tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67765955555951012632024-02-02T00:24:48.472-08:00thecedarsofpittsburgBUILDING A HOUSE AND MAKING IT HOMEmary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.comBlogger204125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-35846269055029220922013-05-22T18:56:00.001-07:002013-05-22T18:56:52.846-07:00Too close!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Two years ago today the sky came barreling down on our neighbor town, Joplin Missouri,<br />
in the form of a devastating tornado.<br />
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As I watch the devastation in Moore ,Oklahoma this week,<br />
the pictures look eerily familiar.<br />
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They look too much the same.<br />
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The twisted metal.<br />
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The trees stripped bare of their bark and leaves.<br />
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Piles and piles of rubble and debris.<br />
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My heart aches for them because I know what they are facing.<br />
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I worked in Joplin clearing debris. For hours and hours in the sweltering heat.<br />
The piles and piles seemed to never end and never go away.<br />
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I know how overwhelming it feels to drive around town and not know where you are because all of the familiar places are gone.<br />
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I know how long it takes to recover and rebuild. Joplin is getting there.<br />
It doesn't hurt to drive around there any more.<br />
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Joplin is rebuilding and growing. She will never look the same, but she has gone beyond surviving and she is thriving.<br />
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And so will Moore,,,in time.<br />
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If I could tell the good people of Moore one thing, it's this...<br />
there is an end to the piles.<br />
and the flowers will bloom again.<br />
Ok, two things.<br />
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Flowers for Moore .....<br />
prayers for Moore...<br />
hope for Moore...<br />
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mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-52405435799996640012013-03-29T10:22:00.001-07:002013-03-29T10:22:47.135-07:00Ahhhh the Ozarks Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well I guess the joke is on me....I was going to write a post about how I just skipped over winter all together and look what happened! We slipped away for the last weekend of Spring Break, just a little get out of town trip and totally had to high tail it back home before we got completely trapped on these Ozark roads!<br />
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The Easter weekend is looking pretty gray according to the forecast, but I can say that it could be worse. We could be looking at more of this:<br />
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Remember these two trees from my last post? (yes I know that was a long time ago. ahem)<br />
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The ride home was a nail biter and took us quite a bit longer than usual. We were pretty glad to get home to "normal" weather! But then, in Kansas what is normal really?<br />
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The day ended with this pretty sight....<br />
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Ahhhhhh Kansas!<br />
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Wishing you Easter Blessings and some warm sunshine to go with the day!<br />
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All the best,<br />
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mbmary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-35311526631615396242012-10-17T17:53:00.000-07:002012-10-17T18:34:43.047-07:00Ahhhhh....the Ozarks!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is something magical about the sights and smells of a warm autumn day.<br />
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I'm not planning anything soon, but doesn't this look like a beautiful place to be laid to rest?<br />
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I knew when I started snapping these pictures that my camera would fail to capture the glory I was seeing...but I had to keep trying.<br />
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We had such a dry, I mean desperately dry summer, that I had given up hope for a colorful fall.<br />
Boy was I wrong!<br />
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Isn't this lane inviting you to come for a walk?<br />
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What a great gift to see these lovely sights as we drove home from a long weekend retreat!</div>
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The beauty all around us was breathtaking! It was hard to leave the hills and head back home. We did notice that our trees have not begun to turn yet...hoping they won't be long!</div>
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Hope you're enjoying a bit of this beauty in your neck of the woods...</div>
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It will be gone quick as a wink!</div>
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Words fail me.</div>
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The beauty of God's creation does that to me!</div>
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Happy Autumn day friends!</div>
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mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-26323686048550127952012-10-04T11:55:00.000-07:002012-10-04T11:55:22.203-07:00Flowers for KellieSince tomorrow is Kellie's birthday,<br />
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I thought I would send her some flowers.<br />
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Before old Jack Frost comes nipping around.<br />
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Ahhhhh October. I love her for so many reasons.<br />
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My flowers love her too.<br />
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They have survived yet another Kansas summer,<br />
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and want to celebrate!<br />
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They will not go into winter quietly.<br />
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They are shouting and singing right now,<br />
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Full of life and color and gladness!<br />
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Let's go for a walk!<br />
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Did you see that goose honking at me the whole time I was out taking pictures and the minute I turned the camera on him, he flew away!<br />
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Sigh. <br />
It's possibly the most beautiful day the Lord ever made. The kind of days October is famous for.<br />
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I love how the flowers just seem to be putting forth every ounce of their being into being beautiful for as long as they possibly can. The colors are brighter and the blooms are just exploding all over the garden. Bees are buzzing and butterflies are drifting from bloom to bloom, crickets are singing and the sky is as blue as blue can be. <br />
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It's good to be alive!<br />
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Thanking God for you Kellie and all of the ways you bless me!<br />
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<br />mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-15792778927570691842012-06-30T07:11:00.001-07:002012-06-30T07:11:45.640-07:00church nurseryHey there ! It's hot! hot! hot! here in Kansas...record breaking temps for June yesterday, 100 plus!<br />
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I'm sitting here in my cool air conditioned home catching up on some long neglected projects and chores. Before I start anything new, I want to show my far away kids what I've been up to these past few weeks so I can close this chapter of my summer. <br />
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I don't think I have ever worked on anything as rewarding and challenging in my life! On January first of this year, the first thing that popped into my head as I woke up, was the plan for this nursery remodel. Ideas just started buzzing around in there and wouldn't go away. What a way to start the new year, right? It took several months of drawing and redrawing, but I finally got a rough picture of what was in my head.<br />
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I wont bore you with too many details, but after several long committee meetings we finally got approval to get to work in late May.<br />
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I had already started work on moving the library to another room upstairs so that we could use that room for our bed babies. <br />
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I spray painted an old el cheapo desk of my son's for some extra storage...and painted an old cabinet left over from the library and took the doors off for easy access to the toys. The walls are painted a Martha Stewart color called Salt Glaze. It is a very soft blue and I love the soothing feeling it gives the room. The white cribs are from WalMart and were only $139. plus the mattress...love me a bargain!<br />
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The floor blanket is from fabric found at WalMart and it was the color inspiration for the whole room. Very soft blue, pink,yellow and brown. There is a companion fabric of stripes in those colors and I used it on the back side, as well as in some wooden embroidery hoops on the wall.<br />
I should have taken some close ups of it, it's so sweet and soft.<br />
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I just spotted that HUGE black boom box and I think I must start saving for something a little less obnoxious! O well, this whole project was about reusing what you have and making it work. If you look closely you will see a lot of things that I just had around the house being reused or redesigned.<br />
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The door you see here leads into a small room that joined the pastor's office. He graciously gave up the space so we could turn it into a little room where nursing mom's can have some privacy. Part of the project was to build doors to close off that space from the office.<br />
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Here's a peek inside the nursing mom's room. I found the wicker chest at the flea market in town, recovered the cushions on a rocker we already had, put some soft white curtains up from Target and <br />
the space is now a cozy quiet retreat for our moms. I'm still searching for some peacful art piece to hang above the chest, but there's no rush. They are already finding it quite peaceful!<br />
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I found that toile fabric in my stash...like I said, a lot of recycling took place around here!<br />
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Here's the new expanded foyer...we knocked out a wall to make this space twice as wide. Before it was just a narrow hallway that was always clogged and crowded. Now we have such a light, airy, roomy space for the parents to check in and pick up the kids! I am so please with how this improved the whole space!<br />
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One of the things we were able to add was the large counter for parents to sign in on, fill out visitor forms, and pick up their pagers. At one point, the men almost had me convinced this wasn't needed, but I have wanted this for so long, I'm really glad I stuck to my guns, because it is GREAT!<br />
Sometimes, you just have to put your foot down! <br />
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Another great feature that everyone is excited about is the one way mirror, where parents can peek in on the kiddos and make sure they are doing well without being spotted. It really is a good<br />
idea and helps visitors and new parents to the nursery feel more confident about leaving the kids.<br />
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I'm still working on some cute little coat racks to hang right under the window, but there's plenty of time for that. Who needs coat racks when it's 100 degrees anyway?<br />
Im also searching for some pretty art work or a welcome sign for that small wall behind the counter.<br />
Suggestions?<br />
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Here's what's on the other side of that one way mirror! New long counter space for changing diapers<br />
( we didn't have any change space in the old room) and preparing snacks and craft projects. A super deep sink for washing off toys... A new flat screen tv for the occational video and brand new U shaped table and chairs.<br />
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We knocked out the all between two rooms to make one large one that has the new table on one end and the toys here on the other end. New bright cieling tiles, more lights and new cushiony carpet make this new room feel so bright and fresh! I did repaint the old shelving fondly referred to as Big Bertha and she will serve us well for many more years. We sprang for a new kitchen set from Little Tykes and the kids love it. Unfortunately somebody yanked off the faucet right off the bat, so I'm not sure it will last as long as the old handmade one did! arggh!<br />
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Here's something I'm really proud of. As soon as I saw these on Pinterest, I knew we had to have a set for the new nursery! I really hope they help the kids access the books better and I think they turned out pretty darn cute! I built them myself with a little help from hubby with the clamps and nail gun.<br />
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Here are two of our mascots...I have asked one of our moms to scan some images from the curtain fabric (also from WalMart) so that I can make prints to frame. I wanted something up on the walls for our grand opening and stumbled upon these cute guys at the Dollar Tree...guess what they are!<br />
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Gift bags! I just cut them off the front of the bags and framed them in 12x12 frames made for framing a scrapbook page. Are they not adorable?<br />
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Here are the other two little fellas<br />
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I already had the frames so the whole project only cost $4.00!<br />
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This room is for our Toddlers and we were able to keep the paint and wallpaper that was already in there. New carpet to tie in in with the new spaces really brightened it up.<br />
