ICICLE ROOFTOPS!!!!

Lawns and rooves resembling frosted vanilla-crème cupcakes. Flowers, that just weeks before were hidden with straw, but balmy conditions that caused them to burst back through, are now brown and welted from freezer burn. The Cherry Blossom trees that adorn three places in my yard are the only living tree or plant that has been able to withstand the iceberg we experienced and continued to hold its blooms.

I’ve always heard that birds store food away for cold winters like these, but I haven’t seen any decline in their feeding schedule at my house – even the mockingbirds who never eat out of my feeders are bullying and crowding everyone else out, trying to get to some food.

My husbands’ biceps have increased tremendously, if from nothing else, but toting huge pots of front porch plants back and forth from the porch to the safety of our carport. Every time the temperature is going to dip below freezing, I ask him to please put them back under the carport again. But then the sun comes back out for about a week, and my porch looks empty and sad, and I ask him to move them all back again.

One thing I know for sure, he will never agree to buy huge/heavy pots again, and until we hit a streak of a promised above 35-degree weather again – he will not be moving those pots for me no matter how much I whine, sad-face or pout at him about it.

Our security/border fence on one-side of our yard came down (more like got destroyed) during Hurricane Michael. And while we were blessed that is all that happened to us structurally, it’s been better than three months now, and we were past ready for it to be put back up.

Everyone else, builders that is, were so busy making actual homes livable again for the thousand of people who need their help, so we knew we would have to hire either individual help or do it ourselves.

This past week was the coldest week of our year so far, and as it turned out, it was the week my husband didn’t have any escort work lined-up so I’m sure you can guess what that meant! We headed out to our local Stones to buy all the item’s needed and he started to work on the fence. It was just him and another helper, so it was slower going than usual, and add a rain day thrown up in there as well, so it would be several days before the new fence-line was up and finished.

As worried as I was about him freezing to death, especially since he was just coming off a week-long winter-cold, there were actually days I came home to find he had peeled-off some of the outer layers of clothing, coat and sweat-shirt and was working in long-sleeves with a long john shirt underneath.

But as cold as it was, and as unaccustomed to that weather as us Floridians are, it was not the -76 below and -56 below that other states were experiencing and for that, I was surely thankful!

BIRDS GALORE!

For those of you who get tired of hearing about my birds – you might want to stop reading right about now. But you’re going to miss out on hearing about all the “new” birds I’ve had at my feeders; birds I’ve never seen the likes of around these parts before.

About three weeks ago or so, I realized I had ran out of my regular bird feed and I was almost out of the peanuts. So I headed out to Lowes for my feed as I get my regular bird feed from there. Well low and behold, they had plenty of feeders – houses, tray/plates, and even hummingbird feeders, but all they had for regular bird feed was the little 5 and 10 pound bags. Shoot fire, none of that was going to do, my birds can go through that amount in less than two days. I couldn’t even imagine – did they think birds don’t hang around here in the winter?

So, I thought to myself, I need to go to my local Bell and Bates store anyway, as that’s where I get my bird’s specialty feed. I decided I could just look for the regular feed there as well once I arrived. I drove back to Quincy entered the Bell and Bates and there where all the Cole’s feed is usually stationed – the end-cap was full of feed just waiting on me.

Now from Coles my birds especially like the Blazing Hot Meat blend; I can’t hardly keep that in the feeders. And if you are wondering if it’s really hot, both my youngest son Zach and husband put some in their mouths when I first started bringing it home. It’s hot. I promise. Down the aisle was the regular feed and they had it in 25 pound bags so I went ahead and bought two.

The cashier rang-up all of my items and I can only imagine was she was thinking. I had almost $50 worth of feed on that counter – all for birds!

Anyway, I got home, and remembered I hadn’t ordered my peanuts. So I went on-line and began that process only to find out, that they too, were out of the 25 pound bags I normally order. They only had the 50 pound bags – and well – you know what happened. My birds have to eat.



As Amazon promises, the peanuts shipped and delivered in two days. I don’t think I was quite prepared for what 50 pounds of peanuts really looks like! I had absolutely nothing to keep all that in order to keep it fresh. So yep, you guessed it, another trip to Bell and Bates was needed to buy storage buckets with lids.

You may think I overly obsess about my birds – but they bring me joy – they bring me peace. The pure pleasure of front porch sitting and watching what surprise will fly up next – well, you’ll just have to experience it for yourself to know. If you want to see Baltimore Orioles, both male and female which are different colors, woodpeckers galore, blue jays, cardinals, sparrows, finches, and a couple of pine warblers – feed your birds.

