Off To The Local Hardware and Garden Center .

I needed to buy a few items for some home maintenance .  Our one and only extensive hardware store in our little community is Ace Hardware .  And , it is the time of year that they open their huge Christmas Shoppe .  So , I was quite eager to go take a look .  And , because I know that for the past few years it has been a "sight to behold" I remembered to take my little "point and shoot" camera .

Will you look at what my eyes saw as I entered the front door !

And , there is a lot more .  It extends throughout about a third of the store and out into the Garden Area .

This is usually where anything related to kitchen ware resides .

Since I had seen their weekly advertisement there was one item in particular that I wanted to look at and that was a large wreath . Many years ago (late 1990's) I decorated a very large wreath for the wall above my indoor corner fire place .  That wreath has had may reincarnations through the years . At first it was dressed to coordinate with my living room deco.  

After I moved here , I decorated the wreath for an outdoor Christmas decoration for the front of the garage . I strung a string of lights on the green wreath , added some poinsettias , some Christmas balls and a big red ribbon .  Following several revisions it has become "a little worse for wear" .  By now ,  some light bulbs have broken and it was looking quite ragged .

At one time it looked like the photo below .  And , it was an impressive piece of Christmas decor at the time before large outdoor residential wreaths became popular . 

For the last few years I have not had  a wreath up on the front of the garage and I have missed it .  

The store had a 36 inch wreath (the size I wanted) and 100 LED lights were attached .  Super !  I will add Christmas balls and red ribbon and more .  Just what I was looking for .  Better yet . I had a coupon ! 

Each month the store has a coupon ($10 off  $50.00 or $20 off $100.00) and it comes in very handy when it seems that many times I need something for my home repairs .  I put a couple more things in my cart and off to the checkout I went . 

Have you ever had something JUMP into your cart?  This spectacular 12 inch shimmering snow globe is extraordinary with its illuminated "snow" falling down over Santa and his reindeer and a lovely church .  It is battery operated and is only a couple inches deep .

I have never seen anything like it . I am sure I will enjoy it for many years at Holiday time .  Oh , and it has a timer switch.  I am not sure of the length of time .  Tag just says timer .  My special (Christmas) gift to me ! 

I was thinking about sending one to my Great Grandchildren , however it is incredibly delicate , fragile and quite heavy for shipping .  The top of one of the snowflakes is already broken from just carefully bringing it home !  I will super glue it .

When I finally got to the checkout I showed them my coupon and they asked if I had the drawing coupon .  It so happened that they were having their Thanksgiving sale coupon draw .  They had me draw a coupon and it was for 40% off  which meant that my purchase total was much less money ! It was a good shopping trip !

When I finish the new green wreath I will show you a photo . 

Have you started your decorating ?  Have a great week .

Mary

More Thankful Than Ever

Each day I say many words of thanks because I have so much to be thankful for .  And , I am more aware of it than ever . Especially for the most recent years when I have been blessed with the gift of contentment following a life filled with restlessness , questions , uncertainties , fear and striving to fill empty life spaces .  I never could have envisioned a life filled with mornings that were blooming with excitement for what the day may bring even when many days are filled with uncertainties , challenges and unknowns . That is just the way life is .  I don't have to feel like I must excel for life or any person for that matter to look favorable upon me .  With a long life filled with seemingly many problems , the calm and beauty of my life is a huge blessings and sometimes feels unbelievable .

I pray that the burdens that soo many people are feeling with life and especially with the Pandemic be lightened and the comfort of shelter , health , food , money , loved ones and healthy minds become their life .

Wishing Joyous Holidays to All.

Mary

Kitty Cat With An Opinion

Yes , Miss Ivy has spoken out about her displeasure with me for changing where I sit in the morning when I take a look at my computer to check in with the world via the Internet .  Much to my surprise she registered her annoyance by fervently scratching on the upholstered chair that sits beside a small desk that I wanted to use when computering .  Yes , that is a real word !  I have always thought that "words are fun" .  Call me crazy - it won't be the first .