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I can tell you that these pictures do not do the space justice! We started with a budget of $7500 and went over by about $1200, so almost 10G for the whole thing. We had to use liscened plumber and electrician to comply with city code and could have saved some money if we hadn't had to do that. The rest of the labor was volunteer and about 40 people worked on it for 5 weeks. It was awesome to see the turnout of workers. Two men even took a week of vacation to work on it! We also found old termite damage in the process of tearing out a hall wall, so added work and materials to fix the floor added to the cost of the project. The new ceiling was something we didn't budget enough for, and we decided to add pad under the carpet instead of just gluing it down, so that meant extra cost. It was worth it in the end though...everyone who steps in comments on how soft the carpet feels.<br />
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We started on this project about a month after my husband had total knee replacement and he was the job foreman. If you know my husband, that means he had his hand in every aspect of the work, including climbing ladders and climbing under the floors to look at termite damage! During the last week he ended up in the ER for shortness of breath and had to spend the night in the hospital for a heart cath proceedure! He was checking up on progress from his hospital bed and was right back to work the next day! This whole project would not have happened without his guidance and hard work!<br />
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I will be forever grateful for his contribution of labor and support on this...I cannot even express how much it means to me!<br />
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Here are a few shots of the hard work<br />
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Moving day<br />
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and it was VERY hard work!<br />
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These guys are my heroes.<br />
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I get all teary eyed just remembering how hard they all worked.<br />
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Dreams do come true... sometimes you have to wait and pray and work hard for them, but don't be afraid to dream ... roll your sleeves up and be ready to do the work it will take to make them come true! <br />
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The best part of all? The KIDS love it! Some of our alumni want to come back and be nursery kids again! <br />
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That makes it all worthwile, that's why we did it in the first place!<br />
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What will I do with the rest of my summer you ask? <br />
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ZZZZZZZZZ~!mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-81429008781551596242012-06-03T18:55:00.003-07:002012-06-03T18:55:40.295-07:00Meanwhile, back at the ranch....<div align="center">
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I have been so thankful that the plants I plopped into the ground early this spring</div>
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have kept right on growing,</div>
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and growing</div>
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and growing</div>
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without any instructions from me.</div>
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I have been busy </div>
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here</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xr2E3Jn-A0imMXk0Sr9JNzBM8uAxCFKI2RQmKZTLL5Wi8nfH4qzya7N_C5xC0FSPg1RxXV9cvOJXJxOehZgQ91nF-kAIGzTkUIxbXEIQ6zeWCVuJccyCE19nTO4NKPyrMSwuMWN0Nh0/s1600/Easter+and+nursery+remodel+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xr2E3Jn-A0imMXk0Sr9JNzBM8uAxCFKI2RQmKZTLL5Wi8nfH4qzya7N_C5xC0FSPg1RxXV9cvOJXJxOehZgQ91nF-kAIGzTkUIxbXEIQ6zeWCVuJccyCE19nTO4NKPyrMSwuMWN0Nh0/s400/Easter+and+nursery+remodel+035.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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and here</div>
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We are in week four of the Nursery Remodel at our church</div>
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and hopefully by Sunday we will be all nestled back into our new nest.</div>
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Until then, this is all you get!</div>
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I promise I'll post more pictures when we get her all prettied up</div>
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for the Big Reveal.</div>
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I am so glad that I have such a beautiful haven </div>
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right outside my back door</div>
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to gaze at when I come home from a long day of</div>
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ordering working men around...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6ErEHWqNL7NIPHl8xTmCO-k7gmFExYCzzaE0kyHOAzl7jUey1zPfdsLJAWS1Q_7eDQR-Ol4wc7B0Pcx0_A9Za_kZqE8zjSnELiIwyL-gyTICaI1ycAozMLG0SjCMIwYTTzhUFDTvMeU/s1600/Easter+and+nursery+remodel+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6ErEHWqNL7NIPHl8xTmCO-k7gmFExYCzzaE0kyHOAzl7jUey1zPfdsLJAWS1Q_7eDQR-Ol4wc7B0Pcx0_A9Za_kZqE8zjSnELiIwyL-gyTICaI1ycAozMLG0SjCMIwYTTzhUFDTvMeU/s400/Easter+and+nursery+remodel+019.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Well, actually, watching my husband order working men around.</div>
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Here is the skinny hallway we used to walk through to get into the nursery.</div>
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Good bye skinny hallway!</div>
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Good bye wall!</div>
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Oops, back to the back yard...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSU21cPhmd4gpyp_cj0qe71Sqa7e_b1o_lprmfeGFeGHPvnZ74ewKuKMBII-dQsAmZH2Q_xx78Xwl8hvT3N0Riq4tEBIEo7SHWi80PCm5TR5h9QwriJTvWzsyngiSDGNrROXVErSaW5-0/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSU21cPhmd4gpyp_cj0qe71Sqa7e_b1o_lprmfeGFeGHPvnZ74ewKuKMBII-dQsAmZH2Q_xx78Xwl8hvT3N0Riq4tEBIEo7SHWi80PCm5TR5h9QwriJTvWzsyngiSDGNrROXVErSaW5-0/s640/003.JPG" width="640" /></a>I just thought you might like to see how my back</div>
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yard has been getting along without us</div>
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to tell it what to do.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxwPSOydp6RTKqI08jpqsmA3XgMnP6GM3GSrxPQfayC5j4DrVConZ42gZqlnL4bA_icz7Mv4_H1fju0wbkSMRQowCKb-3scuER-cUcF-DdrDmSwwq1PNrrv3zqWt0cgHD1IMbwLY98yk/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxwPSOydp6RTKqI08jpqsmA3XgMnP6GM3GSrxPQfayC5j4DrVConZ42gZqlnL4bA_icz7Mv4_H1fju0wbkSMRQowCKb-3scuER-cUcF-DdrDmSwwq1PNrrv3zqWt0cgHD1IMbwLY98yk/s400/004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is called Autumn Sage.</div>
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It is my new favorite perrenial.</div>
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We had a mild winter, to I don't know how hardy it is,</div>
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but it blooms like this all summer and then when fall arrives</div>
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it goes nuclear with blooms.</div>
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This one is called Lipstick and is a pretty tropical pink.</div>
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I have others in a more lavendar pink, and also purple.</div>
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Humminbirds love it too!</div>
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Can you tell I have a thing for grasses? </div>
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They have a way of swaying in the wind</div>
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that is so soothing.</div>
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I planted them on purpose,</div>
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so that when the Kansas wind is howling,</div>
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I can feel soothed.</div>
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Or somethin.</div>
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Speaking of soothing....</div>
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Here comes my sailor now! </div>
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Just out for an evening cruise in the </div>
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newly cleaned and motorized</div>
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WT Pit Crawler!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9Zi_iPV0uFa9x3-XYL16FgH_cXg2YeoYTGSmCDm0svGMQ_EJIiU-Hj5gCgqjDs-p3DY1r1u_CShbTqnfzFbh7RoCkUvrUrjL8Bb9tY-lezWd0mMIIekuLO1j0mUWfTlewScNZQZXpuo/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9Zi_iPV0uFa9x3-XYL16FgH_cXg2YeoYTGSmCDm0svGMQ_EJIiU-Hj5gCgqjDs-p3DY1r1u_CShbTqnfzFbh7RoCkUvrUrjL8Bb9tY-lezWd0mMIIekuLO1j0mUWfTlewScNZQZXpuo/s640/018.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'll be glad when hubs takes those red poles out...</div>
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I had forgotten how ugly there are until I looked at the preview,</div>
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but I refer you back to those howling Kansas winds.</div>
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He is a firm believer in strong farm poles to give a new tree</div>
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a fair chance in this harsh land we live in!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrY17F4tumsMsDvJ_XVrUHZC5C6OCrWL6meiS1y5zlEx1MfiwVIGEzXJWMfoAysmGnIB2jBOYsYF6IyAQN4iaG11BI4Bh80KTNqdtaU_aeiFMCGkS2Kl9DisCz4bSQH4M9pOF2gilLVo/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrY17F4tumsMsDvJ_XVrUHZC5C6OCrWL6meiS1y5zlEx1MfiwVIGEzXJWMfoAysmGnIB2jBOYsYF6IyAQN4iaG11BI4Bh80KTNqdtaU_aeiFMCGkS2Kl9DisCz4bSQH4M9pOF2gilLVo/s640/028.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's the fire pit waiting for you all to come out for</div>
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a wienie roast and a swim!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNbYOwbjl7_fSzRuww00b9dN8Lrekt5Oh5XbhWnZ51GgaFw-nMOyAbgbNdJbIzsupvNoRxxULstLpwhrzVp0r8THFkv6BOpmiaMScYPYGR_g9spQzD7zrKzLgvXmAEH3PVosZCS029bY/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNbYOwbjl7_fSzRuww00b9dN8Lrekt5Oh5XbhWnZ51GgaFw-nMOyAbgbNdJbIzsupvNoRxxULstLpwhrzVp0r8THFkv6BOpmiaMScYPYGR_g9spQzD7zrKzLgvXmAEH3PVosZCS029bY/s640/020.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We are so blessed </div>
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to live in such a beautiful </div>
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haven.</div>
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God has been so good to us!</div>
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Tomorrow it's back to work, </div>
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but for this evening,</div>
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it's time to chill out on the porch</div>
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and relax!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYe3LIc7I3QH7I84SI9iNsiYiT2ghNIBqXMhzjx3tB9MLxf0XfC_4DPYXmMatD_2SM7skxdeNdfApxIHZ9dI4lX1xDLQA4VIsdER0aoCL6ippHgR8Jrl07QqLfYis5u_O3SCnDm8WQzN4/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYe3LIc7I3QH7I84SI9iNsiYiT2ghNIBqXMhzjx3tB9MLxf0XfC_4DPYXmMatD_2SM7skxdeNdfApxIHZ9dI4lX1xDLQA4VIsdER0aoCL6ippHgR8Jrl07QqLfYis5u_O3SCnDm8WQzN4/s640/014.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Happy summer week everybody!</div>
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</div>mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-50101744108369716842012-03-16T10:50:00.001-07:002012-03-16T10:50:57.134-07:00Two Old Sisters and a Spring Makeover<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj714Nz9fiR0a1L2T9Cyq9bTa7zxYtjFXbJyUu5Df3B67Sp5c6IY22zNYdxBPeSk4e1sQw-brH929WLBF-KMxADwetMfTJydDohN7V7uwldjIL5nA2OI9a4arqRbUTVNk5Z67bps7ZODHI/s1600/storm+damage+plus+others+070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj714Nz9fiR0a1L2T9Cyq9bTa7zxYtjFXbJyUu5Df3B67Sp5c6IY22zNYdxBPeSk4e1sQw-brH929WLBF-KMxADwetMfTJydDohN7V7uwldjIL5nA2OI9a4arqRbUTVNk5Z67bps7ZODHI/s640/storm+damage+plus+others+070.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
Look what I found one dreary, rainy' winter day at the Flea Market!<br />
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Lovely bones don't you think?<br />
I couldn't resist them with a price tag of $20 bucks each, and was pleasantly surprised when I got to the check out and found out they were ON SALE for 20% off!<br />
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I had to wait for nice weather so I could get outside and start removing the fabric...so dusty and dirty!'<br />
I love all the turns and curves on this one!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCT36KWp7G98dEoVE0gjzSwo5fF6IXb3q84eQzN-LukXaZzo0duTR5fcwG6adMu1H4zNb-07z40SGAeFDC26a87FFNfZ_65ik1P1sI7V8XgdwqhMAiPPxvXKCgfGz778RGK_2Ecra6NYY/s1600/storm+damage+plus+others+071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCT36KWp7G98dEoVE0gjzSwo5fF6IXb3q84eQzN-LukXaZzo0duTR5fcwG6adMu1H4zNb-07z40SGAeFDC26a87FFNfZ_65ik1P1sI7V8XgdwqhMAiPPxvXKCgfGz778RGK_2Ecra6NYY/s640/storm+damage+plus+others+071.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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She's a classic!<br />
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Here is her sister all stripped down..<br />
she is embarrassed for you to see her with all her flaws!<br />
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Apparently she has had a hard life, because her sides have been shored up with metal braces.<br />
She also has a metal spring bottom, which the other sister does not.<br />
I kept all the fabric pieces to use as patterns for the new fabric,<br />
but I now wish I had taken some pictures as I was going along,<br />
because some time has passed<br />
and I am a little foggy about the details!<br />
At the time I was doing it, I thought...<br />
this looks so simple, no way am I going to forget it!<br />
arggh.<br />
<br />
Oh well, I'll be flying by the seat of my pants,<br />
(or the seat of my chair!)<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm pondering what color to paint these lovelies and am thinking of trying my hand<br />
at the homemade chalk paint , with a light mocha glaze to show off the highlights.<br />
<br />
I know that once I land on a fabric, the rest will fall into place.<br />
<br />
<br />
That will be the hard part for me.<br />
I love every fabric I lay my eyes on.<br />
Well, almost!<br />
I want it to be bold, timeless, colorful, and fun.<br />
And cheap.<br />
<br />
This may take a while!<br />
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Sure hope I havn't bitten off more than I can chew here...</div>
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I've been know to do that!</div>
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Wish me luck!</div>mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-46087418789547961622012-01-27T09:32:00.000-08:002012-01-27T09:32:40.217-08:00Visions of Winter<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Peace and Plenty</span></div>
