Temporarily Closed

As stated yesterday, I have put myself on "head rest".

I shall return later next week. 

Flash Friday 55: Break Time

Photo courtesy of "Google Images"

My mind has decided to go on strike.

It tells me it is time for a break;

It tells me it is time to recharge and renew. 

This crazy mind of mine tells me it needs a summer vacation.

So that is what it will do.

That means a “blogcation” as well.

Until next week…

(PS...I'm suffering from some serious blogger's block so I am placing myself on "head rest" for the next week.)


I am participating in Flash Friday 55. This weekly meme is brought to you by G-Man, over at Mr. Know it All. The object is to write a story or prose in exactly 55 words. Come join us and link your 55 in Mr. Know it All's comment section. See you there!

Rainbow Summer School: Red Dawn

Now that we have completed the Alphabe-Thursday meme from A-Z, Ms. Jenny has summer school in session. We will be addressing the colors of the rainbow (Roy B. Giv, anyone?) The first lesson is all about the color RED. I am certain there will be several fascinating posts on the topic (as there were with the letters of the alphabet). 

I hope Ms. Jenny doesn't mind but I attempted to do something a little different with the initial assignment. I decided to write an essay in which the word RED is imbedded throughout other words within the story. I don't know if it will be successful or not but it made for an interesting experiment. 

Red Dawn

It is as if I am in the predawn shadows of a giant redwood.

I hide seeking redemption through prose.

By doing so, I have altered my life’s path

by redefining who I am,

for I have rediscovered the heart of that child within.

My soul is no longer captured by predatory beasts.

Tattered memories, dredged from a life long forgotten,

may have angered me in the past

but can harm me no more.

I have embraced that lost child.

I have showered her with the love and attention she deserved,

allowing her to be enraptured by God’s tender mercy.

Dawn breaks in hues of purple, red and orange;

a colorful banner heralding the 

incredible journey about to commence.

The shadows shall fade as I step into the dawn of a new day. 

Lula's Story: Part Two

To read Part One of Grandma Lula's story, please click  HERE

Lula's Story

Part Two

But Lula came and rescued those four children from their motherless state, and their father from his widowed one. 

And respecting the mother she herself would never biologically be, she folded those four children of another's womb into her own heart and soul and became more than a mother to them.

She learned the ways of their father's people, learning even to prepare delicacies of a different culture. 

Her husband told his children, after the marriage, that they should start calling her "Mother", and they obeyed and did. For awhile, at least. But soon "Mother" gave way to "Lula", which is how it ought to be. For "Lula" is as she came to them, and she remained "Lula" to all four of them until her dying day. 

There have been a lot of great women out here on the prairie over the generations, and there are still some great women out here: but there has never been another woman on the prairie quite like Lula, and I do not believe that there shall ever be. 

There is only one "Lula". No one else could have raised her husband's four children quite in the same manner as she did.

And no one else could have become grandmother and great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother to their children, their grandchildren, and their great grandchildren in quite the same manner as she.

The story of Lula is a tale of almost Biblical proportions, filled with delicious details about angel food cake with whipped cream; kluckenmus; scalloped potatoes made with cream and butter; cream, vinegar, and sugar on fresh garden lettuce; eggs, greasy bacon, sausage, and homemade buns dripping with fresh butter; and filled with presents...new pajamas for the grandkids every Christmas; and games, Bingo and pinochle (she was good at the game, even shooting the moon now and then, perhaps; and on occasion she couldn't help "peeking" if either of those on either side of her got too involved in the social aspect of the game and failed to properly conceal their hands.)

She came to the farm up by Crocus from her home in Rugby with nothing much except a suitcase full of clothes, and one or two other precious possessions, just short of her 31st birthday...and last Wednesday morning she walked over to the other side of life as rich as that Hebrew mother who was paid wages to nurse her own child in the royal palace. 

It is a remarkable story, Biblical almost, the stuff of which legends are made.

Some people might look at a story like hers and think its just another story. Such people are to be pitied. 

For it seems to me that the two main characters in this story are not Lula and her husband, or Lula and the children, or Lula and her friends. 

It seems to me that the tow main characters in this story are Lula and God. 

Who else could have given shape to such a gracious Lula, a woman with beauty beyond wind and dust, and a heart bigger than the sprawling Devil's Lake?

