Where in the world is Susan?

I'll bet someone back east is going, "Now why don't (s)he write?"  (from Dances with Wolves when Timmons sees the skeleton alongside the wagon trail)


Where the heck have I been? Well, friends, I've been busier than a one-armed paperhanger with the itch. That last post nearly did me in with editing and rewrites...I felt as if I were writing the Great American Novel. Then there was a guest for a couple of days, so there was the cleaning and cooking in preparation for that.

Mark, David, Rene', and Pam...cowpokes extraordinaire!

My guest was hubby's cousin Rene', who is a year older than I am. She and David and her sister Pam, and brother Mark were really close when they were growing up. David was like their big brother. We hadn't really talked in years and, honestly, she and I didn't know a thing about each other except what we knew from other family members. And a lot of what we knew was incorrect.

We found out we had a ton of things in common, and we talked and laughed nonstop the first afternoon and evening for about ten hours! As soon as Rene' came downstairs the next morning, the first words that popped out of her mouth were, "Where did we leave off?"  So, we talked for another four or five hours until she had to leave for home. Thankfully, she and her husband only live a couple of hours away and we're planning on many more visits.

Lunchtime with the Cubbies

As soon as Rene' left, I plunged into Cub Scout Day Camp, helping herd vast numbers (well, it seemed like it) of six, seven, and eight-year-old boys through the rigors of such activities as cornhole games, whiffle ball, BB and bow and arrow target shooting, obstacle courses, craft-making, baking oatmeal cookies in an aluminum-foil-lined box in the sun (it really works!), etc. I only participated for two of the four days, but it felt like ten! Poor Nathan was so exhausted from traipsing around camp in the summer sun from 8:30 until 3:30 for three days that he missed the last day. I knew exactly how he felt. Of course, there's always cleanup duty, so today I went back to help load the enormous amount of gear and supplies that it takes to run such an event. I never knew you could get that much stuff into one van!

Nathan at lunch

Gaige shooting the bow and racing to the finish in the foam boat regatta.

While I was there, Michelle (the Cubmaster) convinced me to take on the task of being the Trail's End popcorn sales coordinator for next year. I'm sure you've all been accosted at some point in your life by a cherub-faced Cubbie asking you to buy some popcorn. It is the only Cub Scout fund-raising event for the entire year. It is a worthwhile cause, and it helps make a lot of little boys happy by paying for such things as day camps and overnight camps and field trips, awards and patches for their achievements.

Then there is the gardening which is now becoming very time-consuming, as it usually is this time of year. The weeds are sprouting and growing like crazy, and we're starting to harvest a few things. I've pulled up all my garlic and got quite a bit for such a small space. I'm drying it for a few days before I braid it together for storage. There is nothing like garlic that you grow yourself. Today I also harvested turnips, onions, a few beans and peas and some herbs. I'm going to have a LOT of green beans to pick on Monday. A few days ago, I finally got tired of fighting the cabbage worms and picked my cabbages, even though they weren't yet full size. Better small than not at all, I suppose. 

 I used to think those little cabbage white butterflies were so pretty...not any more! Now they're my sworn enemies!!!

Along with the activities listed, I managed to squeeze in an overnight with a couple of grandkids, and several hours here and there of watching the other ones.

My writing and photography brain just isn't up to speed when I'm extra busy, and something has to suffer, so in this case it was my blog. I've also neglected a few of you and have not left comments as often as I would like, and I am sorry for that. But now that things are mostly back to normal, hopefully I will think of something interesting to write about in the coming weeks and be back to visiting all my friends and exchanging witty repartee with each and every one of you.  

Here I am

This is my second first attempt at blogging. I wasn't satisfied with the tone my first post set, so I took down my blog after rethinking what I wanted to do. With this one, I will try to achieve my original intent, which is a place to put my feelings about everyday life and possibly to develop any latent writing skills that I have. My son and his wife have been encouraging me to do something about writing for a while and I have been resistant to putting down on paper the words that are inside me. I'm not sure if I have anything worthwhile to say, but maybe it will be something that my grandchildren will have someday to remember their "Grammy".

What a beautiful morning today! We woke up to a cool 52 degrees and the sun shining brilliantly. I let the chickens out early to enjoy their bug and weed hunting. We really must get an enclosure built around the garden now that they are free-ranging. They have already removed the lovely yellow blooms from all the tomato plants! Maybe I shouldn't have taught them "Here chick, chick" with all those yellow dandelion flowers! It seems to have set their preference for that color.

We are counting down the days until July 2 when our third grandson will be born. He will be our first son's first son. They already have the beautiful and smart Lauren who is two years old. Our first three grandchildren are our daughter's Gaige, 6, Nathan, 5, Kaitlyn, 2 1/2. All three of them are wonderful examples of handsomeness, beauty and intelligence. We expect the new little one will be the same.

If anyone saw my first blog attempt, you will know that I had just lost my dear sister, Jane, to lung cancer. In fact, I found out as I was composing and laying it out. That, of course, colored my first post. I decided that it wasn't an auspicious beginning and was the reason for this second-go-round. But I didn't want to neglect mentioning my sister and her struggle with that dreaded disease. So, here's to you, Sissy, and to your valiant fight! I will love you always.