Obama to the rescue

Obama's Kansas, Hawaii grand mother was born here and I find it very fitting that the first disaster that happened on his watch was here to the land of his grandmother's birth. He has done her proud with trying to help us.
I wonder if he is aware she was born here? I wish I could tell him. I heard while we were in the dark Obama said he knew north west AR. was a disaster area I said we were always a disaster but no one knew it before he came into office. This county votes republican but maybe in 4 years they will vote Democrat now.

For Helen

I am washing cloths, Kelly called and said he would be bringing his cloths tomorrow. He said he had worn the same pair of socks for 3 days. I told him bring them by on the way to work and they would be ready for him when he went home.

The land of Ice

I am back in the land of the living. We got our power back at 12:30 pm and I am glad to have excess to the net.
We have been living in the dark with 4 flash lights, one coal oil lamp and thank god for propane heat.
I have been living with a crazy woman because she didn't have TV but she has been praying to the electric god and finally her prayers were answered. I have not seen the news for awhile so I will be searching for all the news as soon as I get off this blog.
We are fine, we lost all our frozen food but we have canned goods and beans and rice to live on so we will be able to maintain our fat.
Fleta and Clayton has generators so they are OK. They live so far back in the woods they may be a while before they see the electric god coming down the road.

Don't worry Helen

I made it to feed and back and the chickens have enough feed so I won't have to go back for a while. I put Tyson gloves on my shoes and carried my mop stick to break trail. The only problem was I had to be careful and not step on the fingers when I walked.

The ice was sort of crusty and wasn't to bad after I got the porch and steps cleaned and now I can read for the rest of the day!! Helen said to send Janet and I said OMG she wouldn't know where the hen house was! Helen said you could stand at the door and holler and tell her, I said she would fall down and kill her self!

sleet, Ice ,sleet and ICE

It is 7:45 here and sleet is falling fast. I am sure we're going to lose our electricity soon so I will post before we do so sister in Arizona can see what a mess we have.

I thought about calling sister at midnight and telling her not to try going to work today but decided she was smart enough she wouldn't try to go and if she wasn't Clayton would set her straight right away.

I called my work alcoholic son at midnight and woke him up and I said what every you do stay home in the morning perhaps he called and told them I can't come to work today because mama said I couldn't.

The sleet is falling now and if it gets any worse perhaps Obama will put us in the stimulus package. I have lots of books to read but if the electricity goes daughter will drive me crazy because she can't see TV.

I don't know how I am going to get to the chicken pens to feed but I will try after while.

Blackberry pickers and ice storm

It is 11:45pm and we are having a major ice storm here!

We move to the farm when daddy was out of the navy and the first summer on the place daddy gathered lard buckets for me and Richard and we went blackberry picking with daddy. I learned fast that this was a job I liked, free food and a time to spend by my self and day dream

I went from one group of vines to the next and picked the vines clean but I soon learned you didn't want to pick blackberries with daddy. His method was always going to one group of vines to the next looking for the big berries.

I would find a patch and start picking and here would come my daddy saying have you found a good patch pat? He would get ahead of me and grab all the large berries and then leave me to pick the rest which I would do then I would fine another group of berries and here would come daddy again picking all the big berries and away he would go.

I picked blackberries every summer but I never picked berries with daddy again. I had learned my lesson. The next summer I would get up early and take off while daddy was busy with his chores and tell mama I was going berry picking and no matter had often and loud daddy call me I never answered him because I didn't want him picking all the good berries and leaving me to finish the patch and gather in the culls.

when I remember that first berry picking and knowing what a fun loving person daddy was I am sure he was laughing at me all day while he ran ahead of me picking the big berries and leaving the small berries for me.

My father was a fun loving person and he made life a joy for his children and he taught me the joy of work and the rewards of laboring in the hot sun for the blackberries.

We always ate our berries with good rich cream and sugar and mama canned the surplus for winter to make clobbers. Nothing taste better than blackberry clobber with good rich cream poured over the top.

