Velveeta Boxes

Have you ever given any thoughts about Velveeta boxes? You know, that little cardboard box under the Velveeta lid...I hadn't. Whenever I would open or finish with a package of cheese, I would think to myself "that's a pretty cool box" and then in the trash it would go. A co-worker that I can call a dear friend told me recently about how her family laughs at her for saving all the Velveeta boxes. Wow! I've caught myself saving these things! I have just about packed up everything in our house. My junk drawer in the kitchen is even packed. Well, I have started a new one and it's totally organized with Velveeta boxes. Instead of running my hand through everything in the drawer, it is neatly put in it's own Velveeta box. I've been thinking about all the wonderful ways one can utilize these handy little boxes. After letting this preoccupy my mind with all the different ways, I got to thinking that if I were a host on a home shopping show, I could probably sell these boxes! Wouldn't that be a hoot?

Okay, I'm really not nuts...or I don't think so...yet. But I do let my mind wander to get away from the daily hum-drum stress. So, if you haven't caught on to Velveeta boxes, try it. It sure beats buying all those little plastic partitions at the store and then ending up with a cabinet full of those. The beauty of a Velveeta box is that it goes right in the trash when you're finished with it.
Thanks Robin!

Happy Trails....

What A Zoo

This weekend the project that took priority was enclosing the back of the catch pen with mesh hog panel so we can contain the dogs out there. One of the lovely joys of living out in the country is that every Tom, Dick and Harry will dump their beloved Jake or Sam or Muffie on the side of the road after they've tired of them. Hence, "Jasper" arrived at our place. He is nothing but a huge lovable puppy. Did I say puppy? Yes, and all the antics that come with him. We worked so hard out there in the heat getting the pen ready and brought our dogs out there. "Jasper" was at our feet wherever we went, right in the big middle of everything.

He's the golden retriever plopped down in the pool. Isn't Gretchen cute in there? Okay, so we get the fence finished and walk away to see if ours are going to find a way out. Who digs a hole but Jasper! And then follows Gunner and Gretchen. We gave up and let them out. Harley stayed right with us but Howard, the Basset Hound, wants to wander. That's how he came into our family. We found him in the middle of traffic in Magnolia. The slug doesn't much like it out there. So to conclude this story, we loaded up our babies (and that's a comedy in itself- I have to use a ramp to get the 65lb slug in my truck) to come home and Jasper was running behind us down the road. We have checked with neighbors up and down the road but no one claims him. It'll be interesting to see if he's out there when we get back.

We were hoping to stay out at the RV but still need to get some kinks worked out. Some electrical issues with the outlets and need a cap for our Stop & Go Potty. Always something. So now our goal is next weekend to stay out there.

No showings this weekend on the house. Pretty disappointing but I'm not going to get down about it. I know that God will take care of it.

Happy Trails...

Meet Peggy and Patty

It's been a long time coming but I finally have my kitties, thanks to Lynsey at Yonder Way Farm. I always said once I get our barn, I'm going to get some kitties. Peggy and Patty have survived their first two nights out at the farm. The first night they stayed in their crate outside the barn under the lean-to. Last night I let them out loose in the barn. This evening when I drove up, two little heads poked out from under the barn wall and then suddenly disappeared. Then they were back...and then gone again. After filling their bellies, it was fun to sit and watch them play.

How did I arrive at their names? My sisters will remember this one.. when I was a little girl living in Houston, we had neighbors around the end of the block named Peggy and Patty Wingate. If you're out there after all these years and reading this, no offense. Well, being the middle child, my two older sisters naturally took up with Peggy and Patty... and I always got left out of their foursome. One day they all decided that I could be in there "club" but had to be initiated first. Remember those little turtles about the size of a 50cent piece that a lot of kids had as pets? To be initiated in their "club", I had to drink turtle water. Yep, that's the nasty water that filthy little thing was living in. And yes, I do remember drinking it and no, I was never allowed in their club. Duh! So now I have my own Peggy and Patty that are delighted to have me as their own club president!

Isn't this attractive? This is our newly rented Stop & Go Potty. I had to add this picture. A lot of you have been asking about setting up the RV and "facilities". So this little gem got delivered today and is a temporary septic system. We actually use the bathroom and all the conveniences in the RV but it goes in this and then gets emptied out once a week. So.... we're in business!

It's Official! We put the house in town on the market this morning. Tomorrow they can start showing it so keep us in your prayers that this goes smoothly. I do not like this part of moving. I have never liked selling a house or buying a house. I have completely turned this over to God to take care of. I have prayed and prayed about this and this is the direction in which I've been led so now I sit and wait..and continue praying.

I have to add that I have the best husband in the world. I've been putting out a lot of requests to him lately to "please do this" and "please do that". He's been awfully cooperative and supportive of me and all my little quirks. And I love the way he loves my critters! I love that he enjoys them as much as I do. We have so much fun together! I am truly blessed and my cup continues to run over.

