Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

Through my new found group of friends at Mary Jane Farms I have come across some great blogs to follow and interesting people to get to know.  Tonight as I was checking some of them out I saw the above picture and was just drawn to click on it - who doesn't love to sit on a front porch on a summer evening and just relax?  I was quickly challenged by Lazy J Bar C Farm to jump on over to Everyday Ruralty with Patrice and play along with her five questions for the week. A fun way to get to know each other!

 You can join up too by clicking here.  Then after writing your post - go back to Everyday Ruralty and link up!

QUESTIONS

1. Is there a room in your home that you'd like to redecorate or remodel?

We just moved into our home and were able to paint the basement and carpet the house throughout at that time with the exception of the basement bathroom - which hubs took care of a few weeks ago.  So now that leaves us our "retro" kitchen in the basement that has 3 different wall coverings all dating to the l970's.  We have "gold" formica on the countertops and green vinyl on the floor.  I would love to have it all modernized with painted walls and a nice vinyl covering.  It serves the purpose of housing an extra refridgerator and two freezers, plus extra microwave and lots of storage!  My new "dreadmill" as I call it - Treadmill - sits in here too so it doubles as my work out room.  I would like to add a stove for those times you need extra food prepared.  That said . . . this remodel is only in the dreaming stage . . . at this time.


2. Did you watch the Oscars?

Yes and no - I watched the last hour - I didn't have much of an interest sadly - I just looked forward to my sister Tami's blog the next day for her Best and Worst Dress Winners!   I did think the little song that the two emcee's sang at the end of the show - - - to the LOSERS- - - was funny?? but slightly rude??  I don't spend much time thinking about movie stars - I think they are hard working people - but for the rest of their lifestyle, and the publicity, etc. . . I just don't spend much time thinking about them . . . I guess that is all I can say. 


3. How many pair of blue jeans do you own?

6 pair - - - Two pair that are left overs from last year - and they are baggy due to my 25 pound weight loss.  Then I have three new pairs that are smaller sizes and I absolutely love them!!!   THEN I have another new pair that fit when I had 30 pounds off - - - barely - - - I will find them even better when I am at 40 pounds off!


4. What was your favorite toy as a child?

Hands-down ... Fuzzy - - - A doll that I got when I was only a child - a toddler - - - she survived many days of play, nights of sleeping, being lost, being thrown up on, being torn - - - she had two new bodies made by my seamstress expert mom.  She has had clothes made for her.  She has always been front and center in my room - even into my high school days - - - and I confess - - - I spent many nights telling her my secret fears and secret joys - - - she was such a good listener.    She was offered to my daughter to continue on with more fun - - - but my daughter was more interested in basketball, baseball, and guns . . . Fuzzy was offered to my granddaughter Elaine . . . she prefered another doll I had or her own . . . So now Fuzzy lives with us still - - - and sits in the rocking chair in the living room each and every day . . . and I'm sometimes still tempted to grab her and tell her all my fears and joys!

5. If you could visit a country in Europe, which would you choose?  

I would choose Italy.   In one other word - Tuscany.  I dream of going there someday to a villa - with grapes and old rustic buildings for homes - Oh dear above I said I don't pay much attention to movie stars - but I do like movies - and one of my favs is "Under the Tuscan Sun".  I love the flowers, the music, and the leisure, calm appearing lifestyle.  I love to watch HGTV when they are buying homes in Italy - extravagant amounts of money for a home that we in the USA would not consider living in - - - ruins really - - - but I love to see what they can do with them.

                                                                        

                                                                         
                                                                       
                                                             A must see movie!


                                Thanks Patrice - this was fun!!

More signs of spring . . .

I may be rushing the season - the weather channel keeps talking snow - but I can't help myself! In prep for spring I decided to take the challenge from Trish and Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity to Pin It and Do It in February. I did make a new spring wreath which you can read about here. Now I have pinned a redo on an old metal magazine rack, turning it into nothing but a beautiful apple red plant holder! Clay and I found the old magazine relic at 2nd Hand Hannemann's in Salina, KS. A great little store with some really nice things - and we found just what we needed for OUR version of the red planter.

