VISITS FROM FRIENDS!!!

Friday evening I had a delightful time with my friend, D, pictured here in my symmetricam shot of her. Isn't it interesting the central piece of the picture looks like a candle coming up through the center of her body. She brought me some delicious brownies and she and I went for a long walk, strolling along the waterfront solving the problems of the world. Then we came back to reality! This was her first time at my camper, and she loved it!!! I mean, what's not to love!!!

Lacy came for a return visit on Saturday. She also brought two pumpkins for us to carve. Here's Lacy beginning our fire. Believe it or not, this was my first fire at the campsite. For the most part, I've been pretty much a home-body, staying inside and not really venturing outside to do things like cook out or sit outside by the fire, but we did last night. The temperature got down to about 50 degrees, so it was pretty chilly. Below are our two pumpkins. Lacy did the cat and I did the face. They looked so awesome lit up last night!!!

As we were sitting around this beautiful fire, my neighbor from behind me came over and brought some fried dill pickles for us to taste. Then, a few minutes later, he brought us a piece of deer jerky he had made himself. Not too bad, if you like jerky. Later his wife stopped by to tell us about her knee replacement. WHEW!!! what a talker!!

How about this for a great camp fire!!! I took this with a feature FX camera that makes the picture look like an old-fashioned polaroid. Lacy really knows how to make a great fire.

Once it got too cold to sit outside any further, Lacy and I came in and started playing Sequence. We played until midnight, way past my bedtime, but we had a great time!

AN END TO A SEASON!!!

This time of the year is one of my favorites. When the trees begin to display an array of colors that dazzle and enliven the spirit. For a brief time I am in awe of the majesty and splendor of God's handiwork.

My journey into the New England part of the country gave me no glimpses of the ever-changing hues of autumn, and believe me the fall colors are a sight to behold. I hope all of you can make that journey some day!!!

As I was puttering around yesterday, I happened to look across the lane and there was this gorgeous tree. I wish I had the type of camera that captures more completely the true essence of the color. But you all know exactly what I'm talking about.

It's in those moments we glimpse the power of something greater that we are, and we are in awe!!!

I'm winding down now, my stay is coming to an end here. I accomplished quite a bit around my camper, many things packed and ready to go. I have decided to take my truck, rather than renting a car. The idea of putting all that money into a car I'll have to give back in 30 days made me rethink the idea of taking my truck. Now, I've decided to put "all terrain" tires, replace all 4, on instead. It's an even trade for the price of the car. Carolyn and Glynn are going to do the tune-up and get it road ready for me. I told Coley and she was actually excited. I guess a part of me thought she'd much prefer the comfort of a smaller vehicle. But not!!! So we are both even more excited about our journey!!! I pick her up in New Orleans on November 17th and we leave bright and early the next morning for Missouri, our first "pit" stop.

Traveling from there to the badlands of South Dakota and finally into Wyoming.

More about that as we get closer. Today is Friday. All you working stiffs, yahoooooo, Friday!!!!!

To all, have a GREAT weekend, find the beauty around you!!!

A TIME OF REFLECTION!!!

Sometime in the middle of the night, I woke up and realized I had been writing my blog in my dream state. What I was writing was a comparison of where I was at this time last year, and where I am now.

Last year, at exactly this time of the month, I was in Costa Rica experiencing my life as a retired person. I had arrived at the end of the rainy season and discovered I didn't know squat about humidity, even though I had lived in Memphis for 40 years. Trust me, the humidity here is nothing compared to the humidity at the equator. I thought I was going to die!!!

Fortunately, I did not die and I did learn how to do absolutely nothing for about 5 months. Once I learned the rhythm of doing nothing, I felt really relaxed and moved through the days and weeks with an easy grace. My twin and I learned how to live together and to move through our days in a flowing ease, each living individually and also communally, as if we had danced this dance many times before.

Now, one year later, I'm living in my camper, finally back at Sardis Lake in Mississippi. What I learned a year ago has served me well. I've found myself living for days without leaving my comfortable surroundings within my beautiful Sunnybrook. The picture to the left was taken on my way back to the campsite. This was at Como, Mississippi. The feeling is exquisitely serene, much like what I feel as I awaken each morning to begin my new day.

