Thistle Dew

Memory links

2011-07-29T10:35:00.000-04:00

It's funny how sights, sounds, smells, or tastes can trigger a memory.

...or the lack of smell, come to think of it. I have Winnie the Pooh head today - my head feels stuffed with fluff. I have all the beginnings-of-a-cold symptoms, so I decided to make a hot cup of tea.

I posted before about my memories of having tea with my Mom. I related about the tea cups she gave me and the ones Kevin and I bought in England in May of 2009.

My collection

What I didn't tell you was the story of the Harrod's shopping trip, which is what I remembered this morning as I sipped from one of the tea cups we purchased that day.

Kevin and I married 29 years ago. My English cousins (2nd? once removed? well, we're related!) sent us a £ 5 note as a wedding gift, which I vowed not to spend until I was physically on English soil. Canada would not count.

That opportunity finally came two years ago. After searching for a week in village shops and the English version of yard sales, we ended up in Harrod's of London. To give you an idea of the atmosphere, here's a quote from their web site:

Please ensure all clothing is clean and presentable and that the appropriate footwear is worn while in the store. Refrain from wearing clothing which may reveal intimate parts of the body, or which portrays offensive pictures or writing. For full details of the Harrods Dress Code, please click here.

Refrain from wearing crash helmets in the store.

I have to admit, I was a little bit intimidated by the sheer size of the store and the very well-dressed clerks. After finding the fine china department, my fears were relieved. The clerk was absolutely polite and charming.

I chose a tea cup, then Kevin found one he thought I'd like. I couldn't decide between the two, so my sweet husband told me to get both. :D

As the clerk prepared our purchases for transatlantic travel, we related the story of my £5 note. I was so excited to be spending it at last! I pulled it out to show him, whereupon he sadly informed me that my currency was too old to spend! I would have to take it to a bank to exchange for the new currency!

Well, the bank was already closed and we had to leave for the airport early the next morning. I still have the £5 note.

I've resigned myself to the fact that I have to go back to England. And I'll be sure the bank is open this time.

And I think I'll help boost their chocolate sales. After all, they only sell 100 tonnes of confections annually.

365-40 through 45 Creating memories

2010-11-22T18:57:00.000-05:00

My goal with my family has been to create good memories. We've taken a lot of vacations instead of buying new furniture, for example. Our coaches were 24 years old before we bought new ones. Our dining set was our wedding gift to each other.

I guess that's why I love photography. I love to capture moments, whether scenes created by God or memories we've created for ourselves.

The other day I was driving along in the rain when the sun suddenly broke through. I hurriedly put the car visor down and fumbled for my sunglasses. I grumbled that the sun was blinding me as it reflected off the wet pavement. Then I turned into the store parking lot and behold! A gorgeous rainbow. I nabbed the first spot I saw, away from the crowded part of the lot. I was so glad I had my camera with me! It was a wonderful reminder of God's faithfulness.

365-40

A promise remembered

365-41

No words!

This next photo is probably one of the worse photographs of me (except perhaps one of me eating with my tongue sticking way out!), but the moment is a treasure.

365-42

A treasured moment

If you are a Sonlighter, you'll remember the elk dogs of Om-Kas-Toe. The Blackfoot Indian tribe were not familiar with horses, so when they saw them for the first time, they referred to them as "elk dogs". The animal was large like a elk, but followed man around like a dog.

I often refer to my Tennessee Walker, Courage, as an elk dog because he will follow me around. I never tire of looking at him!

365-43

Elk dog

This dog is not the kind I would want to encounter in the wild. This one is actually at Cabela's sporting goods store, where we spent the afternoon of my son's 20th birthday. He looks very real to me! This image was taken with my iPhone.

365-44

Nice doggie?

My husband generally walks our dog Charlotte each morning. It was so nice outside this morning, I took her myself. I was greeted by the moon, still full in the sky and close to setting.

365-45

Moonset

So, dear reader, make time to make some memories and to slow down and enjoy God's creation!

Practical Gifts

2010-11-22T09:42:00.000-05:00

We have all received gifts we couldn't use or really didn't want....we've also given gifts to others which were perhaps "regifted". Here is an alternative....

You can make a difference in the life of a family with much less than you have. You can choose from a wide variety of gifts, from a chicken to surgery. It could even mean the difference between life and death.

And you won't miss that gift you didn't receive.

365-37, 38, 39

2010-11-16T18:27:00.000-05:00

We've lived in West Virginia for six years, renting a house on 23 acres this whole time. "Our" house has its quirks, like no toilet in the basement bathroom, but a urinal instead. (You read correctly!) It has, however, been a terrific blessing for us. What were the "chances" of renting a house on 23 acres in the country, where we could keep our three horses.

We've been searching for a house for a couple of years, but they are few and far between. Well, we've finally found a house on six acres! We've got a contract on it and are proceeding with jumping through all the appraisal and inspection hoops.

365-37

Our new house

I set out to do a self-portrait with my favorite equine. All of the photos with me in them came out terribly. This horse is very inquisitive and quite friendly. This picture reflects his personality. He's one of the reasons we need a house on acreage.

365-38

Tall, dark, and handsome

There is a government facility in my area that is located on 600 acres. The locals jokingly call it a wildlife refuge because it's a secure facility. A new hospital has just opened nearby and there is a large field in front of it. Apparently the grass was greener there on this particular day. This is only about half the flock! I tried to be unobtrusive, but they began to wander away as I approached.

365-39

Transplants

365-30 through 36 Catching Up!

2010-11-13T10:32:00.000-05:00

I'm behind in my 365 Project due to illness and lack of internet access, but I'm catching up today!

As I see it, the purpose of the 365 Project is to get you taking pictures every day, thus showing one's day-to-day life over a year's time. I started late in the year, so I'm taking a little artistic license and posting some old pictures. I'm sure you don't want to see my life over the last two weeks of illness and internet deprivation!

Life in West Virginia is quite different from anywhere else I've lived. For starters, we are overrun by white-tail deer. They are everywhere! My son has had five narrow misses while driving just in the last two weeks. I hope my reader is not opposed to hunting. WV DNR has actually opened the hunting season early this year due to the overpopulation. One of the reasons our car insurance is higher than other states is because of collisions with deer.

This photo was taken using my iPhone camera in a local park which I frequent for walks with a friend. The park has a very pleasant trail, part of which goes through the woods. One day we happened upon this buck. As you can see, they are difficult to spot, making them a hazard to unsuspecting drivers.

365-30

Buck

My beautiful daughter has a six-month-old son. This picture is from when he was still inside Mommy. He is about -6 months in this photo. This was taken at her baby shower nearly a year ago.

I love the glow of pregnancy!

365-31

The Glow of Pregnancy

We lived in Missouri for eight years. We've been in WV for six years, but I still miss some things are Missouri and its neighbor, Kansas. One of them is the Krispy Kreme store, where donuts are freshly made all day. We always made a quick left when the "Hot Donuts!" sign was flashing in the store window. We'd buy a dozen hot ones and sit and watch the donut-making process, our favorite part being the glaze "waterfall".

My husband's parents live in Colorado, so we visited them last Christmas, spending a week in the mountains. Of course Kansas City, our favorite Krispy Kreme city, is on the way!

365-32

Hot Donuts!

We spent the week before Christmas in Winter Park, Colorado. The ski area has a torchlit ski-down on Christmas Eve. My brother-in-law works and lives at the ski area, so we had a great view of the procession from his balcony at the base lodge.

365-33

Christmas Eve bonfire

The procession itself is quite a spectacle! Skiers made their way down the slope, holding torches that light up the snow. Please understand that I don't have a fancy digital SLR! At first I thought there were drips of white goop on my lens, but upon further inspection, I realized they were the flashes from other photographers!

365-34

Fiery Snow

Have you seen the movie Bucket List? Two older men set off of an adventure to do the things they want to do before they "kick the bucket". Well, I have become a little less adventurous in recent years, but decided to try snowmobiling. I rode on the back, sucking exhaust fumes while I careened through the snow on the back of the snowmobile with my Need-for-Speed Husband.

