For Today

Outside my window... the trees shedding their leaves, ankle high in some places. Time to get the rake out again.

I am thinking... of my friend Mary Anne and how well she does under pressure.

I am thankful for... my friend Julie who donated 3 bags of yarn from her shop for our prayer shawl ministry at our church. It touches so many people with our prayers and the offering of a shawl.

I am wearing... my new sweater I got on sale and pants from church. Soon into jeans to rake leaves.

I am remembering... when the boys were little and they used to rake neighbor's yards and then bring the leaves home so they could jump in them. Now the trees are big and so are the boys.

I am going... to be in Colorado at the cabin for Thanksgiving and can hardly wait. My favorite place on earth.

I am reading... Mennonite in a Little Black Dress for our Book Club. Just starting.

I am hoping... to accomplish lots this week. Finish my current prayer shawl, clean up more leaves, get in lots of bicycle time if the weather holds and work on the basement. Should I put Christmas list there?

On my mind... my friend Jan who just lost her brother.

From the kitchen... beef stew tomorrow in the crock pot.

One of my favorite things~ tailgating with friends at a fall football game. Especially when we win!

From my picture journal... Halloween with Linden (Pumpkin Fairy) and Maebry ( Death Bride)

Balloon Festival

We boarded a train at 3:30 am in Newton to travel to Albuquerque for the Balloon Festival. We arrived at 2:00 after having breakfast and lunch on the train. It was quite good and very relaxing. We traveled with two other couples from our high school class and got to hang out in the club car, playing cards and talking.





We met 3 other couples from our class who had flown or driven there. Up at 4:30 am Sat. to leave for the festival. The first event was called the Dawn Patrol and it was beautiful! The balloons lit up as the propane flared and they went up into the dark sky.




After that, over a period of several hours, hundreds of balloons were launched. The sky was filled with the beautiful colors - all sent up in a very organized progression.

The evening events were never able to take off due to winds, but it was still a spectacular event.
We drove to Santa Fe on Monday and had a wonderful time walking around the square and shopping. Visited the Georgia O'Keeffe museum which was great. Back on the train at 2:00 pm on Tuesday for the trip home. Good food, good friends and a memorable time.

Kansas Sunflowers

We drove out to our land yesterday and I took this picture of our field of sunflowers. Unfortunately, when you walk up to take the picture, you don't get the whole field. I should have climbed on top of the car!
We passed lots of fields of sunflowers on our way back from Colo. - they are a very popular crop right about now.

Today's Thoughts

Wednesday~September 23

A picture shared...

Mom and I drove out to Colorado last week. My sister, Meg, met us there and we shared a wonderful four days. The main purpose was to take Mom to see her very best friend from college days who had recently lost her husband. Mom got together with Mary and some of their college friends for lunch and they had a wonderful time!

Today I am seeing... rain falling, leaves falling and it seems the months falling away. What has happened to 2009?

I am feeling... sad that Summer is over. I am a summer girl - would much rather be hot than cold, sweaty rather than cool, and outdoors rather than in. I have never really liked AC even though I want to have it on when it's really hot.

I am hearing... the splash of rain through my open window. It is a light and pleasant rain. One I may go walk through with the dogs soon.

I am thinking... of the football game coming up this weekend. I love to meet our friends, tailgate in the parking lot and enjoy the excitement of the crowd.

On The Creek

What a great day. It started out with a Youth Sunday at Harvey County West Park with a church service conducted by our young people; followed by a potluck supper with pulled pork. Heavenly!! Then Charlie worked on the playground in construction at the church. Afterwards we met up with Scott and Mary Anne at Sand Creek for a canoe trip up and back to Main. It was a beautiful evening topped off with wine on the deck. Couldn't ask for more. Have a great week everyone.

For Today

From The Simple Woman's Daybook:

Outside my window ... I can see the pear tree with squirrels getting our fruit off the tree before it even ripens

I am thinking ... that the weekend is too short.

I am thankful for ... my husband who is always there for me

From the kitchen ... this week I made a delicious chicken soup with very simple ingredients - my homemade chicken stock and various vegetables along with the chicken meat. It went well with the rainy and cooler weather.

I am wearing ... cutoffs and an old shirt as we are going to work in the yard soon

I am creating ... a new page for our church web site, complete with a Happy Birthday section where you can send an email to birthday folks

I am going ... try a new wine tonight - Bridlewood Chard

I am reading ... "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch - an amazing story. Not as sad as you would expect - more inspiring than anything

I am hoping ... that we get a great turnout at our church service at the park next Sunday

I am hearing ... the football game from the other room. I only like to watch teams that I know..

