Museum time: Extra Post

Because I have plenty of material for blog posts and have great internet connection here, I'm sneaking in an extra post. It's mostly for the grandkids, but you're welcome to enjoy it, too!

Just a short walk from where we parked. Such an interesting place!

A new spot this year for our Boondockers group was Poverty Flats (or Snowbird Mesa) near Overton, NV (some 60 miles East of Las Vegas). Not sure why it has two names, but it's a great place to boondock or dry camp. The views are gorgeous and there are plenty of places to walk and take pictures all around our rig. The nearby town of Overton boasts a nicely stocked grocery store (Lin's) with a pharmacy. Also, there are two hardware stores, and a community park where we could get water for free. We loaded up our empty water bottles and our water filter and took advantage of that. I also visited their friendly Post Office where I understand they will receive General Delivery. Even though I didn't need that this time, it's good to know for the future.

One little gem there is The Lost City Museum which was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corp. Into this delightful place they retrieved many artifacts and reconstructed some of the excavation sites that were later covered by Lake Mead (formed when Hoover Dam was built). The museum building had interesting Craftsman touches inside and was not only well built, but it's been very well maintained. I was intrigued by the many models of dwellings of the Pueblo/Anasazi people. The basketry was impressive. And outside they recreated the round dwellings that are indicated by the rock outlines. It was interesting to get a glimpse into their daily life, their living spaces and their skills.

I didn't capture the time line for the many pictures I took, so some of it is by memory. (!) There was a wide range of dates from some time after 1100AD up until the early 1930s with more information than I could absorb. I am no expert on basketry or the Anasazi people, just the bits and pieces I've picked up in various museums around the Southwest, so my captions are somewhat general. I enjoy museums, but don't really attempt to remember all of it! 

A rather sophisticated 3 level dwelling of rock. So cool!

The view from the top looking into it. 

Round rooms or houses was a common theme among the Anasazi, or Ancient Ones. I could live here!

Still life showing how they ground the corn or maize that they grew. So glad I don't have to do this!

This shows a recreation of part of the walls, some containers and corn found. The exposed rock shows how it was built underneath the covering made of local clay.

Beautiful artwork done on this pottery that's over 100 years old. 

These water jugs were first woven, then covered in pitch to make them waterproof. These are really, really old and my favorites of all of the baskets. How did the get the pitch to cover it so well?

Intricate basketry, most dating back 100 - 150 years ago if not later. I'm amazing at how small the weave is! 5 to 7 loops per inch!

Early black and white ware. Found in the excavations and very old.

Recreation of a storage room. It would make sense to store stuff where you have to get in by ladders to keep out vermin, snakes and other threats to the food suppy.

An interesting mostly underground dwelling. I imagine this kept them cooler in the heat and warmer in the cold. The temperature can get extreme, very hot in the day and cold at night.

A large collection of arrowheads of varying sizes and of different kinds of materials. 

Full size replicas outside of their round dwelling places. All the entrances were blocked with grills to keep us nosy people out. Not doubt to preserve it better.

Rustic ladder that I don't think I'd want to try even if I could! Where's the bottom step?

The typical outline left by ruins. The buildings above are what they looked like when used, but in many places all that is left is the outline like this. 

Travel Tuesday: On the Road Again, 7th Snowbird journey

As the air started to get nippy and the rain began in earnest, we got our lot ready for winter, loaded ourselves up, said our goodbyes to family & friends & headed south. It's amazing that we've been able to do this for six years in a row, with this being our seventh. Where did the time go?!

One of the fascinating things about traveling from the NW to the SW is the variety of landscapes we see. This time I decided to chronicle the changes. When I wasn't driving, I captured several shots from the passenger seat. Although there were a few places where I would have liked to snag a shot while driving, I didn't. I think my collection shows sufficient variety even without them. We typically trade off driving, but Jerry still does the bulk of it. 

I didn't get all of my pictures edited like I often do, cropping for the best view. So, here they are, windshield wipers, glass reflections, screens and all. In the raw! Enjoy the view. It's what it looks like while we're on the road.

