tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66478527223548048872024-03-08T03:34:10.544-08:00Wanna Buy A DuckManzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.comBlogger414125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-81123316422620429112016-03-28T06:36:00.000-07:002016-03-28T06:42:22.635-07:00Absence<span style="font-size: large;">Time is in the countdown before the A-Z Challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">and my illustrious face will be missing. (</span>I heard that sigh<br />
of relief but honest, I always made my posts short). <span style="font-size: large;">I've participated </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">in the A-Z every year but always tearing out my hair</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">because April spring is the busiest month of </span><span style="font-size: large;">my year. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">What is it </span>(I'm sure you're asking) <span style="font-size: large;">that keeps an old broad</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">so busy in the spring. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>1. Do you recall the post about the big tree being cut down? There is black<br />
weed cloth that now has to be removed AND it's under a foot of dirt. Then I'll<br />
spread black dirt and gypsum over the whole area for another garden. Here's<br />
a gardening tip........gypsum will improve hardened soil and clay. It makes<br />
soil lovely to work with.<br />
<br />
2. I will then empty the 3 compost boxes (that are now filled with pure<br />
black gold) and spread on all the gardens.<br />
<br />
3. Then it's "clean the chicken coop" that is filled with the missing<br />
ingredient for the black gold and transfer that to the compost boxes. Chicken<br />
poop makes one of the very best fertilizers. <br />
<br />
4. On Pat's birthday all-day rhyming bash, I got 5 baby chicks that are<br />
now peeping away in the living room. Names are Larry, Moe, Curly and<br />
Mildred. There's still one to name. Any suggestions?<br />
<br />
I do have a crew of buffed men coming on May 19 to finish up the heavy<br />
outdoor work but I'll probably have most of it done by that time.<br />
<br />
I'll be peeking in on you and I wish you all a Happy A--Z Month.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com78tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-71978378683896434782016-02-29T08:59:00.000-08:002016-02-29T08:59:48.236-08:00Go'n My Way?The early 1950's found me living in Morocco and caring for my<br />
first two babies. Husband came home and announced that I could<br />
begin house-hunting because he was being transferred to an air<br />
base in the Atlas Mountains.<br />
<br />
That was good news to me because I always preferred mountain<br />
air to sea air and it would be safer getting out of the crosshairs<br />
of the civil unrest of the revolution that was in it's early stages. I<br />
was literally being followed by gunsights as I'd push the pram to<br />
the market each day. I was always mistaken for being French and<br />
it was the French they were fighting back then, not the Americans.<br />
<br />
Early the next morning, I arranged a baby sitter, dropped husband<br />
off at the base and continued up into the mountains to find us a new<br />
home. That was an easy task as I found a pensione almost immediately<br />
and began the drive home.<br />
<br />
Bang, flop, flop, flop. A flat. Dang, dang. Even though I was<br />
strong and agile at that time, I couldn't budge the lug nuts. What to<br />
do on this sparsely traveled mountain road and I could feel new<br />
milk arriving and looking for a baby. (Only the gals know that<br />
feeling)<br />
<br />
A big black shiny caddy came around the bend and stopped. The<br />
windows were dark and I couldn't see inside. For a moment my<br />
gut fluttered in slight panic. The window opened and I saw an<br />
older Arabian gentleman wearing the red/white checkered<br />
kaffiyeh on his head. In almost perfect English, he asked if I<br />
needed a ride to Casablanca. I assured him I did and he said<br />
something to the tune of, "hop in." Well, it was only something<br />
close to that and it was so long ago, I don't remember our exact<br />
conversation.<br />
<br />
But it was a pleasant exchange of words even though "in after-<br />
thoughts," I knew I had made a huge blunder when I jumped<br />
into the front seat in enthusiastic American style. Thank<br />
goodness he didn't seem to notice or care.<br />
<br />
Mist clouds my eyesight now when I recall all the acts of<br />
kindness paid to us while we were guests in their country. That<br />
was evidently the "old guard" and they are long gone. Times<br />
have changed, governments have changed and nothing seems<br />
the same. A new breed in all the countries and oh....<br />
I just don't know. I simply just do<span style="font-size: x-small;">n't</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">k</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">now</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">...........................</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-16618823245378136242016-01-28T09:49:00.001-08:002016-01-29T00:50:13.280-08:00What's to Happen?<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do you think we are living in scary times or </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>is it business as usual for you without a care</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>in the world? </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Are you watching the presidential debates or do you leave that up to<br />
someone else? Trump said he may skip the debate tonight because of<br />
Megyn Kelly but Joe Skousen says it's because Trump doesn't want to<br />
get pinned down at this point with his answers to the Muslim<br />
questions. That sounds more reasonable. Would Trump ever back<br />
away from M. Kelly? I think not. We'll see if he's there tonight.<br />
<br />
I like Joel Skousen's political savvy, just as I liked his uncle, Cleon<br />
Skousen, when he wrote "The Naked Communist" back in 1958.<br />
<br />
Have you noticed how America has taken a flip-flop from the<br />
times of the cold war? Little kids used to check under their<br />
beds at night to make sure there were no "commies" hiding. <br />
Now, that kindly looking old gent and socialist, Bernie Sanders,<br />
draws in the young people by the thousands.<br />
<br />
Do you think there will be an election in 2017 or do you think<br />
there is a possibility of a national disaster?<br />
<br />
Where do you think the stock market is heading? Do you<br />
think the Feds have scrapped the bottom of the barrel or do<br />
you think they'll try a QE4? Everything seems to be in another<br />
bubble right now. Will they burst and then fly around the room<br />
backwards, like pricking a balloon? I have several<br />
close widow friends who have their money tied up in the<br />
market and naively trust a stock broker. I suggested it may<br />
