March Madness

It seems almost impossible that March has come and gone with only a few days remaining on the official calendar. I don't know why I should seem so surprised as every year without fail, this particular month zips by for me ending the first quarter of the year. Perhaps it's due to a myriad of activities.

One such event is my birthday. Yes, I am officially one year older although looking in the mirror from one year to the next I see very little change. It's funny that when you multiply that one year by 10, I can see a vast change and I feel it as well. I have a few more aches and pains than I used to, but I'm just grateful that I can still do just about anything I want to and feel the aches. By nature, I'm an active person; I cannot sit still and hold my hands. I can always see and find something to do and if I'm not busy, I feel guilty that I'm not a good steward of my time. And on that note, every birthday reminds me how quickly time is fleeting. I think I was just 16 yesterday. Frequently, I tell Collin that there is an 18 year old trapped in this body just dying to get out.

I've reached a point such that with every birthday I reflect on my life and the blessings that God has provided for me. First, I'm just glad to still be here. I've had a successful career, a wonderful marriage, and raised two precious children. I feel that I've reached a major milestone to help them to be successful, independent, happy adults. Neither of them drink, smoke, do drugs, have numerous tattoos or body piercings, and I've never bailed either one of them out of jail. Now what more could a mother ask for. Micah has made it and Bryan will only be home two or three more years. His college days will be complete before I know it. Now once a mother, always a mother. I think they still need me from time to time, (I certainly hope they do), but their survival doesn't depend on me quite like it used to. The house is a lot more quiet these days and the hustle-bustle of school activities has long since ceased. I miss some of those things, but time marches on and I wouldn't want my children to miss out on what life has in store for them with families of their own.

Another wonderful thing about my birthday is that Mom and I get to celebrate together because her birthday is the day before mine. Dad took us out to eat this year at Colton's. We had a great time. The next weekend, Collin's parents took us out for a celebration at Whiskey Creek in Paragould. I partied for a whole week. On Wednesday night when I got to church, my dear friend, Vera, had brought a cake along with a card and a garden statuary. I have another frog for my collection. (Frogs--another story for another time.) What would life be without friends.

Spring break came along and Collin and I made a four-day trip to Branson. We had a great time shopping. We slept in getting some much needed rest and ate at three very nice restaurants. We had a hot breakfast every morning compliments of our hotel and at night, they served blackberry and peach cobblers along with ice cream. Did we ever enjoy that. We don't want to get on the scales for a while until we get those pounds worked off. I also did a little work on my plants and flowers. Collin arranged for me to have a massage as a birthday present and I went into town Thursday for that special treat. It was wonderful.

And now, I return to work on Monday. So as you can see, with all this to-do in March, it slips by quickly and I'm always in a quandary as to what happened to this month of the year. I better hurry; it will be tax day before I know it.

Marcia

From One EXTREME To Another

Weather is so unpredictable in Arkansas. I've heard all my life, "If you don't like the weather, just stick around; it will change shortly. This winter has certainly been no exception to that old adage.

Last Saturday began the first weekend in March and it was really nice and fairly mild. We reached near 70 degrees. The boys and I worked out in the yard (again) all day long cleaning up limbs from a thunderstorm that passed through and a snow the weekend before. We built another fire and raked and carried debris. Another huge goal for the day was to get down the remaining tree trunk that was still hovering over the shop that had damaged the roof from the ice storm. You'll note in the photograph that we were successful. One of our neighbors came over with his tractor and helped get it to the ground. Although Collin has cut up and moved a large portion of the wood, we still have a number of large blocks in our yard that will require the use of a wood spliter before they can be handled. The good news about all this is that our wood pile for next winter is really looking good. We'll be set.

As we moved into the current week leaving behind 70 degree days, you guessed it; the weather made a big change. Wednesday night, Collin was rebuilding a new fire in our wood-burning insert because the temperature was dropping fast into the 30s with wintry mix and snow on the way. Sure enough, the white stuff was here again Thursday morning, but at least it didn't stop traffic and school.

