Summertime - And The Livin' Is Easy....

As most of you know, well all four of you who read my blog... summer is MY time. I wait all year, starting on the first day of school, for the first day of summer. I count down EVERY day and even proclaim at the end of a working day that we are "one day closer to summer." Some may say this is silly, saying in September that we are one day closer to summer, but take it from me, this is for sanity's sake. It's my way of looking forward to my favorite time and being positive when the weather turns gloomy.. for that is when my mood turns gloomy as well. Summer is my winter's light at the end of the tunnel.

As for THIS summer, well, it's been jam-packed and it's not over yet! We've been camping, floating the river, took a trip to California, lots of bbq's, been to the races and the drags, celebrating family, life and warm weather when we've got it. 

I LOVE SUMMER! 

Now we are in August (ALREADY!?!) and this month we have the Country Music Festival to attend like last year, and Wade's daughter is getting married this month too. Nathan has a birthday and I do believe my first day back to work (ugh) will be this month as well. 

I can honestly say that as busy as this summer has been, and I did at one time complain a bit that it is go, go, go a bit too too much... it has been a wonderful summer full of fun and good times. I never floated a river before, and I've never been to LA. Now I have! My summers of the past have included college, homework, ebay and staying home. I didn't do anything and i thought I liked it that way. 

But now I'm out there living life! LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE! 

There are some who pooh-pooh my enthusiasm. My mush and gush. But, it is who I am and I believe life is for living and we must have a positive attitude or we have a negative life. It's all in how you choose to live and I choose to live as cheerfully as possible!

So, I will enjoy my simple pleasures: a stalk of wheat, a golden sunset, the smell of hay and the sound of frogs croaking at night. The way my curtains blow in the gentle breeze, the song of the yellow finch at the bird feeder, how the light hits the leaves in the maple tree in the front yard. THAT, is truly what life is about. 

Enjoy what remains of your own summer. 

Quiet

It's a quiet day, and I'm a little under the weather so probably feeling a little meloncholic. Is that a word? Oh well, if not, I just created it. LOL

 Thinking about some things. Writing random stuff and inviting you to come along on my whimsy. 

 This picture below: the dimes, these are mine. I find dimes, only by themselves. Those are the ones I pick up. If they're with other coins, they're insignificant. 

I have many "found" dimes, which I store in this pretty little gilded box with a glass lid on my dresser. I've used my sisters jewelry stamps to make some pendants in which I have stamped "sign" or, "sign of the dimes", or "make life count". Really, I take the dimes I find as a sign that

I am never alone. When I find one, I thank the powers that be for reminding me someone is watching over me, and with me, always.

  

This one, the red barn snow scene, is right down the street from where I live. It's beautiful. We had snow at the end of March and I took a short drive and got this one gorgeous shot before I 

decided I should go back home where it was safe.

  

My hunny surprised me recently with tickets to Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker and Thompson Square. He called and asked if I would like to go to see them with him, in true dating fashion. Sometimes he can be so romantic. We had just had a snow storm (as in above picture) and drove to Eugene for the concert. On the way it was fine, but the way home was not good. TONS of snow. But, we were in a 4 wheel drive, and I wasn't driving, and I was warm and safe with my sweet fiance. I got to enjoy the white of the night and get lost in music. And be thankful for being safe in the arms of love.

 Below is a door knocker I found attached to the most darling house for sale in Albany

about a year ago. I have  a thing for old doors, and even more of a thing for door architecture. I consider this beautiful art. What a lovely thing to greet you when you make a house call. Don't you think?

 We took the kids up past McDowell Creek last winter and found a rock quarry and did some target practice. It was fun, but you know me.. I'm more about the scenery. This was on the way home, out of the forest, when a dark patch of road came to this clear, blue sunny opening. Reminds me of being hopeful as light always follows darkness. 

  

Throwing in for good measure a picture of me being silly. We were camping last summer

at Loon Lake and I was drawing a heart in the sand. My daughter snapped the shot. All you get

to see is my happy, smiling face. Being silly is good. Very good for the soul. 

I don't think I will ever grow up.

'

 A beautiful day en route to Carson City, Nevada last Memorial Day. We had snow in May at

Lake Tahoe. I just love a pretty barn picture.

By the way, all of these photos, are mine.

 This one is of my late sister-in-law Teresa and my brother Jim. It was near her birthday and the family rented a beach house (well, Jimmy did and we all came to stay too) just south of Newport. It was the weekend my Dad and step-mom Darlene were married. 

Can't help but feel sad.  

But it is a gentle reminder that life is precious and not to be

taken for granted. You never know when your time is up. 

Love them while you can.

  

Ah, and this one, below, reminds me of how young and dumb we can be. 

It also reminds me of how when we are so young and dumb, we don't know how we really do, at that age, have the power to do anything our heart desires. We just have to get over the limits we place on ourselves. GO OUT AND DO WHAT YOU DESIRE! The world is ours at that age. 

(jumped off soap box and fell flat on my face)

(got back up and dusted myself off, and moved on)

I think I was 15 in this picture. Chantel is a baby laying on my bed there, you can barely see her. I held Chantel as a baby, and I've held Chantel's own baby in my arms and before you know it, I'll be holding Chantel's baby's baby in my arms. 

And they will be young and dumb too. 

  

And here below are the two people that made such an impression on me, especially at that

young and dumb age above. If not for these two, I would not be the person I am today. A good person.  I firmly believe in the ability of ONE person (or two) to make a total difference in the life

of a child. If you can be that one person, please be it. You will be remembered, and treasured

for always.

