There is no greater joy than a Grandchild

David's Fish

This is Happy Birthday to David Evans born June 29, 1992.  I first saw David when he was about a week old. When he was born, I was taking care of my Mother, so I would go by Lenora's house to see the new baby boy.  Lenora has five children, she is my third daughter and child.  As time past I visited Lenora each time I made a trip back home in Dermott at the time.  Sometimes weekly sometimes less often.  I would drive from Marion La. where my Mother lived back to Dermott.  One day I walked in and called out and I heard David scream.  I do not know what I did but he never liked me, when he was little.  David did not scream one day when I stopped,  he was about 10 months old.  Lenora had a house keeper taking care of David.  He liked her less than he liked  me.  He would not let me put him down.  I did not want to.  That did not last.  He still cried when I came in when Lenora was home.  Lenora moved to Alabama, to Shreveport, then to Alexandra. During this time I did not see David much until he was 5.  Lenora had to make a trip for her job learning how to operate a new machine in the lab, she is a Medical Technologist.  At this time Lenora was over the lab. I drove down from Shreveport where I lived at the time to care for the children.   I got up and helped the older children get ready for school and on the bus.  David was really sad, he was with someone he did not really know.  I was at a loss.  I had never had a grandchild that did not like me.  I finally ask if he wanted to go for a walk. Yes, he said but still not real happy.  I knew he missed his Mother and the other children.  So off down the street we went.  It was early spring and the daffodils were blooming.   There were several other spring flowers, but yellow is my favorite color.  So each day after that we went for a walk.  I finally talked him into holding my hand and give me a little hug.   We got along fine, he would talk to me after this visit and our walks.  We both needed this friendship.  I needed another grandson who loved me.  He needed to know a grandmother's love.  After I left David told his Mother I did not want my Grandmother to leave.  This made me feel really good.  You have to be careful in trying to win little ones and not push, take your time, find something they like. Lenora said every yellow flower after that was a daffodil.   David grew up to be a nice and handsome young man.  I have one more little story to tell you.  After it was over we could all laugh, except Lenora.  I am almost sure it will be a long and hard dry spell before she will laugh.  Don't know what the repair bill nor the fine was.  I am sure David is like most teens always waiting until the last minute to leave for school.  Guess he did not have time to dry his hair.  While he was driving he was drying his hair with the air conditioner fan.  Now I have never done that myself.  I have eaten, drank a Dr.Pepper, changed a disc on the disc player, and talked on the phone.  We should do nothing while we are driving, but drive.   You can see the road while driving and doing these other things.  I have tried to play at  drying my hair with the air conditioner in the car, not while driving, but I would not be able to see the road.  David did hit another car while driving and drying his hair.  No one was hurt, this is why we can laugh and shake our heads and say well what do you expect, after all he's a teenager.  Everyone in the family knows how I feel about teenagers.  It is my belief that all children when they reach the age of 13  should be put on two different islands one in the west and one in the north.  Lenora did have to buy David a new bumper for his truck and as far as I know it is still lying on the floor of her carport.  I was not informed what she had to pay the other people.  That is why I am sure this will not be funny to Lenora  until H---- freezes over.  I stole some pictures of the thing David likes to do.     David seems proud of his fish. 

There is a pond near their house, in fact I think Lenora is half owner of it.  He will have to take his Grandmother fishing down there.


Looks like he likes to shot ducks runs in the family.
No telling how many his grandfather killed.   

I hope you will continue to watch my  garden grow and plant one of your own.  Happy gardening to you from me.                                                                                                             Juanita                                                                                                                                 

  