Now as we look forward the next week, we're shifting again. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday promise to be in the 70s. And may I add that the Easter flowers are beautiful calling to Spring.

They say its a woman's prerogative to change her mind, but I have to wonder about "ole man winter. " Somehow, I don't think the female gender has the corner on this particular market.


Thinking green,

Marcia

And Since We've No Place To Go. . .

let it snow; let it snow!

That's right. More white, powdery flakes in Arkansas. We got up to rain this morning. Collin built up the fire while I made the coffee. He hasn't felt well this week with cold and flu-like symptoms so we had simply planned to stay in by the fire, keep warm, and relax. Around noon, the rain changed to snow. I'd say we've accumulated at least two inches and it looks like more is on the way. It is beautiful to watch it fall and to lay on the ground. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

In spite of the fact that all appearances would scream "Winter", I'm convinced that Spring awaits in the near future.

Marcia

Winter Storm Cleanup

Collin and I have spent the last three weeks cleaning yards on Saturdays after the massive ice storm that pounded our area. We cleaned our yard and helped our neighbor just up the hill on the first Saturday. We cleaned Mom and Dad's yard the following Monday, and then spent the last two Saturday's helping Collin's parents clean and get rid of limbs and debris. I've hauled and drug tree limbs until I should have the muscles of Superman. I've raked giblets of leaves, pine, and tiny sticks such that I wore a blister on my thumb through my work gloves. I've bent over and loaded tons of piles into my wheel barrow until my back has almost stuck in the bent over position. We've had burn piles so high that it is a wonder that some concerned neighbor has not called in a fire alarm. Bryan worked all day with us on two of those Saturdays.

I think if we wanted to earn vacation money, we could hire out every Saturday from now until May. The first Saturday we headed to Brookland, Collin had our truck bed loaded down with chain saws, rakes, yard brooms, wheel barrows, gas jugs, etc. As he was securing everything down, he made mention that we would look gypsies driving down the bypass. I laughed and said, "If you'd put our phone number in the window, someone would probably try to hire us." We stopped at Sam's to buy gas and wouldn't you know it. The attendant came running over and excitedly asked, "Do you folks clean yards? I'm looking for someone to clean mine up." I chuckled to myself and thought, "I guess I was right. I should make a sign, Elder Lawn and Tree Cleaning."


Now all this yard work has brought a few things to my mind. First of all, all these leisurely Saturdays that I had expected to have in January and February have kind of gone by the wayside. You'll remember from an earlier post that I was looking forward to some peaceful weekends with maybe a few road trips. Wrong! And by the way, just how many women do you know that spend Valentine's Day with their sweetheart hauling wood? I had envisioned and had begun planning a Saturday in Memphis with a little shopping and a wonderful dinner at a nice restaurant. Wrong!

In all fairness, I must tell you that Collin did bring home a Valentine balloon Friday afternoon and we went to Shorty Small's for dinner that evening. It helped to soften the blow of my thwarted plans from prior days of traveling to Memphis. I somehow doubt that either of us would have felt like eating out on Saturday night.


Secondly, all this exercise which results in aching muscles and back pain reminds me that I'm not as young as I used to be. I know that somewhere in this old body, there is a trapped 18 year-old just dying to get out. Thank goodness for a jacuzzi and lots of hot water. I always feel better after a long soak at the end of the day. It would warm me up as well. Some of those Saturdays were cold and I had to really bundle up. Mamaw fixed a big crock pot of vegetable soup one of those days, and did it ever hit the spot.


Lastly, in spite of all the work we've done, there is more. Collin finally began cutting down the tree that is leaning over our shop and alas, yet another mess to clean up. Spring time with its rains and thunder storms await just around the corner and no doubt, more limbs will come tumbling down. Oh how I love being outside working in the yard, but could we just concentrate on flowers a little while rather than tree limbs.
Marcia

Winter Wonderland in Arkansas

If there was any question that it was winter time in Arkansas, all doubt was laid to rest this past week as freezing rain pounded the northern half of the state icing all the trees and timber as well as the utility lines. The precip started about 6 o'clock Monday night and the icy drizzle lasted over 30 hours. We lost electricity Tuesday night about 6:00 and were without for 71 hours. We had lights about 5 o'clock Friday night. School was out the remainder of the week.

