100 Things about me: revised version

1. I am a silver-haired Diva who loves my family and started blogging about 30 years ago having been inspired by my daughters and I'm so glad I did.

2. Little did I know that the memories I wrote about would be memories my children wanted to know, and I am glad I can pass on the details.
3. We have an empty nest but live near our middle daughter so enjoy being around family and celebrating birthdays and special occasions together.
4. My favorite chocolate treat is Dove Dark Chocolate with Almonds.
5. My "grandma name" is "Diva".... a diva is a star performer and I want to be the "twinkle factor" in the life of my grands."
6. We call our home "the Nest" and our newsletter is called "News from the Nest".
7. I started blogging because I needed a creative outlet. I met some wonderful people through blogging and have kept them as amazing friends.
8. When I didn’t blog daily, my kids would call to see what was wrong.
9. When I was 4, I wanted to be "Dale Evans, Queen of the Cowgirls!"
10. I poked out the eyes of my Christmas doll because I wanted to see what made her eyes open and close. My Dad named the doll "Winkie" after that incident.
11. My third-grade teacher told my mom I would be a wonderful writer but would have to hire a secretary to spell for me. (praise the Lord for spell check!)
12. I met my husband in March, we were engaged in April and married in July of the same year, and we just celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary.
13. I once dreamed that I had quintuples, and my husband was giving them away like puppies. When I woke up, I was furious with him.
14. I'm very skittish. I jump and flinch during the movies at the scary parts. I jump when I think I’m going to die while Dad is driving. He calls me his early warning detector.
15. I broke my left wrist three times in the first, second, and third grades. (I've never been very graceful or coordinated!)
16. I was a majorette in junior high school.
17. I played the tenor saxophone and was in the marching band as well as the orchestra. Our grandson Henry is a much better musician than I ever was.
18. I went to Europe on a travel/study tour the summer I graduated from high school.  My parents would have been appalled at how little we were supervised. 
19. I dated a guy named "Bobby McGee" the same summer Janice Joplin came out with the song "Me and Bobby McGee!"
20. I am horrible at giving directions because I don't know my left from my right much less where I am at any given time.  Praise the Lord for GPS directions.
21. I'm not very adventurous on my own. I hate to do anything by myself.
22. I love to be around intelligent people. I love Nerds and married mine.
23. I love pictures of my family and now I have a frame that rotates my favorite pictures.
24. I've always wanted to go to a Broadway Play...Andy took me to see “Mama Mia “(poor boy grew up hearing Abba songs!) and I got to meet our Rachel for the first time.
25. My favorite “us activity” is watching mysteries in our double recliners and holding hands and having Sweet Pea sleeping on the arm of the recliner.                       26. I would love to take Dad on a train trip around Tennessee.                                         27. I was born in Pasadena, Texas (right outside of Houston).                                     28. I loved to roller skate as a child. My best birthday was when my parents rented out the skating rink and let me invite my entire class, scout troop, and Sunday School class to my party.                                                                                                                   29. I love to go out to lunch with girlfriends or with my daughters.                                   30. I miss my best friend Sue Martin (she moved to Atlanta.)

