Time is going by too fast..

It has been an enjoyable time on our summer trip.  Even though the weather has been wet, hot and humid and quite windy at times, I won’t complain.  There has been some real enjoyable weather.  I so look forward to returning to IA and MN.  We decided to make Wilder’s Campground our home base this trip and for the most part it has worked out pretty good.  Taking day trips are a lot easier than moving the RV so many times. At this time we plan to do that again in September but will not know for sure until that trip gets closer. We haven’t seen everyone that we wanted to see on this trip but there is still a week to go before we leave.  We realize summer is a busy time and hard to catch everyone in the short time we are here in IA.  Those we don’t see this trip we hope to catch in September (already making a list).  

The time has just been flying by and it won’t be long before we head back to TN.  Just seven days – July 21 to be exact.  We decided to take a couple of extra days to travel back home.  Plans are to make a 2 day stopover in LeClaire, IA to check out the area before exiting the state of IA.  We will leave there the morning of July 23.  Mail delivery starts again on July 24^th so really need to be back no later than that date.  It is always interesting going through 4 weeks of mail all at once.

We have traveled through and stayed in Paducah, KY many times but I haven’t had the chance to visit the National Quilt Museum located there.  I hope to check that off my list of things to visit this summer, whether it is this trip or the return trip in September.  Time is going to be short when we leave LeClaire so it looks like that may be on the list to visit when we return, but I haven’t given up just yet.

I am already looking forward to our trip back here in September.  Hopefully by then and we will be looking for our new-to-us home closer to family and friends.  That story will be for a future blog.  Stay tuned for the rest of the story at a later date-hopefully sooner rather than later.

As always comments are welcome.

Until next time.........

April Showers Bring May Flowers

April Showers Bring May Flowers

 

I awoke early this morning, 4:45 to be exact, to the sound of rain.  Love that sound.  There was no wind blowing nor thunder and lightning.  Nothing to disturb the peace and quiet of the early morning hours.  It was two years ago today when our area was torn apart by tornadoes.  Today it is calm and the rain is washing everything clean and replenishing Mother Earth with the moisture it needs for everything to grow.  It is like the angels are watching over us with a watering can pouring water down over us.  I had dosed off and awoke again later as dawn approached.  The rain had temporarily stopped and I could hear a train whistle in the distance.  The train tracks are approximately a mile east of us.  When the state did the much needed widening of Hwy 411 to accommodate all the north south traffic they had to take out many trees.  The train whistle is now louder without the trees to muffle the sound.  It is interesting to listen to how the engineer goes through the short and long sequence of warning whistles at the intersections for the side roads.  Some engineers take their job real seriously and tend to really lean on the whistle.  Other times they just tap the whistle.  I love the sound of a train whistle so glad the tracks are far enough away to enjoy the sound but not get the rumble.  I remember the trains that used to go through my home town of Allison years ago.  I still have the urge to slow down and look both ways when I cross where the tracks used to be.  Have you ever done that?  Sometimes old habits are hard to break.

Our rock garden is beginning to show some life with new leaves and some plants actually showing colorful flowers.  My morning glory bush is producing many blooms that are starting to swell and will in a short time open to a glorious color.  This will be its third year and it keeps getting better every year.  Last year it was gorgeous so I am looking forward to seeing if it can out do itself this year.  There seem to be more buds on the lower part of the plants this year.

This is a picture from a previous year.

 

 

The bushes in the front of the house are looking nice and are in need of pruning to keep a nice shape.  They took a couple of years to get established but they are really looking nice.  They must have been putting all their energy into producing roots when they were first planted.  Need to get out there and prune the new growth into shape.  I remember last year I went to start pruning one of the three and there was a huge spider sitting on its web that was running from the foundation of the house to the bush.  Its body was bigger than my first thumb joint with long legs.  Yikes!  Took a picture with my phone but don’t know if I saved it.  I will have to search the pictures on my computer to see if I can find it.  Sure hope it has decided to find another home.  A tree in my neighbor’s backyard would be a good location don’t you think.

