This past holiday... in one small spot on this planet...

There really was a place where kids could be kids...

And just run races...

And get rides through the woods and around the pastures...

And climb sand hills...

To find hidden treasure... (sweet treats of course)...

Then cool off in the little river...

And let the big folks fix the food...

Thanks to all of those striving for peace... each in our own way.

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Where is all the "time"
from those "time-saving" devices?

Where is the time that these time-saving devices are supposed to give you?

You know the idea… you get a machine to do the work or help to get it done faster.

That was the idea behind my husband getting a modified golf cart with a box on the back to hold dirt and mulch etc.

I was fussing that he wouldn't get enough exercise if he just drove it around the farm. After all, I was used to pulling a little wagon with buckets of water for more than an eighth of a mile to our gate to water flowers.
But after I started using the cart to drive the buckets of water and found out how easy it was - I was smiling! And thinking of all the time I was saving!

But while scooting up the road with the water the other day I got to wondering… although I'm enjoying these conveniences … I still don't seem to have any extra time!

When do I get to just lay around and sip lemonade?

Then I realized that maybe I have to plan to do that like any other activity.

The only problem is that some of us have been raised with the ever present feeling of GUILT when we do something "lazy".

You'd think by the time we're grown up we would be able to forget about guilt. I certainly didn't have such a problem when I was a little kid! I tried to get out of just about any job I could.
But I think guilt kicks in once you become a parent. By being busy you're setting a good example, I guess.

But now the kids are grown. And don't anyone tell me I need guilt because of the grandchildren. They probably don't have any problem trying to get out of their chores!

Maybe that's what they're here to teach me - to remind me about being a kid.

Maybe that's why grandparents and grandkids can get along so well!

We don't look alike...

But we're getting along.


(Just a thought for the world... a reminder for me too!)


(A Cardinal and an Indigo Bunting
taking turns at the bird feeder.)

A "Wish" Tree...

Sometimes... in a very special woodland...

(and it could be the one you are in)

you may find a very old and very wise "Wish Tree".

It should have a special crevice

to hide your secret wishes.

So carefully check it out if you see one.

Make sure no little critter is using it for a home!

Did you leave a note with a wish?

Or a greeting to another visitor?

Or a question that was worrying you?

Was there an answer?

It doesn't matter if you say the tree didn't really write one.

Sometimes it just helps to explain your thoughts in such a manner.

And look for your answer "along your way..."

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"Everything's not about money!"

(What is so sweet about this story is that the lady has experienced some tough times in her life... and therefore she really understands when she says: "Everything's not about money!")


“Everything’s not about money!” said Charlene Underwood as she explained her prices (or rather no prices) at her recent garage sale. She said she had just gotten tired of moving the children’s outgrown clothing and toys and knicknacks around!

And she remembered how tough it was years ago when she was raising her children and didn’t have enough money to buy them toys. She would have appreciated getting some free ones.

Charlene also recalled that for the past two years she had asked her husband, Bob, to bring these things to a thrift store. But he just didn’t get around to it.

Last week she heard how nice the weather was going to be and decided that some of her spring housecleaning could just end up on the front yard.
Baby toys, car seat, play pen, stroller, bird cages, wall hangings, tea pot, ceramics, piles of clothing, shoes, cooking utensils, movie tapes, etc. all went out on display.

She put a sign out on the county road.

The first couple of shoppers explained that they were planning on sending the clothes they found here to missions. Charlene was pleased at the thought.

And she’s pleased at the space she has cleared out in her house

during this year’s Spring Cleaning "No-Sale - Giveaway" Garage Sale".

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Apple blossoms in Germany...

Their fragrance and beauty
blesses us

and ties us together...
across the many miles...
in our enjoyment
of the gifts of nature.

Photo shared by Rolf.

The old apple tree still blooms...

It stands at the edge of the woods...

gnarled and aged...

but at the tips of some of its branches...

.

.

it's blossoming!

And the sweet fragrance permeates

the morning's moist air

and tells the world

that even this ancient tree

still has gifts to share.

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Smile! We're on an early morning talk show...

