Racing Go-Carts With Family

Monday it was the pool....

                                Tuesday it was go-cart riding. 

Another first time thing for me...

The gang takes to the track. The woman in car 23 isn't one of us! 

Look out, we are being passed. Step on the gas.

Car 12 is checking out their competion

Here we come around a curve, the wind in our hair, We are on a roll.

Finally, the cars slow down and it's time for our fun to stop.

The younger ones especially are sad it's over.

No. 26 isn't ready to quit just yet.

Oh... it's over.

And, here we come (Susan and me) down to the finish line.

Little Bitty Adventures

I am on a mission....

I am trying to do things I've never done before - - -
                                                      little bitty things even.

Like buying a bag of ice out of a store dispenser... Don't ask me why!! Guess I just never needed to before but I finally went into the store, plunked my money down, walked out, got my ice and handed it to my son so he could put it in the cooler. Now, that's not a big deal.
                     I know... you all are making fun of me! 😀
Hey, cut me some slack...It was something new...

My son and I got to Nags Head. We are on the beach and my great-grands are having a blast trying to pop huge bubbles that my s-i-l was making.

I did not want to be left out so I joined in the fun.

Then I got to be the bubble maker. It was so much fun. Two more things I had never done. I oughta keep a list.

I am a full believer that people, regardless of their age, should fill their every waking moment with new discoveries. Even if it is something so minute as buying a bag of ice or blowing a bubble.                                                                             😃

More Alabama Pictures

Tomorrow my son and I head to Nags Head, N. C. to join his sister and her family at the beach for a week. Until then, here are some more pictures from my visit in Alabama.

I was happy with this bluebird picture. Look how one foot is resting on the clothespin! Posing for me, I suppose.

And, yes.. my son loves to hang his clothes out to dry. The art of clothes drying on the clothesline is not lost.

When we were younger and living on the farm, my husband would find tiny little flowers on his walk about the place and he'd come in the door with them, held gingerly between his thumb and forefinger. I'd find a thimble to put them in. 

The other day, I look up and there is my son with these pretty little white flowers between his thumb and forefinger. Like Dad, like son.

We drove out to Joe Wheeler State Park where Michael's boat is docked. We saw lots of deer. The dog just goes nuts when she sees them. 

My son and his constant companion, Sadie. They are on Michael's sailboat. I am sure Sadie was the job overseer!

Sunset at the Park. Such a gorgeous sight. A perfect way to end the day.

Climb that mountain

Okay,

I am back. I think. I really meant to just quit blogging but found I missed my blogging buddies too much.

So, let's give this another shot.

First of all I decided to start writing a sequel to my book "Springtime in Magnolia" published in 2014. That takes a lot of time and 'finger power'. These old hands aren't what they once were. They get to hurting if I type too long so I decided I would just concentrate on the book. But, here I am...

I am in Alabama. Been here 2 1/2 weeks visiting my son. My daughter and I met him halfway ..

Here is the first part of my trip while I was with my daughter. Still in Virginia.

Our first stop - Danville, Virginia and lunch at the Cotton Mill Restaurant....

with friends, Isella and Joe.

Shirley got the brick-oven pizza

I had a spinach salad

On to the mountains, we took a narrow, curvy side road, lots of ravines on either side.

Shirley dislikes the mountains and she was driving, so here she is with a victory punch...she did it!

We thought this cloud formation was unusual. And, we are nearing Tennessee where we will meet Michael and I will continue on to his house the next morning.

Easter Family Fun

                               It was a wonderful Easter. I hope yours was, too. 

A beautiful table, lots of food to eat and family around the table.

Then came the adult egg hunt. The children hid one egg for each adult and we had to find them.

Then it was time to hide the children's eggs... and for them to find all 100 eggs 

They sat on the grass and counted to make sure all 100 were discovered. 

Whoops, one blue egg missing.

The Dads got the little ones started going round and round on the inner tube swing. 

They got quite a workout.

There was tree climbing and lots of fun on the regular swing/slide set.

So, it was a fun-filled day.

Last Day of My Birthday Celebration

                                                 My Birthday - Installment 4

The day was slipping away. We'd done the carriage ride already. At 3 we went for tea. I guess I expected an English style afternoon tea, which it was not, so that was a disappointment. The room where it was held was cold so we grabbed up our cups of tea and cookies and found us a roaring fire to enjoy it by.

My birthday dinner was supposed to be in the main dining room but 'best laid plans of mine and men' sort of thing happened. The dining room was closed. So, back to the Jefferson room to celebrate.

I had the BEST roast chicken ever! and the mashed potatoes... well, they were the best, too. The Homestead has one heck of a great chef. I pretty much cleared my plate!

 And, then this yummy whatever it was... I think mousse covered in chocolate with, gee was that whipped cream or ice cream. I can't remember. and those edible gold beads and wafers imprinted with Happy Birthday. This is quite a celebration. 

To bed, but not to sleep. We just don't want to sleep when we can be having fun so we stay up late doing the snapchat thing again. And, laughing our fool heads off.

Monday.... we head home. We are all packed and wait on the porch for the car to be brought around.

One last hurrah!

We did it!

To Have And To Hold - Wedding Preparations.

My granddaughter married the love of her life on Nov. 10th. Beautiful outdoor wedding and reception.... but.... it was in the mid 40s temperature-wise. It was soooo cold! I am linking with Thankful Thursday, Little Things and Share Your Cup. Here's a few casual shots of the wedding.

The wedding took place in the groom's yard on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
                                It was a beautiful setting.

It was a family affair.... Everyone pitched in to help. The arch was made by the bride's father and decorated by her mother.

