July Activites

July has been a busy month so far. It occurred to me, I completely dropped the ball on my June Prompts so I went to take a look at the ones I hadn't used. I picked the following, for June 30th, to do today.

Describe an activity that reminds you of your childhood summers.

My childhood summers were filled with so many activities, but one I loved back then and still love today was shopping at yard sales. There was something exciting about piling into mom's car, heading down the road watching for signs, and quickly pulling into a parking spot. We all had some spending money and would begin searching the tables for a special treasure to take home. You never knew what you would find. A new book, a pretty doll, a board game, a cassette tape. Sometimes I'd find a new piece of clothing. Well, new to me and that was fun! I remember getting a Beatles cassette and mom discovering a song that was not appropriate, so she made me tape over that section with something else. I still get the same feeling of excitement when I spot a yard sale sign. 

So, that's my take on the June 30th prompt. It was written in 5 minutes without editing. I'm not even allowing myself the luxury of checking for spelling and punctuation errors. So there it is, though I really wanted to change those last two lines. They just didn't read well to me. That's part of the challenge, to just write.

This particular prompt fit with my most recent activity. We got our yard sale behind us and had a lot of fun doing it. We sold a lot of small items. My sister brought over some magazines and comic books which surprisingly sold very well. I neglected to take photos of the sale, except for a few items.

Cherished Teddy, Hannah

Tooth Fairy Box

Angel Box

Vintage Magazines

The best part of having the sale was visiting with the variety of people who stopped to shop. Each person was on the hunt for treasures. Some browsed with nothing particular in mind, just enjoying the process of seeing what jumped out at them. Others were on the search for a specific type of item. I was asked for Pyrex, video games, and Pokemon cards for example. The day was warm, but a nice breeze kept us from feeling the heat too much. It was a fun way to spend a day!

The Scent of June

The prompt for June 4th was "Describe the scent of June" so here is what I came up with in the allotted 5 minutes:

The scent of June. That phrase evokes so many memories. Early summer with it's warm breezes brings  many scents. Fresh laundry dried on the line and the smell of warm cotton sheets. Freshly mown grass. I love that smell! Some days there is rain, like today. The occasional wafting odor of summer roses and other flowers. Burgers, chicken, or hot dogs cooking over an outdoor grill. Watermelon slices, ripe and juicy and ready to eat. There is a smell I remember from the beach at Lucky Peak. Warm sand, the water, the assortment of picnic foods, sunscreen, and just a hint of sage brush and perhaps pine blowing in on the hot breezes. All the scents of early summer.

~ ~ ~

It's a short paragraph. Again, I had a little trouble pulling my thoughts together on this one. I am also typing from my handwritten, unedited version, so it's a bit rough. 

I may skip a couple of the prompts, but will come back with one or two tomorrow. That's it for today!

#growmeastory

© 08JUN2022 ajjahner

It's June!

June has arrived, sunny and beautiful! With it a new list of prompts from Grow Me A Story. I'll add my first one below but first I want to share a bit. This class I've been taking has been so helpful in breaking down some roadblocks I had about my writing. In addition to the daily writing exercises, I've been writing on this blog a little more faithfully, I've written a couple of short stories and a poem, and I finally picked up the draft pages of a book I started years ago and began the process of dusting them off. Yesterday I spent a couple hours reading about half the pages I'd written. I made a few edits. I also added notes for information I need to add to the book as I begin working on it again. I have a long way to go, but I feel confident that this is a book I want to complete, and I'm excited to get back to work on it.

Now for the first June Prompt:

Photos from Pixabay

June 1 Prompt - Summer

Summer is my least favorite season because of the heat, but I do have wonderful memories of happy summer days. Random thoughts like waking early and the dew is still on the grass. A world of flowers in bloom. Walking barefoot. In the grass it's cool and tickly, in the gravel it hurts a bit and is warm. Trips to Lucky Peak when I was a kid. Watermelon. Fresh strawberries. Hot dogs cooked on a grill. Coca-Cola. Snow cones. Ice cream cones. Warm sun beating down and feeling so good on my skin. Shorts and halter tops. Children running through sprinklers. Baseball in the back yard. Hide and seek. Summer days gone by. So many memories!

#growmeastory

© 01JUN2022 ajjahner

Music and Memory...

Evening has come and it's still above 100 degrees, so I'm sitting in my air conditioned family room listening to YouTube videos. Darius Rucker and Adele singing Need You Now, Allison Krauss and Jerry Douglas performing a tribute to James Taylor with Carolina in My Mind, Emeli Sande singing Breathing Underwater, Cece Winans with Blessed Assurance...

It brings to mind how much music has shaped my life. There are songs that bring me to tears, some that make my heart laugh, those that make me want to dance, and songs that make my heart rejoice and worship.

