February 20, 2023 - Msg 118761: Good afternoon, porch! Cloudy and warm today, at 78°, supposed to be 83° tomorrow. And I wore a jacket to church yesterday! Weird weather these days. I finally just put an all-purpose jacket in the car and left it. That way, it's there if I need it.

Am I the only aging one who looks like I've been beat up most of the time? I've got bruises all over my hands and arms! Most of the time, I don't even know how I did it. However, this time I do. I changed the linens on my bed yesterday, and found that I can no longer lift that heavy mattress up to tuck things in, and both of my arms have those purple splotches all over them! Looks perfectly awful! I'll be wearing long sleeves for the next few days. One of the spots actually tore open and bled, so it's sporting a big ol' bandaid! My skin is so thin and fragile, it reminds me of the little old ladies that were so hard to get an IV into without making them look like they had been beaten up. Good heavens! Do you suppose I'm one of them now?! No, it can't be! I guess that's payback for all those long, happy afternoons, wearing jeans and a t-shirt, riding the back roads and trails in the Texas sun, on my faithful and beloved horse, Ace. I was one much-blessed young girl!

Well, my church family had a shock yesterday morning. Our beloved young pastor, just four years with us, announced his resignation. A church back in Alabama, his home, has called him, and he has accepted. As much as we hate to lose him, and we definitely will miss him, we have to understand. He was just 28 when he came to us, his first pastorate. He's a good pastor, full of exciting ideas and plans, and skillful at getting things done. Personally, I have liked him very much. He guided me through my encounter with my friend (?) and her great-grandson and his cats, and encouraged me to "get them out of your house!" He made me see how the woman was enabling the 22 yr old "kid", and he was right. He and his wife have a 4 year old boy they adopted out of India, a 3 year old son born to them, and a 4 month old daughter born to them, and are working on adopting another little boy out of India, a child with some handicaps who needs help and support. By taking the pastorate back in Alabama, he will be near his and his wife's families, and will have access to some assistance with all those kids! He's a good man, a good pastor, and we will miss him. Now, our search committee will have to re-activate and find the man God has in mind for us at this point. Bro. Jared will be leaving us with the four young and energetic and capable young men he brought in as associate pastors in the main departments in the church - Children, Education, Adults and Senior adults. We now have those four young men and their young and growing families, and it's been wonderful seeing all those small children around the campus again. That's how it was 50 years ago, when Dale and I and our four kids joined the church, but that generation is mostly grown and gone. Very few children! And that's not good. Children are the future of the church, and we will be building that up again. We will miss Bro. Jared, but God has someone for us.

Well, better go see if I can get a little work done around here. Probably not, but there's always tomorrow! Tomorrow is the best day for doing anything you need to do. Tuscarora!

Blessings, friends, and keep looking up! --Romeena
February 20, 2023 - Msg 118762:

Good sweep of the porch RO, thanks.
Debbie, if you should look in again,
you can click on the "Archives" word below,
and it will bring up our past posts.
Then just click on the one you want to see.
Good Presidents day to all.
More later,
MDC


February 22, 2023 - Msg 118763:

ROmeena, you mentioned about your thin skin, etc,
and I have had that also, but recently I started mixing
powdered collagen in my coffee each day, and I have seen
a real improvement. It helps with skin, hair, nails,
joints and gut. I get the Ancient Nutrition brand,
but there are others out there. Just a thought, but after
only about a month, it has helped me.
https://ancientnutrition.com
Also, I havent tried the next item, but have heard commercials for it.
It is called Relief Factor to help with back pain, etc.

I will be praying that your church will be blessed with a good pastor.

I hope everyone is doing OK. We got some rain today,
and should get more on Wednesday.
Prayers for all,
MDC

February 22, 2023 - Msg 118764:

RO, this is a better link to take you right
to the product. MDC
https://tinyurl.com/mrxsdr22

February 22, 2023 - Msg 118765:

Well, shucks, that one doesnt seem to work.
Try this one:
https://tinyurl.com/4awun7we

MDC
February 22, 2023 - Msg 118766: Good afternoon, porch! Bright and sunshiney today at 81°, not a cloud in the sky, but we got some light rain last night. Now that's a perfect plan!

MDC, thanks for the tip on the collagen thing. Very interesting, sounds like a good idea, and I'll be investigating. Right now, I look like I went three rounds with a wildcat. I was also intrigued by the idea that it will benefit my thinning hair. I always had a mane like a lion, and it has gotten so thin and lifeless that I'd like to cover it. However, I'm one of those women who looks like an idiot in a hat, so I never wear one. Why is it that some women look wonderful in a hat, any hat, and some of us are just cringe-worthy in a hat? Not fair! My DIL, Brittany, often wears a baseball cap, with a ponytail pulled through the opening in the back, and she looks like a walking doll! Or, she lets her thick, very curly locks just flow, and looks beautiful. She could have been a model, and I'm happy to say, she is as sweet as she is lovely. My son chose well!

