Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Happy Day After the Day After Labor Day!

 

September is here, at last...

...now let's just hope the weather will take the hint!
We have been experiencing the most humid and muggy weather of the season here.

As usual, I am MORE than ready for cooler weather and fall leaves!

And that's not all.

I look forward to eating some of these every fall.
I actually saw them on the shelves a month ago...nothing like rushing the season.
~

So once more for old time's sake, here are the questions for this last Hodgepodge.

I, for one, am going to miss it but, Joyce, I totally understand!

Thank you for everything you have put into the Hodgepodge over the years,

 and creating such a fun way to share our lives and connect to new friends as well!

 

1. What has been the highlight of your summer so far? (It's still summer people!)

Our visit to the Cass Scenic Railroad in West Virginia in June was most definitely the highlight so far. I think about the experience often and would love to return one day. I highly recommend visiting there if you happen to live anywhere close...or whether you don't!

 



2. What do you wish you'd done more of this summer? Less of?

More of getting projects done, less of not getting projects done. 😏

3. Something you're looking forward to on your September calendar?

Although I am not really all that crazy about getting another year older, I will be doing just that on the 15th. In all seriousness though, I am very thankful to the Lord for every day and every year that He sees fit to let me breathe the air. I have scheduled a week off work that will include my birthday...a working week, I might add. No fun vacations, but dedicating most of the time to my #2 answer. Wish me luck!

4. Best/favorite book you've read this summer?



It took me a while, but I finally got through it. This book is big and thick...and packed with so much history about the country during the time (and before) the Ingalls Family were pioneering their way across the country and finally settling, again and again. Much of the book was about the relationship between Laura and her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, who was a best selling author in her own right. Their relationship was quite tempestuous, to say the least and I must say a little surprising to me. Some of it made my heart sink a bit. Although "Little House on the Prairie" had always been (and still is) one of my favorite shows, I had never read any of the books! Well, maybe you can guess what I'm currently reading. Better late than never, I always say!

5. Share something positive, encouraging, or uplifting here.



When a butterfly lands on your hand, how could it not be positive, encouraging AND uplifting?

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Joyce, once again I thank you for the Hodgepodge. I will be looking forward to any little surprises you may decide to toss our way!

 

So until next time, enjoy what's left of the first week of September!

 

windowsill

“The voyage of a lifetime starts at the windowsill.”

~Khang Kijarro Nguyen

~

Recently, as I was going through my photo files, I found quite a few windowsill shots.

I didn't realize I had so many of them so I decided to include them in a post.

So often I'll walk into the kitchen and find the late afternoon sun filtering through the petals

of whatever happens to be in the vessels (or the vessels themselves) that's sitting on the sill...

...and creating such a lovely still-life display that I have to stop whatever I'm doing
and go grab my camera.

Sometimes, depending on the time of day, the scene is more of a silhouette...


...and sometimes it's just fun.

~
As you can see, my windowsills are quite shallow.
You can be sure that the farmhouse will have nice deep ones. 😉

AT MY WINDOWSILL

Early in the morning,

When all is still,

I sit and wait

At my windowsill,

And watch the sun

Come over the hill,

To paint the sky

With beauty and skill.

~Linda B. Ross



Most of the photos I came across were taken of my own kitchen windowsill 
but I found a couple from other places as well.

Remember our beloved cabin in Virginia?
These colored bottles always made me smile as I caught the sun sifting through them.
When we moved out, I gave the blue ones away to Adam and Carrie.

Now I get to enjoy them sitting in their windowsill when we come visit them.

It's always fun to change things up for the seasons.
Anyone else ready for fall?

"Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are window through which you must see the world."
~George Bernard Shaw

BOUQUET

Today, while I was busy at my tasks

She came to me, and proudly held to view
The flowers she had gathered, with the words
"See Mommy! I have picked them all for you."

I smiled with high delight, and gathered close
The limp grey weeds, the wilted dandelion...
And placed them all in water, in a vase
Upon the window sill to catch the shine!

I often think, Lord, this must be Your task
With prayers and deeds we bring to You each night,
How poor and small they are, they fall so short!
And yet, how beautiful within Your sight.

To understand our aims, unworthy deeds ...
And bless the "flowers" shining through the weeds!

~Charmain Blattner

"Give me a window and I'll stare out it."  

~Alan Rickman

So tell me...what's in your windowsill?


Sharing at:
Amaze Me Monday

Lost Among the Sunflowers

 

I was heading home from the city just east of us (that I rarely visit) when I saw them. 

They were on the other side of the highway so I hadn't noticed them at first.

 

 

I think every single one of us can say that we love sunflowers, am I right?

 

 

But when there's a whole field of them, well, that's just a glorious treat for the eyes.

 

 

Once I discovered how to access the field I went back, cameras in tow.

I stepped further and further into the maize of golden beauties until that's all I could see.

 

 

I snapped and then snapped some more...

 

 

snap.....snap.....snap-snap-snap..........snap...

 

 

 

I was all alone, lost in a world where nothing but the sky and sunflowers existed.

