Monday, March 30, 2009

Junk collecting or Recycling? Either Way...






I have been married to my wonderful husband for the last seven and a half years and in those seven and a half years I can't tell you how many times I have fussed about the "Junk" that he collected. It was everywhere my yard looked worse than Fred Sanfords (who is one of his hero's I might add), but back on point. I was not happy about his collection. Over the past year or so though I have seen his collecting in a new light. First off he has gotten alot better about what he brings home the majority of what he does bring home is usable, secondly he has been working really hard at getting the yard cleaned up, throwing out the true "junk" and organizing and putting up what is usable. I am very proud!! On to the picture, a few years ago I would have been very upset about my husband bringing home a truck load of no good tires from work, the other day I called him and asked him to. Now I haven't gone and lost my mind completely, I have found a new love of recycling things that would just clog up a landfill anyway, plus it saves lots of money. This ugly old big truck tire is now home to my potato crop for this year. I am going to try growing several other things in tires too. I am very excited. It is an instant raised bed. This thing right here is a handy dandy recycled thing. It is the hood off of a seventies model ford truck. I take a tow strap and hook it to my four wheeler and have a instant sled that is perfect for hauling dirt and mulch, picking up the sticks in the yard, or just hauling whatever I need moved around. Like I said Handy Dandy! He recently brought home all these wood fence panels that one of the places he does business with was going to throw away because they had decided to put up chain length fence. He saw them sitting on the ground next to the dumpster and they said sure you can have them. He used the wood to build my chickens a tractor and house. It turned out very well and lumber has gotten expensive so the money saved was awesome too. We get lots of strange looks out of most people we know for our recycling, junk collecting ways. When someone is throwing something that is still perfectly good away I have gotten just as bad about speaking up and saying hey if your gonna throw it away can I have it instead. No sense in spending money when you can turn someone else's junk into what ever you need or want it to be. So like I said I see his junk collecting in a new light. I have brought a few things home myself. Well until next time.
~Mary B~

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Spring has sprung

Well spring has sprung and I am absolutely loving it. I am ready to get my crops in the ground, I am enjoying working in my yard. I am not just saying that I am for the first time ever enjoying the hard work that comes with all this land. It is very satisfying to be able to enjoy the fruits of our labor. I am going to get my potatoes planted tomorrow. I am going to try them in tires. I really like the idea of growing things in tires. It serves multiple purposes, it makes it easier to control the soil mix, it is easier to keep the weeds at bay, and it keeps the tires out of a landfill. So I am saving some work and recycling too. I have done quite a bit of research on growing things in tires so I will let you know how it goes. My chickens are getting big, I love to just sit and watch them, they are very entertaining. Well I think I am going to go kick back in my recliner and enjoy the rest of my Sunday afternoon, then it will be time to head back to church at six. Y'all have a blessed day!

~Mary B~

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Couldn't remember

The house is very quiet I kind of like it! No one is at home but me it has been a long long time since I have been at home by myself. I had a long list of things that I wanted to blog about today but for the life of me I can't remember what they were. I thought of them as I was drifting off tho dreamland last night. I was going to sleep so of course I didn't get up and write them down, so naturally now I can't remember what they were. It is so frustrating not being able to remember things like I used too. I blame it on motherhood, before I had my son I could remember things from the womb and now I can't remember anything if I don't immediately write it down as soon as it enters my brain.
So since I cant remember what I wanted to talk about this morning, I will talk about this photo that I took yesterday. I love it it is straight out of the camera no alterations no edits. I was very pleased with the way that it turned out. I have been taking lots of pictures of flowers and trees and stuff lately, I think that when I get 12 that I love just like this one I am going to make a calender for next year out of them. So my picture taking will provide a usefulness of sorts. Not that it's not useful now. I am well on my way of having 12 million pictures of my MIL's dog. She is not really a good subject as far as beautiful breath taking pictures, they just turn out funny she always has a strange look on her face. She is very hyper and is always moving so she provides very humorous photos. I will leave you with one. Hope you have a great weekend.There are no words to describe this picture. It needs a name. Any suggestions?


