Since my peaches on the tree are almost ready to be picked, the tree have had many visitors checking the fruits. There were the birds, the human and of course Nutkin and his cousins the squirrels. Nutkin has been bringing his cousins and family to have a party every morning and after the party, they would always take home a party gift in their mouth.
I have kind of marked which fruit I woud eat first from the tree, but after Nutkin took it as a "door gift" to bring home, I could no longer let them party on my tree. So, I employed Maximillian the Great Pyrenees to guard the tree. Since then, Nutkins and his relatives have to make a wide circle to get to the tree. Max (as he is lovingly known) would lay quitely watching the tricks and would jump and scare them when they thought they could jump from the apple tree to the ripening peaches. So far, Max has been doing a very good job and I am proud of him.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Spring is here again
Yes, spring time is here again. Winter just went away without much ceremony as it was a warm winter. We did not have much snow as it was a very dry winter. The summer is another story. It was the hottest summer I have so far experienced. Its effect can now be seen as a lot of my huge trees are left dead. Big trees that have been in my yard for many decades have not sprouted green leaves and their bark are peeled off the trunk, looking sad. I am SAD. My huge oak tree that I have been hanging my hammock for years is dead too. I counted about a dozen trees in my yard are dead or almost dead. Those in the woods are too numerous to count.
This afternoon, (a very lovely weather) I was sitting on my porch or deck watching a squirrel chewing on the almost dead tree trunk, eating whatever it can salvage.Squirrels lack food especially in the spring as there isn't any fruits ready to pick yet. I felt sorry for it so I went to get some corn to give it. My husband said, squirrels learn to survive and that is what that particular squirrel is doing what nature teaches it.
My fruit trees have fruits on them, whatever left by a late freeze earlier in the season. I may have some to share with the critters in my yard. My grape vines have not sprouted any leaves yet, so I can assume that they do not survive the cruel summer. They have been growing good all those years and this year I won't have any grapes hanging on the vines.
This spring too we have added new members to the family, two nanny goats (Boer goats) and three young billies. It was supposed to be a surprise for me after i return from a trip to Malaysia. My husband did tell me that he got me weed eaters (machine) as ours was not running real good. So when I arrived I was being greeted by embeeeeek beside the love bark by my two dogs. That was a real surprise!.
This afternoon, (a very lovely weather) I was sitting on my porch or deck watching a squirrel chewing on the almost dead tree trunk, eating whatever it can salvage.Squirrels lack food especially in the spring as there isn't any fruits ready to pick yet. I felt sorry for it so I went to get some corn to give it. My husband said, squirrels learn to survive and that is what that particular squirrel is doing what nature teaches it.
My fruit trees have fruits on them, whatever left by a late freeze earlier in the season. I may have some to share with the critters in my yard. My grape vines have not sprouted any leaves yet, so I can assume that they do not survive the cruel summer. They have been growing good all those years and this year I won't have any grapes hanging on the vines.
This spring too we have added new members to the family, two nanny goats (Boer goats) and three young billies. It was supposed to be a surprise for me after i return from a trip to Malaysia. My husband did tell me that he got me weed eaters (machine) as ours was not running real good. So when I arrived I was being greeted by embeeeeek beside the love bark by my two dogs. That was a real surprise!.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The Summer that was
That was a brutal summer, temperature wise. I have been here for over 12 years, and this is the first summer that we had so many 100 plus degrees ever. The garden suffered, the fruit trees did not bear any fruits, the big trees just turn brown. We have to wait till next spring to see if they can recover.
The Ramadan was smack right in the middle of the driest and hottest summer ever. Praise be to Allah, I could finish my fasting with only one day off due to heat. Even though the weather was kind of brutal, but it has a silver lining to it. It was so hot and dry that i stayed in door all day and finished reading the Quran. (Recite and read the translation) in the month of Ramadan.
