Thursday, January 3, 2019

Redeeming the Time in the Country......

We have had a real rain event in the country!
It has been raining steady for two days and two nights.


Dean got out and took these photos yesterday after he did the Critter Chores.


There's so much water the tanks are full to overflowing!


The creek that runs along the side of their property is still rising.


There are ponds everywhere!


This is down in the meadow.......


It's one of my favorite places on the ranch.
I love to sit in that bench and think, read or talk to my friend, Linda in Oregon on the phone.

So what have we been doing on these rainy days when we can't get out?


I've started writing on my book again.
I feel somewhat like a time traveler......
On New Year's Day, I opened up my laptop and tried to figure out how to get back to writing.
I spent a couple of hours reading what I had last written and then figuring out where I was going from there. Wednesday I finished chapter 15. Today I started chapter 16.


I'm back in time to the summer of 1964.
Here I am at 15 years old with 9 month old Baby Summer and my mother with one of her boyfriends in July.


August 9th, 1964.
Mother, Summer, I, and Deanie on the bed.
Lonnie and Lanita on the floor.
We had just come back to the apartment on College Avenue where Mother and the kids were living in Fort Worth. It was a Sunday and we had been in Stephenville, Texas at the Community Center for our annual Carlton/Hancock Family Reunion.
Now that I have my bearings, I'm hoping to write a little faster and finish up this first part of my book. I would like to hand it off to Amber to edit early this spring while I write the second part - which will be so much easier. I am so glad I have all my hand written diaries from 1983 on.
If it were not for the old photographs to jog my memory from the 1960's, I'd be hard put to write about it.

I was just about to settle down on the little couch to read a bit when I noticed the sun was trying its best to peek out!


I went out to the front deck and saw - and heard even from this distance - the ducks and geese.
They are loving all this water!
Water! Water! Everywhere!!


I love being here no matter the weather.


We had a real honest to goodness sunset tonight!


My favorite time of day!


I never fail to enjoy Mr. Jackson's cattle.
I love that this is what I like to call our 'front yard.'

I wandered around and into Louis Dean's small workshop.


He loves it in here and this is where he's spent most of his days since we arrived.
I'm happy he has some place to go and putter.
We both love to putter.


He teases me about having a 'low blog fodder day.'

I was sick with allergies when we got here and had not been feeling well for days before.
I felt worse on New Year's Eve and somewhat better on New Year's Day.
Then yesterday was really rough. I would have given a lot of money for some cough syrup!
However, I slept well last night and have felt better today than I have for quite some time.
Once we are able to go to Waco, I am going to buy a small bottle of good whiskey, local honey and lemon juice so I can make my own cough syrup if I ever need it again.

I remember once - years ago now - that I had been sick for a good while. My throat hurt and I could barely bark out a single word. It was after the New Year and I had to go back to work so I needed to be able to talk since I answered the phone for an insurance agent. I had tried everything so I went to the liquor store just across the Trinity River into Dallas. I could barely talk but they got the idea and sold me something that already had liquor, honey and lemon in it. All mixed up in a liquor and ready to go. I remember the guy told me if I drank enough of that, I would be out mowing the lawn!
I thought that was funny since it was January! But the stuff worked and I could talk the next morning when I went to work.

Food takes on an importance when we are in the country that it doesn't get at home.
We tend to think about, talk about and plan our meals these days.
We brought plenty of food with us plus we keep a fairly well stocked pantry of non perishables as well as meat, bread and such in the freezer. We usually even leave a box of wine so we have absolutely everything we need to last a week or so even if we don't bring anything from home.

We have had simple meals the last few days using up the leftovers we brought down with us and eating a lot of toast and oatmeal on these cold mornings.


This afternoon I made some 'baked' apples by cooking them on the stove with butter, brown sugar and a bit of cinnamon. Sherry and Dean brought us a container of good brisket and I put that in a crock pot with some BBQ sauce for some really tasty sandwiches.


A humble onion can make all the difference to a brisket sandwich.
Since we plan ahead these days, tomorrow's lunch will be big baked potatoes topped with the remaining brisket.....and onions, of course!

So what are y'all eating these first days of 2019?



15 comments:

Arlene G said...

I thought we had colds but now I think that we had a nasty virus of some sort. We are both better today. My voice is still scratchy but I feel ok. I am working on freshening up some areas of the house. I got a new shower curtain and new towels for the guest bathroom. I love seeing those old pictures and I cannot wait to read your book Linda. I admire you so much for all the obstacles you have overcome and are such a gracious, Godly lady!

Bluebird49 said...

Gonna make your beef stew in the crockpot Friday. Is there anything you didn't use in yours, (spices, something else?) I have been thinking of "fried apples" for weeks now. I think they'd be a good side with a roast. (Or anything, really!) I hope the kids will come down Saturday for David to hunt, and then come and dine! Last Thursday I cooked a good crockpot chicken and dressing casserole, steamed asparagus, and a veggie tray. Had made a chocolate meringue pie that morning, and of course, that was completely gone before they left! It felt good to hear their "yummy" sounds.
Tonight I had some steamed shrimp--we have a market up the road that has expanded from just fruits and vegetables! SO much! They have just begun steaming shrimp and crablegs, too, and they now cook fish and hushpuppies Weds. and Fridays. I wish they had room to open a restaurant on their place!! We have nothing in this town but a little pizza place, a Hardees and a DQ!