Tablecloths for the reception had wrinkles.. so Uncle Michael ironed while Grandmother (me) assisted.

Set up of the reception tent begins.. 

A basket of blankets were provided for guests should they get cold.

The reception tables were centered with wrought iron pumpkins filled with tea lights and surrounded by fall leaves and pumpkins... and gold bags of Plantation Peanuts for each guest. 

A quiet moment for bride and her mother, a walk down to the dock, before time for the wedding.

 I will continue with the wedding tale in my Friday Five post. 

Beautiful Bride...

It's such beautiful weather. I am loving it. Church yesterday was good. And, I stopped by Kentucky Fried Chicken, got me some good eating in the drive-thru, and came home. Just a peaceful day.

We are looking forward to a wedding which is coming up soon. Lots of excitement, for sure. This picture, which I am linking to Blue Monday, is of the beautiful bride. Of course, I'd say that... she's my granddaughter!! with her uncle and Mom. The wedding will be outdoors in this setting. More pictures to come, you can bet on that!

A Quilt to End All Quilts

Several years ago I saw this ad in a magazine about getting a picture transferred onto fabric. (Now days you can do it yourself on the computer). 

That gave me a brilliant idea!! I'd design and make a quilt about our life. 

So, I designed each square, depicting a place we had lived. We moved around a lot because Elbert was in the Navy but in order to make the quilt rectangular, I had to add more squares. So, I did some of our hobbies on that last row. 

I had no idea about who would end up with that quilt when I was GONE. And, each of the kids started saying it was THEIRS. What to do?

I still haven't decided. I don't quilt anymore so I can't make three more identical quilts so each would have one. Maybe my will administrator can hold a drawing. Who gets the shortest straw? Who gets their name drawn outta the hat? 

But, here is my quilt.... and at the bottom I will tell you about each square so if you want to miss that part you can just look at the quilt and move on! hehe.

Joining with Thankful Thursday and Little Things

1. Jasper, Alabama ....The house where I was born. 

2. Columbus, Mississippi..My and Elbert's marriage license and gold rings. A tiny cake, too

3. Jasper, Alabama where our first child was born. See I appliqued a cut-out of the state represented
     on each square that the children were born. Baby Marie is in a bassinet.

4. San Diego, California, our first home. (The Mexican influence displayed on that square)

5. Panama City, Florida... a duty station where we enjoyed palm trees and the ocean

6. Panama City, Fla. our second child, Steven, was born. He passed away at 3 months. This square
    shows the state and a cross with a crocheted bootie hanging from it.

7. Seattle, Washington... And, Mt. Rainier and a totem pole from the park where we visited

8. Seattle, Wa.. Baby Shirley came along. This square has the state and a rattle.

9. Havre de Grace, Md... Elbert was attending school at Bainbridge Naval Base nearby. 

10. Honolulu, Hawaii... Diamond Head 

11. Honolulu... and Michael was born. This square has a miniature flower lei attached.

12. Midway Island... The sand, the birds, the scaveola bushes

13. The center square is my and Elbert's wedding picture... what started this whole thing

14. Bainbridge, Md. again. This time I appliqued Michael sledding behind our apartment

15. Bainbridge, Md. Susan was born. A black-eyed susan, the state flower

16. Concord, Calif. A mt. I could see out my kitchen window

17. Annapolis, Maryland... perfect duty, my family complete. The Naval Academy Chapel in this pic.

18. Norfolk, Virginia... Elbert was stationed on the USS Boxer. He retired off that ship.

19. Jasper, Alabama... our farm

20. Wakefield, Virginia... our last home together.

last rows: hobbies of fishing, painting, genealogy, quilting and foxhunting. And, I'll have you know I embordiered that foxhound myself. 

First Day of My Trip - Flight and Deer

I left Suffolk on July 31st, headed for the airport in Norfolk. I hadn't flown since 2014 and had gotten a tad (well, more than a tad) of apprehension about going anywhere on a plane. Every time you turn on the news there one more plane involved in something undesirable, hours delays, unruly passengers, one passenger nearly sucked out of a window, crashes, bird hits.. it just goes on and on. No, I did not want to fly.

But, I got on that plane, one of those smaller ones that seats about 35-40 people. Had just one seat down the right side, two on the left side. So, I get into my one seat. Of course, I had a window view. That was good (I think). Brought my kindle to read, just in case I didn't want to see where I was!! 

As the plane revved up the engines and started to climb off the runway, I reached in my bag and brought out a small rock that I had painted... Closed my fingers around it and prayed. 

We reached cruising altitude... I began to relax, even put my rock away. Rather than reading I began to watch out the window at the clouds below us. Hey, this is pretty cool. I did not read one word on that just over an hour flight to JFK in New York. 

Susan had arranged for me to be met at the plane with a wheelchair.. And, there the guy was, a sign BARTON held high above his head. That was me! So, I get situated into the chair and then he says "scoot up, I got to put your luggage back here". He had an accent! I think that is what he said. So, I scoot up, he loads my bag and away we go. 

He must have said 'excuse me' a kazillion times as we made our way through the crowded terminal. But, finally he pushes me out the door and there is Susan, waiting by the curb. I did it!! I flew. It's not as if this was the first time. I've been flying since I was 18 years old but it seems that the older I get the more concerned I get. I think it's the news on tv. They will scare the beejeebees out of you! I need to stop watching that stuff. 

So, we get to Susan's. It isn't long until my welcoming committee arrives.....
A family of deer in her back yard...

My camera is never far from me...

They aren't afraid at all. Even play hide and seek with Ranger, the family dog.

That was the first day of my trip to Susan's ..... More to come tomorrow, be sure you check back in then to see what all we get into to...

linking today with abc wednesday