Too tired

I won't write much because I am pretty tired. I went over the part of the garden spot I wanted to plant. I used the baby tiller which is OK, but it's kind of hard to hang on to. I didn't as much done as I did yesterday. I did get the front yard mowed. After I got the row raked off and marked out I did plant a 30 foot of red onions. I have at least enough onion sets for another 30 feet. I didn't get the beets or turnips in. I'm old and it ain't easy-never was. Gardening is work intensive.

I went to bed early(for me) last night and went right off to sleep and never even rolled over until 7 AM. I won't get much do for a day because of the heavy rain . That will give my body a chance to recover.

As I write the news says that St. Louis has had some tornado touch touch downs. That is west of here by about 120 miles or about a three hour drive. This the storm we are expecting.

END

WORK DAY

This was a "work day." I tried to get as much done possible be before the oncoming coming storms "scheduled" for Friday/Friday night. I have been in the yard most of the day. but I didn't get everything done that I intended to do, but I gave it a good whirl.

I went over parts of the garden with the baby tiller, raked it off and planted a 30 foot row of corn and a thirty foot row of red potatoes. The potatoes were dinky spuds, but all had good eyes sprouting. They were so small I didn't bother to cut /divide them. If they were really tiny I just tossed in two. I think they will grow just fine.

I got gas for the mower and did the back yard. I hope that I can finish the front before the rains come tomorrow. I also want to plant onions, beets and turnips. After that it will be whatever is left to plant, will get planted. And it is a fair amt. for a small garden. I do like to eat!

It is funny to watch the Robins trot down the fresh rows of worked over dirt and get their buffet. The Robins are not afraid and have a good time torturing worms, tossing them about and than finally chowing down.

I am so tired I don't think I will cook anything. It will be shredded wheat and a banana tonight. I have the will to work hard, but the body is cries "foul!" Bye.

END

Freedom fighters

"FREEDOM IS NOT AN INHERITANCE"

"IT MUST BE DEFENDED"

If you are a student of history you know that most governments do not last much longer then 300 hundred years or so, and then start a rapid or a slow decent into cohos or morph into something different, a"new society" or a changed culture or both. The body you thought you knew starts as an internal disease that can not be seen, but spreads outward to encompass all the other organs and tissues of the host, like cancer or osteoporosis. Like cancer, the working parts of the body become invaded and destroyed by aggressive cells out of control or as osteoporosis weakens and robs the framework and structure of the living(Constitution) until it splinters...breaks...or disintegrates. As you must take care of the body...you must take care of the Constitution. It is the foundation...the framework...the very essence of freedom and liberty that is showing some major deterioration. If not for "FREEDOM OF THE PRESS or FREEDOM OF SPEECH" AND FREEDOM OF RELIGION " from which all other liberties flow, I guess most bloggers would be sitting in confinement or up against a wall somewhere. Think it couldn't happen here...in the good ol' U. S. A? THINK...THINK...THINK again.

I am not sure when we started that slippery slide downward; Glenn Beck says it all began about 70-80 years ago. I am inclined to attribute wars, wars, and rumors of wars to a rapid decline in American ethics, culture, morals and greed ,to the weakening of THE AMERICAN WAY.

Removing PRAYER from schools, public places and events has taken its toll on the TEN COMMANDMENTS...what school kid or even adults can recite or even know them anymore ? It appears perfectly acceptable to spout out "GOD DAMN YOU" or anyone or anything, but you better not say "GOD BLESS YOU or GOD LOVES YOU." No, no, no...you must use the proper vulgarities, profanities or righteous explicits to get your points and conversations heard. I guess that is why I don't have much of a following; because I don't stray down that path or am sort of a humdrum blogger. I suppose I am in the wrong century or in the wrong dimension and probably suffering from dementia...says you...LOL's

END

P. S. After I wrote this blog I was watching Neil Cavuto and his comment on the double standard of the Senate and how they were freelyusing the "F" word on the Senate floor and on TV. Good for you, Neil. Then Glenn Beck came on with a short piece about the "BLACK BRIGADE" or the early preachers stood up and fought for freedom and liberty. GOD BLESS AMERICANS THAT STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD.

Now I am done...for the day

This is Tea Party night and even 'though my teeth hurt like crazy...I will be there. I will be among my contemporary crazies--you know--white haired, older American terrorists with lethal canes, dangerous walkers, an old Korean veteran in a attack vehicle wheel chair, young mothers pulling little ones along as hostages in the face of a hostile government.

