Snow is in the forecast but the robins are here!!!

I went to Wally World yesterday and got the rest of my gardening supplies.  Although, you're never really done with buying gardening stuff....it's ongoing throughout the Summer and into the Fall...for me anyway.  This is for my trough which will have some veggies this year..............

ans then there's the seed trays.............

and guess what I found at Walmart?   Organic heirloom seeds from BH&G..........I got the collection packets which included a carrot mix, sugar pod peas, Blue Lake Bush bean which I've grown before, and Genovese basil.

Then there's the herb garden which has a slow to bolt cilantro, more Genovese basil, dill, and Italian flat leaf parsley.  There's the butterfly garden which includes milk weed, calendulas fancy mix, cosmos sensation mix and linaria fairy bouquet.  Last but not least, there's the tomato collection which inludes San Marzano, red cherry, cherokee purple and brandywine.  I'm sure I will be going back for some of their individual packets as I need so much more!  Beets, squash, melons and more!
I got a big garbage can on wheels to hold my mulch as I am always using it and I always have bags of it laying around the garage.  This will be a nice repository for it and I can wheel it around the yard wherever I need it.  I'll be able to tell when I need more just by looking in the garbage can.  This is a cheap one, not the heavy duty one that I have for my real garbage.

I did go to the Dollar Tree and got some of the baskets with the handles.  This was the only color they had but I don't care as it will be inside my cupboard.  I only got 3 but if I need more I know where they are! LOL!

But guess what I forgot?  The small mouth jar lids!  Dang!  Oh well, I'll be back there next week.  Now I need to get planting, organizing and cleaning!  Plus, I have a dinner and dessert to make and some bread.  What are you up to this weekend?
Happy Trails!!!

Moving right along!?!

It doesn't seem like I get much done in a day and something always suffers........but I feel good about what little I did so I won't complain.  My son got back from his trip to California and he got me some real sea glass from the sea!  Us land locked folks don't see much sea glass around here! LOL!
I spent a lot of time perusing seed websites today and I am trying to finalize my orders.  If I don't hurry I'll have to wait for next year to start them. I have a Baker Creek Heirloom Seed catalog but their seeds are a little pricey although they have free shipping.  There's a more reasonable site called MIGardener and they are only .99 a pack and are also heirloom but charge shipping.....I'll probably end up ordering a little from both but the furnace bill really took my 'gardening' money.
I also cleaned another cupboard today............I forgot to take a picture before I emptied it but trust me it was stuffed full!  Here's all of it that I took out of it................

Half of it was expired so that made it easy...........here's the after................I put my dried fruits in jars and labeled with my new medium point white paint marker...........

I also started filling and labeling the 1/2 gallon mason jars but my cupboard shelves are too short and not adjustable so they will probably go on my book shelf under the window which is another mess item I need to clean............

Next time I go to Wally World I will be getting the small mouth jar lids and I will be going to the Dollar Tree and getting those baskets with handles for items that come in envelopes like onion soup mix or salad dressing mixes etc.  Right now I'm using a cardboard box with no handle.  I have a long way to go putting things in jars but I really like it and it is so much easier to organize and spot things.
On breaks I worked on my 5th tissue box cover!  That should do it for me but I may be making more later on.  For now, I want to move on to something else.
I hope you had a great day.  It was in the 30's here and cloudy today but tomorrow is supposed to be nice so errands and outside work for me!
Happy Trails!!!
 

Spring has sprung in the Ozarks!

Here's the 'runaway'......no worse for wear and tear.........I tie her up when I'm not out there with her.....I don't trust her now...........

I got a lot done yesterday surprisingly.  I went to the bank and got some checks and paid the last bill of the month.  I dug out my stickers for my bullet journal which I had 'misplaced'....every time I clean and/or organize I cannot find things!  What's up with that?  I got the Kilz from the basement to use on the headboard I'm painting as the stenciling is bleeding through. I washed the parts to the Instant Pot and prepped for my next meal.  It's that time of year to start eating out of the freezer to clear it out so there's room for 'the harvest' including Spring/Summer berries.  I also printed off a chart that tells you how much of each vegetable you should plant per person in order to make it through a year. I cleaned Grace's 2 litter boxes.  I felt like some progress was made along with Nitty being home...that's probably what motivated me.  I worked on my Hawk Run Hollow January cross stitch last night.  Oh, I also baked the rest of the package of corn tortillas which is mindless but takes a while.

   Here' s the proof that Spring is here and coming to a neighborhood near you!  Actually these were blooming 3 days ago but with the Nitty issue I could have cared less. 

The birds are singing and buds are popping..........these are on the Bradford Pear tree

I don't think this is the first dandelion as I think they are year round here....all the weeds are!

I worked outside this afternoon as it was in the 60's perfect 'working outside' weather.  I weeded the trough.........

and weeded and mulched a wash tub with bulbs in it..........hyacinth opening up..............

 I started weeding the NE flower bed but didn't finish as my back said "enough"............

 I cut back my hydrangea...not sure if you're supposed to but there was a lot of old dead wood..........
 It's on the far left against the brick...........

