The Nina and the Pinta

I read in the local paper that the Nina and the Pinta

were docked at the local marina on the Tennessee River.

These are actual replicas of

Christopher Columbus' ships. From the information page that

was handed out, we learned that these ships were called "Caravels"

and were used by explorers during the Age of Discovery.

They travel all across the United States. Amazingly, they were built in Brazil

only using shipbuilding methods of the 1500s; no modern tools

were used. I was surprised at how small they were. The Nina was only 65 feet long and the

Pinta was 85 feet long.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by a Six Year Old

This was written by my oldest grandchild when she started first grade. She is now 9 years old. My daughter found it recently and shared it with me. I thought it was precious.

1 day it wax a little catpilr and he wax hugre win the sun wit down on Sunday he eat 1 apple on Munday he eat 1 per on Tuesdat eat 1 plum on Winday 1 sobere on Thurszday he eat 1 orij and he eat sum sor suf and that day he had a beleak and that day he goa a coco and the nex day he wus a buttrefly.

Her Journey Has Just Begun

Her journey has ended here on earth
Gone too soon
We miss her

But she is still with us
She is in the scent of the flowers
She lovingly grew

She is in the face of her grandchildren

Whom she loved so very much

Her spirit is everywhere

She is in that favorite song

That she sang along with on the radio

And she is in the stories she told

Of her childhood, of a different time and place

She is in the hearts of those she loved

And forever will be

She is in the old photographs

Pasted in the family albums

And in the worn and tattered quilts

Stitched with her own two hands

She is in that favorite recipe

That everyone always asked for

And she is in the memories

Of friends and relatives who smile

And remember how special she was

She is in the joy and the laughter

Of the family she called her own

Yes, her spirit is all around

Her journey has just begun

(In memory of my sister-in-law who passed away recently after a brief battle with cancer)

Anita

I Had a Teacher Who Read to Us

A few friends and I got together for dinner one evening and the conversation turned towards teaching. We all agreed that a teacher probably has the greatest influence on a child, other than a parent. We never realize how our words or actions can impact a child. My adult daughters think that I am such a nerd because I can remember (almost) every teacher's name back to elementary school. I was a military brat and changed schools frequently, attending at least a dozen schools before I graduated from high school.

 A few of my favorite teachers that I remember were:

 Ms. Prince, my fifth grade teacher, who gave me enough confidence to try out for the Christmas play. I was the new kid in class.

Mr. Croce, a short, balding, Italian man who instilled music appreciation in his Junior High students by playing classical records and Opera for us while we diagrammed sentences.

Ms. Gierl, our 7th grade teacher, who favored costume jewelry and bright colors, and loved English.

Mr. Standridge, my 9th grade English teacher, who encouraged my love of Writing (Composition) and Poetry.

Ms. Scholten, my 10th grade History teacher, who took us on field trips to France and England, and made History alive and interesting.

And then there was Ms. Hyde, my 6th grade teacher. We were living in Landstuhl, Germany at the time. She was a new DOD (Dept. of Defense) teacher and had just arrived in Germany. Ms. Hyde didn't smile much, probably because we had a few misfits in class. But every day, after lunch, she opened a book and read to us. She introduced us to the one and only literary spider, Charlotte, and Wilbur, the pig, from "Charlotte's Web," She took us on an imaginary journey with "A Wrinkle in Time," and kept us from falling asleep in class while reading chapters from the  "Island of the Blue Dolphins."

I went by our local library on Tuesday evening, and there on display in the Children's sections were the Newberry winners, "A Wrinkle in Time" and "Island of the Blue Dolphins."

Happy Reading!

Day Trips

I am on vacation this week. Yay! It has been eight months since I've had a week off from work, so I was more than ready for some rest and relaxation. I made a list of things to do, but it includes mostly fun things to do with the grandchildren and lunch with friends, etc. Yesterday my daughter and grandson and I went to Desoto Falls, which is less than a two hour drive from where we live, right on top of Lookout Mountain, near Chattanooga. We also went on a scenic drive through the Little River Canyon and stopped at several overlooks. I even ran into a friend and her husband riding their motorcycle through the hills. Talk about a small world! Our little day trip and stopping for lunch on the way home, was less than eight hours. I had time to pick up paint at Lowe's and made it home in plenty of time. I plan on going back in the fall, wearing comfortable shoes and when the weather is cooler.

I have to say that Alabama has some beautiful scenery. Who would have guessed that we have canyons and waterfalls and gorgeous scenery only a short drive away?

 

The gorge at Desota Falls

 

Desoto Falls

 

Little River Canyon Falls

 

I took this picture of my grandson, the budding photographer.

Don't worry, it's the camera angle.

 

One of the scenic views of Little River Canyon

 

This waterfall is over 100 feet long.

Next time I hope to walk on the trail and get views from the bottom.

Wedding in the Woods

My niece got married this past weekend at a state park. Here are a few photos I took.

"All things grow with love"

The little country church

My sister did the reception. This was the children's

table and only part of the wonderful food she made.

The bride and groom displayed wedding pictures of

their parents and grandparents.

I thought this was very nice.

The bride and groom left in this vintage vehicle.

