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We went to a town about 45 miles East of us and hit some different thrift stores for eBay finds.  Got plenty and were home by 1 pm.  Did two loads of laundry and made a cake for a Church event tomorrow (and one for us).  Now, I 'm just messing around online and listening to Southern Gospel on Pandora!  And singing! 

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I had to put Irish Spring soap in a pocket and hang it over our basement/garage utility sink.  THE MICE KEEP EATING IT!  :gaah:  Don't know if deer avoid it or not.  I never found anything around here they'd avoid....except my gardening friend's 10 foot fencing.  ...and THEN you have to latch the gate securely or the wily things will march right in even if you're inside the fence gardening.  I sure hope you find something fast....before you lose all those lovely garden plots.  :unsure:

 

OK....pray for our family tomorrow.  We're cranking out of bed EARLY....to get to my folks' house by noon.  "R"....the Visiting Nurse that we LIKE....is coming.  I think she's being sent to see WHAT HAPPENED......and we will be there to make sure it's expressed.  I'm not sure she can be their regular nurse tho.  I think she's the sub when others can't go to their assignments.  Yesterday and this morning I was feeling rather frantic about this....and the D.Wilkerson devotional started with " “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? … But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:25 and 33). "  :amen:    

 

Three phone calls later from my dad....later my mom....we found out "R" is coming.  :amen:  We'll have this discussion.  If the OTHER ONE is the only option, IT IS NOT AN OPTION.   Can't believe how far back that set my dad's health recovery.  He's still trying to figure out how many water pills are needed to keep his legs/feet the right size.  If we can't get these dominoes of setbacks to stop, we may not GET STABILITY BACK.  :pray:  

 

Told my mom not to cook lunch....we'll go get burgers after "R" leaves.  DH will also bring chiro table and work on my dad....still sore in neck from that tension.  AND....I am finally feeling better.  :balloons:  I've been dragging SO BADLY for quite a few days.  My mom wondered if I've had the MS Fall Fatigue Thing in the Spring.  It's caused by stress on the system due to rapid shifts of weather.  Usually I'm not bothered with Spring weather [a lot in Fall!!]  but it has happened a couple of times.  :shrug:    Anyway, I hope :pray:  that tomorrow I can have a good day.  

 

MtRider  .....green grass coming up in our pastures to the delight of horses and goat.  Happy ducks on pond [except the one that got 'et] 

Edited by Mt_Rider
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It seems like most of us are all going through the same type of health issues.  Let's pass the booze and tissues around. lol

 

Tomorrow DH finally sees a pulmonary specialist.  It only took 5 weeks after getting out of the hospital to get an appt.  Hopefully he can tell us why DH holds oxygen unaided some days and the next day struggles to walk 20 feet.  It makes no sense. He also has to go to the family doc to see if his warfarin has got the right amount in his blood.  If it weren't for doctors visits I don't think we'd have any social life. lol

 

We are having a hard time getting any of our usual spring chores done.  I tell DH we just need to be grateful to be alive.

 

He is also having a hard time with his appetite.  I hope we get it all straightened out soon.

 

It's gonna be pretty warm the next 2 days.  I don't look forward to summer.  It's just too hot for me.

 

I loved the puppy picture.  What a sweetie.

 

Hang in there ladies!

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Dh finally has an appt. with the pulmonologist on Monday--90 miles away, but still glad he has it!  He will have a bronchoscopy.  

 

I did the Walmart thing today, paid bills.  Beginning of the month stuff.  All the running around exhausts me and only 4.5 hours sleep last night.  Came home and took eBay photos and that's about all for today.  DH has his last EGD tomorrow.  At least that is only 10 miles away!  

 

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3 hours ago, snapshotmiki said:

He will have a bronchoscopy.  

 

I hope he's not conscious for that one....sounds....  ick!  :unsure: ...... :pray:  

 

The GREAT NEWS...... we did get to folks' house and meeting with "R" went very well.  My dad and mom will both be seen weekly by "R".  She did the exams on both for this week.   :amen:  :amen:  

 

The bad news.....after investing alllll day with them, helping with various things and DH stopped to purchase things and brought Wendy's for late lunch, etc..........  DH and I got home and hurried to feed animals/walk dog before dark.  Hadn't even been able to finish that when my dad called again.  :sigh:  Yes, he's high maintenance. 

