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Venus’s Looking Glass

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When I started carving out patches of our five acre homestead to devote to the pollinators, there were the usual plants and grasses. Lots of oxeye daisies. I know, they aren’t native and they can crowd out the native plants, but they’re so beautiful! They remind me of the fields on the hill above our house when I was growing up. Now that hill is covered with streets dressed with houses. Still, there are plenty of lovely flowers and every year, something new shows up.

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Heading to the Creek

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Mr. FixIt and I walked down through the pollinators to the creek to see how well he cleaned the ditch out from the flood. He did a great job! It was a lot of hard work. As we were wandering around, I noticed a new flower I hadn’t seen before. A Venus’s Looking Glass! It’s native to North America. You can find them in fields and open woods and along roads. It’s particularly good for pollinators. It’s so delicate and pretty. I’ll watch for more of them. 

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The Eastern Phoebe always nests here. She’s a little late this year.

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Having these pollinator gardens is a lot like that line in Field of Dreams. “If you build it, they will come.” More pollinator gardens means more species of plants, animals, and insects. There are no pesticides or herbicides used on our five acres. I plan to keep it that way. Maybe one of these days, we’ll get some bees. Or maybe chickens!

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Yorkshire Fog

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It was very hot here yesterday…nearly 90° We’ll have rain the next few days so maybe we’ll cool off a bit. I went to see two of the Littles yesterday. Great-grandchildren…I can’t believe that we have four of these little sweeties! It seems like MY girls were little just yesterday.

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I finished the day with a special treat…fried cornmeal mush! So delicious!

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We had a big disappointment yesterday afternoon. Then last night the dryer stopped working. It’s always something isn’t it? But…

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We’ve got Venus’s Looking Glass today! We take the bad with the good. 

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🩵

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“Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened. Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.” Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭28‬-‭31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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***Gratitude Journal***   Today, I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is always with us through the ups and downs of life.

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I believe this is a drone fly. It’s still a great pollinator.

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May seems to have been cooler and wetter than I remember. Or...maybe my rememberer isn't so good anymore. We are almost through May already. My Colorado peeps planted their tomatoes this week because they think…maybe they are safe from frost. I remember the first summer we lived in the mountains outside Glenwood Springs. I plowed a huge garden in the abandoned horse pasture and planted everything I could think of. Rows and rows of corn, tomatoes, beans, carrots…I was an earth mama on a mission! I envisioned canning all this yummy food for my family and feeling self-sufficient. That was the dream. The reality hit hard.

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I was born and raised here in West Virginia. My dad and my grandma grew wonderful gardens. It seemed like they just plowed and threw the seeds out, and everything grew. I was young and unaware of the hard work that went into growing a successful garden. But I was hopeful when I marked out that 30x40 piece of unbroken ground.

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I think I planted everything in mid-May, just like I was told to. I hoed and weeded and watered incessantly. I strung tin pans on twine all the way around the garden. The folks who lived up the mountain laughed and laughed. Apparently, this was a West Virginia thing. In Colorado, they put up electric fences. Or frequent farmers’ markets. Anyway, everything was coming up beautifully. My tomato plants had little baby tomatoes on them. The green beans were flowering and would soon grow long fingers of goodness. The corn was up. I thinned the carrots. Things were going well, and I left Hubby #2 to hold down the garden while I took our daughter to visit her grandma in late June.

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On June 23rd, my husband called and said, “I have some bad news for you. We had a hard freeze, and everything is dead and lying on the ground. I’m so sorry.” I was crushed. So much work…so much time…so much money spent…and for what? It was a lesson learned, and after that, I also frequented the farmers’ market. I might just as well support those who were successful at growing things in the semi-arid elevation in the Rockies.

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After I moved to West Virginia as a new widow, I yearned to plant a garden again…this time in the rich soil and temperate climate of home. Life’s uncertainties kept me from that goal until Mr. FixIt and I married in 2018. We tried a garden just big enough to plant a few tomatoes, but the ground where we put it wasn’t ideal. After three years of failing, I figured gardening just wasn’t meant to be. That’s when Mr. FixIt built me a beautiful raised bed that I don’t even have to bend over to work on. We only have tomatoes and marigolds in it. I have rhubarb in a big pot along the fence and a couple of tomato plants in another container. I’m feeling pretty accomplished at the moment. It’s not a big garden, but we are in our early seventies now…we don’t need to be putting in a big garden anyway.

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I took a walk through the pollinator gardens this morning with my coffee. The field daisies have bloomed, and the pictures don’t do it justice! Little polkadots of white sprinkled over the bright greenish blue of the Kentucky Bluegrass make me smile. I’ve noticed more bird species coming around since I expanded to seventeen pollinator gardens spread out over the five acres. House martins are swirling and diving all around. I must get a Martin house put up. Lots of butterflies flutter by when I’m on my morning walk. I left great swaths of white clover for the honey bees, but we still aren’t seeing many. Lots of bumble bees, wasps, and carpenter bees are out there, so things are still getting pollinated.

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And here it is…Memorial Day weekend already. I hope you all are safe if you are traveling. Enjoy your gatherings and remember those who gave all in their commitment to protect the downtrodden of the world.

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ᓚᘏᗢ

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And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 1 Corinthians 2:3

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***Gratitude Journal*** Today, I am grateful for the abundance of beauty that surrounds us as we go about our work on our little homestead.

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I’ve been working on a project this week, in between baking and cleaning the kitchen…ad infinitum. I finally had to get out of the house and wander around the pollinator gardens to see what’s new out there. I grabbed my rain boots and a huge golf umbrella from the truck and took off, tromping through the wet fields.

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I’m really pleased with most of the gardens. There are a couple that look kind of poorly…sparse grasses with no discernible wildflowers. My dear friend Aimee, who knows all things about the ground and what grows under, in, and on top. She says to leave it be. It’s still forage for critters and can harbor snakes and turtles, and field mice. There’s no such thing as a bad green space…unless all it has is invasive and noxious weeds.

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The Lyreleaf Sage is nearing the end of its flowering. The little trumpet-shaped flowers at the top of the stems glow brightly in the mass of dark field grasses. The Bulbous Buttercup has opened its John Deere yellow flowers and is quite showy in the areas where they grow. The Wood Sorrel blossoms are doing their best to compete with the buttercups, but they are smaller and stay deeper in the grass.

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Speaking of grass, we have mostly Kentucky Bluegrass, Bromes, Foxtail, Flax, and others. There are many other perennials like Dock, Red Sorrel, Sheep Sorrel, Ribwort Plantain, White Clover, and many others. Every time I’m out there, I find something new to document. It is quite a walk to go around all seventeen pollinator gardens. Just another healthy way to get my steps in.

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Mr. FixIt went to town yesterday to buy the straw, manure, and topsoil for the raised bed. I know it’s an investment at the beginning, but hopefully it will pay off with table veggies in the summers to come. I’d like to build a cold frame at the end of the house to have lettuce, carrots, and onions through the winter. Another small step toward a less consumer-based lifestyle as we continue to live our best years walking side-by-side through our seventies.

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I used the last of the cabbage and made Gail’s deconstructed cabbage rolls last night for supper. Mr. FixIt picked up some fresh ears of corn, and I have some asparagus that needs to be used up. It’s always a delight to anticipate a good, country meal for a chilly, rainy evening.

