Dot`sThoughts

8/11/2013
Good morning Bloggers. Been some time since I have written here in my blog. Lots has happened. I now have a total of 23 great grandchildren from our children plus 4 great grandchildren from the step children I lovingly raised. Am expecting another great grandchild in January.

 Thanks to Facebook I have been able to keep in touch with those who do not live near me- some in Virginia, some in North  Carolina and one family living way over in Germany.  So much better than when we had to wait days for letters to be answered before we knew if someone ill was getting better. Now, we can receive the answer fast.

 So much rain this summer that some garden veggies are not growing very well. Lettuce grew well, and just one cucumber plant survived the rain. That one was growing in one of my earth boxes and stays loaded with new growing cucumbers, ripening faster than I can eat them.  Only had two zucchini before the rain destroyed the plants, but they did taste good.  Tomato plants are loaded with small tomatoes, but wish they had started producing much earlier so they would already be ripening. Same with my pepper plants. Green string beans doing well, picked more again yesterday.
Broccoli is another one growing way too slow. One of the three different types of Lettuce is going to seed, but other two still doing great.  Ate a few beets, but most are still too small as are the carrots. Waiting to see how the celery plants will do. Not as good a garden as had the past few years.  Some of the apples on my apple tree are getting that scab look which the gardener information said was caused by way too much rain.  Not much I can do for that, just wish the weather would better cooperate . Maybe will be less rain and better gardens next year.
 Flowers are all doing great, except the Lilacs didn`t stay in bloom long with the acid rain that seems to turn the blossoms to rust color.  Only lasted long enough to enjoy a couple bouquets in vases. Love the Lilac smell in the house.

 Wish my camera was working to post some of my latest wood shop items. 
 One daughter told me last week that she wanted all the items I had made in my shop. Told her she would need a larger house as all the new thing are slowly over filling my own home. Have  kitchen base cabinet, large paper basket with cover and bookcase for all the computer items, small one door  cabinet and paper holder standard in the bathroom, more bookcase styles holding some of my horse collection, smaller one holding some wood magazines, sewing machine cabinet under sewing machine, huge 4 door cabinet holding yarn, photos and other items in living room,  and lots more. Had an outdoor swing kept in the attic every since some of the back boards on the standard were ruined from the rain hitting them on the back porch. Well, last month I finally carried it from the attic to my shop where I replaced the boards which also required some routing, sawing, painting, some new back slats along with the main bottom board across the bottom of the back. Now, back swinging again out under the tarp covered framework that I also made,   along with a couple benches to go with the table there. First time I ever had a comfortable place to sit in the back yard out of the sun.  Had a rocker on the side porch, but no room for others to join me there.

 Last September I joined the Merry Mohican Square Dancing and am enjoying it very much. Never knew there were so many new  dance steps to learn. Guess I expected it to be more like the normal square  dancing I had done over the years.  In June I received my Merry Mohican`s name tag and Diploma , but still no pro. Still can use more practice, so will be going back next month for another year of practice along with hopefully more new members for us to help learn  by dancing with them.   Never would have dared to try if a niece and a daughter hadn`t asked me to join with them. Wasn`t sure ,at my age, if I would be able to do all those fast moves, but guess I fooled myself and had fun.  My daughter started having medical problems and had to quit, but Walt`s niece (actually a great niece- her mother was his niece) still picks me up for the dances.  I have met some very nice people, both in the local group and in the other groups other places. Couple weeks ago we were invited to join a group located about 50 miles from home, great group of people there also.  Other dancers from other groups often attend ours also.  Once you receive the Diploma you are able to dance with any Merry Mohican`s group located any place  in the United States.   Some in other states have invited us to join them, but so far  I haven`t gone that far from home. Not something I ever intend to do, except for a few groups located nearer home. Feels good knowing age hasn`t stopped me from enjoying doing things and hope to be able to continue for many  more years.  As I tell my kids, I only have one wish- to remain healthy enough  to be able  to spend the rest of my life living here in my own home where Walt and I  raised our 8 children  (counting the twins, 6 of ours, plus two of his from a former marriage), and stored up so many wonderful memories.  We built this house when the twins were just 5 months old, back in 1955. Also had our 2 1/2 year old daughter plus his 7 year old  daughter at that time. His son moved in a few years later. Our family seems to keep on enlarging. So many great grandchildren that never got to meet their grandfather.  Family was always as important to Walt as it is to me.  I feel soo blessed having such a great family. 

 Well, guess time I stopped writing and check my e-mail and maybe do the picture puzzles that I send off  every day to others that enjoy doing them. God Bless everyone who reads this with much health and happiness.