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I'm sure glad I got out and took some pictures of our teeny tiny snow we had a couple of weeks ago, because it sure hasn't felt much like winter since then!<br />
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!</div>
Come on in!<br />
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I'm trying really hard to embrace this whole winter thing......snowflakes...sparkly fake snow...<br />
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I'm doing all I can to move this season along, but nothing seems to help. I am pretty sure though, that as soon as I take all of these winter decorations down and put up something green, we will have a foot of snow on the ground! <br />
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I don't know why my pictures all turned out so blurry, I'm going to blame it on the old camera and be glad, because this way you can't see how dusty everything is! Hope it wasn't too hard on your eyes!<br />
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I am thankful we are not dealing with fires, flooding, ice storms and some of the other mayhem that is pouring down on other parts of the country! In spite of all my whining, I am thankful for my cozy, warm, and dry home, and hope you are all cozy and warm too!<br />
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Better get back to my real life...getting ready for my brunch girls tomorrow is good motivation to clean up a little and bake some goodies... a Mexican casserole called Huevos Rancheros Casserole, Sopapilla Cheesecake, Tropical Fruit Bowl,and Chocolate Banana Bread. What a way to spend a cold dreary rainy Saturday...with the sweetest bunch of young stay at home moms, a morning full of glad chatter and food!<br />
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Have a wonderful winter weekend!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMiN2P5f3aMV-fAFr9vvR_loFLY88NBJeV5qkrWg3PYP9AJhc6fOr4sLd1isVbjRYcywaqzDVk2IZUIS2bbsBtJGBbQkURQ3yzpn2a-VfuJKvg_DTcq4z6Lk3L3GE4MSFVj-g0Vp_b3U/s1600/bunnies+in+the+snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMiN2P5f3aMV-fAFr9vvR_loFLY88NBJeV5qkrWg3PYP9AJhc6fOr4sLd1isVbjRYcywaqzDVk2IZUIS2bbsBtJGBbQkURQ3yzpn2a-VfuJKvg_DTcq4z6Lk3L3GE4MSFVj-g0Vp_b3U/s400/bunnies+in+the+snow.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-20882345132618346772012-01-10T08:54:00.000-08:002012-01-10T08:54:44.795-08:00C'mon Winter!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well friends, today is the day.<br />
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I will be taking down my real Christmas tree.<br />
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When my hubby asked me a couple of days ago<br />
whether I thought it was time...<br />
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I had to look long and hard to find<br />
<br />
a few branches hanging down.<br />
<br />
Just a few.<br />
<br />
This is one of the nice things about a Frasier Fir..<br />
<br />
they keep thier lovely shape for weeks.<br />
(Don't worry, I havn't had the lights on for a long time! Don't want to burn the house down!)<br />
<br />
I had stuck several of the left over branches in jars with fake berries<br />
and they still look great!<br />
<br />
But alas,<br />
<br />
It's time to move on.<br />
<br />
I will leave the greenery and some berries up through February<br />
and add the snowmen who don't look like Christmas decorations<br />
<br />
to get me through winter.<br />
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<br />
I think it's fun to save the snowmen for winter decorating,<br />
to keep things from feeling too bare <br />
in January and February.<br />
<br />
Snowmen and sparkly snowflakes!<br />
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It's been hard to get in the winter groove around here lately though,<br />
The temps have been up into the 60's , with sunny mild days that found me<br />
<br />
out in the yard pulling baby grass out of the flower beds<br />
and turning the compost pile!<br />
Outrageous!<br />
<br />
I had to keep reminding myself that<br />
<br />
It's Winter <br />
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It was very tempting to start dreaming of spring <br />
as I sat on the ground, running that soft black dirt <br />
through my fingers!<br />
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So I say, COME ON WINTER....let's get this over with!<br />
<br />
Here in Kansas, things are known to change quickly<br />
<br />
You know, flip flops one day....snow boots the next!<br />
I need some consistency!<br />
If it's January...act like January!<br />
<br />
The good news is...January is almost half over and that means<br />
<br />
Winter ...your days are numbered!<br />
<br />
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I think I'll see how many great new soup recipes I can find...<br />
<br />
...homemade bread anyone?<br />
<br />
How about a head start on next year's Christmas gifts????<br />
<br />
<br />
I will definitely<br />
READ MORE BOOKS!!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
The winter afternoons between 3 and 5 <br />
are my favorite,<br />
because the sun beams in and makes all of my sparkly winter decorations<br />
SPARKLE!<br />
<br />
and then I get to see this<br />
<br />
from my great room window!<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
Wherever you are<br />
I hope you're enjoying winter...<br />
<br />
embrace it!<br />
<br />
<br />
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You'll thank me later!<br />
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<br />mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-68697767761449362502011-12-31T11:36:00.000-08:002011-12-31T11:36:00.826-08:00a clean slate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It's New Year's Eve and another year is about to end. I've been thinking about fresh starts,<br />
<br />
new calendars<br />
new planners<br />
new goals<br />
new resolve<br />
<br />
<br />
Over Christmas break, the kids were taking personality tests,<br />
trying to figure out how to describe themselves in personality test terms.<br />
<br />
I decided that I am too old to care what number I am,<br />
<br />
but I am not too old to change.<br />
<br />
I want more grace.<br />
<br />
Grace to forgive,<br />
grace to love the irritating,.<br />
grace to endure whatever the new year throws my way,<br />
<br />
grace to grow old gracefully..<br />
<br />
Grace to admit what needs admitting.<br />
<br />
Grace to keep my mouth shut when it needs keeping.<br />
<br />
Realisticallly speaking,<br />
I am unable to be this graceful...<br />
<br />
That's the good news - I don't have to try and do it on my own.<br />
<br />
God of the universe cares and hears my franctic calls for grace,<br />
<br />
He is the Master of the Clean Slate.<br />
<br />
the Fresh Start<br />
<br />
the New Beginning<br />
<br />
the Do Over.<br />
<br />
I'm so glad I don't have to start the new year without His<br />
<br />
Amazing Grace! <br />
<br />
He's there waiting for me to ask for it..<br />
<br />
You too!<br />
<br />
<br />
Happy New Year!<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXI1ly_8x38Y9oTtXoBRrNcWrlaxNu9pQ-gKYbygtbztu0fG7h7HNtRP6_odw52T6IBkJgfpZzILVGws1RBrfSoNLPrSyyLf5XmHilTW4RmZpZPCR3lqX7hMp_rU98vdF76mwLxB1zxTQ/s1600/DSC03393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXI1ly_8x38Y9oTtXoBRrNcWrlaxNu9pQ-gKYbygtbztu0fG7h7HNtRP6_odw52T6IBkJgfpZzILVGws1RBrfSoNLPrSyyLf5XmHilTW4RmZpZPCR3lqX7hMp_rU98vdF76mwLxB1zxTQ/s640/DSC03393.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-74625102060991351802011-11-27T19:02:00.001-08:002011-11-27T19:48:42.751-08:00Christmas Comes In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a few days it will be December</div>
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and the season</div>
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of </div>
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Love </div>
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Joy</div>
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and Peace</div>
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will be upon us.</div>
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Years ago, I realized that things like love, joy and peace </div>
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don't just happen because </div>
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Tis the Season.</div>
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Every year,</div>
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somewhere in the midst of </div>
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the hustle and bustle,</div>
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the stress of getting all the teacher's presents</div>
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the grandparent's presents,</div>
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and the kid's presents bought,</div>
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the children's pageant rehearsed,</div>
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some random regional attempt at the Nutcracker attended,</div>
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the cookie exchange cookies baked,</div>
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and the white elephant wrapped,</div>
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I tend to really dislike what Christmas has become.</div>
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What I have let it become.</div>
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What I have made it.</div>
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I become tired, bone tired.</div>
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Distracted and grumpy.</div>
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Until</div>
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Christmas Comes In.</div>
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Some years it is a memory.</div>
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And some years, a song </div>
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or a sweet act of kindness</div>
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when least expected.</div>
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A hug.</div>
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A verse.</div>
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It's like the whole mess has no meaning until that moment-</div>
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that magical moment when I remember</div>
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the beginning, </div>
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the wonder </div>
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and </div>
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the reason.</div>
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Christmas Comes In </div>
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I never know when it will happen</div>
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but in the weeks to come, </div>
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I will be watching for it,</div>
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and hoping for it</div>
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for you too.</div>
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In that quiet moment,</div>
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I hope you feel the </div>
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peace,</div>
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joy</div>
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and love</div>
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that we have </div>
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because He came.</div>
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When Christmas Comes In.</div>
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<br />mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-18210872085532759322011-11-15T09:56:00.001-08:002011-11-15T10:39:04.973-08:00So Thankful!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm so thankful that<br />
<br />
the weather is so mild and mellow right now, mild enough for us to sit out on the deck and drink our coffee. Jim spied an 8 point buck charging across the road yesterday morning while he was out there.<br />
A flock of about 25 geese have been visiting our pit for the last couple of evenings too.<br />
<br />
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</div>
<br />
The smell of wood smoke is in the air.<br />
<br />
<br />
On a really still day I can hear these guys practicing from the deck...<br />
<br />
and the Gorillas are now MIAA Div II champs and I will get a couple more chances to hear and see this band perform! GOOOOOOOOORILLAS! Go Pride of the Plains Band!!!!<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
And in a very few days,<br />
most of my family will be gathered around the table, giving thanks for each other,<br />
for loved ones far away,<br />
for another year of blessings,<br />
for health<br />
<br />
for growth and change and traditions that draw us together.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
We will eat.<br />
We will shop.<br />
We will watch football.<br />
We will slap up my Christmas decorations.....<br />
<br />
And I will begin packing for a very special trip.<br />
I will get to hold this baby...<br />
for days and days on end.<br />
And kiss him for days and days on end.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhe4-XRndJQvE9Cat6tyMiXA8Fh3SId69HqEn8X9ee6Zrmt6xmfknh9NZAMNGQ4uasQkB0FYUh2QNElPHJpkvW9D_tjvpty-1j3oiEQb7BONUA9IuVmXr75yFxXYTXF7B-35UR5VbwHM/s1600/kellie+and+zane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhe4-XRndJQvE9Cat6tyMiXA8Fh3SId69HqEn8X9ee6Zrmt6xmfknh9NZAMNGQ4uasQkB0FYUh2QNElPHJpkvW9D_tjvpty-1j3oiEQb7BONUA9IuVmXr75yFxXYTXF7B-35UR5VbwHM/s640/kellie+and+zane.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And in between those hugs and kisses, I will be chasing this precious little girl and reading her stories enough to last for the next year. Maybe we will do a craft, or go for a walk in the park, or take a nap together.<br />
God willing.<br />
<br />
I am so blessed and thankful!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPl-8-WITJl2O9pAzW6k9REB2jCQidzvASTwHh-Wkxe3dAQDLdf2XgNut-q-UhpLqC6PAfXERhMIhckE5n-hqyjAaC3lVupiAS5QlmhQfQzURx6ICxXZQ_uD6Qfv0TeMTxsYOogh3s4A/s1600/maya+and+zane+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPl-8-WITJl2O9pAzW6k9REB2jCQidzvASTwHh-Wkxe3dAQDLdf2XgNut-q-UhpLqC6PAfXERhMIhckE5n-hqyjAaC3lVupiAS5QlmhQfQzURx6ICxXZQ_uD6Qfv0TeMTxsYOogh3s4A/s640/maya+and+zane+2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
Giving Thanks!<br />
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Have a wonderful day.....hug your loved ones....count your blessings!<br />
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XOXOXOX!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0cylhSkbp-J64vN-clEEKM1PxC9rDOIAKvoiGwcOJ4TKX7Qf1fwaYcS4PdGk_iTSfJunDdxI3RJn5QWRi_eGSufcJ2-lsKoM6UUYLr_61Fk1_xqnlob3jSLRh8VEqX2EKIcDCBYa1T8/s1600/sepiathanksgfairy002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0cylhSkbp-J64vN-clEEKM1PxC9rDOIAKvoiGwcOJ4TKX7Qf1fwaYcS4PdGk_iTSfJunDdxI3RJn5QWRi_eGSufcJ2-lsKoM6UUYLr_61Fk1_xqnlob3jSLRh8VEqX2EKIcDCBYa1T8/s640/sepiathanksgfairy002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-45674252275171654862011-10-18T09:54:00.000-07:002011-10-18T09:55:08.786-07:00Comfort Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMZ3UyiGeQhHujvkAy8xF4sf0K-_t89_1kOnYNXXYr-11wePTZIy_oWfDiEAKfMy5i756WKNI2HcQ9-jKyajB3bspN-9vpjEJC2HnG6KgxeNF6d7kUl-uVY5UAULvVNGRgu_NRRcvYlk/s1600/ie138_rollingpin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMZ3UyiGeQhHujvkAy8xF4sf0K-_t89_1kOnYNXXYr-11wePTZIy_oWfDiEAKfMy5i756WKNI2HcQ9-jKyajB3bspN-9vpjEJC2HnG6KgxeNF6d7kUl-uVY5UAULvVNGRgu_NRRcvYlk/s640/ie138_rollingpin.jpg" width="584" /></a></div>
