It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like Summer

Yay, my yellow roses are blooming (I love yellow roses). It feels like summer here, it was at least 90 degrees today. The days are getting longer and it's so nice spending the evening outdoors.`

I planted some flowers in this strawberry jar that I gave up trying to grow strawberries in. These are portulacas, they do well in the summer heat and like a lot of sun. Some herbs also do well in this type of planter. This one sits on my front porch.

Well, that's all for tonight, have to get up super early in the morning. Thanks for stopping by.

Hail To The Chief

Bushisms- Not A Tree


Well, guess who is visiting my neck of the woods as I type this tonight? Why it's none other than our commander-n-chief, George W. Bush. Yes, Mr. President is now appearing at a fundraiser in Edison. NJ, which is the town I grew up in and also where I work. Fortunately, I was able to get home before his motorcade came through, as security was pretty tight in the area and some of the roads I travel on were temporarily closed.



Bushisms- Good Question


Sadly, I won't be attending this exciting event since ticket prices start at $300 to $5,000 if you want a "photo opportunity" with the president. Wow-that would have made a great show and tell for this Friday!



Those who Enter Our Country Illegally

So, I'll just have to make do with these funny pictures of him featuring some of his famous "Bushisms". No, it's not the same as being there in person, but it is more budget friendly. Besides, that $300 could buy me a tank of gas.

Blogger's Block

Question: What does one post in their blog when they are not feeling too creative?

Answer: This quiz:

You Are 88% Creative

You are an incredibly creative person. For you, there are no bounds or limits to your creativity. Your next creation could be something very great... Or at least very cool!

How Creative Are You?

I certainly hope so.

My Dirty Weekend

Well, here's what I've been up to the past few days: planting and more planting. Flowers, veggies and herbs. My yard is not very big, so I put some things like peppers and herbs in containers. I also planted tomatoes, green beans, Japanese eggplants, cucumbers, and zucchini squash.That's a dwarf apple tree in the planter on the right.




Here's Raven wondering how she's going to get past that fence surrounding the veggie garden:

Here's a little gardening tip I learned from my Dad: punch a hole in those little plastic markers that usually come with young plants and tie them to the tomato cages or stakes if you use them. So if you discover that you love (or hate) a particular variety, this will help to identify it easily.
This is a Rutgers tomato-their sports teams did well this year so I'm hoping their tomato will also have a good season as well!

Sorry these photos are kind of blurry-it's a little breezy here today.

So, why did I spend this long weekend getting dirty when I could have gone to the beach or a barbecue? Why it's a family tradition!
You see when I was a child, Memorial Day Weekend was when we would put our pool up. My father would carve out this huge circle which was the diameter of the pool in our backyard, and my brother, sisters, and I would spend the entire weekend "preparing the soil". We would dig up the whole area within that circle about 3 inches deep and sift every bit of it until there were no stones or grass or anything else left in it. Just good old dirt. We would have a pretty big hill of it by the time we were finished. My father would then spread this sifted dirt out into the circle. He would put a post in the ground at the exact center and using this as his guide, go around the circle with a large piece of wood until the entire area was level. Then we would put up the actual pool and fill it. If all had gone well, it would ready for our Memorial Day cookout.
On Labor Day Weekend, the pool would come down and we would repeat the entire process again the following year.

And as I recall, it was a fairly large pool.
I can still see my brother, shirtless and brown, covered with dirt, as he sifted the hours away. I think he rather enjoyed it.
A co-worker of mine thinks this story is hilarious and makes me repeat it to him every year for Memorial Day.
Fortunately, he was on vacation last week, but I'm sure I'll have to tell it to him tomorrow. Or maybe I'll just direct him to my blog.

Anyway, I have dirt up my nose and just about everywhere else on my person that isn't covered. I even taste dirt! It's time for me to hit the shower.

Gee, if I only had a pool.

My First roses of Summer

>Tropicana Rose


Some type of red miniature rose

Still waiting for the yellow "Golden Glow" rose to open. I love yellow roses! (Actually, that's a picture of one from last year underneath the "about me" section).

