P.I.C.N.I.C.

If you are a "techie" you'll understand that title. If you aren't, I'll explain in a minute. I am NOT a techie, although some think I may be; at least a little. When I was working I was considered the Technology person for our school. If there was a problem with teachers' computers, I was the go-to person. Unfortunately, that wasn't because I really knew what I was doing. As one person put it, 15 years ago, when our school was trying to decide who would be the designated Tech person, "Connie, it should be you! You know more about this stuff than anyone else, here!" To which I replied, "If I know more than anyone else, then we are in trouble!"

I learned a good bit while I was doing the job, but mostly I was the first level tech person who solved the simple problems. One thing I learned is that when you check the troubleshooting part of a manual for anything the first thing on the list is "Is the (fill in the blank) plugged in?" That question is there for a reason. It made people like me look smart. I plugged in the printer, and VOILA! it worked!!! Amazing.

Well, this week was a chance to harken back to those days. First, someone hacked my email. Hundreds of people on my contact list (yes, there are that many) received invitations to try Viagra or Cialis under the multitudes of misleading subject headings like "I Did It!", or "You'll Love This!". I changed my password, but alas, Hotmail decided to teach me a lesson while protecting their system. I was locked out of my account for a day while the whole thing was sorted out. So Techie thing #2 was to fix my account and get it back. Today I had to deal with Techie #3. My wireless printer went off line and none of the traditional fixes (meaning turning it off and then on again) worked.

The problem with all this is, as I stated at the beginning, I am NOT a techie!! Therefore I made a few missteps before I figured out what I should have done and ended up re-installing my wireless router, and then I had to reconnect my printer and two computers. 2 hours wasted.

There is a fun side to being a techie. Techie's have code words they use to describe problems to one another. My favorite is the "IDtenT" problem. It sounds very 'technical' but when a Tech Support Person tells another Tech Support Person, "the problem was an "IDtenT" it is not a compliment. I won't spell it out for you, but grab a pencil and write it out, supplementing the actual number for the word. It means you probably forgot to plug the printer in.

One guy who does phone support told me he uses the "Pin3ErrorCode" with people over the phone. One key tip to solve any problem is to 'check the connections'. This doesn't mean jiggle the cable. It means unplug it and plug it back in to make sure a lost connection has been re-united, so to speak. Most people would assure the phone tech they had checked the connections. This techie told his clients it 'sounds like a Pin3 error code' and had the client unplug a few cables and then reconnect them, frequently solving the problem.

So what does P.I.C.N.I.C mean? Code for "Problem in chair, NOT in computer". Another version of the IDtenT code. The problem is: user stupidity; not computer error. So back to my problems this week. As for the email Hacking: true. My password was too simple, and not changed frequently enough. Problem in chair.  Blocked out of my email????  Let's change that to "Problem in COMPUTER, NOT in Chair!" (even if maybe I originated the problem). And then the wireless router? Definitely, problem in chair. As I said, I was a Level 1 tech support person at my school. I only looked good because I had great 'behind-the-scenes-support'. Greg, I mean YOU! I had people I could call who would walk me through more complicated fixes. It's one of the things I miss most, now that I'm retired. So after fiddling around, make that fumbling around, I finally solved the problem and got my printer back on line

Being the Tech Support person is one of the things I don't miss, now that I am retired! But having those people I could call?? Oh yeah, I miss them ALOT!

Christmas Rush

"Christmas is just over a week away and it seems as though there just isn't enough time in the day to get everything done." That statement applies to almost everyone at this time of year. I've noticed I don't have time to blog. It seems as if there are so many more pressing needs. I'll be walking the dog, or shopping in the mall and think of things I want to blog about, but when I get home I 'have to do ........ first'!

A few weeks ago my daughter texted me:  'my Christmas Cards are done, but I still feel like I'm behind'. 'Are you kidding?' I texted back. 'I don't even have my TREE up yet!!' Then I looked at the calendar. It was Dec. 1! Her card arrived in the mail the next day. It was the first one of the season. And that got me worrying a little bit. My cousin has always sent the first card, usually right after Thanksgiving, (for the last 40 years!). I hoped she was OK. I was glad to see her card arrive a week later.

Ok. So what's the rush? I am just as guilty. Until my cards were out and my tree was up, I felt as though the season was running away without me. I started thinking back to when I actually had a job and 2 kids at home that had to be chauffered here and there. My goal was to get the cards out and delivered by Dec. 24. If the tree was up 2 weeks before Christmas we were doing well. As a teacher, a scout leader, and a part of other groups, my focus was on getting packages mailed to relatives first, making Christmas gifts for scouts, buying gifts for other teachers,  and getting things done before school went on break. We usually went on break about 5 days before Christmas and that's when I started my family shopping!

Now I'm retired. My kids are raising their own families (and in some ways emulating the habits they saw in their mother). I don't usually have packages to mail any more and the kids are coming here. Ordering a Christmas card photo with a holiday message and printed signature has taken the writer's cramp out of all the cards with personal messages added on.The pace has slowed considerably. But not the sense of 'the rush'. December 1 and I already was wondering when it was going to get done. In the old days I never had time to worry about it. I just pushed through each day and tackled the next 'this has to be done tonight' project.

