the beauty of life

Simple

2011-06-01T09:24:00.003-04:00

Doing the right thing is sometimes not very easy. But I will never understand how being kind could be so difficult. Maybe it is because that heart is so hard and being so selfish is second nature. Having a heart of stone is not endearing. The song might be good, but it is truly not a becoming feature on a real person.

2011-03-30T08:48:00.000-04:00

sometimes i am at a loss for words. more often though, i say way too much. today happens to be a day when my words are fleeting my mind. that is perfectly okay because i am taking my first knitting class! my mom had taught me as a child, but being the mule headed kid that i was, i decided that knitting was for old people. i guess i am one of those old people now.

i am going to use my mom's needles and all of her knitting appliances. who knew she had so much knitting stuff? i truly had not looked in her knitting bag since we cleaned her house 20 years ago. sure was a nice surprise. and the even bigger surprise was a note that i had written to her when i was in the 12th grade. i would have never thought she would have kept such a letter in her knitting bag. i loved reminiscing and touching the things that meant so very much to her.

i will take a picture of my first row and post it later today.

2011-03-23T17:00:00.002-04:00

what a whiny baby i am.

this is an old picture from 2008. i love this picture because it gives me the image of God taking me down a beautiful path. although i am not sure where the path ends, i know God is with me.

spring tulips

2011-03-22T17:08:00.000-04:00

the spring has finally sprung in the foothills of the smokies. :)

i just can't even begin to put into words how this spring has brought out the beauty of all things. i feel renewed. isn't that what spring is all about anyway?

today the temperature is 81, and i could not think of a better thing to do than open every single window in the house and let the breeze just blow on through!

about the tulips, well, i have so many planted in my yard, and i take so many pictures all of the time, that i thought i would share this years blooms. when they decide they are finished blooming, i am going to replant them so next year, there will be twice as many. i can't wait!

i hope your day was as good as mine. :)

Artichokes, part II

2011-03-21T09:34:00.001-04:00

well, they were just terrible. i am not certain what i did wrong, but they were terrible. no photos, because the cooked artichokes were that bad. they looked bad, but smelled good. even with the nice smell, they tasted terrible. i did however, remove the heart and am marinating them in olive oil. we shall see how this goes...

artichokes

2011-03-20T16:25:00.000-04:00

today, i cooked fresh artichokes for the very first time. well, actually, they are cooking as i type this sentence.

when they are finished, i will let you know with pictures and reviews.

i must admit, i am a little scared of the reviews. i guess we will all know after dinner!

2011-03-18T17:06:00.003-04:00

we all hung out today and did our own thing. the kids played on their slip and slide, i worked on the garden and john was at work. we truly had a super day and just enjoyed being home. spring break at home is kinda nice. the kids wanted to go on a trip, but with all of the mini trips with gymnastics and diving, we just needed some good ole home time.

i look forward to this season. our winter was so cold and snowy, that the sunshine is a welcome addition to our days!

2011-03-17T08:14:00.004-04:00

happy st. patrick's day!

all i am going to post today is a quote from Dr. Suess's "The Lorax":

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not."

i can learn a lot from reading children's books. and i should.

The Luck of the Irish

2011-03-16T17:00:00.003-04:00

I used to think that four leafed clovers were magical.

i guess they do have a certain level of magic, only their magic is not the type of magic that i could use right now.

the magic i need is something only God can provide. i pray daily that He will guide me and show me how to situations which are hard for me. i know He hears me, only i can not hear Him. feeling helpless is a terrible feeling. wanting to help someone who won't accept my help is frustrating. having to explain to my children why they are not welcome is heartbreaking. prayer helps, but i am still awaiting His word. i know it will come. He always does.

Benny and Daxter

2011-02-24T13:45:00.003-05:00

Benny and Daxter are the newest additions to our home. They are Bearded Dragons and I have already decided that I like them more than their owner, Bear.

While the photos are not really all that good, I believe, that with a lot of practice and a class for my new camera, the pictures will only get better. And, Benny and Daxter will have a few more weeks to get used to the camera, hopefully getting over their shyness.

Until next time,

God bless:)

2010-12-28T14:26:00.002-05:00

Bald River Falls is an incredible place. The sound of the falls is so loud that you can barely hear yourself think. I believe this might be the reason why I enjoy it so much.

The trails going to the top are not very hiker friendly, unless you are sturdy on your feet. If you are able to grab quickly and actually climb over rocks and trees, then getting to the top of this fall is well worth the climb. Getting to the top takes only about 10 - 15 minutes, and it is prettier than you can imagine once there. It is almost zen like in that the peace surrounding it keeps one speechless.

We are going to try to get to the Smoky's later this weekend. I hope there is still snow on the ground, but the weatherman is calling for the temps to skyrocket into the upper 50's by New Year's Day.

We shall see...

The Day after Christmas

2010-12-26T17:21:00.003-05:00

Sure has been a nice day. The snow has been falling for two days straight and we have been at home. i am not complaining one bit. east tennessee does not get snow that often, so for it to be falling like this is a true surprise and gift.

i thought about taking down the Christmas tree, but decided that the tree is actually very beautiful and it should stay up until after the New Year. the colors on the tree made us all very happy this season and it would seem almost hateful to take down such a beautiful decoration.

not a lot to be said today. we have just enjoyed playing scattegories, apples to apples, making snow angels, throwing snowballs and being with each other. our 16 year old can think of a thousand other things he would rather be doing, but since we live in the south and do not know how to drive in the snow, the family is learning how to just stay put. all i have to say about all of this is...NICE.

:)

2010-12-25T16:09:00.003-05:00

Today is Christmas Day and we are in the very best spirits. Only two words needed to describe this day...White Christmas!!!

In East Tennessee, a white Christmas is rare. Sure, we sing the song and pray a lot, but usually, it is about 55 degrees, sunny and beautiful. So, needless to say, this cold snap and wintry wonder is making most people here happy.

This photo is a photo of our season's first snow woman. My husband and kids built her with care and we hope to get enough snow to build her a partner. The weather service is calling for more snow tonight, so, there is a possibility of a companion and more fun in the snow!!!

May all of our future Christmases be white, but mostly, may our season be filled with blessings and peace.

Merry Christmas. :)

Rainy Monday

2010-10-25T13:43:00.002-04:00

I saw this little caterpillar yesterday while i was out doing yard work. he was munching on one of my rose bushes. he was there for a while and i took a lot of pictures.

i have figured out that i am a terrible blogger, but strive to be a better one. i, much to often, put way to many personal thoughts here and then often times, i just don't write because i don't want to get personal.

i have decided that is the person i am. i like writing and i like being personal. if you don't like what you read here, or take it personally, then don't read it.

life has been so much better lately without much of the drama. cutting people from your life that create stress is not a bad thing. refusing to allow people to hurt me and my family is a good thing. life is too short to play games. it is, however, just long enough to live to the fullest without having to worry about "stuff".

kudos to me. life is good, and i know it.

2010-09-20T11:05:00.002-04:00

this is delilah. she is the diva in the house and no one could argue otherwise. she has glided right into her place next to john each evening, which is truly a funny sight. of corse, molly does not mind one bit. molly hogs the air conditioning vent until we are all asleep, then i am certain she goes to delilah's crate and lets her know that the queen of dogs is still able to roam the house at night. they make me laugh all the time.

i just wanted to share my sweet beagle picture. i think molly must be camera shy, because when she sees me with the camera, she goes in to the florida room. i quit trying to get a photo of her a while ago. :)

happy monday!

growing up

2010-09-16T05:16:00.002-04:00

erika got braces yesterday. she was so thrilled and could not wait to get back to school so she could show all of her friends how "grown up" she is. **sigh**

before braces, she would not show her teeth. ever. now, she is flashing her smile every chance she gets. however, she would not stand still long enough for me to grab a photo. i chose the photo here because we were at Wilderness Water Park and she was having the best time...until she saw me with the camera. she stopped, posed, then went about her business of fun. maybe she will allow me to get a picture of her flashy, shiny smile now that she has some "bling" on her teeth. kids crack me up. funny, i was a gawky girl with braces once, and i don't remember anything about having them except their removal. my family referred to me as suzy before braces and suzy after braces, so, i believe i was probably the same way. my poor mother. :)

thankfully, my sweet baby will only have to wear her braces for 24 months. i had mine for 5 years. now with two in braces, one that has had them and no more children to brace up, i can see them growing up and moving into a new phase of life. i like it. not to say i don't miss the little child part of parenting, but this new phase is certainly bringing different and exciting challenges that i do, aside from drama, enjoy.

2010-09-14T07:08:00.004-04:00

watching things thru the eyes of a child is one of the most eye opening experiences i have ever had. children can be mean, but they are honest and boy, being honest does not always feel good and sometimes it hurts. who wouldn't want to know the truth even if it hurts? especially when lies just make things worse. in the end, honesty stings a little. lies just break spirits, trust and wound for a lifetime.

:) my children teach me things every day. i am so glad God shared them with me.

2010-09-13T07:47:00.002-04:00

in our town, farmers grow soybeans, corn, tobacco, and tomatoes, but usually, we don't see miles and miles of sunflowers. well, one farmer decided to plant something that would give our town hope in this terrible recession. he said he thought the sunflowers would enable anyone driving down Highway 321 to see some beautiful flowers following the sun, referencing God. i am glad he did. every time i drive down this stretch of the highway, there are about 5 cars parked on the shoulder, getting pictures or just enjoying the beautiful rolling hills of the Foothills of the Smokies. that in itself is a beautiful sight, as at least 5 people a day are finding joy in color, and hopefully, God.

Thanks, Mr. Farmer, for the hope you have given us through the beauty of nature. i for one, have enjoyed the flowers on more than 6 occasions. :)

by-gones

2010-09-12T18:48:00.002-04:00

i have decided that it has been long enough since i posted photos. i won't get into why i have not been here, but let's just say that i have come a very long way in my journey and am at a very, very happy place.

i love this spider picture. it is probably one of the better pictures i have taken in a while.

2010-06-14T11:18:00.002-04:00

we have been fishing so much lately and while the fishing has been a lot of fun, i have been hoping to take some good pictures of some interesting things. three of the four fishing trips we have been on have proven me wrong in my thoughts of not taking my camera, but only because SO many animals have been present. so, i have chosen to take my camera from now on and forego the fishing. my kids don't like this idea, but they have gotten used to the fact that mom without a camera is a manic woman.

today, i really did not anticipate much of anything since the temperatures have been in the 90's here, with 100% humidity. i just thought the kids and i would sweat a bit, cast a lot and come home empty handed.

not a good picture, but my first snake picture. i was so not prepared. the snake was swimming on the right side of the bridge and when i finally fumbled and juggled my camera lens, he was on the left side going to his nest, i assume. he was just a small one, about two and a half feet long. i was so excited! the kids think i have lost my mind, but i want to get pictures of EVERYTHING, especially things that can help us to identify what NOT to catch.

so, my camera is going to be my constant companion from now on and i will be prepared for any photo opportunity that may arise. HA!

on another note, Flag Day is today and our local parade was yesterday. i love the history of our flag and the patriotism that goes along with it. i love my country and i love the men and women who fight for us to fly this great flag with great pride.