There's a lot happening now so I'm sure I'll be returning soon..

Happy Trails....

Snakeskin

I finally got the picture transferred over from Buddy's computer. Now you can really tell how big this snake must have been.

I forgot to add in my previous post that we found bits and pieces of snakeskins in several of the outside storage closets on the RV. The rain is really bringing them out.

Last week when I was out at the barn feeding, I was petting Bridget and walked around to her other side to find a live snake on the ground. We both saw him at the same time and Bridget snorted and quickly jumped back. I was looking for something to get him away from there. All I had was dirt clods. Ha! Fortunately at that time it hadn't rain and it wasn't mud clods! So I'm throwing dirt clods at him and he goes right underneath my step to the barn. Great... I keep throwing at him and he slithers IN the barn. To remind everyone, we don't have electricity in the barn so I'm walking in the dark.. I open the door and there he is right behind the door on the dirt, curled up with his head out looking at me. Needless to say, that day I opened the big door to let light in before I went in the feed room. By the way, the snake went under the lumber pile and that was the end of him. I never got a good look at his head to see if he was poisonous.

I can't really say that this is the country life because the dogs found one right off the deck here at the house.

Today is yet another day of rain so it should be interesting. We actually need the rain. The area corn crops have shot up and the watermelons are taking off.

Happy Trails...

Creepy Crawlers

Buddy and I spent the morning making yet another haul to the storage container and then went to work on getting the water running from the well to the RV. Remember when we connected it last week, we had water running out one of the hoses under the RV to the ground. So my brave husband crawls under the RV to check it out and all I hear is "Oh, My God"... Oh, My God"... then he backed out.. There was a very large snakeskin under there. It was fresh because it wasn't there a few days ago. So... I crawl under there and gently pull it out. I lost part of the tail but holding it up, it was longer than I am tall! Buddy took pictures of me holding it but I don't know how to transfer pics from his computer to mine so I took pictures of it on my camera once we got home. It measures in at 6 feet! I put my little wrought iron wienie dog next to it (it measures 14 inches). The diameter of the snake is 3 1/2 inches. What's worse than crawling under the RV and finding a huge snakeskin? A huge snake!











As we continued on around the outside doors in the RV, we opened the door containing the batteries and it was full of cracked pecan shells. No telling what little creature was in there eating.
And we're sitting there thinking that we want to move in out there?!?
Despite it all and Buddy's huge fear of snakes, he did crawl back under there and accomplish getting the water running through all the faucets....so yea!! another step closer to getting out there... even with all God's little creatures we will have..
Happy Trails...

It's a Slow Process

It's been almost a month since my last post but we're slowly making headway. It seems like every time we seem to get ahead a little bit, here comes more rain which creates more delays. Buddy had 13 loads of dirt hauled in to work on the road and put in low spots but he hasn't been able to get in there with the dozer because of the rain. We hooked up the water from the well to the RV but have water coming out a pipe under the kitchen to the ground so now Buddy has to figure out how it was winterized...either a valve is shut/open or a plug is missing...always something. Not only am I anxious to get the water running in there to use the toilet but I want to get it cleaned up so we can stay out there.

I have to share with everyone what we found under the kitchen sink.

I was looking at this snakeskin and realized it's two! These two lovely darlings were in my kitchen doing their thing! How rude!

While sitting outside enjoying the day, I noticed this little creature making it's way on the picnic table. I have no clue what it is but, not only am I not a photographer but I'm not an entomologist. I wish you could see how perfectly knit together this caterpiller? is. It's like the wrapping is braided around it. Amazing. And it had this one horn protruding on top like a unicorn.

Between working and traveling to grandchildren's birthdays, we're continuing to get the house in town ready to put on the market. All the rooms are empty except for very little in our bedroom and everything else piled in the den. With high gas costs, we're utilizing every trip to the orchard to haul a load out there. It's dwindling. God willing, tomorrow will be another day to get a lot accomplished.

In the meantime..

Happy trails...

God's Sprinkles of Pink

God has taken his paintbrush and frosted the orchard floor with sprinkles of pink buttercups. It's absolutely beautiful. We have diligently been moving more things out there in hopes of getting the house in town ready to put on the market the end of this month. One of the things we loaded up and planted out there was the patio swing - right in front of the RV. I can't put into words how relaxing it is just to sit out there and take it all in.

Our plan this week is to continue clearing out the house and getting it ready to sell. Everyday we are given blessings and today did not go by without my acknowledging a huge one. I have searched so many times throughout the years to find the phone number and address of an "army" friend I met in 1971. While going through old papers in a drawer, I came across an old post-it note with her address and phone number that I jotted down the last time we talked about 8 years ago. I thought to myself that since God let this paper come back into my hands, that surely the phone number will work. I called and it rang...and then Kaye answered. The sound of her voice made my heart sing! How blessed I am to have her back in my life!

Happy Trails....