A Few Christmas Highlights

Saying Cheese



Looking for Josie the dog




She was loaded down with animals for Christmas



Sunrise in the Mountains



Our little bit of Christmas Snow

I took a million pictures for Christmas but something was wrong with my camera, I think mainly it focused on a moving child and so most of my pictures were blurry..  Joey and I went to the mountains to see snow for Christmas, unfortunately it was just cold and a little dusting for the day.  I needed a much welcomed rest, my back went out when I got there so I mainly rested and read a couple books.  Came back good as new......Christmas was such a great time this year with Harper.  She was such a pleasant child through the whole time. She enjoyed the whole experience at every house she went too.



Merry Christmas

King Herod

Pastor preached today from Matthew about King Herod and the Magi.  It said that mid week the Holy Spirit led him in a different direction for his Christmas sermon.  With the deaths of the children and teachers in Connecticut he said he realized that even in the midst of Christ birth, the same thing was happening then.  King Herod sent out his soldiers to go into homes and for no reason other than Kind Herod was scared, they killed little boys under the age of two.  He said that parents did not know what was happening, soldiers knocking on doors, walking in and murdering their helpless little boys. Satan is a murderer, was from the beginning and still is today, his hand was in the evil a few weeks ago just as it was in Bethlehem many many years ago.  Evil cannot be explained away, evil exist no matter what we try to get rid of, violent movies, guns. and violent music.  We can take responsibility for what we watch and listen too, but in the end it all boils down to a spiritual issue.  Realizing that without Christ as our savior and the Holy Spirit leading us in our daily lives evil will always exist,  Until that day with Christ returns, not as a baby in a manager but as a powerful king.

Mary

As a mother, I can only imagine what Mary's thought process was, she was a young girl, with a great responsibility. God knew her, knew the love she could give, and knew how strong she really was.

     I love a cold Christmas, but  I would probably like to try one at a warm beach someday....

IT Christmas

Children are Great

I have to say that I could just squeeze these cheeks.....

This is the personality of this child, wouldn't the world be a peaceful place if we all were like her.
As I read the headlines a moment ago of the shooting at the elementary school, I cannot imagine what
goes through the mind of a person who purposely chooses to plan and then puts into action the killing of innocent little children. My heart breaks for the parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters of these distraught families.  I pray for a peace that one cannot humanly understand comes over them and that they feel the arms and presence of God on their family today. Because without him there is no peace........

Finally James

Last night was our final night with the Book of James series.  We watched our final video last week and to say it was powerful is an understatement.  Last night we recapped and put into thought what the book was about for each of us.  For me, it all began with don't look in the mirror and then forget what you see, remember what you learn, know what it looks like on a daily basis. Be able to see what goes against the Word quickly, know what doesn't look right in the mirror. Next came the control the tongue and check the temper.  This seem to be a underlying statement throughout the book.  This is the hardest for me and where I am still stuck at.  I do genuinely care about others but I have gotten to a point where I call a spade a spade.  I expect so much that I have become critical and complaining at times with the Christian behavior of some. I have to realize that I need more self control and let God do his thing and me back off.  The problem is I don't love easy. I don't trust easy. If I truly have the love that James is talking about for others, I think this will come easier   I have decided to continue to study the Book of James for a little longer on my own and try to grasp all I need to learn and not forget.  I went to a few ladies in the small group to see if any were interested in leading the study for a few weeks, because it is hard to study one thing and teach another.  I have led a Bible study for about 6 years or more and do believe that I need to hear from others and not lead all the time.  So my friend Diane, who by the way is a great teacher, felt led to teach on the "Organic God" for 6 weeks, so I am very excited to start in January learning the character of the real GOD.

While my family doesn't get why I will listen to this type of music, I really appreciate God-given talent.

Christmas IS.......

Unseasonable

 Because of the beautiful weather we had this week, Harper and I stayed outside most the the day on Monday and Tuesday.  Joey has been teaching her to drive the mini backhoe.  She loves riding on it, he has taught her how to start it, how to make it move and as you can see how to control the bucket to go up and down.

This was her parade outfit, she saw the trees and I guess thought they were her size and she stood still for a picture.  She is a person who likes busyness, so the parade was perfect for her, she danced and just clapped when the tractors came down the road.  Joey loves the Christmas parade in Lexington, mainly because it is at night and the streets are lighted so pretty.

