Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Rayne and Summer's Visit....and Pumpkin Muffins to Share!

 Summer had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday morning ( and recieved an A+ ) after which she picked Rayne up and came by to see us on their way back to Bar-J Ranch in Eldorado, Arkansas!


She's a beautiful young lady of 14 years of age!
You can see she loves Cane's Chicken and is wearing a t-shirt and holding a Cane's cup!


Rayne has always been such a FUN person and she is still!!!


Another 'always' is her love of my Pumpkin Spice Muffins!
I baked them fresh while we visited and sent her home with a tin of 16 muffins!


At 14 - she is already taller than I and I am so impressed with her goals in life.
She's already an animal activist fostering dogs and doing turtle watching as well as becoming an accomplished artist! She intends to join the military and hopes to be a helicopter pilot for the Coast Guard! She totally gives me hope for the next generation!


I saved two jumbo ones for Brenda and Billy.....


and these are for Louis Dean!
What he doesn't eat before tomorrow afternoon will go with us to the cabin in the New Mexico mountains! I.can't.wait.

They were only here for an hour or so and then headed back to Arkansas and I dressed and met up with Brenda for our Tuesday Treasures Day and lunch at Chick-Fil-A.
No pics as most of what I bought is for Christmas gifts!
AND for the first time in forever - Brenda spent more $$ than I did!
My tab was less than $20!
I stayed STRONG!

I took Louis Dean to the dentist this afternoon and went in when I dropped him off and told the staff, "Do NOT let him leave! He is NOT allowed to walk home!" I also left my phone number before I went to drop muffins off at Brenda's.
I was back a half hour before he was done.
No cavities! Must be his Cherokee Indian blood!

We are preparing and packing for our August trip to Tres Ritos, New Mexico where the high temps are in the 70's and the lows in the 40-50's! We are going to LOVE this!!
Compared to the triple digits here in the DFW area and the lows higher than the HIGHS there - I'd say it's a win! WIN!!
I've lined up friends who will water and keep things alive while we are away.


On the other hand.....
Tabitha and Samantha will 'Home Alone' for this long weekend!
Rayne took this pic but it's like she KNOWS.....


Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Art and Life! 'You Can Until You Can't'....

We had a good trip home on Thursday afternoon - leaving around 12:30 and arriving her before 3:00.
There was an accident on our way slightly in front of us that slowed us down a bit and we had prayer for those involved.

Whenever I hear a siren - police, ambulance or firetruck, I always pause and say a prayer for those who are involved and those who are helping. 

It's the one of the things I love about being in the country. I have yet to hear a siren .

I spent Friday being a homebody! I was up early enough to take out the trash and when I did - I spied 3 white wooden barstools on the curb across the street.
(I secretly set trash out that I have sacked up from Louis Dean's room or outside or in tubs and such and put it on Stephanie's curb. He has yet to go through other people's trash but he has been known to go through what's on our curb!)

I digress..... I walked over and took one chair back to our place and then a second.
Louis Dean later cut the barstools down to dining chair height and that is a Win! WIN!! for us.
These will be temporary but are better than what we have now.
Plus they are wood so the cats can't claw them to death!

We are reading through the Little House book series and was ready for Little House on the Prairie - the third in the series.
Louis Dean could NOT find the nice boxed set we had been reading from nor could he find any copy of that book - though he has several. He spent many an hour that day searching  for them and finally found the set on a top shelf behind a stack of other books.
No rhyme or reason as to where he puts things but it's good therapy and I think he truly enjoys 'hunting' for things!

Saturday morning we both got out in the back yard and worked on our fall garden!
LD has done a lot of work preparing the beds and I planted a row of sunflowers along the back fence and then put pepper seeds and tomato seeds in the ground of the 'new' garden. The dill and parsley are already springing up as are the radishes!
I have more seeds to plant but will wait until the first week of August after we get back from the cabin in New Mexico.
That's perfect timing to be there sine it will be triple digits here in the DFW area over the weekend.

