Where I've Been...

~Sunrise at Branson~

Our little fall getaway was a spur of the moment decision.  Love those!  Fortunately, BG still has plenty of vacation days from work and was able to take off.  He had promised me, after all, that we would go back to Branson while the Harvest Festival was going on at Silver Dollar City and Oct. 16 was their last day.  I gently reminded him that he should always keep his promises, so we packed a bag and off we went!  

First thing BG does when we arrive at the condo is unpack his ashtray and put it out on the deck.  ha!  Since we weren't having visitors this trip, we opted to rent a one bedroom condo.  It was very nicely decorated in an outdoorsy theme and we loved it.

The second thing Mr. Excitement BG does is take a little nap while I unpack.  It is a 4 hour drive for us to Branson, not a real long trip but I suppose it is exhausting when you are the back-seat driver. lol!  

I thought you might like seeing more of the condo.  Here is the dining area and kitchen, the bedrooms are all on the right.  They lock up one bedroom and bath to rent it as a one-bedroom condo.  This condo is a bit smaller than the one we usually stay in, but plenty big enough for us.  There is a washer and dryer behind the folding doors in the kitchen.

Not a very good shot, but we enjoyed watching the full Hunter's Moon coming up over the lake.  

This was a hazy shot, but you might see a bit of color in the trees.  I'm afraid the color won't be that great because it has been very dry in Branson this year, so many trees have already turned brown.  The lake levels are way low.

We have season passes for SDC so we parked in the preferred parking area.  We still had a good walk up to the gate where we boarded a small bus to take us to the entrance. 

Mums greet us as we get off the bus...the park is beautifully decorated for fall.  Mums, pumpkins, sunflowers, fall wreaths and scarecrows galore!

This fall festival had many craftsmen showing off their skills in addition to the usual ones that are at the park during the year.

We always take time to stop and listen to the Homestead Pickers.  They are very talented, most of them can play several different instruments.  

I spotted this sign on the wall when I stopped in at Sullivan's Mill for a loaf of their yummy cinnamon bread.  It made me laugh!  

Some beautiful fall leaves at the park.  It was a very nice, warm day!

In spite of spending around 5 hours in the park, we didn't see even half of it.  My knee wouldn't allow me to walk any further, but what we saw was fun and we enjoyed ourselves even with a few aches and pains.  

We had a great time in Branson even though we didn't venture too far from the condo most days.  The drive home Monday was a challenge.  It was a pretty day, but the wind was blowing so hard!!  We were thankful to get home safely from another wonderful stay in Branson.  More memories to relive on those long, dreary winter days that will be here before long.  

See you soon!

xo Cheryl     

Enjoying Fall!

Hubby and I have been enjoying another little getaway the past few days.  The weather is supposed be near 90 today.  Not exactly fall temps but the leaves are turning and it's so pretty!  We both love autumn and have enjoyed our time here.  

We are traveling back to our home today, so I will be back to visit and post again in a day or two and tell you where we've been.  I'll give you 3 guesses and the first 2 don't count.  lol!  Comments are closed for today...see you soon! 

Enjoying A Nice Fall Day

 "I'm so glad that I live in a world where there are Octobers."  

~L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I'm loving this beautiful fall thus far, but the rain today makes me want to nap.  We were needing some rain, so I'm happy to see it.  To all the bloggers who may be affected by the hurricane...please stay safe!  

I have to say that it's been hard to get back into the swing of blogging after a long break.  Nothing too exciting going on around here to tell about.  And not having a blog list in my sidebar isn't helping.  I'm going to have to get a new one started since it doesn't look like the old one is going to reappear.

Meanwhile....

 
A few fall touches have appeared around the house, courtesy of my daughter.  I'm enjoying the cozy feel that autumn brings to the inside of the house with a little fall decor added here and there.  

Yesterday was spent at the Big Town.  While there, I found my car heading toward Upscale/Resale, so I forced myself to go inside since I was in the neighborhood.  Ha.  I only bought 1 book for 50 cents and a bundle of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazines for a dollar bill.  Even though I don't need another magazine, I couldn't pass these up.

Now, I'm going to get to work on that new blog list for my sidebar, and hoping I can get BG to go out to supper with me.  Maybe he will if he sees I don't have anything started when he gets home from work!  Wish me luck....:)

xo Cheryl 

A Few Photos and Thoughts for Friday

I've lost my blog list!  It has disappeared from my side bar.  Anyone else have this happen?

