This and That

After a beautiful, mild week of visiting, some family members are on their way home to Ohio today. We've had a wonderful time of eating, going places and just being together.

My favorite visitor has been my youngest granddaughter, McKenzie, who is 8 years old. Here she is smiling her bright smile for her Nana.

McKenzie especially enjoyed playing with the animals. Here she is above with my little mop, Midge, who loves to be hugged by McKenzie! Can't you tell by her expression? LOL.

Here is McKenzie trying to get Maya, my primadonna cat, to show some interest in the cat toy Mckenzie brought her. Maya is a very laid-back cat. LOL.

When it was time to go home, McKenzie promised she would be back this summer. I can't wait.

Now, it's time for this Nana to take a little nap. LOL.

Have a great weekend and week everyone!

On The Flooding in Our Area!

The flooding in our area a few days ago affected the small town ten miles from me, but mainly the center of town, which is right on the river. The usually beautifully Current River, turned into a raging menace to anyone or anything in its path. It was quite a sight crossing the bridge to town with all that water beneath me. Of course, I forgot to take along my camera.

We were concerned about the little cabin on the river, which we enjoy so much during the warm season. It is 15 miles from where I live, and we had no idea how it fared. Finally on Friday Greg decided to go and check on it on the 4-wheeler, since he had to drive on 10 miles of back roads that were sure to be a sea of mud, or even worse.

Since I wasn't here when he left, I didn't remind him to take the digital, so the few pictures below were taken with his cellphone. The resolution on the pictures isn't the best, but they aren't too bad.
The cabin sits on a hill about 60 feet from the river. As you can see though, the river is up to it's deck!!

Water everywhere, but fortunately, the cabin itself didn't get flooded! We are thankful for that.

Greg took this shot from a neighbor cabin's deck, as one can see just how close the river came in front of the cabin. The side yard was amazingly water free!

Here is the back and the other side of the side yard. The satellite dish didn't even get wet feet!

I am having company until Saturday morning, and we may attempt to drive to the cabin tomorrow, before more rain falls on our area. It has been a wet March, and although the temperatures have been mild, the lion has been roaring!

I hope everyone is enjoying some beautiful Spring weather now.

Tagged Again, and a New Award

Because of our beautiful weather in the past week, my daffodils/jonquils have perked up, and so have I. And because I have perked up, I've decided accept a new challenge. :-)

Patti at Nonna's News has tagged me for this new meme. I am to list 8 facts/habits that you may not know about me. Since I have done several meme's, I had to think hard to post some new facts without revealing my innermost secrets! :-) So here it goes:

1. I believe in miracles. (As a child, I was buried alive during a bombing, and survived.)

2. I am much too sensitive for my own good.

3. I have been a reluctant guest on live television.

4. I don't like to kill anything living. Spiders in the house get captured and deposited outside, as do other creepy crawlies and flyer's like wasps. My daughter doesn't share these views, especially about spiders!

5. I am a procrastinator, especially about going to the doctor, and with my writing. (I have a deadline now for March 30th, that I have been putting off.)

6. I am a type 2 diabetic, (mostly diet controlled,) a fact that often depresses me.

7. I love to eat out, and after I do, I usually walk it off. Walking keeps my sugar levels normal.

8. I have a Russian cousin I never knew about until fairly recently. She lives in Victoria, Australia now. I will do a blog about her soon. (Hi Elena!)

I am to tag 8 others to do this meme, but I will leave it up to you. If you'd like to play, please let me know, and I will come and read your meme. If not, God bless!
......

I also want to acknowledge this sweet and lovely new award sent to me by my old friend Mary at Mary's Writing Nook. Thank you so much, Mary. I certainly agree that "Friendship is a light in the darkness! "

Thank you for reading. Have a blessed week everyone!

A Peek at the Past!

March has been roaring like a lion the past couple of days again, and my jonquils look a bit unhappy in the snow. So, lets go back to last Sunday, when March was being a sweet little lamb, and we took a drive to the tiny town of Maynard, Arkansas.


Maynard has a population of about 380 residents these days. But back in 1910, it was a big town of 500 residents!

