I'm leaving my garden and traveling, you see,

So Cindra made a new blog for me.

I'll post while traveling far and near,

So

Please come see me
by clicking

HERE.

HELLO, FROM IOWA !

There is a two hour time difference here in Iowa - and I haven't caught up yet. It was a very fast paced trip for us. Five days was straight traveling - trying to stay ahead of the snow and make it over the mountain passes. Due to the weather, we decided to forego the sightseeing on this first leg of the trip, and just drive straight through to Iowa. T still has relatives here in Iowa so we are visiting, as well as making some day trips so Terry can show me some of his old haunts - from when he was growing up in corn country.

The country is all so beautiful, everywhere. We left Washington state and came over some Idaho passes that were breath-taking. There was snow in the higher elevations, and along the sides of the roads, but nothing we had to drive on. Thank God - that's not something I want to do in a 32 foot motorhome.

Montana hills were full of tamarack trees which are changing colors - beautiful golds and yellows in the green. And more snow on the mountains. I've always liked Montana.



Wyoming is a beautiful, open state, and I love the red rock there. They even put it in their roads - and makes me feel like I'm in the land of Oz!

Traveling always makes me think of those that came before. First on foot, then on horseback and wagon trains. I always wonder what they thought about the country - and since they couldn't travel the distances we can today - did they think the world all looked the same? It amazes me to think of the work and technology it took to get from that point - to our highways and freeways and where there are today with travel.

South Dakota was where we starting getting cold weather. The land is every changing -driving through mountains and then into long rolling hills. It's all beautiful to me. Lots of corn fields there, too. Of course, we stopped at Wall Drug.













When we crossed the state line into Iowa, it dawned on me that it had been a long time since I'd seen a pine tree! There are no mountains here either, but beautiful rolling hills. It's all farm land where we are - acres and acres of corn fields. And beautiful two story farm houses - each with requisite barn and corn crib. I'm fascinated with the corn cribs. And I'm really liking Iowa!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SON

Happy Birthday, Scott!

My son is 34 years old today - but he'll always be my baby boy. This is the card I sent him for his birthday. I doubt he'll think it's as cute as I think it is - but he'll humor me.

Cindra Jo often times sends me birthday cards that say "To My Mommy"; those cute little ones that toddlers send. Other times she'll send sentimental ones. Scott always sends beautiful, sentimental cards, and Brookie sends either sentimental cards, or cards with jokes about being in our family.

I love cards of all kinds - the funny ones, the cute ones, the sentimental ones that make me cry. I have listened to a lot of women complaining, over the years, because their kids forgot to send them a card for their birthday. I always tell them that my kids never forget.

Of course, when it is about two weeks before my birthday, I start asking them every other day or so, "You are aware of a very significant day coming soon, aren't you? A day which should be at least a national holiday?"

Gotta go - T is ready for me to move - we are hoping to get out of this state, across another, and into a different one by the time we stop tonight! (And I still have to call Scott and sing Happy Birthday to him!)

We Almost Left!

We got up this morning at 5:30 am and started the coffee - and have been on the go every since. But we haven't gone!

T hooked the car to the back of the motorhome and I loaded a few last minute things, including our cat, and when we tested the lights and the brakes, we found the left turn signal wasn't working on the car (well, actually, it works on the car until the car is connected to the motorhome, when it no longer works). After our guy showed up to blow all our water lines out, poor T worked on the lights for a couple hours. The problem was finally found - but the solution requires a trip to the motorhome store for a part.

We did shut everything off and close up the house. We drove through the gate above, and put the lock and chain on it. Now we are sitting down in the valley at a garage a friend owns. T had to unhook the car and now he's off to the mororhome-store to find a card part. I'm sitting in the motorhome in the parking lot (it's in a rural area), just chilling out with my cat. I've checked my emails and now I'll look at some blogs - I LOVE our wireless internet!