31. Boy Wonder can always make me laugh; we call him Prince Charming.
32. Granddaughter Emma (our first grandchild) is sweet, smart, and amazing.
33. I love Blue Bell Birthday Cake Ice cream in individual portions
34. I love to go to Barnes and Noble except I always spend too much money.
35. I wish I had more technical skills.
36. I love meeting my "Blog Friends". I've never been disappointed by one yet.
37. I love hats and look really good in them.
38. I'm a hugger (it's my cross in life and because I'm from the South.)
39. I have a crazy sense of humor and love to laugh.
40. I am very enthusiastic and excitable.
41. I love my little country home. We are country mice at heart.
42. Daisies are my favorite flower.
43. I rarely get angry.
44. I totally adore my family and miss them so much.
45. Fall is my favorite time of the year.
46. I don't like to drive especially in areas that I'm unfamiliar with (see #20).
47. My spirit animal is the sloth (guess why?)
48. I'm a soft touch when it comes to my kids.
49. I've been married to Mr. Wonderful for over 50 years now.
50. I love snow globes and kaleidoscopes.
51. I love having a dog. Sweet Pea loves to cuddle. 
52. I love silver jewelry and turquoise, 
53. I'm a bed snob. I love my bed and my pillow. 
54. I love my hubby in jeans and a flannel shirt.
55. I love puzzles and mysteries.
56. I love to hear from friends and love to have company.
57. My pet peeve is having someone come in on the last 5 minutes of a program and want to know the entire plot. 
58. My favorite room in my house is my office.
59. I love to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea on rainy days.
60. I wish my kids and grandkids lived closer.
61. I am crazy about things that are sweet and salty.
62. My favorite snack is Peanut butter and honey crackers.
63. I rarely cook anymore.
64. I love fountain pens.
65. My "love language" is TIME.
66. I enjoy planting flowers in the garden.
67. I love sappy movies that make me cry.
68. I love watching TV shows about people who are good at their craft (fashion designers, top shot, glass blowers, project runway, bakers, car designers, etc.) 
69. I adore gluten-free pizza and cookies.
70. I like to listen to books on tape while traveling.
71. I really hate to exercise. I do enjoy water aerobics but not in the winter. 
72. I love my computer.
73. I rarely get to go shopping (except for groceries!)
74. I love scented candles and fireplaces.
75. I love Christmas but don't decorate as much as I used to.
76. I enjoy watching the birds out of the window by my desk or out the kitchen window.  Dad keeps them fed.  Sweet Pea loves to chase them.
77. I love my newly tiered garden patches and look forward to planting wildflowers and of course Daisies.
78. I love to dig in the dirt and feel the sun.
79. I enjoy watching mysteries with Dad and holding his hand.
80. I also like to watch cooking shows and game shows.
81. I would love to go to Dollywood.
82. I enjoy Peach yogurt / also Strawberry and White Chocolate yogurt.
83. I love to go to Big Lots and thrift stores.
84. I like to make "to-do" lists and cross off the items.
85. I enjoy magazines.
86. I love craft fairs.
87. I like to make greeting cards for my friends and the people I write.
88. I am a cookie monster.
89. I adore weekly calls from Andy. 
90. I love soup and could eat it every day.
91. I like to travel and plan to do more of it.
92. I love fresh vegetables from the garden.
93. We eat very little beef.
94. I love salad and often eat it for lunch.
95. I need to organize my office and get rid of things I don't need or use.
96. Biscuits are my weakness.
97. We eat pizza at least once a week.
98. I wish we could see our Canadians more. We love our summer visits.
99. I love to spend the holidays with my family.
100. I love bunny slippers. Sweet Pea ate one of my slippers while we were on a Skype call with Auntie Anne and Uncle Ken.  Bad Dog, fortunately, my foot was not inside of the slipper when the bunny attack occurred.

 

All About Me!

Hi, it's me your momma, diva, friend, sister, mentor, or wife. ( I'll leave it to you to pick the best relationship we have together!)
 
I have decided to blow off the dust on my old blog and start writing in it.  Not because my life is so very interesting, but I waste a lot of free time on playing games on my phone or on "binge-watching " TV. 

Currently, I am living life vicariously through the life of Madame Secretary, Elizabeth McCord.  She is the TV heroine, Secretary of State and spends most of her time trying to appease foreign countries to keep the world from blowing up each other.  It is not an easy job and frankly not one that I would be at all qualified for, or even want. Her fictional life makes mine own very small. 

I am a person who writes lists and makes goals. I like to check things off.  It makes me think I actually got something accomplished.  So here is my list for June.

1.  Start a water aerobics class at the Senior Center.  (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)  I already got a swimsuit so now it's just a matter of getting myself in the car and over to the class.

2.  Start walking with Leslie....in my living room on the CD.  My aerobic capacity is really bad.  I can start walking with the exercise tape for 1 mile and gradually increase up to 3 miles.

3.  Read my Bible and Scripture write every morning before picking up my phone.

4.  Continue my Tuesday evening Bible Study with the Grandview ladies.

5.  Start faithfully attending the Wednesday morning Bible study at the Senior Center and then go work out in their gym afterward.

6.  Write personal notes, cards, and encouraging text, or emails to family, sick, those in nursing homes, youth at church, family members. 

7.  Call my mom once a day.

8.  Get serious about losing weight through fasting, prayer, and being more productive with my time so I don't turn to food out of boredom.

9.  Blog about something every day. Catch up on the grandchildren's blogs.  Write about things I did as a child or things their parents did.

