More rain still!

It's gone from being mud to water puddles to an obstacle course to the truck.It's still raining. But no complaints until the grass has to be cut and we start finding critters in the trailer again lol.oohhh Just got a severe alert on hubsteads phone(scared the crap outta me)they have a flooding advisory out this morning.I didn't know his phone did that.He went and got him anew phone and I'm still learning how to use it.

In the meantime,over on the couch I have a sulking dog that would like to go out and I know he does,but,MOM it's raining!I don't want to go out and have to pee in the rain. I promise to learn how to use the commode like you and daddy.I bet that's what he's saying.He isn't budging to go out.Dang dog.

The Rain stops me

I didn't get to the doctors office today.We had flood warnings.If you look over in the state of Texas,it's 6:17 p.m.right now, see that big rain blob,yeah that's us getting some much needed rain.The only bad thing,these streets flood like crazy and I was not about to attempt it.The creeks are bad about flooding too.

Heather I am happy to hear from you sorry about the long reply LOL.

I talked to my brother in Alabama today and I think he is more excited about the property than we are.He has always been interested in real estate and he was figuring out our square feet on the place.I love him so much,he's so funny.
Well thats about it,I'm pretty much done for today.Have a happy weekend everyone!

Here we go again shrink visit

I'm sitting waiting to go see my shrink this morning.Yes I do see one,for about 10 minutes if I'm lucky.I have to tell him the medicine he has me on isn't working,it's making me sick and I'm moving. Here I see him every three to four months and I haven't been in a while cause honestly I don't like the place.I was suppose to be in therapy but they don't really care if you get help or not especially if you're on medicaid.Well I found another doctor back home and I'll have to go once a month and see a therapist and a doctor. YAH! This is what I wanted anyway.I'm not nuts mind you,I have a chemical problem and I was on Lithium and Zoloft.I'm sure someone out there can relate.I'm usually stable but if I get stressed I can feel it.This is another reason why we are moving back home,living here where we are has stressed us out,both of us.So getting some quiet time is a must right about now.And taking on something new which we like will help and focus us in a different direction.We have talked and talked about this moving and getting our own property for a few years and now it's real.

Because of the stress I haven't been focused enough to do any beadwork,my passion and just sitting around has made me put on a few more pounds than I like.So yeah a change of pace is here.Blogging has helped.It get things on my mind out.I lost a lot of my friends and family when they found out I was bipolar and really they didn't want to understand.My hubby has sat thru some terrifying episodes of mine and I thank God every day he's still here.Once he educated himself on what it was he figured out how to handle me.I have been on meds for a few years now and they have helped.He told me I wasn't the same person any more since I started taking them.Good,bad? he said I have really calmed down which is a really good thing.I feel better but Lithium will put weight on you.Gotta see the pros and cons here.

I still can't be around a crowd of people even though I've tried.It makes me feel too enclosed and I can't breathe a.k.a panic attack.So usually we go to the stores a little late at night and it doesn't effect me.I don't go during holidays,I do everything before hand so I don't put myself in that position.I have several methods of handling different scenerios so I'm good.

I have only a handful of family that understands what is going on and I am very thankful I have them.I think that's because we all have the same condition LOL! It runs in the family.It's a good thing.

It's been raining here since yesterday and what a relief.That rain came down,it was a heavy rain and it soaked everything.I tried to get Orion to go out but he stuck his nose out the door and a raindrop hit it,he didn't want none of it.But it's ok if it rains light no biggie going out then,coming in smelling of a wet dog.I need to get some batteries for my camera and take more pictures.I will definately take pictures while we are on the road,I always do that.The only part I'm dreading is having Orion stuffed in the truck with us,he's never been as far as he's going and I hope he don't get motion sickness and start throwing up.It's going to take us about 8 hours to get there.

I wanted to add this cartoon I thought it was funny.If you can't read it says"I said the Schmitt house"

and this one- yeah been there done that LOL!

Well Happy Friday everyone!

Difference in Rural Living and.......

I have decided to a blog on the difference in lifestyle definitions.Now this is my opinion and what I have seen and read and done.I love country living and here is my take on it.

