THE GATEWAY—ONE MAN'S DREAM

I had this scheduled to publish early. I just got home from yet another doctor's appointment and discovered it did not do as programmed.  Yikes, sorry folks.

One of the most famous landmarks of Missouri is the Gateway Arch. It was originally designed as a testament of the pioneer spirit of the men and women who won the west. St. Louis was considered the main starting point of many who chose to go west and settle those lands.

The Gateway Arch, aka, Gateway to the West, is a relatively new monument, completed in October of 1965. The dreams of such a monument, honoring the vision of President Jefferson and his aides that made possible the western territorial expansion of the United States, began thirty-two years earlier. It was the brainchild of an attorney, Luther Ely White, who pitched the idea of a memorial to mayor, Bernard Dickmann, who then spoke with city leaders and the non-profit Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Association was created. This was in December of 1933.  It wasn’t without opposition. 

This was project was proposed during The Great Depression and the $30 million price tag was staggering. Many felt this money would be better spent on people who needed things rather than a monument. Luther Ely Smith, however, felt that the spiritual was as important as the physical. The memorial would focus on the bravery and the intrepid spirit of Americans who expanded and built the country from the east to the west and at great cost to themselves. A focal point reminding all that one must look to the future and not just the present. It was felt that very spirit would be what pulled Americans out of the depression and back to prosperity.

President Roosevelt’s approved the building of the memorial by Executive Order 7253. It would be an 82 acre National Historic Site administered by the National Park Service.  During the 30’s there were many such national building projects and many funded, in part, by Roosevelt’s New Deal agencies with the purpose of creating jobs for Americans. The Gateway Arch fell into that category by commemorating westward expansion (spirit of Americans) and created jobs (economic and the physical of Americans) proposing about 5,000 jobs lasting several years.

The design of the memorial was actually an architectural competition. Luther Ely Smith felt that the memorial should focus on the spiritual and aesthetic values and be represented by one central feature. Something that would symbolize American culture and civilization.  The contest was under the jurisdiction of architect George Howe with seven judges and they set the parameters of the contest and design as follows: 

"(a) an architectural memorial or memorials to Jefferson; dealing (b) with preservation of the site of Old St. Louis—landscaping, provision of an open-air campfire theater, reerection or reproduction of a few typical old buildings, provision of a Museum interpreting the Westward movement; (c) a living memorial to Jefferson's 'vision of greater opportunities for men of all races and creeds;' (d) recreational facilities, both sides of the river; and (e) parking facilities, access, relocation of railroads, placement of an interstate highway."

The contest began May 30, 1947 and the finalist and winner chosen was Eero Saarinen and his architectural team on February 18, 1948.  The bidding for the construction of The Gateway Arch and the visitor center was awarded to MacDonald Construction Co. of St. Louis and on June 23, 1959 the groundbreaking ceremony was held. Only twenty-six years after the memorial was first proposed. I can’t say that a lot of jobs were created during the depression as a result of this memorial because such huge project takes a great deal of time to implement, especially when federal fund allocations (and politics) are involved. But the Gateway Arch construction began February 12, 1963 and was completed October 28, 1965.

Sadly, the founder of this Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, Luther Ely Smith, didn’t live to see his dream a reality.  He died April 1951. But he did get to see the winning design. He would have been 91 in 1963.

The memorial is huge. Standing at the foot of The Gateway Arch is amazing and as with many memorials, humbling. It's taller than the Washington Monument and the Statute of Liberty. I've stood beside all three. 

I’d say it does honor the spirit of Americans to see potential of something and tackle it. To look beyond narrow boundaries to expand and grow. I can only hope that lesson is carried forth into the future.

Photos courtesy of Wiki Commons

MONDAY MUSINGS LIFE IN THE OZARKS

Apologies for the later posting. I had some computer/internet issues.

I live in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri. Like the Appalachian and the Catskill Mountains, the Ozark Mountains are actually what you’d call a dissected plateau, meaning we were once a surface plain until tectonic uplifting and then the Canadian Shield glaciers left rivers, streams and time to carve out deep valleys and ravines. We look like mountains in elevation but our elevations are pretty uniform across the range and we don’t have extensive faults and magma of those mountains such as the Rockies.  Elevations where I live are about 1300 ft. Missouri’s topography has a high limestone content with caves, sinkholes, and underground springs and waterways. It’s truly a beautiful state with a lot of diversity and an amazing system of riverways. I’ll be sharing more about life in the Ozarks next month.