10.  Plan an adventure weekly and actually follow through.

11.  Practice silence and solitude.

12.  Have a weekly date.

13. Start a bullet journal to measure my progress.

I am really looking forward to having all the family together in July.  So here's to an active summer and new experience.

Prayer:  Oh Lord, you know my weakness, shortcomings, and history of failures.  You know I can do none of these things on my own.  So I place them in your hands, along with my desire and hunger to please you.  Help me become a God pleaser instead of a people pleaser.  Keep me aware of your presence, tune my heart, ears, heart to respond to your leading.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

10 Things about Me

1.  This is the Love of my life for the last 43 years.  I can't imagine what my life would be like without this man.  He has taken me on some really wild adventures and always holds my hand.  I am forever thankful that God made me attracted to nerds.  I like that God gave me an incredible partner to share life, experiences, parenthood, and most of all ministry.  The grands call him Poppa, our kids call him Dad, I call him Mr. Wonderful and God calls him beloved.

2.  I love that our moving is finally completed and that we are about 95% settled.  Moving is never easy but the advantages have been getting to know our grandsons better, great hugs, wild stories, knowing all the cartoon characters of their favorite shows, bedtime stories, and prayers, and just watching them grow and mature.

3.  I like that God gave me a prayer partner here in Elizabethton.  I was really lonely for a Christian girlfriend that I could pray with on a weekly basis.  Our daughter said, I know just the right person and she's from your "tribe and your clan."

4.  I am so thrilled that we have finally joined the Aquatic Center....the next step is actually going to a class there on a regular basis.

5.  I am so excited that we have tickets to fly to Texas in May to meet our new granddaughter Lucy.   We are looking forward to spoiling Lyra Jane, Mommy, and Daddy.  I am just counting down the days.

6.  I used to think I was an extrovert but the older I get the more introverted I become.  I get energized by people but also need cave time to regroup and rest.  Is that being an introvert or is it just that I'm old?

7.  I like having flowers on my kitchen table...., especially daisies.  It makes me feel happy inside.

8.  I like that I am learning to listen more, talk less and pray for everyone I meet.

9.  I like to write and have taken up blogging again (even if I'm the only one that reads it!)  Everyone has a story and I want our grands to know we were real people, that loved them without limits and prayed for them every day of their life.

10.  I love that I have a VW Beetle named Willie Nelson.  I never thought I would own one and it only took 43 years but perseverance pays off.

Calling Invisible Women

Hello long forgotten blog....let me introduce myself.  I know it has been a long time since I have written anything here so I have decided to start writing again.

Here are some of the things I've learned about me:


I watch way too much TV.  So we got rid of the cable and now have Hulu or Netflix.  I still binge watch more than I should but I am more discerning as to what I watch .

I tend to graze at night and eat items that are not healthy .  I'm hoping by blogging again it will stop my emotional eating.

I need a creative outlet and blogging will force me to go do or find something interesting to write about.

I tend to be an introvert (who knew?) and really enjoy my little nest.

My good friend Sue Browning introduced me to Overdrive.  It is an app that you can check out ebooks for 14 days from the library.

I've read 15 books in the last 2 months.  They disappear after 14 days.  I love it as I rarely read the same book twice so don't have to have it on my phone.

I always have a great book to read when I'm waiting on Charlie.  They also have some audio books that I love.  I can listen while doing other tasks.  


I just finished reading "Calling Invisible Women" by Jeanne Ray.

This was the review on Amazon:

   A mom in her early fifties, Clover knows she no longer turns heads the way she used to, and she's only really missed when dinner isn't on the table on time. Then Clover wakes up one morning to discover she's invisible--truly invisible. She panics even more when her family doesn't notice a thing. Her best friend immediately observes the change, which relieves Clover immensely--she's not losing her mind after all!--but she is crushed by the realization that neither her husband nor her children ever truly look at her. She was invisible even before she knew it.      Clover discovers that there are others like her, women of a certain age who seem to have disappeared.  As she uses her invisibility to get to know her family and her town better, Clover leads the way in helping invisible women become recognized and appreciated no matter what their role.  

I loved the book especially when I read more about the author.  She was 60 when she had her first book published.  She was a nurse for 40 years and is married to a Presbyterian minister.  (Our backgrounds are similar....so who knows maybe there is a novel in this old girl.)

The heroine discovers that invisibility gives you courage to do things you would never do in public.  It was a quick and fun read....kudos Jeanne Ray.

