J.J. Devine's Blog, page 8

Hell week...

Good morning, everyone!!!

It is with a heavy heart I tell you my beautiful Lilly has now gone to fly with the angels. 

This week has been a nightmare thus far. So much so that I have decided if one more thing goes wrong today, I refuse to get out of bed tomorrow just to give me strength to get through the weekend ahead.

Monday: I had prepared my breakfast and lunch the night before. I was so proud of myself for being so on top of it. I knew my boss would be leaving me the minute I walked in the door to work. Which was just fine. I have no problem handling the place while she's gone. Between checking out customers, I tossed my breakfast in the microwave, a boiled egg and a few strips of bacon. I had decided I probably should eat the boiled egg cold, but then a customer came up, I threw the egg on the plate with the bacon and didn't think anything of it. I waited on the customer, then grabbed up the plate, went to the microwave and threw the plate in. Headed back to the register, waited on a few more customers, went and grabbed my plate. Then I had a small lull in waiting on customers so I thought grab a bite of your egg. Suddenly, it sounded as if a bomb went off. Inside my mouth and my face began to burn like hell. Yep, at least second degree burns inside my mouth. I will just say it is very uncomfortable.

Tuesday: A half hour before I was to get a shower for work, the power went off. It was storming like crazy outside and the entire town was out of power. I should have known then just call off work and go back to bed. But no, I didn't, because that is not who I am. I tossed my hair in a ponytail, threw on makeup by candlelight, and headed to work. We had a long day ahead between deliveries and preparing for audit today. So I made it through the day only to come home to a nightmare.

I walked through the front door and found my beautiful Lilly laying dead in the entry way. I was mortified, shocked, and definitely heartbroken. I go to huge measures to secure things and keep the dogs and cat away from the cage before I leave the house, ever. Somehow the boys in the romping had managed to get the bathroom door away from the cage, knocked in one panel of the cage, and the only bird left in the cage was Sunny.

I put the dogs in the back yard. Found Mr. Gray flying around the living room. Finally managed to catch him and get him secured in the cage. My entire house was a disaster. I hunted and hunted for Rudy with no luck. I just knew he had been eaten. My heart grew heavier and heavier. 

I was on the phone with my daughter-in-law. The cat standing right next to me. Lexi kept looking up at me then looking and watching intently under the couch. Yes, animals do communicate with us if we listen. I took my flashlight, looked under the couch and there was Rudy. I couldn't see what shape he was in, but I could tell he was alive. 

My daughter-in-law being the beautiful soul she is, loaded up the girls and came right away to help me get Rudy out from under the couch. He was missing his tail feathers, some feathers off of one wing, and talons off of one foot. But he was alive. I wasn't sure he would make it, but my daughter-in-law stayed with me while I set things up for him in the bottom of the cage. He soon began to eat off the plate I placed on the bottom of the cage. He would hide beneath the towel I put down there for him, but would waddle out from time to time to grab a bite to eat, or climb up on the branches I keep in their cage for different size perches. 

This morning he seems more his old self minus his injuries. Sunny is a pretty amazing bird, he shares his time between Rudy and Mr. Gray. Mr. Gray goes to the bottom of the cage to check on Rudy, but Sunny, dear sweet Sunny, goes down and eats with Rudy, checks on him, and sings with him. Rudy has been grooming himself all morning, which to me is a good sign. 

Mr. Gray and I have a new relationship now. He seems more interested in what I'm saying versus before when he would just sit on the other side of the cage if I was near.

The dogs have been in doggie jail for the rest of yesterday and today. I've learned some hard lessons in the last twenty-four hours where this is concerned. My heart still aches over Lilly. She may have been just plain white, but oh what a personality she had. She was my tame one. The one who would climb up to my shoulder and chatter with me. She ruled the roost and the others let her.

Today: The blisters in mouth have began to pop. Leaving behind a horrible sting. My top lips still feels like leather and numb. But at least this will heal eventually.

Hubby and I have doctor appointments this morning. And from there who knows.

In honor of a friend of mine who passed away Monday night I will end this blog with the saying he always said to me before he left the store:

"Work hard and make them lots of money," Terry Mundorf.

Me, "You know I will."


















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Sometimes you just have to remember who you used to be...

Good morning, everyone!!!

Strange how sometimes you are just doing something and memories come flooding back. This is what happened Saturday as my sister, brother-in-law, and I were out stomping through the woods shaking pawpaw trees :) 

I remember heading out to the woods after breakfast, taking a picnic lunch, and playing  until dinner time. Creating our own little worlds, finding things to do, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.

What saddens me is so many young people today don't know the pleasures of running through the woods, playing in the creek, building forts out of sticks. 