The world almost stops without electricity. We take it for granted until it isn't there. I don't know how many times I reached for the light switch simply out of habit. There were no land phones, cable, or internet as power lines were down. Of course, there wasn't any need to be concerned over cable since the TV didn't have electrical power anyway. (Double whammy if you will.) Many households were cold without alternate sources of heat and what do you eat without a stove to cook on just to mention a few of the dilemmas.

We actually faired quite well at our house considering all things. We have a wood burning insert so we could stay warm. A generator is a staple in Collin's shop and he had the gas cans filled with reserves ready for which time there would be a need. It's wonderful to be married to a man who has these kinds of toys, stays in a state of preparedness and almost looks forward to the time that he can utilize these power tools. I have my own version of "Tim, the Toolman", and what a lucky gal I am. We cooked on a gas grill, made breakfast on a griddle, and dined on cuisine from the crockpot. We made coffee daily and shared meals with my mom and dad.

We did not get off totally unscathed. We lost a large amount of tree limbs and had a tree fall over on Collin's shop doing some roof damage. And yet, for all the havoc caused by the ice storm, there was also so much beauty. The landscape was glistening in white, silvery crystals and everywhere we looked, the scenery was incredible. I happened to snap a few photos. I also had time to enjoy some magazines and since Riceland had no power, Collin was home as well. Bryan was in and out as even ASU experienced difficulties.

We've had quite a busy weekend. Needless to say, our yard was a mess and the cleanup began. I hadn't planned on yard work until late March and had planned on some leisurely Saturdays, but that isn't likely to be the case. We will be cleaning Mom and Dad's yard as well as Collin's mom and dad's yard next Saturday.

Many people in our area are still without electricity and do not have a promise of when to expect it. Many schools remain closed. We didn't have church today because there is no electricity in that area of the city. That is a first for me; I can't remember a time of not going to Sunday services because of power failures. I will be going back to school tomorrow and I must confess that I've become spoiled to being home.

In light of the weekend cleanup, I'm quite experienced in hauling limbs, racking, and burning debris. If you need a yard woman, just give a call.

Marcia

Stop and Smell the Roses

I despise cold weather. As soon as Christmas is over, I'm ready for May. I can't seem to pile on enough clothing, my feet are like two chunks of ice, and my favorite spot at home is standing in front of our wood-burning insert. Ah, there is nothing quite like wood heat. Our family room is always so nice and toasty.

Obviously, January is not my favorite month of the year even though I must confess, I would love to see just a little snow. There is, however, something that I do like about January and February in all fairness to months one and two of the year. It is a slower, more relaxed time that Collin and I enjoy when we don't have to rush and be busy on weekends. These two months of the year, we purpose to spend Saturdays sitting by the fire, leisurely sipping our morning coffee, chatting a bit, and reading the newspaper or similar tranquil activities. Several of those Saturdays, we get into our vehicle and take to the highway. Sometimes, we just piddle in the Jonesboro shopping areas and sometimes, we embrace more exciting adventures by going to Memphis or hitting the open road in one direction or another. Last Saturday was one of such days.

Collin's parents asked us to join them for the day on an outing to Hardy and Ozark country. We had a wonderful time. We did have one particular goal in mind; breakfast at a quaint little diner located at the end of the Hardy main street. I can't even tell you the name of the place, but obviously, no larger than Hardy is, one can easily find it. They serve breakfast all day at very reasonable prices and the selections are delicious. I highly recommend that anyone who hasn't eaten there should seek out this little "diamond in the rough." After our 11 o'clock brunch, we traveled on into the hill country for a drive into Calico Rock, Mt. View, Batesville, and back home. There is certainly not a great deal of beauty to behold this time of year, but the barren mountain tops still speak majestically and hint that the promise of spring is on the way when once again, the peaks will echo with green. Our day was enjoyable and our spirits were renewed.