:)

Doom in the Booms

2010-06-05T07:45:00.004-04:00

we went to mississippi before the oil spill changes everything.

the water was the usual murky brown, but that did not stop my children from having one of the best beach trips ever. biloxi was as beautiful as ever, but the damage that was done by katrina still loomed in the air, and this oil spill has taken its toll on most everyone on the gulf. we could smell the oil, but the kids soon accepted the smell and went on with life. funny how kids know how to live.

they did not notice the miles upon miles of booms that surrounded them while they were swimming. or, if they did, it did not matter to them. nor did they notice the air force planes taking Governor Barbour out over the gulf to access the damage. or the silence in the air.

i hate to think that the kids won't be able to enjoy the Mississippi gulf coast like i did. it breaks my heart to know that greed does over take the common decency that should be innate in us all.

now, don't get me wrong. i do not think that there should be an end to off shore drilling. when planes crash, we don't quit making planes. this is a much larger disaster, but the jobs and the money that is given to the coast thru these petroleum companies does a lot for the economy. ask anyone in pascagoula and they will say not to boycott BP. just lobby for better safety rules and regulations. and do it fast.

so, our trip was a success for today and i hope there is hope for the coast...hope in time and hope in hope.

Godspeed.

My Backyard

2010-05-18T18:29:00.003-04:00

when i went into my backyard today, i felt my mom coming out of my body. i weeded the entire flower garden, and then i sat and stared at the beauty the flowers had created. all of the colors have come together so nicely.

i don't like to photograph my garden as a whole because each flower has it's own story. all i could see today was how two flowers in particular wanted me to sit by them and take as many pictures as possible. i guess they wanted to live forever through pictures.

my favorite is the gerbera daisy. each petal is individually present, yet can't look as colorful if it were all alone. so, each petal made up this one gorgeous flower that gave my eyes such pleasure. i am not sure what the other flower is called, but it had little bell flowers all over it and it almost looked like something from a fairy tale. the hues of the buds contrasted so nicely with the blooms and it made me want to become some kind of insect so i could see the color from the inside out. wow. God's work is unbelievably intricate.

and then there was delilah. she is such a beagle. she was laying in my queen anne's lace and then she sat up and moaned. i got this picture of her when she had the sweetest look on her face, as usual. i love that dog. she makes me smile.

anyway, my mom would love my yard. she would work in it more and make it look a thousand times better than i ever could. i guess if i ever become half of the gardener she was, then my garden will be one of the prettiest ever.

thanks mom, for giving the gardening bug to me. if anything, it makes me feel as though we are still communicating after a very long 19 years. :)

2010-05-03T12:36:00.002-04:00

my favorite part of going to the park is watching our kids play, hunt, act silly and in general, do what children are supposed to do. we made our way to the greenway yesterday, anticipating the terrible weather that was coming our way. so, for three hours, we hunted snakes and frogs, tormented poor fish and stalked a beautiful heron that would not allow his picture to be taken. he did, however, allow us to watch him eat two frogs and a few fish. not sure what kind of fish they were, but he enjoyed them.

my brother in law was along for the ride and had a terrific time. i think he might have been homesick for his 5 year old that he had to leave at home. he is so excited for their next trip to maryville, as he will bring his boy and all of the cousins will make the best of the creeks and hiking trails here in the foothills of east tennessee.

i feel certain that we live in the most beautiful place in the United States. the people are kind, the scenery is magnificent and the food is anything you want it to be. when the sun shines, the blue skies glimmer like crazy and the green on the mountains looks so brilliant and wave like.

thought i would share some frog pictures and a picture of two of the children who were in on the frog frenzy.

today, life is good.

2010-04-30T13:31:00.001-04:00

there is no beauty today.

really.

2010-04-22T10:40:00.002-04:00

the blue skies in tennessee...

i can't say it enough, the blue skies of east tennessee are unlike any other.

this cardinal sang the prettiest song for me to hear this past weekend. he sat in the tree for twenty minutes and just tweeted away. i did not hear any other birds, so he must have been desperate for someone to hear him. if i were a girl bird, i would have found him to have the sweetest chirp around.

I Made A Wish Today

2010-04-21T11:10:00.004-04:00

i made a wish today.

i felt like a child as i picked the dandelion and blew until i was out of breath. the petals from the dandelions were floating all around me and all i could manage to wish for was sunshine. i was almost disappointed because i remembered that as a child, the chance to really wish for something only came with a wishbone or a dandelion or a shiny penny. the whole process was enlightening for me.

the clouds have disappeared and the sun is now shining. :)

2010-04-20T13:05:00.003-04:00

there are so many pieces to a flower that are so photography worthy that i do not even know where to begin or end. i like the stem after a good rain, and the leaves and the petals are so full of color that any person who enjoys photography could (or should) have a field day.

today has been a very nice, quiet day. cleaning is sometimes therapeutic and i enjoy the days when i am able to be alone in the house and just absorb everything i see, touch, hear and feel. God is everywhere, and i like that.

2010-04-19T09:48:00.002-04:00

i want to blog daily, but it seems like the pictures i take get to be a little boring. i thought for a while that i might do some blogging about my daily life, but that is really more boring than my nature pictures. not that my life is boring by any stretch, but, it is not so exciting that i should write about it daily.

so, i guess for now, i will write about the pictures i take. i might infuse a few pictures of my kids, which is something i swore i would never do, but have done once or twice. they are the exciting ones, as they are always doing or saying something that is worth repeating!

this morning i noticed the cattails and got the picture i wanted. it looks like the sun is drowning out the picture, but i liked it that way. i get to see that very picture every single morning for the months of march and april. i truly just wanted to share. we have a new nature reserve that was just named and "completed". i don't think i will go there for a few months, as the trail has disturbed the wildlife and growth. i think it will benefit our community in such a large way. it is walking distance from our elementary, intermediate and middle schools. the kids are already excited about the walking field trips they will be making next year. i can't wait to share those pictures when i take them.

today is another beautiful east tennessee day. chilly, but beautiful. there is truly nothing more beautiful, in my opinion, than the blue east tennessee skies and the mountains in the forefront. i feel like i am on vacation daily and hope we never have to move from this area.

until next time...

Easter Sunday

2010-04-04T18:20:00.005-04:00

Happy Easter! Today was a terrific day. Mass was one of the best ever, with the homily being one of the best I have ever gotten to hear. Long ago on an Easter Sunday, the priest was so upset at the number of people who showed up for Easter Sunday Mass. He stated that "those who attend mass regularly should be allowed to sit in their normal spaces. those who attend on Easter and Christmas should move and be more considerate of those who attend regularly." Well, that did not sit well with a lot of parishioners. At the time, I think I was maybe 23, I could have cared less. I went regularly, I enjoyed going and standing up was not an issue for me. I just thought I should have gotten there earlier.

Well, today, Father Bede, said some pretty amazing things. He reminded us of the reasons why Easter is so important. He thanked those who only come to church occasionally and asked them to come more often. He taught us that patience is so important and that faith is more important than anything. God is everything. He always has been and always will be. I love Father Bede. He got Easter Sunday going in just the right direction. Well, for me anyway.

So the rest of the day was very nice too. We visited Jake and wished him a Happy Birthday. We miss him terribly and sometimes forget that he is no longer here on earth with us. Our memories of him are so strong and we know he is with us always.

We came home and cooked Easter Dinner, colored Easter eggs and played basketball while waiting for some neighbor friends to come and hunt the eggs. I must admit, that even rain could not have ruined this day. I love my family, I love my church family, I am just in love today. :)

And the photo's? Well, the eggs are the before and after hunting and I love taking pictures of tulips in front of the sun. That little bee and I played picture tag for about twenty minutes before he even decided to let me get a good picture of him. I think bees are so cool and this one was the best. He worked like a trojan and flitted from flower to flower. I did not get tired of following him around the flower bed at all. The stalking was worth the wait and the effort.

Now, I get to enjoy the night with my children and my husband.

Easter is a time of Hope. And I am full of Hope.

:)

2010-03-28T16:42:00.002-04:00

my fifteen year old has taken the camera again. i do not mind one bit, as i believe he has an innate sense of photography. he certainly can frame a picture well, and is trying his best to work the f-stop and the manual focus to the best of his ability. i kinda like the fact that he will go on a walk with my camera (from now on to be known as the "family" camera!), be gone for a couple of hours and come home with some very interesting shots. he found a place in the subdivision that i did not know even existed. this might come in handy some day!!!!

he seems to have a deep feeling for the outdoors. would it be cliche' for me to say that i think he is one of the best person's i have ever known? he is good. he does not always make the best choices, but hey, he is fifteen and still on a nice, long journey that will take him to some wonderful places. i hope he can show life some good sides and i also hope he can accept the things that life has to offer. i love being a mother. kids are special. life is special. i am blessed, as i say so often. life is good.

2010-03-22T14:36:00.004-04:00

wow! we had a terrific weekend in memphis! the memphis zoo and some rendezvous bbq were the highlight of our trip. well, the true highlight was erika's state gymnastics meet (and she did very well too!). we all looked forward to the zoo for some time and the two main reasons we went were the hippopotami and the polar bears. yes, the panda was a plus, but my kids love the former two and they were the first animals we went to find. (never mind that the hippo's and the polar bear's are on the extreme opposite sides of the huge zoo) everything in between was a site too, and everyone was pleased when we left. i thought the knoxville zoo was nice, and it is. but this memphis zoo was so clean and the little shows they have all over the zoo grounds was tremendous. my second born has stated for years that he wants to be a herpetologist and we was so impressed with their facility. give a preteen boy some snakes, lizards and turtles, and you have a very happy boy! i like it when my kids pay attention to the living arrangements of all living things.

so, i hope you enjoy the pictures and i will post a few pics at a time over the next few weeks.

until then,

keep warm....