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Once upon a time I knew how to do this.</div>
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Make pie dough.</div>
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We discussed this last year around Thanksgiving time,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4OtNxK2eCNZJkw8xlWDlE6Ss6kBn4YenIqwCnS2hjHmRvBvhSkZ-eyDEEe07HKZjcEamuIVPxlX2iEcek0Fc0vH5F4aWNhsebmf0j41BmmBgAUON1_WRLE5ZaG7UJHpMUeeRZ2tTi-s/s1600/DSC02502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4OtNxK2eCNZJkw8xlWDlE6Ss6kBn4YenIqwCnS2hjHmRvBvhSkZ-eyDEEe07HKZjcEamuIVPxlX2iEcek0Fc0vH5F4aWNhsebmf0j41BmmBgAUON1_WRLE5ZaG7UJHpMUeeRZ2tTi-s/s320/DSC02502.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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and not much progress has been made.</div>
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I've been busy.</div>
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(Man that's embarrassing to look at!)</div>
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My Daddy had some great blackberry patches, </div>
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He would pick those berries and freeze them, </div>
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knowing that sooner or later</div>
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I would come down and bake him a bunch of pies.</div>
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I made pumpkin pies too and froze them whole</div>
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and have since read that </div>
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pumpkin pies do not freeze well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrY52PeCs-WAKmdtrpf-LQ23HWuIFvzSOtqHAJW2pKQJFUlT9RXeyCxFQbp8qXEZI1G8_EmHjFQWIkaCspm6a3u5wuAoaq1PReVdLcUqF5XnDxJXq1jKn77Rqq9EbM7QPLOSL3xUzxms/s1600/pilgrim+with+pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrY52PeCs-WAKmdtrpf-LQ23HWuIFvzSOtqHAJW2pKQJFUlT9RXeyCxFQbp8qXEZI1G8_EmHjFQWIkaCspm6a3u5wuAoaq1PReVdLcUqF5XnDxJXq1jKn77Rqq9EbM7QPLOSL3xUzxms/s640/pilgrim+with+pie.jpg" width="406" /></a></div>
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Whatever.</div>
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I have just finished the best book.</div>
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<u>American Pie</u></div>
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by </div>
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Pascale Le Draoulec</div>
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<br /></div>
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It is about so many things,</div>
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things that I love and think I would love...</div>
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pie.</div>
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girls in an old car</div>
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on a road trip </div>
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searching for pies</div>
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and junk.</div>
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and recipes!</div>
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It has just turned cold and rainy here,</div>
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and I am in a mood.</div>
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A mood for pie!</div>
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What I am about to share with you is two recipes.</div>
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The pie one I made up.</div>
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I wanted the taste of my Mom's apple dumplings,</div>
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but without having individual apples wrapped up in dough.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I found a GREAT recipe on the Internet</div>
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that involves taking a frozen pie, thawing it, and placing the pieces in a 9x13 baking dish,</div>
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then pouring this heavenly sauce over it all and then baking.</div>
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I have taken this to several church dinners and turns out, it serves more folks than</div>
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a regular pie would, especially if you sit a container of good vanilla</div>
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ice cream right by it!</div>
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It is out of this world!</div>
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One day I wanted this stuff BAD, </div>
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and wouldn't you know it....</div>
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no frozen pie in the freezer!</div>
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If you have issues with cutting up a perfectly good frozen pie</div>
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and redistributing it in a pan,</div>
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then this recipe's for you!</div>
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It's also cheaper this way, even though it doesn't serve as many.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Seriously, have you noticed how expensive frozen pies have become?</div>
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I use Plush Pippin because it's the cheapest and in my humble opinion,</div>
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the best out there!</div>
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They use tart apples, which is good because </div>
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the sauce you are going to add is very sweet!</div>
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It just so happens that I had a refrigerator crust </div>
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and placed it in a square pan, which was a little smaller than </div>
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my deep dish pie pans.</div>
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I peeled and sliced 6-8 Jonathan apples</div>
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placed those in a large saucepan,</div>
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added this heavenly sauce and </div>
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cooked the apples for about 10 minutes,</div>
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or just until tender.</div>
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Pour the apples and sauce into the </div>
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pan and let the dough kind of fall over the apples</div>
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around the edge, giving it kind of a </div>
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Rustic Tart look.</div>
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Sprinkle generously with walnuts or pecans</div>
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Bake for 50-60 minutes at 350</div>
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Keep an eye on it, you don't want this thing to burn!</div>
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Voila! </div>
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Apple Dumpling Tart!</div>
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Here's the recipe for the sauce:</div>
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1/2 cup water</div>
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1 stick butter</div>
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2/3 cups sugar</div>
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2 tsp cinnamon</div>
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Heat these all together til the butter is melted</div>
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add 1 tsp vanilla and blend it in</div>
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Add the apples and simmer gently til apples are tender</div>
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OR</div>
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Pour over the pieces of frozen apple pie in a 9x13 dish </div>
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and top with 1 cup nuts.</div>
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I'm not actually making this pie today.</div>
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I have about worn this recipe out already</div>
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and am moving on to something</div>
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more like pumpkin or sweet potato or chocolate.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I am pledging to make the crust from scratch.</div>
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None of this refrigerator stuff!</div>
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Seriously!</div>
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<br /></div>
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While the pie is in the oven,</div>
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I will whip up some of this magic</div>
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<br /></div>
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Facebook Soup</div>
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(you have to try this!)</div>
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1-2 lbs hamburger, browned and drained</div>
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2 cans Minestrone soup</div>
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2 cans Veg-All, or store brand equivalent</div>
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2 cans chili beans</div>
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1 can RoTel</div>
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Brown meat, drain; Dump all the other ingredients into pot</div>
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Simmer 20 minutes. Eat! Enjoy!</div>
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It sounds kind of boring, but </div>
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it is gooooooood!</div>
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Comfort in a bowl!</div>
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<br /></div>mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-87898113141315813912011-10-11T10:33:00.000-07:002011-10-11T10:33:37.127-07:00New Life for an Old Broad!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Just look at her ~</div>
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She's a new woman!</div>
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<br />
It's been a long hot summer<br />
and this reno took way longer than I ever dreamed it would.<br />
(see previous post)<br />
I'm pretty proud of the way she came through the transformation,<br />
<br />
but now Hubs is insisting that I do the leaves too! arggh.<br />
I don't know if I have it in me....maybe next week!<br />
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<br />mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-46030679181444918112011-09-27T15:29:00.000-07:002011-09-27T15:29:51.530-07:00Lady In Waiting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am excited for this phase of the</div>
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kitchen table and chairs</div>
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transformation</div>
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to be over.</div>
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Tomorrow I will remove the newspaper</div>
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and start staining </div>
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the top.</div>
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The top that was always covered with a tablecloth,</div>
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because the varnish had come off in several places,</div>
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and looked terrible.</div>
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I figured it would be easy </div>
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to get the rest off....</div>
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but NOOOOOO!</div>
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I have sanded my fingers down to a nub</div>
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getting her ready!</div>
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<li style="text-align: center;">The chairs are off together</li>
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curing and getting waxed....sounds like a girl's day out, doesn't it?</div>
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They are getting impatient.</div>
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So is my husband...</div>
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He is tired of eating his supper at the bar~</div>
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Here is my secret weapon.</div>
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It really does cover twice as much </div>
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and gives you a very nice finish.</div>
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I was trying to show the whole can so that you could see</div>
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it's called Dark Walnut.</div>
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I didn't count how many cans I used,</div>
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but figure 1-2 per chair,</div>
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6 chairs,</div>
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2 for the table....yikes!</div>
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oh well, it's cheaper than a new set, right????</div>
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While we're watching the paint dry,</div>
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let's have a look around, shall we?</div>
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I had never planted this before,</div>
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but it went gangbusters here on the east side of the house.</div>
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It's called Autumn Sage.</div>
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It never stopped blooming \</div>
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even in the 100 degree heat and high humidity.</div>
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It quieted down for a while,</div>
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and now that we are having rains and cooler temps</div>
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it is glorious!</div>
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The hummingbirds liked it a little,</div>
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but the blooms are pretty small and </div>