I must admit that I'm glad I went. Not only did I get some gorgeous shots, but now I can add "Snowmobiling to the Continental Divide" to my bucket list, then merrily cross it off!

It was extremely cold at that altitude...not to mention the 60 mph wind blowing right through me! I was very bundled up.

365-34

Michelin Woman

I grew up in South Florida and don't handle the cold as well as my Northern readers!

One of the things that I never did while I lived in Florida was go on an airboat tour through the Everglades. My sister and I promised each other in the summer of 2009 that we would go the next time I visited her. The time came a year later. It was exhilarating... even though we saw no wild gators!

I intended to do a self-portrait with the Glades in the background, but neglected to use the correct setting on my camera. Sometimes mistakes produce interesting photos. That's my sister in the reflection, wearing a red shirt and blue hat. We often kid that we are twins born ten years apart!

365-36

Self-portrait in the Everglades

365-29 "Let's Face It!"

2010-11-01T21:39:00.001-04:00

"Let's Face It!"

a little ditty I wrote

"Let's Face It!"

written by me.

I happened upon this tree

and introduced myself.

I asked the tree who carved his face

and if it was an elf.

He did not reply to me

but motioned with a sway,

which I understood to mean

he did not want to say.

His countenance was friendly

so imagine my surprise

when he pursed his lips and started

to speak and sermonize.

He talked about his long life

and how he had been treated,

Of all the things he had missed

and how he had been cheated.

"How could this be?" I asked

and hoped for a reply,

But he had ceased to speak

and had begun to cry.

This tree was in the middle

of a vast and lonely field

Where no one could provide him

with any kind of shield.

He was open to the weather -

wind and ice and snow,

and all the other things that bring

a tree like him such woe.

I explained to him all the things

that I appreciate

about all the trees like him

that the Lord God did create.

"You provide men shelter

and beauty and some shade

Not to mention syrup

and other things tree-made."

The tree began to smile

and I was quite relieved

that he truly did like me

and really did believe.

"Let's face it," I continued,

"You are something to behold,

and I am very certain

you'll live to be quite old."

His branches began to quiver

as he began to laugh,

Then I promised him that I would speak

to all on his behalf.

So, dear reader, stop and think

of all trees do for you,

Let's face it - we cannot live

without them, it is true!

365-28 Holding on

2010-10-30T19:43:00.000-04:00

Some of the green is holding on in spite of a frost every night.

365-27 "Detail of copper door"

2010-10-27T10:46:00.000-04:00

I'd like to learn how to clip the corners on photos, but don't have the proper software for it.

Here's my first attempt at a vignette.

365-26 "Seasons of Life"

2010-10-27T10:15:00.000-04:00

2010-10-25T14:13:00.000-04:00

In 1840, William Snodgrass erected a log building about 300 yards from his house for specific use as a schoolhouse and a church. Three separate school buildings were to occupy the same level, one-acre site over the next 100 years or so. The log school was succeeded by a frame building with board-and-batten siding of white poplar, painted a dark red, which was in turn succeeded, in 1871, by the 23' by 26' white frame schoolhouse now on the campus of Fairmont State University.
We discovered the schoolhouse when we were letterboxing.

365-24 "Old Copper Doors"

2010-10-24T16:57:00.001-04:00

364-23 "Splashes of Yellow"

2010-10-23T13:38:00.001-04:00

There are still trees with lots of color here in West Virginia.

365-22 "Foggy morning at the lake"

2010-10-21T16:25:00.001-04:00

I love this time of year with pleasant days and cool nights. It creates some beautiful foggy mornings like the one today.

365-21* Orange

2010-10-19T08:15:00.000-04:00

The 365 Project assignment this week is "Orange". Believe it or not, I have several images that qualify and had trouble choosing. It's kind of like when prospective sponsors approach a Compassion International table at a concert or Compassion Sunday. There are so many needy children! Yet God seems to draw people to the child He wants to pair them with.

While I was at the MercyMe/Phil Wickham concert this past Sunday, I gathered up all the child packets in which the child was wearing orange. I chose the brightest.

These child packets are reserved for concertgoers, but there are many more whom you could sponsor....and make a difference in a child's life. Just go to the Compassion web site and choose a child....by country, gender, age - even a specific birth date.

365-20 "Flames in the Sky"

2010-10-16T21:43:00.000-04:00

We often take the beauty of God's creation for granted, especially when we've lived in an area for a while. I love the fall colors and have come to realize that a lot of people have never experienced them. So, here you are, friends in the temperate climates!

365-19* "Simplicity"

2010-10-15T08:54:00.000-04:00

The photo assignment for this week was to catch the emotion of simplicity in the expressions of people.

Hmmmm.

People are not my best subjects. They move. They often don't cooperate. So I found an object with one leg and something that resembles arms.

365-18 "Reflections of Blue"

2010-10-13T16:25:00.000-04:00

I am on day 5 of a headache, so I've not ventured out much for photographs. Today I've chosen one of my shots from our trip to Montana this summer. I am going to imagine sitting on the shore of MacDonald Lake, sipping sweet iced tea, and gazing at the peaks.

365-17 "Reflections of Gold"

2010-10-12T20:18:00.000-04:00

The western sun highlights the yellow leaves, yielding a golden glow.

365-16 "Waxing crescent"

2010-10-11T21:18:00.003-04:00

They say you are good at what you like.

I beg to differ.

I've always liked science, but have never been very good at it. Take the lesson in elementary school on Phases of the Moon. I still cannot remember which name goes with which phase. I'm grateful that I can look it up on my iPhone StarWalk application, though.

So, here you have it: "Waxing Crescent."

365-15 "Take me back to Italy"

2010-10-11T15:35:00.000-04:00

Some of my very fondest memories are from our trip to Europe last year. My favorite country was Italy, perhaps because my maternal grandfather was Italian....but he would have said he was Sicilian. Italians identify themselves with their province more readily than their country.

I've been trying to learn Italian, but have a hard time being faithful to continue my education. I wish the Italian program I'm using didn't have so much about ordering beer and wine!

I like the idea of wine, but I haven't really found one that appeals to my taste buds. I should really take advantage of the free tastes they offer at Olive Garden, where we went after our very long shopping trip to Cabela's, a popular sporting goods store in our area.

365-14 "Twenty-seven million"

2010-10-11T12:23:00.001-04:00

Part of my work with Compassion International is to volunteer at Christian concerts where the child sponsorship program is being presented. This week Tenth Avenue North came to Morgantown, WV. Their burden is for the children all around the world caught up in the human trafficking trade. I was shocked to learn that there are 27,000,000 slaves worldwide. Compassion is working to free children from slavery and poverty in the name of Jesus.

This is not a great photo, but the message is important. You can sponsor a child here

365-13

2010-10-08T21:37:00.001-04:00

There is a lake near the beginning of our road which is host to a fishing club. The associated buildings are used for celebrations, picnics, and parties. I've conveniently hidden the sign, but this particular building is actually one of the rest rooms. Perhaps not on the level of the rest rooms at Shoji Tobuchi's theater in Branson, but appealing to the eye just the same!

365-12

2010-10-07T16:47:00.000-04:00

"Camouflage and adaptation"
aka a short science lesson

With the new season comes change in temperature. Some of us are better adapted than others. I grew up in South Florida and would have thought this to be winter weather and thus bundled up. Now I just don a light jacket or something similar...if even that.

My Dalmatian, Dana, does not adapt well. She sheds year-round. Her job is to populate every dark object in her environment with her white hair. Years ago, a pastor's wife was walking behind me and declared, "Theresa, next time consider a coat color other than black." That coat is probably 20 years old by now and it still hair on it.

Dana gets cold easily, even inside. I bought one of those cuddly fleece blankets with a cute snowflake print and it has been claimed by Dana. It suits her well and provides adequate camouflage, don't you think?

365-11

2010-10-06T21:24:00.000-04:00

The oars are stowed away, as are the beach towels and swimsuits. The boats wait patiently for their owners to brave the weather and go fishing. It's quiet and serene and perfect for an amateur photographer to nose around, looking for a photo opportunity.