2010-03-17T17:22:00.003-04:00

well, today is St. Patrick's Day. the luck of the irish is always with me, as i am married to an irish man. if he were about 3 feet shorter, had red hair and wore green clothes, he would be my leprechaun!!!! but, i will take what i can get. i personally think he is fine the way he is!

i looked for four leafed clovers today and found NONE! usually i can find several. i think they are hiding because it is still so cold here and the sun has not shown one ray in a while. oh well, at least there were a couple of daffodils in bloom. i know that spring is on the way and warm weather will be coming soon. of course, not soon enough for me and my old cold bones.

:)

2010-03-08T11:46:00.002-05:00

today, i am in the mood to go fishing. or crabbing. or just something to take me away from these doggone sheets and bathrooms!

i am in high hopes that fishing is in my future, since crabbing is out of the question. although, crabbing is so much more fun for me, even if fishing is way more relaxing.

just a thought to ponder...

wow

2010-03-03T12:33:00.003-05:00

i decided to go through my blog and re-read what i have written over the past two years. wow. i am an emotional mess! not really, but i know i am emotional. i think this is why i love my blog and missed it so much when i was unable to write.

i am going to reuse some of my photo's. some are pretty good if i do say so myself. so, i am just going to have a "my favorite pictures" month. hmmmm....sounds good to me!

spring is coming in like a lion...

2010-03-02T10:56:00.002-05:00

wow. today is march 2nd and it is snowing outside. we went for so many years with hardly having a flake of snow to having lots of flakes that don't want to accumulate. i think i like it best this way! the roads are accessible and i don't feel trapped within my home.

since it is about 32 degrees outside, i do not suspect this snow will last long. i wish it would last long enough for the kids to play in it when they get home from school. they do love to play in the ole wet stuff!

i have to be honest and admit that i will be thrilled when the weather does bring lots of 75+ degree weather and more sun along with the blooms, birds, spring noises and smells. i feel my best when the air is warm outside.

until next time...

2010-03-01T15:14:00.002-05:00

sometimes when i am driving around, i like to look for things i would not see everyday. this tee pee happened to be one of those things. it looked lonely, like the little boys who were playing in it has just abandoned it. i sat there for a while and waited for something to happen with it, although i am not sure what i was waiting for. i guess in my creative mind, i was waiting for some smoke signals or something like that.

we are driving up this road again this weekend and i hope the tee pee is still there. only, this time i hope there is some magic coming from it's belly. i wish we had a tee pee.

2010-02-24T11:17:00.002-05:00

daffodils always make me feel better. they bloom during a transition in seasons and let me know that spring is on it's way. and to be honest, spring can't get here quickly enough. i think we are not going to get the warmth that i would like to have, at least until april. but, the flowers give me hope.

i don't have a lot to say today. maybe that is why i have had a hard time blogging recently. the words just don't want to work with me. so, i will not press the issue. i will just enjoy daffodils and experience hope.

again, i am in a good, happy place.

2010-02-23T11:23:00.002-05:00

well, today is another rainy day in east tennessee. usually i would become a little blue, but today, i am able to just enjoy the misty rainfall and the quiet. there is so much to hear when you can't hear anything else.

today is a chore day and i really don't mind being inside on a day like today. i can still see some birds flitting around looking for food and i can hear the occasional dog. other than that, it is me, my laundry and the music of my choice. today, i choose the Little River Band.

i am in a happy place. :)

snowy, wintry days

2010-02-19T09:13:00.003-05:00

here in east tennessee, we have had a lot of snow. not the kind that would keep us indoors, but the kid that allows us to drive into the mountains to see how beautiful the snow can truly be.

last week, the snow kept falling around our house, but it never accumulated. so, i took a picture of this beautiful tree, which is located up the street and on the way to the mountains, and headed up to abrahms creek. as i drove, i could see a little more snow, then a little more, then when i got to the top of the world, there was about two to three inches everywhere. except of course, on the roads!

strange how the snow can be all over the ground, but not in the trees. i guess that is something that is truly so simple that if i thought about it for two minutes, the answer would be right there. but, be that as it may, the trees were beautiful, as was everything else. the temps here have been, until today, below 35. very unusual for east tennessee. i don't mind. i am just cold and guess i will be until july.

2010-01-20T13:17:00.002-05:00

so this year, we have had more snow in maryville than in the past 7, and i like it! the kids got out of school for two days and we had a grand ole time! we did manage to make it to townsend and to schoolhouse gap, where these pictures were taken. they are courtesy of my oldest child who has taken up a fancy for photography. i won't complain about not being able to take any pictures though. it was so nice to walk without the camera around my neck and to just see things without a lens. my favorite is the first picture. the water droplets on the ice looked like something tatted. i just think it is incredibly beautiful. the second picture is from the road. i have never seen ice form like that here before. i am certain that it has, we just never make it to the mountains when the temperature is below freezing. and the last picture is just something p.j. liked. he was trying to get the ice and the twig and the melting water all at the same time. i think he did a fine job. it almost looks like he laid a backdrop for the frame. he is already so good!

i am so glad to be back in the blogging business. i am also glad to see the blogs i have not checked out in a while. whew. this feels so good!

2010-01-17T08:44:00.001-05:00

ahhhh, i have to admit that while being away for so long, I MISS BLOGGING!!!!! we got a new computer (a mac too!) and now, as soon as i go thru the tutorial on how to upload and download photos, i am back in business!

until i am finished with my online tutor,

next time!

Faith

2009-11-02T10:10:00.003-05:00

today is monday and i am glad. the sun is shining and the world is still turning, so i know there is something in store for me today.

we got a call thursday afternoon saying that my camera was ready and so first thing saturday morning, john and i were at thompson's, eager to start taking pictures again. i definately need something to help my stress level, and boy, was this the right cure. now, we need a new computer and i am not sure when i will be posting pictures as of now. there is still a glimmer of hope that the computer can be fixed, but after three weeks and a puzzled it man, i am not sure.

this past week has been a trying one as one of the kids has decided to test my patience and my faith. little does he know that i am not one to waiver on my faith and my patience can run long and steadfast. i think he learned that the hard way. i can never believe that God would abandon me and for my sweet child to even think otherwise should be a good learning tool for him.

i do need prayer though, and lots of it. for patience, for teaching, for guidance and for a teenagers angst. life is good although it is not without its trials. i hope he can understand this soon. God is not out to punish, but is out to teach us how to make use of our minds and how to understand consequences of our actions. responsibility. love. life.

i did encourage him to use my camera. i think i might have created a monster. we will see. he would not put it down on saturday and wanted to use it all day yesterday too. we have to take turns...patience on my behalf...patience.

life is good and God is great.

pictures later.

Blue skies in October

2009-10-07T11:02:00.002-04:00

well, today is an incredibly beautiful day. the skies are so blue and the trees are still so green. a few have begun to change colors, but not so much that it is fully noticeable. we are at a chilly 61 degrees and there is a slight breeze here in the Foothills of the Smoky Mountains. i wish i had my camera.

as i sit here at the blount county library, i have realized how dependant i have become on these modern electronics. i want to share so many things on my blog and my facebook page, but can't. i was almost depressed about it, but then thought that i can still see everything, i just can't share my sights with photos. oh well!

the kids and i are going to the wye today to have a picnic. we are going to see if we can find any critters at all in the Little River and see if we can find some snakes and lizards. i think the weather is very cool, so we probably will be lucky to find an ant who wants to share our picnic!

having fall break right now is so much fun! being unemployed is more fun. erika told me yesterday that she was glad i was not working anymore and that she enjoyed me being home with her every day instead of every other day. that was sweet to hear. pulled me right back to my happy place, where i should have been all along!

well, i guess this is it for today or until i get back to the library to post. wow.

:)

Blogs

2009-10-05T14:07:00.002-04:00

i never thought i would be so hooked on a camera. without it, i feel naked. i keep waiting for the phone call for me to go pick up my "baby", but, instead, i use my old film camera and quiver everytime i shoot a picture. i never realized i could take so many pictures while trying to get that one good one. maybe this is why my wonderful husband insisted that i try a digital camera. i usually would go through about 50 rolls of film a month and that does get costly when half of the pictures are just terrible.

anyway, i will be using my old faithful canon again this week as the kids are on fall break. i love to take pictures of them. however, they do not reciprocate any feeling of love for being the object of my pictures. wish me luck and pray that i get my comfy camera back soon.

Wow

2009-09-28T17:02:00.002-04:00

well, oh well. my camera is broken, my computer is broken and i am at the public library to post on my blog. almost sad, but then i realized that in three weeks, i will have my camera back and by wednesday, i will have my computer back. sure is amazing how dependent we are on these electronic devices. but, i must admit, not having a computer in the house has been a blessing in disguise. i did not realize how often the kids were on the computer and how often i had to play referee.

so, while i wish i could share some of the most beautiful weather, foliage, fowl, bear and other things, i am enjoying walking around with no weight on my shoulders. this has been an interesting year for the electronics of the donovan household, but i am sure i will be back in full force...only with a "like new" camera and a "like new" computer. i can't wait!

2009-09-10T20:51:00.000-04:00

rainbow falls, tennessee

2009-09-10T20:43:00.001-04:00

i am not sure why my pictures are upside down, but i guess the pictures are still good!

2009-09-10T20:24:00.003-04:00

today was a very good day. i wanted to look for rattlesnakes, and on the way to Rainbow Falls, i had visions of getting the perfect picture of one in my head. well, while on the way, we passed one trailhead and noticed there were a lot of folks gathered around a tree taking pictures. i thought they were taking pictures of an old hornet's nest that i had seen the last time we stopped at that particular spot. so, i was content with my idea of snake picture taking and just in my own little place trying to get the picture right in my mind.

the weather was perfect for picture taking and i could not wait to get to the trail. when we pulled up to the trailhead, there were about 10 people gathered around and staring upward. i wondered if the sky was falling. we parked and went down to the road where everyone was standing. i looked up and there they were...three bears. a momma bear and two baby bears up in the trees eating muscadine grapes. they were way up there too. i could not believe it. i had not anticipated this at all. with my old canon, i tried to be conservative with my picture taking, but decided that this was an opportunity i might not get again. so, away i clicked!

what was so incredible was watching the momma bear gnaw off a pretty big limb just enough to let it fall and hang so that she could grasp the berries with her tongue and eat up! words cannot describe how beautiful this sight was. but, when she climbed down from the tree, each of us who was taking pictures walked away from her so that she would not be threatened. her cubs climbed down behind her and, away they went.

the squirrel and the chipmunk were just little perks to the day. i did not find a rattlesnake today. i guess that will hafta wait until next weekend. until then, i am going to just admire my thoughts and my pictures.

