Waking to the smell of smoke.....

Fire's, fire's everywhere! This is pretty scary. Living in a wonderful state like Colorado has it's perks. But after a dry winter, spring and now summer, fire's are everywhere throughout our beautiful state.
This one in the picture is closest to where I live. The smell of smoke awoke me during the night as I slept with two of the bedroom window's open. My thoughts and prayers extend to all the firefighters who are doing their best, to the families who lives are forever changed due to the fires that are ravishing our majestic state.
Please be smart. No matter where you reside, don't disguard your cigarette butts out a window. Be sure your campfires are completly out before leaving the area, doucing them with water is the best.

Anyone for......

Zucchini? As you see, my garden is doing wonderful! Several zucchini are going to be ready to pick by later this week. Banana peppers are going wild, as well as my jalapenos. I planted this garden the first week of May, and with the over one hundred degree temperature's we're having, it's important I keep my ninety-six foot garden watered! I say ninety-six foot because when my ten year old granddaughter was visiting me in April, she helped me enlarge the garden. She then measured it. and in an instant informed me that my garden is now 96 square feet! Have I mentioned how smart my beautiful granddaughter is?
I've planted eleven tomato plants of three varieties, one didn't make it. My red cabbages are growing great, as well as onions, both green and yellow. I'll be picking a few jalapenos, blanching them, then freezing them, later this week. I use those in my salsa I make the end of September. Although it may be earlier this year.
Have you planted a garden this year? If so, what wonderful vegetables does your garden grow?
Plans for Tuesday? Where ever your day leads you, make it happy! If you live near me on the Western slope of Colorado, stay cool, it's going to be another hot one today!

Is it a___________ or a _________?

This morning as I drove to the neurologist for my Multiple Sclerosis appointment, I get to experience several open fields. Nearing one of the fields, I viewed two adult horses and a baby horse. I slowed down to get a better look. I took in the beauty as I proceeded by.  Daydreaming, I began to wonder if this new baby was a colt or a filly. There is so many beautiful creatures to enjoy, if we only take these special moments to experience them. As you travel to your destination, open your mind and your eyes and enjoy what you may encounter.

Happy Father's Day

On this Father's Day, I want to wish father's everywhere, a Happy Fathers Day. And for those of us who's father's have passed, remember all the good times you shared.
There isn't a day that goes by, that a thought of my father doesn't surface, and it's been fifteen years.

Raise your hand if you LOVE....

buying a swim suit? Thursday, my husband wanted to accompany me on my feat to purchase a swimsuit. OMG!!! is all I can say. He soon became bored, as he watched me abruptly look from at one suit to another. Sitting down was a better option for him, so he went around the corner and took a seat. I'm not sure how much time passed (since I don't wear a watch), when he rejoined me on my search for a swimsuit, for a couple weeks short of, a 53 year old woman. Where was my 25 year old body I asked myself while I proceeded to try one one suit after another!
Exiting the fitting room for the third time with NO luck, Brett looked at me and asked, "well?"
I smiled, turned towards him and said, "One bullet is going to be cheaper!"
He laughed since he knows my sick sense of humor, and followed me once again to where the suits were located. After a few more minutes, he left and headed back to the benches by the fitting rooms.
After a time, I appeared outside the fitting room and told him these were the last 2 I was going to try! It wasn't long after I emerged with swimsuit in hand and said in a disgusted tone, "Okay,let's go!"
Brett looked up from the bench and told me that I not only missed my own birthday, but his, since I was in the fitting room so long.
I like my suit, and once I arrived home and tried it on in my OWN mirrors, I was fine. Maybe the mirrors in my house know not to mess with me, as the ones in the fitting rooms did!

My new suit was inducted at our local swimming pool this afternoon. From 12-1 on Friday's, Saturday's and Sunday's, along with additional early hours, my local pubic pool, (less than a mile from home), is open for 'adult' swim only. Not that I don't enjoy all the children splashing and having fun, but I have a mission when I go to the pool, and that is to swim laps and get a minimum of 45 minutes of exercise. Today it was a success, although I need to talk with my neurologist this coming week to inquire if I will ever be able to get strength back into my left leg and arm, since it was damaged due to the Multiple Sclerosis. It was suggested from a fellow 'adult' swimmer that maybe I should use one of those swimming noodles to help. Great suggestion, and I will consult with my doctor on Tuesday!
We know that it sucks getting older, but visualizing myself as "I WAS" when I was younger with a bikini body, and living with the reality that I'm a couple weeks shy of 53, have been suffering with Multiple Sclerosis for nearly 25 years, and am still able to hold down a job four days a week, life isn't so bad. Always remember, no matter how bad you may think you have it, someone else has it much worst!
I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend, it's back to work for me on Sunday, but you can guess where I will be for at least an hour on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, my days' off of work!

It's Friday! Who's ready for some......

Bluegrass Music?

This weekend in my town of Palisade, CO the annual Palisade Bluegrass Roots Festival is taking place.

There’s no better way to recharge before the long summer than three days of live music and camping by the Colorado River in one of Western Colorado’s most stunning and unique locations.

