Our Thanksgiving Get Together

Don, Cindy, Bob, and Amberlee (insert)
It's been awhile since I've posted, hasn't it? I was tempted to stop blogging but I do enjoy sharing, even if I don't get many comments. And it is all about ME anyway, huh? *giggle*

We traveled to one of my in-law's homes for Thanksgiving. Had a splendid time! Aren't they a lovely family? Ok, I'm prejudice but I think they're the greatest.

Amberlee is growing like a weed. She's so bright and fun to be with.

Her brother, Bob, is quite ill right now. He was sleeping almost round the clock and had no energy, so, his mom took him to the doctor. Turns out he has thyroid cancer, type as yet undetermined. What a shock! Well, we'll deal with it together. He goes for a biopsy next week so that treatment(s) may begin.

Hubby and I are doing well. He has completely recovered from his partial knee replacement therapy. We take a two mile nearly every day. He's doing so good.

Doggies are all healthy. I'm amazed that our 12 year old Maxie still acts like a puppy many times. She's the healthest miniature schnauzer I've ever had.

So, for the most part, we are doing well. What life throws us, we have learned to deal with it. We have much to be thankful for. I pray that all my blogging friends are healthy and happy.

Happy Hallowe'en

I LOVE All Hallows Eve! Hallowe'en used to be such fun for me as a child. Sometimes I miss dressing up and being silly. Aw, well, can't remain a child forever ... :) So, to soothe the kid in me that wants to have a little harmless escapism and be 'terrified', Turner Classic Movies is having back-to-back old horror classics (and not so classic) all day tomorrow!

I.am.in.heaven.

Here's the lineup for that day per their website:

6:15 AM Freaks (1932)
A lady trapeze artist violates the code of the side show when she plots to murder her midget husband. Cast: Wallace Ford, Olga Baclanova, Harry Earles. Dir: Tod Browning. BW-62 mins, TV-PG, CC

7:45 AM Mark Of The Vampire (1935)
Vampires seem to be connected to an unsolved murder. Cast: Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Bela Lugosi. Dir: Tod Browning. BW-61 mins, TV-PG, CC

9:00 AM Devil Doll, The (1936)
A Devil's Island escapee shrinks murderous slaves and sells them to his victims as dolls. Cast: Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O'Sullivan, Frank Lawton. Dir: Tod Browning. BW-78 mins, TV-PG, CC

10:30 AM Terror, The (1963)
A lost soldier discovers a mysterious beauty haunting a half-deserted castle. Cast: Boris Karloff, Jack Nicholson, Sandra Knight. Dir: Roger Corman. C-79 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format

12:15 PM Bucket of Blood, A (1959)
A jealous Bohemian wannabe resorts to murder to perpetuate his new-found success as a sculptor. Cast: Dick Miller, Barboura Morris, Antony Carbone. Dir: Roger Corman. C-65 mins, TV-PG, Letterbox Format

1:30 PM Tower Of London (1962)
A hunchback murders his way to the British throne. Cast: Vincent Price, Michael Pate, Joan Freeman. Dir: Roger Corman. BW-80 mins, TV-14, Letterbox Format

3:00 PM Tingler, The (1959)
A scientist discovers an organism that lives on fear. Cast: Vincent Price, Judith Evelyn, Darryl Hickman. Dir: William Castle. BW-82 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format

4:30 PM Mad Magician, The (1954)
Betrayed by his manager, a master magician uses his skills to seek revenge. Cast: Vincent Price, Mary Murphy, Eva Gabor. Dir: John Brahm. BW-73 mins, TV-PG

6:15 PM House Of Wax (1953)
A scarred sculptor re-populates his ravaged wax museum with human corpses. Cast: Vincent Price, Phyllis Kirk, Carolyn Jones. Dir: Andre de Toth. C-88 mins, TV-PG

8:00 PM House On Haunted Hill (1959)
A millionaire offers total strangers a fortune to spend the night in a haunted house. Cast: Vincent Price, Richard Long, Carol Ohmart. Dir: William Castle. BW-75 mins, TV-14, CC, Letterbox Format

9:30 PM Haunting, The (1963)
A team of psychic investigators moves into a haunted house that destroys all who live there. Cast: Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Russ Tamblyn. Dir: Robert Wise. BW-112 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format