THE ROSE

It is only a tiny rosebud,

A flower of God's design,

But I cannot unfold the petals

With these clumsy hands of mine,

The secret of unfolding flowers

Is not known to such as I,

The flower God opens so sweetly,

In my hands would fade and die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud

This flower of God's design,

Then how can I think I have the wisdom

To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for His leading

Each moment of everyday

So I'll look to him for guidance

Each stop of the Pilgrim way.

For the Pathway that lies before me,

My heavenly father knows:

I'll trust him to unfold the moments,

Just as he unfolds the rose.

Charlie Gilchrist

Memorial Day Poem

Rows of Tombstones Line the Fields of Arlington National Cemetery

Here is a poem by a New Jersey poet named Joyce Kilmer who was killed during the first World War in 1918 at the age of 31:

;

"MEMORIAL DAY POEM."

The bugle echoes shrill and sweet,

But not of war it sings to-day.

The road is rhythmic with the feet

Of men-at-arms who come to pray.

The roses blossom white and red

On tombs where weary soldiers lie;

Flags wave above the honored dead

And martial music cleaves the sky.

Above their wreath-strewn graves we kneel,

They kept the faith and fought the fight.

Through flying lead and crimson steel

They plunged for Freedom and the Right.

May we, their grateful children, learn

Their strength, who lie beneath this sod,

Who went through fire and death to earn

At last the accolade of God.

In shining rank on rank arrayed

They march, the legions of the Lord;

He is their Captain unafraid,

The Prince of Peace...Who brought a sword.

~By Joyce Kilmer 1917~

Interesting Things You Find Out When You Have Sons...

Another cute email from my youngest sister (and yes, she has a son).


1. A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.



2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.



3. A 3-year old Boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.



4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.



5. You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.



6. The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.



7. When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too late.



8. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.



9. A six-year old Boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year old Man says they can only do it in the movies.



10. Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4- year old Boy.



11. Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.



12. Super glue is forever.



13. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.



14. Pool filters do not like Jell-O.



15. VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.



16. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.



17. Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.



18. You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.



19. Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.



20. The fire department in Austin , TX has a 5-minute response time.



21. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.



22. It will, however, make cats dizzy.



23. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.



24. 80% of Women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kids.



25. 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.

Show and Tell

Kelli is hosting a Show and Tell Friday. If you want to join the fun, visit Kelli's blog to leave a link to your post.



My Show and Tell for this week is a vintage child's potty. I found it in an antique store and thought it was too cute too pass up. I'm not sure how old it is-it has "made in Czechoslovakia" printed on the bottom. I just love the little girl and the long ears on the dog.

I have it displayed on a shelf in our bathroom. It holds a few grooming items like a comb and nail clippers. But don't worry-I cleaned it first!

Thanks for hosting the "Show and Tell" Kelli!

Where Should You Spend your Summer?

You Should Spend Your Summer at the Beach

You're a free spirit who is always thinking of new ways to have fun. And you don't just love summer... you live for it. So, you really should blow off your responsibilities and head to the beach!

Where Should You Spend Your Summer?

Sounds good to me!

What Dogs Do For Us

What Dogs Do For Us:

Catch Frisbees.
Keep a lonely night from being truly lonely.

Keep our homes safe.
Get us outside on beautiful fall days.

Listen to our singing.
Treat us like celebrities when we come home.
Warm up our beds on cold nights.

Star in our home videos.
Make our hearts more vigorous.

Take us outdoors on snowy winter days.
Alert us to the arrival of the mail.

Help us to live longer.
Make us smile.

Agree with everything we say.
Warm our knees with their chins.

Provide us use for old tennis balls.
Signal when a thunderstorm is coming.

Pull sleds.
Help lower our blood pressure.

Test how fast we can run.
Keep the squirrels from overtaking our yards.
Teach us the meaning of unconditional love.

Take us out on rainy days.
Teach our children about responsibility.

-author unknown

The Price of Ga$

A Drip of Gas Falls from Nozzle at a Gasoline Station

Just wondering what the price of a gallon (or liter) of ga$ is in your corner of the world. Here in central New Jersey it varies from around $2.83 to $2.95 a gallon, but that could have changed in the past few hours. As everyone living in the USA knows, the price of ga$ usually jumps just in time for Memorial Day weekend and steadily increases throughout the summer months. And then everything else goes up along with it, except of course, your paycheck.
So just curious, if you happen to stop by here, let me know.
Fortunately surfing the web is still very fuel efficient. I guess that's how I'll be traveling this summer.