Today I thank God I have had the privilege of knowing at least a piece of that story, the privilege of being a marginal character in the heart of one of its main ones. 

I love this story, you see. 

It is one of the best Dakota stories I have ever seen. And the wonder of it all is this: every on of you who are here is a part of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unfortunately, I did not get to know Grandma Lula as well as my father went to engineering school and moved to the plains of Kansas where jobs were more plentiful.  I do recall a few trips up north; of loving, welcoming arms; of homemade sausage, mashed potatoes and sour kraut; and I do believe I recall that sugared lettuce as well! 

It is my hope that when my time comes I will have made an indelible mark on this world such as Grandma Lula had done. 

Tuesday's Truth: Lula's Story Part One

Several years back my Grandma Lula passed away. I was unable to attend the funeral. However, my older sisters were able to go and sent me a copy of the eulogy the pastor had written on her behalf. It is truly phenomenal. I would like to share with you the story of Grandma Lula and the quiet heroic life she had led.

Lula's Story

Part One

From the Book of Exodus:

Now a man from he house of Levi went and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 


And she conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a goodly child, she hid him there three months And when she could hide him no longer she took for him a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with pitch; and she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds at the river's brink.


And his sister stood at a distance, to know what would be done to him.


Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to t bathe at the river; se saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to fetch it.


She she opened it she saw the child; and lo, the babe was crying.


She took pity on him and said, "This is one of the Hebrew's children."


Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call you a nurse from among the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?"


And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go".


So she went and called the girl's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away, and nurse him for me, and I will give you wages."


"So the woman took the child and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharoah's daughter, and he became her son.


May the curious wonder of the human family, with all its surprises, continue to guide and sustain you on your meandering journey down the coulees of life. Amen.

Back before I got into this pastor business, while I was yet a young dreamer, I fancied that I should become a writer, for I was hopelessly drawn to the wonder and mystery of stories.

Life had different ideas for me, though, and instead of witing stories of my own, I have been given to reporting the wonders of the everyday ones I am privileged to see.

Some of those stories are so common that they scarcely stand out one above the other.

But occasionally one rises to biblical proportions, taking its plae alongside the wonderful story of the rescue of baby Moses from the river of death, for instance.

The story of Lula is on of those.

It is not that Lula's story is more spectacular than, say, yours, or any of the other stories of Towner County people I am given to tell during occasions like this.

Her story is rugged and common, a female piece of prairie history that any history of the prairie would be incomplete without.

Lula found a family adrift on the wide Dakota prairie sea, and she rescued them. Abandoned by the untimely death of their young mother, four prairie children, two brothers, two sisters, needed a sure and loving hand not to replace the mother who had died, but to complete the work of raising the children that had sprung from her womb.

It is a marvelous story.

A common prairie woman of Norwegian heritage, at the urging of a friend who was leaving her job to go away to opportunities in a large city, comes to a farm near small town not far from where she herself was raised, to become nanny and housekeeper for four motherless children and their grieving widowed father.

She was no longer young according to the social standards of the day. She was about to cross over the line that separates being a potential mother and wife from being an old maid.

But Lula came and rescued those four children from their motherless state, and their father from his widowed one.

To be continued....

Monday Musings: July 26, 2010

Unfortunately I do not have the time to muse about much today. My work schedule is a bit different this week as today is actually my Sunday and yesterday was my next Saturday. You see, I am taking next weekend off to go do some fun stuff. More on that in a future post.

However, if I were to muse, I would be complaining about this vicious heat wave (where it is just too dangerous to be outdoors in the middle of the day). Or maybe about this massive cleaning binge I've been on. Possibly I'd write about Munchie Boy's entrepreneurial spirit where he made a whopping $13 on his iced tea stand this past weekend. I could, and probably would, tell you how I am really looking forward to meeting my pals Joann and Joanna after work for dinner. I might even have shared a strange dream or two. But alas, there is no time to do so as I must be getting ready for work.

Have a terrific Monday and stay safe in this heat!

Saturday Centus: Medford Bound

I am joining Jenny Matlock and gang for her Saturday Centus. Each week we are given a prompt, a phrase in which to design a story or poem around. We are limited to 100 words, not counting the prompt. This week's prompt is, well, let's just say this week's prompt is pretty darn "wordy". The prompt will be in bold in my story below. You can use the prompt anywhere within your writing. I whined about the prompt all day long so decided to go ahead and use that as part of the story as well. So without further ado, I present to you:

Medford Bound 

Driving six hours is a long time on the road. Six hours spent singing “car”aoke and taking in the picturesque scenery, but mostly reminiscing about the good times. But those days were long gone and my mind was in a different place now. Or was it? My pulse quickened as I passed the road sign which read "Medford 27 miles." 