Just the beginning chords of a song can transport me back to a particular moment in time. Music wields a unique power to stir emotion and memory. It touches the soul like nothing else does.

And with that, I'll sign off for now. Wishing you a good night...

© 19JUL2018 ajjahner

Snapshots of My Summer...

This is a brief recap of my summer so far...

We went from a beautiful, unseasonably cool summer to Holy Cow it's Hot!!! We've been hitting the 100's. Too warm for this gal! I'm dreaming of cool ocean breezes and looking forward to early autumn when the temps drop. I have also been daydreaming about Christmas, thanks to Hallmark Channel and their Christmas in July movies.

I've gotten out of the house a few times, visiting with my sister, some cousins and friends. My tendency is to live a bit like a hermit most of the time, so having multiple outings is a big deal for me. It was a lot of fun! I need to push myself to get out a little more often.

The repairs on Old Blue, my husband's 52 Chevy, are moving right along. After a long and exhaustive search, a replacement door was found. Installing it involved he and a friend sanding, priming, torquing the door frame back into alignment, and ordering new glass for the window. She is well on her way to being ready for a new paint job, but until that can be done, at least Blue is drivable again. At this time, still no compensation from the uninsured driver who wounded her, but what goes around...

On the health front, I'd received very positive news from my last MRI scans. No significant progression of my MS. I'm so thankful. I recently had an outpatient surgery on two arthritic fingers, that went well. Still healing from it, but I can type again! Hurrah!

I'm currently reading Whitethorn Woods, by Maeve Binchy, and enjoying it a lot. She had a gift for creating memorable, believable characters. I've also been catching up on some British TV Series and Netflix Originals. I noticed this morning that Season Two of Anne of Green Gables has been added to Netflix, so I'll be starting it soon. I do recommend you read the books first, of course.

My new Morning Joe mug!
Yes, it's sitting on our Anniversary gift, a book we both want to read.

Another passion of mine is following the news, and Morning Joe is one of my favorite news programs. I like the different people they bring on and enjoy hearing them discuss current events. There's also some laughter to diffuse some of the more serious topics. Yesterday my oldest son handed me a package. Surprise! He had bought me the Morning Joe coffee mug! I love it! This morning, while I watched my recording of the program, I sipped coffee from my special mug. It's the little things that brighten my days the most. Small gestures of love and kindness.

With that, I'll say farewell for now. Love and Blessings, my friends!

© 11JUL2018 ajjahner

Summer...

Days are flying by! When I was young, summer seemed to last forever, not so anymore. One son will be back at college classes in two weeks and the other in four. My summer to-do list looks much the same as it did when I made it, and I've added even more items. Some are "must-do-soon" like selling excess stuff that's been in our storage unit for the past year. Others are little projects to get a jump start on the holidays.

Oh yes, I mentioned the Holidays! Don't hate me, but I even thought about typing the "C" word! Hohoho! The thing is, if you are a person who intends to make cards or gifts, or you just like putting thought into a unique gift basket or bag, it takes time and planning. If I don't get these things done early, my beloveds will get whatever type of item is left for last minute procrastinators, and I find those kind of things do not bring the happy "I know how much you love me because you selected such a thoughtful and perfect gift for me" face! I really want to see that "face" when I give, because it is a gift back to myself. It feels great to bring a little joy to someone I care about.

I intend to enjoy this last month of summer, even while chipping away at my lists. I attended a lovely summer wedding last weekend. I've taken time to step out of the house to gaze at the night sky, to watch lightening and listen to distant thunder, to feel cool grass on my bare feet, do a movie marathon with my sons, go out to dinner with husband and friends, read, and read some more. It's important to make memories, even the small, simple ones. It makes life lovely. It feeds the soul.

A summer night image to share with you, courtesy of Dover Publications.

Happy Summer, my friends!


© 13Aug2015 ajj

Random Childhood Memories...

This post was originally started on my mom's birthday in the early spring. I'd been remembering an odd assortment of things from my childhood.  Summer images. The way a certain yard looked with tall, bushy shrubs, long un-mowed grass that would swish as you walked through it, cellar doors on the side of a white cottage leading to a dark unknown below. A little ditch that ran alongside the yard, overflowing on irrigation day, creating a fun place to cool off. A thin wire fence, the kind that curved gracefully at the top like little hills running along one after the other. Smells of hot summer air, grass, fading flowers. Sounds of push mowers and from a home somewhere in the distance, a power mower. Hollyhocks standing tall, a huge bumblebee slowly making it's way from flower to flower. Images, scents, and feelings imprinted into my memories. Bits of summers past. Sweetness. Serenity. Summertime.


© 8Jul2015 ajj

Summertime...

