Weigh In Day - lst week

Today was weigh in day for my first week following the WW program. Lost one pound. But that's a start. Hope to have a better report next Monday. Walked at least 4 times but plan to walk 5 times this week for at least 15 minutes. "You have to move to lose" - I made this up!

I plan to have my picture taken at this same spot every Monday. Watch for changes.

Elba High School Class of 1952 -55th class reunion

L to R: Henri Ann Taylor, Betty Coleman Lewis, Peggy Adkinson Gullion, Fannie Lou Jacobs Cowen, June Kendrick Hamm, Nadine Hattaway Fuller; 2nd row: Peggy Hutchison Cain, Patsy Pinckard Sharpless, Betty Jo Ham Vanderhoek, Donald Hudson, Floyd Griffin, Acie James Lowery; 3rd row:Ethel Dawkins Morrow, Faye Clark Adkison, Janice Cowen Hudson, Martha Jean Padgett Davis, Nell Wilson Gilmer; back row: Phillip Hamm, Ted Hudson, Earl Stone, Wendell Collier

We met at the Fellowship hall of Elba United Methodist Church for fellowship and then barbecue lunch that was delivered from The Ranch House. We had so much fun visiting and recalling our school days, etc. We talked about getting together more often - before we get too old!

Things you'll find in our yard

This morning the air was buzzing with bees visiting our coral vine beside the carport. It provides a good shade from the morning sun and in the winter the vine dies and we cut it almost to the ground. It returns again in the spring and we really enjoy watching it grow. I remember one just like this at my Aunt Daisie Winston's home in Elba when I was a little girl and I searched for a long time before getting this vine from a neighbor here in Elba. You can grow the vine from seeds and every year I plant some seeds and pass the plant along. I've never seen one in a nursery for sale.

I guess it is one of the heirloom "pass along" plants.

I am posting a varigated lantana that blooms all summer and is an unusual color. I bought it at Lowe's in a hanging basket several years ago.

The third photo I am posting today is an arrangement in our front flower bed which is mostly river rocks. It includes sedum (blooms in the fall), a succulent that came from my Mama Smith's house and can live on air for awhile if I forget to water it, and on the rocks you will see a stained glass stepping stone my sister Carolyn made for me. The big "fossil" rock came from the family farm. Overlooking this is a "statue" of Uncle Sam that Judge Kelley gave to James about 3 years ago. It was made by his friend out of a 4x4" post. He used it as a table decoration at a charity dinner we attended. James fell in love with it and wanted one. The next morning we found the statue sitting on our carport! We keep moving it around to various places outdoors.

James' Train Quilt

I made this quilt  for our son James' 50th birthday on Dec. 8, 2006. He loves trains so I looked for train logos and other photos to put onto quilt squares. Each square has a special meaning for him. He picked out the items he wanted me to use for his quilt. He has taken several train trips and when we lived in Wayzata, MN the Burlington Northern train came by our house several times a day. It was comforting in the dark winter days when it would be snowing and you could see the light of the train coming down the track and hear the whistle blowing to greet James as they came by. In the summer he would sit on the hill behind the house and wave to the engineer. They always waved back and blew the whistle.

James is mentally challenged and lives at home with us. His hobbies are trains and watching baseball games and his baseball card collection.

Summery Greenery in our yard

With the rains we have had in July, our flowers and grass have started to grow. Have to cut the grass weekly. Our lawn is partly bermuda, bahia grass, and lots of assorted weeds.

I have signed up to take the Master Gardener classes beg. Aug. 29 for 10 weeks. I want to learn all about taking care of our yard; especially when and how to apply fertilizer and who to get rid of weeds. Jim cuts the grass and I am the flower gardener.

Good book to read

I recently read author Khaled Hosseini's 2nd novel, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and liked it even better than his first "The Kite Runner" ( which has been made into a movie and will be released Nov 2, 2007). Like The Kite Runner, this novel was also set in Afghanistan. But the 2nd novel centers on 2 women and the bond they formed to sustain them through their suffering.

You get so involved with Hosseini's characters and really care for them. It's hard to put his books down. These two books are on audio tapes with Hosseini reading "The Kite Runner". A lady reads the 2nd novel, and she is in the Kite Runner movie. I can't wait to see the movie.

I try to read a book a week. This week-end I read "Chicken Soup for a Mother's Soul" - a quick little book with lots of wisdom and advice and humor of course.
Nell

Warm Summer Day in LA (lower Alabama)

Nell, Jim and James, Jr in our front yard in Elba, AL on July 1st.
We wore our patriotic colors to church for a patriotic service.


Today I decided to start a blog and record memories and photos
for our grandchildren.