Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Garden CleanuP, Our New Donkey, And Learning To Be

 Hi friends,
Well; 
Last week I shared  

THIS mess. 
It about got the best of me but...
persistence pays off.  
Sometimes you just gotta keep chipping away at things-
or pruning away I should say.  
Pulling, hauling, and even grunting a little too.  
I wound up with a huge load of vines to haul to the burn pile. 
Tomato vines, dead clematis,
and the morning glories; ... well... -- I almost shudder at the 
millions of seed that kept falling from their pods as I pulled those wretched 
things off fence posts.  Okay; maybe that sounds harsh... but seriously 
give a morning glory an inch and ... 
well... 
you know the rest 
of the story.  

Last week I forgot to share with yall 
about our newest family addition:

 A friend on facebook shared a post with me about 
a free donkey.  I saved the pic to my phone
and later added her to my Hobo that night.
 I didn't even respond to the ad right away thinking;
surely she was gone already.  
But ... what if??? 
I kept thinking about it so finally private messaged the lady who ran the ad and 
she gave me the number to her Aunt. 
I phoned her and we talked quite a long time.
Her husband had passed away just three weeks earlier and this donkey was his.  
The woman said she was 80 years old (same age as my Momma in heaven) and 
 told me she knew she couldn't care for "Ruth the donkey" through Winter.
As hard as it was; she had  to find her a good home.  
I really enjoyed visiting with her... and if you know me... you know how much
my AngelMother  loved our donkeys.  I don't know but ... it felt like something was just clicking
 between this woman and myself??  
Before we hung up, she told me we could have Ruth.  
I was so excited and text Myguy right away about them.
Happily; he was in full favor of us getting another donkey.  
(sigh)....I just love Myguy!  

 So that  Sunday after church we drove to West Fork with our rusty, olde stock trailer in tow.  
The woman... well; she did indeed remind  me so much of my Momma.  
That's her in the upper right hand corner of this little collage.  
And this sweet donk is Ole Ruthie.  
We put her in the corral when we got home and let Spirit, Violet and Gracie walk up and meet her.
It went really well...
So much so that it just seemed 
meant to Be ....  

I keep adding her in my journals.. lol
She's fun to watch and  
is very sweet natured,

After turning her out into the big pasture;
at one point I looked out and didn't see her anywhere.  
I think this  was actually the next afternoon.  
So I walked around the place and finally found her all alone in the woods.  
I think I woke her up. 
She refused the apple I carried, but did 
come back up to the barn.
I told a friend of mine how she went off to the woods alone and how her owner had died
three weeks prior to this and she wondered if maybe she was grieving?
It does make you kinda wonder.  
I believe we've become friends now. 
I bought a bag of the same brand donkey treats my Momma used to get-
and Ruthie; ... she loves em.  
We've wormed her and the farrier has us on his schedule 
so soon she'll get her feet trimmed.  
Myguy managed to get her halter off thee other day.  
She'd worn it a long time and as you can see; it  was wearin the hair off her nose.  
She now thinks I have a treat when I walk in the pasture and I can 
walk right up to her.  She stays  with her herd now too.  
When she discovered the salt block I thought she was gonna eat the whole thing.  lol
The girl likes things salty n sweet!!   

Let's see; the next news to share is 
I finished  my last surgery to uncover thee ..
is it ... abutments?  That's not how I thought my dentist was saying it 
but I guess it is after looking it up.  
This has  been one long, lonnnnng ordeal. Years now.
It's really not anything I just "like" talking about BUT.... 
It just is. 
And like it or not;
it's part of my story. 
I remember when all this started being beside myself. 
In hindsight I can now see a lot of good things that have come from it all.  
  
Anyways, I can't remember how many bone grafts I've had now, 4?....and 
a sinus lift surgery... and the other day; the last little surgery to uncover
all the screw thingys.  (That's what I call them but really they're more like
little titanium screws that are hollow and go up into my new bone.  Part of them are sticking out
and now I just gotta heal again.... before getting the final implants.  
This waiting is definitely the hardest part.  
I have stitches from one side to the other again,
but the day after didn't even need ibuprofin.
So that's pretty awesome.  

