Contented Sigh

In May of 2006 I embarked upon a great personal adventure. After years of living in a tiny student apartment I moved to the country, to live in an old farmhouse that had been in the family for 98-years. My mom had had renters, but it was hard to find the right person, and after a particularly bad renter, her manager had kind of pulled back. I got up the gumption to ask: what would you think about me renting it? (It has always been my favorite place in the world, but I tend to keep secrets, I guess. Plus, I thought, a single woman in the country? But then I began to think of all the women who did live out this way, and with the addition of an alarm system, I've always felt incredibly safe here.) And so the adventure began.

The experience has been incredibly positive, other than the horrendous heating bills in winter. My life has expanded in so many ways. I tend my gardens and my projects around home (most of them half finished, but hey) and . . . I have company! I have drop-ins, and I have people I invite. This is way beyond what I was accustomed to, and it has been so great! Tonight twelve folks from work came for an impromptu shuffleboard tournament. I'm probably the goofiest hostess most of them have encountered, but everyone is so kind and I think everyone had a good time.

I can't believe the risks I've been taking and you know, I have to lay a lot of it to blogging. Reading about how others deal with life, how they pick themselves up and keep going, trying new things, has been very inspirational. Life handed me a few knocks in my twenties that I didn't adapt to very well. But it is great to know that even in the 50's, life can change and be changed for the good.

And thank you all for your inspiration!

The Moon, II

Speaking of the moon:

The Moon

Bryn always stops by and gives me the full moon information. Up from the comments:

July 29th
Full Buck Moon
8:48 pm
The Full Buck Moon - July July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, for the reason that thunderstorms are most frequent during this time. Another name for this month's Moon was the Full Hay Moon.

I had just been wondering when the new antlers push through, so this is very informative on two levels!

Unconscious Mutterings

I say ... and you think ... ?

Traditional :: Wedding
Popeye :: spinach, the sailor man
Gin :: Rummy
Harsh :: Strict
Topless :: Beach
The thing :: It
Defiant :: Rebellious
Huge :: Large
Food :: Craving
Lenny :: Bruce

Finally!

Caught Cyrano in Motion!!!!

Thursday 13

Julie plays the Thursday 13 by going through the alphabet and listing 13 things she loves that begin with that letter. I usually play in her comments, but the comment keeper doesn't like me today. Therefore, I'll stick them here!

Nina, niece
Nate, nephew
Natasha, niece
Nancy, sister
Nieces - all the rest
Nephews - all the rest
noses
necking
North Dakota. If you're ever there, be sure to stop in MINOT. (Pronounced mynot)
Niagara Falls.
Neckties. Loosened, with a tuft of hair showing
naps
neighbors.

Ack! My Comments won't let me post today.

That happens sometimes, sorry about that. To add to the comments below:

I'm a dinosaur too, 'cause I remember the "do blondes have more fun"! Em likes it blonde . . . she adores Tinkerbell and now, she looks just like her! Oh those 15-year-olds.

The internet is such a fun way to keep track of relatives and friends and perhaps bridge the generation gap a bit.

Flickr

Flickr is so cool. I just found out my niece has turned from redhead to blonde. Too fun!

Good Morning!

Not a lot to report in my world. Monday folks from work are coming out for a Shuffleboard Tournament here at the farm. We're going to explore our inner geezer!

Flickr Favorites

I'm a little behind times. Here is this month's Flickr favorites. Click through to visit these photographers.

Back to Work

The alarm went off at 5:30. Up to feed the cats, then back to bed for a 6:00 a.m. real get-up. The alarm went off, I opened up the front porch . . . and there were the deer playing in the cut oat field. I hadn't seen them since Tuesday night. The field being cut has changed their schedule. I thought it was a good sign to see them on my way back to work. (Get up at 6:00 a.m. during vacation???? Not on your tintype!) (I believe that's a quote from Music Man on "not on your tintype". I'm living in a different century, I think.)

Thursday I visited a friend who had had reductive surgery on her chest. Ouch! This seems like a lot of pain to go through, and of course I would need enhancement, not reduction, but wow. I don't think I would elect to do it. Any thoughts?

Friday I took Mom to lunch, then went shopping, so the urges for fine dining and shopping were satisfied on this vacation.

And Saturday and Sunday, well, I just enjoyed the farm. That is its own special magic.


From the barnyard

Restorative

When I need to relax, I go to Lake Michigan. Do you have a place that by its very essence calms you, makes you happy?

Things That Make Me Sad

No one ever carved their initials with mine on a tree.

Unconscious Mutterings

I say ... and you think ... ?

Deputy :: Barney Fife
Name :: Rank and Serial Number
Arrested :: Development
Trade :: Barter
Old :: New
Fingerprint :: Footprint
Dwarf :: Pygmy
Newspaper :: Journal
Gabriel :: Angel
Certificate :: Birth

I've Got Blossoms!

