Just Add Water

I can't remember a summer as full as this summer has been. Guest room sheets have been washed on the weekly, sometimes twice weekly with people coming and going. I look for blank spaces in the calendar and see none. Almost none. I've spent more time with my mother and my daughters and my grandchildren this summer than at any other time in recent history and I'm not mad about it. 

In fact, it's been pretty wonderful. 

I need to catch my breath, except remember that calendar with no blank space? Rolling in to fall we'll be looking much the same. Daughter2 asked me to send her a list of Sundays we might be able to travel over for baby boy's dedication service and I said there are three. Three between now and the first of November which sounds crazy even to me. 

My heart feels so full of family right now and I've realized that this is the antidote to all the icky noisy angry stuff and nonsense going on in the world today. Circle the wagons and love your people. My daughter has a verse in her kitchen that I also have tried to keep in mind, this summer especially-

'And aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, 
as we instructed you.' 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Now I know you're probably thinking it's not real quiet here, but in the sense this verse implies we are living a quiet life. To me that means having a close circle of family and friends, filtering out distractions, appreciating the gift of beauty found in creation, and enjoying the small things.  

Let's talk about the beach. 

I haven't had my toes in ocean sand since before Covid. We do have islands in our lake that have sandy beaches, but ocean life is different than lake life. 

Daughter1's hubs had a medical conference in Kiawah Island SC and they invited us to come along for the first half of their trip and the in-laws to come along for the second half. Whenever I say inlaws hubs reminds me we are also 'the inlaws' but for the sake of my blog I use the term to mean them, not us. 

We stayed in one of the 3-bedroom villas at The Sanctuary and had an absolutely marvelous time which included sun, sand, and an 8 PM bedtime for everyone-ha! Almost. 

We loaded up the wagon after breakfast most mornings for the short easy trek to the beach. Along the way we crossed a little foot bridge with marshy river water on either side and hubs had the boys saying 'we're in Gator country now'. Which we were. Alligators look like they're sizing you up when you pass by, don't they? 

We live in South Carolina so we made the kids walk on the inside of the path which may sound a little paranoid but better safe than sorry. 

Every day we counted the alligators and turtles, heron and skink. 

We counted moments and smiles and how many times Nana and the mancub climbed that great big ladder at the resort pool, the one that led to the swirly twirly twisty turny water slide for a fun fast ride down.

A lot. A lot, a lot. In fact Nana lost count of how many a lots but there were a lot. 

Besides swimming and sliding and beaching and nature observing we had fun dinners, a favorite being fresh fish and fries at the Salty Dog Cafe that sits beside the marina-

One evening we sat and sipped Prosecco in the Ryder Cup Bar overlooking the famed Ocean Course. If you golf you know this course is a big deal, and if you don't just know the Ryder Cup Bar is lovely and the views wonderful. Also don't try to go when the President comes to town. 

Fortunately we left town before the President arrived or we wouldn't have been able to get through the gate.

Or on the green-

Days at Kiawah found us with our feet in the surf...

and fish on the line...

...in hand too...

There were boys on boogie boards-

sandy hands-

sandy bottoms-

sandy castles-

and sandpipers-

There were beautiful reflections-

beautiful sunsets-

Ice cream dreams...

Memories made...

...and more love shared than a heart can hold. 

Quiet Spaces and Everyday Graces

This blog has felt a bit quiet in terms of content lately, which is why I signed up for the five-day #hopewriterlife challenge. Ironically, the first word prompt is 'quiet'. 

Hmmm. 

It's never really quiet here. Our calendars are full and usually our guest rooms too, so I'm always looking for blank space somewhere. After a whirlwind August, a whirlwind summer actually, we were forced into a period of rest and stillness by hubs aching back and our dog's emergency belly surgery. 

I don't believe God sent hubs back out of whack or caused the dog to eat that mysterious bit of foam he attempted unsuccessfully to digest, but I do think He uses these types of things to slow us down, to remind us rest is good for the body and soul, and that we need times of quiet to process all the noise of this world. 

Sometimes it feels like there's no escaping the noise, but there's certainly no escaping it when you never remove yourself from it. I have a lot of thoughts, hubs might say too many-ha! and writing has always been a way for me to focus all those thoughts into something that makes sense. 