Around the house ... too much laundry. Why does it accumulate with only the two of us???

One of my favorite things ... we went to see "Julie & Julia" and I LOVED it.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... a few meetings, Book Club on Thursday night, hopefully a dinner with friends to celebrate Charlie and Errol's birthdays - clear back to Aug. 7th

And a photo to share...this will be the playground we are putting into the church for my father's memorial. So many people donated to his memory that we were able to get a very nice set. The ground is prepared and cleared out so we are almost ready to put it up.

Book Club

Last night was Book Club at Ann's house. We discussed "The Help" - a very good book. If anyone has read it, I would be interested in hearing what you thought of it. We had a great discussion as well as getting together with great women.

The Pool Boys

We weren't at the pool this night but Skeeter, Carlos and Bobbio had a good evening. We celebrated Charlie and Bob's birthdays by going out to dinner at a wonderful Chinese restaurant.

My friend Lana and me. We were missing Vicky who was in N.C.

Birthday Bash

Since Charlie is on the 7th and Linden is the 9th, we had a family birthday party for both. Oreo cookie Dairy Queen cake - Linden's choice. We had fun and she go a total of $8.00 so she was happy!

Camp Nana & Papa

Stitching lessons at Camp N & P. Linden is stitching a rose on cross-stitch material. Later we will fill in with color. She is also getting swimming in at least once a day.

Maebry is learning how to knit. We got pink yarn and she is making a dishcloth. I was taught by my Nana when I was ten as we took the train to California. Maebry is ahead of me by a year, but she is a quick learner.


The girls at Exploration Place and the whale exhibit. It was a good activity for a rainy day. Only one more day left so we'll have to pack lots of fun into it. After that it will be time to meet their folks halfway in Emporia for the switch.

White Coat Ceremony

Here is Patrick as we watched him at his "white coat ceremony." He went to the mic. and introduced himself - Hi. I am student doctor, Patrick Craig, from Newton, Kansas. The real work starts tomorrow - anatomy cadavers at 7 a.m. sharp. It was a very nice day - tours, speeches and the white coat ceremony where it was put on by a faculty member.

Jordy is all ready to go on a hike with us (: He has his summer cut and is feeling much better in the heat.
Here we are on a fishing trip in Colorado with Maebry and Linden. The stream is behind us and was filled with lots of little browns and brookies.

Muffet on our hike. She got so tired that Charlie put her in his backpack and carried her the rest of the way. She probably will expect that every time now!

Learning About Blogs

I finally realized that I was the cause of my missing pictures in my older posts. I went on Picasa and deleted my old pictures. I didn't know that I removed them from my blog also! Live and learn. Have not been able to figure out how to put them back ):

Portland Visit

Here is my newest grandson, Francis or Frankie as I have called him. He is so cute - loves to be held. That is nice since he is a nursing baby and they can sometimes only want their Mommy!

Here's Stella. We had a great time swimming and playing dolls. She loves slugs - I so do not. When she asked me if I wanted to hold it, I was quick to say "Nana doesn't hold slugs."

And last, but not least, Jack. As a new big brother he is doing very well. He got a new bed while I was there and took to it very well. He loves my "big, bad wolf" story best - complete with Jack Riding Hood.

Fantastic Fourth!

Waiting for the parade to pass by on Main Street.

Charlie's big project was a hot air balloon. He put all the panels together and it was about 6' tall. Getting the hot air into the balloon via the stovepipe.

Ready to lift off. We sent it off once and Alex and Mary drove after it and found it.

Up, up and away. The second launch was better and although they chased it, it took off higher and higher and was gone. Next year we will put our name and phone # on it to see if we can find how far it traveled!

Into the wild blue yonder. Thanks to Jan and Ken for the photos and for Mary and Alex for the chase vehicle.

New Grandson

Jack is a new big brother!

Meet my new grandson, Francis Glover Craig. Welcome to the family. I can't wait to get there on July 5th.

Priceless

I have always loved those Mastercard ads on "Priceless", so I thought I would try one of my own.

Driving out to Colorado with my dogs, Muffet and Jordy. Cost of gas - $75.00.



Cabin in Green Mt. Falls, CO - $$$ but worth every cent!
A week with my sister, Meg - golf, walks to the village, wine in the evening, breakfast at the Pantry, long talks, card games, dinners out, and did I mention a birdie and par in golf = PRICELESS




A wonderful week in Colorado. I drive back tomorrow, but will be back with Charlie in July. I love this place@

My Talented Niece

This was posted by my niece Jennifer, who just returned from a year of study in England. I think her use of color and b&w is so good. I'm proud of her talent.