Back to Ivy's behavior .  Her yowling and scratching convinced me to move back to the sofa so she can sit beside me and fall asleep or jump easily to her Cat Tower when she desires .  What a spoiled cat !  I love her new trust and independence but this is "a little much" .

I must convince her that she is not Royalty but I don't think she will pay me any mind when she sees that I have ordered a new Cat Tower for her because she has torn up (from scratching) the covering of the current Tower .  Scratching on the Tower is good because that is what I want instead of using the furniture or carpet flooring .  The old Tower is 53 inches tall .  The new Tower is taller at 69 inches inches .  Sitting up that high just might make her think "She Is A Queen" .

When I bought the old Tower I did not know the importance of ordering one with carpet covering .  The old one has a lightweight cotton covering that does not hold up to purposeful scratching !

Just this morning Ivy was running around , in and out of rooms , ending by jumping on her current Cat Tower and it shifted from side to side as if it was going to end up horizontally on the floor ! But , it didn't .  I hope the new tower is waited at the bottom .  If not , I may have to pile a stack of heavy books on the base ! 😄

I'll let you know if I think Ivy needs an attitude adjustment when she sits atop of her new Cat Tower and thinking it is a Castle for the privileged and beckoning her staff to pet her luxurious fluff !!!

Motherhood can be so challenging !!!

Mary

Blog Friend Memories

This blog post of mine from 2014 deserves repeating in appreciation of one of my special followers that has befriended me through blogging since my early days in 2010 .  She does not have a blog .  I am repeating it because of her kind comment from my last post reminding me of these memories .  

Thank you Special Friend .

                               Monday, August 18, 2014

            Gifts Come Packaged In Many Ways

On Friday evening a Gift came walking down our Main Street to join us for dinner at Alchemy.

That may not seem very unusual to you but it was rather unique in many ways. This couple was meeting us for the first time after flying in from San Diego with their Mooney Airplane to our local airport.

OK, that was a little different. But, wait, there is more.  After following my Blog for about four years we were about to meet a lovely lady and her husband who were spending a weekend in our little part of the country - Northern California.

What a Beautiful Gift we received in meeting this fun, nice, interesting and adventuresome couple. We had such an enjoyable evening getting acquainted. And, we sure hope to repeat the experience in the future, either here or maybe in San Diego.

Cherish your Gifts.

11/23/2020 - Additional Note - My Special Gentleman Friend who was an Aeronautical Engineer was familiar with Mooney Aircraft from his early years when he had a pilot's license . I had mentioned that we had been to the local Air Craft Show in one of my blogs. That's a little history.

Have A Great Day

Mary

Rainy Day Soup

A Fabulous Hearty Soup

Some browned beef ,  some chop - chop and start opening some cans , boil some pasta and you're rounding the last curve !

I have really been enjoying my home made soups from the freezer during these cloudy and chilly days .  That Squash Soup from my home grown squash was excellent and fun to make.

Didn't plan on making soup today but yesterday I had to go to the grocery store for a non-food item and started thinking about the ingredients for this great sounding recipe that I had recently read .  I am starting to cook with ingredients soon after I purchase the ingredient so I don't find something in the refrigerator that I have overlooked .

Now - what was the non-food item ?   

When I found some broccoli in the refrigerator that was beyond "use by date" (meaning - I forgot about it) I decided to cut it up and put it in the garbage disposal .  I will preface by saying that I knew better . Because I didn't do it slowly like I should have I clogged the drain and there I was with water sitting in the sink that wasn't going anywhere with my attempts . So , I had to call in "the big guns".  Off to the store for some Drano !  Success came after about 20 minutes and I learned my lesson .

And now , I have some more yummy soup in the freezer !!! And , a nice bowl of soup and Rustic Sunflower Seed bread for lunch . 

Hope You are feeling Warm and Cozy .

Mary

How We Start Our Mornings

Yes , Ivy is my Assistant .  Isn't she sweet ?  Sometimes it is hard to believe this is the same cat that found her forever home with me in March 2018 . No more hissing , scratching , biting and hiding .  She is pure love .

