Arkansas Fall 2010 Moccasin Gap Trails

We rode at night with a full moon above

Our four wheelers are in love

My love

self photo non gratus

This our group shot.  We set my camera's 10 second timer and Mark (the one
leaning down ran from quite a distance through rocks and water to get there)

Close up of our Scorpions

Here is the first attempt at running to make the shot.  Mark runs every morning.

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?

Well, Colorado, I'm telling you now!
Our vehicle above traveling on the Million Dollar Highway.
O Beautiful, for spacious skies! For purple mountains majesties!
We met a shepherd and his 2,300 sheep and three dogs along the way.
The above is where we stopped to decide if we needed to turn around before the

going got any rougher. Just so happened I backed into a bear cave. Don't know

if she was at home!
The abandoned silver and gold mines of Colorado. There's gold in them hills!
Untrailering for the day!
We ate our lunch every day on the mountain. Nothing ever tasted so good!
Relaxing after a long drive. The wildflowers were in bloom everywhere! I love you, Colorado. I can't wait to return.

The Scorpions Go To Ouray

From the last trip to Arkansas

Our group: the Scorpions

I love these people!

Four-wheeling is a blast!

Just look at this scenery where we

will be. I am in awe.

The temperature today is 64 F in Ouray.

Oklahoma temp. today is 104 F.

This is Ouray, Colorado.

I Have a Photograph

I have a photograph:

My step-mom, MaryAnn, and my dad around December 1985.

Old Friends
Old Friends
Sat on their park bench like bookends
Newspaper blowin' through the grass
Falls on the round toes
Of the high shoes
Of the old friends

Old Friends
Winter companions the old men
Lost in thier overcoats
Waiting for the sunset
The sounds of the city sifting through trees
Settle like dust
On the shoulders of the old friends

Can you imagine us years from today
Sharing a park bench quietly?
How terribly strange to be seventy...

Old Friends
Memory brushes the same years
Silently sharing the same fear

(Musical Interlude)

A time it was
It was a time
A time of innocence
A time of confidences

Long ago it must be
I have a photograph
Preserve your memories
They're all that's left you

From Kitten

A nice bit of sunshine for me!  Thanks to Kitten.

Spring Break

We're headed for Arkansas tomorrow for spring break.  It will be so good to get away with some friends.  We'll be staying in three bedroom/three bath cabins that have fireplaces, hot tubs, and grills.  Also all the amenities of home to use.  We most likely will be eating out every evening, but we might choose to grill sometime.  There is a lake and marina.  We will be taking our four wheelers out every day.  We won't be far from Crater of Diamond State Park.  I have so over packed but we don't know what weather to expect and I have plenty of room in our Tundra.  We'll return next week and I will post photos and videos.  

Trips Down Memory Lane

They threw a party for us before we went

on our cruise to Alaska in 2005.  I haz my

cake and I eat it too!  Alaska is much colder

than Hawaii so this attire did not make it

on the ship!  No, I did not see Russia and 

not even Governor Palin.  

Here we are in all our formal attire.  They did 

feed us like kings.  Oh my, the lobster tail was 

delicious!  If you ever get the chance, go on a cruise.

The Princess cruise to Alaska was the best trip ever.

This is my family on the most exciting trip we ever took.

This is the Arkansas River in Colorado.  It was similar to

riding a roller coaster, only better.  I laughed and laughed.

Here the family is in a fantastic cave, also in Colorado.

Colorado is the best place to visit.  I am thankful that my

grown kids are still happy to go on trips with us.  We are

planning a trip to Yellowstone next year with them.

Wordless Wednesday-Steeper Than It Looks

Mena, Arkansas from Junebug57 on Vimeo.

For more Wordless Wednesday click the link.

Land of Opportunity=Mena, Arkansas

We had the opportunity to go 4-wheeling in Mena, Arkansas.  I highly recommend it.  It is the most beautiful place.  Mountains, fresh air, trails, cabins, good food.  We had a blast!  

Dry Gulch USA

Friday and Saturday I went to a Women's Retreat at Dry Gulch USA.  It is a beautiful place next to a beautiful Lake Hudson.  The weather was pretty muggy and warm because we were expecting Hurricane Ike to bring some rain.  We got there Friday evening and made our bunks up.  Most of us got bottom bunks.  Then we went off to explore the place and get in line for dinner.  They had plenty of good food to eat.  It was a buffet line with a salad bar and brisket and chicken kiev and lots of vegetables to choose.  We attended a meeting that night and after the meeting we got to shop for arts and crafts sorts of things.  I bought a Dolce & Gabbana purse.  It is made of very soft leather.  The real ones sell for $1800.  Mine was $50.  

And the award belongs to...

I received these awards from Kitten this week.

She has been a blogging buddy of mine for awhile.

Her mom has not been well for some time and she

takes care of her.  Just recently her little KB got sick

and we're praying for her complete recovery.  Gee!

Stay strong, Kitten.  Life is hard, but God is good. 

 

For Tammie

Summer breeze

It's a Beautiful Day!

This lovely little award has been given to me by Melissa at Family-Fixin's.

You ought to go over and see her lovely header picture.  It's a good one.

Thank you Melissa for making my day also.  