1 Week out: the lights are on the house, the tree is up, the cards are out, and most of the shopping is done. The house is decorated with all my favorite tsotchkes (is that how you spell it?)--Hey kids, that's a local word for KnickKnacks. I feel much more relaxed about the whole season now, but I've learned, until all the decorations are up and the boxes tucked back in the closet I will still feel the pressure, even if I still have 3 weeks to go.

I hope you and yours are all able to enjoy the holiday season whether it is rushed or relaxed. (And if you can be relaxed my guess is that you are one in a million!) Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while you put up the tree and a glass of wine when it's done. Or Vice Versa! Or wine both times! Whatever makes your day a little lighter. Tis the season ... For a Reason.  So savor the moment. What's the rush? You still have a week to go!

Hey Mother Nature! Who's Fooling Who?

Long, long ago there was a popular commercial that ended with the words "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature!" The purpose of the commercial is irrelevant, but it came to mind yesterday. I was out working in the gardens, cleaning out the last of the leaf debris that had built up under the bushes. We've been here 5 years already, but this is the first fall we've had to rake. I told Larry last year we didn't need to plant anymore trees! Right now it seems just about right. In a few years the trees will be big enough to really add character to the yard. They will be beautiful in the spring, add shade in the summer and be gorgeous in the fall and then..... I'll be huffing and puffing, sweating and groaning, as I rake up the clutter and trying to capture it all in the leaf bins our recycling center has given us.

Oh well, that's projecting into the future. Back to yesterday. As I pulled back the matted piles of dead leaves in the garden I was surprised to see tips of green shoots poking through the soil. There were unmistakable signs of bulbs popping up! Even the chrysanthemums were sending out new shoots! What is this? It's December! What's up with my plants?

We had snow in October, but November was warmer than usual. It has actually been in the high 50's, lately. How optomistic of these plants to think that spring must be on the way!

I decided I want to be like my plants; ever optomistic that spring is right around the corner. The temperature will plummet to freezing tonight and will stay there for several days. It may rebound later and give me a taste of spring or I may be stuck with subzero temps. I know something my plants don't. It's ONLY December! The snows are coming. But when they do, I'm gonna look out from the comfort of my house and say....

Hey, Spring is just around the corner! The tulips told me so!

Karma

Karma, What goes around, comes around. I love Karma...usually. There was a sweet story in the news a couple of weeks ago that gave that great feeling of Karma.

A Saint Bernard was found abandoned, starving, and dehydrated. The pet rescue center that received the dog was unfortunately not a No-Kill center. The day before the dog was scheduled to be put down a couple connected to the center took the dog home to keep for a few days in the hopes they would find a new home for him. As they were returning to their home, the dog pushed through the door and charged ahead of them, barking and growling. He chased an intruder out the back door! The couple decided THEY were his new owners! Karma.

I recently had my own bout with Karma. Men are not often known for their finesse. My husband will never be accused of handling things delicately. It is a common practice of his to grind his coffee beans and then pour them into the coffee maker. As easy as this task may seem he has yet to succeed without leaving coffee grinds sprinkled all over the counter, stove and into the burner pans.

The other day he was busy getting his coffee ready when he knocked the coffee grinder spilling grounds all over the counter and floor. I gave him my usual exasperated look as I checked the floor to make sure it was all cleaned up. Then I proceeded to fix dinner.

Half an hour later I took a dish of rice out of the oven. As I set it on the stove the hot mat slipped, the rice bowl tipped and I had 2 cups of rice splattered across the stove top and through every burner pan. I even had to scrub it out between the coils on the burners.

Karma. Sometimes it works for you. Sometimes...not so much.

#1 Wild and Woolly

Fall is winding down. As I headed out today, I noticed the last of the pear trees, the final hold out around here, have shed almost all of their leaves. The pear tree has become my favorite since we moved here. Covered in white blossoms it is the one of the most showy trees in spring. In fall it holds on to its green leaves until the end, finally turning a bright burnished gold before letting them go.

This isn't a pear tree, but it has also become one of my favorites. I watch it outside my window for its signs. It is the first to get green in the spring, and the last to change in the fall. Often the gold leaves turn red, but this year they stayed gold. I took this picture about 5 days ago. Today the leaves are gone.
The chrysanthemums are hanging on, but most of the other flowers have withered in the first frost. The fields are wild and woolly. They aren't what one would normally describe as pretty, but to me they are.

It took me awhile to notice it, but last year I really did. The fields had grown up. The grasses had dried. The wildflowers had lost their colors and now wore hats of feathery white seed pods. The bloom of youth was gone. They had aged.

Just as a photographer can take a picture of an aged and wrinkled old person and you see the beauty within, the life that was lived, so the fields in late fall look beautiful to me. It does mean the fall season is nearing an end, but Thanksgiving is at hand! We'll be putting up Christmas decorations next weekend. It's time for change. Time to embrace the next season. And Seasons are one of the blessings of living north of the temperate zone.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

#2 Crunch, Crunch, Skuffle

It's been awhile since I've posted. As usual life has gotten away from me, but I'm ready to catch back up to it!