I won't be returning to Costa Rica this winter, but I will be putting my camper up for a few months and "bunking" with friends until sometime in February or March. I know I will miss having my own space and my own solitude, but I am looking forward to being in the company of dear friends and my loving family. I believe I'll be experiencing many pajama days in the days and weeks to come.

Anyone want to join me? Come on over, wear your favorite pj's and be prepared to kick back!!!

Might even entertain having some "denial" time, so look out Memphis, here I come!!!!

CLEARING OUT!!!

This morning I woke up to the sound of rain and thunder. I immediately checked my closet to see if the new roof had taken care of the leak, and, yes, there was no water coming into my camper. YAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Once I came out to the living room, I reheated some leftover coffee and sat down at my dining room table to read for a little while. Then I looked out the window and noticed my neighbors from Texas, Bill and Debbi, had already left for home. They had come up for the Ole Miss football games, and yesterday they played the Arkansas Razorbacks. Unfortunately Ole Miss lost, but before the game I got to hear the music of "Dixie" played quite a few times. I'm sure that was for the benefit of the Arkansas fans who were also here at the campground. So, boohoo, no more "Dixie" tunes (thank God!!!). Almost all of the people, who were here for the weekend, loaded up and left. I'm completely by myself in this part of the park, however, there are a few campers further away. I love the quiet and the solitude.

The picture above is of one part of my head with the clothes rack behind me. I took it while I was driving back to the lake. I know, not a good idea, taking pictures while I'm driving. But, I wanted to post one of the symmetricam pictures of me since I've posted one of most of my friends and family.

What do you see in the picture? I see several creatures, the one on the top looks almost like the character in the Wiley Coyote cartoons, the guy who was always trying to "get that varmit!" with his six-shooters. He had a long mustache and long bushy eyebrows. Then there's another critter with a big grin, big ears and what look like horns coming out of the top of his head. These are great pictures for kids to look at and let their imaginations run wild. Hope you enjoy them!!!

Stay well, do good things and be kind to each other!!!!

A VISIT FROM A FRIEND!!!

My day started at 7:30 am when I jumped out of bed to turn the heater and then jumped right back into bed to cuddle up with my blanket for a few more minutes of blissful sleep.

When I finally got up about 8:30a.m., I had a leisurely morning drinking coffee, eating my breakfast of cheese grits and a bagel, and reading Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe. If you haven't read this book, it's really so well done. How she got the speaking language so perfect is beyond me, and the story of slavery is so beautifully articulated. My sister, Jenny, loaned me her copy and I'm just about half way through it.

This beautiful woman on the left is my dear friend, Ayn, who took a mental health day to come and play with me at the lake. She arrived about noon and we drove into the big town of Sardis, Mississippi. Believe me, if you blink, you'll miss the town. I had noticed a restaurant that advertised wood-fired pizzas, so we decided to have lunch there. My pizza was the most delicious margherita pizza I've had anywhere, and, yes, it was wood-fired. The restaurant is called TriBeccaAllie and is only open for lunch, until 3pm. For those of you wanting to get out of town for a little day trip, come on down to Sardis, exit 252, turn right and then left at Main St. You can't miss the restaurant down on your left.

Here's Ayn taking a little break on my couch. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing a game called Sequence. It's the best of both the board game world and the card game world. We played about a dozen hands and Ayn will point out that I won the majority of the games, but, we had a great time talking, laughing and playing.

I told Ayn I wanted to take her picture with my symmetricam camera. So here she is with what appears to look like a little alien with eyes looking out at you in the middle of her face and her one tooth. At first I though it looked like a butterfly, but now it's got a body and head and legs and arms. Not to mention the uni-brow. I love it, Ayn!!!

Now, the best picture of all. Here's my friend, Ayn and I, at my dining room table. She is such a sweetheart and she loves my new home. I bet next year I'll get to spend more time with her in my camper. She also likes playing games, so I'm all on board with that.

Only about another week in my camper, then I'll be putting it up for a few months. I'm already setting up places to stay and so far I'm booked through January. So keep up with my blog to see where I'm headed next.

Big hugs to all you people out there who touch my life in so many ways!!!!!

STORM COMING!!!

This afternoon, after spending a pleasant morning in my camper cooking a new dish, I looked out and saw a storm brewing over the lake. You can see the really dark clouds as they moved in. The temperature then began to drop about 20 degrees over the next few hours and the rains came.