Old Favorite

Pictures of a girl on the move

I love the little outfit

Her thoughts "just hurry up Mam-maw"

I drive,I drive, I drive



Lost in space

you can't catch me

I love the cat hat

Many of you know what it is like to try and take pictures of a child on the move.  Here are just a few of the 50 I took that was not blurry because of her always on the go.  I just grab a camera and snap, snap, snap and hope that a few turn out...

Jingle Bells

                                                                Very Good CD

My favorite Holiday is over

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, there is no pressure on anyone about anything.  All you do is show up to events with food. My only regret is that our extended families, don't discussion what I consider to be the most important part of the holiday, "Thanks"giving. What we are all thankful for is never discussed.  It hit me when Josh, Abby and Harper left there Grandmother Nancy house at lunch and that I would not see them the rest of the day, that I didn't tell them  how very thankful I am for them.  I text ed them....today's society....their way of communication.... I also text ed Audrey and Wesley.  Each with different messages...We have become such a non-verbal communication society  that I think we forget to really talk to each other.  Plus with Thanksgiving not at my house at all I have to conform to others, and honestly I do not like having no input for this holiday.
One day, it will be at my house and it will be different....Control freak!!!!!Now on to Joeys favorite Holiday! Christmas where there is no pressure.HA!!HA!!HA!!

Thankfullness

THANKFULNESS - Aware and appreciative of, grateful.
Here is my list:
My Lord and Savior, who gives me peace everyday, who loves me even when I feel unlovable.
My Joey, who I know loves me more than I can imagine and who I can't imagine being without.
My children and in-law children, who are in so many ways so different but who bring such pride, laughter and joy to my life.
My Harper, who will always be the first grandchild and with that brings such love from my heart that I cannot explain how it burst with happiness every time I see her.
My extended family, as I get older I realize the need for more family.
My Friends, I can't explain what friendship does for the soul.  But to be without friends has to be a very lonely life.
My church, even though it drives me crazy sometimes, I can't imagine a life without the church family in it.
My health, I appreciate being able to see, smell, hear and feel things, I appreciate all that this human body has to offer.
My home, it is a safe haven for me, I can't imagine where others feel home is fearful or stressful.
For the many other things we take for grant it...like... food, gasoline, electricity, a computer, telephone, books, music, candy, make-up, shoes,a car, bible study,  clothes, a bed to sleep in, a dishwasher, our cat, Buster, I never imagined being thankful for him.
I am a very blessed individual and believe me when I say that I don't take it lightly.
I am not one who goes around saying thank you all the time to people, but I do know that deep in my heart that I am BLESSED.....

Planning

We had a discussion in Ladies Small Group last night on life planning.  In James 4 it talks about how we plan this and plan that like we know what our lives will be like in 10 years.  How many of you are where you had planned to be at in this stage of your life.  Joey and I had plans to travel once we finally tried it and liked it, then the extra money ran out. Did I think I would be sitting at a storage facility office, no.  Did I think Joey would still be trying to figure out what to do with his job, no.  I thought Joey and I would be empty nesters by now. I did think I would be a grandparent by now.   So I guess  one out of five plans isn't bad.  I told the class that over the last couple of years I have learned alot about living in the "today" mode.  I try and plan short goals, but really Joey and I both have come to the conclusion to just walk forward and go through open doors and stop at closed ones  and see what happens...James 4:14: What do you know about tomorrow? How can you be sure about your life? It is nothing more than mist that appears only for a little while before it disappears.

Chris Tomlin

Last night my friend Cindy and I went to the Chris Tomlin concert in Concord.  We use to laugh and say that we wanted him as our son-in-law so that he could sing live to us as much as we wanted.
The concert was great, very worshipful the place was full and Cindy mentioned as we left "don't you think there will be concerts going all over heaven one day". From blue grass, country, jazz, rock, rap, easy listening, pop, contemporary, hymns, and a'capella.  People and angels worshipping all the time, Chris mentioned that when we go to bed  and when we wake up every morning the angels are
 singing all the time "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty." We were also pleasantly surprised at all the young single men there, it blessed our hearts to know that men are standing up and making a difference in their christian faith.  I personally need concerts like this more often, if lifts my spirit to be in a large group of people enjoying worship and yes loud music.  I am a old time southern rock kind of girl. I told Cindy can you imagine writing those wonderfully inspiring songs and then getting to go and sing them around the world with other believers, what a blessed life that would be.......