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they had to work hard for the nectar.</div>
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I love discovering something new that will</div>
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thrive in this hot prairie town!</div>
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Here it is with the Double Knock Out Roses.</div>
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They almost took over the flower bed!</div>
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These plants are definitely Kansas Tough!</div>
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That chair up there on the front porch is calling my name...</div>
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think I'll grab my book and a big old glass of tea</div>
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and admire the view!</div>
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See you tomorrow!</div>
<br />mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-81386621237416399602011-09-05T07:33:00.000-07:002011-09-05T07:33:39.529-07:00Labor of Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In case you were wondering,</div>
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I have been busy.</div>
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I have put away the vacation pictures</div>
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and gotten back to work.</div>
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Children of mine:</div>
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Take a good long look</div>
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because this chair</div>
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is</div>
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going</div>
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down!</div>
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When I casually mentioned to my youngest that I had been working on these chairs, he gasped<br />
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"you mean the chairs we grew up with?"<br />
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My children have a tendency to get attached to things around the house<br />
<br />
When I sold my tacky metal kitchen canisters in a garage sale,<br />
my dear Blee about had cardiac arrest,<br />
and I was made to feel so bad<br />
that I had to go buy some matching ones<br />
at somebody else's garage sale!<br />
sheesh!<br />
<br />
I don't know what Kevin will do when I ditch the sofa,<br />
I'm sure there will be some drama...<br />
<br />
I did play with the idea of buying a new dinette set<br />
and moving these monsters downstairs<br />
for a game area.<br />
But these chairs are built strong and heavy,<br />
and I have not seen any new ones out there that could hold up<br />
to my family.<br />
<br />
Why spend money on new ones when<br />
you can make the old ones look great,<br />
with a little sanding and some spray paint?<br />
Right?<br />
<br />
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<br />
Did I say a LITTLE SANDING?<br />
<br />
I tried the mouse sander, the sanding blocks, stripper on the first one,<br />
and have discovered<br />
that removing 20plus years of grime and wax and dirt<br />
takes a little more than a little sanding!<br />
<br />
It has boiled down to this...<br />
hours and hours<br />
of sanding with little bits of 100 grit paper.<br />
Gallons of coffee.<br />
Gallons of sweat.<br />
Entire trash bags full of used bits of sandpaper,<br />
and some very sore fingers, back and shoulders!<br />
<br />
Do you see all those spindles?<br />
Do you see all those curves?<br />
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Please be patient Grasshopper.<br />
Three down.<br />
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<br />
And three to go.<br />
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<br />
<br />
I gave myself two days to rest my fingers and shoulders<br />
and today I'm back at it.<br />
<br />
Celebrate Labor Day!<br />
<br />
Go do something you've been wanting to do<br />
but were afraid it was too big, too hard, too messy.<br />
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Go throw yourself at something you've been putting off.<br />
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Go give something all you've got.<br />
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Don't be afraid....you can do it!<br />
<br />mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-91942054426439378782011-08-29T09:08:00.000-07:002011-08-29T09:08:35.251-07:00Road Trip part 4..South Dakota!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although we didn't plan on being in the middle of</div>
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the annual</div>
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Sturgis Rally Week,</div>
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that's where we ended up.</div>
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Us</div>
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and tens of thousands of</div>
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Harley Bikers.</div>
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We really just wanted to see these guys.<br />
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And we DID see them!<br />
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They are impressive,<br />
and though I enjoyed<br />
seeing them,<br />
I was more interested in<br />
reading about how they were sculpted from the granite<br />
and the tools that were used to do it.<br />
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How one man with an idea<br />
got together with the sculptor<br />
and they put their heads together<br />
and said "we can do this!"<br />
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One sculptor and a team of men,<br />
ordinary men,<br />
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with ordinary tools...<br />
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it blows my mind.<br />
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Look closely and you can see the carvings.....<br />
trust me, they're up there!<br />
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As impressive as this feat was,<br />
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it paled in my book,<br />
compared to the natural beauty that surrounds it.<br />
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One of our most scenic days by far was the day<br />
we drove through Custer State Park<br />
to get to the Mt. Rushmore site.<br />
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Breathtaking beauty up close and personal!<br />
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The eye of the needle...<br />
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I know now why this is such a magnet for bikers...<br />
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The scenery is awesome, the air is cool and clear, and the roads are winding and curvy...<br />
Biker Bliss!<br />
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We tried to fit in,<br />
but the only leather between us was Jim's white tennis shoes!<br />
I had bought a do-rag at a truck stop along the way,<br />
but it was just not that flattering,<br />
and you know how fussy I can be about that!<br />
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No pictures of that nonsense...you know what they say,<br />
what happens in Sturgis, stays in Sturgis!<br />
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We just did silly things that tourists do...<br />
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I'm not sure that was flattering either! ;)<br />
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Back in Hill City, where we spent our nights<br />
away from the roar of tens of thousands of Harleys,<br />
these two were enjoying a little peace and quiet<br />
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me too!<br />
Do you realize how noisy tens of thousands of Harleys are???<br />
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Bone rattlin noisy!<br />
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As much as I hated to leave this beauty behind,<br />
I must confess<br />
I was starting to get homesick...<br />
and sick of riding around in a truck!<br />
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The road called out again,<br />
and this time,<br />
we would really be headed for home!<br />
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Next stop...Mitchell, South Dakota!<br />
Who knew SD had so much to see and do???<br />
Not me!<br />
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<br />mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-10930237598664220112011-08-23T07:58:00.000-07:002011-08-23T09:07:45.858-07:00Road Trip part 3...water and rocks and bears! Oh my!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Are you hot, sweaty and tired of summer?</div>
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Well, sit back and enjoy</div>
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the breathtaking views</div>
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and up close and personal</div>
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sights</div>
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Beautiful Yellowstone National Park</div>
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and</div>
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Grand Teton National Park!</div>
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Can you tell that we loved the water? Waterfalls around every bend in the road!<br />
Clear, cold , running water. Roaring rivers, meandering streams, and sparkling lakes.<br />
I need a job writing travel brochures!<br />
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<br />
The second most photographed item in the Yellowstone National Park is...<br />
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wildlife.<br />
<br />
My husband's biggest regret of the entire trip is<br />
that he couldn't<br />
get the zoom feature on my little camera to work...<br />
when he discovered this friend,<br />
munching berries a mere 30 feet away from him..<br />
<br />
(Note: There is a reason that signs everywhere state: Do NOT get closer than 100 feet of wildlife!)<br />
<br />
Everyone else had left the area,<br />
had grown tired of waiting<br />
for this guy to amble out of the brush.<br />
They had wisely moved on.<br />
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Not easily discouraged,<br />
my hubby waited.<br />
And waited.<br />
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His patience was finally rewarded<br />
when this guy's head popped up<br />
from the berry bush,<br />
and he looked straight at the photographer~<br />
<br />
My man did not run.<br />
He stood there and fiddled with the zoom button.<br />
They say you should not run,<br />
so he didn't!<br />
<br />
Damn zoom!<br />
Oh well,<br />
I know it's a true story,<br />
because my husband<br />
took about 30 minutes<br />
to calm down!<br />
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Once his hands stopped shaking,<br />
we moved on.<br />
Hubs took one million up close shots of<br />
Rocks.<br />
Safe, unmoving, rocks.<br />
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Massive Rocks.<br />
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Rock climbing school seems to be in session...<br />
either that, or they are both taking a pee break!<br />
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Ready everyone?<br />
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Do you see them?<br />
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Let's have some more of that cool, peaceful water - shall we?<br />
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Ahhhhhhhhh! We don't see much of this in Kansas.<br />
In fact, we don't see any of this!<br />
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<br />
I chose to sit right here<br />
and rest while my man<br />
climbed on up to the top.<br />
<br />
Thanking the Lord for allowing me to be here, for my family,<br />
praying for each of them, one by one....<br />
<br />
I sweet place I will not soon forget!<br />
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It was so much fun to see all of the wildflowers EVERYWHERE<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, some of the prettiest ones were right on the edge of the road<br />
on a hairpin turn with no shoulder,<br />
where you wouldn't dare stop your truck!<br />
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and the luscious plantings EVERYWHERE<br />
something about the dry, cool mountain air .... the flowers love it!<br />
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What a wonderful 4 days....<br />
we didn't see it all,<br />
I know we will come back for more someday.<br />
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We must move on...<br />
the road is calling once again.<br />
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It's Rally Week, after all!<br />
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Stay tuned!mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-73629150593235352022011-08-18T17:57:00.000-07:002011-08-18T17:57:34.093-07:00Road Trip-A-Rama...SeattlePart Two.<br />
<br />
The hard part.<br />
Unpacking the UHaul trailer. ( See previous post.)<br />
. Sorting Kevin's stuff from the girls' stuff,<br />
and putting Kevin's stuff back into the trailer .<br />
Lugging Audra and Sarah's stuff up three flights of stairs.<br />
Hauling Kevin's stuff to his apartment across town.<br />
Lugging Kevin's stuff up three flights of stairs.<br />
Too bad we don't have any pictures of this...I was not in the mood.<br />
Imagine.<br />
<br />
By the time we got to the final stages of this day, I was exhausted and depressed.<br />
Kevin's apartment is no bigger than a postage stamp.<br />
No bigger than a breadbox. <br />
No bigger than a walnut shell.<br />
You get the picture. The more boxes the guys brought up the stairs,<br />
the more discouraged I became<br />
<br />
I got me an ATTITUDE.<br />
<br />
I think this is when the reality of it all hit me.<br />
This was not just a fun road trip,<br />
I was leaving him here to fend for himself<br />
to find his own way.<br />
to find a job<br />
to find friends<br />
to find out what he is made of.<br />
<br />
He kept going over to the little windows and looking out at the view and LOVING IT!<br />
All the while,<br />
my mother's heart was not helping me get the right outlook...<br />
<br />
So WHAT if he can see Mount Rainier from his window? ???<br />
<br />
<br />
I could tell Kevin did not want me helping him set things up...he pretty much told me so!<br />
After he undid several drawers that I had brilliantly organized, I finally got the hint,<br />
and left him to do the hard part...I was pretty sure<br />
that we would be hauling a big portion of stuff back to Kansas!<br />
<br />
After a hot shower, a nap and a good Mexican dinner,<br />
things looked much brighter.<br />
That night, I had a talk with the Lord and asked Him to kindly<br />
adjust my attitude..ASAP....for Kevin's sake.<br />
<br />
And He did.<br />
<br />
<br />
The next day dawned more hopeful,<br />
and it did my heart good to see that Kevin<br />
had made his tiny little apartment<br />
into a charming little nest.<br />