My Cannas and my Gladiolas are showing a tinge of color. I'm doing a happy dance!

Too Cool!

In the book I just finished, Geri, the almost 50-year-old sister, is looking for ways to celebrate her 50th birthday. On the web-site www.lifesabeachboutique.com, the author has provided tons of cool links for places to go.

I wanna go to Hersheys for the chocolate spa package. Oh my.

And Now the Last Day of Vacation

. . . and it's very quiet. I'm spending this morning on my front porch, reading Life's a Beach, by Claire Cook. It's a cool morning, but the porch is warm. The kitties are asleep, Sierra out on the porch with me, Snuzzles on his pad by the door. Every ten pages or so I go do a minor chore. I'm on the second load of wash. I probably still would have been in bed, but I could hear farmer Donny, who works the fields across from me, making hay in the hay field.

Okay, just finished the book. I had ordered it from Amazon because:

1. Any chick lit book with the word Beach in it grabs my attention.
2. It was touted as a good summer read.
3. It was by Claire Cook, who wrote the book Must Love Dogs, which was made into a 2005 movie starring John Cusack and Diane Lane. I liked the movie.

The book was the third I've read this week. I'm glad I saved it for last. It's about a 41-year-old sister and an almost 50-year-old sister, and how life works. It's a great book for those who don't have "perfectly planned" lives. I identified with the younger sister and there were some good points about "not deciding" is deciding. So if I appear more decisive in the future . . . nah, that's not going to happen.

So far . . .

this has been an interesting vacation. I've had a day trip of Grand Ledge area parks, a day trip to Lake Michigan, the Sears man came for my annual maintenance on my washer/dryer, the Verizon guy came to fix the jack in the dining room, I visited a friend who had had surgery, the assesor came (poor mum), the cats went to the vet, and I've worked in the yard some.

If I could do this for another 2-3 weeks I might get a little aught up.

Corn, the 2nd

I was going to take a picture of the corn I bought over by Lake Michigan today, but I ate it instead. It was good!

The Rich Are Different

Want to peek into the lives of the wealthy? Check out this blog. The author has just written a new book about the wealthy, called Richistan.

Today was supposed to be my Tourist in My Own Town Day

But the weather is threatening, and we sure could use the rain. Maybe I'll head out this afternoon, just to ensure we get some rain. *grin*

Catching up!

Hello there!

Light blogging going on. I've been a little under the weather for the last week, and I'm on vacation this week, so I've been kind of missing in action.

Traumatic experience on Saturday! I was driving home from the grocery store about 1:30 p.m. Suddenly, right in front of me, was a fawn!!!! I swerved one way, it swerved the same way. I was sure I was going to crush it with my left wheel. But she rolled over twice, then got up and scampered over to the woods on the left. I stopped and tried to find her, to see if she was hurt, but I couldn't.

Last night in my north field there was a fawn dancing around. I'm going to say that was the same one. I shirley do hope so!

Added: Lots of deer/car accidents in Michigan. These are just the reported ones.

Hmmm

You Are Not Prissy

You're the furthest thing from a princess - and you probably stay far away from any princess types you know. You have an easygoing approach to living. It doesn't take a lot to make you happy. And when life requires it, you're ready to get your hand a little dirty. There's no problem you're too prissy to tackle!

How Prissy Are You?

It's time for the Unconscious Mutterings!

I say ... and you think ... ?

Situation :: Normal All Fouled Up
Theme song :: Rocky
Kelly :: Green
Club :: Fight
Swerve :: Veer, try to miss that deer
Couch :: New! Naps
Bigfoot :: Sasquatch
Arbitrary :: Random
Inventor :: Thomas Edison
Blazer :: Chevy

Family History

I've always had it in the back of my head that when I retire I would write a generations novel set in mid-Michigan. One of my reasons for wanting to move to the farm was to soak up atmosphere. That has worked out well, as living daily in a homestead set up 99-years-ago raises questions and provokes thoughts about the past. I can never tell what the trigger might be. For example, my mom checks out my flickr pictures. She really likes this lily one. I explained where I had taken the shot: down the road near the big old oak tree, as I was walking back from the woods.

I could hear her smiling over the telephone. "Those have been there for the longest time," she said. "My folks used to let me walk down there and pick some when we visited Grandma and Grandpa."

When I write that novel, I'm sure there will be a scene with a lonely child walking down to a halfway point between her grandparents and great-grandparents, picking a bouquet of lilies.

My neighbor across the road

They Missed Glacier National Park, but it's close!

Travel Horoscope for Capricorn

When you travel, you like to really wear yourself out. You want a vacation that keeps you on the go, otherwise you'll feel bored. You should travel to: Aspen Disney World The Appalachian Trail Yellowstone Park The Grand Canyon

What's Your Travel Horoscope?

