Secrets of Simple Living

Dig the well before you are thirsty. ~Chinese Proverb

2012-02-17T16:55:00.000-08:00

Good Morning from Harmony Acres, USA. I am so excited about spring which arrives on March 20th not too happy about daylight savings time (March 11th). However, when I can work outside till 9 p.m. before it gets dark, then I will be happy, I think....

The weatherman says it's going to rain tonight, so today I am trying to get all the laundry, dishes, pet feeding dishes and anything else that requires more than a couple of gallons of water done. Why? you ask. Because when it rains here, we have very little drainage in our community and it can get a little dicey. You know what I mean? I could put in drainage ditches but it has no place to go but across the fence on my neighbor. Not a good idea.

Sorry! Once again, I am rambling. What I want to share with you today is how we went from very uncomfortable to very comfortable financially digging our well one small shove full at a time. In these uncertain times, it is absolutely essential that we be prepared for whatever economic climate we may experience. Over the past year, we have made many small changes that have really added up for us.

These are the top 10 money savings tips for our home and our Simple Living lifestyle:

1. Beck and I are still couponing. It has become a way of life and we love the challenge. If you are not couponing, you have missed the money boat! Our 3" coupon binder is now more full than empty and our freezer and pantry are also more full than empty. Our checking and savings accounts are also more full than empty (not rich yet, but comfortable). There are some weeks that I don't even have to leave home to purchase anything! We always save over half (usually a lot more, 78-86% is not unusual) on our grocery bill by using coupons and buying what is on sale. I love buying name brand cereal for 50 cents. Becky's speciality is Walgrens. Even some of the checkers can't believe how little she pays! We also shop Dollar General using coupons. Just wait til I plant my vegetable garden this year! Will save lots more and be able to "put food by". How exciting is that?

2. Swagbucks is another way I earn a little money from home. At this site, I can watch videos, do surveys, snag Swag Codes, play games, search the web and various other task to earn points. When we accumulate 450 swagbucks we receive a $5 credit from Amazon. We chose this option because Maggie, who thinks she is a princess, eats two cartons of Cesar's (a little pricey for so little) a day plus dry dog food. We order it from Amazon (we are "prime" customers so there is free shipping and two day delivery) and using our Swagbuck credit brings the cost down to about $8 a month.

3. There is a timer on our hot water heater with a manual override that I rarely use. This one is huge! You wouldn't leave a kettle on the stove 24/7 just in case you decided you wanted a cup of tea would you? Think about it. A tankless hot water heater is on my wish list.

4. I only run the dishwasher when it is full. Our kitchen is about the size of a postage stamp so it must be kept tidy and clean. Dirty dishes go directly into the dishwasher to wait for a full load. We will be taking out a wall this spring to enlarge the kitchen. Beck and I are both great cooks so we deserve a nice kitchen to work in.

5. I only wash a full load of laundry. This is never a problem around here with pet bedding needing washing daily.

6. We only use those funny looking squiggly lights or L.E.D. These produce enough light at a fraction of the cost that even someone as blind as me can see clearly.

7. Lights are off if no one is in the room. We also use power strips to turn off power to computers and T.V.'s when not in use. An automatic strip (senses when appliance not being used and turns off automatically) is on my wish list too.

8. We visit our local library (often). If we find a book we can't live without, we order it from Amazon (remember we get free shipping).

9. Using our WII, we watch Netflics on our T.V. for $7.99 a month instead of going to the movies (comes in real handy when there is nothing on but reruns). Our popcorn was bought with a coupon so a box of three packages was less than a dollar. The soda pop was on sale 4 (12 packs) for $10 which is bout 21 cents a can. And then there's the wow factor! I can watch it in my jammies with my dogs and cats in my lap.

10. A programmable thermostat for our central heat and air (had to buy a new heat pump to replace our 1976 version of a central unit) that is set on 69 degrees in cold weather. I can always put on more clothes as I need to or turn one burner on our natural gas stove.

Oh! Just one more thing. We have all our inside and outside pets fixed so we don't have to support multiple generations of animals. Pushka was the latest to go see Stacey (Hubler Vet Clinic) and get a little snip snip.

We have so much food stored that there is no need to go out to eat unless we just want a little treat.

These are all things we bought with coupons and will use. We have added a freezer which is almost full of meat that I bought at a "reduced for quick sale" price, brought home, repackaged and stored in freezer. Also, frozen veggies, pizzas, ham, turkey, bread, and on and on. I won't even tell you how much toilet paper and shampoo we have. Let's just say we'll be clean on top and bottom for many months.

Thou hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days,
But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.~George Herbert

Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. ~Maori Prover

2012-02-15T10:33:00.000-08:00

The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun. Ralph Nader

Hello from Harmony Acres! It's a new year and another opportunity for me to get right what I messed up on last year. Also, I will be exploring new territory for me in all things solar (with the help of my long suffering, dearly beloved, only brother, David). I cannot believe the wonderfully creative "do it yourself" solar ideas that are out there. Here is a link to just one of them: BuildItSolar

This is the year Becky and I will greatly reduce our "carbon footprint" and keep a great deal of Beck's hard earned cash in our pocket instead of the electric company's. I have always been willing to pay our electric bill with a minimum of fuss. However, the line on my bill that says "power cost adjustment" really pisses me off. I can just see some fat cat in a land far away living large on our dime (more like our dollars). Power Cost Adjustment my ---! It's just another way of saying "Hey, we haven't gouged you enough, so here's a little more". So we have to take it or go all American on them and create totally ingenious ways to do it ourselves.

Well, that's enough yackity yack, let's get down to business. David is converting Becky's exercise bike into a power generator. She is so excited! Even if we only generate 1 kw (we anticipate much more) that will be one less we have to pay for. "A penny saved is a penny earned." Peddle power also will burn fat calories which seem to have settled in my tush. Oh, well! One can't expect to be old, beautiful, slim and smart without plastic surgery, hair dye, alien body and brain transplant, can one?

Found this pic on the web. This is our goal. Becky peddles and I compute!

In the meantime, our central heat and air unit was on it's last leg (installed in 1976 when house was built) and gobbling up kilowatts like it was on steroids. So we bit the bullet and bought a new heat pump ($5300 but the old duct work was still in excellent condition so it did not have to be replaced). It immediately cut our electric usage dramatically. However, much as I love having a warm bedroom now, when the temperature drops below 40 degrees, I still use one burner on my natural gas stove. It gives me the kind of heat that I can back my tush up to.

I am also thinking about upgrading our old wood burning stove with something more clean burning and energy efficient. Found a cool calculator to help me decide. It will appear at the bottom of the page.

I saved the best news for last. We are going to be installing four solar panels to help offset the amount of electric we consume. David will be doing this project in a couple of weeks. Will show you the progress of this endeavor in pics. He often visits and makes purchases from Missouri Wind and Solar.

I will keep you updated as we continue "going green" but for now I need a Dr. Pepper and a cigarette so I can meditate. Yes, yes, yes. The Simple Life is a lifestyle that allows you to do more with less. Life is good on so many levels. My soul sings even when my back hurts.

Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul.
~Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

The Beauty of Simplicity

2011-09-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.
Thomas More.

Guess what! Guess what! After a long, dry, hot, record breaking summer, I got to wear my rainboots out to the barn this morning! Beautiful, cool, life giving rain has been falling from the sky! What a glorious gift of nature! In a matter of days, we have gone from 110 degrees in the shade to 56 degrees with 100% humidity. I love Oklahoma!

Simple Air Freshner

With the wet weather comes wet dogs. Nothing smells quite as funky as a wet dog in the house unless it's three wet dogs in the house. So I put together a simple homemade air freshner with the oranges Brother Dave and Vicky gave me. I have a very small simmering crock pot so I put some water in it with the orange peels, threw in some cloves and the lovely smell is now filling the air. So Simple.

Simple Chocolate Cake

For something to be good, it doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. This is Becky's favorite chocolate cake recipe from allrecipes.com:

Unbelievably Easy Slow Cooker Black Forest Cake

Prep Time: 5 Min

Ready In:
3 Hrs 10 Min

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix

Directions

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and mix with reserved juice from the can of pineapple. Set the mixture aside.
Spread the crushed pineapple in a layer on the bottom of a slow cooker. Spoon the cherry pie filling in an even layer on top of the pineapple, and empty the dry cake mix into the slow cooker on top of the cherry filling. Stir the butter and pineapple juice mixture, and pour it over the dry cake mix.
Set the slow cooker to Low, and cook for 3 hours. Spoon the dessert into bowls, and let cool about 5 minutes to cool the hot pie filling before eating.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 385 | Total Fat: 17.3g | Cholesterol: 24mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Friday is the first day of Autumn and with it my favorite time of the year begins. It's the time of the year for the joy of the fall harvest. What a baking Mecca! Pumpkin bread, apple pie, Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing (Rachel Ray has an awesome recipe for apple and onion stuffing), Indian Corn and lots of other things that make me simply happy. I love it as the scent of fresh baked goodies fill the tranquil air of our home. I am blessed beyond measure!

David and Vicky also gave me four ripe peaches that I made into this simple peach cobbler. This recipe is available at allrecipes.com.

Simple Gift From the Kitchen

I love pretty pre-measured gifts in a jar and I love Snickerdoodle Cookies. So it gives me pleasure to gift someone with this easy to bake gift. This recipe is in Gifts in a Jar: Cookies book.

Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/2 cup of sugar

Layer the ingredients in the order given into a wide-mouth 1-quart canning jar. Pack each layer in place before adding the next ingredient. Makes 4 to 5 dozen cookies.

Attach a gift tag with the mixing and baking directions which are as follows:

1 jar Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream the butter until light, add the eggs and beat, until the mixture is smooth. Add the Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix and continue to beat until the dough begins to form. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar blend. Arange on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until light tan. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Simple Pleasures

Maggie and Molly just hanging out.

Proud parents of first born mini donkey baby boy who thinks he is suppose to sit in David's lap.

Just born Tuesday, new baby girl.

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful; for beauty is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament.

Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Afterthought:
Still saving lots of money using coupons. Our stockpile for the long winter months is growing and our daily meals have improved with a large selection of items to choose from.

These are just some of our grocery items we have purchased with coupons. It does not include the freezer or fridge. Or the laundry, bathroom, beauty or cleaning products we have stocked up on using coupons. Rarely do I ever make a purchase without a coupon. I'm loving our new "legal" coupon currency. Life is good!

Take care of your pennies and your dollars will take care of themselves. Scottish Proverb

2011-09-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

Hi ya'll. I know you don't believe me but we do other things besides grocery shop with coupons. There's still cleaning litter boxes, making upgrades to the interior of the house, taking care of the lawn (yes, I am still mowing dry grass), and working part time at a real job. Becky works full time, has a blog (Becky Cooks Lightly), is working on her thesis for her Master's Degree and still has time to shop with coupons. (Yes! Yes! Oh yeah! I am one proud mama).

Speaking of coupons (and who isn't talking about this?) Becky had a dental appointment in Muskogee so she planned a couponing trip to Walgreens. Now she has this Walgreens thing down pat (must have more items than coupons and coupons do not double). I think Beck views using coupons (our other legal currency) as a challenge and a wonderful puzzle. And she is really good at it. She loves adding to our stockpile and it really helps. Here are the fruits of her labor:

The saving man becomes the free man.

- Chinese proverb

Spent $13.52 but saved $36.01. She's good at this ain't she?

Her $13.52 bought: 6 rolls Scott paper towels, 3 bottles Dawn dishwashing liquid (.49 each), 3 different kinds of BenGay for .99 each with 3-$5 coupons in the Sunday paper (for my knee and back) , 2 bags of Chex Mix, 1 Ricola throat drops and 1 Arizona tea on sale for .50 (used as a filler because the "no more coupons than items rule").

Beck said the cashier looked at her like she was cheating the store but he couldn't figure out how she did it. When we use manufacturer's coupons the store is fully reimbursed plus they recieve .06 to .08 handling fee on each one.