~Mary B~

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Restlessness

I'm not sure what has me feeling so restless lately. I absolutely feel like I am going to come out of my skin. Maybe it's springtime, maybe it's the weather, I am really not sure. I just have the absolute urge to be any where but at home I just want to get out and do something, anything it doesn't matter. Maybe I am just bored..lol. No I really think that I have spring fever and the weather is not cooperating. It's either raining or windy or turns cold in an instant. I have so many things that I want to do, plant my garden, get the rest of my animals, go on vacation..ha that one probably won't happen between Phillip's work schedule and all the things that I have to do I won't ever get to go on vacation. I think it would do me good though to just get away for a few days. It would be lovely!! It wouldn't matter where we went or what we did just the thought of leaving town for a bit makes me all giddy!! I take Jason somewhere just about everyday and we take pictures doesn't really matter where we go it's just nice to go somewhere. Well maybe the weather will cooperate soon and I can at least get my garden planted and be able to cross one thing off my list. Well until the next time...

~Mary B~

Saturday, March 21, 2009

That Look

There is no way to describe just how I feel when he looks at me like that! I fall in love all over again every time he does!It's that special look that he reserves only for me. I wish that every married couple could have the love that Phillip and I share, it runs deep, he is as much of a part of me as my arm is, when he is not here I don't feel complete, it's as if a part of me is missing. All he has to do is look at me like that and all is right with the world. I love my husband a little more everyday he makes me feel like I can conquer the world. He stands behind me and supports me like no one else in the world, he makes me feel beautiful and tells me I am everyday. He is hard working, he works long hours and there are some days when we don't get to see him at all, but that's just one of the many reasons that I love this man. He is kind and patient with me when I'm just having one of those days. He is an amazing father, he is good to my momma and he loves me even though some days I'm not sure why..lol. I think it's my cooking that brings him back...no it's more than that. He is my best friend and oh so much more. I would walk to the end of the earth for this man and I know he would do the same for me. I am gonna go find him now so until the next time!

~Mary B~

too much peace and quiet

I am in a very strange mood today not sure why! It may be because it is way to quiet at my house this morning. Phillip ended up having to go into work for a little while and Jason is in grandmas room and they are watching Saturday morning cartoons. I guess I should be grateful for a few moments of quietness in the normally chaotic house we have but it's very strange I am not sure what to do without noise. I have learned to work around it, ignore it, and just continue on with it as loud as it wants to be. I guess that's what we mothers are good at adapting to whatever is going on around us and rocking on. I just can't seem to function right this morning though there is no noise and it's just weird.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

My Drug

No I am not a drug addict I do have a healthy obsession an obsession with Photography. It has become my drug of choice for stress relief. There was a time recently that I was extremely stressed out. I mean so stressed out that my neck hurt so bad that spot where your head and your neck meet, I always used to joke and say that my head was too big and that's why I would hurt there but I came to realize that it was none other than that nasty little word stress. I came up with several ways to deal with my stress and they either were not effective, caused more stress or I was told it would be illegal to shoot people..just kidding I wasn't really going to shoot anyone. I actually figured out by mistake that taking pictures provided me with much joy and happiness. It's a way to escape to go to different places and capture things that I love the first picture the one of the dirt whats so special about that you say. To me that picture means everything it's a freshly plowed field some farmer is getting ready to plant his crop that will provide lots of things for you and me. I hold a special place in my heart for farmers, they really do make the world go round if it wasn't for them we wouldn't have anything. Did you know that everything you have or use or yes eat is made from some form of agriculture. If you didn't well now you do go out and thank a farmer.
This second picture was taken of a simple piece of driftwood down at the river. I wonder where it has been what all it's seen oh the stories it could tell...wait sorry. The river is a place of solitude for me has been for several years now when I need to just think or I'm having a really bad day that's where I go. It is very peaceful down there and I can always see things more clearly after I've been. Not sure why it's just the thing that does it for me. There is a peaceful calmness that comes over me as soon as I get there and it stays with me til I head back up the bluff. I kid you not.

This last picture was taken at Glen Springs lake now this place holds no real fondness or memory or peace be still like mojo but I thought it was a pretty picture and you might like to see it. So now that you know for sure without a doubt that I am certifiable I hope you have enjoyed the pictures I took.
~Mary B~


Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The never ending cycle

Cleaning House is a phrase that I loathe it's not because I don't like having a clean house I do there is nothing better than my house being sparkly clean. It's just that no matter how many time I clean up and pick up when I turn around there is a new mess or another pile of dishes or laundry or smudged windows and TV screens it is a never ending cycle that is my nemesis if I had a magic ray gun I would zap the problems and never have to worry about them again but I don't so the struggle continues. I am actually very proud of myself I am doing a thousand percent better in this whole department lately when people just decide to drop by my house it has been clean and I haven't had to run around picking up and hiding things before they walk in the door. My house will never be perfect this I know because I have a five year old boy and a husband that leaves his shoes where ever he decides to take them off and my table tends to be a catch all for whatever lands on it but like I said I'm doing better and of that I am proud. I am satisfied with the semi neat lived in look and if you want it better than that well hire me a maid or pick up a rag and clean it yourself..just kidding..maybe.