These are the people who remember what they had and know what they have lost and what goes next; FREEDOM.

The government does not want people who can THINK or can even think they THINK. Whew! That was a mouthful of thinkers.

The first thing a corrupt government will try is to control the news-communications-which they have pretty much done-and why Glenn Beck is scared. Sooner or later they will get something on or against him; the government has been trying to do that for some time. The government will attack the Constitution, not defend it. That ploy is already well in progress. There is a bunch of Yip Yaps in Congress: they make a lot of noise, but it is all bark, no bite-unless Obama wants to put collars on the growlers(us) and lead the mutts(us again) by the chain. How do you like the dog catcher so far? Do you feel like a pampered pet? around Don't worry, it too shall pass. By the way, no one mentioned whether the King of America went to church on Easter Sunday...or maybe I missed it.

My sling shot is empty...for the moment.

END

Teeth-ing

A painful week-end. The right side of my face/head has been giving me fits and extreme discomfort. Good thing I already had an appointment to get my crown this morning. A couple X-Rays latter and the "root" cause of the nature of my discomfort is...an abscess in the tooth right next to the one that just got done.

When I had a severe elbow fracture and surgery I didn't take much pain medicine. Theses past few days I have taken everything I had on hand. I started with aspirin, then Darvocet and finally Percocet. The Percocet was for a surgically repaired arm that I had on hand and never used. That tells you how much agony a bad tooth can cause: worse than a severe fracture and repair.

I am now on an antibiotic and goo for a root canal next Monday. There is still pain to deal with, but a half of a Percocet will help with the discomfort. When your teeth hurt-you hurt all over. They say that about feet, too. I hope the dentist realizes that I am making payments on that big, beautiful Chrysler he drives. So...I am getting hurt in the pocket book, too!

I didn't get much done this week-end. Instead, I have been moaning and groaning and trying to make my head stop hurting. Now, maybe I will get busy and concentrate on other things besides my face.

It's supposed to rain off and on most of the week. I hope the garden spot will dry out a little. Time is wasting. It is cold, too, but I can deal with that. So, what's new in your life?

END

Feast or Famine

I didn't get much done today. I have been keeping one eye on the sky and the other eye on the weather channel. The sky would darken than the sun would shine and then darken again most of the afternoon, It did rain, but not as hard as predicted. It isn't over yet, but most of the bad weather has moved toward the East-North East.

I had intended to write more about preserving eggs as I now have another dozen in the refrigerator. A friend brought me another dozen today. I will have to get busy preserving a bunch of them. It is "either a feast or a famine." I won't run out of eggs for a while.

So...I just didn't spend much time on the computer-sorry.

END

A plan-yes

I got the garden tilled. When I was at the library I found an add on the message board for tilling. When I got home I called the number and the garden was nicely tilled within the hour for $25.00. It is much better than I could have done and completed deeper, too. The man had a small yard tractor/tiller and went right to work. Now all I need to do is rake it off and plant. I guess this is the way to go .

The garden spot does not look very large, but it is long. You would be surprised what and how much a small garden will yield-good stuff!!

I went shopping this afternoon and found bananas for 00.49 cent a pound. It's been a while since I have seen them that low. Eggs were down to 00.99 cents a dozen-but who needs eggs!! Everything else is high, but maybe some prices will come down now that Obama has saved the economy...hmm.

I stopped at Captain D's for lunch and there was a goof ball guy arguing with a little flea sized man of old age about the army. Goff guy said he wouldn't go into the service. After looking at him and listening to him I decided the Army really wouldn't want him. He had a tummy bigger than a barrel and a mouth even bigger. If I had been the manager I think I would have tossed him O-U-T on his F-4 butt. Just the other day I heard on the radio that over 500.000 men of military age were too obese to qualify for the services. I saw one today.

We are still expecting bad weather and I think this time we will get it. The air is very humid and the sky has been dark off and on all day. That is the main reason I wanted to get out and get some odds and ends from the grocery store. Now I have milk, bread and bananas.

END

OODLES OF NOODLES

When I was a kid I loved canned Ravioli. Not so much anymore 'though I do keep it in my "stock"in the pantry. Now, as I grow older, the filling taste like mush and I can make mush on my own. Instant noodles live in my pantry, too. Many a college student has lived on instant noodles and survived to tell about it. It's cheap, quick and filling. Is it good for you? Read the labels. If you enlarge the picture of the back side of these three you can see for yourself.

