Celebrating 70 Continues

For the last eight years or so, we've been fortunate to stay in the G. B. Carrier House when visiting Brookville. It's owned by Mark McKinney, who owns the funeral home, which sits right next door. Mark purchased the Carrier House a number of years ago to provide a place for people to stay when they come from out of town for a funeral. Jerry became friends with Mark after they discovered they had a common interest. We've been invited to stay there ever since.



Mark had the house restored to it's 1897 Victorian style. The atmosphere inside is one of interest as you imagine life back then. The first few years we stayed in the Servants Quarters, which is on the third floor of the home. But with knees becoming more and more of a problem, we settle for a lovely room on the second floor. In all our years of staying there, there has never been another person staying in the house.
The Servants Quarters has a bedroom and living room, with a half bath.

The first time we stayed at the Carrier House, I was a little spooked. On the way to the bathroom, on the second floor, there is a steep stairway right outside the bathroom door that goes down to the kitchen. That is the stairway the servants used to come upstairs. All I knew was it was a very dark stairway in a very large house. It took two years before I got smart and saw the light switch. Now I just turn it on when I'm going that way, and all my fears are gone!

Two others guest rooms are "Lee" and "Grant." Our visits at the Carrier House are delightful!

Jerry wanted to visit Benezette, PA, where there is a large elk population. It's nestled inbetween a large mountain area, and is beautiful to drive through. We didn't get many pictures this trip, as we didn't see many elk.

We only saw one lone elk in a field, below. Yes, it's really an elk you're looking at although it was very far away. Then I spotted about eight elk lying down in the woods. This one was the biggest and easiest to see.

The picture below was taken when we were there a few years ago. It was cold and frigid, and these elk were roaming around.



There were a few other adventures Jerry requested as part of his birthday celebration. It was a good trip; Jerry was pleased, but we were both ready to come home. And Sam didn't disappoint us with a happy reunion!

Oh, that dark, steep stairway outside the bathroom door. It's really quite lovely with the light on!

Celebrating 70

Earlier this week, Jerry and I, were off to Brookville, PA. Jerry's family is from Brookville, and although there is nobody there anymore, he likes to visit every year or so. This was his first choice for celebrating his 70th birthday.

So back to the mountains we drove, on the old road, providing memories for Jerry and new scenery for me. Brookville is near a very important town: Punxsutawney, where Punxsutawney Phil predicts the length of winter every February 2nd.

It's a nice little town, and Punxy Phil is all over the place! The pictures below share his many occupations!












As you can see, Phil is a dentist, mailman, fireman, travel agent, welcome man, banker, coal miner, flower man, pizza man and more!

He still lives at Gobbler's Knob, which Jerry and I visited one year.

But, Brookville is where we're headed. After checking in, the first place on the agenda was Buff's Ice Cream Shop. Here lies the famous teaberry ice cream that Jerry loves. And he indulged! as you can tell by the picture below! Three scoops of teaberry in his banana split!


Celebrating 70 will continue in the next post.

Still "Foaling" Around

You can imagine my surprise when the above foal came over to the fence and let me pet it. Mom was busy eating and didn't seem to be concerned that I was in conversation with her baby, which I figured is a few weeks old.


She took to me right away, slowly making her way to the fence. I kept moving up the fence line, away from her, and she kept following me.


Most of the time, when I've been given permission to snap some pictures, I make sure I go back and give them some pictures and a few note cards I've created from the pictures I took at their place. That's when I found this mare and foal in the field, as well as several other new foals.



Mom kept her trotting across the field which I enjoyed watching.


Soon the foal decided she'd had enough, and settled in.



There were three other mares and foals in another field. Those pictures didn't turn out well because the sun was bright. But I enjoyed snapping them too!




I think the snap I enjoy the most from this spring of foals is the one below. New life. That was a thrill!

How Does God Do It?

God's ways are miraculous as we well know. But it still amazes me each time something happens at just the right time. Maybe "amazes me" isn't the right phrase. Now I just smile, knowing God is in control of all things, even my life.

I hear about His timing often because of the notes I send. "It came just at the right time." "It came just when I needed it." There's no other way to explain it other than God is in control.


