My Old Kentucky Home

Well... I'm b-a-c-k!
Thanks to all of you who wished me safe travels and such.
I haven't even begun to get caught up with my blog reading, let alone anything else.

How does being away from home for only five days seems like it was two weeks?

We crammed a lot in, I guess that's why...but it is always good to get back home again.

~

On our way to Ohio for my family reunion (that will be another post),

we stopped in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky for a day and night, where lived before we came here.

As a rule when traveling to Ohio, we go by way of Virginia and West Virginia...
...a much more direct route for us, but we decided to take a little side trip this time.

They say (whoever they are) that you can never go home again...

...and although there is some truth to that, it's not always the case.

When we leave a place that we had called home for so many years,

often we want to be able to come back and see that everything has remained the same.

It had probably been fifteen years or so since we had been back for a visit,
and we saw so many changes as soon as we took the exit off the interstate...

we hardly recognized the place at first!

As we got into town, things started looking very familiar...

...in fact, some of the building and landmarks hadn't changed a bit!
~
Sadly, the house where we used to live was empty and run down.

Someone didn't show this place the love that they should have.

Among other things, the semi in-ground pool in the back yard was gone,
the hole filled in and many lovely trees had been cut down.

Sad.

This "Tot Finder" sticker in the front window has been there since probably 1988 or so.
It was given to my Adam when he was in elementary school during a fire safety assembly.
I remember the day he brought it home and promptly stuck it in his window.



Can you believe it has been there all these years?
I guess that alone speaks volumes about the condition of the house.
 ~

We lived in Mt. Sterling from 1981 until 1992 and Adam, our youngest was born there.

It was also there that Jim and I began our walk with the Lord...

...and found out what being a part of the family of God was all about.

What a blessing it was to take up where we left off with a few of our old friends!

A while back we had reconnected on Facebook and have kept in touch ever since,

and had then arranged to get together when we got into town.

So here's how it played out...

I called Nancy and told her we had just gotten into town.

She told tell me that she and hubby (Snookie) were heading to Kroger for a few groceries.

We had just been to Kroger and was actually pulling out of the parking lot!

Needless to say, we turned that buggy around in a heartbeat,

and had a sweet reunion in the parking lot of the grocery store!
 After having lunch together, we went back to their home for a "short" visit.

While there, Cathy, another mutual friend called to ask Nancy if we had gotten in yet.
 She lived only a couple miles down the road and wanted to come by and say "hello".
Her hubby was unable to join us and on her arrival, she stated she could only stay a few minutes.

Long story short, we spent the rest of the day catching up,
 laughing so hard we nearly wet our pants,

and finally having a time of sweet prayer together before we left for the evening.



Our photos were a little blurry...

...but our memories of good times were sharp and clear.
 Our group selfie was a little messed up too...
...kind of hard get us all in without a selfie stick...lol!
Cathy chose to be shy...plus she had the longest arms :)

The next morning we met again for breakfast and then we were off to Ohio.
About 30 miles north we stopped at the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington.

So the entire eleven years we lived here, we'd never visited this beautiful place.
Don't ask me why because I just couldn't tell you the answer...
...and the term good fences has a whole new meaning to me now.

I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

A horse crossing...literally :)

Many beautiful old stone fences...

...and lastly, as we were walking along, we met Oreo and his sweet family.

He immediately brought me this stick to throw for him...

...and I did...

...and the games were on!
I also learned that he was very talented in his herding abilities.
His owners told us that at large family gatherings when folks start spreading out,
he promptly starts herding them all back together in a group...lol!
Oreo is one smart puppy!
~
And so it was back on the road again.
Ohio was almost in sight :)

To be continued....

Linking up with:

Roses of Inspiration

 Good Fences

Grace at Home

Headin' North

Well...north to us...

...it's really more like northwest.

We are off to Ohio for my family reunion on Saturday

and will be stopping by our old hometown of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky on the way. 

We lived there for eleven years before moving here in '92...

 ...thought it would be fun to spend a day there and meet up with some old friends.

It's been two years since I have seen any of my siblings.
Yes, you could say I'm pretty excited...
...especially since all eight of us will be together!
~
So have a great weekend and I'll see you when I get back!

Glorious Critters and Such

Happy Monday, my friends!

I hope you all had a great and relaxing weekend.

~

You know, the world is just filled with fascinating and beautiful critters.

Does it ever just blow your mind how God came up with all of them?

Since I started my blog a couple of years ago, 

I have to admit that the things that I used to take for granted,

almost seem like new discoveries for me.

~

I believe this lovely dragonfly is a twelve-spotted skimmer...

...according to the description on Google.

If they stay still long enough to get a good photo you can certainly appreciate their beauty.

I found this one swarming around in a grown up area in front of our local Walmart.

Queen Anne's Lace was also growing there and on that particular morning

 the sun illuminated the outline of it, creating the most glorious effect.

 

And then there's that sensation you get when you reach down to pick a tomato...

...and what you feel isn't a tomato at all...

...but one of these "lovelies".

My first response was... EEEW!!

But you know, after I cut the part of the vine off where it had been eating the tomatoes,
(the worm was still on the vine because if you think I was actually going to touch it, you would be WRONG)
I stood there studying the intricacy of his design and I was actually in awe this tobacco hornworm...
...not to be confused with the tomato hornworm.
Imagine that...a tobacco worm was eating my tomatoes!



Who else but the God of the universe could (or would) create something like this?
I was making a joke about it having eyes all the way down it's body...they do look like eyes, huh?
They aren't eyes, but they actually breathe from them!
~
So I was getting ready to go shopping on Friday and this guy just would not get off my car.
I didn't take the time to google this one...