When T returns and gets us repaired - we're going to decide what we want to do. As it's nearly 1:oo p.m. our time, we will probably spend the night parked right here and just take off in the morning. Sister Caryl says if we end up staying the night, she'll come pick us up and treat us to dinner - what a deal. Hopefully tomorrow, we'll be spending the night in Big Sky Country.

I've Gotta Cut Back on the Caffeine!

I think I'm crazy. I must be crazy. You know the definition of insanity? It's doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results!! I drank coffee until I went to bed last night, and then started drinking coffee again at 6:30 this morning. And I'm sitting here wondering why I'm so jittery! Duh! It happens every time.

I'm a little bit like a dog chasing his tail right now. I'm starting things and then moving on to something else - and not getting anything completed.

I ran errands most of yesterday and didn't get much packing done. I had to go to sister Caryl's and leave her the information and things she'll need to handle our mail for six months. I had to go to my son's house and leave him his birthday card (his birthday is Tuesday) and some other things I had for his family. I kissed and hugged the grandkids good-bye again (I saw them Friday night when Becca had her 14th birthday party and kissed and hugged them good-bye) and I told them again, that I'd write them letters and call them. I had to get some groceries to take with us. I had to go to four stores looking for a water pump for the pond (wouldn't you know one of ours would go out now!), and I met my best friend for lunch, because I won't see her for six months, and because her birthday is Tuesday, too, and because she and I have been best friends for nearly 24 years and we always do lunch for our birthdays.

It is nearly an hour and a half down to the valley and back from where I live, so going down to do anything, is a lengthy deal. When I got home, we had to load up my house plants and drive them to the friend who will nurture and water them for me until I come home. Then I folded a load of clothes that hubby had washed, cooked him some dinner, cleaned up the dishes...and got on the computer for awhile before I fell into my big chair to drink coffee, read my newspaper, and just breathe!

Now I'm up drinking coffee again before I finish packing and cleaning today. I LOVE my coffee! Seriously. Sometimes I can't wait to go to sleep at night so that it will be time to wake up and I can have coffee. The coffee pot is on a timer and is always ready when I wake up! And if I'll stay in bed - hubby will bring me a cup - he's done it every since we've been married. I drink my coffee about half coffee, and half fat-free hazelnut liquid creamer....mmm, mmm, mmm. Gotta go get another cup and get busy now. Later.

My Sister Sent 5X5 Meme (whatever the hell a meme is)

Quilly-Sister sent me this 5X5 whatever, and I'm going to do it for her, even though my time would probably be better spent packing, right now. I rarely ever participate in these type things, just as I never send forwards (so don't forward anything to me!). I think I'm doing it because she so sweetly told me that if I didn't want to, I didn't have to. Wasn't that sweet?!

Usually when someone sends me something to fill out, there are dire predictions included which detail exactly what will happen to me if I don't. Predictions that always include doom and misfortune...such as I'll get hit by a train, or my pet will die, etc. - so since this one didn't, and because my little sister was so sweet, here you go, sister!

Five Minutes to yourself. How would you spend them ideally?

- reading which ever book I'm in the middle of
- watering my garden
- dead heading flowers
- talking on the phone
- reading the daily newspaper

Five Dollars to spend right now. How or where would you spend it?

- pack of cigarettes
- a paperback book
- bag of candy
- latte, extra hot/extra sweet
- at a garage sale

Five Items in your house you could part with right now?

- television
- bathtub (and before you ask, I ONLY shower)
- stove
- rocking chair (don't need any furniture that isn't big enough to lie on)
- hubby's car magazines

Five Items in your house you absolutely, positively could never part with?

- cell phone
- telephone
- address/phone book
- chair and a half
- certain books

Five Words (or phrases) you love?

- I love you
- Hi, mom
- Let go and let God
- mmm, mmm, mmm
- Grammy, I'm 'beaming

Lots to do before leaving....

Today the forecast is still for sun - so today we load the motorhome. By tomorrow it is suppose to start raining, and will be much cooler. I'm looking forward to seeing out the motorhome windshield again.

