Just a touch of color in a green world

This week is flying by...the days come and go so quickly now. I sure notice the days getting shorter. My tomatoes are really slowing down. I made 4 quarts and 1 pint of juice on Monday...I think that brings me to a total of 16 quarts and 2 pints from our 20+ plants.

I am not going to have any bell peppers to freeze...don't get me wrong, there were peppers but with all the heat they would shrivel up while on the plant when they got up about 2 inches in diameter...maybe even before that. We did use a few even though they were not what would normally consider grown.

We have been having cool nights...last night when I went to bed Puss Puss was under the cover in my place and did not want to move. She had left just barely enough room till I could lay down--but I am sure that was by accident.

I am again attempting to get rid of some of the clutter here. I worked on that his afternoon and did get rid of some stuff. I saw other things I want to take to the auction house. We have a couple big items we are taking soon as the weather starts being cooler all the time. I think it will sell better then.

So we shall see how this progresses...every time I think I am going to get to make a good start, something happens.

Good times...

Sunday we headed north...I was actually thinking about Lafayette, or the area surrounding it, but didn't make it quite that far. We came to Big Pine Creek....and stopped two or three times to throw in our lines...but always from up on a bank. Just couldn't find a good place to get down to the water. I got two or three hits at one place...and Roger caught a small Small-mouthed bass there....
Then we came to the place above...we stopped there. We could see fish just laying everywhere out in the water...not sure what kind they were...but definitely NOT carp....I threw and threw and threw my line and got one hit from a fairly big fish.... I could see him. And Roger had two or three hits.

The first thing I noticed when we stopped and got out to look was this old rod & reel laying there...Roger told me to check it, but I was too busy. Then I saw the line move...but still just left it. Well, before we left, Roger reels it in....it had a nice sized catfish on it. Since Roger could not get down to the water to wet his hands, he didn't want to touch it. Thinks it is unhealthy for the fish...he used my needle nose pliers to release him and throw him back in the water. We left the rod, thinking some kid will remember it and come back to find it.

Notes on Lorelei's visit

We had Lorelei for three nights....I don't know where to begin the Lorelei Tales.

First, she is so anxious to get here...we meet her mom at a half-way point and pick Lorelei up there. That way it is not a hard drive on either of us. It is still a 40 mile trip home. All the way home, in between her songs and comments, she asks every little bit if we are to our neighborhood. Her mom had forgotten to pack her swimsuit and I said something to Roger about us stopping and seeing if Super Walmart had any left. No, Mamaw, I just want to go to your house...so we just came on home. (I let her wear a pair of her undies and a t-shirt to get in her wading pool.)

The first thing she does when she get out of the car is run over to see the flowerbed, and exclaiming about how pretty everything is and telling us to look at this and that. And she wants to know if she can have a flower, so I tell her yes, but to let Papaw cut it. So that is done, and we put it in water, and at first she takes it everywhere she goes...

The first night she was here, I found this video on Netflix that contained Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer. She wanted to watch it....it is a ritual to watch a movie/cartoon before she goes to bed. So we sit and watch it...besides the Rudolph cartoon, there are several other Christmas ones, with the last one being a combination of animation with real people reciting Twas the Night Before Christmas....

At the end Santa comes down the chimney...well, that starts her worrying about Santa coming here. I told her not to worry, he will come to her house and she has a fireplace. But no, she wants him to come to our house...she was so concerned about it. As we were headed to brush her teeth and to go to bed...she told Papaw 'After we go to bed, you follow the lines and cut a hole for Santa...and make it level.' By lines we think she was thinking about the mortar between bricks...and as she said the word level she made a motion with her hand to explain what she meant.

I know I am forgetting things, but the one thing we have laughed about so much besides the hole for Santa, is Friday night I was in my chair and she was sitting on the arm, snacking with me. Her Papaw had been busy, and came in and sat down in his chair. She says something along the lines of 'Papaw, while you are resting, scratch my toes." He told her no, scratch your own toes. She stretched out her foot towards him and said, "But Papaw, they're right there!" (Have you noticed she keeps him pretty busy?)

Also, while she is here, I don't know if we had to let the cats in or out a single time, except while she is sleeping. She opens the doors for them the minute she sees one wanting in or out.

These are some of the highlights. The time with her is precious...she still didn't want to go home...then on the way to meet Sarah, she told me over and over she wanted us to take her to her house, 'And Just Stay.' I always dread leaving her...but the minute she sees her mommy she is fine with it. And she be thrilled to see her dad when she gets home...
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We keep getting a little bit more rain...not any big amount but every little bit helps. And it has cooled down a lot. In the 80's at the hottest part of the day. I suppose it will warm back up more than than that before the summer is over, but hopefully the 100 degree days are done.