Well, my kitchen needs a touch from my hands. I've been a bit weary the last couple of days, and have not followed my cardinal rule - "Clean as you go" - and it shows. It won't take ten minutes, I just haven't wanted to be anywhere but in my recliner, with my O2 on, being lazy. I need to see the pulmonologist, I guess. I've gotten addicted to that O2! I can definitely go without it, (I did fine at church Sunday) but feel so much more "with it" when it's in use. It's definitely true - old age ain't for sissies.

Blessings, friends, and keep looking up. --Romeena
February 22, 2023 - Msg 118767: Thanks, MDC! Have a great evening! --Romeena
February 23, 2023 - Msg 118768:

RO--I forgot to mention, it dissolves in any kind
of drink, does not have to be coffee. MDC
February 23, 2023 - Msg 118769: Beautiful day in Ohio, got to be 72. I was about to leave the house, and saw about 100 feet down the street where someone had deliberately set a fast food bag and 2 drink cups sitting upright in the street. Poor parenting, I'm guessing. I walked down and picked it up, shaking my head the whole time. Somehow sitting there upright, seemed even worse than if they'd tossed it all out the car's window.

Billy Ray the Retired Postman
February 24, 2023 - Msg 118770:
Hello all. We have been having some pretty unsettled weather here lately,
with even perhaps some snow at some lower elevations by Sunday. Our
highs have been in the upper 50s... so nice to have that, as last year's "winter"
was a warm one.
I watched "Barney's Replacement" tonight, and believe it or not, I saw a blooper
that I never saw before...When Andy and Barney are at the bulletin board talking about
the big poster with the $500 reward, Barney finally rips it down and throws it in the
file cabinet. But... the next morning the new deputy is looking at the board, and
sure enough, the reward poster is back on the board! Anyone ever notice that?

Billy Ray, I think I 'get' what you mean about the drink cups sitting there upright.
Very strange that someone would take the time to set them there like that, as
opposed to just throwing them out the window.
RO--funny what you said about hats. My wife has never even owned a hat! Part of it is
how fashion has changed, for example, hats were very common in the 40s, 50s, and 60s,
but not as much these days. Of course the "royals" are always sporting large hats,
but that's a whole other thing.

For all porchsters, please check in when you can. I sure hope we can keep the porch going,
as I enjoy hearing what everyone is doing. God's peace be with you,
MDC :)

February 25, 2023 - Msg 118771: MDC, I know I'm not a regular anymore, but in remembrance of Asa, I'll try to do better.
- Hazel
February 26, 2023 - Msg 118772: Good to see you Hazel. I haven’t been here much either lately. I need to do better, too. I’ve been staying busy. I want to come around more often but it still hurts. I just need a little time.

Boo
February 26, 2023 - Msg 118773: Good afternoon, porch! Hazel, it's good to see you. I hope this will be a habit once again. Actually, I'm hoping we'll see a return of a lot of our old friends, once the word gets around. Although, I'm not sure how it will get around if folks aren't coming to the porch now. I hope some have been "lurking" and will see what has happened, and do like Hazel did, and drop in for a little visit. We used to have such fun here. Asa was so faithful to the porch, and was such a joy to visit with. I think it would be a great tribute to him if at least some of our wanderers would come home for a visit, at least. Maybe then the porch wouldn't feel so empty, you think?

I declare, Trinket speaks English, and pretty well, at that. At least she understands it, I guess she doesn't actually speak it. David called me a little while ago, inviting me out to their house for dinner, along with Eloise and Jerry (she's Brittany's parents, you know) and I'll ride out there with them. Trinket was listening, and heard Diesel's name mentioned, as well as the "people names" and has been dogging my tracks ever since. She's not planning to be left behind! As if I would. Whenever I'm going somewhere where she CAN go, she does. That pretty much eliminates the grocery store and the church, but she goes with me almost anywhere else. I have always closed her up in the master bathroom when I leave her at home, lest she chew a wire or something, but for the last month, I've left her loose in the house. So far she hasn't bothered a thing. I do have any wires either blocked with furniture or otherwise out of her reach, but she has made no effort to bother anything. She hasn't even tried to get at the Christmas tree (yes, it's still up) and she could, easily. I guess my little girl has grown up. She'll be four on May 6. I can't believe she's that old already. She's just a little delight. She and Diesel will have fun tonight. They're the best of friends, unless she gets his favorite toy. He doesn't do anything to her, but instead goes to Brittany and tattles. Much whining, pawing at Brittany, and looking toward Trinket and the toy. She rescues the toy, (I stay out of it) and all is well again. Too funny!

