A Parks & Recreation Medley

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Another week has come and gone in a matter of no time it seems.
When you see Halloween candy in the Dollar General, you know the year is quickly waning.
Who wants to buy Halloween candy in July anyway??
But just in case you do, you can find some in our local DG!
~
So it's Wednesday and also time for another...

...with our friend from Florida, Terri.

Today it's all about...

WORLD RANGER DAY – July 31

On July 31st, World Ranger Day honors the dedication, and crucial work rangers do every day around the globe.  The day offers an opportunity to show support to rangers for the services they provide. Every day, their unwavering commitment protects our national parks, wildlife, and forested heritage.

Click on the link and head on over to the Medley to find out more about these special folks.

They certainly deserve a day of their own to be celebrated.

Just copy and paste her questions to your blog and plug in your answers.

***************************

1.  Is there a National Park near where you live?

Well, that depends on how you define "near". We live smack dab in the middle of North Carolina...the mountains, including the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains, are only a few hours to the west of us...

One of the cool tunnels in the Smokies near Pigeon Forge, TN.

A scene from a Smoky Mountain overlook near Gatlinburg, TN.

...and the National Seashore, including the Wright Brothers Memorial and Cape Hatteras are a few hours to the east.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, NC

2.  How many National Parks and which ones have you visited?  Is there one you would really like to visit?

Over the years I've visited several National Parks that are included in the states of NC, TN, KY, VA...that's all I can remember at least. When we had our cabin in Virginia, we were only about three miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway and traveled it often...one of my favorite places. Visiting some of the national parks out west are definitely on my bucket list, specifically, Yellowstone.

Somewhere along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

A view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from Fancy Gap, VA.

3.  The Park Rangers are protectors of the environment, of the wildlife, and visitors in the parks.  Is there someone (human) in your life who you count on as a protector or are you someone's protector?

When I think of someone who is my protector, my first thought would be Jim, my hubby. But what could he really protect me from? A burglar or a thief? A hurricane or a tornado? Although he would try to do everything he could possibly do as a human, he may or may not succeed. As a mother, I went through most of my life playing the role of protector...I mean don't we all? There is that natural instinct that kicks in when we have our children...we become like that lioness protecting her cubs don't we? Even when our kids are grown, it's hard to let that go! That's why my answer would ultimately be, I have to rely on my Lord to be my protector in all of His supernatural power.

4.  Have you ever had an up-close-and-personal experience with a wild animal that you can tell us about?

So this just happened a couple of days ago. I was about to close the front door around dusk (thus the bad photo quality) and out the corner of my eye, I noticed something and at first just thought it was one of the feral cats we feed regularly. Well, this "kitty" was wearing a mask, and it was stealing...therefor, I shall call him or her Bandit...or Banditina. He/she was very nonchalant about the whole experience. 🐾🐾🐾  Here are some examples of my other close encounters with wildlife...

Sometimes they call me "The Bird Whisperer"...

...other times, "The Butterfly Whisper"...

...sneaking up on an armadillo in Adam's back yard

and turkeys in his front yard, on Thanksgiving Day no less...

 

...Momma and Poppa Goose and unborn goslings...

  

...and these two........oh wait.......how'd this picture get in here???

Well Terri, you did say "wild" and you also said "animals"...

...so they do fit the description. 😉

5.  It is certainly an honor to show value to this profession by giving them a day of remembrance.  What is another profession that you like to see honored by a "day" of their own?

Well, there probably already is a day to honor them since there seems to be a day to honor just about everyone or everything, but I think the Human Society and/or Animal Rescue organizations deserve a day of honor for doing all they can to save the lives of unwanted animals. Like I said, there is surely a day set aside for them already...at least I hope so.

6.  On this last day of July, please tell us something about your week so far.

Sunday was this guy's birthday and he had to work. This picture of him is from several years ago and he hasn't changed at all (well, not much).