Clay got into the action on this project and first sawed off the handle at the top and then spray painted the new planter, as me and paint in ANY COMBINATION is nasty. I am barely allowed near finger nail polish!! And here is the finished product!

                         

Now to add some flowers and this garden piece will take it's place at the front door matching the patriotic theme that welcomes folks to our home in the summer months!

Here is the original pin - Thanks to Deborah for her great idea!!

This finishes up my February Pin-It Do-It Challenges! Thanks to Trish this is always a lot of fun!

And as promised - here's some free advertising for the great people at 2nd Hand Hannemann's!

PBR

Professional bull riding - That is one topic I never dreamed I would blog about! My husband used to ride bulls as a young teen - "not the big bulls like at the PBR" he says, but still . . . So he was excited last December 9th when he read online that the PBR was to be at the Sprint Center in Kansas City - and tickets were going on sale Dec. 10th. He quickly grabbed four tickets and called our daughter Casey to see if they would like to go!

Thankfully, after 10 inches of snow fell, the roads were quickly cleared and we sped on down to Kansas City for the weekend of bull riding, cowboys, cowboy clowns, music, brats, and many laughs.

I've been to several different kinds of sporting events - basketball, football, hockey, baseball, and at some you will hear a prayer offered up - but rodeo and cowboys seem to have the real deal - the prayer - which brought nearly every cowboy to his knees - included prayer firstly for the animals, then the cowboys, and lastly for forgiveness of sins.

The fans - some were obnoxious - but most were there to watch the talent and cheer on their favorite bull-riders.

The rodeo clowns or the bull-fighters - as they were called - were there to work hard - to protect the rider - and did indeed many times deter the bulls at just the right moment - to save a downed cowboy.  One special bull-fighter - Flint - entertained us all both on camera and off camera with jokes, stunts, music, dancing, - a clown you say - - - I say a multi-talented musical, athletic performer!

Side bar: Did any of you ever have recurring dreams when you were growing up? I did and I don't remember whether I ever told my mom or dad or anybody??  Until this weekend.   But all through my childhood I dreamed from time to time that a bull was chasing me. It was horrible and it was very real.

That explained - it makes it even more amazing that I was sitting just a few feet from these huge, overpowering, angry-looking, magnificent animals. I was afraid that they could at any time come over the fence that separated us and the "cardboard" signs that covered the fence. I was assured the fence was heavy duty with much reinforcement. But my heart stopped in my throat as they came close.

Two days of competition in a great arena, in the Power and Light District, outdoor live music, and lots and lots of cowboys, cowgirls, and fans. Blessings with family and new experiences!

                                                                   The bull-fighters

                                             Autograph Time - Casey getting autographs for Clay

"Bow the knee before the ride, bend the knee in perfect stride, saddle up and take your stand, 
bull rider is the truest man." -Samuel Clemens

Coffee and a book . . .

When you look out the front window and see this view the best thing to do is to grab a cup of freshly brewed coffee and a stack of books.  That is what I have planned for tonight!  TGIF!

8-10 inches of heavy snow has fallen in our town.  Thankful for a busy street crew that hummed up and down the streets all night long. 

                                       Here's the problem - If you were to wind your way down to our family room and spot the brown, cozy recliner - you would have to step over this below ... look familiar?

I tend to end up here at some point every night and while I suffer through Swamp People or some such "oddity" I turn the pages of my Mary Jane Farm notebook deciding what badge to work on next, or I write in my Gratitude Journal a brief entry for each day (also a badge for MJF), or read my Bible or devotion for the day, as well as my book club selection, another book I'm about to finish, a self-help book by Bill Hybels. Oh, and a couple of magzines that came in the mail.  And when I can pry the Ipad out of hubs hands I will be on it as well. :)

One of the blogs I love to follow now is Jen's Journey.  I think she might be my long lost twin sister!  She loves to organize!  And I am stealing her great idea seen below.  She refurbished a basket and it is just the right size for her two Bibles - study books - notebooks - markers - pens - pencils and post-it notes.   She can easily grab her basket and set up shop anywhere that works!

