IRISES

It Was A Good Year for the Irises

The "original" two clumps and two clumps only of Irises were located at the far end of this current bed three years ago.  My daughter who became the Resident Flower Gardner in Chief  took apart those two clumps, dividing them and distributing about anywhere we could on this property. She also gave away to other neighbors.  Our closest neighbor she made a flower garden for at the front of their home last year and indeed did transplant Irises into that one.  We had Irises blooming everywhere around us this season.

The "other side" at the front of our home

The Irises on this side were only just put in there last summer.  We were pleased they decided to bloom.  This particular pic may show you we have particularly sandy soil. The Irises do not seem to mind they are not given rich, black, top soil. My daughter is of the opinion they seem to thrive better just as the soil is. Frankly, I was skeptical about transplanting these here because this area are gets direct sunlight from morning until late afternoon. It faces east toward the sunrise. I am very pleased that "daughter knows best".

One of the backyard Iris beds is doing so well, it is threatening to run the other plants out!

 Even  our "The Dead Iris Bed" chose to live and bloom!

It's a funny story, family joke between us. This site was used to put the remnants of Iris bulbs that were not going to grow.  We called it "The Dead Iris Bed".  Last year I loudly exclaimed, "Look "The Dead Iris Bed" has green plants." Some short time passage after that I loudly exclaimed, "Look, 'The Dead Iris Bed' has a bloom!".

At that time,  I have absolutely no recollection of my daughter telling me, she had replanted this tiny triangular section with Iris bulbs that would grow.  Once again this year I loudly exclaimed, "Look, 'The Dead Iris Bed' has blooms."   My daughter gently steered me to a backyard chair with a "Let's talk" and she then explained it all again to me. I'm still thinking this is the FIRST time I've heard this.  We both broke down into long, loud and hearty laughter about all this.

Should I say the myth of our "The Dead Iris Bed" is that IT LIVES!  All credit for a living "The Dead Iris Bed" goes to my daughter.

The FIRST Iris bloom this season came on Memorial Day

Digging in the dirt, growing flowers has always been special to me. It's like heart and soul food for the spirit. My daughter does the work these days.  She loves it and the flowers love her back!  Enjoying their blooms feeds my spirit. Enjoying my own daughter blossoming as she flower gardens also feeds my spirit.

Just in case you may need a reference here is EHow ~ How To Transplant Iris Bulbs  by Cathy Conrad.

You can find me @grammakaye on Twitter.

DAISY on Barkyard Drama

Barkyard Drama by guest blogger DAISY of  @3DogsWhite on Twitter

Introduction ~  Hello! My name is Daisy.  I have two brothers.  Taz is my brother from the same litter. We've never been apart our entire lives. When we were adopted in late Fall of 2011 we had to stay together. The gramma and her family that adopted us were delighted with that. Gramma has some trouble remembering dates and time passages, but she thinks we were born on February 2, 2006.  Not only are we now 7 years old, we were born on Donald Driver's birthday and live in Green Bay, Wisconsin. For those of you who don't know, Donald Driver is a recently retired Green Bay Packers NFL football player and one of the most loved players in Packers history.  Taz and I are Maltese breed dogs.

Buddy is our brother from another mother (and father).  Buddy is 1/2 Jack Russell Terrier and 1/2 Rat Terrier. His birthday is April 20th.  He just turned 11 years old.  Buddy technically "belongs" to gramma's grandson.  Buddy has diabetes and needs two insulin shots each day.  Buddy is pretty much blind now, but that doesn't stop him from still being able to get around in the barkyard.  Both Taz and I help him along when he needs us to. We get along wonderfully. The few times Buddy has given me his infamous nose push, I have stood my ground and told him where he can get off.  He hasn't done that nose push in a long time,  last week he did nuzzle my ear gently with genuine sweet affection.

Barkyard ~ We call our backyard, our barkyard.  We are basically homebodies and our barkyard is our fenced-in kingdom.  We are not exceptionally big barkers except when the back neighbors have people coming and going.  It's our duty to be friendly with barking greetings and goodbyes when we are in the barkyard. There are those times only at the barkyard gate where we can see the street, we have to greet the dogs being walked and their owners, the small children going to and from school and the teenagers too.

We usually bark a little more quietly after 10:00 PM at night if we need to go out to the barkyard.  We don't want to unduly distress any neighbors. Realistically, we are not usually up that late ourselves.  All bets are OFF and the barking is ON if  we hear anyone 'rustling around' to the back, sides or front of our home at anytime. This means if we are inside or outside!  Gramma refers to this as her efficient three dog alarm home security system. Gramma has also told us as far as barking dogs go we are very good dogs.  We don't bark without very good reason. We are not "yippy, yappy" dogs.

Daily life in the barkyard is usually positive.  Gramma's daughter has hung bird feeders out this year.  We have beautiful song birds to behold. They came earlier this season than in the past few seasons.  Gramma was non too pleased the Red Tailed Hawk that usually shows up sometime in July showed up when the song birds did.  She only caught two sightings of that Hawk on two consecutive days.  The barkyard and surrounding area then went "Hawk quiet".

