House locked
Pets boarded
Car packed
Pay the turnpike toll
Favorite food
Play ball!
Room with a view
School shopping
New outfit
Beautiful fountain
Live show
Sleep in
Free breakfast
Fresh towels
Scenery refreshes
Smiles, hugs, kisses
Squeeze more in the car
Special treats for the pets
Home!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Summer Lovin'
Fireflies twinkling
Groom sweating
Sparklers delighting
Bride smiling
Grass mowing
Flags flying
Grill sizzling
Sunburn stinging
Campfire singing
Baby crawling
Fly buzzing
Swimmin' hole busy
Clothes drying
Little one crying
Ice cream cranking
Salsa making
New kittens playing
Rain dance praying
Screen door swinging
Fly swatter missing
Hearts brimming.
Groom sweating
Sparklers delighting
Bride smiling
Grass mowing
Flags flying
Grill sizzling
Sunburn stinging
Campfire singing
Baby crawling
Fly buzzing
Swimmin' hole busy
Clothes drying
Little one crying
Ice cream cranking
Salsa making
New kittens playing
Rain dance praying
Screen door swinging
Fly swatter missing
Hearts brimming.
Are you ready for Hot, Hot, Hot?
Flowers wilting
Sweet corn filling
Squash bugs multiplying
Mosquitoes biting
Weeds growing
Dogs panting
Crab grass spreading
Chiggers itching
Tomatoes need picking
Cold ice tea refreshing.
Are you ready for the heat index of 110 degrees today? Check out Kat's Rural Remedies to beat the heat:
1. I get up extra early to water plants and fill animal waterers as the sun rises. I get my daily dose of meditation while giving everything on the farm a refreshing splash of water.
2. The only product I use from the Avon company is something called "skin so soft". Pour a little in the grandkids bathwater to keep the chiggers and mosquitoes away. Give yourself a little splash in the shower; much nicer than chemical bug spray.
3. While the hose is running on the flowers in the morning, quickly pick the days harvest from your garden.
4. Got weeds? A little rock salt mixed with water in your sprayer can handle weeds better than chemicals. Just be careful where you spray it, plus mix and strain first to avoid clogging up the sprayer.
5. Recycle an old window air conditioners (a working one) by installing a small one in a garage window to keep the pets cool during the hottest part of the day. While this costs me a little in the pocket book on the electric bill, it saves me worrying about the Australian Shepherd overheating. I start it around noon and let 'Lady' rest for the afternoon in the garage. I turn it off as the evening cools off. Since my garage is attached, it cools the house a bit.
6. Fast ice tea. The Lipton family size Cold Brew bags are fast, fast, fast in a pitcher of cold water. I add two single green tea bags to up the antioxidants.
7. Drop a little vegetable oil on the silks of the growing sweet corn ears to keep worms away.
8. Recycle used aluminum foil by placing flat pieces around the squash plants: the bugs don't like the light reflection.
9. Time to watch those favorite movies and clean out the closets. During the heat of the day or those tremendously uncomfortable humid evenings, clean out the closets while listening to a favorite movie or your ipod music selections. You can take everything to the thrift store when its cooler this fall.
10. Stay away from the computer and work on your summer reading list instead. (Why stress yourself by reading about how hot it is across America?)
Sweet corn filling
Squash bugs multiplying
Mosquitoes biting
Weeds growing
Dogs panting
Crab grass spreading
Chiggers itching
Tomatoes need picking
Cold ice tea refreshing.
Are you ready for the heat index of 110 degrees today? Check out Kat's Rural Remedies to beat the heat:
1. I get up extra early to water plants and fill animal waterers as the sun rises. I get my daily dose of meditation while giving everything on the farm a refreshing splash of water.
2. The only product I use from the Avon company is something called "skin so soft". Pour a little in the grandkids bathwater to keep the chiggers and mosquitoes away. Give yourself a little splash in the shower; much nicer than chemical bug spray.
3. While the hose is running on the flowers in the morning, quickly pick the days harvest from your garden.
4. Got weeds? A little rock salt mixed with water in your sprayer can handle weeds better than chemicals. Just be careful where you spray it, plus mix and strain first to avoid clogging up the sprayer.
5. Recycle an old window air conditioners (a working one) by installing a small one in a garage window to keep the pets cool during the hottest part of the day. While this costs me a little in the pocket book on the electric bill, it saves me worrying about the Australian Shepherd overheating. I start it around noon and let 'Lady' rest for the afternoon in the garage. I turn it off as the evening cools off. Since my garage is attached, it cools the house a bit.
