November 28, 2008

everyday thanks

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. Thanksgiving rolls around. every. year. But we should not take it for granted. It is a blessing to live in a country where we still have an official holiday showing official appreciation for our blessings. It is the Lord who gives such blessings...freedom, food, shelter, clothing, family and friends, and eternal life in heaven if we so choose to accept it.

Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.

My Darling Husband and I are visiting some of his family in Texas. It's nice and warm down here, compared to the Midwest. 60s vs. 40s!

November 26, 2008

somewhere...someplace

"A.Word.A.Day
whencesoever
PRONUNCIATION:(hwens-so-EV-uhr)
MEANING:conjunction, adverb: From whatever place.
ETYMOLOGY:From whence (from what place) + soever (at all, of any kind).
USAGE:"[Lizbeth, the dog] loves human attention and like Browning's duchess she is pleased indiscriminately whencesoever it comes."Jonathan Raban; The View From a Literary Dumpster; The New York Times; Oct 10, 1993.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:The race of men, while sheep in credulity, are wolves for conformity. -Carl Van Doren, professor, writer, and critic (1885-1950)"




















Who knows the provenance of these melamine dishes, but they sure are pretty! Perfecto for a picnic in the park, pasture or whatever place.

In The Big City, there was this gorgeous park and this breathtaking one, and hundreds of others scattered throughout the neighborhoods. Here in The Small Town, there are at least two parks that I have seen with my own eyes. One is itty bitty. The other is the town gathering spot from spring through autumn. It contains the towns football and track arena, picnic areas, swimming pool with a slide, a small zoo, miniature train, miniature golf and a carousel that costs a mere 5 cents per person! Small time entertainment. Great for the pocketbook.

November 22, 2008

Thanks for popping in!

Yesterday I went to the bank to deposit my first paycheck from my new job. I was quite proud of that check. It takes stamina to withstand temper-tantrum-throwing three-year-olds five days a week.
At most banks, the tellers can look up your account using your i.d. if you've forgotten to bring your account number. I've experienced being recognized by The Big City bank tellers, but only after many repeated visits. Yesterday was only the second time this particular teller had met me. She remembered me, although the first visit was a month ago and she's helped hundreds of other people since our first encounter. She didn't even ask for my i.d. Ahh! Small Towns are inviting sometimes.

I'll leave you with a Saturday funny. 'Tis the season for turkey talk.
"One year at Thanksgiving, my mom went to my sister's house for the traditional feast. Knowing how gullible my sister is, my mom decided to play a trick. She told my sister that she needed something from the store. When my sister left, my mom took the turkey out of the oven, removed the stuffing, stuffed a Cornish hen, and inserted it into the turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey. She then placed the bird(s) back in the oven.
When it was time for dinner, my sister pulled the turkey out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing. When her serving spoon hit something, she reached in and pulled out the little bird. With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed, 'Patricia, you've cooked a pregnant bird!'
At the reality of this horrifying news, my sister started to cry. It took the family two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!"

November 19, 2008

same here as they were there

Squirrel. Tree rat. Nuisance. Target. Somebody would surely call them dinner. Although the latter is more likely in The Small Town than The Big City.

My very creative friend, Coconutto, snapped these two shots of a lazy squirrel basking in the fresh air a couple of weeks ago. It must have been counting the nuts in the grass.



























This little guy had his mug printed in The Small Town's newspaper last Monday, Veteran's Day.


November 18, 2008

Got goat milk?

Two days ago, Saturday, 15 November 2008, My Darling Husband and I took a road trip to The Nearest Large Town.

On the way we stopped for lunch at a gas station restaurant. In our parcel of this great nation, a gas station restaurant usually consists of McDonald's or counter pizza tasting like cardboard that pizza is normally delivered in or...scrumptious barbeque. The restaurant I write of was just a normal, family restaurant, and locally owned. The food was good. Much to my delight, My Darling Husband accidentally spotted a Big City versus Small Town difference. Even some Big City restaurants have community bulletin boards and "Welcome" signs.





















Bet you won't find goats for sale in the city!

There is a missing child notice on the bulletin board in this picture, so if you can do so on your computer, click on the photo to enlarge it and take a look at the missing child, to help bring her home.

After some successful shopping (also very limited in The Small Town), we headed home. First we filled up the car with gas. Cheap cheap cheap! Below $2.00 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma on Saturday. Just thought I'd advertise the fact that gas prices have decreased lately. Have you noticed?

November 13, 2008

country kittens


A friend emailed this picture to me today. I don't know where it came from or who took it, or even if it's real. Looks genuine. Here is the caption that came with the photo:
"So, there I was . . . just relaxing and then the kids yelled, 'Hey Mom, come see the kittens'."

In the Big City, we called these skunks. Around here, these black and white creatures are country kittens, and their spray is "country perfume". I smelled the effects of one around the neighborhood the other night, when My Darling Husband and I were outside in the cool evening air. Runnn!! I'll take a bed of
roses, thank you.

Can you imagine getting sprayed by one? Life would come to a temporary halt, as nobody would want to socialize with you. My father once ran into a skunk and came home wearing the evidence. My parents tried all sorts of ways to make dad's clothes like new again. Finally, mom buried his clothes in the ground. Either to erase them from dad's memory or to let the dirt absorb the nasal assault.

November 11, 2008

it is Veteran's Day


The United States flag in this photograph shows fewer than 50 stars because it is one of the flags flown at Ft. McHenry. The National Park Service flies the flag that shows the number of states in the union at the time the U.S. defeated the British at Ft. McHenry during the American Revolution. Fort McHenry is also the birthplace of our national anthem.

I thank all the U.S. military service members, alive and deceased, for their part in creating and protecting this nation that God blessed us with. It is because of Him, and our military, that we have existed.

Take a moment to show your appreciation to the service members you know.