Today feels more like winter, but the good news is that fall isn't over yet. The air was more cold than crisp as Maggie and I took our walk but it got me to thinking of other walks on fall days.

As a child I remember skuffling through the leaves on my way to school in the Fall or jumping into freshly raked piles. When we moved to Florida there was a part of me that missed that. Florida trees don't lose as many leaves in the fall. There were a few times when walking in the woods brought back that memory but it is more dramatic here. I think it is because so many leaves have come down at once. The bigger the leaf the better the shuffle!

When my father was in the hospital one year, my sisters and I gathered at the hospital. It was early November and we went out for a walk. The sidewalk was buried under layers of dry and bright yellow poplar and maple leaves. The sound of the crunch, and the smell from the sun warming the leaves was old and familiar and comforting.

Our pear tree is holding on to its last few leaves, but the yard is polka-dotted with the rest. The leaf fall is almost over. The shuffle, skuffle, crunch will last for a short time, but that too will pass. I'll enjoy it while I have it!

# 3 Crisp Air

Don't you love waking up in the morning to that crisp clear air? Or looking up at night to see thousands of stars glittering in the dark? I have yet to meet someone who doesn't appreciate a crisp, cool Fall day. Even those summer fanatics can't help but succomb when the mugginess clears. The forecast of a "Cold Front" might chill the heart of a summer lover, but when the morning dawns cloudless and clear even they (and I) find their step is lighter and quicker.

I am one of those people. I am a walker and so is Maggie. Maggie has gotten too old for those hot summer walks, but I am still up to the challenge. Maggie waits at home while I go out each morning and she greets me when I walk back in dripping with sweat, face mottled from the heat. Summer heat has been gone for awhile now, but we both are enjoying the cooler days. Her step is perkier and at the end of our walk my body is warm, but the glow on my face isn't threatening heat exhaustion.
Not everyday is crisp. Later this week itwill be cold and chilly. But right now we are having some gorgeous days and I want to be sure to enjoy them! Fall has more crisp, clear days than any other season and it is one of the things I really love about Fall.

Pumpkins and Apples

I'm going to keep today's post short and simple. It's not my strong point, but today it is my purpose. This is the time of year for pumpkins and apples. What is my favorite part about it?

Apple pie...cinnamon smells...fresh, homemade applesauce, apple cobbler, bright red, crisp, crunchy, juicy...I love them cut up on my cereal in the morning instead of blueberries (also yummy!), a bushel of fresh apples keeping cold in the garage so I can grab a few to bake or one to eat...and, oh my gosh, the unbelievable apple dumplings with ice cream at local fall festivals!

Pumpkin Patches and all their fun; corn mazes, hayrides, children's games
Tiny tots in a pumpkin patch carrying their very own pumpkin.
The Pumpkin Patch at our church where every penny goes to help people in need locally as well as globally and not one cent is spent on administrative costs... (I'm very proud of that)

Pumpkin--pie, bread, muffins, pancakes, cookies, cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, Sorry. My stomach just growled.
Pumpkins decorating the garden, gourds in a table top arrangement, white pumpkins, green bumpy pumpkins, jack-o'-lanterns...
Little ones hollowed out for flower arrangements,

Red and Orange...the color of the season and another of my favorite things.
What's not to love?

#5 October's Goldrush!

It is impossible to talk about Fall without talking about the changing leaves! I'm not going to say much here. (Are you relieved?) After all, everyone from pre-school and up knows that the leaf change is the most significant thing about Fall. Suffice it to say, that I agree. Instead I will let the pictures do the talking.

The view from my deck. It is tough I know, but someone has to look at it!

Ornamental grasses display their showy plumes as a salute to fall.

Fall is the time of year for driving, but it is hard to take in the sights and not wreck the car.

Fall takes its time in Pittsburgh. With the wide variety of trees, the leaf change comes in stages. It takes a beautiful season and stretches it out. And that is just fine with me!

#6 High Sky

Have you watched the Jimmy Dean commercials for their breakfast sandwiches? They feature Cloud, Rainbow, and Sun having a hard time waking up and getting going until they get a sandwich. They may seem to border on dumb or strange or odd, but that is the world of commercials, isn't it, and they do get their point across. There is one that has been on lately where Cloud is hanging low and gray until someone gives him a Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich. Suddenly he perks up and floats up into the sky.

I think Pittsburgh needs a bunch of those sandwiches. We are home to the low-flying gray cloud. It hangs here most of the year. It can (and DOES) get depressing. I know one woman who's husband takes her on a trip to the water (any water) whenever she goes through 40 days of gray sky. That's a bunch of trips in the winter, let me tell you.

Well, Fall is our preparation for the winter doldrums. Summer days are much brighter than winter, but it is October when we have some of the best days. Blue sky, high white clouds, low humidity and perfect temperature are days to relish. Fall afternoons are spectacular. The late afternoon light on the hillsides are too magical to describe. Last Halloween, as neighbors gathered outside in prepartion for trick or treat a few of us were chatting when one pointed to the hillside. All conversation ceased as we stood transfixed at the glow on the trees from the setting sun.