Ravioli has 950 mg. of Sodium witch is salt, eight g grams of fat and 8 grams of protein. 0 carbs and that is good but 32 grams of carbs which you might want a little less of. Plus all kinds of additives

Ramen Noodles has 760 grams of salt, 60 cal. from fat, 27 g. of carbs, 0% 0f cholesterol, and 190 calories. No protein was listed.

Express noodles has 13 g. of fat, ) cholesterol sodium 1,550, total carbs 35g., 280 calories with 120 of the calories from fat, and only 5g. of protein. The saturated fat is 30 %.

Each has multiple additives of one kind or another, but the Express Noodles with the whopping 1,550? That is way too much is as one shouldn't be getting more than 2,400 gr. of salt per day. 1,550 of sodium/salt is more than half your daily allowance. Less salt=healthier people.

Instant noodles are OK occasionally, but don't try to live on them. They will lead to fluid retention which just isn't good for the heart or kidneys.

The rain that we have been expecting has not arrived yet, but all the southern and some of the mid-west states are getting really tumultuous weather. It is the season. Do you have your preparations ready? Do you have flashlights, extra batteries, food and water on hand? Be ready because Freddy, the Nightmare Weather Fiend visits when least expected and feeds off the unwary.

END

Nothing

I think I have writer's block. Not much going on to write about. I did do some yard work today so that I stay ahead of the rain which is coming. The ground is brick-hard and we need the moisture. I raised the mower deck to "4" and went over the garden spot because the weeds are growing. The dust/ dirt was flying. I guess I will have to find someone to till for me so I can get my garden in.

I stuffed myself yesterday so I tried to cut back today. Two hot dogs for lunch without bread/buns. For supper I had a really good steak from the freezer and added two eggs-steak 'n eggs. Low fat-high cholesterol...LOL! Good 'though and satisfying.

I am trying to avoid going to the store, but I am out of milk and bread. I guess I could and should...make some bread.

April, June and July are hard months so I try to save my nickles and dimes for home owners and Auto Insurance, pulse there is the dentist to pay. I guess that's life. Everyone has bills to pay and everyone has to bite the bullet. At least I don't have to pay Fed. taxes anymore. But even that may come about in the future.

Well, I am NOT just a font of information, am I.

END

Bridges to Where?

I won't post much tonight. I did take the Sisters about 25 dozen cartons of eggs and they were glad to the have them. I went out to lunch with a friend and then we went back to her house for a while and jabbered away. I didn't home until about five in the afternoon.

For some reason traffic was backed up both going and coming. I was thinking if for any reason there had to be an evacuation, it would be very difficult to get from point A to point B. This area sits right upon the New Madrid fault and should it ever "move" it would affect around 14 million people in 3 states or more. So, considering a mass evacuation isn't out of the question. There is one bridge across the Ohio at this point, another bridge 30 miles away in another direction, and another bridge across the Ohio in the opposite direction. There is a very old bridge under repairs and construction across the Green River. So, should the ground shake...and it will at some unknown time, there isn't a very easy way outta here. The bridges could even come down. I think I will just stay right here, fill and re-fill my water jugs, count my canned goods and stay right here. As you can never fully plan for the future you can only hope for the best

.

The picture at the top was not taken today.

END

More on eggs

I guess it was prophetic as I just wrote about preserving eggs-that friends came and brought me 34 dozen eggs. I will keep a few dozen, some I will give to a friend and the rest will go to the Little Sisters of the Poor, a non profit home for the elderly. You may remember that I retired from the Nursing home after 32 years. They put bread and butter on my table and now I will try to put some farm fresh eggs on theirs. The residents love their scrambled eggs in the morning.

It seems that when I look my worst is when people show up at my door. I have been lazying about in sweat pants and a top and wearing old jogging shoes and sure enough, that is when the doorbell starts ringing. As I have to get out and about tomorrow, I will make myself more presentable to the world of culture and dignity.

The man who was supposed to till the garden for me didn't come so I guess I will start again on my own. I guess I should have just kept at it in spite of a funky arm. Phooey.

Some of the tomatoes didn't come up so I restarted about seven pots yesterday. I hope they take. I hope the winter squash appears soon. My onion sets are starting to sprout in the box. I am disappointed that I didn't get them planted as I had planned. I hate waiting on someone else. Hurry up and wait for the garden to be tilled-No. That is what happened last year and I got my garden in late and mostly what someone else wanted. Well, where there is a will, there is a way...or so they say.

I have to get up early and get the eggs over to Nursing Home in the morning so this just a short post.

