It’s Friday?

Oh, if I just had more energy,I’d get excited about that but my coffee hasn’t taken hold of my lethargy yet so I have the enthusiasm of a slug! A slug who once again battled some weird thing going on with my tonsils and sinuses last night and so am missing a few hours of blissful slumber. One would think I’d be used to this since it seems to happen every year about this time but it usually only involves the sinuses and this year the tonsils have decided to join in.Oh well, the first life giving cup is almost finished and my eyes are pretty much open so this is going to be a good day after all. Tomorrow, Amy ,Ethan and I are going to Madelyn’s birthday party and he can chase his little “harem” around their house and shout “Shatterday”  and generally have a blast in toddler terms.Come Sunday, unless you bring something special , do not knock before 9 am as Grandmama/NannyB  is planning on snoring away till at least nine o’clock! Oh, okay, come on but be prepared, my face will be scary, resembling a bullfrog who has been steamrolled by a runaway train , then puffed up by a leaf blower. I really can’t wait to see Madi’s face when she sees what Ethan is giving her for her birthday(no I won’t tell you till Monday but it’s good!) and I will take pictures. Second cup of coffee on the way and good morning!

Remembering tiny things

Remembering tiny things and how precious and fragile they were. He’s fixing to turn three next month and while he is still precious and a bit fragile, small children are, he had the strength yesterday to entertain two adoring females. Yes, Madelyn and Chloe came and played with him, the last fifteen minutes spent walking in a circle around the furniture in my living room shouting at the top of their voices,” Shatterday!!Shatterday!”. It had started out as “Saturday” but at 2,3, and 4, things can change  and the word was transformed. Grandmama/NannyB just gave in picked up her crocheting  and rocked in the rocking chair.They had gotten excited over Madi’s birthday party which is Saturday and that much joy and excitement is hard to contain so I let it flow. Now that is a memory that maybe only I will remember but for those who weren’t privileged to be there and witness it, it was memorable and , to be honest ,funny as all get out which is why I considered it something to share . Perhaps , with things being as they are in the world right now, we should all  share these “tiny things” small memories that might not cure cancer or take away the pain of loss but have the potential to bring a smile. Good morning.

Feeling the heat ?

 Well, if the sudden onset of summer heat and humidity has gotten to you, just do what people have done for years,head to the woods. Well you can cool off at the beach in the water but as far as I know, sharks have never been known to swim in cool creeks and rivers(yes I know about the ancient inland oceans and such but have you seen one lately?) so on really sticky days, I crave the cool waters of the woods. My mothers family is from Ellijay,the mountains of Georgia so I’m not the only one in my family with a fondness for cool mountain breezes. I remember loading the car and driving up those narrow winding mountain roads to see relatives and friends and then, when my grandparents retired there, to see them. Reunions and homecomings at Mountaintown  ,always knowing where to turn to go to the church because it was there on the left across from the prettiest valley I have ever seen in my life.This valley always made me think of the 23rd psalm ,”He restoreth my soul” because it usually did just that. Also, by this time I had recovered from my queasy stomach brought on by riding in the back seat of the car which I have to admit didn’t happen much. To this day ,green Ramblers  make me a little sick but they believed me after that when I said I needed to stop! There was nothing like taking off your shoes and wading in the creek ,looking for crawdads and pretty rocks which i remember my cousin Tommy and I doing on a couple of occasions. So, today, when the heat and humidity rises, I will bring  out my cooler mountain memories to lower the temperature. Good morning. 

Time flies when one is super cute

 And  Madelyn is most certainly super cute  and time has kept up with her which is why she is turning two this week. All babies are cute and precious but ,being my granddaughter, Madi is doubly blessed with cuteness and a joy for life. That smile and laugh bubbling from her just serve to make everyone around feel better and that is a gift . I pray that nothing ever takes that away from her because if she can keep that happiness and the ability to share it with those around her her life will be so much better. We are drawn to people like Madelyn because we love being around those who are happy but sometimes, we feel guilty about feeling so good and seek to impose stringent rules upon those who make us feel so right with the world.If we are not careful, we can strip that joy and love of their fellow man right from them with our need to control behavior. So, if you are lucky enough to have such a joyous soul in your midst, just enjoy them and let them thrive,protect them like they are the most precious of gems for they are worth far more. Good morning.