What happened? ~ Last Friday, you may have seen my brother Taz tweeting of  barkyard drama on Twitter. You can always tell when Taz tweets, he tweets like he talks and he loves the letter "z".   For example "it's"  is "itz". While we share our Twitter, brother Taz is our often prominent spokesperson.

We all went out to the barkyard.  Over the fence at the neighbors, Gramma caught sight of the back end of a teeny tiny little critter dashing for a wood pile of twigs and branches. She thought the fur looked "yellow" and didn't see any tail.  Later on she thought that "yellow" may have been the way the sunlight hit upon the critter's fur.

Immediately a SUPER sized Crow swooped down.  Gramma does have various Celtic genes, but she did not exaggerate the size of this particular Crow.  It was about 3 feet tall and approximately 6 inches around at the point of  largest girth.  It was definitely a Crow, unless it was a Raven.  Ravens and Crows are in the same bird family, except Ravens are BIG like this. Gramma said it was the largest one she has ever seen.

That bird stomped, pecked and peeked around that large pile of twigs and branches for five straight minutes before it got bored and flew away.  Gramma said she was in such a state of shock about the size of that bird that she doesn't dare to estimate what the wing span of that bird is except to say large, long wing span. Gramma said it was a good thing that Red Tailed Hawk has not been around lately or that teeny tiny little critter would have been a goner for sure.

Taz may have gotten his feelings hurt just a little bit.  Gramma told us, "the baby rabbits may be out of their nests, that teeny tiny little critter might have been one and you all have to be good."  I am the calm, peaceful one. I understood Gramma about being careful about chasing if a bunny comes across your path.  I only hope I can remember that when the time comes.  Taz lives in the very present moment, he told me he loves Gramma too much to talk back but he was thinking, "Fence, Gramma, fence, no wayzzz weez couldz haz chased thatz baby rabbit."

This morning ~ Ah ha! Two different times, Gramma spied baby rabbits. She was only able to get a picture of one of them, the larger of the two.

Then what?  ~ The tiniest rabbit (no pic) both Gramma and her daughter saw this morning. Then Gramma's daughter shared she had picked up Grand (grandson) near the high school at a bus stop on West Point Road yesterday. He came rollerblading toward the truck, herding a small doe (female deer). Daughter said the rollerblades must have 'spooked it up' and there boy and doe were side-by-side until the doe took the lead and cut across in front of Grand and deer hopped away. 

Joy ~ Small city living can hold such fun and positive drama.  Open your eyes and look around you! See and appreciate what you have! We love our barkyard!

Fun ~ it's been fun to share my first blog post with you.  This is my brother Taz's first blog post from last summer TAZ On Home Dog Grooming.  We all have "paws crossed" that very soon Buddy will want to do his own guest blog.

Find our Gramma @grammakaye on Twitter. Find me DAISY there along with Taz and Buddy @3DogsWhite.

Dandelions

Thinking Dandelions ~ I was just thinking about Dandelions this weekend, I even took this picture over the weekend, with a 'maybe' on if  I'd work up a Dandelions blog post. "Direct synchronicity" hit this morning...

@WISCTV_News3 (Madison, Wisconsin television station)  twitter feed had a story indicating Dandelions will be abundant this season:  Dandelions More Numerous This Spring.

I love to think. Sometimes my brain simply will not cooperate as I would like it to. This weekend's Dandelions 'think festival' was actually fairly brief.

1.  I've always loved the bright yellow color of blooming Dandelions. Such a happy color and easy to see.

2.  It took time for my fingers to 'catch on' when I was a child to make those Dandelion chains and Dandelion crowns.  My Auntie who grew the Shasta Daisies surely did not offer the precious dedication of raising them flowers up as to allow their blooms to be sacrificed in these ways. Dandelions were in plentiful supply. I think I remember some yellow fingers and thumbs from handling them. I think I remember having to scrub wash my hands after any extended playing time with Dandelions because I think I remember having 'itchy hands'.  I think I remember getting 'swacked' in the face (during playtime, in fun) where the milk from the stem came in contact with my skin and left a 'red mark' on one of my cheekbones for quite a long time.

3.  Over the years remembering so many Dandelion analogies and/or metaphors for life, I also remembered the first one I ever heard. That very week my childish lips stopped blowing the fuzzy headed Dandelions to the wind.  A little vague now and even to some perhaps a little 'dark',  it came from a church service preaching about not letting sin tap into your heart like the Dandelion root and not allowing sin in your own life to grow and propagate being distributed to the world around you. This young child while maybe not exactly understanding all of that sermon never blew another fuzzy Dandelion to the wind.

Dandelions are Dandelions. As far as analogies and/or metaphors for life; I believe there are positive qualities to offer.  "Pffff, blow that fuzzy headed Dandelion like it is ____ and put it on the wind." <--- JOY, FAITH, HOPE, LOVE, TRUST (to name a few).