Sometimes when you get older you need that moment to look back on your childhood and smile.

Childhood is a time when your imagination knows no boundaries. Where you enhance those abilities to dream and imagine 'what if' and pretend you are limitless. I'm so glad I had that childhood.

​What I am thankful for is that I have that time now to enjoy stomping through the woods like I once did. Sure, we don't make stick forts any longer, but we find new and exciting ways to entertain ourselves.

We've learned about trail markers, new plants, just finding solitude from a busy world. We've entertained ourselves with a sense of adventure even as adults.

This is where I go to clear my head, relieve stress, find a refreshed spirit. And believe me here lately this has been a godsend. I don't know where I'd be right now if I couldn't get away from the insanity that has revolved around me lately. 

Just stomping through the woods, up and down ravines, in and out of little pawpaw groves, enjoying the smell of nature. This is what gives my soul energy, what refreshes me. It always has from the time I was young.

This is my go to place. Everyone should have one. That one place in life that spirals you back to a time when you were carefree. A place where you can recharge and get away from adulthood for just a few moments.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!   
















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New Chapter in life begins...

Good morning, everyone!!!

It's been a busy few days around here. Between moving the youngest and reorganizing this house (something I always seem to do when a kid moves out), work, and still managing a bit of gardening. Things seem to be wrapping up there just a bit, so not as much as it once was. 

I spent my day off yesterday doing a little housework, making oat flour and rice flour, and hanging out with the youngest grandchild. Now the rest of the week it is early early shifts and figuring out what is most important on my list of things to do.

I've had lots of thinking time over the course of the last week. I definitely needed that due to the fact that things around here are once again changing. Excitement for the youngest who has ventured out on his own. Excitement and nervousness that suddenly I have now completed a phase in this life. 

Strange how that works out. As a young mom you see the chaos, the day to day insanity. You think you will go crazy if you hear the word, 'mom', one more time. Then as your children become teenagers and take on an entire different personality (like some alien from another planet sort of personality) you wonder if you will survive until their adulthood. Then the day comes when they are grown, men and women. That time you pray for when their little and driving you nuts. 

As I stood and watched the two boys I raised, my memory seeing them as the little people they once were. Only to change to the vision before me at that moment, two grown men working together, side by side, and I smile. My job is done as a mom. Now the relationship shifts to something new. 

Where do you go from here? Well, it's been years since I've had to raise these young people. But your mind tells you, you're still in that mode as long as even just one remains at home. But when that last one leaves the nest, you feel that completion of a phase in life. You reserve to the fact you're job is done in that area.

I'm not sad, don't get me wrong. Yes, I did have a few tears, but that's normal. A phase in life has just ended. But, there is excitement too. Excitement knowing there is a new phase beginning. 

I'm surrounded with my feathered and furry friends. A husband who is home every couple of weeks. A life I've been working toward for many years now. So, the excitement of walking through the door of a new phase is now upon me.

Sure, I have to retrain myself to cook less portions. To shop for less. Those messes that used to drive me crazy... you know the ones, where you clean something only to turn around and find it piled up again, well, that is now put in the memory file. 

Moving forward. It's always scary, but always exciting too. I don't believe in sulking, so there's only one thing to do, move forward. Today after work I shop for the first time for mainly one. Well, with the exception I need to pick up dog food :) and hubby should be home for at least one meal this week :) But mainly, I will be shopping for me. That is a strange feeling and I think it will be the biggest adjustment for me. 

To go to the store and think, "Hmmm, what do I want." 

I have some new and exciting ideas for my birds and their environment which I plan to put into action this week. I have some new and exciting ideas for my living environment as well. Hubby and I will soon be looking at new countertops (yep, it doesn't take much to excite me, LOL). 

I'm embracing this new phase. Finding pleasure in it. Because after all, my children deserve to live their lives, not fret and worry over their mom. Because mom will be fine. Mom has done her job as a mother, and now those relationships are different but rewarding. I can look back on the times they were little and smile, but I can look to the now and smile even bigger because they are where they are supposed to be at this moment in time. I can look to the future and know they will be okay.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!












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Coming and going all over the place...

Good morning, everyone!!!

I've been running around like a crazy woman the last few weeks and now I'm sitting here enjoying the sounds of my birds singing, the fan blowing the air around, and a few crickets chirping. 

I don't know where to begin. So I guess here is as good a place as any. As you know we've been canning crazy ladies as of late. I've enjoyed that part of life immensely. I love creating something that began as nothing more than an idea. It's part of why I enjoy writing so much.

I'm about to embark on a part of life I've never really considered before. They call it empty nest, but I call it an end of an era which has always been my goal from the start.