The Ramadan was smack right in the middle of the driest and hottest summer ever. Praise be to Allah, I could finish my fasting with only one day off due to heat. Even though the weather was kind of brutal, but it has a silver lining to it. It was so hot and dry that i stayed in door all day and finished reading the Quran. (Recite and read the translation) in the month of Ramadan.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
This Ramadan
There isn't much difference this Ramadan than the previous ones except for the unbelievably very hot summer we are experiencing. Praise be to Allah, everything goes fine with our fasting with a little of adjustments. Have all work done early and be in the house by 9 in the morning. By 11 am the temperature shoots up to 100 F and above.
Unlike most muslims, who make a lot of preparations physically and mentally, we just do what we do everyday. Eat the same food like we eat everyday. The only difference is spiritually we increase our effort. Since I can't go out after 10 am due to the excessive heat, I do my solat dhuha and read the quran. Alhamdulillah, so far I have not missed my tarawih too.
Food wise, there isn't much to prepare, we eat our regular breakfast during iftar and only later eat whatever dishes we usually prepare for our dinner. Simple food.
I feel great that we can suppress our nafsu, especially the food.
Unlike most muslims, who make a lot of preparations physically and mentally, we just do what we do everyday. Eat the same food like we eat everyday. The only difference is spiritually we increase our effort. Since I can't go out after 10 am due to the excessive heat, I do my solat dhuha and read the quran. Alhamdulillah, so far I have not missed my tarawih too.
Food wise, there isn't much to prepare, we eat our regular breakfast during iftar and only later eat whatever dishes we usually prepare for our dinner. Simple food.
I feel great that we can suppress our nafsu, especially the food.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Keeping healthy in paradise.
At 118lbs.Being obese and not healthy in "my paradise" is not a very good idea. I want to look good, feel good and being able to be agile as well. I want to be able to run along the streams, walk in the woods, run with the deer, fly with the birds as well.
I was thinking of me looking like Julia Roberts or Mila Kunis or the one who married Ashton Kutcher. Not in looks (reads pretty) but in size. In reality I still can, only if I want to change my mind set and work at it.
Feeling resigned to live in my body and shape is not good enough. I have spent years comforting myself and pretending that I was just fine at my age by being a little plumb. After all I was in my late fifties (58). In actual fact I was miserable, acting up comfortable when I was not.
Reality hit hard. I could not look at myself in the long mirror any more. I was devastated at the sight. How could I let myself be at 155lbs or 70kg. in a matter of only a dozen years. The weight was creeping like the morning glory in the early spring.
Something had to be done, something that I can handle with little effort. I read the weight watchers, I read on most of all the getting skinnier diets, the Jenny Craig and the likes but I decided that I have my own way of doing things. Those programs mostly stressed on the food, making it those people who really wanted to lose weight are actually looking at the food.
Those kind of diets are not going to work when one goes into it for the food they are going to eat. Another kind of diet is the starving kind, making you hungry and is not sustainable by weak willed people.
There must be something good in those kind of losing weights and being healthy, otherwise they are not in the market anymore.
The combination of food and a little movement in our bodies will help us lose some weights and let us maintain our size.
I started with small steps. I looked at what i ate. I do away with those non essential that my body do not need in excessive. No teh tarik with condensed milk. I know I can survive without it for a while. I drink tea instead with creamer. Later I just drink black tea with no sugar.
I do away with deep frying, instead I grilled or baked my food, they taste good too. I cooked my curry with little oil or substitute the cooking style like the Indian curry with no coconut milk.
I tried to find a way to substitute using oil in my cooking.
I read that polished white rice is 98% starch, so I figure if I do not eat polished rice, I can cut off some of the scary carbohydrate. I tried brown rice occasionally, eating more protein and less and less unhealthy carbohydrates. I ate on one plate, no second helping. Make sure it has a balanced food spread. Divide my plate into 4 segments, the biggest segment is the vegetables, then the protein, then the smallest portion is the carb. Turn my plate into a pretty presentation like the one those famous chef do at those pricy restaurants.