The first weekend in October was miserable. A planned cookout and bonfire was moved inside as the rain poured for two days, matched only by the unseasonable cold. Last weekend was just the opposite. We climbed into the corvette, top down and drove north to the Franklin Apple Fest under a cloudless sky, and gorgeous scenery. Like a squirrel, it is these memories that I stockpile for the winter ahead and I pull them out frequently!

#7 Seasonal Dress Code

I am a natural born procrastinator. There are various reasons for my stall tactics, depending on what I need to do. For instance when it comes to decorating for the season, it always takes me awhile to get in the swing of things. I'm pretty slow when it comes to decorating for Christmas. While the rest of the world spends Thanksgiving weekend in a shopping and decorating flurry, I'm usually still savoring the last of the fall decorations, reluctant to move on.

I'm not much different when decorating for Fall. I wait until September is almost over before getting my box of fall decorations out and letting summer go.

That being said, I have to admit I love fall decorations! I love fall colors: orange, yellow, rust, gold. They are my favorite seasonal color pallet. I've already stated how much I like yellow. The others just blend in and support it. One of the best parts about fall is how those colors shine.

The colors of fall show up everywhere, from clothes, to food, to leaves, to decorations. It is as if the whole world was waiting for this moment. Spring may be the season of pastels, but no other time of year celebrates itself so fully.

Balance

I'm starting a new fitness program. I use the word program loosely. I'm high on planning but pretty low when it comes to execution. Currently I'm a walker. For the past year I've walked pretty regularly.
As winter approaches (I know--it is still a couple of months off) the threat of walking on icy hills leaves me cold. (Pun intended.) I've decided yoga would be good. It is a good muscle toner and bone builder. And I've noticed once in awhile lately, when I stand up I may take a side step or two. Hmm, balance? Nah. But maybe? I am getting older, much as I prefer to deny it.
10 years ago I decided to start horseback riding. I had always been a litte aftraid of being way up on that big horse. Actually, I was ok with the UP part. I was more concerned with the falling off part. Then one day I went white water rafting for the first time and I realized I had good balance. Why worry about falling off? So I started to ride. I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I gave it up when we moved here.
Now I was back to wondering if my balance was as good as I thought it was. So I'm trying yoga. I'll let you know how it goes.

#8 Petunias Out, Pansies In

Today is a wet and gloomy day, but as I look out the window my neighbors garden glows with orange and yellow marigolds and my hillside still sports the tail end of goldenrod. The leaves haven't begun to change yet, but they are on the cusp of change. There are tinges and hints that soon the green will leave. Fall is a change of scenery in so many ways which is one reason I find it so refreshing. Even those well tended gardens of summer perk up with a Chrysanthemum makeover. Fall flowers tend to leave the red white and blue behind, and welcome gold, purple, orange and russet. I love fall colors! It was one of the things I missed when I lived in Florida.

Several years ago while I lived in that warmer climate I made a trip to PA in October. The poplars and maples were bright yellow. (You'll remember in a previous post that I love yellow.) When a breeze blew through the trees a shower of bright gold fluttered to the ground. The air shimmered yellow. It took my breath away.

I never felt like wearing a lot of rust, or orange in September when I lived in Tampa, but I had loved that aspect of the season growing up in eastern PA. That trip home was a reminder why Fall clothes work so well here, but not as well in the tropics. Here oranges, russets, golds blend in with the scenery.
And so do the purple and yellow pansies. The tired, leggy petunias are over. It's time for a Fall Makeover and the pansies, zinnias, marigolds and mums are just the thing to do the trick.

#9 Open Windows!

I talk a lot about liking summer, even the heat, but if I'm perfectly honest, I love any day that allows me to open the windows. Unfortunately, I'm a bit like Baby Bear. If it is too hot, I want air conditioning. If it is too cold I want heat. But when it is just right....I love having the windows open!

I like hearing the outside sounds, whether it is cars on the highway or the birds singing. It is the sound of life going on around me and it is all good.

I like the smell of the air, although 'smoky' from someone burning leaves can get annoying when it gets in the house, so maybe I'm not that crazy about it inside...but outside...it can be ok.

I love open windows at night even if it means an extra blanket, but I don't like breezes blowing on me. I'm not sure why, but I really don't, especially on my neck. I will wrap myself up in a hoodie, or pull the covers around my head.

Today is an 'open window' day and I'm loving it. (No breezes) I heard the school bus drop the kids off, their chatter as they filled parents in on what happened. I heard someone mowing his lawn, reminding me I should be doing that instead of this.

Maggie likes it too. She sits at the window to see what's going on. So today, this is my next favorite thing about fall!

10 Things I Like About Fall #10

As much as I love Summer I also love Fall. Over the next few weeks I will share the things I love about this time of year. My favorite things are in no partictular order. The truth is, it depends on the mood I'm in or the day itself.

Goldenrod tops my list because it is one of the early signs and because it is so pretty. In early to mid September the goldenrod blooms and this year it seems to be particularly abundant. Why do I love goldenrod? Well, obviously, I don't get hayfever from it! I love it because of it's color. Even on a gray day that gold plume glows on the hill. The day I took these pictures it was overcast, but the goldenrod makes its own sunshine.

Yellow is my very favorite color. It is the color of sunshine, of happiness and cheer. In September when the fields are losing their green, the goldenrod takes over and brightens my day. 

