Day 3 of NaBloPoMo2018: What are you holding onto?

My writing prompt for the day: What am I holding onto?

That's funny.  Looking around my home, it's pretty obvious I hold onto a lot. Books, papers, clothing...shoes, beauty products, dishes...

Why? Memories.  I'm a memory keeper.  I'm reflective by nature, and I guess I'm kinda weird in that I don't really feel that I've experienced my experiences unless I've written about them.

Therefore, I do a lot of journaling, blogging, social media posting.

..."Today I walked across the road, across the field, and down to the creek.  Once again, my boots got muddy.  And yet again, I almost got stuck.  Literally."

I'm sure I bore folks to death, but it's just my way, okay?

My house is like a family museum.  Please don't get the wrong idea and think I'm bragging about owning something fancy.  Quite the opposite is true.

My house is filled with family cast offs that nobody else really wants.

Because I live in an old, old house where generations of my family have lived, this seems like the place to deposit those family cast offs, because, you know, they would look good in here.  They suit the place. Some of it was carried off from here decades ago.

I'm not really complaining.  I kinda like being surrounded with things that have a story attached.

New stuff doesn't have that, unless it got rained on during delivery, or blew off the truck and got broken, or you stubbed your toe on it carrying it in, or you pulled your back out of whack when you picked it up.

If you keep your new stuff around long enough, it will most likely collect some stories, I guess, but I digress.

What am I holding onto?

If I'm not careful, if I don't make a serious effort to counter my natural instincts (because I think it is hereditary, ha!), I'll hold onto everything.

The past in general, belongings, memories...even grudges.

And some of that's not good.  Still, if someone told me to not look back, I'd surely turn into a pillar of salt.

Sometimes I wonder, what would it be like to only live in the moment, with an eye toward the future most of the time?

I really can't imagine, but I reckon some folks operate like that.

I'm holding onto a photo of this little guy.  I don't know who he is, or was, but someone told me he once lived here.  So I keep him on the dresser next to my children.  (Those are obviously not my children in the other photo.  They are my badass grandpa and his brother-in-law, both of whom died long before I was born.) But they are family, so I hang onto 'em! 

NaBloPoMo Day 2: Some Hometown Drama

Well, that was fun.

Our local theatre group, the River City Players, performed their annual Christmas play tonight at the high school auditorium.

I've been to nearly all of their performances for the newspaper, and it's always interesting to see who has stepped out into the limelight each time.

Sometimes I'm surprised.

Watching people you've known for years in roles that isn't typically "them" can be pretty entertaining.

I have to say, I admire those who step up and try something new like that. It takes courage to break out of the old comfort zone.

Every now and then, I'll think of doing something totally unexpected and out of character.  But what I typically do is overthink my way out of it, because I'm cool like that. ;)

One of these days, though!

Right now, this ol lady is going to bed. It's been a long day.

National Blog Posting Month, Seventh Edition

I love taking strolls around the fields with the dogs. Can you see them?  They get so excited when they sniff out a mole, a field mouse or even a grasshopper.  They know how to live in the moment and appreciate the little things.  


Some do "No Shave November;" I do "National Blog Posting Month (in November)."


I can't really tell you why, but for the past seven years, I've taken it upon myself to post some sort of blog for each day of this month, even if it's "just a photo."

Some days that's about all I have in me after a busy day of writing, editing, etc., as editor of a small town weekly newspaper.

But I'll take a stab at making some kind of post, even if it's just sharing a few details of my life on the farm.  Because for me, that's where my best life happens-down on the farm.

One reason I choose to participate in NaBloPoMo is because it takes place in November.

Here in Kentucky, we turn our clocks back an hour on the first Sunday of November.  That means  our mornings will immediately become brighter, but on the flip side, it means we will have longer darker evenings.

That also means that we wanna-be farmers are forced indoors, so I have more spare time on my hands.

Another reason I like to do NaBloPoMo in November is that it sorta serves as a gratitude journal.  I try to exercise my gratitude muscle in November, because, you know, Thanksgiving happens this month!

This year for NaBloPoMo I've joined forces with a group of bloggers whose aim it is to cheer one another on through this challenge. As of now, we are small in number, but we are a very diverse group from all over the world and of different ages.

We also give each other writing prompts. Today's prompt was, "What are your dreams?"

Hmmm...I don't really have any lofty dreams or great big ambitions such as becoming rich and famous.  I know that sounds dull, but all I really want is for everyone to be healthy and to learn to get along and enjoy their best life.   Wait! Maybe that is a lofty ambition!

Stay tuned, and we'll see if we can figure it out.

Savoring the last of summer

I don't know when I've enjoyed just being outdoors any more than I have this summer.

I mean, it's been hot, and we've had more rain that I think we needed, and mowing never ends, but I'm still loving it.

