Saturday November 7 2015  AND THAT WHICH HE GIVES HE GIVE FREE

 

It is dark and it is late (8:13 p.m.) and my arm worked too hard today so I don’t have much oomph left in me for blog writing.  I did want to come and say hello and let you know I am still kicking.  I worked in the kitchen doing one of my favorite things and I am ready for the bed.  But, I do want to tell you that the soup I made today (from an actual recipe) turned out unbelievably delicious!   With most soups I just make up the recipe and sometimes have somewhat varying results.  This recipe was easy and quick to cook.  Once it came to a simmer it took only 1 hour for everything to be ready.  It is called summer vegetable stew.  All the vegetables are still available from the market and perhaps even from some gardens if you live in the right clime.  If anyone would like to have the recipe just let me know and I’ll publish it in a later blog.  VERY, VERY DELICIOUS!  Even if I do say so myself.

I also have a crustless apple pie baking in the oven.  I just followed my regular recipe (made up) and put it in a baking dish, covered it with a glass lid and will wait and see how it tastes without the crust.  Probably will taste more like a lumpy, sweet applesauce.  I used honey crisp apples right from the farm down the road.

This morning as I drove to the end of the street at the top of the hill from our house I saw a beautiful sight.  I always love the view I see as I come to the stop sign to turn onto the road that takes me to the apple farm and the gym where I work out.  Every year there are rotating crops planted that change week by week.  This year corn was planted.  Last year it was soybeans.  The corn was in the process of being harvested.  The machines are huge and seriously scary looking.  Standing in the field by the side of the road a truck patiently waited to be filled with the harvested corn.  The harvester goes down the long rows of corn stalks, picks the corn, shucks it, and takes the kernels off the cob, all in one fell swoop.  As the corn is processed through the harvester it comes out a shoot and fills up a large compartment.  When the compartment gets full, the harvester comes over to the waiting trailers and transfers the corn.  Well, as I approached it I could see one trailer was already full and I had the advantage of being higher than the truck as the field was below the road.  I only had my cell phone with me but I couldn’t let the beautiful sight of the corn being harvested left uncaptured.  Besides, my first thought was that I wanted to share the picture on my blog.  I’ll post it below.  I just love all the beautiful sights I see every day and wish I could share them with the world.  The camera never does them justice. 

The leaves have finally fallen from the great oak tree outside our living room window.  It was dusk when I looked outside and I could actually see the backyard area behind our house because the leaves no longer covered the view.  I’ll post that picture so you can see the abundance of leaves strewn over the yard and terrace below.  Every season here has such a unique beauty all its own.  I never cease to be amazed.  I wonder sometimes if others see the beauty as I see it.  If so, I never hear people speak of it.  It is such a shame when we take the beauty of even one day for granted.  To have eyes to see is enough reason to revel in all that can be enjoyed.  Look around you and find things to look at that you pass every day and never take time to really focus on.  You may surprise yourself with all the beauty that is in your world wherever you live.  I just happen to think that I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth.  I have never regretted moving to Wisconsin from California 29 years ago.  It gets cold, that is true, but even the stark white of winter is pleasing to my eye.  Another thing I love about country life are the fragrance of life around me.  Unless it is freezing I usually have my car window rolled down and just inhale all that I pass.  However, there is one farm down the road that I usually roll my window up before I pass when I have to go by it.  It is a very large dairy farm.  Need I say more?  There is one other oder that catches me unaware when I wish my window was up and that is the smell of a skunk, of which we seem to have a plethora.

 

 

AND THAT WHICH HE GIVES HE GIVES FREE

By Kathleen Martens

November 7, 2015

 

Stop and enjoy your day,

Look around and view sights unseen,

Let your EYES speak and say,

What your busy thoughts screen.

 

Instead of thinking of tomorrow

Be aware of the presence of now.

From the future do not borrow

When there is so much today allows.

 

Let your eyes gaze in shadow and mist

To see all that there is to see.

God displays such beautiful gifts

And that which He gives He gives free.

 

Do not be in such a haste

That you miss the glory that abounds.

What you don’t see is such a waste

For tomorrow it may not be around.

 

So many things are once in a lifetime,

Like the miracle of an individual flower

Enjoy the moments of the warm sunshine

And the miracles in every hour.

 

The baked apples with cranberries turned out delicious!  It would be great over ice cream!

Enjoy your moments because they are when you live.

Good Night.

 

Friday November 6 2015  TWO LITTLE BOYS

 

A day out, shopping for supplies, but it was still a day out.  Dave is eager to have a reason to go out when he has been cooped up for so long recovering.  So today he braved the world, I drove and he went along for the ride.  At our last stop he said it was time to go home.  So we did.  A bit of rest to freshen up for the evening ahead.  It will need to be a short evening because I don’t want him to over exert.  He is more apt to try to do too much if I don’t stand guard.  Anyway, that’s what I like to think.

Court and Amy are coming over.  We are going to go to Subway and get three, foot long subs.  The boys really like to go to Subway and this is to celebrate Xander’s fourth birthday.  I want each boy to always know they have a party at grandma and grandpa’s to celebrate the day of their birth.  No matter what other parties they have we ask them to come over so that they will always know how special they are to us.  I figure if the party tradition is ingrained in them while they are young, that when they become teenagers,  it will still be important for them to come over to be with grandma and grandpa to celebrate their birthday.  They are both growing so quickly and so soon adolescence will be upon them when their friends become more important than their family, especially the “older family”. 