Our plan is to leave home Tuesday morning - so I won't be 'blogging' too much now. I still have so much to do before we leave, and people I want to see. I'm hoping to get most of the loading done today - it's a big job as we are going to close down everything in the house and have our water pipes blown out. Since it freezes here in the winter, all canned goods, etc. have to be taken out of the house. This is NOT the part of going that I care for.

As you can see by the picture above, once we get on the road, we have lots of help navigating. That is Raymond in the glasses. Between Ray and that GPS - we always know where we are. And with Raymond along, we also get stories of the areas we're driving through - of course, they're all from a 'bear' perspective (and I don't believe most of it). Some of you know Ray, and how irritating he can be. I've tried every way I can think of to get out of taking him with us this year...but he and Ted E. Bear have never been left alone without us....so I got overruled. Oh, joy.

The Queen of Reading, or, This is Too Close! And what was your name?

This is Jean, the sister that is the 'Queen of Reading'. Walls full of books on bookshelves in her home - and she's read them all. Jean doesn't just read the light stuff like I do, she's into all this history, and biographies, autobiographies, and serious stuff. She enlists our sister, Caryl, to purchase on eBay for her - slim pickings in the little town Jean lives in.

This picture was taken last month, we met at this state campground which is half-way between our homes. Jean spent two days with us in our motorhome, and of course, we hit the used book store in the nearest town. T even took us to two other small towns nearby - but no bookstores there.

Jean is the one in the big shades and long sleeves....she's the little bitty thing and doesn't 'do' sun, is always cold...even when it's in the 80's. I'm the one with puppy dog tails....won't get rid of that hair and can't stand the heat it builds up on my neck...and I love the sunshine and weather in the 80's! My ideal home would be somewhere where I could wear flip flops 12 months of the year. And I only wear clothes in hot weather so that I don't scare people into running blindly down the street and into traffic.

Whenever Jean and I are in the same place, I have trouble remembering my name. She's the quiet, refined one. Two words that would never be used to describe me. I'm very loud, talk very fast, am sometimes obnoxious, really silly, and right out there with anything I think or feel. Jean's response (in a flat little, disgusted voice) to almost anything I say or do is, "Jesus, Jackie". So we all tease about my name being Jesus Jackie - and that I'll forget that it's really Jackie Lynn. Once in a while, either Caryl or Terry will slip and say "Jesus, Jackie!" to something I've said or done, and it cracks us all up.

Now, usually, Jean and I aren't this close together in pictures. Or anywhere else. Jean is the undemonstrative member of the family. The rest of us tend to touch a lot. My brother and I still hold hands most of the time when we see each other. Jean's not a touchy-feely like the rest of us, and I'm pretty sure she thought I was plenty close enough. We've teased her so much over the years, about the way she ends phone conversations and letters. We all say to her, "I love you, bye", and she'll say, "Okay, then. Bye". When she writes us letters, she signs them, "As always, Jean". Sometimes Caryl and I tease her and beg her to say she loves us. She always replies, "If you don't know how I feel about you by this time, it wouldn't do any good to tell you". When we grab her and hug her, she stands ramrod straight. One of her arms hangs straight at her side, and with the other, she gently pats our back twice. And she won't say those words! But we know she loves us!

Have books will travel...

We've been busy running errands and getting ready to leave. We finally went to the book store yesterday - and now I'm all stocked up and I can go! I need a minimum of a paperback a day to survive!

I am a reader! A big reader. As in, I go NO WHERE without a book. I've been known to read at the horse races, car races, or just waiting for a train to pass - anywhere and everywhere I go. I read the backs of the cereal boxes while I eat my breakfast, and will pretty much read anything.

T has his tv - and oh boy, does he have varied interests! He watches tractor shows, auctions, car shows, medical shows, law shows, does math on the math channel, watches everything on the history and discovery channels and PBS - and sometimes, all at the same time! He's a 'flipper'. And I read. Good thing...since it wouldn't do to get too into a show that will be 'flipped' off to another channel in minutes!

