Fairy Godmother was here.....

I really tried to wait until I had a good, sunny day and take great pics of this project but it was not meant to be.

Also, I was so excited when I stumbled upon this treasure I didn't take a before pic.

My husband is a Stihl chainsaw dealer and they had a metal mannequin that you could put Stihl clothing on and he would also hold a Stihl chainsaw.

Well one day I went to the shop and it was sitting out back and I asked hubby if I could have it and he said yes! (jumping up and down clapping hands while squeeling...not him...but me.)

Picture this...

sort of.....

Did I show you step by step what I did?

Nope....

I was running around like Cinderella's mice dressing this thing!

And here she is......

Miss Stihl Magnolia (get it....Steel...Stihl)

I call her Maggie for short....

The girls couldn't wait to check her out!

She sits beside the chicken scratch area.

She has a crow on her shoulder.

 I braided some yarn for her hair and went to the thrift store for her hat and her clothing.

Of course she had to have eggs in her basket.

Next year these beds will hold vegetables, I hope.

It has rained so much here the flowers didn't do very well.

I still have work to do on the beds and between the beds...

if the fairy godmother would just cough up a little more money and time.

So there you have it..maybe next year I will have pumpkins in the garden

for

Miss Stihl Magnolia.

Her chariot awaits...

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http://www.tillysnest.com/2013/08/down-home-blog-hopnumber-50-back-to.html

http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com/2013/08/cottage-style-party-and-worlds-longest.html

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http://www.justusfourblog.com/category/pinworthy-projects/

http://deborahjeansdandelionhouse.blogspot.com/2013/08/farmgirl-friday-blog-hop-121-and.html

Hubby's Helper

Well I hope you all had a great weekend.

Mine was pretty good, I'm not going to talk about the evil plague poison oak any more (aren't you glad!)

I'm going to tell you how helpful I can be for my sweet hubby.

Saturday he asked me to go with him to spray some fields at a camp at the river.

Of course being the helpful wife that I am (after gesturing to my you know what on my arms and pouting and getting no sympathy) I said I would go with him.

So after I packed a bag or two (insert hubby eye rolling) we were off.

Not one mile down the road hubby decided (even though we have a perfectly good air conditioner) that we should ride with the windows down.

I'm sure it didn't have anything to do with the Clorox bleach that I had all over my arms for the you know what.

That's fine you are suppose to ride on country roads with your arm hanging out the window anyway.

We get to the creepy camp and he sets up the sprayer on the ranger and away he goes.

What was my job as his helper...you ask?

I was to keep myself and the dogs entertained and out of trouble.

Dogs entertained..........check!

Now let's see what I can do......

I did a little bit of this....

And a little bit of this.....

And a little bit of this....

And a little bit of this....

And a little bit of this....

And my most important job was when hubby would come back to refill the sprayer I would yell

"It's 93 degrees even in the shade!!!!"

I know he appreciated knowing that information.

I help when I can....:)

Plus I needed to make sure that he knew that I was hot

....and not in the sexy way....

as you can tell by the fat rolls and the slicked back hair.

And then I decided after finding a bottle of nail polish in my bag that I would paint my awful toenails.

And since I had nothing but time I was able to layer on many coats.

Now are you screaming at the computer screen ?(you know, like you do in horror movies)

"DON'T  DO IT!!"

Did you know there is a reason you have manicures and pedicures in air conditioned buildings?

Um hmm.....yep....

that stuff melted right off my toes!

And then just before I had a melt down myself, hubby showed up and said let's go.

And then we passed by the beautiful pastures...

And stress just melted away (like my pedicure).

We went over the bridge across the creek...

the dogs were so happy to feel a breeze...

And right after we passed the view of the river I said to hubby....

"oh can we turn around and let me take a picture of the river?"

(I'm always thinking of y'all)

Well as he tried to swing around we slid into a huge hole and got stuck!

 We lost a little bit of our peace as he tried to get out and then we broke something under the truck.

I meekly said

"do you want me to push?"

The truck ran hot.....and hubby may have also....

but we eventually got out and headed on home.