The rain let up this morning long enough for me to run my errands.  I mailed a package at the USPS and stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things to get through the weekend.  There is a slow easy rain now with a calm wind.  A dark dreary day that is good for reading and relaxing.

I had three items sell on the internet so will get them packaged up and ready to send out on Monday.

Prayers go out to everyone recovering from health issues.  The power of prayer is strong so keep a positive attitude and take one day at a time.

 

 

Have a good day and a great weekend.

As always comments and suggestions are wlecome.

Until next time.

 

ENJOYING OUR WINTER RETREAT

Enjoying Ourselves at Our Winter Retreat

We really enjoy it here in Tierra Del Sol RV Resort,our winter retreat.  Everyone is friendly and willing to help in any way they can when someone is working on a project.

My husband put down patio blocks to expand the size of the patio that was on the lot when we purchased it earlier this year.  I feel bad that I am unable to help but I just can’t do that kind of thing anymore.  He wants to enlarge it to make it easier for me to get on my bike and ride around the resort for exercise.  The rest of the lot is covered with pebbles so have to push the bike through them to get to the street.  One neighbor lent him a rubber mallet to tap them down.  Another neighbor lent him his flat shovel and knee pads (boy what a knee saver).  Another neighbor came by and brought a trowel to make it easier to level the ground so the patio tile will lay level.  We have been here for only about a week and a half and have experienced nothing but generosity and the friendliest people.  They know what it was like when they first moved here.  We don’t have a storage shed yet so we’re limited as to the amount of tools etc. that we could bring with us from home.  After all the block had been put down I swept sand into the spaces between them.  I had the easiest job of all.

There are so many activities that a person can be as busy as you want to be or just relax on your patio and do absolutely nothing.  We went to the weekly coffee social hour the first week we were here and everyone came over to introduce themselves.  Now to remember everyone's name.  They only have two names to remember and we have so many more to remember.  They said "don't worry about names give it time.  Everyone wears name badges at the clubhouse so that helps remember names.   The same thing at the pot luck that is held the first Sunday each month.

A neighbor has a really neat golf cart.  It is bright red and I mean a real true red.  It is really nice.  Janice, what do you think?  Can you see yourself driving around in one like this in your community?

The pool has been drained, cleaned and refilled.  Now if the weather would just warm up just a little so I could try out that pool.  There is a group that goes to the pool for exercise at 7:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, but I just can't talk myself into that just yet since the a.m. temps have been in the 30s and lower 40s.  It may be heated but I am a fair weather fisherman, golfer and swimmer.  There is always better weather days ahead for outdoor activities such as these.

Enjoying ourselves immensely and having a good time this winter. The wind is getting stronger this evening and looks like a cool night.  Now we wait for the weather to improve.  At least the sun has shone just about every day so far this month.

As always comments are welcome and followers appreciated.

Until next time.......

It’s A Bluebird Day

I wrote the rough draft of this blog about a week before we left for AZ and got so busy that I didn’t get it finished and published.  I decided it was about time to put the finishing touches on it and post it in my blog.

The sun was shining brightly this morning.  I poured my first cup of coffee and walked over to the back door.  I raised the blind on the door.  The sun was beginning to melt the heavy frost on the deck beyond my door.  As I drank my coffee I looked out on the back deck and the yard and pasture beyond the deck, it was such a relaxing scene.  Then I had a wonderful surprise.  An Eastern bluebird landed on the deck railing.  He sat there as he let the sun warm his feathers.  Then a second bluebird landed to the left of him and was also enjoying the warmth of the sun.  A third bird was sitting in the leafless tree just beyond the deck.  These birds are so beautiful.  It is a shame that we can’t see them more often in other parts of the country.  Wished I had my camera with me to take a picture.  But no, I didn’t have the camera ready to take that picture and I knew if I moved to go get it the bird would panic and leave.  So I stayed put and enjoyed the view.