A Major Award

You know how much I like the word "fragile" and this award is very "fra-gi-le."  It came packed in a big, big box with lots of paper.  I could even get inside the box!  And so could my cat.  My new blogger friend Kitten decided to bestow this honor upon me.  What a great Christmas time treat.  We watch this movie continuously on Christmas Day. 

I am passing this award to:

Jeanette-she's on the net

KellyJean-she always makes me laugh

Deborah-she has the best recipes 

Go forth and celebrate!  You've won a major award!

Winning a Contest

This could be my Fun Monday post since it is about a Christmas ornament.  

I entered a contest over at Rechelle's blog.  We were asked to "name that

video" she took of herself chasing her hubby around with the camera while

he tried to evade her.  It seems that he enjoys taping boxes shut whether

they need it or not.  I came up with the title "Who taped the dogs out!" in reference

of course to "Who, Who?"  If you watch the video you will understand.  If you

have never visited Rechelle you should.  She is one humorous lady with a wide

variety of interesting posts.  Here is her post announcing the winners.  My prize

was a Christmas ornament which you see pictured here:

Below I finally added my lights:

She sent me my ornament "speedy delivery" as they used

to say on Mr. Rogers.  It was quick enough to make your

head spin.  This is the same Rechelle that advertised on

PW Ree's place about a month ago.  Now I am showing

her some linky love too.  The ornament arrived in a box

taped shut by....(I wonder who?)

My Weekly Winner's post is below this.  

5 Post Meme

Candid Karina tagged me to do the 5 post meme.  She also gave me some helpful guidance on how to link back to older posts.  I must sincerely thank her.  I used to have the old type blogger and one day the new type blogger magically appeared.  Now I actually see the little world linky button that everyone was talking about.  "Oh, the things you will see." (Dr. Suess)

The rules are:  Post 5 links to 5 of your previously written posts.  The posts have to relate to the 5 key words given below (family, friend, yourself, your love, anything you like).  Tag 5 other friends to do this meme.  Try to tag at least 2 new acquaintances (if not, your current blog buddies will do) so that you get to know them each a little bit better:

1. Family:  This is a history that I have begun telling and will continue in the future.
2. Friend:  I have found only one post that I did on friends and they just happen to be blogger friends.  
3. Yourself:  My favorite post about myself would probably the first post I ever did to explain my blog name.  
4. Your love:  This post would have to be the one and it is titled "My Dearest."
5. Anything you like:  I wonder if this means anything I "like" or "anything" I like?  Oh well, I really liked this post the first time and since I had posted twice this day I felt like it didn't get much airtime because the first post was a Fun Monday.  So here it is again.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
   

Tagged for 5 Post Meme

I am going to tag two new friends:

Jeanette

Kitten

I might be able to explain the links 

to you if you need it. :D

Housewarming for Juliebug and Tigger too

Housewarming Day for Julie at Another Chance Ranch.
I am giving her six of these chairs to put on her beautiful porch!
I think they will go nicely with her ranch style hacienda.

The party is also for Tiggerlane.
I have chosen this great Francis Francis Expresso maker to warm her house
and her heart. I hope it gives her much pleasure this winter.



This Housewarming Party is hosted by Swampy.
You can head over there to her place to see all the other gifts
being bestowed by other guests.
Let's give a big round of applause for Swampy!

Friendship

"They color my life with the beautiful hues of friendship. Although we come from different backgrounds and cultures we share the same spirit of friendship."

I received this beautiful "Friendship" award from very nice blogger friend Kila. I have only been blogging since September of this year and I have met so many wonderful blogging friends. Everyone has been so helpful to me. (and I needed much help) I am enjoying blogging so much. I am never at a loss so far for something to say. The wonderful thing with a blog is you can say whatever your heart desires. That's freedom. And then the lucky thing about it is you might have people read it and comment. Bonus!!! Then of course you feel validated and necessary in this life. Well, I may be putting to much emphasis on this, 'cause my real value and acceptance comes from God, but blog comments are like the icing on the cake. You could do without it, but it makes it much sweeter and adds a final touch. I would like to pass this award on to some new "friends." My first person that I came into contact with and who has encouraged me was Janet. Her sister Donna is also an encouragement to me. Not to get carried away here but there are so many I could give this award to: bluemomma, extremely nice to me, humbleorigins, I see her being a friend every place I visit, Sandy, another friend who is always there. Here is another Janet who I like to call Janet Planet, she has been much help to me. I could go on and on, last but not least Robin. I joined two of her groups, Fun Monday (which just being a part of has gained me many blogger visits) and the poetry group. There are others that I could mention that have already been given this award by someone else. I am happy to have met all of you.

Alaskan Cruise

For our 30th wedding anniversary, we took a cruise to Alaska with some friends from church who also were celebrating their anniversaries too. It was the best trip ever. 7 days and nights of luxury! I would recommend this cruise to everyone. Alaska is breath-taking. The mountains, the glaciers, wildlife, the ocean, Alaska has it all. We went in July which is the warmest month and the best weather. It was 50-60 degrees. Beautiful. We traveled on the Diamond Princess which was new that year and they had the best service and food. I tried everything, wild Alaskan salmon, lobster tail, grilled shrimp, prime rib, everything imaginable. The best part was being on the promenade deck and watching the ocean and sky. You felt like every care in the world was gone away. The glacial water was 1000 feet deep and so blue green. The trees were spectacular.