Heading to the County Fair

A beautiful Fall day here in Central Florida! Temperatures overnight remain a pleasant 64 degrees or so. The lower humidity we are experiencing makes our daytime highs of mid 80's feel pretty comfortable.

We are heading out to the Volusia County fair in just a bit. This is the last weekend of the fair and the weather couldn't be more beautiful! Seems every year we've gone it has been in the evening. Not this year! It is so nice that we've decided to head out during the daylight hours this time. At least in the 'morning' hours all of the exhibits should be more active....at night people have already gone home for the most part.

Really looking forward to all the sights and smells at the fair....might even manage a few pictures with my cellphone...

Wild November Turkeys

Hahaha, figures the moment I posted the pictures of our friend's Turkeys on this blog...we just had six Wild Turkeys come wandering into the yard this afternoon!! So glad the big dogs were on the porch. They (all the dogs) sat so quietly, watching as these turkeys wandered in from the side yard where the chicken coop is. By the time I got up to come get my camera, all of them were in the front yard near the Rubber Tree plant.

Here is the group...Can't tell if the larger one is a Tom or not since it wasn't 'displaying' and the sun wasn't in the right position with my being on the porch.

Within just a few moments, they were all heading down the driveway. Slipping in and out as silent as the night, I usually only see the 'scratchings' of where they have been. If the deer weren't such piggies at the bird feeders I'd be able to keep a bit of feed on the ground for them. The deer, as much as I adore them, can be quite the pests when it comes to the birdseed. They will eat any and all of it and while I was putting feed out for them at one point, since they refuse to leave my Hibiscus alone....well, I just haven't been encouraging them to feed here.

November Storms, Turkeys and Chickens

Another mild Fall night...we dropped to about 55 degrees and this morning at 7 am it was already 62 degrees as the sun began to rise. At almost 10:30 am, the temperature is a comfortable 74 degrees. With the low humidity we are experiencing at present, it has a chilly feel to the air.

There has been another storm formed in the Caribbean and at this time is a hurricane heading towards the Cayman Islands and Cuba. Last I saw, it had a North heading. We aren't expecting it to impact our area as we have a high pressure system just offshore and a cold front pushing down into the state that is expected to push the storm away from us. We are expecting very dry, cold air for the next several days...our highs are supposed to be in the low 70's.

I finally got some pictures downloaded from my cell and ready to share.

These are some of our friend's beautiful Narragansett (sp?) Tom Turkey and the Blue Slate Female:

They are a bit dark as it was early evening and I took the pictures with my cellphone. Couldn't help myself as this fellow was trying sooo hard to impress 'his lady'. She, on the other hand, was paying him no mind at all. The female is still fairly young.

These are the newest pictures of our small flock of chickens....The first shots are Barney the Banty Rooster, Ms Red the Brown Leghorn Banty hen, and Ms Piggy the Barred Rock hen...

Ms Red is in a molt and was acting very 'camera shy' as she kept trying to hide...

My camera hound....Ms Piggy...

And these last two are our little 'laying machines'....Henny Penny, the dark red and Chicka Patty, the lighter red...

Have to laugh at these two, as they are constantly eating...any other time, they would be breaking their necks to see what is in my hand. Wasn't able to convince either of them to 'pose' for me. Ms Piggy is the camera hound for sure.

Maybe

Morning temperature at 7:00 am is 59 degrees, the skies are still full of clouds.  It feels like Fall with the chilly, wet air.  Outside my window, the Chinese Tallow tree is changing colors, from green to a pretty red/gold...the only trees in my yard that give any type of Fall color.  It won't be long before this little tree has dropped its leaves and stands bare.  The only other real color in the yard are the yellowing leaves of the wild grapevines, everything else remains green or brown.  The oaks seem to just go brown as a few drop their leaves sporadically.

With the time change this past weekend, the chickens are in bed now just past 5:30 pm...by 6 pm we are enveloped in total darkness.  By the time hubby leaves for work at 7 am, the sky is already light and the sun is beginning to rise...the chickens are ready to be let out of the coops.  Depending on the temperature, I have been leaving them inside until we hit at least 60 degrees, or until the sun is fairly high in the sky...usually have them out by 9 am.  For now, Ms Red is molting and looking very 'picked' as her new feathers fill in.  Barney has filled back in nicely and is a sharp looking rooster with his black body and white accents.  Ms Piggy looks the same as always, just a plump hen with her pretty black/grey barred feathers.  She still isn't laying and has now passed the one year mark.  The new girls, Patty and Penny, continue to lay regular.  I'm really happy with these two as they lay jumbo size eggs, each weighing between 2.5 ounces to 3+ ounces.  They are very nice brown eggs.  I wish Ms Piggy would lay, as hers should be around the same size and color.

The dogs are enjoying the cooler weather, except for us having to close the door in the evening when it gets chilly.  With the shorter days they aren't getting to run and romp as much with 'dad' right now.  By the time he comes in at night, it has been dark already.  They do at least get to run and romp for shorter periods during the day since I'm home during the day now.  Guess that's one advantage to my not working.

Work...a bit of a sore subject with me at the moment.  Hubby came in a week or so ago and said something about his work slowing down again soon and that I should go get a job as he doesn't think he will be able to find another one.  Say what??  This isn't setting well at the moment.  He seems to act as if he wants me to work outside the house, but the second I have a job and have to work weird shifts, then he wants to act like he's being neglected.  It's quite fine with him if I've worked an eight hour shift, but then when I come in, even after he's already been home for a bit, I should be ready to fix HIM food and do whatever needs doing around here.  My job has never meant anything to him except that HE isn't able to do things because I have to work.  I can't win on that one.  The minute I start working again he will decide it is no longer a priority to put money in the bank...afterall, I will be making money, so he should be able to do with his what he wants.  Can I just scream now?  Some days, I really just don't feel the need to be married to anyone.  I used to think we were working together for our future.  Now I feel like what's the use...

Sounds like depression is creeping back in to cover my world once more with it's thick, dark blanket.  What has happened to the happy, carefree person I used to be?  There once was a time when I could laugh and enjoy life in spite of what was happening around me.  Now I seem to be miserable and depressed the majority of the time.  Is it an age thing, or is it just circumstance?  Maybe someday I'll find the answers...maybe someday I'll be able to see 'the brighter side of life' once more....maybe

Hoping that the change is good

This morning has started very overcast and dreary...the temperature at 6:30 am was 62 degrees. Now at almost noon, the temperature is still 62 degrees and its still very overcast. Looks like the grey November days in cold country....only real difference is the fact that we still have so much green everywhere here in central Florida.

My mood has lightened quite a bit...at least I'm not growling at everyone and everything that breathes or moves this morning. Even hubby has to appreciate that change in mood.

Glad to see the election had such an awesome turnout this time around. I just hope those who have been elected this round remember that they are subject to being voted out just as easily if they fail to act on their promises to the people who helped them win. Sometimes these politicians seem to think that once they've gained office they are above reproach and can do whatever they wish regardless of their supporters wishes.

Our newly elected President will have his hands full, that's for sure. To have to step in to such an incredible mess...well, guess he better get the hipwaders out, cause its a deep pile he'll be wading through. It's a bit hard to comprehend at times just how fast things have gotten screwed up under our current leaders. Wasn't long ago...only eight years...that we were living the 'high life' of prosperity, with a balanced budget, low unemployment and even a surplus in the treasury. Here's hoping that in the coming four years things can begin to get back on track with new leadership.

Deja Vue...

I've been sitting here most of the morning reading through my old journal entries on Garden Buddies. They have all been copied, including the comments and I have them on my computer now.  Figured  I didn't want to lose them in case anything ever happened on that site...there were some minor issues earlier this year.

Today's weather has been cool, very overcast with temps hanging in the mid 60's.  It truly looks like a dreary fall day through my windows.  The front door is open, the dogs are all passed out enjoying the cooler weather.  You can 'smell' the moisture in the cool air.

Hubby came in for lunch as I was reading my old journal entries.  Didn't think I'd see him home today, but he has now finished off the last of the chili I made late last week.  We had it a couple of days in a row and then I had frozen some.  I thawed it out last night for supper....there was only one bowl left last night when we were done.  Was thinking about making Spaghetti sauce with hopes of leftovers for making the Parmesean Chicken again.  Sis used my recipe the other day, only she did leg quarters instead of the breasts and she put it all in the crockpot.  I asked how it came out and she had to laugh...seems she didn't get one bite.  Her hubby had hogged both leg quarters and all the sauce.  She ended up fixing herself something different.  She did say it will be a meal she makes again since her hubby scarfed it...obviously he liked it.  Her hubby is the one who normally does the 'real' cooking.  Sis will be the first one to tell you she isn't a cook...but she tries.

After I finished reading my old journal entries, I got to thinking about how to upload it all to this blog....I'm still working on it.  There are a great number of pictures in those posts and I'm hoping to at least get it figured out so my entire journal can be in one spot.  It will of course, remain on Garden Buddies, but it will also be a part of this one....if I can get it figured out.

I did note while I was reading that we seem to have had a fairly mild summer, as Florida summers go.  The heat just bothers me more than it ever has in the past...again, it must be the dreaded age thing.  Wasn't all that long ago that we were having the same type weather we are experiencing now...difference being, I was turning the heat off, and the A/C on.  Just a few short months ago I was writing about being anxious for the warmer weather....HAH!!  and ever since it got here, all I did was whine.  Crazy....that's what I am.