END

Preserving eggs 101

Got eggs? Know how to turn them into keepers or to preserve them for the long term?

Start with fresh eggs if at all possible. Buy organic eggs if available. Buy in bulk to save money.

Start with the easiest method of preserving eggs for future use.

The easiest way to preserve eggs is to crack the eggs into a bowl, scramble them and place them in freezer containers. Label, date and record how many are in the container. Yes, the eggs will lose a very small amount of flavor in freezing, but tell your tongue to get used to it.

You may also crack your eggs into ice cube freezer trays and place in a zip lock bag and freeze. Keep the tray level. You can then remove the tray and remove the individual eggs for re-packing and re-freezing. Again, date, label and record how many to a package.

You may preserve eggs by coating the shells with lard or soft paraffin. Don't use hot paraffin. Let it cool so that you don't cook the egg in the shell or your fingers. Cooked fingers are not good so use care. Be certain that the shells are completely covered/coated so that bacteria can not get through the shells. These preserved eggs should last up to a year if kept cool and stored properly.

If you are fearful of trying to preserve eggs, than try just one egg at a time.

I have only told you of the easiest and quickest ways to preserve eggs. There are several other methods of preserving eggs and I will add them as the Saturdays go by.

Eggs are used in many dishes, breads, desserts and as stand alone meals. They are an important source of protein and other nutrients. If we should ever have a "grid down" situation from weather, catastrophes or scarcities, I will be happy to have a few dozen preserved eggs in the larder.

The weather has cooled down a little as was predicted. I am happy with the low to mid 60's and low humidity. I can get more done outside. I put together a small electric trimmer today. I don't know how it will work, but I'll find out.

May you have an egg-sellent week-end.

END

Rain

It rained this afternoon. Imagine that. Actually we need the rain. The ground is getting pretty dry. However, it may mean that my garden does not get tilled up this week-end. It didn't rain much, so maybe I can do a little bit more myself. I am behind in my plans to get a garden going.

The rhubarb plant is a about five feet tall. I have never seen one this big. It makes a really nice yard plant just as it is.

There isn't much to post about unless you want to discuss The President making fun of the Tea Party rallies.. It won't be so funny when all the big spenders get voted out of office in November. Bye Bye Budget Busters.

Now the politicians are trying to make out that Tea Party members are going to spark violence. Well, most of us are too old to get too feisty and the young Americans are not aware of what they have lost. Stuff ISN'T getting better. The media is keeping Americans sedated and stupid. The Man of Spam is telling us that middle class Americans should be "thankful" for the Demo-litions and Repu-gnaces for robbing the middle class to give to the rich. HE says the middle class got all kinds of tax reductions and perks. Well-the middle class can't pay taxes if he/she doesn't have a job. No job...no money...no taxes. Even an economic dolt can figure that out.

There are over 80.000 troops trained for "domestic violence," but we can not put troops on our boarders. Main stream media is now reporting very quietly about theses troops and how the may be used in the Nove. elections. One blogger goes as far as saying that fall elections could be "suspended." Another blogger says the Constitution could be "suspended." I don't know about that, in either case. I know that if THE FEDERALIZES ever did try that, it would bring all us old ladies out into the streets with our broom sticks and umbrellas. Yes! Never tempt an elderly person with gray hair and a set of dentures! We will come out and bite the h***l outta ya!!

END

TEA PARTY IN WESTERN KY-4-15-2010.

These are a few pictures of the local Tea Party Rally in Western Kentucky. The sun was bright and reflecting off t he Ohio so I could only aim, shoot and hope for the best. Now I am tired. It was pretty warm out in the sun, but a nice day for a party.

Theses shots and the rally were taken at the water park. Good thing it hasn't been turned on yet!

A young girl sang several patriotic songs. She has a superb voice for a teenager.

Senator Whitfield couldn't make it, but he sent his representative. Palosie kept the Senators in D. C. voting on four of her pet bills.

A ploy of the White House is to do Omaha's speeches on TV just about the time for the Glenn Beck show to come on...in case you haven't noticed.

I didn't capture the true size and turnout of the rally, but I did my best.

I guess I should have taken an umbrella to shade myself from the sun. Others were smarter than me.

END

TAVERN FRANKS OR BEER HOT DOGS

Got hot dogs? Looks good? Kids of all ages like hot dogs.

TAVERN FRANKS

total cooking time:10 to 12 minutes.

