What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance. ~Jane Austen

Well, well, well!  I asked for rain and I got it (if you can call 3/8 inch a rain).  Then it was back to humid and hot. What I did not ask for was the electric to go out for two hours.  I promised that I would not whine so we will call this "just stating the facts". 

The power went out about 9:30 p.m. last night.  We are at the end of the line (where else would we be, huh?) so I felt compelled to call the electric company and let them know I'm in the dark with no fans or air conditioner (we talked about this yesterday).  She asked me if there was an emergency situation (if I have no cool air or fans and I am a middle age woman, yeah, I'd say that is an emergency. no, that is a crisis of monumental proportions. they would probably say no it's not).  Then she told me to check my breaker box (under normal circumstances, this would be a logical request).  So I kindly reply "Honey, unless my breaker box controls the whole neighborhood, I don't think that's the problem."  We both had a good laugh before she patiently took my address and other information needed to get me some cool air.

This is a new day and new frontiers to conquer.  I tried a new recipe from my favorite cookbook, Taste of Home, 356 Guilt Free Recipes.  This is definitely a quick and easy  recipe that I would make again and again.  It is a great snack or fast light breakfast (well, light for me.  146 calories per muffin).

Prep: 15 min.  Bake:  15 min.  Yield: 1 dozen

Ham 'n' Cheese Muffins

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1 and 1/2 cups reduced-fat biscuit/baking mix

1/2 cup fat-free mild

1 egg, beaten

1 cup finely chopped fully cooked ham

1. In a nonstick skillet, saute the onion in butter until tender;  set aside.  In a bowl, combine the cheese and biscuit mix.  Stir in the milk and egg just until moistened.  Fold in the ham and onion.
2. Coat muffin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners;  fill three-fourths full with batter.  Bake at 425 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.  Serve warm.

Now, going back to my sister killing a rattlesnake with a garden hoe (that still freaks me out).  Here is the proof of what happens when you mess with my sis and her flower gardens.

In this battle of biblical proportions; Eve (sister Joyce) won.
The serpent (rattlesnake) lost.

As I've told you many times, I live in my own personal  menopausal hell.  I'm always looking for ways to stay cool.  Trying to sleep at night is almost impossible because of the hot flashes.  I stumbled upon this website that offers some interesting ideas that I am going to try tonight.  I also found something called a Bedfan at http://www.bedfan.com/.  but first here are some cool ideas for folks like me.

1

A suspension-type bed lets cooling air reach you and even flow through from underneath. Try a hammock or a cot, also known as a camp bed. A cot, supported on all sides, stands free, won't tip, and sags less than a hammock.

2

Consider using the "Egyptian Method": wet a sheet or bath towel that is large enough to cover you with cool or cold water, and wring it or run it through the spin cycle on a washing machine until the sheet is quite damp but not dripping wet. You can also use a spray bottle of water to spray the top sheet until it is damp but not soaking. Place the dry towel or sheet on your bed underneath your body and use the wet sheet as your blanket. The damp blanket will keep you cool and if you add a fan at the foot of your bed the cooling effect is even greater. Or, during an extreme heat wave, take a light t-shirt, wet it, wring it out and wear it. Evaporation from the shirt will help to keep you cool enough to sleep for a few hours. This is a very simple and environment friendly method of staying cool.

3

Buy a straw or bamboo mat. These don't retain body heat and are cool all night long. They are found cheap at Chinatown or any Asian supermarket near you.

4

Take a pair of cotton socks, rinse them in cold water, wring them until they are damp and put them on. Cooling your feet lowers the overall temperature of your skin and body.

5

Try buckwheat pillows or futons. These don't retain body heat and feel cool all night long.

6

Get a few blocks of "blue ice," normally sold in supermarkets. This is a rectangular plastic block containing a non-toxic chemical that freezes at lower temperatures than ice, and stays cold longer. If possible, get the larger blocks. Freeze them in the freezer during the day and take them to bed with you at night. They don't get damp when they melt -- the chemical stays inside. Put each block inside a sock or something, so it won't feel so cold, and it will melt more slowly. If you feel warm, put a hand or foot on a block, or curl up next to a few. You'll soon feel cooler.

