Tuesday

The last few pictures from NY

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Walking this morning it was 58 degrees and sunny.  Another beautiful day.

I walked straight through town and headed down the road toward Happy Trails and turned off the main road.  Went along there and turned around at the road at the turn off to HT.

Took this picture heading back to the  main road.  There is a stream that runs along  on the other side of the flowers.  Nice walking and listening to the water running over the rocks.

It was then back to the main road and back to town.  Once there I walked around one of the cemeteries and the ball park loop and then home.

Saw Kathy out walking this morning around the ball park loop.

I walked 6.1 miles.
Coins found during the month of May.
Only 24 cents - 2 dimes, 4 pennies.

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Thanks for all the birthday wishes. : )

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Haven't been bowling in two weeks and it was nice to get back to that today.  There were quite a few of us there today. 10 of us plus 2 little kids.
I got to use my gift certificate. : )
My scores today were not great and not too bad either.  Didn't even come close to my high score record.

Got home a bit later than usual because there were so many of us.  So I ended up mowing the lawn after supper.  Also did a little bit of weeding.

We have have a lot of little red squirrels and chipmunks coming to the bird feeders.  We have set a few traps and when we catch something in it we let it out up in the woods at Happy Trails. 

Well, I'm in for the night now.  Looking forward to my ice cream a bit later.

A happy day to you.

happyone : )

"An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day."
Henry David Thoreau

A lovely day

Some critters from another NY walk.

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This morning it was 56 degrees with a mix of sun and clouds when I went for my walk.  Since it is a holiday, didn't see anyone up and about yet early in the morning.

I walked over to and around the industrial park and then made a loop around town, one of the cemeteries, and the ball park loop too.

All three bunnies stood still and let me take their picture. : )

 I like all the different shades of green in this picture.

I must have walked near to a swallows nest because a couple of them started dive bombing me.  All the geese and the babies were down by the town pond again.  They quickly went in the water when I walked past.

Another beautiful morning walk and a great way to start the day.
Walked 6.2 miles.

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Today is my birthday (I'm now officially a senior citizen) and for the last couple of years we've gone over to Annie's Kitchen here in town for a birthday breakfast.  Once again I had a chocolate chip pancake to celebrate. : )

Back home for a little while and then we went out to a small antique store up the road that we have been meaning to stop in one day.  It is usually just open on the weekends.  Didn't buy anything but it was nice looking around and chatting with the owner.

Next stop was a place called Lavender Farm.  Have been passing by the sign for it since we've lived here and finally followed the sign to check it out.  It's a small farm where they grow lavender as the name suggests.  There is a small shop there where you can buy lavender related items.  The lavender is not in bloom yet and the owner told us to come back in late June to see it when all is in bloom which we will do.  I bought a gallon size lavender plant and plan to plant it in the front garden at the end of the driveway.

One more stop at a place we've been meaning to visit.  It is a store that is in a few small buildings and you can buy garden items, decorating items for the home,  and there is also a Christmas section.  A few llamas, and alpacas, and goats are out back that you can pet too.  Sebastian, a large friendly golden retriever roams around the stores mingling with the customers.

A nice touch was the pond filled with fish.

To top the day off we went to Longhorn and had baby back ribs and baked potatoes.

The whole day was lovely and a great way to spend my birthday.
It was even a sunny day.  : )

The thing I missed today was having my Mom and Dad sing Happy Birthday to me.  It wasn't the usual song. The tune and lyrics are a bit different.   

Oh Happy Birthday to you,

Oh Happy Birthday to you,

Every day of the year

May you feel Jesus near.

Oh Happy Birthday to you,

And the best year you've ever had.

I've not spent many of my birthdays with my Mom and Dad over the years, but wherever I've lived I would get a call from them on my birthday and they would sing that song. 

A happy day to you.
happyone : )

"None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm."

~ Henry David Thoreau

Because He Lives

 Reflection in NY

Happy Sunday to you.

