Sad days come no matter the sunshine

Last week turned out to be very sad for our family. 

That Monday my niece, on my husbands side, gave birth to a beautiful little 3lb angel. 

She was here for 4 hours and 45 minutes before going home to Heaven.

Saturday they held a grave-side service. My husbands brother, the grandpa, who is also a minister, conducted the service.

 I don't know how he did it, it was truly gut-wrenching to hear the sadness in his voice as he spoke of his first grand-child.

There was a crowd there the size of which I have never seen for grave-side only services, all to show love and support for the young parents and to say good-bye to this little angel.

I am so thankful that my husbands parents were able to hold their first great-grandchild in those few hours she was here.

My heart breaks for all of them.

Please keep them in your prayers.

I hadn't felt up to posting one of  my usually comical posts, mainly out of respect for the sad situation, that and I had been really sick to-boot most of last week.

I thought I'd at least post something that will give you a minute or two of escape from whatever kind of bad day you may be having- or in case you just need a mini break from that office cubical...

Even though Saturday was such a sad day emotionally, it didn't stop the weather from being nice. 

After getting home we wanted to spend time with our boys so we decided to go for another walk. 

This time we went to a place across the road from us that some of my family owns. My Dad used to rent it for the cattle to graze in, but down in the middle of the woods is a little hollar with a neat "cave-like" rock scooped out in the bottom where the water flows. You can stand at the top edge and  look over. Usually, very scary, but a tree had fallen across and blocked the once frightening drop-off to the huge rocks below.

Here are the pics.

ps: the sun was setting and the foggy mist from the bottoms was rising, plus I used the camera in my phone since my Canon had a low battery so I am sorry if some of the pics seem too blurry.

I hoped you enjoyed the pictures. 

Go home, relax and enjoy your family...

SuzyQ

Hills, Hollars and Polk Salad

This is why I love this place so much...

It's rugged but so beautiful at the same time...

It is an amazing view, and even though I've lived here all my life it doesn't stop me from appreciating the awesomeness that is the Ozarks!

The Ozark Mountains have been described as- it's not the height of the mountain, it's the depth of the valley. A lovely and true statement! The only thing is, we don't call them "valleys" here, we call them hollars (pronounced hall-ers) or some say hollow, holla and bottoms.

And while that stunning view of the hollar at our house looks inviting...If you DON'T like CLIMBING- don't hike down to the bottom cause even Jillian Michaels would be WHEEZING after the practically STRAIGHT UP-HILL CLIMB it takes to haul yer butt back outta there!!!

Even when my heath was perty good I still had to take breaks on the way out!

Nowadays I don't think they qualify as "breaks" but more of an "unlimited amount of re-booting the system pauses" :) Which sometimes may or may not lead to me say'n "Go Get The TRUCK!!!"....Hey, ya gotta know yer limits!

Still, I like torture(not really) and I have a short memory span(yes), which means ever-so-often I decide to venture down in the bottom. I LOVE being outside and I grew up play'n in the spring below our house so I just can't resist the temptation to go down to the springs below where I live now to check it out.

The plants, the wildlife, the water, and the rocks!....Oh yeah I am a ROCK HOUND! Everywhere I go I am checking out rocks. I have bags and buckets of them all over my house to prove it.

I look for arrowheads, fossils and just anything cool looking.

The Ozarks has lots of unique plants and Booger County actually has a large variety of plant species. Tons of flowers and herbs! 

Someone gave me a "Wildflowers of Missouri" book and now I'm always trying to identify what type of plant I'm looking at....usually failing miserably, but I try.....

The Old-Timers relied on native plants for food and medicine. These traditions are dying out as our family members age. Lord knows I wish I had asked more questions and learned more from my great-grandmother.

I have a comical old lady voice I like to use on my kids by repeating stuff grandma use to say- the boys love it! One of my favorites is "We need to put a poultice on that"- like if you have a wound or bite- apparently they were good fer all sorts of stuff! Poultice (pronounced, poll-tiss) by the way is leaves and stalks of plants or herbs smashed and beaten to smithereens then the conglommeration was slapped on yer ail'ns (whatever is hurting ya)

Well, one thing Grandma always did that I LOVED to help with was go'n to pick Polk! They say it tastes like Spinach....I didn't say I ate it!.... I said I liked to pick it!

She used it to make Polk Salad (pronounced, poke-salat) Sounds healthy??? IT'S NOT! It's boiled and drained then stir-fried with hot bacon grease poured over it :) Yum, yum right?

