Knock Out Roses

& Double Knock Out Roses
Last year we heard some of our friends down at the gym talk about Knock Out Roses. Well, we bought 5 plants the other day and and planted them around the steps to the barn. Here’s couple of pictures…

We’ll keep you posted on well they grow and develop, but they seem like the perfect rose bush for us. They are supposedly easy to grow and do not require special care. They will continue blooming all spring & summer until the first hard frost in the fall.

Read all about them at the Conard-Pyle website.

TVA Fish Survey 
Today Ralph and I are going to participate in one of the fish surveys conducted by TVA. The survey we are going on will start at Swann’s Marina and survey game fish Douglas Lake in that general area.

I participated in the survey done in 2007. Today’s survey will be similar; you can check out my pictures from 2007 here:

2007 TVA Fish Survey from Swann’s Marina.

It’ll be interesting to see what we find today. I hope to have some interesting pictures to share with you tomorrow. Click below to review results of previous Sportfish survey results:

TVA Spring Sportfish Survey Results
(for 2008 & Prior Years)

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Are our minds like concrete?
Concrete is all mixed up and permanently set.
I hope not.

~~~

Quote of the Day
Nobody can do everything,
but everyone can do something.
~Author Unknown

~~~
Joke of the Day

Questions and Answers

At least some of the ladies should identify with these:

Q. What should you do if you see your ex-husband rolling around in pain on the ground?
A. Shoot him again.

Q. Why do little boys whine?
A. Because they're practicing to be men.

Q. How many men does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. One - he just holds it up there and waits for the world to revolve around him.

Q. What do you call a handcuffed man?
A. Trustworthy.

Q. What does it mean when a man is in your bed gasping for breath and calling your name?
A. You didn't hold the pillow down long enough.

Q: What is the difference between men and women...
A: A woman wants one man to satisfy her every need. A man wants every woman to satisfy all his desires.

Q: How do you keep your husband from reading your
e-mail?
A: Rename the mail folder to "instruction manuals"

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Squirrel Aid

Two Squirrels
This is a fun video if you like animals. It’s about two squirrels, and one is a baby squirrel, and how they manage to get the baby over the wall. I think you will enjoy.

 

 

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
It is so easy to be a judge,
when we should be a witness.

Be careful today, it looks like
Friday the 13th
came on Wednesday this month.

~~~

Quote of the Day

The greatest wealth is health.
~Virgil

~~~
Joke of the Day

Two delicate flowers of Southern womanhood (one of whom was from Texas) were conversing on the porch swing of a large white-pillared mansion.

The first woman, who was not from Texas, said, "When my first child was born, my husband built this beautiful mansion for me."

The Texas lady commented, "Well, isn't that nice??"

The first woman continued, "When my second child was born, my husband bought me that fine Cadillac automobile you see parked in the drive."

Again, the Texas lady commented, "Well, isn't that nice??"

The first woman boasted "Then, when my third child was born, my husband bought me this exquisite diamond bracelet."

Yet again, the Texas lady commented, "Well, isn't that nice??"

The first woman then asked her companion, "What did you husband buy for you when you had your first child?"

The Texas lady replied "My husband sent me to charm school."

"Charm school!", the first woman cried, "Land sakes, child, what on Earth for?"

The Texas lady responded, "So that instead of saying who gives a hoot' I learned to say, 'Well, isn't that nice?'"

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Swimming

Learning to Swim
When our children were growing up, we made sure they knew how to swim. Every summer we scheduled them for swimming lessons, usually through the Red Cross. Each of our children took lessons for 5 years.

Mandy our Granddaughter would come to stay with us each summer for 2 full weeks. So when she came to visit in the summers we scheduled her for swimming lessons, and she took for maybe 5 years.

Now we’re taking Kara and Zachary to swimming lessons. I believe this is our 3rd year to take them to swimming lessons. Last Friday I took the camera to the pool to capture some of the highlights of their swimming lesson. If you wish you can watch them…

Important
Be sure that you learn to swim and be sure your children learn to swim. Not only is it enjoyable and good exercise, it may save your life.

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Someone said that opportunity only knocks occasionally, but temptation rings the door bell constantly.
(I should disconnect the door bell.)

~~~

Quote of the Day

What a wonderful life I've had!
I only wish I'd realized it sooner.

~Colette

~~~
Joke of the Day

For all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the way computers have enhanced our lives, read on.

At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon".

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.
   
2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
   
3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.
   
4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
   
5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.
   
6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.
   
7. The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.
   
8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
   
9. Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
   
10. You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.

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Girls On The Run

Kara has been participating in a running program called Girls on the Run. Girls the Run is a non-profit organization for preteen girls to develop self-respect and healthy life styles through running.

And RUN SHE DID…
On last Saturday morning Kara and her girl friends ran a 5K race in Bristol, TN at the Bristol Motor Speedway. She did great and finished the race in 34:14 minutes. The medallion on the right shows what she received by completing the 5K run. Below are a couple of pictures that Kevin took at the race.

Kara’s on the Run and Finished a Good Run

After the race with those that finished the 5K

Click on the pictures for a larger view.

