croaked.

The temperatures are dropping more quickly than I am prepared for and there is much winterizing to be done.

The Queen Anne's Lace has survived our heavy frosts and shares her beauty with me.

I Am Addicted...

to Diamond Candles.  It all began with a post for a giveaway.  I was very interested.  I love candles and I love rings so pairing the two made a wonderfully unique successful business.  I ordered one and gifted the ring to one daughter.  I purchase two more which supplied two more beautiful rings for my other daughter and me.

I received two more for a birthday present from a very dear friend. I have been fueling the flame so the rings will appear.  So thrilled!

The fragrance lingers in the room without being over powering and the candles last for a long time.  I have discovered a bonus too.  The candle container can be cleaned after the candle is used and you have a lovely glass canister.

I received no candles for singing for their praises but I know one thing.  I am determined to get more!!!  And more!!!  Yep, I'm an addict!

Peace In The Valley

The cattle are enjoying their return to winter pasture in the valley. They enjoy the fresh running spring and creek, too.  Hay is stored...in much better shape than we were this time last year with the drought. California is not the only place that has happy cows.

Going to retrieve my rocks so Hubby offered me a ride through the creek in his tractor bucket.  It was a little cool to be playing in water.  I gripped with my feet and hands as Hub tilted me forward and backward as you can tell by my white stubby toes.   Butt!  He was laughing.  The splashing ahead  is Ki-Anne.

This photo is quite deceptive.  Beneath those leaves runs a creek. They are falling faster than the current can carry them away.  When the next rain comes they will wash away and we'll see the water again. The leaves will stop in places along the way to build new soil.

We wait for winter.

Bodark, Osage Orange, Hedge Apples...

Whatever you call them, 

we have them.

They cover the ground yet are poison to humans. In some states they sell them at the super markets. Supposedly they discourage insects. The squirrels love them and so do children.  In a child's mind they can be any range of monsters.  At The Farm this is the one thing you can chop, throw, spear or poke without retribution. 

We lost a few during the tornado but those left still thrive.  I think I will place a few under the floor to see if it slows down spiders!

Bois d'arc is the best wood for a bow.  The wood is strong but pliable.  It is a beautiful yellow wood but we let ours grow.  There may come a time we fashion a bow.  Until then we play, put them in baskets for fall decorations and allow the squirrels to enjoy them.

In Autumn...

the leaves

fall

down.

A Crisp Wind Blows...

through the valley today raining leaves sideways. The trees rustle as if to say, "No, it's not time!" Another season begins.

The "falling back" of the clock has timed itself well. Food is falling. We gather walnuts, pecans, hickory nuts, pears, chestnuts, persimmons, and pawpaws. Preparing them for storage and use like the generations before us.

The figs frozen by the cold nights display the color of their last hurrah and drift to the ground.    Green still fills the valley as the hillsides are in constant color change.  Once again the valley shall shelter and feed the fifth generation of our family as they have fed the inhabitants that have gone before.

I believe the valley smiles.

We are home.

Walking With Dogs..

Ki-Anne climbing some bales of hay.

Lil, with a stick, of course.

Ki-Anne watching.

Playing in muddy puddles:

Lizzy, Ki-Anne, and Junior.