TUESDAY

 

Rainy days... this little poem is perfect. I don't mind the rain but I need to pull weeds, they grow so beautifully in wet weather. Happy Tuesday

Happiness

Always makes me feel

Pretty

Patient and

Youthful 

Time is fleeting

Understand that every single moment matters

Even when things seem upside down or

Downright mean

And trying to wreck 

Your day

Remember this: You can always 

S M I L E !

Smiling makes me happier so I encourage everyone to try it. 

Oh Maxine you are super extra snarky today! That poor pup! His face is always priceless.

A heart mug from my Mother's Day Gifts. One of the things that makes me happy.

Two more happy happy gifts I love.

Aw...happiness is a balloon!

A sweet mug. Now I just need two more to match this one (wink wink)!!!

Someone knows I still love Barbie..... she makes me happy too.

Rain makes me sleepy, sweet little Mollie settling in for an afternoon nap.

A beautiful share and a happy one too from a friend.

My hubby always says, you're not my mother when I tease him about gifts on this day. HaHa but he treated me to a beautiful Minky blanket for our anniversary which helps me sleep like a baby. So I'll let him slide on that one.

I'm pretty sure you can not qualify for a pure 100 percent BoJon if you don't love these diamonds!

Have a beautiful week.

Church Squirrels

 And then there is this:

The Presbyterian church called a meeting to decide what to do about their squirrel infestation. After much prayer and consideration, they concluded that the squirrels were predestined to be there, and they should not interfere with God’s divine will.

At the Baptist church, the squirrels had taken an interest in the baptistry. The deacons met and decided to put a water-slide on the baptistry and let the squirrels drown themselves. The squirrels liked the slide and, unfortunately, knew instinctively how to swim, so twice as many squirrels showed up the following week.

The Lutheran church decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God’s creatures. So, they humanely trapped their squirrels and set them free near the Baptist church. Two weeks later, the squirrels were back when the Baptists took down the water-slide.

The Episcopalians tried a much more unique path by setting out pans of whiskey around their church in an effort to kill the squirrels with alcohol poisoning. They sadly learned how much damage a band of drunk squirrels can do.

But the Catholic church came up with a more creative strategy! They baptized all the squirrels and made them members of the church. Now they only see them at Christmas and Easter.

Not much was heard from the Jewish synagogue. They took the first squirrel and circumcised him. They haven’t seen a squirrel since.

I had to add some humor. The days have been crazy here. I tweaked my shoulder while asleep hahaha I know! So I have had a mental block trying to write. Carol Vest, a Virginia friend shared this and it made me laugh out loud I shared it with a few people via email but wanted to share it here. These squirrels look like a Motley Crew! The hubby was new at his job, which he is coming up on 30 years July 3rd, which happens to be our baby girl Hannah's 30th birthday! We attended a Christmas party, goodness, those were fun. It was held at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Unfortunately, there was an angry squirrel running around the grounds and they warned us to be careful. Apparently people were feeding this lil hooligan and he started to attack people who weren't handing out free treats! I remember thinking I'd lose my high heels if the varmit charged us, so I could run like the wind! Everytime I see a squirrel I remember that night. It was one of the best parties the firm had but also one filled with lots of craziness. They always had the best food and entertainment.

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

W. H. Davies

The squirrel hoards nuts and the bee gathers honey, without knowing what they do, and they are thus provided for without selfishness or disgrace.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nature is what we see - the hill, the afternoon, squirrel, eclipse, the bumblebee. Nay, nature is heaven. Nature is what we hear...

Emily Dickinson

If we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel's heart beat, and we should die of that roar which lies on the other side of silence.

George Eliot

Wordless Wednesday is Not wordless Today

 

Wordless Wednesday

Through the Year

by Julian S. Cutler

GOD BE WITH YOU in the Springtime
When the violets unfold,
And the buttercups and cowslips
Fill the fields with yellow gold;
In the time of apple blossoms,
When the happy bluebirds sing,
Filling all the world with gladness—
God be with you in the Spring!

God be with you in the Summer,
When the sweet June roses blow,
When the bobolinks are laughing
And the brooks with music flow;
When the fields are white with daisies
And the days are glad and long—
God be with you in the Summer,
Filling all your world with song.

God be with you in the Autumn,
When the birds and flowers have fled,
And along the woodland pathways
Leaves are falling, gold and red;
When the Summer lies behind you,
In the evening of the year—
God be with you in the Autumn,
Then to fill your heart with cheer.