Thanks Jen for a great idea!

Enjoy your Friday night!  Enjoy your weekend!

And my version - determined to not buy anything new - I had a 31 brand bag that works well!

Snow Day

Snow falling soundlessly in the middle of the night 
will always fill my heart with sweet clarity. 
     Novala Takemoto, Missin' (Novel)

Was ready for spring.  
Have an aversion to mud.
Just got the yard and dog pen dry from the last big snow.
Thankful for the moisture though.

We did all the usual things that people tend to do when the National Weather Center starts to predict 18-24 inches of snow - with ice - power outages expected.  We start to nest.  Pick up the dog toys in the back yard.  Put away objects that might blow with the snow.  Got the Pampered Chef in the back end of the Edge delivered.  Snow shovels in place.  Head to the grocery store of course.  Thinking not only of necessary items like toilet paper and milk but also food you can eat when the lights go out.  Do a quick load of laundry before the power goes out.  Arrange for hubs to drive me to work so I don't have to get my car out.  Take a nice new blanket out of the warm dryer and tuck in the big dog house for him - yes he is spoiled!  Check to make sure I have books to read and of course I do!
Call mom and make sure she is being safe and warm.  Call the kids.  Call the grandkids.
Done.  Let it snow.

I am not a psychologist but I wonder if the above phenomenon is just my quirkiness or if it belongs to everyone?  What makes us batten down the hatches?  Is this some sort of learned behavior?  Some would say it is a desire for things to sloooooww down so we can rest and enjoy life.   Is it a fight or flight instinct?   Or is there just something cozy about a warm house and falling snow.

It's nearly 10 p.m. and the snow really hasn't been very heavy yet - but the latest report really does have North Central Kansas in the 18-24 inch possibilities.  Praying for safe travel for everyone out there!  Be safe and be smart!   And so that this isn't just a bit of a rambling from me - I will include the top ten things you can do to prepare for a winter snow storm:

#1 Keep a bag of warm clothes handy - one bag for each family member.  That way if the power is off you don't have to look for warm clothes in the dark.

#2  Pay attention to your local newscasts.

#3 Have extra blankets handy.

#4 Have flashlights with extra batteries.
Have candles and lighters.

#5 Have nonperishable foods on hand.

#6 Bottled water.

#7  Charge up cell phones ahead of time and ipads, etc.

#8 Have things for family to do such as board games,  books, crafts, etc.

#9 Turn off heat in rooms you are not using, if possible.

#10 Stay indoors as blizzard conditions can be very dangerous.

I'd love to hear - did you have a snow storm?  How did you prepare?  What kinds of things do you like to do when you are snow bound?

Stay warm and safe!

To knit or knot???

Late Breaking News!!

I have decided on the 5th and final new thing I will learn in the year 2013.  If you remember from my original blog post I challenged any of my readers to try to learn some new things.  It is great for the mind and it is proving to be fun!

My list is as such:

Become card certified in CPR - and I am official now - CHECK

Want to learn to load and shoot a gun. When it warms up!

Want to learn algebra I.  When my daughter is on summer break!

Going to do the electric slide!    Anytime I can get my daughter/nieces to teach me!

And . . .

Lastly I will learn to knit!  This is the blog post that got me thinking - I used to knit and I liked it - and I love those dish cloths!

Now to find a fellow-knitter!!

Foot note

This is definitely a post for the miscellaneous label section - and possibly it may cause my children to shake their heads - but - it's my blog and I have some very helpful information to share with all of my readers . . .

The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art. -- Leonardo da Vinci.

I agree with da Vinci. And when the human foot is healthy - - - life is good. When the human foot is not healthy - - - well I spent 3 summers experiencing this - - - summers in flip flops, dry, cracked heels, painful misery with each step - - - so I must share.

