Fun Weekend at the Beach

Hoping to get a little warmer weather once again we drove down to Florida to the West Coast to be with 5 other couples at a beach house. The weather was not as warm for Florida as I wanted but sweater and jacket was the attire and it was okay. We couple go somewhere every year for four days mainly on the weekend as we have one who is a teacher and needs to get time off. Puzzles and food seems always to be the agenda as we ate both at the house and a couple of neat seafood places in Appalachicola, Florida about 10 miles from us. Great little seafaring town with lots of shrimp and oyster garb and boats. We did manage to get on the beach just a few steps from the house to do some shelling. Got a few starfish and lots of shells. Always glad to get home to the Mountains of Tennessee. No matter where you may go there is no place like home.

Christmas 2010

Christmas in Florida this year. No snow, which i LOVE but it was a cold Florida this year.
Spent the holidays with youngest grandson, making cookies for last day of school. They had a cookie tasting party and he won a reward for the Best Design Cookie, it was a tree.

Honoring Veterans Day November 11th

To Day is Veterans Day

Our Grandson Joey who is 12 yrs. old had to present a paper at school today honoring the

veterans of all the wars. He called his Grandpa knowing he served during Vietnam War in Korea DMZ and interviewed him. This is his paper:

(excerpts)

"My grandpa served in the US Army in the Vietnam War era from 1966-1968. He was drafted at 19 years old. He spent most of his time in Korea, and he was a medic. He was responsible for helping people who cleared old mine fields. The first day he was there in the army the sargeant stepped on a mine and blew his foot off. Two weeks later a jeep drove over a mine and it blew up half the jeep. When the soldiers got out confused and disoriented two Koreans shot them and one was killed, one was wounded. My Grandpa always parked his ambulance by a big hole so he could jump in it, just in case someone started shooting at him. The best day while he was in the military is when he stepped off the plane back on USA land, safely. He was very proud to have served for the United States of America."

UP UP AND AWAY!

Father's Day weekend this year was more like a Mothers' Day weekend. My lovely, wonderful daughter and I went to Ashville, N. C. for the weekend. Staying at a lovely little cabin in the Black Mountains which felt like I was in a tree house, having lunch at a fantastic old hotel overlooking the golfcourse and garden, flying in a hot air balloon over the mountains was just tremendously glorious for me and let me check off a few items on my Bucket List.

I thought I would be nervous about the balloon ride but I was surprising calm as it started to rise into the air. I felt so calm almost like I was standing mid air, just standing still. Around me were two other balloons which made for a very colorful sight. It was amazing descending as the ground kept coming up closer and closer. I thought for sure we would be landing on a fence in someone's yard but we didn't and touchdown was in the driveway of some homeowner. Quickly people jumped from the follow van and grabbed ropes and the basket to hold us down. Amazing. They land whereever the winds take us and this was in a private yard. You can never tell where you might land they said. No one seems to mind especially the home owners around that area. People come out and take pictures. Then we hop into the van and they take us back to where we first started from. Amazing, just amazing.

Companions

Many people may not be able to understand or even care to have dogs, or cats in their life.
I understand both sides of the story. But here is my take:
I had to put to sleep my fabulous Boston Terrier last year who was 16 yrs. old.
Yesterday I had to put to sleep my cat, who was 20 years. old.
They both were companions to us requiring only food, water and place to rest.
They would give us love in return.
Climbing on your lap to be stroked, a smile or a treat in your hand would please
them. Yes, they were needed to be let out to do their business or cleaning their litter box. Making sure they had water and fed twice a day. Buy a recreational vehicle to travel in so we could take them with us. (I could not leave them in a kennel).
But, it was well worth it these past 20 years.
The hardest part of having them is when they pass on. There truly is a different atmosphere in the house and the care you give them is now gone.
But let me say this, I never thought of having another animal to care for but after 3 months of not having that Boston Terrier, I got another. She will probably outlive me.
She does need those things I spoke of but she does keep a smile going in our home.

Mom's Apron

I remember it well this apron

The one my mother wore

Her apron was her mark of trade

It covered her while doing "chores"

Use of this apron covered her from shoulder to knees

and it was as useful as can be

with pockets holding small momentos

things we misplaced, you see.

I see her coming from the garden

Apron filled with vegetables she gathers

Into the sink they go, brushing off

the dirt, it didn't matter

She uses the apron pockets for collecting

the clothespins she will use

To hang the just washed clothes

On washlines provided there

She walks through the living room

Someone is knocking at the door

Lifting one edge of the apron to make sure

dust is no more, she answers that door

Her apron stays on her all day,

protecting her limited wardrobe,

gathering pieces of this and that in the pockets

this apron all day long

Many times she brushed away a tear from my eye

Many time her pockets held, a hanky, a toy,

Sometimes completely empty

Sometimes filled with joy

At night that apron hung on a hook

Awaiting another day for my mother, her apron, a memory never to fade

As I am sure that apron may.

I loved my mother dearly having fears of her departing me. Sometimes, I would walk by that apron hanging on a hook. It did fade in color or print over time. I would lift it to my nose and

and it assured me that Mom would be putting on that apron in the morning and she did until the day she died.

Way Back Then: 1971

Dave and I in 1971 taking my kids to the mountains of Georgia for a camping trip. We weren't married yet and I wanted the children to really like him before we committed to a long time relationship. We were in love. I bet he can't pick me up and carry me into our new camper anymore tho. We were married 3 months later in December 1971.

Remember the Victory Gardens 1940's

I remember them well. Picture is me either 8 or 9 yrs. old.The Victory Garden during WWII. People were very patriotic back then, money then was tight. Most food products used by the soldiers were for us harder to get and had to be rationed.

My Dad provided us with a Victory Garden that produced several different veggies, fruit trees and if the yard was big enough he probably would have a cow for milk. Mom would can a lot of tomatoes, pears, applesauce and even made our own sauerkraut from the cabbage. Cabbage big as the moon I thought.

Now I see this happening again. Maybe not rationing our food products but people are worried about prices for food going up, up, up. What would happen in our society today if we had to have "anything" rationed. Remember the gas situation. So, my advise to everyone is: If you can, plant it.