God be with you in the Winter,
When the snow lies deep and white,
When the sleeping fields are silent
And the stars gleam cold and bright.
When the hand and heart are tired
With life's long and weary quest—
God be with you in the Winter,
Just to guide you into rest.

Poetry for Friday

 

 

The Reading Mother by Strickland Gillilan

I had a mother who read to me Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea, Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth, "Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath. I had a Mother who read me lays Of ancient and gallant and golden days; Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe, Which every boy has a right to know. I had a Mother who read me tales Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales, True to his trust till his tragic death, Faithfulness blent with his final breath. I had a Mother who read me the things That wholesome life to the boy heart brings-- Stories that stir with an upward touch, Oh, that each mother of boys were such! You may have tangible wealth untold; Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be-- I had a Mother who read to me. When Rebekah attended college she loved and still loves literature. She studied English Literature and this poem had great memories for me and I loved reading it. When she was a high school senior and parents were able to buy some space in the year book and we  dedicated this poem to her. Most all of the parents bought some space and dedicated various things to their high school senior. I worked with two gals who had young kids too and they both assumed the school was responsibile for teaching their children.  We taught our kids many things and we have a large children's book  library to this day at our house. Some of the best memories I have were spending time with a child on a project or reading a book and writing a report with them. When Jeremy was in high school and studies  Religious education we had to write a paper our our marriage and  incorporate it with his. Boy was I made that young teacher did not give him a great grade! I know we had and still have a happier marriage than most of the richy rich parents who sent their kids to that school. I remember the principal at the parochial school telling me, Anne, just because there is a cross on the building, it does not mean there are Christians in it! That Miss McManamon was right on. She was a great person and truly cared about the well being of the children we entrusted her with. A note about the author of this poem Strickland Gillilan.  He was born in 1869 and passed away in 1954. He was born in Ohio.  He started out as a journalist, worked for several newspaper. He had written a humorus poem about Irish railroaders which ended up  in Life magazine and led to swift Natioanl fame.  I believe sometime you are in the right place at the right time.

A Poem for Thankful Thursday

 The Heart of the Tree:

Henry Cuyler Bunner

1855-1896

What does he plant who plants a tree?

  He plants a friend of sun and sky;

He plants the flag of breezes free;

 The shaft of beauty , towering by;

He plants a home to heaven aneigh;

 For song of mother-croon of bird

In hushed and happy twlight heard;

 The treble of heaven's harmony;

 These things he plants who plants a tree.

What does he plant who plants a tree;

 He plants a cool shade and tender rain,

And seed of bud of days to be,

 And years that fade and flush again;

 He plants the glory of the plain;

He plants the forest's heritage;

 The harvest of a coming age;

The joy that unborn eyes shall see-

 These things he plants who plants a tree.

What does he plant who plants a tree?

 He plants, in sap and leaf and wood,

In love of home and loyalty

 And far cast thought of civic good-

His blessings on the neighborhood,

Who in the hollow of His hand

 Holds all the growth of all our land-

A nation's growth from sea to sea 

 Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.

We were watching an episode of Leave it to Beaver, and MIss Landers, the 4th grade teacher, was teaching the children this poem. I remember those school days and still love poetry to this day. I prefer the old school poetry. Modern poetry is not my favorite thing.

Anyway, I really thought about this poem since many trees were damaged or have fallen, due to the heavy snows during the blizzard. We have many old trees, primarily pine trees, in our yard. Three in the backyard and one skinny tree that needs to come down One pine tree on the front side of our house. I don't think the neighbor who went around planting these trees in this neighborhood realized, old trees vecome diseased, or weak and they need to come down. Prehaps not like a forest where thinning the trees in commonplace to acquire new growth but nonetheless, another circle of life in the life of trees.

Thankful Thursday

Sweet dreams all! Have a wonderful rest. Praying for a new tomorrow with friendship here. Thank you for stopping by. Linky will not accept my link for Thankful Thursday so I will just leave this here. Have a terrific rest and hoping tomorrow we can all be back here again.

Ten More Days of Gratefulness

 Starting out Ten More Days of Gratefulness with a single stanza from the famous poem

 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807-1882,

The Midnight ride of Paul Revere:

Listen my Children and you shall hear,

Of the Midnight ride of Paul Revere;

On the eighteenth of April in 75:

Hardly a man is still alive

Who remembers that famous day and year.

