Mornin!

Granddaughter Erin and Donaleo enjoying a Hawaiian sunset.   They will be here soon and we can hardly wait to get a peek at them.  Been way to long.    

Not sure when I last posted this picture, it is just too pretty not to post again.   It would make a beautiful painting for the wall.    Love the colors, the feel of it, the quiet.  I bet our Jock is out there on the river this morning trying to catch a big one.   Good luck Jock, do it....

Here it is another new day.   The month is ending and we are finding a change in the weather, a bit of Fall in the air.   We are to get rain this week, or so it is said, but so far nothing but clear skies and sunshine;  a bit of heat before the day is over and yet Fall is in the air.    A lovely time of year.   

I had a company day yesterday as one of the new ladies came to visit and stayed awhile.   The visit was fun and we spent time reminiscing and found we had much in common according to our histories.   Pat dropped bye with Emma and of course Emma did her usual begging for attention...pet me, pet me....and she got a lot of it.   Soon my company left but Vinnie stopped in, yep wanted to borrow back those stamps he just paid back.    He promised to replace them , of course he will so he can borrow them back again.    I had better send my letter off today or I wont have a stamp to use.  I think he has a ponzi scheme going.   I had to laugh as they all had a peek at the puzzle, shook their heads and ignored it.   It is a beastly one, extremely hard but fun anyway.   It is fairy tales and would make a wonderful present for a kindergarten room.   Wonder if there is one around here. I would be tempted to donate it but I'd have to frame it and that would be very expensive as it is a huge puzzle.  Oh well,  a good thought...but...an expensive deal.   

So today, be of good cheer, share some of your 'things' with those who borrow . . . and pay back, I hope, so you know where to go when you run out...nothing like being a good neighbor.    

So when you are out and about today make sure you stop and buy some stamps.    Throw in a box of  special cookies and don't forget tea bags , one never knows when you will throw a surprise tea party.   They sure are fun and the company is what makes your world go round.    

Be good, be kind, be gentle . . . if you get what you give.....well.....make it a few dozen hugs, a lot of generous hugs and throw in a little feast and enjoy.    There is some old adage about getting back what you give and it has been proven true;  you get out of life just what you put into it.   So today, put a lot of life in your living and reap a world of energy and love.    Hugs to all.

Courage

Mt. Rainier, quiet and beautiful at the moment. believe it is one in the ring of fire.

Balance, concentration and courage , Caleb has them all.

A new week starting and I wonder what it holds for us.    Each day starts off in such a quiet mode around here in Ridgemont and I wonder what the new day holds for me.    I am always amazed to watch my fingers on the keyboard spelling out a brand new Monday is here..again...and I think of how fast time goes bye especially when we are not paying attention.    Summer is ending and it seemed like it just got started, the usual cry,  'where has all that time gone?'  Labor Day coming up, schools are opening and summer dwindles away as we wait patiently for Fall to take over in all of its glorious color.    The trees are dropping their leaves, the air is changing and we begin to think of the challenges of the Fall.   Preparation for winter is one of the thoughts;  a change of wardrobe;  the annual car check preparing for winter weather;   and of course the annual fall cleaning of our home Work to be done and it holds no grudge.  We enjoy the seasonal changes and the work it entails We know all of the benefits we reap and the joy we amass as the season changes.  We have so much to look forward to...holidays for one....don't groan as they are the joys of what keeps us close to family and friends.  We have one more chance to show those we like and love a little of the feelings we have for them.    It doesn't take a mint to recognize them as one of the best things in life;  it takes a little thought, a little recognition for the time they share with us, and . . . a lot of love.  So today give a little thought to the change in season.  Prepare for the coming months, one day as it comes, and you will not be crushed in a last minute crunch.  Keep in  mind 'time' is the  best gift you can share with family and friends.   Share your talents with them, especially some kind words that prove you hold them in the highest esteem all because of the good deeds you share every day.   Wrap your hugs, your laughter, your feeling of love for them and share YOU with those you like and love.    Gifts from YOU that cannot be replaced.  Gifts from you that mean LOVE . . .a smile, a thought, a deed and a HUG.    Share them today and every day and find out what really makes your world go around.   Hugs to all.

Old and New

Here in Port Orchard there is a tiny house on Sydney Avenue which is a museum.  On Sunday one of the ladies from the Art Gallery plays docent , opens the doors and greets the folks who are curious as to the contents of the little house.   Relics galore.   Here is the original stove, a beauty, if it could talk, the tales it could tell.

Skies of the Northwest

Lenticular clouds, how different they are, how strange and wondrous.  

It seems I just said it is the beginning of a brand new week, but this one brings about the end of August, the end of summer heat and time marches on to Fall, the change of colors in our trees, the awesome beauty we wait for every year.   Each area of our country has its own colors so it is time to think about hiking out and about and taking your camera for a walk.    You want to capture nature at its best.

It was a quiet day here at Ridgemont.    I spent some time looking through pages and pages of the Sunday ads, think it took about a half hour to peek at them all. Nope, didn't see a thing I couldn't live without.    I took a walk out to the corner and back.  I met a lady who walked along with me and we had a conversation about Ridgemont when she asked where I lived.  She is looking for a place but finds they are expensive, and they are.    Ridgemont is about the only one around this area that is still within talking distance but there is talk of a raise in the rents which is a little foreboding for those on a fixed income.  I would suggest you put a little priority in your thinking about a time when you will have to think about down sizing and moving into smaller quarters.    That time comes around the corner when you are not looking.   