Country Living is living out a.k.a.in a rural setting.My furniture would be early American having quilts on the bed and a fireplace and home cooking.Also being on the grid or off.This is a short version mind you.

Off Grid living means to me of being self sufficent in doing daily stuff and living without being hooked up to the local utility company- electric or water.Having a well for a water source and oil lamps and cooking on a wood burning stove.Canning my garden food which you can do also in country living.Maybe have solar panels.Same as country living.

A survivalist.At dictionary.com describes this-
ur·viv·al·ist   [ser-vahy-vuh-list]
w IPAnoun
a person who makes preparations to survive a widespread catastrophe, as an atomic war or anarchy, especially by storing food and weapons in a safe place.

I'm not this,and my problem with this is people take these things to extreme.Also can cause itchy trigger fingers.Maybe we may have a catastrophe who knows.But when people want to just live a simple lifestyle there's nothing :extreme: about this.What ever happens in this world will happen.

Way back in the 1800s' most people had guns,went hunting and fishing for their food source.Kept the fireplace burning,lived without electric and had to haul water from a creek or well.Grew their own food.I wouldn't call this extreme,I would however call it a hard way of life.They knew it well.I feel that this is the way America is heading.People need to learn how to do things for themselves.Learn what they can and get out of the house and off the dependency of electrical help.Also called cell phones and computers and T.V.

I love hearing stories and reading blogs on how people are teaching their children to do "CHORES".Making their stuff by hand and learning the old ways of doing things. This is life,it's what makes a person happy and content.I think we all want to be that way and if living in a rural setting and doing the things I mentioned,freakin great! That's where I'm headed.I would share my bounty with my family and my neighbors.I wouldn't hold up in a place and be paranoid that someone is trying to steal or take something away from me.I know there are mean people out there but I also feel there are better people too.What I am saying is when you have faith in God and you care about your fellow man,a door is always opened.
These are my opinions and thoughts.I hope I didn't upset anyone for writing this.But there are differences in any lifestyle and where ever you live,live life to the fullest.Only God knows when things are going to go haywire.I don't believe in the Mayan calendar, I believe what the bible says.

Pine Nuts,Woven Blankets and Native things

If you have never cooked with pine nuts,you should try it.Don't eat these if you have an allergy to nuts.
From About.com
Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pine trees. They are small elongated ivory-colored seeds from pine cones, measuring about 1/2 inch long. When raw, the seeds have a soft texture and a sweet, buttery flavor. They are often lightly toasted to bring out the flavor and to add a little crunch.

The most commonly harvested seeds come from four particular pine tree varieties: the Mexican pinon (Pinus cembroides), the Colorado pinion (P. edulis), the Italian stone pine (P. pinea), and the Chinese nut pine (P. koraiensis). It takes anywhere from 15 to 25 years for the trees to begin producing the seeds and up to triple that time for them to reach top production. The majority of the North American harvest comes from wild, uncultivated trees. For the most part, the seeds are harvested by hand, a contributing factor to their expensive pricetag.

And they are expensive BUT they are so good.Some pesto sauces have pine nuts in them. The first time I used them was when we had steak one night. I cooked some onions,bell peppers,mushrooms and pine nuts in a skillet and WOW it was so good.It gave the combo of food a different but unique flavor.Add the pine nuts after you've cooked the other ingredients for a few minutes.They are soft and will cook hard.

From Wikipedia-

Just sharing something I really like!

I don't know how many of you have any woven blankets,mine are store bought but they are sure warm. I have gotten to where I can fall asleep under one faster than I can under a regular blanket.I bought this turquoise one and hubstead confiscated it from me.

Mine,I have fell asleep under this one many and one times-

My extra one-

These are the only three I have but would like more.The turquoise one came from El Paso Saddle Blanket in El Paso,Texas. It's heavier than the other two and a tab bit warmer to be under.

Now for the Native things-This was the first thing I did with the Cheyenne Lazy Stitch.It's a comb holder with a round mirror at the top.

My in-laws went to New Mexico and found this cute vase

Some wall decor from Sams'

They are really nice plaques.And now my camera decided it wanted to run out of battery juice.Well I'll have to take more pictures later.Now you kinda see why I like it out here.But I figured out that it's just a place and as long as I keep it in my heart,it's ok.I love surrounding myself with this stuff and along with my beadwork I can create an atmosphere of being there.YAH! It's all good.
Hope you enjoyed the pictures and if you have something in this line let me know.Please go visit the website for the blankets,they have alot more stuff there too.I'm gonna get me a queen size bedspread before we move.

Just some little tidbits here for Monday,have a great day folks!

Another example of packaged seasoning

Fall and winter has always been our time to make Beef Stew. So today I went and fixed one of our favorite dishes. I put it in the crock pot with the seasoning to cook all day and it sure was smelling pretty good this afternoon.So I tested it to see if was done and it was but it lacked something. After much thought,I added so ground cloves and a pinch or two of some celery flakes I had dried.It tasted a lot better so I sat down with a bowl and some leftover biscuits from this morning.

OMG I thought for sure I was going to have call hubstead to come home.I started sneezing and coughing and couldn't breathe,and it made me so mad!Now I have a bad headache and gonna have to nurse it for a while.Still hurting after 4 Advils. I looked on the package seasoning mix and this is what I found-

your regular ingredients,salt,onions,paprika,black pepper,thyme,sugar,tomato
extras-hydrolyzed corn gluten,soy protein and wheat gluten,caramel color,whey(milk),citric acid,yeast extract,xanthan gum(what the hell is that?),beef extract,and natural flavors.

Now something made me have a reaction,I usually don't eat black pepper(could of been it)gluten?maybe.What is those natural flavors?I don't want to know.But you can bet when we get our garden going,I won't be eating none of this stuff.I'll add it myself.

I have a hard time eating anything with black pepper and /or tomatoes.Tomatoes don't give me a hard time as much as the other but I watch my intake of it.I never add black pepper or salt to our food and I let hubstead add his afterwards.Since I have gotten older,it's getting harder and harder to tolerate these two.I love chili and spagetti but have to eat those in moderation.Oh the agony of it all!

Searching thru blogs

I was just searching thru the blogs people post on here and ran across this-http://www.shabbygalsnest.blogspot.com/

She has the most beautiful redone furniture that I have ever seen.You should take a look.

Pretty Things

I have always liked doilies and when I saw these I thought how cute they would look on the nightstands next to the bed.I am planning on doing our bedroom in Dark green,maroon,light green,and pink with a little flavor of Ireland tossed in.(yes I'm Irish)I have some really nice pictures that will go up on the wall depicting Woodsmen and Castles.I am still at the auction sites I love and am trying to find more.Now all I need to find is the lamps and throw rugs.

I don't know if it was the weather or what but I must have picked up a 24 hour bug somewheres.I stayed in bed most of the day today and sweated it out I hope. I feel alot better.Too bad I didn't have any chicken soup,that would have been so good! I am enjoying this cooler weather and Orion seems to be doing the same. He wants to stay out alot more but we had that rabies scare and I don't let him stay out too long by himself now.He's been chasing that dang rattlesnake back under the house again and I keep telling him he's gonna get bit and he won't like it.When we first got him I caught him outside playing with a local mouse tossing it up in the air.So who needs a cat when I have a bonafied mouse catcher.It was bad I know.Must have been some of that wolf in him.We have a rather large deer mouse living under the trailer.I think it might be what he is chasing too.

This isn't the one but to give you a picture of what one looks like.Ours is so cute,they have the face of a mouse and the body of a rat,tail included but it doesn't seem to be a nuisance however.

Everything is nice and quiet right now at the moment and I keep wondering how it's going to be like at the new place.I was reading an article earlier on how they took a picture of what looks like a juvenile cougar up near there. I'm thinking great this is all I need.But also remembering Alabama has so much in wildlife.Cougar a.k.a.mountain lions,turkeys,quail,deer,feral hogs,foxes and numerous other critters.I told hubstead we are gonna have to have some sort of protection around there.I don't want them eating our chickens or Orion going after them.He has no idea what a critter like that can do to him.

Can't wait to sit on the porch and have my coffee. Looking forward to getting the garden in,yeah I'm getting impatient.I wish we were there already.Just a few more months.The weather says we are suppose have a hard winter this year.Oh well.I got to get me some winter clothes it looks like.I got a feeling we are going to be getting out in it this year and next.

Recycled Pillowcase

I had one pillow case left and nothing to do with it,so I cut this one to fit the laptop because we keep it out all the time.Now the pillow case is a lap top cover.This one isn't sewn on the ends yet but the idea works.

Wanted to share.

Saturday Rains and Orion

I keep asking myself,where was this rain this summer? I get the same answer ,I don't know.My pots outside are staying wet and I have nothing planted.I didn't want to plant anything right now cause of the move we are making.

Sweet summer(Fall) rain?

Thats ok next year they will be full!

The front yard is nothing but mud.

I had to hollar "cookies?" on this one to get him to stand still.He decided barking at the neighbors was more fun.

He was not happy with me on this one.I told him NO
Mom did you say NO to me? Yeah we'll see about that.

Hes' got some big ears and can hear anything.

Asleep or awake or both? Dang dog!

He misses his Dad!
His fur always looks like that,I've never had a dog with such shiny fur.

On one of my auction sites,the lady told me that these were for medium size dogs.So silly me bidded on these and won.Come to find out they were for a small dog not medium.Anyway both are handmade and too bad cause they are really cute.I don't know what to with them yet.My neighbor has two small dogs and was gonna ask her if she wanted them.

Well that's all I got today,fixed me some coffee and sitting here trying to figure out what to do next.Hubstead(yep that's his new name)can't wait .They made them work today when they were suppose to be off.We had alot to do today and now will have to wait til tomorrow.He was not happy about it.Yesterday was his birthday and yeah he had to work but afterwards he went to the store and picked up some steaks and potatoes and a salad.That's what he wanted and at 11:00 at night I cooked for him.I know it was late ,he's a night person which I still can't get used to after all these years!

Signs -Signs-Signs

I decided to make signs to put in the cabin,so,I have been on here trying to make some signs up that will look pretty.In the kitchen until we can get "in the habit" I am making one for the kitchen scraps that will go into the compost heap.Usually the stuff went in the garbage can.Another one will have to go in the bathroom for the compost toilet til we get the septic tank put in.Another will have to be made for the burn barrel.I'm debating on telling people if you bring in plastic,take it with you.Good idea? I really don't want anything plastic on the property.Hard to get rid of.You think that might be rude of me?

I have been on here and looking locally for glass containers and lids.I really like Corning Ware.My mother-in-law has some.I'll get it later.But for now I'd like to have some.I also broke her lid on one of them long ago,oops.I can't believe how expensive this stuff has become.Just like Tupperware I guess.I got to get my collection of cast iron pots and skillets going to.I love cooking in these things!We have stainless steel now and if you don't spray them with non stick spray,yes they do stick bad.Used to when I was younger and had no patience,sometimes I would get so aggravated at the skillet sticking,it would end up in the yard.Many and one skillets ended up that way.Now I just watch what I buy.

Oh I miss mine!I had quite a few pieces but lost them(no I didn't throw em out the door).They have a place here that have small pots with the lids.It's a surplus store,mmm think I might try there again.


Ok back to the signs.Someone has told me that we need to put No Trespassing signs around the property.I will have to put some up for Orion,he's such a good watch dog and will sound an alarm before hand if someone walks up to the house. We are going to be setting off the road,as a matter a fact,you won't even be able to see the cabin from the road.We are trying to figure out about a gate too for the driveway. I wished in a way I could find something here,something unique to put up.Nothing fancy but a reminder of Texas.No stars though.Of course a chain thru a fence post will work too lol.Good grief I just looked at some No Trespassing signs,I didn't know there were so many!

Well just some thoughts here to look back on,some for Tuesday.Thanks for reading!

Sundays' Whatsup?

