My nana always had candy, bowls of it, in fact! She always made sure they were freshly filled for our little visiting fingers, whenever we stayed at her home.
They weren’t always the some, though, because she liked variety… and she knew that we would too. Some days she’d have a mix of peppermint, butterscotch, and cinnamon flavored hard candies. My personal favorite were the butterscotch!
On special occasions, there would be bowls all over her home, in sets of three; one bowl with nuts, one with candies, and one with mixed chocolates. I always cleaned out the little candies, specifically the yellow butter mints. You know, for some funny reason, when I ran across them in a store and bought them, the flavor wasn’t the same… how sad, right?!
Honestly, I think it’s the memory of my nana’s house that I fondly recall, more than the candy. Perhaps it’s better to keep the flavor fantasy, just that… a fantasy, a sweet dream of more innocent times.
I still really do love butter mints, and yellow is still my favorite color, and I doubt that will ever change…
You don’t see me anywhere, but don’t let your eyes fool you. I’m simply sitting inside the house, drinking my morning coffee. I’ve just been sitting here, listening to the sound of birds singing outside my window. It’s quite peaceful in this place, and I’m finding myself lingering a bit longer each morning, just to listen to the countryside wake itself up!
(In the real world, we await an approval and invitation to accept our housing voucher. They’ve gathered everything they need, paperwork wise, so this is the part where the paper has to walk itself from one place to another, for a whole lot of signatures. Once that’s been completed, we’ll be given an invitation to attend an orientation class, at which time, we’ll receive that physical “Golden Ticket”. Until that occurs… we must wait.)
You won’t believe who showed up yesterday, bounding right in through the front door? Our Auzzee!!!
I’m not sure where he’s been hiding, nor, how he managed to track us down, here at the farm? I don’t think it even matters, really. I’m just so grateful to see the furry little guy, which is sort of strange, don’t you think? He used to have more feathers, as well as different fur… you know, the fur and claws of a cat, remember? Correct me if I’m wrong but, doesn’t he look like sort of like a wooly bear?
See what I mean?! It’s no bother to me, really, as I’m just so relieved to see his adorableness bound into my kitchen this morning!
It won’t be much longer now, and everyone should be back together again, and the barn is coming together wonderfully, as you can see…
Miss Tilly has volunteered herself to be our handyman’s little helper, isn’t she so adorable in her mini-hardhat?
Even Bailey is enjoying all the new hay that we threw across the barn floor…
And, of course, young Squagon is thoroughly enjoying himself, swinging confidently from the rafters,
Yes, Squagon is looking a good deal more like a bat or dragon than the furry baby we first met, but that’s an update for another day. Don’t worry over it, as the little guy is doing quite well, and no worse for ware, after his time alone in the forest. I just think there is more to him than we’d first thought, that’s all.
Anyways, as far as the progression of all the repairs and restoration of the farm, things are going well. With the house pretty much finished, I’ve been looking over the barn and taking meticulous notes, in order to assist our handyman in some of the larger tasks. That’s a bit much to ask of our Tilly, so I stepped in to help.
I think I’ll hang out with him today while he does all the things on my “Honey Do” list. I made sure to put that requirement into the fine print of his contract… I made sure to smile a lot when he was looking over the paperwork, so he just grinned and said, “Mmmhmmm.”
Oh, by the way, my little shadow was successful in locating our misplaced dragon…
Well, he found her, point in fact! Anyways, they’re on their way home now, as we speak! I realize that it may seem rather preposterous that I can know of such a thing, when I’m here with you and they aren’t even back yet, to tell the tale.
Well, to coin a phrase from Guardians of the Galaxy II, “I’m Mary Poppins, Yawl!” Ok, so maybe not totally like that, but suffice it to say, I did it my way… wait, isn’t that Frank Sinatra? Sheesh! Are all the good lines taken, or what? I can’t use It’s my website and I’ll do what I want to, because there’s an old party song that sounds too much like it.