“What the heck is this?” I asked myself when I read this prompt. This isn’t a prompt; it’s a freaking 60 word essay! Let’s scratch all of the above except the last line. There, that’s better. I can work with that. Now where was I?

My pulse quickened as I passed the road sign which read “Medford 27 miles”.  That’s still a ways but its proximity made me hurry my pace. I was eager to finish. I hurt all over and am not even sure I will make Medford by sundown. These walking sticks sure give one a great workout!

Flash Friday 55: Out of the Closet

Pressure steadily rises.

Suddenly, without warning, the closet doors burst forth.

Its contents spew across the floor, wreaking havoc within its wake.

Hundreds of stuffed animals come scurrying out

of their secret hiding place (beneath the bed).

Sigh.

There's no putting it off.

Looks like another job for Super Mommy

and her incredible side kick, Munchie Boy!

BEFORE

AFTER

The room is looking much bigger!

Bet you think we're hiding the mess behind the curtains

Wrong! 

There is now actual room for Munch to sleep in his own bed!

I am participating in Flash Friday 55. This weekly meme is brought to you by G-Man, over at Mr. Know it All. The object is to write a story or prose in exactly 55 words. Come join us and link your 55 in Mr. Know it All's comment section. See you there!

Alphabe-Thursday: Alchemy in the Afternoon

Ms. Jenny, "school marm" extrordinaire,  has been so kind as to host one more Alphabe-Thursday as a finale. This particular day is for those to post either their favorite letter (mine is HERE, as it represented a turning point in my alphabet posts) or to do a letter that they may have missed.

When I first heard about Ms. Jenny's meme I knew I wanted to participate but I had very little time to get an "A" post in before the deadline. I ended up quoting Dr. Seuss, I believe. So I am taking the make-up exam and re-doing the letter A. Additionally, since many of my posts came from a very dark place, I decided to end with a love poem.Without further Adieu, I present to you, Alphabe-Thursday: The Letter A

Alchemy in the Afternoon

requires a certain finesse:

Abiding Affection 

And reckless Abandon

that may lead to happiness. 

Amour on into night

will both Alarm and Amaze;

deep Adoration,

Acute Admiration,

Afire from love's scorching rays!

Oh, and the lovely Ms. Jenny is having a giveaway on her blog. Please click HERE to check it out. Good luck!

Sensational Haiku Wednesday: Aging

Gnarled hands fondle air.

Mind slips to another place.

Hearts break...but still love.

I am fortunate that my parents, in their 80's, have not succumbed to dementia. However, I work with many, many patients who have. I also have friends experiencing the same within their own families. This haiku is in honor of them.

For more haiku hijinks
please visit Jenn over at You Know...That Blog?
Next weeks theme: Horizons

Monday Musings on Hold

Dear Blog Friends,

First, I would like to apologize for not responding to your kind commentary over the past few days. I was at work and although not busy 12 hour shifts wear me out.

Second, this week's edition of Monday Musings is currently on hold. I must be strict with myself and with my computer time. I will be devoting my time to taking on line courses today. I need to meet my annual continuing education requirements in order to maintain my license to practice Respiratory Care in the state of NC.  There will be no blog tomorrow, as well, for I will be attending a conference up in Winston-Salem. So you all go have fun and play while I attend "summer school".

Always and forever your friend,

5th

Saturday Centus: Rainbow Dreams

I am joining Jenny Matlock and gang for her Saturday Centus. Each week we are given a prompt, a phrase in which to design a story or poem around. We are limited to 100 words, not counting the prompt. This week's prompt is...Somewhere over the rainbow. You can use the prompt anywhere within your writing. I decided to also use other lyrics of this song within my story (in italics) So without further ado, I present to you:

Rainbow Dreams

Somewhere over the rainbow, dreams are born, hopes are hatched.

That's where you'll find me…

Always dreaming.

In my latest dream I am in my father's house. I am earnestly mopping the kitchen floor. Try as I might, the stains, though faint, would not disappear.