This year’s festival features notable bluegrass and roots musicians, on-site camping, band scramble jam sessions, workshops, delicious food vendors/artisans, and children activities. The festival is held right on the banks of the Colorado River in Riverbend Park - a stunning festival venue with over 110 acres of beautiful riverfront scenery, complete with pavilions, a playground, a boat launch, fishing ponds, a winding bike path and the valley’s premiere disc golf course.

Palisade is known as the Peach and Wine Capital of Colorado with the state’s greatest concentration of wineries/vineyards and orchards making it an ideal location for a weekend music festival. Local wines, micro-brews, food and artisans are ready to help make this the perfect weekend getaway for live music enthusiasts. So float on down to Palisade where you can kick back, relax, and enjoy the movement.
(information taken from http://ht.ly/bz5Pf)

I'm excited because our home is within walking distance to this park, and my husband and I can sit on or patio, enjoy our cocktails and listen to the music.

What ever you do, or where ever this weekend leads you, enjoy, and don't forget the sunscreen!

Happy Birthday Anne Frank

June 12, 1929, Anne Frank was born. I discovered the following script written in her diary from Wikipedia:

Frank aspired to become a journalist, writing in her diary on Wednesday, 5 April 1944:

I finally realized that I must do my schoolwork to keep from being ignorant, to get on in life, to become a journalist, because that’s what I want! I know I can write ..., but it remains to be seen whether I really have talent ...And if I don’t have the talent to write books or newspaper articles, I can always write for myself. But I want to achieve more than that. I can’t imagine living like Mother, Mrs. van Daan and all the women who go about their work and are then forgotten. I need to have something besides a husband and children to devote myself to! ...
I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I’ve never met. I want to go on living even after my death! And that’s why I’m so grateful to God for having given me this gift, which I can use to develop myself and to express all that’s inside me!
When I write I can shake off all my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived! But, and that’s a big question, will I ever be able to write something great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer?

— Anne Frank

 

She continued writing regularly until her last entry of 1 August 1944.

What an inspiration! Where ever your Tuesday, June 12th. leads you, I hope you take a few moments and write, and as your pen hits the paper, silently say Happy Birthday to Anne Frank.

Friday Walk

Beautiful blue skies, light breeze,the chirping birds, and a train blowing it's whistle, accompanied me this morning on my walk. Although it's almost 75 degree's and not quite 10:00 a.m., it was difficult not to enjoy my walk.
I needed an ingredient for the jambalaya I am putting together in the crock pot this morning, and instead of getting into the car to drive less than a mile, I chose to walk and enjoy the beautiful scenery and sounds of life.
I believe we all get ourselves caught up in work, deadlines, occasional drama, and family issues that we forget how simple life can be, if we choose it to be.
Yesterday, my day consisted of a dental appointment, miscellaneous errands, and a woman's wellness appointment, all before 1:00! Exhausting day. Today I have my writers group at three in the afternoon, and that is all that is written on my schedule. Hence why I chose to enjoy my morning off and take a stroll to my neighborhood grocery store, and purchase one ingredient, even though my multiple sclerosis does not fair well when I walk in the heat. Don't we all have to push ourselves from time to time?
I hope everyone takes the time this weekend to take in the beauty that life offers, if we only quite ourselves long enough to experience it.

Positive thoughts are with all the families and

friends of the four students who died Sunday morning in a car accident in Brunswick, Ohio.
One of my five sister's, and her family lives in Brunswick, Ohio and several of the students who perished were friends my niece and nephew's.
Every June, you hear about stories kids killed in such tragic automobile accidents. This one as well as one other in my past, hit close to home. I grew up in the suburbs west of Cleveland, Ohio. I was born when my parents lived in Brunswick, Ohio. Five years later they built a home in North Royalton, Ohio which is approximately 15 miles north of Brunswick, where I lived until I married, the first time.
Currently, one of my sisters is raising her four children in the city of Brunswick. After reading about this tragic accident, I noticed this sister on facebook this morning, and inquired if my niece and nephews knew these children. She shared with me that they not only knew these kids, they grew up with them and were all friends. My heart is aching, not only for the children who lost their lives, their parents, and loved ones, but for my niece and nephew's.
This accident will effect them the remainder of their lives. I'm not a religious person as many know, although I do believe in a higher power. My positive thoughts for understanding and healing extend to all who are touched by this tragedy.
Where ever you're Tuesday leads you, be sure to hug and kiss your children before you walk through the door. We hope, but do not know when the next time we will be able to do that.

http://news.yahoo.com/4th-teen-dies-pre-graduation-crash-ohio-150245089.html

June is here, do you know that...

Tennessee became the 16th state, June 1, 1796?

“How did it get so late so soon?
Its night before its afternoon.
December is here before its June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?”- Dr. Seuss 

My thoughts exactly! Where is this year going? June 1st already. Summer is around the corner, although here in western Colorado the weather has been summer like for the past month.
Any plans for the month? I'll be celebrating my birthday the last day of the month, followed by my husbands three days later.
Farmer's Markets will begin this month. My husband and I enjoy visiting the farmers market in Grand Junction, Colorado on Thursday evenings. I hope you support your local farmers market.