Cold spots...

We grunted and groaned this morning. My sore joints and muscles are from yard work (and there are still clippings that need moving to the pile in the side yard - where a truck will pick them up at some point). DH went to his exercise class last evening so he is good for a walk instead of a run.

And it was a surprisingly cool morning - high 40s with a breeze.

As we crossed into the park the scent of honeysuckle met us. The temperature dropped dramatically at the creek bridge. It was the kind of "cold spot" that we find sometimes in our park (ghost hunters would be excited, but we think it is something about moving into a slight valley along the river - and perhaps the way the breeze moved across the water and fields).

Running man met us as we walked up the hill and he ran down. Venus and Mars blinked at us and birds began their morning songs...dogs barked a warning...rooster crowed "good morning."

Breakfast first and then a stretch of the "yard work" muscles. Those darned clippings won't move themselves...

H-U-M-I-D

We dragged ourselves through the humid air to the park and home.

The temps are in the 70s, but the humidity reminded me of the coast. There is a reason I do not live on the coast. I do not take vacations at the beach.

The plants are loving it, though. The honeysuckle climbs on trees and bushes all along the edge of the woods. Some later blooming wildflowers are establishing their roots and leaves and starting to bud. A few evening primroses and wild lantana bloom. And the "spit bugs"* (we used to have in our side yard) are making their slimy homes in some of the tall grasses.

The bright yellow and white blooms scented the morning breeze.

The flowers in the foreground fluttered in the breeze.

Evening primrose

 The spear grass bows over with the weight of the maturing spears. [Wish my sister was here for a spear grass fight.] I have tried to save spears and I have mailed some to her in the past, but they shrivel as they dry. It seems only fresh spears can provide torment for siblings.

We saw the "bastard cabbage"** making the news for shading out the bluebonnet. I have been using the more polite name "wild mustard." Only this year have I heard its other name. But it is a menace, so I get it. I have watched it take over fields and roadsides. I suppose it is something I need to pull when I see it.

Finally, I have been noticing purple blooming trees throughout the countryside. This walk allowed me to examine the blooms closely. They are lovely little blooms. I looked at the trees and tried to imagine what they are like later in the season - "Oh, no!" I thought. "These are chinaberry blooms."*** And Google disclosed that they are.

Chinaberry blossoms

We also observed a bald patch in the grass near the park. We thought it might be where logs from a fallen tree had been stacked. When we got closer it disclosed itself - a giant red ant bed. I cannot recall the last time I saw a red ant bed. I used to hate them (as all ants love me), but it was nice to see them. Perhaps the fire ant is on the wane and others are making a come-back.

Not a crop circle.

Not an alien ship landing place or a spot in a lawn burned by fertilizer or Roundup.

Red ant bed.

So, my walk was humid - even sweaty - and full of invasive plants and odd insects. Good morning.



NOTES:

www.TexasInvasives.org is a great website. It reminded me that the purple blooming vinca vining through the woods is also an invasive plant. Our little stretch of woods in the park seems to be full of invasives.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Froghopper (Don't you love that name? FROGHOPPER!)

**http://www.texasinvasives.org/plant_database/detail.php?symbol=RARU

***http://www.texasinvasives.org/plant_database/detail.php?symbol=MEAZ

Infants 1917

The pups and I wandered past the elementary school to spend some time in the cemetery across Main Street.  I read tombstones while they sniffed everything. [Our children often came home from grade school with tales of funeral processions they watched out of the windows of their classroom or while they were at recess.]

This evening was much like yesterday evening when DH and I walked to the cemetery. But yesterday we went alone. He was not amused by some paperwork issues and I thought it best to “lighten” things up. Of course that meant a trip to the cemetery.

Okay, I am teasing. It meant a walk - one without dogs who might misbehave. And we thought a short walk would be best as we started late and sunset might take us by surprise. We often walk the few blocks to the cemetery. It is peaceful and quiet. It is a history lesson, of our county and our state.

We waited out the lines of cars and headed past the bordering row of crepe myrtles and the flagpole (erected by the local VFW) to muse about the lives of our former (and current in a way) neighbors.  There were the tree trunk markers of the Woodsmen of the World and stones that appeared to be only partially carved. 

From the "Infants" plot

Carved with two different family names. One on either side.

Some parents outlived their children. Many soldiers and sailors and airmen - some who survived war and some who did not - made these few acres their final resting place. Some plots raise questions, like the one where graves are marked only MOTHER and FATHER with birth and death years. Sisters are buried there as well. We wondered (and through a Google search found information. See Sparra Family at the end of the post).

