Killed my back

 Yes it's true.  When you are short and overweight, bending to garden and flower kills your back. I herniated a disc last year at this time gardening ( an accummulation of injury all summer long).  Low and behold, after my stupendous weekend, last weekend, I couldn't walk on Tuesday.  I had the shooting pain down the outter aspect of my left leg that terminates right above the ankle.  Limping along as I push the patients to their rooms.  On Wednesday morning I visited my friendly Anesthesiologist at the pain clinic for an Epidural Steroid Injection.   Not much better as the day and night wore on.  Long night last night.  I always have Steroid induced insomnia.  So about 330 this morning I called in sick to work.  Finally drifted off to sleep about 630 or so and slept until 10 AM.  Once I was out of bed, I am no longer limping and the pain is down considerably.   I hope by the end of the day the pain is gone and I can resume life as normal.   A friend tells me I need more pictures on the blog so I am attaching pics of my beautiful mums and also the fridge with a portion of the sweet potatoes.   We had 75 lbs of sweet potatoes from the 13 plants Husband raised off the 1/2 sweet potato submerged in water.     Some of you also want to know how to freeze the onions.  I pulse them in the food processor.  Place wax paper on cookie sheets.  Spread the onions out on the cookie sheet.  Cover with seran wrap and place in the freezer.  After a day I break up the onions into chunks and put them in gallon zip lock bags.  Then as I cook casseroles or soups, etc, I take out as much as I want and add to the concoction.  As I have no where to store root vegetables, this works pretty well.  It is simple enough, doesn't require much work and the rewards are great in the winter.    Have a blessed week and ejoy this great weather  .  Thanks for stopping by.

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The end

The end of the coding class.  Yeah.  Now to try to find something part time to get some experience.   No hurry for that though.   I am so happy to be done.   This weekend I took all the onions ( which was not many) and ground them up for the freezer.  I also took some mushrooms that were on sale and put those in the dehydrator.  I how have some dried mushrooms for the winter.   I like to put them in stews and soups.  I have a hard time using up fresh ones in a timely manner so this is how I keep them on hand.   My friend Betty and I wen out antiquing and traveled over to Hermann on Saturday.  No antiques there.  So we were forced to sit at the Adam Puchta Winery and sip.  I purchased their Vingnoles. A nice simi sweet white.  It was a gorgeous day.  We never run out of things to talk about.  I was amazed at how high the Missouri was.  It was out all over the low places along the way.  Also many of the smaller tributaries are out.  My brother in law from North Missouri tells us we have had over 90 inches of rain since April.  That is a record rainfall year.   Crops are TERRIBLE there.   Get ready for higher prices folks.  Again.  Seems like every year we pay more, make do with less and everything goes up but my salary.    Familiar story everywhere I am sure. 
Husband has three job interviews this week.  Everybody say a prayer that he gets one of those please.    Ralph is still under the weather although not as sick as last week.  He is at least eating again.    I plan to do some sewing this week again for the first time in a long time.    Can't wait.  Love the cooler weather too.  Spring and fall my favorites.   Till next week Bev

Thunder and lightning and rain, Oh my!!

I love the rain.  I love the sound and the smell of it.  I love the way plants and trees lift up to capture the water as it falls.  I love the way the world looks bright and clean ( or muddy) after it rains.  Tonight it is raining.  I have been cruising my favorite blog spots and catching up with one and all.  Today was a day spent at the computer finishing a chapter and taking a test.  This chapter was very involved.  Not hard just very involved and I am most happy to be done with it.  I received the good news that my nephew and his wife has a safe delivery of a new 6 pound baby boy.  Last I heard his name was to be Walker. after our maternal grandfather.  So that was happy news.  I know you are all disappointed that I don't have any canning or preserving news for you.   I hope once I finish this class at the end of the month I can fly through some sewing for Christmas.  I made a good start early but was side tracked by the garden.  I have read the good news from several of my girlfriends, (Gerry, Doreen and Carole)  I have been celebrating with you girls on the new babies and the good health news.  Life keeps plunging on.   My poor dog (Ralph) has been very under the weather this week.  Not eating and not getting up or moving around,  He does not act like he hurts anywhere but he is sure not himself.  If he does not perk up he will make a trip to the vet.  He is about 12 or 13 years old .  He was a dump dog that came to me sick and starving.  I nursed him and loved him back to health and he has been so devoted to me since.  He has been a sweet and loving pet.  
Nothing important to share.  Hope you all have a safe week. Living the Life in Mid MO.  God Bless.

