Christmas Tree Alive

Memory Tree..
       We have not had a "real" tree for many years.  This year Donn and I loaded up our truck with a saw, boots for the woods and headed to dad's to find this special little tree.  Tromping through the maze of now neglected, untrimmed trees we found our treasure.  It is a little scrawny, branches are uneven and scraggly in places..but that is not what I see.  I see a tree that has been allowed to grow and reach to the sky free as a bird, up to the Father...not just the right shape, height or color, none the less beautiful for what it holds.  I did not see the beauty at first when we set it in the stand, in fact I saw the flaws.  After digging out a worn old box full of ornaments from long ago and placing them tenderly on the branches, my Charlie Brown tree came alive!  Memories of Christmas past begin to flood my mind..ah, remember this one that Chad made in school?  How about the year we all created something for the tree as a family?  Wow..this one is from mom's tree..it must be 50 years old.  These blue ones with doves represent mom's miracle. The tree began to glow with beauty as it reflected memories of long ago..how special it is! 
   Our family is scattered about the world this year leaving Donn and I alone on Christmas eve and Christmas morning.  But, it was good.  More and more I grow extremely thankful and happy with each moment Father gives us together.  Cherish the moment.  Remember the past fondly but love the day you are given.  Life is good and I continue to love and live this life.  Merry Christmas! 

      Leaves are showering down by the thousands once again. It is that time of year, actually one of my favorite seasons. Our huge 2 lots are full of massive maples that rain down their shedding leaves and cover our lawn totally! Last year we hired a young man from down the street to blow our yard, but yesterday I decided to invest in my own fall toy, a gas powered leaf blower! What fun! I filled it with gas mix, set the choke, pulled the rope, reset the choke, pulled again and vrrroooommmm, my toy came to life. It still is a big yard, big job but how fun to watch the fallen leaves dance and twirl as the blast of air moves them towards the woods. The only thing missing is the smell of burning leaves! Maybe after the fire danger goes down! Hey, let's make a huge pile and jump in them, ok? Next toy to tune up is the snow-blower, I've heard we are in for a doozy of a snow filled winter. YAY! Bring it on! Have a fun fall friends!



Fish Eyes Anyone?



Diggin' for the fish eye!

 Back on the otherside I was happy to find I have not lost my adventuresome appetite for things unusual and never tasted before by me!!  This year's challenge was fish eyes.  Yup, I said, fish eyes.  Why do you ask?  Because they are considered a delicacy and I have never been challenged to try them before.  Thanks Todd.  So the first step was to dig them out with my kuazi.  Then......


The first taste of the eye...hmmm, interesting

  Into my mouth they went!!  There was a slight crunch, a little soft spot and it was all over!  I did it, YAY!  Oh, at this same meal I tried donkey.  It was ok, but to me really nothing to write about.  I prefer to see them pulling carts than ground and stuffed in a dumpling.


The China "tourist" look



So many adventures during this past three weeks.    I think the most fun though was sharing the land we love with 4 people who had never been there.  They experienced trains, taxi rides, buses, walking, walking, walking, eating every kind of delicious food we could stuff ourselves with, the Great Wall and markets.  That was just the side stuff.  The most important and rewarding was meeting new friends in the various cities we visited.  Along the way 2 new sisters joined our family.  We plowed, planted and harvested on this trip.  It was good.  Thank you to all here at home who constantly remembered us to Father for our safety, health and work.  I pray each of you will look and find where HE is working and join HIM there!  Your life will be blessed, full of joy and peace like ours! 

UP UP and AWAY!

Yesterday was one of those memory maker days!  Donn and I traveled to Traverse City to cash in our gift certificate we received for our 40th anniversary from our kids!  It was for tandem parasailing in the Bay!  How awesome is that?  We both had wanted to parasail a few years ago in Thailand but kept stalling until one day we got up the nerve and the wind conditions prevented it!  Whew!  Finally, we have experienced parasailing!

Two other couples joined us in the boat for this adventure.  Donn volunteered us to go first, of course.  We were harnessed into straps that would be our seat.  I thought there would be chairs.  Oh no, straps and buckles.  We then were hooked to the sail, sat on our bottoms on the platform of the boat and waited.  The engine roared to life, the sail filled with air and the 800 foot line began to reel out!  No turning back, we began to fly up.  It did not take long for us to be high above everything, everyone, even the birds were far below us.  The flight was scheduled for 15 minutes so it was imperative to not think of the height, the water below or the tiny rope that held our two big bodies in tow!  Instead we focused on the clear blue sky above, the brilliant blue shades of glistening water below and the peaceful freedom of flying!  Occasional wind gusts tilted and tipped us which again could have panicked a person...hey, I am ready to die at any time, so why worry?  Coming down slowly I felt like a kite.  Our landing was a little rocky,  I did not like the look of the guys face reeling us in..he later said it was a little tricky!  All in all,  I would suggest you give it a try.  Up UP  and AWAY!  OK, what is our next adventure?