That deep Dandelion tap root can be said to be a steadying anchor, a tenacious need to exist, survive and thrive. I am positive you can think your own Dandelions thoughts, a few or a lot!

4.  I wanted to see what other Dandelions thoughts were out on this Internet.  I found these to share:

Lessons From A Dandelion by Donna Doyon ~ Inspirational ~ (About a 3 minute read, one of those reads so beautifully said and written, I knew I could never say this better!)

Fun With Dandelions by Diane Flynn Keith from Universal Pre-School ~ A delightful page, so much there (about a 10 minute read)

The Lesson Of The Dandelion by Miriam Rockness in a blog about the art and writings of Lilias Trotter ~ A very unique spiritual perspective with religious significance ( about an 8 minute read, only you will want to read it over again, maybe even several times)

The Dandelion Approach by Daniel Goodall on his ALL THAT IS GOOD blog.  ~ how that Dandelion relates to marketing, very sound points made (about an 8 minute read).

5.  The 'real' Dandelions in either your front or backyard may be considered a blessing or a curse or even both. (I'm not happy about the abundance of them in my own yards this year.) Today we got together and shared some Dandelions thinking. That has to count for something. Obviously, as you can gather from my picture above, my back yard is also being taken over by Quackgrass which is a whole 'another' subject I may or may not get to in this blog.

Find me @grammakaye on twitter. As always, feel free to leave a comment.

Edited: May 29, 2013

Alleged Panties Flashing Brings Healing

Subtitled:  How My Alleged Panties Flashing Brings Some Healing to The Disconnects



"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" ~ Romans 8:28


 School ~ Learning in school was not hard for me. Reading far in advance of my age level was not hard for me. Sitting still all day long in school was very hard for me. I think I was 'in motion' since I was born. I loved recess at school and I put every fiber of my being into it. The other girls didn't do the 'monkey bars' or even half of what playground equipment was offered. I did all the playground equipment. Of course, my family's penchant for cleanliness and washing up, meant I had to wash my hands and face, get the dust off my socks, sometimes wash the playground dirt and dust from my legs in the girl's bathroom and make it back to my classroom seat on time. It was worth it.

I did not have a hard time with the other girls.  A small group of about four other girls sometimes seemed to have a hard time for me. I didn't understand it, I usually ignored it, although I would sometimes get these real 'pinchy' feelings inside when it happened.

So, if this day at school had been a boxing match, I was pretty much going to get hit with a knock out punch, fall to the mat and be counted out, giving another certain victory.

Flashing (Showing Off) Your Panties ~ I did my usual after recess bathroom routine and was about to go through my classroom door when my teacher Miss W. got hold of me and my dress by the neck and was hauling me hard up the hall toward the Principal's office. She asked the Principal if she could use his office and if he wouldn't mind attending to her classroom for a while. She had a situation that needed her immediate attention.

Miss W. ~ "It has been reported that you have been flashing your panties to the boys on the playground at recess today and every day for quite some time. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Me ~  "Miss W. I don't know what you are talking about, I wouldn't flash my panties to the boys. I wouldn't do that."

Miss W. ~ "Wait right here."  Miss W. leaves and then returns with four girls from my class (you can guess which ones, see above here.) "Girls, is it true (my name goes here) flashes her panties to the boys on the playground at recess?"

Girl #1 replies, "Of course it's true. She's been doing that for two months. We felt it was important and time to say something."  The other girls are nodding their heads yes, murmuring in agreement. Miss W tells them, "Thank you" asking them to return directly to the classroom.

Miss W. ~ "What have you got to say for yourself now?" But before I can even begin to think a thought, Miss W. continues on with "This will not be tolerated, it is flagrantly disgraceful, morally depraved, outrageous and unbecoming to a lady."

I have this sensation, I had it four time previously, I didn't really know what it was, I know what it is now...it's when something occurs that strikes you so horribly that internally all the blood seems to drain from your body, only this time I feel totally and completely paralyzed and helpless. The clock in the office just keeps ticking and I'm frozen in my chair. Miss W says, "Well?"

A tiny little voice escapes me to respond to Miss W. ~ "Miss W. I think you just told me I am being wicked and sinful on purpose. Miss W. I don't flash my panties to the boys."  Now my  face begins to heat up to blazing bright red, but this is the only thing I could think of at the time, "Miss W.  I played with these boys (name names) yesterday and these boys (some names were the same) the day before, could you please ask them?"

Miss W. ~  "I will speak about this to Mr. R. (the Principal) and I will see if Mr. R. will speak to the boys. Please tell your Aunt I will be calling her about this situation."

We go back to the classroom, Miss W. sends me in and motions Mr. R. out to speak with her in the hallway. Miss W. returns to the class.  A few minutes pass and Mr. R. calls six boys out of the classroom to go with him and at some time later they return to the classroom.

