Random Acts of Living


Saturday, May 31, 2008

It's the Little Things

As I said previously, with summer vacation I have grandkids that escape to my house. My granddaughter decided that she wanted to play dress up and I told she could play with whatever she liked in the drawers with dress up stuff, but I wasn't going to get the things out of the closet yet. In the drawers she found a plastic box of beads for making jewelry and decided that this is what she wanted to do, I just needed to find her some string or something. I grabbed a shiny pink shoe lace that was handy and she was content with that for a while. But it was too short for what she needed so off I went to find where I put the nylon fishing line. Once that was found she sat content in the living room making jewelry. After a while she came into the kitchen and said that she had made me a necklace, but she was short of lettered beads so it only has "GM" on it.
That's GM for GrandMa. She's such a sweety.

Friday, May 30, 2008

It's Summer Vacation

The grandkids are out of school and lots of things are needing my attention outside, so I might not be posting as often as I have been. You may be wondering why I have posted a picture of weeds on my blog?...
These are not just ANY weeds, these are Lamb's Quarter. I recently posted several links about Lamb's Quarter in a comment on Anita's blog...

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/lamb_quarters.htm

http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/surprising-lambs-quarters/

http://foragingpictures.com/plants/Lamb's_quarter/

http://www.mariquita.com/recipes/lambs%20quarters.htm

...she had posted about whether or not she could 'find edibles out here on the prairie'. So I left the comment about Lamb's Quarters growing everywhere out here and being edible.
Then I was surprised to find that KSHIPPYCHIC posted about dandelions being edible on HER post yesterday. I've got a granddaughter needing my attention, so I better get this posted.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Grandma's Flower Garden

Where I remember seeing Grandma Seigal most is standing in her kitchen or playing her piano. I remember helping pick strawberries out back in her strawberry patch, but I wouldn't eat them, still won't. I remember the musty smell of her basement where we stayed when we visited and grandpa's bedroom window that opened inside the back porch area over the basement stairwell. The large, enclosed back porch used to be the outer wall.
It was because of grandma's stove that I had my heart set on a stove that had a range with a griddle in the middle. As a young wife and new home owner I had just about given up when we found it. My range with the fifth burner that changed out to a griddle in the middle. But most of all, what I remember of grandma's house was her flowers....
...here's a color picture taken looking toward the road.
There was one flower in particular that I specially loved... the Snapdragons...
...did you see them above? Look over the back of the donkey and trailer. (I loved her donkey too.)
This year I finally had Snapdragons bloom...
I planted them two years ago...
...and just before they'd bud, something bit them right off the top.
The whole plant wasn't eaten, a stalk three or four inches tall was always left. So they came up again, last year. But it wasn't till this year that they bloomed. I think it was the rabbits that live in my yard. This year a little rubber snake got tossed at the base of them. Do you know WHY they're called Snapdragons? See the picture below...
If you pinch their jaws just right, they'll open their mouths, wide.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Play Ball!

Another grandson, my son's son, is playing ball this year. This is his first time playing ball and he's excited to be playing. He bypassed T-ball and is playing machine pitch. The first thing that needs to be done is to get the machine set up.
That's him, number 23, sitting out the first inning when his team was in the field.
He wasn't up to bat in the first 3 up, 3 down at bat.
Coach put him center field and he got quite a bit of action in this position...
...do you see the ball he tossed back? Look to the top left hand corner of the score board.
A briefing from the coach, probably tips on getting the ball back faster since he was getting so many hit to him.
You can tell he had his heart in it, he actually ran...
Finally, up to bat. Pitch... swing... STRIKE. Pitch... Swing... STRIKE. Pitch... Swing... chink! Surprised me enough that I forgot to take a picture....
...and almost forgot to get a picture of him running for first.
He made it to first! WAY TO GO!!!
But that's all the further he was able to get. Back to the dugout and back outfield.
The scoreboard tells it all, they didn't win...
...but they had a good time and they're still learning the game.
A big part of it being good sportsmanship. So give the opponents 'five' and thank them for a good game.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Crazy Times

Just a quick post to let you know that I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. It's been crazy around here for the past week and last night was the topper. My daughter and sil were in a car accident in Wichita. She had just called me to find out how many of her two boys were at my house. Seems like less than a half hour later sil called to say they'd been in a horrible accident. It was a drunk driver and sil avoided a head on collision but ended up getting hit just to the back of the passenger door, crumpling the rear....

He says that if there had been a child in the back seat the outcome would probably have been grim....



Daughter went to the hospital and was thoroughly checked over, inside and out. She has a fractured rib, a couple punctures and bruises, but they released her to come home. She's off work for a week, but all's well.

Monday, May 19, 2008

8th Grade Promotion

The evening arrived for the birthday grandson's 8th Grade Promotion. Family arrived...
...and nearly filled two rows...
...in the school gym.
The Processional begins and everyone is instructed to stand. I understand that this is to show respect for the students being honored, but with everyone standing, only the ones on the isles actually SEES the procession.
With the students all seated the program begins...
The Invocation, Welcome, Valedictory Address, Salutatory Address, Special Recognitions, Class Will, Class History, Class Prophecy, Class Poem, Special Music, Address by the Rev. Kurt Henson...
...then Presentation of the Certificates.
Each student was also presented a blue rose.
There was the Benediction and the Presentation of the Class.
Everyone filed over to the 'rubber gym' where each of the students had a table set up with mementos and accomplishments from there years in Elementary school.
There was cake, punch, nuts and mints.
The daughter ran into her High School shop teacher and they had a nice conversation.
I just liked the picture below, thought it was a good one of son and mother.
Grandson appears to have a hand for art, I think I might need to feature him on my KS Born Talent page. He's got a nice sketch of a Coca Cola can that his mother has framed.
It was a nice ceremony and we didn't burn up from the heat like we used to a generation ago.
CONGRATULATIONS GRANDSON!
May your High School years be as Memorable.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Happy 15th Birthday!

Today we celebrated my grandson's 15th birthday. This is the same grandson that is in THIS picture. It's hard to believe that he's 15. We started out with his dad grilling burgers and hot dogs out on their new deck...
My daughter's inlaws are also here from Memphis because the same grandson will be having his 8th Grade Promotion ceremony tomorrow.
So we all loaded up with lots of good things to eat, see my infamous veggie tray?
Below are my son's children...
...then my brother arrived with his wife and grandchildren...
After eating the kids went out and played on one of their favorite pastimes, bouncing on the trampoline.
Finally it was time to celebrate the birthday boy!
He wanted to know if he needed to put in all 15 candles and more than one person assured him he did.
Grandpa and I gave him a present of his own personal can of chocolate pudding since when he comes to visit us on weekends he asks several times a day if he can have a pudding cup. He appears to have appreciated the gift.
I think all the rest of his gifts came in cards and was green and folded, which suited this 15 year old just fine.
Everyone had cake and ice cream, though my brother informed me that all his grandchildren really wanted was the frosting.
After the celebration we all went out to the deck and enjoyed the fine weather we were having. At this time the sun had fallen far enough behind the house to give us all some nice shade.
He may be 15, but he's not to big to sit in his mother's lap.
Little brothers, what can I say, he IS called K-Monster.
When the moon started rising above the school across the parking lot we decided that it was time to head for home.