New Things in my Etsy Shop

 

I got busy while my family was on a cruise last week and finally forced, I mean asked my daughter Jenny to model them for me. Still got lots more to make to get ready for cooler months and the craft bazaar coming up in December!

aubergine is the new purple

Aubergine, eggplant, plum, fig, purple...whatever you call it, it is a lovely Fall and Winter color. Not as popular as red, golds and oranges, but still a welcome change for the cooler seasons!

baby steps...a formidable foe

the stairs of doom...

ahhh, back at peaceful Noccallula

I love these kind of views...the tracks that seem to disappear in the woods...

When I went to see the Ballet at our local community college a few weeks back, I noticed a long set of stairs going up a hill on the side of the auditorium. I thought, "hmm, I bet that is a good place for a morning workout. I shall have to try it one day..."
Well, today was the day I tried it and oh boy, it was sooo hard. "The first few flights, not too bad...oh it is getting harder...ummm, my leg muscles feel like jello....whoa, I am really out of breath!"
At the top of the steps, I was breathing really hard and was having a hard time blending in with the young, skinny college students who sprightly ran up the steps cradling their heavy text books!
I originally thought of going up and down twice but decided that I didn't want to hold up traffic for kids rushing to their next class, so... up and down only one time.
Man! My leg muscles really felt that meager stair attempt as I finished my morning walk back at Noccallula Park, only doing one round instead of two.
One day, I will go up those steps with more ease and strength. It just might take a while!

Turkey Today!

This wild turkey crossed my path three times before I could get a good pic of it!

Pioneer Buildings throughout the park

at the barnyard

last blooms from summer

the covered bridge

This Morning's Walk at Noccalula

a reminder to me to stay true to your mission in life

soon there will be more color

sweet little fawn

hee haw

into the forest...

Weekend Day Trips

my favorite booth at the mall

Ray made a friend during our walk

we crossed this bridge on Saturdays ride!

one of the stops along highway 411

Those of you who follow my daughters blog, Consider The Coffee, know that she, her husband, their sweet son, my youngest daughter and her close friend who is like a third daughter to us, all went on a cruise to Mexico this weekend. So...our closest family that is nearest and dearest to us are all away without my husband and I, having fun without us! Truth be told, they wanted us to come too, but we weren't able to go because of my husbands work and I get motion sick, and even though I love to eat I didn't know if 24 hour availability of food was a good thing for me at this point! The hardest part for us is the fact that once they left the dock, we couldn't just call them up and say hi, or hear their funny stories for almost four days! I am sure they are having a blast and we are so glad that they were able to go together!
This house is way too big for just me and Ray. It seems much too quiet around here. I am use to talking to Christina and Kavi almost everyday on the phone and I miss that. Jenny and Rachel usually entertain us every evening with interesting client stories. (they both work at a hair salon in town)
So...I had to try and keep busy to make the time pass more quickly, so I crocheted a lot (the weather cooling helped with the inspiration too). And yesterday and today we took little day trips which was fun. We have always liked exploring and going to places we have never been before.
Saturday we went along highway 411 north of here, where there was actually a 400 mile yard sale going on. Yes, I know, another one! The weather was cool and breezy and the drive was beautiful. The yard sale was mostly junky stuff set up in peoples yards, but the lakes and mountains made it well worth it. We followed 411 up to Rome, Georgia which was a cute little town that had a Starbucks, so you know I was happy!
Today, Ray joined me on a walk through Noccalula Falls Park, followed by a drive to Trussville to find something to eat. We ended up at Trussville Antique Mall Cafe which had a buffet which included turkey, dressing and vegetables which we were both craving. The food was very good tasting like home made and the funniest thing is that this mall and cafe are set up in a former nursing home. All the booths were the old patient rooms and the cafe was in the old dining room. You paid for any purchases at the nurse's station! What a hoot, but a good idea, don't you think?

Lions, Donkeys and Deer, Oh My! (my morning walk!)

Today, a little after 9AM a desire of mine was fulfilled.
Only 3 miles from my home.
I walked among trees and flowers and a waterfall (trickling ever so slightly, but still a waterfall). I walked past deer and a donkey, chickens, roosters, goats, sheep, a lioness and crossed a covered bridge, saw a woodchuck or a beaver twice, scurrying away from under a bush when I approached. I saw birds flitting between trees,a yellow one that I had never seen before was especially pretty.
No, I wasn't dreaming, I was at Noccallula Falls Park which I have posted about before. You see, we have a seasonal family pass, so we can go for free until October 31st, but all summer long it has been too hot to enjoy. Now that the mornings are so cool with much nicer weather during the rest of the day, and since I have already been in the habit of walking, this morning seemed like the best time to drive on over.
I loved it so much, I almost wanted to cry! It was breezy, no, actually downright windy, and sunny. The sounds of the wind rustling through the trees, oh my goodness, I just love that sound! And seeing beautiful gardens, rock formations, the gorge with the creek at the bottom, the animals... why it is positively heavenly.
I really can see that God gave us his beautiful creation for our entertainment and our refreshing. It seems that troubles melt away as we gaze on the vast world that He has created and see how He holds it all together.
I also had another flashback to my younger years moment. When I was around 8 to 12 years old I lived with my Grandpa in the country in Pennsylvania, on a dirt road with the nearest neighbor 1/2 mile away in one direction and 2 miles away in the other. I was friends with a little girl named April who lived in the 2 mile away house and sometimes we would make a plan for me to come over to her house to play and we would both leave our houses say at noon and start walking towards one another. About halfway we would meet up and I would walk back with her to her house, doing the reverse when I would leave. Now that first mile on the road had no houses or anything and it was through woods and fields, completely desolate. The quiet was amazing, only hearing the a fore mentioned rustling of the leaves in the breeze. I can't believe I was brave enough to do that or that I was even allowed to do that, but I guess it must have been a different time back then as everybody says. I don't specifically remember praying during that isolated walk, but I bet I did, because I do remember being a little apprehensive and walking especially fast!
Today though, I felt the same quiet during parts of the walk, but was reminded that I was only a few hundred yards away from a busy road by hearing the traffic sounds in the background! I wasn't isolated or alone, but I did pray and felt that God was pushing me along my way!
I almost felt guilty to be enjoying such a pleasant time, but not that guilty as I can't wait to do it again!