1 Lb. (8 to 10) frankfurters

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups of beer(12 ounces)

Place franks in 2 qt. micro wave proof casserole dish. Separate onion into rings and spread over franks. Pour beer over all. Cover. Use COOK cycle and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through. After five minutes rearrange to bring franks on the bottom to the top. Serve with or without buns. Chopped sauerkraut and other condiments can be added to taste. Microwaves vary.

Today I did something unusual. I took a real nap. Undressed, kicked off my shoes and crawled into bed for a real nap. Around 3 PM I could hardly keep my eyes open. Maybe it was the heat (87) or maybe it was the good lunch I had , but I sure was sleepy. I zonked out for about two hours.

I went to the hardware store to look for replacement parts for my trimmer and for my sprayer. They didn't have them so I will try Wal-Mart tomorrow.

I had to get gas again today. I went to a different gas station. For what I paid yesterday I got almost double the amt. of gas I pumped today. Something isn't right...right?

END

Is stuff getting better?

The sun was beaming down from a nearly cloudless sky and the temperature was 83 degrees with little humidity. You can't beat that. I was out tanning my wrinkles.

I finished mowing the front yard. The front is a little harder to mow because of the driveway and some embankment on one side. What I did not get done was the trimming. Tomorrow I plan on pruning the rose bush a bit as it is kind of getting a wild look to it and hardly has any buds.

If you watch much TV you will not have much of a selection to pick from. I was thinking I would like to see TV bring back some of the old classics such as WAGON TRAIN staring Ward Bond and some of the old stars. Lassie would be good. When kids get home from school their choices are really limited. The kids can watch Oprah, some of the court room shows. Rachael Ray's cooking show or some of the other entertainment fare that really isn't kid oriented. Today's kids knows more about sex, crime, dysfunctional families, and Hollywood, than most adults know. Kids don't have to grow up on the streets: they can get quite a liberal arts degree/education from the TV. Most kids theses days have their own TVs, computers, cell phones and social networks right in their rooms. No wonder society is not as social as it used to be. Culture is taught and learned from a TV. There used to be a slogan "Do you know where your children are?" Now you could amend that to Do you know what your children are watching-doing?

Don't get me wrong: I like TV. We didn't have much TV when I was growing up so I have a slightly different perspective on modern life and culture. I too, have some favorite programs that I enjoy watching. I don't know what would happen to all the kids in the U.S.A if all the electonric toys and gizmo's suddenly went black or failed to function. It might be an interesting experiment for parents, adults and children to lose their tenuous grip on fantasy and come to grips with reality. I can see people coming out of their homes with a dazed, confused look on their faces. We, as a nation, are addicted to crude.

You know an EMP would do just that. An EMP is an electronic magnetic pulse. The sun could cause a EMP or our brothers in Iran could. You better be six feet below the surface of Mother Earth should such an event ever happen. Most electronics and modern automobiles would be fried. Iran has the capabilities of lighting up an EMP, high in the sky. This is not to say they would; other rouge nations could, but Iran is well ahead of the game.

I keep telling people to stock up and prepare. You never know what's in store for human kind. We could be gone in a blink of an eye, but it's more likely we would have a slow decent into the thirld world, caused by the failing economy or lack of resources. I am reminded of a movie called 'THE POSTMAN" where the hero keeps saying "stuff is getting better." Well, is it? Time will tell. We maybe making a rebound now, but the country always does better in the spring time and summer. As I said, Time will tell.

END

Bees and stuff

Chuck, the man who helped me last year, says he will come till my garden this coming week-end. So I will concentrate on other things. I hope it doesn't doesn't rain because I really want to get the garden in soon. If he does the initial tilling I can take it from there.



My next task is to start some green pepper seeds. I like green peppers esp. stuffed with a filling. Hmm...I think I like everything. But I need to grow stuff first.


I had a huge Bumble Bee get into the kitchen yesterday. The bee is now history. I was sitting on the back patio and spotted a wasp crawling into the smoker. I imagine there is a nest within. Nasty stings, they do give.


I am finishing off some leftovers this eve. I had some rice left over so I added an egg to the rice and scrambled it in a small amt. of bacon grease. It tasted pretty good. I think tomorrow I will use up some left over ham and sweet potatoes with asparagus. Not sure how to fix the veggies 'though. May add an egg to the veggies and "fry" them, too. There isn't anything much better than bacon and eggs unless it is ham and eggs.