Hunting for hen nest

My chickens are confined to pens because in our neighbor hood dogs are roaming free and we always have several passing thro' our land but when I was growing up on our farm the chickens ran free and one of the jobs I was assigned in the summer was searching for the hidden hen nest.

Mother would say to me on a warm summer morning," go hunt for a hen's nest " and I would go gladly because I could be free of the baby caring chore and free to dream my day dreams.

You have to think like a chicken to find their nest or if you are lucky you will hear her sound her cackle as she leaves the nest if so you go search in the area that the happy sound you heard you can usually find a clutch of eggs.

If you can not hear that cackle you search in hidden dark places, under discarded old pieces of farm equipment or a fallen tree limb that has old leaves and sage brush in it. Another good place I would search was in the old barn under the cows feed mangers. I didn't like to put my hand in that dark place because of the fear of snakes but if I could see a faint gleam of white I would gather my courage and reach with my trembling hand for the prize.

when I had found the prize of 10 or twelve eggs I would rush to the house with my find and mother might make a cake for us or in the morning we might have fried eggs for our breakfast.

For you people who have never been in search of the hen nest I will say if you were able to find a nest with one or two eggs you passed it by and returned another day because a empty nest tells the hen she has been discovered and she will move her hiding place to some other hidden dark place because it is the nature of the hen to keep her eggs safe from harm so when the call of nature dictates she can set on the nest and raise little bright eyed bundles of fuzz to be guarded with her very life.

When the hen managed to hatch out a few eggs she stayed with them until they were two month or so and taught them all she knew about survival in the cruel world and I am sure she told her female chicks when you lay you eggs always hide them well from the long legged, yellow hair girl and no doubt she said to her male chicks you must run for you life when she is near or you will end your life as fried chicken.

when my mother was in her last year I went to visit one find summer day and mother said I have been hearing a hen cackle just over fence up near the foot of the hill, you go and see if you can find her nest for me and for a few fleeting moments I was a girl again as I climbed over the fence and went in search for the hen nest and returned to mama with my prize. I wish I could go in search for a hen nest for mama today and be young again for a while but alas I am old and mama has gone to her rest beside daddy.My hens lay their eggs in a chicken pen because they have not the options of the freedom of the wild places.

eggs and hatch

I have been thinking the red hens were not being covered by the rooster so I broke 5 eggs and looked them over for the little round spot and they were all fertile so I am thinking about setting some eggs. the fever is still on me.

It cold here today 20 degrees now, some ice and winter storm coming in.

Today is mama's birthday. She was born 88 years ago today.

fever

I got another catalog from a hatchery yesterday and I am having serious chick fever after looking at all the photos for baby chicks. If I raise more chicks this year I have to reduce the size of my flock to make room for new birds.

It was warm yesterday after noon and I hooked up the hose and was able to fill several containers with water out at the pens so I wont have to carry water in a bucket for at least a week.

The temperature is 57 degrees here at 6 o'clock and promises to be another warm day. Warm days in January are to be cherished.

singing

The sun is shining and my hens were singing when I went to feed.

oath and carolyn kennedy

President took the oath twice so he should be the president for sure, has this ever happened before? I think not.

Carolyn Kennedy has decided she wont follow her uncle Bobby as senator of new york. will Obama offer her the ambassadorship of England so she can follow in the foot steps of her grandfather? I expect he will if she wants the appointment.

today

My mother was born January 24, 1921, hers was a life of sacrifice to her husband and children. she never had many things in the form of comforts in this life but she never complained. Today we, her children, remember mama.
ok it was the 24th, The reason I get mixed up about mama's birthday is nothing was made much about her day, now, daddy was born the 25th of July and he never let us forget that day.

Obama is President!

