Back In The Writing Saddle

Hello friends,

I know it's been forever and a day since I've blogged.  

Life just has a way of shifting sometimes. 

So much has happened, and changed since I've written.  

... Not sure where to start but suffice to say, ... the past few weeks has  had ups n downs.  

One was very trying and caused me to gain  a new understanding of outward appearances and 

that really what we  are is:  "souls."  -- Obviously I already knew that ... but.. going through

another bone graft surgery because of the loss in my jaw- well; it left me 

looking pretty awful.  What an oxymoron.  After I got my stitches out, one half 

came apart.  That made for a lot longer time to heal and in that time period I learned

just how vain I really was.  

.. and as the days wore on, I learned even more how wonderful Myguy is and that

he really  "loves my soul."  

Rediscovered that my sons do too!

Unconditional love is a beautiful beautiful beautiful gift.  

Walking in all that for a time... God used it to 

help me see people differently. 

To look beyond the skin.

He really does work things for good.  

I'm much better now and  hope and pray

the new bone is growing strong. 

Our family is doing well and business 

has been snowed under.  One son works at the mechanics shop,

and the other one has started a welding fabrication business.  Both shops are 

near here so it's such a blessing to have family so close.  

The little ones have grown alot and just today

our daughter in love gave me a coffee cup with Carter's painted handprint

for Grandparents day!  How fun is that?  

He came through the screen door today callin

"Grama Lea, Grammmmmma LeeeeA"  - just clear as a bell.

And this olde heart.. well it just felt like 

mush.

 Another up n down was 

turning fifty.  It was actually really cool. lol 

Myguy asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday.

We'd never hiked to Hawksbill Crag... so 

on a hundred degree day... that's what we did!

That's why I say it was an up and down... we hiked kind of downhill 

to get there... and all uphill to get back out. 

It was worth every step.  

We didn't see very many people hiking that day... so once we made it to the crag

we had close to thirty minutes to hang out all by ourselves.  

 My favorite cake is carrot cake and Myguy baked  one for 

my birthday cake!  It's only the second cake I've ever known him to bake in our 31 years of marriage.

Then he carried a big ole piece of it in his backpack for me to eat once we got to the top.  :)

It was ... the best I ever had.  

... no doubt about it!  

My prince charming. 

He's so much fun to hike with! 

 We  never saw any snakes 

nor got chigger bit 

or into seed ticks or poison ivy. ha

That's sayin alot in Arkansas!

 Sitting right there for awhile 

will be a memory I'll forever cherish.

We hope to go back this Autumn and maybe our kids will come along.  

Back at home, 

the grass continues to grow and weeds too.  

This afternoon I walked into my actual garden.  

It's over run  with morning glories  and for about a month now

I've let them have their way.  

It's a beautiful mess.  

Weeds, fading flowers and more weeds. 

With the vegetables all done, we've started turning the chickens and Ole Hezekiah 

the turk out during the day.  

He's spoiled on bread and begs often at the door.

His favorite thing is spaghetti.

As I looked at our house the other day, this was the scene.  

It makes me smile

Well, that's about it for this evening. 

I'm signed up for a new art class that started today so I'm off 

to play in paint.  

Blessings and Love

from the Shabby Olde Potting Shed