This poem has fourteen stanza's. It is a favorite of mine, although one I could not memorize in it's entirety. When Nick and Colton were small boys, they were very busy! Honestly, not much of that has changed through the years! They were wound up tight so I would give them a bath in chamomile and lavender and make them a cup of Sleepy Time Tea. It worked like a charm.  But I would start out reading this poem to them and before I finished this first stanza, they were asleep. That is simple Parenting 101 and Grandmothering at it's best. I had always been a lover of poetry and wrote much of it when I was young, foolish and often in love. I am a firm believer that someone still needs to teach the children something more in life then video games and electronics. 

A favorite photo of these two, from Noelle's 2000 wedding.  Colton had already torn a hole in his tuxedo pants and shed his jacket and boutonniere! I remember this capture like yesterday and I caught them for that brief moment before then ran off to play hard.

1. Gratefulness for these moments we catch on film and the memories that go along with them. Thankful for all these things.

2. Grateful for poetry, in case I have missed saying it out loud. I will always love it and think it is important for children to have some sense of it.

3.Grateful for the sense of taste. I use to love eating popcorn and especially all the flavored ones (i.e. cinnamon, chocolate, cheddar cheese) but then it started to stick in-between my teeth ! Now I Just love the smell. I like the scent of newborn babies and a well thought out Thanksgiving feast. I am very grateful for my sense of smell. Fresh bread, cinnamon candy, to name a few more , yum...

4. Grateful for conversation. I was working on this post and Noelle said why don't you stop by and visit Harrison. He was watching a movie so I headed over there, two houses in-between her house and mine. Noelle had the 2020 Target kids catalog for CHRISTmas.  I said why don't you look over this catalog and find some things you'd like? Of course, nearly every item was marked! He looked concerned, and then he said to me, Grandmother, why don't you take this pen and mark a few things you'd like too. HaHaHa! How well he knows me as the next several pages were filled with dolls and all the things most girls love. It was a fun conversation. Gratefulness.

5. Grateful for peppermint gum. To ward off raiding the remainder of the Halloween candy, I like to chew peppermint gum or drink peppermint tea. The smell is wonderful and I love the taste too. I am very thankful to enjoy peppermint in all sorts of ways. 

6. Grateful for my perpetual calendars. Many, many years ago, when my children were still small, I had a beautiful perpetual calendar from Elisabeth Elliot. I still have it today and there are biblical verses on it daily and it really lifts my spirits, in these dark and daunting times, it is so important for me even though it is small and old and worn. Thankfulness.

7. I am very grateful for H U G S ! Today it is hard to give others a hug but I still hug my kids and my honey.  Since it is hard to give hugs to others I do not know very well, smiles work too! Especially when  I am stopped at a red light. Even in the store, with a mask on, you can feel the smile popping up underneath someone's mask. It is a small token of kindness, gratefulness and something I am most thankful for.

8. You know I use H U M O R to stay positive! This came from a friend with four children, two of them with Down's Syndrome. This first grader should be a comedienne!

9. Today I am very grateful for Harrison. He has been a good buddy for over 4 years now. Anytime I have the chance to see him, it is a good thing. I am very grateful and so thankful he is in my life, today and forever. 

10. Grateful for more smells and more phamily. When Rebekah was getting ready to be married, a wedding she planned in a mere 54 days that ended up being the biggest blessing of 2017! She wanted some nice jewelry to compliment her wedding gown (which she refused to purchase, until it received her dad's approval!). I went to the jewelry store with her. They were selling these soft and cuddly bears. This guy is Avery Bear so since it is my honey's name I "Had" to buy him! Plus $7 of every Bear sold went to St. Jude's. You can not pass a bargain like that up! Seriously! I recently found this burlap pillow for my hubby. He loves burlap. He could smell it all day long! It is very reminiscent of his childhood. As for the statement on the pillow, well....that is who we are! We just roll with it. Grateful for Rebekah, our middle girl and of course her twin middle, her dad Avery! Thankful!

The House By The Side of The Road

 " He was a friend to man, and lived in a house by the side of the road." Homer

There are hermit souls who withdrawn

in the place of their self-content;

There are souls that are stars , that dwell apart

In a fellowless firmament;

There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths

Where highways never ran -

But let me live by the side of the road

And be a friend to man -

Let me live in a house by the side of the road

Where the race of men go by -

The men who are good and the men who are bad

As good and as bad as I.

I would not sit in the scorner's seat, 

Or hurl the cynics ban -

Let me live in the house  by the side of the road

And be a friend to man. -

I see from my house by the side of the road,

 By the side of the highway of life,

The men who press with the ardor of hope,

The men who are faint with the strife.

But I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears,

Both part of an infinite plan -

Let me live in the house by the side of the road

And be a friend to man. -

I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead

And mountains of wearisome height.

