Ever have one of those days?My blogging time is rather limited these days. I wish I had more time to visit each of you — and even more so, I wish I could visit in person.
It’s been one of those weeks.
I’m offline (unless I’ve been lucky enough to find free, unsecured WiFi), back at Mom’s house, helping prepare for an estate sale.
Yes, this is a scheduled post…
Welcome to “My Town Monday” — where I gladly show you around my new hometown, little bit by little bit.
This first beauty is one that caught my eye because of its pinky-red outer petals and orangey-red center petals. Apparently it had a memorable name, too, because I failed to record that little detail, and short-term memory seems to always be the first to go…
Here in bright scarlet is Opening Night. Can’t you just see a full bouquet of these long-stemmed roses, tied with a velvet ribbon?
And below is a sweet pink variety that goes by the name of Secret. (I think it’s okay to tell you that…)
Gold Medal
This variety, from pale gold to sunset gold, is called Gold Medal.
Memorial Day, with tear drops
For this week, we will say farewell with Mister Lincoln:
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There are, of course, many, many more roses in this Rose Garden!
And there are a variety of gardens in this beautiful park. I didn’t have time to visit them all last week, but I will be sure to “take you” to each one in time. If you missed Saturday’s PINK post with the Queen Elizabeth rose, be sure to go smell see it!
Thanks to Aunt Snow over at Doves Today, I’ve been tempted to join in Pink Saturday for some time now. Well, no time like the present! Pink Saturday is hosted by Beverly at the blog “How Sweet the Sound”. Let the color pink inspire you!
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There is a lovely park (of which I will show you more on Monday) in our town, full of various gardens. Here is a sneak-peek of The Rose Garden:
This is the beautiful Queen Elizabeth rose. The scent was a lovely as the flower itself.
In my early days of blogging, I joined a photography meme called the Weekly Words Challenge. The WWC is [sadly] no longer active and some of the participants are no longer blogging, but I am still friends with a number of them on facebook: G-man (Scott), Tink, Gary, Glass half full Gal, Chatty, Karen (a fellow lover of Diet Coke),Angie, Knight, Aunt Jackie, Janet, Jay Man, Reb, Karen, and others. And it was via facebook on Monday that I learned of the sudden and unexpected death of Scott’s beautiful wife, Heather. In his posts that mentioned her, he always refered to her as “my lovely wife”; he admired and loved his wife and it was clear to his readers that this was true. Scott says that they have an incredible support network, but I can’t help but cry out in prayer for him and their two young daughters.
Facebook has also reconnected me with friends from our years in El Paso. Sunday evening, I noticed a reference on my homepage about a friend there, so I immediately messaged her husband and her sister. It turns out that a wound on her foot became infected with a flesh eating bacteria. It was incredible fast moving: Wednesday she was at work, Thursday she was hospitalized, Friday her leg was amputated to save her life. Had they done nothing, she would have been dead by Saturday
Both of these women became ill in the last 2 weeks. One has a long recovery ahead before she can literally be a walking miracle — but with positive attitude and surrounded by a great support network, she will make it. The other woman barely had time to get a cancer diagnosis before cancer took her from her friends and family, much too soon. Her family is already surrounded by a wonderful support network and they are much needed.
So… how is this a Thankful Thursday post? I know, it is kind of a downer to read. I continue to pray for these people and others. I pray for peace and comfort and compassion from all who come in contact with them. And I thank God that they have a support network upholding them during these difficult, heart-wrending times.
Peeking out the back gate, what will I find?
[click on pic to embiggen]The boy in the yellow shirt is SnakeMaster, happy to be exploring his new environs.
This park is a huge bonus for living here. SuperDad & I walk in it nearly every morning before breakfast.
I’m told it blooms profusely with wildflowers in the springtime.
There is wildlife here.
We’ve heard reports of deer and coyotes being regulars in the park, and even –once, a long time ago– a moose!
My nose alerts me to nightly skunk activity (okay, that isn’t such a great thing).
Because of the coyotes, we are making sure the cats are in at dark. Cleopatra isn’t sure this rule should apply to her, but she has been mostly in compliance (so far).
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Each Monday, I plan to post photographs and a bit of writing about where I live. There is plenty to explore, and I will enjoy sharing my new hometown with you.
I’ve seen a meme on other blogs called My Town Monday — although I’m not sure if it is still active as a weekly meme. Unofficially, that is what I am calling this series.
Enjoy!
Cleopatra has been acting like a wronged woman. She might blame us, but mostly she blames Fiji.
This is Fiji. She was my mother’s cat. After more than a month in foster care (at a neighbor’s home), someone had to bring her home. That someone was me.
If they don’t stop acting like frenemies, I’m going to be begging my cousin to take Fiji.
When you load up a 28-foot trailer and 2 vehicles…
and then proceed to drive across the country,
It takes a while to unpack and settle in.
In other words, things are still a bit messy, so you’ll have to be content with this photo of the dining room and my “workroom” [formerly a patio] –taken before the truck was unloaded.
Because, really, do you want to see piles of stuff just taken out of boxes? I don’t think so.
oh DEER
College Football
We hung a few more pictures today. It’s peculiar to discover, when you move to a new house, that you cannot continue to hang the same pictures in the same places. The dining room, for instance, is terra cotta at night (apricot in daylight) — a big change from the sage green of our previous dining room. The same décor doesn’t work here. Our cowboy-themed living room has been left behind with the wood paneling in Virginia; horse lamps are relegated to the bedroom, one Charles Russell is now above the dining room fireplace (where it may or may not stay) and another is in the WC of all places.
Yes, when a person steps into the powder room outhouse and closes the door, he or she is surrounded by horses. I blame the mirror.
Traveling Texts (a.k.a., snapshot samplings from my phone)
DAY ONE
DAY TWO
DAY THREE
DAY FOUR
DAY FIVE
Spokalulu 