The Rains Have Returned

   April here in SW Missouri,  is usually filled with days of rain, but this year mostly dry and very windy with up and down temperatures. The weather forecasters did get the rain day correct this time-haha.  It started late in the day yesterday, we had rain most of the night as well. A much needed rain. I only got to cutting half the grass here which means the other half will be really tall-especially with a week of rain- every day forecasted with rain.

  Larry has always loved the different ornamental grasses so we bought a couple to start from seeds, and I ordered two plants-they came in yesterday and were packed very well. I didn't want to plant them outdoors yet with all this rain coming in though. I will get the rest of the seeds started this weekend..  Larry's vision is to lure the different ducks here on the lake to use the grasses for nesting. So these will get planted near the lake front. I love that he still thinks of tomorrow, with all his setbacks.

 We did decide to go with Directv streaming service for our tv programming . The price is locked in for 2 years and is the same price we were paying with our electric co-op with more channels and no dish-I like that part. It is definitely a learning curve though as the system works a lot different than what we are used to. Just need to take the time to figure it all out.

   The Roku streaming had no phone number to contact their customer service to ask questions. I did figure out that Roku is the tool for the streaming service and then you buy all the packages separate of what you want to watch. In the end Directv was just easier for us and Larry got his movies and I got the sports. We bought quality tv's about 10 years ago and with this streaming service the colors are even more vibrant-like a newer tv. That was a bonus.  In this new age of tv so many choices, and with streaming you can add you tube and lots of other channels to it-nice for a larger screen.

  Last night with the storms coming through I couldn't sleep-I don't sleep through storms very well-so I finished writing the 10 letters to send out to seniors through the Letters Against Isolation project. I am enjoying the process. Having fun dressing up the letters and envelopes with stamps and stickers.. Here is a photo of the backs of the letters. These get mailed to the same facility so I make each letter different. A nice way to "play" with my stamps and also with the wax and seals.

   Yesterday morning I did some errands and the food store had lovely strawberries-yum I also buy blackberries and blueberries which are my favorites in fruits. Thinking of baking up angel food cakes for us-wheat and also a gluten free version. I also bought ingredients for cheesecake in case I decide to bake that for the weekend.

  Happy Friday and weekend. thanks for visiting.

 

Un Paper Towels

   Good morning, I have another post for Earth Day-see also my previous post on re using coffee grounds.

I have been seeing more of the un paper towels around the web. Free the Ocean sells them too but for me rather expensive. Lots of choices on Etsy-some of those listings even have snaps to make the roll easier. There are tutorials on how to roll your cloth towels onto the roll too which I think I would prefer..

Also different choices-ideas on what fabrics to use. Flannel cotton, feed sack cottons. These would be an easy first sewing project too. Those with young children I think these would be fun to make and use with colorful prints.

  I like the feed sack cotton option but some of those are really stiff.  I read about repurposing old flannel sheets. We mostly only use flannel sheets so when they are worn out-which takes years-I cut them up into rags. I wish I would have thought about making them into paper towels as well.

  My craft/art room does still have a stash of fabrics-so I am going to check that out soon. I do use a lot of paper towels, in the kitchen for sure.

  Have you made these un paper towels or bought them? Do you like them?

Here are some DIY links I found. 

This one is from Paper & Stitch and I found it to be very informative She also has an unsewn version

I think the fabric choice is up to what you have on hand in your stash (or want to buy)  as long as it is absorbent like cottons

From HGTV  I found this post about 8 best alternatives to paper towels   Bamboo, Microfiber cloths, and others-these are all for purchase-alternatives to paper towels that are re useable.

There are many tutorials and you tube videos on making these un paper towels. Different sizes as well.

 Here is one that is the size when you tear off a small sheet . Here is one using terry cloth

I even found a pdf pattern on etsy  but there are many free ones online too.

Here is one more tutorial that is Very good. I like her idea of sewing a big X through the towels to keep things in place after washing drying.  I have also seen on other tutorials to top stitch around the edges which I like as well , She also shows about sewing on the snaps. Below is a photo from her site.

I am hoping you enjoyed this post. Please share if you have made un paper towels. I plan on sewing up some soon

Earth Day-Recycle Coffee Grounds

   For my Earth Day post this year where I like to search out different ways to repurpose or recycle things-I chose coffee grounds. (Earth Day is this coming Monday)

  Many of us brew coffee at home, so I wanted to research ways to repurpose the coffee grounds.

   When I lived on land for gardening, I would add the grounds to my compost pile or work into the soil. 

  If you are able to compost and garden then coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen and the worms love them too in your compost or garden soil..

   I found all sorts of ideas to repurpose here  for inside your home and outside your home and family fun ideas  A few more ideas here  I think this article was the best-all sorts of ideas for using coffee grounds

  I even found a post about making candles with coffee grounds and old candles here

photo from above link

and to close I found a recipe for brownies using coffee grounds here

Happy Earth Day and also Happy Birthday to Elizabeth from Altered Book Lover here

The Young Woodpecker Flew in From Canada

    Some of you may remember this sweet painting by Christine.  I fell in love with it and asked if she sells her works? She does.