With this new eating habit, I find that I lost 8 lbs in the first week. Then I started on my walk because i do not want to be flabby. It was hard completing a km on the first try. My legs and body ached everywhere, but i was determined to progress in my walking. By the fourth week I was walking 3 km a day. My spirit was high as my weight was coming down rather quickly.
By the the 8th week I was down to 135lbs. My plan was to go down to 135 lbs only, but as I was losing weight with no extra effort, i just continued doing what I was doing, adding my time to 2 hours walking daily which is equivalent to 5 miles or 8 km. By 16 weeks i was already down to 125 lbs and I was losing weight at 2 lbs a week. I am at my ideal weight of between 117-119 lbs now and maintaining it is no problem. I have been at this weight for a few months now. I am eating normally and still walk everyday although not a regular 5 miles. Sometimes I walk 3 miles, sometime 4 or 5.
If I can do it, I am sure many can do too.
I was thinking of me looking like Julia Roberts or Mila Kunis or the one who married Ashton Kutcher. Not in looks (reads pretty) but in size. In reality I still can, only if I want to change my mind set and work at it.
Feeling resigned to live in my body and shape is not good enough. I have spent years comforting myself and pretending that I was just fine at my age by being a little plumb. After all I was in my late fifties (58). In actual fact I was miserable, acting up comfortable when I was not.
Reality hit hard. I could not look at myself in the long mirror any more. I was devastated at the sight. How could I let myself be at 155lbs or 70kg. in a matter of only a dozen years. The weight was creeping like the morning glory in the early spring.
Something had to be done, something that I can handle with little effort. I read the weight watchers, I read on most of all the getting skinnier diets, the Jenny Craig and the likes but I decided that I have my own way of doing things. Those programs mostly stressed on the food, making it those people who really wanted to lose weight are actually looking at the food.
Those kind of diets are not going to work when one goes into it for the food they are going to eat. Another kind of diet is the starving kind, making you hungry and is not sustainable by weak willed people.
There must be something good in those kind of losing weights and being healthy, otherwise they are not in the market anymore.
The combination of food and a little movement in our bodies will help us lose some weights and let us maintain our size.
I started with small steps. I looked at what i ate. I do away with those non essential that my body do not need in excessive. No teh tarik with condensed milk. I know I can survive without it for a while. I drink tea instead with creamer. Later I just drink black tea with no sugar.
I do away with deep frying, instead I grilled or baked my food, they taste good too. I cooked my curry with little oil or substitute the cooking style like the Indian curry with no coconut milk.
I tried to find a way to substitute using oil in my cooking.
I read that polished white rice is 98% starch, so I figure if I do not eat polished rice, I can cut off some of the scary carbohydrate. I tried brown rice occasionally, eating more protein and less and less unhealthy carbohydrates. I ate on one plate, no second helping. Make sure it has a balanced food spread. Divide my plate into 4 segments, the biggest segment is the vegetables, then the protein, then the smallest portion is the carb. Turn my plate into a pretty presentation like the one those famous chef do at those pricy restaurants.
With this new eating habit, I find that I lost 8 lbs in the first week. Then I started on my walk because i do not want to be flabby. It was hard completing a km on the first try. My legs and body ached everywhere, but i was determined to progress in my walking. By the fourth week I was walking 3 km a day. My spirit was high as my weight was coming down rather quickly.
By the the 8th week I was down to 135lbs. My plan was to go down to 135 lbs only, but as I was losing weight with no extra effort, i just continued doing what I was doing, adding my time to 2 hours walking daily which is equivalent to 5 miles or 8 km. By 16 weeks i was already down to 125 lbs and I was losing weight at 2 lbs a week. I am at my ideal weight of between 117-119 lbs now and maintaining it is no problem. I have been at this weight for a few months now. I am eating normally and still walk everyday although not a regular 5 miles. Sometimes I walk 3 miles, sometime 4 or 5.
If I can do it, I am sure many can do too.
Sunday, June 05, 2011
Am I living in paradise?