So today I am on a mission.  I am going off with Patricia to look for some more glass bowls for the upcoming terrarium session.  It should be fun.   I think we are up to about six and have to get a lot closer to twenty.   It will be interesting to see what the folks do with their bowls and how different each one will be.   I know, I know you get tired of the same old conversation but at the moment that is what is on the mind.    It takes time and effort to hunt for some special do-dads to make special playtime for our 'tea' ladies.    Maybe you should be looking for a glass bowl and plan to make a special terrarium all your own.   It would make a nice gift.

So, find a little time to play.  All work and no play makes for a dull day...and a not too bright and beautiful you.    Be good, be kind, be gentle and know a good deed never hurt anyone.    Think about a donation to those in need, those who have lost all of their belongings in fire and floods.   Think about those without a pot or a pan or a glass to drink out of.   They will get back on their feet, just be sure you help a little to make the trip back a lot easier.    Be thankful you are in a position to be of help and not one on the receiving end.    Thinking makes you beautiful, so think a lot today.   Hugs to all.

Old Pictures Again....and Again!!

 The Sierras

A balloon ride

Sunshine and Shadows

I saw a lot of trees along the highway yesterday morning, bright and early, as my daughters picked me up and we rode to Paulsbo which they say is about fifteen minutes as the crow flies but seems a bit longer to me.  It is a lovely ride and I get to play at the casino for awhile and they get to yard sale throughout the area and along and into Bainbridge Island.   The picking were slim for awhile but after they picked me up they found a little shop that turned out to be a thrift shop and had so many treasures to take back home.    Christine is always on the lookout for some specialties for the Gallery and the tea parties they put on.   She had already purchased a whole box of tea cups, some woman had decided to give up her collection and she gave Christine a price she couldn't resist so we came home with all of them.   I had such a good time unwrapping them on the way home and saw where they originated from and their beauty.   Some so delicate you would be afraid to hold them in your hands.   All with depth of color and design that made you want to collect them.  

As to the shop, it was filled with treasures as the big glass holders cried out to be rescued and used for the upcoming terrarium class.   Finding the right size and shape turned out to be fun.   We are trying for twenty and I think we have six so far, so the hunt goes on.  It should be interesting to see what the ladies will do with these lovely shapes of sizes of glass bowls.   I'll be sure to take some pictures and post them for you.   

We stopped at a lakeside restaurant and had lunch.    I would like to say we had the best fish and chips around but I can't.   The chef overcooked them and we were disappointed.    At least I can say once we removed the coating, the fish itself was very tasty.  It was a reminder not to order friend food.   There were a lot of pleasure boats tied up at the docks.   A lot of folks in the little town walking by the store fronts along the main street.   It is a delightful little town and I enjoy stopping there.    Plus, there is a wonderful bakery...smile.  It was a fun time with my two daughters, a day to remember.....so many good ones thanks to them.     

Here at Ridgemont it was quiet, dinner time was over and most had gone back to their rooms to rest;  a few went up to the dining area where it has air conditioning and played cards.   One or two brave ones when our for a walk around the building.   Ron saves me the daily paper with the cryptoquote, which I like to do and stayed on for a visit.   He is a lover of the old time movies and remembers all the stars from the thirties on.   I spent a lot of growing up years at the movies on weekends so I am still able to remember a lot of the stars.    It is like finishing someones sentence when a first name is given and the last forgotten and the memory comes alive.    Like..."Jane ???;  Jane Fonda....no....Jane Russell and that leads on to Howard Hughes and a special bra he had made for her and the controversy over it.  

So another weekend all but gone.   It is going to be a laid back Sunday.   It is cool this morning, the cars are all parked by the workers who are already opening the window shades up so the folks can see out.    It is quiet.  You can hear a 'feather' drop.     I am off to have coffee and a ham sandwich.  Doris came down with some goodies last evening and there are three small pieces of ham in the package...along with something sweet and tasty.    I just shared a whole jar of nuts with her and she is going to make cookies today.    Sharing is caring and the end results are often very 'tasty'.   . . . smile.

Be good, be kind, be gentle.    Don't save your hugs for another day....unload them on someone you love and pass a few on to someone you like as well.      Share your smile.   Share you thoughts.  Share YOU with those you like and love.     Be alive, alert, loving and giving and reap all the benefits.   Hugs to all.

Saturday

 Birds of a feather.....someone is artistic;  someone worked hard to make a special picture out of weeds, seeds and feathers and did a remarkable job of it.    Imagination and talent at its best.  

The weekend is here for you to enjoy.   The best news is the weather is going to change to cool for a few days and we can use the change.   Those ninety degree days are wearisome and uncomfortable.    Here at Ridgemont, Larry gets up early and walks around the building four times.    Vinne thinks about it but never gets more than the activity room for a 'read';  we are almost finished with his spy story which I am lost in as he was half way through the book before we picked up our reading time again.    We had our monthly meeting and there was no answer to the mystery of why some sign up for a trip then do not show.   Unless six or more sign up there will not be any outings and that is a shame.   Most do not get out for a change and sleep their lives away.    I noticed several of the 'inmates' are slowing down, walking is getting harder for them and getting up out of chairs is not easy anymore.    Most are not moving enough and there lies the problem.   If you don't use you lose, so it is best to keep moving.    Speaking of that I am going to love you and leave you as I am going off with the two girls this morning.    Saturday is yard sale day and a ride to Paulsbo is in the offering....good, they can drop me off and I can play a bingo machine until breakfast time....works for me.