My morning didn't start off all that great, again I rolled out of bed, growling like a grizzly bear.  First the whine of Mojo greeting 'daddy', then hubby leaving the space heater on...after he's out of the bathroom, and my final growl as I began making coffee...my husband's refusal to walk his trash to the trashcan...leaving it instead on the countertop...I snatched the offending papertowels and paperplate off the counter after making my coffee, and tossed them in the trash as I walked out the backdoor to open the chicken coops.  Hubby never made a peep.  So, one can imagine my shock when he pulled down the drive at lunchtime! 

By the time he came in for lunch, my mood had mellowed somewhat...now to get my butt to the polls and vote!

Time Change Blues...

Seems we are definitely back to our regular type temperatures....overnight low, even with rain, was around 64 degrees. So far this afternoon, we are sitting about 76 degrees and partly sunny skies...some pretty gnarly looking dark clouds sitting off to the SW at the moment.

Hubby managed to blow dirt into his eye over the weekend while getting his engine back together, seems the drops and ointment have eased the 'scratchy' feeling, but with the eye tearing so much, he can't focus well enough to be driving the big trucks....or for that matter, even my little Dakota. So he called off this morning to rest the eye. That's about all he's done since he rolled out of bed this morning....close his eyes and go back to sleep.

I ran into town to make the deposit he neglected to make Friday....what an absolute waste of my gas and time to do this when he was in town on Friday anyway. But, I'm not going to bother getting aggravated with him over it again...I just told him it needed to go so I didn't have to worry about paying overdraft charges to the bank. The rent check has already been received by the landlord and that would be all I need to do, bounce a check to him....although, he's bounced a few his self, I hate paying money to the bank for stuff like that.

Our friends came out just after dark last night and we hung out on the screened porch. It was a really nice night for sitting outside. The time change sure is throwing me for a loop....was odd to close the coops just before 6 pm. It's been the same all day. Just takes a few weeks for the rest of me to catch up to the clocks. On the positive side, by the time hubby gets home, there will be little time for him to do much outside....ok, it's only positive for me...we'll get to eat before midnight...LOL. Was total darkness by 6 pm...I was amazed.

Growling at everything

Our first morning of the 'fall behind' time change...now if only the dogs would have allowed me to sleep the extra hour...

Temperatures overnight were around 64 degrees...felt pretty chilly, but not so much that I kicked the heat on. This morning was very cloudy and overcast and now at almost 1:45 pm, we have been having light rain off and on for the past three hours. Figures, hubby was wanting to finish up his truck this morning and we were planning to head out to the county fair around noon. Current temperature is a wet, 70 degrees with cloud filled, dark skies. I doubt we'll head to the fair in this type of weather. This would have been the first time in years we have been during the daylight hours, usually we head out just before dark.

My issue with the back and leg is diminishing...today has been the first day I haven't had to keep it elevated and have been able to walk around and stand without the calf muscles spasming. The pain is under control and even the ice pack is back in the freezer. Of course, I won't be able to get any more of the weeding attempted with all this rain, so there's no chance of re-aggravating it at the moment. Such a shame as the Mexican Petunias are still needing to be dug out in several more areas in the front bed.

I thought our friends were planning to stop in this weekend...they were interested in taking some of these petunias off my hands and some of the Wedalia also. Haven't heard a word from them and at the rate we are seeing rain, I doubt if they will decide to come out. Probably hear from them about dark, letting us know that they aren't going to come out.

Just as well....I woke up growling at the dog and hubby is trying to ease a headache... now if only the neighbors will stop shooting at whatever it is they keep firing guns towards....

November plans

Today has been fair....the normal weather seems to have returned, lows overnight were in the mid 60's and our highs have been in the upper 70's...I think it managed to hit about 78 degrees earlier today.

The boys both came out late in the afternoon, hubby was working on his truck getting the engine dropped back in so his brother could borrow our engine hoist. As usual, it seems to have been a 'bust' day for getting the younger one to work on his own junk sitting out back. I did let him know that I want it out of my yard and there will not be any future projects done by them in our yard.

My sister in-law called about the menu plans for Thanksgiving...the camping trip portion is cancelled. While we were talking, she was mentioning why they pick certain areas for this annual event. Seems it has to do with the family members who live in North Florida and trying to make things easier for them. That's all fine and dandy, but if she really thought about it, she'd realise that none of them give two hoots about making things easy for anyone else. None of the ones in that area think about anyone but themselves when it comes to making plans for holidays. Its fine for all of us down in this area to make the two hour trip, one way, to their home for holiday gatherings...but god forbid we should request them to make the same trip...doesn't seem right to me. Her reasoning was that none here have the 'house' large enough for all the family...well, maybe my 'house' isn't big enough, but we sure have the property that is large enough for forty plus people. None of the ones in North Florida have a house that large either, and only one has a yard of any size, but no where near the size of ours.

I told hubby the other week that he should suggest it for next year's Thanksgiving. We could throw an awning up in case of bad weather...wouldn't be any worse than being at the campsite area. We have made the 'mandatory' trip yearly to their houses for Christmas dinners every year. Personally, I'm to the point where I could care less whether I see these people or not. If they think they are too good to come to their brother's house for any reason, well, I can play that card myself...the highway runs both ways and their gas isn't any more expensive than ours.

My dinner contribution is usually a ham and a dessert...my sister in-law likes my hams. This year, one of the sisters requested to make a ham. Not a problem, there will be two deep fried turkeys, her ham and I offered to smoke a turkey and make applecrisp. My sister in-law had asked me about making an apple dish and thought the applecrisp sounded good. The extra turkey was accepted also. We discussed what out of the camping gear might be needed since we'll be preparing everything outside once we get to the site. Most things will already be cooked, but knowing how silly some of this family can be, we plan to carry the campstoves and an extra table. The final count isn't in as yet, but based on our 'normal' crowd, we're looking at close to fifty people showing up....one of the sisters brought an extra twenty people last year, without warning. This almost made my SIL catch a healthy attitude, the only saving grace was the girl made sure to bring extra food. It isn't that they weren't welcome, its just that SIL wants to make sure we have enough food on hand for everyone. Can't blame her for that, I'm not much into those kinds of surprises either...not to mention that the area we were in was tight to begin with and all the extra people had everyone elbow to elbow.

Ahhh, such is life with big families....

Happy Halloween!!

It's Halloween morning...our temperatures are much closer to our normal this morning...at 7 am the porch thermometer showed 64 degrees. The humidity remains fairly low, making the temps feel cooler. Its all good for me...I'm just glad to be warm again! I know, all I've done lately is whine about the heat...WAH!!! But the early cold was a major wake-up call for me! I am definitely NOT ready to live in cold country...yet...grin.

At the moment, our skies are heavy with dark, ominous clouds...hope it doesn't spoil the fun for the kids tonight. We don't have but a few little ones on our road and as the majority of the homes sit back off the road with 200 foot driveways, the parents tend to drive the kids up to the houses that are decorated. For only a very small handful of kids, I just don't feel like it's worth the extra effort....and then of course there are my dogs that would have to be dealt with.

When we lived in town I decorated the house every year...Halloween has always been my favorite 'holiday'...and we did the pumpkin carving and treats. We also usually had a gathering at our house to celebrate the night and always had a nice fire, good friends and food. The neighborhood kids were usually about finished by the time we began our celebration...I'd shut the lights off and we'd head out back once the candy was gone. Seems like every year the crowd got smaller as more parents either planned parties or took the kids to the more 'upscale' neighborhoods for treats. Just too many 'mean spirited' people in the world nowadays to allow the kids to roam the streets like we did many years ago. Of course the sheenanigans some of the teens have pulled like vandalising cars, businesses and homes has also created its own set of problems for Halloween. And then there are all of the 'religious' issues against allowing the kids to celebrate this so called 'devil day'. Puulleeesse...get over it already. That mentality makes me mental.

If you don't want to allow YOUR kids out, don't. But don't push your beliefs down everyone else's throat...it's for the kids, not you. Don't participate if you feel its against your beliefs, but don't try to keep the rest of us from celebrating the day. For some of us, this is a very 'special' time of year. Keep your religion out of mine. I don't make fun of your religion or even expect you to understand my religious beliefs...but I do expect the same respect be given to days I hold sacred as you expect for yours. Stepping down from my soapbox, now that I've 'outed' myself...yes, I follow a Pagan belief.

Now that I'm through with my thoughts on the day itself, I hope everyone has a very safe, enjoyable Halloween. We will probably get the fire going in the firepit tonight and spend some time outside enjoying the night, as long as the rain decides to hold off. I'm making chili for our supper tonight, with fresh, hot cornbread....mmmm, yum....just what the 'cooler weather' calls for.

Florida weather has returned

It's almost 3:45 pm and the outside temperature is right at 74 degrees, what a difference a day makes! This is our 'normal' type Fall weather for this time of year. Yesterday's temps are more in line of what we have in January and February. The overnight low is supposed to be much warmer as well, I think I recall hearing something around the mid 50's tonight. WooHoo! Ok, so I'm not quite ready for the deep bone chilling cold as yet.

