Please Follow Me Over to My Blog on Wordpress

https://happeningsonchaosranch.wordpress.com/  I've just had it with blogger and all the fits, stops and starts of their new system.  I'm sure it will be great when it's got all the bugs out, but I am trying to make my life as stress free as possible.  All of my posts are over on Wordpress now and I'll be adding more there as the time progresses.  Please come there to see me.  I will miss you if you don't. 

Harvest Moon

Another great thing about October is the harvest moon!  So huge and yellow looking!  So beautiful and bright.  So romantic.  When I'm outside during the full moon in October, I just can't take my eyes off of it.  I can see the "man in the moon" that I used to hear about in story books as a child.  I can imagine why people thought it was made of cheese, but then I wonder, was that story books too or did they really think that?  I think of what a blessing it was and is to farmers bringing in the last of their harvests by it.  What a God send it is. 

At some point in the night though, I always end up needing to go to sleep.  I live in the country.  In a rural area where it is so wonderfully quiet and dark -- except when there is a full moon.  The harvest moon in October is the absolute worst for trying to sleep!  I have shades on my windows and that sucker finds a little crack to sneak through and lights up the room as if it's spot lighted!  You can't get away from it.  No matter what side you sleep on -- there it is.  I finally had to get a sleep mask.  That works well enough.  Peace and harmony have been brought back into my sleeping life during the full moons.  I can once again love all things about the lovely harvest moon in October and just enjoy it's immense full beauty. 

A Little Fall Color and Some Hearts

I didn't get to really talk much about the things that went on yesterday in yesterday's post.  I had planned to, but I started talking about Max and then just couldn't stop.  So, here is pretty much what I would have written if I had not gotten carried away about my former pets and the one I wish I had now. 

October 16th is the birthday of an old elementary school friend.  Her name is Lisa and I haven't actually seen her in -- oh probably 20 years or so.  Haven't even talked to her in that long.  But I do remember her birthday and think of her fondly each year on her birthday.  I'm sure the only reason I would ever forget it is if I were to get Alzheimer's in the future. 

On my way to help my momma with her yard sale yesterday, I spotted a great heart shaped rock in my walkway!  I keep meaning to photograph them where I find them, but I'm so excited when I see them, that I always forget and grab them up!  This one was sitting right up on top of all the other rocks and gravel in the walkway.  Even faced so that it looked exactly like a heart to me.  I don't know how I could have missed it before. 






Momma sat down and visited a little more during the sale yesterday.  The shoppers were less frequent, but all in all her sale was a pretty good one I think.  Lovie cat visited while I was there and I was able to get photos of her.  Scroll down to yesterday's post if you want to see them. 

I did leave early so that I could watch the Rangers beat the Yankees in game two of the American League Championship Series -- which they did!  Final score was 7 to 2.  Hurray!  The next three games will be extra tough because they'll be played in NY.  The Yankees won the first game in TX 6 to 5.  It's a best of seven series.  The last two games will be played in TX, if the Rangers manage to beat the Yankees at home during their three games there.  I've got my fingers crossed already and it sure is hard to type that way. 

On my drive home, I found a couple of little spots of fall color. 

I ran by the post office and picked up a shipment of two books I'd ordered.  Four Word Self Help and Creative Is A Verb are both by Patti Digh who has the blog 37 Days.  I've read just a few pages of the self help one so far and I - am - in - love - with it!  Such common sense and fun!  The artwork is also done by her blog readers.  Really cool, huh? 

As I neared the post office, I noticed the clouds were awfully pretty.  Then I looked again and saw that the white clouds left a blue heart "space".  It wasn't as defined by the time I got to stop and photograph it, but I stopped and photographed it anyway.  In the photo, I can see other things.  What can you see?  Click to enlarge and then leave me a comment to tell me what you see, please. 








***  I'm having a lot of trouble with blogger and am thinking seriously of taking my blog to another server.  Are any of you having problems with blogger?  I can't stay logged on and I have to log on every single time I want to add a photo to my posting (a minimum of 5 times for this post!).  It's quite frustrating!  Believe me, if I do this, I will leave a link for you to follow.  I don't want to lose you!

Cats and Such

Here is the cat I told you about yesterday.  I've dubbed       "her" a her and              "Lovie", because I don't know her sex and she has a heart on her side.  I want to catch her, tame her and bring her to my home.  Now, I know that is not the conventional thought on feral cats nowadays, but my best and most favorite cat was indeed a feral cat that we adopted from this very property back in the early 1980's when my father lived here. 