You uppity city fellers pay high dollar to get the "organic" and "free-range" foods. Like Water-Cress for instance. We just go down to the spring and pick some :) As for "free-range"??? that term reminds me of the hippie or old-timey people who let their animals run around their yard instead of keep'n them behind the fence- where they belong! Who wants to dodge cow-pies in yer front yard!??? That's just not civilized!!!

So...that's what thoughts I had as I sat here this beautiful evening. Grateful for such good memories. Blessed to live in such a wonderful place.

I love the Ozarks and I love Booger County!

SuzyQ

**Late Addition**

As "Murphy's Law" would have it....the next morning my husband got up and said "Lets all go for a walk in the woods!"....As much as my mind was like "YEAH"...my body was like "NOOOooooo"   But, I went because I love the woods and I love seeing my boys discover new things.

We didn't even go halfway down the hollar and when I made it back to the top- I said, (huffing and puffing)..."Go... get..... the truck!"
Anyway, here's the pic's I took on our morning hike. Enjoy :)

My crew minus Mr Thomas who was hunting that morning with his Grandpa.  We are headed to the woods on the other side of the hay field.

Mr Riley! Yes, he dressed himself...it was a little cool but it warmed up. That's his  BB gun- he thought we might need it...:)

A deer scrape Ty found at the edge of the field under an oak tree.

A buck rub that is almost as tall as Mr Riley....the guys were excited!  We seen several fresh ones that day.

Here's the path the deer were taking. After looking at the picture you can really see the path clearer than actually in person...neat!

One of the varmit holes I found. Looks like an old one.

Snake Root.
Used by settlers and native Indians for various illness.  This plant is poisonous in the right amounts and has been the culprit of "milk sickness" in cattle who have eaten it.

Mr Riley on the old rock pile.
These old rock piles are everywhere around here. They are from farmers clearing the fields for crops and animals and are found near the edge of fields, usually just inside the tree-line of the surrounding woods not suited for clearing due to the steep slopes.

We've actually had city folk swear there are people buried under the rock piles they find on their place...which, of course we find REALLY FUNNY!!! But...it is Booger County...so, ya know, once in a while...that may be true??? Who knows?...:)

I thought the roots of this little tree growing around this rock was pretty cool.
The hillbilly version of those "inspirational" posters that hang in offices- like the one with the little kitten that says "Hang in There!"

Mr Riley inside the hollow tree....notice the coat is now tied around his waist :)

For the lazy hunter....

This was automatically viewed as a challenge!

There he goes.....

Made it!......now, how to get down.......

Another varmit hole.

Mr Riley found a rock he thought I'd want. Pretty cool!

Our destination....a favorite hunting spot!

Ty giving My Riley hunt'n tips while my husband watches...I don't think he wanted to climb up there :)

View from below the rock.

My husband found a hole we never noticed before on the other side of the rock!

It looks pretty cool....there were rocks covering it to hide it.....hmmmmm????

Ringo (our Jack Russell puppy) was a chicken dog and would NOT go in....smelling was enough....

Headed back....this is half way up of our "halfway down" trip.....whew!...feel'n the burn! Actually, I'm on FIRE and having a "break"... :)
Someone go get the TRUCK!!!!

My Quirky Quirks

I was just thinking about the strange things other people do- ya know...those times when you see something someone does or says and you think...what a nut-job, right? But, that got me thinkn bout all the weird things I do and how- if I told you bout 'em- you'd think...Wow! What a nut-job, and then feel better about yourself! So here's a few of my quirks to help you make it through the weekend....

I have to fill the cup completely full of ice before I put my Dew in....a few cubes does not cut it!

I can only drink light colored pop without ice, and only if it's cold...

I won't drink dark colored pop without ice, and refuse to drink it room temperature...PERIOD! My husband drinks his Pepsi room temp and it DRIVES ME CRAZY!!! YUCK!

I will not drink milk unless it has cocoa in it....totally serious...I can have it in my cereal or any other form except plain...I WILL PUKE!

Speaking of puke...I will avoid puke'n at ALL COSTS and suffer in misery until I have forced it to take the next exit...ya, (things ya wish you didn't know, right?)

I crush potato chips with my finger and then eat the pieces....I don't like biting into a chip and half of it falls down your shirt!

I know I'm a hillbilly but I HATE when people use the word "Pacific", instead of Specific!!! HOLY COW...I've seen NEWS ANCHORS say it!!!