 

 

....and I haven't had enough sleep.  Woke with HEADACHE at 5:30AM....and began this long day from there.  I did actually take a bit of a nap at my folks' while waiting for DH to return from store....neeeeded that! 

 

MtRider   :offtobed:  

 

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Prayers for better health for all of us!!!  :pray:

 

I had the lawn mower battery on charge all night. It didn't work. It's a pretty old charger. I went to Lowes to get a new charger because I have a Loews card that I haven't used in a couple of years and wanted to keep it activated.

 

I went back by the tractors and the guy said it probably wouldn't do any good because I need a new battery. Sigh. Well, maybe I do and maybe I don't. That wasn't the question. He raised his eyebrows and said they are over in hardware. I go over to hardware and she tells me they are over by the seasonal lawn care. (Other side of the store again) I told her they sent me over there. She said, "Well, we don't have anything like that over here." At that point I wouldn't have bought one there if it was the last one in town. I left my cart in the middle of the aisle and walked out. That'll show em.  :girlneener:

 

I went two stores down to Home Depot and asked for one and she said they are in aisle 28. Guess what?  There they were. 

 

Two lessons for me to remember:

1. I plan to buy a kitchen suite this year, (fridge, stove, dishwasher and microwave) and maybe a washer and dryer. Also a bathroom sink/vanity. Oh and I need a new kitchen faucet and another garbage disposal. Guess where I won't be buying them?

2. The place I hope to move to has a Menards and a Home Depot. No Lowes. Guess who is going to shred their Lowes card?

 

Oh, and I bet ya can't guess who got a letter in the mail today telling me it's time to sign up for Social Security? Dead serious. I'm thinking about calling Eva (just because I can) but she never answers and I always miss the call back anyway. I should call and fake a cry and hyperventilate and say they are causing me panic attacks. Maybe call my congressman if the harassment doesn't stop immediately. Threaten a cease and desist order. I wonder at what age I reach the "age of unaccountability?"  I should be rounding that corner pretty soon.     :24:

 

I'm not really a stinker but I'm just tired of it. Well, I kind of am but still...

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EGD done, ulcer gone and no follow up needed.  Waiting for Monday!

 

Mt. Rider and Jeepers:  We all need to trade in our roller coaster tickets for a nice carousel ride!  Too much going on!

 

DH wanted to stop at thrift stores, I'm exhausted.  We are finally home and I will see what I can push off til tomorrow!

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:coffeescreen:     Ack, Jeepers.  I laughed so hard that now I'm coughing!  Left the cart and walked out.  Wow....that's a zinger. ;)     ....unfortunately, it would only have impact to polite people who would never think of not returning the cart to it's proper spot.  :yar:  As for NOT shopping at the store again when you'll likely be making large purchases....  :thumbs:  :thumbs:     They'll never know but you will....and it's a good choice.  We should patronized shops with good products and good service.  Voting with our $$$.     .....and the dreaded SSI topic rises up from the deep again....  :runcirclsmiley2:

 

22 minutes ago, snapshotmiki said:

Mt. Rider and Jeepers:  We all need to trade in our roller coaster tickets for a nice carousel ride!  Too much going on!

 

You can say that again!!!!!!   :grouphug:

 

My dad didn't call last nite after I gave him one more call at 10:30pm.  He was groggy and kept falling asleep.  He gets too much of his sleep sitting upright in a chair.  Told him to go to bed but we'd keep phone plugged in.  So he did and I talked to my mom briefly and we all went to bed.  :amen:  Tried called over noon hour but they were on another line.  I don't like to call when they might be taking a nap.....so I'll assume no news is good news for now.  I'll connect with them tonite.  IF/WHEN they....HE.... begins to trust the Visiting Nurses, they have the option to call them for advice over phone 24/7.  Until then, it's us or ER.....and he can't yet drive to ER. 