(sorry...no river pic)

All was well again in our little world and another typical day in the country was behind us.

(except that I have to help him put in a  new drive shaft tomorrow evening...yuck!)

I'm so glad I was there to help dear hubby......I'm sure he was too....:))))))
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http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com/2013/08/tuesdays-at-our-home-23-and-top-viewed.html

Coopville Diaries - episode 7

Welcome to another episode of Coopville Diaries!

Last week we had all the drama of the name changes of Cim/Natasha, Courtney and Cloe.

But this episode my sweet flock seemed to be aware that I had endured a very tough week.

I would walk by them and I could hear them whispering...

"she's had a rough week..stay out of her way and be on your best behavior."

"she's looking this way........don't make eye contact."

"I heard she has a strange skin condition...poison oak..or something evil like that."

"ha....and she has the nerve to talk about me!"

"Rod Stewart said we must all show her how cute we are.....she may be in a bad mood."

"Look Mom...we will find you some worms."

"Uh oh...she's looking this way.........quick...smile!"

"or get out of her way and runnnnnnnn!!!!!

Oh my sweet chickens.....don't you know that you keep me calm and make me smile.

What would I do without you?

Ahhhh......deep breath.....don't you feel calmer too?

And that concludes this episode of Coopville Diaries!

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http://mysimplecountryliving.blogspot.com/

Be Still....

"BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD"

Psalm 46:10

Lipstick On A Pig!

Do you want to know what the problem is with raising chickens?

Do you know what's wrong with being the famous "crazy" chicken lady?

People want to come visit your chickens.

Which means they have to come into the back yard.

Which means (unless I gouge their eyes out) they have to see my back deck and patio area.

Which is U-G-L-Y!

It's old, dirty, crumbling,  needs tearing down and a complete overhaul.

But............college kid is still in school....:(....grad school.... one more year..(I hope)...but....he is helping....he got a student loan but we will still help also.

So that among other things is making us hold off a little longer on much needed updates on the home front.

Any who....

So yesterday, friends call and say that they have friends from out of town that want to come see my chickens.

Have you ever seen an overweight, out of shape, 40 something year old woman look like Speedy Gonzales?

Andele, Andele, yeehiiiiii!!!!

I don't really even have a before pic for you because I carefully avoided that area with my camera.

Here is a little of the disaster area.

That was back in May when I was trying to be creative with plates........the post was "They Can't All Be Good Ideas"......if that tells you how well that project came out...:(

The patio needs pressure washing at the very least but I had no time for that since the company was coming very soon.

So I run around all over the house and yard and drag up all kinds of junk, crap, items that I may can use.

You know, put a little lipstick on this pig.

Now this next photo is the "after" photo but I do realize that it is my "before" photo for later, when I can afford to really fix this area.

Please don't expect anything nice......I was just going for tolerable.

Yes, I see the dirt and grime on the cement blocks that need to be painted.

Yes, that is painters tape on the steps,  I was going to paint them in the middle and a different color on the ends but I haven't finished that project yet.

Yes, she is still a pig, but I was hoping all the crap would distract you.

The company came, the chickens were shy, they hid under the dilapidated, even uglier deck, that may have had some trash under it, you know, the paper plate that got left outside and blew under the deck, or a cat food can that someone dropped, an old patio umbrella stand.

So of course the company has to stoop and look under the "trashy" deck to see the chickens (I scream NO!!!!!...silently inside my head.)

I don't know why, scary  lady in a book, I..........don't.........know......sigh.

This is my life.......all......the.....time.

And do you remember my grand declaration on 07/30th post?

Gratitude......not going to complain anymore.

Well since that post, my washing machine broke, my laundry room is still a mess, moved college kid back to school, the cat that I "cat sit" for came limping up with a broken leg and I have been taking her to the vet, spent and evening in the emergency room with my Dad, then went to doctors and specialists the next two days, water started pouring out of the ceiling vent because something was wrong with the air conditioner, I have a chicken with a limp and now I'm covered in poison oak!

I've used every remedy known to man, I really need a shot, or to be shot..lol. 

Right now I'm covering myself in Clorox bleach......I am the sexiest thing when I go to bed...whelps and the wonderful aroma of bleach.

