Day 61, 5/15/2020, Devotion, Rainy Morning, Put Mulch around shed and finished spot by house

They are celebrating the fabulous 2nd graders at Peyton and Isaac's school

Kody with his new haircut Stacie gave him...cute!

Jack's soccer team and coaches...Jack is 3rd from the right kneeling

I was excited to see my ferns from Kimmy coming up this year.

Hibiscus is blossoming like crazy.  I love watching it!  My lavender plant has 38 blossoms on it, is growing, and smells so good

877 Cases of Coronavirus today, 95 deaths so far

We watched the morning devotion pastor did.  It was on Psalm 104 and was very good.  

We went back to bed for a while because it was raining outside.  Made bacon, ham, eggs, potatoes and toast for breakfast.  Read our Bibles and then Bill read on his third book.  I sent thank you note to Lisa in our group, and a friendship card to my BFF, Vikki.  When it quit raining, I walked around and looked at all my plants and the garden.  Everything looks great.  I picked rhubarb and cut it up.  I will surprise Bill and make him a pie tomorrow.  Yum, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  I talked to Vikki and Melissa and got a text from Adam.   Saw lots of beautiful birds today and enjoyed listening to them.  An oriole flew into our sliding glass door.  He flew up on the chair that Kenzie was sitting in last night and just sat there for a long time. Then after a while, he flew off.  I didn't get a picture, because I figured I would make him fly.  Bill and I put mulch in the spot left by the house and then put it down around the shed. Now we just have a tiny 3 ft. spot there to do.  We will just get a bag for that. We had a drumstick after all our hard work with the mulch.  12, 510 steps for today! I closed all three rings on my apple watch for my activity for the day!  Yay!

Day 60, 5/14/20, Daily devotion, Walked, Caught Raccoon, Kenzie and Travis visited, Zoom meeting for Faith Rider's on zoom

My Dahlia's are beautiful 

Kenzie and Travis came for a nice door visit today

Kenzie sent Papa and I this in the mail.  Beautiful wood burning art work, another beautiful ring, buttons made of glass, bandana's for face masks and a sweet note for each of us.  She made everything except the bandana!  Love everything Kenzie!  Thank you

I borrowed some pictures from Vikki's post

Kenzie

Kenzie and Travis 

Peyton, Kenzie, Travis and Isaac making a big hug circle

Peyton, Vikki, Isaac, Rody, Kenzie and Travis at Vikki's

866 coronavirus cases, 93 deaths so far

We watched the morning devotion.  I walked 2 1/4 miles on the treadmill, then we ate oatmeal for breakfast, and then spent our time with the Lord.  I caught a raccoon last night and this morning it was pouring out.  Bill didn't want to take the raccoon and drop it off until it stopped raining.  My phone said it was supposed to rain all day, so I felt sorry for the poor raccoon out in the rain.  I put my coat on and loaded it in the truck.  It was hissing at me and was a huge raccoon.  I dropped it off, but it took a long time for it to quit trying to   get at me and go out to freedom.  It ran off quickly when it finally headed to the door of the cage.  Hopefully it finds the one Bill dropped off the other day.  Bill worked on some pens.  I enjoyed a relaxing rainy day after yesterday.  I talked to Kimmy and the boys and told them how much I loved their cards they made for me.  Adam texted me.  I talked to Vikki a few times today.  Kenzie called me and we talked for a long time.  She asked me if my package came.  I told her know.  Later when I checked in the garage, it was out there.  Bill had set it in there and forgot about it.  The wood burned art  block is absolutely beautiful.  I love the beautiful ring with the green stone.  So pretty!  The buttons are amazing and look just beautiful in person.  Of course, bandanas are always handy for face masks these days!

The notes were so sweet and special.  I love you Kenzie.  Kenzie and Travis came for a visit through our sliding door.  I haven't seen them since January so this brought my heart so much joy.

We got to visit for about a half hour, and then Bill and I did our Zoom Faith Rider's Chapter Meeting.  Kenzie and Travis went to her Omi's and then to her mom's house.  Melissa called me during our zoom meeting, so I called her and talked to her a long time afterwards while I walked outside and looked at my plants.  I got 11,426 steps today.  It was a great day!  Thankful the garden got watered nicely, but not too much rain.  