I'm thrilled to death on one hand, and nervous on the other. I know that just because children leave home doesn't mean you stop being their mom, but that relationship changes to one of being a mom of adult children out on their own, living their life as they were always meant to do.

I'm excited and nervous more so over where this next phase in life is going to take me. I love the time I've been spending with my sister. Learning new things. Not being afraid to experiment with things. Opening my eyes to new and exciting aspects of life.

I love the idea of being able to explore some interior design changes that will give me food for thought and allow me to clear the spiritual air a bit further. I always do this sort of thing when I deep clean the house. Clear out the clutter both internally and outwardly. So the colder months this year are going to be a real spiritual path for this old girl.

Life has thrown me a few huge curve balls lately. But I've learned to just let things be. Keep my opinions to myself (mainly vent them out and move on). I've learned that things definitely don't go the way I wish they would in this life. I've also learned that sometimes we allow too much energy to go to areas of life where we really shouldn't focus energy at all.

I've had my heart shattered over the past month. I've learned that sometimes people can do the unthinkable and you have to trust there is a reason you are seeing all that is being revealed to you. I've learned if you pray for truth, you will get truths you never dreamed were possible.

I'm thankful I've been able to delve into a ton of work to help me sort out these thoughts and feelings. I'm thankful that a busy mind and body helps heal a broken one. I'm thankful for a sister who not only gives sound advice but one who understands and helps me push forward when I otherwise sink away. One who brings laughter to my soul and knows how to just listen when I need to vent out my frustration. But also understands I don't want to live in that moment, I just need to clear my head and then helps me move on to a better place.

Yes, I guess you could say I've had a lot of things going on lately. Everything at once, but I'm thankful for the patience and understanding that I've been given lately.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!















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Been a good week...

Good morning, everyone!!!

Well this was my anniversary week. Hubby and I took off for the campground Tuesday evening and stayed a few days. It was nice getting away for sure, even though it wasn't too far :)

The youngest grandchild went with us Tuesday night and hung out with us all day Wednesday. We took her swimming and to the little park. Later that evening we went to the oldest grandchild's first football game :) They won 30 to 8 :) 

We decided to stay another day and enjoyed just hanging out together. 

We then took the camper back to my sister's house and then hung out with my sister and her husband for the evening. We hit up some amazing yard sales and went to dinner. Then we hit up the woods for some Paw Paw harvesting. 

Saturday afternoon I headed back to my sister's for an evening of prepping for the next day's canning adventure. We put up some more tomato paste (because let's face it, you use a lot of tomatoes and you can use paste for a ton of recipes) and carrots. We also put paw paw in ice trays for freezing into cubes, then bagged those up yesterday. 

We've learned so many neat things this year that I will be starting a brand new series soon. Basically, these will be nonfiction and great little tips for the busy woman who wants to garden and can for the winter months. 

Crazy Canning Ladies began in the kitchen and that's where these little stories, mishaps, and adventures will take you. Of course, there will be tips, must haves, and ideas on how to bring fresh veggies to your table even in the midst of a chaotic life.

As soon as things slow down a bit I will be getting the first one out. They won't be anything too elaborate. Just simple books on canning and the busy woman. Little tips we've learned over the course of the summer and harvest season. You know how to hold down a full time job, still manage to be somewhat social, and still can the dickens out of your garden.

It will also bring you little inspirational tips on how to maintain your sanity, or just embrace your insanity :) 

As we worked yesterday this idea came to me. I know how valuable it has been learning these little tips. I don't know how many times we've heard over the course of this canning season, "I don't have time for all of that." 

Well, this isn't your mother's or grandmother's way of canning to say the least and we just felt maybe it's time to show people you really can do all this even in the midst of a busy life. 

So, look for the announcements of when this little series will be coming your way. And yes, one of these books will be simple canning recipes that anyone can do.

Well I guess I better get this day started. I have a ton to do after work today. 

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!














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Crazy Canning Ladies...

Good morning, everyone!!!

Oh my my, what do you get when you give two women a garden and a kitchen to work in? Crazy Canning Ladies :)

This summer has definitely been an adventure. We've most assuredly reaped what we've sown in more ways than one. 

This entire experience has been a great big learning experience and a wild trip to say the least. I tried paw paws for the first time last evening. Discussed what we might make out of the millions we need to gather from the woods and made yet another game plan to make this happen.

Harvest season has been an experience I would not trade for the world. We stay positive even in the midst of disaster, such as the pizza sauce we turned our noses up at last evening. Laugh in spite of ourselves such as when we don't have enough of the right ingredients and improvise :)

We've learned to step out of the box. Stretch. Look around. And then do whatever feels right at the moment. We solve world problems and smaller issues as we stand over a hot stove or a Kitchenaide.  We discuss deeper shit, like life, like letting go of negative thoughts and introducing the positive aspects of life.