We spent the rest of Saturday with son Jesse and Rachel.


I am loving ever minute I get to spend with this amazing lady!
Rachel used to babysit my niece Leah and her mother worked for my sister, Nita, in the grocery store she and Leah's dad owned.
They met online but really and truly - God brought them together!
They had no clue that they already had family 'history' together!


We had our second session on the painted horse and Rachel is such a gifted student!


My instructions was to push paint around as you see it in the picture we were looking at.
This was originally a jigsaw puzzle but it was an original painting from someone at some time!

After we cleaned up the art table, Rachel and Jesse prepared dinner for us.


Homemade guacamole and pico de gallo.....to go with her chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce.....


and the Spanish rice she taught Jesse to make!


I brought the makings of Jalapeno Margaritas and it was fun like a party!!!


I ate more that night than I had in the last three days!
I hope I can learn to cook some of Rachel's recipes!


Home to water....in Texas and in the summer....if you miss a day of watering - things die.
They do not flourish but if you can keep them alive - then after the intense heat - they will regain their strength and be pretty again.

Sunday I went to church and arrived at the same time the Bells did.
What a blessing to be able to worship together as a family!

After church I decided to do all my errands. LD was tired so I had gone to church by myself.
I shopped Aldi for the week's groceries and Walgreens for Rx's and dropped bags off at Goodwill and lastly the Dollar store for reading glasses - 325! 


Sunday's (late) lunch was a massive plate of chili dogs!
He ate every bite!

The mild weather is now heating up day by day....I am writing in my book, doing art and cleaning and decorating for fall.

Dean and Sherry are here tonight (Monday) and Dean will be dropping her off at the airport early Tuesday morning.
We all had a nice evening together - Dean and his dad in the den watching Northern Exposure - and Sherry and I bagging up trash from the back yard and hauling it to the curb and then I painted on the dog canvas for our friend Bill - neighbor to the NM mountain cabin and such a blessing and help to us when we visit there. Sherry has a good eye for art and helped me with my art!
I think she and I need to paint together!

I close tonight's journal entry - actually this morning's - with a beautiful post from Facebook.


Debbie Freeman McAnally



“You can, until you can’t”
You can call your mom or dad, until you can’t.
You can hang out with your brothers or sisters - until you can’t.
You can hug your kids and tell them you love them one more time - until you can’t.
You can hang out with your grandkids and have sleepovers and messes everywhere - until you can’t.
You can text a friend, until you can’t.
You can tell someone you love them, until you can’t.
You can do A LOT of things, until you can’t -
So why waste a SINGLE moment of ANY day being mad or angry. Resentful or bitter?
Why choose conflict over grace?
Bitterness over love?
Stubbornness over compromise?
We have absolutely no control over this life and how many days we will get to live it.
So don’t waste it.
Because before you know it, all the things you let get in the way of what’s important, won’t seem so important anymore when you “can’t”…..🩷

This morning I called my brother Lonnie before I even got out of bed. We talked. We laughed. We choked up a bit . We connected! I purpose to call him every week...because I can.....until I can't.

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Our Last Day in the Country!

 It's been a short but sweet visit here at the ranch and I'm grateful for these four days!
It rained a good part of the day Tuesday much like it did on Monday - just not as dramatic with the lightning and thunder.

Louis Dean worked in his shop room - changing things around and then putting them back in the places they were in two changes ago.


Our dinner Tuesday night!


With wine afterwards by the campfire!
It just doesn't get any better than this!

Louis Dean lost his wedding ring a couple of months ago and he took the peat trap out to see if it was in there. It wasn't.


He had done some southern engineering when he put this sink in - and he has since forgot exactly how he did it!
***Note to self***
Take photos BEFORE we take things apart!