11:30 PM Poltergeist (1982)
Evil spirits abduct a suburban family's daughter causing chaos and havoc. Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne. Dir: Tobe Hooper. C-115 mins, TV-MA, CC, Letterbox Format

1:30 AM Phantom of the Opera, The (1925)
In this silent film, a hideously deformed man haunts the sewers beneath the Paris Opera. Cast: Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin, Norman Kerry. Dir: Rupert Julian. BW-90 mins, TV-G

3:15 AM Quiet Place in the Country, A (1969)
A beautiful ghost inspires a painter to commit murder. Cast: Franco Nero, Vanessa Redgrave, George Geret. Dir: Elio Petri. C-106 mins, TV-MA, Letterbox Format


Cool beans, huh? Well, go make some popcorn, turn down the lights. Let's all curl up on our favorite chairs and hold your guy or gal tight. We're all in for a day of good old fashioned fun!

Oh, and here's a cute Hallowe'en card for everyone. Don't worry, it's kid safe.

Happy Hallowe'en!! :)

Puns For Educated Minds ~ Funny Friday

Puns for Educated Minds

1. The fattest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian .

3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.

5. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

6. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

7. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

8. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

9. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall.. The police are looking into it.

10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

11. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

12. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.'

13. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

14. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: 'Keep off the Grass.'

15. The midget fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

16. The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

17. A backward poet writes inverse.

18. In a democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.

19. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.

20. If you jumped off the bridge in Paris, you'd be in Seine .

21. A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, 'I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.'

22. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says 'Dam!'

23. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

24. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, 'I've lost my electron.' The other says 'Are you sure?' The first replies, 'Yes, I'm positive.'

25. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.

26. There was the person who sent ten puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

Finally, A True Story ... NOT!

Here's a picture of the new world record whitetail.

It was taken by the cousin of a co-worker's sister's, uncle's, best friend's, son-in-law's, niece's hairdresser's, neighbor's ex-boyfriend's oldest nephew.

Reportedly it will score 2603-1/8 by B & C standard and was shot in West Texas on a really windy day, 85 degrees downhill, around a curve at 900 yards with a 22 mag.

Supposedly, this deer had killed a Brahma bull, two Land Rovers and six Jehovah's Witnesses in the last two weeks alone. They said it was winning a fight with Bigfoot when it was shot. It had also been confirmed that the buck had been seen drinking discharge water from a nuclear power plant.

This has been checked on Snopes who confirmed it. Honest!!!

Sincerely,
Barry Obama

This post is dedicated to all those who are just as tired of "true" internet stories as I am. :))

9-11 Tribute: Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning

"Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
[George Santayana, philosopher]

How true!! Now we have a muslim deviants in the White House who don't have our best interests at heart.

Well DUH!

Where was I that day? I was in bed, doped to the hilt with pain killers, recovering from my second carpal tunnel surgery. I had had surgery the day before. I think it was my right wrist that time. So there I was all safely ensconced in our queen sized bed, and my husband came tearing into the bedroom, and changed the TV channel to Fox News without a word. I thought the TV images were all fake, maybe a movie promo or something. But my husband said "No honey, this is real." There were the live images of people dieing, being burned alive or leaping to their deaths to the pavement below. I remember watching as those brave firefighters and others tried to get into the burning building to save others. It was horrible! My husband and I prayed together. I cried and felt numb for days. Those images will stay with me for all time. I know it changed my life forever.

Now we have a Muslim, illegal immigrant for president. Gosh, some people have short memories. Didn't see that one coming.

So, where were you when the world stopped spinning?

Nutjob Holds Discovery Channel Hostage

URGENT! Prayers needed for the nutjob and the hostages being held with a bomb by the nutjob [sorry, don't know his name yet] at the Discovery Channel TV station.

The man holding hostages at Discovery HD has posted his list of demands. He is an anti-capitalist Malthusian who wants the Discovery Channel to stop any programming that promotes capitalism, human birth, progress, or the ponzi economy. (via Ben Smith)

The hostage taker also claims to be an atheist. I pray he doesn't die in his sins! It's so unnecessary. He's really sick and needs Christ. Perhaps there can be a peaceful solution to this.

Y'all please pray for all these folks? Thanks. :)

Source: Business Insider

News: Toxic Seafood Warning

Being from coastal Florida, my husband and I tend to eat a lot seafood. After watching the report below, we're gonna quit eating anything we don't know is harvested here in America.