365-10

2010-10-05T19:05:00.000-04:00

My favorite photo subjects are the things which God has created. I find that I have to get more creative in finding those things as autumn chill replaces summer warmth.

These marigolds are holding on, though, and I seized the opportunity for an outdoor photo with some color in it.

365-9*

2010-10-04T18:16:00.001-04:00

"Signs of Life"

After several weeks of no rain, the grass here in West Virginia was browning fast. We usually begin to feed hay to our horses in late October, bur we started in mid-September.

Then the rains came. The grass has greened. The ground sloshes under your feet. And the mushrooms seemingly pop up overnight. Life has returned!

This photo took several tries...like 15! I think the result is worth it.

365-8

2010-10-03T21:33:00.000-04:00

My Mom has told me that if I add any more Teddy bears to my collection, there won't be any room for my family in my house! I've lost count, but I think they number around 150.

This bear's name is Clive, named after C.S. Lewis. I began reading Lewis's works about the time Clive joined my household.

365-7 "Tea with Mom"

2010-10-02T17:05:00.001-04:00

Emily, my maternal grandmother, was English. My mother, Lucy, passed on the love for tea with sugar and milk to me. I have many fond memories of drinking a cuppa in the afternoon while I was living at home. Mom, now 96, is in a nursing home, so those days are gone. Mom has given me many of her English bone china cups and saucers and I treasure them. One must drink hot tea from a bone china cup with saucer. There simply is no other way. It simply does not taste the same from a mug.

I have added to my cup and saucer collection a little bit. When we were in England in May of 2009, Kevin chose a set from Harrod's in London as a gift for me. We also purchased some English tea bags, which have turned out to be my favorite.

365-6

2010-10-02T08:49:00.000-04:00

I'm going to confess right up front. I'm not in the habit of taking my camera everywhere I go....yet.

This is a photo I took on our trip to Montana this August. While my husband and son hiked to a glacier, I accompanied my in-laws on a boat tour of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. I was looking for some fascinating photo subjects and the wake of the ferry boat caught my eye.

365-5

2010-09-30T19:40:00.000-04:00

365-4

2010-09-29T22:22:00.000-04:00

I am not one who decorates for much more than Christmas, but my friend Gail does! I'm getting in the habit of taking my camera with me wherever I go. Good thing - because I had neglected to take any project photos today. We attend a small Bible study group at Gail's house, so I was pleased to see that she had decorated for the season when we arrived tonight for our kickoff cookout. So I get to continue with my seasonal theme after all!

365-3*

2010-09-28T15:26:00.000-04:00

The assignment this week is "Books". What could be better than a photo of photo books for a photo project? These are from our trip to Europe in May 2009.

365-2

2010-09-26T15:35:00.000-04:00

Our pear trees are heavy-laden with fruit. Unfortunately, they are not worth eating unless you can them...or are a horse or bear! Since I am neither species and don't do any canning, I just photograph them!

365-1

2010-09-25T15:37:00.001-04:00

The first of my 365 photo project posts is of an early fall sky. Some of the trees in my area have shed their leaves already. The change in weather created a nice background to the skeletal trees.

365 Photo Project

2010-09-25T14:53:00.000-04:00

I am participating in the 2010 Mommytography 365 Project! For this year long project I will be posting an image a day, to get me out shooting, using my camera and learning new things with it daily. Anyone interested in photography can join, no need to be a Mommytographer. We have teens to adults, male and female, as well as people from all over the world. Come join the fun!

The Simple Life

2010-09-23T18:36:00.003-04:00

On our recent trip to Montana, we passed through a small town called Circle, named for the cattle brand of a local ranch. As we approached the town, population 593 as of 2003, we passed a man riding a horse along the highway. Now here was a bonafide cowboy!

We pulled into the Circle Sinclair service station to gas up and discovered that the station was still a full service station. I couldn't believe that they still existed.

As we waited for our fuel to fill, the cowboy trotted his horse into the station. He dismounted and led his horse right up to the door. At first I thought he was going to take his horse right inside, but he didn't. He tied the reins to the door handle and emerged a few minutes later. The proprietor followed him out and started to chat.

"How many horses you gonna break this year?" (Please read this with your very best Montana drawl.)
"Oooh. Four 'r five..."
"Weeel....you must be doin' a good job."

That's all I heard of the conversation because the cowboy - complete with lasso, hat, boots, and belt buckle - had wandered over to the side of the building to a bench, horse in tow. He sat down and enjoyed his Mountain Dew and a snack. A couple minutes later and he had mounted up again, heading his horse farther into town.

I found myself envying his way of life.

Why do we lead such complicated lives? A lot of people around the world are happy with their lives, even though they don't have the possessions and conveniences we have here in the United States.

I especially saw this when we took a Jeep tour in Spain, one of the highlights of our trip to Europe.

One of our stops was to a traditional goat farm where they made the most delicious cheese. Maria and Pepe care for over a hundred goats every day. Pepe spent his mornings milking the nannies, then herding them and the billies out to pasture, where he spent the remainder of the day.

Pepe and Maria

We even tried our hand at milking

The cheese rounds

Every day, Maria takes the milk and forms it into cheese in their cheese house, using traditional methods. The cheese is completely organic and resembles a mozzarella. Since it's not pasteurized, they cannot sell it in the neighboring town of Istan. Their product is well known, however, and the locals come to the farm to purchase.

Some days I find myself longing for a simpler lifestyle.

Bookmarks, greeting cards, and posters

2010-04-28T11:22:00.001-04:00

It is such a famous scripture we often don't even realize what it means...or stop to think about it. Children memorize it. Posters are made from it and hung on walls. Artists paint and draw images to go with it. It is printed on bookmarks and stuck in our Bibles. Greeting card companies print them on sympathy cards and we buy them for our loved ones.

Yet it seems to have lost its meaning for many of us. Including me, of course. (After all, they say that when you point your finger at someone, there are four fingers pointing back at you.)

But this morning this scripture came to life for me again..

I attended a Walk thru the Bible seminar last weekend and not only did I learn, but I also had a great time doing it! This morning, I was reviewing my seminar notes. I had even dug through my basement to find my notebook from the seminar I attended in the '80s. I had worked my way up to Psalms in my review and I came across a page in my old notebook about applying scripture to your life. The table headings are: Read, Visualize, Memorize, Ponder, Pray, and Worship.

The example was Psalm 23:2-3, which reads "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me besides quiet waters, he restores my soul."

Now most of us would immediately visualize sheep. (These particular sheep I photographed in England.)

Most of us also probably don't have any real experience with sheep.

Including me!

But I do have experience with horses. When I got up this morning, I did what I always do: go to the kitchen for food! My mother always teased me about that. "Theresa's feet hit the floor in the morning and head for the kitchen."

Anyway, I did just that. When I got to the window over my sink, I spotted a large white mass on the ground where there is normally nothing but grass. Curious, I opened the curtains and gazed out. It was one of my horses, sprawled out, enjoying the warm ground on a very cold spring morning. A little to her right was her pasture mate, lying down but upright, contentedly nibbling on spring grass. They were absolutely enjoying the peace and quiet of the morning.

Yet I've always been amazed that such majestic, huge animals flee at the slightest perceived danger. They weigh over 1000 pounds, but they are prey. Their instinct is to flee for their lives.

Before me were two creatures, calm and peaceful as could be.

Then it struck me. This is the calm that God offers. This is the peace, the contentment, the security. We might be surrounded by dangers, seen and unseen, but God is with us. He leads us beside quiet waters.

How do we get this peace?

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3

So now you've read it. You've visualized it. You've probably memorized Psalm 23 at some point in your life. Now ponder over it and Isaiah 26:3. And when you're done, pray for a steadfast mind and a trusting heart. Ask Him to give you peace. Then praise Him for it!!