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🩵

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“God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened. The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.”   ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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***Gratitude Journal***   
Today, I am grateful for the ground on which we live…the myriad flora and fauna that delight us daily. I’m grateful for two strong legs that carry me around, and for the image lookup function on Google!
\n\n", "date_published": "2025-05-07T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2025/05/07/walking-in-the-rain.html", "tags": ["Gratitude","Grace","Peaceful Moments","Farm Life","Pollinator Garden"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2025/04/17/playing-tourist.html", "title": "Playing Tourist", "content_html": "\n
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We didn’t have it in us to go fishing again yesterday. It was cooler and the wind was still pretty forceful so we decided to play tourist and see what we could get into. We decided to go up to Nag’s Head and have breakfast at Stack ‘em High Pancakes, but it turns out they’re closed on Wednesday. So we ate next door at Bob’s. It was good, but the best part was Helen, our waitperson. What an absolute sweetheart she was. Even though it was the first time we’d ever met, we got big hugs and “I love you…be careful going home!” Just a little beach diner with fun folks.

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When we came out of the restaurant, we could see a lot of smoke down south of us. It turned out to be a controlled burn in Jockey’s Ridge State Park between Hwy. 12 and the sound. We thought it was a little crazy to have that kind of burn in such windy weather, but it was completely out by the time we crossed back over the bridge to Nag’s Head later in the afternoon. 

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After breakfast, we had reservations for the Aquarium. It was wonderful! We haven’t been there in a few years. One of my favorite parts was walking around the grounds and looking at the pretty flowers. Folks are so nice here in North Carolina! They go out of their way to make you feel welcome.

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When we left there, we headed south on Norfolk Island to Wanchese to see the big boats at the marina. Some of them are so big and beautiful. Like a small cottage floating on the water with every amenity you could need. There is a restaurant at the marina that serves fresh seafood. I went there last fall when I was waiting for the truck to be fixed and I didn’t realize Mr. FixIt had been there many times BG (before Ginny!) We each had a flounder sandwich with fries and were officially filled for the day.

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We decided we needed to walk off some of the food we ate yesterday so we went back up the island to Manteo and walked around their quaint downtown area shops. We visited an antique shop, a darling General Store where I purchased a gift to take to Little, and an awesome Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar bar. The oils were from Greece and the Balsamic Vinegars were from Italy. OMGosh! There were so many wonderful flavors. The garlic was great, of course. Who doesn’t love garlic! I especially loved plain EVO. And there was a Pear Cinnamon White Balsamic that was to die for! There was also a Raspberry Balsamic that tasted exactly like my grandma’s raspberry jelly…it had such a bright flavor. I would have loved to buy four or five bottles to take home, but at $18.95 for an 8 ounce bottle, it was too rich for my blood!

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By this time, all that slow walking was hurting Mr. FixIt’s back and hips so we decided to head back to the camper and stretch out for a bit. I have a pair of socks I’ve started that I wanted to work on. The sun has been shining every day we’ve been here…and it’s supposed to continue all the way through the weekend. Too bad the fishing hasn’t been very good, and the temp has been a bit chilly. But, really…there is no such thing as a crappy day at the beach!

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We only have two more sleeps and we head back up the road. We think we’ll hit the North half of the island today. I want to see Jeanne at Knitting Addiction and we HAVE to buy a donut at Tullio’s Bakery in Duck. I know, everyone raves about Duck Donuts, but really the only thing that makes them stand out is they’re fried fresh when you order them. Because if that, they only serve cake donuts. To me, if it wasn’t for the flavored icing/toppings, they all taste the same. But Tullio’s??? Wowza! Yeasty, yummy, lots of varieties, always fresh…so, so, so good!

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We want to fish again tomorrow before we leave Saturday morning. Maybe we’ll get lucky and catch something before we have to go!

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🩵🐟🩵

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“O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small. See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭104‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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***Gratitude Journal***   
Today I am grateful for firefighters with the knowledge to burn just what is needed and save the rest. I am grateful for the opportunity to be at the beach with my sweetheart and watch the sunset every day.
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These little white flowers are the first things to come up in the pollinator garden.

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The taxes are done for another year!!! I’ve fussed around with them for…what? Three weeks, at least. Everything was going along fine till I got to the Senior Citizen Tax Credit. We’ve never had it before and I have been trying to figure out what they based our gross income on. After poring over it for a week and a half, I noticed a button at the top of the screen that said “Live Tax Assistant.” For the low price of $50 I could talk live with an agent and they would walk me through the process, step by step.

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I clicked on the button, plunked down my $50, and clicked to have an agent call me. It wasn’t three minutes till they called and Denise introduced herself explaining she had 23 years experience doing taxes. I automatically felt a sense of relief. I explained my issue and we started working on it. But we had to go backward into the return to check some things. I asked her if she wouldn’t mind walking me through from the beginning. She was cheerful and encouraging and told me not to worry…that’s what they do and to take my time, ask all the questions I needed, and said “Now, let’s get started.” She had me enter a code that let her look at my screen and we got to work.

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I was on the phone with Denise for an hour and by the time we were done, I knew more about TurboTax than I ever did before and I’ve been using it for years. She followed me all the way through “review” and made sure everything worked well. She was great and I’m telling you, that was the best $50 I’ve ever spent! That’s a load off my mind and frees me up to get some other things done.

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Our high was in the 80’s again yesterday and it was so nice out. I walked around the property in the afternoon to check the pollinator gardens again. It’s still too early for most of the plants to grow, but our grass is really greening up. There are a few very tiny flowers popping up, but not many.

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Mr. FixIt had an appointment in town so I had the house to myself to finish the taxes and start on the spring cleaning. I love it when it’s warm enough to throw the windows open and get some ventilation in the house. I was thinking about going out to the farm for a few days. I still may. When my sweetie was in town, he stopped at the Habitat ReStore. There was a woman behind the counter who told him she knew me, she reads my blog, and even knew I’d forgotten to pay at the restaurant on Tuesday. She says she’s known me for a long time. But do you think Mr. FixIt could remember her name to tell me??? Noooooo! So…if you’re out there reading this and you’re the woman who was dressed very nice and your hair looked like you’d just stepped out of the salon, reach out here and let me know who you are! The suspense is killing me! lol

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💚

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“Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon, as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon. There the Lord will display his glory, the splendor of our God.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭35‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT

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Gratitude Journal 
Today I am grateful for the warm sun on my face, the fresh breeze of spring, and the tiny flowers peeking up from their long winter’s nap.
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‬‬

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Oxeye Daisy
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The nighttime temps are finally giving us a break and it makes for great sleeping here in West Virginia. I “camped” in the field Friday night and it was heavenly. With the lower temperature, I didn’t have to run the fans so I could hear the night sounds. I didn’t get to hear any owls, but it was still peaceful.

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Late-flowering Thoroughwort
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Before I came into the house, I took a stroll around the pollinator gardens to see what’s growing. I was thrilled to find about a dozen “Slender Lady’s-Tresses” orchids. They aren’t “rare”, but they are uncommon. I read they have boom years and bust years, so maybe we’re in a boom year. I also found prunella vulgaris, the common self-heal or “woundwort”. The largest garden is finishing its second year and you can definitely see the difference in maturity and growth. It will be interesting to see the difference next year as I add more gardens over time. There are actually a couple of tall bonesets…”Late-flowering Thoroughwort” and a “scrophularia lanceolate” from the figwort family. I know they all just look like weeds, but there are more bees around here this year and I find that promising. I have only seen one monarch butterfly this year and although I kept checking the milkweed, I never found a caterpillar.