Buying American has a dual purpose anyway:
Protects our economy.
Protects our health.



I hope this report helps others to avoid a very dangerous health risk.

Sparky And The Horse

I have had a nice break from typing and posting this month. I hope everyone is having an enjoyable July? We haven't done much of anything except survive. It is unbelievably hot (the heat index is 110 as I 'pen' these words) and incredibly humid in southeastern Georgia. We can barely go outside for the gnats, horseflies, deer-flies, yellow-flies! They are atrocious this year!

We decided to go for a ride this morning anyway. We left early, of course, before the air reached the current unbearable temp. I needed a hair cut anyway, so, a nice little jaunt to the barbershop was in order. Apparently, some of our neighbors had the same idea. There were a lot of people out ... for our area anyway.

As I was cycling down our one-lane country dirt road, I spotted the horses approaching us at a gentle pace also. I slowed my speed as a courtesy, not wishing to cause the horses to become alarmed. My husband very wisely came to a full stop but I soldiered on in first gear, being careful not to make any unnecessary moves. I love horses too but know they can get weird on ya in a moments notice.

As I approached one horse, I glanced at him and noticed he was a young stallion. "Uh oh!" I thought. This is not good. He's not calming down. Suddenly, he turned so that his hind legs were INCHES from my bike! "HOLY CRAP!" flashed through my mind in an instant. He was preparing to KICK me and bike! Thank my precious Lord, the rider was able to calm him and prevent a catastrophe. It happens really quickly on the video. It's at about 3:24 on the timetable.



Well, I'll go back to relaxing for awhile. I had to share this little event. That the closest I'd come to having my life flash before my eyes in a long time.

I pray your summer is a lot less dramatic.

Happy 4th Of July

Happy 4th Of July Everyone!



Try not to drink too much beer
unless you're veggin' on the sofa ...
tee hee

Heart To Heart

Our pastor had a heart transplant on Mother's Day. He healed so rapidly and has had no rejections! The hospital released him last Monday so he and wife high-tailed it home the next day. For today, we had planned a big welcome for them at the church. I took my new digital video camera and recorded some of the event.

Please excuse the poor picture quality at the start. I'm still new at this. :)



Pastor said his first sermon since the surgery will be the 3rd Sunday in July. We can't wait!

This is such a blessing for the recipent, of course, and such a tragedy too. We've been praying for the donor's family, that they be comforted and know the peace of believing in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. Thank you all for your prayers too.

I hope y'all have a blessed Sunday! :)

Gopher Tortoise

A mature Gopher Tortoise come up into our yard today. Needlss to say, the dogs were not happy! After they voiced their loud opinions, I locked them inside and helped the tortoise to move on into the woods. They are a protected species.



Gosh, I just love living out here. :)

Funny Friday ~ I'm Under Arrest For What??

This is just too funny!!

I’m Under Arrest for What? Fifty Bizarre U.S. Laws
By: Annie Tucker Morgan

Rhode Island
You may not bite off another person’s leg.

South Carolina
If a man promises to marry an unmarried woman, he is required by law to keep his promise. [Well, that's a duh!]

South Dakota
It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep in a cheese factory.

Tennessee
Selling hollow logs is strictly forbidden.

Texas
You may not shoot a buffalo from the second story of a hotel.

Utah
It is illegal not to drink milk.

Vermont
Women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth.

Virginia
Tickling a woman is unlawful.

Washington
It’s illegal to pretend that one’s parents are wealthy.

West Virginia
If you make fun of someone who does not accept a challenge, you risk a six-month prison sentence.

Wisconsin
Unless a customer specifically requests it, margarine may not be substituted for butter in a restaurant.

Wyoming
Unless you have an official permit, you may not take a picture of a rabbit from January to April.

This Court Is Adjourned
Whew! With all this legislation, it’s a wonder we’re not all sharing a prison cell right now. Granted, something tells me the Los Angeles Police Department has bigger fish to fry than popping people who dare to eat oranges while bathing, and that most people who saw me catching some shut-eye on top of a fridge in Pennsylvania wouldn’t call the cops on me, but you never know when you might come across that rare whistle-blower who wants you persecuted to the fullest extent of the law, so it’s probably better to be safe than sorry. The next time I tie up my elephant at a parking meter in Florida, I’ll be sure to bring a pocket full of quarters.

