DECEMBER...WHAT???? ALREADY????

Where in the world did September, October and November go? December slipped in like a bolt of lightning, boom...and there it is.

Don't get me wrong I love December and all that it brings, but what I don't like is the panicky feeling of rushing around trying to get everything done! Things are picking up here in the Hollow, Decorating, Christmas programs, Caroling, Parties, Drop-in's, Dinners etc.,but what I haven't got going on yet is the shopping!!! Of course I have a few things for the grand, but there is still plenty to be done and the "mood" just hasn't hit me yet!! Perhaps the fact that money is tight is part of the reason, but I'm trying to stay focused on "it's the thought that counts" and not how much or big the gift is, but most of all I'm concentrating on the "Reason" for this beautiful season!!!



While decorating, I always make a special place for our nativity scene, after all it should be the focus of the whole theme of "Christmas" so of course I placed it under the tree, the first present of the holiday our gift from God, our Savior, and as of right now, it's the only and most important present placed beneath that tree!!



This past weekend one of our biggest parties of the season, our precious grand daughters 3rd birthday. We had her party here at the Hollow, and that little girl was so excited over it being "her" day, she couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry!!! She was indeed the Princess of the day. I can only imagine her upcoming excitement brought with the arrival of Christmas morning!!!



So while I get down to the business of shopping, I'm gonna keep in mind that I have a legacy to leave for my children and grandchildren, that while we enjoy our parties and all of the other festivities of this wonderful time of year, while we bake our cookies, watch our favorite Christmas movies, eat all the goodies that are coming our way, making our own traditions to be handed down, the real "Reason" we are celebrating and the most "important" gift that we have already received, free and right before our eye's just for the asking!!

Thanksgiving......

When I was a young girl brought with it lot's of tradition!! We gathered at Grandma's each year and had a wonderful dinner, Turkey, dressing and all the trimmings...then afterward Grandma would provide scarf's to shield our heads from the November chill in the air and off we would head to the wood's!!! Now that I'm a whole lot older and wiser I realize it was for the adults to walk off all that Turkey and gravy but for us youngun's it was the anticipation of picking out the "perfect" Christmas tree!!

We would walk and walk around those woods surrounding that dairy farm looking for the perfect shape, height and width, that would fit into the living room of that farm house!! Along the way, the sound of the Fall leaves crunching beneath our feet, the smell of the woods, the crisp chill of the air and all sorts of treasures to be found nestled beneath those leaves, acorn's, pine cones, and anything else that came to sight were ours to be had!!! Then there is was, the "perfect" tree!!!! Kinda sounds like the Griswolds huh?? Of course Grandma always had a ribbon with her to tie around it so Grandpa could find it in a couple of weeks and cut it down for us to adorn with our ornaments and tinsel!! Now if Grandpa really cut that very tree down, that we'll never know, but what I do know is it was always the "one" we girls picked out!!!

A lot has changed since those day's of youth. I had to face my first Thanksgiving away from my family, I even sent myself a Teleflora bouquet that first year to brighten my spirits...To me..From me!!! I started my own traditions, the day after Thanksgiving, down came the pumpkins and up went the red and green and we would take the boy's to a tree farm to pick out that perfect tree for our living room!! As time evolves so does our children and for a couple of them they are now facing their first Thanksgiving away from home. I know how sad they are and it hurt's this Momma's heart not to have all of her babies with her, but the blessings and love are always there along with her prayers!! I know within my heart this is the beginning of their own traditions and lots of memories to come!!



This year hubby and I changed our pre-week tradition a bit since we are empty nesters, we flew the coup for a few days and headed to the shore!!! Now usually we both are working with a day or two off for Thanksgiving but this year since I'm unemployed he decided to take the week off, so off we headed!! We really had a very nice mini vacation with each other, a time to reflect, gives thanks for all of our many blessings, and caught a wonderful inspiring Christmas Show that really got me
in the spirit!!