Well, off I go. Any "lurkers" out there, please come home! Blessings, and keep looking up! --Romeena
February 26, 2023 - Msg 118774: Good grief! And I read it over before posting, too. Eloise and Jerry - they are Brittany's parents, not just Eloise!

And since I'm already here, I'll say this - MDC you are sure 'nuff a trained noticer. Like most of us, I guess I've seen that episode a zillion times, and I never noticed that blooper, but you did. You get a gold star! --Romeena
February 26, 2023 - Msg 118775: I just cant believe that Trinket is going to be four!!! My, how the time does fly. Our little Poopsie will be four in November and I cant believe that either. I had to smile as you talked about Trinket following you around after hearing Deisel's name. Poopsie does the same when she hears the name, "Suzie". She just wigs out and frets, following behind me pressing her nose to the back of my leg now and then! They are so sweet and so much smarter than we give them credit for.

About that Christmas tree, Romeena; why not just leave it up until next Christmas and beyond? If you enjoy it, keep it up. Life is too short for propriety. lol I have changed in ways like that. I never dreamed I would be living with three dogs in the house and dealing with the hair. We vacuum alot and it doesnt seem to bother me much anymore. We just get such a kick out of these dogs that it is worth it. Every time I see King tugging at Bruce's work pants and weaving in and out of his legs as he tries to get out of the house to work in the yard, I just have to laugh. It is really hilarious. You know, I am much sweeter to them than I ever was my own children. hahaha I make homemade treats for them, which they get daily, and now I have started making homemade dog food and freezing it. They LOVE it! One thing I know about myself and its this: I can only thrive in life if I am learning something new. This week it is how to make dogfood, last week it was making freezer meals, the week before that I was sewing dish cloths. I also watched a tutorial on freeze drying food and decided to try it with some apples that were going to go bad before we could eat them all. I sprinkled them with cinnamon after I sliced them thing and put them on a parchment lined cookie sheet. I baked them at 195 for a couple of hours and they were great. I am trying to figure out ways to preserve excess food to save money and limit waste. Things are so expensive these days!

Ro, now that Sean is working, he finally bought himself a memory foam mattress for his back. It isnt a the brand name one like you have but he likes it. Sean is really doing well on the job and it was so neat yesterday when he went to get his prescriptions from the pharmacy and it cost him zero! Next stop: the dentist's office for a checkup and cleaning, then the eye doctor. It's great to have insur@ance. Oh, almost forgot that yesterday Sean asked if we could go out as a family to our favorite mexican restaurant. Well, we love it so of course we went. When it was time to pay the check, Sean had already paid it. Wow. It is the first time in my memory that Sean paid the bill. He is finally a real grown up. lol It was a blessing.

Bruce is still recovering from his back injury but is much better. He has been cleaning out flower beds to see what is still going to come back after the freeze that killed so much. I have to call and try to get him to the dentist tomorrow because he has been complaining of jaw pain today and I suspect he has a bad molar. I dont like to play around with things like that so hoping they can see him right away, if not, he may have to see his regular doctor for an antibiotic. I take very good care of my teeth and have them all at 60. I get my regular cleanings and such but Bruce doesnt go like he should. Something else I need to remind him of, I guess. He has been so grouchy lately because of his back I have been kind of concerned about him. I remember when he mother started getting mean and it was related to dementia. I hope its not that!

Well, I guess I will go put my feet up for a bit. Hope you all have a good evening.

Boo
February 26, 2023 - Msg 118776: Hey ..it's me..Goober from the 999th chapter..judy Judy judy
February 26, 2023 - Msg 118777: Ahhd sure like to find one of those bio mat crystal heated therapy mats...I wish I knew where all the mayberry soundbites went too
February 26, 2023 - Msg 118778: Nobody on the porch ahh guess 😭
February 26, 2023 - Msg 118779: What happened to Frank's porch? Where's Asa?
February 27, 2023 - Msg 118780: Here’s the link to the sound bites... G-F https://www.tagsrwc.com/trickytimers/wavs/
February 27, 2023 - Msg 118781: Hey Porch,

Just a thought...in "Andy and Opie's Pal," Andy tells Barney to tell Gomer they also have rules against gambling. Shouldn't Andy have told Barney to call Pearson about rules against gambling since he was the proprietor running the peppermint contest?

Seems to me that's like calling Vegas and chastising the gamblers about laws instead of the casino owner.

Have a good one, folks!

