NANA NOTES

CAN YOU SAY "Doing Nothing".....

Remember the commercial where the little guy sings, "Got my car fixed, got my tail light, so on and so on...Well, today I got my shower, got my hair cut (remember the glue incident?) ate my lunch and have played with my camera and computer all afternoon.  I am totally worthless today!!  Photo Buffet has inspired me to try to take better pictures.  Here are some of the efforts. The lantana is the hot orange and yellow.  Of course the beautiful blue morning glory and the dew kissed vinca are sweet.   Do you recognize the Guara?  A simple  yellow Zinnia reminds me of my grandmother.   The Calla Lily is a favorite of Edith Cooley's and I never look at one that I don't think of her.

You may get bored with my efforts but I'm going to keep trying.

FYI:  I went by the vets office today.  Here is an update on the Century Plant. The next time I go I will take my telephoto lens so you can see it close up.  That thing is weird.  Can you see the "arms" sticking out?  It's going to have tiny blooms all over it.  Look it up in the internet.

Life is Good!  Happy Day!

NEW FRIEND and what's next???

Today was a late wake up.  We had a nice breakfast and everyone left for home.  We had a fun family reunion.  I lifted a silent prayer for travel mercies for everyone.  Some of them had several hours to drive.

The construction team worked today and I remembered I told them there would be lunch.  There was PLENTY of food here and Shelly and Ryan came over to eat with them.  The table was full of men.  Jennifer and the boys came in and ate after baseball camp and Jennifer cleaned up the kitchen for me.  I beat a path to the bedroom and came out at 4:00 PM!!  I really enjoyed my nap.

Ed then told me the "Bee Man" was coming to visit.  What fun!  We had a nice ride through the farm listening to Mr. D. L. Wesley's stories.  He's from Foxworth, MS and he could tell some tales.  We all enjoyed his visit. I'll leave you to your own conclusions but here is a picture that I took before he left.

FYI:  The Photo Album for the reunion is in place.  Click on it and see the pictures.  I think I have more on the upstairs computer.  I'll add more on Tuesday.

FAMILY REUNION 2007

Things have gotten quiet and I am sitting here looking at the pictures.  Suddenly I realized I didn't take a group picture.  For some reason I concentrated on separate families this year.  Of course I didn't get my children's families.  Jennifer refused and Jody ended up at the hospital (possibly inner ear).  Josh was in and out--mostly out.  I plan to post an album so check in later.  Our crowd was smaller this year but we had a great time.  We enjoy sitting together watching the children swim and getting to catch up with each other.  It's fun when everyone is comfortable enough with each other for everyone to do their own thing. Some fished, some swam, some napped, some watched movies, some participated in the Bude Run--we all ate, talked and enjoyed each other.  Those that weren't here were missed.

Tiffany came in and handed me a bud vase filled with beautiful hydrangeas.  She said that she had picked them in Mom's yard.  She would have loved these.

LESSON LEARNED. . .and SAM GRADUATES. . .

Sticky glue traps--the kind that catches mice, flies, etc---you know what I'm talking about.  Have you ever touched one?  Have you ever stepped on one? Have you ever had one in your HAIR?  Well, don't scroll down for the picture because there isn't one, but yes, it happened to me!  Long story short, I climbed into a chair in the barn and hit a "fly sticky trap" with my head.  Not a good thing to do.  Our farm helper was there and said, "Ms Barbara, you don't need me, you need your hair-doer."  He finally got it out but my hair was full of glue.  Ed's solution was to get the scizzors---NOT!  I called Sharon.  She said try baking soda--the glue turned to a hard mess.  I called Sharon again.  She said try clothes detergent (which happened to be Cheer).  About six washings with Cheer, three with shampoo and LOTS of conditioner and I am now glue free.  Bad enough for this to happen but my house was full of guys who thought this was very funny and had all sorts of solutions--WD40 being one of them.

While all of this was going on all the guys were eating.  I came to the kitchen and told Sam we had a surprise for him. I had made him a certificate for graduation from Cotton Branch Day Care and a certificate for the "Best Nap Taker" Award.  Papa also brought him some balloons and a happy for his graduation.  He was thrilled.  Papaw H. and Papa were trying to get excited about the idea.  His day was spent with his brothers and two college guys fishing. What more could a four year old want!

Family is gathering for the reunion; Bude Run/Walk in the morning.  Update on that later.  Deck pictures to follow. 

OK, IT'S OVER AND I'M TRYING TO MOVE ON. . .