As we celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, we will still be surrounded by family, a Son and Daughter-in-Law who is more like a Daughter to us,a precious, precious Grand Daughter that still lives close by, not to mention the rest of the Hare Hollow crew where we will gather and give thanks for all of our many blessing's and to enjoy a juicy fat ole turkey!! For our children that are facing their first Thanksgiving away, you know, you are here in our hearts, minds and prayers!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Over the river and through the woods......

Not to grandmothers house I went, but to my parent's house, although they are grandma and grandpa to my children, just Momma and Daddy to me. What a beautiful drive it is!!

This past week I decided I needed, wanted and longed for a visit with my parent's. No they don't still live in the house where I was raised, but their home is my refuge, back to my childhood and the memories that I will carry with me until I'm called home to paradise, a place of beauty and no setting sun.

I find a peace within, driving with nothing but silence and my thoughts, no radio or blaring music, just my thoughts and prayers and the scenes I'm able to glance at while driving.

There's something about crossing the Yadkin River that brings a warm feeling deep within and the countryside of N.C. that makes me "feel" like I'm coming home, you know that feeling of ahhhh this is where my roots are.



The mountain where my parent's live is absolutely beautiful, the peacefulness, the down home feeling you get while shopping at a local general store, the farmers market, the fields of pumpkins, cabbages and Christmas trees are just picture postcard perfect.



While there, my Mom and I took a drive to the Poor Farmers Market and really had a blast driving there, talking and of course I was busy taking pictures...Momma was real patient as I had her slowing down, turning into small pig paths to get the perfect shot, or just stopping so I could get a history lesson of a special woman who contributed a lot to her community.



Alas, home was calling and my visit came to an end for now...hopefully I'll get back across that river before snowy weather sets in, I'm not brave enough to attempt that mountain in the snow and ice but for now I'm happy I had the time with my parent's, thankful for the fact that they raised a God Fearing woman who loves her family and home with all her heart and doing the best I can to bring that warm feeling of "Home" to my husband, children and grandchild.



I've most definitely grown up now and getting home was such a good feeling...warm, cozy and loving...there's no place like home, and as we've all heard "Home is Where the Heart Is", but sometimes it's nice to take a trip now memory lane.

What a day.....

Such a beautiful sight I had as I went out this past Friday morning to feed the cats and start my day with the daily chores. It brought to mind the changes in my life the past year, a lost career, a connection with Mother Earth that lie deep within my soul and somehow slipped away with all the "duties" and "deadlines" of the corporate world, a deep love of my connection with our Heavenly Father, our Creator and maker of all things that surround our life.



As I was taking a walk around Hare Hollow admiring the beauty of the colors that Autumn brings us and thinking that this weekend marked the one year anniversary of the job that ended and the beginning of a new life for me, I thought about my blessings and of course the never ending thought of what next?

As the endeavor continues of my search for a new job the "thanks, but no thanks" letters continue to come in, and can be quite discouraging for a woman who still has a lot of drive and passion within to contribute for years to come. But then I stop and give thanks for all the blessings that have come my way, not to mention all things come to those who wait.



This wait is not in vain and I know within my soul, I am here in this very position and time for a specific reason!!!!! I believe the lessons I have learned in the past year was brought to me for a purpose, to appreciate the earth and what it has to offer, the beauty of nature and the remembrance of those before us that has struggled so hard to preserve it all.



So as I continue on this journey, I'm enjoying each and every day and the surprises and lessons that I learn, and hopefully pass on a few of these to my children and grand's so that they can continue, and preserve this precious gift of earth and life for generations to come.



Yes, I'm still unemployed in the public sector at this moment...but I have a big job ahead of me....teaching all I know about the beauty around us, ways to preserve it for future generations, and most importantly the grace that awaits us all. I may be a mature mule, but I'm not just grazing in the pasture!!

Have you seen my Momma????