John Masters
February 27, 2023 - Msg 118782: Good afternoon, porch. Looks like an old-timer has come out of hiding. To the author of posts 118776-118779 (apparently not to be confused with our present-day Goober-Fife, alias G-F) -- I tried to find the 999th chapter in the archives, but Floyd just started entering the chapter numbers considerably later than the 999th, so have no idea where it would be in the archives. As for Frank's porch, it was relatively short-lived, and the porch is now under the watchful eye of Floyd (in real life: Allan. This information can be found in the bottom line on the porch site. Anyway, welcome home. To answer your question, our beloved Asa passed away a couple of weeks ago, and so shall he ever be with the Lord. We miss him!

Boo, I'm glad things are breaking well for Sean. He's a good guy, and deserves some good breaks. Please tell him I said "hooray" for him! I'm also glad you've found your "puppy love", and are enjoying having your pups in the house. The epiphany came for me when the painter in the houses my dad built gave me a little yorkie. He obviously had to be a house dog, as opposed to the spaniels I'd always had. I had long wanted my dogs in the house, but my parents were country-bred, and animals didn't live in their house, so that's how I grew up, and then when I married Dale, he was of the same opinion, so all my dogs were outdoor dogs, until the painter gave me Buckwheat. I had one spaniel left at that time, and it wasn't long until Dale told me to bring Flop in the house, too. Within two hours, she was in the house, had been bathed and brushed, and had begun her new life in the house. She was seven, and lived in the house until she was seventeen and passed away. Buckwheat (the Yorkie) soon followed, as he was also seventeen, and Dale bought my first Maltese - Sugarplum. Sugar was a regular on the porch, many of you will remember her. She was followed by tiny Toye Starr, and now I have Trinket.

Well, got some errands to run, a few groceries to buy, and some things to drop off at the church. Since some of my destinations don't allow pups, I guess Trinket will have to stay home. She will be one ticked-off puppy dog. She sure did have fun at David and Brittany's house last night. She and Diesel played and shared toys all evening, and had a good time. Nice that they're such good friends, since he's twice her size! He's so good to her, treats her very gently. He even allows her to push into the food bowl right under his nose, and he just steps back and lets her have it. She's a little vixen, and he's a gentleman.

Well, away I go. Blessings, friends, and keep looking up! --Romeena
February 27, 2023 - Msg 118783: Buckwheat and Flop?!! Hahaha. Thanks for the belly laugh, Ro. Best dog names ever. I know you must have told that story before but I do t remember it.

Boo
February 28, 2023 - Msg 118784:
BOO--I see that your 'n's are still sticking! ha
I too am so happy for Sean. Poor guy has been thru more jobs
than me and my four brothers put together. haha
I hope Erin is still on the wagon and doing well.
Please tell bruce that next to gut health, teeth health is super
important to overall health. 'Bad stuff' can get to the heart
when the mouth is hurting like that. Seriously!

JOHN Masters-I havent seen that color ep in ages, so can't really comment,
sorry. But I see your point.

RO-a few questions for you. With your upbringing and love of horses,
do you like watching old western shows? It amazes me that man's only means
of transportion was horse power until the railroad, and that only about
150 years ago! I watch Chuck Connors on a horse gallopping at full speed,
but realizing that he's really only going about 20 MPH!
Also, did the air fryer arrive yet? And have you ever tried superbeets?
I'm thinking of trying it. Also, I had my 2nd eye test last week, and with
just the bilberry, the eye pressure was back up, so it looks like I will
mainly use the eye drop RX, tho the doc did say bilberry IS good for eye health.

Tonite's tags ep was about Barney's hick song in a hick town as a hick deputy in a
hick job in a hick jail! :) but he DOES defy the mafia!

Hi to Goober AND Goober-Fife.

God's blessings,
MDC
February 28, 2023 - Msg 118785: Thanks, MDC. Yes, let’s hope this job will be a long one for Sean! Lol. So far it’s great.

I told Bruce all about the importance of going to get checked out due to cardiac risk. He didn’t really get it but got an appointment for Thursday. The pain has all but gone now so I didn’t insist he be seen immediately but he still needs to go this week! Husbands can be very aggravating at times but it’s worth it. Lol PS- I thought of you yesterday when a bought a package of organic oregano. I’m going to put that stuff in everything!😃

Been doing housework today and I haven’t mentioned this to you all but I have been feeling fairly great. It’s taken me nearly two years to recover from the horrible IBS flare I had for months. Having less stress (with the kids) has done wonders as well. I’m actually able to work for hours now and even exercise. I’m so thankful because for awhile I really thought it would be downhill till the end. Thank you all for the many prayers!

I miss Asa.

Boo
March 01, 2023 - Msg 118786: Good morning folks. thought I would do a check point chickie before my work day gets busy.

I miss Asa as well Boo. I think about the folks that have passed since I joined the porch: Millie, Rev, Tom and Asa. They were fine folks and brought so much joy and friendship to each of us. I know that are in heaven and having a good ole time with all the Mayberry folks that are there as well.