I know, I know… I might not be Mary Poppins, but my site DOES make magic cookies! Yup, yup, yup… I think that will do just fine, wouldn’t you agree?
With that settled, just trust me when I tell you that they’re on their way… I can feel it in my bones!
I told you that I would not rest until I found our lost camel, Eustace! Well, I’m not the kind of girl that goes back on her word, so here I am once again, deep in the heart of the desert.
As you know, the camel that I hired for this trip, up and disappeared on me, some days ago. Since then, it’s felt like I’ve been going in circles without a single clue… the winds have erased any sign of footprints, blowing sand across my own tracks, even! If anyone came in search of either the camel or myself, they would probably become lost themselves, so it’s best that I do this task alone. I’ve spent most of my life in the deadlands, so I can safely navigate the dunes, as well as locate all the good watering holes, like this one.
This morning, while I was resting and re-hydrating, I began to hear a faint jingle sound, coming from the bell I’d hung around that camel’s neck just before we headed into the dunes… we both put one on, just in case we got stuck in a sandstorm, and lost sight of one another.
Anyway, as I sat drinking my water, I heard it, distantly, but it was definitely the camel’s bell!
The runaway camel just appeared from out between several dunes, not far off from where I’d been sitting. There he was, just plodding along in my direction… and you’re never going to guess who stepped out from behind the dunes, only moments later. ..
Yes! I know it’s hard to imagine, but somehow the camels found one another out in the desert. After only a few moments of discussion, the runaway camel confessed that he’d left me behind, days earlier. Eustace made the young camel lead him back the way he’d come, retracing their path until they spotted me…
I always say, if you want something bad enough… never stop, never back down!
Eustace is coming home!
However, before we head back to the barn, we’ll need to take the younger, more inexperienced camel, back to his village… who knows how long he’d wander around before anybody found him?
Have a fantastic day, my friends! We’ll see you back at the barn…
Thank you for choosing Journey With Me Adventure Travel! If you would please take a seat, wherever one’s available on our tour bus… Oh, and don’t forget to put your seatbelt on, just in case things get bumpy. Ok, is everyone comfortable? Alrighty then, we should really get started. This most ideal day is quite full of things to describe from beginning to end, so we’re gonna have to do this Wiwohka Wonka style! If you tend to experience motion sickness, there’s a med-kit under each seat, carrying a barf bag and some Dramamine. My rigs always come prepared for the unexpected! Ok, let’s do this!
Fresh morning air…Walk with Bailey…Warm cookies…Mmmm, coffee…More coffee…Check site stats…Keep on writing…Laugh along the way…Love…Add a little humor…Mix in some heroics…Write about it…Antics…A bit of sailing…More antics…Mixing…Baking…Snacks, of course…Tales…More tales…Follow some clues…Some free play…and some free riding…Bonding…Snuggling…Inspiration…Practice hunting…Feed the troupes…Clean up the days mess…Studying…Sleepy time snacks…Bedtime stories…Time for a bath…Tuck everyone in…Goodnight prayers…Dream of anything…
Thank you for riding along on this adventure extravaganza! It was far less bumpy than I’d expected, so if anyone is interested in eating breakfast before you go, I’ve left some goodies…
I’ve decided that I like this field! In fact, I love everything about this valley for some reason, or another. Maybe, it’s the fresh mountain air? Or, quite possibly, it’s the combination of that air, mixed with the scent of flowers in the meadow. Whatever it is, I swear that the breeze smells of cotton candy… seriously!
This valley seems like the perfect place to settle down, wouldn’t you say? We could create something beautiful for the babe’s, as well as for myself, since I feel rather adrift, just now.
While the RV seems to be working fine at the moment, once all the lost have been retrieved… it won’t be! I’m already having a hard time writing, lately. I’ve no office, or even a decent desk to comfortably work from, what with puppy fur, cheese crumbs, peanut shells, and sticky dragon fingerprints on everything. None of my fruit preserves are safe from Dinky… I swear that little dragon can pilfer (steal) anything she sets her mind on (or anything Boomer can convince her is important)!