Pictures for summers end

Summers end

I always think of Labor Day as the official end to summer.  Everyone is done vacationing and kids are back to school.  For me it is the end of the big gardening season.  Time to put the garden to sleep and start cleaning up the dead flowers.  I officially put the flowers to bed in October.  We have a late fall and late frost here in Mid Mo, compared to NE Mo where I grew up.  I get to enjoy the fall colors longer and the late flowers bloom longer.  I have this interesting perennial daisy like flower that has just started blooming in the last few weeks.   I  no longer remember it's name.  I enjoy the surprise of the blooms in August.   Most of the garden is done.  We have some late stragglers of tomatoes.  The last of the Peppers were picked today.  The sweet potato vines are still green and vigorous.   We are having friends over for a barbecue tonight.  We dug into the sweet potatoes.  The picture is of one plant that the Husband dug.   He started the plants from a sweet potato we purchased in the store.  Just one potato sprouted over 30 plants and a great big vigorous row of vines.   The potatoes look to be excellent.  Not many potatoes to a plant but the size is outstanding.  We purchased a buschel of pie apples from the local Organic garden store.  On Friday ( my day off) we froze eight 8 cup bags of sliced apples.  I made two small apple crisp as give away gifts and made an apple pecan spice cake with cream cheese icing.  I took the cake to the church carry in dinner yesterday.  After church, I went to the Marys Home church picnic in Marys Home, which is near Eugene.  I have to say I don't know when I have seen so many people crammed into such as small town.  The entertainment was Bingo, a quilt auction, a country store and of course the dinner.  Fried chicken, roast beef , lots of deserts and vegetables.  They serve it home style.  You sit and they bring bowl, after bowl, after bowl, of good hot, home cooked food.  They serve mashed potatoes with sour kraut mixed in.  I was a little afraid of it, so a I took a small spoon ful to try.  I like sour kraut but wasn't sure I would like it with my potatoes, but I do.  Very good and unusual.    This is the last Catholic parish picnic for the year.  Now they start in with the fall suppers.  If you like to go there is a dinner about every weekend in the summer with lots of good food and good people to see and visit with.  Quite the Mid Mo experience.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.  Thanks for stopping by.   GOD BLESS.  In God we Trust. 

Radical changes

The longer I live the more I know that life changes from year to year and day to day.  Nothing last forever. Be thankful for what you have while you have it.  Tomorrow might find it all gone or changed.  I am so thankful to have a job as some in my workplace do not.  This past weekend my DH and I drove up to see the daughter and her kids.  Her husband is working out of town and he did not make it home before we left to come back on Saturday evening.  The youngest grandchild has achieved the august age of 8.  And as all young children as they age, has become more interested in his friends than his grandparents.  His little friend was over to help him celebrate.   As soon as the cake and presents were done, they were off to ride bikes and holler.  Fun to watch.   I have been working on my coding class slowly.  I have a three day weekend coming up and hope enjoy a couples day with my husband as well as getting another chapter and test completed,  Hope this finds all well.  God Bless  Beverly

Antiquing Weekend

Hello, and less hot this week.  My best friend and I are here in St Joseph Missouri shopping in some of my old favorite stores and also checking out the antiques along the way and here in St. Jo.   We have a lovely room, have eaten at some good food and laughed a lot.  Laughter is good.  Last week was a very sad week as we lost a dear young friend and nurse that I work with.  She died in a terrible accident.  We will miss her every day.    This weekend I was able to find two Christmas presents.  I am always happy when I find just the right gift early.  I have several projects that I am sewing away on, just need some sewing room time.   Maybe next month.   The peaches are nearly complete.  My husband has been freezing them all week.   Only about 50 peaches left on the tree and then they are done.    Be back home tomorrow and back to work on Monday.  So hope that you all have a great week coming up.   Be safe , tell those you cherish that you love them and stop in again soon.