Link: Divine Caroline

Long In The Tooth

1959
"I'm three, Mom! You know that ..."
Again, more silence from me in the blogging world, 'ey? I'm mostly posting at my new political blog, Reluctant Patriot. There is much wickedness coming from the Left. But after watching the polls and seeing how others are voting, I have high hopes that the satanic drug of Socialism is being defeated in many venues. It's a very powerful narcotic, this Socialism. The purveyors of the drug are being ousted right and left, including those in the so-called church (liberal churches to be sure). This brings me great joy. These are VERY exciting times as we witness history being made first hand. For those of us who believe in Jesus Christ, we know that all individuals have the right to succeed or fail on their own merit. Never trust a government. Never. That's why we have laws and rules clearly set out by the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights and other important documents to keep the evil of men in check.

But back to about me. I mean, that's why you're here ... right? It's all about ME. [giggle] Otherwise, you'd be over at the Reluctant Patriot reading my political views. Heaven only knows why anyone would be interested in me, but I am forevermore grateful that there are those who do. [hugs]

For the uninitiated, this is "Sparky Birth week". That's right! I own the whole week! [ha ha] As I turn older, it's another notch in my belt (going the wrong way, I note), another wrinkle in my face, another age spot on my hands, another mysterious ache in my hip. [groan] But I will be of good cheer! Because it's also another year to have fun and to witness for Christ so that others may know eternal salvation too. Another year to be kind to others who so desperately need a kindness. Another year to ... what?> Well, whatever God wants me to do or my motorcycle takes me.

As you can now tell, I *love* birthdays! I cherish every single one of them. So what if I'm rapidly approaching 55!? Hey, it beats the alternative except that "it would be far better for me" to be with Christ than to be 'here'. But, I like being 'here'. Even with all the crap I've endured, or will have to endure, I think life is grand and well worth living. I hope I can show others that enthusiasm for life too. A warm smile, a loving word, a gentle touch is much preferred over the unkindness or lack of concern one can receive from 'the world'. And I've suffered from my share of unkindness too, let me tell you.

My adopted father ... well, in a nutshell, he was cruel. A bitter, cruel, violently unstable man. When I accepted Christ into my life in my teens, my father threatened me with being disowned if I didn't deny Him. I got the impression that Dad hated God. He certainly hated different ethnic groups. He even hated ... me. I got called the "bastard child" way too many times. Nice, huh. Since I wouldn't deny Christ, Dad kept his threat and left the bulk of my inheritance to strangers and, what remained of that, I had to split with his housekeeper. No. I didn't contest the Will. I think that in itself is unhealthy for one's psyche. Even though my father was mentally unstable, all it would have done is be unsettling for all concerned. So, I let it go. One 'comfort' (for lack of a better word) is that we weren't blood related. If it was the wrong thing for Dad to do, let God pass eternal judgment. That's His job, mine is to give testimony to others for Him so that they too may be saved.

Thankfully, Christ has washed away the deep hurts and regrets with His precious, innocent blood. Only He can replace such emotional heartache with love, affection, and understanding. Every day, I try to be thankful to Him for the new life I have in Him. I quit looking for remedies in what the world could offer. It was the wisest choice I've ever made. There is 'joy unspeakable' waiting for those who will heed His call.

So, on Thursday buy a cupcake, put a candle on it and have a little something sweet and think of me. My hubby is taking me to a fancy schmancy restaurant! Living in the country as we do, this is indeed a Big Deal. Wow, food!! [grin] I hope to also see my half-brother from my birth-family that day.

Did I ever tell you the story of finding my birth-family? No? Well, it was in 1982 ... uh, the story of finding those people is long enough to be a novelette full of romance and intrigue. I documented the whole thing it was so involved. They have been scattered to the wind across America like sheaves of wheat on a threshing floor.

Another day, perhaps?

Thanks for stopping by! I try to always thank God for friends like YOU too! :)

A Reminder: May 6th, National Day of Prayer

Tomorrow, May 6th, is the 59th National Day of Prayer scheduled to be held here in America. I humbly urge all who love God to please participate in this heartwarming event. It may be our last "official" one with the way our government is leaning. So many in our government and military hierarchy now what to eliminate any reference to our Saviour Jesus. I was happy to see our local state Representative, Jack Kingston, calling for an investigation into why Rev. Franklin Graham and another Christian were disinvited to the National Day of Prayer. Good going Jack!

