Category Archives: family

Mar5

Thoughts

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The brain can distort your thoughts if you have an acute infection, fever, tumor, Alzheimer’s, lacking certain vitamins and minerals, or severely dehydrated. Non-prescription and prescription drugs and anesthesia can distort things in the brain as well.  I have a colorful picture of the brain I found on Photobucket, a bit of art if you will in hopes for brighter days to come.   Yet life is not too colorful these days, a gray palette.  My father has a brain tumor, and underwent surgery this past Friday.  His thoughts are distorted right now.  Words come out wrong or no words at all. Previously, we know his distortion has been caused by the tumor, but now we are not sure if it is post-surgerical swelling that is causing the distortions, or other things now.  Prayers are requested for my father’s full recovery, and strength for my mother and family.

Mar1

March Into Spring

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“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”
–  Charles Dickens 

March has such turbulent weather conditions, storms, tornados, and floods.  Yet there is a knowing of what is to come after the ruckus.   Baby birds chirping, wild violets showing purple,  green grass glowing after the rains, and a rainbow’s  promise of that pot of gold.  For me the pot of gold is garden growth, showy dogwood blooms, the birth  of a new thought, the memories of my child laughing in a swing, capturing a walk in the middle of my day …  “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.” –  Hal Borland .   March into spring …

Feb14

Pen & Paper

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The written word seems foreign now.  Particularily I am talking about the old-fashion long-hand letter writing and journaling.  You know … what we did before Word docs, Word Press, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.  Some of our famous poems and quotes were birthed in these letters and journals.  Authors such as Thoreau, Twain, and Whitman are American classics.  “Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart,” writes William Wordsworth.  So I regret I have put aside my pen and paper.  A letter or two to my estranged aunt, uncle, and cousin while wrongful imprisoned would be good for them as well as me.  And I regret that I  do not journal each day as I once did. In was my sanity through the most difficult days in my 1st marriage.   Garden journaling would be so therapeutic, like gardening is.

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. ~William Wordsworth

I have found a writer’s colony in the Ozarks.   My new husband and I will visit there this weekend.  We have in mind to write a historical novel based on real characters we have known in our lives.  These characters are full of whit, adventure, and stature.  We are in the autumn years of our lives.  And we have much to say as the winter years come quicker than we like to think …

Jan20

Slow Is Simple

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Life in the eyes of a child … simple.

A child’s life moves in slow motion though they run and play with full speed.  My granddaughter Ella wants to experience life to the fullest, yet slows down to view upclose a green frog hopping in the garden.  Life is simple as a child.  Slow is simple.  Simply said …

Green frog in the garden, a child’s bauble, maybe prince charming, a fairy tale in the making …

Jan1

Reflections

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Missouri is experiencing a winter blast on this New Year’s Day.  Daydreaming about sunny days at Hilton Head Island (October 2010) and Valhalla on Island Lake in Minnesota (July 2011) … wishing to be in warmth and sunshine … I reflect where 2011 went and where 2012 is going like the sunrise and sunset …

Sunrise at the Cabana

 

Valhalla Sunset

Birthdays, holidays, a graduation, and homecoming court were celebrated with family and friends.  These are frequent with 6 children, 5 grandkids, 2 sets of parents, 5 siblings, 6 neices & nephews, grandparents, and old & new friends.  But one celebration was bittersweet. The life of my 95-year grandmother was celebrated at her memorial service in August.  Grandma Paula’s  last Christmas, she is pictured with Grandpa Earl, our youngest 5th generation grandson, Eli and his mommy, Rachel .

 For 9 months in 2011 Dean and I were apprentices for an organic farm called EarthDance Farms in Ferguson, Missouri. We enjoyed it so much that will do more than same as “sophomore farmies”. We purchased our very own greenhouse so we can play in the dirt even more.  Here is a photo of Dean & I as Santa & Mrs. Claus for Ferguson’s 4th of July Parade themed “Christmas in July”.  We celebrated our nation’s  freedom with our EarthDance friends before the Minnesota vacation to Valhalla to see old friends.   My 33 & 1/3 high school reunion came in September, and Rainer’s homecoming court in October.

“A mirror reflects a man’s face, but what he is really like is shown by the friends he chooses.”  Proverbs 21:19

So glad my husband is my best friend, and together we choose good company.