My first step was to visit a podiatrist, right? Foot doctor. He was not helpful. My second step was to visit a dermatologist. He saved me. First of all I was told - don't wear flip flops. Wear shoes and socks. I was then given the strongest, most potent corticosteroid ointment to apply for two weeks along with 40% urea cream to apply to my feet at night. The cream would soften the callouses. Works beautifully. Slowly they healed. I also was given Vanicream to use and in fact was told to have a bottle of it at every faucet in my house for my hands as well. It can be found at Walgreens and most Walmart stores - but you have to ask in the pharmacy.

Slowly - with a routine that added about 30 minutes to my bedtime routine - including sleeping with socks on - I began to heal. I could walk again normally.

If you are shaking your head - that's okay - it probably means you have never had cracked feet. Every step was torture. I'm so thankful that I found relief. I will never take my foot health for granted.

I continue now with some of the regimen and I am able to rotate on and off of the medications, only using it periodically - but always using good lotion.

Here is what I have on hand:
Urea cream 40% - prescription only
Urea cream 20% - can be bought over the counter
Vanicream
Steroid - prescription only

This brings me to my last suggestion and saving grace - - - PEDICURES.
Some would say that it is a self-indulgent, have a special me day, thing to do.
For me it is medicinal :) or at least that is what I tell my husband.
I discovered that getting a pedicure after I got my feet healthy was a fabulous way to make them even more healthy!!! And pretty!!

So . . . after the drs. bills were paid and the budget adjusted for monthly pedicures and the little foot care goodies are purchased for home - I can even manage to slip into "flip-flops" once in a while in the hot summer time. (But only Crocs brand) No more cheap flip flops for this girl.

Hopefully if anyone has shared in this not very talked about misery - you will find something helpful from my experience! I have had fun sharing - and especially making the hubs photograph my nice healthy feet for the blog!

Blue Bear Looking for a Home ...

He's a cute little blue bear that proudly wears the #30 - but he is rather misplaced at the moment.

It's a sad story but here is how it goes - you see his owner sent for him and he promptly arrived in the mail all excited to sit on the shelf next to the red bear and the purple bear.   He is here to celebrate!  But wait . . . his owner has confessed - - - He is an illegitimate bear.

He must go back.

Well ... all silliness aside - the real truth is that this cute little bear comes from Nutri-System.  I started on Nutri-System one year ago.  It is a nutritional and very smart plan for gaining lifetime weight loss.  I have shared some off and on about my weight loss - and at one point - for one day - I had lost 30 pounds!!  I am feeling fantastic and learning to exercise and getting stronger all the time. Nutri-System has all different colors of friendly little bears to send to you to document every 10 pounds you lose - and so I quickly earned my 10 pound Bear and then in a few months more I got my 20 pound Bear - - - and after about 9 months time and lots of exercise and food choice changes - I recorded my 30 pound weight loss and received the above 30 pound bear.  

Well I'll go easy on myself - but tomorrow is my 54th birthday and I have messed around and made poor choices and gained back about 7 pounds.  THIS isn't gonna happen folks.  I have worked way too hard to screw this up now!  But I don't feel like I have really truly earned the 30 pound bear so alas - he is homeless at the moment until I can work my way down 7 pounds and reclaim him for myself!  

So - - - Happy Valentines to all my readers - especially to my family who reads this - I love you all and I am gonna love myself enough in my 54th year to get to my goal weight!!!

Signs of spring

For the first signs of spring . . . I had to look closely ...

As part of Pin It Do It February - thanks to Trish - I vowed to create two craft projects this month.  Alas I have decided to drop one of the ideas - but I did come through with my spring wreath as pictured above.  The original pin was for a 3.00 wreath - I may have had to spend a little more but certainly as far as wreaths go - it was very thrifty.  An 11 x 14 inch frame that I already had and a sprig of two different greens - some yellow ribbon and I was set!  I now have a complete years' worth of door decorations from Patriotic (summer), Scarecrow Wreath (fall) Christmas (winter) and now my spring green!  Welcome to our home!!