When we moved to TN in 2005 we didn’t see any Eastern bluebirds.  We started to provide several kinds of birdseed to try and attract birds.  It wasn’t long before we started to see several kinds of birds.  The most beautiful birds were the cardinals, goldfinches and hummingbirds.  Eastern bluebirds are supposed to be in this area of the country so were disappointed we did not see them in our backyard.  So my husband started to research the Eastern bluebird and his houses.  After gathering all the info, he put together a plan for an Eastern bluebird house.  Size and opening was exactly as needed.  Then he mounted them the correct height from the ground.  He made sure the two were not too close to each other.  When you have more than one house they have to be a certain distance apart from each other.

Then we waited, and waited, and waited.  Several months later we had a new resident of our bluebird houses.  We now have a pair of bluebirds in each of our birdhouses every year.  They can be seen sitting on the fence across the back yard that goes around the pasture behind our house.  The neighbor to the west has a wood fence that the bluebirds also like to sit on so they can guard their houses and the babies inside.

As I look out of the window behind my desk the sun has melted the heavy frost and continues to dry the grass.  The sky is such a pretty blue with a slight breeze that helps that drying process.  It is such a peaceful Sunday morning.  There are still some pretty leaves around the area.  Some burgundy and golden brown oak leaves.  The ornamental pear trees are starting to get past their prime golden colored fall leaves.  Fall is such a pretty time of year in this area.  It is something that I will miss when I am not here. 

In closing I would like to share with you the sign in front of a church in our area.  I go past this church every time I go into the city.  I always enjoy reading that sign and always wonder who writes those quotes.  Someday I would like to meet him or her.

"God has given you a Church.  Some assembly is required."

I have a picture of a bluebird on the desktop of my laptop computer.  That way “It’s a Bluebird Day” at the beginning of each day.

I hope you enjoyed my blog posting today.

As always, comments are welcome and followers appreciated.

Until next  time...........

"Sometimes we are directionally challenged"

“Sometimes we are directionally challenged”

The reading of my daily devotion booklet for Saturday inspired this posting.

 Even though I know where I want to end up, I sometimes can’t figure out the best way to get there.  When that happens I need to stop and get my bearings.

I am sure we all have those days.  If we don’t stop and think things through, we are likely to end up in unintended places, situations, or relationships.  Our first thoughts on what we want are not always the best thing for us in the total concept of everything.  There are times when you have wanted something for so long that it is hard to be objective.  Is it really something you want or “need”.  Will having it make your life better or happier?  And that brings up a whole new perspective on the situation,-“need”.  When I was growing up we were taught you only spend money or time on things that are “necessary”.  If you can live without it you probably don’t need it.

A person can’t expect to have everything right away.  Over the years a person needs to pay his or her dues.  Then you have the dilemma.  When have you paid your “dues”?  When can you start collecting what you are due?  A person can spend their whole life putting off things they have dreamed about doing or having because they may have felt they haven’t paid their dues.  I wonder if others go out in the world expecting to start out near the top instead of at the beginning (OK, bottom if you will) and work their way through.  I do believe that some things in today’s world are a lot tougher to come by than in the world of yesterday.  Other things are definitely considered easier.

 That brings me to my next thought.  Some days it seems that we are continually paying our dues.  There always seems to be things we want to do in life but don’t have the time or ability to collect.  I don’t think a person can realistically ever stop paying his or her dues and only collect what is due them.  A person needs to find a happy medium.  There are always things you can do to help others that are in need-your family, friends, and neighbors or put more into your job or business.  I think if we continue to pay our dues we are sure to collect what we are due.

  Some days will be better than others.  It can be hard to be patient and let life come your way.  Wouldn’t it be easy if we had an internal GPS so we could set a starting point and follow life’s path with clear instructions to our final destination.  Every time there is a fork in the road you would know which direction to turn.  It is not always an easy path to the things that are worth having in our lives.  Here’s hoping God will guide you on an easier path.