I live the pink a little W of the orange area (wiki commons)

The Ozarks aren’t particularly high mountains and so don’t effectively block the cold arctic or the hot and humid Gulf air and means we have cold winters and humid summers. This also makes for some volatile clashes in the way of thunderstorms, high winds, and tornadoes. Most of the tornadoes are in the flatlands and only a few touchdown in the higher elevation plains.

Weather can be extreme in my area and there are different ecological pockets—sort of an independent area where we can get more rain or snow then other areas rather close to us. For example, I have a girl friend that lives about five miles southeast of our town and she hasn’t gotten as much snow this year as we have. I live nine miles northwest of the same town. This last storm, almost two weeks ago, dropped about 10 inches of snow but she only got about 4 inches but did get more ice. It can be pouring down rain here, at the house, and I drive to town (eight miles away) and they have gotten little or no rain. There is actually a rain line on the way. And it’s weird to be driving in rain and then hit a dry area the rest of the way into town.

Not a lot of green yet on our creek

No green yet on trees

This year there wasn’t a gradual transition to cold winter or spring for that matter. We were in the normal fifties with a few spikes into the upper 70’s this fall and someone threw a switch and we were plunged into the teens by the next day and there it stayed for several weeks. Same with spring this year (and last spring for that matter), Twelve days ago we were in the lower teens during the day with snow falling and we got ten inches by the time it was done. Four days later we were in the upper 40’s and lower 50’s and rain and by day six all snow had disappeared and it jumped to spring. It confuses the body. One day you need a coat, gloves, scarf, and boots and the next you find yourself automatically pulling on those things only to realize you don’t need them.

Spring has finally sprung here with birds singing, sunshine, and temperatures in the upper 60’s lower 70’s. This past weekend it was shirt sleeves during the day. I have tulips and daffodils breaking ground by about 3 inches, my tiger lilies just broke ground yesterday. The brown grass of five days ago is now mostly short green. You can see the green slopes of the hills surrounding us.

As my mother says, if you don’t like the weather today, tomorrow it will be different. She’s not far off by that statement. <smile>

MONDAY'S MUSINGS—SNOW AND MORE SNOW

Today, as snow continues to fall, I’m thinking it’s a great day for snuggling up with a nice cup of tea or coffee and reading a good book. I’m rereading parts of the Carpathian series written by Christine Feehan. Some I haven’t read in ten years, but I’m enjoying the visit with some of my favorite characters.  There are a couple of movies we have lined up to watch as well. I haven’t seen the first two Iron Man movies and so hope to catch up on those.

Unless we lose power. Then it’s books by lantern light and crank up either the woodstove to heat food and water for coffee, or our propane camp stove. Fortunately, we don’t have an electric ignition on our backup wall heater so staying warm won’t be a problem. I always have about 70 gallons of water on hand and extra few gallons for flushing and dish washing. We’re set.

We’re right in the midst of  rapidly falling snow. We’ve been told to expect in excess of two inches an hour within the heavy bands of snow and we’re smack-dab in the middle of one of those heavy bands. Thankfully, it’s a short but intense storm. We were hoping we’d be in the 4-7 inch band. I should have known better, lol! Our band might only drop ten inches on us unless it shifts and if it does, then we’re looking at a foot of snow by the time it stops later this afternoon. Maybe we’ll get lucky and it will shift the other way.

Dan last year shoveling after our late January snow storm.

Fortunately, there’s no school or work for the family as it’s a Federal holiday. Dan and Jake have a date with the snow shovels once the snow stops later after lunch. While they’re shoveling,  Melissa and I will be hauling out grain and hay for the horses and feed for the Danes—they have insulated oak dog houses with a half bale of hay inside to snuggle up in. All we have to do is break a hole in the ice for the animals to reach the water. The rabbits will need new water along with hay and grain. We have a system down and it usually takes us about fifteen-twenty minutes to do all the feeding but the with the deep snow it might be more like thirty-forty minutes. I guarantee, I’ll be putting on my carharts insulated overalls, winter parka, and my snow boots. They guys will haul out several buckets of water. We’ll be more than ready for a hot meal and movies for the afternoon.