There are days where not a lot happens here. Most days I'd venture to say, and I imagine most of you would say the same. Life is much more a series of small moments rather than big events, less earth shattering happenings, more laundry and to-do lists. While writing about the everyday ordinary may seem frivolous given the times in which we live, ordinary is nearly always where I land. 

When I write I like to imagine my grandchildren reading my words decades down the road. What do I want them to know about me? What do my words say about the person their grandmother was in the middle of an all CAPS-exclamation point world?

I want them to know my hand was always reaching for the volume, turning it down as I floated into the bright blue beauty of a September day. That I saw mountains meeting clouds and felt small as I remembered where my help comes from. 

That I never stopped looking for quiet spaces in a too noisy world. That contentment lives there, in the most ordinary of days.   

Quietly Living In A Noisy World

I was going to post a Thursday Thirteen yesterday, which is something bloggers used to do every Thursday, but when I typed the number it felt all wrong so I'm just going to wing it with some Friday random instead. 

Hubs and I went out for dinner Wednesday night to celebrate his birthday, a lovely local spot we enjoy. When we walked in we saw this-

At first I thought it odd they had a table reserved for someone right in the entryway because who would want to sit there, but then I registered the sign and the beer and my heart felt heavy with sadness. I'm glad the restaurant set the table, in their own way acknowledging the sacrifices made and the pain still so raw. While I know we want to put our heads down and pretend this didn't happen the way it happened, I for one hope we don't forget. 

We're such a fickle people, so easily distracted. I know it seems we wake up every day to some new awfulness we need to wrap our brains around, but I pray we don't forget these soldiers. So young and by all accounts proud to serve their country, proud to be helping people fleeing a country overrun by terror. Let's not forget. 

We've pretty much been at home this week keeping a watchful eye on our pup. He had a follow up visit with the vet yesterday who said things are looking much better than they were a few days ago, but we still have a ways to go in terms of healing. He has been mostly cooperative and for that we are grateful. 

It is so nice living in almost the same time zone as my daughter1. She has been facetime-ing us late morning and nobody is just waking up or just going to bed. So much easier for everyone than the crazy am/pm differences we've had these past two years, and it's especially fun to think I'll see them in person before the month is out. 

It's tea time. All summer I drink a late afternoon iced coffee until suddenly I don't want iced coffee, I want hot tea. It's still hot and humid here, maybe more so than it's been this entire summer, but there's something about the way the light changes in September, children returning to school, knowing fall is almost upon us even if the thermometer says otherwise, that says it's time for tea. 

This is interesting, right? 

Who else feels like they've watched every movie new, old, and older on Prime and Netflix during Covid? We do a lot of scrolling these days but nothing jumps out at us. We've started a couple of series recently but our interest wanes and we set it aside thinking maybe we'll come back later and finish but then we don't. If you are watching something great let me know. 

Speaking of Covid, how's everyone coping? What a mess. Honestly everything under the sun feels a bit of a mess right now, and we're bombarded with seemingly endless noise every which way we turn. I've been thinking about how to live quietly, and of course social media leaps to mind. 

I remember when I first joined Instagram, all the beauty there. It was almost entirely photographs, lovely images of faraway places, meals lovingly prepared, cozy home spaces that inspired, and that appealed to me. Like most things on the Internet it's become harsher and louder and as a result, less beautiful. 

There's a time for every season, and maybe that includes social media too. 

My daughter and I were talking recently about all the things in the world that threaten to overwhelm us, and how most of those things are completely outside of our ability to change or control. She told me in these troubled times she is taking this verse to heart-

"And aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands as we have instructed you." 1 Thessalonians 4:11 

A gentle reminder not to complicate things, but to care for and tend to the people and the work right in front of us. This we can do...

And it is beautiful. 

The Happiest Hodgepodge On Earth

Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post, then go say howdy to your neighbor. Here we go-

 

1. It's Mickey Mouse's birthday (November 18)...happy birthday Mickey! He reads here, right? Have you ever been to Disney, any of the parks at all? Are you a Disney superfan or something less than that? They're open right now so tell us, would you go if you had the time/money/a free trip?

I've been to Disney World and Disneyland Paris, but never Disneyland California. It's been a number of years since I've been to any of the parks, but hopefully when my grandsons are a bit older I'll have a chance to see the magic again through their eyes. I shared some of our Disney memories in a post linked here, and reading it back just now made me wish the world was normal, my grandkids weren't an ocean away, and a trip to Disney World was on the calendar. 