Day 59, Morning Devotion, Went to Lowes/Jacks, Planted Garden, Planted flowers in flower pots

Bill planting the garden

Garden all planted....Bill putting the fence up

Peyton and Isaac planting their garden 

I was looking for short socks and pulled these out.  I had forgot I had them.  Sent Hailey a picture of them because I know she likes cute socks.  She said she has a similar pair

Beautiful Pop up card from Vikki and family

Beautiful homemade card from Jacob....front above, inside below

Beautiful homemade card from Adam

Beautiful homemade card from Eli.  2 pages...one above and one below.  He sure is good at drawing horses....another amazing artist!

I love all the thoughtful pretty cards

We listened to the online devotion.  Read our Bibles and prayed.  I checked to see if I caught a raccoon.  Nope!  The food was gone, the cage door was closed, but no raccoon.  The cage was pretty far from where it was last night.  The raccoon must have rolled it and ate the food when it fell out onto the ground, since the dish was empty.  Smart old raccoon.  I went to Lowes in Midland to get  Soil Acidizer for our blueberry plants we are.  I got some pots for plants too.  They weren't very busy, so I decided to go to Jack's too to get birdseed.  There were only 8 cars in the parking lot which included workers.  I got in and out quickly and my birds will be very happy.  When I got home, Bill had the garden all tilled for the 3rd time.  He was ready to help me plant so we got started.  It was a beautiful day in the 60's so planting was very enjoyable!  We planted corn, radishes, kohlrabi, kale, two kinds of lettuce, spinach, peppers, onions, beets, radishes, beans, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins.  We also planted two blueberry bushes.  I also planted a raspberry plant Bruce dug up and brought to me since one of mine from last year didn't make it.  Bill filled in some bare spots in the yard with soil and planted grass seed.  He also put more dirt around the shed.  He got more mulch to finish the area around the house left and to do around the shed.  That will have to wait for another day.  We wanted to get all plants planted before it rains tomorrow.  I planted all my flower pots for on the deck.  Planted Morning Glories, the Yurro plant Kimmy gave me, and a white Dalia plant.  I set the raccoon trap.  This time I staked it down.  Will see what the outcome is in the morning.  Bill got 19,000 steps today and I got 15, 500.  I am tired and will sleep well tonight!

Day 58, 5/12/2020...Devotion, Walked, Put mulch down,

Bill spreading the mulch out 

Pictures of the mulch down

This was the only little area we didn't have enough mulch for.

Did our morning online devotion with Pastor Ken.  Walked 2 1/3 miles on the treadmill.  I put chicken in the crockpot to make chicken noodle casserole tonight.  Using homemade mennonite noodles in it.  We read our Bibles.  I listened to worship music while Bill worked on pens in the shed.  When I had the inside stuff done, I went out and we worked on putting all the mulch Bruce and Melissa blessed us with down.  (They just did around their house, and gave us a trailer load for ours.)  I put Preen down first and Bill started on the mulch.  Then I helped him with the front, the side by the bird feeders, and the back.  It was lots of work shoveling it, but it sure looks great.  Thank you Bruce and Melissa!  I got 15,600 steps today with walking and doing the mulch.  I'm tired and will sleep good tonight.  Vikki dropped off some burger she picked up for me.  I tried my hammock while she was here, but the straps are too short.  It would be hard finding trees that close together, so we decided it was best to return it.  Bummer, but it wouldn't be fun hunting for trees to be able to use it with.  She took it to return.  We ate the yummy casserole.  It was delicious with those noodles in it.  Watched Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune!  Set trap to catch a raccoon tonight.  Last night something ate the cat food, but escaped even though the door was closed in the morning.

Day 57, 5/11/2020, Cold day, Got our seeds/plants for garden,

My Christmas Cactus start is sure growing fast

Melissa found these old pictures of us with Stumpy, our first dog that Bill picked out and surprised me with

