Time Flies...

As the saying goes, "Time Flies!"  And, it has flown since my last post.  The ups have definitely outweighed the downs and my knowledge base has broadened vastly.  The older I get, the more I tend to let down the barriers and the feeling of "holding back" and hesitations just disappear as a vapor of mist disappearing when it is touched by the warmth of the early morning.

Life becomes easier to understand...you reflect on your past and realize the time you spent as a child before you ventured out on your own, were the best years.  At the time, you didn't believe it...and, if I had been told this then, I would have denied it! Your world then was only consumed with your immediate family and close friends.  Now, your world is opened up in a vast array of personalities.

The mountain vegetation is sealed as if to protect the new growth for spring. Ornamental grasses lay dormant and show off their tans waiting a good snow and hard freeze.  Soon, the ground will give way to warmth and the dormant bulbs nestled in their cocoons will begin to emerge and life will be born again in the garden of their souls.

My new passion is art journaling.  It is healing and stress free. My feelings emerge on the page and I am able to move forward, not backward.  Free to paint...free to create...free to show all emotions by the colors and media expresses...free to be who I should have been.

I've moved my craft studio since last post...exchanged places with the playroom over the garage.  More space...a window with a view...and stations for each crafting desire.  Love it overwhelmingly!

Good day my friends....enjoy your life today, we are not promised a tomorrow!
  

It's Been A Long Time Coming

WOW, the time really gets away. Hard to believe my last blog entry was in December, 2008! A lot has happened to me since then. Over the next few days, I will try to bring everyone up-to-date and get back in the swing of things.

Until then...

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND

HAPPY NEW YEAR

FROM

POPI & GIGI

AT

BRITISH COLONIAL HILTON

IN

NASSAU, BAHAMAS!

Our Trip to Wyoming

Broken Relationships

Ever hear of someone being "disowned" by their extended family? Recently, a friend shared her experience with me. I want to share my thoughts on this unfortunate situation because I am sure some of you can identify.

As it was told to me, my friend married a man in the late 60's. He had two younger sisters (one about a year younger and the other sister was about 17 years younger). His mother didn't really care for the fact that her son was marrying out of his faith since they were strict Pentecostal and his fiancée (my friend) was from another faith. From the beginning, my friend knew her mother-in-law really didn't care for her. Only because her son had made his choice, she just gave the impression she just tolerated her. As it appeared, that was happening with the rest of the family… it seemed as though the family she inherited by marriage never really liked her from the beginning…they were just putting up a front and being nice because she happened to be married to their brother.


My friend's fiancée and his next youngest sister told their mother they were getting married within two weeks of each other. Wow, what a blow to my friend's soon to be mother-in-law….not only was she losing a son and daughter to marriage, but her live-in babysitters for their four year old sister!

Shortly before my friend married, her fiancée signed up for a tour in the military. Three weeks after their wedding, he shipped off to boot camp and insisted my friend move in with his family even though my friend's family lived just across town…that sure seemed strange to me. Nevertheless, she did as her husband requested and moved in with her in-laws. She became an instant babysitter for her husband's little sister. She did not have transportation, so when the mother and father-in-law went off to work, she was stuck there to clean, cook and babysit. She told me that she was very unhappy in those first few weeks without her husband…at the beckon-call of her in-laws and she couldn't do anything about it!

She told me that when her husband came back from boot camp they didn't even have the first night to themselves! His mother wouldn't allow my friend to go pick him up from the bus station!

From the time she married into her husband's family, she was not liked by any of the family. As hard as she would try to fit in with this family, the harder it seemed she was being shunned. The only person his family ever cared about was her husband.

She told me how holidays were totally one-sided…since their first assignment was in another state, they drove home for holidays. Each one was spent mainly with his family while her family was ignored. She didn't have any say so in the matter, so she just kept this bottled up inside. Boy, was my heart feeling for her at this point in the story. A newlywed with a domineering mother-in-law….yes, the mother-in-law, according to my friend, called all the shots…the father-in-law just went along with her.

Well, as my friend continued to tell her story of this same scenario over and over again, it was quite evident she was in a catch 22!

My friend went on to tell me many stories of situations which happened over the 30+ years she was married. The one statement she kept saying over and over in the conversation was the fact that her husband would NEVER confront his family nor take his wife's side in any situation. According to my friend, there were some tough situations over the years…my friend told me that she got to the point she would just as soon not be around his family since they didn't like her and certainly made it very evident when she came around them.