Happy Birthday Madison Elizabeth Cranor

Miss Teen Little River County

Madison was born June 16, 1997, 14 today.  I made bumper pads and spread for her bed.  I also made an angel to hang on the wall over her bed.  Sandy combined pink and white gingham checks and white with pink dots.  I was with Sandy when Madison was born to help take care of older brother, Tyler.  I love giving new babies baths.  Madison like them from the beginning.  When she was old enough to say "Bath" she met me at the door wanting one.  I always played with her and the little yellow ducks.  When Maddie was just 18 mos. old, I kept her and Tyler for Sandy to go to a school in Texas.  Sandy worked for 911 at the time.  After I got home Sandy called and asked if I talked to Madison.  Sure did, she said Maddi was moving her hands like I do, and just a chattering.  She could say quite a few words by this time.  Madison was in her first beauty contest when she was just a small baby.  She did not win that time, Sandy could not wake her up. She slept through the whole program.  However Maddie did win almost every pageant after that.  She won in her home town" Miss Little River County" at every age level.  You may meet her one day as "Miss Arkansas."  I went once when Maddie had to crown her successor.  Some of the former winners were not there to crown theirs, so Madison ask if she could, yes she could.  She enjoyed this I think more so than winning or at least as much.  Maddie loves being on stage, loves people, and people love her.  She looks more like her Aunt Elizabeth, I think, than her Mother, and has Elizabeth's very sweet dimpled smile.  I do not believe in Beauty Pageants but it did not spoil Madison, she is very sweet and makes top grades in school. I always told my girls the brain means more than looks.  Madison was about 3 when baby brother was born.  Trace was born cleft lipped and cleft palate, as both Grandmothers were.  I was with Sandy, helped her care for him, at first we fed with a big dropper. Sandy fed late at night I fed Him in the  day time every 2 hours.  We were both in the living room very tired, Sandy was feeding Trace, I was laying on the couch with a book.  Madison wanted her cup filled, I do not know if she had ask me or not.  She went to Sandy, Sandy told her to ask Grandmother.  Madison informed  her that I would not get off my lazy butt to fill it.  We were shocked that such a statement came from such a sweet little girl.  When I moved here in 2006 I was glad to have enough room that I could have the  grandchildren over to stay a week or so.  I thought I had retired.  In June of 2007 Madison, Trace and cousin Baileigh came and stayed 2 weeks with me.  The other two played outside, inside and watched TV, not Maddie, she helped Grandmother cook.  The first day there was so much food I fixed a plate for my neighbor, Carrel Sheffield, and let the children take it to him.  The next day Maddie wanted to fix the plates, when she fixed one too many, I ask her who the other one was for.  Maddie without a smile told me,"For your boyfriend."  "Madison Cranor, he is not my boyfriend, just a friend."  "OK, for the the man who is you boyfriend, who is not your boyfriend."  "Out of the mouths of Babes."  In December Carrel became my Husband.  We all had a good time Madison made a purse out of frog material and we embroidered a Princess on hers. We also wrote something about having to kiss a lot of frogs.  I taught Madison how to make cornbread.  Well Madison Elizabeth guess you have out grown Grandmother, but I will never forget the times I have spent with you.  Love you.  Hope you will watch my garden grow on my blog pages,  and inherit my love of sewing and gardening.  You showed a lot of interest in both when you were here.    Happy Birthday, Grandmother Juanita and Papa Carrel

After the Crowning

 Happy gardening to all.





Just Maddie and her dog



Day lilies from my Garden to you



Meet Joe Evans

Freedom is not free.  It takes young men willing to fight for their country.  Let us Salute them today.  Thank them for what they have done.  Joe Evans, Trinity Edwards and Tyler Cranor went to war from my family.    

I

I met Joe in July of 1982.  I was married to Don Carter at the time.  We lived in Ashdown, Ar., ran a bait shop on hwy. 32, close to Millwood Lake.  Don was driving a log truck, I ran the store along with a little help from my baby, Sandy. The Corner Store was open 7 days a week no less than 12 hours a day.   We were short on time and money, that is why I did not meet Joe Evans sooner.  I had a long, hard week, so I was laying down taking a rest.  It was on a Saturday, Don was watching the store.  Sandy runs in and said "Mama someone drove up and put a Baby on the gas pump and drove off."  I opened one eye and one of the most beautiful babies I had ever seen laid beside me.  I said "Sandy I can not raise a baby even though I would love to keep this pretty baby.  We will have to call the Sheriff.  It is against the law to leave a Baby."  By this time I was wide awake.  I hear my daughter Debbie say "She does not even know her own Grand child."  Now really.  They had not let me know they were coming.  They had been to Hot Springs on a mini vacation and stop by.  They had no doubt I would be there.  Joe was born May 29,1982.  He was the baby.  His Mother, Debbie still calls him "Baby Joe."  Now Really!  Debbie and Ken Evans blessed me with 4 wonderful Grandchildren, Jonathan,Tafta, Ben and Joe.  Joe was always a sweet child, but like his Mother, and Carrel says his Grandmother, was full of mischief. Very smart I was impressed with him.  When I went down to their house to visit, Debbie took us to the Library she would get Joe books with tapes.  This little boy would sit and listen to the tapes, and then read the books to me.  Once Ken and Debbie went to Florida to a Billy Graham conference.  I stayed with the 4 children. We cleaned house.  I told them do not put any thing down on the floor.  Put it up where it belongs.  I walked into the boys room a jacket was on the floor.  Whose jacket is this on the floor.  Ben's, was the answer ( I think Joe answered).  So to my sorrow Ben got the spanking.  When I found out Joe wore it and threw it down.  Guess what? Joe got one also.           

Ben and Joe

Joe grew up made really good grades all through school without too much effort.  Joe is more like Debbie I think than Ken.  I went down from time to time watched them play football, helped wash dishes.  Debbie and Ken taught them all to work.  I think after he come to realized he could not sell his teeth, for money he had to work to get it.  He had a better understanding of life. 