What happened to Summer?

September just amazes me! One weekend we are celebrating the end of the 'vacation months' with a holiday that celebrates the American worker and within days the summer weather comes crashing down and we are thrown into the full sense of fall. Does the sun watch me turn the page on the calendar?

I know I really enjoyed myself this summer. I made a point of soaking it in as much as possible. Yet, when I look back I wonder why I didn't eat lunch on the deck more. Why didn't I eat more salads? (I love salads in summer.) Why didn't I swim more? How come Maggie and I never made it to the dog park with the pond? Or to McConnell's Mill for a hike? What was I doing all this time?

Oh yeah, I:
Went to see Jersey Boys in Cleveland with the Corvette Club
Spent 1 week in Connecticut, one of my favorite places
Ate Lobster in Kittery, Maine at my sister's 50th Wedding Anniversary
Spent 2 weeks in Iowa at my grandson's 4th birthday and my grandaughter's 1st birthday
Had picnics with the neighbors
Mowed the grass all June, but not at all in July, (and then I left town in August)

Ok. Now I feel better. I guess if I want to eat salad for lunch on my deck, I have to be here.

I really did enjoy my summer. Goodbye, August! I'll be waiting for you June, when you're ready to roll around again.

My Favorite Hydrangea

Where we lived in Florida I don't remember seeing many hydrangeas, but they are a staple in landscaping in the northeast. When we landscaped this place I had a few rules. 1) No hedges, 2) nothing that had to be shaped. I like gardening, but you could call me a lazy gardener. I don't need to fiddle with stuff. I want things that grow naturally.

Before we landscaped I used the first year to take note of things like seasonal change and winter looks. By the time we were ready to plant our shrubbery I knew what I wanted. And as all good planning goes, probably 50 percent of the shrubs I selected were changed after the landscaper said "you won't like it". Humph! Well, he was right. One bush would grow too slowly and take 20 years to give me the look I wanted, while another shrub would overgrow the area and dwarf the first one. So changes were made.

When it came to my hydrangea I knew just which one I wanted. It was a pretty one that would get nice white snowballs in the summer and would flank our front door. Well, I didn't get it. My landscaper showed up on planting day with a different one. "When I went to the nursery this morning the one you wanted didn't look good, but you're going to love this one."


I was a little disappointed, but I listened as he told me why I was going to 'love this one'. It is 4 years later. My landscaping has grown in just as I had imagined it. The perennials and annuals that I've put in are adding their charm and he was right. I love my hydrangea.

In the spring the leaves come in supplying the new green. In early summer it develops delicate cones of tiny white buds which open into still delicate petals.

As the summer months move on the white petals become streaked with little pink lines.

As fall nears, the barely pink flower turns to deep rose.

The snowball hydrangeas are over, but my hydrangea still graces my front door and adds a changing klaidescope of color.

Come winter when all the leaves have fallen off the flower will have dried to a pale tan. They make a lovely bouquet and will grace my foyer all winter long.

It would appear sometimes I don't always know best. Hmmm.

PS. I can no longer remember the name of my hydrangea, but I believe it is a "Panicled hydrangea" because of the cone shaped flower. If anyone can tell me what the actual name is please do! It would be nice to know.

Fall's Bluff

It almost happened.  I was having such a good time enjoying summer, I nearly missed it. But my eagle eyes and keen senses suddenly tuned in to the fact that Fall just might be trying to sneak into my life.

When I left Iowa I actually looked for signs, but with the exception of 2 little fields in Ohio everywhere I turned the fields were green and full. There was no hint that before long they would turn to the dusty tan necessary before harvest can begin. Actually a soybean field in the height of change is one of the prettiest you’ll find. Those bright golden leaves fluttering in the breeze reminds me of a giant pot of gold coins at the end of the rainbow.

The weather at the Corvettes of Carlisle show started out as usual; hot and sunny. It is often the hottest car show for me with no air conditioning and little shade unless you have a tent to sit under. However, Irene blew up the East Coast and put a damper on the show, not only literally, but sending people skittering back to their homes to do whatever they thought they could do to protect the house. (I’m sorry, but if a wind is going to blow your house down, you stand little chance of stopping it! Better to stay where you have safe, dry shelter folks!)

Weather after a hurricane is usually gorgeous! The heavy heat and low clouds clear out. Even for those of us who weren't really under her shadow, the days following Irene were full of sunshine, light clouds, bright, clear blue sky and cooler temperatures. The little white clouds were miles away. It was so gorgeous in fact that I almost missed it; the telltale signs August was coming to a close.

I caught a flash of red in the dry grass on the hillsides. The sumac growing wild by the side of the road is often the first sign that the seasons are beginning to change. Its leaves turn a bright crimson while the goldenrod is just thinking of blooming.

The air had a fresh scent to it, but it was different from the lush scent of summer. I noticed for the first time the dried heads on the tops of field grasses.

As Maggie and I did our 1 mile walk through the neighborhood a flash of red caught my eye among the Maples lining the street. In the midst of all the green leaves were 3 bright red ones.

