June, Crammed Full.

 June is almost over. And, my June was so crammed full of events, travel, fun, exhaustion .... you get the picture. I mean, it was almost too much for this ole gal to take but I wouldn't have missed it for the world. 

If you follow my blog you know I left the first part of June for my son's home in Alabama. It got very hot so we headed north back to my place in Va. The kiddos redid my balcony so I can really enjoy it. Then, my youngest daughter flew down from N. Y. for the weekend to help celebrate her sister's birthday. 

It was one ridiculously funny, lovely, tiring time. We ate and ate and ate some more. We had seafood, pork barbeque, Mexican and a bunch of junk food. We spent hours together (me and the three of my four kids) talking about times past, teasing each other, playing Uno and a Memory Chess game. Then, we'd eat some more, stay up late, sleep late (well, some of us did). It was just the best weekend.

When Susan flew back on Monday I was so tired, I thought I would never recover. But, Tuesday morning we (son-in-law, the birthday girl, my son and I) drove 1 1/2 hours to my granddaughters house to have a birthday celebration! More food, more fun.... 

I got up this morning to spend the last day my son will be here before he heads back to Alabama. Tomorrow.... I crash!! 

                        Here's some photos from the weekend. 

A Happy Place

                                                           Mercy Me!

My balcony on 3rd floor was/wasn't a place of joy for me. It never seemed to be what I wanted it to be, a place to read, take pictures, paint... an extension of me out there. It truly was uninviting. 

But, just look at it now...

Chairs and table, a taller size, one which I can work on. The chairs provide me a view that being shorter in this older age did not. (I am shrinking , you know). 

I was looking through the railings before. Now I can see over them. 

I love it! 

Many happy days spent on my balcony ahead, I am sure. 

Throwback Thursday

My husband sitting on his brother-in-law's cabin porch in 2004. 

One of my favorite picture of him. 

Summer Solstice!

      Wow! Today is Summer Solstice! The beginning of Summer. 

Last week I was in Alabama and the temps felt like summer. Michael and I arrived back in Virginia last night and I wake up to 58 degree weather! What the heck? But, the heat is coming. Oh how I dread it. 

                                I am not a summer girl! 

I am so thankful for the trip to my son Michael's and the safe journeys there and back.

He's a good son! 

a picture from Dec. 2020

I have a lot of things to catch up on since I have been gone 3 weeks. 

You know how you get behind if you are not at it every day. 

So...

Tootle-loo

for now 

A Peaceful Flower Garden

 Michael has planted a nice little flower garden underneath some trees in his side yard. It's sort of his little peaceful place. I want to share some of his pretties with you. 

A portion of his garden

I love the variegated hosta. 

Coral bells

Canna lily. I love the color.

Cone flowers

A nice piece of driftwood. When he's sailing, he finds pieces of driftwood. Even his friends collect them for him.

A bumblebee helping himself to pollen in a Rose of Sharon blossom.

The Rose of Sharon

A gorgeous lily. 

Well, that's the tour... at least of that part of his yard. Hope you enjoyed it. 

Tootle-loo!

A Quiet Peaceful Morning

Yesterday we had company. My favorite cousin's wife and daughter came to see me and Michael. Michael had never met them and it had been years and years since I had seen them. Way too long! 

My cousin, Neil, and I were close. We didn't see each other much. I got married young and moved away. In 1964 or 65 he got very sick and had to have brain surgery which left him paralyzed and without speech. His wife, Mitzi, was such a faithful caregiver until Neil passed away abt. 14 years ago. And, I hadn't seen her since. 

So, you can guess that we had a lot of catching up to do! 

I think that people don't make enough effort to stay in touch with those they care about. The reunion was easy and fun. I won't lose touch again. 

me, Susan and Mitzi. 

Michael, Susan and Mitzi. 

I got up this morning (I was already awake) when I heard a tiny whine outside my bedroom door.

It was Sadie, Michael's sweet little dog. 

Michael had gone down to the marina to work a bit on his boat before it got too hot, so I guess Sadie got lonesome. 

She hopped up on my bed and we just enjoyed the quiet, the stillness of the morning.

Such a peaceful time.

I cherish moments like that. 

A Trip To The Farmer's Market

A Walk Through the Garden

 The weather has not been nice since I have been in Alabama. Every day it has been gloomy, raining one minute, sunshining the next, and then rain the next. Enough to make you want to crawl under the covers!

I've been reading a lot! Yesterday was a good day. We actually got out and went to Cracker Barrel and had lunch! But, more rain is scheduled for today. I swear!! And, next week the heat index is gonna be over 100. Can't win for losing!

