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

Blog-site problems

It seems as though something is messing with my blog site.  Tuesday it wouldn't let me sign in.  Last night I noticed the background had been changed.  I am still working on it. Still have a few changes to make.

God Bless All--johnnyb

Tuesday

What an interesting title!  I am sure that it just really tweaks a person's imagination.  Unless you live in another part of the world,  you would already know it was Tuesday, or at least I hope so.  So you ask yourself, "Self, what could he be writing about that would have such a novel title?"  Well, I hope that maybe I can provide a little insight to that question.  Actually I really don't have a whole lot of wild and wooly things to talk about.  I do have one thought.  Let me re-phrase that!  I have a thought.  Tuesday, to some,  might have a special meaning.  It does to me.  Mainly, the fact that I woke up breathing this morning has a sort of importance to me.  Other thing of importance might be that today is the tomorrow that I put off doing something yesterday.  Today will probably the day that I put off doing something until tomorrow that I had planned on doing today, like burning some trash.  The wind is blowing gale force today, so burning is out.  I may put some of the thistles out and let them blow south at 40 MPH!

Tuesday could be important in the way of birthdays, anniversaries or such things.  I guess everyday has to have some importance to somebody.  We need to be thankful for everyday.   Wow,  I have made a complete circle and convinced myself that the title "Tuesday"  may be an eye-catcher to someone.  I'm sorry that I didn't have anything earth-shattering to say, but you never know.  It could have been something that just changed the world.  (That's a laugh!)

God Bless All-johnnyb

Lessons from Mom

This has been around the web for a while, but always is good for a few truthful laughs:

25 VIRTUES MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother ! taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, They are going to freeze that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: my mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Have a good Sunday and God Bless All--johnnyb

Thoughts

Just sitting here drinking my morning coffee, reading the posts from my friends in bloggerville, watching snowflakes fall, and thinking about this post.  My mind is actually kind of blank (not a good description ),  maybe I should say it is wandering aimlessly in the world of no conscious thoughts.  Nothing really new to write about, so why take the time.  Then, lo and behold, a thought did actually materialize.  I don't need anything to talk about.   The important thing, in my opinion,  is the maintaining of a  line of communication.   There may be a time where this may not be possible. It is not so much of a point of what we say, but that we are letting  everyone know that we are still out here and that we are ok or not okay.  I go through my blog list everyday if possible.  The one thing I don't always do is take the time to comment on some of the important issues I read about.  I may look and see there is already 30 comments, and will my comment just be lost in a sea of others, or it is a couple of days down the road.  I apologize for this.  This should not matter.  I will try to do more in the future.  It is always easier to do in the wintertime, but that is just a lame excuse on my part.  I value all the friends that I have made in this electronic age that we live in, and want to continue on that.   I guess my point is, and and I only have my finger pointed in my direction,  if it is no more than a hello, how are you, I will try to do a better job of it.

I really don't know where this all came from, but I sometimes feel guilty when I don't post for a while.  Oh well, just thinking.  And that is scary!!!!  Once again I am not pointing my finger at anyone, but myself.

GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU AND THIS GREAT COUNTRY OF OURS---johnnyb

Snow

Snow here this morning.  There is no accumulation, just enough to remind us that winter is on the way.  Big flakes and wet.   I wouldn't mind if we had a few inches of it.  The moisture would be appreciated.  Temps have been hovering close to the freezing point.  I covered the tomatoes last nite and will keep them covered for a few days.  Supposed to warm up next week.  Farmers have been trying to get their wheat planted, but just not much moisture in the ground. 

The chickens were a little puzzled this morning with the snow flakes.  They were looking at the flakes as if they should be chasing them.  They are molting now, so egg production is dropping a little.  We still have plenty.  Should be getting our new pullets in the next week or so. 

The dogs were not overly excited with the weather.  They went out and did their morning jobs and came in and went back to bed.  Life is tough. 

Enough rambling--God Bless All---johnnyb

Reasons I love fall

Fall has fell

Fall is starting to show its colors.  As dry as it has been,  I am surprised that the leaves didn't just fall off of the branches.

I enjoy this time of year.  To me it is a relaxing time of year.   The only problem is, there is never time to relax.   We have been getting the garden ready for next year.   The ground where we have our garden is really poor, so it has been a long process trying to amend the dirt.  Hopefully by next year we can have a better garden.  We are doing more composting in the raised beds this winter  and plan on putting in more of them.  I got some newspapers out of the recycling trailer last week, so will be putting them down and covering with a dirt, manure, and other composting materials.  The tomatoes are still producing a few.  They just didn't do well this year.  Carol has canned a few quarts, but nothing like we had planned on.  She canned some apples last week.  Those will be good this winter.

Can't believe it is October already.  I guess time flies when you are having fun.   I hope everyone is doing ok.  My thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who is not.  It makes no difference that I don't know who is and who isn't, or that I don't know who reads this.  My prayers are there anyway.  There is only One who knows and that is what counts.

God Bless--johnnyb