I have been able to spend about an hour outdoors with the dogs this week after work - then I remember it is still winter and I'm cold - but today while playing some fetch and just having a good conversation with the dogs - I spied a couple of "green things"    If you look real close - the sedum is coming back to life!!  In an earlier post I talked about my plans to add some succulents to the garden this year - but these two specimens came with the house so I'm excited to see they are coming back!

Finally - I'd like to share some of the ideas I am working on for this summer's flower garden and patio.  When we bought our new house last summer we found an old wash tub in the shed out back and I quickly threw some potted petunias into it and voila a flower garden - It was 110 in the shade and I didn't think I could start from scratch with new plants.  This summer we are planning to do it right and get some soil - and hopefully end up with something like this . . .

Lucky Money!

Perhaps nobody extolled the virtues of relaxation better than physicist Fritjof Capra, who said “During periods of relaxation after concentrated intellectual activity, the intuitive mind seems to take over and can produce the sudden clarifying insights which give so much joy and delight.”   What??  I think that means - ya need to take a break from work now and then and have some fun!!  Could there be a better reason to draw a bath, turn on your steam shower, or make an appointment at your neighborhood spa??

Well that is what I thought - so I visited one of my favorite nail salons in a nearby city.  Sometimes it is just nice to be spontaneous and not have to have an appointment.  So . . . I apologize to the home town salons - who require call ahead scheduling -  but this was a "me" day and I'm worth it! :)

And the things you learn at the beauty parlor . . . 

The owners of my favorite clean and tidy spa with the little pink butterfly chairs for little girls turns, are Vietnamese men.  They are great guys - very friendly and fun and very good at their job.  Usually I'm not there for conversation but instead to close my eyes and soak up the spoilin' - but today I got involved and learned some fun things about another place and time!

Did you know that today Sunday, Feb. 10th begins the Vietnamese New Year? 

I learned that the people spend days cleaning their homes and polishing utensils, repainting and decorating to get ready.   They don't celebrate Christmas or New Years as we in the USA do but their New Year is important to them.  It is desired to have all of your debts paid before the new year comes in and to resolve all arguments amongst friends and family.  Then they can hope to have a great next year!

I asked them what they do to celebrate and they laughed and shared that they mostly eat good food and gamble with "lucky money"!  I also learned that the young kids receive more lucky money than the older folks do!    My salon friend named Long laughs that as a kid he could get 200.00 lucky money - but now that he is grown up - not so much money he said.   Lucky money was given to the children in little red envelopes . . . 

The convention of giving “li xi” has its roots in the folklore about the ogre called Tuy. Once upon a time, living in a huge peach blossom tree in the East Sea were all evil spirits on Earth. While being kept inside the tree and controlled by deities, they always tried to escape and harm people. However, on New Year’s Eve, as the deities had to gather together at the Heavens, Tuy would appear, rubbing small children’s heads to make them burst into loud wails and get high fever. Thus, the whole family had to stay awake all night to protect the children from the ogre.

However, some Deities while once stopping by a village had turned themselves into gold coins. Parents covered those coins in red cloth and placed under a child’s pillow. Later, when Tuy came, the coins sparkled and drove it away. Good news quickly spread out all over the country, and from that time on, Vietnamese have had the tradition of giving small children lucky money in red envelopes on the first day of Lunar New Year.

Well - Traditions are important - and whether I support or believe in other worlds' ways - It is sometimes fun to listen and learn how people are different.    These two men love living in the USA and are very proud to work here - they say when they go home - they are considered "million-aires" as our American money is worth far far more than their Vietnamese money.

Ahh a day at the spa . . . One of my favorite ways to spend my time - and a little education on the side . . . who knew? 

Where in the World Are You Reading?

What an interesting question . . . Where is your comfy spot to read?  Thanks to Kelly for hosting this month's poll - check it out here.

I have two favorite places to read - one I am showing you below - in my recliner and obviously I'm not alone - my Boston Terrier Dodger is snuggled beside my legs - always looking for an excuse to curl up and sleep.    I have tried to read in bed - and can't get comfortable - plus husband wants the lights out so he can sleep!  If I lay down on the sofa and get all comfy - I drift off in a nap - so the chair works great for me!  

