ants

Ever feel like the little fella on this peony?
You are the only one working on what seems a HUGE
impossible project?
One that never seems to have an ending in sight.
Some days are so humid you feel sick.
Some days it rains and washes all of the work
you have just done away...or so it seems.
But you keep on shuffling around,
doing your best, cause it is what you gotta do.

One day however,
the sun shines,
the flower bursts into bloom!
Beautiful and awesome and somewhat magical!
You see a bit of what you have accomplished.
It is almost too big for you to comprehend all of it at once!

Now you can rest until the next season of growing.
Enjoy the moments,
as short as they can be.
Because it will storm again,
it will be humid again,
the snows will come for the resting period.
You will begin again!

Summer Holidays Past

When I was a kid, growing up in Pittsburgh,
my father's company had picnics on Memorial Day.
Filled with volleyball, badminton, tons of food,
and friends we saw only once a year.
Sometimes, as I grew older,
I hated having to go to this yearly event.
Most of the time, I always had a blast.
My dad always played in the softball tournament.
I remember cheering him on.
I also remember a slide that seemed 300 feet tall,
and a gazillion degrees hot!

When I was a bit older, there were lake trips with friends.
Picnics and Frisbee and long conversations into the night.

When I had small children, and lived in Reform Alabama,
I had the best of neighbors!
We were always invited to spend the day with them.
I treasure those memories and friends!
If Terry was home, we would often go to his folks' house
for a BBQ and bonfire.
These are the happiest memories I have of the inlaws.

Now, as my babies are no longer babies,
they have jobs and friends of their own,
with their own holiday traditions to start.
I miss having close friends and family to celebrate with.
It's kind of difficult with my plus one always on the road
during these one day holidays.
I'm kind of a fifth wheel.
I don't mind, just melancholy tonight.

I enjoy knitting and working in the garden.
It's going to be a hot one tomorrow.
I may take in a movie, BBQ with V, or lay in the sun.

As I have been walking the dog around the neighborhood,
I am meeting more and more neighbors.
Maybe next year I'll plan a block party.
I'd really like to.
Maybe I'll even plan one this summer/fall.

Anything is possible.
I am blessed.
Happy Memorial Day.
Thank you service men and women for all you do for our country.
If it were not for you, the lives surrendered, the fight for freedom,
I would not be pondering these good memories!

Chilly

It's a bit chilly on the south bend of the river today.
I am hoping it is a respit for the hot weather coming.
I think I threw my knee out yesterday,
so no yard work for me today.

My first poppy bloomed!
The Japanese Iris are blooming as well.
A bit of sun will bring them all
out of hibernation this weekend!
It feels like a spinning kind of day to me.
I have been aching to get my wheel out again,
after the hard winter of spinning for a show.
I am taking a class with Jacey Boggs on spinning Art Yarn
the last week in June.
I cannot even express how excited I am.
I will also learn about natural dyes and spinning for socks.
(Insubordiknit.com)
For today, I'll knit and maybe spin a bit.
A dear friend is getting married and I am going to the reception.
Looks like shopping for a new outfit.
Worst part of the day.
I hate to shop!

Enjoy your holiday.
We plan on sunning and mowing and BBQing.
Will be a relaxing quiet weekend.
I am looking forward to spending some of it with V.

I am blessed

Godsmacked today!

I have run out of bird food.
All my fine feathered friends let me know about it this morning.
I didn't wake to their lovely songs, but to cackles
and a woodpecker pounding on the roof.
I high tailed it to the wild bird store and stocked up!
I didn't even finish loading the feeders, when two woodpeckers lit on the bark butter and peanuts.
Blue Jays, catbirds, finches, cardinals, every type of woodpecker and many others, have been feasting since.
Lordy! You would think I ignored them for weeks instead of one morning!

I delivered a CARE meal today and as I was pulling from the parking lot,
a doe crossed right in front of my van,
walked over to the grassy knoll three yards from me
and began munching on some leaves.
I was in shock!
I fumbled for my phone and tried to get the camera running
before she decided I was a threat!
I just took pictures with my mouth a gape.
The fella outside probably thought I had never seen a deer before!

The baby birds are robins in a nest next to my kitchen door,
and a house wren at my folks next to their carport.

