Secrets

 I've got a secret. Actually it's not my secret, but I'm not allowed to talk about it and it's killing me... I totally suck at this. I really don't know how I've survived Christmas and birthdays each year. It's so hard. 

Best part of waking up

 So the commercial goes "Best part of waking up, is Folgers in your cup" and I agree with this on some level. I don't function without two cups of coffee in the morning. Oh, I can go on auto pilot with just one small cup, but if you want me to cook something and you expect to eat that something, I need to be on my second cup. Same thing for anything involving directions.  I need my second cup at least started.  For the love of all things good, please don't ask me any important questions before my first sip. As a matter of fact, best not to trust anything I say before that first sip. 

I think another good part of waking up is sitting on the porch with that cup of coffee. Watching the last of the lightnin' bugs  fade out and the sun come up. Scratching a belly or behind the ears of some fuzzy kid and listening to the wind chimes. 

Sometimes I pretend that the wind is speaking to me. Maybe a voice from heaven telling me it's going to be a good day. That I've got this and beauty is every where if you just open your eyes. 

Waterfall #3 Packrat Falls

 

On my journey to visit 12 new (to me) waterfalls, the third was Pack Rat Falls. The hike was touted as an easy .70 mile hike-not so. It wasn't very well marked either, but my sister Lee and her sons Hopper and Rowan made this hike with me. They are all much younger and in better shape and would not have described this hike as an easy one. Beautiful scenery and the way up and if we had been brave enough-Upper Pack Rat Falls was another half a mile up the hill, but maybe another day. 

Decoration Day at Log Hall aka Smith Cementary

 Very often Decoration Day is celebrated with Memorial Day in small towns across America. I thought this was just a day to place flowers on the graves of loved ones and remember those that lost their lives in the service of our country.  Well, I was only partly right. It's sooooo much more. 

Yes, you are encouraged to put flowers on your loved one's resting place, but my husband explained that I needed several individual flowers or arrangements. I asked how many and he told me that I needed at least a dozen. So, I went to work and made little bouquets of carnations that didn't  look half bad. In fact, they were pretty.

When we pulled up to the cementary, you would have thought that there was a funeral going on. Cars were lined all around and lots of people were there. The graves themselves were a sight to see. Decoration Day is day you go to pay respects to those you've lost-so all those little bouquets were loving placed at the base of stones bearing names that Dwight had loved. There were several bunches of flowers placed at the base of every stone. All colors, shapes, and sizes. 

There were a lot of people laughing and telling stories about people that had gone on and it was great to see so very many smiles, but every once in awhile you could catch a glimpse of someone that had mist in their eyes. I was one of those. I managed to keep in all in check, but there were times it was hard to breathe so I just swallowed a lot of air and kept going. We put flowers at his mom's grave, his grandparents, great grandparents, an uncle that died in his teens, his favorite aunt's and one of his aunt and uncle's that meant a lot to him as a small boy. I think that's what got me most of all. Forty years after these people were gone, a boy turned man still thought it was important to pay his respects. What wonderful people they must have been. Looking around at the other graves, there were a lot of wonderful people that had left this earth. So many flowers-I like to think each one represented a happy memory. 

More Happy Places ie the Lauren edition

 Happy Places with my little Lauren? Boy, this one is hard because I'm not trying to write a book.

The first one that comes to mind is "Beach". Lauren wasn't even six weeks old when her toes touched the waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Instead of crying when the waves touched her feet, she laughed and put her arms in the water. I believe she was three when she found her first sand dollar. Later, there was Cumberland Island, Amelia Island, Key West,  Vero Beach, Bowman's beach and the Lighthouse beach on Sanibel Island. I never asked if she had a favorite. She seemed to love them all as I did. We collected shells, watched gators and dolphins, played with starfish, walked with wild horses, swam with manatee. Admired the sun going down and coming up and we laughed. Rain didn't stop us or the laughter.

Her "spaceship". She really didn't travel out of space, but in our RV-the bed above the driver's seat. She came out to eat her lunchables and just handled everything in stride. Just like when the airlines lost our luggage and we were bound for a wedding. Everything handled in stride.

Falling Water Falls-it's a beautiful place. We've jumped a couple of times now, but I'm still afraid of heights and she still makes fun of me and lets me jump when I'm ready. It constantly reminds me-there's nothing to be afraid of if you've got the right person by your side. 

"The field" the one behind the house where we let the horses run or slowly walk and take it all in. The mountains. The smell of fresh hay. The sound of eagles. The smell of leather and the feel of a good breeze. I don't know how many times we've ridden across the field but I'm glad that it's too many times to count. The conversations we've had. The problems that Abigail, Kate, Sassy, Miss Priss, and Blaze have helped us solve. 

"The River"-Our annual float trip from Hasty to Carver. Laughing at you in the gar hole. Playing in the holes of water. Watching Ash swim so gracefully. Crossing the river on horseback even with snow at the river's edge. 

My kitchen-watching Lauren master chocolate gravy. Making poppy seed chicken. Numerous oreo balls. Coffee and more coffee. Making jam.

And I can't forget the "porch". It's where we've enjoyed coffee, tea, and other adult beverages. We've watched the sun go down and storms come. We've watched the dogs jump a five foot fence(not mine obviously). Listened to eagles and whipporwills . 

You see what I mean about a book? I could go on but I think I'll go out and maybe make some more happy places.

Water Fall#2 Carwash Falls

 Twelve new waterfalls in one year? We'll see but here's the second one for me. Carwash Falls down a long, long dirt road.

Happy Places the Pepper Paul Edition

As I said before, I have a lot of happy places, but these are my happy places with Paul.

First one that comes to mind is the little house on Arch Street in Little Rock. It was the very first house I owned and where all the kids came after leaving the hospital. It's where Paul disappeared and I found him in the refrigerator eating peaches. It's where he took apart an outlet and told me that it bites.  It's where Beth and Paul had miniature John Deere tractors with carts and they would follow their dad around the yard when he mowed. 

Then there was the Scout Reservation outside of Damascus(my favorite speed trap). Paul and I went there for several years usually the third week of June. I watched him turn over a canoe on purpose and right it by himself. I watched him throw an ax with precision beyond his years.  I watched him wake up at dawn to practice swimming and build endurance so that later he could swim a mile. I swam it too just to make sure he was safe and then I had to sit in the pool until feeling returned to my legs so I could walk. I watched wonderful sunsets and amazing sunrises while watching my little boy turn into a caring young man.  It's where I crossed a bridge made of rope to prove I could.

The ballroom. Dancing with my son at cotillion. Him looking so spiffy in his suit and so patient with me and my two left feet. Watching my girls dance so elegantly in dresses with their done in something other than a pony tail. Watching Paul dance with girls and seeing them smile at him. 

Fenton Cave-it's in the mountains near me. It's unbelievably beautiful and going through the cave, you would have thought my son was the parent and not me. He was so worried about me. If I knew what would be expected of me to finish the trip through the cave, I would not have gone, but I'm glad I did. We had to brave frigid water, jump across a divide to continue the trail, fit through a needle's eye, and belly crawl the length of a foot ball field. Good times. 

My home in Jasper. That's right. Lots of happy times with my city kid. There's the dinners were he's arrived just a little bit late-and I've called to see where he's at-oh you know that place with the cows. Watching him take everything in stride. The numerous dogs that sneek into bed at night. The sounds of the country. It might be owls, whipporwills, or coyotes. He just takes it all in and makes everyone laugh.  Here's hoping Jasper can give him something else to laugh about on his 31st birthday.