October

My favorite month of the year, October. Falling leaves, pumpkins, brisk cool weather, migrating monarchs, bittersweet and carmel apples. Early this morning a friend and I walked a trail at the park and the leaves crunched underneath our feet. This is the time of year that I love going to the Rocky Mountains to view the golden Aspen and listen to the bugles of the elk. Our plans are to go to my brother's in Greeley, Co the weekend of October 11th. We usually plan a quick trip up into the national park. I generally will find that one perfect leaf to pick up and bring home to stick in my journal. The weather is to be in the mid to lower 70's all week so I think I will call a special friend to join me for a walk in the woods, seeking out the bittersweet and returning home for a carmel apple! What fall plans do you have?

New Age

I hear this term alot especially about music and it made me wonder where did the term come from. Dictionary says it is an adjective from 1956. Hmmm. Back to the '50's again. That must have been an interesting period. I wonder if it has anything to do with the war having ended and people looking ahead. A social movement drawing on ancient concepts especially from Eastern and American Indian traditions and incorporating such themes as holism, concern for nature, spirituality and metaphysics. I guess I thought the term was fairly new like in the last 10 years and was applied just to music. Just one more thing adding knowledge to my life. One is never too old to learn.

Mysteries

I love mystery books because they force me to pay attention to the story and nothing else. I try to solve the cases. I try NOT to read the ending first and usually I don't but I still have a relapse now and again. I like that the characters are fictitious. I can either deal with them or not. I am the type of book reader that by the second chapter I am either interested in it or it goes back to the library. I know that some books are slow to start and maybe by the 4th or 5th chaper they get good but I never get that far if it is a "slow read". I love reading any type of book not just mysteries but they are my favorite. It is sad that our libraries are not being used near as much as before computers came into our lives. Reading a book is like watching a movie in your mind. I give faces to some characters in the book and the show begins. Next time you find yourself flipping through the channels on TV, check out a book. You can still pick out "what you want to watch" in a book!

On the road again

Just a quick note. It is 1:30 and I am still waiting for the State auditor to come and review my books. After work we will finish loading the travel and get on the road. Plan on driving to Hays and spending the night in a Walmart parking lot! Been there, done that. It really is fun and someone always comes over to see the trailer. I'm thankful the Walmart company allows it. Then on to Hillsboro Thursday morning. We are hoping we get one of the first come, first serve camping spots. If not, Plan B. So I will be away from the computer until next Monday. Everyone have a great weekend. Autumn begins next Monday so get out and enjoy it! I love this time of year. Makes me want to buy pumpkins and ghords! Of purpose and spirit.

Listening

This morning in the coffee shop a group of us sat around the table conversing. I noticed that a gal was speaking but was interruped before she finished. Was the other person even listening? Most of us take good listening for granted. Therefore, we don't work very hard at improving. But it is a complex activity! Listening requires an active response, not a passive one. To be an effective listener involves several processes. What you think about listening, what you feel about listening and even what you do about listening. I may not feel like listening to someone and so attitude definitely plays a part. In my work as a real estate agent I have found that the job requires me to be a good listener. My sellers and buyers have alot on their minds and selling or buying a home is one of the biggest decisions of their lives. Sometimes I just need to listen. I read somewhere that we were given two ears and only one mouth, because listening is twice as hard as talking! Listening........something to work on.

Kibitzer

I have been accused of being this and I admit, I am. I'm not going to give you the definition as it is more fun challenging you to look it up! This morning it was 38 degrees here. Unusual for us in September but then next Monday autumn officially begins. There are only 107 days left for 2008 and lesser time yet before Christmas. LaVern and I hope to "get out of town" this Thursday and travel to southeastern Kansas. There is a big craft show in Hillsboro that we want to check out and then several things in that area to see. We will take the 1955 Hobbyline canned ham travel trailer and camp. LaVern started a batch of soap over the weekend. He is making a batch called "kitchen" soap. It has coffee grounds in it and when you have onion smell on your hands this soap is suppose to take that away. I may have an opinion about that!

