Sandy Cove weekend

Sandy Cove, Maryland

I was blessed to spend a weekend at Sandy Cove for a ladies Christian event weekend.  It was relaxing and renewing in my spiritual life.  We enjoyed Jan Silvious speaking and Babbie Mason singing.  The weekend couldn't have been better with the weather cooperating.  We were located at the beginning of the Chesapeake Bay and the sunsets were just awe inspiring.  I was able to spend time with my Mother and her best friend and her daughter along with other local ladies from a nearby church.  Everyone walked away feeling refreshed and ready to face the world with renewed hope and a new perspective.

Does life throw us curve balls right into the side of our heads?

Yep.

How do we handle those situations?  Bitterness, Depression, Sadness, Anger to name a few.  Some can pick up and move on and others get stuck.  We were given four points to ponder then it was time to pick ourselves up move forward and continue to just love in some way  -  in any way can.

Points to ponder (Jan Silvious)

1.  It's one event in a life time of events.  It's time to move on.

2.  What might been does not exist so don't go there.

3.  The last chapter has not been written yet.

4.  There is a God and you're not him.

Love is the Most Excellent Way  (Babbie Mason)

I could speak with the tongue of men and angels

Love is the more excellent way

But if I don't have love, I'm just a clanging cymbal

Love is the more excellent way

I could have the faith to remove the mountains

Love is the more excellent way

But if I don't have love then I have nothing

Love is the more excellent way

Love is patient

Love is kind

Love is Humble, all of the time

Not easily angered, enduring the test

So never forget

Love is the more excellent way

One inspiring lady I met was in a car accident four years ago.  She was in a wheel chair but could walk with great effort for very short spurts.   She also was diagnosed with cancer and had undergone  the dreaded chemotherapy so her hair was just starting to grow back.  She is  the Executive Director of our local food bank Project Share.  She had the widest smile the greatest outlook.  She was determined to walk the length of this dock.  She succeeded.  

What am I facing?  Nothing compared to her. 

Am I complaining how the world is treating me?  More than likely.

It's time to take stock and count my blessings and know Love IS the most excellent way.

We all are given blessings.  Even my new acquaintance was counting her blessings.  

One step at a time.  One day at a time.  

Step by step God is with us all.  Use him as your crutch.

My Mother (right) and her best friend (left).

Ginny and Gladys.

Friends for 43 years and counting.

They met while being placed in the same hospital room while giving birth to their daughters.  There has been laughter, tears, ups, and downs ever since.  

Summer

Summer 

Has it really come and gone?

I love Fall but knowing Winter will be following makes me long to go back to Summer.

But wait!  What about Spring?  Winter is but a short season to get through and the 

whole process begins again.  I'm thinking that maybe we're lucky to live 

in a zone where if you just wait a few weeks the next season will be just around the corner.

Off to India!

Off to India?

Oooo Eeeee Oooo Eee Eee

bambam

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

If you're confused on what this all means, by all means watch Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!

Obstacles

Obstacles.

We all have them.

We all will get more of them.

Some we love.

Some we hate.

How do you handle yours?

Intercourse, Pennsylvania

Isn't she lovely

-always a fun filled adventure when we go out for the day!

-Only a t-shirt!   

I love when I get this handsome dude to smile.  

Watch out for the grasshopper!

Amish makings

We found the llamas but they weren't wearing their pajamas!

********

We had a fun time shopping in Intercourse, Pennsylvania in the heart of Amish country in Lancaster county.  We like to find all the oddities we can!

Gettysburg, PA - Horsin Around

A donkey.  

Always a donkey story to be told!

Do they look a little sheepish?

Nope.

Just a baaaaad!

Willy's Jeep

It's a Jeep Thing----You wouldn't understand

Hope and Remembrance - World Trade Center 9/11

Rebuilding at Ground Zero in New York City - 2011

Spending a weekend in NYC we were fortunate to stay at the Millennium Hotel across the street from Ground Zero and beside St. Paul's Cathedral.  Before we left our room it was raining and seemed fitting when looking out our window at the construction for the new memorial.  How sad it is remembering the events of that day.  As with all things good and bad time marches on and out of the devastation there is Hope in the rebuilding and the making of a fitting memorial.  

Round Barn - Gettysburg, PA

The Round Barn farm market located near Gettysburg, PA has some good ole country offerings.  

The address is really Biglerville, PA but some may even point out it's really Cashtown, PA.

Of course Gettysburg has the most notarity but regardless it's worth a little side trip to stop

and see what they have to offer throughout the year.  Peaches, Plums, Apples, Tomatoes,

Green Peppers.  You name it and it's on their shelves.  That's just the beginning.

You can hold your wedding reception here pet some amazing donkeys or goats and purchase

some beautiful flowers or honey.  

A great song comes to mind...

--Green acres is the place for me. 

Farm livin' is the life for me. 

Check it out:  http://www.roundbarngettysburg.com/

Shippensburg University, Old Main

It's back to school time for elementary, middle schools, high schools and colleges.  

The local college in Shippensburg, PA is welcoming all the students with their great older buildings along with their new buildings that seem to pop up over night.  I attended the Wine and Brew Fest recently and took a walk among the old buildings and enjoyed fitting in a few snapshots.  