We have had a pretty mild winter. Not much snow, very cold at times but overall mild. We have had our share of rain. Its supposed to be beautiful day here, temperatures in the mid 70's but then the rain returns tonight and tomorrow.

We are still waiting on the green light for Mr. Maudes surgery. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later. My daughter Beth has been battling a kidney stone this week. The CT scan said it's about 5 mm in size. Hopefully she will pass it soon. She is trying to work and of course they did not give her any pain meds just Flomax.

Lunch menu will be: homemade vegetable beef soup, grilled cheese, Mr. Cookie Bar. lemonade or tea to drink.

Everyone have a blessed day. Prayers all around.
Big Maude
March 01, 2023 - Msg 118787: Good rainy morning, porch! The sky looks like the inside of a bad headache! It's not raining at this moment, but judging from the water dripping off the leaves of some shrubs, it must have done so earlier. The backyard critters seem to have some foreknowledge, as there was a lot of activity out there a few minutes ago, but now there's not a critter in sight. I imagine the heavens will open and dump some rain pretty soon. I put the sprinklers on delay last night, so won't be wasting any water.

Maudie, (sorry, that's what everybody called my beloved grandmother, whose name was Maude. I loved her and I loved the nickname, hope you don't mind my conferring it upon you now and then.) Anyway, lunch sounds good, and I'm getting a little bit hungry. I love veggie and beef soup, especially when it's homemade. I'm sorry about Beth's problem with that stone. Miserable thing! Praying that it passes soon, and without too much difficulty. Also, that Mr. Maude gets his surgery soon!

To the poster of Messages #118776-#118779 - Sorry, we're not too sure of who you are. We do get interlopers now and then. Usually, we can check back and find you in the archives, but the chapter you mentioned apparently goes back to the time before the archives started including such information. Also, since you apparently were not aware of our friend Asa's passing, it appears you are a drop-in, and likely aren't even seeing what I'm writing right now. Have a good trip!

One enterprising little critter just made me laugh. Last night, part of my dinner was some leftover baked potato. Left over from dinner at David's on Sunday, I just couldn't eat it all, so I brought it home, almost the whole potato. It lived in my fridge until last night, when I sliced it, drizzled a little melted butter over the slices in a cake pan, and stuck them under the broiled until they browned lightly. Then I ate about four of the slices, leaving about six. (Very big potato.) Figuring they had been "leftover" enough, I tossed them out the back door, knowing they'd soon be found by some critter. Sure enough, a few minutes ago, a busy little squirrel came by, picked one of them up and carried it away. He stopped at several places, but soon learned that big disc of baked potato was going to fall apart if he tried to get it through the grass and into a hole. So, he hopped up into a big flowerpot, quickly dug a hole in the dirt and buried his prize. I love to watch them bury things, they're so methodical about it, especially the final little pats on the top layer of dirt. So cute! Now, won't he be surprised when he comes back to eat his potato, and finds the ants have beaten him to it, as no doubt they will.

Well, better get moving around here. Trinket has an appointment with her vet at 2 pm - she needs her vaccine for Bordatello, whatever that is. Also, she needs a pawdicure, her little nails are getting long, and I absolutely do not trim my dog's nails myself. I have dug crud out of a horse's hoof many times, and would do it again, but I also trimmed Sugarplum's nails one day, and after doing it for years, that day she pushed her foot forward just as I closed the clipper, and I cut through the quick. She screamed and cried, it bled profusely, I cried, she limped on that foot for the rest of the day, and I have never done it again, and I never will. Dr. Mike does it as a courtesy when I take her in for something else, and charges $12 if I take her in for just that. Her groomer does it as part of a grooming session, but she's not working right now, had surgery on her hands to correct crippling arthritis. I just hope she's able to return to work! Trinket is beginning to look like a woolly-booger!

Well, guess I'd better get dressed and try to get a few things done around here. Blessings, friends, and keep looking up! --Romeena

March 01, 2023 - Msg 118788: Romeena...I’m seeing tomorrow is going to be an active weather day with possibilities of tornadoes and damaging winds ...Please be careful and vigilant....Wait, I forgot not your first rodeo...But still be careful Ok?...

G-F
March 02, 2023 - Msg 118789:

It's Wed. evening around 10 PM and it is raining quite hard here. This also makes me think of Asa, as his area is getting snow, and he'd be talking
about cranking up helen. Flagstaff is getting socked in tonight,
with I 40 shut down completely. Most snow up there in 40 years!
Big Maude, good to see you. Sure hope the mister can get his surgery soon.
How are the 'kids' doing these days?
ROMeena, did you see my questions to you above?
Ever tried a little shredded cheese on a corn tortilla under the broiler
for a bit. A very good and quick cheese crisp.
Prayers for all,
MDC
March 03, 2023 - Msg 118790: Hey y'all- Saw this on Facebook in one of the Mayberry groups and thought I'd share it here:


On this day, March 3, 1951, Aunt Bee’s freezer was serviced by Ed’s Refrigeration, according to a paper Gomer found while trying to fix it ... seen in the episode “Bargain Day” from Season 4: Episode 24.