I have many hymns that I love

 but lately Because He Lives has become my favorite.

A Blessed Sunday to you all.

happyone : )

A day outside

Two more pictures from NY

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60 degrees this morning with sun and clouds, just like yesterday.  Walked right through town and down the road toward Happy Trails.  Nice walking along seeing all the wild daisies along the side of the road.

Quite a lot of cars going through town towing boats and a jet ski or two, and RV's.  All headed to the lake for the holiday weekend.

The cows still aren't out up at the pasture along Sale Barn Road and I've just about given up seeing them there the rest of the year.  Must have been moved to a pasture I can't see from the road.

Saw another family of geese.  These are by the little town pond.

 Continued my walk around both cemeteries and the ball park loop.  Saw one other woman running/walking a few different times.  Never saw her before and we didn't stop for a chat.  She just ran right past me, though I did say Good Morning and she replied back.

Some pretty irises along my walk too.

Walked 6.3 miles.

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Had a nice time last night at the BBQ.  Not only was it a birthday surprise for Bettye ( she wasn't surprised because someone let it slip) but it was a surprise for me.  My birthday is Monday and they had a cake for both of us. : )  I got a balloon too and a gift certificate for the bowling alley.   If you're reading this Tricia, Thank You so much for the special evening. : )

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A beautiful sunny day outside today and we spent the day outside.  I planted all the seeds for my garden in little plastic containers and will transplant them to the garden when they start to grow.  Shouldn't be any more frosty nights!!   I had planned on starting them long before now but with the traveling back and forth to NY I just didn't have the chance.

I also did more weeding and got Ken's two raised gardens cleaned up and ready for planting.  Planted a few sunflowers out front too.

Ken got some logs from Happy Trails and lined an area in the back yard by the bird feeders with logs.  That will be the little meadow part of the yard. 

The lilacs in my yard have started to bloom and it smells so good out in the back yard.

In the afternoon we went up to Happy Trails to get a couple more logs to bring back to the house.

Saw this birds nest with a couple of baby birds in it up under the eaves at the tractor barn.

Back home to do a little more work in the yard and then we sat on the porch.  It clouded up and we had a brief shower and then sun came back out.  I am so thankful that I have a front porch.  : )

A busy working day but a good one.

A happy day to you.

happyone : )

Peace is not the absence of affliction,

but the presence of God.

~ Unknown

A tiny egg

Walking in NY

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A warm 60 degrees this morning and sunny as I walked around the Farm Loop. Everything is so green and pretty.  How thankful I am that I get to walk here each day.

The dairy cows were out again in the front pasture.  Didn't see Ruth today though.  I love how these cows have names and are not just numbers.

I cut through Farmer Marvin's farm road and went directly to the cemetery near the Drane house.  The geese and the goslings, which are getting pretty big already, were in the pond there.

I came across this tiny little blue egg.  I put a penny in the picture to give it perspective.  Maybe its a hummingbird egg?

Walked one loop around the two cemeteries and the ball park loop before heading back home.
Walked 6.3 miles.

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No breakfast for me this morning.  Had to go over to Uniontown to get my blood work done.  They woman who took my blood did a great job.  Didn't feel a thing and she took 5 vials of blood.  My appointment was for 10:00 but we got there early at 9:30 and I went right in.  No waiting at all.  Nice that I was able to have it done here and not go back down to where we used to live.  Now just have to wait for the results.  Maybe I'll learn something about my numb feet.

Afterward we walked around Holly Lobby and I got two cotton balls of yarn (blue and yellow) on sale to make some more wash clothes.

Finally 11:00 arrived we went to Olive Garden for soup, salad, and bread sticks for an early lunch.  Sure was nice to be able to finally eat!!

On the way home we stopped at McDonald's and got ice cream cones.   Only 49cents.

Going to a BBQ in just a little while, and it's also a surprise birthday party for our friend Bettye.  : )

A happy day to you.
happyone : )

When we put our cares in HIS hands,

He puts HIS peace in our hearts.