Harper & Cows

The Stare Down

I am not afraid of those horns

So now that I have my glasses "that's what you really look like"

Mooing at Cows is hard work, I am pooped and so is pap-paw

Cynical

What is a cynic? A person who is distrustful of human nature and motives, the attitude that human conduct is motivated by primarily self-interest, or a general lack of faith or hope in the human race.  How do we get this way? When we expect alot from people and they don't measure up.  Are we cynical with God?  Do we really believe he can change a person from the inside out?
These are the questions I asked myself last night after another night of tail kicking from the Book of James.  I can be very cynical, not so much with God because I do have alot of hope from him.  But I do tend to not expect much from people.I am having to question myself if I do believe God can change people, then I go to do they really want to change, or God gives us free will and most of us don't believe we are cynical we are just in realist mode. As I continue to study these words from James I do know that this will be a year long meditation instead of 9 weeks. I think that I am to thick headed to get it all done in that short of time.

Scary stuff

 We had our first trunk or treat at the church this year.  To say that we were not prepared for the turn out is a understatement.  I planned on about 175 kids to come through.  I had given out most of my pre-made bags of candy within the first hour.  Thankfully people went and got more candy and some just happen to bring some with them to give out.  We probably had 500 people come through.  Next year we will know to plan better.  That is if the two in this picture didn't scare them off....Roy made a visit to DC and brought Charlene along for the first time.  She told the children if they didn't brush their teethies after eating all that candy they would look like her and Roy

If you don't recognize her this is Harper.  She had to get glasses.  I think it has changed the way she looks so much, sadly a little older.  I am still not sure how we are going to keep glasses on this rambunctious 15 month old, but Abby said so far she hasn't minded them.  The Doctors said that she has horrible vision up close, and she had started going cross-eyed.  I still am praying that getting the glasses at such a young age will help her vision to improve and that the Doctors first assessment is wrong.  God is the ultimate eye doctor. She still is cute as a button......

Random Pictures for the Fall

Modeling at Church



Racing Home to See the Sunset in Backyard




Sunset the next night




Auntie and her girl




She is a construction worker



Hide and Seek with Mam-maw



Her Dad bought her this hat and he is so proud



Once Again

Once again, I am being convicted of many areas in my life where I am not living up to the potential God has for me. A Good Life is a life full of mercy.  I can't help or fix everyone on planet earth. I realized last night that God puts people in our paths everyday.  I need to concentrate on who is in front of me for that day.  Take the time to stop and pay attention to the needs that are around me, I can't fix all of the world hunger and need but there are people in this community that do need help.
If I can't afford at the time to give money to the situation I learned last night that I can give people dignity. I can acknowledge them and what they do.  I can smile at the man that sells the newspapers at the stop light, sometimes I happen to have $5 to give for a paper, sometimes I don't.  I can pay attention to the children at church or in the grocery store that seem to not get any attention from adults at home. Dignity is defined as showing someone worthiness of respect, esteem or honor.
That cost us no money just time and attention and feelings.  That is probably the hardest part, feelings, how many of us really want to have feelings for others, we have needy families, needy churches, needy work, we are drained to give any more.  The wise thing to do is see if we are wasting our feelings on areas that could be more useful somewhere else.

A few Fall Pictures



                                                                Black Kitty Outfit

My Big Girl

Not what I thought my problem was

Since this summer I have been paranoid about what I call my "rhino" hump on the base of my neck.
I thought it came from being overweight.  I thought it was early stages of osteo, but there is a small what they call brown fatty tissue pocket, not white thank goodness ( I am being sarcastic) at the base of my neck, but after 3 doctors and x-rays, the specialist has decided that the hump is not what is causing me pain in my neck and shoulders.  Instead it is arthritis and stress. I have never really been what I thought to be a outwardly stressful person, I usually can roll with most punches. Plus, I am not introverted so I don't hold much back, but I do tense up in my upper back and shoulders.  So Thursday I started Physical Therapy once again and larger doses of ibuprofen.  Thursday was great my back was on fire for thirty minutes after leaving that office. It was painful but I can almost turn my head and look over my shoulder now.  Today, they put me in traction and pulled on my neck, if only it will get rid of my double chin, I will be forever grateful.  Then, Tracy (the strong handed therapist) pinched my neck and throat till I thought I was going to cry, she laughed and said she has never seen such tight muscles. She thought she could make music by playing  a violin string on my neck. I have to try and sit different at the office, I have to learn to sleep on my back, which I absolutely hate. I have to  wear the most unflattering tan tape around my neck. Then go back and do some new things again Friday.  I have come to the conclusion all this started when I started working at the storage building and sitting in a office. I need a massage therapist to visit me once a week at the office...Say Amen to that!