I think I am living in a paradise. I have my walks in a wooded part of the property filled with beautiful, colorful flowers dancing in the cool breeze. I listen to happy birds and critters enjoying their spring time. Birds sing and chirps, Locusts sing for their partners and squirrels bark when startled.
Occasionally I run across a possum or a raccoon or an armadillo and even a red fox being late for home. An owl or two being caught by the early sun looking down from a dead tree branch.
Squirrels chasing each other playing around or mating in my yard everyday. Red hawks flying high and diving down on prey are sights I enjoy watching. Baby rabbits running for cover when disturbed, parents of Blue jays encouraging their babies out of the nest and trying to fly. Little humming birds fighting over the sugar water feeder in the evening, these are all my favorite things to observe and watch.
Occasionally I run across a possum or a raccoon or an armadillo and even a red fox being late for home. An owl or two being caught by the early sun looking down from a dead tree branch.
Squirrels chasing each other playing around or mating in my yard everyday. Red hawks flying high and diving down on prey are sights I enjoy watching. Baby rabbits running for cover when disturbed, parents of Blue jays encouraging their babies out of the nest and trying to fly. Little humming birds fighting over the sugar water feeder in the evening, these are all my favorite things to observe and watch.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Springtime again
My last entry was in mid winter and I have been lazy to update my blog. There isn't any interesting thing to write and blogging seems to take the back seat from Face book.
Since last year after thanksgiving, I have been keeping busy taking care of my weight. It came to a point that I was not happy to look in the mirror. I was depresssed that I let myself to be so fat and weighing at 155lbs, equivalent to 70kg. I have never been that fat in my life. That was upsetting me and it seemed that the more I became depressed, I ate more. My husband tried to cheer me up and buying me the wiifit etc. but it did not work.
When a friend told me that she needed to get a personal trainer to lose weight and pants sizes, I felt that it was like a challenge that I should not miss. Quietly I took a look of what reasonable thing to do so as to keep up with her regular trips to the gym. I started to walk up and down my driveway. It was hard to make a mile in the first few days. It was winter and it was easier minus the heat.
The walk became easier each day and I could walk for longer time and distance. My husband then made a track in our back woods and measure the distance correctly so that I know how far I walk each day. He bought a pedometer and health-o-meter as an encouragement. Eight weeks into this regime and good eating habit, i lost some lbs. I lost 8 lbs in the first week and gradually lose a couple of lbs each week subsequently. Now 5 months later I weigh 121lbs or 55 kg.
I love it now eventhough I have to get a new set of clothing. I have to pack up all my jeans sizes 6-12. gave away some of sizes 10 and 12. I am now wearing sizes 4 and 2 jeans.
I do not go on strict diet, but I learn how to eat smart. I do not eat at fast food and eat very little processed foods. I prefer bake than fry food. I love potatoes and instead of eating fries (which is fried and greasy) i eat baked potato or oven fried potatoes than deep fried. I eat whole grain or brown rice pasta instead of polished white rice. I eat chicken minus the skin and importantly I make carbs as side dish.
Now I am giving myself a pat on my back for keeping up with my routine. I now walk 5 miles or 8km a day.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Winter is still here
We had some 12 inches of snow and a few feet of drift. Only the front end loader on a backhoe is the answer. No shovel or snow blower can do the job.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
It snows and it will some more before the season is over.
Every year it snows and the same happens this year 2011. Every year I count my blessings. I am healthy, I am happy and I have been given years of living healthy . Everyday is a bonus blessing when I wake up to see the great God's creation around me.
I hope to make this year my health conscious year. I have started to take a serious look into my health since the end of last year. I have progressed quite a bit. I thought that I would not be able to run and walk for 5 miles, but I have so far conquered that distance. I had been walking 5 miles a day for almost a month now and it has become easier each day. I have started to jog for a couple of miles and walked the rest of the 5 miles. I also have added some exercises to my daily routine. I enjoy walking in the cold crisp air at times stop to watch the deer in the woods or stop at the frozen pond to throw a few rocks and watch it bounce. Or i walk with Max my big puppy and let him have fun. He would run all over the woods and always come back to check on me. He must have wondered why I do not move as fast as he is or why i walk so slow compared to him.