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Self-Heal or Woundwort
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The twin fawns were out this morning frolicking around the edges of the far field. They don’t try to come up to me anymore, but they aren’t necessarily afraid of me either. They stand and watch me from a safe distance till they finally turn and head deeper into the woods. We lazed around yesterday and watched the Olympic Games most of the day. I made grits and eggs for breakfast. I was a little disappointed with this latest bag of grits. I order them from Amazon and they’re the real deal from North Carolina. They’ve always been fabulous but these turned out runny and flavorless. I’ll not share the name because I sent an email to the mill where they are ground to let them know. We’ll see what they have to say.

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One Year Old Garden
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Two Year Old Garden
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I’m finally feeling more rested and more like myself. This trip took more out of me than I let on. But I’m made of tough stuff…I’m resilient.

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🩵

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“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8 ESV

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Sausage Gravy

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Notice I did not say IN the pool. There still has to be a whole lot of cleaning done before I get anything more than my hands in that water. We spent the biggest part of the day outside working, but only after I made Mr. FixIt’s new favorite…breakfast bowls.

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Air Fried Waffle Fries

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When I made these over the weekend, I forgot to take pictures of the steps involved. The first thing I did was pop the frozen waffle fries in the air fryer at 360° for 20 minutes. While they were in the air fryer, I mixed up the sausage gravy. I’ve been divvying up the canned sausage my cousin Tammy sent home with us last week. I’m telling you, that is the quickest way to make sausage gravy. The sausage is already cooked from the canning process, so all you have to do is scoop out your portion in a skillet, break it up, and set on medium heat. I add about 2Tbsp of Wondra flour. You can use all purpose, but Wondra is quick and doesn’t clump. I also added a about half a teaspoon of sausage seasoning and a few red pepper flakes. Stir together and add water as it cooks till you get the consistency you want.

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Add the Sausage Gravy

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When the sausage gravy is ready, set it on the back burner on very low heat. I fried a couple eggs over easy for each of us. When the potatoes were ready, I put them in the bottom of a bowl, spooned a ladle or two of gravy over them, and topped with the fried eggs. This is a stick to your ribs country breakfast that mimics what you can buy at many restaurants that serve breakfast, but at a fraction of the cost…and I know what is in it. We still have enough sausage to make the dish again over the weekend. That will be three breakfasts for two out of one quart of sausage.

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Top with a couple of fried eggs.

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Once breakfast was done and the dishes washed, we headed out to work on the pool. I did the vacuuming and Mr. FixIt kept back flushing the pump for me. There is so much gunk on the bottom that it needs back flushed about every five minutes. In between the flushes, Mr. FixIt trimmed more of the wild vegetation growing on the back fence. We had to work between rainstorms so we took a couple of breaks. At the end of the day, he added a gallon of algaecide to hopefully get a hand on the situation. We were just about finished when the frogs started calling. I know they won’t be interested in the pool once the chemicals go in. If I can catch them, I’ll take them down to the creek to relocate.

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Mr. FixIt is heading to town today for a couple of things so he’ll pick up the boards we need for the replacements on the deck. I have a FaceTime call scheduled in the late morning, then I’ll get to work on the curtains for the camper. I’ve read two of the three books I got for summer reading. I picked up a fourth book over at Seneca Rocks last week about plants to feed the bees. I joined the Xerces Society yesterday, and I found a couple of informative websites. I’ll write a post on that soon.

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Look! You can see my pollinator gardens from space!!!

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We are getting temps down in the 40’s here the next three nights! The cooler days make it much more pleasurable doing outdoor chores. As always…there’s never a dull moment here at Marshmallow Ranch!

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🌼🐝🌼

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“so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

\n2 Timothy 3:17 NIV\n
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Photo Credit: vuecustompools.com

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I’ve been hearing these frogs out by the pool all spring. Calling back and forth. I’d never heard them in our yard before. They sounded like they were under the deck where there are some mud puddles…the perfect environment for them. One has been making a call that sounds like a chicken. I did a Google search and discovered that was the mating call of the male green tree frog. Uh-oh. I had a sinking feeling about this.

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I came out back last night to listen to their calls and try to figure out exactly where they were. I heard the one making the chicken sound and yelled for Mr. FixIt to come out and listen. Then…I heard a splash. Now, there isn’t enough water in those puddles to make a splash, so I crept up on the deck to have a peek.

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OMGosh! 

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Remember how I said the pool resembles a prop from a movie? Swamp Thing comes to mind. Well…not only do we have our own personal swamp, we also have the amphibians squatting all over the place in there living rent free in the pool! I took the skimmer net and tried to scoop them out but one jumped and landed on my arm and I decided this was a job for another night! Mr. FixIt says they’ve had them before. I really want to get them out before we put chemicals in the pool.

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What next? I dare not ask!

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We didn’t get a lot accomplished yesterday. It was, after all, a holiday. We cooked. We ate. And we replaced one of the rotten boards on the deck. We need to go to town to get more boards. We also need to move the leftover wood from building the beds because the pressure washer is conveniently located behind that mess.

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I am not used to things taking so long to get done. I’ve always just gone ahead and get started on the jobs I determine needs doing. But there are so many extenuating circumstances now to consider. The wishes of my spouse. Money. Time. And physical ability. I used to get frustrated with it, but I’ve learned (most of the time) to go with the flow and realize it will get done at some point. One way or another. It saves us both a lot of stress when I eliminate my handwringing. 

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We went for a walk around the pollinator gardens last evening as the sun was fading. There was a deer down at the end of the far field carefully watching our approach, hand-in-hand. The daisies are prolific and definitely the most prominent flower out there now. I mentioned to Mr. FixIt that I was worried that I wasn’t seeing many bees. He said not to worry…there were tons on the honeysuckle vines. I was relieved to hear that and I’ll have a look today.

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I hope you had a nice weekend and have been safe from the severe weather! 

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🩵

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“I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit.”

\nLeviticus 26:4 NIV\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2024-05-28T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2024/05/28/froggy-went-acourtin.html", "tags": ["Farm Life","Home","Pollinator Garden"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2024/05/25/an-evening-walkabout.html", "title": "An Evening Walkabout", "content_html": "\n
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Lightning bug, aka firefly, climbing the stalk to prepare for flight.

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Evenings are my favorite time to wander through the five acres we call our home. After a day of mowing in the heat, both here and at The Farm, it is a pleasure to take a cool shower, slip into a cotton sundress, and stroll as the shadows grow longer and the night air comes. It’s heavenly, really.

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Red Clover

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I texted Mr. FixIt yesterday morning and tempted him with scrambled eggs and biscuits if he would stroll out to join me in the camper. It didn’t take him long to bring his tea out and join me. We talked about our plans for the day. He had an appointment in town. I had to finish mowing here at the house then head out to The Farm to mow out there. I had every intention of sitting on the porch for a while and read my book. However, at the time I finished mowing, it was the point where the sun beats down directly on the front of the house and it was bloody hot! Instead, I got a cool drink and sat in front of the fan for a bit to cool off before heading home.

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This green takes my breath away! The Farm, 2024

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I stopped at The Pig on my way home. Our little country Piggly Wiggly is a lifesaver when you live this far out of town and just need a few things. I wanted to get things like hotdogs and hamburgers, chips and potato salad…you know, Memorial Day picnic supplies. The kids are all doing their own things this weekend and with the amount of time we’ve been traveling, we are happy to have the biggest part of the work complete for the week and have three whole days to loll about.

