My 2011 summer visit to the heartland.

2011 was a special year for me because thanks to my son and daughter-in-law I was able to fly out to the heartland to visit and see them for the first time since 2008 when they came here to Maine.  It was a fun trip and I was astonished at how my grandchildren had grown.

This is my youngest, C, 6 years old and super, super smart. Very pretty in her T-ball uniform. Watching her play was so much fun. Especially when she was playing catcher and covering her mouth to hide a laugh every time an opposing little player missed the ball.

We had a very, very hot, but fun day at the zoo where I took this shot of A, C's big sister, 15.

Hope you can see the beautiful peacock in full display in the background. We always have an enjoyable time here. Wish I'd had my camera going in the gorilla display where A was sitting on a ledge next to the viewing window and the big silver back male came charging holding a big plastic barrel he plays with and banging it against the window just trying to scare us. Thought A was going to jump out of her skin. Well, to be honest, we all did. It was so sudden and unexpected. He really got us.

This next one is one of my favorites, of C at the Golden Corral. I love that place! Wish we had one up here in Maine.

So pretty.


We were also eating supper at a GC one night on our way to one of my grandson's Little League games when the tornado warning siren went off and we looked out the window and saw a huge black cloud headed right for us. We jumped in the car and started driving south as the storm was going east. We just kept driving south until we were out of range and then headed back west towards home where the storm had just come through, not knowing if we would have a home to go back to. The storm was headed right for where we were supposed to go to the game. All turned out okay and they still had a home. No real damage was done. It seems no funnel cloud actually hit the ground on this one, but it sure looked like a possibility at the time. I was definitely very nervous, needless to say.

My son, Jon, with B and C, at the zoo. They are watching a tiny miniature goat who was running around free and then just walked into this cage right between the bars. So cute.

I shocked my son when he asked me if I would like to go for a ride. I just said, "Do you have an extra helmet?" He knew I was less than happy when he told me a couple years ago that he had gotten a bike because my brother, Jon, had died in a motorcycle accident in 2001. So his namesake was fully expecting that I would say, "No way!" Surprise! We had a great day out on the bike. He enjoyed showing me the sights this way; we went into the Old Town for lunch and had a beautiful ride through the park. 

It was a lovely two weeks with my beautiful family. Really hoping they make it to Maine in 2012.

Winter in Maine

Cold morning, 28°F.  J just brought in a pail of shiners trapped from his pond up back; bait for the ice fishing he plans with his daughter and granddaughter on the weekend. They haven't been yet because we hadn't had cold enough weather to make good safe ice, but now finally there is. January 10 and still bare ground out there; although he tells me we are supposed to get hit tomorrow, maybe 6".  This time, I expect it will stay. I was quite happy without any, but knew it was too good to last. And guess we probably need it.  Thank you, Lord, for this blessing as well as all of the others.

J is at war with the gray squirrels. They have been getting very fat on his birdseed, devouring it as fast as he can put it out there. Due to the high rising cost of black oil sunflower seeds, he has seen fit to take up arms against the unwittingly wide-eyed and bushy-tailed rodents. As soon as he spies one at the feeder, he rushes out the door with trusty 20-gauge in hand. I think the body count is up to eight now and still they come. He says they are good eating, but I just can't.

A New Year

Surprise, surprise!! I am still here. Has been almost a year since I visited this blog. Time really does fly and the older we get, the faster it flies.

Have been working pretty hard on finishing my book and now it is out there to publishers, so we'll see. I am hopeful, but also realistic. Have had really nice feedback from the writers' association that I sent it to and their report will go out to multiple publishers. Passing that hurdle was a real pleasing revelation for me. Gives me a huge feeling of accomplishment, even if I never hear from a publisher. Just knowing that I've actually finished it and sent it out is something, a very big something.

Will keep you posted. I think.

Just a few of the day's blessings.

Dear God,
Thank you for the blessings of each and every day of my life. For helping me to realize that sometimes the greatest blessings are the simplest things or happenings such as: how much better a hot shower can make me feel while recovering from a miserable head/chest cold; how many times a day I feel joy and smile just from looking at the sweet, sweet man in my life, from the hugs, kisses and jokes that we share, from watching our cat go through her comical maneuvers; from watching the birds darting from feeder to tree and back again, chickadees and tufted titmouse, nuthatches, finches and our cardinal couple. (Sorry, I'm not thanking you for the bluejays; I know I should, but I can't. They are loud, greedy, pushy bullies and I wish you would keep them way back in the woods where they belong. And while I'm at it, the gray squirrels too) From watching the lovely deer that come to the feeding stations that my man makes out back, anywhere from 15 to 20 at a time. It is almost time for them to come, so thank you again for my day so far.

Apology

I need to apologize to anyone following this blog who may have been remotely interested in the so-called story I began. I have decided it is a non-story and going nowhere. Or rather, it is a tired old story of inheritance, the resulting greed and desire for control, and the ending of a lifelong friendship. There, story told. As I said, a worn-out, tired old story, experienced and told and re-told around the world probably hundreds, maybe thousands of times. Not worth going through again.

My apologies to all. I will write again when I have something better to say.