They do not lose money on these coupons.

I really enjoy grocery shopping at the Homeland on York Street in Muskogee. They are very, very friendly and helpful and do not care that I am lugging around a 3" Coupon Binder (unlike an experience I had at Homeland on Chandler Road. You should never be rude and hateful to anyone much less someone who has a blog and will write about you and your store. They can still kiss my grits!). Anyway, back to York Street. I was greeted warmly when I walked in the door with my binder. A sweet young clerk helped me find the Keebler Granola Bars that were on sale and then helped me up when I squatted down to get a closer look at the granola bars and couldn't get up (the knee, you know). A lovely young lady named Haley (not sure of the correct spelling but I will remember her kindness) checked me out and was very interested in my coupon strategy. It was a very pleasant experience.

Here are a few links to my favorite sites that have coupons and/or how to use them effectively:

Earthbound Farms Organic Produce- Take a 12 question survey (answers are on MoneySavingQueen.com if you want to cheat) and recieve a $1 off one item of their produce (high demand coupon on produce). If you use it at Homeland, it will double to a $2 coupon. Don't forget that you can print twice and get two coupons but don't use them in the same transaction or the second one won't double.

Another great link at MoneySavingQueen.com is located under features and then menu planning. Mommyhatescooking.com brings you a weekly menu plan using the grocery items matched up that week with sales and coupons. She has multiple links to printable coupons. Great idea. They do all the work for us. All we have to do is buy it and cook it.

The KrazyCouponlady.com is also one that I visit every day. That's where I found this great link to $1.50 off one 4 oz. or larger Carmex Coupon. Yes, you do have to give them your name, e-mail address, and zip code. If you see a coupon and think "I don't use that" then think Christmas Stocking Stuffer or Christmas Gift Basket for family, friend or co-worker or even a friend expecting a new baby.

OH! OH! Just found this one! $7.00 off any Zyrtec product 24 count or larger. Beck and I both suffer from allergies so this is a great savings.

Stacey, this one's for you. Save just 10 upc codes from Kellogg's cereal and send in for a $10 gas rebate card. Each household is allowed five (that's $50 ya'll) of these rebates so recruit your friends to save their codes for you and get some free fuel. You can download and print the rebate form from the above link. Hurry before December 31st.

There are very few coupons that I cannot find at one of these sites (after clipping the coupons from my Sunday Papers) but alas, there are a few. For these I purchase them at coupondede. They are so cheap that I can save a ton of money using them on high dollar grocery items. Ever try to find a coupon for Laughing Cow Cheese? These coupons arrive in a few days so you still have time to use them on the current sales. And for those of you who "facebook", there are great coupons available there too.

As I am writing this, I am also cooking our dinner. We love brown (pinto) beans and they are cheap even without a coupon. We also love tomatoes in any form. So dinner tonight is a pot of beans to which I have added 2 cans of diced tomatoes (on sale last week 2 for .99 and we had coupons for .75 off two cans so we got them for free) low sodium V-8 juice (on sale last week for 2 for $5 but you don't have to buy two. bought one for $2.50 and had coupon for $1 which doubles at Homeland unless it says DND. So paid .50 for 46 oz. bottle of V-8. used half of it in stew this week too) and Farmland cubed ham (on sale last week for $2.99. had coupon for .55 off 1 so my final cost was $1.89 for 1 pound). My huge pot of beans (with real meat) will cost me about $3.50. Make a little cornbread from scratch, and dinner is served!

O.K. kids, I've given you some tools to use. Now get out there and save yourself some money and become debt free in an uncertain economy. You can do it! We're all on your side. Simple Living is a lifestyle and so is shopping with coupons. Come on and get on the money train and stop planning just for today.

The rich man plans for tomorrow... The poor man for today.

- Chinese proverb

He who does not economize will have to agonize. ~Confucius

2011-09-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

Cannot people realize how large an income is thrift? ~Cicero
Hi, ya'll. I know that I have been neglecting you but I have been absolutely obsessed with couponing! There have been so many good deals out there on stuff we use that I have been a coupon clipping maniac! If I am obsessed with couponing and saving money, Becky is possessed and she is really good at putting the deals together. The two sites we visit daily are Money Saving Queen (Tulsa area) and Krazy Coupon Lady.

Our stockpile is growing larger every week! Last Sunday, Becky and I went coupon shopping together at Homeland and here are the pics to prove it:

Nutella for 99 cents a jar.

Walgreens Herbal Essence Shampoo & Condition two for $6. - $1 off 1 = 2 for $5 up front cost. Received $2 in RR. So $5 - $2RR = $3 or $1.50 each.

Simply Orange Juice for .99 cents.

Diced tomatoes on sale for 2 for .99.Free with .75 coupon (which doubled). Homeland does not apply overage to your overall purchase.

Kellogg's cereal cost $1.44 each.

When we got home and unloaded the car, Becky looked around at the sea of shopping bags piled in the kitchen floor and said "holy crap" (now, Becky don't cuss so this was quite shocking coming from her). Bottom line here: Bought $209.71 worth of groceries for $90.04. Saved $119. 67 buying sale items and using coupons.

Becky's "Deal of the Day #1: 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 1 box of pasta= $1.01 (includes tax) saved 78% with 1 coupon.

Becky's Deal of the Day #2: 1 loaf of Iron Kids bread, 1 jar of nutella, 1 box of wheat thins and 2 cans of diced tomatoes= $2.63 5 coupons used and this total includes tax. 82% saved. Go Becky!

My "Deal of the Day" was at Walgreens. One (package of three) Therma Care back pain patches on sale for $5.99. One bottle of 100 count Advil pain reliever on sale for $7.99 = $13.98 Then the fun begins. Becky found me a $5 off coupon when you buy these two items which equals $8.99 up front cost. But watch this: I received a Register Reward for $5 (I used this to buy my 2 "eggies") bringing the cost down again to equal $3.98 or $1.99 each. This sale ends Saturday at the close of business.

Also, after seeing the commercials on T.V. for the "eggies" no peel boiled egg cooker, I just had to have one. No matter what technique I use, I just can't get my eggs to peel pretty. Now, there is no coupon for this item so I have to be creative. Last weekend at Walgreen's, we were given $16.50 in Register Reward's (same as cash with a few restrictions. can't use the RR to buy same item again). Hmmm......how can I work this to get my eggies? I also was given rain checks for my Mayo and Sugar. Hmmmm..........how can I make this work for me. Yesterday, I went to Walgreen's and got two -30 ounce jars of Mayo, two -4lb bags of sugar, 3 cans tomato sauce and two "eggies" ($9.99 each). One for me and one for sister-in-law's (Vicky) birthday. Using my coupons and RR my final total was $17.50 which included the tax. I could have saved more using fillers if I had remembered Walgreen's Golden Rule--can't have more coupons than items. I had nine items and eleven coupons and RR. Anyway, here is my review of the "eggies".

The little suckers are each 4 pieces. Then you have to grease the pieces with a paper towel. By then my hands had grease on them and I couldn't hold on to the little pieces. Then you have to try to hit the hole in the top with the egg (next time I will break them into a cup with a spout and then pour them into the eggie). And then if you don't get them screwed together correctly, they will leak into the water.

In spite of dropping one eggie in the floor, 5 on the countertop, one eggie leaking out into the water and using a pan that was too small, I still love my "eggies". A little more practice and things will go much smoother.

Oh! Oh! Forgot to tell you. We stopped at Denny's to eat and when we paid the ticket the cashier told me if I would take a short survey on-line and sign up for Denny's Rewards I would be given a free Grand Slam Breakfast on my next trip. So I did. Wrote a code on my receipt for my freebie. Then an e-mail arrived with a coupon for 20% off the entire ticket on a visit. The savings just seem to find us now. Becky went shopping at J.C. Penney's for my birthday present (she's tired of seeing me wear jammies with the arms and neckline cut out because I've been roasting in the Oklahoma summer heat). She saved $115.71 shopping the sale items (which just happened to be what I asked for) and then took an on line survey using a code on her receipt and received a coupon for 15% off an all day shopping pass. I like saving money. Don't you? Then savings are all around us if we will just look!

A wise man should have money in his head, but not in his heart. Jonathan Swift

2011-09-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven't lost the things that money can't buy.
-George Horace Lorimer

Hi ya'll. Hope your day is going better than mine. Using my coupons at Walgreens, I had to get rain checks on several items (no big deal). Mary, my cashier was very kind and helpful (unlike the last cashier at Homeland...see previous post). However, when I got home and using my online banking, found that they had charged me $29.74 (which was correct because I saved over $22 using coupons with sale items). But then they deposited the money back into my account. Huh? What? Why? So I called the store to alert them to the possible problem. They were as confused as I. To make a long story short, if it doesn't sort itself out, when I go into town next week, I will pay them again and maybe this time they will keep it. My bank lady said she had never seen such a thing! You know weird freaky stuff happens to me a lot.

If only this were the end of my tale of woe! My final stop of the day was K Mart (right after Wal Mart). Having not had time to eat today, I was feeling a little weak! They overcharged me on an item (which I caught) so I had to go to the service desk to sort it out. The moment I looked into my purse, a sick feeling came over me (and it wasn't from not eating).

My car keys weren't there! Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, NOOOOOO!!!!!!!! But the correct answer was oh, yes! Locked in the car was the ONLY key! After saying a few choice words regarding my ability to leave the house unsupervised, I called my brother, the long suffering David. Oh, Good Grief! He's 30+ miles away instead of being home in Muskogee where I need him to be. No help there this time! Shoot, shoot, shoot! My only other option was to call my long suffering daughter, Becky, who works in Okmulgee for Creek Nation, to come and get her deranged Mother before she collapses from the heat and starvation.

Feeling faint, I went back into the store. In my younger days, if I had swooned, someone (good looking man) would have caught me before I hit the ground. But nowadays, being a little old silver haired lady, most men would have left me laying and stepped over me. Growing old sucks sometimes!

(now back to my LindaDrama). And what to my wandering and desperate eyes did I see? A neighbor who just happens to be a former employee of a wrecker service which also opened car doors! THANK YOU GOD! I WILL BE GOOD FROM NOW ON! O.K. I WILL TRY TO BE GOOD FROM NOW ON! I'm not going to tell you how he opened my locked car door using bits and pieces of stuff he had in his truck (can't contribute to any possible Grand Theft Auto you know) but in less than five minutes this cleaver man had my door open! I was truly amazed at what I saw! I didn't know that could be done!

But anyway, here is the breakdown on my coupon activity today.

Walgreens:

Carmex/New Lime Twist $1.50 but I received $1.50 in Register Rewards to be used on my next trip.

2 Frito/ Lay Chips $4.29 Buy one get one free so $2.15 each

Charmin Ultra Soft 6 double rolls=12 regular rolls $4.00-.25coupon=$3.75 or.63 each for double or if they were single rolls .31 each

4 pack Energizer Batteries On sale for $2.99-.75 coupon=$2.24 or .56 each

Bounty Paper Towels 6 rolls On sale for $5.50-$1.00 coupon=$4.50 or .75 per roll

Cover Girl Liquid Makeup Buy one get one half price so $11.99 + $9.99 for Mascara= $21.98 - $5.00 for half price Mascara - $2.50 coupon = $14.48 for both

Bottom Line: Spent $29.74 (which they accidentally gave back to me) but saved $22.51 using store coupons, sale items, register rewards ($5.00 from previous savings trip) and coupons. (Also got rains checks for 30 oz. Mayo on sale for $2.49 (with coupon in Sunday's Walgreen Sale Flyer) -$1.00 coupon = $1.49 each with a limit of 3 and a 4lb bag of Domino Sugar $2.49 with Walgreen's coupon - $1.00 coupon = $1.49 each with a limit of 3.

