Molly came to spend a couple hours on the farm.
Corn harvest in Needville, Texas – thanks, Paula!
The elderberries are hanging so thick the branches are bent to the ground.
On a taxidermist’s window: We really know our stuff.
Monday Night, 8-11-25
Country Threads Chicken Scratch
Farm life
Mary, your trail was such a fun place for a little escape. Hopefully, by next year it will be fun in a new way.
Molly is the name of our biggest Golden Retriever. She was close to 100 pounds. She still gets mail. Last week a discount card from Perkins! The week before, an invitation to dinner and see the newest line of insulation. Molly died about 15 years ago. Of all 5 dogs, she is the only one to get mail… phone calls too.
Jo in Wyoming – Hazel gets mail, too. Haha!!!
Hi-
Thank you for your advice and support regarding all the flooding here . It rained again today- flash storm- but the water has receded enough that there’s a little space for it to go before the roads flood again. People are out helping each other, and have been since Sunday. It’s lovely and heartbreaking at the same time. Here’s a visual for you: we have huge retention ponds near the hospital leading into the village. They hold 318 million gallons of water. They are full- that’s never happened before. They saved the whole village from flooding even worse than it did. Thanks for checking on us.
Elizabeth – Where do you live? So sorry about all the flooding. It seems there is a lot of that this year.
It’s true you have a lot of destruction along your wilderness trail but at the same time, the wind took down the old and weak trees which will allow room for new growth in the future. It’s natures way to keep moving forward. Unfortunately, it will take time. St. Peter MN was hit really hard by five tornadoes in 1998(I think). Now totally repaired and the new growth trees and big and magnificent. Stay strong.
Janet – I wish that were true – we wonder why the dead ones didn’t topple and many live trees did / all those limbs on the ground with leaves were growing – not dead.
Yeah, that’s very sad. Trees take so long to get big that we hate to loose them.
I’m catching up a little late , but I too, can only comment from the “read on blog” icon. I can read script from the email but the pictures no longer come through. It’s been like that I’m guessing almost 2 weeks. I do see the pictures when I change screens.
If we lived closer hubby would be there picking. He grew up picking with his family and they all love them. He makes a great Elderberry Pie. It’s a family favorite and they call it “Buckshot Pie” because it is so seedy. (I don’t eat it!) Around here the birds seem to get them first!
Mollie looks like she is enjoying herself; it’s always fun at Mary’s farm!
Too bad about your wilderness trail. When do the tree people come?
Jeanie – the tree guys are still working IN the town of Garner!!! Somebody said they’re a year out for new business- good heavens!!!
Must be true because we can’t get anyone to take the tree off our kitchen roof.
Oh my Mary. Can’t believe you’re out a year before tree guys can come. My hub would be there in a sec with chain saw in hand. Alas, we re in South part of Texas and he can’t drive that far away anymore. Yep…he’s my babysitter. And the pups as well. So sorry. I will pray for help to come soon!!
Thank you all for all the nice cards you sent. I still read over them and they make me smile.
Oh, my! It is way worse than I can comprehend.
Thanks for sharing, my DAD would make elderberry jelly , wonderful memories..❤️
His Birthday on the 16th RIP 🌹
Mary, I was wondering the same thing, if you make Elderberry syrup. I wish I lived close I would come and pick some to make my own syrup. I do use elderberry if I have a cold. I don’t know if it works but it tastes good. The movers are here in two days. Only a couple more boxes to pack. I will do that today. I’m living out of a suitcase now. Our good neighbours had us over for “ice tea” last night and gave us a card that she asked we not open till we get home. It was a beautiful card saying how much they will miss living next to us and many other very nice sentiments. We will miss them as well.
Teresa – I was wondering how you were living but now you say out of a suitcase – miserable. Sweet of your neighbors – you’ll miss them, too.
The trail looked like a wonderland to go through before, maybe it will grow back soon. 😻
Poor Miss Molly. She would feel so much better being more active staying at your place. Beautiful girl. You could have Miss Mary’s animal bed and breakfast spa. 🤭
Today is my first time back at sewing group, an hour away, after 6 weeks. They will probably want to see my knee scar. Will be sooo good to see them again!