I don't want it to be over.

I don't want to have to go inside!

I want to enjoy night sounds on the porch for many more months.  I want to admire my twinkle solar lights that are wrapped around the porch posts, and I want to lie in the swing and just beee...every night-for years!

I'm not anticipating fall, or Christmas, or pumpkin anything.

Just give me summer.  Hot, sultry, beautiful green days and soft summer nights, perfect for admiring the skies.

An endless summer...

(I don't wanna go to work tomorrooooow!!)

How to make the most of a hot summer morning

Whew, it's been hot.

But I love warm weather and being outdoors, even if it is hot.

Still, it's important to make the most of the cooler morning hours before the heat index tops 100.

Here's how I made the most of mine.

As soon as the coffee stopped brewing, I filled a mug and grabbed a bowl, then ventured out back to the blueberry bushes.

I alternately sipped coffee, picked blueberries, ate blueberries, and gave thanks for my hubby who graciously weed-wacked the tall grass around the shrubs so 'ol sneaky snake' would be more visible....if he was lying around.

Birds and katydids provided some background tunes.

From those plump berries, I made blueberry pecan pancakes for myself, and just plain pecan pancakes for "the old man." (He's not a blueberry fan.)

We then enjoyed them on the porch, just watching the traffic and listening to the birds.

We have so much fun sometimes, I can hardly stand it.

Seriously!!

Day 30: Mission Accomplished

I have indeed met my goal to blog a post every day in the month of November.

It's really not as easy a task as it might sound, not some days, at least, when my creativity has about bled dry.

But it's been fun to see what I could cough up, just by sitting down at the keyboard and beginning to peck, peck, peck-no real destination in mind. Kind of like my contrary chickens.  Ha!

Remember those beautiful ornamental cabbages and kales I posted about a few weeks back? They are riddled now; there's nothing left but the stalks.

So I guess if ya peck long enough, you might see some results.

On another note, I've been ranting about Matt Lauer all day long to anyone who would listen. Now, if you've only caught the headlines about him getting fired, you may be thinking what's the big deal.

But the big deal is, apparently Mr. Lauer has been nursing a dark, even sadistic, side for a long time, if the accounts in Variety magazine are to be believed.

I can't help but wonder how many more prominent men-possibly women too-are losing sleep at night, wondering when their actions are going to come to light.

Ugh. The news just gets more sordid every day, and it really makes me want to punch somebody in the face. Or head for the hills and never come out.

On a brighter and totally unrelated note, I was invited to a school concert this evening-several dozen budding young guitarists showing off some new skills.  I really enjoyed their performance.

I was rather surprised to learn that there are 75 or so students taking guitar classes at the middle and high schools.

The youngsters were joined on stage by some expert classical guitarists from the University of Kentucky. Wow. Talk about giving them something to aspire to.

So yeah, even with all the stench of moral decay in this world, there's hope in the bright young faces of these kids.

One girl at the concert really captivated my attention. I could tell she was serious about what she was doing.  It was evident in the way she cradled her guitar like it was precious to her, the way her face glowed with excitement.

I reminded myself to watch for her in the next few years.  I think she's going to go places.

I just hope and pray she doesn't stumble across any Lauer types on her way.

Day 29: Life's evening sun...(A beautiful life)

We headed out early this morning to see the orthopedic doctor who patched up my elbow several weeks ago.

He said I had healed amazingly well, but to limit my activities for about three more weeks, then I'm free to do push-ups or whatever.

The doctor explained that he is like a mechanic who can re-assemble a body part, but every individual's healing is different, and he thinks the mind-body connection is a big part of that.

I have no trouble believing that, because this gal gets white-coat hypertension most every time I go to the doctor.

Thankfully, I have a blood pressure cuff at home, so I can monitor it here and get a truer picture.

But honestly, don't we often feel like we anticipate feeling?  Have you every missed some sleep and complained about how tired you are going to be the next day?

I have.  But sometimes I forget I should be tired, and I'm later surprised that I didn't feel so tired after all.

Yep, we need to be mindful of our thoughts, because they do change our body chemistry and have a big effect on how we feel.

None of us are going to get out of this alive, but we want the quality of our lives to be as good as they can be for as long as possible.

Earlier today, I spoke with someone who recently received a very grim diagnosis from doctors.

She's elderly, but she's sharp as a tack, and she has been blessed with a long healthy life.

That's what she said, "I thank God I've had such good health all these years." She's facing the prospect of her death with strength, and she's not flinching.  I'm amazed and impressed.

I hope that if I'm ever in a similar situation, I'll have the courage to be the same.

My grandparents used to sing this old hymn called, "A Beautiful Life."

"Life's evening sun, is sinking low; 

a few more days, and I must go

to meet the deeds that I have done

where there will be no setting sun."