Archie

I couldn't let May 20th slip by without a tribute to my Sheltie, Archie, who left us five years ago on our anniversary. He was such a funny dog, sometimes I think he was even laughing at me because he would make this "heh heh heh" sound when he did something bad.

I took that dog almost everywhere with me. He would ride next to me in my pick-up wearing sunglasses and a bandanna and we would often go on "dates" to Stewart's Drive-In and share a burger and fries. That is until I met Carlos. I know Archie was a little bit jealous of him even though they got along fine. Maybe that's why he died on our anniversary-one last "heh heh heh".

I don't know what happened to his tail in this picture-he did have some plumage back there. And no, that is not my motorcycle in the background.

I hope to own another Sheltie someday. But for now, my present dog, Raven would like for me to get off the computer now so she can walk me-it's a really beautiful evening here.

And I know somewhere Archie is saying "heh heh heh" as he watches her dragging me around the town.

Inside The Room of Your Soul

Yikes!!! These quizzes are starting to scare me!

What Your Soul Really Looks Like

You are very passionate and quite temperamental. While you can be moody, you always crave comfort. You are a grounded person, but you also leave room for imagination and dreams. You feet may be on the ground, but you're head is in the clouds. You believe that people see you as a bit small and insignificant. People pay more attention to you than you think. Your near future is calm, relaxing, and pretty much what you want. And it's something you've been anticipating for a while now. For you, love is all about caring and comfort. You couldn't fall in love with someone you didn't trust.

Inside the Room of Your Soul

Happy Anniversary Honey!

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz

"Lucy, I'm home-now get off that computer!"

This famous TV couple so remind me of my hubby Carlos and I, he the Latino with the heavy accent, often butchering the English language in a way that still makes me laugh even after 16 years.

And while I don't have red hair, I often get myself into "Lucy" type messes which I try to hide from him, but somehow he always finds out about them.

I even share a birthday with Desi "Ricky" Arnaz.

And before we bought our home, we rented from a couple who reminded me of Fred and Ethel.

So we are spending this day at a college graduation party for my niece, we had our little celebration last night.

I made his favorite dinner and we had a quiet evening together.

Our special day is also the anniversary of the day our beloved Shetland Sheepdog, Archie left us and it still makes us sad.

I would one day like to get a pair of Shelties and name them "Lucy and Ricky".

But for now I need to get ready for that party, I still have to buy a card for my niece.

Looks like I've got to get moving or I'll have some 'splaining to do!

Beautiful Women Month

Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday
I would like to share with you an email sent to me from my sister:

Did you know that it's Beautiful Women Month? Well, it is and that means you !!!
Below is a wonderful poem Audrey Hepburn wrote when asked to share her "beauty tips." It was read at her funeral years later.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness...
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone...
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed,and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older,you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.

Show and Tell

It's Show and Tell Friday. If you want to join in the fun, leave a link to your post at Kelli's blog, who is hosting the Show and Tell.

My show and tell for this week is this pig I found at Homegoods. I'm always on the lookout for kitschy things to decorate my kitchen with and I couldn't pass up this pudgy porker.



It's hard to tell from the picture, but he's almost two feet long. He hangs above the refrigerator, sort of a reminder for me not to "pig out" too much.


I haven't named him yet, but I think he should have one. Any suggestions?

Thanks Kelli for hosting the Show and Tell.

Welcome To The NJ MVC-Now Give Us Your First Born!

Greetings from New Jersey

Living in New Jersey does have its advantages. I live near New York City. The Jersey Shore is not far away, as well as Pennsylvania. My state is loaded with historical sites, beautiful parks, and many other interesting things to see and do. For such a small state it really has it all, maybe a bit too much. But in order to get to most of these places you will need to drive there, since our mass transit system is kind of so-so. And that means having a car and a NJ driver's license if you reside here. And that means the dreaded trip to the NJ MVC (Motor Vehicle Commission).

Since New Jersey seems to be a breeding ground for terrorists, we have very strict guidelines on obtaining a driver's license. You really need to show PROOF that you are who you are. I have lived in this state my entire life and have been a licensed driver for over thirty years. I also have a professional license which I had to be fingerprinted for, but that is still not proof enough for the NJ MVC that I really am who I am.