While out on the deck I was looking face to face with "Baby Frog" who was obviously looking for Momma. Poor Baby was searching far and wide, and considering I was the only "real" person out in the garden at the time, I figured she thought hey, that big person should know where my Momma is!! I looked at Baby eye to eye and responded, "Baby, I'm not sure where your Momma is, but what I know for sure, she is very big and lives there in that little pond that I put in for all to enjoy, but she is very shy and jumps in the pond every time I come around, and doesn't like camera's"!! "Perhaps you should consult with the garden animals" was my response in hope Baby would find her Momma!! So off she goes in search of her Momma asking all the "garden people" she could find!!



Hey you look like me, are you my brother or perhaps my sister? Have you seen Momma?

Nope not today but ask that fellow....



Who me? No not I, I'm waiting on that big person to fix my swing so I can go as high as the sky!!!!



Who me? Are you kidding??? I'm an artificial bird stuck in this cage, for the little person who comes around and sticks her finger in my cage and everyone shouts "watch out" he'll bite you, then laugh's and laugh's, no not me!!!



Then Baby goes up to little Italian Bunny and asks "have you seen my Momma"? Oh yeah, "she was here-a, not-a, long-ago-a, but jumped-a back-a in the pond-a", hope you find-a her-a soon-a"

By this time Baby Frog was getting quite frustrated that she couldn't find her Momma then......alas....there she was....or thought...



No, Baby, I'm not your Momma, I've been sitting here for at least 20 some years in the same spot, waiting for that big person to groom me and bring me back to my prime!!! I'm sure a little grooming would do the trick!!!

While Baby was looking for her Momma she found lots of thing's that this big person needs to get done in the garden, whew makes me tired to think about it all, but one thing for sure, for most of us we know where our Momma is!!! It may be at the home where we were born and raised, or perhaps a place where she has retired that is home for her and us, or perhaps a heavenly home!! But one thing we never, ever have to question is where our "Father" is!!!! I'm referring to our Heavenly Father, who is always there, waiting and wanting us to reach out, to talk, cry, and answer our every prayer!!!!

Take time today, not only to reach out and talk with our Momma's, but to give thanks, and just "talk" with our Father, be still with our thought's and listen...he will hear and answer!!

So long October.....

What a great month October brought to Hare Hollow, lot's of reunions with friends, a renewal of sorts all around!!! At Church a homecoming of old and new, time to gather at home with friends and get together's with friends by phone and dinners!!! Thank you Lord for a month of such blessings!!! I'm so looking forward to November with the festivities that are beginning and the gathering of family, and lots of prayers of Thanksgiving!!



The grand ending for October brought a precious little princess to our door, with a sweet and tender voice saying "Trick or Treat"!!! That little princess filled her pumpkin till it was overflowing with lot's of treats Mima had put out just in case of little goblins and princess's that came a wandering along the lane.

Oh yes there where lot's of blessings and smiles here in Hare Hollow in October and a few tears along the way for friends who had to move on to a better place, but November is here and along with it I'm sure are plenty more smiles to be had!!

For every Season.....

There is a reason, and for this season of my life I have found it a time of rediscovery, reconnecting and a time for redirecting myself and my life. It has been nearly a year since my 22 year career ended with the closing of my local branch office where I had been since day one and with that particular season ending another season came into full bloom.

I've talked about my rediscovering in previous posts along with the redirecting of my life, but what I haven't talked about is the reconnecting and the aspect of staying connected.

One of the great things about the season's of our life are the friends that comes with each change, your childhood years, teenage years, young adulthood, becoming a full adult and then the stage I'm in now the mature adult! Being unemployed outside the home has given me the time to reconnect with some of those friends, neighbors and distant family. It has given me the time to learn about social networking on the Internet and finding old neighbors, schoolmates, and friends that I haven't seen or talked with in a very long time. The time to stop whatever I'm doing and drive 40 miles to enjoy a special occasion during lunch, which I could not have done while working, the time to have a several hour conversation on the phone with a friend whom was one of my best buddies in school that I haven't seen in 29 years, time to have a friend who has come from half way across the US, stay with me and not have to worry about taking time off work just to enjoy a few hours, but the ability to spend the whole time visiting, laughing and acting like a bunch of giggly girls.