 

.....might get some snow today.  :shrug:  It's moisture and a green pasture means DH doesn't have to get up EARLY to fetch 2 more bales of hay on top of car like he and Koa did today.  We are greening up but it's still only nibbles.  If we'd get a full-on Spring Blizzard [yes, still possible in May] ....then we must have hay to feed for a day or three until it melts.  The most dangerous time for old horses ....they're already shedding winter coats...then they get wet and wind/snow blowing.  :frozen:   MUST eat plenty of hay to keep warm.  Idiots don't necessarily take shelter in their shed either.  :gaah:  

 

MtRider  :lois: 

Edited by Mt_Rider
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Oh, by the way, I didn't say, "Maybe I do and maybe I don't. That wasn't the question."  Out loud to the Lowes guy.  I'm only rude when being rude-ed to. I always return the carts too. Not because I'm especially nice but because I sort of use them as my personal shopping walker. Just the right height for my short stuff. So yeah, leaving that cart was a real act of defiance for me. Felt good too.  :cele:

 

Oh Miki, a carousel ride sounds so good right about now. I'll save you a horsey right beside me. You've been riding that roller coaster too long lately too.

 

Giddy up you old nag. Mrs. S. sisters got us some merry go ridin' to do. ------->   :beat_deadhorse:

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19 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

Idiots don't necessarily take shelter in their shed either.  :gaah:  

 

 

If they were goats, they wouldn't come out for fear of melting!  LOL

 

Today, I'm listing eBay, sweeping house, taking old lamp out to shed (because DH is sure he will fix it someday) and washing rugs.  If I have the ambition, I may make some homemade egg noodles.  Hopefully, not leaving the house!

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5 hours ago, snapshotmiki said:
On 5/2/2018 at 2:15 PM, Mt_Rider said:

Idiots don't necessarily take shelter in their shed either.  :gaah:  

 

 

If they were goats, they wouldn't come out for fear of melting!  LOL

 

 

LOL  ...mine [past and present] haven't been total sissies.  Yet they'd prefer not to get wet.  Yesterday I timed taking laundry off the line by when my last goat came up from eating the new green grass nibbles...and got into her goat shed.  Yep, I promptly took down half-dried clothes and it was a good choice!  :clothesline: 

 

We had Thunder Snow last nite.   Same precautions as when we have lightning with rain.  Did several chores early...before the cells of 'weather' began drifting over us.  Cat litter changed.  1 load of laundry done.  Some eggs washed for breakfasts.  The snow has continued to drip down all nite and today.  It melts down fast so it's hard to tell how many inches we've actually gotten.  LOVE THE MOISTURE!  Soaks in slowly.  Gotta zip out and dump accumulation off the Circus Tent ....again.  A crutch with rubber arm pads works better than my worn-out brooms to push snow/slush/meltwater up and off the tarp from the inside. 

 

 

Talking to my mom on phone today and this came on their TV as commercial:

https://equicizer.com/collections/equicizer-stable/products/equicizer-classic

 

Even tho expensive, it would be far less than upkeep on a horse.  IF it does what real horses do for me.  If I still had my beloved horse, I wouldn't give this a second glance.  But aging and not really enjoying these two we currently have......  :unsure:   It would solve several issues.  IF it works for me. 

 

MtRider  .....resting after a lot of stair-climbing/snow sweeping yesterday.

 

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Kappy, perhaps a bit "gross" but I've heard that if you collect some of your urine and spray it around the fence lines etc., that it repels deer and other vermin.  Haven't tried it, just heeeeered it ya know? LOL

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Stayed pretty much around this little place this week, too rainy for Abby-girl to enjoy her big yard at the homestead and had plenty to keep me busy here anyways.  Was a bit stormy in certain parts of our state but we only got a bit of rain.  Had to put the small window fan in the kitchen window...it's that time...getting warm.  Guess the window a/c will have to be put back in before too long.  Was hoping bathroom project would be done by now...but not.  Still haven't heard anything about my camper van being done...7 months!  Grrrrr. 

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Wow, 7 months! That's terrible. Have you checked to see if it's still there? Wish you would have thought to jot down the mileage. :angry:

 

I just remembered that the guys who took down my fence and tree last OCTOBER still haven't come back to clean up my yard. What is it with these service people!?

 

 

I just noticed it's been 7 months for me too.

 

 

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Mt. Rider, We2 said the guy hasn't fixed her van in 7 months. I said the lawn guys haven't fixed my yard since last October. Then I realized Oct. was 7 months ago for me too. So, we have both been waiting for 7 months for someone to finish a job they started.  :D

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Running to the local grocery store this morning, dust house and clean bathrooms, grill pork steaks on my new GF $5 grill from the thrift store, and make coffee bean syrup (my new project for the day).