Love the music

                                                          Dancing in your car music

Walmart!! I KNOW

Just a funny note, you know how I was talking about how my time seems to be so important.  Yesterday morning at the Walmart (I know Cindy) I was waiting to check out and the only line available had a lady with a large load of groceries.  I got in line and started thinking about why doesn't  she hurry up, why is she only putting a few groceries up then walks to the bag area puts a few bags in buggy, goes back to put a few more groceries on the conveyor belt, checks the bags again, this went on for 15 min. What she was doing was checking to see how much everything cost, she only had a certain amount in stamps to pay for the food, she ended up sending some of the vegetables back, she kept the oreos, chips, drinks, etc.  I had to laugh because of the many things that played out in my mind, but I did realize that time was still not the most important thing.  The check out lady was very nice to me about it taking so long and I got to chat with her.  I told her I appreciated her good attitude because I know working there can be very hard sometimes. So when our time gets messed up maybe there is another reason it takes so long, I am trying to see the hidden things in life.

Time

Time seems to be very important for us Americans.  we seem to never have anytime for anyone, never have time to do the things we like to do, time to get everything done in the day that we have planned.  We are always looking at how long it took us in the grocery store line, the bank line, the preachers sermon.   We plan when the right time is to have children, we plan the timing of coloring our hair so that it looks right for this next event in our lives. Why is time so important to us? We think of time in hrs, days, weeks. I believe that we as a country, as people of the USA, think our time is more important that others.  God's time is so different than ours. I want to be fixed spiritual immediately, I want my children to know what I know now and they are twenty years younger than me.   Why do I think God is not working the way I think he should, could it be that  he is not doing it in my time frame. 

Old Friends

My friend Cathy and I are going to a wedding in SC Saturday, Joey and Sohni couldn't go and probably the bride will be sad that we are there and they are not.   But she knows that October is hunting season. The  reason I know she knows is because as a young teenage she spent time at our house alot, and she stole one of Joey's deer callers and has kept it ever since.  She moved away I think her sophomore year of high school, and we try to keep in touch when she is in town. She is now 30 years old and a lovely woman.  As a teenager she was the rowdy one out of the 3 girls in the family, she was funny to the core, and she never thought anyone would marry her, she thought she was the ugly duckling of the family. As many teenagers, they are blinded to the many beautiful qualities they have but others see it.  Memories of working with the youth at Faith come back to me regularly and you always hope that somehow God used you to make a difference in their lives. Cathy and I are excited to go to see Becky and Ward tie the knot as they say. It will be a fun day of seeing old friends.

Why is it?

Why is it when you are suppose to be learning something from God Almighty  you mess it up almost every time.  James 1: 19- 20 "You must be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires"  Boy do I have a way to go

Redeemed- to be free from captivity, to be free from what distresses or harms,to release from blame or debt, to buy back life... Aren't we all as believers somehow redeemed through no part of our own.

The Personality of Harper

Loves to be on the move

Loves to smell the flowers

        

Guess what I just did, poured sand all down my shirt

Love, love, loves the rain

Loves Tractors and loud noises

Chairein-Joy to You

"Chairein" sounds like Kirain from the Greek means Joy to you.  Joy comes from obedience, no one can take it from you and you can claim it at anytime.  Joy definition by Webster's standards is
to take great pleasure, to rejoice, contentment or satisfaction.  Do you have joy in all things, I am memorizing remember...when troubles come consider it a great opportunity for joy.... Something to think  about.  My American perspective is so weak when it comes to troubles. I have no clue on real trouble, as most of the world sees trouble on a daily basis.  So shouldn't my joy be easier, if not I should be asking myself why not?

James, I will come to know you

"Dear brothers and sisters, when trouble comes your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."
 James 1:2-4 
This is the beginning of memorization for the next few weeks, I am really going to try to memorize the whole 1st chapter of the Book of James.  I haven't really sat down and memorized a whole chapter of scripture sense I was in my late 20's.  We had a scripture memorization class at the church I grew up in, and I memorized Psalm 121.  I don't always recall the whole chapter in order but I always remember the first line " I will lift up my eyes unto the mountains, where does my help come, it comes from the Lord who made the heavens and earth."
I am very excited about this study, I have told you about Cory the new young Christan in our group. She texted me last night to ask questions about chronological order of some of the people that we are studying, she as said this will be the first book of the Bible that she will have in depth knowledge of.
She said I didn't know that James was Jesus half-brother until this study. 
What a great chapter to memorize for her.  You know as a new Christan Satan will try to distract and attack so these verses will be good for her and the rest of us...