This past month has brought several such occasions and I enjoyed every minute of our time together, whether it was a phone conversation, a lunch, a dinner or a very lovely pajama party, what fun I have had. As I prepare myself for the next season of my life, a new job when the time is right and my Creator decides that it's time for me to move on, I'm looking forward to the new friendships that are bound to come my way and continuing to hook up and reconnect with the old one's and appreciate each one of my friends old and new and for what they have brought to me and my life.



Thank you all dear friends and for what you have given me....a friendship of a lifetime!!!

Homecoming

The Webster dictionary defines Homecoming as... 1. A return to one's home.

This past week the rural community of Rich Hill which I now call home, has had a very emotional week, the loss of 3 dear members of our community and our church family. A joyous union of 2 of our members as they became husband and wife, and then the grand finale of our annual Homecoming at church today!!! In between there's been a lot of other event's here in Hare Hollow, and with each it brought tears, smiles and some very good food!!!

As I reflect upon this past week on the smiles, tears and all in between I count my blessings. One of the smile events, was a wonderful evening of some dear friends we don't get to see very often "coming to our home" for some good ole Brunswick Stew, a bit of pickin n grinin and just enjoying each others company!! What fun!!



Another real big smile was having our little pumpkin come to Mima and Papa's home for a grand ole evening of being spoiled, kissed, and great big hugs and then some more all over again, not to mention all the Noggin she wanted to watch...Go Wonder Pets!!!!



A glorious wedding fit for Cinderella and her Prince Charming brought lots of smiles and of course the tears of happiness that goes along with any wedding. A very loving couple whom will be "coming home" after their honeymoon to a new life together!



Although the loss of our 3 dear sweet members brought tears for us who will experience the emptiness they left us with and the longing to see them, what a grand "Homecoming" they had this week...seeing our Creator eye to eye and meeting all their loved one's whom have already gone home, what a joyous week they have had, and I can just imagine all the smiles going on there!!!

Then the finale!!!! A wonderful Homecoming at church today with a great message, lots and lots of smiles and tables of wonderful food, which I'm sure came from many harvests from this past summer all prepared from loving hand's!!!! Sorry no picture of this event, I was too busy eating!!

I'm looking forward to the coming week!!! I've got some more "homecoming's" this week and I'm excited!!

If you don't see it....it's not there....

I'm referring to dust bunnies, and stuff that hides under the furniture and other places that we, (at least myself) don't think about or try to ignore during our house cleaning routine.

This past summer and my unemployment of a public sector has kept me quite busy...gardening, canning, freezing, and hanging my laundry in the sunshine to dry has kept me a very busy woman!!! How in the world did I do all this and work outside the home? I know, I adopted the idea that do what you can to keep the health department out and run a fairly smooth household and don't worry about what you can't see!!!

Well, since the outside work is calming down and I'm turning to the inside while I continue to do my job search I've had a few brain storms, which has ended up causing me a lot of work!!! One of those was since the ceiling fans are not running all the time, and we are having delightful weather we haven't really needed to run them all day. I looked up....bad mistake...there it was...couldn't see it while they were running, dust...oh my gosh lots of it, so there you go chore #1, turn them back on. Next brainstorm, the beautiful old oak chest we inherited when my dear in laws went on to their mansion in heaven (with no chores or housework). At the time I put it in our grand daughters room with clothes in it for her. Well I decided, that old chest brings with it lots of memories...Papa Hare was always opening the top drawer when we came to visit to pull out a treasure for the grandsons or some other mysterious gadget or who knows what he had stashed in there!!! During one visit I was having lots of pain in my knee's and he had the perfect cure!!! So while I sat next to him on the couch he pulled out this "root" and began rubbing it over my knee telling me my pain would be gone, while everyone else snickered, I believed dear Papa. Finally, I asked well, what is it??? His answer....Coon Root!!!! What is that, and my dear husband stated, a coon root!!! Ewwww I've been tricked!!! He was such a dear, family loving man and the last time I saw the "coon root" it was hanging on my husbands guitar, I guess in case any of his "pickin" buddies get joint pain!!!