So make your Saturday a busy day.    Use all of your muscles today.    Be sure you exercise them doing the housework, the yard work, the special muscles that hold that heavy book up as you settle in your outdoor chair and soak up a little rest time.     Check those bushes and shrubs that need clipping and promise yourself you will do them later, after your rest time, or maybe tomorrow....be a slug today, enjoy peace and quiet.   Enjoy sunshine or rain or whatever comes your way today and invite someone you like and love to join you.    Have a Portabella mushroom filled with home grown tomatoes, a few spices and special cheese...yum....so healthy and so tasty.  Pat made them for dinner last evening with that special crusty bread.    It is Saturday, all day, make it your day.  

Be good, be kind, be gentle and be one who makes everyone smile when you come in sight.    Share a hug or two.    Share YOU with those you like and love. Hugs to all.

Perfection

A symphony;  wild mushroom caps??  Take a good look and savor the shapes and forms, so delicate, so beautiful, a study of stillness, grace and silence.    

The huge tree shades the lovely orchid like flowers with their bird like look , so delicate, even the leaves have a special allure.  

An oddity, a beauty, so different, so alive.  Yes, you have seen all three pictures on another blog but I am out of new pictures and have hopes of going on a few camera runs before the summer is over.   I want to take more pictures for future blogs so you won't be bored.  But . . . who can be bored looking at flowers, especially ones that are so different , so beautiful, so amazingly beautiful that one cannot possibly get enough of them.    Just look at the contrast of colors, textures, a stayman to invite the birds and bees;   a delicate beauty , a small miracle.

The heat is back with us and intends to stay but then summer will soon be over and we will be grousing about the change in weather, where is the sweater, why a rain coat again and heaven forbid get out that winter coat; a season reminder;  weather changes as the months fly bye.  We really do not mind, it is only weather, and  there is not much we can do about it but enjoy it for all its worth.   Like our life cycles, each season brings on something old, something new, something different,  as we grow and glow with the changes in our seasons.    Summer has been wonderful with its sunshine days, cool breezes and even a few hot days that seemed never ending . . but. . . they did and we survived.   It was such fun to make good use of the warm days to picnic, go for a swim, paddle around the lake and enjoy being out of doors.    I enjoy my walks up to the corner and back and more often than not a ride out with my daughters to far away places where the water trails beg for attention.   Fall, especially in the east of our country puts on a beautiful wondrous display of color as the leaves turn and the trees become bare.  They remain that way until the cold comes and the trees take on a shimmer as the frost wraps itself around the limbs and we have some good old pogonip to amuse us  and make us wonder about nature and its changes.  The miracle of a first snow fall that bring silence and wonder along with it.    The fun of sledding, skating, even shoveling and we glow as we look forward to a holiday season.    I know, you will grouse and groan about shopping and all the work entailed in getting ready but you wouldn't change it for anything ...you know you wouldn't.    So all of these words brings about the thought that this year is coming to its end;  in four short months we will be heading into changes;   a new year;   new faces; new places; a new president; change; growth; we will lose a few of our loved ones and we will gain some brand new ones.   Miracles will happen on a daily basis and we should be ready to perpetuate their goodness.    It is called living and you have a duty to do just that ......L I V E.........which means, of course, be good....be kind....be generous......be all you can be and share YOU with those you like and love.     Hugs to all.

Thursday All Day

Happy Birthday to my son Michael....he turns another year older today, I wish I were up there in Nevada taking him out to dinner and celebrating his special day.    I love you Michael...I miss you Michael and I hope your day is as special as you are.

and many more.

Once upon a time....

I know you are feeding the horses and making them happy creatures today.    I wish you a good day, a fun day, a day to remember as you wend your way into another brand new year of your life.   Be content, be happy and celebrate you today.

My son Michael is having a birthday today...August 25th.....hitting his prime of life .   I would love to be up there in Nevada wining and dining him today.    Some times we just can't have things the way we want them, but that doesn't stop us from celebrating him today.     So we will toast him and most likely roast him but he can take it.    I hope he takes himself out for a special dinner today.  I hope he has friends to join him and knows how much we would all like to be with him to celebrate his special day.     Happy birthday , my son, go....celebrate YOU and have a great birthday.

All set...everyone ready.....Happy Birthday to YOU....Happy Birthday to YOU.....Happy birthday dear Michael,  Happy Birthday to you.       Love you.

The next project is to be the makings of terrariums and that should be fun.   Pat and I went out to the dollar store to look over the artificial do dads that can help make one interesting.   Live plants would be better and some will be used but it is some of those tiny do dads that make it fun.   We found a bird or two;  some pebbles;  some grass like material in a bale;  I wanted a tiny barn but had to settle for a gazebo.   It was fun looking.   It will be fun putting one together.    There is a Gallery fun raiser coming up so we will all be busy having fun making terrariums.j

Here at Ridgemont there is nothing in the news.   Things have slowed down since our manager has to hold down the two buildings.   We seem to be the ones who can afford to be neglected.   The two young ladies are trying hard to keep things normal but we all notice that the manager is not here.  It will be good when things return to normal.    