Could be in my head, but at least my bones aren't aching as hard as yesterday either. Might have something to do with staying wrapped up all day yesterday....but could just be the warmer weather. Today has been relatively pain free...still having some calf issues if I walk or stand for any length of time, but nothing even close to what has been going on for the past two days. Keeping it elevated has helped quite a bit. Must have something to do with how I'm sitting or something, because I haven't had this issue in over twentyfive years...guess it's really tweaking the nerve damaged area at the moment. I miss my recliner loveseat....this all has started since we brought in the couch from hell....grrrr....lol

Had a very nice long visit with my girlfriend today. She came out and spent almost the entire afternoon with me. I have forgotten how much I just enjoy having conversations with other people. We chat about all kinds of things, some of the crazier moments in life and just about anything and everything....good old fashioned 'girl talk'. Sis and I talk like this, but it's different when you have someone who you haven't known all your life. Cool to hear someone else's adventures that make yours look not quite so crazy afterall...but the two of us would have definitely had a ball together even then. She's nicknamed us "Thelma and Louise"....didn't see the movie, but I know the plot....

Cold and Achy makes for foul mood

Another very chill morning here in Central Florida...at 7 am, the temperature is 45 degrees according to my porch thermometer. The heat is on at the moment, even though I have it set below 65 on the thermostat. DJ over at Heirloom Gardens made an interesting remark about us getting the Arctic air before them. While watching the weather last night I think I know why...the high that was pushing across us was bringing the winds from the WNW as it sucked that cold air down from Canada...by the end of today, we are supposed to be having winds out of the NE, and our temperatures are supposed to be warming. At 7:15 am we are just beginning to see the sun throw light in the eastern sky. The past few mornings it has been dark at this time.

Yesterday was one of those days I could have spent in bed. I couldn't get warm enough and I felt as if I was feverish...my eyes felt on fire. My entire body was just aching like a bad toothache. Guess it must have to do with the weather and being outside after dark. Even my head was throbbing. I spent the day wrapped up in my thick blanket robe and my afghan, dozing in my chair. When hubby came in last night, he was experiencing the headache and went to bed early. I truly hope it's the weather creating this. We have recently visited friends, but no one there appeared sick. My body is feeling a bit better this morning and hubby says he's feeling ok this morning.

We've been trying to eat earlier for some time now...some nights we were just getting to eat by 9:30 pm. I know that's one of the things that has created the weight issues for me. But, hubby was whining about eating so late and it doesn't matter to me what time we eat, so I was trying to have supper ready before 7 pm. Last night when he came in I was aching to the point that I knew I needed to take the Advils for relief. So I mentioned what I had in mind for supper, the leftover bean soup, and he was agreeable for that. I got the soup heated and the leftover cornbread also. It was just past 5 pm when I began dishing out the soup...got both our bowls ready and called him to come fix his cornbread. He ignored me all three times. So I got my tray and when I walked past him, he gave me an odd look. I told him I had called him three times already to come get his and his response...."I'm not ready to eat yet". GRRRRR....and THIS is precisely why I stopped having meals ready before dark.....yet he's the one whining about eating late...I can't win. It really didn't matter to me at that point, I have to eat before I can take the Advils and so I ate. He didn't go warm his back up until almost 8 pm. I may just have to go on strike in the kitchen...if I'm going to take the time to make food, then you best be ready to eat, otherwise, plan on eating out. I'll just stop going to the grocery and we can just blow the paycheck eating out every night. That way, he can eat when HE's ready. This just irritates my eyes out...especially since he was aware that I wasn't feeling well and haven't been for the past couple of days. Yeah, the more I think about this, the more I think the two of us need to get this hashed out...if he's going to be this way, then he can just fend for his self all the way. I'll eat when I'm ready and he can wait until midnight if he chooses. Just pisses me off because he knows that I wait for him before I eat....it's been that way since we got together. I would feed the kids before he got home but I would wait to eat with him. We've had several arguments because he would eat wherever he was at, knowing that I would have supper ready and was waiting to eat with him. Another reason I stopped cooking until he came in. It's crap like this that makes me not want to even bother with a relationship.
Hell, if I have to do EVERYTHING by myself, what do I need him or anyone else around for? I think I need to put myself back to bed...I'm just too foul this morning...

No Record breaking temps....yet

We didn't break any records last night, but our overnight low hit 44 degrees....the record low for this date was in 1938 and was 43 degrees. At 9:15 am, it is only 48 degrees according to my porch thermometer.

The chickens seemed more content to stay inside the coops this morning, wonder if it is because of the cold? Usually, they are sticking their heads out and protesting loudly about being left inside. The past few days, hubby has been leaving them inside when he goes to work and I've been letting them out once the sun begins to warm things up a bit.

I got the wheelbarrow emptied yesterday but that was about it. All the bending and raking has thrown my body into fits the past few days. When I rolled the wheelbarrow out to the firepit, I felt the pull between my shoulders....the sad part, there was only long cuttings from the Bottlebrush tree...it wasn't even a heavy load. Even pushing it back to the front empty was creating such pain between my shoulders that I decided to leave things for another day.

We lit the fire in the firepit last night right before dark...Note to self...Bottlebrush is another thing that burns very quick even green. There is so much brush down around the yard that it doesn't take much to find enough to have a very nice fire. The fire blazed pretty hot and felt very nice as darkness fell on the yard. We sat out in the swing watching the fire and enjoying the Fall air until well after dark. By the time we came inside, the fire had begun to die down to embers. This morning I notice that it looks like everything burned completely to ash.

Our county fair begins tomorrow and will run through next weekend...Hubby is wanting to go. We usually enjoy wandering through the exhibits and of course we have to ride some of the rides and grab some of the wonderful 'fair food'. Maybe I can talk him into going during the daylight hours instead of after dark, which is when he usually wants to go. I'm just way too worn out to go play after dark anymore....it must be age catching up with me for sure...lol. Saturday we are supposed to go to a party at his boss's daughter's house...she's having a moving party...was talking about everyone coming over and making it a pool party...HA!! Not about to get my body in a pool in this chilly weather!! According to the weather people, we are supposed to be warming up a bit by the end of the week. Is it any wonder I am having such difficulty adjusting to the cold? We are forecast to have highs back in the upper 70's to low 80's by the weekend.

Speaking of the cold...hubby was picking on me last night as we sat outside enjoying the fire...asked me how I thought I'd be able to handle the cold weather on the mountain if I was having such a hard time with this little cold snap. Well, DUH!!! When it starts changing in 'cold country', a body has a bit of a chance to adapt to the cooler weather. It's the back and forth, hot to cold to hot again that is hard to adjust to. Besides, I've lived there before and lived in a colder climate when I was in Indiana...the body will adjust....eventually....like about Springtime, hahaha.
Last night was especially rough, as I felt feverish and really just ached all over....probably had a bit to do with being outside after dark in the chilled air. Wouldn't be the first time I've experienced this from being out after dark...used to get all achy when I'd sit on the dock fishing after dark in the fall air years ago....just one of those things...

Our annual family Thanksgiving camping trip has been called off this year. Seems the place we normally go called to let hubby's brother know that Thanksgiving day the park will be closed due to staffing issues. We've changed locations and while closer, there aren't any campsites available at this late date for Thanksgiving weekend. Just as well...we were talking about how we would be able to camp without having someone come in and take care of the dogs and chickens. The dogs I wasn't worried about...they could go to the pen for a couple of days with extra food and water. The chickens on the other hand would have to spend the time inside the coops...I'm sure they would NOT have been happy about that! We did tell his brother that next year we should just plan on everyone coming here. Anyone who wants to hang out and camp is welcome to toss a tent out in the back pasture. Plenty of nice areas back there and I'd even mow if I know for sure they want to camp. They would even get to experience the wildlife just like when we head to our favorite place Princess Place Preserve,
http://www.flaglerparks.com/princess/preserve.htm .
This place is right on the water and has some wonderful wildlife and views. We've enjoyed camping there many times.

Great, just heard the weather guy say we are under 'Red Flag Fire Warnings'...again, it's because the humidity has dropped to below 50%...ok, but you still couldn't keep a fire going in my yard shy of using a blow torch...even with that, I'm positive it would be a challenge.

Finally feels like Fall

For a change, the weathercasters were right on the money!  Our morning temp was in the upper 40's...by 11 am, it had only managed to reach 52 degrees.  At 1:30 pm, my porch thermometer says its 68 degrees.  Feels really nice in the sun, but the shaded areas are pretty dang chilly...we also have about a 16 mph wind pushing that dry, cool air around.  Finally feels like Fall!!

My girlfriend stopped by for a visit again this morning and we took a walk out to the back pasture where a good many of the wildflowers are blooming.  I really need to walk around with the camera to capture some of the neat things growing and blooming right now.  Just another reason to put off mowing out back for a little longer...that's why I never get to see these particular flowers blooming, they keep getting mowed down.  After our little walk, we came back to sit in the swing by the firepit....no, didn't have the fire going, but it would have definitely made a cheery sight.  The morning sun warmed us nicely from behind and we had a nice view of the bright blue sky through the tall pines.  The wind was 'talking' through the trees completing the feeling of fall....a nice way to spend the morning.

