The other morning I went to fairyland.  True, it was a tick-infested
fairyland...but one mustn't complain about such things.  There were
a few friendly spiders there as well, but lucky for them, I like most
spiders.

I got up early, before the break of dawn, and on Pa's borrowed mule, I
drove behind the old barn a ways.  Then I took my trusty flashlight and
other supplies (just in case) and found a tree stand left over from last
year's deer season.

Then I climbed up into the stand and waited.  I waited for the world to
wake up.  It was lovely and loud.  The birds are so loud.  The whipporwills
slowly quieted, but all the rest were waking up.

I was disappointed though because I had hoped to see some critters.  You
know, squirrels, skunks, fox, badgers...anything.  Maybe a porcupine or
armadillo would come wandering by...so I thought.  I waited and waited
and waited.  Then decided it wasn't going to happen and it seemed to
be getting late.

So, I got on the mule and rode the long way back.  I passed the Martins
spot and went up Mike's lane.  When I got home and looked at the clock,
it was just 6:10 in the morning.  I think the critters were still sleeping when
I left fairyland and that is why I didn't see any.

I have enjoyed the spring this year.  Sometimes the lushness of the growth
seems almost wanton.  I saw a dobsonfly the other day.  It was a female.
I didn't know what it was and thought (very briefly) about trying to catch
it to show the grandies.  But it was midnight, and I was tired, so I didn't.
Good thing!  The females, so I learned, can deliver a nasty little nip.  The
males, while much more menacing looking, are harmless.

In case you are wondering, a female dobsonfly is about 2 inches long and
looks like this:

The other day Uncle Jim sent me the following entry from an old blog
of his:

Who would have ever thunk it? Mizzou Tigers 9th in the nation!! 

The hated and despised Colorado 5th down "champs" are next on 

our agenda. The game will not be played at the zou...not good.

First thing Mom said the morning after her birthday party was 

" I had quite a day yesterday" A day unlike most of us will ever 

see in our life here on earth. My daughter in law really outdid 

herself. It was a wonderful party. Lots of family, friends, and 

neighbors were there. Everything was perfect. The old girl held 

up pretty well even though she was a little overwhelmed by all the 

attention. I'm hoping by today that she will have caught up on her 

rest somewhat.

I can only imagine what is like to be starting the 98th year of life.

Well, I can see the light in her kitchen window, it's time to see if she 

is okay.

It's frosty this morning, 37 degrees. It was 36.9 yesterday.

'Nuff said.

This was written Oct 30 2007 in a blog that I started in ’06 and never 

stayed with.

I had forgotten all about writing about this.

It does bring back good memories for me. J

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

This would have been the day after the G'ma Opal's 97th birthday party. 

Mom didn't want to wait until G'ma Opal turned 100.  I remember mom

said, "I might not be there."  And she wouldn't have been.

I cannot believe that mom has been gone for 10 years this August.  G'ma Opal

once told me that she had missed her mother every day of her life since her

mother had died, and I can honestly say the same about my mother.  I miss
G'ma Opal too, so very much.

I watched these two (Kathleen, Colyn) and little Judah today while
Natalie went to the doctor.  Peeta went with her.  He's been a little
clingy lately.

This picture wasn't from today, but was from several months ago, at
the beginning of spring.

Today was sprinkler weather.

They had a busy, imaginative day.

First, Kathleen informed me they were green gum-ball lizards.  These
type of lizards live in gum-ball (sweetgum) trees and eat green gum-
balls and green gum-ball leaves.  They looked more like possums as
they hung upside down from the lowest branches.

Then Colyn was able to climb the 2nd climbing tree all by himself for
the first time.  We have a little climbing tree they have been using for
a few years, but I told them they could begin to climb the maple in the
backyard whenever they could get into it by themselves.  Kathleen has
been able to for some time, but today was Colyn's first.

Then they came inside and played a long time.  They called each other
up from one pretend house to the other.

Colyn--Kathleen would you like to go to the jungle with me?

Kathleen--Sure!

Colyn--Well, I can't leave yet because I forgot to brush my teeth and
there is dirty laundry to fold.

Then, when they went back outside to play in the sprinkler, they were
wallowing in a puddle.  "Grandma, we're wet, gooey frogs.  Do you know
why they are called that?  Because they're wet and gooey."

I forgot to mention in the last Up and Down the Gravel that Uncle Jim broke
his foot last week.  He's off to Pocahontas tomorrow to have it examined
by a bone doctor.  He's hoping to get a boot and not a cast.

Lots and lots of comings and goings these past few weeks in Fernnook.
The Joel Hardings have been down to and back up from Georgia.  The
Bill Fleetwoods have been down to and back up from Fernnook.  The
Mike Fleetwoods have been down to and back up from Florida where
they picked up most of their earthly belongings to prepare for a move-in
date sometime this summer.  The Ken Fleetwoods have been up to and back
down from Fernnook.  And the Jim Hardings have been down to Fernnook
and are now on a vacation down to Arkansas.  Kent has gone with them,
and I plan to join them in a few days with 3 of the granddies.

Kent, Bill, Elsie, Opal, and Wilbur went fishing one of the mornings while
they were here.  Opal reported that Wilbur caught 3 fish and that, between
her and Elsie, they caught 3 more.

We spent lots of evenings in the last couple of weeks sitting on the deck at
The Big House and singing along with Alexa to almost every genre of music
that exists.  The highlight was the Ga-Nomes singing Mockingbird Hill.  Well,
that and Tandy dancing to Tutti-Frutti.  She LOVES that song!

While we were cooking, eating, and singing (and working betimes), even more
babies were born.  Theodore to Trenten and Anne and then Asher to D. Jay
and Julie.

Adeline was baptized last weekend.  It was a joy to see it!  Soon we will,
Lord willing, get to go to St. Louis for Chappell's baptism.

Mike and Deb got their things unloaded, despite a truck that wouldn't start and
which therefore couldn't get moved into a good spot for unloading.  The repair
man came out after dark to fix it.  Now if only they could get cabinets...then
they could set a move-in date.

How can one express the absolute joy of family and springtime and singing
and worship with a few words?  It's impossible to express, but it is a thrill
to experience.