I can't look anyone in the eyes. I finish out my school day, I don't think my face ever stopped being red, and blazing is now added to bad headache (blazing bad headache) and I feel like I want to throw up over and over and over again. When the end of the day bell rang, I was so grateful except I had to go home and face my Auntie with all this news. All I could think is "another big mess, another big mess, why am I always a big mess?"

Coming Home ~ Having just slank home from school feeling yet another all time low, fighting back the urge to sob, I entered through the front door, hoping I could just quietly get into the house and get into my room. I usually came in through the back door. Uncle Earl 2 was usually home.

Uncle Earl 2's voice: "Sissy, is that you?"

Me: "Yes, it's me Uncle Earl 2."

Uncle Earl 2:  "Come on to the kitchen, I have your sandwich made and a glass of milk and two cookies too."

Me: "I'll come sit with you Uncle Earl 2. I don't know if I can eat a bite. Uncle Earl 2, I feel so sick." I came in and sat down. "Uncle Earl 2, I'm in trouble at school, bad trouble for something I didn't do and some girls say I did. I think I'm having a hard time."

Uncle Earl 2: "Yes, I've been on the phone with both Miss W. and Mr. R. your Auntie will be here very soon.  I want you to try not to worry. We'll get this all worked out."

Me: "You don't understand Uncle Earl 2, I think I'm having a hard time. Every night I say my prayers and every morning I say my prayers. The only thing I ask for myself is to just be happy, I want to be happy like I was before Daddy died and Mama got sick. I try to be happy every day. It's not working out. I am afraid Jesus and God aren't hearing me (a lone wail escapes from within). Uncle Earl 2, I'm having a hard time."

Uncle Earl 2 says "Oh Sissy, oh Sissy, oh Sissy, he puts his arms around me and picks me up. I'm so sorry, so very sorry." Sometime during all this my Auntie E2 and my first cousin (their daughter) come in from the back door.  I had looked over and Cousin S. seemed to have a shocked look on her face.

Uncle Earl 2 said to me "Sissy, go on change out of your school clothes and go play, your Auntie E2 and me need to talk a bit and I've got to get off to work."

Auntie E2 took me to school the very next day. I know she spoke with both Mr. R. and Miss W. together.  She returned to school about an hour and a half later with a special brand new pair of shorts she made for me to slip on under whatever dress or skirt I would be wearing each day along with a note to be placed on my file that I should be allowed the time to put my shorts on before recess and take them off after recess.

The truth was I did not on purpose (deliberately) flash my panties at the boys. There were a few times my panties could be seen at recess (because I played so hard and was unawares of it).

 (I'm pretty sure now, some of that depended upon the particular dress or skirt I was wearing that day). I was not "flagrantly disgraceful, morally depraved" after all. The reporting girls got a lecture with the Principal and their parents all together.

I didn't do an immediate 'bounce back' after this mess. I was more cautious and less trusting of any of my schoolmates, even though the boys I played with at recess were truthful and stand-up. I was strongly embarrassed. My heart hurt for a very long time.

Oh No! Another Ordeal Reveals ~  Cousin S. began coming home from school right away more often. She would sideways glance and I swear give a sneer at Uncle Earl 2 and I at the kitchen table.  One Saturday morning not too long after, Cousin S. came out to the front yard where I was playing.

She came up to me and pushed me down on my butt.  I got up and she pushed me down again. I got up and I keep backing away, she moves forward and pushed me down again. Every push down she was pushing on my shoulders/chest area with both hands.

I yell,  "What are you doing, have you gone crazy?" she says nothing and our push down, get up, back away, push down dance keeps going.  "Why are you doing this?"  I cry out.

"You know why." she replies and I swear it sounded like a snarl.

"OK, I'm sorry I borrowed your movie magazines, I put I put them all back and didn't smudge but one of them. I only tried to read one of your romance magazines, they are too icky for me. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, ok I'm sorry." She isn't slowing down or stopping at the push downs.

"You don't ever hug my daddy's neck again, do you hear me? Never again."

"What in the world is going on out here?" ~ I hear my Auntie E2's voice and look over. Both she and Uncle Earl 2 are on the fronch porch looking at us.

"Both of you, inside, right now" ~ Uncle Earl 2's voice and I tell you he 'ain't' kidding. We go inside and are standing in the living room. "Now what is this about?"  She is silent, I am silent. Uncle Earl 2 says, "Sissy, you tell me and you tell me right now."

"She's mad at me for hugging your neck the day I was in so much trouble."

Boy, did Uncle Earl 2 ever give her the look followed by, "Well she needs to know that I hugged your neck that day, doesn't she?"  He pointed at her, told her to go to her mother's bedroom, looked at Auntie E2 and told her to go with her and wait for him there. He then looked at me and said, "Sissy, go to your room." My face must have looked a little crushed because he amended it to "Sissy, you aren't in trouble, would you please go to your room and stay there a while."