I re-mowed the back yard and pulled a few weeds. Tomorrow-Tuesday- I will go over the front and pull a few weeds there, too. As I can't pull the start weed-whacker I will pull what I can.
My elbow keeps "popping." I don't know why, but I am trying to be careful.

Years ago I bought a Parker Pen at about $8.00 dollars. I got a catalog today and they are in the hundreds of dollars. Maybe my old Parker is worth money--maybe not. I bought a gold plated pen a long, time ago, too. I wonder what that may be worth-got gold?

END

So-sewing and stuff

I finally...finally went to the store to get groceries. I didn't get much; less than $14 dollars worth, but it stuff I have been putting off buying for several weeks. I continue to try to make my money stretch from here to eternity. And that is a long stretch!

What I did buy is bacon, eggs, cheese and bread. The eggs and cheese are for the protein. The bacon is for the fat content and the small amt. of meat protein. The whole wheat bread is for sandwiches. I have lots of Tuna in the closet. Well, a few cans, anyway. Of course I had to have a $99.cent bag of candy. Oops, I forgot-one $99. cent frozen dinner-which I ate already.

I stopped to get $10.00 worth of gas. At $2.83 per gal.(it went down a little)I should have gotten just over 3 gallons of gas. I got under 3 gallons; about 2 3/4 of a gallon. It hardly made the needle move. I only needed enough to go to the store and get home on as I am not driving as much. Of course, I did get home or I wouldn't be typing this, but I feel cheated.

I stayed out of the garden today because I "isn't" as young as I used to be. I will my joints the day off so they can find their proper place. Even 'though tomorrow is Sunday I think I will be back in the garden trying to get a few more feet tilled over.

FOR PREPPERS

lots of needle and thread

good scissors

lots of cloth and scraps

lots of buttons

good treadle sewing machine-if you can find one

bar soap scraps

safety pins, big and small

If you are tossing old cloths out-beyond repair, remove the buttons and thread onto a safety pin. Save good zippers. Save any piece of usable fabric. If your jeans have holes in the knees cut the legs off, hem and use them for shorts. Save the lower leg fabric for quilting or patching. Run thread over a piece of soap to make it easier to thread a needle. Soap will also help keep tangles out of treads that are used for hand mending.Some of this I have written about before, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to go over it again. Save your nickles and dimes where ever you can

I had intended to write about prserving eggs for this Saturday's post, but I forgot to do so. I will have to try for next Saturday.

END

4

Working

I got a late start on my garden tilling and only a small amount done. I have a long way to go and will have to go over it several times. If the weather stays nice I will do some more tomorrow and again will probably start late. The ground is still a little wet from all the rain that came down on Wed. night. I can only do a bit at a time because my funky arm gives out, but I will get it done.

I hope to get corn in the ground this coming week. The tomato seeds are up and growing. I will start some green pepper seeds very soon, also. There are also potatoes to go in the
ground soon, too. This is the time to plant them while it is cool. I need to get sweet potato slips from the hardware store as the ones that I tried to start are just not doing anything.

This year's garden will be fairly basic. It will be what I can do and not what I want. There will be onions, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, winter squash, beans, and some greens. Even with a basic plan for the garden I don't know how well my arm will take it. I will persist because there is nothing better than fresh vegetables from the garden.

A garden will and can save you a lot of money on groceries. I still have stuff from last year and if it were not for the garden produce I would be pinching pennies even harder, until the pennies squealed even louder.

Everyone that can should have a garden. Everything I hear and see says that food will be expensive and may even become scarce-shortages. It is already high and gets higher every time I go to the store.

Gasoline is nearly $3.00 a gal. here. That is why I stay close to home. My tank is nearly empty now. People will stop mowing if it gets to high.

This the time for car insurance, home owners insurance, and more dental work. Social Security just doesn't stretch far enough, does it. And the new health care package gives me a laugh. You will pay into it, but it will not be available untl...What...2014? So, pay now and pay later. Just another scam and I have been scammed to death already.

My mother always had a garden, even in that small lot on Brooklyn street.

That must be where I got the gardening gene from; where I have to get my hands into the dirt and the dirt into my hair, eyes, mouth and down my front and even into my ears. Do you think if I get into enough dirt I might grow, too?

Anyway, here is where I

END

Cleaning- out with the Old

I am counting my nickles and dimes and am practising economical awareness-thrift. I have been turning off all the lights during the day and opening up the blinds to infuse the house with natural sunlight. Sometimes when it is cloudy or raining out that tact doesn't work well. I have not had the heat on for a number of days now, but tonight it is going to get chilly. The TV is also calling for "patchy frost." It is already down in the 50's so I will probably need to have some heat tonight. I wash my cloths in cold water and use all fluorescent lighting. My utility bill for last month was $117.00, but I am trying for a lower bill. "A penny saved is a penny earned."