The stare down......

Sunday Service

I have to tell you about my special granddaughter and her involvement with church. I tell myself not to be bias but today I couldn't help myself.  Since Harper goes to church every Sunday she understands that when she walks into the gym/auditorium that church service is there.  She knows that there will be music, so lots of times when she walks in she stops and claps and bounces in place.  When she was younger people thought that we were bouncing her but this is something she does all by herself.  I laugh and tell people she is our Pentecostal child.  Today was no exception, she claps and sways back and forth, she tries to sing, but what you don't know is that she really pays attention to what is going on at the front. We were singing Lion of Judah and there was a lion on the big screen and she started to growl, when it changes songs she lifted her hands like where is the lion.  We started to sing Alleluia, Holy is the Lord without saying a thing Joey and I looked and she had both of her hands in the air as if she knew what we were singing and she was participating in worship. I thought as I cried that she naturally knows who is holy and what music worship is all about.I believe it was one of the most precious moments I have ever experienced in church or out. When the song was over she yelled yeah!!! and clapped.I told Joey today that before she was born I felt very impressed by the Lord that she was going to do special things, I honestly thought she was going to be a Downs syndrome baby, I never told anyone because honestly it scared me to death, they are such special people. But now I honestly know that God was telling me she is gong to be a Godly girl who is going to reach a lot of people.  She has never met a stranger, she has more energy that you can imagine, she is very observant to things and her surroundings, she is very determined and strong willed, she loves hand-capped people and takes alot of notice in them. I truly believe that God has big and great plans for her, now we just have love her and help her grow.

James, what a spanking I got

We started our fall ladies Bible study so I read through the book of James before class.  To tell you the truth, I don't know what I got mself into.  I like to forget what it says sometimes, but now that I have set the path for this class, forward I must go.... For instance, the first chapter says alot, to consider trouble in my life great joy, because it is teaching me endurance to grow spiritually. That God gives wisdom generouslly when we ask. Don't have divided loyalty, God blesses our endurance during trials. Sinful desires lead to death, I need to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. Don't just read he Bible but listen to it, and care for widows and orphans.  WoW!!! is all I can say, just in the first chapter. Are my toes going to be sore these next couple of months....

Here comes trouble

                                                Dove season begins....Here's Frank

                                              Big Dave also known as the "Gun Slinger"

                                        Joey and Little Sam, its hard to believe he is just 14

                                              My good-looking nephew... Jarrett

                                                        My handsome son....Josh

                                                         And this crazy man......ROY

                                                 They can't believe he showed up.....trouble

Let me Recap for you

The reason I think we are a little on Satan's radar right now and I think some of what my family is going through is a spiritual warfare. Since I have been back from the beach, I once again am not sleeping but about 5- 6 hrs a night, my body need 8.  I have had leg problems since birth, my mom took me as a child to every doctor she could and all they ever came up with is growing pains.  Unfortunately Audrey has inherited the same problem.  There is no rhyme or reason to the pain, it hurts from the top of the back of the leg to the bottom of our feet.  I think sometimes it is worse when we have had little sleep.  However, Our legs usually hurt on the same day, whether she is home or not.  Usually always at night but the last couple of weeks nothing has touched the pain in mine and they hurt throughout the day. I thought this might be atmospheric also. I have had severe sharp pains in my right head at times, I attribute that to allergy headache( Since I have never had one before). I have also started getting what my family calls a rhino hump on the back of neck, that these last two weeks has become extremely painful.  I have sat around with a heating pad on my neck for hrs at a time. Josh has had his first kidney stone attack this weekend.  Audrey has about 100 I mean literally 100 bites from either red bugs or mosquitoes while she went to a wedding this weekend at Outer Banks. These are a few of the bigger things physically happening.  On the spiritual side of  things, Joey and I both have had major obstacles to overcome this last week, with him as a elder of the church and me as a board member.  We are responsible for major decisions in the directions of our church, so we take this seriously.  On top of that, I am starting the new Beth Moore James series, Joey is teaching the Jr. High on Wednesday, and we both are still trying to do a EE (Evangelism Explosion) with a couple of younger people.  This is the reasons I think that we are trying to be distracted by Satan. Alot of this is confusioning  to me, Joey and I are willing to work,   I try not to ask Why, but it does come to mind and gets frustrating. 

