2017 March 26~ Party Central at THE OAKS at Richfield #90

Happy Birthday, MOM

I'm reflecting on this past Sunday, as are all of the members of my family!
My heart is soaring with jubilation and gratitude!
What a glorious way to celebrate a 90th birthday!
Joy.... that family could be together.
Joy.... that some of her long time friends could visit with her.
Joy.... that her new friends at The Oaks were able to attend.
Count it all joy!
En-JOY the following photos, and quotes about JOY!
~~~~~'Party Central at Richfield'~~~~~

"A thing of beauty is a JOY forever."

"JOY is not in things; it is in us"

"Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is JOY enough."

"JOY is the simplest form of gratitude."

Sometimes JOY is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your JOY.

"Make a JOYFUL noise."

 "Resolve to keep happy; your JOY will form an invisible host against difficulties."

"JOY is the infallible sign of the presence of God."

"JOY multiplies when it is shared among friends."

"To get the full value of JOY, you must have someone to divide it with."

"Happiness is part of who we are JOY is the feeling."

"Do good, live in the most positive and JOYful way possible every day."

"To serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with JOY."

"A flower blossoms for its own JOY."

March 17, 2017 A Tribute to my Mother-in-law........

One year ago today, my precious mother-in-law left this earth.
~~~Dorothy Lucille Stanley Sharpley March 17, 2016~~~.
She was 94.
Dot was my "other mother" from the time I got married until the day she died.
How blessed I was to have 2 Moms!

June 6, 1970

Oh, if only I could pack into my life what she managed to do.
Always smiling,
ALWAYS TALKING,
Always doing for others.
Her love and zeal for life was like no one else that I know!
She made the most out of every minute.

Dot and I had a wonderful relationship.
Mother-in-law problems? NEVER!
Honestly, I never understood any of those classic "mother-in-law" stories.
Our children were blessed to know and love their 'GRANNY DOT' (probably as much as they loved us!)

Her 5 great grandchildren were privileged to know and love her as well.

My Mom and Dot were close 'friends' from they time they met!(How unique is that?)

Dot was not your average woman.
She made friends with everyone she met! (I'm not sure inviting the delivery guy inside her home,to taste her home-made soup was a great idea, but non the less, she didn't ask me for permission!)
She was a 'go-getter'.
Dot was a woman who (despite living in a culture and time where women often fade into the background), taught her son to respect women and treat them as equals.
Dot's family was the most important thing to her. She never missed an opportunity to celebrate birthday dinners, holidays, anniversaries, and any other day that she could create, to encourage family to be together.

In her younger, healthier years, Dot had a social life so active it would put college students to shame!
She was the original energizer bunny.
Oh, what I wouldn't give to hug her..... one more time.
Thank you Dot, for everything that you did for me.

Your son Ron, your grandchildren and their mates, your great-grandchildren, and I, pay tribute to you today. You left the world better than you found it.
You were not afraid of life and in the end you were not afraid of leaving your earthly life.
I will be forever grateful to my Heavenly Father for the gift of Dot Sharpley----
my kind,
generous,
funny,
and very wise mother-in-law.

♥ Cherish your family.

Walking on the Greenway

The ROANOKE VALLEY GREENWAY is one of our favorite places to walk.
Because it is near our house (less than 2 miles away), we frequent the greenway often!
You can walk, run, bike, or stroll.
Usually we run into a few friends along the way.
Today we walked  strolled for 5.25 miles (12,109 fitbit steps).
Looks like spring is here... at least for today!

Today I carried my 'big girl camera'....... with NO tripod!
I'm still very much tripod dependent, so this was great practice!
Many shots were taken with me flat out on the ground, holding my camera!

I wonder if this has anything to do with spring allergies????? hahaha

Today was a beautiful day in early March.
Everyday is a good day, when we are outside.
Happy Walking!

February 25, 2017 Izaak Walton in February

It's always fun with friends and cameras and dark skies.......and food!
February 25th was another fun-filled evening with friends.

Our photog friends enjoy a night under the stars!

We are always in awe of God's handiwork.

Fooling Mother Nature

February 23, 2017
71 degrees
Roanoke, Va.
"It's not nice to fool Mother Nature."

Periwinkle is blooming~

I can almost see it now.....the first day of spring....(March 20):
The ground will be covered with 15-20" of snow.
The winds will be billowing.
Icicles will be hugging the power lines.
The home fires will be burning.
BUT FOR TODAY....... KILL THAT SILLY GROUNDHOG.
(PunxsutawneyPhil saw his shadow, prompting a declaration of six more weeks of winter.)
If you were unable to be outdoors today, another opportunity will be available tomorrow, February 23, 2017!
That's right!
Weather forecasts predict temperatures to soar to 75 degrees.
Spring flowers/bushes/trees are popping up everywhere.

Japonica bushes are in full bloom

Purple plum tree is full of buds and flowers

Jonquils/daffodils are plentiful!

Heather bushes are loaded with blooms!

"It's not nice to fool Mother Nature."
But for now, I'll take the warm rays of sunshine.
I'll take this kind of February.
I'll not complain!

Forsythia bush

Another Hike ~ Read Mountain Preserve

February 17, 2017
Read Mountain Preserve
6101 Crumpacker Dr.
Roanoke, VA 24012
If ever there was a more peaceful place, so close to home, beautiful, with well maintained hiking trails, READ MOUNTAIN PRESERVE (Buzzards Rock) would be a hard act to follow!
(all photos in this blog were taken with my iphone)

(McAfee Knob is the peak on the right).

What we thought was going to be an "easy 3.9 mile hike", turned into a steep, fairly strenuous, 'moderate-hard' almost straight-up climb. We packed light, since we thought it would take a mere few hours. HA.
The skies were clear, blue, and the air was invigorating.

Mother nature was showing us some of her best ground work.

The trails were very well maintained, and included several areas with steps for us 'retired, but not expired' folks. The trail was marked with Carolina blue trail blazes on the trees.

We were in no hurry to race to the top, and took advantage of rocks that cried out to us; "STOP HERE AND SIT".

Sections of this hike were more narrow than what we expected. This caused us to concentrate on watching WHERE we were stepping, instead of looking at the view. Thanks goodness for the signs that said VIEW, or we would have missed one of the vistas!

Did I mention rocks, and boulders?
OH MY!
We crested the mountain's spine to Buzzards Rock.

The area is also known for its buzzards, thus the name BUZZARDS ROCK .
For at least 1/2 hour, we were sprawled out looking up in the sky as these buzzards zoomed by!
Oh to be able to fly like the birds!

So ends another adventurous day.
We are retired, but not expired!
But for today, it's Advil, coffee, and foot rubs.