Just need to talk to my friends (218)

If you want them to taste " right" I would use Land O'Lakes butter.

Turns out one person bought the basket balls in honor of her son and each one is signed!!!

Lorita, Branson is about 50 miles south of Springfield on US 65 and DS and I are going there Wednesday to see a music show, but neither of us likes roller coasters. There are some scary rides in Branson, but I'm not interested. The show is Jerry Presley, first cousin to Elvis and an Elvis impersonator.

I have never ridden the Lake Queen, but DW and I rode the Branson Belle several years ago. That was fun, sort of a dinner theater on a boat on Tablerock lake.

I have never seen a bobcat in the wild. They are pretty secretive, except when they are rabid.

Iris, thank you for this information. Someone else told me about them needing "hay" as well. Good thing I didn't just go out to the field and pick her some hay/alfalfa mix. 🤣 I will go to Murdoch's tomorrow and talk to them about Timothy hay. I need one more thing to take care I am sure….. sad to hear they are more work than a cat. We do not have anything close to a rabbit rescue here. In fact, a few hunter friends have suggested not nice solutions. I will need to think of this as a new adventure and chance to learn something because otherwise it is overwhelming to think about caring for something else right now.

Judith, I still don't know what you are doing to the ancestor tree.

Iris

Good morning. It's a little cool here today but very sunny and breezy.

Lorita— Did you see the David Attenborough birthday video? In the UK, the King sends a card to those who make it to 100. Normally it goes by post.

Sweetwater— I think sometimes our grandmothers tweaked recipes out of necessity during the Depression or WW II rationing. And while following the recipe as written might yield a superior result it might not be the same as the cookies of your childhood.

For years I tried to replicate my aunt's chocolate chip cookies. She told me it was "the one on the bag of morsels". I had several unsuccessful attempts at her perfect texture. Turns out there were choices she made that were subtle. She was using the OG recipe— the one with the teaspoon of water added. She was using smaller eggs. She was using a 50/50 mix of Imperial Margarine and Land O Lakes unsalted butter and chilling in the refrigerator until an hour before her guests arrived.

Judith— Getting back to 1565 is an accomplishment for any genealogist. My aunt's boyfriend got my paternal grandfather's family back to Wales in the 16th century.

Mint— It's nice to hear from you. How are things with your mom and your sisters? I always think of you when I go to my local Amish market.

Carl— Rabies is scary. We have bobcats locally in the park where I like to walk. You generally don't see them during the day, but I've caught glimpses in the early evening as it starts to get dark. The overflow parking lot at the high school abuts the park and DS has seen them out there after band events.

Eaglemom— That's quite a menagerie.

Gothic— If you like a lighter cookie, maybe Madeleines are more your speed. Homemade ones are delightful. They're more like a tiny sponge cake and eminently dunkable.
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I need to sort out dinner and mail the used books at the post office. DH has released an additional 2 piles to submit.

Tomorrow will be mom-centric. We need to drop off her jug of urine, plant her azalea and take her to food shop. So far only one of her tests have come back abnormal— immunoglobulin G is low. Bestie has similar and is treated for it said mom's number is "concerning". I'm curious what the rest of the testing will show and whether cardiology will turf her to hematology or immunology. She's already seeing infectious disease. I need another specialist to juggle like another hole in my head.

In other news— the peony I assumed was "weeded out" last year seems to have popped up. It's a yellow Itoh and I'm irrationally excited. I don't expect a bloom this year but maybe next? My dwarf split leaf maple has something going on. Patches of leaves are browning in random spots. It's a beautiful and mature specimen but was planted to close to the front walk and driveway, so it it needs to go at least I can stop wrestling with it.

HB

GG, my exercises are going great! Mondays and Thursdays are my more intensive days. I have added additional cardio to my routine. Per Mary Claire Haver MD who has a YT channel, 30" of cardio 3x/wk decreases your chance of dementia and 30" 5x/wk also decreases the likelihood of 13 types of cancer. (I don't remember the percentages of decrease.)

BBL

Beth

Judith , I pictured you digging up the tree of one of your ancestors LOL 😄.

Goodlife, this is a brief summary from AI of what a pet rabbit should eat. I called and got specific recommendations.

A healthy, homemade rabbit diet should consist of 80% unlimited grass hay (timothy, orchard), 10–15% fresh leafy greens, and minimal commercial pellets. Safe daily greens include romaine lettuce, cilantro, carrot tops, and basil, while high-fiber hay is critical for digestive health.

Essential Daily Diet (Homemade Components)Unlimited Hay: Timothy, Orchard, or Meadow hay is necessary to keep their digestive system moving and teeth worn down.

Fresh Vegetables (1–2 cups daily per 6 lbs of body weight): Focus on leafy greens. Best options: Romaine lettuce, cilantro, parsley, basil, dandelion greens, carrot tops, bok choy, and endive.

Pellets (Minimal): Use a high-quality timothy-based pellet, such as Oxbow Essentials Adult Rabbit Food or Purina Complete Rabbit Feed. Only 1/4 to 1/2 cup is needed daily per 6 lbs of body weight.

Treats (Very Limited): Small amounts of carrot or apple (no seeds).

What to Avoid Never feed: Potatoes, corn, beans, seeds, nuts, or chocolate. Avoid iceberg lettuce (too much water/too little nutrition).

Transitioning Diet Introduce new vegetables one at a time in small quantities to avoid digestive issues.

Always ensure fresh, clean water is available.

This is just a summary, there is more.

Iris