A sense of humor!
I like to bounce off folks like Ian and Margery Punnett on their morning talk show (FM 107.1) when I get to chuckling over something.
So I sent my column in the night before.
The next morning they apparently tried to contact me via e-mail, but I was still in bed.
So then they used this tactic - I woke up a little after 5 a.m. to hear on the radio next to my bed: "Rosie, call in to the station..."
That'll catch your attention!
(Like, who's here in my bedroom?)
Oh, it's on the radio!
Well, here are my thoughts given on their show... followed by my full column in my previous "blog".
Enjoy!

Snail mail - not e-mail

for internet promoter, Bill Gates?

When trying to e-mail Bill Gates... who is a symbol of internet technology and computers... I found he doesn't have an e-mail address!

His website said to send a letter via the U.S. Postal Service!

*

Then I found that President Bush doesn't have one either! (The official White House website)

Although Vice President Cheney does!

This could be scary!

Where is the President?

Why do we have to e-mail such a nondescript address as: comments@whitehouse.gov to get a response: "on behalf of the president..."?

Who is this "comments"?

*

Then I checked the Queen of England... and she has an e-mail address!

God Bless the Queen!

Snail mail – not e-mail
for internet promoter Bill Gates?

I simply wanted to send the author of the book a “heads-up” comment as to how much I liked it. I wasn’t looking for a response so much as I wanted to encourage him.

Years ago I was touched by the response from Charles Colson, after the Watergate episode. I recall having read only about 39 pages of one of his books when I kept getting the urge to write him a note of encouragement. In those days we used the U.S. Postal land mail. To my surprise he responded something to the effect that he needed to hear that at that time! When I finished reading the book I sent another letter saying that it was as good as I had thought. I never heard back from him. But I didn’t need to. I believe my message was meant to be received by him at the time he got it… he needed it then.

With the advent of e-mail, it has been easier to make contacts. So I decided to e-mail the author of The Road Ahead, Bill Gates. He's the chairman of Microsoft Corporation. Its website proclaims it’s “the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions… “
Even though Gates wrote the book back around 1996, I was fascinated by his ideas on the future of technology and the internet.

I searched his website to e-mail him. But I found that this man who is a symbol of internet technology and computers doesn’t have an e-mail address!

So I e-mailed them asking why? Someone named “Tony” responded that if I would like to write to Bill, (I hadn’t thought of calling him just “Bill”!), I could send a letter to Microsoft Corporation via the U.S. Postal Service! (Snail mail?)

I e-mailed back a thank-you but then thought how strange it was that Bill Gates – the Guru, so to speak, of the modern internet – wouldn’t have an e-mail address! (Of course I wouldn’t expect he would read them all.)
This time, someone named “Grace” responded. “At this time there is no public e-mail address for Bill Gates, but he is very interested in what customers have to say, and takes an active interest in reviewing customer feedback. Also, he is kept apprised of what the customers of Microsoft are thinking, and he or his staff do read all the e-mail messages he receives.” (How can he receive e-mails if they don't list an address?)

Well, what about other public figures? I checked out the White House. Vice President Cheney has e-mail. But not the president! The only address I could send my request to was addressed: "Comments...". And “Comments” responded: “On behalf of President Bush, thank you for your correspondence. We appreciate hearing your views and welcome your suggestions...” etc.

So this is the e-mail address on the official site for the President? I e-mailed “Comments” back and asked: “How come the White House web site has a personalized e-mail address for the Vice President, but the impersonal e-mail address of “Comments, etc.” for the President? Is this an inadvertent psychological statement as to his position? What are you trying to tell the public?”
I haven’t heard back yet.

Next I checked out the Queen of England. She’s got an e-mail address!

God bless the Queen!

(Photos are from the websites)

Orphan lambs...

Orphaned lambs gratefully slurp the yummy nutrients

provided by our friends

who are raising these bouncing playful Spring babies

and they let us bottle feed them.

And when the frantic emptying of their bottles

has been completed,

the lambs are more relaxed

and quiet in their

gentle nibbling of the rest of their feed.

Ahhh...