A Quick Sister Update

Thank you everyone for all your good thoughts and prayers for my sister, Midge.  She had her surgery last week on Friday and this past week she was able to come home on Wednesday!  She's very tired of course but says she doesn't have much pain.  So I'm heading out tomorrow to spend the week with her and help where I can. I'm so relieved this part of her journey is done and now she can spend time this summer recouping.  

 Looking good heading home on Wednesday.  Her dog, Hope, has been boarded for the last 10 days and she will come home tomorrow.  I know that will be a happy reunion!  Thanks again everyone!

A Day Of Light

 The Summer solstice has arrived and many will say this is the longest day. However, there is and always will be only 24 hours in a day but the light of today will last the longest of all year. As of now it will slowly start to go toward the shortest day.  We won't speak of that now but enjoy this first day of Summer to the fullest. I know here in Ohio we're going to be very hot...95de.  Coming off of the past lovely weekend of cool temps it will be a bit hard to take. But the pools will be packed and the kids don't care if it's hot so bring on the lemonade and the shady spot to sit and enjoy a BBQ dinner. Later I hope you can see a night sky of stars and maybe even find an ice cream cone to savor. Since our electric is now back on we can also enjoy some A/C!  To start our long day Annabelle and I took a nice walk on the shady side of the street down our little country road.

The heat hasn't arrived yet so this walk was lovely.

If  Annabelle could talk she would agree.

A quick stop to smell each pine cone.  Anyone need some for crafts?  We have plenty!  Last night Jack and I worked on cutting up the locust tree that fell during the storm. These trees are all eventually getting cut down but God did a few for us already.  The stumps left behind just need the talent of a wood carver to make them into something fun and interesting.

Could this turn into a dragon?  Perhaps a horse? Beware of the foliage around the base. Yeppers, it's poison ivy.  I wish I had a nickel for every poison ivy or thistle plant here at the Pines. I'd be the richest gal in town!

This is the one from last week's storm. It's a blank slate ready to be made into a bear or maybe a knight in shining armor to go slay the dragon!  When the rest of the trees come down we could have a fun path of weird or I would say again, interesting,  sculptures. Our own little Stonehenge? Go and enjoy this day of light.  Go visit Stonehenge...I think they do something "interesting" there today! Happy Summer!

The Amish Life

 Perhaps you were thinking I would have lots of photos of Amish buggies or cute Amish kiddos or farms today.  Nope, just thanking God that I'm "English" as the Amish say.  I love electric lights,  A/C, and Dateline.  This week as I previously posted we had bad thunder storms on Monday night and I found out, 3 tornadoes.  Our power was out until yesterday morning when the lights were back up and I could flush the toilet without buckets of water.  Baths were taken with water in jugs that we left out in the sun all day so it was at least warm! No, we don't have a generator. It's now on the list. We did lose all the food in the freezer and fridge. Our son Phil took some meat I had just purchased and had some room in his freezer for it. So now I have the cleanest fridge in town and the freezer in the garage will get it's super duper clean out tomorrow.  Supplies have been rebought and we have the "survivor" stories to tell. We slept in our very cool basement. It's a refinished one and comfy but of course no TV to enjoy while we sit in candle light! We have had a few  power outages in the past but this was a long one and as in previous outages I found out I do look better in candlelight, can get used to eating out and not doing dishes, my hair air dries OK, and I can put makeup on in dim light as good as in good light.  Well, at least I hoped it looked OK! We charged our phones and got water at Jack's office.  I only had to work one day last week so it gave me time to be home and do nothing but read and watch the rain and feel the humidity curl my air dried hair.  So all in all it wasn't too bad...heck, who am I kidding?!! It  sucked but what can you do.  Just be glad my last name isn't Yoder and the only horse power is my SUV.   I did keep in contact with my family in Chicago as my sister had her open heart surgery on Friday.  She's having a few issues but so far it's going as expected. Fingers crossed that nothing will stop her from getting out of there and feeling better.

Hang in there Sis! We're all praying for you and keep that thumb up!  Also before I go I want to wish all the Dads out there and those in my family a Happy Father's Day! I usually do a post about them but I think I'll just let them know that I think they all are amazing! Love and peace out!

Tornado Season

 We had some pretty terrific storms rip through our area early this morning.  I guess 2 tornadoes 🌪 had their way with Ashland county.  The lightening was crazy! Constant flashing and loud, house shaking booms! Poor Annabelle was shaking and unsure what was happening.  We lost power around 1am and are still in the dark tonight.  Not sure when power will be restored but temps tomorrow are supposed to be 97de and humid. We're missing our A/C!  Thankfully we only lost one tree and no house damage.  Or next door neighbor lost 2 trees and found them in their bathroom!  Trees on our road hit power lines like our elderly neighbors tree  across the street.

You have to look close but the wires are in there! Hopefully we'll get power back by tomorrow.  My freezer and fridge food could be a total loss if we don't. Wish us luck!

Time Keeps On Ticking

 Yeppers, June has arrived.  You cannot stop time no matter how you try and the only reprieve is when we turn the clocks back in the Fall and that may not happen anymore.  Time will tell I guess!  We've been blessed with some pretty darn nice weather this first week of June.  Over the weekend we attended a wedding and a couple of graduation parties that I know the families were happy it was nice weather.  My Daughter-in-law's daughter, Megan, got married to her long time boyfriend, Landen.  Megan asked my son to do the wedding ceremony so Jackie got his official license to legally hitch the two!

He did a great job and even got a little teary eyed.  Even though he married Evelyn when Megan was a teen, he loves her as much as his own kiddos.  I loved at the end when he said, "By the power vested in me by the State of Ohio...and the internet...I pronounce you man and wife"...to cute and funny!

My Grandsons, Anthony (the tall one!) and his brother Cameron (who's growing like a weed!) were also in the wedding. Megan wanted to include as many family members as she could to join in the fun.

Mandy looked very cute as a bride's maid.  If you remember she's Evelyn's cousin and her parents passed away and Jack and Evelyn are raising her.

Jack and Evelyn...it was a lovely outdoor wedding and I think now they can relax and enjoy the rest of the summer.

Summer and Damien

Jonathan and Driana....I can't believe how fast time has flown and these Grandbabies are now married, (Jonathan an Dri) graduated college, working as real adults, and living a life away on their own. I watched it happen with my own kids but seeing the Grands go that way really hits home that we're getting old!

Yaya and Paw Paw

Jackie, Megan and Evelyn

The wedding party...whew, what a group!

I'll end this time capsule with Annabelle. She's been with almost 5 months and in that time she's become a fun member of the family and has claimed Whispering Pines as her kingdom!  Enjoy the day and don't let time go by so quick we forget to enjoy each moment.