I had to show my birth certificate, which there were problems with because I was born in a particular county where there were security issues in the records department. In other words, an employee there had been selling other people's birth certificates to illegal immigrants. After a phone call to the state capital and 24 hours later, the DMV clerk was satisfied that I was Lynne D.

You also need to show other items such as pay stubs, bank statements, health insurance ID cards, bills, or something of the sort which has your name and address on it.

Oh and if you are a married woman and you have taken your husband's last name, please remember to bring your marriage license (only originals or certified copies please).

And if you have been married and divorced, you must also provide the divorce decree if your name has changed.

So tonight I'm gathering my life history together so I can enjoy four more wonderful years of driving in the Garden State.

And to tell you the truth, I'm hoping to move out of here before I need to renew it again.

By the way, my husband who was not born here and is not a US citizen had no problem getting his licensed renewed last month.

So tomorrow, I face my judgement day at the NJ MVC. Will I be granted the privilege to drive another another four years or will I need further proof of my existence?

I don't know what else to show them. I was born in NJ. I have lived my entire life here, and chances are, I'll probably die here, quite possibly waiting on line at the NJ MVC.

And maybe when the coroner comes and attaches that ID tag to my big toe, that will be good enough proof that I am Lynne D, and I will be issued my driver's license.

Wish me luck tomorrow.

Not much happening here tonight. It's been raining where I live for most of the afternoon and evening while the southern part of NJ is burning. Thankfully that's not happening up here, for there are several refineries in the area and we would be blown off the map!
So it's just a short little post this evening, I'm praying that this fire is soon brought under control and I'm also praying for the residents, rescue workers, and the wildlife affected by this fire. God bless.

How New Jersey Are You?

You Are 99% New Jersey!

Wow, you're totally Jersey. There's no doubt about it. Congratulations, and always be proud to be Jersey--it's a great thing to be!

How New Jersey Are You?
Make Your Own Quiz

I think it's time for me to move!

Want Some Cheese With That Whine?

Is there really something called spring fever because I think I may very well have it! Hubby was sick all last week and now its my turn. I can barely keep my eyes open as I type this. It's so beautiful outside but I'm too exhausted to enjoy the lovely spring evening. And my head is POUNDING! Well, enough of my little "pity party". Need to get some rest and hopefully will return to so-called "normal" self soon. God bless you all.
And I apologize for all the whining-now could someone please pass the cheese?

Gardening in the Garden State

Hello, just trying to do my share these past few days to help my state of NJ live up to it's official nickname. And believe me, it needs all the help it can get. There's not a lot of open space left where I live. And where little patches of green survive, Canadian geese have staked their claim. They are cute, but they are sooo messy! Anyway, I'm just trying to pretty up my little corner of the planet. And it's also very good therapy after a long day at work. It helps sometimes to commune with nature to regain one's sanity.
I still have a lot of planting to do. I'll post pictures if it doesn't look too ugly. And I'll carefully crop them so it won't look like New Jersey. Although there may be a goose or two.

Happy Mother's Day In Heaven Mom

I'm not sure if you can make out the words on this piece of cross-stitch my Mom made. Here's what it says:
A hundred years from now it will not matter
What my bank account was
The sort of house I lived in
Or the kind of car I drove
But the world may be different
Because I was important
In the life of a child

This was her mantra. It still hangs in the kitchen at my Dad's house even though she's been gone for almost six years. We had it on display at the funeral home, surrounded by pictures of her and her grandchildren when she passed away, because we all knew it was the best way to honor her.

She had copied the words from her favorite coffee mug (she LOVED coffee).Her children and especially her grandchildren were the most important things in her life.

She was the classic Italian mother-A great cook, very religious, strict, and a bit over- protective. She loved Jesus, my Dad, the New York Yankees, Frank Sinatra, Norman Rockwell, cooking, and all things Italian.

She was "Mom" to all the neighborhood kids, looking out for them like they were her own. Her kitchen door was always open; all were welcome in her home.

And if you got her mad, you'd better watch out-for she could throw a shoe at her intended target with the precision of the best New York Yankee pitcher.

And most of all she loved her beloved grandchildren, I see her reflected in all of them:

Janine loves New York City and works there like she did, before she married Dad.