Livin' and Lovin' the life!  Dianne

Summer is here at last!  So many things to see, so many places to go, so many things to do!  On and on the list always goes, no matter how many times I promise myself the calendar will not be filled up every day with people, places and events.  We have entertained, traveled to the Smokies for our 40th anniversary, spent some time with family in Indiana, had Eli and Hannah stay up north, camped...it has been an awesome couple months.
   This morning early early I wandered out to my gardens.  They are at their peak right now overflowing with daisies, baby breath, lilies of all colors, hostas, delphiniums, bee balm and numerous other plants.  Breathtaking.  I am beginning to settle down now.  All I hear are birds chirping, the occasional buzz of a pollen gathering bee and the quiet of my own heart.  My huge patch of raspberry bushes is dripping with fruit.  I plunged into the sky high bushes and began to pick the harvest.  One hour passed and honestly it was pure bliss doing this time consuming task!  Did I do it for the berries? Not really.  Donn doesn't even like them.  It was a gift from Father to me.  A time to be still and enjoy His creation.  I came in the house a little scratched, a lot sweaty with 2 quarts to show for my work.  As I popped them into the freezer I knew that this winter when the bushes are buried in snow I can pull these treasures out and remember a hot summer day in NE Michigan when it was just me, God and his bounty!  I pray you are slowing down some every so often and seeing, tasting, smelling and resting in the One who loves us so!!  Happy Summer.
           Daisies, Hammocks, ponds, gardens, flowers and sunshine await!
                      Still livin' and lovin' life!      love, Dianne

Early Spring in the Northland!

Sawing up branches for my creation!

Winter should be the season for me to keep up with my blog, but as you can see, that did not happen!  Last year the snow fell in buckets, dumping about 185 inches on us.  This winter was so mild with only 75 inches total that by March we were experiencing unseasonably warm weather which moved me outdoors to begin cleaning up the yard and woods.  I then had an inspiration to make a garden gate for last years newest perennial garden.  Donn helped me cut down a few small trees and then I spent hours cutting, drilling and fitting together my new garden door!  What fun it was!

There is nothing like creating something out of nothing, such fun!

The end result is a very primitive but totally homemade garden gate!

I can't wait to see this when the moonflowers and morning glories twine around the gate!  Should be beautiful!  The weather has been so unusually mild at times that 2 weeks ago one of our days hit 82 degrees!  We had friends from Moldova here at the time and decided to take them down to my dad's cabin and ponds where we actually got into the water!  In April!  Unbelievable.  Here is the proof!  (Should mention that any part of the body that touched the freshly melted ice water was numb!

Now, if that is not crazy enough, one more tidbit of our early spring!  Sunday we visited one of our churches that is 2 hours away.  We had an awesome time of worship with that church family.  After a yummy potluck we changed into woods trampin' clothes, drove 30 miles into the tangled forest, guided by the pastor and wife, Jason and Tracy,  who are mushroom hunters supreme.  Our haul was 170 delicious morels that I am drying right now in my kitchen for future meals!  This is like a month early to find these woods treats! 

 Hope where you live is as springy and beautiful! Have a great day and truly will try and post more often from now on!

Livin' and lovin' the life!  Di

hello's and goodbye's

     The house is unusually quiet now.  The voices of the ones we love are but a memory now...all the laughter, running, slamming of doors, tv tuned to cartoons or blaring Wii games being played non-stop is silent.  My dishwasher is almost in sleep mode after the daily 2 or 3 times  it was running for weeks.  The bulging fridge is slimming down, the oven and microwave and taking a nap.  We are back to our normal.  Every thing is neat and in it's place.  In the middle of all the noise there were a few times I longed for this quiet, but I already miss having family near us.  Friday when we drove Donn and his family to the airport to send them off to the other side again I had a real difficult time saying goodbye.  The way we are all scattered about the country and world I never know when the next 'hello' will be.  So, with tears and long hugs we once again had to let our family all go home...another goodbye.  But, despite the constant tearing apart we endure I must say Donn and I are so wonderfully blessed with great children and now the blessing of 7 awesome grands.  Our kids have chosen paths of following Father where ever HE leads and serve HIM faithfully!  What more could we want for them.  Living next door and not serving HIM...NO WAY!    We are proud and humbled to have our family as it is.  I know the future holds many, many, many comings and goings, hellos and goodbyes, but that's ok.  One day there will be no more goodbyes and that will be heaven!  Those of you who have your kids and grands near you, please enjoy, cherish and make memories each time you are together!  Hopefully it will not be 7 years until we are together again for the holidays but only Father knows!  For now, goodnite treasured family of mine, scattered though we may be, you are always in your mom's heart!  Sweet dreams!