Not World War II but might have been close to it ~ I heard it through the walls, not all of it, but enough.

Uncle Earl 2 ~  "That child is 10,11 years younger than you and you are pushing her down, she's lost her daddy, her mother is too ill to care for her, we are who she's got and you treat her like that! Has your mind lost all common sense? Right now we are all she's got, am I going to have to worry about you beating her up all the time?"  (sounds of crying, muffled sounds/talking I can't quite get).

Cousin S. ~ "Daddy, don't walk away. I don't want to lose you. We're losing you and I don't want to lose you. I don't want you to die. I don't want you to leave me. I don't want you to be angry with me like this. I want you to love me." (more crying, muffled sounds I can't quite get) followed by...

Uncle Earl 2 ~ "I'm right here little darling, I'm right here right now, I'm here, come over here and hug my neck. You, come over here too and hug me."  (I think Uncle Earl 2 may be talking to Auntie E2. (more crying, muffled sounds I can't quite get.)

I am about to lose my breath, no please, no please, what did Cousin S. just say? Oh, don't let that be... Uncle Earl 2 is dying? I begin to cry as quietly as possible because I do not want to disturb them. I remember hearing some more muffled talking and then I begin to feel so tired and fall into sleep.

Another day later on, I was able to talk to Auntie E2 about Uncle Earl 2 a little bit. We had a good talk.

Better Days ~ Cousin S. came home straight after school more often and I wouldn't say she was exactly nicer to me thereafter, she still had some acid to her voice and that "Sarcasm" but we would both sit at the kitchen table with Uncle Earl 2 until he got off to work. Whenever she came in from school, if her daddy was right there, she's make sure to go over and give him a hug. She'd give him another hug when he got ready to walk out the door and ever so often she would turn to me and say, "C'mon you, hug my daddy's neck." and I would get to give Uncle Earl 2 a big hug myself.

Auntie E2 adjusted her schedule just that little bit so me and Cousin S. would have our time with Uncle Earl 2 and then she'd come in and join us. There was a little bit more laughter. They too had a little bit more hugging. It wasn't all perfect but a dang sight better than the 'disconnects' I had been feeling earlier.

Conclusion ~ Later on, having spent time with my own husband who was facing his own mortality through lung cancer that had spread; I suspect when you know your mortality is on the time clock,  it is deeply personal, very lonely even and a very hard thing to do. ( "hard" ~ "very hard" ~  these words occur often in this particular telling.)

I think (now) the disconnects of this childhood time weren't about not loving, it was about loving so much and figuring out how to cope with this from all parties, not just the one who was scheduled to depart. I think the disconnects were 'distances' (physical and emotional distancing?) chosen by all to try and self-protect themselves and even each other.

My advice is no matter how difficult it is, figure out the way to close the distance (you don't have to smother either). Or am I saying, don't allow this type of  'distance' to disconnect from each other?  Keep and maintain connection any way you can.

See this little Sissy girl, please remember her two truths that finally became self-evident through her entire life:

1. Smart as a whip and dumb as a rock all at the same time

2. Catalyst (no matter who or what, when she is around, things are gonna happen)

Be nice to her (now the older me) for taking some good credit in these particular instances,

 sometimes God gives even little children very hard jobs  

More family stories with Auntie E2 and Uncle Earl 2

The Disconnects

THE BIG STINK

Remembering Them and Then

You can find me @grammakaye on Twitter. Comments are always welcome.

Edited Update:  May 20, 2013

The Disconnects

Subtitled: The Prelude to How My Alleged Panties Flashing Helped to Heal The Disconnects



Me, see "The Picture Story" at end of blog



"We hold these truths to be self-evident...." ~  The "Preamble" the the United States Declaration of Independence.  As a little girl, "truth and truths" were not always self-evident. The only thing self-evident were the consequences if you did not tell the truth (or were thought not to be telling the truth) and sometimes the consequences when you did tell the truth. 

TWO TRUTHS ~  The two truths that became evident about me and my life that have stood the test of time are

1.  "Smart as a whip, dumb as a rock all at the same time." (I tweeted this to a friend the other week.)

2.  "Catalyst" as in no matter who or what, anytime I was around, things were bound to happen.

Busy ~  Auntie E2 was a complete busy body and I mean that in the kindest, most loving way. She got me off to school every morning, spent her first two hours cleaning house (she kept an immaculate, spotless home), doing dinner preparation, packing Uncle Earl 2's lunch for work. She always had an individual dinner serving fixed and waiting for Uncle Earl 2 before he left for work. We didn't have microwaves (they weren't invented yet), often he might have to warm it up in the oven.

After housekeeping/kitchen chores Auntie E2 would then 'fix herself up' (she always looked great) and spend the rest of the day in and out of the home. She did make efforts to be home by the time Uncle Earl 2 left for work. That always did not work out. They each had their own cars. (I considered that to be well off, i.e. affluent.) 