If one of us is having a bad day. We drop it all and head to the woods or take a walk around the pond to refresh our souls and get back at the task at hand. This allows us to put things back into perspective and push forward in those things we enjoy doing.

Laughter is good for the soul. Laughing at yourself well it's not just funny, but good to let go of the self inflicted image of your own perfections. Nobody's perfect in this life. So embracing your own imperfections is simply freeing and an amazing feeling all wrapped up in one.

I've found in the midst of wanting to scream I can still embrace this peace. I've found that I am not my problems, but my problems are just a part of life. Obsessing over them solves nothing, so handing them over to the Lord and Lady is the only choice.

I've found that when you do not give 'enough' attention to the bad things in life, the bad things try harder to be recognized. But that's okay, they are recognized just not given all my time, only enough to hand them over to the higher powers that be.

It's okay not to like something but don't spend all your energy expressing how much you don't like it. Turn that shit around and spin the positive back to the forefront. Your mood depends on it.

Life is funny, brutal, exciting, and yes, depressing and hurtful. That doesn't mean you have to dwell in the negative aspects. Seek out the funny and exciting to get you through the brutal, depressing, and hurtful. It's a matter of survival.

Creating is a wonderful way of grabbing ahold of the good things in life. Gardening to me, is just another way of creating. You grow the seeds, you tend to the plants, you harvest the plants, then you experiment and find new and unusual ways to use these fruits of your labor. It's a first hand look at you become what you focus on.

I don't mind one bit being called a crazy canning lady. Because frankly, this old crazy canning lady is enjoying the process that we call life.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!





















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Find your comfort zone...

Good morning, everyone!!!

Yes, we've been at it again :) Hundreds of tomatoes were turned into sauce to make paste yesterday evening. There is something pretty amazing about being in the zone. 

We spent a few hours in the garden gathering more tomatoes yesterday afternoon. Then spent three hours turning them into sauce and preparing them for the paste process. 

It's been pretty amazing how so many people have come forward with kindness during this time for us. I've been going through some really rough times lately. So much going on in life that rips at my heartstrings, then out of the blue people come forward after seeing the pics we've posted about our canning adventures, and these people restore my faith in humanity :)

This process has taught me that disorder and order can go hand in hand. Chaos and sanity are best of friends. Embracing both heartache and happiness can be the best place for enlightenment. 

We've learned so much over the course of this process, not just about canning and making yummy things, but also about ourselves and our endurance and just how far we can be pushed up against the wall and still manage to push forward.

Life is a strange place to be sometimes. 

I have this overwhelming peace within me that I have no idea where it has come from. I've prayed for truths and I've had those prayers answered in ways that completely and utterly make my mind just go hmmmm….

Yet, even in the face of these truths I find peace where I would otherwise feel anxious. It is just strange. I've found a sort of comfort zone I never would believe I'd be comfortable in.

I focus on what is here and now. What I can do, what I can control, and I've turned everything else over to the Lord and Lady. 

I've been enjoying the moments of chaos and insanity that comes with, What's next on this list. Pushing the mark each day to strive to meet the goals of the day. 

There will be times of less chaos in the future. Where the canning is done and the goodies are put away for the winter months. A satisfaction of knowing we did this, not alone, but side by side every step of the way. 

We spend our time with busy hands, full hearts, and light positive chatter to embrace each day and relish in what we've done. We watch the changes coming over the land and know the harvest season will soon come to a close making way for beauty of another kind. 

We're finding a brand new comfort zone to reside in. One filled with accomplishments not tarnished by bitterness and negativity, but finding the positive in the midst of the negative. A place I've always strived to be at but never quite seemed to find it.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!















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Trying to wake up...

Good morning, everyone!!!

It was another late night of canning. However, we also spent a little time sitting outside snapping green beans. It was a cooler evening so it was nice and relaxing as we sat and snapped and chatted.

We also sprayed the apple and crabapple trees and found an apple tree we had no idea was there :) 

We then went in the house and put up the diced tomatoes for spaghetti sauce. The weekend will be here before we know it and there is things to get done around the farm :)

If it's not raining after work today I plan to stay at the house and get the mowing done. Oh yeah, and some dishes I've been putting off LOL. I know I know, me put off a task, LMAO.

I slept so hard last night I'm still trying to wake up even after a half a cup of coffee. All this being outdoors and working from sun up to well after sun down is really doing this old body good. I rest very well at night. In fact so well that the other night I am told it stormed like hell out and I never heard a thing, even in the camper.

