OUT OF A .....

...CLEAR BLUE SKY

Isn't it strange how things happen?  When least expected.  This began 2 weeks ago on the Friday the Wash. Co fairgrounds Christmas festival opened.  A customer entered my booth an congratulated me on the newspaper article in that days local paper - The Washington Observer.  I knew nothing about it. 

I got a newspaper and in the press release promoting the festival  I was their featured artist.  Why me?

Later that day a reporter from the Observer approached me and began asking questions about my pictures, me, and stuff.  She asked if I did anything else, so me and my big mouth told her about my 5 published books.  She asked if I was self-published and I told her NO - I was with a traditional publishing house complete with contract, they foot the bill for editing and publishing the manuscript, and I get Royalty checks.  End of story.  Or so I thought.

Last week I received a phone call from - the Observer.  This reporter wanted to schedule an interview with me.  Why, I asked.  The  answer - about my books.  We settled on yesterday afternoon.

The reporter, and a photographer, arrived and were here well over an hour.  We just sat around the dining room table and talked, photographer takings pictures, reporter asking questions and scribbling in her note-book.  They examined each of my 5 books (6 counting the first one published in 1972) and asked numerous questions about the pending release of book No. 6 (or 7) titled THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS.    Release date is early spring 2015.

I don't know when, or even IF, the article will appear in the newspaper.  I don't know what they will say.  I don't know if it will be good or bad.  In fact I don't know nothin'. 

Oh yes, the reporter also asked me about my photography, how and when I started selling etc. etc.

For some strange reason the RABBIT HOLE just keeps getting deeper.  All I do is just try to live a normal (that's questionable) life minding my own business and doing what I truly enjoy doing. Strange and unusual things just seem to follow me around. 

Maybe the answer is - IT IS HALLOWEEN!!!!

Enjoy your day and God Bless.

LIFE'S STRANGE

TWISTS and TURNS ... SEPTEMBER 05 2014

Talk about strange twists and turns - on in this case - paths crossing without being aware.  Sounds complicated but it is not.

I July Nancy and I went on a bus trip.  There was another couple, about our age, sitting directly in front of us.  Of course we talked, and talked some more.

By the end of the trip Fran had asked for our telephone numbers and addresses, as she and Harry would like for us to get together sometime later.  She would call.

Call she did.  Between their busy schedule and our busy schedule, the first day we both had free was yesterday, September 4th.  Plans were finalized...she wanted us for lunch about 12:30, then after we would go to the farmers market.  They lived just slightly an hour away from us.

Nancy made a gift basket, I baked Black Bottom Cupcakes.  We went merrily on our way, address in my GPS.

Arrived just at noon.  What a marvelous house in a neat neighborhood.  It is an old, high-ceilinged two story home.  Fran laughed and said it was furnished with gently used and Good Will.  They wanted to maintain the old look, which we absolutely loved.  And how comfortable we were in this old house, just made for old folks.

Had a great visit.  Great lunch.  Lots of talk.

Found out Fran did Art and Craft shows - she makes Christmass tree ornaments, and Harry does wooden toys for kids and collectors.  I told her about her about my photography.  She thought a moment then asked if I had ever  Granville, Ohio.  I had.  Russ and I both had.  She said she remembered seeing me in passing.  As we talked, there were several festivals that we had both done in the past, and some of them were way way in the past.  How many times our paths crossed!

Talked about reading.  We all loved the same authors and read every chance we had.  Another path crossing.  Talked about traveling, where we had gone, what we had seen, and again although not at the same time, visited the same places.  Paths crossing.  WE both did Lewis Wetzel Park in New Martinsville WV.  Oglebayfest in Wheeling WV.  WestBanco in Wheeling also.  As we talked we gradually remembered seeing each other in passing.  100 years later were having lunch together. 

It was an amazing day, a friendship was cemented,  we will be getting together again.  She has a -nephew I believe - that works for the same company that Bossman works for, has been in all the different sites that Bossman travels to.  Paths crossing.