Little Things

 Before I leave the house in the morning I make a mental check-list of all the little things to make sure I didn't forget anything. Did I take out the garbage? Did I put my cards in the mailbox? Did I water the hanging flower baskets? Did I forget the dry cleaning? Although my husband has been gone for several years now and I no longer grieve his loss like the first year after he died, time still reminds me of all the little things he used to do, like:

take out the garbage...make the coffee...change the cat litter...feed the cat...buy stamps...pay the bills...change the oil...cut the grass....water the flowers...scrub the porch...call the cable guy...fill the bird feeders...take out the newspapers...order a pizza...wash the car...clean out the garage...balance the checkbook...make reservations...call the repairman...lift the heavy stuff...change light bulbs...reboot the computer...pick up my prescriptions...call the Vet...put up the Christmas tree...climb into the attic...find the right tool....shampoo the carpet...paint the bedroom...hang up pictures...put together anything with instructions...

 

 

And I especially miss the little things, like how he would:

buy me funny cards...say I love you...smell like English Leather...compliment my cooking...watch chick flicks with me...refill my morning coffee...tell jokes and stories with his brand of humor......meet me for lunch...sit on the front porch...grill out steaks...call our daughters everyday...help out the neighbors...go to Walmart with me on Saturday nights...watch his favorite basketball team or football team and beam with excitement....and a hundred other little things I probably took for granted.

On the Garden Path

The local Botanical Gardens is a peaceful place

amidst noisy traffic and busy lives.

I took my grandchildren there recently.

Most of these pictures were taken in the Butterfly

Garden.

It was hot, hot, hot, so pools of water were

refreshing.

Love the fish fountain!

The kids wore their bathing suits and played in the

rock fountains.

My favorite picture of the day!

Rainy Day

It's a rainy day. It's been a good day for staying home and catching up on housework.
My daughter decided it was a good day to sort through the girls' toys and winter clothes. My oldest granddaughter, "Teka", finally got her own room. She is going on nine. Can you guess what her favorite color is?

"Teka's" new room

The girls have tons of stuffed animals.
My son-in-law, who works for the sheriff's department, suggested that they donate them to the deputies. They keep stuffed animals in their patrol cars to give to children when they go on calls to help comfort them in tense circumstances.

My middle granddaughter promptly asked, "Are we going to jail, Daddy?"

You gotta love 'em.

The Rooms

Your thoughts are like the tenants in your home.

Only they are renting space in your mind. 

Are you letting Doubt and Self-Pity bunk upstairs?

Have you seen Shame and Guilt crouching in the corner?

Do you see Discontentment lurking in the foyer?

Have you noticed how Low Self-Esteem has been running the house?
Isn't it time to give her an eviction notice?

Why are Anger and Resentment in the kitchen, banging pots and pans?

Have you seen Distrust and Hurt Feelings living in the master suite?
What happened to Love and Forgiveness, the previous tenants?

Envy is nothing but a trouble-maker.
It's time to kick her to the curb and send her packing.

It's time to rearrange your thoughts.
Renovate your rooms.
Toss out Old Habits. Throw away Grudges.

There should be no rooms in your home for negative emotions.
Invite Laughter into your home. She is lots of fun and will make you smile.
Welcome Joy and Gratitude and give them the extra keys to your home.
When Peace and Contentment knock on your door, don't turn them away.
Invite Compassion and Understanding to live in your home.
 Evict Sadness and Disappointment and if they return, show them the "No Vacancy" sign.

Your thoughts are like the rooms in your mind.
Walk through them and eavesdrop on your tenants.
What are they whispering?

Blessings, Anita

My Mother's Garden

When Spring finally arrives it always brings thoughts of my mother. She loved Spring

and loved flowers, especially Pansies. She passed away 12 years ago, but I think about her often and the simple pleasures she taught us to appreciate. I recently spent a weekend

compiling some pictures of my mother onto a CD, to give to my sisters

and my uncle in Germany. 

I added the song, "Edelweiss", which was my mother's favorite song.

This was a little garden on the side of her house.

My mother had the chance to visit her sister in Germany two years before she died.

This is my mother (sitting) and her oldest sister, Anna,

who lived in Nurnberg, Germany.

 My mother had beautiful skin and hair and never looked her age.

I think that God knew that she wasn't going to reach old age.

This old castle in Germany is near the town that I was born in.

This was taken in Gatlinburg six months before my mother passed away.

A Tea Party

This past weekend I had a tea party for my grandchildren.

 Nine children and seven adults came

to my little tea party.

Don't you love the chocolate lady bugs? I even made

little heart-shaped sandwiches for the kiddos.

The pink tray was a great find at Goodwill for

a mere $2.00.

My child-sized Hummel tea service - isn't it adorable?

The coffee service belonged to my mother. I filled the

bottom of a glass flower vase with jelly beans.

I don't get creative that often, so when I come up

with a new idea I have to run with it (smile).

I found the tea tray a few years ago at a downtown

antique store. I think my tea party was a big success.

I am already thinking of my next "theme" party.

The End of a Love Affair

I have fallen out of love with Winter. I knew it was going to happen, sooner or later. Winter has been fickle this year, teasing me with a few warm, balmy days, causing me to forefeit the usual winter sweaters, just to have a stiff wind come to town and make a fool out of me. I've had enough. I won't believe the weather reports any longer. I won't wait patiently for the soft snow that never falls, when a cold rain comes instead.
At one time I was madly in love with Winter. I looked forward to cozy evenings by the fireplace, wearing my flannel pajamas and drinking hot cocoa. But the love has wained, I'm afraid to say.

Spring has been courting me. The longer days, the daffodils peeking through the brown grass, birds chirping in the morning..how can I resist the call of Spring?