Before it was called Shippensburg University it was called Shippensburg State College (SSC) and prior to that it was called Cumberland Valley State Normal School.  It's first students were primarily teachers.  My Grandmother graduated from here and probably walked the paths we took on our little adventure among the old buildings.  

Canal Street New York City

If you're in a hurry to get on or off the subway in NYC you can miss lots of vintage artwork.

Slow down for heaven's sake and see beauty in the midst of chaos!

What would you like?

A purse seems to be the most popular item.

You'll get asked endlessly walking up and down the street to go to a back room for your special purse.

Year of the Dragon

This is where us sexy folks hung out!

We stood and gave a Holla but couldn't find one damn thing we wanted to purchase.

Golden Ticket

We won the Golden Ticket.

Enter the maze called life!

Nobody gets out alive!

St. Paul's Chapel -- A chapel of hope.

The 10th anniversary is looming.

With each new story we hear and read where our brave soldiers are lost, 

a piece of us are reminded of the events of September 11th.

Things have not been the same, our lives are changed forever. 

One thing has remained constant and we cannot lose sight of that.

God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

St. Paul's Chapel

It stood. Not a window broken. Not a stone dislodged.
It stood when nothing else did
It stood when terroists brought September down.

 It stood among myths. It stood among ruins.

To stand was its purpose, long lines prove that.
It stands, and around it now, a shrine of letters,
poems, acrostics, litter of the heart.
It is the standing people want:
To grieve, serve and tend
celebrate the lasting stone of St. Paul's Chapel.

And deep into its thick breath, the largest banner
fittingly from Oklahoma climbs heavenward
with hands as stars, hands as stripes, hands as a flag;
and a rescuer reaches for a stuffed toy
to collect a touch;
and George Washington's pew doesn't go unused.
Charity fills a hole or two.

It stood in place of other sorts
It stood where nothing else could.
The great had fallen, as the brute hardware came down.

It stood.

A poem by J. Chester Johnson

Let the good times begin

NYC

This is what keeps the city moving.  Uptown, Downtown, to another Borough and even to Juuuurrsey.  The ambiance of the underground is unlike anywhere else.  People are friendly, funny, old, young, small, tall, skinny, fat, scarey, insecure, wild, cheesy, and just about any other adjective.  hey that describes the whole world in one way or another!   Which adjective are people using to describe you?  What adjective would you like people to call you?  How could you achieve that?  I gotta go now I have a lot of work to do on myself!  Hope you're better off than I am!

Cortney

It's been her month the last 30 days.

A new chapter of her life has begun.

Well wishes and love are sent her way.

Everybody Dance Now!

Twist and Shout

No sitting down allowed!

To the Left and stomp stomp stomp.

An Irish Jig.

Hot Diggity!

Achy Breaky Heart!

You are always on my mind!

Then and Again

What goes around comes around.

From one wedding to another.

Ages to Ages.

Hail Hail the Gangs all here

Here we are.

Our table shot.  

Some are happy to have a pic taken, some are saying not another pic!

The instructions on the table said we 'had' to do it! 

We obey all rules!

Life of Memories have begun

Mr. and Mrs. Nichols

July 2, 2011

Love Endures

Love endures

I've been wanting to do this picture for quite a few years.  

Of course I didn't come up with this idea myself.

imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

The tree.  There's something about that single tree....

I know I'm not the only one around that realizes this.

I do not know what compels one to think that a picture of a lonely tree is lovely,

 but who knows the answers to everything?

Bride Waiting

With her job well done spreading flowers down the aisle,

 she waited patiently for the bride to make her entrance.

~Adorable~

Oh! So pretty!

Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm
And your cheeks so soft,
There is nothing for me but to love you,
And the way you look tonight.

                                                                   -Josh!

Grandmothers

To my Granddaughter

 On her Wedding Day
My heart is filled with memories

 Of times when you were small,

 Days filled with joy and sorrow—

 I’ve loved you through them all.
I remember watching you grow. 

I was filled with so much pride

 But the years have flown so quickly

 And now you are a bride.
As you begin this new life

 And become husband and wife

 I pray your lives will be filled with love 

And blessings sent from God above.
So many precious memories

 Of special times in your life,

 And now I add your wedding day—

 The day you become a wife.

                                           Denise Wiedema

I thought this was a fitting poem to celebrate a granddaughter's wedding day.

  I know this bride has been blessed by Grandmothers, Grandfathers, 

Uncles, Aunts,  and Cousins that were proud of her on her wedding day.

  The memories are vast and we look forward to many more in the years to come

Family Celebrations

Families are like fudge,  always sweet with a few nuts.

All you need is L-O-V-E

Faith - Hope - Love

....the greatest of these is L-O-V-E

Wedding 2011

Weddings bring out the best in people.

Love and Hope for the future are the leading thoughts of the day.

Nothing beats Love and Hope!

Brother and Sitser

My blessings.

Mr. and Mrs. Josh Nichols

A very quaint wedding brought together Ms Cortney and Mr Josh in a beautiful union.

The day couldn't be more perfect.