A Directory of Randolph County published in 1910 gives this description of Maynard "The town of Maynard located twelve miles north of Pocahontas among the foothills of the Ozarks, just south of the Missouri line, is a thrifty town of about five hundred inhabitants and is beautifully located, and the healthy record, good drainage, moral tone and hospitable people make it an ideal town in which to reside. There are no saloons or bad influences thrown out to people in that section which are demoralizing, not only to the residents but to the visitors to this beautiful little place." This same perspective holds true today, according to the updated directory!


The big attraction in Maynard is the Maynard Pioneer Museum & Park. The log cabin with its natural look is currently getting some work done on it.

This is the second little log cabin in the park, and it's a tiny log House of Worship. The age of this cabin is questionable, some residents remember it as being an old cabin back in 1922.

Here it is again, a tiny House of Worship, of the past.

And another attraction is the old concrete jail. A 6’X10’ structure was erected around 1936 and was in use until 1953. The door of the jail is made of old wagon rims. The little jail served its purpose for many years, and they say those who spent a night there, never wanted to return! From the looks of it, one can see why.

Although the Museum was not open for its Log Cabin tours, these Log Cabin tours take people back to the era of the founders of the community, when pioneers were struggling to make homes for their families. The furnishings of their homes and the farm equipment they used will tell you that were hard-working people.

I enjoyed my visit to the Pioneer Museum and Park on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and I hope you enjoyed this peek at the past in the tiny town of Maynard, Arkansas.

Have a blessed week, everyone!

Of Lions and Lambs

Well, March came in like a lamb in my little corner of the Ozarks. Saturday was sunny and 65F, Sunday was sunny and 74F, although it was windy. The old saying is, "If March comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb." We'll see at the end of the month.

We all know that March is very changeable. This morning, it is still warm, but rain is pounding the ground, and I see lightning streaks in the distance. And we are even under a winter weather advisory for tonight and Tuesday, with snow and sleet in the forecast. This little poem sums up March nicely:

March bustles in on windy feet
And sweeps my doorstep and my street.
She washes and cleans with pounding rains,
Scrubbing the earth of winter stains.
She shakes the grime from carpet green
Till naught but fresh new blades are seen.
Then, house in order, all neat as a pin,
She ushers gentle springtime in.-
Susan Reiner, Spring Cleaning

So March is busy doing her spring cleaning even as I write this, to the sweet tune of the little peepers singing their spring song at the pond. Have a wonderful day, everyone!

Post Script, March 4th: I just found out that my friend Glo over at Young at Heart is celebrating her 65th birthday today! Happy Birthday, dear Glo! And many blessings on your special day!

Watkins Easter Gift Basket Giveaway!

Our lovely Mississippi Songbird, Stephanie is having a Watkins Easter Gift Basket Giveaway on her Watkins blog: http://www.watkinsproductsmississippisongbird.blogspot.com/

Here is what she posted about this great giveaway:

I have decided to have a Watkins Easter Gift Basket Giveaway! Above is a photo of the gift basket. This is a $43.63 VALUE!
Here are the contents:
(1) Watkins Cinnamon Cocoa (6.7 oz.)
(1) Watkins Lavender Firming Lotion (11 fl.oz.)
(1) Watkins Gentle Facial Cleanser (3.4 fl.oz)
(1) Watkins Peppermint Room Freshener (4 fl.oz.)
(1) Menthol Eucalyptus Room Freshener (1 fl.oz.)
(1) Watkins Roasted Garlic Snack & Dip Seasoning(4.2oz)
(1) Watkins Shortbread Cookie mix (12oz.)
This giveaway is open to all U.S. and Canada Residents!~Here is what you do to enter:1.Post This Giveaway on your Blog .2.Leave me a comment that you have posted this on your blog
3. E-mail me your e-mail address.(mine is emeraldrose63@yahoo.com)
OR
If you order Watkins products from me, you will automatically be entered in the drawing for the basket. Reference my ID# 367131 when ordering.
The Deadline to enter in March 8th, 2008 at noon, Central time.
I will post the winner soon after that..
Good Luck, Sweet Peeps!

If you go to enter this great giveaway, you will even see a picture of the gift basket. Hurry and enter, as the contest ends Saturday, March 8!

Thank you, Stephanie, for the chance at this beautiful Easter basket!