Dear Child,

2010-01-28T13:31:00.000-05:00

In the parable of the prodigal son in the Bible, the young man yielded to temptation and went to a distant land. He lived a loose lifestyle and was eventually impoverished. He hired himself out to one of the citizens of that land and worked in a field, feeding swine. He came to the realization that his father's hired hands were eating much better than he. He decided to humble himself and return home to ask forgiveness and live as a hired hand.

The young man saw himself as unworthy to be called a son any more.

But his father saw it differently. He welcomed the son with open arms. The young man was still the father's son.

I am still the Father's beloved daughter. No matter what. He wants to hold me and love me and listen to me talk. And He wants to talk to me.

I am His daughter because of the Son, who died on the cross for me.

And so are you..... if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. If you have not, just ask Him right now. Then read the book of John in the Bible and find a church that has solid Bible teaching.

Remember that you are His daughter (or son) when you feel far away. Remember it when you have fallen into temptation. Remember it when the Enemy is telling you that you are not worth anything. Hold up your shield of faith and resist the Enemy. Run into the Father's arms of love.

Roses and Ripoffs

2010-01-15T14:52:00.000-05:00

Girls love flowers - their beauty, their scent, their color. A woman especially loves flowers when the man in her life buys them for her. Italian men know this well.

Our last day in Rome led us to the Piazza del Popolo (People's Square), which is just inside the northern gate of the Aurelian Wall. An Egyptian obelisk of Rameses II stands in the center of the piazza. The obelisk was brought to Rome in 10 BC by order of Augustus and was originally set up in the Circus Maximus. It was re-erected here in 1589.

We wandered around the piazza, soaking in the ambiance, when an Italian man approached us with an armful of red roses and declared, "Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman."

My vanity caved in and I took the three roses he offered with pleasure.

Two minutes passed and the man returned. Uh oh.

"How about you give-a me a little money?" he directed at my unsuspecting husband. Kevin dug into his pocket and pulled out a few euros.

"How about a little more?" the Italian complained.

Kevin gave him another.

"No. No. More."

"That's all I have," replied Kevin.

The man was still not satisfied.

We were trapped. If Kevin kept refusing, the man would make him feel like I was worth more. If he kept handing over euros, we would be broke! My initial pleasure turned to anger.

I turned to the scammer and said, "How about you give the money back and I give you the flowers?"

That did the trick. He frowned and walked away.We did not fall for that trick again!

But I did keep the roses! Here I am shortly after, strolling through the Villa Borghese area, roses tucked into my bag.

Lights out!

2009-10-29T22:10:00.001-04:00

The trouble with an evening flight is that one usually has to check out of their lodging in the morning. Being in a short-term rental apartment complicated this even further because there is no place to store luggage.Fortunately for us, the Musee d'Orsay in Paris does. If your luggage is not too sizable, they will store it in their cloak room!
After our exhausting few days in Paris, coupled with jet lag, it felt good to sit still on an airplane! The flight was about three and a half hours, part of which was over the beautiful Alps.

We were really surprised at the lack of security at the extremely small Pisa airport. We grabbed our bags and headed out to find the bus. The driver was a dear man who stopped a block from our hotel and gave us directions.

Hotel Bologna is a stylish hotel in the historical area of the city. We were happy to arrive and have some time to relax. It's roomy and quiet, complete with Wi-fi access (for a daily fee) and a free full breakfast.

We were happy with the room until the lights went out!

We groped around in the dark and found a flashlight. Using it to explore our room, we finally found a slot in the wall near the door. We inserted the key card and voila! Let there be light!

Apparently, electricity is very expensive in Europe. A lot of establishments have features that force the inhabitants to conserve electricity. This would not be our last experience of this nature!

A most memorable meal

2009-10-23T22:33:00.023-04:00

One of the draws of Italy is the food. Really good food.

A friend recommended one which far exceeded our expectations: Da I'Conte Diladdarno. It is owned by Luca, who after finding out that we had a mutual friend insisted that we not order and that he would cook for us. We were not disappointed.

We started with crostini con bruschertta and crostini con carabaccia.

Next up was zuppa di ci polls Medicea, a white bean soup, Medici style. Beans and I don't always get along, but Kevin said it was good!

It was followed by Pappa Pomodoro, a tomato stew that was out of this world.

After appetizers and soups, we could easily have walked out happy, but this wasn't to happen. Luca was having a wonderful time in the kitchen!

And we were glad. Luca emerged from the kitchen with a rice dish with provolone cheese and radicchio. My mouth waters even now as I remember it! We ate half of it before I remembered to document it for you....
Luca's assistant wrote down all the dish names for us, but I'm having difficulty translating, so I'll make a guess at the names.
By this time, we were really getting full, but it's difficult to relate this to a wonderful Italian chef. But we endured. ;)
I don't recall ever having wild boar before that day and it wasn't what I expected at all. It was tasty, but I wish I hadn't been so full already!

We're almost finished! Our last main dish was Turkey Medallions with lemon and mint. This is melt-in-your-mouth turkey and I highly recommend it! Again, we consumed half of it before I remembered to photograph it!

Luca was anxious to make another dish for us and his face fell when we told him we didn't want anything else. But it came back to life when we told him, "Va bene! Tutto bene!", which loosely translated means "I like it! All is good!"

But he was not to be stopped.

Out came biscotti and dessert wine, which turned out to be the perfect complement to a huge meal. And a meal is not complete in Italy if you haven't tried grappa, a brandy with assorted flavorings added to it: cinnamon, basil, peppers being among them. We each tried a couple.

I do not like alcohol. And I still don't. I got to practice my very useful Italian phrase, "Mi dispiacci, ma non va bene."

"I'm sorry. I don't like it."

Luca got a good laugh out of that and informed me that grappa is "only for men." Or something along those lines!

It was a two-hour meal that will be one of my fondest memories of Italy for the rest of my life.
I think Luca enjoyed it, also!

One day in Florence

2009-10-06T17:09:00.024-04:00

After a wonderful day in Pisa with our home school friend Tracy, we took the train to Florence. Italian trains are convenient and comfortable. Unlike Roman buses, which I'll discuss later.

Our accommodations in Firenze (Florence) were at Relais Cavalcanti. It's nestled among various restaurants, shops, and outdoor markets. The lovely owners, Anna and Francesca, were the most gracious hosts, available to help in any they could .

Relais Cavalcanti is located on the fourth floor of an old historic building built in the 13th century It was owned by the noble Cavalcanti family, whose name the esablishment adopted.

Since the 13th century did not use elevators, modern builders did their best to cram one into the building, which means that it is diminutive. First there was a door which one opened with a key, revealing the elevator gate. The three of us barely fit inside. The picture at right is not a display of affection between my husband and son....that's just how close we had to stand to fit!

Luggage had to be lugged up the stairs. I guess that's why it is called luggage! At least this task only had to be performed once!

The proprietors, Anna and Francesa, are two of the friendliest woman you'd ever want to meet. They bent over backwards to help us with tours, restaurants, directions, transportation. They claim not to serve breakfast, whichI suppose is technically true; however, their breakfast room is always laid out with Italian delights. My favorite was palmine, a flaky glazed pastry that quickly became my breakfast each day.

Our room was spacious and had a view of the side street on which Relais Cavalcanti resides.

There is a lot to see in Florence, but just wandering around and absorbing Italian culture is a highlight not to be missed. It is easy to get around. In fact, I recommend walking - you'll need to after you experience Italian cuisine! I'll focus on that in a later post.

A gem of Florence is the Uffizi Gallery, built in 1581 to house the offices of the powerful Medici family. Over time, it evolved into a display for the many works of arts collected by the Medici. One of the more famous works is The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli.

But the highlight for us was The David. The original is housed at Galleria dell'Accadamia...don't settle for the copy! But beware of the scam artists (pun intended) who display their reproductions on the sidewalk in front of the Accademia - literally on the sidewalk like a throw rug. Tourists are intent on getting in the door and don't pay attention to where their feet are being placed.

Yes, I am talking about myself.