I am feeling so relieved that I have postponed my knee surgery .  I have been working some more on the inside of my house sorting and cleaning and it makes me so happy to feel progress .  And , Ivy found a chair nearby to help (watch) me .

With all the time that I have worked outside in my garden in the past my inside house has been sadly neglected .  But , now that is going to change and it makes me feel very good .  Hopefully , before long I will share more inside photos and that will be fun .

Hope your week is getting off to a good start .

Mary

So Thankful

First - - -  a quick Blogger update .  The complaints that are the same as mine on Blogger Community started 4 days ago and there are 34 recorded . I did not report my problem and I am certain that many others did as I did and just gathered the information . I agree with the sentiment of a blogger who posted "makes me seriously weary about using Blogger at all ."  Think of all the useless hours spent by Bloggers trying to find a solution and all the data that has been lost ! We are all waiting for the solution !  Importantly. I want to Thank You for your comments of encouragement .

Second - - - on with Real Life .  It has been so wonderful to have some (yes , some and that is good) relief from the horrible pain in my knees , especially the right knee !!! 

When I attended Physical Therapy last week for evaluation and treatment plan, I truly wondered how I could accomplish the goals that were established . Primarily because the instructions were for me to stop if the activity caused pain which essentially meant that I could not do much of anything .  I was still dealing with a lot of pain with the activities of daily living even though I was getting better sleep at night time .

I left the appointment concerned but determined to find direction .  First off - what was I going to do about the severe pain when no one was going to prescribe any type of real pain medication !  So , at that point I started to focus more on the use of the Hemp Balm that I had been using periodically but not regularly .

So , I started using the Balm on my right knee to my ankle every morning and every evening without fail .  And , I am thrilled to say that I am feeling remarkably better .  It really feels quite surprising after so many days of unrelenting discomfort . 

I did a little more research on what Hemp is and the use of Hemp .  There are many plant strains of Cannabis Hybrid . The two which you hear the most about are Hemp and Marijuana .  The Hemp plant and the Medical Cannabis plant are different varieties of the same plant species , Cannabis Sativa . 

By definition , Hemp contains no more that .3% THC - the psychoactive compound that is found in higher concentration in Marijuana .  By contrast , Hemp naturally has higher levels of CBD - the compound , which is known for helping human bodies maintain health and overall wellness .

I ordered more Hemp Balm on the Internet from Charlotte's Web Stanley Brothers and it has already arrived .

I have made an important decision regarding my scheduled knee surgery .  I am postponing the surgery date from December 1 to some time after the first of the year .  Too many things going on in the world , specifically the COVID 19 virus and increasing numbers in my region . Just being in the hospital frightens me plus patients have to wear a mask !!!  Having to wear a mask going to the Post Office is bad enough for me !

This is an elective surgery and I think I can manage the pain if I "do not over do it" .  And , it will give me more time to do some home Physical Therapy .  I also have to see the dentist for a release stating "no infection of teeth (equivalent of bone)" that is required prior to surgery .  Getting an appointment is delayed because of the months of office shut-down with the virus .  And , I have to work more on my support system for after returning home from the hospital .  And , who wants to be fresh out of the hospital during the holidays if it can be avoided .  Whatever I can do to maintain my psyche stability , I will do !

Taking the journey Day by Day .

Mary

Blog List Widget

After a lot of time spent on trying to find a solution , I came upon the Blogger Community website that had an entry with recent date stating that the Save button on Blog List Widget was not working and has been reported .  There were seven other people with the same problem !  Please don't ask me what I think about the new Blogger Format !  Glad to know that I didn't do something stupid to cause this problem .  My Blogger Stress is much less and I will wait for Blogger to get it right .

Mary

Need Blogger Help

I would appreciate any help .  

Accidently removed the list of bloggers that I like to follow ! - - - Bo Hooooooo! Not sure how to bring them back on this list . I will spare you my colorful language !!!

I have not been able to get the Gadget (Blog List) to work  and of course I can't remember all the blog names .   The Gadget that I called Sharing Thoughts was at the bottom of right side column . 