Christine and I went to Moon Doggie II for the Wednesday hamburger...$5.00 and huge.   It takes a lot of energy to get that last bite in.    The owner was our waiter last evening and now recognizes me as one of the 'family' and asked if I wanted a hamburger with mushrooms . . . he knew I did...smile.  He has Christine's order down pat and brings her a tall cool dark beer on tap and adds a salad to her plate.    Pat wasn't up to a trip last evening, but he would remember her order as well.    It is a fun place to go ,  a bar really,  lots of the local folks love it and there is always something going on.    

Speaking of going on, I am off to call Michael and sing him Happy Birthday.....it is early enough to wake him up and hear him growl......So you have a happy day doing what you love to do best.    Be good, be kind, be gentle and share YOU with those you love and like.    Remember a good deed is needed and necessary...at least one every day....and you are just the ;person to do the job well.   Have fun as well.   Be glad you are over the hump, a weekend coming up to enjoy so plot and plan and make plans to celebrate your accomplishments of the week.    Be a lover.  Be a 'hugger.'   Be YOU.   Hugs to all.

Outdoor

Ignore the sign, I just wanted to look at the old fence...it has dignity; courage, and strength because it does hold up to the ravages of time.  Reminds me of a few old timers I know.

No, Pat's tomatoes do not look like this, but her tomatoes make the best sandwiches.  She made us up a great one yesterday..yum!!

There are flowers, and there are Flowers but the jonquil or daffodil top the list for beauty and color, simplicity at its best.

Hump day, all day, what to do with it?   I have no special plans.  I did get out and about yesterday and had a fun day with both of my girls.    Pat and I went junking looking for some glass containers for the making of terrariums ;  a class at the Gallery this coming month.  It should be fun.   I have a neighbor who went to a class at the local green house and now has three in her apartment.  The 'cages' are metal and much like a small castle, each filled with tiny plants and rocks and bring a little of nature indoors.  They really are lovely to look at.    I might attend the class and make one for my apartment.    I really have little room for things but manage to keep adding a little something new and different every time I see something I cannot leave behind.   You know the drill....no room...no more knickknacks until you take a peek at the one more cute little item you cannot live without.  I now have a miniature cottage, two tiny sampans,  a tiny metal elephant with baby . . .so much for not collecting ever again....words with no meaning.   That goes for books too....now have at least eight to read when I have time....the daily cryptoquote, the cross word, the loaned History magazines, the unfinished novel . . . yeah....I do have things to catch up with ...time...time...where does it go???   Much to fast when you are having fun.

So I got a late start as I slept in this morning until six a.m. ;   I think a rocket must have gone off as I never sleep in until six; unless of course I have read half the night.   Funny how sleep evades us at times, for no special reason, other than it can and there isn't much one can do about it.    The coolness of the weather helped last evening I am sure.  Those three hot days and nights were not fun but the last two days have been ideal.    We cannot do much about weather but enjoy it no matter what is offered.   Me...I like rain...dancing in the rain, has a lot to do with making one feel good about life.    Remind me of that when I grouse when the weather changes and we get more of it than we want.    

So today, be of good cheer.   Do some one thing that will make you have a feeling of pride.   Be giving, be loving, be YOU.    Take time out to enjoy your day.  All work and no play makes for a dull soul.    It pays to be a little brave and kick up your heels now and then.    Keeping ones nose to the grindstone might have been a good old adage for the old folks, but remember it takes a few smiles to drive away the blues which we all get now and then.  So today laugh out loud because you can.  Smile because you can.    Hug....bear hugs...make them a priority today and get your arms weary from over doing the hugging bit...it is fun...try it...surprises some folks who haven't had one in a ''coon's age";   try your hand at being a comedian , tap, tap, and shuffle off to Buffalo....been awhile since you did those steps and I bet you have not forgotten them....give it a try.    Be a happy YOU ...it is catching!!  Hugs to all.

Nature

Morning has arrived.  An old snapshot but a good one, can't seem to tire of a country road...no traffic...wow!!

Another old timer, worth another look, the bird of Paradise, nope....just an early bird!!

Nature at its best.  Trees . . . so beautiful, so necessary, such wonders.

Not much news this morning as it was a quiet day here at Ridgemont.   Christine had work to keep her busy and Patricia spent time in her kitchen making jams and jellys and I have some of the finished products in my cupboard.   I think I'll open a jar of jelly this morning and put some on my toast.   I would have offered to help but Patricia is much like her mother and can do it herself.   She is clever, and smart and has her own way of doing things and does it well.  Christine is much the same in being able to tackle any job and making it look easy.    So I'll take a bow and say I set a good example ...can't you hear them now....'its' always about her'.....well, if I don't toot my own horn,who will?   I am proud of my children and have no problem tooting my horn...or theirs....and I even toot about you and yours.   

As far as Ridgemont, it was a very quiet day, cool and comfortable.  I took a walk up to the corner and back and enjoyed the fresh air.    I had visitors yesterday,  Vinnie is enjoying a read again and content.  He missed me.   He thinks he should reward me so is often trying to find something to present to me, yesterday it was a brass cup which I had to polish to see what initials were on it.   A fancy 'c' .   I have no room for 'things' in my one bookshelf. It is already full.    He doesn't listen well.   Later, Ron stopped in and brought three of his History magazines for me to read and return.   They are excellent magazines, now to find reading time.  I have a book going which is hard to put down.   Sharing is caring and it shows.