Joe in a play at St. Marys

Joe went to college to be a nurse on a scholarship from the National Guard.  When they called up the National Guard his unit was called.  We  hated to see him go he was almost finished with nursing school.      

Pinning his wife Casondra



Sweet Baby Joe



Joe and Casondra



Sadee and Sophee Evans



Joe is a Husband, a Father, a Son, and a wonderful Grandson.  He was the only Grandson to come to my 75th birthday party, thank you Joe.  Everyone was busy that day.  He calls me Miss Juanita. Don't you think that is sweet (remember mischief); however his sweet wife calls me Grandma.  Thank you Casondra.  Both Joe and Casondra are devoted to God and are bringing up their two little girls to love the Lord.  I thank God for this family I have been blessed.  So forgive me for not Blogging your birthday I wanted to honor you today.  Thank you for going to Iraq to help keep our country free.  I salute you. Miss Juanita

Late Birthday Gift



  Give me my flowers while I live.  I would rather get a plant to plant in my yard than to get cut flowers. The flowers I plant, hopefully will out live me.  The cut flowers are beautiful and I love them but they live only a short time.  If you give a perenial it comes up year after year.  Paxton and Courtney have given me  two Hydrangias, both are Lace capps.  I need to move them, they are not happy.  They are getting too much sun.  We will move them to a place where they will get less sun next spring.  We have moved all of the Hydrangias to the shady back yard, except for these two.

 



Hosta, Francee



I believe gifts my loved ones give me for my garden are the best of all.  I like to plant a garden for others to enjoy.  A pretty garden makes me smile.  When you drive around today you don't see a lot of pretty gardens.  I think this is sad.  If Mothers and Daddies would give a child just a little spot of  ground.  Encourage them to make this spot the prettiest spot in the neighborhood.  There would be more smiles, less violence.  Idol hands are the devils workshop.  Today my dog Missy was barking at the carport door something awful.  I knew someone was there.  I do not jump up and dress every morning, so I called for Carrel to go to the door.  UPS man made a delivery.  I knew it was the present Paxton and Courtney had sent.  A long box from Greenwood Nursery, I could not get it opened fast enough.  Two beautiful Hostas.  Best looking plants that have ever been mailed to me.  I could not wait to get them in the new bed, Carrel had made in the back yard.  He made an eight foot sq. bed, three timbers high, because of all the roots from the Red Tips.  I planted the first one, but decided I wanted to show you one of the things I learned in Master Gardening Class.  When you buy plants if the root system is heavy, and these were.  You need to cut them and loosen the soil.  Before I went to the class I was careful not to disturb the root.  I have dug up things that did not look good and they had never grown because the roots were growing around themselves.  So take a knife or you fingers loosen up the roots, dig a big hole, plant and water well.  I water daily until they get going somtimes about a week.   Location is important.  If you have a Hosta that does not look good, wilting, move it.   Some Hostas like a little sun, most do not.  Hostas will die down and come back, when they get too much sun.  Move them in the spring.  I have two Carrel moved 3 times.  In the box from UPS was also a Rainbow collection of Day lilies I am going to plant them in front of my Roses on the right side of the drive. Check out http://www.greenwoodnursery.com/ looks good to me.  Hope you have enjoyed this page of  my blog and  will watch my garden grow.  Happy gardening to you from me.  Juanita



   







Water to get the air out from around the roots

Happy Birthday Jacquie

Jacquie was born June 10, 1980.  Bridgett, Charlotte's first child  would turn 5 in August.  Charlotte was a teacher, so she planed her birth so it would occur in the summer months.  This stepping stone was a gift from Jacquie a  Christmas or so back.  But I hang it on the  outside wall of my home.   Jacquie was always different.   Just full of mischief.  When Paxton was born I stay with them and every time I looked up she was GONE, she never remembered to let me know where she was going.  When I moved in with them she was a teenager.  I never really liked teenagers.  They are an entirely different species, not human.  They need to be put on an island until  they are 25.  Need 2 islands one for boys, one for girls. One in the Atlantic, one in Pacific.  But we endured.  I would have some Granny talks with Jacquie.  She listened.  I was politely told that Jacquie did not really like our talks.  I kept right on any way.  I would tell her if she would put her energies in the right things she could do anything.  Jacquie was failing World History.  Her Mother told her if she would study with me and make a 100 on the mid term test she would buy her a new suede coat.  She studied,  we made an outline, she worked hard.  Made a 100.  Got her coat.  Not one other time did she make 100 nor study with me.  Everyone raises their children their way.   You don't reward children for doing what they should do.  When Charlotte gave Jacquie her coat Paxton said  "Jacquie makes one 100 and gets a suede coat I make straight As and don't even get a milk shake."   I took him and bought he and I a blueberry milk shake.  Pitiful.  I really worried about Jacquie a lot.   I always wanted the very best for her.  Well she got through high school, moved into the apartment in the back yard and went to collage.  All the way through she did just enough to get by.  I loved to see her walk across the yard.  Jacquie had longer legs than any of the rest of us.  Long graceful.  She guiled across the yard, in my mind's eye I can still see her.  She stayed  out late.  I didn't  go to sleep until she got home lots of nights.  Paxton big saying "don't worry about it Granny."  Jacquie always told me "I want to have fun while I am young.  Some day I will meet the right man and have lots of children."  Jacquie grew up .  Went back to collage and became a nurse.  This time with top marks, like I knew she could.  She found that wonderful man even a worried Granny is sure of.  Married in  October of 2010.  Beautiful wedding.  And we danced.   Jacquie called not long ago and told me she is having a Baby.  At my birthday party she told me the baby would be Girl.  She has a lovely home, wonderful husband.  So Paxton, Granny don't worry about Jacquie.  Thank you GB.  Have a nice one Jacquie .  Don't forget Granny loves you.   Happy Birthday    