Still a gape and flustered!
Thanks for the blessings today God!

Unity

I spent the morning at church
working on the Unity Garden.
I must admit that this has been a bit of a struggle for me.

I prayed on the way to the meeting
that I would not jump into leadership,
like I normally do, and then regret it later.

I am so very glad to help, but sometimes my mind gets in my way.

It happened.
No one else was able to step into lead gardener,
and I said I would.

Now, I am not a professional gardener.
I love my flowers and yard, and just the past few years
have I even grown vegetables.
I don't mind making mistakes or redoing when it comes to my yard.

Maybe the unity thing is what settled everything for me.

Everyone has their own ideas how the garden should be.
That's ok.
I like the fact that we can work together,
and no one gets their feelings in a wad.
Just overlook the quirks.
I met a very nice young lady and was joined by three other folks I know.
One man doesn't even go to LSC,
but will be back again on Friday to help.

After today, we are 3/4 done planting.
Some shrubby trees still need to be removed,
and we have a crap ton of tomatoes going!
I am so excited for the little kids at Recess to learn and enjoy the garden.
Thinking maybe we can even teach them how to can
or use fresh veggies in meal planning.

God is good all of the time.
His plans are perfect and work out so well.
I never agree at first,
but am learning to go with the flow more and more!

I had the afternoon to read on the deck and watch the woodpeckers.
Dinner with V tonight.
A bit of knitting with bamboo later.
Life is good.
I am blessed.

Dixie Chicks vs Chicago

This week, I took my oldest friends to Chicago.
They have never been.
Chicago will never be the same.
Hilary came with us, as she had a day off.
We are all so glad she did.
What a joy my baby is!
We took the 1pm train.
As Ann Margaret's hubby said,
"Lord, don't hurt yourselves!"
We sleep a bit later and move a bit slower than we did in our twenties!

On the South Shore, we met a lovely young man from Chicago.
He gave us directions to Gino's East, and all kinds of touristy hints.
We immediately added him to our facebook accounts.
He was drawn into our "southern" conversation,
as everyone we passed was.
(V asked..."Who's the random guy?")
I forgot how curious and fascinated people are with this slow, sweet accent.
We learned Jim has an 8 year old daughter
who lives with him and his 41 year old fiance.
They are on their way to Arizona for a graduation.
We invited him to a Southern dinner when he returns!
SO gracious the southerners are!
Especially about food!

I also recognised a friend from years ago,
who went to church and youth group with us.
She was travelling to California where her mother is dying.
Funny how the world works.
How God puts different people in your lives
at different times for different reasons.

We did not get a chance to stop and see Jim where he worked,
a few blocks down from our hotel.
I hope he has a good vacation.

Upon arriving to the Congress hotel, we jumped in a cab.
Mistake number one!
Not only did he not speak English,
but he did not kinow where Gino's East was.
Imagine!
He actually handed me a book of Chicago
and asked me to find the spelling of Ginos.
He was looking in the J's.
I thought Hilary was going to take the wheel from him.
Once we got to trhe resaurant, we had a lovely dinner!
Sweet tea and root beer and daquaries, pizza, salad and mozz sticks.
(for the northern version of Sweet Tea!)
We wrote our names on the walls,
and stopped in the Rainforest cafe to use the restroom.
Hilary bought us pictures in a photo booth.
Lordy, we almost didn't all fit in at the same time!
Silly older women!
As we were making our way back to the hotel,
the fog began to come in.
It was weird tho...only between a few buildings did we notice it.
Around the corner we ran into three policemen.
The girls asked if they knew anything about the ... fahr.
They looked at them and said...fahr?
AM said, "oh, sorry, F I R E"
HAHAHA we all laughed.
AM schmoozed them into a photo op.
I think they could not get over we girls wanting our picture with them.
Do not many people ask this of our service people?

Later that evening, AM and I discovered that the hotel was haunted.
After Susan was asleep, she was frightened, we ventured out.
Our room was on the seventh floor and the ninth is supposed to be haunted.
In our jammies we snuck upstairs.

