Ramblings of a homesick mom

I started a post last night as I wallowed in my hotel room awaiting an immenent snow fall, which never did arrive mind you, but something else distracted me and the post was all but forgotten. I assure you that would never have happened had I been in our home with my bustling family milling about and numerous distractions forcing me to keep my train of thought. The lesson being: solitude is not all it is cracked up to be.

Most of the evening was spent researching Texas history in the months after the Civil War. Albeit a rather dry subject for most, I found some interesting tidbits to use in the novel I and painstakingly working on. Now, hopefully, I can just write the story with the underpinning firmly entrenched in my brain. (Historicals require a bit more work than just writing.)

Being as I have been away from my family twice in one week, I am so grateful to have been home Wednesday. My absence on Monday seemed to propel my children in illness. One large pot of chicken soup and some mothering brought them back from the brink whatever dark sickness attempted to suck them in. They are well again. I really believe there is something about Moms taking care of families that truly sets the world right.

Cudos to ALL you moms out there. We do a seemingly thankless job at times,but for me I find so intrinsically rewarding. It is as if my very soul yearns to mother and care. Without my family for this outlet, I would shrivel up and fade away, or find some cause to champion. Did the Good Lord make me this way on purpose? Was it part of His design to instill these longings in me? Did he make me this way only to prevent my family from suffering (He is merciful you know.)? He either has a huge sense of humor or is tragically twisted. To make it worse, all the things in which I take my enjoyment - writing, cooking, horses, music... have no meaning without the context of my family. If it is not right with the family, then there is no joy in the extras.

Twisted. I thrive in the midst of the distractions. I missed sitting in the living room, the only place for my desk and computer, with the TV next to me and the wood stove warming me and Corvette Man requesting this or that and commenting on this or that, all as I work on my book or my blog. The practice required to maintain a train of thought in the midst of the varied stimulations aids in the creative process. I'm beginning to see the sense in all this seemingly chaotic order.

I guess to put it quite simply. I missed my litte piece of heaven. I can't wait to get back home where I belong.

Love you all.

Jeannene

Home Again

Finally!! I am back in our little house after being stranded in the big city after it was covered with four inches of that wet, white stuff ordinarily referred to as SNOW.

We aren't supposed to get this much snow in Arkansas.

 

This is the road that runs by our house. 

I have never witnessed this much snow before  in all the time we have lived here.  We are in a wonderland.

Well Corvette Man drove me to work Monday and then I was stranded there in the weather. Obtaining a hotel room became necessary to provide comfort and warmth away from our own home.  Of course that meant the clothes on my back was all I had to wear and my face would appear at work the next morning in it raw and uncovered state - an occurrence I strive with avid veracity to prevent.  Needless to say, I survived the day, and none of my coworkers remarked on my state unmake-up.

The original plan was for me to remain in the city tonight, as the roads would likely be frozen over in the wee hours of the morning. When I discovered both my children are sick and the youngest is running a fever I freaked out a little.  No one is at home to cook and care for them! Now, they don't starve, and Corvette Man takes good care of them,but... if they are sick they won't have the energy to prepare nourishing, well healing food for themselves. That is my job. Mom's don't get sick.  They trudge onward through the onslaught of disease and fevers, through Kleenex's and rumpled bed linens.  It is the mom who provides the pity and the solace required for healing. I had to be home. I pleaded with my sweet supervisor, who arranged for me to be off tomorrow.  I am in her debt, bless her.

Here is another beautiful view from the west side of our house.

 

We have six inches of snow at our farm.

I'm so happy to be home.  This is my slice for today.  I could write more,but I have to snuggle with Corvette Man and make up for lost time.

Love, Jeannene

Superbowl Disaster - Almost

Finally it is superbowl week end.  Yesterday's food purchases were made in anticipation of this evening's game. The morning plans involved early preparations of pulled beef sandwiches and slow cooked brisket - both dishes requiring a minimum of four hours cooking time.  Of course that meant I chopped and marinated some of this last night to place the meat in the cooker at nine o'clock this morning.  The house was meticulously cleaned and any other chores completed long before the five o'clock pregame show.

