My Dad's Garlic

The family and I met out at my Dad's and Mom's house yesterday to begin the process of culling and cleaning up their personal property.  The sibling rule was that we could have one item not specified in the will if the other two agreed.  My sister wanted just about everything she saw.  She walked away with the jelly safe and all the Christmas decorations as well as a queen/full size head board and bed frame, Dad's rubber boots and waders, some linens for the bed and Dad's rubber floater.  She also got most of her personal property that was intermingled with the estate's personal property.  All told, she had four pickup truck loads.

I dug up some of my Dad's elephant garlic that had naturalized throughout his old gardens, took an old hickory stick that he had carved into a walking cane and a stone that he had smoothed into a fake Indian artifact to sell to stupid tourists, a Christmas wreath I had made for the family when I was thirteen and four cement blocks.  Now you can see the difference between my sister and I.  She has the hoarding instincts of both parents.  I can't even imagine where she will put the stuff she took.  Most of it was Mom's very old Christmas decorations.  When I got home last night, the cement blocks were set up to hold the Langstroth hive, the garlic was pulled apart and planted, the wreath went into storage until Christmas, the fake Indian artifact was put on a shelf and the cane awaits me in the carport should I ever have need of it; it will be my snake poker, rat whacker stick.

We filled up a 3300 pound trash container which amounted to half their carport yesterday.  They saved frozen dinner trays, all empty containers like coffee tins, vegetable cans, wine bottles, plastic cups, you name it and they had it.  It was covered in rat poop.  A rat leaped out of the lumber that Cody and Trent, my nephews, were moving and dived in Cody's truck engine.  My Uncle Doug came over to work on the old truck that I signed over to him; it was the first new truck my Dad had ever owned.  For a bit, it was wonderfully crazy again - just like when Steve and Arthur, my brothers and their family, lived nearby.  I didn't realize how much I missed that kind of family interaction.

We had a trash fire going for all the cardboard boxes that they saved and roasted hot dogs over the open flames.  Shannon, my brother's wife, made delicious homemade cookies.  Yum!   It was a good start toward the cleanup of their personal property.  It was such a fun and successful day that we talked a bit about having Easter at the old place - one last time before it sells, if it hasn't sold by then.

Rain today and cold but gloriously nothing to "Have" to get done.  A day to worship and then enjoy with my hubby.  Praise be and Glory to God!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I am 56 years old tomorrow, 2/11/2012.  This is the first year without my Dad and Step Mom.  We always celebrated at Red Lobster (they loved Red Lobster!).  My Step-Mom, Polly, was born 1/7/1936; Dad was born 1/21/1926 and I was born 2/11/1956: we were 20 years and 30 years apart.  What nice round numbers!

I miss them but I wouldn't wish them back for anything in the world.  God bless them and I love them so much. If memories are forever, then I have many, many years of wonderful and loving birthdays to remember.

The last birthday we spent together, I stopped by Red Lobster and ordered our birthday meal to go.  Dad ate very little.  He was already in his rapid death decline.  He said he could have the rest of it for his next meal.  In actuality, he never finished it.  Mom enjoyed her shrimp very much.  My brother and sister and her hubby joined us and we pulled chairs in from the florida room to eat on.  Mom and Dad were both pretty much confined to the living room couch at this point and we wanted to eat with them.  The TV was on and it was the ever present Bonanza that was Mom's favorite show.  She watched back to back episodes whenever they were on.  It was a sweet birthday.

Three years prior to this birthday, we all met at Red Lobster for lunch.  Dad, Mom and my hubby all got some type of flu sitting there.  By the time we left, all three were running high temperatures and had body aches.  That was not a great birthday.

Five years ago my Dad and Step Mom were in much better health and we met for our birthdays at Red Lobster.  Dad flirted with the waitress, Mom chastised him for being a dirty old man and we laughed and joked and had a wonderful meal.

Maybe I'll go to Red Lobster for dinner this weekend.  I'll have Dad and Mom with me, in my head.  It will be lovely

Old Lang Syne

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

There was much about 2011 that was awful.  My Mom and Dad's death.  The death of three Aunties, one Uncle, a Neighbor, a Co-worker.  But Death is always there.

There was much about 2011 that was great - my family's trip to Japan, my garden, my work, my chickens and my Brother, Scott, and his wife, Shannon and my lovely extended family.

Here is to a great 2012!  Christ's Blessings to  each of us!