Ben loves the New York Yankees and even looks like her father, aka Grandpa.

Eddie is Dad's best friend like she was.

Katie loves to cook

Nicholas loves to read and learn new things like she did.

Tori probably resembles her most of all with her olive skin and dark hair. She also has that Italian temper. She'll make a fine shoe-throwing mom someday.

And Josie, who only knew her for a year, loves Jesus and sings in church with the voice of an angel. Where that talent came from is a mystery, because no one in our family can carry a tune.

Yes Mom, you live on in all your grandchildren.

But I still miss you dearly.

Perhaps one hundred years from now that cross-stitch will be hanging in the home of a great-great-great-grandchild and those words may hold a special meaning for them, just like they did for her.

And that would be Mom's greatest legacy.

Mom and Me



My sister, Mom, and Dad at what would be our last Chrisrmas together.

Show and Tell

Kelli is hosting a Show and Tell Friday. If you want to join in the fun, visit Kelli's blog to leave a link to your post.

For my show and tell this week, I would like to introduce you to my cat, Jeter and my dog, Raven. As you can see they are good friends and they also share a birthday. Jeter is eight and he is named after the NY Yankees shortstop, Derek Jeter although he is built more like Babe Ruth. Raven is eleven and we named her that because she reminded us of a little blackbird when she was a puppy.




Here they are spying on "Daddy" while he is in the kitchen. I know those two are planning some kind of scheme!

And in this last picture, well how does one explain THIS?

Hope you enjoyed these pictures of my "fur babies". Thanks for visiting.

The Mystery of the Lost Bill

The call came last Saturday morning as I was getting ready to go to my sister's house. I was already running a little late when the phone rang, so I answered it thinking it was my father, since we were riding up there together.
Wrong! It was the billing department of a certain major US auto maker informing me that my car payment was late.
But I had mailed it two weeks before. I called my bank and found out the check had never cleared. So I went online and made the payment plus a small late charge, wondering what had happened to that bill.
A few days later, I had the answer and now I'm more confused than ever. I received a letter from a major wireless service containing the original check I had written for my car payment and a note informing me that my "check is not payable to V______n Wireless". Well there's a darn good reason for that-I DON'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT WITH V______N WIRELESS! How my car payment ended up there really baffles me. And what's more amazing is how their letter ever made it to my home-my name and address look like they were written by a blindfolded chicken!
So from now on I'm going to have that car payment automatically deducted from my checking account. Seems like there's some strange things going on with the US Mail. I can't take the chance of "Repo Man" paying me a midnight visit. I really need my car.

I do have V______n for my regular phone service. I'm thinking of mailing their next payment to the company that finances my auto loan so they receive it on a timely basis.

Like their commercials say:"Can you hear me now?"

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

You Should Be a Joke Writer

You're totally hilarious, and you can find the humor in any situation. Whether you're spouting off zingers, comebacks, or jokes about life... You usually can keep a crowd laughing, and you have plenty of material. You have the makings of a great comedian - or comedic writer.

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

Oh my- I'm a comedian-now THAT is a big joke. I have a slight case of "blogger's block" today due to spring allergies. So I apologize for my lazy posts. My normally dark blue Jeep looks green from all the pollen on it.

Do I have plenty of material? You bet I do!! But what I really need right now are plenty of tissues and some eye drops. So enjoy the quiz and God bless (yes that was me sneezing!)

The Legend of the Sand Dollar

Sand Dollar

The legend of the Sand dollar

That I would like to tell

Of the birth and death of Jesus

Found in this lovely shell.

If you will examine closely,

You'll see that you find here

Four nail holes and a fifth one

Made by a Roman's spear.

On one side the Easter Lily,

It's center is the star

That appeared unto the shepherds

And led them from afar.

The Christmas Poinsettia

Etched on the other side

Reminds us of His birthday,

Our happy Christmas tide.

Now break the center open

And here you will release

The five white doves awaiting

To spread good will and peace

This simple little symbol,

Christ left for you and me.

To help us spread His Gospel

Through all eternity.