Linda! You were, (and still are), so tiny! You have such tiny bones. At 14, I would have guessed you were 11 or 12! In 1966, I became a wife and mother a month before I was 17. I tried so hard to be a good "everything", but I had no training for all that. Mama had never taught me to cook or clean, but we lived for three months with Ed's parents, and bless her, his mother showed me how to cook what he liked to eat, and showed me how to clean some. I learned how to pick veggies and can or freeze them and put up pickles. It was a quick course, but she was like a mother to me, too. I taught myself to sew curtains and all of my and Sherry's clothes. Pinching pennies--a whole life of it!! ��

I don't think anyone or anything can really prepare you for motherhood. It's something you have to learn yourself, but Mama and my mil helped me, too. I loved Sherry so much, but if I could change things, I would like to have been at least in my twenties when we got married, I think. I was such a naive girl! If anyone understands, I imagine you do!
Love you girl! Hope the rain dries up!!
Trudy

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

I’m glad you were able to work on your book. I am the same age as Summer. When is her birthday?

I’m sorry you’ve been coughing. If you have eucalyptus oil you could put some on your feet and your body will absorb it. It always works for us to quiet a cough. Hopefully you will not cough all night and can get your whiskey tomorrow.

I like seeing you and Louis Dean puttering and chatting.

Ginny Hartzler said...

Do you know what you are allergic to? Well, at least you are better now! My mom always got relief from her allergies when it would rain. It washed all the pollen and grime out of the air. She liked this kind of homemade cough syrup as well. The honey in it coats your throat and has antibacterial properties. Your sunset is stunning! I think the very best sunsets are right after a rain. Almost the whole place is flooded! Awww, you were almost a baby yourself when you had Summer. But there are many positive things about being a young mom.

Chatty Crone said...

That was a lot of water - we have had a lot of rain too - but not that much. Hope you feel better and you can get your concoction. So how far are you from the city? You have a workshop that stays there? WoW!

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

Keep getting well Linda. I am so happy for you both to be at the ranch, rain and beautiful sunsets included. You are a good story teller. Good that you have photos from the 60's to jog memories. Hugs.
Joy

Carol said...

Prayers that you are feeling better in order to enjoy the ranch a little more. I hate to cough and get no relief!
The photo of you made me think that you always look so nicely "put together" in your photo. My grandma used to say that a lady always looks "put together" when she is going to be out.

Susie said...

Linda, I pray the rain has ended for that area. That's enough water for now. My basement has that trickle of water now for a month. It just makes me nuts...and I don't have far to go these days. I had to laugh at LD puttering, Ted's shop looks so un organized. When he returns to good health, that is one thing he is going to get busy with...organizing and cleaning.
It's good you are eating all the foods you took along to the ranch....waste not , want not. We have been eating soups, since Ted's return home. I will need to post an update.
The old pictures of your family..for some reason, I felt sad looking at you...you did not look 15, more like 10. Stick legs and arms. :( Sending you a big hug.
I can't wait to read your book. It's good you keep the journals. I wish I had done more of that. This office is looking like a hoarders place, It's hard to stay on top of paper shredding. Blessings to you and LD, please take care of each other. Love you, xoxo, Susie

Vee said...

You were such a little girl at 15. You look nine or ten. I am glad that you have started again on the book and that you have some pictures of your siblings when they were children.

You’re not in danger of floating away down there, are you? Seems as if you might be in danger of being “stuck” for a bit. I like Vics on my feet for coughs and Thieves on my feet for congestion or sickness. I suppose that whiskey has its charms.

Isn’t it funny how it is always interesting what folks are eating? I am having coffee and a Clementine and a wee round of white cheddar cheese (a Babybel) for breakfast. I don’t know why I keep buying an entire box of Clementines at Christmastime. Old habits die hard.

Stay snug and cozy down there. I am sure that Louis Dean is a world of blog fodder all by himself. Don’t tell him that I said that!

MadSnapper said...

so glad the sun finally came out, hope all that water goes away quickly and you can get out without getting stuck and walk around. sorry you are feeling ill and had no idea you could buy the whiskey honey stuff already mixed. my cousins grandmother used to make that for coughs.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

What wonderful days you've been having. Your pictures from the past were eye opening. A mom at 15! I was 27 when I had my fist one. Hope you continue to enjoy your stay and have a happy Friday!

Changes in the wind said...

Words are powerful but I must say pictures can't be beat. Just seeing you so young with a baby is mind boggling. Glad you can work on your book and enjoy the quiet and the rain.

The Feminine Energy said...

Awwwww (((((((((((Linda)))))))))))).... a little baby at 15 years old! (gave birth at 14?) Bless your sweet heart!! You are such a beautiful person, honey, inside & out... despite whatever life has thrown your way. You are a wonderful human being, kiddo, and such a role model to all people. I know that sounds very "glowing" but I mean it! Yes, rain! It sounds like the southern half of the USA is getting the rain and the northern half is getting the sunshine and way-odd-for-the-season warm temperatures. It's 43 degrees as I type this and the sun is blazing... something extremely odd for northwest Indiana this time of year. Usually we're buried under several inches of snow by now (sometimes "feet" of it).... but we're not complaining. Your gentle abode looks nice and cozy as does sound your activities. Let it rain.....! Love, Andrea xoxo

Mitzi said...

We are having scalloped potatoes with leftover Christmas ham. Real comfort food to us.Love, love, love reading your blog, Another comfort thing!

jujupage1 said...

In terms of snacks, i'm snacking on my remaining Christmas chocolate. Lol. In terms of proper food, I made the really nice cheddar sticks for me and my family. Hoping to share the recipe on my blog soon!