be a good time to get out and buy metals. Nope, they trust<br />
that "same as a shoe salesman," looking out for their best<br />
interest. Oh My God.<br />
<br />
Just a few thoughts to ponder.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-67546300377868083562016-01-18T05:21:00.000-08:002016-01-18T05:21:28.986-08:00One of Those DaysThat night, there was a warm rain and then it froze and froze and<br />
froze. Next morning, the news showed hysterical shots of cars<br />
smashing and people falling. My chickens were bewildered as<br />
they slid across ice and fell, another fell, they were all falling<br />
in a skater's mish-mash.<br />
<br />
With garbage bag in hand, I was trying to make my way up a<br />
small hill to the alley garbage can. Seemingly from out of no-<br />
where, a white knight in the form of a youthful, agile young<br />
man ran sliding down the hill and said, "Let me put your garbage<br />
in the can." He further explained he was a guest at the neighbors<br />
across the alley. I expressed my thanks and I was grateful to<br />
return to the house in one piece.<br />
<br />
The next morning I was feeding the chickens and that same<br />
white knight was again in the alley with his dog. We exchanged<br />
a few pleasantries and I asked him if he had eaten his<br />
breakfast. When he said he had not, I offered him two warm<br />
fresh eggs I had just taken from the nest. He came over in a<br />
second and we were chatting about chickens, organic food<br />
and gardens.<br />
<br />
He was Gary from California and he was telling me about his<br />
organic garden on the roof of his house that was in the heart<br />
of a city. I envisioned a raised bed or two, growing the usual<br />
vegetables, as he was getting his phone out to show me a<br />
video of the garden.<br />
<br />
OMG....... he showed me a video of a fairy tale garden. The<br />
whole top of this vast area was filled with small trees, lush<br />
plants and greenery everywhere. It was magical. There was<br />
even a greenhouse building that put my little greenhouse into<br />
elf category. It had been a small building, that was being<br />
discarded that he took apart and revamped it into this. The<br />
whole garden was rustic, it was wild, it was bursting with<br />
the fruits of the earth, way up there, with only the blue sky<br />
as a backdrop.<br />
<br />
After we said good-by and he left to have his breakfast, lol I<br />
thought of countless questions I wanted to ask. By that time<br />
I was wondering how much reinforcement a roof would need<br />
to support a garden of that size.<br />
<br />
So dear friends, you never know what delightful conversations<br />
will follow an encounter on a slippery-slope, in an alley, on<br />
the way to the trash can.Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-60491248621823432482016-01-04T06:41:00.001-08:002016-01-04T06:43:50.254-08:00Life is Measured by the Hole in the Shoe<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Each generation has a rendezvous with it's destiny </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
May I be so bold as to suggest that the first 10 years of a person's life<br />
sets the stage for the beliefs, goals, attitude and ambition for the rest of<br />
that life. My life started in 1930, two months after the stock market<br />
fell, ringing in the start of the depression. The 1st ten years of my<br />
life surrounded me with a poverty never since seen in this country.<br />
The only way to describe those ten years is just to say, poverty<br />
reigned supreme. Think of scenes from the "Grapes of Wrath" and<br />
that is how I remember my childhood. I'm not saying it was all<br />
gloom and doom as the human spirit can find joy in any situation.<br />
<br />
Today I laugh at people who say they are poor while they are<br />
surrounded with new autos, iPhones, TV's, computers and oh yes,<br />
plumbing. No one seems to lack life's material offerings and free<br />
food is always available (although be it GMO's).<br />
<br />
The word "waste" was never in my vocabulary. I can't under-<br />
stand why people go to a restaurant, pay for a plate of food, eat<br />
a few bites and leave it. Recently, I was trapped into going out<br />
to a family breakfast with a few members of the younger<br />
generation.<br />
<br />
I distinctly heard them order "<b>extra bacon" </b>and when<br />
the waitress came <b>t</b>o collect the plates, they were still brimming<br />
with bacon, I quickly snatched bacon from the plates and questioned<br />
"You're not eating this bacon?" I know.......I'm an embarrassment<br />
but in my memory, wasting bacon is a sin, yes, a sin right<br />
up there with "Thou shall not commit adultry." LOL<br />
<br />
The other day as I was taking off my shoes, I noticed a small<br />
hole in my sock. Without even thinking, I got out my sewing<br />
basket and a light bulb and was starting to mend my sock. OMG<br />
what was I doing? I had just given generous Christmas bonuses<br />
(enough money that a family could have lived on for a year back<br />
in the 30's) to delivery people and people who had helped me<br />
throughout the year and I WAS BEGINNING TO MEND A<br />
SOCK????? Crazy......huh? This time, almost embarrassed<br />
for myself, I tossed the sock and put away the sewing box.<br />
My happy thought was, that I DO know how to weave threads <br />
to make a sock look like new. I also know I could still cut the<br />
perfect size cardboard to cover the big hole in the bottom of a<br />
shoe.<br />
<br />
<b>DO YOU THINK THESE SKILLS WILL EVER COME </b><br />
<b>IN HANDY AGAIN? </b><br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-74305206057431854872015-12-13T07:10:00.000-08:002015-12-13T07:10:11.159-08:00The News<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Do you want to hear the news, the Real news? Watch. LOL</span><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Syjp9lsWBhc" width="560"></iframe> Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-18371678405302079412015-12-03T07:40:00.000-08:002015-12-03T08:39:59.629-08:00The Stash With Abash<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_T6WKdrxzyY" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The old Toker, Willie Nelson. Whatta Guy</b></span><br />
<br />
Willie does what he wants to do, dress as he wants to dress and<br />
smokes what he wants to smoke. If he goes to prison for a while,<br />
so what. At least he's his own person and look at all the lingering<br />
songs he's given to the world.<br />
<br />
He's right, you know. Marijuana is one of the all-time greatest<br />
medicinal plants ever grown in North America. I can't think of<br />
anything that it WON'T cure. Actually it's the oil that is used<br />
for healing. It was at one time legal in MT but the yayhoo<br />
governor revoked it after it was voted in by the people. Now,<br />
when it's put on a ballot, it gets rejected by the big pharma<br />
worshipers.<br />
<br />
I'm considering driving to CO to visit Marilyn and spend some<br />