Auntie E2 had Flower and Garden Club, she was a member of the Book Of The Month Club (mail order), so she had established monthly book club meetings, she had weekly Methodist Church activities, she and I did one total movie theatre cleaning and prep each week together when I got out of school, I would go straight to the movie theatre. She was organized. She kept a change of clothes there for me to clean in. She always blessed my heart for being there when she had to change the movie posters. I can't exactly remember what, (something to do with them movie posters??) ~ I think it was to change the posters out required entering some quite tight inside enclosed spaces to get into the back of the outside displays and the glass? It was the way the theatre was built. Being in tight enclosed spaces really bothered her.

I really don't recall if she was involved in the card club (Bridge or whatever it was). It seemed like there was always tea/coffee socials happening. She made either cakes, cookies, candy or punch for many of those.

She was a remarkable and premiere clothing seamstress. She could make her own patterns. She could also make curtains, drapes, pillows. She loved decorating. She was both an inside house painter and she like to try her hand at artistic painting. She loved doing crafts works, the type of crafts that  incorporated those skills.  It depended upon the project, the end product either blended or stood out, always looking good. Auntie E2 had a good eye and a strong sense of  'taste'.

She knew how to repair, paint, decorate and make old furniture look wonderful and functional once again. Specifically, the word 'redemption' was important to Auntie E2, she used it regularly with regards to furniture and objects she fixed up. 'Redemption' counted in tailoring a good garment fit. It especially counted in the re-make of an entirely new garment from used clothing.  Today, I 'know' she transferred that attitude of redemption toward people (including me) ~  we had value, were valued, had purpose and meant something.

She had at least two scheduled shopping trips per month (all day excursions) 50 miles North to the largest city. Auntie E2 knew how to cut hair for anyone. She knew how to give home perms. Add to that the most mundane of chores, washing, drying and IRONING clothes every week. That alone was a huge task.

Auntie E2 had a grasp or command of the English language. When she spoke, her words flowed. She had a lovely spoken voice and I couldn't help but pay attention to her. Her voice contained the authentic grace and charming allure of her very Southern upbringing.  The absolute worst thing I could possibly find to say about Auntie E2 is if she was suddenly startled to laughter, she sometimes 'cackled'. Even that was incredibly charming and I feel I can almost feel her right now with a loving, laughing 'cackle' from heaven.

Through my little girl eyes and now my later in life eyes, Auntie E2 was a phenomenon.

After dinner in the evening, sometimes Auntie E2 would set the alarm clock to take a one hour nap. I was usually doing my homework if I had any. If no homework, I had her approval to help myself to her novels, books of short stories and magazines.  I would then watch some television or watch Auntie E2 sew or do one of her craft projects. Sometimes she would already have 'set-up' a craft project for me to do with her. 



L to R Mama, Daddy, Auntie E2, their first child, Uncle Earl 2 ~ 12+ years before I was ever born (was the only pic I could find of Auntie E2 and Uncle Earl 2 together)

The "Ghosts" ~  My first cousin (their daughter) was a Senior in High School. She was rarely around. She came and went as she pleased. She had friends and school activities, something going all the time. She was probably every bit as busy as Auntie E2.  Those few times I do remember her being around up unto this point, she made me feel very uncomfortable. She sideways glanced at me. Her tone of voice when she did speak to me was what I later came to know as being 'acerbic'.  "Sarcasm" is very popular today. I'm very positive back in that day...she had the market cornered on it.  I did hear her daddy (Uncle Earl 2) say to her a couple of times she was out pretty late and to work on 'reigning that in'.  I had a tiny relief in that although she didn't talk back badly to him, she gave him that sideways glance too. She was kind of a 'ghost' that came and went to me. 

Uncle Earl 2 due to his schedule did spend a lot of time in his own bedroom. Part of that were the hours he worked and the need to sleep during the daytime. Uncle Earl 2 was not a 'ghost' to me because my after school schedule meshed up several times during the week to be home while he was preparing to leave for work. He was gracious about a little talk, sandwich and milk at the kitchen table. He and Auntie E2 and myself usually had family dinners together on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays before we all went together to do the theatre duties. Of course, I stayed home one of those night until Perry Mason was over and then scrambled to the theatre and first checked in with Uncle Earl 2 in the projection booth.

Essentially, Uncle Earl 2 was dying of lung cancer. I didn't know this. He knew this. His family knew this. With all these individual family members "passing each other by" schedules, something wasn't right with this family, now my family.

I didn't sense 'coldness' or 'indifference' exactly.  I was little, I don't know then if I would have had the language word to sense what I was sensing even though I was pretty dang smart about many language words (you'll see that from my next blog).  In this my telling, I have chosen the word "disconnects" ~ yes, there was love, but there was some type of  'disconnects' going on too.

Disconnects ~ all about to change...Some small shifts in scheduling changes... shifts toward stronger connections.  I'm claiming some of the good credit because if I hadn't been accused of  'panties flashing' at school (very bad), I don't see how that could have happened.  I'll be telling you how that all came about and what happened my next blog post.

