Spider Walking

I can't spider walk any more.

Well I can, but it ain't pretty.

I watch young mommy's with their kids and remember doing that sort of stuff at that energy level, but some place along the line I slowed down. And now that I'm chasing down a young one again I'm finding that I have forgotten a lot about what I never thought I'd forget.

It's hard to explain really, so I thought  I'd give you a visual...

Youth and endless energy...

Me

Smile and remember;

We're fool's whether we dance or not. So we might as well dance.

The Rhythm Of Rain

I love to listen to the rain.

And it is a good thing. Because that's what we've had a lot of lately.

Rainy day's bring with them feelings of wanting to gather a book, blanket and seek a comfortable spot. Or possibly to fill the house with the warm, fragrant sent of baking cookies and card table tents in the living room.

I love the thunder rolling around the sky as well as the soothing cadence  as it drips from the sky collecting and rushing off things creating impromptu water falls, lakes and miniature rivers in the yard.

When the waters receded and the clouds disperse the sun seems a little brighter, a little warmer, as it plays tantalizingly through your windows and mood. Bringing with it more vivid colors and much happier lawn's, tree's and flowers...

Smile and remember;

We're fools whether we dance or not. So we might as well dance.

Bloomin' Flower's

Last year Honey told a friend that pansy's will do well all year in a flower garden, not just in the Spring...so she gave them to him when she took them out of her's...

and they grew and bloomed beautifully

all Summer and into the Fall.

Yesterday this is what we were surprised to see where they had been last year...

These little flowers are the unruly trespasser's of many a yard in town...

There are more than a few homes that have these coming up all over the lawn's as well as the flower beds...and no one seems to have planted them.

Mayhap, the Faries bring them?

I visited a friend's garden a couple of year's ago and she had two thing's I had never seen before...

Miniature Hollyhock's and  Iris'.

We alway's call them Flag's...

And this year mine are blooming and I couldn't be more excited!!

May you find joy in flowers now and alway's

Smile and remember;

We're fool's wether we dance or not. So we might as well dance.

On The Inside Looking Out...

This is what we saw this morning

Smile and remember;

We're fool's wether we dance or not. So we might as well dance.

Oh Pea's...

We used to live in the country.

And we used to have a huge garden.

With the most beautiful black dirt *sigh*

Now we live in an old filled in pond.

In a town trying to become a city.

So we have had to come up with

different way's of having

a garden.

Since this is our first attempt at

raised gardening we have started out somewhat conservatively...

One thing you need to know up front is:

Honey hates pea's.

 Period.

But don't you think every child should be able to go out and eat fresh pea's from the garden?

Our kid's helped eat the neighbor's fresh pea's.

Tiny Dancer loves pea's to her Poppy's dismay.

Her pea's are coming up quite nicely...

Honey likes strawberry rhubarb pies...

I've never made one before.

A very old friend gave me a recipe for her husband's favorite, orange rhubarb pie, telling me it goes together better than peaches and cream. And nice Niece Sara just happened to give me a start of her's...

The old milking bucket looks to be just what it likes.

We also have the second year coming on the peach tree's

Honey got started from poking the pits into a flower pot to see if they would grow...

it took 3 year's and they are doing wonderful!

So while it's not the half acre Honey would like

we both feel it's coming along nicely...

He is even taking care of the pea's this year

but don't expect him to eat any.

Smile and remember;

We're fool's wether we dance or not. So we might as well dance.

Some Very Good Advice

I have more than a drawer full of aprons.

As I began collecting the various items that when combined would become our empty nester's supper

A chipper little thought skipped teasingly through my mind,

"You have a more than a drawer full of aprons,

don't you think you should put one on?"

"Phhhttt!! There's no real mess to this delightful little meal."

I chided myself as I was poping the cap off the cooking spray can.

By then it was to late...

the little butter flavor drops were already soaking into the front of my shirt.

As I bleakly looked down, sizing up the damage, I could only mutter to myself,

"An apron would have prevented that."

This scene has been repeated at least twice this past week...

I can only admonish this sage council:

"Using an apron is very good advice!"

Smile and remember;

We are fool's wether we dance or not. So we might as well dance.