I have a penny jar and need to roll all those pennies, but it is a tedious chore. I have a small change jar, but again, I am not relishing the job of rolling the coins. Besides, the pennies and change are for "dire" situations. The way the government is moving, "dire" days may be just around the corner and there may NOT be, probably won't be.. "a chicken in every pot." As only half the population is working and the other half are takers...the pot is developing a crack in it and the darn thing is leaking profusely. We could say bleeding, but that doesn't sound too appetising, does it. Even as I type the news is all about increased taxes everywhere on everything. If you don't have money you can't pay the taxes that the government throws down rat holes across the planet, maintain a standing army of over 500.000 in 122 countries, conduct two or three wars at the same and not hemorrhage out your ears big time. Wars are commercial ventures. Some get rich while so many die. Hid your pennies, nickels and dimes: old Uncle will be looking for them.

Here is a thought: We are protecting nations and boarders around the world, but we can't...won't protect our own.

Here is another thought: We are now a second class nation, on our way down.

What's in your wallet...nothing?

END

Rhubarb, Pie and Mowers

Last spring rhubarb was planted. I didn't touch it for the first growth. As you can see it is alive and healthy. I didn't know the plant would form a Florette or a type of blossom. It looks like a cabbage. I am waiting to see how it develops.

RHUBARB PIE

4 cups of chopped rhubarb

1 1/3 cup white sugar

6 Tbs. of all purpose flour

1 Tbs of butter

recipe for a double crusted pie

****

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. Combine sugar and flour

3. Sprinkle 1/4 of it over pastry in the pie pan

4. Heap rhubarb over the mixture

5. Sprinkle the remaining sugar and flour over rhubarb

6. Dot with small pieces or pats of butter

7. Cover top with pastry crust

8. Place pie on lowest rack of oven

9.Bake for 15 minutes

10. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees

and continue to bake for 40-45 minutes

****

Serve hot or cold. I numbered the steps to make it easier to read. Oven temperatures will vary as will recipes. Supposedly rhubarb has medicinal value: I will have to look it up or find it on line. Rhubarb is tart so it is probably loaded with Vit. C, to say the least.

****

The mower is finally running. Today I received a notice of a class action suite against Briggs and Straton, the motors that power most of the mowers and lawn tractors used in this country. Last summer my Yardman simply stopped dead and it wasn't even two years old. The engines have been over rated for horse power that they don't have. Of course, the little engines are now made in China, a country of few moral or ethical values. A country that continues to manufacture and sell us junk. We have little choice as every thing you go to buy is stamped "MADE IN CHINA." If Americans don't watch out and "get it," babies might start popping out stamped "MADE IN CHINA," too. How'd ja like dat?? Hmmmm????

Nothing much

Not much to write about. The day was very nice. I got the kid next door to next door to mow the yard for $20.00 bucks. It was really getting thick and high. The "replacement " mower has been on the charger for 8 1/2 hours. I don't know if it will start. It is dark out now and not the time to test it. It is supposed to rain very hard tonight-thunderstorms are predicted. That will make the grass grow even faster. In a few days it would be too high to push a mower through it so it had to get done.

I'm tired and going to bed. Bev. ck. your e-mail.

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Fried Eggs

I mentioned that I had joined the local Tea Party. Local primaries are coming up soon. A few of the Tea Party members are trying to get on the ballot for the fall elections. They are being attacked by the incumbents..."the good ol' boys," that have been in office and don't want to lose their nice city or county seats of office. They are getting downright nasty in their efforts to retain the nice comfortable positions that they now hold.

The present officials we have do not own their mistakes, missteps or the nepotism's handouts. They are trying to blame people who have never held office for the waste at city and county level. So, I am in favor of sending them all to Venezuela for a nice vacation in the hot equatorial sun . I'll even buy them a straw hat to protect their "good ol' boy" brains. Some of them are about half fried even now.

The shelf life of local, county, state and federal governments are growing old, stale, date expired and some is neigh onto downright rotten. You can only keeps eggs for so long and then they become bad...smelly...unpaletablle...and then you have to toss the bad eggs out. We don't keep spoiled food in the fridge because the spoilage may spread and contaminate the other staples...and then you have nothing other than a mess in the fridge or larder.