He hasn't gotten his birthday pie yet because we only have one more bag of black raspberries left in the freezer....and we can't get them around here. Looks like we will be making a trip to VA and to the Amish store which usually sells them (frozen). He said to hold off on the pie, which has never happened in the 43 years we've been married! He said he'd settle for one of Aaron's homemade cherry cheesecakes. I guess I better break the news to Aaron!

Other than that, it's been pretty much business as usual this week...well, except for that raccoon incident. I do have appointments on Friday for a follow-up CT, labs (haven't they gotten enough blood yet??) and with the "Big Dog" doctor to discuss surgery plans. At this point I just want to get it over with and move forward with my life! Being in a holding pattern is not much fun...BUT I do know that the Lord's timing is perfect!

Enjoy the rest of your week, my friends!

Until next time....



A Medley of Brothers & Sisters

Hello and Happy Wednesday, my friends!
After missing a couple of weeks, 
I'm glad to be linking back up with Terri's...

Today is... 

NATIONAL SIBLINGS DAY

 and you can read all about it here.

Just copy and paste the questions from her blog to your blog,
plug in your own answers, and then link back up to the Medley.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

1. How many siblings do you have? Are you rivals or do you support each other in all you do?

Most of you already know this if you have followed me for very long...I am the "baby" out of eight siblings. My oldest brother (we were 20 years apart) passed away in 2017, leaving a huge hole in our family. We have never been rivals in any way, shape of form and have always supported each other in every thing and in every way. There have never been any family squabbles that I can recall, just a whole lot of love...and I don't say that to brag or boast. I say that out of a most thankful heart to the Lord for allowing me to be blessed by belonging to this crazy bunch. I look forward with great anticipation to every chance I get to visit with my dear siblings and try to up get to Ohio at least once a year. Here are some pictures of us throughout the past several years...I couldn't find any of the old black and whites from the early times where we were all together. Bob had already left home by the time I came along and gathering the rest of us was no easy task to get snapshots, when the old Brownie camera had film in it, that is! 

From left to right...Bob, #1; Doug, #5; Lois, #2; Janet, #6; Ruby, #3; Barbara, #7; Jerry, #4; Me, #8

One of the last reunions when Mom was still with us.

The year brother Bob was to ill to join the reunion. A little photo editing brought us all together again.

And then there were seven...

 2.  Have you heard of the Birth Order Book?  What are your thoughts on the premise that your birth order affects everything you do in life?

Yes, I have heard of this book but I don't know that I ever really thought much about the subject. I do think there might be something to it in a family where there are just a few children but not so much when there are many. I think it also depends on how the parents relate to the children. I personally have not experienced a birth order thing but can certainly understand that it could be an issue in some family situations. All I know is that we just loved each other and thoroughly enjoyed growing up in a large family. I've shared this photo before but I just love it so much. This is the flip-side of the "birth order"...the oldest and the youngest.

3.  Is there something that you still do that drives your siblings crazy?

Using the word "crazy" and my "siblings" in the same sentence would be a bit redundant... for the simple fact that we ALL crazy. I haven't lived around my family since we relocated to Kentucky in 1981 and moved even farther away to NC in 1992 but when we get the opportunities to get together, there's a whole lot of crazy goin' on! I'm sure there are many on the outside that just may not get our brand of "crazy"...lol! Being the baby of the family had many perks and getting away with murder was one of them. Just let me say that I have mellowed over the years.👼

4.  Are you closer to your siblings now than you were when you were younger?

Although there was never a time when we were not a close bunch, through the years we have all gotten closer in our spirits. We all love Jesus and we live our lives accordingly. The six siblings between the oldest and the youngest have always lived close to each other in Ohio, a few of them even worshipping at the same church. My oldest brother who passed away in 2017 had lived in South Carolina since I was a tiny child when he went into the Air Force...and then we moved our family to KY in '81. As we all grew in age, our relationships to each only grew stronger and with the help of Facebook, our connections were strengthened even more due to the ease of being able to see what see were all up to on any given day.