time taking advantage of the healing properties of the oil for<br />
my skin cancer and glaucoma.<br />
<br />
As I was looking at the presidential hopefuls, I at one time<br />
was carefully scrutinizing Dr Ben Carson.....intelligent, soft-spoken<br />
Ben until he said he supported mandatory vaccinations and<br />
wanted a more extensive war on drugs. That did it for me. Bye<br />
bye Ben. It only proves he's tightly in bed with big pharma and<br />
probably even drives one of those BMW's Daddy Pharma gives<br />
away to doctors at the big freebie conventions. As a doctor I<br />
thought that Ben would especially value the merits of hemp.<br />
<br />
I just saw a video on hemp oil by an elderly seasoned grower<br />
of the precious medicine who lives in Nova Scotia. (Pat, there<br />
ya go) but he was afraid Canada would be closing them down<br />
soon, too. Too bad. The governments want all the money for<br />
themselves. Ha<br />
<br />
I wish Willie was my neighbor. I bet he has a good stash and<br />
it would be heavenly to listen to him sing too. Deam on.....<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Do you have any definite views on legal hemp. I just bet</b><br />
<b>you do. Wanna share?</b>Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-48061773834385883492015-11-23T06:46:00.000-08:002015-11-23T06:46:12.450-08:00Where's the Nickel?<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do You Ever See Nickels Anymore?</b></span><br />
<br />
In fact do you ever see change anymore, you know<br />
that loose stuff in your pockets...... the jingling stuff.<br />
They used to talk about pockets that jingle.<br />
I recall an old song<br />
.....I wish I were single again<br />
Cause when I was single<br />
My pockets did jingle<br />
Oh, I wish I were single again<br />
<b><br /></b>
You might also hear, <b>"He doesn't have 2 nickels to rub</b><br />
<b>together."</b> That always confused me. Why would you<br />
rub 2 coins together? Rub, rub, rub.<br />
<br />
I think that one meant they were poor....most likely it<br />
came from the depression when everyone was poor<br />
but a nickel could buy a couple of carrots, a<br />
potato and an onion for a stew. Hobo stew, it was<br />
called OR.......you could go to the nickelodeon.<br />
Duh, guess how much it cost.<br />
<br />
And in place of a "good-by" someone might say,<br />
<b>"don't take any wooden nickels."</b><br />
<b>hmmmmm</b> what meaning? Maybe lookout for<br />
scammers or don't accept a worthless token. ???<br />
Beats me.<br />
<br />
Restaurants and many public places that had a<br />
rest room had nickel coin boxes outside of the<br />
stalls. Women (in the days when there was a<br />
division between men and women) would write<br />
on the inside of the stalls. I recall one duezy......<br />
Here I sit all broken hearted<br />
Paid 5 cents and only farted<br />
<br />
(I could never bring myself to use that word.<br />
Proves I'm not a Lady anymore, Blue. Now<br />
I've earned the title "Broad". )<br />
<br />
Buffalo nickels, that's the name. There used to<br />
be a lot of Native Americans and their symbols<br />
on the coins.<br />
<br />
War Nickels...... I remember the name but I had<br />
to look this up. They were minted from 1941 to<br />
1945 and have a large P over the building<br />
(Monticello) on the back. Find one.<br />
<br />
That's all I remember about nickels. Here's a useless<br />
bit of information about the amount of silver in coins.<br />
<br />
Dimes, quarters, half dollars or dollars, dated 1964<br />
or earlier are 90% silver.<br />
<br />
But half dollars dated 1965--1970 contain only<br />
40% silver.<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
Don't take any wooden credit cards. Nyuk, nyuk<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-13737948088040516732015-11-20T07:43:00.000-08:002015-11-20T17:47:20.216-08:00Gleanings from an Iconoclast<span style="font-size: large;">Political cartoonists have a rare sense of</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">humor. I love em. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
I know nothing about Kentucky except that I always got<br />
confused if Davy Crockett was from Kentucky or Tennessee.<br />
But I'm sure it is the latter. As for Kentucky, I don't know<br />
the govenor's name nor anything about him either but this<br />
morning the radio newsman said the Kentucky governor<br />
and his wife had adopted 4 kids from Ethiopia.<br />
<br />
Newsman went on to say the Governor wasn't pleased with<br />
this mornings political cartoon which depicted the Governor<br />
hiding under his desk with the caption saying, <b>"Sir, they're</b><br />
<b> not </b><b>terrorists, they're your own adopted kids. "</b><br />
<br />
Iconoclast or not, it made me laugh out loud and it wasn't<br />
a demeaning laugh on Kentucky or it's Governor. It just struck<br />
me funny<br />
If it's funny captions on political cartoons that you're hankering<br />
for, take a hop over to <b>"<a href="http://www.alpenwasser.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Penwasser Place</a>" </b>Al's salacious<br />
humor always promises a morning snicker. I guess he recently<br />
got in a little trouble at someone's blog. I didn't see what<br />
it was but I bet it was a good one.<br />
<br />
Hey, I'm an old broad. I appreciate a little salacity once in a<br />
while.<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-56069726269395313102015-11-16T07:27:00.000-08:002015-11-16T07:27:35.240-08:00Yay for Craig's List<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBsmkbSDyHoi4Zaycw5jHI_4MwHqcZ4OR1ME3v7PzM0lR8CMztXqP1TGCGUzIAy5JEgWdTw23NBZD0jyHtoAuGDKIbrNSSACmgTuu9aLbsiG9dRqUdRpLCe-HveFf8zleFPKsiiRMhtw/s1600/2015-11-13+09.20.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBsmkbSDyHoi4Zaycw5jHI_4MwHqcZ4OR1ME3v7PzM0lR8CMztXqP1TGCGUzIAy5JEgWdTw23NBZD0jyHtoAuGDKIbrNSSACmgTuu9aLbsiG9dRqUdRpLCe-HveFf8zleFPKsiiRMhtw/s320/2015-11-13+09.20.31.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My big old tree........gone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's my tree.<br />
You can see how<br />
the inside is rotted<br />
away and would<br />
withstand very<br />
little wind stress.<br />
<br />
I told the tree men<br />
to leave the cut up<br />
pieces by the alley<br />
and neighbors could<br />
help themselves<br />
to fire wood<br />
But, I hadn't<br />
considered<br />
the huge pieces<br />
of the tree trunk. Snow may be visiting us this week and I wanted<br />
the wood gone. Craig's list..... I'll try that. I entered an ad at 10 AM<br />
and the wood was all gone by 2 o'clock. The first man to call took<br />
every scrap of wood. He came with a big trailer and 2 sons and they<br />
had it loaded in a blink. He estimated some of the large pieces of<br />
trunk weighed up to 300 lbs. But they brought a dolly and the<br />
moving seemed effortless for 3 burly Montana guys.<br />
<br />
I'm excited now because my head holds a vision for a new vegetable<br />
garden, as I had given my old garden space to the chickens.<br />
<br />