I enjoy the parks, but am not a superfan. I'm not someone who wants to go every year, but for sure wouldn't turn down a free trip either. And I soak it all up when I'm there. 

2. Your favorite place to go when you want to be quiet as a church mouse? Would those who know you well describe you as more churchmouse or perhaps more like mighty mouse? 

When I'm looking for quiet I head to one of our porches. This time of year especially the lake is quiet and I love the view, a fire in the fireplace or in the fire table, a blanket on my lap, and a good book. Or a good nap. Or both. 

As far as which mouse? I think I'm a bit of both. 

3. The day before Mickey's birthday happens to be National Homemade Bread Day. Did/will you celebrate? Do you bake your own bread? Last time you had hot out-of-the-oven homemade bread? What's your favorite kind of bread? 

I used to bake bread on a pretty regular basis, but not so much these days. I try not to eat a lot of bread. I had homemade hot-out-of-the-oven bread a little over a week ago. My neighbor brought me a loaf of her sourdough and it was scrumptious. I took half the loaf to my sister and brother-in-law because momma of the bride does not need to eat an entire loaf of homemade bread. ahem. 

My neighbor is going to bring me some starter and I'm excited to make my own sourdough loaves. I plan to wrap them up and share with friends and neighbors though because see paragraph above.  

It's hard to choose a favorite bread, but I do love a sandwich on rye. I might say my absolute favorite bread is homemade cinnamon, lightly toasted please.   

4. What's something you might say is 'the greatest thing since sliced bread'? 

Not to be a broken record here, but Facetime is pretty much the greatest thing since sliced bread. Maybe even better than sliced bread. 

5. Let's keep the gratitude theme we started last week rolling on through November. Share with us five little things you're grateful for today. Small blessings. One catch-they all must start with the letter T. Gotta keep us thinking, right? 

turning leaves

Thanksgiving memories

tiny handprints

afternoon tea 

a warning instead of a ticket

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Who's watching the newest season of The Crown? Your thoughts so far? I think the program is so well done, but I do wonder if the royals watch? And I wonder how accurate some of the Diana storyline is? If it's even close to accurate it's awfully sad. 

Also I miss England. 

Carry on.

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 395

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe.  See you there!

1. It's Mickey Mouse's birthday (November 18)...happy birthday Mickey! He reads here, right? Have you ever been to Disney, any of the parks at all? Are you a Disney superfan or something less than that? They're open right now so tell us, would you go if you had the time/money/a free trip?

2. Your favorite place to go when you want to be quiet as a church mouse? Would those who know you well describe you as more churchmouse or perhaps more like mighty mouse? 

3. The day before Mickey's birthday happens to be National Homemade Bread Day. Did/will you celebrate? Do you bake your own bread? Last time you had hot out-of-the-oven homemade bread? What's your favorite kind of bread? 

4. What's something you might say is 'the greatest thing since sliced bread'? 

5. Let's keep the gratitude theme we started last week rolling on through November. Share with us five little things you're grateful for today. Small blessings. One catch-they all must start with the letter T. Gotta keep us thinking, right? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Surviving the Hodgepodge and The Alphabet Too

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge and the Letter S in the April A-Z blog challenge. Scroll to the end of my post for that last one.

If you've answered today's Hodgepodge questions, add your link at the end of my post then go say howdy to your neighbor. In this season of healthy social distancing it's okay to be social here.

1. What's something you resolved to do this year? Have you done it?

I didn't make any resolutions this year. At least nothing official, nothing in writing. Last year kicked our tails, and I guess if I resolved anything it was to give myself some breathing room, to make space and time for rest and recharge, and to welcome a new year without the pressure of a long list of to-do's. 

We just never know what's waiting around life's corners do we? 

On the bright side, I said to my hubs recently that I feel sincerely rested for the first time in a long while. I have taken time to breathe, nap, daydream, read, write, and create. 

Is anyone talking about what happens when life is back at full throttle and some of us want to stay in low gear?

2. Where do you go to find quietude?

I live on a lake and my porch view is pretty much the definition of the word. As long as nobody sits beside me and reels off their house project to-do list or some such nonsense. Hi hubs! Also, a walk in the woods is good for mind-body-spirit and when I need a time of true quietude I aim my feet there. 