While moving this piece of furniture from the bedroom to our dining room, a place where we could admire it everyday and recall our sweet, sweet memories...oh my gosh....well, you know what lurks under the furniture, other than lots and lots of dust, there lay a petrified marshmallow, I guess our grand daughter was saving it for a later day... oh my gosh!!!! Chore # 2!!!

Then, since our youngest has graduated from college and moved to Alabama, we decided to make use of the extra room, and I decided to move a ceramic table that I've been saving for one of the boy's, but as of yet no one has claimed it!!! It is perfect for cutting out fabric, no worry about scratching ceramic up, and for sewing. This bugger is so heavy, there is no way I could pick it up, so another brainstorm...get it in the door then slide it on an old quilt, brilliant, but I had to move furniture, rugs, and a huge cabinet in the hall that weighs a ton!!!! In the process, oh my gosh chore # 3,4,5!!!!!

I've heard it said, and have read, that God cannot exist, you can't see him, you can't talk with him and he doesn't answer back!!!! But I'm here to tell you, I see him every single day, when I awake and see the day that lies ahead of me, the sunshine, the rain, the trees,the flowers and all else that is so gratefully given to us!! I talk with him every single day, and he answers, with a soft breeze on my face, a sweet song of a bird, or the croaking of a frog!!!! Oh yeah I see our Creator every day, but as far as the chore's go....I prefer the method of if I can't see it, it's not there!!!

October.....

Brings with it a number of events in my neck of the woods!! So far the month is just getting started and already every weekend is full!!! We have friends that we haven't seen in a long time coming in for a fun evening of picking, grinning, singing and homemade stew, wedding, Fall Festivals, homecoming at church and of course Halloween!!!

To start the month off was a beautiful full moon.



Such a beautiful sight coming over the pines!!

Next, our town's Street Market, which has local vendors and all their wonderful crafted good's was this past weekend. I bought my sweet little grand daughter an adorable Halloween pocketbook, just her size, then strolled the downtown merchants with all the treasures they have to offer, such a fun Fall afternoon.

My highlight of this past Saturday afternoon was supporting our community volunteer fire department during their annual Fall Barbecue Fundraiser!!! Such a warm feeling to pull up and see the neighborhood girls selling their goods of, pumpkins, cabbages and collards grown by themselves, the local children in all their excitement climbing on the firetrucks and having the time of their lives pretending they where the next firefighters of the community, and the horse and buggy rides!!! After purchasing my delicious barbecue and on my way home I came upon this ride in front of me, and no I did not mind what so ever that I was going 2 miles an hour, I was thrilled at the sight and was thankful these folks were enjoying a blast from the past!!



October also brought to us a stray momma cat and her two kittens!!! Now I was not in the market for more kitties and neither was Tux our faithful cat we adopted from the pound. He's trying very hard to be patient and deal with the situation until we find good homes, or take to vet to be fixed so we won't have any more surprise kittens!!! Oh well, that's what happens when you live in the country. You just don't turn your back on God's creatures, great and small, after all they are just babies and Momma is trying to make her way and feed them, like human momma's who have fallen on bad times.



Welcome October, I'm enjoying our outdoor fire, the warm feelings of your colors, the comfort foods that's cooking in the kitchen and looking forward to the rest of the month and all the blessings it has to bring!!!!!



Thank you Lord for bringing October in with such blessings, I'm looking forward to many more to come!!

My day today....

Started out like any other day, morning chores, which include feeding my dear old cat Tux, changing his water and the morning things that need doing inside prior to starting the day. This morning while outside there was a chill in the air which I loved and then I noticed the beautiful spider web!!! Now I'm not really a fan of spiders but I've always loved to admire the work of a writing spider and this little bugger must have worked all night on this because it wasn't there when I locked up before bedtime!! Couldn't resist taking a picture of it's handy work!!!




Wouldn't you know it when I went to empty Tux's old water to replace it with some fresh I forgot all about Ms. Spiders masterpiece and ran right into it!!! I really felt bad and somewhat guilty that I had destroyed what she had worked on last night, but she was unharmed and I figured would get back to work as soon as I was out of her way!!