My hubby and son came down to visit daddy one day when I had to work.  Sometime, fairly late that night, they come home and woke me up by sticking a cat in my face and saying hello to me.  I almost screamed!  In fact, I may have screamed.  Max was not a very pretty cat when  you first looked at her.  She was solid white except for a black ear and a black tail with a few stray white hairs in it.  She looked like she had been dipped in black paint.  What made her look so unusual was her yellow eyes. 

She had been hanging around my dad's place, killing the song birds and my dad had threatened to shoot her.  Hubby couldn't stand the thought of explaining that to our son, who was only 3 or 4 at the time.  So, he said he'd bring her home and she let him! 

Yes, she was indeed a real "she" and I did name her Max.  If you insist on a female name for a female cat, then her full name was -- first name - Maxine (a favorite aunt's middle name) first middle name - Maximilian (because it was one of the only Max names I could think of) second middle name - Maxwell (after my first eye doctor who was really sweet) and I called her Max for short.  

When we got her, Max was expecting kittens.  As soon as possible, after she had them, we had her spayed.  We also got a German Shepherd dog puppy around the time that her kittens were weaned and given away.  Max adopted the GSD puppy Lady and always treated her as one of her own.  You should have seen the two of them together!  This tiny, petite cat would pop out her claws and grab hold of Lady's  upper lip/whiskers area and pull her head down so that she could reach her face to groom her.  Lady never acted as if Max hurt her in the least.  She was always patient with Max and would often give her a big dog lick as a thank you.  I loved seeing them together. 

Max seldom meowed.  We thought she was mute until she was in hard labor delivering her kittens.  Even after that, she only meowed a couple of times.  We had her for many years.  She had lived a very hard life before coming to us and had lost most of her teeth by then even though she was a young cat at the time.  Lady lived more years than Max and always missed her little mother.  I miss them both.  I miss having a cat in my home.  I don't think I ever took any photos of the two together and I have very few, if any of them apart.  If I come across any, I'll let you know.

What's Up Today?

Today, is my dear Aunt Joan's birthday!  It's one of the decade one's.  I wish I could have been with her and given her a hug today.  I love you Aunt Joan!  When I was a kid, I called my Aunt Joan, Fanny Farkle.  I don't know why.  I called my momma, Lady Fish during the same time period.  They were both good sports.  Forgive me if I've told you that before. 

Today, I found out that my dear friend Catherine became a great-grandmother again (for the second time) yesterday -- on every body's birthday.  I believe she said they named the little girl child Hailey.  Very pretty.  I told her if she ever forgot when the little one's birthday was, I'd be able to help out. 

Today, I helped my dear momma with her yard sale.  It would have been my yard sale too, if I had ever gotten my rear in gear and gathered up some things to sell, but I didn't.  The weather was wonderful for being outdoors!  I took photos of the tree I was sitting under. 

And of a plant that has cool purple berries and chartruse leaves every fall.  I should know the name of it by now, but I don't.  I saw a feral cat who had a heart shaped pattern on her side (I kid you not!), but I couldn't get a shot of it.  I'm taking my camera back tomorrow and hoping that she'll come back while we're selling again. 

At lunch, I found a heart shaped Lay's potato chip.

Later, during a slow period, I took a little walk around momma's yard.  They had had to cut a tree down earlier in the spring.  There were parts of the trunk cut into three large pieces.  As I got closer to it, I could see that it was hollow in the center of the tree.  I had forgotten that.  I went to each end and looked inside.  One end of one piece was heart shaped!  I went around to the other end, it was a different shape on that end. 

As I walked back to the heart shaped end, coming around the side, I noticed that from the side, the heart shape looks like a butterfly.  So, now, I see both at the same time.  Can you see both, or only one?  Which one?

Happy Birthday to You and You (and you)!

For 18 of the last 33 years, I was torn in three directions on this day.  Unless my dad was out of state working that is and there was no possibility of seeing him.  For the last 15 years, I've only been torn in two directions.  Today is my momma's birthday and my hubby's birthday and it was my daddy's birthday also.  My daddy passed 15 years ago.  Fortunately, this year, I'm not torn at all.  My momma is at her lake house, which is just over 5 miles from my house and I will be able to spend some time with both of the birthday loved ones in my life on their special day today. 

This year, if I had had to choose, I would have picked being with my momma hands down, without a second thought or much of an apology.  This is her first birthday since the death of my sister.  It could be hard for her.  The first "milestones" are hard after a death.  I couldn't be with her on my sister's birthday because I was still in California waiting with my son for his orders to move to a base closer to his family.  It seemed to take forever to get those orders!  I was very upset and emotional over being there at that time.  I wanted to be here in Texas where I felt that I could do some good, even if I really couldn't.  I wanted to hug my momma and tell her in person that I love her.  Today, I'll be able to do that.  I am so very glad.