The Holiday Trap

Well folks, we’re on the backside of Christmas and New Year’s and hurdling straight into the month of Cupid, hearts, candy and flowers. Any store you might enter appears to be totally confused as to what should be on display and it’s kind of confusing to the consumer as well.

You arrive at whatever store, your frame of mind set on what you traveled there for and you walk into the front door and on the right-hand side of the entrance is a pile of combined Christmas and Fall decorations, all marked down to the low, low price of next to nothing. Then on the other side of the aisle is SURPRISE! NOT -Valentine cards, decorations, napkins and coffee cups blaring out those little sayings like “you fill me up with love and warmth” – you know that cute little double entendre that makes you wanna gag unless you’re young and in that icky kind of love stage; which for the record, I have not been since 1979.

So, you are visiting this store looking for artificial flowers for a potential flower arrangement, but as soon as you walk in the door, that whole mind thought has disappeared and your brain is doubling down trying to mentally calculate the percentages off certain merchandise as you are steadily packing it into your cart thinking “man, what a deal!” You know when you get home, you’ll have plenty to explain, so you’re already conjuring up your very rational reasoning for buying a cart load of stuff you won’t even look at, much less use until next year! But that’s okay, because you’re a pro-defender of buying things on sale. Who could NOT buy that adorable little pumpkin napkin-holder for $2.50 when it had been $12.50 – right?! Who in their right mind could walk away from that kind of deal? Especially when NEXT year it is going to be just ADORABLE as the centerpiece on your Thanksgiving dinner table! That’s what I’m talking about – sell it sister! Sell that idea like you practically stole it from the store!

But then, your eyes wander to the other side of the entrance way – where all those hearts and mush are just staring at you, daring you to take the leap, walk over, and check it all out.  The little heart door-hangers, decorative wall-hangings, all the things that make your heart pitter patter for days gone by. And even if you’re past that particular stage in your life, most of us still have children and grandchildren who come to mind when we see all those things. I bought my children Valentine boxers and candy until they were well into their 20’s!

Somehow, that day, I made it past the holiday traps. I actually walked straight past it all, and headed towards the seven rows of artificial flowers that I would now bury myself into trying to find the perfect color combinations. After looking at different shapes and shades of flowers until my eyes were blurred, I found what I needed and walked right out of there with no “extra’s” in my bags! Well, except for a few funny birthday cards I snagged on my way out. But that’s another addiction topic for another day.

ROLL TEARS ROLL

I was home alone, so whatever was about to happen and take its place in history – it would happen without an audience.  It wouldn’t officially start until 8pm, it was already dark outside, I was already half-sleepy, and I was already wondering if I would make it until the end to see the results.

I had been amped-up about this for days! I mean who wouldn’t be? Well, I guess fans of other teams could have cared less, but I am a true-blue Alabama fan, so the fact they had made it all the way to the National Championship – well, I could barely contain myself.

So, there they were, Alabama and Clemson, set to take the field. All the niceties were over, interviews said and done, and Clemson’s band was on the field for one last show before kick-off.

Both teams individually burst onto the field, pumped and exhilarated with what must have been the ultimate high. The game was being held in California, where obviously, neither team was from – but given the colors of orange and red spread throughout the stands on all sides – you would never know these southern teams were in a foreign state.

I had actually read earlier that day on the internet that tickets were hard to sell, and they were worried about the stadium being filled to capacity. Well, if there was a seat left, I surely couldn’t tell, and they were of course, all mixed together as that’s how random seats are sold. No one side is sectioned off for either team. So, you could fully expect to see an Elephant head sitting next to a Tiger face and looking like they couldn’t be happier about it!

I’m going to be truthful and tell you that I knew from the initial kick-off, things were not going to go well. Alabama was intercepted on the first drive and it was all down hill after that. Yeah, we scored a few touch downs but we couldn’t get a ball between the uprights to save our soul. Clemson came prepared and ready, and they came at Alabama with all their heart and soul, ALL NIGHT LONG.

But I’ll tell you what impressed me the most about that Clemson team – they loved and believed in God and were not afraid/ashamed to say it. Before the game, after the game, so many of them interviewed, gave all the glory to Him.

Football Is What You Do.  It Is Not Who You Are. – Trevor Lawrence said, “It’s kind of always been my personality. Football is important to me, obviously, but it’s not my life.”   

Situations Do Not Have to Define Leaders – he added, “I would say knowing who I am outside of that, so I just know no matter how big the situation is, it won’t define me.”

A Leader’s Identity Should Be in Jesus Christ And Who He Says You Are – Trevor concluded by saying, “I put my identity in what Christ says, who He thinks I am and who I know that He says I am.”

That’s the winning Clemson Quarterback right there folks. That’s a young man, who’s winning in life.

Congratulations on a well-deserved win Clemson!