Any ideas on how I can fix this ?

Thanks , 

Mary

Veterans Day

Mary

My Salutation

HAPPY DAY which I posted at the end of yesterday's post is what I strongly feel about the Historical Presidential Election of November 3 . Today , I am  starting to really feel that we will be hearing gentler kinder and reasonable vocabulary coming from our televisions and social media . Not always but hopefully in a more balanced manner . Even though there will always be different opinions - which is what a working democracy is all about we can anticipate hearing more adjectives that represent a nation of ideas, debates and efforts toward resolutions without the constant vitriol diatribe . 

Perhaps , the Covid-19 virus will be managed and directed by more reasonable minds .  And, we can feel optimism about regaining some of the life styles that we have lost .

The TO-DO list is long , but this is the time to approach these serious topics with more thoughts of what will be good for "The People" and not behaviors that serve "One Person" .

HAPPY DAY FILLED WITH THANKFULNESS ,

Mary

Snow Flakes Are Close

Snow was falling this morning before sunrise very close to where I live . Just 500 foot elevation above my elevation of 2000 foot elevation . And , I was surprised that it is that close .  We had rain sprinkles here and enough wind to blow lots of leaves up to my front door .  The air is crisp at 43 degrees and it feels like WINTER .  But , not to cold for me to go out and leaf blow lots of acorns and leaves away from the front door .  It felt good to get out of the house even if it was for a very short time !

I had a good night's sleep with Ivy snuggled as close to me as she could get . Even though the house feels nice and cozy .  

OH , my gosh , I just looked up from the computer and IT IS SNOWING !!!  It looks quite heavy and I am so surprised .  I guess I won't be going to the grocery store like I planned .

I went to the front door and this is what I saw .  Snow on the umbrella !  The patio is quite sheltered with all the large trees hovering over the patio .

Went to the other door through the garage and this is the scene . Amazing !  And , what a blessing as we need the moisture so badly to nourish our parched soil .
How funny - my garden gloves sitting at the top of the big rock .  I guess I wasn't finished with my project .  If you can't see it - - - the words on my Peace Poll  says MAY The Moon Softly Restore You By NIGHT .  And , the other side says MAY The Sun Bring You Peace By DAY .  I chose that poll because my White (Moon) Garden is very nearby !

OH , HAPPY DAY !

Mary

Some More Cooking

It is a perfect cool cloudy day for some homestyle cooking .  And , I think some Sausage and Cabbage fits the bill .

This turned out tasting just as I remembered from making it many times in the past . And , I have a long past !  😊

Another nice dinner for the freezer for when I will not be able to cook for awhile when I have my right knee replaced .

Our weather certainly has taken a turn and snow is expected at the higher elevations , much higher .  Yes , it's that time of the year .  And , it looks like the predicted temperatures in the future are much lower than recently .  I have my living room gas fireplace on and it is nice and cozy in here . And , Ivy is snuggled even closer than usual !

 

I only have to leave the house for one thing today .  And , that is going to the post office to mail some packages to my Great Grandchildren .  No special occasion , just "I Love You" packages .

Will the Election be called tonight ?  Time to work toward unification!

Mary

Lovely Color Change

In this part of the country we are gently transitioning into the next season .  The colors are slowly changing on many plants .  I find it so enjoyable to watch the changes that are so unique to this time of the year .  I don't think the other seasonal changes at other times of the year are quite as spectacular . Even though Spring Time is very dynamic .

This Magnolia Stellata "Royal Star" is very close to the brillant Euonymus Alatus "Burning Bush" and presents a beautiful contrast of colors .

Oh , how I love my Pansies and they sure like the cooler weather .  Even though today is a bright high 70 degree day . 

The loveliness of the the Gerber Daisies and Zinnias continue .

And, the stunning White Chrysanthemums have joined the party !

Do you have Squirrels in your gardens ? We have them year round and I enjoy their chatter and acrobatic antics .  But , I do not like it when they dig up my recently planted bulbs - - - - - even when I have tried to protect my precious tulips and daffodils with netting.  Of all the nerve of them ! No , No , No !