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've spent the past few days inside my air-conditioned home beating the heat.  Stepping outside is like entering a very hot, dry sauna, which many love, but I'm more of a 60 degree gal.

What do you do to pass the long, hot summer days? Camping, swimming, fishing, tubing, sitting in a dark movie theatre? I've done all of those in the past. This summer has been a mix of projects, family time, a bit of reading, and just enjoying what life has given us.  We've had a good variety of birds visiting the feeder in our backyard. Our gooseberry bushes produced a lot of berries this season. It's the little things.

My husband helped me with an idea I'd had for a while. I wanted a curtain on the back patio cover, to pull when the hot sun is hanging low, which made it impossible to enjoy sitting out there. It was just too hot. I'd purchased a cotton drop cloth a while back, so I gave him my idea and he helped make it happen. A length of plastic coated wire, a set of grommets, and some "S" hooks along with the drop cloth, and we now have a bit of shade for the patio. Another bonus, it helps reduce the heat in the family room! It's more shabby than chic, but we love it!

Summertime...

It's been quite the summer.  I lost the urge to write somewhere along the way.  There are just so many changes going on in our lives that creativity had to take a backseat.  I haven't even been keeping up with my email.  I have over 1400 messages to work through.  Yikes!  It's going to take me forever.  Thankfully, I'm sure most of them are spam-type advertisements from sites I visit.  I just have to have the patience get on it.

I've been watching a lot of the Olympic competition.  Kristin Armstrong is from my home state, and my husband got to attend a big celebration in her honor today.  Here's a photo of him with Kristin.

My handsome husband with Kristin Armstrong!

He got a signed postcard and poster.  He'd almost given up as the lines were so long, but when he found out I was happily eating leftover Chinese food and watching Scottish TV shows on Netflix, he decided to grab a slice of pizza and wait it out.  I'm so glad he did.  The weather is still too hot for me to get out much, but I love that he can go enjoy the events.  Plus, he shares the goodies with me.  The poster is really nice.  It's the picture of her with her little boy!  It's one of those "once in a lifetime" moments that are so special.  We're really proud to have a lady like Kristin represent Idaho, as well as the USA!

Hot August Days

We have been having a heat wave, typical for August.  It was like stepping into a sauna yesterday.  I went out to get my mail earlier, and it was gearing up for more of the same. 

Do you live at a slower pace in the hot summer days?  I do.  The days seem to stretch out so much longer in the heat.  I bumped my AC down a notch and enjoyed walking around my house with icy, cold toes for a while.  I'm listening to music while I type... Etta James is singing "A Sunday Kind of Love"... so nice!  My Snapple Peach iced tea drink just hits the spot right now.  I have an urge to pull out a favorite book, curl up on the sofa, and read for hours. 

Enjoy the lazy days of summer, soon they'll be just a pleasant memory.

Summertime is flying by...

This has been the craziest summer!  One unplanned thing after another.  Since my last post, we had another pricey disaster...

This is one branch from our willow!

Makes our home look tiny by comparison.

A huge branch from our Willow tree fell!  Thankfully, it dropped directly across the back lawn, right between our fence and our patio cover.  It did hit our little Maple, which has survived, but it broke off most of the branches on one side.  It looks a little sad.  Anyway, you would not believe how expensive it is to have a tree removed, and we even had them leave the stump.  On the bright side, our yard looks much bigger, and we have a place to create a rock garden!

Paul, getting ready for his flying lesson!

Doesn't my husband look happy?  If I had know how tiny the helicopter was going to be, I don't think I could have bought him the lesson.  I'm not a fan of flying, and this would have pushed my fear of heights and flying too far.  Plus it had no door!  I would have taken one look and walked away.  He said whenever he shifted his weight he could feel the chopper shift!  He wouldn't try "driving" it again... too complicated and touchy, but he loved being up there. 

I'm making progress on my summer projects, and must get back to work.  I'll try and check in again soon.  Until then, I hope you're all having a wonderful summer!

Summer Update...

Sorry I've been absent so much.  Summer gets lazy... and busy... and hot... no big excuses, just the normal ones.  I'm still slowly sorting through my possessions for stuff to donate, sell, recycle, or free-cycle.  Slow and steady wins the race... at least I hope that's true.  It sometimes feels like the more that leaves my house, the more I find.  It's like Mary Poppins magic carpet bag... you can't believe all the stuff that comes out of that little bag... and, there's always something more!

I'm also working on my art/craft projects.  I've discovered I stink at decoupage.  How is that possible?  It's such a simple concept.  Paste images on something, brush with Mod Podge, let dry, and done!  Mine keep coming out all wavy and wrinkly.  Maybe I should stick to pencil drawings.  At least with a drawing, you can erase the mistake.  Oh well, I am having fun with it and that's what's most important... right...