The Picture Story ~ My picture at the top of the blog:  The day this picture was taken I was 'worn out' and doing my very best not to let it show and disappoint Auntie E2.  Auntie E2  permed, cut, and styled my hair that day. My dress is brand new, she made it for me. She wanted to take celebration pictures just to remember the day. Like I said I was 'worn out' as in dazed, nauseous from the perm chemicals, overwhelmed with all that intense attention and focus on only me, not to mention having to sit still for most of an entire day!

I'm so happy I cooperated. It's now a very cherished picture and absolute proof of love. Let me tell you, when people don't love you, they don't 'do for you'.... like Auntie E2 did this day and her and Uncle Earl 2 did stepping up to help raise me as best they could.

Other family stories with Auntie E2 and Uncle Earl 2

 Remembering Them and Then

THE BIG STINK

Alleged Panties Flashing

You can find me @grammakaye on twitter. Comments are always welcome.

Edited update: May 18, 2013

THE BIG STINK

Image Credit: Bing Images

Additional attribution Marcus Ward & Co. greeting cards

Forgive them for any mixed messages moments that you considered unjust at the time.

THE RULE ~  Do not accept candy from strangers, do not accept rides either, in fact do not get into a car with any person you do not know.

While living with Auntie E2 and Uncle Earl 2 was less strict, this was also one of their stated rules of conduct when I came to live there. As a young child, I was known to drive people crazy with my questions. Previously, I had questioned Mama as to why. Mama's long index finger pointed at my face and the 'absolute' tone of her voice as in, "You will do as you're told." more than implied and inspired complete loyalty and acceptance to this rule. 

My Sunday Schedule ~  I went to Sunday School, I loved it.  Now, I had the freedom not to be parked on a church bench for the morning service that followed Sunday School. Auntie E2 provided me with a Timex watch so I could keep track of the time. Uncle Earl 2 worked very hard to get an adequate band fit for my little girl wrist. 

Spring, Summer, Fall ~ I would 'mad dash' out of Sunday School, get home, get changed into my play clothes and shoes, head out to the woods hiking, playing in the dirt, enjoying the fragrance of the Manzanita bushes, eyeballing chipmunks, birds and any other wildlife that I might trip across. When I remembered to bring a paper bag, I could gather pine cones and any odd rocks I might find. I needed to be home for Sunday dinner no later than 1:30 PM.  My forages to the woods were pure, unadulterated FREEDOM! 

I would have to 'wash up' for dinner and change back to good clothes. We would leave to prepare the movie theatre after Sunday dinner dishes were done and put away. I can't recall the exact time of Sunday matinee, but it was later in the afternoon followed by a short break before the Sunday evening show started. The Sunday matinee was later to make sure everybody who wanted to go to church could and have time for their own Sunday dinners. The Sunday evening show began earlier (than Friday and Saturday nights started) so people could be home at a decent hour after the show let out to prepare for Mondays. (small village)

There They All Were ~  I came home one Sunday afternoon.  My 1st cousin, (their son) and his wife were there. They weren't around each and every week at all. (The wife preferred to have dinner with her parents next door and then just come by afterwards to visit his parents a little bit if it worked out.)  It was a surprise to me to see them  for Sunday dinner. Something wasn't right, the cousins were staring bore holes right into me. Auntie E2 said for me to "run on and wash up, come sit for dinner, we need to talk to you."  

I did as I was told, came in and sat down....we passed around the food, I was particularly interested in the mashed potatoes and gravy. Auntie E2 questions, "What happened with you and Mr. Such and Such  last Sunday?"  I reply, "Who is Mr. Such and Such and what do you mean, what happened?" (I use Mr. Such and Such because I truly can't remember his name to even put his initials down.)

Auntie E2 continues "The man who wanted to give you a ride." 

I respond, "Oh, him. I was down on the street below and he pulled up and talked to me. He offered me some candy and I told him 'No, thank you. I am not supposed to take candy from strangers'.

He told me he wasn't a stranger, he'd known me my whole life. I told him I was sorry, but I don't know who he is. He told me to 'get in and I'll give you a ride up to your Auntie's house'. 

I told him that was very kind, but no, thank you, I am only five houses away and up the alley hill to get here. I'm very happy to walk it and be outdoors."

I then tell the dinner table that I walked it and I continue somewhat irritated with "Who is Mr. Such and Such?"

My first cousin joins in the conversation, "Mr. Such and Such is my boss at the mill. He thinks you might have gotten the wrong idea about him and you are going to apologize to him."

I say, "Apologize, what do you mean apologize and what do you mean wrong idea?  I don't understand, I don't know who Mr. Such and Such is and I didn't accept his candy and I wasn't getting into his car for a ride this close to home either."

My first cousin says his mother (my Auntie E2) is going to call Mr. Such and Such up and have him come over to the house right away (now) and I'm going to tell Mr. Such and Such that I am sorry.