   I couldn't find just a couple of the little stands or protective sleeves locally so bought what I needed from Amazon. I set it up on our mantel amongst some of my gnomes He looks like one of our pileated woodpeckers here in Missouri

   This woodpecker has me smiling

Good Morning Monday-Ramblings

 Happy Monday and New Week!

   Missouri gets crazy weather this time of year, over the weekend high 80's F full sun, but no wind. Today is to be another high 80 F degree day but storms are coming n, so it is very overcast and eerie out there and very calm at the moment. Lots of fisherman on the lake since dawn this morning. Overcast is good fishing weather.

  I did need to turn the air conditioner on last night. We had gotten up to 87 degrees f  on Sunday and the house was quite warm. Needed to cool it down for Larry's heart health. Hopefully we will not need it again for awhile.

  I didn't get out to do what I wanted to over the weekend in the flower garden area. Hot sun is not a good time to transplant. This morning would be good though-no sun. We'll see. 

    We find out this morning when the supervisor stops by if Larry is approved for more physical therapy-hoping so since he is coming out.

  Not to complain, but I am hoping my eyes get better. Sometimes I think the drops are making them worse, and still getting used to the new stronger prescription for my glasses.

 I did sign up for the free trial with Amazon Prime over the weekend-but scheduled to cancel last night. These streaming services have such old material-old movies, old tv shows that are the free services. I get free shipping at Amazon when I buy $35.00 minimum so I just save items in my wish list til I have that amount. Their shipping is always fast too even without Prime.  We live rural so their free grocery delivery service can't be used here. If we want to listen to music we turn on the radio so their music is not worth it to us. It just doesn't fit us for the money.  I cancelled but they kept the free trial open for the 30 days before they cancel. Also could not get their service to load on the app on Larry's tv so I just checked it out on my computer  We each have a tv-Larry's in the bedroom and the one I use in the living room area. We watch completely different programs and we don't turn the tv's on til evenings. I felt guilty about this for a long time, but I had a friend at work that told me that's what her and her husband do  since their interests for tv shows were totally opposite-that's us..

  Before we moved to the lake we had used Directv since they first came on the market-thinking over 25 years. I called them about their streaming service and would get their Premier package do to all the sports and movies. The sale price would be locked in for two years. They would send that plug in like roku has for the back of the tv through the mail-so no techs which is nice.  .The first device is free but the second device would be 7.00 a month (usa dollars) so that is that wasted money for rental.  I am actually ready to just go with this service but Larry still wants to talk with roku to understand the pricing.  What a "pain" to even have to deal with this haha  We have a year but I would rather just do this and be set up going forward. This Directv package is loaded with movie channels and sports channels and my Hallmark channels and DIY shows so I am ready to go back to them..

  The hot weekend finished off the early lilac blooms, and the later flowering lilacs are in full bloom now.  I was so happy when I found these lilac bushes blooming that first spring we had moved here

This is the ground cover-this one really grew  had bought this a few years ago from the Amish greenhouse. I think it is phlox

However the second one is the one I need to move-the creeping thyme is choking it out-I should have moved this last fall after I had gotten the left side of this rock wall area prepared to plant I may just take some of the above one to transplant as well

I took a photo of the bison fiber blended with shetland wool. the bison fiber was sold as a soil amendment so I went through it and ended up with one pillowcase "bag" for the soil and two bags I thought I could spin,  Blended with my hand carders with the shetland wool it came out pretty decent. Once this niddy noddy is full of the spin yarn-I am going to really soak it in warm soapy water and see how it holds up.  It is bulky but that's ok for weaving something with it.

     I still had a couple packages of baby back ribs in the freezer since last early summer. Yesterday was the perfect day to make one of these.  I did them in the oven and they turned out soooo delicious. I need to write down how I cooked them.

Happy new week every one

Update: whoo hooo Larry got approved for twice a week physical therapy for the next three weeks. They found out that if they ask for once a week physical therapy,  insurance turns them down because they think it is not really needed just maintenance..  I was surprised when a month ago they dropped Larry to once a week.  So this is good news, especially since Larry's latest setback.

 I so much appreciate your continued healing thoughts thank you

Good Morning & Catch Up

   Good morning dear friends,

Waking up this morning-Wow no strong winds-finally. We had most of April with storms and winds so far. There was so much tree limb debris and leaves in the lake that for several days the lake was brown. Today we have a mostly blue lake again. Woke up this morning to lots of boaters very early just before dawn. One of the big bass tournaments started today.

We are headed into a warm stretch of weather today too. In the 70's F and the weekend will be in the 80's F I am planning on getting some plants dug up and moved this morning.

