Lovingly Instilled

She taught me to...

make a patchwork dolly quilt

play cribbage to learn my addition facts

feed a baby lamb on a bottle, a tiny kitten,
a little pig, even a raccoon

catch a chipmunk with a fishing basket and fishpole

find a doodlebug, an angleworm, and a sandbug in the creek

rub clay with a spoon to take a picture from the funny papers
when I had the chicken pox

make a loom from an old thread spool

write a school report about Lincoln and the White House

discover sheeps' noses, red bells and yellow daisy wildflowers
in the spring

plant pansies and primroses to make my garden bloom

'sleep on it' and in the morning I would have the answer
I was looking for

make a cradle from an apple box or a salt box

save my dimes to buy a savings bond

cook a chicken so it would feed my family for a week

make do with what I have and count my blessings

And most of all...To be a mom and love my babies ...no matter what!

N g'lach Springtime

Saw the year's first bluebird early today

Flycatchers are back, they have found their way

Hear killdeer calling down in the field

Wonder what new thing tomorrow will yield?

Snow on the north, sun to the south side

Spring will be here though time we must bide

2 little peepers sleep under a rock

Snow geese parley, flying north in a flock
The sky darkens yellow as dust storms bellow by

Then morning brings snowflakes filling the sky

Ducks quack lullabies in nests by the crick

Pussy willows graying up, fuzzy and thick

Mustangs silhouette the skyline high

Cloud shadows play chase as they go racing by.

Bugs smack the windshield sounding like rain

Wind hurls down trees roaring through like a train

Doodle bugs busy with early spring cleaning

Cottonwood twigs show signs of greening

Mountain cat crouches low on the hay stack

Watching deer meandering here and back

Winter projects; read, write, knit and sew

As up and down Granite creep dustings of snow.

No moisture hits the ground, it heads for spots east

The high desert's left dry with none but the least

Then out pops the sun and bees are humming

Blossoms burst open Spring really is coming!

Meet Mitzi

Puppy Love...that is what we have going at our house! Dogs are addictive! We dogsat Murf, our granddog, this past fall. Much too soon it was time to take him home to his mom. When I got back I decided our house needed another dog of its' own . My girls had both gone off to be angel dogs during the past year and rats and mice were again taking possession of my garden and yard! My little grandson and I visited about dogs. He thought a chihuahua named Larry was the perfect dog! I thought a Golden Retriever. I found a place and called. They had puppies ready, 2 boys and 2 girls! My friend offered to go with me and the next day we were off for our puppy adventure. There were beautiful dogs of every age, size, and color.  The first one to steal our hearts was a gorgeous rolypoly male with lots of red wavy hair but I decided to look at the females before choosing. And...there she was...the perfect little pup for me. She was a pretty golden color, with floppy ears, a mischievous personality, and more aggressive than her brother and sister. It took 2 days for her to choose a name, Mitzi! Not Baylee nor Reagan. Her sharp little piranha teeth make you do a puppy dance mornings when she nips on to your pjs and tugs you to the kitchen all the while jumping puddles! She and Cheney are now best friends though it wasn't always that way. Mitzi still needs to make friends with Rudy and Chang, our cats. She is finding they have paws full of fishhooks and very little patience with a barking puppy! She can go up the stairs but not down them yet. It won't be long until we have no safe place! And... we need to remember to put all shoes and slippers out of reach! So now I spend my time laughing at the antics of my new little bundle of exuberance. "Buy a pup and your money will buy love unflinching," said Rudyard Kippling. Yep!

Amazing Grace!

Could Paul McCartney really have meant me when he wrote "When I'm 64"?!? I can't believe that song was made for the 66ers! It seems like it was only "Yesterday" when we were the Mighty Seniors of Etna High and "Feelin' Groovy"!! Where ever has the time gone? Guess it is time to access the situation and see. A super supportive HUSBAND! Four great SONS!! Four awesome DAUGHTERS in law...  And...4 wonderful GRANDKIDS ...Guess that is my number one, two, three, and four accomplishments!! It has been a fun ride to this point. Phone calls from across Nevada, Japan and Africa! Touched base with every one. I look at my computer and kitchen table strewn with birthday cards and happy wishes. Such fun! Great FRIENDS! Ah HAH...another feather in my cap! My TEACHING career, from which I retired this year, was never a job but always my life's dream. Aren't I lucky to have been able to touch so many promising little lives! And one of "My Favorite Things" just happens to be making my HOME in this gorgeous Nevada desert! God's country for sure! Antelope on the hillside and wild horses in the valley. Chukkar birds and quail, flycatchers and killdeer. Deer are fun when they aren't perusing my FLOWERS and GARDEN! I have been lucky enough to TRAVEL some. I look forward to more. I love poking around in the UK and Europe. My PIANO has made me happy, even though I haven't really conquered it. I love KNITTING and CROCHETING ... TEXTING, SKYPE and BLOGSPOT, who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Never fear I am "Younger Than Springtime" and although there were some bumps I'm glad I did it "My Way''!

