Random Musings

As 2020 draws to a close tonight, I look back at a year blessed with a new appreciation for my time. It's truly been a blessing to have so much removed from the calendar this year. And these last few weeks have been a time of many goodbyes. While the media and social media has been abuzz the last two days of all this world has lost this year, I couldn't help but reflect and how little of an impact those people had on my life (most of them I had never heard of) and how tremendously others influenced my life and yet will never be mentioned outside of their family and friends circles. Phyllis Gilland (back row on the left). Growing up I knew her as Angela, Tina and Sharon's Mom. She had the soft, southern drawl with a voice that could be both loud and pleasant at the same time. I seldom saw here without a smile. Even when it was the worst of summer with Alabama's heat at its worse, she would climb off the lawn mower, come speak, and apologize for not looking her best. She

Growing up, my Aunt Pat always brought two things to Thanksgiving and Christmas meals: a ham and 2 things of fudge - one with nuts and one without. I'm sure she brought other things as well, but those two things were on my favorites list so those stand out in my mind. Her death my second year in China left me reeling. I've made half-hearted attempts at fudge over the years using various recipes, some semi-successful, some abysmal failures. Years ago I mentioned to Mom how much I missed her fudge at the holidays, and she informed that Aunt Pat's recipe was the one on the back of the marshmallow creme jar. So tonight I tried it. It set. I don't remember it being this sweet, but it is good.  I'm sure I will eat way more of it than I should, but more than anything I am thankful for the impact she had on my life. For sharing a children's book on the trinity when I had questions, for the memories of her smile, her hugs, the words of affirmation and encouragement, for

 Years ago a groupd of  ladies signed up to decorate tables for a Christmas party.  I took my Christmas dishes and bought a small cactus to use as the centerpiece. That was almost 20 years ago. I can't tell you the number of people, including my Mom, who have accused me of putting a plastic plant in a pretty pot. I've repotted it once but lately its growth seemed to stop. Last week it began turning black. I pruned it a little and it started to regain some greenness. Last night I gently touched it as I went by, and it DEFLATED. I kid you not. It was. O longer solid but liquid inside and it oozed out its inwards and fell over. According to the internet, I over watered it. Oh well. We had a nice 10+ year enjoyment of it. Now to figure out what should go in its place.

  Every day this week I have spent about 2 hours digging out muck (straw, pinecones, mud and sticks) that the beavers have stuffed/wrapped/wedged/piled in and around the pond drain. The debris field I've dug out are the two piles in the pic. The drain is the small pile in the water. The light dirt color around  the drain is the mound/fortress the beavers have built in attempts of keeping the pond water from the drain. I know that if I miss one day, then the work will pile up for me again. But so far this week I've managed to get a little ahead of them. The pond is down 4 inches, and if I can get it down 2 more tomorrow there might be small hope we can put a type of cover around the drain that will prevent them from stopping it up. Maybe. Then there will be the mess they make in other places to contend with. I am seriously contemplating hiring a trapper to deal with them. My few attempts at taking them out have not been successful.  Rain, especially at night, like our forecast t