Before my mother got very ill, I remember her reading all the time, too. I think she passed the gene along to us. Sisters Quilly and Caryl have always read. And our older sister, Jean....oh, my god, she is the queen of reading! Nearly every wall in her house, floor to ceiling, is bookcases! I've always read, (Gram said I read aloud to the girls, things like True Confessions, long before we could ever understand the stories!), and I guess I passed that gene on to my kids. They all read - a lot. And their kids (the grandbabies) read now, too.

Especially Cindra's "teengirl', my Sugarplum. (It's okay, she says no matter how old she gets, she'll always still be my Sugarplum). She is definitely a reader. This last winter when we were going through some little town in Arizona, there was a book sale of outdated, old, worn library books. I picked some up, and didn't get at some of them until I got home this spring. I started reading one of the hard backs and discovered it was about a teenager. When the focus stayed on this girl, I read the inside and back of the book, and discovered it was for "young adults". Well if there ever was a young adult - that would be me! - so I decided to read it. And it was GOOD. There was a racial message, a look at faith, and an awareness of what some of our moral obligations should be. It made me think of Sugarplum - who in the situation, would have acted the same as the girl in the book, as she's the same kind of girl...loving, caring, and full of compassion.

When Cindra and her family were here last month, I told Sugarplum that she'd probably enjoy this book I read, and I gave it to her. When they left for Oregon, they stopped two nights along the way. And by the time they got home, Sugarplum had finished the book. She said she couldn't wait to find out what happened at the end. It gave me such a warm fuzzy feeling to have been able to enjoy the same book with her. I'd say she was growing up fast, but the truth is, she's always been an old soul.

I can never wait to find out what's going to happen at the end of a book, either. The difference being - I don't wait. I read the first and second chapters, usually, and then the last one. I know. I know. Not the way to do it. But it works for me. It's the way I've done it for years and I've never NOT read a book because I knew the ending. And I so don't have the patience to wait.

T wasn't quite sure what to do about my reading the first time we went south. Where do you put all these books? How do you pack enough books for 4 months? But he's good! He'll stop anywhere and take me to a used book store to exchange my books, or stop at any book sales I see, but meanwhile, all the bags of books floating around waiting to be traded in, and the other piles of books I had not read yet - were driving him crazy. So he built me an oak bookcase with sliding doors, in the motorhome. I am good to go!

Now - if I could just make myself read something that would enrich my mind! I think sometimes about how intellegent I might be if I read something besides murder mysteries, true crime, horror and grisly serial killer books. And I don't even want to think about what my reading choices say about me!

Counting Down the Days

ON THE ROAD AGAIN, almost

We are counting the days now until we leave for the winter...to eventually end up in a warmer climate, not returning home until spring has sprung next year!

We spent the last two winters being 'snowbirds' - leaving our home for four months and going 'south'. We fell in love with traveling and sightseeing, and this year we are leaving even earlier in the fall. We will be going East this trip, before going South. T has relatives in the 'heart land' and we are going to visit them, and he is going to show me all his old haunts. In order to make it over all the passes without hitting snow - we have to leave early this year. Meaning we will be gone for at least six months.

T has traveled extensively on business over the years, and has been to many of the states, but not had time to play tourist. I don't fly (scares me spitless) and have never traveled much. We are really enjoying this opportunity.

We have motor-homed our way down the Washington, Oregon and California coasts, seen the Giant Redwoods, visited Quilly-Sister in Las Vegas, toured Hoover Dam, visited the Grand Canyon, gone through Zion National Park, seen the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest, toured San Francisco, seen Death Valley's highs and lows from one end to the other, visited in New Mexico, seen the Imperial Sand Dunes and the Salton Sea, fell in love with the desert, seen cranberry bogs, cotton growing in fields - and gone through countless State Parks, museums, monuments, mines, tourist attractions, etc.

T and I are perfect traveling companions...we both want to see everything and we stop often. And neither of us have every seen any 'ugly' country...it all has it's own beauty. When we come into a town, we find the visitor's center first. They are full of information on the local attractions and we can pick out things we want to see and do.