He had all of his stuff organized,<br />
art up on the walls, and books shelved.<br />
It looks great and he is happy!<br />
And he didn't need me to do it for him!<br />
He just needed me to get out of the way!<br />
<br />
We left the kids that day<br />
to sort things and continue unpacking<br />
while we explored the city.<br />
I needed to get my head and heart around this place<br />
called SEATTLE!<br />
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My favorite part of the city...Pike Place Market. Love this place!<br />
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I took this picture for my friend Lezlie, who creates the most wonderful things.in crochet.....this little stall was nothing but little crocheted hats...hats and more hats! Adorable hats!<br />
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Here we have the most wonderful things..I don't even know what they are called but they are strings of peppers, flowers, and who knows what else...I wish I had bought one of these, but I was trying to be so careful not to buy things everywhere I went! This was a very hard task for me!<br />
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Aren't they beautiful!<br />
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And Oh my goodness such flowers! Huge fresh bundles of the most lovely flowers you have ever seen!<br />
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I couldn't get enough of them!!!<br />
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Music! These were the most fun to watch...they were really into it!<br />
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<br />
Seattle is called<br />
The Emerald City.<br />
Everything is so lush and green...when you take an exit off the interstate,<br />
you can't see where you will end up<br />
because of the plants growing everywhere.<br />
They take flora and fauna to a new level here!<br />
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And then there's the water.<br />
Lakes. Lakes. and More Lakes.<br />
Boats. Boats. and More Boats!<br />
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Who wouldn't want to live in a town that looked this dreamy all the time?<br />
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<br />
more dreaminess...<br />
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not sure what this is like on a cold, rainy, winter night,<br />
but it sure looked dreamy while we were here!<br />
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a little neighborhood park with a sparkling lake just a couple of blocks from the apartment...<br />
where you can swim, row, kayak, or just lay around and watch the world go by.<br />
Dreamy~<br />
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fresh blackberries as big as walnuts!<br />
and wild ones growing in everyone's back yard????<br />
is your mouth watering yet??<br />
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Totem poles galore.<br />
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Take a look at those lush ferns at the bottom of the picture.<br />
They grow around here like shrubs.<br />
It's a tropical paradise, without the heat!<br />
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And the icing on the cake...<br />
<br />
Yes people, I finally got to experience<br />
<br />
IKEA!<br />
<br />
That day about wore poor Jim out,<br />
but it was the jackpot for Audra,<br />
she found the futon and pillows she wanted<br />
to make her nest complete.<br />
<br />
Just look at that smile!<br />
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<br />
back to more dreaminess.<br />
Think "Sleepless in Seattle."...<br />
I would have liked to see it at night!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUGAUfjgHpcBn6HBSygQR2_0UAAct0gu9MNkepXdAQKS1USb7im2W8K0FiDY3ywqx3bM1mWxyzhNDOpm-LwuxMGmSua_CeSj_apZRmAdfx7Wm1OMnxamctAw9qzv-2zY4kufbswSjgYw/s1600/DSC03380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUGAUfjgHpcBn6HBSygQR2_0UAAct0gu9MNkepXdAQKS1USb7im2W8K0FiDY3ywqx3bM1mWxyzhNDOpm-LwuxMGmSua_CeSj_apZRmAdfx7Wm1OMnxamctAw9qzv-2zY4kufbswSjgYw/s640/DSC03380.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And last, but not least,<br />
Mt. Rainier<br />
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If you look closely, you can see it hovering above the skyline.<br />
It was a pretty clear day, but you wouldn't know it from this picture!<br />
It's beautiful and majestic every time you see it!<br />
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The next day Audra's parents flew home<br />
and we spent the day doing some sight seeing with Kevin<br />
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Here's one of the views from the Space Needle.<br />
Awesome!<br />
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Jim and Kevin went to the Aquarium and<br />
I went to an antique market...<br />
couldn't resist!<br />
That night,we ate the most amazing clam chowder and salmon<br />
on the waterfront downtown.<br />
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There is still so much we wanted to see and do,<br />
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There's always next time...<br />
We'll see you again Seattle,<br />
<br />
In the meantime,<br />
be good to my boy!<br />
<br />
I'll be back!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHPTO9vKf82W7Z8qWXctgZsvVT23E_zU1WqJGEnbdqMyXgC0_X8mJ1l7n-rFqohNEqsiUlDCkl3JR5YI_P41-JnKAWzoZa2LYvYmVBIslNbFG5bTG9vR8AG2Gs0rnUzNTEVze3JWzu_k/s1600/DSC03388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHPTO9vKf82W7Z8qWXctgZsvVT23E_zU1WqJGEnbdqMyXgC0_X8mJ1l7n-rFqohNEqsiUlDCkl3JR5YI_P41-JnKAWzoZa2LYvYmVBIslNbFG5bTG9vR8AG2Gs0rnUzNTEVze3JWzu_k/s640/DSC03388.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I promise!<br />
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<br />mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-27314995879333597682011-08-15T11:15:00.000-07:002011-08-15T11:15:43.560-07:00Go West Young Man! part one...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Twenty years from now</div>
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you will be more disappointed</div>
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by the things </div>
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you didn't do</div>
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than by the ones you did do.</div>
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So, throw off the bowlines,</div>
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Sail away from the safe harbor.</div>
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Catch the tradewinds in your sails.</div>
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Explore. Dream. Discover."</div>
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<br /></div>
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Mark Twain</div>
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Herein lies the story </div>
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of one young man on a journey...</div>
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<br /></div>
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A Kansas boy turns his eyes to the west</div>
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and follows a dream and a girl.</div>
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Destination: Seattle</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKqka8WfZzMdZeFgZydg5RF65ya7E5eJ9uZeyNJTUNDiTfDx1-FjHGcnxQpG5LQJkGf2oXA_hvdwyG9MM3402MY9ycMnbcxVtDJHs1GjJ2UTdQB4u_KNOZpRtKSx4R2_0jGAUuGRC8W8/s1600/DSC03385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKqka8WfZzMdZeFgZydg5RF65ya7E5eJ9uZeyNJTUNDiTfDx1-FjHGcnxQpG5LQJkGf2oXA_hvdwyG9MM3402MY9ycMnbcxVtDJHs1GjJ2UTdQB4u_KNOZpRtKSx4R2_0jGAUuGRC8W8/s640/DSC03385.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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How do three young explorers make their way across this wide land?</div>
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More importantly, </div>
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How the heck do they get all of their earthly belongings there ?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguC1V_5CQ1b1SeeJ5TS4fmvn49HgNqKzNYZI_U7mndMJzFVQ-9P4pjfrQ2do1QbNQT6EHUCXb6cOTkVh5SqzBaoGkjjYhCcb9_DnJkaxHM16YGmQFG9oWEwtVh8DvDTRwAN5BSRmkvbZM/s1600/DSC03325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguC1V_5CQ1b1SeeJ5TS4fmvn49HgNqKzNYZI_U7mndMJzFVQ-9P4pjfrQ2do1QbNQT6EHUCXb6cOTkVh5SqzBaoGkjjYhCcb9_DnJkaxHM16YGmQFG9oWEwtVh8DvDTRwAN5BSRmkvbZM/s640/DSC03325.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is a job for </div>
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Huebner & Associates</div>
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School of Packing.</div>
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All four of our children are</div>
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Honors Graduates</div>
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of the Huebner School of Packing</div>
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and this was the most challenging assignment on record.</div>
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Daunting, I tell you!</div>
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Reinforcements were called in.</div>
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Boxberger Inc. added much needed expertise,</div>
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muscle and encouragement.</div>
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How was all this loot from three different locations</div>
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expertly molded into one small trailer and one pickup bed you ask?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZDi8VZ44JHK1D9rvAZ82FCHKgJOlqAj3kxhKfzpYn4H2rLaKFlQaNtd3xQtKJWyIz5Zkq4s3maFW2o4WOw1AcBqJzat6Xq0slkcQuvaSS2ovWXxZtYXe3iK9FwiozLniY6dC18hl0Is/s1600/DSC03324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZDi8VZ44JHK1D9rvAZ82FCHKgJOlqAj3kxhKfzpYn4H2rLaKFlQaNtd3xQtKJWyIz5Zkq4s3maFW2o4WOw1AcBqJzat6Xq0slkcQuvaSS2ovWXxZtYXe3iK9FwiozLniY6dC18hl0Is/s640/DSC03324.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Well let me tell you!</div>
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You take 6 people </div>
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working all day...</div>
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loading and unloading,</div>
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measuring and calculating...</div>
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arranging and rearranging</div>
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re-measuring,</div>
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stuffing and reloading.</div>
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Waiting and watching,</div>
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Bake all day in 100 degree heat,</div>
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And you have one very</div>
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well done </div>
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Load.</div>
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It's the Huebner way.</div>
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Almost....</div>
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Success!</div>
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Whew!</div>
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Did I mention it was hot?</div>
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Job well done, team!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-RuCb30gm_vsEwhjhxM90N-fj6uhPxg3G8cj-UKvBuT-wb9DWaehgTzYfY73djEiiLVh7Pfg8KR0iUUcKVXI5YKvQcaMZt3ojBqos-ZzC5Z8206oENziU4S5xVPalIzTEBCDEXsGzDA/s1600/DSC03332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-RuCb30gm_vsEwhjhxM90N-fj6uhPxg3G8cj-UKvBuT-wb9DWaehgTzYfY73djEiiLVh7Pfg8KR0iUUcKVXI5YKvQcaMZt3ojBqos-ZzC5Z8206oENziU4S5xVPalIzTEBCDEXsGzDA/s640/DSC03332.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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What do you do with a car, a trailer and a pickup crammed full of </div>
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three people's treasures?</div>
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YOU DO A ROAD TRIP!</div>
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After a good dinner and good night's sleep,</div>
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we headed our little caravan</div>
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WESTWARD.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I started out trying to take pictures of Kevin and Audra in each state</div>
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that we passed through....</div>
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<br /></div>
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that was fun for a little while.</div>
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I'd tell you which states we were in,</div>
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but I have no idea....</div>
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I think this one was taken in Washington,..thus the mountains in the background!</div>
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Somewhere...not in Kansas anymore.</div>
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I am now officially in love with the American West.</div>
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Twin Falls, Idaho</div>
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Three very precious people.</div>
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my boys.</div>
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<li style="text-align: center;">I'm glad we stopped here</li>
<li style="text-align: center;">It was just what we needed to spur us on~</li>
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Seattle, here we come!</div>
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<br />mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-1768346309172494682011-06-26T16:14:00.000-07:002011-06-26T16:14:07.315-07:00Treasures from Martha<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFAdkLd3p7cuURDUpW17FAQdxC3dyy_g6DIKpPBE3_NwWhebvrACGqExKCcJFLyEL1E49WVJHmhiaTlRNa-vKpPaf4tsuvG7hXHnPICDLYwmNkaqTM_QClkKfDl3yo3nFufEAWCmUJdQ/s1600/DSC03272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFAdkLd3p7cuURDUpW17FAQdxC3dyy_g6DIKpPBE3_NwWhebvrACGqExKCcJFLyEL1E49WVJHmhiaTlRNa-vKpPaf4tsuvG7hXHnPICDLYwmNkaqTM_QClkKfDl3yo3nFufEAWCmUJdQ/s640/DSC03272.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Would you look at what I got for free this weekend???<br />
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A while back, our friends Kristie and Erich were visiting, and they decided that the old sewing machine<br />
that they inherited from Mean Aunt Martha needed to live at my house. I think this may have belonged to Martha's mother, and it has seen a lot of use over the years.<br />
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The drawers are still full of notions....threads, seam binding, needles...I just kept clapping my hands! I don't think Kristie was into musty, dusty what nots. I am so into them! Each of the drawers has this pretty carving on it!<br />
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And to top it all off, Kristie threw in a basket full of these lovelies. She was tired of them and knew I would give them a good home. They were pretty dusty so I just unrolled the first layer off and low and behold,<br />