I'm really very lucky.  I've always had a great relationship with my momma.  She is patient and kind.  She has always tried to help us whenever she can.  We often tell her she's "going to get splinters in her butt from sitting on that fence".  She did this instead of taking sides in the arguments Teresa and I would have.  She did occasionally try to explain my sister to me and I'm sure she tried to explain me to her.  She didn't get in the middle.  She was great at making us both feel like we were equally loved.  It takes a special person to do that, I think.  Maybe it just takes a good parent.  All I know, is that she's been one.  I could go on, but I'll save some for another time.  I don't want to make her cry today, if I can help it.  I love you, Momma.  See you soon.

As for my hubby -- Happy Birthday to you too Hon.  We've been through more than our share of "to hell and back" I think.  I'm proud that we're still giving it our best shot.  I'm glad you can still make me laugh better than any man alive.  I still love to hear your laugh.  You can still give me chills.  And I'm happy.  I hope you have a great year and that we have a better year together with each passing year.  I love you.

Why Do You Blog?

I started my blog as an online journal of sorts.  A way to tell stories about my life so that my grandchildren would more fully know me one day.  I wanted to put the blog into a book for them so that they could hold it in their hands and read things that I had forgotten to tell them through the years.  The little trivial things that make up a life.  That make a life real. 

Now, I find that I blog because I have to.  I have to write.  I've always wanted to write.  I've always enjoyed writing.  I tried to take a creative writing class in college one time.  I failed miserably.  I could not bring myself to open up and write about the painful things I had been through at that point in my life and I hadn't lived long enough to have many interesting or joyful experiences to share.  I had been through a lot of crap in my youth.  So, I dropped out of the class. 

Later, I joined a large quilt guild and after a while, I volunteered to be on the board in the community service vice president position.  As a board member, I had to write a monthly column for the guild newsletter.  I found that I was good at it.  I got a lot of compliments for my writing of it too.  Of all of my duties as a board member, I found that I enjoyed the writing the most.  Even more than helping the children that the guild helped. 

Now, I'm not that great at flowery words or even amazingly descriptive words that can put you in the moment and make you say "ahhhh", but I can write and make you feel like I'm there talking to you.  I guess that's my "style".  That's what I do.  I wish, at times, that I was a more creative writer.  I wish I could write fiction.  (Then again, maybe I can.  I've never really tried.)  Wouldn't be wonderful to be one of those few people in the world who sits down one day and writes a novel?  Just has to write it and then sends it off and it is purchased right then and there?  And - it - is - a - hit?  What a dream, fantasy! 

If you blog, why do you do it?  I'm curious. 

I know that I can't stop.  One day, you all will know every secret my heart and soul has --  because I feel them bursting at the seams needing to see the light of day.  I feel the truth of ME needing to come all the way out so that if there is anyone out there who has been through the same things I've been through and is still suffering from it -- maybe I can help them just by telling them that I am here and I've been through it first and survived.  So, if you log on one day and I'm talking about heavy stuff, remember that is why.  I'm not trying to embarrass anyone -- especially not my family.  I'm not trying to hurt anyone -- again, especially not in my family.  But I am feeling more and more the need to own what is in my past, all of it.  The things that have happened to me, the things I have done because of what has happened to me.  The things that have led me to be who I am.  Because when you get right down to it, every single day of what happens to you and that you live -- shapes you.  I don't want to leave this world without my grandchildren knowing who I am.  Remember this though.  I am happy and I am enough.  No matter how heavy I am.  No matter how much grey is in my hair or how many smile lines I have.  I love and I am loved.  That is all I need.

How Many Times is She Going to Post Today?

Well, to be honest, I'm not sure.  This will be my third one.  I'm guessing, in all honesty that it will be my last one for today as the hour is getting late.  It's 11:07 PM Central time and it does take me a while to crank them out even if I'm rambling and running at the mouth, so it's very likely I'll run out of time to post anything after this one. 