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Mock Strawberry

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We talked about cleaning up the pool and trying to get it in shape this year. We never were very successful last summer. Having a pool is nice but it’s expensive to run and a lot of work to keep clean. Living on a fixed income means we have to make cuts if we want to camp and travel, and the pool is a bit superfluous. The kids don’t really come out and use it much so there isn’t that impetus to keep it going.

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Red Sorrel, a member of the buckwheat family.

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As I wandered around last evening before dark, I took some more pictures. One of my high school classmates asked if we were seeing bees and butterflies out here. I said yes, but I really gave it a good look-see yesterday and I am sorry to say I saw very few bees. We have butterflies and moths. I don’t think anyone in the area is keeping bees right now. I’ll have to check into that. I keep getting a nudge to keep bees, but I know nothing about beekeeping other than it isn’t cheap to get started. If I can boost my plants to include some that are attractive to the little buzzers, maybe I could offer space for someone to put their hives on our property in exchange for a little honey. 

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Yarrow

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As the sun set and the fireflies began their nightly dance, I counted my many blessing to have this safe place to call home and a loving husband to share my life with. It truly is remarkable to have found this joy so “late in life.” 

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🌼☀️🌼

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“Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.”

\nProverbs 10:4 NIV\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2024-05-25T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2024/05/25/an-evening-walkabout.html", "tags": ["Peaceful Moments","Farm Life","Pollinator Garden"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2024/05/09/a-busy-and-productive-day.html", "title": "A Busy and Productive Day", "content_html": "\n
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Mr. FixIt had a procedure done yesterday morning. When they were taking him back, I called after him and said, “Wait!” He turned around and I came up and kissed him. The nurse looked a bit surprised and said, “Are you two newlyweds?” We looked at each other and laughed. “Kinda,” he said. “We got married in 2018.” She smiled and off they went.

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When we were finished, we stopped at Sam’s for a few things. I buy three containers of their blueberries just about every week to ten days. I also buy their bulk box of Oikos Triple Zero yogurts which lasts me eighteen days. When we first walked in, they had beautiful bouquets of mixed flowers for Mother’s Day. I went over and buried my face in them and breathed deep. Ahhhhh…I love flowers. Of course, Mr. FixIt said, “Please…pick out a bouquet for yourself for Mother’s Day.” I sorted over till I found the perfect one.

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We went on with our shopping and I came upon the most beautiful buckets of hydrangea bushes. Now, if I have that, the flowers will keep coming every year, so I told my sweetheart I rather have those. He smiled and said, “Whatever you want, baby.” I love this man.

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After Sam’s was a quick stop for gas and we headed home. I fixed lunch and then left Mr. FixIt to rest and I headed to the farm to mow. When I came around the turn into the driveway, my heart skipped a beat. The huge rhododendron bush in the front yard was FILLED with gorgeous flowers precisely at the peak of their bloom! OMGosh! They were stunning. The irises were also blooming.

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The grass had grown a lot since Beans mowed while we were at the beach. I hopped on the John Deere and got to work. It was in the mid-eighties but there was a nice gentle breeze so it didn’t seem overwhelmingly hot. I did have to mow over the cut grass a couple of times to keep it from settling in clumps and killing the lawn. When I was finished, I sat on the porch for a little bit and admired my handiwork.

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The neighbors were out walking their dog so I went over to visit for a bit. They are such a nice couple. Probably 20-25 years younger than me. We always have a moment to catch up when I’m out at the farm. I wish I could have stayed for a couple of days, but there were other things I needed to attend to so I headed home.

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I took a walk down to the new pollinator gardens and got some pictures. I didn’t see the resident turtle this time, but there is quite a variety of plants beginning to show their stuff. I’m still not recognizing any new varieties from the seed I cast last fall, but I’ll keep my eyes peeled. It was a lovely, busy and productive day. A perfect spring day with golden green light and the smell of flowers on the breeze. It just made my heart smile.

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🌸🌼🌸

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“Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.”

\nSong of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬\n
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\n\n", "date_published": "2024-05-09T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2024/05/09/a-busy-and-productive-day.html", "tags": ["The Farm","Choices","Farm Life","Pollinator Garden"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2024/05/08/jumping-in-with-both-feet.html", "title": "Jumping In With Both Feet", "content_html": "\n
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Our First Peony of the Year!

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Monday was our first day back from the beach trip and it was spent running to town to refill medicines. So, yesterday was our first full day at home. I’d like to say we slept in, but we were both awake at 7:30. I fixed our favorite breakfast of grits and eggs while we waited for the dew to dry off the grass. The former Mrs. FixIt was here with our daughter checking on the cat while we were gone and she said the grass really wasn’t out of control. However…in the days since, there were high temps and plenty of rain so you can imagine what the fields looked like.

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The sun broke through the clouds around 10:30 and I ran out to hop on the tractor. I usually mow on Level 3 but I chose 4 yesterday to keep from overtaxing the mower deck. I’ve been toying with the idea of leaving both fields to grow wild. It would be good for the pollinators and it would save us time and money. I suggested the idea to Mr. FixIt and he warned me we’d have to get someone in to run a brush hog in the fall and probably again in the spring. Getting good help is hard anymore. In an effort at compromise, I let my artistic self “sculpt” the far field. (The near field grows mostly field grasses and very little in the way of wildflowers.) 

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The far field was covered with blooming Dead Nettle, Buttercups, and there are an abundance of bud getting ready to bloom. It looks like Daisies will be next. I selected the areas the most concentrated with blooms and carved out more gardens with paths crisscrossing the entire field. I think I have tripled my pollinator area with this new plan, cutting down on time spent mowing and less money spent on gas. The garden I started last year is looking really healthy. I’ve seen turtles in there twice this year and it’s a microcosm of activity. Lots of bees and butterflies.

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The grass was so thick and damp that I had to run the tractor really slowly to keep from overloading the mower and popping the belt off. I soon discovered, running the mower slowly means running the mower longer and eats up the gas. I can usually do the whole place with one tank plus part of a refill. I ran out of gas twice yesterday and had to take a break in the middle to go to the service station over the hill. Still, I was left with a lot of grass laying on the top because I don’t use the bagger. We have so much moisture here that the clippings break down really fast and it mulches the fields.

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Mr. FixIt ran the push mower in the fenced yard and along about 4:00, he caught my attention. There was a bad storm coming in ten minutes and fortunately, I only had about five minutes left to mow. I no soon got the mower put away and the sky opened up with a crash of thunder and hard rain. The inside yard only has a few more runs to get finished but it will have to wait between rainstorms.

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As I was heading out to the camper last night to write, a weather alert came across the TV with a tornado watch for our area. Now, y’all know I’m a bit of a risk taker, but even I will heed that warning. I’ve seen way to many campers tossed and turned like the tin cans they are and I don’t want to be inside one of them when it happens. I stayed inside for the night. We have to run to town today for a medical appointment and a trip to Sam’s then we have nothing scheduled till next week! Who knows what I’ll get into next?

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🩵

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“The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.”

\n2 Timothy 2:6 NIV\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2024-05-08T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2024/05/08/jumping-in-with-both-feet.html", "tags": ["Positive Energy","Farm Life","Pollinator Garden"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2024/05/06/the-looooong-drive-home.html", "title": "The L-o-o-o-o-o-ng Drive Home", "content_html": "\n
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Our peonies will bloom soon!

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Mr. FixIt’s alarm rang exactly five minutes after we woke up. Ohhhh, it was hard to drag myself out of bed, knowing this would bring us home and this trip would be officially put to bed. But, duty called and home beckoned and we were soon tidied up and ready to roll. We stopped for gas and a breakfast sandwich and were on the road by 8:30-9:00.