Strange how that works. But I'm glad it does. Each day there is something new we venture into with the harvest. Each day we work from the time we get off work until we can't work anymore for the night. Then it is off to bed and sound sleep to prepare for the next day. 

Being in nature gives me a chance to relax my mind, which is a big part of relaxation. When the mind is not over taxed the body feels a little more alive after a night's sleep. Solving the problems of the world becomes a little easier LOL. 

There's nothing like a little dirt on the hands and feet to make you feel completely and utterly amazing :)

Well I guess I better get ready to start this day. Another long one on the books.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

















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Harvest Season is a busy season...

Good morning, everyone!!!

I took the night off from the harvest last evening to get a little bit done around the house. By little bit I mean a little bit, there is so much left to do around here but one thing I've learned in all these years is the mess will be there another day.

This harvest season has been quite the adventure to say the least. I still say there is nothing better than sharing the responsibilities that go along with it. Sure beats doing all of this alone. And guess what, there is so much less waste this way, because you're able to get to it before things start going bad :)

A month ago we were on a wonderfully relaxing vacation at this time. Now we're neck deep in tomatoes, green beans, peppers, pumpkins, squash, potatoes, well you get the picture.

We've learned so much about canning, about making homemade goodies, and just about ourselves and what we can do even after a long day of work. What's even better is we've learned we can focus on what we need to do even if life seems like it's going in a direction you'd rather not see it go in.

I've had some trying times these last few weeks. But that's what happens when you pray for truth. So, yes, I expected some of this, but to this extent, well, let's just say the last few weeks have been real eye openers. The hard part is facing truths. Looking them right in the eye and saying, "Okay, I hear you. Now I accept you."

I've learned a great deal about the meaning of unconditional love. Where your heart can love someone, be shattered into a million pieces by someone, and still love them. Unconditional love does not mean I have to agree with everything but I can still let my heart love them. 

I've learned love has many different meanings over the course of this harvest season. Love doesn't have to mean accepting everything at face value nor does it have to mean allowing another person to use that love to get what they want. So, you love them from a distance and know they are in the learning process of their life. 

Harvest season clears the mind and soul. So much quiet time just you and the earth and what you both have produced. 

I hear so many people talk about how their gardens didn't do much this year. All the while I walk through the masses of our harvest and simply wonder could it be all the time and energy we've put into just being one with our hard work? Sitting in the dirt, talking to our plants, the prayers, the tears, the laughter, all pushing these plants heavenward to deliver our needs to the Lord and Lady.

The harder I try to remain calm and peaceful, the harder the universe shows me I can be these things in the midst of the chaos. It is a strange feeling to say the least. To watch the hurricane from the inside and still be standing still and be overwhelmed by this strange peace. 

Maybe it's all the time I've spent on the farm, in the woods, by the lake, or just working with what we've sown. I don't know. But whatever it is, I will take it. I will embrace this peace with all that I am and enjoy this time in my life.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!












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Let's try this again...

Good morning, everyone!!!

Okay, we are going to try this blog again. I don't know what happened the other day when I blogged, but it all disappeared. 

It was a very busy week last week and another one is starting today. Between work and canning and gardening and just trying to come up with new uses for veggies, well, let's just say we've met ourselves coming and going LOL.

Just this week it was 29 jars of salsa, 17 quarts of veggie beef soup, more pickles, and corn shucked and cut off the cob for preparing this evening. Before vacation it was around a hundred jars of green beans and a ton of pickles.

Tomatoes are starting to come off daily. And we learned a few new tricks with the kitchen aid to make our sauces and juice. So, yeah, spaghetti sauce it is this week :)

I've been living in my camper for the last week. It is so much easier than running back and forth each day. Besides we can work later in the night to get more done.

I had mentally prepared for this time of the year. I knew we would be overwhelmed with so much to do each day. But it is nice having help doing it all and doing it together. There's so much learning going on and so much more to learn. But the nice thing is you don't have to do it alone. There's someone there to bounce ideas off of, to laugh together at our stupid mistakes, and to be proud of the hard work together. 

Before when I canned I did it all alone. So it was a longer process and very little progress each day. But it got done. :)

Well seeing as today is my day off from the day job, the youngest granddaughter and I will be heading back out to the farm after she wakes up. Then we'll take a small break to take a golf cart ride in the woods and then it will be back to work on corn to get it finished up before heading back to town to get her sister off the bus.

Tomorrow who knows, maybe running tomatoes through the processor and start on spaghetti sauce :) We'll see :)

Everyone have a good one!!!

Blessings to all!!!












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