Freaking ourselves out.....hearing noises, we acted like school girls!
Taking pictures and holding tightly to each other,
we hurried off of the ninth floor.
We took the elevator to the lobby,
where we found a security guard who took us to the ballroom.
Folks apparently hear voices until the doors are opened.
We didn't see or hear anything but a beautiful room with murals and candelabras!
I took many photos, though,
hoping to find evidence of spirits in the pictures...no such luck.

Off to bed we reluctantly went.
I don't think Susan even knew we were gone~!

The next morning...well, afternoon, we ventured onto the Red Line train,
to see Wrigley Field for AM's husband,
after seeing Grant Park and the Buckingham Fountain.
Even had our picture taken by a tourist from England,
in front of the Lincoln statue.
We are not shy at all, apparently!

At an outside cafe, we asked a fellow if we could ask a favor.
His first response was "I'm single!"
Come to find out, he and his friends were from New Jersey.
He was happy to take our picture with Capt. Morgan!
The older couple on the Red line, who we rescued from a fall,
met up with us in front of the stadium.
They were from Scotland and loved my friends' accents!
They took our photo and we exchanged emails(Albert and Diane)
.
Susan was hit upon by an Indian/Italian/Retired Marine in the Red Line Station.
He took off his glove and squeezed her arm while saying he liked thick women~!
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
We just could not go anywhere without their southern charm pulling people in!
I have never met so many curious, kind, freaky, weird people.

After some souvenir shopping at Water Tower mall,
we made it back to the hotel for our bags.
I got the bags, Susan hit the gift shop,
AM ordered burgers from the hotel restaurant.
The manager and waiter were so taken with my friends,
that they seemed to be falling at their heels every moment.
The manager even showed the waiter how to make a simple syrup
to put into their sweet tea so we wouldn't have to use twelve equals~!

We barely made it onto our train,
ate our picnic dinner while being curiously watched by everyone,
and made it home in one piece.

I will miss my friends and am so glad we had this chance to visit!
They are as I remember them,
and I am as I remember myself,
if not a bit more mature in some ways.
Thanks for refreshing me girls!
I love yall!

Surrounded by loved ones

I had the long over due privilege to share a week with my friends from Alabama.
My family moved from there over twelve years ago.
I raised my babies there.

It was a joy to have uninterrupted time to spend with these lovely ladies.
It was as though no time had passed at all,
from the moment we were sitting on my front porch swings in our twenties,
to sitting on my back porch in our forties.

Yes, I did fall back into a slight Southern accent again.
It is hard not to, even if you have never been to the South,
whuile being around these Soiuthern bells.
We went to Chicago for a few days, and had wonderful food,
found amazing deals on souvenirs,
and spoiled ourselves with bath products from Lush.
We slept late and went to bed early!
Anyone passing who heard my friends speaking
would stop us and ask where they were from.
It's amazing how people are lulled into the sweetness of them,
and take a bit of it with them.
More about Chicago later....

My query today is if it is possible to meld old friendships with new.

The dixie chicks had a bbq at my home with the girly girls.
I thought it was a lovely evening.
But how did they feel?

I know the dixie chicks were wanting to dress up
and make a good impression on the girly girls.
They didn't even have to try.
The girly girls came as they do....
from work or play, comfortable with themselves and each other.
Cheery and welcoming.
They seemed a bit quieter than I remember though.
Were they pulled into the accents too?

Hilary's friends came to meet the girls.
We spent hours chatting and sharing.
It was wonderful to see these children, our age then,
exploring the women we are now.
Did they get the same sense I did?
In twenty years, you could be reminiscing with your kids
about how you acted when you were their age?!
The only difference I noticed was that at their age,
we were all mothers and wives.

I was a young mother with the dixie chicks.
Learned to raise my kids,
who I was becoming as a person, not a child,
faced challenges and life lessons with them.

With the girly girls, we solved life problems of middle age,
fought marriage hardships together,
explored ourselves in a new age of maturity and spirituality.
We are able now, to drop everything at 2 am if one of us is in need.

With the dixie chicks, we would have to make sure
the babies were taken care of before we jumped.
But they were also always there.

Yes, in high school I knew almost everyone
and flitted from lunch table to lunch table.
I wasn't popular, or a rockette, but I was friendly.

A beach trip was mentioned this week.
I jumped to invite all the girly girls to join the dixie chicks.
Not sure if they are as excited as I am.