But aha . . . spot #2 is my real favorite!  Nothing better than to find a sunny spot on the patio - stretch out in a lawn chaise - with diet coke - shades - and read away - - - This also usually ends up with me  catching a few nods also - but love it just the same!

Please let me know - where is your comfy place to read?

P.S.  Places I DO NOT read ...

bathroom

airplanes

while driving!!  yes I've seen it done!

February Fantastic News

Thanks for checking in with my exercise and weight loss tip, word of encouragement, or lesson learned for February!





Starting allllll over . . . . bummer.

Was I really jogging and running on my treadmill?  Just recently?   It's a vague memory, but I know that I did it and it was rewarding!  Then the bug hit and I haven't exercised for several weeks.  Now I'm back at it slowly and so my word for this month is  . . . diligence . . .

                                      
   Meaning: persevering determination to perform a task


So I decided to ask Mr. Google - how soon do I return to exercise after being sick?

My information comes from www.livestrong.com.

Respiratory Sickness

When your lungs are involved, you need to avoid working out. Exercise puts a strain on your body and weakens your immune system. A respiratory infection can lead to bronchitis and even to pneumonia if the body is not allowed to rest. Pushing yourself in these situations will do more harm than good. In an article in The Washington Post, immunologists suggest waiting two weeks after such an illness to resume exercise.

Fever

When you have a fever, you should not work out because your body temperature is already too high. Working out naturally raises your body temperature and elevates your heart rate. You do not want to intensify the effects of a fever with physical exertion. You could end up loosing too much water and fainting. Dr. Edward Laskowski on MayoClinic.com advises against working out if you have a fever.

The Common Cold

In a 1997 study conducted at Ball University cited in "The Washington Post," 50 student volunteers were infected with the common cold. Half were asked to exercise while the others rested. The duration of the cold was not increased in those who worked out versus the students who rested. Dr. Laskowski on MayoClinic.com suggests, "Exercise is usually OK if your signs and symptoms are all 'above the neck' --- symptoms you may have with a common cold, such as runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing or minor sore throat."


My next question is . . . what have I had, the flu? a cold? bronchitis? pneumonia? . . . and since I won't be getting an answer I have decided to take it slow tonight and go on a stroll - - - Nothing too fast for too long - - - but something to circulate some blood and give me strength!

Check back in March for my next lesson learned on this weight loss/exercise to better health challenge!









 

Pin-It Do-It February!

Trish has challenged us all again to not just be "pinners" on Pinterest - but to try our skills at creating some of the ideas on our boards!  February is a fun month for me!  My daughter's birthday is in February, my sisters, a nephew, my son-in-law's and even mine fall this month!  So I have decided to try a few things in February!

At our home here in Beloit, I have a front door that is just perfect for a wreath for all seasons!  I have enjoyed my patriotic 4th of July wreath, a cute Halloween scarecrow wreath, my colorful Christmas wreath and now what???  So..... I thought that doing a wreath for spring would be just what I need!

I have chosen this one - for 3 reasons:  It looks simple - uses a cheap dollar store picture frame and hot glue!  Secondly, it doesn't look hard, and thirdly, I love the greenery - it is the greenery that I used in all of my daughter's wedding flowers several years ago and so it will be fun to work with it again!

Here is the original pin and I'll check back later in the month to show you my version!

Original Pin

 

And for all my Valentine's at work I will be doing this!!

  Original Pin

Readathon Wrap-Up

Lamenting the fact that it is Sunday evening - Super Bowl's half over - weekend's nearly over - and tomorrow is back to work . . . but I'll go with a thankful heart :). 

Great blessings found in being able to spend a quiet time at home reading - so thank you Jenn for sponsoring the Readathon.   Blessings found also in my "crafty" husband for a newly remodeled basement bathroom this past week also!   

Both of my bathrooms reflect my love for the ocean and for the warm sun and the clean sand. 

Going to head back to the book . . . and Happy Reading this week to all of you!

     HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR BABY GIRL TODAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASEY!!