I have not been able to get a nice photo of these little visitors as they move so fast !

(google image)

They don't only go after my bulbs .  They have been busy digging holes all over the garden .  Which is OK with me .  Sometimes hiding walnuts they have found and acorns that are all over the garden .  They also have dug out a total of 4 of my pansy plants that didn't recover .   Don't warn them - but - I sprinkled a little something that sometimes deters them !!!

Is has been a beautiful day and I have spent a lot of time outside puttering in the garden .  I had a little better night getting some sleep .  Using the Hemp Balm regularly on my right knee. Seems to help . Still listening to my soothing music for most of the time .  Good for my psyche and physical discomfort .  Not living in a vacuum , still know what's going on in the world .

Take Care ,  Keep the faith in what you believe !

Mary

Doing Minute To Minute Battle

Pain centers in three different locations at the same time in the body is a continual challenge whatever your age .  My back pain is a very familiar pain even with it's variations from day to day . Some days more intense with radiation into my left buttock and thigh . And , on a good day I almost forget about it even though it has been with me over twenty five years .  Yes , it has worsened as age has a way of "wear and tear" on the bony structures that cause pressure on various nerve routes that cause pain .  In my experience , keeping my muscles fluid by keepin' a movin' helps me to avoid "folding up my tent" .  It ain't easy on many days but have to keep pushing on . Unfortunately , my scoliosis is causing more and more curvature toward the left causing more pressure points of pain . 

And, now the added huge annoyance of having my old knees hollering for attention !  I think the left knee is a tag-along of the right knee even though the x-rays show both knees as "bone on bone" as the cartilage has worn away and the synovial membrane which releases a lubricating fluid which reduces friction in a healthy knee is absent .The left knee is troublesome in that it hurts sometimes and feels unstable when I am walking sometimes .

 But , the right knee is a whole different story for me . The severe pain at night time is unrelenting and it makes me want to call out with sounds of pain .  Even with elevation and ice packs it seldom calms down . I have no idea why it is so bad at night .  And , it doesn't seem to make a difference in respect to my daytime activity . One thing that is new that I have tried at night is to massage behind my knee with Charotte's Web Hemp Infused balm.  So far it has been helping somewhat .  And , it at least helps me to get some sleep . Of course when the knees hurt it kicks up the back pain because my posture is less than good when I am trying to get around with a cane and avoid falling .  It surprises me how much I can do with the help of the cane .  I can water my garden and also do some simple activities .  I have chairs around the garden so I can sit if I desire while doing the hand watering .  Additionally I can get around the kitchen quite well . Of course I must pace myself and be mindful of possibly overdoing it .

Corticosteroid injections into the knee are sometimes given to try to reduce the inflammation and relieve pain but if they are administered , there is at least a six month waiting period before surgery can be performed . So , it really wasn't an option as far as the doctor was concerned .

One thing that really puzzles me is why they will not order some strong pains pills when my blood pressure has been very high . Last time in the doctor's office it was in the range of' 174/110 range !! The primary M.D. says to his assistant  'that's because she is in pain" when she asks if she should take it again .  With 25 plus years of pain and absolutely no issues with overuse of medication - - - I wonder if they are trying to kill me !  Not really , but I think I should call and beg if I have to and explain my concern !!!!!  It would be nice to avoid a heart attack .  Another month more of this before surgery may be more than I can take. I understand I will get pain pills after surgery . Tomorrow , I start to see the Physical Therapist . However , I have already started gently following the instructions already given to me .

Yesterday I managed to go to the Post Office to pick up mail , go to the drive through car wash , get gas at the drive through gas station , took trash to the dump and go grocery shopping . Each step planned out like going from A to Z in a straight line and no backtracking .  Somebody gotta do it .  I was ready to hit the couch.

Well folks , even though I don't like to talk about pain , I can either talk about my Physical Pain or the Elections .  They BOTH are very painful ! 

Just trying to stay upright !  Beats the alternative !

 

Until Next Time .

Mary