WASHINGTON (AP)
It made me sad that President Bush was booed today at the festival of our 44th president taking office. I have thought a lot about why Bush has made so many mistakes and I think that he was surrounded by wicked men who just over whelmed him.
The sad thing is we the people will have to pay the price. One of the wicked men was standing beside Bush wearing a black hat.

It is a time of hope for better times in our further but time will tell if this man can do what we hope for today or will we be glad to see him pass into history also.

As for my life it is about the same as it was yesterday. We will see what the further hold for us the everyday people.

Justice in many forms

Those records boxes are heavy when you are in a hurry to get them safely away from the public eyes,now he is in a wheel chair with a injury to his poor back.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge ruled Monday that Vice President Dick Cheney has broad discretion in determining what records created during his eight-year tenure must be preserved.
Absent any evidence that Cheney’s office is failing to safeguard records, it is up to the vice president to determine how he deals with material, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled.
WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney pulled a muscle in his back while moving boxes and will be in a wheelchair for Tuesday's inauguration ceremony.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said Monday that Cheney was helping to move into his new home outside Washington in McLean, Va., when he injured his back.

cheney's going

poetry

stole this off the Texas to organ site. I have never read this fellow's poetry before but I think this is beautiful...



I too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes, But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed --


I, too, am America.

~Langston Hughes
I said I didn't know this poet but after looking on the net I realized that I do, this is his poem and it is my favorite poem, I am old and forgot names but here is the poem that I love...



I've known rivers:
I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy
bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I've known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
Langston Hughes

celebration

Today is a day of celebration for me! This is the last day of vice Chaney's reign of power. He is trying to slip out of town with his records under his coat. I hope someone will stop him at the gate.
I would like to see him in prison but I will settle for him just going away!

found this on flickr

this fellow was traveling in Vietnam and they took this photo and said the Vietnam chickens look different than ours.

cold days

the cold night has cut into egg production, only 6 eggs today . The temperature was better today but the wind was howling around the trailer. 49 degrees here at 5 o'clock.

Bush and cheney

Next Tuesday the Bush crowd will leave office. I thought it would never come to pass. President Bush has been on the TV of late tell us how he has done a good job and Cheney has been on the air waves tell us he doesn't care what we think of him because he is always right and we are wrong.

Poor ole George says the media has criticized him unfairly but I would point out until 2007 the media found no fault in his presidency. We were told to find fault was treason and THEY were always right.

I will breath a sigh of relief when we see the Bush gang finally fade into history. I think we as a country almost did not survive the 8 years of his time in the white house.

going, going GONE!

red hens.

I got 10 eggs yesterday . this is more than I have been getting. sister wanted to know if I was scared crossing the swinging bridge? no, daddy was caring me and when daddy was near I knew I had nothing to fear but mama froze and daddy had to talk her into moving.

A great nation

Most people in this country if ask would say we are a great nation and in fact this nation is the greatest on the face of the earth. Next Tuesday we will have a African American as our president. There will be parades and parties with a cost running into the millions.

Along with the cost of the celebration there will be a massive evacuation of the homeless people in our capital, WASHINGTON - From the steam grates of Pennsylvania Avenue to the porticoes of the city's grand buildings, homeless Washingtonians who live inside the nation's tightest security zone are being encouraged to decamp during the inauguration for shelters in the city's outer neighborhoods.

The security sweeps will probably begin Monday. Buses will make one-way trips to two of the District's largest shelters, which will remain open round-the-clock, said D.C. Council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6).

Our government wants them out of sight because their presents could put a damper on the party. I hold my lamp up beside the golden door, give me your tired, your hungry, your homeless and I will shuffle them off to parts unknown.

sister's find

long ago at Carrollton Arkansas
mother, daddy Richard and me walked across a swinging bridge to attend a picnic. I talked to Richard about this 2 years ago and he didn't remember the the bridge at all . I called Lois Morris and she remembered that there was a swinging bridge at Carrollton but I was unable to get anymore information about the bridge until sister found this photo. I wish I knew more of the history of this bridge but now at least I have a photo.

chickens

today is payday so I will make a trip to town. I am going by the library because i have nothing to read.
it is suppose to be really cold tonight and Thursday night Brrr...

pretty dog

What do you do with good ole boys like me?