Walking in cold temperatures beats the cabin like feeling staying in the house during cold winter days. Staying inside the house too much makes me feel trapped and thus I would be munching food and watch TV or movies. I am glad that my husband cleared the path in the woods and measured the distance for me to walk/jog.
I hope to make this year my health conscious year. I have started to take a serious look into my health since the end of last year. I have progressed quite a bit. I thought that I would not be able to run and walk for 5 miles, but I have so far conquered that distance. I had been walking 5 miles a day for almost a month now and it has become easier each day. I have started to jog for a couple of miles and walked the rest of the 5 miles. I also have added some exercises to my daily routine. I enjoy walking in the cold crisp air at times stop to watch the deer in the woods or stop at the frozen pond to throw a few rocks and watch it bounce. Or i walk with Max my big puppy and let him have fun. He would run all over the woods and always come back to check on me. He must have wondered why I do not move as fast as he is or why i walk so slow compared to him.
Walking in cold temperatures beats the cabin like feeling staying in the house during cold winter days. Staying inside the house too much makes me feel trapped and thus I would be munching food and watch TV or movies. I am glad that my husband cleared the path in the woods and measured the distance for me to walk/jog.
Friday, December 03, 2010
It is not too late
It is not too late to take a look at my health at the age of 58. I have been complacent with my weight and health until now. I used to be quite athletic when I was younger, was very thin at one point that I was called a Biafra refugee. (anyone remember the under nourished kids from Biafra, west Africa)
I prayed hard to add on a little weight so that my pants have somewhere to hang. My waist was 19-21 inches. My chest was 32 cup A and i was mad when some guys I hang around with said that my chest was as flat as the Bayan Lepas runaway.
I started to put on a little weight after I quit my regular aerobic. I had aerobic everyday while i was in Hawaii, on returning to Malaysia, the aerobic had not caught up yet. Then whatever little muscles I had turned to fat and there wasn't any indication that it was going to stop.
I became really fat after a couple of years into my happy marriage. I ate what my husband put on the table and soon enough my jeans sizes creeping up.
I came to the US wearing size 6 jeans and of late I was into size 12. My excuse was size 12 is convenient in winter when I usually wear a pair leggings or sweat pants under it. Only i was wearing them right into summer.
So, at 58 years old I had a good look at myself in the mirror, and told the person in the mirror, that is it, things has to change. About a month a go, I started to look at what i eat, and decided to do something about it. Added to the the diet I put myself into, I started to do some exercise. I started to jog and walk up and down my driveway.
I lost 10 lbs in the first week and that encouraged me to keep what i was doing, but it I did not lose any weight the next week. I was kind of disappointed, but i was feeling energetic and slept well so I kept going and now I can jog up and down the hill 2.5 miles everyday.
I do not get on the weighing machine often but I am sure I lost some.
I can now get back into my size 6 jeans and almost feel comfortable in kebaya pendek that i wore on my wedding day. i still have to work hard as my husband said, baby, you took 10 years to get to that size, you can't expect to get back into shape in a month.
So,I think it is not too late for me to work towards my goal.
I prayed hard to add on a little weight so that my pants have somewhere to hang. My waist was 19-21 inches. My chest was 32 cup A and i was mad when some guys I hang around with said that my chest was as flat as the Bayan Lepas runaway.
I started to put on a little weight after I quit my regular aerobic. I had aerobic everyday while i was in Hawaii, on returning to Malaysia, the aerobic had not caught up yet. Then whatever little muscles I had turned to fat and there wasn't any indication that it was going to stop.
I became really fat after a couple of years into my happy marriage. I ate what my husband put on the table and soon enough my jeans sizes creeping up.