After placing said feet on reproductions just waiting for an oblivious tourist, Italian men surrounded me. I can only assume they wanted me to pay for damages done. I muttered an apology and proceeded to the gallery entrance. Kevin, the conscientious person that he is, stayed behind. I asked a security guard inside if I should pay and he emphatically (as only an Italian can do) declared, "No! No pay!"

I went back outside to find Kevin with a print rolled under his arm and called to him, "Don't! Do not pay them!" He handed the print back to the vendor and followed us in, leaving behind one disgusted Italian scam artist.

Don't get me wrong, We absolutely fell in love with the Italian people; however, Italy has its share of scammers and thieves. Beware!

One could spend hours wandering through either of these galleries, so don't waste your time standing in line to get in. Pay the nominal extra fee to obtain a reservation. Arrive early to ensure your entry.

More to come...

Fat Tires, Wide Paths, and Tons of History

2009-09-09T21:09:00.042-04:00

It could take a lifetime to see any of the European capital cities. Seeing just one in a matter of days takes some careful planning and really comfortable walking shoes! Unless, of course, you are on a bicycle. It's a terrific way to see the major sights of the city with a knowledgeable guide who speaks English! You can see a whole lot more with less effort. Only one company is licensed to run bike tours in Paris: Fat Tire Bike Tours.

Our guide, Seth, related an informative history of the Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower) as we waited for our group to gather and for any onlookers to join us. We were comprised of mostly Americans from all regions of the U.S., but with a couple of things in common - the ability to ride a bike and a somewhat adventurous spirit.

We visited the Ecole Militaire (Royal Military Academy), which was founded by Louis XV in 1751. Its objective was to make poor gentlemen into military men. Napoleon Bonaparte was trained here in 1784.

Not all of Paris is busy roads filled with micro cars. There are plenty of wide pathways for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as weekly open markets.

On this particular day, we got a taste of the French proclivity for protests. Unfortunately, we couldn't read the French banners or understand the French chants. Judging by their attire, we guessed they were medical personnel.

Our next stop was Napoleon's Tomb at the Dome Church, built in 1715. The dome is actually double, a fact unknown to the Germans of World War II. Hitler visited and stayed for three hours, apparently communing with Napoleon. At the same time, two Allied servicemen were hiding in the dome, waiting to be smuggled out of the city with intelligence information. Neither knew the other was there!

Next up was Hôtel des Invalides, founded by

Louis XIV to shelter 7000 aged or crippled

former soldiers. A small portion is still used as a hospital. Napoleon's cannons line the front.

After passing over the Alexander Bridge, we arrived at Place de la Concorde, the largest public square in Paris, which is flanked by Champs-Élysées to the west and the Tuileries Gardens to the east.

We made a delightful stop at an open cafe in the Gardens, La Terrasse de Pomone. I ordered a

cheese crepe and hot chocolate. Unfortunately, someone spilled their wine and thoroughly soaked my crepe, so I cannot tell you if was as good as the ones from the crepe stand in Le Marais or not.

Our final stop was the Louvre art museum. I posted about it here. I will add this one amazing fact: if you were to spend one minute with each work of art and did this 24 hours a day, it would take nine months to see everything! It is a true treasure and you should go if you have the chance.

This bike tour was one of the highlights of our trip. We saw so much in four hours!

A treasury of art - Paris!

2009-07-03T08:35:00.023-04:00

Paris is a city that contains too much art to see in five days, but we sure did try!

Not only is it in the famous museums, but it is also in the numerous places of worship. Notre Dame is one such place, full of beauty in the form of stained glass, great sculptures and paintings. It is an awe-inspiring place and made me pause and ponder the beauty and majesty of my God.

One of the lesser known museums is Musee de Cluny, a wonderful display of medieval art. One of my favorite rooms was a chapel full of stained glass.

There was another huge room full of altar pieces, all intricately carved from wood.

Trying to cram as much as we could into one day, in between museums we stopped at a sidewalk cafe for a quick lunch and had (gasp) pizza. I'm a people watcher and these cafes are a wonderful location for doing so.

One thing we noticed about Paris is that there are police officers everywhere and that they are never seen solo. The officers are extremely well-armed and protected. They carry a firearm and baton. They are protected by bullet-proof vests and armor on their shoulders and upper arms.
Personally, I like their cute little hats.

We also noticed that their vehicles for the busy areas of the city are vans and usually have five officers in them. I just can't imagine the Parisians getting that out of control! They drive and park wherever they need to. It's a good thing, because in order to park on the street one's car must be this size

This car is basically square - as wide as it is long! They can actually park perpendicular to the sidewalk and still fit.

I am an ice cream fanatic. I freely admit it. Finding good ice cream is one of my favorite travel activities, so after lunch, we sought out an ice cream parlor which I had discovered from my jaunts through the Fodors Travel forum. And, yes, it was good!

You are probably familiar with The Louvre, home to the "Mona Lisa" and thousands of other great works of the masters. You could spend days in this museum. We spent hours and only caught the highlights.

It is an amazing place full of priceless art....thus a plethora of guards. This picture looks like it is of me, but it's really of the guards in the background. Don't mess with their art!

Familiar food, please

2009-06-22T23:58:00.007-04:00

I'm going to jump ahead in time here and tell you a story about Spain.

We had been in Europe almost three weeks by this time and had had a wide variety of gastronomic experiences. In Spain, this was mostly a search for the perfect paella, which is a dish mostly comprised of rice, saffron, and various meats: shellfish, chicken, and/or rabbit. The resort at which we stayed had a cooking demonstration at the beginning of our stay and served it. My mouth waters now as I remember it. It takes at least forty-five minutes to prepare properly and is well worth the wait.

We visited three other restaurants in the area and it just didn't compare to the paella served at the resort. I don't really remember what else we ate during our stay in Spain, except this one other day....

So one day we traveled up to Granada to see La Alhambra. It was a hot day and we were exhausted by the end of it. We decided to go for something familiar for dinner: Burger King! I can read Spanish pretty well and figured it would be a breeze to order. Besides, there are pictures on the menu board!

So we sauntered up to the counter, made our choices - in Spanish - and honestly, were quite pleased with ourselves.

While we waited for our order, I went in search of the condiment stand to find ketchup. No stand to be found anywhere!

Fast food in Spain is not as fast as fast food in the United States, so I sat down and perused my Spanish phrase book, looking for the Spanish word for ketchup. Not in the shopping section. Not in the restaurant section. Not in the miniature dictionary in the back, either.

So we started brainstorming. Daniel and I had read the Ralph Moody series of books and had often recalled the story of the wrangler who was trampled by a horse. A boy had found him and reported back to the ranch, "Completamente aplastada!" Completely squashed.

Okay. Tomato aplastada might do it.

Satisfied that we could communicate our need to the order taker, we went up to the counter to retrieve our food. The clerk slid the tray across the counter and said, "Ketchup?"

No wonder they revolted

2009-06-18T03:26:00.026-04:00

After our transportation mishap, we arrived at Versailles in the very late afternoon. Fortunately, we had purchased the Paris Museum Pass, so didn't worry about paying so much for so little time.

We stopped at the information desk to inquire about what we could see in the hour and a half we had until closing. When asked which language guide pamphlet we would like, I responded, "English! I've been trying to speak French all day."

"Would you like to practice right now?"

What a dear man he was. The French have gained a reputation for being snooty, but I just didn't see it in anyone we met. He was willing to put up with my attempts to speak his language, but I very politely told him, "No, thank you. My brain is very tired." He chuckled, handed us our pamphlets, and off we went in search of the Hall of Mirrors, one of the most famous rooms in the world. This is where the treaty of Versailles was signed in 1918 at the close of World War I.

One could spend hours just in this hall. The paintings, the sculptures, the chandeliers, the window latches are all just breathtakingly beautiful.

Window latches? Yes! I've never seen such an ornate latch. And of course the view out the window is just as beautiful!

The gardens are extensive and would take hours to explore. I found myself wishing for a bicycle. You can see in the photo how far they stretch.

We got some stares as we tried to do a self-portrait in the mirror. You know how it is. One member of the family is usually the one behind the camera. I'm that person and Kevin was behind the video camera.