Do you find that old and new friendships can mesh?
I would love all of my friends to surround me
and love on each other as they love on me.
Is this unreasonable?

I try to think back to lunches I have had with new friends,
who are old friends to each other.
I felt a bit uncomfortable with their shared history and conversations,
that I was not included in.
Not on purpose, but that is just how things carry on in lunch chatting.

Is it the long time spent, sharing one anothers' lives that makes friendships,
or the initial connection of a mutual friend?
Can my love of someone, pass over and make that tie
between strangers who are not strangers to me,
but only to each other?

Can I invite the newly found high school friends from facebook,
into my world now?
Or do I keep the relationships separate?
Intimacy takes trust and time and shared events.

I live in a fantasy, rose colored world, don't I?

So...the beach in September my friends....come and spend some time!
Open yourselves to people I trust and trust them yourselves.

I am blessed!

Sanctuary

I am blessed!

Enjoying the crazy beautiful garden this morning.
So many birds.
The lilacs are in full bloom,
as are the glads.
Daisies beginning to open up,
and the poppies are not far behind.

Because of my husbands hard work,
I am able to enjoy sitting here with binoculars,
seeking out the home of our oriels.
Thanks you baby!

Come on over, yall.
You are invited for a cuppa,
or a time of refreshing in your own thoughts.
If you don't want company, come through the side gate,
rest and fill up.
If you do want company,
knock on the kitchen door and I will gladly join you!
Hurry now, because with the heat, the mosquitoes come out,
then it's only from the house do I enjoy the views.
Mornings are the best time for all the scents, action and temps.

Truly, truly blessed!

Justified

I am happy today.
The ceiling is finished being painted...
so not as young as I used to be!
Ten years ago, I would have painted all day
and into the night and next morning,
until all the work was done.
It has taken me four days to finish!

Many things have changed in ten years.

Today is a celebration of a kind that I fear
anyone born after or around 1990 doesn't fully understand.

It was reported that Osama Bin Laden was killed last night.
The Navy Seals and our military accomplished amazingly well
something that has been happening for ten years.
There were celebrations in Washington DC,
New York City at ground zero,
fireworks were fired in South Bend....
Sighs of relief were exhaled.

However, many of our young people don't get
the sense of justification.

I remember 9-11-2001 very well.
An uncle came in and told me to turn on the television.
Every channel was covering the airplane that hit
the world trade center.
We watched in confusion as the next plane hit the second tower.
This couldn't be an accident!
We watched as President Bush was informed that the nation was under attack.

Terry was working in Lafayette IN at the time, and I called him right away.
He didn't know anything was wrong yet.
I was so afraid!
I wanted him with me and our children, V was 15, Hil was 13.
For days the country watched in horror as buildings fell,
people died, the country came together, people mourned.

My concern for our young is that war is all they have ever known.
Security in airports is nothing for them to pass through,
without shoes or privacy.
Have we become jaded because of lack of remembering or knowing?
So many violent movies, so many video games and even cartoons.
It's like we have pushed the horror and memory under the rug.

Families of lost firefighters, military,
WTC workers have never forgotten.
I am so grateful for all of our armed servicemen and women
Is it because of them that we have forgotten the tragedy?

We are still at war.
We must be especially careful now because of
the crazies with their own sense of justice
to claim because of this man's death.

Justice is mine says the Lord, and I am all for God's justice!
There is evil in the world.
Celebrating a man's death is not for us to do.
The only human response to the end of an evil, is to rejoice though.
We must keep the perspective of the truth.

Yes, I am celebrating for myself,
the fear this man caused and for the families of those taken
in NYC, Pennsylvania and Washington DC.
and all the other countries where he caused terror.

Maybe we should allow our young teens now
to watch and feel the horror.
Maybe they will understand a bit.
However, I do not remember the horror of WW2, Vietnam,
even Kennedy's assasination.
I understand the history,
but not the pain of living through it.

I feel that we need to try to soften the hearts
of those who are living through these times,
but do not fully understand why.

I know my own daughters don't fear travel to other countries,
worry about saving for hard times, or caution at all!
I remember feeling that nothing could happen to me,
as I see that same mindset in my children.

Off my soapbox!
USA! USA! USA!
We are all blessed today!