A Tisket A Tasket

These are some of Mama's baskets . . . 

Have I ever told you how talented my mother is? If I haven't, I should have. Mama can do anything. She taught herself how to make baskets out of pine needles. It is very time consuming. Some people have asked Mama if she wanted to sell her baskets but she's put too much time and patience into them. It takes days to make a basket. 

A friend told Mama that her baskets were very valuable. Like the old saying goes, if you have to ask how much it costs, you probably can't afford one. I am encouraging Mama to put her baskets in the fair this fall to show them off. By then, she should have dozens at the rate she is going now and she can pick her best, although I think all of them are the best.

But seriously, aren't they beautiful? My mother has always been able to create beautiful things. I'm not surprised to see her mastering another craft. She's incredible for an old woman. I wish I was half as talented as she is. She's my hero.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Moving Ain't Easy

Scout had to move his little metal building after he came back home. Scout and Bob, his boss, got the little building one day when it was dry enough to move it from Sugar Valley to Resaca. It has been raining, off and on, for weeks and the ground was a little soggy.

It was exciting to see Bob's big red truck pull into the driveway with a long trailer behind it, carrying Scout's little metal building and a big green tractor on back.

The little building was easy to move because of the sturdy floor underneath it that Scout built. He didn't even have to empty the building before moving it.

Bob's tractor backed through the gate and lifted the building up over the top of the fence. It was impressive. Don and Scout watched Bob work.

Scout and Bob are such a good team working together that it didn't take long at all for them to get the little building set up.

Bob sat the little building beside the barn and then they leveled it. Colt helped. Now Scout has a place to keep his things.

It's good to have friends who help you when you need them. Bob really came through for Scout. We're all grateful. Thanks Bob. 

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Slogging Along

I know I keep complaining about all the rain we've been getting but it doesn't ever seem like things will get back to normal. After it quit raining one day I went outside to take some pictures of the flooding. Bear in mind that the water had gone down a lot already. 

This is our neighbor's driveway. Water runs down the middle of the driveway and floods over into our circular driveway. Water floods across the gravel we got last year and flows toward us.

The water forks off towards the corner of the house, puddling  up next to the foundation, and continues to run by the gravel all the way across the front of the house.

I can't believe we are having this trouble. We thought the gravel would keep us from parking in mud. Instead it diverted the path of the water and caused another problem.

The  backyard gets it's share of water every time it rains, too. That's why Scout built the bridge a long time ago. It's usually a dry ditch but when it rains, oh buddy, the bridge comes in handy.

                                     

The water runs around beside the carport and down the ditch beside the hedge that grows between our property and the neighbor's on the south until it finally runs into the ditch beside the highway.

We are going to build up the soil in front of the house and have a raised flower bed to keep the water away from the foundation. I hope that helps.

Every spring Don treats the house for termites. Termites thrive on a water supply so it's important to keep the house as dry as possible. If we can get guttering up and redesign the landscape a little bit I think we can fix this mess. The only trouble is, we have to wait for it to quit raining so much.

Who'd of ever thought I'd be complaining about rain again? Instead of complaining, I should just be thankful we have a house. I guess the drought is officially over. I wonder what kind of summer we're going to have this year. Hot and humid, or dry as a bone?

AS ALWAYS

PIO

MARCH

I don't know about you, but I am excited because it's nearly spring. I hope to have another garden this year.

Well, well, well. I never thought I'd ever find any alcoholic drink I liked until I decided to buy some Peach Schnapps one weekend. I read a recipe on the back of the bottle for a Fuzzy Navel so I decided to pick up some schnapps and vodka. The first time I made one I thought, "Uh ... that's good." 

Tonight I thought, "What the heck? I don't have anywhere to go, or anything to do, so I think I'll make me another Fuzzy Navel." I had a jug of orange juice in the refrigerator. I added a couple of maraschino cherries and juice. All I needed was a little paper umbrella to make it festive. After drinking a couple of drinks I declared them my new favorite cocktail. They're sweet, and peachy, and have a fuzzy taste to them like when you eat peaches. Yum, yum. It's the perfect southern drink. I think I'll declare it cocktail hour more often. 

Not much has been going on around here. It's the same old same old. We sat in the sunlight on the carport today watching the crazy goat butting his head against the apple tree that is growing beside the bridge out back. When he tired of that, he butted his head against the park bench sitting under the tree. He also likes pooping all over the bridge. Little goat droppings are scattered on the wooden planks. Daddy calls them smart pills. No, really. They're smart pills! Try one and see if it doesn't make you a little bit smarter. 

Colt's on spring break this week. Colt's building homemade banjos out of old peanut cans, duct tape, and broke guitar strings. They turned out surprisingly good. Today he went to Bigham's Music Store in Dalton to see if he could get parts for a foot pedal for a guitar. Lord knows what he'll be up to next.

We had a visit on Sunday from our buddy, Jason, who came to see how we were doing. Colt roped him into helping change the oil in his Ford Focus. Jason always gets roped into helping the boys when he comes to visit. He's too good natured for his own good.

I'm getting tired of the cold, and hot, then cold again, temperatures. And the rain. Lord I'm getting tired of the rain. Even if all the pesky insects don't die, I want sunshine and warm temperatures. I want to watch things grow. I'm ready for spring.

I've got to go now. I think I hear Colt in the kitchen cupboard with my Peach Schnapps. I'll holler back later.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Heather, Jami, Dana, Mike, Mary Jane, Johnathon, Jason, Alex, Patsy, Sunshine

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

RIP
Jerry White, Debbie Chitwood,
Crick Marshall, Mary Bell Carter, Evelyn Chastain, and Lela Smith

REMEMBER
the blizzard of 3-12-93