Beyond the Hall of Mirrors are various other chambers, salons, waiting rooms. libraries - all fixed with sumptuous furnishings and art. This photo is part of the Queen's Chamber - just the top of her bed!

The site began as Louis XIII’s hunting lodge before his son Louis XIV transformed and expanded it, moving the court and government of France to Versailles in 1682. (You can bet they weren't all too happy about that!) Each of the three French kings who lived there until the French Revolution added improvements to make it more beautiful.

The opulence is astounding. I found myself thinking more than once,"No wonder the French revolted!" Louis XIV built it as a symbol of royal absolutism. Unfortunately, the people disagreed. According to the Chateau de Versailles web site, "The château lost its standing as the official seat of power in 1789." Quite an understatement, I think.

The kings of France placed their treasures in possessions. I won't presume to know their spiritual status - let God be their Judge - but they definitely had earthly riches. So I find myself thinking about where my treasure lies. And I'm going to continue to do some soul searching to be sure they lie in heaven.

Dog Syndrome

2009-06-16T02:49:00.004-04:00

A dog will sit and listen attentively to every word you speak. It will understand very few words, but will cock its head when it recognizes one. My dogs' vocabulary consist of: sit, stay, down, up, out, inside, off, breakfast, dinner, treat, walk, ride, mail, crawl to me, only on Friday, dance, pretty, come, and on the rug. And maybe a few others which I've forgotten.

Not very extensive.

Neither is my vocabulary outside the English language.

As we strolled the streets of Paris, we found that we heard a lot of languages: French, Dutch, German, and Italian mostly. But once in a while, our ears would catch English.

"Did you hear that?! English!"

We were thrilled to find a bookstore in Paris called Shakespeare and Company. A lovely young English woman runs the place. I believe her mother ran it before she did. It was so refreshing to hear my native tongue again and to chat with her about restaurant recommendations.

We began to refer to this phenomenon as Dog Syndrome and this would be our joke in every country in which we traveled. Communication with those who didn't speak English was the biggest challenge of our time in Europe. Read my other posts for some amusing stories of our experiences!

Sometimes in my relationship with the Lord, I find myself struggling to understand what He is saying to me. I have to listen intently to hear His voice speaking to me. Sometimes I find myself hearing what I want to hear and other times something I don't want to hear.

My prayer is that God would give me dog ears - to hang on every word of my Master.

Tracks

2009-06-13T09:05:00.004-04:00

The funnest stories to tell seem to be the various mishaps of life. My current theme is our trip to Europe.

We settled into our Paris apartment which we had rented from the company that wasn't crooked and found various foods at neighboring bakeries, markets, and crepe stands. We purchased our Paris Museum Pass, which would give us free access to dozens of museums and unlimited use of the Metro. That takes a lot of stress out of travel! That is, if you know how to use the Metro.

Our first full day we had decided to go to Chateau de Versailles, the palatial home of Louis XIV-XVI, on the outskirts of Paris. We headed out in the early afternoon and found the train to our destination: the Versailles line. How easy is that?

The Paris Metro system runs under and over ground at various points. The city center portions are mostly underground. We watched as the train stopped at each station, comparing our pronunciation of the names with that of the automated announcements. We listened to the Parisians around us, drinking in the beautiful French language. Not that we could understand a lot, but we generally got the gist of the conversations.

The train gradually emptied out and stops got farther apart. It wasn't really too surprising that we didn't recognize stop names because the route map posted on the wall of the train didn't always list all of them.

The train stopped way out in the middle of a residential area and sat. We waited, watching the wasted minutes tick by and wondering how much time we'd end up having at Versailles.

We were seated upstairs to have a better view, but there was no route map upstairs. Kevin headed down to check and moments later popped his head in and announced, "We're on the wrong train!"

Groan.

We hurried off, lest the train take us farther from our intended destination. To head back in the other direction, one must disembark, take stairs underground, go under the tracks, and reemerge on the other platform. This we did. The only other person was an interesting heavyset black woman with a large shopping bag full of flowers. She spoke French and was on her cell phone, so we did not speak.

Another wasted ten minutes ticked by. The train sat. We sat.

Suddenly a uniformed French security officer approached us. Hey! Guess what! He spoke French! By this time I wished I had reviewed more, but at least I could say, "Parlez-vous Anglais?", which means, "Do you speak English?" Usually someone answered, "A little bit."

Not this time.

Pointing goes a long way when it comes to communication. We incorporated much into our mixed conversation of French and English.

The train continued to sit on the tracks. We determined that we needed to get back on the train ("cette train?") and change ("changement") at a station in the city center.

Hoo boy. We'd never get there in time.

But we did it. We went back downstairs, under the tracks, and to the other platform. And we got on the same train, which was about to reverse direction and go from whence it came. We never did understand why it didn't finish the route.

Oh, the French. And, as an Englishman in a hot tub would tell us later, "No one understands the French."

By the way, the two routes are both called Versailles, but one is "Versailles Rive Gauche". If you are ever in Paris, just take the train that says, "Vick" on the front. Then you will end up here:

"Have we been ripped off?"

2009-06-12T00:23:00.008-04:00

After parting ways with French Woman with a Dog, we found a crepe stand open. We tried the crepe avec jambon et fromage (with ham and cheese). This became a frequent stop for us during our stay. They are delicious and really filling!

The day was starting out really chilly, but we braved it and sat as long as we could, watching the Parisians parade by us. We wandered around the George Pompidou Centre area, but found that lugging six suitcases was not fun, especially since my guys had to handle them all. (Neurosurgeon's orders!)

The time finally got close enough to noon to park ourselves in front of the outer apartment door. There we stood, surrounded by our bags and looking rather homeless. We'd been up for about 36 hours by this time!

A woman emerged from the apartment building and asked, "Are you waiting for someone?" In English!

"Yes, we are renting an apartment short-term."

"Oooooooh. There was a company renting short-term and it turned out they were crooks. I hope it wasn't my apartment they rented to you!"

Groan.

And with that, she strolled on down the street. And panic struck.

Had we been ripped off? What would we do? We have six bags, two sets of tired arms, and three pretty exhausted people. How could we find a hotel at this point? We were not in a touristy area, so no hotels were in sight. We'd have to get back on the Metro, go to a hotelish area, and start asking. And hotels are so much more expensive! Our deposit was lining somebody's pockets and we were out a few hundred dollars.

We stood there, dejected and worried. Our trip was off to a very bad start indeed.

About fifteen minutes passed and a young man emerged from the building.

"Are you waiting for someone?"

What? Is this the question of the day or something?

I repeated my answer, "Yes, we are renting an apartment short-term."

"Oh. Let me check for you."

Well, that sounded more positive.

He returned a few minutes later and asked, "Is your name ...?"

"Yes!"

"Okay. Come on in."

We were relieved, to say the least. I could not wait to get inside and set some sleep!

Two Italian Men

2009-06-07T07:48:00.009-04:00

Traveling to a foreign country is a true adventure. Experiencing the culture up close and personally is only done by spending time with the people. Not the tourists who have cameras dangling from their necks, although they can be an adventure also, but the locals.

On our recent trip to Europe, we endeavored to stay in short-term rental apartments and B&B's when we could. This led to experiences we never would have had otherwise.

Let's start with Italy.

We rented an apartment (pictured above) in the Trestavere (tress TAH vare eh) neighborhood, far from the madding crowds who frequent the more touristy areas of Rome. It was on a side street, part of a maze that got us lost trying to find it on our first day. There were numerous small restaurants nearby, along with bakeries and small grocers.

Our first night required that we do some laundry, having already been travelling for 16 days. I was thrilled that there was a washing machine. A small one, but a washing machine nonetheless. The rental agency representative showed me how to use it upon our check in, while Kevin had chatted with another rep.That was the first mistake! I was fatigued and knew I probably wouldn't remember all the buttons and their purposes.

I proceeded to load it with a small load. Well, a small load for me, anyway. When I went to unload it, I discovered that the machine was still half filled with water. We fiddled with the buttons, all to no avail. The rental agency office opened at noon, so I emailed them to explain our problem, knowing that they would see it as soon as they opened....or maybe sooner.