After subway we plan to go to the MacDonald’s play land for a while, as they both still enjoy the fun it affords.  Zach will soon be too big.  He is growing taller by leaps and bounds.  He will be eight years old in a couple of weeks and he is almost up to my chin.  Of course that probably isn’t very impressive when you realize how short I am.  But to me, he is tall.  Built just like his father was (and still is), massive shoulders and strong muscular legs.  Our son had no chance for any other shape because both Dave and I have thick thighs and I guess it was passed on to the next generation too.  I am just so thankful that both boys are healthy, strong, and have a sound mind.  When we have healthy children we are truly blessed and should remember to be thankful for it every day.  One last thought about Mac Donald’s, we will have vanilla cones to celebrate the day (along with a treat which they don’t yet know about).

Soon our quiet house will be full of noise as the birthday boy arrives with his family.  Dad is coming from work and mom from home with the boys.  There is always so much excitement and kisses and energy that it just revs me up.  A good rev!  We love it when they spend the night or part of a weekend.  There is always a lot that goes on.  If you are not a grandparent you may not quite know what I am talking about.  Let’s just say it is a highlight of our life.

 

TWO LITTLE BOYS

By Kathleen Martens

November 6, 2015

 

Two little boys

With smiles and wiggles,

Makes a day brighter

With all their giggles.

 

So much excitement

That life affords.

Energy abundant

Which they never hoard.

 

Makes my heart glad

To see their faces,

And it’s off to the run

Like horses at races.

 

Kisses and hugs

Laughter and joy

Walk through the door

With two little boys.

 

They are here!  Must go and will return later.

 

I’m back.  What a fun evening we had.  We did just what I previously said we would do, Subway, MacDonald’s, fun time on the equipment, ice cream cones and cookies, and then the big present which Xander seemed to be excited about.  I don’t think the evening could have gone any better.  Dave’s energy lasted, and I felt good about already having written my blog.  I love writing my blogs, but sometimes I really have to squeeze them in to have the time between all else the beckons me.  Thanks to the notes you send me after reading the blogs. It is fun to hear your comments and learn what others are doing.

The night is still young.  It is only 8:33 p.m.  We squeezed a lot in today and now it is time to retire.

Good night!

 

Thursday November 5 2015   WITHOUT THE TANGLE OF TIME

 

WITHOUT THE TANGLE OF TIME

By Kathleen Martens

November 5, 2015

 

A simple day today. 

Life at its best.

Free

Without the tangle of time.

 

Leisurely arise before the dawn

To greet the darkened sky,

And the day awaits

Its first light of morn.

 

No rush…

No hurry…

Just life to be lived

At whatever pace

It so chooses.

 

Sweet hours unfold

Like a gentle flower

And time is tender,

Mild and calm

And the hours tick by.

 

One day older,

And wiser still

For I have tasted

In true wonder,

The sweetness of life

In harmony with self

Without the tangle of time.

 

And that is the synopsis of this day.  I sit here mellow and sated with peace.  My shoot tomorrow was cancelled, nothing else on my calendar, plans unmade, and the hours poured over me in sweet satisfaction.  Did I do anything?  Yes, actually quite a bit, but there was no haste or demands on my time, no urgent tasks to perform or a clock to punch.  It was lovely.  I accomplished more than I dreamed I could with only one arm.  I took this chance to just be.  I exercised and had a hydro massage.  Both wonderful! 

And here I am ready to say goodnight.  Today was an unexpected interlude in the hectic race of life.  I think I am really going to enjoy retirement when it really happens.  Until EVERYTHING associated with photography is over and cleared out I will not truly drop my guard.  But oh, I can taste it now and it is tantalizing.  I am going to make it happen.  And it will come to pass.  But today was delightful because I did not even think about work for one minute after the session was cancelled for tomorrow.  Lovely day.

 

Good night and God bless you. 

P.S.  I have some things brewing in my head about some upcoming blogs.  I have a few stories to tell that I think you might find interesting.  Until later…goodnight.

Below I added a couple of my favorite poems that I wrote in the past about TIME.  If you only have time to read one, read the last one.

 

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN TIME AND SPACE

By Kathleen Martens

July 15, 2010

 

Oh Lord, just take me off

To that wonderful place

Somewhere between

Time and space.

 

Take me into

The realms You know

Where there is freedom

Wherever You go.

 

The spiritual world

Where no time dwells,

Where there is no influence

Of that place called Hell.

 

Just existence,

Secure in God’s arms,

Shielded forever

From outward harm.

 

Your presence and knowledge

Just part of being;

Spiritual eyes

Given for seeing.

 

If I could but exist

For just one hour

In Your presence

Consumed by Your power,

 

I don’t think I could

Come back,

Too much of You

I would surely lack.

 

Someday it will be time

To walk through Your door,

And then I’ll be with You

Forever More.

 

But while on earth I’ll dream

Of that wonderful place.

Somewhere between

Time and space.

 

The following is one of my very favorites!

 

REFLECTION OF TIME

By Kathleen Martens

April 29, 2010

 

Always in a hurry I AM I AM.

And a day late!

What I do today

Was due last week.

What I do tomorrow

Should have been done yesterday.

But I can only live

My life in the now.

Yesterday is no more.

And never stays yesterday

More than one day.

Tomorrow actually never exists

For when you awaken it’s always today,

And so…

Today is the bridge.

Because yesterday, it was tomorrow.

And tomorrow.

It will be yesterday.

To live in the future

Or the past

Is a waste of today.

So…

I might as well

Just slow down,

Live in the now,

And accept the gift,

Of today.