Birthday party for Kellan and Duncan

Even Mike's Dad, almost 85, got into the Star Wars theme! Actually Kellan's was the Cars theme cupcakes so we were spacey and racey!
The kids had a blast!

Autumn Beauty...

where we live.

A perfectly wonderful day!

It has been a beautiful, chilly day! We've been from one county to the other, enjoying all the fall foliage and just being with each other.
I kidnapped Mike today! (Actually I asked his boss if I could and he said yes!) Today we celebrated an early anniversary, our 37th. It's next week.
I took him to breakfast, shopping and lunch and treated him! Instead of him picking up the bill I did and it was fun! (I sold some old broken gold jewelry so it was truly my money!)
We will end the evening with a bonfire with our friends from church...ummmm....smores, hot homemade apple cider, etc.
Ahhhhh, the perfect ending of a perfect day!

and a few more....

an old school no longer being used...

We happened upon this old school. Just "neat" to see! As we were driving around we came upon several more schools and at two of them the Amish children were out playing! It was such a treat to observe them.

And on our same adventure we found this Amish home with the horse and buggy just waiting.

More....

Living Simply

Traveling through the countryside, you observe the lush green grass and fertile soil. Farms are everywhere, huge ones and small ones. The Amish farms pictured above were taken from the car.
We took a few back roads and came upon these and Denise pulled over so I could get the picture.
They use no electricity in their homes but some do use propane gas. The homes were neat and clean looking. We saw one woman clearing out her garden, another picking vegetables from hers, and a younger woman in a bit more modern looking house blowing leaves with a gas powered leaf blower.
One thing is quite obvious...they are very hard workers!

On our last day we had the special blessing of speaking with an older Amish couple. We were waiting in line at an Amish restaurant and they were behind us. The woman began the conversation, asking us where we were from, where were we staying, etc. They lived in Berlin...accent on the "Ber" syllable.
(We realized we were mispronouncing the word.) Her husband also spoke with us. They were such a nice friendly couple! Amish girls had waited on us and one particular girl at a restaurant in Berlin was especially nice to us. She even told our Mom that we were such a nice group of ladies! (Glad we were behaving that time!)  :)

I would have loved to have gotten some pictures of them but we respected their privacy. They dress and live quite simply. There is a lesson in that for all of us. I do believe we could all simplify our lives a bit more. I know I'm working on that!

A few more pictures tomorrow!

Amazing!

Our trip was amazing! This week I'll be sharing some pictures I took. Didn't take as many as I would have liked but I'm happy with the ones I have.

Yes! Our trip was amazing! If I would give you the cold, very wet, hard facts, you may not agree with me. We began our trip in the rain. Matter of fact it was raining when Donna and I drove to our parents.
Raining when we pulled out quite early the next morning after a practically sleepless night for me. (I wrestled with the constant ticking and chiming of several antique clocks and when I moved to the living room's sofa and had just fallen asleep, I heard my mom knocking on Donna's door to tell her it was time to get up! Yikes!)
It rained on us through NC, through VA, West VA and into Ohio. The rain was so hard at times Denise could hardly see. We lived with the rain through Friday but it did not stop us! We embraced it and went forth! It didn't even slow us down. The temps those days were in the 40's and we loved it!
Here we were, the "Durham Girls" sallying forth throughout various small towns, taking in all their sights, sounds, delicious Amish cooking and the not so wonderful smells @ the Hershberger farm.
Our mom, who is 81 and 1/2 years old led the pack! At times we forgot her age for she never acts like it. If she got tired while we plundered she just found a seat for a few minutes and then she was at it again!
I'll be sharing more throughout the week. Our parents treated us to the trip and that was an expense  they wanted to bear. Our time together, the sights and experiences we shared...those memories...well, you just can't put a "price" on that...it was priceless and we will be forever grateful and will forever cherish the time we were the "Durham Girls" once again!

Road Trip!

Heading out to Amish farm country with my mom and sisters!
The husbands are keeping the home fires burning; some with the help of children and grandchildren, I'm sure.
Went to the beach once with my mom and sisters since we've all been married but never on a trip quite like this! We are so excited!
Am sure I will have lots of pictures to share upon our return.
Making some priceless memories!

Ballet's Afternoon ending

We're a bit fuzzy but we were playing with my phone's camera. Makenna's idea of course!
This was after an afternoon of ballet for Makenna and Alice Jules for April, her friends Laura , Donna, and me. Lovely time to sit on the veranda and sip Chilly Alices, etc!

A Night To Remember!

