Phoebe S.

I'm halfway certain she really said, "VBS," (that's Vacation Bible School) but it sounded more like Phoebe S., and I thought that was funny.

In other news, my feet are much happier in my new shoes and flip flops. They're still are bit touchy and temperamental, but once I slip them into those Tevas, they begin to smile again. They are especially pleased when I decide to sit in my rocking chair and go for a swing.

This evening it rained. Not only did it rain, but it poured! There was wind, and there was thunder and lightening. Pretty cool. I haven't seen a good rainstorm in months! I don't expect our yard will be instantly green and lush tomorrow morning, but we did get a good drenching.

Tomorrow is another VBS day. Hannah is working the sound system and I will drop one small "flower" off to enjoy Bug Zone. She came home with a plastic butterfly finger puppet today. For a minute Grandma thought it was real and told her to take it back outside. Instead I gave her a clean, empty Parmesan cheese container to keep it in. It even had holes in the top so the poor creature could breathe. I should have taken a picture! (Ah well, it was kind of like this.)

Movers and Shakers

My darling daughter picked up house- keeping this past weekend and moved. She and Adam have a lovely house not too far from Irondequoit Bay. They are close to shopping, not far from Adam's parents, and have a wonderful neighborhood in which to play, walk, and ride bikes. They have neighbors with small children and stay at home moms. It looks like a perfectly wonderful place to live and I'm sure they will be very happy there.

Last night our friend Pam had to cancel her coffee appoint- ment with us because she was called into work, so this morning my dear friend Heather followed me over to Bethany's new house.  Heather was able to see where Beth moved and we shared a cup of coffee and some yummy muffins. Davin found the whole visit very amusing. He was all smiles. I do like to see him smile. Josh played a game of Hide and Go Seek behind the couch and that made Davin laugh out loud.

Out to Dinner

Last week I met two friends for dinner. Tomorrow morning we will meet for coffee, and by the end of the week one friend will pack her things into a truck and move back to New Jersey. I am sad to see her go, but grateful for the chance to know and love her. I wish I'd had more time to spend with Heather in the year and a half she was back in the area, but I am more than blessed to have had her in our lives while our children were growing up. She is a friend who loves unconditionally and is loved much in return.

The Runaway Horse Cart

Early this week I found an email surprise in my inbox, a note from someone who had seen one of my old blogs and was writing to ask if the "Uncle Leo" mentioned could possibly be the Leo Shafer he had known growing up. Our notes have left me remembering the stories Dad told of his days on his uncle's farm. I don't think I've shared this one in detail before, so here it is.


Up on the family farm in Angelica, NY was an old horse cart that my dad and Uncle Art liked to play with. One day they decided to ride it down the old dirt road with the understanding that Arthur would do the steering and Dad would work the brake, the brake being a large rock held against the wheel.
They started off down the road, obviously unnoticed by any of their aunts, uncles or grandparents. Of course the road was all downhill from the farm into the town of Angelica, and the old horse cart quickly picked up speed. It wasn't long before Arthur hollered to Dad to put on the brake and they found that a large rock held against the wheel of a speeding horse cart does not make for a sufficient brake. The cart continued it's wayward descent, gathering speed as it went. Thankfully, Arthur was able to keep the cart upright and had the sense to turn off the road and into a hayfield somewhere along the way. It was one of those stories dad always laughed at even though he knew things could have turned out really bad. I couldn't help but smile whenever he told it because he always laughed so hard.

PS. Yes, this is the cart. That is Dad on the left with the blonder hair, with Uncle Art on the right.

Behind the Times

B is for behind; not to be confused with backside, bottom, or bum.

Yesterday was a day of running behind. It seemed no matter where I was headed, I just couldn't get there on time. Funny thing is, it wasn't my fault this time, although it usually is... I set out late for my prayer group on account of having to wait for someone at home, and then encountered red lights half the way there. I surprised myself by being relatively patient, but then who wants to rush into prayer all in a frazzle?

I met some friends for dinner. I was late getting there too. I had to wait for a just slightly late daddy to pick up his little girls at my house, and then couldn't find the restaurant gift card that was supposed to be in my purse. I followed a "traveling well below the speed limit vehicle" down a little country road before getting to the main highway where a great line of traffic was going by. Good thing dinner wasn't waiting on the table!

