4-4-16 ~ Umbrellas and Best Friends

Years ago ...around 1970...Weezie took her four children and my two to Palm Beach to my parent's homein her big red station wagon...before seat belts. While there went to the beach every day. The children were always with us, but there were too many of them to put in this little picture. Once again I am including my dearest friend in my picture.

Here are the two old Poloroid photos I still have. They are in bad shape, but at least they give you an idea of the real scene I was thinking about.

 My daughter is on the right and Weezie's daughter on the right. 

They are now 52.

The two boys are Weezie's sons. 

...And here we are...Weezie and me in all of our youthful glory...hehehe.

I think I am 30 and Weezie 32, but that's a guess. Boy, have we changed!

I used watercolors, Copic markers, and some pen and ink. 

This post is linked with:

I Play Along with Inspirational  and The Three Muses.

February 15, 2016 ~ My 77th and Big Snow #2

In past years, Eloise’s family, a friend of ours, and Bud and I have gone out to Dothan State Park and rented a big cabin for my birthday weekend. Well, this year for #77, we decided to stay here at the Homeplace, and what a fine decision that was considering the frigid weather we had. It was way too cold and windy to do any hiking or anything else outside. Here are some the posters Eloise has made for me thru the years. You can tell the first was quite a while ago. Also, she has changed my name several time... from Baga, to Lady Baga, to Bags. The Lady Baga is the one that really cracks me up.

The girls created the table. Eloise made the napkin holders from toilet paper rollers I cut into sections several years back painting them and then giving them a good dose of Modge Podge, and, and she made the name place “creations” from foam pieces you can get at Wally World. Take note of the HOT sauce. Both of my sons cannot eat anything with HOT sauce...and Mom cannot even take spices that are the least bit warm. 

 As all of you know, I am not afraid to poke fun at myself .

I thought this was a pretty funny one.

 The girls are sketching and watching/listening to the TV.

 Those poor girls. A love three day weekend,

 and then there comes the homework. UGH!

 Finally, we have the fearsome threesome in our hats. 

This has to be my favorite picture of the weekend even if I did not clean it up in Photoshop. Other than cropping, it is truly SOC!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then the snow started, and there was a mad departure for Richmond a day early. Going over the mountain at Afton, VA, is not something anyone in their right mind wants to do in snow, sleet, ice, or high winds. They made it back uneventfully, thank goodness.Here are the pictures I tool today after it snowing all night and day, We got 9 inches and now it i all crunchy and icy.


I only left the house long enough to get these photos.
It was way too cold and snowy to be outside for more than five minutes.

The barn and outbuilding are still standing.
Each time we get a heavy snow, I fear a roof falling in.

These tracks are from Buddy with his two sticks 
hobbling across to get up hill to his car.
He had to go to work today... before they scraped the road.

This is when the creek looks the prettiest.
It’s a shame it’s too cold to sit down there and enjoy it.

This post is inked with Our World Tuesday.

Remembering My Beetle

Seeing a Beetle Made Me Remember

 “There are small fish and large ships. But the best ship of all is friendship.”
~Author Unknown

When I moved to Lexington many years ago, I brought with me two cars...one of them an old Land Rover like you see in Africa and the other my yellow VW Beetle. Both  have now gone to The Happy Hunting Ground for dead cars. Here’s the story of how I lost both cars:

1. Bud was giving my eldest son a driving lesson out in that big field in front of the house, but as he was turning to drive it back over our Bridge to Somewhere, he turned the steering wheel way too hard to the right causing the Rover to flip upside down into the creek. No one was hurt, but the Land Rover died.

2. Then one day years ago, my daughter had parked the Beetle on Main Street. At some point there was an accident somewhere, and one our trusty firemen came racing thru downtown in a huge red firetruck, ran a red light, hit the car which was already into it from the other direction and who had a green light. Then swerved smashing into my Beetle totaling it so it was dead. Only to me could these bizarre things happen. I just have to laugh like I always do, be thankful no one was injured in either incident, and move on.

Finally, last week I was coming out of my doctor’s office, and I saw this gorgeous VW Beetle. Well, out came the iPhone and I started taking pictures...pristine condition...a 2000. Well, as I was about to finish up, a woman came walking up speaking rather sternly...”Are you taking pictures of MY car.? "Oh dear, I thought”. I worriedly turned around, and there she was...Dorothy Perkins...a person I knew well, had been good friends with for years, and with whom I had taught. We both had a great laugh, and then I asked her if she ever was going to sell it to PLEASE sell it to me. I am keeping my fingers crossed. We shall see.

This is the icing on the cake...cool reflections I inadvertently captured in the side view mirror and the window above.