Her husband died a few years back. All she had left were her children and grandchildren. His family completely forgot about her. The only time she would hear from his sisters was when she initiated the communication.

After her husband died, she learned to speak for herself, take up for herself and make it on her own. She realized that open communication was the best policy. She learned that it was okay to speak her feelings and opinions. She didn't have to keep EVERYTHING to herself and allow it to eat her alive!

Then it happened…a situation occurred in "the family" which she thought it was okay for her to speak freely about…in the past, the two sisters certainly spoke freely about everyone else in their family. However, in this case, honesty was not the best policy and she was told to never have anything else to do with their family.

My friend cried as she told me her story. But, as I told her...she is now free! As she told me story after story of her life with this family for over 30 years, it seemed to me she led such a strict and sheltered life. She had a mind of her own, but was never allowed to use it! She was under the complete direction of her husband and his family. Even though she loved her husband so much and lived to serve him and his needs until the day he died, she was now free to be herself…and if his family disliked her as much as it appeared they did, she wasn't obligated to do anything for them ever again. It was okay….it is okay…why waste your energy on people who don't like you?

She tried for over 30 years to be what they wanted her to be so they would like her….it didn't work! She gave of herself more than she ever had to….they still could have cared less about her! So, I told her to stop…to let them be…she was released from them.

So, I say to my friend today, be free! Enjoy your life! Thank goodness you have now learned you don't have to try to please everybody because I think you have learned that it is impossible! You do the best you can today and let tomorrow take care of itself.

This is one of those times to take a deep breath....realize you are now free....and drink a big old glass of lemonade!

Season, Reason and Lifetime

This writing has been around for awhile. It is probably more valuable to me now than it was the first time I read it. It is worth sharing with all my blog readers...

SEASON, REASON AND LIFETIME

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.
When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a

REASON,

It is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with
guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there
for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on
your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do
something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire
fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been
answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a
SEASON,

It is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn.
They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME

relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
those things you must build upon in order
to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (any way); and
put what you have learned to use
in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
Thank you for being a part of my life......

Author Unknown

Filling Up For The Trip South

The 20-30 hummingbirds who graced our yard this summer are fattening up to make their migration southward for the winter. Originally, we had seven feeders hanging on our decks. Now, since the little birds are fattening up to depart, I have narrowed down their feeding stations to four, all placed on one shepherds pole.

This was the view yesterday after IKE whizzed through our area. Don't know if you can see all of them, but this gives you a good idea of the frantic way they are feeding right now. I hope they remember how well we fed them this year and plan to return to our decks next spring.

Watching them makes me happy...surely if God watches over these little creatures as tiny as they are and provides for their needs, then He will certainly take care of us...His PLANS are better than ours could ever be!!!

"He (God) loves each one of us, as if there were only one of us."

--St. Augustine--

Do Nothing Days

Here's to a day of doing absolutely NOTHING....and realizing that it is okay to do NOTHING. All my life I have been on schedules, kept task lists, hurried to this meeting, jumped through hoops to PLEASE everyone, thought I HAD to "keep up with the neighbors", and the list goes on and on. Now that I will soon be 57 years old, I have given myself permission to RELAX!!!! Thanks Popi, your message is finally sinking in....LIFE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE COMPLICATED!

So, here's to all of you out there in STRESS-LAND, take off your shoes, pour yourself a big glass of lemonade, realize the weight of the world IS NOT on YOUR shoulders, and RELAX for a change. You will be glad you did and your body will totally work better!!!!

"STRESS + WORRY = ILLNESS!"

"REST + RELAXATION = BETTER HEALTH!"

Have a stress-free day!

Harmony

One of life's simple pleasures on our mountain is watching the Hummingbirds feed. We have four feeders evenly spaced hanging on our East deck. Early morning or late afternoon, there is no surprise to see up to 16 little fighters diving into each other scrambling for a perch on the feeders. They dive bomb each other like fighter jets as they hon in on one of the feeders. After taking possession of one of the four perches, it is theirs! Only when they feel generous do they allow other birds to feed with them. This is one of the rare moments I captured of them feeding in "HARMONY".

Birthdays Are So Much Fun!

Today Thomas turns 3 years old!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LITTLE WILD MAN!

Sunday afternoon, Jamie and Jan had a birthday party for Thomas at Chuck E Cheese. He and his friends had so much fun with Chuckie and the gang.