Technology and me…. terrifying twosome

 

 

 

Well , now we shall see if I have beaten technology or if ,once again, it has played its sadistic tricks on me and is now hiding in the corner snickering its snarky self into byte nirvana. There are times when I absolutely love technology and then there are times I would like to literally throw it and its creators out into the oblivion of space,preferably without oxygen. Yes, having a hard times retracing my steps to find out why my link is not showing up so that others can read all the words and phrases I have managed to string together out of the creaky corners of my memory and imagination. So, here is test number one…

Summertime is here!

https://pancakelady3.wordpress.com/2014/05/23/summertime-is-here/

The passage of time

 

 

 

Time stops for no one and it will not stop for these two precious faces nor for my mom in whose lap Madelyn is sitting. Just sitting here thinking about all the memories of her great granddaddy the rest of us will have to remember and pass on just like my mother and daddy have ,over the years,  told and retold stories of their parents and grandparents,aunts and uncles,cousins and unforgettable characters . She’ll turn 2 next week and there have been times in the past few months that I wondered at how fast time had flown by. Ethan will be 3 in June so both my babies aren’t little babies anymore. It’s for sure, that my daddy’s “little baby” isn’t “little ” anymore,no more sitting in his lap or up top on his shoulders where I felt I could touch the sky, I was up so high. Back then, he was my “superhero” ,now he’s just my hero,one who has given me so many wonderful memories that when he goes to his next great adventure, I’ll have plenty to tell Madelyn about and I will until time runs out for me.   Time waits for no one so don’t put things off till it’s too late and you have run out of time,do it now and make a memory! Good morning.                           

 

 

Wool gathering

Sometimes I just have days when i’d like to just sit and gaze into a clear lake and gather my thoughts or “wool”. Scientists have done studies that suggest that this mental exercise is actually beneficial to the brain. Perhaps it is a way for our brain to “clear the cookies” and dump the trash but such reveries aren’t always possible when there is a 3 year old in the house. Indeed, one could face a disaster of epic proportions so the “wool” waits until the house is quiet and still. So, it’s Tuesday and looks to be a nice day,collect your thoughts when you can and good morning.

A green house

For those of us who love flowers and growing things, a little cottage like this would be a small piece of heaven. Me, being me, of course would hope that there is just a little bit more room inside than the photograph would suggest but perhaps the limited room inside is why there are so many plants and flowers outside as the gardener prefers the open green space outside.The rain this past weekend was damp and a bit cool but it did serve to deepen the green color of the spring foliage  and after the dreary gray of winter, the lush green of spring serves to brighten the spirit and soothe the soul.There is just something so satisfying about planting a seed or cutting and watching it put forth new growth,perhaps even fruit as my tomato plant has already done even though I have not planted it in its container yet. I thought I had lost my rosemary bush over the winter but even it is valiantly showing new growth as if to say, “Old Man Winter singed me a bit but I’m still here!” . I don’t have the lawn or yard to fill with foliage but I am adding life and color in containers to my front porch and my herbs that survived winter are doing well. I even had coreopsis ,two varieties that overwintered very well and one  is such a bright sunny yellow flower that it brings a smile every time! The other is a pretty lavender  shade which I liked the contrast last year so I have high hopes it will look as pleasing this year. So, go plant something, even if it’s just in a pot and feed your soul! Good Morning!!

Birds of a feather

Birds of a feather  do often flock together,especially on a beach.Just like a tour group descending on a buffet,they touch down, eat everything in sight and then off for more someplace new. This group of avians ,as I recall, ate then circled back and sat down again, just in case they had missed something with the first go round. Loud and obnoxious but there is something about shorebirds that is comforting to me. Those raucous calls are part of the “music” of the ocean, whether it’s by the seaside or in the vastness of the briny deep, the marine tune speaks to that part of me that thrives on salt water.Don’t get me wrong, there is a symphony heard by those lucky enough and quiet enough to hear when immersed in the forest and woodlands but the harmony is different. I guess i am blessed to be able to hear and appreciate all of nature’s musical offerings for even the desert has a song to sing. Let us all resolve to get outside this weekend and listen to some “music, I believe our souls are  in dire need. Good morning.