Journal

Do you write in a journal every day? I try to but don't always get it done. Problem with me is I have more than one journal. I have a camping journal, my everyday journal, a journal for my rug hooking adventures and then my "Jesus" journal. It's probably my most favorite. It was actually a small leather book about sea shells. Not in the best shape so no monetary value. But I like the tattered worn cover and the size. My friend Craig from Canada sent us a ruffed grouse feather lamenated. It is a special book marker for the "Jesus journal. I take plain paper and glue to the pages and write my own things. Prayers, scripture verses, thoughts, pictures of family scattered throughout. The small size is perfect for taking out to the park when I go for a long walk, find a stump to sit on and meditate. My grandmother Jass journaled every day. Sometimes it was just a line or two and maybe nothing more significant than the weather. Periodically I look back a few years in my journal and am amazed at the changes and how prayer was answered later on. I like to write until I have nothing more to say, then read what I've written and see where my thoughts have led me! I don't have to correct spelling mistakes, I can write outside the lines, no rushing. You don't have to buy a fancy journal just make your own as I did. Pick a book with a cover you enjoy and have fun. To journal is a good thing.

Idiot Box

I am laughing this morning inwardly as I wonder how many of you were anticipating what I would blog for the letter "i". There is such a word, idiot box. No it is not about a person but rather this word was introduced in 1955 and means...........television! Gotcha. I'll have to ask the folks when they got our first TV. I think we had one by the mid 50's. I think today the word still applies to TV! Look at where we are at though, 62" big screen, high definition, surround sound, flat screens. People have amazing looks on their faces when I tell them we do not have "real" TV. I have a TV to watch a movie now and then but we do NOT have cable, satellite or whatever. Do I miss it? Absolutely not but I admit we had to wean off of it. I guess we haven't had an idiot box for several years. The first TV was about 1930 and then it took 25 years to come up with another name for it. Interesting.

Horses

I love horses. Have since I was a youngster. I think my dad had me sitting on a horse before I could walk. As you can see from the picture, I was a little dare devil when it came to horses. I would try to ride anything. We learned to ride bareback and didn't use a saddle until later. Some of the things I tried a horseback. When I think about it, it is a wonder I am still around to tell the stories! Our first horse was named Spot and he lived to be 21 years old. Then came Prince, Coco, Sammy, SweetPea, Molly and more. They all had a special place in my heart. I think each and every one made a connection that I wouldn't trade for the world. Crazy as it sounds, pets do listen. What animal do you like the best? Why?

Grouchy

Grouchy...given to grumbling.....to mutter discontent.
Had a guy come in to my office the first thing this morning and when I asked him how he was doing he said "Look out, I'm grouchy".
Whoa! I could have easily gotten on my "band wagon" and preached to this young man that he was going to waste an entire day with that attitude. But instead I simply said we have choices about everything we do and say. I'm choosing to be happy, not worry. After he left I thought there is a relief in knowing that you can never control what another person does. I can't carry the burdens of other people, God does that for us. How cool is that? Sometimes I think the weather plays a big part in how some people's behavior is for the day. Today is one of those dreary, rainy, cold days and folks just tend to be grouchy. What a bummer. I'm not going to waste it. I'm happy!

Flowers

What better "pick me up" then a bouquet of flowers and I especially enjoy them because we grow them in our gardens. When the flowers start to bloom LaVern picks a bouquet every Sunday and takes in to his mother in law. She, of course, is thrilled. We have a wide variety and it is relaxing to pick out zinnias, lilies, blackeyed susans for that perfect bouquet. I like to add some herbs or sweet annie to the bunch for color and scent. Then they go in a crock jar on the kitchen table. The rooms in our house are small so a small bouquet is perfect. Usually the kitchen table is a clear spot and the first thing you see when you step through the door. I think flowers are an expression of ourselves. I love an old chipped crocked jar filled with sunflowers or a rusted tin can with blackeyed susans. Yet that would be the LAST thing I would take to my mother! Flowers....an expression of yourself.

Farmers' Market

Every Wednesday morning, usually starting in mid-August, there is a Farmers' Market here on main street Oberlin. Even though we have our own garden it is still fun to see the fruits of labor of other people. Recipes are shared, weather is discussed and new seed varieties shared. Wouldn't it be exciting to go to a big city market and look at all the exotic fruits and vegetables? Now that I'm older my priorities are different. I know exactly what I need. I appreciate the changing of the seasons which is reflected when the market begins. Fall is around the corner. There is coolness in the air. How do you celebrate the seasons? Don't pass by a Farmers' Market....thump a melon, smell the tomatoes, touch a summer squash.