MS Update (skip this if you prefer not to read about health issues):I am doing a semi-detox.  Took myself off injections about 2 1/2 weeks ago.  Injection sites just weren't healing anymore.  Stopped the Lyrica about three weeks ago, with Doctor approval.  I am giving my body a break before starting any new therapy for the MS.  This has increased some symptoms, but helped others.  It's like with any medical condition... what works for one may not work for another.  Thanks to my readers who have supported me in prayer over the last couple of years.  Keep praying for a cure to this nasty thing we call Multiple Sclerosis!  There are so many who suffer with it!

Okay, that's it for the serious stuff.  I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer.  Fill it with family, friends, bbq, watermelon, swimming, baseball, summer movies in a cool theater, concerts and art in the park... on and on.  Make some happy memories!

Busy, Busy...

Summer has been busy for us.  This week my husband is working on extending our back patio by adding some pavers around the original slab.  Since the ground is mostly made up of clay, it is back breaking work to get the digging done.  It is going to be wonderful though!  He's doing this as our anniversary gift this year.  It was earlier in the month, but we couldn't decide what we wanted to do to celebrate it.  This makes the perfect gift.  For my part, I'm doing some more "releasing" of my huge collection of stuff!  I just Free-cycled six big boxes of VHS Tapes!  Yay!  The lady getting them is disabled and is really going to enjoy watching them.  Double blessing... I gain more room, and she gets something she really wanted.

Here is Paul, working hard on the patio.  

Doesn't he look happy?  That's my Honey!

If you don't see me here quite as much, it's just the summer projects keeping me away. 

Updates on My Life...

Medical update: No Cancer! (I know I didn't say much, but was very worried.) All tests were great except the bone density. I'm now 5' 7" (formerly 5' 8-1/2") and officially have Osteoporosis. Yes, I'm taking calcium, vit. D, etc. Can't tolerate the hormone replacement, but increasing soy.

Life update: Nothing much going on. The weather is cooling again for the next 2 or 3 days. Love it! PJ is on a hiking trip this weekend with two friends. Lucky 13's been spending all of his time completing his three online courses. MJ keeping busy at work, and he's been attending lots of concerts and activities.

Creativity update: Well... I've begun several art/craft projects. Completed none. I have a major writing block. I feel like watching old movies or laying in the grass watching the clouds go by.
I did give up Diet Coke about a month ago... Time to pour myself a tall glass of iced tea, with the caffeine.

Quote for today:

"Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none."

~ William Shakespeare

May Is Almost Over...

May is almost over! Where does the time go? Lucky 13 is almost done with his school year, although he plans to take a couple of online courses this summer.

I am seeing a bit better each day, but I am definitely needing the reading glasses! Thank goodness for the discount stores. I now have two pair, which is helpful when I misplace one!

My Grandma turned 91 years old today. I'm planning on visiting her tomorrow or Monday. I still have to make time to go shop for a gift. I'm thinking some slip-on summer shoes, or a new blouse. My uncle visited her today and took over a handful of cards friends had sent to her. She loves getting cards!

We are fighting a war with dandelions and clover in our front lawn. If I lived out in the country, like I did growing up, I'd just let them be. Maybe make a dandelion greens salad! Since I live in a subdivision... with covenants that do not allow anything other than strictly manicured lawns, we are forced to poison them. Oh well... I probably wouldn't have felt like a salad anyhoo!

I hope everyone is having a peaceful weekend. I'm loving mine!

How Did We Get To July Already?

July is here! Summer has gone by so fast. I haven't even scratched the surface of all the jobs I planned to do.

PJ has been prepping the house for it's new paint job! It's way past time for it to be done. There is a lot of work just to prep. He's removed all the gutters, washed down the dirt and spiders, caulked, nailed... I think the actual painting will be the easiest part.

Our garden and yard is in a sad state of neglect. That's another big to-do item. This fall I plan to redo my front flower beds with all new bulbs. I've grown weary of my iris plants. They have taken over and have not looked very pretty that past two summers. I want more tulips, hyacynth, snap dragons, columbine...

I've only read one book this summer. A light mystery. I have hundreds of books and so little time! Plus, I need to get my new glasses. I have put off getting the bifocals, and my boys laugh when they see me trying to focus on a book or magazine! You get the picture!

I've written a couple more poems. I like the simplicity and complexity of a poem. That sounds like a contradiction, but for me it isn't. Even in the shortest verse, there can be a myriad of messages. Some placed by the writer and some discovered by the reader's own life experiences. I may see it one way, and you another way altogether.

My art projects have been put on hold while we get the "have to dos" done.

Hugs to all...