I came to the US wearing size 6 jeans and of late I was into size 12. My excuse was size 12 is convenient in winter when I usually wear a pair leggings or sweat pants under it. Only i was wearing them right into summer.
So, at 58 years old I had a good look at myself in the mirror, and told the person in the mirror, that is it, things has to change. About a month a go, I started to look at what i eat, and decided to do something about it. Added to the the diet I put myself into, I started to do some exercise. I started to jog and walk up and down my driveway.
I lost 10 lbs in the first week and that encouraged me to keep what i was doing, but it I did not lose any weight the next week. I was kind of disappointed, but i was feeling energetic and slept well so I kept going and now I can jog up and down the hill 2.5 miles everyday.
I do not get on the weighing machine often but I am sure I lost some.
I can now get back into my size 6 jeans and almost feel comfortable in kebaya pendek that i wore on my wedding day. i still have to work hard as my husband said, baby, you took 10 years to get to that size, you can't expect to get back into shape in a month.
So,I think it is not too late for me to work towards my goal.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Welcoming winter 2010/2011
When we start going back to standard time in November, it is a signal that we need to get things ready for winter. There is not much to be done for the big city dwellers, but for rural folk like us, there are a lot of things to be taken care of.
1. First thing first, check the fire alarm in the house to make sure it is in working condition, the battery is changed if it needed be.
2. Then to make sure the fire place is cleaned, so that there isn't any leaves or bird's nests or squirrel nests in the chimney pipes. If using, propane or natural gas for heating, make sure the tanks are filled up.
3. Check and change the oil in the generator to be ready when the need arises. We might be out of power for weeks if we have ice storm and stranded.
4. Drain and roll up all the outside water hoses and store in a dry place so that they don't get frozen and can be readily used when needed. Dry cold winter can be fire hazard.
5. Put hay in the animals houses to keep them dry warm for the winter. Put fleece blankets in the dog houses for them to snuggle during cold nights.
6. Then come the motorized vehicles. Drain water from the RV, the boats. Change oil in all the cars 2 pickups, a car and an SUV, the ATV, the lawn mowers, the tractors, the backhoe etc.
7. Just wait for the winter to arrive.
1. First thing first, check the fire alarm in the house to make sure it is in working condition, the battery is changed if it needed be.
2. Then to make sure the fire place is cleaned, so that there isn't any leaves or bird's nests or squirrel nests in the chimney pipes. If using, propane or natural gas for heating, make sure the tanks are filled up.
3. Check and change the oil in the generator to be ready when the need arises. We might be out of power for weeks if we have ice storm and stranded.
4. Drain and roll up all the outside water hoses and store in a dry place so that they don't get frozen and can be readily used when needed. Dry cold winter can be fire hazard.
5. Put hay in the animals houses to keep them dry warm for the winter. Put fleece blankets in the dog houses for them to snuggle during cold nights.
6. Then come the motorized vehicles. Drain water from the RV, the boats. Change oil in all the cars 2 pickups, a car and an SUV, the ATV, the lawn mowers, the tractors, the backhoe etc.
7. Just wait for the winter to arrive.
Friday, October 15, 2010
It is that time again
Mid October is the time to re-pot all my precious tender plants before winter arrives. Although we already had a couple of frost lately, they have not killed some of the hardy ones that i covered with blankets. Tender ones like kunyit, kesom, cili api, i have replanted them in smaller pots and put them on a wagon. Every evening I push them into the garage and the lime and serai i covered with blanket.
In the morning when the sun is up i push the wagon out in the sun and uncover the bigger plants. Soon all will have to go into the room next to the garage and have the fire/heat going at night. The room has big glass windows that let the sunlight through in the morning and evening, so these plants will not die.
This is the time to get all the fruits left on the trees before they get frostbites on the trees. I have quite a bit of pears still on the tree as well as the granny smith. I will pick all the pears (the tree is not much taller than me) by end of the week and then preserved them in syrup.
So, i shall be busy tying up all around the place before winter arrives.