So I am ready for my coffee and a new day.    I am going to Goodwill today looking for some fancy glass type containers to make some terrariums for a Gallery project.    It has been a long while since we made them, but I am sure we will find the right little plants and make them beautiful.   It will give the ladies a chance to show their talents...rocks and tiny plants...a good combination.    I am thinking rocks and little animals.

Have yourself a good day today doing what you love to do best.    Don't be selfish, share YOU with those you like and love.    Take that extra minute or two and share some time;  it's a gift everyone needs and loves.    Think terrarium and make one for yourself.    Be good, be kind, be gentle and enjoy all of your seconds today.  Hugs to all.

Nature

Foothills   

The Bird of Paradise

Mother Nature , the artist in residence.

I am late this morning, not my usual three or four a.m. but six before I decided it was time to move from under the covers where it was toasty warm.    A far cry from three very hot days and leaving the door open let in all that cool air which turns a bit chilly after midnight.    But, I am up and I have been perusing for a picture to put o the blog.  I am back to the old pictures and today I found some that were a delight to review ..ah memories, the fun of going back and reliving some of the good old times.    Pictures taken , memories saved, a revisit to a fun time or a walk back into a little history.  It was a delightful trip and I spent time enjoying them as I traced a finger over some near and dear faces.    A camera is one of our best 'friends'.

Here at Ridgemont, I approached Vinnie and asked if he had time for a read. . . he beat me to the reading area. . .smile.    He had a book he had been reading on his own so brought it to the table with him.   He told me what it was about and I just picked up the story and went on with several more chapters. It is a spy story so it was not hard to pick up the trend of the story.    It was good to read to him and he was happy to be read to.    After I got back to my apartment there was a knock on the door and it was Vinnie borrowing a stamp . . . some things never change.

So today we will pick up where we left off on our tale.    The weather has cooled.   Some one set the fire alarm off leaving a pot on their stove and going off forgetting all about their cooking chores.   You just cannot leave a pot to cook by itself.  It was a reminder to forget that old adage about a watched pot....it does boil...out.....leaving smoke to billow and roar and that alarm seems endless.

So today, watch the pot you set on the stove so you are not hearing bells and whistles.

Be good, be kind, be cheerful.   Spend a little of your precious moments making someone you love and like a little uplifted because you smiled at them.   Share a little of your time, the best gift of all. . . end with a hug or two and you will have made not only your day but theirs as well.    It takes so little effort on your part to brighten a grey day.    Be a ray of sunshine;  a sunbeam;   a butterfly and flit from friend to friend.   Stop bye, I'd love to see you.    I wish.....

Hugs to all.

Fishermen

Some folks sleep in, and some folks get up in the wee hours and go out the door to go fishing.   Yep, Jock is at it again.  He talked his neighbor into going out with him and here you see the results of play time, fun time . . . and hard work.   Good eating coming up.  A wow fish . . . a huge fish . . . congratulations guys;  job well done.

Our third hot, hot, hot day came and went and we survived.   Not many went out the door but stayed indoors in the cool of a fan or a small air conditioner.  I am lucky to have one of those and it does a very good job of cooling the apartment down.   I found a few pieces of the fifteen hundred pieces on the puzzle board.  At the rate I am going, I may finish this one by next year.   It is a slow one.   At least I can say it is colorful with all the fairy tale characters to remind me that it is suppose to be fun.    Most of the times it is but now and then you just know that the piece you want and need is missing. . .it really isn't....it is hiding.  I have a small cd player so put my music on and hummed along to some of the old fifties music.   I found a few old favorites at Goodwill , all in good condition, one called "Getting Sentimental"  Glenn Miller; Tommy Dorsey and all those old timers that made our feet move and our vocal cords soar.     I have a couple of Matt Monro, I like to sing along with.   If I hold on to the kitchen cabinet and the stove and stand in the doorway, I can make my feet move to the music...smile....

So today, put on your dancing shoes and exercise.    If you don't want to sing out loud, hum, it is good for the vocal cords.    Music is uplifting and many a day we need to be uplifted...I'd whistle but someone way back when, I think a nun, if I am not mistaken, said something to the tune of "a whistling woman and a crowing hen draws the devil from his den";  they sure knew how to squelch your fun.   So ignore bad advice and hum, whistle, sing out loud and make your day a fun one.

Be good, be kind, be gentle . . . make someone you love and like smile today.  Bring a ray of light, a bit of sunshine, a bit of joy to someone in need.   There is so much natural disasters on going that everyone needs a helping hand.    Fire, floods, as Mother Nature goes on a rampage.    A good time to unload all that stuff n the closet you haven't worn in ten years.    A good time to donate some of that 'stuff' you have been wanting to get rid of as the Good Will stores will be unloading some of your donations to those who have lost everything in a fire or a flood.   We count blessings, some folks are counting tragedy so keep them in mind when you offer up a prayer or two today.  

Be an angel of mercy . . . be YOU.   Hugs to all.

More Oldies

Dinner time.   There is such beauty in natural existence.    

There is such beauty in our floral world.

