Smart Or Stupid ? ~~ Sensible Or Senile ?

I ordered an emergency food supply. Does that make me a “survivalist” or “susceptible“??

Went shopping mid-afternoon yesterday. Paid $24.00 for bird seed. (Other garden expenses, too.) Several pictures taken through the window.  Today, mid-morning, I unloaded the bags and filled bird feeders. Time and temperature after I finished replenishing the feeders. Then I sat quietly and watched the birds come for the smörgåsbord. ~~ Other projects accomplished, too. So nice to spend time in the garden.

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Remember how pretty the Cape Honeysuckle was? I had it indoors every time we had freezing temperatures. Then I transplanted it into a planter too large to move. I faithfully covered it the last few arctic blasts but this last storm was critical. Today I trimmed away the black ugly leaves and all that formerly beautiful new growth.

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First opportunity to wash the shelter tarp and plan to fold up, and put away.

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Postscript, Sunday, March 8, 2015, 9:00 AM: I awakened to hard rain at 1:45. Several days of rain expected; two to four inches today. Had I known, I wouldn’t have started the “fold the tarp” project.

Hundreds of birds visible from my windows!! “If you feed them, they will come” (to paraphrase a popular saying).

Read or re-read ad nauseam because I added more information, and pictures. I want to write “finis” to blog messages about the weather. Seriously!!!!!!

Ad nauseam. I, too, am weary of documenting the weather. I’d rather work in my yard!! ~~ Meteorologist says “Winter is back. Winds coming in from the North, 25 miles per hour, but gusting to 45 miles per hour. Feels like in the twenties.”  The temperature dropped thirty-four degrees in twenty-four hours, and thirty-six degrees in twelve hours.

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The “degrees” are deceiving; it feels much colder! I need to go outdoors briefly to cover some plants. Their protection blew away in the strong winds last night.

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More pictures with deceiving temperatures; feels much, much cooler. Brought plants indoors–after covering some plants outdoors. Meteorologist on Houston 4:00 PM TV news said six to eight hours of freeze tonight. Wind won’t subside until about ten.

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Click each picture to enlarge for better viewing.

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Limitations…

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The power went out at 5:35 PM (over the entire area). The heaters did not work; temperature in the trailer dropped quickly. I changed from my warm pajamas and robe and went to the CARE Center. The generator was providing lights and heat–and residents congregated to visit and play games. The power came on about 7:00 but I lingered playing dominos.

Took pictures when I returned: 56 degrees inside, 36 degrees outside. Watched another weather forecast before quickly going to bed. There wasn’t anything on TV I wanted to watch AND no Internet. I had planned to update the blog BUT met the old enemy “no service.” Called the friend that double-checks our router, etc., etc., and learned “Livingston Telephone is dead.” It was still dead at 3:00 AM and 7:00 AM. ~~ Service restored about 10:00 o’clock Thursday, March 6th. (10:30 AM as I write this update.)

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The temperature dropped thirty-four degrees in twenty-four hours, thirty-six degrees in twelve hours–

and forty-five degrees in forty-eight hours!!

“No,” not an edible sandwich!! A few hours of warm weather sandwiched between “cold fronts.” Houston TV-news meteorologist said “cold front this afternoon; low 40’s tomorrow.” I hope, and pray, we don’t have more freezing temperatures. The tree (with the sensor) is beginning to bloom. Plants sheltered during the winter have a few blooms. The cucumber seeds are peeking through the soil, Calibrachoa is blooming, Mandevilla is pushing out sprouts, and tomato plant is thriving.

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Update, 1:45: The tree has blossomed rapidly the last twenty-four hours. Amazing!! Apparently, two degrees temperature difference between sunshine and shade.

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Twenty-six hours ago, I didn’t even know they are Snapdragons!! This warm day was delightful for man and beast (woman and plants)!! During the pleasant afternoon, in preparation for the inevitable, I covered the plants.

Google recognized me* with this picture.

We spend so many hours together!!!!

Three quarters and counting.

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Lorraine on Thanksgiving Day 2014.

Birthday celebration 2014

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Wearing the silly birthday hat (again) on 3/3/2015.

Wearing a pull-over with decorative timepieces 3/3/2015.

Beautiful embroidery and bead-work. Too large…but appropriate for my 80th.

“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.”

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Bad today!! Worse tomorrow*!!

All those hours sitting at the laptop computer. It’s 6:35 AM and I just read an alarming report, and watched a video, about electromagnetic frequency (EMF). I’m in a “lose-lose” situation!! I try to follow a holistic health lifestyle (careful about food, etc.) but sabotage myself with endless hours in front of the laptop computer. ~~ I just found this website so lots more to read and view. I need to find an answer…, does my expensive Philip Stein watch protect me?? This information (re: Philip Stein technology) doesn’t answer my question. More research needed.

Faulty thinking???? I’ve thought the challenge of creating blog messages, preparing a website, “climbing the family tree,” or mahjong, or suduko, etc., would keep my mind sharp and ward off senility or Alzheimer’s.

*Birthday tomorrow.

During lunch, I was visiting with a resident from the New England states. Of course, I shared my current obsession with Ancestry. I “guessed” I should see if I could find more information on my Smith ancestors (in the New England states). I hit “a brick wall” many years ago (researching Smith). Well… I spent the afternoon and it was so-o-o-o simple!! I lament the hours I spent futilely searching “the old-fashioned-way”!! The given names are such a laugh: Aristobulus, Chileab, Diathea, Ebenezer, Enos, Eliphas, Ephram, Honor, Milo, Moses, Person, Preserved, Salmon, Simeon, and Zadook (just to name a few).

So far I’ve traced back to the early 1600’s in America and the direct lineage is as follows (ancient ancestor at the top of the list).

Henry Smith, b. 20 Apr 1610, Norwich, Norfolk, England; arrival, Boston, 1637; died 9 Aug 1648, Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut, “of great fever.*“

 2) Preserved Smith

 3) Preserved Smith

 4) Chileab Smith

 5) Moses Smith

 6) Salmon Smith

 7) Persons Smith

 8) Gideon Watson Smith

 9) Ina Bird Smith

10) Pearl Olma Showalter

11) Lorraine Evon Frantz

Thinking about the current horrific winter weather in the New England states, I shudder to think of the difficulties of my early ancestors. Imagine it; count our many blessings!!

*Research seems to contradict that diagnosis listed by another researcher. “The great fever” not identified in America in 1648. (I love the Internet.)