Would U believe

I almost forgot to remind y’all about my – April - of Give aways in celebration of National Poetry Month – April. Yes even if you win you are still eligible to win again…but you must enter each time and by “enter” I mean comment on my April Post.

Now I feel better about that, but also I need a bit of sympathy. Yes it’s true I acquired a little boo boo while ironing one of the 2 aprons that are slated as prizes for my Stupid Blog Party on April 15. Watch for that reminder in April. Okay, So please give me a gentle hug and maybe offer to kiss my burn.

Thank you I feel much better.

So we have had a bit of cool weather show up this week. Which is funny on accounta it had been in the 80s already. It looks like after this cold, err cool snap is over I will need to plant some more luffa seeds as only 2 of the ten that I planted came up. Those luffa seeds are so picky ya know.

OMG the above ground garden system it totally kick a$$. I have great expectations for a bountiful crop of: Green Beans, Bell Pepper (yellow), Radish, Potatoes, Tomatoes & Onions. Yes that does seem like a lot of stuff in kiddie pool, but they are all very happy…see

Of course I need to plant the carrot seeds (again) as they didn’t come up, well unless they look like radish. But that’s ok as more carrots make for a happier bunch. (chuckle) In the other part of the back yard, the “flower bed” I’ll be planting more cotton seeds. Hey don’t laugh in a few years I should have enough to make…err to make a handkerchief.

Oh the upside down buckets? Yes well the potatoes are in ‘em. Really. So it’s my first time to try to grow them, they seem to be doing well. See you have to buy “seed potatoes” plant them about 4-6 inches and as they grow upwards you cover them with soil/hay and just keep going. So me, with my outstanding inventive mind (stop laughing) thought hey I’ll just use buckets. Some people use garbage cans or barrels. At one time I heard some people used old tires, yeah I know sounds bad to me too, with all that petroleum product junk so close to the food I want to eat. I’ll let y’all know how it goes.

Now onto more serious world events: Hole E Mole E! Scary stuff my dear internets. I ask y’all to pray, send out good vibes and thoughts for our planet, our Earth, our home.

Almost Time

For what? you may wander, or not? April, yep that’s right the month of April is fast approaching. April brings the Annual Poem a Day Challenge as brought to us by Robert Lee Brewer of Poetics Asides, in conjunction with National Poetry Month, which is April. Yes I plan on playing along once again, why stop now especially since it’s almost April.


I know y’all my dear internets are not All that crazy about poetry, but I do write it, so you must endure some of my drivel from time to time. Oh I know you don’t mind because you love me and I don’t bombard y’all with it overly much.

And moving on…

Some of you know about my Stupid Blog Party from April of last year…well I will be doing it again. I hope y’all are looking forward to it and that you are already working on your Stupid Post. Oh, yes there will be prizes again this year in April. The Party is set for April 15. So get those Stupid stories (real or fiction), pictures or whatever you choose to post in honor of my Stupid Blog Party. Yes you will need to link to my blog, otherwise it wouldn’t be much of a party. I will post a reminder when the date – April 15 – gets closer and remember there will be prizes.

Haha in fact I think during the month of April I will be having surprise Give-a-Ways. Will you be ready to play? Gosh I hope I am.

Spring

Has long been in my part of Texas, okay so maybe not “long” but for a couple /few weeks anyway. The plum trees have bloomed and I think I see some teeny tiny future goodness, the pear has bloomed and it for sure without a doubt will have pears. The Apple tree is always the last to spring, but we are holding out that this year will be the year we will get apples! Oh yeah the nectarine is beautiful I’m sure the crazy a$$ed squirrels will love ‘em again this year. Humph!

I am still waiting to harvest a head of cabbage, they are growing but I need it to be just a wee bit bigger, so it will fill the pot ya know. As I write this I sit out on the wonderful breeze way with the wind chime well chiming and some yahoo making too much racket, really must you mow your yard while I’m working? Hey I’m working here!!

So did I tell you my brilliant idea to do an above ground garden in conjunction to the flower bed gardens? Okay so we have been talking about it for a few years…we can build it like this…use this material…plant this that blah blah blah. About 3 weeks ago I made a decision to stop talking about it and just do it. So I rushed out to purchase my supplies, dirt, mulch, potting soil and swimming pool. Yeah that’s right my dear internets we now have a pool in the center of our…well it’s the center of the yard between My Purple Door Studios and the fence.

So after I put the pool where I wanted it I moved all the dirt and topsoil and potting soil and mulch; then I planted some veggies and stuck some seeds in the ground and watered said good things. Knowing we already have an impending bountiful goodness. Oh I put the tomatoes (most of ‘em) in the front flower bed they are very happy. Well all the plants are very happy…See

What? Shirley you didn’t think I meant a simming pool big enough for us to swim in. PaLLLLLeeeeese! Umm I did say above ground garden YES and this works well on so many levels. I mean come on my dear internets just look at that photo again. ah uhh you so know I'm brilliant!

