ONE DAY AT A TIME

 ONE DAY AT A TIME 

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

RAIN DROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD

 Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head.

I went out in our yard this morning when there was a break in the dripping rain.

I tried to capture some of the drops with my cell phone.  Not too bad for not knowing what I am doing ... 😊

This is one of my favorites.  You need to enlarge these to see the detail.

What I like about this one is the puddle on the leaf that produced the drop at the end of that barren stem.

All of the drips looked like diamonds to me.

Another puddle on the crepe myrtle tree caught in the "Drip"

Update on Dave ... 

His Diverticulitis is getting a bit better but he had a severe reaction to the Amoxicillin this time.  His lips have swollen and slight blisters on them.  Poor guy is so miserable.

We had to change his medicine to 2 others and added an antihistamine.

Thankfully we both slept like rocks last night.  Praying the swelling will go down and not affect his breathing or swallowing.

If its not one thing, its another...

Prayers appreciated.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 Wordless Wednesday

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

NOT THE WAY WE PLANNED

 Well, our Saturday turned out a bit differently than we had planned.

Dave just hasn't felt quite right for the last few weeks.  Everything came to a head yesterday.

 He was feeling just "off" and then began to experience very sharp pains in his left side.  It kept getting worse so I drove us to our "second home" ... ER ... 4 hours worth !

They took the usual labs and then a C scan.  The conclusion was what we thought it would be, Acute Diverticulitis.  No surgery but good ole Amoxicillan to the rescue.

We both slept fairly well last night and are just taking it easy today, after all Sunday is suppose to be The Day of Rest.  Never a dull moment around here !

So, the skies are Dribbling and its gray and blah..a perfect setting for us.

On a different note:

Here is our Bounty of produce from our yard this year.  I didn't think we got any but there was one oh so tiny lonely pear on our tree.  Now it sits proudly above our sink just defying the odds. 😇

That's all I got today folks,

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

YES !! WE DID GET RAIN ...

 We got 24 hours of steady rain yesterday.  We are very thankful for it.

I believe the total was 1.5 inches..not gobs but enough to water everything and OF COURSE drop more leaves on our freshly cleaned up lawn and driveway ... HaHa ...

Our backyard is showing its colors too.

Everything is too wet to sweep up.  

Oh Phooey ... can't work out there today ... 😂

One really nice thing about working out in the front yard is the people that we meet and visit with.

We met a new gal who was out doing her daily run around the neighborhood.

In the process of talking with her she said she was enjoying being able to run on such a lovely day.  She said that where she had been serving she couldn't do that, especially in shorts and a short sleeve shirt.  In asking further we found out that she had just returned from 4 years in Iraq with the organization Samaritans Purse.

What a beautiful woman with a soul to match.  Found out she lives several blocks away from us and attends a church which is across the street from the church we attend.  Small world ... we talked almost an hour about everything, church, humanitarian work, mission trips and everything in between.

Both Dave and I felt so invigorated after our time with her.  We were blessed .

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF OUR LEAVES

 The Falling Leaves are back at it again today.

Yesterday we worked so hard rounding up all the leaves in the front yard.

Sigh, this morning it looks like we did nothing at all yesterday.

First off, I went on Google to answer your question about the Strawberry Tree's fruit.  Are they edible?

Surprise to me ... yes they are ... Apparently they have a gritty texture and are sweet/sour in flavor.  The site says they have a heavy pectin substance.  A lot of people used them to make preserves and marmalade.  Who Knew !!                             The trees bell like flowers are dropping in mass quantities all over the sidewalk, and the bees are going crazy for those still on the tree.

BEE -cause

Our project yesterday ... 

We used the blower and then the lawn mower to mulch them into oblivion.

And now ... 

Here we go again.

We're trying to get as much done as we can because the weather "guys" say its 100% rain tomorrow and several days after that.  We'll see if they are right.

I guess we have our work cut out for us.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind.

CAMELLIAS and our STRAWBERRY TREE AKA MADRONE

 Our Camellia bush is finally starting to pop.  I went out this morning to capture a few shots.

This pretty bloom was peeking through the leaves with our pistachio tree showing its colors.  Be sure to enlarge the photos.  The detail really shows up better.

First bud in the morning sunrise.

Then I focused on what I have been calling my Manzanita tree for the last 18 years.

Found out it's a Madrone bush or tree that sits right outside my dining room window ... my "office".

The Madrone is also called a Strawberry Tree due to the fruit that grows besides its gorgeous flowers.  The fruit certainly does look like strawberries as it ripens to a brilliant red color.

The bell shaped flowers are so lovely hanging like bunches of grapes.

Bees go wild for them as do the hummers.

Don't the flowers look like grapes hanging from the vines?

I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend.

Ours was very lazy.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

THE COLORS OF FALL

 I thought I would share a few photos taken the last few days.

Fall is trying its hardest to make it's self known.

When I was weeding I spied one lonely Volunteer among the weeds.

It has such a pretty face.

It seems to be saying ... I may be tiny and all by myself, but I'm shining for all the world to see.

Our camellia bush is absolutely loaded with buds.

I anticipate seeing them burst forth this coming week.

Hundreds of buds were happy for a tiny drink of rain a few days ago.

The neighbors Pistachio tree is so beautiful, all bright red and orange.

Her tree is usually about 2 weeks ahead of ours.

Ours is doing its best but I think its looking rather sad right now.

I'm sure there will be plenty of leaves to rake very soon.

Hope you all have a nice weekend.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

YESTERDAY WAS MY BIRTHDAY

 Yesterday was my birthday !

How did I get to be 82 years old?