2009-08-30T23:52:00.002-04:00

i finally remember that i love to write. for a while there, i was on some kind of leave from my blog and in general, from all of the things that i enjoy.

well, now i am back and am very pleased. after a day of hiking, sight-seeing (in the wood's, of course!), visiting a friend who just learned he is remission, going to my in-law's and out to dinner for my 15 year olds birthday dinner, i am very full of words. i am not really going to write today, as it is late and i need to get to bed so that i can be on my top thoughts tomorrow.

enjoy the pictures...the bear is a sweet thing, although i did not try to go near it to get the picture. i was not sure if it was a cub, and the last thing i wanted was an angry momma bear coming at my family. i will just go ahead and say the bear was a he, he was watching me watching him and i was thrilled that i got a picture! my daughter was afraid that he would follow us and eat us for dinner, but, we made it home alive and now, she wishes she could have hugged him.

aren't kids the greatest?

2009-08-29T14:31:00.001-04:00

Fishing

2009-08-23T16:15:00.002-04:00

we went fishing yesterday at louisville point in louisville. boy, that park is a haven for young kids who like to fish. we got there kinda early and the sun was still rising, so it was a little dark. our oldest caught a couple of small fish, but he threw them back 'cause he thought they needed to grow a little more! our daughter brought along her "Fudge" book and read most of the time because night crawlers are nasty and reading was more fun! now, our second born decided that fishing was a ton of fun, but he did not like the fact that he did not catch anything at all. he was terribly disappointed and that broke our hearts.

while the kids and john were fishing, i just watched and waited for some photo opportunities. i almost felt like i was in a Disney movie, as there were about 8 yellow finches flying around and having the very best time. it was almost as though they were in a line and just seeing which bird could get to their destination the fastest. they flitted around the park like they owned the place. it was very entertaining. i could not for the life of me get a picture though. that was disappointing to me.

i think this fishing excursion is going to be a precursor to the remainder of the week. we had a wonderful time and it was a great start to the day.

School has Started

2009-08-20T17:15:00.001-04:00

School started three weeks ago. We have been running on full throttle until this past week, when we all realized that we were moving entirely to fast. I have not taken any pictures, so, my goal is to get bak into the groove. I think it will be easy, as there have been some changes that will allow me to have more time. And, I have to admit, I look forward to getting back to my life.

2009-07-16T17:41:00.003-04:00

just some pictures from Pascagoula. i do not have a lot to say today, but, katrina got the better of that sweet flagship city and as the old saying goes, "nothing ever stays the same".

2009-07-09T17:19:00.002-04:00

i have no title for this bunch of pictures. they come from the southern outer banks and i love all of them. i truly would love to live on the beach, but realistically, i understand that it is not going to happen. one word...insurance.

this was the very best vacation ever. we relaxed, we played, we talked, and we played a little more. the daily routine was on hold for us for an entire week. my husband actually was able to take three days and do absolutely nothing and enjoy himself, which is something he never does. he got to know his family a little better and we got to know him. it was very nice being able to play games with the kids, swim and sun, and do absolutely nothing with family being the only responsibility! nice!

john took the dolphin picture and the picture of me. he ran to get the camera and took the picture while he was running back to the shore. he was funny while trying to snap this picture. the dolphin's were quick and beautiful. everyday they made a show at the very same times of the day. i do not know who became more excited about them, john and me, or the kids!

SOBX

2009-06-28T19:02:00.002-04:00

well, we just got back from one of the very best vacations ever. the skies were perfect every day and the water was perfect to play in for hours on end.

the kids had never seen so many sand crabs, so they chased them every where. and when they were not chasing them, they would sit and watch the little creatures dig and dig, scurry all over the place only to find another hole and dig again. what was really interesting was when a crab went into one hole that was already occupied. they would do this cool dance and one of the crabs would raise it's bigger claw, then the other would simply lower it's body to the ground. i guess it is a territorial dance, which is why the stronger one always stayed. the one crab in the picture did not have any claws. i wonder how it will eat and defend itself. it was very quick and did not have trouble moving sand out of it's little hole, but i still wonder.

there were not as many shells as in years past, but there were certainly more conch shells to be found. we found three totally in tact. the one i decided to post here just looked pretty on the sand, but no way would it make a good home. i just wonder what creature got to the conch or, if time and wave pressure simply broke the shell.

and the egret put on the best show for me. he let me get fairly close to him and was having a hey day with the sand fleas. he must've eated 30 while i was photographing him. i do not know why i love taking pictures of birds so much. maybe it is because of the pretty colors or the way they move with those long legs, but, i could have sat for hours watching this little guy.

i am going to clean up my photo card and try to figure out what is exactly going on with my camera. i can't change the lighting, so i guess i will have to get it to the camera doctor this week. i know for sure that i will need that lens i keep talking about.

i hope to get through the three thousand pictures i took this trip and to post more, so, until then...

Memorial Day

2009-06-04T10:14:00.004-04:00

well, let's see...i missed Memorial Day, which happens to be my very favorite day of the year. the reasons were good, as i was in the er with my oldest child who decided, on sunday before, to go to the skate park and try some "narley" tricks. well, needless to say, he suffered a compound fracture of his left forearm, requiring a short stay in the hospital, a steel plate, 6 screws, 16 stitches, pain meds and some serious bed rest. so, i hope all can understand the reasons for not being here, until now. cast today, so hopefully, he won't feel so confined to the house with nothing to do. a waterproof cast will allow him to get into the pool, and maybe even go back to diving where he can hang with some friends and get some stretching in that long body of his!

BUT: the week before Memorial Day, my husband and i went canoeing and found some serious flag flyers. there were so many American flags, that i took probably 50 or 60 pictures and wanted to share them with everyone. i am only gonna post a couple of the ones that i like the best.

i pray that our veterans are not forgotten now that Memorial Day has passed. We still have flag day coming up in a couple of weeks, so, i guess we can remember them on that day too...

Veterans, please know that we love you and appreciate all you do for us and for our country.

we love you.

2009-05-19T22:56:00.002-04:00

today was the first canoe ride! we had been planning and planning on going for weeks, but the weather has not been cooperative.

so, even though the temperature was forty degrees, we decided that we needed to take advantage of the last tuesday the kids would be in school!

with the past week i have had, this little day trip was more than wonderful. it was relaxing and renewing. anyone who knows me, knows that i have an intense curiosity with two creatures. one of those being the heron. i could just sit and stare at these birds for hours. the way they fly, the way they wade and fish...but mostly just their beauty is what draws me to them.

in our little canoe, we rowed for almost three hours. we sat in several little coves for about two. i took many pictures and was so glad to capture these pictures. this guy wanted me to photograph him. he flew where ever we were and would just pose and stare back at john and me. this day was a completely happy and adventurous day and i feel so satisfied. i think this canoe is going to be used more that we ever imagined!

i am so glad to be back on this blog that i just can't hold in my excitement! so, family and friends who have missed me for so long...i am BACK!!!!

2009-05-11T08:46:00.002-04:00

i was wondering if i would ever post here again.

i accidentally deleted all of my software for photo's off of my computer when i was trying to save money and not take it to an expert.

guess what? i learned to take it to the experts.

hopefully, i won't be so long in posting again.

Flat Lands

2009-03-24T14:15:00.002-04:00

arrgghh...trying to post here lately is a supreme pain in the neck....

AHHHHH...it is good to be back!

2009-03-03T16:37:00.005-05:00

after almost a month of not being able to upload a picture, i am back. beware, because i am feeling to lost time and have taken some fan-dandy pictures! have a great day and i am going to make up for some lost time by responding to some old friends.

this picture was taken on our way home from clemson university in south carolina. we did not get a drop of snow, but boy, did south carolina.

until thursday!

Finally! SOME snow in the mountains!

2009-01-23T09:56:00.005-05:00

well, we finally had some of the beautiful white stuff. only enough to get the kids out of school for one day, but enough to play in and make snowballs. the schools closed for kid-sympathy, i think. this is the only time our school system has closed since we have lived here in maryville!

while there was not enough snow to make a snowman or to cover the grass, there was plenty enough to admire and make the world just whimsical enough for all. i love the snow...it makes everything so enchanted and peaceful. and the laughter of all of the neighborhood kids made the whole day perfect! we are expecting more snow as the month ends, and we all hope that this time, there is enough to cover the streets! and for school to be out too!

we can only wish...

rainy day pictures

2009-01-09T15:27:00.004-05:00

well, here in east tennessee we are no longer in a drought. thank goodness! now, we are above the average range for the month of january and above the rain deficit by 2 inches. wow. all in the months of december and january. we truly pray for snow each night before bed and the kids turn their pajama's inside out, in hopes that the old myth will bring some good ole white stuff. no luck yet, but we are patient!

these pictures are just some of the ones i was able to get when the rain stopped for a bit. i thought the geese would have gone to florida by now, but the good ole mountain valley is keeping them mild and happy!

have a very good weekend. keep me in your thoughts as i stalk a heron who has made a temporary home in the wetlands at the front of our neighborhood. i have a feeling this is gonna be the weekend for some spectacular photos!

Wishing Well

2009-01-06T12:28:00.003-05:00

Today, I am not going to post any pictures. Partly because i have not taken any in a couple of days and partly because I just feel the need to use words today instead of photographs. But then again, I have a picture in mind now that I think about it...

As I sit here, in front of the computer (as I have done all day long...and I do mean l-o-n-g) I have been thinking about many things, as usual, and have decided that my lot in life does not include sitting in front of this thing daily. I feel very fortunate that I have a job that allows me to interact with people of many walks of life. Sometimes I am not as patient as I should be with these people, but I do appreciate every bit of wisdom they bring to me three days a week.

I am also thinking about my resolutions for the New Year. My resolutions are usually the same, year after year, but, since this past year was a doozy for many reasons (if you read over my blog for the year, you might understand), I have chosen to not have any resolutions at all. When I looked the word "resolution" up in the dictionary, it gave me this:

1: the act or process of resolving: as a: the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones b: the act of answering : solving c: the act of determining d: the passing of a voice part from a dissonant to a consonant tone or the progression of a chord from dissonance to consonance e: the separating of a chemical compound or mixture into its constituents f (1): the division of a prosodic element into its component parts (2): the substitution in Greek or Latin prosody of two short syllables for a long syllable g: the analysis of a vector into two or more vectors of which it is the sum.
Now, I do not know about you, but I try to solve so many things that I do not like about myself at the beginning of every year. This year, I have decided that I do like myself. I might not be exactly at the weight I wanna be, or the go-getter I wish I was, but I like myself. I do think I could be a nicer person and a kinder person. And I need to start at home. I am not a fat person, or a slob, or a lazy person. I tend to be way to gullible and trusting, which can spell trouble. I like for everything to be even all of the time. I do not like confrontation, but I won't avoid it. I sometimes look for fights with whoever happens to be in my line of fire. I should work on that, I know, and I do. But, I love my husband and my kids, and I love where I live.

