ATTEMPTS AT GARDENING

I've been enjoying having hanging plants at the front porch for a couple of years now. I fell in love with the fuchsia plant and thought I would try them from seed. I ordered four varieties in February. Online, I read several advice articles and learned that the seeds could be expected to sprout in six days to six weeks! Oy.

These beauties grace the front now.

I bought them at the Farmer's Market.

My seedlings have been relegated to the side.

But at least the lilies came back!

THOSE DAM MEMORIES

The Mt. Morris Dam....as it normally looks and after Hurricane Agnes. I remember it well, especially because I spent so much of my childhood there. My uncle worked for the Army Corps of Engineers and the dam was his responsibility.

After school I walked up this lane to my aunt and uncle's house. It was located inside of Letchworth State Park on the undeveloped side so there was no traffic but lots of space!

My aunt Inez always had a cat.
It was also always named Tommy. Here I am outside with Tommy I.

I think I got my love for animals from my aunt's cats and my mother's dogs.

This is Tommy II who loved to ride in cars. He'd roll in the middle of the lane until my uncle gave him a ride the rest of the way to the house. He would also get into the cars of unsuspecting park visitors so he wore a tag so he could be returned.

We had amazing snow drifts to tunnel in.









These would often last into spring.

 I adored my uncle. He took me many places during the day. We would go along the Genesee River and its tributaries to check height gauges. I would go with him in the evening to take down and fold the flags that flew above the dam. I've been down to the turbines in the lower levels of the facilities where the sound of the water was so amplified, I thought there were monsters in there. We used to fish from the 'steps' which in reality are about 10' tall with ladders to get from one to the other.

I wanted to emulate his mechanical skills.

Paul was one of those deeply religious men, a deacon in his church, who read from his Bible every night. He wasn't one to preach but his life exemplified his principles. Of all the people in my life, he was the best role model I could ever have had.

We spent most of our holidays with these wonderful people. It was here that I got to know my cousins....second cousins actually but they were near my age. They each spent time there. There was an old bike that nearly every child that came for the summer spray painted a different color. That poor thing probably weighed a great deal more than it did when it was new.

We had minibikes and gocarts, and fruit trees and one great tree for climbing! There was a hammock where I spent many hours reading or simply watching the clouds roll by. I still have dreams of being there. These are some of my Dam Memories.

GUARDS OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIERS

NATURE: READY FOR HER CLOSEUP

Mother Nature provides an interesting prospective when you look closely.

This little guy is ready to run.

I wonder where this goes?

Busy momma bird.

The children are getting hungry and more adventurous.

Nature offers many hiding places for her creatures, so you need to look closely.

But I enjoy the search and the reward of some very nice pictures.

LOOK UP

Look Up
When you've lost your way
in the depths of self
Look Up
When you fear the climb
and you're sure you'll fall
Look Up
One step at a time in steady
progression
To reach the apex of all you are
and all you can be
Look Up

FAMILY FUN

I have found the ideal place for an active family to have fun. There is something for everyone. From picnic dinners to campfires.....

to hiking and biking on the rails to trails paths......

Kayaking, tubing, or rowboat........

wading, swimming, fishing. Great for pets,

and young children, all without driving from 'camp' or crossing any traffic. I can't think of a better place for the entire family!

DISCONNECT TO RECONNECT

                                                                         It's almost that time of year again. Time to escape from the television, the computer, the phone....in short, it's almost time to disconnect.

My neighbor calls them analog days.

 Waking up to this view in the morning and just kicking back with a cup of coffee and my dog by my side is just the beginning of unwinding and reconnecting with myself and with nature.

 Talk about pet-friendly! Lots of playmates, room to run safely without a leash, even the dog gets to reconnect to her nature and enjoy a break from the routine.

 We are not alone here but there is enough space to allow plenty of privacy and solitude when that is what you seek.

There are places to gather too. Places to reconnect with old friends.

 The stage behind this old barn will soon become the gathering site for those whose passion is music.

 The casual setting and atmosphere provides an opportunity to reconnect with their true musical roots and leave behind the tight sets of being a 'band for hire'.

 The old farmhouse offers even more space for getting together.

There's even another gathering space for the fur friends.
Disconnect/Reconnect...the spirit needs a recharge and this is one place that truly offers that for me.
Jazzberry Farm is on the 'net and perhaps I'll see you there.
http://webstation19.8k.com/jazzberry.htm

OLD FAMILY PICTURES

Living in this old house, I often wonder about those that built it. What were their lives like? America in the 1800's was so different than the world I grew up in. This picture offers a glimpse into that time. I found it on a disc of old family photos. What a treasure trove! I may not be able to identify who these people are but they are part of me, and where I came from.

 These are my grandparents celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. My grandfather passed before I was born and my memories of my grandmother were of her with Alzheimers but I love hearing the stories of times way past and the love that they had for one another.

 It is fun to look at the way that people dressed.

 Those old baby pictures are so adorable.

Every family has its characters. Triplets! In a time when infant mortality was high, to have a successful multiple birth was a true miracle. Especially as they were born on Christmas Eve!

I even have a spirited Indian girl in my family tree. (Pun intended) Her name was Nell...which if you've seen the movie, seems fitting to me. I wonder what young people will think of us 150 years from now. Will they look at our pictures for a glimpse into their past? What will they see? I hope they get as much pleasure from them as I have gotten from these. Where we came from, where we are going, the human experience continues.

SPRING!!!!

The time of year when life begins anew...the very thing that made me want to start this blog. This is the very first lilac blossom on Lady's Lilac. My most excellent neighbors had brought me a few shoots because they knew I so badly wanted a lilac bush. When my beloved Lady passed, I buried her there. What a blessing it is for me to see this!

 The cycle of life is evident all around me. Although the birds and I have had our issues, this little egg shell reminds me of how fragile, yet determined, life is.

This little guy was munching on the front lawn. When I approached he retreated to his home.....under the cement porch! He's a cutie and sure to be a torment to my pooch.

The young squirrels have already captured Mitzi's attention. She sits and stares up at them as they poke their heads out. The specks you see in the video are not raindrops but bees! They are seeking their summer home too. They were taking over the bird's home in the eave of the porch and are now attempting a coup at the squirrel's home. I am watching to see how that all plays out. Here's hoping that you'll take the time to get out and see all the signs of life around you.