 

The coffee bean syrup turned out amazing!  Warm it up for pancakes or just a tiny bit for ice cream topper!

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:amen:   :thumbs:   DH drove my dad all around town today to get some business done.  The portable O2  device worked well and he only used 30% of battery.  A very good test run....and first time he's been out of the house since the ER.  :amen:

 

MIGHT be able to arrange to get my mom and me to Walmart on Sunday.  Since now the devices should be deemed as safe.  Not that either of them would die if they had to be off O2 for an hour or more.  It's just way better if they don't have to be.  We're not talkin' SUBA here.  :grinning-smiley-044:

 

So one more large step toward a more functional/normal existence for them.  :cheer:

 

I had to scare off a coyote tonite while feeding.  Koa spotted it WAY over at our fence line.  Probably spying out ducks.  I just fired into ground [NOT into the air like the old cowboy movies where they don't have lead returning to planet Earth...duh ].   I could hardly see it that far away [yea, doggie dear]   But it took off for the forest right quick!  I have claimed territory....I hope. 

 

:lol:  Jeepers.  I know the "like" faces label that one "confused" but it also looks to me like it's mind-boggled....and in:  HOW can it take 7 mos to fix MzB or clean up your storm damage????????????   :scratchhead:  :gaah:  Terrible, just terrible service!  Hope you can both get finalized to your satisfaction SOON!  

 

MtRider  .....allll snow is gone.  Nice and damp.  No wildfires.  Growing green pastures.  :hapydancsmil:

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On ‎4‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 5:42 PM, Ambergris said:

Irish Spring, the original green scent.  If you hang it with a disposable cup over it to keep the rain off, it lasts longer.

 

DEFINITELY worth a try.  Last night I heard the deer stomping around the yard.  I think they are trying to bed down in the stacks of tree limbs we trimmed off our felled trees.  It would be a nice place for them, close to water and all, so I can half understand.  BUT those piles are being removed soon.

Our dirt came!  Well, half of it.  So did the lawn guy, at last.  He scheduled us for 7:00 AM.  Phone message - he is running late, has to go pick up some equipment his employees did not bring back.  New phone message- his employees left the equipment half-buried in a ditch, he will have to winch it out first, so he will be in later.  Well, in short, at 2:00 PM he showed up.  His first works?  Where is the rest of the dirt?  He had ordered two loads, we had one. So...he calls his dirt supplier.  Oooooops; he delivered it to the other customer down the road.  So the other customer got an extra pile of dirt (he had only ordered one there) and we will have to wait until tomorrow for that 2nd load.  Plus wait until Mon for the landscaper to come back with the backhoe to spread it around, put in seed, etc.  I feel sorry for his employee issues.   

 

We are about finished with the logging now.  We were stacking logs on the far side of the property when the lawn man showed up.  It looks like about 4 cords, maybe 5.  Once the logs dry out some we will cut our artist friend some 'cookies' (slices of log cross section) of those with interesting shapes and especially the hollowed out ones.  (She just LOVED those when she saw them!  So we stacked it to catch the prevailing winds to dry efficiently.  All that, and we don't have a fireplace!  Good thing we like bonfires.  One of the neighbors drove past when we started cutting, and offered to 'take some of the wood off our hands' but made no mention of money.  Um, no.  We worked too hard to give the stuff away to a near stranger.  I'll say this though, there is nothing like throwing logs around to wake up the body after the winter doldrums!  

 

We discovered we not only have lots of ticks around here - we have scorpions!  We stepped on a couple while picking up logs.  Now I will be watching where I put my hands (scorpions) as well as my feet (snakes).  M has 2 more trees she wants to come down, but first, we want to get the red-clay front yard dealt with.   The landscaper told us that the sweet gum trees tend to re-sprout from their stumps, so we will need to cut them down to the ground then poison them, too.  So now the plan is to get the deal with the stumps first, and cut down the 2 trees in the fall.  

 

Tomorrow I will start cutting lettuce, and we shall see if the Romaine is truly ''cut & come again".  If not, I have 'braising greens' seeds to plant in that spot.  M says "Plant what you like - I have what I want in there!"  Fenced in the strawberry bed in anticipation of the new berries arriving.  Other than those things, a slow day  (Adding Irish Spring to my Wal-Mart list to hang by the fruit trees. )  I will get some when I pick up my med refills. 