I finished making my "Pumpkin-Ricotta Stuffed Shells" and have them chilling in my refrigerator. Tomorrow I'll have dinner with Tish and spring on her my new dish. It really sounded good and looks even better.

Most of my day has been spent in contemplation, prayer, and reflection. I woke up thinking about the movie "The Moses Code" in which James Twyman speaks about the message given to Moses, "I am that I am". Twyman suggests a slight variation on the statement as this "I am that, I am". Feels different, doesn't it?

Many great modern day philosophers and visionaries speak of voicing the first part of the statement as "I am that "peace", "joy", "love", "relationship", or whatever else we envision ourselves to be in our world.

So, today I am the love I am seeking, and I am the relationship I am seeking!!! I invite each of you to speak to that which you are as well!!! Here's to co-creating our reality, one breath, one thought, one prayer at a time!!! Love to all!!!

MAD HAT TEA PARTY!!!

Here I am with my friend, BJ. This tea party was the first time I was able to wear my tea party hat. You can't really see the top of my hat, but, there's a tea pot at the back with tea cups on each side and a piece of pie in the very front. My friend, Elizabeth, and I made the hat several years ago for another tea party that never happened. BJ's hat belonged to her Dad. He was in the Coast Guard and this was the first time she's had the hat since her father passed on.

Here's my friend, Satoria. She had a beautiful hat and I fell in love with her beautiful red outfit. It's got a long skirt with a little fringe along the bottom. Georgeous!!!

How about these two lovelies!!!! Vicki on the left and Renee on the right. Renee and I are the ones buying the lottery tickets each week. She buys for Wednesday and I buy for Saturday. Vicki and I go way back. She actually came to my very first "naked" birthday party. She looked straight out of the English country side headed to the fox hunt.

Here's another wild and crazy woman. Joann had her mother's hat on. Joann told us the story of when her mother passed, she had told her daughters and granddaughters she wanted them to have her hat collection. So this was also the first time for Joann to have her mother's hat on. Joann also told us the entire outfit was purchased at different times, but it all went together beautifully.

What a great time we all had. Wonderful teas, terrific food and the company of beautiful women for the afternoon. I had such a marvelous time!!!!

MY "AH HA" MOMENT

This past weekend, I attended a workshop for women only with this woman. Her name is Edwene Gaines and she's a Unity minister. I've been participating in her workshops since the early 1990's. I refer to her as my "spiritual mentor" because of all I've learned from this very wise and inspiring woman. In her lap is her newest "baby", Pumpkin, a 10-week old maltese puppy.

We arrived on Friday, seven women from the Memphis area. In the workshop there were about 38 women total. Each of Edwene's workshops is about empowering women to be all they can be.

In 1995, I traveled to Glastonbury, England with her for a seven day retreat which culminated in a firewalk, my first one. From the moment I crossed the fire, I knew in my heart I wanted to bring this experience to others. My becoming a Master Firewalk Instructor was all due to this first experience and I've been loving it ever since. This past weekend was no different. On Sunday evening we built the fire together and everyone, except for three women, walked the fire, quite a few for the very first time.

So, here's the moment I gleaned from the entire weekend and the piece I needed to get for myself. Edwene was talking about believing "God is my source". If you really believe this then God can work all kinds of miracles in your life and in all ways. The more she talked the more I realized I had been cutting off my "source". I've been languaging for myself, on several occasions since I retired "I'm on fixed income". Do you know what that does for your "source", stops it like a brick wall. Now that I've had this awakening experience I will never again use this expression. I do believe God is my source and I've had many moments when "unexpected" money has come into my life enabling me to do many of the workshops I've done over the past 20 years.

What are you languaging for your life? Are you limiting your Source? Are you creating the life you dream of or limiting yourself? Think about it. Perhaps you're also putting out energy unknowingly, but, it's never too late to have the life you dream of.

ALOHA!!!!

Just a quick note to let everyone know I will be out of pocket for the next few days.

Tomorrow morning I will be traveling with six other women from Memphis. We're headed to Valleyhead, Alabama to participate in a women's empowerment workshop facilitated by my spiritual mentor, Rev. Edwene Gaines.

We begin the workshop on Friday evening and we conclude with a firewalk on Sunday evening.