Beautiful sunset in Southern Oregon on our way to our first night's stop in Canyonville, OR. In this crazy year of Covid, we didn't do our usual stop for visiting relatives in Oregon. Instead we pushed on while the weather was cooperating.

This is Mt Ashland just south of Ashland, OR. In past years there has been snow on the ground as we drove past. This is the beginning of the big climb over the Siskiyou Mountains. A few miles beyond this is the Siskiyou Mountain Summit at 4310 ft. A rig our size takes this pretty slow! The weather is a big factor in getting over this pass and getting an early enough start helps.

Our first peek at Mt Shasta. No snow to be seen this time! The sign is for Hwy 97 heading for Klamath Falls. We are about 50 miles or so south of the Oregon/California border. We inserted an extra stop in Yreka for the night since the winds were supposed to be very high farther south. Weather dictates when and how far we drive in a day. How windy will it be? What's the nighttime temperature? 

The rolling hills of Northern California is so typical of the area. Lots of grass and deciduous trees

We saw evidence in several places along our way of the devastating fires in Southern Oregon and Northern California. This was the largest burn we saw from the road. Some of the places we saw were a mix of burned and not burned, like the fire did some kind of crazy dance touching down there, jumping up and missing here, spinning to over there.

Because this is out my side window with the screen, it's not very clear, but there are miles and miles of forest, down into a valley or two, up over a ridge. We got pretty high up as we crossed from Northern California up over the Cascade mountain range to Reno.

I loved driving through this corridor of trees. This is likely my last view of huge trees until our Springtime return. These trees feel more like home to me than the desert, but I have learned to love the stark beauty of the desert and the very different vegetation and all of the variety of rocks.

Unexpected rock outcroppings pop up everywhere! 

Here we go into the arid regions. This is just the northern tip of Walker Lake. It is a huge lake and the view as we drove by was beautiful. However, since I was driving, I didn't get to take any pictures. My copilot managed to capture this one. There are places to stay nearby, but we pushed on to make more miles, for a total of 405 miles in one day. We were trying to get to our destination before the big storm hit the whole region. With nighttime temps predicted to drop really low, we determined to push on.

Miles of road like this crosses Nevada. We like to listen to good teaching as we travel which makes the miles fly by. We made a stop for the night in Tonopah, NV at Miller's Rest Area. In the past we've seen several RVs parked for the night and have even run into friends. This year, we had the place to ourselves! The nighttime temps were still tolerable the night we stayed, but expected to drop into the teens the next night. On our way!

Joshua Trees dotting the landscape. I've not seen them before marching along at the top of the hills this way like sentinels! This picture had to be cropped in order to see the trees, so it's a bit of a blur. 

Ah! Finally! After 1268 miles and 5 days of travel, we arrived ahead of the wind and clouds. It sure is a beautiful spot. We were thankful to hunker down and rest up while the wind rocked us for a couple of days. Once the storm passed, it was gorgeous and hot! Finally, Jerry is a happy camper!
 (Photo by Kathy Sweet who joined us after a couple of days.)

Sanctified Saturdays: Mosaic Canyon, Death Valley

I love those "God Moments" that happen unexpectedly. In Mosaic Canyon, I had one of those when I was between a slower and faster group and I had a few minutes with a section of the canyon all to myself. It was one of those moments when the clamor of the crowd disappears and in the quietness, the presence of the Creator is very near. As I slowly walked along drinking in both His presence and the beauty of this canyon, trailing my hand along the amazing marble sides, I was struck with such awe at His creativity and imagination! I'm so humbled that He thought up this amazing planet for us to live on just because He loves us so much! He didn't have to make it beautiful, but He did because that's Who He is! The unimaginable power it took to crush these rocks together, to carve out the canyon, to form all of this causes me to stand in awe of Him, because as huge as all that is, He is so much bigger! He is not a distant God as many suppose, but as near as our breath, longing to be in relationship with us. As I’ve drawn closer to Him and learned more of His character and of His vast love, I see Him in all kinds of unexpected places. As I felt the rock wall, I thought of how He is called my Strong Tower, and the solidness of the rock was but a hint of His strength.