G.B. and Jacquie well suited and happy

Paxton

Paxton was born in June of 1985.  I went down to stay with Charlotte to take care of her and the baby boy. At least we hoped it would be a boy.  She wanted him to be born on my birthday, went to the hospital but he was of a different mind.  She came home, went back on June 8th.  We were thrilled.  After 2 girls we have a boy.  Every time I changed his diaper I got showered  and the curtains were sprayed.  Jacquie (sister now 5) was very quite about this to me.  She went to her  other grandmother and told her she wanted a water hose like Paxton had.  From time to time I kept Paxton through the years for Mama and Daddy and enjoyed him very much.  I think I hold a special spot in Paxton's heart.  He has never missed a Christmas or birthday giving me a gift.  Charlotte taught her children  to buy Grandmothers a gift.  They used one half of their money and she paid half.  As a little one Paxton hated to go to bed.  Some how he  took a rail out of his bed at a very young age.  I was there one night baby sitting the 3 children.   I told Paxton it was night night time.  He took my face in both his little hands and said " No night night mam mam No night night."  He looked so sad I did not have the heart to put him in the bed.  In 1996 I left a bad marriage and moved in with Charlotte and Don and worked for them.  Paxton was older then .  I drove him where ever he had to go.  He always waited until the last minute to be ready.  I told him he would be late one day.  His big thing was " Don't worry about it Granny."   He got his own car he could drive himself.  I was always down stairs to tell goodbye, at home in the afternoon to say welcome home.  He is all grown up now living in Dallas with his wonderful wife.  I wonder if he tells her "Don't worry about it."  Happy Birthday Paxton.  You made a fine young man.  Glad I don't have to worry about you.     

Children are like gardens they need a lot of TLC to grow.   I like to think I did my part to help him grow up to be the fine young man he is today.  Love you and I am proud of you. Granny

Peace Rose

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. Colossians 3:15     

A new rose was being pollinated in June of 1936 in France, a troubled country.  Just 9 days before the pollination of the Peace Rose a baby girl was born in America.  I was the baby girl.   My Mother gave birth to 3 boys before me, all of them are now gone. This rose was not named until the trouble was over in France.  The baby girl was named Elsie Juanita.  Juanita was after a child my Mother baby sat when she was younger.  Francis Millard and his father  pollinated this new rose, and sent the eyes out of France on the last plane to leave before the      Nazi  invasion.  The  father and son sent the  new rose to 4 countries Turkey, Germany, Italy, and the  USA. They  sent them to people they trusted  finish their work.   The man in  America who received the rose, Robert Pyle of  Concord-Pyle propagated this new rose  and sent it to the American Rose Society for testing.  In 1944 after France was liberated, Pyle    wrote to Meilland to tell him that he planned to release this beautiful rose.  He sent a long stem rose to each member of the Rose Society.  It became  a popular rose, all people were ready for peace.  The Peace Rose is a tea rose, blooms on long stems, and it is a repeat bloomer.  So they named the rose Peace Rose hoping to heal wounds that would take several  generations to heal.  I was 8 years old when the the Peace Rose was released. Our men landed on the shores  of Normandy on June 06, 1944.  D- Day, my birthday.  I remember my Daddy coming home from the war.  We were very happy to see him.    Lets not forget the Vets that died on that day.  I never fail to think about them.  Plant one of these beautiful roses and pray that we some day can live in peace.  I wish everyone would plant a garden instead of hate.   Hope you have enjoyed my Birthday blog.  I had a birthday party Saturday with a fine young man another June baby born in 2006.  I am very proud to share my birthday with a handsome young man my great grandson Connor.  Ace we call him.  He sure is a card.

I hope you will continue to watch my  garden grow and plant one of your. 

Happy gardening to you from me.                                                                                                              Juanita                                                                                                                                                 



Connor birthday boy 5



He who plants a garden plants happiness. Proverb