 

 

Oh...and bees.

We can't forget about the bees.

 

 

And it was at that moment when I felt the first drop...

...it had started to rain.....oh great!

 I knew I had to make a mad dash for it if I didn't want soggy cameras.

My car was............right o--ver...........th-th-ere....s-s-somewhere...

 

  

...where was my car, anyway??

 

 

 Of course, I had lost all sense of direction, being up to my eyeballs in sunflowers.

Standing on my tippy toes, I was finally able to see my car in the distance.

 Had I really waded out that far in this delicious sea of yellowness? (is that even a word?)

 

So as fast as my short little legs could take me,

I made it to my car, just seconds before the bottom dropped out of the sky.

 

I had gotten what I came for.

 

 

And I was happy. 

 

ALL ABOARD!!

Well, it's taken me a couple of weeks to find the time to get this posted but as promised,
 here are a few highlights from our train ride on the Cass Scenic Railroad.



You don't have to be a train enthusiast or a history buff to enjoy visiting here,
but you may very well be one or both when you leave!
We have been talking about visiting this place since we lived in Kentucky
and our boys were still just little guys...about 30 years if I was to guess.
It was about a five hour drive from our home in NC and it was a very nice drive...
...for most of the way at least.

This is pretty much what the journey looked like for about an hour before we reached Cass.

And just let me warn you, there are a lot of photos so if this doesn't interest you,
please feel free to click out at any point! How will I ever know?? 😉
~
The tiny little town of Cass, West Virginia has a population of 52 at last count in 2010.
You can click on the link to find out all about it if you like...it's really quite an interesting place.
I really wish we would have had more time to explore the tiny town, itself.
The town basically consists of the train station, a few old buildings, the old company store,
and 52 company homes where the loggers/railroad workers and their families lived.

source

In the early 60s the logging ceased and the railroad shut down, leaving much of the town deserted.
Today, many of these homes have been completely restored to their original condition
and are rented out to guests who visit the railroad.

Above is the old lumber mill that has been converted to various shops and such.
I failed to get a shot of the company store which is now a gift shop and restaurant
so I am borrowing one from Google.

source

We arrived at the station about an hour before the train was to get there at around noon
and we enjoyed a picnic lunch I had packed on a nearby picnic table while we waited on Shay #2.
Shay, you say? You can find out all you ever wanted to know about them here.







To say the least, these Shay locomotives are pretty amazing pieces of engineering,
no pun intended...well, kinda. 😀



The time had come and the train was ready to leave the station...
...ALL ABOARD!!

Jim is all smiles as we get ready to pull out of the station...
...actually, I should say push out...the locomotive actually pushes the cars up the mountain.

Josh, our engineer (above) is a 4th generation railroad worker at Cass.
His great-grandfather actually worked as cook for the loggers back in the 1920s.
I can't even imagine the back-breaking work these men endured,
spending as much as six months away from their families up on the mountain...
cutting down huge trees, sending them down the mountain, day in and day out for over 40 years.
Josh narrated our journey both up and back down and knows this railroad like the back of his hand.

Click on the short video as we get started...I love to hear that whistle!

Slowly but surely, we started our slow trek up the mountain.



I stood up much of the time to be able to get photos from both sides.
 Our seats were at the end of the car and above is a shot of what was right below my feet.




I prayed hard that the predicted rain would be delayed and my prayers were answered!
God is so good...the views were breathtaking.

Finally, we made it to the top of Bald Knob, elevation 4,843 feet above sea level

and the third highest point in West Virginia and the Allegheny Mountains.

The observation deck does look a bit rickety but I assure you, it was quite sound.
The rustic design seems to add the charm.

The view from the top nearly took my breath away.

At the very end of the tracks sits a caboose that may be rented out for weekend camp outs.

If you are the adventurous type, you too can be left on top of Bald Knob to your own devices!

The little red caboose can sleep up to 6 adults, comes equipped with a coal stove, coal, 

kindling wood, water (not running) for drinking and another container for dishes, etc., 

microwave, small fridge, minimal electricity for lighting and keeping your phone charged.

But there's a catch...there isn't any cell phone service.

Oh, and we mustn't forget to mention the outhouse...that is of major importance.

Once the train drops you off in the afternoon, that's it...bye-bye, choo-choo!

You. Are. On. Your. Own.

This sounds really fun to me for some odd reason.

source

So after spending about 30 minutes up top, it was time to make our descent down the mountain.



About half way down we stopped at Whittaker Station, what remains of the original logging camp,

where the old fire tower still stands.

Our crew took a few minutes to chill under a shade tree while others visited the facilities.

Soon it was time to give everything a quick once-over.




 This little guy should be considered our hero.
He alone, shoveled an unbelievable amount of 4-5 tons of coal to get us up the mountain!
Can you just imagine that?

Our break was over and woo-woo-woooooo...it was time to make our last leg of the journey.
It was a fabulous experience and we would love to return one day.
And maybe next time, we might even be crazy enough to stay in that caboose...
...or not.😊