 

Called & got an appointment to see a gyn-doc.  My primary wants a Pap smear.  Her scheduler told me "We don't schedule those, the doctor needs to make the decision as to whether to give you one.  (What?  They do not believe my primary doc wants one?  Maybe they think I get Pap smears for fun?)  She told me to bring in all my med bottles.  I asked "the vitamins, too?"  Yes; and they won't accept a list.  So, like a little kid or a simpleton (not to be trusted to tell the truth) I will take the box of everything when I go.  It should take them 30 minutes to write them all down, at the speed they type (LOL).  I will take the list, too - as well as jotting down notes as to WHY I take each one, as nowdays they always ask.  They must not teach nutrition in med school anymore (probably pre-empted by computer charting classes).  The clerk struck me as smug and bossy; glad I won't be going there a lot - just to get my Pap smear, I hope.  

The back X-Rays my primary doc wants are a walk-in situation,  I just bring the papers/orders.  Same with the mammogram.  Thank goodness.  I don't have the time to make appointment after appointment and beg for necessary tests, just because I'm only the patient.  (I prefer to think of myself as more than a practice dummy.)

 

 

 

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On ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 9:21 PM, The WE2's said:

Has anybody noticed that chickens are laying golden eggs?  The prices have gone to the ceiling in our area!

 

I was at the grocery store last night and took notice of the price of eggs. They were $4.99 for a dozen of regular (not free range) grade A large eggs. Sheesh, I didn't know they were that high. A couple of months ago they were between $1.00 - $2.00 a dozen. Chickens must have gone on strike.

 

Mt. Rider....you know me and smilies. I get them mixed up sometimes. I thought it meant you were confused about what I was talking about. I was afraid not to respond because I wasn't sure what you meant.  :008Laughing:

 

I didn't know the south had scorpions. I thought they were only out in the southwest. I've never seen one and don't plan on it. Be careful putting your shoes on. I've heard of people putting them on and a scorpion or a spider would be hiding in them all nice and dark and cozy.  :animal0017:

 

I always check my boots in the winter if I've left them in the garage over night incase there is a mouse in one. A squishy mouse would be bad. A bitey mouse would be worse.

 

That's crazy about the hoops they are making you go through Kappy. But, I believe every word of it. It's getting worse and worse. Before long they will be having us do out own pap tests. My doctor (NP) is just the opposite. She wants me to do every test she can think of. For my own good don't ya know. I got a call last week from my insurance company (Medicare) wanting me to update my shingle and pneumonia shots. Something about a different shingle shot and pneumonia shot to supplement the first ones. Sigh, I'll look into it. The only thing I keep up to date on my own is the tetanus shot. I have 3 more years for that one. I feel like a kid getting my booster shots. At least I have a choice... so far.

 

I'm still getting statements from when I was in the ER/hospital over that acupuncture fiasco. It's incredible. This one was for over $6,000.00. Thank goodness I don't have to pay it! That bill has totaled well over $10,00.00 and I wasn't even really sick with anything life threatening. I only went because the therapy department was doing a CYA and they insisted. And the therapy department is affiliated with the hospital I went to so you'd think I'd get a break. It was the therapist fault anyway.

 

I'm going to have to go in for med refills next month. Joy. I already know about my blood pressure and cholesterol. She'll shame me about needing to lose weight and I'll tell her I'm working on it. Not a lie...I am working on my weight. Just in the wrong direction. It doesn't help my cause that she is naturally tall and thin and about 20 years younger. She'll say "WE" need to get your weight down. We? Fine. It's her turn to work on "OUR" issues. Have at it. I HATE  the thought of that scale and blood pressure cuff. Gees, I'm getting grumpier and grumpier every passing day.

 

I'm getting too old for this cr*p.

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No, Jeepers, I don’t believe that we are getting grumpier.  I believe that the medical services have changed drastically in the last 20 years. It seems to me, in the past, we had doctors that were educated and well versed in the whole human body. They cared to listen to us, they made an effort to make sure we got well and stayed that way. Now days, it’s like a convenience store, quick in/out, next.... with no regard to what we say about what we are feeling (the reason we go).  

 

Then, of course, there are the ones in it just for the money. Oh, maybe this test will discover something that will need constant monitoring (keep you coming back).  

