Oh my...here it is! It's been three years and I've all but forgotten about this blog! Why did I start this? What's my purpose here? Another start without a finish.....!
Today I sit on my patio, in the cool, breezy shade, watching a number of bird varieties peck away at the just filled bird feeders. Only the cow-birds distress me! They sometimes seem to take over all the ports...only not one in site just now. The finches and thrashers are keeping it a secret as long as they can. The morning doves, all 7 of them, clean up the dropped seeds between the stones. There are no signs of the spring hatched quail...17 of them in total! After their two-three weeks of life, some of them would pay a visit in the morning, before the feeders were filled and bigger birds descended. Such cute "feather, fur balls" scurrying along the fence making their way in and out. Actually, my ears each morning to the sound of Papa Quail on my fence, telling me to move on a get going with your day. It is such a peaceful beaconing! The hummingbird feeder hangs three feet from my head and I hear the "whiz" of wings as she approaches....a thousand times a minute? Is that what the rate is? So fast all I see is a blur of wings. My hope is to, someday, get them to eat from a feeder on the table....with me sitting here. If that sounds like a bucket list number, it is!
A "Bucket List"....should I really make one of those?? Well, whether I pencil things on a list or write them in the crevices of my mind, things to finish before I meet my Maker, are becoming more and more prevalent in my life. I don't have a very good history of finishing things....a great history of starting them! What does one put on a "Bucket List?" Well, last fall and just prior to Christmas, lap quilts were completed for the youngest of the grandkids, hoping the quilts become heirlooms. Not realizing, at the time, that was a great "bucket list" item! "Things I want to do, places I want to go," that's what goes on a bucket list," thinking to myself. But what are they? I can only think of one or two places that I'd for sure, like to visit and to do????? I'll have to give that some thought...but right now the cow birds have arrived and are taking over....they've got to go!!!
Friday, May 6, 2016
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Surprise, Surprise!
Many of you know I recently returned from a four month Adventure trip. Being gone away from home for four months leaves a lot of time to pick up stories.....mostly humorous, some serious. For those of you who are interested, some will be shared here. I know very little about blogging so bear with me while the learning is in progress.
Arkansas...lots of descriptions: hillbilly country, moon shiners, Bill Clinton country and ah yes, diamond mining. In the caverns of my memory, looking for and finding diamonds in Arkansas rings a bell. That of course, only came to light after seeing the sign, "Diamond Mine" and "Next Exit" written on it. I swear, that car of mine knows just how to read....so the "Next Exit" was made. Well, after getting off the fast moving freeway, there was no doubt this was Arkansas....country roads, well lived- in houses and not much in the way of site seeing attractions. However, there was that "Diamond Mine" sign again, this time with an arrow. What was curious about this sign is that there was no mileage to the mine written on the sign. After telling myself, "it can't be too far", I followed the arrow. A winding road, infrequent with travelers, a few scattered houses on the side, and no more "Diamond Mine" signs, left me with nothing but thankfulness to God that I had a trusty GPS to get me back to civilization. Along the way there were a few interesting things to photograph, miniature horses and an old pioneer grave site, for a couple of them. What was noticeably absent was anyone to ask the location of the diamond mine! Now that I think of it, it was Sunday around noon and so church was out for the most part but I bet they were all enjoying their pot-luck lunch in their respective church basements! This was Baptist Country!!!
Some where around the 17 mile mark....there was this little town (term used lightly)....with a general store (term also used lightly), but at last a real person sitting on a park bench outside the store. Not only that, there were 3-4 cars sitting out front, one a bright orange Corvette Convertible...looked like new but think it was a Classic. So I knew there would be an answer to my questions from someone about the diamond mine. As I approached the store, this "old" (used as a term of endearment as I have reached that level of description my self) guy started talking. Now I am not one to walk by stranger conversation and he looked "OK"; old clothes, but clean, baseball hat, worn shoes, a Valentine cup next to him that looked like a substitute spittoon, no teeth but a gift to gab that has never ever before been equaled! I suspected there weren't too many new faces in this town very often and he was going to take advantage of the situation! He was a personable old fella, with lots to say about nothing. I politely listened and finally was able to get my question up front. "Where is this diamond mine?" Another barrage of information was given about the recent finds, how the mine is maintained, how to look for diamonds, etc., etc., etc. OK...the last bit of information, "The mine is about 20 miles up the road." That was all I really needed to know but he had a lot more to say, detailed directions included, so my listening ears remained intact, but I suppose for most of it, not really hearing, just anxious to get on my way. Finally finding an opportunity to go inside, (just 'cause I was nosey about what was inside), I slipped in as someone else was leaving.