• Or, just chill or freeze a plastic bottle of water.

7

Dampen a hand towel and lie in bed with it on your forehead. Turn it over and dampen again when needed.

8

Bring a soft ice pack to bed You can buy "sinus packs" or "thermal sleeves" in most grocery stores. These are much softer than the blue ice compresses and don't get quite as cold (the blue gel ones can give you ice-burn). Slip a cold sinus pack under your neck or a cold thermal sleeve over your arm. Cooling down the back of your neck helps cool the rest of your body down as well.

9

Chill your pillowcase. Put your sheets,blanket,and pillowcases into freezer bags and put in the freezer all day. This may also help you fall asleep faster, further reducing your exposure to the uncomfortable heat.

10

Make a Rice Sock. When you turn in, bring the bag with you to use as a cool compress. Try placing it under your pillow so it's nice and cool when you flip it over. You can also place it within the pillow cover or inside your pillow if it has a zippered opening.

and place it in the freezer and leave it there for at least two hours

11

Make a Cold pack. Place some GREEN dish soap in a sealable bag style container. Only fill approximately 1/4 of the bag space with soap,(the green tends to work much better) and place it in the freezer. The soap doesn't harden but holds the cold temperature longer than ice and/or the blue ice containers. Once you are ready to use, place in a pillow case or fold in a towel. This allows several options for placement. Because the pack is not solid, it allows for versatility and comfort. This can also be used as an "Ice Pack" for muscle aches and pains. This is a much cheaper option to the store bought "Soft Packs" and works in the same way.

I am going to try every one of these tonight that I possibly can.  Me naked under a damp sheet with a fan blowing may not be pretty but if it keeps me cool and lets me sleep, who gives a care.  Will report back to you as soon as possible. 

Until then remember:
Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain. 
~Author Unknown

In Times of Trouble..... We Go To Our Knees In Prayer...For Others

"He who sees the calamity of other people finds his own calamity light."
Arabian Proverb

and it rained.......and it rained.............and then it hailed!  Enough already!  Mother Nature has been relentless this Spring.  Harmony Acres has a water retention problem that only Sunshine and Time can fix.  But first it has to stop raining.  Good Grief!  I can't do laundry (won't drain), I can't run the dishwasher (won't drain) and I say a little prayer every time I flush the toilet (a little bit of whining going on here).

My problems are insignificant compared to what's going on in the rest of Oklahoma.  Tahlequah is flooding.  People are having to leave their homes and some businesses have shut down.  Many county roads no longer exist in Green Country (another name for this part of the state)!  Either you can't get home or you can't get out!  Normal everyday life has come to a standstill. Waiting...............for the rain to stop........the rivers to crest......the damage to be assessed.  Just waiting...................

Our neighboring states of Arkansas and Missouri are suffering as well.  Levee breached in Missouri (massive flooding), tornadoes in Arkansas (loved ones gone forever in a moment frozen in time) and widespread destruction.  They don't need  an official government statement.  They know it's a diaster zone.  Moment by moment......tear by tear......loss compounded by loss.  Our prayers for them are desperately needed.

Joyce, my big sister, has no road left.  The rains have washed away their bridges (if you think my house is isolated, you should try to find hers) and they have no way out!  Incarcerated with her husband, Bill!  This can't be good even for a solid marriage of many years.   Don't get me wrong.  I love Bill.  It's much easier to love someone you don't have to live with.  This is the gospel truth.   

The sound quality on this video is dreadful but this is Warner, OK.

Other refuge have I none

Other refuge have I none;
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee:
Leave, ah! leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head
With the shadow of Thy wing! Amen.

Simple Living is all about caring for others. We always pray for them first and us last. That is Country Ways 101.  We are all connected in the big scheme of things. By touching one life, we touch many.  By helping one person, we help many.  It's the ripple effect.  Think about that today.

Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them. (Albert Einstein)

Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion.  I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. 

Kurt Vonnegu

Harmony Acres is water-logged!

