Invasion of the Veggies

The weather was so nice in April and May but we held off till June to plant the garden.  We planted beans, cukes, tomatoes, egg plants, potatoes, zucchinis and a few other things.  We are usually two weeks behind everyone when the spring flowers come out and the garden is the same.  When the plants started to produce it was slow going.  Just enough to eat with a little left over to share.  Then all of a sudden the plants went into mass production.  I am canning 4 quarts of pickles and tomatoes every day.  I am chained to my kitchen.  When Bob comes in and wants to know if we are picking veggies after supper, I roll my eyes.  Today we picked a bag of beans and cukes and a large bowl of tomatoes.  The tomato plants are dying back but the tomatoes are gorgeous.  They are falling off the vines green ones and red ones.  We pick each one up to use.  Then we brought all the produce in.  My counter is full!  I have tomatoes, cukes and beans all over.  It is to the point when my neighbors see me coming with a white bag, they hide.  I have stuffed their mailbox and ran, left the bag on their car, anything to get rid of them so they don't rot from non use.  Help!  I am being invaded by vegetables!  Want some?......  

Say Good-by

Would you believe there are at least 100 frogs leaving the pool daily.  They leave in the early morning and at night when it is moist.  I am seeing all these frogs leave and it still looks like the same amount in the pool!  Could there really have been that many or do they keep coming back.  I watch these little creatures climb out of the water and sit on the top edge of the pool, then they jump off.  We look in the weeds near the woods line and there are quite a few frogs all over the larger leaves.  Even though we have had a lot of rain, the usual places the frogs  spawn are dried up.  These frogs never would have survived.  I just want to say good-bye to all my thousands of pets.  Please don't let them all come back in the Spring to mate here.  I will really have a problem then!.....

Nanc Come Quick

Whenever I hear these words, Nanc, come quick, I figure something is wrong.  Bob is standing over by the frog pool as he is saying it.  Yes of course I went running.  Did the pool collapse?  Are all the frogs gone?  Numerous things were racing through my mind.  As I turned the corner, there he was standing looking at the frog pond.  Look at all the frogs that are leaving!  Yes, there were at least 20 out of the hundreds that are still in the pool, that are on the rim waiting for their chance to go live and survive in the big grasses around my house.  Good by little frogs.  Please come back and get your brothers and sisters.

Butterflies

Two weeks ago Stacy and Mckee brought home caterpillars and some milkweed tops.  What now?  We have had more bugs as pets than I can believe.  So what's three more.  We put them in a container and the next day one was hanging up side down.  Okay, maybe they do that.  Come on I don't know.  Grandma what is he doing now?  Can someone help me?  What is he doing now?  This went on for 10 minutes then she went outside.  We returned an hour later to find the caterpillar was now a chrysalis.  We were all in awe.  It wove a perfect green chrysalis with gold dots on it.  Only one more to go.  We will watch this one.  Yep, you guessed it.  Once again we went out and there was another caterpillar turned into a chrysalis.  How long will they be that way?  Till they are ready to hatch! 

The one chrysalis that they brought home hatched and we found the butterfly and put it on the flowers and watched it fly away.  Two weeks later we noticed they were turning dark.  Now I knew they were ready to hatch.  We could see the orange of the wings.  All of a sudden the chrysalis split down the side.  It had an audience of four cheering it on.  Little by little it broke out of its covering.  It was so small.  Soon it's wings started to grow.  It was awesome to sit and watch this miracle happening right in front of our eyes.   Within an hour it was the normal size of a monarch butterfly.  It says to leave it alone for hours and let it go when it is warmer.  It was 50 degrees that night.  Too cold.  Under 60 degrees it can't fly.

Today is the day the butterflies will be let go.  I waited till it was warmer out.  When I picked up the lid they both flew around the yard in circles to show us they were free and able to do this.  After a few rounds they both flew off, never to be seen by us again.  What a beautiful sight to watch.  I was so glad that Mckee was here to share the birth of a monarch butterfly.

Fall is in the air

Yes, I know it is only August, but the morning fog and the different birds chirping in the morning, signal the start of the coming fall.  Even the smell of the air will tell you it is coming.  The early leaves are falling.  The night temps are in the 50's.  All too soon, the leaves will color up and need to be raked off the lawn.  The pool will need to be closed before they fall, which is a chore all to it's self.  We really get into a few word throwing contests when we do that.   Isn't togetherness great? 

There are birds that disappear on their flight south, which we have noticed they are gone.  Next will be the humming birds.  Oh how I love watching them at my feeders.  Can't wait for the squirrels to leave.  Yes, that is wishful thinking.  At least the chipmunks will hibernate.   The bears haven't really bothered us this year so Bob's feeder on the deck is still in one piece. 

Then we have the frogs!  Anyone know how to winterise frogs?  Yes, they are still here.  Need some in your yard?  Come and get them.  I just hope they all don't return to where they are born to breed!  Help!! 

My Boss

I have taught my granddaughter how to crochet.  She wants to help with my Preemie Hats and is crocheting one now.  When I make a hat or gown and it has a flower, she helps pick out buttons to put in the circle.  You do know embellishments make them look better.

Today we hit the craft stores - three of them.  We touched and felt lots of different yarns and fleece.  We even picked a few to bring home.  Yes, more stash.  Then we went to the button aisle.  We discussed every pack we picked up that we liked.  They have to be a certain size and safe for the tiny ones.  We oohed and awed for quite a while before we decided on a few bags of buttons.  I didn't realize till we got home that we bought 10 little bags of buttons!  Yes I now have a stash of buttons too.....
 

Crocheting

I have been crocheting for 40 years.  Wow, did I say that?  Guess I show my age.  At least it is something I passed on to my own girls even though they really haven't kept it up.  They at least have learned how.  Then along comes Mckee.  She is my little helper.  When I finish a dress she will get the "right" button for it.  I had to drag out my old buttons out for her to see if there were any decent buttons she could use.  Then one night she cuddled over to me and said those words, "Grammie will you teach me to crochet?"  Of course I got her out a hook and she picked out a skein of yarn from my stash and away we went.  It took 10 minutes to teach her.  Not bad.  She has been crocheting non stop since and really doing well.  Now she wants to help me do preemie hats when she gets a little better.  You go girl!!!......

My Mother Said That

Throughout your day how many times do you say to you're children things that your Mom use to say?  One of our favorites was when you hated the food on the table and really only wanted a jelly sandwich, Mom would say,"Some poor child will be going to bed hungry and here you are wasting good food."  Really if it was good and I liked it, I would have eaten it.  Send it to them. 

Now being a Grandparent I see the children of my children do some of the same thing that they use to do.  Yes, I am cruel, I laugh.  It is payback time for every time you kids tortured us.  You deserve everything you are getting.  And yes, someday you will also look back and laugh as you're own do the same.  Isn't life wonderful?.....