That the road passes on through the long afternoon

And stretches away to the night.

But still I rejoice where the travelers rejoice.

And weep with the strangers that moan.

Now live in my house by the side of the road

Like a man who dwells alone.. -

Let me live in the house by the side of the road -

It's here the race of men go by.

They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,

Wise, foolish, so am I;

Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat,

Or hurl the cynic's ban?

Let me live in my house by the side of the road

And be a friend to man.

By Sam Walter Foss

I have this poem framed on this lavender paper with this flower in the right hand corner. 

I have decided at this blog I will continue my thankfulness posts. Sometime it is hard to be grateful considering the ways of our wicked world. But since I enjoy thinking of all my thankful things in my life, I am going to keep posting and hopefully you will be inspired to make your own list, whether inside your head or writing on paper or simply being thankful each day.

1. I am thankful for smelling fresh air instead of the thick heavy, smoky air we had most of our summer. I could write a thankful list with simply smells I love, but I will do it another time.

2. I am thankful for "some" technology. I love watching movies and since television is full of baloney these days and so many fake shows on the air.  I prefer watching a movie from our collection. I loved the TV series Signed, Sealed, Delivered, about four people who work in the dead letter office. It was set in Denver, before our state capital was defaced, disrespected and destroyed in so many ways. I have the original TV movie which started the series and all the episodes that were shown on TV on the Hallmark channel. These are feel good movies and I love them. Thankful for them.

3. I am thankful for the beautiful shades of color on the color wheel. You know, you are suppose to go with your colors from your own color wheel but I don't buy into that. I have blue eyes so I love the color blue. I particularly love it in the shade of teal. This is another thankfulness I am very grateful for.

4. I am thankful for food and nourishment. Somedays I do not make the best choices, like leftover Halloween candy! But I have several favorites,  Mexican food, steak, seafood and a good dessert like cheesecake or Tiramisu.

5. I am thankful for sounds all around me. I love to hear a baby's cry, a bird's song and a toddler asking 100 questions, rapidly firing them off, like a round of Jeopardy. I Love music so I would need a post or two to go over my extensive list of music I love and listen to. Grateful.

6. I am thankful for the good earth God created. I love trees, in the forest, in the mountains but not my backyard. I would be grateful if they were shade trees but we have these massive (4) pine trees. Not the sweet smelling kind. But the kind that drop sharp needles all over the ground and scrawny pinecones that are worthless. Even the wildlife, like squirrels and and birds ignore it all. But I am still grateful and thankful all rolled into one for trees. They give shelter to the birds and sometime you will see a squirrel or a even an outdoor cat scurrying up the trees.

7. I am thankful for a sound mind currently and good memories. Lots of them. Especially those with my mom and grandmother in them. I suppose this month makes me think of them even more often then I do on a regular day.  I am grateful and very thankful.

8. I am thankful for books. I love reading, I have a large library. My books overflow into my garage. I am thankful for the bookshelves that hold them. It is hard to put my finger one one book I Love. But I have read and worn out at least five copies of To Kill A Mockingbird and The Good Earth. Both books have many good memories for me too of people I Love who loved these books as well. Grateful.

9. I am thankful for travel and seeing new places.  One of the favorite places I Like to travel is through my home state. It has changed too much but I will always love the beauty of it. Too many transplant and people with ideals that have harmed my beautiful state. Government that refuses to take a stand against evil. But if I can sneak away on a trip with my sweet hubby I will to go where it is totally peaceful and quiet. You can not find that in large cities. Only little towns tucked away from the ways of this world. Grateful. 

10. I am thankful for the sense of taste. I just finished my lunch and had leftover tostadas from last night's dinner. Refried beans, lean hamburger meat with cheese, lettuce and mild salsa. I love avocadoes so when I Have them here I like to slice them and add them to my tacos or tostadas. Grateful.

The first postcard in the Postcard Exchange/ Giveaway arrived today. It came from sunny Florida and the sender was Martha. Thank you Martha, you certainly brightened my day. If you want to join just e mail me your info and whether you want to send me a postcard and receive one back or just send the postcard to me. Either way, you will be in my giveaway and it is going to be a good one. 

Thinking of Annie today and everyday and wanting to share this since she has been on a blog break. 

An FYI, if you are/were a Veteran or have a loved one or a friend or phamily please send me their mailing address as I am putting my list together for our encouragement Group. We are happy to send cards to thank our Veteran's. I am here 53strait@gmail.com. Please send those names and addresses ASAP.