The Garbage Wars

In our house we have

ONE

UNWRITTEN

RULE.

The rule is that whomever tops off the garbage in the can

EMPTIES

it.

Each of us has done things to make sure it was the next person who needed to empty the garbage.

 

I admit,

this time,

it was a challenge,

but

my favorite daughter won.

(Remember, I only have one daughter.)

I couldn't take it any more.

I emptied the garbage!

She won the battle, but not the war!

 

I think the Hospital Switched Babies!

This is the way I fold 

FITTED SHEETS.

I never have been able to do anything else.

 This is the way 

my daughter folds

FITTED SHEETS.

The only conclusion is that

the

Hospital Switched Babies.

Yikes!

Worth Repeating: Looking Forward to 2014

2014 Here I Come!
Since there are rarely any chances for “do-overs” I will try to use every skill I have to overcome the challenges of 2014.

I plan to treat myself kindly and gently.

I’ll never give up.

I’m going to take more naps and read more books

I’m going to reach out to more people, with Pixie, through our hospice work. 

I’m going to do my best not to fall and break bones.

I’m going to write more.

Once my ankle heals, I’m going to walk 10,000 steps every day.

As I merge my muse back into glass, I’m going to work more with sculpture than in the past.

When I work with polymer clay, I’m going to make pieces that are bigger and might require some assemblage.

I’m going to be really careful so that I don’t fall in 2014.  I hope!

I’m going to be more open in 2014.

If colors were words, I will be more red and orange with my ideas, but blue and green with people.

I will balance my heart with my head.  I will balance my work with my rest.  I will find harmony.

I will try to be a source joy to everyone I meet.

Pixie's Gruel

Pixie is a fussy eater.

Most greyhounds are not, 

but

"The Girl" is a diva.

I have to buy her food from the vet because she has the doggy form of

IBS.

However, she gets tired of the food, and refuses to eat.

I have let food sit for two days, and she won't eat.

A little bit of reading, though, taught me that it's okay to give her people foods, too.

This has helped with her eating habits.

Daily, now, I give her a bowl of

gruel,

using people food and a little bit of dog food.

Surprisingly, she loves it!!!!

I usually use what I have on hand.

I make her oatmeal.

I heat up a bowl of water.

(I can't give you exact measurements because I don't measure.)

I add about 1/4c - 1/2c uncooked oatmeal.  Let the oatmeal sit until it gets a little thick, then add the rest of your ingredients.

(If you use instant oatmeal, be sure to read the labels.  Xylitol can kill a dog, even in small amounts.)

I make her an egg.  I cut that up and add to the cooked oatmeal.

I add some olive oil,  maybe about 1 Tablespoon.

I add about 1/2 cup of her regular food.

I've tried mushing up peas and carrots in her food, but she sure knows how to pick around those!

She's not fond of veggies.

If I have a little left over rice, I'll add that.

If I have yogurt, I add a little of that.

(Not all dogs can handle this, so use caution with your dog.)

I've been known to add applesauce and/or mushed up bananas.

I add peanut butter.

She loves peanut butter, but, again, 

READ THAT LABEL.

Many peanut butter manufacturers are starting to add Xylitol to the peanut butter.

That's not good for animals.

I can only assume it's not good for us, then.

I think you get the idea.

Pixie gets one bowl of this a day. 

Her coat glows, and she thinks she's eating people food.

Right now, Pixie is sound asleep.

She just finished her gruel for the day, and she gets very sleepy after eating her gruel.

Kitties want some gruel, too, but their tummies can't handle people food like dogs' tummies can.

Here's a site that will give you guidance on what people foods dogs are safe eating.

ANIMAL POISON CONTROL

There are many more sites out there.   Just google "Foods that dogs can eat."

All right, now it's up to you.

Have fun with your pet and be careful.

 

 

Looks Like It Might Snow Tomorrow

January 1, 2017

The forecast is for light snow tomorrow afternoon.

Well. it's January.

It's Minnesota.

I'd be concerned if there were no snow.

Where I grew up in

New Mexico,

January was cold and "snowy."

Most of the time, if you wanted to play in the snow, you had to drive to the nearby mountains 

to find snow.

Sometimes, we'd wake up to what we Minnesotans would call a

"light dusting"

in the city.

That was great!

Roads were closed.

Even better,

SCHOOLS were closed and we had a free day!

Everyone was urged to stay home and NOT go out.

Our parents would make us put on our light weight boots.

We didn't own snow boots.,

and they would watch, anxiously, as we ever so slowly

crossed the street to join our friends on the playground.

They didn't want us to fall.

If anyone had a sled,

we'd try to make it slide across the mixture of sand, rocks, and snow.