Are you feeling the itch to save a lot of money legally and embrace the art of couponing (the other legal currency)? Just be warned, once you get the hang of it, you will become a coupon addict and your children will become coupon orphans as you clip coupons and organize coupons and search for coupons on-line and.......well you get the idea. This is all a wonderful puzzle to me. I love playing find the hidden object games and this is the same only the hidden object is a coupon to match the sale item. Try couponing if you dare but I must warn you, life will never be the same once you start to see the really long register tapes with a hefty percentage saved on each trip. We all want something that money can buy so why not save our way to that dream

Now this is Simple Living at it's very best! Each time I go couponing, I know that I have learned some lessons and will do better next time.

I saved $11.91 on pet food at Wal mart today. When you've given a home to as many lost animals as we have, you have to save as much as possible and still provide quality food. Not an easy task! Wal Mart is not my favorite place to shop because they try to distract me and sell me impulse items. Big Mistake! I no longer distract or impulse to their great dismay I am sure. I go with a list (well prepared ahead of time), coupons in order, and stay focused. The last is the most important to saving time and money. They pay millions of dollars to people to learn how to get our hard earned money but I am willing to spent my time learning how to defeat them legally. So, Wal Mart, you can kiss my grits!

Gypsy was a neighborhood stray. Now she is my loyal and faithful guardian angel.

Pushka showed up one winter's day and liked our Harmony Acres. So he stayed.

Mischief and Pickle are Gypsy's boys. They went to see Stacey (our beloved family vet) and came home missing their tails and other manly parts. They still can't figure out why Stacey took their tails but they want them back.

Sophie purred her way into the house and the next thing I knew, I had a sleeping buddy. She's kind of weird though. Pulls my hair in the middle of the night. It's rather startling!

At first she was just outside "porch kitty" and then she became inside "Molly". Being one-eyed gets a lot of sympathy from Becky.

Maggie stays mad most of the time because there are cats in her bed, on her bench, next to her Becky and trying to eat her Cesar's!

Izzie and I just try to stay out of everyone's way!

Grabby Britches just wants to be everyone's friend. She is the one that gave me cat scratch fever last year.

And then there are the weinners! Need I say more?

Tomorrow, I have Homeland in my sites (that cranky cashier had better be on her toes) and my coupon binder (3 inches isn't really that big? Is it?) organized and ready to go. So many nice cashiers have commented on how organized I am. I don't tell them about my OCD and AADD which won't allow me to be any other way. It's our little secret.

Coupons.....A Different Kind Of Currency

2011-08-25T15:50:00.000-07:00

A penny saved is a penny earned

Benjamin Franklin (Some folks question this)

Meaning: It is as useful to save money that you already have as it is to earn more.

Hi ya'll. I just completed another grocery shopping trip to Muskogee Homeland. First, let me tell you that my receipt was 43 inches long! The people in line behind me were mad because I was using coupons (even though my coupon currency was very well organized). The lady that checked me out was mad because I was using coupons! She actually snarled at me (oh, yes she did) when she saw my cute green 3" coupon binder and envelope full of coupons. Me? I was happy as a lark because I knew I was going to save money. I saved $69.10 (that's only 40% this time but I bought some items we like that rarely go on sale). It's hard to believe that I have gone from a 3% savings to 40% and 56% in just a few weeks. I really didn't know there was a better way to shop!

This is what my $100 bought! (74 items) What does yours buy?
2 boxes Kellogg's cereal, 2 boxes Kellogg's cereal bars, 8 Greek yogurt cups, 5-12 pack soda pop,1 dry cat food,1 laundry detergent, 5 lbs. potatoes, 1 shredded cheese, 10 cans spaghetti sauce, 7 packs spaghetti, 1 half gallon almond milk, 4 boxes Tyson chicken anytizers, 6 frozen lunch entrees, 2 bags organic salad greens, 1 bag organic kiwi (six for 99 cents), 20 packages knorr side dish pasta or rice, 1 45 calorie wheat Sarah Lee bread, 1 blackeyed pea salad, 1 container couscous, and 2 Hiland sour cream. These are all things we normally eat, not just junk that was on sale! Oops! I forgot 3 tomatoes.

I have nothing to apologize for! So don't expect me to! If you are in a hurry and you see me in line in front of you, Pick Another Checkout Line, Honey! (They actually did have to open another checkout line). If you were in line behind me today and are mad at me, kiss my grits! A thinner skinned person than I would have wilted from the harsh looks being thrown. I bet they would use coupons too if they could figure out how to do it! At the end of the transactions when I paid the balance due after all the couponing, I politely thanked the cashier who looked at me like she would like to shake me like a rag doll and choke the last breath out of my body. For a Senior Citizen, she was kind of scary!

Looking at my 43" register tape, I'm not surprised the cashier wasn't feeling the love for me!

I love saving on groceries! Almost all the items I purchased were on sale (One card savings=$49.50, Manufacture Coupons=$12.85, Bonus Coupons=$6.75). Oh, yeah! I rock! I am a savings Diva! If I can do this after just a couple of weeks you will probably be seeing me on T.V. in a couple of years doing the Extreme Couponing show. Just joking you know. That is a reality (snicker, snicker) show and mine is real life.

I also got a $1.00 Catalina for Almond Milk, and 8 free movie tickets to the Redhawks Movie Night (whatever that is).

Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship. ~Benjamin Franklin

Couponing 101.....Addicted to Saving

2011-08-23T12:45:00.000-07:00

If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.
Benjamin Franklin

Hi ya'll. So much to catch you up on! I am all about saving money whenever I can. Even Simple Living folks have to eat and feed their animals (hard to believe since many people think we are a different species)! So, there is a new money saving hobby on my horizon.....wait for it......wait for it......extreme couponing! There I said it. This is something that I thought only a special kind of person could do. Ain't so! In the time it takes me to sew a new pillow, I can clip and organize my coupons (with Becky's help of course).

Sorry, we'll have to continue later. Boss just called and needs me to work today and I still have to run into Muskogee and then feed animals, shower, dress and find a good attitude before I go. Talk to you later.

Sorry folks! "Talk to you later" has now been a couple of weeks! My world seems to be spinning faster and faster (and I like slow and easy). Anyway, back to my "adventures in couponing". I love it! I so love it! Hello, my name is Linda and I am absolutely, positively, unquestionably addicted to couponing!

This not so new (but the cool thing to do now) kind of currency is even better than the American dollar because my store (Homeland) doubles the face value of the manufacturer's coupon up to one dollar. So, if I have a coupon for one dollar, it magically becomes two dollars when I use it according to the fine print on the coupon and before the expiration date. Ain't that peachy? Just a note if you are new to couponing: under no circumstances can you photo copy the coupon. It is illegal and will bring down the wrath of the legal system upon your head. Bottom line: don't do it! There are far too many legal ways to optimize the coupons without going to jail or paying a huge fine.

I have two favorite sites that I visit daily. krazycouponlady.com got me hooked! She has all the basic free down loadable binder categories for creating your very own coupon binder (my household savings Bible). Then we have the local (Tulsa area, Sarah Roe) moneysavingqueen.com which has matchups (weekly sale items matched up with coupons) which saves me a lot of time. There are also weekly menu plans using the items purchased with coupons. What a deal! What a deal! It is like pushing the easy button on savings.

My first week of serious couponing, I saved over 50% on my groceries and banked (savings account) over $75. Can somebody give me an "atta girl"? I rock! I consider couponing my second part time job and with a far better reward for my efforts and a really nice boss (me). Then there is the "helping others" aspect of couponing. When I use coupons and store rewards to "purchase" free tubes of toothpaste, shampoo, razors and many other items, I then can donate them to family, friends, church and other non-profit organizations without blowing a hole in my budget. It's a little bit more complicated, but Walgreens is the best place for these items (they do not double coupons). If you aren't excited about couponing yet, someone needs to check you for a pulse.

You know by now that I love books. Hold in my hand, made of paper, feel the love real books. To increase my knowledge of couponing, I bought and strongly recommend the following book to help you get started:

There is also the magazine for couponers called All You available at Wal Mart or by subscription. There is also a website allyou.com Look in your Sunday Newspaper for coupons and store sales flyers. Our grocery sales begin on Wednesday, so I look online at the sale flyer for Homeland. The moneysavingqueen.com does the matchups for me. At the grocery store the coupons that print out at the end of the sales (white with red stripes down both sides) are called catalinas and are based on what I purchased. Look at the fine print because one of mine said $2 off 2 coconut milk but in smaller print it also listed Almond Milk which is what I had just purchased. I also have two $1 off single item of the milk which will make my next purchase 2 x $3.89= $7.78 without coupons. Then I apply my coupons. $2 off for 2 half gallons of milk catalina coupon = $5.78 Then I use my two $1 coupons which are then doubled to equal $4. So my final cost for two half gallons of almond milk is $5.78- $4.00 = $1.78 or .89 cents each. How cool is that! Some cashiers say I can do this, some say I can't, so I need to check the store coupon policy before I go again. (I use a handheld calculator because the side of my brain that is suppose to do math does not work very well).

Stay with me here, and I will show you how to use coupons much more effectively. Shopping with coupons has quickly become a Simple Living mindset. My favorite savings (and there have already been many of them) was buying Pilgrims Pride chicken breast. Homeland had the chicken on sale for $1.29 per pound. The Queen did the matchup for me and provided a link for a $1 off coupon (they will usually allow you to print the coupon twice). So here is the math: Package #1 was $2.88. My pilgrims pride coupon for $1 is doubled to equal $2. My first package cost me .88 cents. Used the same method for my second package priced on sale for $2.90. Apply coupon (which magically doubles) and my final cost for the chicken was .90 cents.
So 4 1/2 pounds of chicken breast for $1.78. Are you feeling the obsession yet?

Like anything new, I wanted to take it for a test drive. So small purchase first to find my footing.
4 boxes of chocolate cheerios, 4 cans progresso soup, 2 laundry soap, 5 lbs apples, 1 small bunch of bananas.
$16.99 (taxes included in this) until I added fruit which rarely has coupons available. Saved 56% on this one!
Plus a Catalina coupon for $2 off two almond milk and $1 off four lean cuisine (will use this one when they go on sale again, usually 4-6 week cycle).

Saved 52% on this one. Banked $75 in savings account from both of these!

This is not really magic. It just feels like it. If a math idiot like me can do this so can you. If you are willing to learn a new way of saving money, take the time to clip and organize, shop with a new mindset, then you too can be a money saving queen in your household! My coupons can let me be in control of how much money I spend on groceries, beauty supplies, household items and much, much more. You can do this but you can't do it effectively if you only spend 5 minutes preparing for your shopping trips. Take control of your money and then you can take control your life (at least financially). Happy couponing from Harmony Acres and Simple Living!

If you can, you will quickly find that the greatest rate of return you will earn is on your own personal spending. Being a smart shopper is the first step to getting rich.

~ Mark Cuban

A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman thinks of the next generation. ~James Freeman Clarke, Sermon

2011-08-09T23:21:00.000-07:00

There are always too many Democratic congressmen, too many Republican congressmen, and never enough U.S. congressmen.

~Author Unknown

Good Morning from Harmony Acres. Now ya'll know that I'm not a politically motivated radical chick, but holy cow, if I ran my household budget like politicians run our country, we'd be homeless, hungry and naked! And these people get perks out the wazoo for their incompetence! What we (the little people) have to pay big bucks for or more often than not, have to do without; these people get for free! For example: 401k and health benefits and then there's the:

Fun Money: The base salary for a member of Congress is $174,000. But all members enjoy access to a separate piggy bank known as their "allowance." This funding generally goes toward maintaining their offices and building up a legislative entourage. In the House, representatives are allowed to spend more than $900,000 on salaries for up to 18 permanent employees. They get about a quarter-million dollars more for office expenses, including travel, and additional funding for a well-known congressional perk known as "franking." Franking is the term for the mass constituent mail sent out by members of Congress and paid for courtesy of the taxpayer.

Senators enjoy the same privilege but get a much bigger allowance for their office expenses. According to a Congressional Research Service report, the average allocation for fiscal 2010 was more than $3.3 million. Personnel money varies depending on how big of a state a senator represents -- a senator from New York is going to get more than a senator from Montana. But for starters, each senator is given a $500,000 budget to hire up to three legislative assistants.