My emotions are all over the place right now. I have my usual anxieties... about remembering to do everything that needs done before we leave: making sure I get everything packed, farmed out, turned off, transferred, taken care of, etc. And I'm filled with excitement about going down new roads, seeing things and places I've never gone or seen before. But I also have this feeling I can't describe...about being gone for SIX MONTHS!! A HALF OF A YEAR OF MY LIFE!! To not see my kids, my grandbabies, my friends...how strange is that??? I've always been a home body. This is like a life that is happening to someone else. I'll get it all together pretty soon! But not today.

More family...the next generation

This is me with the next generation of my family. My babies' babies! All seven of my grandbabies together for the first time. (I, of course, am the one with the big mouth!)

We aren't able to show Cindra's little "Bonnie baby's" face yet, as the adoption is still in process - but trust me - she's beautiful too.

My babies are 41, 38, and 34 years old (I started very young) - and to me, are still my babies. It's hard for me to believe that my children are parents of children these ages, when I remember them so well at these ages!

I don't know where those years went! It all happened too fast. I will be out in public somewhere and hear a child say "Mom?", and I'll turn around, ready to answer. When I realize that of course it isn't MY little child, I get this twinge, knowing I'll never have that experience again; that mine are grown. I'll pass young mothers with young girls, and hear them chattering - and I'll miss that. Or watch a mother pick up her toddler and hug them - and I'll miss that. Sometimes I actually physically ache from missing mine, the way they were.

And sometimes I want to do it one more time! I want to make it better for them. And selfishly, I want all those feelings again. I want to be a parent, knowing what I know today. Having the patience I have today. Being who I am today. But a parent only to my children! LOL (I'm not really the baby-sitting/raising type grammy).

I'm on to a different season in my life now. And that's as it should be. It's my children's turn to be the parents, to experience the ups and downs and highs and lows - and make their own memories. I'll watch them do it, and be happy that they are doing it better than I did, and that they are making their own memories, which will some day make them smile and cry, too.

Season End

It's been a bitter-sweet week in the garden. After a week of really cool weather and the fear of early frost, we've had a week of beautiful, sunny fall weather. It's time for us to winterize here, and I'm just so not ready. I still have flowers in bloom, green tomatoes on the vine - and can't bring myself to tear out annuals still blooming. I love being outside and looking at the small changes that happen every day. But...we will be leaving for the winter - very soon - and everything has to be winterized before we go. The last thing we do is shut off our motion detector sprinklers and have all our waterlines blown out, outside and inside the house.





I've covered my potting bench, my green house, and the chairs and decorations from the front porch. The plants in front of the house and on the sides, the ones that aren't protected by the motion detector sprinklers - are pretty munched up from the deer. They are so hungry right now, with everything so dry, they are come right up to the house. And they eat things this time of the year, that they normally wouldn't eat. I cut down everything in the garden that I'm going to now. The rest can end up as mulch!



All the plants in the pond are cut down, too, and I took out the floating water cover - which makes it easy to see my koi. Too easy for the blue heron!


Terry made this cover for the pond, you can't tell from the picture, but it is covered with a fine nylon netting. We cover the pond every winter, not only to protect the koi from overhead attacks while they are so visable, but to stop the zillion leaves that fall off the humongus silver maple - from ending up in the pond! The cover has to be strong enough to hold the turkeys. They stay out of the yard because of the sprinklers - but as soon as we shut the water/sprinklers off and leave - the turkeys take over the front yard, too.

I have always loved living where there are definite four seasons. But now that I'm at a different time in my life - not working, no kids at home to take care of - I've noticed I'm beginning to hate the summers end. It means an end to my garden and flowers. Oh well, there's next year, God willing. And I do have about a million pictures, which I'll look at over and over all winter!! LOL

Good-bye Bluebirds

Shortly after I moved up here on the hill six years ago, I had some surgery and was unable to continue working. As Terry hadn't taken his early retirement yet and was still working, it gave me lots of time alone. It's very quiet up here and I started noticing all the birds that come and go, and the different species. We started putting feed out, and T bought me birdbooks, binoculars, and then a scope. And we've been birdwatchers every since.