This was early morning.

Most days, most of the snow would be melted by afternoon.

The next day, we'd be back at school remembering our day off school.

Many years later, I married and moved away to North Dakota.

That was a terrible experience.

If I insult any of you from that state,
I'm not sorry.

My experience there was awful!

I was so glad when we moved.

The winters were long.

The snow was terrible

The people were naive, closed minded, and unkind.

It was brutal.

Things were a bit better in the "cities," rather than the small towns.  

I have no illusions about the "romance" of small towns.zin

We lived in Grand Forks.

I've never been back to that state.

Nor, will I ever go back.

I don't understand how anyone can call that place home.

Now, by choice, I live in a relatively "small" town in Minnesota,

about 80,000 residents, I think.

At least, the residents here are more opened minded than the people I had to deal with back then.

 I've come to call this place

"Home."

I hadn't thought about this in years.

Isn't it amazing what can be buried in the sands of time?

I guess, in this case, we should say the 

snows of time.

Well, enough.

The new year has begun.

It IS going to snow tomorrow.

I'm glad I'm here.

 

 

 

 

New Year. New Day. New Beginnings.

Starting the Year with Clean Sheets

Tonight, I'll put fresh sheets on the bed.  As the year grows old and morphs into the a different year, the new sheets will take me back to an easier time, a simpler time, when clean sheets were all I needed to feel safe and loved. As I sleep and wake in the new year, the discomfort of change that a new year, a new president brings is over shadowed by the joy of clean sheets. 

When I was a child, and this was when we didn't have fabric softeners or if we did, my mother didn't believe in them,  the sheets were very crisp and sharp when they came off the clothes line.  I remember jumping into bed and feeling their sharpness pressing into my nightgown, but as I moved and scrunched the sheets, they softened and became smooth.  As they smoothed, I was comforted in knowing that this was what would happen, and I would sleep in peace. 

Clean sheets.  The new year.  Comfort.  Joy.  This will be good.  

Goodbye 2016.

Welcome 2017.

Three Beautiful Things This Week

Three Beautiful Things This Week was inspired by a wonderful blog that Clare writes called Three Beautiful Things. Everyday, Clare writes about 3 Beautiful Things that happen each day in her life. It's a wonderful blog! I can only hope to imitate her in a very small way.

 1) The election is over!  We have a new president.  Now, I wish the hate  would stop.

2) Getting ready for knee surgery on Monday.  I'll be glad for that to be over.

3) Walks at Minneopa Falls were nice.

A Blog Post Can Be A Statement

Be kind.

Forgive.

We're all in this together.

God Bless America

Whether you supported 

Hilary 

or

President Elect Trump,

the time has come

to for us to gather together

to

forgive,

offer peace,

and

move on with our lives.

God Bless America

because if we  don't trust in Him

we are going to screw it up again 

and

again

and 

again

and 

again.

A Blog Post Can be a Plea for Life

A blog post can be a thought or a Meme with reflections by You and Me

Thoughts on the Psalm

We are made with a soul and body.

In order to live and grow, the body must have water.

Our souls must also be fed to grow closer to God.  A plant which grows in the soil must be watered or it will wither and die.

We all long for something greater than ourselves.

In our secular world, we find ourselves longing for the things of the world, especially money and all that money can buy.

Our souls cannot be nourished by worldly things.

Our souls can only be nourished, fed, and watered by God.

The psalmist speaks of the longing for God.  Do I long for God?  How do I satisfy this longing?

The obvious answers are that we put God first in our lives and that we live for God and God alone?

Do I do that?  Do I put God first in my life?

Forgive me, Lord, I do not.  I long for you, but I feel that longing with the wrong things.  

'

I stand aside, and I let the world and all of its temptations take me down.

Lord, I ask for your forgiveness for this.

Let my daily prayer be:

Help me, Lord, God, to make me and my home Christ Centered.  Help us to put You first above all else.  Help us to live for You and with You in our very troubled world.

Teach us to love You above all else.

Amen.

What are your thoughts on these two psalm verses?

I'd love to hear them.

A Blog Post Can Be: I Made Saurkraut this Weekend!

It should be ready by Wednesday or Thursday.

The cabbage needs to ferment, 

then it will be ready.

Homemade saurkraut  is full or probiotics that help your gut.

By helping your gut, you also help your immune system.

No matter, I love saurkraut!

Store bought is okay.

Homemade is 

THE BEST.

You can make large or, like mine, small amounts.

All you need is some fresh cabbage and salt.

Yes, that's it.

Very little can go wrong.

The most important element of making the kraut is cleanliness.

Everything must be sterilized.

After that, the rest is easy peasy.