I served the PW pulled beef sandwiches, wonderful flavor and filling, and cleaned up a little in the kitchen and turned to our TV to find the the station for the game.  Flipping through the channels we discovered no one speaking of the game, no pregame articles of players or predictions of the game outcome.  AAACH! It could only mean one thing.....

It should be noted at this point that our household does not  pay for any cable subscription nor do we own a satellite in order to receive television stations. This woman is cheap and thrifty.  We watch our TV shows via rabbit ears - free reception albeit sparing in choices. Today we discovered the ONE station our antenna does not receive is the CBS station.  BUMMER.

As is the case in most desperate circumstances, necessity is the mother of invention.  I moved the rabbit ears unit this way and that - all to no avail. The channel in question continued to register "no signal" on the screen.  You cannot fully appreciate the frustration of a black screen with those words floating around on it, especially when the game is in the throws of the National Anthem. Upon the realization of the doom of our superbowl evening, with nothing left to loose, I took our measly little rabbit ears antenna and tossed it out the nearest window. That was without a doubt a childish maneuver. But...

Can you believe it? It was a miracle! That darn station came in loud and clear! The antenna lay sprawled on the ground.

No one was more amazed than myself.  Corvette Man and I laughed and laughed.  I have been complaining about not receiving that station since the digital changeover. Little did I know that all I should do was toss the antenna on its head out the window.

This is a closer view.  

At the moment we are enjoying the Colts working over the Saints in perfect clarity.  It's a miracle!

Of course, we can't leave the thing out there.  The cats will chew on it and the chickens will find something unpleasant to coat it with, but for the moment we have CBS in perfect order.

A wonder small slice.

Love, Jeannene

A Sea ... a sea of people

I have to blog something tonight. My attempt last night was preempted by a creative spurt over the book I am in the middle of writing. The subject last night will be reserved for a future post.  Tonight I wish to unload my frustration over Saturday shopping.

After spending an hour and a half in the beauty parlor getting our hair done, a wonderfully relaxing hour and a half I must add with a very satisfying result, my daughter and I returned from the big city to spend time in the nearest town to our small village.  If it hadn't been for the fact that we looked great, the shopping experience would have ruined the entire day, but I digress.

This week end follows the week end of the heaviest snow fall witnessed in this area of Arkansas since 2004. The previous week end found the entire populace of Central Arkansas was confined to their living rooms unable to travel on the ice covered snow roads until late Sunday, or Monday at the earliest. The restrictions of last week end found us all, myself included, out and about in the highways and the byways today catching up with the errands we were forced to neglect last week end. I can't recall running into this number of people on the roads and the shops since the holidays, I almost wish I had been snow bound again.  The super bowl week end shoppers did not diminish the crowd, it only contributed to it.

I chose to shop in the larger town Kroger instead of my home town grocery store. When will I ever learn?  I returned home with many items, some of which are not available in our small town grocery. It is regrettable, though that I neglected to buy many of the standards I never forget when in familiar surroundings. I was dazed by the numerous offerings of the large store. When I say numerous I mean varieties of cheeses, meats, chips, cokes, everything. I was boggled by them, stunned by the choices, confused by the selections, confounded by the indecision and perplexed at my own sense of wonder.

My daughter reacted to my amazement as if I had never stepped foot into a Walmart before.  I wasn't in a Walmart, I was in Kroger store... a Kroger! It was much better than Walmart, trust me. She was almost as awed as myself, and to her credit, did not belittle my astonishment and bewilderment. She tried her best to help me find the items on my list. After forty five minutes of dodging shopping carts and bodies, we were exhausted and confused. It took everything we had to find a requested package of Oreos. Trust me, that was frustration. I was so happy to park my cart behind two other shoppers at the check out, the consume that was THE item for which I had selected this store, was forgotten until I drove up to our house in the country.

