Halloween

Halloween morning moon

 Happy Halloween to all.  When there were still  munchkins  around the house, this was one of my favorite days of the year.  It was always just fun.  I never did relate anything bad with the day.  None of the occult, witchcraft, etc.  It is what you want to make of it.  We always made costumes for the kids.  Made it more personal that way. 

I grew up on a farm and went to a one-room country school.  We always had a school program on Halloween, complete with all the fun games, dunking for apples,  prizes for the best costume.  And then a big bonfire, with a hot dog roast and marshmallows,(no  s-mores back then).  It was always a big deal.  The whole community would be there,  so it was a big trick or treat event. 

The weather has been good this week.  Last week was cold.  This week Indian summer.  Still no moisture and none forecast in the near future.  Too bad the moisture from Sandy couldn't be spread out.  I am sure they would be willing to share some of it!  Our prayers go out to all that have been touched by the storm.

Enough for now.  God Bless All--johnnyb

Finally

I think I have the problem solved with my blog.  I have been able read thru my blog list, I just couldn't comment or do a post.  I will hopefully have a post written soon.

Good Bless--johnnyb

Just me

I have been having problems with google again.  I couldn't get signed in for a couple of days. I know what the trouble is and have found a solution for it for now.  Just a pain in the ***,  if you know what I mean.

The Artic Express rolled in last night. Temps around 40 with cold north wind.  Snow flurries earlier this morning.  It is that time of year.  Still need moisture.  Not just flurries.  We had to fire up the pellet stove in the middle of the night.  Sure did feel good this morning.

I have been working on the garden in preparation for next spring.  Been adding mulch in the beds and getting ready to build more beds.  I may not get them all done this fall, but will have time in the spring to finish.  Carol has been busy canning.  Our daughter had given us some sausage, so she canned it last week.  Makes room in the freezer and if we lose electricity it will be not be lost.  We bought potatoes from a commercial farm anf have cannedsome of them.  Still more of them to do.  I got a little wheat last week from a neighbor and will make some flour out of that.  Our new chickens are doing ok.  There is still a little animosity in the pen, but not too bad.  They are laying also, so we have plenty to spare. 

I did a power shopping trip this week.  Caught a lot of items on sale that we either needed or wanted for stock.  We have been trying to get our supplies built up  in case we need them.  We are at the end of the county road system, so in the event of a bad blizzard, we could be blocked in for a few days.  Not only that, but if the "you know what hits the fan"...............!

Time to "play like a horse turd" and hit the trail. 

God Bless--johnnyb

I Pledge.......

I post this here today, not just for my friends in the USA, but for my friends throughout the world to do the same for their own country.

God Bless-johnnyb

Dirty thirties all over again?

 Beautiful fall morning here today.  cool temps, blue skies, slight breeze.   Couldn't ask for it any better.  This picture was taken earlier this morning.


The next picture was taken yesterday afternoon, same area,  after 2 days of winds in the 50-70 MPH range: The blowing dust was terrible.  These old houses are not the most airtight of buildings.  In the areas where there were wheat stubble fires last summer,  it was a complete brown-out.  I haven't found any damage around here.  All the trees seem to have all their limbs. 

It was dry enough this summer that weeds didn't grow real good, so that eliminated the problems of tumbleweeds traveling through at 60 MPH and destroying everything in its path.   Winds today are only supposed to be in the 20 MPH range, so it won't be so bad.

Oh well, such is life in the fast lane.  Could be worse.

God Bless-johnnyb

Entertainment at the Senior Center

It was entertainment night at the senior center and the Amazing Claude was topping the bill. People came from miles around to see the famed hypnotist do his stuff. As Claude went to the front of the meeting room, he announced, "Unlike most hypnotists who invite two or three people up here to be put into a trance, I intend to hypnotize each and every member of the audience."
The excitement was almost electric as Claude withdrew a beautiful antique pocket watch from his coat. "I want you each to keep your eye on this antique watch. It's a very special watch. It's been in my family for six generations."

He began to swing the watch gently back and forth while quietly chanting, "Watch the watch, watch the watch, watch the watch..."

The crowd became mesmerized as the watch swayed back and forth, light gleaming off its polished surface. Hundreds of pairs of eyes followed the swaying watch, until, suddenly, it slipped from the hypnotist's fingers and fell to the floor, breaking into a hundred pieces.

SHIT!", said the Hypnotist.

It took three days to clean up the senior center!

God Bless--johnnyb

Ramblings on hump day

Here it is hump day and I still haven't got the things done I was going to do on the uphill side of the week.  I guess there is always tomorrow, and if there isn't a tomorrow, then it won't make any difference.

We got some more layer chickens last week.  Brings us to 16 hens and one horny rooster, foghorn- the self appointed stud muffin of the flock.  He seemed pleased with the addition to his harem.  That is more than I can say for the other hens.  Kind of caused a furor among the older hens.  They will get over it.  The extra eggs are nice.  We give them to family and friends as they need them.  Carol has made some home-made noodles.  They will be nice this winter.  We have been watching the grocery stores for meat to be on sale to use for canning meat.   We have been trying to build up our supplies a little better.

The weather has been nice.  Temps have been in the eighties.  Cooling a little for couple of days with 50 MPH winds today and tomorrow, not gusts, but straight winds. We still have not had any moisture to brag about.  Farmers are planting their winter wheat in hopes that we will get some moisture.  A lot are not too optimistic about it.  I have been working at getting the garden prepared for next spring.  Everything is done for this year.  Wasn't the best of years for gardening.  We are doing more to hopefully improve on the soil conditions for next year.  Carol trimmed back the  asparagus and mulched it for the winter.  She also cut back the raspberries.  I don't mess with them.  Seems like I always come out on the short end of the deal.  It looks like I have been in a fight with a wild cat.

I had some comments to make about the Presidential Debates last night, but have decided against it.  My blood pressure is back to normal and no use setting it off again.


We had supper with our military grandson on Monday.  He is home for a few days.  Always glad to see him and spend a little time chatting.   We have been dog-sitting with our daughter's Yorkies while he is home.  Allergic to dogs.  With 50 MPH winds, I may have to tie an anchor to the little ankle-biters.  They ain't got much lead in their shorts.

Time to feed the chickens.  I hope that the day will be bright for everyone.  If not, please keep a candle lit to help you find the way.

God Bless--johnnyb