You simply chop up your cabbage, add salt (about 1 tablespoon per head of cabbage), let the cabbage sit until you begin to see a bit of liquid forming.  That takes about 10-15 minutes.  Then stir with your hands until you see more liquid, put in a jar.  Tamp is down as you add the cabbage.  Cover

and wait.

Here are some great sites that will give you the best information about fermenting veggies.

How to make Homemade Saurkraut in a mason jar

How to Make Homemade Saurkraut

How to Make Saurkraut-the Prairie Homestead

Now, do you see the blue lid on the jar?  That's called a pickle pipe.  It allows the gases to escape from the jar, but it does not let mold into your jar. 

I found those on Amazon.

Inside the jar is what is called a 

glass pebble.

It's much larger than a pebble.

I also found those on Amazon.  They keep the cabbage weighted down so that the liquids can rise and ferment the cabbage.   Love them!

 I also found those on Amazon.

So, if you're interested, make some kraut!

If not, that's okay, too.

Whatever you do, have fun!

A Blog Can Be a Question: I don't know If You'll be Watching the Election Results or not...

but if you are,

and you feel like coloring,

here's a face

that you can complete 

and color.

Just right click,

hit save,

and 

it's yours,

I hope you relax and enjoy your 

Sunday.

A Blog Can be A Reminder that A Group Did Something Amazing for You!

This is the group that brought Pixie into my life, 

and for that,

I am forever grateful!!!!!

Please help if you can.

They need your help to take care of the hounds!

A Blog Post Can Be: Three Beautiful Things This Week

Three Beautiful Things This Week was inspired by a wonderful blog that Clare writes called Three Beautiful Things. Everyday, Clare writes about 3 Beautiful Things that happen each day in her life. It's a wonderful blog! I can only hope to imitate her in a very small way.

1) Jenny and I drove out to The Falls today.  It's a state park about 

20 minutes from here.

We had a great time!

2) I am amazed at the weather this November.  Our highs are still in the 50's - 60's - 70's!

Yes, a few days that warm.

Maybe I won't close up the woman cave yet.

3) The election is almost over!

A Blog Post Can Be Worth Repeating: Memories

I stopped when I opened the small, corked jar,

and

for one, brief second,

I stopped breathing.

More memories,

certainly 

unexpected.

Who would have thought that someone

at one time

placed these roses in that jar.

The fragrance was still there,

not strong, just a whisp of scent to remind me

of 

that Mother's Day,

that anniversary,

that birthday,

I'm not sure when, 

but the memories flooded back.

I'm just not sure which one.

Surprise!

Memories in a jar.

 

A Blog Post Can Be and Idea

I read a short article the other day, and I don't remember where, 

but the article suggested 

that a person would remember their 

To-Do List

by d

drawing the list

rather than writing it out.

I thought I'd give it a try.

This was part of my to do list

the other day.

I have to admit I remembered it

without looking.

One of the items is completed.  I haven't forgotten, 

I just haven't had the time.

Can you figure out what I have left to do? 

It's #1.

Close up the Woman Cave.

Have you ever tried something like this?

How do you remember things more easily?

A Blog Post Can be a Letter: Dear November,

Dear November,

The months have flown by this year.

Somehow, I missed the advent of fall, and next month, winter will officially be here. 

Today is cloudy and cold.

That's typical weather for you, November.

Life has changed so much, again, but there are some steadying influences this month.

Last year, on Thanksgiving,

I thought I was going to loose Pixie.

I never dreamed she'd still be with us this November.

For that, I am grateful.

Pixie turned 12 this year.

I don't know how much longer I have with her, but she has been a great gift from God to me.

 As far as Thanksgiving goes, I'm not sure that I'll be able to get together with our "extended family."

Knee surgery is the week before Thanksgiving.  Well the kids can go and bring me some food back.

That's  ok.

Pixie, kitties and I can celebrate until everyone comes back.

 We'll see our first snowfall this month.  

Brrrrrrrrrrrr.

To me the first snowfall is the most beautiful.

After that, I'd rather see rain, not freezing rain, just rain.

Well, November, there's really not much more to say.

I'm not fond of your weather, so, other than that, I hope you don't fly by.

Christmas comes way too soon.

I'm hungry for turkey and dressing.

Nummy.

Now, I have to clean my house.

It's time for me to go.

Good-bye.

Mallory

 

 

A Blog Post Can be What I Need the Most Anymore: A Nap

A year ago, naps were infrequent for me,

but now,

I need a nap every morning, 

and,

if I don't get one,

I get cranky and very tired.

Fred likes to sleep in his paper nest.

I like to sleep on the couch.

It's almost time.

I'm going to take a nap now.