On other terrorism issues, Mr. Obama suggested in the interview that his approach might be more measured. He said the closing of the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, which once seemed to be an early top objective, was not likely to happen during the first 100 days of his administration.
I said when these men were put in that prison in Cuba what were we going to do with them, if they hated us before now they have good reasons to hate us more, these people have been tortured for years by the consent of our government, they may have gone insane if they were sane in the beginning of their imprisonment.

What do you do with them? no one wants them in their back yard. When talking about slavery Thomas Jefferson said "we have a wolf by the the ear and we can not turn him loose" and I think this is the case with the Gitmo prisoners.

People in the media are yelling for prosecution of the people who tortured these people but who do you prosecute the men and woman who did the torture or our president and vice president? Where do you turn? where do you go?

The answer to the wolf of slavery was civil war, will that be the the out come here also?

rabbits

I called Kelly last evening to wish him a happy birthday and he had been to the sale at Huntsville AR. buying rabbits. This is not the first time he has bought rabbits there. I suppose someone is raising them and Kelly is buying them to butcher.

Janet was home yesterday and I had trouble with pugsy she will not leave him out like I wont and so she brought him in and he upchucked in his cage. I will have to drag it out today and wash it.

cold

today is the day before my oldest son's birthday. he will be 49 years old. I must remember to call him tomorrow.

The governor of Illinois is a strange fellow, he had another news conference yesterday after he was impeached and quoted poetry again. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. Tennison

My daughter called from work last night and said she had bought some bacon and wanted bacon and biscuits for breakfast, the bread is in the oven and the pig is in the skillet.

warm weather

It is 47 degrees here at 8:30. the chickens are enjoying the warm weather.

I went to feed at 7:30 and one red hen was on the nest. I guess she wanted to get it over so she could enjoy the day. 30 degrees and the sun is shining.

in the news

Looks like the Jr. senator from Illinois will be Burris whether Harry Reed likes it or not.

Joe the plumber is going to Israel to tell us about the average Joe. Yahoo! maybe not Isreal might not let him in. They got enough trouble now.

If you are wondering why the governor from New york hasn't appointed Carolyn Kennedy to the senate yet Hillary hasn't resigned yet seem she wont resign until her job with Obama is a sure thing. smart move.

This story beats all seem a couple in Kansas adopted a child and he disappeared 10 years ago and they never reported him missing. I guess they thought he went out for ice cream.

old people or people who will be old soon better watch out, Obama has said he is going to do SOMETHING about social security.

Biden got swore in as senator again maybe he talked to Hillary.

Reading

I went to the library and I have been reading. I like murder mysteries and the author Jonathan Kellerman spins a good tail.
Alex Delaware is a psychologist who with Milo a LAPD gay detective WHO is Alex's friend go out together to find who done the deeds..
They are a good pair and the stories will keep you on your toes. If mysteries are your dish I can recommend Kellerman.
Today I read RAGE, As Delaware and Milo Sturgis retrace their steps through a grisly murder case that devastated a community, they discover a chilling legacy of madness, suicide, and multiple killings left in its wake-and even uglier truths waiting to be unearthed. And the nearer they come to understanding an unspeakable crime, the more harrowingly close they get to unmasking a monster hiding in plain sight.

gone crazy

Our government has gone crazy. I see that the EPA is considering taxing milk cows, beef cows, hogs and god only knows what else, They said it would raise the price of milk 7 or 8 cents a gallon. I've got news for the fools it wont raise the price one cent because every one will sell out and no milk will be on the super market shelves, no beef on the table or pork chops to eat. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

The tax for dairy cows could be $175 per cow, and $87.50 per head of beef cattle. The tax on hogs would upwards of $20 per hog,” the release said. “Any operation with more than 25 dairy cows, 50 beef cattle or 200 hogs would have to obtain permits.”