Readmore:http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/09/29/benefits-members-congress-shabby/#ixzz1UbDXQEIq

"We the people" are in big trouble because "they, our elected officials" can't stop acting like spoiled children and be mature enough to reach a "reasonable" compromise (has common sense left the room in Washington, D.C.?). Is winning the political fight more important than winning the battle for the American people? Ya'll need to remember who you represent! You folks need to get your act together and do what's right for the citizens of this United States of America. Stop pointing fingers at who caused the problem and just work on fixing it! Even I am tired of your bull!

I rarely agree with Tom Coburn on anything. However; in his report on wasteful spending by the government, I must side with him because my common sense hasn't taken a holiday. Here is a partial list:

Examples of wasteful spending highlighted in "Wastebook 2010" include:

When it was built by the Corps of Engineers, Optima Lake in Hooker, OK was heralded as a future oasis for residents of the Oklahoma Panhandle. Despite the construction of a large dam and related facilities, no lake ever formed. That has not stopped the Army Corps of Engineers from announcing over $172,000 worth of property improvements for the lake.
The city of Las Vegas has received a $5.2 million federal grant to build the Neon Boneyard Park and Museum, including $1.8 million in 2010. For over the last decade, Museum supporters have gathered and displayed over 150 old Las Vegas neon signs, such as the Golden Nugget and Silver Slipper casinos.
The National Science Foundation provided more than to $200,000 to study of why political candidates make vague statements.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) spends $175 million every year to maintain hundreds of buildings it does not use, including a pink, octagonal monkey house in Dayton, Ohio.
Medicare paid out over $35 million to a vast network of 118 "phantom" medical clinics, allegedly established by members of a criminal gang to submit phony reimbursement claims.
The Government Printing Office (GPO) is using a "video game space mouse" (and nearly $60,000 in taxpayer funds) to teach children the history of printing.
In July, nearly half a million taxpayer dollars went to the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, where wine tasting and castle tours were among the events planned for the conference participants.
The Internal Revenue Service paid out $112 million in undeserved tax refunds to prisoners who filed fraudulent returns, according to the Treasury Department's Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
The National Science Foundation directed nearly a quarter million dollars to a Stanford University professor's study of how Americans use the Internet to find love.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) took the term "cold case" to a new level in 2010. The agency spent over $20,000 in taxpayer money "to unravel the anonymity of a 2,500-year-old mummy."
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) spent nearly $442,340 million to study the number of male prostitutes in Vietnam and their social setting.
This year, taxpayers forked over $60,000 for the "first-of-its kind" promotion of the Vidalia onion in conjunction with the movie, Shrek Forever After. "
The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded over $600,000 to the Minnesota Zoo to create a wolf "avatar" video game called "WolfQuest."
A $700,000 federal grant paid for researchers to examine "greenhouse gas emission from organic dairies, which are cause by cow burps, among other things."

Am I the only one that wants to barf after reading this list? And we pay these people good money to make obviously stupid decisions! Clearly, lobbyist should be banned from speaking with the intellectually challenged politicians on capitol hill! If we took all the money wasted by our government and divided it among every U.S. citizen, we could all be walking in tall cotton. Guys and Gals, this is not a game of monopoly being played with fake money, fake real estate and fake icons. We are real people with real homes trying to work for real money. We don't have to wait for some foreign nation to destroy us! We are doing it for them, from within! I don't want excuses! I want results! And if nothing else influences you to do the right thing, then just remember, there will always be another election and people like me can't wait to vote you out!

The perfect normal person is rare in our civilization. Karen Horney

2011-08-02T14:37:00.000-07:00

I can draw the water from the well and give myself a bath, thank you very much!
Told you I was stubborn. Mom used to say "hard-headed".

Who's the fool that opened Dante's gates of hell and called it a record breaking Oklahoma summer? There's a lovely breeze blowing that will burn the eyebrows off your face. Enough already! My yard is burned, my skin is burned and my brain is fried (no surprise there). Dancing in the rain is just a distant memory (yes, I do dance in the rain but as an adult I have to wear clothes now). I don't want to hear about unchanging weather patterns and an extended heat wave. I want to see Noah and the Ark in the distance riding a tidal wave. Standing on the deck shouting "I'm coming Linda, just hold on', that's what I want to see! Please Lord, give your people and your land some relief!

Since the accident, I've been giving a lot of thought to "normal". I don't really know what that is so I googled it. "What is normal?" O.K. That was scary. After carefully analyzing the articles, this is the best I can come up with. If I live in Oklahoma and stare at the sun, I'm crazy. If I live in another country and stare at the sun, I'm a "holy man". After reading numerous articles, I've come to the conclusion that we are all a little bit nuts and normal ain't normal anymore. Bottom line: if I don't run through the mall naked, or hide in the woods waiting for Armageddon, or wait for space aliens to pick me up at the loading dock; then I'm probably O.K. There are a number of mental health issues that I need to work out (anxiety, panic attacks) but, hey, who doesn't need to work on something? Gives me a goal. We all need goals in life. Mine is to be "not normal again'. (back to my prior state of mind). Who in their right mind would want to be boring, bland, predictable "normal"?

Becky didn't ask for a "colorful" mother but she has never complained either.

What? What? Can't you see I'm trying to sew here?

No! I'm not sharing my watermelon! It's all MINE!

Becky and I have climbed many "mountains" together. My current situation is just another one.

My normal is seeing beauty in all things and living by my "do no harm" creed. My normal is caring for stray animals, helping hurting people and knowing that I work with my hands for the Glory of God. My normal is seeing the miracle in everyday things. This is who I am! This is who I want to be! If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

Please don't disturb me. I'm meditating with the boys.

The end of a very hard day. No, it's not very lady-like but it's real life!

I live a simple life enjoying the simple things in life. I am eccentric, self-motivated, independent, and don't need anyone to tell me how to think or what to think.(perhaps this is why I am still single and loving every minute of it). God only made one of me and he has his hands full keeping up with me. My guardian angel should get hazard pay! From the pics above (taken over the years), you can see that my life has been very "normal". It's my attitude that you got to watch out for.

I will get through this!
Love you all,
Simply Linda

Nature is my medicine. ~Sara Moss-Wolfe

2011-07-31T14:11:00.000-07:00

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.

~John Burroughs

Hi ya'll. Harmony Acres is working her magic and I have begun my mental and emotional journey back to the land of the living. Nature gently embraces me in an invisible healing hug. I find inspiration everywhere I look. My friends and family have been incredibly understanding as I attempt to find my way back to "my normal" (which was different than everyone else's to start with). The tragedy has forever changed my perception of life but I cannot and will not allow fear to control me. I was born strong willed (stubborn some would say). Every journey begins with one step. Baby steps, baby steps. Just take it moment by moment until I conquer all my new found phobias.(Driving the car, seeing a motorcycle, any approaching traffic, people treating me different because I act different, crying unexpectedly, shaking uncontrollably and on and on).

My Simple Living odyssey that I had been on has given me a strength that I was unaware that I possessed. Don't get me wrong, I am still frail at times (the meds help and you know how bad I hate pills), but I will find my way back (Beck won't allow anything less from her mom).

My goals are:

Daily yoga and meditation to relieve the anxiety and panic attacks. (many friends urge professional counseling. Me? I'll do it my way, thank you very much.) Besides, this is as close as I can get to an herbal remedy for my soul and I don't want some stranger poking around inside my head and messing with the junk in my attic.
By the end of the week I will drive myself to Warner (this will take me through the crash area). Just the thought of it makes me sick at my stomach.
Go back to work next weekend. Why? Cause I want to be normal again.
In two weeks I will no longer need the anxiety pills (I hate pills).
In one month I will be able to drive my car without my hands shaking uncontrollably.
In two months my comfort zone will once again be anywhere I can drive my car and not just the five acres that Harmony Acres sits on.

As I have told you before, Harmony Acres is a place for healing. Harmony restores that which is broken. As God uses broken vessels for his divine purpose, so he uses nature to heal broken spirits and soothe the anguished soul. So it is.

Back on May 25, a freak wind storm came through. None of the light weight lawn ornaments were moved or turned over. However, our beloved willow tree (planted it in the early 90's) was laying flat on the ground. After the initial shock of the loss, I decided to try to salvage parts of it for furniture. Many people told me that willow was too weak to be useful for any purpose. So I waited. It is now July 30th and this weak, damaged tree is still alive. Even though a freak incident knocked it down, it is still firmly grounded by it's roots. It is still thriving and surviving. I can certainly relate to this.

My willow was knocked down by a freak accident but it refuses to surrender to it's circumstances.
Life can be like that.

God has made me a promise in 2 Timothy 1:7:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

This is his promise to me and this will get me through this fire storm of life. I can only speak to my pain because I cannot even imagine the sufferings of the others touched by this tragedy. Please know, you are never far from my thoughts and are in my prayers continually.

Another famous quote that I love and gives me cause for hope:

"I know God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much." — Mother Teresa

In The Blink Of An Eye..................Unspeakable Tragedy

2011-07-21T17:02:00.000-07:00

We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival. ~Winston Churchill

Isn't it strange how quickly one moment (July 19, 2011 a few minutes before noon. it was a tuesday), frozen in time, can be a defining moment in one's life. It's a moment I can't forget but a moment I don't completely remember every detail either. All I have are fragments that I am slowly piecing together. The horrifying images haunt me every moment. Witnessing such a traumatic event; I am emotionally and mentally broken at this time but I will heal eventually. My heart breaks for those involved in this tragic accident and their families. Prayer is something we can all do.

One moment, I am a little old lady driving down the road (a trip I had made thousands of times on a road I had traveled all my life) on my way home from the grocery store in Warner. Suddenly, my understanding of reality is lost in confusion and terror. My brain cannot process the information and images coming at it, even though it seemed, at the time, like slow motion. I keep using the word "moment" because that's all it took.

I would like to say "Thank You" to the countless strangers, friends, neighbors and family who comforted me at the scene of the accident (it was evident that I was in total shock). Steve Wright, Muskogee County Commissioner and a lifetime friend, as well as John Smith, stayed with me until my brother David and his wife Vicky arrived. The Warner Volunteer Fire Department, the Chaplin for their department prayed with me and my guys, the Keefeton Volunteer Fire Department, Raymond and Jake were very compassionate and kind. The Highway Patrol Troopers offered comfort and support. The many friends and neighbors who have called and stopped by the house to offer words of comfort. To Brother Danny Barks, the pastor at my sometimes Church, who always knows the right thing to say to help me. Country folks taking care of one of their own. I am grateful to one and all.

And to my beloved daughter, Becky, who knows my heart. You have always been the true joy of my life and you have given me more comfort and strength than you can possibly imagine. Without you I would just be a shattered little ole lady. You have been and continue to be infinitely patient and understanding as I try to put into words the horrifying images trapped in my memory. My heart loves your heart.

And last, but certainly not least, I give "Thanks" to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now I truly understand that every breath is a precious gift to be spent wisely and lovingly. Thank you Lord for extending your hand of protection to me. Your mercy and grace are unlimited.

Before I leave you for a couple of weeks to begin the healing process, I just want to say one more thing. Every day, all day long, the news is bombarding us with new and sensational stories. Their information is not always correct. The rumor mill creates more pain than you can imagine. Also, for every story told, there remains broken lives and shattered people, who are left trying to pick up the pieces. Be compassionate, kind and non-judgemental because that "moment in time" could happen to you, even though I pray it does not.

Ecclesiastes 3

¹To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
²A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
³A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
⁷A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
⁸A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance. ~Jane Austen

2011-07-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well! I asked for rain and I got it (if you can call 3/8 inch a rain). Then it was back to humid and hot. What I did not ask for was the electric to go out for two hours. I promised that I would not whine so we will call this "just stating the facts".