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It rained off and on which makes travel with a camper slower. You can’t drive in cruise control with wet roads. And you have to drive 5-10 miles lower than the speed limit. We made steady progress. We stopped a couple of times for potty and coffee breaks. It always feels good to get out and stretch your legs.

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We finally got to I-77 and turned north, only to be confronted with an information sign saying all lanes were blocked up ahead due to a crash and we would be asked to take a detour at Exit 19. That meant we actually drove 19 miles into Virginia before the you-know-what hit the fan. Several miles before the detour, we sat in totally stopped traffic for quite some time. We inched and inched forward till we finally made the exit and followed the dense line of traffic. 

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There were no directions to tell us where to go so we all played Pied Piper and drove in single file to who knows where. There really wasn’t anyplace to get off the road till we found ourselves WAY out in the country on a one-and-a-half lane blacktop. There at the tippy top of a hill with the most magnificent views sat a volunteer fire department. We pulled into the lot and I reached for the Rand McNally Atlas to get my bearings. By this time we had circled around nearly to the on-ramp at Exit 24…two miles past the site of the accident. By the time, the road was clear and the detour took us at least three hours…to go five miles forward from where we got off the interstate.

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Mr. FixIt finally found a local news story about the accident. It happened up on Fancy Gap…a mountain in the Blue Ridge that is commonly socked in by fog. It was super foggy yesterday morning…even when we were coming up the mountain. The accident involved four tractor trailers and three passenger vehicles. According to the news report, only one person was taken to the hospital by one of the firemen just to get checked out. By the time the rescue crews got to site of the accident, everyone was out of their vehicles. From the looks of the cars and trucks, I am amazed no one was seriously injured or killed. Thank you, God!

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The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. Rain, sun, repeat. We got home in time for Mr. FixIt to jump in the shower and head BACK into town for his bowling banquet. That was the entire purpose of coming back home yesterday…he didn’t want to miss his friends at the banquet. I unhooked the camper, pulled out enough food to make a ham, egg, and cheese tortilla and fruit for dessert and I was totally done for. I went inside and took my shower then came back out to the camper to cool off and write my post for today.

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I did get a quick walkabout to see what’s grown since we left. the answer is…EVERYTHING! OMGosh! The whole field looks like it needs brush-hogged. I don't see a whole lot that is impressive in the pollinator garden. There is a lot of Dead Nettle and Buttercups blooming. Daisies will be opening soon then I'll find sweet little wildflowers amongst the grasses. if it were left up to me, I'd leave the whole field alone. but, I'm not sure I can convince Mr. FixIt. We'll see.

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This morning is knitting group then a trip to town to pick up prescriptions and stock up the fridge. I have no idea when we'll be able to fit mowing in. It's supposed to rain for the next ten days! I hope you've been well. I'll be back tomorrow to tell you more stories and such. After I catch my breath!

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🌸🌼🌸

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“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.”

\nIsaiah 32:18 NIV\n
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#SafeTravels, #Home, #Tired

\n\n", "date_published": "2024-05-06T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2024/05/06/the-looooong-drive-home.html", "tags": ["Travel","Positive Energy","Road Trip","Pollinator Garden"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2024/03/04/spring-is-coming.html", "title": "Spring is Coming!", "content_html": "\n
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If yesterday was any indication, spring is definitely around the corner! It was a beautiful 80° in the afternoon. Sunny with a gentle breeze, Mr. FixIt and I pulled our chairs from the garage and sat basking the rays of the most welcome warmth. I noticed the spring onions are beginning to sprout here and there in the fields and I remarked it was time to mow over the pollinator beds in preparation for the rains that will soon follow. 

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The wildflowers and fall grasses had grown tall and thick before the first freeze. I spread wildflower seed around…shaking it down into the roots of the plants…and let the beds rest like that over the winter. Now I needed to get the riding mower out and mulch that all down and hopefully some of those seeds will make purchase in our rich West Virginia soil. 

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Mr. FixIt got the mower out, checked and filled the oil, and I added some gas to the tank. The mower started right up and I was soon out making the rounds…cutting the beds in such a direction as to shoot the seeds into the center. Once I made several rounds, I changed direction and mowed from the center outwards, distributing the mulch and seeds evenly.

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It didn’t take long to finish. I did a quick lap around the far field checking for feathers and such to no avail. When I returned the tractor to the pole building, Mr. FixIt and I sat a while longer in the waning afternoon sun. We finally went back inside and it was time for him to head to the bowling alley. One of the members of their team has moved to Charlottesville and he will be bowling for her the rest of the season.

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When he is gone, I have a few hours to myself. Rather than find myself down the rabbit hole of YouTube, I turned off the TV, grabbed my book and iPad, and headed out to the camper to read till he came home. If I’m out here, he’ll come out and spend some time with me before he heads back inside. I am continually grateful that I took out the dinette and installed the double recliner. It is much more comfortable and a sensible use of space. 

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I’m still reading The Pioneers by David McCullough. I am usually a voracious reader, but honestly, this is only the third or fourth book I’ve read since Mr. Virgo died. My attention span is not what it once was and I can think of about a million other things I could or should be doing besides slogging through a book. This one, while a bit of a difficult read, has held my interest due to the subject matter. It takes the beginnings of the Ohio Territory and speaks of Marietta, Belpre, the Ohio River, and the misadventures of Aaron Burr and Harmon Blennerhassett over on the picturesque island so named.

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I checked our schedule for this week and we have no appointments. I have knitting this morning, then I’m going to head to The Farm for a couple of days. I’ll work on the taxes, finish my book, and do all the trip planning for the summer. I love my time at The Farm and I always come home refreshed and ready for the next big project at hand. I visited with the CO kids and my brother in video chats, so I’m ready to head into my week and hit the ground running.

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☘️

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”Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone.“

\nZechariah 10:1 NIV\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2024-03-04T02:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2024/03/04/spring-is-coming.html", "tags": ["Camping","Farm Life","Pollinator Garden"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2023/09/05/the-new-night-train.html", "title": "The New Night Train", "content_html": "\n
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Yesterday was a pretty easy at-home day. I had every intention of doing some cleaning, but honestly…it just felt great to be home in my Big Red Chair with Mr. FixIt by my side. We haven’t had a lot of that this summer and we really enjoyed it. I did some organizing on my new laptop. I’m trying to keep it from getting clogged up with too many graphics and I need to be able to get to my designs quickly.

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One of my friends posted a picture on FB of the Starlink Train coming across the sky. I looked up online to see when it might be visible here at Marshmallow Ranch. It turns out, there is an app that will tell you when you have the chance to see it clearly in your exact location so I downloaded it. It’s called Find StarLink and you can get it in the App Store.

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I went out to the camper last night to write my post and texted Mr. FixIt to come out a little after 9:00. We just about gave up on it when there it was…booking across the sky! It was amazing. I had my camera set up to do a long exposure, not thinking all I would get is a blur of light. I’ll know better next time. By shooting long exposures I got some great shots of the Milky Way.

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I marveled at this amazing sight. I can’t help but think of my grandma when I see things like this. What on earth would she have thought of seeing a train of lights clipping along in the night sky…silently providing access to an internet that she was confused by. I remember when I got my first laptop and I used AOL dialup. I hooked up to the phone line out at The Farm and pulled up Compuserve! I’m sure she couldn’t wrap her mind around what it actually was. It probably looked like some kind of television with still photos. BORING. lol

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The changes in technology have always fascinated me. But now that I am getting a little older, and things are changing so fast, I have trouble keeping up with it all. So much of it is over my head and I feel like my shelf date is inching more rapidly toward expiration. I hate leaving all the fun to the younger generation. So, I keep up with as much as I can with the declining RAM in my noggin’.

