~~~~~ WELCOME APRIL~~~~~~~

 

To usher in April, I would like to share one of my all time favorite posts 

CLICK HERE.

That entry was so much fun, I have to share again and again!

ENJOY ;-)

**** Welcome Spring ****

Ah, spring.  

Blue skies. Sunshine. Robins.

Special visitors.  

Blustery cold winds and snow outside our window.  Wait.  What?  

Spring has Sprung

I had forgotten how much I love our walks.  Winter does that to you.  It puts you in a hunker-down mode and you hibernate for a while.  Pizza and a glass of wine.  A little binge watching a good Netflix series.  Early to bed with a good book.

Till spring.  And then, it's like the best thing ever to get out and breath in fresh air and get some exercise.  

Now that I'm older I don't count on my next summer, fall, winter or spring.  Instead of taking these beautiful God given seasons for granted and assuming they will continue coming around forever, I savor them and thank the Lord for another year.  

And a beautiful spring this is!  Last year we went directly from winter to summer and oh, how I missed these pretty pink flowers on the trees in front of our house!

And speaking of Summer...  a really sweet picture below.

I must admit, the chill stayed with us for quite a while this spring but finally - yes finally - spring has sprung and we are making the most of it.

Dear Diary,

Last week we went to camp.  Our walk there was long and wonderful - ahhh so many smells!  Next day was to the canal for another long walk.  Every time I turn around we are going for a walk.  And all the white stuff is gone, so peeing and pooping is as easy as 1-2-3.  Okay.  Tired now.  Excuse me while I take my cat dog nap.  Gracie.

A Nice Day for a Walk

A walk along the towpath following a harsh winter can reveal some interesting sights.

Gracie seemed thankful for the beautiful pre-spring day that we were having on Thursday.

I was getting stir crazy, ya know?

The winds took their toll on weaker tree limbs and left opportunity for firewood for some.

Well now, that's an unusual tree limb there...

Most of the precipitation had dried along the path; no puddles or muddy mess to deal with.  I'm guessing the high winds played a part in drying the land so quickly.

It still cries out winter...  but the temps were springlike and I sensed some promise along the way...

We saw a good bit of debris.  Balls, chairs, patio cushions, and even a wayward trampoline.

I saw a guy on a bike and I tried to storm him and cause him to careen down the embankment and into the murky canal waters.  But.      Fail.  

Saturdays Shhhhhhhh Moment

Forbidden

I have the most wonderful #1 son with the most awesome taste in flowers.  Maybe he doesn't even realize how he picks just the right gift for me when it comes to birthdays, holidays etc.  But he does!  My Mother's day flowers have flourished and just keep getting more and more beautiful.  

And speaking of children...  Mama Robin picked just the right place to house her nest of babies this year.  Safe and secure under our deck they waited ...  as mama returned over and over again with worms and such to feed their cute little beaks.

Gracie was quite curious about the goings on under there and tried feverishly to unveil the mystery beneath the deck.  When I caught her standing on her hind legs and sniffing out the nest I thought it best to put a stop to her shenanigans and G and I put up barriers to keep her out from under there.  Oh the torment it must have been to be sniffing through that lattice and know the forbidden was just sniffs away.

Not funny.

The babies grew quickly.  Soon mama had them out and about, teaching them to fly on their own.

I couldn't help but wonder, will Mama worry for her babies much like us humans tend to do, now that they are on their own?

Spring is blossoming into vibrant color, finally.  Our hydrangeas are budding and showing hope for a flourishing summer of beautiful flowers.  Daisy's are plentiful and I can't help but think of my sister when I behold their beauty.  Daisy's were her favorite.  Oh how I miss her!

Our seasonal camp site is coming along.  Not quite ready for overnight just yet... but soon.

Our neighbors look to be real characters.

They seem very nice, though.  Really.

A visit to the country store at camp and I was able to purchase my very first comfort food for the freezer.  You never know when you might need a scoop or two of butter pecan, right?

Yesterday was Memorial Day and so after an awesome service at the cemetery we took the girls to camp to check it out.

They were impressed.  Mostly with the playground.

No snakes.  Only one spider.  A minor bug bite.  It was a good day!

Not Worth The Walk...

Yesterday it was off to Meyersdale, Pennsylvania for the Maple Festival.  

Just a quaint little town with antiquated charm.  I'd been here plenty of times before, but never for Pennsylvania Maple Festival.

Still feeling a little run down from last weeks flu, most of what I do these days seems to lack much of the enthusiasm that I once owned.  I'm in a semi-fog.  I'm praying that I get back to feeling better soon so I can enjoy life more fully.

Regardless, there is a life to be lived and spring has sprung and I have been trying to make the best of it.  Nights are the worse because it seems my sleep is not as sweet as it once was with congestion and coughing jags that are beginning to send me to another room to sleep so I don't disturb big G and little G.  (Gary and Gracie).

The festival advertised all-you-can eat pancakes with pure maple syrup (hence the name MAPLE FESTIVAL).

Two blocks of walking and a long line later we decided it was not worth the walk or the wait and we headed for home.  

It's okay though.  I got some freshly baked Amish wheat bread and a piece of pineapple upside down cake.  Oh, and a whoopee pie.  I purchased some authentic Pennsylvania pure maple syrup and some maple cotton candy.  And maple flavored popcorn.  