The power went out about 9:30 p.m. last night. We are at the end of the line (where else would we be, huh?) so I felt compelled to call the electric company and let them know I'm in the dark with no fans or air conditioner (we talked about this yesterday). She asked me if there was an emergency situation (if I have no cool air or fans and I am a middle age woman, yeah, I'd say that is an emergency. no, that is a crisis of monumental proportions. they would probably say no it's not). Then she told me to check my breaker box (under normal circumstances, this would be a logical request). So I kindly reply "Honey, unless my breaker box controls the whole neighborhood, I don't think that's the problem." We both had a good laugh before she patiently took my address and other information needed to get me some cool air.

This is a new day and new frontiers to conquer. I tried a new recipe from my favorite cookbook, Taste of Home, 356 Guilt Free Recipes. This is definitely a quick and easy recipe that I would make again and again. It is a great snack or fast light breakfast (well, light for me. 146 calories per muffin).

Prep: 15 min. Bake: 15 min. Yield: 1 dozen

Ham 'n' Cheese Muffins

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1 and 1/2 cups reduced-fat biscuit/baking mix

1/2 cup fat-free mild

1 egg, beaten

1 cup finely chopped fully cooked ham

In a nonstick skillet, saute the onion in butter until tender; set aside. In a bowl, combine the cheese and biscuit mix. Stir in the milk and egg just until moistened. Fold in the ham and onion.
Coat muffin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners; fill three-fourths full with batter. Bake at 425 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Now, going back to my sister killing a rattlesnake with a garden hoe (that still freaks me out). Here is the proof of what happens when you mess with my sis and her flower gardens.

In this battle of biblical proportions; Eve (sister Joyce) won.
The serpent (rattlesnake) lost.

As I've told you many times, I live in my own personal menopausal hell. I'm always looking for ways to stay cool. Trying to sleep at night is almost impossible because of the hot flashes. I stumbled upon this website that offers some interesting ideas that I am going to try tonight. I also found something called a Bedfan at http://www.bedfan.com/. but first here are some cool ideas for folks like me.

A suspension-type bed lets cooling air reach you and even flow through from underneath. Try a hammock or a cot, also known as a camp bed. A cot, supported on all sides, stands free, won't tip, and sags less than a hammock.

Consider using the "Egyptian Method": wet a sheet or bath towel that is large enough to cover you with cool or cold water, and wring it or run it through the spin cycle on a washing machine until the sheet is quite damp but not dripping wet. You can also use a spray bottle of water to spray the top sheet until it is damp but not soaking. Place the dry towel or sheet on your bed underneath your body and use the wet sheet as your blanket. The damp blanket will keep you cool and if you add a fan at the foot of your bed the cooling effect is even greater. Or, during an extreme heat wave, take a light t-shirt, wet it, wring it out and wear it. Evaporation from the shirt will help to keep you cool enough to sleep for a few hours. This is a very simple and environment friendly method of staying cool.

Buy a straw or bamboo mat. These don't retain body heat and are cool all night long. They are found cheap at Chinatown or any Asian supermarket near you.

Take a pair of cotton socks, rinse them in cold water, wring them until they are damp and put them on. Cooling your feet lowers the overall temperature of your skin and body.

Try buckwheat pillows or futons. These don't retain body heat and feel cool all night long.

Get a few blocks of "blue ice," normally sold in supermarkets. This is a rectangular plastic block containing a non-toxic chemical that freezes at lower temperatures than ice, and stays cold longer. If possible, get the larger blocks. Freeze them in the freezer during the day and take them to bed with you at night. They don't get damp when they melt -- the chemical stays inside. Put each block inside a sock or something, so it won't feel so cold, and it will melt more slowly. If you feel warm, put a hand or foot on a block, or curl up next to a few. You'll soon feel cooler.

Or, just chill or freeze a plastic bottle of water.

Dampen a hand towel and lie in bed with it on your forehead. Turn it over and dampen again when needed.

Bring a soft ice pack to bed You can buy "sinus packs" or "thermal sleeves" in most grocery stores. These are much softer than the blue ice compresses and don't get quite as cold (the blue gel ones can give you ice-burn). Slip a cold sinus pack under your neck or a cold thermal sleeve over your arm. Cooling down the back of your neck helps cool the rest of your body down as well.

Chill your pillowcase. Put your sheets,blanket,and pillowcases into freezer bags and put in the freezer all day. This may also help you fall asleep faster, further reducing your exposure to the uncomfortable heat.

Make a Rice Sock. When you turn in, bring the bag with you to use as a cool compress. Try placing it under your pillow so it's nice and cool when you flip it over. You can also place it within the pillow cover or inside your pillow if it has a zippered opening.

and place it in the freezer and leave it there for at least two hours

Make a Cold pack. Place some GREEN dish soap in a sealable bag style container. Only fill approximately 1/4 of the bag space with soap,(the green tends to work much better) and place it in the freezer. The soap doesn't harden but holds the cold temperature longer than ice and/or the blue ice containers. Once you are ready to use, place in a pillow case or fold in a towel. This allows several options for placement. Because the pack is not solid, it allows for versatility and comfort. This can also be used as an "Ice Pack" for muscle aches and pains. This is a much cheaper option to the store bought "Soft Packs" and works in the same way.

I am going to try every one of these tonight that I possibly can. Me naked under a damp sheet with a fan blowing may not be pretty but if it keeps me cool and lets me sleep, who gives a care. Will report back to you as soon as possible.

Until then remember:
Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.
~Author Unknown

Middle age is the awkward period when Father Time starts catching up with Mother Nature. ~Harold Coffin

2011-07-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.
Charles Dudley Warner

Good Morning from Harmony Acres! Guess what? It's only 96 degrees at 11:00 a.m. this morning! Muskogee County is under another excessive heat warning! I've decided not to whine about it today cause it is what it is. Instead, I will just sit here under my ceiling fan, oscillating fan, wind tunnel fan and window air conditioner (Becky stays wrapped up in a blanket and a heavy robe while I fry). At my age (closer to 60 than 55) anything over 76 degrees is like living in an inferno (I expect to see Daniel and the Lions at any moment). Lord, please send rain. And lots of it. I won't whine. I promise.

Water colored memories from April........

Let me tell you, post menopausal is a life stage all it's own! I live in my personal climate zone (nothing is cool enough. that weird thing Mom used to do with a wet washcloth hanging on her neck year round , now makes perfect sense to me), stuff that used to be flat and taunt is now fluffy and flabby (say goodbye to bathing suits and short shorts) and to add insult to injury, my attitude can go from sweet and nice to psycho in the blink of an eye. It ain't easy being me but it is what it is. Anyone spending any length of time with me had better have a sense of humor and an emergency exit strategy!

It's funny til it happens to you! Real Women! Real Issues!

Anyway, having said all that, let's get down to the business of Simple Living. I have found that my wants no longer exceed my needs. I enjoy the slimmed down, new, improved version of life as I know it. We spend our lives chasing after a material rainbow only to discover it is all an illusion. Stuff cannot make us happy. Stuff becomes a burden. Stuff requires extreme security measures. In the end, stuff is just stuff. If it has no practical use or sentimental value (something of Mom's or Dad's), it is just taking up space. My Stuff (or lack of it) does not define me as a person and if that is the measuring stick you use then I feel sorry for you. The best things in life do not have a price tag attached. It is what it is.

Here is a list of ten things that I can do without to live a frugal and simple life:

A new car before the old one wears out. (the last one was running on 3 cylinders before I surrendered it to scrap)
A big screen T.V. (the one we have now, has a blue stripe down the middle. i don't even notice it anymore)
A Zero Turn Lawn Mower (the mower I have still runs, sort of)
A new wardrobe for every season (I have boxes and boxes and boxes of clothes that I don't wear. why add more to the chaus?)
A matching pair of shoes for every outfit I own. (how many pairs of shoes do I really need? I only have two feet)
Matching jewelry for every outfit I own. (how many necks, arms and fingers do I have?)
A haircut every month. (at my age growing hair on my head ain't that easy)
A manicure and pedicure. (really, I work with my hands in dirt, pooh and other unspeakable stuff. a chipped nail doesn't bother me)
Eating out cause I'm too lazy or too busy to cook (not going to happen)
A week at a spa and resort. (O.K. I would really like to have this one but it ain't gonna happen).

Well, thats all I have to say today. Well, there is one more thing. I know. I know. Yada, yada, yada. Just shut up.

Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.

~Oscar Wilde, The Soul of Man under Socialism, 1891

The "Dog Days Of Summer" are...............

2011-07-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

dog days

periods of exceptionally hot and humid weather that often occur in July, August, and early September in the northern temperate latitudes. The name originated with the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians; they believed that Sirius, the dog star, which rises simultaneously with the Sun during this time of the year, added its heat to the Sun's and thereby caused the hot weather. Their belief that dogs were subject to spells of madness at this time also may have contributed to the name. Because people tended to become listless during the dog days, Sirius was held to have a detrimental effect on human activities

Gypsy can tell you all about the dog days.

Gypsy staying close to her pool.

Hey, ya'll. 106 degrees again? Really? I am definitely listless! And maybe suffering from a touch of madness (depends on who you ask). Can I take my skin off and just sit under the air conditioner in my bones? When the low nighttime temperature is 82 degrees, you know you're in trouble! You might as well get ready for it cause I'm going to whine about the heat again. It's so dry that you could sneeze and set a fire.

Everyone and everything is suffering. The farmers and ranchers trying to cut their hay pastures are engulfed in a cloud of dust that travels for miles. Some of them have come down with pneumonia from breathing the dust and they were the lucky ones! Others have had a small spark from a loose cable set the hay and their tractors on fire!

You know my love of animals, so I would be remiss if I did not include some tips for keeping them safe in the hot weather.

Veterinarians at the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania offer the following tips to keep pets healthy and cool during the hot days ahead:

Do not leave your pet alone in your car - vehicles heat quickly in the sun, and animals left in them can succumb to heat stroke in a very short time. Heatstroke is life threatening for both dogs and cats. Signs to watch for are: heavy, loud breathing, a staggering gait, and a bright red tongue or gum tissue. If heat stroke is suspected, get the animal to a cool place, put cold compresses on his belly, or in severe cases completely wet him down so that his hair is soaked. This is a medical emergency - take him to your veterinarian as quickly as possible.
To prevent him from overheating, don't let your dog exercise in hot weather. If you want to run with your dog, do it in the cool hours of the early morning or late evening.
Dogs and cats need a cool, shady place to sleep during hot weather, as well as plenty of clean, fresh water, accessible at all times. Feed your dog or cat in the cooler hours of the day. Older animals have a hard time in hot weather, so be extra sensitive to their needs during the hottest hours of the day.
Be sure that your pet's vaccinations are up to date. Parvovirus, an illness that flourishes in hot weather, can be fatal to dogs that have not received their vaccinations. Also, be sure your pet's rabies vaccinations are current. During the summer months, pets often spend more time outdoors, and the chances of encounters with wildlife (possible rabies carriers) increase.
It's heartworm medication time. If your dog hasn't been tested for heartworm this year, see your veterinarian. Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes, but it can be prevented by administering a monthly preventive between June and November.
Keep your pet well groomed. Daily brushing or combing lets you check for fleas and ticks. Fleas can cause allergic reactions and "hot spots" in dogs. Hot spots are large, wet skin sores that appear suddenly in areas where the dog has scratched. See your veterinarian for flea and tick preventives or if a "hot spot" appears.
Play with your pet instead of stroking him to fend off fear of thunder or loud noise. Playing a game with your pet when he shows early signs of anxiety, like pacing or trembling, can distract him from the stressor. In the long term, it teaches him to associate that same stressor with positive things such as play and treats. Petting him is likely to make no difference - and, in fact, it may reinforce the attention-seeking that comes with nervousness.
Keep dogs away from picnic garbage. Ingesting corncobs and chicken and other bones can be life-threatening by obstructing or perforating the stomach. Also, according to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, the peels, fruit, and seeds of citrus plants such as lemons, oranges, limes, and grapefruits contain varying amounts of citric acid, limonin, and volatile oils that can cause gastrointestinal irritation and result in vomiting and diarrhea. The stems, leaves, and seeds of apples, cherries, peaches, and apricots contain cyanogenic glycosides that can cause vomiting and loss of appetite when eaten in large amounts. In severe cases, weakness, difficulty breathing, hyperventilation, shock, and even death can occur. Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions and/or garlic. Left over pizza, Chinese dishes and commercial baby food containing onion, sometimes fed as a supplement to young pets, can cause illness.
If you have a swimming pool, do not leave your dog unattended in the pool area. Not all dogs can swim - they can drown if they fall into the water.
Use a heavy screen on windows or keep them closed if you have cats. During the summer, the number of cats suffering from "high rise" syndrome, or falling from windows, increases dramatically. Contrary to myth, cats do not land on their feet when falling from heights. The most severe injuries occur when cats fall from second- or third-floor windows.