In the morning, Kevin and Daniel went to the local grocer to buy bread, milk, etc for breakfast. Upon their return, there was a man waiting at the apartment door. Assuming he was there to repair the washing machine, we let him in.

The thing about traveling to a foreign country is that they often don't speak your language!

This was definitely true in our case.

I led him out to the balcony, where the offending machine resided in a closet. The man shook his head.

Oh.

The man started explaining - in Italian - what he wanted. He found the electric box on the kitchen wall and made motions of snipping wires. What?!

He wanted to turn off the electricity! He showed Kevin a bill with an outstanding balance.

We tried to explain that we did not own the apartment and were just renting it for a few days. This did not sink in.

The man motioned as if he were writing and said "Escrive?" At least, that's what I thought he said. Ah! Write it down! Maybe he can read English or we can read Italian better than we hear it!

I'd like to give credit to whom credit is due, but I don't remember who came up with the idea of using the Internet to translate. Brilliant! We went to the babelfish web site and merrily typed back and forth, both shaking our heads as we tried to understand each other. It became quite comical, but frustrating at the same time. I imagine he was truly baffled when the computer screen said we were renting from under the roman sun, not knowing it was the rental agency name!

The man was determined. The electricity must be turned off. We finally called the rental agency and explained our problem. The person who answered the phone told us something to the effect of calling back.

Were we supposed to call them back? Were they going to call us back?

As we were about to call them again, a knock came upon the door. We let yet another Italian man into our apartment. He began conversing with Italian Electric Man. After a few minutes, Italian Electric Man departed. I turned to Italian Man II and asked "Parla inglese?"

"Yes, I speak English."

Oh, hooray!

Apparently, the apartment owner had been away from Rome for several months and had not settled his bill. Italian Man II had convinced him to wait.

Italians are wonderful people. They help one another out whenever they can. You see, Italian Man II didn't even work for the rental agency. He was just a friend who lived in the area. The agency had asked him to come over and intervene, which he did willingly and happily.

I just love the Italian people.

Box checking

2009-03-18T06:57:00.003-04:00

My life has been very different so far this year. I have discovered some things about myself. This came about through my inability to do much of anything. I have a herniated disc that sends pain down my legs. All.the.time.

I can't (without a lot of pain):

Stand much longer than ten minutes
Cook dinner
Clean house
Take care of my horses
Go for my usual hour walk with a friend at the mall or park
Stand around after church and fellowship

There are a lot of other things that I could probably list, but that's not the point of this post.

I have learned:

Jesus endured pain much more severe than I ever have
My husband and son can cook. While they are not very skilled at it and it takes twice as long as it would take me, the food is still quite tasty! They also know how to pick up a pizza or Chinese!
The house doesn't mind being dirty
My horses are faring pretty well. Kevin is able to do what needs to be done. Daniel has learned how to pick their feet. (For you non-equestrians, that means cleaning the mud, grass, and manure from the bottoms of their hooves.)
I miss walking and chatting with my friends. There's simply no substitute.
I have to schedule sit-down fellowship, which means more lunches at Panera. I don't mind. Really. Sitting is not a problem. Not usually, anyway.

That's all the physical aspects. What have I learned spiritually?My identity is not in any of these things! It is not that I am a wife and mother. It is not that I am a decent cook and make interesting meals. It is not whether or not I have a clean house or dirty one. It is not that I am a horse owner.

It is in Christ. That's it. Nothing else. My true identity is in Him.

So it doesn't really matter what I can accomplish in a day or how many things I can check off a list. And believe me, I'm a serious box checker! This has been a huge adjustment in my thinking. My feelings of self-esteem have always been tied to what I can do.

Now I know that Jesus loves me deeply, no matter how many boxes I've checked today. If there's only one box I've checked, it's okay. As long as it's the one that says,"Spend time with God."

Where's the bathroom? Or "City Goes Country"

2009-01-26T08:04:00.008-05:00

An all-important question, huh?

Some of my favorite memories involve equines. With the exception of a year's stint in Kansas City, MO, I haven't lived in the city since 1995. Even when we lived in Tallahassee, FL, I would frequently escape to my friend's farm in Georgia. Holly ran a stable, complete with trail rides. I would often take my pre-teen daughter, Valerie, with me to go for a horseback ride in the country.

At one point, Valerie and I led a 4H club called "The Horseless Horse". It was intended for kids who did not own a horse themselves. These kids were all from Tallahassee, which is basically a small university and state government city of around 100,000. I called them my city slickers.

One summer ride, we took the group off my friend's property, down red clay roads lined with old farm houses and crops. We'd cut through the property of a prominent orthopedic surgeon, past his "B" shaped pond, and down more red clay roads.

Along one of these roads was a cotton field, edged with live oak trees. This isn't the actual field, but you get the idea...in case you're a city folk and have never seen one.

Now, we've been bouncing along the trail for over an hour by now. You know what that means!

I called the group to a halt, dismounted, and announced a bathroom break. Ashley, one of the city slickers, innocently asked, "Where's the bathroom? I don't see a bathroom!!" I pointed to two live oaks, one for girls and the other for boys. Imagine the dismay!

I ran a nice trail ride, don't you think? We even had toilet "paper".

A little tricky to use, but fairly effective!

The Tipi Hike

2009-01-16T12:07:00.012-05:00

I'm going to tell you the story of what our family has always called "The Tipi Hike".

It was the summer of 1998 and we were vacationing in one of our favorite states, Colorado. Kevin's parents used to RV full time and would get jobs as camp hosts. This was one of those times. Someone at the campground had told Ruth, Kevin's Mom, of a short little hike that led to a beautiful stream. There were some short legs and some older legs among us, so that sounded like a splendid idea!

We set out in the direction given, expecting to see a refreshing stream any moment now. Dana the Dalmatian with us, complete with freshly broken leg. But this post is not about my guilt....

We went on merrily for quite a while. After about an hour, we began to wonder what that person's definition of "short" meant. Our dogs were tired - not the canines, but our feet!
The views were beautiful along the way, I'll give it that. Even a cool old building.

The trail was easy in most places, a little rocky in others. After all, these were the Rockies!

See the storm clouds gathering? There's a saying in the mountains of Colorado: "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes."

But on we trudged. We were going to find that stream!! After another half hour, we finally did.
And what a delight it was. Here we are, cooling off all "the dogs".
Hannah is the retriever mix (aka The Chewer). Bonnie is the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier (aka The Thief). And you know Dana the Dalmatian. (Hannah and Bonnie have since left us.)

So, the feet were cooled. The dogs were refreshed. Time to head back. Remember the storm clouds?

Yeah. Thunder started to rumble. My mother-in-law uttered words I hadn't heard from her mouth before. You see, she knew the dangers of being in the mountains in a thunderstorm.

So we hurried along, going as fast as we could, dodging raindrops by now.

At this point, my daughter Valerie states,"You know... I saw a tipi on the way out. I think it's over that ridge."

A tipi?! Wait! Isn't this 1998?!

Okaaaay.

Kevin left us in the lowest spot we could find and scaled a steep incline to scout it out. Meanwhile, it was raining harder and we were getting cold. We were glad to hear the announcement that Valerie was right! Off we go....all of us scaling the steep incline now.

What a glorious sight! Shelter! We huddled inside the tipi and wondered what in the world it was doing out in the middle of the woods. It was so cold even the dogs were shivering. Hail started dropping into the tipi smoke hole.

"We're gonna die out here," I thought as I struggled to get warm.

Meanwhile, you know the effect running water has on your body, right? Exactly. We all had to go. So there we were, shivering and cold with very full bladders.

What a relief it was when the rain stopped! We peered outside and suddenly noticed something we hadn't seen before....a second tipi, though a log smaller! One of us went to investigate and was thrilled to find that it was a Peepee Tipi. Yes! I am not kidding! A chemical toilet, toilet paper, everything! Who knew?

