Saturday, October 13

I have been wanting to let my chickens out of the pen and then just pen them back up at night, but I was afraid they would not go back in the pen. Then, we have lots of chicken hawks.  Betty said the hawks would sit and watch and pick them off one by one.  Patsy said they needed dirt to scratch in.  I decided, whatever, and gave it a try.  The two big fat red hens were the first ones out.

They all came out except this black banty.  She is the one that they all  tired to pick her eyes out and I had to pen her up by herself for a month.

They really enjoyed the dirt.

And they all went back in about 5:30 all on their own.  I think I will let them out again tomorrow afternoon, unless it is raining.  

It was 70 degrees here today.  A beautiful day off, all in all.

October 11, Thursday

The renter only has a few calves on the lower side of the road now, so I saw the deer back tonight.  This mama and baby and the mama and twins.

Yesterday was Richard's birthday.  I always remember that Daddy said that Oct 10 was usually the average time of the first frost here.  Usually, any more, it is usually closer to the end of October.  But, several times we have had snow on Halloween.

I am looking forward to a week end of rest.  Don't think I will go get the kids this weekend.  

I have been reading books instead of posting on the blog.  I read The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande.  She was born in Mexico and came to the US as a child.  I really liked the book.  She wrote realistically about her like.  I think many of the Hispanics I know probably had much the same experiences.  Betty would like the book.

Now, I am reading Beyond the Sky and the Earth, written by a young Canadian woman that went ot Bhutan, over by Tibet to teach for 2 years.  It is really interesting. 

One more day and then two days off.  I really feel sorry for those non-working people that NEVER get a day off.

Monday, Oct 8

Kids went home, I am tired.

Getting ready for audit at work.  I am tired.

I have new pictures of kids.

New winter worthy school clothes.  Hannah posed in all her clothes, trying them all on.

Robert would not pose and would not try on new clothes.  He did wear his new jacket out in the mud and Grandma had to wash it the first day.

October 3, Wednesday

Mama and the twins tonight, in the dip just past brother's house.

Only two more days and then 2 days off.  I am going to get the babies Friday, so no lazy weekend like last weekend.

October 1, Monday

Back to work.

Dr. Betty Renfroe told me I should take ibuprofen daily for my aching hip.  I thought I would give it a try, took an aleve morning and night yesterday and already this morning I felt better.  Tomorrow, I am going to get a bottle of plain generic ibuprofen to take daily for a month or so.  My right hip was really hurting about a month ago, so much that I was limping for a couple of weeks.  It has not hurt so much for the last few weeks, but it still had a dull ache much of the time, and at night I had to be careful not to sleep on my right side.  I guess she got to be a good Dr. from being her own Dr. for so long.

I think it is great that 14 of Melton and Gertie's 24 grandchildren were in Alpena Saturday.  Considering that 3 have crossed the bar, that is 14 of 21 living grandchildren or 2/3.  And, if Patsy had not forgot to invite her youngest brother, we probably would have had 15 present.  I think that is a pretty good turnout.

Melton and Gertie Powell's Grandchildren

Thelma & Tom's children [6]
    Tommy, Bob, Larry, Susie, Max, Mike
Truman & Frances' children [5]
    Jimmy, Donnie, Frankie, Virginia, Kenny
Willis & Hazel children [8]
    Patsy, Richard, Clayton, Fleta, Betty, Helen, Debbie, Gilbert
Flete & Harold children [1 and only]
  Winnie
Winnie & George children [2]
   Jimmy, Skip
Betty & Chuck children [2]
   Bob, Tim

Sunday, September 30

This morning was foggy and cool.  I took a walk out the road and then up on the rock quarry. I saw two deer at the pond, but they saw me first so all I got were pictures of them disappearing through the brush. 

I did see two of these buzzing around at the base of a tree.  I was backing up to get a good view for a picture of something else and  heard their buzz.  I thought of Helen when I saw them.  Right away I started going in the opposite direction.

I saw this in the tree up by Brother's.  Just waiting, I guess.

Son worked on the pond again today.

He is dumping the clay he digs out here on the lower side of the bank.

This is what Jr. found this morning in his 'dig'.  He says it is a hoe and hoe handle.  His story is that the drain was stopped up and Grandpa sent Helen down to dig it out.  Helen threw the hoe in the pond and went back and told Grandpa she could not find the hoe.Junior says it had to be Helen because anyone else would have gotten in so much trouble they would have went back and fished the hoe out to do what Grandpa said.  That is his story and he is sticking to it.