I am very fortunate to be able to check on Gypsy and the boys throughout the day because I am home. Not only do we provide two small swimming pools for them but there are two very large water buckets. Many times it just comes down to common sense. Common Sense and Simple Living go hand in hand.

Pickle and Mischief know how to beat the heat of the dog days of summer!

It is so dry that even snakes have gone looking for water. Unfortunately (for the snake), it sought refuge in my sister Joyce's flower bed. She called me at 6:45 a.m. one morning to see if my "do no harm" rule applied to snakes. I explained that snakes, spiders and other creepy, crawly things that will hurt you are not included. In the background, I could hear dogs barking like crazy and Joyce seemed a little overly excited for that early in the morning. Then the story came tumbling out. She had seen a five or six foot rattlesnake crawl into her main flower bed and she had killed it with a garden hoe! A garden hoe? A garden hoe? What were you thinking? Get the gun, sis. Get the gun. Such bravery deserves some reward! Maybe a tee shirt that says "Armed and Dangerous" with a picture of her holding a garden hoe? Country girls can take care of themselves, I'm telling ya. Anything can become a weapon in our hands!

Lovin' the lifestyle choice, thank you very much!

Country Girls Get R Done! You Go Big Sister!

Need I say more?

This one is for you, Becky!

I love tee-shirts so this site can entertain me for hours. Click above and enjoy! It's much more fun than being outside in this heat. I am going to hibernate inside the house until December when I can then whine about how cold it is.

The Ripple Effect

2011-07-06T06:55:00.000-07:00

I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.
William Penn

If I could turn back time.......1958?
A five year old me and Mom.

Good Morning from Harmony Acres, ya'll. It's a cool morning (84 degrees is cool for summer in Oklahoma). I've already hauled the trash, mowed some on the yard, given Maggie a bath. I had everything set up outside to paint on my kitchen cabinet doors. However; between my lingering bronchitis and never ending allergy attacks, that project has been moved inside the house for the day. Yes, I know that paint fumes in the house aren't safe but my left brained, right handed logic says go for it.

Warning: Graphic Description Follows

I was going to tell you about my cucumber salad, my kitchen cabinet doors and other mundane things occurring at Harmony Acres. However; after the "not guilty" verdict in the Casey Anthony trial, I want to address the criminal justice system in our country.

It is probably safe to say the 90% of the people in our country think she caused the death of her child and lied and partied for 31 days knowing the child was dead in a swamp (with three pieces of duct tape placed over the mouth and nose holding the little skull together) 15 houses down from where she resided with her parents. The other 10% are "reasonable doubt" defense lawyers. I found this verdict deeply disturbing and egregious on so many levels!

As a mother, I would gladly lay down my life for my daughter (as would have my mother and every mother I know) so the actions of Casey Anthony escape my understanding. Actually, it is beyond my comprehension! We watched a family that should have lived at "dysfunction junction" come apart on live television (we all have some type of dysfunction but rarely do we have it broadcast live around the world).

These are the facts as I understand them (apparently, the jury was watching a different trial than I was):

Caylee Anthony (almost three years old) was last seen in the company of her mother, Casey Anthony.
For one month no one saw Caylee while her mother partied and got a new tattoo (Beautiful Life).
When Cindy (Casey's mother) tracked her down in July, Casey claimed the babysitter kidnapped Caylee (when in fact, the child was decomposing in a swampy area).
Casey's car had been towed and when her parents reclaimed the car, the trunk had the distinctive odor of human decomposition in it.
Casey continued to lie to everyone and did everything possible to prevent the remains of her child from being found (6 months later, the skeletonized remains were located by a meter reader in an area that had been under water. most of the unusable forensic evidence had been destroyed).
Casey continued to lie about Caylee's death until in opening statements her lawyer stated that Caylee died on June 16th in an accidental drowning in the family swimming pool (there was no evidence of this, or anything else he claimed in opening statements, presented at the trial ).

She was tried by a jury of her peers (I have reasonable doubt about the "peer" part. who were these people?) and found not guilty of any charges related to the death of her child. Apparently, common sense took a vacation. The circumstantial evidence in this trial was overwhelming. According to the verdict, no one killed Caylee. So why isn't she still in the loving arms of her grandparents?

I can understand her lawyers wanting to celebrate their unlikely victory, but I feel so public a display (champagne toast in a restaurant close to the courthouse) was inappropriate to say the least. I am disgusted by their actions during the trial and afterward. How can there be such a celebration when a child is dead? Does no one remember the reason for this trial?

The ripple effect of this case will continue for years to come. It seems that almost everyone whose lives intersected with Casey Anthony are in some way forever changed (and not for the better). If she had only taken responsibility for whatever may have happened, in all likelihood, her family would have welcomed her back with open arms. Instead, she told terrible lies that will always haunt and hurt her family. She has destroyed much. There is a very real possibility that she will walk out of that courthouse tomorrow a free woman. How will she live in a world that believes she got away with murdering her child?

Whether you believe in God (reap what you sow), Karma (as she has planted, so does she harvest) or just good old common sense (what goes around comes around), there is a reckoning. She may be legally exonerated but she is not morally exonerated! Time will take care of this! The ripple effect! If you ever think that one life cannot impact others, take a look at this case. The ripple effect! Law enforcement, hundreds and hundreds of people who traveled hundreds of miles to help search for a live missing child, her family, jurors, lawyers, the judge and countless others who were vested in finding this child. At the end of the day, there are many unanswered questions and no answers, which disturb all of us. How could this have happened?

Our legal system, such as it is, worked but truth and justice were not present in that courtroom in my humble opinion. Something is broke and I am saddened by this!

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

2011-07-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July, ya'll. Sometimes the celebration of a holiday becomes so routine that we forget why the tradition ever started. This should not be one of them! We live in a country where freedom truly means everything to us. We, as a nation, have sacrificed sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and many other loved ones to this cause which is as much a part of our being as the heart that beats in our body. We are Americans and proud of it!
History Lesson: Part 1

First 4th of July

It was in the year 1776 that representatives from the thirteen colonies met together in Philadelphia, to sign the final declaration to England of our independence. After decades of mistreatment, over taxation and living under a tyrannical government, the colonists had had enough.
They came here as British citizens and were being governed as property instead of as British citizens. They weren’t going to stand for any further abuses of power by a King and Parliament that appeared to not care for them. The early founding fathers banded together and brought arms to bear against the military of the King to drive them out of this country and back to England. By expelling the British from our shores, we became a self-ruled country.
The war waged for almost a decade to secure our freedom from the British. Often ill equipped and hungry, the revolutionary soldiers were determined that they possess a country of free men and women. Their struggles and hardships were given so that we might live in a country without the tyranny of a monarch thousands of miles away.

The fight for freedom has touched all our lives throughout the years. My beloved brother, David, fought in a foreign country. As a teenager, this was the most agonizing time of my life. The evening news only intensified my fear for his safety. It still brings tears to my eyes as I remember the raw emotion of realizing that he was on American soil again and coming home.

Many times as I watch popular and successful entertainers on T.V. distort and forget the lyrics to our National Anthem, I just want to scream! How can you live in a country, that has allowed you to become rich and famous, and not be respectful enough to know the words to the most important song? Well, let me remind you how it goes. Don't just read the words! Feel the words!

Here we have another history lesson (part 2), thank you very much.

In 1813 the commander of Ft. McHenry asked for a flag so big that "the British have no trouble seeing it from a distance." He asked Mary Young Pickersgill to make the flag for him. Her thirteen year old daughter Caroline helped her. She used 400 yards of fine wool. They cut 15 stars that were two feet across. There were
8 red and 7 white stripes. The stripes were each two feet wide. When it was finished it measured 30 by 42 feet and cost $405.90.

During this time Francis Scott Key was a lawyer in Georgetown, just a few miles from Washington D.C. He and his wife Mary had 6 sons and 5 daughters.

In 1814, the British captured Washington and set the Capitol on fire. President James Madison and his wife Dolley had to leave the White House and run to a safer place.

After this attack, the Americans knew that Baltimore would be attacked next. The British had captured Mr. Key's friend. His name was William Beanes and he was a doctor. Key and another man set out to try to save Dr. Beanes' life. They told the British the doctor had helped to save British soldiers who had been wounded. They agreed to free him, but they wouldn't let them leave because the three men had overheard the British making plans to attack. So they were placed under guard on a British ship.

It was from this ship Francis Scott Key watched the bombing of Ft. McHenry. There was a lot of smoke and haze, but when daylight came, he could see the flag was still waving.
Put yourself there with Francis Scott Key when he penned these words:

The Star-Spangled Banner


Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?


On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner!  Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto:  "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

The flag which flew over Ft. McHenry is now at the Smithsonian in the Museum of American History. The flag is very fragile and they keep a curtain in front of it to protect it from the light and dust. They show the flag for a few moments once every hour when the museum is open to the public.

A spectacular view looking down from the ceiling of the National Museum of American History at the Star Spangled Banner and Foucault Pendulum exhibits just inside the museum's Mall entrance.

(Smithsonian photo #95-1155/4 by Eric Long)

The Star Spangled Banner, America's most famous flag and a highlight of any visit, is the flag that inspired the national anthem. The Foucault Pendulum, which seems to rotate as it swings, demonstrates the rotation of the earth.

God Bless all those who are in service to our country, at home and abroad. Thank you from a grateful American! God Bless all the families who love them. Thank you for your sacrifice. God Bless America and the freedom we represent.

Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability***Sam Keen

2011-07-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

You can never appreciate the shade of a tree unless you sweat in the sun.
Author Unknown

Hi ya'll. Who knew that 80 degrees under the air conditioner could feel so good! When it's a 100 degrees actual temperature outside and the air feels like you are breathing in liquid flames, you know that you are living in Hell's kissin cousin, Oklahoma. Nothing is moving outside this afternoon. Not birds, not animals, not leaves on trees, not humans (if they can help it). The shade trees offer little relief. Hello, summer!!!

I don't know about you, but as a very feminine lady (yes, I clean up pretty good when I want to), I find summer very challenging. It's hard to look good when your make-up is dripping off your chin (lookin like something that should be in a wax museum, no doubt) and sweat is pooling between your boobs (yes, I said boobs). The fragrance you are wearing goes sour in a matter of minutes and you smell worse than if you were wearing none at all. Pantyhose are out of the question! Your clothes seem to cling to every unsightly bulge you have and your panties settle in some very uncomfortable places. I think it should be perfectly legal and morally acceptable to go naked in the heat of an Oklahoma summer. Well, that just what I think bout it.

Gypsy is hot!

Pushka is hot!

And my tomato plants are hot!

The guys (father, son and friend) came yesterday and unplugged the sewer line and put in a clean out line (A sewer cleanout is a point of access where the sewer lateral can be serviced. It usually is 4” in diameter and has a tight-fitting steel or plastic cap over it.). The cost was more than reasonable and I found out that they are general contractors (that means they can do anything).