Life's twists and turns.  The surprises waiting for you.  The rewards stemming from the simple act of boarding a bus for a 5 day trip.  Every day is a surprise, a challenge, an education, sometimes a new beginning, other times the end of a chapter.

Old friends, new friends, family, how blessed I have been to be surrounded with the love and friendship I have experienced.  I wonder what the next 100 years will hold for me.

Have a great day and God Bless. 

I'M BAAAAACK ---

FROM MY VIRGINIA SHORE TRIP ... JULY 31 2014

left early Sunday morning (5 a.m.) for my Virginia Shore trip.  I'm not going to go into everything, but the highlight of the trip was the Pony Penning at Chincoteague Island Virginia. 

The ponies on C Island are owned by the fire department which manages the herd.  The license to   own these ponies limits them to a herd of 150.  So every July they round up ponies to have them auctioned off, the revenue from this auction pays for the manageing of the herd.

These ponies today are directly descended from ponies that survived the wreck of a Spanish galleons several hundred years ago.  No other breed of horses are permitted to be with the C ponies. 

This year was the 89th year for the pony penning.  To support the fire department a carnival was established 89 years ago to swim some of the ponies to Assateague Island for auction. It has grown from a few hundred spectators to (as estimated yesterday) over 40,000.  There were people everywhere.  I apologize for the quality of the pictures, but I was very very far away and had to go into digital zoom, which is definitely NOT the way to go.  But something is better than nothing.

Anyhoo we were up at 5 a.m. yesterday morning.  Had breakfast, boarded the bus and headed to the pony penning.  Arrived at 8:30, which is when our tour guide was told to arrive - because of parking.  School bus shuttle busses ran from all the parking areas. 

The actual swimming of the ponies is not done until sometime between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.  Until then you are just waiting around.

Surrounded by a growing crowd, who had folding lawn chairs with them.  Luckily there were a few places to sit - picnic tables, benches, etc., if you were lucky enough to find one.  But you could not see the festivities from there.So a lot of the time we were standing.  People were just coming and coming and coming.

Why between 11 and 1?  Because you are waiting for the "golden"  time.  And what the heck is that?  It is the few - very few - minutes called the slack tide, which is when there is no tide coming in or going out.  It is in that small window of opportunity that the have to swim the ponies, other wise the tide would take them out to sea.

A few minutes before the golden moment, a canon is set off.  That lets everyone know that the time is coming.  The ponies had been rounded up by the cowboys early, and were waiting off - way off - in the distance.  The canon went off.  Everyone headed for the shore to watch.  Lots and lots of everyones. 

There were lots of kayaks on the water.  They helped the cowboys herd the horses across the bay and onto dry land.  Once the swim was completed the ponies were allowed to rest and dry out.  Then they were escorted into the carnival area where there was a lot paddock filled with hay, oats and grain, and water for the ponies.

The cowboys herded the ponies down the Main Street, with police escort and all to the paddock.  The auction is taking place today.  I was told by a native of Chincoteague Island that last year one of the stallions sold for $17,000.00.. Not a typo.   They are beautiful creatures with a lot of history connected to them.    I am sharing some pictures.  They are not the greatest but will give you some idea of what it is all about.  I hope you have enjoyed your history lesson and God Bless.....

 

ENJOYING THIS WEEK

WHILE I CAN ..... JULY 16 2014 ....

I am enjoying this week while I can.  I am calling it my 'DOWN' week.  I don't have anything astronomical to do, no place I have to be, just taking each day as it comes and enjoying.  AND THEN-----

Next week will arrive.  Like a hurricane. And I can hardly wait. 

My friend Pam arrives from Toledo Ohio - she will be staying in St. Clairsville Ohio - to be here for the BARNSTORMERS PICNIC on Saturday. 


She likes to arrive early so she - we - can do photo shoots, along with friend Betty who lives in Belmont Ohio.