I had my little fit and I am going to move on.  (That includes doing this post TWICE and loosing it at the last word!)  Maybe third time is a charm.  The deck is coming along nicely.  It will be finished ENOUGH for the reunion.  The construction crew has gone above and beyond.  That is all I could ask.  Today will be spent cleaning up and placing the container plants and furniture.  I'll post pictures later.

I promised a picture of Ben and Shelby at their graduation from Lower Elementary to Upper Elementary.  Check out Tiffany's and Jennifer's blog to see all the awards they won and to see the other kids at their graduations.  I couldn't make it to all of those. They are all growing so fast.

And on that note:  Today is Sam's last day at Cotton Branch Day Care.  That thought is bittersweet.

Thursday was spent baking and getting other foods ready for the reunion.  I always enjoy being in the kitchen and seeing the results.  Then I planted some annuals in pots that I wanted sit around.  I need to bake another Brown Sugar Pound cake.  I gave the other one to the builders.  I will bribe if I need to!!

Tuesday I snuck away to the scrap room.  I wanted to get the reunion pictures from last year finished for the scrapbook so the family could see them.  Click on the "Studio Projects" typelist and you can see them all.  Here is a sample.

Have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Please take time to remember why we have this holiday and why we ARE ABLE to celebrate.

MURPHY'S LAW. . .

You know about that right?  "Anything that can go wrong, will—at the worst possible moment".  That seems to be what the deck project has been all about.  That sucker is alive!  It moves!  The builders have even "popped lines" that were straight one day and the next day they were all crooked.  It's has been funny--if it weren't that we were on a time schedule.  The railing that was supposed to come assembled came--you guessed it--unassembled!  The other railing was sent somewhere else.  We ran 10 boards short and have had to have some overnighted to Jackson.  It should arrive at CB tomorrow.  The good thing is that someone from the factory is coming tomorrow to assemble the curved railing; the builders are a great bunch of guys who are working like dogs to get this place ready for the reunion this weekend and I'm not too proud to bake cakes and feed them burgers on Friday!

Oh, and the other thing is that my blog got suspended--even longer story-- and I haven't been able to post.  I am so OCD or AADD (?) or whatever that it has driven me crazy trying to get it straight. 

Family will begin arriving on Friday.  I started baking today. Tomorrow will be more cooking and getting the pool area ready.  My list is growing but I am looking forward to this annual event.  I know my Mom is watching.

I have pictures of Shelby and Ben at their graduation.  I couldn't get them up on the blog tonight.  I'll try tomorrow. You can take my word for it--they are precious!

LOTS GOING ON. . .

Like most things at Cotton Branch it's feast or famine.  I have to brain storm to think of something to write about or I have too much.  Today it's a lot. My veterinarian friend has a century plant that is getting close to blooming.  She has been wanting me to come to see it.  I am now committed to driving by and checking on it from time to time until it opens up.  You should too.  Seeing a blooming century plant doesn't happen very often.

Last night while the "big girls" bridge club was playing I went to feed the cats.  I looked out and there were three big, fat, raccoons arguing over the cat bowl.  Now we all know if the bridge girls hadn't been here what would have happened.  The 22 would have come out and the coons would be history!!  Instead I took out the camera and tried to take pictures through the window.

  The quality isn't very good but at least you can see them.  Hopefully you won't see them again.  They are my turkeys and quails worst enemies-not to mention that they eat TONS of cat food!

The deck is coming along.  They have almost all of the top part done.  I love the color.  I can't wait to see the railing.  These afternoon showers have not helped the guys work faster but it surely has cooled things off for them.  Today they get fried chicken!  I keep my builders happy!

Beauty and blessings--The beauty of seeing the century plant bloom (the faith that it will actually do so); the blessings of having really nice guys who are working hard to get our deck done (and the faith to believe it will be finished by the reunion :) !) and the raccoons, well, God loves them too.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY. . .

Today definitely brought back memories---and not necessarily ones I wanted to remember!  Family Christmas pictures!!! :)  All the kids were here (minus Bryden and Hayden who were with their Mom) and we had a great lunch and celebrated Jennifer and Josh's birthdays.  Lots of talking and laughing!! After the presents were opened I asked Tiffany to please take a picture of Jody, Jennifer, Josh and me for Mother's Day!  Oh, my bad!!  Teenage years all over again!!  No, make that when Josh was a baby and I took them all to @$&^*&% (whatever store that was!!!) to have their picture made and Jody turned the buggy over with the baby in it and I said, "never again, if they have their pictures made a photographer will come to us!"  ANYWAY--- Here it is and I'm glad to have it.  I remember the day that Jennifer took photos of all the grandchildren for the calendar cover.  She was ready to smush all the children and Tiffany was ready to smush Jennifer. My "children" are pretty decent grown-ups--responsible adults with families of their own--well adjusted--nice to old people--BUT--boy, do they hate family pictures!!  Thanks, guys, for putting up with your Mom.  I love you!!