A couple of days later it was hot again. Saturday was SO hot it reminded me of mid-summer in Florida. It may seem as though Fall was calling Summer's bluff, but I think it will win out before too long. It's a good thing I love Fall. It is the only reason I'm willing to let go of Summer.

4 Year Olds are Exhausting...and Funny

There is a new show on this fall called "Up All Night". It's about parents with a new baby and the previews are pretty funny. My daughter and her husband dissolve into giggles watching the previews showing exhausted parents asleep on the couch while the baby sits wide awake next to them. With a one-year old, they can relate. With a 4 year old as well, they have also come to realize it doesn't get better. The routines change, but the exhaustion stays.

Warren was quiet for the first 6 months. The next 6 months were more active as he began crawling and getting into things. Then the boy learned to walk. I think he walked for a week. He's been running ever since. This child goes full speed all day. At 18 months every time he heard a tractor, truck or car coming down the gravel road, he would tear down the hallway, charge across the living room and leap onto the couch to watch it go by. This is really great exercise during planting and harvest.

Clean up time (once he's into it) isn't any different. Grab a toy, run across the room. Jump to a stop at the toy shelf. Store the toy. Run back. Repeat. Mom stares, sighs, wants to say, "Just walk!", but instead she shakes her head.

And then there is the most exhausting part of all with a young child...the whining and the tears. As a grandma I know all about it. Been there! Done that! But looking back I know how quickly it all passes. And I know I'm going home soon and where I get to wine (Ahhh)!

As exhausting as kids can be there are many things that make it all worth it. The hugs, the joy of watching them learn new things, and especially those unexpected funny moments when a youngster comes up with just the right comment, or makes an unexpected quip.

One morning I was reading the newspaper when I commented that the astronaut, Mark Kelly, had retired. Warren came running in from the living room. "Does it say that? Where?" I pointed to the newspaper. "Read it to me." Puzzled, I asked him what I had been talking about, thinking he was being a busy body and trying to be a part of Jan's and my conversation. "You said an astronuat was sleepy," came his reply. Jan and I burst out laughing and congratulated him on his interpretation. Then I explained what 'retiring' meant.

Yes, Four year olds are exhausting, and funny, but they can be pretty observant too! In fact, maybe the best thing about young children is the way they change your own perspective of life.

Conversations With an Almost 4 Year Old

One day Warren and I took a walk to the south lot. The south lot is about a ¼ mile down the gravel road and is separated from his house by a corn field. It was a very hot day, but the wind had died down to a mild 15 mph after 3 days of steady winds in the high 30’s.

We started out.

“It’s a gravel road, Granberry…”

“Um-hmm”

“Why is it gravel, Granberry?”

“That’s how it was made.”

“Oh. Look at the rocks!"

“That’s why it’s called gravel. Because a gravel road is made of rocks and dirt.”

We walk on. Maggie stops to sniff.

“What’s she doing?”

“What does it look like?”

"Sniffing."

"Um-hmm."

"Why?"

"Another animal walked there and she’s trying to sniff to see what kind it was.”
“What kind was it?"

"I don’t know."

"Why?"

"Because my nose doesn’t tell me."

"Why?"

And so it goes…..

We walk further.

“There’s a hole, Granberry!” He pulls to a stop.

“Yes there is. You have to watch for holes so you don’t walk in one and get hurt.”

“Why? “

“Because you wouldn’t want to be hurt.”

“Oh….where did the hole come from?”

“I don’t know. A small animal made it.”

We walk on. Warren pulls to a stop.

“Look, ANOTHER hole!!”

“Yep.”

“Who made that one?”

“I don’t know.”

A sudden yank as Warren pulls me backward and says in delight and awe…

“Granberry! Look! DIRT!” he says pointing to a small pile of dark dirt on the road.

Did I mention we are walking on a gravel (dirt) road?

And Now the Rest of the Story!

Yesterday's Blog post shared the dreams and frustrations of creating a book. The book was ready, but printing it had turned out to be a challenge.

On Friday I went 'back to market'. This time I hit the jackpot. Warren and I were doing some errands in Ft. Dodge and our first stop was the Office Max. It was my last chance. If this didn't work I would have to start from scratch and this would end up a Christmas present. (I wasn't prepared to quit after all the time I've put in already!)

The book still didn't print out quite right the first time and I was feeling defeated but this girl wasn't ready to give up. I showed her what I had done and how I did it on the printer at home. 'We'll figure it' out was her attitude. (Isn't it great when someone really helps you?) It took her several tries, but (Oh Happy Days) finally IT WORKED!!!! A short time later Warren and I walked out of Office Max with a book, complete with color pictures, printed on cardstock and spiral bound. My project was complete! I had written my first book.

In the car I told Warren about the book and showed it to him. Great kid that he is, he wanted me to read it right there, so I did. As we did the rest of our errands "Warren's First Bird Book" went everywhere we did. But the best reward of all was after we climbed back in the car at the end of our errands. "Thank you for my book, Granberry. I really love it." Wow! Special moments don't come much better than that.

Oh yeah. At his house he carries my Field Guide to Birds outside when we go out, so for his birthday I DID give him the simple photo book of bird pictures (titled "Warren's Field Guide to Birds") that was the original seed for the whole project. Little seeds to big turnips. It was all good. I'm just glad I got the whole turnip to market.