See ya tomorrow!

I just took my measurement today and discovered this is what I look like.

Daisy

Girl's Day Out

While visiting Suzy in September I had a rare treat. I got to go to Alice's Tea cup with my daughter and her best friend Christie. I love Tea parties and Suzy had been telling me about this wonderful place for a long time. What fun to share it with them! (I was quite honored they asked me to go with them!)





Here are my lunch companions Suzy and Christie!
Aren't they cuties? It was a long wait to get in but definitely worth it.








As you can see, I don't get out much so this was a real treat! I had curried Chick Salad that was amazing. It was hard to pick out one tea among all the ones listed on the menu. Suzy and Christie shared a spread even bigger than this one! Thank goodness for take home bags! What a fun time!


After lunch at Alice's we went to Dylan's Candy Bar. I was intrigued by all the candy and by their wonderful displays.
It was a good thing I was really full from lunch as it is a very tempting place with every kind of candy you can imagine.


I was intrigued by this sign.....as it is something I say all the time. Mr. Wonderful always lets me have the first bite of any dessert he orders . What a guy!











I was also intrigued by the high fashion manikins in the window with each outfit made entirely out of candy. It gives a whole new meaning to the statement, "I could eat you up!"







All in all it was a sweet time to spend with my daughter and Christie. Thanks for letting me tag along. Love you both!

Lint from my Brain

Lint from my brain.... nothing earthshaking just some leftover thoughts that got stuck there! Crown Me.....I went through the trauma of another dental visit. Mr. Wonderful knows how I dread going and thought it would be a good idea if I got it out of the way so one day after my original visit, he accepted a cancellation visit at 8 a.m. for the crown. I guess he was hoping I'd still be asleep and wouldn't notice. Wrong! It went better than it should have, and I lived through the experience with only shooting pains to my wallet.

   We have had some really lovely peonies blooming. I put some on our table. I love the big blooms and beautiful pink color. We are in process of getting our square-foot gardens planted. We are harvesting strawberries right now. Yum! I always think I need to change my hairstyle since I've basically had the same hairdo for the past twenty years. I let it grow till I can't stand it any longer and finally get it cut in the same style. Some people are stuck in a rut and I'm very comfortable in mine! There's a lot to be said about "my blow-and-go hairstyle!" Look at my Oscar. Is it me or is he growing up way too quickly? He is wearing his Mets Baseball Cap that Uncle Andy got him. What a cutie. We are making plans to meet up with his Mommy and Daddy for a visit with Grand Diva in Virginia Beach in August. It will be so much fun to see him take on the Atlantic Ocean and the beach for the first time. My mom has never met her great-grandson so it should be fun. Speaking of Oscar....this is a picture of Oz and me checking out the dinosaur's teeth. The Dino is a part of the child section of our local library and her name is Lucy. In case you can't tell which one is the dinosaur and which one is me...I have the cap on and glasses! Isn't this a great picture of my girls? We were able to have a video conference with Becky and Emma on Sunday afternoon. Emma sang songs for us and promised some new pictures in the mail. We were able to take some family shots while in Canada with the 5 of us. I love comparing them year after year to see how much we have all changed. That's all that's going on at the Daisy Patch!

Another crown and still not a queen

I went to the dentist yesterday and spent an hour with his hygienist. I see her 3 times a year and every time I go into a total panic right before I leave. I made sure I was all prayed up, and even practiced relaxation techniques and deep breathing while in the waiting room. Not only was I was far from being relaxed, but I also managed to get some rather strange looks from the other people waiting who either thought I was an asthmatic or some kind of heavy breathing pervert .

My hygienist is a soft spoken gentle soul named Megan. She is a kind, sensitive young woman who would apologize if she accidentally stepped on a bug. However, put a dental probe in her hand and she instantly turns into Attila the Hun. She smiles sweetly and says, "Let's see how your gums are doing" and then the blood letting begins.

I have periodontal disease, bleeding and receding gums so you know it's not going to be a good report before you even go to the dentist. The very best report I can get is that I'm maintaining what I have left. She methodically begins to poke the gum line around each tooth and I instantly begin to taste blood in my mouth. Now I ask you, if someone pokes your gum with a sharp probe wouldn't you bleed?

After poking and prodding comes rinsing where I suddenly begin to think I must be running a quart low on blood from all the residue in the spit sink. "That wasn't bad now was it?" she gently coos while reaching for the dental equivalent of a power washer and a Dyson vacuum.