I know all this snow is heading straight for Kentucky—enjoy it Keith (Optimistic Existentialist) because you will probably be getting even more snow than we have.

• More than 55 million people live in areas that are currently under a wind chill warning or advisory.

• An additional 50 million are under winter storm warnings, stretching from Oklahoma to South Carolina and up to New Jersey. (CNN Weather facts)

Hope all stay safe and warm.

MONDAY MUSINGS—THE SUN IS SHINING AND ALL IS GOOD IN MY WORLD

The sun is bright and a layer of white blankets the fields and laces the trees. Here and there are flashes of vibrant blues, reds, and mottled golden browns of the birds in trees and shrubs. A huge flock of geese are flying high in the

sunlight as they move to southern wetlands. A large redheaded woodpecker is swinging on the bird feeder. In the pasture shaggy coated horses huddle together, their breath a puff of fog floating about their heads. Steam rises off their coats as the sunlight melts the snow and ice. Chardeen is curled up in a thick network of branches in a nearby tree catnapping in the sun.

In the distance a flash of hunter orange as a hunter weaves in and out around the trees on the adjoining property. This morning there have only been a few shots echoing in the hills. I know at least one bright hunter orange spot is my son moving along our fence lines before dropping out of sight over the hill. So far nothing for him. He’s not a patient hunter and I have to remind him hunting is not like an Xbox game. Real time is a lot of quiet watching and careful moving with the occasional opportunity. Jake is 19 and has only been hunting about 3 years and some years there are deer everywhere and other years they’re few and far between and it all depends upon the pattern of other hunters moving in the surrounding hills as to where the deer will end up. Ah, he’ll learn.

Not a lot of snow, thankfully, maybe a couple of inches or so, but it’s cold. Very cold—single digits, which is unusual for us this time of the year. Normally we’re in the upper 40’s in November. Gee, thanks Canada. Sure wish y’all would learn to keep your door shut and the cold up there.

I've been doing a lot of reading of late. I've read some really good books but I’ll tell you about them in a later post.

So, what’s happening in your neck of the woods this morning?

MONDAY'S MUSINGS--SINGING UP THE SUN

One of my favorite things to of a morning is sit outside with a cup of coffee and watch my world brighten as the sun rises. It centers me and fills me with peace and contentment. I can face my day much better fortified by morning sun and birdsong. 

Granted, sometimes the sun is rising before I do, but most mornings I watch the ribbons of sunlight embrace my world to the accompaniment of hundreds of birds. My flying flowers. They sing up the sun, you know. You hear the liquid warble of the Red Wing Blackbirds, the raucous cry of the crows, the inquisitive queedle-queedle of Blue Jays calling out, and the piercing call of various hawks looking for breakfast. I have a front row seat. There's nothing like watching a hawk drop like stone in the field across the way and the magnificent play of wings as they back swing stretching their talons out to grab their breakfast--mostly mice, unwary squirrels on the ground, and the occasional rabbit. We have a series of tall hills surrounding that field and if you look closely you can see their nest high up in one the oaks, pines, or even woven in a bare lightening struck tree.

In the yard I have several feeders. You'll hear the soft coo of the doves long before they fly in to eat. Proper little puffs of gray wandering under the feeders picking up sunflower seeds and chortling to each other. Bright flashes of yellow finches and those of softer yellow green of the females, a few pairs of rosy finches. Lots of Cardinals. I have a few large red headed woodpeckers that feed early morning and again in the afternoon. They eat sunflower seeds but I also put out peanuts for them and the Jays. Since the spring has been very cool I've kept the suet out for all. It seems they all have their assigned feeding times.

Blue Jay nest & eggs. wiki commons

When the Blue Jays decide to descend on the feeders everyone else leaves. Blue Jays don't like to share. They love oak trees, acorns are one their favorite foods (or at my house, cat food and dog food), and although they usually choose pines and cedar for nests, I discovered I have a pair nesting in the big oak out front. I spotted the tell tale signs of sticks, twigs, and this pair also grabbed strips of bright blue and yellow from our dog food bags to weave in. I've watched the male bring food to his mate sitting on the nest. Today, they both are flying to the nest and feeding the babies that just hatched. 