5.  Would you dare to tell us an embarrassing story about a sibling?

Of course this story is no longer embarrassing to my dear sis, Barb since she was just a young girl when this happened but all of the brother and sisters sure gave her a hard time about it for many years. We had a favorite aunt who lived in the country and we would often go and stay with her for days and play with our cousins. At that time, there was no indoor toilet and the outhouse was your only option...we actually thought this was kinda fun. Anyway, it seems there was this nest of yellow jackets living under the rim...I think you know where I'm going with this. That day she became their target.  They (I don't actually know how many) butt but all I do know is at least one of them stung her on the butt hit that target......and out she ran, crying to Aunt Clara, panties and all still down around her knees! Not too many years later, Aunt Clara was blessed with a nice indoor potty. 😉

6.  Tell us something random about your week.

A couple of things, actually. Jim and I had just finished dinner the other night and all of a sudden we heard that all too familiar, unmistakable sound of a bird hitting the glass patio door. Jim thought the little thing was dead and I rushed out to swoop it up before one of the feral cats had him for dinner. It was a beautiful baby downy woodpecker...and I immediately went into "bird whisperer" mode.

It didn't take long for this little one to get his/her bearings back...only a little dazed and confused and soon flew off my hand and onto a tree branch a few yards away. I consider this a blessing from the Lord to be able to do this on several occasions and there is nothing quite like having that amazing, wild creature sitting in the palm of your hand.

And on another subject altogether, I finally made good on a gift certificate to a local nail salon that was gifted to me for Christmas from Adam and Carrie. I started feeling so bad after the first of the year that I really had no desire to go get that much needed pedicure.

All I can I say is ....AAAHHHHH! 

~

So that's pretty much it for me this week!

Spring is finally popping out everywhere and I'm feeling good!

Hugs and blessings to ALL!

A Medley on This Day

Well, fall is in full swing here in NC with just a hint of winter in the air.
We are finally starting to get some color in some places and it seems some are just drying up.
It's hard to believe that just a couple of weeks ago the air was so thick with humidity
that you could almost cut it with a knife.



Believe me when I say I'm not complaining one iota...in fact, this is my kind of weather!

The sound of the crisp, crackling leaves under foot delights my soul.

And while we're on the subject of crispy and crackly...

I was about to throw out these dried mums that had been in a bouquet of flowers.

After a while, they just started to dry up until there was no moisture left in them,

creating the most gorgeous color and texture to the petals and centers.

The blooms were small to begin with, less than 2 inches in diameter

and the photos were taken with my macro lens.

The older I get, I seem to appreciate wrinkles, more and more. 😉

And on a completely unrelated note, I thought I'd share our new "pet" with you.

Of course in order for an animal to be considered a pet,

that animal must let you pet it...at least under ordinary circumstances.

This is Kiki...at least that's what I call her/him...isn't she/he pretty/handsome?

She/he is one of the strays that we have been feeding...

 especially since the day I saw her/him walking across the yard with a cardinal in her/his mouth.

Kiki is quite the tease, I might add but we are making progress.

One day, she/he might just let me get close enough to pet her/him.

I guess when and if that happens, she/he will officially be a pet!

~

So we're here for the Wednesday Medley... let get right to it.

Come join us as Terri, our friend from Florida, asks the questions on her blog

and we answer them on ours.
~

1.  On this day in 1908, Billy Murray hits the charts with his “Take Me Out to The Ball Game”.  Did you watch the MLB playoffs, and are you watching the World Series?

No and no.

2.  On this day in 1962, On this day in 1962, “The Manchurian Candidate”, directed by John Frankenheimer, starring Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey, was released.  What is your favorite Frank Sinatra song?

I can't say I was ever a huge fan of ol' Franks but if I had a favorite it would be "My Way".