I slowly begin to take deep breaths again, telling myself to relax, while opening my mouth , shutting my eyes and "going to my happy place". Water begin to vibrate against my teeth and mist my face while the sucking vacuum slurps up the excess moisture.

After the "power washing " the hand tools come out and any thought of escape is abandoned. Megan goes after tarter like a worker bee gathers nectar for the hive. When she finishes she puts away her tools of mass destruction and says sweetly, "Now lets set you up for your next appointment."

What? I have to come back ? Are you kidding? But before I can protest or come up with an excuse "THE Dentist" has arrived to look at some "problem areas" that were discovered during the inquestion er....examination.

Apparently part of my filling is no longer filling my tooth. "I have good news and bad news" he tell me smiling.

Me: What's the bad news?

Dentist: You need a crown on your tooth since there isn't enough tooth left to fill.

Me: What's the good new then?

Dentist: You're getting to age that you don't have that many teeth left that will need crowns!


So dear reader, I left the dentist office with less money in my pocket, a date for next week to fix the tooth, minty fresh breath, clean teeth and the knowledge that it doesn't matter how many crowns you may gain throughout your life it only signifies that your getting older and still not a queen. (Sigh)

Some winks from God

This past weekend was the first weekend we have had at home without volunteers at the mission or traveling. It was nice to catch up on some home projects. The nest needed some tending even though all our baby birds have flown . The picture is of our garage. Our youth pastor and his son painted the roof for us on Saturday. Our church had a community work day and Stacy had a crew out at our "nest" to paint the roof of our home two weeks ago. They must have looked down from the roof and thought ..."That garage roof needs paint a lot more than the house." It was such a blessing and almost like a wink from God.


My friend Melli, posted a picture of a plant that came up on it's own without her having planted it. I have a similar one . Would you believe it's perfectly centered? I think it's a fern. My guess is that a bird must have excreted a seed that took root. Regardless of the origin it's pretty and will be greeting guests to the nest.

Here's a close up of the same plant. If it's a weed don't tell me!

This is a my wind ribbons hanging on the porch. It adds a flash of color. Wasn't it a perfect weather day? We were able to get our outside work done .

Hope your weekend was wonderful.

The value of women friends

I got this as an email but the sentiment is true....This goes out to all my sisters

Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors
Careers end.

BUT.........
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you.
A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself,
the 20 women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,
praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf,
and waiting with open arms at the valley's end..

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you....
Or come in and carry you out.

Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,

daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,

Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended

family: all bless our life!


The world wouldn't be the same without women, and
neither would I..

When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or
sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other..

Thanks to each one of you. You have enriched my life in ways I will never be able to repay. Know that my prayers are with each of you.

Birthday Hangover.....

Turning 60 has been an adventure and celebrating it has been fun. Yes, I am having a birthday hangover...not the alcoholic type just letting my birthday celebration take over the entire week.

I'm still getting sweet birthday cards from friends and noticed that I got about 50 birthday messages from friends on Facebook. I received a handmade booklet from my best friend entitled "6O Things I Love/Hate About You". It made me laugh and cry at the sweet memories and history we shared as our children were growing up. It makes me sad that we live so far away from each other now.

My Mr. Wonderful took me out to lunch today at the Depot Grill in Staunton. Last year Melli, her mother-in-law, and our friend Beckie and I discovered this great place to eat, and I've been wanting to go back ever since. The food is wonderful, and it was actually part of the train depot. He had a bison burger and I had smothered chicken.

After lunch, we went to Sunspots, a glass store where you can watch glass being blown and shaped into Christmas ornaments and gorgeous vases. We got to watch the glass blower actually making a Christmas ornament. The picture is of a vase we saw being made last year when we visited. Mr. Wonderful had never been, so he was fascinated by the process.

Mr. Wonderful bought me this great bracelet. I love bracelets and especially anything with a daisy on it. He picked it out all by himself. (I bought myself a bracelet at this same store last year so I'm really thinking I like this birthday tradition.)

We also went to the Bittersweet Bakery, right down the street, (which I am told is the best bakery in Staunton) for chocolate, and chocolate chip cookies. On our way into the store, there was a sign in the window that said, "If your name is Charlie or Christine ask for a free cookie". So, guess who got a free cookie...Mr. Wonderful!