We did turn the heat on for the first time yesterday...I had it set to kick on at 65 degrees so it wouldn't be too chilly in the house when we got up.  Whatever the temperature is outside, my house will be the same if the heat or a/c is off.  Must have almost zero insulation in this tin can.  On days like this in our old house, I would have had the woodstove fired up, mainly for the smell of the wood.  Was the perfect time of year for doing my paper shredding as the shred made really good kindling.  Just had to be careful about putting too much of the shred in at one time as it does burn quickly and at times, tends to float up the chimney.  I made sure to put the shred under a fair amount of wood before I lit the fire.  Works outside in our firepit here, just have to make sure there is lots of wood on top of whatever shredded paper I have in the pit.  Too many pines and palmettos to want sparks flying....those burn even when they are green.

Managed to get a fair amount of weeding done yesterday, but man are the shoulders and hands throwing a fit!  I'm really liking the clean look of the beds at this point....all I need to do now, is finish the job.  Another load is ready to be hauled out back to the firepit and I've found someone who is interested in these crazy Mexican Petunias....I've already warned them of how invasive they can become.  The area they want them for seems to have really weak soil...they can't get anything to grow there.  The soil these things are in out here is pretty crappy in my opinion, mostly shell, sand combination....hardly anything likes it but the Aloes.....and the Petunias.  I've added soil to the areas where I want things to grow. 

As soon as the yard drys out a bit more, I need to take my truck out back and collect the pine cones and downed pine branches.  That pine cone mulch sure worked wonderful in the front beds...no weeds to speak of even in the walkway where I had it spread.  The mulch has totally disintegrated into the soil leaving the beds looking very rich.  When I raked them out the other day, I had mostly pine straw and Bottlebrush leaves....all of which comes from the trees above the beds.  Figure I will use the mulch from the pine branches for the walkway and the pine cone mulch for the beds...love the little red and white chips the pine cones make.

With the cold weather coming so early for us...this is our January type weather...I'm cleaning out the coops and giving everyone some fresh, new hay.  At least that way, they can all cuddle and huddle together in the nest boxes if they choose.  I've still got the flaps over their screen doors to keep the colder air from blowing through.  Even when I opened the coops this morning while it was still pretty chilly, the inside felt much warmer.  With the new hay filling the coops they will have a bit more insulation against the chill.  We rarely see temperatures in the freezing range, but should we have them, the chickens can just stay inside until the day warms.  Our daytime temperatures always rise above freezing....I think in the twenty plus years I've been here, I've only seen temps in the teens once...and that was overnight and only for a very short few days.  We are just far enough south that weather like that usually misses us.

Time to get back to work....

An Arctic chill visits Florida....Noon Update...Brownies are calling my name

Whew! Once it began warming up, the temperature has risen quite nicely... at noon it is now 78 degrees according to my porch thermometer.

My girlfriend stopped in this morning for a short visit. She's planning to go visit her daughter next week...I'll miss her Monday visit. After she left, I went ahead and started in on the flowerbeds beneath the Bottlebrush tree. I got my 'Artist statue' moved...uuugghh, I'll be paying for that later...it is solid concrete. Didn't move him far, just thought he'd like a different view. I like him better in the new spot.

Got some of the Bottlebrush trimmed back away from the house while I was in that bed...needs more, but for the moment, I need to empty the wheelbarrow again and take a short break. Moving the statue really wore me out....that and the half a dozen pots that were sitting there also. All of them have about fifteen pounds of dirt in them...the Hibiscus starts that were in them have been devoured by the Lubber Grasshoppers...only weeds remain. Guess I'll clean them out and see if I can get a few veggies to grow in them instead....I'll have to go check my seed box and see what I have that might work in them. I'm thinking of pulling my poor little 'Sunsprite' out of the pot on the porch...it looks as if her push to win the rose race was more than she could handle. Since her bloom in June, I cut her back hoping to see more growth. It doesn't appear she's going to make it. Told hubby yesterday that if there looks to be roots still, I'll re-pot it, otherwise, the poor thing will go to the burnpit... I think I may have some Lettuce that might do well in the pot on the porch. At least I'll be able to make sure it is watered with it sitting so close.

Break time is over....well, almost. I am starving at the moment and think I'll go see what I can find to eat....mmmm, brownies from last night are calling my name...guess I'll answer that call.

An Arctic chill visits Florida

Cool weather is now upon us...again this morning the house was at 55 degrees...I had dropped all the windows and shut the door before we went to bed last night. Outside is the same temp...at 7 am, it is still pretty dark. Hubby came in from warming up the truck and grabbing his jacket from out back (was in his truck) and said he couldn't see the gate well enough so he didn't let the chickens out...no biggie, they can wait for a bit til the sun is up.

The weather people are saying we have some Arctic air sliding down over us out of Canada...we are supposed to drop to the mid 40's tonight. Today's high is forecast to be in the upper 70's. I just noticed on my Mountain weather map that our low for tonight is just a shade cooler than the highs there today....brrr. Glad we won't be seeing weather with lows in the 20's like they are.

Finally have kicked the heat on for the house...have it set at 60 degrees right now so it isn't freezing in here in the morning. Hubby has already been whining that he's cold once the sun sets. He has turned the little space heater on in our bathroom already. So funny, since it's normally me who caves and turns the heat on.

With these unusually low temperatures hitting us so early, looks like I'll be going ahead and spreading the hay around the flowerbeds. I had planned to do that anyway, but not quite this soon. At 10 am, it's only 62 degrees outside...looks like I'll be waiting til it warms up a bit more before I head outside today. I noticed Patty and Penny were out at just about 8:30 this morning...but wait, hubby said he didn't let them out...hmmm, their coop is still closed so how did they manage that? I went out to see and noticed that they had somehow knocked the back door of the coop out. The back doors are just strapped in place as we didn't have the hinges when hubby put it together for them. I let the others out of their coop as well and headed back inside where it was warm...I'll throw feed out later.

Guess it's time to find something semi warm to wear and get my day started...

Fall weeding, engine work, molting chicken

Brrr....the house is 55 degrees this morning...Fall is definitely back. The porch thermometer confirms the outside temperature is just as cool...it's 8:30 am. Looks like we will be having a very sunny day today again. I hope it stays nice so we can get the truck worked on. Our forecast high is around 80 degrees.

The body is whining from all the weed pulling I did yesterday...too bad, as there is more I intend to do today. This is what I need to be doing...manual labor so I can get myself whipped back into shape and maybe even manage to drop an ounce or two while I'm at it...lol.

Our day started pretty slow...I fixed hubby bacon and eggs and some nice hot chocolate...he was pretty happy to get breakfast. Most mornings he fixes his self a bowl of oatmeal before he heads to work. I keep chocolate Quik on hand and instant oatmeal so he has something if he wants to eat before he goes to work. Lots of times, he just grabs fruit or a snack cake from the corner store on his way to the shop.

Ms Red is definitely in a molt...she looks pretty 'sorry' at the moment with her tail feathers gone and her neck feathers gone in spots. Barney and Ms Piggy seem to be doing just fine. Looks like they all are getting ready for the cooler weather...everyone seems to be huddling together. I have to laugh since the air is still quite warm during the day....Do they know something I don't?

Hubby is back to working on the truck again. I've helped him remove the hood and get the 'cherry picker' set up....that's the engine puller...looks like he'll have it out soon. I'm working on the front beds again trying to get the Spathiphyllum, Peace Lillies, moved from the front bed to under the Bottlebrush tree. They haven't really done well in the very front bed as it gets entirely too much sun. Since these plants like the shade better, I'm sure the move will really get them growing. I've been meaning to move them since I put them there when we first moved out here. Since I want to move these, that means I need to get the other bed weeded and cleaned out a bit so I can put them in the area. Works for me, the sun is just way too hot at the moment in that front bed...I had to stop and find a towel to dry the sweat that was running into my eyes as I was pulling Mex petunias from that bed. Can't believe how profuse the sweat was on my face! Glad I had my hair pulled up, was wringing wet at the back of my neck....a nice glass of iced tea and a break is what I need at the moment....hubby came in for a break about the same time.

Got the weeds and brush that I put in the firepit burned...the smoke that billowed from the green stuff sure was thick. It hung across the neighbor's pasture like fog. Smelled like fall with the fire burning. I raked the pinestraw out of the big flower bed under the Bottlebrush tree and from the walkway...had a full wheelbarrow of that as well. Sure did spark that fire right up! With as much green as was in there, I can honestly say I was very surprised to see it all burn as fast as it did. Even wet pinestraw burns pretty quick....smokes like crazy, but burns fast.
The 'Peace Lillies' are in their new spot...I added more dirt to the area and they are looking happier already. Hubby has the engine out of his truck, the old freeze plugs have been removed. He'll be picking up the new ones on his way home Monday. Talk about junk...those freeze plugs had all rusted through and each was leaking. Every one of them was replaced just four years ago.

The back and legs are protesting...all the bending and stooping while I was pulling weeds has the muscles screaming in protest. My wrists and hands have given up, they have stopped protesting with pain, now they are just numb and my grip strength is nil. Great, guess it's time to put down the rake and call it a day....just as well, I'm losing daylight anyway as the sun is already setting.

Fall Cleanup...Vehicle down

Woke to much cooler temperatures after all the rain Friday. We seem to have a cold front working it's way to our area. The morning temperature at 7:30 am was 61 degrees. We got almost two inches of rain Friday and overnight. The yard is back to standing water in several areas.