Anyway, due to the sheer number of family members we’ve acquired, along with all that’s needed for their care, we need more space! With that in mind, I began to look around the area to see what might be possible for the future home site of the Barnyard. I’ve found a very promising site that has a good deal of potential, so I thought I’d show you my ideas.
I didn’t have to walk far down the valley before discovering, what I think looks to be a realistic endeavor. I found an old farm that was abandoned… ages ago, from the looks of it. There’s a house, a barn, and everything!
Check out this house…
Now, I know it doesn’t seem like much, when you first see it. But, I think that with a little elbow grease, and some real TLC… it just might work! You’d be surprised how much better it would look, with only a quick paint job. Here, let me show you…
See?
Ok, well, I liked the idea behind the re-painting, but the yellow isn’t really cutting it for my dreamy plans, so I think a little color change is in order…
Yup! I think that the green is much more fitting, and I’ve always wanted a porch that wraps around the house.
Bailey’s already decided that she wants to stay, and I’m judging by the absence of the other babes, they’re probably already in the house… snooping!
The wonderful thing about this farm is that it comes with a barn, can you believe it? There’s a massive barn out behind the house… and it’s still standing! Now, before I show it to you, remember that we have to see the possibilities. This farm has been sitting empty for some time, so things got old. But again, with some hard work we can recover it, I think. Come on, I’ll show you…
Maybe a fresh coat of paint, a few repairs on the roof boards, and then some new barn doors. Aside from that, I don’t think it would need anything else, seriously! When inspecting the beams and rafters inside the barn, I was pleasantly surprised how well the framework of the building had held, over the ages. In fact, the inside of the barn looks fairly nice! Whoever originally built the barn used wood that had been well-treated with some form of weather protection. It’s always impressive to look at something crafted with so much care, and forethought… I tell ya, they don’t make things like they used to!
So, here’s what should be quite manageable, in regards to the future possibilities of our barn,
This is the back of the barn, which I think would be better suited for the front, don’t you think?
In regards to painting it, I’m torn between the traditional red color that is often chosen,
or staining it with some form of weather seal, and let the sun naturally fade it, ya know?
While I enjoy the natural look better than a bright red paint, it wouldn’t be compatible with our farmhouse. So, to satisfy my vanity, as well as entertain and impress you, we’ll go with paint!
Now, I’ve hired a very capable contractor for much of the restoration work that will be needed, so the job is in good hands. He is diligent, hard working, incredibly talented, and very handsome. All of these qualities make him well sought after, but he’s accepted the bid for this job, so we got lucky… though it will take every ounce of my self-restraint, not to waste the whole time flirting with him… sheesh!
He’s so cute! Ahhem… ok, anyways…
Hopefully, as time rolls foreword from here, things should begin to stabilize for you, as far as, what the environment looks like when you visit. I don’t know about any of you, but I’m tired of always looking like a nomad, flitting from one scene into another… it can start to feel a bit chaotic! I think it’s time to settle down, wouldn’t you agree?
Honestly, where I reside in the real world is always going to be changing in some way, or another. Isn’t it like that for most? As far as what most of you will ever see of my world, it’ll be here, within the lobby and/or out at the barnyard. For now, that’s all there is! Frankly, I don’t have time to wait for the real world to cooperate, so I’ll just design this virtual setting… until the real thing catches up!
Let the farm building commence!