~Mary B~

Monday, March 16, 2009

Inspirations


Inspirations are funny they come at odd times you don't ask for them really or not necessarily try and channel them but you can be thinking about one thing and poof your inspiration is there. Yesterday while riding to millington with my husband and child and was thinking about budgets and stretching them and buying groceries and cooking things that will feed my family nutritiously for the best price things that are on most women's minds most of the time. When I got to thinking about my Mamaw. I remember her cooking a full meal three times a day breakfast, lunch , and then dinner. Now when I say she cooked lunch I don't mean that she fixed them a sandwich or the typical lunch of today she cooked a full meal everyday at lunch time. She worked hard her whole life taking care of her family raising seven children, tending crops and livestock and poultry canning and preserving the harvest every year. She was an amazing woman. She feed her whole family with very little money. She made her foods from scratch and they were some of the best tasting foods I have ever had. So my goal is to be more like my Mamaw she was a hard working, god fearing woman who cared well for her family and I only hope that I turn out to be have the woman that she was.
~Mary B~

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Wondering if I have what it takes?

I have always loved taking pictures for as long as I can remember when ever there has been one or more people gathered..lol.. I have picked up a camera and snapped photos of whoever would let me sometimes even the unwilling. But lately I have taken it a step further I have been reading websites on photography and learning about the proper lighting to use when the best time of day to take pictures is, what color clothing produces the best results ect ect. I have started thinking that maybe I could do this thing that I love and make a little money at it.
There is nothing better to me than loading up my pictures as soon as possible after I take them and seeing how they turned out and then if I don't like the way they turned out playing with them and making them better. I have a real passion for this I love for people to give me input on them and tell me how they look what I could do better and so on. But the problem is no one is really giving me any feed back so I wonder if I have what it takes to do this. Do they not like them? do they look really bad and they just don't want to tell me? do they not care? The questions are endless. I like my pictures I think I have talent but the bigger question is do others because I can't pay myself to take pictures..lol. So until I figure out if I have talent I will just have to be satisfied taking pictures of my little man and that makes me really happy because I feel I have the most handsome little boy and I love taking his picture.
~Mary B~




Friday, March 13, 2009

The Beat of Our Drum

I have always been one to march to the beat of my own drum, as far back as I can remember I've always been one to do things my own way no matter how backwards that way might be it's just who I am. I am more than just a little bit stubborn (I think that was originally my middle name but they had to change it maybe the hospital made them I'm not for sure) I will dig my feet in firmly and not budge if I don't like the way something is going. It's always been one of my best and worst traits. Now I have a five year old son who is the center of my world he makes it go round and round everyday and low and behold he has inherited that stubborn streak that I posses. He too marches to the beat of his own drum he also has to do things in his own way. I have seen him on more than one occasion square his feet jut out that little chin and flat out refuse to do something that he doesn't want to do and there isn't a thing on this green earth that will budge him. Now my mother always told me when I was growing up that one day I would have children and they would pay me back for everything that I put her through and let me tell you it delights her to no end to get to see this happen. We have had many long days here at our house you can see it coming before it even happens he squares his feet sticks out his jaw and the fight is on. It has taken lots of time and lost tempers and prayer and on some occasion me just flat out laughing at him because while it's not funny yes it is because well momma was right I know good and well he gets it from me. I have after many trial and errors found the best way to deal with his stubbornness it finally occurred to me what would make you do whatever it is and we have had far less incidents since. Even through all this though I know that that very stubbornness will take him far in life when he pursues something he want I know he will be able to go the distance and see it through. I know when he sees an injustice in the world he will plant those feet and do his best to right it because while he's stubborn and hard headed he is also kind and funny and considerate of others and he has a heart of gold. So I am very proud that this son of mine marches to the beat of his own drum, it will take him where ever he chooses to go.

~Mary B~