I was so flustered (angry) I yelled, "I don't know how to tell Mr. Such and Such I am sorry. I don't think I should have to be sorry." 

Auntie E2 said  "I'll help you with that." 

Mr. Such and Such comes by after Auntie E2 called him, I said something like "Mr. Such and Such, I am very sorry I did not know who you are. I am very grateful for your kindness offered to me. I sure didn't mean to hurt your feelings if I did that. Please forgive me."

Mr. Such and Such left, I was feeling miserable I had to apologize and it might have all been OK, if my first cousin and his wife hadn't gotten 'mean mouthy' toward me at that point. They were not understanding that I was just a kid, a little girl.  It was more than I could bear, I took a run for it, out the back door and down the alley as fast as I could go. (I probably did yell at my cousin, "Why are y'all being so hateful?" before I took off running.) 

My first cousin took a run after me and caught me, lifted me up on one shoulder, my backside facing out and paddled my butt with his other hand (hard, it stung) all the way back to the house including him continuing to be 'mean mouthy'. Y'all should know I disputed then and will continue to dispute being "such a devil child, the angels cried the day you was born." 

I ran to my room crying and bawling in a complete and horrible state of well over wrought misery. Has anyone else noticed when you are young, the amount of snot the brain releases through your nose cavities when you cry hard and long?

Tap, tap, tap sometime a little later on my door.... Uncle Earl 2 was outside it, "Sissy, I really don't want to bother you, do you think you could wash up some and come to the theatre with us. You know your Auntie and me can't manage without you there. We need your help."

I washed up and got off to the theatre with them.

I had noticed the entire time throughout my ordeal that Uncle Earl 2's face looked like a dark summer storm had come upon it and a vein in his forehead had popped out (or up?) and was throbbing.  I know Uncle Earl 2 despised gossip of any sort.  Sometimes during the week days, our schedules meshed where he would be up stirring around, getting ready to go to work and he'd invite me for a little talk, make me a sandwich and pour me a glass of milk. (I think Uncle Earl 2 had to time clock in at the mill for around 4:00 PM.)

On one of those days a short time after this incident Uncle Earl 2 told me something like, "We're not gonna talk about the Mr. Such and Such thing...Sissy, I'm telling you right now, you don't ever have to accept candy, accept a ride, get into any car that you are not sure about whether you know the people or not and I mean it." 

More about Auntie E2 and Uncle Earl 2:   Remembering Them and Then

I can be found @grammakaye on Twitter. Comments are always welcome.



WELCOME PACKERS ROOKIES!

Welcome Green Bay Packers rookies to Green Bay, Wisconsin

You will be officially orientated and inundated with vasts amount of information and abundant work as you begin the path to your professional football career through your new employer.  I don't want to complicate that, I do want to give you these few tips. Several of these tips are targeted for the time not that far away when you officially begin to settle, get your own place and live in Green Bay.

FEELING AT HOME ~  I understand that you are now fully grown men who first left home to go to college. There still might be a few times you miss family members, loved ones, significant others. There may be times when your new place simply doesn't feel 'at home'.

BUY A BAKING SHEET or COOKIE SHEET  and a spatula  ~ You don't have to make a mess trying to mix from scratch cookies or invest in all the ingredients and supplies to do so. You can buy cookie dough from the grocery store, follow directions, cut it up, put it on the baking sheet and in a few short minutes ~ you have warm cookies fresh from the oven.  The smell of cookies baking in your new place is going to lift your spirits and make your new place feel more HOME.  The challenge to this is the smell of cookies baking also bring any room mates right out to that kitchen, it's like a magnet to the football players that may live in apartments close by.  You may have to purchase more cookie dough than what you think you will need for yourself. I have also heard that football players can drink a lot of milk...have plenty of milk for yourself, tell the others to bring their own gallon of milk with them. This is my top tip for you.

FIND A DECENT MEAT STORE AND/OR GROCERY STORE that includes a good meat and deli counter  ~  I live on the west side of Green Bay which puts me very close by to Maplewood Meats.
This is our meat store as often as possible. It is reasonably priced for meat. You may pay a little bit more there, but there is NO WASTE ~ NONE.  You are getting the high quality and value for your money. (We are not related in any way to any of the people at this meat shop, we just like them and their products and we shop there.) Be sure to note their hours. They close at 12 Noon on Saturdays.

There are several stellar grocery stores in our area also. A couple of them are really gems as far as their meat counters, deli counters, even their bakeries. A particularly excellent resource for these various grocery stores PLUS many community activities that are happening in this area is Green Bay Consumer . They are @GBConsumer on Twitter.

Remember ~  Football is what you do, not who you are.  While football may be a vital component in your current life path, being a productive, happy, healthy man is equally vital, worthy and necessary. Personally, I wish you the very best of successes in what you do and who you are.

If other folks would like to put their tips in the comment/reply section...feel welcome to do so.

You can find me @grammakaye on twitter.