I'm impressed with Craig's List. List at 10 and gone by 2 and even<br />
on a Sunday.<br />
<br />
Have you ever used that much-touted Craig's List?<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-35683412382298388292015-11-10T06:07:00.000-08:002015-11-10T06:10:25.283-08:00Papercuts and Movie Buffs <b>Papercuts sting</b>. Every time I get one, I think of an old<br />
movie, "36 Hours," starring James Garner and Eva Marie<br />
Saint. It takes place just prior to <b>D-Day, June 6, 1944.</b><br />
Garner, an intelligence officer is going over the plans in<br />
a briefing when he gets a paper cut. He does the usual,<br />
comments on it, puts the finger to his mouth and goes<br />
on his way to a secret mission in Lisbon.<br />
<br />
There, the Nazi's drug him, capture him, take him to a<br />
phony U.S. Military Hospital, work on his body to make<br />
it appear as if he had aged 6 years. When he awakens,<br />
they tell him it is now 1950 (even with dated newspapers),<br />
that they are in Germany and the allies won the war.<br />
They make him believe he's had amnesia all this time.<br />
Of course, all the workers in the hospital set-up, are<br />
German actors for this elaborate ruse in order to get<br />
Garner to divulge the D-Day date.<br />
<br />
At first, Garner completely falls for the perfect charade,<br />
especially when he sees his gray hair and advanced-age<br />
vision but THEN he feels the sting of the PAPERCUT<br />
they missed.<br />
<br />
Of course, lots of intrigue and action follows. I never<br />
get tired of watching this movie but why does it always<br />
come on the tube when I'm extremely busy. I suppose<br />
I could somehow tape it for later but I forgot how to do<br />
that so what the heck, I just drop everything and watch<br />
it.<br />
I love movies. Does that mean I don't have a life?<br />
Maybe. If I see a movie advertised at the Cinemark,<br />
a few blocks away, I toss off my apron, (yes I still<br />
wear aprons) stuff a few bucks in my pocket and<br />
get my movie fix for the day.<br />
<br />
Anyone else have that habit?<br />
<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-67604557517851900522015-11-05T06:28:00.000-08:002015-11-05T11:19:27.972-08:00When is a Tree Not a Tree?<span style="font-size: large;"><b>After a tree is cut down, is it still a</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> tree? I'd call it firewood. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>After a shady rock garden no longer</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>has shade, is it now a sun rock garden?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
Dang Sam, I'm losing a big huge tree that shades a large<br />
rock garden AND a portion of my neighbors house. The<br />
tree was old (next to ancient) some 30 years ago when I<br />
bought this property and now, when the wind blows free,<br />
it sends it's parts, like old bones, crashing to the land. I do <br />
not want to think of deadwood piercing my neighbor's roof.<br />
<br />
In 1865, gold was discovered in this area of Montana while<br />
the Civil War was raging in the East. The first man to acquire<br />
this particular chunk of land, ran cattle to supply fresh meat<br />
to the miners. My house was a log cabin house and my<br />
neighbor's house was the bunkhouse. Years later, when this<br />
land was plotted out to become Helena, the capital of MT,<br />
the log cabin and bunkhouse were grandfathered in and the<br />
block kinda carved around them. My neighbor had built<br />
his house where the bunkhouse stood and that<br />
eventually put his house far in the back of his land and<br />
almost spot-on the lot line dividing our properties.<br />
<br />
The old log cabin still stands beneath the added wood siding of<br />
my simple farmhouse. It was enlarged and an upper floor<br />
added but I can envision the old log cabin when I enter the<br />
cellar with all it's spooky ghosts.<br />
<br />
Somewhere along that time, a tree seedling must have<br />
taken root and the shade seemed like a good idea. No one would<br />
ever plant a tree in that precarious spot where the tree is<br />
sandwiched in among high-wires, fences, the alley and the<br />
neighbors house. No, none of those things were there and I<br />
often sit beneath that old tree and can see the cowboys lolly-<br />
gagg'n aroung the bunkhouse after the evening meal, while a<br />
lone harmonica wails out an old haunting tune.<br />
<br />
I asked Brady, the treeman, how his crew would get the tree<br />
out of there.<br />
<br />
"Very carefully," he replied.<br />
(ummmmm....we'll see)<br />
<br />
I do know one thing. I'll get real misty-eyed, along with the birds,<br />
as it's being cut down.<br />
<br />
I'm really going to miss that tree, my old friend.<br />
<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-20584896427109643432015-09-28T07:42:00.000-07:002015-09-28T20:48:45.105-07:00A Kiss in a CupDo you ever really listen to the words of songs?<br />
I don't. I'm kinda a beat person and only feel<br />
beats for dancing. When I do my closet-screeching,<br />
the dog howls. I guess it hurts her ears,<br />
poor thing.<br />
<br />
One of my morning favorites is "Drink to me<br />
Only With Thine Eyes," an old English troubadorian<br />
ballad from "Song to Celia." I wonder why troubadours<br />
gave up the Trubing business. They could add a<br />
nice contrast to some of today's raucous music.<br />
Can you imagine Troubadours in Montana?<br />
<br />
<b>1. Drink to me only with thine eyes and I will pledge</b><br />
<b>with mine. </b><br />
<i>The burned out bull-rider at the end of the bar,</i><br />
<i>watches the glassy-eye, hotsy-totsy rodeo queen</i><br />
<i>hoist her mug of Buds. "She's the one," he thinks.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>2. Or leave a kiss within the cup and I'll not ask for</b><br />
<b>wine. </b><br />
<i>Did she just lick the mug or was that a kiss, as</i><br />
<i>she glanced in his direction and no one drinks wine</i><br />
<i>in a cowboy bar. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>3. The thirst that from the soul doth rise, doth ask</b><br />
<b>a drink divine.</b><br />
<b> </b><i> "She's so beautiful, " thinks the bull rider, "if I</i><br />
<i>buy her a beer, I wonder if she'll take a ride in my pickup</i><u>.</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<b>4. But might I of Joves nector sup, I would not </b><br />
<b>change for thine.</b><br />
<b> "</b><i>Oh what the hell, it's late so I'll just take mah</i><br />
<i>roady, get my Border Collie and head back to the</i><br />
<i>ranch."</i><br />
<br />
And life goes on in Montana.<br />
<i>~~~~~~~~~~~~</i><br />
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<i> </i>Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-83565159578874747392015-09-22T06:36:00.000-07:002015-09-22T06:36:33.902-07:00ReflectionOld age is the time for reflection or so we're lead to<br />
believe. Certain truths smack us right in the face,<br />
usually kicked off by thoughtless remarks of our<br />
issue.<br />
<br />