After we came back from Cracker Barrel, I finally got a chance to check out Michael's garden. He's so good at gardening! He does the square foot type. Just look at what's happening there!

                    The Cowhorn peppers are ripe enough to pick.

The Jalapenos are getting big. 

He has dwarf marigolds planted to help with the insects and his cucumbers are blooming.

There are blackberries just beginning to ripen, 

I picked one and popped it in my mouth. I got a surprise!

Until they have totally ripened and been on the vine a bit, those things are SOUR!

Maybe there will be enough for us to make a blackberry cobbler before I go home.

He has grape vines as well as muscadine and scuppernong. 

This Korean dogwood sits by his back walk. All the other dogwoods have long since blooming so it was nice to see this one. 

So, that's a small portion of his garden and yard. More to come! if it ever stops raining!

Toodle-oo

Wisdom Wednesday #1

Getting old puts a whole new twist on life. You get so philosophical, so reminiscence. You begin to realize just what you missed, what mistakes you made and yes, your accomplishments. 

I've kept a diary, I've journaled, I've done the gratitude list etc, etc, etc. Still journaling but some years back I started writing down my 'life thoughts' (how I view things both personal and general). I then started adding to my "My Thoughts" notebook, quotes from other writers which really resonated with me. 

And, yesterday during one of my 'thinking' time I decided that I really needed to share these with other folks. Maybe it might inspire them to write down their inner-most feelings and hopefully share them with others. 

                So..... (drum roll please) 🥁 

Here is the first installment of 'Wisdom Wednesday'. 

I promise to not bore you to death by posting every 'cotton-picking' Wednesday, just once a month!                                                                                                                                                                                               

                                          Not Too Old To Try

I sometimes think of something I want to do, some place I want to go, some goal I want to achieve. At my age, they seem so unattainable. That makes me sad.

There's too much involved, the pathway is not clear to me and I am afraid of the unknown. Fear begins to control me. Suppose I miss my train, my plane or I lose my luggage. Or I get lost and can't find my way. Suppose my strength doesn't hold out, I get sick, I die. 

Sure my strength is low, my steps falter but that should not hold me back from trying. I need to perhaps plan on something a little less involved, but I must plan and do!

The fear will lessen with each step I take. So, I take the first one, then another and soon I feel I can reach my goal. I must always live in the moment, keep my eyes on the 'road' and enjoy the journey.  (source: Willie Latane Barton)

Making Memories, Making Mama's Fried Apple Pies

 It seems that I can't get rested from the long journey from Virginia to Alabama. Of course, two days on the road put a kink in my disposition! 😀Travel just gets harder and harder, the older and older I get! 

Today my daughter and son-in-law, who brought me down to my sons, left to go back home. Then a couple swung by to visit my son.. sailing buddies and they talked for 2 1/2 hours.... about... you guessed it.... SAILING. And I don't know a jib from a rudder! So, I got hungry and I got sleepy but I sat there just as attentive as I could be, like I knew everything they were talking about. Soon as they left, I gobbled down a sandwich and crashed for a nap! Lordy! 

We've been doing some fun stuff. We went to the Rattlesnake Saloon, a cafe under this huge rock hangover (like a big cave with a Big opening at the front). I'd been before but Shirley and John had not so it was nice watching them enjoy it. To see that adventure click Here

One afternoon we fried some apples pies (some people call them hand pies) just like my Mama used to make. Michael's friend gave him some apples last year and he dried them in his dehydrator. I cooked those ---

then made the crust dough, squishing the shortening into the flour just like I had seen my Mom do a zillion times. 

Man, that stuff is sticky so I washed my hands and yes, I am barefoot. Usually am when I am inside!

and then I let the younger generation take over from there. Each kid took their turn rolling out the dough, 

cutting it into circles,

plopping some apple on one side

folding the dough over, 

              crimping it with a fork 

and in the iron skillet it went. 

It really brought back so many memories for me and for them, too. 

All of them fried, cooled and ready to eat.... with Mom's apple bowl that she used to keep her cooked apples in while she was frying pies for me. 

Quilt Barns and Log Cabins!

I love the fact that we travel through the area where people display 'wooden' quilt squares on their barns. The Appalachian Quilt Trail goes from the Cumberland Gap to the Smoky Mountains.  

Although we seldom get off the beaten path to search them out, I am able to get pictures of some as we pass by. Sorry these are not more in focus but a gal's gotta do what a gal can do!

These two I already had on file from a previous tripl

We saw a couple log cabins, too.

Have a blessed Sunday!