This Week!!WOW

This has been a week that has wore me down.  I have been so busy and tired that I haven't even called my friend to say Congrats on Megan's engagement.....Harper was gone last week so when she came back this week, she came back full steam.  I don't think I have every seen a child who is constantly on the go from when she gets up till bedtime.  My whole family who  are a bunch of ADD people themselves agree with me on this.  I ended up keeping her 2 1/2 days this week, on top of that Joey and I are both on the boards at church that make alot of the major decisions of the directions our church should be going.  So to say that is easy, one can only imagine and I take this thing extremely serious. I finally decided to call the Dr. because I am finally getting tired of the "hump" on my back that seems to be getting larger and more painful.  Of course you know that I have already diagnosed myself but I figure I need another opinion. I have sat around the office and house with a heating pad around my shoulders for the last 3 days, unfortunately Dr. Morgan can't see me till next Thurs. I plan on trying some of my ideas from my own diagnosis so see if these will help.  I am learning that I think I need to hit something.  I think this will let out alot of anxiety that I think has built up.  Men get their anxieties out through physical labor (or Joey does) and I sit at my little desk so I have decided once Audrey's new work-out class begins that I will try very hard to do all the activities and see if this helps.  I also am trying a new sleep routine.  I have read that sometimes these humps come from not enough sleep and I do know that this is a major problem with me.  I am excited if I sleep 6 hrs straight, and everything I have read says a woman of my age should be getting 8-9 hrs a night.  I haven't had that much sleep for a week but once in the last 3 years.  So tonight I will try something new and see if I can shut my mind off and relax.  Maybe by Monday I won't be known as Tracy the hunchback of Midway any longer.....I do know that some of things happening to us I truly believe are not your normal issues, I told the girl I am do Bible Study with that I really feel our family is under spiritual attack. More on this later....

          I told Audrey I found her a wedding song, I have this CD and it is so good......

What a day

Yesterday started about 3:30 in the am, I woke up to a terrific headache,( the new life of allergies with the old Tracy) Finally about 6 I took two Tylenol and tried to rest then remembered I had to go to Sam's club and buy food because I was having 15 people to the house for dinner.  When I got back from the store, had a heated disagreement with my honey, Satan was getting ready to work overtime this day,  I thought my refrigerator seemed a little warm so I call our special repairman Billy to come and give it a look, by lunch Joey decided he need to get the food out and into coolers the temperature was about 55-60 in there.  While at the office my phones were out and I had a repairman there fixing this problem.  I forgot I had a friend of mine who is opening a new business come by to discuss payroll ( I was not much help).  She left and the Internet would not work correctly all day. I finally received by year-end work from the accountant.  Our year ended in April so I have from May until now to get it all back together.  Billy the special repairman got to our house about 4 to fix said appliance.  Joey came to relieve me at the office so I could get home and start getting dinner together for everyone, I thought the frig was fixed so I started loading everything back in around 5, I had to fix pork loins, desserts and salad everyone else was bringing vegetables.  Everyone arrived on time to eat about 6:30, did I forget to tell you I had to met a couple at a house at 7 for them to look at. I arrived back home in time to pretty much miss the meal, and sit down for our conversation with this couple we are interviewing.  Finally about 9:30 everyone started leaving, Joey and I checked the frig. and realized that the temperature had gone back up to the 60's again, so at 10:30 last night we were loading coolers that we had put away earlier, Joey was going to the store for more ice, and we had to clean up the mess from dinner. I finally sat down in the chair in the den at 11 and was so tired I could not go to sleep.  I finally went to bed and read until 12:30 and sleep finally came.  Now to a new day

Flowers and bugs

              This field is covered on both sides of the path with Queen Annes Lace,                                                                        I tried to dry some but they didn't turn out to well.

             These weed with the beautiful blooms were also everywhere, and I caught a shot of the bugs

                                        This weed just pops up here and there in the fields

                                     I caught a bubble bee in action, they are so furry

                                                               We call her pookie

 Another weed I think, these are all along the roads and look so pretty, I don't know what they are

 I thought this was a cool shot, if you look close you can see his smiling  face as he was hanging on for the ride.

                    Two different butterflies and I got a shot of both.  They were truly beautiful....

Life in the mountains is different, mainly because we slow down and look for things, most of these small things are around us here we just don't look for them.  I will say that we put a tree camera up near the deer stand Joey wants to put up for Audrey this year and in one night there were 4 deer, a momma and 2 baby bears, and a stinking ole coyote... I don't take my time to look for them... But they are still very pretty creatures