No Good Deed Goes Unpunished!

I live in a small town, on a small road, where small people relish in minding all but their own business. Now all you who know me, (all 10 followers), know that my life is about as colorful as a muddy river in Choctaw county and the only exciting thing to ever happen was a movie about Billy Joe McAllister jumping off a bridge and could , in many ways, be just as likely to happen in this little poe-dunk town. But it didnt, and other that that similarity, nothing has ever- or will ever- happen here.
With all that as a frame of reference, in my little life, I managed last week to carve out a few hours to plow by hand- and I mean with a hand pushed, non-mechanical, non-engine plow- my small garden area to turn the soil so that I may prepare it for my winter garden. I worked hard, broke a sweat, and acquired blisters and skeeter bites in strange places that most assuredly were covered up!

      A few days later I skip with joy (sarcasm) to my garden in order to plant seeds and baby plants to tend for the next few months. Just over the fence my neighbor corners me to inquire about my plants and my tomatoes that mysteriously all died within days of each other from fertilizer burn.

( Im still sore as all get out over that because I never have used chemical fertilizer- which makes it odd that they all died from it- the same kind my neighbor swears by and insisits I use...seeing a pattern yet?) He remarks over my rows and that he noticed lots (millions) of small green sprouts right where I had just hoed and cleared(even though it should have been very clear from the previous weeks worth of clearing). He laughed with his blacked out, cavernous, snaggled tooth grin and informed me that the green sprouts were turnip seeds he had left over and took upon himself to toss haphazardly into my cultivated, tilled, cried over, organic, orderly, nurtured soil. I looked at him with disdain, was sick at my stomach mad, and went inside and fumed!

I have excused him in the past because of his ignorance to the fact that I do not need or desire his assistance. Now he is on mylast nerve! Tomorrow a sign goes up in the garden- far from Mr. McGregors sign warning little rabbits...It will read..." Do Not Touch This Garden or I will Kill you, Bury You, and it will STILL be Organic!!"

{ For the Children's Sake }

The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn.

~ John Lubbock   

Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion has no hold on the mind. Therefore do not use compulsion, but let early education be a sort of amusement; you will then be better able to discover the child's natural bent.
~ Plato

Our generation was not taught how to learn and was never given a love of learning. Yet our children are trained with the same methods that failed to teach us to learn or to love learning. With only the raw material of our fragmented lives to work with, we attempt to integrate our new vision, godly desires, and goals into our old lifestyles and systems. We use the world's methods to try and produce something they were never designed to produce.
~ Marilyn Howshall

This ain't nothing!

I am old enough to know that love comes in many forms...At its purest it is unselfish, patient, never rialed to anger, and never boastful. In my experience, the earthly love that we are, as young girls, taught to seek, is nothing like the definition. Bummer!! I have turned over rocks, kissed frogs, prayed, settled, and fretted til Im a nervous wreck...but...this aint nothing!
..If your reading this...and we both know you are...Im much stronger than I look! Im a tough old country girl that aint scared to fail! Had a broken heart before and it didnt kill me then, most l,ikely wont this time! And if your waiting on me to cry....its gonna be awhile!- cuz this aint nothing!

Dear Mr. President...

A few years ago I got the notion to write one of my favorite people in the whole world...President Jimmy Carter. Think what you will about his accent, humble roots, and failed fiscal policy- on top of his reign as head of state that is mocked with little reverance. Still- despite all the negative- he is truly a remarkable man. While not taunting all his accolades that I adore, I will mention how he was raised by godly parents in a truly poor fashion. He never had needs that weren't for the good of his hungry belly or to benefit the whole family.

Recently, he travelled to Korea to once again come to the aid of a man who had no other recourse but to rely on mercy and humbleness on his behalf.
I think I shall write him again and beg him to go to Washington,D.C. on behalf of our soldiers. Since last saturday, August 21,2010, 18 American soldiers were killed in gruesome and heinous ways by cowards that retreat to caves and use guns we once supplied to them. I will beg him to ask my current President to bring them home so that they can see their children grow up and enjoy birthdays and Fathers day. I will ask him to use all his persuasive powers to help my President see the pain and loss that families are feeling as the losses are reported in a brief 10 second mentioning on the news while reports of the books my President purchased on Marthas Vineyard are critiqued at length.
   "Dear President Carter, Please pray for us- we are broken hearted. Please be our words-the President is not listening. Please rescue our soldiers- they are dying. Sincerely, an American citizen."

Corned Beef Hash and Crop Cirlces

Many years ago the kiddos and I saw a wonderful movie in an Army base movie theatre. I only mention this cuz if you have ever watched a movie in such an establishmnet, you actually saw-felt-screamed- and were totally engrossed in the movie with the other movie goers!What a blast!
The movie was "Signs" and we loved it- screaming in all the right parts and seeing it several times to insure we had the full experience (the ticket price was .99!!) ... And one day I asked someone what they wanted for diner and this quickly escelated into "Thats not fair, what about what I want?", thus giving rise to the dinner where everyone gets what they want no matter how ridiculous or wheter we just had it (just like in the movie...see the coorelation now?)!
Voila'...a tradition is born!
                               
 Signs Menu for August 20,2010:

• Corned Beef Hash (Abby's idea -good little Irish girl and cooked for second time this week!)
• Fried Chicken with rice and gravy (Katie- good little Southern Girl)
• Fried Chicken (Eric's pick also- me to him,"Do you have enough Prilosec?")
• Green Bean Casserole (Tara's contribution and disregard for the fact its 100* out and 100% humidity)
• Soup of any kind ( oh sweet Jenna- sorry Mom forgot to heat you up Ramen...love you!)
• Fried Banana Nutella Won Tons (Me!! Sweet Southern fat girl- :) )

Precious time

Today has me running and giving out lots of TLC to my sick babies. A monstrous head cold is taking its toll on the family and it seems that noone is safe. Of all the things I had planned to do today, it seems as though i may get only 10% of them accoplished. But I have solace in knowing that in a week, a year, and a decade, the only thing that will matter is that I was a mommy and here for them when they need me.

**Stay tuned for information about tomorrows  "Signs Dinner"  This is based on the movie by the same name. As the aliens were ravaging the house and their fate was questionable, they all pitched in a favorite food for their "last" meal- we get such a kick out of this long anticipated event and usually end up with belly aches and way too much food! Now its a coveted tradition- much like hanging the star on the tree at Christmas time- minus the tree and ladder!

Hello and Good Night!

I hope that this posting finds you well and happy. I am currently up way too late and have a big day in store tomorrow. My 3rd daughter turns 16 tomorrow and she will not be satisfied waiting to test for her license. She is an amazing creature! But then all of my girls are. And yes, I am most certainly biassed.
  
Every year I make a list of "must-do's"...Here are a few I have yet to check off the list..
1. Walk a sigificent portion of the Appalachian Trail (only about 20 miles so far)
2. re-paint the kitchen- aqua this time- that guacomole color did not work out!
3. Clean out the barn ad have a yard sale- or beg folks to take it!

There are so many more but Im tired and will stop before I write more and feel so guilty I cant sleep...right!