God has granted us a tiny reprieve.  No rain until later in the day.  All the rain has created utter chaos, inside and out.  I have much recovery work to do before the next round.  Harmony Acres is becoming like the "lost city of Atlantis" (underwater somewhere).  I have worked so hard. Invested so much time. Wanting everything to look the best it's ever been. It breaks my little heart to see it underwater and overgrown (again).  Darn! Darn! Darn!

I'm so glad I didn't put up a fence and plant my cucumbers where I started to ( in the magic creek) or they would have been washed away.

Yesterday, it was a raging creek.
Glad "we" worked on it so it would drain better!
O.K.  A little sarcasm there!

I know how this works.  In July and August, we will be begging for rain!  If you had ever experienced an Oklahoma summer, you would understand why Hell is not a place you want to go (there's no air-conditioning as well as other unpleasant factors to consider). 

We are still working on the garden room and planned to put in a window seat and book shelves to replace the garage door.  Having trouble finding someone who knows what they're doing to tackle this job.  So.........the heavy rain coming down seeped into the garage and all I can do is clean up the mess, wait for it to dry and try to caulk around the door today.

I managed to wrestle another use out of the "Good Stuff" expanding foam.  All it took was baling wire, a spoon and standing on my head.  Don't ask!

Outside of garage door leaked big time...........

...................so I caulked it.
I didn't say all my repairs were pretty but hopefully it will be effective.

Oh, yeah. I decided to mow the front yard for the UPS man (important delivery, toilet paper from Amazon).What? When I go to the store it takes one whole cart for pet supplies.  Keeping that in mind, it's a little hard for one little ole lady to drag two carts just for toliet paper. Besides, I love having UPS trying to find this place. Anyway back to my story: I know that no one should even try to mow the yard the day after Noah launched the Ark but  we have to look somewhat well kept around here.  However, I ran into a little problem: 

Oops! Not the smartest move I ever made..........

.......but common sense, two rocks and leverage got me out!

Oh, shoot! I just heard thunder!  Gotta run and check on pups! Be back in a minute.  Big black cloud........ big thunder.  Sure am glad I did a little creative engineering today on their pen. Yes, they are getting a fancy new dog house that is insulated and has vents.  One of those all-weather things. Gypsy (mama dog) gets one too.  I had a lot more time to meditate (smoke cigarrette and drink Dr. Pepper on front porch) before the blue heelers adopted us.

Yesterday, the lawn mowers and the puppies were in a water hole!

I put up tarp and dug a trench.  Hung dog blankets on fence to dry.
Cross your fingers.
It sounds like it's about to be tested!

And between all that, I gave Maggie a bath, hauled trash up to the road and scooped two litter boxes.  What a day!  Wish Becky were here to share my day with.  Simple Living is more fun when I can surprise her with my accomplishments. She'll be back from Denver Thursday night.  Can't wait! 

I am exhausted but not defeated!  Everyday, I must push the envelope, test my limits, reach for the unreachable and go beyond where I think I can go.  I only get one life, so there's no harm in trying!  All I can do is fall on my fannie but it wouldn't be the first time, now would it?  Falling is easy.  It's the getting up that takes "true grit".  You know what I'm talking about.  You've been there.

Thank you for joining me on this journey we call life.  The Simple Life really is for me.  Sweat is my new favorite fragrance, rubber boots or crocs my choice in footwear, and I look good in camouflage pants!

Tomorrow:  Muskogee for dog food.

Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit.

Bern Williams
Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_inspirational2.html#ixzz1KfomXg

Please......Send Me A Rainbow!

Memo From God

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: ¹³ I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴ Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, ¹⁵ I will remember my covenant between me and you and   all  living  creatures  of every kind.  Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. ¹⁶ Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

Dear Lord:

I know your busy but could we have a little chat. I am not writing to complain (much) but could you please turn the spigot off.  We were in a drought and desperately needed rain but.......a flood?  Whomever you made director of cloud control is not doing their job.  Did they go to sleep and forget to turn off the faucet?  Did they not get the memo (see blue area above)? 