This wasn't the plan to work on the sink on this our last day at the ranch - but it happened.
I do have water in the sink as I write tonight's journal entry.
Thanks to Louis Dean's creativity and duct tape!
It's a temporary fix but I'll take it if that means I can wash dishes in the bathroom sink!
Talk about GLAMPING - I am the Queen of it!


Sherry came down to get me in her buggy and we did a run around some of their property.


I love it here. SO peaceful and quiet. No sirens and traffic noises.
Just critter sounds and soft smells of all things 'country.'


This is their catfish tank!
Looking forward to a fish fry next year!
They really know how to do one!
Dean and Sherry's property extends well beyond that tree line!


Sherry has turned into an avid gardener and has some beautiful plants.
Now that her yard is fenced in from the goats and horses - she is putting down some serious 'roots!'


These pics are from Son Dean and show some of the work being done in the 'new' old house!


Tearing down some walls and building others!
This is so exciting!


Here's Mama cat - mama to some of the cats we adopted some years ago.
She's so much smaller than her offspring!
We have yet to see Tarzan this trip, but Mama cat came down this evening and I fed her a good serving of kibble.


I have been writing my memoir for many years.... I think it's going on 9 years since I started this book. It was on the first trip Deanie Wilson and I made as a sibling trip together. She strongly encouraged me to write our story and took me to visit all our old residences and memory places. She and Lonnie Ewing and Lanita Talley were all sources of encouragement to me. I am writing from 1948 to 2019 and I really and truly want to finish this 'journey' by the end of 2025. We've already lost our sister Lanita Talley , and I realize that - at nearly 76 years of age - if I want to DO something - I must do it now. My plan is to publish one chapter a week beginning in January 2025 - starting with my prolouge - on every Monday. 52 weeks in the year and I'm thinking 50 chapters plus the prologue and epilogue. I'm hoping my editor (Amber Bell) can edit as I go. I do intend to publish it as a book commercially but I need an incentive to 'DO this thing' as my Bell grands would say!
I just finished writing chapter 33 so I am well on my way!

"Each of us is a book waiting to be written, and that book, if written, results in a person explained."

Thomas M. Ciriguans




Monday, July 22, 2024

It's Good to be in the Country!

My plan was to leave around noon on Sunday for the ranch.
I found Samantha and put her right in the carrier but Tabitha had decided to hide and it took me nearly an hour to find her - in the kitchen tucked up between the French door and table and covered up with the puddle of an oversized tablecloth!

We were on our way!
Cooler weather and heavy rain as we drove through Dallas but then the skies cleared up and we drove straight to Mart - by way of the country roads!
We go down Interstate 35 but left it at Milford - a small town that Louis Dean and Ellen taught in long years ago. The country roads are so much prettier than the highways and we actually saved time getting here. We stopped for milk and a few things at Read's Grocery including two racks of pork ribs on sale for $1.59 a pound. Son Dean is going to smoke them for us!



All the rain has made the sunflowers bloom like crazy!
We unloaded and LD mowed the yard while I put things to rights.
I was in a hurry to get down and see the progress at Dean and Sherry's place!


Nice to see the tanks all full and so much luscious greenery.
Some years at this time, the earth is cracked and the ponds are dry.
Last year Sherry drove me through this one on the four-wheeler!


The houses are joined!!


I'm standing in the addition joining the two together!
They have accomplished so much!!!

There's still much to do but it is happening and I hope to help Sherry after work tomorrow.


Notice LD's overalls??
They are one of a kind!
He took a notion to wash them in the bathtub and added a hefty pour of bleach!
Now his relatively new black overalls have a camo look to them!


It's good to be here!


We both slept like babies last night and I couldn't wait to get outside!
Storm clouds were coming up and the temps were only in the 70's.


I picked a large bouquet of flowers and lit a new candle before settling down with my first cup of coffee!

And sure enough - the storm arrived complete with lightning strikes and thunder!