On, probably, Tuesday we will do a photo-shoot of mail pouch barns, either in West Virginia or Ohio.   On Thursday Linda and Dave arrive from Phoenix.  I am hoping to take Linda to the Barnstormers picnic, which is on Saturday.  And what a fun day that is.  Only happens once a year. 
Friend Nancy and possibly her niece, Sue who is in from California, will be going with me also.


Linda and Dave will be here approximately 4 weeks.  While they are here friends from Springerville AZ will be arriving for several days.  Add into this mix a 4 day bus trip with Nancy, an invitation for me to spend a couple of days with friends in Senecaville Ohio so we can visit with other friends, and go on a couple of photo shoots and return home to see what the kids from Phoenix want to do.


And you know what?  After all this is another bus trip and Labor Day will be just around the corner.   Bossman gets to do almost all the honors.  Would be fun to be a mouse in the corner.  He will be in charge this entire time.  I wonder if I can install hidden cameras? 


This is what I will probably look like by Labor Day.......

And how is your summer shaping up?  I know one thing - I will love every minute of it.  Have a good day and God Bless.

THE MULCH PILE

SHRINKING, SHRINKING, SHRINKING ...JUNE 27 2014

The mountain has now become a small hill.  Hopefully in the next few days the hill will become a mound.  I only have one more area to mulch.  Between the end of the house and the dog pen.

Why do I mulch there?  Darned if I know.

When Bossman bought the place, there was no dog pen, were no flower beds, no landscaping of any kind, but lots of rocks.  Lots and lots of rocks.  Previous owners must have had a thing about rocks.  The only place we have any of their rocks left is at the end of the house.  We built the dog pen when we came here.

This is the end of the house that contains the propane tanks and the air conditioning unit.  They had laid sheets and sheets and sheets of heavy duty black plastic, then held it down with about a bejillion rocks.  Made walking very interesting to say the least.

So as our landscaping progressed and I put in flower beds and laid tons of mulch, I didn't know what to do with that end of the house.  And so using my amazing mind I hit on a solution.

Mulch, mulch and more mulch.  Each year I have been able to cover more of this area with left over mulch.   You can walk on the mulch.  Makes it easier for our A.C. maintenance and refilling the propane tanks.  And uses the left-over mulch.  And it looks better.  Am I brilliant or what?

Just do me a favor - don't ask Bossman that question.  I am sure you would get a tirade and you would have to kick yourself for asking. 

Anyhoo that is the only spot left to mulch.  Also got the used- to- be Iris bed dug up, Irises finding new homes away from here and Bossman laid out the design for the new bed.  Attaching some before and after pics.  The goose moved behind the machine shed in one of my flower beds there.  Don't know where the pink flamingo went.  It is somewhere around here.

GUESS THE COMPUTER DID NOT LIKE THE ORDER IN WHICH I LOADED THE PICTURES.  BUT YOU CAN GET THE GIST/JIST, WHATEVER.

What ever mulch remaining Bossman is putting around his new fruit trees he planted this spring.  It definitely will not go to waste.

I am tired.  For some unknown reason.  Have a great day and God Bless.

WINDING DOWN - OR

ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING ....

You are finishing a job, completing a project, approaching the end of something, or just getting older.  Yes, I am winding down.  And because I am winding down, I have been involved in numerous projects.  Hopefully they will all be completed.

This winding down process is just a fancy way of feeling your age.   You tire sooner.  Things that were important last year don't really matter.  Thing you have been putting off you have decided to complete, start, or finish.  Or just forget about.

Don't get me wrong.  I am not being morbid.  I am not feeling sorry for myself.  I am just planning and scheming, as I always have my entire life.  It is just that the planning and scheming have taken on a different look. 

The mulch is winding down.  The pile is just a fraction of what it was.  Most of the flower beds have a brand new look because the weeds that are left are buried under the mulch.  They will re-appear sooner or later, but I'll worry about that - later.

