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A to Z Challenge: “U”pside down, over and under
Roller coasters have been a part of my life since I was little. I am terrified of them, at least the large ones that flip you upside down with no respect for what you had for breakfast or lunch! My family went to Elitch Gardens amusement park in Denver. When I was small, I loved the boats that I could captain around the pond, the train that circled the park, the Tilt-a-Whirl, the Haunted House and many other rides. I have such fond memories of it. One of the country’s top 10 roller coasters was Mister Twister which opened at Elitch Gardens in 1964. It was a 96-foot-tall wooden coaster…
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A to Z Challenge: “S”hepherd, the Good one!
David’s Psalm 23 has always been a favorite of mine. There is something about the Lord as our Shepherd that I find comforting. It’s an image that is relatable and reminds me that God is active in my life as someone who gives guidance and refreshes my soul. My friend Sandy knew this and cross-stitched a beautiful pattern of the Good Shepherd, had it framed and gave it to me as a Christmas present. It is amazingly beautiful! It has a prominent place in our dining room, where Joe and I see it each day when we enter or leave the house through the garage. My friend’s artistic rendering reminded…
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A to Z Challenge: “P”aths in life
“Life is a journey, not a destination.” Ralph Waldo Emerson I’m feeling sentimental so you get a schmaltzy “P” blog. Emerson’s quote is one of my favorites. I believe this with my whole heart yet it’s so easy for me to forget. There have been a few things in the news that have reminded me of this lately. And, I remember a friend of mine who liked his job but had his retirement day figured out to the exact calendar date. When we’d talk, he’d say to me, “I only have 690 days left until retirement.” I feel that way too, sometimes. I’ve been working since I was 15 years…
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A to Z Challenge: “G”ood, good Father
Continuing a bit with yesterday’s post of “encouragement”, I had to share one of my favorite songs. I can be in the car, streaming WBGL at work or home and this song begins to play at the appropriate time. It warms my heart and soul. Chris Tomlin sings the version that I know but the song has a neat history behind it with its original writers. The song was written by Pat Barrett and Tony Brown. Tony grew up without a dad so the only person he’s ever called father is God. I had a very loving, warm, hard-working father who had an awesome sense of humor. He loved photography…
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“W”here did the summer go?
Can you believe it’s July?! Where did the summer go? I had knee replacement surgery in April, recuperated in May, fell twice and began recuperation again in June. I’ve noticed the seasons change and have been outside some to enjoy it. We’ve had a lot of rain, too, so it’s made the corn tall, the rivers full and the greenery lush. Before we know it, it will be August, then September, then fall, my favorite time of year. I know, for a lot of people in the midwest, they prefer summer to other seasons so I’m trying not to look too far ahead. I thought I’d list my 10 favorite…
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Under-wear?
If you’re like most people, you have pondered now and again where that one sock, that matched only one other sock in your entire wardrobe, went, when both went into the washer but only one came out. My “sock drawer” has been building for years. It had gotten to the point that rather than venture into the drawer to spend 20 minutes to find two same-color/ design socks to wear, I’d begun purchasing new ones. The madness had to stop. Last weekend I spent three hours matching up sock mates and throwing the singles away. As you can imagine, it was a daunting task. Here are the steps, should you…
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Telephone, tell a friend, text a message…
I am going to be 52 in a few weeks. I’m not young but I’m also not ready for assisted living, if that helps paint a picture. When I was growing up, the best way to communicate with friends was by telephone if I wasn’t at school or over at a friend’s house. My junior high school was 45 minutes across town by bus and it was important for us to communicate about homework, our classes and, of course, boys we liked. Friends’ advice was golden. We’d also arrange weekend get-togethers. And, remember, there were no computers or smart phones so the rotary dial telephone was “it.” With out-of-town friends,…
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“C”amera
Bales of hay are common around the midwest. They do remind me of Tootsie Rolls. © 2013 by Diane Weidenbenner It seems like I’ve always had a camera. Of course my first was a Ricoh film camera. I traipsed around Europe with 28 rolls of film and swapped them out as they filled up with memories. I then had to save up money in order to get them developed after I returned to the States. When I did finally have the money, and the gumption to fill out all those film envelopes, six months later, it was exciting. Through those developed photos, I relived the highlights of my vacation all…
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It’s all about the journey
A few weekends ago, I watched the 2007 movie, “P.S. I Love You,” again. At one point in the movie, Holly has an argument with her husband, Gerry. Holly is a “planner” and she and her husband aren’t where she envisioned them to be. Their apartment is too small, they can’t decide when to have a baby, etc. At one point Holly says something like, “I’m waiting for my life to begin…” Sometimes I feel like Holly. When I was younger, I’d say, “When I finish college, I’ll fill in the blank.” Then it was “I don’t want to buy a house until I get married.” Lately, I’ve been thinking,…
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Early morning magic …
To say that I’m not a morning person is an understatement. I work days (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) but many mornings it is all I can do to get up, move into the bathroom, wash my face and put mascara on (which requires that my eyes remain open). My preference would be to stay up late and then sleep until 9 or 10 the next morning. Early morning sun near Deming Park, Terre Haute, Ind. © Photo by Diane Weidenbenner On those rare occasions when I have woken up early, I have encountered the most amazing things. There is a special kind of magic afoot in the morning hours,…