Hubby is going after a vehicle for a friend...he brought the tractor home Thursday night and took it to the back...even before the rain he left deep tracks in the yard as he drove to the back pasture. This morning, the standing water really showed the tracks as he pulled the trailer back out front.

Well, that didn't take long...just got a call from hubby...'I'm broke, bring the International'...yeah, ok...which one? Both are apart at the moment....LOL...his way of picking on me, since I broke his International the last time I brought it to rescue him. Snatched the driveshaft out of it that time. It seems his truck has popped several freeze plugs....he's known they were leaking and has been carrying water to make sure he has coolant after the truck sits. At the moment, he's letting it cool off and will be heading back to the house. Sure didn't make it very far, only about five miles from the house. Good thing he managed to get the truck and trailer back to the house...we don't have another vehicle together that will pull his trailer at the moment.

He got in and pulled the truck out back...another set of tracks across the soggy yard. We moved some other stuff around and got the truck in the 'dryer' area so he can pull the engine. Seems several of those freeze plugs are 'hidden' and a real pain to get to when the engine is still in the truck. They were just replaced about four years ago, right before he started driving that truck.
He'll be ready to pull the engine by Sunday.

While he's playing with the truck, I've been out front in the flower beds trying to get the Mexican Petunias under control again. They have just taken over everything in and around the very front of the house. The bushes that grow next to the walkway out front have gotten quite wild as well. Dragged the wheelbarrow to the front and started with the trimming of the bushes...lots of dead in all of them. Dumped two loads in the firepit and decided to start pulling the Mexican Petunias. Managed to pull two wheelbarrow loads of the petunias before dark...the front beds are looking much better. The petunias went to the firepit also. As invasive as they are, I sure don't want them in any type of compost pile.

Before I stopped for the day, I transplanted my lone tomato start over to the front bed. With the chickens being in the garden area, looks like any veggies I want over winter will be out front. The tomato was needing moved anyway as it was in too much shade under the Bottlebrush tree.

The day was pretty nice overall...the temperature hovered in the low 80's most of the day with lots of breezes to make the sunshine feel very nice.

Hubby waited til we came in and it was dark to ask about the two of us going out...seems he wanted to take me out to eat and then off to miniature golf...I declined. By the time we would have gotten cleaned up, got to a restaurant, eaten and headed on...it would have been 9 pm...just too much for me after spending the last part of the day pulling weeds. I was whipped. Besides, it's hard to justify spending so much for one meal when things are this tight. We could eat for three days on what that one meal would cost. I had made ham and potato soup Friday night and so we heated that and the cornbread for supper instead. Both of us were nodding off before the news came on at 11 pm.

Liquid Fall Sunshine

The rain moved in around 7 pm last night...it started with just little spits here and there.  By 11 pm last night, it had begun to fall fairly steady.  It's not a downpour like we've had recently, just a steady, gentle rain.  Now that we are moving into the dry season, I guess I should be thankful for any extra rain we get.  Our yard has only barely dried out from the last round of rain.  I hear the mention of 'Fire danger' everytime we have a few days without rain...you couldn't ignite my yard right now with a blow-torch, its that squishy.

All this rain could very well send hubby home early today...great, that just means he'd be underfoot inside the rest of the day.  At 7 am the temperature is 71 degrees, with grey, cloudy skies and a steady rain.  The forecast is for rain all day.  I'm hearing the chickens start their protest about being left inside...they will just have to deal until the rain ceases.  There is plenty of room in both coops for them to stay inside on days like this.

Called sis like every morning, she told me yesterday she has the baby early today, so I could call her whenever...I just called at 7:30 am and as luck would have it, she's still in bed...rain has kept the baby's daddy from working today.  Too funny really as we seem to play 'phone tag' frequently...she calls me and I'm sleeping in, I call her and she's sleeping in.  Such is life.

Finally pulled the vacuum apart again...looks like the belt probably stretched when it got warm the other day...either way, it isn't moving the roller brush at all....SIGH...and I so liked that vacuum.  Not sure if it's worth fooling with at this point...when I pulled it apart the first time, I noticed the roller brush was wallered where the end caps fit into the vacuum head.  There seems to be damage to the slot those caps ride on as well.  Great...got floors deep with dog hair needing vacuumed, friends possibly visiting tomorrow and my vacuum refuses to operate...just perfect.

I had started some of the trimming with the weedeater before dark last night...got a good bit of it done right out front along the walk and around the split rail fence closest to the drive and walkway.  Finally had to give it up the last time I ran out of line as it was getting too dark to see and the sprinkles were beginning.  Didn't get all that I wanted to do cut back, but eventually it will get cut.  The last time hubby cut out there for me, I told him to take it to the dirt...that area has been dug out and cut back hard anytime I use the weedeater.  I don't want grass or other stuff growing there in the walkway.  He just knocked the growth down a few inches.  I did manage to take it to the dirt in the parking area and around the pots by the fence.  The Mexican Petunias have taken over the front bed again and the walkway behind the fence as well.  There are a couple that have wound through the bush next to the steps...the bush is over five feet high, and the Petunias are peeking through the leaves at the top.  Looks pretty nice, but I just don't want them there.  They get so thick and I've already spotted a couple snakes next to the foundation by the steps....the one was a Dusky Pygmy Rattler.  I worry about the dogs sniffing around because of them, especially where I can't see what they are checking out.  There was an article in the paper not long ago about a 'Good Samaratin' helping someone's dog who had been bitten by a pygmy.  The person paid for the anti-venin, $2500, for the dog because the owner didn't have the money to pay for it.  Not long before that there was an article about the anti-venin being not only expensive, but scarce.  Maybe they should come snake hunting in my yard so they can replenish their supply.  We've seen the Pygmys and Corals here and several of those were pretty large for the species...right at two feet long and thicker than my thumb.

Wow, its so dark right now that it reminds me of what it looks like when we first get up in the morning.  Absolutely zero sign of the sun...rain, rain and more rain...what a lovely day...Liquid Sunshine...

Going Backward

This morning's temperature was much warmer than we've been having...at 7:00 am, it was already 70 degrees...now at just past 11 am, we are already at 80 degrees. Almost seems as if we are going backward with the temperatures at this point! Tonight's low is to be around 74 degrees from what I'm seeing. No wonder I have such a hard time adjusting to the cooler weather!

We are currently experiencing very blue sunny skies with a wonderful breeze. I love the way the wind 'talks' in the tall pines around our place. It truly reminds me of being on the mountain, listening to the wind 'talking' through the trees. Another thing to love about our 'little slice of heaven....both here and there.

After spending my entire day yesterday trying to relieve a very nasty headache, today has started pretty slow. Seems my headache was related to a muscle spasm in my neck and middle of my back between the shoulders....aaarrrggg...was painful to the point of feeling like a migraine...my eyes were squinched almost shut as I drove to make a deposit...the light from the afternoon sun made the head pound even worse. All I could think about was how badly I wanted to get home, grab an ice pack and close my eyes.

Laying down made the pain worse...ok, back to my chair with the ice pack in various places along my head, neck and finally between my shoulders as I leaned back...I found the BioFreeze that hubby has used when he has those nasty spasms and applied it to the right side where I could feel the tightness in my neck...within a few minutes, the pain was less, but then returned to the other side....ok, let's do the entire neck, both sides and back of the neck...almost instant relief. Wow, why DID I wait so long before trying this? The ice pack between my shoulders also seemed to help and once the pounding stopped, I put the ice pack back in the freezer. By the time hubby came in, the head was feeling much better and I had him apply the BioFreeze between the shoulders where I was still feeling catchy. Within fifteen minutes the pain was entirely gone...I also took a couple Advils after grabbing a bite to eat, when I put the stuff on my neck. Whatever makes the pain less!!!

While I was in town to make the deposit, I also ran up to the regular hardware store to pick up another steel/galvanized trash can. I use it for storing my large bags of dog food and my old one has been around for over fifteen years now....the bottom has totally disintegrated on the old one and has begun to 'suck' water. Makes keeping the critters out of the dog food much easier. The metal trash cans have become so hard to find at places like Lowes and Home Depot which is why I ran to the hardware store...I know they always have them. As it was, I picked up a 30 gal size, which happened to be on sale....YAY!!! Love to catch things on sale. The original price on the new one was almost $32, but the sale price with tax was under $25. As long as they tend to last, I don't think the price was too bad. At least it will keep Bear from destroying the new 40 lb bags of food when I bring them home.

Sis asked why a metal can instead of the normal plastic....we tried that prior to the metal can and the rats, coons and opossums can gnaw through the plastic...even our county issued garbage bin, which is a very heavy plastic composition, has signs of critter teeth marks on the lid. Thankfully, it is a very heavy grade plastic. The average 'plastic' garbage can though is way too easy for gnawing critters to 'eat' their way through. After going through the experience years ago, I went shopping for the metal can, which has lasted for quite some time now.

We are supposed to have another front moving across the state from the North, a cold front, and also have a system moving in from a bit of a tropical disturbance from the South...the colliding of the two systems is supposed to bring us rain, or at least a pretty good chance of it by the weekend. Great, just what my yard needs, more rain! It is still squishy in spots, although the standing water has finally been absorbed.

5 Minute Cake

Oh, this is a wonderful recipe! Thanks to the friend who forwarded it to me!! I'll send the extra weight I gain your way...LOL. The recipe is very quick and makes a moist, yummy snack with very little time involved...perfect for that 'morning coffee snack','after dinner snack' or late night 'tv snack'. Heck, I'm even considering making them for company now. Perfect for a single 'sugar binge' or can be shared with others.