Anyway, the point I was getting to is why can't we just be happy, love what we have, work for more love and strive to be our best all year long, instead of just January? As I sit here, watching the rain, wishing I had sunglasses for this computer screen, I know that life is what we make of it and today, even the rain can't get me down.

This past year has taken me to places I did not really want to go, for instance, the funeral of a 13 year old boy who was, perhaps, the kindest, gentlest, even-keeled child I have ever known. He was taken far to soon, but I have to have faith that God needed him more than anyone here. I am not so sure why his death still makes me cry...other than he lived next door and always brought happiness with him when he came through our front door. I miss him.

The year also made me realize that I cannot change people. Boy, I wish I had of known that 25 years ago. People do not want to change. They like things to be constant. I am guilty of this too. But aside from people not wanting to change, they also want you to believe they are changing so that they can change you. Imperfection is always seen in someone else. Never on ourselves, huh? People will hurt you and never think twice about it. They say things that maybe they really don't mean, or maybe they do. Infliction of verbal and emotional pain is something that some people thrive on. I however do not, and have learned that I do not have to even talk to these people any more...not even if they are a family member who thinks I owe them for all of the things they have done for me. Or even that family member who is always so nice to you, and then, when you are not even looking, slams you with such hurtful words that you cannot even think about them without crying. I have learned most family members are normal God fearing people. Only a fraction make up for the lack of craziness in the "normal" ones. Thank goodness for that!

I have also come to realize that being in a hurry all of the time only makes you crazy. God only gave us one brain, two arms, hands, eyes, ears, legs, nostrils, etc. to do the jobs we were sent here to do. Being in a hurry just makes kids irritable and it makes parents nuts. Who wants their kids to remember them as hurried all of the time? Not me.

Mostly, I have learned about honesty. Being afraid to be honest is really a trust issue, and having figured that out, my marriage might be the happiest one on the planet. The road goes both ways, with each of us thinking we are on a one way street many times. But the truth is, with our promise to God, our commitment to each other and our children, we know that marriage is hard work, but worth the good fight we take to make it work. I love you, John!

I have learned that even when you are getting used to thinking that your life is so good, something can happen and snatch things away in an instant. Life is so short and the need to live it like it was your last is so important. Only, do so responsibly. Others have to live in the wake of what you have done.

Change and resolution came about all year long. Making discoveries about yourself can be unnerving. It can be a lonely place or it can mean something. It is amazing that all of my life, I thought that 40 would be the magical number and all of life's mysteries would be solved. I truly do not know where I got that notion or why. All I know is that I am wiser, but still learning. Some people do not care about anything or any one except themselves. I think that has been the hardest lesson for me to learn, because at 43, I really thought that there were so people who really loved me and they just simply don't and never will. Even though it hurts inside, I understand a little better about some of the things my mom and granny tried to teach me about being happy. Happiness is not found in the hands of others. It is found in your own hands and how you choose to deliver that happiness is purely a choice only I can make.

I have found my happiness this year through sadness, anger, failure, death. I have found happiness in the smiles of my children, who are still so genuine and green. They always see good and never fail to deliver a smile or a hug just when I need one the most.

I admire the rain outside, and how it continues to fall even when most everyone I have spoken to says that they are tired of it. The gray skies are a little depressing, but the rain just keeps falling, letting me know that it does not care what everyone thinks. It rains, because it can.

The spring should be one of the most beautiful ever. A new season, new life, new reasons for feeling renewed.

So, Mr. New Year, you are going to be greeted with renewal throughout the entire year. Not just one month. Because I can do that.

I wish the best for everyone this new year.

2009-01-04T22:36:00.004-05:00

today was "kids" day with my camera. we went on a small trek up to laurel falls, then on to the sinks, both along the little river in the great smoky mountain national park. the kids, john and myself had a marvelous time. we did not see one critter, but we met lots of people, watched a spectacular waterfall and just enjoyed each others company. the first and last pictures were taken by my beautiful eight year old daughter who aspires to be a professional photographer. she said she knows what is worthy enough to have a picture taken. she snaps that camera like a pro and knows right away if it is a saver or an erase. she is quite entertaining while she has her "photog" hat on.

the middle picture was taken by my oldest son, who likes to take pictures and like me, takes so many that no one in our life times will ever be able to sift thru the abundance of accumulated pictures. we have decided that a lot of pictures will produce that one great picture we have been waiting for our whole lives. he snaps at anything he finds interesting, and believe me, he finds plenty interesting!

next week, we are going to spend some time at the skate park and both of my sons want me to take "thousands" of pictures and post them here. i might take that many pictures, but i will only post four or five, as that is all i think i can get one here in one posting.

anyway, school starts back tomorrow and work for my husband. i am not at all happy about it. neither are the kids. neither is john. we had such a nice winter break and the thought of being in this house when there are no kids around is so quiet! but, we are ready to begin a anew semester, a new season and a new year. we are going in to this with gloves on.

wow, like my grandmother used to tell me, the days are long and the years are short. i used to think my granny was a smart cookie. now i know it.

2008-12-28T21:01:00.003-05:00

well, it has been a while since i have blogged. not that i have not wanted to, because i have. BUT, i did some serious damage to the computer and accidentally erased all of my photo programs. so, until i can figure out what i did, or, take it to a professional, (which is what i will wind up doing!!!) i have to upload from my cf card. a terrible pain when i have to wait for every thumbnail to appear before my very eyes! there is no instant gratification during this process!

anyway, the sunset picture was taken in my back yard. we have had so much rain here over the past few weeks and we honestly thought the sun had deserted us. when the clouds broke and gave us this tidbit of color, i could not get to the camera quickly enough. the colors seemed so brilliant and beautiful. my husband and i just sat on the patio and stared, until the clouds ate up the color again.

now, this heron has been teasing me for about three weeks. every time i would grab my camera to photograph him, he would fly away. so, today, i thought i would try one more time. i saw him on the way home from the grocery and decided this was as good as it was gonna get. so, i just looped my van around, rolled the window down and did the best i could. i took about 75 pictures. all of them were pretty decent...except he was fishing and had this stance the entire time. i think i could have sat and watched him until the sun went down! the clouds prevented me from getting a good reflection picture, but at least he did not fly away!

i miss posting here. i promise to get the computer fixed and to not play with it anymore. i will leave that for the guys at the IT store.

until next time, Happy New Year and let's make the best of this New Year. It is all we've got!

in search of something frozen...

2008-12-08T17:57:00.004-05:00

since the weather has been very cold here in east tennessee for the past couple of weeks, my husband and i decided to go on a hunt for some icicles. we only found one bunch of them and they were really big! since the weather here is usually so mild, we really thought we would not find anything at all.

it is so funny that we can travel this same hiking trail so many times and see something different each time. today, everything was so very quiet and bare. the water even seemed to be moving at a slower rush than usual. but as slow and bare as it seemed, beauty was everywhere and our hike was a success!

i am looking forward to a very cold winter (even though i DO NOT like cold weather). maybe we will get some snow that we have not had in so long. i would really like for the kids around here to have an opportunity to build a couple of snowmen and a snow fort. what fun!!!

but, if we do not get snow, icicles will do. at least for now.

from my sister-in-law's blog...

2008-12-06T23:01:00.001-05:00

Do It Anyway

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you.

Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.

Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.

Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway.

- Mother Theresa

Happy Veteran's Day

2008-11-11T18:08:00.000-05:00

http://www.vvmf.org//index.cfm?SectionID=110&Wall_Id_No=32028

feel free to visit this page too.

The Veteran's Day Parade

2008-11-11T15:14:00.002-05:00

i am not sure where to begin here! the day started off cold, wet and rainy. i was sure we would be soaked to the bone by the time the parade was over. but, i was so wrong! the sun never decided to really show up, but we knew it was there behind the gray clouds. we were cold, but not so cold that we could see our breath and the rain did make the decision to hold off until after the parade was finished. the parade lasted for one hour solid, and i am not sure who had the better time...carl or me. he absolutely amazed me. i stood beside carl and although the parade was about honoring our armed forces, it was about so much more for him. i was moved to tears when the seventh or eighth person stopped in front of carl, saluted him and then either hugged him or shook his hand and thanked him. the tears in his eyes let me know that his duty had been fulfilled. he is a man of honor, who believes in his country and what it stands for.

people he did not even know asked to have their picture made with him...a real soldier, a real army man who fought The Battle of the Buldge in World War II. wow. i have been trying to come up with words fitting for him, and it seems like there is not one word that can dutifully describe this man, who has also been married for 68 years, worked for ORNL in oak ridge, who raised a beautiful, intelligent daughter who has given him and his wife two grand-daughters, who in turn have given him two great-grand-children. what a life to live.

carl told me that he was blessed and probably the richest man in the world. he has his health, his wife, his family, his friends and his memories a of a time so long ago. he wishes he could see his friends that were lost, to let them know how beautiful our world is. even in it's ugliness and uncertainty, we know that in America, we are free. free to come to a parade that allows us to appreciate our soldiers, men and women. what a great country we live in. what great people to protect us. what a great example to be given to us by our elders.

carl's words to me are simple. live for today. appreciate today. be thankful today. waiting until tomorrow is wasteful. living life means using it as you get it. love with all of your heart and mean it. and always, always, tell your family how much you love them. no matter what. because tomorrow, you might not be here.

thank you carl. i love you and everything you have taught me.

Happy Veteran's Day.

Happy Veteran's Day

2008-11-11T05:30:00.003-05:00

Today is a day to be genuine and to give thanks for all of the men and women who have fought for our country. If you have a minute, visit the link I have posted. If you are out and you see a Veteran, tell him thank you. I get to go to the Veteran's Day Parade with a WWII veteran today and I am so excited to go. I am going to take a lot of pictures, so come back tomorrow and I will have some of them posted.

http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html

HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY!

revived

2008-11-06T22:50:00.004-05:00

Sometimes it seems like I have made this blog my sounding board. I truly enjoy my time here, even when I am not posting. Looking at what everyone else has to share gives me hope and enables me to see things that otherwise, I might not.

Lately, it seems like so much change is happening in my life that I have no control. After a good long walk, I decided that I really am not in control of most things. I wish I was and probably would like most folks to think that I am, but in reality, I am not. I am just a mom, wife, sister, daughter, in-law, niece, aunt, friend, cousin, co-worker who just wants life to be full. I want my kids to be happy, decent, kind, generous, grateful, sincere, polite. (of course, what parent does not want those things for their kids?!!) I want my husband to be fulfilled and content. I like happy. Not the smiley face kind of happy, but the happy that shows when you get a hug, or a thumbs up, a high five, a nod of the head, a peaceful quiet, the sound of a warm voice, a wagging tail, a good picture, a comfy couch, a sunny day or even a rainy day, the smell of just baked anything, or the closed eyes of a sleeping child. I just like happy.

