The numerous plants received a gift of love: A nutritious serving of plant food. The Azalea bushes show promise (albeit “tiny” promise) of prolific blooms. My primary intent: Luscious growth on plants, in planters, so they look attractive to potential buyers.

Truthfully, I don’t have a rose-bush in my garden; this is not an Azalea bloom. “Love” covers a multitude of (editor) mistakes?

Have you heard that old saying? When our electricity was off for an hour, I started cutting cardboard for signs, and printing descriptions of future yard sale items. Yes, I “save” Kleenex boxes for cardboard and, occasionally, for the pretty print on front. Some prices may seem high but I can always drop the price after a week or two. Yes, I plan to continue the sale over a period of weeks. Honestly, even if price seems “high,” the potential buyer could not create same for less. Example: Bluebird house cost $80.00, “baffle” cost $35.00, planter cost $65.00. There’s a large cement base supporting the metal unit. The fountain-birdbath sells for more than $100.00 at Lowe’s and the “bird” ornament cost $50.00. For several years, I displayed an attractive “yarden.”  My pleasure, my joy, and eventually, my loss!!

Today, I’ve been glued to the computer (and reached sixteen thousand names). One of those searches that I could not walk away from. Furthermore, I was (am) so sad for several cousins. Actually third cousins, two-times removed, but, none-the-less, some of my “Frantz family.” Honesty, my information is limited  regarding one girl, in 1920 Federal Census, living in “Chicago Orphan Asylum” while her mother in “Alton State (mental) Hospital“ (Madison Illinois). Fruitless searches for her brother and sister. The father appears as a “roomer” in 1920 Census in a private home with non-family. I’ve searched hoping to find the children in the home of aunts or uncles, or grandparents. “No.”  This is so strange because my Old German Baptist Brethren families are so “close-knit” and take care of family. ~~ Today’s “obsessive-compulsive” research by Lorraine. Two days ago, different research and this story. (A story for genealogy publication titled Mennonite Family History.) Oops! The “this story”  link isn’t working so another project for me.

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Praise the Lord, the furnace is working fine!! Quite possibly, another day when I won’t venture outdoors (even to walk to the mailbox).

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On a COLD day, with no intention of venturing outdoors, I am beginning to delete some of, more than, ten thousand emails in my Inbox. I receive too too many… and don’t take time to delete unwanted…. I prefer to prepare blog messages, search clip art, work in the yard, and/or “climb the family tree.”

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“Feels like twenty-five, twenty-seven degrees”  per Houston TV meteorologist at six-eighteen. “The old lady”  is COLD and remorseful because planters were prematurely uncovered. True, the planters are destined for departure but I’ve hoped they would display healthy, attractive plants.

The sobering words of Houston TV meteorologist.

“Feels like twenty-eight degrees”  additional details about “Winter is back.” (Her words, not mine.) “Forty degrees drop in temperature in twenty-four hours.”

Dark and gloomy morning but pleasant as “the old lady”  worked in the yard. Storm on the horizon and temperature will be much cooler tomorrow. Inch-by-inch, “a few at a time,”  I’m getting ready for the yard sale. Plants have been pruned and (hopefully) luscious new growth at time of sale. Breaks my heart to part with my flowering plants but impossible to move all my lawn and garden to another location.

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In contrast, two weeks ago, freezing temperatures. Today, inside my trailer home, too warm. Eighty degrees, outdoors, anticipated for four PM. Yard work during morning hours (while doing laundry). All those planter covers folded and moved to storage.