First is the Original Recipe...

5 Minute Microwave Chocolate Cake....

Use Large Coffe Mug that can be Microwaved
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons Flour (self-rising flour)
4 tablespoons Sugar
2 tablespoons Cocoa
1 Egg (good use for Small or Medium Eggs)
3 tablespoons Milk
3 tablespoons Oil
small splash Vanilla
3 tablespoons Chocolate Chips (Optional) but really makes it Chocolatey

The original recipe says to put all the dry ingredients in the cup first and then mix well, add the egg, mix well, then the milk, oil, vanilla, mix well and add Chocolate Chips. It comes out real good that way, but I mix mine in the following order: Put egg, sugar and oil in cup, mix well...I use a fork...then add the cocoa and flour, mix well...add milk and vanilla, mix well, then add Chocolate Chips, if using and mix well.

Place cup in Microwave....cook for 3 minutes if using 1000 Watt Microwave...about 4 minutes if using a lower watt Microwave. Depending on the size of your coffee mug, the cake may rise above the top....this is ok. I have used a tooth pick to test for doneness in mine....REMEMBER...cooking with a Microwave is a little different...things need to set for at least 3 - 5 minutes after the microwave is off so the cooking can complete. Once the cup begins to cool, the cake will begin 'shrinking' inside the cup...this is fine.

You can eat it out of the cup, or using a thin bladed knife, like a slicing knife, loosen the cake from the cup and turn it out onto a plate for slicing, or icing. If the cake is too dry,Try 30 seconds less time, it means you cooked it a bit too long. Too gooey...add 30 seconds to cooking time.

5 Minute Lemon Cake

Use Large Microwavable Coffee Mug

Ingredients: 4 tablespoons Flour (self-rising)

4 tablespoons Sugar

1 Egg

3 tablespoons Milk

3 tablespoons Oil

*** Lemon Extract or Lemon Juice *** I like the taste of Lemon, so I used about

1/8 teaspoon of Lemon Extract...I'm thinking of using Lemon Juice the next round

Mix egg, oil and sugar in mug, add Lemon, mix well. Add Flour and mix well. Add Milk, mix til smooth. Put cup in microwave 3 -4 minutes depending on your microwave.

Cool for at least 5 minutes in cup...eat from cup or using a thin blade knife, loosen and turn onto plate for slicing or icing.

5 Minute Cinnamon Cake

Use Large Microwavable Coffee Mug

Ingredients: 4 tablespoons Flour (self-rising)

4 tablespoons Sugar

****Ground Cinnamon **** About a teaspoon or less depending on your taste...I like cinnamon

1 Egg

3 tablespoons Milk

3 tablespoons Oil

Topping...3 tablespoons brown sugar mixed with ground Cinnamon in separate small bowl Cinnamon to taste...mix well with brown sugar.

This one is mixed a bit different...in the bottom of your coffee mug, put half the brown sugar/cinnamon mix...

In a liquid measuring cup, mix egg, sugar, cinnamon, and oil...add flour, mix well...add milk, mix til smooth.

Pour into coffee mug over brown sugar/ cinnamon mix....add remaining brown sugar/cinnamon mix on top. Put cup in microwave 3 1/2 minutes to 4 1/2 minutes depending on your microwave.

Let cool five minutes in cup...BE CAREFUL...the brown sugar /cinnamon will be gooey and HOT. Turn out on plate to share or wait until completely cool to eat from cup.

Old Friends and dangerous cake recipe

Recently, we heard from a couple who used to live up the street from us when the boys were young. For the first ten years hubby and I were together, this couple were close friends and their kids and ours were more like siblings. A few years ago, they had moved to another town north of here, about an hour away. The friendship kinda got put on the back burner at that time and we gradually lost touch. Then they decided to move back in to our old neighborhood and our boys were still in that area, so they kept in touch through the kids at that time.

We haven't been to visit nor have they been here to visit for over two years....they came out right about the end of our first year here and we had went to their house before they moved back in town about the same time.

Last night we finally got a chance to go for a nice visit with them. It was really nice being around people who we have both known for almost twenty years now. Usually, it's people hubby has known for years, before we met, or people I have known for years, before we met.

We all get along really well and are looking forward to getting together again soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally gave the 'world's most dangerous cake' recipe another go...this time though, I left out the cocoa and substituted Lemon extract for the vanilla and chocolate. It came out pretty tasty but I think maybe Lemon Juice would be better than the extract. Hubby really enjoyed this version and we wiped it out before we finished watching the news.....just what I need to be doing before I go to bed....snacking. LOL

As I was relaxing and trying to clear my mind as I lay in bed all I could think about was variations on the recipe for this cake. The next one I do, I think I'll see if I can give it the topping like my cinnamon coffee cake recipe. Way too many tempting things I'm wanting to try with this recipe now!! It's so quick and easy that I can already foresee me having to really watch myself or I will be gaining waaaayyy too much weight!! But it made such a tasty snack!

I'll be passing this recipe along to my sis and friends along with my own variations as I try them out.

Disturbing news

At 6:30 am the temp was 58 degrees...the sky was pretty dark.  The house was showing about 58 degrees as well, even though I had dropped the windows before we went to bed.  Might have been a touch warmer if I hadn't left the front door open so the dogs could hang out on the front screened porch.  Such is life. 

Mojo enjoys the porch more than the other two and if he wouldn't think I was mad at him, I would close the door and let him stay out there  But, if the door is closed, he thinks he's being punished, so for now I'm leaving it open.

Hubby came home with a bit of disturbing news last night...today might very well be his last day on his job.  Seems he has finally come to realize what I've been seeing with this job.  When he was hired in it was as mechanic/driver.  The owner was wanting to retire out and had sold the company to another on payments.  When that deal seemed to fall through, the old owner took the reins back.  This was just after the accident with hubby and the oldest boy being run over.  The old owner was aware of hubby's physical condition and asked him to come back and work for him.  In the first few months, the old owner wasn't pushing him to do things outside his limits...but as time has passed, now he's pushed hubby to his limit.  He knew hubby wasn't to be lifiting, and also the climbing on the truck to tarp the load was just more of a physical job than hubby could handle.  They installed a motorized tarp rack on the truck he normally drove...life was ok.

Now it seems they want him to play laborer, constant bending, dragging and tossing.  As well as putting him in one of the trucks that not only bounces and jars his body, but is one he has to climb on to tarp again.  He's been in pretty intense pain from this for the past week.  Yesterday was his final straw.  When he said something about the new driver giving his truck back, the owner informed him that it wasn't his truck.

I'm pretty bent over the entire situation since it has cost us money for hubby to work for this group since year one.  He has not been holding taxes...which makes hubby a self employed sub-contractor...and with no expenses, we get hit for the full amount.  Hubby has stuck with this company because "..... is a good person".  Yeah, well honey, I hate to say I told you so, but I've seen the kind of 'good' person this man isn't. 

When hubby was sent home the other week 'because the permits aren't ready'...he had already been at work for almost four hours...because the boss's daughter is the one cutting payroll, she didn't deem it necessary to pay him for that day at all.  Just lots of things that have rubbed me the wrong way, especially lately with them.  When hubby only worked 13 days in August...the boss's kids who also work there, were still drawing their full paychecks of over a thousand bucks a week.  We were the ones who did without cash several weekends as the daughter didn't bother to let him know he could pick up his check after having a short week.  He was given days off because 'we just don't have the work' and then getting a phone call on Sunday night to let him know there was work Monday, with the little side remark 'you know your paycheck is at the office right?'  This after being told they didn't have the money for payroll the last day they worked.  GGGRRRR  This makes me insane.

Yet in spite of all this hubby has remained loyal to this group.  During the past five years that he has been with them, even after the accident, he has missed less than two weeks work in that entire time.  Yeah, it might take him twice as long doing heavy mechanic work as it once did and he might have to have a helper depending on what he's working on, but he's there on time every day and works at whatever they've asked.  The mechanicing he's done has saved them thousands of dollars as he's been doing this type of work his entire adult life.  He can work on heavy equipement and the semi tractors as well...re-building big engines is something he once enjoyed immensely, but has to have help with now.  Since he's been working for a flat per day fee, whether he works a few hours or the entire eight hours he was being paid for the full day....until the daughter began doing payroll.  Now it seems that they are trying to push him to work ten hour days for the same pay at times...which doesn't set well with me, or wanting him to work Saturdays and then conveniently 'forgetting' to put the extra day in his pay.  I've been ready to raise hell with them for over a year now and this is just the final straw in my book.  Makes me fighting mad when people take advantage of my husband.

So last night when hubby came home he made the statement 'you might need to go find a job'...HUH?!!  That was when he began telling me about what has been going on with the new driver taking over his truck.  He has only mentioned it a couple of times in the past few weeks and I had already told him he needed to speak with his boss about it and let him know that what he was being asked to do was creating physical issues again..  But for the boss to inform him, after referring to this semi as hubby's truck, that 'it isn't YOUR truck...that ticked hubby off.  It takes alot to really push my husband to the point of quitting a job he enjoys.  Since he began working at 16, he's held only four jobs....all of them mechanic related and the current job he went and upgraded to a CDL license so he could get away from the mechanicing. 