"He alone is my rock and my salvation, my defense and my strong tower; I will not be shaken or disheartened." Psalms 62:2 The Passion Translation

 I think of His faithfulness, of His mercy, of His kindness. When the vastness of creation overwhelms me, I think of how He has chosen me. Out of this enormous planet, solar system, and galaxy. He chose me. Wow. And to think that He loves me enough to not only create this amazing planet I call home, but He made a way for me to be restored. Restored not only to a right relationship with Him, but restored in my heart through healing and forgiveness and letting things go. Restored in my body as He touches places that need His healing touch. Restored relationships that had gotten broken. Restored sense of purpose that had been trampled and left behind somewhere. Abundantly restored! When He goes to do something, I’ve discovered that He doesn’t just do almost enough or barely enough, but more than enough! This is an extravagant God! He loves with more than enough, with abundance of goodness and resources. He brings order from chaos not just in the universe, but in our lives. His power is beyond what I can imagine, but I get a glimpse here and there, like in that canyon, and it gives me hope. This hope does not disappoint because He has promised and He is faithful.

"And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!" Romans 5:5 The Passion Translation 

Perhaps to some who have never experienced His goodness, it might seem a bit too good to be true. In this world which is fairly cynical, it seems crazy to have such hope, to know such love. Satan has been very busy defaming God so that people won’t see how good He is. Once you have tasted of His goodness, you totally get it! Not only that, you don’t want anything else because you discover how much He satisfies every longing of your heart. He is more than enough! There is such rest in that. Such rest in knowing that I don’t have to strive to please some angry God waiting to strike with lightning if I blow it. Rather, I can rest in His goodness, rest in the work that Jesus did by dying on the cross and then coming back to life to make a way for me to be friends with God. He did all the work. I just have to believe and trust.

 How amazing is that? I get to believe and accept and rest. I get to trade my sin, sadness, brokenness for His forgiveness, joy and restoration. It’s pretty clear to me that I’m getting the best part of this trade! Clearly I'm His favorite. But then, you can be His favorite, too!

"Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to Me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis." Matthew 11:28 The Passion Translation.

Travel Tuesdays: Death Valley

Little Hebe at Ubehebe Crater.

   After we left Death Valley, I was faced with the daunting task of going through over 500 photos to decide what I would use for a blog post. Since I usually only use a handful here, I created a link to a photo album with more here, the Best of Death Valley 2019.

At the salt flats, the lowest pace at -283 feet. With Ines.

  Death Valley was unexpected from the time we entered to the time we left. We sure didn't expect the 16 miles of downhill grade that we needed to take very slowly so we didn't burn up our brakes! And we didn't expect the amazing beauty and variety of this huge place. It will definitely require another visit or two to cover all that we would like to see. Thankfully, we had an experienced person in our group who served as tour guide and took us to many of the must-see places.
   We met up with the Christian Fellowship BOF group, and also saw several from the Boomers BOF group there as well at the Sunset Campground. We arrived more than a week before the 49er Days events and spent the time sight-seeing, interspersed with times for worship and devotions and many potlucks. I stepped up and lead the worship time on my keyboard with Nancy helping out on her guitar. It was lots of fun and a good experience. We weren't able to use any amplification in the National Park where we were, but everyone seemed to be able to hear me OK.

At dawn, I turned around...

  Potlucks are always a challenge, but there were several people who contributed things we could eat and for that we were very thankful. It took a wee bit of planning, but it worked out very well and several people wanted the recipe for the Curtido that I made and shared. (I posted the link for it on the Favorite Recipes page.)

Zabriskie Point just before dawn.

Getting up before dawn is not something I do very often, but it was worth it to watch the sunrise spill color and light, first behind and then hitting the tip of Zabriskie Point. Besides our group of about 10 people, there were probably another 50 or so, cameras in hand from all over the world, waiting for that special moment.
     Mosaic Canyon was another favorite place with amazing rock formations and the conglomerate rock filled with chunks of marble and pebbles right up against huge sections of marble. The forces of nature required to do that boggle the mind! We were instructed to bring spray bottles and extra water for them so we could spray the sections to bring out the colors. It was really fun to watch the colors deepen and I soon had to beg more water from someone! I took so many pictures, but this is my favorite.