I love Mockingbirds and we have two very fine musicians on either end of the yard. One is nesting near my bedroom window and I love to listen to him sing throughout the day.

There's a lot of work ongoing at the McKye domicile. I sometimes wonder if we'll
ever catch up. We've been doing quite a bit of clearing of tree brush from the three trees we had to cut down. The pile was much larger than this before Dan went to work on it. We've also cleared a lot of deadwood piles from the tornado downed trees.

I've also been planting tomatoes and other veggies as well as flowers. My Iris and roses are going to be blooming together--which is rare. Rosebuds should be opening in the next couple of days. My cats seem to love the mulch and so it often looks like I'm planting cats as well. I love the look of the mulch, too, but I'm going to have to move some of it and lay down a black weed mat fit them around the existing plants to keep some of the persistent weeds from growing through the mulch.  Sigh...that's another job.







I've been doing a little bit of planting everyday. Going easy on the shoulder and on my work breaks I get outside in the sun and plant something. I'm like a sunflower soaking up the sunlight.






So what have you been doing this spring? Planting? Or just enjoying the sun?

                         

Winners of Carolyn Brown's e-books Liza :The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society, and  Tina: The Red Hot Chili Cook-Off. Send me your email and I'll forward it to Carolyn who will gift you from Amazon.

                          

MONDAY'S MUSINGS—WHEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE

One moment I’m sleeping peacefully and with the next breath I’m jerked awake by a cacophony of sound. The slam of adrenaline hits so hard it’s like fire coursing through my veins. Deep breath, hand to the chest to keep my heart in place. Seconds to identify the sounds and decide the action needed. My existence is reduced to strobe light flashes of action and reaction.

That’s what it’s like to wake up to all hell breaking loose.

One hand hits the light switch the other has already grabbed my pants. I’m aware of Dan ratcheting a round in the chamber before he grabs his clothes. I hear the snarl of my son’s pit bull. The hair on the back of my neck prickles. The Danes are going into attack mode.

I jam my feet into boots while loading the shotgun. Dan’s already out the door, gun loaded and ready, his flashlight spearing the blackness of the cold night. I hear the snick of safety off from my son’s rifle. His pit is going nuts in his bedroom. Outside the Danes are snarling and slamming against the fence engaged in a fight with coyotes and in the background a call to the pack floats on the air. Doctari bugles a challenge with his mares behind him. All faces are pointed toward the confrontation a hundred yards away.

We wade through the ground fog in hunting mode listening to dangerous dogs in protection mode. A high-pitched yelp of a wounded canine. The smell of blood. The echo of gunfire. Howls of the pack calling retreat. The snorting and stomping of alert horses. Eerie eyes where there shouldn't be eyes. 

When hell breaks loose it’s a mêlée of confusion, flashes of movement, and sound.

It’s been a hard winter. Food has been problematic for the packs, although they rarely come into the home pasture and my cats know not to venture into the pastures on winter nights. My first flare of worry was for my horses especially with Doctari’s challenge even though I know that coyotes don’t normally go after something that big, even as a pack, unless it’s badly wounded and looks easy to bring down. The home pasture is Doctari’s territory. He was confronting home invaders of the canine variety. He doesn't tolerate any threat to his mares by canines. I've seen those powerful legs and hooves in action a couple of times when strays have thought it fun to chase the horses. Let’s just say a couple of those strays didn't get back up.

Later investigation showed the clear blood trail from the open pasture to the Dane pen. It was a tale of a fierce fight between the two fleeing Raccoons and what we suspect were a few of the pack’s yearlings with a few of this year’s pups. A fatally wounded Raccoon ran for cover into my Dane pen to escape. The sound of battle through the fence between my Danes defending home ground and the Coyotes determined to get their meal.  The added din of a cornered and terrified Raccoon entering the mêlée and protecting its mate. She escaped, he, unfortunately, did not.

Unforgettable sights, sounds and smells. Things like this are the stuff of movies or books.