When he told me last night I should go get a job, my response was 'we better start getting things dealt with here and begin downsizing our junk so we can head to the mountain...I'm not working in this state again'.  Don't know what he thought about that, but the way the work is going around here, we can do better working for ourselves.  Why work for minimum wage when we can work together and make the same as what's being earned by him right now...usually more in fewer days?  We used to enjoy working together and for a couple of years prior to him working at his current job, we were doing pretty good working for ourselves.

I'm ready to take the leap and head to the mountain...things can only get better from this point on.

The Window Wars Begin

Had to laugh last night when hubby came inside for the evening...the temperature was still above 70 degrees, but the humidity was way below 50%....he came inside stating that 'it feels like it's going to get colder than last night'...HA!! This from the man who never wears a jacket unless the temperature is in the 30's and 40's.
I still had the windows open and the house was just above 75 degrees. Felt really nice to me.

Our overnight low was around 58 degrees...when I finally dragged out of bed at 8:30 am, the house was a chilly 60 degrees and the outside temp had already hit 70 degrees. When I happened to be in our bathroom, I noticed the space heater had been plugged in....hmmm, he must have really been cold this morning when he got up. That thing hasn't been on or even plugged in since Feb or March. Sure is a change from our 'normal' routine...usually I'M the frozen popsicle that's trying to thaw. I have to laugh because for years we've been having the 'window wars' this time of year. I want them closed, he wants them open even after I've turned the heat on! He's really in for a big surprise this year as I am enjoying the cooler temperatures and have no intent of kicking the heat on anytime soon.

Looking back, I remember when I lived in Indiana and the temperatures would finally hit in the 60's in the Spring...I'd be stripping off clothes, digging out the shorts and summer wear. Of course that was normally after spending the winter months in layer after layer of clothes during the sub-zero temps. Even in the Fall, mom never bothered to turn the heat on until the temps started dropping below fifty degrees...we were ready for the cooler, lower humidity after the scorching summers with no A/C. I even recall in High School during Christmas break and Spring break when people would head down to Florida and return laughing because 'those silly people were running around in heavy winter coats' during 60 plus degree weather.

Having lived down here for over twenty years, I am way more understanding of this type of behaviour now. After all, we spend over nine months in above 80 degree heat with some pretty high humidity. Some years, we begin this 'heat wave' as early as February and it hangs on through November.

At this time in my life, I am welcoming the cooler temperatures this year. The heat and humidity is beginning to 'get very old'....of course, I ain't no spring chicken anymore myself either, and that's just one more reason to welcome the cooler temps. LOL

Where is that smell coming from?

The eastern sky was beginning to show a faint yellow glow just at 7 am. As the moon was still sitting directly above us, the sky was already light. This morning's temperatures weren't quite as nippy as yesterday's...it's 60 degrees at 7 am. Even the house was warmer...65 degrees this morning, compared to 55 degrees inside yesterday. I did drop several windows yesterday evening because the wind was just flat cold. But it feels wonderful not to be sweating my eyes out!!

As I was sitting here online checking email, reading the paper, my nostrils suddenly filled with the odor of men's cologne. Hubby doesn't wear cologne (he had already left for the day) and I haven't worn perfume or cologne in months. I sniffed the freshly washed robe I was wearing to make sure it wasn't the laundry soap fragrance. Nope....so I wandered to the open front door...couldn't smell it there either. After a few minutes, the smell was gone. Hmmm, it almost reminds me of cologne I've smelled before...one I associate with the cops I've known. All I can say is if the cop that lives next door is using that much....he really needs to lighten up. No way should I be smelling it that strong sitting inside my house, from across his pasture with my windows closed. Their house sits on the far side of their property. So, who knows where the cologne smell actually came from....I'm just glad it's gone as it was beginning to make my eyes water.

The cooler weather seems to have an adverse affect on Ms Red's laying....she doesn't appear to be molting, but she has stopped laying for the time. Could just be 'her time' but she hasn't laid since this time last week. Ms Piggy is still not laying at all. They all get the same feed....Layer Granules and the three grain scratch, as well as greens and whatever they manage to scratch from the ground. I carry them treats like left overs and occasionally cottage cheese,milk or sour cream gets mixed in with their feed. Penny and Patty are still laying very well.

Penny managed to escape yesterday...I'm not sure if the wind allowed her to get over the gate, under the shade net or if she just figured it out on her own. We did have winds blowing at about 16 mph according to the weather last night. Regardless, I went out and put her back in the pen and fastened the netting down to prevent her or Patty from escaping that way again. I'd really hate to lose them to the dogs or one of the hawks at this point. I just happened to be watching them from the window when she made her escape. I was glad she didn't decide to go far from the pen area and also glad she's not like Piggy and Red...both of whom run like they have never been touched by human hands. Patty actually jumped out of the nest box when Penny made her escape and came running to the gate squawking in protest about being left inside alone. Was pretty funny....lol.

Guess its time to go find my socks and get these toes warmed up. Somewhere, I know I have a pair of slippers, but I'm sure the socks will be easier to locate. Been sitting here wrapped up in my afghan as I drink my morning coffee. Time to find the clothes and begin my day...

What a weather change...great day for the Flea Market

Brrr...this is what I'm talking about!!! The temperature this morning at 7:30 am was 58 degrees...finally feeling like real Fall weather! We had mostly fair skies and a very chilly breeze for the entire day. My house never got above 70 degrees and outside, it managed to hit right at 80...that was in the sun.

We went to the Flea Market this morning...yesterday got hung up with hubby trying to finish his welding job for the neighbor....as it happened, he ran out of gas for the MIG welder so the job had to be put off until he can get more gas Monday. Always something.

Since I was wanting to try out the juicer it only made sense to head for the Farmer's Market...been a very long time since I've been out there. Can't believe how much of the produce is from out of state...I would have thought there would have been more local produce...that's how things used to be. Was hoping to pick up some apples....but they were just way higher than the store...sigh...and many were prepackaged just like those for sale in the local grocery. There were some nice looking plums and pears, but again, they were a bit pricey.

Got some nice Beefsteak Tomatoes from Tennessee...some cukes and some red and white grapes. Most of the produce was pretty pricey....we saw a large pumpkin similar to the ones we've bought in years past for Halloween....$28 for that! Dang...don't know where they are bringing them in from, but that's a bit much for something that won't last 24 hours in Florida heat once its cut. My girlfriend said WalMart had them for less than $5...she knows how I feel about WalMart. Not a store I tend to shop...but there are times when I will go there for certain things....usually camping stuff.

When we got home, I got the juicer set up and the fun began. My first juice was the grapes. Man they sure did make some awesome juice. The next juice was Tomato Cucumber. Now that was an interesting combination. Was very tasty, hubby really drank it up...even the 5 year old granddaughter was impressed with the grape and the TC juice. I froze the grape pulp and the TC pulp was put into a vegetable soup for tonight's supper. The cuke's really gave a different taste to the soup, which came out excellent. The juice is getting drank by both of us...figure I can drink my veggies and end up consuming more in this manner than trying to eat that many. I get full too fast when I'm eating unless I'm working like a field hand, which is rare at this point. So since I'm constantly carrying a glass of something around, might as well pick up my daily veggies in my glass. The recipe booklets that came with the juicer have some very cool combinations that I'm looking forward to trying. So far, I'm really impressed with this juicer. Like anything else in the kitchen, it's not entirely 'mess' free...got to clean the filter and the pulp container after each vegetable or fruit, but it would be that way with anything else too. It's pretty quick and very quiet...the guys were watching tv while I was juicing.

All in all, a pretty good end to a pretty good weekend...it's the 'good times' that I look forward to.

Fall, Bikers and a Trip to the Flea Market

The cooler weather sure has made sleeping nice. I've been able to turn the fans off at night and even though the 'hum' of the fan doesn't really bother me, it's nice to hear the night sounds of nature without it. We dropped down to about 70 degrees last night, wasn't too bad for sleeping after the summer heat and high humidity. This morning the sky was pretty clear with lots of sun...this afternoon, it has become quite overcast with a fairly steady breeze. It's about 84 degrees at the moment and feels pretty warm in the sun, when it's not playing peek-a-boo through the cloud cover.

Figures we'd have a breeze going today and clouds as well....the weathercaster was showing today as one of those 'perfect' Florida Fall days....and also spouting about what a great weekend for all the Bikers in town for Biketoberfest. HA!! The wind however was in the forecast for today, with riptide warnings for any beachgoers as the wind is coming in from the ENE.

The oldest is here with the granddaughter...he's working on his truck and she's entertaining herself at the moment, or hanging with 'Pappaw'....he has her occupied elsewhere at the moment as he is in the middle of a small welding job for one of the neighbors.

Things are kinda quiet around here today. When the welding job is complete, I'm hoping to make a run up to the Flea Market and check out/purchase some fresh local produce. We were watching an Infomercial last Sunday and it happened to be one for the "Jack LaLanne Juicer"....I went online http://www.powerjuicer.com/index-pro.html and hubby and I decided to go ahead and buy one. It came yesterday and I'm dying to try it out.