I finally got to go into "The Jolly Roger Haggle Shop". I've always been intrigued by the name but had never gone in. Oh, my goodness, I wish you could have seen it. There were all kinds of glassware, antique jewelry, tools, furniture, books, dolls, plates, pictures, locks, and everything you could possibly imagine stuffed into three floors and all over the walls. It was definitely a visual overload but some pretty interesting things. We work at a mission that is overloaded with "stuff" so it made me think that we were back at work. It was hard to look at everything as if they were antiques.....but I keep forgetting that I'm an antique now too!

I forgot to tell you about a sweet surprise. For my birthday breakfast, my guy fixed me my favorite hot-out-of-the-oven refrigerator cookies (White chocolate chunk with macadamia nuts) and coffee in my favorite cup with my favorite creamer (white chocolate mocha.) My favorite coffee mug says, "God danced on the day you were born" and it always brings a smile to my face.

A couple of years back my coffee mug got broken beyond repair when Mr. Wonderful opened the cupboard door and it fell out and smashed on the tile floor. I was heartbroken as it was my absolute favorite mug. Long story short, we found the exact cup at a yard sale in pristine condition for a quarter. I love it when God winks at you at the most unexpected times.

Hope your weekend is a celebration too.

Things that delighted me today.

This is the view from my front porch.

It seems almost over night the landscape has changed for green to the rich golds, yellows, oranges and reds of fall. I love to see the hay bales in the fields ready for pick up and storage.




These are two pumpkins that were actually accidentally grown by me
at the Daisy Patch. We were given some potting soil that had a pumpkin seed in it and these are the two pumpkins we grew. I've never grown pumpkins before so it was a special surprise. Cinderella would have had a hard time using either one for a quick get-away. The bigger on is skinny for a pumpkin and the other is Oscar sized.




Another delightful surprise today was finding these very pretty and divine smelling roses blooming beside the garage. Last spring I pruned the rogue rose bush down to the ground as it had totally taken over the side of the garage and was growing under the siding. I thought I had killed it but it actually is prettier than before. Who knew?



These are just a few of the books I bought today at the Green Valley Book Fair. It is only open 6 times a year and the best time to go is the first day. These are just the cook books I bought! Some of them I bought for Christmas gifts but it was so much fun! We also went to the public library and got some travel book on Boston. We are talking about going to Boston for my birthday and I just heard today that there is a train that goes from Charlottesville to Boston. Doesn't that sound romantic?



Last but not least.....my guilty pleasure! I found out that I can eat 26 Candy Corns made with honey for 140 calories. Who Knew? I love these things .


Hope your day had moments that made you smile.

crawling out from under a rock

Just me! I'm coming up for air and surfacing from the rock I've been living under the past few weeks. We have had lots of volunteers at the mission coming from Suffolk, VA and as far away as Ormond Beach, Florida.

Lots of work gone done at the mission but not without a lot of time and energy getting ready for large groups. It's amazing how much time it takes to be prepared for a group to help you.

We literally spent days assembling the tools, and clearing out "stuff" in order for a group to have a beginning, middle and end. We want our volunteers to be able to see results from their labors.

This last group worked so hard that we were exhausted just trying to stay ahead of them .

Don't give up on me. I'm trying to catch up on the all the people, situations, and stuff I let slide, while the groups were here. I'm also trying desperately to finish up a huge project that got dumped on me in the last two weeks so we can be free to enjoy our family gathering in New York with our kids and grands!

Say a prayer for me! Miss you more than a cold drink on a hot dusty day.

Thursday Thirteen...13 Purple things I love!

Lazy Daisy's Color Wheel Continues.....Passionate about Purple!

1. Violets.....lovely dark purple color flower.







2. Amethysts.....February birth stone.









3. Crocus....one of the first spring flowers in my garden.







4. Lilacs....love their smell coming through the open windows.





5. Grapes......we have our own grape arbor.







6. Grape jelly.....with peanut butter...yum!






7. Purple Tulips.....another spring treat!






8. Purple Hearts....both Valentines and the medals for the wounded.





9. Cone Flowers.....a summer favorite.






10. Eggplant.....fried with corn meal, or Eggplant Parmesan.






11. Plums.....sweet summer fruit.







12. Purple Hydrangeas...The color change according to the ph of the soil.







13. Purple Crayon....probably because of the book Harold and the Purple Crayon.



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