My first truth is that our kids don't have a clue as<br />
to who we really are or that we had a vibrant life<br />
before they took that first gulp of oxygen. Often<br />
kid's remarks stop us dead in our tracks and we<br />
think, "Why try to explain? They won't get it."<br />
<br />
For instance, child #3 <span style="font-size: x-small;">(with all her fancy education) </span><br />
said to me, "You never went to college but you <br />
don't talk like a hill-billy." I opened my mouth<br />
but was too stunned to reply so I let it go.<br />
<br />
Were my kids really THAT self centered and<br />
preoccupied NOT to notice that I took college<br />
courses every chance I could get, for ten years?<br />
They probably never did notice because my classes<br />
were evenings and day time while they were in school.<br />
<br />
I never intended to get a degree....it was knowledge<br />
I was seeking. I doubt if young people today would<br />
understand that. When I was advised to choose a<br />
major, it always changed. English, psychology, horticulture...<br />
but no hill-billy talk.<br />
<br />
The whole economy was different and wives were not<br />
expected to work. In fact, I never wanted to work outside<br />
the home, I just wanted to be aware of what was going<br />
on out there. I loved my life as wife and mother although<br />
now I realize I must have looked to my kids, like the<br />
boring, shades of gray, home-maker. We were all June<br />
Cleaver's back then.<br />
<br />
Should I have tried to explain to my daughter? Would<br />
she understand? I don't know. What do you think?<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-84842060524446543802015-09-10T08:01:00.000-07:002015-09-10T08:48:33.943-07:00Ninny<span style="font-size: large;">Dear Gentle People</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">How'sago'n. That is Montana lingo and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I guess it's one of those things that you</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">have to be here to understand. </span><br />
<br />
Then there is "ninny." That is a word from my childhood.<br />
I still say, "Don't be a ninny." Most people don't know what<br />
I mean so I wonder if the term is still used. It means a<br />
"foolish person." Know any "ninnies?"<br />
<br />
All this politically correct stuff has me completely baffled.<br />
You go and use a certain word for 85 years and then have<br />
someone tell you that you have to replace it with another<br />
word OR you are a NINNY.<br />
<br />
Take the word "retarded." That was the legal term for a<br />
person with a low IQ .....way back when I was a psychiatric<br />
nurse. I guess one never uses that word anymore or it's<br />
Ninny Time again.<br />
<br />
There is one word that has changed meaning completely<br />
and for that, I could cry. Most of my fond memories of<br />
nursery rhymes included a cat...... an adorable pussy cat.<br />
Now the meaning of pussy is mostly a slang term for a<br />
part of the female anatomy, a word that brings on<br />
snickers and gaffs. No matter, I still call my cat Puss<br />
or Pussy. So there.<br />
<br />
Thank you Donald Trump, for bringing political<br />
correctness to the fore. You are making the hard-core<br />
political-correctees look like a bunch of NINNIES.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-25926597237664656272015-08-21T07:53:00.000-07:002015-08-21T12:37:12.668-07:00Maybe It's Because<span style="font-size: large;">Today I am a copy cat. I heard <a href="https://www.blogger.com/profile/14712395242968990000" target="_blank">Beate's</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">song and was immediately transported</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">back to 1949, when my husband and I</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">discovered our song, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Maybe It's Because</span><br />
I'll wager most of Beate's readers were transported<br />
back in remembrance of "their song." Great<br />
job, Beate.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">When Louis Armstrong came to town,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">it was as a dance band, not as a single</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">performer. What a guy he was as he'd</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">even visit our table inbetween sets. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>It was easy to fall in love to his music but I knew<br />
I would marry Daryl the first moment I saw him.<br />
His father was a patient at the hospital where I<br />
was training and he came to visit his father. On<br />
that first meeting, he asked me to go dancing.<br />
I remember going back to the dorm, telling my<br />
room-mates that I had just met the man I was<br />
going to marry. They said I was crazy. Ha But<br />
we were married 3 months later, after graduation.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The rest really is history. </span><br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
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<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-37183725398674968272015-08-09T06:09:00.000-07:002015-08-09T09:30:58.722-07:00Franklin<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HoSLe8sUJJCJhan418TkGYEhizUy4r8rUtd6nEzIb98O9sxsJyBCUNgLW6HJPYVsAmYTsc4B5aJkUiply8mfuH6PXwu8E58rTlhctoyzqG_iP5lKWsNmBWfEwe77LxYLGrtIe8GIXc0/s1600/2015-07-22+10.05.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HoSLe8sUJJCJhan418TkGYEhizUy4r8rUtd6nEzIb98O9sxsJyBCUNgLW6HJPYVsAmYTsc4B5aJkUiply8mfuH6PXwu8E58rTlhctoyzqG_iP5lKWsNmBWfEwe77LxYLGrtIe8GIXc0/s320/2015-07-22+10.05.24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Way to Go Fella's</span><br />
Traveling across the country in a restored 1908 Franklin, 3 elderly gents were<br />
re-stocking their vintage car with snacks for the road. Everything about this<br />
car looked brand-spank'n new, including the leather trunk that sat on the<br />
luggage rack.<br />
The Franklin auto was manufactured from 1902 until 1934. It competed with<br />
the luxury big boys but like many of the more expensive cars, folded under the<br />
rigors of the depression. I had never heard of that make of car, have you?<br />
<br />
As the gentlemen closed the doors on this fine old car, one shouted back<br />
to me,"<i>Hope we don't hold you up on the highway."</i><br />
<br />
Nope, it was my pleasure to wave as I passed them. LOL<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Yesterday I wrote a post about a depressing subject but today, I don't know why I wrote it. I can get sad but I'm </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">never depressed so it's gone, deleted, kaput.(In case you caught a glimpse)</span><br />