I am feeling something much like happiness, but at the same time, fear, sadness, elation, contentedness, love, confusion and so much more. Control is out of my hands.

I think I might be wondering why I was so let down with the results of Tuesday's election. And, why the priests in our church have to go after only seven months (and I will miss them so much). Or the uncertainty of the economy. My gentle, sweet, sick dog. The unhappiness of a high school freshman. The tears of an eight year old girl who thinks she is fat or a ten year old who wishes he was not so shy. A husband who feels scared and helpless. To understand that I can't MAKE these things better hurts. It really, really hurts. To get this now at my age almost makes me feel a little silly.

Wow. I guess even Superman was not able to control everything. I wonder if he ever felt helpless too?

Surprise!

2008-10-15T11:42:00.004-04:00

These pictures were taken at a birthday party. All of these kids are straight A students, attend church regularly, volunteer for various community efforts and still find time to skateboard like mad.

Before SB (skateboarding), I thought all skateboarders were bad news. Wouldn't you know that mine would end up loving it and living it? No thugs or disrespect here. Just a love for four wheels that roll and tricks that never end!

The second picture is also of the same kids, only, the kids who went to the park with us had to wear their helmets. The ones without helmets, well, we do not know them. But, the helmetless did get a ticket and have to pay a fifty dollar fine. Rules are made for a reason!!!!!!

The bucket just is how I felt the day we had to leave the beach. It just is lonely, waiting for my daughter to play. I know exactly how that bucket feels.

The Cure for all that Ails!

2008-10-09T22:33:00.004-04:00

have you ever been on the perfect vacation? well, it seems as though i have been on so many, that i cannot even pick the best one...but! this vacation was one of the best ever! playing on the beach truly does seem to cure all that ails me! i think it cured the ails of my family too! all we did the entire trip was play in the ocean or in the pool. we spent the majority of our time at the beach playing in the water, chasing gulls, digging for sand fleas, searching for the perfect sea shell, sun bathing, wave jumping, building sand castles, crab hunting, fishing, body surfing and just plain ole walking. this trip was a much needed one, not only for me, but for three worn out kids and one husband who seems to never catch a break.

we enjoyed everything. the kids did not even mind when i woke them at 6:30 am to go walking on the beach to start our day. i love watching them play together. i used to think that at some point they would quit playing together and start disliking each other. well, they proved me wrong once again and am i glad! they did not even argue while we were in the car on the way to the beach. that alone is greatly monumental.

i know i am blessed. i feel it and live it each day. but it is trips like this one that allow me to sit back and enjoy what i already know. life is good. so good, in fact, that i feel guilty.

2008-09-24T09:35:00.004-04:00

for those of you who know me well, you know that it has been a goal of mine to be able to find a blue or gray heron on the water and to take some awesome pictures. most of the time, i see the beautiful birds and do not have my camera. there has been a time or two when i see them wading and fishing, and i take to long admiring them, then, in a flash, they are flying away.

anyway, i saw this guy and took about 50 pictures. this is the only one that was decent. the rest were either blurry, or the smarty was hiding behind some tall grass. i did enjoy the thrill of being able to see him. watching him was breathtaking...then taking as many pictures as i could made my heart race.

now, this grasshopper has been with our family for about 2 months. at least i think it is the same guy. he is living in my flower garden. he might be eating my flowers, but i really do not care. there are so many lizards, spiders, bugs, snakes, etc, that i figure if he is meant to be dead, then nature will get him. he is kinda pretty, don't you think? i do believe he posed for me because when i would reposition the camera and my self, he would change his position and just stare at me. my daughter goes outside every day to look for him and it would seem that he waits for her, because he is always able to be found in the same spot every day. wow. life inspires me...even if it is in the form of a bug...because that bug brings a smile to my childs face.

Squirrel!

2008-09-17T11:38:00.003-04:00

every single time i see a squirrel, i think exclamation points. not that i get scared or anxious or anything. they just are so exciting and hyper!

just wanted to share this little fella. i wonder what his plans are for the day?

Music and my life

2008-09-16T16:24:00.003-04:00

for any one who knows me, they know that besides my family, music is a huge part of my life. i wish i could figure how to post a link to every single song that has meaning to me here on this web site. my very favorite is "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. i wish i could have seen him perform that song live and in person. i am now listening to a song called "My Girl" by a one time wonder group called Chilliwack. no wonder they were a one hit wonder...i have not heard this song since 1982 and i still love it so much. i am a waling billboard and advertisement for youtube.

anyway, i have found so many songs on the internet that i truly never thought i would hear again. there are songs that just make me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. and some that bring back some pretty unpleasant memories...but i really won't listen to those, because i decide my mood and if i don't like it, then i am not going to listen to it. i sound like a teenager, don't i?

so, if you have never been to youtube to look for a favorite song, i can tell you that i have found Little Bitty Pretty One", by Thurston Harris, (my brother sang that to me as a child!), "Smoke gets in My Eyes" by the Platters, and gosh, there are intirely so many that i could spend all day here.

So...go to youtube and have a very nice, reminiscient day! i have, i will and i do!

Where is Beauty?

2008-09-03T09:32:00.003-04:00

you know, taking pictures can be pretty tiring. that is why sometimes, i do not post a photo. and when i do decide to just make a post, i try to make it meaningful and heartfelt, whether a photo is involved or not. sometimes i probably reveal more than is needed and other times, not enough.

the reason i write this today is because, on my last post, i tried to reveal a side that not many people are aware of. it really does not matter to anyone but me that my father died. i was not trying to gain sympathy or any type of pity. i was simply trying to put how i was feeling one particular day into words.

not to sound mean or hateful, but, if you visit my blog and do not like what you see, then just go away and come back another day. if you think i should post only beautiful photos, then, hey, if you come back periodically, then beautiful pictures will be here when i feel like posting them. and if i still do not post what you like, then, simply, don't come back. i won't have what you are looking for here.

beauty is not only in "things". it is in heartfelt emotions, gestures, actions and can be found most everywhere, in everything and everyone.

when i started this blog, i did intend to post a lot of pictures of things i find beautiful on our family hiking excursions. but, instead of just on hiking trips, i found beauty in my backyard, down my street, in my neighborhood, my community and among the people around me. and through words, i post about people, since i do not want to post photos of people.

if my opening up and letting a little bit of my heart fall onto the pages of this blog makes certain people feel uncomfortable, then so be it. the fact of life is, we live to die. death is not an easy thing to deal with. it involves so many types of emotions that cannot be wrapped up into one book, one movie, one anything. it takes a lifetime to achieve death, and only through death do we know what it is like. i know how I feel when someone dies. i have felt that feeling to many times, and i can be certain that i will feel it many more times before i, myself, die.

on my last post, apparently, i struck a nerve with some people who did not comment for everyone to see, but through e-mails. they decided to tell me that i was wrong in asking for sympathy and pity on my very public blog. my response to that is as follows: i was not asking for sympathy or pity. i was asking for a bit of understanding in the fact that someone i didn't even know brought out so much emotion in my heart, makes me cry, brings a yearning in my mind that has yet to cease. yet, i feel this way about many other people who i have lost in my life. if i want to write about my dad, my mom, my grandparents, my friends, my anyone, i am going to do it here. i am not going to let anyone make me feel ashamed that i still cry over people i love, who i cannot touch, talk with, sit with, see, smell, and hear. i miss all of those things and more about everyone i have ever lost in my life.

so, where is beauty? it is wherever you choose to find it. i tend to find it in tears, voices, photos, sounds, color, aroma's...really, just about anything that i feel i can even remotely grasp. beauty does not have to be "alive" physically. i love life. i love everything about it. but i also love those who had life and find beauty in the way my life has been altered due to the loss of those i have loved. life is precious. i find the most beauty in that.

1st Lt. Eugene J. Majure

2008-08-20T09:09:00.002-04:00

well, i am not sure that i should even make this post. i tried to get a picture and post it here on this blog, but all i could get was the link to the site i visit frequently. i have no pictures to post and cannot get the photo to load up that i would like to post. i am feeling quite frustrated right now and a little upset too.

somehow, i think that after all of these years, the picture on the Virtual Wall will evolve into a present day photo and let me know exactly how my dad would look today had he not died 42 years ago.

each year, i manage to remember that August 6th was the day he was born, and August 18 is the day he died. no matter how i try to convince myself that he died for a cause he believed in, i wonder why he had to die. i still cry and wonder how my life would be different had he lived. now, don't get me wrong. i think i have the greatest life of all. i am blessed more so than i feel i deserve. i have the greatest family a person could ask for and i have most needs fulfilled. i have no regrets in my life...really. the small things are the big things and the big things really do not matter in the grand scheme of things.

my point of this entry today is really that i wish i had been able to know my father. i am certain he was a man of honor, a respectful son, a doting father and a caring sibling. i have a very hard time imagining him with 70 year old life lines on his face, BUT, i do not have a hard time imagining the feel of his nose, the laughter coming from his mouth and the hugs he could have given me.

i know that one day i will be fortunate enough to see him again. the only difference will be that at that time, i wont have tears of sadness running down my cheek.

so, Happy Belated Birthday to the Greatest man i have never known. And, may you rest in peace forever.

All in a Day

2008-08-13T17:04:00.002-04:00

Well, i just felt like writing today. No pictures, as I have been looking at things with just my eyes and not through a lens lately. I still see all of the beauty and my mouth waters for my camera, but I truly needed to leave it in the case, in the drawer at home.

Life is simple if you allow it. All this has come to me after I had a little bit of a slow down this past week. Kids are hyper-active and on hyper drive. They certainly have no desire to slow down, unless they want to. I however, felt the need for less speed this past week and truly enjoyed it. The kids simply took my lead and read books on the sofa, went outside and looked at flowers, bugs, clouds and our precious dogs. They were happy to be home with their uncool parents and actually enjoyed a foot rub, and back rub and some talking time. Honestly, so many of my friends tell me that the teen years are horrible. That I won't even be able to stand to be in the same room with my teen and I will be so looking forward to the time when they leave for college. Well, I must admit, that while I am not the first person my teen comes to for advice, he does still come to me and his father. He is good and kind. He is growing up and growing vertical :)! He does not rebel, but he is sassy at times. Nothing we as parents can't handle. I love being the mother of a teen, even if it does make me a little stressed at times. How on earth could this process be horrible? Because he disagrees with me? My goodness...if that were the case, I would get along with no one!!!!