 

I am very jaded, to the point, I have told my doc, many times, you NEVER test me for this or that. He rolled his eyes and agreed. But, he also had been my doc for almost 25 years. Before he left, (IDK where), he had begun to show signs of the convenience store attitude. Last time in, he gave me a prescription and asked where I wanted it filled, Walgreens? (10 miles away).  I told him, I’d like it filled there at their pharmacy. He asked me again, and I replied the same. After typing a moment, he asked me again, but referred to WM (10 miles away).  At that point I could tell he definitely was NOT listening. Sheesh!  I did manage to get it there.   And now, I have the distinct pleasure of trying to find another primary doctor. Yuck!  BTDT, have the nightmare experiences from the last time. Why would any doctor, nurse and NP tell a patient, “I don’t like you!  ?  It boggles my mind. Maybe because I won’t have unnecessary test....?

 

ok, rant off....  see you got me started.....

 

House cleaning day.  Getting ready to go to TX next week. Bird watching, garden watching, and such.

 

 I had to bring my potted plants inside already. They are saying that the temperature next week is going to be 106*. Yup, it’s hot already here. Keeping everything watered is an everyday challenge. Some of the garden is beginning to die.  I will probably let the ground rest over the summer and start again in Sept./Oct.  That seemed to work really well. 

 

 

 

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I am very jaded also about the medical community!  They are definitely creating customers as opposed to actually healing people.  I go in prepared with all available lab work and test results whether it is to my doc or DH's.  And a list of questions!

On the brighter side, my new doc gave me three refills of 90 pills for my daily med and I don't need to go back until I run out.  I guess they figure they will see me when I get sick, but I try not to run to doc every time I feel bad.

 

So far, input all relevant Birth dates into computer calendar (something I have put off for way too long), am marinating little pork steaks for the GF grill, and made DH his favorite Pineapple fluff dessert. I have never used my microwave to cook (only reheat and defrost), but I made baked potatoes in it yesterday and was so much faster and no heating up the house. Now, I know that microwaves aren't good for the food or us and won't use it often but it sure was a time and heat saver! Actually, we very rarely ever have baked potatoes, probably less than a dozen times in 30 years. Otherwise, I would probably have used that method before. 

Later, making a peanut butter sauce for ice cream topping.  Hope it turns out as well as the coffee bean syrup!  Also, listing eBay.  Have a great day, ladies!

Edited by snapshotmiki
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I'm proud of myself today.  Identified four more plants growing up wild on my property.

 

One was senacea jacobaea, common name Ragwort.  It looked like tansy from the car, but the blossoms were wrong when I got out & looked at them close up.  It is a relative of Tansy (I want some because it is an insect repellant), but is used medicinally only externally (hard on the liver if eaten - poisonous, even).  It is used as a wound wash, but probably more for dying, as you can get green, yellow, brown and orange colors from it depending on the mordant you use.

 

The second was prunella vulgaris, or self-heal (all-heal).  Now that's more like it, with a long history of medicinal use, and an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Pseudomonas, Bacillus typhi, E. coli, Mycobacterium tuberculi etc. Fresh or dried, it is harvested in mid summer for drying, and is experimentally being tried as an antibiotic and hypotensive.  (Score!)

 

The third, was a new one on me,  wild verbena (verbena rigida) which has little use, but is quite pretty and deer resistant.  At least that is what some sources say; others attribute many medicinal uses to verbenas in general, for irregular fevers, headaches, pain, asthma, reducing fevers, and externally as a wound healing wash.  Hmnmnmn.  Needs more research, but at least I have the latin name as a starting point.

 

Then, since I seemed to be on a roll, I tried to look up the bush that has the interesting red blooms.  Success!  Its a Carolina Spice Bush aka Carolina Allspice (latin Calycanthus floridus Synonyms: Calycanthus sterilis).  It is popular as a deer resistant landscape plant, and some flowers are very sweet smelling (mine are not super fragrant, but they do smell nice...kind of like Juicy Fruit gum!)  It has some medicinal uses, but not to be taken lightly as it slows the heart down.  But the leaves have uses as insect repellant (they smell lke camphor) and the bark is dried and used as a cinnamon substitute.  I'm going to mark that one down as a 'keeper' in my wild area.  Fragrant, deer resistant, butterflies, & drought tolerant are all good traits for an edible landscape plant!  Cinnamon, hmmmm?  Worth a try.  

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