phantom of the forest

I look forward each spring to seeing the dogwoods bloom. To me they're like a phantom that floats through the woods or huge lace doilies adorning the trees. The problem is I'm allergic to dogwood pollen. As soon as they arrive my eyes itch and water and my tonsils feel like I need to scratch them with a back scratcher.

I never need medicine and it's a rare thing for me to even take an aspirin, but when the dogwoods bloom I'm off to Wal-mart for some Claritin. It's hard to believe that something so beautiful can make someone so miserable. But it will all be over in another three weeks.

As a side note: A weather bulletin just came over the tv. Snow is moving into our area. We had frost this morning and will be getting it for the next two mornings. Last night I covered all my tender plants. Yet, next week I'll be planting all the rest of my garden. Only in Oklahoma.

miscellaneous notes

Yesterday I went to the SSA office to apply for a replacement social security card. I carried the same card with me through all of life's phases: school, military duty, work, travel. For 45 years it was tucked away safe in the inner recesses of my wallet. As each wallet wore out the card made the transition to the new one intact. A few years ago we began receiving advice to the effect that your social security card is no longer safe in your wallet. The risk of identity theft and all that. So I put the card away in a safe place. It's so safe that I don't know where it is. I've left no stone unturned or file folder unopened in my search for that elusive document. Did I file it under 'A' for abyss, or 'B' for black hole? I told that to the SSA employee who accepted my application. She said that was a familiar story. Familiar? But, were the other stories as entertaining?
I'm concerned about my social security card because I'm going to apply for benefits next month. Until now I've been a person who was fortunate enough to retire early. Now, I guess I'm officially a geezer. A social security recipient. Does that bother me? Not at all. I embrace each phase of life as it comes. While it's true that certain windows of opportunity have been permanently closed, others have opened. For instance, it's too late to become an Airborne Ranger but there's a world of opportunities available now at this stage of life that were unthinkable just a few years ago. I have to be careful and not get too busy with the unimportant things so that I can do the really good stuff, like playing with the grand kids, reading, teaching ESL, painting, learning languages, writing poetry, learning a musical instrument, and most important of all, sitting on the front porch and doing nothing but listening to the birdsong and watching traffic go by on the highway. Idleness is very important for good mental health and I'm not going to give it up. I wonder about people that think they need to be busy at something all the time. If you're one of those, try this experiment. Take at least ten minutes every day and stare off into space. You'll be glad you did.

a finished project

At long last I've finished the bathroom project (except for some trim). I won't tell you how long I've worked on this, but now I'm almost ready to move on to the next phase. I had more before pictures to show but for some reason Blogger is not allowing me to do so. I've been having trouble posting here so I may have to go shopping for a new server. Anyway, here are some photos of before and after.

hog fry

Our community is raising funds to build a community building where we can hold social functions and provide activities for the youngsters in the neighborhood. Yesterday we held a good old fashion hog fry. A hog was donated and bits of pork were cooked in a huge cast iron kettle. We also had beans, cornbread, coleslaw and potato salad, not to mention all the desserts.
Some of our local talent put together a great musical presentation for us. Most of us sat outside in our lawn chairs enjoying the music while we ate our meal.

Hungry people line up for the meal.

The dinner was held at a local sale barn.


Volunteers help serve the meal.
We also sold chances to win this hand made quilt commemorating the centennial of Oklahoma statehood.

spring

Spring has sprung and I find myself too busy and tired to post to this blog. Monday, I mowed the lawn for the first time this year and it looks like it could be mowed again today. I planted a couple of Clematis plants at the front gate arbor. I finally hung the sliding mirror doors on Dorothy's closet (photos soon). I've been busy with my book business. Whew! I'm tired. I thought retirement would be more leisurely than this. I usually quit working in the early afternoon so I can catch up on my reading before beginning dinner, but I fall asleep in the recliner and don't get any reading done.

I'm doing well on my diet. I've lost 13 lbs. (photos eventually). Dorothy and I are using a diabetic diet that we've adapted to suit ourselves and it seems to be working. We simply eat smaller meals with snacks in between, paying particular attention to carbohydrates and avoiding sugar and fast food like the plague. Not that we don't indulge our craving for a quarter pounder once in a while, but essentially, we're sticking to it.

And I feel better! I'm finally getting over my surgery (it's been almost a year), and I have more energy. I can't help but think that if I feel so much better after losing 13 lbs, how will it be after losing fifty?

quote of the day

"A high station in life is earned by the gallantry with which appalling experiences are survived with grace."
--Tennessee Williams

quote of the day

"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."
--Margaret Atwood

quote of the day

"There's nothing constant in the world,
All ebb and flow, and every shape that's born
Bears in its womb the seeds of change."
--Ovid, 8 A.D.

spring morning

I was outside this morning and saw these daffodils with the just rising sun shining on them and grabbed my camera to capture it. Don't you love spring? New life erupting from the ground; the crisp morning air, the moist fertile soil. Oh, the fecundity of it all! ... ... Pardon me, I got carried away for a moment.

quote of the day

"In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: You must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."
--James Madison

planting potatoes

Marley, Jenna, and Hunter came down this morning to help me plant potatoes. Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, the normal day for planting potatoes, but we decided to do it today. St. Patrick won't mind.

I put a hat on Jenna to protect her from the sun, but, as you can see, she wasn't in the mood for wearing hats.

Now, she's happy. She has her spoon so let's get digging.

first day of the week

I slept late this morning. I was still up by eight, but it seemed like the day was half over. I worked on my income taxes most of the day. I think I could have done them in an hour or two by just filling out the forms but I used a tax program so, for me that just prolongs the process.

Can you tell the grand kids were here this weekend?

notes

Yesterday was a full day for me:

• I went to Tahlequah to buy some onion plants. On the way a bald eagle swept down in front of my truck and then up into the top of a dead tree. I don't see those eagles often, but when I do it's always a thrill. I never have my camera with me when I need it.
• While in Tahlequah I met Dorothy at the El Zarape restaurant for lunch. If you ever travel through that town be sure to eat there. It's the best Mexican food.
• I worked on Dorothy's closet. It's almost done. It's taken a long time. I'll have photos of the finished job in a few days.
• I planted onions and cabbage
• For dinner I made Steak Diane. The recipe calls for brandy which is supposed to be ignited. So I ignited. 3 ft high flames! The recipe says "let the flame die down". I was within seconds of calling the fire department when they finally subsided. Whew! That was a close one.

first day of planting

I started planting my garden today.

Here are nine cabbage plants that went into the ground at the end of a row of onions.

I planted 156 onion plants. 1/3 white, 1/3 yellow/ and 1/3 red. I can just taste them now with beans and cornbread, salads, and salsa.

ANDREAS HELGSTRAND - WEG2006 Freestyle Final

My friend Pat Emery sent me the link to this video. Wait til you see this horse perform.