Lawn Chair's

I was thinking about the Summer evenings when family would gather out front in the cool shade of evening, in chair's carried out from the dinning room and the old metal lawn chiars that were soooo comfortable and rocked gently, to blankets spread out on the grass. The grown up's would sit and visit and laugh while the kids would run around playing "night games" like" kick the can" and "no bears are out tonight".

Then when it was time for the young ones to go to bed the adults would continue their visiting and laughing well into the night.

My Aunt Phyllis' laugh was the best!

Even without seeing her you could picture her cheeks turning pink, her eye's sparkeling and the laugh lines gathering around the edges. The men's deep voices were harder to hear, but comforting in the rumble and rhythm.

As I go for walk abouts I watch for gathering places people use for Summer evening's...

I have found that it doesn't matter so much, the kind of chair's we choose,

but that there are usually at least two or more...

Inviting family, friend's and neighbor's to stop by and share a few minutes...

So as we dream of Summer evenings past,

and look to Summer evening's future,

make sure to have places to sit at the end of the day...

Smile and remember;

We are fool's wether we dance or not. So we might as well dance.

Snack Time...

Happens usually twice a day.

Mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

However, sometimes, when you are playing hard it needs to happen more often.

And that's ok.

I enjoy snack time.

Because its a time when Tiny Dancer (and sometimes Poppy) and I get to take some time out to sit and nibble and visit about various things....

With the weather becoming more accomidating for playing outdoors,

going for walks and park trips

snack's will be traveling with us...

that's ok too.

Because we can take a blanket and cooler with us,

and nibble and visit about various things.

Never underestimate the importance of snack time 

It can be so much more than just eating!

What are some of the things you like about snack time?

Smile and remember;

We're fool's wether we dance or not. So we might as well dance.

Rice Pudding

Every now and again Honey and I like to have some rice pudding...

He likes raisin's in it-I don't.

We both like it warm.

Or chilled.

Give it a try and see what you think:

This recipe makes 4 servings

You will need; 

1 to 2 Cups of cooked white rice         1tsp Cornstarch   1/2 tsp Vanilla    

1/3 Cup Sugar   1 1/3 Cup Milk  1 TBSP Butter (Gotta be real)       

2 Egg yolks

1/4 tsp Salt        Cinnamon       Raisins

A med size sauce pot and a wooden spoon

In a med. size sauce pot combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, and milk.

Stiring constantly, heat milk mixture over med to med-low heat until it thickens.

Melt in the butter and let thicken again. Add vanilla to egg yolks and beat lightly.

Stiring quickly add egg mixture to milk mixture-

(Did I mention you should me stiring quickly!)

  When mixture reaches desired thickness remove from heat and stir in the cooked rice

(you can add the raisins here if you must I mean if you like them).

Or you can add the raisin's in after putting the pudding in a bowl.

Sprinkle with cinnamon

Serve either warm or cold

Enjoy!

Smile and remember;

We're fool's wether we dance or not. So we might as well dance.

Deep Thoughts...

What is it that helps people deal with adversity in their lives?

The hard knock's that come into every life at some time...

Is it perspective?

Our mindset, the way we look at and see things...

Or is it more?

The view from my window the other day made me ponder these and other such deep thoughts...

As the day started out, things looked bleek at best;

Then things started to seem like they were getting better;

After things seemed really good-

Wham!

More storms!!!

That poor little swing probably thought it would never come out of the *troubles* it was seeing!

Then the next day brought this;

I got to thinking about the adversities that come into our lives.

Some that happen to other's we think we could never have the strength to survive...

Other look at us and think the same things.

The little swing seemed to just hang there and gain nothing from it's experiences.

Next I looked at this picture from the same day the poor swing was being battered by the diversities of the Spring weather...and noticed...

What?!

More hope, faith, or strength?

Though the skies were uncertain.

The snow laying deeply over almost all of the branches and buds on the tree.

It seemed to be reaching for more.

Taking instead, from the things that could have weighed it down and broken it.

It seemed to be taking strength, wisdom and even nourishment from it!!

So again I ask;

What is it that helps people with the hard knocks of our life's?

I believe it's faith.

Perspective.

Hope

and faith.

Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen.

p.s. The little swing has experienced the laughter of Tiny Dancer already this Spring, so maybe it had  knowledge that the storms will pass, and was really quietly endureing... 

Smile and remember;

We're fool's wether we dance or not. So we might as well dance.