I think this was the night of  surgery.
Sacked out with Myguy on the couch. 
I slept all day long- probably coz the night before I was pretty wired about it all.    
I thank God so much for my wonderful husband and sons.  
They have been so supportive and 
rally around me. Their genuine love ...
is such a gift.

One learns alot through an experience like this.
You learn who your friends really are.
-Who you can trust... who you  shouldn't.
And who you never ever would!  
It's very eye opening on many levels.
 At any rate... I'm just thankful.
I give thanks in all these crazy circumstances.  
- Anyways; I'm chilling out and counting my blessings.  
A day or two after this surgery;
I discovered these beautiful flowers on the front porch.  
Our youngest son's fiance dropped them off for a pickmeup.  
I feel so blessed.    
They've brightened up the whole week. 
And I find myself  carting them from room to room. lol
- Depending what I'm doing.  They've been in my little art porch alot!   

Yesterday this was my share on Instagram.

 My time in the word had brought the word 
TRUTH; around again.   It keeps popping up!!!  
A friend commented on that Instagram photo and shared her time with the Lord 
calling  it her TRUTH Time.  
And just prior to that  I put Truth 
on this picture created at Picmonkey.  


While doing my devotional; I found  myself reaching for a scrap of painted paper and 
writing one of my favorite quotes about TRUTH on it.  
Has your voice ever shook a little when 
you've had to speak TRUTH to someone? 
Mine sure has.
Anyways; it's kind of wild when a word keeps repeating itself isn't it? 
Reaching for my Bando; I realized
how well the colors  above matched.
Thought I'd share it here because some of you are "listers" as well.
Listers Gotta List has become something I enjoy doing so much. But not using my Bando
 much I decided to try using  it to keep my listing.  In the past I've most often used a Midori
insert book but that gets kind of expensive over time.  Love how Listing  gives a creative outlet
for every day but sometimes I don't really feel like decorating all those pages; yet still enjoy
listing.  So far the  Bando is working out pretty well. 
It has a front pocket to keep each month's list of prompts... and 


there's quite a bit of room to jot down your answers.
Add a little washi and  stickers and the pages get colorful pretty quick.  
I like that I'll have just one book to house all the years listing.  
I suppose if you had more you wanted to write you could always use tipins on the pages.
And not long ago I shared my tall dark n handsome Mr. Darcy 
leather traveler's notebook here.  (Is that a mouthful or what?)  
He's worth it though.  
Having a long standing journal and now planner book addiction;
you can imagine I have quite a few from over the years.  Most of my planner books have been used for memory keeping
and looking through my stash of them I'm so glad I've kept them.  Picking the old ones up; I can read
about the funny things our boys did when they were mischievous little things. Reading them brings 
back so many wonderful memories.  The good bad and all.  
Mr. Darcy here is quite unlike any I've had. The leather is smooth and .. strong and he wraps around  the inserts so well. They say the Darcy leather really takes life on... meaning they show their journeys.  They get scratched, and marred and scarred... just like us!     
He's become the place to document my whole 
going gray journey.  
I really think everything I've been going through with all these dental surgeries added in
is putting a whole new spin on things.  
No wonder my one word this year is 
Perspective.  

Here's my first tabs 
There's a lot more to going gray for me than
just hair.  
It's mental, and emotional along with the 
physical.  Think I'll need more tabs.  

Sometimes I wonder if it's really about hair at all?  
And so begins the inside of my book.
One feather.  
.... I can't even explain.
Maybe it's to take flight...
give wings... 
to fly...
but...

I'm finding it starts at the beginning.
As far back as I can remember.  
Before this day and 
on this day.  
Who knew?  
Just ONE.  
Going gray is 
gaining perspective.  
Seeing differently.
Inside 
and outside.
It's soul seeing.


So tomorrow is another month of ditching the Clairol Nutmeg dye.  
This is two months of grey growth 
...as well as the mouthful of stitches you can't see.  
This mop has  grown quite a bit and I can almost
get it all in a little pony tail.  
While I know it's not gonna be easy; so far 
I love the new sparkles.


This card Be you, was recently in the planners society kit.  
It's staying right here in the back of Mr. Darcy as a reminder. 
Be YOU!! 