1. Drainage is great, I poked holes in the bottom (although we need rain)

2. It’s right smack dab in the sun all day (a plus for growing veggies)

3. It’s not a permanent structure (in case I’m lazy next year)

4. It seems to be just the right size (I can reach the middle)

5. Weeds should not be much of a problem (I’ll kill the dirty…you know whats)

6. No moles can dig up the roots (although I could use a new moleskin journal)

7. It was very cheap to build (okay so it was really, REALLY easy to build)

I know I have wowed y’all with my Yankee ingenuity {smiling pretty} especially for a Southern Yankee {curtsey}

Now I must be off, I have a fence to jump and a neighbor to yell at! Make that two neighbors, mowing must be contagious. Ha they should mow when I do…at 7am on Saturdays before it gets too hot. What idiots!

Necturine Blossoms

Saint Patrick

As if I needed to tell y’all that yesterday was Saint Patrick’s Day. Funny thing about that is the world always seems to think it is Irish on Saint Patrick's Day. Now that’s funny…a Green Earth…hum I may be on to something.


That St. Patty was something else, I mean he chased all the snakes outta Ireland and I think they all came to Texas, well at least they always seem to fine me, but this is NOT a snake story! Really it’s not.

Last weekend we took a trip to Glen Rose Texas. This little town has the Paluxy River going though it and if you don’t know that it is a very special river. Granted it’s not the Rio Grande, whose gently rolling waters thinly separate Texas from Mexico, but nonetheless the Paluxy River in Glen Rose has a gia-norm-mas history…

Ya see in and around the river are Dinosaur tracks.

They are pretty cool to see in real life and our visit to the State Park would have perfect if had not been for all the people. No really they and their noisy kids were all over the tracks, poking them with sticks chunking rocks at them. What is up with people? Didn’t they get the memo that this is a Green Earth? And that once this type of thing is destroyed there is no mulligan no getting a second chance. So what I’m trying to say is IF y’all have not been to Glen Rose Texas to see the Dinosaur tracks and you were planning to go don’t wait too long. Bare (yea the naked kind) in mind that there is not much in Glen Rose except the tracks. Oh and they are in a state park so there is an entrance fee.

Also please note the missing tooth of this poor fellow…I think some rotten people got stuck between his teeth.


Now back to the previously mentioned St. Patty’s Day...We went to Glen Rose for a Festival, where there were some: runs, motorcycles, craft booths, kids' jumper thingies, bean cookers, music but hardly anyone wearing green and dagnabit no leprechauns! I miss Ireland, the real county with stout cows and rolling green hills, mossy green truf, crazya$$ed golf guys, crumbling castles and tons of red headed peoples including the lucky gold carrying leprechauns…the land of my ancestors


Please pass me a green beer and kiss me I’m Irish even after Saint Patrick’s Day.

Ta tada Ta Dah

I was bestowed with an award this past fall/winter from kind Deanna. I didn’t post it then on accounta it being a Summer Blogger Award and I wanted to wait for spring. And because I have now waited I forgot the rules (if there were any) and will make up my own…lalala cause I can and cause We are Queen of this Paradise Valley. Humph! So without any further todo…Thank you dear Deanna. Now I’m passing it off to 3 dear internets (cause 3 is Our favorite number) and they should pass it on to 3 dear internets and everyone has to link back to Us…lalala. Even if you choose NOT to claim your award you must LINK back to US (with the US being moi)


Dancing With Daisy

Dapoppins

Some Things I Think about-Annell

Here it is ladies

Okay & doughK moving along I find there is more…yes more for me and some more of y’all. My dear internet Jai bestowed upon me the Life is Good Award and boy howdy I agree with that. Thanks Jai, I’m glad that you recognize how much I really enjoy breathing. Now because this is a new Award-age I member the rules, but alas will do as I please…err We will do as We please And WE are pleased to pass this on to 3 more dear internets, who must also link back to US regardless of their willingness for acceptance. Oh I will tell you a few things about myself, but not like Jai did, she made a fancy V-log.

Shine the Devine

Down River Drivel

Way Station One

So here it is ladies and gentleman

Okay now more about Us… hum what is it that y’all don’t know, that We want to tell you…hum

We wear a size 8 ½ shoe (have lots of shoes wear 1 pair)
Our real name is Not Paige (that is a pen name)
We are thinking about coming out of the closet on that

Dirty Laundry

I know y’all remember our autumn adventure from some time back…and how it was a faulty washing machine that was at the bottom of it…and how said faulty machinery was replaced before the renovations…and that I could not use the new machine because we had to move out, well live elsewhere…Anyways I’m going to, finally, give a review of the new machines that got rid of our dirty laundry and ugly kitchen.

