I absolutely love those framed folkart chicken and rooster pictures that were created many years ago. They had dried beans and seeds glued onto them. Did you know someone that had one or do you have one that has been passed down in the family.

     Merriam Webster defines folkart as: the traditional typically anonymous art of usually untrained people. Which definitely does not mean the art is no good just because the people making the art are untrained. The skill that it takes to individually place each bean in an aesthetically pleasing manner is nothing but remarkable. Patience and time are requirements needed for this art. It is like putting pieces to a puzzle together; which we all know can sometimes take awhile.

     My son was getting rid of some old artwork that he didn't want. When I saw a chicken drawing he was getting ready to toss I was delighted. Here was a chance to make some folkart. Now I didn't have to go searching at garage sales for one. All I needed was to go and purchase some beans. And that is exactly what I did.

     I saw my first folkart chicken piece at my Grandmother's (mom's mother) house. The intriguing piece of artwork hung above her kitchen table. As a child, I was amazed at how food was used to make a piece of art. It was so colorful and had a texture that I wanted to touch but knew I shouldn't since it wasn't mine and I would probably get in trouble if a bean just happened to fall off.

     On a nice afternoon my son and I got busy and glued a few beans onto the artwork and believe me it took awhile. I thought we should leave part of the drawing to show and not cover it completely like the vintage ones. If you have a vintage chicken or rooster bean/seed picture please share it in the comments section on the facebook post. Looking forward to seeing them.

     While raking leaves I noticed a small tree which stood out among the brush. The leaves were quite unique. It looked to me like part of the leaf, which was in the shape of a thumb, was missing. I had never seen this tree before so it was a new discovery for me. 

 The tree is located on the edge of a row of trees near the Hackberry tree. It was leaning over a bit. I noticed it was because there were vines twisting around it's small trunk. I carefully untwisted each one and later will find a support for the tree so it will be able to stand straight and tall.

     Through my research, which was very hard trying to describe the leaf on Google, I found out that the tree is a Red Mulberry which is native to the South.

I will clear the brush around it a little more but will do a better job after the robins leave their nest which is located in a tree to the right. I have no idea how old the tree is so I will just have to keep an eye on it to see when the mulberries arrive. Some sites indicate that the tree must be ten years old before it produces berries. This tree will provide more food for the birds and squirrels. Hopefully one day we will get to enjoy it's sweet fruit.


                                                                    

To My Dad

     Ever since he passed away, I write on a card...just a few lines about how I am doing, what is going on and how the kids are. I also try to thank him for anything that comes to mind that I hadn't thanked him for in the past writings. I thank him for teaching me things, taking me places and other things that I never got the chance to...or didn't think about, when he was alive. I have been writing a few lines each year on a Father's Dad card that I purchased the year he passed away. It has been 11 years now of writings. When I look back at the previous ones, I see how that year went and what I had thanked him for. I won't share all the writings on the card but I will share this year's...

2016

Dear Dad,

     Thank you for teaching me how to properly wash and clean a car. Thank you for teaching me to change the oil in the car.
     Everything is going fine here. K. has been married a year now and E. is enjoying college. I hope you don't mind if I try and publish that book I have been working on.
     I would be visiting you today and of course Grandma. I miss you two. It sure is lonely without y'all here. I am getting older and am wondering if I will be missed when I am gone. By the way, I got a new car. I will try to keep it clean but you know I live on this gravel road.

Love,
Your number one Daughter.

Through His Eyes

     One of my past co-workers posted a picture, that her young son had drawn, on facebook. It can be compared to many other artistic drawings by little ones where the child is too young to spell so the teacher or parent writes what the child is trying to say about his and her drawing.

     I contacted my friend and she agreed that I could share her son's drawing with you. I am grateful to her. As you see, it says that Spring reminds him of rain and Christmas. I have watched him grow through his mother's pictures and posts. He is an adorable child.

     It started me thinking why would he say Spring is like Christmas and then I realized why. It is obvious about the rain because of all that we received in April. One can't help but think of Spring without thinking of all that pouring water.

     Spring does bring Christmas, not in the sense that Christmas is around the corner. Spring brings gifts. This is exactly how most children view Christmas. It is a wonderful time for getting gifts.

     With blooming flowers, leaves on trees turning green, animals coming out of their burrows, bubbling creeks and robins singing, nature comes alive. The temperature turns warmer and children are able to play outside. They are joyful. God has given us fresh air, renewed friendships, the joining of two lives and colorful arrays of plants, flowers and birds to appreciate during this time. God has given us many springtime gifts.

     Through the eyes of a child, Spring makes him think of Christmas. Christmas is not only a time of gift giving but a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Spring is also a celebration time. It is when we celebrate Easter - when Jesus died on the cross for us. A gift to be received by anyone at anytime. The biggest gift of all. Spring is the best time to be reminded of Christmas.

    

Being Thankful for Trees Means Being Thankful for Cicadas

     As I was pulling out of my driveway, I noticed some creatures all along the fence. I stopped the car and got out my camera to snap a few shots. I knew immediately what they were and realized they were not the same species as I had seen a few years earlier. (Earlier post about dated Wed., July 10, 2013)

     The raindrops beautifully adhered to the cicada wings. Their size is in comparison to the nail head you see. They have creamy red eyes, a black body and yellow/brown legs. They were just resting and not making any noise. The males have to warm up before they start the cicada sound that a lot of folks dislike. I enjoy the sound because it always bring back memories of camping.