In the morning when the sun is up i push the wagon out in the sun and uncover the bigger plants. Soon all will have to go into the room next to the garage and have the fire/heat going at night. The room has big glass windows that let the sunlight through in the morning and evening, so these plants will not die.
This is the time to get all the fruits left on the trees before they get frostbites on the trees. I have quite a bit of pears still on the tree as well as the granny smith. I will pick all the pears (the tree is not much taller than me) by end of the week and then preserved them in syrup.
So, i shall be busy tying up all around the place before winter arrives.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Last days of summer
This year the summer seemed to stretch a little longer than usual. Officially summer ends 20th of September but this year summer temperatures lingered until today when it suddenly dropped to hardly 60F and the morning was 45F. It is cold with the wind blowing15-25 mph. It takes a little while to get used to the new temperatures. I like it though.
I still have some fruits on the trees and the apples have been dropping on the ground a bucket a day. I now have another chore to do in the evening, go feed the critters in the woods. I bring a bucket of apples and leave them by the pond so that the critters can party at night. By morning all of the apples are gone. This evening i thought i would go and sit and wait to watch the party, but with my dog Dumdum around, no critters showed up.
Surprisingly I hardly see Nutkin the squirrel and his gang of merry- men around. There were a dozen of them in winter and early spring, but in summer I don't see them at all. I guess they have somewhere else to find food or busy hoarding nuts for the winter.
The pond in the woods is now full of fishes, from tiny ones to big ones. Most of them are perch. We feed them with bread every other day. They eat half a loaf each time.
Today for lack of thing to do I baked a loaf of apple bread. It turned out real good!
I still have some fruits on the trees and the apples have been dropping on the ground a bucket a day. I now have another chore to do in the evening, go feed the critters in the woods. I bring a bucket of apples and leave them by the pond so that the critters can party at night. By morning all of the apples are gone. This evening i thought i would go and sit and wait to watch the party, but with my dog Dumdum around, no critters showed up.
Surprisingly I hardly see Nutkin the squirrel and his gang of merry- men around. There were a dozen of them in winter and early spring, but in summer I don't see them at all. I guess they have somewhere else to find food or busy hoarding nuts for the winter.
The pond in the woods is now full of fishes, from tiny ones to big ones. Most of them are perch. We feed them with bread every other day. They eat half a loaf each time.
Today for lack of thing to do I baked a loaf of apple bread. It turned out real good!
Friday, August 06, 2010
On a hot summer day
Here I am on a hot summer day, sitting in front of my computer, chatting with one of my nephews as well as reading some postings on my Facebook. My eyes caught a posting by a nephew on his wall. He said he wished his parents were rich but lamented that they are not thus he has to work hard to be rich and look after them. I was so touched and my tears was welling up. A 20 year old son has set up his mind to work hard and has his parents in mind is something so refreshing.
He was not good academically, but has gone to a community college to learn a skill, that will help him be marketable in the ever developing country. At the college, he began to understand the importance of maths he learned but never liked in school. The engineering maths made sense to him rather than those he learned at school. It was easy to master as there is a purpose in learning those formulas. Now he is undergoing an Industrial training, he complained about the hard labour, yet, he understands that he needs to know the details of the process. He understands that in order to go further in his chosen career, he needs to be in the "kuli" pool first. I am so proud of him.
He was not good academically, but has gone to a community college to learn a skill, that will help him be marketable in the ever developing country. At the college, he began to understand the importance of maths he learned but never liked in school. The engineering maths made sense to him rather than those he learned at school. It was easy to master as there is a purpose in learning those formulas. Now he is undergoing an Industrial training, he complained about the hard labour, yet, he understands that he needs to know the details of the process. He understands that in order to go further in his chosen career, he needs to be in the "kuli" pool first. I am so proud of him.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Thank you Max
It has been very hot and humid these couple of weeks and I have either bring my dogs to the pond or give them a shower every afternoon to cool them some what.