Amazing rocks in Mosaic Canyon.

A beautiful pool with rare little fish.

 Another place we went was Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge. It is an unexpected oasis of pools, streams and green. In one of the pools, there are rare, blue Pupfish about 1-1/2" long that dart around here and there. It's a fun thing to see this unique area and this is the only place in the world they are found. Back in the day there were farms here, but much of it has been returned to original habitat, an ongoing process of restoring the land and removing invasive species of plants.
   The Death Valley 49ers are a group who gather yearly to commemorate the wagon trains that first stumbled across Death Valley in 1849 looking for a shortcut the the gold field of the California Gold Rush. Most of them made it out with their lives and little else. Remarkably there were a few families that survived it. Reading about it made me even more thankful for the comfort and conveniences with which we travel and stay in this very arid area. The celebrations included demonstrations of gold panning and blacksmithing, a costume contest of clothing from the 1800s, an Art Show and various vendors. I got to participate in the "Come Paint" area where an artist has a basic outline that he helps you paint by teaching techniques, helping mix colors and showing how it's done and then handing over the brush. More fun than paint by number, for sure! I enjoyed the Cowboy music in the evening, the old kind. There were some really great musicians! One night before the actual opening there was a kind of Talent Show called Coyote Howl and Nancy roped me into singing with her and playing my baritone ukulele (that I inherited from Dad). We sang an old cowboy song from a book she found circa 1940s. It was great fun and Dad would have appreciated me playing his bari-uke in this setting! He would have loved all of this so much. When one of the groups started in with a harmonica, it brought back such a flood of memories of watching Dad in fascination make such beautiful sounds out of something that had me totally stumped! I might have leaked a little bit....

Selfie with the 20 mule team. 

    One of the most fun things was watching the 20 Mule Team pulling replica wagons of those used to haul boron out of the valley in the later 1800s. (See video in photo album, link above) They were followed by people who came in covered wagons pulled by mules, dressed in period clothing. It was fun to talk to them and see their various setups once they pulled into the parking lot. Some of them had taken a week to pull their wagons 100 miles. This is truly reenacting! The mule train went on past, and then returned a couple of hours later and stopped so we could get pictures and even pet them!

The fury of the flames were awe inspiring!

     After 12 days, we took off toward Indio, CA hoping to make good time. But when we came up behind an RV with flames coming up from the towed vehicle, I was unwilling to drive past due to risk of explosions. We parked and had a front row seat to this unfolding drama. All I could do was pray. So shocking to watch this. Thankfully, the lady and her dog got out safely. She had grabbed her purse so she had ID, but her phone and laptop and all her other possessions went up in smoke. It's unclear what started the fire with the CRV she was towing, but there was something causing resistance. She stopped several times trying to figure out what was wrong. Then she saw smoke and by the time she pulled off the road and got out, it was beyond what a fire extinguisher could do. Thankfully she had a friend and fellow RVer that was in the line up of vehicles stopped behind us, so she had help.
    An hour and a half into this, it was still burning. The fire truck had run out of water and it would some time before a water truck could get filled and get to the site. So when a park ranger told us the road would be closed another couple of hours more, we turned and left by Badwater Rd. There were sections of that road that were rough enough that I could only do 20 mph, but we made it out. I don't intend to take that road again unless it's the only way out! It took about 7-1/2 hours of driving to get to our destination, not counting the delay. Maybe it would have been quicker to just wait it out?! Who knows, we're just thankful and counting our many blessings.
 