We took a tour of the historic Myers homestead, walked through a museum of historic medical subject matter and shopped in a country store.  

Big G searched diligently for the kitchen in the old house....

And I allowed the morning's ambiance to take me back in time and the gorgeous tulips to remind me that in spite of the chill that is in the air, it is indeed spring.

Thanksgiving Turkey

Well, I do believe the right season has found its way back into being.  It is now cold.  Just like it's supposed to be this time of year.  

You complain it's too hot for walks in the summer.  Now what's your excuse?

Now, I want to make this perfectly clear ~ I am not complaining that we have not had snow or cold, bitter, wintry winds this year.    I'm just a little confused, that's all.  

You think you're confused!  What about the dog?  I mean...  You walk me, then you don't, then you do, then you don't.. it's too hot too cold too winter too summer... c'mon now.  Make up your mind woman.

Today I have my Thanksgiving turkey in the oven, thanks to our last minute decision to go out to eat on Thanksgiving day.  So I guess it will be a turkey kinda week here at our place.

Hope you plan on sharing

So tell me now, how have you been entertaining yourself through these bleak, dark, short days of *ahem* winter?  Gary and I have been binge watching a couple of series on Netflix.  

Begging for attention.  Irritating the heck out of you and dad with my strange behavior of wanting to go out and sit on the cold wet ground and repeating such behavior umpteen times throughout the day. Licking my paws.  Getting yelled at.  Playing with new toys.  Binge eating and dragging my dry food throughout the house so I can give you something to do.

Usually my office is slow for January and February.  Not so this year.  I have been very busy!  Which is good...  it does help pay the bills...  

And buy treats.  Just saying'

And...

I am in the beginning stages of planning a family vacation to Disney World (hopefully) early 2018.  We will likely skip the beach this year.  Haven't totally decided that yet either.   Within the next couple of months I should have a feel for what the year will be looking like vacation-wise.  Of course  it all can change, it is in God's hands really.  

And speaking of God, spell it backwards and it spells Dog.  Dog says no vacations unless dog goes too.

Gracie is always well taken care of when we go away but even so...  I seriously hate leaving her...  especially now that she is older.  Who ever thought that a dog could break a heart with just one look?   

You have one cold heart I'm tellin' ya.

So what's new here?  We got pictures taken for our church directory.  Below, there we are with our little church buddies.  I love that the grands go to church with us.   

Nobody asked if the dog wanted to go.  And.  I heard dogs were invited to be in the photo's.  I've looked real hard.  I don't see a dog on that picture.  Maybe I should look again..  Must be missin' something there...

And so.  As I patiently await that calendar to tell me it is spring, I pull out my flip-flops and wear them for a couple of days... then put them back away and get out my boots... then the flips... then the boots... then the...  

ugh

You get the picture.  It's been a crazy winter here.  I should have known when I purchased my beautiful new Uggs at the start of the winter that there would be no snow this year.

You are welcome.

Unless you need me to take you for a walk, please do not disturb.

Happy

So are we all ready for spring next month?

In October, when clocks are turned back I tend to clam up inside.  My feelings at the time are: for the next five months I need to find a happy place.  I need to hang on to the side of the ship so if the storms toss it around a bit I will stay put.

The days get short and the night gets long.  The gray skies seem never-ending.  Still, I look for happy.  I find it in the faces of my grandchildren.  Movies and popcorn.  New TV series where we watch three and four episodes a night.  A glass of wine with dinner.  Scented candles.  Halloween fun.  Thanksgiving gatherings.  Christmas joy.

And then, a new year rolls around.  January is cold and heartless, but the end is now in sight.

Which brings me to where we are now.  The first day of February.  The promise of spring and longer days.  Tomorrow that pesky old groundhog will say yay or nay for 6 more weeks of winter.  But in my heart, I hear the song of robins in the not so distant days ahead.  And I will likely not have to look far to find my happy.  It will be there when I open the blinds in the morning.

And Gracie, you too will be happy... right?

Yea.  Well, about that happy.  If you promise me a walk every day and double my treats... then I will be happy.  Whadda ya think?

THINGS ARE HEATING UP!

Springs transition into summer is proving to be a bit...  shall we say... heated! 

And with summer just around the corner...  (Well, Summer is actually present all year round in our neck of the woods *wink*wink*)

Anyhoooo...  we are preparing

First, some good business happening at my office.  It's been a great year so far... thanks to many God-given, satisfied customers who I love.  Below, a glimpse at some of my newspaper advertising.

 I thought I might splurge.  And so UPS brought me these two big boxes last week which I had to sign for.  Can you guess what's inside?

Ahhhh... spring summer  whatever this season is that I am living in right now....  It is a time of preparing to kick back, grab a good book, and have a picnic lunch on the new deck.  But first.  Shopping for patio furniture for that deck.  Found a good buy at Sears for only $380 something...  I love the swivel chairs, they are so comfortable.  Glad I found this on sale.   Now to find an umbrella.

Spring summer ....  Spummer.  Yea.  That's what I'll call this season.  Spummer.   It's giving me fresh flowers daily.

A nice view looking out my bedroom window. 

The very best in entertainment....

And new things to explore.

  I think I like this new season of Spummer.