We started the week with a trip down I-70 to Kleinschmidt's for some boots and work clothes for BG.  His company gives them a clothing allowance and he has to wear flame retardant clothes, so we usually buy them there as well as his lineman boots.  While he was looking for what he needed, I was in the next aisle looking at cowboy boots.  I've never worn them, but after looking at the many, many beautiful boots I felt like I could start.  We all know Pioneer Woman loves her cowboy (or is it cowgirl?) boots.  Have you ever worn them?   

     
The little chipmunk above lives in Branson.  The weather here has cooled down a bit, it was 75 today and that is much better than the humid high 90's we've been having.  Anyway, my son and I were just talking and both of us were wishing we were back in Branson and are talking about maybe a long October weekend there.  There is just something about the place, in spite of all the tourists, that my family loves. 

Soon we bird watchers will be busy keeping the feeders filled up.  I kind of slack up during the summer months thinking the birds need to be catching some of the gazillion bugs out there.  

I don't want to dwell on unpleasant topics too much, but what is going on in our world today?  It seems like it's one tragedy after another.  So many people hurting and so much of it is just so senseless.  Will it ever get better?  I pray it will.  

My Stormy girl loves to nap near me if I'm sitting down.  Or occasionally on my lap.  But when the temperature was so hot outside, it was too hot for kitties on my lap even with the a/c running non-stop.  See the flipflops?  They are Skechers and they are sooo comfortable.  I've hardly worn anything else all summer.  In fact, I'm still wearing them.  

This has been a busy week.  Today saw me heading to the Big Town where I took my car for an oil change and tire rotation.  That was a 2 hour wait but their waiting area has all kinds of drinks, popcorn and ice cream plus free wifi to help make the waiting time easier.  

I picked up my daughter's payroll while I was in the city.  Then I ran by the Tuesday Morning store and got a new bath mat we needed.  I also needed to use my Kohl's Cash coupon so I stopped by there and with the sales I ended up with 2 bath towels, 2 hand towels and a necklace for only 9 dollars.  Pretty good deal, I thought!  

One place I didn't visit was the Upscale/Resale shop.  I've decided that I'd better not buy more books or magazines for awhile as I've got stacks now that I haven't read.

The last book I read was Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, a debut novel by Beth Hoffman.  It was different than what I usually read, but I really liked it and it was one that I didn't want to see end.  Poor CeeCee spent the first 12 years of her life with her mentally challenged mother, her father couldn't cope so he was away all the time.  CeeCee's mother died and her great-aunt Tootie swooped in to take her home with her to Savannah, Ga.  The cook at Tootie's house played a big role in CeeCee's life as well as various other women.  It was a very good read and I loved the setting in Savannah.   This photo has nothing to do with the book...I was too lazy to look up the book and take a photo of it. 

Do you have big plans for the weekend?  We'll most likely be working at The Project.  (For new readers, The Project is the house we bought and are fixing up to rent out.  BG is rewiring it.)  Hope you have a nice Friday and wonderful weekend...I'm hoping I'll get my blog list back soon!

xo Cheryl

It's Autumn! And catch-up time, too.

HAPPY AUTUMN!!

Hello, everyone!  This summer and blog break has flown by.  I really didn't intend to stay away so long but here it is autumn already.  At least that is what the calendar tells me.  It has been a very HOT summer and still is, so I'm not quite ready to buy pumpkins and put out the fall decor.  Autumn is my favorite season and I'm so ready for cooler weather.  I'm thankful we've had some rains along the way and the grass is still very green.  I'm hopeful that we'll have some pretty autumn foliage.

~sunrise in Branson, taken from our deck~

BG and I just got back from a nice long vacation at Branson.  We had a great time just relaxing at the condo for the most part and eating out somewhere different each day.  Our son had a case in the area, so he was able to visit us a few nights.  We went to see the Million Dollar Quartet one night.  It was fabulous! 

  

 ~I never win a game against the guys, but I have fun anyway!~

My daughter and I also went to Branson for a girl's long weekend vacay in August.  We had a wonderful time and got in some shopping and went to the Dixie Stampede one evening.  It was a fun trip!  

Did I ride the newest attraction in Branson?  The 15-story ferris wheel moved there from Chicago's Navy Pier?  Noooo...I'm both afraid of heights and claustrophobic, so I just admired the changing colors on the wheel as we played miniature golf across the highway!  Our son and his girl and her kids were in Branson for a little vacay this summer and rode the ferris wheel and they thought it was great fun.  I don't remember being afraid of heights when I was a youngster and rode the ferris wheel at the county fair then.  Of course, it wasn't 15-stories high!