Days of Dining

There is a restaurant that my husband and I frequent once every couple of months; the name of it is The Wilderness Cabin and it’s located on the east side of Tallahassee. It’s a totally buffet-style place to dine, with a large open area, decorated to match the name, and clean. Always very clean, and the lady that runs/owns it must be at least in her early 80’s, but man alive, does she run a tight ship.

They have waiters and waitresses, but with it being a buffet, their only jobs are to tend to your tea/water glasses, make sure you’re still doing alright (usually asking when your mouth is full of food) and then they leave the ticket behind – assuring you there is no rush, just pay and leave at your leisure/convenience. And of course, keeping the tables clean as diners come and go.

All of the wait staff dresses in black and white clothing, and all know their duties, as the owner’s eyes rove often and see everything, and no area better sit too long with empty chairs and dirty table-tops. She runs the kitchen staff in the same brusque manner – as no warming-tin had better be scraped empty before another is replacing it – even if she has to do it herself, which she has.

The restaurant has been open about three years now I guess, and what I have noticed the most is the crowd it attracts. There are on occasion younger folks who come in to dine, but as a general rule, I’d say the crowd age range is between 60 and 90 years of age for the most part. And I do mean 90, equipped with walkers, wheel chairs etc. And they are all dressed to the nines as they say, complete in their best Sunday dress, fancy church hats and all.

And while they do draw a huge Sunday lunch-time/after church crowd, you will see them dressed that way pretty much whatever day you grace the inside of those doors. It’s a generation that still believes in dressing-up to go out and dine, and it’s hard to believe that Levi’s and flannel shirts have ever been a part of their attire.

Because of the cost, you’re not likely to see gangs of families with handfuls of children – and honestly, that’s alright by me. Frankly, it’s nice to go somewhere, sit down and eat, without loud groups of people or antsy children who can’t/won’t be made to sit still in their seats. And because no alcohol is ever served – this is strictly a sweet tea joint - you never have to worry about unruly scenes of any kind.

But mostly what I notice, is myself and my husband, being noticed. People looking at us as if to be thinking, “oh my, what I wouldn’t give to be that young again”. Because I’m noticing them as well, in their fine clothes, carefully combed/fixed hair, and wondering if I too, will have still have that grace and care about myself when I reach their age; it’s definitely some to aspire to.  I pray I do.

Vacation Well Spent!

I was off the entire week of Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. There was a lot going on in that time; cook, eat, clean, repeat. We ate all the original meals of course, the turkey & dressing and all the makings for Christmas, and the hog jowls, blackeye peas, and turnip greens for our New Year’s Day meal. We ate our jaws off folks. It felt like every time I turned around we were eating again.

And in the middle of both occasions, of course we were sick of holiday food, so we ate a bunch of other stuff. At some point I can remember saying I needed to eat some “real food” – so nothing would do but to grill a steak and bake a potato. I also made a huge pot of vegetable soup and some cornbread to go with it. Between holiday food and real food – we didn’t miss a lick at eating I can assure you of that!

We also somehow managed during all that table-grazing, to take down all the Christmas decorations and put our house back in order. As I’ve said before, I’m always excited to decorate for Christmas, but I’m also always ready for it all to come back down, four something weeks later.

But the thing we seemed to do the most was watch every single thing on television that we could possibly find to watch. All the college football bowl games, about 15 episodes each of Andy Griffith, Gunsmoke, and MASH. We also watched the Kennedy Center Honors – which among the honorees was Cher and Reba – both stars known nationwide by their first name.

But as is usual, we use time off like that to watch movies we’ve been wanting to see but never seem to have time. We watched several and while I won’t give complete reviews (mostly because no one probably cares) because I don’t want to dissuade anyone from watching the best movie they may have ever seen – I am going to tell you Dumplin was absolutely wonderful and Bird Box was horrendous.

Dumplin was full of Dolly Parton songs, Dolly Parton fan-girl’ing, and Dolly Parton’s ideas about love and life and how all that should work. It was heart-touching and necessary and it made me cry. I never really cry anymore.  “Find out who you are and do it on purpose. —Dolly Parton” If you hate feeling better about yourself – this is not the movie for you.

Bird Box is everything that I never watch – apocalypse-like activity, very graphic violence mixed with entirely too much spooky stuff. Voices in the background that didn’t belong to people or bodies and creatures in the woods threatening to snatch you and make you become one of them. I didn’t do my normal movie review prior to, so I take complete responsibility for scaring myself to death. Which also resulted in my having to watch 20 episodes of Friends until 2am in the morning to get past “the voices”. If you like terrifying, end-of-the-world movies, then this one is for you.

I know, I said I wouldn’t give my review. But some movies should come with warning labels; and I just gave them to you.