Tis a mystery

We had a slow start to the day and then celebrated by going to Dave's Doctor appointment ... Whoo Hoo ... Hopefully his dizziness on occasion and another few ailments will be maintained and we can just get on with Life.

Then we went to the YardHouse Restaurant for a great Happy Hour supper.  Love the 1/2 price pizzas and appetizers.  Our pizzas were yummy and we both ate our whole things.  Delish ... 

I totally forgot to take a picture of my pizza before I had devoured half of it ... 😀

Our terrific waitress brought a yummy warm goopy brownie with ice cream

to celebrate.

Then she offered to take our picture to commemorate the "event".

A great meal and a nice way to celebrate.

When we got home I got phone calls from All of the family and 2 texts from Granddaughters that live in Oregon.

I am truly Blessed and thank the Lord for every day He gives me.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

MONDAY MEMORIES

 MONDAY MEMORIES

A few days ago I was reading Debby's post on My Shasta Home blog.

She was talking about planting trees and it brought up a treasured memory for me.

In 2000 Dave and I had the pleasure of traveling to Israel on a tour with Jack Hayford Ministries.  It was the trip of a lifetime.  I just can't wrap my brain around the trip being 25 years ago!

One Highlight of the trip was being able to plant memorial trees in the new Parkland.  The trees are helping to bring new life to a ravaged area.

We planted trees for our sons and their families.  I truly hope that they are growing and thriving after a quarter of a century ... 

This was one of the flags by where we planted our trees.  I'm glad I saved the flag to help remember the occasion.

Jack Hayford at the dedication of the Parkland named for him as a founder .

Here I am digging in that arid land.

Dave doing some of the hard work.

I am thrilled that we could be a part of such a momentous occasion.

This Land is in my heart forever.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

FLASHBACK FRIDAY

 FRIDAY FLASHBACK

Happy Halloween

This photo was taken in either 1976 or '77.

Our "daughter" Karen (our friend Lynne's daughter)                                                   Our son Steve as the hobo , our son Mark as Mickey Mouse

and Karen's brother Kevin.

What a tradition we had .  Every year Dave and Jack (Karen and Kevin's dad)  took the kids out and went up and down the long hill we lived on.  Everyone was totally exhausted by the time they returns.

What a bounty they always got.  Good memories of a safer and innocent time.

I don't know why this post came out all wonky.  When I look at it here it's fine.   When I see it on Blogger its a mess.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

THANKFUL THURSDAY

 Thankful Thursday

First of all, thank you for all the sweet comments on my last blog post.

I have to say that unfortunately I don't own those adorable gourds.  I don't know who does.  

It was something I saw on the internet and wished I could be so clever to create those guys too.

We have been a bit under the weather lately.                                                                  I am grateful that we both feel better this morning.  

The sun is shining and the wind is calm.  The temps are supposed to get to 77F today.  

Now that's my kind of weather!

I am definitely Thankful for Friends like YOU ...

Always be grateful

Always be Kind

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 WORDLESS  WEDNESDAY

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

MONDAY ... MONDAY

 Good Morning, I don't have a whole lot to say today.

It's just "A Day" ... 

Thankful for our bits of rain

BUT 

Here we go again !!

The weeds are so happy to be showing their colors.

Its such a daunting task!

This is the attitude I have to adopt to survive the on-going days of weeding.

I'm going to look at the gorgeous colors of the season and be thankful for them all.

Always be Grateful 

Always be Kind

FLASHBACK FRIDAY

 FLASHBACK FRIDAY

The last 2 weeks have been very busy.  I wanted to share a fun evening Dave and I had recently.

Our very good friend invited us to be her guests at her fundraiser.

Shanti Landon is running for a second term as the Placer County Supervisor of her district.

She has done such an amazing job as Supervisor in her first term,  that to me its a no-brainer to have her in this position again.

The one thing that's interesting about this is we aren't in her district and can't vote for her.  

We just talk about her where ever we go and give our input.

She is an amazing woman with a wonderful testimony.  She Walks the Walk and Talks the Talk.

The fundraiser was held in Lincoln, CA in an old historical school house from 1888.  It is called the Fruitvale Schoolhouse.  The school closed in 1946 as the population changed and the school had outgrown the building.

Its now used as an event location.

A great view of the flag through the smudgie window.

I love the old school bell that calls the kids into the room.  Everyone had to give it a tug to hear that wonderful sound.

I really love this beautiful woman and how she engages everyone in conversation.

The flag that you see partially behind Shanti is handmade.  It represents all the men from this district that lost their lives before and during WWI and there were many for such a small community.  You can also see the flag more clearly in the first picture of Shanti and her husband.

I do wish we could vote for her.  She is such a calm voice of reason in this chaotic  world.

Here's some fun "Fortunes" that were in cookies for the invited guests.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

 Saturday was the day of my friend Lynne's Celebration of Life.

It was truly a Celebration of her Life ... a Life well lived.

Lynne almost made it to 85 years of life.

Our whole family had the privilege of taking part in her service.

Granddaughters and Daughter in Law were part of the singing group too.

How does one put into words the history of 63 years of our friendship?

 How does one make it a "short" talk?  Well I just talked until I had said it all ... Hubby said I went 20 minutes.  Hey, that's okay with me.  I had a lot to say, from our college days to care-giving to my final farewell ... 

Obviously, I am not the 3"x5" card type of speaker.

I have to say that there was a lot of prayer for me and things just flowed.

I feel that the highlights of our friendship 

and the Journey into Alzheimers and The Long Goodbye were shared exactly how it was supposed to be done.

Yes, It Is Well With My Soul.

Do I miss Lynne?  Of course I do.  But now she is in Heaven.  

What could be better than that?

Until we meet again ... 

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind