Monday, May 17, 2021

Monday Message

"The counsel to have a year’s supply of basic food, clothing, and commodities was given fifty years ago and has been repeated many times since. Every father and mother are the family’s storekeepers. They should store whatever their own family would like to have in the case of an emergency … [and] God will sustain us through our trials." (James E. Faust)

Only you know what your family would like to have in case of an emergency. Take time to ponder that. Perhaps make a list and each trip you make put a few things from that list on your grocery list, it will add to your storage.

Spring is here, says Spot the dog. I thought I would put a flowering plant in this dog planter I got from a yard sale years ago. It makes me smile every time I see it.

This week I had the spring cleaning bug. I went through closets and drawers, switching winter clothes for summer clothes. So that is tended and looks great besides.

The plants are growing and very soon will go live in the garden.

I have done some yard clean up and planted the pots on the old stove with peach colored geraniums. I want something pretty for my neighbor to look at while she does her dishes.

I did a little weaving and spinning but spent the most time on the spring clean up and organizing.

We seem to have wind every day which hurts me so. We usually have our rainy month in April but this year we have had very little of it in April, I am hoping that isn't a prediction of our summer to come.

For the next two weeks I won't have to work as hard and can rest up for garden planting. I did move the tubs I use to container garden in because the sun there was good, with so many of our trees gone I have moved them to another area. Spot, the flower dog, thought it was a great idea too.

Last year on May Day our new neighbors two houses away gave us a wrapped roll of toilet paper (remember it was in short supply then) and a paper basket of candy. We found the toilet paper still wrapped but a chipmunk tore open the candy and ate it then left the wrappers behind. I am sure that was one wired chipmunk, too funny. The neighbors have two young boys so this year I made a grungy treasure map that would lead them to a treasure. I rolled it and put it in their screen door. The treasure hunt would eventually lead them to a "crows nest" aka their swing set, it has a raised area where they can decide what direction to go like down a rock wall or to slide down. The treasure was a big box of Fruit Loops, fun but not too bad for them. I hope they had fun. 

I used to do treasure hunts with my kids. I have mentioned before about the dress up box and the grandkids, we would dress up and go on a safari to find the stuffed animals. A bishop stopped by while we were in costume, it was a bit embarrassing but fun was had.

So as summer approaches and kids will be done with their studies, plan some fun. It doesn't have to cost money to create memories.

In the morning when I get up I go in to open the curtain in the sewing room and Gus and Missy know that means we all look out the window. Well on this day we were looking out and saw a father walking his daughter to get her safely across the busy street, then she skipped on her way to school which is a straight shot after that past our house. I have missed the kids going pass on their way to school. She was dressed all in pink. The pandemic has been so long...it is good to see a little skip to school. 

Later, I was up sewing and saw a man standing, waiting for something, and I told Gus if a pink clad little girl comes by that is her daddy. Sure enough it was. 

Long ago when our kiddos went to school I would know the time of day by kids coming home. Our yard is almost an acre and I was sitting on the ground weeding strawberries and several kids cut through the yard. Wrapped up in their conversation, they didn't notice me there till they were very close then they froze thinking I might scold them. Not me, it was a shortcut for them so I greeted them and they were happy I wasn't mean. Long ago I was the shortcut kid, I saved almost a quarter of a mile in a just short of a two-mile walk from school by taking a shortcut. My favorite thing was not just the shortcut but walking by a house that had the prettiest bleeding heart plant by their backdoor. I wonder now did they watch me stop and look at their beautiful plant as I walked by, I wonder...

It does not take anything to be kind and yet it is everything.

To this day bleeding hearts are my most favorite flower ever and some day I will plant some for a passer by to love.

Gus says please keep being safe.

Missy says be kind to others.

12 comments:

  1. Debby in Kansas USAMay 17, 2021 at 2:53 PM

    Your little Spot made me smile too! I imagine he's feeling pretty fancy with those lovely flowers on his back.

    I miss geraniums as a perennial. In Cali, I had a whole bed of peach geraniums right outside my living room window and they were so fragrant that the scent wanted all over the first floor. Mmm.

    I always loved treasure hunts. We did a couple in college and at camp. They're equally as fun to set up as to participate. My brother in law does them for his grandkids at their lake house.

    I did some stocking up this weekend in anticipation of price increases on paper goods. I heard that cooking oil was another thing to get but our Sam's club hasn't had Canola oil for a few months. I've been cleaning and sorting as well and it feels good to see some space where things were crammed in. I also love unearthing lost treasures!! It's like an effortless shopping trip.

    Are Gus and Missy shedding a lot? I could always predict a hot summer when I had cats. Clumps of hair would float off them when they walked by lol!
    Have a good and restful week before you do your planting!

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    1. no not too bad on the shedding so far. those geraniums turned pink from the peach color...but still pretty. i now am done planting and still hurting it was a week ago today and still hurting...

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  2. Great post today, the bleeding hearts made me smile ;). And your story about being the short cut kid. People are funny, I know a few people in our neighborhood who are obsessed with kids walking/or riding their bikes on their driveway. Doesn’t hurt anything…yet these guys start ranting and raving. One even put a blockade so they couldn’t cut the corner. I don’t understand the rage or meanness…oh well, everyone is different. I would rather smile as kids zoom by ;). I enjoy your blog, don’t usually comment. Thank you for the time and effort it takes to write each week.

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    1. yes being kind takes less effort then being unkind is what i say...when you are kind it helps your well being and lifts another...i am glad you commented

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  3. That is so sweet you thought of your neighbor. I love Spot the dog planter. I love the treasure map. I hope the boys had fun.
    My city was one of the cities that CDC used as guidance to put children back into school. We had a successful rate of low infections with kids. Our kids did have a full year for the most part. We only have one neighborhood boy go to school full time. He is in a special needs program. The bus picks him up at his home. I was so excited the day I saw him outside with his Mom waiting for the bus. He likes to visit the neighborhood dogs while waiting. My baby girl keeps him company. I love seeing kids back in school.
    I was a shortcut kid too. :) I can't believe people would scold. They are kids, not little robbers, lol. I remember the yards I cut through how the adults were always so kind & encouraged us kids to talk to them & share our school adventures. I can't imagine if one of those adults scolded me the damage it would have done.
    Love to Gus & Missy. Definitely staying safe. Our mask ordinance lifts on Memorial Day. We hit the Green goal of CDC requirements. I am fully vaccinated by Wednesday (tomorrow). DH & I are so excited.
    Stay safe and thank you for sharing the stories. It made my day to hear about lil ones treasure hunting and going to school.

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  4. I love that you still do May Day. After my family left Iowa when I was nine no one seemed to know about it.

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    1. i don't know if many do it still but it was fun for all my kids loved it. remember we had to do it in secret or they had to kiss us? something to that effect but that never happened last yr they had a note saying from the blue house so i signed the map....signed the red house just so mom and dad would know it was ok.

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  5. Things are getting back to some what normal around here. There is nothing sweeter than seeing the 'littles' walking to school and home.
    Love your kitties!

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    1. yes we lived across from the school when our girls attended it but years ago the town took it down i loved hearing the kids at recess i missed it when it went away now the new school is several blocks away straight up the sidewalk from our house it is a nice school only our youngest attended it but we would go there in the summer so they could play on the play ground which by the way i helped build with the rest of the community.

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  6. Oh Becky I love this post. It is so kind what you tell about the children in your garden and the bleeding heart. I hope you soon will plant one because it will be loved by you. Love, Heike from Germany

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    1. As it turns out my husband got me one for mother's day I do go out and look at it everyday I do love it

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