I was a curious spectator and watched them work. The hairball (it was the size of a small state) they removed looked like we had scalped at least ten people and flushed them down the toilet bowl (it wasn't pretty). The look the father gave me when he removed said hairball, spoke volumes. His tip of the day was to pour one cup of bleach down the bathroom sink and bathtub once a week to prevent this sort of thing from happening again (kinda figured out he thought a little common sense would have prevented this problem). Anyway, they are coming back next week to hang a new storm door for me.

Ground level view of my new clean out line (box?)
After living here for 18 years, I got a clue.

One of my neighbors stopped by the store today while I was working and left me this gift that keeps on giving. I love Simple Living and everything that comes with it. You never have to stand alone when you live in the country.

Bless my bloomers! It's new potatoes and yukon gold!

Thank you for dropping in today. I gotta go and cook some taters. Have a wonderful evening and I will see you again soon.
Dirty hands, iced tea, garden fragrances thick in the air and a blanket of color before me, who could ask for more?Bev Adams

Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater. ************ ~William Hazlitt

2011-06-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant.

Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus), Satires

Day 1
Hi, ya'll. I know it's been a bit since I last posted. The brain frying Oklahoma weather seems to have already taken a toll on me and summer just began a week ago. The animals are just trying to survive, too. They are all mad cause I woke them up for a photo op.

Sophie was sleeping on a basket in the window.

Maggie woke up really grumpy!

Molly said "Will you just leave me alone and let me sleep?"

I have a rule of thumb for visiting doctors: if I have less than three things wrong with me (or the problem has bothered me less than two years), I don't go. Period. End of statement. Well, the count is well above three so I have a doctor's appointment today at 2:45 p.m.(all the morning appointments were taken so I have to venture out in the heat this afternoon, yuck). Think I'll treat myself to a milkshake after the trauma of a doctor's visit (any excuse will do when it comes to ice cream). I know ya'll are tired of hearing me whine about being sick but it is what it is!

I just wanted to take a simple bathroom break. How often does a catastrophe start with one simple task? One bathroom is flooded, the other has "stuff" backed up in the bathtub and my living room is flooded. I'm sick ya'll! I shouldn't have to deal with cleaning up recycled pooh! Just shoot me now! I want to curl up in the bed and be a sick person not the repair and maintenance crew today! If we rented our residence, I could call the landlord but when you are a frugal homeowner you are the maintenance man and the cleaning crew and the do it yourself repair person. Just shoot me now! However, adversity brings out the most creative in me. Plus I can read instructions on how to repair most things. Thank God for good language skills.

One full bottle of Liquid Plumber later and with one foot on the bathtub stopper, the other foot in front of the toilet bowl and stretched out like taffy (thanks to yoga I can do this) to reach the toilet bowl (this is not a technique I read about but I had to be creative since there is just one of me), I have plunged my brains out to no avail. This issue is way above my skill level. Guess I'll have to take a bath in the wadding pool in the front yard. Just shoot me now! Anything requiring water or drainage has come to a complete hault til I can meditate (changed to Pepsi and with Bronchitis, a cigarette is out of the question).

Day 2

It now takes me two days to do what I used to do in one hour. I went to the doctor yesterday and found out I have sinusitis, bronchitis and two other itis's (no, I'm not going to tell you what the other two are. it's personal). Let's just say I don't feel so great. The total cost was around $150.00. Just shoot me now!

Now, back to my plumbing problems (not my personal plumbing problems but the whole house plumbing problems). Need to call in a professional (me thinks I have tree roots in the lines and no clean out line). My plumber of many years had retired and the next one I called wouldn't even respond to the two desperate messages I left on his answering machine (probably thought I was a crazy lady). In my next life, I'm coming back as a plumber. Expensive, unavailable and sets their own hours. Brother Danny (my, when I go to church, minister) gave me the name of a great plumber today. When I called, they said they would be out first thing in the morning. Thank You, Lord! Finally, instead of unreturned phone messages, I talked to a real person (he understood my pain and was very nice on the phone). Hold off on the shooting me to let me see how expensive this will be.

In the meantime, my friend Charlie the Barber left me cucumbers and squash at the little store. The cucumbers are just crying out for home canning as pickles. Country folk don't get sick days and one must seize the moment when it comes to fresh picked veggies. Simple Living is planning for the future.

I see pickles in my future!

O.K. I hate to admit it but I have become fascinated by the complexity of the most talked about criminal trial in recent American history. It is my humble opinion that we will never know the exact details of how Caylee Marie Anthony died because this mystery is surrounded by far too many lies, changing stories, and enough forensic testimony to sink a battleship. I am a reasonable person and I have drawn my own conclusions. There is one fact that remains after all is said and done: a beautiful, loving child is now in the presence of our Heavenly Father who knows all things. This link is a live feed from the courtroom. Perhaps you can figure it out. The prosecution is presenting their rebuttal tomorrow. Orlando Sentinel

O.K. Blah, blah, blah. I'm shutting up now. I know you're tired of listening to me. See you another day.

Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes, and adversity is not without comforts and hopes.

~Francis Bacon

"The little things? The little moments? They aren't little." ******* John Zabat-Zinn

2011-06-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

"The trouble with simple living is that, though it can be joyful, rich, and creative, it isn't simple."
Doris Janzen Longacre

Good Morning from Harmony Acres! It's been a tough week, ya'll. Last weekend, one of my customers at the little store dropped a bug (tummy virus) on me. So, that slowed me down for a couple of days ( I was still able to mow the yard a little at a time) and then: I woke up yesterday morning with my left eye swollen shut for no reason. It's even worse this morning! I look like a troll! A troll, I tell ya. A one eyed cyclops! (unfortunately, no magical powers came with this transformation). A.......One Eyed Flying Purple People Eater? I don't know what but it ain't pretty!

O.K. that's enough whining about my personal trials and tribulations. Here's what else is going on around here.

Last Sunday, Nick (another country neighbor) brought me some of the first fruits of his garden. What a treat! I have cooked a lot of them this week. You have never really tasted veggies until you've had them fresh picked from the garden. Simple Living at it's very tastiest.

Summer Squash, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Bell Peppers,
Banana Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers.

I took the summer squash, banana peppers, some red onions (gift from another neighbor), added some potatoes and fried (yes, I fried. Beck was not all that pleased) these in my favorite skillet (Calphalon). It was heaven to a fat deprived person like me. I served it with a hamburger pattie and a salad. I was a happy girl!

Then I took the green bell peppers and added yellow and red bell peppers to it for this delicious bread recipe (Bell Pepper Muffins page 58) from Taste of Home Guilt Free Cooking (a cookbook I borrowed from Becky). You talk about mouthing watering yummy!

Look for this recipe coming soon on Becky Cooks Lightly.

On a totally different subject: the boys (blue-heeler pups) are growing like crazy (almost as big as their momma) and are learning all kinds of new (but not nice) tricks. They must plot on me all day and night to get me good. The latest incident was as follows:

I went out to pen them up for the night. Pickle starting nipping at my bad ankle. When I bent over to push him away, Mischief grabbed the seat of my pants and pulled them down around my ankles (naked as a jaybird from the waist down. I mooned the whole neighborhood). Then I leaned over trying to pull up my pants and they grabbed the ponytail holder in my hair and pulled it out. So, here I am, fully exposed, trying to push the hair out of my face so I can see and pull my pants up so no one else can see. What a couple of lovable, funny terrors!

Five and a half months old and still growing.

We have a simple living creed around here "Do No Harm" (except for snakes, spiders, wasp and other creepy crawly things. It's get them before they get me). Pushka has never grasped this concept. He is determined to give me a heart attack.

I was hysterical! I thought I had murdered him!
He was just sleeping under the lawn mower.

"With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live without envy."
Lope de Vega

Thank you for stopping by today. I enjoy our little visits. Simple Living isn't for everyone but it is the piece of the puzzle that has been missing from my life. Harmony Acres did not happen over night but it did happen. I'm praying that each of you will find that special place where harmony, peace and balance can heal the wounds inflicted by life.

Dad.........On The Wings Of Angels, I Send You My Love

2011-06-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

James William Barnett (Short)
Dec. 28, 1918 to Feb. 3, 1978

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad

My Dad would be confounded by this world if he were still on this earth. Wall Street greed, unethical bank practices, morally bankrupt individuals (Bernie Madoff), the Internet (he would say "What is that?"), global warming (he would say "What is that?"), huge credit card debt (he would say "how could anyone owe that much") and a generation believing that they are entitled to everything without laboring for it.

My Dad believed a man's word was his bond and his pledge (a handshake was a sufficient contract) . He would not understand the need for pages and pages of signed, notarized papers to make a person do the right thing. He was a man of his word who firmly believed you worked for what you got (old-fashioned, yes. a lost art, if you ask me). His creed could have been "Without labor, nothing prospers"' Sophocles said it first but Dad lived it.

Dad loved the new coat he got for Christmas.

Dad was funny, honest, hard working (physical labor), compassionate and the most loving parent and grandparent anyone could ask for (unconditional love no matter how bad you messed up). He was known by many names. "Short (nickname everyone used because he wasn't very tall), Husband, Dad, Pa, Business Owner and Homeowner". His focus in life was his family and making a better life for them by hard work (he would rather eat water gravy than take charity). I lovingly recall his weather-beaten face (hours of working outside in the elements) and unquenchabel spirit (he inspires me still). He was living the American Dream.

Dad, Mom and Pug Ugly (dog).
Dad was deeply suntanned from his many hours of labor in the hot sun.

In a few months I will be 58 years old. The same age Dad was when Cancer stole him from us and denied us the privilege of growing old with him. Time has eased the pain but the wound of loss is forever in my soul. Tears come at unexpected moments, the raw emotion is triggered by any number of small reminders.

Even though I miss his physical presence (more than I can tell you), he is still with me in many other ways. The things he taught us are with me everyday. Dad taught me how to drive a stick shift truck in the hayfield (if you can drive a stick shift, you can drive anything); Jimmy, my oldest nephew, wasn't much taller than the tail gate on the truck but he would drag the square bales to the truck and Dad would help load and then stack them. Ricky and Richard (my other two nephews) were very young but Dad gave them some lessons too.

Dad and grandson, Richard, at Christmas time.

Becky was a few months shy of her fifth birthday when Dad left (told her the angels took him to Heaven). Those handful of years were so very special to both Dad and Beck. She tottled around after him everywhere he went. She used to sit on the side of his sickbed and sing songs to him. I can still hear her childish voice singing "I shall not be, I shall not be moved, just like a tree planted by the water, I shall not be moved".

Becky and Dad in the garden.

Joyce, my sister, adored him. She has said to me many times "he was someone I could lean-on in times of trouble "(I agree. Lord knows I had troubles when I was younger). Dad was our rock.

David is Dad's only son. There was a very special bond there that only father's and son's can have. Since Dad left us, David has been the person I could lean-on no matter how bad I messed up. Dad left a lasting legacy in his children and grandchildren. We can only strive to be the kind of person he was. He set the bar very high for us.

Dad and Brother Dave.(eternally bonded)

Father's Day is a day set aside by retail business to make a lot of sales. However, the real reason for the day is to tell your Dad how very special he is and to cherish the time you have with him. Never miss an opportunity to say "I love you Dad".

A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness.*********** Elsa Schiaparelli

2011-06-16T14:14:00.000-07:00

Things A True Southern Knows:
True Southerners know instinctively that the best gesture of solace for a neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and a big bowl of cold potato salad. (If the trouble is a real crisis, they also know to add a large banana puddin'.)

And a true Southerner knows you don't scream obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 on the freeway - you just say, "Bless her heart" and go your way.

You should never loan your tools, pick-up, or gun to nobody

Good Morning from Harmony Acres! I woke up this morning to the sound of rolling thunder. Peeking out my window, the sight of lightning splitting the sky drove me from my bed to check the weather to see if we were in for a bad time or not (living in tornado alley makes me a little skittish). Today, it was the not. Pouring rain met me as I stepped out to the front porch. Good news for the garden and other plants and trees. Bad news for inside dogs needing to go outside to wee-wee. Bad news for Becky having to drive to work in another rainstorm.