For now, keep this visual as our hope…
**Remember, a bit of green paint and an added walk-around porch**
If you really wanted to know what my answer to this prompt might be, you can find it in the words of this song, by Anne Wilson, called Strong…
Even if you don’t want to click on the link, you can read the lyrics,
Strong, try to make ’em all think I’m strong Yeah, the face I keep putting on says I ain’t tired But these tear stained eyes ain’t lying ‘Cause hard, nobody told me life could be so hard A weary soul with a worn out heart that’s barely beating But every time I get that feeling
I hit my knees with my hands held high Saying, dear Lord Jesus, you know I can’t do this on my own I can’t do this on my own Lord knows I’ve tried, but I’m good at falling down Thank God You’re good at picking me up off the ground The world’s gonna try to break me But I know the one who makes me strong
Strong, like my daddy always told me so There’s a place you can always go when you’ve got nothing And then he handed me the one thing That’s strong, doesn’t matter how old it gets There’s power in the words in red in this old bible And when I’m desperate for revival
I hit my knees with my hands held high Saying, dear Lord Jesus, you know I can’t do this on my own I can’t do this on my own Lord knows I’ve tried, but I’m good at falling down Thank God You’re good at picking me up off the ground The world’s gonna try to break me But I know the one who makes me strong, oh, strong
I’m strong when I’ve got nothing I’m strong even when I’m weak ‘Cause the strong arms of my Savior Are holding on to me
I hit my knees with my hands held high Saying, dear Lord Jesus, you know I can’t do this on my own I can’t do this on my own Lord knows I’ve tried, but I’m good at falling down Thank God You’re good at picking me up off the ground The world’s gonna try to break me But I know the one who makes me strong Oh, You make me strong Oh, this world ain’t gonna break me ‘Cause I know the one who makes me strong
Few know the Deadlands as well as I do, so I’m fairly confident that I can pick up the camel’s trail without too much trouble. Unfortunately, the camel I hired to carry me across the dunes slipped away in the night, taking all the supplies with it!
Apparently, not all camels are trustworthy. Oh, well. I actually like the solitude at the moment. And besides, one can always find sustainance in the desert… if one knows where to look.
Eustace is out here somewhere, and I intend to retrieve what was lost to us!
As a general rule, I try to avoid asking God too many why questions about our situation, as I’m very aware that He has everything well in hand. I’m not saying that God doesn’t expect us to ask those kind of questions, nor do I want you to think that He would tire of them. I talk to God as my Creator, my father, and my closest friend, which is really what I think he’s seeking from us, his children. And yes, I still find myself at the why of a thing, while talking with God. I’m pretty sure that its quite normal.
In turn, I also believe that the Almighty displays the patience, love, nurturing and guidance toward me, as that of only a true father… and, in ways that only God can do!
Many times, God will speak to me directly through scripture… and before you start wondering, no, I’m not doing some bizarre rewrite of God’s word! What I mean is, when I’m dealing with something in the here and now, many times I will read a passage in scripture that seems to directly relate to my perspective on that current dilemma. Let me give you an example from quite recently…
Currently, my husband and I are being housed in a motel while awaiting available lodging, or more truthfully stated, we wait for a voucher that will allow us to even go tour any possible locations. We’ve been here for four months now, and quite possibly will be sleeping in our car by tomorrow, as there will be no more support available financially from the organization that has been involved. Still no voucher, and the case worker involved is now avoiding any contact with us. If you simply glance at the situation, it looks pretty bleak and hopeless, I know.
I still stand upon my faith and trust in the Almighty, don’t get me wrong. There are times like the other day, however, when I asked God a question that had been floating around in the back of my mind, lately. Here’s the question I asked…
“God, why does it seem like You always wait until the eleventh hour to step in and move, leaving all that in-between time of me not knowing anything? There’s no answers available, nowhere to turn, and no sign of you interceding on my behalf… why?”
God didn’t respond for three days, but when He did, it happened to come directly from the passages of scripture I’d just been reading. I’m not going to give you a version of what I received from His word, but rather, I’d like to share the actual scripture I found myself reading.
I’d just finished studying within 1 Corinthians, and thought to go back and re-read the book of Romans. I had gotten as far as chapter 4, when I was frozen in place, after reading only the third verse,
What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness”. Romans 4:3
The reason I stopped as soon as I read that verse, was the part where it said Abraham believed God, not that Abraham believed IN God… there’s an obvious difference! Many claim to believe in God, but how many hear what God has said, or read the bible… and take God at His word, or in other words Believe God!