After taking care of personal business, we headed back to "civilization" and discovered that we were on the property of a dude ranch! They used the tipi for wagon rides. They were glad that we had found shelter in the storm.

But, you know....sometimes I wonder if it was real. Or if God put it there just for us.

Dana the Dalmatian

2009-01-15T08:17:00.005-05:00

This is one of my family memories that I wish I could forget...

It's breaking my heart to watch my dog Dana in pain. She's got a leg that's wired together from being run over. By me. Now, this happened ten years ago, but I still feel bad about it.

About three weeks ago she started losing strength in her leg. I took her to the vet and they did x-rays. They determined that two of the wires have broken and are poking into her muscle. They put her on an anti-imflammatory and pain medicine. She's been on those almost two weeks.

She seems to do better, and then something happens to re-injure it...the other dog knocks her over, she falls going up or down the two steps to the bedrooms, etc. When she falls, it's a real struggle to get back up.

Surgery is a last resort because it would be very complicated and would cause her a lot of pain.

The dog lovers who are reading this know how I feel. Please pray that the Lord would heal her!

Be careful what you say.

This dog is really very smart.

Except for the day I ran her over. She kept trying to follow the van. I kept sending her back to the front door, where dd was trying to get her in the house. I was late getting ds to swim lessons. This happened three or four times. Then, in my frustration, I said, "Oh! I'll just HIT HER!!!"

And then I did. Not on purpose, of course. She followed us off the property and up the hill. I tried to outrun her. I couldn't see where she was. And then it happened. She ran back to the house and I figured she was okay. Then dd called me and told me to come home.

I.feel.so.guilty.

Characters in my Prints, Patties, & No Satellite post

2009-01-10T16:55:00.003-05:00

"General" - the accused - he's 30 years old!

These are the two youngsters that I mentioned...and this is last year before they got fatter!

Prints, Patties, and No Satellite

2009-01-06T11:42:00.007-05:00

You may have heard that the state flower of West Virginia is the satellite dish.

We've all got 'em. We use them for television, for the Internet, and probably other things of which I am not aware.

This morning when I got up, I discovered that a large mammal had stomped one of my square foot gardens. The grid is broken and there's a very large indentation in the special soil mix for which took us a month to find the ingredients. My large planter of Dusty Miller was also knocked over.

My first thought was, "Oh, no! A bear!" My mother hen instincts went into high gear and I warned Kevin not to let the injured dog out by herself. After all, the sun was not yet up and who knew what might still be lurking? Yes, we really do have bears in our neighborhood.

Of course, Mr. Reasonable claims that it was the horse. You see, we have this really aged horse named General. He has a special recipe of feed and alfalfa cubes which are soaked until the consistency of mush. The poor fella has no molars to chew with any more. To prevent the younger horses from stealing we put Grandpa General in the yard to eat in peace.

So he got blamed by Kevin. I still had my doubts. General is not a galumph.

On my way to get hay for the youngsters, I notice suspicious piles of poo in the yard. I must admit that I like horse manure much better than cow manure. It smells better and doesn't liquefy into flat patties. The bovine variety also is much more plentiful.

Upon further inspection of my garden and the surrounding area, I discovered cloven hoof prints. Ah ha!

It was exceedingly more obvious when the sun rose fully. Visitors! About a dozen bovines were in my meadow, which is on the other side of the driveway. One was heading to the yard, so I shooed it away. Of course, a stampede ensued and they all headed for the road. Yay! I knew they were not in danger, for West Virginians are careful on country roads. You never know what you will encounter!

Okay. Mystery and problem solved.

Well...almost.

Remembering that my DVD recorder got upset yesterday, I went to check on the disc to see why it wouldn't record. I turned the TV on.

Uh-oh. It lost the signal. "Well', I thought,"the weather is cloudy. It'll find the signal soon enough." So I left it alone for awhile.

Nope. Not the weather. I check the system menu to diagnose the problem. Zero signal!

Then it occurred to me. The cows! One of the less-than-intelligent creatures knocked my dish!

My husband says, "They're stupid animals. That's why we eat them."

Do I want to be imitated?

2009-01-06T11:20:00.004-05:00

My current Bible study of the book of Philippians has led me to do some soul searching.

In Philippians 3:17, Paul instructs them to follow his example: "Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. " 1 Corinthians 4:16 echoes the command. 1 Corinthians 11:1 elaborates: "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ."

The believers at Thessalonica seemed to have a handle on this. They were already imitating Paul, Silvanus, and Tmothy (1 Thess:6-7), who imitated Christ. In turn, they became an example to the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

This leads me to the thought: "Do I want to be imitated? Am I imitating Christ?"

Our very own country road

2009-01-05T13:23:00.005-05:00

We were in West Virginia a number of days before we realized that we could not buy a house. Being unemployed for nearly a year does bad things to your finances. So we switched to the "For Rent" sections of the classifieds. Hoo, boy. Wendy's in Fairmont will always remind me of those days. We would sit for long periods of time, perusing ads and making phone calls.

We saw house after house, none of which would fit us and our five critters: three equines and two canines. We saw what an impossible situation we seemed to be in, for if we couldn't find a property with acreage to rent, we would be paying beaucoup bucks to board our horses.

Meanwhile, our already strapped finances were being strained even further by staying in a motel. We contacted a friend of Kevin's family and he very graciously housed us. Oh, the stories Pat told! He and his family live in the country west of Morgantown. It was our first exposure to a real live hunter. Even his 9 year-old daughter snagged a deer that year! Their living room was adorned with a buck's head, from which hung several handmade star cutouts, apparently leftover from the Christmas season. The deer's name? Starbucks!

Our guest room was actually his reloading room. Shelves went to the ceiling, filled with various types of ammunition. I found myself shuddering somewhat as I tried to fall asleep.

I still wasn't too sure about this new state in which we were to live!

But back to Wendy's.

It suddenly occurred to me to call one of the realtors with whom we had contact before our arrival in WV. It was a long shot, but we asked if she knew of any rental properties that were available.

We couldn't believe it when she said, "As a matter of fact, a client just called me this morning and asked me to put his house up for rental. It's in the country on 23 acres."

And here we are. Our very own country road. Well, sort of. After all, we're renting.

First memory of West Virginia

2009-01-04T10:11:00.001-05:00

West Virginia is that little foreign country next to Virginia. It is not part of Virginia. I do not live in western Virgina, as my 94-year-old mother still believes after almost five years.

Just like the state motto says, West Virginia is "Wild and Wonderful". It is truly a well-kept secret. The people here are wonderful. Where else do drivers pause in traffic to let you out? I just wish the deer had the same courtesy!

I didn't always feel this way about my state.

So how did I end up here? My husband Kevin was hired as a computer contractor with a three letter government agency. It was a huge relief for him to have a job after being unemployed for nearly a year. He had his resume out on several Internet job sites, hoping for a position in Colorado, Florida, or Virginia, where we have family.

So, for the second time in our lives, a recruiter called and said, "Now, I know you wanted to relocate to these other states, but would you consider West Virginia?"

Where??!

But here we are. Now on to my first memory.

Kevin, Daniel (then aged 12), and I drove from Peculiar, MO to hunt for a house to buy. We drove from one country road to another, searching for a property where we would have room for our horses.

And now I arrive at my first memory. We had looked at a house that was decorated with me in mind. It was out in the country and had no objectionable properties nearby. The realtor told us there was a nice flat area where we could create pasture....."right over that hill". I envisioned myself bent at a 45 degree angle in the winter, trying to make it up that snowy hill!

It was mid-spring, and the home owner had the same philosophy about raking leaves that I do: "Let the wind do it!" So off we go, crunching our way over the leaves, until - whoosh!! I land calf-deep in an intermittent stream - puddle?- hole? I pulled my leg out and the stench reached my nose.

You see, the trouble with coal mining, for which most folks know WV, is that it creates sulfur. You know, the rotten egg of nature's minerals. My leg was now coated with rusty looking mud. I stood there and cried, literally cried, and called out to God: "Why?! Why are you bringing us here?!"

We would soon find out.