You never know who you'll run into when you visit in downtown Branson.  Kim and I ran into these two characters in front of Dick's Five and Ten.  Ha!  We always enjoy browsing the aisles there and always find something we have to take home.
  

A few trips to Kansas City were made over the summer to visit our son.  I can't recall the name of the place in the photo above, but it was so good that we ate there during 2 different visits.  I must say that we have had some good food and ate out quite a bit during the summer.  I feel like I've gained 20 pounds.  Ouch! 

One of the highlights of the summer was on July 4th when BG, an Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, was presented with a quilt of valor   It was an honor to be chosen to receive a quilt this year and the ceremony was held at the park.  The quilt is beautiful and I need to figure out a way to display it.  The other man in the photo also received a quilt and he was also a Vietnam veteran.

Another honor for BG this summer was when he received a standing ovation from hundreds of folks at our rural electric cooperative's annual meeting.  He was recognized for his 40 years of service.  He tells me that he's not ready to retire yet and wants to work at least another year.  My traveling plans will most likely have to wait one more year...good thing I love Branson! 

In spite of the heat, good times were had over the summer with a few trips, going to the winery, a parade, good shows and good food, flowers in the garden and a wee bit of napping included.  

Work was also done.  Things at The Project should wrap up soon, I hope.  The heat slowed us BG down as the attic where he is fishing around in the loose insulation for wires has been just too hot to spend much time there.  My work in the house is still ongoing.  I think it will take 2 years to go through all the paper stuff and shred.  Ugh. 

I didn't take many photos over the summer.  We've had some beautiful sunsets that I wish I'd captured at the lake.  Yesterday's sunset was gorgeous, but I was busy fixing a late supper and didn't get my camera out.  

That's about it for my summer recap.  I'm looking forward to cooler autumn weather....beautiful trees, pumpkins, mums, and all that goes along with the season.  I hope you've had a nice summer, too, and I will be trying to catch up with what my blogging friends have been doing.  See you soon!

xo Cheryl

Sad, Glad and Mad

First, the sad part.  

It is with much sadness that I share the news 

that one of my favorite bloggers, Vee,

of A Haven for Vee lost her beloved husband, John, 

who was called home to be with the Lord on May 28. 

Please join me in praying for Vee and her family.

We were happy that most of our Memorial Day weekend

was sunny and nice.  Hot and humid, but at least

 the rains previously called for held off most of the time.

We've had lots of rain since I last posted.  The soil at

the cemeteries was soft and made poking flowers in the 

ground much easier.  It is tradition in our area to decorate

the graves of our loved ones as well as those who died in the

service of our country. 

Our daughter, Kim, celebrated a birthday recently.  Among other

things, she received 2 beautiful bouquets of flowers.  I know 

that I took photos of them, but I couldn't find one while I

prepared this post.  We met her and our son for dinner one

evening near KC to celebrate the happy occasion.  We had lots 

of laughs remembering some of the funny moments we've shared.

Brett and I still laugh and laugh when we recall

the time we saw a carload of women driving down the

walkway one night at the Landing in Branson.  It was 

a hilarious sight.  We don't know how they got there, 

it is not meant for cars!  They must have mistaken the 

wide brick walkway for a street!

Remember seeing this cat's photo?  When it showed up at

 our house in February, I thought it was a male.  Well.....

Surprise!!

She went away for awhile, but came back bearing gifts.  

Er...kittens.  Five of them.

We're not real happy about this new development, but I

have to admit...they make you smile when you watch them

playing.  So cute!

It's the little things that so often make me smile.  See the

double yolked egg?  That is the third one out of the same 

carton of eggs.  I rarely ever see one!

This is an old photo from 2 weeks ago so it's hard to tell, but

my flowers are really taking off after the weather has

warmed up.  I'm happy that I found the colorful rooster 

this spring to add to that corner, he makes me smile, too.  

Now I'm sure y'all have been waiting impatiently to find

out what has ruffled my feathers.  Ha.   

Well, I'm mad at myself.  Me. Myself. And I.

Yes, I'm so aggravated that I've fallen into the ole

procrastination trap and I've been running here and there

ignoring all the little and not so little jobs that I had once

planned to have done by now.

Even though blogging has slowed down for me, it

 obviously wasn't to work on those jobs, so I'm going to

take an extended blog break.  I don't know how

long I'll be away and even though I won't take time to

comment much, I'll try to visit from time to time to catch

up on everyone.  