Foodie Fridays: My favorite Breakfast

     One of the big changes that comes with eating more healthfully is the change of breakfast choices. It's such an important meal, but the typical American diet is full of highly processed, high sugar, low nutrient "Franken-foods". Cold cereal, donuts, bagels, etc. Foods that many of us were raised on. Foods that are so normal to eat we often don't even think about it. There is so much I could say about how hard these are on the body, but instead I'm going to focus on what can replace these. (You can check out resources in my Class Notes page for more information.) 
     I've been eating this porridge for breakfast for several years and I'm a bit surprised that I haven't posted about this recipe before! Since going grain free several years ago, I've gone through many different ideas for breakfast.This has become a staple and Hubby even likes it. With the gelatin added, it creates a great snack if we're traveling and want something simple to eat at a stop (it sets up a bit, so won't spill!) Plus gelatin is so good for you. We both noticed a difference when I ran out and we went for a couple of months without it. 
     I found that adding hot porridge to frozen berries in a pint mason jar can be hard on my jars, so after I mix the porridge first in the jar, I add it to the fruit in a bowl. If we're going to travel with it, I transfer it to a mason jar with a lid after I've mixed the hot and cold together. I make my serving a little larger than the 1/4 cup because I'm using rounded TBSP measures (because I have extras, so I can leave it in the container). Then I just add the amount of water I want to my pint jar; I just eye-ball it! It's pretty forgiving.

Left is with the hot water added & stirred, right are frozen berries ready to be covered, at the back it's all stirred up & sitting for about 10 minutes or so to let the berries thaw.I usually top it with nuts for some crunch.

Linda's Grain Free Breakfast Porridge

     Here is my version of a grain free hot porridge. Below I have the original which I changed from someone else's recipe. It's packed full of fiber and nutrients, with few carbs unless you add the fruit. 
     I find 'units' and 'ratios' an easy way to do mixes; I can make up whatever amount I'd like and it simplifies the math for increasing or decreasing. If I'm going to use the 1/2c measure, I'll scoop 3 times for the first four ingredients, once for the next and approximately 1/2 for the others. If I want to do a really big batch, I can use a 1 c measure and use the same method. Here I've written the list with a couple of different units to make it easier.

Ratio  ½ c units   1/4c units    Ingredients
3        [1-1/2 c]    [3/4c]           Hemp protein powder (ground hemp only)
3        [1-1/2 c]    [3/4c]           Chia seeds whole
3        [1-1/2 c]    [3/4c]           Flax seeds ground
3        [1-1/2 c]    [3/4c]           Fine ground coconut, unsweetened
1        [1/2c]        [1/4c]           Plain gelatin, grass fed
0.5     [1/4c]        [1/8c*]         Ground psyllium husk   
0.5     [1/4c]        [1/8c*]         Powdered leaf stevia (the green stuff)
*(2 TBSP)

     Put all the ingredients into a bowl and stir them up to mix them well. Then transfer to a jar and keep it in the refrigerator. The flax seeds and hemp seeds can go rancid if not refrigerated. For short term it can stay out, like for a trip, but for long term it needs to be kept cold to protect the healthy oils.

What the mix looks like using 1/2 c measure 

     When you are ready to use it, take a rounded 1/4c scoop and put into a pint jar, add approximately 3/4 c hot water and stir for a minute or so until it begins to thicken. Then pour into a bowl with 1/4 c frozen fruit, stir and let sit about 5 – 10 min. You can eat it right away, but if you let it sit the fruit will thaw and it will cool and gel up a bit. I like to sprinkle soaked and dried nuts over the top. Enjoy!
     I love to put organic, frozen blueberries, mixed berries, sliced strawberries and sometimes sliced peaches in this (I'll add cinnamon when I use peaches. Yum!). I have found organic sliced frozen strawberries at Walmart only. I don't know why everyone else seems to think we want our organic, no sugar added strawberries whole! Dried fruit will also work--especially on trips and all you need is hot water! Since neither of us drinks milk and milk substitutes can get pricey, we just don't bother with it. Most porridge recipes call for it, but it's not really necessary and it's so much simpler to do without. I like simple!
    
     In case you're wondering, other things I eat for breakfast are eggs with veggies like onions, tomatoes, avocado, broccoli and sprouts, topped with sauerkraut and sometimes Curtido. I know it's no surprise that I try to eat some kind of fermented food several times a day: milk kefir, kombucha and water kefir, along with sauerkraut and Curtido. These amazing superfoods are such a boost to nutrition and health. The benefits we've received have been significant; happy gut, allergies virtually gone, healthy skin, calmer emotions to name a few that we attribute to these probiotic foods. When you remove negative foods and increase positive foods, the results can be quite amazing! That goes for thinking, too. Remove the negative thinking and speaking and turn it around to positive and it's amazing the things that can change.