 Looking back. And looking forward. Sometimes a meloncholic kind of day is good for you. Reflection is good.  Good for the soul.

DO WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL!  

We don't always get what we want. 

Some choices aren't ours to make.

But, life goes on.

 

 

On Gratitude

On Gratitude.

 I am grateful for old fashioned style love. 

(He did this on his own <3)

I am grateful for traditions.

(this is my brother in law Rick, who always guts the pumpkins before

our annual pumpkin carving family gathering)

I'm grateful for a family that loves to

do things together.

  I'm grateful for natural beauty, 

and even more grateful for the

ability to notice and appreciate it.

I'm grateful for humor. 

And the ability to be different. 

(above, my 83 year old friend Betty, on the left, being different)

I'm grateful for good health, fresh air, beautiful sunsets,

rocks, and even Nascar. 

 My children mean the world to me.

 And so does living in this beautiful, FREE country.

(God bless the USA)

MAY I NEVER LOSE THE ABILITY

TO FULLY APPRECIATE

ALL THAT I HAVE. 

May I always be grateful.  

A Tour of My Appendicitis

Here, I look like I'm having fun.

But actually, I'm just grateful I am FINALLY  going off to surgery.

I had appendicitis. I could tell something wasn't right. Every time I'd eat, I felt like I'd devoured a cow. It just hurt. 

It took a few days, or maybe a couple weeks. Seems like that uncomfortable feeling was there after I ate for awhile. I chalked it up to being piggy. (here is the first sign... people... listen to your bodies) 

Then Sunday night I attended a lovely dinner, and couldn't eat. Felt like a greedy man on Thanksgiving... had to go lay on the rocker with my pants open. REALLY, really uncomfortable. Of course, I didn't lay on the rocker like that, but I sure wanted to. (another sign... I turned down pumpkin pie for dessert)

Later that night... couldn't get comfy..... tried to sleep out in the livingroom so Wade could sleep. I tried the chair, the couch, the floor... everything. Got sick, got mad, cried to God to make it something and not that I just had to poop. (frustration!!!!!)  How long can you put up with the pain? I asked God to give me a sign.. do I need to go to ER? 

So Wade comes out at 3:30. Later, he told he me found me on the floor in a fetal position. LOL  I guess that's a sign. To go to ER!!!!! So, off we went. By 7 am I was transported, via AMBULANCE! to the Portland Kaiser facility (insurance issue) and I think around 3:45 pm I had surgery. 

 Here, you see the hospital staff who cared for me. The first nurse before Nicole, was a blur. Sarah was sweet as pie. She encouraged me to walk and, gave me FOOD!!!! (jello and broth: the BEST thing in the world)...

My bed. I loved those things they put on your legs. Seriously. They were comforting. They constricted night and day. 

 My view.  Isn't it great? These two waited and waited with me. 

I remember coming out of surgery. Alone in that awful recovery room with all the other people recovering from surgery and I might as well have been in the nut house. People crying out, moaning, screaming, writhing around in their beds. I hated it in there. I couldn't open my eyes, but I could hear them around me.  I just wanted to be with my family. And when it finally came time to go to my room, there they were. All standing there, waiting for me. With love in their eyes. Now that's love. I felt really special at that moment. 

Anyway, an appendix is a mysterious little organ between your two intestines that has no use. Mine got infected. Now it's out and I'm home resting. I have 2 weeks to recover before I go back to work.  It's been a week now since my surgery. I feel tired, weak, dizzy and depressed. I want to be doing stuff but I can't. I've never had surgery before so this experience is new to me. I've been well cared for during this experience. But I don't want to do it again. 

And now, you've had a tour of my appendicitis! Thanks for reading!

Camping Alone With Your Honey Can Be Nice

My Wade & I went camping last weekend.

All alone.

That hasn't happened before, and it was quite nice.

Usually we have at least one to several others with us.

This time we decided to go it alone.. a much needed getaway.

We went to MILO McIVER State Park, near Estacada, Oregon.

It's beautiful in the fall, though we've not been any other time of the year till now.

They have two dams, a lake, a river and tons of forested campgrounds to bike, 

hike or walk.  

I'll be excited to see where we go next. On MY wish list is:

Southern Oregon

Redwood Forests

Seattle area

The Gorge 

Silver Creek Falls 

and any other state, anytime. 

 The view from above the park. You can't tell but this is WAYyyyyy above where we were. I zoomed in.

 Milo's tribute.

 The fishing (and the view) is good here.

 The dam, under construction.

 On our way to the fish hatchery at Milo. This is My Wade & Zeus.

<3 is camping alone with my honey. Well, and the little dog, too.

SUMMER IN REVIEW

Our most recent camping trip, this weekend.

A wedding attended and looking forward to our own next summer.

Me and my very special dad.

MISSING TERESA.

CONCERT in Brownsville.

Our trailer, er... love shack?

These beautiful sunrises and sunsets out in the country. I thank God for them every day.

Beautiful fields of wheat, and hazelnut orchards. Right out my back door. And side door. And front door.

A very romantic moment. FLY ME TO THE MOON playing and dancing after we set off our paper lantern.

My favorite picture of us. So in love. Holding on to each other like we never want to let go.

And dancing with my dad. That ranks way up there too.

Reminding myself what is important. I need no reminding.

Garden visitors.

Time with my kids, who are wonderful.

Remembering that time is precious and it goes very fast. I treasure the time I've had this summer.