I think God is still teaching me patience. Maybe one day I will learn the lessons that take so long to sink deep into my heart and mind. I can always hope. In the meantime, when I am feeling behinder, I will try to remember that He is in charge, and that grumbling about being late will not get me there any faster.

To top it off, tonight I am a little behind on posting my weekly ABC Wednesday, but then again, it isn't Thursday yet, at least not where I live.

PS. I had no "behinder" photos to share and therefore I give you Bee Balm because it also starts with B.

For more ABC Wednesday fun, click here.

Running Round in Circles

It's not that I'm literally running around in circles, in fact I don't think I'm even figuratively running around in circles. I just don't feel like I am getting very far or accomplishing great things. Perhaps that is the beauty of it all, not even knowing if I do...

I took Emma out running errands and shopping this morning, and we bumped into my good friend Heather in a totally unexpected place; Hobby Lobby. Davin found our appearance in the next aisle rather amusing. Maybe it was because I checked his chin for whiskers during out first conversation... Genuine smiles, from Davin. Now that is a gift I'll have to write in my notebook tonight. :)

It feels like rain. In fact, it feels like thunderstorm weather. I am looking forward to a good thunderstorm one of these days, or nights. I like middle of the night thunderstorms. I typically sleep right through them. Mm, mm, good.

Tomorrow I will have three small "flowers" in my garden. Two of them require a bit more "pruning and trimming" than the other, so  I think perhaps I shall have to plan some structured activities. Maybe we'll whip up a batch of Rice Krispy Treats tomorrow afternoon and put them on sticks like popsicles. If we dip them in melted chocolate, we could even cover them with sprinkles. That sounds like fun.

No Time to Think

Six years ago, when I started blogging, the writing came fairly easy, but the past year or so has often left me not knowing what I really want to share with the world. I find my mind preoccupied and my body tired. Sometimes I simply stare at a blank screen and on other occasions I start to write and either don't finish or decide not to publish. I no longer record so many daily events and likely won't be able to look back and find out when "such and such" happened. Maybe the major events just aren't so major anymore, or maybe they just don't seem as interesting. Then again, maybe I am just majorly distracted.

This was a different kind of weekend. I didn't make it to the grocery store on Saturday, instead I sat a spell with Bethany while she had a yard sale. Late Saturday afternoon Emma came to stay while her mom attended a wedding. It was Hannah's babysitting job. Not long after Emma's arrival my friend Vinnie came to play. Vinnie was my job and he really keeps us on our toes. This is the kind of child who would like to play hide and seek in a corn field. You've got to keep your eye on him! He stayed overnight with us so his parents could go out to celebrate their five year wedding anniversary. He was returned to Mom and Dad this morning during Sunday School. Today, after church and a quick nap, I took Hannah and her friend Kelly to camp for the week. (I didn't lose my car keys this year.) Tonight I am super tired and not quite ready to start again tomorrow with Monday, but I think I can probably handle Emma alright without too much help. Maybe we'll go grocery shopping.

A Peaceful Place

It's been busy. Cleaning cupboards, hosting a party, and babysitting all add up to busy.

Yesterday we headed up to the lake for a short time to let a friend's dogs out of the house for a bit. I took my camera along. It was a good spot for taking a a few pictures.

Party Time

Yesterday was Hannah's 17th birthday. We had a party. There was a multitude of guests from the little girls in my "flower garden" to friends and family. I found myself running to catch up most of the day, but in the end I didn't stress over the messy house and imperfections. (The kitchen really needs a good scrubbing...) We found ourselves with plenty of food and lots of company to keep everyone entertained, and we spent most of our time outside.

Leta came for an hour with the kids and Sara. (Alysa was at soccer.) Seeing them made Hannah's birthday complete. The boys came dressed as twin Batmen and made themselves at home. I was able to collect a couple of hugs before they were off and running. When asked about his Batman shirt, Lucas replied, "See my cape?" I had to smile. (Leta is not waving at anyone but flies here. They were terrible yesterday!)

Simon is catching up to Lucas in so many ways that I can almost confuse them when they are playing in the distance. Grammies have to look twice sometimes to tell little boys apart especially when they are dressed and look so much alike.