When I read that verse, it made me curious about what was meant by “believed God”, and almost instantly, I thought of Abraham standing with a knife poised above his son, Isaac, there on that lonely mountain. Going back and re-reading that story from the book of Genesis, I saw something. First off, God told Abraham that he would make him the father of nations, and the man was already 99 years old! Then God told Abraham that his wife Sarah, who was far past the age of bearing children, as well as being barren all her days, would bear him this son. Sarah did, in fact, bear Abraham a son! And, at the very time that God said it would. Reading on through the story, I finally reached the part that’d been tugging on my heart from Romans 4:3.
I’d really encourage you to read through the story, in its entirety, so that you can make your own discoveries. For today, I’ll try to give you a brief synopsis, but it’s only my personal perspective, so try to keep that in mind as you read.
In Genesis 22, it starts off by saying that God tested Abraham. So try to remember, going forward here, we know from where we sit now that God does NOT require or even consider the sacrifice of any human life… but Abraham didn’t! God told Abraham to gather his son, a sacrificial lamb, and all that was needed to perform a sacrifice. Then Abraham was instructed that he was to take his son up a mountain, build an alter, and then sacrifice the child upon said alter.
This didn’t happen overnight, no no no, it took the whole time of packing, traveling, building said alter, and then doing the actual sacrificing. I cannot imagine the questions rolling around in Abrahams mind, nor can I imagine the distress of his heart, over what God was commanding that he do with his son; with the very child that God had miraculously given to him and his wife, in the first place.
With all of that turmoil within himself, Abraham still did exactly as God had commanded him… without an ounce of hesitation! It was God’s very hand that stayed that knife blade, fully poised to strike!
Hmmmmmm… Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness!
God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are far higher than our own understanding… and He will make a way where there was none!
I not only believe in God, but I BELIEVE GOD, so that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
Since I’m too lazy to look back and find my answer from last year’s prompt, you’ll get a fresh answer, though it won’t be a so called “favorite”… but it’ll still probably make you hungry.
Our room only comes with a microwave, countertop range (two spots to boil or fry something), a glass mixing bowl, one frying pan with a lid that belongs to a smaller pan, and a handful of kitchen utensils, and there’s no cooking going on in here, unless I want every single item we own to smell like our last meal. For everyone’s benefit, I’ll write about what I used to cook, instead.
There was my mother’s homemade chili, hamburger/cornbread casserole, or her lasagna… that lasagna was to die for!
During my children’s young years was the proving ground for my culinary skills, which were quite undervalued and appreciated, in my opinion. While they may offer mixed reviews, I feel quite accomplished in both cooking and baking. In truth, due to the creation of the Easy Bake Oven, my baking is probably the better of the two.
Meal wise, a sure fire winner would be my Brown Sugar Burgers. But only use the good buns, because the cheap kind always fall apart like wet paper! I think that I may have written about a Chicken, Mushroom, and Artichoke Fettuccini Alfredo, with fresh Sourdough Garlic Bread. Oh well, I won’t bore you with the details, but it was really good!
Dessert wise, I’ve been told that my Snickers Cheesecake was better than ‘you know what’, but my personal favorite desert would have to be in the cake department. It’s a homemade pound cake with French Vanilla Cream Cheese frosting, covered in fresh strawberries. The strawberries were sliced and covered in a sprinkling of sugar overnight. I always used the syrupy juice to drizzle across the top of the cake, right before it was sliced!
Hands down, cookies will always be my prize winner, but sometimes we have to remember the rest of all that yummy food. With that being said, I’ve done my part in offering a sincere answer to the prompt, but there are other things I wish to spend my time doing this morning, so I’m off for now…
You didn’t think I would forget the cookies, did you?
Journey With Me! 