Who was she? Mrs. Charles Sparra.

Who was he? Charles Sparra 

Perhaps a sister?

And a sister who died a month later?

OK. Who was Roy?

We determined the identity of some parents and children in family plots, mostly by doing the math. One particularly sad group remained in my head – the young woman who died in 1917 and who is laid to rest aside “Infants 1917.”   It seemed as if she died in or just after childbirth, probably with her twins - children who were never named. Tragic. Personal.

Epitaphs were plain and simple or almost breathtaking.

As I looked around at this amazing place a thought took form and I was speaking before I had a chance to think. “I do not want to be buried in a military cemetery,” I said.  

My attitude, after my recent experience with the local veterans’ cemetery, was no different than it has been upon a trip to Arlington and following the visits we have made to the cemetery on Long Island where my in-laws are interred. There is something special about a military cemetery, but I do not belong there. I have spent 30+ years observing the Army making it clear that DH is, in many ways, a number…a cog in the machine. And I have been along for much of this ride. 

I do not want to be forever in formation - in perfect columns and rows - only approved decorations and flowers allowed. The Army has had enough of my life.

And I continued, “Look at all the soldiers here. You would have good company. And look at all the interesting headstones. Now this is a cemetery!”

Ever the kind and understanding husband, DH replied, “I don’t mind. It doesn’t matter to me.” 

This may seem grim or depressing to some readers. And I am sorry if I offend. But in our family we believe that there are no "forbidden" topics and that difficult times are made easier if people talk about things in advance.

I guess I was successful in distracting him from the paperwork fiasco.

I cannot say I want a garden gnome or a park bench or those solar garden lights (or - heaven forbid – one of those awful plastic flower “Mother” displays my children threaten me with) on my plot, but if the kids want to hang a mobile or plant some iris, it would be OK.  

And here are my notes:

As a gift to your family/friends and to avoid a few paperwork snafus - perhaps I should say "here is a list of other uncomfortable topics to talk about":

* Write a will and keep it up to date.

*Make sure you have a general power of attorney and a medical power of attorney. 

*Consider a directive to physicians for inpatient and outpatient situations.

*Talk about how you feel regarding extraordinary medical procedures. 

*Let your family members know that you give them permission to make the best decisions they can at the time and that you understand and love them – no matter what (if you do - and I hope this will work for you).  

* Leave directions for your funeral (if you want one) and for the disposal of your remains. (If you have made a plan it is easier for those having to make these decisions.)

*You might want to write or at least start your obit/eulogy. Your family and friends may change it up a bit, but this gives you the opportunity to make sure they know those particulars that you would like mentioned. 

   
     There are more things you can do to be prepared, but these will provide a good starting place.

     Before I could post this I watched the 4-27-14 edition of Sunday Morning:

     1. For more information see your lawyer and/or your health care facility. Sunday Morning had a great  show on "advance directives" as did NPR.  Apparently 96% of the residents of La Crosse, Wisconsin have one. The links of these quick stories are provided for your convenience. 

     http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/03/05/286126451/living-wills-are-the-talk-of-the-town-in-la-crosse-wis

     http://www.cbsnews.com/news/being-prepared-for-the-final-days/

     https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/08/02/letting-go-2?mbid=contentmarketing_facebook_citizennet_paid_magazine_what-should-medicine-do-when-it-cant-save-you_2-4-visit&fbclid=IwAR3XqUD0cQhtUvahvDlxo4bXiD6lXj-Y6i_eRUaiz7na_ZZ__idwU4N2ugw


     2. SPARRA FAMILY:

     I found information on the parents in "Find a Grave" and an Attorney General's opinion regarding the sisters who were teachers and left their retirement funds to each other: 

     https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/opinions/opinions/38mann/op/1940/pdf/gm2907.pdf  

No, I do not whistle past the churchyard, but I had to post this - the Graves graves.

I know you want a taste...

My friend called today to let me know there was a good estate sale a few miles away.

I love oak furniture (apparently it is not in fashion right now so the prices are good and no one is buying) and she mentioned that there were some pieces I might want to see.*

Since it was a work day, I took an early lunch and wandered to a part of town that is unfamiliar to me. As I drove past expanses of undeveloped property (covered in wildflowers!) I wondered if this area was too low for building. I know that parts of town are too close to a creek and this drive felt very low. I guess I have seen too many floods.

The house was in a pretty neighborhood and the furniture beautiful. But I really need nothing. I just wanted to “look.” Of course, then I remembered that I have been looking to replace a favorite cookbook that I have almost destroyed in the past few years. It is grimy and yucky.

