McConnell's Springs

Went to McConnell Springs today for the first time. Really pretty and hard to believe it is right downtown. The 250 year old Burr Oak was unbelievable. We also stopped by Versailles Road and took a few snapshots of my Dad's grandparents old house. They have been gone for years and the house no longer is owned by anyone in the family. Wanted to take some pictures before it is torn down. Looks so different than when I was young.

An artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs.
Edgard Varese

Found this poem on A Quiet Life blog. See attached link. I liked and thought I would post it for pondering. I need to take heed.

Write it on your heart

Write it on your heart
that every day is the best day in the year.
He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day
who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.

Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit
to be cumbered with your old nonsense.

This new day is too dear,
with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on the yesterdays.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Alela Diane

Agatha Christie
I have enjoyed greatly the second blooming that comes when you finish the life of the emotions and of personal relations; and suddenly find - at the age of fifty, say - that a whole new life has opened before you, filled with things you can think about, study, or read about...It is as if a fresh sap of ideas and thoughts was rising in you.

I am trying to keep the aging process in perspective and these words ring so true. Each day is filled with possibilities and ideas and wisdom. Trying to learn to not "sweat" the silly day to day as much. Don't get me wrong. I still struggle with it every day but those things don't seem so all important lately and I think I like it.

Deck before and after

Roger took the end panel off the deck to create another entry and exit off of the deck. Then I got the wonderful job of painting it. Had not been that long but last years ice storm and the roof being replaced did a number on the deck paint. So here are some before and after shots.

Concert

The concert was awesome. We got there way early after eating at Kingfish on the river. We were sitting in the parking lot and looked up only to see Linford and Karin pull in and park right in front of us. We were face to face. I felt like such a groupie. Katie Herzig opened for them and it was a great night. Nice venue. Held about 450 and was sold out. I tried not to use flash and all my pics were blurry. The architecture was very industrial and modern so no pics there. I have got to read my manual and figure out how to get an indoor pic that has good color and not blurry. I was trying to zoom because the tallest man in the house was right in front of me so I had to try to angle around his head and hold camera still. Then I would think I had it in focus and she would move. Oh well... Too busy listening to get a good shot anyway.

Over The Rhine

Roger surprised me and got tickets to an Over The Rhine Concert in Louisville tonight. Getting ready to hit the road and go check it out! I am so excited. The last concert we went to of their was at an old church in Cincinnati. This one is at an old church as well so I am hoping to get to take some shots with my camera that show some of the architectural details. Here are some pics I got last time.

I borrowed this poem from another blog. I just loved it and thought you might too.

Initiation Song from the Finders Lodge by Ursula K LeGuin

Please bring strange things.
Please come bringing new things.
Let very old things come into your hands.
Let what you do not know come into your eyes.
Let desert sand harden your feet.
Let the arch of your feet be your mountains.
Let the paths of your fingertips be your maps
and the ways you go be the lines on your palms.
Let there be deep snow in your inbreathing
and your outbreath be the shining of ice.
May your mouth contain the shapes of strange words.
May you smell food cooking you have not eaten.
May the spring of a foreign river be your navel.
May your soul be at home where there are no houses.
Walk carefully, well loved one,
walk mindfully, well loved one,
walk fearlessly, well loved one.
Return with us, return to us,
be always coming home.

No time to post lately

I have not had much time to post anything lately. We have been very busy around the house and at work. Abbi Grace came to visit and stayed for a few days. I took her back to Nashville but before we left we went across the street to the pond to feed the duck's some corn. She liked them all and when she got some corn in her shoes she was worried that the ducks were going to peck her toes. She has them curled up in some of the pics.

Raccoons!

We had a little surprise today. I was picking green beans and visiting with mom and Roger was trimming the bushes outside in the front yard when he came in the livingroom door telling me there was a raccoon in the bushes. Come to find out there were four or five raccoons. Took a while to get them to leave so I am not sure what to do so they will not come back. Cute but tricky vicious little critters. There is a pond acroos the very busy street and I know they like a water source nearby. Time will tell. We have also had a lot of problems lately with rabies. Not really sure if I should call someone over the problem or not yet. I do not want them trying to get in the trash and or in the garage. Anyway the pictures are cute as we discover them and try to get them to run out of the yard.

New Grand Puppy!

We have a new little grand puppy that visits at our house these days. He is so cute! I can't get used to his name just yet (because I do not like the name for a dog) but I am sure I will come up with my own little twist to it. They are calling him Andre. He is a cutie. A mini schnauzer, just like his sister.

Been busy and have not posted in a while

Whew! We have been on yet another whirlwind few weeks. We returned from Florida and were home a day and had our Texas family in for a visit. I did not take pics very often because I seemed to stay in the kitchen or had forgotten my camera. Too much else to remember as we left the house. We really did not do too much. Got some garden work and yard work finished in and around visiting. We just spent a lot of time hanging out and visiting. Syd and I did go see a movie together and then RaRa, Dylan, Ryan, Sydney and I went to the lake one day. Gabriel, Melody and Abbi Grace came to visit last weekend. We got to see the wedding pictures and honeymoon pictures which were very good. Kenzi came today and she had fun watering with RaRa. She did not think she should really take a nap today so she was full of energy trying to stay awake. Mamu came to visit and play with Kenzi. We had fun.