You think the Morrison sisters are selling elixir today in honor of the occasion?!

I miss Asa too.

*************
possum u.a.r.
March 03, 2023 - Msg 118791: Well, just jumped on the porch hoping to hear from Asa, and the realization him me like a guy punch. For just a second my mind forgot. As soon as I read your post, Maude, I felt comforted by the thought of our friends being together in the next life. :) I'm sorry to hear that Beth is dealing with a kidney stone and 5mm is not a small one! Poor sweetie. I hope she has passed it by now. Hope Mr Maude has his surgery soon.

MDC, I got Bruce in to see the dentist sooner and he has been on antibiotics for the past couple of days and feeling better. He is supposed to see a specialist soon to see if the tooth can be saved or not. Gonna be a big bill, even with insur@nce!

Romeena, I told Sean you said Hooray and we talked for a few minutes about the time we got to meet you and Sugarplum in Fredricksburg. Its been a long time, hasnt it?

Hey Possum, I love the Bargain Day episode. I have been watching more TAGS again on TVLand. I took a break from it for awhile but I'm back at it. I watch Everybody Loves Raymond almost every night on TV Land, too. PS-I know you miss Asa (hugs).

Its been a beautiful cool and sunny day here in south texas but heard from Mavis today and she lost power. I think things are pretty cold in some parts.

Gonna go fix myself a sandwich with sliced deli turkey, thousand island dressing, swiss cheese and sour kraut on rye bread (grilled). Yum!!

Be somebody,
Boo




March 04, 2023 - Msg 118792: Good afternoon, porch! It's warm at 73°, cloudless sky, very light little breeze blowing. It's old Mom Nature, trying to act all sweet and innocent after blowing through here like a rabid lion earlier, leaving a trail of felled trees, flattened signs, stripped shingles, and assorted kinds of damage in her wake. As usual, I was spared any significant damage. The yard, front and back, are littered with twigs and very small, dry limbs, all apparently old and ready to fall anyway. I know I've described it before, but this section of Irving is just southeast, (mostly east) of a long chain of paved areas, like DFW airport and the endless shopping centers of three adjoining small towns. That creates thermals that rise up in the face of an incoming storm, and just cleaves it in half and thereby spares us the worse of the blow. For a long time, I thought that was just a notion of mine, until one night on the news I heard the weatherman explain it just that way, and boy did I feel smug! However, I feel a bit dumb now, as I just realized that I did get hit this time. There was an old tree, mostly dead, that stood in the flowerbed at the very back of the yard. I had never had it removed, as the squirrels lived in a couple of the holes in it, and used a long, horizontal limb as a highway over and through a small living tree. It wasn't hurting anything, and the squirrels loved it. Well, apparently old Mom Nature was tired of it, because she blew it down, and it took part of the fence with it, a section about 15 ft long. The rest of the fence is fine. Eddie will take the tree out, and Ted will rebuild the fence when Eddie is done. What would I do without the kind helpers God has put in my life?

Hey, Boo! Can you make me one of those sandwiches too? It's got everything I like on it! Plenty of kraut, please! All I will need to go with it is a kosher-dill pickle and a glass of buttermilk, both of which I have in my fridge. My German-heritage grandmother instilled a love for such as that in me. When Winifred Louella Goar married Frederick Albert Walther, you can imagine the German-style cooking that took place in her kitchen, and what I grew up eating. Cold cornbread and tangy, home-made buttermilk was a frequent supper in her house, and I loved it then, and love it now. Occasionally, I'll make a pan of cornbread and eat part of it with another meal, but save the leftover for the next evening, to have with the buttermilk that's always in my fridge. Not homemade, but Borden's Bulgarian-style buttermilk is a pretty close option, and my grandmother I'm sure is smiling from above!

My dad's side of the family, as near as we can determine, is Scotch-Irish. Some good cooking came out of that group, as well. Lots of good little cakes and cookies (I make a Scottish shortbread that will knock your socks off, melts in your mouth), and I make a pretty acceptable Irish stew.