It's been over a year since I last walked on fire. I'm very excited about being with some old friends and having the opportunity to re-energize myself with the spirit of the fire.

One of my dear friends, Beth Franklin, is coming up from Birmingham. Beth was with me when I traveled to Glastonbury, England in 1995 for my very first firewalk with Edwene. That experience transformed my life, and continues to do so.

Off I go. I'll be back in Memphis on Monday afternoon and I'll check in then. Hold me in your thoughts and prayers. Even though I've walked on fire hundreds of times, it's still something I hold a healthy respect for.

Love you all!!!

I NEED A VACATION FROM MY VACATION!!!

I am now back at the lake, taking it really easy. My stomach has been a little queasy this afternoon, so I'm pampering myself with a good book and a nice little lie down.

This is my absolute favorite time of the day, when the sun is low in the sky, just about to say "goodnight" and the shadows are long. The light is golden and makes everything soft and dreamy.

As you can see by the pictures, there are no campers close by. I have an unrestricted view of the lake and the beautiful trees. This is really one of the most gorgeous State parks there is. And, if you're a senior, the price is very reasonable, only $10.00 per night. I've reserved my space for the entire month of October, and probably will stay until November 10th.

As all of you know I will not be returning to Costa Rica this winter, so I have a whole season to figure out where and what I'll be doing. There is some thought of going to the gulf and staying around Mobile or the Pensacola/Destin area. I also might just stay at my friends', Carolyn and Glynn's, house.

Look how beautiful. Don't you wish you were here?!!! Hmmmm!!! Even though I got back here and parked my camper on Saturday, I immediately went to pet-sit. So tonight is really my first night back at the lake in my camper. The temperature is supposed to go down into the 40's, but be in the mid to high 70's during the day.

My body feels like it's been run through the wringer. Aches and pains and a feeling of overall tiredness. Isn't it funny, no matter what we do, especially if we're having a really good time doing it, our bodies seem to need more time to retrieve the energy expended. Could it be that I'm getting older? Nah!!!!!

My dinner is just about done cooking. I won't be able to see who gets kicked off Dancing With the Stars, but the show last night was one of the best I've ever seen, and believe me I've seen just about every one.

Stay well, do good work, and remember, I'm just a phone call away!!!

MADE IT BACK!!!!

My last evening at Sandy and Tom's, Sandy brought home a 10-week old Jack Russell Terrier. Here he is playing with Dax. The funny thing about these two was the little guy really didn't care that Dax outweighed him by 60 lbs. They got into a tug-of-war with one of Dax's favorite toys. Sandy said "I can see Dax slinging his head and tossing the puppy across the room." Believe the puppy held on for dear life. What a trip it was watching these two play. Dax has no idea how big he is compared to the little one. Unfortunately, the next day, the owner of the terrier called to say her kids really missed the puppy and she wasn't able to let him go. Probably great news for Sandy and Tom, since Dax is alot of puppy to handle right now.

I'm back at Sardis Lake. I drove for nearly twelve hours on Friday and made it to Crossville, Tennessee before I gave up the ghost. I slept in my camper that night at the Cumberland Co. rest stop. It was really cold and I ended up leaving the next morning at 5:20 a.m. I got to the lake about 11:30 a.m., Smitty met me to help get the camper set up and then I left to drive to Germantown, Tennessee for a pet-sitting job.

Today, I'm a slug!!!! It's 11:30 in the morning and I'm still in my pj's. Believe me, by 6 p.m. tonight, I will still be in my pj's. It feels so good not to have to drive somewhere and to be able to kick back and relax, really relax!!!

To my friends, Bob and Linda, Judy and Lynn, Cathy and Ted, thanks for some great memories!!! To my sisters, Jenny and Sandy, thanks for putting up with me for so long. I had a great time being able to be with you for more than just a few days or a few hours. And to Larry and Tom, my brothers-in-law, you're the best!!! Larry and I got quite adept at emptying the "honey pot" and I so appreciate all his help. Tom, despite your comments to the contrary, I know you're missing me right about now. Really did enjoy my time I spent with both of you.

So , here is where I'm at for now, and here is where I'll be for the next few weeks. If you're in the area, please drop by my campsite, #59 at Sardis Lake. Would love to have the company!!!!