Cheney 'n Murf

OMG! I am having a Hank the Cowdog moment! If you have ever read these delightful books to your kids you will know what I am talking about. We are taking care of Murphy, our children's dog while they are away. Murphy is a beautiful golden retriever setter cross, we think. When he first came to us he was a quiet, shy dog, used to life in the city. He has changed! He loves to ride in the Ranger. He loves to roll in the hay. He loves to run his long lanky stride across the desert and he LOVES to chase coyotes!! Or maybe they love to chase him.

This bright cold, blue sky January morning I let the dogs out to survey their territory . It wasn't long  before I heard them barking, alerting the neighborhood that they were on watch. I went about my morning chores. In a bit their barks changed.  I looked out the window. Down in the field were 2 BIG coyotes and Cheney and Murf (his country name!) I can just hear Cheney telling him. "Come on, Murf. You are big and strong and handsome. Let's take them on. We can do it." And... away they went after the coyotes!! I watched and the tables turned! The coyotes had lured them far enough away then went after their prey! It was an old coyote trick but Cheney and Murf didn't know it. Cheney turned and shot like a bullet up the hill toward home. Murf was right behind her but the coyotes were right after him. Like in the story: How do you get away from a bear... "I only have to run faster than you"! I yelled and the coyotes stopped! Luckily!!  The dogs beat feet to the top of the hill where they turned to bark their good byes to the coyotes. Of maybe they were barking challenges since they were now safe!! As Cheney and Murf sat in the sun and Cheney chewed on Murf's neck I could just hear her telling him. "Good job, Murf! I knew you could do it!! They had better watch out for us tomorrow!"

Littlest Shepherd

"Anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will not enter it..."

Often at Christmastime a church or ministry will have a drive to support those less fortunate. This is the case with the middle school class at Erin's church. They were supporting a child who was waiting to be adopted. This story was told at church and in the Sunday school classes. Anyone who would like to help could add their contribution.

On the Sunday before Christmas Garrett had a little paper bag as he left for church. When he got there he took his paper bag to the middle school Sunday School classroom. Mind you, Garrett is only 6. His mom asked him what he had. He told her, "It's my money". He told her he needed to put his money into the jar on the shelf. She asked him why. "Well, you know the kid our church is trying to buy?" he said. "Well, this is for her, so we can buy her." When his mom asked how much he wanted to put in the jar he told her, "All of it".  Garrett may not have gotten the whole story right but he surely got the message right. I thought this was the perfect Christmas story to end the year or to start the new one....

...and Jesus took the little children in his arms and he blessed them. Mark 10:15

Making Memories

So much to be thankful for! This year we trekked to my cousins' to count our blessings! This is where it all started for us, you know. Mike and I met here 'long years ago' (seems like only days)! The house was bursting with kids; theirs and ours, blessed daughters in laws and rough 'n tumble grandkids and dear friends who came to share the day. Such fun! We are the ones with silver shining in our hair now. They are the ones to fly the super cub, call the coyotes, with knitting needles that click and clack, purl in front, knit in back. Little boys chase little girls with gold flying curls! Oh my! Phone calls come from those far away, come to surprise us and brighten our day! A grand daughter's 13th birthday... wasn't it only yesterday they were bringing her home to meet us for the very first time!  Our patriarch's wing in a sling! Pies cover the counter of every size and description. Each of us eating way (weigh) beyond his ration! Playing cards, passing on stories of years gone by, toasting the future while wine bottles go dry! We thank the Lord for blessing us with abundant love. We are thankful for those who gather this day and for those who are so far away. We ask for His guidance as we go on our way with thoughts looking forward to next Thanksgiving day!