  A couple years ago I bought and planted two forsythia bushes that have hardly grown-so I am moving those up near the house near our property line to the left looking out the front door. I will enjoy them more there too.  I also have a patch of ground cover with lovely pink flowers that  needs to be moved. It is getting crowded out from the creeping thyme,  I also have lots of creeping thyme to move over to the left side of the steps and along the rock wall near the house-like the right side is set up, and extra plants will get moved down to the lake front. This thyme spreads by roots underground so it needs to be controlled.

Larry has always loved ornamental grasses so we set up a spot near the lake front to plant some, and also near the rocks at the lake's edge. We have numerous ducks here, that Larry is hoping will nest amongst these grasses.  bought seeds of two different grasses and also ordered three small plants-all three are different species. Hoping these will not grow too slow.

 Larry is doing better this week. He is eating better but still less than usual. The leg that was crushed is back to causing a lot of pain so difficult to continue exercises and extra walking. The supervisor was out this week from home care. Larry has had 6 months which is a long time for this type of care. He will be pleading the case to Medicare insurance that Larry needs another month of sessions with the therapist. The trip up and down the steps, in and out of a car was too much at the time, even though it was important to do. We will know next week if approved or not..

  Thank you all for your continued support and prayers-means a lot to us.

On another totally different topic. I got an email this week that our electric co op where we get our fiber connections for the tv, phone, and internet will be dropping the tv service end of June 2025. Was quite the surprise. Their prices have gone up the last few years but for their everything package-movies and sports-they are still less expensive than Directv service. I really do Not want to go back to Directv-we had them for around 25 years or more-they have soooo many added expenses to the cost of the package.  So we are looking into streaming services with no contracts-I think this is the future of tv right now too.  Looking into Roku and perhaps adding amazon prime streaming. At least we have a year to figure this out. I have two friends that use and like Roku.

I don't have any photos to share-but the lilacs are blooming now, lots more dandelion flowers blooming too. I was able to get the area of our property here cut down with the weed eater-twice now just before lots of rain. a good thing as that area grows fast and tall.

  I am gradually getting to the point I can do some things I enjoy-like spinning and writing letters. I have a niddy noddy full of the spun buffalo and shetand fibers blended with carders. Turned out pretty well considering the buffalo fibers were sold for soil improvement.  I will soak it well and see how it looks soon.

   Enjoy the rest of your week

It's been Rough

   It has been a rough several days.  

   A long time friend passed a couple weeks ago-one that Larry visited with a lot online. We knew him and his late wife from when we lived in Illinois.   Another friend that was our neighbor in Illinois before retirement suddenly had a heart attack with no warning and passed. His family is just devastated  The blessing in this is that he had called Larry on the phone and talked for over an hour a little over a week ago.

  On  April 1st late afternoon Larry couldn't breath, he felt like he was drowning. He had such a bad experience at the Lake Hosp that he would not let me call 911. I gave it an hour and talked him into letting the paramedics check him out, and I promised again he would Not go to that hospital.  All his stats were good but they suggested the hospital for a checkup.  There are two hospitals in Jefferson City that are just a little over an hour's drive. So he chose St Mary's Hosp.  That ended up being an excellent choice. They had doctors on staff in the emergency area, a cardiac doctor on call, they ran lots of  tests and  x rays. Soooo much security too-never seen this before-a metal detector we had to walk through and police everywhere. We learned this is a new hospital just 10 years old and is a catholic hospital. We have always found most of these to have excellent care and food. The food was "real" food here not frozen and reheated bad quality foods. The rooms were large and spacious like a hotel. Modern design within the hospital.

  Larry had fluid around his heart and in his lungs. Larry has had congestive heart disease since 1999,  so this has gone to the next stage and is much worse now. Recovering from the fall and being stuck in bed for so many months has not helped his condition. I think also the trip to the drivers license place was a bit too much along with our steep steps up and down. That has been a bit of a setback afterwards. He has lost a lot of weight, no apatite now, and is freezing cold at night.  I need to figure out how to keep him warmer and make foods he really likes.

 Our friends here at the lake that live 5 minutes away drove me there and then the next day to pick him up. We are so grateful for them.  Larry doesn't like hospitals and wanted to go home. They wanted him to stay another day or two. So when we brought him home the next day, he was very very weak from no sleep and everything else. Today we had a telephone visit with his cardiac doctor we have had here in Missouri-he is a 3 hour drive away in Springfield Missouri now since the move to the lake house.  He agreed with us about one of the dosages of medicines was too much that the hospital prescribed. So I feel better about that. They wanted him to take Lasix everyday and that will damage kidneys-we were told that years ago when he first started taking it-only as needed.

  I just needed to write this down and "talk to someone" so that's why I am posting this.  This is life, and will always have it's challenges and heart breaks.

  The good news where we live we missed the golf ball size hail and tornadoes, but not the 2 1/2 inches of rain and strong winds. On the way home from the hospital that night we drove through a wicked storm getting home-made it home just in time before I got full blown car sick.  We have been cold and windy all month so far.  Today the sun is shining with no wind so far. a good thing.