Maggie is conflicted: Needs to wee-wee. Scared of storms.

Oh, almost forgot to tell you this! Last night I made Spring Strawberry Dumplings from Becky's blog. Oh, my gosh ya'll! I had never made this recipe before but I will certainly make it again. Satisfied my sweet tooth. I devoured it like it was the last taste of sugar on earth. Becky keeps preaching moderation but I was totally out of control!

Spring Strawberry dumplings! Ain't that just the berries?

Now, ya'll know I'm from the south and we know how to cook and eat (I have to keep reminding myself that fat is not my friend). I found this list of favorite southern recipes I would like to share with you. My personal favorite is Fried Green Tomatoes (could eat 5lbs. by myself). I'm sure none of these are in the new healthy eating recipe and lifestyle book "Just Tell Me What To Eat, The Delicious 6-Week Weight Loss Plan for the Real World " (you can read Becky's book review at Becky Cooks Lightly Book Review).

1. Southern Style Cornbread A typical Southern cornbread, which is almost an essential to serve alongside greens, black-eyed peas, pinto beans, and chili. Or, use all or part of this cornbread to make a great cornbread dressing for the holidays.

2. Fried Green Tomatoes This is a classic no-frills cornmeal-coated version, and there are links to other battered fried green tomatoes below the recipe. Delicious! Top Picks

3. Classic Macaroni and Cheese This has to be everyone's favorite comfort food, served as a main dish or side dish. Top Picks

4. Fresh Peach Cobbler Definitely a major star on the Southern dessert table, this cobbler is made with fresh peaches and a buttery crust. Top Picks

5. Fried Chicken With Cream Gravy If your fried chicken isn't quite there yet, practice (or rehearsals) makes perfect. Here's an old-fashioned Southern fried chicken recipe with a milk gravy. Top Picks

6. Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding Bread pudding is such wonderful comfort food, with a caramel, vanilla, or whisky sauce. If bread pudding is on the menu at a restaurant, it's always my first choice. Top Picks

7. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork An easy slow-cooked version of tender pulled pork shoulder for sandwiches. Delicious served with a topping of coleslaw and baked beans on the side. Top Picks

8. Seven Layer Salad This delicious salad, made with lettuce, had-cooked eggs, peas, bacon, cheese, mayonnaise, and other ingredients, almost always shows up at our family dinners.

9. Sandy's Chicken and Dumplings One of the South's favorite one-dish meals, this is a favorite recipe from our forum. Top Picks

10. Grandma's Meat Loaf A classic homemade meatloaf recipe, made with oats, made with lean ground beef, chili sauce, oats, and other ingredients and seasonings.

Thank you for stopping by today. Y'heah?:
A redundant expression tacked onto the end of sentences by Southerners. "Y'all come back soon, y'heah?"

Idle Hands Are The Devil's Workshop

2011-06-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

The idle man does not know what it is to enjoy rest,
for he has not earned it.
John Lubbock

Hi Ya'll. Don't think I have been idle just because I haven't posted for a couple of days. Let me give you a snapshot of what's been going on.

Moved furniture in every room trying to reorganize (hate it when stuff just falls on me when I walk by. a sure sign of too much stuff that is just stuff with no real purpose). I am buying a small chest type freezer (it has a purpose) to store our homegrown veggies in. In a small home, to move one thing, you have to move everything! I cooked and froze potatoes, onions and homemade dog treats so the freezer on the fridge is full and I still have other things to put up.

Becky created this lovely vegetarian pizza.
I supplied the homegrown veggies for it.
Look for this upcoming recipe on Becky Cooks Lightly.

Pushka went missing for two days. I was so upset!
Becky drove all over the neighborhood searching!
He finally came home all skinny and remorseful.

Yesterday, I had to go into Muskogee (ya'll know how bad I hate that). I stopped at the feedstore for dog food for the boys and a flea collar for Gypsy.
K-Mart for tons of pet and household supplies. Pedigree can dog food was on sale for .65 but they only had 23 cans in store (like that's going to last long around here) so I got a rain cheque for 4 cases. Yes, you can do that. Just ask. (Also, the other night I stopped at a drive through Mexican Food place and when I got home part of my order was missing. Called them to voice my frustration. Yes, you can do that. Got rain cheque for free platter plus my 3 missing cheesecake items. Told you not to make me mad)
Then I was off to Sav-A-Lot to restock our pantry.

Can vegetables will do until I can preserve our own.
Nothing taste as wonderful as fresh garden veggies.

But today is a new day and I have much to do before it becomes fry your brains hot. A storm blew through last night and took out the greenhouse. The plants are still fine but the covering is tattered and torn. Oh, well. I'll just fix it. No time to get into mischief around here. There is always plenty of work to do in the country. Those who say the country is relaxing, obviously don't live there.

Greenhouse with a sunroof?

You put it up, the storms take it down!

Red, Green and Yellow Bell Peppers,
Eggplant and Zucchini Squash ready for planting.
No, it is not too late. Why not? Because I said so.
The onions hanging in background were a gift from a neighbor.

Nothing good comes from boredom. It's said that idle hands are the devil's workshop, an old saying dating at least as far back as Chaucer in the twelfth century who called idle hands the devil's tools. (can't argue with that logic)

Some parts of my yard require a push mower (inside the greenhouse for instance). However; my push mower had to go home with Brother Dave for some rest and relaxation. I fouled (fowled?) out the plug he said. Now, wait a minute! I fouled out the plug sounds like an accusation to me. I don't even know what that means but I must have done something wrong (imagine that). Did I hit it, spit on it, leave it out in the rain, use it too much? What? What did I do wrong? And why is it always my fault? Everyone knows stuff just happens!

O.K. All the plants are back in place now.

The greenhouse is now an open air market! Stuff Happens, ya'll!

The happiest of all lives is a busy solitude. ~

Voltaire

While I Was Worrying About My Lungs, Nicotine Hijacked My Brain! That Ain't Right!

2011-06-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

Nicotine patches are great. Stick one over each eye and you can't find your cigarettes.

~Author Unknown

Well, I've made my contribution for the week to the global economy by spending my earnings on fuel for cars (does anyone even like the big oil companies?) and tobacco for the money hungry, could care less if you get cancer (wouldn't tell us it causes cancer until they were outed by secret memos & sued) companies that employ thousands of people. Folks, I take full responsibility for my addiction. I like to smoke (can't tell you why. it is a mystery to me). I make no excuses or apologies. It is what it is.

Out of over 4,000 chemicals that result from the chemical reactions of smoking of cigarettes,
about 400 of the 600 government-allowed ingredients are known to be toxic and 69 of these are carcinogens.

In my feeble attempts to stop smoking, I have tried patches, hypnosis and cold turkey (talk about the psycho in me coming out. it was just plain scary. scared myself. scared others). I know addiction begins in the brain and the body follows. I also know that there is nothing more annoying than those people who used to smoke trying to tell me what I ought to do. Guys, I'm not stupid! I'm an addict. So, there. I've said it. Now leave me alone. It is what it is.

Nicotine Addiction 101

Most of us became hooked while children or teens. What none of us knew prior to that first hit of nicotine was how extremely addictive smoking it was. Roughly 26% of us started losing control over continued smoking after just 3 to 4 cigarettes, rising to 44% after smoking 5 to 9.

What we didn't then know was that within ten seconds of that very first puff, that up to 50% of our brain's dopamine pathway acetylcholine receptors would become occupied by nicotine, or that prior to finishing that first cigarette that nicotine would saturate almost all of them.

I am not impressed by the big tobacco companies trying to play nice now and help me (The Judas Kiss). Treacherous, I tell you. Treacherous! Forced to do the right thing is not my idea of integrity and morality. That also goes for the oil companies spilling toxins all over the planet; hurting life giving water sources, plants, animals, humans and the local economy. Ya'll, the truth will set you free. You ought to try it sometimes. O.K. I'm through now. Well, maybe not! If I've offended anyone, kiss my grits! It is what it is!

Tobacco is a dirty weed. I like it.
It satisfies no normal need. I like it.
It makes you thin, it makes you lean,
It takes the hair right off your bean
It's the worst darn stuff I've ever seen.
I like it.
~Graham Lee Hemminger, Tobacco

Doing the research for this article has helped me to see the light, again. Perhaps it is time to reconsider my decision to smoke. Don't think I'm doing it just because I'm scared, maybe I should quit smoking because...........

I'm mad! Every time I read an article about the duplicity and deception of the tobacco companies or watch the movie "The Insider" (based on a true story of a man--Jeffrey Wigand-- with integrity vs. parasite tobacco company making a lot of money off making people deathly ill), I get really, really mad! The thought of them assisting me to become addicted without giving me the information I needed to make an informed decision and then making a gazzillon dollars off of people like me makes me absolutely livid (you don't want me to become livid because when I do, I write letters and file complaints). How dare they? Well, here's to trying to quit one more time! Big Tobacco--kiss my grits! It is what it is!

Research suggests that the average quitter experiences a maximum of 6 crave episodes per day on the third day of recovery, declining to about 1.4 per day by day ten. If each crave is less than 3 minutes and the average quitter experiences a maximum of 6 on their most challenging day, can you handle 18 minutes of challenge?

In the past, I have tried to stop smoking because I was backed into a corner (asthma, chronic bronchial infections and the huge increase in the cost of smoking). The emotional approach, if you will. This time I will use logic and scientific studies to improve my chances of quiting. Knowing what is going on when I have a craving will help me to fight the enemy within. It won't be pretty but I'm am willing to give it another try. Wish me luck and pray for me to succeed and Becky to maintain her sanity while I'm trying. It is what it is!

"Meditation is the soul's perspective glass."......................... Owen Feltham

2011-06-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

Meditation is like farming..... " the right soil is required to grow anything, nothing will grow if the soil is polluted by striving or pushing too hard".

Jon Kabt-Zinn

Good Morning Ya'll. It is a wonderfully cool and cloudy day with a light refreshing breeze blowing. A perfect time to take a stroll around the property. I have known for many years the unmistakable link between mind and body. If my mind is a wreck, my body follows the trend. Therefore; the importance of a balance between the two is vital for quality of life. Meditation is an inexpensive and proven method to achieve this balance. One of the ways I soothe my soul is working in my vegetable and flower gardens.

First baby cucumber of the year.

The fruits of my labor! Baby Tomatoes!

So, it comes as no surprise to me that a study at the University of Massachusetts found that mindfulness therapy can relieve the symptoms of Menopause (hot flashes, night sweats, sleeplessness and on and on and on). This is a quote from the article concerning Hormone Replacement (this has never been something I used and here is why):

About 40 percent of menopausal women suffer from hot flashes and night sweats, which undermine their quality of life, the researchers noted. But since hormone replacement therapy has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease, breast cancer and stroke, Carmody observed that "not only are women looking for alternative treatments, it is an NIH (National Institutes of Health) priority to find behavioral treatments."

Sometimes a change of scenery is a treat so we drive the 10 miles into Muskogee to visit Honor Heights Park. This is a lovely place with lots of walking paths, a duck pond (about a mile walk just around the duck pond (paddle boats for those not afraid of the water, me--I can't swim--sad I know) and a variety of plant life and trees.

Another article I found (Leave Stress Behind with Mindful Walking) gives some clues how to achieve this relaxing state of mind:

Here is a simple mindful walking exercise you can practice whenever you need it:

1. While walking, pay attention to your breathing. Use this focus on the breath as an anchor to stabilize your attention.

2. Next, allow yourself to notice any sights, sounds, or physical sensations that may come up as you walk. Rest your awareness for a moment on that sight, sound, or sensation, then return your awareness to your breathing.

3. If persistent thoughts distract you from your mindful awareness, simply notice them, then return your awareness to your breathing.

Meditation ain't hard ya'll. Just take the trash out (mentally) and relax, enjoy and heal thyself.

I found this really funny you tube video while browsing and thought you might enjoy a musical tour of Muskogee. I loved it. Laughed til my sides hurt