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We don’t have any appointments this week but we probably will make at least one trip to town…whether I like it or not! I hope you had an enjoyable weekend, dear ones. We have another little heat wave coming then we have another taste of fall.

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?

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“Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.”

\nDaniel 12:3 NLT\n
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

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I’ve ventured into personalized items in my shop.\nHere is “Baby’s First Christmas”.
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Shop Now

\n\n", "date_published": "2023-09-05T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2023/09/05/the-new-night-train.html", "tags": ["Change","Farm Life","Pollinator Garden","Stars"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2023/08/28/the-honey-festival.html", "title": "The Honey Festival", "content_html": "\n
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We needed a break…from mowing, from working, from everything. It was the Lord’s day and we vowed to keep it that way. We still haven’t landed in a church since covid. We became disillusioned. Not with God or His church, but with churches who were becoming more radical and political and less about actually following God’s word. But we still worship and are faithful and share our faith whenever possible.

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We saw an ad on FB Marketplace for a pair of end tables so we went over yesterday right around lunch time to see them. They were just what I was looking for and I got the bonus of buying two wooden ironing boards. I got all four for $145. We carefully wrapped them and put them in the back seat of the truck. The young man who did the refinishing was incredibly talented. (I’ll write more about the people I met this weekend as the week progresses.)

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We left from there and went to City Park to walk. I forgot the Honey Festival was going on and we spent quite a lot of time wandering around the booths and talking to people while we got our steps in. I connected with several people I need to get to know better. One has a greenhouse about ten miles from us and she sells native pollinator plants as well as seed. One grows broom straw and makes brooms. One was a direct appointment from God. She gave me samples of honey. 

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The first was from her early spring honey and as soon as it touched my tongue, It transported me straight back to my childhood…standing in my Aunt Marge’s kitchen…eating a spoon of the best honey I had ever tasted, her spring honey. Light and loose, it was delicate yet full of flavor. The second one was mid summer and had notes of sweet peaches. The third was a deeper end of summer honey that was rich and robust. The last was a late fall honey…strong and concentrated and jam packed with sugars.

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I visited with the alpacas and felt the incredibly soft sweaters and socks they had for sale. I had no money with me, therefore it was a cheap excursion! We got home in time for a little rest then Mr. FixIt went off to hang with his bowling buddies. I went to my friend Richard’s house and sat on the veranda and talked for three hours. We promised we would do this several times over the summer. This was the first time I’ve seen him since last winter.

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It was a lovely day all around and gave me lots to write about during the upcoming week.

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Stay tuned!

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?

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“My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.”

\nProverbs 24:13 NLT\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2023-08-28T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2023/08/28/the-honey-festival.html", "tags": ["West Virginia","Farm Life","Pollinator Garden"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2023/08/26/fall-flora-and-fauna.html", "title": "Fall Flora and Fauna", "content_html": "\n
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Today would have been my beautiful mom’s 98th birthday. I miss her today as much as ever. I never dreamed I would lose her at only 78 years old. She had the softest hands…and the softest heart. I try not to dwell on the loved ones I’ve lost because their absence is so LOUD it hurts my heart. Instead, I choose to remember how beautiful she was and how fiercely she loved her kids. And, I know I’ll see her again so that is a comfort to me.

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Things have been particularly busy around here since we got back from Colorado. What on earth did I do when I was working sixty hours a week??? Nothing but work, what’s what! I have such a healthy appreciation for young moms who are running a household, raising their babies, cooking, cleaning, washing, chauffeuring, AND working full time. That’s why God gives babies to young people.

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Mr. FixIt had a procedure today that he was dreading but it turned out to be a breeze compared to the last one, so we went out to one of our favorite diners and had a late lunch to celebrate. He has to take it easy for a couple of days so I am thrilled to stay home and get things done around here.

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I had a hankering for baked apples last night so I used the recipe I made up a few weeks ago. Basically like any other baked apple, but I used Truvia brown sugar and very little butter to cut the calories WAY down. It’s getting fall-ish out there. I was watching the news with Mr. FixIt and noticed the sky was glowing so I ran out with my phone to catch some pics during the golden hour.

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The light didn’t disappoint. My buddy, the buck and his girlfriend were out in the pollinator gardens snacking on the fall salad bar. The sunset over the far field was spectacular. I went out to see what was growing in the pollinator patch and saw some delicate spikes with tiny white flowers trailing in a spiral down the stalk. They’re called Spiral Ladies’ Tresses and I’d never seen them before. They are a genus of wild orchid! They’ve been trying to grow out there for who know how long. I am constantly amazed at the beauty I’ve been mindlessly mowing over these last seven years and I’m so grateful for the generous gifts from God that he sends me every day.

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I’ve been sleeping out in the camper a lot. I tried to sleep in the house one night this week and the air felt dead. I couldn’t hear the night sounds. I couldn’t feel the breeze wash over me. And the compressor for the air conditioner outside the bedroom window sounded like a jet engine. Soon the cold weather will take over and force me inside. And now that we’re working on controlling Mr. FixIt’s back pain, we can get back in this camper and GO!

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We have two trips scheduled for next month…at two of our favorite campgrounds in Ohio. We’re going to haul the camper to the OBX in October. We’re taking three days down and three days back with eight days beach camping in the dunes. This will end our 2023 camping year with a bang and what a memorable year it was!

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It is Friday…another week gone. I feel like I accomplished things this week. I hope you feel the same way. Mr. FixIt and I have committed to one another to work on that building this fall. We also need to get the roof put on for the main house. I’m much stronger and physically able to help more than I could have had I not gone on this weight loss journey. Things are definitely looking up!

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?

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“The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.””

\nIsaiah 40:8 NLT\n
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Fun Fall Coffee Mug…Hello, October!

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Shop Now

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Mr. FixIt had to run to town yesterday so I asked if he would mind picking up some groceries if I gave him a list. He was happy to oblige so that kept me from having to go to the grocery store. I was just gathering my things to head to the farm to mow when Beans texted. They were just getting ready to mow, so that was two for two! I was off the hook with the house to myself for a few hours. 

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Mr. FixIt checked the mail on his way to town and said I had a book in the mailbox and he would leave it there for me. I ran over to retrieve it then fixed my mug of RYZE. I settled in my Big Red Chair and cracked the book open. This is not going to be a fun read. My camping friend Jea Santovasco wrote it about her son, Jay Austin and the love of his life, Lauren. They were the two American cyclists murdered by terrorists in Tajikistan five years ago. The book started out as a personal journal to help her remember the details of what happened after her world stopped and changed her life forever.But after this time, she’s come to realize it may be of some assistance to other grieving parents, so she published it.

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Jay was an extraordinary human being and had accomplished so much in his short life. I had actually heard of him before I met Jea as he had championed Tiny Home living. To perpetuate his work on environmental issues and sustainability, Jea started the Jay Austin Simply Be Kind Foundation so that he may be remembered. All proceeds from the sale of the book goes to support the foundation. While it is a painful read, it could be helpful to others who have lost a child to a violent crime. It isn’t a book for someone just starting the grief journey. Some time has to be spent experiencing your own grief before something like Jea’s book would be understood and helpful.