After pizza and drinks, the fun begins when you blow out the candles, eat cake and of course, open presents!

He tore into them like he only had five minutes to open them all! And, you do need big brother (on left of Thomas with striped shirt and blond hair), James, to help open and discover just what was in all those brightly wrapped boxes and colorful sacks.

He loved all the presents he received, but I think he liked the Geo Trax from Mommy and Daddy the best! After Thomas opened all his gifts and marched around with Chuck E. Cheese, it was on to more fun spending tokens playing all the wonderful games. Mommy and Daddy really planned a fun and exciting party!

###########

Another little man, Lady Di's Little Doc Thompson, turns 3 today too!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MOMMA'S LITTLE BOY!

He had a delicious bowl of bones with three candles...fake of course....he would eat them (took me forever to snap this pic...he was whining because he didn't understand why Momma would fix a big bowl of bones and not allow him to eat them).

Tonight Daddy will cook t-bone steak so Doc can have the bone as a REAL treat!

Do You Think He Enjoyed It???!!!!.

Scrap Day at Gigi and Popi's Cabin

Once a week, Jan comes to the cabin and we scrapbook. This week she brought Leah and Jordyn to make their lunch pails for the new school year. They had a blast. Of course, we did have a few Sonic breaks...got to have that good crushed ice!

Unexpected surprises makes life so interesting....we may scrap, shop or just sit on the porch and drink sweet tea and relax. This week, the girls took advantage of the big water toy and slip-n-slide. They had so much fun.

A few weeks ago, our familly played on the slide....even at my age, I had fun playing on the water toy....boy, did I ever pay for it the day after!

Glad Spring Has Sprung

It was a long winter for me....I hibernated most of the time.....guess sometimes your body needs to be rejuvenated and I was almost past the point of no return. We all have down times....I was as us Southerners like to say it so plainly, "lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut!" Described me to a tee. However, with the help of my doctor, encouragement from my family and happy pills, I am feeling 150% better! The arrival of the spring rains and flowers has helped me tremendously. I've been resting more and working in my flower beds. It is therapeutic for me. I love digging in the ground and planting seeds so I can watch them evolve into something beautiful.

Just wanted all you blogger friends to know I hadn't run off to some far away island! I'm back and hopefully will get back in the swing of frequent updates.

Gee, Two Snow Days In One Week!

We had another grand snow up on Carruthers Hill in Morrilton yesterday and overnight. This was the scene looking out our great room window this morning into the yard. I guess we got about 4 to 6 inches, maybe a little more in places. It sure was pretty watching it fall.

The duck is wondering when the sun is gonna shine...hold on pal, I think I can see it clearing from the West!

Snow Day

We woke up to over six inches of snow on our hill today! And, it is still snowing at 7:55AM CST! So, Popi decided he needed a dip in the hot tub which is located on our back deck. WOW! What a way to start the day.

Just couldn't resist some pics looking off our deck. Isn't the snow so pure and pristine!

Got Jellies?

White ones, red ones, pink ones, green ones, yellow ones, and so they go. As a child, I remember finding Jelly Beans in my Easter basket. I would eat all the hard outside shell of each one and then let the soft squishy center melt in my mouth (still do this!). Of course, I would end up with a multi-colored tongue afterwards. But who cared! We loved to savor each bite until the entire bag was empty.

Would love to hear your Jelly Bean story....I still love them...only now, I like Jelly Bellies - Pina colada is my favorite!

Gotta go, I've flung a craving on myself! Off to Wal-Mart to get me a bag!

Lemons-Sour or Sweet?

When I was a little girl, my Mother taught me a phrase, life lesson if you please:

"When life hands you lemons, make lemonade."

She must have been trying to teach me a lesson about not worrying about a broken relationship, broken toy or some such situation.

It wasn't until I was much older, with children of my own, that I found myself from time to time, using that same saying. They would come home from school crying about losing an item, making a bad grade on a test, having a fight with a friend and trusty old mom would dig into her words of wisdom and say the dreaded, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." I'm sure they got sick of hearing such, what I thought, was "wise?!?" advice. But, as I got older, I realized how true that saying was and how relevant...by all means, read on.

Life can deal us hefty situations sometimes...we do get handed some "lemons" along the way. Whether it be tangible, matters of the heart, relationships or monetary, at times it is hard to swallow. And, we can even feel engulfed with a feeling of sorrow over loss.

Can you identify with some of these?