The younger they are, the more innocent they are, that is for sure. I had two of my kids sit on my lap this week and they just needed to be hugged. I relished every minute of those hugs and kisses. How could any one deny such a simple request? I can almost cry as I sit here typing.

Anyway, back to basics. Those are the basics. Life. Slowing down and listening is something I have a terrible time doing. Hearing what is said often miss is more important than just listening. I know that one day we will be in this old house all by ourselves. Until then, I will relish in every crazy moment. I will try to empathize when I truly do not know how. I will be a better mother.

The camera cannot capture the moments I saw this week. The camera can show some of the emotion, but how can it capture the tender moment of an eight year old hugging her daddy when he leaves for work? Or a ten year old when he painstakingly creates a lego space ship that he has spent days working on? Or, a teenager when he feels lonely and friendless? Cameras only see what we want them to...always.

I had a great camera free week. I will get behind the lens again soon, because I have some work I need to do. But, I think that while I am at home, the tenderness, the concern, the pride, the love, the genuine smiles, the laughter, the lack of speed and the need for family will be the priorities. This has been a good week.

More Zoo-Ing!

2008-08-06T11:06:00.007-04:00

howdy all! well, summer is officially over in the donovan household, as school started this past monday. bummer. we were having entirely to much fun for school to begin again and each of us is a little sullen at the fact that we won't get to play all day until the next day off of school. we have lots of those though, so, we have something to look forward to!

the pic's of the elephant, zebra and the parrot were taken at the knoxville zoo. i promise, if you ever get the chance to visit our zoo, you will not regret it! our zoo is so big and so wonderful that you can't get through it in a day. we usually take two days to go to visit every exhibit...even the ones we don't find interesting. each year they take one animal exhibit and update it, giving the animals a better place to live. this year, the updating goes to the lions. they deserve a special place, but i feel that the reptiles are getting the short end of the stick. those poor snakes, lizards and crocs! i heard they get next year, so, i reckon patience can be a virtue for all creatures.

isn't this elephant beautiful? he was aggravated about something. he was pacing and snorting and stomping his foot. he was not charging though, which i felt was a good thing. even in his bad mood, he was very cooperative in his picture taking. maybe he just wanted me to take an excellent picture. i think i did a good job for him, don't you?

the zebra was very photogenic as well. he stood at the side of the fence and posed for me as i clicked about 100 pictures. he would move his head from one side to the other, look at me, turn around so that i could get his other side, then turn around again. i had a great time with him.

as for the parrot, well, you might know him from a variety of talk shows. his name is Einstein and he talks a lot. he is rather attractive and enunciates well for a bird. we were all so hot this day and just wanted some relief from the heat. he gave us a good show and helped us all to take our minds of the sweat that was dripping from our bodies. he was eager to please and his holder was pretty awesome too.

and lastly, the fence...i took that at the Hermitage in Nashville a couple of weekends ago. i thought it was curious, as it opened to a thick, grassy, weed filled and wooded area. i wonder what was there a hundred years ago? the Hermitage farm is where President Andrew Jackson lived during the latter part of his life. it is a pretty neat place to visit and the tour was very informative. the wallpaper on the entry way is over 100 years old, and it looks like it was hand painted. it was a picture summary of The Odyssey. very intricate and colorful still. had i been allowed to photograph the wallpaper, i would have posted it here, but flashes are not allowed inside the home. preservation is their top priority. everything in the house was so lovely and functional. every square foot of the house was used for living area. whatever happened to building homes like that? well, here i go trailing off again!

i hope you all have an awesome wednesday. enjoy everything around you or someone else will!

Max Patch

2008-07-23T13:08:00.004-04:00

hi there! as you can see, i have not redone this ole blog. i have been deemed as lazy, so, lazy is as lazy does. however, i did get some magnificent pictures while we were away, and this time, i cannot find a favorite picture. we went to this place in north carolina called max patch. i am not kidding when i tell you it is the most beautiful place i have ever been to in my life. yes, i am 42 years old, and this place takes the first place award in my mind. my husband thinks i am kidding when i say so, but max patch is so isolated, so open, so filled with life, so picturesque, so colorful, peaceful, adventurous, and my list could go on and on. we were coming home from asheville, north carolina and my husband said, "hey, let's go here. i went once on my way home from a retreat with a couple of buddies and i think you would enjoy it." so, we got off the harmon den exit, and traveled for about 40 minutes or so. i was thinking that my husband had lost his mind for thinking i wanted to sit in the car any longer. but, when we arrived to the patch, i was just amazed. i do not have the right type of lens for this type of landscape photography and i wish i did so i could share them. the pictures i have only give a glimpse of the beauty that was there.

i have never seen "The Sound of Music" (i know, i know! i am probably the only one!) but this is what i picture that movie to look like. max patch is part of the appalacian trail and i would think this is the place where the weary rested to regain strength, composure, faith and insight. we stretched out on top of the mountain and for thirty minutes, my children and i stared at the sky, checking out the clouds and their shapes, and the colors of the evening sky as the sun was setting. one could see for miles and miles without any commercial or residential development. mountains surrounded us, the sky covered us and i cannot think of a more perfect way to spend an evening with my family.

i hope the pictures give you a little bit of the joy they give me. not only is life beautiful, but so is time. the forty minutes spent going up this mountain was worth the drive, and the time i spent wondering if i should have my husband committed for insanity for thinking i would enjoy the ride...well, i should be the one committed for doubting him.

have a nice weekend! and, enjoy your life. it is the only one you have.

a little break

2008-07-11T13:44:00.005-04:00

i am going to be taking a little break from the blog...

we are going away for a couple of days and i will update when i return. hopefully, i will re-do this ole blog and make it better.

these are some more pictures i took while we were at the zoo. i love the zoo, don't you?

the little fella sleeping is a red panda. i am proud to say that our zoo has the highest success rate of breeding red panda's in the world! they look almost like raccoons, but if they (zoo officials) say it is a panda, then who am i to argue?

and, i am so enamored with mushrooms. until i noticed them (which was really just a few months ago) i had no idea of the beauty they held. the textures are so different from one part of the mushroom to the other. wow. and the colors? so many shades of one color. amazing.

and the frog...he is cute, isn't he? reminded me of the Frog Princess. a very cool book! and OH! the name of the book i referred to on my last post is "The Boy Who Was Followed Home". It was only illustrated by Steven Kellogg. Mary someone wrote it. awesome kids book if you ever want to read it. also, it is not about rhino's. it is about hippos. READ IT!!!

and that hissing cockroach? gross. i HAD to take a picture of it by demand of kids! but it totally was creepy and slimy. i am sure they get a bad rap, but any living thing that can live for three weeks without its head is just plain ole creepy.

the snail just happened to be in the right place at the right time. no exhibit for him...just me finding him under a leaf. cute, huh?

have a great weekend and a great week. talk to everyone soon!

happy days!

There is not enough time to do it all...

2008-06-30T17:26:00.007-04:00

Wow! It seems like forever since we went to the zoo. There was so much to see and do today! In three and a half hours we only got to see an inkling of what we wanted to see. All of the kids (there were seven!) were thrilled beyond words. My very favorite part about today, was not only being with my kids, but the wonderment they still find when they go to the zoo. The butterfly exhibit brought out the kid in everyone. My three kids stood perfectly still like their grandmom taught them when they were toddlers. The other kids jumped around and tried desperately to catch one, only to be frustrated. The butterflies knew exactly what they were doing though!

Isn't the bear the epitome of a lazy, hot day? I wanted to go cuddle up to that bear,(I really know I can't, but I like to pretend) grab a good book and just enjoy the laziness!

The rhino's looked like they were waiting for something exciting to happen. The sight of them reminded me of a children's book written and illustrated by Steven Kellogg...but for the life of me I cannot remember the name of it. I guess that will be a chore for another day...which is to find that book. I love today. I love kids. I love life. I surely cannot think of one unpleasant part about today. Well, I guess having to leave was a downer, but, we can always go back and I think next week we will. Check back to see if we really make it!

molly and delilah

2008-06-26T08:03:00.004-04:00

these are some pictures of my dirty ole dogs. they are going to the groomer tomorrow, so, they will look like clean ole dogs when i make the next post! i think molly and delilah are going to feel very good after a good bath! and when they get home, the first thing they will do is roll around in the nice, red tennessee mud. molly actually has an orange tint to her fur right now. delilah never really looks dirty, but she sure does smell it!

have a great thursday!

2008-06-22T00:12:00.003-04:00

just what makes a pretty flower pretty? is it the petals? the blooms? the colors of the leaves and the petals? the stems? how about the buds? i guess it would be the whole entire picture. no one picture today is prettier than the other, so here i share!

i was trying to get a pretty picture of these magnolia blooms and found this little bee hiding inside of it. there were all of these droppings from the buds of the magnolias inside of the blooms and the bees seemed to find something they liked in there. after hearing all about the gloom and doom of honey bees, i was surprised to see these guys buzzing around a magnolia tree. i got kind of excited too. now i know there is a honey comb somewhere nearby! i really am not sure if these are actually honeybees, but they look like honey bees, so they must be!

anyway, this was the highlight of my day...enjoy!

Mushroom!

2008-06-19T15:53:00.003-04:00

Whoever would have thought a yucky mushroom that you find in the yard would be so pretty? I never noticed the folds on the bottom until i came across this one. I guess the gnome using it got tired of it and wanted a fresher model!

moth or butterfly?

2008-06-18T21:23:00.005-04:00

Well, I was just minding my own business when the brown little fella landed on on the chair and sat there. After a couple of minutes, I figured he wanted to have a picture made. So, I obliged and took about 50. He sat there, fanned his wings and stuck that little curly thing out of his mouth for quite a while. I think this one is a moth, but not quite sure. Very friendly and very polite too.

Now, the orange and black one was a little more aggressive with wanting to have his picture made. While I was planting some new plants, this guy flew in my face, on my hair, on my arm and decided to stay on my hand for the longest time. When I finally got him to land on one of the garden chairs, he sat there and fanned his wings for about 10 minutes. No lie. I thought he might be sick or something. I went inside to get my camera, and guess what? He was still there, fanning his wings. I truly thought he would have gone for one of the flowers we have in the back yard. I guess he was vain, and wanted to stay on something that brought out the orange in his wings! So I took literally about 100 pictures. I think about 10 are really pretty. I had to laugh, because for so long I have wanted to get a good picture of a butterfly and within a couple of days, I have these! Wow!

As for the spider web...well, I just liked the way the setting sun was shining on the web. The web looked very shiny and wet and it had not even rained. The spider was no where to be found though. I feel like I had hit paydirt with all of the pretty things that just fell in to my camera lens!

