"Nice" Mail

Several years ago I was visiting with my niece Emily and I mentioned that I had some pictures to send her.  I handed a piece of paper across the table and ask her to write her address on it.  She wrote her e-mail. Passing it back, I explained that I had copies of the prints and I wanted her mailing address.  Emily exclaimed, "Oh, nice mail, all I ever get is bills!"  Nice mail began and expanded into other family members.  Now the list includes the Ponderosa Princesses and  my niece Aimee.  Parker and even the son-in-laws like to receive nice mail.

Nice mail is usually a card with a note and sometimes there are pictures, recipes, games, or coupons included.  On some holidays, the girls all get festive socks!  I even have special postcards for grandkids. Other people sometimes get nice mail for their birthday or a get well card if they need it.  Since I have retired I have been a better nice mailer, using the calendar from our church to send birthday and anniversary wishes to friends.  Facebook helps too since I can see who is having a birthday a week ahead.
Our church sends cards to people every Sunday.  Some weeks there are 12-15 cards.  Just yesterday it was mentioned how important the cards are to the receivers.  The idea that someone is thinking of them and taking the time to prepare a card makes them feel special.
Today was nice mail day on the Ponderosa.  I had a  birthday card and a get well card ready when the husband left for work,  After I  prepared more mail and the rain stopped for a few minutes I decided to drive to the Post Office so everyone would get some nice mail tomorrow, but when I got there it looked like this

The entire parking lot was flooded.  It was dry near the big blue box I need to get to, but the water was deep in the driveway right in front of it.  Just like the postal service I was not going to be stopped by high water, so I hightailed it to Gibson Tax Service where the owner took me in his four wheel drive to deposit my mail before the 3:15 deadline! He,of course, is a big fan of everyone on the nice mail list so he saved the day!

So take some time to send someone some "nice" mail but do it on a day when the sun is shining and you don't have to ford the post office parking lot.

Looking out my Back door. . .

The Wind. . .

A great wind is blowing and that gives you either imagination or a headache.

~Catherine the Great

Drip, Drip, Drip. . .

Today. . .

Today, I've been a race car driver, a guard at the castle gate, an animal doctor and a pirate!  I've been on three hikes. . .

 

Well, I hiked, my companion travels at warp speed. . . 

And jumps over anything in his path. . . 

 

For much of the afternoon, the King of the Ponderosa was allowed to do something that is much loved my all little boys everywhere.  He put on his "mud boots" and. . .

 I let him do these things because I can't resist his sweet little Opie Taylor face. . .

but I also do it because I love him to the Moon and Back!!!!

So what did you do today?

Happy Valentine's Day

Woodpecker War

 Seems we are always at war with some of the animals here on the Ponderosa--its a fight for survival!  Currently a red-headed woodpecker  has decided to destroy an oak tree that is very close to our house. We are not strangers to bird attacks, you may remember the post I made about nesting birds last spring.  So when we discovered the damage to this tree, we took action!

Since we know the woodpecker chose this tree because of the insects he finds inside, we bought expensive stuff and smarter than birds guy sprayed the tree.  No luck!
Our second plan of attack was to yell at the bird and make loud noise when we saw him!  Smarter than birds guy and girl both tried.  No luck!

Some of you might say to us, leave the woodpecker alone, but should the tree he has chosen to destroy  have to be cut down, it is located where it might hit the deck, the house, the gas tank, the driveway, the basketball goal or any combination of the above! Now my husband feels confident in his lumberjack skills and says he could cut this tree if he needed to, but I do not share his confidence. I refer you to the list of possible things this tree could hit.  Therefore, it is very important to save this tree!

Here's the new plan that smarter than a woodpecker guy and girl came up with.  Cover it up!  Yes, it looks funny--it makes us laugh out loud.  Yes, we realize that Woody Woodpecker can fly and get above our sheet, but we are hoping that covering up his dinner table will make him look somewhere else.  I'll keep you posted!!

Sunday's Blast from the Past

The weather has been cold and windy and dreary and the forecast is calling for more of the same with snow included. I thought tonight's post from the past should remind us that warmer times are coming, so I found some beach pictures.  In these particular photos the Ponderosa princesses and their dad are trying to herd a poor crab who happened to be on the same Alabama beach as these three!  I hope the crab went on to live a happy and trauma free life.  And you should know, no crabs were harmed in the making of these photos!

Progress. . .

I have made some progress with the de-cluttering project this week.  Just removed from a bathroom drawer some items that expired in 2002. . . seriously!