Hannah helped Aubrey open her birthday gift. I think the little doll will be well loved. I saw Aubrey give the "Baby Stella" several hugs. Since this little girl hasn't spent much time here in the past six months, she is somewhat apprehensive. She looked a bit worried at first and had really just started to relax when it was time to go. I must remember to cherish the time I am given no matter how little it may be. I did manage to squeeze in a few hugs and kisses between setting out food, taking photos, cooking hotdogs, and eating.


Grandpa managed to get a little high five with some help from Hannah. We don't want to traumatize the poor little girl, we just want to let her know we love her.

Alright Already

It's already time to start a new round of ABC Wednesday. If you care to join up, now is the time. It's already been two years since I started playing this game. Rather hard to believe, but it's true.

Time passes quickly, too quickly. I think this week I'll combine ABC Wednesday with Thursday Thirteen and give you 13 "Alreadys". Ready? (The first two are in the first paragraph.)

3. James and I have already been married over 30 years!
4. We already have a son who is 30 years old.
5. We already have three married children.
6. We are already grandparents.
7. Our oldest grandson is already almost ready for kindergarten.
8. Our youngest daughter is already 17 years old. (Today is her birthday.)
9. By this time next year, she will already have graduated.
10. 2012 is already more than half over.
11. It's already after noon, and I'm not all ready for the party.
12. I do have most of the food already made.
13. There! I'm already up to thirteen!

For more ABC Wednesday fun, click here.

  And for Thursday Thirteen, click here.

Cats

Bo Cat in better days.

I can't imagine life without a cat or two. For most of my life we've had one. Their fur makes my nose tickle, and their prickers hurt, but they make nice company, are self-cleaning, and fairly self sufficient. Yes, they do have bad habits, like sneaking onto counter tops when we aren't looking, leaving muddy paw prints on freshly washed cars, and bringing headless mice into the living room, but I still can't help but love a cat. I'm glad God made them and then shrunk them down small enough to have for pets. They make nice friends.

Sore Feet and a Very Sad Looking Cat

My feet hurt. I thought they were getting used to flip flops, but each day they cry out a little louder. It is the arches. They ache. Okay, the toes hurt too, especially the ones I sat on my entire childhood and half of adult life whenever I had to go to the bathroom too bad. I can still walk, but they have to "loosen up" whenever I get off my backside. I suppose there is better footwear out there than Old Navy flip flops, but this is what I have available at the moment. I think perhaps I shall try some foot stretches. Maybe that will help.

My little old cat is still here. Each day she looks a little bit worse. She lays on the floor in the kitchen or hides in the ferns out in my garden. She drinks small amounts of water, but isn't interested in eating anything. She doesn't cry, but her breathing is labored. Each morning I expect to find she has passed during the night. I think about whether or not I should have taken her to the vet, but I don't want to traumatize her any further. She has been a sweet little friend to us for 12 years now and I am going to miss her.

PS. My friend says I need to buy a pair of Teva's for my feet.

Tired seems an understatement. Exhausted fits the bill a little better. I'm not sure how much sleep I got last night, what I do know is I woke up several thousand times feeling head-achy and body-achy. Although I had a bottle of Benadryl and one Ibuprofen on the dresser, I did not have a glass of water and neither did I want to get up and get one. Besides, I didn't want to sleep too late in the morning because my sister was arriving early to pick blueberries. Well, that was the plan anyway.

Coffee. Where would we be without it? Quite possibly drinking tea, which is what I did for years upon years, and now it doesn't hold even close to the same allure it did when my children were small, unless it is called Snapple, peach flavored, and half water. Coffee is the drink of choice, coffee with French vanilla creamer, hot or cold. I need to trade it in for water, but I really don't want to. Water doesn't wake me up the same, unless it is cold and unexpectedly poured over my head.

I did not take a nap today, I went grocery shopping instead. I went alone which is very unusual. Hannah went off mountain biking with a few friends this morning and hadn't yet returned when I set out on my Grand Grocery Adventure. It was a very nice outing with a stop at the bank, a pop into Kohl's, a jaunt in Joann's, and trek through Target. I sauntered through Hobby Lobby and finally found my way to Wegmans where I bought entirely too much fresh fruit. I guess that is better than chips and cookies, of which I did not buy any. By the time I arrived home it was well past dinner time, so we ate late; leftover chili (on hotdogs, except I didn't have any), a few ears of corn that I picked up in my travels, a garden salad, and fruit.