It didn't matter by then. I was home.  Home.  Safe and quite and always a constant solace from the hustle of the city.  Thank the Lord for home.

Thank you for your ear.

Love, Jeannene

A Tribute

Today I wish to sing the accolades of a member of my family whose duties are so often taken for granted.  He selflessly and willingly gives of himself to all of us.  At times I'm sure he thinks it might be a thankless job, but I love him for it. It falls to him to assure our safety and our well being. He makes sure all in working order and we are protected from the elements and warm. I am speaking of my wonderful husband Corvette Man. 

This man will sleep only half the night and still awaken at four o'clock in the morning with me to drive the six hundred or so feet to the gate of our property and open it for me in the rain, the sleet, the snow even in the warm.  He is relentless.  This man selflessly makes sure I am not attacked by a coyote or a deer (Believe it can happen, just ask our oldest son.) or maybe even some deranged person in the dark.

To clarify. Corvette Man stands in the rain and unlocks the gate for me. Then he opens it in order for me to drive my car through, thus releasing me from any obligation of exiting the warm confines of my heated vehicle. Am I spoiled or what?.

He doesn't rest until he is assured all is well with his family. I am eternally in his debt. I just wanted to take a few minutes to tell him how much I appreciate the care and attention he gives me and our children.

Thank you Corvette Man.  Thank God he sent you to me. You are another slice of heaven.

Love Jeannene.

Chile Lights

Today I would like to pay homage to my chile lights.

What on earth are you talking about? You ask.  For anyone who has had an opportunity to visit our little piece of heaven, you will recognize that of which I speak, and we don't get that many visitors out here so you are a select few.

I hail from the far reaches of wonderful ole Texas, El Paso to be specific. The hispanic influence on that area of the state is profound.  For me it crept into my very soul during the eleven and a half years I basked in the glorious heat of the desert southwest. Three of my four children were born in this locale. Needless to say, I formed deep attachments to the area.  Almost everything I eat, and try to force my family to eat, has some sort of Mexican flavor or inspiration. None of that was discounted when it came to designing and decorating the interior of our home. I love all things Mexican.

To provide the necessary solace for our separation from the desert and its wondrous mystery and beauty, I found some red chile lights and strung them on the rafters in the front room. It reminded me of El Paso, and Corvette Man loved them too.

 

This is a mega close up.  Can you sense the ambiance?

 

They really give you a happy feeling, don't you think?

 

 Everyone needs a little happy in their life, so says my daughter. (She is screaming for joy at my entry!)

This is a view of the whole room.  Warm ambiance throughout the space. I love home.

 

If it looks like a barn you're looking at, that's exactly what you see.  We decided to make our house out of the barn.

So my friends, this is the first thing you will see as you enter our home.  Happy slices.

Love, Jeannene

White on Road

I will take one more day to revel in the winter we experienced this past week end.  The roads into the big city were all dry and clear this morning, meaning my commute was without mishap.  The only difficulty I have experienced in relevance to the snow fall, was the ascent to the gate leading from our farm.  Our neck of the woods witnessed sleet and snow accumulations of about 3-4 inches. This is significant where highways are cleared infrequently and the liberal use of salt doesn't necessarily exist.  In defense of the Arkansas Highway Dept. they do have a few snow plows and they spread salt mixed with sand on the bridges.  A couple of days pass before my routes are clear enough for me to travel, but that is another story.

I wanted to show how the weather transformed our little piece of heaven here in Arkansas.

 

 

That ribbon of road snaking by the tree line leads to the gate of our farm.  Three inches of ice and snow lay on the surface of that road.  For me, three inches is enough to separate me from the rest of the world. I could not take my front wheel drive through that gate yesterday.  That does not mean Corvette Man couldn't do it.  It means I am incapable of it.The tires continued to spin every time I stepped on the gas. I am pathetic when it comes to these sorts of surfaces.

Isn't the scenery beautiful?  The trees were coated with a thick layer of frozen frost.

This was our winter slice.

Love, Jeannene