3.  On this day in 1968, Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithful were busted for pot and released on £50 bail.  Has your state approved the sale of medical marijuana?  In a nutshell, what are your thoughts on the subject?

Currently, North Carolina has not legalized it's use but there are bills currently on the ballot that will allow a certain amount to be legal for personal use if passed...and we're not talking just for medical purposes. In a nutshell, my thoughts are "Jesus, take the wheel"...that's about as nutshell as I can make it.

4.  On this day in 1979, the Guinness Book of Records presented Paul McCartney with a rhodium disc as the all-time best-selling singer-songwriter. What is your favorite song by Paul McCartney?

I grew up listening to the Beatles and there were so many great songs so it's hard to pick a favorite...but "Let It Be" stands out as being at the top of the list.

5.  On this day in 2017, Albert Einstein’s “Theory of Happiness” written on a note as a tip for a bellboy in 1922, sold for $1.6 million.  His Theory of Happiness is: “A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness.” Was Einstein right?

Oh, I absolutely believe he was right...but I think if he would have included the importance of having a relationship with God along with a calm and modest life, he would have hit the nail on the head.

6.  Tell us something random about your week so far…

I rescued this beautiful boy after he slammed into my kitchen window glass. Dazed and confused he was but after about 30-45 minutes, he was safe and sound among the leaves. 

 

Being able to help rescue this beautiful boy made my day!

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your week, my friends!

Itty-Bitty Birdie Butts

It must be a slow day in the Land of Blog.

Am I getting desperate for subject matter, or what?
I started this post last winter one day when I was snowed in and never finished it.
The little birdies were just going crazy at the feeders.

My camera was set on continuous mode where you just hold down the shutter and let 'er rip.
I captured many different postures...but...these are special. (pun intended)

After going through the photos and catching many of them with their backsides to the camera,
I realized that our fine feathered friends just have the cutest little rear ends!

Seriously...have you ever noticed how cute their little butts are?

They are just adorable, don't you think?

And they never have to worry about what to wear...

I mean do you think a little birdie ever asks this question...

"Do these feathers make my butt look big?"

I think not.

Ah...such is the life of a bird!

So inspiration for a blog post can come from just about anywhere and anything...




...even from itty-bitty birdie butts :)

THE END
~
Have a good week!

Today I'm joining Maggie's...
Mosaic Monday

Red on White

Here in the south, we really either hate snow or we get really excited.

Since I'm not from these parts originally, I get excited because being from Ohio, I miss it!

You out there in the colder parts of blog land kind of just accept snow as part of normal life.

So I tend to find ways to celebrate our few and far between snowfalls.

Of course, one of the ways is watching the birds go absolutely CRAY over it!

We always have a pretty good assortment of birds throughout the year, including cardinals.

I love feeding and watching all of them but when there is snow on the ground,
there just aren't any that compare to those stunning pops of red against the brilliant white snow.

I was able to get most of the bird photos through my dirty windows.
It was bitter COLD out there!

There were so many birds that I decided to put out an extra container of seeds on the deck.
It didn't take long for them to find it...and fight over it.
I love how the cardinal seems to be telling the sparrow, "This is MINE...go get your own!" :)

But I did endure the freezing temps for just a bit to get out in that lovely white stuff.
I walked the dogs down the driveway and when I turned around back towards the house,
it was kind of like seeing the red cardinals against the snow...except....different.

Our formerly-brown-but-now-red-house really stood out against the ground covered in white.

Also, the night before the snow came, Jim went out to the store and brought me back flowers.
I'm sure you see where I am going with this...

...and surely you remember how much I like to play with flowers in the snow :)

 Kind of a crazy idea for a post, don't ya think?
Oh well, it's only the beginning of January...surely things will get better :)
By the end of this week, we are to have temps in the upper 60's again.
Welcome to North Carolina!
~
And surely you have guessed by now that I'm linking up with Maggie at
Mosaic Monday


Have a great week!