Tonight my feet are hot and tired. They've flip-flopped around more than enough for today. I helped Mom shower tonight, even though I didn't feel like it, played several rounds of online Scrabble and Words With Friends, and finished off the evening with a rather lengthy blog post which I have edited at least once (possibly twice). Soon I will climb into bed in my air conditioned bedroom, stick my feet out of the covers, and breathe in the cool air. I will probably be too tired to sleep, yet too sleep to stay entirely awake.

Bo Cat

Bo Cat is old. I don't know exactly how old she is, but she is at least 14 and probably older. She is not well. She is terribly thin and not eating. I'm afraid we will soon be parting with our little friend. :'(

My Boy Josh

In the past six months I've gone from having four bouncing grandkids frequent- ing my house, to one occasional boy. I have to say that missing my other grandchildren has made seeing this sweet boy all the more special. The realization that they should never be taken for granted has hit hard.

On Sunday afternoon we provided Bethany a ride home from the Art Festival (she came with a friend) and picked up Josh at "Grandma Jo's" on our way through Webster. There was just enough time for him and me to put our Fairy Garden/Gnome Home together here before dropping Hannah off at the evening church service.

I under- stand Josh was very protective of his little garden on the ride home. Each curve we went around, each corner we rounded, he reached out to make sure it didn't tip over. We are building memories, small ones maybe, but memories. I hope he enjoys his little garden for a long time to come.

A Little Bit Sad

Hannah's birthday is next Wednesday, the 18th. What she really wants for her big day is a gathering of family, all her family. I will do my best to make her wish come true, but she knows as well as I that she is asking what I can not really give. A gathering in Hannah's honor is really up to her brothers and sister, but there is really just one brother whose heart she hopes to soften. She is well aware that he has no plan to come here, but she does hope he will allow her little nephews and niece to share in her celebration, and since we missed Aubrey's birthday on Sunday, Hannah is hoping to share her birthday with this little one she was so pleased to welcome into the world last year.

I have Aubrey's gift all wrapped and waiting, a soft, cuddly baby doll named Baby Stella. She wasn't entirely easy to find. I knew she would not be waiting in Target or Walmart, so I had to find a "real" toy store. The first place had the boy doll, Baby Fella, but no girls. The owner suggested another toy store down the road and around the corner. (She was so sweet I decided to by the little Fella before leaving.) In the store down the road and around the corner I found the little girl doll I was looking for and bought her too. I think I'll save the boy baby for Christmas.

So, we are planning a party for a soon to be seventeen year old. I am not sure how she got so grown up so quickly. Time just goes faster and faster. Please pray with me that Hannah will get her birthday wish. Maybe you have more faith right now than I do.

Z is for Zanzibar

Z is for Zanzibar. (I feel like I am running out of options... )

Technically Zanzibar is a "semi-autonomous part of Tanzania in East Africa," but I am thinking of a different Zanzibar. This particular Zanzibar comes in a long list of names in one of Dr. Seuss' stories. Since I happen to be somewhat of a Dr. Seuss fan, I give you the story of "Too Many Daves."


Too Many Daves
by
Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel)
 
Did I ever tell you that Mrs. McCave
Had twenty-three sons and she named them all Dave?
Well, she did. And that wasn’t a smart thing to do.
You see, when she wants one and calls out, “Yoo-Hoo!
Come into the house, Dave!” she doesn’t get one.
All twenty-three Daves of hers come on the run!
This makes things quite difficult at the McCaves’
As you can imagine, with so many Daves.
And often she wishes that, when they were born,
She had named one of them Bodkin Van Horn
And one of them Hoos-Foos. And one of them Snimm.
And one of them Hot-Shot. And one Sunny Jim.
And one of them Shadrack. And one of them Blinkey.
And one of them Stuffy. And one of them Stinkey.
Another one Putt-Putt. Another one Moon Face.
Another one Marvin O’Gravel Balloon Face.
And one of them Ziggy. And one Soggy Muff.
One Buffalo Bill. And one Biffalo Buff.
And one of them Sneepy. And one Weepy Weed.
And one Paris Garters. And one Harris Tweed.
And one of them Sir Michael Carmichael Zutt
And one of them Oliver Boliver Butt
And one of them Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate …
But she didn’t do it. And now it’s too late.