2008-06-12T15:47:00.002-04:00

I will be back next week with some new pictures. Have a great Father's Day and keep all fathers in your prayers.

Jake Thomas

2008-06-10T12:59:00.005-04:00

For almost three days I have been pondering how I would make this post. Words usually come easy for me and this blog has been somewhat of a Godsend as it allows me to say what I want without actually having to hear myself say it.

Saturday, June 7th has turned into a day I would like to forget. Jake Thomas, 13 years old, friend, neighbor, connoisseur of chocolate and most desserts, died. He was our next door neighbor. He was a true friend to my kids. He enjoyed most things and never complained about anything. He was a strong kid who was the very first person we met when we moved into this neighborhood almost 4 years ago. His first question to us was "Do you have any boys that I could play with?" The kid had a knack for making laughter seem so easy. He also had the ability to make you think about how precious life really is and how just living in this world is not enough. Do something. He said that a lot.

Jake's family is suffering the unimaginable right now. I can't imagine how they feel. I do not want to. Compassion is coming so easily right now, but the empathy is a struggle. I feel so guilty because I can't even make myself try to understand what they are feeling. I feel guilty because I have my kids to hug anytime I want. When it is time to come home for dinner, I know my kids will be coming. I just can't imagine. How do I comfort my kids? I can't fix this. Ever. I feel completely helpless. There are no words or actions that can help. I can only be "there" when they need me and do whatever little thing it is that they need. My heart is pouring out sorrow and I don't know how to give it away.

Jake's family is so incredible. The never complain. They love everyone and everything. They are so awesome as parents. I can remember many nights watching them play basketball as a family, night after night and wondering how they could stay up that late playing. I would give anything to see that again. I know his family would give anything to be able to play those basketball games again.

That little boy held so many hearts in the palm of his hand. He was just a little boy. For me, the comfort comes in knowing that he died doing what he loved most...which was running. Our family has been sharing memories of Jake and we know that he will never be forgotten in our hearts.

Jake, rest in peace and we know that you are not gone, but like your family said, you have gone to find a friend.

We love you.

Farmer's Paradise

2008-06-06T15:50:00.005-04:00

I wonder is Snoop Dog would change "Gangsta's Paradise" to "Farmer's Paradise"?

These two pictures are my "Ode to a Farm" favorites for today. I really, really, want to live on a farm. I love the color contrast of the hay against the blue sky, and the way the sun shines on the grass beside a big barn...well, there is so much beauty in that. I know there is much hard work in farming, as my grandparents did it. But, you have to admit, that when you do farm, or garden seriously, there is a pleasure of knowing that you grew and raised what is being shared at the dinner table. That to me is God showing us how good he really is. Plus, I think of Little House on the Prarie. (My favorite television show...I watch it every day that I am able!!) Mostly the books because my imagination always went crazy when I read those as a child. I have some kind of admiration for those who lived during that time, because they had to have known that they were living on the edge of everything new...industry, information, medicine. Anyway, I could get way off track here...which is so normal for me!

The colors are so intense to me and I think that is what I love so much about them. So, Enjoy!

Kite Flying

2008-05-29T16:38:00.003-04:00

We flew kites. How fun and boy, did it make me feel like a little kid again. Of course, I have no idea on how to actually fly a kite. My husband and I ran around the yard trying to get the thing up in the air. Finally, it went up and stayed for a good while. The sky was filled with wind, clouds, sunshine and life. I wish I could have captured the look on my husband's face when he got the kite to stay in the sky. He looked like a little kid. It was a wonderful look and I remembered all over again exactly why I love him. This was also a time to sit and listen while other sounds were out there. Boy, being a good listener goes well beyond listening to the quiet. I am trying to get better at it, and I truly think I am. Maybe my husband and I should fly a kite every day!

thistles and seagulls

2008-05-28T06:13:00.004-04:00

i think these flowers are so beautiful. they have so much color, and when the finches get their food from them, the colors are so magnificent. i wish i had a picture of this to share, but, i have not been able to capture that one yet. seems like most of the images i want to share are stuck in my brain, because i see most beauty without the camera in my hands. kinda like life, isn't it? my son took this picture and he was most pleased with himself. he actually read the book on how to use my camera and is teaching me all kinds of good stuff!

today is a rainy day. i am so glad. this means that the kids will stay inside and read a book. we got "Johnathon Livingston Seagull" from the library yesterday and we are all excited to begin reading it. i hope my kids can learn from this book. i hope they learn how to fly and to be themselves. i do not know how this book ends...i certainly hope it ends happily, because that is how i want my kids lives to end...happily ever after.

Happy Memorial Day

2008-05-26T06:59:00.002-04:00

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE~

I watched the flag pass by one day...
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it...
and then, he stood at ease.

I looked at him in uniform...
so young, so tall, so proud;
with hair cut square and eyes alert,
he'd stand out in any crowd.

How many pilot's planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers graves?
No, Freedom is NOT Free.

I heard the sound of taps one night,
when everything was still...
I listened to the bugler play,
And felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times...
that taps had meant "AMEN".
When a flag had covered a coffin,
of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children...
of the mothers and the wives,
of fathers, sons, and husbands,
with interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard,
at the bottom of the sea...
of unmarked graves in Arlington...
No, Freedom is NOT Free

~Unknown~

Please pray for our soldiers every where! And, feel free to visit the Virtual Wall...1st Lt. Eugene J. Majure is there and he loves visitors. I am proud to call him my father.

Kids Eyes

2008-05-23T22:45:00.004-04:00

My kids had my camera for the day. They decided to take some pictures and I decided to post them. I really enjoy all of the pictures and I hope you do too. I think they have a future in photography...at least if they get professional training!

Sad Day

2008-05-22T15:49:00.002-04:00

Well, it is a sad day here at our home. The little birds, Chickadees, to be exact, have died. All of them. Even the mom. Some mean ole cat jumped into the wreath and killed 6 babies and the mom. I am so sick about this. The cat does not belong to us. It does not really matter who the thing belongs to, because it just did what cats do. I am sick because my kids were really upset to see birds strung all over the front porch. How do I end a post like this one?

Beauty

2008-05-19T22:15:00.004-04:00

Well, today I needed a beauty fix...so, I went outside and got one. I love flowers. I love the colors, I love the way they stretch toward the sun. I love the way they share so effortlessly. I love the way the stems hold them up high for all to see, and I love the way they cover the ground and the way they help lizards and other things hide. (I saw a blue tailed skink today, but I was to slow with the camera, so, no picture of the lil guy!) Anyway, flowers are a happy way to look at a long day that seems to have lost a bit of it's luster by 9:00am.

I like the purple tulip the best. I just like the way it is all by itself, confident that it's beauty is superior. The dahlia is so ornate and decorative that I did not even want to put it outside. How the heck do flowers do that?
The other flowers are just pretty. I love pretty.

My day was not all bad...it was mostly my attitude toward things. I guess the old saying is true that it is all on how you look at it as to how it looks. Life is beautiful, no matter how I look at it. And right now, I am looking at it like it should be seen...with my heart, ears and eyes wide open, and with my big mouth shut. Nothing says I love you better than that.

Another Black Widow Spider

2008-05-17T18:42:00.005-04:00

My, oh, my! Sometimes I wonder if I have a creepiness about myself. I mean, I am totally into finding these spiders...but really not just black widows...all spiders. I think they are very interesting creatures and they really have a beauty about them that cannot be explained. Think about it...Black Widows, and other spiders can throw a human being into such a fright, that they totally freeze, or paralyze upon the sight of them. I do not do that, but believe me, I do have a very healthy respect for them and would never take for granted that just because I am bigger, I am superior. When I showed these pictures to my children's pediatrician, he told me I was nuts. I really do not think I am. I just stumbled upon this spider who happened to be in my eyesight. I have never seen a black widow out in the open, much less, one that was getting ready for dinner. I did want to kill it though. But I didn't. Every time I think about killing spiders, I remember a Ziggy cartoon from when I was a kid. The cartoon showed Ziggy with a spider on the bottom of his shoe. Then he felt so guilty for killing something that really had no chance because Ziggy was BIGGER. These spiders are dangerous, but only if you provoke them, or try to aggravate them with a stick, finger or something like that. I could be so wrong, but, at 42 years old, I have seen them all of my life and left them alone. Never have I seen one in my house. I kinda feel like if they do not get into my house, I won't go into theirs. I feel like I am on a soap box, but I can't help it. If I killed everything that was smaller than me, the only thing that would be left is my husband, and other things that would hunt me and kill me. So, I choose to respect all life, leave nature to itself and hope that others will appreciate life as I do. After all, life really is beautiful, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem.

A large family

2008-05-15T05:25:00.003-04:00

Well, this nest is small, but a small home is a nice home. There are 3 little guys in this nest and boy, are they cute. When I clicked my tongue, they all lifted their heads and opened their mouths. Precious.

The only eggs that have hatched in this bunch are the ones that were speckled with lots of brown. The ones that had less color have yet to hatch, and I am wondering if it is because of the color difference. Maybe those are girl eggs? It certainly would be like a girl to keep us waiting, huh?

Growing Fast

2008-05-13T08:48:00.004-04:00

This little robin is coming along quite nicely. This is kind of a cool experience for me. Watching this little fella go from egg to this is simply amazing. His mom is surely in love with her little one, as she is so defensive when I go near the nest. So, I do not go near the nest that often. Maybe once a week. I can only imagine what would go through my mind and what I would do if some stranger were to come into my children's rooms and take their pictures randomly. I would go berserk, for sure.

I will post a new picture soon, with some other little additions and some interesting stuff I saw this weekend. So many pictures, and not enough room to post.

2008-05-08T07:24:00.004-04:00

Well, the baby robin is coming right along. His mother is very protective. She was so still, and then when I snapped the picture of her, she swoopped out and actually tried to peck my head. I guess I should lay low for a while and let her do her mothering without interruption.

Isn't this baby precious? I actually like noticing the differences between last week and this week. There were three eggs in this nest but unfortunately, two fell out and cracked. This little fella is very lucky. I have noticed that robin's tend to make good nests, but they are not built in very sturdy places.

As far as the other eggs that are in the wreath on my front door...well, I have not been to the front porch in two days. That poor bird must understand that we really are not trying to get her and her nest. We put a sign on the porch that says "All visitors must use the side door. No Exceptions. Active Bird Nest and Mom is tired."

The kids actually follow the directions better than the adults. I could give my take on that, but who would want to read it?

So, next week will bring more pics of pending arrivals and a bird toddler. I can't wait!