Longest Night of the Year Celebration

Last night was the longest night of the year.  This means that the nights will gradually get shorter and the days longer until we in Alabama experience our first spring like days in late February.  Yep, I know it sucks for you Northern folks in February still but our winter is a micro winter and thankfully short and sweet.  Yesterday it was hovering around 60 degrees and I was able to finally get the bonfire (a.k.a. yard trash) ignited and we roasted hotdogs over the hot coals and made s'mores with our flaming marshmallows!  Very nice night indeed.

It was made even better by having the day off even though I ran around like crazy trying to do all my piled up errands at once.  I did finally get my grow light so my bonsai (present from Mike) gets sufficient daily light.  A plus is that my Meyer lemon will also get to use the light and I should have some fruit this year.

My collard greens are chomped to the root by the deer.  With the warm balmy days though they may continue to grow and if I can keep the deer away, I'll have some more greens to enjoy through winter.

I stood outside tending to the bonfire when my neighbor, Don Browning, and his great grandson, Jack, stopped by for a chat.  Don loves bringing his greats over to see the chickens.  They are still talking about the fresh eggs I gave the little girl great last year.  I promised Jack I would grow him some popcorn this year.  He is a first grader and thought popcorn had to come from China and that it couldn't grow in a garden.  Nothing I enjoy more than having kids get to know what a farm can do for them.

I love Mike!

My hubby is the most practical and loving man.  He is so very special that I dedicate this post to him!  Thank you go putting up with me and my family for 32 years.  I love you!  Big hug and kiss, you are the most wonderful person in the world!

Rest in Peace, Mom, and thank you for everything!

My Step-Mom raised me from the time I was five years old.  Like any Mother-Daughter relationship we had our ups and downs.  She did things wrong as I did.  I had a smart mouth and she was quick to punish any sign of it.  She believed in corporal punishment and I was beaten regularly between the ages of five and thirteen.  I hated her for that.  Then at thirteen I discovered how to keep my mouth shut and she started to teach me to cook.  She was a superb German-style cook while I lean toward Italian-style cooking.  I so appreciate the skills she taught me.  I didn't realize until recently that I was a prep chef long before the popular cooking shows featured it.  Together we cooked for a large and extended family.  We were poor monetarily but my Dad hunted and fished and had a large garden every year.  "Mom" made fresh baked rolls that would melt in your mouth.  We never lacked for food because we grew it ourselves or Dad caught it.  One year she taught me how to can and another year taught me how to make jellies and jams.  Summertime at our house was very active preparing for the next winter.    She never learned to make decent saurkraut; it was her only failing.  Spoiled kraut is bad, very very bad in the house.  She also failed to can the fresh sausage correctly one year and it spoiled.  The smell was horrendous.  Everything else though was so good to eat.  I can not eat mediocre food because of her; she set the food standard in my life very high.  Here is a picture I snapped on my phone of her during one of her last "good" days.  Her mind was clear to the end but her body failed her.

Sundays

Sundays for me have always been a day of rest, reflection and food.  My Step Mom was a great cook - large quantities of germanic style cooking.  What the woman could do with cukes in sour cream and dill was amazing. We had german style potato salad - slathered in a vinegar and hot oil marinade - with bacon bits (real bacon) and green onions.  Pot roast for Sunday with carrots and red potatoes cooked in the beef's juices.  Homemade southern buttermilk biscuits and mustard greens.   So, so good.  Most of it homegrown.

For comfort food this week since both hubby and I are waylaid by a virus, I made tuna and mac casserole with a buttered crouton topping, collard greens simmered in chicken broth, a dab of cider vinegar and brown sugar with some ham hock, sweet potatoes baked slow and soft, everything but the kitchen sink soup (whatever is left over makes soup).  We have so many left over today that we eat when we want and as much as we want.

Ahhhh,  now for a nap and ballgames :>

Sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits

I love the Pooh Bear!  Sadly, Eeyore is more my style these last months.  Life has been tragic lately for my family.  We lost my Dad in April.  From my Dad I learned that any soil can be improved and made to support life.  I also learned my love of all things gardening.  He planted much too large gardens and he could have fed the entire Tennessee Valley.  I've spent more time than I care to think hoeing in the hot Alabama sun corn fields spread across 10 acres.

Then we lost my dear Aunt Faye in June.  She loved flowers and always had such a beautiful yard that neighbors would stop and comment on the color.  From my Aunt I learned that flowers and vegetables are companion plants - one does not need to exclude the other in the home garden or lawn.

And now my Step Mom is ill and not thriving.  Failure to thrive is another way to say she is dying.  It is sad and I've cried lots of tears but such is life and we grow on.  I'm taking some time to be with her as much as I can.  Other things can wait for now.