You know if I never talk on the phone again,I'd be happy.For the past few weeks I've made so many phone calls getting information about getting set up for our move.I talked to the electric company ,the water company,the tax office,the cabin people,the U-haul people,and the block people and we finally got an rural address!.All has been written down and put away.It's finally cooled off here and we had a little rain.Orion is some what sick at his tummy and I don't know if it was something he ate or the weather.He does have some allergies poor thing.But Mommy Human does her best to look after him. I gave him a face washing (yeah with a wash cloth)when he came him from throwing up and now he is laying down.I think we may have a rattlesnake under the trailer and I'm so hoping he don't find it.He has already chased one back under there.

I have been looking at our property pictures and it dawned on me that we have a lot of pine trees,so I went looking for some sites that has pine needle baskets.Yup I am.I already know how to make coiled baskets so I figured why not? I could sell these too. See I have always been the type of person,usually,that can catch on to stuff pretty quick,all I have to be is shown how to do it.

This one is from Mother Earth News


I am a basket collector and if I can't find what I want ,I try to make it.Besides they're good to use for the garden.When we get our fruit trees in,they will be a big help.Hubby is already looking at tractors.I was a bit surprised but he said he wanted one and has already picked one out.I told him a weed eater and the lawn mower would have to do for now LOL.He is getting excited about the move too.We were talking about the local wildlife last night and how we are going to have to have something for critters and protection.And we talked about the chicken coops and the chickens.So maybe this is gonna be a good thing for both of us.He's not a farmer but we were both raised some what in the country life so I think we will do good.We don't know how long we will be without internet service,that's one of those wait and see things.But I promise to take pictures and post as soon as we get there and you can see our progress.


I've got all my seeds in and most of the garden supply things for now.We have been watching the weather because if we can we may leave sooner than march.My brother has a wood burning stove he said he would let us have and we're thinking as long as we got heat we could muddle thru the winter til spring.Also he's going to let us use his generator too.So I think we will do fine!

Life in the South

http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/calhoun/history/letters/earlyday86gms.txt

If you want to live a country life,this is what it was like in the early south.This touched way down deep.Copy and paste.

September Closing In

Now it's September and it won't be too long til moving time. These months it seems at the end of the year always goes fast.Next year I'll be able to see the springtime blooms of the Dogwoods and other trees.See our oaks trees get leaves and I'm hoping we have a few maples.The fall time in Alabama is usually pretty.Of course I really like the fall in Tennessee.Especially on the Blue Ridge Mountains.Here in Texas ,it's brown from season to season except for the pine trees and cactus.A few trees do good at first until the dreaded heat comes.What was I thinking? Well, I do like the southwest it has been interesting and productive.But you can only do without rain or seeing green for a bit.It's been 5 years since we moved here.We came with nothing to our name and stuff that only fit in our small truck.Now we will have to have a U-haul to move it.I am trying to get some help with getting the cabin moved onto our property before we get there.We wanted it to set up on blocks which the cabin people will do,I just got to get someone out there with the blocks.So much stuff and so little time.Our little cabin will look like this one.May have to have a bigger porch.

We talked about going out on the our porch and sitting and taking a breather from life for a while.Everything has been so hectic here we need it.But things will come as they come and no more running around like a chicken with our heads cut off(no pun intended to my chicken friends).We know there is going to be alot of work going on but just for a few days would like to take some time off.


Today I won an auction for some Roma Tomato seeds and some hot pepper seeds.I am trying to add to what I have.http://www.listia.com, I may be biting off more than I can chew with all these seeds but I want a nice garden.I am only ordering things I know we will eat.I am trying out a few new seeds,I've never ate kale or I think I haven't,I am a salad person during the summer and I got lots of seeds for that.Next year will be deer hunting season and my brother will take hubby out with him YAH!.We have Buffalo here but it's expensive.You don't get much for your money.We'll have deer,turkey,feral hogs,fishing.Oh yes my freezer will be full.Most people there have so much deer in their freezers,they'll be more than happy to give you some.Oh and finally Christmas with family,that will be odd.


Had to go buy some ink for our printer this morning.Decided to go early before this heat started in.I guess that is what I'm tired of ,being a prisoner of this heatwave.
Well I'm off to color my hair and do a trim job on it.I don't like all the gray that shows up.Besides it takes 5 years off my looks LOL!!!