Thanks Nini

After seeing a herb garden on Nini Makes, my friend Jan and I made our own. Nini reported that hers did not make it, but I'm hoping for better results. It was lots of fun to add the swing and clothesline. Thanks Nini for a special garden idea!

The Little Things

Sometimes it is the little things that make you smile. The other day, I was complaining to my friend - hmmm - complaining - about how far away my feet were getting for me to be able to do a good job painting my toenails! The next thing I knew, she was offering to paint them. We sat out in the bright sunshine, laughed and talked while she worked away. Now, I can wear my sandals to dinner tonight (:

Happy 87th Birthday

Today was Mom's 87th birthday and I made her a cheese souffle for her special dinner. It is her favorite! She came over for dinner and our only regret is that we hadn't gotten someone to come over and be a fourth in bridge.

3D

We had such a good time going to Monsters vs. Aliens. The new 3D is so impressive and there were times when I jumped because it felt like I was going to be touched! Good story too.

The Day After Easter

Spring Procrastination

"I meant to do my work today ~ But a brown bird sang in the apple tree, And a butterfly flitted across the field, And all the leaves were calling me." Richard Le Gallienne

Somehow this quote says it all. There is so much to do around the house to get ready for weekend company and all I want to do is go outside. We are forecast for rain today so perhaps that will inspire me to get some things done. This is National Poetry Week. What is your favorite "spring" poem?

Midnight & Shadow

Today I picked up my Kansas City granddaughters for a long weekend. Maebry turned 9 last week and we had planned to drive down to celebrate and then the snow came! Well, a neat plastic cage awaited her when we got home and then we went to the pet store to pick out 2 gerbils! She declared it was the best present ever! She picked out two black gerbils and I thought she chose such great names. It's hard to be a little sister at 5 1/2. I am going to have to think of a great idea for Linden's 6th birthday in August. We're looking forward to a great weekend and if the gerbils survive all the loving, it should be a winner of a present. Of course, I ran it by Mommy and Daddy first.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Just as the fruit trees bud, the snow comes. Typical Kansas Spring. Hope some of them survive. It was fun tho, neighbors came over for coffee, fires, under blankets, power off for a while. Now it is in the 60's . As I said, typical Kansas Spring!

Far, Far Away

Tonight I talked to my grandson, Jack, who lives in Portland, OR. He kept saying "Come over, come over?" I wanted to reach out and give him a hug, but the miles are to great. We are lucky. We can afford to make trips every so often. I know lots of grandparents don't have that ability. I try not to be too jealous of my friends who see their grandchildren all the time. I did get to see my granddaughters in KC, KS this weekend which was great. Love being a Nana!

A Patch of Sunshine

Today was overcast and dreary. I had to go to our Payee Program early and was glad to get home around noon. As soon as the dogs were out and in, Muffet went to the stairs and found the one patch of sunshine in the day. I have the winter blahs and can't wait for warm weather. It looks like it will be awhile. In the meantime, I may have to lie down on the stairs!

Oh Mr. Moon

Driving home tonight from a meeting. The moon was incredible. Just a sliver, but the rest showed up in shadow or illumination. I'm not sure which. Then later was able to see the comet Lulin. We are going out to the land tomorrow night to get away from the light pollution and should see it even better. It should show up greener tomorrow night. Charlie is the astronomer, he keeps me up to date

Little Girls With Curls

I just returned from a week with my granddaughter in Portland. How I hated to leave. Best moments - warm snuggles in bed in the morning, telling fairy tales on the drawing board, the look of wonder in little eyes, etc., etc., etc.! Worst moments - that sinking feeling as they run and sprawl head first onto the sidewalk, the big tears as they miss their Mama, waving goodby.

My Nana

Almost everyone has a person who made a lasting impression on their life. I was very fortunate to have my Nana. Today, I wore the "stork" pin she sent me after my first son, Scott, was born. I was very fortunate to grow up having Nana close by through much of my childhood. I remember trips to Colorado where Nana would drive her black and white sports car. We would take breaks every hour and on some of the breaks, I got to have a Pepsi! Nana never drank them herself, but she always carried them for me. We would go halfway and then spend the night at a motel. I'll write more memories another time, but I hope to be a Nana that my grandchildren will remember in the way that I do.

Ugly Betty

If you haven't watched Ugly Betty, I highly recommend it. It is the freshest show on TV. So real. ABC channel.

Cold outside but we have a great fire and a stay-at-home night. We are sitting reading and enjoying some music. A perfect evening.