under all that dusty calico......WHITE!<br />
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I got pretty excited thinking about covering a few of them with some strips of muslin and other off white textured fabrics in my stash! I have been wanting to make some of these for a while now...ever since I saw the pretty ones that Dawn over at <a href="http://www.the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/">The Feathered Nest </a>makes. These are made of strips of old white sheets and such..no styrofoam balls here girls, these were made the old fashioned way! I tried not to act too excited though, didn't want Kristie to snatch them back!<br />
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And get a load of this...three old spools with some really pretty thin yarn wound on them!<br />
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. I cannot wait to get these pretties cleaned up and show off their hidden beauty! It's 100 plus degrees in my garage right now, so I may have to wait until the next cold snap, but stay tuned for the big reveal!<br />
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Thank you Kristie and Erich for sharing Martha's treasures with me. I will take good care of them. I love thinking of all the many things she must have sewed and mended for her family on this machine! <br />
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She is sew sew beautiful!<br />
<br />mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-79556518634153707182011-05-26T18:09:00.000-07:002011-05-26T18:09:52.430-07:00Tornado Alley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-arFfSwVjHrs1-uAE8YKCb9fmsrj5v-KMK1hGxwMVjPSAUqnrORvm1MLvcp-0K153NzLnsIlnQrZvdviOG6Sk-BODLHJ7bljKZ8k2hpxNs36gDYLlbsAXfVA6u8yTTD315WknKN4Raw/s1600/DSC03094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-arFfSwVjHrs1-uAE8YKCb9fmsrj5v-KMK1hGxwMVjPSAUqnrORvm1MLvcp-0K153NzLnsIlnQrZvdviOG6Sk-BODLHJ7bljKZ8k2hpxNs36gDYLlbsAXfVA6u8yTTD315WknKN4Raw/s640/DSC03094.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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I live about 35 miles down the road from Joplin Missouri.<br />
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I have been pretty restless these last couple of days. The talk radio station that I listen to regularly is covering tornado news non stop and I can't turn it off. All of the stations under the umbrella of Zimmer Radio are reporting wall to wall on news, missing person reports, taking calls and answering questions of listeners, interviewing city and federal officials with reports and updates. <br />
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Heartbreaking calls.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fonuJ529ZSIg3BapeTHUqaFDACMGBe04lQesYvQH9LhVGQ09aAWNpyEkUXoGsVgsDpzw0eVCsSxhXSuSoo0PTVoItaDX-GqZM8IQ7BMXhuXc4G10MFHRrEKsdwLi4bqymsGJ9-cdPhc/s1600/DSC03089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fonuJ529ZSIg3BapeTHUqaFDACMGBe04lQesYvQH9LhVGQ09aAWNpyEkUXoGsVgsDpzw0eVCsSxhXSuSoo0PTVoItaDX-GqZM8IQ7BMXhuXc4G10MFHRrEKsdwLi4bqymsGJ9-cdPhc/s640/DSC03089.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Rangeline...driving south<br />
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Yesterday, I went with my friend Gerri to Joplin MO, with a carload of groceries and supplies to help a friend and her extended family. They have a set of elderly parents who were sent to the hospital in Miami OK. They both have injuries and her Dad may have suffered a stroke. Rita's folks have lost their home, as did her sister. One son has lost the roof and a wall from his house. Our friend is trying to hold on to her job and juggle all the relatives floating in and out for food and a place to sleep.<br />
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It felt good to bring these much needed supplies to feed almost 15 people for maybe a month, but as we were driving out of the city gaping at the damage, that help felt like such a drop in a bottomless bucket!<br />
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I felt guilty taking the few pictures that I snapped out the window.<br />
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126 people have died. Around 100 are still listed as missing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASSIYve5NFXBuU8Ed_cOw1xsTC8M8pGuMhPTvBC_zACaIvJdUs_nvRpgaJbS33nXmgkMnONTZpICCiEjO5cJea5wCf9KhkkWmyjo87OxR5gVYs59PLQhE9RKkMsakA0VNoHo_bmStrqI/s1600/DSC03089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASSIYve5NFXBuU8Ed_cOw1xsTC8M8pGuMhPTvBC_zACaIvJdUs_nvRpgaJbS33nXmgkMnONTZpICCiEjO5cJea5wCf9KhkkWmyjo87OxR5gVYs59PLQhE9RKkMsakA0VNoHo_bmStrqI/s640/DSC03089.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>More of Rangeline...<br />
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When I make it back, I will try to take pictures of the people we saw helping. I was just too dumbfounded to think of it.<br />
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People standing out on the curb holding signs that read :"Free Dinner" at Fellowship Baptist Church<br />
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About 15 people wearing t-shirts that read RUBICON - they all looked exhausted and were waiting for their table at The Red Onion downtown.<br />
I don't know who RUBICON is, but I love them! <br />
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People grilling hot dogs and hamburgers in open parking lots...<br />
a giant semi and tent...people fixing food and serving the Mo Highway Patrol<br />
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We did not drive into the residential areas that were hit, where countless people are slugging away at this mess. Search and rescue teams are still searching and rescuing in there.<br />
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It felt so strange to see our favorite places standing quiet and normal, and then BAM, nothing but the flat horizon and miles and miles of rubble. Even though we knew where we were, we caught ourselves asking<br />
" where are we?" It really is disorienting!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UnsVwzn3nQ-BDH03os3zUlhzNRROlX7JcpxHy6NheAuQAxPaLfiz-tC0J-FLou750ZyyZnIC3SKNZ82MyUQ0Zwa4xu-4RU7tHSujpsZiCg5gy8otnvjsF0wdZRNnsyfdAEZflmilo4g/s1600/DSC03093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UnsVwzn3nQ-BDH03os3zUlhzNRROlX7JcpxHy6NheAuQAxPaLfiz-tC0J-FLou750ZyyZnIC3SKNZ82MyUQ0Zwa4xu-4RU7tHSujpsZiCg5gy8otnvjsF0wdZRNnsyfdAEZflmilo4g/s640/DSC03093.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>South Main heading North...<br />
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Joplin is my go-to town for a day away from the mundane country life. When I need something special to wear, a craft supply, a nice meal out, a flea market fix, I head for Joplin. On Tuesday I sewed blankets just to keep myself busy<br />
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Today I heard that the crazies from Topeka are planning to come down on Sunday during a Memorial service...I wish the main stream media had the wisdom to ignore this group, but it will not play out that way.<br />
I want to stand on the road with a sign that reads<br />
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Kansas loves Joplin!<br />
We're with you Joplin!<br />
Keep Calm and Carry On Joplin!<br />
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As I was picking up sticks out in the front yard today, it just seemed so pointless. My house needs to be cleaned but I just can't get started on it. <br />
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How do you eat an elephant, Joplin? <br />
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ONE BITE AT A TIME!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwaQmzjhWiSoTxOED5EfKiYEVnWHuZfH0z0MnrXOHujOt8UwblEF6pDzPAcky8KGRZaDjhyjmv3IXPhSlTUiiKK4deODoKd4CBuPU93whRfhyphenhyphentJHwoyiVrC_8_paCxbnaCz4vMbyweqE/s1600/DSC03097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwaQmzjhWiSoTxOED5EfKiYEVnWHuZfH0z0MnrXOHujOt8UwblEF6pDzPAcky8KGRZaDjhyjmv3IXPhSlTUiiKK4deODoKd4CBuPU93whRfhyphenhyphentJHwoyiVrC_8_paCxbnaCz4vMbyweqE/s640/DSC03097.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Farther along south Main, heading north<br />
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If you are searching for someone, or if your church wants to help, or if you just want to leave an encouraging word..KZRG 1310 AM has a Facebook Page and they are the go-to place for information.<br />
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Give blood.<br />
Send money.<br />
Pray!<br />
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Thank You on behalf of Joplin, MO.mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-50394570047097473882011-05-24T16:47:00.000-07:002011-05-24T16:47:19.395-07:00When my baby walked...<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's been so long since I wrote,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure I remember how to do it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was hoping I could wow you</div><div style="text-align: center;">with a creative non-violent way</div><div style="text-align: center;">to rid the world of </div><div style="text-align: center;">pesky cardinals.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">But the sad news is,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the bad bird is </div><div style="text-align: center;">not only still here,</div><div style="text-align: center;">He /She</div><div style="text-align: center;">has moved on to other windows and doors.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Last weekend when we had family here</div><div style="text-align: center;">for our youngest son's college graduation</div><div style="text-align: center;">bird went straight for the guest room windows.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">My little grand daughter reported to her mama</div><div style="text-align: center;">"there's a bird out there nibbling on the window!"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">If it hadn't been such a happy weekend</div><div style="text-align: center;">with impressionable children present,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I would have marched out there</div><div style="text-align: center;">and given that bird a piece of</div><div style="text-align: center;">my mind.</div><div style="text-align: center;">No wait.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I have already lost my mind!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As I was saying,</div><div style="text-align: center;"> It was a happy weekend,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here is Kevin as a new alumni of Pittsburg State University</div><div style="text-align: center;">with a Bachelor's of Science</div><div style="text-align: center;">in History Education.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">That's Jason, our oldest in the background</div><div style="text-align: center;">looking pensive and wise,</div><div style="text-align: center;">probably feeling like</div><div style="text-align: center;">and old alumni.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So old...class of 2000.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">We are through paying college tuition.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Four kids.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Four college grads.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We are extremely proud.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We are so proud of each of them.</div><div style="text-align: center;">But I must say there is something about the last one</div><div style="text-align: center;">finishing this milestone.</div><div style="text-align: center;">For the first time since 1981</div><div style="text-align: center;">I will not have anyone in school this fall.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This calls for a cigar, don't you think?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Days like these make you want to hit the rewind button</div><div style="text-align: center;">and have some do-overs.</div><div style="text-align: center;">You want to slow things down a whole lot.</div><div style="text-align: center;">You want to talk more and play more and try harder.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Instead,</div><div style="text-align: center;"> we celebrate</div><div style="text-align: center;">all the things we did right,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and all the things he did right,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and all the things the future holds.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kevin, the world is your oyster!</div><div style="text-align: center;">What DOES that mean, anyway?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I knew I wouldn't be able to write this post without crying,</div><div style="text-align: center;">so while I wipe my nose,</div><div style="text-align: center;">here are some more peeks at graduation weekend...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Big Sis, Little Bro.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">A future Pitt alum????</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Silly and Sweet!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">You made it Kevin!</div><div style="text-align: center;">You made it Dad!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Congratulations to you both!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">So proud.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-86599560205454532452011-04-01T08:22:00.000-07:002011-04-01T08:22:49.823-07:00BUH BUH BUH BIRD BIRD BIRD...BIRD IS THE WORD! (repeat)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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I love birds. I love watching birds. I feed birds. If you looked in my documents file, you would say I have an unhealthy obsession with birds. Birds are everywhere. I decorate with birds.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bird Overload? Let me tell you about BIRD OVERLOAD...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Somewhere out there in the realm of nature, there is a force. It is called INSTINCT. There is a bird out there</div><div style="text-align: left;">and that bird is hearing the VOICE OF INSTINCT, and that voice is telling him GET IN THAT HOUSE!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This bird has a mate, and that mate is telling this bird....LET ME SHOW YOU HOW IT'S DONE!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">How do I know about this? Because I have seen. Because I have heard.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This bird.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-TmnZlhzGNawmD1errnDxhLa_vnhXz0xP-vS2gpzI8qg0RabR3GN7pm38qZ_nVoW9L4fLRLTEeQ1QQSx5Jujpuj0N9kk9OhdGsW4OV6pSQzkpYI0fhx-BnBZ8rETWml_5TgYak9HkL0/s1600/DSC03021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-TmnZlhzGNawmD1errnDxhLa_vnhXz0xP-vS2gpzI8qg0RabR3GN7pm38qZ_nVoW9L4fLRLTEeQ1QQSx5Jujpuj0N9kk9OhdGsW4OV6pSQzkpYI0fhx-BnBZ8rETWml_5TgYak9HkL0/s400/DSC03021.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">This bird wants in my house.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">This bird's mate wants in my house too.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">They want it bad.