There is nothing like an old barn and a field of flowers to add joy to your existence.

Pictures tell a story.  Pictures make us feel like we are a part of what is on going in life.   We cannot always get out and partake in nature's beauty but we can spend a little of our seconds enjoying a picture or two which most likely brings up some favorite memories.   A reminder to take your camera with you when you walk out that door.  One never knows what special memory you will create when you take your camera for a walk.

The weekend is here, finally, a hot one, weather we like it or not.    Going to go up to ninety degrees today and hopefully end this almost end of August weather.   Don't get to complacent though as August is not done with us.  We have a little more to endure before the lovely Fall weather begins to show.  Enjoy today, don't waste your seconds on wishful thinking about cooler weather or you will lose out on today.    Make the best of each day as it comes, there is no guarantee as to what is in or future.  I am thinking and praying for all those folks who are homeless due to stormy weather they had no idea was heading their way.    It shows us, in its own inimitable way that each day holds surprise for us, sometimes very good and sometimes very bad.   So do do not waste your seconds, they are priceless, and. . . you are suppose to live each day not just tolerate.    Today, think of some one thing you have been putting off for whatever reasons your mind could conjure up.   Dragging your feet to wait for a better day, a better time, a better whatever that holds you back from enjoying today.    Our summer days are numbered, how do I know??? The stores are already putting out Halloween candy.....don't buy it...let it rot on the shelves, it is probably left over from last year anyway.    So, be your own boss.    Put your ideas and plans in order and do your living the way you want to, not the way Wall St. dictates.    The only way you will beat the system in place now, is to decide what you want for you and yours and stick to your own plan.   I know easier said than done, but you are smart, clever and can outwit 'them' every time.    You haven't even bought the kids school shoes, and 'they' are sending signals for the holidays already.....slow down, think, and decide what it is you want for you and your family and stick to your own plans.

Enjoy today, it is a summer, hot August day, so be lazy.  Sit under a shady tree and hunker down with a good story.    Pack a picnic lunch and invite someone to join you.   Laze away a few hours rebuilding and recharging your energies.    There is work to be done , isn't there always?   A never ending cycle which we really enjoy , otherwise we'd be bored out of our skulls.    If you need something 'good' to go with that iced tea, early morning hours are a good time to 'heat' the kitchen.   A batch of cookies or cupcakes really don't take that much time...so get up and get going and enjoy every second of today.

Be good, be kind, be gentle . . . open up those arms and hug someone you love and like and want to send a special greeting today.    Hugs do make our world go around in such a loving way.    Go, visit a shut in, share a few of your precious moments and send a message of love to those who are in need.   Speaking of those in need , take time to make out a small check and send it off to the Red Cross or Salvation Army as you know they will be out helping all of those folks who have been left homeless because of the fires and floods.    There but by the Grace of God...go I.........think about that and do your good deeds today.    Be an earth angel today.    Hugs to all.

Grounded

Noise???  What noise???   Oh, my singing. . . dulcet tones spent in the wind.   Wishful thinking of an operatic voice;   a croak would be more like it.   Humming is good.  When your world is topsy turvy, hum. . . it is amazing how quickly you change your tune.

A favorite flower, simple, graceful, with I love you petals.

There is something about old barns that create a love of home.  It must be the wood they are made from.   

There was a country road in Carson City, Nevada that I used to love to ride to.  The old barn was a study in history that must have dated back a hundred years.  The wood was a myriad of colors, a history of years of weather in the valley  and the huge tree in front of it seem to want to protect it from the elements.    Parts leaned , bent with age, but still standing in spite of age and weather.  

So today, think about old barns and the strength and complexity of their existence.  Think of them as a life's lesson on ageing.    It is really okay to get older and allow the inner beauty to come through.   You have spent a lifetime cultivating your character and you have honed it to perfection.   Be proud of all you have accomplished in your life time.    Do not hesitate to share you, warts and all, with those you love and like.

Be good, be kind, be gentle  . . .   Be an old barn today and show off all the beauty spots of ageing.    Stand tall with the silver beginning to show in your hair and let it take on its own special glow.   Do not mask the wrinkles for they are marks of accomplishments.   Remember you are the most beautiful person alive to someone.

And HUM a lot            ......       Hugs to all.  

Power

Power

Check telephone messages and surprisingly one stands out above the others as an angry voice takes you to task for words written in a blog, shared by a friend to a friend and wondering how the words were relayed.   As for the blog it was a few words about a friend who had just downsized and all the work it evolves as well as the emotion upheaval that goes along with it.    No harm, no jokes, just a few words commiserating the art of down sizing.   It made me think of power and the absolute power of words.    How careful we must be before we free them from our mouths.   How we must think before we speak.   Having been through and survived many a life changing move, one becomes somewhat of an authority on the subject.   To make mention of the upheaval and the emotional side effects is not an easy task as each one survives their move in their own way.   There were no secrets given; no harm done, no thought of creating embarrassment to anyone, yet my friend was very upset for invading her privacy.   Such is not the intention of my morning blog.  It is just my way of saying good morning and touching base for the day.    I do not write a gossip column.  I do not intentionally give any secrets away.   Eight years of blog writing and no complaints, a good record and one I intend to keep up for a while longer.   I have my days when I quit, nothing to say, nothing new, boring.  Yet, the loss of contact with friends would be hard to take as I love starting my day off with a good morning greeting, sharing some words of encouragement and love to make your day a better one knowing someone cares about YOU.  .... and I do.