~Unknown

Thanks again

 for all your prayers and kind words.  

Blogging friends are special people. : )

I've missed blogging and it is nice to be back.

Will be around to visit you and catch up as soon as I can.

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The next few days the main picture of the day will be pictures that I took while walking in NY.

I walked under this osprey nest a few times.

 She's coming for a landing.

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This morning it was 52 degrees with a mix of sun and clouds and a beautiful day for walking.  Nice to get back to walking the Farm Loop.  Rarely do I see other people along there walking or running but today there was a runner.

Nice to see a few of the diary cows in the front pasture.  This is a young one and her ear tag tells me her name is Ruth.

Once I got back to town I took a loop around town and a quick loop around the ball park.  This brook that runs along the back of the park.

Then I headed for home.

Walked 6.3 miles.

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Ken and I both have new cell phones.  We no longer have tracfones but have finally joined the rest of you and now have smart phones!!  I'm loving mine so far!  : ) Took this a picture with my phone up along the farm loop.

Ken was already gone when I got home from walking.  He went early to set up things for Fingerprints today.  I stayed home for a couple of hours getting a few things done around the house that I needed to do.  Then late morning I headed out to church for Fingerprints too.   Throughout the day there were 14 people there working.  Pastor went out and picked us up some pizza for lunch. 

Having a nice quiet evening at home.  Snack this evening will be Rhubarb cobbler.  : )  That's even better than ice cream!!

A happy day to you.

happyone : )

No God, no peace.
Know God, know peace.
~Unknown

Update

Pictures from two morning walks in NY.

We got back from NY yesterday evening after being there since Wednesday.  We got my  mom settled in the nursing home and she seems quite happy there most of the time.  

My Dad is still hanging in there but is getting weaker and weaker each day.  He doesn't eat any more so has lost of lot of weight. He is ready to leave this earth and get to his heavenly home and is a bit impatient to get there!!  The cancer is in his lung, liver and in the two adrenal glands.

It is such a sad time for us but it is so comforting for us that we know Dad will soon be in a better place at his home in heaven.  

I spent the afternoon out in the garden today.  I raked and got my vegetable garden ready for planting.  The rhubarb has done quite well and I picked a bunch of it.  Tomorrow I'll be making some rhubarb cobbler and I just might throw in some strawberries with it too.

Not back yet to regular blogging, just wanted to give you all an update.  I'll be back to blogging in a few days.

Thank you all so much for all the kind comments and emails, prayers, and good thoughts.   

A happy day to you.

happyone : )

I'll be back

Another picture from a walk by my parents house.

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46 degrees this morning.  It was cloudy but took a long my umbrella which was a good thing because soon after I started walking it started to rain and there was a light rain during all of my walk.

I walked around the Farm Loop and a loop around town.  When I walked past the diary farm, the few cows that were in the front field were headed back to the barn all in a line.  Guess they didn't want to be out in the rain.

The two horses Faith and Grace at Farmer Bill's place must not like umbrellas because when they saw me walk by both of them ran away behind the barn.  They usually come up to the fence to see me.

It was nice hearing the rain on my umbrella. : )

Walked 6.2 miles.

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We both got new cell phones today.  We got rid of our tracfones and both of us have our first smart phones.   Our son David will be so proud of us. : )

Last week when we were up at my parents house we took them for a ride on one of the nice sunny days.
Stopped to take this picture of the island in a lake.

And thought how neat it would be to live on that island.  I zoomed in for a closer look.

This is another picture I took walking from the cabin we stayed at to my parents house.

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My Dad went to the doctor today and the news was even worse than we expected.
I will be taking a break from blogging for a while.   Please continue to keep us all in your prayers. 
I will try to get around to visit you once in while and I will be back to blogging one day soon.

God Bless you all.
happyone : )

Monday

Geese family in the pond by the Drane house this morning.