Upon reflection, you can imagine all sorts of things out there in the dark. Things that grab at you from the ground, shape shifters, vampires, home invasions, an army on the move, anything your imagination can conjure up could be there hiding in the ground fog of the night.

• So, how do you use these moments of life?

• Do they stir your imagination? Do they find their way into your writing?

                                                                                                                                 

~Upcoming guests~

Wednesday, February 19th: Jade Lee talking about the moment in every story that surprises her.

MONDAYS MUSING—SUNSHINE AND WRITING

The last few days have been beautiful and warm. Lots of golden sunshine this weekend.  NaNo or no, the idea of sitting in my office at the computer has been an anathema to me. I spend over thirty hours a week sitting at that blasted computer and that’s just for work. I probably spend another twenty dealing with blogging—probably more. So, while I have been writing I've chosen to savor the sunshine  this weekend and spent quite a bit of time outside (especially with our first snow in a matter of days, sigh) and took the time to relax and rest. It’s been grand.

I have been having fun with my NaNo story. It’s been in my head for sometime. I've researched and gotten the feel of the world. It wasn't my intention to write it as a NaNo entry and given my current schedule, I wasn't even planning on taking part this year. However, many in my writing group (I've mentioned them before and we've been together for over six years), do the NaNo every year. Let me say, moaning about my schedule cuts no ice with them, lol! So, with a strong boot in the ass encouragement from them; I’m in.

Realistically, I doubt I will get 50k done in November but I will get a substantial amount done which is what I need to do. It will also get me back into taking the time to write fiction daily and buying out the time I have—usually early morning—to add to the story. It does help me stay on track knowing others are doing the same. It gives incentive to keep going even when I get stuck, like I am right now. I put that section aside and am working on another scene while my mind mulls over the other section. Of course at the rate I’m going I might hit 50k by Christmas. J

Are you doing NaNo this year? How’s it going?

Guests this week:

Wednesday:  Historical romance author, Amanda Forester. Midsummer Bride Love is one experiment this scientist hasn't tested
Friday: Anne Cleeland, Daughter of the God-King In the dark, mysterious tombs of Cairo, a thrilling puzzle awaits to be discovered

MONDAY MUSINGS—LEAF FALL

This past weekend we had leaf fall. Kinda like snowfall only with leaves. It’s amazing to watch.

Two days before leaf fall we mowed the lawns and it still had the look of summer with only a touch of color. In the backyard we have a row of Walnut trees, which are usually one of the first to lose their leaves as the nights become longer, and a few maples. There had been very little loss of leaves.

Saturday night we had our first hard frost. As the sun rose everything was sparkling and then the sunlight hit the backyard trees. The leaves started falling like snow. In a matter of hours all the walnut trees were bare and half of the silver maple trees had lost their leaves as well. What was once a bare lawn now has a carpet of leaves two inches thick. You hear the leaves fall, too. There’s a soft snapping and crackling as the leaves release and then fall to the ground. My husband and I took our coffee out on the breezeway and sat on the steps leading down to the backyard and watched. It’s an amazing sight.

I didn't do a video of the leaf fall but this short video show what it looks and sounds like when it happens. It’s only one walnut tree dropping leaves and I had five trees and two silver maples. I also had several of my pride of cats out there chasing the leaves. They had a great time. J






WEDNESDAY: Paranormal author, Donna Grant, will be my guest Over Coffee talking about her fabulous Scottish warriors.

FRIDAY: I have Yolanda Renee and her new book.

Be sure to stop by and see what's cooking on Wednesday and Friday. Sure to be fun. J

MONDAY MUSINGS—FOLLOWING THE SUNLIGHT

My way of dealing less having less light as fall and winter months and stress is to take advantage of morning light. I've been having my first cup of coffee out on the porch with my pride of cats. My porch faces the southeast. The air is fresh and now that we’re in October, a bit brisk. I’m like a flower soaking up the rays. It sets my mood for the rest of my day. I’m not out long, maybe thirty or forty minutes, but the infusion of bright light and warm rays make me feel good.