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I would encourage you to order a copy. Jea hopes to sell enough books to plant a pollinator garden n Jay’s memory. I think we can do better than that! I’m already committed to dedicating one of my pollinator gardens here at Marshmallow Ranch to Jay’s memory. After you read of this extraordinary young man, I hope you’ll do the same. You can purchase the book here: My Stories Since The Death Of My Son Jay Austin: An American Murdered By Terrorists While Cycling The Globe

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You can read a story about the attack from Radio Free Europe HERE.

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It’s hard to imagine the horror Jea went through and continues to go through. On top of the loss of her son, she had the all too common experience of people she thought would always be there for her that just…weren’t. There were those who thought she should get over it. They thought she needed antidepressants, but she wasn’t depressed. She was sad. No one can fully understand another’s grief…no matter how many times they have experienced their own. The Jea I met camping at Blackwater Falls is gone and after just five short years, she still experiences the depth of her pain every day. Some would say this is complicated grief, but I think it’s more a mother’s broken heart that won’t be healed till they meet again someday. I’m just so grateful that she’s still here with us and I look forward to the day we can camp together again.

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❤️‍?

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“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

\nPsalms‬ ‭34‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2023-08-02T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2023/08/02/a-reprieve-from-mowing-and.html", "tags": ["Grief","Strong Women","Warning","Pollinator Garden"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2023/06/05/chasing-the-sun.html", "title": "Chasing the Sun", "content_html": "\n
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Our Field of Daisies

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Oh, what a difference a day makes. We had crystal blue skies yesterday and it was still pretty hot at 84° but we didn’t get storms like we did on Saturday. When I took my morning walkabout, I had to stop and pick up a lot of limbs that fell along the hedgerow. The bigger of the two pollinator gardens is chock full of daisies and summer grasses now. The smaller garden just has a few sparse patches of daisies and the rest is field grass. They aren’t fifteen feet apart, but they’re completely different. The only think I can think of is the smaller on is on a bit of a west facing slope so maybe it doesn’t keep as much moisture. I can always mow it down and start one in a different spot next year.

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Patent Leather Beetle

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I worked on the shop all afternoon and really enjoyed being creative. It feels good to have the quilt done and less work to do on the shop so I can enjoy some other pursuits. Mr. FixIt and I went to the park and walked our mile as the sun was heading down behind the far hill. Isn’t it amazing how quickly it cools down once that sun isn’t beating down right on you?

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Look at all that pollen! Yikes…it’s no wonder everyone is sneezing like crazy!

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We came across a large Patent Leather Beetle on the walking path and the river was so still it carried a thick coat of pollen from bank to bank. When we were finished walking, we drove around a bit to see what was happening around our little village. 

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A Peaceful WV Sunset

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The sun was a huge glowing orange orb as it neared the western horizon and we were trying to get a good vantage point for some photos. It sinks fast once it’s that far down and unfortunately, by the time we got to a place where we could see it, we’d missed our opportunity. Still, it was lovely and quiet in the local cemetery as we took in the bucolic view of the rolling farmland replete with fat round bales of hay and a huge old barn.

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One of the kids called as we were on our way home and we enjoyed a nice conversation…solving the world’s problems and commenting how exciting it is the wedding is getting so close. This is the first social event of the year for us. Next up will be our trip to Colorado. I simply MUST make myself sit down today and get that arranged! It seems there is always something that needs attention, doesn’t it? 

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What on earth did we do when we were working full time and raising babies?

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?

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“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

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\nColossians 3:2 NIV\n
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“Space Bunnies”

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I found these bunnies a couple of months ago and knew I wanted to use them for something in my shop. I decided on a polyester shower curtain because it could also be used in other projects…like a privacy screen or windbreakers on an EZ-Up. Besides…they’re just too stinkin’ cute!

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Shop Now

\n\n", "date_published": "2023-06-05T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2023/06/05/chasing-the-sun.html", "tags": ["Gratitude","Farm Life","Pollinator Garden"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2023/05/22/my-morning-walkabout.html", "title": "My Morning Walkabout", "content_html": "\n
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The garden is filled with Field Hawkweed and the bees love it!

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Mr. FixIt headed out mid morning to help the soon-to-be newlyweds with the new roof on their house and left me to my own devices at home. I lazed around and fixed a nice breakfast, then headed out with my hot cup of RYZE to check out the pollinator gardens. I could see the new yellow flowers from clear across the field and was really excited to get some lovely close up shots.

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The dainty little Blue-Eyed Grass is so sweet. Old-timers called them “Bluettes.”

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I use my iPhone 13 Pro Max for all my photography. I’ve never claimed to be a true photographer, but the iPhone takes the guesswork out of capturing good shots 99% of the time. One of the really great benefits of this phone’s camera is a plant identifier link built in. When you are viewing the photo, swipe up and hit the link “Look up: Plant” to find out what you’re looking at! Would you believe I just discovered this little bit of sorcery in the last week??? Amazing! What else can this phone do that I haven’t discovered yet?

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The Philadelphia Fleabane looks like tiny little daisies.

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When I was going through the photos for this post, I wasn’t happy with one of them. It was out of focus So I went back out to reshoot and I was just so taken by the beauty of this little oasis in the far field. Why didn’t I do this years ago??? I took off my shoes for a little grounding and eventually, I just sat down alongside the garden…watching and waiting for the bees to get close enough to capture in a photo.

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The Lyreleaf Sage blooms all around the stem every four or five inches.

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It didn’t take long. I still didn’t get as clear a photo as I would have liked, but these will do for now. I sat there for a long time, thanking God for making such beauty and allowing us to be stewards of this portion of the earth. It finally got a little to hot to sit out there so I came in to edit and finish writing my daily missive to you. My “Letters from Home,” so to speak.

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Creeping Charlie is a ground ivy in the mint family and is used as a salad green in many countries.

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While I really should be in the house, working on the finishing touches of the wedding quilt, I can’t help but sit out here in Grace…our little camper. The door and windows are wide open and the fan is moving the air around. I can watch and hear the birds, flitting from the hedgerow to the trees and singing the songs of their people.

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Clockwise from Top Left: Yellow Woodsorrel, Daisies, Dandelion, Mouse-ear Chickweed, a tiny little Maple Tree, and WhiteClover

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I pulled the other half of my dinner salad from last night out of the fridge and happily munched on the tasty and colorful veggies and the savory chicken on top. I made a balsamic vinaigrette from a lovely balsamic glaze and EVO to round out the flavors. 

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Meadow Buttercups are one of my all time favorites. Their little faces turn up the the sky and follow the sun all day.

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Sunday is made to be savored…to honor and praise our Maker…and to rest our bodies, minds, and spirits in His most excellent care for the day. This makes for a perfect day in my book!

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My ground level view of one of the Pollinator Gardens. I’m a happy girl!

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?

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“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.”

\nProverbs 3:7-8 NIV\n
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One of my all time favorite photos was taken out at the farm. Grandma’s Heritage Peonies are show stoppers every year and if you get the light just right, they look like they’re straight out of a Renaissance painting!

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Shop Now

\n\n", "date_published": "2023-05-22T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2023/05/22/my-morning-walkabout.html", "tags": ["Fun","West Virginia","Gratitude","Be Joyful!","Farm Life","Home","Pollinator Garden"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2023/05/19/may-please-stay-forever.html", "title": "May Please Stay Forever!", "content_html": "\n
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Grandma’s rhododendron in all her glory!