I eat green beans with my fingers...

I cannot talk to you when I am putting my hair in a ponytail- and you shouldn't try talkn to me either!!!....DANGER!!!

I cannot stand for my husbands toe nails to touch me! I WILL BREAK YOUR LEG- seriously...get them OFF!!!

I hate that I go through ALL my boys names before getting to the one I'm actually yelln at...I've turned into my Great Grandmother...

I love the smell of coffee but HATE the taste of it!

I have "Shopping Cart Rage!"....there are OTHER people in the store...stop jack-knife'n your cart in the aisle!
I have a fear of geese...not the ones in air...the GIANT ones that CHASE YOU!!! I am actually afraid of birds flying in close proximity, and I have good story on that, but later :)

I also have a paralyzing fear of SPIDERS, but who doesn't right??

I have a very strong blink reflex...I can barely get eye drops in and the eye dr. HATES me! Ok, maybe hate is too strong but I know they roll their eyes and go "Oh great, here comes the big baby!"

I don't care how clean your dog is...I don't want his wet nose to touch me..and if it does I will be polite and wait the appropriate amount of time before dashing off to the bathroom to scrub the disease off!

I detest voice mail!...of course unless it is really important then by all means...just don't leave the message "it's just me- call me back"...That is why I have CALLER ID!!!

Okay, I'll stop now. Don't want to scare anyone off...:)
Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

SuzyQ

Ode de toilette

Are you a germ-a-phobe??? If so, this blogs for you!

LOL, maybe not. BUT, it will make you thank yer lucky stars that yer littl'ns are NOT like mine were! 

IF you can completely identify with this blog....well then, I feel your pain :/

Oh, how sweet those chubby little toddlers are- when they are NOT terrorizing your world. However, now that my boys are older I can look back on those days and laugh. And tell stories like this...

I always tried to eliminate all hazards because you couldn't leave ANY of our boys- when they were that age, alone for two seconds without DISASTER STRIKING! 

I generally spent evenings and weekends following them around cleaning up something, repairing something broken, or throwing something out because it was shot! While performing one of those tasks is when the little devil would no doubt get into something else!

Our second son was about 2yrs old and had definitely been into everything imaginable, and I'm sure I was coming back from cleaning up something or diverting disaster when I walked into the bathroom just in time to....  well, lets start with what he was doing to give you the whole picture... 

Mr Thomas ( Thomas is his middle name- there's a theme if you've been reading my blog) had gotten into the bathroom- left open obviously because I was potty-training him- and had found the toilet brush. 

Now, of course he had watched Mommy clean the toilet at some point so we'll give him points for simulating house-hold cleaning.

He had definitely swirled the brush repeatedly in the bowl. I know this due to the amount of water NOT in the toilet, but ON THE WALL!!! Oh yes... Mr Thomas had been dipping the brush in, then raising it up above his head and flinging it around the room! Water was running down the walls and pooling on the floor! BLAAAAH....

You may run away screaming now....it get's worse.

So, imagine all that I have just told ya.... Now, I walk into the bathroom just in time for his finish swing of the brush above his head and he brings it down and gives it a good LICK!! Just like a giant lollipop...a giant lollipop of DISEASE!! Awwwwwh SICK! 

Let me tell ya people....I fought the overwhelming desire to make him swish with bleach!

This aint me, but it could be my sons' future mother-in-law!

That's not my only diseased toilet water story- wish it were...

Mr Riley was about the same age... Remember, he's the baby- our last child :) Ya know, the one that by the time he arrives you've perty much seen it all!

Mr Riley's bath time included lots of toys and a cup that I used to rinse his hair after I warshed it.( yes, here in Booger County "warshed" is a real word- it means having been washed :) 

He liked the cup the best, of course, cause it's the cheapest! I was always getting on to him for using it to drink the bathwater! "No no, yucky!" I'd say, but he'd just laugh. 

One day I hear a pouring sound coming from the bathroom and do a quick count...yep, missing one, guess who!?

I go running into the bathroom and see Mr Riley with his cup, and he's drinking out of it as he stands in front of the toilet!   Yes, I checked...he had dipped it into the toilet bowl and "Gllllub Glub" was going to town on it!

Uuugghhh..... Well, after everything else the boy had ate I don't think I was really that surprised. Sickened, but not surprised.

I told the story to the Pediatrician and his reply was- "It was the toilet in your house right?" 