Well, it happened to me recently. Last fall the secretary in my church office called and asked if I'd consider being a backup for her when she's out of the office. After prayer and consideration I told her I would, but not until the first of the year. I wanted a little time of "just being retired."

January came and went, and she didn't call. February and March came and went, and she didn't call. I didn't think about it too much. She already had a backup and maybe I wasn't need yet.

I would have been pressured if she'd call during those months. The book promotion was keeping me very busy with planning, creating, producing and going.


With April came the last event I'd scheduled concerning book promotion. I wanted time to consider all that had happened, and how God wanted me to proceed. I was looking forward to being "unbusy."

God certainly knew this. The first week back from vacation I was called. And I was ready. I had actually given some thought to missing the "organization of work" a few weeks earlier.

Last week I was in the church office two days for the secretary. It wasn't really work . . . only giving of the gifts God has given me.


Some 16 years ago I worked in my home church office for three years. I was familiar with the goings on in a church office. I had to laugh, though, the first time I went to pick up the phone last week. I just caught myself before I said: "Montrose Baptist Church." After all these years, the way I answered the phone 16 years ago was still ingrained in my memory. But I managed to get out "Mt. Airy Baptist Church" just in time!

I'm looking forward to a few days here and there of helping out where I worship. Each office is different, but after doing this work for 40+ years, I know I'll be able to manage just fine.

So thankful to our wonderful God for His perfect timing in all things.

PS The snaps were taken on Mother's Day as Jerry and I enjoyed a Sunday drive.

Maraschino Cherries

I've had a love affair with Maraschino cherries since childhood. My mom started me on this affair of the heart when she began giving me one cherry for a treat. I never got over it.

All through my life I've been after those cherries. The perfect snack for me was two cherries, some UTZ potato chips and chocolate--they went together deliciously and delighted by palate! For the life of me, though, I can't remember which order I ate them in. There was definitely an order. As the years passed, I've had to stop eating this favorite formula, but my mind has it stored away as a favorite memory.

Cherries still take preference on the top shelf of the refrigerator, and I treat myself to three every day.

Remember those blueberry muffins I spoke about a few weeks ago? The ones where I accidently forgot to measure the blueberries and put the entire container in the mix. Well, the other day I thought about my cherries and wondered: "Why don't I try cherry muffins?" And I did!


One jar of Maraschino cherries puts three whole cherries in eight muffins, and two whole cherries in four muffins. I added a little juice to the batter and waited for the, hopefully, delicious results.

Just as Jerry's blueberry muffins delighted his palate, my cherry muffins delighted mine! You know, I really like being retired and finding all these new recipes to try. Even ones I make up!

PS Buy two jars of cherries so all those delicious muffins can have three whole cherries each! Do I dare put in four?

Oklahoma Dirt

I was thrilled to be driving to Oklahoma to visit with my sister, Kathy. She has lived there most of her adult life, having moved there with the love of her life, David, when they fell in love. David is from Oklahoma. Although we daily email, and converse once a month or so, nothing takes the place as seeing her in person and spending time together.

Oklahoma is full of lovely ponds along the interstate, and dirt roads. I use to fly out there to see her, but more recently, Jerry and I have driven. The first time we did I was amazed at how many ponds are along the highway. I loved seeing them! This snap was actually closer to town.

And the dirt roads! Kathy and I go out twice, early in the morning, to drive the dirt roads. They just hold a fascination to me, and seeing how middle America lives. The snap below just refreshes me!

Jerry and David, Kathy's husband, enjoy the same things and spent a lot of times by themselves. Jerry especially enjoyed bringing home a M1917 Eddystone, built in 1918, that he bought from David. They spent the good part of a day at the range, shooting at 500 yards. They are both shooters and enjoy the sport immensely. Jerry also enjoyed the biblical discussions he had with David.

Kathy and I didn't go a lot of places. I was satisfied just sitting in her home and enjoying her company. Kathy croquets, and she was working on an afhgan for a friend. The colors were my colors, and we immediately went out and purchased enough yarn for one for me. Kathy said she had been thinking of making me something soon, so this fit into her plan and my joy! The colors are cranberry and green, and the yarn color is called  Cranberry Apple. It looks more like turquoise in the picture below.

