Babies

Fun, fun, fun

We had a big party with a bonfire at Greg and Jackie's. Everyone had a great time.

Party

With 3 friends and a little sister. The boys were here all day with Grandma, but Mom and Dad did not get here till 5 pm. They were really well behaved, played in the fields all day and did not get into even one fight or yelling match. They were even nice to little sister.
Open this one Bubby, I got it for you. You will really like it.

Twelve

Twelve years ago Monday, my first grandchild was born. His Daddy surprised him with a special present. But, I don't think he will get to use it on the hills of Hollister. Grandma will probably be seeing him every weekend.
Surprise!!

Instruction...
More instructions...

And away we go. I think Sister was more excited than he was.

Then & Now

Maybe I won't have to tell Helen where this was taken.

Beaver Dam

On Dry Creek, not White River. Actually, there are two dams in the picture. That little line at the end of the water in the top part of the picture, is another dam just like the one in the middle.

Walking to Springfield

I started keeping track of the daily miles I walk one month ago today. In that month I have walked 85 miles. It is 86 miles to Springfield, Missouri, so tomorrow I will make it to Springfield. The last two days I have done the 4 mile walk to the Red Barn and back, 4 miles. You know it is only 5 miles to town. I guess I could walk to town and get groceries. That would be a good way to diet. We might not eat so much if I had to carry all the groceries 5 miles home. All our food would have to be 'light'.

Then & Now

A story from Lois

Lois talked a lot about her brother, Virgil. If you remember, a year or two before he died, Virgil broke his hip while helping load cattle. I think he was about 85 years old at the time. As Lois told it:

Virgil was working the tail gate to the stock trailor as they loaded the cattle. As Virgil started to close the gate, one animal tried to get back through the gate and knocked Virgil down. She tired to get him to let her take him to the doctor, but he would not go until they got the cattle loaded. He sat on a barrell and watched until they were finished and pulled away with the cattle. Now, could she take him to the doctor? Well, not just yet. You see he had fallen in the barn yard and was a mess. He insisted he had to change clothes before going to the doctor. She said she had a terrible time getting his clothes changed and getting him cleaned up.

When they got to Berryville, the doctor said his hip was broken and sent him on to Fayetteville. There, they had to put a pace maker in his heart before they felt he was strong enough to withstand the surgery for his hip. It was several days later before they actually operatored to fix his broken hip. He said it never did hurt.

A Sunday Stroll

Today I decided I would not walk the red dirt road, but walk a lesser path down to the creek. When I got to the creek, I could see the neighbor's house on the other side, but did not see a way across without wading the water. This neighbor across the creek has been my neighbor all my life but I was not sure she still lived out here. I thought she might have moved to town after Virgil died, but after crossing the creek just up from her house this is what I saw. Same old Lois out in the yard raking leaves. We should all be so intergetic. She walks very slowly using a cane, but she looks good for 85 years. As you can see, she still makes a graden.










She says she would sell the place and move to town, but can't find anyone to buy the farm. Her cousins help her get by, the Fultzs I guess. She said she sure missed Hazel. "She called me every day." She said Patsy calls her sometimes.


She has a dog and a cat, and a new car that her cousin Charley helped her find. Some months ago she wrecked her car. Someone pulled out in front of her. She said she has trouble driving the new car. Once when she needed to go to the doctor, her cousin (Mary Jane?) from Berryville came out and drove her in the new car. Last week when she needed to go again, the cousin was going to come out again, but Lois said, "No, I can manage." She drives the car to the top of the hill sometimes to get her mail.





As I left, I told her I might come visit again, but I would come in my little red truck down the road, not across the creek on foot.

And miles to go before I sleep...

More Flowers

And a sticker Bush...

Emmy's flowers.

Emmy's brother is her babysitter for a few hours on Saturday unless she gets a better deal. Yesterday, brother wanted to go to a friends house, so Emmy came to Grandma's house. She wanted to use my camera. One really nice thing about a digital camera is that you can let kids use it and take all the pictures they want at no expense, unless they break the camera. Emmy wanted to take pictures of flowers. I told her there were no flowers blooming right now. Emmy did manage to find some flowers, but one of them would not stand still for a picture!