And now you know the whole story of what I've been up to!

What I've Been Up To

My daughter commented recently that I hadn't been posting much lately. So true, but it was nice knowing someone was checking to see, and that meant hopefully they were interested in my comings and goings.

I've been busy on a project, but I wasn't in a position to talk about it until now. My oldest grandson is celebrating his 4th birthday. He has acquired 2 new things that are great for 4 year-olds. 1) A huge new playground and 2) a bird feeder.

A birdfeeder is a wonderful way for a little boy to see the world from the sofa, and will be especially nice in the winter when he can't go out to play. And a birdfeeder is MUCH easier to care for than an aquarium which is also a great thing for a little boy to watch.

For Warren's 4th birthday I decided I wanted to make him a bird book. My original idea was simple. Print out some of the pictures of birds I've taken at our feeder. Label the bird names. Put them into a little photo album. Give it to him as a little present from Granberry. So Simple and Easy.

Have you ever had a project start small and then begin to grow? This one reminds me of one of those folk tales where the turnip was so big that once it was pulled out of the ground no one could get it to market....Ah, what an analogy!

After identifying the bird pictures I would print, I wanted to add a few identifying traits. Suddenly I had the makings of a book. Someone suggested I print it out like a book. I checked with a local printing place.

Put it into Publisher, and convert it to Adobe they suggested. My experience with Publisher is limited, but I did it. I shared it with a few people who are either in publishing or work with young children. They gave suggestions. I edited it some more. I got very positive feedback...but more work with each step.

My simple idea had ballooned. A few hours here, several more hours there....the turnip was getting very big. And now to market.... I took the final draft to Office Max.  The weirdest thing happened. The first person who looked at it got it to print in book form and in the proper page order, but the format came out very small. A different person tried to print it and it came out perfectly formatted (it was actually kind of exciting to see it) but in the wrong page order! No one could explain what was happening, but all agreed I had set it up in Publisher the wrong way. (Did I mention I have only a little experience with Publisher?)

I shared the book with my daughter and she really liked it so I have spent the better part of a day re-ordering the pages. It's time for the final effort to get this turnip to market. This time it had better work!

Where Did July Go?

July lived up to its reputation as being the middle of summer; hot and dry. We celebrated the 4th with a picnic at a neighbor's. As the sun set we roasted marshmallows, and downed sticky s'mores to the snap, crackle, and pop of fireworks set off by others around our neighborhood.
My favorite part of the month, though, began on July 14 when I drove to Connecticut. My sister Jean and her husband celebrated their 50th anniversary! Wow! What an event! It has been their tradition over the last 51 years to celebrate by going to Chauncey Creek Lobster Pound in Kittery Point, Maine and eating fresh lobster on the docks. Many years ago we had the opportunity to join this ritual when our first born was only 4 months old and the whole family drove from Connecticut to Maine for 'dinner'. It was different and fun and I throughly enjoyed it. Jenny spent most of the visit sitting in her carseat at different tables as volunteer strangers offered to entertain her while my elbows dripped melted butter.


For their 50th Anniversary, Jean and Lee's kids planned a party at Chauncey Creek. Larry flew into Boston on Friday and I picked him up. Later we picked up my sister, Mary and Saturday we drove to Kittery. The party was fun, the lobster delicious and catching up with my nieces and nephews was great. As wonderful as the party was the best part was yet to come.

Sunday I dropped Larry at the airport and Mary and I drove back to Connecticut and spent 4 days on Jean's boat. Lee was gracious enough to go stay with their son for 4 days so we could have our annual Sister's Reunion. We began this tradition after our parents were gone as a way to keep in touch. Mary was in Canada, I was in Florida, Jean was in Connecticut and Sue was in Virginia. Sister's Reunion had 1 basic requirement: no kids, no husbands. (In other words... no distractions, no obligations)! It has become a favorite event. It is now just Mary, Jean and I, and since Jean moved onto the boat, it has become a bit more difficult to find a way to get together, so this year was especially great. Here are just a couple of photos of our trip.

Miss Ruby

The Salon, or main living area inside

The cove on the Connecticut River where Miss Ruby was moored.

Swimming! Early morning, middle of day, at night. Anytime.

A beautiful sailboat moored near us.

Breakfast. Mmmm

Theater where we saw Showboat. Fantastic production!

Osprey nest on the river with both parents on watch!

August is here with more trips, and more project. Stay tuned. I'll try to keep you posted!

Full Circle

View of shuttle launch from house

I spoke with Jen Friday and I could hear the excitement in her voice. They were on their way home from watching the final space shuttle launch. Just talking to her brought so many memories flooding back. The space shuttle program began shortly after we moved to Florida. That first launch was so exciting. I was stunned to realize we could see the vapor trail from our house 100 miles away. Jen was almost 5 years old, and from the beginning it was a family experience.

As exciting as the launch was, what I remember most of all was the landing. Astronauts had gone up in rockets before, but we had never tried to land a plane from outer space. I was so nervous I could barely watch. How in the world could they bring a plane back through the atmosphere? How in the world would they be able to bring it down on a landing strip? That was a far cry from dropping a capsule somewhere in the ocean. And most of all, how could they expect a pilot to land a glider, a plane that had no propulsion of its own, in such a precise spot? Well, it worked! After an interminable radio silence, the static broke and the commander spoke. Shortly afterward, the chase planes located the plane, the TV cameras zeroed in and we all watched as John Young brought the shuttle down.