Me.."yes"

Dr..."well then it was familiar germs so I wouldn't worry about it" "if it had been at a hotel or store you might have something to worry about"......

and you think I'm lax.....

SuzyQ

Mr Riley's Bottle of Aged Irish "Charms"...:)

 So I ran into the mother of my 3rd graders teacher. She was laughing about something my son had said to her daughter- go figure! The teacher, (we'll call her Mrs K) had asked Mr Riley (my son, that's his middle name- we use it Often!) when he was gonna learn to tie his shoes because he still wears velcro shoes, and what he was gonna do when he got older?? To which he responded... "IT'S OKAY, MY WIFE WILL TIE MY SHOES"!!!!
...apparently Mrs. K is figureing out the full scope of Mr Riley's humor- you really have to know him to appreciate it!  It's part sarcasm, part "has no clue"!

Ya see, we were told last year he has a high IQ...we pre
tty much guessed that early on.
No, he didn't come out reading or playing a musical instrument but when he was 2yrs old we got our first glimpse at his learning capacity.
I had just watched a documentary on the volcanic eruption of Krakatoa- Mr Riley was playing in the floor, NOT paying attention, NOT watching either but something stuck! The very next day my mother and I were driving to a doctor appointment, going up a steep hill on the highway and you could see the neighboring mountain off in the distance. A perfectly peeked "Knob" as we call them here.
From the backseat strapped in a car seat, we hear a shout!
"KRAKATOA!!"
I looked in the rear-view mirror to see his chubby little fingers pointing at the mountain and relized to him it looked like a volcano! Ok, so that was funny, AND weird but he started early with big words so it wasn't that surprising. My mom and I like'd to run off the road we were laughing so hard...that's after I explained to her what Krakatoa was :)

My husband and I disagree as to who's gene pool contributed the most to the conglomeration that is Mr Riley- of course when he says something really smart I quickly claim that for my family! SCORE!!! Point 1 for the Irish!! :)y
And when he does something, like what you will read below....naturally, I tell my husband, that's AAALLLLL you baby- rite ther! :0

I have a little plastic bottle I keep. I'm saving it....for his wedding day....aawwhhh you say?    Wait for it.....
I call it "Mr Riley's Bottle of Aged Irish Charms" and I'm gonna give it to his wife, AFTER the ceremony...and say "He's all yours now! Good luck with the children!"
Does it seem like I have that all too well planned out??? Ya, well I've been planning this since he was THREE!!!
In his first 5yrs of life, this sweet, chubby, happy child terrorized mine!!!

Not long after he started crawling we found a nickel in his diaper. No, he didn't drop it down there. I seen it STICKING out of his poop! So, after we freaked out we washed the nickel- in bleach! Turns out, when you pass coin through your intestine it changes from silver to all sort of perty colors!
And so began the saving of the items.
Over that next few weeks he churned out 17cents, several plastic craft beads, and fake Styrofoam berries off my fake greenery (cuz I kill real plants!)
Fun Fact: the body can "pass" large items like coins even in babies. The real worry is it getting caught between the mouth and stomach! At least that's what the pediatrician told us when we drug Mr Riley in for an X-ray to see what else might be lurking with-in....

When he was probably 4yrs old he came down stairs after bedtime crying and holding his nose.
He was FRANTIC! We were FRANTIC, mainly because between all the crying and slobbering we could only make out- "I can't get it out!"
We tore the house apart to find a tiny flashlight I had been given at work that was really bright. When we finally found the light we laid him down on the floor and tilted his head back. All I could see was something white. "What did you stick up your nose!!" We kept asking but in all the turmoil, tears, screaming, writhing around on the floor, and his poor ability to explain the item I determined we just need to try to get it out!
So I got the smallest tweezers I could find and had my husband hold him still. The tweezers grasp the tip of the tiny white object and out of his tiny nose I pulled out- what seemed to be LARGE at the time...a white peg... out of our "You Sunk My Battleship" game!!!!
"In the name of all that is holy!, why did you shove that up your nose???" He responded with, "I dunno, to see if it would fit?"
Uugghhh....Welp, into the bottle it goes


It's starting to sound like a maraca now...


Last fall we had to take Mr. Riley to the Orthopedic surgeon to have a BB pellet removed from his big toe- (story for another blog), sadly, I must report that due to HIPPA laws we were unable to retain that object for the bottle.
And that's some more of my Booger County life...til next time folks :)

SuzyQ