Wish me luck in getting some much needed work done.  

The spirit is willing, but the aging body

is wanting to do nothing more than sit in a comfy chair

with the laptop!  It's easy to do when you have an old 

ankle injury and a newly bum knee.  But, I need to read 

this article often and get moving as much as I can.

Take care and enjoy your day!

  

Love,

Cheryl

For The Birds...

"Do you like my feathers flat or..."

"do they look better spiked?"

~Cardinal

 

"I have a large repertoire of music, but I just don't feel

like singing right now."

~Mockingbird

"Put that camera down and get me a seed cake."

~Red-bellied Woodpecker

 

"Make sure you get my best side in the picture."

~Eastern bluebird

"I caught him!" 

It looks like the bluebird caught an insect just about the time

I accidentally caught him in flight.  He was sitting on the

pole and I was trying for a shot when he suddenly took off.

There are many beautiful bird photos around blogdom lately.

I hope you enjoyed seeing a few of the many birds that I

have in my backyard.  

Enjoy the rest of the week and don't forget to take time to 

smell the roses or watch a bird or two!

xo Cheryl

Thoughts on Thursday

I had a lovely Mother's Day with both my children at home.  My daughter gave me a pretty gift basket filled with goodies including 3 of my favorite magazines and the beautiful tulips which opened the next day were from my son.  The bottom of the bulbs are in water and I will plant them when they are finished blooming. 

Our son also brought KC Strip steaks and grilled them to perfection.  I nearly fainted when I saw the price tag, but they were sooo good!  Daughter fixed the potatoes and I put together a salad and popped some crescent rolls in the oven.  Yum, yum!  

Dessert was a devil's food cake I made in honor of my mother who often made it when I was a youngster at home.  The recipe which was typed over 40 years ago is worn and faded and well used.  As you probably know, the soda in the recipe is baking soda.  You'll also see that my mother used lard for shortening.  Back then we raised our own meat, beef and pork, and when a hog was butchered there would be a lot of lard.  If I remember correctly, my dad would bring a 5 gallon can of it home from the butcher.   

 

I used Cool Whip Lite for the topping.  My dad almost always had a milk cow and my mother would save the cream which rose to the top of the milk cans stored in the refrigerator.  Then she would make the yummiest whipped cream.  Oh my goodness, it was sooo good!  Especially on devil's food cake, which my mother made so often that she didn't need to use a recipe.  I always wondered how a cake that was so good could have such an ugly name!

   

We have had lots of rain lately.  At least every other day, it seems.  I have been enjoying sitting on the patio in the late afternoon and watching the birds coming to the feeders.  The one pictured above is a House Finch.  

There is much to do inside the house but I love patio sitting and bird watching.  When inside, I'm afraid I'm a bit of a news junkie and I spend a lot of time reading various news sites.  This election year has me fascinated.  Love him or hate him, it's obvious that the presumptive Republican nominee has certainly shaken things up in the political world.  The state of the world has me worried.  You can't read the news without knowing we are in a downward spiral with all that is happening.  What used to be right is now wrong and vice versa.   

I had to go to the Big Town yesterday and while there stopped by my favorite resale shop.  I found some great books for a dollar apiece.  The first book that I saw on the top shelf was A Fine Romance by Susan Branch.  I had already read the book which I had checked out from the library, but I was excited to find a copy for my very own for just a dollar bill.  Score!!  It is just like new, too.   It is one of those books that I will enjoy reading again.  It has lots of wonderful photos and information about England, which I'd love to visit.

I was quite pleased with my finds.  Max Lucado is one of my favorite Christian authors.  And while I don't entertain much these days, I couldn't resist Martha Stewart's book.  The BH&G book, Garden Style, has lots of decorating ideas for inside and outside the home.  Anyone remember Lynette Jennings?  I loved her show when she was on HGTV years ago, so her book should be interesting.  Some things never go out of style in decorating, in my opinion.

Have a wonderful week...what's left of it.  I can't believe how fast it has flown by!

xo Cheryl

Happy Mother's Day

Mother, the ribbons of your love 

are woven around my heart.

~Author Unknown

 To mother's everywhere, I wish you a happy day!

I am so very thankful for my sweet, beautiful children

who made me a mother. 

 And I'm truly thankful for my own sweet mother who was 

only with me for 31 years, but I will always remember her love 

and care for my brothers and me.

xo Cheryl

Comments closed, enjoy your day!