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true?

God, I hope not.

However, I recently dreamed of cleaning another kitchen: filthy but with stunning windows, lots of glorious sunlight, storage space and potential. Working on the cupboards, I find beautiful treasures, long forgotten.

Why, oh why can't I

recognize the same fortune within me?

Flash Friday 55: Forbidden Nectar

Sipping the forbidden nectar...

hoping to counter the pain

approaching the very far edges

of consciousness…


drowning the hurt and the fear

into sweet amnesiac oblivion.


Unfortunately, when arising each morning,

the pain remains, accompanied by remorse and regret.


Maybe today will be the day...

finding and fighting for the way

towards truth and wholeness.


I am participating in Flash Friday 55. This weekly meme is brought to you by G-Man, over at Mr. Know it All. The object is to write a story or prose in exactly 55 words. Come join us and link your 55 in Mr. Know it All's comment section. See you there!

Alphabe-Thursday: The Letter Z

Zipping o'er the alphabet

From Alpha through to Zed

Finding a voice forgotten

Long thought to be quite dead


Zig-Zagging aloft on Zephyr's breath

Towards my own sweet Zen

The strum of Zither's chords

Serenade my journey's end


A survivor's song now written

My Zest for life unfolds

In tales of past transgressions

My Zenith to behold.


 

I am on a Diet But the Lion is Not

So there will be no "chocolate" haiku post from me. I really tried to come up with something clever, witty and worth reading. It just wasn't going to happen. This week's theme, for some reason, was not motivating me. And I LOVE chocolate! Go figure.

Instead, I will give you another glimpse into the dream world of 5th Sister. The following is my dream from last night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was that lion. He had a wild streak but maintained control of his animal instincts under the watchful eye of the trainer. We set aside our fears as long as his handler was near.


One day the trainer did not show up. The lion, not having guidance, grew antsy and began to show his natural, predatory tendencies. He was used to being fed, being cared for. However, now that his caretaker was gone, he needed to fend for himself. The lion struggled with his beastly side but it was a losing battle especially as one day turned into three.


That is when the hunt began. He was the hunter and I became the prey. Why wasn't anyone feeding this beast? I did my best to out maneuver him to no avail. I even attempted to obtain fresh meat to satiate his appetite. Nothing I tried worked now that the hunt was on. The last thing I remember was the searing pain of torn flesh upon my back.


What happened to the lion? I do not know. My back now bares the scars of the unremembered battle. How I survived remains a mystery.

There is No Post Because I Slept In

Besides, I am busy gathering all my home schooling materials for a major HOME SCHOOL LIQUIDATION SALE. I've got some seriously good stuff.

Apologia General Science and Physical Science sets (text books, test and solutions manual, CD), like new.
Integrated Text Algebra program (Modules A-C) in mint condition. Module C never opened.
Saxon Math sets 6/5 and 8/7 that include the DIVE CD's. The 8/7 is an older version.
Horizon's Math, Levels 3 and 4. Level 3 is an older version.
US History Series from K12 (5th grade level)
Manipulatives for Math and Reading Comprehension
All Ye Lands World History (from Catholic Heritage Curricula)
And much, much more!

So, if my home schooling friends are interested in any item posted above or are curious about any of my "other" items, please contact me by commenting below. I will email you back with prices. I am willing to ship, via "media mail", to anywhere in the Continental US.

Monday Musings: July 12, 2010

Dear Daffy,

I made your Daffy Dip last week. I decided, instead of using it as a dip, to incorporate it into our meal. I diced potatoes and spread them, along with fresh green beans, onto my stoneware cookie sheet. I then drizzled them with olive oil and sprinkled them with a bit of Kosher salt and pepper. After which tossed it together with the dip and roasted the veggies at 400 for about 45 minutes or so. Can I just say yum? YUM! Thanks for sharing your RECIPE.

A stuffed 5th

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Female Jogger (who passed me on my morning run),

Oh, you so delighted me this morning! I wish I had your courage. I am being completely serious and sincere about this. You were quite brave to venture out in the purple paisley tank top, the black and white striped shorts and the rainbow socks. You rocked the look! I wish that I had your kind of "devil may care" attitude. Thanks for my morning smile! 

A tickled 5th

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Chick-fil-A,

Your annual Cow Appreciation Day was a complete success. The Sister "herd" bedecked themselves in appropriate cow costuming attire. The free meal, generously given to those brave enough to come in costumed, was very much appreciated.