My two tomato plants in their containers are almost 2 foot - that is right - high, each one supported with its own personal trellis, and have about half a dozen of small tomatoes.  The pepper plants have lots of blooms and some little peppers set on.  In another month to 6 weeks they will also begin the winding down process, in preparation for fall and winter.

My irises, peonies, oriental poppies, wisteria and rhododendron are in the winding down process.  It is their time to take it easy and plan for next springs blooms.

The past two years, for me, have been completing the necessary paper work that will be needed sometime in the future, hopefully longer than shorter.  But you never know.  So all my affairs are in order, such as they may be, everything is signed, less to worry about.  That is another winding down, taking care of what will need to be done.

But there is still a lot of planning and scheming in process.  I will be spending a couple of days with friends in Ashtabula Co Ohio.  This marks our 65th year of friendship - one that has survived the distance we are apart, only seeing each other when time permits, but once we connect it is as if we had just seen each other the other day.  We were teen-agers,  grew up, married, watched each others families grow, become adults, and then we became grand-parents. 

Friends and I have 4 bus trips scheduled for later this summer, other friends and I have two photo-shoots scheduled in July, since we all belong to the BARNSTORMERS, and when they are in town for the picnic we take a day or two scouting for MP barns that we can take new pictures of. 

There are the upcoming cook-outs, hopefully a trip to Maine, college graduations, life has been good.  /there have been bumps in the road, but that is what has made the smoother roads more enjoyable and special.  Looking back I can honestly say I have no regrets.  Life has been good.  Family has been exceptional.  Friendships have been awesome, and long lasting.  What more could anyone ask for?

And so for everyday I look forward, wondering what mischief I can get into,  what outlandish thing can I do to stir the pot?  After all when you get to my age you can act any old way you want to.  What are the they's out there going to do?  Shake their heads and tell themselves they will never be like that.  The joke is on them.

So I'll do my 8 weekends of up-coming festivals, prepare for my presentation at the local camera club I - March 2014 - now that is planning ahead.  Looking forward to my 6th, and final  book to be published, drive Bossman crazier than he already is and keep my kids - all 5 of them - just shaking their heads - or maybe it is because they are shuddering so hard it makes their heads shake.  Watever.

Remember age is just a number. Life is doing what you love to do and not worrying about that number.  What the heck.  Have a great day and God Bless.    

REMEMBER THE SONG 14 TONS .... JUNE 07 2014 ...

Or some such song.  I have 14 yards of mulch - black just like coal.  Been working on the 14 yards of mulch.  Me and Bossman. 

We have quite a production line going.  He fills 11 LARGE buckets with Mulch, loads them on the gator and brings them to me.  Then he works on stuff.  He is a pretty good judge of just how long it takes me to spread 11 buckets of mulch. 

We are half way around now.  I must say it is really looking nice.  Lot of work, but looking nice. 

I do know one thing.  If we have any left over that rabbit hole is going to be filled with mulch.

Problem is, we never have any left over.  I remember the days at our other home, before we bought the farm back, that I could take the pick-up truck to Yensens, have it loaded, drive home and place the mulch in the flower beds. All in 1 day.  Just had normal flower beds then.

Then we moved.  9 years ago.  To the farm.  No landscaping had ever even been attempted.  Just steep banks covered with large stones, and weeds.  Random stones making a sort of uneven walk to the back patio and back door.  No walk to the front door, no steps at the front door, no in and out at the front door.  No porch.  No deck.  Just nothing. 

Bossman has been busy.  We now have a front deck, with partial roof, paver sidewalks, terraced landscaping replacing the steep banks, a fenced in dog yard easily accessible from our laundry room.  And 14 yards of mulch to lay.  Which is now delivered.

I think I know why there was no landscaping.  Talk about a lot of work.  Lots and lots of work. 

However the bucket brigade is working out just fine. 

I just hope we don't add any more flower beds.  If I have to order any more than 14 yards it will take 2 trucks to deliver it.

Enjoy your day and God Bless.