Perhaps I just like the way Zanzibar rolls off my tongue... or maybe I just like the story in general.

For more ABC Wednesday fun, click here.

Causing a Distraction

Since we were not invited to our granddaughter's birthday party, a distraction was in order. We went to the Corn Hill Arts Festival and came home with a bag of Kettle Corn and two lemonades. I saw a lot of pottery and a lot of woodworking. Our friend Jose had a booth with some of his artwork. He didn't earn a ribbon this year, but I still find his furniture amazing.

Aubrey

Dear Aubrey,

Today is your birthday and somewhere you are celebrating with presents and cake and ice cream. I hope you enjoy the fun and love being the center of attention. You will be surrounded by people who love you; aunts, uncles, cousins, your Papa (Perry) and Grandma NorNor, and, of course, your mom, dad, and brothers. You won't even notice that we are missing; another set of grandparents, more aunts and uncles, a cousin, and a great grandmother. You won't know we should be there or that our hearts are aching for you. (I hope someone takes pictures and share them with me.) We don't want it to be like this, but sometimes things happen in families and people who love each other say and do hurtful things. Forgiveness comes hard when hurts run deep, but I am praying for you, Little One. I am loving you each and every day, and look forward to giving you your present when Mommy brings you for a visit. I can hardly wait. I think you will love it.

Have a wonderful birthday!

Love,
Grammy

Ready

I am ready now. Ready to have my sweet little granddaughter come visit me next week. I have a present, a present that makes me smile. (I can't show it to you yet, not until I give it to her.)

I chanced to see my daughter in law late this afternoon. We passed each other driving down the road, stopped and talked for few minutes. There were hugs, and there were tears. God hears me when I cry, and He knows the hurt deep inside my heart. Our family is not healed, but perhaps I can go to sleep tonight without tears, knowing once again that He hears and answers prayer.

I wonder if I should make cupcakes?

Swinging

The rocking chair swing I dreamed of last fall has finally become a reality. This week I bought some more rope (The rope I bought last fall has disappeared into some dark crevice in my house...) and hauled the poorly painted project out of the barn. My dear husband, wanting to make his somewhat grumpy wife happy, set about trying to hang it from the tree.

The best spot for a swing is hanging from the long, straight branch of the Weeping Birch outside my kitchen window. This particular branch has been the home of several swings now; a yellow kid-sized swing and two different baby swings. Since the two year old I presently babysit doesn't care much for swinging and I have no baby to put into it at the moment, I had the tot swing removed to make room for mine. If, per chance, a small child wishes for a ride, they are welcome to snuggle up on my lap or have a go at this one alone.

Funny thing, when we lived in town this chair spent summers out on our front porch. After dinner was done, I would head out to the porch for a few moments of relaxation, and I think I am going to love swinging in this chair on summer evenings as much as I enjoyed rocking there many years ago. (I'm almost thankful for that giant of a dog who dropped a lamp and broke off one of the rockers just behind the rear leg rendering it seemingly useless. Yeah, I am definitely thankful.)

Happy In-dependance Day

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 

John 8:36

This morning, because it is the fourth of July, I ate a red, white and blue breakfast.

Opening Gifts

After three weeks of "vacation" I am attempting to get back into the groove. Although I have not stopped counting gifts along the way, I am finding it especially important this week to remember all the little ways God shows His love for me.

* Our first morning at the B&B the Lord left two gifts on our front door. We discovered them on our way out to breakfast; a beautiful bright green Luna moth and a giant silk moth (I thought it was a Cecropia but it wasn't...), one on either side of the door. The Luna moth was up against the window which made it visible from inside, and slowed us down enough to discover the Polyphemus moth on the opposite side of the entry.

* I am grateful for the discovery of Garrett Chapel nestled on the side of a hill above Keuka Lake. My sister attended a wedding there two years ago. My camera battery ran out while were there, but I still managed to get a few nice pictures.