For those who may not know, Rev. Franklin Graham spoke the truth about Islam's treatment of women and calls it an evil and wicked religion. He was originally invited to be the speaker at a National Day of Prayer event at the Pentagon this year and those bunch of weenies up there said he wasn't invited any more.

This morning I heard that a poll done by Fox News, that 83% believe that God answers prayer! Isn't that wonderful!? I'm glad so many folks know this. But I say, of course He does. He answers ALL prayer, it just may not be to our liking. It is a "His will be done" situation, you know. And that's a good thing.

Let's all join together with our neighbors, friends, strangers, loved ones to pray for our nation. That we will turn back to Him and seek His face in all things.

"The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him" Nahum 1:7

Amen! He does care! May His will be done and may it please our Lord God in Jesus' name to bless our nation and help us win this spiritual war for so many souls.

May God forgive and bless our nation, even though we don't deserve it. I know our nation still has a lot of good to give to the world. "See ya in church y'all!" :)

Source: National Day Of Prayer

ADDED WEDNESDAY 7:00 PM:
I have learned when our local event is taking place for anyone in this area interested --
BLACKSHEAR—The Pierce County Ministerial Association will be hosting a “National Day of Prayer” event Thursday at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Blackshear.
The theme for the event, taken from Nahum 1:7, is “Prayer .. For Such a Time as This.” Participating in the event will be Dr. Jesse Truvillion, of Blackshear Presbyterian Church, and his wife, Lt. Col. (retired) Jean Truvillion. Everyone is invited to participate in the 59th annual event to commemorate “National Day of
Prayer.”

Corrupting The Gospel

May this lend to a better understanding of God's Holy Word that we may all be better witnesses to the lost.

May God bless you in Jesus' name! :)

Glitter Graphics Website

Kissing The Water
I happened upon a very nice website today that has oodles of webpage graphics for anyone interested. The one above is from this site.

According to the intro page, they offer:

Animated .GIFs
Avatars
Backgrounds
Blinkies
Clipart
Contact Tables
Dividers
Dolls
Extended Network
Glitter Graphics
Glitter Text
Online Now Icons
Seasonal
Text Generator
MySpace Layouts

So have fun and enjoy!

White-eyed Vireo

"Did anyone get the number of that truck?"
We rescued a White-eyed Verio the other day. Poor little guy flew right into our sliding glass doors. He was out cold on our back deck! So Hubby gently picked him up and kept him awake until he was able to fly.

Then, he flew away to join his buddies. Isn't he pretty?

Our Church And Some Motorcycle News

Our Church
You've never seen our little church, have ya? A couple of weeks ago, one of the elders gave me the project of compiling a notebook featuring the history of the church, who the members were/are, etc. I've learned quite a bit about the church. It was organized in November of 1936 and had many more members back then. This brick building was not the original structure [go here to see the original]. It's tiny!

Our Pastor, Byron Scott, is still very ill. Pastor has been put at the top of the list of a heart transplant. We are humbly asking for prayers, if y'all would. Thank you so much. I'm sure if he could speak directly to you, Byron would say "heart felt thanks" for your prayers and concerns. :) We all miss him and his family very much.

Stained Glass Windows
There are 12 stained glass windows in this structure, donated by various families. I made sure to feature them, including the family data, in the notebook I made.

Honda CRF 230F
Today, my hubby took apart the carburetor on one of our "new" Honda CRF dirt bikes. This one had been running too rich, wouldn't idle properly and was spilling gas at every opportunity. He tore the whole thing down on our kitchen table and gently cleaned every little port. Then carefully put it back together again. Now the bike runs like a top! Yay! I'm so proud of him. He saved us about $100 doing this at home and we didn't have to buy a rebuild kit. I enjoy projects like this too. It reminds how we used to save money doing our own auto repairs when we were first married. We didn't have much money then, but those are fun, happy memories.