...but my, what BIG eyes you have!
~
But I have to say, my favorite encounter with critters this week was of these baby hummers.
At first I thought it was just one baby but after reviewing my photos,
 I noticed the different color variations in their feathers,
this one having red on top of it's head.



They were just learning to fly...and drink from the feeder.

You could almost see the uncertainty on their little faces,

this one looking quite puzzled as Mama was hovering near.

How adorable!



The drama came when this one landed on top of the feeder and didn't quite know what to do.
Once, he fell to the ground and just laid there for a moment.
I quickly ran out to try to rescue him and then he just as quickly flew away!

It wasn't five minute later, he was back again on top of the feeder...
...and after hanging on for dear life, let go and plunked into the window sill!

I was able to get really up close and personal with him...

...and then off he flew again.

What amazing little creatures they are...glorious, indeed!

The earth is most definitely filled with HIS glory!

Have a blessed week :)

After getting ready to link to Judith's Mosaic Monday,

I realized her title this week is "The Little Things"...

...how appropriate!

Also sharing at:

Amaze Me Monday

Sharing His Beauty

Roses of Inspiration

Mimosa Tree

If there's one thing I look forward to in the summer,
(and of course there are many)
it's when those trees with the pink "poofy things" 
(as I so lovingly refer to them)
start blooming just about everywhere I look.

It is the Albizia julibrissin (say that five times fast) or the Mimosa Tree. 



The Mimosa
~Jason Tomlinson

The only thing I know about trees is what I’m able to view
I don’t know much but I like to watch to find out what they do
and I’ve noticed my mimosa tree every single year
and how late in the spring its blossoms appear.



There are trees all over my neck of the woods
punctuating the landscape of all our neighborhoods
and it’s so nice when spring comes around
and the trees blossom all over town.



But it’s strange when I watch the mimosa tree
and why it waits so late is a mystery to me
but then I was encouraged by that one thing
the mimosa isn’t competing to bloom first in the spring,



it just does what it does slow and steady
and then it blooms when it is ready.

Do you enjoy mimosa trees in your corner of the world?

Fear not...

Sometimes things happen to us that become learning experiences.

Or at least they should be.

I hope I've learned my lesson.

This is my Facebook post from last night.

I was home alone, as I am so many nights...

...I am used to that and I am never afraid to stay by myself.

Once I realized I was locked out, all kinds of thoughts were running through my head.

Poor little Oscar was in the house too.

And because it was so dark, that added to the fear frustration...

...or...should I just go ahead and admit it?

Fear.

Yes, I was beginning to feel real fear.

And just let me tell you, I would have had to feel a whole lot more fear 

before I would go knocking on a neighbor's door in my ratty, almost see-through nightgown!

Oh, if only you could have felt (and seen) my desperation...

...I was literally calling out for Jesus to help me...louder...and louder.

And after beating that poor door handle (which still works, actually) with the hammer,

I can't remember when I felt such a relief...and so safe.

Not safe in the sense that I was actually fearing for my life,

but safe in the arms of a Savior that cared about me...

...in the midst of my uncomfortable and unfortunate circumstances.

You might think it was silly of me to post this on facebook.

But I felt compelled to share it, to use it as a testament to show how God looks out for his kids.

How He cares about our every need.

Each and every one.

So after I posted it, not even five minutes later, this post from came through my news feed.

A coincidence you think?

I think not.

And the story wouldn't be complete until you see my final post of the evening...

Oh and let me assure you that the key that used to be hidden outside on the deck,

was replaced this morning :)

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 

“Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Isaiah 41:13

Sharing at:

Roses of Inspiration
Grace at Home
Spiritual Sundays

Four-wheelin', Shootin' and a Deep Fried Brownie

Well, the 4th of July is history...

...and Labor Day will be here before you know it!

Time is slipping away, folks!

I hope all of my friends in the USA had a great holiday weekend.

~

I thought I'd share a few moments from our visit to Tennessee from the week before.

Adam and his family live in a beautiful rural area just south of Nashville.

He wanted to give his ol' mom a ride around the property so off we went on the four-wheeler.

He promised to drive slow-ish.

He only scared me a couple of times :)

So we headed down the steep, half-mile long gravel driveway,

(we are actually going back up the drive in this pic)

stopping at this small farm just down the road a bit.

We got off the four-wheeler and these beauties walked right up to us.

This guy (or girl...I didn't notice) was very friendly...

...but most likely quite disappointed that we didn't have any food to share...

...although Adam did offer a handful of tall grass to him/her.

After our visit, we said our goodbyes and headed back down the road.

The contrasting late afternoon sun nearly ruined the photos of this field of  hay bales...

...but after a little "doctoring" with Picmonkey, they will have to do.

It was a fun day.

We girls went for pedicures while the boys practiced their shooting skills.

Each one of them tore the centers out of those targets!

The next day, we went into downtown Columbia and ate at Puckett's.

Anyone who is familiar with the Nashville area surely knows about Puckett's.

We have been making trips to Nashville since 2000 and had never eaten there...

...man...what we'd been missing!

The food was wonderful and we all shared this decadent treat...

...the amazing deep-fried brownie.

And yes, that is bacon on top!
Count the spoons...there are eight of them...

...more than enough gooey deliciousness to go around...a couple of times.

And when you're the photographer,

you get out of showing everyone how big of a pig you were! :)

We always have so much fun visiting our crazy son, Adam and his family.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree :)

Sharing at:

Mosaic Monday
Roses of Inspiration