Tuesday, July 25, 2006

I am brave.

Yep. I am. Even if my husband's comment when he saw the finished page (after giving artistic praise) was, "but honey, you're such a sis!". Okay, maybe I am - physically.

But I meant emotionally, spiritually brave.

I've been lovin' this song (Brave) by Nichole Nordeman, so when I saw the weekly dare suggesting a page all about positive self-talk (i.e. saying something good about yourself), the message of the song is what I thought of. Some of the words (the typed ones) are on my page. (Note: there is blog - I'm new to it - that posts weekly "dares" (i.e. page ideas) for scrapbookers - it's called "The Dares" - and the ideas are usually quite introspective, thought provoking, which I love.)

The dare and the song inspired me to think about how I was brave when I was a little girl that shouldn't be needing to be so brave. Fears prevailed, but God drew me to Him and poured out His love on me. He made me brave enough to quit hiding and to face my fears. I'm brave today as I still face temptations to continue to build emotional walls. Love and trust, they're risky, ya know? Nope. I'm not perfect at it. But I KNOW I am loved and that kind of love continues to take me beyond my fears. My faith will not be shattered.

Because I am brave.
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Thursday, July 20, 2006













Last week...













...and this week!

I'm so thrilled to have hydrangeas - and blue ones at that! I planted this little guy last year and got one flower. This year, as you can see, I got two flowers. At this rate, I don't think I'm going to be alive long enough to see this plant get as many blooms as I'd like, but, oh well. I sure am enjoying it now!

Though my husband may disagree, it really doesn't take that much to make me happy!

:)
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Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Man overboard!

Yes, we were! The remnants at left only hint at the african queen-like barge we concocted yesterday for our Susquehanna River floatilla.

We actually had two 5-man rafts, 1 personal-size raft, 2 innertubes, 2 seat-like floaty things and 1 throne-like "comfort lounge". All roped together. Oh, it was a sight to behold.

How many were in our party, you ask? Um, only four, and certainly old enough to know better. I guess we wanted to be prepared for anything as we drifted 9 miles down the river on the hottest day of the summer.

We also had 5 oars, two bags of junk including snorkle equipment, cigar and lighter, keys, sunblock and snacks and a cooler full of bottled water and a couple sodas. Oh, and two golf umbrellas. Yeah, I laughed at Chris when he suggested it, but you can't imagine the relief we enjoyed from the shade they provided. It reached the high 90's, but we were able to be pretty oblivious to that - thank goodness.

You just have to picture it all. I only wish I could have brought my camera (but that would have really been foolish). Our ropes got tangled a few times. The current was extremely fast and made it almost impossible to get a foot hold in even the more shallow water! And it was a whole lot easier getting OUT of the rafts (and other floating devices) than back IN them! All of this provided great amusement for the relaxed onlookers.

Yes, it often seemed like something out of a slapstick comedy, but we enjoyed the heck out of ourselves. First of all, the setting was gorgeous. It was a cloudless day on the beautiful Susquehanna River, which meanders through the forests and fields of mountainous central PA. There were ducks and herons and a continuous serenade of bird songs. And when we weren't transferring from one floating implement to the other or fighting over who got the umbrellas, it was sooooo lovely to just drift along - whether stretched out in a raft, hanging over a tube or just letting nothing but the current carry you as you yielded your body to the cool water.

It only took four hours - the shortest time ever for us. No surprise taking into account the high and swift water. We emerged from the river in pretty good condition - very minimally burned, one rock-bruised ankle and HUNGRY. After we filled our tummies, exhaustion took over. As for me, I took a brief nap that extended into an all-nighter. As nice as it was floating on the river all day, the bed sure felt good!!

Maybe next time we'll go a little less overboard with equipment, but there will be a next time! And, man, we will be overboard!
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Monday, July 10, 2006

My latest page...

I've been working on cards and a mini-album, but I just was dying to do this page featuring my dear friend, Deborah's granddaughter, Eva. Look at those rosy cheeks! She is just little miss sunshine and such a sweetie. I took this picture at our first picnic of the year (Memorial Day) and wanted to do a page when I saw it. I think these papers and the flowers I made highlight her sunny personality. And I'm lovin' the doodling thing! Plus, it's rare when I get to do a little girl page! So fun!

I'm in scrapbooking heaven right now. I'm off work for the summer and we're in between visitors, so it's been a great time to hide out in my scrap room. Yes, I do come out for fresh air from time to time, but only when absolutely necessary!

Chris is out golfing right now (hence, the free computer) and I'm signing off, too...

...so I can go fling open the windows to let the beautiful morning air and sunshine in, put on some inspiring music and get lost in my little scrapping world.....
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Saturday, July 08, 2006

Oh, yeah, we are back in hot tub business, baby!

Well, hey, I've been without it for well over two months and I've been in withdrawal. The pumps have been down and there's been some warranty disputing - whether or not we get reimbursed remains to be seen. BUT - at least I can think about it whilst IN the tub. (Actually, that's the LAST thing I'll be thinking about in the tub!)

My favorite hot tub time is first thing in the morning - straight out of bed and into the tub. Preferably a sunny, cold morning when I can hear the birdies singing and the breeze (if any) whispering through the trees as the warm water happily gurgles me awake. That's what I did this morning - well, okay, it wasn't cold, but all the rest was perfect. And, since it was only cool and not cold, I could enjoy my first cup of coffee out there, too. (Can't do that when it's cold out - your body stays warm, but the coffee, not having the benefit of being surrounded by 100-plus degree water, doesn't.)

My other favorite time (I can have two, can't I?) is on a frigid, clear night when the stars are amazing. The tub sits on our deck, which is attached to the house, which is secluded in the woods - so we have a beautiful, private and unobstructed view of the sky. Since there aren't any nature sounds worth hearing at that time, we like to pipe music, such a lovely celtic airs, to the outdoor speakers and just let all our senses (except taste, of course) be pleasantly assaulted. What could be better?

Ahhhhh, yes........this tub is the best money we've ever spent. I'm so glad to have it back!
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