A final thought.  Do you have someone in your life that is special to you that you haven’t heard from in a long time?  Give them a call.  Better yet call and then send them a note so they can read and reread your letter many times.  If they are having a bad day, they can reread your letter and maybe you can make their day just a little better on more than one occasion.

 

 

Love these colors, don't you.

Thanks for taking time to read my blog.  Please don't forget that your comments are always welcome. 

Until next time, have a great day and an even better weekend.

Some Rambling Thoughts

I normally do not get into politics in my blog, facebook or twitter for that matter but I just could not pass this one up.  Has anyone seen the commercial for chia Obama and chia Romney?  My first thought was “You got to be kidding, right?”  Some people are losing it.  I will be glad when this election is over.  Register to vote if you are not registered and then get out and vote.

 I would like to share some signs, sayings and rambling thoughts.

1.  The biggest lie ever:

"I have read and agree to the terms." 

2.  You are only as old as you remember you are. 

3.  Happiness is not perfected until it is shared.

 

4.  When people walk away from you, Let them go.
Your destiny is never tied to anyone that leaves you,
And it doesn’t mean they are bad people.
It just means that their part in your life's story is over.

 

5.  Where the hell is easy street?

 

6.  Every day go out and do the best you can. 

And.......

7.  Just when you thought you knew all the answers, they changed the questions. 

Fall is here so enjoy the outdoors while you can.  Take in a fall festival.  Love the fresh air and all the goodies everyone offers.  Have a great weekend.  Don't forget to keep smiling.  It's contagious.

Your comments are always welcome.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

I was sitting at my computer the other day and trying to think of something I might want to write.  Now I thought about a few ideas and kept eliminating them as boooooring.  Sometimes it helps me to make a list when I want to start a project.  This is how this particular blog started to take shape.  Now they are not in any particular order.  I typed as they came into my head over a period of several days.

I love, love, love:

My husband and family

My friends

The memories of my childhood

Pansies and Wild Roses

Old farm buildings

A sunny blue sky

A walk in the woods

The sound of a bubbling brook

A beautiful sunset

The quiet sound of nature

Birds singing

Watching hummingbirds drinking nectar from flowers

That my husband can fix just about anything.

                If it can’t be fixed it goes to the “Junkyard Mafia” to recycle the material.

Sitting around a campfire

Watching kids play when they don’t think anyone is watching

Bald eagles soaring in the sky

Floating in the backwaters of the Mississippi River

The smell of a freshly mowed field of hay

Listening to the rustle of a field of corn in the summer

Listening to the rain

A good book to read

Sharing with others the books I am finished reading

Watching the whitewater rafters floating down the Ocoee River in TN

Spell check on my computer

Remember when you were in school and you didn’t know how to spell a word?  Your teacher would say “Look it up in the dictionary”.  I remember it sometimes was a frustrating process.

The robins gathering together on the lawn in the  spring

Farmer’s Markets

To shop at small businesses

Browse through second hand shops

Warm homemade cookies fresh out of the oven

Warm cornbread with butter and syrup

Homemade soups

Sitting on my front porch with a cup of coffee watching everyone else going to work

Handmade items

The drive through the Blue Ridge Parkway

American History- especially National Parks

Tulips in the spring to brighten up a cool day

No stick cook wear

A slow cooker/Crockpot

The Colors Lavender and  Purple

All things natural

To “upcycle” slightly used items

Now put that dictionary down, you won’t find this in your dictionary.  It is the practice of taking newly found second hand items and making them over into something different - so you end up with an item that is “new to you”.

This pair of my handmade earrings on my website linrae.etsy.com

As you go through your day today, take time to think of the things that you love.  Then smile.  Everyone around you will wonder what you are up to and maybe just then they will smile also.  A smile is contagious.

Of course all comments are welcome so please take time to leave me yours.  I would love, love, love you to follow my blog.

Have a great day.