A very "mooved" 5th

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear David Slade (Director of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse),

Your direction was much more enjoyable than Catherine Hardwicke's Twilight and Chris Weitz's New Moon. Is it Academy Award material? No. But adding more action and a little self deprecating humor definitely was a benefit to the story line and has made me look forward to the 4th movie installment.

A matinée lovin' 5th

PS: Team Edward or Team Jacob? Neither...Team Jasper for me!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Feral Shoes,

I tired of always tripping over you on the garage steps. I grew weary of you being haphazardly strewn about the place. You now have your own resting spot. Hopefully the rest of the sister clan will learn to kennel you when not being worn. 

It's amazing what a few cinder blocks and planks of plywood can do.  And everyone has their own shelf. Sometimes it's the simple things that bring the most pleasure.

A satisfied 5th

PS: I have decided I am going to go ahead and add the 2 additional shelves our plywood planks have allowed us to. Both I and Mr. Sister have too many shoes!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Michelle (from Musings of a Catholic Lady) and Weezer (from Weezer's Haven),

Thank for the lovely new "Versatile Blogger Award" award! It is very meaningful to me that you took the time to recognize my blog within your own. I know there are a few rules attached but, lately, I've been a rule breaker. I will simply give you my sincerest gratitude. I also encourage people to check out your blogs as well.

A grateful 5th

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Tugce and Jingle,

I wish to thank you for sharing your awards with your followers as well. I gratefully accept your generosity. Tugce is my Turkish girlfriend who I can always count on for a friendly nod of encouragement. I wish I understood her native language but, thankfully, she speaks fluent English. I adore her blog: Boulevard of Broken Dreams and hope that, one day, fate will allow us to meet. The award she has shared is the "Sweet Blog" award and it is just too precious not to accept.

And Jingle, dear sweet Jingle, is so generous with awards. I decided to accept the offer of grabbing one of the awards offered by invitation. I chose to accept The Most Intelligent Poet Award for obvious reasons, as that is my goal to be someday. Thank you Jingle for your continued generosity and support!

Please visit the blogs highlighted. I am sure you won't be disappointed.

An appreciative 5th

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's all the musings for today! Have a wonderful and blessed day.

Sundays in my City

I have seen this theme around the blogosphere and I thought I'd share with you an afternoon spent with my kids at Birkdale Village, a mixed use development a few miles from where I live. Our favorite haunt is the Barnes and Nobel. If I was young and single, a condo in this development would be right up my alley! Please enjoy the photos (and please ignore the fingerprint smudge in the photographs)

Saturday Centus: After the Storm

I have decided to join Jenny Matlock and participate in Saturday Centus for this week. This week she has thrown us a curve. We are allowed to write up to 200 words, not including the prompt, in Harlequin Romance fashion. Well, being only minimally acquainted with this type of writing style, I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try myself. I left the prompt in bold. Without further ado, I present to you:

After the Storm

It was late. The abrupt thundershower had left glistening, moonlit puddles along my running path. It was eerily silent and the only sounds I heard were the thump, thump, thump of my Adidas upon the wet country road.

Deep in my thoughts of him, I rounded the bend and reversed my path to head home. When I turned around I was startled to meet a green-eyed gaze. It was him. The man of my dreams. The man whose face, whose touch, whose kiss I would never, couldn’t ever, forget.

“How did you find me?” I asked, still in shock. Reaching out to grasp my now trembling hands he drew me close. He smelled of musk and prairie grass.  My tears began to fall, mingling with the drops tumbling from the rain soaked cottonwood branches above.

“Why did you leave?” he inquired back. Why, indeed. I have asked myself this same question many, many times. His passion, so intense, so pure, and so raw, scared me. It was difficult for me to believe I deserved such happiness, such pleasure… And so, as usual, I ran.

I looked up into his emerald eyes; eyes upon a face that was smiling with tenderness and love. My trepidation gave in to desire. The tempest began anew. 

Blogkeeping Chores

I am just tidying things up a bit on the blog. I plan to reassess my blog list. If you have not posted in over 6 months I am assuming that you have closed up shop and I will be deleting your blog from my reader. Should you come back to blogging, just give me a heads up and I will gladly add you back.

