Another view of our campsite

Daddy’s land.  I can’t stay here without being transported back to when he lived on and loved this place.

Grape vines

He grew up in the Depression, so had a powerful need to make sure his family would never go hungry.  He planted fruit trees of all kinds, pecan trees, two grape arbors, and always had a vegetable garden.  He also enjoyed canning what his land produced.  For a while he raised a few calves.  He kept goats.  I don’t remember his having chickens except for pets.

Bird’s nest in the grapevines

He always told us that if times got hard, any of us who were willing to work could come live here.  That gave me a deep-seated sense of security.

But times change.  Zoning laws are enforced now.  Several of the fruit trees have gotten diseased and have been cut down. The feeling of having a safety net is gone.  But the incredible sense of peace remains.

He was also a WWII Marine.  101st Marine Division.  Guadalcanal.  He truly loved God, country and freedom more than life.  They don’t make men like him anymore.

Pears. We used to make a wonderful pear cobbler with Dad’s canned pears.

I love my Mom.  She was a teenage bride, and I was born a year after she and Dad were married.  Mom always says that she and I grew up together.  It is kind of strange being close enough in age to your mom to watch her grow up, too.  🙂

We went by Daddy’s grave today.  Then shopping.

She has several beautiful Mother’s Day arrangements — gorgeous flowers.

But the screen door on her back porch needs repair.  She had the screen very neatly duct taped into place.  So instead of buying  more flowers, I bought materials to fix her screen door.  I’ll do that Monday, and that will be my Mother’s Day gift to her.

Pecan tree

There is a pine tree in her front yard that has been killed by pine bark beetles.  The base of the tree is mostly rotten sawdust.  It’s a danger to the house.

I asked Ron today if he and Cecil would cut the tree down.  No response.  So I asked Mom if she would call someone to come cut it down for her.  But tree surgeons are expensive and she is reluctant to spend that much.

Where Dad had his vegetable garden

I would call someone and pay them to cut it down if I could.  But I have other obligations, and can’t really afford it either.

So the tree remains, a ticking time bomb.  It will not last through the coming hurricane season.  All I can do is pray that it falls away from the house instead of onto it.

Goat pen area

Tomorrow Ann is cooking a Mother’s Day/birthday dinner for us.  I’m really looking forward to that!

We were planning to camp somewhere in Central Florida after we leave Mom’s place.  But Ron and I both want to head north instead of south.  So we’ll find a nice COE campground in Georgia and stay there for a few days.

Hope fixed us a wonderful chocolate pudding today.

The old barn

AND she taught Sheba to sit!  She has an incredible way with animals.  Sheba is so puppy squirmy and excitable when I try to teach her.  But she calms down and listens to Hope.  By the end of the day today, she was sitting on command for us, too.

She is such a sweet, adorable, good puppy.  Except for the digging, of course.  🙂

The old goat barn

I’ve posted similar photos and sentiments about this place before.   One advantage to getting older is that you kind of enjoy retelling your stories, and it’s okay.  🙂

Mimosas blooming — a little past their prime

The rotten tree base

The horse pasture on one side of the property

Cattle on the other side

Hope teaching Sheba to SIT!