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Yesterday there were few snow flurries flying about when I walked but this morning it was sunny, though only 32 degrees. 

Walked an around the town route.  Still no cows up at the farm on Sale Barn Rd and the pasture is getting a big over grown now.

There seemed to be more cars driving through town than usual this morning, but only saw one other person walking.

A few rabbits were hopping around by one of the cemeteries and I was happy to see the geese family at the Drane house pond. : )

Walked 6.2 miles.
Found a dime and a penny.

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One of the mornings I was up at my parents I walked around their little town, Indian Lake. The weather was beautiful. 

Walked passed their church.

It was just 1/2 mile from the cabin where we stayed to my parents house and this is the road between then that I walked along.

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Trying to get caught up with the laundry and getting some things done around the house today.

After lunch I went out and mowed the lawn.  I left a little bit of it long and don't plan on mowing it.  It's just a little space around by the bird feeders but a start for a little meadow.

Friday I go for my blood work.  The good thing is that I can have it done up here where I live and they can just send it to my doctor who is 3 hours away. 

We went up to Happy Trails yesterday afternoon to check things out up there and I got this picture of the two indigo buntings sitting on a fence.  Sorry for the blurriness but had to zoom in.  Still glad to have gotten the two of them.

It's been a busy day and I hope to get around to visiting you all later or at least some of you.   It is going to take me a while to get caught up.
Thank you all for your kind words and prayers.  They are much appreciated.  : )

A happy day to you.
happyone : )

"May the light of God's love shine upon you

And guide you where ere you may be;

Making lighter Earth's burdens and sorrows,

And keep you Soul joyous and free."

~ Gertrude Buckingham

Back Home

We've been out of town the last several days and got back last night.  After my doctor's appointment we headed up to see my mom and dad in upstate NY. 

Didn't really find out anything about my feet.  But a few things were ruled out.  The good news is that my feet have a strong pulse and the circulation is good.  The next step is to get some blood work done. 

It was good to get up to see my Mom and Dad but at the same time a sad trip up too.  Arrangements have been started for my Mom to go into a nursing home as soon as possible.  I am sad to say that my Dad has cancer and is no longer able to care for my Mom. 

Vickie and George who are friends of my parents, who live 1/2 mile down the road have been such a blessing in helping them.  They have a house on the lake and also have a cabin that they rent out for vacationers that was empty and let us stay there and we didn't have to pay a thing.  It was nice to just be able to walk back and forth from the cabin to my parents house.

I've gotten very close with Vickie these last few days.  She is my age and my Mom thinks of her as daughter and we now think of ourselves as adopted sisters.
She is a walker too and we went on a few walks together. : )
I took this picture standing outside of the cabin we stayed at.  

That's all I have time for right now.
Be back tomorrow.
A happy day to you.
happyone : )

This and that

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52 degrees this morning and it rained the whole time I walked.  Wore my rain pants and had my umbrella.  Didn't wear my rain slicker because I would have been too warm.

I walked all around town.  Didn't see anyone else out.  Everyone inside staying dry. 
A couple of rabbits were out and lots of Robins.  I think they are out eating all the worms that are all over the place.

The picture above was taken a few days ago.  I didn't even take my camera out of my pocket this morning.

No one came to pick up all the junk at the curb that we all put out for the clean up yesterday and it still sits there.  Someone did go through our junk though and took away an old weed eater that doesn't work and an old plastic thing that hold hoses.   Hope all the junk around town gets picked up today.  Nice to know someone can use our old junk. : )

I walked 6.3 miles.

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Everyone thing went well last night at the new church in WV which is about 1 1/2 hours from home.  The building is in an old bank and it was fixed up really nice.  There was a pretty good turn out and some new people from the community were there as well.  Hopefully they will make this their new church home. 
The cookies were a big hit I'm happy to say. : )

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We were excited to see a new kind of bird show up this morning at the feeder in the back yard.   Ken looked it up on line and found out that it is a Rose Breasted Grosbeak. 