6. Fast ice tea. The Lipton family size Cold Brew bags are fast, fast, fast in a pitcher of cold water. I add two single green tea bags to up the antioxidants.
7. Drop a little vegetable oil on the silks of the growing sweet corn ears to keep worms away.
8. Recycle used aluminum foil by placing flat pieces around the squash plants: the bugs don't like the light reflection.
9. Time to watch those favorite movies and clean out the closets. During the heat of the day or those tremendously uncomfortable humid evenings, clean out the closets while listening to a favorite movie or your ipod music selections. You can take everything to the thrift store when its cooler this fall.
10. Stay away from the computer and work on your summer reading list instead. (Why stress yourself by reading about how hot it is across America?)
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Summertime Family Reunions
Cradling the newest baby
Getting a little grin
Greeting faraway travelers
Clasping weathered hands
Remembering those gone before us
Blessing homemade goods
Handwriting the newest recipe
Sneaking back for seconds
Announcing the next wedding
Watching the youngsters run
Sharing secrets with sisters
Updating the family tree
Checking out the scrapbooks
Squinting at old photos
Lingering over stories
Buckling up the grandkids
Waving bye till next year.
Rural remedy: How to enjoy the yearly family reunion.
Family reunions grow more special with time for this rural girl. So many things to enjoy. My goal for the family reunion is to take time to visit a bit with each person there. Hearing the old stories and learning new tidbits about my ancestors are always a delight. Seeing relatives that you may only see once a year and catching up on all the family news is energizing. As the sun goes down on a hot, humid, and fabulous Flinthills day, I reflect on the ebb and flow of those attending our family reunion: the brand new babies balanced with the loss of our favorite relatives.
For some a family reunion is wrought with stress and not so hot memories emerge. Try Kat's rural remedies for surviving a family reunion:
1. Hold the family reunion on the same week each year, same weekly day, and same time. This avoids a lot of excuses from those you wish would attend.
2. Routine is best. A little something different is OK each year but routines assure family members that there won't be surprising and stressful events.
3. Remind people through e-mails, facebook, or a postage invitation. Make sure your own immediate family doesn't schedule something as a conflict.
4. Prepare your food in advance. Using tried and true recipes that never fail for you alleviates the stress of that brand new recipe that may flop.
5. Plan your household schedules ahead of time. Get the car ready and prepack. It may be a rush to get there with Sunday services to attend - many reunions are on a Sunday.
6. Set a personal goal for the day. Mine is to meet and greet each person there, not leaving anyone out. Or perhaps it's to leave current personal or career stresses at home. You deserve a day of enjoyment and recreation.
Getting a little grin
Greeting faraway travelers
Clasping weathered hands
Remembering those gone before us
Blessing homemade goods
Handwriting the newest recipe
Sneaking back for seconds
Announcing the next wedding
Watching the youngsters run
Sharing secrets with sisters
Updating the family tree
Checking out the scrapbooks
Squinting at old photos
Lingering over stories
Buckling up the grandkids
Waving bye till next year.
Rural remedy: How to enjoy the yearly family reunion.
Family reunions grow more special with time for this rural girl. So many things to enjoy. My goal for the family reunion is to take time to visit a bit with each person there. Hearing the old stories and learning new tidbits about my ancestors are always a delight. Seeing relatives that you may only see once a year and catching up on all the family news is energizing. As the sun goes down on a hot, humid, and fabulous Flinthills day, I reflect on the ebb and flow of those attending our family reunion: the brand new babies balanced with the loss of our favorite relatives.
For some a family reunion is wrought with stress and not so hot memories emerge. Try Kat's rural remedies for surviving a family reunion:
1. Hold the family reunion on the same week each year, same weekly day, and same time. This avoids a lot of excuses from those you wish would attend.
2. Routine is best. A little something different is OK each year but routines assure family members that there won't be surprising and stressful events.
3. Remind people through e-mails, facebook, or a postage invitation. Make sure your own immediate family doesn't schedule something as a conflict.
4. Prepare your food in advance. Using tried and true recipes that never fail for you alleviates the stress of that brand new recipe that may flop.
5. Plan your household schedules ahead of time. Get the car ready and prepack. It may be a rush to get there with Sunday services to attend - many reunions are on a Sunday.
6. Set a personal goal for the day. Mine is to meet and greet each person there, not leaving anyone out. Or perhaps it's to leave current personal or career stresses at home. You deserve a day of enjoyment and recreation.
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