It is said that we learn something new every day.   Sometimes it is not something new but something we have heard more time than we can count.    It is a truism that once words are spoken they cannot be recalled.    Sometimes the damage is done and we cannot take it back no matter how hard we want to.   It is a life lesson . . . we learn it early but do not always pay attention....loose lips...we've heard that expression before.    So today, make a pact with yourself to try and be careful to think before you speak.    Make sure the words that come out of your mouth are the words you mean to say and make sure they are words that heal and not harm.    

The old adage, 'silence is golden' comes to mind.   So today, think before you speak.   When you do speak, speak softly.   Make sure the words  you utter today are words of love, not hate.  Make sure they are mellow, not sour.   Make sure you mean what you say and say what you mean.   If you are upset or angry, take a walk, concentrate and speak soft words of understanding and love.  

Be a little forgiving today.   Use soft words.    Open up that mind and think.   Open up those arms and hug.   Make the temper short and the temperament sweet.   Being lovable does not make you a sissy, it makes you strong.    

Be good, be sweet, be kind.   Be the person one looks up to today.   BE YOU!!!  Hugs to all.

Rainbow

The end of a rainbow.    It isn't often we see the end of a rainbow.  A touchdown.   Proof that there is no pot of gold at the end of a rainbow;  wonder who thought that up.   It had to be those wonderful Irish story tellers giving you a bit of hope on a cloudy day.   One thing for sure, a rainbow brings on a smile.

Hump Day, my how we look forward to mid week and a closing in on a new weekend;  how we wish our seconds away instead of taking one second at a time and enjoying it for what it is.   Stop and think and you will find that time waits for no man.  It disappears second by second and there is not getting it back.    

As creatures of habit we don't stop to think of how many seconds we actually waste in a day, until we are surprised with an event which wakes us up and makes us aware of time.   Right now some folks are fighting fires, flooding, loss of homes, loss of family members and friends.    A second and a life changes.   So do not waste your seconds being complacent because you are safe, think about what good deed you can do today to help those less fortunate;  remember it could happen to you.  Make a list of things to do;   take those clothes you never wear to Goodwill so they can be used by those who have lost all.    Check those cupboards for items you no longer use and donate them so someone can make good use out of them.    Those pennies you have been saving in a jug, just because you can, can be put to good use towards a loaf of bread or a can of soup for someone who hasn't had a bite to eat today.   I remember a very dark time, many years ago, when the only help came from a neighbor who had six children and  did not hesitate to share what little she had.   Kindness is a little miracle that lights the rainbow colors in the sky.    So today be a rainbow and color your world with kindness and love.   Spread a little of your compassion.  Add a little joy to your soul for being an angel of mercy today.    Some one person needs YOU to step up and share a few of those precious seconds today.    Think of those good deeds as stepping stones to the stairway leading to that pile of seconds well used.    The only one to stop you is YOU.....be magnanimous;  be graceful;  be kind;  be a color in a rainbow of good deeds.  Share YOU with those you love and like and your world will turn into the colors of the rainbow.  Hugs to all.

Old Stuff

August heat and we pray for a storm to cool the air.  It has been a hot week.  The cooler has been working just fine so no complaints from this end.....well not many...just a few.   Weather is weather and we cannot do much about it ....but...gripe, groan and moan.....we do have to keep up our spirits.

A truism.    If you want reaction just talk politics.   Better not, some folks take a dim view of what is going on and some are very sensitive to any words of doubt about their choice.  

There was a lot of activity in the parking lot this week when fire engines and ambulances arrived.  The folks in the hospital wing were being evacuated due to a gas leak.   There was a lot of activity  and after some time the all clear was sounded and all returned without mishap.   My hat is off to those folks who respond, not a second is wasted and they are well trained.    It is a good feeling to know we have the help when we need it.    Our firemen deserve our respect and attention.

I have no adventure stories today as I had an in day.   I did walk to the corner and back after lunch as there was a slight breeze and it felt good to walk out.    We had a corn beef lunch which was so tough even a dog would have trouble chewing it.   You would think the cooks would know how to cook a corn beef and tough green beans didn't add a thing to dinner.    I'd offer to help cook some up but we are not allowed in the kitchen.    The food has not and will not improve here.  Oh for a good pinch and snip cook.    I have to admit the desert was delicious.  It is a blueberry square with creme cheese and the combination is very tasty.    All I can say is it must be 'store' bought.

Enough, I gripe about the food here all the time.   The good thing is I eat less.  I have some special treats in my refrigerator so I will never get skinny.    It is amazing how good yogurt tastes some days.   I tried one last time to make a sandwich with some of the corn beef for my dinner last evening but it was not worth the effort.   Pat left me some of her garden produce so I made up a plate of healthy tidbits and enjoyed them.  Food is our fuel and it is what keeps us strong and healthy, but it has to be edible.    Today, I get to grocery shop and it will be a short list;  you know, there is nothing good in this house...and you all know what that means.    My list is short, bread, milk, eggs and something GOOD!!!