<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-91933606649748412072015-07-30T18:33:00.000-07:002015-07-30T21:05:54.664-07:00Dupery Reigns Supreme<span style="font-size: large;">So you think government officials are like Jimmy </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Stewart in "Mr Smith Goes to Washington," </span><span style="font-size: large;">pure </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">of </span><span style="font-size: large;">heart </span><span style="font-size: large;">and </span><span style="font-size: large;">fighting tooth and nail </span><span style="font-size: large;">in Washington </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">for bills that </span><span style="font-size: large;">will benefit the people. Yeah, </span><span style="font-size: large;">well....</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">sorry your </span><span style="font-size: large;">lobectomy went haywire. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I bet you think this post is political. No, not</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">really. Maybe just some leanings in that direction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I remember life in the 1950's....... I was at a </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">cocktail party wearing a new black cocktail dress,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">similar to the ones Audrey Hepburn usually wore.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Of course everyone had a fancy-named drink in</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">one hand and a cigarette in the other. Cigarettes </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">and booze in a smokey room. The talk was, "Buy</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">chemicals and plastics." Yup Froggy, that was</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">the beginning of poisoning the planet and I </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">stood there like an idiot, only caring if I was</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">making an impression on the sad joker in</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">a pin-stripe suit. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Up to that time, lawns were almost maintenance</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">free because white clover lawns were the choice</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">of the day. Clover lawns were beautiful AND</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(get this) drought resistant, fixed nitrogen from</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">the air, needed no fertilizer and tolerated </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">compacted soil. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Can you imagine NOT spending a red cent for</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">up-keep on your lawn? How much do you spend</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">now, with mowing, aerating, fertilizing, watering, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">power-raking, and often re-seeding in the spring?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">So after the war, big campaigns for beautiful</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">grass filled the hearts and minds of the new</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">suburbanites. Buy "Round-up," kill the clover, kill</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">the bees and we all know what happens after we</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">kill all the bees. Let your kiddies and pets romp</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">in that brilliant green chemical grass. Oh, so </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sonny has </span><span style="font-size: large;">allergies, too bad, wonder how he got </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">that.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I do small patches at a time. I lay down card-</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">board and cover it with black dirt. I keep it moist</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">and during the winter, it's all covered with snow. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Then I mix clover seed with more black dirt</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">and add a netting if it's scorching hot come</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">summer. My yard is terribly large for me to do it</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">all alone but I'm gaining on it. Today I unloaded</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">15 bags of dirt by myself. Yeah for my Bliss Work.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">What's my point in all of this? I don't really know. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Maybe I'd like to influence just one person to </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">think of what we're doing. Are we going to end</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">up as we did in "Planet of the Apes" with the statue</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">of liberty mostly stuck in the sand?????</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Who knows and only time will tell.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-8965555828768808072015-07-20T09:18:00.000-07:002015-07-20T09:18:20.145-07:00Always Carry a Big StickI got up this morning at the tip of dawn with an agenda on<br />
my mind. Another wasp nest in the greenhouse had to be<br />
destroyed. I hate that. I'm really scared of those buzzy critters.<br />
<br />
I tossed on a winter parka over my PJ's, tied the hood tight<br />
around my face, zipped up and approached the greenhouse<br />
with a big stick. DANG, the nest faced away from<br />
the door, meaning I had to cross over the nest to get back to<br />
the door once I poked down the nest.<br />
<br />
My urge was to return to the house, mission UN-accompolished.<br />
But what to do????? I can't use a poison in the greenhouse.<br />
What if I tripped and fell during my escape? What if the sky is<br />
falling on Henny Penny? Oh just do it, big CHICKEN.<br />
<br />
POKE POKE. It was stuck tighter than I thought it would be.<br />
I was using a walking stick. Who said, "Always carry a<br />
big stick?" Was it Teddy Roosevelt? Who cares at this point.<br />
I had to jump over that fallen nest as the wasps were beginning<br />
to wake up and come zooming out. OMG....how could all<br />
those wasps fit in that little nest? They were zooming all<br />
over the greenhouse and I never realized how fast they<br />
could fly. They were not happy with me, yet they were the<br />
usurpers. Ain't fair.<br />
<br />
Back in the house and nary a bite or a trip or a fall. Time<br />
for my morning curds and whey. (I really do eat curds and<br />
whey......it gives me wasp courage and makes me "Oh sooo<br />
adorable."<br />