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUVqVwzJSvfiaPoRCL8hpCQ-OaDgahgEOL0R32IGHxxkxaYsfUxgk5BcFeyGVE8RTzlUud1p_DhBBOrXzJdNnp0H3gm8SrEiHW0dGEMimmZJoucOIbUVamH4Q-Q_mDz874_BopS5uVI4/s1600/DSC03017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUVqVwzJSvfiaPoRCL8hpCQ-OaDgahgEOL0R32IGHxxkxaYsfUxgk5BcFeyGVE8RTzlUud1p_DhBBOrXzJdNnp0H3gm8SrEiHW0dGEMimmZJoucOIbUVamH4Q-Q_mDz874_BopS5uVI4/s400/DSC03017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">They like this tree...this tree sits right outside of my bedroom window.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">My bedroom.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Where I like to sleep later than 7 am.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Where I like to take afternoon naps.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This bird is tough. Tireless. Tenacious. Slobbery.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">This is bird slobber.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlBUNXPvZTF7eWxBNwk9eQ2l-SAgRjww7m4TLHFf61zQakv43SlaYOcunFH7DaDL4e6_bMPdEzjPuh2X-6FsyK30r0ck3-lxPEb9Cxz1wRwJ5dHMywC0ULd8RdFZhCxJhtKMiRdQsbyI/s1600/DSC03013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlBUNXPvZTF7eWxBNwk9eQ2l-SAgRjww7m4TLHFf61zQakv43SlaYOcunFH7DaDL4e6_bMPdEzjPuh2X-6FsyK30r0ck3-lxPEb9Cxz1wRwJ5dHMywC0ULd8RdFZhCxJhtKMiRdQsbyI/s400/DSC03013.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">sorry about this picture...it doesn't begin to show how bad the window looks!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">These two devil birds work as a team. One slams into the window, not once, but multiple times at a whack, then flies to a branch to sing while the B-team comes in for a dive. Repeat. Then I come in to try and capture this demonic activity with my camera and they both dart to the ground to eat gravel, then fly away into the cedars just 10 feet away, which by the way would be a lovely place for a nest. I stand motionless by the window, and wait for the next sortie. If I had a decent camera you would get to see this, but so far I have failed to catch the devils slamming their glorious red bodies into the glass. The glass that is so glommy with bird slobber that they don't even see me standing there. The most irritating thing is the way they chirp away, cheering each other on, chirping right through the pain of the assault. I have witnessed this madness taking place from 7 am to 7 pm. Non stop. I stop watching for snacks, naps in the basement where it is quiet, catching up on world news.... They stop for nothing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I think they have not heard about what happened to the last cardinal who tried to get into my bedroom to build a nest. Not to be deterred by the plastic snake, the window covered with the funny papers, the shooing and shooshing, he came against a force much stronger than NATURE and INSTINCT.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">He met my husband, THE BIRDINATOR. Enough said.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I fear that these two determined love-birds are destined to meet their maker before they have a chance to build a nest and raise a little family. It is the way of nature. </div><div style="text-align: left;">It is the way of THE BIRDINATOR.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">PLEASE PRETTY BIRDS...</div><div style="text-align: left;">GO AWAY AND LIVE YOUR LIVES IN PEACE.</div><div style="text-align: left;">GO BUILD YOUR NEST AND LIFE THE LIFE YOU WERE BORN TO LIVE...</div><div style="text-align: left;">.GO NOW WHILE YOU STILL CAN...YOU ARE TOO YOUNG TO DIE!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6-Uf-6WNcmKcM6zaOp_aZ34Hbt3oYwm7z7bxnf0FIHrHP5YfRadcut5uO_Y-P7mp8NVxojNESanedtKFH0OC4r_lLVuAMtWlIjFDI0ZyzauxCOFkya2Isu1t2R3KIw7nYX6IgMzN470/s1600/DSC03022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6-Uf-6WNcmKcM6zaOp_aZ34Hbt3oYwm7z7bxnf0FIHrHP5YfRadcut5uO_Y-P7mp8NVxojNESanedtKFH0OC4r_lLVuAMtWlIjFDI0ZyzauxCOFkya2Isu1t2R3KIw7nYX6IgMzN470/s400/DSC03022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The End.</div>mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6776595555595101263.post-40138871116328458802011-03-25T16:49:00.000-07:002011-03-25T16:49:45.793-07:00The Good Earth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally, we have had a couple of </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">sunny, non windy days</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">to get out in the yard and </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">REJOICE!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Because the earth is</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> stretching, yawning</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">coming alive!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just looking around the yard,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I can finally see things are waking up!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPs2sYv5eJe5AtoPqVwWgo3ikoHWC8i7CBahvqwtEFhvJwEmdhffHHbsFPlUd8tvuzXGmvycORkN90r40CMzj0qmaGmtG0ltywN0Cgb_gPLG7Y_KwjR5uUj0eQ4gghhjgf1_dQC7kRRk/s1600/DSC02965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPs2sYv5eJe5AtoPqVwWgo3ikoHWC8i7CBahvqwtEFhvJwEmdhffHHbsFPlUd8tvuzXGmvycORkN90r40CMzj0qmaGmtG0ltywN0Cgb_gPLG7Y_KwjR5uUj0eQ4gghhjgf1_dQC7kRRk/s400/DSC02965.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This pretty blooming tree is a thorn tree.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not sure what the official name is,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> but those thorns are mean looking!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm sure glad we didn't chop it down</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> when we were thinning things out</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">along the edge of the woods.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We don't have many blooming trees...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">but I hope to get some redbuds planted this year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdaJBZeHo3LoRlWHEgUkGFTD3KZfsTL92RijX4kShL4GTGuPKPPG2GZ6C_RLEkCbdNE_WyRnjnaGwaTlG5s-KGaYioxNPYCybVY-RBZ7FYE3RVR0G43xYjCElAfERb7xhkizLRivUqZA/s1600/DSC02966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdaJBZeHo3LoRlWHEgUkGFTD3KZfsTL92RijX4kShL4GTGuPKPPG2GZ6C_RLEkCbdNE_WyRnjnaGwaTlG5s-KGaYioxNPYCybVY-RBZ7FYE3RVR0G43xYjCElAfERb7xhkizLRivUqZA/s400/DSC02966.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's so encouraging to see</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">what has survived the cold, hard winter,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and scratch around in the dirt!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Can't wait for the fragrant iris to appear...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UD1sG5pSH0gOAySd6y8h7BlvUJj75kD1RyW5DorB9MW5qTcQX-g8NlDgD8IRJb9_5sFouIM9vP4wMhGETJ2bzbX7mAk-kGfibJbKEjvYhterXWhRB6UuFKLc7ezYhwkTobistBTYxQI/s1600/DSC02968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UD1sG5pSH0gOAySd6y8h7BlvUJj75kD1RyW5DorB9MW5qTcQX-g8NlDgD8IRJb9_5sFouIM9vP4wMhGETJ2bzbX7mAk-kGfibJbKEjvYhterXWhRB6UuFKLc7ezYhwkTobistBTYxQI/s400/DSC02968.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">This little hen has been busy with her chicks </div><div style="text-align: center;">all winter!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Mkncmkf47902dF-cgRxyW-XG75QNcwlFXtJ31qEWqgLUqMS4ElkK_HR4i8Wtbj2uHrZRxDDKXkA-vOEUua1DuuYIqmDKw9M00wL3tvnukd-AyllSiwJ2Onq5ABwt8KIozIEgeTiRG30/s1600/DSC02967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Mkncmkf47902dF-cgRxyW-XG75QNcwlFXtJ31qEWqgLUqMS4ElkK_HR4i8Wtbj2uHrZRxDDKXkA-vOEUua1DuuYIqmDKw9M00wL3tvnukd-AyllSiwJ2Onq5ABwt8KIozIEgeTiRG30/s400/DSC02967.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Just a few more sunny warm days,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and this little gal will be a carpet of purple...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Lj0uI18CWyZIRisqZcS_8FtME-yCfrDgup-r6NNOhVI3qs26s9A3TRwxZP6iO_GbUqoi5tEQaY-gYg8nl0n12MBFSssclFFBKTf_MgqhuUhCA4uect8uoFcYGnYoD3yCY5FdzRZCTa4/s1600/DSC02969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Lj0uI18CWyZIRisqZcS_8FtME-yCfrDgup-r6NNOhVI3qs26s9A3TRwxZP6iO_GbUqoi5tEQaY-gYg8nl0n12MBFSssclFFBKTf_MgqhuUhCA4uect8uoFcYGnYoD3yCY5FdzRZCTa4/s400/DSC02969.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yeah! Both of the little lilac bushes made it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJkh1MP1OP22sDcgCPXPrkROEKOD597x6DfAXbIJKglG_dnA0h8hsLmLyiP5lj2FzPjNGRZIbnz3knzsw0pRY58SfwcvRQcBHl8gJGPBexvi-3fYbg7T2AKHXzFNiye8GeKuo_Auuy0g/s1600/DSC02970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJkh1MP1OP22sDcgCPXPrkROEKOD597x6DfAXbIJKglG_dnA0h8hsLmLyiP5lj2FzPjNGRZIbnz3knzsw0pRY58SfwcvRQcBHl8gJGPBexvi-3fYbg7T2AKHXzFNiye8GeKuo_Auuy0g/s400/DSC02970.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mums made it too!!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5YaGdNCfnz_GCggF-lrmx4a4u4uRdgRJUVsUonCstsIutvFb7ygcNfcHg5neUNxnHLlqtH39zW8FO9W3avKvvxRMalHkm6L6E_Ht2hFjYSphm_DZWY6RMxq3TZgEFqVcBeZsxodZbYo/s1600/DSC02971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5YaGdNCfnz_GCggF-lrmx4a4u4uRdgRJUVsUonCstsIutvFb7ygcNfcHg5neUNxnHLlqtH39zW8FO9W3avKvvxRMalHkm6L6E_Ht2hFjYSphm_DZWY6RMxq3TZgEFqVcBeZsxodZbYo/s400/DSC02971.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I found two hostas poking their little heads out of the dirt,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and there are bright green leaves on my two hydrangeas!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Woo Hoo!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I doesn't seem like much,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but I really didn't have time to plant very many things last year.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Getting the house finished and moving took over our lives</div><div style="text-align: center;">and gardening had to take a back seat.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm happy with what I got planted,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Just enough to make me smile</div><div style="text-align: center;">and give me hope for a wonderful gardening year ahead!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Over the winter I planted some of these....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqeS0_9vW1xs89X-qHFPM1NWMxpVdwf_IPaJfh-dj9sRE-3j6JczXPke8BKKKH7aOSC9zsW5l710aZ4R-WuMPbeZDqlIWC5Nowm5VADsPGqkNIJBXolDV_V6VJS_6hNXREpX01NYxsW7Y/s1600/DSC02981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqeS0_9vW1xs89X-qHFPM1NWMxpVdwf_IPaJfh-dj9sRE-3j6JczXPke8BKKKH7aOSC9zsW5l710aZ4R-WuMPbeZDqlIWC5Nowm5VADsPGqkNIJBXolDV_V6VJS_6hNXREpX01NYxsW7Y/s400/DSC02981.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">They really make me smile!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't worry, I didn't drink all that booze...</div><div style="text-align: center;">Every time I go to the recycle center,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I dig through the glass bottles and ask nicely</div><div style="text-align: center;">if I can have a couple of the pretty ones.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's like a treasure hunt,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and I think they sparkle like little jewels</div><div style="text-align: center;">in the evening sun.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The bed they are in is junk dirt,</div><div style="text-align: center;">full of tree roots.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> I'm not going to bother trying to make it into real soil...</div><div style="text-align: center;">we have too many other nice places to plant growing things!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So this is my little whimsy bed,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and I can look at it from my desk.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDgEGjvysPyITvKlI-BBnLV6x6II-baDkoUbGqFtbJvb7rf4IV4UelPYFbI9eJiLCGoES_CHFE8DSOd_Kfp8_caP0Hls_WkZS54x2ZxB_ae5ffmkZVH5dxenk4JG4DEYhPNTq-RSsaaU/s1600/DSC02964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDgEGjvysPyITvKlI-BBnLV6x6II-baDkoUbGqFtbJvb7rf4IV4UelPYFbI9eJiLCGoES_CHFE8DSOd_Kfp8_caP0Hls_WkZS54x2ZxB_ae5ffmkZVH5dxenk4JG4DEYhPNTq-RSsaaU/s400/DSC02964.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who knows what else might show up in this bed...</div><div style="text-align: center;">hhhmmmmmm?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pEQ7whX5fr9VaEtii4OwbBUUGbDhd7x_MU39YMi-AzF9fX_f229DIsbVdkRhyXAl44oK3ILeOrO-X31i3MMIa3P58HWzDQS2Q1LJh072UhhGXtoUdrWECL4-UR7-gAfIPG1lDZzBbSU/s1600/DSC02983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pEQ7whX5fr9VaEtii4OwbBUUGbDhd7x_MU39YMi-AzF9fX_f229DIsbVdkRhyXAl44oK3ILeOrO-X31i3MMIa3P58HWzDQS2Q1LJh072UhhGXtoUdrWECL4-UR7-gAfIPG1lDZzBbSU/s320/DSC02983.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you all see how green the grass is?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hubs is very proud!</div><div style="text-align: center;">He is having fun with his new spreader</div><div style="text-align: center;">that he can pull around behind the lawn mower.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">He chopped down the big dead elm tree</div><div style="text-align: center;">that has been worrying us all winter.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KtfVH6b3u0Zxaae0f04qMJdF3TpOeTZYSJwRrPK7peKK9XqYrw1LHKm0GbnYcPZ7V5D4OXH-uaieB9BPdVkSr8-9dD5zpHkxxUHm3kI9xruNrAt-GGpUMFGAvBGAWvc-oLWDxHonDlU/s1600/DSC02941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KtfVH6b3u0Zxaae0f04qMJdF3TpOeTZYSJwRrPK7peKK9XqYrw1LHKm0GbnYcPZ7V5D4OXH-uaieB9BPdVkSr8-9dD5zpHkxxUHm3kI9xruNrAt-GGpUMFGAvBGAWvc-oLWDxHonDlU/s400/DSC02941.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">The little grand girls were pretty impressed with Grandpa's project,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and Livi snagged a big chunk of wood to take home and show</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mom and Dad.</div><div style="text-align: center;">She was more excited about that hunk of wood than </div><div style="text-align: center;">the Barbies I got them!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgttJKGrKe6bvVtlLVOAVbpn9lCiKNe6A-dbVQcKjOulaRHFIjHi3gksIrudcuXfNeZumZOgdGBz7TTbMfK0RMfaDnpeXTq4jzRDSzdqgaEAKZN5hRqm9bDOPmmbZOAnqWfoFZAYvqwITo/s1600/DSC02943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgttJKGrKe6bvVtlLVOAVbpn9lCiKNe6A-dbVQcKjOulaRHFIjHi3gksIrudcuXfNeZumZOgdGBz7TTbMfK0RMfaDnpeXTq4jzRDSzdqgaEAKZN5hRqm9bDOPmmbZOAnqWfoFZAYvqwITo/s400/DSC02943.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm very excited about not having to pick up all those sticks!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Even the first dandelion is a welcome sight!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSkcDRUwJJp49W8cjCJ9C-SgD4r60q_GE6iRQ5Yrhq381wFRrAQo4BRMZmXIZq7MUa9eDKVbO84WjueJ40O3SDnETel1rg8tfndtJvgcaIsih-JHZ9ZsGunpgw9FPOUderhrK3BkzS7M/s1600/DSC02947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSkcDRUwJJp49W8cjCJ9C-SgD4r60q_GE6iRQ5Yrhq381wFRrAQo4BRMZmXIZq7MUa9eDKVbO84WjueJ40O3SDnETel1rg8tfndtJvgcaIsih-JHZ9ZsGunpgw9FPOUderhrK3BkzS7M/s640/DSC02947.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hope you are enjoying Spring</div><div style="text-align: center;">in your little corner of the world!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Spring Weekend Everyone!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>mary bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07227853385923963091noreply@blogger.com6