(This video is 3 minutes long, but is great. Notice about 1:50 minutes you'll hear the twin sonic booms that always heralds its arrival, and the response from the crowd.)

I may have been nervous, but John Young was ecstatic. It was almost an hour before the shut down procedures were completed and he was allowed out of the plane. I've never forgotten the image of the pilot circling the plane, looking up at it almost in awe. Young walked all around it, looking up, pacing, and just staring at it. His actions mirrored my feelings. This article tells a little about how he felt. http://www.johnwyoung.org/sts1/sts1pg31.htm

Many years later I decided to go over to the east coast to watch the launch from the intercoastal waterway. Trying to watch a launch is always risky because you never know if it will get scrubbed due to weather or a technicality. We were lucky. Jen, Jan and I drove down to US 1 and parked the car. We walked up to the highway that ran along the intercoastal waterway. Across the water was the launch pad with the shuttle poised for takeoff. People had set up lawn chairs in the median of the highway and in parking lots. Lots more just stood around. We sat on the Jersey barriers between the water and the road. It went off without a hitch. Even though we had a clear view and it looks relatively close, we were probably at least 3 miles away; perhaps more. (As big as the shuttle looks, when it rises into the sky it is really just a glowing speck atop a fiery plume.)

But what happened next was the coolest part. We saw the flash of light, the flame, the plume of smoke. We saw the shuttle begin to rise. And THEN we heard it. What a lesson in the speed of light! The rumble was slow and distant, like thunder. The rumble became louder. You could actually feel the sound approach. The water was quiet at first and then small ripples formed. We watched as the shuttle lifted above us in the air. We saw the water begin to bounce. We heard the rumble get louder. We felt the rumble wash over us as the water bounced rapidly. The rumble rolled on behind us, the water quieted, the shuttle was disappearing into the clouds. It was an amazing example of sound waves.

I was fortunate enough to see 2 more live launches, one at night. As I spoke with Jen today the memory of that first launch and those live launches came flooding back. She had taken Nicholas, who is almost 4. Although he has seen the vapor trail, this was his first live launch. They lined up along the road, the launch pad bigger than life across the waterway. The final shuttle launch took place right on time. I wasn't there, but I know they saw it first, and then they heard it.

She was 5 when she saw the first one. He was almost 4 as he watched the last one. Full Circle. As they walked back to the car, Jen asked Nicholas what he liked best about seeing the shuttle launch. "Feeling it." he answered. How cool is that!

When Zen Meets Reality

Larry and I are looking for 'our next stop'. Trying to decide where to go or how to spend our retirement years is becoming an obsession. While we have a couple of ideas our focus so far has been in a small corner of the North Carolina mountains. Recently Larry and I visited Murphy and did some house shopping even though the main event is a few years off.

Much of what we like is a Chalet style house. They are perched in the mountains with huge windows and great views. Last year we found one house that was in a pretty remote area, but had everything we wanted. It was still on the market this year, so we went back to take another look. Too often when we go back to look at something after a year, we find we have built up all it's finer points and forgotten the flaws. As I climbed out of the car I breathed in and looked around. Total peace. The more I walked around the property the more at peace I felt. The house overlooked a vineyard in a clearing below. The rest of the view was of forest and mountain ridge.

It even had a fair amount of relatively level, usable land. There was one major flaw. When I mentioned it was in a pretty remote area, that was not an overstatement. The house is 35 minutes from ANYTHING! Gas, Food, town... There is no cell phone reception. And there is no hope for it coming. The house is on the edge of the national forest. What to do? Could I be at peace here if I was so far from anything? My first feeling was Yes. I loved it. I would be fine, and since Larry would be retired, I really wouldn't be alone.

We looked at another house that Larry really liked. He had found it on the internet and it looked perfect to him. The interior was beautiful and would have worked well for us. Unfortunately it was clinging to a mountainside, and there was no usable land around it to add a pull off or a carport. We wanted a place where the kids could come visit, but there was no place for children to play or guests to park cars. Larry is a fisherman and likes his toys. Where would he keep a boat or a trailer? I could hear the disappointment in his voice as he realized this house wasn't going to work.

Heavy discussion and soul searching followed. One thing I discovered through this process is that I make choices emotionally. I've never been overly practical. I can talk myself into anything I want. Larry is much more practical. He gave up the fight long before I did. He knew his house was not going to work. I wanted another chance. Back to the house we drove. 35 long twisting, turning minutes on a narrow winding road. We roamed the property, talked to a neighbor, who pointed out some other problems we had overlooked. And then we began the trip back to town. Finally, I knew. I loved the house. I loved the valley, the vineyard, the forest, the ridge. It was my zen place! BUT...I hated the drive. And I would have this drive everytime I wanted to meet friends for lunch, work out, shop, go to church, get groceries, play Bunco, attend a book club... Peace is a good thing, but you can get too much of a good thing.

I hate reality checks.