It's well past show time and and crude has got to go. We really need to vote the fungus and parasites into the trash can. VOTE...VOTE...VOTE. Amputate the diseased part of the body and clean up, sterilize and isolate the spoilage right out the emergency room door. This IS an emergency. If you don't...can't...take back America now you sure as ****won't later. There won't be a "later."

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Spring

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Enlarge pictures























I drove down by the mighty Ohio to watch the water flow and eat my French Fries. It must be spring because a man was out flying his kite high above, wafting on the breezes that flit over the broad river. The pictures are not the best because I was aiming up into the sun for some of them. I also caught some coal barges going about their business, taking full loads of coal upriver to all points east and north and empty barges heading south to pick up their new loads. North is Louisville and south would be Paducha. All along the river going south are where the barges can refill coal from all the local mining. Kentucky mines the coal that runs the generators that that makes the electricity that lights up your houses and helps heat your homes. So there. How is that for run-on sentencing.

Anyway, as some of the top analysts are worried about food shortages and empty shelves I am thinking of some of the basic garden plants that should be in a garden.

1. Beans-all kinds. Beans are high in protein, low in fat and cholesterol.
2. Corn- a starch, but good for you
3. Potatoes-equally good and full of natural potassium. It isn't the potatoes that is "bad" for you, but what your put on(dress)them with.
4. Greens-all kinds. Anything green carries iron that carries the oxygen that flows through your blood stream. If you don't have or are iron poor you probably tire easily or are anemic.
5. Calcium-some veggies have some calcium. Whereas you "can't" plant a cow in a city garden be sure to have milk, cheeses and eggs in your diet.

In my next Saturday post I will try to tell how to store eggs without refrigeration.

END

Ramblings

There is a picture of the big red machine that will not start. I put a new fuse in it and it may be starting to charge. There is a shot on the right of the Prune tree in blossom. It has been pruned back quite a bit. The blossoms won't last much longer due to the wind. There are still some bees in the blossoms. You can see where the fence was bent when my neighbors tree came down on it. In the background is a big brick rental house that is actually a log cabin that was covered up many years ago There isn't a window on the backside of that building and not many in the front.

I am steaming greens and onions along with what is left of the chicken I cooked the other evening. It really smells good.

Supposedly the jobs are coming back and companies are hiring again. Of course, there are all those thousands of census workers and IRA workers that just got hired. And there is talk about taxing churches again. I won't hold my breath waiting for that so-called recovery. Neither should you-whoever should be reading this. There is also talk of food shortages due to the weather and natural events that are delaying or ruining the crops. Here, the farmers are trying to get their corn in early.

Today is good Friday. The churches are being attacked. If you think your own church is safe from Marxists, Progressives and Socialists, look to the past to see the future. Right now it is the Catholic Church that is being targeted, but don't worry, yours may be next. If religion and its precepts can be undermined or destroyed the world will go back to what it was 2,000 years ago. It would be a nations/countries of chaos and the heavy fist of whatever government may be in power. Unless your a Muslim: then they would just cut your head off. "Off with their heads!" Except for maybe Obama, he might get to keep his because he is a "head of state." And we gotta keep our heads here, don't we?

Well, my super is done and calling my name, so I will discontinue rambling and amble into the kitchen and feed my head..I mean face.

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Busy Bees

My Plume tree is in full blossom. Yesterday it was full of busy bees. There were less bees in the tree today, yet they are working hard gathering nectar. I wish I knew where their hive might be located. I would love to have some free, wild honey. It would be my luck that the hive would be in some one's back yard.

I spent most of the day trying to get the new mower started. It will not take a charge. I finally called Lowe's and they said to bring it back-yeah, like I can lift it. Then they said they would send someone to pick it up for a fee-yeah, like $59.00 and change. What ever happened to customer service? Yeah-like it went out with good manners, respect and clean language.

We have become a culture of illiterate morons that can't read, do math, write a complete sentence, follow a road map or live without drugs and alcohol. Maybe not everyone, but way, way, too many went to Washington to follow political careers 'cause they can't do much else. Of course, some got jobs at Lowe's and Wal-Mart.

Tomorrow, Friday, is the last pretty day to get stuff done in the yard as it will rain on my parade late tomorrow night. I messed with the mower and lost my day. I did get a few solar patio lights set up and cleaned off the patio. I see a crack in the concrete from one side to the other. Water may have gotten under it and froze when it was cold.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring. I get cranky when things don't go as planned.

END