Well that's the lastest at the Potting shed.  
Thank you for stoppin by and spending your precious time  with me.  
Yall   mean so much to me.  
Until we meet again.... 
xoxo  


7 comments:

Terra said...

I am very glad I met you here in blogland. The new donkey is a doll and it sounds like she is fitting in well, though, as you mentioned possibly grieving. Your dental work sounds like an ordeal. How thoughtful of your son's fiance to give you the bouquet to lift you up. I have a husband and sons too and enjoy our women's Bible study at church.

Denise said...

I love your updates sis, but love you the moistest. I think Ruthie is precious. So very sorry about all of your dental surgeries, bless your heart. will be praying for you. those flowers were a sweet blessing from your daughter in-love. take care, and again, thank you for my box of love.

Linda said...

What a great post, and I love the donkey sketches and photos! I really do believe that animals grieve, just as we do! I have seen it in the cats that I have had over the years and they miss us and their companions just as we miss those whom we love. I saw a documentary on elephants quite some time ago and it really stuck with me. There was a herd of elephants and one got killed. The rest of the elephants had a "mourning" of sorts for quite a while, it was incredible and so beautiful to see! I was very touched by it.

It is so true that persistence pays off and I am so glad you got the mess cleaned up. I agree with you on finding out who our friends really are in circumstances that occur in our lives. Thank you so much for sharing, and I look forward to getting to know you as well! :)

Fran. said...

Girl you are so amazing n loving!! I m so sorry you are having to go through this pain with everything else!! I am not gonna lie to you about the hair thing!! I have a bestie who did it. Her's is kinda salt n pepper with more salt. Her hair is beautiful and thick!! I was like no Carol keep your hair colored. Well she preserved through it. I do think it makes her look older. She is pretty like you!! BUT I also realize that the hair color doesn't make you guys who you are. I myself keep mine up. I do it for me. You guys did it for yourselves!! AND I am not surprised about the donkey!! Who else could take that sad old donkey and love him!! I know that is a God thing!! I LOVE your farmgirl cup!! AND don't laugh but my journals are all notebooks I buy cheap at the beginning of the school year!! You know me gotta be frugal!! AND one last thing are you on instagram now? I am too I am under thebagglady76. Love ya Lea saying a prayer for you to get back to yourself!! XOXO Love ya Fran.

Leaon Mary said...

Hi Frannie! It's so good to see you today... it sounds like me and your friend Carol are gonna be twinkies. I love your hair Frannie;... yep; this going gray is definitely not for everybody. lol I'm in a couple goups on facebook that I love. One is called Going Gray and Lovin it, and another called the going gray guide. Both are huge groups of women letting their hair go gray... its very very uplifting. Also my sister has encouraged me and started 8 months before me. I know what you mean bout notebook journals! I've journaled since a kid and have stacks of composition books! They work great!!! I'll try to find you on instagram.. although I'm not very good at it yet. ha
Hi Denise... thank you for always praying for me; it means so much!
Linda, I love those elephant documentaries. Did you see the one where the two girl elephants were reunited after years of being apart? I bawled it was so touching!
Terra we have much in common... especially Jesus!!
Hope you all have a wonderful day... thank you for visiting the shed!
Lea

Anonymous said...

Loved my visit to the shed as always, Lea....I am thankful you are recovering again from dental work and that you managed to get all the garden stuff done and cleared. You know how I feel about donkeys...Ruthie is precious and blessed to have found you and a new wonderful home...Please give her a BIG BIG HUG from me.
I smile when you mention your journals as when I am in the grocery store with hubby and I pick up a notebook, he just looks at me and smiles. well a girl can't have too many can she???!!!
Am praying for your friend.

God Bless You and Keep You.

Rebecca said...

Amazing how creative you are in spite of (or is it "because" of) your pain! I ♥ your journals and hearing about the types of books you use, etc. I also saw the sweet thing you did (probably meant to be "in secret") for Denise...

Ruthie is blessed to pasture at your place. And so is the friend you are "faithing" for (Yes, I read a more recent post than this.) I DID pray for her as I read it.

I love the way you are growing into your "gray". I believe there is an inner authenticity that develops in the process. You may not be aware of it, but..... :)