• a lollipop drops and breaks into a hundred pieces
• a treasured ring is lost while swimming in the ocean
• a thought trusted friend betrays us
• picking up the pieces of our life after a storm scatters everything we owned over miles
• racking our brain about why a spouse abuses
• wondering what you are going to do after your spouse of 32 years dies

Those are all real life experiences. Only we can decide how we will react to those situations. We can either sour from the experience or look for ways to make it better. Sometimes it requires a new purchase, finding the friend and trying to communicate and see what went wrong and start over, we may have to rebuild our lives completely after the storm, we may have to sever a relationship forever because you can't reconcile with that spouse, and, you may have to realize that when a spouse dies, they are gone forever and you begin to build a new life.

All these are real life lessons we may be faced with during our lifetime. It is how we REACT that makes the difference. It is living through the lemon experience and making lemonade afterwards which shows we are fighters...we are survivors...we are not quitters...we are better for having gone through the experience...we look back and say we have learned a life lesson and it has made us a better person and it has built character in us!

So, today, if you have a bucket of lemons dropped on your doorstep, make a big ole pitcher of lemonade with lots of sugar!

Mighty Dog to the Rescue

Our inside dog, Doc, weighs about 27 pounds. He thinks of himself as the "great protector" and doesn't realize he is little in the big scheme of things. When he spies another animal meandering through our four acres, he immediately takes his post on top of his home and peers through the window. All you hear is this muffled growl under his breath as he thinks he is keeping all the animals at bay. This morning, he spotted five deer feeding at one of our rice brand feeders. He was very intensely watching their every move.

When you let him run loose, he goes to all perimeters of our property and properly barks with full thrust to let any wild predators know this is his domain and they should all back off!

He is quite an amusing little guy. A lot of company and enjoyment to us. He loves to watch TV and just Cavalier, as we call it. That is when he jumps in your lap and looks up at you with his big brown eyes as if to ask, "What can I do to please you today?"

View From Our Deck Today

At about 6AM this morning, we opened the blinds of a window facing East looking off the deck you see in the cabin pic, and we had at least 17 deer feeding in our yard! We just filled the feeders yesterday (we have one corn feeder and two rice bran feeders). I quickly scurried for the camera. Now, you can't get the full essence of the herd we watched feeding on tender grass and from our feeders, but maybe some of these pics will excite you.


Oh, and I couldn't help but include a sunrise shot over the trees!

Taking the Sun For Granted

Until I met Popi and moved to Carruthers Hill, I never really thought much about sunrise and sunset. Living in the city where you are surrounded by concrete, cookie cutter houses squeezed so tightly on lots so small you can hear your neighbor breathe, and high rise buildings, don't lend themselves to have too much wide open space to view the spectacular each day. However, we have two decks in which to enjoy God's handiwork. It's like saying, "Good Morning, Lord" and "Good Night, Lord" on a daily basis.

It only takes a little over two minutes from the time you see the sun start to rise or set on the horizon for it to be completely in view or out of sight. Just as it begins it's day or just as it fades away in the evening, you see a burst of light that speaks to your soul and warms your heart. The kiss of God is what I call it. I'm taken back to the movie, "City of Angels", where the angels in this movie all gather on the beach to watch the sun rise each day and hear, what they deem, the voice of God singing a melodious welcome for the new day. That is kinda how I sum it up for the sunrise each day.

So, the next time you have a chance, stop and view a sunrise or sunset and just be in awe of our creator!

To Scrap Or Not To Scrap, That Is The Question?!?!?

About five years ago, my youngest daughter began the hobby of Scrapbooking. I was a little interested at that time, but not as adament as she. This year, I have become addicted to the craft! Mainly because I have a wonderful place to craft. Last year we expanded our cabin. Popi had the contractor build me a craft room inside the garage. WOW! Is it ever nice...heated and cooled with frig and sink...lots of space for tables anything a crafter would need. So, my youngest daughter and I spend Thursday's working on scrapbook stuff. I made a New Year's Resolution, something I hardly ever do, to handmake all the cards I send out this year. So far, I am way behind, but each person who receives a card this year should know right now, each one has been personally handmade by lil' ol' me!

Two of the grandkids stayed with us a few weeks ago and helped me organize my Scrapbook corner. The oldest, who I've appropriately named, "Darling, Darling, My True Love," is sitting next to me. The next in line in the pink sweater is named "My Apple Dumpling."

The next time we scrap, I will include a pic of Jan and I getting down to business!!!!