Even though the discovery of the web this morning was quite a treat (although my boys whom are all grown would not agree, they hate spider webs) it was just the beginning of my day...the real treat was having lunch with a former coworker and a dear friend in celebration of my birthday!!! Hey I figure I'm at the age I can celebrate all month long!!! The next really, really, really big treat was spending 3 hours with a dear friend who is in the hospital!!!!

My dear friend is a wonderful, beautiful, God loving woman who has taught me so much about life and living it each day, helping others and doing what God has planned and intended us to do!!! She came to me, I'm thinking about 12 years ago and stated that she had been praying every day for God to lead her to someone to help with her Sunday School Class, someone who loved children and would be willing to teach young one's the word God wanted them to hear and she felt that was me, was I willing to help? I agreed, and if anything worked on my life and my heart, it was and still is that Sunday School Class!! God certainly knew what he was doing when he led me in that direction!!! Ms. Helen and these precious children depended on me each Sunday morning to be there, no excuses, no whining, get up, get there, they're waiting!!!

I had a wonderful 3 hours today talking and remembering all of our "children" who have been in our class and has grown into such wonderful young adults, about she and her sweet husband who has gone on to his "home" in heaven, the changing of the season and how Fall is our favorite time of year, her anticipation of coming home to her house on Wednesday, and how her dear family is decorating the house for fall, and how she is "ready to go HOME"!!!! I left that hospital room today feeling really good, and was so very thankful that God gave us this time together to talk, laugh, remember and give thanks!!!! Most importantly that God sent this dear woman into my life, to teach me, lead me and to mentor me in my walk with our Savior!!

She mentioned she loved homemade applesauce, luckily another friend from church gave us some good old fresh apples, so guess what I'm doing tomorrow while my clothes are drying on the line??? You guessed, making applesauce to take to my dear friend!!

I've been blessed with such dear friends, former coworkers, where we have formed a bond that cannot be broken, and we are always there for one another, former classmates where we have reconnected through the internet, and then my dear church family and friends!!!! How could a woman be blessed anymore than her God, family and friends???

Sunday School Class will always be Ms. Helen's class....I'm just the keeper of the flock!!!

I Love You Ms. Helen and you will always be in my heart and in that classroom with me as long as I'm able!!!!

A few pictures made with my new camera!!
Make sure your speakers are on.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I've come along way Baby!!!!

No, I'm not referring to a choice of cigarette, although for some of you reading this you may remember back when cigarette ad's were still in magazines, billboards and TV, but like so many other things those are memories from the past.

I'm talking about my birthday present I received last week from my husband, a brand new sparkly camera!!!! Yeah baby, I've come along way in the ownership of camera's!!! The first one I remember was my parent's Kodak Brownie and once I got old enough they let me take the pictures!!! Oh how grown up I felt standing behind that camera peering down into the lenses and taking pictures!!



Then came my very own, mine ole mine, the Polaroid Swinger!!!!! That was back when mini skirts and shin-dig boots were in style and I still had the body to wear them!! Just couldn't miss an episode of American Bandstand and Shin-Dig!!!! Back when the Beatles first came to the US and Elvis was still rockin and rolling!!! The Edge of Night was my favorite soap opera and it came on at 4:00 in the afternoon. We got home from school just in the nick of time for a snack and catch the day's mysterious story!!!!



There's been quite a few camera's in between that Swinger and now, but I got that same excitement with my birthday present this year at 54, as I did when I received my first very own Swinger!!!

Introducing my brand new (well actually about a week old now) Sony Cybershot!!!!!



Perhaps because it has so many more features than my last camera and I'm seeing my surroundings, life and people in a whole different light these days and looking forward to capturing it all on film for those who care to remember!! Life changes each day, before we know it the things that are so familiar to us today will seem ancient in just a few short years, so while I can, I will snap away and preserve some of these precious moments on film for all to look and say....oh I remember that or oh my gosh look how old fashion!!!

Now I've just got to learn how to use the thing!!!!



