Old People on Myspace.com

Let me tell you about my myspace page.

For a long time, I just lurked around there reading other's pages. Then one day I told my sister that I was going to do a page for me for myspace. But, I told her, I was going to do everything undercover. She told me "I can find you."

So I went about building me a myspace page. I needed a name. I wanted it to be American Indian related. So I thought of a poem we had learned in school. I chose Hiawatha. Someone else had that name. I chose Menehaha. Someone else had that name. So I recited some more of the poem to myself and I tried Ancient Arrowmaker. Yes, that would work. But that was the http part of the address. I needed another name to call my self. Back to the poem. Finally I tried "Laughing Water". Well, that worked. So I filled in my other information (all lies) and sat back.

My sister called. Had I made the page yet? Yes, I told her. She said "I will find you." A couple of days went by, she called. Did you really make yourself a page? Yes, I said. "I'll find you!" This went on for about a month. One day she said "I just cannot find you."

So then I confessed. I told her that all the information I put in was false except for my age. That was correct. She hung up. She called right back. "Hello Laughing Water". She laughed and told me there were probably about three people who had pages that were my age.

Soon my grandchildren and some of their friends and others found out about my Myspace and came to visit. Wonder if you can find me with just this information. Let me know how long it took you! LOL

Blogger, Blogger

At last, I could post!! These are my free impatiens. They come back from seed every year. All I have to do is rake away the debris in the spring and in June all the impatiens start coming up. They will be here until frost or the first freeze.

They come up all along the drive way in the back.

Addie's In Iraq

Just a note: Addie has updated her blog.

Fall Colors

Addie's pictures are full of sand and camels. So different than what I see every day. I was going to post a picture of my impatiens still so pretty up against the azaleas along the drive, but blogger wouldn't co-operate.

It is so hard to imagine what our loved ones in Iraq are going through every day. Let's remember to pray for them and all the troops serving our country.

A New Member Of The Family

There are a lot of things happening lately. Another of the grandchildren got engaged last week. Congratulations Holly!! Soon there will be three new members in my family. But that is not what this post is about.

This post is about another member. At the family reunion, on Saturday, Sandy brought me another addition to my doll collection. As I have mentioned many times, I collect Raggedy Anns, and Andys, and just ragdolls that look like them. Nope, I'm not doing the whole collection yet. I'm just going to show you the latest addition. This little girl came home to North Carolina with me. She had been living in Virginia for some time. I think she likes her new home well enough. Thanks Sandy!!

Family Reunions

Today was my mother's side, Whaley Family Reunion. It is always good to see the family that shows up each year. I must admit not as many came as usual. My mother is now the oldest member of the family. She and her youngest brother were there. The only other living brother could not come. His wife is sick and he stayed home with her.

As much fun as it is seeing the family, it is just as much fun when someone does a little extra and brings some of the old pictures of the older ones. Today we had a real treat. A lot of pictures that no one could identify, but these we are sure about. The first picture is of my mother's oldest sister, Queenie Whaley. She lived to be over 100 years old.

And this picture of one of her other sisters, Pene Whaley. She lived to be 87 years old.

We should all try our best to leave names on the backs of our pictures, so future generations will know who we are.

Neighbors and Friends

Just a note: Addie has updated her blog.

We are surrounded by wonderful neighbors and friends. A lot of people come through my yard every day. My husband works on lawn mowers in our back yard. People bring us things all the time. We are thankful to them.

Often when my back door bell rings, I find someone on the steps with a gift. This week a man brought us a bag of grapes he had picked off a vine at the edge of a wooded area. He had been gathering corn and saw this grapevine loaded with grapes. He stood on his tractor seat and picked a couple of bags of the best black grapes I have ever tasted. Thanks Randy!

Then yesterday a man brought my husband two packages of fresh frozen sausage. He had killed hogs last week. Thanks Durwood!

On Saturday we received a bag of fresh picked okra. Thanks Dave! I don't remember all the names of my husbands friends, but we were given a few watermellons, lots of vegies, etc. all through the summer. Thanks Y'all!

My neighbor just across the road is the best. She earns extra money during her retirement catering. It's nothing for her to do a luncheon for over one hundred people any day of the week. When she has left overs, guess who benefits? She brings Cakes, candy, finger foods, and full meals. All delicious!! She is one GREAT cook!! Thanks Inda!

God has blessed us many times through our neighbors. Lots of people will say "GOD IS GOOD"! ...one of our missionary friends would always answer..."HE'S BETTER THAN THAT !"

Another Five Years

Yesterday the corn across the road from me was picked and cut. They worked all day. Today I can see my far off neighbor's house across the field. I will be able to see their lights at night. I had missed that through the summer.

Today I went to the DMV to renew my driver's license. I was afraid I might be restricted to glasses this time, but I was able to still see "Good Enough" without them. I use reading glasses, but so far, I can see at a distance pretty well. Now, you knew I wouldn't show you my picture. LOL

Rooster Weather Vane

My cousin, Janice, gave us this weather vane one year for Christmas. She told me I could use it for anything... even garden art. My husband suggested we use it for what it really was. He put the weather vane on top of his shop. You would never believe all the nice comments we have had on that Rooster. So many people wondered where we got it. We really love the copper colored Rooster. Thanks Janice!!