THE RABBIT HOLE continued

FREE .. TO A GOOD HOME...MAY 17 2014

One friendly ghost. 

After we left the White Castle to continue our journey it decided to rain.  Obviously the ghost flew ahead of us.  He didn't like riding in a tow truck.  First there was a traffic tie-up - because of an accident.  Then road construction.   Another accident. More road construction.  Then to top it all off it rained.  Poured is more like it. 

We were about 2 hours later getting to Wheeling than we anticipated.  Arriving at the body shop it was still raining a pretty good clip.  Our friends were there waiting for us to arrive. 

Our driver told us to stay in the truck, he would take care of everything.  While it rained he unloaded the car from the flat-bed, then proceeded to take all our luggage and stuff from the car transferring it to the friend's van.  Then he helped us out of the truck.  We talked a minute, got a hug from him, and he was gone, riding off into the sunset (there had to be sun somewhere)

We made it home.   A little worse for the wear, but home.

Monday May 1.  Called the body shop.  They had the car, the estimate of damages and were starting to inspect said damages.  Enterprise rent-a-car was at the same location, so I talked with them and arranged to rent a car.  Later that morning I was picked up, taken to Wheeling, signed the papers and had wheels.   Should only be a few days.  Right.  They didn't know my ghost.

May 2.  Parts were ordered.  As soon as they arrived they would get started.  I had rented the car for a week.  That would take me to May 8, and they estimated the car would be ready by the 9th.

Piece of cake.  Right.  Wrong.  Whatever,.

Parts were back-ordered.  Some were there, but they needed the back ordered parts first.  I could hear the ghost laughing.

Once the parts were in they could proceed.  New estimate - May 16.  So went back to Enterprise and extended my rental until May 16.  All is well.  Called the body shop May 15  No parts had arrived as of that morning.  They had a tracer out.  I could have told them that wouldn't do any good because the ghost was disrupting everything.  But I kept my mouth shut.  If I started talking about the ghost they would take away the rental, have me committed and sell the car for junk.

May 15 went to Enterprise/Body Shop.  New estimate for my car being put back together was May 18!!!  Maybe!!!  By then I had spent way too much money on car rental.  Turned the car in, they took me home.

The accident happened April 26.  New repair date May 29.  Right now the ghost is laying low, he knows I am really upset (I wanted to use stronger language, but knew it would be censored) and he probably better lay low for a while.

So here I am, our Route 66 trip we looked forward to for so long ended.  My car I had only had for  4 months was a mess.  I know for a fact the ghost is alive and well.  Our trip might have been interrupted (that sounds better than ended), no one was hurt in the accident, the car will eventually be put back together and life will get back to normal (whatever that is).

Now all I have to do is sit back and wait.......

I know for sure the ghost will come up with something new to contend with.

One thing about it - I NEVER NEVER get bored.

Have a great day and God Bless.

---AND THE RABBIT HOLE ...

...JUST GETS DEEPER AND DEEPER ... MAY 15 2014 ...

Pretty soon I will need an escalator - or an elevator - maybe even a helicopter. 

I guess you could call this a comedy of errors - only trouble is - it is not funny.

It is Saturday April 26. On vacation.  Minding my own business.  On basically deserted old route 66 in Illinois.  No cars behind me.  No car coming by me in the north bound lane.  I was in the south bound lane.

Should have been a piece of cake.  Ended up being in an accident.  Luckily no one was hurt, but no one, not even the State cops could figure out exactly what happened.  I know what happened.  My un-friendly ghost from home hooked a ride and caused more havoc. 

And he continues to cause havoc almost a month later, and you can hear him laughing his fool head off. 

While the police were scratching  their heads I was on my cell phone, first calling Triple A to arrange for a tow truck, then calling State Farm to report the accident.  Then back on the phone with Triple A.  The tow truck that was supposed to be there in 20 minutes was not there in 45.  That's the reason for the second call to Triple A.  All thanks to ghost who caused the mix-up. 