The goats decided to seek protection from the rain under our huge carport!
They huddled between Sherry's truck and ours.
Later LD moved his truck over to the right to give them more room.


They literally jumped when the thunder cracked!!


Love the babies!


They had no trouble making themselves right at home!


Our cats stood at the screen door watching them all morning!




The horses have been known to come stand under the carport - but this time the goats got there first!


Closing tonight's journal entry from the front porch.
We love our campfires here!








Saturday, July 20, 2024

My Newest Art Student!!

Louis Dean and I start nearly every single day with coffee and Quiet Time on the kitchen deck.
We are reading Chuck Swindoll's book - Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life.
I select cards from my memory verse boxes of which I have three. One in the bedroom, one in the kitchen and one in my car. We are in the third year of reading through the Chronological Bible - it takes us longer as we aren't really keeping up with the dates. Another devotional book or two and then our 'Out Loud' reading......The Little House Series - again. Right now we are finishing up Farmer Boy.


While sitting out there we play games seeing things in the clouds.....pictures, animals, whatever.
My siblings and I used to play this game when we were little.
Linda, Lloydine, Lanita and Lonnie.
Watching the clouds never gets old.

Friday I was cooking for our Saturday when Jesse and Rachel were coming over for art class and lunch. Alas, I needed some fresh broccoli for my soup and our beloved neighbor, Stephanie, ran up to Braums and picked some up for me.


The bonus to this was we got to visit with her for a few minutes!!
She is one of our MOST favorite people in the world!!

 I spent several hours in the kitchen making broccoli cheese soup - using a Bear Creek mix with all sorts of goodies added to it! Plus a Dill Pasta salad box with a bunch of veggies and herbs. Then two family size boxes of strawberry Jello with bananas AND an apple pie!

Preparing ahead of time was a good idea.


Rachel and Jesse arrived and she brought wine!
A sweet pineapple moscato!
The only painting Rachel has done was the 'Painting With a Twist.'
Today she started her first oil painting and she totally rocked it!


We are doing our version of a painted horse....


and we are loving it!


Rachel is the first art student I have had in YEARS!!!
We  both had a ball!!


I am blown away at how well she did!
Such a quick learner and a good eye for color.
I'm so excited to have someone to paint with again!
We've already scheduled or next session.
This project will take a total of 8 painting hours with four sessions of two hours each.
It was a good time!

I neglected to get a pic of my handsome son, Jesse!
He installed an antenna so we have regular TV now.
I canceled Spectrum TV since we didn't use it much and it frustrated Louis Dean.

Jesse also installed a long grab bar in the bathroom for Louis Dean.
He dearly loves his nightly baths and - I'll tell you a secret - he LOVES bubbles, oils and all sorts of bath products.

Lunch was good and I forgot to take pics - how does that happen??

They left shortly after 2:00 and LD and I both took nice long naps.....


I went back to the art table and worked on a canvas I am going to give Bill - a neighbor at the New Mexico cabin in Loma Linda. This was his favorite dog and I'm hoping to finish it in time to take it when we go there next month.


I close tonight's journal entry with this pic of Louis Dean repairing the umbrella that Nita's beloved neighbor, Sheryl, gave us. He absolutely LOVES repairing things. Makes his eyes light up and he gets right to work!

We are going to the ranch tomorow and spend a few days.....
the weather will be mild and there's even rain in the forecast.
I'm excited to get to see the progresss of Dean and Sherry's 1925 house connected to their existing house!

I confess that I am absolutely LOVING decorating for Fall!
Every time I walk into a finished room - I smile so big!
I'll share photos in the coming weeks but I want to have it all DONE before we go to the cabin. 
Some things will wait until September First - as in the fruitcake cookies, Neil Diamond, and a fresh batch of pumpkin muffins.

I am nearly 76 years old and realize that I can do what pleases me and makes me happy!
This in no way takes away one bit of pleasure for my summer loving friends!
Enjoy and celebrate your favorite season - whatever it is!