~ Author Unknown by Me ~

For Sale: Barbie's Dream House

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the for sale sign on the house around the corner from my Dad's. Most would probably not even notice the humble, yellow ranch house with the black shutters. I'm sure there are many others out there just like it. But to me it was so much more. For it had once been the the home of my childhood friend, Debbie. And it was also the birthplace of our girlhood dreams.
Though she and I were a year apart in age, we were inseparable. We walked to and from school together every day. On weekends we had giggly sleepovers and went to church together. We loved riding our bikes, the Beatles, and Barbie.
Oh, how we lived our fantasies through those Barbies. They drove around in pink convertibles and shopped at Saks Fifth Avenue and on Carnaby Street. Our Barbies not only dated Ken, but also our brothers' GI Joes, and John, Paul, George, and Ringo. They lived in beautiful dream houses and wore beautiful clothes. It was the kind of life we hoped to have someday.
When we weren't playing Barbies, we would ride our bikes. We made big plans for the future. Like riding our bikes to California as soon as we finished high school. And we would get jobs and an apartment there. We would have a yellow kitchen and a peach bathroom. And of course, we would drive a convertible.
But sadly, Debbie moved to a city a few miles away when I was eleven years old. We still kept in touch, but things had changed. The Barbie days were over. The bike rides turned into bus rides and we only saw each other on weekends. Sometimes she would stay for a few weeks during the summer. Things pretty much continued this way until we were in high school.
And then it happened. The one thing that would finally come between us. Sometime during the summer of '72 we both met our "Kens". We slowly drifted apart, maybe just seeing each other a few times a year, or at weddings and funerals. I guess it had to end sometime. The Beatles had already broken up, even Barbie and Ken would eventually call it quits. Perhaps he heard about her escapades with GI Joe and the Fab Four.
Anyway, I wanted that house! I had been thinking of moving but I just hadn't found the right house yet and I was sure this was it. This place held so many memories, not to mention our secret hiding place from the Martians, if they ever decided to invade the Earth. So when I got home I checked it out on the realtor's web site and I have some sad news. It's "under contract". Apparently, it's also someone else's dream house.
And maybe it was God's way of telling me that our dreams are in our hearts, not in places from our past. They've always been there, waiting for us to rediscover them. Maybe that's the reason I painted my kitchen yellow and my bathroom peach. And could it also be the reason why Debbie wrote this in a recent Christmas card: "Remember when we talked about riding our bikes to California?"
So it's quite possible that one day you may see two middle-aged Barbies peddling west on Route 66. Or perhaps we'll be cruising by in a pink convertible. And if you do spot us, please don't forget to wave.
And cheer up Barbie, I also have some good news for you: Paul McCartney is once again available!

Daddy's Empty Chair

Old Chair

A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her father. When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed. The minister assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me, he said. "No, who are you?" said the father. The minister told him his name and then remarked, "I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up." "Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?" Puzzled, the minister shut the door. "I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head." I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued, "until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me, "Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest. "Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because he promised, 'I will be with you always'. "Then just speak to him in the same way you're doing with me right now." "So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm." The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon. Did he die in peace?" he asked. Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him. But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?" The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I wish we could all go like that."

Author Unknown

An Unexpected Visitor...

First the birds, then THE BEE, and now THE BEAR. My sister had a party at her home yesterday up in north Jersey. Some of us were on the deck out front when we noticed this visitor across the street. I know it's hard to tell from the picture above (I didn't want to get too close), but that black thing in the middle is a bear standing upright, having a little snack at a bird feeder in my sister's neighbor's yard.

In this next photo, I'm a bit closer and THE BEAR is moving as you can tell from the blurred image (or could it be because I'm trembling a bit?). Meanwhile, the people who live in this home are pulling into their driveway which is on the opposite side of the house. My brother-in-law walked over there to inform them about their "guest". And my sister is yelling, "Lynne, how fast can you run in that long skirt you're wearing?" And do you know what I was thinking this whole time-"Wow, I need to get some pictures of this to post in my blog!"



Here he or she is, heading back into the woods. My brother-in- law and his neighbor frightened it away by banging pans together and firing a paintball gun. Both THE BEAR and the blogger escaped without a scratch. He wasn't seen again for the rest of the evening, and here I am, safely home again , to tell the tale.
Have a blessed Sunday everyone.