The "store" had a few cans of food on the shelf, a box or two of crackers and some cans of tuna, not a whole shelf full of much to be purchased. By this time, an ice machine would have moved the adrenaline in this sweating body....but there was no ice to be seen. After making small talk with the tobacco chewing dude behind the counter and a gal there as well, and not finding any ice for my water, it was time to leave. I remarked to him about the fella on the bench with such a great gift of gab. He just gave me a belly laugh and said, "You're not to your car yet." That was a good indication that this scenario had taken place a few times in the past. Before opening the door, I complimented him on his great looking orange Corvette sitting out front. You could have blown me over with his returning comment, "Oh, that's not my car, that's his!" (As he pointed to the old gentleman sitting on the bench.) "Really??" Wasn't I the surprised one!!!! That dude must have gotten a chuckle out of the look on my face.
And of course, he was right....the old fella started talking again before the door closed behind me. Well, the orange Corvette compliment was given to him and he just took it in stride, so laid back, didn't make a big deal of it. After more talk, about the car this time, I reminded him if he ever came to Arizona with that Corvette, he have to fight off the women. Well, his toothless smile was from ear to ear. That gave me a moment to get to my car. His directions were being repeated for me to hear as I waved.
Just another affirmation to me about how interesting people are and you can't know a thing about them until they start talking.
Arkansas...lots of descriptions: hillbilly country, moon shiners, Bill Clinton country and ah yes, diamond mining. In the caverns of my memory, looking for and finding diamonds in Arkansas rings a bell. That of course, only came to light after seeing the sign, "Diamond Mine" and "Next Exit" written on it. I swear, that car of mine knows just how to read....so the "Next Exit" was made. Well, after getting off the fast moving freeway, there was no doubt this was Arkansas....country roads, well lived- in houses and not much in the way of site seeing attractions. However, there was that "Diamond Mine" sign again, this time with an arrow. What was curious about this sign is that there was no mileage to the mine written on the sign. After telling myself, "it can't be too far", I followed the arrow. A winding road, infrequent with travelers, a few scattered houses on the side, and no more "Diamond Mine" signs, left me with nothing but thankfulness to God that I had a trusty GPS to get me back to civilization. Along the way there were a few interesting things to photograph, miniature horses and an old pioneer grave site, for a couple of them. What was noticeably absent was anyone to ask the location of the diamond mine! Now that I think of it, it was Sunday around noon and so church was out for the most part but I bet they were all enjoying their pot-luck lunch in their respective church basements! This was Baptist Country!!!
Some where around the 17 mile mark....there was this little town (term used lightly)....with a general store (term also used lightly), but at last a real person sitting on a park bench outside the store. Not only that, there were 3-4 cars sitting out front, one a bright orange Corvette Convertible...looked like new but think it was a Classic. So I knew there would be an answer to my questions from someone about the diamond mine. As I approached the store, this "old" (used as a term of endearment as I have reached that level of description my self) guy started talking. Now I am not one to walk by stranger conversation and he looked "OK"; old clothes, but clean, baseball hat, worn shoes, a Valentine cup next to him that looked like a substitute spittoon, no teeth but a gift to gab that has never ever before been equaled! I suspected there weren't too many new faces in this town very often and he was going to take advantage of the situation! He was a personable old fella, with lots to say about nothing. I politely listened and finally was able to get my question up front. "Where is this diamond mine?" Another barrage of information was given about the recent finds, how the mine is maintained, how to look for diamonds, etc., etc., etc. OK...the last bit of information, "The mine is about 20 miles up the road." That was all I really needed to know but he had a lot more to say, detailed directions included, so my listening ears remained intact, but I suppose for most of it, not really hearing, just anxious to get on my way. Finally finding an opportunity to go inside, (just 'cause I was nosey about what was inside), I slipped in as someone else was leaving.
The "store" had a few cans of food on the shelf, a box or two of crackers and some cans of tuna, not a whole shelf full of much to be purchased. By this time, an ice machine would have moved the adrenaline in this sweating body....but there was no ice to be seen. After making small talk with the tobacco chewing dude behind the counter and a gal there as well, and not finding any ice for my water, it was time to leave. I remarked to him about the fella on the bench with such a great gift of gab. He just gave me a belly laugh and said, "You're not to your car yet." That was a good indication that this scenario had taken place a few times in the past. Before opening the door, I complimented him on his great looking orange Corvette sitting out front. You could have blown me over with his returning comment, "Oh, that's not my car, that's his!" (As he pointed to the old gentleman sitting on the bench.) "Really??" Wasn't I the surprised one!!!! That dude must have gotten a chuckle out of the look on my face.
And of course, he was right....the old fella started talking again before the door closed behind me. Well, the orange Corvette compliment was given to him and he just took it in stride, so laid back, didn't make a big deal of it. After more talk, about the car this time, I reminded him if he ever came to Arizona with that Corvette, he have to fight off the women. Well, his toothless smile was from ear to ear. That gave me a moment to get to my car. His directions were being repeated for me to hear as I waved.
Just another affirmation to me about how interesting people are and you can't know a thing about them until they start talking.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
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