My popcorn in grow bags just haven’t done well and Darrell has been taking care of the watering. Next year I will try them closer to the house 😣
Penny and Lucy say “hey” and send hugs Aunt Mary!❤️
Pamela – what a great feeling to be on the other side of surgery. Your group will be happy to see you and won’t it feel good to sew again?
I always love your pictures of “dogs in the pool”. Poor Mollie looks like she’s getting some much needed exercise. Your dogs have the experience of good exercise everyday!!
Wonder what elderberry juice would do to arthritis. I know it’s supposed to increase your immune system. It’s expensive to buy. Your neighbor may put honey in hers.
My doctor says my eyes have improved from the shots. Now 20/40. Good news!!
Carolyn – I don’t see any better than that! They really did help. I try to have Mollie here as much as I can – they overfeed her and I wish they’d try Farmers Dog where the mixture and the amount to let her lose weight but still be full comes already packaged. I wouldn’t care how much she begged for more. I know elderberry is supposed to be good for many things but it would take a gallon of berries to make about 2 cups of juice and that belongs in my I DO NOT CARE category. Ha!
What a bonfire you could have with all that timber that came down.
You’ll get that trail back I imagine little by little. Maybe this fall when the church youth group comes for pumpkins you can get some help from them. I can’t remember now if you planted them to sell.
We are suppose to be 94 today.
Kathy – no pumpkins except for 4 small hills just for myself to decorate with and even they didn’t make it. Pumpkins want hot DRY conditions so it’s easy to see why.
My neighbor girl’s mom has 45 bee hives and has a small building to sell it on her farm. She makes elderberry syrup and can’t keep it on the shelf. People really believe it as an anti-oxidant🤷🏼♀️. I have never tried it so I don’t know. Do you make the syrup? I think it is an old time illness preventative.
I live in a corn field and the humidity seems really bad right now. I read recently that corn plants release water vapor through their leaves. A single acre can emit 4000 gallons a day-enough to increase local humidity by 10%. I asked a federal agriculture agent and she said this is true.
Marcia – I am familiar with “corn air and humidity” – means the corn is growing! Those are the days we suffer in the humid air but you can smell the corn.
I don’t make elderberry syrup – what a huge job and one I can forget about.
Interesting pictures of the corn harvest. It seems way too early for harvest. Growing up in central Indiana I remember Labor Day’s being corn harvest days. My mom and aunt would prepare a big meal for the workers, my dad, brothers, uncle and cousins. But it was silo filling day. The corn was still green. Strange to see picking going on now.
What a mess the winds left you. It will take some time for the area to look normal, but it won’t to you. The Palm Sunday tornado in 1965 went through our farming community. Driving down the highway it was many years before the trees at homes looked normal, but never as they had before. Glad you were safe from the winds.
Saw the doctor yesterday and complained of my shoulder pain. Xray shows severe arthritis. Sending me to PT. Hoping that with help. This summer my shoulder has not liked it when I reach high or lift something heavy, like pouring tea from a pitcher. Sewing is not an issue, but using the iron for very long is and I don’t consider my iron heavy. Really hoping PT helps because I don’t have time to recover from surgery.
Judy – I’d do just about anything to avoid surgery! Yes, I remember filling silo – oh, the food Mom made was outstanding! The cows loved that silage – I remember climbing up the steps of the silo and throwing silage out into the feed bunk. I can still smell it in my mind. Yes, my wilderness trail will never be the same and it feels like death to me. Hope PT helps your shoulder pain – hard to sleep, isn’t it?
Judy, I have been using the Rowenta Travel Iron for the last few years – small, relatively light, just heat – no steam (although you can, but understand that it can leak) – due to arthritis in my hand. When I have to use the bigger iron for ironing backing and finished quilt tops I can really tell a difference. Just a thought.
Jan, a travel iron is such a great suggestion.
Thank you.
I feel so sad for the destruction of your trees and the trails
I have tried to grow an elderberry tree/bush–no luck–maybe I should try again 🙂
Dorothy – I wish I could send you some of mine – they come up everywhere!! Must be the Iowa soil?
I sympathize with you over the woodland trail. So sad.
But I am happy you are all safe.
Shirley from central Oregon