                                                                 February 4th

 

 

BEFORE PICTURE

 

 

 

AFTER PICTURES

What a buzz . . .

Ha - this will get me a text from both children . . . but if you are following with me . . . I have a cold . . . just overdid the Nyquil cough medicine . . . sooooooo I'm reading "Secret Life of Bees" and having quite a "buzz"!!!  Whoa - no wonder it works - it just knocks you out for awhile!

On page 25 of my book - a slow reading day - but I have also read several days of my devotional so that I am caught up there as well.

I'm just curious for any of you out there signed up today - why do you like to read?  I can tell from all of the comments and your blogs that readers share a special love - I'm just curious - Curious why it appeals to each of you!

Side note:  I'm enjoying my book with my new homemade book mark - made by sister Tami at Just One More Thing.

Reading on . . .

Mini-Challenge #1

Lunch break and time to take the first mini-challenge.  I am reading The Secret Life of Bees.  I came across this book as part of another project I'm doing - being a Mary Jane Farm Girl.  To earn my beginning badge under Garden Gates I needed to learn a little about bees and their importance, grow some bee-friendly flowers, and read the novel that I'm working on today!

The book takes place in the 1960's and is set in South Carolina.  This is a part of the US that I can't wait to visit so I know that has intrigued me as I read.  I can't imagine being part of the days when it was black vs. white - the story is about a young white girl who is raised by a mean father after her mother's accidental death.   I'm just into the first few chapters - but I love it!

Super Sunday . . . are you ready for some reading?

So excited for the Super Bowl Readathon!

The readathon information can be found here at Jen's blog and for those of you who want to join me today - the plan is to read whatever you want today all day long and check in with Jen for fun mini-challenges.  It will be fun to see what everyone is reading!

I plan to spend the day at home with my husband Clay, relaxing, resting, and reading!  I love to watch football and although my team isn't playing in the main event I still think it's a fun thing.  My youngest granddaughter is pumped as the 49er's are one of her favorite teams!

I have a party game, Raven napkins, and 49er napkins, and a chart for purchasing chances on the winner!  But wait - yes - - - It's just the two of us here - no family - no crowd of people cheering loudly.  Alas I had a momentarily late night online shopping spree and thought "just in case" we have a party - I will of course be prepared!  Anyone having a party and need my party supplies??

Due to the flu bug and colds (since Christmas) we aren't feeling like venturing out - we need the rest - so thank you so much for sponsoring the readathon today Jen!  

Everyone enjoy!

P.S.  I'm reading The Secret Life of Bees and it is great!   I also will be reading in my devotional called Streams in the Desert.

To Bee or not to Bee . . .

In 2013 I discovered a really fun thing.  I can be a Girl Scout again!  Well not really, but as you know I am a member of the Farmgirl Sisterhood!   I joined just recently.  Now it's time to get to work and earn some badges!

I didn't do a lot of exploring and learning new things as a child - I was more reserved and avoided outdoors most of the time.  So when I saw that my sister had become a certified farmgirl I became curious.  As I have shared in a previous post that it's not so much where you live, but how you live that determines if you will call yourself a Mary Jane's farmgirl, I decided I am certainly rural enough to have some fun with this!

Earning badges from several different categories goes right along with my other project for 2013 and that is to learn 5 new things this year!  My mind may explode as I begin working on my "badges", as well as hunting, learning math, and doing a little eeeeelectric slide . . .   But here goes!

I will be coming back time after time to write about each badge as I earn them.  Today I started on my first ever badge - and it is from the category of Garden Gate.     I began the project by watching a trailer at www.vanishingbees.com.  I quickly learned a little about the problems we could have if bees continue to die off.  No fruits or vegetables people!     Next up I will be planting some bee-friendly flowers in my garden in a couple of months.  Lastly to earn the beginner level of this badge, I will read the book "Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd.

I'll "bee"  back soon to give you an update on my progress.

    

Please share with me - what are your gardening plans?

Take time to research online the full list of "bee-friendly" flowers you can choose from!