Mountain Mama's Point Of View

  Here you see what is left on the trailer, the big boulders that were moved to where I didn't say to move them and the pitiful looking daylillies I bought. The woods behind the trailer are not part of our property. That doesn't mean I won't venture in and clear the under brush if I take a notion! The boulders were supposed to be placed further up the drive and not dumped by the garden bed. I had to layer more cardboard and then use the daylillies to fill the area between the boulder and the garden. I knew better than to expect the men to simply do what I said! I gave the man with the plants $20. He was selling them for $2 each, but he gave me 27 in the big clumps. He also gave me 8 yellow iris as a bonus. They look sad right now, but should snap back to bloom this year. The pansies are loving this cool weather. I rescued them from clearance and they were looking so sad in the dry dirt in their tiny pots. I deadheaded them and gave them a big drink of water the night before

  The clematis is awake! It is climbing the lattice slowly. This tempts me to add more plants, but it will cover most of the 8' piece of lattice next year. The apple tree is leafing out and growing. It sits just inside the fence. You can see my dump wagon and a container with carrots coming up. There will be raised beds on the outside of the fence, and I need to hurry to be able to replant the carrot seedlings. Other wise, they will not be moved at all. The newest raised bed will make for careful navigation on the other side of the fence that faces the ravine. It has sweet peas planted. On the inside of the fence you can see the pots holding different plants waiting for their own bed. A tomato plant, asparagus, onions and yellow squash are getting a good start in the pots. Later, when all my raised beds are done and filled I will be building some simple frames to attach some plastic to. They will hinge on the far side of the beds to meet at the fence on either side and create a sor

Remember my vegetable garden last year? Looked like a circus and it was in my front yard.    This is what it looks like now. I planted some bushes from the clearance table at Walmart. Cinnamon bush. It is supposed to have some nice color in the fall. I had never even seen a Cinnamon bush until I saw them on the clearance table for $7, marked dwn 50%. I have already forgotten what the other one is. Coral bells in between the bushes. I am appalled to tell you I paid FULL PRICE. It hurt me, but I wanted the color. Here is a better picture. I still need to mulch and I planted some Marigold and Zinnia seeds and am impatient for them to come up. I will harvest the seedlings and use them in all the gardens, then I will mulch this garden. I hunted down all the rocks. I am disappointed in the quality of the grass. I need a load of top soil dumped here before I reseed it. This is rocky clay soil. Remember the Maple saplings I braided together and hauled from Missouri? This one is doing quite wel

  I am feeling better, but I still have no stamina to get things done. I guess I might be getting old. Eddie is doing much better and is eating the new dogfood with gusto. Of course all three eat the same food, out of the same bowl. They like it and that's all that matters ... well and not making them itch. Today I did this. Ummm, did what? With the help of HeWho can handle the weight of the big chain saw. He cut, then I carried the board to the end of the embankment and tossed it to the ground. He helped me screw the pieces together and I did all the rest. It all started when I was sick and bored and I was lurking around on Marketplace ..... and what to my wandering eye should appear....but a bundle of the cut side of trees with the suggestion they would make great raised bed planters. The light bulb over my head blinked on. I clicked on the ad and found that it was quite a big bundle of these long (some of them were 14 ft long) end cuts and priced at $30. For all of it! I do love

  Eddie was not happy to be back where he was left undergo his surgery! He balked at the door and made me carry him. He refused to get out of my lap, in fact wanted his head on my shoulder to avoid eye contact with the vet or the vet tech. His did succumb to the examination, but only if I kept my hand on his head. Kind of flattering that he puts so much faith in my presense. He is continuing to pack on the lbs. and is up to 19 lbs. He needs to be about 4 lbs. lighter. Even the vet was shocked when I held Eddie up to reveal his underside. It is angry and red with welts and his skin under his coat of fur is riddled with big bare patches of white scaly skin. It is not a contact dermatitis, like would happen with grass or pollen. It is definitely systemic. We exhausted all the things that might be new in his environment. The only thing it might be is the food he eats. I ordered lamb and rice and got chicken in the last shipment. Might be because I wanted the healthy weight formula.  I just