ADIOS for now<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-36695171127653612212015-06-30T08:36:00.000-07:002015-06-30T08:39:18.783-07:00Where's the Mansions?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEB2GhBF22ESlewND9OIo6IeKFaQGOPoq-icFKwAJflzeuZ4WZEVHLgU_PdVC850_SJEGnoMje1glUZWLDUdI3-Vey7XFh53AgaUevecrzFWsdRRtgzMIHw4MVetyN2ieFqiSYp4zcbBM/s1600/2015-06-29+07.48.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEB2GhBF22ESlewND9OIo6IeKFaQGOPoq-icFKwAJflzeuZ4WZEVHLgU_PdVC850_SJEGnoMje1glUZWLDUdI3-Vey7XFh53AgaUevecrzFWsdRRtgzMIHw4MVetyN2ieFqiSYp4zcbBM/s200/2015-06-29+07.48.30.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I was working in my<br />
yard when a large<br />
black car filled with<br />
elderly people, stopped<br />
and asked, "Where are<br />
the mansions?" I directed<br />
them and returned to my<br />
hoeing.<br />
<br />
<b>Where are the mansions?"</b><br />
Can't they see the one in<br />
front of them? No. I<br />
guess not because mansion it's NOT. It's older than the<br />
mansions and there's a log cabin under the farm house look<br />
but they want to see the glitze of conspicuous consumption.<br />
<br />
Gold was discovered in Helena in 1865. Miners were dreaming<br />
of getting rich while soldiers from the North and South were<br />
engaged in their civil war. Most of the miners didn't strike it<br />
rich and either returned home or went on to the next gold<br />
strike. The ones who struck gold, remained in Helena and<br />
built a mansion more grand than their neighbor's.<br />
<br />
My humble farm house was/still is, a log cabin for the family<br />
who owned most of the land that is now Helena. They raised<br />
cattle, thus providing meat for the miners. The house next<br />
door was the bunk house for the cowboys. They eventually<br />
added the looks of a farm house OVER the log house, evidence<br />
I still run into when trying to pound something into the wall.<br />
<br />
I call the house a dump because it's still the same old creaky<br />
structure with nary a closet. Thank god plumbing was added.<br />
Haha But it's a friendly house, full of ghosts. The living/<br />
dining room (also was my studio) has windows facing all<br />
directions and is never without sunshine. The yard is some-<br />
thing special for me to work in.<br />
<br />
I hope the visitors in the big black auto enjoyed the mansions.<br />
I rarely walk through the mansion district as all the chemicals<br />
from each property trying to "outgreen" the other, really make<br />
me ill. I much prefer the dandelions and white clover found<br />
in my neighborhood. LOL<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-39076431725001837532015-06-19T07:14:00.000-07:002015-06-19T07:14:36.749-07:00One More Birthday PartyMy gardening friend Julie has an annual birthday party for her<br />
husband, usually attended by the same group of friends and<br />
neighbors. The event took place last evening in Julie's<br />
enchanting garden where I had a chance to visit with people<br />
I hadn't seen since last year's party.<br />
<br />
The one person I look forward to seeing is Al, Julie's 101<br />
year old neighbor. It's not too unusual for someone to reach<br />
the bright and snappy age of 101 but Al is using that bright-<br />
ness to live in total independence. Living alone, Al performs<br />
all his housely duties, buys his own food and cooks. But get<br />
this, AL STILL DRIVES A CAR. He said they made him<br />
take a driving test that consisted of him driving around the block.<br />
That was it!<br />
<br />
What is so amazing is that Al joins in on almost any<br />
conversation. He knows exactly what is going on in the world<br />
and expresses his ideas in a strong, clear voice.<br />
<br />
Those of us who love history are forever bombarding him<br />
with questions concerning his early life. Last night I heard<br />
him say he moved to Helena in 1930 (year I was born) and<br />
bought the land where his house stands, for $95.<br />
<br />
In my mind I was comparing Al to the ladies in my <b>Bliss</b> class.<br />
Their average age is somewhere in the early 70's but take my<br />
word that Al could run circles around many of them. I've heard<br />
them use the phrase......"but at my age"..........which is complete<br />
non-sense to keep referring to a number. Al knows exactly how<br />
old he is but when someone asks, "are you one hundrea and<br />
one" I've heard Al laughingly say, "Am I?"<br />
<br />
Who can say what it takes to live a long and healthy life.<br />
Genes? Diet? Attitude? I really don't have the foggiest but<br />
it's a delight when you see it in action. I know one thing, Al<br />
loves ice cream and he ate a lot of it. hahahaha<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-77715358903715492912015-05-08T09:27:00.001-07:002015-05-08T09:28:53.472-07:00Dance Floor<span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever started a project and straight from the git-go, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">everything went wrong. I don't mean a little glitch here and there</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">but I do mean "everything." That's what is happening right now</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">in my garage, as I'm setting up another studio. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">First of all, the structure itself is nearly 100 years old and </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">would welcome a wrecking ball. (Actually the house would </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">too, but that's another story). What we did to the garage, we </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">did it twice because nothing worked the first time. The maple </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">dance floor is half finished and driving the young floor installer </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">crazy. Well, I guess I'm the one who is driving him crazy because </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">if there is one thing I really know, it is dance floors. It is the </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">dance floor I had designed for the Bozeman studio and my son </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">so graciously took it apart. (Does muttering to himself count?)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My header for the past couple months is the dance floor, as </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">it waits patiently for installation. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Is that the pinnacle of optimism, building a dance studio at</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">age 85? I'll be teaching<b> Bliss Work</b> to Senior Ladies. I've </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">been studying it for the past year by Skype and the beautiful </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">teacher wants me to teach it here. It is the chance to help older</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">women as I have been helped by Bliss so I am eagerly approaching</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">this new endeavor in my life. I will also have the 2nd part of</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">the class a jazz class. Older ladies STILL like to dance with a</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">little hootchy cootchty wiggle. LOL</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">But what the heck, who cares what goes wrong because I have a</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">new <b>Happy Pill</b>. It's called <b>Boost</b> by touchstone essentials.