Friday, July 3, 2009

Dragonfly

I know I posted a picture of a dragonfly very, very similar to this last Saturday, but I like this one so much better. It was taken today, at a totally different place. We went on a short drive and I took this near Big Raccoon Creek.
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We have had really nice weather this week....two or three of the days I actually needed to leave Lorelei in her sleepers because it never got much over 70°F, if any at all. I didn't have her today since her mom and dad got the day off.

I have told you how she grins and laughs at our old dog, Shelby. Well, yesterday, she noticed her panting and started laughing about that. I was in my chair and Shelby was out to the left of me. I don't know what possessed me, but I put the mirror over on my right till she could see herself. First she would look at Shelby and either grin or laugh...then she would twist way around and look at herself in the mirror and grin real big. She did that over and over.

I have also told you how Shelby is by her and how she has relaxed a lot about it...well, one day, I had the door to her room pushed till it was almost closed when she was taking her nap. Shelby started going to it wanting in, and looking back at us. We looked at each other and thought 'she's awake' and went in there and sure enough she was in there just looking around and stretching, etc. Not crying or anything. Shelby would sure have made a good mommy...but if we had let her have puppies it would probably have broken her heart to give them up.
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For supper tonight we had grilled chicken breasts. And I thought I would tell you what makes them so delicious....it is McCormick Broiled Steak Seasoning. Yes, I mean steak....I think they have come out with something for grilled chicken but they are just so good with this stuff.

All you do is take skinless, boneless chicken breasts and sprinkle them liberally with the Broiled Steak Seasoning and cook on the grill. We also will brush them with butter midway through. I have a tendency to cook them overdone, but Roger is real good at cooking them till they are done completely but still juicy. I usually butterfly the breast till it won't be so thick through.

They are delicious in a salad, or for a sandwich. Or I prefer them just plain.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Want to come sit a spell?

Has anyone missed me? Nothing is wrong...my niece came down Monday and just left this morning. I just couldn't seem to get on here to visit or to do a post.
I so wish I could have a visit from an old friend or two--and that we had a fireplace or a stove to sit beside. I am just lonesome for them. And there is nothing better in this world for me than to sit by the fire and talk. We actually had a stove, not quite as good looking as the one above when I was a kid. That was what heated our house....needless to say, the back bedrooms were plenty cool in the winter.

I think I have told before about waking up and yelling for my mom to come and get me...and she would come and take me to the kitchen with her where she cooked on an old cook stove. I have been googling and trying to find a photo similar to either the old heating stove or the wood cook stove we had and did not have any luck worth showing. I had no luck at all with a heating stove that looked like ours, but there were a couple tiny, tiny pictures of a cook stove that was similar to the one we had, but they were too small to really see any detail. So I am not going to link to them.

It was always a big deal in the spring/summer when the decision was finally made that we could take the heating stove down because the weather was finally warm enough till we wouldn't need it any more. I vaguely remember my brothers wrestling with it to get it outside...I had the impression that it was really heavy but not sure if I am right or not. I think we got a wood furnace when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, so my memories of the stove are sort of vague.

I do remember them having to be careful with the stovepipe....not wanting to get soot everywhere. The funny thing is, I have no recollection at all of when it was put back up in the fall...none. What I always remember is that we could rearrange the living room when it was taken down for the summer. Again, I know we had to rearrange the living room when it was put back up, but I don't remember that.
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Lorelei has changed since last week...hard to explain. Just more wiggly for one thing. And she is so interested in what is going on around her that she has a hard time closing her eyes to take a nap. She 'sings' just a little bit every day. Usually when she is laying across my shoulder going to sleep. It is the sweetest sound I know. After she goes home, I will think I hear her wake up and start to go get her only to realize that she isn't even here. And Roger went fishing with one of his buddies Friday, and he said all day he kept thinking he heard one of her toys!

Now, to fill in a little of what else has been happening. Since Cougar was gone that one time for so long, he stayed pretty close to home for a short while. Then he started to roam again. Still, usually home shortly after I would get up of the morn. Then, last week, he left one night was not home the next morn, and did not come home all day....I really did not expect to see him again. As hot as it was, I just did not see how he could survive getting locked in some hot garage.

But after the second night, I looked out the back door, and there he was. Sooo skinny. Nothing but skin and bones...he had lost weight after that first time, but now you could feel and see every bone in his body. You would never dream that he was a much loved cat. He ate two cans of catfood, and went and found a place to sleep.

Next thing I knew, I realized he had a really bad upper respiratory infection. So, took him to the vet when Saturday came and he is now on antibiotics. And he does not want to stay inside at all. He runs out if he gets half a chance.

And remember Bubbie? Since his accident, he had gotten back to normal. One of the most curious cats I have ever seen. The other day, I walked into Roger's fly-tying room, and I have two bookshelves in there that are over 7 ft. tall...he was up on top of them. I think the only thing he hasn't been on top of is my china cabinet and that is because it has never struck his fancy.

Anyway, he basically has been sleeping inside of the day and spending the night out. No matter when I go out, he is usually laying on the front porch or back porch. He doesn't venture far. So, I was surprised Monday morn...he wasn't waiting at the door but he did come in just a second. And he was slinking in, looking back over his shoulder like something was after him.

He went straight to our bedroom, I went and got him and brought him out to eat but he wanted nothing do with food nor water. He finally ate a couple bites yesterday, and actually came out of our bedroom once. Today, he has come out several times...but is still not himself. We cannot find any place where he has been hurt. Nothing seems to hurt him when we press and feel of his body. So your guess is as good as mine as to what has happened to him. I guess he will slowly be back to normal.

I guess I best be going to give Cougar his medicine...before I totally forget!

Monday, June 29, 2009

Wouldn't you love to know the history?

This is from back in May, a place we came across that I just loved. And would love to know more about. You can tell that it is well loved. Everything was so neat and tidy all about the place.
I don't understand the chains hanging down between the porch pillars/posts. I am really curious about that.