I wanted to share with you -- something else today that has me excited!  First of all, I woke up today happy, truly happy for the first time in a very long time.  Truly, completely, unadulterated happy!  For no reason at all -- I was happy.  I feel that this is a very good sign, considering all that I've been through in the last -- oh, more than two years.  Life goes on.  Death happens.  Relationships change.  The light at the end of the tunnel is not always a train.  I got up.  I dressed and went out to run errands.  I visited my momma and her Bob.  I came home and took care of some things here.  I spent time on the phone with my dear friend Catherine and each of my granddaughters.  Then I got to watch the Rangers clinch their play off spot against the Rays.  Now, I'm looking forward to Friday and the game against the New York Yankees.  My happiness is good news, but this is not the exciting thing I wanted to tell you about. 

The exciting thing is that Aimee over at Artsyville is going to be having a list it Tuesday every Tuesday until she decides not to have it every Tuesday!  Not only that, but this incredibly sweet, talented woman came over to my blog and left a comment on my post about my lists not being what I want them to be and invited me to participate!  Well, if you've read my blog for any amount of time at all, you know you don't have to ask me twice to make a list!  So, I'm in!  Not only that, but if you want to make a list too, go on over and read about it and you can be in too!  Doesn't that sound like fun, with -- like a capital F - U - N?

I tell you, I haven't even finished reading Aimee's posting about it, I was so excited that I had to stop everything and post here and invite you all and I had to make my little journal for my lists.  You read that correctly.  Aimee is hand writing her lists and I decided that I would too.  And I have this brand spanking new RED moleskin journal that I'm going to use for it.  So, I have started to decorate the front of it.  Now, I am not nearly the artist that Aimee is and it is only started, but this is what it looks like.  As I work on it in the weeks to come, I'll show you my lists and any artwork I do in it.  Love, love, love.  I am in a mood today. 

On to the Second Round!!!!!

MY Texas Rangers have just won the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays!!!!  They will now go on to play the New York Yankees for the American League Championship Title!  Whoever wins that series will play in the World Series!  My Texas Rangers have never won a division series, but as we and they have been saying for many months now -- "IT'S TIME!".  It's time we won the division series and we did -- OK, they did.  Now it's time we win the championship title -- OK, they win.  I think these fabulous men can do it!  Woo hoo.  It's time!

Love Story and other loves

Today, Ali MacGraw is on the Oprah show.  Of course the movie Love Story came up.  I remember seeing that in my youth.  I also remember when Ali's character uttered the famous line "Love means never having to say you're sorry.".  I also remember even then, at the tender age of 10 or so (it came out in 1970 when I was 10) thinking bullshit!  Love is work.  Love is -- if you mess up, you damn well better apologize and mean it.  You better change your ways.  You better not need to apologize again for the same thing.  To me, that particular line is the most idiotic one ever written in a movie or a book (because it was indeed a book first -- written by Erich Segal).  I'll admit that I have not read every book or watched every movie, so there could indeed be a more idiotic sentence out there, but this is my choice.  I'll also admit that I loved the movie back then.  I cried when the movie ended and I've only seen the movie once.  (The photo is of a blob of tar in a parking lot.  Looks like a heart to me.  So, of course I had to take a photo of it.  I'm finding more and more of them since my sister passed.)

I got pictures of my granddaughters yesterday.  They got new hair cuts and I think they look darling.  Granddaughter #1 has wanted to have bangs like her younger sister, but she has a cowlick like her gramma.  So, she finally figured out how to do it.  She got bangs on only one side.  I was worried about what this would look like, but it looks great!

Granddaughter #2 is just precious too.  I love her red hair.  Love, love, love it. 

I also got some great postal love today.  From my friend Tracey (!) and postcrossing! First, I feel that I owe Tracey a public apology.  I think I've been misspelling her name this whole time!  I think I've been leaving the "e" out each time I've written her or written about her.  If I have indeed done that Tracey, I'm very sorry.  Second, a public thank you since I'm posting about your sweet gift!  Thank you!  You shouldn't have, but it was so sweet and I'm so glad you did.  I love the photo card you made!  It is wonderful.  Such great fall color.  I can only dream about color like that here in Texas.  Loved the cheerful stationary, the supportive card and the book is right up my ally.  Thank you so much for the wonderful surprise!

The postcard is from San Diego and shows a local lighthouse   -- the Cabrillo National Monument.  I've loved lighthouses since we lived in Biloxi, Mississippi for 4 years while my husband was stationed at Keesler in the Air Force early in our marriage.  Our son was born there.  Found memories. 


The tiny heart rock is one I found when I got home from visiting my mom this afternoon. 

This last photo is a postcard that I'm sending to someone here in the United States.  It is one of a few that I have purchased.  This person asked for a postcard with a recipe and I just happened to have one, but not on a photo postcard that I had taken.  Thought you might like to see it.  I have not tried the recipe.  If you try it, let me know if you like it.