So, I looked at the cookbooks today. I did not find the one I sought, but I recognized another. It is brown with a drawing of an old-timey lamppost on the cover. It is a book published 40 years ago, when I was graduating from high school and my mother’s home town celebrated its sesquicentennial - A Taste of Victoria, published in 1974 by Nazareth Academy–St. Joseph’s Schools Projects, Inc. ** (My copy went missing a long time ago - probably during a move.)

I opened to the cake section to find the recipe Mom submitted. There it was on page 161 – Old Fashioned Jam Cake (I think it was one of my grandmother’s recipes. I won a recipe contest with it as a new Army wife in the early 1980s. And yes - I gave my mom and grandmother credit for the recipe.). It is still a favorite in our family and was the recipe we shared with family and friends on the day we mourned and buried Mom.

I also looked through the book for names I remember - especially for a recipe from my mother’s best friend. I have hers for  chicken spaghetti and expected that one to be in the book, but found a different recipe – “Philly” Spaghetti!  It sounds pretty good – maybe we will try it when the family gathers at the river (where both of our families camped together some 50 years ago).

Oh, of course the book came home with me. ***

And I will share these recipes with you:

Old Fashioned Jam Cake

1 cup oleo (you can use butter)

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

3 ½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp. each cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice

1 cup buttermilk (or soured milk)

1 cup grape jam (Don’t use jelly! You can use a different type of jam.)

1 cup raisins

1 cup nuts (I don’t like nuts in cake. I don’t remember the last time I had this cake with nuts)

Cream oleo and sugar. Beat in eggs. Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with the buttermilk. Add the jam and mix well. Add nuts and raisins. Bake at 325 degrees for about 1 ½ hours in a greased and floured 10 in. tube pan. (Comments in parenthesis are mine.)

 

“Philly” Spaghetti

2 lbs. ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

2 cups milk

1 8 oz. pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese cubed

1 can (cream of) mushroom soup

1 16 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained

16 oz. elbow spaghetti, cooked and drained

¼ cup chopped pimiento

¼ cup green pepper, finely diced (I bet this would be good with diced celery too.)

1 ½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Brown meat; drain. Add onion; cook until tender. Stir in milk, cheese, and soup, mixing until well blended. Add remaining ingredients. Heat and serve. Serves 8 to 10. (Comments in parenthesis are mine.)

NOTES:

* There were a couple of nice chests of drawers and a cabinet I would own if I had room for it. But I have no room and no need. My only need is to downsize.

** These were schools attended by my grandmother, mother and uncle. Mom met her best friend, our “Aunt Bettie” there in the first grade. The schools  were run by Marianist brothers (for a time) and Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament Order sisters. 

My siblings and I attended grade school also operated by Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament Order sisters and I attended a Marianist university (I make these connections for my children – in the event they want to make these connections.).

*** Do not mock me.  

FINAL NOTE: 

I just found the cookbook on Amazon and Ebay. And here is the newspaper story:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19740827&id=_bxdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=I14NAAAAIBAJ&pg=5369,4521539 

Cool and foggy

A blanket of fog covered the park. We were surprised as it was clear only a few blocks away.

The street lights did not illuminate the paths - they merely created dandelion puffs of light. We walked in the dim early morning as the dogs followed scents and alerted on nothings.

Running man met us in the park. A new runner we have seen only a few times came lumbering in as well. While running man always greets us with a clearing of his throat or grunt followed by a "good morning," the new guy only huffs and puffs by.

Morning birds sang out.

DH outpaced the dogs and me, but would turn and wait for us every now and again.

And then we were home.

Easter Sunrise

We left the yard through a different gate. There is mowing in my future* and I wanted to survey the work ahead.

The waning moon was still bright in the sky and, as I stopped to take a look at it, groups of birds began to fly overhead. Some eight or so groups -  3 to 10 - of large birds flew southeast. They were white with long legs behind. They must have been some kind of egret or heron.**

The morning gave us a beautiful sunrise. It  disclosed a white cat on the prowl and one deer in the park. A hawk crossed the dirt road and disappeared into the woods. A huge black bird (Crow? No, juvenile buzzard.) perched on a telephone pole. And one small dog protected his yard from us.

Here are the pictures taken along the way:

Easter moon high in the sky.

Birds flying south southeast

Closeup of the birds flying over. While dark from this perspective, they were white (no black wingtips - darn)

Sunrise over the neighbor's house promises pretty views in the park.

The sunrise reflected pink off the clouds to the southwest.

Sunrise in the park.

Amazing clouds

I love the new fresh green of young mesquite leaves against the darker cedar.