3. A friend asked this question on her Facebook page and said I could borrow it for the Hodgepodge...you're only allowed to buy 5 things at the grocery store, and all must start with the first letter of your first name. Whatcha' buying?

My initial is one of the tougher ones I think-the letter J. 

jellybeans-of course because I've admitted here previously I have a weakness for them

juice-I drink cranberry with a splash of orange most mornings

Jonathan apples-I like all apples and you know what they say about keeping the doctor away.

Jamón-a most delicious dry cured ham from Spain that we all love, plus I need some protein in my grocery cart

Jif peanut butter- because when I don't know what I want I reach for the peanut butter

4. The television show Survivor, the Gloria Gaynor song 'I Will Survive', survival mode, survival of the fittest...pick one and discuss.

I'm going with the Gloria Gaynor song, and will save the discussion for my random thought. Keep reading. 

5. Share a favorite quote or saying about strength.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm going to use this space today for my A-Z Blog Challenge word of the day, brought to you by...yup, you guessed it...another sister-in-law.

Day 19-S is for Survive

I know my sister-in-law had something a bit more serious in mind when she chose this word, but I went a little deep in yesterday's post and wanted to lighten things up some here today.  

Does anyone not know all the words to I Will Survive? Can you sing it at anything less than full volume? Do you feel like you could rule the world when you're through singing? 

When I hear this song I flash back to the college years and the angst of young love, broken hearts, and the power of friendship. I was a freshman in college when this song came out and if you watch the music video there is no mistaking the decade. There's someone on roller skates because why not? Hello 1970s! 

Raise your hand if you think the 70's were the absolute best.

Music is a door to time travel and this one opens up to when the world sat waiting at my doorstep. 
To the friends who made me brave when I was young and full of dreams. Friends who were fun and smart and funny, so so funny. Who could be irate on my behalf when irate was what was called for. 

We're back there living in tiny, un-pottery barned dorm rooms sharing electric rollers and too many late night pizzas, playing honest to goodness albums and laughing til we pee as we hold hairbrush microphones to our lips and sing at the top of our lungs.  

One part kid two parts adult, or maybe it was the other way around. 

We lived and loved and grew and changed and we did so much more than just survive. 

We grabbed each other by the hand and ran head long into now. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 365

Here are this week's questions for the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe. Don't forget to include a link back here so your readers can play along too. Here we go-

1. What's something you resolved to do this year? Have you done it?

2. Where do you go to find quietude?

3. A friend asked this question on her Facebook page and said I could borrow it for the Hodgepodge...you're only allowed to buy 5 things at the grocery store, and all must start with the first letter of your first name. Whatcha' buying?

4. The television show Survivor, the Gloria Gaynor song 'I Will Survive', survival mode, survival of the fittest...pick one and discuss.

5. Share a favorite quote or saying about strength.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Serenity Now

Shhh...

Today's word comes from my sister-in-law (yes, another one), and it's interesting to me how so many of the words I've been given say something about the giver.

Day 17-Q is for Quietude

Maybe not a word I use often, but certainly one I seek. 

To escape the noise in this world and the noise in my head. 

A quiet state. 

                  

Inhale. Exhale. 

                 

Stillness...tranquility...repose. 

We make room in our lives for what matters.

Wishing you moments of quietude in the week ahead.

Feels Like Christmas

Some years our hearts are bursting with Christmas spirit and some years it all feels a bit more elusive. I've been on the hunt for mine this season, which is partly how we ended up in a little town called Dahlonaga.

I read Southern Living Magazine and for several years now around Christmas time they've mentioned this small Georgia town, telling readers they should see it if they get the chance.

We got the chance.

While making plans a couple of weekends ago to see friends near Atlanta, I googled Dahlonaga and discovered it was less than an hour from our weekend destination. Hubs and I decided to go a day early and spend the night before moving on to our friends house Friday afternoon.

The charming little town of Dahlonaga sits in the mountains of northwest Georgia.  The area has loads of wineries, some of which are quite good, and the little town of Dahlonaga is built around a village square.

Let's just say they know how to do Christmas lights here.

We stayed in a small hotel just off the square which made it all easy peasy. We parked, checked in to our room, then spent some time walking around the square, browsing the shops, and dodging raindrops. The weather wasn't stellar, but Christmas lights made it all easier to bear.