Last night we had the oldest four Grands while April and Lee went to a wedding rehearsal. Got them around 7:15 and decided to take them to the Grill for supper. Ended up inviting Anna, Dan and the four youngest Grands and they joined us. After pushing tables together the twelve of us sat down, well Mike and I stood getting everyone's orders. (that was a feat in itself!) The kids were great! They patiently waited even though it was about 7:35 and we were all hungry. Another family sat nearby watching all of us. They caught my attention and we talked for a few minutes and they commented on how well-behaved all the kids were!
They were quite impressed.     I was too! :)
We had the best conversations while we waited on the most delicious cheeseburgers in the world! (guess that could be a slight exaggeration)  Hey, love our Grands but as they are growing up they are so much more fun to be with! Christian downloaded "Angry birds" for me on my Droid Incredible.
He looked at me and said, "Granggie, it's such an honor to just hold your phone." Only a twelve and a half year old guy would think that! Priceless! Then as each one finished, my phone circulated, each one played the game...well, not the almost three year old even though he would have loved to have my phone! They were so cute and shared so well.
When we finally left the Grill, we decided to walk around the Waxhaw downtown area and cross over the historic railroad bridge. The kids had always wanted to do that and we did. (Love making those memories!) The bridge is much higher than it appears and to them it was an adventure!
The entire area is a historical one and the buildings quite unique. It's just fun to walk around but a bit magical at night!
After our walk we parted ways and the oldest came back with us; Makenna to sew doll clothes for her cousins' American Girl dolls that they will get for Christmas and the rest of us to a movie and more "Angry birds" and much more enjoyable conversations!
Grandchildren rock! OMG, they are the coolest! I can't remember when I've had such a wonderful night!

There is no place like home......

Another signing!

Here we are, Amy, April's friend, me and April with Nicholas Sparks. Another fun time, meeting new friends and seeing some "old" ones!
He spoke to all of us before the signing began and you could see what a down-to-earth guy he really is!

Back On

My computer is now up and running!
Yippee!

Computer update!

Well... the technician came this afternoon but he had been shipped the wrong parts. Actually one part was correct but the other was not and he decided to order yet another part in case he needs it when he comes back.
Hopefully my computer will be up and running by the weekend!


And another Fall update:
Saw the most gorgeous scarlet and orangey-rust colored trees! They 'bout took my breath away. I became so overwhelmed at our amazing Father God Creator! Oh my! Really no words to describe that beauty and no words that truly describe our God!

Still waiting

Am awaiting that phone call about my computer!
Surely someone will come this week! Surely!
I'm not going to be too happy with Dell if they don't at least call by tomorrow.
I'm glad I can use Mike's computer but I am use to mine and not his.

On another note, I am enjoying this cloudy Monday! The Fall trees look so beautiful against the grayish sky!
What a treat!

Good News!

My computer is under warranty! Yippee!

A technician will come to the house to fix it. Whew!

Soon I'll be back online...really back... on my own computer.

Checking e-mail on my Droid but I'm not too good at texting.

Matter of fact I'm a bit s-l-0-w!

My fingers aren't too big and I have trouble hitting the right key. How do people with bigger hands do it? Amazes me!

Guess I'm more of a PC person.

"Delicious Autumn"

"Delicious autumn!

My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird

I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."

George Eliot

This may be my last blog for a while. My computer has died :( and I'm using Mike's.

Can't get my pictures, etc. so until mine is fixed you may not see any new blogs.

Not unless I'm chomping at the bits to share something! :)

It's time...

for me; maybe not for others but the Christmas music has begun at the Woods household. Began playing it Sunday morning and it's now in our cars and plays on my very old, faithful Bose!

We have more Christmas CDs than any other kind of music and enjoy it all!

Christmas music...good Christmas music just does something to me. Not really into "Santa Baby" or things quite like that but all the other-Transiberian Orchestra, Perry and Bing, Kenny G, Manneheim, the traditional songs, hey,

I can even go with Alvin and the Chipmunks! Oh yeah, Charlie Brown Christmas too!

Christmas music is ...well, timeless for me! October through December just satisfies the Christmas music thirst in me!

(not sure that Mike is into it quite like me, but "bless his heart" he tolerates it, even in his car!)

Bliss...

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me

fluttering from the autumn tree..."

Emily Bronte

Saving my fine-feathered friend!

Those of you who know me, know I love my birds! I feed them; make sure they have water, etc.

I try to keep the squirrels away so they won't eat all the seed.

Mike has often said that I would feed the birds before I fed us and I would tell him that this is something God wants me to do. I am their care-taker!

Yesterday afternoon while sitting on the porch I noticed a bird fluttering around the birdfeeder but at the middle of the double shepherd's hook. I realized it was some how stuck.

I grabbed a pair of gardening gloves and ran out. The poor thing had its claw stuck and it was bleeding. I spoke softly to her, a female Goldfinch and on the second try I freed her.

She flew away! And of course I prayed that she would heal quickly.

Actually this bird-rescue thing "runs" in our family! Mike has rescued 2 Hummingbirds. One was caught up under our deck umbrella and the cat was trying to get at it and another got up under the porch ceiling and became disoriented. Mike had to climbed up and gently take him in his hand and then he opened his hand and the bird flew away.

I so enjoy watching our feathered friends! It's always such a treat! Just makes you smile!

October "enjoyments"

reading by last night's fire... wearing tights with my skirt and sweater... chilly breeze blowing my hair as we were quickly trying to enter the diner for Sunday lunch...sitting close to Mike on the porch to keep warm...looking out the window before naptime, observing golden sunlight filtering through changing trees...wearing a long sleeved tee... warm fuzzy socks...and yes, reading by the fire. I may make a fire this morning and have my quiet time in the livingroom.

What a lovely way to begin this beautiful October day at 7:35 am!

One more thing...thinking about Mr. Bingley who now fits in a coffee mug! Will get to visit him in a few weeks!

Here's Mr. Bingley!!!!!

I will get him the first part of November!

Thank you God and Mike and Anita!