Show and Tell

My show and tell for this week is my lilac bush. Spring has FINALLY arrived here in NJ in a big way and there are so many beautiful trees and shrubs in bloom right now. It's really true-April showers DO bring May flowers. We have been blessed with perfect spring weather lately and I hope everyone else is enjoying the same. How I wish I could upload the fragrance of these flowers to share with you, but as far as I know the technology to do that does not yet exist. I planted this lilac bush about 13 years ago when I first moved into my home. It was just a tiny little twig of a plant I found at Wal- Mart for $5.00 and I can't believe how much it has grown since then. It didn't bloom for the first few years, but it's sure making up for it now. Every May it puts on quite a show. Lilacs have always been one of my favorite flowers. I just wish I had the room to plant more of them.
Once again, thank you Kelli for hosting this Show and Tell.

The Story of the Dogwood Tree

Dogwood Blossom


As a child I heard this tale,
Long ago during the days that Jesus
was here on earth in the form of man
there were many dogwood trees.
The dogwood was comparable in
size to the oak tree and other
monarchs of the forest. Because of its
firmness and strength it was
selected as the timber for the cross,
but to be put to such a cruel use
greatly distressed the tree.

Sensing this, the crucified Jesus in his gentle
pity for the sorrow and suffering of
all said to it: "Because of your
sorrow and pity for My sufferings,
never again will the dogwood tree
grow large enough to be used as a cross
. Henceforth it will be slender, bent and twisted
and its blossoms will be in the form of a cross
two long and two short petals
.
In the center of the outer edge of
each petal there will be nail prints
brown with rust and stained with red
and in the center of the flower
will be a crown of thorns, and all who see
this will remember."

~ Author Unknown

The Bee and Me

Buzzy Bee

Since I posted about birds the other day, I thought it would be only fair to give bees equal time, after all it is Spring.
We've had some heavy rain here recently which caused a little bit of water to enter our basement. I was home most of the weekend, so I left the basement door and windows open to help speed up the drying process. Anyway, Sunday night I went down there to close the windows and I saw what I thought was a dead bee, a BIG, furry, dead bee, anchored to the window screen. So I took a piece of paper from the trash and tried to remove this bee from the screen and it started to move and it sounded off a warning BZZZZZZZZZZZ!!! Nope, not quite dead yet! Turned out the fuzzy little buzzer was only sleeping. (Bees sleep???) Anyway, I quickly shut the window, leaving the bee between screen and glass, thinking I'll deal with this tomorrow.
The next day, while I'm walking around the yard doing my daily poop scoop patrol, I remember THE BEE. So I checked the window fom the outside-yep still there. I rattled the screen a little-BZZZZZZZZZZ! Yep-still very much alive. I slide the screen open a few inches, thinking bees have like a thousand little eyes so he'll see the opening and fly away. Nope, that doesn't happen. I find a small stick, slide it between the window and screen and gently poke at the bee in his business end, trying to coax him towards the opening. THE BEE does not like this and moves further inside.
After violating THE BEE a few more times, he finally finds his way outside. He buzzes angrily past me, probably swearing at me in a way that only a bee can. I watch him as he flies into my neighbor's yard and, uh oh- makes a beeline to his open back door.
And like THE BEE, I also buzz off, for I do not want to know what happens next.

I Am Midnight-What Time of Day Are You?

You Are Midnight

You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits. Whether you're a nightowl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle. Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it. You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.

What Time Of Day Are You?

MAY DAY! MAY DAY!

Make Yourself at Home

I've been attempting to do some much needed spring cleaning, but being a bit of a packrat and also domestically challenged, I'm not making too much progress. And apparently, it's long overdue. Here's just a few of the treasures I've unearthed so far: (WARNING-IF YOU ARE A CLEAN, NEAT, ORGANIZED, PERSON DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER)
1. A pocket calendar from 2003.
2. A phone book from 1997.
3. Enough cat hair under the bed to make a clone of my kitty.
4. The remote control for the bedroom tv (yay!)
5. Christmas gifts that my husband bought and wrapped for his family at least five years ago (ho ho ho!)
6. Assorted squeaky dog toys.
7. A few dead house plants (please don't ask)
8. And other stuff that is just too GROSS to mention.
This is just the tip of the iceberg in the master bedroom-I haven't even looked in the closet yet!
I'm sure that's a real treasure trove of trash. Maybe I'll be finished by NEXT spring!
Oh, and an honorable mention goes to the jar of pickles in the fridge that expired in 1998!