My backyard is full of squirrels. There must be at least six out there, hard to count as they are never still for a minute. I'm afraid some of them are the rudely-evicted residents of the poor old tree that blew down. I surely hope there were no babies in those nests yet. I'm not going to investigate, because if there are babies in any of those hollows, the moms will know a lot more about taking care of them than I do. They'll find new homes, probably already have. I watched a mama move her litter of five babies one time, from one tree to another. The tree limbs were intertwined, and the babies were mobile, so she just lined the up and led them from one tree house (the roof had come off of it) to the other tree, to an empty house there. Four babies followed her, one sat on his fluffy little bottom and refused to traverse that horizontal limb. She settled the first four and came back for him, but he continued to refuse. Ignored all her coaching and pleading. Finally, she went to him, yanked him up and plopped him down on his back, then proceeded to roll him up like a pair of socks. I don't know how she did it, but she managed to get him in a wad, and picked him up and carried him to the other tree, plopped him down rather firmly, then nipped him. He got up and scurried into the other nest and she followed. I don't know what she did to him in the new nest, but the next time she led her little brood out for a stroll, he followed, very meekly. At least, I assume he was one of the five who followed her. Who can tell one squirrel from another?

Well, Trinket is in here, tapping me on the ankle, apparently to alert me to a dry water dish or some other dire emergency. Guess I'd better investigate. Have a great rest-of-the-day, friends! Blessings, and keep looking up! --Romeena


March 04, 2023 - Msg 118793: Hey, MDC. I just realized I never answered your questions. Sorry! Here goes: Yes, I do like to watch the old westerns, and it is related to my love for horses. I like to watch a good rider on a strong horse. When the horse gets strung out on a dead run, and the rider is barely moving in the saddle, I just love it! My horse loved to run, and knew the roads where I would let him really stretch out, and he could do it. I loved that horse!

Yes, the air fryer arrived, and so far, I'm still trying to figure out what all the hoopla is about. I crisped some frozen tatertots in it, and they were good, but would have been just as good under the broiler, I think. I cooked some chicken tenders, and found them a bit dry and leathery. I do appreciate David buying it for me, but I think I may need lessons in using it or something. He and his brood seem to think it's wonderful, but so far, I haven't been swept off my feet.

No, I've never tried superbeets. I love beets, and eat them often. I buy jars of pickled beets, like my mom used to make, and enjoy them. I learned by accident that Jerry likes pickled beets, but Eloise never buy them because she doesn't like them. So whenever we're having a meal together, I often add a jar of pickled beets, and Jerry and I finish them off, just the two of us. Personally, I pretty much like pickled anything. As for eyes, I have been blessed. Even with my diabetes, my eyes are holding up well. I do have glasses, for a very mild correction on distance vision, but I can still thread a needle, usually on the first pass, so my near vision is still great. Not bad for an old fossil.

Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! --Romeena
March 04, 2023 - Msg 118794: Romeena, I came across this today and knew you had to hear it.
https://youtu.be/TkJGhQANjZo

Boo
March 04, 2023 - Msg 118795: I was driving to Walmart today and was just pondering the idea of doing some gardening this year. I thought about what I would like to try and fresh sweet corn came to mind…and of course that made me think of Asa and I cried. No one tells you when you are young that as you get old you are going to lose so many friends and family members. It really s*cks.

Boo
March 04, 2023 - Msg 118796:

Hello Porchsters! :)
As most of you know, in my Church, we are currently in the
40 day period called Lent, and almost all parishes have a
priest or lay person conduct a lenten mission, a 3 evening series of
talks about spiritual things such as the purpose of some fasting, loving, etc.
Well, we just had ours this past Wed, Thursday and Friday.
The Franciscan priest who talked is also an amateur astronomer,
and he showed slides of our galaxy, the Milky Way. And with his LED
pointer, he said, see that speck? That's our solar system, and somewhere in that
speck is earth, and somewhere in that speck is you and me! Yet, in all of vast creation,
God so loved that 'speck' (the 'world') that he gave His only
begotten son to save us! He also mentioned the new Webb telescope's discovery
of 6 GALAXIES that we did not know about before this. There are probably billions of galaxies, with billions of solar systems! Wow! So very amazing!
ROMEENA, thank you for answering those questions. So cool about your dear Ace.
And your frolicing squirrels must be a sight to behold. Hope the whole tree situation,
and fence can be fixed.
BOO--so happy to hear that Bruce got to see the dentist. Was it an abcessed tooth?
POSSUM, good to see ya. I forgot all about Gomer finding that note! Good call about the date.
In fact, it will soon be the 'Ides of March!' haha, maybe another good one for some 'lixer! :)
GF--how goes the snow up your way.

Good Sabbath to you, my friends,
MDC

March 05, 2023 - Msg 118797: MDC...This year has been very lean in the snow department. I only shoveled a couple of times, and only got the “Snow Joe” out of the stable once, and that was only to blow off the half of what I shoveled in a pile....

But I’m not OVEREXPECTING we’ve been know to get some whoppers late in the season...

Maude...Any word yet on Mr. Maude’s knee surgery date?....

Romeena....Did you get any damage from last weeks storm?