Melissa age 7 with Stumpy

Melissa age 16 with Stumpy

It was another cool day out.  We watched our morning devotion, ate breakfast and then went to Boehler's to get our plants and seeds for our garden and also 2 blueberry plants.  We had our cart filled when I remembered the blueberry plants.  I walked back to where I knew they were while Bill stayed with our cart of stuff.  I saw only two left and they were pretty big.  I put them in the cart and noticed they were $30.50.  I didn't really want to spend that much, but really wanted blueberries so was walking back out the row.  A guy who works there saw me, and said I would probably like smaller plants better to start with.  He had me come to the greenhouse and got me one.  He told me I had to plant two different varieties, so said to go back in where the Bill was and there were some on the floor.  I looked and only saw the kind I had.  I walked back out to the greenhouse where he was and told him they didn't have any different kinds.  Then he told me to go back and check out and he would bring one up to us.  We checked out and right before we were done, he brought it to the girl.
I looked up online and he was right about planting two different kinds.  I let Kimmy know before she gets more plants.  We went to Sam's Club with our facemarks.  Not very busy.  No burger there.  Got a few things we needed there.  We put everything in the garage and I am just watering it in there until Wednesday when it will be warm enough to plant.  I walked around outside a lot. Vikki stopped to pick up a wooden thing for her hang on her tree to put grape jelly on for the orioles.  She showed us her oriole feeder.  Hope she gets some orioles really quick.  I talked to Melissa and Kimmy today.  Adam texted me!

Day 56, Sunday, May 10, 2020 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY WONDERFUL DAUGHTERS WHO ARE THE BEST MOMS TO MY GRANDCHILDREN

It was a wonderful and blessed Mother's Day with family and lots of love!

Kody, Stacie and DJ came to visit after church online

Jack, Abby, Bruce, Max, Melissa, Evan and Hailey came to visit and brought this beautiful
hanging plant for my birthday!  They made this beautiful poster! Love love love this family so much!

Bill and I visiting through the door

Max sat in the chair and the others sat on the swing while we visited, except Bruce just wanted to stand 

Jacob, Adam, Eli, Kimmy and Jared

Rody, Isaac, Vikki with silly bow on her head that looked pretty cute, and Peyton in a blanket that was in a package in the garage.  He let her open it and have it because she was cold.

Rody, Isaac, Vikki without the bow and Peyton.  All the boxes are what our neighbor across the street dropped of to donate to our church when she saw our church sign for online church in our yard.  So sweet of her!

Jacob, Adam and Eli

Bill and I with our electric blankets to keep us warm

Me in my old slippers showing the girls my new slippers. They are the same kind because I love them so much.  Kimmy and family got me my first pair!

Peyton all bundled up

Jared, Eli, Adam, Jacob, me, Bill, Peyton, Vikki, Isaac and Rody!  They got here around the same time, and it started raining so we gathered in the garage

Melissa and Bruce dropped the trailer off loaded with mulch they had left over and blessed us with. She came to say hi to everyone really quick

My beautiful hammock from the girls and families for Mother's Day.  I love the color and can't wait to try it when it's warm out again. Hopefully tomorrow!

I caught a raccoon in the trap, so Bill took it and let it go far from here.  The raccoons are taking the hummingbird feeders out of the trees and swinging the oriole feeder over the branch while drinking from it.  Last year they took it down, but I fixed it so they can't this year.  When Bill got back, we watched online church.  Another great message!  Stacie called and they came to visit and brought me a beautiful begonia plant.  We were so happy to see them!  Bill gave them pens and they took some Hens and Chicks, Lilies of the Valley and Hosta Plants of mine to transplant.  It was so nice visiting with them for a while.  Can't wait to be able to hug them!  I made scrambled eggs with bacon in it, potatoes and toast for brunch. Melissa, Bruce and family got here after we were done.  They came to the back deck with a beautiful Happy Mother's Day sign and a beautiful hanging plant.  I was thinking it was for Mother's Day, but it was for my birthday.  They brought raspberry plants Bruce dug up and Lillies of the Valley.  I was so happy to see them all and get to visit for a long time.  They were dressed warm and brought blankets to keep warm.  Bruce and Melissa had lots of mulch left and brought a trailer full to us.  So nice of them!  We are blessed!  Vikki, Rody, Peyton and Isaac got here after they left.  (Kenzie wished me a Happy Mother's Day on Messenger).  I can't wait till we can see her again!  Kimmy, Jared and boys got here right after Vikki.  It started raining, so we all sat at a distance in the garage.  We had such a nice time visiting, even though it was a little cool out.  Kimmy and family brought me one of their amazing mugs.   We sure have a special and loving family.  After everyone left, Vikki called and came to bring me my present each family went in on.  It came and was there when she got home.  It was a beautiful hammock that I had been looking at and told Vikki I wanted to get.  They all sure surprised me!  Can't wait to try it now!  We had a church family online meeting at 7.  Good meeting about getting ready for when we open the church again for services.  We are blessed with a great church!  Bill and I read on our books.  He finished his, and then a half hour later I finished mine, which he will read next.  I finished the last book.  Love how these books glorify the Lord!