Well, I hope everyone else has had a good week in spite of the sad political news? I'm sure we're all praying our law makers will REPEAL THE BILL and take us back down the road to economic recovery instead of their attempt at fascism. Thankfully, whether "they" like it or not, God is still in control. :)

Christ Episcopal Church, St. Simons Island, Georgia

While the Senate diddles away our futures in Washington, we hopped on our iron horses and rode to the coastal town of St. Simon's Island, off shore from Brunswick.

Hubby worked in Brunswick for three years before his retirement from BellSouth, so, he got to know the area really well. Even though we've lived here for over 17 years, I've not taken any time to explore "The Island" (as the locals call it). He wanted me to tour an historical church and grounds. Christ Episcopal Church was founded February 1736. Many of the graves are very ancient. Some are enclosed by something similar to coquina rock. It sure reminds me of Florida with all the hanging moss and the way the buildings are constructed. I guess most all the southern coastal areas look alike.


Parked outside the cemetery


Historical Sign


Christ Episcopal Church (front)


Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery And Grounds


Unknown plant
Anyone know what this is?

It was definitely worth the trip y'all! The weather is absolutely picture perfect for Southeast Georgia: blue sky, light breezes, and the smell of Spring in the air. Dreamy!! The fly in the ointment was the gnats and the sand gnats. Once the cool weather is over, they're baaaaaccckkk! Yuck!! But I'm still glad we went.

Thanks for visiting. :)

Our Honda CRF 230 Fs

Our "new" dirt bikes
Well, we finally found two dirt bikes worth having. Hubby and I bought matching Honda CRF 230 F's last week.

I know, I know, it's not the Kawasaki Sherpa that stole my heart so many months ago but that's OK. We tried for many weeks to find a quality used street legal dirt bike but they are like hen's teeth. Aw well, not a problem. At least with the Honda's I won't have to tag nor insure these. Good deal!

Anyway the Kawasaki Sherpa had a recall issue. It was found the product could have a defective oil passage in the cylinder. Every Sherpa had to be brought in, inspected and many times the cylinder replaced. Now I understand the line has been discontinued and removed from all showroom floors. Guess I would have been disappointed if I'd bought my heart's content.

Most people probably already know this but we found a grand place to search for used motorcycles or darn near anything for that matter: Craig's List. There's a lot of neat items for sale right now. He even found another 1979 Kawasaki KZ 650 similar to my first bike. The one For Sale is blue and didn't have the Vetter Fairing like mine. That was a very nice bike to learn on.

Gosh, I'm so tempted ... [giggle]

Bird Watching Trip To South Texas

It's been really nice taking 3 weeks or so from blogging. I needed a break. Thank you all for your patience. I pray these words find everyone well and enjoying life? I miss my blogging buddies. :)

During this hiatus Hubby and I traveled to south Texas, Harlingen specifically, to visit with new friends who have become very dear to us: Pappy & Bebe, Carey & Donna. These folks are just down to earth nice. If you're not following their blogs, I highly recommend them. After visiting with such warmhearted people it makes me feel really sad to think how my family is. It punctuated how disfunctional ... well, anyway, I won't go there. Do ya think they'll adopt me? [giggle] Nah. I'd rather be friends. I've had enough 'family' in name only to last a lifetime. Our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ makes us all Brothers and Sisters anyway. I'm just thankful they like us and prefer our company. I felt like we were visiting Royalty during the brief visit, their generosity was so overwhelming.

While with our friends, one of the members had a birthday party. Pappy sang (he has a gorgeous voice y'all!) and played his guitar. Not only is Pappy an accomplished poet, but he's a scholar, a Patriot but also a musician. A multi-talented individual. And so is his wife, Bebe. She cooked her marvelous meals in their lovely home and helped show us around Harlingen. She was the perfect Hostess. We had such a wonderful time that leaving for home left us feeling a bit sad. I wish we all lived closer to one another. [sigh]

Enroute to south Texas it was necessary for us to travel the coast. I have to tell you, I'm not enamoured by coastal Texas. It's not near as pretty as Florida coasts, but one town in particular stood out head and shoulders above all the rest: Rockport. It was mostly retirees and very clean. The people were friendly and the homes well kept. We had a nice stay there before heading further south. Rockport was like a beautiful Oasis in a dry, dusty mexican sea.