One of the reasons is sunlight stimulates the production of serotonin which is a neurotransmitter in the brain that regulates our moods. The morning sunlight raises the levels of serotonin high enough to set a more positive mood and allows quiet reflection and mental focus. I've been under enormous stress lately, which is a negative, and it does affect my mood and my body. I look for simple and natural ways to offset the negatives. The sunlight also helps my body and mind with the release of endorphins—a natural, built in antidepressant. The sunlight bathing the skin with light also dilates the small blood vessels in the skin providing more oxygen and nutrients to the cells and is a positive way to calm my heart and blood pressure—not that I have hypertension, but stress and pain can increase blood pressure. Stress equals negative chain reactions in our bodies. Sunlight counters that. Vitamin D is absorbed from sunlight and it boosts your immune system, and sunlight encourages the growth of white blood cells that fight infections and other ills. Sunlight can help lower your blood sugars and pushes your body to store the glucose rather than release them to feed the whole fight or flight feeling.  

Being in the early morning sunlight is a positive for me. It’s a quiet time. I can put my thoughts in order to handle my day more effectively. Being with my animals, stroking the soft fur and being loved on also helps. They also make me smile and laugh with their antics. I walk out to greet my dogs and horses and it gives me time to breathe in the fresh air and appreciate the splashes of color still blooming in my yard or notice the trees that are starting put forth color in their leaves. Or catching the sparkle of dew on a spider web or the trail of cat prints in the grass. All good things that make me feel at peace regardless of what is going on in my life.

Throughout the day I take my breaks outside in the sunshine. I love late afternoon sunlight as well and especially after a long day at my computer. I try to take about fifteen minutes to sit and watch the golden sunlight bathe the back pastures and the surrounding hills. It gives me a few minutes to relax and reset my mind before having to start dinner deal with the night. I sleep better, too.

I’m like the sunflower following the path of the sunlight soaking in the peace and giving good things to my mind, body, and spirit. 

How do you handle the stress in your life? 

MONDAY MUSING— SEASONS CHANGE

I was sitting outside on the patio yesterday reading and it still felt and looked like summer. The yard is still blooming with flowers and I can still hear the buzz of insects and the crescendos of a few cicadas. My Mimosa tree is still bravely putting out a few pink puffs. 

Seasons are changing but the signs are not yet obvious. It’s something you sense rather than see. I look at the surrounding hills and there is very little color yet. But, there is a feel to the air—it’s a bit crisper in the early mornings and the evenings. I was thinking yesterday, as I watched the bees busy harvesting nectar from my flowers, it’s like everything is at the moment of pause. You can feel it on the cusp of change; nature is sucking up the last of the sunshine and food and preparing for the winter.

It may still feel like summer, I may still have to turn on the air conditioner in the afternoons (which will continue to operate off and on until November), but when I look across my road to our smaller pasture…ah, now there I see the evidence of the beginning fall. The scarlet leaves of the Sumac, a touch of yellow in the Walnut trees, the red leaves here and there on the white Ash, a hint of yellow and orange in the Sassafras and Dogwoods.

I do miss my morning sunshine. The angle of the sun has changed and of course, mornings come later now. I used to take a walk between 8-8:30 every evening to unwind from my day and still have the last rays of sunlight. Now, that’s gone and it’s almost dark by 7:30. Pretty soon it will be dark by 5:00. Not looking forward to the loss of light.

 

I’m a bit ambiguous about the changes. On one hand I want to hold on to summer and on the other I’m looking forward to snuggling up to fall and winter. I have a lot of energy in the fall—much like the trees as they change. I think the energy is a way of preparing for winter. I do have to move hay bales up closer to the house, clean out the dog houses and lay in fresh hay for bedding, fill in the summer holes that have been burrowed by the dogs to find cool beds in the earth, and make sure all the watering troughs are ready to go. The barn still needs a final clean up and fresh hay laid down in the area the horses take refuge from the fall rains and winter winds. The cats come in and out but most of them prefer to curl up in sleeping boxes filled with hay or in the west bay of the garage, which was designed to house a tractor and it’s where I load up the extra hay. Makes it easier to feed the horses once the ice and snow starts and it’s a lot easier to walk fifty feet to the garage than a quarter of a mile down to the barn to feed. Then there is the fall washing of all the windows and cleaning of the carpets for the times when the house is tightly closed off for winter. Still a lot to do so the energy comes in handy. J

I’m fortunate that when winter sets in I don’t have to travel to go to work. I work from home; my commute is from the coffee pot to my office. I have windows that look out on the property to the east and south. It also affords me a great view of the falling snow when it comes. I love writing when the snowfalls. My imagination flows with the autumn rains and the smell of wood smoke in the air and winter snow. I’m working on a new writing schedule that allows for my work schedule. I do my best creative writing in the early morning but my non-fiction writing is best in the evenings. So I’m trying to schedule that and start my paying job a bit later in the morning. I’m still playing with time slots, but it’s coming together.