We got the front loaders with pedestals and I must say I love ‘em. The dryer is super & duper. The washer is very efficient with water usage and I tell you it gets our clothes purdy clean. We do use the HE liquid detergent, yes it’s a bit more costly than the regular kind, but you use less and by that I mean way, way less and therefore really do get more loads per bottle. Yes these front loaders are prone to smelling musty and after about a year of use ours did have a bit of a smell, even though we leave the door open.

I searched for a solution and learned that the use of HE detergents was the alleged cause. I say alleged because the research blamed HE’ s on accounta they were made from animal fats (more on this later) Humm, and crap we buy in bulk, most of the time. So we have gallons if not barrels of the stuff on hand.

Now our smell wasn’t as bad as others claim theirs to be… He double hockey sticks no, I knew this because our clothes didn’t smell musty after they were dried. I checked and sure enough our HE soap did NOT use animal fats, but still we had a faint musty odor. I found where it was suggested to use vinegar in the rinse cycle, besides it’s a fairly good fabric softener – Double duty.

My tips on Front Loaders, (I’m not liable for your decision to use my tips)

Wash the biggest loads you can as the washer will work better and it makes your pile smaller faster – Win Win.

Use about a quarter cup (or less) of white vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser, especially on your last load for the week.

Leave the washer door open WHEN NOT IN USE DUH!

Dry around the rubber door dohicky every once in a while, maintenance is a good thing

Don’t use fabric softener, or if you feel you must use as small an amount as possible & see the vinegar tip above

Don’t use fabirc softener sheets in the dryer, they clog up the lint filter and the dryer will not be as efficient

About that "Animal fats" thing: all soap has some form of fat / oil in it.

And in Summary- front loading washers & dryers get a 6 thumbs ups as does HE laundry detergents

FTC Disclosure: I received no compensations of any kind for my opinion of these products, unless you include the lack of Dirty Laundry at our house. Now someone fetch my pig, my feet are a bit cold.

Disapointed & Surprised!

I know, you can’t believe that I, me of all people is disappointed in anything. I have had that Poem tab, see it up at the top’ish…it says “Poems” Well anyways according to my blog stats it has only been viewed four, that would be 4, times my dear internets and I personally think those were by moi. Is there anything I can say that would induce y’all to read* ‘em? Never mind the fact that you read* them when I first posted ‘em.                .Joke, my dear internets it’s a joke.

But really go read ‘em!

Or at least click on the tab doohickie so I think you read ‘em.

Now on to the surprised part of the post…did y’all notice (I didn’t) that I have surpassed the 300 post mark? Wish I knew how many post I had on the original Paradise Valley err the old blogger. I bet it was a million (at least) Don’t you?

And another surprised moment when I ventured over to tweak my profile bio…haha I have almost reached the Five-Thousand view mark for my wondermous profile. Shucks who knew so many would be interested in this little ol’ queen of Paradise Valley 2…Hell’s Mountain? We are unanimous when we say, I love y’all, my dear internets!

Open House

That’s the name of a poetry book I recently finished reading. I love this chick, Beth Ann Fennelly. Have y’all heard of her? Have y’all read her? If not you should. Oh, me? How did I come across her work?


Okay so I go to these readings at my local college, I’m sure I have mentioned it before and Beth Ann was there. She is a great speaker and read a few of her poems—marvelous.

I have looked through this book to find a portion of a poem to share with you…hard to pick… as the formatting lends quite a bit to the way some of her poems read and I’m sure I can’t get them to show correctly with blogger (no offence blogger). I found one that I think will be fine as it has regular formatting…so without further ado and delay, a portion of a poem …

Poem Not to Be Read at your Wedding

You ask me for a poem about love
in place of a wedding present, trying to save me
money. For three nights I’ve lain
under glow-in-the-stars I’ve stuck to the ceiling
over my bed. I’ve listened to the songs
of the galaxy. Well, Carmen, I would rather
give you your third set of steak knives
than tell you what I know. Let me find you


Ah yes, there is more to this piece, but y’all know how I am. I want you to rush out and buy a copy of this book, check it outta your li-berry (if you have a card), download an e-version of it (if available) In my opinion, Beth Ann writes in an adult voice with child like questioning and exploration without fear of a truthful answer nor the outcome. It is what it is.

Awarded the 2001 Kenyon Review Prize & the GLCA New Writers Award

Open House

Beth Ann Fennelly

ISBN 978-0-393-33607-8

What have y’all read lately?