They gave the tow truck driver the wrong location.  Finally the State Trooper took the phone and gave them very specific directions on where to find me, then waited until they arrived.

In the meantime back on the phone with the insurance company when the ghost Zapped my phone, snaped, crackled, poped, and died.  Dead.  Gone.

Tow truck arrived, took the car and us to a body shop in Bloomington Illinois, then took us to get a rental car. 

First on the agenda was getting lodging for the night.  Second was trip to WalMart to get new cell phone.  Third getting phone activated. Fourth trying to figure out the new phone.  Fifth another trip to WalMart to get help with the phone. 

This was all on Saturday April 26.  Had to wait until Monday for the insurance adjuster to take a look at the car. 

Tuesday Tuesday April 29 was advised the car would be laid up for 'about' six weeks.  By then Mr. Ghost was rolling around holding his sides he was laughing so hard.

Contacted Triple A.  They connected me up with another Towing company.  Made arrangements to have car picked up and hauled back to Wheeling to the local body shop.   They would even let us ride back with the driver.  In the tow truck.  Half a mile from the road into the cab.  Three ring circus.  Ghost hysterical. 

Tow truck driver picked us up on Wednesday April 30 early in the morning at the car rental place where I had to go to return the car.  From there to the body shop, load the car on the flat-bed and then head for Wheeling.  It is now 4 days since the accident.  One good thing - Nancy and I had our first lunch at an original WHITE CASTLE hamburger joint, on our way back to Wheeling.  Below is Nancy and our tow truck driver.

To be continued.  In the mean-time does any know of any way to do away with the ghost.  He just keeps sockin it to me.

And the rabbit hole just keeps getting deeper, and deeper, and deeper. 

Have a good day and God Bless.



  

ARIZONA WIDING DOWN ---

SALT RIVER CANYON and SPRINGERVILLE ... MAY 14 2014

We took 2 days for  this outing - to visit friends living in the White Mountain area and see the house they are building.  Springerville is the largest town near them.  Their house is also one of the survivors of the massive forest fires that raged thru that area a couple of years ago.  The fire came so close they were evacuated, drove to Phoenix to stay with the kids.  They didn't know for some time if their home had survived or not.

When they left they could see the fire on the mountain from their deck.    The little community they lived in was surrounded by fire trucks.  And fire fighters.  When they were finally given the o.k. to return, all was well.  Fire had been all around them, but this small community was spared.  I was told that if their home did not survive, that would be it.  There was no way they could, or would, start over.  They had worked too long and hard.  And like the rest of us were not getting any younger.

Day 1 of this outing was spent driving the Salt River Canyon.  What an awesome drive.  This is a 2000 foot deep river canyon,
U.S 60 snakes down one wall of the canyon, crosses the Salt River , crosses a bridge and climbs the other side coming out at Show Low.

Arriving in Springerville later in the day we met our friends, some of their family and their friends at Grumpy Jakes for a great meal of B-B-Q ribs with their home-made  sauce. 

We then went to their home and spent the rest of the day. The next morning  Dave and Linda, Jim and Diane and Jim's Mother and a friend met for breakfast, then we headed back to Phoenix, because that night was the Arizona Opry. 

Look closely at this picture.  You can see the burned trees on the mountain.  This is what they saw burning from their home.

This pretty much completes a very busy fun-filled week.  In between all this went to the great grand-daughters dance practice, and visited with all the grand-kids.


Talk about a whirl-wind week.  Wouldn't change a thing.  It's the whirl-winds that keep me going. 

Right now am still on hold about my car.  The garage thought it would be ready for me by Friday, May 16.  Told me today the parts expected on Monday did not come in, don't know when they will be here, can't do anything to the car until the parts arrive.  Guess I am stranded indefinitely.  My rental is due back on Friday and I am not renewing it.  Enough is enough.  Guess I will stay at home for the duration.

Hope your luck is better than mine.  Have a great day and God Bless.