As many of you know, I love taking pictures of animal babies. One of the things I noticed on the drive out were "calf nurseries", or so I called them. I didn't get the snaps I wanted; Jerry wasn't keen on stopping on a moments notice on the interstate, but the one below I did manage to take of five calves all laying together in the snap below, left. 

In a field of cattle, you'd see groups of calves lying together with one cow, and all the other cows would be in other areas. It made me laugh to see this, and thus named them "calf nurseries." In this picture, one cow was off to the left a little farther than usual, so she didn't get in the snap. This was our third drive out there, and I was so hoping to get some good snaps of my "calf nurseries." This will have to do for now.

  Here is a snap of a group of cows that I liked.

 

Kathy had some beautiful roses blooming in her yard. The smell was heavenly!



I enjoyed a series of fiction books by Beverly Lewis while in Oklahoma. They were fast reads and it was nice relaxing with a good book.

The drive home was long--three full days of driving. We were tired when we finally arrived home. But we made it!

After unloading the car, we left to pick up Sam who was taking a vacation at a couple's home with their two dogs. She was happy to see us, and now we've gotten back into our routine.

It was nice to be away . . . but it's always great to be home.

Dreaded Phobia

                                            

Early this year I decided to be a sponsor at Ann Downing's retreat in Franklin, Tennessee. Ann, a well-known southern gospel singer, hosts a retreat every April. As a sponsor I would have a table at the retreat, and the opportunity to sell my book, note cards and matted prints. After the retreat, my logo button will be on her website for six months. Participants from twenty states attend this retreat, and I thought it would be a good opportunity in promoting my book nationally.

When Jerry and I left the Great Smoky Mountains, we took the byways to Franklin, Tennessee. We had plenty of time to enjoy the scenery as we drove along. We arrived in Franklin refreshed and ready to go.

Before I was set up at my table, a women visited and bought a book. I had provided a half page handout for each participant's bag, and the woman came by quickly to make her purchase. I've noticed this before. Those folks who have an interest in note writing and encouraging others usually visit me early on during an event.

As the first session was about to begin, I got up to join the group. When I looked in the room and saw all the people I froze. I couldn't go in the room. My dreaded phobia paralyzed me.

All of my adult life I've suffered from symptoms similar to those of Asperger's syndrome. Asperger's syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others. I suffer from being able to socialize in groups of people. From work groups to groups of friends, if there is more than one other person I have a very difficult time opening my mouth to say anything.

God has certainly used every opportunity through the years to place me out of my comfort zone and stretch me. But even now at 63, I still panic, like I did at the retreat. It is truly a miracle that I've stood in front of  groups of people and spoken about the note writing ministry. God used my gift of writing to make this happen. My talk is typed out, and I virtually read it word for word. Talking off the top of my head just doesn't work. I freeze.

Although I couldn't attend any of the sessions, I was able to sit at my table before each session. I enjoyed conversations with four individuals who share my interest in note writing. And a few books and note cards were sold too. I was disappointed that I had succumbed, once again, to this weakness.

Because of my disappointment and frustration, I decided to leave the retreat earlier than planned. Jerry and I got a three hour headstart as we headed toward Oklahoma to visit with my sister.

God can always take disappointments and turn them around to be seasons of thanksgiving. Because I decided to leave the retreat early, those additional three hours put us past the tornado and severe weather area that day. We would have been right in it if we'd left the scheduled time. His ways are miraculous!

Even though I know I may freeze in a particular situation, I keep trying. God is faithful when we step out for Him. I prefer one-on-one conversation, but I'll keep trying to walk the path God lays before me to share about His work and love.

Recently I was reminded of the book "The Little Engine That Could"  in my morning devotion. It was written by Watty Piper in 1930. The devotion shared about fear, uncertainty and doubt, and the courage of the little engine that kept repeating, "I think I can . . . I think I can."

I think I can . . . so I'll keep trying!

Next post I'll share of my adventure in Oklahoma visiting my sister and brother-in-law.