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Posting a bit early today because we are off to go to a doctors appointment.  We still go down the where we used to live even though it is a 3 hour drive because I like my doctor a lot. 
Having my feet checked out.  For some time now they have been feeling a bit numb and I kept thinking it would just go away but it hasn't. Would appreciate any prayers.  Thanks. : )

A happy day to you.
happyone : )

An assortment of cookies

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My walk on this cloudy morning took me around the Farm Loop.  Passing by the dairy farm all the cows were again out in the farther field but Elva and her new calf were out in the front field.  I stopped to watch the baby running and jumping around with mom close behind.  So cute!!! There were a few other young cows in this field too.

Continuing around the loop I saw horses out at three of the farms, rabbits, LOTS of red winged blackbirds, and a red headed woodpecker flew past me.  They are pretty big birds.

Back in town I took a loop around town before heading back home.

It is clean up day around town and at quite a few houses there were piles of junk waiting to be picked up.  I looked at the stuff being thrown away and didn't see anything worth picking up to reuse.  There was a good size pile sitting out front of our house too.

Didn't see any people out walking.  It was 39 degrees and it stayed cloudy my whole walk.  It started raining after I was home.
Walked 6.2 miles.

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A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I was baking an assortment of cookies to take to a new church that is trying to get started in WV.  Tonight is the night that I have to bring the cookies.   This morning I baked the last batch of cookies that I'll be taking.  Yesterday Becky gave me the cookies she made - Raisin Oatmeal.  I did try one and it was delicious,  I'll have to get her recipe. : )
The cookies I baked this morning was a new recipe for me.  I chose these because they were nice and colorful and thought they would look nice.  I'm not a big fan of coconut so these aren't my favorites but they are good. 

Polka Dot Macaroons

One 14 ounce bag (5 cups) shredded coconut

One 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup flour

1-3/4 cups M & M's chocolate mini baking bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease cookie sheets.

In large bowl combine coconut, condensed milk and flour until well blended.

Stir in M & M's.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets.

Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until edges are golden.

Cool completely on wire racks.

Store in tightly covered container.

 I didn't have enough M & M's so used a 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips to make up the difference.

Also I set the oven to 360 degrees and had left them in for 14 minutes. 

Here is the box all set with six different kinds of cookies.  

Welsh Cookies
Butter Pastel
Polka Dot Macaroons
Raisin Oatmeal
Sugar Cookies
German Chocolate Cookies

Top on and ready to go.

So we're off now in just a little while to WV with our Bibles and cookies. : )

A happy day to you.

happyone : )

"Whatever happened,

at least we had cookies."

~ Diana Rowland

Saturday

This morning the bunny stayed around so I could take his picture. 

There he sits in my garden.

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No rain this morning! : )  I got to take my walk in the sunshine and it was 42 degrees.  

Nice walking the Farm Loop.  Not one car passed by me on the road along the farms.  It was like the road was a wide walking path.

The dairy cows were out today but not in the field by the road.  They were way on the other side of the barn and too far away to take a picture.  It is a much nicer field where they are now and I'm sure they like it much better. 

This pond is by the Dairy Farm.  I zoomed in and got a picture of one of the geese families.  They hopped in the water as I walked by even though I was pretty far away.

Here are the two families.

Faith and Grace at Farmer Bill's farm.

Once I got back to the main road, I walked to town and made a loop around town and then home.

Walked 6 miles.

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Ken and I went down to Cumberland to a train show.  It was pretty small as far as train shows go but it was nice to walk up and down all the aisles to see what was there.  Ken found a few goodies to buy for his layout.  

Back home in the afternoon I mowed the lawn again.  Had to do a bit of raking again too but not quite as much as last time.  Still thinking what part of the yard I can turn into a meadow. : )

And now it's time for supper.

A happy day to you.

happyone : )

"Animals are such agreeable friends,

they ask no questions,

they pass no criticisms."

~ George Eliot