Oklahoma has gone from fighting raging wildfires to flood control. In less than a week!  Please send me a rainbow!  There is water, water everywhere!  More rain in the forcast and I really need a sign from you.

And it rained...............................

and it rained.......................

I always wanted a property with a little creek running through it. 
Now I have it!

Front yard creek ........more rain pouring down.

Back yard creek......... more rain pouring down.
Pic is not blurry, it is rain wrapped!

My new favorite T.V. show is "Breaking Weather" because that's what's on every channel. I've learned a new phrase "rain wrapped" (translation:  you can't see nothin). This is today's latest warning from the National Weather Service in Tulsa:

* widespread heavy rain has occurred across much of eastern
Oklahoma... and northwest Arkansas. Rainfall amounts of 4 to 8
inches have been common across this area over the past 48 to 72
hours... with local amounts exceeding 10 inches. Additional
rounds of heavy rains will spread across the watch area
today... before ending by early evening. Additional rainfall
amounts of 1 to 4 inches is expected through today. The rainfall
totals over the past three days could easily top 12 inches
across portions of northwest Arkansas and adjacent areas of far
eastern Oklahoma.

Becky snapped this pic between cloud burst yesterday.

This morning Becky had to find an alternate route to work because the roads were flooded on two of the other routes.  It's hard enough getting from here to there without road closings!  She is leaving for a business trip to Denver today and I'm sure she will be glad to leave all this flooding behind.

Pushka seeking higher ground from the flood waters.

The barn is flooded and the pups are getting web-footed!  The garden room tried to flood (stemmed the flow with lots of towels) and I'm getting web-footed!  It's so wet, even the ducks have left.  Simple Living at it's most challenging!  So, back to my original request:  please send me a rainbow. 

Thank you for your time Lord.

Sincerely,
It's Me Again

  

A little Creedence Clearwater Revival to help me through the day (Who'll Stop The Rain).  No matter what difficulties you may face, there is always a rainbow just around the corner. 

Noon:30 Update:    Still raining and raining and raining................

Harmony Acres Wishes You A Happy Easter......He Is Risen!

. 

"April rain is here again;
Hear it pitter, pitter, patter,
On the leaves and on the trees,
See it spitter, spitter, spatter.
Rain, oh rain, don't go away
We need you for flow'rs in May;
Drip, drip, drop and do not stop,
Send a little rain our way."

Nina B. Hartford, April Rain   

And it rained and it rained and it rained!  We have gone from drought to swim fins!  So it goes in Oklahoma.

The severe storms missed us again last night but it was close enough to drop some rain. Then it rained again this morning and this afternoon...... I was just meditating (smoking cigarette and drinking Dr. Pepper with two cats wrapped around my ankles) on the front porch.  Watching the rain bring much needed nourishment to Mother Earth, I could almost see everything turning a brighter shade of green and silently growing stronger.  What a blessing these showers are!  All things are at peace and Harmony Acres is thriving!

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday.  My boss and I are in negotiations  regarding closing the store till 1:00 p.m.  He and I attend the same Church (when I go) and I told him everyone needed to attend Church on Easter (sunrise service out at Spaniard Creek looking out over the water from cement bleachers, breakfast at Church, then Easter Program) and Christmas just to belie the rumors that one has died. 

When I had him on the ropes (your worst nightmare is an employee like me), I also reminded him that Hobby Lobby is Christian owed, prospering greatly and closes every Sunday.  Brother Danny (Preacher) came in the store today and I ratted my boss out.  Told him that a call from him would probably be more effective than my harping!  We'll see how it goes.  No matter what, we wish you a Happy Easter from our family to yours:

Izzie and I.

Becky and her twin Maggie.

Gypsy

Noah and Gigi

Mischief and Pickles

Grabby Britches

Molly arrived here with only one good eye.

Gracie.

Pushka.

Sophie.

Our Simple Living choice has brought us much joy and sheer pleasure in the small things. Next week I'm going to visit Herb A. and his family to see his custom design chicken coop.  Been thinking about getting some chickens............Can't wait to see what he has created (very gifted and ingenious family. Simple Living personified).