Rain

Rain is falling and 25 degrees is the temperature so ice will form on the trees and other things.
The eggs have slacked off. I am getting 4 or 5 brown eggs a day and 3 bantam eggs which is plenty for our use.

What next?

Helen will love this, she has been angry with Richardson since he sold Hillary down the river in the primary.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, tapped in December by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as secretary of Commerce, has withdrawn his name for the position, citing a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state.

new rooster

this rooster kelly brought me is hugh. Any chicks from this bird should be a pot full for eating.

cat,kit and Linda's blog

I feed the white white cat with a foot missing yesterday and her kittens. When I down loaded the photos I had snapped I could see a difference in the mother and the baby. The mother has gray stripes on her tail and the baby has yellow stripes on it's tail. I like this photo of the mother with her pink tongue licking her lips.

It is a balmy but tamp 57 degrees and the temperature is suppose to get to 70 degrees today. What a blessing to have on a January winter day.

I will have to go feed soon, the rooster is calling me.

I see in my reading of the news that Congress is thinking about raising the tax on gas and the states are doing the same seems since people are driving less the powers that be are not getting enough gas tax in the kitty.

The Democrats are about to take charge of Washington and this reminded me of something I have noticed over the years. The Democrats seem to tax the public with sin tax meaning they are prone to slap taxes on gas, wine,beer and cigarettes of course the necessities of food and clothing are taxes right along with the sinful stuff either way they all tax, tax and tax.

With the great problems in this country and all the promises the Democrats have been making seems that the main problem the senate will argue about for a year or so is should the 71 year old black man from Illinois and the grinning clown from Minn. be seated in the senate. I think this is just a smoke screen to keep from tackling the real problems that they have been sent to Washington to do.

I think a lesson can be learned here about the two political parties in our country. When the Democrats are in power they fight among their selves, tax the people and do little else. When the Republicans are in power they tax the people, get alone great in a joint effort to help themselves to wealth and power.

A blog I read by a woman named Linda called Texas to Oregon has promised to tell us why she is pro Palestine in the conflict going on between Israel and the Palestine. I will be interested to see her opinions on the subject since I am like her mother which she describes as being a Bible reading believer and states she does not share her mothers beliefs in Bible prophesy so I am waiting for Linda to post her views.

sister

You have to stay in shape. My sister, she started walking five miles a day when she was 61. She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is!

went to feed

The sun was so warm even if it was only 30 degrees I watched the chickens for awhile and watched pugsy play, he really seemed to enjoy running around in the yard while I am out there. It seems he is saying look at me.
When I bring pugsy in for the night I get him by the collar so he will go right in the coop and not run and jump on the sofa now Foxy runs and growls at him nipping at his head. I think she is saying get in your pen, this room is mine.

A flower for sister

Sunday my little sister will be 61 years old. When she was born I said now I have a sister to play with not realizing than when she was old enough to play I would be too old. She is almost old enough for me to play with again if I wasn't too old to play now.
30 degrees this morning and all is calm. The news on the net has been sparse and non existing on TV. msnbc did a replay of the presidential campaign, as if we might have forgotten the year. stupid people or lazy maybe.
Israel is fighting and I have been hesitant to say anything because pro Israel people are not the flavor of the month but for the life of me I can't see how a country hasn't the right to fight back against a group of people who have thrown 300 missiles at them in 2 months.let me say it now loud and clear I am pro Israel.

Presidents lead exciting lives

Jimmy Carter told of spotting a UFO and admitted to lusting after females other than his wife. He has helped build homes for the poor and traveled across the globe to help promote peace but in 1979 while fishing on a pond he was attacked by a killer rabbit. The rabbit rushed his canoe with gnashing teeth and hissing sounds. The president beat back the killer with his canoe paddle and the event was recorded on film thus saving the presidential event for history.