BEING A GRANDPARENT ISN'T EASY. . .

especially when it comes to ball games and you have three grandchildren playing against each other.  Where do you sit?  People here take their baseball seriously--much more so than I do. I love watching all the children and I can't help but holler for all of them.  You know I love little boys and they are all just so cute.  There are a lot of little girls playing too.  Bryden and Shelby played against Ben tonight.  Both sides played with enthusiasm.  Ben's team just happened to end up with more runs on the board.  Had the time not run out it could have ended differently.  The best part of the whole thing is that all of the children are learning how to play good ball, how to be good sports and be respectful of one another on and off the field.  (The grown-ups on the field--who were the children I used to watch play--have grown up to be very nice people.)  We as parents must have done something right.  When all you see on TV and read in the newspapers is bad it's very refreshing to watch a ball game with so many cute kids--especially if a lot of them are yours and on both teams and you don't know where to sit!!  :)

PROGRESS. . .

The top layer of the deck is GONE! You should have seen all the "worker bees" today--including Sam.  He thought he was as big as the other guys who were working.  He got dirtier than any of them!  We just have to remember you can't go out the deck door now--it might be a very long step down! :)  More updates later!  Have a blessed weekend--and a wonderful Mother's Day!

TAKE ONE LAST LOOK...:)

 

Get a good look at these pictures and this deck because it's probably the last time you will be seeing it!  We're finally going to be able to replace those splintering boards with new "Trekdeck" and it's going to be absolutely awesome gorgeous!!! :)  The deck will be brown (how could you tell!) with white railing.  We are very excited and can't wait to see it start happening.  It should have started today but the builder had a rain delay on his other job so FRIDAY is the day.  I'll keep you posted.

PBGC PICTURES. . .

I spent some time last night trying to figure out how to put one of those things on my blog where the pictures would run like a slide show BUT---"technically challenged" are the words!!!  Here are a few of the winners!!  Click on the pictures to get a better idea of how they looked.  All were beautiful.

AND THE WINNER IS. . .

a lovely group of women who had a great time on Friday! Even though we had some rain the Pine Burr Flower Show was a HUGE success.  Everyone said it was the prettiest one yet.  I think I have to agree.  The beautiful setting helped a lot.  What a great place to have the show--the lovely new Fellowship Hall of the Meadville Baptist Church. Blue ribbon winners for design were--left to right--Cookie Stroud, Lugenia Scarbrough, ME :), Becky Nix, Sara Poole, and Evelyn Lee.  Lugenia is a new member and Evelyn is a past member being revived!!  She hasn't lost her touch.  Cookie won the Designer's Choice Award; Lugenia won Tri-Color. Evelyn won the Barbara Herring design award.  These girls are GOOD!  Judy Holland won and Award of Merit and the Horticultural Excellance Award for a beautiful white clematis.  My snapdragon won an Award of Merit and my nandina won the Arboreal Award.  Melody won several Awards of Merit and the Dorothy McGehee Award for design. Ms Beverly walked off with the Pauline Herring Horticulture Award and the Sweepstakes Award in horticulture.

We also installed new officers. Right to left--Wilma Holland, president; Karen Reynolds, vice-president; Debbie Johnson, secretary; and Pam Buckley, treasurer.  I am JUST A MEMBER!!

I look forward to responding when called upon and supporting the new team. Congratulations girls.

BTW:  Check out the new widget--it's a photography blog and it has beautiful pictures.  Just click on it.

I plan to TRY to get the flower show pictures on a flickr so you can see them.  Hope to do it soon.

THE LAST PROJECT DOWN. . .

Ed just said that he couldn't believe I was going to bed.  On the night before the flower show I am usually a bear and definitely do not hibernate.  The arrangements are done--good, bad or indifferent--and I'm going to relax for a while.  [It's 11:00 pm--not THAT early].

The ladies of Pine Burr Garden Club have growing and designing talent.  Look at the record books and see that they have won National Awards for the last three or four years.  We all like to complain about the flower show but we are all proud of it--especially when it's over.

I'll post pictures after the show.  Please come by the Meadville Baptist Church Fellowship Hall on Friday, May 4 between the hours of 3:00 and 5:30 PM and see what these ladies have done.  It's free and open to the public.

Oh, and did I say the last project down?  We've got a building project being started--I said I'd help!  No rest for the weary!!