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients: Pouchong Tea Extract, Arabica Coffee Bean </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Extract, Cocoa Powder Estract. Rhodiola, Rosea Root, and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Garcina Cambogia fruit. <b>WOW now that's a boost!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">"Oh Dang! There's another problem you say? Who cares? Just </span></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">hand me mah happy pill and go fix it. " </span></b>Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-65950406674548950052015-04-30T02:00:00.000-07:002015-04-30T02:00:01.019-07:00Z is For Zeolite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnS3K6fojI0aMH5cSnWF7TLuzwDcg6AuhV6_8KP8lR5kkVSO_1zrgkgCcpOehK7OUmWxMWrzbniPThPCLUOz7AWaZ-5pv6Coo8q6_pcTgR7F1niqdIBjlxrQt6CLznlGKSk2IDNkmsm4/s1600/A2Z-BADGE-0002015-LifeisGood-230_zps660c38a0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnS3K6fojI0aMH5cSnWF7TLuzwDcg6AuhV6_8KP8lR5kkVSO_1zrgkgCcpOehK7OUmWxMWrzbniPThPCLUOz7AWaZ-5pv6Coo8q6_pcTgR7F1niqdIBjlxrQt6CLznlGKSk2IDNkmsm4/s1600/A2Z-BADGE-0002015-LifeisGood-230_zps660c38a0.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
My theme for the<br />
A-Z Challenge is<br />
<b>Aging into Longevity</b><br />
<br />
<br />
The whole, exciting<br />
trick to longevity is<br />
staying healthy by<br />
eliminating toxins.<br />
Every direction we<br />
turn, we run into<br />
poisons and chemicals<br />
that take a hit on our vitality.<br />
<br />
The zeolites are from a natural formation of volcanic<br />
rock and natural saline. It has a remarkable chelating<br />
effect for removing heavy metals and poisons from<br />
the body. A healthy body, free of chemicals and<br />
toxins is about the thing that leads to a long, happy<br />
life.<br />
<br />
The 2 zeolites I take, are fulvic acid (not folic acid)<br />
that dissolves bad calcium and I occasionally take<br />
MSM. (I talked about that under the letter M)<br />
<br />
We must be vigilant to promote good health in our<br />
twilight years. When I talk to my older friends, we<br />
all agree that it takes all morning to take us through<br />
our health routine. Is it worth all that effort when one<br />
gets old? That is up to the individual. If one gets<br />
old and cranky, probably not. Let it go. But if you<br />
are filled with laughter, enjoy people and still have<br />
hobbies, I'd say, it is definitely still worth the effort.<br />
<br />
A young couple moved in across the alley.<br />
When I was in my garden last week (and the sunshine<br />
was pouring down) the young gal came over and<br />
said, "I'm so happy we moved here because I can<br />
learn so much from you." That made it all worth<br />
while and I'm closing with laughter and happiness.<br />
<br />
Thank you for reading my posts and it has been<br />
a fun journey through the alphabet with you.<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-75428183866040949682015-04-29T02:00:00.000-07:002015-04-29T02:00:00.117-07:00Y is For Yacon Root<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnS3K6fojI0aMH5cSnWF7TLuzwDcg6AuhV6_8KP8lR5kkVSO_1zrgkgCcpOehK7OUmWxMWrzbniPThPCLUOz7AWaZ-5pv6Coo8q6_pcTgR7F1niqdIBjlxrQt6CLznlGKSk2IDNkmsm4/s1600/A2Z-BADGE-0002015-LifeisGood-230_zps660c38a0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnS3K6fojI0aMH5cSnWF7TLuzwDcg6AuhV6_8KP8lR5kkVSO_1zrgkgCcpOehK7OUmWxMWrzbniPThPCLUOz7AWaZ-5pv6Coo8q6_pcTgR7F1niqdIBjlxrQt6CLznlGKSk2IDNkmsm4/s1600/A2Z-BADGE-0002015-LifeisGood-230_zps660c38a0.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
My theme for the<br />
A-Z Challenge is<br />
<b>Aging into Longevity</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Yacon Root is a favorite<br />
natural sweetner that<br />
also offers many<br />
health benefits. It has<br />
an amazing quality that<br />
regulates and nourishes<br />
the friendly intestinal flora. This positive factor is a boon<br />
at any age but especially appreciated by those who have<br />
reached the top of the hill and are slightly on the declining<br />
side.<br />
<br />
The Yacon Root resembles a yam and is juiced into a<br />
concentrate. Besides being a guardian of yeast, diabetes<br />
and bone density, it has been touted as a food for weight<br />
loss, made popular by the Dr. Oz. show. Mostly, I<br />
believe the weight loss scam should be replaced with<br />
holistic reasoning, but that won't sell the manufacturers<br />
product.<br />
<br />
Always beware. Too many weight loss gimmicks. Here<br />
is a secret. Keep your body in sparkling health and<br />
the pounds will melt away. But I think we already<br />
knew that.<br />
<br />Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6647852722354804887.post-64362734432267121852015-04-28T02:00:00.000-07:002015-04-28T02:00:02.613-07:00X is For Xylitol<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnS3K6fojI0aMH5cSnWF7TLuzwDcg6AuhV6_8KP8lR5kkVSO_1zrgkgCcpOehK7OUmWxMWrzbniPThPCLUOz7AWaZ-5pv6Coo8q6_pcTgR7F1niqdIBjlxrQt6CLznlGKSk2IDNkmsm4/s1600/A2Z-BADGE-0002015-LifeisGood-230_zps660c38a0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnS3K6fojI0aMH5cSnWF7TLuzwDcg6AuhV6_8KP8lR5kkVSO_1zrgkgCcpOehK7OUmWxMWrzbniPThPCLUOz7AWaZ-5pv6Coo8q6_pcTgR7F1niqdIBjlxrQt6CLznlGKSk2IDNkmsm4/s1600/A2Z-BADGE-0002015-LifeisGood-230_zps660c38a0.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
My theme for the<br />
A-Z Challenge is<br />
<b>Aging into Longevity</b><br />
<br />
<br />
A number of years<br />
back, I was somewhat<br />
shocked when my<br />
biological dentist<br />
told me about the<br />
benefits of xylitol,<br />
like actually helping<br />
prevent cavaties. He suggested I take both the gum and<br />
the little candy pellets. It tasted so sweet and was far<br />
too yummy for me to believe this was actually good<br />
for my teeth. Why was my dentist telling me to eat<br />
something that tasted like sugar and had half the calories?<br />
<br />
Xylitol was the big name around 15 years ago and even<br />
promoted as a tooth savior by my dentist. I<br />
bought the gum and candy but never felt this sweet-<br />
mint could protect my teeth. The original boxes are<br />
still sitting, nearly full, in my herb room.<br />
<br />
Then I stopped hearing about xylitol and a report<br />
recently appeared in the "Journal of American<br />
Dental Assoc" suggesting the claims that<br />
xylitol stops cavities, <b>needs further studies.</b><br />
<br />
Well I guess I called that one right. Anyone have<br />
any thoughts on xylitol?Manzanitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06467261212623663365noreply@blogger.com24