That should be next storm system. I am tired.

Thanks I did not hear about 70 mile an hour winds. I will take down my little windmill and park my truck away from trees. So you are planting tender annuals. I have started reading the part of Carolyn Male's book about starting tomatoes inside. I have taken over Annie's spot under the stairs. I have one light in there and I'll put another today. I am in the mood but don't want to start too early.

I'm planning on starting seeds first of next month--seems I always start too early.
Must restrict tomatoes--must restrict tomatoes--must..LOL
I heard this week about a 83 year old lady in a county home in New York (didnt know they still had them)that had her own farm till last year, she fell off her tractor, state moved in-and sold her animals, equipment, put her in this home. She sits with a seed catalog, and her dreams. says she misses her dog the most--and then, she starts crying.
The forum I was on is filled with ladies like her--they're sending everything they can think of to her-she says theres just city people in the home-they dont want to hear her.Breaks my heart.
Gldno, I revieved the seeds today, I do appreciate them, I'll let you know how they do. My Mother always said never say thank you for plants, or seeds, it would make them die-So I'll just tell you how much I appreciate them.
Have my fruit trees all pruned--next good days for spraying.
Stay Safe, everyone.

We got lots of wind and some rain, maybe 1/2 inch is all, but the total from the snow and the rain was 2-3/4 inches which is a good start toward spring gardening and spring pastures.

ceresone, that story breaks my heart too. My sis is in a nursing home and it isn't much of a life, especially for a farm gal! I plan to stay right where I am, Lord willing.

Do you mind telling me what kind of forum it is?
I keep wanting to find a forum about farm life but haven't been very successful.

I think the secret is to stay very active...keep gardening and bush hogging and chasing cows.

I brought some of my winter sowing containers in on Monday because it was so windy. They're in a basement south window but I need to get them back outside so they won't sprout too early. On the radar, it looked like there were some bad storms moving in from Oklahoma but I think most of the rain fizzled before it got to us which I didn't mind too much after hearing about their tornadoes.

That is a sad story Ceresone. It sounds like they didn't give her fair time to recover and move back home.

I had two great aunts that never married. One was sort of frail looking and she said her parents wouldn't let her marry because she was too sickly. The other was a bigger boned woman and I assume she just never found anyone. They shared a house in town and always had a large vegetable garden. They did all the work themselves and I remember how my parents used to marvel that there was never a single weed in sight. The "frail one" worked in the garden until she was 99 or 100 and lived to be 102. The other sister who was younger than her, lived on her own for awhile but I can't remember if she kept the garden after her sister died. I think she was in her upper nineties when she passed away. I do think being active is important and of course having the fresh veggies to eat doesn't hurt.

My mother would have been in a nursing home years ago if she didn't have me to care for her. I care for her because she was a wonderful mother. I won't have anyone to take care of me when I get that age, but it is no use to worry. Lightning may strike me tomorrow. I think you have to let go of some things and be happy with what you can do. Some people start having failing health young and others are still dancing at 90; that is a matter of genetics and life style. When you can't dig up a big garden, it is good to be happy with raised beds. When you can't do raised beds a garden in large pots and watching birds through a window will have to satisfy. I worked briefly for a government agency couldn't stand the depressing work. There was a sweet little old blind lady with short curly blue hair. When I visited she had adopted granddaughters teenager from her church coming to fix her lunch. She gave them some money to buy hamburger because she thought that is what they would like to fix not really what she wanted to eat. She had been in a nursing home wasn't happy and her church people friends got her out. Friend, neighbors and government agencies were taking care of her because she still had her mind and was sweet and cooperative. Another lady called the police on her neighbor for a barking dog when he was the one who had been doing her yard work. She accused the lady who watched her house while she was in the hospital for stealing food. I don't blame her; her mind was slipping but staying a little flexible and being civil helps.

helen, flexible is the key! I just hope I can remember that or know if I am not being flexible. When we had DH's parents staying with us during the 2007 ice storm of 11 days, they wouldn't change their eating time in the evening so we had to burn candles and kerosene lamps to eat by. As a result, I had to scrub down all cabinets afterwards and the cloth was black with soot. I kept suggesting that we eat while we could still see things............nope!

How wonderful that your mother has you!

Hi, everyone -- Glad you all are safe after our little storm last night. It could have been much, much worse. I'm tickled to find an Ozarks forum, (I'm in Joplin). I love the soil and compost forum. I do read and read and read through a lot of the forums, and have learned so much from them and all the links from posts.
Gldno1, hope your fruit trees were okay -- I remember being tired myself on a farm, particularly getting ready for something like a storm.
You all sound so positive, upbeat -- you will probably live long, long lives! So sorry about the farm lady in a nursing home -- I can just imagine how she must miss it. Wish I could take her home with me, though she would have to make do with raised beds.
Going to look into the Carolyn Male book. Have a light set up this year and can hardly wait to start planting!! It's soooo hard to wait for Spring, isn't it??
Sunny

Welcome sunnyside; glad you found us.

Bless you Helen for taking care of your mother. You're a kind person. I'm sure you will always have people to watch over you too. Maybe we need to make it a point to have younger friends.

Hi Sunnyside! Welcome! There are some other people on this forum gardening in raised beds because of the rocks. You'll feel at home here.

Welcome, Sunny, tho you might already "know" me from the compost forum. I have a grandaughter, and gr.g that live in Joplin.
I'm getting elaborate on my raised beds this year, slowly. We got about 1 1/2 inches of rain, little wind.
Hope William had made it back home, and that they didnt lose too much.

Welcome Sunny,
Since you are going w/raised beds you should not have near the struggles w/missouri rocks. Or pets depending on how you look at it.
I'm in joplin also.

I'm glad we got the rain it was actually needed.
Sorry for all the damage everyone received during the storms.

Helen you mother is so fortunate to have you. It is all in the circle of life. What comes around goes around. I have seen this happen so many times. Kindness being returned when someone least expects it.
Knock on wood we will all be here a long time an still playing in the dirt . It may not be a full garden but some form of it. : )
Bonnie

Welcome, sunny, hope you stay with us and post often. We love pictures too. I see the Greenhouse Forum is a favorite of yours. Do you have one? I still haven't got mine built yet...........but I will this year!!!

Maybe if I keep repeating that often enough, I will do it. I am tracking the sunlight now trying to come up with the perfect location.