Sunrise over the far meadow.

Signs of the rain we have had. DH walks along-side deep ruts in the road.

Dewberries?

Spear-grass for my sister.

Wild verbena insists on blooming even in the middle of the road.

Wild honeysuckle

The road was covered with little piles of worm castings - more signs of the recent rains.

The mud had dried in spots leaving a web of cracks.

Big prints left in the drying mud...wait, I know these tracks...Paddy and Scruffy are kids at heart and have to get muddy.

Dandelions prepare to seed my side yard.

A close-up displays a yellow beetle on a nearby leaf.

A riot of roses.

Iris blooms welcome the day

*I mowed for a few hours. The backyard was an embarrassment - one could lose a dog back there. The wild garlic has tried to take over and was a powerful hindrance. Still, no vampires will approach the house from the back.

**A close examination of the photos disclose the long necks I did not remember from my early observations. I suppose I was more interested in grabbing a photo or two. Now, why they were flying over as if they were migrating south was not answered. I found this great article on migration, but I quickly got bogged down in it and I don't have time to figure this out today. Here is the link to it:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0511.pdf

It is Texas Parks and Wildlife's Migration and the The Migratory Birds of Texas, Who They Are and Where They Are Going : Fourth Edition by Clifford E. Shackelford, Edward R. Rozenburg, W. Chuck Hunter and Mark W. Lockwood.

FINALLY: I have searched the web and thought about it. I think great egrets...maybe.

Full moon

The full moon was hanging low - enormous in the western sky. Mars blinked to the north of it. Venus was bright in the east.

We missed the blood moon - too early for us.

There was a convergence on the way back up the hill - a small "barker" we have never seen was guarding his turf on the north side of the street (we walk on the south sidewalk). The pups noticed, whining and pulling a little as if asking me to let them go and play. Then the dog started across the street towards us, my pups moved into the street, and  running man came from the west jogging. I shouted, startling everyone.

DH warned running man about the dog in his path while I pulled my puppies away from the confrontation.

I supposed this was a good way to get the blood flowing on a Tuesday morning.

Remembered to bring the new camera along. It will take some adjustment, but may work for me:

Moon over the park woods (see the no parking sign on the left)

Moon through tree branches...

Scruff - won't pose today

 

Paddy not willing to pose either. Perhaps they heard something in the woods.

Gault

 Our museum has established a relationship with the Gault School* and provides a field trip to the "dig" every other month. One must sign up long in advance, sign a release, and prepare for a 1.5 mile (or so) hike in a rocky rural area. We figured we were up to it and that it would be something to consider for an adventure with the nephew.

So we "geared up" and met with BC for an early breakfast and headed south.

Our guide was the executive director of the school, Dr. Clark Wernecke (and the guy is a great guide - he tells a good story). We listened to Dr. Wernecke and read the signs describing different digs and items of interest. Of course, I started noticing unfamiliar wildflowers, familiar trees, spring-fed creeks and a few creatures (some wild, some not) wandering around**. All the while we walked across the remains of early civilizations - the chips of chert*** - some flakes and some worked tools - could be seen all around us.

I loved it all...the time spent with friends, the beautiful day, my understanding of ancient man turned upside down. It was a great Saturday morning.

Here are a few of the sights and sites. I took many more photos than are posted here. [I am tired of fighting the download. I may add more when my patience returns. You are missing the bluebonnets, the bur oak and a few other things. I believe a few dewberry bushes were blooming as well.]:

Differing permeability of limestone ledges explains where the water is and where it goes. Chert nodules noted.

Clark describes the discovery of an early foundation - earliest house in North America? Pre-Clovis!? (This one is out of order,  but I have fought to post any photos)

Explanation of the layers of the dig.

Small dig

The big dig - will be filled in during June. This pit is huge. And unseen in this photo is the water running below the plywood platform. They have pumps going constantly, but the trees are now helping.

Visitors listening to the explanation of the big dig.

BC waiting...no shade on much of this walk.

DH

Worked chert and flakes on top of the mound of worked stone.

Yes, this is a "guard longhorn"

Spring-fed creek

Thistles already blooming.

Love the variegated foliage of this thistle

Prickly pear covered in buds.

Close-up of prickly pear buds

NOTES:


*http://www.gaultschool.org/Home.aspx

** We saw and heard wild turkey. A few longhorns wandered. Pecan, walnut, and oak shaded the valley.

*** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chert

[All photos taken with a Samsung smart phone of some kind. My old camera stopped - dead battery-  after a couple of photos. I have needed better quality photos for some time and I am trying another pocket camera on the next few walks.]