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
It’s easier to preach a sermon, than to live one.

~~~

Quote of the Day
A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.
~Tenneva Jordan

 

~~~
Joke of the Day

Joe's wife likes to sing. She decided to join the church choir. From time to time she would practice while she was in the kitchen preparing dinner.

Whenever she would start in on a song, Joe would head outside to the porch.

His wife, with hurt feelings, said, "What's the matter, Joe? Don't you like my singing?"

Joe replied, "Honey, I love your singing, but I just want to make sure the neighbors know I'm not beating you."

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Tomorrow is Mother’s Day

Tomato Plants, etc. 
Yesterday, Beverly and I did a little gardening. Not much, but a little. For vegetables, we planted 4 tomato plants and a few onions sets. For flowers we planted petunias in 3 flower boxes, some impatiens, and some geraniums. In addition we planted 5 double knockout rose bushes. Now we’ll have some color around us this year.

Beverly took me out for nice seafood dinner last night. I had a combination plate of oysters, jumbo shrimp and scallops. Everything was delicious. On the way home we stopped by Wal-mart to pick up some prescriptions. While in the car waiting for Beverly I took this picture of a rainbow.

A Tornado Warning
After we got home it got a little exciting, as we learned we were in a tornado watch. And a little later, Kevin called to tell us that our area was designated as a tornado warning. Well, the warning finally expired without us having any problems. Whew!

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day
If your mother is living, everyday is a good day to call her and tell her how much you love her and how much you appreciate all she has done for you. If your mother is not living, you wish that she was, and that you could just talk to her and tell her how much you love her.

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and to all the mothers in my life I want to wish each a very happy day, and offer my thankfulness for your love and kindness to me. I think especially today of my wife, Beverly, my daughters-in-law Sylvia and Lesley, and all my friends who are mothers. Here’s some lovely roses for you.

My thoughts today go to my own mother,
LaVerne Rieben White, who passed away way back in 1974. She was a lovely person in every way, kind, gentle, caring, and always thinking of others. I have missed her so much and wish I could tell her that I love her today (I do in my prayers).

Here’s a picture of my Mother and Dad taken back in the good old days. (Dad is now 95 and has never remarried.) I believe that picture was taken in the mid 1950s.

 

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
If all the automobiles in the world were lined up around the equator, I’m sure some fool would pull out to pass.

~~~

Quote of the Day

Some people, no matter how old they get,
never lose their beauty - they merely move it
from their faces into their hearts. 
~Martin Buxbaum

~~~
Joke of the Day

A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee each morning. The wife said, "You should do it, because you get up first, and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee."

The husband said, " You are in charge of the cooking around here and you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee."

Wife replies, "No you should do it, and besides it is in the Bible that the man should do the coffee."

Husband replies, " I can't believe that, show me."

So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testament and shows him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says, "HEBREWS".

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Dad’s Tomato Garden

Dad’s Album For His Tomato Garden
Yesterday I created a web album for Dad’s Tomato Garden. We will be adding pictures to the album through the year to show the progress of the tomato plants and the fruit produced. From time to time we will include a picture of some of the roses or something of interest around the Dad’s home.

We don’t have very many pictures now, but you can take a look of what we have so far.

 

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
People can tell a lot about us by how we handle adversity. May we be calm, practical, and kind when things don’t go our way.

~~~

Quotes of the Day

When I was young I moved fast and time moved slow; now that I am and old I move slow and time moves fast.
~ Boyd Anthony

 

Faith makes things possible, not easy. 
~Author Unknown

~~~
Joke of the Day

Some funny Business Signs…..

At an Optometrist's Office: "If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place."

On the door of a Computer Store: "Out for a quick byte."

In a Podiatrist's window: "Time wounds all heels."

In a Veterinarian's waiting room: "Back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!"

In a Cafeteria: "Shoes are required to eat in the cafeteria. Socks can eat any place they want."

At a diet center: "It's no accident that stressed spelled backwards is desserts!"

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A Good Argument

Sid Caesar & Nanette Fabray do an amazing thing by having a silent argument (like mimes) to the music of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. They say it was done with no cue cards, no teleprompters, and no second takes. I think you will enjoy this, and the music is Beethoven.

Crappie Filets 
I cleaned a dozen crappie yesterday morning, and I put 3 packs of 8 filets each in the freezer. We caught 26 on Tuesday and I shared the catch this Doug and Ralph. Since I didn’t keep any the last trip they let me keep a few extra this time.

I was about to quit crappie for this year and start trout fishing, but this last trip makes me want to go back to Douglas Lake at least “one more time”.

 

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Making a living is not the same thing as making a life:
Making a living is surviving while we are on earth.
Making a life living so as to have eternal life in Heaven.

~~~

Quote of the Day

Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is. 
~German Proverb

~~~
Joke of the Day

Some riddles…

What do you call a chicken at the North Pole?
Lost.

If a dictionary goes from A to Z, what goes from Z to A?
A zebra.

What starts with T, ends with T and is full of T?
A teapot.

Why do golfers take an extra pair of socks?
In case they get a hole in one.

What travels around the world and stays in a corner?
A stamp.

What's worse than raining cats and dogs?
Hailing taxis.

What starts with E, ends with E but usually has one letter? 
An envelope.

Why did the turkey cross the road?
It was the chicken's day off!

What did one wall say to the other?
I will meet you at the corner.

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