Tagged!

My daughter-in-law Jessica at Hey, Mrs. Robinson...... has tagged me!


Here's the rules!
1) Go to your photo files…Select the 6th photo folder
2) Select the 6th photo in that folder
3) Post that photo along with the story behind it.
4) Then challenge 5 blog friends to do the same!



First for my challenges: I have many photographer friends on here, so it's hard to choose. I'd love a chance to browse through all their hard drives! But I'll make a decision...

Lillie Diane at ...This Time Tomorrow…
Judy, a.k.a. Squirrel Queen at Through Squirrel Eyes
Mark at From The North Fork Long Island
Nina at Grandma Nina
Anne at Sassy Sasha the Lovable Shih Tzu
Rae at Weather Vane

OK, so maybe it's more than 5.



Now that I've solved that part, here's my dilemma... I have a gazillion photos, so I have to keep them very organized or I'd never find the one I wanted. That means folder with sub-folders and more sub-folders... You get the picture! (No pun intended.)



Anyway, I go to my pictures. The 6th folder is FARM. Great! I open it... It has 1 photo, 5 videos and 10 folders. OK, lets try the 6th sub-folder... Not so interesting but it has lots of photos! This folder is titled 'fence'. Ha ha! Why not the folder with the beautiful sunsets? Or the one with all the snow pictures? Or why not the 10 picture? (a very nice shot of my horses) OK, this is what she asked for...

I have a friend on MySpace that asked me questions about types of electric fence. I made this folder for him. We have different types of wire, rope, insulators, gate setups, etc. I shot examples of it all and uploaded them to MySpace. So here is the 6th picture in that folder...

For anyone interested, these are insulating standoffs. The white webbing has metal fibers running through it, so you need insulators between the strands and the metal posts. This shot is at the corner of our barn. The horses decided they wanted to kick at the flies while standing close enough to make holes in the wall! This keeps them a safe distance away from the metal siding.

Now then, aren't you glad you stopped by?

Too hot for you?

I don't know about you, but I'm not a lover of hot weather. The only thing it's good for is growing vegetables and playing in the water. I needed a cool down!

Hubby is always wanting me to post my winter pics and vids on the local news. I finally uploaded this one and it aired that night. This was after a January snow storm this year. My mare loves to run and spin in the snow. (Watch for the flying snow behind the swing set.) See if this doesn't refresh you a bit.

320 Pounds of Concrete!

The local weatherman has been having fun with me. I'm starting to get annoyed! He keeps telling me that storms are coming. I've been wanting to get the stones finished and move on to the next step of my project.


Ali and I went to Lowe's today and bought four eighty-pound bags of concrete mix, hoping to be able to use it someday soon. After dinner it still hadn't rained. I got online and checked the forecast... A slight chance for spotty light showers. I'll take the gamble!


Hubby is still on restrictions, but he offered to mix and shovel. Ali helped me get the heavy bags out of my car and into the wheel barrow. (Did I mention the project area is at the opposite end of the house as the driveway? And since it's rained a lot we can't drive around to it!)


We each had our job. Papaw shoveled the concrete a little at a time. I was on my knees with a small garden shovel, filling in the gaps, cracks, holes, etc. Ali used a bucket to carry the crushed brick down and smashed a layer of it into the wet concrete. It took all four bags to finish this part of the job. I still have some stones edging the other side of the patio that need mortared, but it will have to wait.


We've made it this far! Yea! Next comes the plants for the other side and staining the rest of the wood... But that will be a few days. I've promised Ali that, come hell or high water, the cover comes off the pool tomorrow! How does it look so far? The big dark spot is just some very wet mulch that was left in the other wheel barrow.

And remember the new wood steps? Makes a great spot to sit and sample the chives...

Camping Out

When I was Ali's age, one of my favorite things to do was camp out! Dad would pitch the tent waaay back beside vacant field. I thought the farther from the house, the better! Once a neighbor friend and I camped in sleeping bags under the stars. I remember listening to the crickets and watching the stars. I loved it! I wasn't crazy about waking up damp! Of course, we didn't hear coyotes or packs of wild dogs. We didn't see raccoons and ground hogs scurrying about either. Maybe it would have made a difference...


Ali is a city girl; there's no denying it! Once, she and her older sister camped out in the backyard, but I was sleeping in the hammock right outside the tent door! It was so amazing! The hammock was right next to the pasture fence and my horse laid down and slept right next to me! (Sorry about all the !!!!s, but it was amazing!) Anyway, back to Ali's adventure...

I've often suggested she pitch her tent on the balcony instead of in the middle of the living room. (That's where she usually slept when spending the weekend.) Since she's here for the summer, I told her no tent in the middle of the living room.

Last night we were sitting outside at dusk. It was such a beautiful night. Unfortunately, there was too much breeze for a campfire. I asked Ali if she wanted to camp out. She said yes, if I camped out with her. I explained the effects of old people lying on mats for hours... I suggested she position her tent so that the door was right next to my bedroom door. I would leave the door open so that if she got scared she could step right inside. We negotiated until we settled upon her sleeping with the door next to my door and Sadie in the tent with her. I didn't know how that would go over, but I agreed. I figured Sadie could put up with it long enough for Ali to fall asleep. And she did...

Hubby and I were sitting in our recliners watching the news. He could hear Sadie softly whining from the tent. I figured a bit longer and I'd bring her in, but Hubby is impatient... So, as quietly as possible (yeah, right) I unzipped the tent and allowed Sadie to escape. Ali woke up. I told her Sadie was coming inside for a few minutes but that I would be out...

A few minutes later I heard the zipper. (Maybe waxing it?) Here comes Ali through the screen door, blanket and pillow in arms! I wonder if Papaw will ever get his bed back...

Sadies' Wordless Wednesday...

My Patina

I was reading through my morning e-mails and came to the one from the Presidential Prayer Team. It's a good way to start the day! Today's daily compared the rich patina of a well cared for antique table to the rich 'patina' a follower of God will achieve through years of a well cared for relationship with God.

Through daily prayer, scripture study and constantly walking in the path, we will achieve that patina that so pleases God. It is not only visible to God, but to all that cross our paths. A deep relationship with God improves all our other relationships; even those we pass as strangers.

When I further pondered that train of thought, I contemplated what else might contribute to my personal patina... The years of abusive relationships surely left me with those nicks and gouges that only add to the beauty of a treasured heirloom. The wisdom I continue to gain gives me that soft sheen that cannot be achieved with a quick polish.

Even the arthritis has its place. Have you ever noticed on a very old piece of furniture, the places that were constantly touched or rubbed? The finish is worn thin, paint rubbed away, exposing the bare wood. Yet, we would not think of touching it up! No, those spots are evidence of its history... Grampa rested his hand there; Mom opened that drawer the most.

Yes, some days I wish for that shiny new polyurethane exterior. It sure was easier to get chores done. But then I realize the value I place on those 'chores' now and I treasure my patina.