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words."  Proverbs 18:21 Amplified Bible

Starting point recipe:
Anita’s SUPERFOOD HIGHLIGHT FOR THE MONTH: 
(I have not be able to find this website again. I try to link to webpages where I find good recipes)

Warm Grain Free Porridge
As I have been learning more about nutrition and balancing blood sugars, I have limited my grain intake and I feel so much better! One huge blessing has been the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, and I have learned so much vital information from reading their Trim Healthy Mama book. Below is a recipe I found online. I made some changes to use the ingredients I prefer - it has become a favorite and fits in with their plan!
·1 cup chia seeds 
·1 cup fine shred coconut
·1 cup flax meal or you can grind your own from the seeds
Mix this up and store in a quart jar. When you are ready for a delicious breakfast, take 1/4 to 1/3 cup, put in a small pot, and stir in the following:
·1/2 cup milk of your choice, I love coconut or hemp
·Sweeten to taste; I use THM Sweeteners
·1/2 tsp. vanilla
·1 scoop whey protein powder
Leave in the pot for about 10 minutes or put in the fridge overnight. Add more milk or cream if desired. When ready, gently warm- not too hot so that the ingredients stay raw. Finally, my favorite part is adding fresh or frozen berries (thawed) for the finishing touch. Mix and enjoy. It reminds me of the yummy childhood breakfasts I was raised on, yet even healthier!

Snowbird Migration #6

Slowly packing away the outdoor things in our Summer place, getting ready to leave. 

       The leaves are falling, turning fabulous colors of gold and red. The apples have all been picked, processed and given away. The tree has been pruned. Time to put the Summer place to bed, tucked up in winter protection. The van sleeps the winter through, snug in its tarp garage; dehydrators and mouse traps strategically placed. Chairs and other deck things put away in a shed, refrigerator emptied and cleaned. The Snowbird Migration Ritual of Preparation. Check lists and 'must dos'.

Apples picked, tree pruned.

Hope they winter over again!

     We left on Friday the 18th in the drizzling rain. Although we did get some dry pavement an hour later, we also got a huge downpour south of Portland which slowed everyone down to about 45 mph. Typical Fall weather for this area, and a major motivator for Jerry to head south! This year we left earlier, and Jerry is making plans to leave even earlier next year.
     We arrived in plenty of time to get set up before dark at our Son-in-law's parent's place in Corvallis. It was fun to see them again and to see what changes they've made since last time we visited. Every time we come to visit, we see all kinds of new projects that have been done. They are inspiring! They are renovating this farm and house that was originally settled by ancestors. Such a family heritage.
      After 5 days of visiting all the various family members that we could squeeze in to so short a time, we took off again on Wednesday. This next stretch is pretty short, only a little over 100 miles to Canyonville (Seven Feathers Casino) south of Roseburg, but it's a great jumping off point for taking on the Siskiyou Mountain range. It's a bit over 200 miles to Redding from there, but in a motorhome and over those mountains, it's slower going and more tiring. The weather started out foggy, but eventually cleared to blue skies and warm. We didn't quite have to put on the A/C, but it was close!

The first stop, wet and rainy; oddly appropriate for our journey.

     I see the Geese flying overhead now and feel a kinship. I love to hear them honking their encouragement to each other and it reminds me of how thankful I am to be doing this with Jerry. Not only do we share this Snowbird Journey, but our shared spiritual journey is a great source of joy, conversational topics and "iron sharpening iron". This time the trip over the mountains seemed to go so smoothly and so quickly we were surprised! As we traveled, we listened to Kevin Zadai on YouTube whose story encourages us to see Jesus more clearly, to understand His ways more, to seek Him more diligently. We felt His presence with us the whole way and it made the trip so much fun! As we press in to learn more of Him and to experience His presence more, we are finding more joy, more peace, and a sense of purpose. Some would find what Kevin has to say difficult to accept. But we've been stepping away from the trappings of religious traditions (that don't agree with the Bible) and more into the clarity and freshness and Life of Jesus, God the Father and Holy Spirit. The Bible has come alive to us more than ever before, its relevance more acute. How can I not talk about the freedom, the joy, the peace, the love that we walk in more and more? God is so GOOD!

"Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in His eyes. Fix your heart on the promises of God and you will be secure, feasting on His faithfulness. Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life, and He will provide for you what you desire the most. Give God the right to direct your life, and as you trust Him along the way, you'll find He pulled it off perfectly!" Psalm 37:3-5 The Passion Translation.

Parked at the Farm, a beautiful and quiet place to spend a few days. 

A quick shot of Mount Shasta while driving. We're getting closer to the warmth and sunshine!

Living Life and Moving on...

Restful river time at the cabin.

       I'm so glad we have that wonderful memory of seeing my Dad, along with all my siblings, on the way home in April. A few weeks after that he fell and broke his hip, and with one thing following another, his health rapidly declined and he passed peacefully into the arms of his Savior on June 6th. My predominant thoughts following this were thankfulness for so many things. Thankful that he's no longer in pain, that his passing was calm, and that one day I'll see him again. I'm also very thankful that I have family to help process this loss, to share the grief, to celebrate his life and what he taught us, and to let him go and move on.
      The Memorial we had in July was really good; very satisfying and a good closure. All four kids were there, all eleven grand kids, and many great grand kids were there. The service was honoring in a healthy way. He wasn't perfect, but he had a Perfect Savior whom he loved and trusted and is now in His presence. That gives us all hope. We don't have to be perfect to be loved or used by God. Dad taught us many things, some not so good, some great. I choose to focus on the good stuff learned and trust in the Lord to help unlearn the others. Even in the unlearning, there are such good lessons! One of them is learning to grab the wisdom from the experiences and move on.

Holding my new granddaughter Bethany Grace.

     The very next day after he passed, my 5th grandchild arrived, 16 days past her due day, but apparently right on time. Bethany Grace arrived on June 7th, 7 minutes before the 11th hour. So very interesting! What an amazing cycle of life to lose someone of one generation while gaining one of another! Those six days I stayed with them went by way too fast, keeping the older kids busy with cooking, crafting with felt and taking walks.
     I had expected to stay a little longer with them, but I learned my sisters needed to get Dad's room cleared out and I wanted to be there. We were able to stay in the Guest Rooms at Turner Retirement Home for a few days while we worked on that project. These rooms were part of the original building built in the late 1880s. What a charming Bed & Breakfast stay, and a relief to be so close so I could work in spurts. Sorting through the last of his stuff was both meaningful and difficult. But I was thankful for the opportunity as it helped me to process through the loss. There were a few special things I was able to bring back with me. One of which was his baritone ukulele. I plan to take it with me South this winter and learn how to play it. It's a lovely instrument that Dad used when he played with the Oldtime Fiddlers group. Closing this chapter and moving on.

     We had a few more days of visiting relatives, then we headed farther south to the family cabin for the Annual Meeting. The memories of grandparents and parents was very strong there, but it was still restful and refreshing there. I think much of that has to do with the river and the constant, soothing background sound of the water over the rocks. The Club very kindly gave us a Rhododendron in honor of Dad and shared fond memories of his involvement there. It was touching.
      I was very glad to finally return home after sleeping in four different beds over the 10 day period. There's nothing like being away to help you really appreciate being back home! You might wonder why we didn't take the motorhome so we could have our home with us. There are a few reasons, but most of all, it's just simpler and less expensive to leave it parked. The minivan that stays here in the winter, is a great travel vehicle for summers to visit family and the cabin where we can sleep inside.
     All of a sudden, we realized that our departure date is barely 2 months away! So we are switching gears, trying to figure out how to fit everything in that we want and need to do before we leave again mid October. More moving on, although there will be a return.
    Life is full of moving on. So we live each day as it comes, learning to walk more in step with Jesus, getting filled up with His love and giving it out to others. Life is good.