* I am thankful for the Finger Lakes and blessed to live in such close proximity. They are part of many endearing childhood (and adult) memories from camping trips, weekend rides, and boating with my parents to many July 4th picnics with my Uncle Chuck and day trips with James. This trip adds antiquing, fishing, rest and relaxation. Now I have new memories, ones that will carry me through the summer and into the fall.

* Yesterday I went down to the basement to see what kind of meat was left in the freezer and discovered the hotdogs were completely thawed along with a blueberry pie, which I put my fingers into, a corned beef brisket, and a dozen bags of green chile. My chicken was partially thawed. I hauled it all upstairs and had James assess the situation. It turns out the freezer was inadvertently unplugged. I am thankful God saw fit to have me look yesterday instead of waiting another couple of weeks. Rather than an ugly stench of rotting meat, we had the aroma of blueberry pie. :)

* I am incredibly grateful, in spite of non-stop questions and precocious ways, for the little girls who visit me each week while their parents work. I am humbled to be entrusted with the care of these precious children  and pray I do the job God has called me to in a way that honors Him. Today I was not most patient after one small child tore up our favorite "Go, Dog, Go" book while she was supposed to be taking a nap, but books are replaceable, aren't they? Besides, I'm pretty sure I have another copy somewhere in my closet.

* I am also blessed that my little grandchildren have another set of grandparents to love them. There is an incredible pain in being told one's own son does not want you at his daughter's first birthday party, especially when she is our only granddaughter. We have already missed most of the last six months. There is pain, yes, but I am thankful for the pain as it works its way in me.

X and Y

X marks the spot and in this case it looks like a Y. :)

I did not post last week because My Darling and I were gone away to the Finger Lakes. On our way there I was wondering how I could cover two letters for this week's post. I needn't have worried. If you take a good look at this map of the eleven Finger Lakes (Waneta and Lamoka are not "Finger Lakes"), you can easily tell which one we visited. Keuka ("Q-ka") Lake is the only one with two branches and is often referred to as the "Crooked Lake". We stayed in a wonderful Bed and Breakfast about halfway down the western branch of the lake.

We did a lot of driving, a little bit of shopping, some fishing, and a little "tasting" too. One afternoon we drove down the middle of the "Y" where we found a lovely little stone chapel. This picture looks out from the chapel terrace over the east branch to the far eastern shore. The entire lake shore is dotted with restaurants and cottages, with an occasional park (or college) where one can get down close to the water.

The Finger Lakes is known for it's wines and the western slopes are dotted with vineyards and wineries. I read there are 119 wineries here. Wine tastings draw tourists from everywhere who come to enjoy the scenery and some local wines. I learned that Riesling is a favorite and many of the grapes now grown are very similar to European grapes rather than the Concord grapes of my childhood. Not being a wine connoisseur, I can not give an honest opinion, except to say that I think white grapes make better wine than red grapes.

We were blessed to visit the co-Coolest Small Town in America in our journeys. Hammondsport is located at the southern-most tip of Keuka Lake. It has some cute little shops, a very nice beach park, and a hometown ice cream shop, the "Cooked Lake Ice Cream Parlor", that I loved. We ate there twice, but didn't get ice cream. I think we must have driven around Keuka Lake at least half a dozen times last week as I was actually starting to know my way around! Of all the little towns, Hammaondsport is my favorite Keuka Lake town. I have to agree, it's pretty cool.

I got my first fishing license in Penn Yan and, with some help from James, caught a few small fish. We did our best fishing off a friend's dock on Waneta Lake, but they were all small. Maybe if we'd had a boat we could have hooked one big enough to save for dinner. There is still time for that, I guess, especially since the Finger Lakes aren't going anywhere anytime soon. (Besides, we have Lake Ontario...)

I will be savoring this vacation for a long time to come. I absolutely loved having a week with my husband all to myself, and nothing pressing for my attention. The great thing is that summer is just beginning. I am hoping to get back to the hills again before September. Maybe another trip or two to an antique shop, a stop in a pottery studio, and a hike through the glen at the end of Seneca Lake. I can always hope, can't I?

For more ABC Wednesday fun, click here.