Spotted at Julie's.

Fairy Pavillion

To follow a fairy, they say walk on tip-toe holding your left ear between your left thumb and forefinger. I found some fairies in the back yard tonight, and followed this one. It appears it is going into some sort of pavillion or shelter, certainly not a house, but a pleasant place for a fairy to stay on a hot summer night.

Fairy Village

Diane and her boys have made a wonderful fairy village. See it here. I predict all Michigan fairies will be headed for their home soon!

To Check Out

The new magazine Somerset Life featured three creative blogs.

The first is Tongue in Cheek.
Next is Michelle Ward.
And third is Heaven & Earth.

***

Any thoughts on the New Seven Wonders of the World?

Unconsciously Muttering

I say ... and you think ... ?

Happen :: Dance (A dance group that my niece belongs to)
Terribly :: Horribly
History :: One of my favorites
Master :: Mistress
Petrified :: Forest
Moan :: Groan
Attack :: Assault
Picture :: Photo
Students :: Learners
Potter :: oh, okay, Harry

Beware

It's supposed to be a good year for poison ivy. I had it last year, and I shirley don't want to go through that experience again. However, playing in the woods and fields as I do, it could happen.

Grandma Lora used to have us wash with Fels Naptha soap if we thought we had been exposed. What "cures" have you used?

07-07-07

We can all agree, yes?

hmmm

Your Kisses Are Medium-Hot

Your kisses are definitely sexy, but you're not about to make anyone gasp for air. You take it slow and steady... and you ramp things up when you get the right signals. Your kissing style is adaptable and adept. And people who kiss you love it!

How Hot Are Your Kisses?

I was trying to take the gemstone quiz I saw at Cindy's, but it wouldn't load properly, so I took this one instead. I need some more practice. *grin*

Cats

When I think of cats walking, I used to think of slinking and pussyfoot and all those silent types of words.

My cats do that, sometimes.

And sometimes they thunder and gallop when they're playing.

Just saying.

Corn

A thought occurred to me yesterday. Do they raise corn in Oz, Julie?

The old adage here in Michigan is that the corn should be knee-high by the 4th of July. I'll take a picture later. It's way beyond that.

Plans for the Weekend

I think I shall make a fairy house.

True Foodie

My youngest niece is 13. She invited all of us (her dad's and her mom's families) to a 4th of July party yesterday. She's a real foodie: she organized not only the standard cook-out of burgers, brats, and dogs, but also had shrimp skewers, champagne salad, baked beans, and a flag cake.

For her 13th birthday both sides got her food items. She's sort of a baby Rachel Ray. Tuesday night, at the fireworks, I realized just how much of a foodie she is. We were watching someone get arrested as we waited for the traffic jam to ease up. "I wonder what they feed people in jails on holidays," she said.

A true foodie

Blog Running

Happy 4th of July!!!

Cassie-B has her list of July's bizarre holidays here. I'm sure you'll find one to adopt. I'm thinking I'll go with July 15th: cow appreciation day. Speaking of cows, I had a picture of a cow I liked so much that I had it made up into first class stamps over at zazzle.com. They really work!

I'm glad I stopped at bryn's this morning, or I never would have known this:

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Milady the Most Honourable Shirl the Spurious of Frome Valley Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Diane has a meme I'm going to nab later today.

And Julie passes on an EBC link to William Kamkwamba's Malawi Windmill Blog.

And with that, I'll close this part of today's blog trail. Catch ya later!

Sometimes It's Hard to Tell Which Way is Up

It Grew!

My nasturtium grew. It blossomed! Unbelievable. Actually, now that I'm reading about them here, I guess it is quite an easy plant to raise. It's also wholly edible, which I think is really cool.

Boring!

swiped from the R-rated Susan!

Mingle² - Online Dating

July 1 Laws

New laws around the country that went into effect today were highlighted on aol.

Would that be with Whipped Cream?

Your Scent is Pumpkin Pie

Warm, comforting, and a bit old fashioned You've got what men want - believe it or not!

What's Your Girl Smell?

I was visiting other Unconscious Mutterings and found this at The Gal's.

Going-to-the-Sun is Open.

Glacier National Park is a beautiful park situated in the Northwest corner of Montana, on the front face of the Rocky Mountains. The Going-to-the-Sun Road is the only road that crosses the park. It's a beautiful 52-mile alpine drive, hand-carved out of the side of the mountains during the Great Depression. Road crews start clearing it in April. It is finally open today.

Unconscious Mutterings

I say ... and you think ... ?

Partner :: Law firm, in crime
News :: Paper
Foam :: Sea
Paycheck :: weekly
Me :: You
Eight :: is enough
Dairy :: Farm
Exciting :: Energizing
Hockey :: Puck
Socialite :: Hiltons