We also traveled to Harlingen to enjoy migratory bird watching. Hubby added something like more than 21 new bird species to his life list. One of which is a pair of nesting Whooping Cranes! This was in Port Aransas. Even though the pair were too far to get a clear photo, I could tell they are very pretty. The Welcome Center had a stuffed pair on display.

Whooping Cranes
I witnessed more deer on this trip at Port Aransas than I've seen at home in one hunting season and we live in the country.

South Padre Island (near Harlingen) was enjoyable. They built as really nice walkway out over the marshes for birdwatching.

Traveling back home, we ventured briefly into the Texas Hill Country. Winter is not it's best side, so, we didn't stay long. I didn't get to buy my favorite wine this trip. The best part on the return was stopping in Boerne for one night, and then on to Waco to visit with more friends. We couldn't stay but just a few hours as a terrible winter storm was working it's way West to East across Texas. The wind howled like Gang Busters the whole time! The winter storm followed us home through Lousyanna, Mississippi, and Alabama. Thankfully, it didn't hit here until we were home for a few hours. That was quite a drive that last day. We drove from Monroe, LA to home in one day (500+ miles), dragged in at 10:30 PM. We were so exhausted. But it was worth the marathon drive as I was able to pick up the dogs from the kennel before the storm hit the next day. This 'global warming' is a killer ain't it folks?! [lol]

By the way, I haven't labeled all the photos yet. Hubby (the bird expert) is out-of-state visiting his father this week. The Old Man's not sick, just elderly and needed something-or-other done to the house. I think it's just an excuse to have his son visit and that's OK. I won't squawk I did give up a day trip to Daytona tomorrow to take in some motorcycle Demo rides (one of which is the Triumph Bonneville I'm yearning for) so Hubby could visit with his father. I'm not a martyr or anything. I just believe that family comes first. I can ride anytime.

PS: The motorcycle photos at the link below were taken at a friends of Pappy's. The gentleman inherited these old bikes, I think, from an Uncle who collected them. Do you know how much I wanted to bring the Triumph Bonneville home with me as a project bike ..... ???!! Oh yeah baby!! :)

Photos

Cay Creek Wetlands Interpretive Center

Yesterday, we traveled to the Savannah Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina again. It was cold, windy and overcast with very few migratory birds yet. So, after making the 4 mile loop around the park, we headed south towards home.

There we discovered a new public nature walk that is now open. It's near the little community of Midway, Liberty County, GA. Cay Creek is located just west of I-95 off Highway 84.

The Cay Creek wetlands was set aside for the public in honor of Mayor, Willis Britten Hollingsworth (1998-2001).

Since I'm related to many Hollingsworth, I thought I'd check out his lineage. I couldn't find a connection to my bunch (not yet, anyway) but for those interested, I found some of his genealogy here:

Hollingsworth, Willis Britten (1930 - 2001) - male
b. 24 JAN 1930 in Tifton Co., Georgia, USA
d. 22 APR 2001 in Midway, Liberty Co, Georgia
s/o Willis Britten Hollingsworth, Sr. and Minnie Hazel Cook
Source: Bissett/Cook Family

I also found this about Mayor Hollingsworth on-line:

Willis Hollingsworth, Jr. (DVM 1955) of Savannah, mayor of Midway for the past nine years, died April 22. With a deep interest in nature, he made the Cay Creek Wetland Interpretive Center a major project of his for the past five years.
Source: Class Notes, Grad Notes, and Obituaries; December 2001: Vol. 81, No. 1

Turns out, even in the face of adversity, he was quite a 'do-er'. He lost his first wife in a tragic auto accident but still he persevered and made a good life for himself.

The free open access walkway winds it's way through the woodlands leading down to the salt marshes of Cay Creek. Like all wetlands, it has abundant wildlife and native plants to view. Even though it was a ugly overcast day we still enjoyed the stroll through old Georgia. Then we hopped back in the car and had a hearty meal at Captain Joe's Seafood on US Hwy 17 before heading home.


Cay Creek Sign


Best to begin at the begin


Cay Creek Elevated Walkway


Observation Tower


Can you tell I DON'T like heights!


Now that's a good lookin' guy there! :)


Too bad the picnic area was flooded.
It would be lovely to have lunch here some day.


Holly Tree
Anyone know the species and name?

I'm glad we went now. This trip was definately worth the effort.

All photos are here for those interested.

Hope you enjoyed the trip too! ;)