I especially love to watch the bluebirds. They are my favorites. T made me four bluebird houses and I started putting mealy worms out on a post for them in the mornings. They got so they would wait at the post for me to come out. They would fly off a little ways and wait for me to shake the mealy worms out (I sure wasn't going to touch them!) and when I would step back a few feet, they would fly back to the post and eat.

The male is the one on the right, they are brighter colors than the female on the left. The male feeds her while she is taking care of the eggs, and then they both feed the babies. All day long! They will have their babies once and sometimes twice in the season, and then they are usually gone in August. We love to watch them as they nest, take care of their babies and watch over their broods. They often sit on my garden fence while I'm in the garden - keeping an eye on me and on the sparrows that would like to dislodge them from their homes.

Best of all, usually in October, when we haven't seen any of the birds excepting for robins or magpies for a month or six weeks, the bluebirds will come back for a day and use the birdbath before they leave for the year. Usually there are some finches and pine siskins with them. Sounds strange, I know, but is true. We must be on a migration path. It always happens just as it did yesterday....I noticed that the overhead wires were covered with birds. I ran in and got the camera and started snapping. They usually only stay about five or ten minutes - flying in and out of the birdbath - and then they are goneun until next spring.

When I came in to download the camera - my heart was lighter, my smile was brighter, it's one of my life's little blessings, to have the bluebirds come back to say good-bye.

Sugar Slugs in the Tomatoes

I had to be in town yesterday morning, and when I came home, my husband had errands to run. He left and I went out to do my thing....wander around the yard and gardens...check what's growing, what needs moved, deadheaded, etc., and just enjoy.

I was checking for ripe tomatoes - and found these Sugar Slugs! I just burst out laughing. Terry has a twisted sense of humor and is always leaving me funny notes or things.

These "slugs" began life as Circus Peanuts. I am addicted to them. And T eats his share of them, too! We buy them a dozen bags at time from Wal-Mart (sorry, Cindra). After all, as I keep saying, they are FAT FREE.

The Fairy Rock in my Secret Garden

My hubby used his tractor to drag this rock off the top of our hill, into my secret garden. I call it my fairy rock - because it's covered with moss and decomposing material and looks (to me) like a rock you would find deeeeeep in the forest where the fairies live.

I've always been fond of fairies. Use to tell the kids stories that began, "Once upon a time in a long ago land, there lived a beautiful fairy princess named Jackie". They never were overly fond of these stories....I wonder if that's because the ugly toads were always named after them!???

While we were planning the garden and discussing where to put what - my hubby asked me one day, "If I tell someone that is a fairy rock, will they know what I'm talking about? Or is that just something you say?" - and I had to tell him that he probably wouldn't want to call it a fairy rock. But I DO, and WILL - because, well, just look at it, it is, isn't it????

Am I a Lucky Woman or What?!

I can't believe what a lucky woman I am! Terry told me he bought me a Christmas present already.

There's just a couple of things wrong with that....

...it isn't Christmas

..I really haven't "received" anything - as this 1970's something Cushman Trackster resides in Arizona

...it is the LAST thing I would ever want!

Now, Terry, on the other hand, has been researching these machines for several years. What are the chances it's just what he wanted?! LOL He got a really good deal on this one by buying it on eBay. Of course, as I mentioned, it's in ARIZONA! And may or may not run! That's not an issue with him - if it has an engine - he loves it. And it Will RUN.

Tracksters are little machines with rubber tracks and although they were primarily used in snow (has a snowmobile motor) they can also run in the dirt. Terry thinks it would be great for when we want to run around our land, some of which is up hill. Oh well, I guess it will have to beat riding up hill on the tractor with him - where I'm standing on it, and haven't a lot to hold on to!