This afternoon as usual, I went to give them a bath. I usually drag a water hose and wash Max first then do Dumdum. I do this because Max is kind of docile and just let me wash him without shaking the water off until I finished with him. Dumdum will shake off a few time during the shower.
So today it was rather hot and when i was squatting running the hose over Max, I must have blacked out. BB was not home, away on someone's hayfield. I only came to when I felt something wet on my nose. It was max kissing me or sniffing me or licking me to wake me up. I don't know how long I was out, but I managed to make a pool infront of Max house. It was quite scary to see Max so close to my face with his tongue hanging and his nose so close to mine, but I was so thankful that Max was near helping me the way he knows.
Thank you max, my big white puppy!
This afternoon as usual, I went to give them a bath. I usually drag a water hose and wash Max first then do Dumdum. I do this because Max is kind of docile and just let me wash him without shaking the water off until I finished with him. Dumdum will shake off a few time during the shower.
So today it was rather hot and when i was squatting running the hose over Max, I must have blacked out. BB was not home, away on someone's hayfield. I only came to when I felt something wet on my nose. It was max kissing me or sniffing me or licking me to wake me up. I don't know how long I was out, but I managed to make a pool infront of Max house. It was quite scary to see Max so close to my face with his tongue hanging and his nose so close to mine, but I was so thankful that Max was near helping me the way he knows.
Thank you max, my big white puppy!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
My thoughts
I titled it my thoughts as it means mine. I turn 58 this first week of July. I just don't know where all those years have gone. When I sit and keep my mind wondering back and forth, I realised that I must have done something good as I am still alive and kicking. Realistically I am over the fence now, but it is kind of hard to knock it into my head. At this point in life, I should be thinking of putting things in order. Seriously, the paperwork has to be in order for my meager financial nest, my property, my jewelry etc.
Living on a farm far from a sizeable Muslim community is quite a task when we need help from them. There are list of things to note down, just in case. The telephone numbers to contact, the people to inform, the banks, the "authority" etc. These tasks have to be done, before we are not able to make good judgment. Legal papers have to be put in order.
I know this sounds morbid, but I think everyone should have at least some kind of preparation.
Living on a farm far from a sizeable Muslim community is quite a task when we need help from them. There are list of things to note down, just in case. The telephone numbers to contact, the people to inform, the banks, the "authority" etc. These tasks have to be done, before we are not able to make good judgment. Legal papers have to be put in order.
I know this sounds morbid, but I think everyone should have at least some kind of preparation.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Lavender
This is the first year my lavender bushes bloom. I only have a couple of bushes that i planted God knows how many years ago. This year they have plenty of flowers and I am as happy as a nenek kebayan.
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Flowers, Vegetables and fruits of 2010
Roses
Lavender
Kunyit
Sweet potato
Tomato
Garlic
Prunes
Prunes
Pears
Peaches
Lavender
Cili padi
Kunyit
Sweet potato
Tomato
Garlic
Prunes
Prunes
Pears
Peaches
Peach
Grapes
Grannysmith
Apples
Grapes
Grannysmith
Apples
This blog is specially for my dearest friend Yg. Arief who is not on facebook. This spring I do not do a lot of vegetable gardening as we had plenty of rain and the ground is too wet to till with the tractor. I did not plant flowers as I was lazy and was away for the best part of the planting time. I did not go to the back of the property either to see the beautiful wild flowers as i usually do.
This is wimpy kind of excuses that I can think of for being lazy.
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Enjoying the weekend
Lake Eufaula http://www.outdoorsok.com/Oklahoma/Eufaula
Last weekend we went out to Lake Eufaula to have some fun. My neighbours Lynn and his wife Cathy joined us for a cruise and dinner. It was a great trip. we played in the water for a while and dock at a restaurant for dinner. The food was very good. The ride back to the dock was fun too as the sun was setting and the breeze was cool. Bill went fast past the Lake patrol and was chased by the patrol boat. We were checked to see that we were following the Lake safety regulations. All were in place, but was told not to stand and drive standing up for safety reason.
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