Boo...I’m contemplating what to plant in my limited space this year too....I got a couple packs of those “Russian Giant” sunflower 🌻 seeds...I’ve grown them before, they get up to 8-10 feet tall...The Birds & Squirrels 🐿 love the seeds and when they are done I make walking sticks from the stalks.

G-F
March 05, 2023 - Msg 118798: Aww,Boo. I understand how Asa'a passing hurts you. I saw your post on FB with the banana pudding recipe last night and couldn't comment,because all I could think of was that Asa would never make that dish because it has corn starch in it,which always gave him headaches.

It's hard losing so many folks,I agree with you there,my friend. Seems like every other day too,we lose a beloved celebrity.It all hits hard.

Well, guess I'll scurry back under my rock. Prayers and love to all.

*************
possum u.a.r.
March 05, 2023 - Msg 118799: I miss Asa so much as well. His presence is so noticeably gone from here and the various TAGS places he posted at.
Sweet corn also reminds me of him, Boo. His favorite was "Bodacious Sweet", if I remember correctly. Remember how he used to like to cook it? Put the shucked corn in a pot of boiling water for about 30 seconds to a minute. He didn't like it cooked too long! I've always been the 10 or 12 minute type myself.
For many years I grew a big garden with all different kinds of vegetables. I did that for over 20 years. But during those years a neighborhood was built behind us, and gradually people planted trees which eventually got bigger, as they do. And about 10 years ago I wasn't able to plant much of anything over there anymore. It got too much shade. So at that time I started container gardening. And I've never looked back! If you get big enough containers, you can grow almost anything. Tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, pretty much all vegetables. I put the containers in an area of my yard that got lots of sun, and it's been so much fun and rewarding. I have over 25 containers. Anyhow, those of you that want to grow some vegetables and don't really have the place for a regular garden, you might consider container gardening. It's much more manageable.
-Hazel
March 07, 2023 - Msg 118800: Good afternoon, porch! Cloudy, heavy overcast, 78° out there today. No wind, has that ominous feeling, the kind of atmosphere that prompts me to go put the sprinklers on rain delay, because if it doesn't rain, it's surely going to miss a good chance. Eddie is here, he has finished clearing the fallen tree, Ted will come in a few days to rebuild the fence section that the tree took down.
At this moment, Eddie is blowing all the leaves out of the flowerbeds that he left in there for insulation during the cold spells. He's blowing them out into rows on the ground, and will go through them with the mulching mower, getting the grass mowed at the same time. He's got the catcher on, and will dump the mulched leaves and grass back into the beds, where they will compost and feed the beds during the summer. What would I do without my knowledgeable, willing and capable Eddie? He brought his younger cousin, probably about 40, along. Wayne is a little bit slow mentally, but he's kind and sweet, and willing. Eddie teaches him, and he usually gets it, and goes on to do a good job. Every now and then he'll have an idea and will offer it as a suggestion, and wherever he can, Eddie will use his idea and thanks him for it, and he just beams. Eddie pays him for his help out of what I pay him, so it doesn't cost me any extra. I try to help out a little where I can, because Eddie won't accept any monetary pay for Wayne. I gave Eddie a couple of Sonic Drive-in gift cards I had (there's a Sonic nearby) and it bought their lunch one day.
I like to repay a blessing with a blessing.

Hazel, I can eat fresh corn cooked a long time like that, and enjoy it. To me, it becomes a different veggie when it's cooked a long time. My cousin Guy Francis, my partner in crime when I was a child, and I, would go down the rows of Grandpa's corn patch and pull maturing ears, strip them and eat them raw. Grandpa would find the shucks and cobs and come gunnin' for us, but we always managed to outrun him. Grandma would hear him yelling at us, and would yell out the kitchen window - "Fritz! Fritz! You leave them kids alone! - And you kids, don't eat more than one ear of that corn, you hear me? It'll give you a belly-ache!" She needn't have added that last part - we already knew it! So I still like very young corn, gently cooked, not raw but not firmed up, - about 3-4 minutes. So sweet!

Hmmm. Hazel, do you think a 12" pot with a depth of about 14" would support a decent tomato plant? Something bigger for some corn stalks, or do they require cross-pollination? Any suggestions as to varieties? It's been a long time since I did any veggie gardening. Advice would be appreciated.

Well, guess I'd better get off this computer. Eddie will be finishing up, I'll have to get him paid. He's earned it. One of my dad's favorite scriptures - "a workman is worthy of his hire." None of his subcontractors ever had to wait for their pay. He might pay them early so he could leave town if he was going on vacation, but he never paid late. My sons often rode with him or observed him in action, and they learned a lot. Then they watched their daddy follow the same rules, and they learned well. They also learned that this apple didn't fall far from the tree, either. It pays in the end.

Blessings, friends, and keep looking up! --Romeena