Additionally, I have added a "Networked Blogs" application on my sidebar. If you are a member of Networked Blogs, please take a moment and follow there as well.

My blog also has a Facebook presence. Please feel free to click on my badge in the sidebar and "like" me. That would so make my day!

Now down to some serious business. Munchie Boy has a blog. He has been begging me to promote his blog on mine. I have promised him I would. So if you care to read the musings and ramblings of an 11 year old kid, hooked on gaming and all things PC, please visit him at Awesomeness Daily (although it should be more like Awesomeness Weekly or Monthly!) He'd be absolutely thrilled with a little bit of encouragement.

Some of you know that Bethany has a blog as well. The other day she wrote a powerfully insightful post. I felt compelled to share the internal thought process of a 15 year old girl. Please feel free visit her blog, Dear Charlie, as well. The post I have referenced can be found HERE.

Now that my blog housekeeping is done I must now attend to the housework of real life. I shall return on Monday. I hope and pray you all have a grand weekend!

Flash Friday 55: The FURminator

A shedding dog,

Several brushes and combs

All worthless

In our numerous attempts to "deshedify".

Believing our destiny now included

Piles of doggy dust bunnies,

Arms aching from thrice-daily sweeping,

I had given up hope.

That is until a borrowed "FURminator"

Came into our lives.

Daisy's now quite proud

and comfortable in her own fur.

The FURminator

A normal brush or comb never removed this amount of dog hair.

Daisy's so proud and shiny!

Please note that the product endorsement above 
is my personal opinion only.
I was not paid, nor received product, for this review.
 
I am participating in Flash Friday 55. This weekly meme is brought to you by G-Man, over at Mr. Know it All. The object is to write a story or prose in exactly 55 words. Come join us and link your 55 in Mr. Know it All's comment section. See you there!

Alphabe-Thursday: The Letter Y

Yonder 'neath the Yellow pine

Sits the Youth with his makeshift shrine.

Young, carefree and full of life?

No, rather his days are filled with strife.

Yearning for a savior to Yank him away

From the Yelling and abuse that comes his way.

Listening to the chorus of Yellowbird's song

Wondering what it was that he did wrong.

Yelping from the pain of his tears

The Youngest decides to face his fears.

So upon the sacrificial altar he sets

His father's gin and his mom's cigarettes.

Sensational Haiku Wednesday: Contemplation

Musing, by Texas sculptor Bobbe Gentry

Musing about life

and the twists and turns of fate

that brought me to you.

In my reverie

I am startled by these tears,

sudden and abrupt.

Continue I must

to ponder upon such things

as choices and chance.

For more haiku hijinks
please visit Jenn over at You Know...That Blog?
Next weeks theme: Chocolate

Tueday's Topic: Virginia Creeper

Neither Mr. Sister nor I had to work yesterday so we decided it would be a perfect day to take the kids on a  mountain bike adventure down the Virginia Creeper Trail. This is a trail through the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, near the Tennessee and NC borders. It criss crosses with the Appalachian trail as well. The wonderful thing about this adventure is that you begin from a high elevation and gravity assists your descent along the trail. Despite this, it is still a pretty rigorous work out avoiding hazards, other cyclists, hikers and horses.

The following are a few photos I'd like to share from our excursion. I must apologize in advance for the "blurry" nature as, unbeknown to me, there was a fingerprint on the lens.

Bethany and Munch...Are you ready?

How about you, Mr. Sister?

The 5th is definitely ready to roll.

Wait a sec...where, exactly, are we?

It appears we are here.

One of the many stops along the trout stream

meandering beside the trail.

Enjoying the beauty of what surrounds me, 

while resting up for the next leg of our journey.

A view of the trail.

Here is the Appalachian Trail crossing our path.

Unfortunately, Bethany's bike malfunctioned 

causing minor abrasions and a strained/sprained ankle

(the brakes got caught in her spokes causing her to flip).

Munchie Boy took a much harder fall when 

his wheel hit an obstruction along his path.

We stopped to cleanse his wounds in the clear mountain stream.

Thanks to the kindness of strangers with band-aids

his spirits were lifted. 

At the end of the adventure, despite our bumps and bruises,

we are all pretty excited. Why?

Ice cream, that's why!

And here is the wonderful thing about this trip...despite the mishaps along the way, Munch and Bethany remained positive and gave this adventure a resounding thumbs up!