Something else we've come to enjoy is watching the birds outside our french doors. It is a balm to the weary mind, a remembrance of God's amazing creation, and the beauty found in the simplest things if we only slow down enough to recognize it and enjoy the wonder. We have hung two bird feeders outside our patio area and our little wooden swinging restaurants draw quite a crowd. One day, we counted 10 red birds at one time. We also have blue jays, wrens, robins, doves, and a rather large family of unwanted squirrels. But, hey, I guess they are God's creatures, too, and have to eat. Often as I gaze out the window watching, I'm reminded of God's promise that He will provide for our every need. He manages to feed the birds and yet, He loves us more.

So, I'm determined to find something good during these cold wintry days in spite of my shivering and shaking for I know that Spring is approaching when I must be busy cleaning my yard, trimming the shrubbery, and pruning the trees. There will not be free Saturdays to stop and smell the roses or in my case. . .

Pause and watch the birds,

Marcia

A Look Back at the Holiday Season

I'm a bit behind on my blog. With the holiday season approaching, life got hectic and my energies were put into other things, but what a wonderful time of the year.

I love Thanksgiving. The harvest decorations are beautiful and the colors of nature are my favorites. It's a wonderful time to be shared with family and friends when you really slow down just a bit and concentrate on life's blessings. This year was no exception.

We have a great deal of tradition steeped into Thanksgiving as we do Christmas. Micah and Rhyne drove in from New Orleans. Tuesday evening as soon as I could get home from school, the family had traditional chile supper with corn chips and shredded cheese. When the meal was over, we carried in the tree and trimmings and let the assembly begin. Although everybody was excited that the tree was going up and could hardly wait until the packages were placed below it's branches, Collin and I suddenly noticed that Micah fell asleep, Rhyne left, and Bryan disappeared. The two of us finished up the tree, and when all the family members suddenly reappeared, they all thought the tree was just beautiful. Sometimes I feel like one of those cartoon moms out of the Sunday newspaper with my kids. Micah and I did some shopping on Wednesday and we had our Thanksgiving meal with my mom and dad on Wednesday night. We celebrated the holiday with Collin's parents on Thursday evening and the rest of the week, I finished decorating the house.

December lead to other activities and celebrations. I invited the ladies that I work with to come over after school for some relaxation and refreshments. I think everyone had a good time; I know I enjoyed having them here. Collin and I were very busy with the Living Christmas Tree at church one of our December weekends. We attended the Riceland banquet with work associates who have become good friends and had a wonderful time. We also visited with friends at another open house hosted by friends from our church.

Christmas Day is very exciting for our family. We began the day at mom and dad's house having lunch about 11 o'clock. Micah and Rhyne joined us and we shared our presents with each other. Mid-afternoon we went to Collin's family's home for another meal and we had our family Christmas at home the very last thing. Both sets of grandparents came to our house with us this year to see what Santa brought everyone. After things quieted down, we all put on our pajamas and watched a DVD to wrap up the day.

New Year's was rather quiet for Collin and myself. Bryan had gone on a trip with friends from the university and our New Orleans children left to go home. The dust had all settled, the decorations were packed away for another year and we sat in front of the fire reflecting on what a special holiday season we had shared as well as a wonderful year and all our many blessings. As dear as my children are and as much as I love them and miss them when they are away from us, it's very special for just Collin and I to be together, enjoying the stillness of the moment and the peace of being home.

I love Christmas and all that goes with it; the sights, sounds, and smells, the shopping, the cooking, baking, and eating, the decorations, the secrets and the magic of Santa. I love beautifully decorated trees, Christmas carols, and remembering that a precious baby was born that changed the world forever. When it comes to Christmas, I always feel like a child at heart. The day has come and gone another year, but I'm already thinking about the next one. It's never too early to begin thinking about everyone you love and starting your shopping list.

Happy New Year, Marcia