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Oh, my gosh, y’all…wouldn’t you love to bottle up some May and save it for January or February? Yesterday was one of those days you wish would last forever. Clear skies, high 70’s, a riding mower, and GOBS of flowers! We went out to the farm after breakfast and mowed. It’s been two weeks since we got the chance to mow out there and buddy, it really needed it.

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The first thing I noticed when I drove up the driveway was the monster rhododendron in the front yard. I meant to have Mr. FixIt take a picture of me in front of it because it towers over my head by a good three to four feet. But we got busy and I forgot. Grandma’s peonies, flags, and irises were in full bloom, as well. 

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Iris Sibirica…the Siberian Iris. This is what my grandma called “flags”. There are also smaller wild iris that are commonly called flags. The word comes from the Middle English word “flagge”.

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When we were preparing to go to the farm, I asked Mr. FixIt to walk out to the pollinator gardens to see if we’re making progress. One is full of buttercups and toadflax and the other is chock full of white clover. There were butterflies fluttering around and you could hear the bees buzzing as you walked up. I’m so excited to make these patches grow.

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These are absolutely the most beautiful peonies I’ve ever seen. Grandma would cup her hand beneath one of the saucer-sized blossoms, bend down, and bury her nose in the soft sweetness of her precious posies.

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Our peonies aren’t out yet here at Marshmallow Ranch, but it’s shouldn’t be long. The irises are crazy…I’ll get photos of them tomorrow. The chocolate mint smells divine when I clip the edge of the flowerbed as I mow. The European Starling is still servicing her babies in the eaves of the house but they should be fledging soon. Little fuzzy caterpillars show up in the oddest places. The Eastern Towhees and the Catbirds flutter around in the budding sycamore trees that line the creek bank out front.  The earth is bursting forth in all her glory and my heart is happy.

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This is a Flame Azalia…a kind of rhodododendron that grows wild in the underbrush of the dense forests of Appalachia.

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Today we mow here at home because Saturday, it rains. I picked up our granddaughter’s quilt for her wedding at the quilt shop yesterday and the only thing I need to do is put on the binding and sew on the label. Then I can show it to you! This will be a good rainy day project once the mowing is put away for the week.

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These are ramps. They are a well celebrated delicacy of spring in the Appalachias. You either love them or you hate them. They are the allium tricoccum and are called many different names besides ramps…ramson, wild leek, wood leek, and wild garlic. As the names suggest, they taste like a cross between onion and garlic. Some years you get a mild season of ramps, but most times, you can smell them cooking from a mile away. I love them fried with potatoes then pour beaten eggs over them and bake them like a frittata. SO good. Churches and civic organizations put on “ramp feeds” every spring as a fundraiser. Folks go out and forage the woods for ramps and morel mushrooms way back in the hills, then bring them into town where you can just about bet a fella has a pickup truck and he buys up the ramps, then sells them for a profit. Sort of like a “farmer’s market”. I paid $10 for this one pound bag. They say this is a mild year for ramps, so we’ll see!

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I took lots of good flower photos this week so I’ll be adding to the note card collections in my shop. As I’m writing this, I’m sitting in my big blue club chair in front of Grace. When we got home from the farm, we took out the chairs and ate our supper here. As the sun set, the evening chill moved in so I eventually had to pack it up and move back indoors.

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One of our Pollinator Gardens…they’re doing great!

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I lead a charmed life, don’t I? There was a time after losing Mr. Virgo that I couldn’t imagine living another day without him by my side. I definitely couldn’t have imagined this magical life I’m living. Try as I might, I couldn’t find what I was looking for. Then, when I gave it all to God to carry and I placed Him at the center of my world…that’s when everything fell into place and love came knocking on my door. 

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We ended the day sitting quietly together, sipping a new coffee substitute my cousin gave me when we were visiting. It’s called Ryze. I have been a lifelong coffee drinker till my stomach started giving me fits every time I drank it. So I quit cold turkey and went to decaf tea. This is a refreshing change of pace. It is made of a little bit of coffee and six different kinds of mushrooms that supposedly have healing properties. I don’t know about all that, but it is nice to taste something reminiscent of coffee without getting the stomach ache and nausea I was getting before. I’ll update you as we go along as to whether it’s worth the hype. So far, so good.

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?

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“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

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Isaiah 40:30-31 NIV

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I love my new pollinator gardens! This sweet mug reminds me of the wispy grasses and little delicate flowers that invite the birds and the bees and the butterflies to some sit a spell.

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I finally rallied after our very busy weekend and was up and cleaning at a respectable hour considering retirement and all. I piddled around the house. Mr. FixIt made oats for breakfast…one of my favorite things. I took my coffee to my recliner and knitted while I watched the documentary I told you about yesterday. “To Which We Belong” was a wonderful story of ways any one of us can make changes that can reverse the effects of climate change. It did it in a way that steered completely away from politically charged terms like “global warming”. As a matter of fact, the entire focus was on individuals and things they are doing to improve the earth’s soil which in turn will improve the air, water, and temperature. It’s not too late and I was so encouraged by this film. I strongly encourage you to watch it.

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As I was settled in my chair, Mr. FixIt headed to town. He has a project in the works and he needed some supplies. He is replacing the stairs to the pool deck and adding a handrail for stability. When my stepson was here last week, he dug the postholes and unfortunately put the porthole digger through a drain pipe. He came out yesterday to help his dad repair that and build the steps. As with most any job, it entailed another trip to town for a part. That is one of the downsides of living this far away from everything…it’s often inconvenient when you need something.

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When the documentary was finished, I put my knitting away and went out to mow. Lands, the grass is growing like crazy with all this rain. I hate when I mow and there’s a thick layer of cut grass left on the surface. However, I don’t like to bag up the clippings. I think it’s better for the soil to put the nutrients back into it by decomposing. They’ll disappear in a couple of days and you’ll never be able to tell it was there. As I mowed this time, I tried to visualize where I would like to start my pollinator garden. It was fun to picture the end results. A friend of mine shared a picture of a logging operation going on in an older area of his farm. As he panned the video, I notices several beehives in the background and I asked him about them. It turns out, he made a deal with a local bee guy. He gets over 20 pounds of honey a year in exchange for letting him keep bees on his property. Now, that’s a fair deal. I might see if I can find someone to do that. We don’t eat that much honey, but I could barter it for canning vegetables.

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Once I got off the mower, I fixed a quick supper. I texted a friend who is newly retired and he was sitting out on his gorgeous covered porch, drinking wine and enjoying a beautiful summer evening. Mr. FixIt was building the steps with his son, so I grabbed my knitting and headed into town to schmooze with my friend. We met and bonded through our late friend, Diane. Sparky always talked about her friend Richard but I’d never really knew him till after she died. As a matter of fact, he is the one who called me to tell me she had passed away. It was nice to sit on a summer’s eve and talk about our buddy.

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I got home and the steps were finished and my stepson was gone. They did a great job on this project. The only thing left is to set the posts in cement and mount the railing and that’s one more thing we can check off our to-do list. Today is knitting group. Only this week and next before the shop closes and we will need to come up with another place to meet. There are several options to look at but I don’t want to take on another project. One of the other gals will try to organize it and I’ll be happy to go.

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I’m about ready to start the ribbing around the bottom of the sweater. This pattern is so simple and easy…I love it. It’s hard to believe August is half gone!

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?

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““He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”

\nJob 6:14 ESV\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2022-08-16T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2022/08/16/mr-fixit-fixing-things.html", "tags": ["Farm Life","Crafts","Friends","Pollinator Garden"] } ] }