So today if you venture into a store, be sure to choose something GOOD as it soothes the heart and the soul.   You might think about having a tea party and invite family and friends in.    If I were nearby I would come;  I'd even make the tea if you would come.  I'd like that.    What fun it would be to share time with YOU;  can't think of anything I'd like better.    Well a dish of ice cream and a hug might do it.   Don't waste your seconds.  Make good use of them . . . SHARE......it is what makes your world a better place.   Be good, be kind, be gentle and show the other half how to live life.   Be gracious today.   Be thankful today.   Be YOU today.  Hugs to all.

Three A.M.

Mari has a way with roses.   What a beauty.    My daughter Eileen used to have a yellow rose bush, her favorite rose, so when I see one I think of her.   Well, I think of her always, miss her more every year and wonder so often what she would have had to say about all the changes in our world.

It is three a.m. and I am wide awake.   It is cool in here after a very hot day  again yesterday.  August has reared up to let us know it is not finished with us as yet.    Pat longs for a trip to the beach, not sure if we will make it or not.   Two hours away, not like our days back in Brookings when we could go to Lone Ranch beach at the drop of a hat and walk the pathway to the ocean.  Some things are hard to give up and beach walking is one of them.   Not complaining, just commiserating.

I had a ride to Paulsbo  yesterday, yeah the casino is there....of course I stopped in and played a bit after a nice breakfast in the big restaurant there.   They served corn beef hash according to the menu but it turned out to be cut up corn beef in tiny chunks, tasty but not hash.   Christine ordered that but I had my biscuits and gravy;  no complaints there.   Chris went on to her special yarn shop and has here knitting plans in order.  I think she has socks in mind.    She found a glove for my hand that will keep it braced.  I have been having wrist pain from using the cane and sometimes from the walker as well.  I must put to much weight on my hands as I walk along.    I paid my dues and had some fun but my hopes of winning enough to rent a house boat for the rest of the summer went by the wayside.

Pat had a huge zucchini grow in her garden box so picked it and made some zucchini bread that is delicious.   Her garden produce has been so tasty, especially the chard, one of my favorites.    Her neighbor has an apple tree and the apples fall on Pat's driveway so she is making good use of them.  I think she is going to make some applesauce, although if she would invite me over I'd make an apple pie or some turnovers.   A hot apple turnover right out of the oven...yum....

So be good, be kind, be gentle and think about what you can make today...baking on a hot day isn't all bad if you get an early start.  I wouldn't try it late in the day though.    If it gets too hot, grab a book and find a shady spot and stay cool.   August has a way of letting us know it is leaving but not without a scorching day or two to remind us summer is still hanging around.  

   Pucker up and  give someone you like and  or love  a bakers dozen of hugs today.    It is three, no now it is four a.m. so I am going back to bed for a few more hours sleep.    Hope your sleeping in and dreaming good dreams.    Hugs to all.

New and Old

A truism

Rob and Jeni Davis, a special and a wonderful couple celebrating an anniversary.  Congratulations !

The Home Made Cafe has started serving dinner...a first...and they did  great job.  Delicious!!!

A new generation 

Violet named after her great grandmother Violet Barrette, my old friend who was called to soon but will never be forgotten with her namesake coming right along.   

Saturday turned out to be quite a hot day and a busy one.   I went over to the Gallery with Christine, who was manning the desk for the day, not knowing that a reception was in the making.  We had the door open and all that came in was hot..hot...hot..so the fan went on but did little to relive the heat of the day.    Soon folks started to come in with trays of goodies and we realized it was to be a special reception for several of the lady artists.  A lively bunch, a fun bunch, and I would say all had a great time.   Several paintings were sold along with some of the little specialties made by the artists. Good comments were made about King Louis and his special art stands, which he later told us were made from logs washed up on his back yard beach area.    He is a clever and inventive, a man who loves to create.  It was really nice to see the folks enjoying the art and taking the time to really see it.    As I have said before, we have many really truly talented artists here in Port Orchard.   Christine is a true lover of art and she found yet another picture she cannot leave behind.  It is lovely, a stair well with potted geraniums so alive with color and texture they look real.  I will say one thing for my daughter, she really is a true patron of the arts.    I am thinking of approaching her and ask if she would like to hang a few of her pictures on my walls.  She is running out of wall space at her house.   If she ever gets bored she can open a shop and fill it with books and pictures.  It would be a number one hit in town .

So today, and I have said this before, take a trip to town and go to your local gallery.   Go, look and enjoy the art work of the talented individuals who like to recreate beautiful scenes for you to enjoy.  Patricia has two of my favorites hanging on her wall and I lived with them for years when I babysat them for her.   Both pictures done by an artist by the name of Lucille Marsh were ones you could walk into and share the world of nature at its best.    She offered to let me 'use' them again, but it is time for her to enjoy them.   I have a wall filled with awesome pictures I enjoy every day.  Then going over to the gallery allows me time and pleasure to enjoy the work of the talented artists of Port Orchard.    There really is something for everyone.   You cannot always get to a beach or a walk along a forest pathway when you want to commune with nature;  but...walk into a gallery and you can enjoy the sight of nature at its second best.   Pictures, our lives would be  "blank" without them.  

Be good, be kind, be gentle.   Share YOU today.   Give someone you love a chance to bank in your love, do not be stingy, misers are unhappy people.  Be wise and make your seconds count today.  Be YOU and share your time and talents with those you like and love.    Be a cool breeze on a very hot summer day.    Hugs to all.