Still not complaining, very grateful nothing was life threatening.

But I'm saying that when you make statements like that you better have the Bible by your side and Jesus on your lips!

Did I tell you I am a stress eater?

And did I tell you that I have a family reunion coming up very soon?

If I try really hard I will weigh over 500 pounds and be covered in sores by then.

(scratch, scratch)  

Have a (scratch) blessed day (scrape, scrape, claw, claw)!

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http://www.frommyfrontporchtoyours.com/2013/08/treasure-hunt-thursday-118-top-picks.html

http://sunnysimplelife.blogspot.com/2013/08/from-farm-blog-hop_9.html

Therapy For My Soul....

Thank you all for the sweet comments.........

I'm feeling much better.....less stressed.........

and thankful....

More tests for Dad next week but he is on BP medicine and feeling much better.

I hope each and every one of you has a blessed day!

Not Complaining.....Just a Little Stressed

Sorry that I have been MIA lately

 but I've been moving college kid back to school,

 trying to figure out the world of student loans ( surely you're not surprised that I waited until the last minute)

tuition is due Friday....turned paper work in yesterday (who knew it would take days to process and then they contact the college and it may take them days.......s t r e s s f u l l!)

ironing in my totally disorganized laundry room (no, it's still not finished)

and to top it all off

my Dad had an episode with his blood pressure spiking and we spent Sunday night in the emergency room.

Then when they released us at 1 a.m. they told us to be in his regular doctor's office first thing Monday morning.

Guess what?

His regular doctor has closed his office for a week because he had a family emergency!

Of course!

So we see the doctor who is taking our doctors patients.

We get there bright and early and walk in the door and there is nowhere to sit down because the waiting room is so full.

Three hours later we are called back to a room.

Now here is how life is for me......I have one sister and two brothers.

Two of these live out of town.

My aunt drove my mother (she doesn't drive) and my dad to the emergency room the night before.

All of these (well meaning) people are in my ear saying........you tell that doctor we want this test and that test......no...you just tell him we want dad to see a specialist and he can just refer you to Mobile.  

My aunt's husband just recently passed away and he had a lot of dad's same symptoms so she is telling me all about it and where I should take him.

So by the time we see the local doctor I'm scared to death and a nervous wreck about my dad.

So the doc comes in and asks just a couple of questions before I blurt out "umm..since my dad has several issues we were thinking about just sending him to a specialist if you could refer us."

Well this made the doc mad or offended him I do believe.

I guess it is kind of like driving to McDonalds and saying to the order person "can you tell me where Burger King is?  I like their hamburgers better."

He said "well let's just see what I can do first, ok?" (kind of mad-like)

Then (of course) he said he doesn't believe that dad needs to see a specialist and he will just do some more tests on him Friday! (this was Monday) (emergency room was Sunday)

Are y'all still with me?

We leave the office planning to go back Friday.

Then my brother calls and says that they got Dad an appointment with a specialist today (Tuesday).

Could I take him?

Yes, I can but oh my what about the appointment on Friday?

Will they do the same tests today and we don't need to go see the local doc Friday?

I guess I could cancel the appointment Friday if the specialist is going to run all of the same tests.

I will never get to use this local doc again because he will be upset.

And don't forget that I am checking my computer a hundred times a day to see if the student

loan has gone through because if not we have to pay the tuition by Friday or he will lose all the classes that he signed up for.

AND I feed a cat every day that was my Aunts' but she passed away and her children live away but no one could take the cat so I feed the cat, which is no problem, but the cat broke her leg last week and I've been taking her to the vet and she is due back to the vet this week!

Did I tell you the garbage truck is running today and the exterminator is coming tomorrow?

I am not complaining I am just a little stressed.

Does anyone else live this way?

Why do doctors appointments require you to be like a CIA agent?

Why am I blogging when I have to shower, clean house, feed animals, feed Aunt's cat, pick up Mom and Dad and drive hours to his appointment?

EEEEEEKKKK!!!!

I've gotta go!!!!

I hope all of you have a great (non-stressful) day.....:)