Nice picture of the ground don't you think? Stay tuned I promise they get better!!!

A Time for Reflection....

Well our vacation time has come and gone once again, but this year was different. Not in the way of location, after all the family time is always at the beach, and somewhere around Cherry Grove or Ocean Drive, S.C.. This year brought to me a time to just sit and think about all the changes that myself and family have faced during the last year.



Lost job, new addition to the family, college graduation, a move to a distance city, new careers, deepening of relationships, just to name a few. It all makes me feel very good deep within!! Not necessarily the lost of a job, but the fact it has opened my eyes to the beauty of my surroundings and how very important it is to protect it all, that my children have, and are growing into the adults I prayed they would for so very long, my husband and I are still very much in love and enjoy each other!! What wonderful things to reflect upon!!



Perhaps another reason for all this deep reflection is I was blessed to celebrate another birthday this week!! Yep I turned 54 years young!!! Yes I said young, although my grand daughter might consider me old, along with the members of my Sunday School Class (4 and 5 year old's), but in my mind I'm still young and still have a lot to do!! I came home from vacation with a renewed frame of mind...one that is anticipating the next chapter of my life....I feel deep within that my next project or job, as some may call it, is coming....no, I know it is, and I am prepared!! I have come to discover and renewed during this time my love of nature, writing, gardening and creating things with my hands, and I know God will lead me to a position using these skills that he has so profoundly reintroduced me to.

I'm feeling very good right now about my future, and fully intend to take some more mini vacations, after all I still have a lot of ground to cover prior to my next endeavor!! Got to head to the hills and visit my parents, a dear sister up north, and most importantly to enjoy each and every day that I am blessed with!!!



Take time each and every day to reflect, pray and give thanks for all the blessings each and every one of us have.....it's easy, just look out your door!!!

Our goodbye to the end of summer......

Putting the garden to bed for the fall and winter, getting ready to plant the Fall crops that I'm planning, and basically getting everything prepared for the changing season. It's keeping me very busy but the really important thing we do to say goodbye to summer is vacation!!!! Yes we go later than everyone else but there's a reason!!!! The rates drop!!!! When you're renting a beach front house for a family of 17 every dollar counts! The Hare family started this tradition in 2001 and we have kept the tradition ever since. Grandma Hare started this tradition after Grandpa passed and it was just something she felt in her heart to do!! After Grandma passed on to her blessed Savior in 2004 we decided, Gene, and his siblings and their spouses to keep the tradition going in honor of Grandma Hare. So each year we rent a beach front house for the whole family to come and go as they can!!

Each year our grown family seems to grow and yes go different ways but they do try to at least come and stay a day here and a day there, after all that's why we get such a big house. Regardless of whom comes for the week or just a few day's it's still family and we have a grand ole time, and there are us, the adults who will continue to make it happen for each one of them as long as they come!!

Now getting ready for our annual retreat is no easy feat!!! There is packing and planning to do. Lucky for us this year the house we rented provides all linens, yeah!!!! That saves a lot of room, and since we plan on taking the Honda to save on gas that really saves some space. But.....there is packing....when I think back on my younger years at home and preparing for vacation I'm reminded, all I did was pack my stuff and hey, I was ready to ride!!!! Oh how I appreciate Momma and Daddy for doing the rest!!!!

So far this is what I have packed, not to mention what I've already loaded in the car, chairs, canopy, umbrella etc.. Cleaned the car, went shopping and got the things for the first night, had to get a new battery for the car, just to name a few!!





And this is what dear hubby has packed so far!!!! Does anyone see anything wrong with this picture!!!!



Not to mention the big ole mess that has to be cleaned up before we leave....after all you never know!!! Hubby has indeed packed much more this evening, you know the important things....guitar, cd's, cooler, video camera, and all the things you can't live without for a week!! That's ok though!!! We have each other, family and all the things we need for a week of saying goodbye to summer!!

I pray for a very happy and safe Labor Day for all my friends and family, and that I will come home from vacation ready to take on whatever God has in store for me and my family with the changing seasons!!