...and here is my friend, Dorothy Perkins

These pictures were shot with my iPhone 5C  - 12-17-15

End of Fall on North Mt.

North Mountain Is a Beauty of Nature

“Keep close to Nature’s heart...and break clear away,

once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a

week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.’

~John Muir

Sunday started out as a beautiful day, but by mid~afternoon the dark sky was moving in quickly. Bud and I decided if we didn’t hit the road just then, we would miss our views of the county from North Mt. so off we went. I was fascinated my the single little leaves stuck in trees...up high and down low. Each had its own personality. By the time we were ready to leave, the rain droplets were singing a little tune as they hit the dry leaves. and the temperatures were dropping. Even though there was no blue, this gray sky was a tranquil and beautiful one.

While looking through some of my pictures tonight, I found these two of Eloise and her close friend, Sage, up where we were at the North Mt. Overlook a month or so ago. They are so cute and have been together here at the house so many times she’s like like a second granddaughter. Buddy gave her that cute hat with the ties.I just couldn’t resist adding their photos to the page. 

This post is linked with:

 Scenic Weekends 

 Mosaic Monday

Bud’s Canary in the Cave Race ~ 2015

Welcome to Bud’s Latest Race

Canary in the Cave

Fayetteville, West Virginia

The night before the race, Bud took me to a Cajun restaurant...YUMMY!

The other side of this sign reads FINISH.

Runner Waiting in Red

Runner Waiting in Orange

Runner and Daughter Waiting in Blue

Father and Daughter

(** If you can’t tell it already, I love to take pictures of braids.)

 All of the following shots are of little Ina. Her mother was running  in the race, and she and her daddy were waiting. I watched her before the race, and then I ran into her again when I went to lunch. She is almost two and the most precious and animated little girl you have ever seen...and very well behaved :-)

I’m ready for this race to begin.

Oops...how am I gonna get over this yellow thing

 to get to my mommy?

Well, I did it!

Thanks,Mommy, for the drink. 

All that running around made me thirsty.

I do not like this hat. It has to go!

Here her daddy and I were trying to get her to pick out two jelly thingies that went together. I have to admit she did pretty well at first, and then she decided it was way too hard and proceeded to put them all into the bowl.

This is the Cathedral Cafe where Ina, her daddy, and I were eating while waiting. Great food. It is an old church, and inside the light comes through all of the old stained glass windows onto the floors. Gorgeous. Did not realize the reflections until I uploaded the photo to the blog.

O.K. It Is Time For the Race

And it is is off. 5 hours to run about 17 miles...

25K plus some more trail to finish.

While looking at the runners taking off, I spied this Jeep 

with reflections on the hood  so just had to take pictures of it.

 The residents used the walking track all during the race. 

For some reason I named this lady, The Bag Lady.

While I was there she went around two times with bag in hand. Heaven only knows how many more time she walked it. She is definitely a woman on a mission.

This lady was walking the dogs while her husband ran the race.

She and I chatted for the longest time. All the people there were so cordial and nice.

 

This was where I waited for Buddy to come out of the woods.

The shadows in this part of the forest were absolutely gorgeous.

 

Here came my Buddy.

He was almost out and at end of race.

Woo!Hoo!

Here he is almost to the pavement with me screaming....”Faster...faster, Buddy, pick it up!!!!

Time is running out. You can do it, Bud."

 Here he is coming into the Finish Line

Buddy paid for the use of this picture of him at the finish line. If you enlarge it or look real hard, you can see me following him from behind still yelling for him to “Hurry Up!". I did not have to make the time limit so I am just puttering along... but he did and he did it. 

And here he is with me...The Finish Line

4 hours~59minutes~08 seconds

The race had a 5 hours limit.  God bless Bud...

he made it in the nick of time!

Thank you, Dan, for taking this picture of us.
I saved the best photo until last. I just love it. 
Just look at that grin on Buddy’s face and his 
“lucky sherpa hat" on his bald head.  

Our friend, the one and only Dan Leaman.

He was the “Commandant” at “The Trilogy” 3 day 

competition at Spruce Knob, West Virginia last month.
Next year I hope to be a rest station volunteer
and on the last day attempt to walk the 5 mile race. 
We shall see.

FINALLY,  FOOD for the WEARY!

Many Pizzaa, even Gluten Free Pizza, Kettle Chips, 5 Carrot   Cakes, and Soft Drinks ~ After pigging out, we got back in the car and drove the three hours back to Lexington. Bud and I had a blast.

Now to get ready for next weekend at Rocky Mount, VA.

Crooked Road 24 Hour Race

This time I will stay at home sweet home.

This post is linked to:

 Blue Monday 
Our World Tuesday
Ruby Tuesday Too
Signs, Signs