Seasons change. We change with the seasons. It’s the way of nature.

• What  changes do the seasons bring to you? 

MONDAY MUSING: ME AND MURPHY

This is one of the hottest summers we’ve had in Missouri, for sometime. Certainly the heat started way earlier than the normal for Missouri. We normally don’t get triple digits until the third week of July and it continues, with rain and the cooler 90’s off and on. But this year? We’ve been sun baked with triple digits since mid June and very little rain on top of that.

Sigh. Murphy and me have had a ball.

Me and Murphy were dancing when my small non genetically modified corn crop decided to die—even though I was watering it. I had the plot farther away from the water source—hey we usually have rain and who knew there wouldn’t be anymore after the first of June. Peppers didn’t make it—either planting, the pole beans are scarce, the Zucchini, usually prolific gave me only a few fruits, same with the yellow squash. Bugs had a field day with what was there. Second crop of tomato plants were looking lush and good. Then the locust/grasshoppers discovered them this past week. Lots of green leaves one day and the next almost stripped to the stem. The veggies planted in containers so far seem to be doing okay if I can keep the dang bugs away. But they’re a late crop. I had my well-established Echinacea plot nearby the tomatoes and they are alive but not a petal is in existence. Yep, munched—ditto on my roses and two formerly gorgeous flowering Mulberries. Nasty little Japanese beetles have gorged on anything with flowers. UGH.

This was the year for new trees and flowering bushes. All four butterfly bushes died, ditto the two red maples, and I have one snowball tree, barely hanging on —out of 3. Apple trees, which flowered nicely this year, have already lost most of their leaves and whatever fruit is growing is very small. My poor Hostas are positively puny looking. None of the new barnyard Hollyhocks came up. All the old ones did but very short termed flowering. Much of the new stuff I had planned out over the winter and placed in various places in my yard just didn’t make it. My yard isn’t small and even with my John Deere rider it takes three hours to cut the lawn. Of course, right now I’m saving lots of gas since I don’t have any thing beyond greenish yellow crunchy grass. Trust me, it doesn’t need cutting. I need to talk to my tax person, to find out what is a tax write off. I know my hay is. Very little protein in that hay—what little we got.

 

The surrounding forests are stressed. Lots of protective thinning and die off. Vegetation is dying. The lack of water is problematic.  Lower pond is just about dry except a tiny section near the even tinier seeping spring. Yep, I found Murphy's footprints down there, too. Normally, I have five or six feet of water in the middle even in the hot August sun. A healthy creek surrounds the property like a U and it’s low right now as well. We didn't have much of a snow pack this winter although we did get rain. I have a very deep well and we sit on a chunk of dirt floating (okay, sitting) on water, still, we need to be judicious with water use.

 

I’ve basically realized what veggies I get this year will be a bonus. There is next year, right? Okay, I’ve accepted that. Mostly. Damn Murphy anyway!

Then Murphy, that scheming rogue, had to have a Sunday dance. My central air ceased blowing cool air at about 3:00 this afternoon. Fan works fine. The cooling part? Nope.  Monday through Wednesday we’re due temps over a 100. No window units. Yippy-kai-yay. It’s supposed to drop to 70 tonight and there is a relatively cool breeze blowing and all the fans I have are currently sucking in the cooler air. The house is well insulated and I’ll close all the windows by 9:00 a.m. and it will be cooler inside than outside—outside 101 inside maybe 88 if I’m lucky.

AC tech is scheduled to come out at 7:00 am tomorrow. There is water on the floor of that section of basement. Let’s hope all I need is a line unclogged.  Or something simple because replacing that Trane isn't something I want to have to do. That would suck big time.

Hey, anyone want Murphy? I can tell you he is a great dancer. Anyone?