Update on Scott. His wife's father has had a heart attack. So Scott and his wife have gone to Korea to check on him. Scott will not be able to stay long. Scott's mom has gone to Scott's home to keep the baby while they take care of this emergency. Pleae remember them in prayer! Thank you!

The last of Richard's flowers

Summer is ending and the flowers that made it through the drought are showing off in style. This one caught my eye and seemed to be saying Me, Me, take a picture of Me!!..LOL

Summer is Winding Down

Just a note: Addie has updated her blog.

This is the pot I planted my been seeds in after Easter of this year. The one that I tried to make sure got a gallon of water a day.

This is how much it has grown so far this summer. Not many blooms and beans yet.

These are the beans just starting to fill out. I hope some get mature before the frost hits.

Nine Eleven

We Will Never Forget

I think everyone should go see Mari-Nanci and check out her fine post! Wish I had thought of it myself!!

Where Were The Collards?

Granny,also known as Ann asked me where were the collards? You know I noticed that there wasn’t as much reference to the collards at this year’s collard festival. In years back, some local growers, would have floats in the parade. This year there were plenty of old cars, motorcycles, those little trucks and cars that the Shriner’s drive, etc. There were a few church, boy scout, and girl scout floats, and business floats. BUT WHERE WERE THE COLLARDS?

After the parade, which I mentioned had the bands from ECU and UNC, the two mayors of Greenville and Chapel Hill, entered the Collard Eating Contest along with the other contestants. The mayor from Greenville ate a full pound of collards, while the mayor from Chapel Hill, only ate half a pound. The winner of the contest ate four pounds of collards.

There is a restaurant in my little town named BUMS that provides the collards for the contest. There is a Collard Cooking contest also. And of course, there is a Collard Queen. After the parade most people head for BUMS to eat collards. There are lots of churches that also cook collards and sell them to make money. I got my collards from Little Creek Church’s booth. They had bar-b-q chicken, collards, potato salad, cornbread, and cake on the plate and it was Soooo Good!!!

The reason we were able to get the two college bands this year, was because they were playing a football game the same afternoon, 10 miles away in Greenville. That was the reason behind the collard eating contest between the two Mayors. Did I say the Mayor from Greenville won? LOL Well, ECU, Greenville, beat UNC in the ball game. Think people down this way aren’t grinning… Think again!!! LOL

As an update
here is a link to those that don't know what Collards are.

Collard Parade

Today our little town celebrated our Collard Festival Parade

We had High School Bands.

We had clowns!

We had the Mayor.

Young Students

We had College Bands ..ECU

We had Queens.

We had cheerleaders!

We had Fire Trucks.

We had Horses.

We had the Marine Band!!

We had more College Bands... UNC.

And lots more. Hope you enjoyed these few pictures.

Toys

Meggie,at Life's Free Treats was talking about a toy that she had for her young Grandson that made so much noise. It made me think of something that happened when I was babysitting my granddaughter one day. We were in the grocery store and she saw some paper cups that she just wanted so bad. I couldn't imagine why. They were pretty. So I agreed and she wanted to make sure they were hers. When we got home she happily took her cups and began to play with them. They gave her hours of happiness, cost very little, and made absolutely no noise at all. One of the best investments I ever made!!

It's Blooming

The Hyacinth Bean Vine is Blooming!! (click on picture for better view) This is the vine from the seeds that Janie in Texas sent me after Easter. It seems to be blooming earlier than usual this year. I have babied this vine. Tried to make sure it got a gallon of water every day in its pot. Didn't look after the other plants as much and it shows. LOL

Old Picture

A memory of a fun day at Jockey's Ridge on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. (click on picture for a better view)

Someone's Treasured Old Book

Mary Marie by Elleanor H. Porter

I actually read a book over the weekend. I found this old (1920 edition) book, in a box of OLD books I bought from a yard sale a few years back, stuck in a corner of the closet. I dusted it off...(It is in very tattered condition)..and started to read.

This was a novel written as a diary by a young girl whose parents were divorced. At her Father's home she was Mary. At her mother's home she was Marie. I enjoyed the book!!

I know that the person who had the book before me, treasured it. There was only one page that was damaged. The person who had it before was very careful to keep the torn pieces attached to the page. She had straight pins holding the remnants to the page. The pins were extrememly rusty so I assume this page had been this way for some years.

When I find things, such as this, I start to wonder about the person who had this book. I can tell by a sticker inside the front cover that this book was once in a "Presbyterian Sunday School Library."

Had I read this book earlier, I wouldn't have had to wonder about the "hair wreath" picture I posted when I first started blogging. In the first few chapters this was discussed often as there was one in her Father's home along with a funeral plate. (Now I'm wondering about the funeral plate..LOL)

SEASONS

There was an Indian Chief who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer and the fourth in fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.The second son said no, it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping withfruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season,and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral: Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time .
The following pictures are of the same place but taken during different seasons :