Also key lime truffles from this candy shop.

We thought about a horse drawn carriage ride, but the queue was long and we didn't think we'd get to the front before our dinner reservation. We ate in a little Irish pub that had good reviews online, but I thought was just okay.

Actually the food was good, but initially they seated us at a table with a heater beating down on top of our heads so we asked to be moved. Of course it was crowded so they moved us to an awkward table in the bar with low stools for seating which are not my favorite.

The bar is covered in bills people have tacked up, mostly ones but a few larger and a few foreign, and that was fun to see. If the weather were nice and I could eat outside, maybe I'd give it one more try.

Except really I think one night in town was just enough. I'm happy we made the stop, but don't feel the need to go back. An overnight visit was just the right dose of Christmas magic.

Friday morning we had breakfast at 'a little dive bar in Dahlonaga'. If you don't know country music you won't get the reference, but the live music venue made more famous by the song, also serves food. The story behind the song is a good one which is something I like about country music.

After breakfast we stopped to see the gold museum, and while I expected 'cheesy' it was actually pretty interesting.

The museum is housed in a beautiful old building, one of the oldest standing courthouse buildings in the state, and I love old buildings. I don't remember hearing about the GA gold rush in my NJ elementary school, but it happened twenty years prior to the more famous California rush, so technically first in the U.S.

It was a cold cloudy day and it occurred to me I was missing the pretty pre-Christmas snows we had in N.J. Yeah, yeah, I know they're a pain in the neck on so many levels, but there is something about the quiet stillness that comes along with softly falling snow that helps a person hit pause.

Doesn't everybody need to hit pause this time of year?

Since the rain had tapered off we decided to take a peek at some nearby waterfalls we'd read were spectacular-

They were-

Just gorgeous! This is Amicalola Falls, the highest falls in the state of Georgia.

You can hike in, but we weren't prepared for that so we drove up and parked in a lot that sits about midpoint of the falling water.

A bridge spans the rushing water and you can walk out on it for a better look.
It's high. Just sayin'.

And there are steps up and steps down but we just hung out here in the middle until we were ready to move on. We drove further up the mountain because we'd heard the view there was also incredible- 

It was.

My heart grew three sizes on the patio that day.

Because more than the hustle and bustle of a town dressed in twinkle lights what I long for this time of year is the quiet beauty of creation. Let me stand on a mountaintop and be amazed. Let me remember the miracle of Christmas and let that miracle fill me with awe and wonder.

'And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father,  full of grace and truth.' John 1:14

Five Minutes of Life In The Slow Lane

I'm linking with Five Minute Friday this morning, and yes I know it's Monday. The word prompt last week was SLOW, so I've got that covered.

Here's how Five Minute Friday works...you tell your inner critic to hush, then write for 5 minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word. Next hop over to the party hosted by Kate Motaung and add your link to the list. Be sure to leave a comment for the writer who linked before you, because that's the neighborly thing to do. Here goes slow-

I've slowed way down here this month, and while I'm feeling nearly back to normal I want to keep life more slow lane, less passing lane. That's sort of new for me, because we've always been top down-sunglasses on-fast lane passing the slow Sunday drivers going way below the speed limit kind of people. We're do-ers, go-ers, entertainers, travelers.

Slow helps me see how impatient I am. 

I read fast, walk fast, drive fast, talk fast.

Slow helps me see how bossy I am. 

I'm quick to spit out words, quick to act and react.

Slow tells me there are rhythms to life and I need to embrace both the seasons of busy and the seasons of stillness that come my way. 

It's quiet here. Did you know you can hear quiet?

I've spent hours sitting on the deck watching the water, sky, and woods change. Fish jump high and land with a splash, the water rippling outward in ever widening circles. Bluejay and hawks and kingfisher soar and swoop. Squirrels are tiny trapeze artists in the branches overhead. The sun rises across the cove and paints the sky all kinds of magnificent.

If I don't slow my feet and my mouth and the rushing whirl inside my brain I miss it, this quiet beauty that was made for us not to miss.

You miss a lot of things if you're perpetually on the go. Not just the what in life, but also the why. Some of life's most needed, best loved skills and traits require a slowing down of schedules, pace, and endless chatter, opinion, and activity.

It's in the slow I find space for listening and creativity. For deep thought and focused prayer. 

For awe and gratitude.