 I came in and baked a roll of refrigerator cookies and now it's time for my supper.........the girls have been fed already.  I even sat in the sun and did a little crochet on a break....that sun felt good!  Never fear though they have snow showers in the forecast for Sunday here! LOL!  This evening I'm working on garden plans and seed order.  I made a gardening notebook today so I can keep track of everything.  What have you been up to?  Any signs of Spring where you are?
Happy Trails!!!

It's a miracle!!!

Nitty is alive and well!!!  I can't believe it!  I got a call from Animal Control that she had a message over the weekend (they're closed on the weekends) that a woman spotted a Rottweiller one street over from me.  The animal control gal went looking but of course, that was several days ago...no sign this morning of her.  She said she would keep an eye out and call me if she saw or heard anything.  About 20 minutes later she called back and said..."We've got her!"  I about fell off my chair!  I said really, a Rottweiller?  "Yes" she said.  A man had spotted her and put her in his car and brought her out to Animal Control and put her in one of their cages over the weekend and gave her food and water and left them a note.  She didn't see her until she went out back to check on the other animals!  OMG!!!  They brought her home to me and she is safely ensconced in the garage.  I have her leash and collar and plan on getting a 'tie-out' for her in the yard so she can lay out there when the weather is nice.  I sort of wondered why she would go off to die as she's eating, drinking and eliminating just fine and doesn't seem to be in any pain.  It could be dementia though or she's just at an age where she doesn't feel the need to follow the rules anymore.  I can understand that! LOL!  I'm going to ensure we go on walks again however short lived they might be.  Everyone needs a change of scenery. I am so blessed to have her back and I thank you all SO much for your kind words as it gave me much comfort.
Thank you all for your prayers....I know it helped.....it is still hard to believe but she's home!!!
Happy Trails!!!

And then there were three...............

I knew I would have to write this post someday but I didn't think it would end this way.  Nitty is gone..........my sweet Nitty girl who was my guardian, my protector and my best friend........

 

 Not gone in the usual way that I thought we would say good bye.  I was up early yesterday morning.....3:00 a.m. and I always let Nitty out before I make my coffee.  I gave her fresh water and her dry food which I pick up at night so as not to attract any 'critters' into the garage. She went out and came back in to the garage and I closed the garage door.  I took my coffee and went back to my bed where I journal every morning.  I was about halfway done journaling when Nitty barked so I went to see what she needed and asked if she had to go out again and she did so I opened the garage door again.  I figured she had eaten and now needed to do her business.  I went back to my bedroom and then I heard the thunder so I went back out to the garage but Nitty wasn't back in yet.  Sometimes she lays in the driveway behind my car so I went out in my pj's to get her back in but she wasn't there.  I called her as gently as I could as it was still very early.  She didn't come and it started to rain....I thought for sure she would come in as she doesn't like rain.  She didn't so I threw on some clothes and went out with a flashlight.  By now the rain was really coming down and on top of that we had dense fog.  I went around the whole yard and could not find her.  The lightening was really crackling so I went in as it would do none of us any good if I got hit.  The storm was a strong one and I was heart sick that she was out in it.  I got in my car and went looking...nothing and between the fog and the downpour I could barely see.  I went home and waited till the storm abated and went back out in my car but still could not see her anywhere.  How could she have gotten missed?  I then went on foot with my flashlight but still nothing.  I came back and thought I would wait until it got light.  I went out with the car again when it did and I thought I spotted her in someone's yard so I got out of the car but it was only a tree stump.  There was a woman outside with her dog and she said if Nitty was around her dogs would have been barking up a storm and they hadn't barked at all.  She said she would come over if she spotted her.  I drove all the places we used to walk but I didn't see her.  I came home and called the sheriff and animal control.  I Googled if dogs really do walk off to die and it said they do.  They know when their time is up and instinctively go to hide to avoid predators as they know they are vulnerable.  They say that even if you call them they won't come out from their hiding place and most times it is close by.  It said it is not personal and has nothing to do with how much they loved you but it is still hard to take.  So, armed with this information I headed out to comb the woods surrounding me, looking under bushes going into the bushiest parts of the woods......nada.  I was soaked because the rain had started again but not heavy.  The gullies were full, the land was swampy and the spring that feeds the lake was gushing into the lake.  Across the street the water had flowed over the road and was spilling into the lake.  My feet were soaked so I went home.  I should have seen the signs of her wandering off a few times in the past month but me , who thought she knew dogs....knew nothing.  She was out in that storm and later the sun came out and it was in the 60' s and no more severe weather.  I was grateful but this morning it is 36.  I have gone to the garage and windows 100's of times thinking I will see her but no.  I thought she might show up at supper time but no.  This morning I ran to the window but no Nitty.  The thought of her out in that storm and the cold makes me heart sick.  I am not afraid of putting a dog down as I never want them to suffer but I watched her and Annie closely and tails were wagging and Nitty was ambulatory since the Vetprofin was working great.  I monitored her eating and drinking and her elimination and everything seemed fine so far.  She was even playful at times.  I had made arrangements and if I had thought she was suffering in any way I would have had her put down.  I knew it was coming but this is heart wrenching and not the way I thought we would say goodbye.  To think of her out there wet and cold and alone makes me sick to my stomach.  I've had a lot of dogs in my life and never had one do this.  So, I cry and I pray and I keep looking out the windows.  I will never forget what a wonderful companion, friend and protector she was....I just wish I had been the same for her.  Please forgive me Nitty.