 

 

     As I was walking the grounds today, I found a few holes where these species of Cicadas have been living underground for the last 13 years. Their arrival has been named, The Lower Mississippi Valley Brood. (Brood XXIII) The next arrival of this particular brood should be in the year 2028.
                                                         
                                                           

Most of the following information was obtained from these two websites: www.cicademania.com/cicadas/the-most-interesting-17-year-cicada-facts/ and www.care2.com/causes/10-reasons-cicadas-are-good-for-the-earth-and-us. 

Cicadas do not eat solid food. They only eat tree sap from the oak, cypress, willow, ash and maple trees. They provide food for birds, squirrels, turkeys, fish and other animals that eat insects. Even domesticated dogs have been know to devour them.

Spraying them with pesticides makes them toxins to the animals that eat them.

Asian people have eaten them for centuries.

They should not be called locusts because a true locust looks like a grasshopper. Many people mistake cicadas for locusts and this is why some have bad feeling about these wonderful creatures they take care of our trees and forests.

Their tunneling aerates the soil. They participate in the "flagging" of trees which means weak branches on the trees will wither and die, thus removing the ones that would cause a tree to fall over during strong winds.

After they die they release nutrients back into the soil which helps trees grow and have better seed production the next spring.

You may find cicada wings laying around. I think I may gather up as many as I can and try to make some nature art from them.

I am just guessing that the animals that ate them didn't like to eat their wings. I guess lucky for me, now to decide what creation I can come up with.

I hope you have found this post interesting and I hope that you know that most animals are on this earth for a reason. Cicadas help feed other animals and help our trees. Without trees we would not breathe clean air. They are a necessity. Cicadas are the necessary in a chain in the life cycle. They are to be appreciated, enjoyed and viewed as the beautiful creature that God meant for them to be.



                                



Last of the March Winds (April 27, 2015)

A gusty but steady wind showed up today. It appeared to be one of the March winds that had somehow been left behind and was trying to hurry and catch up with the many winds that had come and gone before it. Making the air chilly on this sunny April afternoon and continuing to for hours caused me to think it was running a race. I commend it for not giving up even though it showed up unexpectedly.

 

Streams of cool air rushed through the screen causing the wind chimes to twist and play their lovely song tunes. I was sure hoping the wind would hurry and catch up because I like my yearly Aprils and Mays warm. Green leaves on the trees twinkled in the sunlight as the wind continuously rocked them back and forth.

 

This day reminded me of days on the beach except it is usually a little warmer there than here. I miss the ocean's waters and the sand between my toes. I will remain content for now with dirt in my fingernails as I pull weeds and transplant poke weed from the yard to the wheelbarrow. I have decided to embrace this hopeful last lonely runner as he moves swiftly and steadily by putting on a jacket.

 

This lingering force of nature teaches me that one only needs to participate to perservere, whether it be in a race or something as important as a job, skill or life. You can be assured that you can finish just as strong as the other participants. Although you may not be as fast or in the lead, you can travel the same distance in the same manner and reach the same goal or ending point. Never give up! The lagging March wind didn't!



 



 

 

Daffodils to Dandelion Wishes

     First comes the daffodils, blooming from the green patches located on the edge of the small ditch that carries the water from high upon the ridge down to the lower part. They arrive in yellows and next in whites. I love to pick the fragrant flowers to bring them in the house to fill a few of the vases I have acquired over the years. My kitchen window sill displays my collection.

Right around the corner comes April along with the Redbud which is also located along the same small ditch. It is the only
Redbud on the property. One fall I gathered seeds from it but haven't planted them yet. Next the white dogwood blooms along another small ditch that also carries water down the ridge but in a different direction. Sometimes I feel like I am living on an island.

     Along with the trees, the robins, blue jays and cardinals appear eagerly waiting for me to fill and refill the birdbath. They can be heard singing their morning songs and seen gathering twigs to build their nests. Other birds have been known to appear such as sparrows, woodpeckers and brown thrashers but the first three are regulars and stay around bringing their young into the world in the many trees located on the property. Sometimes they will dig up the sunflower seeds that I have planted so the quantity of sunflowers that I get to grow depends on the birds and the rain. The first year I planted the seeds, one sunflower grew to its full height. The next year I had two to bloom. This year I am hoping for many sunflowers. I planted the seeds right before the rains began in April and now I have many small plants coming up from the ground. Only time will tell. I must remember to keep them watered otherwise they will dry up. I am excited about the possibility of many sunflowers!

     In Mid April, Easter arrives and is celebrated. Dandelions
cover the ground in their yellow dots and magically white
puffballs of potential wishes arise from them. Standing tall waiting for anyone to pluck them and blow a gentle breeze so their seeds can be carried across the lands. Do you ever make wishes with dandelions. Did you when you were a child? You are never too old to pick a flower or weed and give it to someone, put it in a vase or close your eyes and make a wish.

     A wish is hoping for something? What things do you hope for? Are they material objects such a new car or new house or to win the lottery? Or do you wish for peace, love, someone to get well, or a miracle? I have found that wishing or praying rarely works on myself but when I am wishing or praying for someone else the wish or prayer is most certainly granted. Just as Jesus died for us because he loved and cared about us, we should focus our wishes and prayers on others.