  I never got a call back from the vet. They have moved into a larger facility and changed the prompts on the phone when you call in. I selected the prompt to speak with someone who could make an appointment and was transferred to a vet tech and told to leave a detailed message and was assured that a call back was guaranteed. All day long I made sure my phone was close at hand as I waited for a call back. I realized none would be forthcoming at 5:30. I was miffed. I like the vets and now I might have to look for another. Eddie's dermatitis is an on-going issue and when it flares, it advances rapidly. His little belly is red and raw and he has skin lesions on all four legs now, His fur continues to come out in clumps and it has spread to his neck. This is what happened in just 3 days. I gave them a call back. I identified myself, but not my dog and replayed yesterday to them. I asked if they would be able to take care of my pets, or if should I find another facility. She (receptioni

  No, it is not Eddie writing today. My baby is sick and I am so worried about him. Going to see the vet tomorrow. I thought he felt hotter than usual, but I was sick and didn't trust my evaluation. Today his right eye is full of crud and he is lethargic. He is still suffering from the allergy that causes him to itch and his fur is falling out at an alarming rate. I bathed him awhile ago and had to clean the hair catcher in the drain three times before I got him sufficiently rinsed. The bath was a lengthy affair as I left the lather to sit on him for the recommended 15 minutes. He will usually get restless and shake ferociously covering me and everything within sight with dog shampoo. Medicated, expensive dog shampoo. The formula is specifically for the issues Eddie suffers from. It is not unpleasant smelling, but not good smelling either. Today he sat down wearily and just waited for me to finish his rinse cycle. He has a few "hot spots" that seem to bother him the most.

  Easter Sunday and I can't go to a church! I am so sick and don't want to spread my germs. I finally have the headache under control by dosing myself every four hours with Tylenol INTENSE flu meds. I seem to be able to navigate inside my tiny space very carefully, lest a sudden movement bring the headache back. I tried to wake the master of the house at 2 am Saturday morning to take me to the hospital. He either ignored me or didn't hear me. I tend to think he didn't hear me, being hearing impaired and his aids on the charger. He probably would have happily taken me anywhere to avoid hearing me cough all night ..... oh, yeah, he can't hear. He is trying so hard to be sicker than me, but refuses to to take anything for the symptoms.  He moaned and mumbled all night and occasionally coughed. Not the same cough as me. Mine was the cough that was so unsatisfying, though I think I may have coughed up my toenails. My inner ears hurt and the headache was so very intense.

  Hello Everyone, Charming Eddie here. The sun is out and it is quite warm. I enjoy sunning. But, I was asking Mom where all the grass went! She tells me it will fill in soon. You might not believe this, but she says I am lazy! I am not lazy, I just like to take my time and not waste energy. Maybe she could offer up delicious treats more often and I would run to get mine. I remember telling you all about the diet food she is feeding us dogs. I haven't lost an ounce! See what conserving your energy will do? Toni always eats first, with Bo sneaking a bite when her mouth is full and she is chewing. I can tell you from experience that it is hard to growl while chewing! I prefer to have the entire bowl to myself and take my time. I do not growl at Bo, I bark at him! All of us dogs have been very good about waiting to go outside to pee and poop. Mom has been praising us about it. She still puts pee pads down, just in case. It has come to the attention of everyone in our house that Toni L

  My new ceiling fan ...... almost done. He waited a day before he pulled that piece up into place to cover the wires. Only took three days!! The old one was pretty pathetic. I wonder if this was rated for outdoors. It was here when we got here, but the porch was so full of boxes, it was the last thing to worry about. There are two of them. I wonder how long before the other new one is in place ..... It is official, my cutlery and huge supply of parchment paper along with whatever else was in that box is not here. I would be hard put to remember everything I packed in that box. My home made magnetic spice holder is not here. I made it out of  cookie sheet and those small magnetic cans they sell at Dollar Tree. They no longer carry the small tins and even though they were only $1 for two and didn't cost that much .... So, now I will buy silverware (or, more correctly, stainless steel ware) and parchment paper. I will always wonder what else was in that box. I have been feeling prett