Since our garden is done and everything it once held has been long since consumed....looks like I'll be purchasing the veggies and fruits instead. I can hardly wait! The produce we get at the local grocery chains, in my opinion, suck. No taste, or poor quality garbage....stuff I'd put on the compost pile myself...wouldn't even bother feeding it to the chickens. I'm not real sure 'why' the grocery store produce is so tasteless, but it is for that reason that I stopped buying anything other than potatoes or onions fresh. If the veggie doesn't taste like a veggie, why bother?

In addition to the fresh produce, I'm hoping we can maybe pick up some of the huge fresh shrimp we have gotten there before. They were awesome. Since it is Biketoberfest, there will probably be a fairly large crowd out there....but should be able to find some bargains with all the local merchants whining over how little the Bikers are spending this year. Seems like all the merchants really want is the cash the Bikers bring....they continue to whine about the noise, the crowds, etc....to the extent of saying 'we don't understand why we have to have two of these type events every year.' Give me a break!! Biketoberfest is fairly new....I think its been around maybe fifteen years or so...maybe less. But again, Bike Week has been an annual event for over 60 years here. Sounds to me like the whiners need to go back to wherever they moved here from.

Cooler weather and Biketoberfest has begun

Temperature this morning is a cool 64 degrees at 6:30 am....it's the same in the house as outside.  The clouds must have been a little thinner this morning, as I was able to see the 'glow' in the eastern sky through the trees as the sun began to rise.  Haven't really seen much of that lately with my sleeping in...lol.  We have a cool front moving in across the state that is supposed to bring us temps in the low 60's at night in the coming week and highs in the low 80's.  The lower humidity makes it feel much cooler...but I am totally enjoying the Fall weather this year.

Biketoberfest began on Thursday and the Bikers have been rolling into town all week.  The paper has had several articles about how fewer people are in town for this event and fewer dollars are being spent.  Well, DUH...the whole economy is in the toilet and yet our area expects these people to come throw their money our way?  One of the news programs last night was saying how in years past we've had over 500 thousand people come in for this event and now we are seeing less than 200 thousand.

Well, for starters, our city leaders and the local people pissed and whined about the noise that accompanies the Biker events to the point they began heading out to other 'biker friendly' areas.  These same people griped about all the traffic, both bikes and people, clogging up the main roads as they stopped at vendor tents set up along said main roads.  Yeah, it was a headache at times to navigate through the sea of bikes in some areas, but the businesses sure didn't mind taking their cash.  These same Bikers dumped millions into our local economy twice a year and have been doing this now for over 50 years during Bike Week in the Spring.

Since all the whining and increased fees for the vendors, one smart person or group, developed a huge, multi-acre Motorcycle "Mall" on the far North end of Daytona.  That sure pulled a lot of the Biker traffic away from Daytona proper.  Of course, now, the same ones who pissed and whined over the traffic and noise, are now pissing and whining about the loss of revenue from these events.

Granted there are those Bikers who still are the hard core 'bad boys' most people think of when they hear Biker, but for the most part, these people are rarely the 'rowdy' crowd of the early years.  Our local cops have imposed fines on those who insist on 'showing off' either by driving reckless or exposing more skin than some people care to see.  Not so long ago the phrase "show us your tits" would have the gals lifting their tops, flashing the crowds as they rode past.  Nowadays, the gals are being cited for 'indecent exposure' for lifting their tops.  The 'bad boys' showing off barking tires, pulling wheelies and rumbling loud pipes are also handed pretty steep fines for their behaviour.  The local cops are constantly harassing the Bikers when they are in town and it has become a bit of a joke about coming down for Bike Week and ending up staying because they got jailed.  One would think that some of the citations and fines are just the city and counties' ways of making a profit from the events.

We used to go to some of the festivities up until a few years ago.  Since hubby's accident in 2004 we haven't went much.  All the walking and standing tends to put the both of us in major pain afterwards.  Since we don't have a motorcycle we just don't hang with those that do.  Personally, with all the idiots on the roads around here, I'd just as soon have as much steel as possible around me.  We used to trail ride the motorcyle and that was way more fun than playing dodge the idiot on the roadways.

Last night we headed over to a friend's house and the road that leads there has a biker bar on the corner...a very popular place way out here in the country.  As we were coming back home several bikers were heading into the parking area behind the bar....they were making left turns across the main road to get there....instead of waiting for us (we were heading straight on the main road), about six of them cut us off by turning directly in front of us!!  We were in the van...can you not see this monstrosity heading your way?  Hubby had to actually stop in the middle of the road to avoid hitting these morons.....and they wonder why so many die on the roads during these events.  Granted, some accidents are caused by people not paying attention to the bikes on the roads, but many more are caused by the idiot on the motorcycle doing dumb shit like pulling out in front of someone.  Good thing the brakes work well on the van is all I can say....especially as it was already dark when this happened.  Sure would be nice if these out of towners acted like they had a bit of common sense...wonder if they drive the same way when they are in their home area?  Or in their vehicle instead of on a motorcycle?  Really makes me want to be on a motorcycle.....NOT!!  Sad to say, I used to adore being on a motorcycle...not any longer...not in this state.

The day is looking very nice...cool air here at 11:45 am, bright blue sun filled skies with a very nice breeze.  I've had several deer visiting the yard this morning...a couple of does, the young spike and even a small fawn came out for a run across the front yard.  They wandered to the neighbor's pasture and hung out there for a bit after visiting my yard.  All of them are wearing their darker 'winter' colors now.  So cute to see them in the middle of the morning...they were here just after 9 am.

Guess I'll head into town and get my grocery shopping done...I'm out of several things at the moment.  Wow, just checked and its only been ten days since I went to the grocery last...must have forgotten several things on that trip!  That's what happens when I'm not in the mood to go to the store...I truely hate grocery shopping nowadays....unfortunately, I enjoy eating....LOL

Middle of the month....already?

Wow, it's almost the end of another week and here it is already the middle of October! Didn't this month just begin? Where does the time go?
At 9am the temperature was still 73 degrees...feels wonderful... at 11 am the temp has risen to 83 degrees with humidity at 50%.

I slept in a bit this morning, was 8:30 am when I finally dragged out of bed. The changing weather tends to really mess with my sinuses...always has...and with the cooler, dryer days just beginning here the sinus issues are flaring as well. Just creates some nasty headaches and of course the stuffiness. If the weather will co-operate and stay cool, I'll be able to adjust within about a week. No matter where I've lived, seasonal changes always trigger a sinus attack. That's what truly makes living in Florida challenging at times...the weather being so hot and humid for most of the year and then the little subtle flips where the humidity drops briefly. Totally messes with my head...literally.

Last night when I went to close the coops for the chickens I decided to see if I could get Ms Piggy to play nice with the new girls. I took her from her coop and put her down in the garden yard. Penny and Patty were already inside their coop. After a few minutes of checking out where she was, Piggy headed inside. OMG!! The first thing she did was to grab Patty and throw her almost out of the coop. Poor Patty jumped out of the coop, running for her life...Piggy was hot on her tail, and attacked again. Enough is enough! I went in to the area, Patty came running to me to save her. Poor baby...she was just trying to go to bed. Got her inside the coop and shut the door to keep Ms Bi-ach out. Spent the next fifteen minutes or so trying to catch Piggy...she just acts like she's never been touched and was very evasive. Finally got a hand on her as she was ducking under the coop. Back to your own space girlfriend...these gals don't need your bullying. As it was almost dark by then, Piggy acted a little dazed when I put her in her coop...goofy girl.

This morning one of the neighbors came down to see if I had a dozen eggs...woohoo!! Got my first dozen sold from Penny and Patty...$3 / doz for their jumbo eggs....each egg weighs between 2.5 oz and 3 oz. (I weighed them singlely) That's pretty close to what the store is selling jumbo brown eggs for in our area...but mine are fresh and my girls aren't full of chemicals or jammed in with others to the point where they can barely move. These are some happy chickies and their eggs taste yummy.

Hubby asked last night about putting together a portable run for them...hmmm, sounds good to me, what do you have in mind? Seems the school they are demolishing has some twenty foot wide chainlink gates...he was thinking about fastening them together and presto! Instant portable pen! Of course we would have to close the top with wire to keep the hawk from dropping in and the girls from flying out...but it would be an excellent way to allow the chickens to be 'out' in other areas of the yard. I'm almost excited about the prospect of the portable run. The joys of working in demolition jobs...cool stuff to re-use!

Our buddy with the chickens is trying to get things worked out with his girlfriend....at least that's what he was saying last night...not sure what the outcome there will be. Still not sure of the breed of chickens he was mentioning. Might go there this evening since he was having a talk with the girlfriend last night. Our tractor is still at his place and he still owes us for the mowing that has been completed and he's wanting his back pasture mowed also. Fine...just finish paying us for the front pasture and then we'll get the back done. One of the reasons I hate doing work for friends...bust our butts to get the job done and then end up waiting forever to get paid. Hubby was not thrilled at the delay in payment either.

Got the new electric bill this morning...WOOOHOOO!!! So nice to see this thing below $100...this has to be one of the lowest ones we've had here...just over $78!! Of course the heat has dropped and I haven't had to run the A/C either. At this rate, I think I may wait until we start dropping into the 40's before I kick the heat on....could be January before that happens....LOL. I'm soooo over the heat that the cool air feels marvelous!!

On to the laundry and getting myself motivated to do a little something around the house today...hubby said last night he was needing work clothes washed...and I've got a good many of my own clothes that need to find their way into the washer as well...might as well 'git er done'....lol